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Maize Career Academy | 1170 W 45th St N | Maize, 67101 | maizenews.com
Contents News
06 | Parking lot problems 08 | Principal profiles
Cover
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10 | Under pressure 13 | Growing up too fast
Features
14 | Pop-up restaurant 16 | Gettin’ his kicks
Sports
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18 | Born to run 20| Star power 22 | Showdown
Entertainment
24 | Halloween candy 25 | Haunted house review 26 | Hallway runway Fusion is the official newsmagazine by Maize Career Academy students. Fusion is published four times throughout the year. Fusion is a student publications and a forum for public opinion. The editorials and columns are the sole opinion of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the USD 266 Board of Education, the administration, the faculty, or the advisers. Cover design by Alexis Baty and Levi Eck. © Copyright 2021 Fusion Newsmagazine. First copy free. Additional copies $1. Printed by Hesston Prestige Printing
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Photo related to cover story
10 Welcome to Fusion,
What about the name, Fusion? It represents who we are and the goals of work. You will notice that the “us” stands out in our logo. Our work reaches our community, so when you pick up an issue of Fusion, you are part of the “us.” We have over 40 students working to tell the stories of our schools and
community. We hope you’ll enjoy the first issue in our work in progress! For more content, visit www. maizenews.com, and to suggest ideas or advertise, email onemaizemedia@gmail.com.
Design Editor Levi Eck
Designers Quentin Gee Brue Polley Maddy Rhoads Noah Rodriguez Trevor Sites Tatum Steinhoff Gavin Werner
Reporters Leah Brown Justice Mannie Trey Murphy Lily Robison Brooklyn White
Illustrators Alexis Baty Ty Brack
Photographers Shiah McLain Laney Turner
In your hands is the first issue of our new newsmagazine. This magazine is a new collaborative project of the Maize Career Academy, combining Maize and Maize South students. You might say this is a bit of an experiment.
Staff Editors Izzy Blasdel Sydney Endicott Ty Raines Teagan Redinger
Thanks, The Fusion Staff
Advisers Jodee Johnson Dan Loving Spencer O’Daniel
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News
News in brief
Maize High English teacher Sherry Pfeifer, left, and senior Kira McGrown accept a donation of jeans donated to Maslow’s Pantry by Maurice’s.
Maurice’s donates jeans to Maslow’s Maslow’s Pantry and Maurice’s in New Market Square hosted a jean fundraiser for the Maize community. This fundraiser brought in six large bags of new or barely worn jeans, all of which were donated to Maslow’s Pantry. Senior Kira McGrown works at Maurices and put on this fundraiser with the help of Sherry Pfeifer. “We were hoping to get as many items as possible,” McGrown said. “We ended up blowing our goal out of the water.“ Pfiefer, an English teacher, helps collect items for Maslow’s year-round and helps students get access to the pantry when they are in need of assistance. “Maurice’s denim drive has generously helped to stock the supply of jeans at the pantry,“ Pfeifer said. McGrown said liked being able to combine her job and community service. “I enjoyed being able to help out the community while tying in my job at Maurice’s,” McGrown said. Maslow’s Pantry is currently in need of warm clothing such as jackets, coats, sweaters, sweatshirts, socks, mittens and hats. Maslow’s Pantry accepts donations all year round. — Izzy Blasdel
Stories on this page first appeared on the Fusion website, maizenews.com.
“There are so many wonderful language teachers in our state,” Delzer said, “so I feel so honored to win this award. I’m not 100% sure why I got the award, but I know that I am always working to improve every aspect of my classroom. I’m also always sharing my materials, ideas and suggestions with my colleagues and presenting at conferences to help other language teachers grow and learn.” Because she is so invested in the Spanish language and culture, Delzer’s passion for the language is reflected by how she encourages her students to fall in love with the culture just the same way she did. “But even more than that, I love getting to know my students and watching them learn and hopefully fall in love with the language and culture as well,” she said. “I’m so fortunate that as I teach the Spanish language to my students, we get to spend every day talking about ourselves and telling stories. It makes the classes much more fun and engaging.” Delzer gives her best to make sure her students are engaged and interested in the lesson she’s teaching. Delzer is always giving off positive vibes and is there to help students when they need it, junior Vivian Salazar said. “Mrs. Delzer is very dedicated and ensures that we have engaging lessons,” Salazar said. “She always has a positive attitude and is always willing to help!” When going into college, Delzer didn’t think she would be a Spanish teacher. She had been majoring in math and engineering but also taking Spanish on the side. However, after realizing she enjoyed Spanish way more, she decided to spend more time in Spanish. “After my first semester, I decided that I wanted to take more Spanish and less math,” she said. “When my adviser asked what I wanted to do with my major in Spanish, I had no idea.” One person that helped her move up in
Delzer gets World Language award Spanish can be a bit difficult for those who have never spoken the language. However, students enrolled in Rachel Delzer’s Spanish class at Maize South have a teacher who is so good at teaching her class she won an award recognized across the entire state. Delzer was named Kansas World Language Teacher of the Year last month.
Maize South Spanish teacher Rachel Delzer, center, was named Kansas World Languages Teacher of the Year. Principal Becky Sailor and superintendent Chad Higgins suprirsed her with the award.
Delzer’s teaching career was her adviser, who placed her in some Spanish classrooms to observe. With his help, she was given a clear path and new love and passion for the subject. “I fell in love with all of those experiences,” she said. “I knew that I wanted to use my passion and energy to inspire others. I’m a very social person. I love talking and listening to others. This job combines my love for Spanish and my love for people.” — Ty Rains
A crown is placed upon MHS science teacher Kylee Utt’s head after she was recognized as the secondary nominee for the Kansas Horizon Award.
Science teacher Utt nominated for honor Maize science teacher Kylee Utt was surprised in her classroom on Sept. 4 by administration and superintendent Chad Higgins after receiving a nomination for the Kansas Horizon Award. The Kansas Horizon Award is a program for teachers who completed their first year of teaching who have been acknowledged for their performance in the classroom. “I was so surprised to see the admin team and district members in my room,” Utt said. “When they told me I had been nominated for the Horizon Award, I felt so honored and appreciated.” Senior Alyssa Birkholz said Utt has had a positive impact on her and other students. “She is always there for us when we need help,” Birkholz said. “And she helps us in personal ways and school.” Principal Chris Botts said he is impressed with the connection that Utt has with students and the efforts that she puts in the school. “She came in and she just brings energy, she brings passion, she brings knowledge.” Botts said. “But most of all, she brings positive relationships with kids, so I’m very proud to have her here.” — Justice Mannie
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News
Parking Lot
Problems — Graphic by Maddy Rhoads
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News
Maize South parking lot has undergone changes to improve flow and safety
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round three weeks ago, traffic cones and yellow tape flooded the parking lot of Maize South High School. Ever since then, the lot has experienced major changes to help improve the flow of traffic with newly added spots, more room for backing out, and a switch from horizontal to vertically aligned lots towards the back. A struggle for some students was backing out of the parking lot, and a couple of students backed into each other while doing so. Junior Zeke Gaddie said the changes have been a big improvement. “It’s almost drastically different,” Gaddie said. “When I do park in the front, I’m like, ‘Oh, my gosh, there’s actually room to back out now.’ ” For teachers that get caught in the after-school traffic, they are glad for the new smooth-running system. Math teacher Greg Shelly found it difficult to adjust to at first, but he enjoys not being stuck in traffic for minutes at a time. “I think with more access to the driveway between the upper and lower lot that the new rows provide, there is more flow of traffic,” Shelly said. “There is also more space between the parking rows for students and others to get into and out of the parking stalls, which helps to increase traffic flow as well as safety.” Another huge factor that played into the change was safety. Gaddie said he hopes that after these changes, there will be fewer accidents across the lot. “I don’t know how many times I’ve almost gotten hit while driving out of the parking lot,” Gaddie said. “I hope with the newly angled spots that the parking
lot is a lot safer because I don’t know if I could handle an accident right now.” Some students have to drive long distances to get to school, and before the change, students struggled with finding spots by the time they got there. Junior Xander Fenoglio is happy that he can find spots in the back even after arriving later than most students. “It’s usually a longer drive when I’m at my mom’s,” Fenoglio said. “I struggled to find a parking spot; now I can find a spot even after getting to the school later than everyone else.” One change can’t fix everything, but it can help recognize the changes that still need to be made. Shelly said he believes there could’ve been more done to increase safety in the lot to help prevent accidents and crashes. “Putting back the parking barriers in the southeast corner of the upper parking lot will increase safety there since there will be more opportunity for cars to see crossing traffic when trying to turn left or right in front of the stadium,” Shelley said. Some students feel indifferent about the parking lot change and believe they should have done more to help improve the flow. Fenoglio wanted more from this change. “I think it was a worthwhile change even though it takes almost the same amount of time to leave as it did before,” Fenoglio said. “But if they are going to do this kind of stuff, they should ask more people since the two-way lane in and out is the problem, and it didn’t change.” — Ty Rains
“It’s almost drastically different. When I do park in the front, I’m like, ‘Oh, my gosh, there’s actually room to back out now.’ ” -Zeke Gaddie, junior
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News
PRINCIPAL
Botts finishing first decade leading MHS
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ow in his 10th year as principal of Maize High School, Chris Botts has learned important attributes about leadership, students, and himself. He has learned about leadership, the students, and himself. One thing Botts has learned is to not take things personally. “I have seen the best of people in humanity and the opposite,” Botts said. “Everything has taught me not to take things for granted and to be grateful for the job and life I have.” Botts joined Maize High in 2012 after starting his career at Complete as a math teacher and then principal of the alternative high school. He said he came to Maize to have an impact on a greater scale. MHS has close to 1200 students compared to about 60 at Complete. As principal, he said he wants to know about the students and staff. That includes their lives away from school. “You should always try to see the best in people and know that every person, whether they wear it or not, we all have a story,” he said. “It’s so important to me to know the story and try to help you to the best of my ability.” Math teacher Emily Mitchael had positive things to say about Botts. “He has high expectations but delivers them with compassion,” said
Mitchael, whom Botts hired in 2016. “He is very clear and understanding, but he smiles a lot, which is good. He communicates well with teachers and students.” Mitchael said he is an amazing dad, friend, boss and principal. “One day I was gone and I had a sub fill in for me,” she said. “The students were behaving well, and they got all of their work done. Botts had found out and bought them doughnuts.” Science teacher Stanley Bergkamp said Botts remembers what it’s like to be a teacher and that makes him a strong advocate. “Botts is the best principal I have ever had,” said Bergkamp, who has taught at Maize since 1993. “He is optimistic and good. He advocates well for students and teachers. He is passionate and makes selfless decisions.” Superintendent Chad Higgins said Botts is an inspirational leader with a huge heart for kids and teachers. “I enjoy working with him and often seek his input because of the tremendous respect I have for his compassion and character,” Higgins said. “He is one of the most trusted and admired educators in our district and across the state.” Senior Logan Crotchett agreed with Higgins. “From the few times that I have had an interaction with Botts, I saw what made him a good principal and that is his leadership and compassion,” Crochet said. Botts said he had some concerns when he got the job about a decade ago. He lacked experience at a large school, was moving from an alternative setting to a traditional school, and he was going to be managing a lot more employees and students. He’s gone through some hard times -- the pandemic and devious licks TikTok trend are two examples -- but the positives outweigh the negatives. He has some advice for anyone who takes a job similar to his. “Get to know your people,” Botts said. “You can’t lead from your office. Know what your values are. Lead with your heart.” — Leah Brown
“Get to know your people” Botts said. “You can’t lead from your office, know what your values are. Lead with your heart”. Chris Botts
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News
PROFILES
Sailor listening, learning in 1st year at South
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aize South welcomed Becky Sailor as a new principal after their previous principal of 10-years retired. Becky Sailor, the new principal at Maize South, got into education because of the past teachers she has had. Sailor said it was the good — and the bad — teachers in her life who inspired her into the person she is. “When I was growing up I felt like I had mainly good role models in school, and people that made me want to be that person for others,” Sailor said. Sailor graduated from Heights High School before going to Newman to get her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She shuffled between business and criminal justice before finally deciding on education. Sailor replaced Dave Hickerson, who had been MSHS principal for 10 years. It’s her first job as a principal after being an assistant in the Wichita school district. “What I have discovered is that everyone is so nice. It’s been a great thing to come into,” she said. She said she doesn’t have any extravagant plans for Maize South. “I told my staff and I told parents that my commitment to them is to listen and learn first,” she said. “I don’t know what my big change would be at this point.” Sailor said she strives to be someone for students to be able to feel comfortable with and look up to.
“I like having the opportunity to be a good role model for students that didn’t have that in their life.” Becky Sailor
Photos by Leah Brown
It is her 15th year working in education. She spent most of her career working in the Wichita district as an assistant principal, teacher, and advisor. Although Sailor spends the majority of her time working at the school, she also finds time to do other things. She loves to go to the gym and kickbox. She also spends lots of time with her family and going to sporting events. At her previous jobs, she even found time to work in restaurants to pick up a little bit of extra cash. “I like having the opportunity to be a good role model for students that didn’t have that in their life.” — Sierra Tinsley
11 Cover Story
UNDER PRESSURE Students express feelings about the pressure to decide their future
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he clicking of computer mouses is one of the things heard while small eighth graders choose which tiny boxes will decide who they become in life. Starting in eighth grade, students are required to plan the next four years of schooling and what and where they will go beyond that. Planning for their future is one of the leading causes of stress for teenagers, students say. Sophomore Chloe Lambert stresses over many things about her future. ¨The most stressful thing would be deciding what and where I want to go for college and what job I would have while I´m there,¨ Lambert said. The realization that decisions made now will affect your future stresses senior Zoie Ecord the most. “The decisions I am making are going to make a huge impact on my future and what I will do with my life,” Ecord said. A Pew Research study discovered that anxiety and depression are on the rise. According to the study, 96 percent of 13to 17-year-olds said they experienced anxiety or depression, and 70 percent said anxiety and depression are a major problem. And the past few years have not been anyone’s normal and that is what Debes feels stresses students when thinking about the future. “Students want to be able to count on a stable, secure future, but the past few years haven’t felt very stable or secure for anyone in this country, or in the world in general,” Debes said. “It takes a lot of bravery to plan for a normal future when we don’t even know what normal will look like a year from now.” Students begin planning their future in middle school, taking a careers class and creating a study plan that plots out high school classes — and sometimes beyond
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Cover Story
“For students who know what they would like to do after they graduate, we want to provide courses, programs and opportunities, including interests, college credit and certifications to prepare them to be successful.” Lindsay King, Maize Career Academy coordinator — that align with their career interests at the time. Sophomore Reid Carr said he believes schools have students plan their futures too early. “Putting all the weight and stress of college and careers on seventh and eighth graders gives students unnecessary stress,” Carr said. But Lyn Brown, Maize South college and career advocate, said planning early is necessary. “You will take only the classes you need for your career path - no overlapping,” Brown said. And for some, planning ahead reduces stress. “I don’t feel stressed about my career plans because I’ve been planning for years and gone through everything so that I can get through to my goal smoothly,” sophomore Emily Rodriguez said. Sophomore Isaac Carpenter agreed. “I think it is good to plan it out early,” Carpenter said. “If something doesn’t work out you have learned what to do and you have a second or third plan.” Maize Career Academy offers classes focusing on specific career paths such as the medical field, law and public safety, engineering, and culinary arts. MCA coordinator Lindsay King wants to help both students who know their plan and those who are still undecided. “For students who know what they would like to do after they graduate, we want to provide courses, programs, and opportunities, including internships, college credit, and certifications to prepare them to be successful,” King said. “For students, who are unsure about what they would like to do after they graduate, we want to provide opportunities to explore different areas through a variety of courses, college and career nights, field trips and guest speakers.” Debes said it is crucial that students understand that their plan does not have to be definite and that plans change. “Preparation and life circumstances will come together to cause most people to change careers multiple times before they retire,” Debes said. Some of the pressure to determine a career comes from home, students say. “Our generation needs to be reassured and wants to be accepted,” Ecord said. “If someone disagrees with what we want to do, our entire mindset changes and we think we are on the wrong path.” But Rodriguez said she puts more pressure on herself than her parents do. “It’s almost every kid’s dream to have their parents proud of them and that puts some stress on finding a job that will actu-
ally make them proud,” Rodriguez said. Senior Hope Glover believes that parents should have some say in college decisions, especially if they are financially contributing, but in the end it is up to the students. “Parents and older generations should take a backseat when it comes to planning our futures,” Glover said. “After all, we are the ones who have to live with these decisions. Shouldn’t we be passionate about what we do?” Students said their parents often want them to make choices based on what they can earn. Maize college and career advocate Diane Close said students should consider more than how much money they will make when making career choices. “Yes, money is important, but does the career interest you?” she said. “Does it fit your personality? As long as you can honestly answer these questions then it may be that you will be in the same field as your parents.” Getting into college is one thing for students to stress about, but some worry about getting into a distinguished college. “Everything in the real world seems to be about connections and names,” Ecord said. “If someone sees you went to a school that has a good reputation and is well-known, there might be a greater chance to be hired.” Along with the stress of getting accepted into a college, students also have to worry about the student loans and financing. Glover said she believes the cost of college is way too high. “I often have to remind myself that college is a business before anything else,” Glover said. Ecord says that she thinks about college and her future for at least half the week, maybe more. “I am constantly getting emails and mail and that always reminds me I have to make a decision of where I am going to spend the next four years of my life, ” Ecord said. Glover said she thinks about college all the time. “It is my main focus seeing that applications are due in less than a month,” Glover said. Lambert said she feels that students and herself should not have to be so worried about their futures in high school. “We shouldn’t have to be pressured to do good in everything to get into a good college,” Lambert said. The four years of high school are the years of planning, but those years go by fast. “High school goes by insanely fast and before you know it you are a senior in high school not knowing what you are going to do and you only have eight to 10 months left to plan it,” Ecord said.
“Our generation needs to be reassured and wants to be accepted. If someone disagrees with what we want to do, our entire mindset changes and we think we are on the wrong path.” Zoie Ecord, Maize High senior
— Izzy Blasdel
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Editorial
Growing up too fast Should small students be required to make big decisions?
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he question “what do you want to be when you grow up” is such an innocent question, but once you pass eighth grade that question becomes an impending reality. Children, especially high school students, are being forced to grow up too soon. As 14- and 15-year-old freshmen, we are required to decide our four years of high school that pertain to a career that our 50-year-old selves will have. A lot of students feel the pressure of having to have their lives from 14 to 24 and even further completely planned out. With the pressure to decide on a career that makes a lot of money and to take classes that pertain to that profession, students have no creative freedom to take classes that might interest them. While the ability to take things like Advanced Placement classes and classes for college credit are a terrific opportunity, they also can limit a student’s ability to explore and have fun. Many adults are still lost in what they want to do in life and are more concerned with money. Now imagine a 14-year-old making the same decisions as them, but where do the decisions lead to? The same spot as the adults who hate their jobs? Or will they attempt to be an artist and struggle to pay rent? The answer is a bit more complex than what they should be. With the living wage in the United States being $16.54 an hour, the pressure to have a high-paying job is more prevalent now than ever. As college tuition rises, the struggle to pay for college is getting harder and harder. For students who are undecided on their path or choosing a career path that does not make a lot of money, the anxiety of being behind their peers is enough to make them choose a job that makes money, even if they will not be happy with that choice later on in life. High school feels like it goes by too fast and many students don’t get the chance to have the high school experience. Students have to start worrying about and making decisions pertaining to their future as soon as and even before they enter high school. Not only are students dealing with planning their futures, but they are also dealing with schoolwork and in some cases jobs. Some high schoolers feel like if they don’t get into a certain college they failed themselves or their parents. Many parents are very accepting and will support their child's desires for their future profession, but many parents also put pressure on their kids to know what they want to do, what college they're going to,
Illustration by Ty Brack how much money the college costs, and so much more. We are so pressured by adults to have everything about our future figured out when most of them went to college to explore and figure out what they wanted to do for the rest of their lives. We had to start thinking about that decision in eighth grade. There are too many choices for college and careers for students to be required to
make that decision so early in a student’s lives. Students should be allowed time to grow and explore as people before they are supposed to decide on a career. High school students are still humans, they need time to understand and develop who they are as a person so that way they can pick a career that suits them and something that they enjoy doing. — staff editorial by Teagan Redinger
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Features
On-the-job training Culinary students test skills with pop-up restaurant
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aize Career Academy teacher Cara Poole knows how important hands-on experiences are for her students. As a culinary arts teacher, there really is no other way. That’s why she had her students create a pop-up restaurant in Maize. The goal of the restaurant is to give the maize facility and community a new place they could eat at during their work week, and to give maize high school students an opportunity to see what it is like to run their own business. The pop-up is hosted at 109 W Academy Ave, also known as “the Blue House.” Owner of local coffee shop Moxi Junction, Joanna Kilgore, owns the Blue House and rents it to the culinary class. “I wanted something unusual in that space, and what’s more unusual than being able to have a different kind of restaurant there every week,” Kilgore said.
Kilgore’s long term goal for the house is to have a permanent restaurant of some sort there, but as of right now she plans on continuing to rent the house out to the culinary program. The students ran the restaurant completely by themselves with the help of Poole. They chose their own roles in the restaurant and created the entire menu themselves. Junior Mallory Hertzel said the students wanted a bistro-themed restaurant, something everyone would enjoy while they could show off their culinary skills. The students had many items on their menu, including chicken wings, Caesar salad, sandwiches, macaroni, and specialty made drinks. “This experience has helped me to learn a lot more of the business side of a restaurant,” senior Delaney Michel said. Michel focused on the finance side of the restaurant. Although she didn’t
spend as much time in the kitchen as some of the other students, Michel made sure the team was making enough money to not break even. Poole assigned two groups to run the pop-up for two weeks this year. The first group ran from Sept. 28 to Oct. 8. The second group of students changed the theme of the pop-up to be “Blue House Burgers.” They served from Oct. 12 through Oct. 22. If all runs well, Poole said she hopes to continue this as part of her classroom curriculum and continue to do this with her students for multiple years to come. “We are trying to get more hands-on experience, and serving the community is a great way to get your students out of the classroom but still continue to teach.” Poole said. — Sierra Tinsley and Brooklynn White — Photos by Sierra Tinsley — Design by Carter Stephens
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Features
Gettin’ his Kicks
Maize grad turns hobby into business at the mall
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ade McGaugh has been buying and selling shoes since he was a kid. He has turned his hobby into a business. McGaugh, who graduated from Maize High in 2019, has teamed up with best friends Michael Reyes and Ernesto Hernandez to open Knockout Sneaker Boutique. Located in Towne West Square near JC Penney, the store features several styles of sneakers and local fashion brands. Customers can also sell their gently used shoes to the company for resale. The business started by selling shoes out of McGaugh’s basement before he left for college, Reyes said. “It became something big to where we just wanted to open up a storefront,” Reyes said. “We used to be up until two a.m. every once in a while in Cade’s basement doing inventory and selling shoes.” McGaugh has been collecting shoes since he was a child. It’s something he said he loves to do. He said they get inventory by buying them from customers, purchasing them online or buying them from bigger retailers like Foot Locker and Champs. “We’ll go to different states to buy them,” McGaugh said. McGaugh and his partners came up
The Jordan 6 (left) is the first pair of shoes Cade McGaugh collected. The Jordan 4 (right) is one of his current favorite. Illustration by Tatum Steinhoff
Cade McGaugh shows off a Jordan 4, one of his favorite shoes sold in his store. Photo by Luke Fabrizius
with the name and logo. “Our logo is a ring with two shoes because when you come into a shoe store you decide what you want and it’s like choosing between one or two shoes and it’s just like you pick the knockout shoe.” When McGaugh left Maize, he planned on playing basketball in college, but after his season was canceled because of the pandemic, he moved back home. Hernandez quit his job. “I sacrificed everything … to be able to create a successful business.” Hernandez said. Each of them brings a unique set of skills to the table that helps them to run a successful business. Promoting is a key part of their business. They’re constantly posting their products on their social media. They have drawings and raffles to get their old and new customers involved. “Social media is big and when I go out I communicate and talk with them,” McGaugh said. They have been to events in Chicago, Denver, Dallas, Oklahoma and Kansas City, McGaugh said. “Cade has connections, he knows the market, and Michael can make money
More online
Get a look at the store on Fusion’s website, maizenews.com.
out of nothing,” Hernandez said. Their greatest achievement is opening a store in a slower area and yet attracting a high number of customers and sales, McGaugh said. “Still doing good in volume and sales,” McGaugh said. The owners are satisfied with the store and with what they do every day. “My favorite part about my job is that I open the door and every day it just feels like I’m just living my life and I’m really not even working,” McGaugh said. “I just do what I love.” — Justice Mannie
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BORN TO RUN
Sports
“You don’t get to where Evan is an athlete without surrounding yourself with good people and the desire to work harder than everyone else each day.” Brent Pfeifer
Cantu looks for an opportunity to break through the defense. photo by Laurie Welch
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Sports
Cantu has always wanted to be a football player
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Senior running back Evan Cantu dodges his opponents and advaces to another first down. photo by Laurie Welch
van Cantu has wanted to be a star football player since third grade. “I knew since the very first football practice this was going to be my thing,” Cantu said. “I loved it so much, and I knew with my talent as a kid I had a lot of potential.” Now a senior at Maize South, Cantu is not just a football player. He’s one of the best in the state at his position. Cantu leads all Kansas running backs with 1,531 yards through seven games. “I am currently in first and plan on doing it for the rest of the season,” Cantu said. Coach Brent Pfeifer said Cantu is a role model for his team, saying he pushes himself all year to improve. “You don’t get to where Evan is as an athlete without surrounding yourself with good people and a desire to work harder than anyone else each day,” Pfeifer said. Cantu sees the potential in his teammates, and the Mavericks have been showing that on the field. They started the season with five consecutive victories and are tied for- the best record in Class 5A West with the playoffs around the corner. “I know this team has a ton of potential,” Cantu said. Cantu is always striving to help his teammates even during the off-season. Senior Tait Luce remembers the time Cantu helped him during winter weights. “I would be working out with him and he would push me every day,
Cantu was nominated to be on the homecoming royalty court by students and was later announced as homecoming king at halftime of the football game. photo by Laurie Welch Kneeling on the sidelines, Cantu watches the defense until he has to play. photo by Shiah McLain
because he’s the strongest guy on the team,” Luce said. “I was always trying to keep up with him. He’s a super encouraging guy and always supports his fellow teammates.” Pfeifer has watched Cantu grow throughout the years. “He is more confident about making a single cut and working through traffic,” Pfeifer said. “Most of all, he spent time developing his speed.” While football is a major part of Cantu’s life, the hope to one day pay his parents back is worth the work. “I’ve never let them down,” Cantu said. “They are always looking forward to watching my football games. They are the people I love the most and the most supportive parents.” Cantu is confident the team will be successful in the playoffs, which start after Week 8. “We are always here for each other through thick and thin,” Cantu said. “We always sort things right whatever’s wrong.” Luce said he knows Cantu will be reliable every game and wants to win more than anything. “Sure he wants to score touchdowns and run for a lot of yards,” Luce said. “But he wants to help the team however he can, He just wants the team to win every Friday night.” — Sydney Endicott
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Sports
Star
power
More online See videos about Avery Johnson on Fusion’s website, maizenews.com.
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Sports
Johnson shines on the field and in the classroom
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lthough he has a record for being an exceptional football player, there is much more to Maize High junior Avery Johnson than meets the eye. He is a reputable student in and outside of the classroom, a good friend and is family oriented. Senior offensive lineman Nick Reyes said Johnson shows leadership in all aspects of his life and is extremely humble despite being so popular throughout the school. “He knows the game very well,” Reyes said. “He knows how to make a real team and knows how to make great plays. He’s a very smart player and is probably one of the best leaders that I’ve had in my experience.” Johnson’s athletic precedence has made him one of the most highly recruited quarterbacks for the Class of 2023 in the country. He has close to 20 offers from division one schools such as Florida State, Auburn, Kansas State, Mississippi and Notre Dame. ESPN ranks Johnson 100th in its top 300 players in his class. He is the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback in the country and No. 2 prospect from Kansas. This comes as a result of being placed at the head of the team early on. “Avery was put in a leadership role as soon as he arrived at Maize High School and he has responded very well,” said Gary Guzman, head football coach for Maize High School. “As a quarterback, you are in charge of the offense and your teammates have to trust you to lead them. I have been blessed with many great quarterbacks, and Avery is another one that I can add to that list.” Outside of school, Johnson said he has a close relationship with his parents and two older siblings. He said those relationships help him to cope with the stress of sports. “I think the connection my family has is not like anybody else’s,” Johnson said. “We always crack jokes and have this funny relationship with each other.” Along with football, Johnson plays basketball and baseball. In March, he helped Maize win the first state basketball championship in school history and he was one of the leading hitters on the baseball team. But those sports never sparked his passion quite like football. “Avery has played sports since he was 4 years old and started with soccer at the YMCA,” said Mark Johnson, Avery’s dad. “They told us that he was scoring too many goals and couldn’t play because it was a non-competitive team. His desire to compete has always been there.” Avery began his football career by observing his older brother’s football practices and games. He would play his own game on the sidelines with other kids.
Avery Johnson looks for a hole against Maize South. The junior is one of the most highly recruited quarterbacks in the Class of 2024. He has offers from more than 15 colleges. Photo by Laney Turner
Other than a little bit of defense here and there, Avery has always played quarterback for almost his entire career. “As his parents, we could not be more proud,” Mark Johnson said. “We can talk about everything he has done in sports, but to overachieve in the classroom solidifies a future. Smart in the classroom transitions into smart in sport, hence him having success.” Through the years, his parents have pushed for Johnson to prioritize his education and being a kid along with his sports. He says that he tries his best to finish the majority of his schoolwork while at school. Over the years, Avery
has managed to carry a grade point average of 4.125 and has never had a B, his dad said. “Many times people’s expectations are unreal for a 16-year-old kid,” Mark Johnson said. “That’s the reality of it. Avery wears the pressure of the world on his shoulders. You can tell him over and over not to do it, but he seems to be at his best when the pressure is on. We just keep reminding him that he is one person but we do not allow excuses therefore he is responsible for his team. Win, lose, or draw. He was born for the pressure.” — Brooklynn White
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Photo Focus
OneMa1ze Showdown Eagles defeat Mavericks 49-27.
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very time Maize and Maize South meet in a competition, the rivalry is intense. On Oct. 8, the schools met on the football field for the seventh time. MHS picked up its fifth consecutive win over South. Students dressed in pink for breast cancer awareness month.
Photos by Laney Turner and Shiah McLain
TOP: The Maize South student section gets loud for a cheerleader throwing a free t-shirt. ABOVE: Seniors Kyle Grill and Chloe Bartlett pose for a photo after being announced homecoming king and queen. The ceremony was held at halftime. “It was an honor to win homecoming queen. It was really fun to dress up everyday as well,” Bartlett said. RIGHT: Senior Landon Helm holds the ball for senior Cole Seagraves during an attempt for a field goal. “My favorite part was when our defense got a stop on the first drive and our offense set the tone of the game by scoring the first time we touched the ball,” Helm said. CENTER RIGHT: Juniors Kenny Ford and Latrell Clay sit on the sidelines watching over their defensive plays. Clay got a total of two tackles and two assists for the defense. FAR RIGHT: Senior Madison Lambert yells prior to kick-off. “I think my favorite part is getting to be with all my friends and obviously cheering on Cole [Seagraves] and I really like dressing up for the themes,” Lambert said.
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Photo Focus
CENTER: Senior Dakota Shook screams in excitement after the Eagles scored a touchdown in the second quarter. At halftime the score was 28-7. TOP: Running Back Evan Cantu watches over the plays and sees what he can improve. Cantu rushed a total of 222 yards and two touchdowns for the Mavericks. ABOVE: South senior Blake Mertes and Maize junior Mason Thrush grapple on the line. Mertes had six tackles and two assists.
South senior quarterback Owen Bailey
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Entertainment
What Halloween candy are you? Design by Quentin Gee & Laney Turner
Candy Corn
You enjoy staying inside with friends and participating in the traditional Halloween activities opposed to a trip to Field of Screams. Your friends may describe you as loyal, nostalgic, and playful. You’re always down to bob for apples and carve a pumpkin.
Reese’s
You are the reliable friend. You create the plans for your friend group and coordinate the costumes. You like to decorate for Halloween and make treat bags full of everyone’s favorite candy.
Pop Rocks
You usually lead the line through the haunted houses and never say no to an adventure. You’re not finished trick or treating until your pillowcase is full. Your costumes always stand out and usually involve a trip to Spirit Halloween.
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Entertainment
Haunted House Review Reviewing the most fun, scary, and adventurous spots in Wichita
FIELD OF SCREAMS
Going into the Haunted House. I felt excitement, anxiety, adrenaline, exhilaration and “Since 2004, Fields of Screams much more. There were a lot of Kansas has been the state’s jumpscares and triggers, along premiere haunted attraction, with screaming and yelling. You drawing visitors from Kansas see many different creatures with City to OKC, as well as the greater different scare tactics. They have Wichita area.” different specialized areas, such - Field of Screams Kansas as clown town, sorghum fields, unruly forests, dark twisting I have only been to Field of trenches, terrifying tunnels, Screams for two years, and I and the horrifying Spurlock can say it is one of the scariest workshops. haunted houses I’ve ever seen. I got scared mostly when I went The organization and completely into the terrifying tunnels, I didn’t thought out process of this event enjoy the darkness with the is astonishing. creatures’ screaming and yelling Going on a ride from the ticket and the pop-up scares, but that is booth to the line, to watching what a haunted house is supposed the staff in costumes scare to be. Toward the end, I got more everyone is amazing. The lines tired and wasn’t really surprised into the “haunted house” is a good anymore, but it was still fun. experience, you get to meet some This whole experience was fun, of the characters and staff, then from waiting in line, to being in the you get to talk to others and build field, to even leaving, I had a good a friendship with the people in time. I got to meet new people line. from all over, even people from out of state. I would say this is the best Haunted House in Wichita. I give field of screams a 4.5 / 5.
FOREST OF TERROR
“Forest of Terror, also known as the haunted forest, is well known in Wichita for delivering true value to thrill seekers looking for that haunted house to get the blood pumping. It’s been reported to be one of the scariest and more thrilling in Kansas. Follow the trail to your doom.” - The Forest of Terror Going into the Forest of Terror, I did not know what to expect. I felt like it was going to be similar to Field of Screams, but it wasn’t. The costumes, the decorations, the set up were all different. The costumes were more realistic and weirdly scary. Fields of Screams is more popular, but this place was not a disappointment. It was fun but really scary as well. I found it to be quicker than Field of Screams. But the fear and adrenaline were not any different for both places. If you want something different from Fields of Screams but has the same fear brought in, then I recommend The Forest of Terror. With the environment, experience, and adventure, I give this attraction a 4 / 5.
Design by Gavin Werner Staff review by Trey Murphy
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Feature
Hallway runway Students dress confidently to express themselves and encourage others to feel confident in their identity
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aize junior Jade Pharis said her experience growing up and figuring out her identity was not the easiest thing to deal with, especially in middle school. “Some people would look at me and notice that I don’t look like them,” she said. “They’d call me slurs, yell at me in the hallway and try to push me over when they got the chance. I’ve been told I’m mentally ill for the way I dress. … Of course I still get comments like that, but not as often. Even back then when they told me those things, it never hurt. If anything it made me more motivated to dress this way.” For many students fashion allows them to express themselves in a unique way and share their personality through it. Expressing themselves through fashion however, can cause more criticism to occur from peers, but it also can empower people to feel confident and secure. In other ways, people like Maize senior M.J. McCollum look back at who they used to be, opening their eyes to help identify how much they have grown. “If [people] are remembering the girl with the biggest bow and sparkly shoes in Derby Elementary School, that would
be Molly Jo, a little different, but still cookie cutter,” McCollum said. “If it’s the girl from Maize High School, who currently wears bold colors, flares, and bright red cowboy boots, that would be M.J., a self-assured senior. She waves at everyone in the hall and finds commonalities with everyone she meets.” For many students, their appearance changes depending on the environment and their mood. “If I feel like I’ll have a good day, I’ll usually spend less time worrying about what I’m wearing,” Maize South sophomore Yasmine Bellamarcos said. “If I feel like I’ll have a bad day, I try to cheer myself up by dressing nicer, so that at least I look good while I don’t feel too great.” These students also want people to feel like they are approachable and believe dressing a certain way can earn you respect. Many compliments that are received can turn into conversations and get people noticed by others they may not expect attention from. “Fashion socializes me by starting conversations with people I wouldn’t normally talk to about where I got my outfit that day,” Maize South senior Axie Sanchez said. Some trending outfit aesthetics cur-
rently are skater boy, hippie, alternative and street wear attire. During the pandemic, many people used this time to dig deeper into their identity and with social media to assist, it kept trending outfit aesthetics alive. For Maize South senior Kadyn Broughman, this time allowed him to get inspiration and experiment on social media before wearing his styled attire to school. “I used to not dress up for school,” he said “I used to only dress up for my Instagram, but recently I feel like I’m in a good state of mind that I feel comfortable and confident wearing what I actually want to wear and not caring what people think of me.” Fashion is a creative outlet for people to gain confidence, feel authentically themselves and inspire others to do the same. “Expression is really important to me,” Pharis said. “I think emotions are what make people human, so being able to express how I feel through what I wear brings a fascinating quality to who I am as a person. I feel like I can conquer anything. It is cool to wear what you want. It takes effort yeah, but it is so worth it.” — Lily Robison
What ways does your fashion socialize you? Students will compliment my outfits and it helps to start conversations with people I am not familiar with. — Maize South sophomore Yasmine Bellamarcos Who is your biggest influencer? Dolly Parton and Kacey Musgraves because who they are, how they dress, and how they act truly. — Maize senior M.J. McCollum Where do you get your clothes from? I really like to thrift. I also like buying clothes at Uptown Cheapskate since I work there. — Maize South senior Kadyn Broughman How does your fashion match your personality? I have a big personality, so to express that, my clothes have to be just grand. — Maize senior Jade Pharis What is your fashion aesthetic? I would say casual chic with some street style and a couple of preppy pieces. -Maize South senior Axie Sanchez
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Feature
Illustration by Ty Brack
