INSIDE THIS EDITION The Cross Country team met for a morning run and spent time together in preparation for their upcoming season. A wide variety of other fall sports have also been gearing up to compete while incorporating new team members and coaches. See Page 3 for more
THE MENTOR VOLUME 106 - ISSUE 01 - AUG. 15, 2018
MHSMENTOR.COM
Band, choir groups attend summer camps Hailey Eilert Photo Editor
With a new year comes new lineups. The Manhattan High Big Blue Marching Band, Varsity Choir and Pops Choir groups attended camps over the summer. While long days of music practice and attentive focus may seem intimidating to some, it isn’t anything new to the hard working members of both groups. The few summer days when students attend the camps is an anticipated part of summer. “In my opinion, band camp is pretty crucial in order to be successful in marching band,” JoBeth Rose, sophomore, said. “Even if you’re not a freshmen or new student.” At band camp, students get down to the knitty-gritty, learning commands, correct footing, music and working successfully as a team. Nevertheless, band camp isn’t all march and no fun; the camp also gives students a chance to bond with their section members
and participate in camp chants. A favored part of camp is the drill down. The drill down allows for friendly competition between the campers, participants follow marching commands yelled out by band director Joel Gittle. As campers make mistakes they are tapped out of the game. The last camper left marching wins. “It’s to test your focus as well as what you’ve reviewed throughout the week,” Josh Brandt, junior, said. “So during the drill you have to always stay focused or else you are going to lose, so it’s a test of that.” Brandt was one of three winners of the drill down activity, proving his elite focus and skill by out-marching his fellow band members. The marching band isn’t the only group hard at work over the summer. Pops Choir attended a four-day vocal camp. The intensive camp forced choir members to put on their dancing shoes and get to work, learning new choreography, music and techniques.
The vocal camp taught by Manhattan High Alumni trained the new and returning Pops Choir members for their upcoming dance show. “The only major challenge I would say is just some of the choreography is really fast compared to last year,” Parker Wilson, senior, said. “So we just really have to make sure that you are paying attention all the time, because some of the transitions and like some of the times when we have to move, we only have like a single count of eight to get there.” After days of strenuous practice, the Pops group performed their dance show for immediate family and alumni. “I would say it was pretty positive, it was a lot of fun,” Wilson said. “We were all really excited, I’d say the last day we were definitely exhausted. But it was just, I would say really fun and upbeat, we’re all happy to be there and get to learn the choreography for the dance show.”
Hoyt announces retirement as principal Sophia Comas Sports Editor
As Manhattan High bids welcome to students both old and new, it says goodbye to someone who has walked its halls much longer than those students have. Greg Hoyt has announced that he plans to retire at the end of the 2018-2019 school year after 16 years of teaching and six years as principal at MHS. Though it is his last year at the school, Hoyt still intends to hard for his students and faculty while maintaining his leadership role. “I want everybody to have a fantastic school year,” Hoyt said. “I try and carry on and do the best that we can do for the students that we have coming to school this year.” Hoyt has no concrete plans as to what he will do after his time at school has ended, though he does know that whatever he does will be in Manhattan. “It’s something totally new and different,” Hoyt said. “My wife and I are going to stay in Manhattan forever, and I’ll be doing something different.” Though it is still unclear as to who will become the new principal, Hoyt predicts that the district will announce their hire some time around winter break. He also believes that the school will adjust to having a new principal,
though it may be difficult. “I don’t know how different it will be, but it will be different because that person will just have a
Photo by Hailey Eilert Posing in front of the Manhattan High School Indian painting, principal Greg Hoyt smiles for the camera. The second floor walkway is one of Hoyt’s favorite spots in the school.
different view of the school, a different relationship with students, staff, and community,” Hoyt said. “The principal is not what the building is, or who the building is… but our student body is the same excellent student body that it’s been and the staff is, outside of new hires that we’ve got, is the same staff.”
Hoyt is confident in the teachers who remain at MHS and their ability to carry on the legacy of the school while becoming better acquainted with new leadership. “I’m excited about the staff members that we have on board. They’re the ones that really have to carry out the mission of the school inspire the students to do their very best work,” Hoyt said. “I’m just hopeful and optimistic that the staff that we have is going to get that accomplished.” While it’s always hard to leave a place that has been a part of someone’s life for so long, Hoyt believes that change is for the bet-
“I try and carry on and do the best that we can do for the students that we have coming to school this year.” ter and will continue to ensure a great school year for all. “I’ve just enjoyed my time at Manhattan High… It’s a special place and it’s very important to me,” Hoyt said. “I just wish everybody nothing but the very best.”
Photo by Hailey Eilert
Sophomore Sean Anderson marches during the drill down, while junior Owen Braxmeyer marches by his side. This is one of many activities students participate in at band camp, where students practice marching techniques and other skills.
Red Cross Club hosts summer blood drive Sophia Comas Sports Editor
Blood. Everyone needs it. No one can live without it. Yet, as seen during the summer months, there isn’t enough of it. After the American Red Cross issued a nationwide state of emergency, members of the Manhattan High Red Cross Club, founded in April of the previous school year, decided to combat this blood shortage by hosting a blood drive in the West campus commons on the afternoon of Aug. 6. Though it was not as large as annual blood drives conducted by the Student Council, the event still brought in donors willing to give their blood to those in need. “I think that giving blood is just a great way to help the community,” Ashley Savage, senior, said. “There are just so many people out there who need it.” While most parents were able to donate, health conditions deemed the majority of students ineligible. Savage and fellow Red Cross Club member Bakthi Nilaweera, junior, were the first students to donate. With his mother in the donor chair right next to him, Nilaweera decided that he would join her and prepared for
the nurse to insert the needle. “I hadn’t even told my mom about it,” Nilaweera said. “I was scared of needles. I just didn’t want to mess with that kind of stuff but I just said screw it.” That fear often prevents people from donating; however, Nilaweera had the support of his mom, friends and fellow club members to overcome that fear. “I hope this doesn’t hurt,” he said. Describing the feeling like a straw sucking on his arm, Nilaweera has already decided that he will donate again and encourages others to do the same despite the small discomfort. Red Cross Club president Elizabeth Kim and other club members contained the same sentiment, as they continuously worked towards getting donors to come through social media announcements. Their concern for the lack of blood and their commitment to the school made the whole event possible through the help of the Red Cross and their medical expertise. “Number one, it helps the people who could end up being a victim of the blood shortage and number two, it holds up the reputation of the school,” Kim said. “It helps build it up to the prestigeness that it deserves.”
Teachers prepare with USD 383 Back to School Convocation Sophia Comas Sports Editor
As the 2018-2019 school year begins, all USD 383 teachers gathered together on Aug. 9 in Rezac Auditorium for the districtwide Back to School Convocation. With a joke-filled opening by Michele Jones, Director of Communications and School Safety, teachers were able to plan for the new school year and establish goals for themselves and their students. “We’re going to need input from [teachers] as we get into strategies, objectives, measures to make this meaningful,” Dr. Marvin Wade, superintendent, said in his address. “Then there’s the extra planning and then there’s the execution, which we’re going to be looking at. It’s keeping track of
our progress, making sure we’re doing the things we need to do in order for us to succeed.” The conference was specifically designed to target issues experienced during the previous school year where it was revealed that around 554 elementary students had to transfer to different schools due to overcrowding, a huge issue that the district is trying to combat. It also showed that if this issue were to continue there wouldn’t be enough teachers for students to be properly educated. According to Lyle Butler, CEO and president of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce, 60 percent of the jobs needed for the current kindergarten class to graduate don’t even exist yet. Despite this problem, they still plan to work hard for their
students through the core beliefs of acceptance, accountability,
Photo by Hailey Eilert Superintendant Dr. Marvin Wade gives a speech. Wade spoke at the convocation, where he addressed the state of the school district to an audience of faculty and district employees.
courage, joy and trust to ensure student success. By establishing pillars of talent, culture and en-
vironment, partnership and the well-being of students, USD 383 hopes to create fun and safe surroundings for effective learning. “I think it’s critical for me and our entire system to convince everybody in this room, everybody in the community that we really can make our vision reality,” Wade said. “… We’re going to have better communication, increased focus, higher expectations and then greater accountability for getting the things done that need to be done.” After the issues facing USD 383 were addressed, individual awards were announced as well as the accomplishments the district achieved, such as fundraising for renovations in Rezac Auditorium, a key feature to the West Campus. According to Jim Morrison, president of the Manhattan-Og-
den Public Schools Foundation, a non-profit that receives donations to later gift to the district, about $120,000 of the $150,000 goal was made. “We still have some projects to continue and complete,” Morrison said. “We hope they will add to the needs of the school and for students and the programs that we have.” While the Back to School Convocation proved the district still needs to work on a few areas, it was a mostly successful event that prepared teachers for the days to come and ensuring a great school year. “We’re really just beginning the process,” Wade said. “It’s a lot of work but it’s meaningful work and it gives us the direction, the accountability, the leadership, the vision that… [teachers] want.”
OPINIONS
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The Mentor Aug. 15, 2018 MHSMentor.com
Modern connectivity beneficial to students, journalists alike
Kaitlin Clark Print Editor-in-Chief
It’s said that as the use of technology grows, the world becomes smaller. As school once again resumes for students across the country, the ever-changing topic of technology and connectivity comes into the spotlight, impacting high school students in a big way. As a student journalist, I’ve had to gather my fair share of sources for everything from opinion arti-
cles to trending topics. A big part of the term “student journalist” is the word student, meaning that I’ve also written dozens of essays and created countless presentations for classes. I would spend hours researching, usually via the internet, but I noticed an interesting trend. No matter what assignment I was working on, I would always turn to news sources for the facts. I could learn about things that happened halfway across the world in mere minutes, and that fascinated me. The connection that we have as students of the 21st century is something that not only improves my schoolwork, but makes me a better journalist. Technology is often seen as something negative in an academic setting, but when put to
Dreaming of Summer
the right uses, it can be incredibly useful. Besides using the internet for research, students can now use it for everything from finding tutors to completing assignments from home. They can supplement classroom lessons if they need to, making learning more individualized than ever. According to a 2015 study from the National Center for Education Statistics, 94 percent of children ages three to 18 have a computer at home, and 61 percent of the same age group have internet access. The connectivity of technological advances presents endless opportunities for students of the 21st century. Personally, one of the many things I love about journalism is its function as a record of current events. One day, the stories cur-
Anika Nyp Graphic Artist
rent journalists write may be used as a glimpse back through history. Our history will be one of innovation and advancements. The internet has no doubt revolutionized the way we receive news, but it has also changed the way we create the stories consumers read. If I’m writing a story about a tournament a club participated in, it takes me mere seconds to find official rankings online whereas it could have taken hours without this source. One quick search grants an entire list of potential contacts for a story with emails included. Contacting people for interviews can be as simple as sending a message to set up a time. It truly has never been easier for journalists to find resources. All of this comes together as
we prepare for a new school year. New staff writers research names and facts while editors browse page design ideas and infographic examples. Before long, hundreds of students will be looking up terms for study guides and researching essay topics. The internet has become ingrained in our society, but with it, there is a new ease to everyday tasks for students and journalists alike. As a combination of the two, it has become an invaluable resource for me. Technology isn’t going away, and while it presents its fair share of problems, the good things about it will guide the students and journalists of tomorrow into a brighter future of convenience and informity.
Welcome back from Student Council Parker Wilson Guest Writer
First, I would like to welcome the incoming freshman, AFS, and all other returning and new students. I would also like to welcome back all the faculty and staff here at Manhattan High. I am very excited for this school year and what we plan on doing throughout it. In preparation for this year, I’ve tried to keep an eye on the needs of everyone throughout MHS rather than on any specific topic or any one event. What I’ve noticed is the slow loss of school pride and low appreciation for students, teachers and other staff. This being taken into account, my goals this year are to reinstill
as much pride as possible during athletic games, spirit weeks and other events that benefit Manhattan High and our community. I am also planning on incorporating new awards, appreciation days and other small surprises for any outstanding individual achievements. I am super excited to lead us through a fantastic year and hope everyone has a great first week back. As always, please feel free to approach me with any questions, concerns or ideas that you may have for making MHS an awesome place to be! Sincerely, Parker Wilson Student Body President
Bodybuilding contests need more drug tests Let your stories be heard
Micheal Simmons Blue M Editor-In-Chief
Bodybuilding competitions, like every athletic competition, provide stress on the competitors, some more than others. The International Federation of Bodybuilders holds multiple contests throughout each year to test the physique of both men and women such as Mr. Olympia, the Arnold Classic and Mr. America. In bodybuilding, it’s very often that the need to succeed has pushed athletes to the abuse of steroids. The IFBB should put heavier drug tests or penalties on athletes to ensure that the competition is fair, not endangering competitor’s health and setting a good example for the following generation. Whether it be the Olympics or a high school football game, unfair advantages are heavily restricted in any athletic competi-
tion. The use of steroids or any type of performance enhancing drug is unfair due to the high cost of the substances, making the environment of Bodybuilding a “pay to play” environment. According to T-nation, most IFBB pros use cycles of steroids leading up to their competition, in order to control the side effects. The cost of the substances involved in the cycle alone can cost anywhere from $8,000-20,000. This does not include the payment for a doctor to find the right cycle time for a specific athlete. This gives an unfair advantage to the wealthier bodybuilders, meaning it should be monitored more. Despite the fact that it is banned in competitions and illegal, athletes are still consistently using them as a way to gain an edge in the competition. Along with being unfair, it constantly puts the competitor’s life at risk. According to WebMD, side effects of almost all steroids can include an enlarged heart, heart attacks, mood swings, high level of bad cholesterol and suffering delusions. When combined with narcotic pain killers, another dangerous drug used by body-
builders, it can cause a dangerous and deadly list of side effects. According to Interesting Facts, Greg Kovacs, who was largely accepted to be the largest professional bodybuilder in the late 1990s, weighed 420 pounds in the off season and measured six-foot four-inches. He openly admitted to using steroids, which directly related to his cause of death in November 2013, which was due to a heart attack. Although the IFBB does have a ban on steroid use, it isn’t resolving the issue with another professional and famous bodybuilder, Rich Piana, who fell victim to a steroid-induced heart disease on Aug. 25, 2017. According to GreatPyshiques, Piana was widely known as a YouTube sensation and as an actor. Piana first became interested in bodybuilding at the age of six while watching his mother train for her competitions. If this cycle is allowed to continue, more children will watch their parents train as well and some children will observe their parents using steroids,which in turn will lead to more deaths such as Rich Piana.
Coming next edition:
The Mentor editorial returns with the same great content! Find us in print or online at
mhsmentor.com! Kaitlin Clark -- Print Editor-in-Chief Meredith Comas -- Online Editorin-Chief Micheal Simmons -- Opinions Page Designer Sophia Comas - Sports Editor
Hannah Heger - Trending Page Designer Hailey Eilert -- Photo Editor Anika Nyp -- Graphic Designer/Cartoonist
Staff Writers and Photographers -Julianna Poe, Rachel Edie, Tara Wood, Mbofho Ndou, Ayden Boyles Kristy Nyp -- Advisor The Mentor is published each Tuesday that school is in session at Manhattan
Meredith Comas Online Editor-in-Chief
It’s that time of the year again, when the comforting smell of sharpened pencils lingers in the air, the sound of crinkling notebooks and test packets in their impending anguish begin to sneak up behind the unsuspecting student on summer break. The zip of 2,200 backpacks can be heard ringing over Manhattan, the bus engines are whirring up for battle. The classrooms brace themselves for the havoc of a new class, the hallways take in their last breath of quiet. It’s a new school year. And, it seems every August, every school leader sends out these welcome stories or notes filled with the same redundant message as last year’s: welcome back, here’s my vision, here’s my random comments on a currently pressing topic that neither of us really care to read. I’m not going to do that. Instead, I’m going to ask you to tell me your visions for your school, for your publications, as the students of MHS. You may be wondering, why does she even care? Well, as a journalist, I’m always looking for a story -- your stories. My whole life I have found even the most
ordinary of things to be fascinating. Yes, that includes the 7 p.m. Medical Explorers meeting on a Tuesday night and the third hour science class that’s doing an experiment so insane one can’t help but be intrigued. The glorious thing about being in this job is you learn that everything is a story -- and I mean everything. The other glorious thing is that you as a student have the opportunity to provide us your stories and trust me, we want to hear them. Our goal as a publications staff is to successfully tell your stories and showcase all that MHS has to offer. However, we can’t do this alone; we need one very special addition to our process, you. I strongly encourage all of you to come to us with your stories -- whether it’s about a scholarship offer, a club event or a class that’s doing something just totally awesome that the community just has to know about it. Utilize the publications as your forum of expression, be an active citizen who is vocal and heard. If you aren’t sure how to go about getting our attention, it’s simple. Email us at mhsmentor@gmail.com, find us online at mhsmentor.com, our Twitter @ MHSMentorOnline or feel more than welcome to come find our staff in C-107 at West campus. This year is your year. This publication is your publication. Be creative, be heard, be you. We can’t wait to hear from you, MHS. Happy school year.
Send in your Letter to the Editor or guest column to mhsmentor@gmail.com High School, 2100 Poyntz Ave. Manhattan, Kan. Telephone (785) 587-2114. More than 1,000 Mentors are printed each week and distributed free of charge to all faculty members and students. MHS journalists are members of the Kansas
Scholastic Press Association and National Scholastic Press Association and National Scholastic Press Association. The Mentor is a public forum. E-mail us at mhsmentor@gmail.com.
SPORTS
The Mentor Aug. 15, 2018 MHSMentor.com
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Gearing up for the season MHS fall sports prepare for new school year Football Tara Woods Staff Writer
The Manhattan High football team has been working diligently over the course of the summer to prepare for their season, spending hours at school conditioning their muscles and rebuilding team cooperation in order to play the season at their highest potential. The workouts are meant to advance the players in speed, strength and endurance while also creating an element of teamwork within the group. “We’ve been working out all summer; Monday, Tuesday, Thursdays, and optional on Wednesday and Friday,” Chace McIlvaine, senior, said. With the loss of last year’s seniors, the team had to work even harder to prepare the underclassmen for their first home game. “One of the main things is we’ve got a lot of new guys coming in so we need to get the team bonding… so everything works
Cross country Bella Lane Staff Writer
The Manhattan High cross country team has already started off the season with a “we’ve got this” mindset. Everybody has their mind on sweeping all meets and winning state. “As a team we want to win state,” Clara Mayfield, senior, said. Mayfield and her fellow captains recruited several new runners. The captains trained with them as well as returning runners, focusing on running as well as a
Photo by Ayden Boyles Freshman Sam Ungerer leads sophomore Ethan Garren up one of the hills at Warner Park during the cross country team’s first practice on Monday. Ungerer attended several summer practices in preparation for the season.
Girls golf Hannah Heger Staff Writer
The Manhattan High girls golf team is teeing up for a new season, with several new freshman and new coaching staff. New head coach Paige McCarthy, who played for Kansas State and assisted in coaching at MHS from 2001 to 2004, used that experience as they ran drills, played several rounds of golf and bonded as a team. McCarthy’s expectations for the season are pretty simple. “The first week of summer, we had three-day camp for them at Stagg Hill golf course,” McCarthy said. “I want them to improve on last year’s finishes, set some individual goals, team goals. I’m not really hard, just improve themselves.” Freshman Grace Hutchinson is one of the new golfers. “I am looking forward to getting better at golf and making new friends,” Hutchinson said. Because there are only being
smoothly,” Jaylynn Liggons, senior, said. “Conditioning is a factor. We’re not always big, we’re not always superstrong, so we have to be on our top game.” The team also prepared through JJD camp at Hayden High, where they participated in practices with Shawnee and Hayden despite the competitive differences “It’s always good to see the different kinds of competition and to see how we stuck out,” Liggons said. All of this preparation is meant to help get the team to state, where last year they only made it to the second round in the playoffs. “We just have to keep working hard and learn from our mistakes last year and keep the bus rolling,” Liggons said. While new faces on the team include freshman and new players, they also welcomed Adam O’Neil, the new defense coordinator from Peoria, Illinois. These new faces prove advantageous for the team as the number of people on the team had increased from
last year’s. “That’s why we have to replace a lot of the guys that are now on Varsity,” Brady Flint, senior, said. While the team is ready for the season, they are unsure of whether or not Bishop Stadium will be ready due to the delays with the track renovations that have taken place this summer. “Unfortunately, the underlay of the track became a situation where we had to remove it and when we removed it we had to put a new blacktop surface on,” Mike Marsh, Athletic Director, said. “Then, some time here in the near future in early September the track company will come in and put the surface on the track at that time. With the first home game coming up on Aug. 31 against Olathe Northwest, this year’s football team will be able to show what they have been working on all summer. “We’re excited to get the new year kicked off for sports,” Marsh said.
strong mindset. “I’ve improved by increasing my training, and by putting myself in the mindset that we’re going to have a good season,” Sean Anderson, sophomore, said. Pushing themselves and supporting their teammates are among the runners’ plans. Even at summer practice they push each other to keep on going. “I’ve become better at encouraging my teammates,” Max Bowyer, freshman, said. “One of my goals for this Cross Country season is to meet new people and better myself as a person and runner.” Returning runners hope the new runners will bring fast times, respect the coach, and most importantly, try their hardest. “I hope the freshman bring some fast times because we don’t really have a varsity team right now,” Mayfield said. Most importantly people are excited to work with their new teammates. Many returning runners are excited to work with the freshman and help them improve. “We have a lot of new freshmen on the team,” Anderson said. “That will bring a new aspect of training and team unity,” The cross country runners are ready to better themselves as a person and athlete and compete against other teams in races. “I’m looking forward to racing because I haven’t done it in a while,” Mayfield said. “I’m looking forward to making memories with my teammates.”
Dance team
two seniors, the team is putting forth every effort to ensure the new golfers are properly prepared for competition. Having found leadership in those seniors, the team isn’t too worried. “I think from what I’ve experienced so far, they’re going to be fantastic leaders,” McCarthy said. One of those seniors, Elise Jackson, has distinct plans to ensure team victory. “We’re going to have more practices with both varsity and J.V. to be good role models for becoming better golfers,” she said. “I hope to bring a smooth transition into this upcoming year.” She is already working on becoming a better role model for the younger golfers. “I hope to encourage the younger girls into wanting to continue golf throughout their high school year,” Jackson said. The team looks forward to making state again this year and besting their fifth place finish. “We are shooting for top three this year,” Jackson says, ”I know that the future is good for the girl’s golf program even after I graduate.”
Rachel Edie Staff Writer
To prepare for performances, the Manhattan High School Dance team -- consisting of three freshmen and four sophomores -has been spending the summer at practices. Bright and early, each practice starts off with a quick warm up and stretch before beginning their routine. It didn’t take long before the team solidified their friendships. “We have a sort of chemistry I’d say,” Gabriela Howard, soph-
Cheerleading Julianna Poe Staff Writer
Over the summer, Manhattan High cheer met on many occasions and attended a cheer camp to practice working together as a team and to build strong relationships with each other. “We were hitting stunts and hitting lifts that we normally don’t hit until the middle of the basketball season during the summer,” Michelle Heit, assistant Varsity coach, said. The team dedicated themselves to bettering stunts and were rewarded for their hard work.
Girls tennis Hailey Eilert Photo Editor
Getting back into the swing of things, the Manhattan High girls tennis team spent time over summer break conditioning and preparing for the upcoming tennis season. Last year, the MHS varsity girls played a good season, however, varsity players have high hopes to play an even better season and continue to improve as a team. Varsity coach Tony Ingram and Junior Varsity coach Brad Fabrizius held multiple conditioning sessions over the summer, giving the players an opportunity to improve their playing. Unfortunately, the team did
Volleyball Micheal Simmons Blue M Editor-in-Chief
The graduating class of a sports team is always something that will be remembered as the players reminisce on their glory days. What is forgotten about while they have the spotlight is the class underneath them. For the Manhattan High volleyball team, that class is ready to take the spotlight and eager for another league title as well as another shot in the state tournament. “I’m super excited for this season,” Haleigh Harper, senior, said. “We have a lot to prove this year, especially after winning league and placing in the top four at state last year. I’m excited for the challenge and look forward to our team doing big things this season.” The Varsity squad graduated the majority of their starting line up, leaving Harper and Brooklyn Cink, senior, as the only returning
starters from the previous, history making season. As the team does not know the official starting lineup, they await tryouts and bring their attention to the difference in league competition. With their rival for the past several seasons, Shawnee Heights having left the Centennial League, they are to focus more on an old yet intensely arising rivalry, Washburn Rural. “Washburn Rural has always been a rivalry game,” Harper said. “They have a lot of returning starters coming back. Playing league teams is always exciting because we are all competing for the same thing..a league championship.” It is still unknown what the upcoming season has in store for the MHS volleyball team. However it is certain that for some teammates, this season will bring them their final moments on the court as a high school volleyball player. “Well it’s obviously very sad,” Kia Wilson, senior, said. “I am going to make the best of it try to make the moments with the team last as long as possible.”
omore, said. “We all like each other a lot and we’re doing really well.” New teammates are not the only thing the team will be adjusting to this year. They have also gained two new coaches - - head coach Anna Shields and assistant coach Ashton Thomas who is a Classy Cat for Kansas State. They seem hopeful that they can combat the reputation of “yearly coaches” that seem to plague the team. “One of our major goals this year is just improving their reputation and getting more girls to try out, and guys too,” Thomas said. In addition to practices they
will also be performing at football and basketball games, as well as pep rallies. They hope to live out their new motto, “Always give 110 percent. One of their goals is to showcase their talent and animate the crowd with every performance, even expressing an interest in the incorporation of props. The MHS Dance Team is anxious and prepared to perform soon. Their first performance will be at the first home football game on Aug. 31. “We’re just always working hard, always being committed, always trying to improve,” Thomas said.
“During cheer camp, both squads hit a pyramid, which took a lot of practice, but it was really rewarding when we finally got it right,” Emma Dieker, freshman, said. Cheer also fundraised over the summer through a program similar to GoFundMe. “We’ve raised over a thousand dollars so far without having to sell one box of cookie dough or one tumbler, one mattress, we haven’t had to do any of that, which has been really nice,” Heit said. “We got to focus on really working hard.” In addition, cheer welcomed Rayna Kittredge, as their new Junior Varsity cheer coach as well as an abundance of freshman.
“Last year we had maybe 12 or 13 seniors, so it was really senior-heavy,” Heit said. “This year, it’s really underclassmen-heavy, which is really exciting because that just means there’s growth coming up.” Despite the success they have already manifested, the cheer team still has goals they hope to achieve. “This year I definitely need to push myself harder, and I know a lot of people say that, but it really does show in how you perform,” Ellie Ballou, freshman, said. “I would also like to get into bigger stunts that are more complicated and as anyone else, strive to get to the next level, meaning the varsity team.”
not have as many occasions to practice as originally planned. Along with the challenge of players being absent due to other summer plans, multiple conditioning days were canceled because of poor weather. However, this didn’t stop the team’s positive attitude when it came to working hard at the other sessions. “There actually weren’t that many because weather didn’t really cooperate,” Joanna Park, junior, said. “But I went to the one last week. I wasn’t able to go to many because I was in California over the summer.” During conditioning the coaches led players in training activities, helping them regain focus and polish up their skills after the long offseason. “Cooperative hitting with a
partner and we played a game involving hitting volleys and overhead shots,” junior Megan Keenan said “I think it did help, especially for the new players because they were able to play with their new teammates in a new environment,” Park said. “They also got a feel of how our practices usually go, which really helps.” The conditioning sessions also allowed for the incoming freshman to get to know and bond with the other girls. Gaining more experience as a team before the official start to the season will give the team an early advantage, and may prove pivotal to their season. “I think we will improve because after each season we gain more experience,” Park said, “which is always helpful.”
To see more sports coverage about the MHS summer conditioning program, go to “The Mentor” website, mhsmentor.com
TRENDING
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The Mentor Aug. 15, 2018 MHSMentor.com
Mapping out freshman year Kicking off the new year can be a little scary but to help calm some nerves, upper classmen share some things they thought were an absolute don’t and things they enjoyed in the past.
“[Hardest class] Spanish because I was not good at it at all.” -- Andi Siebert, sophomore.
‘‘[Easiest class] P.E./health.” -- Malachi Mitchell, sophomore
“[Hardest class] drawing and painting”-- Tabatha Schneider, sophomore
“I would say my easiest teacher was Mrs. (Amy) Doering because she really helps her students by making study guides and just makes the class really fun and helps a lot with the notes.” -- Colin Hohenbary, sophomore
“[Easiest teacher] Ms. (Tahnee) Matuszewicz.” -- Adam Pickering, sophomore Graphics by Anika Nyp
“The weirdest thing that happened in “The weirdest thing that happened in class a class was somewas when Mr. (Shane) Sieben would make one coloring their us do pushups and then exercise during tongue with a pen.” class.” -- Maddy Wallin, sophomore -- Izzie Williams, senior
“[My weirdest moment was] watching kids making out in “The funniest mo- class.” ments in class were -- Adam Pickering, probably our Uno sophomore tournaments on our “The funniest thing that happened in class would be in seventh phones.” -- Hannah hour with Mrs. (Hannah) Pralle because guys would dance on the Pruss, sophomore desk when she’s in the hallway.” “The weirdest moment was in biology because we did a project -- Maddy Wallin, sophomore where we basically built an ‘ecosystem’ in a bottle and put a fish in it; the only weird thing was that my fish actually survived for a while.” -- Mario Caycedo, sophomore “[My funniest moment] was not a specific moment but watching the rest of the students doing strange things was always “The weirdest thing that has happened was probably in choir anytime Mr. (Chad) Pape does anything goofy.” -- Elise Jackson, funny.” -- Malachi Mitchell, sophomore senior