MHS Mentor Issue 25

M the MENTOR

May 7, 2013

News

Manhattan High School, Manhattan, Kan.

Students offer talent, effort to annual Variety Show

Washington Dance Studio performs their dance “Strawberry Swing” during the variety show on Saturday, May 4, 2013.

Seniors Andrew Shulz and Ben Carter perform “Thrift Shop” on their instruments.

Courtesy photo

NHS inducts new members Kaitlin Wichmann Photo Editor

Seventy-seven of the brightest and most hardworking students at Manhattan High were inducted into National Honors Society last Monday. The new inductees, past NHS members and proud parents filled Rezac auditorium to attend a special candle-lighting ceremony to celebrate the joining of the new members.

“My personal favorite part of the induction was that I got flowers from my present board, which was really, really nice,” NHS sponsor Regina Harden said.

“So far as the ceremony itself I really liked the transition from the old officers to the new officers. It’s always just a pretty part of the ceremony where they pass the candles on to the new and it’s kind of bittersweet because you see the old officers take their seat

and they got a good hand because of what they’ve done, and then to have the new officers step up is nice.”

This is Harden’s last year for sponsoring NHS. “I want to devote myself just to my teaching,” Harden said. “I’ve always sponsored a number of organizations and I’m not just stepping down from that. I’m stepping down from two other clubs -- cocoach for Scholars Bowl and sponsor for Anime. They both take up a lot of time and I just want to be able to teach.”

Knowing that it was her last year made the night even more emotional than it already is.

“It was really sad, and bittersweet too,” Harden said. “I cried at the ceremony. It’s really sad because I really enjoy the students I’m working with but I think it’s time for me to maybe do something different academically, or just try to pursue a different avenue to work

with students in school, maybe being able to do more with my AP Students such as starting a

Three members of “The Mentor” and “Blue M” staffs came away with State titles on Saturday when they traveled to the University of Kansas to take part in the Kansas Scholastic Press Association State Contest.

“The Mentor” Sports editor Nick Bandy placed second in Sports Writing, while staff writer John Rockey earned sixth in Editorial Writing and 2013-2014 “Blue M” copy editor Kennedy Felice placed fourth in Yearbook Sports Writing.

Eighteen Manhattan stu-

dents were among 1,400 student journalists from 103 schools around Kansas who went to Lawrence to compete.

It was an early day for the MHS participants, who left the school at 6:45 a.m. to make it to the University of Kansas Student Union in time for the registration and opening session before the two sessions of competitions.

See KSPA Conference,page 5 When they weren’t competing the students explored the KU campus and the union.

Following the event the results were released on Twitter at @kspastaff. Bandy found out

cific to what I’m teaching.”

The attendees of this special night were also treated

Recently elected NHS president for the 2013-2014 school year Marlee Evans adresses the NHS members inducted into the club last Monday.

Sarah Shi, photographer

writing club or something like that -- a club that’s more spe-

Journalism places individuals at annual KSPA conference Connor Bliss Trending Co-Editor

Clu b Notes Brown Bag Lunch Most students in high school have money on their mind, and in order to realize their dreams, they need a stable job. Guest speaker Cheryl Grice gave students tips and tricks about getting hired April 30 in the final Brown Bag Lunch Series installment of the year.

“I learned a lot about different things for business, like job interviews,” sophomore Isaiah Koppes said.

Grice talked about transferable skills. According to her, many job applications may ask for things like design and communication skills. These are transferrable skills, which can be demonstrated by specific examples.

“Stop and really put a little thought into it,” Grice said. “You might see if you have that experience.”

The reason they are asking for some of these is to determine whether or not their applicants can take information and turn it into something that makes sense.

“An individual may be able to solve a statistics problem,” Grice said, “but can they take those results and put it into a summary?”

In addition, Grice suggests working on communicating with the interviewer.

“Be sure you ask questions during the interview,” Grice said.

Although this was the final BBLS presentation, some students hope to see it again in the future.

“I think it is a really good idea so that kids can learn about businesses and interviews for jobs in their future,” Koppes said.

John Riforgiate Staff Writer Dance teams, drumlines, a cappella and more appeared at the 57th Annual Variety Show on Friday and Saturday, May 3-4.

The Variety Show is a chance for students from Manhattan High to let their talents shine on the stage. This year, many groups tried out, but only 14 made the cut. The students who did make it got to direct the Variety Show in the way they saw fit.

“This is produced by the band program,” band director Joel Gittle said, “[but] the students are the ones who really create the show.”

Students involved in the show put forth a lot of effort to make sure it ran smoothly. Everything from practice to stage setup to microphones, participating students either helped plan it or planned it themselves.

“We had several practices with our group. Once we finished all the practices, there were dress rehearsals,” senior Andrew Schulz said.

When they finally got up on stage, the students put on the show they had been rehearsing for.

“It was a little nerve racking, but we had a good time,” Schulz said, “It was a lot of fun.”

Gittle seemed pleased with the outcome of the event.

“One of the best acts was Summer Senn because her dad played piano with her,” Gittle said, “Having her up there singing a solo with her dad backing her up was a cool moment.”

Gittle hopes to see even more students try out next year, especially those students not in performing arts, such as magicians and jugglers.

Volume 100 Issue 25

he won when he was sitting at home watching the Kentucky Derby as he constantly refreshed Twitter waiting for the results to come in. Soon after he received tweets from members of the staff congratulating him.

“It was really nice to have a big group of people congratulating me,” Bandy said.

Sunday morning David Martin who placed first in Sports Writing from Bishop Carroll High School tweeted at Nick Bandy and they had a conversation. “It was kind of cool to talk to him. We kind of talked about our story and our approach,” Bandy said.

to a speech by Linda Weiss, a successful business woman

here in Manhattan.

“I think she was very representative of a successful person in the community who’s achieved levels of excellence in her vocation,” Harden said.

The elections for upcoming senior office positions took place at the last NHS meeting, where the people running gave speeches and other NHS members got to vote for the person they felt would best fill the job.

Seven students ran for the coveted role of president and junior Marlee Evans ended up being elected. Being the president for such a large club like NHS has some challenges but Evans already has started mapping out NHS for next year.

“Next year I definitely want to let the members have more input on what they want to do for service projects so that they will be excited to do them,” Evans said.

- John Rifergiate

Club Dodgeball Black Student Union was the only club to show up to compete in the second installment of Student Council’s Club Dodgeball. “We played a couple games, just random teams, and then went home,” organizer and StuCo member Hannah Nelson said.

Club dodgeball was held in the South Gym last Tuesday.

This event was taken by StuCo in stride and is motivation to do better next year. The hope is to get all clubs involved to make the event reach many of the different groups at Manhattan High.

“My goal would be to meet with all club presidents and vice presidents as a group and then as a school come together with all the students and leaders we hope to then make club dodgeball more of a charity thing,” Nelson said.

“I think everyone was just too busy with everything such as AP testing and such going on,” Nelson said.

- Maddie Ross

Manhattan High School recieves national credadation Sarah Shi News Editor For the fifth consecutive year, Manhattan High School has been named to The Washington Post High School Challenge List, an accolade that just over 1,925 schools -- only nine percent of all the public schools in the U.S. -receive annually.

The Washington Post surveys and ranks approximately 22,000 high schools across the nation using the ranking system devised by Jay Matthews, a veteran Washington Post writer.

The tabulation system follows as given: the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and/or Cambridge tests taken by all students at a school divided by the number of graduating seniors. This number is known as the index number assigned to the school,

which must be over 1.000 to make the list. Manhattan recieved an index of 1.456.

“It’s an honor to make the list of the Washington Post Challenge ranking the best high See Award on page 5

Manhattan High Accolades: 2009: National AP Scholars: 4 AP Scholar with Distinction: 21 AP Scholar with Honor: 15 AP Scholars: 42 2010: National AP Scholars: 2 AP Scholar with Distinction: 25 See Accolades on page 5

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May 7, 2013

the MENTOR

Special Olympics helps define writer’s identity Maddie Ross

trending co-editor

People always say that the people that we choose to have around us help shape the people that we will become.

About two years ago I started my involvement in Special Olympics. Here I chose to surround myself with a new environment and new people.

Some people might look at my volunteerism as being nice or generous, but I see it as the

complete opposite.

Over the past two years I have taken away so much from my experiences -- more than I could ever give back.

Through the actions of the athletes that I have the privilege of working with, I have witnessed qualities of inner confidence, support of others and acceptance that is absolutely contagious.

By observing the pure and utter confidence that radiates from an athlete whether it is verbalized, expressed in excited clapping of the hands, or a smile, I am inspired by the faith and comfortability these individuals have in themselves.

In a society that is so fixated on what may seem like cliche concepts of beauty and a narrow minded view of per-

fection, it is so refreshing to see a group of people come together despite differences.

It is truly a family unit. Everyone sees everyone as an equal, focusing on the abilities being brought forth rather than the disabilities. This is pure acceptance.

Special Olympics provides this safe haven for every athlete. A place to forget about the “can’ts” that exhibit themselves in the everyday and bring light to the “cans.”

Not only is it a safe place for the athletes but for everyone.

There are very few other places that I have had the love and support that I have received from Special Olympics. No one cares about how I look or rolls their eyes when a corny joke escapes my lips. The athletes have opened their arms

to me, thus giving me the world.

Not only do the athletes and I receive acceptance and guidance from each other, but also from the other coaches volunteers and parents. The extent of commitment shown by all involved is amazing.

The faces of proud parents are indescribable portraying the copious amounts of love.

Special Olympics has given me a true sense of what the real definitions of love, acceptance, confidence and commitment mean. I have surrounded myself with a great group of people and hopefully as the saying goes I will be shaped to become as extraordinary of a person as they are.

Let us complain for once Kayla Dieker

before lunch, think of the Africans.” doesn’t accomplish anything. It doesn’t get them the food they need, it doesn’t stop my stomach from growling and it doesn’t do anything but make you look like a jerk.

I recognize that there are peo-

ple who are hungrier than I am, but I’m still hungry.

If you really care about those issues as much as you act like you do, step off the high horse and actually try to help the cause. Donate, volunteer, whatever. Re-direct your

energy into accomplishing something, not pretending like you’re accomplishing something or raising awareness. It’s okay to just let me complain a little bit without pointing out that things “aren’t that bad.”

Many parents take their kids for granted, and their kids do the same thing back, so basically it’s a lose-lose situation.

Dear Editor: In response to Seth Runyan’s article on gay marriage: When I first read this article, I felt it was contradictory, even hypocritical, that a person could first state that he was against all homosexuality, then post a stance of passive indifference. I have read it a few times now and applaud the fact that he supports the right of happiness through marriage for all people. But the overwhelming tone of religious doctrine, reiterating old gospel, hurts his argument.

I have turned away from religion -- Catholic into an agnostic -- and I realize religion is a big part of the samesex marriage debate, but the views of some should not have an effect on the actions of many. The Bible and Seth’s argument make it sound like homosexuality is a choice, even a sin, while it is not. My cousin is gay, and the only thing he has ever said about it is that he did not chose to be like this, he was born gay, and he has to deal with so much prejudice and discrimination from people every day.

I see gay and lesbian mar-

riage as no different from regular marriage. Marriage is essentially a promise between two people to love each other and uphold each other through everything. The problem comes from those lawmakers who are too afraid of veering from the Bible to be accepting of unconventional love. I find it disrespectful enough when I am bombarded every day by evangelists trying to convert me and force their beliefs without being lesbian, but if I was, every day I would have people calling me a sinner and have people attempting to take my rights away -- my right to marry who I love. You cannot ask non-Christians to abide by Christian values. Marriage is foremost a lawful union now, optionally accompanied by a religious ceremony.

I am not asking anyone to support gay and lesbian marriage, but rather to be tolerant. Don’t try to run someone’s life when you will never understand how your views affect their lives. As Seth stated, we all have a consciousness and must treat people as equals and uphold their rights as we do ours.

Thank you, Emily Andrews

Letter to the editor To the Manhattan High Students,

Prom probably the most important and memorable event of her life. High school has been one of the greatest things to happen to this young lady, evident by her now-outgoing nature and fearlessness, and it is because of you all that she has come so far.

I speak on behalf of my family and self when I say I am truly grateful for the wonderful people surrounding her, giving her the experiences that many children like her will never have. You have made us proud, Manhattan High, you have made us grateful, and we will always love you for what you have done, and we will never be able to repay you for it.

Always MHS proud, Sydni Baker

Question of the Week

Visit mhsmentor.com to answer this week’s question:

Halsey Camera, cartoonist

Never take family for granted

staff writer

Letter to the editor

I can safely say, in all my years of involvement with Manhattan High, I have never been as overwhelmed by your actions as I was this weekend.

You all have given my niece, Kristyn Baker, the biggest compliment of her life. This young lady has always wanted to be a princess, and Saturday night was given just that opportunity when she was voted Prom Queen. Her overwhelming compassion for others, her love and zest for life, and her appreciation for her school was rewarded in a manner that leaves me and my family speechless. I want to thank you all, I want to thank her entourage, her prom king and those that made her Senior

copy editor “Finish that. There are kids in Africa who are starving.”

Really? Really, Mom? Because even if I eat my dinner those kids won’t have food.

One of my biggest pet peeves is when people try to devalue my (or others’) feelings. I hurt my shoulder swimming, and a couple of days after the Boston Marathon bombing I mentioned to someone how much it was bothering me that day. Their response was something along the lines of “Just think about those people in Boston.”

Oh, you’re right! It doesn’t hurt at all anymore, thanks so much. Except not.

It doesn’t help my pain or my feelings when you mention someone who has it worse of than me. Am I denying that they have problems, too? Absolutely not. However, that doesn’t make my feelings any less valid or real. It’s the same as if I told you your day wasn’t really that great and you’re not really that happy because someone else won the lottery and is having a MUCH better time than you.

Taking the energy to tell me about how bad someone else has it doesn’t do anything to help them. Saying to me, “You’re not actually starving

Natajja Rivera

Opinions

Even though it goes unnoticed it tends to happen whether we like it or not. We take our parents for granted because we spend so long depending on them that we get used to them doing everything for us so we just stop caring and stop saying thank you. We do it so much that we don’t notice that we do it. When our parents take us for granted it’s like they are doing it back to see what it feels like.

Of course I have taken my parents for granted at least a few times in the past. All those times I didn’t realize it be-

The Mentor is an open forum and accepts letters and guest columns from students, faculty members and parents. Letters and columns are distinct from each other. Letters are in response to content in this publication and are recommended to be no longer than 350 words. Columns are a new topic, a call to action or a clear statement of an opinion regarding a school or national issue and are required to be within 300-600 words in length.

cause they had made me mad or something. Back in middle school I always used to be distant with my dad when he wasn’t home. I never wanted to hang out with him even when he asked, talk to him or just spend time with him.

Then one morning I had to say goodbye to my dad because he was deploying to Afghanistan for 15 months.

Once he left it was like I was missing something in me and it was hard to deal with. I didn’t know if I was going to see him again so I told myself and prayed to God every night

that if he came home I was going to spend more time with my dad until he got tired of spending time with me -- which is hardly ever. I even stopped going out with my friends all the time and started focusing more on school and spending time with him.

I learned that I shouldn’t take him or my family for granted because I never know when I might not ever see them again.

Anyone interested in contributing a guest column is advised to clear the topic with the editorial staff prior to writing it in order to save time and effort. E-mail ideas and submissions to Editor-in-Chief Ben Shields at mhsmentoropinions@ gmail.com. Staff meetings take place every five-day school week on Tuesday’s during fourth hour.

Anyone is invited to come pitch ideas.

“What is the saddest thing about the end of the year? ” Results will appear in next weeks edition, our last one of the year.

the Mentor staff

editor in chief/opinions -Ben Shields news editor -Sarah Shi entertainment editor -Naomi McClendon sports editor -Nick Bandy assistant sports editor -Michael Melgares features editor -Liz Logback trending co-editors Connor Bliss Maddie Ross photo editor -Kaitlin Wichmann copy editor -Kayla Dieker multimedia editor - Dheepthi Perumal business manager - Jerry Sextro adviser -Kristy Nyp

cartoonist - Halsey Camera writers/photographers -- Danielle Cook Tre Fuentes Julith Perry John Riforgiate Nastajja Rivera John Rockey Seth Runyan Derrek Williams circulation - Kristyn Baker Leonard Castilow David Clinkinbeard Patrick Falcone Corey Garrison Sam LaFleur 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.

the MENTOR

Entertainment

May 7, 2013

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Graphics by Dheepthi Perumal and Naomi McClendon

Students audition for MHS dance team

Left: Freshman Montana Kubista and sophomore Hope Bryant audition for the MHS dance team last Thursday May 2. The audition included a dance routine that the girls learned in rehearsal earlier in the week.

Above: Sophomores Nefer Rangel, Jenni Jordan, Nysha Green and junior Taylor Thomas show off their kicks during the auditions. The dance team is known for their kick line.

Photo by John Rockey, photographer

Rock of Ages to hit K-State Seth Runyan Staff Writer An overuse of mousse, long hair, neon clothing and rocking music are the stereotypical definition of the ‘80s. With music from legendary rockers such as Whitesnake, Journey, Styx, Foreigner and many others, the ‘80s music and culture will make its way to the Little Apple with the Broadway show “Rock of Ages” at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14.

“Rock of Ages” gives a glimpse of Hollywood when the ‘80s era was coming to an end. Being an ‘80s-era story, it also keeps up with the classic

plot line in many of the stories found from then. A toilet cleaner named Drew longs to be an aspiring rock star in the famous Sunset Strips. Drew then falls in love with Sherri, a Kansan coming off a bus looking for fame. Once their dreams begin to come true, it all crashes when German developers plan to turn the strip into a huge capital mall. Drew and Sherri try to save the strip singing fabled songs from many aspiring artists.

Despite such an overused plot, what sets this musical apart from any other form of media with the same plotline is the music. The cast has

been blowing away critics “with scorching heat by a spirited cast, and featuring a towering stack of heavy-rotation favorites from the glory years of MTV,” according to New York Times Theatre Critic Charles Isherwood.

Tickets purchasing information can be found by calling 785-532-6428 or by visiting the box office located in the lobby of the auditorium. The box office is open on weekdays from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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May 7, 2013

the MENTOR

Sports

Baseball season affected by weather Nick Bandy Sports Editor If you looked at the Manhattan High baseball team’s original schedule you might not even recognize what it has become. Due to some very strange weather, even by Kansas standards, four out of their 10 doubleheaders have been rescheduled and one game was canceled.

“It’s been a real challenge as far as having quality practices and it’s been a challenge to get into any sort of rhythm,” head coach Don Hess aid.

“It’s been like for most of the teams in the state though so it has been a challenge for all of

us.”

Many of the rescheduled games from earlier in the year are now resurfacing into the Indians’ busy lineup of games. Last week they played two opponents and this week they will play three, meaning they will have played the same number of teams in two weeks as they have in the rest of the year combined.

The Indians started this crazy stretch with two losses at Seaman last Monday -games that were supposed to be played a week earlier.

“They were a good team and we just didn’t respond and play our best. We didn’t pitch well, it was just the whole

package we struggled in a lot of different areas,” Hess said.

On Wednesday the team traveled to play Derby and Wichita East to make up the games that were originally supposed to be the Indians’ first games of the year. MHS defeated Derby 10-0 and their game against Wichita East was canceled and will not be rescheduled.

The Indians’ last home games were supposed to be last Friday, but once again the weather had other plans.

Those games were moved to Monday, giving the Indians a very busy week as they then play Washburn Rural on Tuesday and Topeka West on

Thursday. These final games have a big impact on the Indians’ postseason games. MHS is competing with Washburn and Lawrence to host one of the Regional pools, so the Indians’ Tuesday game against Washburn will be crucial to win. There are eight teams in the Regional tournament, and they are split into two pools of four teams. The winner of each pool advances to the State tournament. After this week’s games Hess will travel to Topeka on Saturday to meeting in Topeka to set the Regional seeding.

Track looks ahead to League Tre Fuentes Staff Writer The routine meets for the Manhattan High Track team are coming to a close, and post-season competitions begin this week.

At last Friday’s track meet, the Indians competed against 10 different schools in Kansas, and both the boys and the girls were able to continue their success. Medaling more than any other team at the event, the Indians were able to stay competitive.

Many Indians took first, in-

cluding Christian Mack. Mack has taken first in the 100m race in nearly every meet he has competed this year, and like many Indians, has high expectations for State.

“I would like to place first in the 100m at State,” Mack says. “I know I am capable of it. Even though I don’t have a trainer, I push myself to be the best I can possibly be.”

Many runners that are considered to be some of the best in the State at their events have trainers to teach them even more because many of them have professional goals

of running after high school.

Even without a trainer, Mack is still considered by Catchitkansas.com as the number one runner in 6A state in the 100m.

Head Coach for the MHS track team Jesse Woodard believes his team is still rapidly improving and ready for whatever lies ahead.

“Everyone on our team is still making tremendous progress,” Woodard said. “Because everyone on the team is so competitive, I believe all of our runners and other athletes aren’t going to stop until they

are satisfied with how they perform at State.”

With League this week, Regionals next week, and then State, a lot of runners and other track athletes for the Indians have high expectations for how they perform and are ready to get to work.

“Placing high at State is really important to me,” Mack said. “I would like to compete in the Olympics one day, and placing first at State I think will open a lot of opportunities.”

By the numbers • 8- games rescheduled this year • 10- games played as scheduled • 33.3- percent of the baseball team’s season that they will play in one week

Golf takes third at League Alan Brown Staff Writer The Manhattan High golf team, fighting through the wild weather, snuck in the League meet at the Rolling Meadows Course in Junction City between bursts of bad weather last week. The team placed third out of nine teams.

“It was our best score this year,” coach Brad Ficke said.

“Being the League meet, you could say this was important.”

MHS finished with 311 points overall, falling short only to Hayden (309 points) and Washburn (297 points).

David Woods, the leading scor-

er for MHS, finished with 75 points. Drew Casper and Cole Dillon tied for eighth overall, each scoring 78 points. Scott Woods and Drew Kohlmier also finished with fewer than 80 points.

The varsity team participated in the Emporia Invitational yesterday, with scores to be announced. The Junction City Invitational, another event the team would have taken part in, was postponed and rescheduled for today. The team will then travel to Lawrence to take part in a meet there tomorrow.

Soccer battles through wind, close games

John Rockey Staff Writer The past windy week came and went with five games, four injured players and a mercy ruling for the Lady Indians’ soccer team.

Wichita Northwest found themselves blown away by a very determined Indians team that took to the field and won J. V. in a tough two-to-nothing victory. Some of their trouble came from getting after the ball, but they then found themselves doing better by the end.

“We could have done a lot

better, but we did well in the second half,” sophomore Alex Klein said.

The Varsity seemed buoyed after the J.V. win and cinched a five-to-one victory later in the evening.

“We talked and moved the ball, gave each other options and we played with a lot of intensity,” senior Jennifer Then said. “In the first half, we didn’t get on defensively and we were having a tough getting back on the ball.

Thursday was a Varsityonly game at Highland Park with more good results. They won the game with a mercy

Softball ready for busy week Dheepthi Perumal Multimedia Editor Although the last May snow was more than 100 years ago, Kansas was sprinkled by snow and rain last week, which continued to wreak havoc on the Manhattan High Softball team schedule. With four games being cancelled and postponed for Varsity and five for J.V., the girls’ game schedule has been changing.

“Well the weather has made it a really challenging season,” sophomore Sydney Bannister said. “It sucks that so many of our games have been postponed and cancelled because we just want to play.”

All the rescheduled games have been scheduled for the girls games for this week. Last week the Varsity girls played a doubleheader against Seamen. The girls pulled through from a tough season, splitting wins and losing to other teams, with a 4-3 and 5-4 win against Seamen. Varsity girls have already made up two of their postponed doubleheaders and will make up two more this week.

“There isn’t much we can do on weather,” senior Jenna

Stigge said. “It’s been like this for every team so we aren’t the only ones having to deal with it.”

This week will be a busy lineup for the girls. The J.V. girls played Wamego at home Monday, and tomorrow will be Washburn Rural -- one of the best teams in their league.

Thursday the girls will play Highland Park and Friday Emporia. With a total of eight doubleheaders for the J.V. girls and six for the Varsity girls.

“It’s frustrating when we are going to have to play six games in a row this week.”

Stigge said. “It will be hard on our pitchers.”

On a positive note with all the games this week, word has been going around that J.V. girls will get an opportunity to play on Varsity for a couple of games.

“I’ve heard that coach may bring some of the pitchers up for our game against Highland Park,” Stigge said. “It would be a good time for younger girls to get experience.”

Next week, the Varsity girls have Regionals and need all the strength they have to win.

ruling from Highland after 10 goals were scored before the end of the second half.

“We communicated well and kept possession of the ball,” junior Zoey Botkins said.

Sadly for the team, their week ended with two coarse losses at Hayden, which were rescheduled from April 22.

Varsity started off the evening, going into a double overtime thriller that came down to the final goal from Highland Park in the last five minutes of the game, ending it with a two-to-one loss.

“We fought really hard, and it was unfortunate it came down to that final goal,” Botkins said. “I think that on Varsity, we had high intensity, but we had trouble keeping that intensity.”

The day finished with J.V. losing three to nothing after the Varsity’s double overtime loss.

The last opportunity to catch the Lady Indians at home is this Thursday against Shawnee Heights. The Regional games are next Tuesday and again on May 16 with the location to be determined.

Left: Senior Bailey Snyder steals the ball from a Wichita Northwest opponent.

Above: Senior Willie Stockton passes the ball to a teammate. The varsity Indians defeated Wichita Northwest 5-1 last Tuesday and the J.V. won 2-0.

John Rockey, photographer

Swimming wins by over 100 points at final home meet Derrek Williams Staff Writer Scoring over 60 percent of the total points at the last swim meet of their regular season, the Manhattan High School girls swim team won with a score 277 points. That’s over 170 points more than Hayden High School and Emporia High School earned.

With 62 top-10 places and two disqualifications, the team

ended the season with one of their most successful meets of the season.

“The meet was very splendiferous and I think it had ended very well,’’ senior Brittany Jones said.

The meet being the last of the season didn’t stop some of the swimmers from trying new events, and for some, it paid off, as a few will be going to league in that event.

For many of the swimmers,

Athlete of the Week Danielle Cook Staff Writer

Henry DeNoble

Since junior Henry DeNoble has taken the pitcher’s mound for the Indians, the team has been undefeated, 3-0. But for DeNoble, baseball is about a lot more than just the satisfaction of winning; the junior, who has been playing ball since an early age, plays, and hopes to continue playing for simply for love of the game.

Q: What do you do to prepare for a game?

A: Before a game, we do a

participation this year helped them to make new friends and to spend more time with their old friends.

“Swimming was the highlight of my senior year,” Jones said. “The best part was being able to spend a lot of time with my friend Meagan Williams.’’

From that last regular meet, the team was narrowed down for competition for the Centennial League meet this Friday. The team is a lot

smaller now because only the top three in each event and a few substitutes can continue on.

“The season went really well,” senior Clair Freeby said.

“We were consistently winning at the meets. And the girls were really well and there was a lot of improvement. And it was just a lot of fun.”

lot of running -- just stuff to get your body ready, physically fit and mentally fit, and to get hyped and stuff.

team’s success?

We have wonderful coaches and wonderful seniors that give us a lot of leadership and show us how to really do what we do right and how to just keep succeeding and how to win and how to not lose.

Q: When and how did you get into baseball?

A:I got into baseball during

T-ball. My dad just threw me in the city league, and I went through city league for a long time and then I just got noticed by a coach and starting playing summer ball and traveling ball. That’s how I got in, just gradually through.

Q: What do you think is

a main contributor to your

A:

Q: What do you plan on

doing with baseball in the future?

I hope to play in college and just play as long as I can because I love playing baseball. I just want to keep going with it as long as I can.

A:

5

the MENTOR

Features

May 7, 2013

Comfortable in her skin

“When I wear [my hijab] I just feel more comfortable. I don’t like jeans. Each girl has their own style, they wear whatever they want.” - May Alomar Julith Perry Staff Writer You wear jeans, she wears a long dress. You wear sandals, she wears closed shoes. You let your hair down, she wears a hijab to cover her hair. This is how junior May Alomar expresses her Islamic beliefs.

Alomar was born in Manhattan and lived here for seven years after her birth. When her father finished his PhD at Kansas State University, the family relocated to Saudi-Arabia and spent ten years there. At the beginning of this school year, Alomar and her family returned to Manhattan. “It wasn’t that hard, I think starting Kindergarten here helped me a lot,” Alomar said on adapting to Manhattan after ten years away.

Muslim women are required to wear the hijab in front of men they could possibly marry. “For a Muslim woman, you have to dress modestly,” Alomar said. However, a hijab is not mandatory in front of her father, brothers, uncles or grandfathers. It is also not mandatory in front of other Muslim women.

Alomar fully embraces the hijab and enjoys wearing it. “When I wear it I just feel more comfortable,” Alomar said. Although she is allowed to wear jeans if she wants, Alomar isn’t a big fan of them. “I don’t like jeans,” Alomar said. “Each girl has their own style, they wear whatever they want.”

The word Islam means ‘submission to the word of God,’ and followers of Islam are called Muslims.

Muslims believe in only one God -- Allah.

Jesus, Moses and Abraham are all respected prophets of Allah, with Muhammad being his final prophet.

One of the most important beliefs for Muslims are The Five Pillars of Islam, which are five obligations that every Muslim must satisfy in order to live a good and responsible

life according to Islam. The Five Pillars are declaration of faith, praying five times a day, donating to charity, fasting and pilgrimage to Mecca at least once. Like any religion, women and men are held to different expectations.

In the Muslim culture, fasting is something they do several times during the year. However, Ramadan is the only time where it is required to fast during the whole month for every able Muslim. Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, Muslims are required to fast from sunrise to sunset. “At the beginning yes [it’s hard], but after three days I don’t care,” Alomar said on the difficulty of fasting for an entire month.

Despite moving to Manhattan High this year, Alomar is already ahead of her graduating class. She has taken Oracle classes to get ahead and graduate a year early. “I just wanted to finish early,” Alomar said. “I like focusing on my school, when I came back here my English [wasn’t] that good and I usually need more time to study than other people.”

ESL teacher Eunice Rivera has been a big help to Alomar. “ESL has helped me a lot. She [Rivera] helps a lot, I really like her a lot, she’s a good teacher,” Alomar said. “Mrs. Rivera gives us half the time to work on ESL and [the] other half to work on other school work we need help with.”

Graduating a year early isn’t the only accomplishment Alomar has made this year.

“I’ve already applied to K-State and received my admission,” Alomar said.

Despite having been accepted to K-State, Alomar hasn’t decided what she will do after high school. “Right now I haven’t decided yet but the only things [that I’m interested in] are math or medical school,” Alomar said. “My father has decided to go return to Saudi-Arabia and my mother has decided to stay here so [I have options].”

Dancing through final song Liz Logback Features Editor Everyday after school she can be found at the studio.

Dance is her sport. Leaping, twirling and jumping for hours on end is a given. Waking up with sore muscles, ruining a pedicure and spending late hours dancing is just a part of the package.

Senior Annie Roberson lives for this, which made it that much harder to perform her final dance recital this past weekend.

Roberson started dance

at age three as a “little tutu,” and worked her way up to Washington Dance Studio’s top dance team, Senior Company. She knew her “year of lasts” had begun when she and the other seniors at the studio began choreographing their senior dance last July, but she had no idea recital would come up so fast.

“The year has been so surreal, it’s hard to believe that its all over,” she said.

The realization of graduation caught up to Roberson during her final Senior Company rehearsal.

“It was probably one of the most memorable and emotional rehearsals of my life. [Senior Nick Donohoue] put the song ‘Home’ on the stereo, which has been our song for this year and then he started passing out milk and brownies for everyone and I broke down crying because that’s when it hit me that it was the last time I was going to dance with that group of people,” Roberson said. “Later that night all of the juniors brought in a cake that said ‘We love our seniors’ and I started crying all over again. I love my dance family so much.”

The week leading up to recital is a unique and emotional one.

Roberson and other

dancers from the studio use the week to prepare on the McCain stage and work out lighting and spacing for their dances. For Roberson, it meant her dance career was coming to a close. “ M y emotions were up and down t hroughout tech week.

I love my dance family so much so it made me happy to be dancing with them, but then I realized I’m leaving them and that made me really sad,” Roberson said.

W h e n recital night finally came, Senior Annie Roberson performs at Washington Dance Studio’s dance recital last Friday, May 3. She is a member of the stuR o b e r s o n dio’s dance team, Senior Company. They performed numerous dances throughout the showing including “The Clapping Song.” tried to Courtesy photo enjoy every second of it. Thoughts on, Roberson suppressed her Looking back now, she is “I don’t know where I about dancing with her team tears and enjoyed every last grateful for the friendships she would be without everyone for the last time, performing second on the stage with her has made through dance and at the dance studio. Without with Washington for the last dance team. the person dance has shaped dance I wouldn’t be me,” time and going through recital “It hasn’t really hit me yet her into. Roberson is unsure Roberson said. for the last time were all pushed that I performed my last recital if dance will be in her future, to the back of her mind. And with Washington Dance,” but she is thankful for the time when the finale song came Roberson said. she had at Washington.

Statton relates to MHS Seth Runyan Staff Writer

For 19 years, Manhattan High School Security Officer Harold Statton has spent his life around students.

“I like working around young people and communicating with them. It’s an interesting challenge,” Statton said.

After being retired from the military for a year and a half, Statton acted as a para with behavioral students for his first four years at MHS. After being a para, Statton

then made an easy transition to working as security. When he started, Statton acted as security for both East and West Campus.

As security, Statton’s job is to roam the halls to make sure everything is running smoothly. He wouldn’t quite call his job “security,” though; Statton would rather give himself the title of “Student Resource Advisor.”

“You build a type of relationship with people, see how they change throughout the years,” Statton said. “[When it’s a good change]

you feel like your relationship helped that become possible.

Sometimes you have to be their support system through school.”

Statton tries to make sure the school hallways are the safest they can be. With the recent issue of a gun being found right outside the school grounds, he said there needs to be more awareness of our surroundings.

“Guns are found all the time,” Statton said. “If you know something say something.”

When it’s all said and done,

Statton tries to make sure that students take the path that leads them down the right way. “The ultimate goal is to graduate and get a diploma,” he said. “A lot of students don’t know why teachers give them so much work. It’s to help get them to where they need to be.”

Statton asks students, “Do you want to get a job, or get a career?” He tries to help them know the difference of the two and that careers are developed through learning at the school.

From Award on page 5

From Accolades on page 5

schools in United States,” Principal Terry McCarty said.

“The accolades that Manhattan High School receives are a testimony to the faculty/ staff throughout the entire school district, the community of Manhattan, and most importantly, the students.”

Currently, Manhattan offers 14 AP classes but will add AP French to the curriculum for the the 2014-2015 year.

“It’s definitely the amount of AP classes we provide and the quality of them,” AP Coordinator and Gifted Facilitator Bev Fink said. “It’s really all on the students that so many of them take these AP classes.”

AP Scholar with Honor: 16 2011: National AP Scholars: 1 State AP Scholar: 1 AP Scholar with Distinction: 25 AP Scholar with Honor: 15 AP Scholars: 41 2012: National AP Scholars: 9 AP Scholar with Distinction: 26 AP Scholar with Honor: 16 AP Scholars: 37

6

the MENTOR

May 7, 2013

Trending

Back online after a year ‘Verge’ writer Paul Miller returns to the Internet Connor Bliss Trending Co-Editor Earlier this year sophomore Gage Benne guest wrote about Paul Miller, a writer for “The Verge” an online tech website.

Miller decided to take a year break from the Internet and document it on “The Verge.”

After a whole year of no connection to Grumpy Cat, Gangnam Style and “Starcraft” (Miller’s favorite game) he got back online. His first act back online was a Tweet, “jk” after he tweeted back in 2012 “GOODBYE INTERNET!!!!!”

Miller’s reentry was broadcasted on “The Verge” where they talked about his experience offline. During the hour and a half livestream they

talked about what he was go- Miller’s return began. Then ing to do once he got back o n t o the Internet a n d his life dur ing his hiatus. A bottle o f champagne f l e w open as the countdown f o r Photo courtesy of theverge.com

it happened -- he was back.

Miller confessed as he went to “The Ve r g e ” and explored the Internet once again that he felt guilty being back on. This t h e m e of disappointment carried throughout the stream with a s h o r t

documentary of the year they showed before the return. The show documented Miller’s road trip near the end of the year. It shows him reliving the year and realizing that his journey didn’t result in him being more productive and creative.

He makes a stop at the home of Christopher Grant’s, the editor and chief of “Polygon.”

Miller asks Grant why his life is in so much order, to which Grant responds that he realized that he wasn’t the main character in the world’s narrative.

As a tech writer Miller was immersed in the Internet from when he woke up until when he went to bed. In a post Miller wrote before he took his leave he said, “Now

I want to see the Internet at a distance. By separating myself from the constant connectivity, I can see which aspects are truly valuable, which are distractions for me, and which parts are corrupting my very soul. What I worry is that I’m so ‘adept’ at the Internet that I’ve found ways to fill every crevice of my life with it, and I’m pretty sure the Internet has invaded some places where it doesn’t belong.”

The day after Miller’s return he wrote, “I didn’t want to meet this Paul at the end of my year-long journey.” Miller wanted to come out at the end of the project a renewed, more creative, more productive person but he didn’t.

‘Iron Man 3’ a good movie, not for everyone Tre Fuentes

staff writer

If there was a face to the Avengers, there is no doubt it would be Robert Downey Jr. instead of Iron Man. His latest creation, “Iron Man 3,” is another wonderfully-developed, perfectlythought-out film. With plenty of twists, unexpected surprises and a great storyline, “Iron

Man 3” is an original take on the series. The biggest reason for its success is Downey.

I find it rather impossible that in this stage in his career he can be in a movie that isn’t captivating.

He makes everything enticing -- the characters, the plot and especially the action. “Iron Man 3” was a little different.

This was the first time an Iron Man movie was narrated Photo courtesy of marvel.com/ironman3 at the beginning.

It was a little weird turned out to be well-balanced at first, but soon Tony Stark with everything we have come was back to his witty, hilarious to expect from the series. I will self. The movie seemed a little admit that I may be biased, darker than the first two, but it

being a huge fan of everything Marvel has created.

But I also know there are Marvel fans, and then Iron

Man fans.

C l e a r l y, Iron Man has the biggest fan base of any icon in the Marvel Universe because the for mula for success relies on Stark’s w i t , charm and the way he is seemingly humorous in even the most dire of situations.

I’m not going to lie. “Iron

Man 3” is completely different in every way than the first two movies, but not in a bad way.

Still, even though I enjoyed it, I think it is not for everyone.

Like I said, the formula for success in this movie is completely different, and fans expecting the third movie to be similar to the first two might be disappointed. But the third movie still manages to be fresh and have an original take of the blockbuster franchise.

If you watch it with an open mind, you will love it. If you expect an exact duplicate of the first two movies, you might be a little disappointed.

Kristy Nyp’s Hits and Misses Lost and Found Miss: Just seven school days left for the Class of 2013 – we’ll MISS you all when you’re gone, but here’s my early congratulations on your graduation!

Hit: Only two days until the opening of “The Great Gatsby.”

Hit: All the MHS talent on display – theatre, dance, talent show, art in the halls, and did you see how cool “The Mentor” magazine was?

Hit: Three student journalists placed at the Kansas Scholastic Press Association State competition Saturday – the most in at least three years – and Bandy’s 2nd place is the highest ranking we’ve had in several years.

Miss: The theatre will be packed with people who still haven’t bothered to read it.

Miss: We’ll still be making up sporting events in July if the weather doesn’t get a grip.

Photos courtesy of scottberkun.com, and thegreatsgatsby.warnerbros.com

A class ring was lost last week. It was last seen in the locker room.

It was still in the black box it came in when lost and is silver with music symbols on the side and sophomore Justin Gittle’s name imprinted on the inside.

If found, please return to Joel Gittle in the band room.

Manhattan High School reminds all students to remember to secure all unattended items.

Maddie Ross Co-Trending Editor

A ‘ Strange Stirring’ should be required reading Ben Shields

editor-in-chief

Far too often, feminism turns from what should be -- an idea everyone can embrace -- to exclusive, political ideology. Stephanie Coontz, rather than offering another leftist, politicized Steinemstyle agenda, instead uses history and sociological analysis as her (much more effective) method of discussing sex and gender issues. Her latest book, “A Strange Stirring,” examines Betty Friedan’s book “Feminine Mystique” and how it impacted the women who read it in the ‘60s.

Coontz presented the lecture “Courting Trouble? The World-Historical Transformation of Love and Marriage” at the Kansas State University Student Union on Friday. Her presentation was sponsored by the Department of Women Studies.

For much of her book, Coontz tells personal stories she has gathered from others about reactions, from both men and women, to Friedan’s book. “It left me breathless,” one woman says. “I felt as though Betty Friedan had looked into my heart, mind and psyche and... put the unexplainable distress I was suffering into words.” At the same time, Coontz avoids lionizing Friedan and rightly says women would have sought liberation with or without “The Feminine Mystique,” and also admits and discusses why Friedan’s book can feel dated and event irrelevant today.

The last chapter is slightly pages Coontz tells the reader weaker what they likely than the already know. rest of the This book is book.

It targeted at an offers staaudience who tistics that probably is not mass mereading about dia tell us feminism for the of so often first time. But to they’ve her credit, she become identifies a very a talkbig problem ing point: that is still not a women mainstream conrun only versation: the 3 percent demonization of of Fortune the stay-at-home 500 commother. Femipanies, nism, as Camille female Paglia points legislators out, should be make up about options. just 20 Its intent should percent of Photo courtesy of stephaniecoontz. never be to deCongress, com monize any deetc. I don’t mographic of mean to say those statistics females. don’t matter, but for a few One issue I have with

Coontz’s final chapter is a “new mystique” she identifies as the need for young girls to look hot. This, in my view, is a mythical dilemma for women.

Of course, there is pressure to feel sexy -- but feminists must stop limiting this problem to females. Only in passing does Coontz acknowledge men face the same challenge. I contend that men face equal, if not greater pressure to have the “right” kind of body. When females blame men and malecontrolled media for body image problems, they indulge in the very thing Friedan’s critics accused her of: male-bashing.

When I saw Coontz speak last week at Forum, she sat almost directly in front of me as she was introduced. When described as a “Marxist” and “feminist,” she very noticeably cringed. Her first remarks were that she is “nothing ending in ‘ist,’” but in fact, she is both of those. Marxism has

never, and I suspect, never will attract me -- I’m too much of a Hellenophile. That doesn’t matter, though, when reading her work; in fact, her Marxist readings of history intrigues even the most skeptical. For instance, she theorizes that marriage began as way to get in-laws (meaning connections with other families). Foucault would’ve loved it.

“A Strange Stirring” should be required reading for any college student studying gender and sex theory. An astute, scholarly and personal look at feminism, it’s a needed book at a time when the movement is often looked at scornfully by a new generation of cynics.