Issue 4 February 2018 by Panther Publications

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PANTHERS PANTHER’S TALE VOLUME 66 ISSUE 4

FEBRUARY 2018

Florida School Shooting: Derby’s take on the tragedy on Page 3

CONTENTS

Page 3: Cutting out social media Page 4: The Music Man Page 5: Reviews from around Derby Page 6: First home Panther Pals game Page 7: Stuco competes in Winter Olympics Page 8-9: Bond Issue: Question 1 passes Page 10: Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Page 11: Florida school shooting shakes nation Page 12-13: Sports Page 14: Quirks that you love/hate Page 15: Editorials/Panther personalities

STAFF Content Editor Copy Editor Design Editor Photo Editor Production Editor

Jordan Cornell Courtney Brown Kayli Marczynski Caitlyn Dunn Jillian Wedman

Other staff

PANTHERSTALE.COM @PANTHERPUBNEWS @PANTHERPUBNEWS @DERBYPUB @PANTHERPUBLICATIONS

2017-2018 Presenting sponsor:

Hannah Berk Briantae Crockett Cydney Drees Jillian Jackson Olivia Jones Camryn Pagels Jessica Perea Summer Reece

On Cover: Top left: Senior Bryant Mocaby (Photo by Jordan Riebel

Top right: Junior Crew Squires (Photo by Abby Glanville

Middle: Junior Danielle DeBruyn (Photo by Hannah Berk)

Bottom left: Senior Devon Dubree (Photo by Caitlyn Dunn)

Bottom right: Senior Tyler Newbery (Photo by Hannah Berk)

Cover designed by Kayli Marczynski

Teens: time for change Florida school shooting sparks students’ fight for new gun policies in the U.S. Story by Summer Reece

n Feb. 14, there were 3,000 students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, who walked into school — a place they believed they were safe. The day ended in a terror that shattered their lives. On Wednesday, right before dismissal, the gunman came into the school — after shooting three people outside the building — and continued his rampage. Seventeen people were killed -- 14 students and three faculty -- and at least 15 more were wounded. The gunman, Nikolas Cruz, 19, was later found and arrested in a neighborhood nearby. Cruz reportedly confessed to the shooting and has since been charged with 17 accounts of premeditated murder. Cruz used a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle that he legally purchased one year ago. The shooting has caused an uproar not only in Parkland but around the nation — and even the world. The students of MSD, joined with

other shooting survivors and sympathizers, are demanding gun reform and will not stop until it happens. Their goal is to be the last mass shooting. They say it is too easy for Cruz and others like him to purchase a gun. His mental health was in question and he had several instances of behavioral issues and homicidal thoughts. However, those factors did not stop him from getting a gun. In Florida, a person does not need a permit or license to buy a gun. There are no assault weapon laws, no magazine capacity restrictions and a person is not required to inform law enforcement of their gun ownership. The MSD students are using social media platforms to speak out on this issue, creating trends such as #neveragain and #EnoughIsEnough that are quickly gaining popularity. The students continue gathering a staggering amount of supporters — even celebrities who want to help and have started using their own platforms to do so. The students also held a rally at Florida’s state courthouse on Feb. 17, urging

lawmakers to enforce stricter gun control. They held signs that said things like “Common Sense Laws Now,” “We don’t want your thoughts and condolences, we want policy & change” and “I can’t buy a drink, but I can buy a gun?” At the rally, Emma González, a student at MSD, spoke out against the current gun laws and politicians who support them, including Donald Trump. In response to Trump’s tweet that said the people around Cruz should have reported his “bad and erratic” behavior to authorities sooner, González pointed out that they had “time and time again.” González also spoke about how Trump received $30 million in support from the National Rifle Association, which is approximately $5,800 per gunshot victim in the U.S. in 2018 alone. “Is that how much these people are worth to you, Trump? If you don’t do anything to prevent this from continuing to occur, that number of gunshot victims will go up, and the number that they are worth will go down. And we will be worthless to you. To every politician taking donations from the NRA: shame on you,” González said. Rather than enforcing gun control, there have been several politicians that have suggested giving guns to teachers or employing heavier security to help stop the violence, but those ideas are met with strong opposition. “We don’t want higher fences and

Derby students weigh in on the shooting and gun policy “It just makes me sad to think about all those kids. You go to school to learn, and you’re supposed to feel safe -(to not) worry if you’re going to go home that day,” senior Lindsey Ryan said.

“Guns should be regulated like cars: we should have license plates, there should be tests, you should have proper training to use one. Not only that -- I also think that teachers and faculty members should be allowed to carry weapons on them,” junior Jack McDaniel said.

“I don’t think (gun control) is going to do anything to stop the shooting. You can say something’s illegal, (but) people who are criminals are still going to do the illegal things. They’re not going to stop because -oh look -- it’s illegal to have a gun,” senior John Scofield said.

metal detectors. We don’t want our teachers to have guns. We don’t want to go to school in a prison. We want CHANGE. We want genuine, lasting change,” twitter user @car_nove wrote. Another student at MSD, Jaclyn Corin, is planning a trip to Tallahassee from Feb. 20-21 where 100 MSD students will speak with their senators and House of Representatives members about changing gun laws. An event that created destruction and devastation now has the potential to bring about real change, and the students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School are on a mission to take advantage of that. They are standing up for what they believe is right — what they know will help future generations. For the students at MSD and supporters across the globe, this is just the beginning.

Photo by Summer Reece

“This is another reason why we need to have gun control in this country. If (we) don’t, there will be more deaths and more reasons why this country is going to be in a dark place... I think the only people who should be allowed to use weapons is the military or law enforcement.,” freshman Carter Sumner said.

One of the many ‘no guns allowed’ signs posted on the school’s doors, accompanied by a sign warning students not to let people into the Derby High School doors.

The Music Man: A Derby Drama Club Production Story by Courtney Brown

cast, they did amazing. They got their crap rom learning lines and music to creating together, they practiced their music, they sound sets and props, a lot goes into producing beautifully, they got into character beautifully, a musical. With so much to assemble in a they played their part and everyone did a great couple of months, even a great show like the job. I’m proud of them, especially with the drama club’s production, “The Music Man”, circumstances we went through,” Romo said. can have a few bumps in the road. Photo by Caitlyn Dunn “During rehearsals, it was always crazy because a lot of stuff was last-minute and a lot of stuff was changed. I’m not trying to bash anyone...but a lot of things kept changing because communication wasn’t a thing,” said junior David Romo, who played Marcellus. “... And it’s a domino effect, it would mess up the choreography, it’d mess up the song, then it’d mess up the dance, and then it’d mess up the blocking for the rest of the act.” Students and supervisors found solutions together. “They had a lot of meetings and, when Skip (director Richard Shultz) would be like ...‘Well, if someone told you to do it this way, then stick to that,’ so basically whoever said it first won,” said senior Erica Doesken, who played Amaryllis. Chorus member senior Devon Stone added: “Skip made it easier by saying stick to whatever they said first instead of trying to complicate it.” The drama club also encountered a lack of tech crew members, so cast and crew worked together to ensure the production went smoothly. “To make sure that everything ran smoothly, we marked on the stage with tape to show where our set needed to be placed, and I informed our techies over the mic packs which scenes were going to be next,” stage manager Photo by Caitlyn Dunn junior Corrine Crocker said. Senior Ryenne Practice made perfect. The show, which Bishop (left) sings to was Feb. 15-17, the musical was a success. senior Erica Doe“I think I did pretty well — and then my sken (right) during a ballod.

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Reviews Taco Johns Taco Johns recently opened up at 1906 N. Rock Road right next to IHOP. I had my mom, dad and brother go with me so I could try their food and also get their opinions. When we walked in, the atmosphere was nice and clean. But because it was so new, all 10 tables and a small bar with six seats were full, so we opted for the drive-through. We ordered four meals. It cost $39.93, a nearly $15 increase over good old Taco Bell. As we started eating, we realised a few things were missing. We also had to heat up several things. We live less than five minutes away from the restaurant, so the drive shouldn’t have been a factor in cooling off the food. My brother had the most expensive meal at $9.99, the steak street tacos -- but his was the smallest meal by far. The other meals were pretty proportionate to the price. The taste wasn’t amazing, either. The quesadillas weren’t crispy and were smothered in nacho cheese; so was the soft taco. If you’re looking for a cheap taco place, I would skip Taco Johns and go directly to Taco Bell. I would consider going back to Taco Johns, but I’d wait a month or two until they work

out all the kinks of the new store. -- Hannah Berk

The Cloverfield Paradox The Cloverfield Paradox is a new Netflix Original movie. It’s pretty bad. It seems like just another unoriginal apocalyptic horror space movie. And that is exactly what it is. There is nothing unique or interesting about it, which is why the hype surrounding this movie is long gone. The music is bland, and the acting is about the same. The scenes and transitions do not flow well. It also makes a habit of bouncing from topic to topic. The movie does not get better as time goes on. It tries too hard and not enough all at once, and it drones on and makes you feel like you are listening to a monotone lecture. Even the action scenes make you drowsy. If you are looking for a quality movie for a cozy and fun night in, this is not it. I would not recommend watching it ever -- unless you want to be bored for an hour and 42 minutes. If you already wasted your time watching this movie, I am so sorry. -- Summer Reece

Altered Carbon

Story by Jordan Riebel

Altered Carbon is a new Netflix Original Series that is primarily sci-fi, but it is infused with other genres, particularly mystery, thriller and a hint of comedy. Note: It is rated TV-Mature. The opening credits scene was fantastic, and the visuals/ aesthetics throughout the show were solid. The way the show transitioned through each scene and covered some of the backstory was pretty well done. I also thought the acting was fairly good. If you want to be invested in the show, pay attention because it’s not a show to play in the background while doing homework. I thought it had an interesting and unique plotline, and the main character was a highlight to me. He is presented as a conventional antagonist but is also tailored to be supported by the audience. The intense action starts within the first 10 minutes, and it does not let up after that. I actually liked the style of the violence — at some points it kind of had a video game vibe. Overall, Altered Carbon is not the best show I have ever seen, but I would definitely watch more of it. -- Summer Reece

ortnite — the game that every guy is obsessed with. It’s a game that takes skill and teamwork in order to get the job done. “There are two modes in Fortnite -- a battle royale and a save the world mode,” senior Beau Rodriguez said. “The battle royale is probably the most popular mode. It’s like the hunger games, you only have one life and you start out with just a pickaxe and you fall from the sky from a bus. Then you go on to gather supplies and weapons and try to be the last man standing.” In the game, you are running around the map trying to collect resources and build structures. Once you play the game more, you will get used to the map and learn all of the ins and outs. The game has become a huge trend around the school. Many girls at the school are getting annoyed by their boyfriends always playing the game, even when they are together. “My boyfriend is always playing Fortnite, even when we are

hanging out. It’s so annoying because I come over there to spend time with him, not to watch him play a stupid game,” senior Veronica Van Boening said. There are some girls who play the game as well. “I love Fortnite. I always play it with my boyfriend. I may not be the best at it but I don’t mind him playing it at all,” sophomore Breanna Mehringer said. The talk about Fortnite has begun on Twitter as well with girls posting about how they are getting annoyed from seeing their victories all over guys’ Snapchat stories. Unfortunately, many guys clapped back by saying it’s annoying when girls post about their bath bombs. The feud has yet to stop, the girls are still annoyed and so are the guys. “Guys just don’t understand that bath bombs have many uses. What does playing this game do?” Van Boening said. To many girls, the game may seem annoying, but they cannot fight the fact that guys love it.

Photo by Kayli Marczynski

Taco Johns opened on Feb. 12.

Photos by Hannah Berk

Taco John’s still working to win over fans.

The video game Fortnite either causes rifts in relationships or brings couples closer.

Fun on the c urt Panther Pals home game brings connections, excitement Story by Courtney Brown

leaders alike are excited for the home game. “What I’m most excited for is my mom and both my little cousins are probably coming because this is my last year here,” Snyder said. Brooks is also excited that the home game means “doing the dance that we’ve learned.” However, the home game is special to all Panther Pals. Their favorite part is “Playing in front of their peers. Students see them and then they recognize them,” Thomas said. “The say, ‘hi’ to them in the hallways. They help build relationships with others. That’s a very special and awesome thing to do.”

ach time a Panther Pal made a basket at the 2017 home game, the student fans clapped and cheered as positive energy filled the gymnasium. The Panther Pals won that game, but from the start, they had already won the support of the Derby students. With this in mind, it’s easy to see why Panther Pals basketball and cheerleading is ultimately about friendships. “Without them our success would not be possible. It’s all about the kids making connections with each other,” Panther Pals basketball coach Larry Thomas said. Making connections is one of the reasons senior Angela Snyder joined basketball. “What made me start is because most of the players were pretty good to me, and I actually like playing basketball,” Snyder said. “The Panther Pals just make it more fun for the special ed kids because they’re there to help you learn a little more and to help you get better.” The Panther Pals usually play 8-10 games each year. Leading up to the home game, the A team was 3-3 and the B team was 1-3. “So far it’s been really good. We’ve lost some games, but we’ve also won some games. Like (Feb. 2), we played Valley Center, we ended up winning that,” Snyder said. Photo by Camryn Pagels Junior Natalie Brooks, one of the Panther Panther Pals team members play basketball. Pals cheerleaders, has also enjoyed the season. “(My favorite part is) going to games and watching our team win, cheering them on,” Brooks said. Heading into the home game on Feb. 23, Thomas expected a great home game. “The home game is always a great time for the kids,” Thomas said. “They love to play in front of their peers and their peers love to cheer them on.” Panther Pals basketball players and cheer-

Photo by Camryn Pagels

The Panther Pals cheerleaders practice their halftime performance.

Photo by Camryn Pagels

Panther Pals team members for the game on Feb. 23.

Winter Olympics The Winter Olympics had four mini games inspired by board games: “Connect Four,” “Hungry Hungry Hippos,” trivia and “Chutes and Ladders.” Sophomores won the Winter Olympics games. With class banner scores included, seniors were first place overall.

Senior competitors lift Jonathan Jones up for their introduction.

Class Themes Freshmen

Senior Skyler Sprecker looks at the hoops for the “Connect Four” game.

Senior Ethan Foster coming to the rescue of Joel Craig after he got separated from his partner, Whitney Crawford, in the “Hungry Hungry Hippos” game.

Senior Jenna Terrell throws cheeseballs at senior Nick Valdez’s shaving cream-covered face.

All photos by Summer Reece

Sophomores Juniors Seniors

Sophomore Emrey Anderson puts her sleeves in the XXL T-shirt sophomore Presley Brunecz is wearing to complete the T-shirt toss.

Relationship Habits

Talking, creating memories examples of healthy choices Story by Briantae Crockett

abits can have an impact on relationships. The definition of a habit is “a consistent and regular pattern of behavior.” When you are in a relationship, you learn things about yourself and your partner to become more comfortable. That’s where these habits start to form. Here are some healthy relationship habits shared by Derby High students. It is important to talk about your feelings with your significant other. Be comfortable no matter the topic. Oftentimes in relationships, we lean on our partners for affection, and some people may not have ever had that before. “Needing your boyfriend/girlfriend to be the basis of your happiness,” sopho-

more Daniel Archer said. Having space in a relationship is important -- without it, couples tend to get tired or frustrated with each other. But you can find a resolution by giving

to each other, complimenting each other, making sure we talk frequently and make time for each other,” junior Jacqueline Baker said. Making time and creating memories with each other are a significant factor in a relationship. These are habits that keep a relationship intact.

“Needing your boyfriend/girlfriend to be the basis of your happiness,” sophomore Daniel Archer said.

each other space and letting them their own lives. “Jokingly teasing each other about stupid stuff, holding hands, sitting next

Photo by Courtney Brown

Student receives roses for a Valentine’s Day gift.

Photo by Courtney Brown

Ed Belsan’s homeroom during their Valentine’s Day party.

Social media focus harms budding relationships Story by Briantae Crockett oo afraid to actually talk to that special person face to face? Don’t really know what to say? Prefer to chat through text? Sending laughing emojis with a blank stare on your face? Go ahead and thank social media for changing relationships. Before social media, we didn’t have to worry about being paranoid or even think about seeing that photo of your ex and wanting to run back to them. Sometimes people even share too much of their relationship on social media. There is pressure of proving the relationship is going well. Social media also has its positives. It makes it easier to communicate with significant others while they’re away. But is dating or having a relationship through social media even possible? “I think it would be possible if you are dedicated to that person enough. I think it could last until they could see each other. It depends on how long that is,” junior

Corrine Crocker said. Dating now has also changed. Before it was a nice dinner or a movie. Now it’s just staying home and watching Netflix. Often times, people weren’t afraid to say, “it’s a date”. Now it’s like people don’t want to put a label on it. You mostly hear the phrases “going out for coffee”, “just hanging out”, or “watching a movie at their place”. “I think it has to do with the rule of no over-investing emotionally or basically not being pushy with your date, in order to not make an uncomfortable situation,” junior Cameron Brown said. Students share what they consider a good date. “A lovely evening out where no one’s accidentally made a fool of themselves,” Brown said. “Anything that involves having fun with your significant other,” senior Taylor Bloomquist said. “Hanging out at a bonfire,” Crocker said.

Photo by Courtney Brown

Some of the students’ creations to hold their valentines.

Photo by Courtney Brown

Junior Marah Franke smiles with her Valentine’s Day box.

Cutting Out

Social Media

Teenagers find themselves unknowingly addicted to social media Story by Briantae Crockett

eemingly everyone has a cell phone, and almost everyone who has a cellphone has social media. Teenagers spend hours on their phones keeping up with celebrities, new trends, Twitter gossip. But does anyone actually think about the time they spend on social media and what they could be doing with their lives instead? Why are we so obsessed with the world of social media? Derby High students shared their opinions on the effects of social media. “People don’t realize that there is a real world out there. And all they want is what is trending, new apps, music, Twitter fights, when all that is a block of what is really out there,” junior Hannah Abou Faissal said. Social media plays a big part in human interaction around the world. Take Facebook, for instance: say you lost all contact with family members and friends. You log into Facebook and you’re connected with them once again because of the common friends

and family you had already knew. “Social media enables us to meet new people, express ourselves and keep in touch with people who may live far away. But the average 15-18 yearold spends eight hours on it also keeps us from experiences social media per day and distracts us from what truly matters,” sophomore Madison How much time do Derby High students spend on their phone? Arthur said. “I think everyone would think 6.8% that without social media we 11.8% 28% would be missing out on a lot. But I think we would all find that we 18% 13% won’t miss out on anything at all, 22.4% and you’ll experience more in the real world than in your phone.” What do you think the world would be like if social media never existed? “Like how it was in the 90s... people meeting up at stores or parks to talk. A lot more one-onone real-talk, and possibly even a drop in rudeness or profanity due to many having to look the person in the eye,” sophomore Nathan Lamothe said. “I feel like people wouldn’t have as much issues with cyberbullying, depression, or suicide. And people would actually talk to each other in person more,” sophPhoto by Caitlyn Dunn omore Corrie Spaulding said. Mekale McFerren checks phone in class.

3:12

Smartphones distracting students from friends, family Story by Olivia Jones

t has become more common for people to ignore their peers because they are on their phones. As more phones and apps are created, the interest increases. The use of cell phones has been linked to poor attention spans. According to Time magazine, Americans check their phones up to 8 billion times each day..

People ignore their friends family and teachers but are fully engaged in a conversation through a screen. “It’s kind of like they’re not paying attention,” junior Briana Hicks said. When someone is on their phone, they not only miss an important conversation, but they miss the things going on around them, too.

“If it’s an emergency, I get it. But if they are just talking to their friends, I will just get up and walk away,” sophomore Neveah Rumsey said. Safety.com reported that pedestrians getting injured or hit by cars is on the rise. People are running into things because they are looking at their phones instead of paying attention to where they

are going. Cell phone usage has also been linked to relationship problems with friends and significant others. Luckily, junior Alissa Haddock is confident that when she is speaking, her friends are actively engaged in the conversation. “I have very weird friends, so it doesn’t happen to me a lot,” Haddock said.

Deleting social media didn’t kill me – but it certainly felt like it did

ne of my new year resolutions for 2018 was to cut out as much negativity of my life as possible. The first week of the new year, I started small and just tried Hannah Berk to identify where all this negativity was coming from. As I went through my week, I started noticing that my Twitter feed was absolutely filled with people attacking each other over politics, sexuality, morals, and just people tweeting things without thinking about the effect it would have on other people. Then I really started to think about all the time I was wasting not only on Twitter but on Facebook too. So I decided to cut out all social media, and it made a huge difference. The first day without all those distractions, I was so productive, I ran out of things to do. After finishing all my homework, I ended up alphabetizing files on the attendance office (where I am an office intern) and applying for a few scholarships. Over the next few days, I noticed my moods slowly getting better because I hadn’t read anything from the toxic people that I had been dealing with over social media. I had talked to my friends more and had gotten more out of the conversations. I learned more about my friends and paid more attention to class and church. I also slept more because I didn’t waste 15 minutes checking all my accounts before I went to sleep and after I woke up. The longer night’s sleep was also a better quality of sleep than I’d had in a while. Even if you can’t go a week without social media, I encourage you to just go a day or two without it and see how much time and energy you spend. While I’m glad I had a detox, I can admit I failed and reinstalled Facebook and Twitter after two weeks. After my detox was over, I took the time to clean up my following list, and was more thoughtful over how much time I spend on social media.

Making it to the top Derby wrestlers work tirelessly for spot on varsity Story by Jordan Riebel

At the beginning of the season, wrestlers battle for the varsity spot. “Varsity and JV is sorted by challenge matches at each individual weight. Whoever beats everyone else in that weight takes the varsity spot,” junior Bryce Westmoreland said. The matches are determined by the weight of the boys and that can gradually increase or decrease throughout the season changing what weight class they wrestle in. “Watching weight is important because you want to lose it gradually rather than wait until the last couple of days because you will be tired and exhausted when you wait until right before weighins,” Westmoreland said. Derby won its Class 6A regional and qualified 13 of 14 wrestlers for the state tournament at Hartman Arena on Feb. 23-24.

Wrestling state qualifiers Freshman Cason Lindsey, 106 Junior Ethan Hill, 113 Sophomore Xavier Sisco, 126 Senior Brandon Becker, 132 Junior Cooper Ross, 138 Junior Crew Squires, 145 Junior Cade Lindsey, 152 Junior Triston Wills, 160 Junior Jacob Ormsby, 170 Junior Bryce Westmoreland, 182 Sophomore Tyler Allen, 195 Junior Nikalous Self, 220 Junior Ronnie Washington, 285

Boys swim wraps up season at state Story by Promise Asher

have to make it to the A finals, the round composed of the top eight swimmers. B enior Ethan Pinkerton wrapped up finals consist of the next eight swimmers. his high school swimming career on Junior Jacob Feb. 17 in TopeTanner and sophoka, returning to Dermore Jordan Weve by after competing swam the 100 meter in the 200 freestyle butterfly. Tanner relay and the 400 finished in 57.58 freestyle relay. seconds, Weve in “This year our 57.85. 200 relay finished Making it to in 17th; we were state is a memo.04 seconds away ry cherished by from making finals,” Photo by Hannah Berk all swimmers. It Pinkerton said. “Our Junior Nathaniel Baucum dives off the was bittersweet for 400 relay made it to block to begin his race. Pinkerton. finals and took 15th “The whole experience is a ton of overall.” fun,” Pinkerton said. “Spending so much Finals at state are divided into A and time with each other, it’s really amazing.” B sections. In order to medal swimmers

Derby boys #carterstrong in victory over Salina South

another example of the ups and downs of the season. n Feb. 13 Derby faced the Salina “I mean, we’ve had a lot of ups and South Cougars in a game dedicated downs this season for sure,” Brown said. to Carter Roberts, a 7-year-old boy “We’ve had our moments in the season who died on Sunday after a battle with where brain cancer. they’re “It was high, like amazing. Before we got the game all the everybody knew highs we were playing and lows for something and bigger,” Derby there’s senior Tyler just times Brown said. where we “The way we just have played was lapses. affected by how “Like we honored Photo by Kaitlyn Sanders the NewCarter. His dad Team members wear Carter Strong t-shirts ton game. We should actually came while not on the court. have won that game into the locker by a lot and we just, room and told as a team, we had a lapse and couldn’t get us to win by 30, which was kind of crazy it done. But then (against Salina South), that we actually went out and beat Salina we played great. We were flowing really South by 50. I just thought it was really well on the floor and everything was just cool, it was a really good night in memory clicking.” of him,”

Story by Kaitlyn Sanders

After a close loss in Newton on Feb. 9, the huge win over the Cougars was

Derby boys, girls bowling prepare for Class 6A state tournament Story by Jordan Riebel

he Derby boys bowling team, which is the defending Class 6A champion, took third at regionals in Dodge City on Feb. 22. Senior Matthew Hedden finished

second overall. On the girls side, seniors Shelbie Lindsey and Priscilla Lord qualified for state, as well.

Derby basketball legacies

Varsity basketball players discuss who they believe can replace them once they graduate Story by Courtney Brown

While Mills and Schomp can both make three-pointers, their height gives them different advantages. “I’m really short, she’s tall, so we see the floor differently,” Mills said. “That gives everybody different point-of-views, she can see people who’s open that I can’t because she’s taller. And she’s probably better at defense because she’s also taller for guarding the bigger girls.”

starter since sophomore year and team captain, senior post Holly Mills has been an asset to the girls varsity basketball team — a spot she had since freshman year. Her contribution even garnered an award. “As a sophomore I made All-League Honorable Mention,” Mills said. “It’s just like an award that eventually coaches go around and choose at the end of the season; there’s first team, second team, and honorable mention where they choose girls throughout the league have done well at certain aspects of things.” After graduating, Mills thinks that anyone who works hard could step into her place, but thought of freshman Jaidyn Photo by Jordan Riebel Schomp, a JV player who has subbed Senior Holly Mills dribbles past a Salina in varsity this year. South player. “Jaidyn’s a pretty confident player, she’s tall, she’s quick,” Mills said. “And she’ll also play with Kennedy (Brown) and Tor’e (Alford) and Sydney (Nilles) and Ahdaya (Myers) and everyone else for four years or three years until they graduate. So she has all the opportunity in the world to improve.”

Story by Courtney Brown

enior center Adrian Brown, a varsity basketball player since junior year, prides himself on his defense and going after loose balls. “He’s great on defensive; he’s a great rebounder,” coach Brett Flory said. Brown thinks that either JV players sophomore Caleb Meyer or freshman Isaac Ray could step into his place after his graduation next year. “They’re strong, they can shoot well, they help other players out when they need help,” Brown said. Besides being good players, Meyer and Ray also lift up their teammates. “When we have our varsity vs. JV practice, they set up and guard pretty well and they’re very encouraging to other players,” Brown said. Flory thinks any player could step into Brown’s place if they have the work ethic. “If anyone works as hard as he does, then they can do it,” Flory said. “He’s just a great person for players to look up to.”

Photo by Jordan Riebel

Senior Adrian Brown passing the ball to a fellow teammate while a Salina South player runs towards him.

Photo by Jordan Riebel

Senior Emilio Valentin dancing in the middle of the team huddle with a huge smile on his face before the game starts.

“We all just are such good friends on and off the court that camaraderie is just really good,” senior Holly Mills said. Designed by Summer Reece

Catchy catchphrases

Pet Peeves: Getting under your skin •

Story by Summer Reece

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ang, zoom, straight to the moon. Catchphrases are a creative way to express feelings or ideas in a way most everyone understands. If someone suddenly yelled “Bazinga!” in a crowded room, there is a high probability the people around them know where that word came from and what it means — it might even get a few chuckles. The most common source for catchphrases comes from television. From Joey Tribbiani’s “How you doin’?” in Friends to Fred Flintstone’s “Yabba dabba doo!” in The Flintstones, catchphrases are used to give characters originality and an easily identifiable trademark. Translating into real life, people sometimes adapt their favorite characters’ catchphrases into their vocabulary. Junior Adreanna Needham says her favorite catchphrase to use is Fred’s “My leg!” from Spongebob Squarepants. Sometimes people simply create their own — a trademark of their personalities. “Whatever butters your eggroll” and “whatever floats your goat” are two catchphrases freshman Lydia Slem said she created and uses often. Whether they are on television or in real life, catchphrases are fun to create and use, and they make conversations more expressive and memorable. Hasta la Vista, Baby.

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Loud chewing or people who chew with their mouth open. People who don’t cover their mouth when they cough/sneeze. Not in the mood to get sick. People who say “no offense” as if it downplays anything insulting that they say When people walk slow in front of you or suddenly they stop like there’s no one else around. When people talk over you as if what you said doesn’t even matter. Clapping at the end of the movie at a theater. Like what’s the point. Lack of respect for others opinions. (ignorance pretty much) Driving too slow in the fast lane. Move over grandma other people in a hurry People who don’t realize how ignorant they can be. As if they weren’t born with a filter Immaturity. Its ok to be funny but when you take nothing serious ever it just gets annoying. People who talk with their mouth full. Not trying to seafood. When someone leaves the water running. People are dying, because of dehydration and you wanna waste it like it don’t matter. Careless driving. Don’t put others in risk of losing their lives just because you wanna act dumb. People who are mean to animals. Like this really ticks me off. Not washing hands after using the restroom. You don’t know what type of germs you carried from the bathroom. WASH YOUR HANDS People who complain 24/7. Like I get you hate life but not everyone needs to know every little detail. People who always feel the need to be the center of attention. World doesn’t revolve around you. Cutting the line. Just don’t do it. It’s rude Talking during a movie. Didn’t pay 50 bucks to hear your opinion.

—Jessica Perea

Story by Olivia Jones

pet peeve is something that a person finds particularly annoying. Everyone has something that they just can’t stand. Something that makes you so uncomfortable. List of pet peeves is long. Not everyone hates the same things. Students around the school were asked about specific things that bothers them. “Over-explaining. If I understand something don’t explain it to me 10 times,” junior Austin Parker said. Sometimes over-explaining things to people can make them feel stupid, or that you think they are at a lower level than you are. When someone over-explains, they are wasting their time and someone else’s. Asking that person if they get it after you go into detail once will help you determine whether they understand or not. “When people touch me,” freshman Alexus Gashler said. People don’t like being touched by other people because they don’t know where their hands have been. Most people are okay being touched by people they are close with, but not strangers. “Interrupting, and having to repeat yourself over and over again,” freshman Samantha Curtis said Being interrupted by someone is frustrating, but getting mad at the person won’t help Most people don’t realize that they’re interrupting, or that it’s rude. Letting the person know that they’re interrupting, and how it makes you feel is a good way to be firm but not rude or embarrassing.

The Nose Knows: Good, bad smells distract Story By Jessica Perea

e as humans have the urge to be attracted to or cling to good smells such as flowers or food. There’s nearly 2,000 students at Derby High School, and pretty much everyone has their own type of aroma. We are so compacted in this

school that sometimes you may walk past someone who might not smell too nice, and when people notice, they tend to be distance themselves from that person. They might even be kind of rude to them just because they might not smell the way they want them to. A lot of people try hard to come to school smelling real

good. At least I know I do. Everyone has their preferred scent, whether it’s fruity or more on the flowery side. “I have noticed that I am quick to judge based off what people smell like. Never really thought about it,” senior Bryon Clark said. According to nih.gov, humans can identify over one trillion smells.

Our nose has a big impact on our lives and can make many decisions for us and we don’t even notice it.

Panther Personalities Story by Summer Reece

— it just seems fun,” Sanders said. In school, Sanders can be found eet sophomore Monaye Sanders. participating in theatre, specifically the She was born in New Mexico, newest production that drama club is but — being from a military family performing, The Music Man. It’s her — she has lived in Mexico, Japan, Georfavorite production that she has worked gia, New Jersey, Texas and now Kansas. in thus far. Sanders said that This makes sense as her favorite place she her favorite genre to act has lived is her three in is comedy. years in Japan. Her Meanwhile, out of favorite part about school, Sanders prefers living there was seeing activities that are indoors, the culture. like eating. Sanders currently “I can eat half a dozdoesn’t know what en Krispy Kreme donuts she wants to do when by myself if you give me she is an adult, but 20 minutes,” Sanders she has narrowed it said. down to three options She even claimed that she is the most that if she did not have passionate about: to sleep, she would spend psychology, acting or Photo by Summer Reece Sophomore Monaye Sanders is a that time eating. bartending. So basically, she’s “Personally, me, I military kid who loves to eat. wouldn’t really drink pretty relatable. — or drink a lot — but I just find it cool seeing how they do all the stuff (throwing drinks, mixing drinks). I want to do that

“The second one is a little more interesting, you know how on Android, you eet sophomore Jordan Habash. have the little pattern unlock you can do. Habash learned HTML I like to make creative patterns on there programming in seventh grade in and I got tired of having to change my school, then continued to teach himself password every time I wanted to create through the years. a new pattern. So I Since seventh just made an app that grade, Habbash simulated just the dots has created two and you could draw on apps and is curit,” Habbash said. rently creating a Now, Habbash is in website. the process of creating The first app a website. translated English “There’s nothing into a base three really on it now except number system some random pages. that he made up. I’ll make it to where Base three is a you can access it soon, number system but I’m having some where you only troubles,” Habbash have three num- Photo by Jordan Riebel said. bers to work with Sophomore Jordan Habash likes to Habbash plans to so if you have 0, create apps and wants to have a career in keep learning more lan1 and 2 you can computer programming. guages and have some use 1, 2, 10, 12, type of career in app 21, etc. His base three variation uses base three, but instead of numbers, he used development or computer programming. letters.

Story by Hannah Berk

STOP MAKING OUT IN HALLS! Snapchat update frustrates all humankind Story by Jordan Riebel

would consider PDA to be pretty big at Derby. Every time I walk to class, I see at least four couples in the hallway either hugging or kissing. I believe that PDA is OK but only to a point. If you are just standing there holding your boyfriend or girlfriend’s hand, that is not bad at all. On the other hand, if you are full on making out in the hallway where everyone can see, that is nasty. No one wants to be walking to class and see that on the way. Things like making out and touching should be something you

should do in private. The other day I was walking to English and I passed this couple that was all over each other and making out. I honestly wanted to throw up. I don’t come to school to see you smack all on your boyfriend or girlfriend. I never really understood the meaning of “get a room” until I got to high school. Giving someone a quick peck on the lips is perfectly fine. But please stop making out in the hallways!

there’s a few decent choices. Story by Hannah Berk Supposedly the new update makes it easier for y now I’m sure you have seen the new the consumer to separate their friends’ stories from Snapchat update and have formed your the discover page with stories own opinions about from media and celebrities. it, but this is mine. But I still have a few I am an organized friends stories on the person. Before the update, discover page that I have I was able to keep the left “bookmarked”, but I never side of the app that displays bookmarked them, and I current conversations clean. can’t find a way to un-bookI would clear conversations mark them, since I never talk with people that I didn’t snap anymore, so I didn’t have to to the people. scroll when I wanted to talk I have tried the “hack” to a friend. on get the old version back. Now, I have to scroll It always auto-updates after through random people’s a few hours, even though I stories to respond to a Snaphave auto-update off. chat. This version has one, maybe two, good features, One thing that’s kind of cool is the updates on but the whole adding stories to the left side stinks. the Bitmojis. They added a lot of new ways to make Overall, I really hope they switch it back to the old your character look more like you. There still isn’t a version. great match for my curly hair in the new update, but Design by Hannah Berk

Photo by Summer Reece

Mantherettes perform at the winter pep assembly, doing the pantherettesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; kickline.

Photo by Jordan Riebel

Photo by Summer Reece

Photo by Hannah Berk

Junior Ahdaya Myers waits for fellow teammate to throw the ball Seniors Jacob Moore and Quinn Meyer compete in Hungry Hungry Hippos. in while Salina South player is ready to block.

Photo by Hannah Berk

Freshmen Andrew Abdullayev comes up for air as he finishes his race.

Photo by Jordan Riebel

Senior Matthew Hedden gets highest score at meet against Campus.

Photo by Caitlyn Dunn

Sophomore Tre Washington making his way around a Sophomores Bradley Roudybush and Ethan King star in Salina South player.` The Music Man. Design by Hannah Berk