October 2015

“I felt as if I had stamped failure on my forehead in big red letters, and no matter how many hours of scrubbing, it wouldn’t fade away.”

PAGE 18

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

October2015

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Table of contents read.watch.play.

Volume 9, Issue 2 | October 2015

Play newsmagazine editor Kendra Cunningham Maizenews.com editor Nick Mathias Design editor Emily Brecht Photo editor Lyndsey Piska Features editor Nadia McLean Sports editor Justin Noble Advertisements manager Mikaela Stevenson Engagement editor Delanie Pierce Reporters & photographers James Auchterlonie Sadie Ast Lizzie Bell Bailey Birkholz Hallie Bontrager Jesse Ellis Andrea Fuhrman Seniors JJ Falcon, right, Michael Rivas, center and Darian Bishop, left, watch performers at Coachella during homecoming week. Photo by Alex Savie Hughes Christian Hurst West. COVER: Photo illustration by Emily Brecht and Lyndsey Piska.

Hannah Jurgensen News News Tori Lemon Superintendent Chad Higgins Organizations help raise Lauryn McIntyre creates the Student Advisory awareness of sex trafficking.

Tyler Stuart Team. Math teacher Chris Kayleigh Vestring Grill’s letter to the editor.

Alex West Shae White Sports Now Playing Becca Zinabu Freshman Collin Lee is the The pressure of honors Adviser first male cheerleader Maize classes is looked at from a Dan Loving has had for three years. mental health perspective.

Connected by Coachella

4

6

10

14

16

Spotlight

18

Column

20

Entertainment

22

Photo Focus

Students share their six word horror stories.

Students relive memories by finishing the quote “The time I...”

Reporter Savie Hughes discusses fear from different perspectives.

A recap of spirit week.

Follow Play on social media Play newsmagazine | maizenews.com facebook: Play Newsmagazine for Maize High School twitter: @PlayNewsmag | instagram: @PlayNewsmag

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.

Raise your voice Submit a letter to the editor for the October issue to room D18 or mhsnewsmag@gmail.com Printed by City Print.

© Copyright 2015 Play newsmagazine

maizenews.com | OctoberPlay

4

News

Higgins creates Superintendent Advisory Team

By James Auchterlonie

C

had Higgins, Maize’s new superintendent, introduced the idea of a Superintendent Advisory Team to the USD 266 district.

“I want to collect feedback on some of the best and some of the worst things that we do in the district,” Higgins said. “Whether it be policies, programs, practices, activities, whatever the case may be.”

Higgins asked eight students — two from each class — at Maize and Maize South highs and two Complete students to be on the Student Advisory Team.

The students from each school will address issues they believe need to be solved.

“I think that the superintendent’s [advisory team] is a great thing for not only the school but the community,” senior and member of the team, Jaiden Soupene said.

Soupene said he believes the district will become further unified with this team. “[The Superintendent’s Student Advisory Team] is something I’ve used in the past as an administrator to get feedback from students and involve them in

“

I

the process of decisions,” Higgins said.

Higgins said the students were selected by the staff of each school.

“I developed some criteria,” he said. “We want a cross-section of kids involved in different activities, different backgrounds and interests and different grade levels [and] different experiences at this school district. I wanted some [students] that have been here their whole life, and I wanted some that have just

from other districts. Maybe they hear neat ideas or maybe there are things going on in our district that we don’t recognize as adults, as staff members, that aren’t beneficial, that are a waste of time, waste of money and so forth. It’s hard to make decisions without getting their perspective.”n

I think that the superintendent’s [advisory team] is a great thing for not only the school but the community.

-senior Jaiden Soupene.

“

been here a few years.”

Higgins said he hopes the Student Advisory Team makes sure students of the district are involved in the process of decisions and can help further Maize schools.

“Our students nowadays are so in tune with what’s going on at other schools,” Jaiden Soupene plans to further improve our Higgins said. “They have good relation- district by contributing to the Superintendent advisory team.

James Auchterlonie ships with other kids, other families,

Letter to the editor: Play must be more careful with controversial topics

n regard to your recent article, “Heritage or Hatred” (September Play), and to future controversial articles you may want to publish, I would like to share my concerns as teacher, parent, and community member. I understand you are trying to write stories readers can relate to and are relevant to our school, but I also think some key points must not be omitted before publishing controversial stories.

As teachers, we serve as liaisons between the school, parents and community members. When the school publishes articles as sensitive as the “Heritage or Hatred” article, please understand we, the teachers, have many questions to answer. Why is it OK to inform the readers “students were warned that if they brought it back to school [the confederate flag] they would be kicked off school property or suspended,” but it’s OK to print pictures of a student wearing the confederate flag?

And then to include a print of the flag on the next page and pass a copy of the magazine out to every student in the

OctoberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

school? Why is it OK to write a controversial article and not give the views of both sides of the issue?

Why no interview conducted with students of color to see how they felt?

We spend hours answering these questions and trying to give an explanation of why, but sometimes we really don’t have much of a leg to stand on? The Kansas Student Publications Act gives a voice to the writer but unfortunately fails to protect the reader.

As a parent, we try to educate our children as they read these types of controversial articles. We try to help them make sense of what is being said. We try to help our children understand why their friends in our building go home after reading this article and begin contemplating whether Maize High is really the school they want to attend. We try to give our children the right advice and help them to not be offended by what they read and that the message is not really what it seems.

As a community member, I am really disappointed in the lack of responsibility

the magazine shows in the articles. I’m disappointed Play doesn’t understand its voice speaks loudly. I have a hard time understanding why an article like “Heritage or Hatred” can be written so one-sided and insensitively. I want you to know that it appears your view is the school’s view on this topic. The reality is the view is that of only a small minority and it should not be conveyed otherwise. Please, in the next controversial article, be sensitive to people on both sides. Give historical background on both sides. Educate the audience, and show you acknowledge there are different views. Also, interview people on both sides of the issue. Finally, remember you are representing the school whether you feel that way or not.

If you are too scared to write an article correctly, then don’t write it at all. ­Chris Grill, math teacher

Raise your voice

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

Editorial

November 7.

6.

KAY Club

GSA

3.

2.

1.

StuCo

8.

SADD

Debate

GSA

10.

9.

FCS

Red Rage

Get involved

Participation in clubs provides for a better high school experience

By Andrea Fuhrman and Kayleigh Vestring for the Play editorial board eginning high school, students “The more you are involved in present with their school work. are faced with many different school, the more fun it is, and in the “I have to study, even if that means decisions. future helps with college,” Roland staying up late,” Schoonover said.

What clothes do I wear? Who do I said.

Clubs should be fun and not sit with at lunch? Another importThe other upside to being in something to stress over. They are ant decision: what clubs should I be many clubs is the appeal on college meant to keep you involved with involved in? applications. school. Also, being in clubs can Clubs help bring students together “Most definitely [colleges look build new friendships around people and form new friendships. Clubs at what students are involved in]. It with similar interests. can make or break a teenager’s high kind of depends on the college or “Personally I think [being involved school experience. Clubs give stuinstitution that the student is lookin] multiple clubs [is better because] dents a view on what life after formal ing at,” College and Career Advocate you get to meet more people in every education is like: learning how to Kelsey Vinopal said. “But most likely single club and I’m in a lot of clubs,” work with others to achieve a goal. they’re going to want to see that stu- junior Taylor Holmes said.

It is our opinion that being dents have been involved in things; Finding people with the same involved in multiple clubs helps to that is both inside the school and interests as you will help in the fulfill the high school experience. then also in extracurriculars outside future. Being involved in things you Students can and should be active the school.” are interested in will be one of the in their school by joining as many One downfall of being involved in easiest ways to make new friends in clubs as possible. many clubs is having a full schedule college and throughout the rest of Senior HaLee Roland agrees that in and outside of school. life. you should be involved in multiple Sophomore Jaeyd Schoonover, If you click with someone then clubs rather than focusing on only who is involved in StuCo and Live you will obviously enjoy doing the one, without batting an eye.

Streaming, agrees that some sacrifices same type of activities as them.

Roland is involved in Red Rage may have to be made in order to It is better to be involved in as Advisory Board, Peer Helpers, keep the stress to a minimum since much as possible because the National Honors Society and being in multiple clubs may cause number of benefits keep going on Fellowship of Christian Athletes. extra stress on top of what is already and on.n

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The more you are involved in school, the more fun it is. -senior HaLee Roland OctoberPlay | maizenews.com

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News

Bringing attention to a silent and hidden epidemic Organizations help raise human trafficking awareness

By Lizzie Bell

W

alking to the gas station down the street or the little coffee shop a mile away may be more dangerous than it used to be. In the last year, sex trafficking has become more frequent in Wichita.

“The average teenager simply does not understand what men are willing to do to have sex with young girls,” said Jeffrey Barrows, director of U.S. education at Hope For Justice. “They will use all kinds of social media, the latest apps, cell phones, etc., to draw girls and boys in.”

In the past year, the rate of human trafficking in Wichita has risen. In 2014, Jennifer White, executive director of ICT S.O.S. said there were an estimated 29 cases of minors who were victims of sex trafficking alone. This year, as of October, there have been an estimated 36 cases in Wichita.

Organizations and businesses around Wichita have joined the fight to stop human trafficking. Via Christi workers are now being trained on what to look for when a sex trafficking victim enters the hospital.

One of the organizations is the program Hope for Justice, which helped create a training guide that states the main things to look for when looking for signs of a victim.

“There are three major categories of indicators of human trafficking,” Barrows said. “The first category is indicators of being controlled. The second category is simply strange red flags.

The third category is physical findings that will be evident during a physical examination.”

OctoberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

Some red flags of victims include inappropriate clothing, inability to give an address or not in control of their personal documents, having a large amount of cash on them or not knowing where they are.

Physical findings include bruises, broken bones, poor dental hygiene, evidence of sexual assault or random

organization that is fighting human trafficking in the Wichita area through education, awareness and partnership with direct service agencies,” White said.

ICT. S.O.S. helps in a variety of ways, including fresh start bags, an annual 5K race and other volunteer opportunities for people to get involved. Fresh start bags are a year round project where people are able to donate hygiene products, different clothing items, journals, toys for younger victims, blankets, etc.

“ICT S.O.S. is designed to help anyone and everyone be a part of the solution,” White said “You don't have to have a special skill set or knowledge to be able to help. We partner with so many other organizations that there is a way for anyone to plug in somewhere.”

Maize had the chance to take part in donating to ICT S.O.S. as well.

For about a week and a half, KAY Club asked students to gather items such as clothing, hygiene products and more to make into fresh start bags.

“I hope the victims can benefit from us doing this project, and I hope KAY members had fun helping with this project and learned something,” said Andrea Fuhrman, sophomore and co-president of Maize’s KAY Photo illustration by Lizzie Bell club. tattoos that may say “daddy,” “property Fuhrman along with White and of ” or “for sale.”

Barrows hope to bring an awareness to “But I guess the bottom line is that sex trafficking and find more ways to there is evil in this world … and that help victims. evil is prevalent,” Barrows said. “[Sex trafficking] is a complete lack of When minors are identified by staff or respect for human dignity,” White said. found, they may end up with no place “It treats people as objects and throws to go or no way to get back to where them away when they are no longer they came from; this is where ICT profitable. But, as awful as it is, we focus S.O.S. comes in. on the fact that every day people in our “ICT S.O.S. is a volunteer-driven community are fighting it.”n

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

English class’s birthday cards bring joy to 108-year-old woman

Mildred Roberts Wright died Oct. 13, shortly after celebrating her 108th birthday at LakePoint, one of Wichita’s assisted-living centers.

Before Wright died, Amy Jensen’s English 10 class made birthday cards, which Jensen delivered to the center.

Jensen wanted to tie Wright in with “Of Mice and Men.” Jensen wanted to give her students a visual aid to help them get in tune with the time period associated with the book.

“Roxanne from the office called and said, ‘Amy, there is someone here who wants to see you, she wants to talk to you,’” Jensen said.

“She said something about birthday cards… I went down there, and it was the lady’s daughter who had come from Arkansas because the lady had died and they are having a funeral.”

Wright was very grateful that the students took the time to make her birthday cards.

“They are going to put all the cards out during the viewing… she was letting me know that they have received them and how much they appreciate it,” Jensen said. “Sometimes it’s just the little-bitty things [that] make a big difference in somebody’s life … You just take a second to send them a … card that you made and it makes their day.”n -Jesse Ellis

Sophomores eligible for leadership opportunity

The Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership representatives will be chosen from the signup form for sophomores in the counseling office. The representatives will be chosen by the counseling office and a group of teachers.

This system of selection is different from past years due to the representatives having to pay their own $195 registration fee.

HOBY aims to help sophomores recognize their leadership talents and apply them to be active leaders in their schools and communities.

“I think [students] should participate because…it really boosts their self-confidence and really makes them want to be more of a leader in their school,” counselor Geri Hickerson said.

Hickerson also mentioned that many students went on to pursue leadership positions within the school.

“I think it puts kids in a situation where they’re out of their comfort zone because they’re not with their own peers,” Hickerson said. “They have to think on their feet and be outgoing in a situation where they don’t know people.”n

-Nick Mathias

Sports in brief

Lauryn McIntyre

Junior Josh Christian runs during the Lake Afton meet, the first meet of the season.

The boys and girls made state Saturday.

The girls cross country team took first at league meet. The boys team took second. It was the fifth straight league title for the girls. At regionals, both teams qualified for state by taking third place. Medalist were freshmen Nicole Vick and Kael Ecord and sophmore Carson Pierce. “[I’m] just excited that we worked so hard and we achieved our goals,” junior Josh Christian said.

The boys team qualified for state for the first time in two years, while the girls qualified after being projected to finish sixth at regionals.

Both teams will be at Rim Rock Farm in Lawerence Saturday.n

The latest on fall sports teams at Maize.

By Justin Noble

Justin Noble

Senior Connor Holmes takes the ball down field in a game against Heights. The team is the AVCTL champions this year.

The boys soccer team has a record of 13-3-0. The team is also the AVCTL champions.

“It feels good,” senior Ben Garrison said. “We haven’t won it in four years.”

The Eagles are ranked ninth in the state and third in 5A. The team was scheduled to start reginoal play Tuesday against Wichita Heights.n

Lyndsey Piska

The volleyball team looks over to coach Betsy Manning for instructions during a match. The team is ranked 10th in 5A.

The volleyball team is ranked 10th in 5A. The team finished the season in third place of the AVCTL behind Newton and Derby, both ranked in the top ten in their classifications.

“We didn’t have that great of a season,” senior Josi Johnson said.

At sub-state the Eagles defeated Ark City 25-20, 25-13 to go on to the substate championship game against Bishop Carroll. The team defeated Carroll 28-26, 18-25, 25-22 to go on to state.

“I started screaming a lot,” Johnson said. “Maryssa [Recio] and I started crying.”

The team started pool play at state today against St. James Academy.n

Hannah Jurgensen

Sadie Ast

Junior Paige Hutson works on her swing during practice. The team took second in its regional and placed 10th at state.

Maize defenders bring down a Garden City player in their second game of the season.

The Eagles lost 21-7.

The football team is 1-7 with its one win being a 54-34 win against Newton on Homecoming night.

Sophomore Brayden Payne has been taking over the quarterback position for injured junior Hunter LaMunyon. The team begain district play against defending 5A champions Bishop Carroll. The Eagles lost 48-26.

The team traveled to Valley Center to play against the Hornets. The team lost the game 28-7.

“We are playing hard but we are beating ourselves,” senior Josh Caudell said. “[We need] to play with more aggression.”

The team will play its final game of the season at 7 p.m. tonight at home against Maize South.n

Sports

Emily Brecht

Senior Tiffiani Holman returns the ball to her opponent. Holman qualified for state in singles.

The girls tennis team took third at the AVCTL tennis tournament. The tennis team also went on to take second at its regional tournament.

“I think it went really well. For state five out of the top six girls qualified for state and went so that was really neat,” senior Tiffani Holman said.

Freshmen Kenadee Utech and Emma Wituk, junior Mia Magby, and seniors Cassidy Darrah and Holman all qualified for state. Holman has made it to state since sophomore year.n

The girls golf team took fifth at AVCTL golf tournament. At the team’s regional meet the team took second, qualifying the whole team for the state championship. At the state championship, sophomore Bailey Stedman placed 19th, earning a medal.

“My goal for state was to be in the top 40 but like once I came in I didn’t even think that I was going to place,” Stedman said. “And then my coach came up to me and said that I was going to place so that was pretty exciting. “ The team took 10th overall at the state championship.

“I think we did pretty good,” Stedman said. “I don’t think we did as good as we did last year, but that’s because we lost pretty good seniors.”n OctoberPlay | maizenews.com

9

10 Sports

Standing

OUT S

tanding 6-foot tall, freshman Collin Lee runs onto the football field, but not to play. Lee is the first male cheerleader Maize has had in three years.

Lori Clinton, in her first year as Maize’s cheer coach, has known Lee for years.

“The crowd loves him,” Clinton said. “He’s got so many skills. He can tumble. He can stunt. He can jump.

He can dance. He’s … everything a yell leader should be.”

Senior cheerleader Miranda Grier says the team enjoys having a guy on the team once again.

“He’s just really funny, so it’s nice to have him on the team,” she said.

When Lee was younger, cheer wasn’t on his mind. As a child, he played baseball, tennis and basketball. He credits his initial interest in cheerleading to his elementary school teacher, Kristen Scribner. Scribner told Lee’s mother that her daughter used to be at Cheer Eclipse and that he should join.

Lee began with gymnastics, but he then turned to cheerleading soon after.

“When I was little, I learned how to do a back handspring, which is like a flip, so and I thought that was really fun,” Lee said.

Along with cheering at school, Lee performs at Cheer Eclipse ,which is a competitive cheer team. He says in the springtime, he plans to add track to his schedule.

Occasionally, Lee says he faces a few challenges being the only male on the squad. He has dealt with bullies before but not many now. He said most people find it interesting that he’s a cheerleader.

“Difficulties from being a male cheerleader is maybe not looking like everyone else out there and just not doing the same motions,” Lee said.

Lee said that it was difficult for him because he had to memorize both his routine as well as the other female cheerleaders. He hopes to cheer throughout his high school career and eventually get a scholarship for it.

“Cheer means to me a lot of different things,” Lee said. “[Cheer is] just what I love to do. It just lets me have fun.”n

OctoberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

Freshman Collin Lee is the first Maize male cheerleader in 3 years

By Tyler Stuart

“

He’s got so many skills. He can tumble. He can stunt. He can jump. He can dance. He’s ... everything a yell leader ­should be. ­­— Lori Clinton, cheer coach

“

Torn, but not broken

Sports 11

Junior Jacey Handy suffers from an ACL tear that will keep her off the court for at least six months.

By Hallie Bontrager

J

unior Jacey Handy started the year out hopeful, but the definition of hope changed for her soon after she found out her anterior cruciate ligament was completely torn.

“This summer we think I partially tore it in a basketball game when I got hit by a girl,” Handy said. “[Then] in basketball workouts, I was running and I tried to stop and turn around and my knee popped out of place, so we think that hurt it worse.”

She found out about the tear on Sept. 14.

She will be out for the rest of her club basketball season as well as the school season.

There are three bones that are connected that make up the leg: the femur (thigh bone), the tibia (shin bone) and the patella (knee cap).The ACL functions as a stabilizer to the knee, preventing the tibia from sliding out in front of the femur. The ACL is one of the four main ligaments that keep the bones together. The ACL is a “cruciate ligament,” which means it controls the back and forth motion of the knee.

An ACL can be torn by stopping too quickly while running, landing wrong after jumping, changing directions quickly or colliding with someone. When it is completely torn, there is very little stabilization in the knee. Recovery from an ACL tear takes a minimum of six months, according to medicinenet.com.

“This is going to affect us,” said Jerrod Handy, her father and coach. “It is going to hurt our depth, but also Jacey just brings that fight that you need on a team. She brings a lot of desire and leadership that we are going to miss.… I’m hurt for her, not so much for me as a coach. I just feel bad that she has to go through this, but it’s one of those things where it is going to maker her tougher and stronger in the end.”

Tearing the ACL is not an injury that only affects Jacey physically.

“Emotionally, I just really struggle with dealing with not being able to do anything for myself,” she said soon after her surgery. “My parents have to do everything for me, so that took me a while to get used to. Junior year is a really big time for recruiting in college, so I’m bummed out that I’ll miss out on this.”

Even though the injury is relatively new, she is already started the healing process with therapy.

“Physically, I lost all the muscle in my leg in one day, so that was hard for me to get used to,” she said. “But I’ve been working on it. And I have exercises I do four times a day, so I’m improving really fast with my strength, which is making me happy.”

Handy started therapy the day after surgery. Her older sister, Daley Handy, who graduated in 2015 and is on the basketball team at Wyoming, tore her ACL six weeks after Jacey.

“It’s really hard on our family as a whole, because we all love sports and going through this keeps us from doing what brings us together,” Jacey said.

“However, it is making us closer. ... Daley and I are able to help each other through this.”

Jacey will be able to start walking on her leg on Nov. 12. Her doctors expect she will be able to start jogging on it around Christmas.

“Every day I just want to play more and more so it’s really hard to think about how I will be out for six months but that just motivated me to work hard in therapy so that I can get released as soon as possible.”n Maizenews.com | OctoberPlay

12 Trends “My favorite part about party ponies [is] that you can wear them either dressed up or in sweats.

It’s a very versatile hair style,” sophomore Paige Young said (left).

“It (party ponies) gets your hair out of your face but it’s down and up at the same time,” freshman Carlie Randolph said.

Don’t be bashin’ our Fashion “Crocs are my life.

They’re fashionable and match with every outfit.

A life without crocs is a life without love,” senior Andrew Wilcox said.

“I wear oversized T-shirts, because I love getting asked the question ‘Where are your pants’. My dad’s closet became mine,” senior HaLee Roland said (right).

OctoberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

Trends 13 “I started wearing big shirts the beginning of the school year. They’re very comfy. I like to get my shirts one size bigger than normal,” sophomore Lauryn Ogden said.

“I grew out my hair for football. I started growing it out in November last year.

It gets annoying and I plan to cut it in the spring,” senior Austin Winter said (right).

Maize students show off the latest fads of 2015: party ponies, shirts longer than shorts, bro flows, crocs and man buns.

“Crocs let my feet breathe and I can take them off. I feel more alive wearing crocs,” senior Jacob Schultz said.

“I started growing out my hair about a year ago. I like the way long hair looks. I can’t cut it because I'll lose my strength like Samson,” senior Garrett Winn said.

OctoberPlay | maizenews.com

14 Now Playing

Opinion

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By Savie Hughes

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eart starts to beat faster. Lungs constrict. Sweat starts to gather on the skin, and the stomach knots.

Eight percent of teens in America suffer from anxiety, according to National Institute of Mental Health. The mental disorder has been increasing since the 1950s and is the No. 1 mental health diagnosis on college campuses. Around 55.1 percent of students in America have been diagnosed. A poll taken in 2013 by Harvard School of Health says almost 40 percent of parents say that their high school-aged student is suffering from academic anxiety.

“I am surrounded by those people who are doing really well in school and it’s definitely intimidating,” senior Isabelle Rawley said. “So there is kind of that pressure to like step up your game and be as good as the class around you.”

Rawley is one of many Maize students who have taken Advanced Placement classes and admits that she has felt completely stressed by the subject matter.

“The workload was huge, and I have a really big problem with procrastination,” Rawley said. “So I wouldn’t get my work done, and I would be so overwhelmed by it, that I would just not do it.”

Rawley took Skeeter Rankin’s Advanced Placement U.S history class last year as a junior.

“With APUSH, there were so many times where I was so

Photo Illustration by Alex West and Lauryn McIntyre

“

I would lay down in front of a freight train for them anyways, and I think we need to feel that way about ourselves.

OctoberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

”

Now Playing 15

overwhelmed by work and like I said I just wouldn’t do it. Then there’s the stress from not doing it; there’s the stress from when I try to do it. I freak out about it … But I’d say even though technically [I] almost failed that class, I learned more than I have in the past.”

Junior Logan Edwards also admits to being stressed in AP U.S. history.

“There’s a lot of work that goes with it [honors classes], but I guess the biggest stress is just doing as good as everyone around you,” Edwards said.

Edwards said that his main pressure to take the class comes from his mom.

“I have to do good in a class, or else, ya know, she’s [his mom] gonna be pretty upset with me,” Edwards said.

“But I’ll be upset with myself [too] if I don’t get a good grade.”

Freshman Emily Moore, who has always been in advanced classes, said she gets anxiety over her classes too.

“Sometimes it does get to me,” Moore said. “I just know that I got to keep working through it, and then I will make it through.”

Moore said she has been kept awake at night because of the stress from her classes before.

“Well I just get stressed,” Moore said “I go to bed and [I’m] not able to sleep because I am thinking about all the stuff I had to do [that day] and [I] overthink about that stuff.”

Push yourself Rankins, who teaches APUSH, said he believes AP and honors classes are worth the hard work because they better prepare students for college and life.

“Push beyond your barrier,” Rankins said. “I tell the kids that I coach all the time ‘I am going to create a workout that you can’t finish.’ ‘Why would you do that, Coach?’ ‘Because you’re gonna work harder than you ever have and go

way past the threshold. So in your failure you’re gonna find out you’re gonna have greater success.’”

Rawley agreed that even though she struggled in class, she learned more than just history.

“It’s worth the stress, because you learn and you grow,” Rawley said. “Even though they expect more from you, you start to expect more from yourself, so you find yourself pushing harder in other aspects.”

Rankins said he gets emails from former students thanking him for his class and mentioning that the class put them ahead in college.

“That’s the kind of stuff that [lets me] know what I am doing is effective,” Rankins said. “Because I am not trying to teach a content. I love history, but I am not trying to teach just history, ...

When you get to college, if I can teach you ... how to think where it’s outside of the dodecahedron all the time, always thinking critical, analytical, adaptable, then whatever it is you choose to do, whether you are going to be in art, engineering, social sciences whatever it is you do, you are going to be good at it because you are adaptable.”

Emotions are heightened Lee Ann Batt, a physiologist at Resolutions Therapy, said she sees a lot of anxiety and depression among teenagers that is just because of the way the brain is developing during this time.

“The limbic part of your brain is kind of inside the middle [of the brain], and that’s the part that is all about emotions,” Batt said. “So teenagers get a really bad wrap with ‘Oh my god, so much drama,” and that’s true. But it’s true because the part of their brain that deals with emotions, the limbic part, is the part that is developing. The connections are being made so all the emotions

are really heightened, and then lets dump about nine gallons of hormones on top of that, which makes it super fun.”

Batt continues to talk about how advanced and AP classes can affect students mental health.

“I think that kids take honors level classes if they have parents that aren’t freaky and pushing them and they’re doing it because they know this is a good thing for them … that’s awesome,” Batt said. “But I do see a lot of kids who take honors classes that are freaking stressed out. I mean, they are really kind of over the top, but it’s because they have a lot of people pressuring them to, you know, you have to be a classical concert pianist and have a 5.0 GPA. You know all these crazy things and they are so stressed out.”

Technology advancements have also played a role in teenagers mental health, Batt said.

“The thing I really think plays the biggest part in teenagers having a lot of anxiety and depression, some of it is stuff at home, but some of it is with the phones and with the way technology has advanced,” Batt said. “There is a lot of things that parents can’t be involved in and monitor. So that’s kind of scary, because the stuff that their [teenagers are] exposed to ­­— holy smokes — it makes me cringe, but that’s just the normal thing for them.”

Batt said the best way to help teenagers with mental illnesses is for them to learn to love themselves.

“I think about my kids,” she said. “I know my kids well. I love them very much. I also know what their challenges are. I know that there are things about them that they probably could improve on, but I love them anyway. I would lay down in front of a freight train for them anyways, and I think we need to feel that way about ourselves.”n OctoberPlay | maizenews.com

16 Spotlight

On a dark and stormy night...

Design by Tori Lemon and Shae White

Students send in their very own six-word horror stories.

Sorry, we don’t have wifi here - Madilyn Neigenfind, Looked in cupboard, freshman

no Scooby Snacks - Michael Rivas, senior Are you gonna eat that? ... Yes - Toby Bartlett, sophomore

OctoberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

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Photo illustrations by Tori Lemon

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I got my report card today - Palmer Bills, senior b a la n c e i t n s5 u o c

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You can’t run from inner demons - Koda Vaughn, sophomore

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Spotlight 17 The AP Physics test is tomorrow - Alli Wheeler, junior

Alarm buzzes, wakes up for school - Makena Frazier, freshman

[insert teenage first world problem here] - Konrad Kahnert, freshman Donald Trump is our next president - Sandra Carlo, senior

Five missed calls...

All from mom - Josi Johnson, senior li n k e d

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Photo illustration by Shae White

OctoberPlay | maizenews.com

18 Column

S

The Intangible Fears

weat drips off her brow, razor winged butterflies fly through her stomach leaving her with a slight sick feeling, and an uncontrollable shake starts in her hands.

“I’m fine. Breath. Just keep your head down and maybe they won’t notice you. Act normal,” she said to herself in a failed attempt to calm down. She continues to walk down the street past the group of boys who have been too friendly to others before her.

“Hey baby,” one said. Her heart speeds up and she starts to walk faster.

“Where ya goin’?” another said grabbing her. Her scream was the last thing anybody heard.

He could hear his heart in his ears as he walked into the small house. He didn’t know what to expect tonight. Was his dad going to be sober? Doubtful. Was his mom going to be home? Doubtful.

He paused at the door.

“Just walk in and go straight to your room.” He took a deep breath and opened it. His dad was sitting in the chair facing him. A beer in one hand and his fist clenched in the other. He got up out of the chair.

The teacher slides the paper onto her desk. The classroom was abnormally quiet, minus the tapping pencils and shaking legs. But her mind was racing.

“What’s the best way to solve a quadratic equation? Factoring?

Square something? I should have studied more!” She racks her brain trying to remember everything she had learned that semester. She forces her hand to scribble her name on her final. She then looks at the first question. The blood drained from her face.

I was sitting on the couch. The air was still thick from the argument and the echos of the yelling had just dissipated. I just stared at my hands as the tears slipped from my cheeks.

I knew if I looked up I would see the disappointment in their eyes. I would see anger that would contort their faces. The doubt that would have overcome them was

OctoberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

By Savie Hughes

terrifying to imagine.

I thought I did my best. But sometimes best isn’t good enough.

I felt as if I had stamped failure on my forehead in big red letters and no matter how many hours of scrubbing it wouldn’t fade away.

When did fear become so potent in teenagers’ lives? What happened to the worry-free world that is painted in the movies, where the bad guys always lose and the princesses are always saved?

When did the streets turn into a war zone? Constantly dodging stares, aiming for escape routes, and taking vulgar language to the confidence that we all have struggled our whole life to keep.

How come alcohol has become more comforting than love?

When did temporary relief that constantly has to be refurbished become better than the love of family and friends? Is it worth it?

Is losing everything, worth that burning feeling in the back of your throat?

When did knowledge become an anxiety attack? School is supposed to be a place to get ready for life.

It is supposed to be the place that kids can go to learn, socialize, and develop themselves. But instead it’s about a letter on a piece of paper. It has become a jail of social classes, pressure, a verbal ground zero of who said what, and it takes pieces of ourselves with it.

Why are teens left awake at night worried that they will be failures? Who decided that their future’s are more important in the present? Why did success feel so out of reach in those lonely nights?

Fear leaves us with so many questions. It leaves us sad, it leaves us confused, it makes us wonder if our friends are actually friends, and it cuts scars so deep that everybody can see them but they’re too shy to ask for the story behind it.

But when the scars fade and if we realize that we are only as good as the company we keep maybe we can all start to rebuild what was left over from this time in our life and become the person we were meant to be.n

Photo illustration by Jesse Ellis

Column 19

ISOLATED

By Christian Hurst

I

’m terrified of being out of my comfort zone in social situations. It feels like every comment meant to encompass a general audience is targeted directly at me. Being talked to by teachers in the middle of class makes me break out in a sweat.

Public speaking is almost impossible. The feeling that acrophobics get when they’re 30 stories up is the same feeling I get when I need to go grocery shopping.

The reason for this is social anxiety, a mental disorder that affects 40 million Americans, including myself. That’s a huge number, almost 17 percent. Me, and those like me, are in almost constant fear of making mistakes or being judged by others.

It’s hard to eat, work, talk or even walk in front of groups in fear of doing it wrong. I would rather deal with a runny nose for an hour and a half than get up in front of the class to get a tissue.

Even in math, which is by far my weakest subject, I cover my page when the teacher walks by because I don’t want the help. It’s not because I don’t want to do well; I just don’t want any attention on my mistakes. I’m failing my classes because getting help from teachers makes me want to crawl into a corner and cry.

These fears can lead to crippling panic attacks. My legs turn to Jello, my palms start to sweat, and all of my joints lock up. These are just a few of the things that I get whenever I’m in the middle of a situation I’m not comfortable with.

The worst part is how it affects my life. Those who suffer from social anxiety will also commonly suffer from depression. I hate spending a whole day in my room with the inability to talk with anyone out of extreme fear.

Depression is caused by an overwhelming self-hatred, at least in my case. It’s almost as if I have a demon on my shoulder telling me I’m not worth it. I know my fear is irrational, but whenever I have one of those panic attacks, I can’t think of anything other than how worthless I am.

Trying to run from your problems is common. There are weekends where I just don’t get out of bed. Some people find this lazy, and others find it relaxing. I see it as procrastination that I can hardly control, and I hate myself when I’ve realized nothing I needed to do got done. I hate it because I know that I can’t move on in life if I just waste my time watching YouTube in bed all day, and that scares me.

I ask myself these questions on a daily basis: Where am I going in life? Is what I’m doing right now what I really want to be doing? Why do I have to waste my time in this class when I know I’ll never use it?

Is my life even worth anything?n

OctoberPlay | maizenews.com

20 Entertainment

The Time I...

Students reminisce on memorable past events.

Design by Bailey Birkholz

Photos and Photo Illustration by Sadie Ast

“

I tried to fly by jumping out of the swing and broke my arm when I was 5. My mom told me that I always wanted to be a bird, so I tried to fly. I was swinging and I just jumped out and landed on my stomach with my right arm under my stomach and I just started screaming.

“

-Haleigh Avila, junior

“

One time I was at On the Border with my friend and she dared me to take the salt shakers from the table. I picked up a couple and just ran out of the restaurant.

We laughed so hard.

“

-Keely Hanson, freshman

“

I was going home with my good friend and he said, ‘Mason, I bet you’re not a worse driver than Sawyer Barragan.’ I said, ‘There is no way that I’m not a worse driver than Sawyer, is this a challenge?’ I push maybe 50 going out and pass a stop sign also resulting in me almost flipping my car. I started revving up my engine and I got it to about 9,000 RPMs. I put it straight into drive while the car was still revved up and the emergency break was still pulled, so the engine started bouncing and the drive shaft completely shattered and fell to pieces.

“

-Mason Lange, junior OctoberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

Entertainment 21

“

One time before a track meet I was extremely nervous. I wasn’t prepared, and I didn’t think I was going to do good.

It ended to have a better outcome than I thought. I ran the race, forgot about everything and ended up getting second place.

“

“

“

-Nick Reiswig, freshman

I had 24 donuts in one day when I worked at Paradise Donuts. It was pretty awesome.

“

Photo submission by Jaelyn Carter

“

-Parker Raile, junior

I went parasailing in Florida the first time ever going there. It was one of the most exciting and insane things I have ever done in my life.

-Jaelyn Carter, sophomore

“

Photo submission by Parker Raile

I was out hunting one day and in the trees I heard this weird noise. I went to see what it was and it was just a squirrel staring at me and his little tail was waving back and forth. I started walking up to him and then all of a sudden he just started chasing me, so I started running. I had to jump over a fence just to get away from him. It seriously was one of the weirdest things I’ve ever experienced.

“

-Braeland Booth, sophomore OctoberPlay | maizenews.com

22 Photo Focus

Homecoming T

REWIND

By Emily Brecht and Lyndsey Piska

Senior Lucas Farney “smashes” his homecoming skit on Oct. 9.

Photo by Alex West

he bonfire was called off because of rain.

The Powder Puff game got, shall we say, a little rough.

And the football game was delayed because the electricity went out.

But even though the week didn’t go off without hitches, Homecoming was a memorable time.

The big game was Friday. It started with skits during a pep assembly and the school day ended with the annual parade.

Lucas Farney was named king and Ashley Zane was queen.

The football team capped off the night by defeating Newton 54-34 for its first win of the season.n

Ashley Zane and Lucas Farney get crowned homecoming king and queen at the football game on Oct. 9. Photo by Lizzie Bell

Seniors Hannah Costello and Braden Fountain perform their Homecoming candidate skit during the pep assembly on Oct. 9. Photo by Alex West

OctoberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

Senior Rolando Rodriguez raps during Coachella on Oct. 8.

Photo by Alex West

Stay out late at the

Wichita Art Museum

and make some art.

Sketch-a-Thon is a special night for high school students to meet local artists, make art, dance, and eat pizza, and it’s all FREE! Saturday, November 21

6 to 10 pm at WAM !

Wichita Art Museum 1400 W. Museum Blvd.

FREE admission but advance registration is required:

wichitaartmuseum.org/register

for information email education@wichitaartmuseum.org