Booster Redux April 2018

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Moving Forward Students, professionals describe aftermath of sexual assault

Just Keep Swimming Duncan’s determination drives him to state

In-Depth

Feature

Socially Sound Repertoire theater prepares for upcoming social issues play News

Serving for a Bigger Season Boys tennis team grows in numbers Sports

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Pittsburg High School 1978 E. 4th Street Pittsburg, KS 66762

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Friday, April 6, 2017 Vol. 100 Issue 8

District Hires New Admin

Words by | USD 250 school board members unanimously approved Richard Proffitt as the district’s new superintendent of schools at their meeting on March 26. Proffitt, who will replace superintendent Destry Brown, was selected from a nationwide pool of 38 applicants compiled by hiring firm Ray and Associates. “I knew that Pittsburg was going to attract a lot of quality candidates, so it was validating that my skill set had been recognized as compatible with the goals and vision of the Board of Education and the district,� Proffitt said. Proffitt has served as superintendent of Chanute Public Schools for the past three years. Before then, he was the superintendent at Southeast of Saline. He received his bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University, master’s degree from the University of Kansas and superintendent’s licensure from Pittsburg State University. “[Proffitt] has a tremendous servant leadership belief that will be pivotal in empowering our teachers, staff, and administrators to move our district forward,� said school board president Marlene Willis in a press release. During Proffitt’s tenure, Chanute Elementary School (CES) was awarded with the National Blue Ribbon School Award for closing the achievement gap for low-income students. “There was a lot of leadership that needed to take place for that to happen,� Proffitt said. “It’s quite an honor to be named that.� Proffitt said one of the greatest assets he will bring to Pittsburg is collaborative decision-making with a “students first� mindset. “It is a public school and a lot of people need to have a voice in how the decisions moves forward, with the idea that several voices are going to make it better,� Proffitt said. “So it’s our plan, not my plan.� At the USD 250 board’s “Meet the Candidates� event, Proffitt said his biggest challenge in education occurred when a Chanute resident forwarded a picture of “The Head of Christ� --- a portrait hanging from the wall of the district’s middle school --- to the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The foundation demanded the picture be taken down, thus pulling the district into a national media frenzy. Griffin Cooper, a sophomore on PHS’s student leadership committee, said Proffitt’s leadership during this matter shows that he will do well at PHS. “I really respected that [Proffitt] was able to not put it off onto his [other staff members] and he was able to address the people directly,� Cooper said. “He seems to make good decisions when under pressure.� Proffitt said he will visit Pittsburg and work with staff members prior to formulating any plans for the district. “I don’t have any goals or preconceived notions coming in,� Proffitt said. “What I really need to do is learn as much about the district as I possibly can and see where the strengths lie and how we can enhance those, but then also try to take inventory on where some improvements need to be made and [how to] improve those.� Proffitt will begin working for the district starting July 1.

Top: Seniors Ximena Ibarra, Journey Jaramillo photo by Hannah Abarca. Left: Senior Caleb Blansett photo by Connor Balthozar. Right: English teacher Mellissa Fight Johnson photo by Shannon O’Hara.

Walking out to speak up Words by |

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he clock struck 10:00 on March 14, students rose from their seats, walked down the halls and assembled in the courtyard. The high school was one of around 3,000 schools, according to USA Today, across the nation to participate in this walkout in response to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting on Feb. 14. Junior Ximena Ibarra and senior Journey Jaramillo, leaders of the Equality Club, sponsored by Spanish teacher Angie PallarĂŠs and English teacher Melissa Fite Johnson, felt the need to bring this movement to the school. It started as an Equality Club event, but then drifted from just the club turning into a school-wide call to action. “After the shooting in Florida there was some talk about a walkout as a nationwide situation. Ximena was interested in getting something started,â€? PallarĂŠs said. “I helped very little, it was all Ximena and Journey. All I did was help them letting the staff know. They did the planning, footwork and talking to administration.â€? According to Ibarra and Jaramillo, the toughest obstacle they felt they faced planning the walkout, was the reaction administration would have. “After the Florida shooting I started seeing posts on Twitter about student activism,â€? Ibarra said. “We were hesitant to do it at first, but we ended up talking to administration. In the meeting with them we talked about our proposal and they welcomed it.â€?

With the administration’s approval the walkout was planned. Assistant principal Kelynn Heardt saw it as a different educational opportunity for students. “It is important to encourage learning outside the walls of PHS. We were able to work together developing a plan extending beyond students leaving class to join a walkout,� Heardt said. “I commend the students for encouraging participants of the walkout to make their actions and stance more meaningful. Even though students left class, they still took part in learning.� The nationwide event was set for a total of 17 minutes to commemorate the 17 lives lost. The school’s walkout lasted about 25 minutes due to students wanting their voice to be heard. “At the walkout, we wanted to speak about gun violence and gun control, but we didn’t realize what we were doing gave voices to more than just us,� Jaramillo said. “People were going up to speak who I wouldn’t have thought would of. Their messages were just as powerful as ours.� Multiple viewpoints were expressed at the walkout. According to Ibarra, she wanted to make it known even as high schoolers, they can instigate change. “We’ve seen the effect of threats against our school. Bags were checked and we had to sit in the cold, we know how little it takes to get a weapon,� Ibarra said. “It extends past Florida. Just because it hasn’t happened in Kansas or Pittsburg doesn’t mean it won’t happen. We need to take

action against it now.� As tears welled up, Jaramillo shared her personal connection to gun violence. “I feel more passionate about gun violence,� Jaramillo said. “It became a bigger issue to me because my brother was killed by gun violence. I realized we need to stand up, let people know this is a problem and we need to do something about it.� At the walkout Ibarra and Jaramillo advocated for gun-control, but other factors going into a school shooting were mentioned. The idea of being kind to one another was a message conveyed by senior Sean Scales. “After everyone was talking about gun control, no one realized bullying damages people. I don’t think anyone understands it besides the people who are bullied. They rarely get the chance to share their opinion,� Scales said. “This was my one chance to take all the years of depression and built-up rage, to tell everyone to leave each other alone.� Students were not the only ones to walk out and speak up. Teachers also had a passion for the cause. Fite Johnson was one of these adults. “It felt good to believe in something enough to take action. I felt an urge of pride in the students, but in myself too. I am proud I am not scared to share my opinions,� Fite Johnson said. “But, these students are half my age and they did this. I know they have support from community members and the school, which makes me feel really lucky.�

Assuring security

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n March 6 a threat was found in a textbook and brought to the administration’s attention by two students. Local law enforcement agencies were immediately contacted by administration. “Everything that comes to us as a threat gets investigated,� principal Phil Bressler said. “We had Crawford County Sheriff’s Department and Pittsburg Police Department involved. They know more about this investigation and what they’re looking for.� Instead of cancelling school for March 7, administration and law

because it wasn’t credible. The kid enforcement officials increased was administratively put on leave security. for a few days. It was taken care “You have to be very judicious of.� to call school off for this. We don’t Students and staff were still want [threats] to become a habit,� Bressler said. “We do everything we required to enter through the main doors on March 7 to have their bags can, and that’s why we involve law checked. enforcement as soon as we know.� “If we thought the precautions After the threat was investigated, we took Wednesday wouldn’t have it was not found credible, and no guaranteed students’ safety, we arrests were made at this time. wouldn’t have had school,� Bressler “[Law enforcement] went to the said. “I felt like there was enough house, investigated it, took the of a police presence, and [checking weapons out and secured them,� bags] eased their minds knowing school resource officer Jessica every kid coming into the building Franklin said. “There weren’t was going to be searched.� any charges filed against the kid continue story online at Boosterredux.com

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Senior Cassie Hurt-McClarty reads “The Chasm Between Us�, this year’s social issues play. Photo by Aubrey Bolinger

Socially Sound Words by |

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n Friday, April 20, the repertor y theatre class will perform at Memorial Auditorium in front of the student body to bring awareness regarding discrimination. Ever y year, the repertor y theatre class performs a social issue play. With the help of social issues playwright Debbie Lamedman, theater director Greg Shaw and the repertor y class create a production to spread awareness regarding various controversial issues inside the school. Students involved in the show research the topic to better educate themselves on the issue. The repertor y class decided that this year’s show, performed for the school on Friday, April 20, will explore discrimination. “If we have preconceived notions of people based off of their skin color, based off of the activities they are involved in, based off of their sexual orientation, that’s still discrimination,� Shaw said. The play directing process is completely student driven. “The class does the casting,� Shaw said. “I want them to get the experience for what a director goes through when they tr y to figure out where to place people.� Junior Julian Archuleta is a cast member in the production. This year will be Archuleta’s second social issues play performance. “I think it helps people open up their eyes to see both sides of the problem that we’re having,� Archuleta said. “Last year we did the show

over depression, self-harm and suicide. It helped the friends of those who are going through that see what they are going through. It helped people know what they should do to help the others.� Archuleta witnesses discriminator y situations at school concerning racism. “I’ve definitely seen the joking. Ever yone does that. I’m friends with people of other races and we’ll make those jokes about each other. It’s kind of become a normal thing now, but it definitely shouldn’t be a normal thing,� Archuleta said. “I myself have, with my friends, made jokes about race and I’m not racist but I don’t realize that this could come off as racist. Some people actually go through racist moments and it kind of hurts knowing that.� Sophomore Mona Estes is another member in this year’s play. Estes has faced discrimination in the past regarding her race in and out of school. “I was walking in a park one day, and as soon as I showed up [an older white female] started screaming for me to get away from their kids,� Estes said. “Once a student started whipping me and said that it was okay because I’d probably been through that before.� Through performing in this year’s show, Estes hopes to see change. “I want it to be that you should never judge a person by the way that they look on the outside,� Estes said. “It’s disgusting. I feel like it shouldn’t be a thing but it definitely still is.�

Graduated Admission Words by | ) *

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long with caps, gowns and tassels, seniors will receive tickets to deliver to family and friends for graduation. Administration opted to reserve the commencement ceremony as a ticketed event this year following discussions on reduced occupancy levels in the main gymnasium. “We just realized that we were too crowded,� assistant principal Chris Garzone said. “We had people standing in the doorways and it just becomes a safety concern. That prompted us to have discussions on limiting the amount of people that can come.� Construction in the gym over the summer included new bleachers, which cut seating by roughly 400. The updates left the gym with around 1,620 purple bleachers and bus seats, which does not include handicapped spaces on the floor. “We think we can also get somewhere between 60 and 100 floor seats between the band and encore and the back of the faculty,� principal Phil Bressler said. “We’re hoping that can be both disabled and general seating.� The 215 seniors will receive eight tickets each. Overflow seating will be available in the auditorium, which has an occupancy of 480 seats, to view the ceremony as a projected live-stream. Other venues that were suggested included the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts and Memorial Auditorium, both with less capacity than the main gym. Also considered were the 5,000-seat Hutchinson Field and the 6,500-seat John Lance Arena at the

Weede Gym. “This is my twelfth year here, so my first few years [of graduation] were at Pitt State,� Garzone said. “When I first came here, we had graduation at the Weede, so there was a lot of room. Just due to scheduling and the financial obligation, we had to move away from that. “I wish we had a 3,000-seat facility that we could conduct graduation in. We don’t,� Bressler said. “The only place in town that’s large enough to hold it is the Weede Gym, but Pitt State rents all of their graduation stuff and the cost would be exorbitant for us to do it there because we’ve got to hire security and parking personnel. We would have to put a lot of their people back into work and they’re closed by then. The semester’s over and they’re ready to move on.� Bressler said the customs at PHS also influenced the decision. “In having conversations with people, everybody loves to be able to walk around and look at the [painted senior] bricks. That’s a big part of the tradition and we want to preserve that,� Bressler said. Procedures for entering through the main entrance are also set to change. Construction on the front entrance is expected to begin April 9. Foot traffic will be rerouted to the 600 hall on the south side of the building. “We’ll have to funnel everyone through the 600 hall or the south doors for graduation,� Bressler said. “The front entrance will be closed until it’s done, which they’re telling us [will be] the end of December.�

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Correction: Earlier versions of the Booster’s gun control viewpoints article, published on March 2, 2018, incorrectly printed Corbin Jefferson’s quote under Jeff Staley’s name. This statement has been corrected online and is corrected below. The Booster apologizes for any inconveniences.

I fall somewhere in the middle on gun control. I’m an avid hunter and land-owner in Missouri: I own

a farm. I do own guns that are used for hunting. I see no need to own an automatic rifle, therefore I do not. I do believe in the Second Amendment. I believe we have the right to protect ourselves and our property, so I support it. I also believe that I don’t have the right to tell you or anybody else what you [can] or cannot own. Here’s what I believe, I believe in two things. One, we have a job to do as administrators to provide the safest environment we possibly can to our students. I

think that the number-one rule is that the students should go to school and feel safe. So we do what he can to protect you while you’re here.[Stricter gun laws] would make it more difficult for certain people to obtain those guns, so maybe it would prevent one and one would be enough. At my core, I believe that school shootings are a reflection of a larger issue in society in the mental health [realm] I believe [helping that] will reduce school shootings even more than just gun control.

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Respect the Oval Office

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There is a great deal of division on if you should respect the office of the president even if you disagree with the person occupying the office. With the previous 44 presidents, it was pret t y easy to disagree with them for some people but most still held a modicum of respect for the office as the presidents were normally decent people. The 45th president is a bit more of a grey area. The way that Tr ump has seemingly disrespected the job he now has brings into question whether we should or shouldn’t give him the same respect as the others that have sat in the oval before him. Dur ing a March 22 for um, Tr ump stated that he would tell 25-yearold Donald to “not r un for president.� Whether this is a joke or not is ir relevant, as it paints the picture that he’d rather not be president. This is not the sor t of image that a sit ting president should be str iving for. To me, a man that watches eight hours of news coverage biased towards him a day, according to The Hill, and consistently t weets at tacks towards his colleagues in the legislative branch and other area of politics does not deser ve the respect of the Amer ican people. Also on March 22, Tr ump t weeted at Joe Biden saying that if they were to fight Biden would go down “fast and hard.� While Biden star ted this exchange with an at tack of his own, and should be held accountable for that, the president should not be able to be baited this easily. For reference, if my dad made a t wit ter account and behaved the way that Tr ump does, he would be fired. Tr ump’s presidency has brought up an interesting question: should you respect the office when the person holding it doesn’t? In my opinion, you shouldn’t have to. Respect is ear ned, and treating your job like a joke or a power tr ip is not the way to ear n my respect, or the respect of millions of other Amer icans. I understand that not ever yone will agree with this. To many people, the presidency is sacred. But in my mind, the second we put the president on a pedestal where no mat ter what they do they are celebrated, we come closer to having a king than an elected representative of the people.

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A test from another universe words by |

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rior to taking the SAT, I was cer tain my 4.5 GPA and rigorous coursework would be enough to receive a competitive score. I could not have been more wrong. The SAT was a mental bat tle for which my teachers had never prepared me, with abnormal questions and an impossible time limit. My three sleepless months in a $600 online SAT prep class prove that standardized testing is not an accurate measure of my, or my peers’, intellect. For many reasons, the College Board-administered SAT and the ACT, Inc.administered ACT ---- the nation’s t wo leading standardized tests ---should not be a factor in college admissions. For one, the tests’ questions aren’t representative of school. A study by Achieve --- a

nonpar tisan, nonprofit education reform organization --- found that fewer than half of the English and math questions on the ACT “were judged to be aligned to the high school expectations.� Literature passages are wr it ten by Old-English authors such as Geoffrey Chaucer, whose works I’ve never read. Science passages contain confusing technical processes such as “bleaching.� What’s worse is we have to answer these difficult questions under a threehour time limit, which equates to six minutes per reading passage and one minute per math problem. Based on numbers from Health Guidance, at a rate of 300 words per minute, a test taker would spend 11 minutes on an averagesized 3,250-word SAT passage. That’s way more than the SAT’s six-minute rate. Although I could afford

Staff Editorial words by |

At the beginning of the semester, seniors met with administration to discuss the changes to graduation. Many of us were notified that all seniors will receive eight tickets for the commencement ceremony. After much consideration, our staff members raised a few concerns. During our conversation as a staff, a majority of underclassmen expressed desires to view the commencement ceremony. Yet, only two of those students said they would be able to obtain a ticket from a senior friend. A majority of the school population will not be able to watch their friends graduate in person unless a senior has an extra ticket. While we recognize the need for change, we

do not feel limiting each graduate to eight tickets will be effective. Though not ever yone will use all of their tickets, many will have more than eight guests attending. Some will be traveling hours to come watch the ceremony on a screen in the auditorium. We also worr y the ticketing system will slow down visitors entering the gym. Who will be responsible for monitoring non-ticket holders and escor ting them out of the gym? In past years, we have witnessed overcrowding in the stands, guests cramming around the gym door and disgruntled relatives shuff ling into the auditorium for over f low seating. But for those who

an SAT prep class to help combat this limit, many students, understandably, could not. According to coverage by the Washington Post, ACT scores from only 9 percent of students in the class of 2017 who came from low-income families, whose parents did not have a college degree, and who identif y as a minorit y show they are strongly ready for college. Test prep is nearly impossible for these disadvantaged students to afford. The ACT’s registration fee alone is $60, and that’s not even counting prep books, classes or tutors. Colleges are catching up and even abandoning the SAT and ACT. According to the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, more than 1,000 accredited colleges and universities do not require standardized test scores for admissions into bachelor degree

programs. It’s time for all U.S. colleges to follow suit. A test that has different formats, questions and mantras from what we’ve lear ned in high school should not be used as an indicator of our success. We study notes and devote hours to extracur ricular activities. Not ever yone can do that, and those are the traits that colleges should examine ---not a subjective test score. A 4.5 GPA and a rigorous course load is enough of an indicator of success. Despite my complaints, the colleges I’m applying to require a standardized test score. And that probably won’t change any time soon. But I will fight for the next generation of high school students to never experience the same str uggles I am experiencing now. Hopefully, colleges will too.

receive tickets, practically nothing will change. The atmosphere of the gym will still be chaotic, and families will still be arriving early to reser ve seats in their preferred location. Why limit the amount of family members or friends a graduate brings when a first-come, first-ser ved basis is still in place? One solution to this could be to add more f loor seats. The choir risers and band seats take up a considerable amount of space on the f loor. The seven encore members on our staff suggested reducing the number of singers to allow for more seating. Another option would be to relocate the venue. This comes with a cost, but if the classes fundraise

in advance, it could be covered. A bigger venue could also handle assigned seating, eliminating the hassle of finding seats. Families could celebrate the day instead of stressing about needing to reser ve space. We wish administration had received input from the students and family who would be most affected by the decision. We acknowledge the fact that there are not enough seats in the gym for ever yone. However, we do believe ticketing our high school graduation in the gym might not be the best option. We hope the senior meeting on April 13 answers our questions and effectively communicates the procedures anticipated for graduation.

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Junior Maddy Robison eats multi-flavored ice cream at Sugar Rush. Photo by |

Tasting sweetness:

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s I walked into Sugar Rush, on Broadway, next to Hotel Stillwell and Otto’s cafe the first thing I noticed was the pink. Pink walls, pleasant ice cream decorations and a cozy feeling. The space is limited to about three tables for seating. The floor area is confined from three tables to the point where you feel like you can’t speak out loud due to the fear of being overheard. While it is mainly an ice cream shop, Sugar

Rush also sells candy and a few other goodies. I looked up at the wall to look at the menu, which was on a chalkboard. We decided to get the Funky Monkey, a sundae, which is three flavors of your choice ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream, peanuts and a cherry on top. Having decided what we wanted, my cousin and I walked up to the counter. Some of the flavors they had were, banana pudding, chocolate, cotton candy and more.

We each sampled the banana pudding flavor and then chose chocolate, vanilla and banana pudding. The sundae took a total of less than five minutes to make. We ended up paying about $6 dollars for a rather small sundae, but the flavors were fantastic and the overall experience of Sugar Rush was enjoyable. I prefer Braums, because Braums has bigger sundae’s and more flavors but if you want a close-tohome feeling, then, head to Sugar Rush.

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“Bobby Tarantino II:� Words by | !

Logic released his 7th mixtape, Bobby Tarantino II, on March 9th. This follows the release of Ever ybody roughly a year earlier. This album featured the tracks 1-800-2738255, Ever ybody and Black Spiderman. He was nominated for Song of the Year and Music Video of the Year for 1-800. Following these accolades, Logic dropped “44 More� and “Ever yday� approximately a week apar t, the mixtape was released with little notice, however, the ar t for BTII was released on the internet a week or two before its release, creating speculation of a project soon to be released. Coming off his undoubtedly most successful year, Logic dropped more heat with the sequel to Bobby Tarantino. This was the mixtape that originally introduced me to (and made me a diehard of) Logic, so needless to say I was a little excited to see this project released. The mixtape features 13 songs, amounting to 43 minutes of Logic induced f lame. BTII currently sits on the top of “Billboard’s Top 200 Char t� for a per fectly valid reason. I can confidently say that ever y song brings a solid and unique contribution to the mixtape. Aside from my astonishment at the project’s lack of filler, I do have a few favorites and recommendations other than the whole thing. Before listening, one must understand that “mixtape Logic� and “album Logic� are two ver y different things as mentioned in Grandpa’s Spaceship featuring Rick and Mor t y. According to Rick, album Logic has a message and is inspirational. While mixtape Logic is Atlanta club rap. Disregarding Grandpa Rick’s interpretation of Logic’s discography, I can still agree that “he has a plethora of music that varies from mood to mood.� “BoomTrap Protocol� features a darker sample and is an easy listen track with some really strong vocals by Logic amidst his lightning f low. “Yuck� is another f lex track that covers his stance on rapper beef and his disdain for it. “Wassup� featuring Big Sean was a song that, as a fan of hip-hop, made me happy to listen to. I would argue that these two ar tists have quite a few similarities are both going strong. Their st yles combine ver y

smoothly with the f lex sound continued. “44 More� was yet another one of my personal favorites of the mixtape. This track is a follow-up to “44 Bars� in Bobby Tarantino - my favorite song of that par ticular mixtape. He basically f launts his speed while remaining lyrically f lawless. The mixtape boasts many other strong tracks that I also enjoyed. “Ever yday�, “Indica Badu� feat. Wiz Khalifa, and “Contra� all

“Santa Clarita Diet:�

embody the hype Logic that the Bobby Tarantino tapes are all about. I highly suggest listening to Bobby Tarantino II if you haven’t already. Within these songs, Logic reveals yet another facet of his ar tistr y that captivates fans and tops char ts. I can say wholehear tedly that Logic is one of my absolute favorite ar tists and I patiently await more of his work. In the words of Mor t y “all Logic is good Logic.�

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Words by | A Netflix original show, starring Drew Barrymore as Sheila Hammond, Timothy Olyphant as Joel Hammond, Santa Clarita Diet is a humorous twist on the world of the undead. Sheila and Joel are a married couple of 25 years. They are realtors in Santa Clarita, California, and live a pretty average life. While showing a house one day, Sheila gets extremely sick and vomits ungodly amounts all over the master bathroom. She throws up a little red ball and that is the reason she became undead. The plot of the show is figure out why throwing up that ball made her crave human flesh. Sheila, who used to be a timid woman and would not stand up or speak her mind on anything, became the wildly impulsive person she always wanted to be when she “died�. Sheila’s first kill was Gary West, portrayed by Nathan Fillion, one of the realtors at the company she and Joel work at, and

Sheila needed to get rid of him because he was “ahead� when it came to being the best realtor. I have always been a fan of Drew Barrymore’s movies, 50 First Dates, Never Been Kissed, The Wedding Singer, etc. so when finding out she was starring in a new show in 2017, I immediately got excited. I began watching the show and could not stop. I loved everything about it! I watched the entire first season in one sitting. I was eager for the second season to come out on March 23, 2018, but because, it had been a year since I watched the first season, I made sure to refresh my memory by watching the entire first season again, you could probably guess that it did not take long. and when it did, I finished it in a weekend. I have always enjoyed horror and humor, so this show spoke volumes to me. It was a great mix of both. This is a show that I would watch over and over again and never get tired of.

The idea of the show as a whole is a bit unrealistic, considering that she threw up an organ and became undead, yet somehow it has this sort of spunk that makes me love watching it. If you get uneasy by the sight of blood and guts, this show is probably not for you. Because Sheila is undead, she kills a people quite often. She even keeps a separate freezer at a storage unit with the bodies of people she kills. I thought this was a unique way to show a husband and wife bonding. Killing together made them closer to one another. I could give you fifty reasons about why you should watch the show, but you just have to experience it yourself. Watch Santa Clarita Diet to see how things play out for the Hammonds, and see if they find a cure for Sheila’s un-deadly disease. Overall, I would give this show a 4.5/5 star rating.

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Junior Collin Duncan swims the butterfly stroke at the YMCA. Duncan has been competitively swimming for 12 years. “I love butterfly. It is amazing,� Duncan said, “The feeling of just gliding through the water cannot compare to any other stroke.� Photo by |

Just keep swimming Duncan’s determination drives him to state Words by |

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rom pur ple and white PHS, to blue and gold PHS, junior Collin Duncan completed his first season swimming in high school co-oping with Parsons High School. Collin has been swimming competitively for 12 years. He transfer red this year to Pit tsburg to pursue the oppor tunit y to swim at a highschool level. “Collin has wanted to swim in high school forever, and has asked me ever y year if I could set something up for him. When he transfer red to Pit tsburg this year, I contacted the state to find out what area schools had a boys’ swim team,� said Collin’s dad, Pat Duncan. “I contacted the athletic director at Parsons asking if they would be interested in allowing Pit tsburg to co-op with them. The t wo athletic directors agreed and set up the co-op agreement.� Collin was able to compete under Parsons in individual and relay events during the regular season, but due to travel time, he was not able to practice with them frequently. According to Parsons swimming coach Tanner Smith, Collin practiced with the team only when he could, but he mostly practiced in Pit tsburg either by himself or with his dad. This was due to by the time Collin would ar rive in Parsons the team’s pool time would be finished. Collin is also involved in debate, which conf licted with

practice times. “When I was doing t wo-a-days I would wake up at 4:45, go to the pool, swim, come home and then go to school,� Collin said. “In debate season on Wednesday I would be at the school until 7 or 8, go home, practice again and then fit all of my homework in. I would not go to bed until 12:00 or 1:00, and then I would be up at 5:00. It was hard.� During practices, Collin would swim 3,000 yds with the goal in his mind to qualif y for the state meet in Topeka in his t wo best events, 200 Individual Medley (IM) and 100 But ter f ly. According to Kansas State High School Activities Association, swimmers needed 2:16.60 or lower in the 200 IM, and 59.35 or lower in the 100 But ter f ly. “Collin’s work ethic is special,� Smith said. “Most of the season he bat tled illness, but I never once heard him complain. Collin assured me that he would get bet ter with ever y practice and meet.� Collin’s determination paid off. At the regional meet in Osawatomie he swam a 2.17 in the 200 IM and a .57 in the 100 But ter f ly qualif ying him for state. “I was ver y proud of Collin, not that he qualified, but he went out and achieved something that he had set his mind to doing,� Pat said. “This season has been tough for him.

He star ted a couple of weeks late, had his wisdom teeth pulled over Christmas break and was sick too many times to count, so he missed a lot of conditioning pool time, but was still able to bat tle through and qualif y for state.� The state meet was Feb. 16-17. Not only was this Collin’s first appearance at state, but it was his first time officially competing for Pit tsburg. “I had a cap with ‘Pit t’ on the side, and I had a pur ple suit that I wore,� Collin said. “It was nice to finally represent Pit tsburg since they fought so hard to get me a swim team. I could finally bring some honor to them.� According to Collin, state did not go as he planned, but he was happy to qualif y. “I was ner vous because I wanted to do well, but, I was also not put ting too much pressure on myself because I knew I was sick,� Collin said. “It was good just to make it there. Hopefully next year it will go bet ter.� In preparation for the 2019 season, Collin will continue to compete in regional meets with the YMCA Bar racudas. He hopes to qualif y for state again, and make it to the finals. “I’m most excited just to see how much more Collin can improve,� Smith said. “I’m hoping he has a strong offseason and summer season and that next fall when high school is set to star t back up he’ll be back stronger and faster than ever.�

‘Yeezy’ money

Classes embrace student diversity Students buy shoes at retail Learning through price, sells them at higher rate language barriers Words by |

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The Pittsburg English to Speakers of other languages (ESOL) program has grown exponentially. The classes are led by ESOL teacher Lijun Zhu and the other units are taught by Karen Curran (Biology), Juli Holland (English), and Trevor Elliot (Mathematics and History). “It’s designed for English Language Learners who are pursuing proficiency in social and academic English language skills,� Zhu said. “When a student speaks a language other than English, we use the LAS test to determine his/ her English proficiency level. If the student is not fluent in English, he/she is qualified for the program.� The ESOL program has 51 students within it, and 25 students receiving direct ESOL services. There are four levels of classes as well: Newcomer, beginner, intermediate and advanced. Each student is placed in the class for them based on their Kansas English Language Proficiency Assessment (KELPA). ESOL Algebra was offered after Elliott noticed some students needed extra assistance. “There appeared to be a need for specific sections for the first semester due to the number of students needing language assistance in my regular Algebra I class,� Elliott said. “There would be some comfort in taking a course with students at the same language level.� There are 19 students currently in ESOL Algebra and 13 in ESOL History. Elliott believes strongly in the comfortable environment, which the ESOL classes create. “Students are not as worried about speaking up due to their grasp of the English language. Being comfortable and confident in a classroom is very important,� Elliott said. ESOL English teacher Juli Holland understands the difficulty of teaching through the language barrier and the benefits of a comfortable environment for the students. “I think it provides a safe place to learn and hone their English skills without judgment,� Holland said. “The fact that my students trust me and are willing to take educational risks in my class means the world to me. I hope that I am able to do them justice.� Aware of the effect that ESOL classes have had on students, Zhu hopes to continue to grow the program. “The ultimate goal of our ESOL program is to help our ELLs improve their English skills so they can succeed in the mainstream classrooms,� Zhu said. “English changed my life, so I want to pay if forward.�

Isaac Leverenz gathered his equipment and headed to his friend, Ely Parks’s house with the intention of making hundreds of dollars. Over the course of two years Leverenz has made between $1,500 and $2,000 by “flipping� shoes. Flipping a shoe is when a company such as Adidas creates a low supply and a high demand for a certain shoe and consumers are able to get the shoes for a retail price and then resell them later for a profit due to people who are willing to pay more for the shoe. Yeezys are one pair of shoes Leverenz flips. “Sometimes [I flip] types of Adidas shoes that are limited and that I can make a profit off of.� Due to Yeezys being extremely limited in quantity, they can be resold for over twice the original price. “I normally buy Yeezys to flip and I pay retail, which is $220 or $240 with tax and the most expensive pair I’ve flipped was for $800.� While Yeezys and similar shoes can earn a 200 percent profit, there are thousands of people trying to buy the shoes at the same time. Some websites have ways of making buying the shoes more fair than other sites, such as having the customer wait on a splash page and selecting random people to go in and buy the shoe. Before Leverenz can buy the shoes, he has to know when they are coming out and what they are. “I follow Yeezy Mafia on Twitter,� Leverenz said. “They have all the inside info and everything and like stock numbers, release dates, colors that haven’t even been announced by Adidas. Somehow, they put out the information before Adidas even announces it.� Buying these shoes can be an intricate process that requires a lot of set up. “On release day, I usually go to my friend Ely Parks’ house,� Leverenz said. “I bring two laptops, an iPad and my phone and he uses his laptop and

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Isaac flips different styles of Yeezy 350 v2

computer and phone.â€? Every time Yeezys come out and [Isaac and I] are both in town,â€? Parks said. “We go to my house and try to get them.â€? Once Leverenz and Parks get together, they still have to set up in order to increase their chances of actually being able to get a pair of Yeezys. “We usually set up a bunch of different windows on our computers on the queue for Adidas,â€? Leverenz said. “And we just sit there and we wait till one gets through.â€? Then they monitor prices and figure out when the best time to sell is to optimize profits. “Sometimes, I sell them like the day after I get them in the mail and sometimes I hold onto them a little bit and see what the price of them does because sometimes the prices rise and drop,â€? Leverenz said. “I normally use Stockx to check prices and stuff and I even sell on Stockx too.â€? Apps such as Stockx and GOAT compile information on the prices of shoes over time and show you how much they are selling for at the time. Recently Leverenz and Parks have not flipped many shoes. “I’ve kind of slowed down recently because there hasn’t been many shoes coming out that I like or any shoes that will resell for a lot,â€? Leverenz said. “It’s been a long time since Yeezys have released, but [they]are going to start releasing again here in a couple months.â€? However with releases coming soon Leverenz plans to start trying to get shoes again. “Coming up this month there’s a lot of shoes‌ [that] I’m going to try to get,â€? Leverenz said. Parks also has his sights set on trying to get some shoes over the summer. “There’s several Yeezy releases coming out over the summer,â€? Parks said. “I plan on trying to get them all.â€?

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Fleeing 2,075 miles Student escapes Guatemala out of fear Words by |

anyone.� Sam successfully swam across the cold, dark and rapid moving Rio Grande, the river on the US-Mexico border, but after walking for roughly 30 minutes, Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers detained and transported him to a detention center in Texas. “[ICE officials] treated me fine but I saw others that weren’t,� Sam said. “II didn’t like how they kept ept us locked up.� During his journey, Ana assumed he was safe at his aunt’s house in Guatemala, but was later informed otherwise. “I was surprised when ICE asked me if I sent one of my children to come here. I said no,� Ana said. Ana was able to take Sam back to Pittsburg due to the “catch and release� law. This allows detained undocumented immigrants to remain within the U.S. while their case is disputed in court. Laws pertaining to Central American immigrants have been contested. President Trump attempted to terminate the “catch and release� law through bills proposed earlier this year, but the law continues. “Crucially, our plan closes the terrible loopholes exploited by criminals and terrorists to enter our country — and it finally ends the dangerous practice of “‘catch and release,’� Trump said in the State of the Union address this year. Sam is applying for a legal status, and believes the immigration process is difficult with Trump. “It’s a lot harder now for the immigrants because they are fighting for their cases just like me,� Sam said. “There are many that lose their cases and get sent back to their

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countries.� CNN reports that Trump denounced the current immigration system on Feb. 6 at a White House event. “Not another country in the world has the stupidity of laws that we do when it comes to immigration,� Trump said. Trump claimed gang members would “just come right through� the southern border at the same meeting. “MS-13 recruits through our broken immigration system, violating our borders, and it just comes right through. Whenever they want to come through, they come through,� Trump said. Trump has also deployed the National Guard to the U.S.-Mexico border as reported on April 4 by NBC. Though the troops will not have physical contact with immigrants, this action is intended to secure the border. “Deploying the National Guard will serve as an immediate deterrent while dramatically enhancing operational control of the U.S. border,� said the statement from the office of the Department of Homeland [DHS] press secretary. NPR reports on March 28 that U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has also taken action to speed up deportations by implementing quotas for immigration jju judges and overruling judges. Immigration judges put immigrants in n administrative closure. This permits jjudges to put deportations on hold ju indefinitely, which is something Sessions in has criticized. “Basically they have legalized the person who was coming to court, because they were illegally in the country,� Sessions said during a speech in December. Sessions is also limiting who qualifies for asylum in the U.S. Asylum is a legal status granted by a nation to a person who left their country as a refugee. Sam described feeling safer after leaving the detention center, but he still feels at risk of going back to Guatemala. “It still feels bad to live here undocumented because we’re in danger,� Sam said. “We could be walking down the street and we could be deported at any time.�

Designing a hobby Bishop builds custome skateparks Words by |

Turning a pastime into a craft, junior Keenan Bishop started building his own skateparks for fingerboarding. According to Bishop, fingerboarding is miniature skateboarding and its appeal comes from the ability to skate almost anywhere at almost any time. Bishop started fingerboarding in seventh grade and decided to make his own ramps two years ago due to the steep prices online. “I got into fingerboarding because one of my friends in Arkansas started doing it at the skatepark and I thought it looked pretty fun.� Bishop said. “Ramps were too expensive to buy off the internet so I decided to do it myself because I have the resources.� Bishop’s father has a

workshop that gives him the ability to draft and produce his projects. “I design the ramp on my computer, send it to my dad’s machines at his shop, cut it out of trupan wood, sand it down and put a nice clear coat on it,� Bishop said. “I repeat that process until it looks good.�

Having built multiple parks over the last few years, Bishop decided to sell a few for a profit. “I’ve mostly made indiv individual ramps. I’ve made about thirty th ramps and have made arou around eight parks. I’ve sold four o or five and kept two so far,� Bishop Bisho said. Bishop continues to design des and build skateparks tod today and is currently workin working on a new park which integrates a mixtur mixture of transition and stre street styles.

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Aspiring rappers Students compose, promote original songs

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On March 11, junior Austin Edwards was preparing for his first live concert. It was 48 degrees and the concert would be held outside at Lakeside Park. Edwards uses MediaFire, a Texas-based app that promotes file sharing and storage, as a platform for his music. Edwards currently works with a friend, PHS graduate Cameron Lee, to produce his music. “I recently built a music studio in my house, and when I heard he released a mixtape I asked if he would want to use my facilities,� Lee said. “Currently I am mixing and mastering his recorded music to make it sound more professional, but in the future, he plans on making the beats [on his own].� Edwards has been rapping since he was 13 years old. “I just have periods of time that I go without writing, but recently, I [started again] because it’s fun to me,� Edwards said. Every two weeks Edwards has been releasing three new songs. “I always come up with the lyrics first and then the instrumental part. This works better for me,� Edwards said. “I have moods where I just want to write a dumb party song and I also have moods like ‘I’m going to slow down and take it more serious’.� Edwards is not the only student that raps at PHS. Senior Kamree Simmons also known as YWNKamryn on screen and senior Anthony Basauri also known on screen as YWNAmbino have been rapping and making music on Soundcloud -- an online audio distribution platform headquartered in Berlin, Germany-- for about two years.

“I started the summer of 2016,� Simmons said. “I knew [Basauri] but we never hung out [until] he texted me about rapping� Simmons encourages students to follow their Soundcloud account, @DFK/YWN [the finesse kids]. Making music includes songwriting, arranging, tracking, editing and mixing. Simmons and Basauri use an at-home studio to mix their music. Simmons said writing music is harder than it seems. “Sometimes, I’ll have my verse done and Basauri won’t have his done,� Simmons said. “I can record mine, but I still have to wait for him.� Writing a song, for Simmons, can take anywhere from three days to a month. “We’ll record and then spend days working on it,� Basauri said. “Sometimes even weeks, just depending on how long the song is and how good we actually want it to sound.� They promote their music through Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and Soundcloud. “We [will ask snapchat followers for their input] and we’ll post a little snip of a song and people will be like, ‘Yeah, drop it,’� Basauri said. As for the actual music, they use their experiences to rap. “Music to Anthony and me used to be just a thing just to pass time, but as time passed we grew to love it,� Simmons said. Simmons and Basauri, will have shows and music videos coming out within the next month . “Usually we drop songs every couple months,� Basauri said. “We want to make it big. Everyone

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Two years ago, junior Sam GarcĂ­a fled Coatepeque, Guatemala to Pittsburg through mountains, deserts and rivers to seek safety from gang violence, but his stay in the U.S. is not guaranteed. Due to the sensitivity of the matter, all names have been withdrawn to protect their privacy. The Booster Redux introduced Sam’s story in the October issue. Sam lived with his two siblings and grandfather. His mother, Ana GarcĂ­a, left their hometown and immigrated to the U.S. to send money back to their family. Though he had siblings, they went to separate schools and Sam traveled to school alone. On his way home from school in Coatepeque, Sam was confronted by a group of five to six members of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), a prominent gang, that threatened him. “They told me that I’d have to be a part of their group, and I said no,â€? Sam said. If joined, Sam would be forced to hold Guatemalan citizens for ransom. When he denied, they continued to threaten him on his way to school. Sam attempted to avoid the gang. “I would go at 7:30 in the morning and they would be there,â€? Sam said. “I would wait for an hour so I wouldn’t run into them.â€? The threats persisted and influenced his decision to leave. Without telling his family, Sam prepared to pursue safety with his mother in America. Sam saved money given to him by his mother and used it on his 2,075 mile long journey. “I left nervous and afraid because I was alone. At the same time I felt sad because I was leaving my family in Guatemala,â€? Sam said. Sam spent approximately a month traveling through Mexico and enduring changes of weather. “The path was difficult because I had to pass through the rain and cold alone,â€? Sam said. “I found some people on the way and together we gathered money to rent a hotel room.â€? The night he arrived to the US-Mexico border, he, along with other immigrants, had to pay about $800 to $1,000 each to someone who guided them through. “There was lots of trees with thorns,â€? Sam said. “I couldn’t see the path.â€? Despite finding immigrants along the way, he felt frightened. “I was scared to cross the river because it was very big,â€? Sam said. “I was scared to get lost, I wouldn’t have

Going for gold Senior scouts focus on final badges Words by | " #

Along with selling cookies, Girl Scouts are working toward making a difference in the world. Girl Scout troop 20534 is working towards it’s final achievement, the Gold Award . The troop includes seniors Savannah Jones, Kaity Rhea, Eileen Trasher and Miranda Madden. To earn the Gold Award, the scout must create a plan to solve a problem in their community. According to Jones, the project takes approximately 80 hours. There are benefits to earning the Gold Award, such as college scholarships, better job offers and a headstart in the military. For her project, Jones is creating “blessing boxes� for public buildings. “You put nonperishable items in it, stuff people could take, if they don’t feel comfortable going to [a food shelter] or asking someone,� Jones said. Thrasher is making pillows for crash victims helping to relieve pain. “[The Gold Award means] you want to make a difference and have people follow in your footsteps,� Thrasher said. Rhea is sewing chemotherapy port pillows. The pillow attaches to patient’s seat belt so it won’t rub against the port in their chest. Madden is organizing care packages for kids in foster care. “I’m going to gather donations of small backpacks and duffle bags, filling them with age-appropriate items,� Madden said. “Many children in foster care only have trash bags or pillowcases to carry their things from place to place. Each child who receives a bag will not only get what’s in the bag, but will get to keep the bag for their belongings.� The troop agrees one of their favorite things about Girl Scouts is the friendships. “The thing I like most about Girl Scouts is the bonding time with my troop,� Jones said “[It’s] what we’ve had for the last 12 years; getting to have them as family.�

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Lo o k i ng Fo r ward Words by |

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hough the February issue of the Booster Redux highlighted the rise of the #MeToo movement, the aftermath of sexual assault remained in the dark. Students, who will remain anonymous, along with professionals intend to bring the hereafter of sexual assault

to light. Although the legal procedures following a report of sexual assault can take time, Elizabeth began her road to recovery and healing after her trial, where her assailant was convicted. “When the judge overturned [the perpetrators’] plea and said he was going to prison, I felt like that was my first step in healing,� Elizabeth said. “We had been going through this for years and it was finally just a relief to see him go down for what he has done.� Through her 13 years of work at the Pittsburg Police Department, Sergeant Rebekah Lynch has conducted several sexual assault investigations like Elizabeth’s. Lynch suggests the best course of action for a victim immediately following their assault. “The very first thing the victim should do is get where they are safe,� Lynch said. “Children, in my opinion, should go directly to a parent or trusted adult and tell someone about it. For a teenager or adult, once they’re safe, I would recommend calling the police first, then they need to get ahold of a trusted person, so they have a support system.� The most evidence can be found immediately following a sexual assault. “It’s recommended that the victim doesn’t shower or change clothes no matter how much they want to do so,� Lynch said. “There is so much evidence that is within the clothing and on their body itself that is very crucial.� Evidence can be gathered if the victim undergoes a sexual assault exam through the hospital. However, this step is optional. “Once they get ahold of the police and once they’re safe, we can help them go through the process with the sexual assault exam. After the exam, if [the nurse] has taken swabs and believes the suspect’s DNA is probably in that evidence, they’ll send that to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation laboratory,� Lynch said. “It could be several months up to over a year before we get information back, before we get a case charged. Or it could be as quick as a few days. It’s completely dependent on the case itself.� School nurse Lisa Schwob understands the procedures of a sexual assault exam. “There are nurses and doctors who are specifically trained in exactly what to look for, especially if it is right after the assault,� Schwob said. “It is very specific, especially if you are going to go to trial or are wanting to press charges, you have got to have that proof.� Oftentimes, an assault can be reported after a sexual assault exam. “If they go to the hospital first, then the sexual assault nurse will make sure that they know how to contact us,� Lynch said. “A lot of times when adult victims first go to the hospital for a sexual assault exam, they get a choice whether or not they report their [assault] to the police.� Along with reporting it through the hospital, there are a few different ways a person could report sexual assault. “They can call in and have an officer come to them if they are not comfortable coming into the police department or they can come directly into the department and speak with an officer there,� Lynch said. Other ways sexual assaults can be reported are through mandated reporters such as teachers, counselors, social workers, etc. As a mandated reporter, Schwob has approximately reported three sexual assaults with each year she has been at the school. “The student usually contacts either the counselors or me, and most of the time we get together so they don’t have to repeat their story over and over,� Schwob said. “As mandated reporters, there is a number to SRS or Children’s Welfare that we call. After we make the call, we tell them what we’ve heard, and from there, it is in their hands.� Others who know of someone’s sexual assault can reach out to the Police Department and report the known incident. The department could then reach out to the victim to see if they are interested in filing a report. No matter the length of time following the assault, it can always be reported.

“It is never too late to report sexual abuse or sexual violence,� Lynch said. “Some victims do not feel comfortable doing so right away and that’s okay. We work with all victims and have investigated crimes reported months or even years later.� Lynch suggests that, although people may not call in their assault, it is the most effective way to get results. “I can tell anyone with 100% accuracy that if [the assault] is never reported, there is nothing we can do about it,� Lynch said. Lynch explains that in cases where the victim reports an assault and the suspect denies the accusations, the investigators will send an affidavit, sworn statements, to the County Attorney’s Office for review. The County Attorney will then decide if there is enough probable cause that the crime occurred and either decline to prosecute the case, in which there are no charges placed, or if there is enough evidence, charge the suspect. If the case is prosecuted, a warrant for the suspect would be issued and an arrest may be made. Anytime an arrest is made, the court process may begin. Sexual abuse victim advocate Whitney Lovell of the Pittsburg Child Advocacy Center believes that the legal procedures, including the court process, can assist in victim healing. “Although testifying may be scary, I think getting to go to court gives a child a voice to get up and tell what happened to them,� Lovell said. “Building a rapport with the kids, making sure they know someone is in their corner helping them through the whole process, gives them their voice back.� Though Erin, PHS graduate, did not undergo a legal case, she feels as though her healing began when she shared details of her sexual assault with a friend. “The first time I felt any relief was when I told my best friend,� Erin said. “I didn’t tell anyone for a while but once I finally did, it was a huge weight off my chest. I didn’t realize it before but it was killing me keeping it to myself.� Along with talking about the assault, Lovell believes there are many ways to cope with the incident. “Just finding a hobby that you can put energy into can really help,� Lovell said. “Find something you like to do, something that can be therapeutic. Some people write, some use art or dance,� Lovell said. For Erin, continuing life as normal and putting her energy toward daily tasks helps. “I know my healing is not over yet. But I know it’s starting to get better. Mostly I just try to carry on with my day and not think about it,� Erin said. “I stay occupied with school and work and I try to not let it interfere with my life or hold me back in any way. I don’t want to give that power to the perpetrator.� Another step Elizabeth has taken in her healing is hoping for the best in the end. “A big part of my healing has been just praying and believing that someday it is going to be okay,� Elizabeth said. Along her road to healing, Elizabeth has learned self-worth. “When you feel even partly healed, it feels so much better and makes you more open and you realize that you don’t have to be a reflection of the way the perpetrator made you feel,� Elizabeth said. “When you think that way, the confidence comes naturally. It can also help you to trust people more after.� Like Elizabeth, Erin feels that in order for healing to begin, one must take blame off of themselves. “I think it’s always hurtful to think about and it sticks in the back of your mind, but when you finally accept that it wasn’t your fault and think about it less and less you’ll finally start to be healed,� Erin said. Schwob believes victimizing oneself is something that holds back the healing process. “They need to talk about it and get it out and we can’t just hear what they say and downplay it. We need to take what they say and actually listen. We need to help them relieve that burden, that guilt,� Schwob said. “Don’t let the fact that you are or were a victim define you or who you are. You are more than your assault. You may be a victim, but you are yourself first.� Though she believes healing is essential after experiencing sexual abuse or assault, Elizabeth believes that victims, including herself, can not heal entirely. “I don’t think I will ever fully heal or feel completely healed, not all the way. Like a wound, it will never completely go away, just scar over,� Elizabeth said. “Things are going to get better but you will always have the pain that person left there.�

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Sophomore Dakota Caudle returns a serve during his singles match against Chanute. “I think it’s great that tennis is getting more publicity at PHS,� Caudle said. “I’m really happy with it but I’m always looking to improve in all ways.� Photo by |

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tanding on the cour t, racquet in hand, senior James R ichey waits for his teammates to join him for practice. The boys tennis team has 34 players this year, which is increased from the 22 members in the 2017 season. “It’s a big program this year but I’m glad to have all of them,� head coach John Seal said. “We have nine freshmen, they wanted to tr y it out, but they’re already making a positive impact in the program.� Last year Christ y Wat t, middle school physical education teacher, began an afterschool tennis program for students. “I star ted playing tennis because of my dad, I’ve been playing since I was 10. It’s a fairly easy spor t and a good workout, anyone can play it,� freshman Evan Har ries said. “Having the program in middle school helped give [me] the basic skills that we can now apply in

competition.� R ichey recognizes tennis as a source of exper iences and an outlet from ever yday excitement. “Tennis has cer tainly given me a new group of fr iends. I played baseball for eight years pr ior to tennis with no exper ience in it, so tr ying out definitely eliminated that fear of tr ying something new,� R ichey said. “Tennis is the most personalized spor t, all of us know each other and we all get along. Seal is a fun coach and we don’t ever br ing drama on the cour t with us.� Seal believes that the middle school program has impacted the abilities and amount of high school players. “I think having the middle school program inf luenced the numbers here. We are going to be good this year,� Seal said. “We have a lot of good exper ience but we also have talent

Pitching with pride: Words by | & ! playing as best as we that he will inf luence the can,� Stackhouse said. team positively as players Freshman softball come back.. manager Ella Bolinger “Practice has been began to going really play with good. Stackhouse We have this t wo other previous coaches that summer help a lot so and we can split believes into groups. the new Stackhouse coach is is able to helping the take a lot of team grow. the girls and “My first teach them impression new ideas,� was that he Bolinger * was really said. “I quiet but hope that ' when he he creates a opened bond with up he star ted to help me the players that are going more than I’ve ever been to be here for the rest of helped,� Bolinger said. their softball careers and Bolinger looks for ward that he learns to coach to the future with them in softball as they Stackhouse and hopes grow.�

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With his eyes fixed on the postseason, first year Coach Bobby Stackhouse intends to improve PHS softball at ever y position in order to become a competitive team within SEK. “I want to put them in ever y situation they could possibly see in order to prepare them properly for games,� Stackhouse said. The team’s goals this season are to compete for the SEK league’s title and to play to their best abilit y throughout spring. “We want to play our best softball come the post-season to regional play and beyond. It’s a process of get ting bet ter each practice, playing bet ter ball, get ting bet ter as individuals and together as a team so that when we reach postseason we will being

in our new players. We’re not wor r ied about winning so much, I just want them to get out and see competition and get bet ter.� Seal has goals for this season despite the young players. “A main goal in tennis is we want ever yone to play and go to tour naments, and tr uthfully ever yone is good enough to play,� R ichey said. “The biggest impact that the increase in players has brought is tr ying to get people in tour naments.� Seal has set goals for the team but also has high expectations for the future of the program. “Taking multiple entr ies to state is always a goal. We placed in the top 15 last year, and it’s a goal to finish higher this year on the state level,� Seal said. “This season is going to be good, tennis benefits the kids, it’s a life teaching and lifelong spor t.�

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Coach Bobby Stackhouse at Athletes’ Signings.

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Upcoming Sports Schedule

4/10 - 4:30pm - Coffeyville - V (home) 4/12 - 5:00pm - Rogers Heritage JV & V (home) 4/13 - TBA - Ft. Scott Tourney - JV 4/16 - 4:30pm - Coffeyville - JV 4/17 - 4:30pm - Columbus- JV & V

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4/9 - 4:30pm - Ft. Scott - JV (home) 4/10 - 4:30pm - Coffeyville - V 4/13 - 4:30pm - Galena - JV & V (home) 4/16 - 4:30pm - Coffeyville - JV 4/17 - 4:30pm - Columbus - JV & V 4/23 - 4:30pm - Baxter Springs - V (home)

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4/6 - 3:00pm - Topeka-Hayden - V 4/9 - 9:00am - Parsons - JV 4/10 - 3:00pm - Iola, Chanute, Parsons - V 4/13 - 3:00pm - Indy, Ft. Scott, Coffeyville @ Parsons - V 4/16 - 1:00pm - Ft. Scott, Chanute,

4/6 - 3:30pm - Olathe North - V 4/9 - 3:30pm - Chanute - JV 4/13 - 3:00pm - Gorilla Relays -V 4/16 - 3:30pm - Coffeyville - JV 4/17 - 1:30pm - Columbus - V 4/20 - 3:45pm - Ft. Scott Relays -V

4/5 - 1:00 PM - Independence -V 4/10- 8:00 AM - Pittsburg - V 4/12- 3:00 PM - Parsons - V 4/16- 3:00 PM - Ft. Scott - V 4/19 - 1:00 PM - Pittsburg - JV 4/23 - 3:00 PM - Ft. Scott - V 4/26- 1:00 PM - Oswego - V 4/26 - 3:00 PM - Girard - JV

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