February 2018

PLAY Maize High School

February 2018

Three-sport athletes like Autumn Hanna compete all year long

-Sports Page 24-25

Play swaps with two students from Wichita West Page 20-23

Students utilize the new CTE building

Page 30-31

Table of Contents

27

5 1 4 1

31 0 3

(page 29) Junior Brandle Studevan goes up for a basket during the Eisenhower game.

Maize lost 88-66.

Photo by Savie Hughes (page 30-31) Freshman Austin Shultz smiles at the camera during Broadcasting in the CTE building.

Photo by Sam Bartlett (page 27) Junior Caleb Grill Maize pushes against an Eisenhower defender . Maize lost 88-66 to Eisenhower.

Photo by Savie Hughes (page 14-15) Maize graduate Morgan Huelsman talks on the air for The Bobby Bones Show.

Photo submitted by Morgan Huelsman

3 1 2 1

(page 12-13) Senior Leo Casin talks about his love for the American culture.

Photo by Sam Bartlett

29

What’s inside?

7 8 9 10-11 12-13 14-15 16-17 18 20-23 24-25 26 27 28 30-31

News

New nostalgic arcade opens downtown.

Editorial

Play advocates for school parking lot rules to be changed.

Review

Reporter Paige Young samples pho from several local restaurants.

Columns

Senior Sadie Ast reflects on her high school experiences; junior Ryann Redinger chooses a career.

Lifestyle

A look into the life of foreign exchange student Leo Casin.

Lifestyle

2012 graduate is the digital program director for The Bobby Bones Show.

Lifestyle

Play opens the book on the day-to-day lives of the library ladies.

Feature

Students rage about the video game “Fortnite.”

Now Playing

Play reporters Sadie Ast and Paige Young spend a day at West High.

Sports

Three-sport athletes compete all year long.

Sports

Junior Tanner Ohnmeis goes from benchwarmer to varsity starter.

Sports

Junior Caleb Grill talks about his accomplishments in his basketball career.

Sports

Freshman Kyle Haas shares his goals for his high school wrestling career.

Photo Focus

Students participate in hands-on learning in the new MCA building.

Table of Contents

Who’s inside?

Savie Hughes Editor-in-chief Allie Choyce Online editor Bailey Birkholz Design editor Lizzie Bell Photo editor Sadie Ast Features editor Casey Loving News/Opinion editor Kiara Ehrmann Engagements editor Abby McCoy Sports editor Brett Loving Advertisement editor Sam Bartlett Kylee Delmar Olivia Elmore Ryann Redinger Maddie Neigenfind Lauryn Ogden McKenna Smiley Morgan Thomas Ellie Stucky Jordan Wontorski Kasidy Bell Paige Young Dan Loving Adviser

Cover Illustration by Lizzie Bell 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.

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Raise your voice

Submit a letter to the editor for the next issue to room D16 or mhsnewsmag@gmail.com Printed by Sedalia Demorat.

© Copyright 2018 Play newsmagazine

3

News

Career academy up and running

T

Story by Olivia Elmore he Maize Career Academy opened its doors for the first time on Jan. 4. Nearly 600 students from Maize and Maize South take courses in the new building.

The career and technical education classes include culinary applications, graphic design, and anatomy and physiology. There are three levels of classes to take in the building: introductory, technical and application.

“The original plan or maybe the dream of a CTE building was to be a standalone building, but during the bond issue, Maize High needed FEMA shelters,” Community Liaison Michelle Bartlett said. “That is why the FEMA shelter on one end of Maize High was constructed, and the CTE building houses the area for a FEMA shelter in case of tornado.”

A bond issue was passed in 2015, which enabled the building to be constructed along with other updates to the school district, including the Early Childhood Center and renovations at

1 Building

Maize Middle.

Maize South junior Addison Johnson is not bothered by sharing a CTE building with MHS. “I think it makes sense for the school district to share the building,” Johnson said. “I feel that they have the opportunity to create one really nice building versus splitting the cost between multiple buildings. I’m really excited about the chance to prepare for my future with real-life courses and experiences.”

Even though MCA is attached to Maize High, it operates as a separate school without any bells at the beginning and end of the blocks.

“I don’t actually mind having no bells because I feel sort of independent,” MHS junior Evelyn Garcia said. “It’s a little freedom from hearing those bells all throughout the day.”

The students in MCA use brand new equipment for their hands-on work.

“In the new culinary rooms, we have gas stove tops now, whereas in the old room we had ceramic tops, and we use

cast iron skillets for competitions.” MHS junior Caitlin Gooding said. “In the old room, we couldn’t practice using the cast iron skillets on the ceramic tops because it would damage them because the cast iron top is so heavy. In the new kitchens, we can practice using the cast iron skillet because we have a gas stove top, and it’s not going to damage it.”

Shelia Rathbun, executive director of MCA, believes in the mission of the new building.

“It’s such an opportunity for the students from both Maize South High and Maize High,” Rathbun said. “Many of these pathways started at one facility and were only open to those kids, and as we’ve grown it’s been nice to see them develop into opportunities for students from either high schools. I hope we continue to offer [classes] regardless if it’s in a classroom at Maize High or if it’s in a classroom at Maize South High where all students have the opportunity to take what they’re interested in and help find their passion and what they want to do beyond high school.”n

See pictures of the Maize Career Academy on pages 30-31.

The MCA building cost $10 million to construct during the summer and first semester of the 2017-18 school year.

2 Schools Maize High and Maize South students have equal opportunities to take classes in the MCA.

3 Levels

Introductory classes explore careers in specific fields.

Technical classes are specific to certain careers. Application classes include internships and individual study.

4

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News

Apple sued over battery life

A

Story by Olivia Elmore pple is being sued by iPhone users in New York, Illinois, California, and even customers in Israel, National Public Radio reported. The lawsuits are due to iPhones with aging batteries being slowed down by the software update iOS 10.2.1.

Junior Brooklyn DeForeest owns an iPhone 5c and has been noticing problems with her phone shutting down.

“I noticed I think two months ago,” DeForeest said. “It was very apparent because it was happening more often.

My phone wouldn’t turn on. Just last week my phone was on 80 percent battery and it died and wouldn’t turn

back on until I plugged it in. That happened the next day when it was on 90 percent and the next day when it was on 100 percent. Those three days in a row made me think ‘Wow something’s wrong.’”

Apple claimed in a message to customers that the reduction in performance prevents the unexpected shutdowns that DeForeest experienced on iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s Plus and iPhone SE. Some customers bought a new phone to prevent lag times when they could have simply bought a new battery for hundreds of dollars less. The fact that the problem was Apple’s fault and could have been fairly inexpensive to solve has caused many of the lawsuits.

Junior Nick Reiswig recently upgraded his phone from an iPhone 6 to an iPhone 10 and has noticed a difference in loading times.

“It’s way faster [than my iPhone 6],” Reiswig said. “Opening apps and closing apps loads a lot faster. Getting on Safari to search things up is just way faster than my older phone.”

In December, Apple reduced the price of iPhone battery replacements by $50 for anyone with an iPhone 6 or later.

These batteries only cost $29 instead of $79.

“Our customers’ trust means everything to us,” Apple said in a message to customers. “We will never stop working to earn and maintain it.”n

QuikTrip adding store on Maize Story by Jordan Wontorski uiktrip has been updating, remodeling and building new stores around the West Wichita area. The newest addition to the chain is being built at 29th and Maize Road, just months after a new store opened at 13th and Tyler.

QuikTrip spokesman Mike Thornbrugh said the company isn’t sure when the new store will open.

“We really don’t have a date on that one, and the reason we don’t have a date is because right now Quiktrip has so many stores in the company, we don’t want to over expand ourselves, so we slow some construction down,” he said.

Senior Jaeyd Schoonover, who works at QT, said the 29th and Maize location is a smart move for the company.

“I think it’s really good because it’s so close to New Market Square and how [the area] is growing, I think it’d be per-

Q

6

fect for that location,” Schoonover said.

“I wish we were closer to 21st and Maize but there’s no room there to squeeze it in.”

Inside the new stores, there are full kitchens offering pizza, pretzels and sandwiches. The building structure has also changed, making the store more accessible.

However, Alyssa Pappan, a senior who works at QT, said she feels like renovation could lead to higher crime rates within the stores.

“We added doors on the ends [of the building], which makes it more convenient for people to get in when it’s cold out,” Pappan said. “I don’t really like that because we have a high crime rate. We already have to keep an eye out for people that steal, and [this change makes it] easier for them to just run in, grab something and run out.”

Thornbrugh said Quiktrip will continue to build in areas that give more

“I think it’s really good because it’s so close to New Market Square and how [New Market Square] is growing, I think it’d be perfect for that location” — Jaeyd Schoonover, senior

convenience to its customers.

“Quiktrip is not very big on how many stores we have,” Thornbrugh said.

“What we’re concerned about is the volume that stores have. The problem you have is you can oversaturate and cannibalize the market, and it affects us more than it affects our competition to have too many stores in one area.”n

FebruaryPlay | @PlayNewsmag

Pac is Bac833 Retro arcade has opened in Old Town with plenty of classics to choose from Story by Sam Bartlett retro-themed arcade has opened in downtown Wichita.

This arcade features ’80s and ’90s classic games such as Pac-Man, Galaga, Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat. The Arcade was opened by Derek Sorrells and Michael Jensen with a love of gaming in mind.

“I grew up in the ’80s, so I remember going to arcades like this and wasting lots and lots of money,” Sorrells said.

“These games were designed to be played for 90 seconds on a quarter.”

All of the games in The Arcade are set to free play, with customers playing a $10 fee to enter and play the games for as long as they want.

“It allows people to come in and play games they have never played before,” Sorrells said. “The good thing is you don’t have to feed a bunch of quarters in. It’s just $10 to play all day long and you can come and go.”

Sorrells said he and Jensen make a perfect team.

“We had been friends for a while,” Sorrells said. “When I had a

A

problem with a game, he would fix it.

So I couldn’t do this without him, and he couldn’t do this without me. We are a perfect combination of being able to make this work well.”

The games in The Arcade all belonged to the pair before opening shop. Sorrells said he owned 48 of the arcade games and Jensen had 15.

“Together, we had a great collection of games,” Sorrells said. “He can fix them and I can run the front of the business, so we decided to do it [start the business].”

The process of starting the business seemed to come naturally to the two men, as they had many friends who were in the arcade business previous to their opening.

“I had nine different friends across the U.S. who do this,” Sorrells said.

“I talked with them, and I had been thinking about this for a couple years. I just decided well, why not.”

The community aspect is an important driving force behind The Arcade.

“I wanted to share that [aspect] and

show people your age and older what it was like to come to an arcade, play, bring your friends in and beat them in something,” Sorrells said.

Principal Chris Botts visited The Arcade and said it brings back a nostalgic feeling.

“The first thing I thought of was this reminded me of my garage when I was a little kid,” Botts said. “I loved to see the turn out, I mean there was just a ton of people there. It made me feel like I was 10 years old again.”

Sorrells said that any arcade has the power to bring people together and that he’s happy to share that with the community.

“I think the biggest thing for me is come check it out,” Sorrells said. “It’s kinda like your parents are always trying to drag you to a museum of some kind but in a way this is where your parents grew up. If you ask them ‘Where did you play video games?’ they will be able to tell you where they went because that’s where kids would hang out.”n

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FebruaryPlay | @PlayNewsmag

7

Editorial

Parking Perils

Out with the old; let us pull through

By Casey Loving for the Play Editorial Board fter a long day at school, driving instructor John Anderson belongs to any intruder. It could you walk out to your car said. “Why they won’t change the easily just be a parent in student to find the last thing you rule, I don’t know. Well, to me parking or a kid without a sticker. wanted to see: a ticket. Frustrated, it’s silly, their reasons, because in Not to mention that an attacker you begin to think of what you real life, in public, you can do that could just park in visitor parking possibly could have done. wherever you want.” where passes aren’t required. In You aren’t in teacher parking.

Officer Jamey Dover said there fact, school shooters are most You didn’t park on the line. Your are reasons why students can’t pull often students, so any shooter parking pass is on your window. through. could easily have a parking pass Looking down, you are shocked “The reason I strictly enforce himself. As much as the school to find you are being ticketed for it is because I need to be able to wants to help in such an awful the worst crime of all. You, a see your permit, which is on your situation, making our parking delinquent in the eyes of the law, back window, and your tag passes visible on the backs of the have pulled through in the parking number to know that you belong cars just isn’t helpful. lot, and you should be ashamed. in the parking lot,” Dover said.

If the school is really intent on Now, let’s not kid ourselves. Of We disagree that it’s a safety keeping parking passes visible, the course students not being allowed issue. In fact, the restriction causes entire problem could be solved by to pull through in the school much more grief than it could ever giving out more than one to parking lot isn’t the biggest even feasibly solve. students. Even if that meant problem in the world. Trying to Let’s assume for a moment that having to pay for the second pass, find something worse to the worst has happened. surely people would pay $10 for worry about wouldn’t be difficult.

Somebody has entered the school the gift of easy parking for four However, as far as mildly who isn’t supposed to be here. This years. annoying problems go, this is the intruder, with his car in student While keeping students from most irking. parking, has made his way into pulling through is intended to And we think it’s time the rule is the school, endangering everyone increase safety, it actually does the changed. inside. Luckily, all other students opposite. Pulling through a The rule solves no problems and are properly parked, allowing the parking space, both safer and eliminating it would be safer for authorities to quickly identify the easier for new drivers, provides a the inexperienced drivers who intruder’s car. It can’t be more comfort that is currently denied to frequent a high school parking lot. important to wait by the car for students over a matter as simple Backing into a space is widely the trespasser to leave than it is as buying a sticker. It’s time for the considered to be safer than pulling to go inside the school and stop rule to change. in due to the fact that it saves you them. After an attack has begun, “If someone really wanted to do from having to back out. By this knowing where their car is doesn’t it, I think they could go around logic, it would be safest to pull really do much of anything. and get a petition and try to, but I through a parking space, saving Now, let’s imagine a different couldn’t tell one way or the other drivers from having to back in or scenario in which the school is how that’s going to go,” Dover said. out. It’s the best of both worlds. safe, but a car has been found “It’s something that could be “It is safer for a beginning without a parking sticker. It would talked about, surely. I don’t make driving student to pull through,” be insane to assume this car the rules, I just enforce them.”n

A

85%

of students said they preferred to pull through than pull up to the line —Twitter poll involving 78 users

8

75% of accidents for beginning drivers involves backing into something —John Anderson

FebruaryPlay | @PlayNewsmag

Pho nominal

Review

Senior Paige Young tested out five popular pho restaurants in west Wichita and downtown Story by Paige Young

P

ho is a classic Vietnamese soup made up of rice noodles, beef broth and thinly sliced raw beef. The meat is cooked when the close-to-boiling-hot broth is poured over top. It is served with fresh basil, bean sprouts, lime and sliced jalapeno on the side, usually brought out first by the server. Many also choose to add sriracha and hoisin sauce to their mix. Being able to add as much of what you want of each item into your bowl until it tastes exactly how you prefer it, almost makes it impossible to dislike the traditional soup.

I like my Pho with lots of sriracha and basil, and I usually go light on the bean sprouts. But who has the best Pho? I sampled five spots in west Wichita and downtown to try to figure it out.

Pho Chopstix

Pho Chopstix, located on Ridge near 21st Street, is a popular Vietnamese restaurant on the west side. As hinted at by the name, it is most known for its pho.

Chopstix serves its pho the traditional way with bean sprouts, basil, lime and jalapeno.

The best part about their pho was the broth.

It was the perfect balance of salty and savory without being too overpowering. The regular size bowl costs $7.59 and the large size costs $8.59. For a small $1 difference, the size difference between the two is significant.

Nippon

Nippon, located on Maize just north of 37th Street, is another favorite for west-side pho connoisseurs. Unlike the other pho restaurants I visited, Nippon is a fast-casual style of restaurant in the sense that customers order at a counter and fill their own drinks. Nippon’s pho is also served with the traditional side ingredients.

The sirloin in Nipon’s No. 61 Pho Tai is what stuck out to me. It was sliced thin enough to eat the noodles and the meat in the same bite, but not so thin that the meat falls apart.

Nippon’s pho ranges in price from $8.99 to $10.99 depending on what meat you choose.

Charng-An

Charng-An, located on Central Avenue near Tyler, is a less-known Asian restaurant.

The pho there is good but not anything special. Charng-An also serves pho with traditional ingredients of basil, bean sprouts, lime and sliced jalapeno. The broth was a bit bland but adding more sriracha and hoisin sauce to it makes the broth more flavorful.

The pho at Charng-An costs between $8 and $9.

Saigon

Saigon, located at 10th and Broadway downtown, is a popular spot for people who love pho. Despite being filled with traditional Asian decor, the restaurant gives a homey feel. At Saigon, the pho is served with most of the common side ingredients. However, instead of lime, Saigon serves lemon slices on the side. The pho ranges from $5.95 to $9.95 depending on the meat that you pick for your bowl.

Little Saigon

Little Saigon, located at 9th Street and Broadway, is another popular place for classic Asian cuisine. Based on their names and locations, one might think Saigon and Little Saigon are sister restaurants, but the two are actually separately owned and are even rivals. The pho at Little Saigon is $8.95 for a regular size and $9.95 for a large. Little Saigon serves its soup with the traditional ingredients as well, and it is very good. The broth was not too salty or bland, the meat in the soup had good flavor and the atmosphere there is great.

Of the five pho spots I tried, I would have to say my favorite is Saigon. It’s a bit of a drive, but definitely worth it. The atmosphere, broth, and overall taste of the soup was just unmatched by the other four restaurants. My least favorite was Charng-An because the pho was not anything exceptional and was a little pricey for the size and quality of soup.n

9 FebruaryPlay | @PlayNewsmag

Photo by Kylee Delmar

Column

Time flies

Senior Sadie Ast reflects on her high school experiences, and offers advice to students for the years to come

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Column By Sadie Ast s the days tick away on my senior year, I begin to realize everything that I have been through in these past four years. I guess in some way, what everyone says is kind of true. High school is some of the best years of your life, but I can also attest that they will without a doubt also be some of the worst as well.

Freshmen

If there is one thing that freshman year taught me, it’s that you guys are not hot stuff. In all reality, you’re back to the dead bottom of the food chain.

No upperclassmen really pay attention to you, and yes, you honestly should get involved. Make new friends because I can promise you that the clique you had in middle school will most definitely not last all the way through high school, and if it does, well then congratulations.

But get out there, make yourself known. Stop hiding out waiting for other people to come to you. Invite the kid who sits alone at lunch to eat with you, introduce yourself to someone you’d think you wanna be friends with.

I get it, it’s scary to put yourself out on a pedestal for everyone to see, but you have three whole years ahead of you, so why not start now?

Sophomores

In all honesty, my sophomore year was the most pointless and stress-free year when I put it all together. I didn’t struggle with too many things sophomore year, but I understand the feeling of still not getting any privileges because you’re still labeled an “underclassman.” It’s extremely difficult to find the good things in sophomore year because you’re so close but yet so far from 10

everything that the upperclassmen get to enjoy. For example, to even be guaranteed a spot on a varsity team, you need to have a ridiculous amount of talent. Starting a varsity game is a whole other story in itself. It’s really hard. You aren’t allowed to go to prom, unless you are asked by an upperclassman, and you have to sit and wait patiently for the hardest year of high school to come.

Juniors

If you’ve made it this far without having a complete mental breakdown, then be prepared. It’s always been rumored that junior year is the hardest year of anyone’s high school career, and I never believed it until I finally became a junior. While stepping up into the upperclassmen status is fun and all, it comes with quite a few “catches.”

Sure you can go to prom, you don’t have to listen to anyone try and tell you what to do anymore because you’re just one year away from running the school, but let me tell you, you’re gonna be praying for your junior year to finish quicker than it started. You have to start actually thinking about life after high school, apply to colleges, go on college visits, and maybe if you haven’t already, start taking the ACT and realize you’re nowhere near as smart as you thought you were. The amount of core classes you have piling up will be overwhelming, and it’s going to seem like the days are moving in slow motion. But, at the end of the year, when you breathe that sigh of relief and hear the final class bell ring, you will quickly realize that it was all worth it.

Seniors

We are the top of the school, believe it or not, but the younger kids really

do look up to us. They look to us for advice, for help because they have no idea what they’re in for, and we’re sort of the crazy veterans on the side of the street who say something deep and meaningful every once in a while. But as I sit here and type these words about my high school experience, I’ve come to realize just a few things that will occur to you when you reach your senior year of high school. Senioritis is definitely, without a doubt a very real thing. I can’t imagine being here for another four months, but at the same time I still have the darndest time picturing myself walking across the stage, receiving my diploma and throwing my white cap high into the air. These feelings, they come in waves. It’s hard to comprehend how fast we’re growing, it’s nearly impossible for some of us to even think about being on our own soon. But the truth is, a year from now we’ll be halfway through our first year of college.

We will be on our own. No more mom, no more dad, no more siblings who make you want to throat punch them every day. It will be our time to shine, our time to become adults, to be the people that we will be forever.

It’s crazy, I feel like yesterday I was walking into my first day of freshman year, thinking high school would go by slower than anything. But it didn’t. It went in the blink of an eye. I overcame, I fell in love, I was heartbroken, and even suspended in the four years of my high school career, but, even if I had the chance, I wouldn’t do it over again.

High school was fun and all, but I’m ready for the next chapter of my life, and I’m beyond ready to close the book on this one, even though it was a pretty good read.n

FebruaryPlay | @PlayNewsmag

Column

When I grow up

Junior Ryann Redinger writes about her new dream job

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Column by Ryann Redinger

s a 6-year-old, the question “what do you want to do when you grow up?” is quite an easy question to answer. We all wanted to be something like an astronaut, fireman, or, if you’re my little sister, a nail tech.

Our dreams were so big and our future so clear.

In kindergarten, I wanted to be a zookeeper. In middle school, I wanted to be an interior designer. During my first two years in high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do as a career.

I was interested in writing, but I didn’t want to rely on the slight chance of getting published for financial support.

Even though I had no direction in life, I knew I did not want to be a teacher. I mean, wiping kids’ noses while earning next to nothing did not sound like how I wanted to live my life. I am a teacher’s kid, so I’ve always known how much work goes into it without much financial reward. I was so opposed to the idea of going into education, I used to tell my friends that if I became a teacher that they should just kill me. I’d rather have been dead than grading papers at 1 a.m.

But deep down, I knew it was inevitable. Throughout my school career, I was continually growing frustrated with the public school system and how classrooms were being run. I was discouraged by the attitudes of students my age and their perspectives of their future. I hated how the classroom wasn’t teaching kids how to be tolerant and respectful to others. There was just so much I wanted to change.

It didn’t take me long until I realized that I had to be that change. Instead of complaining about the classroom, why not step into one and see if I could make it any better? That day I visited with some Emporia State representatives at the State Fair and requested more information on their elementary education program.

The deal with my new career path I am headed on is that not everyone is supportive. All my life I’ve had people tell me that I need to be a doctor or engineer, that I was way too smart to do anything less.

I was once talking with a 1A school teacher about being an education major.

His reply to my desire to teach was “teaching isn’t a job for smart people,”

which I never understood. Wouldn’t you much rather have a smart, educated teacher than anyone else? Are public school teachers really this uninspired and undetermined to empower and inspire their students?

I just kind of laughed it off, but I hear comments like this about the teaching profession all the time: and the worst one of all, “You really want to spend all your time with children?” as if they aren’t worth my time.

Children are worth it. They are the future of the world. It is up to teachers to help encourage and equip kids with the tools they will need to make the world a better place. It is time for us to begin investing in kids rather than looking down on them. They are worth so much more than what the education system gives them. My goal as an educator is to do so: give kids more, teach them how to use their talents for good, teach them of the importance of kindness and look them all in the eyes and tell them they are valuable and actually mean it.

So yes, I want to be a teacher when I grow up, and I’m going to be dang good at it.n

11 FebruaryPlay

Lifestyle

Abroad view Senior Leo Casin attends Maize as a foreign exchange student “Oh, I am Leo’s greatest fan. His kindness, his curiosity, ambitiousness, courage. I hope that he has people around him, who ‘see’ him. See who he is, and people who love him. I wish him the very very best and that he will be happy.”

— Andrea Präg, mother

(Page 12) Casin stands on the top of a parking garage in downtown Wichita. He will travel back home to Germany in June.

(Page 13) Casin said that the buildings seem to be more spread out in Wichita, than they are in Germany. He plans to come back to visit the states in the future.

Photos by Sam Bartlett

Connect with Leo leo_ca_85 lc07_24 12

FebruaryPlay | @PlayNewsmag

“I wanted to speak English a lot more.

I love speaking English. Some people think it’s cool that I speak four languages: German, English, Italian and French.”

— Leo Casin, senior Story by Abby McCoy oreign exchange student senior Leo Casin said he has been living in a different world for the last several months. He came from Munich, the third-largest city in Germany. He said that his passion for the American culture originally attracted him to the States.

“I wanted to speak English a lot more,” he said. “I love speaking English. Some people think it’s cool that I speak four languages: German, English, Italian and French.”

Casin said American culture is part of everyday life in Germany. In school, it is required that students become fluent in English, as well as an additional language. Casin said that because his mother speaks English, it was natural for him to learn the language.

Casin’s host parents, Kristen and Rune Larneng, met when Rune was an exchange student from Norway at West High. They were friends in high school, going to prom together and walking together at graduation. But once he returned to Norway, they lost touch for eight years until she found him on the Internet. In 2005 they got married.

This is what sparked their interest in hosting foreign exchange students.

Last year, the Larneng family hosted Alessandro Ragazzi from Italy who also attended Maize.

“We have wanted to host for many years,” Kristen said. “It’s like borrowing someone else’s kid for a year.”

Kristen and Rune have a son, Eirik, who is 6. Casin has a younger brother at home in Germany, so Kristen said he’s familiar with being around small kids.

F

“He [Eirik] really looks up to him as role model,” Kristen said. “He likes doing LEGOs with him.”

Casin said the question he is most often asked is if he misses his family and friends back home. He said he only calls his mother once or twice a month because there is so much going on.

“Many people say they couldn’t leave their family for a year,” Casin said. “That they couldn’t imagine it. Yeah, it’s kinda crazy to imagine, but it’s not that bad.”

Leo’s mother, Andrea Präg, said she had mixed emotions when she sent her son to America.

“It was his idea,” she said. “He has been addicted to the spirit of the American culture and way of life. My part of the decision eventually was that I want for both of my children, that they grow up with the consciousness, that there are a lot of possibilities in life and that we all have the power to go over our limits.”

Präg said her son is always on her mind. She said she misses his energy at home, and that family life is a lot quieter without him.

“Oh, I am Leo’s greatest fan,” Präg said.

“His kindness, his curiosity, ambitiousness, courage. I hope that he has people around him, who ‘see’ him. See who he is, and people who love him. I wish him the very, very best and that he will be happy.”

Casin said another reason he wanted to do the exchange is because he wanted to play football here. He started playing club football in Germany, but he wanted to experience what high school football was like.

He said although football was

challenging, it was still fun and he still loves the sport. Another challenge that Casin faced in his adjustment was finding friends.

“It’s really hard to find friends here,” Casin said. “People didn’t really want to talk to me. The first time I really did something with friends was at the end of football season; we went to Freddy’s.”

Sophomore Colton Crockett was one of his first friends at Maize. Casin said that now that he has found his friend group, and they are some of his favorite people here.

“It’s been a blast adding him into our group,” Crockett said. “He’s exactly like we are, just from a different country. Leo is a great dude, and if you haven’t met him you definitely should.”

In the spring, Casin plans to play baseball. Crockett influenced Casin to give it a try. Casin said that he understands he has a slight disadvantage because he has never played before, but he is willing to put in the work.

“I think it’s going to be so much fun having him play this season,” Crockett said. “He is such a hard-working athlete and he’s willing to put in extra time most athletes aren’t, and he’s just an inspiring dude.”

Casin said he hopes to have driven a car and shot a gun by the time he goes back home. After he finishes high school, he hopes to go to college and pursue his dream of becoming a surgeon.

“I like cutting open stuff,” Casin said.

“We had to cut open an eye in biology and that was so fun. I like science, so I’d say that fits.”n 13

FebruaryPlay | @PlayNewsmag

To the Bone

Maize graduate works for The Bobby Bones Show Maize graduate Morgan Huelsman works on the set of The Bobby Bones Show. Photo submitted

by Morgan Huelsman

FebruaryPlay | @PlayNewsmag

Features

“

“

You just don’t realize the impact that a show of this size can have for people all over the country.

—Morgan Huelsman, Maize graduate

L

Story by Allie Choyce and Ellie Stucky istening to the radio is a pastime when driving around.

Early in the morning, many people in the Wichita area dial into radio station 102.1-FM, the Bull, on their way to school or work to listen to The Bobby Bones Show on the iHeartRadio station.

Morgan Huelsman, a 2012 graduate, is the digital program director for The Bobby Bones Show in Nashville.

Huelsman has taken the passion for broadcast journalism, leadership and service she first discovered at Maize and turned it into a career with a national radio program.

As the digital program director, Huelsman oversees and operates the social media accounts. During the show she keeps track of live updates. She also works on The Bobby Bones website.

“I loved broadcast journalism,” she said. “But radio wasn’t exactly on my radar until I got out of college. And a job opening was kind of presented to me, and I just went for it. I wasn’t sure what I was getting into, but I have totally fallen in love with the industry.”

After graduating from college at Kansas State University, Huelsman got a job with iHeartRadio as a digital program director, eventually being

promoted to Nashville. She has been with The Bobby Bones Show for eight months.

“Everybody’s really good friends,” Huelsman said. “We spend a lot of time together. We work five hours in the morning every single day. …

Everybody’s also at different points in their lives, especially the rest of the show compared to myself. I’m really young and I kind of came in at an interesting time in a lot of their lives.”

Huelsman said that her favorites part about being on The Bobby Bones Show are that she gets to meet some of her idols and giving to the people who need it most of all.

“We get to work with some really awesome individuals from artists of all genres,” Huelsman said. “[We also get] to help a lot of charities through the really big platform that we have.”

The show works with a charity called Shop Forward. According to the Shop Forward website, the charity raises money for several charities, such as St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and TEEM Haiti.

Huelsman also said there were some things that she wasn’t expecting out of her digital programing position on the show.

“I talk on the air sometimes, which

is crazy,” she said. “Just kind of sharing my story and being a very open and vulnerable book to people. ... You just don’t realize the impact that a show of this size can have for people all over the country.”

But the thing Huelsman said she feared most was feeling out of place in her new job.

“I think the thing everybody is scared of when they first start a job is just making sure you fit in the right way and you find the right chemistry,” she said. “You have to have really thick skin, and you have to have a really big passion and drive for it. I was worried that all those things that prepared me for that moment weren’t going to be everything I needed [to succeed].”

There were some high school experiences she said helped her prepare for this job. Huelsman was involved with KAY Club at Maize. She was club president her senior year. Also during her senior year, Huelsman took the broadcasting class.

“The class prepared me for the journalism side,” she said. “The club helped me with working with my leadership styles and [finding] a passion with working for charities and volunteering.”n

The Bobby Bones Show staff poses for a group photo. Photo submitted by Morgan Huelsman.

15 FebruaryPlay | @PlayNewsmag

Opening up the book

A peek into the stories of the Maize library ladies

Janette Dillon talks with her son, Caleb Dillon, during En-Cor. Dillon enjoys connecting with students throughout the day.

Photo by Kasidy Bell

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Story by Ryann Redinger

rom shelving books to recommending research material, the Maize media center para professionals are the people who help the students in the library. However, many students didn’t know about them past their covers until Play took a peek into their stories.

Janette Dillon

Janette Dillon is one of the media center para professionals in the library.

She has been working at Maize High for five years now. She is the first face you see when you walk through the library doors. Dillon graduated high school from Northwest High School, and she said she was very dedicated to her studies and grades. After high school, she started out at WSU in the nursing program, but she didn’t end up completing the degree.

“I was actually in the [nursing] program, and then I ended up getting married and staying home, so I didn’t finish. I don’t recommend [not completing college],” Dillon said.

Throughout her five years working at Maize, Dillon’s favorite part of her job by far is the connections she gets to make with the students. She said she truly enjoys getting to see the faces of students every day. “[I love] seeing every one of the kids,” she said. “Not just [a specific group of kids], but I see all of them. Even the special ed kids come in, and I absolutely 16

love that.”

Her most memorable story is a connection she made with a former student.

“He was able to come in and tell me a lot of stuff he felt like he couldn’t tell a lot of people or at home,” Dillon said.

“Once he graduated, he ended up coming out that he was gay. He still will send me letters and messages on Facebook saying that the connection really meant a lot to him and he felt safe and that he knew I would accept him no matter what.”

Dillon finds making connections with students a principle part of her job. She believes that the connection she makes with students has an impact on them.

“It’s those connections that matter,” Dillon said. “If I hadn’t spent time with him who knows what he would have done? Kids these days do all kinds of stuff and crazy things, and I don’t want that to happen to them.”

Because of her love of connecting with kids, Dillion began online college to get a degree in general education and special education from Fort Hays State University.

“I wanted to get a special education degree on top of my elementary education degree because I knew it would make me be a more diverse teacher,” Dillon said. “I am also very sympathetic to those who need additional help and/ or modifications as there is nothing more rewarding than watching the lightbulb come on for a student who

finally grasps a certain concept.”

Dillon said she finds it difficult to find a balance between having a full-time job, being a single mom and full-time student. She said she takes anywhere from 12 to 15 credit hours each semester and that it can be extremely overwhelming, but Dillon said she has found a way to adjust to her busy schedule.

“I am very goal-driven, and some days I have to focus on the current day, while others I am able to focus on a bit larger picture,” Dillon said. “Each day I finish strong gets me one day closer to my degree.”

Dillon graduates from Fort Hays in May after two years of schooling. She said going back to school was a huge challenge but has helped her gain efficiency and motivation.

“I believe this is a huge and powerful example to both of my boys as they watch me end each semester with a 4.0 and move towards my goal with great tenacity,” Dillon said.

After graduation, Dillon said she will be leaving Maize High. She plans on student teaching in the fall.

“I am looking forward to being the teacher that leaves a lasting legacy on my students,” Dillon said. “Effective teachers are the most important factor contributing to student achievement, and I want to ensure that I connect with my students and reach them on multiple levels as I am committed to their well-being both inside and outside of the classroom.”

NovemberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

Debra Harris reads her current favorite book in her free time. Her favorite book at the moment is “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” by J.K. Rowling. Photo by Kasidy Bell.

Debra Harris

T

he other library lady is Debra Harris. She has been working in the library for six years. Harris went to high school at East but later transferred to a law and public service magnet school.

“We had things like mock congress, mock (United Nations) meeting where we had to research stuff,” Harris said.

“So we got to see that process and the judicial process and things, so it was a great experience as a highschooler.”

After graduating high school, Harris started college at Wichita State, transferred to Butler Community College, and ended up finishing her business degree at Friends University.

She said that she uses her degree in her library job.

“I like statistics and things like that, and I do like the business aspect and the way of making sure things are in check,” Harris said.

Harris began working as a para at a Wichita school before working at Maize.

Her daughter was going into middle school and her son was going into kindergarten, so she wanted to move to Maize schools. Harris applied to a position at Maize South Middle School but heard about a position opening at Maize High in the library.

“I was like I love to read books, and I love to work with kids, so it was a great fit,” Harris said.

Harris has been married for 20 years.

Her daughter, Amber, is now a Maize junior. She has a dog named Spud and a cat named Cupcake. In her free time, Harris likes to knit, which she taught herself, spend time with her family, be outdoors and, of course, read.

“I like some of those G-rated romances. Just a nice little love story, but it’s not clouded with other stuff in it,” Harris said. “But here, I really love the Harry Potter books, I loved the

Divergent books. I like a good Nicholas Sparks book. Sometimes you just need to read a book and cry.”

Harris says her long-term life goal is to live for every moment. She also strives to hold a positive outlook on the world.

“Maybe it’s just wishful thinking,” Harris said. “Maybe that’s why I like to read to get lost in those books, but there’s so much turmoil, and I want to try to be more positive and at least give a little bit of happiness out there. There’s not a lot right now.”

Just like Dillon, Harris’ favorite part of the job is the connections she has with students. She said she enjoys helping kids find resources for research papers, and just being an open ear for them.

“When you have a kid that’s just having a bad day, sometimes they just need an ear,” Harris said. “I always like that this is the middle of the school because this is a safe space, a safe haven for anybody.”n

“This is a safe space, a safe haven for anybody.”

—Debra Harris 17

Features

UP ALL NITE

Students rage about the video game Fortnite

A

Story by Maddie Neigenfind

video game that has been out for less than six months has become all the craze among gamers.

“Fortnite,” which came out July 15, is a co-op survival-of-the-fittest game created by Epic Games and People Can Fly. In the game, players can ride solo, team up in a duo match or squad up with four others. “‘Fortnite’ is a combination of ‘Minecraft’ and ‘Call of Duty’, ” junior Eli Owings said. “You try to be the last person surviving as a storm moves in around you.”

Owings has been playing “Fortnite” for a month. He said he didn’t have much interest when the game first came out.

In the game, players are dropped out of bus or a plane into an area with nothing to defend themselves.

Players then have a small amount of time to collect weapons, clothes and other necessities for surviving before time is up and the storm begins. As the storm moves closer, the game becomes more challenging.

“When you lose, it’s extremely disappointing and there’s a lot of yelling,” Owings said. “But when you win, it’s a lot of excitement.”

Owings has won two times out of the 20 hours he’s logged into the game. The longest consecutive period of time he has played is eight hours. A few friends that he frequently plays with are juniors Carson Stephens and Caden Bartlett.

Freshman Tanner Prophet plays 18

“Fortnite” every day after school for roughly 45 minutes. The longest consecutive period of time he has played is seven hours. He often plays with freshman Kendall Norrod.

“My favorite part about the game would have to be getting good [equipment] and building cool things,” Prophet said.

Prophet has beat the game six times.

“Fortnite” can be bought and played on almost any gaming device, including PC. Owings said the best part about “Fortnite” is it’s free to play.

Although it is free to play, players can

purchase V-Bucks through the “Fortnite” store. They can be used to make in-game purchases for things like characters or equipment.

“When you earn V-bucks in the game, you can buy a character in the item shop,” Prophet said. “You can earn those bucks by battle passes, or if you buy it for 10 dollars and if you level up.”

“Fortnite” plans to continue their scheduled upgrades to improve numerous bug fixes and make sure every player has an enjoyable battle every time. Their updates can be found on their Twitter pages. n

FebruaryPlay | @PlayNewsmag

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9/13/2017 10:09:16 AM

Now Playing

This momument is outside the front doors of West High. It was erected by the first graduating class at West and displays their alma mater.

Photo by Paige Young.

20 FebruaryPlay | @PlayNewsmag

Now Playing

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shoes $20-$100

$20-$250 per person *Information from various website sources

MarchPlay | @PlayNewsmag

Student S wa p

Now Playing

e s im il a ri ti e s e th s re o p x e y a iz P la b e tw e e n th e M s e c n re fe if d and c h o o l d is tr ic ts a n d W ic h it a s

I

Story by Sadie Ast nner-city schools are notorious for their disreputable stereotypes, and the students within the walls of those schools are no strangers to how other schools label them or their institutes.

Wichita High School West opened in September 1953 and was originally intended to be a technical school. Some 65 years later, it has become infamous for being known as a low-income, insignificant section of the Wichita school district.

And while it’s only 15 miles from Maize High, you might think it’s worlds apart.

But what’s it really like?

Recently, two members of the Play staff swapped places with two members of the West Word staff, the magazine publication of West.

Seniors Gabby Hazen and Zavier Barrow participated in the swap, and they followed Play editor-in-chief and senior Savie Hughes’s schedule, which consisted of a tour of the school, English 12 with Jana Schantz, Graphic Design with Jodee Johnson in the new Maize Career Academy and Newsmag with Dan Loving. For Play, we followed senior and co-editor-in-chief Barrow’s schedule. His schedule consisted of a tour of the school, Graphic Design with Derek Goon, Interactive Media with Wil Thompson and Yearbook with Pilar Pedraza.

Just like us

Just like any other school, Maize High is perceived differently to the students and staff of other schools, depending on who you ask. West senior Destiny Reicher, West’s yearbook editor and West Word magazine reporter, had strong presumptions about Maize.

“I just thought, ‘Oh Maize is so stuck up,’”

she said. “‘They’re rich, white kids.’ I mean that’s what I think of when I think of Maize.”

Reicher’s presumptions were proved wrong when she attended the Flint Hills Publication Workshop in Manhattan last summer. There, she met three editors of the Play staff and almost immediately realized that Maize kids are nowhere near how she had previously thought they were.

“They were just super nice,” Reicher said.

“They were the only ones to talk to me since I went by myself, and I kind of realized that they were pretty cool and just like us, and to see how similar and different our programs are.”

Hazen, co-editor of West Word, also had nearly the same perceptions of Maize before spending a day at the school.

“It’s just I had the whole assumption that everybody there drives a nice BMW, how it must be nice to be privileged,” she said.

Similarly to Reicher, it didn’t take much time at Maize for Hazen to realize that her assumptions about the school weren’t actually all that true.

“For the [Maize] kids, we realized that everyone there basically acted how the kids at West act,” Hazen said. “Some of them participated, some didn’t, and some were rolling around under the tables, so it was like, OK, that’s pretty normal. Then we went out into the parking lot, and I noticed a lot of ‘crappy’ cars and was like ‘OK, I feel at home, we’re cool.’”

A day at West

The school day at West starts at 7:50 a.m.

West has four classes a day, each lasting 80 minutes long. At the end of their day, similar to En-Cor, there is a 40-minute period that they call “Activity Time.”

21 FebruaryPlay | @PlayNewsmag

Now Playing

While shadowing at West, it quickly became clear how narrow nearly every hallway was compared to those at Maize. For a school that averages around 1,500 students, the hallways fill quickly between every passing period, making the journey from one class to another a shoulder-to-shoulder trip the entire way.

After attending the first class of the day, it was quickly apparent how dedicated and concerned the teachers are about their students. The first class Play got to sit in on was a graphic design class taught by Goon. Although this is his first year teaching at West, Goon has been teaching in the Wichita school district for six years. In his short time at West, he has come to a few conclusions about his new stomping ground.

“I feel like this school is very inclusive,” he said. “That wasn’t necessarily my experience when working at the middle school level; that’s probably the biggest difference.”

He said he is pleased with the amount of acceptance shown by the entire student body at West and considers it a very special aspect of their school.

“I feel like most kids here are really good about letting individuals be who they are,” Goon said. “If you’re different or if you’re into things that other people aren’t into, there’s almost always one or two other students that are into it, too.

I feel like at some schools, if you’re not an athlete or you’re not popular, you’re kind of out on the outskirts, but here I

“In my opinion, the biggest difference was the atmosphere.

It didn’t feel like as much of a home at West.”

—Sadie Ast, Maize High senior

22

don’t feel that way at all.”

Goon said he has had nothing but positive experiences with the students in his classes.

“The kids here are just fantastic,” Goon said. “They’re really polite. Most of them work really hard, most of them are excited to learn these graphic design computer programs.”

Although he has more students than computers, Goon does the best he can with what he has and tries his best to give his students the tools they will need to succeed.

“I’ve got a class of 30 and only 20 computers,” he said. “I would hope, if anything, that if they don’t necessarily want to get into graphic design that they have an appreciation of graphic design and that they gain some skills that they can apply in any work environment.”

A deeper look

Principal Joel Hudson also does his best to guide students down the right path and set them up for success.

“My main goal is to provide an environment for our students so that they are prepared for lots of opportunities after high school,” Hudson said. “Whether that is going into the military or going to a technical school, two-year college or a four-year college. I want to create an environment so that when they leave, a lot of doors are open to them.”

West is set up with different academies, similar to the Maize Career

Academy. Students at West have the opportunity to decide their career paths and pursue them as soon as they can.

“Like schools inside the school for kids who are interested in those areas,” Hudson said. “If you come into West as a ninth grader and after your ninth-grade year you realize that you are interested in careers in the health care area, then you have opportunities to go into that area and take more classes that will get you prepared for after high school. Whatever the interest is, we try to get them into a group.”

Reicher, the yearbook editor, said one of her favorite qualities of West is the teachers and the care they have for their students.

“I think that they are here to support you,” she said. “They are there for you and you always find that one teacher that you connect with, no matter what.

The teachers, they don’t ignore the fact that kids here are poor, they’re not scared to talk about it and accept it and even do something about it.”

According to the Kansas Department of Education, during the 2017-18 school year out of the 1,281 students enrolled in West only 227 students did not have to rely on free and reduced lunches for their meal plans. For Maize, out of the 1,297 students, a staggering 1,007 students were not eligible for free and reduced lunches. There was only a sixteen student difference in the total number of students between the two schools, but a difference of 780 kids that

“I feel like with West, I notice the diversity. I don’t know if it’s legit or not, but a lot of the classes that I went to [at Maize], the main population was white.”

—Gabby Hazen, West High senior

FebruaryPlay | @PlayNewsmag

Now Playing

West High students work on their graphic design projects. The class is taught by Derek Goon. This is his first year teaching at West.

Photo by Paige Young.

During the 2017-18 school year, out of the 1,281 students enrolled in West, only 227 students did not have to rely on free and reduced lunches for their meal plans.

While for Maize, out of the 1,297 students, a 1,007 students were not eligible for free and reduced lunches.

—According to the Kansas Department of Education

West High students discuss their projects while watching animations made by the class. Interactive Media is taught by Wil Thompson. This is his fourth year as a teacher. Photo by Sadie Ast.

FebruaryPlay | @PlayNewsmag

do not need to rely on meal plans to eat a school lunch.

West offers a multitude of assistance programs for students who don’t have some of the same opportunities as other students.

They have a laundry program called “Teen Wash” that allows students who don’t have access to a washer or dryer at home to bring their clothes to school to be washed. They also allow the students to shower in the locker rooms if needed.

Another service they offer is a bus pass program called “Pioneer Path,” where students can get in contact with their human resources counselor in order to be set up with a bus pass to the city bus if they are unable to ride the school bus or can’t afford it.

Thompson, the business teacher, said that the students are his favorite aspect of the school.

“I enjoy the students we have here at West,” he said. “I don’t think there’s anything I could state that I dislike and it can be changed, I just wish there was more support from the home. Because really, that support needs to be coming from home rather than anywhere else.”

Thompson is also aware of the perceptions that other schools have about West and couldn’t disagree with them more.

“I think West gets a bad perception because it is lower-level income students that attend West High, but the quality of the student is high,” Thompson said. “Our top-tier students could probably go up against anybody in the state, and that’s academically. But because of the neighborhood we’re in, that’s just who we attract: lower-income type families. The perception is kind of bad, but there’s still a lot of great kids.”

This is Thompson’s 10th year teaching and his fourth year at West.

His ultimate message he tries to convey to his students has stayed the same throughout it all.

“These kids know I do more than just teach,”

he said. “If you want things in life, you have to work for it. Nothing’s going to be handed to you. That’s the point I try to get across to these kids. My wages are set on whatever they are; if I want more than that, then I need to go earn it. I can’t hold my hand out and wait for somebody to give. You really can’t live life that way and so I try to teach to that manner.”

Many students and staff members of West hope to one day shake the negative stereotypes and be seen for how they truly are.

“Every time you tell them [outsiders] what school you go to, when you say ‘West’ they’re just like ‘Oh, so you guys get shot up every day and there’s muggings,’ like, yeah, we know we’re a poor school,” Hazen said.

Hudson doesn’t allow the untruthful assumptions about his school change how he views his students and staff.

“We have very dedicated and hard-working staff,” he said. “I hope that is the impression that folks get from coming here. I hope that the perception when people come here is that it is a safe school and we have a lot of great kids.”

One of the differences between Maize and West, Reicher said, was the substantial difference in school spirit.

She said that the pep rallies at West are full of kids who don’t even want to be there, making it hard to have any school spirit at all.

“I don’t like how we don’t have any spirit,” she said. “Maize just has a lot of spirit. Schools like Northwest and Heights and North, you see them getting hype. Maize is like that, but times 10. I see a lot more spirit, a lot more community because since it is Maize and it’s a city, you guys are the city.”

Hazen was quick to realize the cultural differences between the schools.

“I don’t know if it’s legit or not, but a lot of the classes that I went into [at Maize], the main population was white,” she said. “For West, I notice the diversity. It’s Mexicans, and then black and then white. We’re the minority here, and so I think that’s the biggest difference that I saw between the two.”n

23

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an Wontorski Photo By Jord

takes it n io t a ic d the de s s u c g is d s e Athlet play sports all year lon to e] … The [at the same tim r each sport.” l al yb lle vo different fo really great for training is very all coach and ing on a team is s, but also for ky ay uc St pl id lie sa El d yb an oyce g memorie Former volle said passion Story By Allie Ch not only makin life lessons.

Betsy Manning juries and to focus on r e lo lik se ts un le en co ab ud lu st ome g learning va mes with in pects of playin ers might try for the sport co es don’t give ere are many as y and truly one sport. Oth udents choose “Th et hl at el st . sometimes two. But some ort to sport all ts that are sincer ankins said. “‘You or sp gh time to heal ou en es lv R sp se ” e, em om lif fr r th e fo ov rs ” to m cliche. metapho g active, ll find u put in’ is one “I just love bein e’s a great leadership r or spring, you’ get out what yo ork, discipline, and er year. Fall, winte actice somewhere.

“Th . id e w Hanna sa play all the tim t However, hard ified group are them at some pr g active,” said senior it because you or in sp le e un a ro th in of in be rt er ve pa being , cabe a lead “I just lo great ics of successful said. “There’s a and you have to inue doing it.” all characterist le.” nt Autumn Hanna it because you play all co to le op to be ab in is naturally reer-minded pe lleyball in the fall, leadership role have to be a leader in ning said Hanna versity head on. an M vo s u ay yo pl d k an na ac e Han ns tr doing ndles ad the tim e winter and ru athletic and ha of player you hope able to continue basketball in th e said the hardest part pe the sport to be ty e th is “She ch and mimic,” in the spring. Sh ing when to stop r of it.” ung athletes wat has great work ow a small numbe in yo kn of e is g on in is ay na pl of Han “She ate yourself.

Manning said. character, and helps ze who particip before hurting ed,” she said. al students at Mai or m gh hi c, .” ethi really tir ’re at ou ts “Y or on sp s when needed as e three sports. cu re lik fo n you do e team re a different s he th w ha e lly et ia ub hl cl ec at d sp h d an “E Eac try an I did basketball but cross coun the same time. to play sports, ach Skeeter Rankins co distance track

S 24

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n o s k c a J

s m a i l l i W ra Ehrmann Photo By Kia

changed my k, and [it] totally the team ac tr to in ve g a part of fit a sport will ha life. I started bein am and that commuort, but the bene sp te nt at re th ffe g and feelin playing a di on your future. yment ily.”

Hanna said that play for the enjo you at hard, you ld th ’t ou nity and that fam illiams participates sh isn ] ng ey lo Th ar “[ s lp he W so n sport all ye n al t io so Senior Jack the determinat said of the game,” he said. “I fall, boys just have to have untry during the and will e also a team and learn co Sh of s t. rt os or pa cr sp a in ch be ea to learn winter like needed to play ming during the is spring. te … I would also me is being part of im g pe sw in m ay co pl to of w e ho rit k in th her favo ayer plays the ga participate in trac he plays sports is to think that a pl ] some really special on a team. rls as gi re e e th th ] ve id give He sa hey ha ng with e of family they “I just like [hangi anna said. “They’re because [t cause of the sens be H ” l, ” s. al nt yb le lle ta er vo m ort during he likes sum d just make the sp Wardell said that period between base- him. ence,” Wilall fun together an never had a problem k e’s also the experi ol what ea er br “Th a s it’ e e I’v us ca nd m A be lps hi gh scho better … s country, so it he ms said. “After hi [that play basket os lia cr rls d gi e an th ll of ba y an sier with lf too much. other make the sport ea not strain himse ring the summer,” he get to be on a ball], so they just du rtunities do you k] po or op [w ly ” ly nice to on d h.

“I an ug l ro to go th nce [schoo is? ... It’s just real e la ipates in th ic ba e rt I lik pa w ll ho am de ’s te ar at W said. “Th I don’t s through thes Senior Peyton ball. e school year so have those friend ercome challenges imming and base g work] during th in ay pl ov I’m d cross country, sw orts all year long can le an ng whi experiences sp you know.” have to be worki e about every day He said playing le but it’s worth it. orts with people cover sp e tic es ac th pr in I gg … ru ts be spor ’s had to re kind of be a st week ... There will Williams said he through his career. cause you’re during the school Saturday practices.” es “It’s a struggle be ll said. “And that’s ri ju in ve from many de it seems I days where we ha aying different sports always tired,” War never get away from ost every season her,” he m pl al at n th ”I id sa n r ca m el u tte H a be ay or anot one thing yo s made Wardell get injured one w broken my ankle, e me very self all year round ha ly al … [Sports] mad doing things. That’s sic ba e said. “I’v t ry infection athlete. disciplined abou t thing I’ve taken ] upper-respirato nd a] torn s about all of his an re ca ad [h ll] es de ar gg bi in W e “[ chitis, [a things go probably th and want to see e,” he said. during swim, Bron k … Even if I get es ” ]. at m m he am [t te om s fr hi trac e tim away ing, Wardell said ligament during the season I still e direction all th of t Although challenged a lot will not stop a positiv ulti-sport players are needed ou t pu d an rt hu tir ly m ason, willing and se troubles of being in college and having “Usual teams successful ... He brings xt ne come back g e in ak he nn m ts ru to or om sp fr e him as well in th ready.” that to the table juries, Rankins I a good time. e us ca be ] espite his many in oved a great ar ” .

D ye in l s al te y la a pe [p m m ly co hi al e pr s im “I actu id. orts have mad said Williams ha athlete. orts,” Wardell sa Williams said sp l and helped him to od really enjoy the sp ing swim I didn’t go a is al d er an ov deal do better person is ‘come what r choices.

“When I started st, but actually now “I think Jackson “[He’s] a bit friends and bette very w fir ne e at it ak y m jo en id. really was a as stay may’,” Rankins sa d takes adversity All I had to do w r middle school] I . “I was also In “[ an y I really enjoy it. ” he said happy-go-luck ntry], on the othe different person, ound the wrong learn from him on active. Cross [cou use of passion. Same ar g in ng in stride. I could ha ca of be st nd it ki be d e di I th , g hand ally makin this trait.”n crowd, I wasn’t re eighth grade I got an with baseball.” id sa m in el H en y Th ck . decisions Baseball coach Rofor not only the ay pl ld ou sh e et hl at

zie Bell Photos By Liz

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25

Sports

Scoring a spot

Tanner Ohnmeis, relegated to the C team a year ago, has worked his way into the starting lineup Story by McKenna Smiley efore every varsity basketball game, the nonstarters line up on the court to form a tunnel. The starters sit on the bench, waiting for their names to be called one by one.

Tanner Ohnmeis used to be one of the guys standing and cheering on his teammates.

Now, he’s one of the guys who gets his name called.

Ohnmeis, a 6-foot-3, 185-pound junior forward, has worked his way into the starting lineup through hard work and dedication, his teammates and coaches say.

A year ago, Ohnmeis was on the sophomore team while many of his current teammates were playing junior varsity or varsity.

B

“Tanner is one of the hardest workers that I have had the opportunity to coach.”

— Chris Grill, coach

He started this year on the varsity bench, not earning a starting job until after Christmas break.

“During offseason I worked really hard in the weight room, so it’s really helping me out,” Ohnmeis said. “I’m starting to get stronger than my opponents, so I can out-rebound them.”

Ohnmeis said work ethic and film is what helped him get ahead.

“I would say I have a pretty good work ethic, I always try to go out and out-compete my competitors,” Ohnmeis said. “I practiced more, worked harder, watched film and just got better as a player.”

His teammates also see what helped Ohnmeis improve.

26

“He is a really hard worker, he watches a lot of film and tries to see how he can get better,” player Chase Schreiner said.

Coach Chris Grill also recognizes Ohnmeis’ hard work.

“He raises the bar for everyone on the team,” Grill said. “Tanner is one of the hardest workers that I have had the opportunity to coach.”

After beginning the season playing JV and varsity, Ohnmeis got his first start against Hutchinson. The Eagles won that game and every game until losing to Eisenhower later in January.

“He likes to make the team better,” Schreiner said. “He’s a great player for the team.”.

Ohnmeis averages 3.4 points a game, 0.8 assists and 3.9 rebounds.

“I’m getting used to everyone’s athleticism and the feel for varsity and my role on the team,” he said. “I’m a defender, passer and a team leader.”

His teammates and coaches also say he’s a team player.

“The best quality about Tanner is he will sacrifice everything for the team,” Grill said.

Ohnmeis also brings a great attitude off the court, his coach said.

“Tanner is a fun guy to be around outside of practice,” Grill said. “He is always having a good time and in a good mood.”n

Junior Tanner Ohnmeis shoots a layup in a game against Bishop Miege. The Eagles won 64-59.

‘I’ve worked my whole life for this’

Junior Caleb Grill on pace to break school record in hopes to play Divison 1 basketball Junior Caleb Grill dunks against his opponent. The Eagles played Dodge City and won 98-71.

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Story by Maddie Neigenfind aleb Grill has had a passion for basketball seemingly since the day he was born.

“Ever since I could remember,” said Chris Grill, Caleb’s dad and Maize’s head basketball coach.

The Grills had plastic goals in the basement that Caleb played with when he was a toddler.

“Once he was old enough to move around and grab things,” Chris said.

Caleb continues to work on his game as hard as ever.

A junior, he is the leading scorer for the Eagles. He has averaged 17 points per game this year and has scored 601 career points through Friday’s game at Derby.

His best performance this year came during the Dodge City Tournament of Champions. He scored 38 points in the first round against Dodge City and averaged 22 points in the tournament. He was named to the all-tournament team and was named the tournament’s Most Inspirational Player.

Grill holds the Maize record for three-pointers in a game with seven.

His 53 three-pointers last season also are a record. Grill is on pace to breaking the career scoring record, and is roughly two-thirds of the way there. The record is 948 points, set by Bill Hayford in 1981, and Grill is only trailing by 347 points.

Caleb works on his individual skills outside of team practices for four to five hours every week. During team practices, he’s usually the first one on the court and the last to leave.

“Caleb is just competitive,” Chris said.

“It doesn’t matter what it is, he’s gonna compete and try to win. And the work he has put in the

weight room really shows that.”

Caleb has earned NCAA Division 1 offers from South Dakota State University and Colorado State University. Other schools also are looking at him.

“I’ve worked my whole life for this,” Caleb said. “And I see it’s finally starting to pay off.”

Caleb said he would love to get an offer from Wichita State, where his dad finished his collegiate career after stops at Butler Community College and Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Chris said his experience as a college player should benefit Caleb.

“I see it’s

finally starting to pay off.”

— Junior Caleb Grill

“I know what some of those coaches are going to expect from him, as far as how he comes to practice and how he works every day,” Chris said.

Chris said he feels teaching Caleb basketball skills is just as vital as teaching him mental and physical skills.

Caleb strives to not only follow in his father’s footsteps as a basketball player, but he aims to overcome his father’s goals and ambitions he has set. He said it can be tough to play for his father.

“Because people will sometimes say that I play because I’m his son,” Caleb said. “But to get his goals accomplished, you have to be better than everyone else, and it has to be obvious. I strive for that every day. ” Through his triumphs and defeats, Caleb said he finds courage in his parents who have stood by his side from the beginning and continue to encourage him to aim for greatness.

“My parents push me every single day to be the best I can be and to achieve higher than I should every day,” he said. n 27

Sports

King Pin

Kyle Haas remains undefeated in his first high school wrestling season

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Kyle Haas is 39-0 after winning the Goddard tournament Saturday. His goal is to finish high school with a four-year undefeated season.

Photo by Kasidy Bell

Story by Kasidy Bell restling coach Mike Schauer doesn’t hold back when he’s asked how good freshman Kyle Haas can be.

“Kyle is capable of being a four-time undefeated state champion,” Schauer said. “He’s going to go somewhere. After high school, he’ll end up being a Division l wrestler in college. No doubt.”

Haas is undefeated more than halfway through his freshman year and is the top-ranked Class 5A wrestler at 182 pounds in the state. His victories include a win over Nick Jouret, an Olathe South senior who is ranked No. 1 in 6A, and Salina Central junior Taylon Peters, who was undefeated when they faced off.

Haas already has received two NCAA Division I scholarship offers: from Maryland and Southern California. He said getting offers so early in his career has been crazy for him.

“I wasn’t expecting it,” Haas said. “It was pretty cool.”

One place he’d like to wrestle is Oklahoma State.

That’s where his brother, Tyler Caldwell, is an assistant coach. Caldwell was a four-time state champion at Goddard before moving on to Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. In college, he was a four-time All-American and two-time NCAA finalist.

Caldwell has been his biggest inspiration.

Another person he looks up to is Oklahoma State

coach John Smith.

“I’ve watched all his highlight videos,” Haas said. “I like the way he wrestles, and I know him.”

Haas started wrestling when he was 4 years old. It became clear to him that he was passionate about wrestling when he started going to tournaments at the age of 8.

“He’ll end up being a Division 1 wrestler. No doubt.”

—Mike Schauer, head wrestling coach

“From the first practice, it seemed fun to me,” Haas said.

It’s not the only sport he excels in, however. He lettered in football, playing on the defensive line. He’d never played football before this season.

Haas credits the coaches he’s had throughout his career for his success.

“They help me out a lot with school and wrestling,” Haas said.

Haas said he prefers high school wrestling over club because he feels high school is more of a challenge.

“In club you got one or two friends and the whole team gets along pretty well,” Haas said.

Another challenge Haas faces is his trouble breathing during matches.

“I don’t have a good gas tank,” he said.

“Like I don’t breathe well.”

Haas plans to sustain his improvement by continuing to practice and attend wrestling camps over the summer.

He wants to wrestle at the highest level.

“I want to go to the Olympics while I’m still in high school,” Haas said. That’d be awesome, because I’ll be 18.”n

28 FebruaryPlay | @PlayNewsmag

WINTER

Entertainment

Sports update

G I R L S BASKETBALL

9-5 defeated Maize South 2nd place i n t h e c a p i ta l city classic

B O Y S SWIMMING 1st @ Newton, Wichita West and onemaize invite

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Winners of the Dodge City Tournament of Champions

WRESTLING

11-4

Champions of shawnee mission north tournament and defeated #1 derby

Defeated Southeast @ AVCTL-GWAL Challenge

BOWLING Boys and girls placed 3rd @ West Acres Cup

Logan Shultz is one of the three seniors on the boys basketball team.

Photo by Sam Bartlett

B O Y S BASKETBALL

Set a school record by scoring

98

points in a game

G I R L S BASKETBALL

B O Y S BASKETBALL

2/6 Campus 2/9 Hutchinson 2/16 @Salina Central 2/20 @Newton 2/22 Salina South

2/6 Campus 2/9 Hutchinson 2/16 @Salina Central 2/20 @Newton 2/22 Salina South

*SPORTS LAST UPDATED ON 2/4

Features

CAREER ACADEMY An inside look at students interacting in the new CTE building

(Left) Senior Kieran Wohlford cooks a lamb chop for a ProStart culinary competition. Photo by Lizzie Bell (Top left) Senior Alyssa Pappan works on using a bag valve mask and putting a regulator on an oxygen tank. Pappan is in both EMT 1 and 2.

Photo by Kylee Delmar (Top right) Maize South student Fernando Poot goes over an assignment with the instructor during EMT class. Poot comes from Maize South to participate in EMT classes every day. Photo by Lizzie Bell

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MCA (Top) Senior Tania Allen, junior Bailey Palecki and Maize South student Ashlie Thissen practice operating patient lift equipment.

Photo by Lizzie Bell (Left) Juniors Alex Friege and Nolan Palmer work with Maize South students Braden Flavel and Carter Williamson on fingerprinting in a Forensic science class. Photo by Sam Bartlett

(Bottom) Maize South student Ike Iweha works on a graphic design project.The assignment required the students to make shapes with words. Photo by Lizzie Bell

MORP! Let’s Make Some Art and Hang Out at the Wichita Art Museum MORP! is a special night just for high school students to meet local artists, get creative with art, dance, listen to music, enjoy food and explore the museum’s exhibitions.

SATURDAY, MARCH 3 from 6 to 10 pm

FREE ADMISSION but advance registration is required at wichitaartmuseum.org/registration For additional info email education@wichitaartmuseum.org

1400 West Museum Boulevard