{reporter}
THE
volume 93 issue 4 april 2018 paola high school 401 angela street paola, ks 66071
In this issue {3} personalities {5} price of education {8-9} how private is private? {11} opinions {14} girls basketball at state
the Reporter
Impact of Teachers teachers affect how students perform in school For: 24
Against: 0
Absent: 0
staff list
2017-2018
Staff Editorial
Managing Editors
Mariah Sullivan & Matthew Troutman
Photo & Design Editors
Kelsey Lester & Hannah Menefee
Online & Social Media Editors
Jacquee Hecker & Moorea Long
Cover : Daelen West, 12, and Katie Taylor, 11, hold hands during the walk out March. 14. The walk-out was part of a nation-wide protest to honor the lives of the 17 students killed in the Florida high school shooting on Feb. 14. {Photo by Matt Troutman}
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The Reporter april 2018 Editorial
Ads Manager Amanda Meeks
Senior ads managers Bre Allen & Abby Winterscheid
Reporters
Abby Richmond, Abigail Heger, Ashlyn Watson, Chloe DeYoung, Claire Cox, Cora Jackowski, Nikki Bates, Emily Taylor, Emma Behrendt, Emma Cox, Faith Beyer, Gracyn Shulista, Haleigh West, Jordyn Barbosa, Kalyn Bell, Kassidy Blann, Kaylie Miller, Lauren Espinoza, Macayla Enman, Madison Taylor, Makayla Hughes, Liv Meridith, Paige Fleming, Preston Martin, Rylan Armbruster, Skyler Hughes. Stephanie Castillo, Taylor Murdock, Trinity Miller
Adviser
BriAnne Chayer
It is the policy of the Paola Reporter to provide a forum for student expression, voices in the uninhibited, robust, free, and open discussion of issues. The Reporter encourages students to write letters to the editor or submit articles for the editorial page. We reserve the right to edit content. Material that contains libelous or obscene information will not be published. Material that will cause a disruption of school activities is also prohibited. Authors must provide their full name. No articles will be published with an alias.
Volume 93 Issue 4 mission statement
library. It was a safe haven for me. I felt as if I could be myself and I trusted that I could go there when I needed help. Teachers can change someone’s life. Joining journalism was the best decision I could’ve done for myself. Thanks to one teacher, I came out of my comfort zone and learned more about who I was as a person. When I joined journalism, it was a whole new ball game and I had to adapt quickly. Not only do teachers make students feel welcome, they help us improve grades and the chances of going to college. Inspiration comes from many different areas and a teacher is one of source. Another student found inspiration in an English teacher who challenged her and the other students. She gives feedback on writing, includes humor into her lessons and relates to the students to help them learn more about what they are discussing.
the reporter editorial policy
Walking into high school your freshman year can be intimidating. You are new to the school, with more than 600 other students around you and you can feel the burden of homework and tests fall on your shoulders. Everyone has their own little groups they fit into, whether they are athletes, actors or the quiet ones walking down the hall. Being a student on the inside of it, can be hard to see past the actions of our peers. That’s where teachers come in. Teachers can be viewed as the bad guys because they “don’t like us” or “they give too much home-
work.” Most of the time, they are just doing their job, however, some students don’t like to do the work. Teachers can be a blessing in disguise because they come to school everyday and they treat you like a person rather than just another homework assignment they have to grade. Being able to walk in to school everyday and know someone will push you to do your best and wants you to succeed makes coming to school a little more tolerable. According to CNN, teachers are the most important part of a child’s education, only second to parents. Teachers open the door, but you have to walk through it yourself. What happens in high school won’t matter in 10 years, but the relationships we develop will last a lifetime. When I started high school, I was a afraid to talk to anyone. I didn’t know what to expect or whom to talk to. Coming from middle school, where I had close relationships with teachers, I was looking for more teachers to fill those shoes. My freshman and sophomore year, I spent my mornings in the
The Reporter is for the students, by the students. The goal of the Reporter is to give the students a voice, and provide an open forum of ideas while maintaining an ethical publication with unbiased coverage.
perks of personalities students learn benefits and drawbacks of diverse personalities {CLaire Cox} {Chloe Deyoung} reporter
Different personalities offer different prefers to be by himself. strengths and weaknesses in a person. “Being quiet and having that element Maddie Smail, 11, said her outgoing and about myself helps me listen in to what outspoken traits can offer her many ben- people want to see on artwork and tatefits, one being public speaking. toos,” Miller said. “I am never nervous out talking in And while Miller often prefers to be front of people,” Smail said. alone, he said there can be a disadvantage Smail also said being so extroverted to being introverted. helps her to have a lot of friends. “Sometimes, you think you want to go “I definitely have friends in all different out and make a new friend, but then you friend groups, I realize that am friends with you have shut the more popuyourself out lar people and from everythe less popular body,” Miller people, so I am said. never in a class Miller has where I feel I many traits don’t have anyhe enjoys one to talk to,” about himSmail said. self. But, like ev“I enjoy wILL sCHOWALTER, dEV-lEAD tEACHER erything, there my sarcasm, can be disadvantages. Smail said that and just being wild in general, also, even being so talkative is not always a positive though I come off as big, bad and scary, thing. I’m actually really caring,” Miller said. “If I have something to say, I’m going to Developmental Leadership teacher, say it,” Smail said. “Sometimes it’s a good Will Schowalter, said knowing your perthing and sometimes its a bad thing, be- sonality can be a good thing for students cause I say things that I should not be to learn, particularly with knowing if you saying.” are an introvert or extrovert. Smail said she has taken her personal“I think it helps some in deciding what ity into account with the kind of career careers would be a good fit,” Schowalter she is going into. She plans to be in busi- said, introverts and extroverts have difness and accounting and cosmetology at ferent strengths, and for a team, having a the same time. mix of people is always a good thing.” “Particularly with cosmetology, if you Schowalter said all kinds of personalare just sitting there and not having a ities can be essential to making a good conversation it’s going to be weird, but if team. you are talking with them and having a “It’s good to have extroverts who know conversation it won’t be,” Smail said. how to get people together and start Alton Miller, 11, also uses his person- things, and introverts who are able to be ality to help him decide on a career as a effective and get the work done,” Schowtattoo artist. Miller considers himself an alter said. introvert. Miller likes to draw, and said he
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“I think it helps some in deciding what careers would be a good fit. introverts and extroverts have different strengths, and for a team, having a mix of people is always a good thing.”
{Art by Chloe DeYoung}
Figure Out your Personality The Myer Briggs personality test is based on four components. Each component has two options. Read each description and decide which one best fits you. Your Myer Briggs personality will consist of four letters to describe you. (Ex: INFJ)
Energy
Introverts- you get your energy from being alone or in small groups. (I) Extroverts- you get your energy from being around other people and social situations (E)
Information
Intuituion- you focus on possibilites, you see more of the big picture and how things connect (N) Sensing- you are a realist and you use your five senses to assess situation, you like concrete facts and details (S)
Decisions
Thinking- you are logically and make decisions analytically (T) Feeling- you base your decisions on personal values and how your choices will affect others (F)
Organization
Judging- you like rules, deadlines, and structure, you like clear and detailed instructions and plans (J) Percieving- you are spontaneous and flexable, and you often imporvise situations (P)
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{Source: The Myer and Briggs Foundation}
The Reporter april 2018 Entertainment
CHECK PHS JOURNALISM ONLINE OUT... Read Kassidy Blann’s anti-abortion stance @ WWW.PHSJOURNALISM.COM
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The Reporter april 2018 advertisements
Let’s go clubbin’ tonight
Clubs offer way to get involved, hone skil s {
} {taylor Murdock} {Rylan Armbruster}
skyler hughes
SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA hosted the donkey basketball tournament at the high school March 13. Juniors, seniors, staff, and community members rode donkeys while playing a game of four-on-four. Lucas Owens, 12, played donkey basketball. “I asked, has anyone died from playing before? The instructor responded with, ‘Not on my watch.’ My heart dropped when I heard that.” Nick Fisher, 10, SkillsUSA president, said he hoped SkillsUSA hosting donkeyball would become a tradition. Devin Elliott, 12, said he joined SkillsUSA because he wanted to compete in another welding competition a part from FFA. SkillsUSA focuses on career and technical skills at different competitions for welding, carpentry, speech and cabinet-making, said sponsor Kevin Bronson. Students also participate in community service. More than 40 students belong to the club, led by Fisher and other officers: Mason Talcott, 10, Alyssia Juarez, 10, Leyton Wheeler, 10, Quinton Weidenbach, 10, and Brittany Salisbury, 12.
FCCLA
Lexi Smail, 10, said she joined FCCLA because she wanted more leadership experience. FCCLA is an organization that helps young men and women become leaders and address important personal, family, work, and social issues through Family and Consumer Sciences Education, said club sponsor Kathy Wulfkuhle. Club members have participated in a lock-in, bake sale, and a raffle to raise $200 for a family in need and My Father’s House. Officers participated in a District Leadership conference and District Star Events, where they acted as judges, runners, and timekeepers.
SADD
“Peer pressure can be a big problem, especially in high school,” said Corbin Gant, 11. SADD stands for Students Against Destructive Decisions. The main project SADD worked on this year was the SAFE project which related to seatbelt safety and distracted driving. Gant, along with other SADD members, volunteered to stand by the parking lot before school to observe students entering and leaving the park-
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ing lot. They kept track of whether or not students wore their seatbelts and if students were distracted by loud music or texting. “We’ve created a strong group of friends and family,” said Ben Timpe, 9.
FCA
Four students started FCA last year because they wanted to have a Christian-based group in the school. FCA stands for Fellowship of Christian Athletes. According to John Menefee, the club has grown now has about 60 members. “Being a Christian is almost something that is looked down upon in society today and I wanted our students who are believers to know that it was okay to stand up for their beliefs,” said John Menefee, club sponsor. Meetings are once every two weeks and include prayer, devotion and question and answer led by officers are Brendan Ohlmeier, 11, Jake Miller, 12, Lindsey Pitzer, 12, Luke Murphy, 12, and Corbin Gant, 11. Earlier this year, FCA had a guest speaker, Phillip Kelley, chaplain for the Kansas City Chiefs. FCA also plans to have more activities such as kickball.
Above: Jacob Maynard, 12, prepares to shoot the ball for the senior class next to teammate Colton Gleghorn, 12. Maynard missed the shot. Players had to be on their donkeys to throw, catch or shoot the basketball. Several of the donkeys that played in donkeyball were trained specifically to buck, stand still, or just be difficult. Left: Lucas Owens, 12, drags his donkey down the court in an effort to get to the ball March 13 during the Donkey Ball tournament. The event helped raise money for SkillsUSA. The teachers beat the seniors to play the community members in the championship game. {Photos by Macayla Enman}
The Reporter april 2018 School news
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the price of education taking concurrent credit courses better than waiting until college, students say {Gracyn Shulista} {Abby richmond} reporter
reporter
Kindrik Thompson 11, said he planned to graduate early, but he decided in January to stay the full four years. “I realized that I could take many college courses for free. I also realized how much I was missing out if I didn’t do swim my senior year,” Thompson said. Thompson said he plans to attend Johnson County Community College. “I am unsure what to study, but something involving technology or game development,” Thompson said. Sydney Custer 12, is taking six concurrent credit courses including College Prep English, College Biology and Government. “I took concurrent credit courses so I would have a lot of classes out of the way before college and they would be a lot cheaper,” Custer said. Both Custer and Thompson said they think their credits will transfer to the college they plan to attend. “I have to take chemistry and another math class, other than that, my credits will transfer over
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towards my major,” said Custer. Counselor Deanell Weiland recommends taking concurrent courses in high school. “If they are planning on going to college, it is cheaper to do here,” Wieland said. “They aren’t buying textbooks; it’s here at the high school, and they are already taking the class,” Weiland said. Although some students may have trouble getting certain courses to transfer, Kansas has a few courses that are guaranteed to transfer such as College Algebra, College Prep English, and Public Speaking, Weiland said. Weiland said students could find out if their credits will transfer over by contacting the admissions office at the college of your choice. “The best people to talk to are the colleges themselves and the admissions people, they will transfer you to someone at the college so you can talk to them and ask them those questions,” Weiland said.
Matthew Bevis, 12, Nathan Smith, 12, and Luca Maschi, 11, work on the specific heat lab in Physics which is offered as a concurrent course on Jan. 22. The lab found the heat required to raise the temperature of the unit mass of a given substance one degree. Physics is a concurrent credit course. {Photo by Chloe DeYoung}
By the numbers: WHERE TO NEXT?
{Art by Lauren Espinoza}
4% 6% 12% 34% 44%
Undecided Military Employment Technical School College Degree {Source: Deanell Weiland, counselor}
The Reporter april 2018 Academics
Say Yes expense to the
students find prom attire at cheap prices
Julia Capettini, 12, implemented ways to keep prom within budget. Instead of spending a lot at a restaurant for dinner, Capettini hosts a potluck. “All my friends and I get together and do each other’s hair and makeup, then we eat dinner,” Capettini said. Her friends seniors Emily Benton, her date Cooper Minden, Aziza Patillo, Braeden Parks, Drew Bishop, Tyler Molina and Aiden Escobar plan to eat a pot luck dinner at Capettini’s before prom walk-in. After prom and after -prom, they plan to return to Capettini’s to eat breakfast. Kailey Johnson, 11, scored a great deal of 70 percent off. She found a $90 prom dress for $15. “My aunt and I went to a Dillards that was closing and we found a 70 percent off section,” Johnson said. Mary Hrenchir, 11, purchased her dress from the same store during winter break. She said she found her perfect dress the first day of shopping. Hrenchir spent around $200 for her dress, plus another $30 for alterations. An average prom dress from a department store
costs about $100 and $300 to $1,000 at exclusive boutiques, according to the Alabama Living website. Holly Livengood, 11, did not put a price limit on how much she plans to spend on prom. Livengood paid $400 for her prom dress. She plans to have Mane 1 fix her hair and makeup. The average hair updo costs $60, according to the Alabama Living website. Traditionally, males pay for the tuxedo rental, shoes, corsages, dinner and transportation. The average costs for the corsages and boutonnières is about $20, the website said. Devin Elliott, 12, decided to honor his country by wearing a red, white and blue tuxedo. This themed tux cost him about $100 to rent. “I love America and you can’t be better looking than in the colors red, white and blue,” Elliott said. This is the average price for tuxedo rentals with Town Square offering rentals before the big day on April 21. Nick Hartig, 12, rented a tuxedo through Town Square. The av-
{kalyn bell} {Mariah sullivan} { } reporter
managing editor
matthew troutman managing editor
erage total for the girls to spend for prom is about $530, and the boys spend about $250, according to Alabama Living website. The theme of the prom is Phantom of the Opera, which is based on the musical including a fallen chandelier, phantom masks, a grand piano and red roses. This is this first year in the history of the high school that prom has been hosted off-site. Walk-in will be at the high school, with prom at Town Square on the Square.
Top: Kailey Johnson, 11, shows off the dress she got for $15 March 13. Johnson found the dress on sale at Dillards. Johnson said she is going to have friends and family do her hair and makeup rather than paying someone to do it. {Photo by Kalyn Bell}
spent $150-$200 on tux: 30% -13 Boys
spent $150-$200 on Dress: 25% -17 girls
{Source:Reporter survey of 33% of junior and seniors}
top 3 1 2 3
prom fundraisers
Sonic car hopping Concessions Cider Mill Volunteer
{Source: Regina Hollinger, prom sponsor}
The Reporter april 2018 School News
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How Private Is Pri vate? do students grasp the extent of their social media networks? { } { Emma Cox reporter
Picture filling a room with 1,000 people. To put it in perspective, the commons area can only hold around 1,200 at maximum capacity. Most students have around 1,000 followers on social media according to students in PHS. Add in the hundreds of connections to other users, each individual follower and students are practically famous. Yet, most students never think about how far their social media webs stretch. Jenna Collier, 10, has 1,545 followers on Instagram. Collier said out of all of her followers, she admits to only speaking on a daily basis to around 20 . “In real life I don’t really talk to a lot of people so I’m not going to go share my personal life with all those [followers],” Collier said. A message floats underneath Instagram profiles barring other users from being able to immediately access pictures and videos. “This account is private. Follow this account to see their photos and videos.” Collier said students who do not have private accounts and allow anyone to follow them are more at risk to being unaware to the true identity of their followers. “With private, you get notified more often with what’s going on and if you want to follow them back or let them follow you,” Collier said. Rudy Benton, 9, has 1,225 Instagram followers on her private account. Benton said she does not find any issue with some students having public accounts, though for herself she definitely does not want some users following her. “I think it is their choice to let people follow them, you can still block them, but I still think it is kind of sketchy,” Benton said. Social media can be a forum with the ability to connect people from all around the world, Benton said, but some users have bad intentions. “ I think people hide behind the screen. Somebody saying they are something that they aren’t,” Benton said. On the other end of the spectrum, Jake McDaniel, 11, has 142 followers on Instagram. Mc-
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Daniel said that the number of followers on Instagram does not matter to him. McDaniel looks at Instagram at least once a day and only posts about three or four times a year, he said, and doesn’t consider social media a considerable part of his time. “I don’t have Facebook or Twitter. All I have is Instagram and Snapchat I wouldn’t call it [social media] a big part,” McDaniel said. Instagram has around 800 million active monthly users. Out of this slew of users come hashtags, photo mapping, and direct messages with each account. McDaniel said he keeps his profile private so spam accounts are not able to follow him, but those who allow their account to be private is their choice. “I don’t really see much of a problem with it, I guess it’s just who they are,” McDaniel said. Baylee Teagarden, health teacher, said she used to have most of the popular social media apps. She had recently deleted her accounts. Teagarden said she felt she wasn’t private on Instagram and allowed anyone to following her assuming they were mostly Paola High School students. “I feel social media is a huge distraction to reality, living in the moment is better. I have enjoyed the last three weeks without my accounts,” Teagarden said. By getting rid of her social media accounts, Teagarden said she feels more connected to those around her.
North America 61% Central America
56%
{Source: The Statistics Website. Global social network penetration rate as of January 2018, by region. Photo illustration by Emma Cox}
The Reporter April 2018 Features
}
Liv Meridith reporter
West PHS
i
Global social network usage as of January 2018. Global Average?
39%
Western Africa
Message
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South America57%
“Sometimes I get those followers where I’m like ‘woah’ this person could be a major creep and I don’t really know them. I keep an eye on them and then I set the line and Do not let them follow me,” Jenna Collier, 10
?
tern Europe 44%
Eastern Asia 64% Central Asia 6%
ca 10%
}
Q&A with Chloe Hauser, 11 How many of your Instagram followers do you speak with on a daily basis? Probably four or five.
Southern Africa
27%
{ } “I think it’s kind of crazy but it’s also kind of cool how connected it can make people even if they live halfway across the world,” Rudy benton, 9 .
Do you have a private account? Why or why not? I’ve never had my account private. It never occurred to me, I don’t really have a reason. Maybe I should because it’s scary to think there are people out there who are creeps. Do you see any problem with not having a private account?
Australia 74%
Just the stalkers, if they would comment on my posts, like inappropriate things I’m not OK with that. If I see an inappropriate comment I’ll delete it and block them. Do you think you are more personal with your Instagram followers when you post a picture than you are in real life? I would say ‘hi’ to them , but I don’t talk to people I don’t know very well. If I know they’re following me, I’ll smile at them, but I wouldn’t start a conversation. The Reporter April 2018 Features
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Happiness i s a Choice Book vs . experience don’t let problems keep you from happiness { } Gracyn shulista
the world is your classroom
Reporter
I used to sit around and think about all of my problems. I wouldn’t think of ways to solve them. It was a fullfledged pity party for myself and I was the only one to attend. I used to think I was the only one who had difficult problems. I thought everyone else lived their best life, while I struggled to get through the day. Then I opened my eyes. I realized everyone has problems. Everyone has days when they are down in the dumps. However, we have to make the choice to move on and be happy or just sit and sulk. When a problem comes up, you can be upset about it. Everyone is going to have a pity party for themselves sometimes. However, don’t spend a bunch of time on it if you can’t fix the problem. If something isn’t going to affect your life in the long run, you shouldn’t spend more than five minutes thinking about it. Saying whatever happened sucks and then mov-
ing on is the best thing to do so you can find a solution to your problem. People who have depression or struggle with finding the good side to situations, may not find happiness so easily. To those people, just moving on won’t work. It’s important to know you can overcome and get through what you are going through. No one is alone and no one who wants you to feel unhappy. Sometimes you won’t always be able to fix your problems. Some things you just have to look at the bright side. Everything happens for a reason and you have to look for the lessons in the bad things. Your life won’t always be rainbows and sunshine, but having problems make the joys in your life so much greater. Most of the time happiness isn’t going to just come to you, things will try to get you down. You have to stay strong and keep a good attitude. Whatever your problems may be, solvable or not, happiness should be your goal. Take a deep breath and move on. Everyone has the right to the pursuit of happiness, so go ahead and pursue it.
Many people argue that learning from a book is more beneficial than experience, or vise versa, but in reality, you can gain knowledge from both. However, not everyone learns the same way. Some may be able to learn out of a book, whereas others, like me, have to learn from experience. People learn through seven different learning styles; the top five are visual, auditory, verbal, logical and physical. I prefer hands-on or visual learning, which includes learning through personal experiences and seeing new things. Personal experiences includes going out into the world, learning independence, conversing with new people and solving problems independently. People need to be capable of doing these simple tasks learning from a book doesn’t offer. For example, to learn how to conduct business, a classroom will teach you the basics, but going to an actual business and learning from one of the top dogs will give you many tips and tricks to take away and test out.
ExpressYOURSELF dying hair is an important form of expression {
}
{Paige Fleming} Reporter
People will learn lessons that help prepare them for bigger and better things to come in their future. One learns how to deal with things from former experience and one can’t learn how to be a better person or how to deal with life problems in a classroom. The world is open to so many opportunities and people other than everyday classmates. Many valid things can be learned in a classroom. However, going out into the world by traveling different places has so much more to offer. Traveling to different countries opened my eyes to all of the different types of people. People from different cultures hold all kinds of the unique beliefs. For example; had I never never gone to Italy I wouldn’t have known they charge you for silverware. It’s the smallest things you learn that make a difference. I learned so much more by visiting monuments such as the Eiffel Tower or the Colosseum because I saw it first hand. Tour guides gave information about the sights I didn’t learn sitting in a classroom. The world is your classroom, so pick up education however and wherever you can.
ashlyn watson
Classmates have made fun of me for dying hair. I started with a black streak in my bangs in third grade. In fourth grade, I dyed most of my hair brown. In sixth grade, I started experimenting dying my hair unnatural colors. I dyed my bangs hot pink and the under-layer blue. Since then, my hair has been various shades of red, purple and many other colors. People call me unkind names, but I keep doing it because I like it and it makes me feel good about myself. I
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felt confident and beautiful when my hair was different than everyone else’s. I have gone back to the color dark red because my best friend’s mom died. Her hair was this color, so I dyed my hair as a tribute to her. Hair dying is important to me. It is a way to express yourself. Everyone I’ve met who colors their hair has told me they are happier with colored hair, even though others bully them for it. Dying hair is a form of self-expression and diversity. It symbolizes a person’s identity and what they stand for. All students, across the world, should be able
The Reporter April 2018 opinion
Reporter
to dye their hair whatever color they want. Students exhibit many forms of self expression, such as styles of clothes, jewelry and hair color. Although many parents and schools accept this act, many do not. We are lucky we have a supportive school system and staff that lets us freely express ourselves. Unfortunately, many places around the world do not accept dying hair. According to the Stapaw website, 120 schools and colleges have removed students from school or sent them to inschool suspension because they thought
their hair colors were too distracting. Students who did not re-color their hair to school appropriate colors were kicked out and denied an education. Students should be allowed to dye their hair because it makes them different from one another. It’s the same thing as not being forced to wear uniforms. We can’t truly be ourselves if we all wear the same outfit every day. If our bodies and faces looked the same, we would all practically be the same person. We all need to look different and have different outfits everyday. Everyone needs to have a choice in their appearance to foster individuality.
We All deserve a voice Create yourself
forming your own opinion matters
respect protestors’ rights
{Trinity Miller}
“10 a.m. Footreporter step after footstep down the hall, silently sitting amongst classmates around the flagpole. Mourning. Honoring. Hoping for a change.” One’s opinions are the main establishment of a protest because it creates strength, drive and passion; however, they can be stupefied by other opinions as well. Standing out is essential to the growth of our country. It shows strength, perseverance and the First Amendment at work. On March 14, students walked out of their classrooms and schools across many cities throughout the nation, sitting outside for 17 minutes for each of the 17 lives stolen. The walkouts were organized for the victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre in honor of the lives lost after the Parkland, Fla. school shooting Feb. 14. Several students from schools in the Miami County area participated in the walkout, including 50 from our high school. Students are standing out to make a change, to reduce gun violence and to
honor the lives lost. Later that day, I saw an Instagram post regarding the 17 minutes, saying “Walk out of class’ ‘Stand outside for 17 minutes’ ‘Accomplish nothing’.” The students who participated were not hoping for immediate action on gun control. Yes, they believe gun control needs to happen so another massacre never occurs, but they were raising awareness and showing sympathy and compassion. Protesting is not just about standing up for what you believe is right or wrong. It is about sharing your past, supporting others and trying to make a change. Instead of distorting the protest to a Second Amendment battle you are trying to protect, try to empathize with the people who have lost daughters, sons, teachers and friends. To those who dare to protest, you are not alone. Donald Trump’s presidency has further divided our nation by encouraging his supporters to deny protesters a voice -- whether it be transgender rights, women’s rights or gun control. According to the Bloomberg website, a federal judge in Seattle compared President Trump’s ban on transgender soldiers in the military to historical errors by courts when American excluded blacks from serving in the military and required segregated units. The protests U.S. citizens are establishing are civil and peaceful, not inciting violence. When you protest, you shouldn’t have to worry about being attacked or your opinions being demoralized. We have the freedom of speech, along with the Second Amendment, to fight for what we want to happen; what we need to change.
{Amanda meeks} Ads manager
Growing up in a small town like Paola,commonly allows people to take the back seat in forming their own opinion.T hey typically just believe the same things their parents tell them and never take the time to create their own opinions on life. Sometimes you just need to travel out of this small town and experience the world for yourself. For example, living in such a small town typically makes political issues one-sided. Most often, we don’t think about the big picture. Issues that are small and don’t really pertain to us in such a small town can really impact someone’s life outside of this tiny bubble. But, we wouldn’t know because all we do is stay in this town and don’t see the world’s issues. During my sophomore year, I started to see the real world for what I wanted it to be. High school has shown me everyone is their own person. I began to notice things in the world that I didn’t agree with. I saw people being mistreated for horrible things, for instance people being bullied for the color of their skin, for the way they dressed and even for their sexuality. Because of this, I became more active in keeping up to date on the world news and focusing on the workings of the American government. I want you to have your opinion - not your parents’, your grandparents’, your
church’s or your political party’s. Don’t tell me you believe in something when I try to have an educated discussion with you and you can’t even back up your “opinion.” Please don’t say, “That’s exactly what I believe.” Don’t just tell me you believe something is right, instead, show me your reasons and proof. It’s ridiculous that we can’t put our difference of opinions aside when serious issues arise to come together to work on a solution. Right now, people are making their voices heard through the March for Our Lives. Children are dying in schools, but lawmakers won’t push their gun-control issues aside to stop children from dying. School should be the one place where students always feel safe. However, it’s not a place where we don’t know what is going to happen every day. Also, stop calling things “Fake News” just because you don’t agree with what the news says. There is a difference between real news and opinionated news. One person sitting behind a desk doesn’t make it the news. It’s the news when it says NEWS. Calling something fake news just because it doesn’t agree with or even criticizes your opinion is ignorant. Fake news are the Russian bots making up stories that flood your social media feeds that further divide our nation. You are entitled to think your own thoughts. Just make sure they are your own thoughts, not what someone shoved down your throat as a child. If we can’t listen to each other’s opinion in a civil discussion here in Paola, Kansas, then how do we expect our lawmakers to do the same? Be your own person. Make your own story. Live the life that you want to live. Don’t let someone be the backseat driver to your life. In the world we live in today, making sure you have a voice and knowing what you believe is crucial.
The Reporter April 2018 Opinion
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12 S. Hedge Lane Paola, KS 66071 (913)294-4400
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Dancing Hooves
{Emily taylor} {moorea long} Reporter
social media editor
Vil alobos loves training horses to dance
Jonathan Villalobos’s grandparents started teaching horses how to dance and trot, so Villalobos, 10, said he wants to carry on the tradition with his father. Villalobos has been riding horses for over seven years and training them to dance for five years. The Villalobos family has about 20 horses. They have Andalusian, American Quarter, Azteca and Cuafrisian horses. Villalobos said he got his first horse, El Regalo, when he was seven years old. His horse, and the many other horses, train to be “dancing horses.” His horse performs the El Regional and El Piaffe dances. Villalobos teaches his family’s horses many dances including the Regional and Spanish dances, differing by the height and speed the horses legs of the horses move. Villalobos said he prefers working with Andalusian horses for slower dances. His family and he train the horses at their house, but also takes them
across the country to festivals to show off their skills. Villalobos said he enjoys getting home so he can go outside and be around his horses. “We have a lot of horses, but some are better dancers than others,” Villalobos said. He said he loves the challenge of training the horses and going out to ride them whenever he can. “Training the horses is just something that I really love to do, and I love spending my time with them. To me, it’s just like soccer. I enjoy doing it and want to continue doing it for a long time,” he said. Villalobos and his father go out to help the horses for hours every time they get the chance. He also has to go outside before and after school to feed his horses and take care of them. Villalobos said he hopes to continue to train horses for the rest of his life and even hopes to attend college while still being able to tend to his horses. Jonathon Villalobos, 10, bonds with a mare, La Belleza, in the pasture on March 14. All of Villalobos’s mares have cut manes and tails as per tradition. {Photo by Chloe DeYoung}. Jonathon Villalobos, 10, runs or “lunges” his favorite horse, El Regalo, on March 14. El Regalo is a quarter horse. Villalobos has had El Regalo since he was 14 years old. {Photo by Chloe DeYoung}
The Reporter april 2018 FEATURES
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Hoop, there it is 6 Abby heger} {Trinity miller} { girls win sub-state and qualify for state reporter
The Panthers were the underdogs when playing against Louisburg and Spring Hill for the sub-state games March 1 and 3 in Paola. Classmates’, fans’, and opponents’ negativity was shot down after Ady Edwards, 12, made the winning shot against Spring Hill winning 38-29, and continuing the sixyear streak as sub-state champions. Edwards’ favorite part about basketball is bonding with the team and overcoming adversity; she said this year was her best season. “Many people believed we wouldn’t make it out of the first round of sub-state,” Edwards said. “We started the year with a 5-10 record and ended with an 11-12, and now we are one of the best teams in the state.” Winning sub-state shocked many fans, including Edwards, and she said the team felt on top of the world. “Hopefully, next year’s team can uphold the tradition of going to state, and continue growing as individuals and as a team,” Edwards said. When playing basketball, Edwards said the best advice she could give is, “never give up on yourself.” “There will always be people who don’t believe in you and want to see you fail, but keep persevering. Being a part of one of the most successful girls basketball teams in Kansas is a great honor,” she said. As a part of the basketball team, Kelley Colwell, 12, said she created relationships with her teammates and the girls eventually felt like a big family. “This year was really special, the team was really close. At the beginning of the year we weren’t really clicking because we had lost all of the starters last year, and we weren’t very good at first,” Colwell said.
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Coach Ross considered her to be the emotional psychopath of the team she said because she increased the energy amongst the players and believed in the team. “Honestly, it was crazy. No one expected us to make it as far as we did, then we beat Louisburg, then Spring Hill,” Colwell said. “It felt really good to carry on tradition and to not be the team who broke the six-year streak.” Halle Schindler, 11, said it takes a whole team to be successful, not just one player. “Everyone has a role on the team but that spot is not guaranteed. For the team to be successful every person has to show up everyday and work, whether it is on a team or just in life,” Schindler said. Playing varsity was one of Schindler’s goals, and she wanted to push the seniors to help them get far in the season. “I feel we were prepared for our sub-state games, we practiced hard and went over all the possible scenarios and we won,” Schindler said. “Winning is about the team that wants it more, the other team could have 6’4” girls who have amazing talent, but the real winners are the teams that have the want and drive.” Girls basketball practices are said to be fun but difficult. For the players and Stuart Ross, girls head basketball coach, he said winning is hard, then losing makes winning again even harder. “Basketball is black and white, cut and dry. You either win or lose. Often nothing else matters than finding a way to win, in life or basketball,” Ross said. “It helps us distillate the excuses that interfere with growth.” For Ross, basketball requires more skill and athletic prowess than it used to, but the goal has stayed the same: win.
Top Right: Jordan Johnson, 12, dribbles the ball down the court Jan. 23. The girls left the game with a win of 52-39. “No matter what the outcomes were, even when it wasn’t as we hoped, we continued to fight and move forward with one goal in mind,” Johnson said. {Photo by Bre Allen} Bottom Right: Kelley Colwell, 12, and Lindsey Pitzer, 12, cheers for her teammates after taking the lead against Spring Hill March 3. With Colwell’s enthusiasm and energy, the team won the last substate game with 38-29. “If you don’t think you can do something and everyone is telling you you can’t do it, just believe in yourself and you can pull it off. Just make sure you have energy and passion,” Colwell said. {Photo by Trinity Miller} Left: Sophie Jones, 10, prepares to pass the ball to another teammate Dec. 8. The team left the game against Harrisonville with a win of 55-27. “The season started off a little slow, but as the season went on we all grew closer and started working for what was really important: state. We achieved what we didn’t think was even possible at the beginning of the year,” Jones said. {Photo by Hannah Menefee}
The Reporter April 2018 Sports
peat substate champs
swing for state repeat
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katie austin reporter
Reporter
players set goals for future wins Making it to the State will pitch, because she tournament is one of the will control the ball. biggest dreams for many of Dailey Mitchell, 11, centhe girls’ softball players. terfield, said she has a lot For Coach Sherry Ball, of energy for the beginit is a season of looking ning of the season. Since for the best; not just skill- Mitchell was little, she wise but also with attitude. This is “We look to see what best benefits our Ball’s first season team - we are constantly evaluating as head coach after and reevaluating our players, and do the resignation of our best to put the best nine players on Troy Collier. Collier had coached the the varsity squad.” girls softball team Sherry Ball, Coach for the last 18 Years. “We look to see what best benefits our has played softball. To get team - we are constantly to state, Mitchell said she evaluating and reevalu- contributes to the team ating our players, and do with her positive attitude our best to put the best and picking up teammates nine players on the varsity when they are down. squad,” Ball said. Jordan Johnson, 12, Ball said she became a pitcher, said she thinks coach because of her love since there so many for the game, but that is hard-working girls playsomething coaches and ing on the team that they players have in common. will make it to the State Kierstan Weitze, 10, tournament again this shortstop, said she is excit- year. ed for the games when she Last year, the girls
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upcoming Home games
Tuesday April 10: Baseball V. Chanute Softball V. Chanute Thursday, April 12: Baseball v. Prairie View Monday, April 16: Baseball V. De Soto Tuesday, April 17: Softball V. DE Soto Monday, April 23: Baseball V. Fort scott
Chloe Hauser, 11, starts the windup for a pitch against Louisburg for the season opener March 29. The junior varsity won both its games 30-6, 17-0 {Photo by Chloe DeYoung} Aubrey Weatherbie, 10, stands in the batting box waiting for the pitch, the last pitch she received let her walk to first base. Varsity beat Louisburg 15-0 in both games March 29. {Photo by Katie Austin}
4:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m.
placed second at the State tournament, the highest finish in program history. They broke 23 team and individual records with a 22-3 season record. This year will be no different, players and coaches said. The girls will fight to make it to the State tournament and hopefully win as they would all want. Weitze said. As the road to state begins, the season opener, against Louisburg March 29, varsity won its doubleheader against Louisburg 15-0 both games with Johnson pitching. Junior varsity won its doubleheader 30-6, 17-0 with Chloe Hauser, 11, pitching. For this being the beginning of the season, the nervous times will begin but also the good times that will lead them to state and for every girl on the softball team, to win
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601 E. Chippewa Paola, KS 66071 Phone: 913-294-3286
The Reporter
April 2018
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macayla enman
Sports
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{ Dream Big }
students talk about their biggest ambitions {
{Photo Illustration by Emma Behrendt & Stephanie Castillo}
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Erik Brakner, 10, said his bucket list includes earning a bachelor’s degree in Architectural Engineering as well as owning a mandolin. Brakner’s to-do list means a lot to him and he said it all leads to his last goal on his bucket list: to be remembered. “How sweet the end of my life will be when I can say I have done these things, this is my ultimate inspiration,” Brakner said. Brakner’s top goal on his bucket list is to date his crush who is his favorite person to be around because she makes him laugh, and she brings out the best version of himself. Brakner’s last goal on his bucket list is to play a duet on his mandolin with his two musically talented friends, Braden Parks, 11, and Lily Hermes, 10.
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Jenna Stover, 9, said the top goal on her bucket list is to adopt a child with a special need. “I want to be able to learn with the child and not put them at the risk of growing up without a family,” Stover said. Stover plans to start achieving this goal once she is out of high school. To adopt a child with a special need, she said she will have to start by owning a home and be financially stable. “My mom is a special ed teacher and seeing the way she is with the kids is what makes me want to adopt a child with a special need,” Stover said. Stover said her ultimate inspiration is what she will learn from her goals.
The Reporter april 2018 entertainment
reporter
reporter
bRAEDEN jEVNE 10
Jenna Stover 9
Erik Brakner 10
stephanie castillo
Braeden Jevne, 10, has three things on his bucket list. His bucket list may be small in size, but he said each will take a lot of effort. “I would like to get into a good college, visit Europe and Asia, and climb a mountain,” Jevne said. Jevne said he wants to get into a good college so he can get a supportive job. He would like to go to different countries to see different people and witness other cultures. Jevne said his grandma goes to Asia often and he’d like to see it for himself. “I want to see and learn in person what the continents have to offer compared to America,” Jevne said. Jevne will train in preparation to climb a mountain and will do whatever he needs to achieve his goal.
{
“i want to take my mom on the vacation of her
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selah hadle, 9
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“my dream is to make a difference in the world and change it for the better.”
{ {
quinton weidenbach, 10
“my dream is to be an athletic trainer.” alyssa HennesS, 11
“my goal is to become a pilot. i did civil air control and that sparked my isrrael ebaben, 12
}
}