December 2013

The Booster Redux Pittsburg High School 1978 E. 4th Street Pittsburg, KS 66762 Vol. 97, Issue 5 www.boosterredux.com

Friday, Dec. 13, 2013

Loving life Rare combination of diseases consumes student’s entire life

rumors Page 4D and 5D

@AlliBaden and @MomoPlank

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NEW DRIVERS ED. CLASS Available Page 2D

In-depth Effects of

By Alli Baden and Morgan Plank

he fear of never knowing if the next bite of food will send him rushing to the hospital always lingers in the back of junior Dakota Lloyd’s mind. One bite and the cycle of doctors, needles and tests begins again. But one thing never leaves: pain.

Dakota’s world revolves around pain. No matter what he does, it is always there to remind him of the rare diseases he was diagnosed with.

“Every single day, I wake up in pain. I eat in pain. I go to school in pain. I [come] home in pain. I sleep in pain,” Dakota said. “Just picture someone tearing my intestines apart with a spoon from the inside out.”

Dakota has a combination of Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis (EG), Hypocitraturia (HC) and Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EE).

EG and EE are extremely rare.

Dakota was told by his doctor that he is one of 197. Only 197 of 313.9 million Americans have been diagnosed with all three diseases.

EG causes constant and severe stomach pain. HC prevents the absorption of nutrients which has

RULES OF THE ROAD

Sitting on a couch at home, junior Dakota Lloyd masks the intense and constant physical pain with a smile. Diagnosed with Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis, Hypocitraturia and Eaosinophilic Esophagitis, Lloyd has battled the symptoms that associate with each disease since diagnosis in 2011. “Even with all he’s gone through, he still contantly has a smile on his face. That’s how I picture him,” friend and senior Parker Matthews said. PHOTO BY MIRANDA MOORE

resulted in stunting his growth. things took a turn for the worst.

“I was in Via Christi for 17 days Dakota has a mild degree of EE, but those with more extreme cases and [the doctors] had no idea are not able to keep down food and what was wrong with me,” Dakota said. “I had typically vomit blood in my everything they urine and eat.

Dakota has It almost killed they knew not to feed been given medme. They es... me three times... ication to help could not with everyday -DAKOTA LLOYD OYD YD bridge the pain. According gap between to him, they do the three disnot work.

“I noticed that if I didn’t take eases, but they started checking for the medicine I felt better about everything.”

It got to the point where the myself and I seemed to have less pain,” Dakota said. “So I quit tak- doctors had no answers so Dakota ing medicine about 10 months was referred to Children’s Mercy ago. Needless to say, I am healthier Hospital in Kansas City. “[In Kansas City] they realized than I have ever been in my life.”

The doctors are uncertain if my eosinophil levels were high Dakota was born with the diseases and I had gallbladder failure. My or if it was from a virus, but he has liver was on its way to failing and suffered from stomach problems so were my kidneys,” Dakota said. his whole life. It was during the “It almost killed me three times winter of his freshman year when from the [organ] failures and sur-

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geries.”

Watching her brother nearly die was agonizing for freshman Aspen Lloyd.

“I felt really bad watching him go through that,” Aspen said.

“When you see someone suffer, you do not want to watch them when you know there is nothing you can do about it.”

Not even his doctors can control the effects that the diseases have on him. But because of EG, HC and EE, Dakota has been limited to what he can do. He has to monitor what he eats and more importantly to Dakota, he is not able to play basketball. Dakota was hospitalized for the majority of the basketball season his freshman year and had not returned to the court until this year where he tried once again to go out for the team.

“I put so much effort into SEE LLOYD PAGE 2D

ONE OF THE GUYS OVERCOMING STEREOTYPES Page 8D

BY EMILY BADEN AND REECE BURNS @EmilyBaden, @reeceburns14

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rom a number of students getting homework every night to another part only assigned to it occasionally, a committee of teachers have been researching what method is best for the students at the high school.

For junior Patrick Biggs, homework is a part of his daily routine, spending hours on homework every night. “[If I had the choice,] I would have less homework, because it would be more time to study over tests,” Biggs said. “I don’t think all the homework is benefitting me and preparing me for college because some of the stuff is just busy work and doesn’t really teach you much.”

Vice Principal Rhonda White is only one of the three homework committee members at the school. According to White, the district has put together a three-

pronged committee to look at grading practices across the district. The three observed areas are Accelerated Reader (AR,) homework and report cards, which is primarily for elementary school. The larger committee was broken up into three groups. Each group had people from elementary, middle school and high school on it.

White’s committee group looked at how AR played into students’ grades for english. As for homework, they surveyed all of the teachers in the district to see how they use homework.

“Did they have a homework policy? Did they accept late homework? Did they grade the homework as part of their total grade for a subject?” White said.

“These were the questions we were asking teachers to kind of get an idea of what is our practice with regard to AR and homework is district wide.”

White’s committee eventually found that generalizing all the different teachers’ take on homework would be difficult.

“We had a lot of variety. With as many teachers there are in the district, that’s about as many approaches there are and philosophy they are on using homework,” White said. “We do believe that we came up with [similar] belief statements: that homework is an extension of the classroom.”

Special education teacher Rhonda Bradshaw was also on the homework review committee. She expresses that the committee’s findings are still under review due to the differing teachers and teaching methods.

“The issue is that the high school level has so many variables (different departments, teachers, and courses offered),” Bradshaw said. “There is no one

universal policy on what homework means or how it is assigned.”

White does not believe that the district, or the high school, will adopt any form of a broad homework policy for the schools.

“We are not going to have anything that says all high school teachers have to give homework

an hour a night,” White said.

“There won’t be any type of system like that. It is just to make sure that we have a common belief of why we are issuing homework.”

PHOTO BY MIRANDA MOORE

UPCOMING

Varsity Wrestling @ Rodgers, Ark. Dec.

Breakfast With Santa @ 9 a.m.

Dec.

EVENTS 14 14

2nd Annual HOliday Vesper’s Concert @ 6:30 p.m.

Dec.

Girls and Boys BAsketball @ Parsons Dec.

16 18 17 and

Girls and boys BAsketball @ Independence Dec.

20

2 NEWS

Friday, Dec. 13, 2013

Bernhardt takes the wheel

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State jumps ship

Kansas chooses Students earn hours toward driver’s license requirements alternative path for situations such

BY REECE BURNS state assessment @reeceburns14 as snow, fog and

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en Bernhardt ice. It also simustrayed from his lates driving while usual computer under the influtechnology and busience of alcohol or ness classes when, this drugs. year, he started what “[Bernhardt] is now the only high also had us try to school driver’s educatext while on the tion class in the state simulator which of Kansas. Bernhardt showed us how will be certifying his hazardous it is,” first 12 driver’s ed. stuLindsey said. “I dents once the current would recomsemester is over. mend this to any Each of the students student. It’s a very have completed at good class.” least five hours behind Counselor the wheel with four to Jessica Stegman five hours of observfeels that the class ing another student has been sucTeaching students how to drive, Ben Bernhardt helps sophomore Clayton Carpino in the driver’s seat. This cessful for its first behind the wheel.

Bernhardt decided is Bernhardt’s first year teaching drivers Ed. “When the students do get behind the wheel of the car, they semester. are given more driving time to actually practice driving skills,” Bernhardt said. PHOTO BY MACY FRASCO to start this course “Adding drivOther local driving the car,” Bernhardt said. able to take drivers ed. because he felt an er’s education to alternative to the expen- school options include “When the students do through the high school our class list has proDriving get behind the wheel of it would take him longer vided an opportunity sive driving schools was Varsalona School and the high the car, they are given to get his license. needed. to many who may not “I doubt I’d have the have had the chance “I saw an extreme school’s summer driv- more driving time to need in our commu- ing school. Independent actually practice driving opportunity to drive as to complete the course much if there wasn’t a otherwise,” Stegman nity for driver’s ed. driving schools, like skills.”

After completing the class,” Lindsey said. “My said. “Although we are training for students Varsalona, are typically that couldn’t afford completed over the course and depending brother didn’t take the limited by the number the summer program course of two weekends. on age, students can use class and it took him of seats allowed due to or private driving les- Bernhardt makes use their certificate of com- a lot longer to get his course restrictions, the sons,” Bernhardt said. of the extended class- pletion to count towards license.” positive outcomes are Lindsey plans on numerous. We would “Our driver’s ed. pro- room time he has for the the prerequisites of either the restricted or getting his license in love to offer more secgram curriculum is state course.

“With the use of sim- full, unrestricted license. April when he turns 17. tions of the class, but approved and accredJunior Erik Lindsey Lindsey appreciates that would require more ited. I work closely with ulators and coverage of the DMV [Department driving topics, the class- believes one of the the use of the driving than one teacher to be of Motor Vehicles] in room helps students most beneficial parts of simulator. According to certified by the state setting up the course as gain a better grasp of the class is the driving. Lindsey, the program since Mr. Bernhardt has well as its enforcement driving situations before Lindsey also believes Bernhardt uses simu- a full day teaching other they experience them in that if he had not been lates different weather classes.” of standards.”

DAKOTA LLOYD: LOVING LIFE FROM PAGE 1D

basketball and completing my goal; going to conditioning and making it part of my lifestyle. I had to choose between risking my life for the game that I love or watching from the sidelines,” Dakota said. “I was torn between two risks. But risking going back to the hospital is not worth it. I hate that place.”

Unfortunately, Dakota decided the physical toll would be too demanding for him to play.

“My body has to focus on healing because my body is always in a constant battle with itself. For my body to focus on two things is too much and it would start failing,” Dakota said.

Not only did this take a toll on him physically, but it also took a toll on him mentally.

“I think I cried every day for

two weeks,” Dakota said. “I felt passionate about.

“Everyone wants to play their like I had failed. Having to tell Coach Roelfs that I wasn’t going favorite sport, but he can’t,” to make it through the season Aspen said. “It’s heartbreaking.”

But with all that has was the hardest thing I have happened to ever had Dakota, he knows to do. It it has made him was my the person he is goal since today.

I got sick “The person to come I would be back and without [the p l a y . diseases] would Knowing be a completely that I -DAKOTA LLOYD YD different person. c a m e It has set my so close but to be knocked off course life on a completely different by something I always said I course than I thought it would wouldn’t let stop me. It was be,” Dakota said.

Dakota does not let these tragic for me.”

This has had an emotional diseases have a negative impact impact on Aspen as well. It on his attitude towards his life.

“I am happy with my life, is hard for her to not see her brother play the sport he is so even though I have these

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I A AM HAPPY WITH MY LIFE, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE THESE ESE DISEASES

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diseases,” Dakota said.

To fill the hole that basketball has left, Dakota finds other means of physical activity to stay in shape.

“I run and lift. But I keep up with a pace that I know I can, so I don’t put pressure on the risk of my body failing,” Dakota said.

Despite all Dakota has risked to play basketball, he is determined to not let these diseases hold him back from pursuing his dreams.

“The fact that it affects my short term goals of playing basketball and a normal high school experience makes me wonder how it will affect my lifelong dreams,” Dakota said.

“But I figure that if I can make it this far then I will shoot for any goal I have until I know I can’t do it.”

BY ALLI BADEN

@Allibaden This past Tuesday, the Kansas State School Board voted 8-2 against the Smarter Balanced Testing program and chose instead to implement tests from Kansas University’s Center for Educational Testing and Evaluation (CETE).

The test will be required for grades three through eight while high school students will have to take it once. The board decided to keep the choice of substituting other test scores as an option for high school students.

“The vote by the State Board did surprise me as I thought we were headed towards the Smarter Balanced Assessments,” Assistant superintendent Brian Biermann said. “I guess this goes to show you that you can never be sure until things are finalized.”

Due to a new waiver granted by No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the state of Kansas will be leaving behind the Kansas Computerized Assessment (KCA) all together and school districts around the state will be adding the new standardized test starting in the 2014-15 school year.

The KCA, or more often referred to as the Kansas State Assessment, has been given to students across the state for ten years. By this year, NCLB was requiring all students to achieve proficiency, meaning 100 percent of student would pass, in math and reading on the assessment. Since Common Core Standards have changed curriculum, Kansas was granted a waiver from these requirements and the state began to consider new testing options.

“The Common Core Standards have caused us to look at redesigning the assessment so it matches up with the standards,” assistant Principal Rhonda White said.

“What we are doing in the classroom has changed therefore the assessment is going to be different.”

The CETE testing will allow high school students to substitute their ACT, ASVAB and other approved test scores just as the Smarter Balanced Testing would have.

Gifted resource teacher Beth Gilbert likes the idea of having more than one option for the standardized test and thinks it will be an advantage to students.

“I think that anything to better prepare students for college is a great,” Gilbert said.

“Allowing them to use college entrance exams for standardized testing will only make those tests easier for students as they keep taking them.”

White only sees two disadvantages connected with the new test.

“It takes time to prepare and plan for those assessments and [it takes time] for students to begin to get use to doing those types of assessments.”

Besides these drawbacks, White thinks the change will be a positive switch.

“I think so often people think we tend to say that we teach to the test,” White said.

“What I believe happens is that we have to have assessments that measure student learning and help drive our instructions so that we are continually improving. If we do not have a good assessment to give us good information, we can not make those decisions and we can not get better. And that was what was driving us to looking at some other types of assessments.”

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Booster Redux staff and policy Editors-in-Chief Emily Baden Reece Burns Bethanne Elliott Parker Matthews Katie Phalen Online Editors Qualen Pollard Evan Rajotte Staff Alli Baden Shelby Bicknell Katy Brown Kylynn Collins Abi Felter Molly Graham Ashley Hall Josh Jarvis Joban Mendpara Miranda Moore Megan Munger Morgan Plank Reagan Rink Rachyl Russian Erica Seal Caden Yantis 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 620-235-3200.

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

Friday, Dec. 13, 2013

OPINION

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What matters is under the mask How much makeup is too much?

BY KATY BROWN @KatyLady22 irls are petite. They are polite and quiet. Girls like the color pink and dolls.

Girls aren’t good at sports. These are all stereotypes. Stereotypes tell us what to think and how we should behave. I don’t think we should listen to these stereotypes, we should prove them wrong.

I believe that girls should only wear makeup if they really want to. Often, makeup is put on a girl by a friend or a mother figure. She is given compliments she might not normally get. The girl will feel like they should look like that in order to impress people. Many girls say they wear makeup for themselves. Do they really mean they wear it to make them other people think they look nice? Or does she wear it because she feels good about herself in it?

I once realized why it is okay for men not to wear makeup. We are expected to accept their flaws.

However, girls are often made fun of zits, body hair, weight, and height. These are things we are born with. Everyone’s physical flaws should be accepted. Some people have fast metabolisms, and some have slow. A person might be heavier because of this.

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We should not be judging anyone for these things.

Boys always get in trouble for painting their nails, playing with dolls, or dressing up as a princess. I have heard parents say they will not let their boys do those things because it might turn them gay.

Everyone should be able to wear what makes them happy.

These are only things that are stereotypical because we have made them that way.

Boys are not expected to play with baby dolls, when in reality one day they could be a dad. Girls play with dolls because they are maternal and it is supposed to get them ready to be moms.

Yet, guys are parents, too.

They are actually an essential part of parenting.

There are too many stereotypes that dictate how we are supposed to act. We should not expect anyone of a specific gender to act a certain way. It is ridiculous to expect someone to be a certain way because of their gender.

Stereotypes: Positives of breaking social standards

STAFF EDITORIAL @PHSstudentpub

Stereotypes seem to dictate every aspect of our everyday lives. As a staff, The Booster Redux feels that these generalizations have begun to spin out of control.

With the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in hindsight, we can reasonably deduce that the media plays a huge part in these stereotypes. Let’s be honest, most girls’ reactions do not start with “Oh, she’s pretty,” but more along the lines of “Oh, I wish I looked like her.”

This can have a positive and negative effect on any girl’s self-esteem. For example, the media has made it clear what girls should look like. The Victoria’s Secret Angels, or models, are a prime illustration of how the fashion industry portrays the perfect body. The day after the fashion show aired, girls used social networking to tweet about not wanting to eat lunch, or just flat out hating on themselves for not having the look. Why does it have to be this way? The media is definitely influencing these stereotypes.

Likewise, many common stereotypes involve gender roles. For example, men are supposed to mow the lawn while their wives cook and clean. But why can’t this be the other way around? Why can’t boys be on dance or cheer teams while girls hit the wrestling mats without getting quizzical and even sometimes dirty looks?

The Booster Staff sees nothing wrong with seeing boy cheerleaders, boy dancers, girl wrestlers or girl football players.

We applaud all those who break these social norms. Change is progress. If we fall into these stereotypes they will forever dominate the way our lives work.

Obama celebrates Mandela’s life President’s latest

BY PARKER MATTHEWS AND REECE BURNS @pspongebob @reeceburns14 The power of a selfie. It may sound ridiculous, but when the leader of the free world snaps a quick pic of he and a lady acquaintance at Nelson Mandela’s funeral, the selfie says it all. President Barack Obama, Danish Prime Minister Helle ThorningSchmidt and British Prime Minister David Cameron all gathered around a cell phone to commemorate the memorable event of a former world leader’s death.

Even after a few days, the selfie is still considered “The selfie seen around the world.”

On scene photographers who caught the selfie in action, also caught disappointing glances from Obama’s wife Michelle. We do not think a funeral should inspire group selfies. We think funerals, unfortunate as they may be, should invoke remorse. Is this what the world has come to? Or is it necessarily a bad thing that people can celebrate a person’s life rather than mourn a person’s death?

This may seem like a remedial incident, but the fact that a leader, that the president Americans elected, can crack a smile and celebrate the accomplishments of a great man is a huge step in social norms.

Do we condone capturing a cute picture of ourselves at a funeral? Not necessarily, but in theory, it could be just the push Americans need to get off the couch.

4 FEATURE Rumor has it Friday, Dec. 13, 2013 www.boosterredux.com

BY KATIE PHALEN @KPhalen5 ullying has become one of the most cliche topics high school students hear about. Students understand by now that picking on their peers and making them feel down on themselves is wrong and should not be tolerated. But there is a type of bullying that no matter how hard students try, they just can not get away from. It’s not the type of bullying that involves physical abuse, shunning, or direct verbal abuse. This type of bullying is sneaky and dangerous: rumors.

Rumors are an inevitable part of life.

It is nearly impossible to be socially involved in high school without having to experience the effects of gos-

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sip. When you go hang out with your friends, the topic of conversation is hardly ever how you think that physics test went last week or how absolutely absurd Congress has been acting lately. Most teenagers like talking about themselves and the lives of their peers.

There are several types of gossip.

Some gossip is not necessarily harmful, as long as it is not of malicious intent. However, gossip is hardly ever true, no matter how mean or nice it sounds. Remember that telephone game from elementary school? By the time the original phrase got back around the circle, it was never the same as how it started. It is surprising how the truth can get altered after being passed around by just a few people.

Girls especially struggle with gossip. Almost every girl will more than likely participate in some kind of gossip before the time they graduate from high school.

Sometimes it’s involuntary. You and your friends are sitting at lunch and all of a sudden the conversation turns towards a rumor she has heard about another girl in your grade. Despite what you have been preached to about in the past, getting up and leaving the situation is not the right thing to do.

Asking your friends to stop spreading gossip could result in a confrontation and probably would not stop them from telling other people. So what are you supposed to do?

The easiest and best solution is to simply not listen. Sure, you should

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Friday, Dec. 13, 2013

FEATURE

probably express to your friend that you think what she is saying is not true. But your friend is not being a bad person, she is just speaking about what she believes to be factual. Instead of offending your friend and escalating the situation, take everything you hear with a grain of salt. Never trust every single thing you hear.

Often times, rumors start accidently.

But once they start, they spread faster than you could imagine. It is difficult to go a day without hearing a new piece of information that could qualify as gossip. Rumors can be very hurtful, and depending on how personal they are, can affect people quite traumatically. So when it comes to dealing with them, remember to trust what you know and not what you hear.

Psst... Over here Rumors leave enormous impressions on teenagers

BY EMILY BADEN @EmilyBaden e said. She said. They said. That is how it all started for junior Jessica Sanders*. One whisper of a story lead to a domino effect of tarnishing a reputation.

“The rumors started when I transferred from [my old school] to Pittsburg,” Sanders said. “What happened was I left unannounced and everybody wanted to know why I left. Since the drug policy had just started at [my old school] people thought I switched because I was a slut and that I was a drug addict and sold drugs.”

A rumor: a piece of information or a story that has not been verified. They are spread from person to person and are known for changing slightly each time they are passed on, they are also classified as a form of bullying. In fact, according to principal Jon Bishop, rumors are a part of everyday life for teenagers and adults and are ultimately unavoidable.

People, however, may not know the negative toll rumors can have on lives.

“The problem we have with rumors is that so many kids have become accustomed to what they see on Facebook or what they see on Twitter as being the absolute truth,” Bishop said. “What we’ve had to deal with is if some kid says, ‘soand-so is dating so-in-so,’ all of a sudden people get on the bandwagon saying ‘oh yeah this person is bad.”

Bishop credits rumors for being the number one time consumer for administrators at the high school. He says some instances of rumors that come into the office can occupy up to four hours-well over half the school day. “[Rumors are] infringing on people’s character, and it is downright illegal especially if you blast somebody you heard from someone else or read somewhere else. At no point does anyone have the absolute truth,” Bishop said. “I could say ‘Jon Bishop has a sweatshop in his basement.’ I don’t, but if someone put that out

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there, it destroys a person’s reputation.”

According to pbskids.org, rumors can be started or spread out of boredom, to feel better, to feel accepted, for entertainment, to get revenge, to gain power and to get attention.

“I think a big part of it is self-defense mechanisms,” psychology teacher Patrick Moss said. “Usually what happens if you have someone spreading rumors, chances are they’ve got something at home they’re trying to cover up for. Defense mechanisms is just your ego’s way to protect your vulnerability.

What you have usually in that kind of case when people are spreading rumors, bullying or trying to instigate trouble for someone else, is usually to deflect attention away from themselves.”

Sanders left her previous school because she wanted a new start and says her peers were not happy she made the decision to leave. Upon transferring, the rumors began to stir.

“Whenever I came [to the high school] people were asking me about [the rumors.] They would come up to me and were like ‘this is being said about you,” Sanders said. “I found out a couple of people that spread [the rumors] and they were some of my best friends. A lot of the girls called me a ‘backstabbing b****’ because I left [my previous school]. I didn’t know what to do.”

The rumors eventually began to affect her emotions.

“Honestly I laughed about [the rumors] a lot, but then it came to me, these were some of my best friends that I shared a lot of things with,” Sanders said. “It hit me because these were the girls I hung out with every weekend, these were the girls that I did everything with. It was just really hard. The girl that spread a lot of the rumors was literally my best friend, we had so many ties and it was hard to break them all.”

However, instead of reacting in a negative way to the fabricated stories, Sanders tried to laugh about the rumors due to the

fact she couldn’t believe people actually thought she was involved in the actions.

“I think some people are more cognitive of rumors. There’s some people that are more naturally empathetic,” psychology teacher Patrick Moss said. “They realize the weight that some of these rumors have, so they have that empathy towards other people. They put themselves in that situation so they understand ‘If I say this, and it’s not true, even if it is true, if I say this and perpetuate this rumor or this belief, I could very well damage this person and I don’t want to do that.’ So I think it’s how you eternalize that.”

Because of Sanders’ positive attitude throughout the ordeal, the rumors eventually lost their shock value.

“If a rumor is being spread about you, don’t feed into it,” Sanders said. “Don’t do things that people are going to think ‘oh yeah that rumor is true.’

Don’t do things that are going to make people believe it.”

In the future, if ever encountered by a rumor, Sanders says students should try to terminate it from the point they hear it. She also adds that she applauds the administration for taking action and attempting to put an end to the potentially negative situations.

“If you start rumors just know that it can always come back around. I know that’s really repetitive and we say that a lot, but it really can come back around and bite you and a lot of people don’t think that,” Sanders said. “It may not happen here in high school, it could happen in ten years later when you’re the most successful person ever.” *Name has been changed to protect privacy of the student.

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FEATURE

Hope for Haiti

BY MORGAN PLANK

@momoplank ive days. Five days to try and help make up for 30 seconds worth of destruction. In 2010, Haiti was flattened with an estimated 7.0 magnitude earthquake.

Nearly four years later, they are still recovering from this natural disaster and working to rebuild their country. As a way to help Haiti get back on its feet, two missions groups Mission of Hope Haiti (MOH) and Haitian Christian Mission (HCM) recently traveled to Haiti. Among the members of these groups were seniors Josh Schooley, Reece Burns, and freshman Conner Lehman.

All three wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to help others.

“I decided to go because I have always wanted to go and serve people that need help in other countries,” Schooley said.

Schooley and Lehman went with their church through MOH. Burns went with a volunteer group from the Midwest area. Burns’ trip was different from Schooley’s and Lehman’s because it was strictly a medical mission.

Schooley and Lehman left on Nov. 9th and returned Nov. 16. Over the course of the week, they helped build and paint houses along with getting to know the Haitians. They also played with kids in the village they were in.

“As soon as we got off the bus into the village there were 30-40 little kids just waiting there knowing we were coming, and when we stepped off the bus their arms shot straight

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Third-world country mission trip benefits both all parties

up begging for us to hold them,” on everything.”

Lehman said.

Schooley feels that the Haitians These children had a dramatic have a very positive outlook. impact on Lehman.

“The people of Haiti are “It’s one thing to see an adult amazing. They are so nice and in a tough situation physically… happy,” Schooley said. “This but when you see a kid like that, really touched me because most a 3 or 4 year old child, it changes of them had nothing but they still your world,” Lehman said. “Most of found something to smile about.” them don’t eat but once every few Burns not only helped the days. I would see children from the Haitians emotionally but also school not eating all of their little physically. snack at school and taking it home “I helped take X-rays, give to their youngm e d i er brother cines, show or sister and patients EVEN W WHEN MY LIFE IS ‘HARD’ feeding them how to THERE’S MILLIONS OF PEOPLE because they stretch, HAVING IT SO, SO MUCH WORSE are not old started IV’s, THAN I EVER WILL AND THEY enough for opened ARE HAPPY JUST BECAUSE THEY school and sterile surHAVE A GLASS OF WATER. IT their parents gery tools, COMPLETELY CHANGED MY PERdo not have and even SPECTIVE ON EVERYTHING NG. the food for cleaned and -CONNER LEHMEN EN them.” organized In Haiti they the operatdo not have refrigerators or the lux- ing room,” Burns said. ury of round-the-clock electricity.

Burns’ medical mission took Though, they make do with what place Nov. 22 through Nov. 27. they can, which is why most of their Over those five days, Burns and homes are tents and shacks. They other volunteers helped over 100 are working towards getting sturdier Haitians a day.

Holding a Haitian child’s arm, senior Reece Burns and Christopher Banwart, M.D. await houses.

“We saw so many people with the hardening of the cast mold. Burns was one of three students to travel to Haiti. “The “This trip taught me more that I health issues and probably saved doctor set [the boy’s] fracture, and the boy had no pain meds and took the pain like a can even put into words. It taught several lives if not more - just champ,” Burns said. COURTESY PHOTO BY LYNDA VU me how to be grateful and thankful from a 5 day trip,” Burns said. gets older, Burns’ group is planning back and continue to help in Haiti. for what I have,” Lehman said. “I Knowing he helped saved lives “I feel like I made a huge differ- a trip in April, and Lehman would realize I have way more than I could was very rewarding for Burns. ence. I got to touch peoples lives like to visit every three months for ever need. That even when my life “The part I liked most was seeing and help them with things that will several years and then consider livis ‘hard’ there’s millions of people all the people and learning their sto- affect them everyday. But the peo- ing there. having it so, so much worse than ries and watching them walk away ple of Haiti have also changed me,” “I think we made a difference,” I ever will and they are happy just happier or better off than they were Schooley said.

Lehman said. “I have no statistics because they have a glass of water. It before,” Burns said.

Schooley plans on doing an or proof but I made little kids smile completely changed my perspective All three students would like to go internship through MOH when he and that’s enough for me.”

“

”

Breakfast with Rewerts

Santa visits the drama department, brings well-known elf

BY MEGAN MUNGER

@DragonsTwirler t is 7 a.m. and students are walking through the front doors of the high school. Senior Morgan Rewerts greets students telling them “good morning” in a cheerful voice. However, giving out morning greetings to everyone isn’t just a once in awhile thing. She does it everyday. Rewerts has limited academic ability, but functions independently.

“She’s just a package of delight,” special education teacher Gene Hendrickson said.

Rewerts has attended PHS all four years and is known for having a great amount of school spirit. Chances are students can find Rewerts cheering on her classmates at activities, lighting up the dance floor at dances or just enjoying high school.

“Morgan knows most of the student body here and if she doesn’t know you, then she asks your name so that she’ll know you next time. [Rewerts] is very personable,” Hendrickson said. “She knows everything that’s going on. School is a big part of her life.”

Rewerts independently decided to audition for the theatre department’s production of Breakfast with Santa. She landed a role as a Christmas elf.

“I tried out because it sounded like it would be awesome. [My favorite part about tryouts] was reading the scripts,” Rewerts said.

Although she is already acquainted with most of the students of the high school, the play has given her an opportunity to become closer with them.

“Every year Morgan becomes a little more outspoken, learning everybody’s name and having more school spirit,” paraprofessional educator Monica Maus said.

When the lights of the auditorium flash

I

Burns supports Haitians in need Medical mission travels to Port au Prince

BY REECE BURNS

Rehearsing Breakfast with Santa, senior Morgan Rewerts, playing an elf, sits on Santa’s lap. Santa is portayed by freshman Jeremy Hall. Rewerts tells him what she wants for a Christmas gift. The play will be performed Saturday at 9 a.m. in the auditorium. Breakfast is provided after the show. PHOTO BY CALVIN THYER

on during rehearsal, Rewerts shouts her favorite line “Merry Christmas Santa!” Although this is the first time she has performed in front of a crowd, Rewerts said she is not nervous. Without assistance, she has learned every line on her own. “[Helping Rewerts prepare] isn’t much different than if we were preparing with anybody else.

Her other cast mates have been helping her,” Noonoo said. “When we’ve been doing runs of [the play], she has been hitting her lines really well. It’s all been pretty much the same [with her.]”

The play premieres at 9 a.m. tomorrow in the high school’s auditorium. According to Noonoo, Rewerts is just as ready as everyone else.

“We want to include everyone in our student body that we can that wants to be a part of it,” Noonoo said. “We don’t want to leave anybody out.”The play premieres at 9 a.m. tomorrow in the high school’s auditorium. According to Noonoo, Rewerts is just as ready as everyone else.

“We want to include everyone that we can that wants to be a part of it,” Noonoo said. “We don’t want to leave anybody out.”

Rules of the Road Where does all the money go from traffic tickets?

10.949% to Crime Victims Compensation Fund 2.24% to the Crime Victims Assistance Fund 2.75% to the Community Alcoholism and Intoxication Programs fund 7.65% to the Dept. of Corrections Alcohol & Drug Abuse Treatment Fund 0.16% to the Boating Fee Fund 0.11% to the Children’s Advocacy Center Fund 2.28% to the EMS Revolving Fund 2.25% to the Trauma Fund 2.28% to the Traffic Records Enhancement Fund 2.91% to the Criminal Information Justice Fund *The rest goes to the state’s general fund

Did you know?

State law doubles fines for violations occurring in highway construction zones, regardless if workers are present.

@reeceburns14 Disease. Famine. Poverty. Hope.

These are some of the words that went through my head as I stepped off the airplane and set foot in the third-world country of Haiti.

After a full day of flights, myself and the medical group I was with finally reached Port au Prince. Haiti’s largest city. At first sight, we were not too disturbed. The airport was somewhat nice, and, coming in from the air, the city of nearly a million people deceived our eyes; but not for long.

Driving from the airport to the mission compound we would be working at took nearly an hour. Leaving the city, we saw that much of the damage left by the catastrophic 2010 earthquake was still present -- most buildings were in ruins.

And the streets were full of litter.

The medical group saw a mass amount of patients in the short time of four days.

There are only 25 doctors for every 100,000 people in Haiti compared to that of the U.S.’s 230 for every 100,000 according to www.mtholyoke.edu. So when extra hands can help there is often an overwhelming number of people who need to be seen.

While there were many cases that couldn’t be handled by our group alone, we made a huge impact on an extended Haitian community. Not only from a medical standpoint, but economically. A small portion of the trip’s expenses went towards buying food and supplies while we were there (a small portion in the U.S., but the equivalency of a Haitian’s yearly earnings.)

Many people were helped. No matter the patient’s outcome, we always parted ways with many thanks and much appreciation.

American missionaries are met with open arms in Haiti, regardless of the mission’s purpose. It was a truly memorable experience; especially one to bring back home right in time for Thanksgiving.

While the Haitian people suffer from catastrophe, extreme poverty and a brutal environment, I never once saw anyone complain. They are extremely thankful for what they do have. Haitians have a huge amount of hope and perseverance in their lives. I wish more people could be found in the United States with their attitude on life.

The United States has much to be grateful for, though, often times those things are overlooked. So remember, this holiday season, be thankful for what you have, what you will have and what you are able to give.

If you ever have the chance, go on a mission trip. It will change your outlook on the way we Americans live.

7

FEATURE Hackey sack spreads due to student, teacher passion SECTION D www.boosterredux.com

Friday, Dec. 13, 2013

Pastime re-emerges during breaks from school

BY CADEN YANTIS @CJYantis95

E

very morning before school, junior Jason Ratliff among others, can be seen in a circle playing numerous games of hackey sack. This group of individuals is not alone. Different groups can be seen playing games of hackey sack throughout various points of the day such as before school, during lunches or after school.

“I usually play every morning, during my lunch and any class I am allowed to,” junior Jason Ratliff said.

The hackey sack game was invented in 1972 by John Stalberger and Mike Marshall. hackey sack also known as footbag is a game consisted of two or more players who must keep the foot-bag off the ground without using their hands to do so. As a result, this allows the individual to use an arsenal of tricks such as lifts, loops, bag daggers, and many more in order to keep the bag from

touching the ground.

“I’m one of the few who own some sacks and I practice it at home just like you would watch a movie,” Ratliff said. “The game started as an exercise for knees but now it’s just used to pass time,” Occasionally, English teacher Caleb Lackey can be found after school joining in on hackey sack games being played as he used to play it in high school with his peers.

“To me its a good thing for the students to always be getting together to play everyday,” Lackey said. “It gives them a chance to look forward to something.”

The art of hackey sacking requires the individual to practice with foot skills and to increase stamina as constant movement is a part of the game. Every person involved in the game each plays a role in attempting to keep the foot-bag in the air at all costs.

“To be honest, it’s quite a workout,” junior Alec Collins

said. “After playing for 10 minutes, it leaves me sweating because the game requires you to move around a lot.”

Ever since its beginning, hackey sacking has grown in popularity and is played as a hobby and even as competition.

There are some tournaments held for the game all around in the world which has resulted in people who participated in tournaments to be world champions for hackey sack.

“I practice hackey sacking at home all the time,” Collins said.

“By now I know how to do some tricks like the back kick and the side swipe.”

Nevertheless, even though hackey sack is a game that can be a physical challenge for some, it can teach you a life lesson according to Lackey.

“The benefits of learning how to play hackey sack is that it gives the kids a chance to work towards something,” Lackey said. “This will reflect on the Striving to keep the hackey sack in the air, senior Douglas Scholes, gets together with issues of the real world as they his friends after lunch to play hackey sack until the lunch period is over. Hackey sack has become a big trend over the past few weeks. PHOTO BY ASHLEE BEITZINGER progress in life.”

Kirsch, Bramblett, Unruh showcase diverse skill sets Wood working, playing instruments, hitting baseballs interest students Brandon Kirsch

BY SHELBY BICKNELL @shelbbick

Senior Brandon Kirsch was getting ready to make a cut and had his hand on the end of the tape measure, which happened to be right by the blade. Someone accidentally bumped into him making his knee hit the button which then turned the blade on.

“Thank God I jerked my hand away in time or my fingers would of been gone for sure,” Kirsch said.

Kirsch plays guitar,

works, draws and welds.

Above all, he feels most passionately about carpentry. Every weekday, Kirsch spends two hours at Fort Scott Community College (FSCC) for carpentry class and two hours for welding.

“I go over to carpentry, hoping after I get done with my courses at FSCC, I can go to Pitt State and get a business degree.” Kirsch said. “Then, I can start my own business.”

Kirsch builds things

ranging from a vanity that took two days, to a gazebo that took two years.

“The gazebo [was the most intricate] thing I have built,” Kirsch said.

The gazebo had eight walls, eight windows, eight outlets and eight lights. It later on went to auctioned off to a man in Parsons, Kan. This is Kirsch’s third semester of carpentry.

He has one semester left and one year of general education requirements to

complete at Pittsburg State University, then he will be NCCER certification.

“I like carpentry better than welding,” Kirsch said. “It doesn’t blind me.

Welding is a lot of light and I have almost been blinded a few times doing it.”

Kirsch is not the first member of his family to have an interest in carpentry.

“My grandfather. He was a carpenter, and he died a while back so just following him,” Kirsch said.

Brooke Bramblett

BY RACHYL RUSSIAN @rachylrussian

Starting lessons the same time her sister did, Junior Brooke Bramblett has been playing the piano since she was five years old.

Bramblett joined band class in the sixth grade and has continued it ever since then.

“My family had always been into music and when my sister started piano

lessons I started too,” Bramblett said.

Bramblett has been able to keep playing the piano and as well as three other instruments. As for the piano being her favorite, she is also able to play the guitar, saxophone and the clarinet. “[I play] pretty much anything you need for a symphonic band,”

Bramblett said. “[Music], it’s my passion. It helps me to relax.”

Writing all her own music, she has been playing between an hour to an hour and a half everyday after school and on the weekends for two years. Making CDs on her computer for her family and friends, Bramblett loves writing her own music and sometimes

even singing it.

She is planning on going to college at Pitt State and getting a degree from here.

“I am going to get a major in teaching high school English and I’m going to minor in music,” Bramblett said. “I plan on composing my own music, which means writing and performing it.”

Jake Unruh

BY ABI FELTER @AbiFelter

From tee-ball, to fast pitch, freshman Jake Unruh has been playing baseball all of his life.

“It requires hard work and dedication.” Unruh said. “It’s also really fun too, I plan to play this year.” Unruh said. He thoroughly enjoys playing baseball, and all his years of experience shows his

passion for the game.

Unruh’s most familiar position is shortstop, but he likes batting more.

“I like [playing shortstop] because it gets a lot of action,” Unruh said. “Although I do like playing on the field, I like hitting more, it has more excitement.”

He is excited to play this year, baseball is Unruh’s only sport. He practices

year round.

“It’s my only sport so I have been looking forward to it,” Unruh said. “It’s really hard sometimes because of the heat, and the sprinting, but it pays off in the end.”

Unruh thinks he will enjoy playing for the high school better than a league, because he likes the school environment.

“I like high school a lot

better [than middle school] because we have more freedom, and the teachers are nicer,” Unruh said. “I hope the same goes for baseball, I’ve heard the coaches are really nice.”

Unruh said.

“I like the fact that we get to play for the school, not just some city-organized league.” Unruh said. “I like that you can have a sense of pride for the Dragons.”

annual benefit Kiwanis continues catering pancakes: 65th stays in the mix

BY SHELBY BICKNELL @shelbbick

Normally the Pittsburg Memorial Auditorium hosts plays, proms, and banquets, but Saturday, they will be hosting the 65th Annual Pittsburg Noon Kiwanis Pancake Day. The pancake feed raises money for the youth of Pittsburg.

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at time. Kiwanis Club in Pittsburg participates in several community service projects year round. Some projects include Wesley House and its programs, the Salvation Army’s Christmas Bell Ringing, and Toys for Tots program. Kiwanis also sponsors Key club at the high school where seven members have signed up to help work the feed. One member, sophomore Violet Biggs, is not such

Tickets cost five dollars for adults an amateur.

“I have been working this from third and two dollars for children. Planning grade to high school,” Biggs said. “My starts in September each year for Pancake Day. Club members work mom is in Kiwanis.”

In order to make the feed happen, hard to prepare, volunteering over supplies and home cooked breakfast 300 hours over a three month period.

“I learned a lot of teamwork skills. foods are brought i n .

You can’t be dropping Every volunteer is I le learned a lot of pancakes and stuff given jobs such as teamwork skills. You around and it’s not clean up, serving, always pleasant cleanwaitressing and to can’t be dropping ing up after people,” collect tickets. pacakes and stuff...

Biggs said. “Picking up This was also not It’s like a smooth their dirty food, and freshmen Kristen working machine in dropping stuff and Geiger’s first time the back. spilling things and getworking the feed.

-VIOLET BIGGS S ting your hands really “It went pretsticky from the syrup. ty well. I was in charge of putting syrup in a bottle and You have to clean the tables and put heating them up,” Geiger said. “But up stuff, but it’s really fun. It’s like a every time I put the syrup where it smooth working machine in the back.”

Attendance is between 800 and 900 was supposed to warm up it kept falleach year depending on the weather. ing over.”

“

”

The feed started in 1949, but with financial records only going back to 1963, Pancake Day has recorded over $200,000 for the youth of Pittsburg.

In addition to the food, there is also live entertainment. Ranging from the Parks & Recreation Dance Group to Cynthia Woodburn on the bells, the performances begin at 8:00 AM and go until 12:30 PM. “I like the PSU band, when they were playing the trombone section.”

Geiger said. “They had a guy playing the piano I also thought was really good.”

The Kiwanis club motto is “serving the children of the world.”

“It kind of depends, cause there’s so many different sectors of us and some of them are still children,” Biggs said. “But [in my opinion it means] it’s kinda just making a better place for them to grow up and learn.”

8 SPORTS

Friday, Dec. 13, 2013

www.boosterredux.com

JUST ONE OF THE GUYS

Girl wrestler doesn’t let gender stereotypes get in her way

BY MOLLY GRAHAM @xxxmollyxx tarting her senior year, Elizabeth Hess decided that she wanted it to be different than the other three years she spent in high school. She joined the boys wrestling team. “[The boy wrestlers] made bets that I would quit within the first week,” Hess said.

“But I’m still here.”

These bets were made, according to Hess, due to the stereotype that wrestling is only for boys.

When told by her peers and even some teachers that she should not be allowed or able to wrestle, she still pursued her desire to wrestle.

“I feel really proud and I feel powerful [when wrestling,]” Hess said. “I really like to wrestle, so I just ignore [negative feedback] because it is what I like to do. I just smile.

I’m proud of who I am and what I do.”

After getting used to the idea that a girl was on the wrestling

S

“

[TH THEY]

MADE BETS THAT I WOULD QUIT WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK. -ELIZABETH TH H HESS

” From fantasy to reality

PHS student takes online football game to the next level

BY JOSH JARVIS

@JJarvis52 ootball is everywhere: televisions, magazines, billboards.

To be more acquainted with the unqualified Americans, professional football would have to create a fantasy where average Americans could be involved. A fantasy is exactly what was created.

Fantasy football is an online game where participants can have NFL players on their teams and earn points based on the performances of the players during their games.

The participants then put up their team against others. There are many different types of fantasy football that can be played through ESPN, Yahoo! and the NFL. Fantasy football has grown substantially in the last two decades since it was created

by CBS in 1997. An estimated 33 million Americans participate in fantasy sports according to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association, 70% of them playing fantasy football. The fantasy sports popularity increase led to the creation of The League, a TV show based on a group of friends playing fantasy football. The League first aired on FX in 2009 and is currently in its fifth season.

Fantasy football has also hit PHS. Junior Zach Dee is actively involved in fantasy football and takes it very seriously.

“I like watching football.

It’s just fun to have something to go with, watching the players while they’re playing games. I love [fantasy football],” Dee said.

Dee plays in six fantasy football leagues through ESPN, some of which he plays with friends like Nick Powers, Alex Barnes and Micah Hashman among others.

“I consider myself in the

F

higher end of fantasy football,” Dee said. “My worst record in my ESPN leagues is 9-3-1. So yeah, I’m pretty good.”

Dee does not just play for fun, though. Dee plays online for money in daily fantasy football tournaments with other players from around the United States. These leagues differ from ESPN leagues in that they cost money to enter for a chance to win an entire pool of money.

Websites like DraftKings and FanDuel are money based, both of which Dee is a part of.

“The most I ever won playing fantasy football was $256 in one week,” Dee said.

The money gets transferred to his dad’s credit card and from there into the hands of Dee. Daily fantasy football allows for the participants to choose from the entire selection of NFL players, each one having their respective cost. The fantasy players are given a mock salary cap that allows for purchases of the NFL players only up to a certain money value.

Security isn’t an issue with these websites either.

DraftKings is backed by a $7 million investment from venture capitalists looking to grow the site according to an article from fantasysportsfans.com. This ensures the safety of the money that is entered into the system.

“The money’s good.

Money helps me out a lot,” Dee said. “[Fantasy football] gives me something to do and is probably one of my favorite hobbies.”

DraftKings has paid out over $20 million in 2013, and with the NFL season not yet over it will be paying out even more to the thousands of members.

team, senior Brett Cobb, who has been wrestling since he was in the fifth grade, said that he is proud of Hess for sticking with it.

“I had my doubts at the beginning,” Cobb said. “But now I feel the same about her that I feel for the rest of the team.”

Although wrestling coach Scott Rieck has had girl wrestlers in the past, this is his first time having one on the team while working at the high school.

“The only difference with the girls is that they have a different locker room,” Rieck said. “I’m going to treat them like I treat the boys. If they’re going to wrestle the boys, they’re going to be treated like them.”

During competitions, the same rules that apply to the boys apply to Hess.

The first time Hess ever wrestled a boy was a few months ago when she started playwrestling with a few of her neighbors.

“It was weird,” Hess said. “It took some getting used to. But I wouldn’t have joined without their support.”

Whether Hess is wrestling with her neighbors, members of her own team or members of an opposing team, the boys are all afraid to hurt her, according to Hess. This is also due to the cliche that women are frail and fragile and wrestling should be left to the men.

“In life, whatever you do, there will always be people for and against you,” Hess said.

“You have to be the one who decides if it’s worth it or not. For me, it’s definitely worth the struggle to be a part of something I enjoy.”

When wrestling, Hess keeps in mind that she doesn’t want there to be a gender-difference.

“I just want to prove that I can be as good as all the boys,” Hess said.

One of Hess’s good friends and fellow wrestler, junior Francisco Medina, has supported Hess from the beginning of her joining the team.

“I’m very proud of her, words cannot explain,” Medina said.

“With wins or loses, she should take pride. She has stuck with it from day one.”

After all of the scrutiny, hard work and dedication, Hess won her first match at the purple and white scrimmage, with a pin against an opponent.

SECTION D

SPORTS PREVIEWS WRESTLING: This wrestling season the team consists of 24 freshmen out of 35 wrestlers total on the team. Both varsity and junior varsity will have their first wrestling tournament of the season on Saturday, Dec. 7th. Head Coach Scott Rieck and Assistant Coach, Kris Mengarelli will be taking their varsity team to Garner Edgerton. Assistant coach Broc Bennett will be taking Junior Varsity to Caney. Rieck wants to have a good season and wants his team to do their best.

‘This is a good group of kids to start all over with and to get finalists and to get state champs again and start our undefeated season,” Rieck said.

Girls Basketball: The girl’s basketball team will be playing at Parsons Tues. Dec. 17. The team has started off their season 0-1 with a 21-55 loss to Louisburg. Junior Katy Short led the team with six points. Seniors Bethanne Elliott, Mercedes Vogel and freshman Taylor Muff each had three.

Boys Basketball: Starting off the season 0-1, the boy’s basketball team will face off against Parsons Tues. Dec. 17.

The team was defeated

by Louisburg 56-71 on Dec.6. Sophomore Dylan Unterecker led the team with 18 points and sophomore Kyle Smith was right behind him with 16 points.

Two seniors left to lead the team Varsity basketball battles low senior numbers

BY PARKER MATTHEWS @pspongebob

W

hen seniors Riley Cunningham and Spencer Massoth run out of the locker room right before a game, they pay no attention to the cheering crowd.

They are too busy fulfilling their leadership duties to succumb to anxiety.

“I was nervous [leading up to] the start of the game,” Massoth said. “But once I left the locker room, and stepped on the court, all my nerves were gone.”

Even before basketball tryouts, both seniors -- as well as head coach Kylie Roelfs -- were aware that they were the only two seniors that would be on the team. “[We] knew it would only be us [two seniors], we had to get over it. There wasn’t anything we could do about the numbers,” Cunningham said.

Not only has the basketball team suffered low numbers with seniors, but the total number of players straight junior varsity/ varsity squad is 17: the smallest total that either senior has seen in his four years.

“The roles were better set last year, this year everybody is kind of getting new roles,” Cunningham said. “Last year it was basically all seniors that played [or] had major roles.”

“We’re working together. Whoever is better gets to play,” Massoth said.

For the first game of the season -- the only game played to date -- the starting five consisted of the two seniors, junior Montana Jajo and Dante Richardson, and sophomore Dylan Untereker.

These five are the same five players that started junior varsity last year. The time spent in games has morphed into a tight-knit

Attempting to block the shot, senior Riley Cunningham battle it out in a game of one-on-one against his teammate, senior Spencer Massoth.PHOTO BY ABBY HARRIS

unit.

“The same five starters played [junior varsity] last year, we’re just playing at a new level now,” Massoth said. “We’ve been playing with each other for so long we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

So we know where to pick one another up.”

“We are [really sound], because of the experience we have together,” Untereker said. “We have good team chemistry [because of our junior varsity time] together.”

Senior leadership

extends beyond games.

Practices and even classroom etiquette are influenced by Cunningham’s and Massoth’s attitude. “[Riley and Spencer] are just a couple of guys to look up to,” sophomore Kyle Smith said. “They’re leaders. They show us what to do. During practices they really pick up the intensity and keep it going.”

“Spencer’s been a guy that really likes to play,” Roelfs said. “Riley has continued to grow leadership wise. He’s typically

a guy that traditionally has worked hard and has given us good leadership and effort in practice.”

The varsity squad consists of primarily sophomores and juniors, which is directly associated with a lack of experience. Yet, the seniors do not see it as an obstacle.

“You have to get past the fact that we mainly consist of underclassmen,” Massoth said. “[We] have to get past the age. Everyone is just your teammate.”