Sterling Cub Reporter: May 2018

CUB REPORTER Sterling High School | Volume 4 | Issue 8 | May 2018

FBLA National Bound Pg. 4

Salute to Seniors

The Sterling Bunch Pg. 8

Pg. 12

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| May 2018

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EDITORIAL

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

STAFF EDITORS: • McKiah San Miguel • Grace Rowland REPORTERS: • Morgan Anderson • Natalie Nichols • Andy Norez • Taya Wilson • Kaylie Zimmerman 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 Sterling teachers that attended Sterling High School and or Sterling College pose for a picture. Read more about the “Just a Bunch of Alumni” on page 8.

(Photos by Morgan Anderson)

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Defend each other, stop cyberbullying Cyberbullying is a huge issue in today’s culture with so many opportunities through social media platforms and texting.

Rude and degrading comments, jealous, nasty texts, and hurtful, revealing revenge posts run rampant online.

AlwaysConnected and STOPit say that Facebook and Instagram are the worst platforms for cyberbullying. Snapchat and texting are also a prime mode of cyberbulling because nobody else can see it.

According to the Cyberbullying Research Center, about half of young people have experienced some form of cyber bullying, and 10 to 20 percent experience it regularly.

This is not okay.

It is not funny.

It is hurtful.

In a survey of 97 students and staff at Sterling Junior and Senior High School, many people reported that cyberbullying has hurt, lowered self-esteem, torn friends apart, created doubt and insecurities about themselves, and brought on depression and self-harm.

This is not just everywhere else. It is here, and it needs to stop.

Twenty-two percent of students and staff here reported being the victim of cyberbullying, 8 percent have taken part in it, and 41 percent have witnessed it.

Is anyone doing anything about it?

Have those witnesses stood up for the victim and said, “This is wrong and it needs to end”?

We have to stand up and protect each

other. This is everyone’s responsibility.

As social media becomes the center of the modern world, it is everyone’s responsibility to control cyberbullying.

First, we need to not be the bullies.

If you catch yourself wanting to say something that may directly or indirectly hurt someone, don’t post it or don’t send it.

Everyone is guilty of it at some point, but we need to be aware of just what we are putting out there and who it may affect.

Not only do we need to filter what we say, we need to stand up for the people who do get bullied.

If you see a post that is spreading gossip about someone or is hurtful to someone, stop it. Most importantly, do not spread it.

Gossip and how quickly it spreads is a huge part of cyberbullying. If one hurtful thing slips, it will be around the school by the end of the day. If we hear something about someone else, do not pass it on or talk to people about it. This is becoming a bigger and bigger issue, and we need to control it before it hurts even more people.

If you see something online, defend whoever it is directed at. We need to all be more careful about what we say, what stories we believe, and what we spread.

If you have been cyberbullied, talk to a staff or faculty member or call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at (800) 273-TALK (8255).

— For The Editorial Board

BRIEFLY STATED Midnight Masquerade Junior Dylan Stewart hangs up gossamer during the prom setup on April 13. Attending the Midnight Masquerade prom dance the next night, junior Brett Riffel dances to “Bodak Yellow” on April 14.

Zeroto100

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.

Freshman Tyus Wilson ties school record in high jump with a height of 6 feet 6 inches.

Graduation caps and gowns have been delivered.

Seniors attend their last day of high school on May 9.

Girls softball loses to Cheney at a home softball game on April 13.

“I’m going to miss seeing all of these people that I’ve gotten to know because we’re not going to be together for a long time,” senior Hannah Vogt said.

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NEWS

FBLA Qualifies for Nationals McKiah San miguel Sterling High School has given students an option for a club known as FBLA the last three years. This year has been their most successful since the program began, taking several students to compete at nationals.

“I think we’ve got a good shot this year, at the national level it’s everyone who has qualified which is about 12-13 thousand students, but I think we’ve still got a good shot even with those numbers,” Eric Wenzel said.

Wenzel will be taking 8 students to compete this year at NFBLA, this being his most successful group. Kenan Comley competing in Entrepreneurship, William Weiner in accounting, Blake Richter and Mia Stinemetz in Virtual Business Management, Natalie Nichols, Grace Rowland, and Taya Wilson competing in Broadcasting.

Almost every student will be able to prep for nationals, but it solely depends

editor @kiiaahhh

on their category they’re competing in.

“It really depends on the event, William with accounting, he is in accounting class and we give him tests so he can prepare himself,” Wenzel said, “When it comes to Taya, Grace, and Natalie all they have is feedback from the judges that they would like to see them improve on, so they’re able to spend time on that fine tuning things. Blake and Mia with their virtual challenge they were able to practice this spring with an online simulation.”

Although many students qualified for nationals, the expenses rose very quickly.

“We’re looking at a total price of about $8,000 for all of us to go,” Wenzel said, “so it’ll be about a thousand per student.”

With such large expenses the group has held and plans to hold several more fundraisers to pay for the trip.

“So far we have a done quite a few

throughout the year, thankfully, we did donuts in the fall, christmas wrapping and door hanging for the city, so that was a really good kick off for us,” Wenzel said, “over the past few years we’ve had businesses sponsor us for our trips, our goal is to talk to them again and have their support for this big trip.”

All participants will fly out June 27 through July 2, during this time they will compete and use all their skills that Wenzel has taught them throughout the year and hopefully through their careers.

“I think this organization is a good way to plug in for some people who may not have an outlet academically right now, to be able to plug in and compete with other people in the state,” Wenzel said, “We’ve started to do more community involvement, different server projects, and building in our community, but definitely a big benefit is having another academic plug who are still unsure.”

(Courtesy Photo) Pictured above, FBLA members who qualified for nationals and will travel in June 2018 to Baltimore, Maryland.

(Grace Rowland) Top Right, junior William Weiner patiently waiting to recieve an award at the State FBLA banquet.

(Grace Rowland) To the right, Kenan Comley shakes hand of State FBLA Officer as she hands him his award for placing in entrepreneurship category.

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NEWS

Stuco announces election winners Sterling High School Student Council (StuCo) elections took place April 23, 2018 with the results coming in April 25, 2018. The 2018-2019 student council includes: senior Debi Schmidt, president; senior Jillian Millhouse, vice president; junior Josh Curtis, treasurer; sophomore Natalie Schweizer, secretary; senior Brett Riffel, class representative; junior Alaina Madden, class representative; and sophomore Aubrey Anderson, class representative.

The StuCo elections took on a different process this year. With the addition of a different application process and the elimination of speeches, the elections of student representation hasn’t look like it has in the past.

StuCo adviser Ian Anderson received suggestions for a change in the application process.

“There is more of an application. We have asked students to get recommendations from teachers, and we have also asked them to describe why they are a good fit for StuCo and the office that they are running for,” Anderson said. “We even included a grade point average requirement. This year we have eliminated the speeches and instead let the students voting read a short paragraph on why they are a good fit for the office that they are running for and a goal that the students has for StuCo next year.”

Grace Rowland

editor @Graaccee54

All of the changes taking place in the elections were discussed and made by Anderson and the administration, all of whom put in work by researching and looking into ways to improve the system. This included the elimination of the student speeches.

“Some of the changes were from suggestions from last year from teachers and administration about ways to make things better and getting more teacher input. We looked around at the way other schools do elections, and the form that we came up with was based on that research,” Anderson said. “The speeches for many years haven’t had the purpose that they should and the voters may be listening or not. I think it gives people that aren’t necessarily witty, or don’t like getting up in front of people but are a good leader, and gives them a chance to be in StuCo.” With only four offices available to learn such leadership skills, students that don’t get elected are eligible to be a representative for their class, each class receiving one class representative. If there is more than one representative eligible, it is voted on during class elections.

Ian Anderson is content with the applicants and looks forward to the results and the upcoming year.

“I was pleased with all the candidates,” Anderson said. “There are 10 for the seven positions, and I think any one of them would be a good fit if they win.”

(Photo by Morgan Anderson) The 2018-2019 StuCo poses for a picture. Listed clockwize from the to: sophomore Alaina Madden, freshman Aubrey Anderson, sophomore Josh Curtis, junior Jillian Millhouse, junior Brett Riffel, junior Debi Schmidt, Sterling High School | www.sterlingcubreporter.com | May 2018 5 and freshman Natalie Schweizer.

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— The Sterling Student Publications Staff

NEWS

BOE changes athletic co-ops Taya WIlson

Unified School District 376 made several decisions regarding co-op athletics with Nickerson High School at the previous School Board Meeting; decisions regarding the proposal of women’s soccer and the continuation of wrestling.

NHS’s athletic director John McLean reached out to Sterling High School proposing a co-op agreement to include Sterling athletes in its new soccer program.

This proposition was denied by the board due to the fact that there are already multiple athletic events for females to choose from that the district already offers. There was also a budgetary concern and the potential problem of a Title 9 violation.

Another co-op that NHS and SHS share is the wrestling agreement. This previous year the district paid $3,000 for junior Dylan Stewart to wrestle, not including the cost for transporting him to and from practices and competitions — which was approximately another $3,000, according to Sterling Superintendent Jim Goracke.

NHS and SHS have come to a new agreement that will be put in place next season.

Sterling will now pay the Nickerson coach a proportional

Reporter @_twils_

salary, which would drop the current payment from $3,000 to $300. The district will also require the wrestling athletes to transport themselves to and from Nickerson for both practices and meets.

Eligibility Changes/Clarification During the Board Meeting there were also some eligibility changes and clarifications.

Some of the changes include: the first eligibility report will be ran the third week of the start of school. Any student on the ineligibility list for three consecutive weeks will be required to attend after school tutoring from 3:15-4:15 until they are off the list. This will include all students, even those not in an activity, and there will be no Wednesday warning for students who are ineligible.

Along with these changes came clarification to eligibility rules with activities such as band, choir, plays, dances, art, et cetera.

These clarifications made the eligibility policy more uniform throughout all activities.

STAFF THANKS

Mr. Ian Anderson, You are a calming influence upon our students. When they enter your classroom, they enter a world of tranquility where thoughts and insights are truly valued. In the hectic world we live in, you make a concerted effort to provide students the opportunity to slow down and think.

Thank you for being you.

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FEATURE

Just a Bunch of Alumni These teachers have spent years at Sterling — not only as teachers, but also as students Andy Norez

Wendy Calderwood, 1988

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It has long been considered the social norm for students to leave the town were they’ve completed school and never look back. While it may hold true for most towns the same can’t be said for Sterling, of the 30 teachers in the sigh school, nine of them have either attended Sterling high school and/or Sterling college. ‘This number could be influenced by Sterling’s success in academics and extracurricular activities. These nine teachers have spent hundreds of hours to both Sterling and their students, while while not to say other teachers haven’t dedicated as much time but these nine have a special connection to the community.’

“Originally in college I wanted to go into Architectural Engineering and I went through that program for a while,” band director Larry Brownlee said. “When I realized that I seemed to be spending most of my time in the music building, I decided that it was what I really loved doing, so I switched during my sophomore year and have been teaching at Sterling for 33 years.”

Reporter @andy_norez While Brownlee doesn’t regret his choice in becoming a music teacher, he still finds interest in architecture and its design.

“While I truly feel that this is the job I’m meant to do, I still find joy in architecture and its design,” Brownlee said. “I use this hobby for building sets for plays and things like that, designing and being creative in that way.”

While Brownlee originally had a plan for what job he had wanted going into college and was able to find his passion rather quickly, he wasn’t the only one who had an area in mind when he went to college. Drama and english teacher Betsy Dutton had already had her mind made on what she wanted to do.

“I come from a family of teachers, my grandparents were were both a teacher and a principal and my mom was a first grade teacher,” Dutton said. “When I was in about third grade and my sister was in kindergarten I taught her how to read.”

With her ability to teach already known at a young age, she ended up

Left: Robin Webb, 1997 Below: Jill Rowland, 2014 getting a job at Sterling College after graduating. Soon she received a job offer to work at Sterling High School.

“They created a position at the high school because Diane Kling was on the school board at the time and she had young children and she wanted a theater teacher,” Dutton said. “But they didn’t have a theater program so she was very insistent that I at least get a part-time job, and because I could teach English and Speech they made it a full-time job.”

Dutton had known that she always wanted to be a teacher. She wasn’t alone in this mind set of wanting to be a teacher as mathematics teacher Robin Webb had also wanted to be a teacher from a young age.

“I’ve always wanted to teach, at first I was going to teach elementary or Special ED, but I added the math degree to please my father because he thought that elementary would be a waste, which isn’t true,” Webb said. ” So I picked up Math and ended up really enjoying it.”

Webb had followed what she had wanted to do and had found what she truly enjoyed doing by going out on a limb. Much like Webb, biology teacher Wendy Calderwood had also known what she had wanted to do when she went to college.

“I went to Sterling College and graduated in 89’, I went to get a biology degree and a teaching certificate,” Calderwood said. “I didn’t expect on coming back to Sterling, but I had hoped I would.”

Calderwood came back to the area last year and applied for the biology position that had recently opened up. She came back not only for the teaching part but also for family reasons.

“My parents live in Buhler, and my mom’s dementia is really bad, so we take

turns on weekends taking care of them and living 3 1/2 hours away was difficult to do.” Calderwood said. “When I heard that the science job opened up I thought wow a chance to teach in Sterling, and because I think so highly of the school, it was a win-win situation because I got to be a part of the school and to be close to my parents.”

Choir director Clark Comley who’s also the high school basketball assistant coach and junior high head football coach had a simple reason for becoming a teacher.

“I think it was because it was all I knew, my dad was a teacher and my mom was a teacher, my moms parents were teachers, it was what our family did and all I knew to do was school,” Comley said.

“What happened to me is what I think happens to a lot of people: I just did what I knew.”

While Comley’s reason might not be the most intriguing, nonetheless it still doesn’t change the amount of joy that he finds in being a teacher. Head football and basketball coach Derek Schneider also found joy through teaching, but not at first.

“I didn’t have an idea for the first few years of college, I changed my majors a few times before I finally settled on being a teacher,” Schneider said. “Coaching was the reason I started to become a teacher, I wasn’t majoring in education at the time but I was coaching basketball at the high school, and I was really enjoying it a lot.”

When Schnieder began coaching, he had found the thing he wanted to do in life, now what he needed to do was to find a subject he enjoyed teaching.

“Finding coaching enjoyable I thought it was something to look into and then I had to pick the class I’d like to teach,”

Below: Betsy Dutton, 2003

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Right: Ian Anderson, 2014 Below: Derek Schneider, 2000

Below: Wes Laudermilk, 1999

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Schneider said.”I always enjoyed art class and so I gave it a shot. I did it for a semester and really enjoyed it.”

Between the two extremes of knowing exactly what you wanted to do in college, and having zero idea in what you wanted to do, P.E. teacher Jill Rowland who is also the, head girls’ basketball coach experienced this conundrum.

“When I headed into college I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I originally started with physical activity as a minor and than completed that degree,” Rowland said. “I have a dual degree in behavioral science and then picked up education. I had behavioral science which I could have done any number of things with.”

Despite Rowland’s plethora of careers that were available to her with her degrees, she in the end choose teaching and has taught in several places before finally landing here.

“After graduation I went to Concordia and taught for five years. Then I got married and and came back into the area and I taught at Nickerson for nine years before I returned to Sterling where I have taught for 10 years,” Rowland said. “I came back here because my husband is from Sterling.”

Mathematics teacher Wes Laudermilk who also is the, basketball and football assistant coach had also known what field he wanted to go into when he went to college.

“I attended Sterling High School and Sterling College graduating from high school in 99’ and college in 2003. At the beginning of college I was going to do banking so I took classes in business,” Laudermilk said. “Then, before I graduated my father had asked me if I really wanted to do banking the rest of my life,

which I didn’t so I chose to become a teacher so I went back to get my teaching degree which I got in 2006.”

Language arts teacher Ian Anderson didn’t originally plan on being a teacher when he was in college.

“In 2004 I graduated through Sterling College, I was studying English and literature then I had a minor in Philosophy, but I didn’t have any real intention of teaching,” Anderson said. “I originally planned on just going to school here, but then I got engaged but my wife still had a year left at Sterling College so I needed to get a job here.”

This was a turning point for Anderson as now he had to lay down roots for a job but also made him become part of the community making it harder for him to leave.

“After graduation I had worked a variety of jobs at Sterling Services, for awhile I managed the Call Center before becoming the Human Resources Manager.”

After working there for a bit Anderson found that the business world wasn’t suited for his talents and decided to change careers.

“I actually went back to school and got my teaching certification which I did through Sterling again, it took a few years of student teaching which I also did here,” Anderson said. “If I could’ve gone back I would have worked on getting my teaching certificate sooner because I had to balance being a dad, having a full-time job, and finishing it to get my degree.

“Teaching is in my blood, my dad is a professor, his dad was a teacher, my mother had a degree in education, I didn’t expect to be a teacher. But when I look back at it now it almost seems like it was inevitable, and I find teaching is something I find a lot of joy in.”

“I think it was because it was all I knew, my dad was a teacher and my mom was a teacher, my moms parents were teachers, it was what our family did and all I knew to do was school. What happened to me is what I think happens to a lot of people: I just did what I knew.”

— Clark Comley

Above: Larry Brownlee, 2007

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INFOGRAPHIC

Last Words

As I prepare to go off to college and start my future, I can’t help but look back at my past, at all the great memories that Sterling High School has given me.

To share this reflection with you I have to take you back to the beginning, yes, to the dreaded freshman year. Although, maybe this year is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be, or maybe my class just went through it differently. I would say we went through it fearlessly. You don’t believe me? Then let me show you.

We may not have entered high school with a bang, but we sure made ourselves heard.

Whether it was belting our voices in a choir concert, acting out on stage, or even getting toga-ed up and yelling our heads off for a game we were fearlessly involved in any activity we could join.

Just as we were starting to find our way in high school, the awkward year -- also known as the sophomore year -- hit. After regaining our footing from the impact we found how to compete. With heated debates in World History, Jester-winning performances, and “bringing home the hardware” in not only sports, but academics too, it’s no wonder we were labeled the competitive class.

Then we reached the upperclassmen stage, where we were no longer the bottom feeders of the high school. We may not have been considered “senior leaders” yet, but we were determined to prove ourselves in everything we did. We were determined to make a difference in the lives of other people, determined to improve ourselves in athletics, academics, and extracurriculars. We were determined to be the changes we wanted to see in the world.

Finally senior year, the year we all worked towards and the year some would rather skip over. The year of the final word. My final word is that we were leaders. We were leaders “on and off the court.” We were leaders in the classroom, on stage, and on the playing field.

Some of us were vocal leaders, others led by example, some led on the bench, and others led on the court. As the saying goes, “Throw me to the wolves (in this case high school) and I will return leading the pack.”

Everybody wants to be remembered, everybody wants to leave a legacy. Maybe I made an impact on your life, maybe I didn’t. Maybe you’ll remember me, maybe you won’t, maybe none of that matters. What matters is the memories I’ve made along the way, what matters are the friends and the teachers that impacted my life.

I will never be able to thank Sterling High School enough. I want to thank the teachers who have taught me so much more than academics, the coaches who pushed me to be more than just an athlete, the secretaries, counselor, principal, and district office for always keeping things running, and finally to the cooks and the janitors for all the “behind the scenes” work that they do. Without these people I would not be the person I am today. I thank you for all your time, hard work, and dedication.

Sincerely, 12

Taya Wilson

Lyons, KS

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SPORTS

THE SHS

The Cub Reporter strives to cover everything we can, but with so many things going on during the year, it can be difficult. And so: The SHS Extra Inning was born. Here we cover everything we can fit in this space.

EXTRA INNING

Morgan Anderson

Reporter

@_morgs.__

A Record-Breaking Season

Junior William Weiner

Sophomore Abby Riffel

Freshman Tyus Wilson

Summer Excitements

Senior Lucas Weigel

The Cub Reporter takes a look at what the student body is looking forward to in the summer.

15% 8% Vacation

No School

Sleeping In Nice Weather (Percentages taken 79 students)

Fencing Practice

Junior Cooper Galyon and sophomores Elizabeth Horsh and Mallory Beltz hold the ready position during Betsy Dutton’s fencing course in her drama class. Students learn the basics of fencing around April.

(Photo by: Grace Rowland)

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48% 29%

With the track season halfway through, Sterling High School has already been setting new and amazing records this year.

One of them being a new incoming freshman with “high” goals.

Freshman Tyus Wilson is a high jumper for the Sterling High School track team, jumping a height of 6’6” at the first home track meet, tying the previous

school record.

That height got him the first place medal for the day, but with almost every track athlete, they always shoot for better.

Recently at the Hesston track meet on April 24, Wilson decided to take his chances and beat the school record.

Wilson jumped his best that day with a height of 6’8”, beating the record by two inches.

Q&A

Tennis Player Brett Riffel

CUB REPORTER: What are you looking forward to this tennis season?

BRETT: I’m looking forward to improving with my teammates and then with that, hopefully going to state.

CR: What will be your biggest challenge?

BR: I guess my biggest challenge will be getting out of my own head and just focusing on the game and not getting caught up in my emotions.

CR: How are you preparing for state?

BR: Everyday at practice, I work as hard as I can that day and make sure that my partner and I are playing well as a team and not as individuals.

CR: What mindset do you have when you play?

BR: Usually I’m very focused. Especially if we’re in a hard match, I try not to get too worked up about things.

OPINIONS POINT / COUNTERPOINT

Out with the Old, In with the New New schedule brings a learning Sterling High School should curve to Sterling High School keep the current schedule For over 20 years, Sterling High School’s schedule has been a modified block with selected classes on certain days.

Students would have black, white, and grey days where classes were divided accordingly. According to principal Bill Anderson, the board was looking for a change in the schedule that would support more remediation opportunities for junior high and high school. The current schedule was difficult for students to retain information from difficult core classes without having the class on a daily basis, so they decided to change to a schedule that had every class everyday.

With the new schedule, I feel like students and teachers will enjoy it more. It’s a chance for teachers to meet with their classes everyday and provide help where it’s needed, and its a chance for students to be able to keep up with their lessons. Teachers will be able to get more information taught to their students which in turn, can boost scores on the ACT or SAT. In order to fit in all the classes, the school day is a little longer where we would be going until 3:25 instead of 3:15. This may seem like a problem, but in the end, this means less school days in the year and a longer summer.

In our current schedule, our core classes in the morning are an hour and 10

COLUMN BY MORGAN ANDERSON @_morgs.__ minutes long, which in my opinion, tends to get very boring very fast. Some teachers spend the whole time lecturing and many students tend to stop listening as it becomes draggy. With the new schedule, the classes in the morning are shortened to 40 minutes and students are more likely to pay attention for the whole duration.

Having every class everyday will be beneficial for students and teachers alike in order to teach all of the information and be able to learn as much as possible.

Sterling High School is taking on a major change in the schedule this upcoming year. Instead of the usual block schedule, there will now be every class every day. Some change is good from time to time, however, this is not one of those times.

First of all, this modification is very inconvenient for teachers. Some teachers have never taught on this new kind of schedule; they’ve only taught on a block schedule.

This means they’ll have to readjust all of their lesson plans in ways they have never taught. This can be difficult for teachers who used to teach a lesson and give homework every class. Some teachers will not be able to cover a

Sterling High School |

COLUMN BY NATALIE NICHOLS @natalie.e.n lesson in the shortened hour.

For example, in math most lessons take a lengthy amount of time to fully explain and an assignment is given afterward.

If math homework is given everyday, students will become overwhelmed very quickly.

Secondly, time has been cut in places that are difficult for students. Seminar will only be 20 minutes long. Students need seminar time to catch up on homework, makeup tests, or get help from teachers.

This brief time will not allow students to complete most assignments or makeup tests in a timely manner. There will also be only three-minute passing periods. This doesn’t leave enough time for students if they need to visit their locker or run to the restroom.

Lastly, there will only be eight classes students can take throughout the year. This means fewer opportunities and credits for the students.

Students might not be able to fit a dual credit class into their schedule which would have helped them in college or an elective class that really interests them.

All in all, next year’s transition will affect students and teachers negatively, and it’s not the most beneficial schedule.

www.sterlingcubreporter.com

| May 2018 15

ENTERTAINMENT NOTE: Killer Serial Fiction is a part of Sterling Student Publications. It is the home of creative writing by Sterling High School creative writing students. Stories appearing here are works of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. These stories are presented for entertainment purposes only and are not intended to be read as being part of Sterling Student Publications news coverage. For more stories, visit www.sterlingstudentpublications.com/fiction.

The Dream

BY CHRISTINA VOTH

My hands shook as the people who found me began to drag me somewhere. Their long thin hands combing through my hair, tugging at my clothes, as if they had never seen anything like them before. Though in all honesty they probably haven’t seen anything like them. I listened as they spoke to one another, they had given up on me understanding them halfway through the long trek from my broken and useless plane, Their voices were beautiful, they reminded me of twittering birds in the early morn. I must sound awful to them, I’m sure I don’t sound like singing birds. Finally they pull me out of the dense trees that I had been lost in for days and into a clearing filled with people,huts, and a massive patch of dirt in the middle of it all, long since hard and packed. What was it for? The moon cast a beautiful glow on the rectangle of earth, almost like a stage light. Then they came. Dancers of all shapes, sizes, and ages dressed with stunning costumes of fabric,flowers, and feathers.

I watched as the performers swayed and leaped, their costumes coming to life. Before me dancing people became dancing macaws,flamingoes,toucans, and many other species I couldn’t recognize. All swirling into a glorious tapestry of reds,pinks,blacks, yellows, and greys. Then out of the corner of my eyes I saw flash of emerald green and royal blue, something different from the rest.

I stared in awe as a young man descended from the tree to my right, his costume the most beautiful article of clothing I had ever seen. It was the color of emeralds and was decorated with blue flowers, the name unknown to e, and gold accents that matched his decorative face paint. He was a Peacock.

I dumbly watched as he seamlessly slipped into the intricate dance, as if he had been there his entire life, his moves graceful and smooth. I had never seen anything like it. The dancers leapt, spun, and intertwined with one another, becoming one entity. It was beautiful.

The man caught my attention once again as he began to spin faster and faster, the music following suite, becoming louder, more carnal, and more exciting. This was the finale. I couldn’t wait to see what the finish was going to be, my anticipation rising. Then the heart-pounding music reached its peak and suddenly stopped as the man, now exhausted collapsed into the arms of his flock. I was worried, until I saw his face, he was smiling. He had put his entire

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heart and soul into the dance, but what was it for?

I looked around, searching the faces of those beside me for an answer. But none came, for they were all facing the sky like they were waiting for something, excitement and hope written on their features. I looked up as well, trying to find what they were seeing to cause such feelings, but found nothing in the inky black of the night but the stars. Sure the night sky was beautiful, but didn’t they see it every night?

That’s when it happened. A sight that will forever be burned into my memory. The sky began to become a shower of fiery streaks. Comets. The people around me began to cheer and yell in their joy, but I felt a glance in my direction. A woman was staring at me worriedly, she made a trial from her eye down her cheek and pointed to me, I reached up and my cheek wet, I had been crying without realizing it. Out of nowhere a shrill shriek pierced the air.

I opened my eyes and groggily looked at my alarm clock bouncing around on my bedside table, after slamming a hand on the annoying piece of plastic I slowly sat up. Well that dream was very vivid, my cheeks are actually wet, must have cried in my sleep.

Rolling out of bed, I noticed I had a voicemail from my “friend” Lucinda. Sighing I pressed play. “ Marissa, Dahling. I know you’re having issues about having’ nothing to write about and things, but you really need to turn something in. we got bills to pay, honey. See ya later!” her voice shrill and chipper, why did I become friends with her in high school? She still has yet to take a hint that I don’t want to talk to her.

“Well dahling, do I have something to write.” I whispered as I walked to m reading nook grabbing my pencil and notebook on my way. Pausing as I watched a single green and blue feather landed on my window sill. I slowly crept towards my window, as if any sudden movement would could send it floating away. I gingerly opened it, hoping the drat wouldn’t send it careening out of my reach. It did. I flung out a hand, my heart in my throat , just barely catching it. I looked at the delicate thing in my hands and smiled, it was a peacock feather.

I bent down to pick up the supplies I dropped in my panic and continued onto my reading nook, but not before placing the feather on my desk, smiling to myself.