November 2018

Maize High School || Maize, KS November 2018

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Now Playing

Play digs deeper into the lives of some of Maize’s most positive students.

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Editorial

Play looks into mental health issues in students and how to help them.

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Football

Maize football kicks off playoff season.

1 1. Senior Deriq Doty catches the ball in a game earlier this season. The Eagles are 8-1 after defeating Liberal in the first round of the playoffs. Photo by Sam Bartlett 2. P.E. teacher Shelby Hillman will be the boys JV basketball coach this season. Photo

by Janeth Saenz

3. Junior Abby McCoy offers tips on how to spice up your fall wardrobe. Photo by Sam Bartlett

4. Drum major Allison Linton, one of two senior drum majors, guides the marching band during a halftime performance. Photo

by Abby Turner

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What’s inside?

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News Drama and choir students prepare for the fall musical “Seussical.”

news A wrap-up of a number of new clubs added to Maize this year.

6 7-11 12 19 20-21 24-25 28-29 news

First-time 18-year-old voters are able to participate in the midterm elections.

Now Playing Play digs deeper into the lives of some of Maize’s most positive students.

Maizenews.com || November 2018

Who’s inside?

Abby McCoy & Casey Loving Editors-in-chief Bailey Birkholz Design editor Sam Bartlett Photo editor Maddie Neigenfind Features editor/Ad manager Ellie Stucky Sports editor Ryann Redinger Engagements editor Madelyn Craft Kamryn Gaines Brooke Grisham Madi Hay Carter Jones Keira McGinty Lily Robison Janeth Saenz Kyerra Snyder Abby Turner Jordan Wontorski Dan Loving Adviser

Cover Illustration by Sam Bartlett

editorial Play looks into mental health issues in students and how to help them.

features

Seniors Allison Linton and Mary Servart lead the marching band as drum majors.

photo focus The marching band performs at each home football game.

Sports Maize football kicks off playoff season.

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 D16 or mhsnewsmag@gmail.com

Sports P.E. teacher Shelby Hillman to coach boys JV basketball.

First copy free.

Additional copies $1.

Printed by School Paper Express. © Copyright 2018 Play newsmagazine

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Maize vocal and drama departments to present Seussical

Senior Arissa Brown and sophomore Mea Ames lead the song and dance number “It’s Possible.” “Seussical” will be presented November 8 and 10 at 7:30 in the audotorium.

Photo by Janeth Saenz

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Story by Janeth Saenz tudents will perform “Seussical” the musical on Nov. 8 and 10 in the Maize auditorium. Seussical is a combination of several different Dr. Seuss stories and characters, including “Horton Hears a Who,” “Horton Hatches the Egg,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “The Butter Battle Book” and “The Cat in the Hat.” Senior Arissa Brown is playing the Cat in the Hat, one of the leads. This is Brown’s second time performing in the show. She played Mayzie La Bird in Music Theatre for Young People Wichita’s May production. “[Seussical is] basically a story involving all of these characters with some of the central parts of what they did in their own stories but kind of flipped so that they can all work together and be in the same environment,” Brown said. “The fact that the Cat is kinda just like a genderless embodiment of mischief has been interesting [to perform].”

Brown said she looks forward to the fun and unique costumes that are on display

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in the show.

“I am really pumped for the costumes,” Brown said. “We actually rented some of them from Music Theatre Wichita, which is a broadway-level theatre organization we have in the summer time here in Wichita, and these are some really fun costumes from the mid 2000s. They’re very bright and colorful, and I think it’ll be a really nice addition to our show.”

Brown rehearses the show four days a week after school with the rest of the cast.

She also spends time in choir class and during En-Cor working on her vocals for the role.

“I’m preparing for the show by running the choreography a ton and running lines a lot,” Brown said. “The lines do rhyme, which is very helpful in memorization. [. . .]I’m just making sure that my flexibility is really up because I’m running around the stage a ton. I pop in and out so many times that just keeping my heart rate up, and making sure that I’m staying warmed up the whole time is pretty much the most important part of the role”.

Junior Mea Ames, another lead, is play-

ing a boy named JoJo. This is Ames’ first lead in a Maize production.

“He [JoJo] is a person who thinks of all the Seussical things but then gets pushed into the story and takes on the role of a little misunderstood boy,” Ames. “[He] is friends with a lot of people and is in the middle of a bunch of different stories.”

Ames said trying to act like a boy for the gender-bent role has been a challenge for her in the production.

“I don’t walk like a boy, I don’t talk like a boy, I don’t sound like a boy” Ames said.

“I’m working with my dad and my brother in learning how to walk like a guy”.

Ames said she believes all students should come to the show because it allows the audience to use their imagination.

“It’s going to be fun, awesome, and it’s going to take you on a crazy adventure into the world of imagination,” Ames said. “It’s a chance to just let go of everything because there are so many weird made up things in there [Seussical] that kind of breaks a bit of the normal boundaries that society puts on you.” n

Maizenews.com || November 2018

New clubs welcomed to Maize

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Story by Brooke Grisham his year, many new clubs have been added to the school.

Kindness Club, the Golden Lotus Lion Dance Troupe and Hot Beverage Club are a few new clubs.

Student leaders of the clubs said they are excited to be able to let their clever club ideas become a part of their school.

Kindness Club is a club with the purpose of encouraging self love and kindness to others. Junior Jenna VanEchaute had the idea of starting this club. She and sponsor Brenda Stanton said they believe that kindness to yourself and others is an important part of being a happy, self-fulfilled person.

“We are going to practice being kind to ourselves, which is really important in my eyes, because I feel like everybody doesn’t have a lot of respect for themselves,” VanEchaute said. “I feel like when we are nice to ourselves, we are nicer to everyone around us.”

The Golden Lotus Lion Dance Troupe

is a club that follows the practice of the Chinese dance tradition on New Year’s.

Mercedes Sweatt said she wanted to create this club because it’s always been a part of her culture. Because her dad is Japanese, she has always watched the dance and it always interested her.

“I grew up doing the Chinese New Year with them, and I saw the lion dancing as a kid,” Sweatt said. “I’ve always been interested in that, so I was like ‘I want to do this growing up’ so I decided to make a team.”

Hot Beverages Club, sponsored by history teacher, Lara Wolgast, is a club where you get to hang out and talk with your friends while drinking any type of hot beverage. Senior Shalee Prichard said she wanted to start this club after Wolgast brought in a coffee machine one day in En-Cor. “I like hot beverages, especially coffee, and a lot of my friends do, too, so I just asked a bunch of people if they’d be interested in joining, if it’d be something that they liked, and they said that they

would,” Prichard said.

Maize Career Academy engineering teacher Mikel Tinich is the sponsor for Near Space Club. Near Space Club’s purpose is to design and build a balloon so that they can send it up approximately 100,000 feet in the atmosphere. This club will also be considered community service for college applications and scholarships.

“We are a group of individuals who enjoy designing and building things, and love the idea of going to space,” Tinich said.

Katelyn Parks started WOKE club, a club that encourages student activism and involvement in the community. WOKE club meetings will be on the second Monday of every month. Parks said she thinks that her club is like a little family, and they keep it a safe space.

“WOKE club will do our best to help you understand why you believe what you believe and help you get involved in things going on around [the] Maize and Wichita area,” Parks said. n

Doerksen nominated for Kansas Horizon Award

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Story by Jordan Wontorski econd-year social studies teacher Rebecca Doerksen was named the USD 266 secondary education nominee for the Horizon Award.

The Horizon Award is a program that recognizes excellent teachers in Kansas, honoring teachers who completed their first year by going above and beyond what’s expected of them.

Doerksen said she found out she was nominated when superintendent Chad Higgins and other administrators appeared in her room while she was teaching.

“My heart was pounding because my first thought was ‘Why are they all here to observe me?’,” Doerksen said. “My next thought was, ‘I don’t know what I did but I’m getting fired.’”

Once someone is nominated for the award, the application process begins.

There are three sections to the application: a general information form, five essay questions on various topics and letters of support.

“This part [support letters] was extremely hard for me because I do not like bragging about my abilities or accomplishments,” Doerksen said. “It was a rewarding experience to read the letters that various parents, colleagues, administration, and students wrote about me.”

Doerksen said that many of her former students are still very close to her, returning to class to give friendly greetings.

Senior Morgan Thomas, who was her student last year, said Doerksen’s genuine interest in connecting with students is appreciated.

“Unlike most other teachers, she’s very active in her students’ lives,” Thomas said.

“She’s always there when a student needs her. She’s also very understanding of students having lives outside of school and other classes that take up their time.”

Doerksen said she loves her students just as much as they love her. She said she always makes it a point to bond with her students and help them through whatever situations they’re facing. Though the work can be hard, she said that she finds the

reward well worth the effort.

“My main mission as a teacher is to love kids and make a difference in their lives,” Doerksen said. “Teaching is one of the most difficult professions. The physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion we face as teachers can be so overwhelming at times. Despite all the stress and exhaustion, I love my job. Teaching doesn’t seem like a job to me because I love what I do.”

Having to pick the top 32 first-year teachers in the entire state, the process is time consuming. Though applications were due Oct. 11, teachers don’t get confirmation of their potential win until December or early January.

“The Kansas State Department [of Education] defines this award as recognizing ‘exemplary first-year teachers who perform in a way that distinguishes them as outstanding,’” Doerksen said. “Even though I am not a perfect teacher, nor will I ever be, this nomination gives me hope that my efforts are being recognized and more importantly that I am making a difference in my students’ lives.” n

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First-time voters advocate for civic duty

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record number of voters are registered in Sedgwick County this year.

More than 300,000 people are signed up to vote, exceeding the total of 293,7736 in 2016 and the 275,499 who were registered for the last midterm elections in 2014.

Senior Autumn Brummer is one of the new registrants. Having recently turned 18, she said she believes that using your voice to speak your opinion is important and that everyone needs to be able to stand for what they believe in.

“I’m voting this year, because I am at the legal age of 18, which is something I am very proud to be able to do,” Brummer said. “I think it’s wrong if you are of the age and you aren’t taking those actions to have your voice heard.”

AP government and US history teacher Skeeter Rankins said he believes that younger voters should go out and make their voices heard at the midterms.

“You get what you don’t vote for,” Rankins said. “Meaning, if you don’t care, because you don’t vote, then whatever they do, you don’t have a right to complain because you didn’t go vote. So that’s

Story by Ellie Stucky and Maddy Craft Design by Ryann Redinger and Abby Turner why you have to participate if you want a say on things.”

Senior Jonathan Mercer said he also thinks that young people aren’t doing enough as voters to project their voices.

“Voter turnout is low enough that even though politicians attempt to represent their constituents as well as they can they simply cannot govern efficiently if [young people] don’t vote.” Mercer said.

Rankins said he knows that students need to be speaking out more and participating in voting because the things voted on today will affect us in the future.

“The people that you’re electing are mainly for Congress,” Rankins said.

“They’re the ones that vote on the policies of our daily lives. It doesn’t necessarily affect you sitting here in a classroom., but it may affect you as a college student, it may affect you with student loans or how to pay the student loans back, it may affect your tax margins, your tax rates.”

For the Congressional district that represents the Wichita area, Republican incumbent Ron Estes is running to keep the seat he won after Mike Pompeo was named CIA director. Estes’ main chal-

Candidates for Kansas Govenor: Laura Kelly for the Democratic Party Kris Kobach for the Republican Party Greg Orman as an Independent Jeff Caldwell for the Libertarian Party Rick Kloos as an Independent

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lenger is Democrat James Thompson.

The other big race for Kansas voters is governor. The top candidates are Republican Kris Kobach and Democrat Laura Kelly.

Senior Kennedy Richardson said education funding is a big consideration.

“Education funding needs to be adjusted,” Richardson says. “Whether to just disperse the funds better or to give more funding to the schools that actually are in need.” n

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Voting as a student gives us a voice to be able to affect our future, whether it be in the school or in the government system.

—Autumn Brummer, Senior

to learn more about how to Register to vote visit:

www.usa.gov/ how-to-vote

Maizenews.com || Nov. 2018

pursuit of happiness

Top to bottom: Freshman M.J. McCollum, sophomore Gavin Wright, and senior Janna Busker are known for their positive attitudes around school. Even though things may not be perfect in their lives, they find happiness through spreading joy. Photos by Sam Bartlett

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Maize’s most positive students divulge the secrets behind their smiles Story by Ryann Redinger Design by Abby McCoy

“ A big part of being a friend is being positive, and I want be a friend to everyone. Even if I’m not having the best day, if being positive makes their day better, then it’s all worth it.

—Gavin Wright, sophomore

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here are always a few people that come to mind when we think of the word positive.

We all know those people who walk down the halls with a sparkling smile and a bright attitude that can light up anyone’s day.

We often think to ourselves, ‘How are these people so positive all the time? I have never seen them in a bad mood.’

But we often don’t see what is going on underneath the big smiles and bubbly personalities.

If you looked past the cheery face, you would find someone just as human as you are.

Sophomore Gavin Wright says he enjoys making friends that he can share laughs with and making people smile on and off stage with his outgoing personality. For Wright, making friends is easy and he enjoys sharing his time with those he is close with.

“I think I am inviting, and I think that I can vibe with a lot of different people,” Wright said. “I want to hang out with everybody and talk with everybody.”

Although Wright has his bad days, he said he tries to remain positive as a way to brighten the day for others.

“A big part of being a friend is being positive, and I want be a friend to everyone,” Wright said. “Even if I’m not having the best day, if being positive makes their day better, then it’s all worth it.”

Like many people with a positive mindset, Wright said he believes positivity is a way to combat the stress and negativity that can often fill other people’s lives.

“Everything is so negative already,” Wright said. “I mean, you just add

negative to a negative [. . .] and it’ll still be negative. I think it’s easy for negative opinions to be inflicted onto you and for you to absorb that, and you just really have to take the good days and the bad days and make them worth what they are worth.”

Wright is involved in Student Council, Choir, Drama and ICT Flight Showchoir and spends his time rehearsing and performing in musicals and choir shows.

Wright said being a performer has been a creative outlet for him during his high school experience.

“Being able to express yourself through acting or singing is such a crazy cool way of doing it, like putting on a facade that takes you out of reality and you become a different person,” Wright said.

Wright said he is not always a positive person. He said struggles to find the silver linings in situations, but he believes he is stronger in the end because of it. Wright said he still deals with the aftermath of his parents’ divorce, although it happened before he could even remember them being together.

“Having divorced parents is really hard,” he said. “The household feels so broken in different ways. It’s hard knowing the life that you never got to experience, like I never knew what my mom and dad were like together. It’s weird, kind of, I mean they love each other and you have to learn to love in different ways, and I’m happy they can still talk and not hate each other.”

Wright also said a struggle of his is being himself in places he feels he doesn’t fit in.

What is the difference?

positivity

The practice of being, or tendency to be, positive or optimistic in attitude.

8/ Now Playing

p p i ne s s vs. ha The state of being happy.

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Maizenews.com || November 2018

I think there are some students that have been raised in such an environment where they view everything sincerely and honestly as a positive person, and I think there are students that use that as a way to not be honest with themselves.

—Cady Jackson, teacher

Wright said he often feels he is not good enough, or he is too much for certain groups of people, so he often finds himself trying to blend in.

“I find myself changing myself to fit in and be what [people] want me to be,” Wright said. “It’s hard to find yourself if you’re around people who are not necessarily like you.”

Like many teenagers, Wright says he often deals with insecurities and self-esteem issues, stemming from his experience in grade school.

“People have such malicious intents behind what they say,” he said. “Their words are weapons and it hurts. I would go home and cry when I was little just because I got called stupid names like fat or chubby. If you get told something over and over, your mind forms this vision on what they’re saying you are and you really feel like you are that.”

Wright’s hardships did not keep him from doing what he loves. Wright said he believes pursuing his passions has helped him to see past his struggles and be a much more positive person.

“You do the things you love because you find joy in them, and everything I do I love,” Wright said. “I always have an

intention behind [what I do], and that makes me a more positive person, and that makes me more enjoyable.”

‘Moving the Needle’

Cady Jackson, an English teacher, went to a conference called “Moving the Needle” where she learned about different topics, including the importance of positivity and mental health.

Jackson said she believes there are students who are genuinely positive, but oftentimes students are positive as a way to mask what they may be going through.

“I think there are some students that have been raised in such an environment where they view everything sincerely and honestly as a positive person, and I think there are students that use that as a way to not be honest with themselves,” Jackson said.

Jackson went to a session on “compassion fatigue,” a concept she said occurs often in students with a heightened sense of empathy. This occurs when people overextend themselves, causing them to neglect their own physical and mental well-being.

“Once you have reached compassion fatigue, you start to withdraw and can suf-

Where happiness lies

According to Martin E.P. Seligman, PhD, former American Psychology Association president, 20 traits have been considered as personality characteristics that may be the “roots of a positive life.”

These traits include:

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wisdom courage

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creativity

fer from anxiety and depression,” Jackson said. “Your physical and mental health will deteriorate, and so I think there is a fine balance with being honest with yourself so that you can take care of yourself and stay positive in a sincere way.”

Jackson said social media has come a long way to shed light on mental health and self care to students, but it can cause students to stay in the pit of their problems, too.

“If all you’re doing is reading about people’s mental health issues, all you’re doing is writing about your own struggles, then you’re sort of staying in the depths of that negative space,” she said. “That also becomes a sort of addiction and something to be fed.”

Jackson said she believes it is important that students are aware of how to better take care of themselves, physically and emotionally.

“In the grand scheme of your life, right now it feels so immediate and so big that you can kind of get lost in that,” Jackson said. “Trying to keep a wider perspective can help you with self care, because then you might begin to prioritize taking care of your physical and social and emotional health.”

Good things come in small packages

Alice Isen, PhD, a professor in the psychology department of Cornell’s Arts College, found that people experience a thrill when they get a free sample, find a quarter on the street or receive an unexpected gift.

this emotion makes them feel more:

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spirituality

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GENEROUS F R I E N D Ly

H E A LT H y

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4 tips

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for

happy living

focus on your Breath

“ I am focused on my mental health and making sure that I am happy. Because if I’m not happy, then it’s going end up bad. I would rather put myself with positive people that actually can make me happier and people that I constantly help lift up.

—M.J. McCollumn, freshman

10/ Now Playing

give yourself a take time to do technology break what you love

‘I’m more happy with myself’

Freshman M.J. McCollum said she believes her positivity stems from the environment and people she surrounds herself with, as well as paying attention to her mental well-being.

“I am focused on my mental health and making sure that I am happy,” she said. “Because if I’m not happy, then it’s going end up bad. I would rather put myself with positive people that actually can make me happier and people that I constantly help lift up.”

McCollum moved to Maize from Derby this year and is a new student in the school. She said that although many people are new to her, she has a lot of friends from the cheer team and her competitive cheer team that go to Maize.

“It’s nice because I have all my friends at one school, and so being able to just be with all of your friends is really cool,” McCollum said. “It was really nice because you can always look around the hallways, and if you feel lonely, you can always smile to the left or right and you know somebody.”

The move hasn’t been completely easy for McCollum, though. She said it has been difficult because many of her friends were not in the same classes as her, leaving her knowing no one throughout the day.

“That was definitely the hard part, being able to make new friends and especially [meet] people that have my personality which is hard to find,” she said.

McCollum said she also left behind a close friend in Derby where she went to middle school. “[We] were super close, and, even though I had so many people in Maize, it was really hard to leave that one person because they were my backbone to keep me happy in my old school,” she said.

“Losing them was really hard because I wasn’t talking to them every day.”

Despite her hardships, McCollum has remained positive through her move into a new school district. She said her parents were a large part of that positive mindset as they were moving houses.

“They definitely showed me that you can get through anything if you keep your mindset in the right place, and they have showed me the support to get me through this move,” she said.

McCollum said she deals with anxiety and is often overwhelmed with academics, especially with testing.

“I’ll be sitting there and it’ll be dead silent in the class and I know that the test is either coming or I know that I’m not prepared for it even though I’ve studied until 1 a.m.,” McCollum said. “I just don’t know what to expect and my heart starts to freak out and my head starts to rush and I’ll be running through each question and asking if I know it or if I don’t know it.”

Through her struggles, McCollum said her friends help to ease her testing anxiety and make her day much brighter.

“I definitely panic and let myself overthink and let myself have anxiety, but yet I keep smiling because I study with my friends and we would play a game while doing it and I keep thinking how lucky I am to have good friends,” McCollum said.

McCollum said her faith has been a catalyst for her bubbly, positive personality.

“God has definitely been a big impact for me,” McCollum said. “I have started to put Him in the center of my life because last year I wasn’t the most positive, and I had to decide to really put myself in God’s name, and it a makes lot of difference and being able to make friends at Maize that also reflect on God has definitely helped me become happier.”

McCollum’s faith and positive outlook on life are topics she writes about often on social media and on her blog Stripes and Strawberries. McCollum said she had

Maizenews.com || November 2018

4 be kind to yourself & others had hesitations about sharing her writing online in fear of what people would think, but after some motivation from her friends, she decided to start her blog.

“Words have always been my thing I guess,” McCollum said. “I realized words have a lot of positive and negative effects on people. That’s just how the world is, but if I can have a small voice and still make a positive influence on people’s day, that makes me so happy.”

McCollum said she has learned a lot of lessons about positivity and using social media from her pen pals who are later into their high school years.

“They show me that it’s OK to be different than everybody else because everyone else is more about showing their selfies or them and their friends [...],” McCollum said. “I also really want to post about positive stuff, because I was worried about likes. I don’t really think about that anymore.”

McCollum said she worried about how she was viewed by others through her middle school years, but now, after she has started using her social media to spread positivity, she said the likes and followers don’t matter to her as much.

“Now that I’ve grown up, I’m more happy with myself, and I don’t care about [likes and followers],” McCollum said. “I just want to be like this, and I’m going to post this, and I’m happy with it. I would rather put stuff that just makes me happy and feel good about myself then having other people like it.”

‘stronger and better’

Senior Janna Busker has recently started

Check out...

gavin’s instagram: @hellomynameisgavin Mj’s blog: stripessandstrawberries.blogspot.com janna’s you tube: Livingwithjoy Janna sharing her voice with the world on her new YouTube channel Livingwithjoy.

In her first video, Busker shares her motivation for starting the video channel.

“I have this yearning in my heart to share joy and passion and kindness and God’s word, and all this mixed into one, so I can start stirring the inspiration in some of your guys’ hearts, so that you know it’s OK to go out and share your joy with the world,” Busker said in her inaugural video.

Busker isn’t just a positive person in front of the camera. After getting 64 subscribers in just over a week, it’s apparent how much support Busker has gotten from her friends and family. She is a leader in Fellowship of Christian Students, where she often gives messages to the group and is also a part of the varsity cheer team.

“I know I’ve gotten a lot closer to the people on [the team],” Busker said. “I feel like I can be my true self, and they are very supportive and sweet.”

Busker said she also is supported by her grandma, her parents and her siblings. Busker and her siblings were all adopted; however, while Busker was adopted from a different birth-mother, her siblings are all blood relatives to each other.

“So my three siblings are biological, and I’m kind of the oddball out,” Busker said.

“But family isn’t defined by blood.”

Busker said her family has a great influence on her positivity. She said her mother has been a huge supporter of hers and a proponent of Busker’s sunny attitude.

“My mom started this new thing where she sends me positive quotes and little inspirational things to help me,” Busker said. “Especially if I’m having a bad day, she sends me like five of them in a row to help me feel better.”

Busker said she finds it hard to be positive all the time though and has struggled After this realization, Busker said she began to focus on herself and make sure her happiness came first. Busker said she needed to be truly joyful with herself before she could spread joy to others.

“How am I supposed to light other people’s candles and keep their flame going when there’s not one on mine to start with?” Busker said. “I can’t light their fire if I don’t have one to begin with.”

Busker said through her healing and the support of her family and friends, she has become a stronger and happier person.

“Even if you go through the roughest part of your life, you are gonna come out stronger and better, and you’re going to see that light,” Busker said. “Recently, I got out of a bad state of mind, and I had so many people helping me and so many people encouraging me that ‘It’s going to be OK,’ and that felt like God talking through them and working through them because when they were talking with me and helping me, it just became clear that my life is really good.”

After all Busker has gone through, she said she’s come to realize her reasoning to be positive.

“I know I’m here for a purpose and I use that to inspire people,” Busker said.

“That’s what keeps me positive.”n

I have this yearning in my heart to share joy and passion and kindness and God’s word, and all this mixed into one, so I can start stirring the inspiration in some of your guys’ hearts, so that you know it’s OK to go out and share your joy with the world.

—Janna Busker, senior

11/ Now Playing

A Call For Mental Help I

Play advocates for emotional therapists to be added to the payroll

n America, 42.5 million people suffer from a mental illness every year, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Even if a person doesn’t suffer from a mental illness, people have problems and need someone to talk to. Students that are affected by mental illness, social, emotional and behavioral issues struggle in school due to their mental health.

“Mental health significantly affects the ability for kids to do better in school,” said Chad Higgins, superintendent of Maize schools. “You know, there is always going to be challenges as kids grow up, but it definitely impacts their education. Even if kids are hungry it affects them, so it’s a simple concept that if they are struggling or have less opportunities that they are going to have a hard time focusing.”

Focusing can be very difficult for students who have issues in their life outside of school. So difficult that it is hard to live an everyday life, let alone succeed academically. These issues can be their mental health, emotional situation, poverty, hunger or social issues.

“One hundred percent mental health affects students’ academics,” said Eric Nachtigal, emotional, social and behavioral interventionist at elementary schools around the district. “The same way mental health affects adults and how they function on a day to day basis. It makes everyday living a challenge. Whether it is getting along with a peer or functioning in a work environment. Mental health issues, depending on what they are, can create peer issues, emotional issues and academic issues. It can make focusing very difficult, which is a high component to education.”

Some mental illness and emotional problems are noticed and seen by others, making them easier to get help for because people can see their struggle. On the other hand, some are extremely hard to notice if you don’t know what to look for. Counselors and teachers can help students and pull them aside to talk, but if there were a professional at the school for

12/ Editorial

this then even more could be noticed and get the help they need.

“There are external signs that are shown from mental illness or disabilities that we can recognize and get them help, but there are also internal signs only like depression and anxiety where a student may need a professional to help or someone they can go to themselves.” Nachtigal said.

For many years, teachers and school counselors have assisted kids in their emotional and mental health and try to support the students as best as possible.

Although all of this is great and appreciated, it is becoming enough of a problem in students that professional help from outside therapists is needed.

Nachtigal agrees. He credits district counselors and other staff with helping students who are going through rough times, but he also says district staff isn’t necessarily prepared to handle the increased incidents of students with “troublesome experiences.”

“They come to us and I don’t know if we are as equipped as these students need to support and help them in school,” Nachtigal said. “So to have professional therapists or support groups or week-toweek help would be incredibly beneficial in our school district.”

Maize has made an effort to benefit students. Outside therapists have been contacted, and the mental wellness of students around the district has been recognized as needing additional help for what is already provided. The only thing holding the district back from getting the help that is needed is school funding.

“It is something we, as a staff, focused on last year,” Higgins said. “Collectively, we rounded up district-wide a number of our counselors, special ed social workers, nurses, and administrators. We even brought in outside professionals, such as therapists and drug counselors.”

Higgins said the group put a plan together, looking at the staff that needs to be added and partnerships that can be formed with outside agencies that work with mental health to make up for a shortfall in funding.

As of right now, the furthest that the

district has gotten with providing students with the help they need is giving the early childhood development center a therapist and hiring Nachtigal to intervene with emotional, social and behavioral issues at the elementary level. Help is happening for the younger students in the district for those children’s mental health.

“The younger they learn these strategies that can carry them through life is amazing so they can be more independent later on in life.” Nachtigal said. “With that I was thinking to myself, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we could get more grants or money to bring more outside and advanced training to help bring some of that to support kids on all levels.’”

Although, it’s very important that younger students are getting the help they need, it’s also important that older students also get the help they need for their mental health as well.

With more mental health professionals assisting students, it could make it possible for more students to better succeed in school and be able to solve some of their struggles with their mental well-being.

“Many of our students have dealt with difficulties that we don’t always know about,” Nachtigal said. “We don’t always know about it but more mental health professionals would be able to reach them to create more success than we already have at Maize. Maize is a great school district and very successful, but some kids do struggle and more mental health professionals could benefit to help more kids succeed.”

Play understands the effects that mental health, social, emotional, and behavioral issues are having on students’ education.

We would love to see help given in the school setting to help these students get the help they need to become successful and fly onto great things after their time at Maize.

“I am optimistic that we will be able to do these things for our students one day,” said Higgins. n Design by Abby Turner

Maizenews.com || November 2018

Over The Rainbow

Junior opinion columnist isn’t gay, he swears These past few years, many rumors have circulated about me. Rumors rooted in truth. So, I think it’s finally time to put this conversation to rest. I’m sick of running away from it. I can’t lie anymore.

Here goes nothing: I, Casey Loving, am coming out as a straight man.

I know. This is shocking. To be honest, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little shocked when I found out too, but it’s true. I don’t like men. Really, I don’t think I ever have. It’s just been a little hard for me to admit that.

I’ve run over this talk in my mind a thousand times. I just couldn’t decide how to do it. I could always frame it as a joke, but I’ve made enough “I’m straight” jokes for no one to take those seriously. I thought about making some casual statement, like “Oh, by the way, I like girls,” but that just didn’t feel right either. The only way I could think of stepping back in the closet that did myself justice was being genuine, laying it all on the table.

So here it is.

I don’t like boys. Never really have.

Some part of me has always known that.

I’m still the same person you’ve always known. This one thing doesn’t define me.

I just couldn’t lie anymore.

I think I started to figure it out when I was around 14. I was watching the Star Trek reboot, the 2009 one with Chris Pine. There’s a scene in the movie where he’s shirtless with an alien and I thought “Wow … this … this doesn’t do it for me.”

Honestly, I’m kind of confused as to how these rumors started. I mean, have I kissed a guy on a dare? Sure. Have I “Lady and the Tramped” a french fry, a hot dog and a piece of cheesy garlic bread, all with the same guy? Who hasn’t? Have I ranked my top five most attractive celebrity men in an “If I were gay” list? Well, I’m not going to say that I have, but No. 1 Ryan Gosling, No. 2 Chris Pine, No. 3 Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, No. 4 Michael B. Jordan and No. 5 Jason Sudeikis. But does that make me gay? I

think we all know the answer is no.

I still don’t know why everyone thinks I, specifically, was ever gay in the first place. Plenty of girls do the things that I do without a second glance, and they never get called out for it. When a girl holds hands with one of her female pals, it isn’t seen as anything but an expression of friendship. When I do it with a boy, I’m suddenly “acting like I’m gay.”

Girls can call each other attractive or hot or whatever, but if I call my boy friend (mind the gap) handsome, then I “have a crush on him.” I’ve seen plenty of girls give each other kisses on the cheek, but I kiss my guy friend on the lips one time and I’m “making everyone uncomfortable.” OK, maybe that one has some validity to it, but the other stuff is dead on.

With National Coming Out Day happening last month, I thought it would be a perfect time for me to step back in the closet. I understand that this news will surprise many people I know, even some of my closest friends, but I don’t want it to affect how anyone thinks of me in the slightest.

So what? I like girls. That doesn’t make me any different from the person I’ve always been. I’ll still make jokes about every shirtless superhero I see. I’ll still play “What are the odds” when a kiss is on the line. Heterosexual or not, I’ll still be the same me I’ve always been.

Maybe all of these labels are stupid and arbitrary anyway. Why waste your time worrying who’s gay, who’s straight, who’s bi, who’s anything. Really, is it any of your business to badger people about their sexuality until they make a claim one way or the other?

Why should I care what someone identifies as if they don’t care enough to make it known?

Well, for those who do care, my name is Casey Loving. I am a straight white man, and I am not afraid to say it. n

Casey Loving Commentary

13/ Opinion

Six months healed

Senior Maddie Neigenfind talks about her journey to becoming the person she wants to be

S

Column by Maddie Neigenfind ix months healed. I’d say six months clean, but I was never addicted to anything. More so just broken, left searching for the glue that I never had.

Six months since I realized the road I was paving for myself was a road to nothing but bad habits with people who didn’t really know how concrete worked.

Their fake promises crumbled under the weight of my wondering. They were poorly trained when it came to being a good person. Rather, they were more worried about what was in it for them instead of how it could change one person’s whole life.

It’s been 182 days since I realized that wasn’t the person I wanted to be.

Six months since that warm June day on my front porch when reality hit me like a freight train. I was the engineer, but I never learned to drive, so when I saw the danger ahead, I was unable to stop. Instead I became a temporary crash course barreling toward a permanent solution to stop the pain.

It’s been 4,380 hours since the loud, heavy beeping of a heart monitor sang it’s lullaby over my head while the doctors hummed along. Handing out peace of mind to my anxious parents for the reason we were all sitting here. It felt like an eternity since I held the hand of the tall paramedic who scrambled for the right words to say as he counted my declining heart beats.

And there I was, staring at the bright white lights of the hospital ceiling listening to the soft murmurs of the doctors debating my diagnosis.

Clinically depressed or suicidal? Those words, so sinful and dirty, rang in my ears like a school bell. I thought about the meaning of those words for the rest of the night.

Was I really being deemed depressed? Or even worse, suicidal? What did that mean for me now? Pills and potions to cure my so-called clinic sadness? Or tall men in white coats, constantly asking me, “and how did that make you feel?” Thinking about that more and more just made my head spin and my stomach churn, but I wasn’t sure if it was the anxiety or the mix of medications swirling in my system.

But now, today, in this moment, I am six months healed. I’ve been repaving my road and the result is beautiful. I’m no longer a crash course on my way to derailing but instead a girl on her way to loving herself more and more. A girl set out to break the labels set forth on her. A girl set out to continue healing. Six months from now...who knows how healed I’ll be. n

14/ column

Senior Maddie Neigenfind has been working toward a healthy goal of bettering herself for the past six months.

Photo by Daleyn Hopkins

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Maizenews.com || November 2018

Junior Brayden Worden to star in CYT production of ‘Newsies’

H

Story by Casey Loving aving led more shows than most high schoolers have seen, music theatre has been influential to junior Brayden Worden since he first started performing in elementary school.

Securing leading roles in “The Little Mermaid,” “Shrek: The Musical,” “Proof ” and other shows, Worden’s life has revolved around the fine arts for years.

“I wouldn’t really have a life without the fine arts,” Worden said. “They kind of are my life.”

This fall Worden has spent his time preparing for yet another musical: Christian Youth Theater Wichita’s production of “Newsies.” He will portray Jack Kelly, captain of the “Newsies” and the leading part in the show.

“Jack Kelly is sort of the leader of this gang of misfit orphans,” Worden said. “It’s not ‘Annie,’ I swear. This gang called the newsies, they were all abandoned by their parents, so he is kind of their leader. He protects them, and he looks out for them.”

Worden said he loves the show’s many musical numbers and is excited to tackle the production.

“This is a role I’ve loved for a very long time,” he said. “I was so drawn to this role because it shows such complex emotion, and you really have to play with making it, you know, light and fun because he’s still 17, but you also have to play with all the pressure and all the stress that’s on him at all times to care after these guys.”

To prepare for the difficult role, Worden has put in a lot of work with his voice teacher, Emily Sternfeld-Dunn.

“The music is quite catchy and well written,” she said. “However, particularly for the character Jake Kelly, the tessitura [range] is demanding. For a performer singing Jack, they must have an extensive range and the ability to access many different colors throughout that range.”

Sternfeld-Dunn said that beyond the singing, she thinks Kelly is a difficult part in general for a performer.

“I'd say that for a 16-year-old, Jack Kelly is quite challenging,” she said. “It's really fun to watch Brayden settle into the role and handle the difficulties with a maturity beyond his age.”

Despite the challenge, Worden said he has loved his time exploring the role of

Jack Kelly so far and can’t wait to perform November 1-3 at Isley Traditional Magnet School.

“It’s been amazing,” he said. “It’s been a dream. I absolutely love being the character and performing the music, and the script is so well-written. It’s been really an honor to be asked to do this.”

Worden has worked with CYT many times. He started in elementary school, performing in shows such as “Beauty and the Beast,” “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” and “The Little Mermaid.”

“CYT is a nondenominational outsideof-school Christian organization that’s really focused on building up actors and actresses in faith as well as skill,” he said.

“It’s a really great community to be a part of. It’s not just theater, it’s also a big family.”

At CYT, Worden has been working with director Linda McGinness for years. McGinness has directed Worden in several shows.

the field.

“My dream career would be music theater because I think I love acting and singing too much to give one up completely,” he said. “I think by nature I am probably more of a singer, but I love acting so much, and I think the best fit for me in my life is to just do a mix of both.”

Although he has been performing for years, Worden acted in the MHS production of “Proof,” his first non-musical play, this fall.

“It was a very new experience, and it was fantastic,” Worden said. “It really taught me so much about acting and about being realistic on stage, and how to portray human emotion really truthfully.

It taught me a lot about showing truth on stage.”

Brayden’s father, David Worden, said he is excited to see where his musical career takes him.

“It would be great to see him get to live out his dreams, singing and performing at the highest level,” David said. “Regardless of how that plays out, we’ll be proud of him no matter what.”

With Worden’s level of talent, David said he has always sought to keep him the kind, humble person he believes him to be.

“We’ve always stressed humility to Brayden from his early days in music and acting and I think he does a pretty good job of keeping his feet on the ground while enjoying his successes,” he said.

“We’ll keep reminding him and I am sure he will continue to strive to stay humble.”

Worden said he thinks one of his greatest accomplishments has been learning and growing from everything he’s done, while still being proud of his own work.

“I don’t think it’s bad to be proud of your work,” he said. “I think that’s a great thing as long as it doesn’t get into your psyche and mess you all up.”

Worden said he hopes to continue following his passion for performing for as long as he can.

“Performing, it gives me an escape, and I feel like it gives other people an escape when they watch,” he said. “I love providing that for people, I love providing a little pocket of happiness in a really rough time that people are going through, and I think that’s really important.” n

B “I wouldn’t really have a life without the fine arts. They kind of are my life.”

- Brayden Worden

“I have been working with Brayden since he was 10,” she said. “He has always [been] and continues to be fabulous to work with. He brings a attitude of humility and willingness to do his best.”

McGinness said that, while she also thinks the role of Jack Kelly is challenging, it will be no problem for Worden.

“Brayden has been honing his vocal, dramatic and dance skills as long as I've known him, she said. “Each show he comes in more equipped than the last time. I know that whatever part Brayden is given he will do it with grace and excellence.”

Between school choir, theatre, voice lessons, art classes, sculpting, designing and more, nearly every aspect of Worden’s life revolves around the fine arts in some way, preparing him for a future career in

17/ Features

Monster Movies

Junior reviews new movies and DVDs of the Halloween season

“A

A Star is Born

Star is Born” is probably the first heavy Oscar contender I’ve seen this year, and it more than deserves that title. Lady Gaga deserves a best actress nomination. Sam Elliot deserves a best supporting actor nomination. Bradley Cooper deserves a best actor and best director nomination. My only problem is that the second hour seems to both rush and drag at times, but, after following a perfect first half, that isn’t enough to keep me from calling “A Star is Born” one of the best films I’ve seen this year.

Story by Casey Loving Design by Keira McGinty

Venom

T

he superhero blockbuster “Venom” does a lot of things wrong. It takes itself too seriously, long stretches are disinteresting and it has a weak third act in a genre known for weak third acts. However, “Venom” truly hits its stride with its characterization of Eddie Brock and his relationship with the alien symbiote, perfectly doing the one thing a Venom movie needs to do right.

O

Bad Times at the El Royale

W

hile “Venom” had arguably the worst trailer of the year, “Bad Times at the El Royale” had one of the best.

Even though it may not have quite lived up to the hype, “Bad Times at the El Royale” was still a slick, entertaining oneoff thriller that we don’t seem to get anymore. It’s a little bloated, can be hard to follow and doesn’t entirely measure up to the Tarantino vibe it’s going for, but “Bad Times” is an enjoyable theater experience all the same.

18/ Entertainment

Hereditary

ne of the most controversial movies of the year, I’d heard a lot of things, both good and bad, about “Hereditary.” Although I understand how some may have been turned off, it has to be one of my favorite movies this year. Horror is maybe my least favorite film genre, but I loved every minute of the uncomfortable, chilling atmosphere that “Hereditary” so expertly creates. It is definitely not for everyone (especially the faint of heart), but if you like good, disturbing, slow-burn horror and are willing to take a chance, rent “Hereditary” as soon as possible.

Band Together Seniors share their experience as two-year drum majors Story by Madi Hay Design by Abby Turner

S

helby Goss is in her first year as the band director at Maize, but she took over a program with two experienced drum majors.

Seniors Mary Sevart and Allison Linton led the marching band this year. It’s their second year out front.

“It has been really fun,” Linton said.

“I have definitely learned a lot over the course of the two years and I feel like I know a lot more this year than I did last year.”

The band is a direct reflection of the drum majors, Sevart said.

“Mrs. Goss always says that the band is your mirror,” Sevart said. “So whatever you do as a drum major, the band is going to imitate. If you’re cold, you can’t shiver or you can’t show that you’re cold or complain about anything because otherwise the band will follow your example. I think that’s been the hardest thing for me not to show it on the outside but think it.”

Sevart said that being a drum major is harder than it appears to be.

“Being a drum major is more than just conducting the band,” she said. “A lot of people think that we just stand up there and wave our arms and look pretty. It’s

a lot more than that. We teach the band how to do marching fundamentals; we clean; we do all sorts of paper work in the band office. It’s a lot more work than everybody thinks it is.”

Linton said it is easy to work with Sevart because of their prior friendship.

“We work pretty well together,” Linton said. “It’s very easy to work with Mary.

We have similar personalities, so we like to joke around and have fun. I think this has definitely brought us closer together.

Especially drum major camp and all the extra time we have to spend together because of our responsibilities.”

Goss agrees that her drum majors work well together.

“I give them tasks to do and they split up how they do it,” Goss said. “I let them decide who does what, and that seems to work the best for them. They’re both respectful of each other’s abilities as a leader, meaning one doesn’t try to outshine the other. And that’s a maturity that’s hard to find in some high schoolers.”

Linton said she really enjoys Goss and how she teaches.

“I really like how … she shows us how to fix every certain thing we do wrong,” Linton said.

Sevart has been in band since sixth

grade but said she has had to learn a lot about being a drum major.

“I had no idea what I was doing,” Sevart said. “I went to a drum major camp down in North Texas at Texas Woman’s University and that somewhat prepared me to be a drum major. I didn’t actually know what I was doing until I got thrown into the position and figured it out by myself.”

Linton said she has learned a lot the past two years. The marching band played at all the home football games in addition to several competitions.

“It has been really fun,” Linton said.

“I have definitely learned a lot over the course of the two years and I feel like I know a lot more this year than I did last year.”

Sevart said watching her sister influenced her to be a drum major.

“My sister was a drum major,” Sevart said. “We used to live in Texas when I was in middle school and elementary school.

She was a drum major down there, so she really inspired me to want to become what I am today.”

Linton sees herself pursuing a career in music education.

“I thought it would be very helpful to learn how to lead and conduct a band before college,” Linton said. n

Senior Mary Sevart directs the band through their march. Sevart was inspired to be a drum major by her older sister.

Photo by Abby Turner

Senior Allison Linton directs the marching band at halftime at a football game.

Linton wants to go into music education later in life.

Photo by Abby Turner

19/ Features

high Keeping Spirit

1.

20/ photo focus

2.

3.

Maizenews.com || November 2018 1. Maize High band student’s play the flute during the halftime performance.

Photo by Kyerra Snyder

4. Brandon Woodruff in the stands focusing hard on the game. Everytime something exciting happened he would play the drum.

2. Paige Cannon plays the flute during the halftime performance. At the end of the first quarter Eagles were trailing Derby 21-7.

3. Braden Carpenter and Eric Honas lead the marching band and football players onto the field prior to the start of the Derby game.

Photo by Kyerra Snyder

Photo by Kyerra Snyder

5. Mercedes Sweatt wears an orange space suit during the band’s halftime performance.

6. Marta Guzman twirls the batons during the halftime performance. Guzman performs at every home football game.

Photo by Kyerra Snyder

Photo by Kyerra Snyder

Photo by Kyerra Snyder

Background photo illustration by Kyerra Snyder

4.

5.

6.

21/ Photo Focus

Fall Fashion

How to spice up your wardrobe this season Design by Abby McCoy and photos by Sam Bartlett

THE

PATTERN PALETTE >

styling

PLAIDS

turtlenecks 01

dress pants

REDS

STRIPES

1) For a business casual look, pair a solid-colored turtleneck with your favorite “businessy” pants. Finish off the look with a pair of mules. (Top: Target, Pants: Forever21, Shoes: Express) 2) Tuck a striped turtleneck into a solid-colored skirt for a fit that’s comfy, yet cute. Once again, I’ve also paired this look with my go-to pair of black mules. (Top: Target, Skirt: Target, Shoes: Express) 3) Try layering a patterned jumpsuit over a simple turtleneck and pop bright colors through your shoes. These red booties are a perfect candidate for spurcing up a fall outfit. (Jumpsuit: Target, Top: Target, Shoes: Charlotte Russe)

02

03

long skirts

jumpsuits

Maizenews.com || November 2018 Maizenews.com || Oct. 2018

how to

find outfit inspiration 01 pinterest

F A L L TONES

02 TANS

instagram

styling

denim 04

overalls

4) As the weather starts getting cooler, layer sweaters under overalls to stay warm and cozy.

I’ve paired these overalls with a stripped long sleeve tee. (Top: Forever21, Overalls: Hollister, Sweater: American Eagle, Shoes: Steve Madden) 5) This minimalistic look gives fall coffeehouse vibes. Pair solid colors on top of each other like this black-on-black look. (Hat: Free People, Top, sweater & jeans: American Eagle, Shoes: Steve Madden, Watch: Daniel Wellington) 6) Throw on your favorite chunky sweater with some mom jeans. You can’t go wrong completing this look with white sneakers. (Sweater: Hollister, Jeans: Levi, Shoes: Nike)

05

06

black jeans

mom jeans

Eagles To Face South in playoff matchup I

Story by Carter Jones

Design by Lily Robison

t’s been a historic season for the football team this year.

“We made history,” junior running back Caden Cox said. “No team in Maize has ever gone 7-0 to start the season. So I think we are doing pretty good, but I also think that we have a lot of stuff to work on as well.”

That work continues Friday. The Eagles play district rival Maize South for the third time in school history. Maize and Maize South have played twice before, the last time in 2015, with the Mavericks winning both games.

“We have the crosstown rival next week, so we’ll have to just take it one game at a time,” senior Eli Owings said after last week’s win over Liberal in the first round of the playoffs..

If the Eagles win, they’ll match last year’s mark with nine victories, which is the most in school history. The Eagles are

the No. 2 seed on their half of the Class 5A playoff bracket. Maize South is seeded seventh.

The Eagles had little trouble with Liberal in the first round, winning 56-14.

“I think we played a really good first half but the second half, there’s definitely some things we need to work on,” Owings said.

The Eagles started the season without allowing a point in their first four games.

They allowed a total of nine points through six games.

After defeating Salina Central 48-26, the Eagles lost to Derby 35-21. Derby also entered that game, which was for the league championship, undefeated.

Against Derby, the Eagles started slowly and trailed 21-0 after one quarter.

“I think if we would have just executed a couple plays a little bit better, we would have won the game,” senior quarterback Caleb Grill said. “I thought offensively we

just didn’t execute as well in the first half as we did in the second.”

Junior Camden Jurgensen said that falling to Derby was tough for the Eagles.

“It wasn’t a good feeling, but we knew we had to move on because we have to have a good run ahead of us.”

Cox said one of the things that the team needs to work on for the playoffs is faster pacing in the first half “We need to work on the the physicality part of it, so we always come out and are ready to hit because sometimes we start out slow,” Cox said.

Coach Gary Guzman said the Eagles have a lot of work to do if they’re going to make a deep run into the playoffs. The state championship game is scheduled for Nov. 24 in Pittsburg.

“You are constantly working on technique,” he said. “You’re constantly working on your strategy, and it is just nonstop.” n

10 20 30 40 50 Aug. 31 Maize defeats Valley Center 49-0

24/ Sports

Sept. 7 Maize defeats Hutchison 49-0.

Eagles outscore opponents 98-0 in first two games

Sept. 14 Maize defeats Campus 21-0

Sept. 21

Maize continues winning streak against Newton 45-0

Maizenews || November 2018

By the numbers Regular-season statistical leaders

Rushing

Caden Co: 165 carries, 796 yards, 12 TDs

Passing

Caleb Grill 121 of 209, 1,578 yards, 20 TDs

Receiving

Preven Christon 29 receptions, 357 yards, 5 TDs Jordon Helm 26 receptions, 401 yards, 3 TDs

Tackles

Jose Ledesma 38 solo, 35 assists, 8 for a loss Photo by Sam Bartlett Deriq Doty catches the ball to score a touchdown earlier this season. The Eagles are 8-1 heading into their game with Maize South.

sacks

Noah Stanton: 10 sacks

50 40 30 20 10 Sept. 28

Oct. 5

Maize defeats Goddard 27-2, giving up the first points of the season

Maize wins against Salina South 42-7

Oct. 12

Maize wins against Salina Central 48-26 and remains undefeated

Oct. 19 Maize falls to undefeated Derby 35-21

25/ Sports

common occurance

Student-athletes battle serious knee injuries

Story by: Ellie Stucky

S

enior soccer player Marissa Llamas knew right away that she’d injured her knee.

“I went up for a header,” Llamas said. “I scored, and then I came down and my knee popped.”

Llamas suffered the same fate on that play as many athletes.

She tore her Anterior cruciate ligament.

ACL injuries are common in high school athletes. The ACL is one of the most important ligaments in the knee. It helps stabilize knee and connects the thigh bone (femur) to the shinbone (tibia).

The ACL is most commonly torn while playing sports such as football, soccer and basketball.

The recovery is long and sometimes difficult.

Llamas, who also tore her MCL and meniscus, has been out for about seven months and will be out for a few more.

“I did two months of Design by: Keira McGinty therapy and should be fully recovered by February,” she said.

But she’s ready to come back strong.

“It affects your mentality a lot,” Llamas said. “It’s more mental than physical. But it helps you push harder than you ever have before, and it makes you stronger.”

Cody Barnett, owner of Bodyworx Physical Therapy & Concussion Center in Wichita, has been helping people recover from ACL injuries for more than 25 years.

While contact certainly has an impact, about 70 percent of ACL injuries are caused by pivoting, sidestepping or odd landings.

“The most common cause is landing on a fully straightened knee while the quadricep muscle is contracting strongly,” Barnett said. “For example an athlete that cuts and changes direction, but does so with the knee fully straightened while they are pushing hard with the quadriceps, can cause the ACL to be torn.”

An estimated 200,000 ACL-related injuries occur annually in the United States.

-Cody Barnett

26 Features

Photo by Sam Bartlett

Avery Stilwell (32) chases a ball down in a game earlier this season. He tore his ACL on a kickoff return against Derby and had to have surgery.

For female high school athletes, the majority of ACL injuries (53.2 percent) happen to soccer players.

Football is the leading cause of injury for male high school athletes, causing about 71 percent of ACL injuries. Junior Avery Stilwell tore his ACL in the final regular-season football game against Derby.

“I was on kickoff return just protecting the receiver,” Stilwell said. “Someone blindsided me from the left side.”

Stilwell is having a hard time adjusting to the changes but knows he will come out of it strong and get back to playing the sports he loves next year.

“It sucks. It really does,” Stilwell said. “I can’t walk right, it’s hard to take showers, but it’s not going to stop me. I’m going to get back in the weight room when I heal and play next year.”

Basketball is another leading cause of ACL injuries. Senior Cade McGaugh was playing basketball when he tore his ACL for the third time.

“I was playing basketball with some friends at the Y,” McGaugh said. “I went up for a layup, planted wrong and it popped.”

McGaugh said he was affected mentally more than physically.

“I’m missing half the season, so it was more having to train my mind to be ready to come back and you just gotta put your mind to it and just do it,” he said.

McGaugh has had great support from his coaches and appreciates their help along the way.

“Coach [Chris] Grill, when I had surgery, he was super positive and said to keep my head up,” McGaugh said. “Probably the most influential [person] was Coach Grill because he always said if I needed anything to talk to him and whatever he was doing he always had time to talk.” n

Installation of solar panels expected to start soon Story By Brooke Grisham The Maize Solar Initiative is getting closer to becoming a reality.

Installation could start soon on the solar initiative, science teacher Stan Bergkamp’s dream of converting sun to electricity to power Maize schools.

“Right now our plan is to start installation of the system late this year so it’s up and running by late spring of 2019,” Bergkamp said.

Bergkamp said he will go to the school board to make a final funding proposal for the system at Maize High on Nov. 12.

As of Oct. 26, more than $125,000 has been raised.

Maize High will be the first district school with solar power, with the savings being used to install systems at other schools in the future.

“Solar Initiative benefits by saving $36,000 a year just for this school” Bergkamp said.

Bergkamp said he decided to start Solar Initiative about a year ago following lessons he learned from his father. His father told him to leave Earth better than the way he found it.

“I went to the school board and proposed to them that I would go out and try to raise the money, about $400,000 to install a 240 kilowatt solar panel system here at Maize,” Bergkamp said.

Bergkamp’s students, past and present, helped him fundraise for Solar Initiative.

He has also been given a few grants to help pay for the expensive panels.

Senior Keegan Johnston, a contributor to Solar Initiative, has been with Bergkamp since the idea came along. Johnston joined Bergkamp when he went to the Maize board of education.

“It was really cool to see something he was so passionate about. ... So when we saw how passionate he was about helping the environment and saving energy, it was cool to see”. Johnston said.

To learn more about the Maize Solar Initiative or to make a tax deductible donation, go to www.seebeyond.com. n

Maizenews.com || November 2018

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27/Ads

Back on the Court

28/ Sports

Maizenews.com || November 2018

Hillman to coach boys basketball

S

Story by Maddie Neigenfind pending time with a basketball in her hands wasn’t out of the ordinary for Shelby Hillman when she was in high school and college.

Hillman’s passion for basketball began to grow from a young age with the help of her grandfather, Ken Diskin. Diskin is a legendary coach in Kansas, with a career that spanned more than 50 years.

“My grandpa is my favorite coach of all time,” said Hillman, a physical education teacher. “I was around the game from the time I was a little girl to now.”

Hillman has followed in her grandpa’s footsteps. After her playing career ended, she started coaching.

“I just love the sport,” Hillman said. “I like being able to make connections with kids through the game.”

Starting her high school coaching career at Garden Plain, she eventually moved to coach girls at Maize.

And after not coaching at all last season, Hillman will be on the court again when practice begins later this month. Hillman has accepted a position coaching junior varsity boys.

“Not very many females coach boys,” Hillman said. “Statistically, you just don’t see that.”

Although her love for basketball started at a young age, it only continued to grow throughout her high school career at Cheney.

“I received all-league awards in high school and I was fortunate enough that my freshman year I played on a team that made it to state,” Hillman said. “I felt blessed to be able to play with those girls.”

Her playing days didn’t end after high school. She played two years at Barton County Community College and two years at Fort Hays State University.

“It [playing in college] was way more competition and the girls you played with truly wanted to play because it wasn’t an option,” she said. “It was more of a business.”

It’s her knowledge of the game and her relationship with students that made her a good fit for the boys basketball program, coach Chris Grill said.

“I really like having coaches in the building who are teachers,” Grill said.

“I think anytime you can connect with the players in a different way outside of coaching, like in the classroom or passing

through the hallway, you bring a different chemistry to when you start coaching. I knew Shelby could do that.”

Grill said Hillman’s background as a physical education teacher will benefit the team.

“Things like flexibility to help prevent injury and types of conditioning to help our players be in really good shape during this season,” Grill said.

Grill said he believes coaching has nothing to do with your gender and more so with your skill set and love for the game.

“I think as long as people are knowledgeable, whether you’re a teacher in a classroom or you’re coaching a sport, and that gets presented in a way that kids understand then you get your respect from that, not if you’re male or female,” Grill said.

Sophomore Jacob Hanna believes this to be true as well. Hanna has been playing basketball since he was in fourth grade and says he’s experienced being coached by a female before.

“I was coached by a female in a tournament or two over the summer,” Hanna said. “It was the same as being coached by a guy. I didn’t really notice a difference because the plays were still ran the same way as always.”

Hanna also sees Hillman bringing a lot to the JV team this upcoming season in multiple ways.

“I had a class with her, so I’m already close with her,” Hanna said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun because a lot of us guys had her our freshman year, and we have already built that relationship and that bond with her.”

Hanna said he feels Hillman will continue to be a huge asset for his team and her personality will bring lots of joy to his teammates.

“She’s a great person, and I’m so excited to have her as a coach,” Hanna said. “She’s knowledgeable in this sport, and I think that’s what really matters.”

Even though Hillman focuses on strong bonds with her students and athletes, she also dedicates her time toward bettering her faith.

“The Lord placed me here to be a servant,” Hillman said. “That’s my motivation — I am here to serve and serve those around me any way that I can do that and be the best version of me that God has created me to be.” n

“

She’s a great person, and I’m so excited to have her as a coach.

—Jacob Hanna,

sophomore

Q: What are your top 5 songs to listen to while you work out?

A: It sounds really odd, but I don’t listen to music when I work out. That’s kind of my time to just decompress.

Q: If you could make your own NBA dream team, who would make up your team?

A: Muggsy Bogues, Jacque Vaughn, Wayne Symon, Steph Curry, Lebron James, and Michael Jordan. He’s the greatest of all time.

Q: NBA or WNBA? A: I actually prefer college basketball over both of those.

29/ Sports

Runs In The Family The Ecord family shares the active tradition of running

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Story by Carter Jones any families have traditions. Some open pajamas on Christmas Eve. Some have dinner together every Sunday. Others may go camping, go to the movies or have a game night.

For the Ecords, their family tradition is a sport. They share a passion for running.

Senior Kael and freshman Zoie Ecord participate in track and cross country.

Both qualified for the state cross country meet.

Zoie finished 12th at state. She was the second-fastest freshman. Kael finished 35th.

The Ecord running tradition was started by their parents, Jenny and Jed Ecord.

Jenny started track in middle school by doing sprint events. Jed did track through college, doing sprints and long jumps.

“Both of my parents got into marathons and half marathons.” Zoie said. “My older brother Kael started running, so I guess I wanted to be a part of it.”

Zoie said her earliest memories of running go back to when she was in elementary school.

“Probably in third or fourth grade I remember running the pacer and doing pretty good in it,” she said.

Zoie said that it takes a great mental capacity, a lot of motivation and passion to be a great runner, skills her parents have helped her hone.

“I think that my family always encouraging me has gotten me to have a stronger mindset and push through running.”

While his family didn’t start running until they were in middle and high school, Kael got into running as soon as he knew how to.

“He grew up watching us and being pushed in his jogging stroller for miles,” Jenny said. “Once he could run, he ran.”

Kael has lettered in all three years of his track and cross country career. This year marks Zoie’s first cross-country season in high school, and she placed at a number of events.

Cross country coach Skeeter Rankins said he has been impressed with Zoie’s first season.

“She has the potential to be, if not the best, one of the best runners that has ever walked out of this building,” Rankins said.

“She has got a pretty good runner in her family, Kael, and Mom and Dad are pretty active, so she has pretty good role models in the family.”

Zoie said that her parents being there for her races pushes her to do her best at each event. However, she still hopes to keep improving with every outing.

Kael looks forward to the upcoming track season and has set goals for himself for the rest of the year.

“I’m hoping to run 4:20 in the mile, 1:55 in the 800s and break the school record in steeplechase,” Kael said.

The Ecords said they love to run cross country and track, but, it’s more to them than just a sport.

“We love the friends we’ve made, we love the health benefits, and we love the challenge of all the crazy races there are to do out there,” Jenny said. “It’s a great way to clear your mind. It’s cheap therapy and a great gift to yourself.”

Zoie said that she can often use running as a stress relief, as sometimes it becomes relaxing and therapeutic.

“I just get into deep thought, random things just pop into my head and sometimes I just forget that I’m running,” Zoie said.

Jenny said she thinks it’s a possibility that Kael and Zoie could pass the tradition down to their children.

“That is one of the great things about running, you can do it forever,” she said.

“I imagine they will both run for fun like we do when they get older.”

Zoie said she’d like follow her parents and continue running in the future.

“I would like to run in college and it would be cool if I could still compete after I’m out of college, but if I don’t then I’ll just run on my own.”

Kael also said he wants to run in college like his father.

“I’m planning on running in college.

After college I would just run for recreation,” he said. n

“She has the potential to be, if not the best, one of the best runners that has ever walked out of this building, she has got a pretty good runner in her family, Kael, and Mom and Dad are pretty active, so she has pretty good role models in the family.”

—Skeeter Rankins, teacher and coach Kael placed at state 35th with 17:10.2 Zoie placed at state 12th with 19:59.6

30/ Sports

Zoie and Kael Ecord run track and cross country. They both qualified and placed at state cross country this season. Photo by Carter Jones

31/ Sports

press pause A moment with freshman animator and YouTuber

EmmaClaire Hicks has a YouTube channel where she uploads speedpaints and animations. Hicks mainly draws and animates animals.

Photo by Keira McGinty Artwork by EmmaClaire Hicks