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Fighting like girls Local women organize, combat equality Feature

Wrestling a new challenge Fryar picks up new sport

Sports #MeToo Students recount experiences with sexual assault, harassment

Set design for Little Mermaid Tech, stage crew prepare for upcoming musical

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

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Friday, Feb. 2, 2018 Vol. 100 Issue 6

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As easy as 1, 2, 3 PCMS grading effects incoming freshmen Words by | Gina Mathew Freshmen brushed up on their ABCs this year as they reverted back to a traditional letter-based grading system following a year of standards-based grading at Pittsburg Community Middle School (PCMS). Standards-based grading (SBG) is an alternative approach to academic reporting. Rather than letters, grades are assigned based on numbers. “A Level 1 is basic, simple material,” PCMS principal Terry Smith said. “Level 2 is a conceptual understanding, but at a minimal level. Level 3 is mastery and Level 4 is extended mastery, [so] you understand why something works and how it works.” Piloted in the 2015-16 school year, SBG was first implemented as a behavior rubric to measure soft skills such as staying on task and meeting deadlines. Last year, PCMS saw a building-wide remodel of its grading system to incorporate SBG for academic and behavioral performance. “All teachers have standards. Then, they have learning objectives or targets, skills that are kind of like substandards,” Smith said. “They have to create assessments, whether it’s formative or summative, and they have to write questions that are leveled. That’s how we grade.” Smith encountered standards-based grading at his previous job as principal of Parsons Middle School (PMS). “I had done it at [Parsons], so I had some background with it,” Smith said. “SBG actually ended when I was still there. My opinion is that it was too drastic in terms of change at the time and I wasn’t prepared to address the critics.” Lori Ray, current principal of PMS, described how SBG is now used only at the elementary level. “It’s a part of the culture of the district in the primary grades,” Ray said. “When I started teaching See SBG FOLLOW UP, Page 2

Jeremy Johnson works with one of his students during JAG photo by | Myla Turner

Managing multiple positions

Johnson juggles high responsibilities in the community

Words by | Joseph Lee

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erving as Pittsburg’s mayor and Pittsburg High School’s Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) administrator, Jeremy Johnson lives a life involved throughout the local community. Working as a JAG administrator, Johnson utilizes his tools as mayor to look for opportunities to engage high school students throughout the community. JAG is a course that assists students to overcome a wide range of barriers on the way to their success. These barriers can range from an unstable family background to a need for transportation. “What I like so much about JAG and what it allows us to do is it embraces and acknowledges those limitations,” Johnson said. “In order to effectively help kids to be successful, you have to approach it differently.” Johnson started his JAG position in 2016. Johnson was eager to work in the teaching field after having worked at the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHCSEK) formerly. “An opportunity to get back into [teaching] and helping people and maybe have a greater impact than I was previously was is really exciting to me,” Johnson said. Johnson guides his students through college and job applications, career-readiness, personal and professional growth, alongside other various curricula. Johnson’s primary goal is to make sure students are ready, with

the tools they need, after graduation. He considers internships, business opportunities and community service chances to be important for students. “I’m not giving lectures every day. I’m not handing out worksheets. We don’t use a textbook,” Johnson said. “The approach is radically different because JAG acknowledges [student limitations]. In order to help these kids it means going about it a different way.” Senior Aaliyah Kerr has received guidance from Johnson for two years. Through this course, Aaliyah has been to the state capital in Topeka to meet state senators. She has also attended a leadership conference, alongside partaking in other opportunities that might be hard to receive outside of this course. Kerr enjoys being in the classroom and achieves the goals she sets with the help of Johnson. “Having him as a teacher is a great experience to have. I look up to him a lot. He’s just someone I can talk to and he helps me in a lot in many different situations,” Kerr said. “I feel like you can be more yourself [in the JAG classroom].” Johnson proportions his time between his place as a teacher and his role as mayor. He was elected onto the city commission in April of 2015. Just recently elected as mayor for the year of 2018, Johnson acts as the spokesperson for the commission and Pittsburg. The final decision of every law, policy, ordinance and resolution is made within the city commission.

AFTERMATH: Words by | Nicole Konopelko

“I like Pittsburg, and I plan on staying here for a long time,” Johnson said. “I want to see it improved.” In an effort to better the recent issues, the commission has recently tackled items on their agenda concerning fire-fighting services outside of city limits and a possible municipal electric authority to be created by the city. Johnson’s position as mayor informs him of the many things going on throughout the city. “[Being mayor] gives you a bird’s eye view of all the stuff going on in Pittsburg,” Johnson said. Aside from his position as mayor and his place at the high school, Johnson is rooted in the local community. He is a member of Pittsburg Area Young Professionals, went through Pittsburg’s public schools for primary and secondary education and taught at Pittsburg State as an English instructor for several years. Johnson uses his background as a political activist and educator to deliver a positive message for his students. “It’s kind of the standard student’s mindset to feel hopeless and shoved around by forces bigger than themselves,” Johnson said. “I’ve made it my mission to give them opportunities to experience the opposite of that. You can make a difference. You can change things. All you have to do is be willing to step up and say ‘I want to try and make this happen’. Often times it’s much easier than one might think.”

Update on math deliverary system

In a traditional math class, a student sits at a single-student desk and watches as a teacher solves example problems on a board. For years, this was the only instructional method PHS math students knew. But research from the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) prompted PHS math teachers to reevaluate their method. “A focused, coherent progression of mathematics learning, with an emphasis on conceptual understanding and fluency, should be the norm in every mathematics classroom in Kansas,” said KSDE’s White Paper on Fluency. Taking KSDE’s advice, the math teachers implemented a teaching method in which students guide themselves through lessons in small groups while their teacher walks around a classroom and facilitates. They also adopted College Preparatory Math (CPM), a new set of textbooks in addition to the new delivery system. The method is based on eight principles from the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). According to the principles, the teachers are facilitating “meaningful mathematical discourse,” “supporting productive struggle,” posing “purposeful questions” and implementing “tasks that promote reasoning.” “[Students] don’t have to sit and be told everything. But together, they can discuss and figure things out,” Willis said. “And they’re so proud of that.”

For some students, the change was a step in the right direction. “It teaches you how to think more intelligently instead of just regurgitating what the teacher is saying on the board every day,” freshman Emily McGown said. “You start to become more independent and you learn teamwork skills.” For others, the decrease in traditional instruction was a difficult adaptation. “I was just worried because I felt like my questions weren’t being answered,” sophomore Carmen Kent said. “If I didn’t understand the concept, we moved on rather than make it so that we had a full understanding.” After listening to parent and student concerns such as Kent’s, math teachers modified their delivery of CPM. “There was a lot of pressure at the beginning of the semester to do it just like CPM does,” math teacher Kristi Neef said. “It took me about half a semester to realize that I can’t do that. I have to make it my own.” First, the teachers changed their approach to group learning. Willis’s student groups, for example, now reconvene as a full class either for direct instruction or follow-up at the end of class rather than having Willis facilitate the entire time. “As educators, the hope is that we could question [students] in a perfect way that would pull information out of them,” Willis said. See MATH FOLLOW UP, Page 2

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As easy as 1, 2, 3

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PCMS grading effects incoming freshmen

Words by | Gina Mathew

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Saman said. “It wasn’t too difficult, but I don’t think it was greatly preparing us for high school and how we can shoot for [better] grades. The number-based grading isn’t going to transfer onto our [transcripts], so it’s not really going to benefit us much.” For some students, changing the grading policy may have done more harm than good. Freshman Blake Harrison said that while the policies may have been effective, they set him back. “It was easier at the middle school because you got to make up a lot of work and it wasn’t like if you messed up, you were screwed. You could come in whenever you wanted to retake,” Harrison said. “Now, if you mess up at the high school, it’s your final grade. I think most kids have struggled with that because we’re just not used to having a deadline and meeting it.” In a letter sent in for public comment at a board meeting last summer, Rebecca Light, mother of freshman Ethan Light, noted the consequences of SBG may have been overlooked. “Setting the expectation in a student’s mind that you get to keep working on a subject over and over until you master it with no accountability for deadlines is setting a student up for failure as they enter the work world,” Light said. “As an employer, I expect my staff to master skills quickly and in a standard timeframe.” PHS social science teacher Gary Wolgamott has noticed a difference in the freshman class. “It is important to remember that every incoming freshmen class has its own strengths and weaknesses, and we have to be careful not to compare classes,” Wolgamott said. “Having addressed that, more students seem to struggle with due dates and time management in general than in the past, which many students feel is attributed to the grading system.” However, PHS English teacher Linda Barberich has seen an improvement in the freshman class. “My observation would be based on the first semester, but I felt this year’s incoming freshmen were well-prepared,” Barberich said. “Students have been on task and are comprehending the concepts well. Overall, they have been good about meeting deadlines.” Wolgamott shared his students’ viewpoints discussed in class. “My freshman students have voiced some comments in class about the system and the general consensus is that it does not prepare them for the transition to high school,” Wolgamott said. “Many have commented that too much emphasis is placed on test scores and not on the other elements of classroom work which they feel enhances their learning, especially those who suffer from test anxiety.” Workload has been another area of contention for SBG implementation. “[The transition] was difficult because we didn’t have any homework during [standards-based grading],” Harrison said. “But now that we have homework and we have to do it, it’s a lot tougher.” As outlined by the PCMS student handbook, homework is assigned per grade level. “Research suggests that an effective homework practice is no more than 10 minutes multiplied by the grade level,” the handbook said. “For

With SBG, I feel like I know my kids' strengths and weaknesses more than I ever have before

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- Adam Hull

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example, sixth-grade students should have no more than 60 minutes of homework a night. This is per grade level, not per class. Therefore, parents should expect PCMS students to have about one hour of homework on any given night.” In a study conducted at Northeastern University in November 2011, researcher Theresa Craig examined 103 elementary schools in Massachusetts to determine the correlation between grading system and student performance. “The terminology used in report card performance levels should be consistent, recognizable and easily understood, but the labels or letters used as representation of those levels may be irrelevant,” the report said. “The growth and performance of students in schools using standards-based report cards was not significantly different from students in schools [not] using standards-based report cards.” Another research paper by Kate Sugarman in July 2015 asserted that teacher training was pivotal to the system’s success. “Because standards-based grading is a relatively new innovation, none of the teachers experienced such a system when they themselves were students in school. Because teacher expectations are heavily shaped by their own experiences as students, it has been difficult for some teachers to understand and implement standards-based grading. In addition, implementing standards-based grading takes a considerable amount of technical expertise.” Currently, expansion of SBG to the district elementary schools or high school is not under immediate consideration. On Tuesday, district elementary principals met to discuss SBG reform. According to an email received later that evening, “Transition to an SBG model is not necessary at this time since we utilize standards-based instruction practices.” Principal Phil Bressler does not envision adopting SBG at this time. “Our freshmen are the first group, so we don’t have enough of a track record,” Bressler said. “I think we’ve got to have [SBG at PCMS] a little bit longer before we know whether or not it’s a positive or negative there, let alone how it affects them here.” Another factor under consideration is the preparation for life after high school. “The problem with high schools [switching to SBG] is so much of what we do is tied to the next step in life. It’d be hard to get away from letter grades at the high school because of that long-standing tradition of giving letter grades in colleges. It would be a huge undertaking at this level to make that happen. It’s feasible, but we would be a long ways from that. PHS is not ready for standards-based grading today.” For the counseling department, the high school enrollment process had to adapt without transcript data. “We don’t even see the numbers,” counselor Jessica Stegman said. “The teachers did a lot of the work for us. The high school staff communicated with the middle school staff regarding [students’] work habits in class, their MAP data, how [far] they got in their curriculum and a lot of back and forth.” Currently, the counseling department relies heavily on teacher recommendation to determine remedial, regular or an advanced placement, a practice that is expected to continue. “They gave us a list of kids who were recommended for the upper-level classes and the honors courses,” Stegman said. “We talked to the middle school counseling staff, making sure we had them in the right classes. It takes us a little longer, but right now that’s going to be the process.” When requested, no comparative MAP data was received from PCMS. Two PCMS teachers, seven sets of parents of district students and one area principal declined to comment.

The general consensus is that it does not prepare them for the transition to high school.

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“When I started teaching in Parsons in the late 90’s, we were using a standards-based grade card. The system in K-2 looks the same today. It’s a Plus for mastery, P for progress, N for not yet mastered or a blank for not yet taught or assessed. It doesn’t have a letter equivalency.” Now in its third year of implementation, PCMS altered its grading system for the 2017-18 school year based on feedback. “Because of the concerns that we had addressed from parents and the board last year, we’ve gone to a hybrid,” Smith said. “We are still measuring and using data to drive the curriculum, but there are letter grades assigned to it.” Numbers are used to calculate a letter equivalent for the overall grade. An F is 0-1.4, D is 1.5-1.9, C is 2.0 to 2.6, B is 2.7-3.3 and an A is 3.4-4.0. PCMS section leaders are responsible for creating rubrics for each standard across each department for each unit. “With SBG, I feel like I know my kids’ strengths and weaknesses more than I ever have before,” PCMS math teacher Adam Hull said. “I feel like it’s more individualized, I know what they can and can’t do, and I can narrow down instruction for those kids who need that extra guidance. More importantly, [we are] taking those kids who do [understand] deeper into the standard.” Smith said the concept of SBG is not new. “We didn’t invent standards-based grading, it’s been around for a while,” Smith said. “This started [during] my first year here. I took our leadership team, a group of 10 or 12 teachers, to a national conference in Colorado. At that conference, our teachers had an epiphany that we could be grading more effectively, more accurately, more fairly by using this method. Some teachers who went to that breakout session came to me and said, ‘Hey, we want to try this.’ That’s how it started, and then we started educating ourselves. We visited some other school districts that were doing standards-based grading in our area. We did some research into how it works and it has evolved into what it is today.” PowerSchool averages the final grade a student receives on each academic and behavioral standards throughout. “What’s in the gradebook is the current level of understanding for every standard, so it’s not averaged,” Smith said. “At the beginning of a unit, [a student] probably didn’t have very good scores. By the end of it, they may have a Level 4 understanding, so we’re not going to punish them by averaging that with what they had in the beginning. We’re going to report what it is now.” To differentiate academic grades from soft skills, PCMS still utilizes the behavior rubric. “There’s another thing that distorts letter grades,” Smith said. “If you turn something in late, points are taken off. Grammar errors on a writing paper knock an A paper down to a B. We want to report the quality of the work. But the soft skills — turning things in on time, putting forth effort — we measure that separately. If you did a book report that was quality material, but you turned it in late and got a lower grade, we want to report [that] they’re turning things in late, so we’re reporting them separately.” The implementation of SBG has received mixed reactions. Freshman Christopher Saman saw a positive impact grasping concepts, but was not sure if he was prepared for the next level. “The teachers knew exactly what to help test you on so you can become better. That was the nice thing about it,”

- Gary Wolgamott

Aftermath: Story continued from page 1 Words by | Nicole Konopelko “If we come together and students haven’t discovered or pulled out the information, then we might need to teach it to them in a different way.” Similarly, if algebra I teacher Trevor Elliott notices certain topics do not “sink in” as he expects them to, he adjusts his teaching style for the rest of his classes and spends part of the next day reteaching the original class. “Adjustments are constantly made based on the needs of the students in the classroom,” Elliott said. Math teacher Matt Butler, on the other hand, has moved closer toward a traditional system. “It’s more of a partner-type learning instead of a biggroup learning,” Butler said. “As far as algebra, we’ve kind of steered away from [group learning] for now because we started this semester off by going back and reviewing.” Freshman Rose Scott, who is in Butler’s algebra I class, said this revision has helped her. “Without [teacher] guidance, those students are never going to improve,” Scott said. “Now, it’s more focused on the person who actually went to college and actually went through the school is the one teaching the kids instead of them being based on each other.” Butler said he will eventually incorporate group learning again. “I haven’t gotten into a consistent pattern of groups of four, but it is definitely something that I will be getting back into at some point,” Butler said. Some students, however, said they prefer group learning over the traditional method. “It’s easier for me to sit in a group of four and ask my peers for help instead of a teacher,” junior Shyanne Puffinbarger said. “Instead of getting up the courage to ask a teacher, it is so much easier for me to ask a fellow

student instead.” Teachers also revised their homework policies. Last semester, teachers did not grade homework assignments. “It was like there was no goal for doing your homework or even trying,” sophomore Alora Spencer said. This semester, teachers began grading homework. “It’s a bigger motivator for students to get their homework done,” Willis said. “The students who aren’t completing the homework, their grades are looking worse.” Neef said the homework assignments average at around five word problems a night. Many people who did not succeed with CPM did not do the homework, she said. “I hate that some kids didn’t do well, but when you don’t do 11 assignments out of the 11 assignments that I ask you to practice, there’s no way you’re going to be successful,” Neef said. Sophomore Emily Tarter, on the other hand, said she often gives up on her homework because she has difficulty understanding the concepts. “I slack off sometimes because I’m human,” Tarter said. “I do that because I don’t know what I’m doing even if I read chapters and go back in the book.” According to Willis, many students who failed or struggled with a CPM math class did not have a strong skill set in algebra I. “If your skills were low in algebra I, then I think you can’t do any of the homework,” Willis said. “It shocked students. It’s like putting a frog in a hot frying pan.” Thus, to improve student success, administration created math foundations --- a class for students who failed or struggled in their math classes, where students

learn the foundations of algebra I. Rashell Yockey and Elliott teach the classes. “We got a system and when the system changed, it created [problems],” principal Phil Bressler said. “That’s normal: it’s part of the change process. This is our response to kids who are struggling.” Based on MAP scores, students who had the skills to pass their math class but received a failing grade because they did not put forth the effort can enroll in a credit recovery class, where they retake the class in an online setting. “We separated kids who failed between kids who won’t do the work and kids who can’t do the work,” Bressler said. “They don’t have the requisite skills to be successful.” Since last semester, students and parents have seen improvements. Gina Pinamonti said that at the beginning of the last semester, her daughters would stay awake nightly attempting to finish their homework. Now, things have changed. “They haven’t brought me any concerns,” Pinamonti said. “They’re just plugging away and studying when it’s appropriate. The girls seem happy, so I’m happy.” Kent also said she is happy with the way things are going. “This semester has been a lot better for me. There’s been a lot more adaptations to realizing that kids need more than just to be set on their own,” Kent said. The math department will continue using CPM and these teaching methods next year. “Even with all of the negatives and the failures that we had last semester, there’s a lot of positives. We need to keep it,” Neef said. “I can’t go back to what I know isn’t right.”

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The Divided States of America

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% % Words by | “Words matter.� This simple, yet powerful phrase is my life motto. I hold an immense amount of pride in my words and opinions. I am never afraid to defend them when they are attacked or support them when they are questioned. But unfortunately, my opinions have also made me a target of hurtful insults. Oftentimes, when people do not agree with my viewpoint, they do not attack my opinions -- they attack me. Just this year, three middleaged adults called me a “liberal snowflake,� “social justice warrior� and several other vicious names after I told them of my prochoice stance on abortion. These people were willing to risk their relationships with me because of differing opinions. Unfortunately, this is a problem not just for me, but for our entire country. In the past few years, personal attacks over differing viewpoints have proliferated to an absolute, unhealthy extreme. We defend our opinions while shattering our respect for each other into pieces. It all started with two wellknown people --- the then GOP presidential nominee Donald J. Trump and democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. When the two took the stage for their first debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, they ignored foreign policy issues crucial to our country and instead, attacked each other. Clinton accused Trump of living in his own reality. Trump fired back by literally calling her “the devil,�

according to USA Today’s coverage. Two candidates vying for the highest seat in the nation normalized harsh, verbal attacks simply because they did not agree with each other. Trump even went on to attack one percent of the entire 52 person GOP conference between his time as a candidate and his first nine months in the White House, according to CNN’s coverage. You cannot even open a newspaper or social media page today without seeing politically motivated negativity on another person. When I was doing research for my upcoming congressional debate tournament a few days ago, I came across an article that proves my point. The article was headlined “Democrats Are Hypocrites on Corruption� and it was from foreignpolicy.com As the title implies, the article brought up evidence about democrats’ past actions proving they were corrupt. I had hoped to read about a policy-based topic, but I ended up reading an article about something entirely different. How can we avoid personal attacks when the media has normalized covering politicians not for their views on policy, but their own persona? For a while, I thought that this problem had died down. I was wrong. When teacher Deyshia Hargrave spoke up about her low pay in a school board meeting after her superintendent’s $30,000 raise, she was thrown in jail. Our country is hypocritical. We

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have a strong First Amendment allowing for freedom of speech, press, religion assembly and petition, yet those who exercise these rights get personally attacked, insulted, ostracized and even arrested. Enough is enough. America is special because it was built on the foundation of clash. Having different opinions is a good thing, but losing our respect for each other just because we do not agree with each other is not. We should be proud of each other’s opinions, not mad or

National Disaster

angry. Seeing things from different perspectives is a skill that we should embrace. If we are vying for our own opinions constantly and shutting everyone else out, then what is our chance of getting a job or even socializing? But if see from another person’s side, we can learn new skills and build relationships. If we continue attacking people personally for their opinions, our country will be built on hate. Is that really the example we want to set?

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On Dec. 4th 2017, Donald Trump announced the reduction of Bears Ears by over a million acres, the largest reduction of protected land in American history. He also plans to reduce the size of Grand Staircase-Escalante by 45 percent. This is an outrageous reduction of land protected under the Antiquities Act, established by Teddy Roosevelt over 100 years ago to protect national monuments. Bears Ears holds such historical value to Native Americans and their ancestors as well as the residents of Utah. The U.S. National Park system boasts 84.9 million acres of land across 59 national parks. Of these parks, five are included in Kansas and tally over 100,000 visitors per year. There are also 129 national monuments that include protected by congress and the NPS. These protected, beautiful and historic lands have been the destination for travelers for over 100 years and continue to be some of our nation’s most coveted lands. I am someone who loves the outdoors and I hope to one day visit parks and monuments such as Yellowstone, Yosemite and Bears Ears. Trump intends to cut the size of Utah national monument from 1.3 million acres to a mere 220,000. Trump is doing so to explore mining, drilling, and other profitable ventures.

Among these regulation rollbacks Trump will lease land for oil and gas for leasing opportunities, ease drilling regulations and reduce habitats for endangered species. A move that leaves the nearby inhabitants with ancestors that once claimed that land with the utmost anger. The Navajo Tribe has spoken out directly, including president of the nation, Russell Begaye. “We will fight all the way,� Begaye said. The land is legally protected under the Antiquities Act, since it isn’t an actual national park. Trump, however, is challenging the ruling and if it is in his favor, it could potentially be the loss of millions and millions more acres of U.S. land given to land degradation. To see these lands with such rich history and being preserved in a delicate state be given away is truly a step in the wrong direction for our country. If our own president cannot stand behind the lands that our nation holds dearly, it is the job of the people to speak up and reach out to protect them. I strongly encourage you to visit a national park or monument. They offer some of our country’s best views and historical background. We have the privilege of possessing these lands as a country, let’s use them keep them for what they are and stand by the groups that protect them.

Staff Editorial: Words by | $ According to a survey conducted for our in-depth coverage on sexual misconduct, 99 out of 250 students reported experiencing sexual harassment. But this is not solely a concern at Pittsburg High School. Unfortunately, sexual abuse is a reality in every society, affecting all races, genders, socioeconomic statuses and even ages. Though no men are mentioned in this article, it does not mean sexual assault never happens to the male gender. According to the National Sexual Violence Research Center (NSVRC), 91 percent of sexual assault victims are women and 9

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percent are men. Our world is more reactive than proactive concerning these issues. It has become a societal norm to avoid uncomfortable topics. But #MeToo, Time’s Up and the Women’s March all made great strides in effecting change for gender equality and uncovering sexual assault. On a national scale, we saw black apparel and white roses speak volumes at the Golden Globes and Grammys. The conviction of Larry Nassar highlighted a severe neglect of reporting sexual abuse allegations, especially with minors.

We chose to highlight a universal problem and its personal effect on communities like our own. As told in the story, students have stories to share, bringing to light an uncomfortable issue. Unfortunately, the ramification of sexual abuse extends long after the act is committed. In the following issues, we aim to address the aftermath of sexual assault: the process of reporting and healing that often goes unnoticed. We will not allow this to be the end of our conversation. With hundreds in attendance at our town’s first Women’s March, as well as

the creation of Equality Club at our school, we are optimistic. Seeing a conservative community like Pittsburg engage in this social revolution gives us hope for future generations to take advocacy into their own hands and discuss the topics that cause us discomfort, and to promote healing. If we continue to sit in silence, we are enabling sexual misconduct to continue in the shadows while we turn the other cheek. We must denounce perpetrators. We must stand up for survivors. We must run out the clock on sexual assault because time is up.

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Editors’ note: The following story contains mature content and may not be suitable for all readers. Due to the sensitivity of the subject, the names of students have been changed at their request to respect their privacy. According to RAINN, sexual assault is defined as any sexual contact or behavior that occurs without explicit consent of the victim. Some forms of sexual assault include: attempted rape, fondling or unwanted sexual touching, forcing a victim to perform sexual acts, such as oral sex, or penetrating the perpetrator’s body, and penetration of the victim’s body, also known as rape. If you need help contact the Kansas Crisis Hotline at 888-END-ABUSE | 888-363-2287

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n the weeks after #MeToo began in October, stories of sexual assault and harassment were shared online. Then, the mark showed up close to home, scrawled on a Pittsburg High School bathroom stall. As the national movement progressed, more and more women and men have come for ward ever y day. According to CBS News, the hashtag was tweeted nearly one million times in 48 hours, and there were more than 12 million Facebook posts, comments and reactions in 24 hours. In hopes of sharing their stories of sexual assault, 12 people reached out to the Booster Redux. Of the 12, six young women were inter viewed. The stories described sexual assaults that took place at home, church, the workplace and on school property. These are their stories.

My name is Elizabeth and this is my story At church, Elizabeth thought she was in a safe environment. Three years ago, Elizabeth was playing a card game called “Books In Order� with her Sunday school group at church. The game included placing in order cards, each with a book of the Bible on it. While Elizabeth was playing, her Sunday school teacher, Lee Trevor Hardesty, began touching her inappropriately. “We started the game and we stood up,� Elizabeth said. “It was all normal until he walked over and started to rub my back, getting lower and lower. I had to get a card that was kind of hard to reach. When I went to reach for it, instead of taking his hand off of me, he took the chance to put his hand on my butt, slide it forward, grab me and pull me back.� Elizabeth told the girl sitting next to her what had happened by text. When class was over, Elizabeth and the girl reported the incident to the pastor. Elizabeth then told her mom about the assault. The event was confirmed to the Booster Redux by the girl who sat next to Elizabeth and two of Elizabeth’s family members. “It made me feel scared, worried, sick and dirty. The days after were full of anxiety, emotional pain and confusion,� Elizabeth said. “People need to know this can happen anywhere, even when [they] think it’s safe.� She remembers leaving church early that day. When she went back to church that night, the police were there. More allegations were eventually brought against Hardesty at a later date. In December 2017, Hardesty was convicted of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. “The sentencing will take place Feb. 22 and 23, which they claim would be our last court date,� Elizabeth said. “I am just happy to see that something is being done.�

My name is Alyssa and this is my story

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At a neighboring school, Alyssa said she experienced inappropriate touching on school property, where, according to Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), 8 percent of sexual assaults are committed. Alyssa still attends the school where the alleged assault took place. “I was standing at my locker getting some stuff out and [two boys] came up behind me and started touching my back and sides,� Alyssa said. “When I turned around, they smacked my butt and ran off.� Soon after the incident, Alyssa explained what had happened to a teacher and friends. She says they advised her to “just keep her distance� from the boys. Alyssa felt her experience was disregarded and should have been taken more seriously. “I told a couple of teachers and a few of my classmates but no one really seemed to care. No one thought it was a big deal because ‘they are just kids,’� Alyssa said. “I was really uncomfortable and upset because I thought school

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My name is Mar

When Mar y’s shif to head home. She re staying with him aft “Before I left, he a him [one]. He told m to lay on the floor an “I was really nervou like I couldn’t. He as sat with him, and he grab my breasts and I repeatedly told him As she was allege said she was uncomf had known her emp “I felt ver y cold an my pants. I was so te throat,� Mar y said. “ She recalls leaving weeks later, she bro in front of a school c As mandated report the counselor report incident. According t when questioned by police, her boss deni allegations. She felt as though had been grooming the age of 14. She b was waiting until sh because then she wo age of consent and c Grooming is the s methodical and inte process of manipula person to the point w can be victimized. Mar y was in a rela with a fellow studen years before she beg working for her form They would go to th shop and hang out o “[When] we woul shop, my not-then b make sexual jokes w acted like [he was] f only until after the in grooming me until I he could potentially

My name is Je

Jessica, a PHS gra by her stepbrother. “My stepbrother u bathroom door when thinking I saw some I was seeing things. towel around me and upstairs living room dropped his phone, b

By the numbers: "#$ Number of students sexually assaulted by:

68

students have been sexually assaulted

13

Stranger

19

Acquaintance Authority

6 25

Friend

54 are female 14 are male

17

Family

21

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be safe. The inaction of the teachers y safety was not important.� associates with the boys who allegedly hough she sees them ever y day. anyone at any time and that it’s not a n a lot of ways,� Alyssa said. “When this from peers, it makes you realize e like you, people you see ever y day.�

ry and this is my story

ft came to an end, she was ready emembers her boss talked her into er her shift. asked me for a back massage. I gave me I was doing it wrong, so he told me nd he gave me a massage,� Mar y said. us and I just wanted to leave, but I felt sked me to sit with him in his shop. I e proceeded to kiss me. He started to d made a comment regarding their size. m to stop.� dly being sexually assaulted, Mar y fortable. She was baffled because she loyer for years. nd stiff as he slid his hands down ense, I felt like my heart was in my “I felt like it wasn’t real.� g before her boss got further. A few ke down counselor. ters, ted the to Mar y, the ied the

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said. “At some point, I walked downstairs in the morning and saw him on the floor outside the bathroom while my mom was in the shower and was completely shocked.� Of cases reported to law enforcement, RAINN states that 34 percent of women are sexually assaulted by someone in their family. Jessica said she felt like she could not trust anyone after being victimized by someone she lived with. “I felt violated. He was supposed to be my family and he betrayed me on such a personal level,� Jessica said. “I was taking a shower the other day and had an anxiety attack. I have not been able to stop thinking about it. It has been three years and he had no consequences [but] I am still suffering.� When Jessica thinks about the incident, she often does not see herself as a victim and feels as though she is exaggerating her experience. “I feel like I am overreacting and being too sensitive. That is one reason why I have never done anything,� Jessica said. “What right do I have to destroy his life? But then again, what right did he have?�

My name is Betty and this is my story After finishing junior high, Betty was expecting the best four years of her life. Instead, those years will be overshadowed by what she considers to be the worst night of her life. “My life will never be the same because of [that night]. I will never get over it, I promise that,� Betty said. “No matter how much therapy I go through and talks I have, it is never going to go away. It is always going to be a part of [me].� Betty’s summer was mostly spent hanging out with friends, having fun and repeating the next day. She did not imagine June 5, 2017, being any different. Then, she woke up to a friend on top of her. Betty was at a close friend’s house when more friends showed up. They were all drinking alcohol when Betty began to not feel well. She went to her friend’s bed and fell asleep. About an hour after lying down, Betty said the incident occurred. “He forced himself on me. He was too big and strong to push him off but I tried and he raped me,� Betty said. “The days after, I felt like I did not mean anything. I was depressed, confused, hurt, lost and scared. I did not leave my house for two weeks straight. I slept and showered all the time. I felt broken and useless. I even tried to take my own life.� A friend of Betty’s was concerned with her behavior at the time and contacted Betty’s mother. Shortly after several family discussions about her behavior, Betty began seeing a therapist. According to RAINN, 13 percent of women who are raped attempt suicide, and each year, approximately 321,500 Americans 12 or older are sexually assaulted or raped. The type of rape Betty says she experienced is

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ationship nt two gan mer boss. he boss’ on Fridays. d go to the oss would with me and friends with me,� Mar y said. “It was ncident that I realized he had been was 16 to ask me to work for him so do things with me.�

essica and this is my story

aduate, said she was sexually harassed

used to slide his phone under the n I got out of the shower. I kept thing by the door move but thought After a couple times, I wrapped my d opened the door and he was in the , where he never was. He said he’d but I was still suspicious,� Jessica

considered acquaintance rape, which happens by someone the victim knows. According to Marshall University Women’s Center, 80 percent of rapes are in this form, making it the most common type of rape. Betty says she interacts with the assailant ever y day at school. “I have to deal with it and act like it does not bother me. He keeps it as secretive as he can,� Betty said. “On the first day of school, I pulled him aside and [asked], ‘Are we ever going to talk about what you did to me?’ He said, ‘No, it doesn’t matter. It’s over and done.’�

My name is Erin and this is my story Erin, another PHS graduate, alleges she was sexually assaulted while on a spring break trip with a group of friends. She said the assailant was someone she had been close to in high school. Ever yone was drinking when Erin’s head began to hurt. She said her friend took her to his room and left her in his bed. Erin woke up to someone on top of her. She had been moved to the roommate’s bed, who was her former high school friend. She woke up with her pants pulled down and he was sexually assaulting her. “I tried to push his head away, but I did not have enough strength. He is a big guy,� Erin said. “He kept saying things to me that sounded along the lines of dirty talk, like I was supposed to like it.� She also endured penetration. She regrets not speaking up about the situation sooner. “I had always told myself [that] if anything ever happened to me, I would share my stor y and report it. But when it ultimately did happen to me, I only told a few people closest to me. I could not even tell my mom who I tell almost ever ything to,� Erin said. “From time to time, I think about it and I just cr y because I am ashamed I never stood up and said anything.� RAINN states that two out of ever y three sexual assaults are never reported to law enforcement. Erin did not report her stor y because of fear of victim blaming because she had been drinking. She decided to step forward to the Booster Redux after the outburst of sexual assault stories online. “With ever ything going on in the media, I have come to realize just how frequent situations like this occur. It happens to so many women that I have realized [there is] no reason to be ashamed anymore,� Erin said. “Now, I am just angr y that this is systematically happening to women all over the world and hardly anyone is doing anything to stop it. Exposure is an important part to seeing a problem and I think sharing stories, even anonymously, will help other people.�

The next step. Mar y, who described being assaulted by her former boss, believes that sexual assault and all aspects concerning it should be talked about. “Sexual assault is a real issue that needs to be discussed. People need to be taught to respect the space of others,� Mar y said. “People need to learn the power of consent in the validity of the word ‘no.’� While this stor y focused on six individual accounts, in the March issue, The Booster Redux will report on what happens in the aftermath of an assault. Though they were anonymous, these young women wanted their stories to be shared. “No matter how small and seemingly harmless an act of sexual assault is, it’s still sexual assault,� Jessica said. “You have to do something about it and not feel ashamed. It’s not the victim’s fault, ever. Do not let anyone hurt you physically or emotionally. You are not alone.�

Number of students sexually harassed by:

99

students have been sexually harassed

31

Stranger

37

Acquaintance Authority

7 39

Friend

78 are female 21 are male

12

Family

33

,

66

Results of reporting:

26

1

1

5

6

Sports

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Photo by | Savannah Jones

Sophomore Coby Fryar competes against an opponent from Glendale High School at a junior varsity tournament in Seneca, Missouri.

Wrestling a new challenge Fryar picks up new sport Words by | Kali Poenitske & Matthew Moore After he removes his prosthetic leg, sophomore Coby Fryar inches onto the wrestling mat. “I go up to the [registration] table, and I take my leg off right there,” Coby said. “Then, I’ll crawl onto the mat and put my left foot up and my right knee down and go from there.” Coby was born with a congenital disorder called Fibular Hemimelia. In some cases, there is partial absence of the fibular bone, also known as the calf bone, but in Coby’s case, it was a complete absence. “His leg was much shorter than the other. [He] had a tiny foot with three toes,” Coby’s mother Delisa Fryar said. “When he was just one [year old], we chose to amputate his foot, leaving just the heel.” After the surgery, Coby was fitted for his prosthetic. “He got his first prosthetic when he was 14 months old and learned to walk on it,” Delisa said. ”It’s all he’s ever known.” Last September, Coby had a second surgery to put staples in the growth plate of his femur in order to straighten his leg. He spent six months recovering. Once he was rehabilitated, family and friends convinced Coby he should try out wrestling.

Sports Briefs

“My last principal, Mr. Bishop, and some family members told me that I’d be good at wrestling and [to] give it a try,” Coby said. Coby’s parents were supportive of his decision to wrestle. “We told him he’d be great at it, because he is strong and very agile on just one foot,” Delisa said. “We also told him to not get discouraged [because] a lot of these kids have been wrestling since they were very young and he was just starting out.” This is Coby’s first year of wrestling. Along with learning a new sport, he also had to learn how to wrestle without the use of his prosthetic. “It’s a challenge for me because I am not standing on both of my feet wrestling,” Coby said. According to Kansas State High School Activities Association, using a prosthetic limb during a wrestling match is not allowed. “I know the [prosthetic leg] becomes a safety issue for Coby and other wrestlers,” activities director Jeff Staley said. “He wrestles without it for the safety of both parties involved.” Coby’s initial competition was a new challenge for his competitor and himself. “My first match was very tiring. Half the time, the guy

going up against me didn’t know what to do so he was backing up away from me,” Coby said. “I didn’t really have much experience because it was only three weeks into practice and the season, so I didn’t really know a lot of moves. After [the match], I was completely exhausted and light-headed, but I’ve gotten a lot better since then.” While Delisa encourages Coby to pursue his goals in wrestling, she is still concerned about potential injuries. “I was super nervous [for his first match], and I still get that way. Wrestling is one sport that is hard for me to watch,” Delisa said. “I knew he’d be fine, but as his mom, I just don’t want to watch him, or anyone, get hurt.” “It’s a hard sport,” Coby said. “You have to drill a lot and get muscle memory. If you lose, it’s on yourself. If you are not in shape, then that’s a really big disadvantage. You have to work hard all the time.” Coby feels he has to compensate by learning slightly modified moves. “The most difficult part is definitely whenever they are on top of me and I can’t bridge with both legs,” Coby said. “That’s pretty hard. There’s just not really a whole

Boys varsity basketball took second place in the Border Classic on Jan 19, where they were beat by Blue Valley Northwest in the championship game. So far, they have a 10-3 record. Junior varsity currently has an undefeated record of 8-0. The freshman team has a winning record of 7-2.

Words by | Violet Norman

Coby Fryar achieves his first home victory on Thursday, Jan. 18 against Prairie View. Photo by | Matthew Moore

lot you can do. You just have to hope that they make a mistake so you can take advantage of that.” Despite these obstacles, Coby continues to persist. “Some people would see it as a disability, but not Coby,” wrestling coach Scott Rieck said. “He does not allow anything to stop him from pursuing what interests him. He is a tough, strong kid with good balance who really enjoys the sport.” As his first wrestling season comes to a close, Coby prepares for next season. “I’m going to wrestle all through high school,” Coby said. “My dad is talking about me going with him to Crossfit every day during the offseason to get more explosive because that’s

Girls varsity basketball is currently 5-9. They placed 6th in the Border Classic on Jan. 19. The junior varsity team has a winning record of 6-4, and the C team has a record of 4-6.

“I really care about the school and I want to make changes to the school in any way through student council or newspaper.”

Twin day

“I love the students, I love my senior class, and I love this world.”

Blake Simons Senior “I’m a very honorable student and I get my work done.”

Joel Kafka Junior “I am heavily involved in a wide range of activities and I am a leader in our school and in the community.”

Z

Z

Tuesday Home is wherever I'm with you

Maggie Francis Junior “I’ve gone to Pittsburg since kindergarten, it’d be an honor to represent classmates I’ve grown up with.”

“I transferred this year and I’ve had a lot of fun getting involved in activities and getting to know a lot of people.”

“I represent the school in a positive way and I respect the students and staff.”

PJ Monsour Senior

Ximena Ibarra Junior

PJ Day

Make yourself at home Z

Photos and Graphic by | Amanda Bourbina & Elle Burgess

Journey Jaramillo Senior

So far, varsity wrestling has competed in 9 tournaments. They recently competed against Prairie View on Jan. 25 and beat them 45-24.

Monday

Basketball homecoming candidates: Why should students vote for you? Maddie Baden Senior

something you really need [for wrestling].” Throughout this season, Coby has received attention. “I’m proud of him,” Staley said. “[Although] he hasn’t been wrestling for very long, we talked about how good he can be in the next three years. He’s enjoying it, and we’re glad he’s doing it.” Delisa is eager to see Coby continue his wrestling career. “Quite a few people [have said] how great it is that he’s wrestling, and they say how good he is for just starting this sport,” Delisa said. “A lot of people are surprised that he is wrestling. I guess they think that since he only has one foot, he can’t do it, but that has never stopped him. He impresses me every day. There’s nothing he can’t do.”

Wednesday Clcolaossr day Find your true colors at home

Jerek Butcher Junior “I’m a nice, respectful classmate who works hard in and out of the classroom.”

Thursday Jersey day

Root for your home team HOME OF THE DRAGONS

TEAM

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Friday PHS Gear There's no place like home

Friday, Feb 2, 2018

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Senior Mattie Helwig, junior Collin Duncan and sophomore Kordon Johns take part in the Women’s March. SEK NOW organized the march for Jan. 20 and hundreds of participants joining in the cause. Photo by |

Fighting like girls

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movement and on the survivors of sexual larger impact to the nation. assault or abuse.� “If it wasn’t for places like Pittsburg, On Jan. 20, hundreds of people attended [#MeToo] wouldn’t have been able to the Women’s March in Pittsburg. The achieve the recognition that it got,� Newby protesters began in front of Russ Hall and said. “The issue only gains momentum if marched to the Pritchett Pavilion where everyone supports and marches.� the rally was held. Senior David Green marched in Schultze is optimistic that the Pittsburg’s Women’s March as well. Green movement will bring believes that awareness about the status sexual abuse to help quo does the victims. not change & ' ! “I hope that [the unless #MeToo movement] people take $ # gives young women action to ( (( ! in any position the improve it. ' strength to speak “If I can $ up,� Schultze said. have the ! ! ) The Women’s opportunity March became an to go do ! ! avenue through something I *) which students, feel is right, including freshman then I want + " to do that,� Audrey Goode, Green said. attended in order to The instigate change and Women’s learn about social March also served as an educational issues. moment for Green because of the “I know that there are cases of sexual stories that were shared from differing abuse within the student body so I’m perspectives and backgrounds. Speakers hoping that the #MeToo movement will included DACA March organizer Cynthia bring awareness to the people involved in Hernandez and LGBT+ activist Julie that,� Goode said. Houston. Houston was accoladed SEK Junior Nathan Newby also attended the NOW’s Wonder Woman Award. march. Newby believes that grassroots “I thought it was really moving,� efforts are important in order to make a

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ast year millions of Americans made history by participating in the Women’s March. This year #MeToo fueled the flames of another Women’s March, but this time Pittsburg hosted one of the many marches. The local Women’s March was put together by the local chapter of the National Organization for Women. One of the coordinators is English teacher Lyn Schultze. “We saw our country taking a turn towards things we completely disagree with, so we decided to do something about it instead of sitting on the sidelines,� Schultze said. This year’s march focused on the issue of sexual violence. In 2017, many victims of sexual abuse came forward through #MeToo. The movement has revealed how pervasive the issue of sexual harassment is, even within Pittsburg. “I can’t even think of anybody I know who hasn’t had to deal with [sexual harassment] at some point in their life in a job situation,� Schultze said. Ashley Caldwell, an ESOL teacher at Meadowlark Elementary School and co-coordinator for SEK NOW, explained the difference between the first Women’s March and last month’s march. “Last year was more for reproductive rights and healthcare in response to the things going on with women in government,� Caldwell said. “This year we really wanted to focus on the #MeToo

Engineering the pathway to regionals

Local Update Activity results

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he For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics team is constructing a robot to get out of an arcade game at the Greater Kansas City Regional March 14-17. Senior Kallie McGuire-Smith hopes to repeat the results of last year’s team. “I was the driver last year,� McGuireSmith said. “It was really exciting.� Another returning member of FIRST Robotics is junior Jakob Cupp. “Last year, I helped write part of the code to drive the robot, and I manufactured and cut out pieces of the polycarbonate and aluminum to make the frame around our ball catcher,� Cupp said. Cupp also designed the gear hopper, which is used to catch polycarbonate gears and deliver them to an airship. In order to attend, the FIRST Team will face several challenges getting to the competition and changes to the competition itself. “Last year, there was 60 teams at the regionals, but this year they are being split up,� Cupp said. This year’s competition will have two categories for novice and experienced teams. Cupp expects about 30 teams in their category. The team is given a video by FIRST and has to adhere to the challenge rules and guidelines. Team sponsor and instructor Andrew Brennon shares the competition regulations. “We are shown a video and given six weeks to build a robot,� Brennon said. “We are given a chassis system to drive it, but the team is given the challenge to build the rest of the robot.� The FIRST Robotics team works together in order to complete the robot in a

Green said. “It really opened my eyes and changed my perspective a lot.� Caldwell emphasized the significance of continuing the activism past the Pritchett Pavilion. “A lot of the speakers at the march talked about getting involved in some way or another,� Caldwell said. “That’s the effect that we hope have on our community.� Some of the events that Caldwell listed included being involved with the local government, organizations and speaking up for the movement. Starting Feb. 1, SEK NOW is organizing the Menstrual Product Drive, also known as the Bloody Good Cause, which is accepting cash donations or feminine products for the people that cannot afford it or do not have access to them. “Those [feminine hygiene products] are often overlooked as a need that women face in certain situations,� Caldwell said. “We are trying to work on that with the Bloody Good Cause Drive.� SEK NOW is accepting donations for USD 250 and Wesley House through the month of February. For more details visit their Facebook page at SEK NOW. Caldwell encourages people to continue their activism after the march. “I hope that we inspire more people to get involved even if its not with SEK Now,� Caldwell said. “I hope people will learn that it’s okay to step up and have your voice heard.�

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Dance The dance team recently traveled to Olathe East High School on Jan. 20, to compete against 20 other schools in their region. They competed with two routines, a hip hop dance, and a jazz dance choreographed by Leah Brazil, McKenna Shaw and Elle Burgess. They were rewarded with a superior distinction, which is the highest rank to receive, and a Judges award. The dance team is lead by Makaihlah Gibbs and Megan Webb. Junior Jakob Cupp makes a prototype for the robot for the FIRST Robotics Competition Photo by |

timely manner. “Everyone on the team contributes,� McGuire-Smith said. “We work together on field elements like driving and simulating the game to complete the robot.� Another challenge the team is overcoming is funding. “We need to buy tools and equipment that we do not have,� said Cupp. “The school is good for that but they have limited resources.� The members of FIRST also took place in fundraising. They reached out to businesses and people with connections to PHS. One of the businesses that donated money was Names and Numbers. The team has the frame of the robot, the electronics and the code designed to drive. The members also have the rack completed, which is used to help the robot climb. “We are working on the vision code

so it can look at the field and recognize everything and act on its own,� Cupp said. “We are working on the crate intake and the vertical movement of those crates.� Once the six weeks of preparation are over, the team will go the Kansas City to compete. “The first day is to practice and work on the field itself with different teams,� Cupp said. “That will make up different alliances or we could work on the practice field, which is the same dimensions but not official.� The first day will also be used to make changes to the robot. The second day the team will be ranked. The team will either be picked or will pick alliances for the third day. The final day is finishing the competition. The team will be eligible for the world competition if they place high enough at regionals. The competition will be in Houston June 2018.

Debate The debate team ended their season with the 5A state debate competition on Jan. 20. Cooper Johnson and Haley Garzone placed 24th; Jordan Akins and Collin Duncan placed 26th. The team record from the season was 442-316 individual wins, and the team won sweepstakes multiple times throughout the season.

Archery Archery recently competed in Carl Junction in 3D and target. In target Tatum VonWinklepleck and Blake Simons scored 268, the highest on the team. Overall the team scored 2990 points. In 3D VonWinklepleck lead the team with 259 points; overall they scored 1337 points.

Scholar’s Bowl Scholar’s Bowl competed in the 5A regionals on Feb. 1. Team members who competed were Connor Balthazor, Devin McAfee, Brent McDowell, Gina Mathew, James Richey, and Patrick Sullivan. Varsity Scholar’s Bowl has placed first in Oswego, Colgan, and Frontenac.

Theater Setting the stage ! & ! " " # "! $ & $ ! S Design by | ( ! $

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eeing her vision come to life, sophomore Kennedy Tomasi put the finishing touches on a grotto. Tomasi was one of the students who spent 65+ hours building and painting the set. “I think the best par t is seeing the finished product,� Tomasi said. “At first it is just an empt y stage, but when it comes together it is amazing because you know that you did all that work for it to turn out this way.� With two decades of experience under his belt, stagecraft teacher Chuck Boyles knows that his students are eager to see the completed product. “I have worked with tech and stage crews for a little over 20 years,� Boyles said. “The thing that makes my students so driven is seeing the final result during the per formance.� Senior Crispin VonWinklepleck began working on stage crew for the fall musical back in 2016. “My best friend talked me into doing stage crew for Addams Family and I got ver y intrigued about how ever y thing was built and what it took to put it all together,� VonWinklepleck said. “We piece together platforms into the shape of a square, rectangle,

triangle, really any shape you can imagine. Then, we build up from scratch to get the shape we want.� Senior Blake Simons has worked on other shows, but this is his first spring musical. “I really enjoy building things and working with my hands,� Simons said. “The friendship that ever yone offers is the best thing about being a par t of stage crew, ever yone is ver y welcoming and friendly.� Boyles designates duties for set building and plans cer tain days for putting the set together. “I assign jobs based on skill level and availabilit y. We work all throughout the school day, evening and weekends until ever y thing is completed.� Boyles said. “We

tr y and have specific times on Tuesdays and Thursdays to have structural repetitive things, like painting and building, but often, times that does not give us f lexibilit y.� Most of the materials used for the show are from previous shows. “A lot of the par ts of the set we do build from scratch, but we also take par ts from shows in the past and refurbish them,� Tomasi said. “We took some old tables from Addams and we are using it for Little Mermaid.� Tomasi is the stage manager for The Little Mermaid. “I am in charge of the whole backstage, all of the moving props, the f ly system, [the rigging system for moving lights and cur tains]� Tomasi said. “It is kind of stressful but I love to do it.� Tomasi said she enjoys tech and plans to continue to work on it to achieve her goal of someday working for the big screen. “I love tech and theatre. I wanted to learn more about it so I could be the best tech person that I could be,� Tomasi said. “I plan on being involved in it through my senior year, because I want to build sets for movies. I think this is a really good way to get ready for that.�

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5 set pieces were created for the show, and the rest of the set will be projected

Several actors will appear on skates

131 costumes and 90 wigs are seen on stage

The Little Mermaid Show Dates All shows at Memorial Auditorium, buy your tickets at www.memorialauditorium.org

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s tears welled up in his eyes, senior P.J. Monsour took what he thought would be his last bow for per forming “Urinetown� at the State Thespian Festival on Jan. 2. But what he did not know was it would not be his final cur tain call. The next morning, theatre director Greg Shaw announced the cast and crew had been selected to per form at the International Thespian Festival (ITF), a first for the drama depar tment in school histor y. “I was ver y excited when I found out,� Monsour said. “It was life-changing. [PHS] has never made it before, so it was insane.� The ITF is a week-long theatre conference from June 25-30 in Lincoln, Neb. at the University of Nebraska. Approximately 7,000 theatre students, teachers and professionals will be in attendance from all across the nation and Canada. “It is a check mark [for me],� Shaw said. “Sometime in my career I wanted to take a show to Internationals. So personally, it is cool that I will get to experience that.� Par ticipants will spend a week attending

workshops and watching student productions, which have also been selected like “Urinetown.� “Urinetown� is one of 11 main stage shows to be per forming. “To be selected, they judge all aspects of a show. It is really nice to get feedback,� Shaw said. “They felt one through 31 per formers were completely invested. They had their own characters and were living in the moment on stage. That is a huge compliment and it is cer tainly what we strive for as a program.� The drama depar tment will have 40 students attending the full conference, as well as 12 band members traveling for the per formance. Making the 300-mile trip to Lincoln with all of the components of the production adds up financially. According to Shaw, the total net of the trip will be around $45,000. “We are going to have to do some fundraising. I have no doubt that we will be able to raise the money. It is just a matter of getting ever y thing organized and being able to do it,� Shaw said. “I would love for those 40 students and band members who have invested in this production be able to attend this without having to pay for it,

that is our goal. With the school’s help and the community’s help, I am hoping we can satisfy that.� “Urinetown� will be per forming in the Kimball Theatre, which seats between 800-900. They will per form a minimum of two shows at the Festival. Junior Hannah Casper is ecstatic to have an audience who all appreciate theatre. “I cannot even imagine what Internationals is going to be like since State was such an amazing experience,� Casper said. “Just the feeling of so many amazing people who really appreciate theatre clapping for us is just awesome.� Before “Urinetown� leaves for Internationals, there will be an encore per formance in June to raise funds for the trip and practice piecing the set together quickly. “I think by achieving [Internationals] we are doing the right things. We are creating ar t at a pretty high level. Professionals in our industr y are telling us we are doing top-notch work,� Shaw said. “By going to Internationals, I think we can consider ourselves one of the top programs in the countr y.�

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