MHS Mentor Issue 8

M the MENTOR

Oct. 30, 2012

News Volume 100 issue 8

Manhattan High School, Manhattan, Kan.

BOE closes lunch for sophomores next year Naomi McClendon Entertainment Editor Beginning next year, lunch will be open only for juniors and seniors. The measure passed with a 5-2 vote by the school board at the Oct. 17 Board of Education meeting.

Since the school’s recent renovations, the school board has been faced with the question whether or not closed lunch should be implemented.

Because of the school’s enlarged cafeteria and enhanced safety measures, many community members and members of the school board felt that closed lunch was finally a possibility.

At the open hearing on Oct. 3, Doug Messer, transportation director, proposed the idea of a partially-closed lunch. The idea was accepted and discussed by the school board. Messer’s proposal was based on the driving limitations that many sophomores have because of the restricted driver’s license.

The two members who voted against the proposed idea were Walt Pesaresi and Pete Paukstelis. Pesaresi and Paukstelis were concerned that in regards to safety, the proposed idea was not enough.

Both members supported a fully-closed lunch at the high school. The majority of the meeting was spent discussing safety issues.

According to evidence presented by superintendent Bob Shannon, the Riley County Police Department does not have a problem with open lunch. Pesaresi acknowledged the fact, but argued that there was still a risk of death. Pesaresi made reference to a recent car accident and suggested that it shouldn’t take “pools of blood” for the BOE to make a decision, a comment that board member Leah Fliter questioned as inappropriate.

Pesaresi was also concerned about the risk of leaving the doors unlocked for two hours.

He questioned the meaning of security cameras if the doors were “just going to be opened.”

Paukstelis concurred with Pesaresi. He asked board members to imagine a situation where a high school student had been killed at open lunch. Paukstelis said he wouldn’t be able to explain to the parents of the imaginary dead child why they decided to keep lunch open. “It’s not worth the risk,” Paukstelis concluded.

Despite lengthy, heated discussion, the board voted to close lunch for sophomores only. The board suggested the possibility of gradually closing lunch entirely. They will evaluate the effectiveness of a partially closed lunch by March of 2014 and make further decisions on closed lunch based on their findings.

Not surprisingly, several Manhattan High students disagree with the school board’s decision. Senior Emma Trapp deemed the decision unfair.

“You wait all year looking forward to going out to lunch, and then when you finally get up here, they close it,” Trapp said. “That’s not fair.”

Junior Aaron Erickson considers open lunch a benefit and a necessity. “It’s a chance to get out,” Erickson said.

Junior Brendan Peterson explained that a closed lunch may cause problems that it aims to fix. “It’s not going to solve any problems,” Peterson said. “Kids are going to do what they want. Closed lunch is actually going to encourage skipping, because kids won’t have a chance to get out.”

The next major topic the BOE will discuss is the existing senior early release options, on the agenda for the regular meeting on Nov. 7.

MHS holds College Fair

Colleges from Kansas speak to students about their future opportunities.

Julianne Harkness, Photographer

Julianne Harkness Staff Writer With 44 colleges, six military recruiters and around 100 students from surround-

ing schools, Manhattan High School was buzzing with activity during the two-hour college fair Oct. 18.

College Fair For more of this article, visit mhsmentor.com.

Clu b Notes Scholars Bowl Scholars Bowl, Manhattan High’s academic decathlon team, has started exercising their brains and preparing for competitions. Practices are on Mondays and Tuesdays right after school in B-102. Academic coach Ted Dawdy usually conducts practices but the new assistant coach, Regina Harden, has been working with the team on their language arts skills.

“Our weakest area by far has been language arts and English, so I think she will help positively and maybe we will do better,” senior Logan Sutton said. “We usually get destroyed in those areas. She will help us a lot.”

Harden countered on a more positive note, saying she is “amazed on how knowledgeable the kids are.”

Harden may not be the only new helpful attribution to Scholar’s Bowl.

“I know social studies,” senior Jack Hubler-Dayton said

On Thursday, Oct. 18, students volunteered to donate blood to the Red Cross. A total of 93 students donated blood and a total of 73 pints was collected.

Maddie Ross, Photographer

Red Cross in awe of willingness to donate blood Maddie Ross Trending C0-Editor Although the annual Student Council blood drive didn’t hit the goal of 80 pints of blood, StuCo members still feel this year’s event was a success.

“I feel it went really smooth, there are always a few cases of people not feeling well afterwards, but overall it went well,” senior StuCo representative Sophie Wang said.

Manhattan High School students participated in the blood drive on Oct. 18. The drive was sponsored with help from the Red Cross.

Over the course of the day, 96 students attempted to donate and a total of 73 pints were collected. Organizers were in awe of the students willing to donate.

“I was impressed by the attitude of the students towards donating,” StuCo sponsor Leslie Campbell said. “I also appreciated the cooperation of the teachers in letting them do it.“ In addition to the pints of blood, 12 students also donated red blood cells. This process differed slightly -separating the red blood cells from other components, then returning those components back into the body. This process takes around 30 minutes more than the standard whole blood donation but results in a collection of twice the red blood cells.

“I wanted to donate because I’m lucky enough to be healthy and others aren’t. So if I can help someone else even if it causes me a few minutes of discomfort I want to do that,”

junior Sam Grey said.

The main drawback to the day was the long wait for students who had appointments.

“We tried to keep the wait under an hour for students, but that didn’t always happen. In the end it is out of our control,” Wang said.

Solutions to this problem have been discussed and will be executed in future drives.

“Next time we want to try electronic submissions the day before, to speed up the process, but in the end it is up to Red Cross,” Campbell said.

StuCo will be holding a second blood drive in the spring.

Video Announcements The Student Council released the first installment in a series of video announcements

on Tuesday, Oct. 23. The goal of the announcements is to reach students once a week and present information in a more entertaining way. “ My class seemed to like them a lot. They were more attentive than they are during regular announcements,” math teacher Chanelle Dieckmann said.

The announcements are filmed by student body officers with assistance from video production teacher Kathy Ricketts. Although the filming process was completed with little difficultly, the accessibility to teachers is still up in the air. An email was sent to teaches containing the file, but only some were able to open it. StuCo hopes to resolve the problems before the next edition.

Overley gives advice on how to be success in business Alan Brown and Abby Githens Staff Writers Service is the key to success, according to Lee Overley, general manager of the Manhattan Staples store.

Overley spoke to Manhattan High students on Oct. 16 in the first of the Brownbag series of lectures. He presented tips on how to be successful in the business world. Some of the topics stressed included customer service, good attitude, ways to get oneself hired and how to prepare for the future. Even some bashing toward K-Mart made it onto the agenda, the likely highlight of the lecture for the students.

“Customer service is the only thing that makes [Staples] different from others,” Overley pointed out. “You’ve got to give great customers service to

about what he is bringing to the team. “I’m really into history, and some fine arts, and probably some language arts.”

With new helpful additions, the team hopes to do better than they did last year. “This year I hope we do really well.

We have a stronger team,” Sutton said.

The team is composed of people who are all strong in different subjects. “I wouldn’t say there is someone who is the best at everything,” Sutton said. “It’s all broken down into different subjects and we definitely have people stronger in certain subjects, but the

get people to come back.”

Overley gave a firsthand experience why this concept is so important to him. After being treated as though he was stealing CDs while returning items at K-Mart, he plans never to return to that store. In fact, he uses his experience at K-Mart as an example of what he is not to do at Staples.

“I don’t want people to think they need to give a DNA sample to return something,” he proclaimed to the audience. During the lecture, Overley put emphasis on meeting the customer’s needs.

To him, loyal customers are important to a business, and earning them involves catering to their needs.

“Sales are 80 percent listening and 20 percent talking,” he said. “It’s very important to know the customers.”

Having dealt with hiring and firing employees, Overley

could also give the students advice about how to get themselves hired. Selling yourself for employment is important in this day and age, he argues, and having good common sense is another positive trait.

Even resume paper and professional clothing can make a difference.

seniors this year are probably going to be the best in their subjects.”

Being in Scholars Bowl is a fun way for students to show off their knowledge. “It’s like an outlet for knowledge that we have,” Hubler-Dayton said.

Sutton agreed. “It’s a different side of competitiveness on who can answer more questions. It’s sort of just fun,” he said.

The team competes for the first time in November. “I feel great about the upcoming competition,” Harden said.

-Julith Perry

NMSQT Semi Finalist

“I don’t want people to think they need to give a DNA sample to return something.”

-Overley “Come in dressed for success,” he advised.

Though employment seems like the distant future to most high school students, Overley, having worked since age 15,

Seniors Sophia Harms and Austin Canady from Manhattan High School have been announced as semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship program.

The National Merit Scholarship is based on the PSAT test that is taken sophomore and junior years. The test that counts is the one from the junior year. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation recently announced that both Harms and Canady were among approximately 16,000

says that there are still things that teenagers can do to prepare themselves to be a good employee.

“Practice your due diligence now, do your assignments,” he urged.

Junior Hannah Nelson went to the speech during her lunch period for personal reasons. “I really liked the part where he said it is more important to stay at one job than to hop from job to job. I had thought about leaving my job and he really inspired me and gave me a reason to stay,” Nelson said.

Employers look for people who can hold steady job, not many jobs in a short period of time. Many others in the room seemed to respond very well to the advice Overley came to give.

Brown Bag Series Fore more of this article, visit mhsmentor.com. semifinalists in the 58th annual NMS program across the United States. High school seniors that are academically talented have an opportunity to continue the competition for 8,300 scholarships that are worth $34 million.

In the spring of 2013, the semifinalists must fulfill also say whether they are in AP classes.

Harms is currently taking AP Chemistry, Calculus and Literature.

For more of NMSQT article and brief of football senior night, visit mhsmentor.com

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Oct. 30, 2012

the MENTOR

Opinions

Any day could be your last Question of the Week Kane Davis Guest Writer

Two weeks ago I went to Hutchinson to celebrate an incredibly important event in my life. Ten years ago one of my friends, while trying to remove a limb that had fallen across a driveway during a thunderstorm, accidentally grabbed a live power line.

The thousands of volts that shot through his body caused his heart to go into ventricular fibrillation -- essentially, his heart discontinued its normal contracting and instead was simply quivering. Several of my friends who were with him at the time performed CPR until the ambulance arrived. As the EMTs raced my friend to the hospital, they continued to attempt to revive him to no avail. For over five minutes his heart did not beat. After several attempts at

defibrillation, they managed to get his heart beating by the time the ambulance arrived at the hospital. However, now a second and equally frightening reality emerged. Not only was my friend in a coma, but because he had been without blood flow to his brain for an extended amount of time it was likely that he would suffer from extensive and permanent brain damage. For all of us who had gathered at the hospital to be with him, we thought that we had lost one of our best friends.

Miraculously, that was not to be the case. A few days after arriving in the hospital, my friend came out of his coma.

Within a day after that, he was talking to us. By the end of the week, he had been released from the hospital. Today, my friend is alive and well without any permanent debilitating effects from his experience. And so, 10 years later,

friends and family gathered in Hutchinson to celebrate what we termed the “rebirth” of our friend.

The point of this story was not to share this particular and personal event without cause. Every so often, I think about what it would have meant for all of us had things for my friend turned out differently. The reality of life is that, at any moment, an infinite number of possibilities exist for each of us. Some possibilities are good, some bad, and some seemingly mundane and inconsequential. And yet, for my friend, the simple action of removing a downed tree branch very nearly meant that he was no more. Obviously, to live our lives with the uncertainty and fear of the unknown constantly hanging over our heads is impossible.

But I would ask that, on occasion, you take the time to step back and appreciate yourself

and those around you. Certainly, we all have our moments of triumph and tragedy, of joy and sadness. However, those moments collectively are what make life so incredible. The stories that make up our lives are woven of the experiences we live through.

Therefore, I encourage you to take a moment to show fully your appreciation for those that you care about, to enjoy the wonderments of experience, to do something kind for someone that you do not know. When we never know with any certainty what page is the last, we should strive to make the story a good one. After all, that is what makes life such a wonderful thing.

Kane Davis teaches World History and AP US Government and Politics at Manhattan High School

Fireside chat with Naomi Student Body President advises students not to worry Naomi Mcclendon

entertainment editor First quarter has quickly come to a close, which means we only have 22 weeks, six days… and an entire lifetime ahead of us.

Usually, when people mention “an entire lifetime ahead of you,” they go on to tell you that your behavior this year is going to determine the rest of your life, that doing well on every test determines your character or that you need to

start planning now if you want a bright future.

But you’ve heard those things enough. What I’d like to tell you is something that we hardly ever hear in today‘s world: don’t worry. I can already see people rolling their eyes, hear honor students flipping the page and see their teachers’ blood boiling at the idea of not worrying -- and I don’t blame them.

We’ve warped the true meaning of “don’t worry” and associated it with things like “it doesn’t matter,” or “don’t care.” And that’s where we went wrong.

I’m not suggesting that we stop caring, or that what we do now doesn’t matter -- because it does. But instead of

really caring about what we do (let’s be honest, who really cares about the quadratic formula or what year some old English queen was born?), we end up worrying about it, which results in a lack of productivity and a whole lot of unnecessary stress. In fact, we spend so much time worrying, that it’s virtually impossible to actually care! If we want to be successful and happy as individuals, as a school and even as a society as a whole, we need to calm down and step up.

I don’t want you to think I’m telling you it’s okay to skip class, neglect studying for tomorrow’s test or to stop applying for colleges. I know it’s hard to do, because the only

thing we’ve been taught to do is to worry, but we’ve got to stop. And I know it’s hard to accept, but sometimes things aren’t perfect, and contrary to popular belief, that’s okay!

Whether you’re worried about an essay, or if a certain boy is going to say “hi” or even bigger outside-of-school problems, the only thing that you can do is find a solution to the problem -- which is a heck of a lot easier if you’re not worried about it.

So let’s begin this fantastic, productive, educational second quarter with the wise words of Bobby McFerrin -“don’t worry, be happy.”

How do you think MHS could better prepare students for college?

“Mr. Jordan as principal.”

- Joe Haug, junior “Have college speakers.”

- Madi Monaco, sophomore “Actually, I think MHS is already doing a good job helping student for college.”

- Sophia Harms, senior “We can make the PSAT available for all freshman.”

- Sakif Hossain, freshman “Make every class as ridiculous and ludicrous as Mr. Lamb’s and Mr. Thies’ . And I mean that in the best way possible.”

- Gianna Peabody, junior “We could have more jobrelated classes.”

- Mitchell Toetz, freshman “There should be more AP classes and no late work acceptance.”

- Justin Coleman, sophomore “I think we are doing a good job of preparing students.

The students need to be responsible for learning the material.”

- Paige McCarthy, teacher

“They should give us more freedom.”

- Tianna Kelson, senior “Removing the P.E. requirement.”

- Jordan DeLoach, senior “Instead of focusing on activites, do presentations on colleges during Tribe Time.”

- Kyle Curtis, junior “More classes to choose from to have a different idea of what you want to do for a job.”

- Kailee Martin, freshman “Eliminate subjects in the curriculum that are not beneficial to our futures. In a way, I believe that school limits one’s creativity in the way it provides too many strict guidelines.”

- Mai Mizuno, sophomore “For one day have a college professor teach a college class.”

- Evan Heger, freshman “More college visit time.”

- Mary Gevok, senior

Want to contribute a guest column to The Mentor?

Contact Editor-in-Chief Ben Shields at mhsmentoropinions@gmail.com. Students and faculty are welcome.

- Naomi McClendon, Student Body President

China system lacks creative outlets, emphasizes too much memorization Sarah Shi

news editor

The notorious education system that brought China up in the ranks may now be holding it back. The country, which builds its next generation’s education on the gaokao exam – a test designed to produce rote engineers or mathematicians -- won’t get what it desperately needs: inventors and entrepreneurs.

The gaokao is like taking six SATs during a continuous three-day period. Each day, Chinese high school seniors take two two- or three-hour tests, one in the morning and then the other during the afternoon, testing over material from Chinese and math to geography and government. In preparation for this intense, memorization-heavy exam, each high school student dedicates at least a year to prepare for the broad range of material. This annual, nationwide college entrance exam will not only play a big role in determining where they go to college, but what career they’ll do for the rest of

their life. Because Chinese colleges often feed directly into certain industries and fields, scoring low can have hindering effects on future career choices.

In many ways, the gaokao-style education system has become a symbol of how far China still has to go. China’s economy is heavily export-dependent, but as the world’s most populous country, it should be looking toward more domestic consumption -- less assembling products and more of designing them. If the country wants to keep growing, they should understand that making more mathematicians and expert engineers aren’t going to help. China’s economists know they need to encourage entrepreneurship and creativity, yet neither are tested on this career-determining exam.

In late 2010, students across the globe took the Program for International Student Assessment and the results showed that Shanghai high school students beat U.S. students by a large margin as well as the rest of world in math, science and reading. Countries in the West, especially the U.S., said it was a “wake up call” to their own decline, but for other countries like China,

it showed their amazing growth in education. The gaokao was the reason why China began to prosper after the decade-long Cultural Revolution that ended in 1976. According to Bobby Jan in his article “A Brief History of China’s Emerging Market (www.gaebler. com/A -Br ief-Histor y-ofChina-As-An-EmergingMarket.htm), it boosted the country’s literacy rate from 70 percent (1979) to 93 percent (2009) and prepared millions of eligible young people for the rapidly expanding workforce. But as the economy begins to cool off, Chinese leaders are trying to create revenue at home. The question is, are they really trying?

During my visit to China last year, I was baffled by the fact that both of my cousins were spending all their time at school. Literally. They would wake up at six, come back for lunch, and then study at their school until nine or 10 at night. I said it was ridiculous. However, my aunts and uncles were already beyond my stage of disbelief and went on to call my cousins’ “excessive hours of studying” necessary to score well on their gaokao.

It wasn’t just the fact that I barely had time to talk to

them on my short vacation there that made me rethink their education system, but that the hours they spent at school weren’t for learning anything new but for memorizing things like equations, essay formats, (I think useless) statistics and maps for the exam.

If China hopes to see a workforce that founds their own businesses or brands Halsey Camera, cartoonist that will sell to domestic as well as international buyers like the venerable Bill Gates or Steve Jobs, the country should start by rewriting editor in chief/opinions -Ben Shields their definition of achievenews editor -ment. Instead of measurSarah Shi entertainment editor -ing it solely on a student’s Naomi McClendon gaokao scores, it should be sports editor -Nick Bandy about a student’s ability to features editor -think analytically, creatively Liz Logback trending co-editors -and most importantly, inno Connor Bliss vatively. So China, why are Maddie Ross you still telling your students photo editor -Kaitlin Wichmann that having creative outlets copy editor -are a waste of time and that Kayla Dieker multimedia editor -they should instead be do Dheepthi Perumal ing more math problems? business manager - Jerry Sextro Am I the only one who sees adviser -the irony in that?

Kristy Nyp

the Mentor

T he Mentor welcomes letters to the editor from students, faculty members or staff members from Manhattan High School. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words in length and must include your signature. Letters may be edited for length, grammar and AP Style and must meet standards of appropriateness generally accepted by the MHS audience. Email it to mhsmentoropinions@gmail.com or deliver a hard copy to C-107.

cartoonist - Halsey Camera

writers/photographers - Alan Brown Tre Fuentes Abby Githens Julianne Harkness Tristan Knott Julith Perry Nastajja Rivera John Rockey Seth Runyan Derrek Williams Jordan Morris contributing writer - Eli Redeker circulation - Kristyn Baker Leonard Castilow David Clinkinbeard Patrick Falcone Caorey Garrison Sam LeFleur Kasey Morris Mallory Morris Kendall Oatney Emma Rowley Austin Tatum Seth Wagner

The Mentor is published each Tuesday that school is in session at Manhattan High School, 2100 Poyntz Ave. Manhattan, Kan. Telephone (785) 587-2114. More than 1,500 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.

Entertainment

the MENTOR

Oct. 30, 2012

3

Advance Rep classes perform monologues Ben Shields Editor-in-Chief Advanced Rep Theatre class make their debut Linda Uthoff’s Advanced Repertory Theater class performed a series of monologues and songs in a free public show on Thursday, Oct. 18, in the Little Theatre.

The young performers acted and sang to a small, intimate crowd and served cheesecake and coffee to the audience. Many of the actors and actresses performed mono-

logues by Richard Broadhurst, who just completed his third residency at Manhattan High School working with Uthoff’s drama classes. It was the first time the group has performed this year, launching a series of dates around the community scheduled periodically for the rest of the school calendar year.

The students all performed pieces they had selected themselves, meaning each of them had a real fondness and personal investment in the work.

Senior Ilana Budenosky did

a scene from the play “Rabbit Hole” and found it to be a very genuine, human piece of writing.

“I really like the raw emotion,” she said. “You can make it overdone, but I tried not to.

It feels like you had a sneak peak into what real-life grieving is like. There is nothing contrived about it. It’s just life on display.”

Budenosky spoke with deep admiration for David Lindsay-Abaire, the author of “Rabbit Hole.”

“The film [version] shows

some of the things that they script just implies. I like each of them in their own, I think.

Lindsay-Abaire wrote both, and he knew the correct way to make it for the stage and the silver screen. I wouldn’t change any of it.”

In addition to the “Rabbit Hole” monologue, Budenosky also sang a song from the musical “Oliver” entitled “It’s a Fine Life,” composed by Lionel Bart.

“It’s a fun and has good melody with lots of variety,” she said. “It has a lot of per-

T hespians trick or treat for a good cause Ben Shields Editor-in-chief Hunger is a scary thing: 46 million Americans currently live below the poverty line and often don’t have enough money for the food they need.

Each year, close to 300 high school Thespian troupes participate in a fundraiser to help feed the needy called Trick-

or-Treat-So-Kids-Can-Eat. The 2011 fundraiser collected 304,000 pounds of food donations, and this year, Thespians decided they wanted to top that, setting a goal of 350,000.

Friday night at 6 p.m., MHS Thespians met in front of the school prior to trick or treating. Fifteen to 20 Thespians participated, mostly freshman, and the students were divided

into groups. Each group chose a neighborhood to canvas door to door for canned goods and non-perishable items.

“A lot of drama kids are in the musical, which means they don’t get to go trick-or-treating [on Halloween],” sophomore Abby Sachnik said. “Trickor-Treat-So-Kids-Can-Eat gives them the opportunity to go.”

“Seeing people’s generosity

is very rewarding,” sophomore Audrey Reever said. “Some people give, like, 20 cans and say ‘is this enough?’”

It won’t be known if the Thespians met their goal of 350,000 pounds until a later date. However, the MHS troupe gathered 280 pounds alone, making 2012 a very strong year for the fundraiser in Manhattan.

Band performs full show Sarah Shi News Editor "I thought they did a great job performing," junior Lauren Wankum said. "They did a good job of making us more aware of our military."

That was exactly the point marching band director Joel Gittle was trying to convey at the home football game Oct. 19.

"The theme of the performance shows that we are a military community, and the kids in the band are proud of that," Gittle said. "We have fac-

ulty here that are veterans and students who have parents in there as well. We just wanted to honor that."

The theme of the routine, Home of the Brave, was started in January this year, giving them a few months to get acquainted with the songs and the routine, but the band still isn't done perfecting the whole performance and continued to work on it through yesterday’s competition at Fort Hays State University’s Marching Band Festival.

"The directors write the mu-

sic and then students practice music drills during the summer and band camp. Then we spend all fall semester learning it. This week we are fixing all the little details before our festival in Fort Hays,” Gittle said.

"The hardest part for me was learning the heart formation," junior Lane Sorrell said.

Twirler Taylor Smith had a hard time with the routine. “It was hard to not hit any drummers,” she said. “It's hard because I'm really close to them while I’m moving on the field.

But it’s really nice to get to perform in front of people."

"Performing is a rewarding activity," Gittle said. "Last Friday, we got a standing ovation, and for football fans, that's a big thing."

"We practice a lot," he said.

"We just keep repeating it until they get it."

Yesterday the Manhattan Marching band traveled to Fort Hays to compete in the High Plains Marching Band Competition and perform their Home of the Brave routine.

sonality and is very different from ‘Rabbit Hole.’”

Senior Ashlynn Kleinbeck performed two contrasting pieces as well, the first entitled “Serpent’s Tale” and the second a monologue from “Bride and Beach.” “‘Serpent’s Tale’ is more dramatic, and I usually do light pieces,” Kleinbeck said. “‘Bride and Beach’ is about a mother who everyone has always been mean to. It comes out about how frustrating it has been since her husband died.”

Kleinbeck believes the unfamiliar subject matters made the execution of the monologues more difficult.

“I’ve never been a snake or a mother,” she said. “You have to take other emotions and turn them into something else.”

Budenosky, who is Thespian Club president, was very pleased with the show and looks forward to more in the future.

Marching band competes at Fort Hays Band Festival, receives superior rating es on their performance and specific things they will need to work on.

"I was really excited," senior The Manhattan High School Marching Band trav- drum major Anna Brokesh said. "I was really eled to surprised at how Fort Hays calm I was. I was yesterday very proud. Toto compete day was all about in the Fort pride. I am super Hays Band excited that we Festival. got the superior Performing rating and I feel last week's like we really defootball game's rou- Andrew Schulz served them. We worked hard and tine, Home practiced a lot." of the Marching Brave, the band director MHS Marching Band received Superior rating for every cate- Joel Gittle had all the nerves. "I gory given as well as the over- was trying to take the nervousness off the kids and keeping all rating.

"I was extremely proud," it on me," Gittle said. "Coming senior drum major Andrew into the competition, I thought Schulz said. "I was kind of ner- we would do well. We've had vous before we went on the really good practices."

Because Gittle was only alfield but the MC for the competition was telling jokes and lowed to sit on the sidelines, he that really helped me. I think couldn't view the performance we all came together and per- as well as he wanted to. "They put directors in the worst formed really well."

The marching band received possible spot but the parents a plaque of certification of that were watching said it was their participation in the Fort good. We also got a standing Hays Festival and certificates ovation again. It was the only of their achievement in each standing ovation of the whole category. In the upcoming competition," Gittle said. "I'm weeks, the band will receive a really proud of them." copy of comments from judgSarah Shi News Editor

“I think we all came together and performed really well.”

The marching band performed its entire show at the last home game against Washburn Rural on Oct. 20.

Julith Perry, Photographer

Marching band not properly credited for physical, mental demands

The marching band: that musical halftime extravaganza where pride and discipline are shaped into a fantastic show filled with art and music. That 10 percent of the school you hear every early morning out on the practice fields behind the school. That one person in your group of friends that

you just can’t understand why they would get up so early to march around a muddy field.

It may seem like it’s all fun and games, but that is hardly the case.

Marching band is filled with all physical strains, and although it may not look like it, we are using many different muscles in what we do, so it is important to be at least a tad fit for marching. And believe it or not, marching, in itself, is actually quite difficult. Keeping in mind that we have to know our sets and make it there in the correct number of steps, we also need to make sure we are hitting with the right foot, all while playing music where

our lungs and arms are being put to the test.

The music part can be even more difficult to work through.

Memorizing pages and pages of music, learning every single note and every beat, making sure dynamics and rhythm are correct (which is very straining on the lungs). Then, on top of that, we have to incorporate the two together, marching and playing, the full result.

Incorporating marching style and musical dynamics all at the same time while looking stunning in our forms does take skill.

Having moved here last March and being a member of three very different march-

ing bands, I’ve gotten a share of what aspects are needed in order to make a marching band look great, sound great and most importantly, entertaining to our audience. In my personal opinion, to be a good band, it’s all about being good as an individual and pushing yourself to your own limits. It’s not just about the moment of performance, it’s all about the practice and how hard you rehearse.

However, I have also discovered the important differences between actual sports like football and things like marching band. To me personally, sports can simply be defined as team A versus team

B and the feud in between that leaves us with entertainment.

In marching band, you can’t physically fight another band or tackle them and therefore receive a higher rating.

The two activities in relativity are quite similar. However, in my opinion, marching band isn’t a sport, but something of just the same caliber. It is a physical art, something in which an individual has the power to either make or break the full image.

Don’t get me wrong, marching band is just as intense as any sport, but when it comes to goals the two hope to accomplish, they are very different.

Classifieds

For Sale: Fender Squire guitar with tuner and stand, $100 obo. Visit C107 to inquire.

For Sale: Intous Wacaom 4 medium tablet, $250 negotiable. 785.425.8363.

For Sale: Tickets to Zombie Toxin haunted house in Junction City, open Halloween night. Price reduced to $10. See staff members from T he Mentor and Blue M or visit C107.

Want to see your ad in T he Mentor? Bring information to C107 or email mhsmentorbusiness@ gmail.com. Special rates apply for school organizations.

4

the MENTOR

Oct. 30, 2012

Sports

JC wins the battle, Manhattan wins the war Tre Fuentes staff writer

MHS took on their biggest rival, a very desperate Junction City team who needed to win by more than 13 points to make playoffs. Junction City did win in a 34-33 thriller over the Indians, but the close game allowed Manhattan to make the playoffs for the fifth straight year.

Friday night marked the 98th meeting between the Indians and Blue Jays (their first was 1913). Junction City got off to a great start, leading 21-6 early in the first half. Recog-

nizing their season was on the line, the Indians rallied and scored 28 consecutive points.

Quarterback Jacob Holloway launched a 17-yard throw to junior Devin Cossman late in the second quarter to make the score 21-14 at the half in favor of the Blue Jays.

The Indians began the third quarter with authority, scoring on a six-yard run by Holloway. Following a 15-yard touchdown run from Darian Taylor and another touchdown run from Holloway the Indians were in the drivers seat heading into fourth quarter with a 33-21 lead over the

Blue Jays. Just like that the Tribe went from being down by 15 to go ahead by 12. The fourth quarter was probably one of the most frantic finishes the Indians have seen in a while. With 6:40 left in the game, an interception gave Junction City some life, and at the 4:49 mark in the fourth, the Blue Jays scored from 10 yards out to make the score 33-27 still in Manhattan’s favor. The Indians wanted to be conservative and run out the time to seal the victory.

Just as the Indians were getting into a rhythm on offense, they fumbled up the

football, and Junction City took possession of the football with less than three minutes.

The Bluejays methodically drove the ball down the field, but the Indians defense played stout. With just 25 seconds on the clock at the 3 yard line, they used their final timeout with the game on the line. On the next down, they scored a touchdown to make the score 34-33 and 20 seconds later they were the winners of the silver cup for their win over Manhattan.

Despite the devastation from losing to their rivals in such a close game, their is still

good news for the Indians.

Their great play in the previous two games allowed them to enter district play. While Junction City’s season is over, Manhattan advances to the playoffs as district champions. Jacob Holloway and Darian Taylor had a great game on offense as they had a combined 290 total yards of offense. “Darian runs super hard. He’s a great athlete and a big presence of the field,” Holloway said. With regards to his own improvements, Holloway says “ I just need to make sure we keep the turnovers to a minimum and ex-

ecute whatever game-plan our coaches have in store for us. If we do that, I think we will be in good shape.”

The defense is also a key factor. “As a whole, I think our defense should have and could have played better,” said Chris Hudgins, one of the Senior defensive players on this team.

They will face Dodge City in the first round of the 6A State Playoffs Friday night at Bishop Stadium. This will be the third straight year that Manhattan has faced Dodge City in the playoffs. Manhattan won 55-0 last season.

Olympian visits Marlins

Cross Country finishes 6th

John Rockey staff writer

Kayla Dieker copy editor

swim using it.

Shanteau has swam since he was a child. He competed for Auburn University and was an 11-time All-American.

He first tried out for the Olympic trials in 2004. In 2008, he was diagnosed with testicular

meeting new people from all different cultures of the world, and stressed the importance of doing what they enjoy in The opportunity to meet life and spoke to the Marlins one of the best athletes in the about how he loved what he world seems like an uncomdid. mon experience for many.

“I think the biggest thing To hear their story and learn they should take the different from this is that t echniques you should have of that sport fun,” Shanteau is unforgetsaid. “Whether a table. Manreal world job, a hattan’s sport, a competiswim club, tion, you need to the Manhathave fun.” tan MarGoing to the lins, got to Olympics twice do just that and surviving when they cancer forever received a changed Shansports clinic teau. from Olym“We’re all pic gold- Olympian Eric Shanteay helps two girls improve their starting form at the through m e d a l i s t Manhattan Marlins workshop Saturday. Shanteau was part of the gold medal going tough things in Eric Shan- 4x100 meter medley relay in London.

John Rockey, photographer our lives, but teau, a taldedication and ented swimhard work can mer with experiences that define who cancer a week before placing overcome those obstacles you he is today as a competitor in the 2008 Olympic trials, cross. He was able to overwhere he would compete in come an obstacle like cancer and as a man.

Shanteau came to teach the the 200-meter breaststroke. and that’s big to overcome,” Marlins different swimming He competed in the London Marlins swim coach Robert techniques and give his story Olympics and won a gold Putnam said. “It’s great to see they are seeing new techabout his time competing in medal in the 4x100 medley.

He also told the swimmers niques and practices from the Olympics in Beijing and London. He demonstrated about the personal experi- someone that’s at the top of techniques and then had them ences from the Olympics, like his sport.”

Soccer ends season in second round Seth Runyan staff writer The Manhattan High School Boy’s Varsity Soccer team saw the end to one of the their most successful seasons last Thursday with a loss in the Regional Finals against Lawrence with a final score of 2-1.

The team finished this year off with a regular season record of 11 wins, four losses and one draw. This season proved to be the most positive since the 2003 season with a record of 14-4-1 and opens up for yet another strong team for next year. This year, the team finds it hard to swallow how they were not able to get farther into the playoffs after the loss against Lawrence.

“I don’t look at this season as a failure. It should propel next year’s team to build from the success that we accomplished,” senior captain Jonathon Taylor said.

This year could not have been so successful without strong leaders, which was exactly what team captains Taylor and seniors Killian Gorman and Joe Coonrod were.

“As a captain, I need to be a better example on and off the field,” Gorman said. “I had every intention to go to State, which is why the captains have to be the coach’s extension on the field and make sure everyone is playing their best.”

The team continues to look forward to next year to build on the success that were accomplished this season. Juniors Jonathon Turnley, Eric Gray and Peter Maier look

to take the role of being next year’s captains.

“I would love to be a captain, but I would expect others around me to push me to my limits as well,” Maier said. “It all starts in the offseason making sure everyone is committed to becoming better every day.”

Gray and Turnley, who both lead the team in goals, have some of the greatest statistics in the team and also have a great possibility of being All-State team members.

“JT will easily be one of the top five players in his position next season. His talent is astounding,” Taylor said.

While these three definitely stand out from everyone else, it’s not just good statistics that make a great captain.

“I think we have a bunch of guys that are gonna step up and make sure our team is working hard and getting better before next season,” Turnley said. “I’ll do my best to be one of those guys.”

While the tears of disap-

After securing the Centennial League title and qualifying at the Junction City Regionals on Oct. 20, the Manhattan High Cross Country team traveled to Lawrence Saturday to compete at State.

Leaving early Saturday morning, the team was excited to get racing.

“We were excited and we were motivated and really confident. All of our training had worked to this and we were ready,” junior Alaina Schroeder said.

Both the Boys and Girls teams placed sixth, jumping four places from last year. “[We] had several kids at or under their personal record.

Both guys and girls competed tough,” head coach Susan Melgares said. “[It’s] good to be moving up in the standings. Both teams were 10th last year.”

Schroeder, who got first at the Centennial meet, took third overall in the girl’s 4k race, running 15:10.80. She was only .6 seconds away from overtaking junior Alex Miller from Garden City and placing second. “I ran my hardest so I have no regrets,” Schroeder said.

Schroeder has performed consistently well this season and is looking forward to competing at the 2013 State meet. “Next year I’m going to train as hard as I can and do

pointment rolled off each player’s cheeks in the huddle after the loss to Lawrence, senior Evan Williams gave his last piece of advice to next year’s team.

“You guys have got to want it. You have to want it so bad that you’ll fight for it.”

Soccer stats - goals scored (Top 5)

Eric Gray-13

Jacob Stutheit-9

evan Williams-7 Johnathan Turnley-11

Peter Maier-6

the best that I can,” she said.

The next highest placing runner for MHS was freshman Christina Wankum, who ran 15:16.50, finishing eighth.

In the boys 5k race, junior Chris Melgares, who also got

first at the Centennial meet, placed 10th overall, running 16:13.10.

“Boys averaged 16:50, which is the fastest team average at Rimrock of any teams I have coached,” Susan said.

Athlete of the Week Tre Fuentes staff writer

Alaina Schroeder

Schroeder is cross country runner, she placed third at the State meet. At the Indians 6A regional in Junction City, she ran a time of 1:45.90 to win the individual regional title and led MHS to a second place finish. This saturday at the 6A state regionals, she placed third at state and finished with a time of 15:10. She has won first place in all but three races this season and is decorated with gold metals at Manhattan, Emporia and Junction City Invitationals.

Q:

What motivated you to start running for cross country?

A:

It was my friends. They all ran and all the runners are really close and like a family so I decided to start running too.

Q:

Who inspires you to be the best you can be?

A: Definitely my dad. He is a runner as well and he really motivates me throughout the season.

Q:

How do you prepare during the summer?

A:

A lot of summer conditioning. We all practice in the mornings, and it help us prepare for the season.

Q:

How pleased are you with your 3rd place finish at State this past Saturday?

A:

I was not that far from second place, but I ran hard and don’t have any regrets.

Q:

Do you plan on participating in Cross Country after highschool?

A: I think it would be really cool, but I haven’t decided whether I really want to do that or not.

Q:

Who is your favorite athlete?

A:

Amy Mortimer. She is from Manhattan and took part in the Olympic trials.

Volleyball eliminated in Sub-state Nick Bandy sports editor When the dust settled after three dramatic sets between Junction City and Manhattan High’s volleyball teams, Manhattan was heading home.

MHS defeated JC in a match earlier in the week, but could not pull out a win Oct. 20 in the Sub-state tournament. JC went on to win the Sub-state group and advance to the State meet.

Both teams were very evenly matched, as Manhattan won two sets to one earlier that week but lost one set to two in the Sub-State match.

The Sub-state tournament took place at Junction City, allowing the JC team to play in front of their friends and family.

“They had several advantages, definitely the home court advantage,” head coach Lisa Kinderknecht said.

JC came out strong and won the first set, but then Manhattan rallied to dominate in the second.

“We put them on their heels in the second set, we dug up all their hits, and we were up 24-13 before we had some unforced errors. We ended up

winning 25-17,” Kinderknecht said.

Then the momentum swung back in the favor of JC in the crucial third set. MHS had had excellent serving in the other sets but missed several crucial serves in the third, while JC had almost a flawless third set to win the match.

“They dug up everything while we struggled to get it going. Even their blockers were digging up balls, as well as their defenders,” Kinderknecht said.

Despite the loss Kinderknecht was proud of her team’s hard work.

“They left it all out there, I’m not disappointed in our effort at all,” Kinderknecht said.

MHS only had one returning starter from last year, and a large number of sophomores and juniors. These players will return year and the memory of this loss can teach them a lot, and be applied when next year’s Sub-state tournament rolls around.

“Finishing it, that’s going to be our whole theme for next year,” Kinderknecht said.

The volleyball finished the year with a total record of 21 wins and 15 losses.

the MENTOR

Features

Oct. 30, 2012

5

Stroke admits student to hospital Liz Logback Feautures Editor “It scared the hell out of me.”

Ron Roedel thought he had a handle on his daughter’s headaches, but after she had a stroke and was air-evacuated to Children’s Mercy in Kansas City, he realized that junior Harley Rodel’s head pain was more than something an Advil could cure.

The morning of Oct. 7, Harley was rushed by ambulance to Mercy Regional Health Center after a seizure in her home. A CT scan later revealed a large blood clot that had been growing in Harley’s brain and blocking her blood flow, causing there to be pressure and some internal bleeding. After the finding, she was was taken to Children’s Mercy. It was later decided she needed more specialized care, so Harley was taken to KU Medical Center where she is staying now.

On Oct. 8, Harley underwent a procedure that basically “sucked out” the blood clot, which relieved the pressure in her brain and returned the blood flow to a more normal rate. Only 75 percent of the clot could be removed, but doctors placed Harley on a blood thinner

called Coumadin to insure “The most time is spent Roedel said. hard to take. But I’ve been more clots won’t form. working my brain, trying to This week Harley will able to put that in a box for The next morning, Harley ‘reconnect’ or ‘relearn’ some swallow Barium for another another day,” Ron Roedel woke up for the first time and things we all take for granted. X-ray to insure the throat pain said of his daughter. began to say her first words. My brain is still healing itself, she is experiencing is nothing In addition to the high Although her memory at that and some things are just serious. stress of the hospital stay, point seemed to be doing beyond my ability right now,” For most people, a long Harley and Ron are both okay, things like simple math Harley said. term stay in the hospital is still grieving from the recent and higher thought processes While in the hospital, very stressful, not only on the loss of their mom/wife on became much Sept. 6. Originally harder for her. For when Harley was a few days after the experiencing her procedure, Harley headaches and was unable to move nausea, doctors anything on her attributed it to grief right side and her over the loss of her speech was slow. mother and they Harley was worked out a plan placed on an antito walk her through seizure medicine her grief, thinking to ensure that any it would solve the minor bleeding still headaches. going on wouldn’t “We were just cause another beginning to learn seizure. She has also to get through our been undergoing days without Mom, therapy to help who was a very big “get the wheels part of her life. The turning again.” loss of a parent at During therapy, Junior Harley Rodel with friends (left to right) junior Kelsey Crawfor, senior Kristen Queen, junior Liz any age is hard to Harley is assisted in Logback, junior Kennedy Feliz, and junior Bryce Rincon at the hospital. take, but a young walking the empty losing her Courtesy photo girl hospital hallways mom so soon is an and bending over extra hard pill to to pick things up. The next Roedel has had four CT patient but also on extended swallow,” Ron said. step in therapy will be having Scans, an MRI and a chest family and friends.

Although the situation is Harley walk around objects X-ray.

“To realize now what is not ideal, Harley and her dad and people in the hallway to “[I’ve had] about 400 blood really wrong, and if I had only have been able to find some be sure she can navigate in tests too. Not really, but they asked the right questions, or moments of laughter during busy surroundings. do take a lot of blood here,” requested the right test, is their stay in the hospital.

When Harley was transfered last minute to KU Medical Center, she didn’t go through the normal admission process, so the staff handling her paperwork assumed Harley is a boy name and marked Harley’s ID bracelet with an M for male. The next evening someone came by to try to correct the mistake but Harley didn’t have an ID to prove she was a female so her dad resorted to telling the doctor, “I can prove she’s a girl if we have to.” Visitors and a party for Harley’s birthday last Sunday have also helped lighten the mood.

A date for returning home hasn’t been set yet, but doctors are certain it won’t be within the next week. Harley will try to return to school as soon as she is released from the hospital, as she is missing all of her friends, but it all depends on her condition.

Long term she will have to be cautious as it is much easier for her to bleed now. She will also remain on blood thinner medicine for the next three months, and after evaluating her after that time period, possibly the rest of her life.

Right now though, Ron and Harley are just focusing on healing and improving her condition a little each day.

Cheap Halloween costumes Coming To America!

Julie Harkness Staff Writer

Most people these days don’t have the hundred dollars to shell out on a costume they would be wearing once for a few hours on Halloween.

Budgets in mind, how can students have a rockin’ costume without the dough?

A Google search of “Halloween costumes under $20” or “Cheap Halloween costumes” reveals endless sites that claim to have cheap costumes. In reality, their costumes are just as expensive as anyone else’s when you add shipping and handling.

It is just as simple to create a costume with the things you have in your wardrobe as it is to go out and buy one.

Almost everyone these days

has a V-neck T-shirt, a flannel overshirt, skinny jeans and moccasins. Now go out and spend maybe $12 on a pair of big fake glasses and students can have a stereotypical hipster costume. A costume like this to go out and buy would run for about $50 in the average store.

If students want something more creative for a costume, try cutting up an old colorful T-shirt as well as a pair of shorts or sweats (depending on how warm you want to be for this Trick-or-treating season), throw in a pair of funky shoes (like pink converse) and use simple makeup from around the house to create a clown affect. A clown costume can run anywhere between $24$70 online or in a Halloween store.

A cheap costume for the males is just as simple. Most guys here at Manhattan High have camo somewhere in their closet. Throw that on with a pair of combat boots or cowboy boots and BAM, instant hunter. To jack up the look and make it look more real, try taking a cork from a wine bottle, lighting the end on fire, and melting the cork to create a non-oil based, scent free “makeup.” A costume like this on average is around $25, maybe more.

These are just simple, creative and cheap ideas that anyone can do. All you have to do is look in your closet or around the house and see things with a different eye to figure out what to be. The options are endless.

IPS hosts tailgate

Foreign exchange student spotlight Liz Logback Features Editor

From the small village in Germany where a bike can be ridden everywhere, to the cowfilled fields of Kansas, junior Louisa Friedrich has entered a whole new lifestyle and culture. She left her village of 5,000 people and chilly weather to live in Manhattan with the Deeds family. Simba, Friedrich’s cat, saw her off from Germany along with an older sister and Friedrich’s parents.

“Leaving your family for such a long time is hard, but you write, and get used to it,” Friedrich said.

Before coming to America, Friedrich dreamed of having her own locker in the school halls and going to high school football games with friends.

She admitted that a lot of the things she was excited

for in the U.S. came from the Disney movie “High School Musical.” Considering not many students at Manhattan High sing and dance on tables, there are quite a few differences between the movie and real high school.

Friedrich is finding that her school at home is very different than MHS. Not getting home until almost 4 p.m. is Friedrich’s least favorite part of America thus far. In Germany, school was let out around 1:30, except for two days of the week when classes go a little longer.

Friedrich also finds the school musical something she really enjoys. She is impressed with how professional everyone is. Although she doesn’t have a main role, Friedrich loves being with all of the people.

In Germany, she was on a soccer team. Friedrich is most looking forward to spring and trying out for the MHS team.

“[I like] the real team spirit feeling,” she said.

In addition to soccer, Friedrich participated on the MHS Cross Country team and Tennis team, neither of which she played back home.

As it is for most foreign exchange students, the overwhelming amount of fast food in America is a new experience. Spangles and Dairy Queen have come to be Friedrich’s favorites. However, the healthy bread from her small village is a food she misses. The white bread here, she says, just doesn’t compare to the sunflower seed wheat bread from her home village.

Overall, Friedrich is adjusting well to American life. By the end of the year, when this experience is over, Friedrich hopes “to be really close to my host family and feel like a member. And I want people at the end of the year that are important to

MDS makes Cubie stronger Seth Runyan Staff Writer

The Interpersonal Skills and adaptive P.E. classes held their first annual tailgate at Bramlage Oct. 22. The tailgate provided students an opportunity to get together, eat and play common tailgate games.

Kayla Dieker, photographer

Most students just know Breckin Cubie as the boy in the wheelchair with a service dog, but they don’t know his true story.

Students walk past this sophomore in the hallways daily and think of him as different, which he is, physically, but he is also just as normal as the next kid. Cubie has muscular dystrophy, which is a disease that causes progressive muscle weakness and the death of muscle cells and tissue. MD also inhibits the patient’s ability to walk, which is why Cubie is in a wheelchair.

“I was diagnosed when I was about seven or eight.

I was playing baseball and my coach said I was walking different and I should go to the doctor,” Cubie said.

MD sufferers often have a service dog to assist them.

Cubie’s dog, Twister, first helped him maintain his balance. Twister had a handle attached to a harness that would provide stability for Cubie when he needed something to grab on to.

“A lot of people come up

just the same in many other factors. His favorite things include all vegetables and fruits, hunting, fishing, hanging out with his friends, singing and watching anything on the Discovery Channel.

Cubie was able to share his interests and relate to others that have the same disease as him at a Muscular Dystrophy Association Cubie is always accompied by his service dog, camp. Every summer, Cubie and others Twister. gather in the Kansas to me and pet [Twister], and City area to meet people who they’re not supposed to,” have the same issues.

“There are kids and adults Cubie said. “People can only pet her when her harness is like me in wheelchairs and off, which a bunch of people then you have others that are already know that, but it really walking fine or are struggling walking. Every person that doesn’t help that much.”

Since this disease eventually is there has a counselor that inhibits the patient’s ability to stays with them and helps walk, Cubie eventually needed them out and talks to them,” to use a wheelchair. He first Cubie said.

Even with such a destructive had to use his it during fifth and sixth grade. Being in disease, Cubie continues to a wheelchair embarrassed look on the bright side of life.

Cubie at first but he eventually He has a love for music and got over it and accepted his takes part in choir. He plans to continue his love for music new way of life.

Although he may not look after high school by majoring the same as everyone, he’s in music.

6

The MENTOR

Oct. 30, 2012

Trending

Best Horror Films Julith Perry Staff Writer

The Exorcist (1973)

The following are some of the scariest horror films of all time.

I feel all these films have that “I won’t be able to sleep tonight” feeling. Warning: there are major spoilers throughout.

Friday the 13th (1980)

Twelve-year-old Reagan begins to exhibit strange behavior. At first puberty seems to be the answer but we soon learn that a demonic spirit possesses her. The creepiest part is perhaps when Reagan does the demonic head rolling; her appearance doesn’t help things either (still can’t get over that). Scare factor: Reagan looks demonic and she keeps calling herself the devil.

A couple return to their home after being away to find three masked strangers in their house. The ‘strangers’ take them hostage and the couple have to retract to violent measures to have a chance at survival. Scare factor: the three masked strangers.

reaches a new peak of weird and comic genius every week, 15 minutes at a time. It really is the heir to “Monty Python’s Flying Circus;” humor so incredibly dumb it’s some of the smartest on cable. Rob Corddry isn’t Louis C.K. or Lena Dunham, who use their selfloathing as a gag. Nor is he doing the Larry David crassnessas-comedy routine. Instead, “Childrens Hospital” is in the ancient clown tradition; a willingness to do anything for a laugh, no matter how silly. It parodies medical dramas like “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Private Practice” (Chief, played hilariously by Megan Mullally, uses crutches or a walker like Dr. Kerry Weaver on “ER”), but it’s more than just that. It’s comedic revelation, an updated back-to-basics.

Speaking of Chief, the finest episode this season is easily “Chief’s Origin.” A Hulu summarization reading, “Chief tells the story of how she came to be crippled and annoying.

The doctors are not interested,” describes an episode that has to be a masterpiece, and it is: Chief recalls being born

with a disease in which she sang involuntarily all hours of the day. She nearly destroys her body in med school attempting to cure it and performs brain surgery on herself numerous times. Naturally, she is determined to conduct surgery on a patient suffering the same disease, saying she was “born” to do the operation. I’ll say no more, but she does make one grave mistake by drinking something called Parkinson’s Juice prior to operating, exactly the sort of twisted humor that makes this show so great.

“Childrens Hospital” is the best kept secret on television, maybe because it airs at midnight on Adult Swim. Though it has aired since 2010, I only just got onboard myself. But this is comedy gold on par with “Louie,” “Girls,” “Parks and Rec” and all the other hippest sitcoms on TV. Rob Corddry’s greatest achievement -- saying something for his stellar work -- is a laughfest road to paradise, paved with glorious d*ck and fart jokes the whole way there.

cessful season last year and winning Emmy after Emmy, “American Horror Story: Asylum” had some serious expectations to fulfill. Instead of continuing such a tremendous storyline from the first season, “Asylum” introduces us to a completely new one. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially since a good number of the cast from last year have returned but in different roles.

This season has a list of some interesting characters -Kit Walker (Evan Peters), Sister Jude (Jessica Lange) and the disturbing Dr. Arthur Arden (James Cromwell). “Asy-

lum’s” characters are certainly the show’s biggest strength and are played by some great actors, with a good majority from last season. This can also be one of its greatest weaknesses because viewers must transition to seeing Tate, Constance, Chad Warwick and Nora Montgomery as completely different characters. At least the majority of the actors have characters that have a similarity to last year’s season, especially Jessica Lange reprising her role as that evil, crazy lady, which she does so convincingly.

What makes “American

A family becomes a hotel’s caretakers, despite being warned that the previous caretaker died. Their curiosity of room 237 takes the best of them, weird things start to happen and their own father turns on them and kills them. Scare factor: Room 237 and the hotel itself.

The Possession (2012)

A group of tourist and their tour guide set out to travel through an abandoned nuclear plant town which has been deserted due to a tragedy that happened 25 years earlier. As they travel throughout the town they soon start to see strange creatures and attacks against them begin.

Scare factor: The strange creatures lurking throughout the town.

Rob Corddry’s Flying Circus

Best ever storyline on Rob Corddry’s Childrens Hospital: after getting fed up with too many emails every day, Dr.. Lola Spratt fakes her own death. It only takes a few days for her to see the drawbacks of this plan, so she shows back up to work at the hospital. Each time she enters a room, all the inhabitants scream and panic, crying, “GHOST! GHOST!” But another doctor, Glenn Richie, is determined to sleep with her even if it means doing so in the spirit world. He uses electroshock to die for 10 minutes, but somehow is accidentally sent back in time to the FDR administration.

Like most “Childrens Hospital” plotlines, this classic episode follows an improvisational, slapstick style that

Inexplicable murders begin to take place at Camp Crystal Lake, fear begins to set into the camps current occupants. At the end, there is only one survivor, Alice. At the end, she is relieved to have survived but is scared when she finds out that no corpse was found of Jason (the murderer). Scare factor: Jason popping from underwater in the end when Alice is escaping in the boat.

Chernobyl Diaries (2012)

The Strangers (2008)

The Shining (1980)

A mysterious box seems to be the source of demonic occurrences; first, a grandma is seen being severely injured when she attempts to destroy it.

Later a kid, Em, begs her father to buy her the box and she soon begins to exhibit demonic behavior. The box is really a Jewish demon box, that within holds a demon that takes over the life of the box owner. Scare factor: The box.

Dheepthi’s Hits and Misses Miss- Sitting for four hours in one place for the PSAT and PLAN test is not fun.

Graphic by Dheepthi Perumal

Hit- Spoiler Alert: “Pretty Little Liars” Halloween special -- that was one crazy episode.

Toby is A, Mona is A, Garrett is dead, Aria almost died, Aria’s dad might have killed Alison and in the end Alison might still be alive.

Hit- What is better than scary movies, chocolate and haunted houses?

It’s Halloween.

Hit- It is acceptable now to drink pumpkin spice lattes and wear oversize sweaters.

Hit- Staying up until midnight to download Taylor Swift’s new album “Red” was totally worth it.

Miss/Hit- Indians gave it their all at the JC game but in the end we lost by one point. At least JC gets to sit home and watch us in the play offs.

Photo courtesy of taylorswift.com

American Horror Story Horror. Complete and utter horror.

This is what season two of “American Horror Story” tries to instill inside you as you watch each episode.

After having such a suc-

Horror Story” so addicting is the story and the great cliffhanger each episode contains.

Season one had a great consistent story that never ceased to impress and delivered every episode. This season is not exactly the same story because it throws so much at you, it’s overwhelming. “Asylum” has implemented horror flicks from many genres including slasher, supernatural, psychological thriller, exorcism and alien abductions. Yes, you read that right, aliens. Keep in mind that this is all in the first two episodes, which only shows just how “Asylum” is

trying to be too much at one time. This could be the gameplan for this season, though; all of these could weave together for a mind-blowing finale. It is still early in the season and anything is possible in “American Horror Story.”

This does not make “Asylum” a terrible show. In fact it still is one of the highest quality shows on television. With so much to take in and comprehend, you’ll be left begging for more just because it is done so well. All of the characters have such a fascinating and interesting past, it’s lovely to see the flashbacks for their

We at h er Fo re c ast Eli Redeker Guest Writer Today: High in the mid ‘80s. Which is also what you had to be to enjoy the song “Every Rose has its Thorn.” Think about it.

Wednesday:

The type of snow grandpappy told you about. However, there will never be a winter as bad as ’54! NO SIRREE! Thursday: Local Reporters Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Report: If it keeps on raining, the levee’s

gonna break.

Johnny Cash Reports: Floodwater already five feet high and a’ risin’.

Friday: Cloudy, with a chance of meatballs.

Saturday:

Monday:

A HurriKLEIN is coming to face Oklahoma State! Go Cats!

Either hotter than the hubs of hell, or colder than an Alaskan well-diggers hindquarters.

Sunday: New Consecutive-Sunrise Record set!

back story. Evan Peters does yet another fantastic job of depicting a character fighting to show his sanity followed behind the always wonderful Jessica Lange and her full of attitude and judgement character.

“Asylum” is also proving to be much more of a mature storyline, which is welcomed but it does seem a bit disturbing with some of the most vulgar sex scenes on television. But hey, everyone has their own reason for watching “American Horror Story.”