the Mentor
NEWS
May 4, 2012 Manhattan High volume 99 issue 23
Page 2: Softball, Baseball, Track, Boys golf, Boys tennis, Girls swimming, Girls soccer Page 3: Prison dehumanizing, Class options, NFL draft Page 4: Variety Show, Band selection leaders, State Music Contest, Halo release, What’s hot in May Page 5: Taco Lucha, For your information Page 6: The wide spectrum, Prom
making each drop count Sarah Shi staff writer
NHS
The annual National Honor Society induction ceremony took place ON April. 25 in Rezac Auditorium, during which 62 sophomores and juniors were acknowledged for their accomplishments and leadership thus far and were officially admitted to the ranks of NHS. In addition to the admission of new members, the sitting NHS officers passed the candles of leadership on to their successors. New president AM Fan and former president Magda Borgarelli each addressed the crowd, speaking of a year of dedication and service and a bright future for NHS in the coming year. Fan was joined by Pat Zenk as vice president, Tyler Henry as secretary, Cameron Garwood as treasurer, Caitlyn Webb as Student Council representative and Joshua Myers as communications representative. This team of rising seniors will lead the 118 members that NHS will have next year, and they seem up to the challenge. “[The officers] have stepped up to the plate,” NHS adviser Regina Harden said. “[I am] very impressed with the new officers.”
STUCO
Last Wednesday Student Council tallied up the votes for their upcoming officers. The students went through a tough campaigning process; not only did the students have to address all of their peers with a speech, they also were asked a question from the current StuCo officers that validated their leadership abilities. The students were asked questions like “What would you do to increase involvement next year?” “I think putting them on the spot made them come out of their shells a little bit, too,” current StuCo president Cole Anneberg said. Once the student body had a chance to cast their votes the current officers counted them. All of the potential officers were called into sponsor Leslie Campbell’s room where the news was broken to them. Juniors Naomi McClendon and Patrick Day won StuCo president and vice president, Emma Miller is secretary and Drew Kohlmeier is the new treasurer. Da’Merius Ford is taking over Noah Schmidt’s position as the senior class president and Caitlyn Webb will be the class secretary. The treasurer’s position is currently vacant. The junior class’s new president is Sam Livsey, followed by Lane Sorrel as vice president, Christine Shiau for secretary and Lekith Ranaweera as the treasurer. “I think StuCo is set for next year. Naomi is really creative and I know she is going to continue revamping StuCo,” Anneberg said.
Last Thursday, the Red Cross hosted their annual blood drive at Manhattan High South Gym, bringing in 64 units, not quite reaching their goal of 76. Student Council volunteers assisted the Red Cross by being escorts and waiting on students during the recovery period. “Although we didn’t reach our goal -- we only missed it by a few -- the process went pretty well,” senior James Weiss said, lead organizer of this year’s blood drive. “I think we made up for that in cleanliness, efficiency, and overall a more organized blood drive.” “We had a big turnout this year, despite falling short of our goal,” sophomore student council member Hannah Nelson said. “The student council volunteers were much more organized and efficient this year with no major problems. Everyone was very enthusiastic, and therefore we didn’t have anyone be to fearful of. We really succeeded in making the process very smooth this year.” Nelson also emphasized the importance of eating
BY THE NUMBERS
Senior Jamey White donates one pint of blood at the spring blood drive on April 26. Donators were asked to squeeze a stress ball to promote circulation yielding a faster donation. Photo by Sarah Shi
a fulfilling breakfast and enough water before donating. “We really need to continue to stress the importance of breakfast as well as water. It does make a difference when you’re donating blood,” she said. However, due to the majority of the donors being
64 pints of blood mhs donated
walk-ins and not appointments, Nelson, next year’s leader in the blood drive, suggested that the blood drive needed to be more publicized next year. “Well, this year the Red Cross directors were great in giving specific directions, unlike last year,” she said. “That really benefited us,
and we will definitely continue to stick to their method. One thing we will take to consideration is advertising. We had a lot of walk-ins, or people scheduled without appointments, and so we need to spread the word more. Having an appointment would cut your wait time in almost half. The less
count of blood cells donated from mhs
wait time, the less anxious people would be.” “We had a lot of help this year with so many people volunteering and people followed directions on what they were supposed to do so the whole process went very smoothly,” sophomore student council member Katherine Culbertson said.
3 lives that one donation saves
320,000,000 BPA places high at National Conference Kaitlin Wichmann staff writer Qualifying for Nationals is a great achievement in itself, but placing at Nationals is about as good as it gets. Manhattan High was represented by 12 individuals this past weekend at the National Business Professionals of America Conference in Chicago, Ill. Chad Wolf, JR Davis and Warren Scipio placed in the top 10 for the Web Design Team and Vamsi Bhadriraju was in the top 10 for his individual Economic Research Project. Other members who attended Nationals included Cassidy
Harper, Brandyn Schadel, Josh Olsen and Caleb Price (Video Production Team); Warren Scipio (Fundamentals of Web Design); Cameron Garwood (Computerized Accounting); Payroll Accounting (Cameron Garwood); and Angel Deines (Management, Marketing and Human Resources and also Financial Math and Analysis) “We prepared for Nationals in class and also after school,” JR Davis said. “We then presented our webpage to two judges in Chicago.” Expectations were high going into Nationals. “I was expecting to place
in the top 10 but I really wanted to get first,” Davis said. Although some of the students may not have achieved their specific goals, their sponsor was pleased with the results. “I thought everyone did really well,” BPA sponsor Tiffany Anderson said. “We were competing against the cream of the crop and the top of the field from each state. We had a good representation and I was proud that four out of our 10 members placed in the top 10. Some schools didn’t have any students place.” The students also got the chance to explore and have
fun during their five days in Chicago. While in the windy city the students’ days included sightseeing, a doubledecker bus tour, the Shedd Aquarium, Navy Pier, the Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower) and the Magnificent Mile. The students did have to give up Prom in order to attend the competition. “The decision to attend
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the conference was left completely up to the students,” Anderson said. “I think it was a tough decision but each student made their own decision and no one seemed really upset.” In the end, all the students that qualified for Nationals chose to attend. “I was a little bit sad, but I got the chance to attend Prom last year,” Davis said.
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News Briefs rostie m zzriure ed essenia t, susci Im dui tions esto ex eugiame dip to do tiniat ad mo magnit, qui eros od t, Im tie tismodio ipsu msandre rcili isc stie ro nis le re od do zzriu esseniam susci eugiamet, dui tionsed ex to es dip to do tiniat ad mo magnit, qui eros od t, Im dio ili mo rc e tie tis andr iscipsu ms od dolenis seniam zzriure es dui tionsed rostie
Blood drive misses goal, improves organization
We were competing against the cream of the crop and the top of the field from each state.
-Anderson
Thornton competes at Skills USA State Jimmy Risberg copy editor While most girls you meet couldn’t tell you the difference between an air filter and an alternator -- much less take one out, fix it and replace it -- Senior Jesica Thornton has been doing that and more for years. Thornton has been interested in automotive technology since entering high school, and under Steve Barnes’ tutelage her interest has only intensified. “I really wanted to take an auto tech class,” Thornton said. “And I liked it so I kept with it.” Getting up close and personal with the inner workings of automobiles goes
beyond the fun of tinkering and the draw of an interesting hobby for Thornton. Auto tech is a passion that she hopes to pursue as a career, and she plans on enrolling at Manhattan Technical College after graduation to hone her already impressive skills. Thornton had the opportunity to pit her skills against students from across Kansas at the Skills USA State competition in Wichita on Thursday, April 26. Competing in Automotive Services Technician category, Thornton, along with her fellow auto tech students Matt Troy, Roger Ogden and Brandon Simmons, set out to try their hand at several challenges designed to test
the full spectrum of technical knowledge. From 8:30-3:30, Thornton and her classmates applied themselves to checking brakes, taking engine measurements, diagnosing problems, testing alignments and completing a comprehensive exam over AST topics. Thornton felt confident in her performance, despite some questionable events. “[I performed] really good in a couple of areas,” Thornton said. “But other areas were not so good.” Most of the skills were taught in class, and Thornton stayed after school to work on problem areas and review important concepts. Barnes said that the MHS performance was impressive
Senior Jesica Thornton sits atop one of Auto Technologies class cars. Thornton recently placed 15th at the Skills USA State competition. “I think did pretty well, I mean I still have stains on my hands.” Photo by Cole Anneberg
seeing as other area high schools have more intensive auto tech programs. Thornton placed 15th in a very close race of 30, with
only 30 points separating first place from last. Troy, Ogden and Simmons all medaled in their respective events.
Sports
Page 2
May 4, 2012 Manhattan High
Sports Notes Girls Soccer Kassidy Scroggs sports editor The Lady Indians took the past week by storm. Girls soccer took on the Hayden Wildcats on April 23. The Lady Indians came away with a shutout against the Wildcats with a goal from junior Jennifer Then in the first half off of a corner kick. The Lady Indians then traveled to Wichita on April 27 to take on Wichita Heights. With the help of senior Onyeka Ehie’s offensive performance, the Lady Indians captured a victory on the road. Ehie scored three goals completing a hat trick for the Indians. The team traveled back to Wichita on Tuesday to play against the Wichita Northwest Grizzlies. After a back-and-forth struggle throughout the game, the Lady Indians once again came out on top with a 4-3 win over the Grizzlies. The Lady Indians were back in action on Thursday against Highland Park. Senior night for the girls soccer team will be Tuesday at Anneberg Park against the Junction City Blue Jays starting at 4:30 p.m.
Tennis
photos by Tristan Knott
Girls swimming improves times Cole Anneberg news editor
The girls swam into third place with a total of 354 points -- just six points shy of second place in the Great Bend invitational last Friday. “We had a good day. We had lots of racing and the girls stepped up and competed,” head coach Jerry Carpenter said. Some highlights from the meet were sophomore Pilar Dritz winning the 500 yard freestyle with a 5:30.58 and sophomore Alana Bucholtz winning the 100 yard backstroke with a 1:06.79. “Several of the girls swam best times,” Carpenter said. “Alana had the best race I have ever seen her do and out touched the second place girls by .01.” Another highlight from the meet was junior Hannah Funk swimming a 2:14.04 in the 200 yard freestyle and a 59.97 in the 100 yard freestyle. Hannah has been
chipping off time, piece by piece, and is nearing State qualification time. “I need to get it out of my head that I can’t do it. I’m really close to the State time,” Funk said. Third year returning senior Keziah McNair agrees. “We need to keep lowering our times and giving it our all in every event,” McNair said. As the season comes to an end, the team is preparing with harder sets to get State qualifiers ready for State, and the upcoming challenges it has in store. “The teams to beat are Shawnee Mission East, Olathe Northwest and Blue Valley Northwest. They’re all really good,” Carpenter said. “However, we have qualifiers in all three relays. Pilar will most likely qualify in the 200 and 500 yard freestyle and has potential to be a finalist at State. We have a lot of other girls right on
Junior Makayla Walters looks up at her placement after swimming in her heat. Photo by Kayla Dieker
the bubble to qualify. We’re going into State with a pretty solid team.” Assistant coach Sydni Baker agreed with Carpenter’s prediction.
“Our strengths are the initiative and desire to get better,” Baker said. “I think we’re going to represent Manhattan High very well at State.”
Golf improves Tribe sits at 11-3 Carly Tracz opinions editor Last Monday, boys varsity golf traveled to Ozawkie, KS for the Centennial League tournament hosted by Hayden. Senior Joe Ballard placed third, shooting a 75, with sophomore David Woods close behind in fourth with a 76. The team placed second overall, just 5 strokes behind Washburn Rural. The team went to the Junction City Invite yesterday and will travel to Emporia on Monday. The JV team traveled to Emporia on Tuesday and placed second as a team. Sophomore Reece Wright placed fifth after shooting a 90 while freshman Cole Dillon was close behind with a 93. The next day, they competed at their last home tournament of the season at Stagg Hill. The team didn’t have enough players to be scored as a team, but sophomore Donovan Meek shot an 84 and landed in first. In fifth place was
Taylor Weisman staff writer
Sophomore Cameron Beauregard takes a swing at the meet while at home. photo by Tristan Knott
sophomore Cameron Beauregard with a 97 and in 10th was sophomore Andrew Ladner with a 101. Though Wednesday’s meet would have been considered the last of the season, JV will be attending the meet at Emporia with the varsity team. “The highlight of my season was on Wednesday because I got first,” Meek said. “Even though we didn’t get medals.”
Softball to play rival WaRu
Kaitlin Wichmann staff writer
Sarah Shi staff writer
On Monday the Manhattan High School varsity tennis team traveled to Washburn Rural and took third as a team at Centennial League. Senior Kenton Hallowell finished 5-1 and took second individually in No. 1 singles, being beat out by Hayden. Junior Jake Seaton finished 4-2 and took ninth place in No. 2 singles. Both doubles teams ended with a score of 2-4 with juniors Riley Ratliff and Dustin Hayes earning 14th place in No. 1 doubles, and sophomores Samuel Hong and J.T. Turnley getting 17th place in No. 2 doubles. Washburn Rural won the meet. The team now has a full week until they will attend the all-day Regional meet next Friday at Kossover in Topeka. If the team places in the top six, they will have another week to make the final preparations before attending the 6A State Meet the following Friday and Saturday.
The Manhattan High Softball team came close to winning against Shawnee High, but lost by a one point difference in both their games April 25. Throughout both games, they were either winning or tied, but couldn’t hit enough points to stay in a constant lead until the end. “We made a lot of really great plays but Shawnee had really great hitters and our bases would get loaded,” senior Ashley Hageman said. “They would get the ball and hit grandslams, but we did have a great defense.” Lady Indians played Topeka West at home on April 26, winning big 16-1 in their first game and 5-3 in their second. Sophomore Aubrey Jung pitched the first game and the team continued to hit well throughout the games. Junior Alison Devlin pitched the second game, all but the last inning, and offensively they didn’t do as well. “Our hitting was great in our first game and we had a lot of fun,” Jung said. “We
laid back the second game but we stilled played pretty well.” Their most recent game was this Tuesday at Junction City, winning both games again, 2-0 and 8-2. “Our hitting could of improved. We had a lot of opportunities to get bases, but we missed out, but our defense was good,” Jung said. Girls softball will compete today at Washburn Rural, their biggest rival. They swept them last year at home and if they win the rest of the season, then they will be seated in a good bracket at Regionals. “We’ve had hitting practice and it went well. As long as we stay calm, I think we will have a good chance at beating them,” Jung said. “It will be a tough game. They are at the top of our conference and it will be a challenging set of games,” Mall said. They will have their next game next Tuesday, and will be their last home game of the season. It will also be the pink out for Mall for any charity of his choice.
Over the past few weeks the Manhattan High School baseball team has set a standard of excellence through the Centennial League with its play on the field batting in consecutive wins. Their record now stands at 11-3, with three more double headers to go. “We’ve had kind of shaky starts,” senior Brooks Lindsay said. “Come out focused the first game, but don’t come out focused the second game. What’s good for us is to come out the first inning and score a lot of runs, and our pitching has been consistent throughout the year.” The Indians are continuing their success from the previous season, losing only three games (and only three losses the previous year). The
Indians have six more total games left on their schedule and hope to avoid splitting any series with their remaining opponents. The three remaining opponents include Junction City, Hayden and Topeka High. All three are teams the Indians are projected to not have any struggles with. As for the post-season, the Tribe has been said to have the potential for a home-run post-season. “I think we can go all the way if our pitching is good and our offense is good,” Lindsay said. The Tribe will play its final three opponents before the post-season. Many say to look for a grand slam postseason performance from the Tribe. Play-off times will be released after the final regular season game.
State competition is scheduled to take place on May 18 with preliminaries followed by finals on May 19 at the Topeka USD 501 Hummer Sports Complex.
Track takes 7 gold Tristan Knott staff writer On April 20, the Manhattan High Track team went to Emporia to compete against various teams across the state. They won seven out of the 36 total events. With the male shot put, senior Terrale Johnson came in first with a toss of 48-05.50, senior Ben Stegeman took second. Sophomore Darian Taylor placed first in the javelin with a throw of 144-04.00, while junior Jacob Holloway placed second, and senior Tim Gaunt placed third. Senior Tevin Jenkins took gold in the 400m Dash with a sprint of 52.75 seconds, and senior Deante Burton followed in third. In the 1600m run, freshman Isaiah Koppes placed third.
Kansas State University Bands Upcoming Events
Wednesday, April 25th Concert Band and University Band 7:30 pm Tuesday, April 26th Wind Ensemble 7:30 pm Saturday, May 5th Drumline Day Saturday, May 5th KSUMB Auxiliary Auditions June 10th-14th K-State Summer Music Camp July 8th-11th K-State Leadership Camp
For more information check out www.ksu.edu/band
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senior commentaries next edition. They can be 200 words or less and they must be in by Tuesday of next week. The commentaries should be written to: “What defines your MHS career?” Good luck guys!
Opinion May 4, 2012 Manhattan High
Prison system fails society The editorial covers a topic that is discussed by the entire staff and is written by one writer. It forms our overall opinion on the subject.
Breakfast at 4 a.m., lunch at 10:30 a.m., dinner at 4 p.m. No eating in between meals, and just three hours of recreational time per week. This was George Zimmerman’s barbaric schedule whilst still imprisoned a few weeks ago before being released on bail. Zimmerman is clearly not an innocent man, and the cynical claims made by millions of uninformed people
trying to prove otherwise have long been discredited. Yet the few facts we know about his short prison stay should disturb anyone who hears of it. Zimmerman’s meal schedule alone indicates that he was subject to the same cruel and indecent system that over two million Americans endure every day, sometimes for years, and in some cases, their whole life. Should a prison dehumanize its inmates? It seems like a no-brainer at first; why should a human who has ruined lives get to have any dignity left? Yet examining the issue further leads any reasonably thinking person to conclude that, while prison is certainly not a vacation getaway, stripping away
a person’s humanity can only create a worse criminal than the one who first entered the prison. The vast majority of those in a prison will someday get out. Locking up a few monster prisoners who have committed gross acts of indecency with others who have committed offenses that hurt no one is a counterintuitive and damaging practice that inevitably results in worse behavior once these lesser criminals are released. Couple that with the already life-draining prison environment and the prison rape epidemic (THE most underplayed tragedy in the United States, by a mile), and only a superhuman could walk away from such an institution
an unchanged being. What exactly is an isolated, bullied, dehumanized rape victim released back into society supposed to do? Become a kindergarten para? The false morality of the 1950s has never truly disappeared. If you don’t believe that, just take a look at our penal system. Forty years ago, around 200,000 Americans were incarcerated. The number is now over 11 times greater than that. What is the main reason for this increase? Tougher drug laws. We decided we would be the BEST country in the world and crack down on drugs. Not only has the drug war been completely laughable, but this decision has cost billions and billions of dollars
that we will never retrieve and has made millions of prisoners lose any chance they had of reclaiming a sense of normalcy after serving their time. The Bureau of Justice Statistics confirms that most released inmates are arrested again within three years. Our prison structure is not effective. Like our health care system, we seem unable to understand that if all other first world nations aren’t doing it the way we are, it probably isn’t right. The definition of insanity is repeating the same action over and over and expecting different results. The sooner we ditch this insane prison system, the better off we’ll all be.
Curriculum lacks Question content-specific electives of the Week What are you most likely to go to prison for?
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Trying to rob the Louvre. Joyce Allen, english teacher
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Stealing extra sauce packets from Taco Bell.
Haley Heaton, freshman
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My 13-year-old brother’s homicide. Brooke Breeden, sophomore
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Beating up Carly Tracz.
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Susie Willi, junior
opinions editor As my junior year comes to a close, I should already have some idea of what I want to do in college and where I want to go. I should have taken some classes specifically linked to what I want to major in so that I can get a better idea of whether or not it’s really what I want. Oh wait, I can’t do that at Manhattan High. I’ve known for a long time that I want to go into English education, but it wasn’t until I had a fantastic English teacher freshman year that I thought I’d want to have a minor, emphasis or double major in mythology or medieval literature. So to further my interest, I took classes that would teach me a little bit more before I spent
Alex Booth, senior
staff writer
the Mentor staff staff writers -Sarah Shi Kori Bridegam Ben Shields Kaitlin Wichmann Tristan Knott photographers -Melissa Birdwell Kori Bridegam cartoonist -Kori Bridegam contributing writers --
circulation -Stephan Shimkus Kristyn Baker Pixie Khan Austin Tatum Andrew Klimek
The Mentor is published each Friday that school is in session at Manhattan High School, 2100 Poyntz Ave. Manhattan, Kan. Telephone (785) 587-2114. More than 1,800 Mentors are printed each week and distributed free of charge to all faculty members and students. MHS journalists are members of the Scholastic Press Association. The Mentor is an open forum that accepts contributions from the public. E-mail us at mhsmentor@gmail.com.
thousands of dollars on that major, right? Wrong. Manhattan High doesn’t adequately prepare us for college. Plenty of my friends are graduating this year with absolutely no idea what they want to go into. Chances are they’ll even switch majors halfway through and end up having an extra year or two of college to survive. Next year, I’m taking classes that have almost nothing to do with my major. Sure, I’m taking senior English, but why can there be multiple cooking class options, yet I can’t continue studying mythology or even take some extra composition classes? I had to base my college choice mainly on cost and I barely know anything about what I’m getting myself into. I don’t want to be halfway through my four years only to realize that it’s not what I want. My sister is a prime ex-
ample of this issue. My oldest sister ended up switching around her majors and even studied abroad for a semester, all of which threw her into an extra year at K-State. If MHS had offered classes that were even slightly relevant to her major, she probably wouldn’t need that extra time and we wouldn’t be spending as much money on her classes. I wish I could attend school next year knowing that the classes I’m taking will help me figure out if it’s what I want to do for the rest of my life. I want to come to school and, sure, take those required math classes, but also go to a Greek mythology class or a creative writing class. Spending an extra year at K-State (or in Manhattan in general) doesn’t exactly appeal to me, and I wish MHS could help me prepare for my future a little more thoroughly.
Football draft best ever Taylor Weisman
Hanging more signs off the roof of the school.
editor in chief -Lindsey Goff news editor -Cole Anneberg opinions editor -Carly Tracz entertainment editor -Shawn Sheu sports editor -Kassidy Scroggs features editor -Cat Bridegam photo editor -Kori Bridegam copy editor -Jimmy Risberg circulation manager -Taylor Weisman adviser -Kristy Nyp
Carly Tracz
On Thursday, April 26, the National Football League held its 77th Annual draft. Out of the 76 drafts before it, this draft could make history depending on the performances of each player drafted. This year included many unique players and some who are better than many of the pros already in the league. In my opinion this draft has many impact players who can win championships in years to come. Let me explain some of the impact picks. 1. Indianapolis Colts: Quarterback Andrew Luck, Stanford. Luck, the most highlyrated quarterback prospect since John Elway, was picked first overall and is projected to be an instant success in the league. Not only does Luck have college success behind him (31-7 record as a starter) but he is intelligent. While watching Luck at Stanford I noticed the decisions he made were of the NFL type. He doesn’t force passes, takes care of the ball and has good knowledge of the game in general. Another
surprise feature to Luck’s game is his athleticism. He can make plays outside the pocket and extend plays, which is one things NFL scouts like to see out of a franchise quarterback. Luck is projected to take the Colts back to the success they are used to after a 2-14 season. 2. Washington Redskins: Quarterback Robert Griffin III, Baylor. Before the season started RG3 (Griffin III) was projected as a second or third round pick if he converted to a wide receiver. That all changed after his junior season debut against the Texas Christian Horned Frogs where he demonstrated all aspects of his game, none better than his running. Griffin III quickly drew attention from NFL scouts. Washington traded up to the second overall pick to draft Griffin III. The Redskins struggled offensively the season before and look to Griffin to provide the spark they need to be competitive in the NFC East featuring quarterbacks Michael Vick of the Philadelphia Eagles, Eli Manning of the championship Giants and Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys. 3. Cleveland Browns: Running Back Trent Richardson, Alabama. The Alabama Crimson
Tide, known for their powerful running game, led by Richardson who set an SEC record for most all purpose yards and ran for 21 scores which is the most by an Alabama running back in a very rich Crimson Tide history. The Browns ignored the general idea that drafting a running back in the top five was a bad idea and took Richardson with the third overall pick. Richardson is expected to replace running back Peyton Hillis who departed for Kansas City after a less than spectacular season. There is so much that Richardson gives a football team. He brings speed, determination and power. Richardson is a back who can do it all on any down and carry the load for the offense. The Browns also selected 28-year-old quarterback Brandon Weeden out of Oklahoma State, who will be expected to compete for the starting job against current Browns quarterback Colt McCoy. This year’s NFL Draft could very well go down in history as one of the best drafts ever. Many of the players selected in the first round were some of the most dominant college football players of all time and are projected to compete with fire in the NFL for years to come.
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dates? Send us a tweet @mhsmentor. #cu@theinterwebz
Attention seniors: We’re having
Hits and Misses
Hit: May the fourth be with you.
Miss: Justin Bieber has been harassing his alleged baby mamma on Twitter.
Hit: Only eight days left for seniors and this is their last Friday.
Hit: Senior video will finally be filmed tomorrow.
Miss: Only one more issue of the Mentor left in the school year. We know you’ll miss us.
Miss: The firewall.
Entertainment
Photo by Kaitlin Wichmann
Page 4
May 4, 2012 Manhattan High
ITUNES
TOP three
REVIEW BY BEN SHIELDS Gotye “Somebody that i used to know”
Indie has broken its way into pop (I mean, “Electric Feel” was our prom theme), something that had to happen sooner or later. Gotye is “alt” enough by definition (uncombed hair, indecipherable name), except he has a song on the radio. Unlike Fun., another indie-pop group, Gotye sounds “smart.” I may hate this song by the time this article is published, but its execution is just about perfect. A -
Carly Rae JepsEn “Call Me Maybe”
This excellent pop tune is sure to be one of the year’s hookiest. The wave of Skrillex synth noise that’s invading pop radio is fun, but it is nice to hear a big hit without that once in awhile. “Call Me Maybe” isn’t a mega-smash in the way that a Ke$ha or Britney song is, but history has a funny way of choosing which hits will keep on being heard. “Call Me Maybe” feels like it has a good chance of being remembered. A-
ONE DIRECTION “What makes you beautiful”
While this boy band seems sort of like a parody of irritating white dudes, this song isn’t horrible. It’s easy to laugh at them, but they seem less annoying than the Jonas Brothers. Unfortunately, they also seem less musically talented, but enough “oh-oh-ohs” and “na-na-nas” allow this song to just slip into catchiness. B
graphic by cole anneberg
Photo by Mellissa Birdwell
Choirs take on Marching band to State judges choose drum majors Jimmy Risberg copy editor Early Saturday morning, while the rest of us were still in bed dreaming of going to prom that night, the Manhattan High choir and band students were boarding busses to Emporia. Schools from all across Kansas converged on Emporia State University for the State choir competition, and MHS was there despite the early morning and long night to come. “It was early,” senior Ethan Pauls said. “But good.” Once there, the size of the competition became apparent. Hundreds of students from every corner of the state were present in hopes of impressing the judges and attaining that much sought after score of one. Much to the delight of the MHS choirs, they were slated to perform first, letting them get put their best foot forward while still fresh and freeing the students up to enjoy the rest of the performances throughout the day. “It was cool being able to sing first in the day,” senior Matt Webb said. According to senior Elizabeth Richt, the groups met with some challenges they hadn’t faced before. “You really had to blend as a group,” Richt said. “If you were making a mistake it really stood out.”
She stressed the difficulty of the room, going on to say the Manhattan ensembles did a great job of overcoming the new environment and achieving the tone they were shooting for. “I always get a little nervous,” Richt said. “But the judge was really friendly and it was a good atmosphere.” All MHS ensembles -- the Chamber Men, the Chamber Women, and the Chamber Mixed, better known as Pops -- had a great showing and finished the day with a top score of one. “Overall I think we had a good competition,” Richt said. “It’s a good way to become more self-confident with yourself and your voice.”
Shawn Sheu entertainment editor As the 2011-2012 school year wraps up, school clubs and activities are preparing for the hectic start of next school year. Classes elected the next Student Council officers, clubs are deciding leadership roles for next year and sports captains have been chosen. The Big Blue Marching Band is currently in the process of deciding next year’s drum majors. This year, there are four people applying to be drum majors -- juniors Natalie Shank, Alex Schlotzhauer, Andrew Schultz and Matthew Scott. There is no definitive number of drum majors allowed each year, but
there are usually one to four. “Drum majors have a lot of responsibility,” junior Anna Brokesh said. Brokesh was a drum major this year, and will be one again next year. “We lead the band during the fight song and at parades.” According to Brokesh, the drum majors are the connection between the director and the band, as well as the director and the students. “We relay any directions or concerns, and set an example for the rest of the band,” she said. There is dirty work involved, too -- drum majors have to be at the school at 7 every morning to set up the field before band practice. The application to be
a drum major involves a student leader form and an interview process. The form asks about what leadership qualities the applicant possesses, and also asks the applicant what changes he or she would like to see in the band next year. The interview process involves conducting the band and answering questions about leadership, character and ideas for improvement. Drum majors must be in the band, be good leaders and be able to handle responsibilities. Band members who play any instrument are allowed to apply. Next year’s drum majors will be announced at the band’s final concert on May 15.
Variety Show sure to please Shawn Sheu entertainment editor The sound of music will echo through the Commons as Manhattan High showcases some of its most talented performers this weekend. The annual Variety Show will be held in Rezac Auditorium tonight and tomorrow at 7. “It’s going to be a lot of fun,” senior Brady Hendricks said. Hendricks in in two acts; he is singing “Man Who Can’t be Moved” with the boys from the MHS chamber choir, and is in a combo
performing “In the Name of Love.” Those are only two of 14 acts that will be featured in the show. According to Hendricks, the “Mystery Science Theatre” themed show will be mostly composed of musical performances. There are several performances to look forward to, including juniors Mason Wheatley and Andre Middendorf performing “Bistro Fada,” senior Hayden Anderson performing “The Girl” and Bates Dance Studio dancing to “Awake my Soul.” To be in the show, performers had to go through an
audition process. They are judged and chosen by band directors Joel Gittle and Nancy Monicle, and orchestra directors Steve Easterday and Nate McClendon. “We auditioned two weeks ago, and found out about the results last week,” senior Daniel St. Amand said. St. Amand is in the MHS chamber boys act. This will be his first year in the Variety Show. “It was really easy, we just sang for them.” Similar to previous years, lighting and sound effects will be provided and managed by the theatre depart-
ment. “It’s a great opportunity to show our talents,” Hendricks said. “It’s a fun, no pressure performance.” Similar to previous years, lighting and sound effects will be provided managed by the theatre department. “It’s a great opportunity to show our talents,” Hendricks said. “It’s a fun, no pressure performance.” St Amand agrees. “It’s a good way to end the year, singing up on the stage and having fun with my friends.”
Popular game series continues to expand Tristan Knott staff writer Halo fans who are waiting for the release of the next version have an end in site -- Halo 4 will be released globally on Nov. 16. 2012, according to 343 Industries and Microsoft. Being placed in the top 20 most anticipated games of 2012, Halo 4’s release date has been highly anticipated among gamers. Along with
the release, Microsoft leaked in-game screenshots earlier this month, showing off the title’s reinvented campaign, multiplayer and the brand new Spartan armor which players will gladly want to jump into. 343 Industries added that they have “a definite story arc in mind” for Halo 5 and 6, making the Halo series far from over. Halo 4 will also be exclusively for Xbox 360, and not available for any other gaming console.
Production of the Halo series was taken over by 343 Industries soon after Bungie announced its detachment from Microsoft in 2007. With the series in good hands, 343 was urged to reinvent the game while also keeping that original Halo feel, bringing brand new additions to the battlefield. Some of these new features include alienated weaponry, a reinvented HUD, and a redesigned graphics engine
that leaves the texture feeling sharp and detailed, not to mention a whole new race of antagonists for Master Chief (main protagonist) to go up against. Halo 4 follows four years after Halo 3, with Master Chief floating aimlessly in space onboard the Forward Unto Dawn. With the Human-Covenant War over, he comes into contact with a new race of enemy, one that may prove to be even more threatening than the
Covenant. 343 Industries exclaim that this new race of foe will not behave exactly like the Covenant, leaving players in the dark about what to expect of their new antagonist. Towards the end of Halo 3, many fanatics grew fearful that the series would come to an end, leaving the story unfinished and many questions unanswered, but with Halo 4 on the way, and Halos 5 and 6 on the horizon, there is a lot to look forward to.
THINGS NOT TO MISS IN MAY “the avengers”
Remember how “Thor,” “Captain America,” and “Iron Man 2” all weren’t quite good enough? “The Avengers” is sure to address the errata made by all those ambitious but short-falling movies. Joss Whedon directs, an ace pick after writing his already cult classic “Cabin in the Woods.” Whedon understands the importance of “characters first, action second,” even when directing the ultimate super hero movie.
“Dark Shadows”
Tim Burton, director and Hot Topic distributor, is adapting the 70s black-and-white vampire soap opera “Dark Shadows” into a sure-tobe film, starring...well, take a guess. Johnny Depp should be wonderful as Barnabus, but on the heels of his strangely tame performance in Burton’s most recent hackwork “Alice In Wonderland,” expectations are lowered a bit. Burton hasn’t made a decent movie in about a decade, but on paper, this is perfect for him.
MAY 4
MAY 11
MAY 8 “home” -- toni morrison
Black literature icon Toni Morrison, a soon-to-be recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, will publish her tenth book this month. It is set in 1950s America and centers around protagonist Frank, who returns from serving in the Korean war in an unsegregated army to a segregated America. As always, Morrison is sure to examine race and the human experience in a startlingly accurate and moving portrayal.
MAY 22 “Looking for myself” -- usher
“I’m in a zone like I’ve never been in my life, man,” Usher said, regarding his upcoming seventh album. Beat-driven and “intense,” the new record is supposedly inspired by his performance with Paul McCartney last year at Coachella. We will believe this when we see it, though hopes are high for a new jam after 2010’s brilliant “DJ’s Got Us Fallin’ In Love Again” (we’ve all tried to forget “O.M.G.”).
Trending May 4, 2012 Manhattan High
SPICING THINGS UP
NEW RESTAURANT TACO-LUCHA BRINGs fresh VARIETY TO DOWNTOWN AGGIEVILLE. Cole Anneberg news editor Wincing of a customer’s eye is what I caught sight of when a waitress accidentally dropped a bit of Buffalo Chicken Taco on the floor -- equally comparable to watching a scientist drop a cure for cancer or even a mother dropping a newborn baby on the ground. I knew I was sure in for a treat. Taco Lucha, a fairly new restaurant which opened last November, has been receiving a fair share of praise for its tacos from Manhattanites. I decided to check out what all the craze was about. Upon opening the door I felt like I was transported to the vibrant and loud world of Mexico. I was immediately greeted by the owner and was seated amidst a very crowded bar. My waitress paid close attention to me and immediately got me a drink and gave me the rundown on how the ordering goes and what was popular.
The waitress explained to me that the “Slayer” is the hottest on the menu, made up of grilled steak, roasted poblano and onions, jalapeno pesto-aioli, queso fresco and topped with jalapenos, and that it wasn’t for everyone. Now I’m not one who appreciates the spicier side of cuisine, but I felt the “When in Rome” approach was appropriate for this case. I ordered three tacos: the “El Mexicano,” “Slayer,” and the staple “Fish.” My food quickly arrived, and with a generous supply of lime to season. I began with the “El Mexicano.” As I’m chewing, I notice its smooth and delicate flavor. Composed of grilled steak, onions and a chipotle aioli, it was a great start and had enough heat to wake my tastebuds up. I started next on the Slayer. I first notice its mild earthy flavor. I’m sitting there thinking “What was this girl playing at saying it’s not for everyone. This is easy.” Hot damn was I wrong. Bite two was like licking a blistering blaze. On bite three I hit the taco’s
WHAT’S IN THAT TACO?
slayer
El Mexicano
Fish
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Photo by Kori Bridegam
Courtesy photo
PHOTOS
grilled steak roasted poblano and onions jalapeno pesto-aioli queso fresco
grilled steak grilled onions chipotle-aioli cilantro
grilled tilapia pico de galo cabbage cilantro-lime creme
OF THE
WEEK PROM
hottest part, the hefty helping of jalapeno pesto aioli. At this point of my meal, my glass is empty, and I’m at the mercy of my waitress to refill me to help put out the flame in my mouth. I finish with my always favorite, the “Fish Taco.” Fish tacos usually taste the same to me at every restaurant so I figured this was going to be the usual. Boy was I wrong. Made of grilled tilapia, pico de galo, cabbage and an extraordinary cilantro-lime
creme, the “Fish Taco” was anything but ordinary. Seriously, this was like the god of all tacos out there, it truly deserves its own throne. Its bold and fresh flavor from the cilantro-lime creme complemented the taste of the grilled tilapia, and was a great follow up to the spicy “Slayer.” By the end of my meal I was sold. Taco Lucha is ingenious with its signature flavors and menu fluidity. Other local Taco restau-
rants such as Taco Casa or the popular chain Taco Bell can’t even compare to what I experienced at Taco Lucha. It was truly a shame to see that taco fall to the ground prior to my meal. It makes me want to bend the “fivesecond rule” to a “15-minuterule”. My cravings for Mexican food were fulfilled and I was left thinking “These people really know what they’re doing.”
n o i t a m r o f n i for yaoppeuninrgs of pop culture across the globe Current h
Senior Jessica Ruiz talks with friends at Prom on April 28. Over 500 students attended.
By Cole Anneberg
Francis Lawrence
iiiiiii 1.9 09029 iiiiiiiii ii ii
Accepted an offer from Lionsgate Films last week to direct the second installment of the “Hunger Games” franchise, “Catching Fire,” which has been set to release on Nov. 22, 2013.
Facebook purchased iPhone photo sharing app Instagram, for
$1 billion
The dancefloor of the Town Center Plaza Mall overflows with juniors and seniors as “Dance” by Big Sean is played.
blood drive
latimes.com
cnn.com
royal couple
Pottermore
A site featuring J.K. Rowling’s notes, several pages of text that were not included in the novels, as well as over 18,000 words of additional content, was made fully accessible to all members on April 24.
Princess Kate Middleton and Prince William celebrated their one year anniversary on April 29. usmagazine.com
LONDON OLYMPICS
83 days until the startoff of the 2012 summer games. An estimated 9 million will attend. yahoonews.com
Junior Nicholas Donohoue raises his hand for assistance after donating his one pint of blood.
guest speaker
entertainmentnews.com
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One of the things you learn about yourself as you get older are what are your strengths and what are your interests, And for me, it’s other stuff, that is not being the President. So I probably won’t run. I think that once my husband’s terms are over, we’ll go on to do other important things.” --Michelle Obama on running for 2016 office. cnn.com
Carol Dawes, news director for KMAN radio, lets Mass Media students Keshea Johnson and Courtney Grice practice audio interviewing skills.
Features
photo by Sarah Shi
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May 4, 2012 Manhattan High
New-to-you prom consignment shop proves efficient Kori Bridegam staff writer Flair, a new store in Riley, promised a refreshing change of pace for prom-goers this year. A consignment store that specializes in gently used prom and wedding dresses, it provided hundreds of dresses to students looking for less costly options for this year’s big dance. “Most of the dresses are about $100 or less,” junior Kaitlin Wichmann said. “I got mine used for $115 which is a lot less than at department stores.” Not only does the store provide great deals for buyers, it also allows people to sell back their prior purchases or dresses purchased at a different store. “I’m going to try to sell my dress because when somebody re-buys the dress the store gets half of the profit and I get the other half,” Wichmann said. “The whole process is really great there and it is definitely somewhere girls should think about going if they want a good deal for next year, with perks of being able to sell it back.” Those who want to sell used dresses can call the store at 785-485-2360. Right: Taylor Good’s contestwinning photo of a series of staircases won a $50 iTunes gift card. Below left: Lucas Richard’s second place contest photo. The picture won a $20 iTunes giftcard. Below right: Dareian Cone’s third place photograph. The picture won a $10 iTunes card. A panel of teachers and faculty of Manhattan High judged the contest, which included dozens of photos. The entries will be posted for display in the Library’s art case.
The wide spectrum how we perceive color around us color, it depends on the style. Certain colors don’t look good on me either so I think it’s more about what style Have you ever heard the terms, “green with envy” or the clothes is,” senior Raquel Borck said. “seeing red” and wondered According to other stuwhat could color possibly dents, colors influence their have to do with emotions? moods on a daily basis. The truth is, different “I think that bright colors colors can change our mood make me happier and darker significantly. We react on multiple levels of association colors kind of mellow a perwith colors. There are social son out,” junior Ben Griese said. or cultural levels as well as Clothing can also enhance personal relationships with your mood. When the sun particular colors. isn’t shining and you need a Humans have an innate pick-me-up the best way to reaction to color. For example our hearts beat faster do so is put on something cute with color. When you when we see red because feel good about what’s on we learn to associate the color red with things that are the outside you feel good on alarming such as fire trucks. the inside. Here’s a list of some colSome students disagree with the theory, forming the ors that can change the way you feel. opinion that the color does Cool blue: The color not make the outfit. blue is widely known for its “I think that when I calming effects. The color dress up I feel better about creates a relaxing element myself in general. I don’t really think it depends on the that can actually lower your Lindsey Goff editor in chief
blood pressure. Many people associate the color blue with the ocean and sky, both of which help people relax. Blue is associated with trust, strength and dependability. So if you’re meeting your significant other’s parents for the first time it could be a good idea to wear something blue. Raging red: Red is one of the most complicated colors. It can evoke different messages due to the fact that on one side of the spectrum it is a sweet pink but on the other it is dark and angry. Red can bring out passion, anger and fear in people. The color even attracts male’s attention; to men the color is linked back to passion because the skin turns red (i.e. blushing) when we are sexually interested. Going green: Green is linked with the environment quite often, giving people a refreshing feeling. The color can be thought of as bringing
new growth to things. When one wears the color they can feel a sense of revival. Mellow yellow: This color can carry both a positive and negative message. In one perspective the color reminds one of the sunshine and joy, but on the other hand it can be thought of as sickly. Overall, the color helps people stand out and feel at ease. Yellow creates an open atmosphere for when you’re meeting someone new. Orange you glad you read this article?: Orange is married with the sunniness of yellow and the depths of red. The color can evoke a variety of feelings but one of the main emotions is action. Many sport brands use the color orange in order to liven people up. When someone sees the color it stimulates enthusiasm, creativity and endurance. According to pantone.com, the Mecca of finding colors, the color of the year is Tangerine Tango.
Prom prices run high Lindsey Goff editor in chief According to a Visa Survey, the average American family spent $1,078 on prom just this year. That means that companies in the prom industry are raking in $4 billion combined. Between shoes, dresses, renting a tuxedo and dinner, prom can be one of the most expensive nights during high school. The saddest thing about it all is that most of us won't ever wear the dress again or even own the tuxedo that you spent $100 on. After putting together the average costs of restaurants, boutiques, tanning places and flower shops, the prices for an average teenager at Manhattan High School were a bit better than what were reported from the Visa Survey. The typical male spends $198.61 and the typi-
cal female can spend around $550.33. However, the price can vary with girls buying dresses right at $500. "I had picked out a dress my sophomore year that I fell in love with. It was a designer dress and it was $450 so my mom told me that if I was good I could get it for my senior prom," senior Paige Zafran said. Other girls found dresses that were much cheaper. "I bought a dress at BCBG Max Azria for only $89. I wasn't even looking for a dress that cheap, it just kind of stuck out to me. I found a pair of shoes at TJ Maxx for only $30 and they were Guess," senior Ivy Calvert said. One of the other main costs was for dinner. From eating at Little Apple Brewery to The Olive Garden, the average student spent from $30 to $50 on a meal. Other
students played it smart and ate at each other's house. "We ate at Blake Mosier's house and had the parents cook for us," senior Abby Knudsen said. Most students don't even realize how much money they are spending. "That's a lot of money to spend for $500 dollars being on the lower side," junior Holly Morris said. Morris saved money by having her step-mom do her hair and nails. "She's a beautician so it worked out perfect for me," she said. Even though the amount of money people spend seems to make people gasp, most students agree that the amount is worth the one night. "It's our senior year and we deserve it," senior Hayden Anderson said.
“Sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of Pantone Color Institute in a release announcing the 2012 selection. “Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.” According to www.pantone.com, the color provides the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward. Next time you’re feeling down in the dumps or you’re looking for a hot date, think about the color that you have on. It can change the way you think about things.
by the numbers The average cost from a male is $198.61 and the average price for a female can run around $550.33 Boutonniere: $11.33 Corsage: $21.49 Hair: $35 Makeup: $30 Nails: $55 Dress: $272 Tanning Packages: $45-$60 Shoes: $60 Tuxedo: $97.30 Dinner: $36.66
Limo (split by ten): $12.83 Accessories: $30
On-campus photo contest showcases student creativity Kori Bridegam photo editor Two weeks ago Manhattan High School photography students took part in an on campus photo competition to showcase their ability for a panel of judges. The judges used were various teachers and faculty along with the photography teacher, Darren Allman. “Current photo students had a class hour to go out and shoot open subject photos as long as they were on campus,” Allman said. Many students participated in the contest and treated it like an assignment. “I did it and it was during the hour so I just thought of it as another piece of class work,” participant Amanda Frakes said. “The require-
ments were just to go around campus, inside or out, and take 15 to 30 quality pictures. I learned how to do an assignment with the time constraints.” The winners, decided upon last week, were Taylor Good in first place, Lucas Richards in second, Dareian Cone in third, Natalie Dick in fourth and Chris Klug in fifth. All of the winners received a print of their photo and first place got a $50 iTunes card, second place a $20 iTunes card and the rest got $10 cards. Allman hopes to have the winning photos put on display in the library windows in the near future.