September 2015 by Play newsmagazine

Play “Unless they’ve been through the same thing, they’ll never know how much it took for you to come out” PAGE 12-14

Heritage or Hatred? PAGE 11

“We may not agree on the same things. But at the end of the day, we are all human beings.” Pages 10-11

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

Confessions of Maize Students & Staff PAGE 22-23

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Table of contents read.watch.play. Volume 9, Issue 1 | September 2015

Soccer back in action

Starters for the boys soccer team take a knee before the game against Rose Hill begins. Photo by Lyndsey Piska. COVER: Photo illustration by Emily Brecht and Lyndsey Piska.

News

Jillian Rhodes becomes SRO at Maize. ACT to substitute for NWEA.

Lifestyle

Students share why they support the Confederate flag. Also, why some do not stand for the pledge.

Opinion

Relationships and PDA: why some students need to tone down the love.

Now Playing

Students share their struggles with sexual orientation and the effect it has on their everyday lives.

Column

Photo Focus

Sports

Entertainment

Reporter Jesse Ellis weighs in on freedom. Reporter Tori Lemon shares a story about a loved family member.

A look behind the scenes at what coaches do and the difficulties they face.

The cheer and dance teams combine to form the spirit squad.

Confessions of Maize students and staff.

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

Play newsmagazine editor Kendra Cunningham Maizenews.com editor Nick Mathias Design editor Emily Brecht Photo editor Lyndsey Piska Features & lifestyles 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 Savie Hughes Christian Hurst Hannah Jurgensen Tori Lemon Lauryn McIntyre Tyler Stuart Kayleigh Vestring Alex West Shae White Becca Zinabu Adviser Dan Loving 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.

maizenews.com | SeptemberPlay

News

New officer takes over as SRO By Kayleigh Vestring and Delanie Pierce

tudents might have noticed the new student resource officer (SRO) walking around the halls this year. Police officer Jillian Rhodes has joined the school after USD 266 eliminated its police force and contracted with the City of Maize Police Department. After working as a patrol officer for nearly six years, Rhodes applied to be the officer at the high school. She said there was not much to grow in her previous position and wanted to be in a new environment. “Being [on patrol] is different to a degree because it’s usually more of negative contacts,” Rhodes said. “But here, I can be more personal with everybody and get to know them a little bit more.” Although Rhodes works in the school

Officer Rhodes supervises the football game against Salina Central. Photo by Tyler Stuart.

during the day, she still has to help out with court and transporting inmates occasionally after the school day ends. On a daily basis, Rhodes’

responsibilities include watching bus traffic in the afternoon, the parking lot in the morning and the afternoon as well as during lunch hours and walking the halls during class or passing periods. “I’m helping out as much as I can, even if it’s not something criminal related, if it’s just a kid having a bad day,” Rhodes said. Rhodes attends football games on Friday nights along with other school activities like cross country or track. “I did cross country and track in school, so I’m hoping to get to one of those,” Rhodes said. If you need to contact Officer Rhodes, you can email her at jrhodes@ usd266.com or visit her in her office, room A4.n

The ACT Aspire will replace the NWEA in the upcoming year to help improve the overall test scores on the ACT itself. Photo by Alex West.

Juniors visit colleges while other classes test

uesday will be a day for testing at Maize. While seniors take the ACT, freshmen and sophomores will take the ACT Aspire. Juniors will get the day off to visit colleges. Kevin Fye, who is the head of the English department and is assisting with test coordination, is a fan of the shift to ACT tests. “I’m one of the biggest cheerleaders for that,” Frye said. Frye said he hopes the shift to the ACT Aspire will help students achieve higher scores on the ACT when they take it during their junior and senior years, creating more oppurtunities for scholarships and college entrance. “It means more than the state assessments in the past,” he said.

SeptemberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

By Jesse Ellis

Freshman and sophomore students will take the ACT Aspire instead of the NWEA. The ACT Aspire is another way to gauge student progress as they approach college. Colleges do not look at the Aspire. The ACT Aspire is a suite of tests for assessing common core performance across English, math, reading and science that are designed for students from third grade through to junior year, according to Gazettes.com While seniors will take the ACT this year during school, the district is considering shifting it to the junior class in the future to make it more valuable for students. In the spring, freshmen and sophomores will take the ACT summative assessments. The summative assessments

are used to evaluate student learning, skill acquisitions and academic achievements at the conclusion of a defined instructional period — typically at the end of a project, unit course, semester, program or school year, according to Edglossary.org The overall goal for the change is for the students to achieve a higher score on the ACT. “The NWEA was used prior more to identify students and their reading level or math level to see if they are on their grade level. The ACT Aspire can do that to a certain extent, but especially on how we are starting out and utilizing it; it’s not going to be that instant feedback on the specific lexile level or grade level for students in the same way,” Frye said.n

News

Budget cuts increase class sizes By Tyler Stuart

“

You want to provide the best education you can for students, and I think that we’re doing the absolute best that we can. - Principal Chris Botts

“

n the first day of school, students noticed something different within their classes. Maize, along with nearly every other school in the state, was hit with a large cut to the yearly budget. With the cut, class sizes have become larger. "Due to budget cuts, we've lost some teachers, and we haven't been able to replace some of those teachers ... especially in our math department," assistant principal Sonya Tice said. The entire district is seeing an increased number of students in classrooms. “We are up enrollment this year a little bit from last year, and so we have two things working against [us]," principal Chris Botts said. "You've got less staff and more students, which can only mean bigger class sizes.” This year Maize is without one Spanish teacher, a librarian, one art teacher, one English teacher, a half-time math teacher and a counselor, plus some support positions.The larger classes aren’t just affecting the students, but teachers as well. With more students per class, teachers now have an additional challenge dealing with the larger numbers. “When Maize High School was built, it was designed to have class sizes of 24, and then we got to the practice of 28, and now there are several with 30 [or] 32 students,” Botts said. Tice said there has not been a difference in student behavior, but she has seen more cooperative activities within the classroom. Classes where group activities are more common have become harder to teach because of classroom space this year. "The hardest thing for us is labs,” chemistry teacher Fran Houseman said, “because we really have space for about 26, so when you get 27, get 29, you get five at a station and it [makes it harder] because they don't get to participate as much." Teachers are not the only ones feeling the pressure this year. Administration is also facing problems dealing with this issue. “I feel frustrated; I feel helpless [about class sizes]," Botts said. "You want to provide the best education you can for students, and I think that we’re doing the absolute best that we can. We obviously can always do better, but that's one thing that's out of our hands. It's just something we don't have control over right now."n

SeptemberPlay | maizenews.com

News

Castillo overcomes lifelong disabililties By Christian Hurst

octors told senior Maddie Castillo’s parents that it would be miraculous if she could walk again, let alone run. Fast forward 17 years and Castillo stands at the top of a podium holding a gold medal. When she was 9 months old, she suffered a stroke that limited use of her right arm and leg. Growing up, Castillo was made fun of for her disability. “There was a girl in PE who would hold her arm to her chest, like Maddie’s and call her a retard,” Maddie’s mother, Tara Castillo, said. Over the summer, Castillo took first place participating in long jump at the United States Paralympics Track and Field National Championships in Minnesota. Her mom partially credits Maddie’s strength to their strong family bond. “Her father and her are really close,” Tara said. Tara also said Maddie sees other people with a more substantial disability and knows that life could be worse. Bethany Hamilton is a surfer who lost her left arm to a shark attack in 2003. “Bethany Hamilton is a huge inspiration to Maddie. She heard her story

Senior Maddie Castillo gains recognition from school board president Matt Jensby for her performance at the United States Paralympics Track and Field National Championships. Photos by Lyndsey Piska.

SeptemberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

and thought ‘At least I can still use my arm,’” Tara said. This is her fourth year participating in track, and she plans to run even after graduating high school. “I just wanted to pick it up and do something for the school,” Maddie said. When Maddie had arrived at her first track practice, she accidently started running with the distance team. Maddie was able to keep up the entire time, but when her mom showed up to pick her up, she was in tears. “[Maddie] wasn’t sure what she wanted to do,” Tara said. Tara called distance coach Skeeter Rankins to tell him that Maddie wasn’t sure if she wanted to continue. Rankins told her that when the team was running and she showed up, he had no idea who she was, but was impressed with her effort to keep up. Rankins told Tara that he really wanted her on the team and convinced Maddie to stay. “Meeting new people and running with them” is Maddie’s reason for continuing the sport. When Maddie’s teammates feel like giving up at workouts, girls track coach Dana Handy holds her up as an

example. “[Her disability] affects her performance. She’s not able to jump as far or run as fast because she [only] has full use on one side of her body,” Handy said. “It’s never hurt her work ethic, how hard she tries, it never affects that.” After her success at the National Championships, Maddie was invited to the National Junior Disability Championships, which is held annually in New Jersey. “People from around the world compete against each other, and that’s cool,” Castillo said. She won’t stop there, however. Castillo plans to attend the Tokyo Paralympics in 2020. This competition will be held alongside the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. Tara said that Maddie has improved every year and that her teachers always compliment her work ethic. “There hasn’t been a single year that a teacher hasn’t said that they wish their students would have half the drive as Maddie,” Tara said. Maddie says that her drive to push herself so hard comes from seeing others test their limits, which inspires her to do the same.n

News 7 These stories first appeared on our website, www.maizenews.com.

Maize competes with other Wichita-area schools for spirit contest

KAKE News is hosting a contest to see which of the Wichita area schools backs their mascot the most. The contest began Aug. 31 and will end on Oct. 9. The school with the most school spirit will win a $3,500 mascot costume along with $1,000 regional prizes for their school. KAKE will be hoping to shoot another round of commercials during the currently. “Perhaps we can make a skit for Mr. Maize to get some air time,” sports director Shane Ewing said. Each person is limited to one vote per day. Voters can check out KAKE Sports to see how well their school is doing and where they are ranked on the spirit scale. Schools are broken up into zones by their location. The winner of each zone will receive $1,000 toward their school’s athletic department on Oct. 9. “When the regional winners square off against each other in mid-October is when it gets really fun,” Ewing said. The funds will be given for the new mascot at that time.n -Kayleigh Vestring

Barbara receives Mary Jane Teall Award for teaching

While some teachers are out coaching on the field, others inside rehearsing for performances. Drama and theater teacher Kathleen Barbara recently received the Mary Jane Teall award. Mary Jane Teall was a teacher at Wichita State and started up the Wichita Community Theater. Barbara describes Teall as “a force to be reckoned with.” Teall passed away in a car crash and the community wanted to do something to recognize her. One teacher is chosen each year to receive the award. “It always feels good to be recognized,” Barbara said.n -Andrea Fuhrman

K-State Engineering Scholar’s Day to be held on Sept. 28 On Sept. 28, students have the opportunity to attend the K-State Engineering Scholars Day. Students interested in engineering

who have a composite ACT score of 28 or above or a cumulative high school GPA of 3.6 or above are encouraged to attend. “Most of these kids have already researched this, and they know they want to go to K-State. They’re going to go to this and they’re wanting to get to see what wonderful things they are going to offer to them. They’re going to have a chance to meet some of the professors, this is just going to be an in for them,” head counselor Lyn Brown said. Students will have a morning session, then a lunch break where they will eat with K-State engineering students and faculty, followed by a afternoon session. Throughout the day, students will learn more about the engineering curriculum and career options, campus activities and programs, understanding the available scholarships and more.n -Hannah Jurgensen

Botts challenges teachers to do one nice thing a day

#th1ng is a movement that principal Chris Botts started in order to create change in students lives and help build the relationship between teacher and student. “I challenged the staff [this month] to do one thing every day to make a difference. And that could be writing a letter to a kid, making a phone call home and hopefully they are doing more than one thing, but at a minimum of one thing a day that’s gonna make a difference or make somebody’s day,” Botts said. Botts presented this idea during a faculty meeting with the intent to help build the relationship between student and teacher, and he wants to see change happen at the school. “If they do that every single day throughout the school year, just think about the number of people that will have a positive impact,” Botts said. Students are encouraged to follow through with this movement too by doing one nice thing for other students or teachers and staff.n -Jesse Ellis

Poole nominated for Kansas Teacher of the Year Award

It was a normal day at school for Family and Consumer Science teacher Cara Poole. While engaging in a routine check of her e-mail inbox she discovered that she was one of the two teachers

nominated in the district for the Kansas Teacher of the Year Award. “I felt honored, it was nice of them.” Poole said. The Kansas Teacher of the Year award is held yearly. The award is meant to recognize teachers who do an exemplary job in their day-to-day work. Candidates are from all over the state of Kansas, including a wide range of subjects. “I like to teach things, especially in the kitchen. There’s a lot to learn about teamwork and problem solving,” Poole said. “A lot of that’s more important than any of the end results anyways. [It’s] the process to get there, and that’s what I really like about [teaching].” Poole was one of the two teachers nominated in the Maize School District for this award. Each school district gets two nominations total, one for elementary classroom and the other for secondary classrooms. “If somebody says you’re doing a good job, it makes you do better because you want to keep doing a good job and keep things new and different,” Poole said.n -Lauryn McIntyre

Update: School threat sets off modified lockdown

The school was on modified lockdown during first block on Sept. 6 due to threats made on social media. The threats were made toward specific students at Maize from a student from a different school. Threats included meeting the boys at the school with a gun. Teachers were informed to lock their classrooms during first block and continue on with lessons. “When I was walking into school, I saw that there was unusual stuff going on like lots of cops outside the school,” sophomore Sydney Blair said. “I didn’t think much of it.” The school practices lockdown drills at least twice a year each year to be ready for when something like that is to happens. “When I finally realized what was happening, my heart dropped,” Blair said. “Everyone in my class was freaking out because nothing like this has ever happened before.” According to the Wichita Eagle story regarding the arrest, the middle-school boy was taken to the Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center.n -Delanie Pierce SeptemberPlay | maizenews.com

Opinion

Get a room Public displays of affection are not OK. By Hallie Bontrager and Shae White for the Play editorial board

eing in a relationship is a great feeling, and when we have someone to love, we want everyone to know. However, some ways of expressing your love for each other are a little too intimate for the public eye. Social media has become a hotspot for endearment. It becomes a routine for people to post about their love life. Scrolling through your feed, you can find things like pictures of couples kissing or cuddling, along with status updates talking about how in love they are. However, not all couples fall into this habit. “I just don’t feel the need to [post about my relationship],” MaKayla Toth said. While Toth understands that not everyone has the desire to see into her private life, senior Kirby McCandless has other views on the topic. “I want to promote my relationship. I’m proud of my girlfriend [senior Josi Johnson],”McCandless said. “Maybe I post a little too much, but if [people] don’t like it, they can choose not to follow me.” Unfollowing, unfriending and even blocking might be good ways to control what you have to see on your feed, but that doesn’t change the fact that what some people choose to post is inappropriate. Even though people may want to show each other off all the time, they should take into consideration when it’s the right time and place to be all lovey-dovey. There is a fine line between too much and just enough affection in public. Some couples know that they don’t need to be all over each other in front of others, while other couples have no limit as to what they do. “I know that there’re a lot of couples that make out at school and I think it’s pretty gross. No one wants to see that,” McCandless said. Toth is also not a fan of seeing these affairs in the hallways. “Hugs are OK, but kissing is a little iffy,” Toth said. “There are too many people around.” Yes, a good connection with someone is something to be proud of, but we have to keep in mind what’s appropriate and what’s not. Save the kisses and the cuddles for the privacy of your home. Your newsfeeds and classrooms aren’t meant for affection. Sometimes we get too caught up in the suggestive and provacative feelings that public displays of affection give us, we have to keep in mind that relationships are between two people. Displaying every single aspect of your bond for everyone to see is completely unnecessary. You wouldn’t get touchy-feely in front of your grandparents or siblings, so don’t do it in front of someone else’s grandparents or siblings. Save the intimacy for each other, not the whole world. If you do choose to participate in PDA, remember that not everyone around you is choosing to participate, too. Just because you are comfortable with things, doesn’t mean everyone else is.n

SeptemberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

Photos and Design by Andrea Fuhrman

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Maize Eagles_BW.pdf

9/14/15

10:27 AM

10 Lifestyles

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, Indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

SeptemberPlay | maizenews.com

Photo by Lizzie Bell

Lifestyles 11

Heritage or Hatred?

Students and teachers talk about the current issues with the Confederate flag and standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. By Savannah Hughes and Bailey Birkholz

the lives of the students involved. He also told them to say goodbye to their parents and explained how he would assault them. His threats caused a lockdown on Sept. 3. “I wasn’t afraid, but I was more concerned for the future,” Fitzmier said. “[It] doesn’t make me feel any “[The flag] doesn’t offend me,” different about the flag itself.” Head said. “My ancestors fought and Over time, people have come up died for that flag, and really it’s not a with different opinions of the flag sign of racism. It’s a sign of heritage.” and what it stands for. Some say it’s The students got their Confederate a flag representing racism and hate, flag taken away by administrawhile others view it as a sign of their tion and were warned that if they heritage and freedom. brought it back to school they would “There’s a lot of issues with the get kicked off school property or Confederate flag negatively and suspended. positively. The Confederate flag “Aren’t there bigger things to worry was a way of life for a region of this about [than a flag]?” English teacher country at one time and many times, Amy Jensen said, “We got kids who and it’s a perception thing that it are hungry; we got kids who can’t deals with slavery,” history teacher read; schools need money; [we] got Ben Harlow said. “I think that we’re other things to worry about.” a progressive nation that is gone However, not all people see the beyond that [slavery]. If the people flag as southern heritage. Some see see the Confederate flag as a way it as a symbol of racism and have of life, maybe they should create a become upset over students display- new Confederate flag as a way of life ing the flag. instead of one that’s attached to such a bad part of our history.” My ancestors fought In the past, during the Civil War, and died for that flag, and the Confederate flag was the southflag. It was the second one that really it’s not a sign of rac- ern had been made because the first one ism. It’s a sign of heritage. looked too much like the Union flag and soldiers would get confused in -Sophomore Matthew Head battle. “I think some people interpret it After the war, many racist groups wrong,” Fitzmier said. “I am not rac- such as the Ku Klux Klan flew ist myself, but I have been accused of the flag, which is where it became being racist several times.” further associated with representing Earlier this month, a student from racial oppression. another school made a threat on a “I don’t feel that it’s racism, and social media sight directed at one of I’m not racist,” Brown said, “I’m just the students with the flag. flying a flag because I like the flag … “I will see you at maize high I’m just trying to show people that tommorow. Morning with a gun it’s not bad.” and bring your boy friends to,” the Freshman Noah Stanton said that student said on Instagram. he doesn’t like the flag but that he The student continued to comwouldn’t treat his friends any differment on the photo, threatening all ently because they do. lash back to the first day of school. A white pickup pulls into the parking lot with a Confederate flag flowing on the back. Senior Corbin Troyer and sophomores Seth Fitzmier, Jacob Brown, Matthew Head, Carson Drennan and a few others parade around the parking lot with the flag.

“

”

“I feel like they’re still there and they can still be my friends,” Stanton said. “We may not agree on the same things. But at the end of the day, we are all human beings.” Flying the Confederate flag isn’t the only act that has been causing disruptions in the school; some students are against standing and saying the Pledge of Allegiance. “Well the pledge is sincerely a sign of respect and a part of patriotism,” Harlow said. “We do it every day, it’s has always been the tradition to do it every day, so I really don’t have a problem with it and I think we should continue to do it every day.” Senior Miles Medaris finds it offensive when students don’t stand for the Pledge in the morning. “It really kind of makes me upset,” Medaris said, “I mean, you’re in this country, a lot of people died for you in this country, and for you to take 15 to 20 seconds out of your day to honor them, I think you should at least do that for what they have done for you.” Sophomore Ronin Longacre is one of the students who doesn’t stand for the pledge. He says it’s not only for religious reasons but also because he feels that worshiping the flag isn’t important. “If, like, a soldier was to come in, I would gladly shake his hand for serving,” Longacre said. "But I’m not gonna, like, stand up and worship the flag that put him there in the first place.” n

“ ”

Well the pledge is sincerely a sign of respect and a part of patriotism. -History teacher Ben Harlow

SeptemberPlay | maizenews.com

12 Now Playing

Smashing THE CLOSET Students share their coming-out stories Story by Tori Lemon Design by Becca Zinabu Photos by Alex West

Senior Maica Parga stuggled with identifying her sexuality proir to finding the asexual community.

he wakes up and gets ready for school. Goes to class. Chats with friends. She goes through the motions of a normal day. All is fine until six words replay in her head. “Maybe I’m broken in some way.” That’s what senior Maica Parga felt nearly every day due to her unique sexuality. Parga identifies as being asexual, meaning she has no sexual attraction — only emotional attractions — to others. “It’s more of a romantic attraction to somebody,” she said. Parga is one of many Maize students dealing with and learning to cope with their sexualities in a predominantly heterosexual environment. Although society accepts these students more today than it did a decade ago, they are fighting a battle of acceptance. On June 26, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 in favoring gay marriage in all 50 states. It was at that point that a lot of people, including some at Maize, decided to “come out of the closet.” Parga noticed at a young age that a lot of other people were talking about things in their relationships that have never been a priority to her. She said she’s never needed to achieve any physical goals with her significant other. When Parga first came out to her parents, she informed them that she was bisexual. “I came out in seventh grade to my parents,” Parga said.

SeptemberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

“They didn’t really care, even though we were Catholic. I thought they would freak out.” It wasn’t until recently that she found out she was asexual. Again, she informed her parents and they were indifferent on the topic. Her peers, however, have not been as understanding. “I get asked the same questions a lot. People always ask ‘Well, how do you know?’” Parga said. “There’s not much I can tell them other than it’s just one of those things you just feel.” For students who may be experiencing the same types of feelings, but aren’t sure how to manage or cope with them, Parga has a message. “Don’t jump to conclusions, as with any sexuality,” she said “It’s something you just have to research on. Identifying yourself as something is always really hard. It’s just something you have to take the time to figure it out, and it won’t all happen overnight.”

‘He won’t accept me’

Freshman Hannah Ebaugh’s journey to self-discovery started in sixth grade. “I feel like I’ve been this way my whole life. It wasn’t official until the beginning of middle school that I finally started to call myself bisexual,” Ebaugh said. Ebaugh kept her sexuality a secret for three years. She tried

Now Playing 13 hard to just ignore it, but the feelings she was having weren’t going away, no matter how hard she tried to deny them. She just recently came out to her aunt. “She’s a Jehovah’s Witness, so she of course lectured me a little bit, but not too much. She accepts it, but she doesn’t like it,” Ebaugh said. Her father is against it, making it difficult for her to want to tell him the secret she’s carried with her for years. “My dad’s a homophobic. He hates gay people, and he’d probably hate me too,” she said. She attributes her dad’s mindset to the fact that he grew up in Texas and his parents were very strict. “If I came out to him, he’d probably disown me. He always talks about how our Common Core classes are making us think that being gay is OK. It hurts, and I just want to scream,” Ebaugh said. Ebaugh explained that the way she copes with it simply by standing up for gay rights. “One day my dad and I got into a huge argument. He kept saying ‘The rainbow was supposed to be for a good thing, and now look what they’re doing to it!’” Ebaugh said. “It just makes me upset that he won’t accept them. If he won’t accept others, he won’t accept me.” Ebaugh mentioned that coming out at school was much easier and safer than ever coming out at home. “A lot more people accept it at school. I wore my ‘Homophobia is gay’ shirt and I guess that’s how I decided to come out,” she said. She discovered that her self-acceptance is far more important than the acceptance of others.

‘Just go for it’

Freshman Charly Woods was in eighth grade when she first developed feelings for someone of the same gender. “When I told her I liked her, she asked me for how long, and I told her it was for about a year,” Woods said. “She was the first girl I’ve ever had feelings for.” Woods identifies her sexuality as either being bisexual or pansexual. Bisexuality is having attractions to males and females. Pansexuality is being attracted to someone regardless of their biological sex, gender or gender identity.

When Woods came out to her parents, she received very different reactions. “My dad didn’t really care. He doesn’t understand bisexuality, but he doesn’t mind it,” Woods said. “My mom was very upset, though. She kept telling me that I have to either like a boy or a girl, and that’s just the way it was.” After telling her parents, Woods soon came out to her peers. She received a lot of ridicule and had to do a lot of explaining. “I got made fun of once people found out,” Woods said. “They kept asking me, ‘What are you going to date next? A guy or a girl’? Some didn’t even understand what bisexuality was.” She found comfort after joining the Gay-Straight Alliance club, and she realized she wasn’t alone. “Some people might try to take you down. They might try to make you feel bad, but you just have to go for it,” Woods said. “I did, and it all turned out okay.”

‘I’ll actually have a chance’

“Thing have been a lot different here, and a lot better,” Ricky said. “I have yet to come out to a lot of people, though.” When looking for comfort at home, he turns to his mother, who is understanding on the topic. “My mom’s for it, but I think my dad is against it,” he said. “I feel like my mom would be very supportive, my dad would be the exact opposite.” Ricky would love to eventually come out to his father, but the fear of rejection holds him back. “He wouldn’t support me as a person, I know that for sure,” he said. To those who he’s come out to, he’s had more of an optimistic experience. “The people who know at school are perfectly fine with it,” he said. “They don’t treat me any differently.” The passing of gay marriage in June gave Ricky hope for others and hope for himself. “I was happy that everyone who’s in love can actually get married and be happy,” he said. “So if I meet a guy and fall in love one day, I’ll actually have a chance.” Story continues on page 14.

Ricky, whose name we’ve changed in order to protect his anonymity, knew as early as 10 years old that he was bisexual. Trying to understand why his feelings were different than others his age was a constant battle. “All the guys would always talk about girls, and they would never talk about guys,” he said. “I never understood why.” He tried to come out to his peers, and it took a turn for the worst. “I was bullied when I came out,” he said. Ricky thinks the reasoning behind that was he was so young, and people didn’t understand what being bisexual or gay really was at that time, let alone how to react when a friend identified as that. Four years later, he moved to Maize. That’s when the bullying finally Freshman Hannah Ebaugh’s frustration grows because stopped. her father doesn’t understand homosexualty. SeptemberPlay | maizenews.com

14 Now Playing Photo by Alex West

Story continued from page 13.

‘I’m still Sandy’

Senior Sandy Carlo feels that bisexuals aren’t taken as seriously because they go back and forth between men and women.

SeptemberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

For a while, senior Sandy Carlo had no doubt in her mind that she was straight. “I always thought I was straight. I mean like super straight. I never even considered not being straight,” Carlo said. “But one day I was really thinking about it. I realized I have a lot of “girl crushes” but I never put much thought into it. I realized that they weren’t just “girl crushes,” they were just actual crushes.” Carlo thought about the feelings she was having for a very long time before fully identifying as bisexual. “It was sort of like ‘hmm maybe I am, maybe I’m not,’” Carlo said. “For a long time I forgot that bisexuality even was a thing.” One of Carlo’s most defining moments was when she was on a Business Professionals of America trip to California. She was sitting beside a male and female, and that was the moment she discovered her true feelings. “It was then that I realized I had the same feelings and attractions for boys and girls,” Carlo said. Carlo came out only to a few people at first. She attributed that hesitation not out of fear of people’s responses, but she felt that she didn’t know how to tell people. “I realized that I didn’t have to tell people. It didn’t change me,” she said. “I was Sandy before I realized it, and I’m still Sandy now.” Carlo mentioned that she had been wanting to come out to more people for a while, she just had to figure out the perfect way to do so. The passing of the law regarding gay marriage is what encouraged Carlo to come out on social media. “The finally legalized it and I was so excited. However, I noticed that a lot of the coverage was on those who are gay,” Carlo said. “I finally was just like, okay. I’m going to literally put this out there for the world.” Carlo explained that she’s never had regrets for coming out the way she did, and she didn’t receive any negative feedback from her peers. “No one ever made me feel bad about it, and everyone was just super supportive,” she said. Carlo was never worried about what her peers would say, she was more

concerned with the adults that follow her on social media. “I was worried with adults and teachers questioning me,” she said. “I was more worried about how I would come off to an older population.” Coming out had a positive impact for Carlo, regardless of what anyone said to her. “It was like I got something huge off my chest,” she said. Coming out has made Carlo’s journey easier, however she realizes she still has a ways to go in making the bisexual community feel more validated. “A lot of people have an issue with bisexuality because they think ‘Oh, you can just choose who you want to be attracted to any given time,’” she said. Carlo understands that not everyone

“I think people try to erase the bisexual struggle.” Sandy Carlo is in a position to come out, and feel that liberation. She has some words of wisdom for those who may be struggling with coming out. “Remember that not everyone will be able to empathize with you. Unless they’ve been through the same thing, they’ll never know how much it took for you to come out,” she said. “If anything, just be sure of yourself. That’s always a good start.”n

The above graphic is what senior Sandy Carlo posted on Twitter to publically come out as bisexual. Graphic by Becca Zinabu

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16 Column

Column 17 Wake up early Go to school, get an education

on i Lem

had been waiting for this night for months it seemed like. I was all dolled up in my Pink Floyd apparel. With my hand intertwined with my grandpa’s, we walked into the Exploration Place doors, excited to see the Pink Floyd music and light show. We found seats right in the middle of the cosmosphere. The lights went down but our excitement grew more and more. That whole night consisted of singing and laughing with my grandpa. It was the first time in a long time the smell of alcohol wasn’t on his breath. He was sober, finally. I was happy and proud of him. I cherish that night immensely, and even to this day it’s my favorite memory involving my grandpa. It felt like that night made up for the years he cared more for Jack Daniels than he did for our family. I never told him any of this, and as of Aug. 30, I will never get the chance to. Instead of holding his hand, all I can hold on to are the memories we shared. In the hot July summer of 2014, the tensions in my family were rising right along with the heat. The cancer in my grandpa’s body was increasing, as well. There was an increase in his drinking. I watched a man who was sober for six months throw it all away after hearing he had cancer. His sadness increased and our communication did the exact opposite. I tried to play him our favorite songs, and not even music was enough to make him smile. Lucky for him, and us, just five months later my grandpa was in remission and on his way to being cancer free. He drank less; we spoke more. He stayed the night on Christmas Eve, and he was my Valentine on Feb. 14. Things were getting better, and so was he. I can hear him chanting, “I’m on the road to recovery, my dear.” None of us could have ever imagined that road would have a dead end. On a gloomy day in June, my mom called us for dinner with tears in her eyes. Her voice shook as she tried to spit out the words that would crush our spirits, just like they crushed hers: “His cancer is back, and it’s worse this time. He has six months left, if he’s lucky.” Six months; that’s it. Not enough time to watch his granddaughter be born. Not long enough to see me graduate. No SeptemberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

eat lunch, leave when the bell tolls

Design by Shae White

Go home, do your homework more Christmases, no more Pink Floyd concerts. No more of him. In July, my grandpa weighed less than I did, but his heart was much bigger than mine will ever be. “It’s just a matter of time, now,” the doctors would say at every appointment. That was the first time I saw my grandpa cry. He was scared to die. Who wouldn’t be? He didn’t believe in God, or an afterlife. He didn’t know what he believed in, anymore. I didn’t either. He lived with us for a while. There were several occasions he forgot who I was, and I forgot to remind myself that it was the cancer, not him. With every day that passed, as he became more and more sick, I realized something: As I was losing him, a part of me was being lost as well. A part I’m not sure I will ever get back. He was free from his pain, and mine had just begun. It’s now August. I lost my grandpa, and I’m now losing my mother to grief. I have a first-hand account of how death can rip a family to shreds, leaving them with whys and hows that will never be answered, no matter how many times you ask. As horrible as it is, it took tragedy of the worst kind to make me realize I wasn’t truly living. My grandpa died, but his spirit and love did not. He lived more in his last two months than I have in my 18 years. There are things I’ve kept inside that I now realize I should’ve said to him before he left. However, if I could, I’d go back seven years to the Pink Floyd light show and tell my grandpa this: Thank you. Thank you for always loving me, even when I didn’t know how to love myself. Thank you for having faith in me when I had none. Thank you for giving me one thousand reasons to live on the nights I couldn’t find one. I’ll love and miss you forever. I hope from this you’ll take away the idea that it shouldn’t take tragedy in order for you to see the blessings right in front of you. I challenge you to take nothing for granted and to treat people with nothing but kindness. Love those around you and thank them while you still have the chance. Say and do the things you need to do before you only have two months to live.n

I am free

or By T

Repeat. Go to college get a degree, no parties obey the law, walk on the pavement Drinking and drugs are unacceptable

Wake up, eat your vegetables go to work, stay in your cubicle remember to smile Keep your nose clean

Come home, watch TV Follow fashion, get a family You’re a part of society A well-oiled machine, and you’re the cog

Wake up, go to church Worship God Drive between the lines Repeat after me, I am free

By Jesse Ellis

Photo and Design by Andrea Fuhrman

SeptemberPlay | maizenews.com

18 Photo Focus

1.Cheerleaders perform at the Mel Hambelton Pep Rally. Photo by Debbie Evans 2. Flygirls do their â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pâ&#x20AC;? chant before the first Pep Assembly for good luck. Photo by Nadia McLean 3. Spirit squad gets the sophomore section pumped up at the Pep Assembly. Photo by Sadie Ast 4. Cheerleaders and Flygirls perform fight song at Mel Hambelton Pep Rally. Photo by Debbie Evans 5. Spirit squad leads the junior section in their class chant at the Pep Assembly. Photo by Sadie Ast SeptemberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

Design by Emily Brecht

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Photo Focus 19

Sp irit 20 Sq 15 uad -16

die

SeptemberPlay | maizenews.com

20 Sports

Through the coaches’ eyes Inside the mind of the dedicated coach and the sacrifices they make for their players. By Sadie Ast and James Auchertlonie

ccording to coaches, hours of planning and practicing are taken out of his or her day. I just think it takes a lot of time,” football coach Gary Guzman said. “You put in a lot of hours to get your teaching in order and also your coaching just takes a lot of time with the weekends involved and late nights.” Not only does being a successful coach require patience and dedication, but also being aware of what the game consists of. “You have to have knowledge of the game you are coaching,” softball coach Jenny Meirowsky said. “I think you need to be motivating, and you need to be able to connect with your athletes.” Though coaching competitive sports is a challenging feat, being a full-time teacher adds more stress that most coaches have to deal with. “You put a lot of pressure on yourself because you want to put a good program together and you want your kids to excel just like the teachers in the classroom,” Guzman said. Working so closely with players can have a negative effect as well. Coaches are faced with decisions that shape the team: making cuts. Almost all sports require a certain amount of players on their teams. Coaches make the necessary cuts needed for them to form the ideal team for the season. Not only is being cut from a team difficult to handle, but for the coaches it is truly a difficult choice. “I hate making cuts,” Meirowsky

SeptemberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

said. “It’s really hard when you put in extra time with players to see if they can improve enough to make the cut and to cut them anyways is just hard to do.” Coaches make a special bond with their players on and off the field. They strive to watch their players grow into a young adult. “I basically just try to treat them like they are my own kids,” baseball coach Rocky Helm said. “I love getting the opportunity to watch them grow and get better.” Coaches go through their busy days of teaching classes, grading papers, organizing practices, and creating workouts just to get the satisfaction of watching their athletes grow and improve.n

Sports 21

4 [1] Soccer coaches Jay and Brad Holmes watch their players compete against Rose Hill during a match on Sept. 15. [2] Brett Soft watches the football team play against Derby on Sept. 4th. [3] Gary Guzman instructs his team at football practice in preparation for their game with Salina Central on Sept. 15th. [4] Megan Sauer critiques the JV volleyball team during after school practice on Aug. 25th. [5] Mike Pfeifer, Jay Holmes and Brad Holmes review the first half of their game with the soccer team on Sept. 3rd. Photos by Lauryn McIntyre and Justin Noble

Coaching in one word Skeeter Rankins

Jenny Meirowsky

“I try to coach all my kids as if they are going to be future coaches so that they understand why we are doing it. Everyone wants to know why, especially kids. So I always have an answer so they understand what they are doing and why they are doing it. I try to connect it to why it makes them better.”

“I think that it covers a lot, because I always want to be bettering myself. I want to be a progressive coach, and I also want my players to be progressive. And the times that I have them, I want them to get better.”

Mentorship

Rocky Helm Fundamental

“Maybe my coaching in one word might be fundamental just because I try to build on the very basics, Because I think everything takes care of itself if you teach fundamentals.”

Progressive

Dana Handy Rewarding

“When you get to see them succeed or have success, it’s exciting. You feel like you accomplished something.”

Gary Guzman Challenging

“Coaching is challenging. It’s a challenge every year. I’m challenged with getting the team ready, with all of the preparation involved.”

SeptemberPlay | maizenews.com

22 Entertainment

Entertainment 23

9 “When I’m cleaning my room I hide my clothes in the spare room, my sister’s room, and in my sister’s closet.” -Millie Hendricks

Confessions “One time I peed with the toliet seat down.” -Katie Krier

4” In fifth grade I stayed on the sims game for so long I peed my pants.” -Kelsi Arguello

SeptemberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

“In weights when we were doing towel drills I hid under a mat all block and got out of doing workout Wednesday” -HaLee Roland 5 “I can only eat crunchy cheetos with a glass of milk.” -Roxanne Thulin

“Every time I find a spider in the house, I capture it and put it in my brother’s room” -Maryssa Recio

“When I was in the second grade I used to eat glue. I don’t think that’s very healthy.” -Isaiah Hunt

“I read my dog stories before I go to bed.” -Logan Schultz

“Every time there is a school break I send a text to my friends saying ‘Have fun at work’ and link [the song] Summertime by Prince.” - Chris Botts

Photos by Hannah Jurgensen and Alex West

8 “I make up situations to my boss so that I don’t have to work on Fridays so I can go to the football games.” -Abby Marsh

“I used to think all dogs were bred in the wild.” -Randa Wolfe

10 “Once I painted my fingernails so I could see how well polish remover works.” -Hunter Bayack

“I tell my teachers that I need to get my inhaler so I can walk the halls.” -Jaci Mitchell

SeptemberPlay | maizenews.com