the Mentor
NEWS
December 16, 2011 Manhattan High volume 99 issue 12
page 2: Staff editorial -- Block Schedule, Cole and the City edition one, Viewer comments about senior expenses page 3: Top 10 Albums, One Acts, Top 5 on everything page 4: Girls basketball, Boys basketball, Boy swimming page 5: Holiday traditions, Politically correct holidays column page 6: Winter crossword, Lost and found
Extracurricular
Club Feast brought numerous clubs together under one roof, joining students with interests in school activities and helping the community.
Bond Together
News Briefs Sportzone
Sportzone is an interest group new to Manhattan High School this year. In its fledgling state, it’s hovering around 12 members, and President Taylor Weisman is currently trying to build membership. Students are encouraged to join if they’re interested in sports but not necessarily in participating on a school team. “It’s where people can meet new people who share similar interests,” Weisman said. Meetings will include learning about different sports of interest and getting out and playing some games every other week. Sportzone is currently planning a basketball tournament open to the school. Entry will be one canned food item, to be collected and sent to benefit the Flint Hills Breadbasket. For more information see Taylor Weisman or Club Sponsor Tim Ekart. Meetings of Sportzone are 3-5:30 p.m. every Wednesday in C-223.
medical explorers Future health care professionals are learning about the industry from current practitioners through Manhattan High School’s Medical Explorers club. Members of this club meet every month at least once and hear from various health care professionals. “We get to talk to a lot of professionals that we aspire to be like,” Junior Drew Kohlmeier said. The selection of trained experts ranges from oral surgeons to pediatricians and everything in between, giving students a chance to explore many career paths. The sessions set up for this club are designed to be hands-on and interactive to give the students a better idea of the possibilities of a future career in health care. Medical Explorers continued on page 6
Bailey Hamler photo editor Representatives from all Manhattan High School clubs met Wednesday after school for the first Club Feast that was put on by Student Council. Club Feast is an idea that was brought to StuCo’s attention a couple years ago by a former student, Bella Alonso. The big idea is to form unity and camaraderie between all the student body organizations at MHS, while collecting cans for a food drive to benefit the local Flint Hills BreadBasket. “The clubs have been totally independent this year so this is a chance for them to get together, and just socialize,” Leslie Campbell, StuCo sponsor, said. Not only is the purpose of
Club Feast to give back to the community, it’s also a nice break from the hectic finals week students have been enduring before Christmas break. And what better time to delve into the holiday spirit? “Everyone is so busy around this time of year preparing for finals, so we just wanted to give everyone a nice break and have a
bonding experience,” Junior Class President Jack HublerDayton said. All kinds of snacks and treats were brought to Club Feast, creating a potluck atmosphere with winter decorations and Christmas music to supply the entertainment. “I had a lot of fun decorating for Club Feast. It definitely got me pumped
Top: Around 65 students participated at Club Feast on Wednesday in the cafeteria. Everyone brought a food dish to share with others and a canned donation for the Flint Hills Breadbasket. Left: Club members stack their plates with the feast’s food. About 19 dishes were brought by club members to share with others who attended. Above: StuCo raised almost 85 pounds of food at Club Feast Wednesday night. Photos by Dheepthi Perumal
for everyone to have a good time,” Senior Jordyn Stephens said. Despite from busy schedules and heaping homework loads, students made it out to the event to show their support.
“At first I was a little worried about how many people were going to turn up, but I think it went well and we collected a lot of donations,” Senior Shawn Sheu said. Sheu coordinated the event.
Student-directed plays a success Performing one acts is common in most high schools that provide drama programs. Last week, the Manhattan The short plays give students a chance to direct and fund High Thespian troupe directed and performed their raise. This event also provides one-act plays in the Black Box the perfect opportunity to Theatre. With a combination test-run their plays and see which ones will be taken of monologues and six to their state conference at one-acts, the two nights of performances was a success, Wichita. One acts, as Uthoff said Linda Uthoff. The drama students, who said,” requires the actors and director to work together. It’s both had a chance to direct difficult to direct your peers, and be in the one-acts, were and commitment is also a faced with time-stress as factor. We had to cancel they only had two weeks to some of the one-acts plays memorize their scripts and because some people were organize blocking. sick and couldn’t practice The One-Act Festival enough.” included “Lights Down”, Watching from afar and “The Kissing Scene”, performing underneath “Pepperoni Apocalypse”, the spotlight are two very “The Theatre”, “Conflict”, different things. and “Eurydice L’ingenue”. “It’s a lot more The festival proved to be responsibility being a a success as the seats on director,” Senior Kristina Thursday had sold out. Armstrong said. “But as a However, the full house director, you get a chance to gave the theatre a good put a spin on things.” environment, said Uthoff. “It’s different to direct The festival has been than be directed because around for a least 20 years. Sarah Shi staff writer
you’re working underneath to see them step up and “They are the ones that pull instead of watching others come together to put on a it off. I just provide them and putting the play production.” the tools to do it. It’s nice together,” Senior Raelynn Smith said. However, the satisfaction and enjoyment that the directors and casts receive is also part of why the drama students put on the one-acts. “The cast was really cooperative,” Armstrong said. “One-acts is a fun show to put together.” “Working with actors is the most enjoyable part about Senior Raelynn Smith and Juniors Natalie Shank and Benjamin Carter perform directing,” Smith said, who in “The Pepperoni Apocalypse.” Photo by Miranda Hairgrove directed “The Kissing Scene” and was part of the cast in “Pepperoni Apocalypse” and “The Theatre”. The goal that the drama students strive to achieve is making sure that what they put on is entertaining as well as a learning experience for new cast members and directors. “The most enjoyable part about producing the one-acts Brian Burton is Orpheus, the “Best hero EVER!” in “Eurydice-L’Ingenue.” “Euryis that I’m able to see the dice- L’Ingenue” was written by Seniors Kristina Armstrong, Brian Burton. Felix Amanor-Boadu and Alumna Cara Hillstock for the Manhattan Experimental development of the writers Theatre Workshop in June 2011 and directors,” Uthoff said. Photo by Miranda Hairgrove
ONE ACTS