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Manhattan High School Volume 101 Issue 9 Nov. 5, 2013
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Accident occurs during AP Biology field trip Tracy Le Graphic Designer Liz Logback Editor-in-Chief Last Friday, an incident occured while the AP Biology class was on their field trip. “I don’t know details. I was not in the office at the time,” Angie Messer said. “I was informed that a kid was in an accident...We checked on the well-being of the [in-
jured] student first -- that was our first priority.” The school is currently reviewing their policies and procedures. Pat Lamb and senior Gianna Peabody, the injured student, chose not to comment. Lamb’s AP Bio class usually goes on six field trips a year. So far, they have gone to Sternburg Museum in Hays, the Flint Hills Discovery Center and Konza Prairie.
“I think field trips are excellent,” Lamb said. “That’s why we keep doing them. They’re great educational opportunities for my students otherwise I wouldn’t do it year after year.” Although the incident upset plans for the day, Lamb thought the trip would be a good experience. “A lot of my students, even though we’re from Kansas, we see the prairie as just
a bunch of grass,” Lamb said. “We have such a misconception of it. And it helps if we go to the Flint Hills Discovery Center first, before we go to Konza, and then I think the experience of going to Konza is a lot better.” The Discovery Center has tall grass prairie ecosystem exhibits that students spent time gathering information at before they went to the Konza to walk the trails and
Defeated
work at the research facility. “I think the field trips are awesome. The problem is they’re just super expensive,” Lamb said. “That’s why when we do set one of these field trips up, I really want my students not just to go and walk through, I want them to actively participate and really try to learn as much as they can.” Although there is a science fund that contributes
to the cost of the field trips, a lot of sponsors are needed for these field trips to be possible. “A lot of people are paying quite a bit of money so that they [the students] get that opportunity,” Lamb said. “And it is a neat educational opportunity. They [the students] ought to [enjoy the field trips]. Because one, there’re very educational and two, they’re costing us a fortune.”
P.E. classes participate in Army Strong Challenge Kristen Batson Staff Writer Students of Manhattan High School were put to the test to determine whether or not they were, in fact, Army strong during the Army Strong Challenge on Thursday. All of the P.E. classes participated in the event in which they were split into groups and rotated from station to station competing in various activities including pushups, situps, bearcrawls, crab-walks, sprints and pullups. After they completed each station with the guidance of military personnel, the points were tallied and the groups who won first and second place were given T-shirts. The school with the best overall average in the nation will be awarded a $2,000 grant to its physical education department. “It was fun and it was something that was different and just generally a good, competitive thing,” senior Cameron Beauregard said. In a world where health awareness and being fit can be issues, this program is another attempt to motivate high school students to be accountable for their fitness. “It promotes leadership skills and physical literacy among high school kids to combat child obesity and keeps them physically responsible for the way they
work out and the way they take care of themselves,” Army Strong Challenge representative Larry Blackford said. While this event consumes no more than an hour of each participant’s life, it’s thought to be an experience that will be with them much longer. “These are life skills you’ll take with you after this program and high school. Teamwork, leadership, integrity -those are things you can use and take with you in life, as well as these lifelong health activities they’re doing right now in the classroom,” Blackford said. “They’re able to interact with these cool Army guys in a positive way, and they’re mentors for these kids.” Along with the lifelong lessons it’s also a way to challenge students and allow them to see what they are made of. “I told my classes you aren’t getting graded for this; it’s a personal challenge and I really wanted them to one-up it and challenge themselves,” P.E. teacher Lisa Kinderknecht said “You’re just challenging yourself. You’re not being compared to anyone else and you won’t fail if you don’t try, but you aren’t going to know if you don’t try. You’re going to get out of it what you put in to it, just like anything else.”
BSU attends conference Matt Bandy Staff Writer
Senior Henry Bieber is tackled by Junction City Bluejay players at Bishop Stadium last Friday night. The rival teams stayed neck and neck, but the Bluejays pulled out a win in the end with a final score of 16-10. See the full story on page 4. Kristen Batson, photographer
Scholars Bowl earns first place at Emporia Danielle Cook Copy Editor This year’s Varsity Scholars Bowl team has already proven itself to be a successful bunch, returning home from Emporia on Monday night with the satisfaction of
a first-place victory over the 10 other competing teams. Scholars Bowl head coach Ted Dawdy was impressed with his group’s ability, especially the way it seemed to mesh so well, despite many new members this season. Dawdy still believes there
SADD hosts Red Ribbon Week event Connor Bliss Features Editor Students adorned in red lined up in the commons on Wednesday for their chance at a Klondike Bar. But while their hearts may have been set on some chocolatecoated ice cream, this line meant a lot more than that. Students pledged to be drug and alcohol free and then got in line to answer some trivia ranging from “What does SADD stand for?” to “What are the short term effects of alcohol?” This effort was a part of the previous week’s Red Ribbon week. During the past week SADD had partnered with the Riley County Police Department for the annual seat belt check. If students were wearing a seatbelt, they were rewarded with Smarties and if not a Dum
Dum came their way. “We just have to keep reminding and reinforcing the fact that they’re good because that’s why I lost one of my friends a couple weeks ago because he wasn’t wearing his seat belt,” SADD president Allysa Frey said. “I feel like if we stopped (seatbelt checks) then people wouldn’t care anymore.” The Klondike Bar giveaway took place on last Tuesday at East Campus and on Wednesday at West Campus. In order to participate students had to wear red and answer a trivia question. If they answered it right they could have a Klondike bar and if wrong, some candy. “I think (it was success) because people got what they wanted and pledged to be drug free and alchohol free,” Frey said.
is, of course, always room for improvement, no matter what place the team boasted on its first try of the season. “The result was very good. I was surprised to go nine and one,” Dawdy said. See Scholars Bowl page 5
On Wednesday, Oct. 30, 17 students in Black Student Union went all day to Kansas University for a conference and tour of the campus. The students left the high school at 5:45 a.m. and came back at 5 p.m.
“MHS brought a lot of enthusiasm,” vice president Courtney Grice said. The conference started with six sessions and each student could attend any two sessions. The sessions discussed using good speech and watching what you say. See BSU page 5
FFA attends national convention Retta Lazaris Staff Writer There was no school for FFA members Tuesday, Oct. 29, but they had an extra early rise that morning to ensure they were on a plane in Kansas City, Mo., by 7 a.m. to make it to the annual
National FFA Convention, which lasted until last Friday. FFA sponsor Doug Muller accompied six members on the trip. Upon arriving in Louisville, Ky., where the convention was held, members immediately jumped into their first activity. The National
FFA Convention set up fun, sightseeing activities for all of the FFA members arriving in Louisville that day. They made the drive to tour the Lost River Cave, which sophomore Noah Juelfs described as, “Pretty cool.” Later that See FFA page 5
Local scholarships add up Madeline Marshall Staff Writer With looming college application deadlines (especially if applying for early decision,) it can be tough for seniors to think about anything else. But what happens when your dream college’s admission prices are too steep for your budget? Thats where scholarships come in, but, like everything else, they have deadlines, too. “One scholarship generally doesn’t meet all of a student’s needs. But when you add up multiple, even some of the smaller scholarships, it adds up to be quite a bit,” senior counselor Tony Wichmann said. “When you start looking at scholarships its going to be,
you know, first, institutional merit based scholarships that you’re going to receive from the school you’re apply-
There is a list of local scholarships in the hall outside of the counseling offices in the main office, as well
LOCAL
Scholarships DUe In November >>Washburn University Garvey Competitive Scholarship Exam $500 - $2000 >>Voice of Democracy Competition $150 and UP
>>Wichita State University Music Scholarships Varies
>>UMKC - Conservatory of Music & Dance Scholarships Varies
>>University of Kansas Renewable Scholarships Varies
>>Wichita State University - Wallace Invitational for Scholarships in Engineering (WISE) $4000 - $20000
FIND MORE INFO @
>>UMKC Trustees' Scholars Program Full Tuition, books, and living expenses
www.usd383.edu www.Collegeboard.com
ing to. That’s going to be the first task, and the majority of scholarships students will be applying to right now.”
as an online version on the school website, which has links to the applications. If done correctly, scholar-
ships can make a huge dent in tuition. “It all depends on the success the student has had, the higher the GPA, the higher the ACT score you have, that can combine into scholarships, all the way up to a full tuition scholarship,” Wichmann said. There are also talentbased scholarships, where students enter competitions where the ‘prize’ is scholarship money. “There are so many different outlets and resources available, so students just need to keep looking and plugging away, because all of those scholarships add up,” Wichmann said. Graphic by Madeline Marshall
Features The Mentor www.mhsmentor.com
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Dance team ‘harder than it seems’ Madison Newman Staff Writer Kick, step, seven, eight. Many people think of the Manhattan High dance team as a simple shimmy of the hips, synchronized steps and a finish of jazz fingers. “It can be hard sometimes,” junior Jennie Jordan, a member of the dance team, said. “There are the occasional internal problems between certain people. There is a certain bond that you make in dance, though.” There are some struggles for those on the dance team. “When you first learn a dance, the feeling of not getting it right away is kind of rough,” Jordan said. “Performances can be pretty stressful because sometimes we perform new places, like we went to Hays this year and when it’s something new it’s different.” There are sometimes conflicts within the group, as well. “If there is ever a problem socially or something that we can probably handle our-
selves, we try to handle it but if it doesn’t get resolved we bring it up to Mrs. Stenberg,” Jordan said. A part of being on a team is occasionally picking up other’s slack, and to strive for perfection means to pay attention to all details. “If there is someone who is off [beat], we always try to look for that and help them out not only to better them but our team as well. We offer our help, tell them what to do,” Jordan said. That pays off when the fans appreciate the performances. “They are good at what they do,” junior Mike Settembrino said. However, he thinks there’s room for improvement. “They aren’t entertaining like we know they can and should be. They are kind of predictable.” Senior Silvan Plattner echoed Settembrino’s sentiment. “I haven’t been here for that long, and where I’m from we did different stuff so I may not have the best opinion,” Plattner said. But I
think they should step it up a little, really.” When people say negative things about the team they usually brush it off, but maybe they will take these things to heart and create some new moves. “To people who say things like that I just wish that they knew how much time and practice we put into learning. They [the dances] may not be the most complicated out there but we still put in a lot of effort to them,” Jordan said. “You should put yourself in our comfy little white dance shoes sometime, because it’s harder than it seems.” When it comes to dance, the team is more than just a group of girls who do something together. “We’re like a family,”Jordan said. “Mrs. Stenberg is the mom, we’re all the kids. Families have struggles sometimes and when we do we handle it as a family. It can get kind of emotional sometimes, but at the end of the day we all love each other.”
The MHS dance team dances at Fridays Junction City football game. Members practice their choreography during first hour at West campus each day. Kristen Batson, photographer
Hopfenweiser loving America Danielle Cook Copy Editor “The moment when I came here, it was raining. It was just really rainy weather,” foreign exchange student, junior Tobias Hopfenwieser said of his very first moments in the United States. Fortunately, Hopfenwieser wasn’t disappointed at all in his arrival to a soggy Kansas, as, back in his home-city of Vienna, Austria, the dry late-summer weather had him craving something new. “I just loved it because in Vienna, we had, for three weeks, no rain, and I love rain, so I was happy to come here,” he said. Life in the U.S. took a little getting used to, especially since Hopfenwieser is from not only a whole different country, but a whole different environment of sorts. Coming from the big city, Vienna, Hopfenwieser also had to adjust to life in a more suburban setting. “I’m living in Vienna, in the city, so that’s also different. A big difference is the public transportation because in Vienna, I could basically go get anywhere with it, and here it’s not really as easy,” Hopfenwieser said. However, the most significant difference between the U.S. and Austria, Hopfenwieser explained, is “obviously the language.” “AFS offers lots of countries, but it Hopfenwieser eases into American life by exploring all the components of an American school. He appreciates the friendlinees of MHS students and finds the positive attitudes makes a fun time. Taelor Jones, photographer
was a really important thing for my parents that I went to a country where they speak English because that’s just a really important thing for later in life, either in work, or talking to other people in Europe,” he said. “English is very important to communication with other countries in Europe because there are so many different languages. At first, I was nervous that I wouldn’t be able to talk to anyone, really.” Hopfenwieser delved straight into student life at Manhattan High, exploring all the components of an American school system -- including classes that were not offered at his school in Vienna, such as photography, and extracurricular activities, such as marching band. “In Austria, when you choose a school, the classes are already fixed. You don’t choose the classes,” Hopfenwieser said. “So, I like painting and drawing and photography; those are my favorite ones [classes].” He also expressed his appreciation for the friendliness of MHS students in general, as he’s found that they create a fun and productive learning environment. “The attitude of the students is different here. It’s easier to learn when the attitude toward schoolwork and teachers is better like it is here,” he said. Overall, Hopfenwieser has enjoyed and profited from his time at MHS. “It’s a really good opportunity to learn lots of new things,” Hopfenwieser said of his experience . Though his prospective plans don’t involve an American college experience, Hopfenwieser believes those plans will still reap the benefits of his experience as an exchange student, and he hopes to visit the U.S. again in the future.
FCCLA begins work on STAR events Rachel Beach Staff Writer Videos from well-known TV shows involving families were examples juniors Shaylyn Hubbell and Kristen Fraley used in presentations at McPherson last week when they spoke to a group of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America. Hubbell and Fraley are recognized with the national Peer Educators title along
with multiple others who educate peers in their districts. The two discussed the importance of a strong family. The presentation talked about ways to build a closer family and why a good family relationship is important. “We showed the videos and presented what we planned,” Hubbell said. “I think we got our point across well.” Peer educators are responsible for presenting edu-
cational topics to other FCCLA members. More than 60 peers were at McPherson and and listened to Hubble and Fraley will travel to Marysville later in the year to present their strong family topic. The next task for the FCCLA members will be to create events for Students Taking Action with Recognition. STAR events are similar to Hubbell and Fraley’s strong family presentation,
Sophomores, new students participate in vison screening Rachel Beach Staff Writer From kindergarten through sophomore year in high school, students can probably remember having their vision tested. An individual test takes no longer than a few minutes, but try testing over 450 students. Robin Smith, a nurse at Manhattan High, and a team of six other nurses accomplished this task all in the past week. “It was a large task we had,” Smith said, “but we were able to test almost everyone we needed to.”
Students were called out of class to be tested. Kindergarten, second, fourth, sixth and 10th graders are all required to participate in the vision screening. All special education students and new students were tested as well. Kindergarten students and new students were required to be tested for color blindness. Colorblind people are more likely to be male because the trait is found on the Y chromosome. The results from the vision tests were individually entered into the nurses’ com-
puters. Students who passed were simply marked as having done so. Those who didn’t pass were sent a referral letter in the mail that informed the student to visit an eye doctor for further examination. Vision tests for students who were absent on screening days will be held throughout the year. The nursing department will soon have to start their next task, hearing testing. “Thank you to all the teachers who helped make it successful,” Smith said.
but participants show their presentations to a panel of judges. Important topics such as proper nutrition or the dangers of drinking and driving are examples of what a STAR event would cover. Several members for Manhattan High’s FCCLA will be working on their projects and competing. There are multiple stages of competition, but the ultimate goal is to get to Nationals. Nationals are held every
year and FCCLA clubs from around the country meet and compete to discover who the best in the nation is. FCCLA is keeping themselves busy, but the club is always welcome to new members. “We do a lot,” Fraley said. “But I enjoy it and want other people to enjoy it as well.”
FFA from page 1
information about topics like Veterinary science, leadership and team building. “I liked it a lot. It’s a really good experience being a part of FFA,” Juelfs said. “I went to a Vet Med workshop, which was really cool, because I love veterinary science. I also went to a team building workshop. There were so many, but there wasn’t enough time to go to all of them. The ones that I did go to were really interesting and fun.” The MHS FFA members had a few bad times, like their flight being delayed so consequently they missed seeing a real Kentucky Derby race at Churchill downs. But the convention was a success in the end for the FFA members, and all of their hard work fundraising for it in October paid off. “It was a really good vacation, but I’m glad to see my own bed,” Juelfs said.
day, they went to the Convention Corvette Museum. On the second day, the convention actually began, and FFA members from across the nation filed seats and listened to the first keynote speaker, Rick Pitino. “Live like you’re on a one day contract,” junior Dawson Beffa remembers that Pitino said. “I think that Pitino meant that if you mess up today, it could effect tomorrow, or something like that.” Beffa personally enjoyed Joe Torrillo’s keynote speech the best, compared to the others at the convention. “He was the only firefighter who survived both of the collapse of the towers on 9/11. So it was pretty cool to hear his story, and listen to his message,” he said. Along with keynote speakers, the convention had workshops that provided indepth
Students enjoy outdoors Adelle Sloan Guest Writer Not far outside of town there are many opportunities for Manhattan High students to enjoy hunting and fishing. Senior Megan Lundin is more of a fisher than a hunter but says that she enjoys both. “I just got my hunter’s licence, so I don’t hunt yet,” Lundin said. “As for fishing, I’ve done that since I was three.” Junior Payton Gehrt is a country boy. He’s hunted and fished before. “I’ve fished since I was two,” Gehrt said. “I hunt deer and coyotes.” Buck and waterfowl are also popular game for hunters, especially thanks to the popular A&E show “Duck Dynasty.” Junior Ryan Francis takes the opposite approach from Lundin, preferring hunting. Although Francis declined to be interviewed for the story, her freinds know of her “country girl” attitude when hunting. “[She] is more of a hunter than a fisher, but she goes to the lake in the summer,” junior Matalyn Mahan said. “She has been hunting ducks her whole life, though when she was young, she used to play soccer and softball.” Sophomore Dawson Beffa is a deer hunter. “I’ve hunted as long as I could remember,” he said.
BSU from page 1 Students were then split by grade level and learned about college opportunities. After lunch students took at tour of the campus. “It was definitely a good experience,” Grice said.
Scholars Bowl from page 1 “I think, as far as improvement, though, our computations were, at times, a little off. But things like that all come with the excitement of a first tournament.” Varsity Scholars Bowl competitor junior Kyle Westin also expressed that, for the MHS team, it’s not just all about placing well, but also competing as well as they know they are capable of in order to earn high placements at tournaments and meets. “We got first [place], but there was lots of room for things we need to work on. Mostly, it’s just little things,” Westin said. With a few weeks to work out small bugs in the way the team competes, Dawdy is confident that the rest of this season’s tournaments will be enjoyable and, for the most part, smooth sailing. “We had a really strong Varsity last year, and this year’s team has a lot to live up to, but on the other hand, they [this year’s Varsity] have lots and lots of potential,” Dawdy said. The Varsity Scholars Bowl team next competition will be Nov. 12 at Chapman.
Opinion The Mentor www.mhsmentor.com Page 2
Question Week: thing: of the
Next big six-year high schools The editorial is a compilation from a discussion held by the Editorial board.
“If you think education is expensive, wait until you see how much ignorance costs,” President Barack O b a m a said, referring to the recent government shutdown and its impact on education. Obama suggested that every member of Congress come to Brooklyn, New York, to see the Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) because Congress needs to “do something” on education, and he believes PTECH is a good start. P-TECH, a six-year high school, gives its students not only a high school diploma but also an associate’s degree in a high-tech concentration and a guaranteed job with IBM. A few years ago,
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to college, but it gives an opportunity for students who might not go to four-year colleges or community colleges to hold a steady income. However, a few members agree with the counterargument that school like PTECH hinder growth and the opportunity to live independently after high school. Additionally, college is a good transition between living at home and learning to live and survive on one’s own. According to Obama, “[PTECH] is a ticket into the middle class, and it’s available to everyone who is willing to work for it. That’s what public education is supposed to do.” If the six-year high school becomes prevalent in the U.S., it will be the biggest change for education since the U.S. made high school mandatory after WWII.
IBM and the New York City schools joined forces to fix IBM’s biggest problem -- the skills gap. The company had no problem finding Ph.D.s and lower-level workers at home and abroad but it had a lack of middle-level laborers
If you think education is expensive, wait until you see how much ignorance costs.” - Barack Obama like software engineers or skilled assistants. However, IBM isn’t the only corporation that has jumped on board. Microsoft and Cisco are signed on to work with schools like PTECH in other cities. The majority of The Mentor’s editorial staff agrees that schools like P-TECH is a good option to have in school districts because not only is it a cheaper option than to go
We De s e r ve R e s pe c t
EDITORS:
Le
acy
by T r
ion
outs i n April, o n l y certain girls/guys make the teams. But I still hear the sly remarks people give. “You guys aren’t a sport.” “All you guys do is jump around.” Fine. I don’t care if people do not
The Mentor
Liz Logback, Editor-in-Chief/Trending
Maddie Ross, News Editor Sarah Shi, Opinions/Content Editor Dheepthi Perumal, Entertainment Editor Nick Bandy, Sports Editor Michael Melgares, Assistant Sports Editor Connor Bliss, Features Editor Kennedy Felice; Danielle Cook, Copy Editors Alan Brown, Multimedia Editor Tracy Le, Graphic Designer Allison Olsen, Photo Editor
STAFF WRITERS/PHOTOGRAPHERS: Matt Bandy Kristen Batson Rachel Beach Gage Benne Taeolor Jones Chris Klug Retta Lazaris Madeline Marshall Madison Newman Adelle Sloan
trat
Only two minutes and 30 seconds. Two minutes and 30 seconds for cheerleaders to give it their all in front of a crowd. With adrenaline rushing through our bodies, we only get two minutes and 30 seconds to have all the tumbling passes clean, every stunt hit, all while smiling and staying energized throughout our dance. Only two times in the year do we as cheerleaders get the opprotunity to get in front of the school and pump up the school spirit at the pep rallies. We don’t only do sideline shows at games.Yet, we get no respect for what we do. As cheerleaders at Manhattan High School, we have three t e a m s who cheer at football and basketball games. The teams consists of have 40 of cheerleaders who practice with three coaches. Every cheerleader at this school puts time and dedication in to standing on the sidelines
consider cheerleading a sport, but they should give us the respect for what we do. Cheerleading is not just physical, but emotional and mental. It’s psychologically exhausting. As cheerleaders we have to work as a team. It involves trust among one another. For example in a stunt, the flyer depends on the bases and backspot below them; without them, the flyer can not go in the air successfully. Mentally, everyone in that stunt should breath and connect at the same pace. As a team, when one stunt group gets a stunt down, it just pushes the others to get it. When one cheerleader has their toe touches to their ears, it pushes the cheerleaders who can’t to practice and get better. So when people say cheer isn’t a sport, and tear us down by calling us the popular girls of the school, it hurts. All I am asking as a cheerleader is step into our shoes and try doing what the cheerleaders of MHS do. It will be difficult for you. So don’t talk smack about something that cheerleaders love and take as their lives.
Illus
Dheepthi Perumal
to energize and bring up the spirit of the crowd and the players. Yes, we are listed under athletics at MHS, but that doesn’t mean the students and staff give us respect. Like every other sport at MHS, we as cheerleaders put our hearts into the sport. Practicing twice a week, we push ourselves to be the best we can be. W i t h t r y -
CIRCULATION:
Kristyn Baker David Clinkinbeard Karl Drown Patrick Falcone Vincent Goss Karl Harmon Jordan Hatley Colten Kirk
Josh Kohls Kasey Morris Mallory Morris Megan Ritthisorn Jeremy Romig Zane Smith Austin Tatum
OTHER:
Jerry Sextro, Business Manager Kristy Nyp, Adviser Eric and Lisa Ross, Caterers Pam Stokes, Photographer
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.
If yo u were a cele brit y, what wo uld yo u b e kn own for?
“I want to be known for making the world a better place.” - Emma Galitzer, sophomore
“I want to be famous for stealing the Declaration of Independence.” - Dakota Santiago, sophomore
“I want to be famous for Renaissance hair-braiding.” - Savannah Smith, sophomore
Next edition’s Question of the Week: What m ovie character b est d es crib es yo u? Why? Submit answers to mhsmentor.com
Letter from the editor Liz Logback
I thought it was time for a thank you. This is the ninth issue of The Mentor and I must say, I am overwhelmed by the support behind the newspaper this year. You have accepted our new design with grace and I cannot tell you how many compliments I have been given regarding The Mentor. It’s your reader support that keeps the staff working hard. Picturing our publication laying in your hands for even 10 minutes is reward enough for the hours upon hours we spend producing the paper. Late on Monday work nights, when the clock moves into the 9 o’clock-10 o’clock range, the last thing I want to do is fix another typo, switch another font or rearrange another story, but your reactions to The Mentor are priceless and make every extra hour worth while. There is no greater feeling than seeing a soccer player
rush to grab the newspaper to read the story about his team’s victory game. And I assure you, we edit and edit and re-edit to insure that the stories you rush to read are the best they can be. Constantly, I am seeing improvement in my staff and their writing and photography skills. They are eager to learn how to make The Mentor better, and their hard work pays off. I continue to push them and ask more of them each week. Some weeks, writing two stories and taking pictures at an event on top of all the other school work seems impossible. We get stressed out and there are times when some are tempted to walk away. I ask a lot of my staff and I expect even more, but only because I am determined to make The Mentor top-notch. There are nights I don’t sleep because I worry about a story not turned in by deadline or I remember a photo that was supposed to be included on page five. I sit up straight in my bed when I’m reminded of the misspelled headline I never revisited before sending the paper in to the printer. Sometimes I cry because I want The Mentor to be as widely popular as the New York Times or USA Today and there are days I
just want to bang my head on the table because I have told my writers it is ‘source said’ thousands of times and still they use ‘said source.’ That’s all a part of the job, though. Never will The Mentor be completely error free (I’m glad Twitter exists so the student body can point out EVERY SINGLE mistake we make), but we will sure strive to be. We have built up thick skin for the criticism we overhear in class and the angry parents who call in because we miss identified their daughter again. It is all taken in stride, and with the support experienced from the students this year, the compliments far out weight the complaints. It is my goal as the editor of this paper to create for you the most memorable and flaw-free newspaper that captures the spirit of this school well. I send writers and photographers to as many events as I can and print them in The Mentor as a memory keepsake for YOU, the readers and students of this awesome school. So thank you readers; your support means more to the staff and me than you can imagine. Much love, Liz Logback, Editor-in-Chief
Journalists still needed despite loss of newspapers Alan Brown
They say journalists are a last of a dying breed. They say that the journalism industry is teetering on its last legs. They say that it’ll be so difficult to get a job in journalism that it’s not even worth trying. They say the public is losing interest in the news. They say journalism is a waste of a college degree. They call themselves experts. I call them wrong. Journalism isn’t the same as it was 10 or 20 years ago, that much is certain. With the development of the Internet, print newspapers and magazines just do not have as much zest as they did in the past. With free news available online, it simply doesn’t make sense financially to buy a newspaper anymore. But who says the end of newspapers marks the end of news altogether? Contrary to popular belief, the internet is not the enemy
of journalism, but rather its savior. Journalism isn’t dying, instead it is undergoing a major change and shaping the 21st century along with it. The future is online. With millions of people using the Internet, it provides online newspapers and websites opportunities to be viewed by people all over the world. As a viewer, one can also feel free to publish comments on an online story and take part in a discussion with thousands of people as well. Unlimited storage is another perk of the Internet. This gives news outlets the ability to publish several videos, pictures, stories, and graphics that normally wouldn’t be given room on a newspaper with limited space. Oh, and about those videos…try finding one of those on printed newspaper. As for a source of income, look no further than advertisement sales. Finally, from a viewer perspective, one has so much more freedom finding the news that they are interested in online rather than on print. With a few keystrokes, one can find hundreds of stories about their topic of interest. The list of benefits for online journal-
ism could go on and on. The one thing that makes online journalism especially attractive is the fact that anyone can be a reporter. That’s right, everyone with Internet access can act as a reporter. Social media sites, such as Twitter, allow one access to an unbelievably large audience. Blogs, created by ordinary people, have been known to develop into massive successes almost overnight. With the Internet, if one has something important to say, the world finally has a chance to hear it. Those “experts” who have claimed the journalism field is dying have been oblivious to the news powerhouse that the Internet has become. They’ve failed to notice the innovative ideas that journalists have been able to put into place because of technology only the Internet can provide. While some schools like the University of Colorado-Boulder have decided to close their journalism departments in fear that journalism is a thing of the past, in other places people will be discovering new ways of making the industry more diverse and advanced than ever before.
Entertainment The Mentor
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Pops carries on Lee tradition Allison Olson Photo Editor
Senior Janelle Collado sits in front of students at Lee Elementary School. Manhattan High Schools Pops performed pieces at the same elementary school choir director Chad Pape attended. Allison Olson, Photographer
The gym floor of Lee Elementary School is filled with students dressed in an array of Halloween costumes. Miniature vampires, princesses and superheroes anxiously await the Pops Choir taking their place at the front of the room. The shimmery red dresses throw reflections across the walls and the dapper bow ties are straightened in last minute preparation for their show. The auditorium hushes as introductions are made and children watch with clear intent to see what spectacularly the singers have in store for them. “What makes this performance special,” choir director Chad Pape said during the show, “is the fact that I was once a student at Lee Elementary and got to watch the Pops Choir as a student. I also performed with them at Lee when I was in high school, and now I have the opportunity to direct the choir while my son Micah watches in the audience.” The performance at Lee Elementary took place on Thursday, Oct. 31, as a spe-
Soundgarden attracts attention Retta Lazaris Staff Writer
In the mid-80s rock music took a flip for the better, straying into a darker genre of alternative rock. I’m talking about the grunge movement that was powerful and entrancing. It gave listeners the power to scream, “The day is mine!” It all began in Washington with bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. Audioslave came to a tragic halt in 2007 when the band split up with comments that Chris Cornell’s style just didn’t fit with the three former Rage Against the Machine members. Tim Commerford, Brad Wilk and Tom Morello all reunited with Rage Against the Machine. Cornell eventually made-up with the other former members of Soundgarden in 2010
and played, historically, at Chicago’s Lollapalooza, marking their first concert on a clean slate. Soundgarden was formed in 1984 when Hiro Yamamoto and Kim Thayil teamed up with Cornell. (Really, this guy has a voice that sticks in your mind; you wont forget it.) The name ‘Soundgarden’ came from an art institution in Seattle’s Sand Point. A year later, the band recruited Scott Sundquist to master the drums, giving Cornell -- who had previously played the drums while simultaneously singing the band’s lead vocals -- room to focus only on singing. However, Sundquist was soon replaced with Matt Cameron. Soundgarden’s first album is “Ultramega O.K.” The music in this album is pretty predictable, and kind of a heavier grunge in style. They really only had one song that made it big from that album, called ‘Flower,’ which was also the only single released from “Ultramega O.K.” Yamamoto also left the band and in 1990, his replacement Ben Shepherd stepped in and stayed with
Soundgarden until their breakup in 1997. Chris Cornell joined Commerford, Wilk, and Morello in May of 2001. They played around with tunes and tested out their music-making chemistry. Finally, in 2002, they became Audioslave. Dubbed “The supergroup,” these men created
an alternative rock style all their own that wasn’t quite as grunge as Soundgarden had been. The music from their first two albums, both of these albums have intense guitar solos, and Cornell’s voice is legendary in the way it fluctuates with the melody. Although Audioslave plays
Fresh faces in bands at MHS Connor Bliss Features Editor Last year Manhattan High was inundated with bands like FUMA, Nearly Flightless and White. Graduation meant that these bands moved on. This year there are some fresh faces on the block, taking the form of a new trio. The group features sophomore Nathan McClendon as
the electric bassist, sophomore Ethan Levine on electric guitar and senior Silvan Plattner as percussion. “We are still trying to figure out if we need [a vocalist] or not,” Plattner sad. The band was just formed two weeks ago and their first rehearsal was on Sunday. The band is so new it has yet to be named. At their first rehearsal, the band worked on chord progressions. An influ-
ence of the band has been the Blue Notes Jazz band, which is shown in their improvisational parts of their songs. The band isn’t restricted to any particular genre yet. “We actually play all of it,” Plattner said. The band plans to compete at Battle of the Bands but Plattner insists, “We aren’t really a band.”
Blue M yearbook IN THIS MOMENT Seniors
Submit your portraits by Dec. 20 to include them in the 2014 yearbook. Bring your portraits to C107 or email them to mhsbluem@gmail.com Senior Public Display of Affection Ads are also due Dec. 20 Watch for our personalization sale coming in December!
rock music, its more alternative than what Soundgarden had made. Like in their song, ‘Be Yourself,’ the music takes a softer, more carefree tone, which is awesome because it’s all about being yourself. I personally like the smoother style of Audioslave more than the darker style in Soundgarden. In 2005 they played in Havana, Cuba. This was the first time an American band performed live in Cuba, and this opened a gateway for music to be shared Courtesy Photo openly between the two countries -- a kicking feat by the post-grunge band. Sadly, all good things may come to an end, and Audioslave just wasn’t meant to be. Nevertheless, Soundgarden is still rocking out. As their tour is coming to an end, Soundgarden going to string out new jams for the future generations.
cial addition to their Halloween celebration that the entire elementary school participated in. “One of my favorite parts of the show was when we sang ‘Rockin’ Robin.’ We’re snapping in the background when Trevor and Olivia were swing dancing and seeing the reactions of the kids when Willie flipped Sharon was awesome,” senior Janelle Collado said. At the Lee performance, the school allowed the Pops Choir to participate in the Halloween celebration and some members of the choir chose to dress up to perform. “Singing and dancing for the little kids is an amazing experience,” junior Trevor Hayden said. “It’s a lot of fun because they enjoy our presence as we get to enjoy theirs.” The smiling faces of the children were obvious indicators of how much they appreciated the performance. “When we perform for the kids it makes them happy and all of our hard work pays off,” senior Sharon Wilson said. “I also really like getting flipped by Willie. It’s an
adrenaline rush.” “When I get to flip Sharon, everyone is in awe,” junior Willie Michaels said . The next few months will be some of the busiest for the Pops Choir. With school performances, and holiday concerts for clubs and organizations, they have a lot to prepare for. “This is definitely one of my favorite times of the year because Pops has the most shows of the year,” Collado said. “A lot of the shows around Christmas get overwhelming because we have to make time for Pops and all of our other classes. It gets hard with trying to keep up with schoolwork.” In class they practice their music using solfége to help teach pitch and sight reading in class. They also sometimes practice their dances in class, too, but mostly work on the singing. On Nov. 21, the choirs are having their full showcase featuring the Pops and Varsity Choirs and jazz band. “When we all get going and connect while we’re dancing, it’s a beautiful thing,” Michaels said.
New Pokemon release hit with game fans Joseph Sell Guest Columnist
Editor’s note: This article was written as a class assignment for 21st Century Journalism. A game that makes kids want to be the very best, like no one ever was -- many thought the third generation was the peak of the games, however with the new release of Pokemon X and Y it looks like the games have made a revival. For the gamer who has regularly enjoyed the Pokemon series this game is a great new addition to the series. I personally have enjoyed most of the games and enjoy this one greatly. Only halfway through and at nine hours of gameplay, I can say I have been challenged compared to the other games released. Great new editions of a new generation of Pokemon, mega-evolutions and the fairy type make this game a new success to the series. Visually the game takes on a new appearance that is more appealing to the eye. Finally fulfilling the request of many Pokemon gamers
of having three-dimensional graphics in a game on the DS, this game has done well for pleasing the gamers. Also the battle scenes and animations have gotten much better with actual movement and making it look as if the Pokemon is using the move and not a simple sprite. Aside from those changes that gamers of previous generations can see, there are also the things that make this game good for the new addition to Pokemon games. Unlike any others, this game starts off quickly while still providing the same thorough explanation on how to play. The plot behind this game has plenty of side stories for the gamer to go off and adventure through. It also allows for the average user to catch Pokemon from whatever generation they want to. Overall this game may be the best of the nearly 20-year series that has kept one generation busy. It is time for the game to revive itself and provide entertainment for the next generation. Graphic by Dheepthi Perumal
Earth Club T-shirt Design Contest Entries due Nov. 7 to Mrs. Hancock in D201
• Entries must be school appropriate • Drawings or computer-generated designs will be accepted • Please use a blank page for your drawing or email the design to katieh@usd383.org • Must be for single color printing
State champions Sports The Mentor www.mhsmentor.com Page 4
Gage Benne Staff Writer The last Manhattan High School Cross Country team to win State was in 1984, 29 years ago. Bringing back the trophy was the goal for both boys and girls teams this year -- a goal that the boys team met for the first time in head coach Susan Melgares’s tenure. The boys came into the season with a complete sweep to first place. Not stopping there, they continued to be able to hold each first place plaque at every meet throughout the season. Ending the season with a perfect 8-0, the boys went on to win League and again first at Regionals. The State Championship win at Rimrock Farm Saturday came as no surprise. Senior Chris Melgares led his team throughout the race, finishing in second place overall. In at just under 16 minutes total, Melgares ran an average mile of 5:08 during the 5k race. Finishing a kick ahead of 2013 State champion miler Sam Guinn from Blue Valley Northwest, Chris added a mere two points to the teams overall score. However, as Blue Valley West proved by finishing fifth place as a team, one fast runner does not equate to a
Junior Josue Alvarado celebrates after finding out the team won. Alvarado was the Indians’ fourth runner and seventh overall.
State win. It takes a team to win State. After finishing second, Chris turned to await the arrival of his other team members. “Once our fifth runner crossed the line, we knew,”
he said. The top five runners all finished in the top 11. Junior Isaiah Koppes was one of those runners, hugging teammates after the race in spirit of the win.
“Over all of the miles we’ve ran and all the practices we’ve really bonded and become much closer, and that really contributed to our State win. It’s definitely one of the best experiences of my
Matt Bandy, photographer life,” Koppes said. MHS also came close to setting a record for the lowest team score to take State. The MHS total of 27 points was a few points above that of former Olympic runner,
Jim Ryun, and his team; Ryun was the first high school athlete to break four minutes in the mile. The Indians score was the second best in state meet history. The second place team nearly quadrupled the MHS score. On this 30th anniversary of Manhattan’s first win at the State meet, the boys won with the biggest scoring gap in the history of the race. In comparison, the point gap between second and third place was eight points. Manhattan’s 80-point gap defines the amount of dedication, and hard work the team puts in not only at the State race, but all year round. “Next year, we’re going to have four returners, and were going to look for a repeat of the State title,” Koppes said. The girls teams also fared well, with the “pink ladies” earning sixth place at the State meet. The girls first runner, senior Alaina Schroeder, ran a 16:28 4k, finishing third overall. Freshman Cara Melgares also medaled, finishing 16th. The team tied with Maize with 158 points. However, although Manhattan’s average time was faster, Maize’s sixth runner was faster, winning them the tiebreaker.
Athlete of the week Senior Chris Melgares Melgares was the Indians top finisher at the State meet. He sprinted the last 100 meters to pass the third-place finisher with only five meters left to take second overall. Senior Jack Keeley and freshman Jackson Schroeder sprint to the finish. Keeley finished fifth and Jackson was sixth. Matt Bandy, photographer
Sophomore Mackenzie Gwinner and junior Taylor Efurd run side by side. They were the Indians fourth and fifth runners. Matt Bandy, photographer
Volleyball ends Soccer wins in final seconds season at State Michael Melgares Assistant Sports Editor
Kennedy Felice Copy Editor
Despite a sixth seed ranking, the Lady Indians volleyball team attacked State with the same determination that has become common as their season has progressed. “These girls are good, there is no question about that,” head coach Lisa Kinderknecht said. “They know when to perform and as a coach that’s everything you want.” Manhattan first match up against second seeded Blue Valley North West, ended with a game loss following two sets of 15-25 and 10-25. “Maybe the girls didn’t perform their best, but I am still so proud of this team. Our success is a testament to the seniors we had this year who pushed us to accomplish more than we have in the past,” Kinderknecht said. Coming off of their first round loss, the Indians faced third seeded Blue Valley, which ended in another loss 14-25 and 20-25. “It’s always disappointing when you lose, but we weren’t going to let a few losses define our entire season,” senior Jessie Kujawa said. “We worked too hard to let one moment ruin everything we had fought so hard for.” The team attacked its final match up against Maize, winning its first set 25-23. Momentum shifted in the second and third sets as Maize was able to top the Indians 24-26 and 21-25. Despite falling to the bottom of the rankings, the team earned the second highest serving percentage in school
history at 95.75 percent. “We worked all season and your ultimate goal is to win of course, but when we perform at that level, you accomplish other things as well,” Kujawa said. Junior Kenzie Miller, a defensive specialist for the Lady Indians, racked a serving percentage of 100 percent, with 201 serves, setting a new school record, followed by senior Erika Hairgrove who earned a 99.31 percent serve completion rate. “To see their accomplishments making history, that is truly amazing,” Kinderknecht said. Jung completed 2,429 sets this season out of the teams total of 2,668, while earning the sixth highest total of assists in school history, 825. “The success of your team is always the most important, but that doesn’t mean that us as individuals can’t be successful,” Kujawa said. Kujawa landed a total of 265 kills this season, followed closely by senior Kaci Cink with 215. “Our ultimate goal was to win a title, and even though we didn’t this season was one of our best,” Jung said. Finishing post season with an overall record 28-14, the Lady Indians season overall was a success. “We worked hard, and played harder. The hunger and passion that each of these players has is truly amazing,” Kinderknecht said. “There is nothing you want more for a team than that thirst to win. We performed, pushed ourselves and made it through every up and down this season brought to us. We finished it.”
The Indians entered desperation mode against Washburn Thursday night with 13 minutes left in the game in the Regional finals. Not having scored a goal all night, Peter Maier turned things around with a shot to tie the score at 1-1. The Indians and the crowd knew they
had a chance at this point. The clock kept ticking and the Indians found themselves with the score still tied at one with less than 10 seconds left. Eight, seven six seconds left. Then, senior Johnathan Turnley found himself with the ball and a chance to keep his team’s postseason hopes alive. With five seconds still on the clock, he did just that. The Indians took the vic-
tory against the defending State champion Junior Blues to win the Regional champions. The team did all this without the help of one of their key contributors, sophomore Kirk Lambert, who suffered a high-ankle sprain going for a ball in practice last Monday. In addition to Washburn, the Tribe also faced Wichita South last Tuesday. This
contest wasn’t quite the nailbiter that their Thursday night game was. The Indians rolled past South with a final score of 9-0. With two wins last week the Indians improved their record to 14-3-1, and will look to improve that record as they go on the road tonight to face Dodge City in their first State game.
Football falls to JC but advances to playoffs By the numbers
Chris Klug Blue M Sports Editor Friday, Nov. 1, was a night filled with emotion. It was the Junction City game. It was senior night. It was the final home-game in the inaugural year of the turf. It was a night when Bret Bolton and Tyler Dowling were recognized. Bishop Stadium packed with students and parents, both teams fought hard and produced a game that was nothing short of a nail-bitting, Manhattan-JC classic. Unfortunately for the Indians and their fans, the game didn’t end the way they hoped it would. Even after a 10-16 loss, the Indians will go on to the playoffs this Friday, while the Blue Jays’ season is finished. The game began half an hour after its scheduled kickoff time because of a weather delay. The Blue Jays got the ball first and punted on its first drive. The Indians scored first with 2:01 left in the first quarter on a 13yard touchdown run from Henry Bieber. The Blue Jays answered with a 22-yard touchdown pass with 1:15 remaining in the first half. The Indians took a 10-7 lead into
halftime, after Joe Trujillo connected on a 39-yard field goal as time expired. After a well-played first half, the Indians failed to put up any points in the second half. The Blue Jays tied the game up with a 30-yard field goal with 5:20 left in the third quarter. Both teams failed to move the ball until Junction City found the end zone on a fourth down, 7-yard run with 4:42 left in the game. The Blue Jays failed to make the extra point, however, leaving the score at 10-16. “We just have to bounce back from a tough, emotional loss,” senior Ethan Fabrizius said. “We need to be more consistent on offense. We are going to need to score in order to beat the good teams that are left.” The Blue Jays season is now over while the Indians move on to the playoffs. The Indians are the five-seed and will travel to play the fourseed Maize this Friday. If victorious, the Indians would play the winner of first-seed Derby and eight-seed Wichita North. “We will be determined to win this next one after that tough loss,” senior lineman Gavin Sedlacek said.
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MHS gets hairy for November Liz Logback Editor-in-Chief
“Mr. monopoly”
“The Handle Bars”
“Too cool for you”
“Antlers”
“flames”
“fake beard”
“Bow tie”
“warrior”
“the brows”
“Hunger Games”
“Can’t grow facial hair”
“Chef Boyardee”
“Facial Trash bag”
“Soul patch”
“fluffy”
“wwe fighter”
“hairy beast”
It’s that time of the year again. The razors are put away and the testosterone is ready to soar. No-shave-November allows males to get a little creative with their facial hair. We’ve shown some possibilities for your hair-filled month that we hope will inspire your facial hair creativity. Whether you choose the “soul patch” look, or the “hairy beast” let your inner hairtologist shine. Study the looks, try some out, and find what looks best on you! Make No-Shave-November an unforgettable one at Manhattan High this year!
“Helicopter”
“5 o’clock shadow”
“Side burns”
“Captain Crunch”
“King tut” “Dumbledore”