the Sept. 8, 2009 • Volume 90 • Issue 1
Dodge City High School • 2201 Ross Blvd. • Dodge City, KS 67801
Contents
DODGER 09.08.09
Dodger the
Dodger staff
Codi Ehrlich......................Co-Editor Anthony Reardon..............Co-Editor Trever Otterstein..................Opinion
Lineup
Luke Bunker.........................Opinion
News
Jordan Stevens.................. Lifestyles
Conferences
pg 4
Ethan Hutchcraft.....................Sports
D-mart Policies
pg 7
Kristi South....................... Lifestyles Meghan Lee.............................News
Hunter Edwards......................Sports
Cristina Yeverino................Reporter Alysia Garvalena.................Reporter
pg 17
Erin Finley..........................Reporter Kristine Rusinova................Reporter
Feature/Entertainment
Ethan Hutchcraft......... Photographer Cindy Moore........................ Adviser
Editorial Policy The Dodger is a publication produced by the Dodge City High School journalism department. The newspaper attempts to inform and entertain its audience in a broad, fair, and accurate manner on all subjects that affect the readers. The publication seeks also to provide a forum for the opinion of students, the staff of the paper, and the faculty to encourage an exchange of ideas on all issues of prominence to readers. The Dodger staff encourages letters to the editor, as they constitute avenue for student opinion. Due to space limitations, not all letters can be published. The editor reserves the right to edit all letters for appropriate placement as long as the meaning and intent remain unchanged. The letter must be signed to be considered for publication. The opinions expressed throughout the publication are not necessarily those of the faculty, the administration, or USD #443. Unsigned articles are a general consensus of the staff, while signed articles are the personal forum of the writer. All letters, columns, stories, photos and art become legal property of The Dodger at the time they are submitted.
pg 10
Top Tens Reviews
pg 12 pg 12
Opinion Are You Insane?
pg 14
Standardized Testing
pg 15
Sports
Top Photo • Luke Bunker Bottom Photo • Alonso Avecedo
2
Back to School Buys
Fall Sports Preview
pg 18
Scrimmages
pg 20
Column
09.08.09 DODGER
Getting ripped off lately? Read this.
Don’t Mess with my MONEY!!!!
-Anthony Reardon Over the past few years, spending money generally hasn’t been a problem for me. Whether it is in a vending, at my favorite local fast food chain, or on cloths online, I always somehow manage to blow half my paycheck on stuff that I really don’t need. Recently however, my frivolous spending has had to come to an inconvenient and somewhat annoying halt. Why you ask? You see for some reason, the geniuses at this food chain I frequently visit have yet again managed to rip me off by ten bucks in change. And they do this even as I sit there and watch them count the full amount of change into my hand! How they manage to pull this magic trick is beyond me, but they are so skilled at it that they should get their own show in Vegas. Seriously. Complete with aerialists, white bangle tigers, fire breathers, and maybe even a bearded lady who sings show tunes, I don’t know -but I digress. I have also managed to be ripped off by
the vending machines lately. Whether they’re stealing my Corn Nuts, giving me the wrong type of drink, or overcharging me by 76 cents, they never cease to find new ways to take my money. And yes, I checked, and I can get that same bottle of Life Water at the gas station for 99 cents. My question is where exactly are these 76 cents of mine going? Is the school keeping it? Or is the vending machine company using it? Or is the government the one hoarding my change in a last ditch effort to fund Health Care? And am I going to be in deep water for even bringing this up??? Another instance when my money has been unrightfully taken right beneath my nose is when I went online to buy some new clothes –and I did not intentionally make that rhyme. Anyway, it’s not so much that the online stores are taking my money, it’s that they’re falsely leading me to believe that I’m buying legit clothing when in all actuality it isn’t worthy enough to be near my closet, let alone in it. Example: I buy an $82 pair of black jeans that looked legitimately legit in an effort to enhance my wardrobe. When they arrive however, I discover that they are a pair of old man pants that go up to my sternum and require a pair of suspenders. To add to my disappointment, I somehow managed to not send them back in time, thus losing my $82 indefinitely. All these instances have led to my forming yet another theory… EVERYONE is out to get me. It’s a conspiracy, really, and everyone is in on it. My parents, my teachers, the dentist, the mail man, that dude at the fast food place, the government, the U.N., that creeper staring at you right now, God, Megan Fox (allegedly),
Northside Veterinary Clinic
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everyone else that was in Transformers, and even my own dog. It’s a conspiracy of the ages, bigger than Roswell, the Kennedy assassination, and the Denver Airport conspiracy combined. I’m not exactly sure how I will handle this, but I will sure as heck not stand by and let this travesty continue to occur. I’m going to figure out who the brainchild behind this is. And when I figure it out, I will dig up all the dirt I can on you, and I’ll publish it in this paper. Have a great year!
MONEY QUIZ 1.
Who is the richest woman in the world? a. Oprah Winfrey b. Julia Roberts c. J.K. Rowling d. Christy Walton
2.
What was the largest paper bill (in value) printed in the U.S.? a. $1,000 b. $10,000 c. $100,000 d. $250,000
3.
How much did the most expensive pair of jeans sell for (on eBay)? a. $350 b. $1,200 c. $25,500 d. $60,000 Answers: 1-d, 2-c, 3-d
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3
News
DODGER 09.08.09
Conferences scheduled for Sept. 16, 18 -Meghan Lee
The first Parent-Teacher conference of the 2009-2010 school year is scheduled for Sept. 16 from 3 to 6 p.m. and on Sept. 18 from 7:30 to 11 a.m. Students will not attend class Sept. 18 at the high school. Don’t know what to ask or discuss with a teacher at conferences? No worries, here are some basic questions for parents to ask a teacher. • What skills and knowledge will my child be expected to master this year? • What will my child learn this year in key subjects like math, science, history, and English? • Are there challenging academic standards in place at this school, and how do they compare with those at other school districts? • May I see them? • How do you inform students about the academic standards they’re expected to meet? • What kind of projects and as-
• • • • • • • • • •
signments have you planned that will help my child meet higher academic standards? How will my child be evalu- ated? What kind of information do you use to evaluate students? How do you know if they’re academically ready to move on to the next grade? How are grades determined in your classroom? What can I do to stay more in- volved in my child’s academic progress? What can I do at home to complement what is happening in the classroom? How can I know on a daily ba- sis what homework has been assigned? How can I support teachers’ efforts in implementing higher academic standards? How do you accommodate dif- ferences in learning? What if my child is a slow
• • • •
learner and falls behind, or is a fast learner and is bored? Are summer school, tutoring, or other programs available for students who need more help? How are older students prepared for further learning after high school? Are children encouraged to think about a wide variety of ca- reer interests? Are all students encouraged to take algebra by the end of eighth grade? “I love the interaction between both parents and teacher. It is important to meet face-to-face and establish a relationship. I really appreciate the time and effort that parents make to meet teachers because I know that their lives are buys, too,” Laura Woolfolk, English teacher, said.
Parents, ask your student’s teachers some of these simple questions: 1. 2. 3. 4.
Does my child follow instructions? What are my child’s strengths? concerns? What skills and tasks should my child mas- ter? What are my child’s academic talents?
Remember, be open to suggestions from the teacher.
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Susie Reardon 1712 Central • P.O. Box 176 Dodge City, KS 67801 620.225.2888 • 1.800.779.0753 Fax: 620.227.3970 susie@parkerhaskins.com
4
620.225.5835
$12 Advance Tickets $15 at the Door
Opinion
09.08.09 DODGER
GI who???? JOE.
-Alysia Garvalena
The classified group of elite soldiers named the GI Joes star in their newest action packed movie GI Joes: The Rise of Cobra. When Duke (Channing Tatum) and Ripcord (Marlon Wayans) are on a mission and the GI Joes show up to try and take over the mission Duke and Ripcord decide to join the team to overcome a common enemy. The team of bad guys partially led by McCullen or also known as Destro (Christopher Eccleston) and The Doctor (Joseph GordonLevitt) send three nanotechnology or city destroying missiles after four major cities across the world. This action packed movie also has a little romance involved. During the first scene of the movie, Duke realizes he is fighting against his ex-fiancé from four years
ago. Throughout the movie Duke and his ex have flashbacks of the relationship before it ended. A few of the characters’ twisted pasts are intertwined into the story line, such as two brotherlike characters. As children the characters, one good and one bad trained together as children and learn the skills of their ninja-like ways from the same master. After Snake Eyes (Ray Park) was able to beat Storm Shadow (Lee Byunghun), Storm Shadow turned and killed their master for favoring Snake Eyes win. From there Snake Eyes took a silent oath. Snake Eyes finally gets his chance at revenge with Storm Shadow in a tense scene towards the end of the movie. The movie begins with a battle and from beginning to end explosions and fighting take place for the two-hour movie. In almost every scene something is being blown up or someone is dodging a bullet, but towards the middle of the movie the fighting starts to get a bit boring. I found myself checking to see how much longer the movie would last. I think the movie could have been little shorter. Most of the key scenes and moments had me entertained but some part just bored me. Overall I give this movie a 3 ½ out of five stars. To the Right. One of the many movie posters used to advertise the summer blockbuster.
Chowing Down. Booster Club members serve up watermelon at the annual Watermelon Scrimmage Friday, Aug. 28. Fans enjoy an evening of sports and food as they came out to support the Red Demons. The first home football game is set of Sept. 11. Read more about it on pg. 20. • Photo Hutchcraft
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5
Sports Previews
DODGER 09.08.09
Big D continues to thrive, requirements change —Codi Ehrlich
The coveted opportunity known to students as Big D has new eligibility requirements that may make the path to Opportunity Period freedom a bit rockier. Big D is a time where students may go to the Commons to work on homework or to catch up with friends. The cafeteria is open and serves breakfast to the students along with the snack bar, which also has candy and drinks. Colleges often visit the Commons to give students a chance to speak with representatives. “In Big D I usually chat with friends and occasionally I get some homework done,” said Kellyn
Kulbiski, 12. is a new requirement added to the In order to be eligible for Big D, list of criteria. If a student did not students must maintain a 3.0 GPA, score proficient on the assessments, not have any disciplinary referrals, their admittance into Big D is have no overdue library books, and denied, and they will have another be a senior, junior, chance to pass the Getting a proficient assessment. If the or second semester sophomore. attempt is score on the reading second “It’s not really failed, Big D is not hard to get into and math state an option. This new Big D, you just requirement does have to make sure assessments is a new not apply to 2010 to stay on top of requirement added to seniors. your homework Another change the list of criteria. to Big and never forget to D that students turn in those library will recognize is the books,” said Mallory Ratts, 11. administration is cracking down on Getting a proficient score on the the electronics policy. Cell phones, reading and math state assessments iPods, and all electronics will not
be allowed during Big D. “Cell phones and iPods are not allowed during class time and O.P. is considered class time,” said Michael Martinez, associate principal. Although there will be fewer students attending Big D, those who do make the cut will still be able to enjoy the perks of working hard in school.
Top: Students Peter Neidhart, Justin Dewell, Blake Rumbaugh, Trevor Killion, Brad Roetzer enjoy a game of cards during Big D. • Photo Hutchcraft
Bottom Left: Vino De La Rosa and Luke Scheneweis chat it up with some friends. • Photos Reardon Bottom Right: Jami Stecklein, Becky Bruton, Shelly Frangenburg, Tara Nichols, and Kayla Roenfeldt get their study on. • Photos Reardon
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News
09.08.09 DODGER
D-Mart
School store features many new items —Luke Bunker
Beginning on Monday, August 31, 2009, the DCHS school store, “D-Mart,” began selling several new items, including backpacks and messenger bags with the Demon logo, as well as license tags and ceramic mugs. “We have a new supplier,” said Melody Head, business teacher and FBLA/D-Mart sponsor. “We won’t have large quantities [at first], but we can get items here quickly.” Items that were in the store last year, such as t-shirts, gum, lollipops, and school supplies, are also available this year. Most items cost between $0.25 and $1.50, while t-shirts sell for around $7.00 to $10.00. The new messenger bags and backpacks cost $25 and $14, respectively. “[The D-Mart] gives me the opportunity to get materials that I forgot at home,” said Danielle Kenton, 11. Even more new items are expected to be added throughout the
year, as the marketing department runs surveys to see what students would like to see in the D-Mart, and as purchasing trends can be seen. “Getting what the kids want [in the D-Mart] will be up to marketing,” said Head. Head’s main goals for the DMart this year are for the store to be “completely student-driven” and to “involve the whole business department” in the running of the store. The store might even be open during lunch later on in the school year, according to Head. The D-Mart gives students an opportunity to “use what they learn in class,” according to Head. In addition to the marketing students running surveys, Business & Office Technology (BOT) students will be ordering the items for the store this year, and the accounting classes will be keeping the books and records for the store. Christina Young, 12, will be ordering and distributing the staff
shirts this year, a first for a DCHS business student. Other business students are also involved in making the D-Mart and business department a success. “I feel that this year’s class will make the store more profitable,” said Micah Shaull, 11, who is currently in the BOT class that is partly responsible for running the D-Mart. Student members of Future
Business Leaders of America (FBLA) will also be working in the store throughout the year to help raise funds that will allow them to travel to contests and for community service projects. All proceeds from the D-Mart will go to FBLA. The D-Mart will be open from 7:30/7:40 to 8:00 every school morning, and is located just outside the entrance to the commons area.
Open before school. D-Mart showcases items that are available for purchase. • Photo Bunker
Cup of Jo-nes Free Medium Drink Expires 9/25/09
Cup of Jo-nes Free Medium Drink Expires 9/25/09
Cup of Jo-nes Free Medium Drink Expires 9/25/09
7
Sports
DODGER 09.08.09
New teachers join DCHS staff -Erin Finley
As the new school year launches at DCHS, unfamiliar faces can be seen throughout the halls, and it’s not just the freshmen. New teachers have been added to the jumble of people in the school. Some are new to DCHS and others are right at home. “I went to school here and so when I decided I wanted to be a teacher, DCHS was the first place I was looking to teach,” said Kayleigh Cecil, Algebra I. This is Cecil’s first year of teaching and she plans to “take it one day at a time and be flexible to the kids’ needs.” Fellow new teacher McKenzie Fergerson, who teaches Applied Biology and General Chemistry, also went to school at DCHS. Another new teacher embarking on her first year of teaching is excited to work at DCHS because of past experiences. “After student teaching at DCHS last year, I was really impressed with how dedicated the staff is to its students,” Jennifer Waldron, English said. “I wanted to be a part of that.” A few of the “new” teachers aren’t really new to this profession at all. Scott Krominga has been a teacher for 17 years and it seems as though he is as passionate as ever about science. “I believe I can spark an interest in my area and teach these kids the correct methods and procedures to tackle not only science questions but everyday life questions,” said Krominga, Physical/Earth Science and Biology.
Another not so new face to teaching is Penny Lopp. Lopp has been a teacher for 38 years. She was at the old high school from 1971 to 1978 and then moved to the Administration Building for 30 years. “Now I’m back to my old stomping grounds,” Lopp said. “And hanging out with a few of the folks I taught with before.” Lopp currently teaches English and work study skills. High school can be a tricky age level to teach but these new teachers don’t seem too scared. In fact many of them prefer this age level. “I have a recurring nightmare about masses of small children tearing me to shreds,” Waldron said. “Actually, I just like young adults. They are brilliant, creative, thoughtful and fun.” This nightmare of monstrous kindergartners doesn’t seem to be common though. It appears that just focusing on one subject and being able to thoroughly teach it is the incentive to work at the high school level. “[ At the high school level] I can concentrate on the subject I love and learn it better and more in depth instead of teaching three or four different subjects that I don’t know very well,” Fergerson said. Deciding to become a teacher didn’t happen overnight. Along the way each of them were inspired by someone in their life. Krominga was surrounded by educators as a child and that helped push him to become a teacher. “My dad was a teacher and
administrator so I was around it all the time, and a lot of the influential people in my life have been teachers,” Krominga said. Influenced by past teachers or family members, these teachers decided they wanted to help students get excited about learning and hopefully inspire a few students along the way. “I had fantastic and enthusiastic science teachers in high school and college that made science interesting and fun,” Fergerson said. “I wanted to do the same for high school students today.” As the teachers put on their game face and start the new school year, they too set goals, following the advice they once received as students. “[My goal is to] just get through the day,” Cecil laughed. When it all comes down to it, the new teachers and the veterans all have one common goal. They love what they do and just want to pass their knowledge on to students and help them become the best they can be. “I would like to inspire students to be and do their best,” Waldron said. “I have no illusions of becoming the world’s greatest teacher, but if I can make a difference for just a handful of kids, then I’ve done my job.”
Top 10 Trade Fiction Books 1. The Time Travler’s Wife- Audrey Niffenegger 2. The Shack William P. Young 3. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo- Stieg Larsson 4. The Guernsey Literary and Potatoe Peel Pie Society- Mary Ann Shaffer 5. The Weight of Silence Heather Gudenkauf 6. The Art of Racing in the Rain- Garth Stein 7. The Lucky One Nicholas Sparks 8. Olive Kitteridge- Eliza- beth Strout 9. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies- Jane Austin and Seth Grahame-Smith 10. The Lovely Bones Alice Sebold
Source: New York Times
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8
200 E. Wyatt Earp • Dodge City, KS 67801 620.227.3171
News
—Cristina Yeverino It’s a new school year with new seasons of football, volleyball, tennis, and soccer. While many students are involved in sports, many others opt to participate in other activities like clubs. Dodge City High School contains a variety of of clubs students can join. Besides these featured clubs there are additional ones like Fellowship of Christian Athletes, FFA, HOSA, International Club, National Honor Society, Octagon Club, Quill & Scroll, Quiz Bowl, SADD, and Science Olympiad. These clubs will be featured next issue to show details and information needed to join. To join any of these clubs, a student can talk to the sponsor or their counselor.
08.08.09 DODGER
Club Name: Friends of Rachel Sponsor: Counselors What is it? A community service whose main goal is to start a chain reaction of kindness in our school and community.
Eligibility to join: Follow the
five challenges in their everyday lives.
Advantages of joining: Stu-
dents who join have the satisfaction of knowing they are helping others and at the same time giving high school students a good reputation in our community.
Previous Activities: Coat &
food drive, Staff Appreciation, New student breakfast, and Kindness Counts movie passes. “It was so neat seeing so many diverse students doing great things for our school,” said Counselor Melanie Miller
Club Name: Future Teachers Sponsor: Michelle Reid and Deb-
Club Name: Heritage Panel Sponsor: Maria Hernandez and
What is it? Club for students
What is it? A group of students
bie Jones
who are considering teaching as a career.
Eligibility to join: Anyone
interested in becoming a teacher! Everybody is welcome!
Advantages of joining: Net-
working for future, spending time with people who share same interests.
Previous Activities: Education week activities, guest speakers from universities etc.
Sandra Obando
who have a strong interest in breaking down communication barriers and prejudice among people of different racial, religious and cultural groups.
Eligibility to join: Be very proud of your heritage and be willing to share the traditions.
Advantages of joining: Scholar-
Club Name: KAYS Sponsors: Kirstin Bangerter &
Alice Tallent What is it? Kansas Association of Youth- a character-building, leadership-training service program. We focus on serving our school, community, nation and world.
Eligibility to join: Must be a
DCHS student. Dues are $9.00 with a box of kleenex or $10.00 without.
Advantages of joining: Learn
leadership, gain self-respect and a sense of community through service, and have fun with all your Kay friends!
Previous Activities: Candy cane and flower deliveries; balloon launch at football games, bows for kids’ sake, and more!
“KAY has taught me leadership skills, and the activities we do are good for the school and fun for everyone involved,” said Madison Reynolds
What is it? Student leaders
working to improve DCHS. The student organization at DCHS represents the student body and all clubs and organizations at DCHS.
Eligibilty to join: Good
standing in the school. Club representatives are selected by each DCHS club/organization. Class representatives complete a petition and are selected/ appointed by their classmates.
Advantages of joining: Get-
ting to set up school events (homecoming, Fall Ball, Floorshow, etc.)
Previous Activities: Homecoming, Fall Ball, Regional Student Council Conference, and Floorshsow.
Club Name: FBLA Sponsor: Melody Head
Club Name: Drama Club Sponsor: Anne Kaiser
What is it? A business organi-
What is it? A club for those who
zation that helps students learn and experience leadership. This is a national organization that is recognized as a professional organization by businesses.
Eligibility to join: The only
criterion for joining is to be interested in business activities.
Advantages of joining: The
ships, community service hours, ect. Most importantly, learn about other peoples’ ways of thinking.
advantages of joining are that you are given opportunities, experiences, and skills, and confidence to achieve your dreams.
Previous Activities: Celebration
Previous Activities: D Mart and
“Heritage Panel stresses the value of diversity as a source of richness in American life,” said Maria Hernandez
“Meetings are held every second and fourth Tuesday of the mounth,” said Melody Head
of holidays from other cultures.
Club Name: Student Council Sponsor: Michael Pelton
love acting and theatre.
Eligibility to join: A desire to be a part of their club participation and helping out and cleaning up what is done.
Advantages of joining: Stu-
dents share the thrill of acting and doing activities together.
Previous Activities: Halloween costume party, Floorshow act, Drama and Forensics, activity workshop in Wichita, design T-shirts.
annual Dodgeball tournament
9
Lifestyles
DODGER 09.08.09
American Eagle Tee Buy 1 get one 50% off
Vans Backpack $40.00 Rue21 Plaid Shirt 19.99 American Eagle Belt $24.95 (save $5)
Buckle Sandles $7.37 (save about $22)
O
ne of the best things ab buying new clothes fo clothes we want are no and even though most really saving you money. It’d b tells you where to shop, what t style and your pocket which is create.
Armani Inspired Glasses 29.99 Sunglassreplicas.com Pacsun Jeans $27.50 when buying two 10
Rue21 Cologne $9.99
Lifestyles
09.08.09 DODGER
Aeropostale Shirts Buy 1 get 1 Free
Vans Backpack $40.00
bout going back to school is or new year. In most cases the ot always in our price range, t stores have sales not all are be nice to have a guide that to buy that would benefit your exactly what we’ve tried to
Hollister Sweat Shirt 29.90 (save $10)
Gucci Inspired Glasses $25.99 Sunglassreplicas.com
Pacsun Jeans $27.50 when buying two
American Eagle Scarf $6.95 (save about $13)
Buckle (Roxy) Shoes $5.00 (save $14) Rue21 Perfume $9.99
-Kristi South Alysia Garvalena Jordan Stevens 11
Entertainment
08.08.09 DODGER
Book Review
Top 10 Movies of the 1990’s
Picoult’s Latest to Touch Everyone’s Heart -Kristi South
Imagine expecting a baby, and you’re hoping for a healthy baby but when it comes, your baby has a deadly disease. In “Handle With Care” by Jodi Picoult, Charlotte O’Keefe has this dilemma. Her daughter Willow was born with a bone disease in which her bones break extremely easy. If she trips on the stair, she’s broken a bone, if she rolls off the couch, another is broken. Charlotte’s best friend was her OBGYN though, so shouldn’t she have known sooner that Willow was hurt? Throughout the book Charlotte and her husband Sean struggle with the questions of What if? What if Willow was never born, what if we would’ve known before she was born?
This book touches every girl and mother out there, because who wouldn’t want a kid like Willow who’s smart, funny, talented? But who would want their child to suffer the way that she does to live a normal life? All the while, Willow’s older sister Amelia has problems of her own. Loosing her best friend because of what her mom does and not feeling the love that she should from her parents, she goes through some tough times and has to get through them almost on her own. This book lets you feel how every character involved feels, going from one person’s perspective to the others. It’s a great book for anyone who’s willing to shed a tear or two and enjoys see the love of a family grow.
1. Titanic
1997
2. Star Wars:Episode1-
1999
The Phantom Menace
3. Jurassic Park
1993
4. Independence Day
1996
5. The Lion King
1994
6. Forrest Gump
1994
7. The Sixth Sense
1999
8. Jurassic Park:
1997
The Lost World
9. Men in Black
1997
10. Armageddon
1998
Source: Music Information Database
Books, Music, Video Comanche Plaza 1701 N. 14th • Dodge City, KS 67801 www.gohastings.com
620.227.7220
Kelly S. Henrichs, D.D.S. 100 Ross Blvd., #2C Dodge City, KS 67801
620.225.6555 13
Opinion
DODGER 09.08.09
14
“By my family and friends that are keeping me up and going.”
Senior
-Noi Siriphone
“I try to live each day step by step, and doing right, not wrong.”
Junior
-Rigo Ramirez
“I try to live day by day.”
Sophomore
Insane in the membrane. No one said it better than Cypress Hill, but no one understands it more than your average high school student. Daikly I wonder if the people around me are mentally stable, and then I’m stuck wondering how sane I actually am. But I could have possibly discovered a couple remedies for staying sane in this insane world of ours. Whether you’re in awe of the homework you get everyday, the teaching style of your educators, or the personalities of your peers, the world can all be slowed to a neutral state through calm recourse. Half the time, I wonder why I’m even doing my homework, and I’m sure I’m not alone on that one. Especially when you get “Stare” work, or in other words, the homework you know you won’t finish from the get-go, because all you can do is look at it. Let’s be honest, the concept of four long assignments a night is where we start to question the sanity of our educators just by their expectations! I’ve found the best cure for “Stare” work is getting friends who share your pain, and could help you just as much as you could help them. Watch out though, you were up till 1 a.m. last night, and Mrs. Whatsherface has another late night waiting for you in her lesson plan. Yes, my sanity is starting to dwindle too, but it’s not lost yet. Those rascally role models of ours are a whole different battle all together. Believe it or not, if you try and talk to this looney species, and perhaps decipher the way they see your learning, maybe you can start to understand the best way to go about their lessons. All of that
How do you stay sane in this insane world?
-Karen Rios
“Not really caring what everybody else thinks.”
Freshman
-Trevor Otterstein
pressure can really put unwanted stress in your life, and can affect other things you do day to day. Practice or work has you thinking about all the tasks on your plate and how in the world you can even do them all! However, I have small odd things that relieve my stress, and maybe you can find yours as well. Honestly, a nice relaxing cartoon session, such as an episode of Spongebob, makes me realize how life isn’t as terrible as it’s cracked up to be. I’m then in the calm mood for optimum homework capabilities, as well as in good position to not lose my mind once again. Now cartoons won’t solve everyone’s stress, but if you take a deep breath and think about something that brings you joy and a sense of peace, you’ll most likely find that it can do wonders for you. The same concept can apply to dealing with your peers, as that can sometimes be more confusing and stressful than any schoolwork or teacher you could encounter. Everybody around you has his or her own likes, dislikes, hobbies and personalities. Most of the time it’s not hard to find people you can mesh with and relate to, but not everyone is going to be thinking like you. This simply can make a person seem a little wacky to you just because you don’t understand them, but odds are that they find the world quite insane as well. Getting involved in an activity with someone you don’t know well can help you learn more about them, as well as gauge how they deal with day to day issues in their world. You’d be surprised at what small human traits you could relate to most people you meet. Hopefully with the help of these tips you can break down those towering problems and stresses, and realize in the end, we all need to be a little insane to stay functionally sane.
DODGER Asks
Faculty
Are You Insane?!?!
-Dakota Fisher
“By trying to keep a very positive attitude, see the best in peoople, and because I’m a reader, I read books that take me far away from my troubles.”
-Dee Stoecker
Opinion
08.08.09 DODGER
The “side effects” of standardized testing
Why it hurts our students, our teachers, and our country
-Luke Bunker
“Ladies and gentlemen, it’s test time. Get out your #2 pencils, a sheet of blank scratch paper, and we will begin the standardized tests. Don’t be nervous - you’ll do fine; we’ve had plenty of practice. Good luck!” For many, these words can invoke at least three reactions a) “I don’t care;” b) “I’ll do fine, because I’m good at taking tests;” or c) “I am going to FAIL THIS TEST - I am so nervous!” Tests, in and of themselves, are not all bad... If a teacher wants to make sure that a student is “with the program,” then tests can be a good measurement of learning. However, this is because the teacher usually makes up that test for his/her class, with regards to what was actually taught - it makes sense that a teacher wouldn’t test a student over something she didn’t teach. In regards to standardized testing, however, professional testmakers are involved, and things get a little more tricky, to say the least. In standardized testing, the tests are basically all the same, and teachers are forced, in many cases, to “teach to the test,” which takes up time they may have spent on more interesting and useful topics. Due to these reasons and others, it is my opinion that standardized testing is simply not good (or beneficial, for that matter) for our teachers, our students, or our country. Too often, curricula are focused around this “testable material,” rather than what I would consider to be “useful” material. Likewise, every student learns differently, not everyone can understand the wording of some of the questions on these tests (myself
included), and many people just aren’t good at taking exams or tests. Which is why, when I hear teachers say “This will be on the state assessment, so please pay attention,” I just roll my eyes and wonder why we will be spending the majority of class pounding this one point into our brains rather than learning something that might actually be useful. I remember, before No Child Left Behind (NCLB), when I learned what I would need to know for the future, not for some ridiculously absurd testing process. But it’s not the teachers’ fault that they are so concerned about drilling “testable items” into our heads - after all, standardized test results are, unfortunately, used as significant factors when the government determines funding and teacher/staff salaries for a district. And, as we all know, when money comes into the picture, things change. With so much riding on the results of these tests, teachers and administrators are placed under immense pressure to send in “good results” to the state and federal governments. Teachers are pressured to teach to the test so that test scores will be raised and their salaries won’t be cut, and can sometimes get so wrapped up in the standardized tests that they forget that there is more to the learning process than just taking tests. Likewise, administrators are concerned (as they should be) about funding, and are therefore pressured to meet sometimes unrealistic goals to ensure that the district is given proper funding to foster an ideal and proper learning environment. On that same note, I was reading an article online the other day that brought up a very good point - it seems that the government and Departments of Education in the U.S. spend so much more time punishing schools for “underperforming” than they do actually trying to help these “under-
performing” students and schools improve. Maybe if more time and manpower were spent trying to actually improve the learning process, there wouldn’t be so much pressure on teachers to teach to the test or for students to cram these things into their minds at test time. However, the biggest negative impact these tests have are on the students who have to prepare for and actually take them. I’m one of those people who stresses out about a test (and everything else, for that matter), even if I know I’m going to do good on it. But for so many students, tests can be some of the scariest things on the planet. Burnt out from the many days (if not weeks) of preparation, students are put into a mindset of “pass or fail”
for these tests, rather than “I can do this.” When students fail these tests, many become disheartened, and lose any motivation they may have had at one point to learn or to improve themselves or their test scores. Unfortunately, I don’t have any grand ideas on how to make an objective, standard testing process that is not similar to the current one. All I know is that something has to change, and quickly, before we have a generation of students who has lost the ability to look at learning as an opportunity to make themselves better, rather than being so burned out on tests that they lose the desire to learn more about and explore our world, and the many things it has to offer.
On this day.... 1966 - NBC premieres the first Star Trek series
1968 - The Beatles perform “Hey Jude” in their last live TV performance.
1974 - President pardons Nixon for the Watergate scandal. 1979 - Pink’s Birthday
infor via www.wikipedia.org
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News
DODGER 09.08.09
Teen groups meet for peer counseling -Kristi South
So many teens these days go through grief or a time in their high school career where they talk to someone who’s going through the same situation as they are. At DCHS many groups of people are going through the same things, and they show their support for each other by meeting in Counseling groups. Most of DCHS students have seen the posters on the bulletin boards for Teen Loss groups and Mom’s to Be groups and many more. On average the group for teens dealing with loss has anywhere from 2-6 people at their meetings which meet in the Student Services once a week for six sessions. The Moms-to-be group meets also in the Student Services once a week until the delivery of the baby. “In the groups the teens get to see that they’re not alone in what
they’re going through. They can share stories and the others will understand and it’s a safe confidential place they can let go of all the stress of being a teen mom or a member of a family who has lost a member,” said Melanie Miller, counselor. In the Moms-to-Be group students get to tour the Women’s Center to see how the delivery and machinery work. Students also listen to guest speakers, which may be former “Moms-to-Be” members or a nurse. They’re given packets of information that tells them all about their baby and how it’s growing, how to feed it, how to care for it and pretty much just prepares them for what’s coming. “The information that they gave us was really helpful in how to be a mom, showing us all the options and how things work,” said Carina
Perez, 12. They give the students books and informational movies and websites that help them with the pre-natal care that’s needed for a healthy baby. On the website, the girls can follow and see how big their baby is, and its size compared to a fruit (“your baby is as long as a banana”). This information also helped the girls with the pain to expect during the pregnancy, and how to help it. “They gave us a book that really helped with what to and not to give the baby, as in what’s harmful to them. Like giving them too much water instead of formula,” said Christina Preciado, 11. Another group that’s offered at DCHS is the Teen Mom’s group, which meets at Amy Falcon’s house. The group supports each other in their struggle as a teenage mom, and in each other’s goals to
do more with their lives. The students get the chance to write goals about what they’d like to do when they get out of high school (college, job, ect.). The group also helps the girls to stay abstinent and not have another child until they are fully ready. As the students learn and participate, they are given “teen mom bucks” in which they can trade in to a “store” and get diapers, bottles, and other things they might need for their child. Mom groups are not the only groups that are offered though. There is a group for “Teens dealing with loss” for students who’ve lost someone in their family and a group “Teens Together” for students dealing with a family member who is incarcerated. For more information on any of these groups contact Melanie Miller in Student Services.
Sept. 23
Nov. 5
Dates to keep your eyes on Sept. 10
Sept. 16
Sept. 11
Sept. 18
• Volleyball Home Quad • Girls Golf Invitational • Football @ Home
Sept. 16
• Parent Teacher Confer- ences
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• Parent Teacher Confer- ences
• No School
Sept. 25
• Football @ Home
• No School • Parent Teacher Confer- ences
Oct. 16
Sept. 22
Oct. 21
• First day of Autumn
Don’t forget to purchase your 2010 Yearbook. Only $45! Price goes up to $50 in January. See Mrs. Gobin in the main office
• No School • Picture Retakes
• Senior Class picture • Club/Group pictures
Dec. 12
• Floorshow
Dec. 22
• Winter Break • Last day of first semester
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News
09.08.09 DODGER
District faces budget cuts Changes in Big D; have been used to receiving in re-enforcing old policies Budget cuts are something that that the past, leading to cuts within the many schools annually face. This schools themselves. gives focus to new year year however, the cuts have been “[The] students should not see —Anthony Reardon
—Jordan Stevens, Jean-Damien Bouyer
With the start of a new school year, DCHS has begun work on new policies and reinforcing the old. “We are not ‘cracking down,’ just reinforcing the importance of it. With this increase in enforcement, we provide a safe and effective educational setting for all students,” said Michael Martinez, associate principal. Along with the cell phone and electronics policies, DCHS has added some new ones to their roster as well, most relating to Big D. The biggest change in Big D is the new found eligibility. For the ones who thought it was hard getting into Big D last year, it’s harder than ever now with the added math and reading assessment policy. “I think that most of the policies are reasonable and flexible enough, but I don’t like the new Big D policy because we already had enough requirements to be eligible last year,” said senior Tara Nichols. But the faculty may disagree; in fact, Kelly Gobin, bookkeeper had this to say, “I think it is a good idea
Dodger Asks...
for the changes in Big D. It should be a privilege, not a right.” Along with the Big D changes, the school is hoping to put a new emphasis on the old policies. Martinez said that he hopes the student body would grow accustomed to the changes and the reinforcement of the old rules. He wants to go back to the “grass root” type of stuff, hoping that consistency will become second nature to the students. Exchange student Sebastian Wevers of Germany thought that it’s really different on several points, but generally there were similarities in DCHS policies compared to theirs. “In Germany, we also cannot use cell phones inside the school building, so I am very used to that,” said Wevers. With all these policies, there will always be those who agree and those who disagree. However most of the students and faculty did share one thought in common, the policies are meant to help provide a more proficient learning experience for all students at DCHS.
more drastic than previous years due to a lack of state support. Since last spring, USD 443’s funds from the state have been cut back twice due to the economic recession. The state’s reasoning behind these cuts is within the Kansas Constitution. In this constitution, a cash-only law exists that states no money can be given by the state, if the state does not already have that money. Since the economic decline has led to a rise in unemployment, the state has had less money rolling in, which, in return, has led to less money to be distributed throughout the state. This is what has led to the two cuts in the school district’s funding already, as well as two more cuts that may occur in December and April. Because of this, schools in USD 443, including DCHS, are not acquiring the amount of money
any direct affects,” said Principal Jacque Feist referring to cuts made within the school. Feist went on to explain that the only cut within the school that students may notice is that intramural basketball has been cut because the city has offered to fund it instead. Whether or not the extracurricular activity will still be held at the high school is still unknown. Feist also made it clear that should further cuts to the district’s funds be made in December and April, further cuts will be made within the school that would be more noticeable than the ones seen now. Feist also stated her full understanding in why the school has its current lack of funding but mentioned her hopes for the best. “Obviously it’s always nice to have a little extra money,” said Feist, jokingly. “Hopefully it will bounce back.”
“Obviously it’s always nice to have a little extra money,” said Feist, jokingly. “Hopefully it will bounce back.”
What were you thinking on your first day of high schoool?
- Guadalupe Sanchez “I was worried about finding my classes.”
- Austin Ridenour
- Parker Davis
- Brendan Winzl
“I thought the first day of school was a new learning experience in my life.”
“The best part was the freedom of not having to wear uniforms, and the worst part was finding all of my classes on time.”
“I thought that my first day of high school was a new step of learning and experience in my life.” 17
Sports Previews
DODGER 09.08.09
Football Head Coach: Justin Burke
Fifth year at Dodge (10th Overall)
# of Seasons As Head Coach:
Returning Starters: 7 on Offense 7 on Defense
Last Season’s Biggest Accomplishments: Won the Hatchet Game Made it to State Play-off
Expectations:
State Championship Run
Coach’s Quote:
Passing the ball. Throwing a pass to a receiver is senior Ty Tomas. • Photo Acevedo
Girls Golf
“This could be the best football team in Dodge City in a long time. Team chemistry and staying healthy will be key factors for us to be as good as we want to be.”
Head Coach: Jim Mapel # of Seasons As Head Coach: 13 years Returning Starters: Ali Bone Brittany Waldman Crystal Martinez Friyana Shah
Last Season’s Biggest Accomplishments: WAC Champs Placed eighth at State
Expectations:
To compete hard in every tournament.
Coach’s Quotes:
“We are very excited for this season.”
Volleyball
Bump it up. Senior Tiffany Flax returns the ball to score. • Photo Hutchcraft
Head Coach:
Katie Szymczak
# of Seasons As Head Coach: Third year
Returning Starters:
Emily Sheck, A’zlynn Thompson, and Codi Ehrlich
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Last Season’s Biggest Accomplishment: Finishing fifth at State and second in WAC
Expectations:
To win WAC, continue building a positive team and program, and play Saturday at State
Coach’s Quote:
“We have experience and skill and are working to pull it all together to become a dominationg force on the court throughout the season.”
Teeing Off. Junior Friyana Shah tees off at a home tournament. • Photo Hutchraft
Soccer
Scoring a goal. Senior Javier Rojas passes the ball to another teammate so he can score. • Photo Hutchcraft
Head Coach:
Virgil Hutchcraft
Last Season’s Biggest Accomplishment:
We won the Titan Classic and won regionals and nearly won our quarterfinal.
Expectations:
Third year
To improve more and to push for the WAC Championship and a state championship.
Arron Arrendondo, Joel Gallardo, Cesar Carmona, Larry Martinez, Victor Millan, Ivan Peralta, Javier Rojas, Saul Sanchez
We have a great core of young men. Once they believe in themselves and each other the sky is the limit.
# of Seasons As Head Coach: Returning Starters:
Coach’s Quote:
Sports Previews
08.08.09 DODGER
Girls Cross Country
Boys Cross Country
Head Coach:
Head Coach:
# of Seasons As Head Coach:
# of Seasons As Head Coach:
Returning Starters:
Returning Starters: Peter Neidhart, Eduardo
Last Season’s Biggest Accomplishments:
Last Season’s Biggest Accomplishments:
Brian Lenz
Buc Bolmer 6 years
11 years
Maria Schmidt, Yael Felix
Acosta, Ryan Hayes
Third at WAC
The team gelled together as a team and family. Everyone worked hard and enjoyed being around one another.
Expectations:
Work toward improvement. Accomplish as much our talent will allow. Coach’s Quote:
Expectations:
Try to win a WAC title and qualify as a team for the state meet.
“We are off to a good start. The girls are working hard and we are ready to go compete.”
Coach’s Quotes:
On the Homestretch. Pacing herself to win the gold is sophomore Zhu Zhu Daniels. • Photo Rangel
Setting the Pace. Senior Peter Neidhart runs hard during practice to build his endurance. • Photo Hutchcraft
“This will be a young inexperienced team, that with hardwork will be strong towards the middle and end of the season. Our team leadership will make sure every runner will become the best runner possible.”
Girls Tennis Head Coach:
Tamie Preston
# of Seasons As Head Coach:
12 seasons(86-93, 06-09)
Returning Starters:
Jenay Unruh,Tara Schubert, Kylie Newton,Danielle Jones
Last Season’s Biggest Accomplishments Finished second in WAC
Expectations:
To win WAC and place at State.
Coach’s Quote:
“This is a hard working group of young ladies, and the competition between the top nine players has been really close.”
Serves Up. Senior Jenay Unruh attempts a serve during practice one afternoon. • Photo Hutchcraft
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Sports
DODGER 09.08.09
Volleyball scrimmage gives sneak peek on season —Hunter Edwards This year the Lady Demon Volleyball girls are looking forward to improving last season’s record and hope to finish at state. Last year the Lady Demon’s finished fifth at state for 6A VB and second in the WAC. Each girl on the team is pushing one another to their limits in order to accomplish this goal. Head Coach Katie Szymczak is ready and prepared for probably the best season of her coaching career. “This is going to be an excellent year for the Red Demon volleyball,” said Szymczak. The team hosted a pre-season
scrimmage Aug. 28, 2009. The girls played hard and enjoyed the scrimmage. The game was set to see what the team will look like this season and so far they are looking great as a team. “The team looks good this year,” said junior A’zlynn Thompson when asked about how the team looked at the scrimmage. “Although we may not have as much experience as last year, we still look good FO SHO,” said Thompson. From how things are going so far, the girls look to make another appearance at state and hope to become WAC champions.
Setting the Ball. Junior A’zlynn Thompson sets the ball while senior Tiffany Flax prepares for a spike. • Photo Hutchcraft
Scrimmage combines football, watermelon —Ethan Hutchcraft
Once a year in the Dodge City area watermelon, football, and barbecue create a mixture that gets people ready for the fall. It is known as the watermelon scrimmage. The DCHS football team took the field in a scrimmage that featured the freshman team, the junior varsity team, and the varsity team. The scrimmage is not known for showing a lot about the Demons. It just gives them a chance to go out and play. “We were able to do a lot of evaluation of different players,” said Coach Justin Burke when asked about how the watermelon scrimmage went. The Demons holds the scrimmage each year to prepare for the upcoming football season and to provide a sneak peek for the fan. The Demons will have a tough opponent in week one where they will face the Wichita Southeast
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Buffaloes in Wichita. “We have a tough game in week one which will really challenge us,” said Burke. “We didn’t really show a lot, but I can say that we will look a lot different on Friday night,” said senior Layton Dowling. The Demons will return seven people on offense and seven on defense which means that they will have some spots to fill. For many of the players, the scrimmage was a chance to show the coaches what they had. “It was fun and a good way to get a feel of the game back,” said senior Ruben Vela. Many of the fans enjoyed the game trying out the new seats at Memorial Stadium. Most of the seats are red but there are some white ones that spell out the letters DC. The fans also got to enjoy a barbecue before the game and a watermelon feed afterwards.
Touchdown. Senior Landon Head dives for the endzone to score at the watermelon scrimmage on Aug. 28. • Photo Hutchcraft
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