September 2016 by Play newsmagazine

Play

Maize High School | September 2016

Junior Johnny Cammon races

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Maize grad is an Olympic athlete

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“The love faded quicker than it should have. They only got married because of me.” -Syler Garcia, sophomore PAGE 18 -20

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Johnny Cammon has a strong passion for racing cars. Photo by Maddie Neigenfind.

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H Sp om H enc eco Al ann er min lie ah Bo g Ch Ti sle ski oy ce. y a t by ce Ph nd A look at all of the activities from . ot Homecoming week. o by Photo by Ashley Tran.

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What’s inside? Who’s inside?

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14,15 16,17 18,19 22,23 24,25 26 27 28,29 30,31

News

Student Council creates Class of the Year. The ACT aspire and ACT are set to take place on Sept. 27.

News

New boundary proposal being established for the school district.

Spotlight

Maize students perform at Reflection Ridge Retirement home.

Review

There weren’t that many good movie this summer, but “Sing Street” is one that hits all the right beats.

Opinion

Manners are important for teenagers to use on a daily basis.

Lifestyle

Sophomore Cassidy Blew is paid to play with puppies at Chisholm Creek Pet Resort.

Lifestyle

Junior Johnny Cammon finds racing to be less than a hobby and more of a lifestyle.

Now Playing

Students open up about the struggles of split households and same-sex parents.

Sports

The latest on this season’s football, soccer, golf, volleyball, cross country and tennis teams.

Sports

Maize sports teams bond with each other to perform at their best.

Column by Casey Loving

For an eigth-grader, high school can seem pretty overwhelming. For a freshman, it’s not that bad.

Entertainment

Press pause for a few minutes with Lauryn Snyder.

Photo Focus

Play highlights Homecoming with a series of pictures from the week’s events.

Photo Focus

Band students travel to the Kansas State Fair to perform the schools fight song and others.

Kendra Cunningham Editor-in-chief Savie Hughes Online editor Emily Brecht Design editor Lyndsey Piska Photo editor Lizzie Bell News editor Lily McClaren Engagements editor Bailey Birkholz Features editor Andrea Fuhrman Advertisement editor Sadie Ast Allie Choyce Alaina Cunningham Logan Dillon Kiara Ehrmann Audrey Fields Ryan Jones Casey Loving Abby McCoy Lauryn McIntyre Maddie Neigenfind Lauryn Ogden Ryann Redinger Braeden Thompson Stormy Williams Paige Young Dan Loving Advisor Play is the official newsmagazine for and by Maize High School students. Play is published six times throughout the year. Play is a student publication and a forum for public opinion. Letters to the editor should be signed and around 300 words. The editorials and columns are the sole opinion of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the USD 266 Board of Education, the administration, the faculty or the adviser.

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

Junior Lexi Cannizzo and senior Jacey Handy work the sign-in table for COTY at the football game Sept. 2. Photo by Kiara Ehrmann

Student Council establishes COTY

lass of the Year competition has been introduced to Maize this year, an effort to increase student involvement. COTY was founded by the senior class Student Council officers Kendra Cunningham, Jacey Handy, Baylee Dobler and Emma Hahn. Student Council will choose four to six school functions each month for students to attend to get points. The class with the most points at the end of the year will be awarded a day of fun. Student Council is still in the process of planning the itinerary for the day, but activities are being planned for on and off campus. COTY was set into action to get students more involved in school activities and to increase stu-

dent involvement “That’s really our main goal this year, to get people as involved as possible,” junior vice president Lexi Cannizzo said. All you have to do is go to the events assigned, find the COTY table and sign your name and grade. Handy said Student Council came up with the idea while at a student council conference. “Most of the other high schools do it,” she said. “Anytime we’d go to a conference or meeting, they would always talk about it and so we … thought it’d be a lot of fun.” n –Allie Choyce and Kiara Ehrmann

“That’s really our main goal this year: to get people as involved as possible” -Lexi Cannizzo, junior

Juniors get day to visit colleges while others

This is the second year in row freshmen, sophomores and seniors will stay at school to test. Photo by Lauryn McIntyre.

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uniors, for the second year in a row, will not have school Sept. 27 while the other classes are testing. Seniors are expected to take the ACT exam that day, while sophomores and freshmen will take the ACT Aspire. The district began providing the ACT to seniors last year. “The district is putting more focus on the ACT because they can see the benefits and the vitality and the scores and being college and career ready,” associate principal Beth Parker said. “That particular test data is more meaningful to students, to parents, to teachers, I think than sometimes the state assessment can be.” On that day, juniors will have a day to visit colleges instead of attending school and testing. Once they’re finished with the tour, they can go home.

“Juniors will have the opportunity to select where they want to go for a college visit,” Parker said. “They just have to sign up in advance. Transportation will be provided.” Seniors are allowed to go home after finishing the ACT. Sophomores and freshmen, however, are required to stay and finish their school day after finishing the Aspire, a test directed to help improve students’ ACT scores. “We know that teachers will do a good job of using different strategies and using problems or critical thinking that are similar to the types of questions or strategies they might use on the ACT,” Parker said. “That will help us be more college and career ready and will be more beneficial to the students because a lot of scholarships are based on ACT.” n –Lauryn McIntyre

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The Maize school board is expected to decide on a new student placement plan before the end of 2016. Photo by Abby McCoy.

The boundary dilemma

School district contemplating a new boundary plan to place middle, high school students

he Maize school district is different in the aspect that it does not have geographical boundaries that determine the school students attend. That is likely to change before next year. Talk of placing boundaries in the Maize school district has been in the air for quite a while, but Chad Higgins, the superintendent of schools, expects the school board to establish boundaries before the end of the year. The new boundary lines would determine what middle school and high school students attend. Higgins established a student placement committee comprising parents, administrators and students to help the process. In total, there are 19 people on the committee. “The new proposal put together by the policy team sets up a feeder system for all the elementary schools, K-5, to stay exactly the same.” Higgins said. “The value there is from one building to another we can balance class sizes regardless of who moves in and who moves out. The system is setup to feed Maize Middle school students to MHS and Maize South Middle School students to MSHS.” MHS English teacher, Kevin Frye, has been on the student placement committee for six months. Frye said this plan will have a successful outcome for the district. “I really like it, and I support it for a num-

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ber of reasons.” Frye said. “It has a really broad vision; it’s looking ahead. At the same time it acknowledges that it’s not going to fully 100 percent satisfy all. There’s nothing perfect about it, because there isn’t a 100 percent perfect solution. I think everyone [board members] listened really well and truly gelled into a policy that had the best interest of the entire district.” Higgins also believes that the committee set up a plan for success. “I was really impressed with the way they grew as a group,” Higgins said. “I think they did a really good job of separating their own beliefs and preconceived notions, and even their own interest as far as their kids and their schools.” For any MHS students concerned that this new plan will affect them, it will not. “When it is done, it will not affect any current high school students in either of the schools,” Frye said.” In other words, it’s not like you’ve seen in traditional districts since students are already in both buildings.” Even though the plan doesn’t affect students already attending a high school, it will affect younger kids in middle school and elementary school. This plan has caused concerns among some parents. Some parents and students currently like that there are no boundaries that determine what school you go to. Heather Sinko has

kids that attend Maize South Middle. They actually moved to the district because of the fact there were no boundaries. “I’m not a fan of placing boundaries on the schools, but I can see why we need them,” Sinko said. “I believe that the boundaries should exist, but I also am wanting to see the current sixth through eighth graders continue on their path. It is key to not disrupt the students at this stage of their schooling with their friends established.” Sinko has a daughter in eighth grade and said that if she were stripped from one school to the other, she would be torn. She also said she believe if students pathways were changed then there could be some negative effects. “If students were to change from their current track, it would be like completely changing cities,” Sinko said. “It could even lead to a lack of motivation, grades slipping and depression just to name a few things,” Sinko said she thinks the boundaries would be a smart idea but there would need to be some exceptions for benefits of the students. The final decision about placement should be made by November at the earliest and December at the latest, Higgins said. The board will need to start communicating the plan to the public by January. so the enrollment for the next year is not chaotic.n —Braeden Thompson and Abby McCoy

The frame of the new athletic entrance is being built by Hutton Construction. Photo by Lily McClaren.

Bond projects continue at Maize

Improvements include tornado shelters, new artificial turf

everal projects are under way at Maize and around the district, including additions at MHS and new artificial turf on the soccer, softball, and baseball

fields. The projects are the result of a $70.7 million bond voters passed in 2015. The new turf at the soccer field already is in place, and the team has started to play games on it. There also are plans to expand the fan seating by 500 seats and get a new scoreboard after the boys soccer season is finished. “It’s really nice; it speeds up the play a lot.” senior Jake Pfeifer said. The softball and baseball fields are now under construction. The new fields are expected to be finished around December. On the north side of the high school, a new athletic entrance and a multi-purpose room are under construction. The multi-purpose room will double as one of two Federal Emergency Management Agency certified tornado shelters on the campus. The Flygirls and cheerleaders, who have

“Being able to offer different varieties of classes that are more career based for students is going to be awesome.” -Chris Botts, principal

been without a place to practice their routines, likely will potentially be able to use that room when it is completed around early November. “The goal for [the room] is for it to be a good place for cheerleaders to practice in the morning and Flygirls to practice in the afternoon as well.” principal Chris Botts said. The other tornado shelter will be built on the southwest end of the building and

will be part of a new Career and Technical Education wing. The new construction will include CTE classes such as meteorology, health sciences and culinary arts. “Being able to offer different varieties of classes that are more career based for students is going to be awesome and accessed by students throughout the district,” Botts said. “It’s not just Maize High School students that are going to be positively affected here; it’s going to be the Maize South kids who can come over and take those [classes] as well.” FACS teacher Cara Poole, who teaches the culinary arts classes, said the new kitchens will speed up both the cooking and cleaning process for students. “Kids will learn how to work in kitchen like they would work in the restaurant industry.” FACS teacher Cara Poole said. Other projects under way in the district include the expansion of Maize Middle School, a new athletic entrance at Maize South High and an expansion of the commons at MSHS. n —Audrey Fields and Lily McClaren

News / 7

Miles Ukaoma takes a picture in front of the famous Christ the Redeemer statue. Photo submitted by Miles Ukaoma.

Maize grad competes in the 2016 Rio Olympics

iles Ukaoma, a 2010 Maize graduate, represented Nigeria in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Born in Wichita, Ukaoma ran under the Nigerian flag to represent his family heritage. “My dad is from Nigeria, and to have the chance to go and represent them was something that was really important to me,” Ukaoma said. In high school, Ukaoma ran track before going to the University of Nebraska, where he won four national championships “There wasn’t one race in high school that I didn’t think I was gonna win,” Ukaoma said. “But when you get to college, that all goes down the drain. You need to recalibrate and change everything because it’s a different environment there.” Ukaoma was voted Most Likely to Go to

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the Olympics his senior year and laughed the nomination off. “I just thought it was so ridiculous,” Ukaoma said, “I never thought in a million years that I would make it to the Olympics.” Walking into the Olympic stadium was an amazing experience for Ukaoma. “It’s so hard to describe the feeling,” he said. “Everyone is screaming, it’s so loud and something so unforgettable. It’s like a football stadium at a pro football game… but better because it’s the Olympics.” Ukaoma raced in the 400 meter hurdles and tried to stay as calm as he could before his race. “There was a lot of pressure to do great things,” he said. “I mean, it’s the Olympics, I don’t think anyone wouldn’t be nervous.” Especially just moments before the starting pistol fires, Ukaoma does his best to focus on his race as much as possible.

“I think about coming off the block right, getting my timing down and making sure I don’t miss the first hurdle, because if you can clear the first one everything is smooth sailing,” Ukaoma said, “In all honestly, I try to stay out of my head, especially before the gun goes off.” Ukaoma had some down time aside from training in Rio and explored many beautiful places. “ Rio is a beautiful city; don’t let the media tell you otherwise,” Ukaoma said, “ We had no issues with burglary. I loved touring the city and seeing everything.” Ukaoma hopes to spark motivation into young athletes who strive to make it to the Olympics. “ Never stop pushing yourself and if you’re really wanting to go far with something, then you’ll only get as much as you give,” Ukaoma said. n -Sadie Ast

Students helping students Peer Helpers, teachers work together to establish Maslow’s Closet

nglish teacher Elisabeth Graber was scrolling through Pinterest a little more than a year ago when a pin about a teen pantry caught her eye. She knew there was a need at Maize, and she wanted to do something about it. Maslow’s Closet was born. Graber teamed with English teacher Sherry Pfeifer and Betsy Manning, then a math teacher and now a counselor, to start a service to help Maize students in need. Pfeifer and Manning are sponsors of the Peer Helpers club. “I teach speech class, and one of the concepts I share is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Pfeifer said. and “The more I got to think about it, I thought it was a perfect name for it.” Pfeifer said. Approximately 25 percent of students at Maize High are on free and reduced lunches. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a theory that shows people must satisfy their basic needs -- things like food and shelter -- before they can progress to a higher level of growth. Simply put, if a student is hungry, it makes learning difficult. Pfeifer said students go up and down the hierarchy of needs frequently, sometimes on a daily basis. Students that have reached the final step of fulfillment … can help students at the bottom who need basic things like food or clothing and to help them out in their time of need. After Maslow’s received its name, the teachers and Peer Helpers began turning the former police box at the main entrance into Maslow’s, sort of a free store to keep things like food, clothing and hygiene products. This process included cleaning, painting, and organizing the donations. The walls inside of the pantry are

covered with murals painted by art students. Everyone who took part in preparing the pantry has their handprints on the wall. “Now our goal is to keep it clean, to keep it fully stocked and [to create a] warm and inviting environment so students can shop discreetly,” Pfeifer said. Pfeifer, Manning and Graber now partner with the Peer Helpers to operate Maslow’s closet. The pantry is run by the motto “students helping students.” The closet officially opened on Aug. 11 and has been welcoming students in need to come and take whatever they need. Some students have already found help from the closet. “Mrs. Graber and I were just filled with sunshine and happiness that we could be there for a student in need,” said Sherry Pfeifer. If a student is in need and wishes to receive benefits from the closet, a parent or the student themselves can tell a counselor, teacher, administrator, or write a note. Then a counselor will help the student find items in the closet. “There is nothing to be afraid of and there is nothing

“I think it would be cool if we could get it district wide and not just Maize High students.”

to be ashamed of,” Manning said. Pfeifer, Graber and Manning wish to have more students use the closet. It’s there to serve the needs of students and families. Junior and Peer Helper Megan Paul has another vision for the future of the closet. “I think it would be cool if we could get it district wide and not just Maize High students,” Paul said.n –Alaina Cunningham and Ryan Jones

Megan Paul, sophomore

Maslow’s Closet was open for the public to view during the Fall Sports Extravaganza. Photo by Ryan Jones This is part of Maslow’s stock. If you would like to add to, it please contact a counselor. Photo by Ryan

How to donate Bring your donations to Graber, Pfeifer or the counselor’s office. Contact them for further information.

Maslow’s Hierchy of Needs Pyramid displays basic needs. Photo from http://www.simplypsychology.org

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Senior Andrew Fischer works on the new vocabulary worksheets in Jana Schantz’s English 12 class. Photo by Lily McClaren

English department transitions vocab Teachers replace books with new and improved vocabulary

“Education is an environment ofperpetual change, and so I think what we are doing with this material reflects that.” Kevin Frye, English teacher

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oing from vocabulary books to new Maize-created online vocabulary worksheets have changed the way students participate inside and out of English class. The old vocabulary books had been used in the Maize district for more than a decade. “Education is an environment of perpetual change, and so I think what we are doing with this material reflects that,” English teacher Kevin Frye said. “I think education with each new student, each new generation, you have to approach them differently, and the content has to change with time as well. And so I think it’s a good thing that we are undertaking change, because that’s very reflective of the educational environment.” The English department found a new and improved way to help students learn words that may be used in student’s everyday lives and

even on the ACT. Teachers used some of the same words used before in the vocabulary books but with new activities that were created from a group of teachers in the English department. “I feel like they [vocabulary words] are more applicable to our everyday lives,” senior Michael VanDeest said, ”I don’t know, I just think the words are more common placed.” Some students said they like the organization of the old vocabulary books because they did not have to worry about misplacing their papers, but teachers have it available online. Overall, the paper use will be cut down because of the accessibility online. “I still allow them an option of a hard copy or a digital,” Frye said, “By and large, the vast majority of my students, probably more than 90 percent, are going digital through Google Classroom, and so I release

their individual copies in a Google format so they can manipulate those and submit them into Google Classroom to me.” The new vocabulary technique is saving the school financially. Using the money that was previously used for the old edition of vocabulary books toward future educational needs will be beneficial to students and teachers. “The reason that the staff members, including me, were in favor of it, it allowed us to actually take control of what knowledge we want the students to gain and how we want them to gain it, and be able to on an ongoing basis review that and put in what we think is needed, take out what we believe is unnecessary, instead of just buying a canned product that is just going to try and fit no matter what,” Frye said, “So that autonomy, that control is a big piece of it for us.”n Lily McClaren —

Sounds for seniors Maize students play for the residents of Reflection Ridge Retirement home

aura Hutchins, orchestra teacher at Wichita’s Robinson Middle School, hosts recitals at Reflection Ridge Retirement home. The group of roughly eight students includes Maize juniors Katie Moore, Taylor Herrman and sophomore Megan Denton, perform at the retirement home for the elderly. “We perform for the others [performers] who will be performing before and after us,” Moore said. “If the elderly people want to go in and watch it and our parents.” Hutchins teaches private lessons, primarily to violinists, as well as a few violists and cellists. Her daughter, Melody Freedman Brubaker, also instructs some young performers who join her recitals. Hutchins has taught orchestra for 25 years and has even started her own private lessons studio. The lessons are taught at Hutchins’ home, in a designated room where she keeps all her musical equipment and music. She started recitals at Reflection Ridge around the time her second daughter, Haylee Carpenter, started at Maize. Hutchins began the recitals to give her students more practice. Often, students practice pieces they will perform at competitions. It gives them the chance to ease their nerves and play in front of a more diverse audience. Carpenter, who graduated last year, started to play with the group as well, though she was not her mom’s student anymore. “These recitals were initially started by my mom and she hosts them every time,” Carpenter said. “I started playing in the recitals because my mom asked me to.” The group performs classical pieces at the

retirement home three to four times per year. The performers generally play five- to 10-minute solos, but the recitals are normally are an hour or two. “All of those students will rehearse a solo over a couple of months and then we’ll perform it [at the home],” Moore said. The residents are welcome to come in and watch whenever they’d like. They are very friendly and supportive to the performers

“They tell me about their musical past. It’s very special to recognize it meant something to them [the residents].”

dents something to look forward to. “The residents love to see how talented the younger generation is,” Quach said. “I think it could give them [the performers] a wider audience to play in front of, and I’m sure the encouragement and praise [from the residents] helps their attitude.” The students often play their solos in the same room the residents enjoy their movie time. This environment makes the performers and the residents more comfortable while appreciating the occasional show. “It’s really friendly,” Moore said. “Because instead of stadium seats they have couches and recliners so that’s awesome.” n —Allie Choyce

–Junior Taylor Herrman and oftentimes attempt to converse and connect with them. “They [the residents] will be like ‘That was really great. I used to play whatever’,” Herrman said. “And they tell me about their musical past. It’s very special to recognize it meant something to them.” Students reward themselves after the show with sweet treats. “The best part of playing at the retirement home would definitely be the desserts afterwards,” Carpenter said. “Rewarding yourself for a good performance is important!” Christy Quach, a concierge at Reflection Ridge, said the performances give the resi-

Laura Hutchins and her students pose for a group photo at Reflection Ridge Retirement home in 2015. Photo summited by Katie Moore

Lifestyle / 11

Sing the praises of ‘Sing Street’

Independent film is the best movie you likely didn’t hear about in 2016

his summer, I walked out of the movie theatre disappointed time and time again. Any movie lover would agree: the summer selection was terrible. Summer is usually a great time for any movie fan. Some of the best blockbusters of all time, like “Jaws,” “The Avengers” and, of course, “Star Wars” were released during the summer. I was beyond excited for movie studios to release a new wave of their big-budget popcorn movies like “Independence Day: Resurgence,” “Suicide Squad” and “Warcraft.” All of those, however, were some of the worst movies I have seen this year. Although the box office was a bit lacking in quality blockbusters the past few months, a lot of the films with smaller budgets turned out to be fantastic. My favorite independent film I saw this summer by far was “Sing Street.” “Sing Street” stars Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, a first-time actor, as Conor Lawlor, the youngest child in a family going through economic struggles and marital issues. The film takes place in 1980s Dublin, Ireland, and sees Lawlor switching to an awful new school with an insanely strict principal and vicious students. Everything is awful for Lawlor until he meets and falls for a teenage model. He lies, saying he is in a band so he can get her in a music video (trust me, it’s not as creepy as it sounds). From there, Lawlor rallies some new friends and starts a band with the help of his older brother, Brendan. The band soon becomes a phenomenal group and close friendships arise. A lot of “Sing Street” is dedicated to its music. About 20 minutes of the movie’s 106-minute runtime is spent on song breaks. It’s not choreographed like a “West Side Story” snap battle, just a few moments where you sit and watch a band play music. I thought this would be one of the worst aspects of the movie, but all of the transitions are pretty natural, and none of this detracts from the movie at all. “Sing Street” was one of those movies where you walk in expecting little, and you just can’t help but have a great time. I don’t care about 80s Dublin any more than the next guy, but I was still floored by how much I enjoyed this movie. Every aspect, from the witty performances to the catchy soundtrack, was just as good as the best major motion picture.

Sometimes when you cast a musician in a movie just because they are a musician, it doesn’t work out too well (I’m looking at you, Tyrese Gibson). All of the actors, whether they had experience or not, seem as if they’ve been doing this their whole lives. I was shocked to find that two of the main characters had never acted before, and I probably would never have known. The standout performance has to be Jack Reynor. He plays Brendan, the oldest of the Lawlor children, a college dropout who cares about hardly anything, aside from music, fun times and his siblings. His role is funny, heartfelt and real. I have no idea how he went from playing the accent-changing, racecar-driving, creepy over-age boyfriend in “Transformers 4” to this deep, emotional role. My favorite part of this movie would have to be the music. I’ve probably listened to the playlist front to back about 20 times, and I could listen to it twice more today. “Sing Street” is able to expertly blend classic ’80s music with original songs that make you feel like they could be on the “Stranger Things” soundtrack. The songs “Up” and “Drive It Like You Stole It” jump out to me as favorites. If one them doesn’t get nominated for Best Original Song at the Oscars I may have to pull a 2009 Kanye West at the VMA’s and storm the stage. Get out of here, “Writings on the Wall,” this is a real Oscar contender! My quarrels with “Sing Street” are few. One problem I had with the film is that the story isn’t very inventive. In parts, it can be a formulaic coming-of-age story, with bland camera work. I wouldn’t say any of the movie is boring, but there are a few parts that I found to just trudge along. Saying there is anything wrong with this movie hurts me to my core, but I have to be honest. “Sing Street” is a great time throughout. The music is catchy, the acting is good, and the comedy is on point. The story is deep and real without beating you over the head and making you depressed. If you are going to see a movie from this year with the initials “SS,” then I highly recommend it be this one (not “Suicide Squad”). n – Casey Loving

More reviews online

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“Suicide Squad” might be what this summer deserves, but it’s not a movie we need. Go to http://bit.ly/2cnFiFg

nice Have a

day

Mind your manners

Using manners on a daily basis can change the perspective people have on you

ou hold the door open for someone and they say nothing. You become rude to the busy waitress when she’s taking longer than you want, to fill up your empty cup. Your eyes are glued to the electronic device in your hands, not listening to the person standing in front of you. Over the years, people have become less aware of how they treat other people and the manners they should be using on a daily basis. To senior Rhett Albright and Sophomore Jonathan Mercer, manners include things like saying please and thank you, holding the door for someone and being kind and courteous to the people around you. “It’s just a way to be nicer to everybody. I think that’s a problem we have. We’re not really kind and caring to others,” sophomore Jonathan Mercer said. It’s little things like saying “thank you”, “you’re welcome” or “have a nice day” that can change someone’s perspective. The new generation is being blamed for most of this disrespect, but there are many influences than just the generation.

Mercer said he thinks manners have disappeared over the years. “I think that’s a problem we have. [We’re] not really kind and caring to others,” Mercer said, “We have been on a down slope for a long time now.” The generation of our era has grown up to live with electronics. These electronics have also been said to drain our respect for others. Freshman Camden Jurgensen thinks that when walking down the hallways, people sacrifice conversation with others to be on their phones. “If there’s more technology, I think manners won’t be as important,” Jurgensen said. Manners aren’t only words but also body language and your attitude contributes to your personality. Surrounding yourself with positive influences is a vital decision to make. To constantly be around people who have no respect for authority or anyone older than them will rub off onto you and create bad habits. Having manners in relationships is important and necessary. If you aren’t able

Please & ou thank y

to respect your friends or loved ones then gaining respect from them will be harder. Our elders are always talking about how this generation is always on their phones. We may not take them seriously or just ignore them, but really, that’s exactly what’s happening. People are usually nice to their family and elders, but they do not always show the same respect to the people they haven’t always known. Teenagers have some issues with manners: such as, arguing with teachers, leaving their lunch tables dirty, bumping into people without saying “excuse me” or “sorry”, ignoring teachers when being asked a question and many more. Society as a whole could learn a lesson or two about how the should use manners to treat people on a daily basis. At the end of the day, the respect you show people can affect the way people think about you just like the respect they give you can change your perspective of them. n —Lizzie Bell and Lauryn Ogden

“Always thank someone for Something they did, no matter how big or how small it is.” - junior Matthew Melchor

Opinion / 13

Sophomore Cassidy Blew, with her dog Stella, works at a doggy daycare. Photo by Paige Young.

14 / Lifestyle

Puppy love

Sophomore Cassidy Blew is paid to play with puppies

ots of high school students have jobs, but who do you know that is paid to play with dogs? Sophomore Cassidy Blew works at Chisholm Creek Pet Resort where she is paid to keep dogs company, entertain them and walk them. Blew has been working there since the beginning of the summer. She found the job by taking her dog there and her mom asked them if they were hiring. “You go in and they have you test to see what you know already,” she said. “Then they have to teach you games before and they watch you do it for a couple of hours and then they’ll call you back and tell you if they want you or not.” Blew’s main duties are to walk dogs, take them out to play in the big yard at the resort and give dogs “TLCs,” which are 10-minute sessions of cuddling and playing with the dogs. Studies show walking with a dog has been found to increase social interaction with strangers and people you know compared to walking alone or with another person. It is Blew’s favorite part of the job. “Some of them don’t like to play,” she said. “They just want to lay on you, so you can just love on them the whole time. We have

little play areas and they just kind of run around like little dorks the whole time. Yeah, that’s my favorite.” According to center4research.org, a study found that having your dog in the room lowered blood pressure better than taking a popular type of blood pressure medication, ACE inhibitor. Other research has indicated that the simple act of stroking a pet can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Blew said she has learned a lot about taking care of dogs while working at the resort. Canidae. com says that pets are a positive interaction for teens, providing love and emotional support as well as teaching responsibility. Owning a dog means much more than just loving on it from time to time. A pet

“So I learned that when you take care of a dog that there’s so much more responsibility than just having a pet.” —Cassidy Blew

depends on its owners for food, shelter and full care. “I always took advantage of having par-

ents or my family take care of my dog,” Blew said. “So I learned that when you take care of a dog that there’s so much more responsibility than just having a pet.” It is proven that the more contact animals have with people, the more obedient they tend to be. Leaving your dog alone or with one person who only checks on it once or twice a day while out of town or at work can lead to disobedient behavior. Studies also show, when kids have no siblings, like Blew, pets help develop greater empathy, higher self-esteem and increased participation in social and physical activities, such as volleyball or basketball, which Blew plays, and improve responsibility. She has two dogs at home: a Bichon Frise and a Shih-Poo. Even with her new knowledge of pet care, Blew still wants to have many dogs in the future. Some of her favorite dogs at the resort are a Cavapoo named Minnie and a mountain dog that’s a puppy. Chisholm Creek Pet Resort is a 20-acre boarding center located on 6260 N. Hillside. The boarding rooms are themed, each one has flat-screen television and a private outdoor patio. They also have a 24-hour webcam in the rooms, so you can check in on your dog. n —Paige Young and Ryann Redinger

Photo by Paige Young

Photo by Sadie Ast

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LIVING FOR THE

LAPS RACING IS MORE THAN A HOBBY FOR JUNIOR JOHNNY CAMMON

hile other 5-year-olds were playing with Legos or Barbies, junior Johnny Cammon was strapping on his seat belt and starting his engine to his go-kart. Now 17, Cammon travels to various tracks to race cars. Almost his whole life is centered around racing. His father, J.J., has been the one to push and inspire Cammon and his younger brother, Alex, to follow in his racing footsteps. “On TV you see asphalt racing [NASCAR, drag racing] and then there’s dirt racing [modifieds, late models] around the world,” Cammon said, “I’d like to do that [dirt racing]. It’s like asphalt racing, but better.” Cammon spends most of his days bettering his car, using the money he wins from races. “[The most I’ve won from a race is] $500. I won at 81 Speedway last year,” Johnny said, “That was at the Cowboy Classic, it was my first time racing that one. I did alright, I got top five.” After being introduced to modified racing, Cammon began working to building the perfect race car. From checking and tightening bolts, switching tires and working on everything to make sure they cross the finish line first to just checking sheet metal. He spends roughly 40 hours a week with tools in hand. Being under pressure to finish needed work on his car before an upcoming race, isn’t a new feeling to Cammon as racing has been passed through his family for 25 years. Cammon’s father, J.J. Cammon, takes pride in knowing his sons are inspired to get behind the wheel and race every weekend because of him and his past. A few years after Johnny was born, J.J. never sat inside another race car. He turned his focus towards teaching his oldest son about all things racing. As soon as Johnny turned 5, his father stuck him behind the wheel of a go-kart until the age of 12. Before Cammon started racing modifieds two years ago, he owned and raced a Hornet which is a different kind of race car compared to what he races now. “He [Johnny] actually does a pretty good job for second year of racing modifies. Everybody out there makes mistakes, but he does

Johnny Cammon inheriated his love for cars from his father, J.J. Photo by Maddie Neigenfind.

a pretty good job for his ability,” J.J. Cammon said, “Every weekend we try to work on something and every weekend we try to look better than before.” As a family, they all share the love for cars and the even deeper love for the feel of racing. It’s a family event when it’s time to load the cars up and travel to another state for the boys to race. Cammon’s mother, father, sister, and their family dog, Hunter, all join them in the pits. The season can get tough for the family as more work has to be put in for better outcomes as they travel to bigger and faster races and more money is poured into the car to repair things that inconveniently break over time. “[The season is] not going very good this year, I’ve broken a lot of stuff,” Cammon said, “I only got to race about half the year because I blew up my motor. I don’t really know [how] . Honestly, it just kind of broke.” Facing broken parts and missed opportunities at trophies can be back breaking and confidence crushing but with a positive attitude and a head held high, the memories are plenty. Like when Cammon led a pack of

engine roaring modifieds for the first time as they sped past the finish line or being placed at the end of the line-up prior to working his way up through 25 other cars before finishing fourth last year at Hutch Fair Grounds. Being on the track at the same time as handfuls of other cars doesn’t always bring good memories or good fortune. In a split second, anything could leave you spinning. “I got in a wreck and somebody spun out in front of me,” Cammon said, “I hit them and somebody hit me from behind and twisted the car up pretty good. That one hurt pretty bad.” With 12 years of racing under his belt, Cammon doesn’t plan on hanging up his uniform anytime soon. Instead, he plans to improve his skills in racing by working harder every week on and off the track by practicing and learning new ways to become better than ever. “I’d like to make it further into the dirt racing side of the career,” Cammon said, “maybe go on and do that for the rest of my life.”n —Maddie Neigenfind and Ryan Jones

Johnny Cammon races at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO. Photo by Maddie Neigenfind

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think people should be a little more grateful for not having divorced parents.â&#x20AC;? -Peyton Sharpsteen, junior Photo Illustration by Stormi Williams.

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For better or for w or Students open up about the struggles of se split households and same-sex parents.

man and a woman. Two kids: a boy and a girl. A dog fetches the newspaper every Sunday, and mom has the perfect family dinner ready every night at 6 p.m. That’s a picture many families don’t experience. Families are torn apart each day because sometimes the pressure to commit proves too difficult or a relationship was never intended to be. Many sources say that about 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. And often, there are children who are caught in the middle. Clinical social worker Julie Liming, who has 10 years of experience working with young adults and children, said that younger children often have difficulty with self blame for their parents divorce. “They have thoughts like ‘If I would have behaved better, helped out more, maybe they’d still be together,’ ” Liming said, “On the other side of that they may think that if they get into a lot of trouble then they could help the parents get back together.” Children who are going through a divorce also struggle with parental roles with the two parents. Liming said that it can be a very confusing and stressful stage for the children. “There’s a lot of different feelings that come up which are very common: sadness, anger, guilt and confusion,” Liming said, “There’s also a lot of anxiety and worry so even if it wasn’t a healthy marriage, the fear of the unknown can be harder to deal with than what you already knew in the unhealthy environment.”

‘I just went along with it’ unior Peyton Sharpsteen packs multiple Jherbagsparents. every week to switch houses between At age 8, the reality had hit

Sharpsteen’s family when her parents divorced. At a young age, Sharpsteen did not understand why her parents decided to call it quits, but she can recall many long nights of constant arguing between the two. “I just went along with it,” Sharpsteen said. “It bothered me, but I didn’t understand. I didn’t really know how to feel about it.” Sharpsteen said the disputes between her parents pushed her mother to start sleeping in a separate room. She also said the con-

stant bickering and stress caused the pair to separate. “My mom was stressed with school and the fighting just added onto that,” Sharpsteen said. Sharpsteen was born with brachial plexus, a very rare injury due to difficulty with delivery. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, brachial plexus occurs in less than one percent of live births. Sharpsteen said the injury helps keep her parents communicating and on good terms. “They can’t just communicate through me, and they realize that,” Sharpsteen said, “They know that they can’t just not talk to each other.” Liming said that a stable relationship between parents is vital for a child’s mental health, even when those parents don’t live together.. “Even if that means it two emotionally stable parents who live apart, that’s better than being in an unhealthy marriage,” Liming said, “Parents are key to lessening the negative effects of the divorce.” Having divorced parents doesn’t make Sharpsteen feel like an outcast from any of her friends. Although she says it gets difficult to relate to her peers, she manages to find the goodness in a sad situation. “I don’t feel different,” Sharpsteen said. “I feel cool sometimes because I have two houses, I have two rooms [that] I get to design and decorate.” Sharpsteen said she has wondered what her life would be like if her parents never split. Although she says she doesn’t wish they were still together, she does contemplate the circumstances she would be in if they were. “I do wonder if my life would be different if they were still together,” Sharpsteen said, “Would I have the same friends? Have the same life?” Sharpsteen has come to terms with the divorce of her parents. She says it has made her into a stronger person and has given her the life she has today.

‘The love faded quicker than it should have’ ophomore Syler Garcia has been living in divided households since he can

remember. Garcia’s parents joined together in marriage through court when they were 18 years old due to an unplanned pregnancy. Six months after Garcia was born, they decided to split and live apart without legally ending the relationship. It wasn’t until two years after the failed marriage that Garcia’s parents got a legal divorce. “The love faded quicker than it should have,” Garcia said, “They only got married because of me.” After the divorce, Garcia’s parents decided to take their custody battle to court and fight for their son’s time. Unexpectedly, Garcia’s mother was a no-show for the court hearing and his father gained full parental rights. “I never found out why she didn’t come,” Garcia said. “ Honestly, I don’t think I wanna know.” Because his mom missed the court hearing, Garcia spends every other weekend with his mom, while he spends weekdays and the off-weekends with his dad. Garcia said what’s most difficult about switching houses are the rules and expectations each parent has for him. “It just makes it a little more stressful,” he said. Liming said that switching houses creates a large stress factor for children. “A child may be trying to juggle between two different households with two very different sets of expectations so it can be hard to manage in one home versus the other,” Liming said. Growing up in separate households has given Garcia a new perspective on life and how to make a difficult situation easier. “It may be difficult,” Garcia said. “But to make it easier you can surround yourself with people who love and care for you.”

‘It’s totally normal for me’ ophomore Shalee Prichard not only

comes home to a separate household, but she is welcomed by two moms at once. When Prichard was 3 years old, her parents ended the relationship because Prichard’s mother had fallen in love with another woman. Although she didn’t fully understand the circumstances until she was 6 years old, Prichard feels no different than anyone else because it’s how she’s grown up. “It’s totally normal for me,” Prichard said.

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Photos by Stormi Williams

“Other than having divorced parents, it’s just how I was raised. It’s not different.” When Prichard’s mother came out, nearly everyone in her family supported her. Prichard said that her grandparents were a bit more hesitant to understand. “They [her parents] weren’t sure if she really knew what she was talking about or that it was what she actually wanted,” Prichard said. Prichard’s father at first was shocked and it was hard for him to accept. Since, he has remarried and found happiness for Prichard’s mother. “It was tough for him,” Prichard said, “but he’s happy for her, and they get along really well for the kids.” Liming said that there are no differences between a same-sex divorce and a heterosexual divorce. “ The biggest obstacles are really within the court system because they are just learning on how to adapt to having same-sex marriages, so there are some differences in that way,” Liming said. Prichard doesn’t worry about other people’s opinions when they find out about her mom. It has been her lifestyle for as long as

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she can remember. Prichard said she is past the point of having someone else put her family down for something they don’t like. “I feel like if people judge me for it, then they really aren’t worth my time,” Prichard said. “It was just the way I was raised, my parents were very open-minded with me. Other people don’t understand because they weren’t raised the same way.”

‘There’s a lot of changes’ iming said that pushing away feelings L of sadness or denial is the first step to a prolonged feelings.

“Giving yourself time to grieve and allowing yourself to have those feelings is the first step,” Liming said,“Taking care of yourself emotionally is very important. There’s a lot of changes and adjustments.” Depending on a child’s developmental level, maturity and age, the reaction of boys and girls can vary if they are going through something such as a divorce. “Boys will be more outward displays of distress like behavior problems, difficulties at school,” Liming said, “Where girls tend

to internalize more but sometimes they get missed. Girls you can see more of a distressed relationship or fears of abandonment.” Divorce is destructive for a child’s mental health initially, but thankfully the effect is only temporary. “You have to work through the five stages of grief,” Liming said, “First is denial, anger, bargaining, depression and then acceptance. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you go through those stages in order or that you experience all of them but a majority experience some form of those when dealing with a loss.” Liming says that opening up about your feelings and connecting with people is the best way to overcome sad emotions. “Talking to people and acknowledging how they feel and really reach out to the support system you have,” Liming said, “If it gets too extreme and talking to someone is not enough then you may need to see a professional and have them help you through the issues. It’s better to open up about how you’re feeling rather than to let the feelings grow.”n –Sadie Ast

Fall sports rundown The latest on fall sports teams at Maize

[1] Ethan Pfeifer kicks the ball away from Andover. Photo by Lauryn McIntyre. [2] Ashlyn Lakin spikes the ball in their games against Salina South and Andover. Photo by Dan Loving. [3] Ana Vo plays doubles on Sept. 6th. Photo by Allie Choyce.

Soccer

he boys soccer team is off to a strong start, winning four of their first six games. Senior Ethan Pfeifer has high hopes for the team this year. “Through the hard work we put through during offseason and just coming together as a team, I think there’s a good chance that we’ll come back just as hard as we did last season,” Pfeifer said. There are, however, difficulties that the team might face. “The first half of our schedule is really tough,” Pfeifer said, “We’ve also gone through challenges with losing a lot of starters last year, so we had a lot of places to fill this year.” Although challenges arose, Pfeifer still has a positive outlook on the outcome of this season. “I think this year we’ve come together more as a team rather than last year,” Pfeifer said. Sophomore Logan Voran also likes the team’s chemistry. “Staying positive with each other, keeping a good mindset and not being scared or nervous [will help them overcome difficulties],” Voran said. n

Volleyball

he volleyball team had one loss on the season before the Maize tournament, where they lost two times and finished in third place. The Eagles were 17-3 after their tournament. Their only losses are to Newton (twice) and Blue Valley West, which is the defending state champion and nationally ranked. In order to prepare for the season, the team started its year with many morning practices, summer camps and team building exercises. Senior Hannah Malek is optimistic for the team’s future. “I feel this year we have a lot of potential,” Malek said. The team finished second at the Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League tournament in Hutchinson. The team also attended a camp to also help them get close while helping their athletic abilities. Although attending was not mandatory, a large majority of the team went. The camp was held at the University of Kansas. Players stayed in the dorms for three days. They had the opportunity to interact with the college’s volleyball coach. “The camps help us stay active and inshape during the summer and again: the more time spent as a team to gain that trust within each other so when the season comes around we have more potential,” Malek said. n

Tennis

here are a lot of fresh faces on this year’s girls tennis team. This year’s lineup consists of only four seniors. Mia Magby is one of the seniors and said she doesn’t mind the underclassman on the team. “We have a strong group of younger girls coming up,” Magby said. Magby is impressed by the determination they have shown on and off the court. “A lot of [the younger players] are going outside of actual practice and practicing at, like, Riverside over the summer and winter. So we should have a good group coming up.” Magby said. The feeling of appreciation is mutual for the other members on the team. “I think all the seniors are really good leaders,” junior Kenzie Moran, “I just think the seniors [give off] a good positive vibe. It’s their last season; they’re really good at helping us work together as a team.” The teamwork between the grade levels seems to be paying off. The team has played ten varsity tournaments and has placed first in one of the. Magby is determined to make her final season successful. “I was playing doubles the past two years,” she said. “Last year I went to state for doubles. So, hopefully I can go to state this year for singles.” Although Magby doesn’t see a future on a college tennis team, she said she’ll miss the experiences she had while playing in high school. “I think [I’ll miss] just going to the meets,” she said. “Driving to the meets is the most fun. You get to hang out with your friends.” n

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[1]

[4]

[3]

[2]

[1] The defensive line prepares to make a play in their game against Newton on Sept. 2. Photo by Lizzie Bell. [2] Maize won their first game against Newton on Sept. 2. Photo by Lizzie Bell [3]Gabi Desjardins watches her ball in a tournament at Tex Consolver golf course on Sept 13. Photo by Lauryn McIntyre. [4] Cadence Ohl runs during a meet at Lake Afton. Photo by Dan Loving

Football

hree games in and the football team has already won more games than it did last year. The Eagles started the year off with victories over Newton and Goddard Eisenhower before falling last week to Derby in the Homecoming game. Senior safety Chandler Kelley attributes the success to the team’s time and determination. “We practice a lot harder, put in a lot more work off the field,” Kelley said. In the Eagles’ victory over Eisenhower, when they rallied from an early deficit, junior Dalyn Johnson scored all six touchdowns. Through three games, he has rushed over 500 yards and has 10 touchdowns. But Johnson said he’s more focused on what he has contributed to the team’s moral than his individual accomplishments. “One thing I’m most proud of is not being, I think, a discouragement to the team,” he said. “When we’re down, picking the team up when we needed to work on adversity.” Head coach Gary Guzman said that he’s feeling pretty good about the season so far. “We got a long ways to go, a lot of games left,” Guzman said, “It’s too early to determine anything. Hopefully we will continue to be successful this season.”n

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Golf

he girls golf team had a successful season last year, finishing second at regionals and qualifying for state. Junior Bailey Stedman, will be starting her third year as a golfer at MHS. This season she has already placed fourth in a tournament. “I think we will be the same [in tournaments] because we didn’t lose anyone,” Stedman said, “Like we have the same people pretty much as we did last year.” “We had all our varsity players playing summer tournaments this summer and we’re starting to show rewards from that,” coach Ben Harlow said. The team is also putting in hard work at practice. They compete in practice and chose the best scores to play in the varsity tournaments. The team won a tournament in Derby and finished second at the Dodge City Invitational. “I hope to improve each and every tournament,” Harlow said. Assistant golf coach Brad Hornung said he is excited for this season as well. “I’m optimistic,” he said. “I think we’re going to compete this year.” n

Cross Country

he cross country team started quickly with a successful first meet at Lake Afton. The girls won the meet and Carson Pierce finished third, followed by Anna Reimer at seventh. The boys finished third in the meet. Last year, the girls team was ranked sixth headed in regionals but still finished third in the meet and competed at state. Junior, Carson Pierce believes the team is going to be successful this season. “We won our first meet and everyone was really happy with that,” she said. “We have a lot of freshmen that are stepping up and really doing good. I feel like we are going to really improve as a team.” Cole Davis also thinks the boys team has a bright future ahead. “I think we’re going to do pretty good this year,” Davis said. The team is working hard and trying to reach the goal of getting to state again. “It’s a tough sport,” Davis said. “Running isn’t the easiest thing.”n – Abby McCoy and Lauryn McIntyre

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[3] [1] Defensive backs senior Chandler Kelley and junior Colton Lumpkins, play Newton on Sept. 2nd. Photo by Lizzie Bell. [2] Junior Sydney Blair running at Lake Afton aside Anna Reimer on Sept. 3rd. Photo by Dan Loving. [3] Seniors Joey Garrison and Ethan Pfeifer pass the ball during their game against Andover on Sept. 13th. Photo by Lauryn McIntyre.

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It takes a team

1. The cross country team climbs Quandary Peak, one of the tallest peaks in Colorado at 14,265 ft. Courtesy Photo.

The cross country team arrives in colorful Colorado.

onding with each other is an important part of winning games. Being able to work with your teammates and function as one is a big part of being a successful team. During a competition, a team that is able to work together and has strong bonds with one another would be able to support and help one another when something goes good or bad. While a team that isn’t may get discombobulated and not have any idea what to do next. There are many things teams do together to bond, such as team meals the day before a game and traveling to another state during the summer. This can have many different impacts on the team, which can improve their overall performance and change the ways they play. For several years, the cross country team traveled in Colorado over the summer to train and form relationships. During the

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trip they ran, hiked and spent a lot of time together. “Climbing Mount Quandary was the best part of the trip,” sophomore Kael Ecord said. “It was really impacting because we just got to know each other a lot better and you were able to figure out things about new people that you might not find out in a different environment.” While the team isn’t in Colorado, they run all over Maize together to get ready for their meets. Although cross country is a mostly individual sport, the team is extremely close. They meet every week before their meets on Saturday to have a team dinner. They eat, talk and play all sorts of games, but once they finish the team dinner how they do the next day is all on their shoulders. “During the dinners we get to hang out and get to know each other more,” sophomore Dominick Smith said. “They are a lot of fun to go to and be with the team. Afterwards, some of us go to the football game together to watch the varsity play.” Running on your own could be intimidating for some people when the difference between first and last is something only you have a part in. Every second counts during the race. You have to come out strong and then end strong. Even though you may come back after a bad start it could also be very difficult. Junior Carson Pierce joined the team during her sophomore year. “Usually we are pretty nervous before a meet, so we get to hang out with everyone and that usually can

calm those nerves a little bit,” Pierce said. She’s ended up making great friendships with her teammates, especially her best friend Kate Reimer, through the experiences they have had with each other. n

“During the dinners we get to hangout and get to know each other more. They are a lot of fun to go to and be with the team.” –Sophomore Dominick Smith Photo Credits: 1. Junior Tania Allen 2. Senior Josh Christian 3. Junior Logan Dillon Juniors Jacob Ruder, Peyton Wardell and freshman Mitchell Adamson eat before their meet.

The football team eats dinner before their game against Eisenhower.

onding time away from performances and practices is important to the Flygirls, too. “It is very important for everyone to work for us to stay together during a routine because that’s the main goal of a dance team,” senior Meredith Fisher said. Although performing in front of most of the student body and some parents can be a bit terrifying, the connections the team has makes it easier to perform. “We are just like a big family, so the dinners we have before games are just like a family dinner,” Fisher said, “Being together all the time makes us closer, and we’re all pretty goofy, so it’s easy to get along.” Functioning in sync with each other is a crucial part for the team. Depending on one another can be the difference between a flawless performance or someone getting kicked in the face. Although most of the girls on the team have been with each other for almost a year, the freshmen are new to it all. They have to

lay after play, the football team has to make sure that they work together. Team chemistry and communication are critical aspects of a good team. Bad communication about a play could easily lead to an interception for the other team, or leaving an opposing player unguarded, giving them a touchdown. Improving team chemistry involves more than just practicing football together. A team that just practices together but has no connections and can’t talk to each other is a broken team. Competing against teams as one unit is much more effective than a team of

“We’re closer this year than we were last year.” –Senior Chandler Kelley

learn how the team works together and the counts for each routine. Eventually they all get a feel for how close the team is. “At first I was nervous about making friends with the upperclassmen, but it was pretty easy to get to know each other, and bonding together helps us all feel confident in each and every performance knowing that we can all count on each other,” freshman Halee Harpenau said, “We think having strong relationships with one another is really important to nailing a dance.” n

“We are just like a big family, so the dinners we have before games are just like a family dinner.” – Senior Meredith Fisher

The soccer team huddles together before their game against Andover.

eleven individual players. The football team likes to go to restaurants with each other and watch sports. “We don’t really have team dinners,” senior Chandler Kelley said. “It’s just a group of guys that get together. We go to Buffalo Wild Wings on Thursdays.” Kelley said he thinks that the team is playing better this year because of the bonds they’ve formed. “We’re closer this year than we were last year,” he said. This year the football team has already improved since the previous season. After going 1-8 last season, they are off to a 2-1 start in 2016. n

Junior Paige Young stands on a chair at a Flygirls dinner, telling her most embarrassing moment.

assing to open teammates is an important part in scoring a goal against the opposing team’s goalie because not many goals are scored by a player dribbling up the field by themselves. The team has to work together, on offense and defense, to score goals and prevent the opposing team of scoring goals. The soccer team has team dinners before every home game to strengthen their bonding. These dinners usually last two hours or more. Junior Antonio Melchor says the team dinners help him throughout the season. “I think it helps our chemistry,” Melchor said. “We know each other a little better. It definitely just helps all around.”

After the team eats at the dinners, they hang out together and go to football games afterwards. Any time that the soccer team is able to be with each other is a chance for them all to improve their relationships with one another. “It’s an opportunity for us to bond with the team, get closer, and have fun.” Melchor said. n -Braeden Thompson and Logan Dillon

Photo Credits: 1. Junior Stormi Williams 2. Freshman Braeden Thompson 3. Senior Lauryn McIntyre

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Freshman Casey Loving faces his fears of transitioning to high school. Photo by Kendra Cunningham.

It’s really not that bad... Fears of high school and why they’re irrational

hey all say the same things. “It’s not that bad.” “High school is fun!” “These are some of the best years of your life.” None of these stopped me from being nervous. High school seemed like a beast, a monster waiting to drain my energy until there was nothing left but stress and anxiety. Suffice it to say, I was in no way excited. “I don’t have to worry about that,” I’d console myself, “I have years until high school.” But years would turn to year, and year to months, and months to weeks. Now, here I am, stuck in a building full of crowded halls, busy schedules, and the teenage angst of my upperclassmen. But really, it’s not that bad. I find it odd and abnormal, as if someone is playing some elaborate joke on me, but I have very quickly gotten accustomed to high school. I’ve really been loving my time here. The things that kept me up at night

as a middle schooler now simply seem no more than daily routine. One of my major fears was the boredom I would face during block scheduling, for when we practiced this system at Maize Middle the time seemed to drone on like the fifth hour of a Transformers movie. Now, the hour and a half barely feels any longer than the 46 minutes I was used to. Nothing to stress about. Another change I was dreading was starting back at the bottom. I loved being top dog at the middle school, and it didn’t seem very fun being the youngest in the school again. But since I’ve gotten here, I’ve hardly noticed the age gap between my peers and me. When you are in the same class as people a possible three years older than you, you can’t really tell who’s who outside of those who might need a shave. One of my biggest fears had to be the pure size of the building. As someone who had

only been to the school a few times, I was worried I would never conquer the winding labyrinth of the halls without looking like the over-prepared boy scout who walked alone at the front of the group, only looking up from their map long enough to not run into something. I could barely comprehend that I would be able to make the seemingly two-mile trek from one side of the school to the other in a six minute passing period. Like the others, this fear seems stupid to me now, having mastered most of my course in the short time I’ve been here. I am glad to say that all of these horrors, and many more, are now things of the past. If, by chance, there is anyone reading this who is worried about high school, trust me, it’s OK. You get scared, you go to school, you get over it. The only thing I dread about the high school now is the whole going to school part. n – Casey Loving

“High school seemed like a beast, a monster waiting to drain my energy until there was nothing left but stress and anxiety. Suffice it to say, I was in no way excited.” 26 / Column

Press pause a moment with Nickname: Describe your style in three words:

My future plans are:

Feature I get the most compliments on: If I won the lottery, I would spend it on: My closest friends are:

Current friend that I have known the longest:

The hardest class Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever taken:

One thing I am looking forward to:

Advice I have for an underclassmen is:

Spotlight / 27

Bring on the band The band students perform at the Kansas State Fair

Junior Jeffery Oller marches to the performance location with his tuba. Photo by Lizzie Bell 28 / Features

Junior Jonah Rich plays the xylophone during one of the songs the band performed.

The Trombone section practices its stance with the rest of the band before they march through the fair.

Juniors Taylor Fiola and Elizabeth Caley walk around the fair after their performance.

The trombone section plays during their performance at the Kansas State Fair.

The Maize cheerleaders stand by the band, ready to perform the fight song.

Senior Sydney Shank practices her clarinet before the band starts marching. Photos by Lizzie Bell.

Features / 29

Homecoming rewind Play looks back at Homecoming week activites

omecoming week started comfortably with pajama day on Monday and ended in style at the dance on Saturday. The senior girls crushed the juniors at the annual powederpuff game 22-6. Homecoming candidates preformed their skits during the pep assembly on Tuesday. The soccer boys danced at the jersey auction and the football boys performed a skit about Harambe. Students performed at Coachella and afterwards gathered around the bonfie as StuCo members threw in a stuffed Derby Panther. After a day full of rain, the skies cleared in time for the parade to take place as scheduled during fourth block. At half-time of the football game, Grant Bugbee and Spencer Shively were crowned King and Queen. “It felt nice to know that people like as a person to vote for me,” Shively said. “It was a confidence boost.” The football team lost to Derby 52-7, but the crowd was remained enthusiastic. The dance brought crowds of students holding up glowsticks as the DJ blarred music. n —Alaina Cunningham

2. Photo by Lyndsey Piska

1. Photo by Lizzie Bell

30 / Photo Focus

3. Photo by Lizzie Bell

Photo by Lizzie Bell

1. Senior Mathew Nieses performs Napolean Dynamite for his homecoming skit. 2. Junior Sophia Shaar plays her solo during the halftime show at Fridayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s football game. 3.Senior Caitlyn Stewart plays in the Powederpuff flag football game. 4. Seniors cheer at the pep assembly on Sept. 13 5. Homecoming court takes a photo after Seniors Grant Bugbee and Spencer Shively get crowned king and queen. 6. Students cheer on the football team during the Homecoming game against Derby on Sept. 16

Photo by Ashley Tran

Photo by Lyndsey Piska

Photo Focus/31

Upcoming events

September & October Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday Thursday

This calendar is a sample of events taking place over the next six weeks. Times are p.m. unless noted. Location is home unless noted. Full listings can be found at usd266.com

ACT and Aspire testing

Boys soccer, 7

Conferences starting at 4

Tri-County soccer, 12:30 Choir concert, 7

NO SCHOOL Conferences starting at noon

NO SCHOOL

Futures fair

13 Boys soccer, 6:30

Futures fair, 8:30 a.m.

PSAT, 7:40 a.m.

Senior photo, 7:50 a.m.

Girls tennis regional

Football, 7

“Addam’s Family” musical, 7:30

Boys soccer, 6:30

Choir concert, 7

Boys soccer, 6:30

Football, 7

Boys soccer, 6:30

Saturday

Friday

Football playoffs begin, TBA

Cross country AVCTL meet at Lake Afton, 9 a.m.

ACT, 7:30 a.m. “Addam’s Family” musical, 7:30

Upcoming events sponsored by

8606 W. 13th St. N #150 Wichita, KS 67212 (316)- 295-2822