The Mentor: Nov. 10

Character Sky Masterson rolls his dice in an underground crap game to win the souls of the fellow gamblers. Junior Grant Williams played the snarky and confident lead as his first performance ever in a show. “[It’s] extremely nerve wracking, but I guess I’m going to deal with it,” Williams said. “The directors [are] super nice, extremely helpful because, I, you know, first time doing this.”

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH UNDERWOOD

the mentor

Volume 103 // Issue 8 // Nov. 10, 2015

Conference equips FCCLA members ANNA HUPP

Staff Writer

A grown-up science fair. Trifolds on little tables, laptops propped up so the screens are clearly visible, only a few small props allowed. This is what the upcoming Family, Career and Community Leaders of America competition next semester will include.

To prepare, Manhattan High’s FCCLA went to the District D Fall Conference on Wednesday. The conference

was located at Mission Valley High School in Eskridge, and

“He really taught us how to lead the club, and that we’re all leaders,”

--MaKenna Eilert

was attended by about 300 students, 10 from MHS. The purpose of the event was to encourage and inform

members.

“That’s what the whole thing was: leadership training and an overview of what the club was about,” Kaitlin Tyler, sophomore, said.

“We talked about the accomplishments of each group of FCCLA,” sophomore MaKenna Eilert said.

Vernon King Jr. was featured as the event’s keynote speaker.

King travels from place to place with the goal of sparking FC-

SEE FCCLA PAGE 3

Science Olympiad takes strides TRACY LE

News Editor Despite not having the class they had last year, Manhattan High’s Science Olympiad team has taken strides to perform just as well.

“We’re excited about this year. We have as good a group talent-wise as we’ve ever had,” coach Richard Nelson said. “I’d really like to see the team win the state competition this year.

We’ve gotten close numerous times; we were very, very close

last year. It’s even harder for us this year without the class but it’s still a possibility.”

Team members have been meeting for two hours each Saturday and those like senior Rebekah Hennesy have also been studying after school. “[Not having the class] has made it harder for us to all be together at once. I have not been able to meet with one of my partners due to scheduling conflicts,” Hennesy said.

SEE SCIENCE PAGE 3

Scholars Bowl takes first in Chapman Debate competes at KCKCC ANDREA LU

Graphics Editor The Manhattan High Scholars Bowl team traveled to Chapman for their next meet and continued to dominate at the meets.

“We got first place,” senior team player Joshua Schwartz said. “We beat Wamego by 10 points in the finals which was nice because we lost to them in the field play. So we got revenge.”

At this particular competition, there were 12 different schools that were divided into two pools of six teams, Pool A and Pool B. Like previous competitions, this competition pro-

ceeded in a round robin play.

During the competition, Manhattan High was in pool B and was at the top of their pool.

“We only had one loss,” assisant Scholars Bowl Coach Tim Ekart said. “I guess we went seven rounds and we went seven and one. We had one loss to Wamego in pool play and we ended up being in the semifinals playing Salina Central where we pretty handily defeated Salina Central 10020. And then in the final, we came back and met Wamego yet again and beat them by ten points. It was a close game all the way through, 80 to 70.”

The Manhattan High Scholars Bowl team typically per-

GLOBAL NEWS MADELINE MARSHALL Print Editor-in-Chief

Global news is a vital part of news today and can directly affect MHS students.

In order to inform our readers, The Mentor has compiled small summaries describing some of the largest happenings in the world today. We encourage the reader to read about these topics, and others, in greater depth.

Suu Kyi expects win in Myanmar Myanmar’s opposition leader

Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday implied that her party will win the country’s historic elections, and urged supporters not to provoke their losing rivals. After the Sunday election, Suu Kyi told a crowd gathered at the National League for Democracy party that the results won’t be announced soon, “but I think you all have the idea of the results,” according to the Associated Press.

Officials across Myanmar were counting votes from the election in which the NLD is expected to finish with the largest number of seats in Parliament. Sunday’s vote was the freest ever in Mynamar; many of the eligible 30 million voters cast ballots for the first time, including Suu Kyi, the epitome of the democracy movement.

forms well at these meets with the players feeling confident going in. For senior Cathy Lei, the Chapman competition was her first meet.

“Well, I was informed seventh hour the day of by Ben [Stonebraker] and Josh [Schwartz] that I would be going,” Lei said. “But I was fine.

Scholars Bowl is just a fun activity, so it’s not like there was pressure or anything.”

Overall, the team played well, taking yet another win for the team.

“I think we’re off to a good start,” Ekart said. “I continue to look for good things from

SEE SCHOLARS PAGE 3

Black football players strike in protest of Missouri administration In reaction to growing racial incidents on campus, football players at the University of Missouri went on strike from football activities until a was made in university leadership. The strike came after a Missouri graduate student named Jonathan Butler announced he was going on a hunger strike until University of Missouri president Tim Wolfe vacated his position.

“Since Mr. Wolfe joined the UM system as president in 2012, there have been a slew of racist, sexist, homophobic, etc., incidents,” Butler wrote in a letter when he started the strike on Nov. 2 according to NBC. He said he would continue the strike until “Tim Wolfe is removed from office or my internal organs fail and my life is lost.”

ELIZABETH UNDERWOOD

Features Editor

Competing among elite debate teams from various areas of America, one team from Manhattan fought to win.

Placing 32 out of 68, the team of sophomore Lily Colburn and senior Nathan McClendon spent this past weekend in Kansas City, Kan., at the Kansas City, Kansas, Community College tournament.

“We went 3-3, so we won three [and] lost three,” Colburn said. “This [was] a really big tournament, probably one of the largest we’ve been to.”

Competing in Varsity at KCKCC, Colburn and her partThe student protesters’ demands were met yesterday when Wolfe resigned from office.

Saying he takes “full responsibility for the inaction that has occurred,” Wolfe asked that the university community listen to each other’s problems and “stop intimidating each other.”

“This is not -- I repeat, not -- the way change should come about.

Change comes from listening, learning, caring and conversation,” Wolfe said. “Use my resignation to heal and start talking again.”

Netanyahu visits White House, Palestinian frustration continues Palestinian officials expressed frustration over what they see as a lack of direction in peace talks with Israel, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu trav-

ner McClendon got a taste of what competing at a higher level of debate was like as well as discover out of state competition. “[KCKCC] is mostly Kansas teams, but [it] also drew teams from six other states,” coach Ben Sutherland said. “So we got to see a lot of different teams and different styles.”

The singular team also gained the opportunity for better critiques and judging methods at this tournament.

“It’s a more flow judge panel so it’s more judges that have more experience in debate,” Sutherland said. “Which then

SEE DEBATE PAGE 3 eled to Washington for his first meeting in a year with President Barack Obama. Husam Zomlot, a senior aide to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, said the U.S. should urge the Israeli government to cease settlement activity in the Palestinian territories and return to the negotiating table for multilateral peace talks according to the Washington Post.

“Netanyahu wants to convince Obama and the world that the issue is Palestinian hatred of Israel,” Zomlot said. “Palestinians, like all others, hate injustice, occupation and decades long denial of their basic rights.”

Netanyahu’s trip to the White House comes at a sensitive time for Israel, which is still reeling from the international community’s nuclear deal with archenemy Iran and a wave of Palestinian violence that shows no signs of ending.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE NEWS CHECK OUT MHSMENTOR.COM

Opinions

The Mentor // NOV. 10, 2015 // MHSMentor.com Page 2

Presence of differing experiences crucial in educational setting THIS EDITORIAL IS A COMPILATION FROM A DISCUSSION HELD BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD. TO LISTEN TO THE CONVERSATION THAT LED TO THIS PIECE, VISIT WWW.MHSMENTOR.COM. Last week a Conway Springs teacher, Tom Leahy, was asked to resign after showing students an anti-bullying film that depicts a fictional world in which heterosexual children are bullied by homosexual classmates.

The resignation was in response to a slew of complaints coming from angry parents. This brings about the question: is it really the parent’s role to dictate their child’s curriculum?

The Mentor editorial board thinks not.

Leahy showed the video after his students, in creating a utopian society for an assignment, started calling for the eradication of gays. So, he found a video that depicted the problem with hating someone, bullying them, because of their sexuality.

Such hate should not be tolerated and we commend Leahy for attempting to teach his students

that. Sadly, we must instead mourn the lost educational opportunities caused by small-minded parents who didn’t want their kids to learn anything “controversial.”

Education is just as much centered around the idea of life lessons and helping students be functioning adults as it is around memorizing dates and formulas.

Likewise, the role of the teacher shouldn’t simply be to spew facts at half-asleep children, it should be about engaging students and teaching them about life, about how to think critically, and the only way to do that is to introduce them to other viewpoints, ideologies, etc.

Teachers hold a large amount of power in regards to the development of their students and have the opportunity to mold them into great, independent thinkers. Parents should not be allowed to stifle this based on their own bigotry.

Sure, when kids are in elementary school it might be a good idea to send home a permission slip before they watch

LGBT+ Perspective:

“I Don’t need your support, just respect”

ANNA ALANAZI

Blue M Photo Editor People are being kicked out of their homes, fired from jobs and having to answer personal questions about their sexual orientation across the nation, due to closed-minded business owners. They are being extremely violated to the point where community leaders and local residents are considering passing laws to protect the LGBT+ community.

OK, so according to the Riley County Community Needs Assessment, a survey about community-wide resources conducted by Wichita State University’s Center for Community Support and Research, discrimination due to sexual orientation and race in the last year were both reported by over 17 percent of the 1,126 respondents and focus groups.

In addition, the members of the Flint Hills Human Rights Projects are also discussing LGBT+ discriminations and ways to solve it.

Here’s a wild thought for landlords and employers. Stop being a jerk. Just because you don’t think something is right doesn’t mean it’s wrong. You are entitled to your own beliefs and opinions; just be aware of who you might be hurting when you act on them.

I understand that there are many aspects and reasons as to why people think the way they do; it can come down to religious or moral beliefs. Yet, your ultimate moral belief should be to respect other’s differences. Show

your respect and move on. Let’s all pretend we’re a semi-decent society and that we respect people’s decisions even if, in our eyes, it’s not the choice that’d you’d make. Just imagine how great that’d be.

As a society, we have defined what is normal and what is alien. I understand that this has carried on for centuries, but we can make a difference; we’re already halfway there. In a story published on the Tampa Bay [Fla.] Times’ website on Sunday, Hillsborough County, which banned the pride parade a few years ago, is gathering its charter review board to weigh whether sexual orientation and gender identity should be added to the charter’s anti-discrimination section.

Life is about meeting a diverse group of people and gaining more perspective in order to grow as a person. It is crucial that we keep an open mind.

Personally, I am gay. I have been gay for as long as I can remember, but I grew up in a family and a culture that frowned upon that; in fact, death was the punishment. So, I had to suppress all of these feelings because I was made to believe that I was wrong. In order for me to live somewhat happily, I have to live by other people’s principles, and I shouldn’t have to.

Nor should the people who are being harassed in public situations.

I’m not asking you to change your entire belief system, I am simply asking for you to respect who I am.

People are being incredibly hurtful and close minded that it has created an inhospitable environment for LGBT+ people to live freely as themselves. So it’s either we change the way we see the world, or we enforce laws to protect the LGBT+ community.

STAFF MEMBERS: Madeline Marshall -- Print Editor-In-Chief/Opinions Greg Woods -- Online Editor -In-Chief Tracy Le -- News Editor Savannah Cherms -- Entertainment Editor Erick Echegaray -- Sport Editor Elizabeth Underwood -- Features Editor Angie Moss -- Trending Editor

“the video,” but parents shouldn’t be at the helm of a teacher’s curriculum, steering it towards their own beliefs and censoring anything that makes them uncomfortable.

Education is supposed to be about introducing students to as many differing experiences and viewpoints as possible so as to allow the student to discern right and wrong for themselves.

If a student is simply spoon-fed whatever doctrine their parents had spoon-fed to them, then there is no opportunity for personal growth or understanding and, thus, no opportunity for the whole of society to be bettered.

More specifically to this particular incident, it must be recognized that no matter what your individual views are, no one has the right to belittle and dehumanize an entire group of people and such bigotry certainly shouldn’t be tolerated within an educational environment.

There is no capacity for positive change if there is no capability to freely think.

Pledge deserves respect

stood up respectfully facing the flag while others said the Pledge. The substitute then forced all of the students to stand up and recite the Pledge. If they didn’t do as asked, the students were writCORA ASTIN ten up. According to the Photo Editor Supreme Court case the actions taken by the substitute were unlawful.

But knowing this, you Earlier this week while must also understand reciting the Pledge of Althat if you chose not to say legiance, senior Rachel the pledge, it is viewed as Chang interchanged respectful some of the to stand up words that and face I found of- “But knowing this, you must also understand the flag. f e n s i v e . that if you chose not to say the pledge, it is In light Instead of viewed as respectful to stand up and face the of all of saying “ this, it must ... one na- flag.” be undertion under stood that God...” she the words of the Pledge read the Pledge as “... One I understand that, acDirection under God.” cording to the Supreme of Allegiance are viewed She did this to celebrate Court case West Virginia as sacred and respected One Direction’s album State Board of Education dearly by many our country, especially those with that leaked a week early. v. Barnette, students canIn addition to the in- not be compelled to recite a military or security conterchange of words, se- the Pledge, nor can they nection. It’s important to nior Corbin Sedlacek took be punished for not do- me because my dad has a poll on Twitter about ing so. I realize that there served under it.

Although it may seem how the Pledge should have been issues with be recited. As of mid-day teachers at our school amusing that the words yesterday, 53 percent of about this. Another staff were mixed while recitour school’s respondents member at The Mentor ing the Pledge, it was trusaid “One Direction” was told me that in one par- ly disrespectful. It’s disrea better choice than “one ticular issue earlier this spectful to those who put their lives on the line for nation.” year between students All of this poses a ques- and a substitute teacher our country and our freetion: Does our school -- in a class she was in, the dom, and it’s disrespectour generation -- not val- students had either said ful to their kids who are ue the Pledge and what it the Pledge and/or they in our school. stands for?

Here’s a little background information about the Pledge of Allegiance: it was originally composed in 1882

by Colonel George Balch.

Congress did not formally adopt the Pledge until 1942, and the name “Pledge of Allegiance” didn’t come around until 1945. Many government meetings open with the pledge, as do most school days.

Question of the

week:

“well, there’s bound to be one good candidate (out of the 15 there are) from the Republican Party” -- Corbin Sedlacek, senior (@csedlacek_97)

Next edition’s question:

What’s your favorite way to show school spirit?

Any thoughts on the upcoming election?

“a retired neurosurgeon who believes Joseph built the pyramids and a reality tv star are leading GOP polls...

I’m terrified” -- Colin Beauregard, senior (@colinbeauregard)

“#FeelTheBern” -- Peter Gruenbacher, senior (@Peter_Grue) “‘I’m just disappointed Kanye isn’t running THIS time.

THAT WAS SARCASM GUYS” -- Emma Lansdowne, sophomore (@epicemma55)

“Vote Vermin Supreme” --Joshua Schwartz, senior (@GreenWeasel11)

“the election is rigged.

The media is rigged.

There’s no true representation of America’s people in office.”

--Kenny Cecil, sophomore (@kennipher)

Letter to the Editor:

Student Body President speaks out I wanted to give a student’s perspective with regards to Homecoming/ school spirit/ powderpuff cheerleading ending. After talking with many students, the following is what I feel needs to be said.

Upon reviewing a video of the performance, I believe that 100 percent of what occurred during the performance was “appropriate.”

(During practices, we had a teacher supervising to “make sure that the whole dance is appropriate.”) I had to force myself to look specifically for the “rear ends rubbing up against the front of others,” before I debatably saw it. Even if one claimed that this did happen, this only equated for about a second (less than .01 percent) of the performance. If this did happen, it is NOTHING compared to two years ago when three young men were intently licking a sledgehammer. What I do not understand is why this, alleged, “rubbing” was a big deal, but the sharing of saliva didn’t seem to be.

It honestly deflates me to think that someone would make the claim that Manhattan High lacks school spirit, or that

Cora Astin -- Photo Editor Andrea Lu -- Graphics Designer/Copy Editor Alan Brown -- Copy Editor Staff Writers -- Anna Alanazi, David Fliter, Ale Flores, Anna Hupp, Megan Klug, Gavin Larios, Jordan Lutz, Tara Magaña, Maya Minocha, Dakota Santiago Staff Photographers -- McKenna Eilert, Logan Logback, Moriah Presley, Lauren Race, Dylan Thomas

we don’t show it correctly. I don’t care who you are — you could be the President of the United States for all I care — if you make even the slightest implication that Manhattan High lacks school spirit, you are 100 percent wrong. We have crowds show up to tailgates before football games, both

tradition that is rooted in one having school spirit.

Whether you’re an athlete, cheerleader or in the stands, you show school spirit by just showing up and you amplify it when you participate.

Another example of a great tradition is Homecoming.

Homecoming has changed a lot over the

“It honestly deflates me to think that someone would make the claim that Manhattan High lacks school spirit, or that we don’t show it correctly.”

-- Corbin Sedlacek home and away. We take “fan buses” to (some) post-season competitions.

When you go to a basketball game, you end up having to fight someone next to you for a seat. On multiple occasions, we’ve had more students present at away games than the home team did. And our student section is one of, if not the, loudest student sections in the state.

Our student section even made it onto the “Top Student Sections” Twitter account (with over 19K followers), for the whole world to see.

Showing school pride is a wonderful tradition, a

years. These more recent changes include the removal of the Homecoming dance and the annual parade down Poyntz. Although these were, eventually, replaced with a “Fun Night” and a shopping cart parade, the removal of these proved to be damaging to our Homecoming celebration.

Powderpuff cheerleading has since become a tradition that is crucial to Homecoming.

It is the only thing that a majority of students look forward to during Homecoming. The young men that participate in

Kristy Nyp -- Adviser Circulation -- Kim Schnee’s fifth hour class: Kristyn Baker, Caleb Barnes, Dalton Blake, Wesley Cattanach, Charlie Dickey, Karl Drown, Rachel Efken, Logan Jones, Lynne Jones, Colten Kirk, Josh Kohls, Douglas McCaskill, Faith A. Parker, Alesha Pearl, Megan Ritthisorn, Bradley Rollins, Mythias Satterfield, Amissa Self, Tedi Stein, Hannah Sullivan and Austin Tatum.

powderpuff cheerleading are the same guys that lead cheers during school sporting events.

The whole point of powderpuff cheerleading is to having a group of senior guys embarrass themselves, in fun, in front of the entire student body, in order to promote school spirit. Participating in powderpuff is just another way that these young men exercise school spirit. By choosing to end the tradition of powderpuff cheerleading, I — as well as many of my classmates — believe that this, too, will prove detrimental to what little of a Homecoming we struggle to hold on to, thus decreasing school spirit.

If, “...our nation depends upon the cornerstone of democracy: our ability to govern ourselves,” then we should truly use democracy: let students, teachers and staff vote on whether, or not, to keep powderpuff cheerleading.

Thank You, Corbin Sedlacek MHS Student Body President

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 1,000 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. The Mentor is an open forum that accepts contributions from the public. E-mail us at mhsmentor@gmail.com.

Page 3

The Mentor // NOV. 10, 2015 // MHSMentor.com Entertainment

Halo 5 brings intense multiplayer, redeems lackluster storyline

PHOTO COURESTY OF XBOX

DAVID FLITER

Staff Writer

“Halo 5” incorporates a lot of new elements to the core gameplay mechanics that fans of the series have loved since the beginning. While some of these elements excel at their purpose, there are a few that fall short.

The story of Halo 5 centers around two

“Spartan” squads. For those who don’t know, Spartans are genetically engineered super soldiers bred from birth to fight alongside the UNSC marine corp to defend space from the malevolent alien group known as “The Covenant.” The two teams that are in the spotlight are Blue Team and Fireteam Osiris.

Blue Team is led by the series’s main protagonist, a Spartan referred by many as “Master Chief” who is on a search for the fully self aware A.I known as Cortana who has given him purpose and assistance with his difficult tasks.

Her A.I expired in his to combat the threat of system in Halo 4. Unfortu- the re-emerged alien nately, Master Chief goes race “The Forerunners.”

AWOL from the United While the overall idea Nations Space Command of the story is interest(UNSC) in order to do so. ing, it falls short in many This is places. where The deF i r e - “The developers tried a velopers team tried a O s i r i s bit too hard to focus on bit too c o m e s setting up for another hard to in. focus on L e d installment in the Halo setting b y franchise. ” up for Sparanother t a n installagent ment in Jamesthe Halo on Locke, Fireteam Osiris franchise. is tasked with finding the I have no problem Chief and bringing him with this, I would love back in order to be able for them to continue to

Denver punk band shreds in new single away, you get the vibe

endariz’s vocals are clear

SAVANNAH CHERMS Entertainment Editor

The Internet has become the easiest and fastest way for small bands and musicians to network and gain fans. This is just as true for Denver punk band “The Ephinjis.” After I was introduced to them when I visited Denver last spring, this small trio of rockers gained a permanent fan, and they have not disappointed with their newest single coming from their EP, which will be released later in November. The band is unsigned and has a small following, but can still pump out amazing rock songs with the best of them The single is called “The Beast,” and right

PHOTO COURTESY OF IVAN ARMENDARIZ

from the song that this is what the Ephinjis brand of punk is. Ivan Arm-

and bright, easily carrying the tune of this fastpaced punk song. It is

easy to tell that these guys get their inspiration from classic punk, but also the greats of the genre like Green Day and The Offspring. Ivan shreds on guitar while his brother Christian Armendáriz crushes it on drums.

And the best part? Female bassist Alexandra Flynn, who absolutely kills it and brings the backing vocals that help complete the song. The instrumental is incredible, and it is really what sets the tone of this song.

This is a song that makes me want to grab my friends and just go destroy things.

The band describes themselves as one with “brutally honest lyrics and relentless sound,” which is clear in “The Beast.” I can’t wait to hear more from these three, and the day will soon come when we’ll be hearing the Ephinjis out of our own speakers.

Performing arts returns home proudly ANNA ALANAZI Staff Writer

Manhattan High choir, band, orchestra and jazz band traveled to Junction City for the Kansas Music Educators Association regional auditions for the district level Saturday.

“Students from all of those districts are auditioning to be in honor group for band, choir, orchestra or jazz band,” orchestra and Jazz band director Nate McClendon said. “So they’ve been

FROM SCIENCE PAGE 1 “We’re doing our best to meet after class, but often times other extracurricular activities get in the way.”

One of Hennesy’s partners, sophomore Stephanie Fu, has also made extra plans to overcome the loss of the class.

“I’m planning on doing a lot more individual preparation and studying for my events at home but it isn’t the same without the class. We have much less time to prepare for the competitions,” Fu said.

Nelson agrees.

“The class allowed us to do some things we hadn’t been able to do, practice some stuff that the whole team could practice,” Nelson said. “[But we’re] just [trying] to encourage the students

practicing since school started.”

Upon their arrival, students were divided into groups and practiced at the school gym for their blind audition.

“For me I was a judge.

So once I got my students set and ready I had to go back into a room and then they hid me behind boards, and then for next three hours I’m listening to student after student,” McClendon said. “So it was fun to get to hear all the students from all the

different schools. I enjoyed hearing that.”

For McClendon, his favorite part was watching his young students, the ones that haven’t auditioned before, step up to the next level.

“You watch students stretch themselves and go beyond what they have to do before, or you see them grow, that’s the best part as a teacher,” McClendon said.

For students, the day was spent practicing and waiting in lines for their

audition. Senior Lydia Parrish auditioned for orchestra and choir.

“We stood behind a board and the judge was behind a board. They asked us if we were ready and we nodded, because we weren’t allowed to indicate who we are. We press play and sing all three songs and left,” Parrish said. “[The best part was] just hanging out with my friends. They played inside out for us while we waited, that was interesting.”

to work hard and practice on Saturdays and get help building their projects,” Nelson said.

The team will head to Kansas City to compete in their first practice competition this year Nov. 14.

“It’s pretty early in terms of when previous practice competitions have been scheduled, but I’m hoping that the practice competition will give everyone a good idea of what is expected from the real competitions and bring us together as a team,” Hennesy said.

“I’m excited,” Fu said.

“This is a chance for everyone to get to know their event better and that can only help us do better at Regionals and State. I think everybody really wants to get to Nationals this year, especially the people who were on the team last year and

saw how close we were and I think we can do it if we study and prepare very well.”

As a senior, this year is Hennesy’s last chance to help get her team to Nationals.

“Each year we’ve gotten closer and closer to winning State,” Hennesy said. “This year, Nationals would coincide with graduation and I can’t think of a better way to end my time at Manhattan High than getting to compete with the team and coaches I love. The only way to do that would be to win State so needless to say, I’ve wanted us to win state every year, but this year I’ve got more motivating me to win than ever. It’s also Mr. Lamb’s last year. I would love it if we were able to give him the best retirement gift ever.”

FROM FCCLA PAGE 1 CLA members’ enthusiasm.

“He really taught us how to lead the club, and that we’re all leaders,” Eilert said.

More specifically, King commended students for previous accomplishments.

“He went over things people had done, for instance if they’d won the previous year, and congratulated people,” Tyler said.

King also explained the club’s STAR (Students Taking Action with Recognition) events, which require members to investigate and present a topic of their choice.

“You pick what you want to do,” Tyler said.

“You simplify your topic down to, like, all of your project’s steps, and then

make games but what I would enjoy even more is a story with substance.

The story brings you to many different planets but never really justifies why it matters that you are there.

The one thing that redeems the rather dull campaign is the introduction of four player online co-op where you and your friends can assume the position of the characters and coordinate tactics as you play, or just yell obscenities as I personally prefer to do.

In fact, multiplayer is where this game shines the most. The added “Warzone” mode incor-

porates a large battlefield element to a multiplayer that was focused mainly on small maps. These warzone modes have the player fighting not only against other players but against computer controlled bosses that spawn periodically. The classic small map modes such as Slayer, SWAT and Freefor-all are included in the arena mode multiplayer, including an intense new elimination based mode called Breakout.

Overall, the game is the most fun when played with other people whether it is with your friends or with random people over Xbox live.

ARTIST OF THE WEEK Have you ever been in any other musicals? -“I’ve been in lots of musicals before but this is my first time getting a big parts. I play Sarah Brown. She is a missionary who is determined to convert Broadway to Christianity. ” Can you relate to Sarah Brown? -“I kind of do relate to her, she has the best interest for everyone at heart and I always put peoples’ problems in from of mine. She stands to her own self I can relate, she’s all about don’t let anyone tell me what to do just believe in what you believe in. ” How long have you been acting? -“I started acting in the seventh grade and I did a lot of the summer musical plays with parks and rec. Mr. [Chad] Pape is my favorite person in the world. I’ve been in in every MHS musical, and i was head of hair and makeup last year.”

Why do you like musicals? -“I’m kind of shy when it comes to acting. That’s not really my strong suit I’m better at singing and musicals are more fun. Being on stage and singing, it’s my happy place.”

Do you plan on acting in college?-“I want to go to school for opera, I want to major in opera. I think it would be fun. I want to teach music, I want to teach secondary music education. I want to do what Mr. Pape does. ”

KATHERYNE HAGER you present it. The judges base you on how well you did presenting it and how well you simplified your project.”

After listening to King, FCCLA members clustered into smaller divisions.

“We broke out into little like small groups,” Tyler said, “and basically talked about how to better communicate with your family.”

Club members enjoyed the conference.

“It was actually pretty awesome,” sophomore Raige Krumm said.

“There was a guest speaker who talked about motivating youth,” Tyler said.

FROM SCHOLARS PAGE 1 our Scholars Bowl team.

I’ll be interested to see how we perform in some

FROM DEBATE PAGE 1 gives us better feedback on our balance and kids have more freedom to run arguments that they wouldn’t other places, so this was a great critiquefriendly place.”

In the end, the tournament was a success for the both of them in both an extension of knowledge and experience.

“It’s definitely one of the better tournaments we’ve been to this year,” Sutherland said. “We’re learning a lot this year, and we’re a young team and we’re hoping to make our best run at both national qualifier and for state and I’m really proud of them.” of the 6A meets that we have. But aside from that, I think we had a strong showing thus far.”

Sports The Mentor // NOV. 10, 2015 // MHSMENTOR.COM Page 4

Soccer falls to Washburn in Sub-State; season over

Senior Gardner Blanck tries to gain control of the ball last Tuesday night in Topeka against Washburn Rural.

PHOTO BY GREG WOODS

ERICK ECHEGARAY

Sports Editor

A rivalry once again renewed.

The Manhattan High soccer team took their game over to Washburn Rural for the third time in three years to decide their playoff fate last Tuesday.

With hopes of defeating nationally ranked Washburn in their home field just like in 2013, the Indians took the field against the opponent that has ended their dreams of state multiple times over the years.

A whole season and a generation of players de-

pending on one last game.

Not only a season, but a record-breaking season for Manhattan. Records such as the all-time goal record and the single season assist record were broken.

It was also the season where Manhattan didn’t allow a single ball to hit their net in seven straight games. Carrying the load of a tremendous regular season, the Indians showed up to avenge their 4-2 loss earlier this year at Bishop Stadium and more importantly their loss to Washburn last year also in Sub-State.

“This is the game we

circled on our calendars every single year,” senior forward Kirkland Lambert said.

Led by all-time leading scorer Austin French, the team entered Washburn’s turf pitch once again. From the moment the whistle blew signifying the beginning of the match, both of the teams engaged in a physical style of play, both battling for ball-possession.

“That’s how the play every year, they get on you as fast as they can and they get physical.

They try to win that portion of the match and let that be how they win the

Rowing faces new challenges ALEJANDRA FLOREs

Staff Writer

Even though rowing is not part of the Manhattan High School sports, some students are enrolled in this club out of MHS. This season, the rowing team had a lot of changes starting from having a new coaching staff to doubling the numbers of rowers.

There are two different types of rowing. One of them is the Mixed 8+ teams concern of eight different rowers of the same sex and the 4X team that consists of four rowers and a coxswain who is the person who steers the racing shell.

There is also a different kind of rowing called Men’s Single that requires a single man to scull by himself. Novices are the new girls added team and varsity girls have been a year in the team.

In their first regatta, the Mixed 8+ guys and girls team won third place and the 4x team won third place likewise.

During the season rowers do different kind of activities from March to November they race in

game,” senior defender Tanner Dillon said.

The first half ended on an exasperating note as a cross from a free kick passed by Manhattan’s 18-yard box untouched as time ran out. Set-pieces were defended much better this time around for MHS, as earlier this season, all four of Washburn’s goals came directly off some kind of setpiece play.

The beginning of the second half was an exciting one on the side of MHS. The Indians built up play and had a clear opportunity 10 minutes into the half which ended

on a save by Washburn.

With about 20 minutes to go in the game, a long throw in into the box caused confusion on the Indians and the Junior Blues put the ball past the net to take a 1-0 lead halfway through the first half. Demoralized and tired, the Indians tried but failed to score the equalizer.

Two players from the Indians’ side had to be looked at by trainers during their effort for a goal.

The referee finally blew the whistle at the end of the remaining time signifying Washburn Rural’s pass over Manhattan in

Sub-State for the second year in a row.

“It just didn’t go our way, we couldn’t get anything going,” Lambert said.

He managed to break the single season assist record earlier this year.

“Records are great and all, but the only record that I cared about and the rest of the team cared about was the State title.

I’m excited for myself and for Austin [French], but really we just wanted to go to State,” said Lambert.

Manhattan ended their season with a record of 15-4.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

water; from December to March they practice in rowing machines and for spring break they have the opportunity to go to a workshop at Baylor, Texas.

Last Sunday, the rowing team went to their last regatta.

“I think is going to go really well, the boats are moving together good, and everyone is doing a good job,” junior Taylor McMorris said.

Sophomore Bailey Cameron is a novice in the rowing team.

“I am really excited and looking forward to it,” Cameron said. “We could step up our game a little bit and pay more attention in class.”

The rowers have a great bond with each other and are happy to work together to obtain places in their Tournaments.

“It’s like a big family,” sophomore Kenzie Davis said. “They are so accepting. They love you no matter what.”

At the last regatta they got third place in their novice Women 8+ and the co-captain of the rowing team won third place in his men’s single.

GREG WOODS

Online Editor-in-Chief

PHOTO BY LAUREN RACE

Perhaps the only thing more challenging than combining academics with sports is combining academics with two sports.

But that’s what senior Brandon Religa did this fall.

Religa, a four-year soccer player at Manhattan High, fused soccer and football for his senior season. He served as the kicker on the football team on top of playing defender for the soccer squad, which fell just short of Washburn Rural at sub-state.

“I wanted to be a part of more than one Varsity sport here at Manhattan,” Religa said. “I wanted to use myself in soccer, but I also wanted to contribute in football,” Much is made about

how straining spending time in the classroom and at practice can be.

Religa’s experiences were much the same.

“It started out fine.

Eventually, it started weighing on me a little bit,” he said. “Classes started getting a little bit more difficult.”

Because of his efforts in sports and in the classroom, Religa made it to the state finalist stage of the Wendy’s High School Heisman program. The organization teams up with the Heisman Trophy Trust to recognize roughly 5,000 high school seniors.

He said he appreciated the recognition but, more or less, took it with a grain of salt.

“It was pretty neat,” Religa said. “I just didn’t think much of it because it’s such a big national idea.”

BRANDON RELIGA

Freshmen given chance, excel in Varsity spots GREG WOODS

Online Editor-in-Chief If newcomers weren’t supposed to make an impact on Varsity sports at Manhattan High, someone forgot to tell this year’s freshmen.

Six freshmen filled roster spots on Varsity fall sports in 2015, among them members of the volleyball, girls golf and cross country teams. And they made a rather large impact.

Brooklyn Cink played as an outside hitter on the volleyball team, and

while she did not start every game, she made an appearance in each contest. She said fitting in with the five seniors didn’t take much time.

“At the beginning it was hard,” Cink said. “But the girls were really welcoming to me, so I fit in very well. By the end, we bonded very well.”

The transition from middle school to high school came with challenges and surprises for many of the freshmen.

For Cink, the challenges arrived in the form of the tougher competition.

“It was very different.

Better girls, older girls,” she said. “It was more intimidating as well. The play of the game is faster, and [there are] better teams.”

Madeline Purdom, who ran on the girls side of the State-champion cross country team, echoed Cink’s sentiments.

“There was more competition,” she said. “You were closer to your teammates.”

However, neither Anthony nor Eisenhower middle schools offer golf as a sport. So for golfers

Elise Jackson and Camy McAtee, opportunities to improve before hitting the high school stage came as summer tournaments.

“All those tournaments I did in the summer, they were with girls older than me,” McAtee said. “I kind of got used to playing up, and I got a little more experience.”

Without any juniors on seniors on the Varsity golf squad that finished in fourth place at the State meet, Jackson explained that the team shared the pressure of performing

well.

“It wasn’t that bad because we’re all young so we all just kind of felt the same amount of pressure,” Jackson said. “I don’t think it’s any different.”

Isabelle Williams also ran on the cross country team, but her only year of experience in middle school came in her eighth grade year. She said the behind-the-scenes preparation for meets was the biggest difference between the two levels.

“The biggest difference was probably the

workouts that we did,” she said. “They were a lot harder.”

Clara Mayfield, who also ran with Purdom and Williams on the cross country team, said the lessons she learned from head coach Susan Melgares proved valuable.

“She showed me what a team can be like and how great team experiences really can be,” she said. “I’ve never really experienced that before.”

Page 5

The Mentor // Nov. 10, 2015 // MHSMentor.com

Features

Students solve functions for feasts

ELIZABETH UNDERWOOD

Features Editor Rushing through the school, students in Dedra Braxmeyer’s Advanced Algebra II class hunted down answers to make a perfect Thanksgiving feast.

As a review with a twist, Braxmeyer set up separate stations throughout the hallways in the school, each having a specific food, and instructed teams of two to go through them, solving problems that related to their upcoming test.

“It was fun,” junior Anna Hupp said. “I mean, it was definitely different than what you would normally do.”

Pairing up with their classmates, the math students worked together to grasp the concepts and ideas relating to their latest lesson on functions.

“It was good, like, we got to work with partners so if we didn’t know something we could talk about it,” junior Caroline Hwang said.

In addition to reviewing problems and expanding their understanding of piecewise

functions, students unknowingly competed for prizes based off of their feast results.

“The next day [Braxmeyer] told us who got the most, like the biggest Thanksgiving meal and there was also the weirdest combination of foods and there was also the healthiest,” Hwang said.

Overall, the experience was both beneficial and exciting for the students.

“It was fun running around the school,” sophomore Anastasia Mingo said. “I was able to work on [the problems] and it made a lot more sense.”

TOP: Working out a piecewise function, sophomores Ashlyn Gillispie and Chase Dillion work to earn cranberry sauce on the first floor bridge. Students in teacher Dedra Braxmeyer’s Advanced Algebra II classes were tasked with a scavenger hunt to find different Thanksgiving foods scattered throughout the commons, cafeteria and music hallways and were then required to correctly solve corresponding piecewise functions to earn each food item.

LEFT: Scavenging for food outside the sophomore office, junior Hannah Johnson and sophomores Kailey Perkins and Anastasia Mango work to solve a piecewise function in order to earn a pumpkin pie.

PHOTO by Tara magaña

Military Ambassadors created as interest group Business Megan klug

Blue M Sports Editor Manhattan High has an abundance of military students in attendance throughout the year. A constant shuffle of new students come and go while some military kids have been stationed in Manhattan for years.

Due to the large amount of military personnel involved in our school, an interest group was arranged called the Military Ambassadors. In it military kids can help their fellow counterparts integrate into the school as a new military student.

The group is sponsored by a brigade on base along with businesses such as Chik-Fil-A. “The purpose is to help new military students

adjust and guide them through the school and getting to know new people and friends,” junior Cora Astin said.

Volunteers were not hard to encourage and people were on board with the program almost immediately.

“As a military kid we move around a lot so, I know what it’s like to come to a new school and not know anything,” sophomore Rain Raite said.

Regardless of the group, students have always taken it upon themselves to help out the new military students.

“If I find out that they’re a military kid I’m naturally trying to help them out,” junior Jordan Lutz said. “We know what it’s like and always being

the new kid and it’s an awful feeling so we want to help them out.”

The commonalities between new military kids with the ones already present at MHS help bring them together.

“One of the good things about military kids is that they understand me when I rattle off military terms or the time,” Lutz said.

For now Military Ambassadors is only an interest group, but based on the massive interest and positive feedback it has received it is expected to be up and running by next semester as a club.

“I think it’s a great idea for military kids coming in to feel welcomed and accepted already,” Raite said.

Bell learns sign language Jordan Lutz

of like makeup but, certain signs … there’s not a mental connection.”

Bell wishes to conMany people choose tinue learning sign lanto learn another language so he guage such can go on to as Spanish help deaf stuor French dents learn. but not many “I think I think of want to go to learning sign the Univerlanguage. sity of Tulsa Junior Cody to continue Bell is one learning and of the ones get my dewho chose gree so I can to study sign teach the language. deaf,” Bell “At my old school … I Junior Cody Bell talks to his friends while eating lunch. Bell said.

As he had to do a learned to sign so he could interpret for the special needs kids.

Photo by Lauren race learns more project that signs Bell would benhas seen how efit the community and which at guage, sign language can beneficial the language least took 10 hours to be difficult to learn as is and recommends each type has its own way that others learn sign graduate,” Bell said. language as well.

Bell chose to learn of signing.

“With learning sign “American Sign Lansign language to help interpret for special guage has its own gram- language I have been mar, syntax and idioms. able to expand my needs children.

“The project that I When you sign ‘Are you horizons beyond just was going to do was a student?’ you’ sign ‘stu- English,” Bell said. “If I interpret for the deaf dent’, ‘you’ with your eye- can’t think of the actual whether that be one of brows raised,” Bell said, English word, but I can the special needs kids “Some signs are easy to put the sign into it I can that are nonverbal,” understand like boy is figure out what the acBell said, “or go out of like a baseball cap, girl is a tual word is.” district for a day and thumb on your chin kind

Staff Writer

you’ll maybe go to the Kansas City School for the Deaf and interpret for hearing students.”

Just like with any lan-

Management simulates plane production Tara magaña

Blue M Assistant Editor For Verbal Content A break from their normal computer generated simulations, Glenda Eichman’s Business Management students designed their own real-life simulation when they created an assembly line to produce paper airplanes.

After studying management within a production system, students designed their own facilities complete with plane and logo designers, plane producers, quality inspectors and inventory and production managers.

“They were put into two groups and within those groups,” Eichman said, “they had to figure out who would get what position. They had to talk about their strengths and weaknesses.”

After a day of planning on Thursday, Eichman tasked each group to use their chosen production system to create a minimum of 10 paper planes in 10 minutes while maintaining quality.

As the activity began, inventory managers rushed into the hall

Company Designers sophomore Macie Myers and junior Jaalanee Dugassa get ready to fly their company’s best plane.

Photo by Tara magaña

where they gathered their facility’s supplies.

After distributing paper, the producers quickly began precisely folding the planes in the style decided by designers the day before.

“I had to focus on where I was folding,” Manhattan Mobsters plane producer Josh Morse said. “It got harder as I went on and my hands got tired.”

Next, planes were passed to the logo designers where a design representing their company’s name was drawn. At the end of the line, an inspector compared each plane to a prototype, looking for consistency in folding and logo design. All the while, a production manager watched over the “factory” and provided assistance when needed.

Once time was up, planes left on the line were counted as wasted product and the workers gathered in the hall where the best two planes from each group were flight tested. The group with the farthest flying plane received extra points.

“We won, so I thought our plane flied well,” Paper Plane Company plane designer Trever Dillon said. “There wasn’t really anything that didn’t go well except, I guess, we left one plane on the assembly line.”

Though the main purpose of the simulation was to gain a better understanding of terms and concepts studied, students came away with more.

“I think it shows you maybe how stressful an actual production job can be in a factory,” Morse said. “I think I’d be more sympathetic to people who are working because now, I kind of know what they go through, the stress that they deal with.”

The real life simulation proved a success as students applied the concepts learned in class.

“It’s fun,” Eichman said. “I just think it’s one of those where they like learning it in that way versus just talking about it, but actually doing it.

[It’s] good for a Friday too.”

ture events,” treasurer Bridgett Sutton said. “We were trying to bring the culture into today’s event and we thought this would be a fun idea to get everyone together.”

Though the main purpose was to get members involved, the party also served as the first event without former president Israel Wheatley.

“Since Israel left,” vice president Isis Thornton-Saunders said, “[president] Ashley [Stuckwich]’s had to take over his position and

I’ve moved up to the vice president it’s good for us because we know that we can do this [without Wheatley].”

With a larger than expected turnout and everyone snacking on crepes, the event concluded with success.

“It’s stellar,” new member Hannah Phillips said.

“They all just have this love for French culture and they’re all just happy people and they’re enjoying food together and it’s just really nice.”

Students celebrate French culture Tara magaña

Blue M Assistant Editor For Verbal Content A seemingly normal classroom transformed into a French kitchen Wednesday when French Club filled the air with French music, laughter and the sweet smell of cooking crepes as they celebrated National French Week.

“This is kind of our first French Club meeting to try to get club together and establish some meeting grounds for fu-

The Mentor // nov. 10, 2015 // MHSMentor.com

Trending logo courtesy of bigleague.org/guysanddolls

Page 6

ale flores

Staff Writer

“Guys and Dolls,” the Manhattan High fall musical, is more than just people singing and dancing.

It reveals the story of Nathan Detroit, a gambler who needs to pay a garage owner $1,000 to host one of his big craps games. He then bets Sky Masterson that he can’t get Sarah Brown, a beautiful woman who is protesting against gambling, on a date. After a lot of resistance, Sky gets her to go out on a date with him.

She agrees, because he offers to bring people into her mission. Meanwhile Nathan’s girlfriend of 14 years, Adelaide, wants him to marry her.

“I think the message of this musical is not to judge a book by its cover just as Sarah judges Sky, and vice versa,” Thespian sponsor Linda Uthoff said.

On Sunday the first performance of “Guys and Dolls” opened in Rezac Auditorium to a large, enthusiastic crowd.

“There were over 500 people,” Uthoff said. “I was thrilled. They really pulled it all together.”

After the show, students were really tired but happy of the outcome of the play.

“It was really exhausting, but also exhilarating,” junior Wesley Danielson said. “I felt very nervous, but excited that I got to do what I’ve been rehearsing for all this time.”

Junior Hannah Phillips was really happy with the turnout of the musical.

“I think it went really well,” Phillips said. “It’s going to get better each day.”

mhs techies survive ‘hell week’ ale flores

Staff Writer

The week before the musical, also referred to as “Hell Week,” is where all thespian tech crews are most busy with different tasks to complete.

“I think mostly is called ‘Hell Week because we’re here constantly and doing a lot of things, getting everything together in a short amount of time,” junior Emily Peterman said.

When people come to a musical, most of them are happy and surprised with the different kinds of costumes, lighting and stagecraft that there is shown on the stage. They notice and appreciate the different styles of costumes and colors. They also expect to hear and see the actors and to be able to understand what the show is about to be able to enjoy it.

“We don’t want people to spend money to come watch the show, and then be disappointed of it,” sophomore Kayla Semmel said. “We want them to get their mind blown by the show.”

But what some people don’t know is the hard work that techies do to have a satisfying outcome.

There are different kinds of tech crews who work really hard with different kinds of tasks to make the show look good. Some of the different crews are stagecraft, props, lighting, sound,

costumes, and hair and makeup.

“I think tech work is really important because if we don’t do our job the show wouldn’t go right,” sophomore Trenton Lopez said. “I feel like tech people are the storytellers, making sure the audience sees the story.”

Actors also put the same time and effort as techies. They have been rehearsing really hard to get a great performance.

“The actor’s job is just as important as the tech crew’s job, they are both equally important,” Peterman said.

“They both put a lot of time and effort invested in the show.”

This week gives students a little bit of more pressure knowing that the premiere dates are soon to come but they have fun and try to do their best work.

“It is when everything starts coming together,” freshman Meredith Stone said. “I feel like is really important to show people that even though the drama department is not well funded, we can create something great with a low budget.”

“Hell Week” is a very important week, not only because the show gets to be prepared in its perfection but because most of students get together and learn how to work on teams.

“I think is going to go really well,” Peterman said. “We’re putting so much hard work and is going to pay off.”

Sophomore Kaitlyn Ring applies mascara to sophomore Wyatt Ballman before a “Guys and Dolls” dress rehersal. Ring is a member of the hair and makeup crew and helps get members of the cast stage ready. bottom left: Sophomores Gloria Glantt and Foalan Benco share a laugh before a “Guys and Dolls” dress rehearsal. bottom middle: Sophomore Claire Todd curls sophomore Emma Lansdowne’s hair before a “Guys and Dolls” dress rehersal. Todd is a member of the hair and makeup crew and also a member of the cast. bottom right: Senior Emma Galitzer is fitted for her wig for her character, Adelaide. Galitzer has one of the main roles in “Guys and Dolls,” but said she has been handling it well. photos by savannah cherms

graphic by andrea lu

Musical overcomes props problems Performing: f irsts and lasts dakota santiago

Staff Writer

Every musical has a few issues that the cast and crew have to overcome and the Manhattan High fall musical, Guys and Dolls, is no exception. One problem the participants struggled with this year was getting props.

“Props are important because they really make the setting more realistic and a lot of times actors need specific items to be able to perform the script,” senior and musical lead Emma Galitzer said.

From set decorations to items carried and used by actors, many props were absent until the week of dress rehearsals.

“The two girls who did props for the MHS Drama department in the past were unable to attend rehearsals because they were both working jobs outside of school,” Galitzer said. “No one was willing to step up and be head of the props crew in their absence. Most actors never had and props at all until hell week. Luckily, by the end of the week everything was sorted and props were in order.”

The musical has recovered well from its struggles obtaining props.

“We’ve had less time to be accustomed to our props but everyone has taken it in stride,” Galitzer said. “Sometimes stuff happens and you have to go work around it but the show must go on.”

A minute with grant williams

Gathering on Broadway in the finale, junior Grant Williams and seniors Katheryne Hager, Tanner Knapp and Emma Galitzer take the center stage to announce the time lapse that took place to create a happy ending. photo by elizabeth underwood

What role are you playing?

“I’m playing as Sky Masterson” What made you want to do the musical?

“I did the musical because I recently had to give up basketball for my new job at the airport and some recent injuries, so I decided why not try acting, it sounds really fun, so...”

What was one of the most difficult parts of the show?

“Oh man, all of the singing, holy cow I lost my voice so many times and I am right now, but I’m going to deal with it.”

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

“Well... I’m kind of doing this for my grandpa that died a couple weeks ago, so hopefully it goes really well.”

SAVANNAH CHERMS

a small amount of experience,” Wineland said.

On the flip side, the seniors of this It is another year of firsts and lasts year’s cast are just as optimistic about this year’s production, and are looking among members of Manhattan High’s musical department. This year’s cast is to redeem last years hiccups.

“It’s going to be really good. There just as diverse as previous years, with students from every grade ready to per- were a couple of kinks in the musical last form and give their all in their rendition year. We weren’t really ready with the of “Guys and Dolls.” For some, this will choreography and things like that,” senior August Balman said. “I think it has be the first musical production they are all come toin, and gether refor others ally well this this will “[As a senior] there is a lot of example to year.” be the last Balman time they set for the new freshman and how things has been will grace a constant the stage should be going and how to act and stuff member of in Rezac like that. Still, some of the freshman are MHS’s theAuditoater departrium in a going to be really good, lots of the sophoment, grabfall musibing roles cal. Still, mores are going to be amazing, they will in every fall even with do really well in the next couple of years.” production the diverse lev-August Balman since his freshman els of exyear. While perience, members the cast of the cast all shares are all members of one cohesive group, the same positive outlook for the show. there are different roles that each mem“I think everyone knows what they’re ber must carry out, both onstage and off. doing and when to do what they need “[As a senior] there is a lot of example to. I think that things are running as to set for the new freshman and how smoothly as they could be,” freshman Jacob Wineland said. This is Wineland’s things should be going and how to act first performance at MHS, but not his and stuff like that,” Balman said. “Still, some of the freshman are going to be first time as an actor. really good, lots of the sophomores are “I was in a play in eighth grade. It was a small production, with it only be- going to be amazing, they will do really well in the next couple of years.” ing a middle school one, but it gave me

Entertainment Editor