March 2017

Play

Maize High School | March 2017

Holmes looks back on her basketball career Page15 Play’s top 5 movies and shows

Page 26-27

“Words are powerful and should never be dismissed as less abusive than hands can be.”

Now Playing 16-19

28

In Ch nee ac ec d Ph tivi k ou of q ot ties t P uic o b t la k y M o d y’s pla n ad o ar top s fo o di u 15 r e N nd sp rin eig W gb en ich re fin ita ak d. . ?

16

Play shares stories of abuse victims to raise awareness. Photo by Lizzie Bell

30

Senior Ryan Bertha practices traffic stops for the Law Enforcement class.

Photo by Stormi Williams.

What’s inside? Who’s inside?

4,5 6 8 10 11

14,15

16-19 20 21 22 23 24,25 26,27 30,31

Features

Passageways is a program that offers assistance to homeless or near-homeless veterans.

News

Sophomore Isaac James welds custom weight bar for middle school student Katie Scheer.

News

Adapted physical education teacher Sarah Heath previously won state and regional awards in her field and has been nominated for the national award.

Sports

Lady eagles basketball wins the sub-state tournament and places second at state.

Sports

Athletes with superstitions discuss what makes them perform better on game days.

Sports

Senior Taylor Holmes reflects on her basketball career as she prepares to play in college at Pittsburg State University.

Now Playing

Play investigates the abuse that goes on in students’ personal lives.

Editorial

Play staff gives their input on the new Secretary of Education and her plans while in office.

Column

Redinger’s column on what it’s like to be a high school student dealing with the struggle of anxiety in her everyday life.

Spotlight

Tideway discusses their experiences as a band as well as the recent release of their new album.

Pause

Play presses pause with Leigh Johnson, who spends her free moments square dancing.

Spotlight

Magic is in the air at Maize. Three magicians reveal their insights about magic and all the tricks that come along with it.

Review

Play counts down the best movies and TV shows for you to watch while you’re home for spring break.

Photo Focus

An inside look into the law and public safety classes.

Kendra Cunningham Editor-in-chief Savie Hughes Online editor Emily Brecht Design editor Lyndsey Piska Photo editor Lizzie Bell News editor Lily McClaren Engagements editor Bailey Birkholz Features editor Andrea Fuhrman Advertisement manager Sadie Ast Kynzi Barragan Allie Choyce Mandi Copp Logan Dillon Kiara Ehrmann Kaitlin Grimes Carley Heim Christian Hurst Ryan Jones Alvin Le Casey Loving Abby McCoy Maddie Neigenfind Lauryn Ogden Riley Quiggle Ryann Redinger Morgan Thomas Stormi Williams Paige Young Dan Loving Advisor

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.

Follow Play

Play newsmagazine | maizenews.com

Facebook: Play Newsmag Twitter: @PlayNewsmag Instagram: @PlayNewsmag

Raise your voice

Submit a letter to the editor for the next issue to room D18 or mhsnewsmag@gmail.com Printed by Sedalia Democrat.

© Copyright 2017 Play newsmagazine

Starting from scratch

I

Passageways provides veterans new beginnings

t was just an ordinary day for Jennifer Garrison and Susan Moellinger when they heard about a veteran who died under a Wichita bridge all by himself.

This instance inspired the pair to found Passageways. Passageways is a faith-based, nonprofit organization based in Wichita. where homeless or near-homeless veterans can turn for help.

One of the program’s founders is the mother of Maize sophomore Alyssa Garrison.

The founders of Passageways and its volunteers provide veterans with a stable place to live, clothes to wear and food to eat at no cost. The program assists vets until they are able to get back on their feet.

Passageways currently rents a house and is looking to purchase it to make expenses easier in the long-term. The founders are fundraising to purchase the house. Currently, $3,000 is needed per month in order to keep the house running smoothly for nine veterans and half of that goes toward rent.

KAKE-TV paired with Passageways to host a phone bank, where they were able to raise $21,000 in three days.

“We did a lot of praying,” Garrison said.

“Susan was making about $80,000 a year, I was making $60,000, and we both walked away from our jobs completely to start Passageways.”

Their first veteran walked in the door on Jan. 5, 2014. Since then, 39 veterans have graduated from the program.

Passageways is a program that has no government involvement because of the numerous regulations and standards that must be met.

“I refuse to let the government in the door because there is so much red tape,” Garrison said. “If I have a verified veteran that’s in need, I don’t want to get permission from five people to go get him.”

Instead, Passageways works with the Wichita Police Department’s Homeless Outreach Team.

“They are the eyes and ears of all homeless and only homeless in Wichita,” she said.

Referrals to the Passageways program mainly come from HOT, the Salvation Army, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Kansas National Guard and Catholic Charities.

The VA placed Army veteran Michael Lee at Passageways shortly after he lost everything when he was robbed at gunpoint.

“It’s tough when you’re on the streets,” Lee said. “You run into a lot of problems, and you end up having a meltdown. I had a meltdown.”

Most veterans come into the program

4 / News

with absolutely no form of identification.

Passageways helps the veteran get their birth certificate, a Kansas ID, driver’s license and their Social Security card.

“You’re nonexistent without ID,” Garrison said. “You can’t get a job, you can’t get a car, you can’t do anything.”

When they are able to obtain any missing form of ID, they work as a team to find the veteran a job.

“It’s not just any job, it’s the job that fuels that fire in their belly,” Garrison said. “It’s what makes them want to get up every day.”

Passageways also helps veterans get the medical attention they need as well as any benefits provided by the VA. About five years ago, Marine veteran Leo Johnson experienced severe arthritis in his right shoulder and knees.

Johnson was unable to successfully complete his tasks at work, which left him on the streets.

When Johnson learned about Passageways, he was happy to embrace the opportunity to get back on his feet.

“It’s great here,” he said. “Everyone has their own job titles to do around the house.

If you can’t do something, we help each other out.”

The men living at Passageways have built a friendship.

“It gets you ready for a home environment,” Johnson said. “It gets you ready for independent living.”

Passageways offers their program to all veterans who are willing to abide by a few simple rules.

“We do have very strict rules that are enforced at the house,” Garrison said.

“Curfew is nine o’clock, no drugs or alcohol in the house, no weapons, no visitors, and you must attend church once a week.”

Passageways can currently house nine veterans. The average stay is approximately 52 days. Over the course of their stay, volunteers from the community help keep things running smoothly around the home.

Volunteers can help by bringing meals for the men, cleaning things up around the house such as painting the shed, planting flowers and fixing things around the house.

Volunteers help provide transportation to and from work and appointments. They also help out by organizing FUNDrives, and speeches.

A FUNDrive is an event where the community has an opportunity to donate items to a nonprofit organization. Once the event is over, the items are taken to a local community donation center where they are weighed and a payment is made to the organization based on the weight.

“It does mean a lot to these guys,” Garrison said. “They see the outpouring of support for them and it touches them on many levels.”

Passageways currently has around 50 volunteers, but the founders would like to increase it to 100. Garrison anticipates gaining more volunteers as their reputation expands.

Since Passageways provides the veterans with everything they need at no cost, veterans are able to save everything they earn during their stay. And once the veteran is able to make the transition into their own home, they utilize programs offered by the Salvation Army.

The Salvation Army pays for the application fee, deposit and up to seven months rent for the veteran.

The VA also has a program that veterans can utilize called HUD VASH. This program is income based. So once the seven months is up, depending on how much they make, they could be paying $50 a month in rent. Once the veteran finds an apartment or house, it must be inspected by the government.

“This is the only time the government comes in,” Garrison said. “This is simply for the well being of the vet.”

There is a book that details the inspections the home has to pass. If for some reason the apartment does not pass, it is declined and the apartment complex has to fix the issue and schedule another inspection.

“Once the home passes inspection the fun starts,” Garrison said. “At this point, Passageways will receive furniture donations for the veteran’s new home. They also get to choose whatever they want to decorate their home from top to bottom, and Two Men and a Truck move everything for free.”

A three-car garage donated to Passageways is filled to the brim with household items that the veterans can go through and select.

When the veteran is moved into their home, Passageways provides them with three weeks worth of food.

“If something happens, they’re running low or it’s a couple days before pay period, Sean Garrison, my husband, and I will run some food out to them. So once they graduate we’re not done with them,” Garrison said. “They become family.”

Graduated Army veteran Matt Anderson credits Passageways for helping him get back on his feet; however, the journey to his success wasn’t easy. Anderson served in the Army for five years before he moved back to Kansas. After the military, Anderson earned a degree in computers; however, he didn’t have much luck with his new-found career field.

“I applied for 150 positions in the Wichita area,” Anderson said. “From that I only got five callbacks and one interview.”

Anderson said he found himself broke and living on the streets of Wichita having thoughts of suicide.

“I felt like I had nothing going for me, so why bother?” Anderson said.

This all changed after the VA referred him to Passageways. Anderson said he is now excited about life and now has his own apartment and a new job.

“The experience has made me rethink things,” Anderson said. “The generosity of other helps a whole lot more than the government ever does. But isn’t that what this country was made of? People caring about other people.”

As a person whose life revolves around helping and caring for others, Garrison said she has found that her life has changed in many ways.

“I see everything differently,” Garrison said.

“I think about things like why do I have three oven mitts when I only need one? I have two can openers, donate the other. I have eight cans of green beans and I only need two. I donate the rest.”

“Our family has lost 32 family members over the last three years. Our passion is you live in the moment, you don’t know when it’s going to be your last. To share that energy and that enthusiasm for life with these guys is contagious, they grasp onto it. We fight for them. It’s like you fought for our freedom, so you start living it right now.”

Although each day is a blessing, Garrison said that the greatest blessing so far is graduation days.

“They’re tear-jerker days,” she said. “You get to see the broken person walk in the door Jennifer Garrison, center, and her husband, Sean Garrison, right, celebrate graduaand how they learn to trust you, and they see the volunteers. They see that people actually tion with John, left, a veteran helped by the program. Courtesy photo. care about them. They start coming out of their shell and you’re able to see that person emerging. That person they’re supposed to be and the joy of life comes out.”

On the other hand, the biggest obstacle the founders have had to face is getting the word out. Wichita is a big city. Little things such as liking their Facebook page and telling others about the program would be beneficial to Passageways.

“There are still so many people out there who don’t even know we’re there,” Garrison said.

Garrison said their goal would be to go out of business because there would no longer be any homeless veterans; however, that’s unfortunately not going to happen. The number of veterans is continuously going to increase because of war.

“Until we can find peace all around in the world, we are always going to have soldiers in need,” she said.

If you are interested in helping Passageways, you can also sign up with your friends and family to volunteer at http://www.passagewaysltd.org/. n A veteran picks out items to decorate his new Founders of Passaagewasys meet at –Kaitlin Grimes home.

KAKE-TV to host a phone bank.

News / 5

I

Sophomore Isaac James welds weightlifting bar for middle school student

t was a chance encounter when middle schooler Katie Scheer and sophomore Isaac James met.

James was in his metals class when he was given the assignment to make a custom weightlifting bar for Scheer. James didn’t know who the 36-inch bar was for until he was nearly finished. When he found out the bar was for Scheer, James remembered her from a middle school cheerleading camp.

“I didn’t know the bar was for her until after I started it,” James said. “But I did know Katie before I started the weight bar.”

Because she stands just 3 feet, 8 inches tall, it is difficult for Scheer to lift and balance a standard weightlifting bar for her fitness class. Even though she had difficulty, she continued to use the standard bar until her fitness coaches came up with the idea for the high school metals class to make one that is more suitable for her.

“I think [the bar] is a better size for me,” Scheer said.

Scheer was grateful for the new piece of equipment. “[The weightlifting bar] was a little heavy

T

“I really like doing things for other people. It was really cool to know to that I made [the weight bar] and they are using it every day.”

—Isaac James, sophomore

at first, but I was happy and thankful to have it,” Scheer said. “Then I got use to [the weight of the bar].”

James later received a thank you letter from Scheer, which he said he thought was sweet. He felt happy about making the bar for her.

“I really like doing things for other people,” James said. “It was really cool to know to that I made [the weight bar] and they are using it every day.” n —Ryann Redinger

School Board to discuss addition of Aerospace Engineering class

he Maize Board of Education is expected to approve an Aerospace Engineering class that will be added for the 2017-18 school year.

The board was scheduled to discuss the class at its March 13 meeting.

It was to look at issues such as liability and costs to decide if the class will be a good decision for students and the district.

Mike Tinich, who teaches at Maize South, would teach the class in the new CTE building, which is under construction at the Maize High campus.

The class will be open to all 10-12 graders.

The class’s project is to build an airplane.

Students will put the plane together themselves with some help by airplane engineers using parts bought with a grant from sponsoring companies. At the end of the year, a certified pilot will fly the plane. The school eventually would sell the plane to be able to buy parts for a new plane until the program is self-sufficient.

Superintendent Chad Higgins has been involved in the decision-making process for this class.

“We can provide the space,” he said. “We can provide the students, the expertise and instruction. It’s all the other stuff that makes it difficult to do these kinds of things in

6 / News

public schools.”

Maize will be the first district in Kansas to implement the program. Several schools in Texas have added the program to their class catalog. Higgins wondered why Maize didn’t start the program previously since Wichita is the an airplane manufacturing capital with large companies such Spirit Aerosystems and Cessna. Aerospace engineering companies are wanting to plant these programs in schools in hopes of sparking an interest for future careers.

“They are bringing their industry into our school,” Higgins said. “And we are glad to have them.”

If the school board approves, the school will begin planning the details of the class such as cost for the equipment. Students will be given their own tool box and will learn how to solder, wire and rivet. Higgins said he believes that the program will give kids the experience they need to get a head start in engineering.

“The local company that’s sponsoring this has told us that the best engineers are those who have helped build airplanes,” Higgins said. “If you have already done it, it will be easier to gain the expertise.” n —Ryann Redinger

Katie Scheer is a Maize Middle student and is a cheerleader. Photo by Lizzie Bell

Downtown Wichita gives random acts of kindness

A

People leave clothing on statues for the homeless

ll around the world, there are countless acts of kindness taking place.

In downtown Wichita, winter clothing items have been anonymously placed on some of the statues.

In the beginning of December, downtown statues were dressed in hats, scarves, jackets, and gloves. Along with the clothing items was a small tag saying “If you are in need, please take me and stay warm.” attached to it, so people in need will have clothing to keep them warm during the winter. Sophomore Alex Freige has been downtown when the statues were dressed. Freige saw a statue of a woman and a child attired in hats and scarves.

Freige has volunteered at Pathway Church and has been involved in a food run for the homeless shelter downtown.

“I think it’s really nice and thoughtful how people are caring for others during winter,” she said. “It just shows that people still care for others and want to make an impact.” n —Morgan Thomas

Special education para passes away

W

ynona Vance, a para for the special education program, passed away recently on Feb. 9 at age 60, after battling brain, breast and bone cancer for several years. Vance was in the Maize school district for several years where she began as a substitute, then transitioned to a long-time substitute for Denise Hogan in 2002.

“She taught me about my students and the things she had been working on with them before I began.” Hogan said. “Of course this included music.”

Vance had a strong love for music.

F

Growing up, she played in her family band, The Glad Tomorrows, and sang as a part of the Wichita State University Singers while in college. Vance could play the violin, clarinet, saxophone and the trombone. She also gave lessons on how to play any wind instrument, any brass instrument, the guitar, piano, organ and accordion as a part of Vance Music Studios. Founded by her father, Chester Vance in Kansas City in 1952, Vance Music Studios is a local service in Wichita that specializes in Christian, classical and pop music. It moved to Wichita in 1972.

Even though Vance continued to get sicker

and sicker, she continued to go to work every day to teach and care for her kids.

“When she first got sick she had really bad days, but she would never say that she was feeling badly,” Thea Lippoldt, a special-education teacher, said. “She would say, ‘I’m a little tired today, but I’ll feel better soon.’ As she came to the time when it was harder to be at school, she still came in with a smile.

Wynona would always ask how everyone else was and was excited to see the kids start coming in. That never left her, no matter how badly she felt.” n —Logan Dillon

Four Maize staff won’t return in August

our faculty members have announced they will leave Maize at the end of this semester. Math teacher Sheri Dalal, business teacher Pat Snyder, English teacher Elizabeth Graber and head counselor Lyn Brown won’t return in the 2017-18 school year.

Dalal has decided after 32 years she plans to retire from teaching high school to pursue teaching at a college level.

“I am just happy that I was able to finish out my high school teaching career at [Maize]” Dalal said.

Dalal said it will be a big change for her, but she’s looking forward to spending time with family and sleeping in on the weekdays.

“I think anytime you make a major life change there is a bit of anxiety,” Dalal said.

“But it’s time for a change.”

Snyder also is retiring.

“This is my 25th year [teaching], and everything just seems to fall into place this year,” Snyder said.

Snyder said she has many activities she’d like to do after she leaves. That includes raising her cattle in Barber County, which is southwest of Wichita on the Oklahoma

“Life is short. I’ve given 27 years to education, and it’s been good, but maybe it’s time for me right now.”

—Lyn Brown, head counselor

border. She owns 1,000 acres of land she inherited from her parents.

“That’s a big part of who I am and where I came from,” Snyder said. “The land I own has been in my family for almost 100 years.”

Snyder said she wants her granddaughters to grow up the same way she did: in a smalltown community.

Graber said she decided it’s time to be more involved at home, raising her daughters — Lily, Sara and Anna.

“I feel like I’m always distracted,” Graber said. “I can’t be present and be good at both things [parenting and teaching] because it

stresses me out.”

Graber and her family plan to move to Newton, because that is where she attends church and where her husband works.

She said the scariest part of leaving is the uncertainty of what will happen next.

“I’m a planner and an organizer,” Graber said. “I like to kind of have a checklist and know how things are going to go, so this [leaving] is totally new territory.”

Brown said she met the criteria for retirement in Kansas and wants to spend more time with her family “Life is short,” Brown said. “I’ve given 27 years to education, and it’s been good, but maybe it’s time for me right now.”

Brown said she will still try to come to school activities, such as choir concerts and sporting events.

All four staff members said they’re going to miss the students most of all. “[The students are] fun and they make me smile,” Brown said. “To see the things they accomplish is amazing, [and] that’ll definitely be what I miss.” n —Allie Choyce

News / 7

A

Adapted PE teacher Sarah Heath nominated for national award

dapted physical education teacher Sarah Heath, winner of the 2017 Kansas and Central District awards for Adapted Teacher of the Year, will attend an awards banquet today to learn if she will receive the national form of the same award.

Two other teachers in America are up for the National Adapted Teacher of the Year award. To be nominated, Heath had to submit three letters of recommendation, a five-page essay about her teaching philosophy and a video of her teaching to a panel of experts who are part of the Society of Health and Physical Educators.

Heath learned about winning the District award the same weekend she was given the state award at a banquet.

“It was a pretty quick turnaround, and that was really exciting,” Heath said. “So, now, I get to go to Boston ... and get to go to the banquet for the national awards.”

To be nominated for the District award, Heath had to Skype with three people who won the award previously “They asked me 10 different questions that I had to answer about my job,” Heath said, “and there’s a panel that will get together and decide who the winner is.”

Heath said winning the state award was surreal. She’s been involved with the SHAPE organization since college.

Heath had always known which people were teachers of the year, because the TOYs, as they’re called, give regular presentations demonstrating their methods for teaching.

“I don’t know if I thought that’d ever be me,” Heath said. “I guess it’s hard sometimes, when you’re in your own little world, to think what you’re doing actually is a good job until other people tell you you’re doing a good job.”

When Heath was a student at Maize, she helped Maize Middle physical education teacher Lori Hager with her students.

“I just thought that was really fun, and I might want to do this for a living,” Heath said.

Now with the experience of a seven-year teacher, Heath said people should focus on what they enjoy and try to find a way to make a living at what you love.

The SHAPE America Hall of Fame Banquet will be held on March 17 during the 132nd National Convention & Expo in Boston. n —Christian Hurst

Courtesy photo

“I guess it’s hard sometimes ... to think what you’re doing actually is a good job until other people tell you you’re doing a good job.”

— Sarah Heath, physical education teacher

8 / News

Need your prom make up done?

Micala Joyce Beauty 316-347-3232 Visit: micalasmakeupartistry.com

A UNIQUE BOUTIQUE 1719 S. Hillside

Wichita, KS 67211

B-uniq

ue

Friend us on Facebook Sunday: 1-6 Mon - Sat: 10-9 Phone: 682-5531 1-800-NOW-DANC

Girls take second at state

Left: Senior Caitlyn Stewart scored 11 points in the tournament.

Photo by Lyndsey Piska Top: Senior Brecken Roe scored 38 points in the tournament. Photo by Ryan Jones Bottom: Senior Taylor Holmes scored 42 points in the tournament.

Photo by Lyndsey Piska

P

laced as the number 1 seed, the Eagles ended their season in second place at the 5A State tournament.

“I thought getting second place you can’t be too upset,” said coach Jerrod Handy.

“This group has accomplished a lot, getting second place against a good team like that I’m really proud of them.”

The Eagles were victorious in their first game, beating the number 8 seed De Soto 51-17. Maize’s defense broke the record for fewest points allowed in a 5A tournament game, with the previous low being 20.

“We all played together, and I thought we did really good as a team,” senior Taylor Holmes said. “Our strength is definitely defense.”

Holmes led the Eagles with 12 points, making 2 of 7 shots from the field and 8 of 11 free throws.

Senior Brecken Roe added eight points to the Eagles’ total, also making 2 of 7 field goals and making all four of her free-throw attempts. Roe also had nine rebounds and nine assists. Senior Caitlyn Stewart and sophomore Halie Jones both added three baskets and a free throw each.

“I was nervous at the beginning,” Roe said.

“We knew we had to come out strong. I think that we have a good shot.”

In the second game, the Eagles beat their league rivals Salina Central for the third time this season, with a final score of 54-35.

The game started close, but after the half

the Eagles began to take off. The Eagles led 20-15 at halftime, with Salina Central not getting a single offensive rebound.

“We were worried before we even got off the bus,” Handy said. “We knew Salina Central was going to be coming at us. We were just really prepared for their best, and I thought we matched it.”

Maize fell to St. Thomas Aquinas in the championship game 47-35. This was Maize’s third state championship game in four years.

“I’m really proud of the girls this season,” Handy said. “They overcame a lot, they accomplished a lot. I wouldn’t trade this team for anybody.” n —Casey Loving and Abby McCoy

Superstitions help athletes get ready for their games Senior Mason Hartman and sophomore Marissa Llamas eat their pregame snacks. They believe these snacks help them perform better.

Photo by Lauryn Ogden

A

ssistant boys swimming coach Jeremy Bernard expected to come back to his hotel room without problem or delay. As he stepped past the doorway, he saw the disaster before him: he had fallen prey to a tradition.

Junior swimmer Christian Taylor said his team always messes with the Bernard’s hotel room at state.

“We caution-taped his room, put coffee into his shower, Saran-Wrapped his pillows, flipped his bed, flipped his chairs, rewired his TV, and used shaving cream on the mirror,” Taylor said.

Another tradition the swim team continues is that a first-time state qualifier buzzes their hair before leaving.

“

Doing these things every time makes me feel ready inside.

“

—Mason Hartman, senior

According to CBS News, about 21 percent of athletes are superstitious about their pregame tactics. Whether it’s listening to music or eating something special, most athletes have to do certain things with their team or by themselves on game days.

Senior baseball player Mason Hartman has to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich before his games.

“Doing these things every time makes me feel ready inside,” Hartman said.

He also mentally prepares himself by

listening to rap music that gets him excited for the game.

Sophomore soccer player Marissa Llamas has to eat a banana before her games. The soccer team goes to someone’s house to take naps before their games.

“I have to put white athletic tape on my right arm and I have to wear black prewrap,” Llamas said.

Senior softball player Maura Glatczak said she’s not extremely superstitious, but her team can’t step on the white chalk before games because they feel like it will cause them to lose.

“Before I go up to bat, I have to fix the tongue of my shoe and make sure it’s centered,” Glatczak said.

The girl basketball players carried on the tradition of eating out after every home game.

Sophomore basketball player Halie Jones said one of her must do’s is to put on mascara in the morning before a game.

“If I don’t put on mascara in the morning, I feel like I’m going to play bad,” Jones said.

Also, she said she believes playing hip hop music gets her mentally ready to play.

Freshman wrestler Junior Camacho does sprints before every wrestling match to get his blood flowing.

“We lay down in a circle and run around each other,” Camacho said. Before matches, eating healthier and getting more sleep is a must for him.

Junior runner Carson Pierce said she is either really loud or super quiet during her pregame run, depending on how nervous she is.

“I’m always scared that when I go to the line that I’m going to step over the line before the gun goes off,’ Pierce said.

Another superstition Pierce has is to shave her legs the night before meets.

“I always shave my legs … because [of] aerodynamics,” Pierce said. n

— Lauryn Ogden

Senior Maura Glatczak straightens the tongue of her shoes before each at-bat. Glatczak does this for good luck. Photo by Lauryn Ogden

Sophomore Halie Jones has to listen to hip hop music before every game. This is a superstition she believes helps her play better. Photo by Kiara Ehrmann.

Sports / 11

SPORTS PREVIEW

Couches submitted players to watch.

BASEBALL 1 2

Players to Watch

Senior John Short Senior Hunter LaMunyon

3 4

Senior Jake Doerflinger Senior Chandler Kelley

Sophomore Carson Shively attends with the team on March 7. Their first home game will be on April 7 against Salina Central.

Photo by Stormi Williams.

SOFTBALL 1 2

Players to Watch Senior Maura Glatczak Junior Lauryn Ogden

3 4

Junior Savannah Hughes

Freshman Sophia Buzard patiently waits for the ball during warm-up on March 6. Their first home game will be on April 7 against Salina Central.

Photo by Stormi Williams.

Freshman Sophia Buzard

GIRLS SWIMMING 1 2

Swimmers to Watch

Senior Spencer Shively Sophomore Caitlin Gooding

3 4

BOYS GOLF

“

Sophomore Teagen Guerrero Junior Caroline Noble

Golfers to Watch

Our main goal is to grow as a team and go to the state tournament and compete.

— Sophomore Jared Murphy

12 / Sports

Sophomore Caitlin Gooding swims freestyle at a swim meet. Their first meet will be on March 31 at Wichita-Heights.

Photo submitted by Caitlin Gooding.

1 2

Senior Jacob Roth Sophomore Jared Murphy

Sophomore Jared Murphy practices his swing for the upcoming season.

Their first invitational is on April 3 at Crestview Country Club.

Photo submitted by Jared Murphy.

GIRLS TRACK

1 2

Runners to Watch Senior Tatyana Hopkins

3 4

Junior Carson Pierce

“ ” “ ” “ ” Junior Autumn Hanna

Senior Mia Magby

With this core group of girls, we are hoping to place in the top five at state.

Junior Sydney Werner and sophomore Peyton Downing sprint 100 meters at practice. Their first home meet will be on April 7.

Photo by Logan Dillon.

— Coach Dana Handy

BOYS TRACK Runners to Watch

1 2 3 4

Senior Konner Swenson Junior Nathan Jones

Junior Nathan Jones and sophomore Kael Ecord practice running long distance. Their first home meet will be on April 7.

Photo by Logan Dillon.

We always want to improve the most we can and compete as hard as we can.

Senior Jacob Wilson

— Coach Jerrod Handy

Sophomore Kael Ecord

BOYS TENNIS Senior Kaden Jobe practices drills with the team on March 7. Their first home invitational will be on April 17.

Photo by Stormi Williams.

1 2

Players to Watch Junior Brennen Sanders Senior Kaden Jobe

3 4

Senior Ethan Pfeifer

Sophomore Chase Schreiner

Our goal is to qualify our top six players at state.

— Coach John Anderson

GIRLS SOCCER Players to Watch

1 2

Senior Kaylee Swanson Senior MaKayla Toth

3 4

Senior Katie Krier

Junior Ashlyn Lakin

Senior MaKayla Toth runs drills at practice on March 9. Their first home game will be on April 6 against Maize South.

Photo by Stormi Williams.

Sports / 13

Senior Taylor Holmes dribbles down the court during the state quarter finals on March 8th. The Eagles finished second at state.

Photo by Lyndsey Piska

‘She’s a winner’ Senior Taylor Holmes finishes her basketball career as an Eagle

S

enior Taylor Holmes has played basketball for as long as she can remember. Her high school career ended Saturday in the state championship game, but her basketball days are not over.

From the YMCA league to summer teams to high school, her dad has watched her grow into a basketball player who will begin her college career in the fall.

“It’s been amazing watching her get better and better each year,” said her dad, Drew Holmes, who has coached her along the way. “She’s always played on great teams growing up since we won fourth grade Biddy Nationals.”

Because she has been on the team all four years of high school, she has gained many good memories.

“My sophomore year, the team was down at Pitt State for a basketball camp and we played ‘What Are the Odds?’,” Holmes said.

“HaLee Roland ended up having to go into this nasty lake, Daley Handy had to ask some dude for a tampon. And we only had one car there so all 11 of us fit into Saige

“She’s the hardest working player I’ve ever seen in my life.”

—Drew Holmes

Baalman’s Honda Accord.”

She said her favorite position to play is a shooting guard, or wing. In basketball, a wing’s job is to score points for the team and has to be skilled in three-point shots.

“I don’t really like dribbling the ball up, and I’m not that tall so I can’t post people up, so wing is good because I can just drive and shoot,” Holmes said.

She lettered in varsity play her freshman year and has continued to every year since.

She helped the Eagles to state 6A runner-up finishes as both a freshman and a sophomore and a 5A runner-up this year.

Her junior year, Holmes averaged 11 points, two assists, 3.5 steals and four

rebounds per game while earning AVCTL all-league honors. She was also named honorable mention All-State by both the Wichita Eagle and the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association. Her senior year she averaged 11.8 points per game.

“I’m most proud of her effort,” Drew Holmes said. “She’s the hardest working player I’ve ever seen in my life. She’s a winner.”

She has committed to play basketball at Pittsburg State University.

“I want to do something in business but also dental hygiene, so I’ll probably incorporate those two,” she said.

She has also been on the track team since her eighth-grade year and will be running track her senior year as well, but she does not plan on running in college.

Her favorite event is hurdles because of her friend, junior Autumn Hana. Hana’s dad is their coach.

“Running gets old, but when you have to jump over hurdles and run it gets really interesting,” Holmes said. n —Paige Young

Taylor Holmes goes up for a double high-five with assistant coach Brad Hornung. The Eagles played against the Newton Railers on Feb. 21. Photo by Riley Quiggle

Sports / 15

Photo Illustration by Lizzie Bell

Behind Closed Doors

Expert: Children rarely speak up about abuse they endure 16 / Now Playing

‘They will change’

Accommodating the relentless abuse at home has been a lifelong struggle for junior Mary Reed, even though she hasn’t always realized it.

“I never really knew what the deal was or what the situation was until I became a teenager, and that’s when I really started realizing that what he was doing was not

good,” Reed said. “ So it was a gradual thing, and it just took off when I realized what was going on.”

Reed said the emotional and verbal abuse her dad had put her through was because of his lack of compassion.

“I didn’t agree with my dad on a bunch of stuff, and I just started feelings things, and he didn’t like that,” Reed said. “It’s kind of always been a thing, like the way he taught me how to ride a bike. He kind of just shoved me down the driveway and let me faceplant on the concrete.”

The National Children’s Alliance organization says nearly 700,000 children are abused in the U.S. annually, and Child Protection Services protects about 3 million.

“I didn’t cope with my issues until I lost it.”

—James Harris, senior Unfortunately, not every kid gets that chance.

O’Neil said that while sexual and physical abuse is more typical with teen cases, the only kind that they are ever willing to discuss is the verbal and emotional abuse that they suffer from.

“Words are powerful and should never be dismissed as less abusive than hands can be,” O’Neil said.

Reed’s parents filed for divorce and she said that she gets to decide when she wants to see her dad, and Reed said she chooses not to see him.

Shortly after the papers were filed, Reed said her father set restrictions on her phone to where she couldn’t receive calls or texts unless they were approved by him. Scared for her daughter, Reed’s mother pulled her out of school and bought Reed and herself new phones under their own plan. Her mom began to drop Reed off at her grandparent’s house for fear of her safety. When her father found out about the new phones, Reed received a surprise visitor in the middle of the night.

“He came and picked me up at 2 in the morning and he kept asking me ‘What’s your mom’s new number?’” Reed said. “I said I didn’t know it by heart and he didn’t take it for an answer, and so he took me home and told me to pack a bag and said to me that he didn’t care where I was going, just that I was gone.”

Later that night Reed’s mother had come home to an argument waiting to happen.

She said her father was yelling to her mother that she can leave and take her daughter with her, but not his son, Grady.

The victims’ names have been changed to protect their identity.

Where to find help United Way United way has a list of resources to help protect you or someone you love in a time of need call 211 or visit www.211kansas.org For any other needs contact the Maize counselors.

Besty Manning

bmanning@usd266.com

Paula Betta

pbette@usd226.com

Lyn Brown

lbrown@usd226.com

Geri Hickerson

glhickerson@usd266.com

matter and “ You you’re worth it and nobody deserves to go through this.

“

I

t’s seen on TV, projected in movies and ignored by some of the general population. Bruises are covered, cuts are patched and emotions are trapped.

Abuse can happen anywhere at any time, even here at Maize High.

Senior James Harris has dealt with his abuse in a public setting since he was in middle school. Bullied by his classmates, he had to overcome rude and inappropriate jokes made toward him.

“In eighth grade I [got] called fat when I moved here and was bullied by a bunch of people,” Harris said. “They would call me fat every day when I walked by them in the hall.”

Harris endured the verbal beatings being shot at him every day in class. He said he would mind his own business, but it wasn’t enough for the bullies.

“I would just get called an ‘oompaloompa’ every time someone saw me in class or in the hallways,” he said.

Julie O’Neil, Community Advocacy Coordinator at the Harbor House shelter in Wichita, is responsible for public and professional education on domestic violence and provides advocacy to people experiencing domestic violence who do not fit comfortably into any of Harbor House’s other services. Teens with dating violence are eligible to be her clients, but a parent or guardian must sign to approve services for someone under 18.

O’Neil said verbal and emotional abuse is typically the more common ways of harassment with kids in school, and they almost always never speak up about the physical abuse they endure.

“Typically only about one third of teens will tell someone they are being abused,” O’Neil said. “Emotional and verbal abuse are what most teens want to discuss.”

It didn’t take long for Harris to snap under the relentless torment he went through.

“I didn’t cope with my issues until I lost it,” Harris said. “I whooped him, and it was done and over with.”

Harris said that he has grown since being abused by his peers and realized soon that his hardest obstacle to overcome was himself, and encourages others to not let the torment affect them.

“I let it get to me,” Harris said. “It was all stupid. Just ignore it because soon you’ll realize how stupid people are.”

—Besty Manning

Now Playing / 17

Reed said her younger brother and her father have a better relationship than her and her father have ever had. “[Grady] and my dad have a lot better of a relationship than him and I do,” Reed said.

“It just doesn’t happen as often with my little brother.”

‘I understand’

Reed said she doesn’t fully blame her father for the way he is. She said he had a hard childhood with his parental figures treating him horribly.

“I understand why he’s so angry,” Reed said. “I just don’t think he deals with it in the right way.”

She said that she was always ready to pack a bag and leave if her situation ever got worse, but was never able to leave her mother behind.

“I used to always tell myself that when it got really bad that, if it happened one more time I was gonna pack a bag and go live with my grandparents,” Reed said. “I never did it, and I feel like if I would have known then that it was going to keep happening I would’ve done it.”

O’Neil said she believes that the one of the main reasons kids don’t speak up or leave their abusive situations is because of the fear factor that is involved.

“Fear of the abuser retaliating, fear that others will not understand,” O’Neil said.

“Not knowing the options available is another important reason. If a person has grown up with domestic violence in their home, this may also have created beliefs about themselves and the world that increase the impact of these types of fears.”

Since hearing the news that her father had left, Reed has discovered more and more about her parents’ relationship and who her father really was on late, drunken nights.

She learned this year her father was physically abusing her mother when he would come home drunk and angry. Reed said she remains in constant fear for the safety of her family and herself.

“He’s gone off the rails,” she said. “He tried to drive her [her mom] and her boyfriend off the road, he stalked my mom for a long time and he even called the cops on my mom when she went to my little brother’s school conferences. He’s manipulative and controlling.”

Reed said the one thing about her father is that he always has to be in control, no matter what the situation is.

Reed advises other victims to just get out of the situation that you are in, and while it can be hard to leave, you should always put yourself before anyone else.

“I tell people I don’t want him at my wedding or walking me down the aisle and I wish I had a good relationship with him,” Reed said.“You want that relationship and you want that contact but if they’re hurting you then you have to get out. If they love

18 / Now Playing

you that much then they will change.”

O’Neil said that it’s important that everyone learns about the signs of abuse.

It’s crucial to recognize when it’s time to go before you get stuck in a situation that you don’t want to be in.

“If you cannot identify the warning signs, you could get stuck in a controlling relationship without realizing it,” O’Neil said. “If you feel controlled and not valued, perhaps it is time to reconsider this partner or friend.”

‘I never did’

Life for junior Lucy Brooks has been hard from the beginning. Growing up in an abusive household is something she has become accustomed to.

O’Neil said that at least one in seven children in the U.S. have grown up in a home where domestic violence has occurred.

She said she has been emotionally and verbally abused by her mom and dad, and physically abused by her step-dad. Brooks said that she started changing once her parents filed for divorce, and that’s what set off the abuse.

“It was because I started changing and acting up because of the divorce,” Brooks said. “My dad would tell me I’m a mistake and put me down into an emotional break down.”

The physical abuse didn’t start until her

mother remarried and her stepfather treated her in ways she never thought someone could treat her.

“You want that relationship and you want that contact but if they’re hurting you then you have to get out.”

—Mary Reed, junior

When she was younger, Brooks had been watching a scary movie with her sister and was frightened. She went to her mom’s room and asked to sleep with her because she was afraid to sleep alone that night. After being told no, she left, but continued to disobey her stepfather’s wishes and come back to ask time after time. He had gotten angry, smacked her in the face, picked her up and threw her roughly onto her bed.

The next morning, her stepfather allowed his son and himself to chase Brooks around their house with mouse traps trying to hurt her.

“I don’t really like being touched by

lIn 2014, 702,000 children were

abused in the United States lChildren who suffer from abuse are nine times more likely to break the law l14 percent of men and 36 percent of women in prison admitted they were abused as a child Information provided by americanspcc.org

anyone,” Brooks said. “Especially my step-dad.”

The abuse stopped after her mom finally told her stepdad to put a stop to it. Brooks thinks that she would have turned out a better person today if she were never abused.

The mental damage that had been brought upon Brooks led her to make selfdestructive decisions, she said. She started involving herself with bad people and started talking to all of the wrong people while sending pictures of herself online to people she didn’t know.

“I don’t think I’m a good person,” Brooks said. “I think I would have hung out with the right people and not have turned out to be the way I am today. I blame myself. I feel like my choices were the reason I am the way I am, but the verbal and emotional abuse did not help at all.”

Not only has Brooks had to suffer through the relentless abuse within her home, she said she also was molested by her cousin at the age of 7.

“It’s still stuck in my head, and I’ve never been able to change from that.”

—Lucy Brooks, junior It is something that has always stuck with Brooks, and she said she will never be able to forget it.

“I just could not get over that,” she said.

“It’s still stuck in my head, and I’ve never been able to change from that. I feel like that’s what led to me sending nudes and sexual talk online.”

Brooks said that she has never trusted men, because from such a young age she has been taken advantage of by them. She regrets never opening up to anyone.

“I feel like I should’ve opened up more about my issues,” Brooks said. “I never did.”

O’Neil urges teens to seek help if they ever find themselves in an abusive situation.

“If you are frightened, please tell someone,” O’Neil said. “If you are unsure who you can trust, calling a crisis line is a great idea and can often be done anonymously.”

Brooks believes that verbal and emotional abuse should be taken just as seriously as, if not more seriously than, physical abuse.

“It [verbal and emotional abuse] does also make it hard on people,” she said. “I feel like it should be taken more seriously because people are still hurt and scared of it.” n —Sadie Ast

Self protection statistics Statistics were taken from a poll on Play’s Twitter. An average of 209 people voted.

78%

people who said the ability to have self-defense methods is important

26%

22%

people who said they have self-defense training

people who said they have used self-defense methods

34%

people who said they carry some form of self-protection objects. Of that 34 percent:

9%

carry a Taser

13%

own a stabby cat/pokey pup

18%

of people own a can of pepper spray

Now Playing / 19

Cruella DeVos

Why the new Secretary of Education may not be the sharpest pencil in the box

I

By Casey Loving for the Play Editorial Board

magine telling your dog to make you your dinner. Wouldn’t that be silly? Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure the dog is good at what it does, but it just doesn’t have the proper qualifications to be a chef. It doesn’t know the protocol for making a meal or the proper handling of utensils and ingredients.

It would be a mess. Would you ever trust anyone in a position of power with that little qualification?

Sadly, this is the situation that we all have to deal with. Except instead of a dog it’s Betsy DeVos and instead of cooking a meal she is in charge of regulating the nation’s educational policies, regulations and funding.

To be fair, DeVos has had a long and difficult road on her way to being the Secretary of Education. Her journey with education started when she was a starry-eyed child attending a private Christian school. From there, DeVos, with a measly $1 billion in her pocket, went on an epic quest to prove her love for education.

On her path to glory, DeVos never studied education, never became a teacher and never got experience in the field.

President Trump’s choice for DeVos as the Secretary of Education is an odd one.

Due to her lack of experience in the field, it is confusing and frightening as to why DeVos would be considered for the job in the first place. What is equally confusing and frightening is what she is planning to do now in office.

DeVos’s main goal while being Secretary of Education is to increase school choice, a means of privatizing education. To do this, DeVos plans on introducing a school voucher system. These vouchers would essentially divert the already dwindling state funding for public school to those who choose to attend private school.

To put it simply, the school voucher system moves state funding for public school

20 / Editorial

to private and charter schools. The vouchers allow parents to choose whether or not they want their children to go to a private school.

If private education is chosen, the voucher provides a state-funded scholarship for the school, diverting funding from public schools to be put toward private schools.

Essentially, DeVos is proposing to pull a reverse Robin Hood: stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.

The true flaws in DeVos’s thinking came to light recently, making a scary idea even scarier. In a statement about school vouchers, DeVos decided the best way to explain the system was by going for a historical parallel. Sadly, she may have chosen the wrong example.

“Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have done [school choice] since their founding,” DeVos said in her public statement. “They started from the fact that there were too many students in America who did not have equal access to education. They saw that the system wasn’t working, that there was an absence of opportunity, so they took it upon themselves to provide the solution.”

Not only is she implying that segregation in schooling is a good thing, but DeVos is also suggesting that we apply the same forward-thinking used to separate black and white schools. If she actually knew a thing about the HBCUs she was referring to, DeVos would realize this incredibly racist system may not be the solving of an “absence of opportunity” on which she wants to lay the foundation of being Secretary of Education.

To be fair, DeVos’s comparison of her voucher system to HBCUs does hold up pretty well in one regard: it further promotes segregation. With the voucher system being introduced originally as a means of creating a racial barrier in education, they will now provide an economic barrier by allowing private schools to leech of public funding.

Many people with actual experience in what it’s like to work in the field of public education, or even experience it to any degree, are against DeVos as Secretary of Education for the reasons mentioned.

“I must say I’m really disappointed because I truly believe there were better qualified candidates than Betsy DeVos,” English teacher Sherry Pfeifer said. “It seems unlikely that she will do what’s best for public education, particularly because she’s never attended a public school, nor had her children attend public schools, and she’s such an avid proponent of vouchers and choice that it doesn’t seem likely that she will be a true advocate of public education.”

It’s no secret that public education is important. For most

families, education would not be a possibility without public school. Whether or not DeVos’s plan as Secretary of Education was to institute her school choice method, it is damaging to the majority when you have a person in a seat of power who doesn’t understand or respect the importance of public schooling.

At Maize, we have teachers who will go without raises year after year. We have classes that are overflowing because we aren’t able to spread students out. These aren’t the only monetary issues we have, and we’re still better off than most public schools. While we don’t know that DeVos’s voucher system would affect this issue in Maize directly, giving government funding to private school certainly won’t make it any better.

This voucher system is not the only example of DeVos’s shady policies. Under the Obama Administration, transgender students were allowed to go to the same bathrooms as the gender they identified as.

Now that DeVos has the seat, she has practically ignored the issue, allowing schools to segregate these students from regular restrooms.

Even with these mistakes under her belt, it’s not like DeVos can fall back on a comedic career. Recently, DeVos made a comment to Bernie Sanders saying “There is no such thing as a free lunch.” While this was meant to be a simple attempt at a joke, no one was laughing when they saw it as a threat to take away free or reduced lunches. I don’t know if this is a testament to DeVos as a person and her public opinion as Secretary of Education, or one to her poor comedy skills.

“Her recent crass comment that she would like to tell Bernie Sanders that there’s no such thing as a free lunch seems very heartless, especially for one who’s lived a life of wealth and privilege,” Pfeifer said. “I think that’s just another example of how she’s so inexperienced in understanding the true needs of students in a public education scenario.”

Education is not a privilege, it’s a right.

For most, public school is the only way for them to access that right. With Betsy DeVos as the new Secretary of Education, we have an unqualified person in a position of power that neither knows nor cares about the right of public education. Instead she spends her efforts trying to divert funding from the places that need it to function and gives it to the places that have more than they know what to do with. She has proved time and time again to not be the right fit for her position after a mere few months in office.

I’d hate to see what else she could do with four more years in office, let alone eight.

Until our Secretary of Education learns how to properly respect her “area of expertise,” I’d rather have an empty seat. n

A war with my mind

Sophomore Ryann Redinger writes about her fight with anxiety

I

t all starts with a sound. Whether These are all things I hear inside that be a train or a dog barking, my head on a daily basis. I don’t eat I can feel the hair on my arms breakfast because I already eat too begin to raise. I can feel my heart much, so breakfast isn’t necessary. I start to beat faster. The world get to school with my heart poundaround me blurs in and out of focus ing because I’m worried that people until all I see is dark. Blood rushes to might not like my outfit or makeup my face, and my heart starts beating that day. Looking into mirrors is louder and faster like it’s going to leap a compulsion. My brain analyzes out of my chest at any moment. The every aspect of my face until I can’t pit of my stomach feels as if I’m falling take my voices terrible comments out of a dream as my mind races for anymore. I stop myself from wanting answers as to why this is happening. to be at school, wanting to be around “You are dying. Something is very friends or wanting to do something wrong.” My mind repeats this message I really love. over and over in my head like a The worst part about it all is that billboard. I can’t focus on a simple it’s never going to stop. This constant task such as breathing because a wire dread of living has consumed my between my body and mind has been life. I’ll cry for 30 minutes if I can’t disconnected. “You need help. You are find the black pants to go with my dying.” A voice inside my head that outfit. I will shut down if I get yelled isn’t my own keeps screaming these at. I know that if I do that, I will words in my face. I don’t know who is just get yelled at more for being saying this, but I know that if I don’t “over dramatic,” but the words won’t start breathing, I’m going to pass out. come out. I choke them out during “Keep breathing, keep breathing,” I huddled-over hyperventilation. I tell myself as I’m frantically trying to speak my words with every nervous make my way to the stairs. My legs foot tap or uncontrollable jolt of my begin to go numb, and my body feels body. Every chewed-down nail. Evlike it’s boiling from the inside out. I ery scab on my severely bitten lips. begin to bear crawl up the stairs beMy brain has been hijacked by the cause my legs have stopped working. voice in my head that has been there My hands are shaking uncontrollably since seventh grade. as I struggle to get the baby gate open.

I want someone to tell me that this I try to call for help, but I’m unable to is OK, that I haven’t gone insane. get a single word out.

I want to know I’m not alone, but I finally make it to my parent’s room that’s all I feel when my heart is sobbing so hard my face begins to racing and lights are flashing on and burn. My step dad tells me to lay down off in my head. I want the people in and just breathe. I can’t. My whole my life to stop making jokes about body is uncontrollably shaking almost my mental illness by giving me like a seizure. I feel everything and nicknames such as “Drama Queen” nothing at all simultaneously. I feel or “uncontrollable.” I would give like I’m outside looking in on my body anything in this world to be able to as all my muscles contract and relax control it, but this world is full of over and over again. My step dad tells unfortunate circumstances my mind me to stop shaking. He doesn’t unrefuses to adapt to. derstand that I no longer have control Every inconvenience, major or miSophomore Ryann Redinger often becomes overwhelmed over my body, but another force does: nor, every low test grade, every bad with negative thoughts when she becomes anxious. my anxiety. memory, reminds me that my mind Photo Illustration by Lizzie Bell and Ryann Redinger.

I feel like I’m sinking to the bottom controls me. I’ve never really been of a lake when I get anxious. I feel like ready to fight back for what’s mine.

I missed the last step of the stairs 80 I’ve been fighting this war for a long part of my story at all, but the drowning percent of the time. When I see someone I time barely holding on. I’m still looking for feeling and the voice inside my head never associate with bad memories, my stomach battle strategies, and I step out onto a battlestop. drops like I just dropped my phone on a field every morning I hop out of My anxiety keeps me from eating, sleeping bed. I’m in a fight against the voice inside concrete sidewalk. My mind focuses on and doing things that are important to me. them and them only. Nothing else matters my head. I’m at war over the right to When my anxiety is really bad, the voice in in this short amount of time that, to me, feel breathe. I know I need more tools and more my head will never shut up about how much like hours. Every time my heart beat gets advanced strategies, but I’m not about to I eat. louder and my blood gets warm, I feel like let my anxiety overcome what I’ve fought “Dear God. You eat like a pig.”

I’m taking a slow-motion walk through hell. for. I’m a survivor, a fighter and I’m coming “You ate too much. Stop eating right now.”

The worst part is that I apologize for it. I back to take what used to be mine: my “Say you’re not hungry.

You don’t need to feel embarrassed when I have an attack in mind. n eat.” front of someone. I wish anxiety weren’t a —Ryann Redinger

Column / 21

re you with it?

M

Nearly two years after its formation, Tideway discusses its past experiences as well as the release of a debut album

usic is a key element in the lives of people everywhere.

Whether it’s listening to the radio during a long drive home or singing your favorite song in the shower, music always seems to present itself at some point during the day.

Some people, however, are able to show their appreciation for music by creating it.

This is the case for four friends and musicians whose talent has made a significant impact on the local music scene.

What began as a small-scale high school band now has a fan base stretching across multiple cities as well as new music to add to their discography.

Tideway is a local alternative-rock band that consists of senior Sam Gilchrist and Maize graduates Will Mercer, Trent Gaddie and Scott Carver. Gilchrist and Gaddie formed the band about two years ago and eventually recruited Mercer and Carver to fill the remaining spots in the group. Gaddie, Gilchrist and Carver all contribute on

vocals. Gaddie and Gilchrist also play guitar while Carver and Mercer play the bass and drums, respectively.

Tideway released its first full-length album, entitled “Yawedit,” on Jan. 1. “‘Yawedit’ is just Tideway backwards,” Gilchrist said. “We played a house show once and our friends started saying it—a play off of y’all with it?— so we ran with it.

We thought it would be relatively self-explanatory but it’s surprising how many people don’t notice it at all.”

Including all of the writing, recording and producing, the band said “Yawedit” was a four-month long process. The album is available on many streaming platforms including iTunes, Spotify and Amazon Music.

Around the same time “Yawedit” was released, Tideway embarked on a promotional tour that took place in cities across the Midwest. It was during that tour when the band said it had its two best shows to date.

“Either the ‘Yawedit’ show in Wichita or

in Hays [was our best show],” Gaddie said.

“Both had a massive turnout and the crowd was really engaged. It’s so much more fun to play music when people enjoy what they’re hearing.”

Aside from spending time together as bandmates, the members of Tideway are also best friends.

In fact, all four guys explained that their love for Tideway stemmed from their friendships with each other. “[My favorite part of Tideway is] playing some cool songs with some even cooler people,” Gaddie said.

Although the band has not released any official plans for new music, they did say to keep an eye—or ear—out for new material in the future. Meanwhile, Tideway is still riding the wave from their new album.

“We definitely have some stuff in the works,” Gaddie said. “Lots and lots of new songs are coming down the pipe.” n —Mandi Copp and Alvin Le

Photo by Bailey Tredway

Press pause a moment with

What do you do in your free time?

When did you decide to become a teacher?

What sports and/or clubs did you participate in while in high school?

What is something most students at Maize High might not know about you?

What made you want to start square dancing and how long have you been doing it?

What do you like most about working with gifted students?

If you had to pick one word to describe you what would it be and why?

Johnson dances at the Park City Senior Center on March 9. Johnson said she strongly believes that most people take “the amazing complexity and beauty of the world� they live in for granted.

Press Pause / 23

Magic in Maize

Student magicians work to perfect their skill

S

ophomore Nick Vasilescu says that magic is an art. He said he believes that magic is all about making the audience believe something.

Vasilescu is a firm believer that the magician should always know something the audience does not.

“A good magician never reveals his secrets, and that’s what keeps it so exciting if no one ever knows how it’s done,” Vasilescu said. “As long as it stays that way then the power, magic and impact of it is always going to be strong. That’s what keeps it so exciting if no one ever knows how it’s done.”

Vasilescu has been doing magic since seventh grade when he received a magic kit for Christmas from his mother. The kit contained a small book of magic tricks, which inspired him to attempt magic for the first time. He learned his first few tricks from the book and didn’t stop from there.

“Once I learned a bunch of those tricks [from the book], I just created some of my own tricks,” Vasilescu said. “I can know one trick and I can do that trick 10 different ways. So I could entertain an audience for 30 minutes to an hour and only do three or four tricks in different transitions, different ways.”

Vasilescu says he does card tricks, illusions with coins and predictions. He has developed his own understanding of what makes a trick good … or bad.

“Even if you just leave them in disbelief, that’s a good trick,” he said. “Just as long as you get any kind of emotion out of someone, then you know you did a good job.”

DID YOU KNOW? Magic has many names! It can be called conjuring, hocus pocus, sorcery and wizardry, to name a few.

For the first couple of years, Vasilescu came home from school and practiced for up to two hours, acting as if he were in the middle of a show. Now, he is experienced enough that he doesn’t practice as much.

“Usually once you understand a trick it’s really easy,” he said. “I think you have to be really smart and creative to do magic and perform it well.”

Whenever he has a deck of cards, a coin or a prediction up his sleeve, Vasilescu is willing to put on a show for anyone.

“I used to approach other people,” he said. “I would just go up to tables and be like ‘Hey, you guys want to see some magic?’ I’ve met a lot of really cool people by doing that, but I’ve slowed down.”

Senior Eric Schartz began dabbling in magic after seeing Vasilescu perform tricks during class. Schartz jokingly asked Vasilescu to teach him some tricks so he could “hit on girls” by using magic.

Like Vasilescu, Schartz believes that magic is an art.

“It’s a good pastime, and it’s a good way to communicate with people and meet new friends,” he said. “Ever since I quit wrestling, I don’t have a job and I have a lot of time so I picked up some magic.”

He said he enjoys doing card tricks.

Schartz said once he knew one of them, it was as if he knew them all.

Schartz said Wichita magician Shawn Reida is an inspiration. He was the first professional magician Schartz met.

“Shawn is a mysterious figure in the Wichita area,” Schartz said. “Only the DID YOU KNOW? Harry Houdini died on Halloween in 1926 from a punch to the gut that ruptured his appendix.

magicians of Wichita know about him.

If you don’t know about magic, then you won’t know about Shawn. If you want to learn about Shawn, you have to learn about magic.”

Schartz said Reida owns a magic shop in Wichita that only magicians are allowed to browse. After learning about magic and showing Shawn what he had learned, Schartz was allowed in the shop.

“He taught me new tricks and ways to manipulate things,” Schartz said.

Schartz considers Reida his mentor. He has learned a lot of tricks from him.

Since he considers himself an “early beginner” in magic, Schartz believes he knows nothing compared to the great magicians. Schartz doesn’t think the future holds much for him in terms of magic because he does not think he has what it takes to be a professional magician. But he does hope to continue practicing it.

“Maybe someday I can show my kids some of the tricks that were from my day and they can show me the tricks that are present day,” Schartz said.

Schartz, Vasilescu and senior Austin Hopkins, another magician at Maize, enjoy practicing magic tricks on each other.

Hopkins, like Schartz, has been practicing magic since the beginning of senior year.

Hopkins said Schartz inspired him to begin practicing magic.

“It’s a great time-passer,” Hopkins said.

“It’s something to do at parties.” n —Abby McCoy

DID YOU KNOW? The worlds fastest magician is Eldon D. Wigton. He performed 255 tricks in 2 minutes in 1991.

Source: themagicacademy.com

24 / Spotlight

What’s your party trick?

Students and staff demonstrate their best party tricks

Sophomore Krista Phillips blows bubble off of her tongue. Photo by Morgan Thomas

Krista Phillips Sophomore

Party Trick: Blowing bubbles off of her tongue How she discovered it: “I saw someone else do it and I taught myself how to do it.”

Sam Bartlett Freshman

Party Trick: Card tricks How he discovered it: “My grandpa showed me a simple card trick when I was young.

I immediately knew that I wanted to do that too.”

Teacher Shelby Hillman walks on her hands.

Photo by Morgan Thomas.

Shelby Hillman

Freshman Sam Bartlett does card tricks. Photo

by Morgan Thomas

PhysicalP.E. Education Teacher Teacher

Party Trick: Walking on hands How she discovered it: “We have to walk on our hands in crossfit.”

Spotlight / 25

Play’s 5 for 5

Ranking the top five 80s movies, bingeable TV shows, remakes/reboots, animated movies and good movies that made no money Do you have any plans for spring break? We don’t either. What we do have, though is a vast collection of movies and television shows at hand to waste our time until the week-long break is over. So, here are some lists of the top five films and TV shows we watch when we don’t want to be reminded that other kids are out on vacation and we’re stuck in the house. —Casey Loving

1 2 3 4 5

Back to the Future (1985)

Back to the Future –“Back to the Future” is the epitome of fun 80s movies. It’s insanely quotable, the characters are memorable, the story is fun. To sum it up in a word: Perfect.

Die Hard – If the 80s were notorious for original action movies, then “Die Hard” was the pinnacle of the decade. From “Speed” to “Paul Blart: Mall Cop,” “Die Hard” has about just as many imitations as a movie can get.

Ghostbusters – Comedy, action, and horror. Never has a movie hopped genres as well as the original “Ghostbusters.” With as perfect casting, writing, and a theme song as this, it’s a good thing they never tried to poorly recreate it somehow with a sequel or a reboot.

The Breakfast Club – If there could only be one director to represent the 80s, it would probably be John Hughes. Among all of his amazing coming-of-age films that still resonate today, “The Breakfast Club” stands strong as the most beloved.

The Empire Strikes Back – It should come as no shock that a Star Wars movie is on this list. “The Empire Strikes Back” is what I would call a perfect movie and one of my favorites of all time. But even for all of its charm, “The Empire Strikes Back” simply feels too timeless for me to put it higher on a list of movies that scream 80s.

1

Stranger Things – With all of the terrible blockbusters that came out summer 2016, “Stranger Things” was the breath of fresh air entrainment needed. The kids are adorable, the characters are lovable, the story is interesting, and the runtime is short. Perfect for a binge.

3

4 5

2

Jessica Jones – When Marvel made a deal with Netflix to start streaming original series, I never could’ve imagined the shows would be as good as they are. My favorite show, “Jessica Jones,” adds a dark, gritty side to the MCU, adding one the universe’s best villains through an amazing crimestyle superhero drama.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt – Netflix may have had a few misses when it started streaming original comedy series (I’m looking at you “Fuller House”), but “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” is certainly a hit. The show, written by Tina Fey, feels a lot like Fey’s other show (and another one of my favorites) “30 Rock,” with jokes that come fast and hit hard. With two seasons down and a third on the way, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” is one of the funniest and most rewatchable shows I have seen in a long time.

Breaking Bad – Not only is “Breaking Bad” one of my favorite shows of all time, but it is also perfect for a long-form binge watch. The show has a tightly-wound story that gains a lot from watching it back-to-back, as I did when I first watched the show. With five seasons and a currently-running spin-off show, the “Breaking Bad” universe has plenty of content to keep your Netflix queue occupied.

The Office – With an amazing theme song, a perfect cast, and some of the most memorable jokes in television, “The Office” has remained one of the best sitcoms for years. Even though binging the show will give you nonstop laughs toward the middle of it’s nine-season run, the last few seasons are just too rough for me to put it at the top of any list.

Review / 26

Stranger Things (2016 - )

1 2 3 4

Star Trek – Even though I’m not a die hard Star Trek fan, the 2009 reboot is one of my favorite action movies in years, with an amazing cast, a fun, inventive story and a spectacular soundtrack. If “The Force Awakens” didn’t solidify J. J. Abrams as a reboot king, “Star Trek (2009)” certainly did.

Ocean’s Eleven – The award for “Movie You Didn’t Even Know Was a Remake goes to Ocean’s Eleven, a heist film so great it has completely surpassed the original you forgot existed.

Batman Begins – Not only is “Batman Begins” my personal favorite film starring the Dark Knight (sorry “The Dark Knight”), but it is also a fantastic remake, giving the character the reboot it deserves and the one it needed (sorry Joel Schumacher).

Rise of the Planet of the Apes – While I am not the biggest fan of the original “Planet of the Apes,” I could watch 50 sequels to the reboot “Rise of the Planet of the Apes.” Much like “The Jungle Book,” “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” uses fantastic CGI to entirely improve on an older movie that definitely needed improving. With “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” being another great movie, I can’t wait for the third installment “War of the Planet of the Apes” this summer.

The Jungle Book – The point of a reboot is to improve on the original property, and in 2016 “The Jungle Book” did just that. The film made revamped a classic animated feature, retexturing the story with absolutely stunning CGI. Also, who doesn’t love Bill Murray as a bear singing?

Star Trek (2009)

5

WALL-E (2008)

1 2 3 4 5

WALL-E – When I was younger, I wasn’t a huge fan of “WALL-E.” I found it slow, boring, and pointless. But as I’ve grown older and rewatched it, I have really come to appreciate “WALL-E” as a gutsy movie, putting art first and making a beautiful story, whether or not it’s not the fast-paced movie kids have become used to.

Zootopia – “Zootopia” is a fun, energetic animated movie with plenty of jokes for children and adults alike, adding an important message for everyone to hear.

Disney’s decision to make a talking animal movie with a racial allegory may have been a risky one, but it certainly payed off.

Up – Never has the first 10 minutes of a movie gripped me as much as “Up.” Topped off with an actually perfect score, a fun family adventure, and a heartwarming story that gets you every time, “Up” is a movie worthy among Pixar’s ranks.

The LEGO Movie – I very rarely see a movie as unabashedly fun as “The LEGO Movie.”

Everything about this movie feel like it’s straight from the mind of a little kid while still being smart enough to get plenty of laughs.

The Iron Giant – “The Iron Giant” is a fantastic animated movie that is severely underseen. Vin Diesel kills it as the adorable-but-deadly Iron Giant, almost definitely securing himself the role of Groot over a decade before “Guardians of the Galaxy.”

1

The Shawshank Redemption – Much like “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “The Shawshank Redemption” is a beautiful, classic movie that with a powerful and emotional story that will be resonant for decades. Even though it was a smaller movie with a budget of only $25 million, it’s a shock that a film as popular as “The Shawshank Redemption” made only $24 million at the box office. At least now the movie has gotten the love it deserves through constant reruns on AMC. It’s a Wonderful Life – “It’s a Wonderful Life,” has been a classic of the Christmas season for decades, but it didn’t start that way. Even with it’s heartfelt story and lovable characters, “It’s a Wonderful Life” was a notable box office bomb, making only $2.9 million of its $3.1 million in 1946.

Edge of Tomorrow – Even though “Edge of Tomorrow” had a pretty good afterlife when it came to Blu-Ray and DVD, it definitely qualifies as a box office bomb, making only $100 million of it $178 million budget. Maybe it’s because of the soap-opera style title (which was later changed to a more appropriate “Live, Die, Repeat”), but this is a fantastically unique action movie that’s underperformance is a tragedy.

Kubo and the Two Strings – Laika is known for making great stop-motion animated films, and “Kubo and the Two Strings” may be the best of them. A great adventure like few that come out today, “Kubo and the Two Strings” is a beautiful film that deserved more than $48 million with a $60 million budget.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World – Although “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” isn’t the movie for everyone, it definitely has a very specific style to be admired. With a cult following as big as “Scott Pilgrim” has, it’s a shock that it made only $31 million, especially considering its $60 million budget.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

2 3 4 5

Review / 27

What’s Up In Wichita?

15 things to do over Spring Break

6 restaurants to try

3 fun outdoor activities

1. Stroud’s Stroud’s, which was founded in 1933 in Kansas City, specializes in family-style fried chicken. It’s located at 3661 N. Hillside.

1. Visit Tanganyika Wildlife Park At Tanganyika, people can interact one-on-one with the park’s animals.

Located at 1000 S. Hawkins Lane in Goddard.

2. Picasso’s Pizzeria “Slices of art” is the motto of Picasso’s Pizzeria. The restaurant thrives on extremely large New York-style pieces of pizza. Located at 621 W. Douglas Ave. 3. Saigon Saigon is a casual restaurant which serves a wide variety of Pan-Asian meals. Located at 1103 W. Broadway.

4. Fizz Burgers & Bottles Fizz Burgers and Bottles is locally owned and offers a contemporary atmosphere with burgers, fries, and bottled drinks. Located at 7718 E. 37th St. N. 5. Yo-B Yogurt & Burgers Yo-B’s adds a creative style to the downtown Wichita food scene offering crazy flavors of frozon yogurt as well as burgers. Located at 301 N. Mead 6. Fetch Bistro A man’s two best friends, food and a furry K-9. At Fetch Bistro you can enjoy breakfast or lunch with your four-legged best friend.

Fetch is located at 7718 E. 37th St. N.

28 / Entertainment

2. Visit ICT Pop-up Park The ICT Pop-up Park is trending on the Wichita scene. Stop by to enjoy food truck vendors, ping pong and the chalk wall.

Located at 121 E. Douglas.

3. Go geocaching Geocaching is a fun activity that gets you off the couch and helps you to explore new areas. Download the app (Geocaching) and start exploring and finding hidden objects.

3 cool indoor activites 1. Urban Air Kick off your shoes and fly. Urban Air is an indoor trampoline park that offers open jumping, basketball courts and dodgeball. Located at 8545 W. Irving St. 2. Cosmic bowling at West Acres Turn the lights down and the music up.

Glow-in-the-dark cosmic bowling is offered at West Acres Bowling on Monday, Friday and Saturday nights. Located at 749 N. Ridge Road.

3. X-treme racing Get your blood pumping and your heart rate up at X-treme Racing & Entertainment which offers indoor go-kart racing. Located at 2120 N. Woodlawn.

3 coffee shops to visit

1. Twisted Java Coffee Bar Twisted Java has a family-friendly atmosphere and features live music. It is located at 2615 W. 13th St. N.

2. Mead’s Corner Mead’s Corner is a Fair Trade Coffeehouse.

Enjoy breakfast, lunch, coffee and live music at Mead’s, located at 430 E. Douglas.

3. MOXI Junction MOXI Junction is a coffeehouse, bakery and art gallery that employs and trains special needs adults and teens. Located at 319 S. Park in Maize.

3 parks to visit 1. Botanica Botanica offers more than 30 themed gardens filled with various species of plants and wildlife. Located at 701 Amidon.

2. Sedgwick County Park Sedgwick County Park has different spots where you can run, play, fish, and relax.

The park is located at 6501 W. 21st St. N. 3. O J Watson Park O J Watson Park not only has numerous playground, but it also offers mini golf and a miniature train kids can ride. The park is located at 3022 S. McLean Boulevard.

YOU BELONG Attention senior parents!

Your child’s high school days are numbered, and graduation will be here before you know it. Honor your son or daughter with a special message in the senior issue of Play newsmagazine.

For details, email playnewsmagadvertising @gmail.com

AT PITTSBURG STATE UNIVERSITY 200+ ACADEMIC PROGRAMS FLAT RATE TUITION

#BeAGorilla

To protect and serve

Students in LPSS class learn how to protect the community

1.

3.

2.

Students get real world experience in the LPSS classes. Some of the classes include Law Enforcement 1 and 2, Agency Administration, EMT (Emergency Medical Technician 1 and 2), and Fire Science.

30 | Photo Focus

4.

5.

6.

7.

1. Senior Brennon Hickman holds senior Peyton Leuci in an arrestable position. The Law Pathway class attended a ground fighting course at the F5 MMA Gym on Jan. 30.

2. Senior Michelle Chavez practices CPR on a test dummy in EMT class on Feb. 28.

3. Senior Hunter Davis pins junior Bailey Plume while listening to instructor Johnny Yelverton. The police class learned takedown and arrest positions at the F5 MMA Gym on Jan. 30.

4. Junior Ryan Rodriguez Flores performs ventilation practices on Feb. 28 in EMT class.

5. Senior Ryan Bertha practices takedown techniques on junior Jackson Williams. The LPSS pathway class attended a ground fighting course at the F5 MMA Gym on Jan. 30.

6. Senior Idanely Arellano-Parga practices EMT procedures on a life-like simulator on Feb. 28.

7. Junior Bailey Plume punches heavyweight punching bags during her ground fighting practical.

The Law Enforcement class performs real life situations as training.

Photos by Stormi Williams and Ryan Jones

Photo Focus | 31

Frappés Lattés Bakery Smoothies

Buy one S’Mores Mocha or Hot Chocolate and get one 12 oz FREE Tues - Fri: 7am-5pm Sat: 8am-2pm

316-260-4000 319 S. Park

FOR WICHITA AREA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

2ND ANNUAL

MORP (THAT’S PROM SPELLED BACKWARDS)

SATURDAY APRIL 8 6 TO 10 PM DJ | MUSIC | DANCING | FUN ART SESSIONS WITH GUEST ARTISTS

FREE ADMISSION GRADES 9–12 ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED WICHITAARTMUSEUM.ORG/REGISTER

1400 WEST MUSEUM BLVD