April 2019

FEATURE Bombers transition to PAGE 7 high school team NEWS Counselors aim to connect PAGE 2 courses across semesters

IN-DEPTH PAGE 4 & 5

@phsboosterredux

Fostering a life of instability

@phsstudentpub @pittpublication @phsboosterredux www.boosterredux.com

The

Booster Redux Pittsburg High School

Pittsburg, KS 66762

1978 E. 4th Street

April 2019

Vol. 101 Issue 4

Spotlight: Students reflect on challenges, rewards of jobs

Kamryn Bennett Harry’s Cafe & Claw Paws My mom knew I was capable of handling a job and I wanted to be more independent and didn’t want to spend my parents’ money all the time. I usually save my money or put some of it towards my car payment or sometimes, I’ll help out my family a little bit. I’ve definitely learned how to work with difficult people and how to deal with situations that I’m not used to. I work quite a bit and I’m in photojournalism, so I don’t get to shoot on Friday nights.

(ABOVE) Junior Christian Shaw and senior Shania Lewis count money and label cups for their student business, NeedySpeedy Coffee. Shaw and Lewis will sell the coffee to teachers in the building. Their business is a project for consumer math teacher Hannah Davis’s class, who started it to teach her students how to teach her students real-world skills in a work environment. (RIGHT) Junior Christian Shaw counts deposits for their daily income. PHOTOS BY Ross Laidler

Clocking in

Nate Shriver Sonic

Students learn skills working outside of classroom employees are high school students. work on time, or even being self reliant.”

“They can start out as a 16-year-old and can be Currently in the high school, multiple programs really shy, but by the time they head to college, are working to educate students on employment t’s a day after school and senior Leyton Marler they are really outgoing,” McCabe said. “They skills. Special education teacher Jill Kangas clocks in at The Mall Deli, grabs his apron and learn how to communicate better with people started a project so her students could gain begins preparing his first order. After his shift, and with their coworkers.” communication skills and work etiquette through he cleans up and heads home, trying to get Along with growth in personality, McCabe their Life and Career Skills program (LCS). LCS is a his homework done for the next school day. This believes students have learned financial program where special education students learn is his life as a working responsibility. how to do basic everyday practices that they will student.

“When they work need after high school, such as comparing prices According to 83 anywhere, they start learning at the grocery store or running errands. students surveyed to budget their own money.

“I think it will teach them what employers

by The Booster They learn how to pay some expect,” Kangas said. “They have to treat Redux, 65% reported bills and pay their own [employers] differently and talk to them differently maintaining insurance or even their own so they learn that they can’t say no and they have employment and cell phone bill,” he said. to do it the boss’ way and not their own way.” working between one “They aren’t just relying on In addition to learning how to function in a work to 30 hours a week, and mom and dad anymore, they environment, consumer math teacher Hannah 44% of students have Leyton Marler learn the value of their own Davis is also teaching her students life skills jobs so they get a sense money.” through a student-ran business, NeedySpeedy of independence.

According to Marler, Coffee.

Marler, along with approximately 17 other working taught him how to think on his feet and “I think it increases confidence and it gives students surveyed, work to support themselves. how to handle new situations. them a willingness to put themselves out there.

“I needed the money because I live with my “One time, I made a sandwich and put the They feel better about interacting with adults and sister,” Marler said. “I don’t exactly have parents wrong meat and cheese on it, so I got yelled at for peers,” Davis said. “Most jobs today you have that will provide for me, so I provide for myself.” doing it wrong,” Marler to interact face-to-face or Marler had to decide between staying with his said. “It was new. I had communicate and problem older sister or moving with his parents. to learn a lot of the new solve.”

“I wanted to stay and live in Pittsburg. My other stuff by myself.”

One of Davis’ students, options were to the Kansas City area but I really According to junior Jocelyn Bolte, believes like it here at PHS,” Marler said. “It’s definitely a Superintendent Richard it gives her a sense of little weird because she is only five years older Proffitt, the school independence. than me so I still see her as a sister sometimes, but district is drafting a new “Mrs. Davis doesn’t really Jill Kangas she has become more of an authority figure.” plan to prepare students help us at all,” Bolte said.

According to Marler, his job has taught him life for life after high school “We have to communicate lessons he hasn’t learned in school.

“We were trying with each other and problem “[My job has taught me] time management, to to raise achievements scores but that made solve on our own.” say the least, and even how to do taxes,” Marler every student just a data point on a graph. We Regardless of where they put the hours in, said. “I don’t have time to fit a lot of things in my were so focused in on making those that we McCabe feels that working jobs, in addition to schedule and I learned how to deal with people in got away from a lot of the other things that are schooling, teaches kids real life skills outside of a work environment.” important,” Proffitt said. “Whether you want to call the classroom.

Wayne McCabe, the general manager of them soft skills, employment skills or character “The fast-paced business environment puts the Sonic Drive-In, has witnessed the growth kids development skills, they all are all critical kids through stressful new situations,” McCabe experienced while working at Sonic. parts of a person… It doesn’t matter if it is just said. “It teaches them responsibility and vastly According to McCabe, 23 of Sonic’s 50 communication, collaboration or showing up to prepares them for real life.”

I

WORDS BY Hannah Gray and Mattie Vacca

My parents were the ones who originally thought I should get a job because I was spending a lot of their money. Usually, I work about 30 hours a week and sometimes my hours can be kind of crazy. Tonight, I work from five to midnight, but tomorrow, I start at six. Sometimes, my grades suffer because I’m not home to do my homework. I don’t have a lot of time to do any extra things like hang out with my friends or anything like that because I’m always working.

“I don’t exactly have parents that will provide for me, so I provide for myself.”

“I think it will teach them what employers expect.”

What would you do with $50?

83 students surveyed ART BY Lane

Phifer

Logan Mackey Mall Deli One time, someone wasn’t done eating and I bussed their table. They were in a hurry, they brought out their food and there was nobody there, so I bussed the table. As soon as I finished, he was like, ‘We’re not done eating.’ My boss told me that it has happened before and it will probably happen again. Having a job has taught me I don’t want to work in the food industry for the rest of my life. School doesn’t convey how important it is to go to college, and how worth it it is to get the education you want.

PHOTOS BY Francisco Castenada

Car Expenses

Savings

Gas

Bills

3.6%

33.7%

12%

9.6%

Dining & Groceries

Clothing

24.1%

10.8%

Family Support

2.4%

Entertainment

3.6%

2

NEWS

April, 2019 www.boosterredux.com

JAG qualifies for state WORDS BY Mckenna Hodges

Putting ice and salt together, Mrs. Curran helping demonstrate how to make ice cream through science. Mrs. Currans physical science class makes ice cream every year as both an experiment and fun activity. PHOTO BY Shannon O’Hara

Connecting courses:

C

WORDS BY Joseph Lee

urrently, full year courses are semester-based. At the start of second semester, students can be placed into different hours or be assigned new teachers.

Starting in the fall of the 2019 school year, counselors Stef Loveland, Jessica Stegman and Gina Ulbrich will attempt to connect the two semesters to make a full-year course.

“If a student has a year-long [relationship] with their teachers, they tend to maybe build a connection with that teacher and have an adult in the building that they know they can go to,” Stegman said.

Science teacher Karen Curran first encountered complications with the current enrollment system’s class realignment two years ago, after coming from Fort Scott High School.

“It was the hardest adjustment that I had to make coming to Pittsburg when a huge percentage of my students left at semester to go to other teachers,” Curran said. “It was like starting the school year all over again. That hit me hard. That was a struggle for a little bit.”

As a freshman teacher, Curran said

Counselors aim to link yearlong courses

it’s important for her students to have a classes has to do with the school’s wide stronger relationship with her. availability of courses. According to “There’s such a vast amount of change Stegman, since some classes are only that they have to go through to kind of offered for one semester during the get rid of their middle school ways and entire year, it’s hard to honor every get accommodated to high school ways,” student’s request without splitting Curran said. “You get to know them. They schedules at semester. get to know you. They get to know your “One of the big obstacles I think we’re teaching style. You get to know their probably going to run into is that an individual elective may learning only make for styles.” one semester,” That’s Stegman said. why Curran “It’s a big puzzle is hopeful piece when for the we have to put counselors’ the schedule potential together and changes. if you have a “I’m piece missing, excited that’s going that they’ve to throw decided to everything off.” make the Loveland said push to try the amount Karen Curran to keep of courses the core PHS offers is a classes benefit. Now, with a lot more continuity throughout the the counselors’ goal is connecting them. year,” Curran said.

“The positive is that we offer so many The counselors say that a big part of things,” Loveland said. “But it all has to the difficulty in connecting semester balance.”

“It was the hardest adjustment that I had to make coming to Pittsburg when a huge percentage of my students left at semester to go to other teachers.”

Kelynn Heardt

Five students in the Job Growth for America’s Graduates (JAG) program traveled to Parsons for their regional contest, participating in a number of events, including public speaking and math skills.

All five students, participating in individual and group events, qualified for the state competition on April 17.

“Everyone in JAG had to pick a project and provide a product of whatever they chose,” JAG adviser Jessica Thomas said.

“Regardless of [whether or not] they wanted to compete, they had to work towards a goal.”

Sophomore Emily Wachter placed third in Public Speaking at regionals.

“About February, I realized I wanted to do public speaking,” Wachter said. “It calmed my nerves when I found out there would only be one person in the room.”

Sophomore Hannah Vanderpool also participated in public speaking and placed first, earning a spot in the state competition.

“I was listening for my friend Emily’s name,” Vanderpool said. “I wasn’t listening for mine and I only realized that I had won when everyone looked at me.”

Also in first place was sophomore Lexi Pepper and junior Shakira Salas who competed as a team in Students for Service.

Sophomore Yoselyn Castaneda placed third in her category.

“I competed in Mapping my Future, which is where you plan your career,” Castaneda said. “I was nervous about competing but I had fun.”

In her first semester as JAG adviser, Thomas was excited that her students qualified for state. “[Since I started at the semester] I relied on the regional conference for teaching ideas,” Thomas said. “So [placing in the regional competition] was really rewarding.”

While they work on their projects independently, Thomas said they are still a team.

“They practiced their speeches with each other and they really were invested in each other,” Thomas said. “They were all really excited when they found out they had done well.”

After placing at their Career Development Conference, JAG traveled to Salina to compete at the state contest.

Though they didn’t break to nationals, Thomas said that she has areas to improve on for next year’s competition.

“We will get to have a local Career Development Conference next year where all JAG students at PHS will compete in an event against their peers to determine who will go to the regional level next year,” Thomas said. “Public speaking and presenting to judges isn’t easy but they have pushed themselves outside of their comfort zones and done amazing.”

- Selected as 2019-20

INTERVIEW BY Cassidy Bayliss

Q: Why did you decide to take this position?

A: I don’t take any decision lightly,

PHOTO BY Nicole Konopelko

especially when it comes to my family and work. I think originally, when you set out in a career and being a principal at some point, when I was a first- year teacher and coach, I really wasn’t thinking that. Somewhere along the way, with encouragement from administrators and other teachers, I started seeing myself in that capacity. What I learned [from] making the move from teacher to leadership is I don’t think you’re ever prepared for that change. I think I am in a great place to be able [to accept the position], and

Jeff Johnson

I felt comfortable with support from my family, community and staff. I’ve been very involved in being an assistant, and was allowed to be, so it felt like a natural step to take.

Q: What are your goals for your tenure as head principal?

A: I love everything about a culture that’s positive, and that’s a winning mentality.

Don’t do anything if you’re not going to do it to the best of your ability. That’s really what I want here. I would like to see more interaction between programs and support to build more of a family and community feel within the building.

Q: What are you most looking forward to being principal of PHS?

A: Connecting and building that mutual respect for what everybody does. I want teachers and staff, me included, to know not just the kids that [we] work with in [our] space, but to attempt to know as many kids as they can. The new spaces have brightened the outlook of everyone. The excitement is that I am inheriting people that I know and love, and it’s in home, and it really doesn’t get much better than that. I want to be here until I retire.

- Selected as 2019-20 assistant principal

INTERVIEW BY Cassidy Bayliss

Q: When did you first realize you wanted to

Q: What kind of changes do you want to

A: I would say, once it posted, I waited a

A:

be an assistant principal?

little while, but then I realized that I want to be a part of positive change at Pittsburg High School. I feel like I have a good connection with the students and staff, which I think is important.

Q: How do you think the transition from a classroom to administrative position will go?

A: It will be quite a learning curve. Right

PHOTO BY Aubrey Bolinger

now, I am getting adjusted by meeting with current admin and reaching out to teachers.

I won’t be a day-to-day teacher, but I will fill those duties in an administrative role.

implement along with the rest of the admin team?

I think the school has a unified vision of what we want PHS to look like, and we want to get everybody on the same page to achieve that.

Q: What was the application process like?

A: I had to submit an application to the

district and to Mrs. Heardt. The interview process was extensive. One was composed of staff and teachers, one was composed of students, and another was of administrators.

Q: What was your level of comfortability?

A: I was confident because I have the

relationships with all of those people. It would be different if I had to go to a new school setting. I felt like I could be honest and upfront about different issues.

Q: What was your reaction when you got the job?

A: I was really excited, and I’m still excited.

I think we can create even more positive change at PHS.

OPINION

April 2019 www.boosterredux.com

3

Booster Redux Staff & Policy Editor-in-Chief Nicole Konopelko Managing Editors Ximena Ibarra Matthew Moore Online Editors Mckenna Hodges Natalie Talent Photo Editor Aubrey Bolinger Print Editor Joseph Lee Social Media Editor Maddy Robison Visual Content Editors Amanda Bourbina Elle Burgess Staff Sarah Alcantar Cassidy Bayliss Braden Benson Ashlan Brooks Hannah Gray Emma Lawson Joy Lee Jorge Leyva Kaley Mussa Vincent Norman Abigail Painter Katie Painter Keith Perkins Lane Phifer Ian Sullivan Mattie Vacca Adviser Emily Smith The PHS Student Publications Department and newspaper class produce The Booster Redux. Please call us with comments at 620-235-3200.

The Booster Redux's purpose is to inform, educate, enlighten and entertain readers fairly and accurately in an open forum. Opinions expressed in editorials or opinion columns do not necessarily reflect views of all members on the Booster staff. Digital photos have not been altered to manipulate reality. Photo illustrations are labeled to reflect any technical alternations.

Anonymity may be given in the following cases: the information is unable to be presented another way, the information warrants anonymity, the source's privacy and/ or reputation requires protection and the source must be protected from damages.

A student or faculty member death during the coverage period will be covered with a short obituary. The Booster Redux is a member of Journalism Education Association, National Scholastic Press Association, Kansas Scholastic Press and International Quill and Scroll. The Booster Redux encourages letters from students, teachers and community members under 300 words and signed with a valid signature only.

The Booster Redux reserves the right to edit contributions if they are libelous, obscene and for length. Any grammatical errors at the fault of the writer will be printed.

Corrections of errors printed at the fault of the Booster staff will appear in the appropriate section of the next issue.

The Booster Redux Pittsburg High School Student Publications 1978 E. 4th St. Pittsburg, KS 66762

ART BY Lane Phifer

The fight on plastic: Phifer argues against district’s use of plastic actually help increase your health and simplify your life.

According to Roni Dengler’s article “Humans have or as long as I can remember, my science made 8.3 billion tons of plastic. Where does it all teachers have always told me recycle by saving go?,” since plastic was invented humanity as a whole paper and using as little plastic as possible has produced over 8.3 billion metric tons of it. Over in order to save the environment. But as the 6.3 billion metric tons of that amount is considered years went by, I started to realize that although we waste. From our plastic water bottles, eating utensils, are encouraged to use as little plastic as possible, lunch trays, and even our smart phones — plastic is a majority of everyday items we use in schools are everywhere and there’s something we need to do plastic. about it.

But why do we use There are roughly so much plastic in the 840 students at PHS. first place? I recently According to nutrition found myself asking this director Summer Warren, question while looking more than half of those at the styrofoam plate I students eat breakfast ate my pizza off of in my and lunch every day. school cafeteria.

Each month we throw And truthfully, the out approximately entire reason we use 8,400 styrofoam trays plastic to begin with is and 4,000 plastic forks. because it’s affordable This action alone is Lane Phifer and convenient. releasing more and more However, it can leave non-biodegradable or a major effect on not only our environment, but our recyclable objects into landfills and oceans. loved ones as well.

Oklahoma State University student Kim Hart reports One of the many causes on how plastic affects us is that a single student who uses disposable lunch known as bisphenol A, or BPA — a chemical commonly products creates 67 pounds of waste every school found in plastic that can cause cancer and even affect year. Essentially, with the number of students that eat your hormonal system. Getting rid of plastic could

F

WORDS BY Lane Phifer

“From our plastic water bottles, eating utensils, lunch trays, and even our smart phones — plastic is everywhere and there’s something we need to do about it.”

each day, PHS can create more than 28,000 pounds of waste year after year in the lunchroom alone.

Roughly five years ago, the USD 250 school district switched from plastic to styrofoam plates due to cost, time management, not to mention the amount of silverware that was ordered each week due to students throwing them away. At the end of the day money talks, but is it truly worth risking our environment over?

Luckily, there is a solution to our problems. To begin with, we can begin using recyclable plastics based off of their SPI (Society In Plastic Industry) codes. At the bottom of your plastic object, there is a number that tells you how to dispose of waste. SPI codes with the numbers 1, 2, 4, and 5 are recyclable, meanwhile numbers 3, 6, and 7 are not and can leave more of a negative impact on our environment.

Secondly, we should have more than just blue recycling bins. With the amount of non-recyclable objects we use in schools, a green or grey bin could help in the long run to help teach students how to reduce and reuse responsibly. We could also switch to molded fiber trays, however, they cost three times the amount of the plates we currently use in schools. It’s not perfect, but it’s a start.

As a student at PHS, I want the best for my school and I believe that making students more aware of the negative outcomes of plastic is important. Because we’re not just saving the environment, we’re saving the lives of people and animals everywhere.

Shifting from 15 to 50 minutes of leadership Lawson praises StuCo’s shift from extracurricular to class WORDS BY Emma Lawson Have you ever wanted to be more involved in the school? I know I did last year. Student Council was something I was really interested in, but the election didn’t work out in my favor and I didn’t make it in my freshman year.

Not only was getting in a matter of a student body election, but even if I would have ended up in it, I would have been struggling to balance all of my extracurriculars before and after school.

This year, with StuCo transitioning from a club to a class, it gave me the perfect opportunity to get involved.

In order to make it into the class I had to fill out an application that was looked over by Samantha Warren, who is StuCo sponsor.

The students in StuCo started working towards the end of the summer so that we could get done what we need to before school started. We had to plan things like what activities were we going to do on the freshman’s first day and how were we going to make the day as helpful as possible. We wanted to make our whole goal as StuCo to make school life better for everyone.

Our first big project of this year was to make sure the incoming freshmen had all the information needed to be successful in high school, which included giving out tours and answering any questions about high school that they may have had. This was not something that StuCo was in charge of doing last year. There just wasn’t enough time and there was another group that dealt with freshman every year.

Looking back on what StuCo accomplished last year, this year we have been able to get a lot more done because we are given that hour in the school day specifically for StuCo. I personally believe that it is worth it to enroll for this class. To me, this new application process is a way to get more people in who actually want to make a difference.

If someone takes the time to fill out a good application, then you know that they are serious about being in the class. There is now a more equally represented student body because of the combination of athletes, scholars, and socialites.

Everyone is able to get their opinion in and make a difference because we have eliminated officers. In the past years there has always been a president and vice president, etc., but this year as a whole we decided we didn’t want there to be a feeling of someone being more important or valued than others.

Even though this change benefited the productivity of StuCo, I know that a lot of people were unhappy with this change because they already had full schedules and couldn’t fit it in.

As StuCo, we try our best to get as much outside input as possible, with things like surveys, because we want everyone to be involved. We are always putting things together that allows the whole school to get involved if they choose.

Things like dances and spirit weeks can really make the thought of school a little more fun.

The blood drive is another big thing we do that everyone can get involved in. StuCo and HOSA get together to put on a blood drive twice a year where everyone 16 and older can donate.

Being in StuCo has really changed my high

ART BY Lane Phifer school experience for the better. I feel like instead of just going through the same motion everyday and just showing up to school, I am part of something that is trying to make a change. I feel more involved in the school and I encourage everyone to try and be as active in the school as possible.

Staff Editorial As part of our storyboarding process, we spend lots of time discussing issues that we can shed light on through journalism.

This year, preparation for life after high school came up in almost all of our discussions. As a staff, most of us felt unprepared to tackle the daily responsibilities of the real world, including filing taxes, applying for the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA), budgeting our expenses and most importantly, transitioning from high school to college.

During the school day, we spend a lot of time on the academic side of

life, but almost never on real-world skills, which is why we are often forced to find other methods of learning them.

Our front page story in this issue examines postsecondary preparation by covering students who work and the district’s plans to incorporate real-world skills into classes.

We commend our district administration for straying away from the usual method of basing success off of data points and introducing a plan to prepare students for life after high school.

We also commend teachers such as special education teacher Jill Kangas and consumer math teacher Hannah Davis for finding ways of incorporating postsecondary preparation into their courses.

Most of us are unfamiliar with maintaining good grades and a job at once. For some, balancing a social life and school may seem overwhelming, but for others, spending long hours working in order to pay the bills is normal. We admire those students who can find that balance.

Most of our staffers are not only

nervous about the transition from high school to college but also very frightened. We hope that postsecondary preparation becomes a norm in all of our classes, not just a few, and that our district administrators continue trekking forward on their path to prepare us for the real world.

From conducting interviews, meeting deadlines and responding to criticism, we learn real-world skills on a daily basis by being on the newspaper staff. It is our hope that we can learn more of those in our core classes.

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IN DE

April 2019 www.boosterredux.com

Fostering a life

Price shares experience in foster care WORDS BY Nicole Konopelko

In Crawford County alone, there were 136 kids in foster care on March 31, according to DCF. Counselor Stef Loveland, a frequent speaker at adoption and foster care conferences, or 28 days, senior Dacota Storm Price’s home was the small visitors room of a KVC works individually with students in foster care and their foster families. According to Kansas foster care office in Pittsburg. her, the growing amount of children in foster care makes the system more complex to Price’s time in the office would follow the same routine. During the day, he would manage. eat the Hot Pockets or chicken nuggets the workers heated up for him for breakfast, “It’s a beautiful thought in its origin,” Loveland said. “I want to be positive about that, lunch and dinner. During the night, he would sleep with his feet hanging off of an air but the reality is there are so many children in this system that it is very difficult to give mattress. every child what they deserve and what their families deserve.”

A KVC worker would check in on him eight times a day and take him to shower at Because KVC couldn’t find Price a foster home in his home county, they placed Pittsburg State University (PSU) twice a week. When the office workers needed the room him into a group home in Topeka instead. Instead of foster parents, the home had a for a visit, they’d temporarily move him into a cubicle. The rest of the time, he spent supervising staff. sitting, wondering about his future.

“I had no problem with that placement,” Price said. “The only reason why I was so “Knowing that nobody really wants you, it’s kind of... gut-wrenching,” said Price, who frustrated is because I didn’t understand any of the things that were happening before was first placed in care at 15. “Me, I have a lot of thoughts running through my head, so I’m just like, ‘Well, is somebody ever going to come get me? Am I going to be accepted? [my first foster dad] and I was still, I guess, going through that and all the case workers. I was angry. I was frustrated. I didn’t know how to properly let it out. I was never taught.”

If I do, what are they going to be like?’ It’s just a bunch of questions just ran through my One day, Price could no longer hold his frustration in. He kicked the wall in his room, head that time. A lot of anxiety: a lot of turmoil.” and left a hole in it. After the workers found out, he was transported to a juvenile Price wasn’t the only child spending nights in the office, waiting on the foster care detention center (JDC) and later to a psychiatric residential treatment facility (PRTF). contracting agency to transfer him to a new placement. He heard kids come in and out; Price would later run away from the PRTF with one of the patients he met there. For six they slept in the conference room next to him. weeks, they were out on the streets — homeless.

KVC, the lead foster care contracting agency on the Eastern half of Kansas, has come Halfway through his second month, Price turned himself into the police. under fire for allowing foster children to sleep in offices. In September of last year, The “KVC had said I was depressed and I needed help,” Price said. “I didn’t feel any Kansas City Star broke the story of a foster teen who reported she was sexually assaulted depression. I had told them, ‘Hey, I’m not depressed, inside a child welfare office. According to The Star’s coverage, I really don’t need this.’ They were just like, ‘Hey, you in September of 2017, private foster care contractors reported have no choice in the matter.’ It was stressful. It was that children had stayed overnight in their offices more than a struggle to make ends meet to survive. Most of the 100 times in the past year, and in April of 2018, dozens still time, I was hungry and cold.’” did.

According to DCF, 91 of the 7,445 children in foster According to Sherry Briggs, a foster care permanency care in Kansas ran away from their placement last supervisor at KVC, it’s been about a year since any kids have month, while 80 lived in independent living homes. had to spend the night in Pittsburg’s KVC offices.

After sleeping in the KVC’s visitors office for 28 “I would say at that time, there was just not enough,” Briggs days, KVC placed Price into an independent living said. “Some of it was circumstances of the children and some home, where he had his own apartment, kitchen and of it was not enough resources, or places for children to go. roommate.

We have come up with more recent resources — more homes, He was taken out of the home after he violated more foster homes.”

Dacota Price regulations. After staying in a JDC for a month, he Price’s stay in the office was after three moves. He moved stayed in a temporary foster home for three nights, after his first foster dad, who he lived with for seven months, until KVC found a family for him. lost his foster care license when Price and his foster brothers Currently, Price is living in a foster family home hotlined DCF to complain about his abusive behavior. He later lived in a group home in Topeka and ran away from the psychiatric treatment facility KVC with a foster dad. His final court hearing is on July 18, when he has the choice to be emancipated. had placed him in.

Along with moving towns over the past two years, Price also moved schools.

According to the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) Kansas Child According to Loveland, the normal amount of credits required to graduate at PHS is Welfare Factsheet, the average length of stay for a child who ages out of foster care 26. For a student in foster care, it’s 21. was 37 months as of June 30, 2017. Ever since he first entered the foster care system in “That honors the process of if a student needs to move and it’s out of their control and 2016, moving placements became a new norm for Price. maybe loses credits based on things that happen that were outside of their control,” “It’s bad when you can say you’re used to it,” Price said. “I don’t really think about Loveland said. “This has been put into place to help with that piece.” [moving] anymore. I’m just like, ‘Oh, I’m moving, that’s happening again, okay. Where Because he only has 14 credits due to online schooling, Price will graduate after am I going to this time?’ I don’t get my hopes up too high anymore because I always get completing summer school. After being emancipated, he plans on taking a gap them brought down.” semester and then attending PSU. As a result of his participation in the Gaining The Child Welfare Information Agency defines foster care, also known as out-of-home Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) — a care, as a “temporary service provided by states for children who cannot live with their federally funded college access program designed to help students in families.” foster care prepare for post-secondary education — the state of Kansas A child can be placed in foster care for multiple reasons, including abuse, neglect, will pay for his tuition. illness and more. In Kansas, DCF determines and investigates whether a child should be When he reflects on his two years in the foster care system, Price placed in foster care. recalls the lack of stability.

When DCF separates the child from their family, the organization assigns him or her “I would never wish foster care on my worst enemy, like I to a foster care contracting agency, which determines the child’s placement. KVC, the agency Price was assigned to, typically supervises children on the Eastern half of Kansas. don’t care if me and this person have been through hellfire, because it’s so unstable,” Price said. “You’re so all over The most common outcome of foster care, according to KVC, is to “safely reunite” the place. You might expect to have some stable youth with their families “as soon as possible.” environment where you can finally relax and settle However, according to the most recent Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and down, but no, you have to be on your toes all the Reporting System report, on Sept. 30, 2017, of the 442,995 children in foster care, only time. There’s so much instability. It’s so stressful.”

56% had a case goal of reunifying with their parent(s) or primary caretaker(s). Other Loveland believes foster care in Kansas is a goals included emancipation, adoption, guardianship and more. systemic problem. Despite all of its challenges, she Price joins 4% of foster care children in having a case goal of emancipation. says the people involved in its workings are not at “When I turn 18, there is nothing in this world that’s going to keep me in that care fault. because when I turn 18, I have all the right to walk out of that court office out of foster “I guess I view it personally as a system failing, care,” Price said. but I still believe in the people that are doing this,” According to DCF, last month there were 3,922 kids in family foster homes in Kansas Loveland said. “I believe in these caseworkers. I and 7,445 total kids in care. A foster family home can only license for up to four foster believe in these therapists. I believe in the afterchildren. care managers, like I believe in the organization.

“We have more foster kids coming in than we do have foster homes,” said Morgan I believe in the foster families. They have my Woods, a foster care worker at TFI Family Services. “That’s why all of our agencies are utmost respect and honor. It is a system that I getting the word out about foster care. It’s difficult right now to keep kids in their home believe is flawed — not the people.” county due to a lack of homes.”

F

“Knowing that nobody really wants you, it’s kind of... gut-wrenching.”

GRAPHICS BY

Abby Painter & Elle Burgess

Did you know?

Foster care by the numbers as of March, 2019

50 7,530 428,000

children in foster care in PHS*

children in foster care in Kansas

There were

2,041

kids in foster care in the Eastern region of Kansas.

136 children

children in foster care in the U.S.

In

*This is an estimate because PowerSchool does not require foster families to identify themselves.

Sources: Kansas Department for Children and Families, KVC Kansas

91

were in foster care in Crawford County.

EPTH

April 2019 www.boosterredux.com

5

Lacy Nickelson, founder and president of Fostering Connections, sits beside her husband Tom, weights teacher at PHS and co-founder of Fostering Connections. The Nickelsons founded the organization to help both foster children and foster families.

Inspiring change at a local level WORDS BY Abby Painter

ART BY Jorge Leyva & Lane

1

889

adoptions were finalized in the state of Kansas between July 2018 and March 2019. kids in Kansas ran away from their placements.

Foster Care Growth in Kansas

n Crawford County, there are

69

licensed foster care homes.

7600 7500 7400 7300 7200 7100 7000 6900 6800 6700 6600 6500

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

When Lacy and Tom Nickelson decided to open their home to children two and a half years ago, they realized the need for more people to get involved in the foster care system.

Different from a normal foster family, the Nickelsons are a Police Protective Custody (PPC) Care Home.

They take in children on short notice who have been placed in police protective custody. This gives the child a safe place to go until he or she is able to get assigned to a long-term family. “[Becoming a PPC home] opened our eyes to the great need, right here in Crawford County, for quality foster homes,” Lacy said. “And it opened our eyes to the need to support the families that are in it for the right reasons.”

That realization then led the Nickelsons to start an organization called Fostering Connections. It is a nonprofit organization that helps to “benefit both the foster families and the foster children in our area.”

Fostering Connections helps foster children and families through mentoring and free events such as moms’ coffees and kids’ night outs. “[At moms’ coffees] moms are able to come and once a month meet and receive some word of encouragement, training, prayer and just be around other moms that are like-minded and have shared in the same struggles,” Lacy said.

Fostering Connections’s latest initiative is its VIP kids box program.

The organization, as well as community members, put together small boxes with essentials and extras such as socks and toys.

“When kids come into care, many of them are just having to wait for hours before they’re placed with a foster family,” Lacy said. “While they’re waiting, we want them to be able to have something to entertain them or comfort them because the first couple of hours are very traumatic, regardless of age.”

According to Lacy, an issue within foster care is the workload social workers face, with some workers balancing up to 60 cases in a day.

“It’s just a very high stress, high demand [job with] not enough time and many, many cases,” Lacy said. “So many are just doing the best they can, but they just don’t have enough time or energy.”

Because of Fostering Connections, the Nickelsons have been able to witness a number of kids’ lives changed for the better by being in foster care.

“I’ve seen so many that are now finishing up their master’s degree or they’re finishing up their doctorate,” Lacy said. “That’s inspirational to me. I think that foster families could change the trajectory of a child’s life just by being there for them during a rough time.”

6

FEATURE

April 2019 www.boosterredux.com

Aiming for success Freshman archery standout reflects on season goals

P

WORDS BY Matthew Moore

ulling back the string of her compound bow, freshman Beth Blessent takes aim at a target 15 meters away.

This is Blessent’s second year as an archer. Blessent began during middle school and competed as an individual.

Now, as a freshman, she is competing with the high school.

Last year, Blessent worked with older archers.

“I was good friends with one of the better shooters,” Blessent said. “[Tatum VonWinklepleck] would give me tips when I watched her shoot and I wanted to be that good, too.”

That extra practice came into play this year as Blessent started competing in tournaments.

“When we go to a tournament she is probably getting in the top 10,” head coach Mary Packard said. “She’s not bringing home hardware, but she’s putting herself out there against all high school girls.”

To better herself, Blessent practices on her own time to compete with other girls.

“When I first started, I took a piece of duct tape, and I would put it at my aiming point,” Blessent said. “Then every day I would make it smaller and smaller so that I could really narrow down [my shot].”

Blessent also practices with the team.

“She was committed to coming to early morning practices and really managed the details of the sport well,” Packard said. “It’s a detail sport and Beth was good at the details and was very focused.”

According to Packard, accuracy is important. The number of arrows an archer is able to place in the 10 circle can determine whether they win or lose a match.

“It’s all about making 10s,” Packard said. “At one point, she tied with two other girls in score, but she had more 10s so she ended up winning.”

Assistant coach Karen Curran has also helped Blessent with her aim this season.

“She’s got a natural talent,” Curran said. “She’s very gifted; she’s got a great eye for centering on the target and a form that is easily repeatable so she can shoot 10s repeatedly.”

Blessent still has skills she would like to improve on before the end of the season.

“I need to practice and just really focus on what I’m doing,” Blessent said.

“I would definitely like to get my scores higher.”

Blessent competed at the state archery competition on March 30 in Pratt and qualified for the national competition with a score of 276.

Four other archers also qualified for nationals.

Freshman Emily Schneider qualified with a score of 275 as well as junior Nic Bastion with a score of 277 and senior Ben Blessent also qualified with a score of 273.

Blessent plans to keep working and end her season on a positive note at the National Archery in the Schools Program, Eastern Nationals tournament in Louisville, Kentucky.

“I’m really just going to go for a PR and try and get my best score yet,” Blessent said.

Blessent had a high score of 284 at the Lamar shootout tournament, with a season average of 281. After this season, Blessent will have three more years of eligibility and plans to continue archery for the rest of her high-school career.

“The sky’s the limit for her,” Curran said. “She is naturally talented, but also she works really hard. So those two together should mean great things for her this year and years to come.”

Assistant coach Kris Mengarelli points toward the target, advising freshman Beth Blessent on her target shooting. As a freshman this year, Blessent qualified for the national archery competition in Kentucky. PHOTO BY Francisco Castaneda

Behind the books

Warren operates family blueberry farm Robertson Family Farm for five years. Across the farm’s two and a half acres and 2,000 bushes, Robertson Family Farm, which is located in there are four different kinds of blueberries.

Saginaw, Missouri, is operated by Samantha “Everyone is always excited to hear that [we Warren and her family. It is a blueberry farm that have different types of blueberries],” Warren is open in June. said. “We have some that are kind of tart and Warren and her husband some that are sweeter, discovered the farm in an and some that are just unexpected way. The blueberry big.” farm is the main reason why Besides the fruit itself, Warren and her family moved to Warren’s favorite part of this area. working at the farm is all “My father-in-law was of the interactions with looking to retire, so they were different people that she thinking about what to do meets.

Samantha Warren after retirement,” Warren said.

“I really like selling “My husband was looking at at the farmer’s market craigslist, and he ran across the because it’s fun and I listing for the farm. He said ‘Hey you guys could like talking to people,” Warren said. “I also like run a blueberry farm’. Then they went and looked it when little kids come out because they’re so at it, and they liked the place so the deal was that happy and it’s a happy place to be.” we would move from Colorado and help them Kristin Thomas, who has gone to Robertson run it. It was really just a whim, and here we are.” Family Farm since Warren has owned it, feels that Warren and her family have operated the farm is a “peaceful and serene” setting for

WORDS BY Sarah Alcantar

“I also like it when little kids come out because they’re so happy and it’s a happy place to be.”

Strumming along: WORDS BY Alshlan Brooks On a normal day at school, social science teacher Jason Susnik sits behind his desk and watches students walk into the room. As his students take their seats, he picks up the guitar by his desk and places his palm behind the fretboard. Then, he shifts his fingers onto the strings and strums out a tune. As the final bell rings, he leans the guitar against the shelf by his desk, and powers on his computer to begin his next class.

This is how Susnik copes with the daily

PHOTO BY Aubrey Bolinger

the atmosphere.

“Robertson Family Farm is just big enough and managed well that you can always count on berries and a great picking experience,” Thomas said.

“She and her husband take a lot of pride in their farm and make sure that every aspect of blueberry picking is as enjoyable as possible.”

Despite all the challenges such as the weather acting up and almost killing all of her berries, or being outside 12 hours on a hot day, Warren enjoys her job.

“We give [people] lots of cold water to drink and sunscreen,” Warren said.

“No one leaves mad. That’s the best thing about the place is that everyone leaves happy.”

ART BY Lane Phifer

Susnik plays guitar as coping mechanism, inspires passion in students

around, we play songs, we share songs that we like and just try challenges of being a teacher.

“It kind of calms me down before [I] have to take on that next to get better at playing the guitar together.”

One of Susnik’s past students, PHS alum Noah Braun, began hour,” Susnik said. “You never know what your next class is his journey as a musician with the guitar club. going to be like, so it’s definitely therapeutic [to] play.”

Before joining the club, he had only ever fiddled with guitars.

For Susnik, it’s not about playing for others; it’s more about Since joining, he has made a career out of playing guitar. using guitar as a means to better himself.

Now, he has played with bands in Los Angeles before “I’ve always just played because I’m a creative person,” returning to Pittsburg to pursue music as a local profession.

Susnik said. “I like a lot of different [things], but I’ve always “I’ve always been, I’d say, musically inclined, but I never loved guitar. I love how mediated it is. Like I can pick up an had that specific skill set of playing stringed instrument like a acoustic guitar and just start creating.” guitar,” Braun said. “When Susnik had As a kid, Susnik idolized bands such that [guitar] laying around, it was what as the Beatles and Radiohead. With sparked my interest in playing guitar no musicians in his immediate family, and I would say music in general. I’ve Susnik taught himself how to play. done a lot of cool things because of it.”

“My passion for those bands Braun isn’t the only student who growing up really influenced me to Susnik has inspired, however. One of want to at least try to play their songs,” his current students, junior Christian Susnik said.

Shaw, feels that even though he grew Since the moment he first picked up Jason Susnik up in a musically- inclined family, a guitar at age 14, Susnik has Susnik has been one of his biggest had a few obstacles that influences. have prevented him from playing. All of which “[It’s good that] he is able to stay after school and help, not he chalks up to simply being an adult. just me, but other students,” Shaw said. “He’s a good teacher “There have been times in my life where I and a good guitar club leader.” probably haven’t played enough or practiced After six years of teaching, Susnik, who doesn’t intent to enough because, you know, the older you get, pursue guitar professionally, is continuing to lead guitar club you kind of get distracted by other stuff,” Susnik and cultivate his students’ passions. said. “It’s something I’ve always done and lately I’ve “Susnik really got me fascinated with this thing that I’ve just been trying to focus more on it.”

Susnik’s passion for guitar has made him a source of never not been interested in since then,” Braun said. “Not only did he introduce me to the idea of playing guitar, but also just inspiration for students. Alongside his previous boss, the idea of turning music into not just this thing that was like former head principal Jon Bishop, Susnik founded a fleeting fantasy of sorts, but an actual craft. He was also very Guitar Club. Six to seven students meet for an hour after school every Thursday to just play guitar together. interested in some of the things that he rubbed off onto me — the idea of creating.”

“That‘s just kind of what we do,” Susnik said. “We sit

“We sit around, we play songs, we share songs that we line and just try to get better at playing the guitar together.”

FEATURE

April 2019 www.boosterredux.com

7

Swinging into Parkville Maceli to compete in all-girls midwestern golf tournament

S

WORDS BY Vincent Norman

ophomore Sam Maceli got an invitation in the mail requesting her to compete in the Prairie Invitational. The Prairie Invitational is a golf tournament where female golf players from all over the Midwest go to compete.

The tournament will be held in Parkville, Missouri at the National Golf Club of Kansas City, and will take place on July 22-24.

Maceli’s rankings last season qualified her to attend the Prairie Invitational. Maceli was the regional champion in 2018.

“The beginning of the season was pretty rocky, but by the end of the season I was really at my prime, playing my best that I ever played,” Maceli said.

Maceli has been competing in golf tournaments for four years.

“Since seventh grade we’ve played against other schools, including Chanute, and I have a really good friend now,” Maceli said. “That’s nice because it’s good to have connections outside of where you live.”

Ever since she was young, Maceli has had a passion for golf. Leading into her high school years she joined the girls team with Mary Packard as her coach.

“I started working with her as a 6th grader,” Coach Packard said. “Even then I noticed her ability to plan the next shot and calculate score totals for future holes to finish with the score she wanted.”

Golf is a big part of Maceli’s family.

They often create friendly competitions for prizes such as ice cream.

“My close family pretty much all

Drawing back her club, sophomore Sam Maceli prepares to swing at the ball at Crestwood Country Club’s home tournament on Sept. 25, 2018. Maceli, a two-year state golf qualifier, was invited to compete in the Prairie Invitational this summer. PHOTO BY Kamryn Kelley

plays, we go out [to play] together,” Maceli said. Maceli first picked up golf from her father.

“My dad always tells me not to play for the scholarship, but play for yourself,” Maceli said. “Play for the goal

the you want, not that other people want.”

Maceli hopes to place in the top five this summer.

“I’m really excited and I’m also really nervous because I don’t know what to

Playing overseas:

Linahan invited to play in Italy

traveling softball, Linahan has learned to love travel. “[I really enjoy] finding other girls who This summer, junior Sydney Linahan love the game as much as I do,” Linahan will be traveling to Italy for the Play Ball said. “I really enjoyed going to the allin Italy tournament. state game and meeting new people, Linahan will be traveling with her team, which is how I met the team that I’m JC Elite, out of Jefferson City, Missouri, going to Italy with.” to play softball in three different cities Head softball coach Bobby in Italy, including Milan, Montecatini Stackhouse, who has and Rome. Linahan coached Linahan has played since for the past two she was eight, and years, commented has played for the on Linahan’s Dragons since she achievements. freshman year.

“I am very proud of Linahan and her her accomplishments, Sydney Linahan team will depart she does a great job from the U.S. on for us, being one July 8. of our top hitters and she plays a very “We’ll play six different teams while important part defensively, and last year we’re up there,” Linahan said. “We’ll also she got a little bit of recognition being travel different cities and learn about second team all-league,” Stackhouse Italy and the cities.” said. “Just to see that carry over into Over the past couple years of playing her junior year and also with the WORDS BY Ian Sullivan

“[I really enjoy] finding other girls who love the game as much as I do.”

PHOTO BY Morgan Noe

expect; I don’t know how the people are going to be playing, but that’s not really what golf is,” Maceli said. “You just have to worry about yourself and your game and improve to be a better player yourself.”

opportunities that she has now to go and play in Italy. It is definitely something to be proud of.”

As a coach, Stackhouse believes it is important for players to get experience in the offseason.

“I think it gives them an opportunity to go and see, maybe some better competition, get some exposure, and then also going back to the possibility of them becoming a better softball player, which makes us better as well,” Stackhouse said.

According to Stackhouse, the experience that Linahan will gain is vital to her success as a player.

“I hope that she sees good competition, that she is able to better herself as an all-around softball player, a better hitter and a better fielder,” Stackhouse said. “I think being given the opportunity to go and travel a little bit and see some of the top talent that is out there in softball, it should prepare her to become an even better softball player.”

what did we say for construction?

Switching plates Bombers transition to high-school team WORDS BY Keith Perkins Since the third grade, a group of several PHS freshmen have been playing traveling baseball for the Bombers, a local team.

“We’d start practicing at the beginning of February, and we’d go all the way into July,” freshmen baseball player Austin Mckechnie said. “We had a lot of practices. In the summers, we’d have five practices a week to get ready for certain tournaments.”

Mckechnie is ready for the start of the High School season, “I’m pretty excited, it seems like a good opportunity.”

Although the baseball team only has varsity and junior varsity, due to the size of this year’s freshmen class, including many former bomber players, playing baseball, head coach Keith Matlock has scheduled a total of six extra freshmen games for his players.

“It’s one of the bigger classes that we’ve had. They’ve definitely had a lot of baseball

experience,” Matlock said.

Former bombers players make up a good portion of the JV team, as well as a select few suiting up for varsity.

“There are freshmen who have suited up on the varsity roster and maybe done a little pinch running and courtesy running, you can run for your pitcher or your catcher,” Matlock said.

Matlock feels that playing baseball throughout elementary and middle school has helped to prepare the kids for playing in high school, “Anytime that you can get guys that have played and had a lot of baseball experience, and played against some bigger teams, and some bigger schools and some bigger cities, its gonna help prepare them.”

Matlock thinks that if things go well, this freshmen class can be very good in years to come.

“Well, I think that could be really good, you know, but there’s so many variables in there.

Are they going to continue to grow? Are they

Freshman Cooper Hayden throws the ball at Baxter Springs’s away tournament on March 19. Before he joined the high school baseball team, Hayden played for the Bombers, a local traveling team, alongside some other players on the team. PHOTO BY Morgan Noe

going to continue to get stronger? Will they continue to work on their game? Right now we’re very pleased with where they’re at,” Matlock said.

“We really like them. And we think that they got a very high ceiling, but a lot of that will be dependent upon their willingness to get out and continue to work.”

8

SPORTS

April, 2019 www.boosterredux.com

Volleying a friendship Senior Devin McAfee and Junior Dakota Caudle, co-captains of the varsity tennis team. McAfee and Caudle have both played throughout high school, and are the top two players on the team.

Singles players balance friendship, rivalry on tennis court

PHOTOS BY Ross Laidler

J

WORDS BY Braden Benson

unior Dakota Caudle and senior Devin McAfee are friends in real life, but competitors for the No. 1 slot on the tennis courts.

“Dakota and Devin are both No. 1 players; there’s not a number No. 2 there,” head tennis coach John Seal said. “They are both number 1’s.”

During the purple and white scrimmage, Caudle and McAfee faced off to get the No. 1 slot. McAfee came out on top, but Caudle might challenge him for it again.

Being co-captains of the boys varsity tennis team, Caudle and McAfee have

On top of training together, they also certain leadership responsibilities. take private lessons.

McAfee takes the approach of setting “We just practice whatever we an example on the court. Caudle, on need to work on, the other hand, different shots and gives advice to the I give him tips and underclassman. he gives me tips,” “They’re my McAfee said. “He’s captains. I talk to better at certain them about lineups parts of the game, and what might and I’m better at be better, and other parts.” they’re really good John Seal For McAfee’s leaders,” Seal said. senior season he McAfee and has set goals he wants to accomplish Caudle trained throughout the before the season is over. summer. They practiced three to four “I want to place top 12 at State; be days a week to prepare for the season.

“Dakota and Devin are both No. 1 players; there’s not a No. 2 there.”

the second player to qualify for state all four years in school history. The only other person able to do that was Logan Benham, so that’s a big goal of mine,” McAfee said. “I just want to have fun and enjoy every moment because these will be my last tournaments coming up, to just have fun and compete.”

Even though it’s not Caudle’s last season, he still has set goals.

“My goal is to make all-state, and I’m trying to go to college for tennis,” Caudle said. “My number one pick is definitely Newman, it’s a private school in Wichita and they have a pretty good team.”

Fresh cleats on the field Freshmen softball players bring experience Stackhouse credits the large numbers to travel teams.

“A good number of them Putting on her pads and have grown up playing glove, freshman Elle Slaughter together. I think the fact that takes the field as the starting the freshmen have played varsity catcher. together and have so much “I know the game,” Slaughter experience will make us said. “I thought I was going to better,” Stackhouse said. “I be scared starting varsity as a see them walking in the halls freshman, but it just clicked.” together and eating lunch This year, with each the softball other and team has that’s great. more It creates freshman competition, players pushes than in the lower years past. classmen The team to be the is made Shannon O’Hara best they up of 14 can and it freshmen, pushes the one upperclassmen to fight hard for sophomore, six juniors and their playing time.” three seniors.

Senior Shannon O’Hara has “It’s pretty rare to have over been playing softball for 13 half of your team freshmen, years and recognizes the talent and it’s not a bad thing,” head from the lower classmen. coach Bobby Stackhouse said.

“The freshman class is really “It’s good to have the numbers experienced so we don’t have we have, especially freshmen to really focus on teaching coming out and getting better” WORDS BY Maddy Robison

“They’re bringing a lot of motivation and showing everyone else dedication.”

Sports briefs Baseball The varsity baseball team has gone 7-3, while junior varsity has gone 3-2.

The freshman team has won both of their tournaments. The players’ fundraising earned their way to the Kauffman Stadium, home stadium of the Kansas City Royals, to play against Saint Thomas Aquinas; PHS lost the game 4-7.

them the game. They’re bringing a lot of motivation and showing everyone else dedication,” O’Hara said.

“Seeing how motivated the freshmen are is going to keep me going. It’s [contagious] to see how excited they are about the game.”

Slaughter is excited for the season.

“I’ve been looking forward to high school softball for a long time,” Slaughter said. “I’m excited to see how everyone comes together to play as a team and to see how much we improve.”

Stackhouse feels confident in the abilities of the lower classmen and still has high goals for the season.

“The fact that we have lower classmen that know the game and have high softball IQ’s makes us better,” Stackhouse said. “We always have two standards that are the same every year, we want to compete for the SEK title and we want to be playing our best softball by the end of the year.”

Senior Mallory McThompson throws down to home base during Varsity softball game.

“Throughout high school softball has been the sport I’ve stuck with all four years” McThompson says. “This year has been amazing because I’ve really connected with the coaches.” PHOTO BY Morgan Noe

WORDS BY Natalie Talent

Softball The varsity girls have gone 3-7, while the JV girls have gone 7-3. While playing a varsity game against Fort Scott, Zoe Pinamonti broke a tie, hit a double and allowed the base run in to win the game 10-9. The girls have two tournaments left.

Tennis The team’s record is 11-3, with their only losses being to Bishop Miege and Thomas Jefferson. They placed second in their home meets and third at away tournaments. The singles players both have a 19-4 and have three tournament wins. The team will play at league championships and play for regional and state placings.

Golf The golfers has placed fourth at five of the year’s eight tournaments.

“I’m excited to see if the boys can grow as golfers and improve their individual scores,” said head coach Mary Packard, after some bad luck with penalty calls on out-of-bound bounces.

Track and Field So far, the varsity and JV track team has competed in six track meets.

Senior Joel Kafka vaulted 14.25 at the Jason Pyrah Invitational in Willard, Missouri on April 18, setting a new school record for pole vault, clearing 14 feet.