The Booster Redux Pittsburg High School 1978 E. 4th Street Pittsburg, KS 66762 Vol. 99, Issue 4 www.boosterredux.com
Tuesday Dec. 20, 2016
the great homework debate Uncovering the importance of homework
NICOLE KONOPELKO @nicolekonopelko
B
efore high school, seeing piles of markless papers gathering dust and accumulating on his desk became the usual for freshman Seth O’Neal. However, these were no ordinary papers — they were papers that would determine the course of success in his classes. Papers that would reinforce and integrate the concepts he had learned. They were, in essence, the difference between a passing and a failing grade — homework assignments. “I knew they were necessary, but I thought they were pointless and time-consuming,” O’Neal said. O’Neal’s procrastination caused him to fall behind. “I didn’t put in the effort, so I didn’t achieve my goals or get the grades I wanted,” O’Neal said. “I lost the chance of being in gifted classes [because] I usually made straight A’s and [received] high scores on knowledge tests before I started procrastinating.” Nevertheless, O’Neal’s lesson was learned. Enduring the negative effects of skipping his homework only made him strive to begin being on track. “[I now understand] that it’s necessary to test and exercise the mind,” O’Neal said. While O’Neal finally came to terms with the true importance of homework, others have not. According to math teacher Rhonda Willis, there is a negative connotation associated with homework. “There’s a value to homework that we have lost,” Willis said. “We want homework to be high quality. In the long run, homework teaches you to persevere and learn lessons that you will take with you into the real world.” And although some students may place the reasoning behind this connotation on the features of the school-wide education system, this is not the reality for many. The reality is, the blame often lies in students — how they perceive the real importance of homework. “It all boils down to individual teacher philosophies...” Looking at the importance of homework involves looking at its foundation — the USD 250 Board of Education’s homework policy. The policy states, “Homework shall not be used as a means to discipline students. Homework shall be assigned as needed to reinforce lessons introduced in the classroom and promote academic progress.” While the district policy accommodates for all of the high school faculty, it empowers teachers to make their own decisions regarding homework. Teachers write and insert their own policies into their class syllabus. Syllabi are collected and read by administration at the beginning of each semester. Assistant principal Kelynn Heardt said they are a key factor in the communication of teachers’ homework policies.
“Syllabi are helpful for parent communication,” Heardt said. “If we get an email or a call, we can pull those out and go over those expectations [with students and parents.].” If administration spots a problem in a teacher’s syllabus, they will point it out and have a conversation with the teacher. “We’re on a team together, so we want to make every team member as strong as we can,” Heardt said. “We would take a coaching approach and have a collegial conversation.” While administration takes action when issues arise, Heardt said issues are seldom seen. “It is very rare that you have to doubt a syllabus,” Heardt said. “Teachers have been doing their job for a while and they know what to do by now.” However, according to Heardt, teachers’ homework policies differ school wide. “With the amount of teachers we have in the building, you will find variances,” Heardt said. “It all boils down to individual teacher philosophies.” Pittsburg High School is not the only 5A school that gives teachers the freedom of adopting their own homework policies. Also classified as 5A by the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA), with a population of 1777, Topeka High School’s lack of a schoolwide homework policy enables teachers to create their own. Associate principal Rob Hays said one of teachers’ main homework obligations is to reinforce skills learned in the classroom. “In terms of due dates and deadlines, we ask that our teachers use common sense,” Hays said. “The most important thing that we ask teachers to do is make sure that whatever work they assign is demonstrative of the students’ knowledge and skills in that class.” According to Heardt, homework policies are not the last time students will have to follow contrasting sets of standards. “It’s very important that students are able to work under a variety of different expectations and for a variety of different bosses in real life,” Heardt said. “Having different homework policies helps them adapt to that.” “You have to practice in order to be successful….” Homework is a philosophical debate plaguing teachers all around the school. However, homework is necessary for students to master the concepts they learn in class. “Every teacher should, and is, assigning some type of ‘homework,’ regardless of whether it is done at home or not,’” Heardt said. According to Willis, homework is a crucial part of her class. She believes homework should be renamed to “independent practice.” “I compare math to a sport,” Willis said. “You have to practice it in order to be successful. [For example,] if you watch your basketball coach shoot 100 free throws, you still won’t be able to shoot 100 free throws. The same thing is true with math: you need the daily practice to master the concept.” While all classes have some type of homework, policies differ in all classes. In English teacher Melissa Fite Johnson’s Advanced Placement (AP) Literature class, homework is assigned to a greater extent. “I assign a lot more homework in AP Literature than any other class because
“You’re only going to get busier…” Some teachers, such as social studies teacher Marjorie Giffin, assign homework to a maximum. WhilesheagreeswithUttley’sinclinationsonthecomplexityoftimemanagement, Giffin believes students need to learn how to manage their time at an early age. “I know students are busy, but they’re only going to get busier,” Giffin said. “Classes are just as much about time management and allotting time, not necessarily that you cut back on something simply because you have all of these other [activities.]” Giffin assigns more homework because she believes homework is a crucial component of understanding and comprehending her class. “I don’t give my students homework that says nothing more than, ‘Take what we did today and now put it on this chart,’” Giffin said. “My homework actually makes them think deeply and analyze what they learned in class.” However, Giffin said homework becomes less time-consuming if students complete it on a daily basis. “The more you do homework, the easier and faster it gets,” Giffin said. Junior Jamie Van Wyck, who is currently taking Giffin’s AP US History Class, feels the challenge of time management. However, she said doing the homework is worthwhile. “I appreciate the value of the class,” Van Wyck said. “The homework pertains to everything on the tests. It is difficult for me to find time do the homework because I have other classes that I have homework in, but I always do it, [regardless.]” While juggling the time between extracurricular activities and homework is a struggle for students such as Van Wyck, Willis said it is not necessarily a bad thing. “I don’t think school should be hard, but I think students should experience stress, because they’re going to in life,” Willis said. “If we cushion you throughout all of your high school years, how do you train yourself on how to deal with the difficulties of life?” And while time management is often a challenge, Johnson sees positive effects in the end. “A lot of the students that are super involved actually turn in the best work,” Johnson said. “It seems like they are just talented and responsible in all areas.” Regardless of homework policies, student apathy is always a concern. “Apathy has been my biggest frustration as a teacher,” Johnson said. “I have a job, I’m financially settled, I went to school and I got hired here. I’m okay, so why am I freaked out about your grade more than you are?” While teachers can try to motivate their students to see the hidden, meaningful purpose behind working out a few math problems, writing an English essay or even picking up a pencil to write, students need to also motivate themselves. “If I could figure out how to motivate students to do all of their homework, I could write a book and make a lot of money,” Willis said. “You try to instill pride in what students do and try to teach them that they’re developing habits right now that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.” However, it is never too late to make a change. Students hold the key to using homework for the better. O’Neal, for example, has replaced apathy with hope. “I think about my future and after I leave high school,” O’Neal said. “I think a lot of the people who don’t care about high school and don’t care about grades. Some people don’t realize how significant high school really is, and I don’t want to be one of them.”
it’s an AP class,” Johnson said. “Students signed up for it voluntarily, to challenge themselves.” Moreover, Johnson integrates more challenge into homework for her AP Literature class through the incorporation of a dialectical journal. Although Johnson’s homework policy strives to challenge her students, she also strives to maintain an equal balance in all of her classes. “I want to challenge my students, but I also don’t want to overwhelm them,” Johnson said. “That balance is something that I struggle with in all of my classes.” Not only do teachers have to assign homework for all students, but they also have to assign it for students of different language abilities and capabilities. English teacher Kristy Uttley believes this is one of the most difficult parts of teaching. “It’s challenging, especially when you’re teaching a common core class, because you have students who are just now learning English, who have disabilities and some who are gifted,” Uttley said. However, according to principal Jon Bishop, homework is not meaningful without feedback. “We expect some type of feedback for the students so they can know what they’re doing right and wrong,” Bishop said. Sitting at her desk, Johnson spends hours reading her students’ essays and giving them feedback using a rubric. “I thoroughly go through their essays and write down as much as I can, so they can improve their writing,” Johnson said. Regardless, Johnson said she puts an emphasis on assigning homework of importance and significance. “I only give homework that I find meaningful,” Johnson said. “I want my students to be more critical thinkers, to think more deeply and to thoroughly write things out. I believe in the work that I’m assigning.”
“School is school and home life is home life...” While all teachers have different outlooks on homework, Uttley believes there is a fine line between a student’s school and a student’s home. “You can look up formulas as to how much is appropriate for a student’s age group, but I am a firm advocate for school to be school and home life to be home life,” Uttley said. “Students are already in school all day, so it wouldn’t be fair for them to come home to even more school.” To maintain the fine line between home and school, Uttley assigns a minimum amount of homework. The majority of Uttley’s homework is unfinished reading. “I never assign something specifically to be done at home,” Uttley said. “The only specific homework that I give are reading assignments that we start in class.” Uttley also does this to free up students’ schedules for extracurricular activities. “I want students to take advantage of all of the opportunities they have in high school, like our fine arts programs or sports programs and not be inundated with school for an additional two or three hours every night,” Uttley said. Because of her involvement in debate and forensics, junior Justice Lankford is appreciative of such efforts. “It can be pretty stressful having a weekend full of debate and also have lots of homework due,” Lankford said. “However, it’s usually pretty rewarding because extracurriculars are really important to me.” In addition, Uttley said homework is not a necessity for all students. “It’s difficult to make a blatant statement on the importance of homework,” Uttley said. “Some students need the extra practice and repetition, whereas other students understand the concept immediately.” The overall goal of Uttley’s homework policy is to integrate independence. “At the high school level, I emphasize responsibility in my students, without putting a blanket of homework over the entire class,” Uttley said.
ART BY ALIVIA BENEDICT
2 news
Tuesday Dec. 20, 2016
three pathways three journeys A
ttending college is a common high school aspiration. For some students, the pathway to postsecondary education poses challenges that can come from a variety of areas, including finances, academic strength and social
www.boosterredux.com SECTION D
Seniors discuss methods on acquiring college admission Justin blythe @jdblyt
to the personal information they provided as well as to allow you, the reader, to view them objectively. To enable you to do so, each student is portrayed as an individual case study. These are their stories.
support. The following three seniors encounter these obstacles in different ways and provided their perspective on how they plan to overcome them on their journey toward a college degree. Their identities will remain anonymous due
student a story:
student b story:
student c story:
Attending college at the University of Kansas would have never crossed Student A’s mind four years ago while living in El Salvador, but now, during her senior year, she has been accepted and plans to do just that. After immigrating to America in 2013, Student A began studying in order to provide a better future for herself by eventually attaining a college degree to become an immigration lawyer. “My second year in the United States I started taking honors and AP classes even though nobody believed in me, saying that they were too hard for me because I didn’t speak the language,” she said, “I worked hard, that’s the thing, and I knew that I could and I gave my best.” Although she has challenged herself, there are, and have been, barriers on her path to success. “I have the desire to succeed in college and the determination and patience, but sometimes language pushes me back when communicating with others,” she said. “It has been really hard for me in high school and it is going to be hard for me in college, too.” Her family was also unable to directly help her due to their lack of knowledge regarding the college admissions and scholarship application process. “My parents [help me] in a different way because they motivate me. I see them work hard every day because they want a better future for me,” she said. Despite these challenges, Student A has managed to maintain a weighted GPA of 4.2 and has achieved an ACT score of 22. These marks have already earned her scholarships toward the expense of her higher education, which she alone is responsible for. Student A works toward her goals, not only to provide a better future for herself, but also to empower those with similar backgrounds. “Being Hispanic makes people think that I’m going to stay and go work in a factory, and that is just what everyone expects from me, but I know that I can do more,” she said. “I do it for myself and for my family, but also to prove to other people that Hispanics can, and I can, do more than what they think we can do.”
Without a doubt in his mind, Student B knows he will be the first in his family to attend college. This drive stems from a lack of household support, leaving him determined to defy the odds and, despite his low-income status, achieve his dream of becoming a future member of the FBI. “I have really high self-motivation and I always tr y to stay hard on myself because nobody else does,” Student B said. “I’ve never met my dad, and my mom abandoned me a year and a half ago, so I’ve just been living with my uncle, who is not exactly the most supportive person. It’s all on me to keep myself motivated.” Student B has been a student in the district since 2006, when he was in 2nd grade. His academic dedication is apparent in his test scores. Despite opting for a rigorous curriculum throughout his high school years, Student B holds a weighted GPA above a 4.0 and recently received a score of 31 on his ACT, placing him in the 96th percentile. “The only advanced class that I have not taken in high school is AP Literature. I’m taking AP Spanish IV, AP Calculus, AP Government, and I’ve taken all the AP and Honors classes last year, the year before, and before,” he said. Student B plans to attend Pittsburg State or Kansas State University next fall. In order to get there, he is receiving some support from an organization called Communities in Schools. Although he holds high marks, Student B is still worried about financing his higher education. “Money is always the big obstacle in regards to college,” he said. With hopes to overcome this hindrance, he has formulated a plan that includes scholarships and continuing to hold a job in order to afford his future. “I plan on working throughout all of college and making as much money as I can to pay for it,” he said, “I want to have my own life. I hate all of the situations around me right now. I’m definitely excited to see what the future holds.”
With her senior year inching onward, Student C is preparing to carry her passion for education and band to the collegiate level. Student C plans to leave Pittsburg, where she has been a student since 1st grade, and attend Emporia State University next fall. She aspires to become a physician’s assistant. “I just want to get out of Pittsburg. I’ve seen the same people for 17 years, and I’m ready to meet new people and move on,” Student C said. During her process of preparing for post-secondary education, Student C has had support from opportunities offered through the high school. “I didn’t really feel very prepared until [gifted facilitator Mary] Geier brought in a college professor to speak with us in the gifted class, and I wish that was open to all of the students, not just the ones in her class,” she said. Having a supportive family has also helped her prepare for a successful future. “My dad is in the medical field so he is helping me prepare, telling me what to expect. My mom is really motivating me and supporting me and telling me that I can do whatever I want to do,” she said. Student C has taken additional steps toward self-preparation by actively engaging in school activities and through challenging curriculum. “I’ve taken two AP classes, lots of science classes, Honors English and math, and I am in a lot of clubs that have kept me very busy, especially with band,” she said. These steps have helped her earn a weighted GPA of 4.2 and an ACT score of 28, which was just what she needed to become a member of the honors college. Student C will receive parental support in financing her higher education but hopes to earn scholarships to help cover the cost. “My parents are helping me pay for the tuition, but I have scholarships at Emporia currently and I’ve applied for quite a few more.” Although she has formulated a plan of action in regards to higher education, she is still concerned with what her future might entail. “I am a little bit worried because I’ve heard good and bad things about college, so I am definitely nervous.”
substituting education Examining shortage, importance of substitute teachers MADDIE BADEN @MaddieBaden Since the start of the school year, there have been 429 vacancies in classrooms due to teacher absences. When a substitute teacher fills in, instruction in the learning environment is lost. “If a teacher is gone for more than one day and we have [multiple] substitutes in and out of the classroom, the class just falls through and students get behind quickly,” principal Jon Bishop said. “People cannot control if they are sick, but I think sometimes teachers need to hear ‘nothing replaces you.’” There are 92 qualified substitutes who can stand in for classes at the high school. Even though they go through an orientation process, most do not hold the skills to carry on an instructional day of learning. “If I am gone, there is not much the students can do unless [the sub] speaks French,” French teacher Chris Colyer said. “Not being able to continue a lesson is really disruptive for my kids. They usually end up watching a movie instead.” When a teacher is on a long-term break, the class does not have the option to wait for the teacher to return to continue learning. Senior Megan Munger, who has had two long-term substitutes during her high school experience, feels as if a concept is potentially left out without the teacher’s analysis. “I feel a substitute teacher cannot convey [an assignment] the same way a normal teacher would. It is not either teachers’ fault, it is just the way it is,” Munger said. “There is a bit of busy work that comes with a sub and teaching yourself more than you usually would. Getting help is harder since they do not have as much background in the area, as well as answering the small things.” The struggle of having a long-term sub was not only a hassle for students, but also for the teacher. English teacher Abbey Cummings was on maternity leave for six weeks. She was absent from the beginning of the school
year until Oct. 3, which was right before parent teacher conferences. “The biggest frustration with my return was having conferences after only knowing students in my classes for five days. I felt unprepared to answer questions from the parents because I had not had an opportunity to get to know my students,” Cummings said. “I could only look at the grade book and see low scores or missing assignments, but I could not provide any insight on why a student might be facing adversity in my classes.” The teacher who is away has the option to recommend a substitute they feel would be the most productive during their time of absence. Substitutes who teachers prefer are most often retired teachers. “Everyone we have who is a sub is qualified, but the level of experience fluctuates,” Bishop said. “Substitutes who have [more] experience are retired teachers.” Even though the retired teachers have more understanding of a classroom setting, there is a newly implemented restriction made by Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) this year. Retired teacher and substitute Faye Smith taught for 39 years. She is currently filling in for newspaper adviser Emily Smith. “If you are a long-term sub for six weeks you cannot do the entire [term],” Faye said. “Recently I found out the district could receive a fine if I do not take a day off every 15 days.” With the KPERS requirement, a different substitute is placed in the classroom after a retired substitute completes 15 consecutive days. “To me, it is not a good educational environment to throw someone in who does not know what has been going on in the classroom. It interrupts the educational process,” Faye said. “I feel they need to rethink this. I know the purpose is to save money, but they need to consider why we are here, and that is student education.”
Since the retired teachers have to take off, and a new substitute comes in, a shortage of substitutes begins to take place. Teachers in the building start to see this becoming a normal routine. “There is a shortage of substitutes. Everyday we get a notice for anyone to help cover for teachers,” English teacher Lyn Schultze said. “I do not know why it is a struggle to get people to substitute.” A few years ago there was a solution to the lack of coverage. An adult’s job was to come to the school every day as a permanent substitute to fill in any needed areas. This career was withdrawn from the district due to budget cuts. Secondary Bookkeeper MaryAnn Cochran is in charge of coordinating substitutes in the building. “[Permanent substitutes were excused due] to cost,” Cochran said. “The district’s budget for substitutes is $195,000 per school year and it would cost more to keep a full-time employee. We would also have to pay benefits such as insurance and retirement.” In any case of scenario for a substitute to be present in a classroom, the main focus is to keep a steady learning environment for the students. “Substitute teachers are often criticized because they cannot relate or they do not have the passion. A lot of times people generally overlook the fact that all the substitutes have is what they have been handed. [The substitute and the teacher] have to work together and, oftentimes, their disconnect is a domino effect. There is a disconnect between the normal teacher and the substitute, so then that effect rolls downhill and becomes a disconnect between the substitute and the student. Then the student can be left in the dark,” Munger said. “There is still good in having both a substitute and a teacher. The essential part of when you are taught by someone who is out of the loop of what the class has been doing offers a unique perspective, and above all else, I like that.”
Booster Redux staff and policy Editors-in-Chief Journey Jaramillo Gina Mathew Trina Paul Kali Poenitske
Design Editor Jake Webb
Staff Maddie Baden Meghan Baker Connor Balthazor Alivia Benedict Lily Black Justin Blythe Amanda Bourbina Sophie Graham Jordan Hawkins Johnson Grace Kafka Alec Kangas Nicole Konopelko Madison Nagel Angela Ortega Lexi Palmer Maddy Robison Patrick Sullivan Darius Tinsley Faith Turner Skyla Wallace Julie Wilson
Adviser Emily Smith
The Booster Redux Pittsburg High School Student Publications 1978 E. 4th St. Pittsburg, KS 66762
PHS Student Publications Department and newspaper class produce The Booster Redux. Please call us with comments at 620235-3200. 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.
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Tuesday, Dec. 20., 2016
Students’ Picks: TV
a&E
SECTION D
Best of 2016: Music
Maddy Robison @maddyrobison19
INFO COMPILED BY PATRICK SULLIVAN
GILMORE GIRLS
ATLANTA
G-EAZY
“Rory and her mom have a special kind of bond. Not just mom and daughter but best friends. I also just absolutely love the show.”
“I really like the sense of humor. It’s written by one of my favorite musicians, Donald Glover, who also stars in it.”
Chris Wood 11
THE 1975
Shai Morgan 12
Drew White 12
STRANGER THINGS
PJ Monsour 11
FAMILY GUY
CHILDISH GAMBINO
“I just think it’s a hilarious show”
“I love the suspense and drama that is involved in the show, it leaves me
Hayden Still 11
craving for more.”
Diana Reiling 9
CITY & COLOUR
Anthony Basuari 11
Teacher’s Picks: TV “ Law and Order
The cases are T different and interesting. It shows how the legal system works and how the detectives do their jobs
Cassidy Bayliss 10
Sophie Graham @2xxsophiexx2
Vikings
“
Alexis Daniels 11
connor @connor71999
2
3 2
2 4
2 5
Doom
Overwatch
Battlefield 1
Forza Horizon 3
“Doom” is a reboot of one of the most popular video games of the 1990s. Many people were concerned the newer version would be too different from the original. It ended up being one of the most well-received games of this year. “Doom” is a first-person shooter that focuses on fast and, at many times, chaotic matches. While there is a single-player campaign, the multiplayer highlights the game and provides the most fun experience in Hell. The game is literally set in Hell. This game is made for fans of the original games and some of the more hardcore gamers in the community.
“Overwatch” is one of the most competitive shooters on the market right now. It takes a lot of strategy and experience to become even slightly skilled at “Overwatch.” The main gameplay feature that sets “Overwatch” aside from most other shooters is its use of “Heroes.” “Heroes” are playable characters in the game who provide different weapons and their own unique personalities. While “Overwatch” does have quite a learning curve, the payoff is worth it when you finally get a “Play of the Game” and show off either skills or your dumb luck to the lobby.
“Battlefield 1” is a first-person shooter that takes place on the front lines of World War I, a less common theme amongst shooters nowadays. The game’s single player is decent enough but any missteps the campaign makes,, the multiplayer more than makes up for them. “Battlefield 1’s” multiplayer provides intense large scale combat in an outstandingly crafted environment. The gameplay mechanics and vehicles are tremendous and easy to learn. Overall, “Battlefield 1” is a must have for almost anyone with access to a console as it is fun to play whether you are a veteran or if you are pretty bad.
“Forza Horizon 3” provides a racing experience down under on the continent of Australia. It brings back the consistently smooth racing controls from the first two installments and brings them to a much larger and more diverse map to play on. The “Forza Horizon” series has been so successful in the racing genre is because it has never lost its identity as game based on being able to have fun while taking in great scenery at the same time. I would recommend “Forza Horizon 3” to veterans of the “Forza” series or people looking to get into racing games, as this game would be a good starting point for the genre.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
Best of 2016: Movies
OH WONDER
-KYLE STANLEY
Connor’s Picks: Video Games
“
Danny Bell 11
”
”
“Uncharted 4” is not only one of the best games to come out this past year, but one of the best story-driven games to ever be released. The developer, Naughty Dog, has done it again with their artfully crafted storyline involving sarcastic adventurer Nathan Drake and his equally sarcastic companions; his brother Sam, his wife Elena, and his longtime friend and old man of the group, Sully. Together they travel to locations around the world to search for Captain Henry Avery’s long-lost treasure. Obviously, it is much more interesting than that in the game, but I do what I can with the space I have. For anyone that is interested in a video game with a movie-esque story, this is the game for you.
GRACE VANDERWAAL
My wife and I M enjoy watching it a lot because of the history in it. There is lots of drama and action in the storyline
-RUTH WOOD
1
3
Suicide S Squad d
”
-HALEY TALLENT
“ ”
Conjuring C 2
-KEIARA DUNCAN
“ ” Sully S y
-MARLON MERIDA
“
Staff favorites JOURNEY JARAMILLO
Junior Favorite Movie: Legend of the Falls Favorite Artist: Shawn Mendes Favorite TV Show: Flash
”
Deadpool D ol
-TINO BANUELOS
JORDEN JOHNSON Freshman
“ ” Finding F g Dory y
-SIERRA WEST
“
Suicide S Squad d
”
-ETHAN WEIDERT
Favorite Movie: The Waterboy Favorite Artist: Tim McGraw Favorite TV Show: Arrow
PATRICK SULLIVAN
“ ” Zootopia Z a
-CALEB DIAL
Junior
“ ” Finding F Dory y
-NOAH KANGAS
INFO COMPILED BY JULIE WILSON
Favorite Movie: The Godfather Favorite Artist: Beatles Favorite TV Show: Lost
4 opinion
Tuesday Dec. 20, 2016
www.boosterredux.com
SECTION D
the direction of america Trump’s cabinet selection causes concern trina paul @ @trpaul
A
s America hurdles towards the election of its 45th president, calls for unity have been heard across the nation. While America attempts to transition Barack Obama out of the White House and Donald Trump in, the change has been anything but graceful. Trump’s incessant tweeting of unsubstantiated claims and his controversial cabinet appointments have made it impossible to be merely silent as he takes to the highest office in the land. Americans have an obligation to give Trump the opportunity to lead, yet we also have a responsibility to resist and vocalize our disdain for any of the policies he presents. Unity and bipartisanship are essential to creating a well-functioning government and democracy, but unity only works for a country when its leader’s words and rhetoric are not inherently divisive. Trump will never unify America if he follows his current path, and it’s apparent when viewing his stance on certain issues like healthcare. According to a Kaiser poll, 43 percent of Americans would like the Affordable Care Act (ACA) repealed or scaled back while 49 percent said it should be expanded or kept as it is. If Trump plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act while keeping certain aspects, he will find it difficult to implement a new federal health care plan that offers the aspects he plans to keep while eliminating the elements of it that he doesn’t like. The elements of the ACA are synergistic, and if Trump fails to address the pitfalls in his plan to reject certain provisions while keeping others, many Americans could see their premiums rise under Trump’s new health care plan. Yet Trump’s fallacies extend beyond his failure to address the issues in his healthcare plan. His cabinet appointments have been widely criticized by the media for a variety of reasons. Stephen Bannon was appointed as Chief Strategist and is considered a close confidante of the president-elect; he also runs the alt-right media website Breitbart that sees headlines such as, “Birth control makes women unattractive and crazy” and “Gay rights have made us
dumber, it’s time to get back in the closet.” It could be argued that Trump and Bannon are not homophobic or misogynistic, but that doesn’t make Trump’s decision to back a man whose company reports false news often steeped in heavy doses of racism, sexism or homophobic any less frightening for a country that has and continues to become increasingly diverse. The president-elect’s blatant disregard for critics of Bannon show how willing he is to cast a blind-eye to the bigotry of his advisors and potentially, the American public. He has also shown little concern to public opinion as he chooses his other top advisors, some of whom have little to no past experience in their job appointments. Ben Carson, former presidential candidate, previously declined a cabinet decision, his longtime advisor saying, “Dr. Carson feels he has no government experience.” However, less than a month after he declined, the president-elect assigned Carson as secretary of the department of housing and urban development (HUD). Carson has no background in government yet will soon be responsible for overseeing an agency with a $47 billion budget. Although Trump prides himself on his status as an outsider in Washington, his and his advisers lack of experience should not be regarded as a solution. Carson may be a gifted neurosurgeon but his poor previous debate performances, his statements on muslims in politics and suggestion that the ACA is, “more damaging than the terrorist attacks of 9/11,” indicate that his ability to be a successful brain surgeon does not extend to his ability to be a politician. While America watches as Trump fills up his cabinet and as we welcome him as our new president, we, as Americans, will not stand by silently as he he dismantles the legacy of our last president. We will not tolerate xenophobic rhetoric from him or his advisors. And we will watch carefully for the outcomes of the policies he implements. Trump may have won the presidency, but he is still responsible for answering to the American people.
a win for the underdog Blythe voices opinion on DAPL Justin blythe @jdblyt
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h is tor ic v ic tor y wa s at t a ine d on Sunday, D e c. 4 ne a r St a nding Ro ck re s ervat ion in Nor t h Da kot a. T he US A r my Cor ps of Eng ine er s a nnounc e d it s lega l blo ckage of cons t r uc t ing t he Da kot a Ac c e s s P ip eline (DA PL) w it h int ent ions to eva luat e t he env ironment a l s afet y of t h is cont rover sia l pip eline. T he DA PL is a p er fe c t repre s ent at ion of our nat ion’s dep endenc e on oil. It is t ime to t ur n our fo cus away f rom t h is filt hy obs e s sion a nd towa rd energ ie s t hat a re more sus t a inable a nd renewable s o t hat we c a n p ay our f ut ure gener at ions considerat ion. Ma ny prot e s t er s, dubb e d “wat er prot e ctor s”, have va lia nt ly fought to ach ieve t he suc c e s s of t emp or a r ily elim inat ing t he cons t r uc t ion of t he pip eline. Mont h s of prot e s t s have left over 100 prot e s t er s injure d f rom t e a r ga s, r ubb er bullet s, mac e a nd wat er c a nnons. Ac cording to t he New Yor k Time s, one prot e s t er, Soph ia Wila nsk y, suffere d s evere da mage to her a r m, w it h mus cle, b one, ner ve a nd a r t er ie s complet ely blow n away.
T he s e prot e s t er s now de s er ve our adm ir at ion. Fight ing for t he s afet y a nd cle a nline s s of our env ironment should b e of t he ut mos t imp or t a nc e, consider ing t hat life c a n only b e sus t a inable if our conc er ns a nd ac t ions det er t he det er ior at ion of our Mot her E a r t h. It is a g re at ach ievement to have brought a s top to t he cons t r uc t ion of t h is dir t y pip eline, but t he bat t le aga ins t climat e cha nge a nd p ollut ion is jus t b eg inning. Ac cording to Gre enp e ac e, a n orga niz at ion w it h init iat ive s combat ing climat e cha nge, our pre sident-ele c t D ona ld Tr ump hold s busine s s t ie s to t he comp a ny t hat wa s cons t r uc t ing t he pip eline, Energ y Tr a nsfer Pa r t ner s. T h is t ie demons t r at e s t he likeliho o d of f ut ure cha llenge s t hat a re sure to emerge t hat could p ot ent ia lly w re a k
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env ironment a l havo c on E a r t h. We ne e d to e duc at e our s elve s on t he is sue of climat e cha nge a nd do our p a r t a s cit iz ens to avoid f ut ure env ironment a l rep ercussions of t he s e ig nor a nt bure auc r at s. W h ile t he p owerf ul voic e s of dis con-JUSTIN BLYTHE t ent have ach ieve d t he v ictor y to day, tomor row is sure to br ing big ger bat t le s in wh ich only k nowle dge a nd p a s sion c a n ensure v ic tor y onc e more.
it is a great achievement to stop the construction of this dirty pipeline, but the battle against climate change and pollution is just beginning
Staff Editorial:
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Analyzing the importance of primary educators
Editorial Staff @PHSstudentpub Most students do not mind having a substitute because they are sometimes able to take a break from class. However, it ends up putting kids far ther behind. Ever y day, there is an average of three subs in the building, meaning three classes a day are being potentially being pushed back when they could be learning new lessons. Teachers are required to cover cer tain content before the school year is over and, when a teacher is absent multiple times during the year, they are unable to go over all the material. Ever y class is affected differently when a substitute comes in to work. For a more rigorous course, the setbacks are more noticeable. A substitute cannot convey a topic as deeply as the actual teacher could. Good substitutes are vital to a smooth continuation of the curriculum. As a staff, we have noticed difficulties when teachers are gone. In our own experience, we are currently publishing our newspaper without our
lines, producing interesting content and publishing an entire newspaper without guidance is a daunting task. All of the work that goes in behind the scenes is immeasurable, and it is rather difficult to learn the whole process on the f ly. For the first six weeks of school, English teacher Abbey Cummings was gone for maternity leave, leaving her students with a long-term substitute to teach her classes. Before Thanksgiving, Spanish teacher Angela Pallarés also went on maternity leave. While there are some classes that can move on smoothly, a foreign language is no easy task to find a substitute who is f luent. In the last two years, Emily Rountree, Julie Laflen, Chr ystal Long and Regina Winemiller all went on maternity leave as well. It has become fairly apparent by now that most long-term absences by teachers in school are due to pregnancy, and the solution is not to stop having
While many substitutes do an adequate job, it cannot be expected of them to provide the material at the same level the normal teacher would. While it would be nice to envision no drop-off in the quality of teaching when a substitute is needed, they are the back-up plan. And generally when you are using the second option, the results will not be as good, resulting in teachers being forced to play catch-up with curriculum requirements. A clearer focus by the district on long-term substitutes must be taken. This can be done through required cer tification or extensive training in their area of teaching. Also, basic training with technology and PowerSchool, the district-wide grading system, for all substitute teachers can help avoid setbacks in the classroom. Overall, we view substitutes as a necessity in the educational process, but inconsistencies remain with tr ying to facilitate a well-functioning class environment.
5 FEATURE
www.boosterredux.com
SECTION D Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016
15% of those studetns get with family for
the holidays.
54% of students have a famiy tradition.
Out of 385 students, 38% of students eat ham and 13% eat turkey
Graphic by Grace Palmer, Lexi Palmer and Amanda Bourbina, art by Alivia Benedict
Young and Visionary JOURNEY JARAMILLO @journeybutcher
As she records a track in her at-home studio, junior Kamree Simmons releases her childhood emotions through rapping. “I write songs that express who I am and where I came from,” Simmons said. “I usually rap about my life and what I have been through [from childhood] until now.” Throughout her time rapping, Simmons developed the alias “Kamryn” which is the title she will continue to go by as her career progresses. After being influenced by her brother, who she saw as a role model, to pursue music, Simmons developed a love for rapping. “I really looked up to [my brother], so I decided to rap because that is what he did,” Simmons said. “Rapping is something I love to do, and I plan on doing it forever.” Beginning her journey on her own, Simmons was able to find a producer as well as a videographer. Simmons’s producer, Cameron Warren, 16, reached out to her after hearing her music on Facebook. Warren works with Simmons from afar but the pair are able to work together regardless. “I live in Connecticut, so we do this from a distance, and we seem to make it happen,” Warren said. “If we kill it from a distance, I know it will be 10 times better when we’re together [making] the music.” As October came to an end, Simmons decided she wanted to make a video for her song ‘From the Bottom’ from her upcoming album ‘Young and Visionary.’ She
Female student pursues rapping passion with videographer
recently came across a videographer, sophomore Calysto Ross. “This was my first ever music video, but I’ve been wanting to film music videos for a long time now,” Ross said. “[Kamryn] made a post that she needed somebody to shoot her music video, so I texted her, and we tried it out.” The video for ‘From the Bottom’ was Simmons first video, as well. She believes it is a matter of making both of their dreams come true. “Calysto and I have been trying to make our own dreams come true for a while now,” Simmons said. “With the video being both my first and his first to create, we are really just helping each other achieve that goal.” In making her first video, Simmons thought to have some of her close friends participate. Senior Ricky Ortiz was more than happy to take part in helping Simmons. “It was awesome. When you’re with your friends it is even more lit,” Ortiz said. “It feels like we all have the spotlight and it’s fun to make a video with the music you make, it’s just a blast.” After releasing her video, Simmons received compliments about her writing style and people say she will go far. As well as these uplifting comments, Simmons also heard derogatory remarks and criticism, which she
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believes will only help her in time. “The way I respond to the hate is just thanking those people,” Simmons said. “If they’re someone who judges and criticizes me, it just gives me the motivation to do what I do.” Warren believes that Simmons will continue in the right direction and is glad he has the opportunity to work with her. “I’m hoping I get a better career path [through] her and to get her to where she wants to be,” Warren said. “Kamryn is the very first female artist I’ve ever worked with, so when she -KAMREE SIMMONS needs something I [will] always give it my all. I don’t expect her to pay me back with anything because she’s already paid me with ng g becau becaus respect.” Simmons’s favorite part about what she does is seeing it all come together. She loves being able to express herself and watching it all fall into place. “I just love making music and rapping [and] putting the lyrics to the beat, then adding the emotion as I record,” Simmons said. “I love watching it all fall together. It allows me to get my emotions out through my lyrics when nothing else can.”
Rapping is something I Rap love to do, and I plan on doing it forever.
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6 feature Affirmative Win For Debate Tuesday, Dec 20, 2016
www.boosterredux.com
SECTION D
Debate teams qualify to compete at national competition in June gina mathew @gmmathew13
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he debate program made history on Sat., Dec. 10 at the South Kansas National Qualifier Policy Debate. For the first time, PHS swept the competition, placing all four teams in the top four spots. “After five rounds, all teams were out of the tournament except us, which I’ve never even heard of happening before,” speech and debate coach Julie Laflen said. Junior Walt Sours and sophomore Leyton Marler placed first while senior Isaiah Harris and junior Cooper Johnson came in second. The teams of junior James Richey and sophomore Austin Edwards, and junior Evie Shawn and freshman Tony Taylor placed first and second alternate, respectively. Hosted at PHS, the competition consisted of 20 teams representing eight schools in the area. This year’s debate topic is “Resolved: the United States federal government should substantially increase its economic and/or diplomatic engagement with the People’s Republic of China.” Following a day and a half of competition, Pittsburg was the last school remaining. But the tournament did not end there. Despite having the top four teams, the top two qualifiers had yet to be named. After a randomly generated matchup pitted PHS against each other, decisions had to be made. “We knew for sure we were sending two teams to Nationals when we closed out [the tournament],” Sours said. “We just didn’t know who.” Considering qualification was at stake, Laflen asked the teams to reach a decision on their own rather than debate each other. “It’s not just, ‘I’ll let you win and I’ll lose,’” Laflen said. “The winner of that round was the one who would qualify for Nationals.” After some deliberation, the teams of Richey and Edwards, and Shawn and Taylor chose to concede the final round, earning the other four debaters national qualification. “I wholeheartedly feel that we made the right decision,” Shawn added, “and that was not a decision I regretted. I’m very proud of our national qualifiers and I wish them the best.” Such a predicament is not uncommon to the program.
Back row: James Richy, Austin Edwards, Evie Shawn, Tony Taylor. Front row: Cooper Johnson, Isaiah Harris, Leyton Marler, Walt Sours. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO.
“This is the fifth year in a row that we have been put in this position,” Laflen said. “Granted, we’ve never had four teams, but I couldn’t have been prouder of the decision they made. It just speaks volumes of [their] leadership and maturity.” Their sacrifice did not go unnoticed. “I’d like to thank [the alternates] for their selflessness,” Marler said. “We have great teammates.”
“They deserve more credit than we do because they let us go to Nationals,” Johnson said. “That’s a big deal to me.” All qualifiers will be competing at the national level for the first time except Harris, who attended last year’s Nationals in extemporaneous speaking. They will compete at State next month before the National Speech and Debate Tournament in Birmingham, Ala. on June 18-23.
stepping up the competition Student submits original one-act play, ranks highest jorden johnson @PHSStudentPub After submitting an original one-act play to the Kansas Thespian Playworks competition, junior Meghan Hess was informed it had been selected as the top play in the state. Her script will be performed at the Kansas Thespian Festival on Jan. 5-7. She was inspired by theater director Greg Shaw to write her original creation. “It was more of Shaw’s idea for me to get involved in contests,” Hess said. “He proposed that I submit an original play to the Playworks competition.” “I brought it to her attention, but she did the work on her own and came up with an original script,” Shaw said. Hess’s work, “Tender is the Tell-Tale Heart: A Brief Odyssey of Love,” is a comedy and follows the storyline of a modern-day poet having difficulty writing. “I just thought ‘What if Poe, Fitzgerald and Homer all walked into a bar?’” Hess said. “How would they engage with each other? This all makes sense once you see the play because all three of those [characters] play pivotal roles in helping the poet write.” After working with Hess individually, Shaw saw she had potential. “Last year during forensics is when I got to know Meghan better,” Shaw said. “She was doing a dramatic inter-
pretation and we started to discuss her interests. I talked to her about an independent study so I could work with her one-on-one.” Not only was Hess the first of Shaw’s knowledge to take interest in playwriting, but also the first student to write the school’s annual “Breakfast with Santa” play. Directed by senior Coral VanBecelaere and junior Alexis Daniels, the show, titled “Breakfast with (Mrs.!) Santa,” was performed on Dec. 17 at the PHS auditorium. “It was a completely new story that was more about Mrs. Santa and Nickolai, who is Santa’s brother,” Daniels said. “It was different and fun.” Seeing her vision come to life on stage was surreal for Hess. “I knew people would come watch it, but I had no clue it was going to be such a big turnout,” Hess said. “It was great to listen to people laugh at the jokes and get excited whenever the characters would come on stage. To know that I’m now a produced playwright at the age of 16 is fantastic [and is] a feeling that I definitely won’t forget. Shaw believes Hess’s accomplishments will be beneficial in the long run. “There will be really talented people at the Festival, professional playwrights and publishing companies,” Shaw said.
Junior Meghan Hess sits on the stage where her original play, “Breakfast with (Mrs.) Santa) was perfomed by the theater department on Dec. 17. She also submitted an original play to the Kansas State Theater Conference and was selected as a top play. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
“It’s not just about winning. It’s about the opportunity to operate with people who can give her genuine feedback about [improving] her work.” Hess pursued her interests with the
hope of screenwriting in the future. “I actually want to write films or movies one day,” Hess said. “Writing plays sets me up with an early platform, [so] we’ll see where it takes me from here.”
Midwest Grad (620) 232-7464 105 E 5th St. Pittsburg, KS 66762
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(620) 231-3000 822 N Broadway St. Pittsburg, 2400 N Broadway St. KS 66762 | 620-235-1939 Pittsburg, KS 66762 www.salon-9.net
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620-249-7223 104 Huntington Circle Pittsburg KS 66762
Tuesday, Dec 20, 2016
www.boosterredux.com
In-depth
SECTION D
7
the reality of financial responSibility Students discuss skills, knowledge regarding money MADISON NAGEL @maddiebagel
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very May, students graduate from PHS after meeting several requirements, but many have not completed classes with extensive personal finance curriculum to prepare for life after high school. Budgeting, applying for loans, writing checks and doing taxes are some of the applications students fail to grasp in financial literacy.
What is freshman foundations? All freshmen are required to take freshman foundations, a class necessary for PHS graduation requirements. One unit covered in freshman foundations pinpoints financial basics. Freshman Kennedy Tomasi recognizes the financial material covered in freshman foundations is significant. “I definitely know more than I did about finances,” Tomasi said. “I now know how to do things like write checks and make a budget.” Though financial education is required for freshmen, it is not for other grades. Superintendent Destry Brown perceives financial education as a subject that should be offered to older grades. “[Most] freshmen don’t have jobs,” Brown said. “Usually, they’re too young or they can’t drive. They’re not getting ready to go into college. So to me, that’s too early. I think it [should] be required your senior year as a semester or a nine-week course.” In agreement with Brown, senior Conner Lehman believes that financial education should be continued throughout high school. “I wish [financial literacy was] offered as a junior or senior class because nobody really cares about that as a freshman,” Lehman said. “Once you reach your senior year, you realize you need to know the important [information] that is being taught in that class.” Freshman A.J. Ortiz believes freshman foundations teaches students vital information they can utilize after high school. “I never knew how to write a check [or] manage finances before [taking freshman foundations],” Ortiz said. “These are absolutely necessary skills and can transfer over to jobs in the future.”
have [grasped] any financial skills at all.” Accounting teacher Ben Bernhardt notices that students have the most difficulty differentiating between necessities and luxuries. “Everybody has their wants and their needs,” Bernhardt said. “Balancing out your wants and needs to meet your income is the most challenging part [of financing that students] run into.” In consensus with Bernhardt, VanBecelaere seeks further knowledge of the things she knows will be implemented in her adult life. “I would really like to understand how things like mortgages, loans, bills and credit scores work,” VanBecelaere said. “You don’t typically learn about [those] until you come across them, so it would be nice to be able to understand the concepts and purposes more in-depth.” Brown recognizes these concerns, but also notices that expectations from the state level are changing. “The state school board is now saying that financial literacy should be required to be offered in every school and that every [student] should be exposed to it, but we don’t have a class that’s called ‘financial literacy,’” Brown said. “There are so many people who can’t manage their finances and go bankrupt and have credit card debt or college loans to pay back. I’d like for it to be a required class.” According to counselor Gina Ulbrich, additional financing classes are currently being discussed. “Our administration is working with the superintendent in trying to bring our business courses back,” Ulbrich said. “I want us to have some business [and] entrepreneurship classes,” Brown said. “If you ask the kids around school what they’re going to major in, a lot of them will say business and we don’t really offer any [of those] classes at all.”
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How do I prepare? In addition to the underlying stress that comes with scholarships, financial aid and graduating from high school, students also realize they will soon enough be financially independent. Although freshman foundations has taught her certain elements, Tomasi still does not feel ready for the financial situations she will face after high school. “I don’t really feel [financially] prepared for life after high school,” Tomasi said. “Even though freshman foundations teaches the basics, there are still a lot of skills I don’t have that are necessary for financial success.” Ulbrich speculates students will understand how to deal with finances once they become independent. “When we start to make our own money, that’s when true understanding comes in because we see first-hand how much money we have to work with and how we need to allocate -CORAL VANBECELAERE it,” Ulbrich said. From Ortiz’s perspective, students must learn to handle finances before leaving high school. “If students don’t learn how to manage finances properly, the real world is not going to give them a second chance,” Ortiz said. Brown agrees that being able to juggle financial responsibilities is a skill all students need by the time they leave PHS. “As you’re getting ready to graduate and start your career, you need to leave with some idea of how to manage your finances because there are so many adults out there who can’t,” Brown said. Lehman feels that exposure to the material now will prepare him for adulthood. “It would be nice to [go through] the process of buying a house, paying taxes [and getting] a loan for a house or for college,” Lehman said. “Those are important things in life that I don’t know how to do. Having an opportunity to practice that and walk through the steps would make me feel more prepared.” Ortiz understands school can never fully prepare students for life after high school. “[Freshman foundations] essentially lightens the load and better prepares students for what it is going to be like in the real world,” Ortiz said. “However, I don’t feel that any amount of class time can really ever simulate what it’s like to be out living your own life for the first time.”
we are adults and it is our responSibility to make sure we are educated and prepared for what is coming in our very near future
Are there options for upperclassmen? Although freshmen receive financial education, upperclassmen are often not prepared to handle monetary issues. Consumer math teaches students elements of money management, including budgeting, handling a checking account, purchasing commodities and calculating interest. “We look at several aspects of personal finance,” Consumer math instructor David Simpson said. “Consumer math can help students understand some practical ways that math is used for your entire life.” Senior Coral VanBecelaere believes students must take the initiative to learn financial literacy on their own. “We are adults and it is our responsibility to make sure we are educated and prepared for what is coming in our very near future,” VanBecelaere said. “We can’t expect everything to be done for us. We have to take the lead on learning for ourselves.” Additional instruction regarding finances is essential, according to Tomasi. “Extra financial education is definitely necessary if we want to be prepared for life after high school,” Tomasi said. “If I hadn’t taken freshman [foundations], I would not
Ulbrich believes she should educate her children about managing money. “As a mom, I believe it is my job to teach my children financial literacy,” Ulbrich said. “Kids live by example, so that’s why I do believe it’s an important topic to bring up often at home and to let kids be a part of that budgeting process.”
Who’s responsible for teaching me? Though PHS offers some opportunities for financial education, some teachers feel this can also be taught at home. Ulbrich anticipates students will be more careful with money when they are no longer relying on their parents. “We don’t always think about [finances] when we are kids if we rely on our parents to pay for the things we need like food, rent, and utility bills,” Ulbrich said. “We start thinking about those things more often when it is our own money we’re about to spend.” Children can learn best from their parents’ knowledge, according to Bernhardt. “My kids got it from me,” Bernhardt said. “It’s an experience thing. When kids talk to their parents, their parents have experiences they have gone through that can teach them real-life [concepts].” Simpson also taught his children monetary skills at a young age. “They learned some valuable lessons about finances in school, but my wife and I tried to instill good financial habits early in their lives,” Simpson said.
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YES NO
Do you know how to... 61 students surveyed
write a check?
do your taxes? [I ffeel prepared to handle finances independently] because my parents always involve me in real-world situations
65
” ” ” ” ”
67
-Sophomore Lauren Valenzuela
11
get a Loan?
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Fre Freshman foundations has taught me basic skills
9
- freshman kennedy tomasi
I feel fe ready to handle my own finances becasue I understand the value of money
- Sophomore monica coronado
manage a budget?
We learned to write checks in freshman foundations
52 18
- sophomore Katie Painter
[I ffeel prepared to handle finances independently] because I take accounting and my mom taught me
- freshman Megan Louderkmilk
51 25
8 sports
Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016
www.boosterredux.com SECTION D
Post-Season Awards
Photo Illustration By Jake Webb Athletes pictured: Lupita Sanchez, Joel Kafka, Taylor Muff, Alexis Pichler, Gumaro Rodriguez
Tennis
Cross Country
Golf
FIRST TEAM Abi Felter Nicole Konopelko Madison Vogel
Mckenzie Wilks- 2nd- All SEK League Lupita Sanchez -9th- All SEK League Susanna Canales- 16th- SEK Honorable Mention Reece Watson- 3rd- All SEK League Connar Southard- 4th- All SEK League Seth Hoffman- 6th- All SEK League Cade Southard- 13th- Honorable mention
SEK 1st - Gracie Lopez 2nd - Jamie Van Wyck 3rd - Logan Lord 5th - Lauren Valenzuela 8th - Mary Elle Thompson
SECOND TEAM Maddie Baden Chania Stewart Alexa Yantis
Soccer FIRST TEAM Johnny Avalos Trevin Jameson Kevin Granadeno Carlos Calderon SECOND TEAM Guamro Rodriguez Adan Hernandez
All Area Golf 4th - Gracie Lopez 7th Jamie Van Wyck 8th - Logan Lord
Volleyball FIRST TEAM Taylor Muff Abbie Casper SECOND TEAM Kayla Clark
Football Most Valuble Defensive player- Devron Duncan - Elijah Harris Most Valuble Offensive Lineman- Drew White Pankake Award- Drew White
Taking a Break
Tradition of success SKYLA WALLACE @skylawallace
For her second year of coaching golf, Mary Packard was nominated by her fellow peers and was awarded the award SEK Golf Coach of the Year. Packard has extensive experience in coaching. While in Fort Scott from 1988-2001, she was head volleyball coach, head softball coach and freshman and JV basketball coach. She then moved and continued to coach in Pittsburg. She is currently the sponsor for archery and just finished her second year of girls golf. She is now preparing to coach boys golf in the spring. Cassie Quick, who played volleyball and softball under Packard and current Science Department colleague, believes Packard is deserving of this award. “What makes Coach Packard a good coach is her dedication and commitment to her players. She puts in a lot of hours and truly cares about her athletes. She has a reputation of going above and beyond to ensure that her players are competitive every year,” Quick said. “Coaching your program to a first place finish in SEK always helps.”
The girls golf team placed first or second in every league tournament and finished first place in SEK. Packard feels the award is a tribute to the team. “The girls responded so well to coaching that it allowed for us to have a fantastic season,” Packard said. While Packard feels the team was the reason for the reward, first-year golfer MaryElle Thompson believes Packard also deserves credit. “She was really dedicated to making us better and wanting us to improve. She took care of us as if we were her actual kids and helped us in our personal life, as well as, our golf game,” Thompson said. Senior golfer Logan Lord agrees with Thompson. “I have told her [Coach Packard] many times, every athlete has a coach that impacts their life and Packard is that coach for me. She has taught me many things in golf and in life as well. She’s someone I trust anything with and who I know will always be there for me when I need something,” Lord says. “She’s a one of a kind person and I couldn’t have been more grateful than to get to spend my last two years of high school playing for her.”
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After playing volleyball for four years, sophomore Aubree Beitzinger decided to take a year off. “I decided to take a break because I thought I needed to focus on a the sports I could actually go to college for,” Beitzinger said. For sophomore Vanessa Yaghmour,who has played basketball for about 11 years, It is a little different. “I decided to take a break from basketball because I have club volleyball and I wanted to do a lot of running just for fun,” Yaghmour said. “My goal is to run a half marathon with my mom in the spring.” When Junior Jhalani Long told his mother he was not playing basketball, her response was it was his decision. For Long, it was tough to take a break from basketball. “It is going to be hard to stop playing because I’ve been playing for a long time and my friends wanted me to play,” Long said. Sometimes it takes a while for an athlete to make up their mind. “I wasn’t really thinking about taking a break until I started playing on a competitive high-level traveling team [for softball] and I thought I needed to start working harder on it if I wanted to go to college for it.” Beitzinger said. “I made my decision final whenever my softball coach talked to me about what I needed to do to get better and I just didn’t have the time to play volleyball anymore.”