December 2019

PLAY By students. For all.

0 2 20 9 1 ACT II

PAGE 16

LEVELING UP PAGE 18

GO THE DISTANCE

OUT WITH THE

OLD The past has made us; the future will define us

PAGE 24

Maize High School | 11600 W 45th St N | Maize, KS 67101 | maizenews.com | Vol. 13 Issue 3 | Dec. 2019

STAFF

Editors-in-chief Abby McCoy Casey Loving

Reporters Ellie Cannizzo Sascha Harvey Madi Hay Photo editor Chantelle Hoekstra Sam Bartlett Preston Hunt Carter Jones Social media editor MJ McCollum Abby Turner Keira McGinty Claire Morgan Sports editor Londen Peebler Brooklyn Blasdel Teagan Redinger

07 Gymnast works to perfect her skill.

18

Rayne Rekoske Lily Robison Janeth Saenz Kyerra Snyder Ellie Stucky Dylan Wittorff Paige Youngdahl Adviser Dan Loving

2,290 injured due to vaping epidemic.

By students. For all.

04

24

ONTENTS

04 08 16 22 26

NEWS 05 | HEADLINE TIMELINE 07 | NEWS IN BRIEF

COVER

08 | OUT WITH THE OLD

EDITORIAL 12 | RESOLUTION CONFLICTS

OPINION

13 | FINDING THE GOOD PLACE

FEATURES 16 | ACT II 18 | LEVELING UP

SPORTS 22 | COMEBACK SEASON 24 | GO THE DISTANCE

ENTERTAINMENT

26 | WHEN WE WERE YOUNG 28 | POP CULTURE 30 | HOLIDAY HORRORS 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. 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.

Cover design by Abby McCoy and Sam Bartlett Table of contents photos by Mia Hennen, Sascha Harvey, Claire Morgan and Sam Bartlett © Copyright 2019 Play Newsmagazine First copy free. Additional copies $1.

Printed by Valley Offset

04 NEWS

Vape-related injuries rise to 2,290

The epidemic of vaping has affected students nationwide, with 2,290 cases of injury reported. Additionally, 47 deaths have been tied to the act.

Photo by Sascha Harvey Story by Sascha Harvey @saschaharvey

V

aping has been declared an epidemic by the surgeon general, with more than 2,290 cases of lung injury associated with e-cigarette use reported to the CDC. Juul Labs, a vaping brand popular among high schoolers, illegally advertised their vaping products as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes, the FDA said.

“People think that [vaping is] harmless,” nurse Dana Desjardins said. “There’s no healthy way [to smoke].”

Although vaping may seem safer in the near future, police officer Jamey Dover said he thinks it will be proven to be just as dangerous as smoking, if not more..

“With smoking, lung cancer was further down the road, but you’re actually finding it within three to five years when you vape,” Dover said.

“It’s too new to have definite data.”

The CDC said 47 deaths have been tied to vaping. There have been 2,290 cases of lung injury directly associated with vaping and vape products. Out of 2,016 reported cases, 77% of those injured by e-cigarettes and related products were under 35 years old.

Injuries occurred in those as young as 13.

“The more and more you put into your lungs, the stiffer and stiffer they get,” Desjardins said. “The nicotine ...

can affect your heart and liver.”

CBD has become a household name, known for its therapeutic effects.

This compound, naturally found in cannabis, appears in products such as oils, gummies, gels and more. One such product is e-cigarette cartridges, also known as vape juices.

“CBD is very new,” Dover said. “We don’t know what’s gonna happen with that.”

“With smoking, lung cancer was further down the road, but you’re actually finding it within 3 to 5 years when you vape.”

Jamey Dover, SRO The Wichita Eagle said that supporters of CBD claim that it treats their anxiety and soothes pain. However, Desjardins said that companies are putting a psychoactive substance in their CBD vape cartridges to make them more addictive. This substance is tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly known as THC. “THC is horrible for you,” Desjardins said. “There could be some

therapeutic effects if it’s just plain CBD.” THC is the main psychoactive compound in marijuana that causes the consumer to feel “high,” Healthline said. “[It] sounds like the majority [of vaping injuries]...are THC related,” Dover said. “I believe a lot of those [injuries] are because they’re buying [vape cartridges] from...black markets.”

THC may not be the main problem, though. A study conducted by the CDC concluded that, out of 29 submitted samples of those injured by vaping products, 100% of the samples had reported using vaping products containing vitamin E acetate. Containing vitamin E acetate combined with other substances, e-cigarette cartridges are a recipe for addiction.

“The nicotine in e-cigarettes can change the young brain and get kids hooked,” the FDA said. “Nicotine addiction can lead to regular use of tobacco products, resulting in longterm exposure to toxic chemicals.”

Nicotine addiction can’t be fixed overnight, nor can lung injury. Dover said that lung trauma isn’t something you can take an antibiotic to fix.

“It is a very bad cycle to get in to,” Desjardins said. “Just be careful and get all the information.” n

A decade of PLAY headlines

Page by Janeth Saenz @janethsaenzz

05

NEWS

Hutton construction enters the early stages of our new education building

New courses available next year: Classes will include Outdoor education, Intro to teaching

FEBRUARY 2014 2017 2018 MARCH 2011 2012 2018 APRIL 2014 2019

Wireless Internet available for students

To all the Non-Beliebers: the fever is real

Career academy up and running

Bond brings new turf to fields

District should keep preference system

Members of Art in action paint bathroom stalls

Send all the threats you want. I’ll be at school

Eagles finish best [basketball] season in school history

Improvements New principal include tornado begins first year shelters, new with optimism artificial turf

Teachers work to implement integrity policy

The ACT should be offered to juniors instead of seniors

SEPTEMBER 2010 2012 2016 2017 OCTOBER 2013 2014 2016 2019 Online PLAY makes news more relevant

Maize looks at implementing ACT

Freshman Collin Lee is the first Maize Maize falls victim male cheerleader in to ‘creepy clown’ 3 years prank

Eagles win district and make the playoffs for the first time To knee or not to knee: since 2009 Football moves Professional football play-

End the fight:

In a fight against ignorance, one can’t lose compassion themselves

NOVEMBER 2013 2017 2019

to Class 5A

History teacher implements Google 20 program

ers kneel in peaceful protest

Westboro Baptist Church plans protest at Maize, Maize South

Personal chromebooks to be loaned to students in 2019

DECEMBER 2012 2017 2018

Growing Maize school district considers expansion

Bergkamp develops plan to power school with solar

Former teacher pleads guilty to sex charges

06 NEWS

Counter-protesters outnumber hate group Story by Casey Loving @caseymloving Story by Rayne Rekoske @raynerekoskee

A

planned protest against the LGBT community of Maize backfired on those involved as it turned into a much greater show of support and affection.

A group of counter-protestors gathered in front of the school parking lot on Dec. 11 to share messages of encouragement in contrast to the protestors who were placed in front of the Maize Career Academy. The counter-protestors were approximately 90 strong; there were three protestors.

The same hate group rallied at Maize South, garnering similar results.

There, their four protestors were met with a similar number of protestors as

Maize.

A majority of the counter-protestors were gathered under Parasol Patrol, a group dedicated to shielding children and young adults from seeing the hate group’s messages. Play has decided not to name the hate group to not assist in the spread of its propaganda.

“We come out and we stand in between kids and hate,” Parasol Patrol co-founder Eli Bazan said at Maize South. “We’re always there.”

Several of the counter-protestors gathered were in costumes, dressed as superheroes there in the service of the students.

“I hope this shows that there’s a lot of people who want to see more positivity in the world,” one of the counter-protestors dressed as a superhero said. He didn’t want his name used. “Everybody has the chance to be

themselves and be happy. Hopefully we get more of that.“ Students and graduates of the district were gathered with the anti-protestors to show their approval of the school and community.

“A lot of my friends are in the community and I support it,” Maize graduate Lakin Thrasher said. “Everyone should be able to be who they are no matter what.”

The hate group has protested schools in the state and nearby before, and the song remains the same: they show up in small numbers and their voices of hostility are drowned out by those of support.

“They always only have four to six protestors on their side,” Parasol Patrol co-founder Pasha Eve said. “We always outnumber them.” n

“I hope this shows that there’s a lot of people who want to see more positivity in the world.

Everybody has the chance to be themselves and be happy. Hopefully we get more of that.“ Counter-protester Pasha Eve, co-founder of Parasol Patrol, said her group always outnumbers the hate group. Photo by Brooklyn Blasdel

Approximately 94 counter-protesters came in support of students at Maize against three protestors. Similar numbers gathered at Maize South.

Photo by Casey Loving

News in Brief

07

NEWS

A quick glance at headlines in Maize from the past month

Page by MJ McCollum and Teagan Redinger @mjmccollum_16 and teaganredinger

A FUTURE IN INK Seniors signed to a wide range of colleges on Dec. 3. Pictured is Hailey Stiverson signing to play soccer at Friends University.

Sophia Buzard, Braydon Francis, McKensy Glass and Jadeon Vermillion also signed to colleges for athletics.

Photo by Rayne Rekoske

CHRISTMAS CAROLING

Photo by Meredith Frahm

Choir’s annual Christmas concert was on Dec. 6 and 7. The choir performed their concert “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of Year” for free admission, collecting food and monetary donations for the Kansas Food Bank. Senior Cayd Barragan and junior Amber Cottingham, pictured, are members of the Select Choir.

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE Maize offers a variety of clubs to get involved in, but on Dec. 5, one was added to the list. Caleb Smiley and Derek Hanson joined the Marvel Academy, which is a club for students who love all things Marvel. Watching movies and talking about their favorite heroes is what this club is all about.

Photo by Teagan Redinger

08 COVER

THE END

DEC

20 Out with the OLD The past has made us; the future will define us Story by Preston Hunt and Londen Peebler @londenmaleigha Design by Keira McGinty @keiragmcginty

W

ell, you made it. You didn’t die in 2012 when the Mayan Calendar stopped recording days and the sun did not open up and consume the earth in a raging fire.

Phew, wipe away the sweat gathering on your brow and carry on. You made it through the “silly band” phase with only a few minor tragic memories from the playground. You danced “Gangnam Style” at one too many awkward school socials. Now, you

waste away the day on TikTok instead of doing your homework and going to sleep.

Suffice it to say, you’ve grown a lot since you walked into your first day of elementary school, and the world has grown up with you. Now, at the end of the decade, with your whole future ahead of you, it’s up to you to choose the path you will take.

Goodbye Clouds of Gray Part of moving into the future lies in addressing the past and the experiences and lessons that make you who you are: student, teacher,

parent or whoever else you may be.

“When I started teaching, I was very focused on the curriculum,” science teacher Stan Bergkamp said. “Making sure the kids knew how to balance equations or calculate the velocity of an orbiting satellite.”

In his 26 years at Maize, Bergkamp realized that teaching is about more than just the curriculum. It’s also about the ways he related to his students.

“I realized that for the kids to really learn — to want to put forth the effort — I have to have a connection to them,” he said. “The kids have to be

09

COVER

ND OF A

CA D E

20 an active participant in the learning process, and if they don’t see my passion for science or teaching or learning then their ability to really learn is greatly impacted.”

Similarly, English teacher Christine Borrego has evolved her teaching style and the way she gets to know her students and their behaviors since she began teaching in Maize 26 years ago.

“I’ve learned how to read the room, gauge the temperature of the group,” Borrego said. “Curricular knowledge is critical. When kids know you don’t know what you’re talking about, they’re like sharks who smell blood in the water, and they will attack.”

While teaching has its challenges

and students can be difficult to gauge, Borrego said she believes a little kindness will do the trick.

“I want all students to feel challenged every day so that I never have to hear a kid say ‘That class was such a waste of my time.’”

Stan Bergkamp, teacher

“It’s essential to know when a kid

needs a break or just a little encouragement,” she said. “Know when a group needs a little TLC.” Social studies teacher Skeeter Rankins said the greatest challenge he’s had to overcome while teaching in his past 18 years at Maize is continuing to relate to new groups of students.

“I think that as a teacher you can make an effort to be as real as you can be and relatable, and that’s harder because I get older,” Rankins said. “The kids stay the same age, so I’m going to have a kid 14-18 for as long as I teach, but I’m going to get a year older every year, so I have to work harder to understand what’s going on.”

10 COVER The culture within high school changes drastically over time, and as a result of this, teachers have to make adjustments to their teaching styles and adapt to fit students’ needs.

“I never knew really what the word anxiety meant in the context of how it’s manifested today,” Rankins said.

“It didn’t really exist at all. It did, but not very much, and today it seems like almost three or four kids in every class have anxiety issues.”

As students look back on their last decade in school, many can remember the goals they set for themselves and the ways in which they achieved them. Senior Aynsley Paterson said she entered freshman year full of her own aspirations and remembers them fondly.

“Freshman year was probably my best year” Paterson said. “I made a lot of goals. I wanted to do choir because I did that in middle school, and I wanted to be in a play, which I didn’t do until this year. I really wanted to have fun with friends but also figure out how to have fun by myself.”

High school can be an intimidating time, and the journey from freshman to senior year can be one of tremendous growth. In achieving her goals, Paterson learned how to have confidence in herself and eliminate the comparison to others.

“Figure out what makes you proud of yourself and don’t compare yourself [to others]” Paterson said. “Just don’t compare yourself to your friends.”

Hello Skies of Blue

Moving forward into the new decade, shaping the future is about taking the negative experiences and using them to better yourself and the world around you. Bergkamp plans

Oil spill occurs in the Gulf of Mexico

to take big steps to improve Maize’s environmental impact.

“I want to build a coalition of students who care enough to take ownership and find a solution so that we aren’t throwing away 1000 pieces of plastic every day because a small number of students are too lazy or too complacent to put forth the effort to put silverware in the tub,” he said.

“Figure out what makes you proud of yourself and don’t compare yourself [to others.] Just don’t compare yourself to your friends.”

Aynsley Paterson, senior Bergkamp has made large strides toward this environmental impact in the past decade by raising money to install solar panels for the school. He said he wants to continue instilling the belief in his students that there is more to the world than phones and social media trends.

“I want all students to feel challenged every day so that I never have to hear a kid say ‘That class was such a waste of my time,’” Bergkamp said. “I want every teacher to have a passion for what they teach and the kids in their room. I want kids to experience life — not just waste their days watching TikTok videos — but to have a desire to learn, and to make a difference somehow.”

Freshman Courtney Trent-Miller transferred to Maize after spending

Barack Obama is re-elected as president

2011 2010

Bigger, Better, Best

Oftentimes, experiences in your personal life can be a great catalyst for growth. Part of progressing as a school and people is accepting that while something may be good, it can always be better.

“I 100% believe our school is one of the best schools in the state.” social studies teacher Rebecca Hawthorne said. “At our convocation at the beginning of the year, Dr. Higgins made the statement, ‘When are we going to go from one of the best to the best?’

That statement resonated with me. I think our teachers and staff do a fabulous job, but we can do better in some areas, especially myself.”

In her past three years teaching in Maize, Hawthorne said she noticed the need to increase teachers’ connections with students through the curriculum and provide new classes that are more relevant to current and future generations.

“One of the changes I would like to see implemented is more relevancy in the classrooms,” she said. “Some examples of that would include more cross-curricular content within our subjects (including English, shop,

The Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS trends

2013 2012

Discovery Space Shuttle launches for the final time

the majority of her life in Catholic school. She said she felt especially welcomed by the students and staff after her transfer and has enjoyed exploring new school activities like yearbook and KAY club. Trent-Miller said this attitude can ensure progression and growth for other students in the future.

“I think everybody just needs to be more accepting and worry about themselves” Trent-Miller said. “If you just stay in your own business, everything will be fine.”

2015 2014

The Black Lives Matter movement begins

Same-sex marriage is legalized in all 50 states

11

COVER learning in a history classroom) and including more relevant technology, such as using social media for activities.”

A statement commonly used by students in reference to their classes is, “When will I ever use this?” Understanding that, Hawthorne aims to teach useful life skills through history that her students can carry with them into the future.

“Not every student will graduate high school and become a history teacher or geographer,” she said. “In knowing that, I teach content, but I try to teach soft skills through that content. When students leave my classroom, I want them to be able to have grit, effectively communicate with their peers and adults, resolve conflict, accept responsibility and problem solve.”

“I think sometimes we forget that students and teachers and admin, they’re people first.”

Rebecca Hawthorne, teacher­ Part of healthy growth is knowing your limits. In the past year, Hawthorne said she focused on giving her best each day, whether that was 100% or not.

“I know this last year there have been days where my best is 40%, and the best I can do is get dressed and go to school and try to be here,” Hawthorne said. “I think that’s given me an understanding that there’s kids that are going through absolute hell and they fake it just as much as I can

Donald Trump is elected president

fake it.”

Teachers and students alike tend to try to appear perfect when at school, while in reality they are going through their own struggles.

“This last year has been really hard. I got out of a toxic and abusive marriage,” Hawthorne said. “In May my dad started getting sick and was going to Mayo [Clinic] back and forth, and was finally diagnosed two weeks ago with Myelodysplastic Syndrome.”

You need the past to create the future. It shapes you and helps to become who you are meant to be.

Sometimes, the support from others, whether that be a student or teacher, is what gets you through each day.

“I think sometimes we forget that students and teachers and admin, they’re people first,” Hawthorne said.

“Take that time to just look at them and notice them and acknowledge that, ‘Hey you’re a person first, what’s going on?’”

It’s up to you to be the change the future needs. A new decade is dawning in which you can’t choose what each day brings, but you can choose what you take out of each day. Be kind, take risks and be understanding of those around you; you are probably more alike than you know.

“I think that’s something that I’ve been trying to work on,” Hawthorne said. “Being present in students lives.

The content is gonna get there, learning about history will get there, but in that moment, that student needs you to just be there.”

What will the next decade look like?

You decide. n

What’s shaped YOU this generation?

Being part of a team

Friends

Overcoming failures

Parkland shooting occurs in Florida

2019

2017 2016

2018 First solar eclipse since 1918 covers U.S.

“Avengers: Endgame” becomes highest grossing movie of all time

Service day Top answers from a student survey.

47 students responded.

12 EDITORIAL

Resolution conflicts

Don’t wait for a new year to make yourself better Story by Abby McCoy Editorial cartoon by Mia Hennen @abigaillmccoy

W

e all started out the year hopeful.

But we made promises to ourselves that were left unfulfilled.

We thought we had more time … until we

didn’t.

And simply gave up.

Research conducted by the University of Scranton found that 45% of individuals in the United States make resolutions for the new year. Scranton also found that just 8% achieve these resolutions at the end of the year. So, unfortunately, the odds aren’t in our favor.

It’s time to ditch the ‘new year, new me’ fad and start taking everyday initiative to become better versions of ourselves. We need to let go of the idea that we need a new year to start fresh. Resolutions are short lived. Goals, however, can be set at any time during the calendar year.

If we keep waiting for another year to roll around -- another month, day, hour, minute -- we will never get anything done.

It’s important that we recognize failure is often an essential part of the goal-setting process. Roadblocks are natural when trying to accomplish any task, big or small.

As humans, we inherently believe failure is a means to give up, not realizing that failure is OK. “If it’s ongoing and there’s no deadline, can you really have failed?” English teacher Cady Jackson said. “That’s the benefit of not starting it [a goal] in the new year: it’s just an ongoing thing.”

Sometimes having broader goals is effective, especially if you are not sure how much time your schedule allows for you to work specifically on your goals during the week.

“I would rather have an open-ended goal, something where it is week to week maybe,” Jackson said. “If I didn’t get to it this week, then that’s OK because my goal was just to be healthier.”

Jackson said sharing her goals with a friend is her goto when it comes to setting personal objectives. Having someone to hold her accountable for staying on track has provided success.

“Actually speak it aloud with somebody that you trust,” Jackson said. “Then I think make small steps. Maybe if you want to start exercising, you first have to acknowledge ‘Do I actually have time to do this?’”

It’s crucial that we are intentional with our goals. After evaluating if it’s truly something we can accomplishment, break it down.

“I always try and break things down into the smallest possible parts,” Jackson said. “So I’ll have a to-do list and be like ‘Grade three papers’ and it says it 17 times. I can just make tally marks even and I’ll know I’m making progress.”

Write down your goals not just for the new year, but often. Make it part of your weekly routine. For example, ‘Sunday nights, I will set my goals for the week.’

Psychologist Gail Matthews said when people write down their goals, they are 33% more successful in achieving them than those who formulate outcomes in their heads.

Above all, it is important that you find the goal-setting method that works best for your lifestyle. At the end of the day, you are the one who decides what kind of person you want to be. You decide if you want to wake up and do better, or continue to pass by.

We hope everyone at MHS can fathom how capable we are of becoming the people we truly want to be in this new year. It’s never too late to change your life. You are never too old or too broken to be the person you want to be.

You are not bound by the person you used to be, nor by the mistakes you have made. With each day we have the opportunity to start fresh whether the year has increased by a digit or not.

No matter what your goals may be, set them now.

Stop waiting.

It’s never too late. n

13

OPINION

Finding the good place Popular entertainment encourages change, growth Story by Casey Loving @CaseyMLoving

B

eing a good person, to put it bluntly, is hard. In fact, life is so complicated these days that it is nearly impossible to be a good person.

Everything you do, whether or not you have pure intentions, has the possibility of negative ramifications.

So what do you do? What can you do? What can you do when everything you try has the chance of having a negative effect, has the possibility of doing more harm than good? Why even try to be good when you’re out of moves?

Well, there is still one move left: try.

Try to be good. Even when the odds are bleak, even when you can never fix all of the world’s problems, you can always try to be a better person today than you were yesterday.

No, this isn’t me waxing poetic over being a good person. I’m not just talking about how the world is a living hell for no reason. I’m actually describing the plot and major themes of one of my favorite TV shows: “The Good Place.”

“The Good Place” is an NBC sitcom about a woman who goes to a sort of heaven called “The Good Place” believing she belongs in Hell, or “The Bad Place.” People are sent to either the Good or Bad Place depending on how many points they receive on Earth, with good deeds earning points and bad deeds losing them.

The main character, Eleanor Shellstrop, begins taking ethics lessons from another resident of The Good Place, hoping she can become a good enough person to stay unnoticed.

While the status quo of the show changes many, many times, the same general conceit is always there: flawed people try to be better.

As the years have gone by watching “The Good Place,” I have found myself looking forward to a new episode more and more week to week. At first, I attributed most of this to the fact that the show was genuinely funny with an engaging plot. Lately, I’ve realized that’s not the case.

It is so refreshing to have a wide-reaching comedy in 2019 that revolves around what it means to be a good person. Each week, you get a new lesson: be better today than you were yesterday, even the worst people are worth helping, it doesn’t always

“Even when the odds are bleak, even when you can never fix all of the world’s problems, you can always try to be a better person today than you were yesterday.”

Casey Loving, opinion columnist matter where you came from if you try to be good. It’s like “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” for adults.

Over time, I’ve noticed this show creeping into my life more and more.

I find myself in situations stopping and thinking “Would this earn me points or lose them?” I’ve become obsessed with finding the ethical solution to problems, much to the annoyance of my friends.

The more time that passes, the more I’ve begun doing these good deeds less for any sort of moral dessert and

more out of habit (much like those in the show). Simple acts like picking up trash or hanging up fallen posters become second nature. Finding the most morally sound solution sometimes becomes second nature, whether it is in my personal interest or not.

I am in no way saying that “The Good Place” is the sole reason I try to be good, and I am definitely not saying I am an angel who can do no wrong. But I would be lying if I said that this sitcom didn’t make me want to be a better person.

The more I’ve thought about it, the more I’ve realized this doesn’t just apply to this one show. Maybe it’s just the movie nerd in me, but the last time I felt like a failure, I turned on “The Last Jedi” to hear from my childhood heroes that failure is important.

When arguing for what is right feels like shouting in the void, I just listen to Samwise Gamgee say “There’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for.”

The important thing is that none of these feel like sermons. I’m not being talked at like an after-school special when I watch these movies and shows. It feels like the characters, actors, directors, writers are all sharing their genuine philosophies with me in ways that are endlessly resonant and extremely entertaining.

It’s so refreshing to have a sitcom about ethics and moral philosophy in 2019, let alone one good enough to be one of my favorite shows. It’s nice to know I can go home and watch a show tell me that everything is fine.

So thank you, “The Good Place,” for giving me an entertaining outlet to be a better person. If ever there is a real good place, I hope it is full of more movies and shows just like you. n

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15

COLUMN

Facing

failyure failure

Junior Brooklyn Blasdel speaks out about her fear of failure and how that translates into her every day life Photo by Casey Loving

Student-athlete’s view of success stems from spelling bee failure Story by Brooklyn Blasdel

P

alms sweaty, dry throat and a headache the size of Texas. My anxiety levels are through the roof. I can’t seem to get any of the right words out. I walk up to the front of the cafeteria and clear my throat as I stare at the huge room full of my classmates.

“Your first word is salmon,” the principal said.

“Uh,” I said. “S-A-M-O-N.” My principal looked at me with sad eyes.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “But that is incorrect.”

I remember hearing my classmates laugh and my friends say they were sorry, but little third-grade Brooklyn was so mad that she just tuned everything out. Something that I had worked and practiced so hard for ended, just like that.

It may sound small or silly, but to a third-grader it was heartbreaking.

As I’ve grown up, I've been struggling with a word a lot bigger than“salmon.”

“Failure.”

If you know me, then you know how crazy competitive I am. That’s what drives me to do my best. I set a goal for myself, no matter how impossibly

high, and that’s what I strive for. If I fall short of that, it breaks my heart.

It started out as small things, like a seemingly meaningless elementary school spelling bee. But as I have gotten older, my fear of failure has translated over into everything in my life: sports, grades, relationships and so much more.

If something in my life is not going the way I think it should, my stress and anxiety levels spike dramatically.

The end of October didn’t help that.

I thought I had everything going my way, but within the course of a week, I felt like my failures outweighed my strengths. My grades, relationships and athletics, all huge parts of my life, seemed to be slipping at the same time.

My friends and family tried to help me, but all I could focus on were the things that had been spiraling out of control. In my mind, I should’ve been acing every class and winning every event in my field.

I know this isn’t realistic. Trust me, I had to find that out the hard way. But that’s just how my mind operates. I’m afraid that’s how some other students mindsets are as well.

In high school, you’re constantly being pushed to do more and more, to excel at everything. But it’s just not realistic. Pushing yourself to do more because of a fear of failure is only going to increase that possibility of failure.

Comparing yourself to other students won’t help. I used to spend hours staring at my computer looking at my competitors’ times and what I needed to do to push myself to the top, but that just tore me down even more.

It’s OK to accept that sometimes you don’t need to beat your classmates to the top of your class to succeed.

It’s OK to realize that the end of a relationship isn’t your fault, and that you are worthy of all the love and compassion you can get. It’s OK to focus on yourself instead of focusing on being good at a million different things.

At the end of the day, failure truly is how you learn. It sounds cheesy, but it’s true. After all, if it weren’t for failure, then I might still be a junior in high school spelling “salmon” wrong. n

16 FEATURES

Q&A with

Taya Howard Q: Favorite character

you’ve played?

A: Little Red Riding Hood in “Into the Woods”

Q: What do you want to major in?

A: Music Theatre

Q: Go-to karaoke song?

A: “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus

Q: Favorite prep food?

A: Subway footlong Q: Dream job?

A: Broadway or a

Disney World “Frozen” character

Q: Favorite Musical?

A: “Kinky Boots” Q: College you’re most interested in?

A: Shenandoah Conservatory

Senior Taya Howard auditions for music theatre programs at 19 colleges Story by Ellie Stucky @ellierae_03

F

Design by Lily Robison @lily_robison

rom the first time she performed at 8 years old, senior Taya Howard fell in love with the stage.

Howard said she knew she loved music from that first performance and decided in middle school that it’s what she wants to do for the rest of her life.

“I knew I wanted a music theatre degree before I understood what a music theatre BFA [Bachelor of Fine Arts] in college was,” she said. “Since freshman year of high school, I’ve been pretty much prepared for a music theatre BFA.” Entering senior year, she began to apply and audition to what came out as approximately 20 schools.

Howard’s mother, Jessie Howard, is helping her to accomplish her dreams of a future in music theatre. Taya said her mom is supporting her in her decision to make her dream happen however she can.

“We just try to make it happen,” Jessie said. “We kind of believe that you’re gonna have to go for it, because you don’t want to say later ‘What if?’ so we’re just trying to make it happen any way possible.”

Howard said her parents support her dream and are happy to be able to accomplish them including aiding with the cost of travel and auditions.

“We use our own money,” Jessie said. “Taya is also using some of her savings and she’s been saving Christmas money and birthday money for the last few years, which also helps offset costs.”

Auditioning and applying to so many different schools adds up fast with travel expenses, hotel stays and even the audition price itself. The process can be lengthy and draining.

“You have to pay the academic admission fee which can be, you know, $40 to $100 per school, and then a lot of the schools also charge for you to submit your profile for your singing, dancing and acting videos, which can also be up to about $40 to $100 at each school too,” Jessie said. “It’s quite pricey.”

Howard has been taking voice lessons from the same private voice teacher and college audition coach,

Amy Menas, since she was 11 years old.

“It’s been a joy to watch her grow as a performer,” Menas said. “She always strives to do her best to learn and challenge herself.”

Menas said Howard always had a special gift in singing and acting, and she is thrilled to be helping her student follow her dream.

“Her vocal ability was always beyond her years,” Menas said. “As she has grown, she has learned how to really connect with the material as an actor as well as a singer.”

Menas said there have been ups and downs along the way, but Howard has always made the best out of any opportunity. Helping her students carry on their dreams is her favorite part of the job and she’s proud of Howard for what she has accomplished.

Howard is constantly attempting to balance her busy schedule and get ahead on homework. To maintain a nice balance, she has to be able to know when to spend time with her friends or spend time on working and organizing.

“It’s all about balance,” Howard said. “If I have a four-hour rehearsal then I’m going to work ahead on my schoolwork. It’s a lot of planning and a lot of setting reminders on my phone. Knowing when to say no to plans, that’s a good thing.”

Howard said the chances of getting into Harvard Law is seven times more likely than Michigan State for music theater. This past summer, Howard attended a week long intensive training to learn how to audition for college acting programs. She worked with Shenandoah Conservatory and Carnegie Mellon University. Although it’s difficult, Howard was aware of what she was getting herself into and prepared in advance.

“I luckily knew this was what I wanted to do and understood the process early on,” Howard said. “So I had some savings that I can use just take out of my own from little odd jobs like birthdays or whatever that I just saved up for. I’m also lucky enough to have parents that are able to help me.” n

17

FEATURES

MAIZE HIGH SCHOOL

ACT II

Senior Taya Howard has been performing since age 8. She will audition at a total of 19 colleges with hopes of getting into a music theatre program.

Photo By Lily Robison

18 FEATURES

Leveling Up

Sophomore competitive gymnast advances to level nine this year Farney works on her floor routine before competition season begins.

Floor is one the event that she will be specializing in.

Photo by Claire Morgan

19

Story by Rayne Rekoske @raynerekoskee and Claire Morgan @clairemorgan_22

W

hen sophomore Ella Farney is not in school, you can most likely find her at the Northwest YMCA. Farney has been a competitive gymnast for the Northwest Saltos since she was 5 years old. Ever since, she said she has fallen more and more in love with the sport.

“The team is pretty much my family at this point,” Farney said. “It’s just fun to laugh with them and spend time with them.”

Farney has also grown a special friendship with her coach, Lauren Minton. Farney and Minton have been working together for seven years and have worked hard to get her ready for competition season.

“We have grown up together,” Minton said. “I started coaching at level five. I started to slowly progress with the levels like she [Farney] has. We have been together for a long time.”

During her time as Farney’s coach, Minton said she has had many moments where she was very proud of her athlete’s success.

“One of the most proud times was when she killed her ankle at a meet,” Minton said. “She rolled it really bad and couldn’t even finish her floor routine and I had to carry her off of the floor. She still ended up doing vault because she wanted to have an all-around score, so that was pretty cool watching her push through the fears that she has had.”

Farney first became part of the gymnastics world at the age of 5 after her mom enrolled her brother in the sport.

“I thought that wasn’t fair so I wanted to do it,” Farney said. “I just fell in love with it.”

Farney first started at level three.

By the time she was 9 years old, she was at level five and competing for the United States of America Gymnastics.

Throughout the years, Farney has accomplished a lot.

“I went to regionals at level seven and won nationals,” Farney said. “I also have over 200 medals.”

These accomplishments didn’t come easily for Farney. She had to work

“I am proud of her inside and outside of the gym and I am proud of the kid that she is and the person she has become.”

Lauren Minton, coach hard every day and suffered a few minor injuries that set her back. One such affliction was a wrist problem called “gymnast wrist.”

“I had to take off six weeks,” Farney said. “It started hurting again, so I took off another two weeks. Now it’s getting better.”

While injured she had to be in a cast and do physical therapy for a while.

Farney said the fear of injury, though restricting, has helped keep her safe from similar setbacks. One of her biggest fears is bars.

“If she wasn’t scared of bars, I would be more concerned about her,”

FEATURES

Minton said. “At least she is aware that she can get injured, so it’s good to have a little fear.”

This season, Farney has been working to specialize in vault, floor and bars. This means she is choosing to only compete in a few specific events, rather than all of the events.

Focusing on this specialization still requires Farney to put in a lot of time at the gym. Ideally, she spends 16 to 22 hours a week practicing, though she has cut down some time because of school.

“Usually we drop down to 16,” Minton said. “Since we have her specializing on level nine and not having her do all four events, we want her to have time for homework. We wanted her to still be able to do the sport, so she cut down to two hours a night.”

Farney said that being at this high level in the sport has placed a lot of pressure on her, not from other people, but mostly from herself and Minton.

“It’s a lot harder,” she said. “There’s a lot of time you have to put in.”

Minton makes personal routines for Farney to help better fit her style, requiring a lot of work on the side of her regular responsibilities.

“She wants to do fun dance moves,” Minton said. “I have to make them more fit to her personality. We just figured out floor music for her because none of the floor music was fitting her goofy, fun personality.”

After high school, Farney wishes to continue her education and gymnast career throughout college. n

“I went to regionals at level seven and won nationals and have over 200 medals.”

Ella Farney, sophomore

Lauren Minton is stretching Ella Farney’s arms before starting her floor routine.

Photo by Claire Morgan

Ella Farney is working on vault during one of her practices. Vault is one of Farney’s favorite events to compete in.

Photo by Claire Morgan

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Keep a bundle of cold-weather gear in your car, such as extra food and water, warm clothing and more.

Source: AAA Exchange

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21

FEATURES

Touching Lives Lifetouch photographer Carl Schwarz captures memories for students

Carl Schwarz poses with an old camera from his camera collection.

Photo by Paige Youngdahl

Story by Paige Youngdahl @PaigeYoungdahl

O

ne thing students get to look forward to on school picture day is the smiling face of the cameraman behind the flash.

For many Maize students, that man may just be known as the picture guy.

They may not know the work he puts in between shots.

Carl Schwarz is the lead photographer at Lifetouch, a company that focuses on yearbooks and school pictures.

“I’ve worked at Lifetouch for 26 and a half years,” Schwarz said.

As lead photographer, Schwarz is responsible for taking pictures at many schools. Most of Schwarz’s work is in the Wichita area, but some of the schools are farther away, like Dodge City.

“We have a lot of schools that we take pictures at,” he said. “About 350.”

Though Schwarz, who is 67, has worked for Lifetouch for so many years, his career as a photographer began long before he joined the company.

“I started taking pictures when I was in high school,” he said. “I worked for the yearbook.”

After Schwarz discovered his love

for photography, he came across a job opportunity that would eventually lead to where he is today.

“I needed a job and a lady at my church said that my neighbor’s looking for a photographer,” Schwarz said.

“I came down and applied for the job at Lifetouch.”

Schwarz said that he was surprised that such a short conversation led to a lifelong career.

“I thought to myself that I would only work here for six months and I’ll be back on my own again,” he said.

Schwarz said he loves the ability to capture memories for students and parents to look back on, turning what could just be a career into something more.

Schwarz said his favorite part of the job is the personal connections he gets to make with the students in such a brief amount of time.

“It’s fun to be able to go to schools and get to make people smile,” he

“I enjoy every day, there’s very few days that I don’t enjoy going out and doing what I’m doing.”

Carl Schwarz, photographer

said.

Schwarz truly cares about making the people he works for happy with the pictures he has taken. He said he wants to make sure they are not disappointed in the picture they receive.

“I don’t want anybody to have a bad picture in the yearbook, so I work really hard to try to make sure they get a good picture,” he said. “I care a lot about the little details like their hair, their necklaces, collars and that kind of stuff.”

Senior Anna Reimer has been in Maize for many years and still remembers Schwarz taking her picture back in elementary school.

“When I was in elementary school and picture day was a huge deal, our whole class would go down to take pictures together,” Reimer said.“Carl always made it fun.”

Schwarz has left an impression on so many at Maize and the schools he has worked with, such as former yearbook teacher Anne Debes.

“One thing I really appreciate about him is he doesn’t mind taking charge of the picture,” Debes said. “He is good-natured, friendly and reliable.”n

22 SPORTS

COMEBACK SEASON

23

SPORTS

Villalpando returns to the mat after a year of recovery Story by Kyerra Snyder @kyerrasnyder

B

etween concussions, seizures and tearing up his knee, senior Duwayne Villalpando has faced a long road to recovery since the beginning of his wrestling career.

Villalpando, who had surgery last year to repair the PCL and LCL ligaments he had torn in his left knee during a tournament in Fargo, N.D.,

Maize is the No. 2 team in Class 5A going into the season. The Eagles have wrestlers ranked in 8 of the 14 weight classes.

Source: KWA

said he lost something he loved while sitting out last season. But instead of letting the injury set him back, he said he used it as an opportunity to become stronger for his senior season.

“I can reflect on this upcoming season by taking the injury I had this last year to remember what it feels

like to get something that you love taken away from you,” said Villalpando, who entered the season as the top-ranked wrestler in Class 5A at 182 pounds.

In addition to wrestling, Villalpando played football for the first time since middle school and helped lead Maize to one of the best seasons in school history.

“I played football this year because I wanted to play with my best friends one last time,” said Villalpando, who was all-state honorable mention.

Villalpando said wrestling coach Mike Schauer is a big influence in his life and helped him make it through the recovery process.

“He pushes me in the practice room and makes sure I am always doing the right thing,” Villalpando said.

“He also is texting me all the time.”

Along with his coach, Villalpando said his dad, Calvin Cole, is the one who has impacted him the most.

“He is always pushing me and taking me places to get me better, ” Villalpando said. “He keeps me going.”

Both Villalpando’s dad and Schauer believe Villalpando has a bright future ahead of him.

“I want to see him go to a D1 college and see him do what he loves to do,” Cole said. “Really to see him on TV, that might sound crazy, but it was always my dream to see him nationally participate.”

Schauer said Villalpando has always been a tremendous wrestler, but he has seen great improvement over the last three years.

“Physically, he has become much stronger and faster,” Schauer said.

“He has become more confident.”

Villalpando said he is looking forward to his next chapter in life.

Although he decommitted from Nebraska because he felt like he made a decision too early, he is excited to see what his future is made of.

“Just be patient, he said. “Everything will work itself out.” n

RANKINGS 106 lbs

5. Nakaylen Shabazz

113 lbs

6. Camden Padgett

120 lbs

3. Keton Patterson

132 lbs

3. Cayden Hughbanks

152 lbs

1. Devin Gomez

160 lbs

3. Carson Wheeler

182 lbs

1. Duwayne Villalpando

220 lbs 1. Kyle Haas

As of Dec. 10

24 SPORTS

Although they don’t play club soccer together anymore, sophomores Abby Adams, Alayna Runck, Elyce Pfiefer, Brylee Clark and Lilly Koehn all play on the school team.

Photo by Sam Bartlett

Going the Distance Athletes build friendships over the years Story by Ellie Cannizzo and Madi Hay @elliecannizzo and @MadiHay3

G

rowing up in athletics, teams rarely stay the same. As you move from school to school, club to club, you often find yourself with entirely new sets of teammates, creating new team dynamics.

Two particular groups of athletes at Maize have proven to be the exception to this rule.

Sophomores Lilly Koehn, Abby Adams, Alayna Runck, Brylee Clark and Elyce Pfeifer have played soccer together since their elementary years.

Over the years, they have become much more than just teammates.

Koehn said that knowing her friends so well has benefited them in their high school years.

“It feels really good to play with each other,” Koehn said. “We all have that bond, so it kind of helped us on the school team.”

While being close friends with teammates could interfere with getting things done and winning games, it is an issue these players don’t have.

“Abby, at practice, will have fun but be serious,” Koehn said “She’ll run around and scream like a lunatic, but it’s funny and she’s doing good at the same time.”

Though they are only sophomores, the girls said they are not looking forward to the end of their time on a high school team. “[I will miss] the relationship and bond we have with each other,” Runck said.

Even so, the soccer players said they

dream of playing ball together in college and potentially beyond.

“We’ll definitely make a team when we’re older,” Clark said, “like a mom team.”

Clark said the girls’ close bond with each other not only helped their team be successful but taught them life lessons.

“They taught me to work with others, care for others and how to build relationships with others,” Clark said.

Seniors Devon Nicholson, Colton Crockett, Creighton Kelley and Cole Sphar have played baseball together their whole highschool career. Nicholson, Crockett and Kelley had been friends long before Sphar came into the mix.

Sphar said C team practice was where it all began. After countless

25

SPORTS hours spent together, he was finally added to the group.

“After being with them at practice and then hanging out with them on the weekends, Saturdays became for the boys,” Nicholson said.

Upperclassmen are expected to lead their teams to victory. The four boys have each found their own individual ways they guide fellow players.

“I think [Devon is] the only vocal leader,” Kelley said. “We know I’m a quiet leader. Devon’s the only one who is loud.”

Though they each have their own style and strengths, the boys said they often come together as a group to show their team what to do.

“We lead by example, our little

group,” Nicholson said. “We can lead by having chemistry. We’re also really close to the rest of our team at the same time. So, the chemistry kind of radiates amongst us all.”

By being friends off the ball field, the boys said they have become better players.

“They have really made me build a grind for the game,” Crockett said.

“They are hard workers, and we make it a competition between all of us to make each other better and to better ourselves.”

Though Sphar joined the group later, he attributes much of his success to the friendships he has made at Maize.

“I’ve become a better person and built long lasting relationships with

the boys,” Sphar said.

The guys all have dreams to take baseball to the next level and continue their sports careers in college.

“We are just waiting for offers,” Crockett said.

Like the soccer girls, the baseball players said they will miss playing ball with each other most and representing Maize.

“I’m gonna miss wearing Maize,” Kelley said.

The boys said they attribute what they have learned from each other to make them a truly successful team of lifelong friends.

“These are my boys,” Nicholson said.

“I wouldn’t trade them for the world.

All three of them. I love them.” n

“They have really made me build a grind for the game. They are hard workers, and we make it a competition between all of us to make each other better and to better ourselves.”

Colton Crockett, senior

Seniors Devon Nicholson, Creighton Kelley, Cole Sphar and Colton Crockett all play baseball for the school. The boys are trying to convince Kelley to play club ball with them as well.

Photo by Ellie Cannizzo

26 PHOTO FOCUS

WHEN WE WERE YOUNG Showcase of products from the start of the decade to the end

Page by Carter Jones @itscarterjones

and Chantelle Hoekstra

Modern accessories include scrunchies, Apple watches and Hydroflasks.

Accessories from 2010 include loom bracelets, fuzzy hair ties, glitter necklaces and plastic water bottles with characters from pop culture.

27

PHOTO FOCUS

Media is now viewed on a variety of different devices. Instead of DVDs, such media can be found on many streaming sites such as Netflix, Hulu and Disney+.

In 2010, DVDs were a popular form of viewing film and television from DVD players which also come in portable form.

The Pillow Pet was a children’s plush that according to Google Trends, was at the height of their popularity in 2010.

The modern alternative for the Pillow Pet is a real pet to provide comfort for people as Pillow Pets once did for children.

Photos by Carter Jones Models: Josh McLaughlin, Chloe Eddins

28 ENTERTAINMENT

MOVIES

Inception Toy Story 3 The Social Network Black Swan Shutter Island

APPS Angry Birds

Ballet flats Neon colored shorts Floral print dresses Chevron Maxi skirts Combat boots

MUSIC

TV Breaking Bad

Mad Men Modern Family Parks and Recreation The Walking Dead

California Gurls - Katy Perry Love The Way You Lie - Eminem and Rhianna Airplanes - B.o.B Just The Way You Are - Bruno Mars Mine - Taylor Swift Stuck Like Glue - Sugarland

EARLY 2010s

FASHION

THEN

Facebook Pandora Words with Friends Paper Toss Talking Tom

POP CUL

As the decade ends and a new one begins, we take a look at pop culture at the beginning vs. the end.

LTURE

29

ENTERTAINMENT

FASHION Chunky shoes Tortoise jewelry Snake print Oval sunglasses Fleece sweaters

NOW NOW LATE 2010s

Page by Abby Turner @abbyturner31

TV

Game of Thrones Stranger Things The Good Place The Crown Black Mirror

MOVIES Avengers: Endgame

Toy Story 4 Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Joker Parasite

APPS Snapchat TikTok Instagram Twitter Pinterest

MUSIC

~ Senorita - Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello Circles - Post Malone Lose You to Love Me - Selena Gomez Dance Monkey - Tones and I Beautiful People - Ed Sheeran

30 ENTERTAINMENT

Holiday Horrors Taking a look at the weirdest films of Christmas past

T

here is no holiday that brings a better selection of movies to enjoy than Christmas. You have all of the classics. “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Home Alone,” “Elf,” that Rudolph special where he fights a vulture to save Baby New Year. Wait, you hadn’t heard of that last one? What about the “Star Wars” special where Princess Leia sings a song about the holiday Life Day? No? Well surely you’ve seen the Santa Claus origin story where he fights a bunch of monkey demons that can turn invisible. Really?

Just as the Christmas season has some of the best movies of all time, it also has some of the weirdest. No, I’m not

talking about Hallmark copy-paste specials that are a little off. I’m talking about some truly, unbelievably weird films.

Movies that sound like I’m making them up on the spot when I try to explain them.

So, as my gift to you this holiday season, I am going to review three such movies and tell you what makes them really … unique. Each movie will receive a “weirdness rating” from 0-5 based on a truly odd character. Oh, and each of these movies can easily be found on the internet in full for free, in case you’d like to experience this with me.

“The Star Wars Holiday Special” (1978) Run time: 1 hr 37 min | Song Count: 4 (Avg. Length: 3 min 57 s)

*Unbridled wookiee noises* Too many wookiees

For years, I have heard tales of the insanity that is “The Star Wars Holiday Special.” I still wasn’t prepared.

The movie sees Han Solo and Chewbacca try to get home in time to celebrate “Life Day” with Chewbacca’s family, consisting of his father Itchy, his wife Malla, and his son Lumpy. Though, this plot never progresses much more than five minutes at a time.

Interspersed through the holiday special are some of the oddest cutaway segments I have ever seen. Chewbacca’s son watches a war propaganda cartoon that lasts for 10 minutes. His wife watches a cooking show starring a man dressed in drag with four arms. There are four musical interludes throughout the special, each stranger than the last. Chewie’s father watches virtual reality porn. No, that is not an exaggeration. You cannot convince me that it

isn’t “Star Wars” porn.

Every main character from the original “Star Wars” makes some appearance or another at some point. Luke yells at R2-D2 as he unblinkingly talks to Chewbacca’s family. Darth Vader appears in a clip that is clearly from the first movie and doesn’t fit in the context of the special.

Last, but certainly not least, Leia sings a song to the tune of the “Star Wars” theme in what can be described only as wookiee heaven, or at least the astral plane.

I would say that I hate the “Holiday Special,” but that would be a lie. After about 10 minutes of uninterrupted, unsubtitled wookiee noises, I got a strong headache and really thought I’d lost my mind, but it was maybe the funniest comedy I’ve seen this year. It’s a car wreck, but one you definitely can’t look away from.

“It is indeed true that at times like this, R2 and I wish that we were more than just mechanical beings.” *beeps* “...and were really alive, so that we could share your feelings with you.”

C-3PO and R2-D2, droids

5/5 Lumpys

31

ENTERTAINMENT

“Rudolph’s Shiny New Year” (1976) Run time: 50 min | Song Count: 8

“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” is a weird enough movie as it is (I’m looking at you, dentist boy), but I cannot prepare you for the weirdness that Rankin and Bass cooked up in the sequel.

The literal same night as the events of the first movie, Rudolph is sent on a mission by Santa and Father Time to stop Eon, a vulture who is predetermined to die at the end of the year, from freezing time. Rudolph must beat Eon to finding Happy, the baby New Year, who has run away before he can turn the calendar. Upon finding the baby,

Rudolph, who has a nose that literally glows bright red, laughs at him for his big ears.

The movie progresses by having Rudolph jump from island to island, each with its own song and representing its own period of time. By the end of the movie, Rudolph teams up with a clock man, a clock camel, a clock whale, a knight, a caveman and Benjamin Franklin, who cure Eon through the power of laughter. I’d make jokes, but the plot is funnier and stranger than anything I could possibly come up with.

“Ugh. I’m pretty cold too.”

“Don’t weaken, your beacon must cast it’s glow.

“Don’t worry. I won’t weaken.”

Rudolph and General Ticker, reindeer and clock man

4/5 Baby New Years

“The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus” (1985) Run time: 50 min | Song Count: 6 Another Rankin and Bass hit, “The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus” finally answers the question on everyone’s mind: How is Santa immortal? The answer may shock you.

Long ago, a master woodsman named the Great Ak gathered the leaders of the immortals and told them the story of Claus, an infant raised by a lioness and a wood nymph.

Claus leads a courageous battle against a group of demonic creatures named awgwas who make children do bad things. Along the way, Claus invents the concept of toys,

gets a true “Han Solo” name drop moment and receives the mantle of immortality.

Filled with lore as deep as a “Lord of the Rings” novel and no time for explanation, trying to describe the movie further would only result in a headache for all involved.

Instead, I’ll leave you with an example from the film’s climax: “Behold. They fight with tree branches. I will overwhelm them with our evil powers. Go forth, Great Dragon, and incinerate them.” n

“Hold tightly to my belt, for we are going to journey through the air and circle the world. Hold fast, Claus. When we land, we shall become invisible to all whom we meet.”

The Great Ak, master woodsman of the world

4.5/5 Santa Clauses holding tightly to the Great Ak’s belt as they journey through the air and circle the world