the newtonian: issue 3, series 91

newtoniantheA Newton High School Journalism Publication

900 W. 12th Street Newton, KS 67114Sept. 26, 2014 Issue 3, Series 91

Photo Essay P. 16

2News Sept. 26, 2014

The Newtonian

D&D TOWING, LLC D&D TOWING, LLC “WE DON’T TAKE ARMS OR LEGS,

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The new YMCA coming to Newton has 87% of the money needed to begin construction. The majority of the funding so far has come from the Greater Wichita YMCA, which has pledged to invest $10 million towards the project. Local businesses, organizations, and individuals have also pledged the remaining funds. “We are currently forming a team of community volunteers to begin a grass roots campaign during the month of October to raise the additional funding to make this a reality,” advisory board member Randy Carlgren said. The plan for construction is to begin in

early 2015 and to complete construction in late spring or early summer of 2016 but will determine on the funds. The YMCA will be built around the Newton Medical Center. The hospital donated the land for the construction. “Without the community coming together with the energy and passion to raise the necessary money, we will miss

out on an opportunity to do something truly special that will not only increase the wellness and health of thousands of

people in this area but also improve the “livability” factor of our community,” Carlgren said. The current Newton Recreation Center will not be closed due to the construction of the new YMCA. The Rec Center will continue to do sports programs and youth activities. The YMCA will just add more health and wellness opportunities

in addition to the Rec Center. “The YMCA will compliment existing services and help to meet the needs of an expanding community,” Carlgren said. The new YMCA expects to have basketball courts, a swimming lap pool, and fitness equipment for the community to use. “I am excited to see how the community responds. We

won’t get a second chance anytime soon for something that can make such an impact to our community,” Carlgren said.

YMCA coming to Newton in 2016 YMCA Information

• Construction begins early 2015

• Grand opening late spring/early summer 2016

• Still needs 87% of all funding

• World class facilities

• Basketball courts

• Lap swimming pool

• Lifting equipment

Avery AndersonReporter

photo courtesy

A projected model of the YMCA scheduled to begin construction near the Newton Medical Center in early 2015.

NHS LETTER JACKETS AND SPORTS PATCHES ANDERSON OFFICE SUPPLY MAIN & BROADWAY • NEWTON • 283-3570

DRS. GRANT, MCKINNEY, & SIMMONDS Optometrists, LLC

P.O. Box 765, 216 Meridian Rick H. McKinney, O.D. Newton, KS 67114 Ryan D. Simmonds, O.D. (316) 283-1310 Jennifer A. Simmonds, O.D. FAX (316) 283-1864

Submit your senior pictures for the

yearbook to Ms. Amrein in room 1-113 by

October 1!

3News

Sept. 26, 2014 The Newtonian

On Sept. 22, freshmen got their first taste of high school agriculture and experiences in Future Farmers of America (FFA) at the Greenhand Conference in Goessel. “Freshmen from schools all across Kansas that participate in FFA come and they get to judge dairy cattle, take a practice test, and do other various events that we learn about,” freshman Austin Esslinger said. While they have not gone to any competitions yet, the freshmen already know what they are looking forward to. “I’m excited to be able to get out of school, and not have to sit in class all day. In the actual conference I would say I’m most excited and most prepared for the creed test, which is a test over the FFA manual,” Esslinger said. The point of the conference is to help the freshman learn and get them used to

competition, however that is not all that students hope to accomplish by attending. “We go to the conference to help with leadership building, which is a very important thing to learn,” Esslinger said. Another reason for going to the conference is to prepare students for earning their Greenhand Degree, which can be earned by displaying basic knowledge of the FFA, such as the code of ethics, the motto, salute and mission statement, among other things.

FFA competes at Green Hand

StuCo is hosting the American Red Cross’ blood bus now for the fifth year. The blood bus will be at the back of the building by the sophomore locker section from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 29. You must be 17 years old or older to donate, but if your 16 and your parents sign a consent form, you may donate as well. Sign up started during lunch on the 22nd. StuCo is hoping to get around 25 donations and it doesn’t take long for the spaces to be filled. “[There are] less opportunities on the bus [because it’s] smaller,” StuCo supervisor Chris Wedel said. “We usually fill all the spots.” Some might think that it’s the school or StuCo that asks the American Red Cross to visit when, in reality, it’s vice versa. The Red Cross has

been asking and accepting donations of blood for 125 years and isn’t slowing down anytime soon. According to

www.redcrossblood.org, every year thousands of student leaders across the country organize American Red Cross blood drives at their schools. As a result from that, almost 20 percent of the millions of donations made each year come from

high schools. The benefits of donating blood are endless and they don’t just go to those on the

receiving end of it. Some of the benefits of donating blood are student leaders learning about civic responsibility and about planning and coordinating a community event. Donors feel good about giving back with other students, friends, faculty and members of the community, and the school is helping the American Red Cross fulfill its mission of ensuring the availability of a safe and reliable blood and

patients in the community receive the gift of life. So if you’re looking for a way to make an impact on your community or even your country, stop by and give some blood. That one charitable deed can be life changing to someone else.

StuCo hosts annual blood drive

“Freshman from schools all across Kansas that participate in FFA come and they get to judge dairy cattle, take a practice test, and do other various events that we learn about”

Austin Esslinger, freshman

Jerod FoxFeatures Editor Katie Reed

Reporter

Red Cross blood bus to visit Sep. 29 Freshmen attend conference in Goessel

4News Sept. 26, 2014

The Newtonian

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Postseason play is the time of the year many athletes wait for. It is their chance to prove what they can do with the entire state watching the competition. Opponents for postseason are determined by school classification, a number based on school size. On Monday, every school in the state sent their ninth through 12th grade enrollment numbers to the Kansas State High School Activities Association. “After the schools send

their numbers in, they are put in chronological order greatest to least,” activities director Brian Engelken said. “Once they’re in order, the list is split up. The first 32 schools are classified as 6A and the next 32 are classified as 5A. Then, the next 64 are classified as 4A, the 64 after that as 3A, and the next 64 as 2A. Whoever is left is 1A.” Classifications last for one school year and only affect school athletic teams. The only sport this rule doesn’t apply to is football. “Football classifications are determined every two years.

Because of this, there are instances where schools can be in multiple classifications,” Engelken said. “For example, one school could be 4A for football and 5A for everything else. Newton, however, has a tradition of being 5A. On the list there are usually 15 or 16 schools above us and 15 or 16 schools below us.” This year, there is some speculation Maize and Andover Central may be joining Newton in 5A as well. If this is the case, it will increase competition in the postseason. “5A is already loaded [with competition],” volleyball

assistant coach Liz Gunn said. “If those schools join 5A, that will make it the most competitive class at the state level. It’s already hard to make it to state in 5A. Those schools would make it more so.” The schools listed for change above are just speculation and have not been reclassified. “School classifications will be released [today] or Monday,” Engelken said. “These school class changes are just guesses based on last year’s numbers.”

New school size classifications to be released

Many extracurricular activities are available to students. Typically, they all require a skill, such as athleticism or musical ability. Most students know what soccer or band is and what the goals of these activities are. There is one, however, that includes the need for an education, and most people don’t understand what the point is.

Scholar’s Bowl is a club that requires students with knowledge about almost every subject. The club has 23 students signed up to participate this year. “We usually practice Mondays and Wednesdays after school. We set up buzzers for practice, go over the categories and work on skills,” Scholar’s Bowl coach Grant Scott said. “It is an activity that involves academics. There are usually 16 to 30 schools in each invitational. A typical round contains

questions from translating languages, social science, math, science, language arts, fine arts, and a year in review question.” Like sports and other activities, Scholar’s Bowl participants are allowed to have scrimmages; however, they cannot be interscholastic scrimmages. According to www.kshsaa.org, students are allowed to compete against alumni and faculty if no score is kept, or they may contend against colleges and

other non-school teams as an allowed competition if no score is kept. Another important consideration for questions in Scholar’s Bowl is to avoid trivia questions, which denies the belief that Scholar’s Bowl is similar to Jeopardy. “It’s thought of as just a trivia game, but the questions come from the most advanced high school or even college classes. It’s very rigorous,” Scott said.

Scholar’s Bowl begins weekly practices for meet

Sarah BartelReporter

Addie RegierReporter

How is class sizedetermined?1. Schools submit 9th-12th grade

enrollment numbers to Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA).

2. 6A- Schools ranked 1-32





7. 1A- All schools left split up into two divisions

8. School classifications in effect for one school year.

Want to help with parent teacher conferences October 16 and 20?

Talk to assistant principal Don Cameron

F

5Staff-EdSept. 26, 2014

The Newtonian

The Newtonian Staff

Editors-in-Chief Conner Mitchell Taylor Stahly

News Editor Jace Schmidt

Features Editor Jerod Fox

Entertainment Editor Natalia Ramos-Thaw

Opinion Editor Lauren Beebe

Sports Editor Aubrey Bartel

Photo Editor Austin Prouty

Reporters Avery Anderson Sarah Bartel Elyse Cash Katherine Lindgren Katie Reed Addie Regier Michaela Regier

Photographers Abby Anderson Dawsyn Long Kara Peaney Austin Prouty Krisandra Ritchey

Adviser Erin Amrein

Corrections:

Entertainment: Senior Emily Kuhn was not interviewed for the “Seniors: Then and Now” section. The quote that was attributed to her was said by senior Emily Kondziola. Sports: Sophomore Nicole Engelken was misidentified as sophomore Julia Pierce. We apologize for these errors.

You can’t sit with us...or maybe you can Whether you are a freshman or foreign exchange student you may fear what this high school ‘thing’ is all about. After all, your idea of high school is what you have seen in the movies and on TV. Mean Girls, High School Musical and the “Pass it on” have waking up with night sweats. Is there really a seating arrangement at lunch? If I sit down with someone I don’t know are they really going to get up and walk away? Should I avoid it all together and just take my tray to the bathroom? High School Musical is a movie that has impacted all our lives, whether we like it or not. One of the most iconic songs of the first film was Stick to the Status Quo. The song displays students of East High, dancing on the lunch tables, leaking their deepest secrets of wanting to venture away from their cliques, and do something completely bizarre. Before the cellist-skaters and baking-basketball players can get too out of control, Sharpay Evans enters and puts everyone back in their place so that “her” school doesn’t become ruined by a few audacious kids. Comparing our commons to that of East High, you can see a couple things. 1. We don’t have nearly enough singing and dancing.

2. Our entire lives aren’t separated into lunch tables.3. No one person rules the entire school. Yes, we are somewhat stereotypical. We have the jocks, drama kids and debaters along with many other “cliques” but we don’t have barriers between those groups. We have athletes that are “allowed” to bake cookies and cake balls in Mrs. Jeffrey’s class. Our homecoming queen isn’t a cheerleader, rather a football managing, basketball playing animal. Our Drumline is full of anything but “band geeks”, more along the lines of hardcore, with the added bonus of a cool rocker chick. There are no restrictions to who you can talk to and when you can wear pink or how many days per week you can wear a ponytail. This doesn’t mean that we are little angels who don’t fight, have meaningless drama or sub-par school lunches. Every high school is alike in some ways, but for the majority we are family. We bond together in our dislike for rival schools even celebrate our accomplishments together. It’s okay to be sad we don’t go to school with Troy and Gabriella. But don’t worry, we don’t go to a typical high school, either.

Seating arrangements at lunch: plastics, nerds, art freaks, jocks, JV jocks, wannabes, burn outs, band geeks, and the coolest people you’ll ever meet.

School lunches where the pizza tastes like cardboard and Michelle Obama has “ruined” your life.

Homecoming queen must be a blonde cheerleader, a flyer and at the top of the pyramid.

The captain of the football team dates the captain of the cheerleading squad.

The jocks hit books out of the nerdy kids’ hands during passing periods.

There is a teacher that has taught you, your parents and grandparents. No one actually knows their age.

We breakout into song in the middle of lunch, and somehow everyone knows the words.

If you’re a female, there’s a 97% chance you wear Uggs and consume Starbucks on a weekly basis.

Students can manipulate their teachers into giving them the grade they think they deserve.

Cheerleaders wear their uniforms to school every single day, not just on game day.

Stereotypical checklist: Where does NHS fall?

NHS is only ste

reotypical 40%

of the tim

e.

6Opinion

Sept. 26, 2014The Newtonian

Judging anyone before getting to know them is not okayNatalia Ramos-ThawEntertainment Editor

I’m just going to get right to the point here and ask since when is it the ‘it’ thing to start judging people before you’ve ever even had

a real conversation with them? In the last three years that I’ve been in high school I never really thought we had cliques. I mean yeah sure, everyone has their specific group of friends. But even though we all have our close friends, I used to think that for the most part we were all friends and we were all pretty much cool with

each other. But something about this year is different. All of sudden people are putting labels on certain groups of kids, specifically those who weren’t nominated for homecoming royalty, and it’s really starting to bother me. Yes, it is apparent that the homecoming nominees this year were all really nice, genuine people. But for people to say things like “I’m glad the popular kids didn’t get nominated” or “I’m glad those stuck up b-words don’t get to be homecoming queen/king like in years past” really makes me sad because most of the people I’ve seen saying these types of things haven’t

ever even tried talking to the “popular” kids before. And who are you to say that previous homecoming candidates weren’t nice people if you didn’t even know them? Since when did we become the kind of people with such harsh prejudgments? And by the way, where did that label “popular” even come from? This isn’t High School Musical. Cliques like that don’t even exist in real life and if you think they do you need to take a second look around you next time you’re walking the halls of Newton High. I know the faces that are popping into all your minds right now as you

read this and you’re probably thinking I’m just saying these things because I’m friends with them but it’s so much more than that. Next time you’re in math class sitting next to the “popular” kid, why don’t you try talking to them? Because I’ll bet you 10 dollars that the reaction you think you’re going to get is 110% wrong. I don’t know about you guys but I want to continue to be a school where all types of different people can all be friends. But that can’t happen until we all get off our high horses and stop judging people that we’ve never even spoken to.

When you think of high school, we all seem to compare our own experiences to what we see in media’s portrayal of high school.

We all know that type of movie: some mediocre plot line, one or two popular actors, a few washed-up actors, and will more than likely say something about homecoming. What do you think of when you hear the phrase “homecoming king” or “homecoming queen”? I’ll take a guess that most of you will immediately think of the captain of the football team, a girl who everyone knows (not always in a positive way), or just someone who is a well-known athlete. Take no shame in this being the first thing that comes to your head when you think of homecoming royalty, that’s just how movies and TV shows portray them. Obviously, you can’t make everyone

happy with a candidate. Last years homecoming nominees upset a large population of students because of how stereotypical it was of us to pick who we picked. This year’s homecoming king and queen nominations (and winners) are some that made almost everyone happy. After last year’s very stereotypical homecoming nominations, this year is very refreshing to see. Our nominees this year are a better representation of our school than I can ever remember. This year’s nominations consist of good students, respectful people, kind-hearted individuals, and just people that make our school look better. I know that only the seniors decided on who would be a nominee out of a list of forty or so, but I challenge all current students to keep this going. Continue to nominate someone you think really deserves to be homecoming royalty, not just someone you think is cool. I mean, unless you’re completely cool with having a stereotypical high school that doesn’t stand out from the rest.

Break the homecoming stereotypeJace SchmidtNews Editor

Is having a variety of friends important?

“Yes. It helps to get involved in different aspects of the school and to create good connections with different kinds of people.” Erin Graber, senior

“Yes. It is good to be a part of different social groups.”Cameron McIntosh, sophomore

“Yes. Then you can always have something to do on the weekend.”Sid Simmons, freshman

“Yes. Having different groups of friends makes life easier, and it gives you more people to talk to.”Alexa Jarrell, junior

“No. I don’t think it is becuase what should matter is the amount of true friends that you rely on.”Itzel Rubio, sophomore

“Yes. I think it’s not as fun to be around the same personali-ties all the time.”Megan Manning, senior

7OpinionSept. 26, 2014

The Newtonian

Use common courtesy, have proper concert etiquette

You bought your tickets the minute they went on sale, planned out your outfit months ahead

and looked up the set list online. Going to a concert can be pretty exciting. I love seeing my favorite artists in person. However, a few rude people can really ruin the experience. First of all, almost every arena or venue has the same security rules. No, you can’t take your professional camera with a lens so big it sticks out over the people in the next row’s heads. It will never be okay to take in a bag of Chick-Fil-A so throw it away before you try to go in. Nobody likes going through security, especially when it takes longer than necessary because people can’t read a simple “DO NOT BRING INSIDE” sign. After a walking through a full body metal detector, most people head to their seats. I’ve noticed a trend in groups of people at concerts. There’s the pack of 12 year olds whose dads bought them front row seats to see an artist play their top 40 hit and look ridiculously bored for the rest, a group of moms who definitely started drinking long before they paid for an $8 concession stand

beer, couples, and people who are genuinely there for the music. I always try to be the latter. It’s more fun when you honestly care about the music and can sing along to every song. Once the action starts, it’s always a good idea stand up. If your tickets are for a general admission area, you’ll most likely be unable to sit anyway, but for seated events, nothing drives me crazier than seeing people who paid so much for tickets and not even bothering to stand up. I’ve never once felt bad for standing in front of people. You get a better view for what you paid for. Taking pictures and videos can help provide memories later, but taking too many can be distracting. I’ve found myself accidentally staring at my screen to make sure I have the perfect video instead of watching the actual concert. Try to be in the moment as much as possible while documenting your experience. Concerts are about good music, being with friends and enjoying a night away from the real world. Experience as many as possible, but do it because you want to, not to tell all your friends you saw an artist you barely care about. Be respectful to other people around you and enjoy it while it happens.

Katherine LindgrenReporter

Having two older sisters who went to and graduated from Newton is cool but also hard. The oldest, Jennifer, graduated in 2010 and Kendra graduated two years later in 2012. I was a freshman when Kendra was a senior and whenever

we saw each other in the hallways we both looked away. Who wants to see their sister in school when we see each other enough at home? Because my sister was senior when I was a freshman, the teachers already had an idea of who they thought I was or should be. Most of them would say “Oh you’re Jennifer and Kendra’s little sister, I hope you’re just like them,” or there would be that one time when a teacher would say hope I wasn’t anything like them. Good thing I’m nothing like my sisters when it comes to school. I procrastinate way too much and never have my homework done till the night before its due; unlike Jennifer, who would have it done the day she got it and Kendra would do it the class before. Not only

do the teachers have expectations I should live up to, but my parents do as well. Since both of my sisters had a passion for basketball as a child, my parents assumed I did too. I played for a few years because I thought I liked it, and then I kept on playing because I didn’t want to disappoint my parents or my sisters. It wasn’t until the beginning of freshman year that I decided I was done playing basketball for good. I thought my parents were going to be mad at me because I didn’t live up to the expectations they had, but they were very supportive and so were my sisters. My parent’s expectations are important to me but not as much as my own are. My own expectations will be the death of me. I’m constantly thinking “Would Jennifer and Kendra do this? Probably not, so should I?” Then I chicken out because of this expectation I have for myself. It’s a blessing and a curse because I push myself to do better and if I don’t do better than Jennifer or Kendra would do I feel ashamed. What I’ve learned is yes it’s hard to live up to older sibling’s expectations but blaze your own trail and you’ll be fine.

Living up to your sibling’s legacyLara ScottGuest Colmnist

As an avid (sometimes over the top) college football fan, I live for fall Saturdays. I love getting up to watch College Gameday, putting on my jersey and sitting on the couch from the 11 a.m. kickoff to the end of the last Pac-12 night game. Nothing goes better with football than food, and I love preparing it for my family and friends. These are two of my favorite gameday recipes.

Cupcake Puppy Chow5 cups Rice Chex cereal1 Box of Funfetti Cake Mix1 package of Vanilla Almond Bark

Melt the almond bark until smooth. Mix together all ingredients until chex is completely covered. Set on wax paper to cool and enjoy.

Touchdown SpritzerMojito Syrup1T Berry Grenadine

1 Can of Sprite5-7 Fresh Mint Leaves1 Lime sliceCrushed Ice

Crush mint leaves in the bottom of a glass. Fill the glass 1/3 with mojito syrup and add a tablespoon of grenadine. Stir until blended. Fill the glass with crushed ice. Add in the sprite and mix all ingredients together. Garnish with a lime slice and mint leaf.

Tips for Gameday Cooking:• Try to choose recipes that you can make the day before so you don’t have to

miss out on any of the game action.• Use plates, napkins or food coloring in your favorite team’s colors to show

your spirit.• If you’re tailgating, remember to bring coolers and ice for any refridgerated

items.• Forget “healthy” eating and go crazy with sugary and fried foods. Saturday

only comes once a week.


Entertainment 9

How long does it really take to get ready?

Kooking with Kat We asked you: What is your favorite food/snack to eat when watching football games at home?

“Brendan Downey’s mom’s Peanut M&M bars and his pop. Only Brendan’s pop though.”Cameron Cassil, senior

Katherine Lindgrenreporter

B O Y S V S G I R L S

“Steak with A1 sauce.”Antonio Torres, junior

“Corn dogs and popcorn with nacho cheese.” Vladimir Guzman-Garza, freshman

“Every year my godmother makes this cheese dip with beans and tomatoes. It’s delicious.”Anika Chapman, senior

On the weekends I wake up around 8-eat breakfast-remove my clothes and shower-fix my hair in the position I want it to dry (takes 25 minutes to dry)-brush my teeth-go to my closet and get my undies on-go pick out a pair of shorts or whatever I’m wearing -then I find a shirt to match my shorts-go to my dresser and find a pair of socks that match my shirt color-after that I find a pair of shoes that look good with my outfit-it takes me around 1-2 hours depending on how long it takes me to find matching clothes that look good

Michael Vela, sophomore

Usually I wake up around 7:45-7:55 and I’ll go into my bathroom and brush my teeth and wash my face.-After around 8 I get clothes on and do my hair and put on make-up if I’m feeling it.-After that I go downstairs, put my shoes on, grab my lunch box and backpack and leave around 8:10-8:15 and get to school at about 8:20. -Sometimes I’m really tired and get up around 8 and leave at 8:10-8:15.-That’s a schedule for me on a good day.

Shelby Fernandez, junior

It takes me one hour to get ready.-wake up-eat breakfast-brush my teeth-wash my face-do my make-up-fix my hair

It takes me 10 minutes to get ready. -brush my teeth-wash my face-put contacts in and get dressed

Zach Roberson,junior

Jaiden Ochoa,junior

As an avid (sometimes over the top) college football fan, I live for fall Saturdays. I love getting up to watch College Gameday, putting on my jersey and sitting on the couch from the 11 a.m. kickoff to the end of the last Pac-12 night game. Nothing goes better with football than food, and I love preparing it for my family and friends. These are two of my favorite gameday recipes.

Cupcake Puppy Chow5 cups Rice Chex cereal1 Box of Funfetti Cake Mix1 package of Vanilla Almond Bark

Melt the almond bark until smooth. Mix together all ingredients until chex is completely covered. Set on wax paper to cool and enjoy.

Touchdown SpritzerMojito Syrup1T Berry Grenadine

1 Can of Sprite5-7 Fresh Mint Leaves1 Lime sliceCrushed Ice

Crush mint leaves in the bottom of a glass. Fill the glass 1/3 with mojito syrup and add a tablespoon of grenadine. Stir until blended. Fill the glass with crushed ice. Add in the sprite and mix all ingredients together. Garnish with a lime slice and mint leaf.

Tips for Gameday Cooking:• Try to choose recipes that you can make the day before so you don’t have to

miss out on any of the game action.• Use plates, napkins or food coloring in your favorite team’s colors to show

your spirit.• If you’re tailgating, remember to bring coolers and ice for any refridgerated

items.• Forget “healthy” eating and go crazy with sugary and fried foods. Saturday

only comes once a week.

8 Entertainment

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We Accept We Accept Vision Cards Vision Cards

Students share embarrassing stories during school“I couldn’t make it to the bathroom in kindergarten and peed my pants. I played if off as two-toned jeans and the class believed it.”Connor Born, senior

“I was wearing a front clip bra and it broke. so...no bra. Moral of the story, get bras that fit.”Erika Ledesma, junior

“One time I got my pants pulled down by a girl in second grade.”Wyatt Burbrink, senior

Katherine Lindgrenreporter

“One time I was sleeping in class and I woke up and said ‘mommy’.”Micah Smith, senior

“We were running stair laps at Santa Fe when Mr. Whit was the teacher and I tripped up the stairs and people just ran on top of me. And Mr. Whit just laughed.”Cassidy Funk, sophomore

“One time I fell down the stairs in the commons in front of the track team and hit a trash can and it rolled down the stairs.”Katelyn Zinn, senior

“In 7th grade I peed my pants on the way to class and it was noticable. The principal laughed at me.”Jadin Vilaysack, freshman

“I wore my pants backwards all day once.”Aneka Voth, sophmore

”In science class someone threw a piece of paper at me and right as it hit me I burped really loud.”Reagan Treffer, freshmen

10Features


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Then and now: high school changes prove to be small factorsElyse CashReporter

Going to high school 32 years ago or even just four years ago is thought to be a lot different compared to being here right now. According to FACS teacher Melinda Jeffrey and science teacher Adam Williams it wasn’t really all that different. “[The biggest difference was] the style of teaching,” Jeffrey said. “[Teachers] lectured most of the class time.” As well as the style of verbal teaching, technological teaching was different. “We had two big computers my senior year,” Jeffrey said. “And I never had time to take those classes.” When Williams was in high school, the style of verbal teaching wasn’t any different than it is now, but the way of technological teaching was different. “[There wasn’t] a huge difference, but we didn’t have laptops,” Williams said. “[We didn’t have cell phones either. They were out but they weren’t as prevalent.” Aside from the ways of teaching, what students had to do was almost the same.

“[There were] similar expectations, you had to get work done, completed, on time,” Williams said. “We still did everything. Go to school, eat lunch, do homework. It was the same.” While the classroom environment has not changed drastically over the years, school lunches and dress code are another story. “[Other differences] were the school lunches [what we

were allowed to wear],” Jeffrey said. “You either ate [the lunch given to you] or you didn’t. There was no going out. I [personally] didn’t eat it. And we were not allowed to wear shorts. We could only wear jeans.” Student behavior has also seen a major change and not for the better. “The worst difference was [student behavior],” Jeffrey said. “They have more of a defiance. They get away with more now.” With all of these differences

between then and now, teachers figured surviving high school now wouldn’t be that hard, but senior Drake Sturgeon thought differently. “I doubt [they could survive high school now],” Sturgeon said. “They grew up differently than we did.”

“The worst difference was [student behavior]. They have more of a defiance. They get away with more now.”

Melinda Jeffrey, family and consumer science teacher

• Textbook driven• Passive learning• Isolated work areas• Teacher-centered• No student freedom• Cirriculum irrelevent to

students

• Research driven• Active learning• Works collavoratively with

schools across the globe• Student-centered• Student freedom• Cirriculum addresses

student diversity

20th Century Schools 21st Century Schoolsv.s.

facts from www.21stcenturyschools.com

We asked you:Is high school different now than it

was in the past?

“There was no block schedule. We had 53 minute classes. When we had clubs or pep assemblies, we just didn’t have our last class that day. ”

Jennifer Horn, math teacher

“All the colors are different. The design of the school is different and education is just more difficult.”

Sarah McFarlane, sophomore

“It’s still pretty much the same. In the past there was no Facebook or social media or even iPods. You had CD players and MP3s and you had to be special to have an MP3.”

Andy Preston, math teacher

It was late the evening of Thanksgiving when they got the call. Pastor J* had a young woman from his congregation who was 9 months pregnant and wanting to give the baby up for adoption. A baby. It’s what, for nine years, they had hoped and prayed for. Tests, cutting-edge procedures, and countless disappointments had led up to this point. Adoption was a new venture they’d just decided to explore.Hesitantly, Mom responded with, “Well…we’ll have to talk about it.” Dad, on the other line said, “What’s there to talk about?!” And just like that, the decision was made. Fast forward to December 31st when another phone call comes through. “She’s here,” explains Pastor J. Two days later, January 2nd, a young lawyer and his secretary make a trip through heavy snow to Manhattan, Kansas to pick up the infant. “Her name is Elizabeth. Just in case you need or want to use it while you have her,” offered Mom. That evening, Rick and Janet

welcomed the two-day old baby girl to their home. Neither the lawyer nor his secretary stayed long to drop off the baby. Mom unwrapped the

fuzzy-headed baby and began counting fingers and toes, making sure they were all there. Dad was already phoning family… “She’s here,” he proclaimed. This is the story of how I came into the world. It’s what I’ve been told over and over since before I could remember anything else. I’ve always known that I was adopted. There was never a big, sit-down discussion or intervention where I was told I was not biologically related to my family. Never have I felt like I don’t belong or am not “whole” because I did not grow up with people who are genetically similar. In fact, being adopted has always been viewed as something special in my family. Mom used to say I was born in her heart, as opposed to her womb. Let me first say that my adoption was a closed adoption. This means that once the legal documents were signed, there was to be no contact between either party. A notice was placed in the newspaper of my biological father’s hometown to let him know that if he did not come forward and claim me,

the adoption would be taking place. He never made that move. Although my parents had documents I could have accessed at any time, it didn’t interest me

until I got into high school. There are only three states in the United States that allow adoptees access to their original birth certificates upon your eighteenth birthday, and Kansas is one of those states. When I turned 18, I sent off for my original birth certificate just to see what it said. Again, I already had both of my biological parents’ names, so this was primarily out of curiosity to see it. I had to laugh when it showed up because it had “VOID” stamped across it in red ink. My biological mother, Sally, was a 19 year old college student from a small-town in Kansas when she found herself pregnant with me. It’s not been clear what Sally’s relationship to my biological father was, but it honestly doesn’t matter. I’ve always envisioned Sally as eager to get an education and wanting to do something with her life. A baby certainly would have hindered this. I’m curious about Sally…what she likes and dislikes and if that relates in any way to me. I often wonder how much of my personality is a reflection of my nature or how I was raised? Because I was curious, and always will be, I did reach out when I was 18 to see if she was interested in meeting up. However, she had not told very many people in her family and, at the time, was not up for meeting. Honestly, I’m okay with that. I’m really happy that Sally made the decision that she did. For me, things could have ended up very

differently. I’ve had a lot of opportunities that I’m not sure Sally could have given me. I respect Sally’s choices because I don’t think I could have made them, myself. She gave me a chance, and for that, I will always be thankful. Yes, I will always be curious… but I have parents and a wonderful extended family. Sally gave me life and a chance, but she’s not my mom. That title is reserved for the one who sat up with me when I was sick, cheered me on during hot summers at softball tournaments, and celebrated my milestones and accomplishments among other things. After reading Michaela’s article in the last issue, I was so proud of her. Adoption is a HUGE decision that is never taken lightly by those who are involved. It takes courage and faith. So many lives are forever impacted by the decisions that are made and, therefore, cannot be taken lightly. I have no ill feelings towards Sally. I can’t imagine what it must have been like to make the decision she made. I may never tell Sally how thankful I am that she chose adoption, but I can live my thankfulness on a daily basis…by doing that, living. Until you walk a mile in their shoes, reserve your judgment.

11Features


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Gunn tells own story of personal adoption processElizabeth GunnSocial Studies Teacher “Adoption is a HUGE

decision that is never taken lightly by those who are involved. It takes courage and faith. So many lives are forever impacted by the decisions that are made.”

Elizabeth Gunn, teacher

*names in this story were changed to protect identity

12Features


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Is the Cum Laude system worth it?

Grades. The most important part of high school. Some students may choose to shrug off the idea of getting good grades. For others, grades are essential to a successful high school and admittance into college. Counselor Jana Crittenden, along with teachers Nathan Dick, Jerry Epp, Cathlina Bergman, Barbara Umscheid and Grant Scott recently noticed a trend in the new academic graduation classification system. Through their research, they discovered that there were more 4.0 GPAs in the Cum Laude level of the newly introduced graduation system than in the higher level Magna and Summa Cum Laude classifications combined. “[The Cum Laude] probably [have higher GPAs] because they’re not taking as many AP courses. For example, AP Calculus and AP Biology tend to be classes where students often get a B,” principal Roger Erickson said. “[We had] always based [the] graduation honors on GPA for Valedictorian and Salutatorian. Last year was the last year based on GPA. The old system penalized those who took those [harder] classes.” The amount of honors classes being taken this year has skyrocketed compared to last school

year. The greatest difference that was made was in Honors Biology and Medical Science I. Last year, Honors Biology only had 67 requests while this year, there were 131 requests. Last year in Medical Science, there were only 74 requests. This year, there were 157 requests. More and more students are wanting to graduate with honors and the academic recognition has a big impact on the amount of honors classes being taken. “More students are earning honors. It has had a huge impact on Honors English III and Algebra II.” Erickson said. There may not be as many 4.0s in the Summa Cum Laude level, but those students typically have a higher ACT score than those in the Cum Laude level. Students may not get perfect grades while taking harder classes but those who do take them will gain a great amount of knowledge, and in the end, that is the goal of high school. The things that students learn over the years will shape them into well-rounded citizens with successful careers. “We have already seen that when you show parents and students the [new system], they get it,” Erickson said.

Katie ReedReporter

Last Thursday, the cheer team, along with some help from the parents of football players put together an evening pep rally for the homecoming game. The night included a performance by the Railiners and a special routine by the cheerleaders and senior football players, along with fun games and activities for everyone to be included in. “The football parents wanted to do something special for the boys for homecoming like they used to back in the day. Since we couldn’t do the bonfire, we just had a pep rally instead. We played all sorts of different games, like water balloon toss and relays,” senior co-captain Mikayla Cordero said. “We really just wanted to get as many people involved as possible.” The senior cheerleaders and senior football boys put together a special performance for the crowd. They included a cheer, a chant and stunt, which is a pretty normal routine. They also included a short dance at the

end that the boys made up so they could do their own thing. “It was really fun but it was also really hard. There was

a lot to remember because we learned everything in such a short amount of time,” senior football played Michael Estrada said. “The

dance was my favorite part because it didn’t have to be school appropriate.” With this being the first time something like this has been done in a while, the cheerleaders didn’t know what to expect in terms of how many people would show up. But overall they think the night was a success. “It was kind of surprising how many people actually came. The support from the community was outstanding. We tried to pick games that were both exciting to watch and be apart of. I think it’s something that they should definitely keep doing in the future. We appreciate everyone that came, not just athletes, but students and parents as well,” Cordero said.

13SportsSept. 26, 2014

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Football tailgate pep rally ft. senior football players

Natalia Ramos-ThawEntertainment editor

Cheerleaders, football parents put on community rally for homecoming

“The foootball parents wanted to do something special for the boys for homecoming like they used to back in the day. Since we couldn’t do a bonfire, we just had a pep rally instead.”

Mikayla Cordero, seniorSenior football players perform a dance they choreographed themselves at the homecoming pep rally Sep. 18. The Railiners and the Cheerleaders also performed at the event. photo Abby Anderson

14Sports

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Fall Fest is an evening for the community to come out, support and enjoy the fall sports teams. For senior Noah Schmidt, Fall Fest hasn’t been what it was supposed to be. During a play at the scrimmage this year, Schmidt went down for the third time in his high school football career. This time with his second ACL injury. “It sucks since it’s my senior year and I have been hurt the last two seasons,” Schmidt said. Schmidt went down sophomore year during the Fall Fest scrimmage with his first ACL injury, resulting in a lot of physical therapy and rest to get back ready to play football again after that. Schmidt also saw little action during his junior campaign due to an injury in the first regular season game with a torn meniscus. That is what made this injury so much harder for him. “I was pretty mad because

it felt like I tore my ACL and I knew the repercussions of such and injury,” Schmidt said. Physical therapy will be where Schmidt spends most of his time for the next four weeks getting prepared to come back and play. Much of the physical therapy will be hamstring and quad strengthening exercises getting his leg ready to play again. A torn ACL can be tough on someone to bounce back on, but already having gone through this experience once is making it easier the second time around. “I really hope it works out, I know I won’t be 100% but I’m just grateful to get the chance to play,” Schmidt said. Schmidt wants to get back out on the field as soon as possible to help the team and hopes to stay healthy for the rest of the year. He hopes to get back in time for the last few regular season games of the season and post season play. He will have surgery on the leg at the end of the season.

Schmidt tears ACL, plans to continue to play football

Avery AndersonReporter

Fast Facts: ACL Injuries

Femur

MCL

Miniscus

TibiaFibula

LCL

PCL

ACL: If in tact, it will act as a stablizer between the femur and tibia.

View of Front, Right Knee

PCL- posterior cruciate ligamentMCL- medial collateral ligamentLCL- lateral collateral ligament

• 150,000 ACL injuries occur per year

• ACL injuries are responsible for $500 million in U.S. Health Care costs each year

• 70% of ACL injuries occur when an athlete is cutting, pivoting, sidstepping, or awkward landings

• 30% of ACL injuries occur from contact with other players

• Men are eight times less likely to tear their ACL than females.

• After surgery, recovery takes six to 12 months depending on the tear

• After one ACL injury, the chances to a second injury increases by 66%

After third knee injury of high school career, Schmidt remains optimistic

information courtesy of:http://orthosurg.ucsf.edu/

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15Sports Sept. 26, 2014

The Newtonian

When the Friday night lights go out, where do you go?

Sport: Cross CountryGrade: 9GPA: 3.75

How hard is it to balance both school and cross country?“It gets pretty stressful sometimes but I’m usually pretty good with maintaing both.”

What sacrifices do you have to make to continue your success in athletics and in the classroom?“I don’t get as much sleep, not as many activites, and I miss out on things like pep rally’s and things when we have meets.”

Who is your favorite athlete?“Kevin Durant.”

Very superstitious

“I have to eat the same breakfast. It’s two eggs over-easy, cut up with salt and pepper. I also eat two pieces of country sausage, and a slice of toast with butter on top on a paper plate in the van.”Erin Graber, senior

“I wear a tie dye purple sports bra and pink sliders and if I wear a bow, I feel really off.”Taylor Burns, senior

“I have to wear the same sports bra the day of the game. I also usually end up watching Dirty Dancing the night before.”Drew Dietz, senior

“In high school, I wore the same pair of socks for practices and games. I went the whole season without washing them.”Tony Hein, PE teacher

“I eat pasta the night before the game and wear the same purple and pink sports bra.”Megan Akers, sophomore

“If I do good in a game, I wear the same socks for the next one and don’t wash them.”Mikey Conklin, sophomore

“Applebees with the boys and student section.”Lauren Regier, senior

“Going to Newells to get cheese fries and an Oreo shake.”Jordan Wondra, junior

“Taking a hot shower and then going to McDonalds with some of my teammates.”Logan Hamm, sophomore

“Going to Bees with my boyz.”Cody Stineman, senior

“Going home and eating lots of food afterwards, usually Oreos if I’m lucky.”Sam Blaufuss, sophomore

“Hanging out with my friends and going to Newells or Applebees.”Riley Kingsley, senior

“I clean off my visor before every game and put gold beads in my cup.”Jamel Wagoner, junior

From dirty socks to Dirty Dancing

Post gametraditions

“The volleyball team has curfew at 11, so I go home and call [coach] Dibbens. ”Jessica Motes, senior

Student athlete of the week

“Go the high school and clean things up. Sometimes go to Applebees or Braums.”Maura Thieszen, senior

16Photo Essay


Homecoming:

Senior Jerod Fox gives senior Savannah Sailors a hug following their introduction on the field.

Fall homecoming candidates walk the field

Sept. 19. Queen candidates were seniors

Savannah Sailors, Taylor Stahly and Mikaleigh

Wilson. King Candidates were seniors Jerod

Fox, Bradley Million and Colton Pfannenstiel.

Seniors Bradley Million, Jerod Fox, and Colton

Pfannenstiel open the envolpe revealing the

homecoming queen.

Seniors Bradley Million and Taylor Stahly smile for pictures after being announced as the homecoming king and queen.

Seniors Mikaleigh Wilson, Taylor Stahly and

Savannah Saliors unveil the fall homecoming king.

Seinors Bradley Million and Colton

Pfannenstiel present crowns to seniors

Savannah Saliors and Taylor Stahly.

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photos and essay layout | Austin Prouty

the newtonian: issue 3, series 91

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