Pittsburg High School's student newspaper, The Booster Redux's January 2014 issue

The Booster Redux

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

Friday, Jan. 31, 2014

@PHSstudentPub

Junior Keaton Wilber won Homecoming King on Jan. 17. He is surrounded by the team he credits for his return to the Pittsburg School District from Southeast. PHOTO BY MIRANDA MOORE

‘He had his team’

Keaton Wilber overcomes his past with loyal soccer teammates by his side

BY JOSH JARVIS @JJarvis52

Everybody wears a mask, but not everybody wears a crown.

The homecoming king and queen are typically the most popular, most involved students in school: quarterback of the football team and the head cheerleader.

However, junior Keaton Wilber, does not fit the typical description.

Keaton succumbed to that cliche by walking out onto the homecoming court not expecting that he would win.

When he walked off, he had the crown in hand.

“The moment I figured out that I had won -- when they announced my name as king -- every single ounce of nerve in my body hit me at once,” Keaton said.

Keaton had his doubts because of his lonely past.

Early in the fall semester of his eighth grade year, Keaton left USD 250.

One day, Keaton’s father had noticed his lack of energy and passion at soccer

practice. His effort directly reflected his wouldn’t say anything about it.”

Keaton had dealt with bullying since hidden feelings. Keaton had hidden the truth the entire time. His parents had late elementary school up until his no idea of the struggles that their son eighth grade year.

A week before her family intervened, had faced.

“The day before my parents decided Keaton’s sister Kylie, a 2013 alum, heard of her brothI was going to er’s bullying ordeal leave [PCMS] and she could not my dad and VERYONE ON THE SOC VER believe it.

I got into the “I was shocked. biggest fight of CER TEAM SAID WELL Then I knew the our lives, yellYOU ALREADY HAVE A kids that we’ve ing at the top all grown up with of our lungs FAMILY HERE SO THE together were not at one point,” SOCCER TEAM WILL HELP treating him right,” Keaton said.

YOU BACK YOU UP AND Kylie said. “Before Keaton had he switched been the vicPROTECT YOU schools he kept tim of bully-JOSH SCHOOLEY EY to himself a lot, ing. and he was kind “I was an easy target,” Keaton said. “I never really of angry. He blew up before he left fought back, I just kind of let it happen. school.”

“I shoved it down. I shoved it away.

I really never went to anybody else for help so it was easy for people to pick on The day when me and my dad got into me and bully me because they knew I a fight it all came out. The next thing I

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knew, I was crying and telling [my parents] about what had happened over the last few months. The last few years, really,” Keaton said. “I had gotten into my last ever bullying experience that day.”

That would be the last time he was ever pushed down, punched, or beaten up.

Keaton’s father had heard enough.

He decided to remove his son from Pittsburg and enrolled him into the Southeast District for a fresh start. Some of Keaton’s churchmates were enrolled at Southeast, which eased the transition.

“I thought it was a good decision. I never had anybody close enough to talk to about what happened,” Keaton said.

Keaton finished his eighth grade and freshman year at Southeast.

Throughout the duration of his time at Southeast, he participated in a traveling soccer team, the SEK Soccer Academy.

As his freshman year drew to a close, the club season came about.

Igniting projects for the future Art students and FSCC welders collaborate with City of Pittsburg

BY REECE BURNS

With sparks flying, senior Logan Fields cleans one of the bike racks by grinding away leftover metal from the welding process. The Fort Scott Community College welding class made the racks for the city to put in the downtown area. The PHS art class is also going to paint the racks before they are put to use. PHOTO BY CALVIN THYER

UPCOMING

SeK Invitational Wrestling @Chanute Feb.

EVENTS 1

Girls and Boys basketball @ Fort Scott Feb.

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@reeceburns14 As senior Logan Fields gears up for another day in his welding class, he leans over with his MIG welder and plasma cutter and begins fabricating different shapes of metals. Many people do not realize that Fields’ and his classmate’s daily routine will benefit their community.

With help from the City of Pittsburg, the collaboration between the Fort Scott Community College (FSCC) welders and artists from Rebecca Lomshek’s Introduction to Art class will be making and painting bike racks to be placed throughout the city.

Lomshek’s artists designed several of the bike racks themselves. From there, the designs were sent to a computerized numerical machine (CNC) machine where the raw metal was cut out. The FSCC welders then received the pieces and began to assemble the bike racks.

“We started the project about two weeks ago,” Fields said. “We’re just about finished with the project, we just have to finish cleaning them up with grinders and by the end of the week we should be finished.”

This project is particularly important for the welders, according to Fields.

“It’s a big project for us because it’s for the city,” Fields said. “If we do

Regional Scholar’s Bowl Feb.

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SEE KEATON WILBER PAGE 2D

KMEA Award Bishop Admin. of the year Page 2D

highlights Page 5D

SEE PROJECTS FOR FUTURE PAGE 2D

Forensics @ St. Mary’s Colgan Feb.

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Girls and boys BAsketball vs. parsons - Senior Night Feb.

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2 NEWS

Friday, Jan 31, 2014

www.boosterredux.com

SECTION D

Supporting role takes center stage Bishop honored with KMEA’s Administrator of the Year award at pep assembly

BY EMILY BADEN

@EmilyBaden s Principal Jon Bishop stood in front of the student body at a recent pep assembly, he applauded their successes. However, he did not realize he was about to be recognized for his own.

On Friday, Jan. 17, Bishop was awarded the Kansas Music Educators Association’s Administrator of the Year. Each year, the Kansas Music Educators Association (KMEA) offers awards to outstanding administrators.

“Thoughts going through my head were ‘this is awesome, this is great, I’m not worthy of it,’” Bishop said. “I don’t like a lot of attention, some people might think I do because I do go out and sing the school’s song; I have a lot of school spirit. I don’t like a whole lot of isolated attention, but I am very appreciative of the award.”

Susan Laushman and Cooper Neil, both educators for the fine arts, nominated Bishop for the award. Laushman was also awarded 2012 KMEA Teacher of the Year.

“Mrs. Laushman told us the week before that there was going

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to be a surprise, but she couldn’t tell us what it was going to be,” senior Lauren Sullivan said.

“Then, like an hour before [the assembly] she told us what award Mr. Bishop was going to get. It was really neat standing on the court behind Mr. Bishop knowing what was going to happen.”

Both students and staff that are involved in the fine arts feel immensely supported by Bishop.

“I just think Bishop is a champ,” Laushman said. “I feel so supported by him. As a teacher, that’s huge. It is just like your boss creating a really good work environment. He sets a good model for us teachers to then create a nice atmosphere in the classroom.”

According to Laushman, last spring she knew she wanted to nominate Bishop, so she began to put together a portfolio of Bishop.

It included everything about his resume and education. She also accumulated ten letters of recommendation from parents, teachers and other colleagues.

“Anyone who goes above and beyond like Mr. Bishop does for the arts, I think, is very deserving of recognition,” Neil said.

“Especially today, the arts are getting less and less attention sometimes. I think anyone who

is supportive of what we do is just extremely deserving.”

The portfolio also contained photos that showcased Bishop’s involvement in the school. This included his stage role in the musical Footloose in 2010, his participation in the Multigenerational Choir concerts, leading the fight song at every pep assembly and showing off his ability to play guitar in school events.

“I was ecstatic [about Bishop’s award] because Mr. Bishop is a really good singer and awesome,” sophomore Jack Warring said. “I like how Bishop plays the guitar, because I do too. He relates to the music kids a lot.”

At the pep assembly Bishop only received a certificate, he will receive the actual award, which is a plaque, at the KMEA convention Feb. 28 - Mar. 1.

“I appreciate being invited to do those things because I do appreciate what those kids do,” Bishop said. “We have probably one of the best fine arts programs in the state of Kansas. I make it my job to support them [so they can] grow and get better at what they do. It was a very humbling and awesome experience. Just hearing the kid response to the award was very gratifying.”

Keaton Wilber: ‘He had his team’ FROM PAGE 1D It was a typical summer day for the PHS soccer team when Keaton showed up to stay in shape.

He was instantly welcomed back by sophomores Shelbi Heikes, Lukas McConnell and senior Josh Schooley “He was having a ton of fun at soccer practice. He fit in with everyone, he was nice to everyone there,” Schooley said.

“When we started to hang out more and became stronger friends he told me he was bullied and that’s why he moved.

I had no idea why anyone would bully him.”

“I quickly made friends who were on the Pittsburg team,” Keaton said. “The next thing I knew I had 20 people trying to convince me to come back.”

The soccer players opposed Keaton’s doubts. They reassured him they would back him up and protect him if he were bullied again.

The players weren’t the only people who wanted Keaton to come back.

He himself considered a return to the Pittsburg District.

Keaton gradually convinced his parents to allow him to return.

“I decided that soccer was more important to me than the chance of being bullied again,” Keaton said. “[You have to] find that one thing that can separate you and make you stronger as an individual. Like soccer made me stronger.”

After he spent more than a year in the Southeast District, Keaton returned to Pittsburg for his sophomore year. He took a chance, but was ready to face the possible repercussions.

“A lot of people really didn’t even

realize I had left, which at first was kind of disappointing,” Keaton said. “Some of the friends I hadn’t talked to for years I had classes with my sophomore year.

We were talking again as if we were good friends, even better than what I had thought of before.”

Upon his return Keaton never again had a problem with bullying.

“When he came back, no one messed with him,” Schooley said.

Keaton had needed time.

As time passed, the soccer team was not the only group that supported Keaton. He eventually joined encore and FCCLA; each contributed to Keaton’s social growth. He was selected by his peers to be one of four boys on the homecoming court.

“It took several minutes for it all to settle in, but once I realized I had won [king], I understood that people really did like me at this school.”

Time had changed Keaton. Bullying had changed Keaton. It gave him a new outlook on who he had become.

“Kids change a lot from middle school going into high school, it’s a big difference,” Heikes said. “I think it helped him a lot to just get away from it a little bit.”

But then again, Keaton doesn’t have a typical story.

“I think leaving was the right thing for him to do. I think because it made him realize that there are actually people who want to hang out with him and be with him,” Heikes said. “Sometimes, I think people just need a breath of fresh air and something new to realize that they want the old back.”

Projects for the future: art and welding collobrate FROM PAGE 1D a good job we can get more projects similar to it from the city, possibly.”

Lomshek and other art teachers from area schools were approached by the Pittsburg Department of Parks and Recreation (PDPR).

PDPR did not just want ordinary bike racks though.

“They wanted the bike racks to symbolize the businesses they would be placed by downtown,”

Lomshek said.

Lomshek’s students developed several designs that PDPR chose to put into production. Freshman Sandy Li had two of her personal designs chosen.

Her designs consists of larger bike racks that are uniquely shaped and covered in quotes.

“It was a fun project,” Li said. “We used different utensils to make [the design] more interesting.

It will be pretty nice when they are finished.”

Beaming a smile to the crowd, Principal Jon Bishop shows off his new award. Bishop was surprised with the Kansas Music Educators Association’s Administrator of the Year award and a standing ovation from the student body and faculty at the afternoon pep rally. PHOTO BY ABBY HARRIS

A multitude of achievements Thespians bring home more than awards at annual Kansas State Thespian Conference

BY ALLI BADEN

@Allibaden Thespians from across the state gathered for the 2014 Kansas State Thespian Conference on Jan. 8, 9, and 10. For seven years, thespian troupe leader Greg Shaw has taken an average of 45 students to the conference. This year he kept the tradition going. Shaw and 35 thespians traveled to Wichita to train, learn, and compete with 1200 other thespians.

“There are two aspects to [conference]. We compete in lots of different activities and events and there are also 100 workshops that the students get to pick to attend,” Shaw said. “They can go to six sessions and do whatever it is they are into.”

Some of the sessions included lighting and sound, stage management, costume designing, partner dancing, and improvisation classes. Freshman Morgan Grotheer felt like these workshops taught her a lot of new things that she could apply to future shows she will be in.

“I really liked the different variety of -MORGAN activities that we could do to learn from,” Grotheer said. “They will all help, especially the improv.”

For the competition aspect of the conference, the thespian troupe entered the lobby display contest and received first place. The display had to tie into the theme of the conference; A Thespian Charade: Magic of the Masquerade. Over the Christmas Break, 12 students put in over 30 hours of work into the display which had everything from a digital picture frame to miniature cutouts of club officers.

The display featured all the shows and activities the drama club participated in throughout the year.

“We tried to be as creative as we could to incorporate all those things,” Shaw said. “There were a lot of hours put into it, it was like building a big model.”

13 Reasons Why, the fall play, as well as seven other plays across the state qualified to perform their show in front

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of the whole conference. However, only four shows could be chosen to perform.

“Unfortunately we weren’t chosen,” Shaw said. “It is still nice to know that we were one of the top 8 shows in the state.”

Grotheer also believes it was a huge honor that the show was a finalist.

“It is pretty amazing as a freshman to think that the play I was in was in the top 8,” Grotheer said.

Independently, students were able to sign up for Individual Events(IEs) to perform in front of judges. IE’s could range anywhere from singing or acting, to costume designing. After they performed, the judges ranked students terrible, good, excellent, or superior. “[Competing] is something we don’t get to do very often,” Shaw said. “It is basically like forensics where you compete your piece and you get judged and feedback on what they liked or they didn’t like or what might have been more effective and you can also qualify for nationals.”

Seniors also had GROTHEER THEER HEER the chance to audition in front of colleges in hopes to earn scholarships. Senior Cole Hamblin took advantage of these auditions and was more than pleased with the outcome. Hamblin sang and talked about his role in tech theatre to colleges. After he sang, he received 19 callbacks from colleges saying they were interested in him. Four more callbacks followed after he gave his tech theatre presentation.

“I was really overwhelmed because I was afraid I wasn’t going to get very many,” Hamblin said. “It made me feel really good about myself.”

Overall, Shaw hoped that students just got a positive experience from everything at the conference.

“Competition is fun, it keeps us honest and keeps pushing us and letting us work harder,” Shaw said. “The main thing is I hope they investigate, we can’t do everything here, it is an opportunity to go and experience something different.”

IT IS PRETTY AMAZING AS AMA A FRESHMAN TO THINK THAT THE PLAY I WAS IN WAS IN THE TOP P 8.

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SECTION D www.boosterredux.com

OPINION

Friday, Jan. 31, 2014

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Booster Redux staff and policy Editors-in-Chief Emily Baden Reece Burns Bethanne Elliott Parker Matthews Katie Phalen Online Editor Evan Rajotte Art Editor Alivia Benedict Staff Alli Baden Shelby Bicknell Katy Brown Kylynn Collins Molly Graham Josh Jarvis Josh Lee Miranda Moore Megan Munger Morgan Plank Reagan Rink Rachyl Russian Erica Seal Caden Yantis Cooper Wade Ivan Walter Adviser Emily Smith The Booster Redux Pittsburg High School Student Publications 1978 E. 4th St. Pittsburg, KS 66762 PHS Student Publications Department and newspaper class produce The Booster Redux.

Please call us with comments at 620235-3200. The Booster Redux’s purpose is to inform, educate, enlighten and entertain readers fairly and accurately in an open forum.

Opinions expressed in editorials or opinion columns do not necessarily reflect views of all members on the Booster staff. Digital photos have not been altered to manipulate reality.

Photo illustrations are labeled to reflect any technical alternations.

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

A student or faculty member death during the coverage period will be covered with a short obituary.

The Booster Redux is a member of Journalism Education Association, National Scholastic Press Association, Kansas Scholastic Press and International Quill and Scroll. The Booster Redux encourages letters from students, teachers and community members under 300 words and signed with a valid signature only.

The Booster Redux reserves the right to edit contributions if they are libelous, obscene and for length. Any grammatical errors at the fault of the writer will be printed. Corrections of errors printed at the fault of the Booster staff will appear in the appropriate section of the next issue.

Westboro church exploits First Amendment rights Church association pickets the funerals of fallen soldiers

BY KATY BROWN @KatyLady22 aking the place of God is a big role to assume. Though it is not their place to decide who is unsuitable for Heaven, the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) has made it their job.

The church pickets funerals, concerts, and other events they deem unrighteous. Homosexuals, people in interracial marriages, veterans and celebrities are all victims of these protests.

When Matthew Shepard was murdered because of his sexuality, the church picketed his funeral.

Because they didn’t agree with his sexuality, they picketed his funeral with signs bearing homophobic slogans.

Their base is in Topeka, which makes this topic even more relevant.

The children of this church are at these picketings from such a young

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age that they do not know any different and think this is normal.

They are taught that homosexuals will go to hell. They hold signs that say things such as ‘God hates fags’.

Most would not know what a ‘fag’ is if you asked.

The people that leave this church are often shunned and are not spoken to ever again. Lauren Drain was kicked out of the WBC at the age of 23, for questioning the church.

“It ended up being this really judgemental group that condemned people before they even know them, and have this leadist mentality that they’re the only ones going to heaven.”

If they were protesting Congress against gay marriage, that would be entirely different. They aren’t targeting what they think is wrong.

They are targeting who they think are wrong. Perhaps if they took their protests to Congress they would be taken more seriously. They target

School groups harbor victims of bullying Clubs, extracurricular activities available to students STAFF EDITORIAL @PHSstudentpub

The high school and school district overall follows a no-tolerance policy when it comes to bullying. Students should feel safe and secure when they come to school each day, never afraid or threatened.

However, bullying still continues to remain a problem. But this is not just an issue in our schools.

people who are different, people with morals that contrast their own.

Bullying is not the most effective way of getting their point across and spreading the message. Freedom of speech is a right, but privacy is too.

Though they are exercising their right to free speech, they are violating others rights too. Everyone’s funeral is their own and their life should be respected whether or not you agree with their choices or not.

Everyone in America has the right to free speech, but funerals are not for protests. Funerals are a time for the family to mourn. These protests are done in an attempt to make a point, when the only point they are making is that they are hateful.

They picket the funerals of fallen soldiers, when in reality these men and women died protecting the very freedom they are practicing.

The First Amendment is an important protection guaranteed by the constitution, but the WBC

Bullying of all kinds can be found in school districts across the nation.

According to 2010 survey from bullyingstatistics.org, about 2.7 million students in American are bullied each year by about 2.1 million bullies.

Clearly this problem is not just isolated in our school district. Bullies exist everywhere, even after graduation. The real world is full of secret bullies, whether they be in the workplace or a member of the community.

Bullying is a tricky thing to prevent. Each case starts differently, and therefore should be handled differently. Usually it has more to do with the students involved, rather than the school district and how they handle it. In junior Keaton Wilber’s case (see page 1D), he left Pittsburg due to bullying problems. However, some students have come to USD 250 for the same reason that Wilber moved to Southeast. In our December issue, we told the story of a girl who was bullied through rumors that

Dare to be bold

is making an embarrassment out of it. They should use it in a way that educates people about their religion. The WBC should be using their rights to promote their religion but not for shaming and bullying people and especially not for protesting funerals. This is a great example of how people exploit the First Amendment in a way that makes America look bad.

It should be noted that many laws have been passed so that you cannot picket a funeral within 500 feet. In my opinion there should be a law against picketing a funeral at all.

Human decency is a big part of this topic. They may have the right to do this, but it isn’t necessary. They allow children to hold obscene signs. These things are legal but decent human beings wouldn’t dream of taking part in them. Which goes to say that these people aren’t decent.

ultimately caused her to transfer to Pittsburg. She found refuge among the halls of the high school.

In general, there are mean people out there.

Bullying will always be a part of life, whether that be in a school setting, work setting or even among your circle of friends. Victims of bullying should not get comfortable with being the target. No one deserves to live like that. Our staff stresses the importance of finding a group of people who respect one another’s feelings.

Students who feel like they are the victims of bullying should know that they are not alone. Millions of people are in the exact same situation. If you feel like you’re one of these people, don’t be afraid to seek help. The district’s no-tolerance policy when it comes to bullying is something that they take seriously. Keeping your feelings and problems to yourself won’t solve anything, but a teacher, administrator or staff member might be able to. They want to help, but they won’t know unless you speak up.

As prom approaches, girls should take initiative

BY KATIE PHALEN @KPhalen5 After another long day of school and basketball practice, I walked out the front doors and headed towards the parking lot. I waved goodbye to one of my friends, but instead of returning the gesture she pointed to my pickup truck. I turned my attention to my vehicle and noticed something was way out of the ordinary. Parking tickets covered both windows, and taped down in the bed of the truck was a large piece of cardboard with a single-worded question spelled out in even more parking tickets: “Prom?”

As wonderful and perfect as this was, in all honesty I never expected anything like this to happen to me.

As prom season approaches every year, high expectations began building up in everyone’s mind. Prom is expected to be the best night of your life. A lot of girls sit around, dreaming about the moment when their Prince Charming will ask them to the dance in a sweet and well-thought out way.

And in movies, prom night is always the grand finale when the heroine gets the guy and the mean girl rips her dress and doesn’t get voted prom queen, right?

In reality, finding a prom date can be pretty darn awkward. You have to time it

right. If you find a date way too early, you run the risk of going to prom with someone you haven’t talked to in months.

If you wait till the last minute, you will more than likely be taking an underclassman you barely even know. January and February are the ideal months to find someone, and they key is not being afraid to ask. Almost everyone wants to go to prom, so you might as well ask. After all, you’ll never know if you never ask.

In the past, I have been the one to ask my date to prom, and I’m really happy that I did. Just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean that I’m supposed to wait for a guy to ask me. It’s made prom a lot less stressful for me than it gets for other girls, and I’ve gotten a chance to go with two of my best friends. So if you’re a girl and you want to go with someone, just ask them.

It’s 2014, not 1954. It’s not weird to ask him, I promise.

Another misconception about prom is the term “prom date”. Technically, yes, it is kind of a date. But there is nothing wrong with going with someone as friends. In fact, I recommend it. If you try to take someone as a date it could be awkward, and you’ll feel obligated to spend the entire night with them.

Going with a friend will be more relaxed, you can go hang out with your other friends, and dance with other people. It shouldn’t be a stressful event; it’s supposed to be fun.

4 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Friday, Jan. 31, 2014

Powerful war movie seals the deal From the hills of Afghanistan to the silver screen, Wahlberg’s new war movie stuns audience

BY CADEN YANTIS @CJYantis95 Live to tell the story. On June 28, 2005, four members of a Navy Seal Recon Team were tasked with “Operation Red Wings” which consisted of the capture/death of the infamous Taliban leader Ahmad Shahd during the ongoing war in Afghanistan. The critical mission went wrong and the four Seal members were forced to make a stand against the Taliban. This true story was adapted into a movie now known as Lone Survivor (LS), and it was released on Jan. 10th.

Starring Mark Wahlberg and co-starring Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch and Ben Foster; all who portray the Navy SEAL team, this war drama is a movie that you do not want to miss. Written by Marcus Luttrell, the lone survivor of the SEAL team, the movie depicts the true acts of courage of the recon team and everything that had occurred over the course of the mission-gone-wrong. There are a few minor differences between the book and movie, as the movie altered events that had happened and gave fictional statements. However, no matter the differences, the movie has been praised as one of the most realistic war movies ever made.

At the beginning of the movie, LS introduces you to each character one by one and shows their typical day of being a Navy SEAL. As the movie progresses, the SEAL team find themselves being sent on a recon mission to track Shahd which takes an unexpected turn and they are quickly thrust into a showdown with the Taliban. As time runs out and the Taliban become more ruthless

with each second, the Navy SEAL’s realize they have to attempt to call for extraction, no matter the cost.

From start to finish, LS reeled me in as each second of the movie passed. The movie was filled with nail biting tension as the Taliban relentlessly pursued the Navy SEAL’s. What affected me most when watch ing was the brutality of the movie as it was very realistic and it made you feel as if you were in each of the characters’ positions.

Surprisingly enough after the last scene, the end credits of the movie consist of a slideshow of pictures of all the Navy SEAL’s that had died over the course of “Operation Red Wings”. The audience in the theatre was dead silent for minutes as the pictures and names of those involved passed before our eyes.

The entire cast’s performances were quite powerful and helped bring a lot of drama to the movie.

Wahlberg, who portrayed Luttrell, was the perfect fit for the role and I could not see anyone else doing better. Surprisingly enough, the cast members who portrayed the deceased SEAL Team members, were aided by the SEAL’s families so that each actor could accurately portray the real life person.

Nevertheless, LS was awarded a 7.9 rating on Internet Movie DataBase (IMDB) and a 74 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. I highly recommend LS to fans of action movies as it will keep you on the edge of suspense and also leave you speechless in the end.

COURTESTY PHOTO BY FOX NETWORK

Enlisted lights up TV screen From the hills of Afghanistan to the silver screen, Wahlberg’s new war movie stuns audience

BY EVAN RAJOTTE @ERajotte7 Enlisted is a new TV show that revolves around a war soldier who is deported because he punched his superior officer. Geoff, the deported soldier, is sent to Rear Detachment (RD) along with his two brothers Derrick and Randy. This show came out Jan. 10. It revolves around the lives of the three brothers and their time in Rear D.

Geoff is the oldest of the three brothers. The middle brother is Randy, and the youngest is Derrick. The three brothers attempt to follow in their father’s f o o t steps -an ideal soldier who was killed in action.

Geoff is the only one of the three brothers who has seen military action. Since he is the only one who has been in battle, he

was placed in charge of a group in Rear D. It just so happens, he is placed in the same group that his brothers are in.

Randy seems like h e does n o t want to be in the army and is more of the “Negative Nancy” or “Debbie Downer” of the group, which balances out Derrick -- the pansy of the group. His judge-

Enlisted

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ment is always clouded, because he lets his emotions show all the time (a funny aspect of the hardcore show).

It does not sound all that good, but it did make me laugh a few times here and there. It is not a show that I would anticipate every Friday, but if I was caught scrolling through the TV guide with nothing else to watch, and I saw it, I would be sure to tune in and watch.

My Own Lane crashes into Billboard #1 Newly discovered rapper, Kid Ink delivers breakthrough album PARKER MATTHEWS @pspongebob In the past few months, two prestigious rappers have dubbed themselves God in one way or another. Eminem proclaimed his skills to be worthy of praise with the release of his single “Rap God.” And Kid Ink followed up the hiphop revolutionist with his song “More Than a King.” Both rappers released their respective albums along with the songs; “The Marshall Mathers LP 2”, and “My Own Lane” (MOL).

Kid Ink started off the new year with the release of MOL on Jan. 7. The first track on MOL, “Hello World” starts the track off with a cheery attitude, but it maintains the unique, fresh beat Kid Ink’s producers are able to lay down. “The Movement” has a similar cheerful feel, yet the fast pace, game time beat makes the song a prime pump-up jam.

As he always does, Kid Ink manages to lay down tracks of all different vibes; from relaxing, to bass-bumpers, MOL varies the feel each song. Two of the four singles, “Show Me” and “No Miracles”, are great songs to chill to; the latter has a similar feel to Kid Ink’s hit “Hell & Back”. Three more songs -- “We Just Came to Party”, “Tattoo of My Name” and “I Don’t Care” -- add a relaxing vibe to MOL. Overall, the five chill songs on MOL exhibit Kid Ink’s ability to be a lyricist.

Considered to be gangster rap, “Iz U Down”,

“Rollin’”, “No Option” and “Murda” focus on the beat and exploit Kid Ink’s ability to carry a flow. The aim of these songs is primarily for parties or any other get-together where the DJ can throw down a sick beat.

While several rappers, or performers in general, have begun utilizing outside songwriters, Kid Ink remains true and writes his own music.

Albeit, his lyricism is not as emotionally deep as Eminem, Kid Ink utilizes his history similar to Eminem. Rather than focus on the past, however, Kid Ink typically raps about the present, and his accomplishments and hard work; in the studio, and, less gentlemanly, with women.

Over the past year, I have grown to appreciate Kid Ink’s work, early and new. Though this is only his second studio album released since his debut in 2010 (with the release of his mixtape “World Tour”), he has released several Extended Plays (EP) and mixtapes. I can honestly say, MOL is my favorite record, this includes albums, EP’s and mixtapes, Kid Ink has released. The assortment of songs, each with its own unique feel and vibe, leaves me begging Kid had released a 20-song album. My favorite songs, though it is hard to limit the list to four, are “Tattoo of My Name”, “Show Me”, “Rollin’” and “More Than a King”, in no respective order. These four songs alone make my decision to buy MOL more than worth the money.

My Own Lane

««««« ««««

COURTESTY PHOTO BY WIKIMEDIA

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FOCUS

Friday, Jan, 31 2014

Moore than a competition, Uttley a friendship

5

Debate unites a partnership, results in National Qualifying round

BY MEGAN MUNGER @DragonsTwirler

After five months of competitions all around the region, the debate team concluded their season at the state debate tournament Jan. 17-18. However, for two debaters, their season has been extended.

The Debate National Qualifier tournament was held on Dec. 13-14 in Coffeyville. It was there that juniors Miranda Moore and Haley Uttley qualified for nationals. The tournament will be held June 15-20 in Kansas City.

“They were my first all-girl team to have ever done this well,” debate coach Julie Laflen said. “I was very proud of them.

They have improved so much.

I think it was a great payoff for them, and they deserved every bit of it.”

Although they were undefeated in the national qualifying tournament, going to

Faces:

nationals was not a given thing for Moore and Uttley.

“We were placed in the same situation that we were the year before, where we had the last two undefeated teams,” Laflen said. “According to the tournament, they should have had to debate each other and the winner of that would have went to nationals but, we do not debate each other.”

It was Laflen’s ultimate choice as to who would advance to the national level.

“Laflen had a decision to make, and we all had agreed the night before that Haley and I would take the win because our record throughout the season was better,” Moore said. “[Haley and I] were very appreciative of that sacrifice from Emily and Reagan. That means a lot to us and that allowed us to be qualified for nationals.”

Uttley and Moore have been debating as a team for three years and this season they have placed first at four tournaments.

“When we found out we qualified, Laflen pulled us into a room at the school and everyone was in there when she told us,” Uttley said. “Everyone was really happy for us. We had worked hard all season, so it really paid off the moment that we [found out] that we [had] made it.”

In preparation for the national tournament, Moore and Uttley will be attending an out of state debate tournament.

They will also have practice rounds every two weeks up until the tournament, and will be keeping up to date on the news and politics.

While Moore and Uttley’s are still debating, the rest of the team finished the season with a winning record.

The debaters attended the state tournament with three 2-speak teams and one 4-speak team. Juniors Reagan Rink, Emily Wood, Jaden Patterson and Trysten Lewis, along with sophomore Josh Lee and

freshman Zach Uttley made up the three two-speak teams.

Moore, Uttley, and fellow juniors Ethan Hawn and Joseph Matthew made up the fourspeak team. The four-speak team ended with a record of 10-6, tying for third place with another school.

B a s e d on the individual judge votes, however, they placed fourth, losing a trophy by only three ballots.

The team as a whole did not place in the sweepstakes, but Laflen is still proud of their accomplishments.

“It kind of stinks to have it right there and not be able to bring home a trophy but, we’ll get them next year,” Laflen said. “I had all juniors, one sophomore, and a freshman so, if they did this well this year, I can only imagine what will happen next year.”

Students ride into parkour, horseback riding, cheer

Bayli Bybee

BY RACHYL RUSSIAN @rachylrussian

Riding horseback is not only her passion, but her love. Junior Bayli Bybee has been riding horses since she was three years old. Horses bring her a sense of peace in herself and an escape from reality.

“I’ve had more good times horseback riding or being around horses and that’s what outweighs the dangers of injury.

That’s what makes me keep riding,” Bybee said.

Bybee has had three major injuries involving horses, She has been thrown off, kicked three times and has been drugged

Erik Lindsey

BY COOPER WADE @cooperawade

After a deep breath, junior Erik Lindsey runs up the side of a building. Everyday after school Lindsey heads to the mall and practices running sideways up the buildings since they fit parkour requirements best. Parkour is running or jumping over objects in an urban setting while moving as quickly as possible, according to Dictionary.com.

“I just do it because it’s fun… [My friend] got me started when I was six,” Lindsey said.

Instead of spending his Friday nights watching movies, hanging with friends or playing games, Lindsey is jumping over obstacles and climbing buildings. Lindsey started about ten years ago with his friend Jacob Forsythe, who trains at a Joplin

Rules of the Road Minor in possession/consumption Any person less than 18 years of age that is convicted of this statute will become a juvenile offender.

On the first offense: The fine will not be less than $200 or more than $500. The court may order the offender to do either: A) Perform 40 hours of public service B) Attend and complete an alcohol education program Upon the first conviction, the violator will be suspended 30 days with or without having a driver’s license.

Did you know?

40% of all fatal accidents involve alcohol (Console and Hollawell Law Firms)

*Info compiled by Kansas Highway Patrol

while holding onto a rope.

“I got kicked underneath my chin, in the chest, and in my leg,” Bybee said. “It cut open the bottom of my chin and bruised my thigh and my chest. It [also] dislocated my jaw a little bit.”

She tried to ride at least once a week but since she was thrown off last April, as well as contracting mono, she hasn’t been able to get back into it.

However learning from her mother, Bybee plans to keep the tradition going.

She has goals to keep riding for the rest of her life and hopes to someday teach her children.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS

BY ASHLEE BEITZINGER AND REAGAN RINK

gym. Lindsey’s goal for the future is to be able to climb buildings effortlessly.

“Definitely stretch, if you don’t stretch you’ll pull something,” Lindsey said.

Even though there are many chances of injury or failure, Lindsey has stated he never once thought about giving up, and looks forward to the adrenaline rushes parkour produces. Lindsey, plans to better his parkour skills with friends in the future, while having fun.

Katie Richey

BY SHELBY BICKNELL @shelbbick

Breaking bones and tearing muscles is all worth it to junior Katie Richey. A transfer from St. Marys this semester, Richey cheers at The Cheer Pitt. This is her fifth year in competitive cheer, as well as setting her fifth new years resolution to improve her skills.

“I want to do better in tumbling,” Richey said. “I would like to improve my round off double-backhandspring tuck and standing tumbling in general.”

Richey travels across the four states for cheer competitions to places like Tulsa, Branson, and Kansas City.

“I love cheer because it’s such an intense sport. You train like you are in the NFL, it’s crazy,” Richey said. “I’m not a very competitive person, but I sure get really competitive with cheer. All you want is the best for you and your team. When you see something and realize you can do that. It’s all you can think about doing until you nail it perfectly.”

Being that competitive cheer goes from ages four to 18, Richey will be done sooner than she would like.

“It makes me so sad to think that next year is my last year because I’ll be losing something I can’t picture my life without! But I’m so thankful for the time I’ve had in the competitive cheerleading world. And I can’t wait to see what’s in the future,” Richey said.

Clubs rock the outdoors, instruments Guitar, outdoor club unite students with varying interests

BY EMILY BADEN AND ERICA SEAL @EmilyBaden

@SealGirl0603

All guitar players or students that would like to learn how to play guitar can now jam out at the high school. Social science teacher Jason Susnik, who has played guitar since he was 15 years old, has started a guitar club. Students have the opportunity to either learn the basics of guitar or improve their skills.

“I would recommend the club to anyone who likes guitars or wants to play,” sophomore Autumn Thoennes said.

The club meets once a week for an hour and a half after school. However, Susnik hopes to eventually hold meetings twice a week. The students all help each other with learning new skills or what they are ready to learn next.

“Kids that already do know how to play can jam with each other but they can also help the other kids, so it all works out pretty well,” Susnik said.

There are 13 to 15 members in this club so far, some members have their own guitars but the club provides guitars for members who do not.

“I’m really looking forward to the club growing as well as my musical abilities,” Thoennes said.

Thoennes knew a few chords and played a little before joining but the club has helped her come even further with her skills.

“It’s just a great atmosphere and all really great people,” Thoennes said.

However, for those who aren’t interested in expanding their musical horizons, the high school is also offering a new outdoor club. Teacher and wrestling coach Scott Rieck has initiated the club.

“This is a new experience for me, so it’ll be fun going out and sharing my knowledge with them,” Rieck said. “Just watching them grow and learning [new] stuff, like the archery unit, I think, will be a lot of fun.”

The outdoor club will begin by learning first aid training in February, by Lisa Schwob, school nurse .

Once they have gone through training, the students involved in the club will be able to participate in the multiple actives Rieck has planned. This includes learning archery for hunting season, going on hikes, float trips, fishing and learning about different plants and animal tracks.

The club received a $2,000 grant to help pay for equipment to partake in these outdoor experiences.

“I wanted to join the outdoor club because I think it’s fun to be able to go outdoors and be able to do things like hunting and fishing,” freshman Jake Webb said. “[My favorite part] will be being able to go shoot my bow and work on stuff with my buddies.”

Rieck also hopes to do stewardship activities, where they would order trees from the Kansas Forestry Department and plant trees around the high school.

“If [students] have an interest at all in the outdoors, come try it out,” Rieck said. “Yeah we are having a hunter safety course, but that doesn’t mean you are required to go to the hunters safety. If you’re not into hunting animals or if you’re a vegetarian and if that kind of thing turns you off, you are not required to do any of those things. I’m going to allow them to pick. If there are certain things they want to do, I’m okay with that.”

6 Feature

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Kinect is the next generation of surveillance National Security Agency unmasked by former agent Edward Snowden

BY JOSH LEE @IAmTheJoshLee

America is called “Land of the Free”, but its people think that the country may be headed for oppression due to the recent discoveries about the government’s surveillance methods. When Edward Snowden, former agent of the National Security Agency (NSA), leaked to the entire world about how the U.S. government watches its citizens, people had many different opinions about the subject.

According to the Huffington Post, since 2007, the U.S. government has scanned texts, tapped phone calls, read emails and looked into internet history. In its defense, the government claims certain algorithms are used to determine who needs to be watched.

In Snowden’s formal statement which was a worldwide leak, he explained the NSA has claimed the right to watch any person with a connection to someone “associated with a foreign power or foreign territory.”

“I don’t want to live in a world where everything that I say, everything I do, everyone I talk to, every expression of creativity or love or friendship is recorded,” Snowden said. “And that’s not something I’m willing to support, it’s not something I’m willing to build and it’s not something I’m willing to live under.”

Senior Gavin Wood feels that

the government’s actions are perfectly fine.

“However, I don’t think that what they’re doing is constitutional, because it is directly violating our right to privacy.”

Wood said.

Media Specialist Cheryl Larson agrees with Wood.

Larson often explains to students that nothing they do on the internet is ever completely secret.

“Even though I’m fairly aware of [the NSA taps], I was surprised at the level of surveillance with the NSA,” Larson said. “In a way, you’d have to argue that the government can’t have it both ways.

That they can’t have absolute secrecy about what they’re doing and yet expect to know every single thing about the lives of Americans, whether they’re under surveillance or not.”

Others, like sophomore Sebastian Johns, feel as if the government has not crossed the line.

“We have to remember that the NSA wouldn’t tap into anyone’s personal data unless they’ve done something horribly wrong,” Johns said.

Like Johns, technology teacher Larry Dunekack feels that citizens need not concern themselves too much with the issue.

“I think when this all plays out, and the public is then aware of the whole process,

Seminary:

the government agency is in check because we are all aware,” Dunekack said. “Then I think that it’s all going to be good, and that’s the way it should work.”

However, the government may have taken another step into citizens’ private lives. With the release of Microsoft’s new Xbox One and its Kinect system, skeptics are concerned there may be an issue to worry about.

According to Forbes, the new Kinect system is able to read facial expressions and even monitor peoples’ heartbeats.

In addition, the new console

may be able to access emails, photos, other stored data and anything else that is accessed online via the console.

“I don’t think it’s right that they would have to spy on us, because people have the right to have their personal lives to themselves,” Blansett said.

However, Blansett does not think the issue is much of a threat. When asked whether the Kinect system would be much of a threat, Blansett indicated otherwise.

“For some people, yes [it’s a threat], but I would probably leave mine on,” Blansett said.

Early bird learns the word, of God, Morman faith starts in the morning

BY KATIE PHALEN @kphalen5

It is still dark outside when the alarm goes off. The clock reads 5:30 a.m. Although school does not start for another two hours, senior Erin Simons is already beginning her typical weekday.

She gets dressed, grabs her backpack, and hops into her car. Turning out of her neighborhood, she drives past the high school. She is not headed there to get an early jump start on the day’s assignments. Simons is headed to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) for seminary.

Every weekday morning, eight Mormon students enrolled at the high school get themselves out of bed early in the morning to attend a Bible study session called seminary. During this time, the students learn about the scriptures and church doctrine. They study the four scriptures of LDS, which includes the New and Old Testaments of the Bible, the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants.

“Getting up early isn’t bad, it is worth the loss of the extra hour of sleep I would have gotten otherwise,” senior Braden Brown said.

Seminary is a study program that LDS designed specifically for young adults.

The students focus on one of the four scriptures each year, so by the time they graduate high school, they have gone through all four. Then, they also graduate from seminary.

Others, like sophomore Ryan Amick, strongly oppose the way the government has conducted its surveillance via Xbox. Amick spends much of his time on his game console. Amick believes the whole situation is a direct violation of privacy.

“I understand the security, but at the same time, you don’t need to invade. It is crossing the line a little,” said Amick. “If they’re watching people, I think they are just being a bit overcautious than necessary.”

“The benefits of seminary are great,” Brown said. “You gain a greater knowledge of the four books while gaining a stronger testimony.”

The class begins every weekday morning at 6:30 and lasts about an hour. What the students learn there affects several

aspects of their day-to-day lives.

“My religion impacts me with everything I do. How I act, how I dress.

Everything,” Simons said. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way. It makes me happy every day and I know that as it affects many other big decisions I’ll have to

make, it will make me even happier and a better person.”

The Mormon church promotes a set of certain lifestyle expectations for church members. These expectations often require church members, especially teenagers, to go against society.

Members of the church avoid listening to explicit music or watching rated-R movies. Teens are highly discouraged from dating until they are 16 yearsold. Having sex before marriage is not allowed, and modest dress is expected of both men and women.

“I am probably treated differently because of my religion, but not in a bad way,” junior Marie Montague said. “I do not participate in certain activities and conversations, and people around me respect that.”

Though it may sometimes require sacrifices, Simons said she loves to participate and be involved in her church.

“I think my favorite part is how much I learn,” Simons said. “I just love what the church believes. It makes me happy to go and learn and help my testimony grow. When I go to church or participate in church activities I just feel great and happy.”

Throughout the week, the students spend approximately 10 hours at their church.

“My religion affects the way I live my life and look at the things around me,” junior Marie Montague said. “It is incredibly important to me.”

7 Acting inspires Noonoo to attend prestigious Liberal Arts College SECTION D www.boosterredux.com

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Friday, Jan. 31, 2013

Drama student accepted to dream college, the reknowned Williams College Massachusetts

BY MOLLY GRAHAM @xxxmollyxx

I

n 108 days, senior Betty Noonoo will be graduating from the high school. In 213 days, she will be attending the first day of classes at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts.

Williams College is a small liberal arts college, which is, according to USNews & World Report, the number one small liberal arts college in the country. Williams offers 33 majors, two master’s degree programs, and 24 departments.

All classes are taught by professors instead of graduate students because the school only offers an undergraduate program.

According to Williams website, if you apply Early Decision, such as Noonoo did, it is referred to as “binding early decision.” Meaning: early decision students can only send an application to one institution, and if admitted, are expected to drop all other admission applications.

“Betty is a very good student, and certainly needs to go somewhere where she can feel like she’s going to have an impact,” theater director Greg Shaw said. “She had put a lot of thought into the universities that she considered.”

As of right now, Noonoo has not chosen a major, which plays a big part in why she decided to attend a liberal arts school. Because Noonoo has been active in the theater program at the high school, she has chosen to be involved with theater as an extracurricular activity at Williams.

“It’s a prestigious university that has a good liberal arts education and is ideal for someone who is still trying to kind of ferret out what they want to do,” Shaw said. “It will be an excellent opportunity and a great size.”

Another advantage to attending Williams are small class sizes.

PHOTO BY MIRANDA MOORE

The entire school is made up of approximately 2,000 students, 550 of which will be entering Noonoo’s freshman class.

“Betty’s very much looking forward to the size of the university,” Shaw said. “It being a key component to not only her success but not having too big of a school to deal with.”

Noonoo is also excited about some of the formats for a few of her classes.

“They have classes called tutorials

that are basically two students and their professor,” Noonoo said. “The first student writes a long paper one week, then sends it to their partner, then the partner has a day or two to write a two page response.”

Another reason Noonoo chose Williams was because of the enjoyable vibe.

“It also seems like a fun school,” Noonoo said. “One Friday every October the president of the col-

lege wakes up and decides that all classes will be cancelled that day. All the bells ring, signifying the start of Mountain Day.” According to Noonoo, on Mountain Day, the entire Williams campus hikes up to Mount Greylock to have a picnic and do “outdoorsy” activities.

“I’m really proud of her for getting into such a great school,” freshman Coral VanBecelaere, one of

Noonoo’s friends said. “She’s worked really hard for it. I’m going to miss her a lot.”

Change is in the future for Noonoo, but she chooses to have a positive outlook.

“I am kind of nervous that I’m going to a school across the country by myself,” Noonoo said. “But I’m also really excited about the opportunities and challenges that I’ll get to go through.”

Ciriculum embraces medicine, cosmetics, culinary High school further expands elective opportunities with help of FSCC, JCCC

BY MORGAN PLANK @momoplank

Sharpening her knifes, sophomore Lizzy Kelly practices her technique during her culinary class, which are open for any student near or from Pittburg High School interested. PHOTO

BY MACY FRASCO

While all students settle into a new semester of high school, 37 high school students adjust to a new semester of college. With the help of Fort Scott Community College (FSCC), students now have the opportunity to take Cosmetology, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and Culinary classes (in conjunction with Johnson County Community College.)

“I love that we are giving kids so many opportunities to explore careers [they may have an interest in],” counselor Gina Ulbrich said.

The cosmetology class is held at the FSCC Cosmetology School on Broadway. Students begin this class in sixth hour and continue until Dragon Time.

“I decided to take the course to expand my knowledge on hair styling and makeup,” senior Randa Lynn Pitts. “I am looking to learn more about my passion so I will be at a higher level.”

In this course, students are learning the basics of

Students receive new opportunities to save lives

BY SHELBY BICKNELL @shelbbick As senior Neely Henry climbs on top of a gurney, she prepares herself for what is soon to come. She assumes the position necessary to perform Cardiopulmonary resuscitation on a practice dummy.

Henry is one of nine students enrolled in EMT Basic, a new course designed to certify students to become an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).

An EMT is a specially trained medical technician certified to provide basic emergency services before and during transportation to a hospital.

“It’s a combination [of reading and physical things.] What we’re going to be learning on the didactic side is illnesses, traumas and how to handle them,” class instructor Dale Cathey said. “On the skill side, we learn things like CPR and how to bandage a cut.”

cosmetology including; nail styling and painting, manicures, pedicures, facials and waxing. To help students practice these techniques, the school has purchased kits for each student to work with during the semester. Each kit contains $1,200 worth of beauty supplies.

“They are teaching us how to thrive in the salon workplace setting and interpersonal skills for working with clients,” Pitts said. “[We are learning about] different hair cuts and styles, how to perform those styles, and what styles would better suit different facial features.”

On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays students learn beauty styles and then test them out. As for the other two days, they do bookwork and learn about etiquette in the salon.

This class is of no cost to students, and will give them 80 of the 1500 hours of schooling needed to become a certified cosmetologist.

The Culinary Arts class is also of no charge to students. This class is run by professional chef Phillippe Accad of Phillippe’s, a new restaurant in Pittsburg

that was opened in October of last year.

“Ever since I have known my stepmother, a culinary school graduate, I have been interested in gourmet cooking,” sophomore Ailie Foresman said. “This class teaches me a variety of recipes.”

The class is taught in Family and Consumer Science teacher Susie Dalton’s food lab during first and second hour. Students are learning the fundamentals of cooking, which includes proper sanitation, correct terminology, and food preparation.

“I like food and I want to be able to cook for my family in the future,” junior Lexi Germann said.

So far, students have learned how to make stock, mother sauces (bases for all sauces), cut vegetables, and how to use cooking utensils. They have also deboned and fabricated a raw chicken.

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays students complete food labs and on Tuesdays and Thursdays they take notes and participate in class discussions.

This class may be taken for two semesters.

In addition to the other two classes, the EMT class will also involve a lot of handson activities. One first-hand experience students partake in are ride alongs with certified EMT’s. In order to simulate a real-world situation during a ride along, students must perform CPR on a mannequin while on the move.

The course is taught by Dale Cathey with the help of science teachers Stuart Perez and Jim Foresman. However, Perez and Foresman are also enrolled in the class along with the students.

This class costs $195, whereas in college it would cost $1,600.

Although this class is not free, should students pass the course and final examinations they will be reimbursed all but $25. After students complete the course and pass the final exam, they will earn their EMT certification.

“I believe it is a great program for students to get into,” Foresman said. “It’s a skill in which they can be certified or licensed in a profession in a healthcare setting straight out of high school.”

New Emergency Medical Technician class provides step-by-step training to teachers and students

Not only are seven of the nine students where you’re out of touch with quick medical working to be certified, science teachers Jim service.”

This class was created with intentions of Foresman and Stuart Perez are also earning their EMT licenses. Foresman is renewing better preparing students for the future.

“This course will help the students learn how his license, while Perez is earning his first to deal with medical and certificate. trauma emergencies.

“I spend a lot of Second, it will be a time outdoors and I LIKE L THE HANDS-ON good introduction to on student trips, also TRAINING THAT WE’RE GETTING TRAINI the health care world of doing Boyscouts HERE. IT’S REALLY HELPFUL EMS. Third, it will give activities outside of BECAUSE HE MAKES SURE YOU them a skill set in which school and it’s always KNOW EVERY SITUATION. NOT they may go and get a nice to have somebody EVERY SITUATION IS GOING NG TO job in this field… a job who has additional BE THE SAME BUT HE SORT ORT OF they could do when training beyond CPR PUTS IT STEP-BY-STEP. in college,” Foresman certification and it -BILL LACKAMP said. “Finally, for those makes me feel better students aspiring to about some of the activities we do,” Perez said. “Foresman and go into nursing or becoming a doctor, this I have taken students rock climbing and program and the CNA program, gives them a camping. Some of those are at places you go leg up on other students when applying to get

“

”

into nursing school, or medical school.”

The EMT class is essentially free for the students, because the Kansas State Senate passed Senate Bill 155 in May 2012. This bill authorizes Johnson County Community College (JCCC) to waive the cost of tuition for high school students who meet JCCC Kansas residency requirements for enrollment in any tiered career technical course. If not for that, the class would cost around $1400 in fees for certification tests and 11 credit hours.

“I like the hands-on training that we’re getting here. It’s really helpful because he makes sure you know every situation,” junior Bill Lackamp said. “Not every situation is going to be the same but he sort of puts it step-by-step.”

Students who take this course may earn EMT certification as long as they pass the course and the State and National Boards, which will be taken at the end of the semester.

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More than a game

Clearing obstacles

Paul-Davis selected to play in 2014 Shrine Bowl

BY REECE BURNS @ @reeceburns14 s the boys basketball team finished their game against the Coffeyville Golden Tornadoes, senior Ethan Paul-Davis found out his last high school football season was far from over.

Paul-Davis was selected to play in the 41st Annual Kansas Shrine Bowl.

“I feel honored and blessed to be able to play in the shrine bowl,” PaulDavis said. “I had no idea [I would be selected, it was a surprise].”

The Kansas Shrine Bowl is held annually every July. This year the showdown between players representing East and West Kansas is to take place on July 26, at 7:05 p.m. at Pittsburg State University’s Carnie Smith Stadium. The game is held to raise money for the Shrine hospitals around the country.

Paul-Davis is one of 32 high school seniors from East Kansas who was voted onto the squad. Old Shriners vote on candidates for the yearly game.

Some of the things they look at when deciding is a candidates athleticism and character.

“It’s a great honor to be selected and I think a lot of the players find it very touching,” Athletic Director Doug Hitchcock said. “It’s supposed to be the best seniors in the state. But it’s not just a game, it goes for a good cause.”

Paul-Davis and his new teammates will be able to spend one-on-one time with children from the hospitals in the time leading up to the event.

Football players who received AllSEK recognition will also have a chance to play a role in the Shrine Bowl activities. While they will not be playing the game, those selected, called combines, will be able to showcase and compare their abilities. This can include fitness tests, weight lifting and football drills.

While some players have already found out they will get to participate as combines, like juniors Josh Jarvis, Alex Barnes, Will Mengarelli and Sage Mahnken, according to Hitchcock, more players could be announced any time until the Shrine Bowl approaches date.

A Baker competes in off-season track meet,earns gold in both events

BY KATIE PHALEN @kphalen14 ccording to cdc.gov, the average height of an American woman is approximately 5’ 4”. Millions of women consider that to be how tall they are. However, for senior Chelsea Baker, that is how high she can jump.

Baker competed at the University of Kansas indoor track meet this past Sunday, Jan. 27. She participated in high jump as well as triple jump and received first place in both events. Her high jump of 5’4” was a personal record. Her triple jump measurement of 35’4” was less than two inches off of her school record-breaking jump of 36’7”, which earned her third place at state last season.

“I competed at this meet so I could see where I was at in my events. I really didn’t expect to do as well as I did,” Baker said. “At first I was really intimidated by the other jumpers. Then I

A

SPORTS PREVIEWS Wrestling The junior varsity wrestling team traveled to Independence, Kan. on Jan. 10 - 11. Varsity competed in a tournament in Basehor, Kansas City on Jan. 17 - 18. Junior varsity also had a tournament on the same day in Altamont, Kan. Coming up is a tournament for all SEK schools for a duel, Feb. 6. Regionals will be held at home on Feb. 22, and the State Tournament will be held the following week in Park City

Girls Basketball The girls basketball team played Columbus Jan. 17, at the homecoming game, after they had a week off from games. During the week of Jan. 20, freshmen played in a tournament in Columbus, Kan. The team played Girard on Jan. 27, which was a rescheduled game. Varsity girls won 52-43.

Boys Basketball Boys basketball played Joplin on Tuesday, Jan. 7, Coffeyville on Fri. Jan. 10 and Labette County, Kan. on Jan. 14. The varsity grabbed their first victory of the season, 57-50 against Columbus, on the homecoming game, Jan 17. The boys played in a tournament in Carl Junction, Mo., Jan. 23 - 25.

thought about my dad. I want to how they are only high work even harder schoolers, just like me.” for him,” Baker said. “I really Baker has verbally comfeel like my dad was there mitted to compete on with me. He once said to me the track team at Friends ‘I’ll be there at every game University next year. For her and meet.’ Even though he final season competing for is gone, he is always there-the high school, she hopes to in a different way--watching improve me.” her own L a s t triple season, j u m p B a k e r record as qualified well as for state in break the all four of current the events high jump she comrecord. peted in: Track 100m hurhas always dles; the 4x100m been the -CHELSEA BAKER KER relay; high sport that j u m p ; she loves, and triple but this jump. In addition to her year she has something else third place in triple jump, to motivate her. Baker’s dad Baker placed fourth in hurpassed away last October dles, eleventh in high jump, due to heart complications. and the 4x100 team received She attributes her success sixth. When head track on Sunday to her dad’s prescoach Gary Ausemus heard ence, saying she felt him the results of last Sunday’s there with her. meet, he said he was very “My motivation this year is

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EVEN THOUGH EVE HE IS GONE, HE IS ALWAYS THERE IN A DIFFERENT WAY WATCHING ME.

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pleased but not surprised.

“I’m pretty excited heading into the season. She’s worked hard during the winter and during the off season to put herself in a position to have a really great senior year,” Ausemus said. “It’s not surprising that she did so well at her first meet of the year because she’s been working hard in the weight room.”

Baker’s dedication to hard work and a positive attitude does not only affect her performance, but also the performances of her teammates. Senior Nicole Striplin, Baker’s longtime teammate and friend, says Baker’s demeanor in and out of practice inspires her to push herself.

“I admire how dedicated she is to track. She’s the one who always pushes me to keep going and to work harder,” Striplin said. “I also admire how she manages to stay so positive over something so tragic, and put that energy into her work.”

Working hard to work their way up Growing number of freshmen wrestlers clinch varsity spots

BY ALLI BADEN @Allibaden ot only are freshmen the largest class in the high school, they have also taken over the wrestling team. Of the 28 members on the team, over half of the team consists of freshmen.

The number of freshmen wrestlers has been increasing steadily each year, but this is the largest team that wrestling coach Scott Rieck has coached. Rieck credits the increasing numbers to getting to work with wrestlers before they get into high school.

“I coach at the middle school now,” Rieck said. “So I am able to have more of an impact on those kids before they come to high school.”

Working with the wrestlers at an earlier age has proved beneficial for both Rieck and the wrestlers.

This year, six freshmen have pinned down varsity spots.

Tanner Hitchcock, Wes Jameson, Tyler Kester, Mack O’Dell, Dylan Prince and Joseph Tallie have all gotten their share of varsity experience.

“Wrestling varsity as a freshman will give me a look at what the competition is like,” Jameson said. “It lets me adapt to that kind of environment.”

For Hitchcock and Kester, they are not just getting experience, they

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Keeping in control, freshman Skylur VonWinklepleck puts an Erie opponent in a “side by side” pinning combination. VonWinklepleck successfully pinned all four opponents that meet. He then placed first in his weight class. PHOTO BY ASPIN DURBIN

are placing in competitions as well. Hitchcock placed second at Gardner-Edgerton and third at Derby in his weight class.

“It’s a big accomplishment wrestling upperclassmen,” Hitchcock said.

Kester has left his mark in Gardner placing third and as well as fourth in Derby.

With all the freshmen out for wrestling, it can get competitive.

“We push each other to get better all the time but a freshman

won’t give up the varsity spot on the team just because the guy he has to wrestle for it is an upper classmen,” Jameson said.

The idea of getting his wrestlers on the varsity level as underclassmen will prove beneficial in years to come.

“The biggest advantage as far as varsity goes, they are going to be in the lineup for the next four years and if you are starting five, six or seven freshman, you hope that they will evolve enough that by

their junior or senior year you are looking at five, six, or seven state medals,” Rieck said. “Plus they get that experience of being in that lineup and going through the whole process for four years.”

Sophomore Will Mengarelli wrestled varsity as a freshman last year and he believes it has paid off.

“As a freshman, it helped me realize the work some of those state champions put into wrestling,” Mengarelli said. “It

gave me experience for the future years.”

As a whole, Rieck is proud of all the freshmen for all the work they have put into wrestling.

“They want it more. It is all new to them and they want to do well,” Rieck said. “Everything is new to them. They are all just learning the ropes, they are going to make mistakes, but I would rather make those mistakes now then starting fresh as a junior on the varsity level.”