Sterling Cub Reporter: February 2017

CUB REPORTER Sterling High School | Volume 3 | Issue 5 | Feb. 2017

The biggest fan Pg. 8

Changing lives, being humble Pg. 4

‘Fools’ take the stage Pg. 7

Basketball sees early success

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Pg. 14

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| Feb. 2017

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EDITORIAL

www.sterlingstudentpublications.com 308 E. Washington, Sterling, KS 67579 Phone: 620-278-2171 • Fax: 620-278-3237

STAFF EDITORS: • Dallas Lackey • Lexi Rose REPORTERS: • Will Dutton • Lindsay Gilmore • McKiah San Miguel ADVISER: • Todd Vogts GRAPHIC ARTISTS: • SHS Graphic Design Class ADVERTISING SALES: • Sterling Publications Staff

POLICIES The Sterling High School Cub Reporter and all subsidiary publications are designated forums of free speech. The print edition is published October through May of each school year by the journalism class at Sterling High School. It is distributed for no charge throughout Unified School District 376 buildings and the Sterling community. The first copy is free. Subsequent copies will cost $1 per copy. For information about being added to the subscription list, contact Todd Vogts at 620-278-2171. Letters to the editor are welcome. Email them to journalism@usd376.com. All letters must be signed. Anonymous letters will not be printed. All letters subject to editing for legal, grammatical and factual reasons.

ABOUT THE COVER PHOTO The windturbine sits on the northeast corner of the practice field. It provides wind energy and learning opportunities for science classes.

(Photo by Will Dutton)

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Student-athletes don’t get breaks As a staff we have noticed a consistent problem that our three-sport student athletes are having — the lack of a legitimate break.

We believe this has been a contributing factor to the high number of injuries this year. With summer workouts, summer practices and summer leagues, for the athletes playing a sport each season, there really is no break.

Especially in a small community like Sterling, a majority of three-sport athletes have many other extracurricular activities they participate in. Things like band, debate and forensics, plays, musicals, all take plenty of time on their own and are also a part of these athletes’ lives.

While athletes are preached to about how “attendance in the summer doesn’t affect playing time,” we all know the truth. We think that everything in the summer should be completely optional and not affect the athletes negatively at all if they don’t participate. It has been burned into our brains that if we are an athlete, we have to be at all the summer events we can.

Contrary to that, we believe that a summer break really should be a break

from all the responsibilities that come with being a student-athlete. Getting a break from your school work is great, but they are still tasked with keeping up with the athletic standards that have been set for them.

It has been to forced upon our athletes that attending summer workouts is a must if they want to get playing time.

While we see how participating in the summer is a great way to improve, the more time off the better.

We believe that if the athlete wants a break, they should not be negatively affected for taking one. We think athletes should be encouraged to take time off and not pressured into being in the gym working out every morning or at a practice everynight. Keeping the importance of summer sports to a minimum would allow our student-athletes room to breathe and could possibly keep them from getting overworked.

Proffesional athletes have went on huge rants about our young athletes never getting breaks, leading to eventual injuries. With more and more injuries this year, we see these results first hand, and it affects many of our sports teams.

— For the Editorial Board

BRIEFLY STATED Zero to Have you ever wondered about all the cool stuff going on around SHS, and then thought of all the unfortunate stuff to happen? Here’s your guide to all the hot, and cold, stuff going on at SHS.

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SENIOR BRANDON FREDERICK and the marketing class built a juice stand for basketball games to go along with the “official” motto of the basketball season: #JuiceCZN. The Hutchinson News has even tweeted photos of the stand while covering a SHS game.

90 80 70 “Kansas been the most ‘Kansas’ that it can be lately,” senior Maddie Wagley said of the fluctuating weather.

60 50 40 30 20

“Bring the juice!”

Sophomore Max Dutton scored a season-high 14 points at home against the Bennington Bulldogs on Jan. 6.

The bear necessities

10 0 (Photo by Taya Wilson) Two Sterling Grade School students pose for a photo with junior Alley Rowland wearing the black bear mascot costume. “I wanted to be the bear because it is a way for me to show school spirit, and no one else had done it frequently for a long time. It’s fun to interact with the fans,” she said.

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NEWS

McCrory changes lives, remains humble Will Dutton Although most adults log about 40-45 hours a week, Clelia McCrory, working from home, usually puts anywhere from 6080 hours in.

“I really don’t want to totally retire when I’m 70. I’ve told EESSDACK that I want to go full-time until I’m 70 and come back part-time if my health holds,” McCrory said.

McCrory has seen the fruits of her labor in many different ways.

“During Mr. Obama’s Presidency, I was asked to go and serve in the office of vocational education. I received a call from former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani asking me the same after the 2016 election results,” she said.

McCrory has various reasons of turning down both and staying in this community.

“In 2008 I told them, ‘I really want to make it happen here in a strong way,’ so I turned down the job in D.C.,” she said. “I thought, ‘Why in the world would they want someone like me?’

I just take each opportunity and go, ‘What can I do the most with?’ I’m not out for how big a name I can make myself, but, rather ,where I can make the most impact because I really care about students and teachers.”

Her work has even taken her out of the country.

“In 2009, each state nominated five people to go to South Africa, and it started out with 250 nominees nationwide. I made the team of seven who went down there,” McCrory said.

She had the opportunity to work with a foreign government.

“Each team member had their own unique specialization. My speMcCrory cialization was industry credentials,

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and I literally worked with the government of South Africa to help them implement government certification,” Clelia McCrory McCrory said.

The trip took her to NelPart Two of a Two-Part series. son Mandela’s home and the cell at Robben Island where Mandela spent 18 years before later becoming South African president.

She has also been to the White House, Yukon, and within five miles of the Mexican border during her traveling days.

Believe it or not, McCrory’s largest grant totals $10,000,000.

“The largest grant I’ve ever gotten is work I did with the state of Kansas to get a $10 million charter school grant, and that benefited Sterling when we put the charter school in at the college.

While it may feel like a lot of work, her motivation seems to never dwindle.

“Just seeing how it changes student learning, and, also, creating it. Making it doable for smaller schools is very rewarding. As time goes along, I get more and more districts to start ‘drinking the tea,’ if you know what I mean,” McCrory said.

She has many dreams that she’d like to achieve before she retires for good.

“Teachers will do creative things if we just give them resources. If I make my dream happen by the time I retire, we’d be able to see 80 percent of all classes in high schools connected with career applications,” McCrory said.

The highly sought-after grant writer who has spoken at many national conventions on Career and Technical Education Pathways and more, wants to never forget where she comes from.

“As I’ve told ESSDACK before, ‘I will take care of those districts first because they’re the ones who believed in me when no one else did,’” McCrory said.

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Exchange students from Germany, Poland bring diversity to school Lexi Rose Creating diversity throughout the school, Sterling High has hosted foreign exchange students since before the early 2000’s.

This year, the school is hosting two exchange students.

“We live in a community where there’s not a lot of diversity,” Principal Dr. Bill Anderson said. “I think what the program provides for us is a big window of what it’s like to be in a situation where you’re coming from a different country and may not be part of the regularity.”

Junior Antonina Kacperska, an exchange student from Poland, expresses how even the smallest things done in Sterling are different from her home town.

“School works different in Poland, and I think I like it more” Kacperska said. “We go to school for schoolwork from 8 a.m. to about 2 p.m. If you attend a music school, then you have choir and stuff like that.

We don’t have activities in schools like America does.”

On the other hand, junior Nelson Bartsch, an exchange student from Germany, thinks having extracurriculars in schools is a good thing and expresses his interest in sports.

“I think having extracurriculars in school is better,” he said.

“In Germany my mother had to drive me 20 minutes to another town to do them. It’s much easier to have them in school.

I will do track this year. I look forward to it because I like it, and I did it for three years in Germany.”

For Kacperska, not being involved in many school activities and living in a small town has proven to be difficult.

“I miss everything

Editor @lexxi_rosse about my town,” she said.

“I had two million people in my city in Poland, and there was always something to do. Here the town is small, and I have nothing to do.”

While it might be difficult to get involved, Kacperska can see the benefits of living in such a small town.

“In Poland I lived in the city and not really in the house.

I was always doing things and taking care

of myself and had to make sure nobody robbed me or anything like that. I had to grow up quickly and take care of it, but here in Sterling you know everyone. If something bad happens, you can just call someone,” she said.

In regards to our political system, Bartsch finds himself agreeing with the minority of Sterling.

“A lot of people like Donald Trump here, and I don’t really.

I think abortion and gay marriage is OK, but I don’t think the government should control it. I think the people should be able to decide what they want,” he said.

Kacperska feels the same way.

“I feel like Trump is not good at all. I’m scared of what he could do,” she said. “I don’t understand discrimination. I was surprised because Sterling is more conservative than Poland is, and I wasn’t expecting that. I think if you can have God, why can’t same sex people get married? It’s the same thing with abortion. If you want to do it and you’re not hurting me with your decisions, then I don’t care if you do it.”

Despite their differences, both foreign exchange students seem to be fitting in and enjoying their time in America.

“I think Tosia and I are doing fine. I think we fit in well and can make friends here” Bartsch said. “I am enjoying the food and the people, and I’m excited for what new things I am going to do in the rest of my time here.”

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5

NEWS

Students learn a little C.L.A.S.S., aim to impact empathy Mckiah San Miguel The C.L.A.S.S (Cooperative Leadership and Sharing Strategies) Leadership workshop directed and founded by Joe Coles stresses the importance of leadership, stepping out of your comfort zone, and making a difference.

One of Coles’ main focuses throughout the workshop is to get students to take away positive aspects and apply it to their school. Participants such as freshmen Alaina Madden and Abby Riffel, sophomore Max Dutton, and seniors Madeline Wagley and Joel White, have slowly begun to put his curriculum into action.

“You may not notice it now, but we have started to make changes around our school,” Riffel said.

What were Coles’ intentions behind the C.L.A.S.S Leadership Workshop?

“We created C.L.A.S.S. Leadership to provide students and schools a sustainable leadership program that will not only help students become more confident leaders but also where they will go back to their schools and be difference makers,” Coles said.

Student Council Advisor Ian Anderson expressed his

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(Photo by McKiah San Miguel) Freshmen Alaina Madden and Abby Riffel try to guess who their assigned character is during Joe Coles’ C.L.A.S.S. Leadership workshop. Sterling High School was one of the schools to host one day of the workshop.

thoughts towards the leadership course.

“It has been valuable for us, and they had opportunities just to chat with other students from surrounding schools on a oneon-one basis,” he said.

Each participant has experienced something influential about this workshop.

“I have learned to lead better, to relate to more people, and a lot about prioritizing what’s actually important,” Wagley said.

Not only has that aspect been taken from the workshop, there’s more.

“The workshop taught us a way to be uncommon and not follow the pack,” Dutton said.

Even the little things Cole emphasizes, like shaking hands, can prove to be beneficial.

“I am more confident in shaking hands when I meet new people,” Madden said.

Overall, Coles’ curriculum has had a positive impact and the participants hope to spread his ideas throughout school.

“I have already found myself using some pointers he taught us, and I think I will be using this in the future,” Madden said. “I try to be so much more proactive and more empathetic towards other people, and I cannot wait to face opportunities to allow me to use his lessons.”

The participants are putting effort into making Sterling High School a more comfortable environment for all students.

“Stuco is planning a big project for the school, all centered around empathy,” Madden said. “We will be working to help teach students habits to become more empathetic, which in turn makes our school a more comfortable environment.”

What is the empathy project?

“The empathy project is three weeks of encouraging students to be aware of other,” Anderson said. “Three weeks of school is what we believe is long enough to create this habit.”

s l o

o F

McKiah San Miguel

Neil Simon’s production of “Fools” takes place in a small town in Ukraine. Senior lead Max Fulbright plays Leon Tolchinsky, a schoolmaster hired by Doctor and Lenya Zubritsky, played by seniors Will Dutton and Niki Dowell, to educate Sophia Zubritsky, played by senior lead Lexi Rose. Leon soon discovers the town has a curse on it, making all of its inhabitants ignorant.

“I think the production will go great, and right now it feels a little rocky,” Dowell said in anticipation of opening night. “We are all ready to work our best.”

Sterling High School’s production of “Fools” features new lead actors, giving new opportunities and experiences.

“I am excited to be the main attention and lead,” Fulbright said. “This is definitely the largest role I have ever had, considering I am in every scene.”

Actors said there are stresses that occur leading up to and after a production.

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“Stress comes along with any production. Trying to work with everyone successfully can be difficult, and even after the show is over, there’s the stress of striking the set and cleaning up, but it’s definitely worthwhile,” Rose said.

Senior Maddie Wagley, as Mrs. Slovich, said practices can run late and be time consuming, but the anticipation of a successful show makes it all worthwhile.

“Rehearsals are typically fun, since we have such a great cast.

Of course, there are times that are stressful and overwhelming, but it’s enjoyable,” she said.

Bringing laughter to the stage, “Fools” provides comedy. “‘Fools’ is very funny, and I think the audience will really enjoy it,” Wagley said.

Overall, actors expressed excitement about the production and gratitude towards the opportunity.

“It’s been amazing to be a lead. I’m thankful for everyone who has put time into making this play a great one,” Rose said.

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FEATURE

The

Biggest Fan

Wind Turbine ignites unique opportunities, national spotlight Will Dutton

Reporter @duttonwill

In an April 2016 Topeka Capital-Journal article, Kansas was characterized as “the Saudi Arabia of Wind.” That’s nothing new to the science department at Sterling High School. They’ve been looking at renewable energy for several years already.

Many students driving to school have a specific parking spot and route they take every day. Some choose to park in front of the district office while others may park by the band room. Most, however, park by the softball fields and wellness center.

Some of these people are in fact, parking under one of the most notable features of Sterling High School, but most don’t even realize it is spinning above them.

The high school’s wind turbine sits on the northwest corner of campus and is actually on the practice field where the football team prepares for each game.

“There’s a constant ringing in our ears, but we get used to it,” Senior Defensive End Ethan Proffitt said. “You kinda don’t notice it in practice, but during like sprints and stuff when we run around the field you have to kinda like change your route sometimes so you don’t run into it.”

An article to remember Chemistry teacher Dan Whisler couldn’t let the chance

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(Photo by Will Dutton)

to install a wind turbine slip past him.

“It was actually during the summer time,” Whisler said. “There was an article on the front page of the Hutchinson News about wind energy and the wind for schools program. Energy education was the whole idea. Westar-Energy was sponsoring this program, and they were looking for schools that might be interested in starting a wind energy program.”

Eager about the opportunity in front of him, Whisler made his way to Sterling to seek out district superintendent Fred Dierksen.

“I drove over to visit with Dr. Dierksen that day, and before I got there one of the board members had already been in to see him about it,” Whisler said.

That board member was Dave Wilson, founder of local business Sterling Services.

“Wind energy was very transcendent at the time,” Wilson said. “It seemed clear, still does, that we wanted our students to have exposure to the technology should they choose a career in the field.”

Several City of Sterling workers put many hours into installing the turbine.

“A number of the city employees, Dicko Jones, Tim Hendricks, they were involved in installing our turbine and hooking it up,” Whisler said. “ ‘Whitey’ he was the one that did the foundation and groundwork. “This project would not have happened without the partnership, the involvement of the City of Sterling.”

In the fall of 2007, the high school was selected by “The Wind for Schools Project” to be the very first school involved with the project to install a 2.4 kilowatt Skystream wind turbine.

“One of the reasons we were selected when we wrote up our grant, it was a community effort to make it happen,” Whisler said. “A selling point for the grant.”

Among other people who helped during the process, Dr. Ruth Miller of Kansas State University also played a part.

“She is an electrical engineer at K-State and she is the coordinator for the Kansas Wind for Schools Program,” Whisler said.

“She is a leader in the state in terms of energy education.”

Connection to the classroom

(Photo by Raegan Mantz) Junior Jeffrey Hartman experiments with his turbine blade design. He created this during his afternoon environmental science class.

One of the requirements for the project stated, “Schools receiving Wfs Turbines are expected to incorporate education about wind energy into their science, math, and social studies curricula, including how turbines work and how to collect, process and understand the data the turbines will provide.”

Whisler believes his students have taken away more from this component than data collection of the school’s own turbine.

“This whole project is how we got started with Environmental Science and Economics as the same curriculum,” Whisler said. “We haven’t used it as much in terms of the data collection, because of the problems we’ve gone through as far as getting the data. The hands-on activities

in the classroom are something we’ve used more. It’s hands on and the students are actually involved in the data collection and analysis.”

Challenge accepted The entire reason why students have been able to compete in KidWind challenges over the years correlates with the arrival of our wind turbine.

“Our big turbine led to the KidWind project, and our involvement in that, and that’s what got us started in all the KidWind challenges and everything we’ve done that way,” Whisler said.

Although the KidWind project is still relatively new, Whisler believes more and more schools are being introduced

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(Photo by Lindsay Gilmore) Dan Whisler poses with the district’s Chevy Volt. Whisler has driven the vehicle to school most days since the project began as part of his evironmental science class, and his students use data from his trips for energy analysis.

annually.

“It’s one now that’s growing across the country,” Whisler said. “Thanks to funding, part of it came from the Rice County coalition, and part of it was a grant from Dr. Miller, I received funding as an educator to go to a one-week workshop in Maine. I flew there for a week and had training from the KidWind director and office staff and became what they refer to as a wind senator.”

Whisler has used the experience to train more people in the state.

“From that, I have started doing KidWind workshops to help other teachers around the state learn more about KidWind and how to do the hands-on activities,” Whisler said. “I’ve hosted about eight to ten different workshops and trained 100-125 teachers from around the state on the Kidwind activities.”

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Since entering the state competition the school has fielded some very informed teams.

“During the last several years we’ve competed in the wind tunnel -- the KidWind challenge, learning year-toyear,” Whisler said. “Three years ago we had a team that won the state KidWind challenge and had the opportunity to compete in a national challenge held in Washington D.C.”

Working towards travel Since there is no budget for this activity, funding to get the team to D.C. was difficult.

“Thanks to this network of people I’d already been working with, through The Sierra Club, Seamon’s, the bank, and Clelia McCrory, we were able to come up

with $3,500 in ten days.”

Former KidWind and student of Whisler’s Taryn Gillespie thought the experience was very memorable.

“It was an awesome feeling to go compete for something we’d spent countless hours of hard work on and come out successful,” Gillespie said. “Getting the invite then to move on to nationals was a feeling of excitement for a new opportunity and experience, and getting a reward for the hard work. It took a group effort and lots of trial and error, but we never gave up.”

While speaking at the state competition about their experience through the hands on activities, future opportunities were opened up.

“Ryan Freed, director of the Kansas Energy office heard our students give their presentation,” Whisler said. “He was impressed with the presentation they gave

and invited them to go to Topeka to give their presentation to the Kansas Corporation Commission, comprised of three commissioners. The regulatory energy board that oversees utility companies in Kansas. They were impressed with the work the students had done and asked us if we would help with the Kansas Energy Expo at the state fair. So for two years we were a part of this great, big energy education project. We had the Volt on display, we had the wind tunnel on display, and students helping other students coming through. It was a neat way for us to showcase what we’re doing with energy education in Sterling.”

State fair success Caleb Hendricks, 2015 graduate of the school was happy to present his work at the state fair.

“Being able to work at the state fair and inform people was great because we got the chance to really get the word out to people about different alternative energy sources that we have,” Hendricks said.

“The fact that we were able to incorporate a real life issue into what we are learning in the classroom rather than just reading in a textbook.”

An electrifying thought Aware of the ever-changing developments of the science world, in the Spring of 2011 Whisler posed a question to his students.

“Gas prices were $3.50 and climbing at the time,” Whisler said. I wanted to give them a math assignment. I asked them to calculate my annual expense just for buying gas to drive back and forth from work. I told them to be my financial advisor, look at the cost of electricity, and research this new vehicle, The Volt.

I asked them if I’d be further ahead to buy a vehicle like this and commute on electricity instead of gas?”

A group discussion soon followed in which one student suggested getting The Volt tested.

“It was Brett Smith’s idea in 2011, Whisler said. I kinda paused at that point and said, ‘If we had a Volt, what data would we collect? How would we analyze it? What would our project look like?’

“We started as a class putting together a proposal, I visited with Mrs. McCrory and threw the idea out to her, and we over a period of two to four weeks kind of put together a proposal.

In April 2011 McCrory asked Whisler how far he thought a check for $500 could go if she gave that to Conklin’s as a deposit to hold the school’s name on for a Volt.

“The vehicle was available on a very limited basis,” Whisler said. There weren’t even any in Kansas at this point. None.

She is the one who took that initial leap of faith,” he said.

Sponsorship, again, seemed like a problem.

“Our original idea was to lease a Volt for three years, and to have a major sponsor each year at a $5,000 level,” Whisler said. They’d get three years of advertising for the project in return. I knew there would be some work involved in finding three businesses willing to do that. JaCam blew me out of the water. They gave us $15,000 towards this project.”

Miles built up The Volt has also been recognized around the country.

“It’s succeeded far beyond my dreams in terms of the opportunities it’s presented to us,” Whisler said. “The Kansas Energy Expo, we’ve had it on display in New Orleans at a National Science Teacher’s Association convention, an NSTA convention in Kansas City, and an NSTA convention with Taryn in Chicago.”

Proud of all the achievements and knowledge students had gained, the school district decided to buy the Volt.

“It was a community partnership,” Whisler said. “Jeff Laudermilk at First Bank jumped on board and said, ‘What if the bank bought it and leased it to the school?’ Well there was a $7,500 tax rebate available, and while schools are tax-exempt, we don’t qualify for tax rebates. Conklin’s claimed the rebate. The bank bought The Volt at a discounted price and leased it to the school district.”

Aside from being showcased at conventions, the Volt brought in one more seemingly incredible honor during the early process.

A prestigious honor “The first year we had the Volt, a Volt advisor from Detroit called me as I was leaving the classroom,” Whisler said.

She’d heard about the Volt through the dealership. She asked if we could visit. We ended up talking for an hour. She wanted to know if I’d give my permission to her so the Huffington Post could write an article about the Volt project.”

Pete Turness, Communications director of General Motors had seen photos highlighting the Volt students’ work on Whisler’s twitter page and invited Whisler to be a special guest at one of five global events celebrating GM’s accomplishment of making 500,000,000 vehicles. He invited a few special guests who had a unique story to tell.

“Taryn, Brett, and I were able to attend the celebration conference where we met the CEO of General Motors,” Whisler said. It was a neat experience for Brett to be able talk about his idea in class, and for Taryn to show everyone what we’d worked on. Afterwards, two members of their magazine team asked if I’d seen their new magazine. They told me on the back cover they were featuring a customer with a unique story. They featured the work our students had done in the classroom with the Volt. It went to over 8,000,000 people in dealerships across the United States.”

Jeffrey Hartman, a member of the 2016 KidWind team that received the state award for energy education is deeply grateful for his experience in Whisler’s classroom.

“I would start by just saying thank you, and then I would mostly thank Mr. Whisler for his encouragement because he kept pushing me to do my best and work hard. I really enjoy my Advanced Environmental Science class,” Hartman said.

Whisler never imagined this outcome when he suggested installing a wind turbine.

“When we started this project, I knew it was unique,” Whisler said. But to think of ever gaining the attention it’s gained.

I never would have thought or expected.

It’s also been fun because there weren’t lesson plans we were designing these things as we went along.”

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SPORTS

Sterling Invitational underestimated Lindsay gilmore

Reporter

@LGilmore10

(Photo by Abby Riffel)

Junior Taya Wilson dribbles the ball across the floor during semifinal action of the 4th Annual Sterling Invitational Girls’ Tournament. The Sterling High School Lady Bears took on the Remington Broncos, coming out on top to send them to a final versus the Hugoton Eagles.

Annual girls and boys basketball tournament takes more work, brings more reward than people realize Every year in the middle of basketball season teams from all over Kansas take two weeks to compete in tournaments around the state. The Sterling Invitational is one of those tournaments.

Hosting eight teams, one from as far as almost four hours by bus, Sterling College and Sterling High School team up to host both girls and boys competition for one week. Even with two organizations putting in their resources, the tournament can be a large beast to tame.

“Of course the tournament is about the basketball games, but there are lots of other things to think about,” Athletic Director and Tournament Director Bill Anderson said. “For example, organizing places for teams to locker, finding ways to make teams welcome to the tournament, hosting and finding your officials for the games, hospitality for coaches, administrators and officials, programs for the tournament, organizing and working with the college about how things are going to be covered during games, getting workers for gate, clock and book.”

With so many bases to cover, Anderson cannot do it alone.

People from within and outside the district help with a lot.

“It is the support we get from our community. It is also the great working relationship that we have with the college. I am so grateful for McKenzi Flickinger, Todd Vogts, Gary Kempf, Justin Morris, Deb Weibe, our coaching staff and many others who help put it all together,” he said.

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With the death of long time tournament director Lonnie Kruse this past fall, the tournament will not have any large changes from year’s past, just as Lonnie would have wanted it.

“How do you put into words the impact that a man of that stature brings to the tournament? This tournament will just be another event that reminds us of the greatness of Lonnie Kruse and how much he will be missed,” Anderson said. “Also, this is a basketball tournament. Lonnie used basketball as a conduit for building relationships, encouraging others and making those around him better people. That can’t be replaced.”

Kruse was instrumental in the inclusion of a girls tournament four years ago, and communication between the college and high school has been even more key since the installment of the Girls Invitational.

“It all boils down to communication. We start early looking at what needs to be done and reviewing at the end of each year what things we can do to make it better,” Anderson said.

With all of the work and time put into the tournament, some wonder, “Is it worth it?” Anderson says it is.

“I enjoy thinking about how other schools and other communities are coming in to see our wonderful facilities,” he said.

“Plus, we have great people helping with the tournament. Every time we are smiling and being hospitable, we are demonstrating the greatness of our community and schools.”

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| Feb. 2017 13

SPORTS

(Photo by Morgan Anderson) Sophomore Max Dutton dribbles up the court in a JV game against Hutch Trinity. “Playing in the JV game is great because it gets me loose before the varsity game,” he said.

Basketball teams continue success Dallas Lackey Before the Sterling Invitational the boys basketball team has had their fair share of success, going into the tournament with a 8-2 record. The Bears have viewed the first part of their season a success.

“After our opening loss to Hillsboro, we really locked in and started focusing on the little things. Things like working hard,-

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@DallyEL improving everyday, and just growing closer as a team,” senior Kyler Comley said.

Suffering a loss in the season opener against Hillsboro and in the Heart of America versus Central Prairie League Showcase at the buzzer, the Bears have responded to each challenge.

“I think we did a great job of shaking them off and refocusing on what could improve,” senior Edward Weiner said. “I think those losses have made us better because of that.”

Head coach Derek Schneider has seen some of the same things out of his players.

“I think the guys that are out there playing are really trying to do what they are supposed to be doing together, and they are working very hard at it,” he said. “We’ve really came together as a team, and we are always encouraging each other.”

The Lady bears have continued to be successful too. With a 6-2 record, they have handled things seemingly well and answered some questions and worries that head coach Jill Rowland had.

“I’m pretty pleased with how we’ve done so far,” she said. “I was worried how we would handle things and where we would get the points we’ve needed to win, but we have had a lot of players step up. Having only two losses with a pretty tough schedule is something to be proud of.”

OPINIONS

Senioritis exists, we can’t help but get it Oh my gosh I’m so tired of having to be here all day.

I’m so ready to get out of Sterling.

If only I could graduate already.

There’s too long until graduation.

I can’t wait to move into [insert college here].

How am I going to make it through a whole other semester?

My parents are really getting on my nerves, I can’t wait to leave home.

Those are all things that I hear and sometimes think during any given day at SHS, and they are all proof of the disease called Senioritis.

That’s right, I said it. It’s a real thing.

And you juniors think you have it now?

You just wait until you come back from Christmas break (or as I like to call it, “Christmas Break Tease”) your senior year and can’t stand the thought of another day of high school.

Constant streams of horrific thoughts

fill your head, you can’t wait to get out.

You can’t wait to see the world and finally figure out who you really are!

That’s what Senioritis is.

It’s not simply the desire to graduate.

It’s more than that. You have no motivation to do anything in school, the minimum becomes what you are OK with, and you’re just ready to be on your own.

Free.

And why wouldn’t we be excited for that future? No curfews, no rules, no parents telling you what to do.

So every time I see one of those Odessey Online articles titled, “An open letter to seniors,” or “50 things I wish I knew as a second-semester senior,” it takes all that I can do to keep from scratching my eyes out.

I can’t help that I have senioritis. It’s just something that happens. Stop trying to get me to live in the moment. It’s only going to make me want to leave more.

COLUMN BY LINDSAY GILMORE @Lgilmore10

‘R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me’

COLUMN BY LEXI ROSE @lexxi_rosse

Aretha Franklin’s 1967 song “Respect,” enthralled audiences far and wide.

Although it was meant for her significant other, the general theme of “Respect” can still be applied to most situations.

Throughout all your life, there will always be someone you have to answer to, whether it be someone in a higher position than you, such as a teacher or employer, or someone you’re working alongside, like a spouse or a teammate.

If you’re reading this and thinking to yourself, ‘I don’t have to answer to anyone,’ you’re most likely lacking in respect.

In order to be a successful, wellrounded or likeable person, there are certain key components you must apply to each of your relationships. One of the biggest keys, if you haven’t picked up on the theme yet, is respect.

This is where Aretha’s famous lyrics come into play. To make any relationship work well, you “got to have a little respect.”

Let me “spell” it out for you.

R: Realize your position. Respect

teachers and substitutes. Don’t

abuse your power.

E: Everyone can do it, even you.

S: Show kindness and courtesy.

P: Please be aware of your actions.

E: Everyone needs to do it, even you.

C: Consider others’ feelings.

T: These are things you can do to be

more respectful: Say “yes ma’am/sir” or “no ma’am/

sir” when necessary.

Say “please/thank you.”

Apply the Golden Rule. Treat others

as you want to be treated.

Encourage positivity in others.

Avoid being the cause of grief for

yourself and others.

Don’t gossip, spread drama, or lie.

Obey the rules.

In the words of Aretha, “All I’m askin’ is for a little respect…”

Sterling High School |

www.sterlingcubreporter.com

| Feb. 2017 15

NEWS

Gettin’ the heck into Dodge Deirksen moves career forward, lands close to family Lindsay Gilmore After 14 years as superintendent of Unified School District 376 and nearly 25 years living in Sterling, Dr. Fred Dierksen has accepted a job as the superintendent of USD 443 in Dodge City effective July 1.

Deirksen announced his resignation on the morning of Jan. 19 via email to his staff members after a special Board of Education meeting was held to approve his release from contract.

“There’s something to be said for having a good run and leaving on your own terms,” Deirksen said. “I’m very proud of what I’ve accomplished here, and I’m very proud to be the superintendent of Sterling, but the opportunity to make a career advancement is one that I’ve been looking for. This one came along, and I was lucky enough to be selected.”

Sterling BOE President Ken Brown stated that the board has already begun the processes necessary for hiring a new superintendent of schools.

“After discussion and review, we’ve agreed to work with the Kansas Association of School Boards to help us conduct the search process. I’ve already made contact with our KASB representative, and he and I will be meeting soon with the Board to move forward,” Brown said. “Additional BOE meetings may be required during this process to ensure a proper search is conducted, effective reviews of those who apply, and that the best candidate for USD 376 is selected.

We plan to move ahead in an extremely thorough manner, but also as quickly as possible.”

The position opening was posted on Jan. 19, with more details and application guidelines to follow.

“Dr. Dierksen is still the Superintendent of USD 376 through June 30, 2017, and will continue to meet the requirements of his position through that timeline,” Brown said. “However, Dr. Dierksen will not play a role in the actual search process, as that would be a conflict of interest. Instead, as the BOE sees necessary, he may provide guidance and input, but only in areas that we seek additional guidance or input on.”

Deirksen’s decision to make the move to Dodge City came in light of the job opening up as well as other circumstance.

“It’s all about being where you want to be and doing what you want to do, and this job fit those criteria for me,” he said. “Dodge City is closer to many of my family members. Western Kansas lifestyle is one that I’m familiar with and I like, and it’s a big enough job that it creates a whole different level of administration that I’m excited about.”

Sterling High School Principal Dr. Bill Anderson has had Deirk-

16

Reporter @lgilmore10 sen as superintendent since he came to Sterling 10 years ago and had nothing but kind words to say about him.

“I don’t know if people remember, but I was gone for the first five weeks of my job when I first came here because my daughter was so sick,” he said. “He was so supportive and helpful and understanding with that. He’s a great person to work with.”

(Courtesy Photo) Dr. Fred Deirksen leads the Sterling Grade School Halloween Parade in 1998. “Some of my most fond memories are leading the Halloween parades and things like that,” he said. “I think sometimes people take things too seriously.”