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Volume 20 Ed. 2 6826 Lackman Road Shawnee, KS 66217 mca-eagles.org
Table Of Contents For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
2 | KU EXPO & Powder Puff 3-4 | Election 5 | The Glass Menagerie 6 | Time Line 7-8 | Tech 9-10 | Sports: Basketball 11 | Christmas Traditions
—Isaiah 9:6—
Powder Puff is Back On Powder Puff, a football game played by all-girl teams, is an old MCA tradition that was nearly forgotten for several years until it was brought back by the Maranatha Association of Parents on November 3. Thirty-five high school girls signed up to play, making two teams. Six MCA boys football assistant coaches helped the girls practice for the game.
The Powder Puff evening opened with a short junior high girls’ game. Bria Howerton (8) scored numerous touchdowns and was the athlete to spot. The high school girls’ game followed. Energy was high both on the field and in the excited crowd as the girls played their best. One of the highlights at the Powder Puff game was the
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sixteen-boy cheerleader team dressed in pink shirts and looking fabulous. They led the crowd in cheers and kept everyone entertained.
by Jina Kim
KU Engineering EXPO A little fixer-upper? Not a problem. by Jina Kim and Niko Enna
Earthquakes, Legos and obstacle courses were all part of the Oct. 25 KU School of Engineering High School Design Competition in Lawrence. Eleven MCA students formed four teams and signed up to compete in different engineering related fields with hundreds of other high school students.
“We had to adjust our robot’s arm to reach Lego people in different positions. We even had to make programming adjustments for the sun shining on the obstacle course. Meeting those challenges was my favorite part of the event.” —Ryan Fitzgerald (12) Three competitive events piqued the MCA teams’ interest. The Aerial Escape competition had the “FC4” (Four Fantastic Chinese) team working on a wood and rubber band airplane. The goal was to wind up the plane, launch it from the ground and have it soar high enough to fly over a line of
tiny plastic trees at the end of the runway. Two MCA teams competed in the Island Shelter Civil Engineering competition. The “Four
Mariah Karley (10) is holding The Four Musketeers’ structure. They practiced fervently after school to create a sturdy model. They had to memorize their model in order to build it from scratch at the competition.
Musketeers” and the “Future Gadget Laboratory” teams each built structures out of Kennex rods and connectors. Each structure was placed on a mechanical vibrating platform in order to test its stability in an earthquake. The fourth MCA team, the
“Future Gadget Labs” (not to be confused with the “Future Gadget Laboratory” team) won first place in the Lego Mindstorms Survival Vehicle competition. The team built a Lego robot and programmed the robot to maneuver an obstacle course and collect Lego men to be delivered to the end point. The first place winners
“Since KU offered scholarships to the winning teams this year, students couldn’t participate on more than one team. There were a lot fewer people competing this year than last year.” —Sam McGowan (11) took home a $2000 KU scholarship to be shared among the team members. Mr. Cox helped the students plan, build and test their engineering projects for about three weeks prior to the competition. Many students look forward to this annual event. “This was my third time going to the competition. And I had a ton of fun,” said Stephanie Pang (11).
2016 MCA KU EXPO Teams The future gadget labs: Niko Enna (12), Jina Kim (12), Ryan Fitzgerald (12), Sam McGowan (11) The future gadget laboratory: Ty Caffrey (11), Zak Oster (11), Mitchell Peacher (11) The Four musketeers: Mariah Karley (10), Abby Wright (10), Grace Wojcik (10), Braden Lockwood (11) FC4 (Four Fantastic Chinese): David Li (12), Stephanie Pang (11), Joey Zhou (11), Lydia Yan (12)
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2016 election The Race for the Presidency
November 8, 2016 marked a possible major turning point in US history, one that could’ve meant nothing or everything. The results of the election were a shock to most Americans, with almost every major news-outlet convinced that Mrs. Clinton would have a cakewalk victory, with many pollsters giving her upwards of 80% certainty for the presidency (see Bing’s estimate of 86.6%). Despite this apparent near certainty, Donald Trump managed to sweep up 306 of the Elector votes, compared to Mrs. Clinton’s 232. Trump even managed to win all of the swing states, and states that have been voting Democrat for years now voted for the Re-
by Niko Enna
Electoral College. Obviously he[Trump] got fewer popular votes. In the states he won, like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and other states, he won by a percentage point. It was a very close election. I think he won because African Americans who turned out in record numbers for the first African American president didn’t turn out for this election. A lot of polling models are based off of previous elections, but you’re not gonna have that anymore- it’s not historical anymore . . . . That’s one of the reasons, another would be
“ You had a lot of Reagan Democrats—blue collar Democrats—people who feel that the Democratic party has left them. These hardworking blue collar union people have been traditionally democrats and feel the Democratic party has switched to “everything has become about race—or gender” and that it has been catering to the tech-world and boutique democrats—wealthy Democrats. They feel the Democratic party now ignores them. Mrs. Clinton didn’t even campaign in Wisconsin. She got beat in
Elector College Results:
Trump (R) - 306
Clinton (D) - 232 publican candidate. Despite this apparent landslide, there is some controversy over the results of the election. The main concern with many, especially Democratic voters, is the fact that Mrs. Clinton won the majority of the popular election by roughly 798,000 votes. This is the 5th time in US history a candidate has won the popular vote but lost the election. (1824, 1876, 1888, 2000, 2016). I discussed some of this with resident Civics Teacher, Mark Hoduski. “It was a large win in the
The 2016 election results per state
that a lot of people were embarrassed that they were going to vote for Donald Trump, so when the pollsters asked, they didn’t tell them. That threw a lot of people off. . . . Here’s the other problem, when you have national polls- we don’t elect people nationally. It doesn’t mean anything if someone is ahead two or three percentage points, you have to look at the state by state polls because it’s an electoral college. That’s what I think threw a lot of people off. . . .”
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Wisconsin. She didn’t campaign in many of these strategic swing states, and it cost her.” What many don’t understand is how the Electoral College works. Each state gets at least three electors, then the rest are divvied up proportionally. This odd balance, with some smaller states like Kansas being “worth more” than they perhaps should and larger states like California being “worth less” than they should, is in place to protect the
smaller states from the larger states. This makes it necessary for candidates to campaign in smaller states—as opposed to campaigning in just California, Texas, New York, and Florida while leaving the rest to diehard party members in the smaller states. This forced recognition of the smaller states is one of the things that makes the United States a Republic and not a Democracy. A Republic usually goes with the majority, but is always forced to recognize and accommodate the minority; while a Democracy always goes with the majority, and usually tramples over the minority. As long as one has 50.01% of the votes, they can do whatever they want—free to ignore the remaining 49.99% of the population. This is why the United States uses an electoral college
and is a Republic (though some may argue that we are a Democratic-Republic). The potential downside of the Electoral College is that, sometimes, the minority wins the election, and is forced to accommodate the majority— which is an odd consequence that played out in this election (though the popular votes were split nearly 50-50 between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, with Clinton winning a little less than a percentage point more than Donald Trump). Despite this occasional oddity, people like Hoduski feel it is in the best interest to retain the Electoral College to avoid candidates from pandering completely
Post-election interview with
senior Austin Boatwright
to states like California and making sure they are completely taken care of, while simultaneously leaving states like Wyoming with little to nothing in government aid or attention. This particular issue, along with others has left many Americans divided, with everything from protests to actual riots. This division, while particularly extreme this time, is par for the course in American elections. Emotions will calm, with many Democrat congressmen realizing that they need to work with the President-Elect Donald Trump. In the end, whoever wins, we as Americans need to work together to create a better country. We can debate our differences and work to find the best choice, but we mustn’t be utterly against each other, for we are a Republic, not a Democracy.
Life is too short to dwell on what might have been.
You have to think anyway, so why not think big? - Donald Trump
- Hillary Clinton
Q: What was it like to vote for the first time?
bates were pretty annoying because it was mostly just them bantering back and forth.”
“I’m glad I got to exercise my right in this election.” Q: What will you remember about your first time voting?
“Just the crazy turn out and that President Trump actually got elected since everyone favored Hillary winning. It was exciting to stay up and watch the whole thing go down.” Q: Are you relieved that the election is over?
“Oh definitely, the whole country was kind of tense seeing who the next president was going to be, and now we just need to transition into that
#proud_to_be_a_voter
new presidency.” Q: What are your hopes for local or national changes in policy?
“I hope Trump keeps a lot of his promises and we have a more pro life supreme court and more states will fall into the second amendment.” Q: What about the election was interesting or annoying?
“I thought a lot of the de-4-
Q: How did this election or its results affect you?
“It impacted me, and every American, and I’m pretty excited about the next four years and where this administration goes. I’m not scared like a lot of people say [they are].” Q: Has your perception of government changed?
“Most definitely, studying the politics and the actual campaigning for presidency has changed my mind on a few things, like foreign policy and foreign relations”
Fall Play : The Glass Menagerie “She lives in a world of her own–a world of–little glass ornaments…” by Braden Lockwood
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1 | Ty Caffery (11), Tom, waits patiently for his frustrated mother to end the silent treatment. She finally gives in and starts complaining about his neglecting attitude towards the family. 2 | Gabe Porter (11) and Anna Poleleyeva (11)—Jim and Laura—pull each other in, anticipating their small kiss. 3 | Morgan Wilcox (10), Amanda, nervously bites her nails wondering if Jim will fall in love with Laura during dinner. “I decided to do a tragried. But Laura, whose shyness edy, because it brings out the dominates her life, is a homebody human condition and makes whose favorite thing is her glass people think,” said Mr. Hanlon menagerie. “The Glass Menagwho directed “The Glass Menagerie” on November 10, 11, and 12. The play had a small cast with only four actors. The actors were Morgan Wilcox (10, Amanda), Anna Poleleyeva (11, Laura), Ty Caffery (11, Tom), and Gabe porter (11, Jim). “It’s called a Dream Play,” said Mr. Hanlon. “The Laura, Poleleyeva, plays with her whole play is a flashback glass menagerie and sets up each piece in for Tom to an evening 30 correct order. years ago, which is why Tom narrates the story.” In this dream play, Tom erie” refers to Laura’s is remembering an evening with collection of glass figuhis painfully shy sister, his domirines. neering mother, and the friend he “Laura’s whole brought for dinner. The mother, world is the phonograph and her Amanda, desperately wants figurines. She escapes from reher daughter, Laura, to be marality to that world,” explained Mr.
Hanlon. When Tom brought his friend Jim to the house for dinner, Amanda hoped and schemed that Jim would become interested in her daughter before the evening was over. Jim and Laura ended up talking, and Jim even kissed Laura. His immediate reaction to kissing her was, “I shouldn’t have done that. I have a girlfriend.” Jim ended up breaking Laura’s favorite figurine, the unicorn. Then he left, forever. Laura’s brother Tom ends up leaving the family due to torn ties and daily arguments, just as the father had. “In ancient Greek theater, plays were either comedies or tragedies. In a tragedy, the hero dies or loses something valuable to
Blow out your candles, Laura. And so, goodbye.
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them,” said Mr. Hanlon. In character. That happened in this play, Laura’s favorite this production.” figurine was broken, and Mr. Hanlon explained, she was abandoned by Jim “Actors should know their Gabe Porter (11) , Jim, patiently waits to be seated at the and her brother. There is a lines backwards and forWingfield’s. lot of symbolism in the play. wards, so that when they’re “A tragedy makes people on the stage, they become Ty Caffery (11) played think, and learn,” added Mr. Han- Tom. “I had to play a dark role, that character. Their gestures and lon. expressions come naturally and and the key to this was to think Anna, who played Laura fit that character. A week out, darker.” in the play, said, “This play was Ty’s moves and gestures didn’t “I was happy with it,” said different because it had a sad Mr. Hanlon. “If you know the play fit his role. But on opening night, atmosphere. Acting pessimistic something clicked. Ty was in the well enough, you become your was difficult for me.” character, in the moment.”
MCA’s red Events cove
Un
[Family Fun Fest]
- Maranatha Families
[Band & Choir Concert]
- Elementary, JH, Secondary
[Veterans’ Day Parade] - High School Band
Nov. 13 Nov. 11 Nov. 3
Nov. 14
Dec. 12
[First day of winter sports practice]
[Christmas Extended Lunch]
[Operation Christmas Child]
- JH and Secondary
- Junior High volunteers
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Dec. 16
A new-New World
An overview on Quantum Computers by Niko Enna
Ever since the invention of the first computer we have continued to open doors that have long been closed. And we have just begun to encroach on a new door—a door that will fly the hinges off many more—Quantum Computing. Quantum Computers use quantum particles instead of the transistors we use today. Now, if that sounds utterly Greek to you, that’s fine. You’ll soon have a simple grasp of the key ideas. Before you understand how a
Examples of some older transistors
Quantum Computer works, you will need to understand how a standard computer works. We’ll start as small as we can go. The most basic action a computer can take is basically this: “Yes” or “No” or “Open” or “Closed” or “1” or “0”. A computer is just a series of switches turning on and off various things. These switches are called “transistors”. Here’s an example: “Was the “A” key pressed?” If YES, then type ‘A’. If it was not pressed, then type nothing.” The transistors all reside on a “circuit” allowing us to conduct ever-so-more com-
plicated actions. A small series of transistors will allow us to do addition, and once we can do addition, we can multiply, and once you can multiply, you can do anything. (Kurzgesagt). According to “Moore’s Law”, the number of transistors on a circuit doubles every two years. While this has been nothing but good for computer manufacturers, it poses an interesting problem: “What happens when the circuit becomes too small to work?” There will be a standstill. This is where Quantum Particles come in. Quantum Computers would use particles—most likely electrons—to essentially become transistors, which would grow bits at an astonishingly increasing rate. “Wait! What’s a bit?” I hear you say. A bit is simply the single decision the computer makes, such as a 1 or 0, an Open or Closed. If you have four bits, there is a maximum of 16 unique combinations (1111, 1110, 1101,1011,0111, 0011, and so on) that the bits can take. This limits how many actions they can take and how fast. Now, Quantum Computers would use something called “Qubits.” Qubits differ from normal bits because they are made of electrons, which means they could be in several positions at once (until they are observed, which forces them to assume a position.) The position of a Qubit could be thought of in decimals (though it is really
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about the actual orientation of the electron, i.e. up, down, left, right). So instead of “1” or “0”, it may be “0.5453643545” or “0.32375863278” and would be forced into “1” or “0” later. This odd consequence of electrons provides an exponential number of combinations— compared to our traditional amount—allowing us to take far fewer steps to complete an ac-
An illustration of a Qubit. Notice it is both up and down, and both red and green, not red or green.
tion. An action that would take a traditional computer 16 steps to complete would take a Quan-
The future is closer
An example of Encyrption and Decyrption
tum Computer only four steps to complete. When larger numbers are used it is clear to see just how much faster Quantum Computers would be. So how will this change your world? Well, in most day to day cases, you probably won’t notice anything. Browsing the internet or streaming HD videos wouldn’t be faster on a Quantum Computer, and may even be slower. As stated earlier, Quantum Computers don’t increase the speed of functions, but cut down the total amount necessary. Thus, Quantum Computers would be far more useful in practices like Data Mining, or
extremely complex calculations, or decrypting digital keys, which is by far the most sinister use of Quantum Computers. Much of the information on, say, your iPhone is encrypted. It has a code that only the phone knows and uses to keep your information safe. And while traditional computers can, in theory, decrypt phones, the amount of time required to try each combination one-by-one may take a near eternity. But, a Quantum Computer could easily decrypt an iPhone by trying several combinations at once, which slashes the time needed to break into your personal files. On the bright side,
though, a Quantum Computer could create an essentially uncrackable, ever changing passkey. While this may all seem like science fiction, the future is closer than we think. Scientists all over the world are making contributions to the technology (sort of like a Quantum Computer. . . or the invention of the internet) with major breakthroughs happening all the time. For example, a group of Japanese scientists recently solved one of Quantum Computing’s greatest stumbling blocks, the fact that quantum effects destabilize before a computer can use them. They were able to stabilize the “entangled state” by using laser light. (Science Daily) With new computing power, we should have unbelievable power at our disposal, and any country that can’t or won’t join in may be left in the dust. Years from now - after everything pans out - this world will be unlike anything we’ve ever seen.
Bonsor, Kevin, and Jonathan Strickland. “How Quantum Computers Work.” HowStuffWorks. HowStuffWorks, 08 Dec. 2000. Web. 02 Dec. 2016. <http://computer.howstuffworks.com/ quantum-computer.htm> Quantum Computers Explained – Limits of Human Technology. Perf. Steve Taylor. YouTube. Kurzgesagt, 8 Dec. 2015. Web. 2 Dec. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=JhHMJCUmq28>.
Transistors & The End of Moore’s Law. Prod. Derek Muller. Perf. Prof. Morello. YouTube. 2veritasium, 27 May 2013. Web. 2 Dec. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtI5wRyHpTg>.
American Institute of Physics (AIP). “Quantum computing advances with researchers’ control of entanglement.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 27 September 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/ releases/2016/09/160927111653.htm>.
Vahid alpha. Transistors 110. 2013. Wikicommons.
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Philippians 2:14-16
”
Twelve new players are on the team—eight are freshmen. The captains are Roland Hou (11), Jax Holland (10), Mitchell Peacher (11), and Billy Rao (12). Assistant coach Robbey Thomas said that he wants the team to bond and to really trust each other off the court. “Trusting each other off the court will help with trust on the court,” he explained. Coach Thompson said, “I expect the players to work together more as a team, because they can’t do it alone,” he said. He wants the team to not only glorify God on the court, but also off. “Wins and losses will fade, but what we do for the kingdom has eternal rewards,” he added.
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of life , so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain .
Ba sk
Boys’ team verse
“
all
With new people, ideas and The girls’ team won their first game 34-26 leadership, the boys’ team is ready to against Bishop Seabury. With the momentum they take on this season with a fiery passion and gained from this game, it looks like they have a a burning desire to glorify God. great season ahead and will shoot to the top. Boys’ high school basketball coach, Travis Molly Welch (12) is playing on Thompson, has a very bright outlook. Last year was his the team, and she said that the team’s first year coaching and teaching here, so he didn’t really main focus is “to try to win the game know the players. Now that he understands their pros and in the first two minutes by getting cons, he knows where to put them on the court. our heads in the game and into the The first boys’ game was against Bishop Seabury. The mind of the other team. If you get score was 42-58 with the MCA team losing. In a way, this loss in their heads in the beginning of was still a victory because the boys’ score was only 16 points the game, the rest is easy,” she behind the opposing team’s. Last year, the boys lost games by a lot said. more points, so things are looking up. The main goal this year is man to man defense. Welch said that she has already Do all things without grumbling or seen lots of talented, disputing, that you may be blamehardworking playless and innocent, children of God ers and she looks without blemish in the midst of a forward to the team growing closer crooked and twisted generation , together and among whom you shine as lights in closer to God. the world , holding fast to the word
Varsity Boys Name
Position Grade
1 3 4 5 10 11 12 14 15 21 25
West, Brock Holland, Jax Fortin, Andrew Morgan, Augustine Peacher, Mitchell Raydo, Nate Hou, Roland Burdette, Nathan Rao, Billy Fitsum, Zeru Friesen, Jason
G G G F G G G/F G F F C
9 10 9 9 11 11 11 9 12 12 9
Varsity Girls # Name 3 11 14 21 22 24 30 32 33 35 42 55
by Braden Lockwood
#
Grade
Phoebe Hines Kayla Crowder Alyssa Buettner Meggie Abebe Molly Welch Natalie Rehfeld Morgan Wilcox Shelby Adcock Aaliyah Buckner Anita Eckhardt Emma Prowell Maggie Friesen
10 12 10 10 12 10 10 12 9 9 11 11
JV Boys #
Name
0 1 2 11 13 14 15 21 22 23 25 25 30 33 44
Lin, Jacob West, Brock Peacher, Josh Linderer, Jordan Bennett, Jackson Burdette, Nathan Morgan, Augustine Ye Yuan, Justin Grytsko, Andrii Utech, Andrew Toomay, Christopher Friesen, Jason Zhang, Yihui Fitzgerald, Michael He, David
Position Grade G F G G F G F F G G G F G F G
9 9 9 9 10 9 9 10 10 9 10 9 9 9 10
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I try to use every game as an opportunity to witness. . . . Be a witness for Christ. When I step on the floor, people should know who I represent, who I believe in .
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-Stephen Curry, NBA player
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Christmas traditions around the world How different cultures celebrate Christmas
by Braden Lockwood
Ethiopia
Brazil
Ethiopia follows the ancient Julian calendar, so Ethiopians celebrate Christmas on January 7. People fast all day before Christmas day. Early on Christmas morning, everyone dresses in a white shamma (somewhat like a toga) and goes to church services at four o’clock in the morning! Churches are built in circles—three circles within the other. Each person receives a candle, lights it and carries the flame as they walk around the outer circle three times. Then they go to the second circle and stand during the service. The men are separated from the women. The middle circle, where the priest serves communion, is the holiest part of the church.
A popular Christmas tradition in Brazil is the “Presepio,” which is a replica of Jesus on a bed of straw. People set up these nativity scenes in many places, such as homes and shopping centers. People enjoy attending “The Shepherd,” which is a folk play where a gypsy tries to kidnap the baby Jesus. On Christmas Eve, people eat the Christmas feast which includes fish, potato salad, colorful rice, Brazilian nut pie and chocolate cake. December 25 is during the summer in Brazil, so people like to go to the beach on Christmas day.
United Kingdom
South Korea About 30% of South Koreans are Christian, and South Korea is the only East Asian country to recognize Christmas as a national holiday. Schools and government offices are closed on Christmas day, but stores stay (Merry Christmas in Korean) open. Santa Grandfather, also known as Santa Clause, dresses in a green or red Santa suit. Typically, people go out to eat for Christmas dinner. For dessert, they have a cream-covered sponge cake or an ice-cream cake. Koreans reverse the way they celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Day from the way Americans do. In South Korea, New Year’s Day is regarded as a day to spend celebrating with family, while Christmas is a day popular for young people to celebrate at parties and with friends.
메리 크리스마스
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Christmas is very important to the Brits. They celebrate Christmas in many of the same ways that Americans do, but there are some differences, such as shortening “Merry Christmas” to “Chrimbo.” Father Christmas does not live in the North Pole, but in Lapland. Christmas Dinner includes Christmas pudding, which is a cake made out of dried fruits, nuts, eggs, bread crumbs and suet. It is customary to pour brandy over it, light it on fire, and bring it flaming into the darkened dining room. Brits have another interesting tradition at Christmas Dinner. Each place at the table has a Christmas cracker, which is a decorative tube-shaped firecracker. Two people tug on the cracker until it breaks and makes a mild bang. Inside, there is a small toy, a joke or proverb, and a paper crown, which people put on their heads and wear for the rest of the dinner.
Merry Christmas!
Matthew 1:21
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins