April 2014

Play ‘Promposals’ now a tradition at Maize Students find fun and creative ways to get a prom date. Page 12.

A season for the books Both the boys and girls basketballs teams made it to the state tournament. Page 20.

Hunting for history Senior Kris Super hunts for fossils in western Kansas.

Page 14.

Maize High School. 11600 W. 45. St. N, Maize, KS. 67101

April 2014

2014

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7 PM APRIL 11 MAIZE HIGH

RECEPTION AFTERWARD Admission is free Donations are accepted

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read.watch.play.

Table of contents Volume 7, Issue 5 | April, 2014

Lauren Debes

Basketball teams go to state

Boys and girls basketball teams played in the state tournament at Koch Arena. The girls played for the championship, page 20. COVER: Photo illustration by Brooke Johanson.

4

News

Graduate performs on ‘The Voice;’ school alters math curriculum; Maize considers district projects.

10

Lifestyles

16

Column

18

Entertainment

Families grow by adopting children; student gains love for fossil hunting from his father.

Play reporter becomes closer with brother as they get older and prepare for college.

Dating is a different affair today than it was decades ago.

8 12 17 22

Now Playing

Caffeine dependency already an issue for some students. Play asked a student to give it up for a week and monitored the results.

Photo focus

“Will you go to prom,” just won’t do anymore. Students share photos of creative “Promposals” with Play.

Opinion

Students should enjoy their time to be a kid instead of rushing into relationships and responsibilities.

Sports

Maize by the numbers: take a look at the statistics of sports at Maize.

Editor-in-chief Jordan Watkins Visual media editor Brooke Johanson Sports editor Maite Menendez News editor Hannah Henricks Features & lifestyles editor Cheyenne Esser Advertisements manager Dagny Castelli Reporters & photographers Hallie Bontrager Kendra Cunningham Lauren Debes Gabby Hermes Devan Horning Tori Lemon Nick Mathias Katie McLachlan Justin Noble Delanie Pierce Mikaela Stevenson Kassidy Watkins Shalene White Madeline Wofford Meagan Wofford Becca Zinabu Adviser Dan Loving Play is the official newsmagazine for and by Maize High School students. Play is published six times throughout the year. Play is a student publication and a forum for public opinion. Letters to the editor should be signed and around 300 words. 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 adviser.

Speak up!

Submit a letter to the editor for the senior issue to room D18 or to mhsnewsmag@gmail.com.

Printed by City Print. © Copyright 2014 Play newsmagazine

maizenews.com | AprilPlay

4 news

Kaleigh Glanton steals the spotlight on 'The Voice'

By Kassidy Watkins

Left: After performing on “The Voice’” Glanton surprised Maize with a mini concert.

Right: Glanton drew this picture of her future career sophomore year in Beth Janssen’s art class.

Cheyenne Esser

K

aleigh Glanton has come a long way since she was performing at Maize High’s Battle of the Bands.

Not long after graduating back in 2012, Glanton turned all four chairs on sixth season of NBC’s “The Voice.”

Her performance of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Have Ever Seen the Rain?” turned Adam Levine’s chair first.

The coaches this season are Shakira, Usher, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton.

Glanton joined Team Blake.

“He believed in my unique style and putting me in the spotlight,” Glanton said during an interview when she surprised Maize High students with a mini concert on March 14. “It felt right.

I had a gut feeling.”

Kassidy Watkins

Glanton was never in choir during high school, but still showed off her talent at Battle of the Bands during Homecoming week and performed at the senior art show three years in a row.

“She was always on the fence about wanting to pursue a music career because she knew it was competitive,” art teacher Beth Janssen said. “But her sophomore year when Kaleigh was asked to draw her future profession she drew herself in a recording studio.”

“The Voice” was not something Glanton had planned on doing.

Her manager sent a clip to “The Voice” without her knowing.

After hearing her voice, they asked Kaleigh to audition.

“I’ve always planned on doing something with music. I gave it up for a about a year because I never thought it would happen. But once I got the audition I realized maybe it actually could,” Glanton said.

Glanton has become a celebrity in Wichita because the show.

Not only has she been on multiple radio shows and in many news stories, but her Twitter and Instagram have exploded with followers.

Her two performances from the show have made the top 100 chart on iTunes.

Glanton hopes her music career can stay on the rise and land her a record deal.

“The Voice” airs on KSN, Channel 3, in Wichita on Mondays and Tuesdays.n

These stories first appeared on our website, www.maizenews.com.

Kellor Yde becomes one of 15,000 National Merit Finalist Senior Kellor Yde is a National Merit Scholarship finalist.

While Maize has had many finalists in the past, including 5 in 2012, Yde is the only finalist of the 2013-2014 school year.

Yde, who began his journey to being a finalist during his junior year, says he was confident in his standings to becoming a finalist.

“Statistically the odds were in my favor,” Yde said.

Considering Maize has had successful applicants in the past, Yde knew he had a decent shot.

“Almost every semifinalist from Maize becomes a finalist,” Yde said.

According to the National Merit Scholarship website, of the 1.5 million people who enter, only 50,000 qualify for recognition in the National Merit Scholarship program.

Out of those, 34,000 qualifiers receive Letters of Commendation recognizing AprilPlay | maizenews.com

their outstanding academic promise.

From there about one-third, or 16,000 students, are notified that they have become semifinalists.

In the end, about 15,000 semifinalists are notified that they have become finalists. n -Madeline Wofford Prom information announced Prom will be April 12 at the Abode Venue located at 1330 East Douglas from 8-11 p.m.

“The theme for this year is ‘A Night At Gatsby’s,’ ” StuCo adviser Staci Brown said.

Tickets are on sale in the school store for $25. Next week, the week of prom, tickets will increase to $30.

Only juniors and seniors are invited, but freshmen and sophomores can go if they are asked by an upperclassman.

After prom will be from 11 p.m. until 3 a.m. in the gym. Students must check in by 12:30 to get in.

It costs $5 to enter and students do

not need to attend prom to go to afterprom. n -Tori Lemon Students receive Scholastic awards Three students received medals from the National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards over spring break for their submitted art pieces.

Kansas was awarded six gold medals, as a whole.

Senior Payton Calabria and junior Chloe Cloud won two of the gold medals and junior Courtney Lang won silver.

“It’s pretty awesome to be one of 3 million people,” Cloud said.

The students’ work will be displayed on June 6 at Carnegie Hall in New York City for people from across the world to see.

“A girl from Kansas gets to show off her work to the busiest city in the country,” Lang said. n -Nick Mathias

news 5

School alters math curriculum, course path

M

aize is changing the curriculum course students can take and is changing textbooks used in Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II classes.

These changes will come into effect at the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year.

“There will be no more year-long classes and this year will be our first year to offer Algebra I B, which will continue in the future,” math department head Jenny Meirowsky said.

“It will kind of be replacing the year-

By Mikaela Stevenson

long Algebra I.” In previous years students were required to take Algebra III/ Trigonometry in order to take College Algebra.

With the changes, students will be able to go straight to College Algebra from Algebra II. “We would like more students to have the opportunity to take College Algebra before they graduate high school,” Meirowsky said.

Since students are leaving high school without the knowledge that

post-secondary schools are wanting them to have in the math area, colleges are having to offer classes that they think aren’t necessary.

“The post-secondary schools are having to offer remedial classes that should have been taken in high school,” Shelia Rathbun, Director of K-12 Education, said.

Math instructors and Rathbun will reevaluate their decisions next fall around mid-terms and make necessary changes based off of student data. n

Maize hosts third annual Run2Believe in March

Kylie’s mom, Barby Jobe, gives a speech before the run begins. Gabby Hermes

A

By Gabby Hermes

round 750 people participated in Run2Believe on March 22.

Three years ago Maize graduates Kylie Jobe and Kyle Thornburg were killed in a car crash by a drunken driver.

Every year since the accident, both families come together to hold an event to raise awareness to prevent drunk driving.

“I think it’s great,” Kylie’s brother,

Courtesy photo

Participants begin run by baseball fields and end on track. Gabby Hermes

senior Kavan Jobe, said. “All my friends do it. It’s good to have the support.”

After graduation, Thornburg attended Butler County College while Jobe attended Oklahoma State University.

The two were returning to Kansas from a spring break ski trip in Colorado when a driver going the wrong direction collided into them.

Money raised at the event goes toward Maize’s after prom and to a scholarship fund in Kyle and Kylie’s names.

The Kylie Jobe Endowment is offered annually to a sophomore of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority at OSU. The Kyle Thornburg Memorial Fund is offered through the Maize Education Foundation to give scholarships to Maize students.

“It started out hard. The first year was tough,” Jobe said. “My friends and family being around makes it a lot easier, and being in sports helps me keep my mind off of it.” n Students and run participants signed a pledge to not drink and drive.

Gabby Hermes

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news 7

Members of Art in Action paint bathroom stalls

H

ave you run into Bruno Mars or Marilyn Monroe in the bathroom recently?

Seniors Avery Woods, Sydney Travis and Madison McKinnis have been painting celebrities on the stall doors in the girls’ restrooms.

The students have been working on the paintings during art class, En-Cor and after school for the Art in Action class.

Art in Action is an advanced art class. Just like any other advanced class,

By Tori Lemon prerequisites must be met. In this case, student must take Art 1 in order to continue on to Art in Action.

“They’re painting pictures of iconic figures that everyone would recognize on the stalls,” art teacher Terry Bussart said. “They’ve worked really hard. We all just thought the bathroom was kind of an eyesore.”

These figures are famous singers and actresses including Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Rihanna, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Jimi Hendrix and Whitney

Students from Art in Action painted famous figures on the stall doors in the girls’ bathroom.

Houston.

Bussart and the three students were initially nervous that there wouldn’t be enough paint to complete their project.

“We ended up not needing any donations because we ended up having enough paint to finish all of the doors that we wanted to,” McKinnis said.

Because Art in Action is only a nine week class, students will only be painting seven of the nine stalls.

The students do not have other projects planned for this year. n

Tori Lemon

School board discusses district changes, projects

S

chool board members have been meeting for plans regarding student placement, renovations and new building projects.

Ideas for student placement include creating physical boundaries that will outline areas of the district to go to a specific set of schools, creating a feeder pattern that creates a path from elementary through high school or building a new middle school.

Keeping the current family preference system is also an option.

This includes sending out preference cards to families and allowing students to pick the school they would prefer to attend.

English teacher and task force member Kevin Frye has vocalized his disapproval on the current placement system and has tried to make a difference in the outcome.

“If you had asked me one month ago

By Shae White and Meagan Wofford to put a percentage on the probability that the district would change its placement process, I would have said a 60-70 percent chance that the district would change,” Frye said. “I strongly support changing the student placement process.

However I have lost virtually all optimism that a significant change will be made in the student placement process.”

In addition to a new middle school, the board is also looking at building new facilities such as a new early childhood development center, a natatorium and a career and professional center.

The district would also like to add storm shelters to buildings that lack them and improve existing high school athletic facilities.

“At this point it’s hard to say what the likeliness of this happening is,” Lori Buselt, the district’s director of communications, said. “The school board is still taking a look at the items that

were presented to them on Feb. 10. We would also have to have the people of the Maize district vote.”

A telephone survey was sent out asking the people of Maize what they thought of a bond worth between $65 million and $85 million to use toward the proposed ideas.

“The patrons survey indicated great support of the bond,” Buselt said.

“However, it was over a year ago and people’s opinions change, so we would have to continue listening to what they are saying.”

People have been questioning when the conclusion to the student placement process and the bond issue will be made.

“They are planning to meet twice in April to discuss the placement process changes. They anticipate making a decision in May or June,” Buselt said.

Buselt said the district doesn’t know when final decisions will be made. n maizenews.com | AprilPlay

8 now playing

T he Caffeine Connection Students combat daily stressors with caffeine

by Lauren Debes

C

affeine. The most widely used stimulant in the United States. However, this is not the common association given to the seemingly innocent cup of java or jolt of energy drink in the morning. Last May, caffeine intoxication was listed as a new mental disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

For the majority of students at Maize, caffeine usage does not reach abnormal levels. In a survey of nearly two hundred students, only 5 percent reported consumption of more than five caffeinated drinks in a day. This study included coffee products, energy drinks and caffeinated soda.

One of those in the minority is junior Cody VanDeusen, whose daily routine is completely based around caffeine.

“Wake up. Drink some Mountain Dew. Get dressed.

Go to QuickTrip. Get a Monster. Go to school. Drink the Monster. Go to work, and I drink Mountain Dew there,” VanDeusen said.

VanDeusen believes his habit started freshman year, where his busy schedule ate into his sleep time. He needed the caffeine to stay awake.

From that point on, his habits slowly escalated to addiction.

The FDA reports, “Bodies get used to it, and they don’t get the ‘good effects’ of feeling more awake and able to concentrate unless they use more of it. This is called ‘tolerance.’”

Tolerance has turned VanDeusen’s occasional pick-me-up to keeping a two liter by his bed that “lasts me about a day, at most.”

Studies show that cravings are similar to that of any other drug. Intense headaches, fatigue and agitation commonly follow those attempting to quit.

AprilPlay |

VanDeusen agreed to give up all caffeine for an entire week for Play magazine.

His symptoms mirrored that of the studies within the first day.

“I’ve had a headache all day. I fell asleep in third block, and my teacher got mad at me.

I feel so sluggish.” He reported the same conditions for the next three days. VanDeusen admitted his problems were worse than he thought.

Although the majority of students only minimally use caffeine products, the dosage should still be closely monitored. Caffeine addiction can build quickly.

Junior Amanda Rippel’s habits are more common among students; however, she begins to show signs of withdrawal after only skipping her morning brew.

“I have a cup or two of coffee every morning. If I don’t, I feel tired and get headaches,” she said.

Finally things began looking up for VanDeusen. The weekend.

“I finally got some sleep, and my headaches went away. I felt so much better.”

For students attempting to balance schoolwork, extracurriculars and a job, sleep often gets placed on the back burners. Turning to caffeine is only a short-term solution to the issue.

Caffeine is a drug equivalent to “putting a block of wood under one of the brain’s primary brake pedals,” written by Stephen Braun in his book “Buzz: The Science and Lore of Alcohol and Caffeine.”

The rapid deterioration often begins without realization.

Upon VanDeusen’s return to school, he felt fatigue and sickly once more. Schoolwork picked back up, his extra-curriculars demanded more attention and work took up nights.

“I would not do this again. I may not drink as much anymore, but I really need it” he said.

Just as predicted, VanDeusen did in fact “not feel like the same person anymore.” n

now playing 9

Photo illustration by Lauren Debes

maizenews.com | AprilPlay

10 lifestyles

Adoption was their option More than 125,000 children are adopted in the United States each year; two Maize seniors talk about their experiences

By Katie McLachlan

T

here are people all around us who desire to just have a family. But along the way, complications can arise that crush their dreams of having children.

However, many people who can’t create a biological family turn to the legal and often emotional process of adoption.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 10 percent of women in the United States have difficulty becoming pregnant. However, those who cannot create their own families because of obstacles or genetic risks find a way. Annually, 125,000 people will go through the adoption process.

Adoption and Beyond, an adoption agency working in Kansas and Missouri, has found that six in 10 Americans have had personal experience with adoption.

Senior Tricia Severe is thankful that she is adopted.

“I have a way better life because I was adopted, I know it,” Severe said.

Severe was adopted at birth to Connie and Kevin Severe. She is now the oldest of four children.

“My mom and dad kept trying to have a baby and she kept having miscarriages so then they were looking into adoption,” Severe said. “Then they found out they were getting me and later found out she was pregnant with my sister Stephanie. [My mom] was worried that my biological mom would change her mind.”

AprilPlay | maizenews.com

Severe said she knew from a very young age that she was adopted.

“Well my mom made homemade videos and stuff,” Severe said. “She would be like ‘Tell Jaime hi,’ and that’s my biological mom, and I guess one day I just asked who Jaime was and she told me.”

Severe has contact with both of her biological parents. Her biological mother and father contacted her last year.

Her biological mother has told Severe that she would not have been able to give her the life she has now.

Severe also has three biological half brothers; two on her mother’s side and one on her father’s.

“I don’t really have much of a relationship with them right now, and I honestly I don’t want one,” Severe said.

“I thought I wanted to meet them at first and then I found out who they were and I changed my mind. You just expect it to be something way different.”

Senior Kory Haught was adopted at birth by his parents Shonda and Marc Haught.

“My biological mom was going to have an abortion with me,” Haught said. “But she gave birth and gave me up for adoption.”

According to Birth Mother’s Ministry, a ministry that works with pregnancy care centers for those with unplanned pregnancies, 24 percent of all pregnancies in the United States

end in abortion.

Unlike Severe, Haught does not know his biological parents. All he knows is his mother’s name and nothing more.

“It’s not a big thing to me that I have a relationship with them,” Haught said.

“It’s cool that I know who they are and everything but other than that it’s not a big deal to me.”

Shonda Haught, Kory’s mom, says they have never kept the adoption a secret.

“We have all the information about his parents,” Shonda said. “If he ever had questions, we would always answer them. And if we didn’t know, then we would find them out.”

Not only was Kory adopted, but his brother Kyle, 25, was as well. Both adoptions were set up before their births.

“Because we were not able to physically have children we chose adoption to help us complete our family,” Shonda said.

The adoption of Kyle Haught took 14 months, whereas the adoption of Kory took seven years.

“I have never met anyone that has had a smooth adoption,” Shonda said.

The transition of Kyle becoming a big brother to Kory was not hard at all Shonda said.

“He is a great big brother,” she said.

Shonda said her life is more active and full because of her children. n

lifestyles 11

"I know if I hadn't been adopted, I would have a way worse life. I have a great life now."

-Tricia Severe, senior

Photos by Katie McLachlan

Tricia Severe, on sister Stephanie’s back, is the first of Connie and Kevin Severe’s four children.

She is the only one to be adopted. Also pictured is Lizzy. Brother Matt is not pictured. maizenews.com | AprilPlay

12 photo focus

PROMposals at their Finest

By Brooke Johanson

Sophomore Sandy Carlo and Junior Akim Richards

Sophomore Kaitlin Ayres and senior Jake Omo

Juniors Crosbie Moody and Matthew Prater

Juniors Peyton Quandt and Elijah West

Juniors Alex Lee and Tyler Downs

Juniors Kelsey Isaacson and Jake Warner (MSHS)

Juniors Jake Tatge and Shayla Jordan Juniors Hannah Henricks and Dustin Kanae

AprilPlay | maizenews.com

photo focus 13

Seniors Aaron Shaw and Olivia Baalman

Seniors Ashley Reiswig and Matt Beavers

Junior Emily Scheuffele and Liam Kilgore (KU)

Junior Kalee Betzen and Nick Nolting (Bishop Carroll) Juniors Naussica Shinkle and Kale Reynolds

Seniors Sydney Roy and Brooks Rummery (Friends U)

Junior Reid Abbott and senior Lauren Loyd

Juniors Austin Engler and Mariah Rey Juniors Hannah Edwards and Remington Smith (South)

Junior Kayla Crockett and freshman Brennon Hickman

maizenews.com | AprilPlay

14 lifestyles

Digging up history Photos submitted by Neil Dieker

By Hallie Bontrager

S

enior Kris Super has been collecting fossils for about five years. He started collecting at the age of 11 when his father, Jay Super, took him out to fossil hunt. Jay, a science teacher at Maize, had been fossil hunting since his childhood.

“My dad and I went out to western Kansas one time and I found a little shark tooth and then I just got into it,” Kris said. “It’s just cool to find something that is like 83 million years old. Just big, giant fish fossils and all this stuff you wouldn’t think of being around Kansas... you think of Kansas as being a prairie and then there is a shark tooth and you’re like ‘Oh what’s that doing here!’ because sharks live in the ocean. It’s pretty cool to find that kind of stuff.”

Jay Super explained how his mom used to take him fossil hunting when he was a little boy, which is what got him

AprilPlay | maizenews.com

interested in it. Jay wanted Kris to have the same experience with fossil hunting like he had when he was a kid.

“Growing up in western Kansas, there wasn’t a lot to do except going on walks and you would find cool rocks and fossils and artifacts and stuff like that,” Jay said. “So it was always kind of a scavenger hunt. It was just something to do, mostly.”

Kris has over 100 fossils and continues to collect more.

Kris explained that the process of finding a fossil is a lot different than most people think.

“Most people think you sit down and dig but what you actually do is look around and see if any bones are sticking out and then you work from there,” Kris said. “I usually go where there are all these big, rocky hills and I look up and down the hill until I find a little piece of bone sticking out. Then you take your

hammers and other tools and dig down to see what it is,” he explained.

Kris has won several awards for the fossils he found. On a website called TheFossilForums.com, he won Fossil of the Year with a four centimeter long jaw from an extinct marine reptile called a baby Xiphactinus.

His fossil is one of only two baby Xiphactinus fossils that have ever been found. He has also donated an eel fossil called Urenchlys Abditus to the Sternberg Museum of Natural History at Fort Hays State University.

Even though there aren’t many jobs that include fossil hunting, Kris hopes to pursue a career in this field and continue doing what he loves.

“I could be a professor or a paleontologist where you could do that kind of stuff [or] work with museums,” he said.

“That’s what I will probably do but I’m still not sure.” n

lifestyles 15

“It’s just cool to find something that is like 83 million years old.

Just big, giant fish fossils and all this stuff you wouldn’t think of being around Kansas.”

maizenews.com | AprilPlay

16 column

Growing close yet moving ap a r t

B

By Kassidy Watkins

rothers and sisters are meant to fight while growing up, but as they grow so does their bond.

Then you realize that very soon you won’t have your best friend living right downstairs anymore.

Having an older sibling means always having someone to look up to, having someone who will stick up for you and love you unconditionally.

That’s what my relationship with my older brother has become.

Jordan and I used to have the worst fights, most involving screaming, arguing and staying on opposite sides of the house until mom got home to solve the problem. In middle school, we were complete opposites and fought more than ever.

But once I got into high school, our relationship took a complete 180. Now I truly call my brother my best friend.

Whether it’s keeping a secret from Mom and Dad or sharing feelings about mean girls at school, Jordan is always the one I can go to. I don’t think I have one secret I haven’t shared with him, and when I don’t know what to do in a situation, I can just run downstairs and sit on his bed and tell him everything that’s

Kassidy and Jordan in Central Park during the 2014 spring break.

AprilPlay | maizenews.com

going on.

He’s always the one who understands exactly how I’m feeling and makes me feel better. Sometimes he just shakes his head and laughs at what I get myself into, but most of the time he has the best advice and is the first one to put someone in their place for me. He lets me tag along to the movies or go out to eat with all his friends.

However, it’s finally starting to hit me that in a few short months he’ll graduate and move to Lawrence. The thought of not seeing him every day really makes me sad.

I know Jordan will still be a phone call or text away, but it’s not the same as running downstairs or driving to McDonald’s just to see my best friend.

It’s only 2 1/2 hours away, but what happens when he moves even farther away to pursue his dreams?

It’s selfish of me to want him to just stay with me forever, because not only is he a great brother, he’s also an amazing journalist. I know that he is going to do big things in life.

No matter what happens or how far apart we end up, my relationship with my brother will always be my most valued and we will stay just as close, if not closer, as life goes on. n

From a young age, Kassidy, four, and Jordan, six, were inseperable.

Letter to the editor about ‘Mary Jane campaign’ The “Mary Jane campaign” article in Play’s February issue was a well-written story by Gabby Hermes. It was informational and clearly explained the debate over legalizing recreational marijuana use in the states.

A graph displaying the results of a survey of Maize students who have tried marijuana was included. Some in the freshmen class were unhappy with the graph because it said 67 percent of freshmen have tried the drug. This was a higher percentage of students than in the other three classes.

I believe the chart falsely represented the freshman class. I also feel it was a poor decision to conduct the survey on Survey Monkey and only advertise it on Twitter and Play’s website as there was no way to control who responded, how many times or if they were truthful.

Only 18 freshmen were represented, compared to 32 sophomores, 43 juniors, and 57 seniors. I believe this gives the freshmen class an undeniable disadvantage. In the discussions I have heard concerning this article, most agreed there are better ways to conduct a survey in order to get more reliable results.

For example, more people should have been informed of the survey in order to get a larger number of responses.

Also, each grade should have had an equal number of responses.

However, despite some students’ hurt feelings from the graph, everyone I’ve spoken to agree the article itself was truthful. ­— Jacey Handy, freshman

Speak up!

Submit a letter to the editor for the senior issue to room D18 or to mhsnewsmag@gmail.com.

opinion 17

Not waiting for Neverland

By Nick Mathias and Kendra Cunningham for the Play editorial board

M

any teens find themselves obsessing over the idea of growing up, being in a relationship or feeling like an adult; however, teens should enjoy the time they have before the responsibilities of adulthood set in. This would ensure that kids don’t forget that they have the rest of their lives to be adults.

“The reality is, you don’t have your whole life to be a kid,” history teacher Skeeter Rankins said. “You don’t get 16 back.”

With technology of today, teens develop more independence than they would have had 30 years ago.

For example, teens no longer ask their parents’ permission to use the home phone to call a friend. Because of this, many students believe they are ready to have the privileges of an adult without realizing the costs and responsibilities that come with growing up like bills and the basic cost of living.

“I think everybody has that natural desire to be independent or to be free to do their own thing,” English teacher Jeremy Bernard said. “If kids are thrown into the adult world too early, then they don’t really have the time or chance to grow and mature on that natural

timeline.”

Many think that growing up means becoming more serious with dating, however, students find themselves getting wrapped up in dating and making their boyfriend or girlfriend the center of their world.

“Don’t let the person that you’re dating, or would like to date, become your idol,” Rankins said. “Don’t let them become the thing you worship so much that it consumes you.”

A healthy relationship is one where both partners realize that all your free time does not have to include each other.

Students should have other activities they do as an individual rather than as a couple.

While students should exercise caution with dating, it can lead to positive experiences.

“I think a relationship is always good if it is a positive one,” Bernard said. “If you are mature enough to treat each other well, those are great relationships and I would always promote that.”

Teenage dating can provide many benefits, as long as the relationship progresses at a natural pace.

Photo illustration by Brooke Johanson and Kendra Cunningham

According to teen dating expert Crystal Schwanke, teens can learn important social skills such as cooperation, appropriate behavior, compromise, sensitivity, and the ability to understand others’ feelings through having a relationship.

A relationship can also provide a companion for a teenager, someone they can relate to and spend time with when times are tough.

“I feel like that’s what relationships should be more of just real great friends,” junior Keiryn Swenson said. “I feel like if you’re not best friends with each other you don’t actually know each other completely.”

Principal Chris Botts agrees with Rankins. Teenage relationships can be healthy as long as they don’t become consuming.

“What I would caution people about is being in a romantic relationship with someone and truly neglecting your friends and truly just being in that relationship and that’s all you’re focused on,” Botts said. “I think it’s good to date, but I would caution people to not get overly involved. I think you should focus on yourself and who you truly want to become.” n maizenews.com | AprilPlay

18 entertainment

By Kassidy Watkins and Delanie Pierce Throughout the decades, dating has evolved from heartfelt words and going out on dates to a DM on Twitter and hanging out in a basement. A normal date in today’s society is often watching movies at each others’ houses or meeting at a fast food restaurant for dinner. Asking for parents permission before a date is a very rare occurrence, whereas in the past it was something people took very seriously.

Dating has evolved a lot since the ’50s and continues to evolve today.

Now

Spanish teacher Sherry Elder has been married to her husband for 48 years.

Pickup lines: “I suppose there were but I don’t remember people using them regularly.”

First date: “We could not go out with couples, you could go with a group, but you couldn’t just jump in his car and take off.”

Parents blessings: “Absolutely need blessings, he had to come up to the door and in the house, even if your parents knew him well, and when you came home he had to walk you to the door. I think that’s really important and I see that’s changed a lot.”

Communication: “We had to see each other because we didn’t have cell phones, we had phones but a lot of parents said you couldn’t stay on the phone forever. The line had to be open because we had one line.”

Who pays: “If it was a bunch of girls going out you expected to pay your own way, otherwise the guy paid.”

Exclusivity: “You were going steady, and if you were going steady with someone, you did not take breaks and date other people, it was either a black or white issue.”

AprilPlay | maizenews.com

Photo by Delanie Peirce

Photo submitted by Sherry Elder

Then

Senior Chandler Goff and junior Lyndi Walker have been dating for 16 months.

Pickup lines: “When I hear pick up lines I think of cheesy ones, but that wouldn’t be considered a pick up line because usually you’re not trying to actually get that person,” Walker said.

First date: “We went out to dinner for our first date,” Walker said. “If you are just now meeting them then a first date is important but if you’ve known them for a while you kind of just work into it,” Goff said.

Parents blessings: “It makes things a lot easier so you’re not sneaking around and lying to your parents,” Goff said.

Communication: “We usually have constant communication,” Goff said. “We talk all day,” Walker said.

Who pays: “It depends on who has money,” Walker said, “whenever he has money, he pays, but since I have a job I usually pay.” “Yes, she usually has the consistent money,” Goff said.

Exclusivity: “As far as she knows, yes,” Goff said jokingly. “Yes, we are definitely exclusive,” Walker said.

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maizenews.com | AprilPlay

20 sports

Girls basketball falls to Wichita South in title game

2

By Justin Noble

T

he girls basketball team lost to Wichita South 47-35 in the Class 6A championship game.

Junior Daley Handy led the team in points with 15.

Freshman Brianna Johnson, who had started every game this season, did not play due to a knee injury suffered in the semifinal game.

“I knew that once she got injured I knew had to step up,” said sophomore Katie McClure, who started for Johnson. “It had a big effect.”

Maize started off the game making the first basket, but Wichita South soon took over and led 16-12 at the half. The Eagles struggled to get their offense going, missing several close attempts.

“We’ve got to make our layups,” McClure said. “It was a tough game.”

The Eagles weren’t able to make much of a game of it in the second half and lost to Wichita South for the second time this season.

“We didn’t finish,” coach Jerrod Handy said. “We just didn’t finish plays and didn’t make shots.”

With the loss, the team will look to next year, now having the experience of playing in the championship game. Brayden Byrd was the only senior on the squad.

“I’m really optimistic about next year,” Handy said. “We’ve got a lot of great girls and great talents.” n 1. Junior Daley Handy swerves around the oncoming defense from Wichita South.

2. The ball gets tipped by junior Keiryn Swenson during the state championship game.

3. Junior Saige Baalman goes up for a shot against Wichita South in the championship game Photos by Lauren Debes

1

AprilPlay | maizenews.com

3

sports 21

Boys basketball wins first state tournament game, finishes fourth

A

fter narrowly winning their first game of the state basketball tournament against Olathe East, 4443, the boys weren’t able to win another game. The team lost to future state champion Blue Valley Northwest in the semifinals of the tournament 61-42 and then Wichita East in the third-place game, 65-60.

By Hallie Bontrager

“I thought that we did well," coach Chris Davis said. "We played Blue Valley Northwest that has been to the state final five years in a row."

Though Davis said it was hard to end the season with a loss, he felt the season went very well.

“It was a great ride for our team and coaches,” Davis said. “I thought we did

5

well we played together.”

Even with the two losses in the tournament, the Eagles did something they have never done before at the state tournament.

"It was Maize's first time ever winning a game (in the state tournament)," Davis said. "They played really, really well." n

6

7

Photos by Lauren Debes

5. Senior Aaron Shaw takes a shot over two Wichita East defenders in the third place game at Kock Arena.

6. Junior Connor Lungwitz tries to dribble past a Wichita East defender to attempt to get a shot off.

7. Junior Ky-Sean Johnson drives to the basket and shoots in the third place game at state.

maizenews.com | AprilPlay

22 sports

Maize by the numbers Design by Justin Noble and Becca Zinabu

Estimated 600 student athletes at Maize = 25 students

Football • Team total of 57 touchdowns scored this season • 463 tackles made this season

Sport

Cross Country 32 miles Swimming 15 miles 0

5

AprilPlay | maizenews.com

10 15 20 25 Average Mileage per Week

30

sports 23

Basketball Boys: 1,343

Total points scored during the season

Girls: 1,309

Bowling

Average Score Boys: 200 pins Girls: 175 pins

Wrestling • Team total of 243 wins • 82 of the wins by pin

Volleyball

• 90 percent serve percentage • 2,300 digs • 191 aces

Golf • Played 10 competion rounds • 180 holes played for each player

maizenews.com | AprilPlay

4041 N. Maize Rd., Suite 200 Maize, KS 67101 316-722-4662 Located in Hampton Lakes Retail Center.

Dine-in, take out, and delivery.

$7 New York style medium single topping pizzas Mon. and Tues. $9 New York style large single topping pizzas Wed. and Thurs.

(Excludes premium toppings and extra cheese)

We’re so happy to be in Maize. Stop by and see us!