The mentor Vol. 102 Issue 7 | Manhattan High School | Oct. 14, 2014
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SWEET, SWEET SILVER Manhattan High football team defeats rival Junction City, reclaims coveted Silver Trophy Members of the Manhattan High Football team celebrate recieveing the Silver Trophy. This trophy is the award that goes to the winner of the annual ManhattanJunction City rivalry game. See page four for football coverage. PHOTO BY MADISON NEWMAN
FFA competes in horse judging competition
CDEs enhance learning
Darian Foga-Frehn Staff Writer
Darian Foga-Frehn Staff Writer Manhattan FFA Chapter students go on many field trips over the school year. Many people do not realize what the function of these trips are. FFA members participate in what the National FFA Organization calls Career Development Events or CDEs. According to the National FFA Website, “Career Development Events help students develop the abilities to think critically, communicate clearly, and perform effectively in a competitive job market.” These competitions serve the purpose of teaching agriculture students about an
Top: FFA members watch and closely analyze horses in order to accurately judge them. They evaluate and rank the horses based on breed, characteristics, conformation and performance. Left: An equestrian shows off a horse for FFA members to judge. The horses were brought out in groups of four. PHOTOS BY DARIAN FOGA-FREHN
See CDE page 3
Students prepare for PSAT Madeline Marshall News Editor Tomorrow, many sophomores and juniors will sit in Rezac Auditorium for more than two hours to take the PSAT. The PSAT [Preliminary SAT], also know as the NMSQT [National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test], is a standardized test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT. It also gives students a chance to qualify for National Merit Scholarship Corporation’s scholarship programs. While this test’s scores aren’t what students send in to colleges, they have become an important part of college
Global News Miranda Hairgrove Copy Editor 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.
preparedness. “Since I took it last year, I think I have a general knowledge of what might be on it,” junior Amanda Vestweber said. “Hopefully I improve on my weaknesses and the parts I didn’t know as well.” For sophomores, it is purely practice. “I’m not really nervous, probably because this is just a practice for me, but also because I know what to expect from the test,” sophomore Chloe Dorst said. “I’ll get practice for the NMSQT next year and practice for the real SAT.” Sophomore Angelica Lang agrees. “I’m not very nervous,” Lang said. “Since I’m a sophomore, it’s really just practice
Shooting in St. Louis sparks further protests Thursday morning an offduty police officer shot an 18-year-old African-American man, Vonderrit Myers, after he opened fire on the officer. The officer was driving in the early hours of Thursday and saw a group of three men, who fled, and the officer took after them on foot. The officer claims that one of the men, the one that was shot, was running as if he had a gun. The 18 year old then turned and fired three shots at the officer who then
for a practice test.” The PSAT helps juniors prepare for the SAT and gives them scholarship opportunities. “The main reason I have decided to take the PSAT is in hopes that I will score great enough that I can get into KU and further my career in the medical field,” Vestweber said. “Getting a scholarship is a big goal of mine so hopefully all this studying and hard work pays off and I can get through college and medical school without any problems thanks to my test scores and determination.” The test can be tricky, as it differs from the testing format See PSAT page 3 shot 17 times and killed the 18 year old. This newest shooting has sparked new protests in the streets of southern St. Louis. Tensions in St. Louis were already high after a police officer shot an unarmed 18-yearold African-American man in the St. Louis suburb Ferguson on Aug. 9. Ferguson protests have been occurring since then. This past weekend, thousands travelled to Ferguson to partake in demonstrations and protests.
Kim Jong-Un unseen for more than 30 days The North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has not been
Manhattan FFA Chapter members competed in a horse judging competition on Wednesday, Oct. 15. During the nearly two hour drive to Beloit, all 15 members practiced their horse placement reasonings for the contest. According to National FFA, “In the Horse Evaluation CDE, students evaluate and rank horses based on breed characteristics, conformation, and performance. As a team, they cooperatively solve problems related to equine selection, management, nutrition and production.” Students had to identify the breed and markings on each horse. They then had to judge a variety of classes, including performance and halter. Competition aides brought out horses in groups of three
for breed identification and groups of four for selective class judging. They then had to rank the group of horses from one to four, and provide an oral reasoning as to why they placed them that way at the end of the competition. The combined score of the top three individuals of each team of four were the group’s score. “We judged horses based on balance, structural correctness, muscling, movement, and attitude,” junior Corrinna Bishop said. The contest was held in a quiet setting; no competitors were allowed to talk. Horses were brought out in groups of four for judging in six different sets. “I expected there to be more horses than what there was, but they were really nice horses,” junior Jayve Salinas said. “The most difficult part
was giving reasons to the judges, we had to say the placings in a certain way. I forgot a few times.” The students that judged expected to be in a heated arena for the contest, and were disappointed to find themselves outside. After they were finished with judging, they were cold, tired and hungry, but satisfied with what they had accomplished. “We learned not only how to judge horses, but how to choose the best horse,” sophomore Hayden Prawl said. “[I think that] the hardest part was watching how they move because they move so quickly, it’s sometimes hard to see.” Bishop agrees that the contest was challenging and agrees with Salinas that the See FFA page 3
College Fair enlightens students Elassia Cunningham Staff Writer
Juniors Maddie Taylor, Peter Gruenbacher and Krista Burton explore college brochures. PHOTO BY ANGIE MOSS seen in the public for 38 days. He has missed two high profile events and the only reason given by North Korean officials has been that Jong-Un is experiencing “discomfort”. This has led many people to speculate about the condition of the leader’s health. According to the BBC, “a more dramatic interpretation is that Mr Kim has been the victim of a political coup and is languishing under house arrest, having been removed from power by members of the North’s political and military.”
Hundreds of juniors and seniors filled the commons on Monday for the career and college fair, where they talked to representatives of local Kansas Universities, technical schools, cosmetic institutes and government career programs. The college fair benefited many students. “I learned that there are a lot more colleges than I expected to choose from,” junior Austin Grand Ere said. “I didn’t know about many colleges to choose from. I knew about Cloud [County Community College] and K-State and KU.” The college fair exposed students to post-secondary
Typhoons strikes India, Japan India and Japan have been battered by tropical storms. India has seen eight fatalities due to Typhoon Hudhud and at least 37 people have been injured in Japan by Typhoon Vongfong.
Ebola medic strike called, ignored Liberia’s National Health Workers Association has called for ebola medics to go on strike on the grounds that they are not being compensated enough and that the
school options. “It [the college fair] really helps to get the word out about our school,” Eric Fisher Academy admissions rep Andrea Connell said. “We’ve only been in business since 2007. I really helps to get general knowledge about our program.” Students also had the chance to learn about military programs like the Marines, Air Force and Army. “At the end of the day, I don’t mind if they don’t join,” Sgt. Brennan D. Seitz said, “but I want them to have the information because that is more opportuSee COLLEGE page 3
government is not providing adequate safety measures against the virus. This strike is being mostly ignored. According to the BBC, “a union official said the government had coerced workers to ignore the strike -- but the government said it had simply asked them to be reasonable.” The majority of ebola cases have taken place in Liberia and World Health Organization officials have said that the virus could contribute to the downfall of Liberian state failure. Continued treatment and prevention of the virus is critical.
Opinions
The Mentor • Oct. 14, 2014
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Grant right to make choices Fight stigma of mental illness regarding own body 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 In Portland, Ore., there is currently a young woman, aged 29, suffering from an aggressive form of brain cancer as well as a severe brain tumor. She is fighting for her right to the choice to end her life in order to avoid undergoing the tolling treatment that has little chance of saving her, or the painful, slow process of letting nature run its course. This situation brings to the surface the issue of assisted suicide and the complications that accompany it regarding legality and morality. The Mentor editorial board, upon discussing assisted suicide, found that the issue should be handled with caution and consideration of all moral aspects. There are many faiths and religions that consider suicide to be sinful
or cause for damnation. However, we believe that because of the separation of church and state, these beliefs must be disregarded. Many would prefer to not be forced to suffer through such aggressive illnesses that has little chance of being cured and see no shame in dying. It’s their body and they’re the ones who should choose how long they fight or whether or not they even do. Cancer isn’t pretty and neither is the treatment. It makes you physically ill, weak, pale, tired. The treatments cause you to lose your appetite and often your hair and for what? If you are diagnosed with an almost incurable disease why should any person have the authority to tell you to “just hang in there” or “ride it out?” In these unfortunate cases where death is inevitable and merely a question of when, why can they not expedite the process? There are several issues that would need addressing, such as at what point a person is far enough beyond saving that they’re allowed to
decide to let go, but despite the obstacles to be faced and guidelines that would need to be established, it’s necessary that we give the right to decide what happens to one’s own body and when it happens. You can’t force someone to suffer because it goes against your individual morals. You and your morals have exactly zero relevance to someone else making choices regarding their body. It gets sticky when families are brought into the mix because we naturally love our family and want them to stay with us as long as possible, but similarly to life support there comes a point when you have to be OK with letting go because it’s what they need and want, even if it hurts you. The general consensus of the editorial board was that while it’s an extremely complicated issue to make a law about, it has to happen. We should leave decision making to those being affected and not allow personal beliefs to dictate the lives of others.
Question of the Week: What celebrity do you wish would invite you to their house?
“MAYA MINOCHA,” senior Sydney Bannister @sydbann
“Timothy Higley,” senior Isaiah Koppes @RuninFrmDaKopps
w
“Greg Hoyt,” senior Xavier Hayden @hayvah
“Joe Biden,” senior Trevor Bashaw @ flirtydad
“Billy Ray Cyrus,” junior Autumn Hatcliffe @sneakyautumn
Tracy Le Graphic Designer
The doubt of the reality of mental illness has not vanished from society. It is a stigma that presents itself more than I had ever realized before. Not too long ago, I came across a claim I had never heard of before -- a claim that mental illness is not real. I was completely perplexed. How could someone say that mental illness is not real? How could people believe that such a thing does not exist? It is true that mental illness is not as blatantly present as a physical ailment. However, that does not mean it is not there. As the name implies, mental illness takes refuge in the brain. It is a real condition, a complex phenomenon that is related to biological, genetic, psychological, as well as social factors. In fact, evidence from the National Institute of Mental Health shows that it can possibly be related to changes in the anatomy, physiology and chemistry of the nervous system. It is something we are all prone to, something that affects people of all ages, races, sex, etc. (in 2013 the National Institute of Mental Health reported that approximately 61.5 million Americans experience a mental health disorder every year). It is something that affects people around the world (according to the U.S. Surgeon General 20 percent of youths ages 13 to 18 in the U.S. suffer from serious mental disorders that cause significant impairment in their lives every day). It is something that is not much different than any
to ADHD, schizophrenia and depression. The hippocampus, which helps to create and file memories, can be involved in mood disorders. Mental illness is partly an illness of the brain. Research has shown that. Yet there is still a stigma that often times, stigma leads to dissimilar treatment of individuals and can even prevent the mentally ill from getting the proper treatment. This stigma has been defined as the “devaluing, disgracing and disfavoring by the general public of individuals with mental illnesses.” A recent study by researchers at Case Western Reserve University has called for further measures to “gauge mental illness stigma in adolescents.” “Millions of young people do not receive mental health treatment every year. There are modifiable barriers to treatment, with an important barrier being stigma,” Melissa Pinto, one of the authors, said. “Working to achieve a supportive social culture toward mental health, by removing stigma, will hopefully result in more young people receiving mental health treatment earlier in the course of illness.” Though mental illness is not entirely curable, it is treatable and those who are diagnosed can find relief from their symptoms in a variety of ways with medication, support groups, and psychotherapy being only a few. Mental illnesses are not fabrications. They are more than real, more than treatable health conditions. To claim that there is no reality to them would be denying people the opportunity to effective treatment and recovery and to, at the end of the day, live a “normal” life.
Bring light to less known cancers
“Greg Woods,” senior Connor Bliss @connorblissful
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other medical disease (but it has been estimated that nearly two-thirds of people with diagnosable mental illness do not seek treatment). Just like a bone or a kidney, the brain is a part of a person’s body. If someone fractured a bone they would get professional care. They wouldn’t be urged to “just keep moving.” They wouldn’t be told to “stop making such a big deal out of it, try harder, make an effort.” They wouldn’t be stigmatized. Then why should mental illnesses be treated any differently? Mental illnesses can occur when neurotransmitters do not correctly send chemical messages between neurons. One neurotransmitter, serotonin, helps to control functions such as mood, appetite and sleep and research has shown that often times people with depression have lower levels of serotonin than is considered normal. Dopamine mainly controls movement and the flow of information to the front of the brain. Some studies have suggested that too little dopamine can play a role in disorders like schizophrenia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The most common neurotransmitter, glutamate, plays an important role during early brain development and furthermore assists in learning and memory. People who have trouble making or using this neurotransmitter have been linked to autism, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), schizophrenia, depression and more. Amygdala, which activates responses to a possibly dangerous situation, can be involved in anxiety disorders, phobias and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) controls blood pressure, heart rate and more and has been linked
Though it may feel as if it’s every month, October is when breast cancer awareness month is nationally observed. However, you may not be aware it’s also liver cancer awareness month, which I’ve heard nothing about. Liver cancer kills 223,700 more people a year than breast cancer, yet I’ve seen no blue ribbonstamped merchandise asking for donations to research cures for it. Why is it that we as a society seem to focus so much time and money on just one particular cancer that only has the fifth highest mortality rate? Trends. We are so built around
what’s trending that the value of things is truly lost. We pick and choose what things we bring to light based on what will get the most attention. Breast cancer is something everyone is aware of -- how could they not be? Stores are full of pink products embellished with pink ribbons and when it’s purchased some of the profit is donated. It’s great that money is being raised and donated for the cure, but there are cancers other than breast cancer that are much more aggressive and doctors don’t have the means to even begin to cure. According to the American Cancer Society website, the breast cancer mortality rate dropped 34 percent between 1990 and 2010. We’ve proven that when we try we can change and improve things. If the focus could be shifted to bring light and research to some of the lesser known, but equally destructive, diseases
we could improve the rates for more severe cancers as well. One in two men will develop some form of cancer in life and one in three women will. Of the 986,520 that die annually from cancer only 40,931 women and 443 men die from breast cancer. I’m not suggesting that we stop raising money for the cure, just that we educate ourselves on where the money is going and how pressing the issue is. It’s amazing that people care and are donating, but there are more aggressive, complex and fatal cancers that need a more effective cure because the money we pour into breast cancer research isn’t saving enough lives. We need to focus on finding a cure for brain cancer/tumors or liver cancer. When we stop focusing on the trend and focus more on the cause we can truly lower the number of American’s dying from these diseases.
EDITORS: Kristen Batson -- Print Editor-In-Chief/Opinions Joseph Sell -- Online Editor -In-Chief Danielle Cook -- Entertainment/Content Editor Madeline Marshall -- News Editor Alan Brown -- Features Editor Greg Woods -- Sports Editor Tracy Le -- Trending Editor Anna Hupp -- Photo Editor Marisa Lang -- Graphic Designer Miranda Hairgrove -- Copy Editor Senior Staff Writers/Photographers -- Madison Newman, John Rockey Staff Writers/Photographers -- Elassia Cunningham-Younger, Darian Foga-Frehn, Jennie Jordan OTHER: Angie Moss -- Business Manager Kristy Nyp -- Adviser Circulation -- Kristyn Baker, David Clinkinbeard, Charlie Dickey, Karl Drown, Rachel Efken, Jordan Hatley, Colten Kirk, Joshua Kohls, Kendall Oatney, Megan Ritthisorn, Zane Smith, Darnel Stewart, Austin Tatum The Mentor is published each Tuesday that school is in session at Manhattan High School, 2100 Poyntz Ave. Manhattan, Kan. Telephone (785) 5872114. More than 1,500 Mentors are printed each week and distributed free of charge to all faculty members and students. MHS journalists are members of the Kansas Scholastic Press Association. The Mentor is an open forum that accepts contributions from the public. E-mail us at mhsmentor@gmail.com.
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Features The Mentor www.mhsmentor.com The Mentor • Oct. 14, 2014
Features
Microsoft unveils plans for Windows 10 Alan Brown Features Editor
PHOTO COURTESY OF WWW.WINDOWS.MICROSOFT.COM
Say goodbye, Windows 8. In recent years, some of most common complaints heard against modern technology can be traced to Windows 8. On paper, the operating system was a fantastic idea. Windows 8 gave Microsoft developers the convenience of having a program that could be used on tablets, computers and phones. However, it doesn’t seem like a stretch to say that the project turned out to be a disaster. After its release, Microsoft's ACSI report revealed significant drops in customer satisfaction. While Microsoft continued to publicly embrace the program, behind the
scenes it must have been painfully obvious that something had to be done. Enter Windows 10. Two weeks ago, Microsoft held a press conference in San Francisco unveiling the new program. While it is only a sneak peek of what it is soon to come, it appears that Microsoft is headed in the right directions. Several elements of Windows 8 are kept, but refreshing features of old reliable Windows 7 return as well. As a result, Windows may finally be relevant again. The first thing that is striking about Windows 10 is its name. While no distinct reason has been given for the capricious decision to jump from using the number 8 to the number 10, it does not seem unreasonable to think that Microsoft is simply trying to keep up with Apple OS X (10). One of the most requested changes from Windows 8 was
the inclusion of a start menu. Thankfully, the developers listened. Though Windows 10 will feature the same Metro desktop from Windows 8, a start menu will be included. This acts as a compromise between innovation and familiarity. Windows 10 will also have the capability of multiple desktops, which gives the user the freedom to more programs simultaneously than ever before. Finally, the original windows concept will return. Unlike Windows 8, the user will no longer be forced to used full screen on certain programs. Windows 10 is hardly experimental. It can be thought of as a hybrid between Windows 7 and Windows 8 wrapped together with a few borrowed ideas from Apple. But this “play it safe” approach taken by Microsoft may be exactly what the company needed. A return back to relevancy is within reach.
Extracurricular activities teach students to balance time Antonia Camara 21st Century Journalism student It’s a distraction. It takes time away from friends. You won’t have time for anything. These are some reactions and misconceptions of extracurricular activities. Some students assume that participating in extracurricular activities will drag them down. The stakes are high and the academic pressures amongst Manhattan High School students are evident. Many believe that if a student participates in such activities, they will only bring stress upon themselves, so they avoid them. However, that isn’t the case. Senior Megan Ochoa, who is currently participating in Cross Country, NHS and Orchestra, also holds officer positions in Student Council and FCA. “I do them because I think they’re fun and it helps me to learn different skills, like time management,” she said.
Although Ochoa is enjoying herself she admits that it’s a lot to handle. “There are times when it gets stressful, but you learn to work through it,” she said. StuCo President Nick N. Clark, who is a Varsity Swimmer, participates in Boys Scouts and Young Life. “It [Extracurricular activities] makes things crazier, I mean you have to definitely set aside times, like, alright weekends are for fun, school week is for work,” he said. “It certainly makes it interesting. I really like to do one thing after another. Free time is kind of awful and boring” Naturally, students who aren’t involved in such activities begin to wonder how these students manage their work. “I usually use a planner, I mean I have to, at least for school work,” Clark said. “Once you get it down, it’s not so bad,” Clark said. Others have different techniques. “My motto is ‘Every second counts’ because if I have only five minutes of spare time,
AFS offers opportunities for exchange students Alyse Sumner 21st Century Journalism student From all over the world, exchange students have been acclimating to the everyday American lifestyle at Manhattan High. American Field Service allows students to bridge the gap between countries throughout the rest of the academic school year. “The exchange students participate in different activities such as the Renaissance fair in Bonner Springs,” Tony Wichmann, AFS sponsor, said. “This social activity is so exchange students and club members can interact.” Ginny Roszas, an exchange student from Hungary, has come to like Manhattan, though she found that many things in the United States differ from her home. “There are so many different things, like the school is really friendly,” Rozsas said. “Your school system is really different and kids they, here, at my age, they all have cars, they all drive, and at home, it’s not normal having a car. And, your everyday stuff, Hungary is really open about drinking and partying and everything. Here, they are not so open about it.” One this Rozsas misses so far is her friends back home. “It’s really hard. It’s sometimes harder, sometimes it’s easier. When I’m busy and when I have stuff to do, then it’s easy not to think of them, you know?” Rozsas said. “But when I’m alone or I don't have anything to do, then it makes it harder, but that’s why I try to be busy all the time.”
The difference between Hungary and America has become apparent to Rozsas in her short time here. “The food is really different. You eat a lot of junk food and you don't really cook, like my mom at home she cooks every day,” Rozsas said. “But you usually just eat ready food, or frozen food and put it in the microwave, at least in my host family this is how we do. It’s just really weird it’s really hard to get used to because I really don't like junk food.” Emily Laugesen, junior from Denmark has been to America four other times. “Everything is just like bigger over here like bigger cars and l bigger houses and bigger meals at McDonalds,” Laugesen said. “You're really open here, like if you meet a person you don’t know you talk to them like you've known them forever and in Denmark you put your headphones in and pretend you're busy. You don't socialize with people you don’t know. During her time here, she doesn't notice the distance between her and her friends. “I don't miss them that much cause I don't really think about it cause there’s like a lot of other things going on here so I don't really notice being away from them,” she said. Laugesen plans on returning to America after she completes her schooling in Denmark. “I’m going to go home and finish three years of school that I’m required to take and then I’m going to go back and go to K-State.”
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then I’m using that to my advantage because I have so much other stuff I need to be doing” Ochoa said. Busy students admit that staying motivated is one of the most challenging aspects, but they always find a way. For Ochoa, it’s spiritually. “For me I think it’s that I like to work to praise the Lord and work through him in sharing my faith,” she said. As for Clark’s motivation; it’s his future. “College. That’s kind of my big, like ‘alright we’ll get through this make it to that next step and you’re good’,” he said. Even though extracurricular activities are time consuming, and yes, a lot of work, they are fun and full of memorable experiences. “I think it’s really all worth it in the end,” Clark said. “High School isn’t about how much you hang out with friends, it’s about what you accomplish, what you get involved in and what name you make for yourself.”
Senior Nicholas N. Clark, MHS StuCo President. shares a passionate message with the student body. Clark is also a member of the swim team, Boys Scouts, and Young Life. PHOTO BY JENNIE JORDAN
Scholar’s Bowl holds first meeting of the year Marisa Lang Graphic Designer Last week, Scholars Bowl held their first meeting of the year. Twenty-three members, both new and old, met in Scholars Bowl coach Ted Dawdy’s classroom on Monday, Oct. 6, to prepare and practice for future competitions this year. “Oh, it was crazy, but what can you expect with 23 people?” Dawdy said about their first practice. He said the meet saw the return of old members, but the arrival of many new members as well.
“It was a little hectic but the first practice is always hectic,” Scholars Bowl member Kyle Weston said. “It will die down once people decide what day they want to come [to practice]. There were some freshmen, which was good; it’s always good to have freshmen in the program.” Scholars Bowl -- a game show-esque competition -tests players on their knowledge of subjects such as math, science, foreign language, literature and fine art. For competitions, each school assembles their own team of about six players. Then, two teams
from different schools must compete in rounds against each other where they’re asked questions based on these subjects. The team that answers the most questions correctly wins the round. To prepare for these competitions, Scholars Bowl member Ben Lindsey said the team practices by running through different math rules and science concepts, as well as reading books that can help them down the road. “It’s not so much preparation as rehashing of all the things that you know,” Lindsey said.
Even though the team has lost some strong members this year, their goals are the same. The team hopes to get back onto the TV game show “Quest” and to qualify for the state tournament. “We always want to qualify for the State tournament. We always want that chance to win a state championship, which we haven’t done since ‘93, I believe,” Dawdy said. “It looks like we’re going to have competition just to make the team this year, which always makes for a great team,” Weston said. “It’s going to be a fun year.”
GSA holds fourth annual leadership conference Marisa Lang Graphic Design This past Friday and Saturday, Kansas State University held its Annual LGBT Leadership Conference. “The focus of the Fourth Annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexal, and Transgender [LGBT] Leadership Conference is the examination of how sexuality and gender identity are entwined with concepts of national and international intersectional ties,” the K-State LGBT website said. “It was really fun. It took a while to get there, but after we COLLEGE from page 1 nities available to them.” It’s also an opportunity for smaller colleges to advertise their programs. “We are a midsize university, so what that means is people may have heard of us, but they don’t really know about us,” Fort Hayes State University admissions counselor Jami Carlson said. “We’re not one of the larger schools, where students say, ‘Oh, I want to go there’ or things like that. We encourage campus visits and scholarship opportunities and things that students may not have known.” Juniors and seniors are the
actually got there and sat down and started talking about the history of the LGBT [community] it was really interesting to watch the presentations,” GayStraight Alliance senior representative Kendall McBrayer said. McBrayer and several other members of the Manhattan High School GSA club attended the conference this past weekend. “[KSU holds the conference] to inform people that there are people in the [LGBT] community around them that are going through this and to
show people that K-State has an LGBT safe zone,” GSA president Beckie Carter said. “KSU actually has set rules in their university that LGBT members are treated equally because it’s an LGBT school. So that was really cool to learn.” The group went to a panel on gender identity that discussed the struggles of transgender men and women in today’s society. Carter said the panel made her realize that even simple tasks like using the restroom in public can become an issue for transgender people. “It’s just so complicated,”
Carter said “There’s a whole other world [where] we don’t know what goes on.” Another panel discussed the history of the LGBT community. McBrayer said she didn’t know much of the history and learned that people were more open about their sexuality in the past without it being much of an issue. “I want to know what exactly happened between then and now that caused so much chaos,” McBrayer said. “Who was the one who was like ‘[being gay] is wrong’?”
prime targets for admissions reps. The college admissions process may seem intimidating if you wait until the last minute. Many college representatives encouraged students to start thinking ahead to avoid a stressful admissions process. Kansas State admissions representative Katy Zapletal encouraged juniors to focus on ACT planning, taking college visits and maintaining a high grade point average. “The number one thing is that it’s never too early to start preparing for the ACT and keeping your GPA high,” Zapletal said. “Take advantage of
the ACT workshops that Manhattan High offers and K-State offers, too.” Zapletal also gave seniors some advice. “Don’t panic, everything will work out,” Zapletal said. “I think that seniors get worked up in thinking, ‘I have to know what I’m going to do,’ that can be for majors or just going to school in general. Just take a deep breath. Be proactive in the college search process and don’t hesitate to reach out to admissions counselors and just ask questions.” The best part of the college fair was getting their questions answered. Students had the
chance to ask questions to the people who could actually give them the answers they needed. “You get to learn and find out information that you didn’t know,” senior Solesmi Khan said.
There won’t be a print edition of The Mentor on Oct. 21, so be sure to look for us online at mhsmentor.com
Sports
The Mentor • Oct. 14, 2014
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Football brings coveted Silver Trophy back to Little Apple
Members of the Manhattan High football offense line up against Junction City Friday night before running a play under the drizzling rain. The Indians clipped the Blue Jays, 16-7, and reclaimed the Silver Trophy. PHOTO BY MADISON NEWMAN Greg Woods Sports Editor As Manhattan High football senior captains Chris Martin, Luke Stegeman, Anthony Renteria and Joe Trujillo crossed the large “JC” lettering at midfield at Al Simpler Stadium, their teammates waited in anticipation behind them. The captains first shook hands with archrival Junction City’s captains before Martin took the Silver Trophy — hardware that goes to the winner of the Manhattan-Junction City rivalry each year — and hoisted it above his head. He was then
mobbed by his teammates and the celebration begun. “My Varsity years, we’ve never beaten Junction City,” Martin said. “It feels great, especially senior year, going out with a win versus Junction.” Head coach Joe Schartz was pleased with his team’s performance. “It’s nice to get the Silver Trophy back; I’m very pleased for the kids,” Schartz said. “They’ve worked hard and they deserve this victory.” Junction City had won the previous two meetings, but the Indians flipped the script in the 100th clash.
The game began with threeand-outs for both squads, and the first quarter ended without score. Neither team was able to gain any momentum in the second quarter until Manhattan got the ball back with a little more than 10 minutes in the frame. The Indians marched down the field with a 10-minute, 83-yard touchdown drive that ended with senior quarterback Eric Prockish sneaking in from a yard out. The extra point was blocked, and Manhattan took a 6-0 lead into halftime. “That’s the best thing you can do to a defense; take their
heart away with a drive like that,” Prockish said. “To score on that is very important.” The second half opened with punts from Manhattan and J.C., but the Blue Jays capitalized on their second possession of the second half. Senior quarterback Tanner Leuker connected with sophomore Jovon Baldwin on a 74-yard touchdown pass that pushed Junction City ahead 7-6. “We were a little bit hectic after that long touchdown pass,” Schartz said. “Other than one mistake, the defense played extremely well.” The Blue Jays punted on
the first play of the final frame, and MHS began its drive within its own territory. The Indians found themselves in the redzone with six minutes left in the game, and Martin’s three-yard touchdown run gave Manhattan a 16-7 advantage with 5:10 to go. “The tougher team wanted to win, and the tougher team won tonight,” Martin said. Junction City got the ball back after a fumble by Martin, but was unable to capitalize in Indian territory. Senior Kaden Frasier intercepted backup quarterback Xavier Deguzman and iced the game, giving
Schartz his 50th win on the MHS sideline and Manhattan its 63rd all-time win over Junction City. “We spent a lot of time preparing for this game, and a lot of talking, especially with the seniors,” Schartz said. “[The seniors] kept saying, ‘We’ve been over here twice, our sophomore year and our junior year, and we haven’t won.’ It’s very special for the seniors.” Manhattan returns to Bishop Stadium on Friday to host Topeka High.
Tennis competes at weekend Regionals, sends two players to State Greg Woods Sports Editor The Manhattan High girls tennis team took third overall at Saturday’s Regional tournament. In doubles, freshman Neely Joyce and junior Tracy Le dropped their match to Topeka High 6-0 and 6-1. Seniors Alé Andrade and Danielle Miller also dropped the only match they played to Washburn Rural, 6-0 and 6-0. Singles proved more favorable for the Indians. Both senior Kristen Fraley and junior Cathy Lei made the semifinals, and Lei fell just short of a Re-
gional title. Fraley took fourth at Regionals, and Lei fell to Washburn Rural’s Madeline Hill in the title match, 6-0 and 6-2. “Cathy felt really proud that she two games off Madeline Hill, who is a four-year State qualifier,” head coach Joyce Allen said. “Kristen also had to play the third seed Ashley Sherrow from Derby, and she played a long three-set match. Kristen said she would have loved to play [Hill] again, but three sets is pretty darn incredible.” Joyce explained that she was glad to have two players make it as far as they did.
“It’s really difficult to win Regionals, especially in singles and especially with Madeline Hill, who hasn’t lost a match all season,” Joyce said. “I was very sad for my two doubles teams, but we knew it was going to be a tough battle going in.” Lei and Fraley will compete at State this Friday and Saturday. “[Fraley and Lei] were both pretty mentally tough,” Allen said. “They were focused on making it to State. Right now, there’s nothing they can do physically to better their game. It’s all going to be mental on Friday.”
Senior Kristen Fraley returns a ball at Saturday’s regionals. Fraley finished in the semifinals. PHOTO BY TRACY LE
Volleyball comes away with fifth-place finish Angie Moss Business Manager Manhattan High’s volleyball team hosted the Manhattan Invitational last Saturday but they didn’t get the results they expected. The Indians took fifth place after winning the consolation bracket against Gardner-Edgerton with scores of 25-12 and 25-11, they also blew out Junction City in both sets at 25-18 and 25-10. Although Manhattan played well and won the rest of their games, it just wasn't enough to get them where they wanted to be. "We won the rest of our games, but the rest of the teams we played weren't as good. We probably could have played them better if we had the momentum from the other games,” senior outside hitter Savannah Thaemert said. “It was also hard to adjust to the different style of scrappy ball the last teams had. The teams we played later in the day were a lot more inconsistent so we never knew what to expect when we were on the court." Thaemert ended the day with 28 kills. Junior setter Madi Fief had a total of 113 assists and 44 digs. Junior outside hitter Maddie
Mittie had 33 kills and 62 digs. Senior libero Matty Mahan had 42 digs. Senior outside hitter Savannah Roberts had 22 digs. Senior middle blocker Kelsey Schroll finished with 45 kills and 13 blocks. Schroll also hit .440 through the duration of the tournament. MHS started off its day with a loss to Blue Valley West in a three-set match that ended with the Indians winning the first set at 21-25 and B.V. West stepping up in the last two sets at 25-20 each. “We didn’t play very well in that second set, but we were still in it the whole time,” head coach Lisa Kinderknecht said. “We just couldn’t get back into the system. We struggled a little bit with the pass and getting into the block, so I think that kind of set the tone.” Manhattan brought their game back against GardnerEdgerton in the second match of the day with scores of 25-14 and 25-19. When it came time to play Manhattan’s league rival, Shawnee Heights, the Indians weren’t quite prepared. Although MHS played well, the T-Birds still came out on top. SHHS took the first set at 25-20 over MHS. Manhattan dominated the second set at 25-13 Shawnee came back in
the third set with a score equal to the first set. “When we went against Shawnee Heights, we still did okay in that first set, but I was really proud of the girls because they came back and beat them 25-13,” Kinderknecht said. “Shawnee Heights just doesn’t see that. They’re a really, really good team. What our girls did was keep attacking, and they were digging and they were getting touches on the block. “We were ahead at one point by three or four in that third set, and we let them come back and kind of melted. We got a little star-struck in those last four or five points.” After winning the second set, Kinderknecht said she felt the loss to the T-Birds was a missed opportunity. Shawnee Heights took home first place after taking out Bishop-Miege. Manhattan expected to make it into the gold bracket, but those plans were ceased after playing B.V. West and SHHS. "I think we performed really well. Not the outcome we were hoping for but this tournament has excellent teams and has always had been great competition,” Schroll said. “I was really proud of us for sticking around with Shawnee
Cross country teams compete at Haskell John Rockey Senior Photographer Contending with tough teams on a muddy course, Manhattan High Junior Varsity cross country runners got the opportunity to run at the Varsity level during the Haskell Invitational last Saturday. The top Varsity runners for both teams took the week to prepare while J.V. runners stepped up to face three ranking teams at
Lawrence. Both teams placed fourth overall, and Coach Susan Melgares was proud of the J.V. runners. “Our kids were winning battles,” Melgares said. “We had a lot of kids running one on one, one on two battles and winning.” The girls scored 107 points at a 17:18.60 team average in their 3K and the boys team scoring 110 points at a 18.30.88 team average in the 5K. The girls had four-consecutive fin-
ishers in the top 25. Melgares described the race as a challenge for people who normally run J.V. “It gives them a chance to run in the front. It gives them a fresh start and some confidence to run in future races,” Melgares said. “But when you’re running against some of the best teams in the State with your J.V. it’s tough.” This Saturday’s League competition at Lake Shawnee will be a key to qualifying for State.
Heights especially with how the last time we played them went." Tonight is the annual "PinkOut" quadrangular, as well as senior night. Manhattan is playing Washburn Rural, Lawrence and Hayden at 5 p.m. The Indians have five regularseason matches left and they’re going to have to win all five to have a healthy seed at substate. Kinderknecht said she hopes the team improves communication for the final set of matches. "I think we can always improve upon our communication. When things are kind of not going our way, it seems like we shut down," she said. "We need communication, like on a free ball or a ball coming off the ceiling - which happened against Blue Valley West. It was pivotal because they weren't balls that were hit hard or anything. It was just a lack of communication." Manhattan has already played Hayden and Washburn Rural this season and they've taken home victories from both teams. "I think we are [prepared]. Hayden and Washburn are solid teams and we have beaten them both but we definitely have to come out and play our game,” Fief said.
Golf tournament postponed Joseph Sell Online Editor-In-Chief The Regional girls golf tournament that was scheduled for yesterday was postponed to today because of concern from the weather conditions. Despite the tournament change, senior Manhattan golfers Kelsey and Kylie McCarthy seemed to be unphased. “In a way I kind of like [the
postponement] because it’s a Monday tournament and you’re tired from the weekend,” Kelsey said. The golf team began to prep for the tournament last week. “Last week we spent all week playing the course to get to know it and so we have a home field advantage,” Kylie said.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK SENIOR KELSEY SCHROLL
Schroll finished Saturday’s tournament with 45 kills, 13 blocks and a .440 hitting percentage en route to helping her team to a fifth-place finish.
On her performance...
“I wish we would have done better in the tournament, but there’s little we could do. We played against Shawnee Heights pretty well compared to the last time.”
On the most challenging part of volleyball...
“All the rallies that happen, especially against tough teams. It’s such a great feeling when we win those rallies.”
Boys soccer shuts out Topeka High on road Jennie Jordan Blue M Editor-in-Chief Manhattan High’s boys soccer team battled Topeka High Saturday evening and brought home a 2-0 win. The boys fought throughout the game with Topeka for the ball. With the Indians’ strong defense, the Trojans had a tough time moving the ball to the Manhattan side for a goal attempt. “[The defense] were rock
solid, especially after the half,” junior Kirk Lambert said. Within the first 20 minutes of the game, junior Ben Turnley made the first goal of the night with the assist from Lambert. In the game, they shot out Topeka 21-0. Lambert scored the second goal of the night assisted by Turnley. “I had already had a few shots that I probably should have made, so when it went in it felt good,” Lambert said. Finishing with the win, the
Indians rode home with their victory. Manhattan will again play Highland Park at 4:30 p.m. this Thursday in Topeka. “I try to play with everyone on the field,” junior Gardner Blanck said. “I think I connected with the team well and made plays happen.” “I would say we were reasonably pleased with the win, but we knew we could have scored more and won by a larger margin,” Lambert said.
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The Mentor • Oct. 14, 2014
Entertainment
Choirs perform, despite first-concert jitters Elassia Cunningham Staff Writer Wednesday, Oct. 8, the families and friends of 263 choir students crowded together into the Rezac Auditorium and listened to the choirs perform a variety of songs selected based on their “educational merit, diversity of style, and musical quality.” Performing for a large group of people can be nerve racking for students. “I guess there is a small level [of stage fright],” freshman Lankin Ekwall said. “For this concert, we [Freshman Women’s Choir] were the first group to perform, so that kind of heightened it [the anxiety] a little bit.” Anxiety is not limited to the the first group of performers. Other choir members agreed that they also felt some anxiety. “You’ll get on there [the stage] and you probably think, ‘Oh I got this’,” junior Emily Wilson said. “Then you get on there and you’re just like, ‘Okay, maybe this is a little scary.’” Choir members also face peer judgement. “The ones [concerts] at school are more stressful because then you are your age, and it’s like ‘Oh my gosh, there are people that I know that are here singing and everything,” Wilson said. Friends and family attend
concerts to support students. However, the fear of negative judgement from other choirs intimates some choir students. “All of our peers from choir are there,” senior Joseph Vipond said. “So they’re judging our singing. Basically, all the better choirs, or if we are the better choir, are being judged by our peers. If we do bad, then, they’re going to point it out, obviously.” How do the students cope with the pressure of performing? “I think there are different ways to handle anxiety,” said Wilson Wilson, Vipond, and Ekwall all agree that the best way to cope with their performance anxiety is to relax. “I relax, I don’t try to think about how I’m relaxing,” Vipond said. The support and guidance from conductors, Chad Pape and Tomas Lambotte, can be enough to help some students. “For me, it’s just looking at Pape, because I know Pape will guide us to the right way,” Wilson said. Some students deal with anxiety by simply breathing. “Just breathe in and out,” Ekwell said. “Or as Mr. Lambotte says, ‘breathe in the good, breathe out the crap.’”
Above: Members of PPOPS Choir sing the bass rhythm acapella from the introduction of Clarkson’s hit song. Below, right: Freshmen Women’s Chior performs at Wednesday’s chior concer PHOTOS BY JENNIE JORDAN
Drama I class leads Readers’ Theatre
Wednesday, a Drama I class lead a Readers’ Theatre for third graders from Theodore Roosevelt Elementry School, during which the drama students read to the third graders in “character voices”. “I get a kick out of reading to the kids. The look on their faces when I read a character in a different voice makes my day,” said senior Reshan Fadul, a Drama I student. “I hope that they would learn that you can change without being scared. It’s fun.” Seniors Mattias Kermer (top) and Aja’Nique Watkins (bottom) read picture storybooks to third graders on Wednesday. PHOTOS BY KRISTEN BATSON
CDE from page 1
PSAT from page 1
array of agricultural activities and occupations. Topics range from judging specific breeds of animals or tool and disease identification, to interviews and public speaking contests, and many more. There are 24 different CDEs at the national level, and while some are team activities, others can be competed in individually. The Kansas FFA Association competes in 16 of those CDEs. Members compete in district competitions, and if they place in the top three, move on to the State Convention in May, held at Kansas State University. Depending on their placing at State Convention, they may move on to the National competition in Louisville, Ky. There they will compete against FFA members coming from all over the nation, as well as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. So far this year, Manhattan FFA Chapter has participated in the Horse Judging CDE. According to the Manhattan FFA Chapter Program of Activities, next month they will participate in the Dairy Cattle and Food Science events as well as the Livestock Judging competition. Their officer team plans on participating in the Parliamentary Procedure and Opening Sessions contest in November.
students have come to expect in school. “I think I am most worried about the time we have between each part of the test,” Vestweber said. I know the background knowledge, but putting it all together and answering in a timely manner might be very tough for me and many others. We as high schoolers weren’t always taught to have a time frame, we were told to take your time, to think things over thoroughly.” To combat these differences, students must study and prepare in advance. “I think the PSAT is going to be tough but I’m ready and well prepared,” Vestweber said. “I have been prepping for three weeks so I’m excited to see how well my hard work pays off. I’m sure this year I will be better prepared for the timing compared to last year when I took it.”
FFA from page 1 oral reasonings at the conclusion of the contest were the most difficult. “The verbal reasoning was the most difficult. It was hard to remember the order of which [horses] were best,” Bishop said. “The easiest part was deciding which horse was the worst.”
Seniors: If you’d like your senior photo to appear in the 2014-2015 edition of Blue M, bring a hard copy of your photo to C107 or email a copy to mhsbluem@ gmail.com. Reminder: Lifetouch will have its photo re-take day on October 24th.
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The Mentor • Oct.. 14. 2014
THE LAST TIME THE KANSAS CITY ROYALS
MADE THE PLAYOFFS
WAS IN
1985.
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C K
a b c k s l a a t it y o R years late 9 r
2
IN 1985... A GALLON OF GAS COST $1.09
ACARELESS MOVIE TICKET COST $2.75 WHISPER BY WHAM! WAS THE MOST POPULAR SONG BACK TO THE FUTURE, THE BREAKFAST CLUB, AND THE GOONIES WERE RELEASED
THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS WON THE SUPER BOWL
THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS WON THE NBA FINALS
AMADEUS WON AN ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST PICTURE
THE FIRST NINTENDO GAME SYSTEM WAS RELEASED IN NORTH AMERICA
MICROSOFT RELEASED "WINDOWS 1.0" Canned and bottled Cherry Coke introduced by Coca-Cola THE LIFE EXPECTANCY WAS 74.7 YEARS
The Kansas City Royals have everything they need to win
BY GREG WOODS, SPORTS EDITOR
Just how did this Cinderella, out-of-nowhere team make the postseason and gain a 2-0 series lead over the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Championship Series? Let’s revisit how they got here. The Royals didn’t win the American League Central, so they received one of two A.L. Wild Card spots along with the Oakland Athletics. K.C. beat the A’s in the Wild Card game in 12 innings with Salvador Perez’s walk-off single after trailing 7-3 in the eighth inning. K.C. then advanced to the American League Division Series, where it swept the Los Angeles Angels — who had the best regular-season record in the MLB. From there, the Royals took the first two games of the ALCS over Baltimore. If you said the Kansas City Royals would be in contention for a World Series title in mid-June, I would not have believed you. But the Royals have proven time and again why they are where they are, and it starts with their speed. Kansas City swiped an MLB-best 153 bases in the regular season, and stole seven in the Wild Card game alone. Thus far, it has 13 stolen bases this postseason, good for tops of all four remaining teams (Baltimore is second with four). And the Royals’ speed isn’t limited to one or two players. Alcides Escobar, Jarrod Dyson, Terrance Gore, Nori Aoki, Alex Gordon, Lorenzo Cain and Christian Colon are all legitimate threats on the basepaths. Not only do they steal bags, but they create distractions. When one is on first base, the opposing pitcher, catcher
and manager must keep tabs on them. This leads to pitch-outs, pickoff attempts and one more thing the opposition has to worry about. The Royals have proven themselves at the plate. During the 2014 postseason, they are hitting a league-best .270, have 37 RBI and the most extra-base hits of all remaining teams. Kansas City’s Eric Hosmer boasts a .435 average this postseason, and Cain is hitting .370 to go along with three doubles and four RBI. Add that to the fact that the Royals are hitting home runs reliably — eight total this postseason as well as four in the ALCS — and you’ve got a World Series contender. Finally, the Royals’ fielding has been astounding. Cain made a diving catch in Game 2 of the ALCS and caught a JJ Hardy fly ball that saved two runs in the eighth inning. Gordon’s arm in left field is enough to scare opposing runners into holding at third base on what would ordinarily be an RBI single, and Mike Moustakas’ arm at third base guns down runners with ease. Kansas City has a .988 fielding percentage in the 2014 postseason and has made just three errors. The Royals are the playoffs’ darling, the team no one expected to make the postseason, much less start it 6-0. It isn’t a fluke, either. Kansas City’s consistency has gotten it this far. The Royals have all the tools they need to win their first championship since 1985, and if I was to tell you every reason why, it might take an entire edition of The Mentor.
GRAPHICS BY MARISA LANG