Issue6volume38

The Skyline High School

Making a leap of faith, sophomore Payje Orler competes in the long jump competition at the Jetmore track meet on Tuesday. She jumped a personal record of 13 feet and eight inches. photo by r. tucker

T-BIRD

Times

Volume 38 • Issue 6 • May 9, 2014

tbirdtimes.com

Leather skin becomes common sight

by Austin Gilpin

reporter

There is a measure working its way through the Kansas state legislature that would ban anyone under 18 from using a tanning bed.

They should pass it to protect minors from irreversibly damaging their bodies. Around 2.3 million teenagers visited a tanning salon last year. Somehow, despite all the warnings issued about using tanning beds, teens are continuing to use these cancer causing coffins.

Senior Taryn Lange agreed teens should not tan.

“It is worse than being in the sun and you have a greater chance of skin cancer,” Lange said.

Editor .................... Ascha Lee Adviser.............. Judy Hampel Staff Reporters ........................

Alyssa Allphin Abby Giles Austin Gilpin Madison Golden Colin Little Kaitlyn Stark Photographers..........................

Alyssa Allphin Lucas Cason Taryn Lange Lexie Maloney Brady McComb Caden Patterson Keigan Riggs

Indoor tanning could be called an epidemic, with 32 percent of young white females reporting using a tanning bed. This is an extremely dangerous behavior that should stop immediately.

Your chances of developing melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, increase by 75 percent if you tan indoors before the age of 30. Melanoma is caused almost exclusively by UVA and UVB rays, which are produced by the sun and indoor tanning beds. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated tanning beds are one of the causes of skin cancer. The CDC has launched a campaign against indoor tanning known as The Burning Truth.

The campaign has been

moderately successful, reducing tanning by about 15 percent among teenagers.

Many teens tan to help their skin look better, or to get a healthy glow. The only problem with that is there is nothing healthy about getting a tan. A tan itself is a sign your skin is damaged. Tanning indoors speeds up the process known as photoaging, which is aging due to ultraviolet rays. Symptoms of photoaging include wrinkles, dark spots and leathery skin. In the long run, tanning isn’t going to make your skin look better, it will make it look worse.

“I don’t believe the shade of your skin matters for appearances,” junior Layton Kenworthy said.

by Alyssa Allphin

a little cash flow is not so bad when itching to go do something.

“I have one job offer to work at a farm,” freshman Garrett Bell said.

If that does not work out, Bell will work at the airport.

Summer is dedicated to long nights spent out with friends, getting to stay out one hour longer than last year, campfires out by the lake, and maybe a summer romance.

“I always remember just driving around listening to music,” sophomore Hayley Mendoza said. “Because that’s what you do in Pratt for fun.”

Long awaited summer finally arrives reporter

The school year is nearing its end and summer is about to kick off. Summer will officially begin on June 20, but students consider it to start as soon as they exit the school for summer break.

It will be a time of making memories, having fun, laughing, and no school. As students get older, there is more to do and experience.

Many students take on more responsibility during the summer in the absence of school.

A job is a great way to keep yourself busy, while also earning some spending money. Making

Opinion | Friday | May 9, 2014

Summer is a good way to end one school year and start the next, moving on to the next chapter of life while also figuring out who the person within is. People come and go but some memories stick with us for a long time.

“This summer I definitely want to spend mostly with friends since I’m moving to Salina,” Mendoza said.

Sophomore Tracy Stimatze said she is ready to be a junior next year because it is one year closer to graduating.

Remember to live it up because high school only happens once.

Stayi ng safe i n the summer su n Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

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There are several steps we could take to encourage people to quit tanning. The state should pass the bill and ban minors from tanning. To discourage everyone else from tanning, the CDC and FDA should continue to inform people how bad tanning is for your body. If people are informed about the damage they are doing to themselves, most people are smart enough to quit.

Tanning is a dangerous practice that can cause cancer, premature aging, and damage to your eyes. Our state government should do what it can to stop teens from tanning, and the federal government should continue discouraging anyone from tanning.



Use waterproof sunscreen with at least a SPF of 15

Use sunglasses and hats to protect your eyes

Skyline journalists head to Lawrence

by Kaitlyn Stark

reporter

Wrapping up yet another successful year at State, the journalism class returned from Lawrence last weekend where students competed in the Kansas Scholastic Press Association’s state competition.

“It is always fun to travel with the students to the state competition,” adviser Judy Hampel said.

“I learn a lot about them outside of school when we go on trips together and I am always proud of how they represent Skyline to the rest of the world.”

Students competed in 20 categories, nine of which were onsite writing contests and 11 were carry-in contests. Sixty judges sorted through 1,400 entries and awarded points for first, second and third places, along with three honorable mentions in every class. Classes were separated into 1A/2A, 3A/4A, and 5A/6A to determine Sweepstakes winners in each class. If the Skyline journalists had been in the 1A category, they would have been overall winners with their 19 total points, but instead fell short in the 2A division.

“We fell short of our goal to bring home the Sweepstakes award, but we received a lot of individual awards,” Hampel said. “During the opening cere-

Senior Abby Giles looks at KSPA results on the computer while junior Madison Golden looks over her shoulder. Giles qualified for the state competition with her Infographic and Golden qualified in Editorial Writing. photo by a. allphin

mony, two of my staff members were recognized up on the stage.

The yearbook editor accepted an All-Kansas certificate for the 2013 yearbook and the newspaper editor received a framed certificate for being chosen as the 1A/2A High School Journalist of the Year.”

Even though they fell short as a group, six students still placed.

Junior Austin Gilpin received third place in Editing, senior

newspaper editor Ascha Lee placed second in News Writing, freshman Caden Patterson received third in Academic Photography, and together senior yearbook editor Kaitlyn Stark and junior Alyssa Swonger placed second in Yearbook Theme and Graphics. Several students were also recognized with honorable mentions. Sophomore Lexie Maloney received honorable mention in Student

Life Photography, and separately Stark and Swonger both received honorable mentions in Cutline Writing and Yearbook Layout.

“I was content with getting second in News Writing,” Lee said. “It was the most important thing to me that I competed in.”

Besides competing, the students also enjoyed time in Lawrence shopping, watching a movie and eating out.

Spring 2014 State Competitions Band Brass quintet......................I Flute quartet......................II Sax quartet........................II Betsy Giles, flute solo.......II Abby Giles, trumpet solo...I KMEA All-State Honor Band

Abby Giles............5th Chair

Choir

Powerlifting

Mixed Ensemble.................I Briana Neifert.....................I Blake Lee..........................II Mariha Wrich....................II

Daniel Hacker.................5th Weight Class: 220 lbs.

Max: 260 lbs.

Hang Clean

Squat

Levi Johnston.................2nd Weight Class: 181 lbs.

Max: 325 lbs.

Science Olympiads Disease Detectives

Brooke Fisher, Blake Lee..15th

TSA Dragster Design

Brandon Abbott....5th

Friday | May 9, 2014 | News

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20 14

Class of

Taylor DeWeese

Brooke Fisher

“Even if you fall on your face, you’re still moving forward.”

-Victor Kiam

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Brandon Abbott

Joseph Adams

“Ball is life.”

“Maturity begins when selfishness ends.”

-Unknown

Abigail Giles

Sammy Hoeck

“To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.”

-Unknown

“Life isn’t about finding yourself, it’s about creating yourself.”

-Unknown

Cole Patterson

Kadi Richardson

Tanner Schonfeldt

Kaitlyn Stark

“No.”

“Do I have to have a quote?”

“We become what we think about.”

-Earl Nightingale

“Bye.”

Feature | Friday | May 9, 2014

Ethan Ailstock

Gage Barbour

Shelby Bender

Janessa Davis

“Started in kindergarten, now we’re here.”

“I would like to give a shout out to my arms for always being at my side, my legs for always supporting me, and my fingers because I can always count on them.”

“Is this forever?”

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”

-Dr. Seuss

Taryn Lange

Ascha Lee

Scarlette McLain

Mycha Owens

“Every story has an end, but in life every end is just a new beginning.”

-Unknown

“I am Beyoncé, always.”

-Michael Scott

“Keep smiling, because life is a beautiful thing and there is so much to smile about.”

-Marilyn Monroe

Taylor Tobin

Mason Welsch

Coleman West

Mariha Wrich

“Master has given Taylor a high school diploma.

Taylor is freeee!”

“Can you not?”

“Work smarter, not harder.”

-Unknown

“If I could say it in words, there would be no reason to sing.”

“Never say goodbye because saying goodbye means going away, and going away means forgetting.”

-Peter Pan

Friday | May 9, 2014 | Feature 5

Seniors finish high school time, establish future plans (front) Sammy Hoeck, Abby Giles. (second row) Taryn Lange, Scarlette McLain, Kadi Richardson. (third row) Janessa Davis, Coleman West, Ascha Lee, Mariha Wrich. (back) Brandon Abbott, Cole Patterson, Taylor Tobin, Taylor DeWeese, Gage Barbour, Kaitlyn Stark, Shelby Bender, Mason Welsch, Ethan Ailstock. courtesy photo

Joseph Adams plans to attend Vocational School for Automotive Repair.

Ascha Lee plans on attending PCC for a year and then transferring to a reputable journalism school (undecided) to major in journalism and study liberal arts with an emphasis in political science.

Ethan Ailstock plans to attend PCC to get General Education requirements.

Scarlette McLain plans on attending Eric Fisher Academy to be an esthetician and get her esthetics license.

Gage Barbour plans to attend PCC for Computer Science.

Mycha Owens plans on attending PCC for an Associates Degree in business and then going to University of Missouri to major in social work.

Brandon Abbott is undecided.

Shelby Bender plans to attend Bethany College to major in chemistry and minor in biology in the pre-med program. She is also planning on playing volleyball as a setter and possibly a right front or outside. After graduating from Bethany, Shelby plans on attending medical school.

Janessa Davis plans on attending Emporia State University for an Accounting Degree.

Taylor DeWeese plans on attending PCC for an Associates Degree in science and then going to K-State to major in Agriculture Communications and Family Studies. She will possibly row there.

Brooke Fisher plans on attending Emporia State University to major in biology (pre-physician assistant) and run cross country and indoor and outdoor track.

Abby Giles plans on attending K-State for an undecided major and to play in the band there.

Sammy Hoeck plans on pursuing a career in cosmetology and after beauty school wants to become a pediatric nurse.

Taryn Lange plans on attending PCC for a year and then going to Wichita State University for a degree in Physical Therapy.

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Cole Patterson plans on attending Southwestern Oklahoma State College in Altus, Oklahoma and then hopes to pursue a rodeo career.

Kadi Richardson plans to attend Cedarville University in Ohio for a major in nursing with a cross-cultural minor and hopes to someday do Disaster Relief and Medical Missions.

Tanner Schonfeldt plans on working and taking part-time classes at PCC. Kaitlyn Stark plans on attending Hutchinson Community College to major in Business/Marketing and is undecided on where to go next.

Taylor Tobin plans on attending PCC and then going to K-State for a major in Education and will possibly row there.

Coleman West plans on applying for a job at the Gypsum Mine and earning a blasting license.

Mason Welsch plans on attending PCC to finish the Automotive Program.

Mariha Wrich is undecided about college but plans to get her CMA this year and then go into nursing school.

Feature | Friday | May 9, 2014

Large track team gains momentum

by Colin Little

reporter

The T-Bird track team has had a lot of success this season.

With athletes receiving new personal bests, the boys’ and girls’ teams have been placing in the top three in most of the meets that they have gone to.

“I got a new personal record in triple jump at the Norwich meet.

My old jump was 36 feet and 10 inches. My new one is 37’ 10’’,” junior Tristen Hogan said. “I was really happy that I was able to jump another foot farther than my previous record.”

Most athletes enjoyed participating in track because they got to get out of school, hang out with friends and compete against other kids.

“I like to do track because I get to hang out with all my friends and I have a good chance to make it to State in most of my events,” junior Daniel Hacker

said.

Others do it so they can stay in shape for the fall sports that they will participate in and to compete against other athletes.

“I like to do track because I am able to hang out with my brother and sister,” senior Mycha Owens said.

Having a large number of kids on the team helps them place and get points at the track meets.

The girls’ team has placed in the top three at all of the meets they have gone to. The boys’ team has placed in the top four in all the meets.

The track team traveled to Jetmore on Tuesday. The boys received one point in the meet and the girls received a total of 12 points. Several athletes achieved new personal records at Jetmore.

The team travels to Bucklin today. The competitions start at 3 p.m.

2014-2015 Cheer Squad

Junior Layton Kenworthy and sophomore Hanna Baird run in the throwers’ relay at the Pretty Prairie meet earlier in the season. The throwers’ relay was for athletes who did not participate in any of the running events. Juniors Katherine Ghumm and Blake Lee were also on the relay team. photo by c. patterson

Cheer squad gains yell leader as DeClue signs on

by Madison Golden reporter Cheerleading tryouts were held on Wednesday, April 16.

Everyone that tried out for the squad made it on, making for a total of seven future cheerleaders. One of them is junior Gunner DeClue. He will be the first yell leader to cheer for the Thunderbirds since Jayten Strunk cheered in the 2008-2009 school year.

“I was surprised and happy that I made it, because it would make Mrs. Lee happy since she wanted some guys to do it,” DeClue said. “Plus it would be a lot more fun if there were guys

on the squad.”

Cheer coach Kim Lee said that she thinks it will be a fun year and having a guy on the squad will stretch them to learn new things.

This will be DeClue’s first year to cheer at Skyline. He said that he is most excited about getting to stunt.

“Gunner brings a lot of strength to the team and is not scared,” Lee said. “I think he will push us to try more challenging things.”

Having DeClue on the squad will open up new doors for the cheerleaders to do more advanced stunts. It will also allow them to try new things.

“My parents were happy that I made it because they thought I could get a scholarship from it,” DeClue said.

Friday | May 9, 2014 | Sports

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Students enjoy stay at Hotel Royale Junior Levi Johnston helps junior Colin Little fix his tie before the group picture.

Prom Queen Brooke Fisher and Prom King Gage Barbour smile and pose for a picture.

“I was really excited and happy that I was chosen Prom King,” Barbour said.

Walking into Promenade as their names are called are junior Cara Konkel and her date. Lance Callaway.

Everyone gets low to the floor while they dance. “I enjoyed getting down with all of my home dogs,” junior Chanler Simar said.

Junior Landon Lee two steps with his girlfriend.

Sophomore server Brady McComb hands junior Dustin Weber his glass. Weber said that he enjoyed Prom.

Junior Shandis Myers and her date, senior Ethan Ailstock, walk into Promenade.

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Feature | Friday | May 9, 2014

Walking to serve everyone are sophomore servers Betsy Giles, Hanna Baird and Alyssa Allphin. Students ate a homeade roll, corn, brisket, twice-baked potato casserole, and cherry cheesecake for their dinner.