the Seaman
Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday Page 4
Volume 87
helping a cause: Seniors Emily Jowers, (in set) Michaela Driskell, Bailey Keating, Delaney Kramer, Nathan Crowder, Dray Podlena, Lucas Anderson and Kaden Henley volunteer with their seminars for senior community service day.
Issue 2
4850 N.W. Rochester Rd. Topeka, KS 66617 seamannews.com It’s a GREAT day to be a Viking!
Nov. 3, 2017
Fall Sports Wrap-Up Page 8
Sam Juarez runs the football in game against T-West.
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Schoology creates flipped classrooms by Alexis Desch staff writer Imagine a school environment where students teach themselves. Teachers sit at their desks, doing who knows what, while the classroom they’re suppose to be teaching, is stressing over the content they are unable to grasp without a teacher. Now stop imagining. This is the current situation for some of our very own students. Along with the use of Schoology and its resources, teachers have discovered a way to educate their students without having to speak with them directly. They call this the flipped classroom. Flip assignments are made up of power points, documents, media, prerecorded lectures/lessons and quizzes that a student completes on their own time, “flipping” through the assignments. A flipped classroom is when a teacher sends home their students with notes to take and book work to complete. The knowledge gained at home is then applied in class with assignments and labs that aren’t capable of being done at home. Students are able to use the extra class time gained to ask teachers questions and complete other assignments for that class. This is backwards from the traditional class time being used for lectures and teaching, hence the name “flipped classroom.”
Due to the fact that flip assignments make it easier for students to fall behind, how much they succeed in the class is really up to the individual. Broadcast teacher Louis DiLenoardo speaks up on his thoughts towards student application when it comes to flip assignments. “I believe this is all based on the student and how much effort they want to put into their learning. My assignments are usually video based and last seven minutes and have a quiz to go with them. Students then come to class and work on a project based on the videos.” Along with new technology comes new work habits and practices. For this reason, today’s students have a greater need to learn how to apply technology to their lives than past graduates had. DiLeonardo said, “With the 1:1 initiative and the use of Schoology as our course management software, blended learning is going to be implemented in more classrooms at Seaman High School because this is how students are learning in today’s society and in order to be a successful learner, students have to be able to process information and adapt it to a problem or situation so they can solve it. For example, you can Google anything, watch a video, learn how to do it, and then apply it to your own unique project you are completing.” While this reversed style of teaching can be very questionable at first, once
Viking voices What is a skill you think your students should know? Opinion
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“I feel like students don’t have basic writing skills because they are so used to texting and talking on social media.” - Mr. Dawson Elliot
getting use to it, it can be very beneficial for both students and teachers. However, students will only genuinely understand the flip assignments/classrooms if the teachers know how to use them properly. If used in the right respect, students can enjoy being able to learn somewhat at their own pace, and also appreciate having the resources to look back on whenever they feel the need. Overuse of this teaching exercise, however, can lead to students becoming overwhelmed and cause them to fall behind, and even begin doing poorly in the class. Junior Grayson Seevers chimed in on her opinion of this version of teaching, saying, “I have mixed feelings towards flip assignments. I like that you are given the opportunity to teach yourself and comprehend things without outside input. The thing I don’t like is if you do it incorrectly you’re left confused and with a bad grade.” Also speaking up about his feelings towards flip assignments, sophomore Taegan Loy said, “I don’t really like them that much because it’s harder for me to teach myself since I don’t already know the concept. When the teacher explains it to me they could explain it better and then tell me exactly how to do it, whereas a powerpoint or something might not explain it well enough.”
“Something I wish my students and/or freshman knew was time management skills and that their actions do have consequences.” - Mr. Bernie Tuck
Editors Kyser Dougan, Lauren West Ad managers Garrett Polter, Jackson Cobb Staff Avery Bocquin, Evan Cluff, Alexis Desch, Alyssa Flower, Lauren Hren, Eli Laird, Annika Lloyd, Mason Loy, Riley Polter, Mercedes Scarbrough, Jacob Wildeman. Adviser Kelly Neiman To submit a letter to the editor, the letter must be 300 words or less in length. All correspondence must be signed. The goal of the staff is to report school and community news and suggest ideas for improvement. We welcome your opinions and will do our best to publish what you have to say. Views in this newsmagazine do not always represent those of the faculty or school board of USD 345. The Clipper reserves the right to edit or refuse publication of material that is libelous, obscene, invading privacy, infringing on copyright or disruptive to the educational process of Seaman High School.
“When students start the assignment before they get their instructions and then as soon as the instructions are done they raise their hand and ask what they’re suppose to be doing.” - Mr. Tim Hebert
“When my students try to pack up early and don’t use all of their class time and they try and go and stand by my doorway out in the hall and try and talk to everyone else that drives me nuts.” - Ms. Tatiana Schafer
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Trump threatens popular immigrant program by Mason Loy staff writer
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s a child, your parents almost never let you out of their sight, and they certainly would not leave you home alone if they were to leave the country. However, for some children, their reality is much different. Based on a 2015 consensus, the undocumented immigrant population was set at about 11 million. Among this number are the countless children brought to the U.S. by parents or other relatives. Most of the time they have no choice in the matter, because to stay would mean to separate from their family. Many parents are seeking not only a better life for themselves, but a brighter future for their children. For the past few months, there has been heavy debate between the right and left side regarding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, more commonly known as DACA. This is a program intended to protect undocumented youth who immigrated as children from deportation. The program grants the recipients with a work permit and two-year protection from deportation. Over 800,000 youth, often called ‘Dreamers’, have benefited from this program and stand to
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People are offered many opportunities through the DACA program that might not have previously been available to them.
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lose their privileges in a decision made by Trump. As is well known, President Donald Trump has long been threatening to deport all illegal immigrants from U.S. soil. While he has claimed that he is willing to compromise with Congress to find a solution that would allow some young immigrants to remain here, he has continuously declared that he is going to ‘scrap’ the DACA program. Some young immigrants have already been deported, tearing them away from their families and destroying any future plans and dreams they may have had here in the U.S. DACA is an incredibly important program that should not be ‘done away with’ as Trump has promised.
R-rated movie age deserves a change by Lauren West co-editor With the recent buzz of the remake of the popular R-rated horror film ‘It’ by Stephen King, I can’t help but notice the amount of people under the age of 17 who were excited to see it. While I, a 17-year-old, would have no problem getting into the theatre, it occurred to me that a lot of 16-year-olds would have to take greater measures to see the movie. This revelation brought me to the idea that 16-year-olds should be able to see Rrated movies without a parent or guardian. According to censorshipinfilm.wordpress.com, in 1968, the R-rated movie age was 16 and up. This was soon changed to the current age of 17 and up. But, it seems kind of odd to me that 16-year-olds can drive, get a job, and drop out of school, but they can’t go see a movie that has an R-rating. If ‘It’ came out when I was 16, I would definitely have wanted to see it. But I also remember how difficult the process was of going to see an R-rated movie in theatres. The one year difference between a 16-year-old and a 17- year-old is not substantial enough for someone to decide that a
People are offered many opportunities through the DACA program that might not have previously been available to them. Immigrants who are sheltered by DACA should not have to worry about being deported and losing everything. Though immigration can be a tricky situation, the solution is not to send all immigrants back to their home countries and strip them of everything they have ever known. Most of the DACA members facing deportation were too young to remember where they are from, and so would be forced to leave the only home they have ever known. There are many ways that you can help those affected by the DACA decision. You can get involved in organizations in your area dedicated to protecting the rights of immigrants, and you can even make a call to your representatives. Most importantly, you should stay educated on the matter, which includes keeping track of different DACA activists or organizations through social media. Though many believe that this is a decision that cannot be prevented, activists believe it is important that we come together to defend DACA recipients.
Viking voices
What should the age restriction for R-rated movies be?
movie is too inappropriate for someone who is 16, but not 17. Though this change would seem minor to many, it could create a major change. If the R-rated movie age was dropped to 16, the movie would most likely be able to make more money while in theatres because more people would be able to see it. It would also create a happier and less stressful environment at the theatres because there would be less problems of 16-year-olds trying to sneak into an R-rated movie. Overall, this one-year drop in age would benefit the movie makers and the movie watchers.
“16 because that’s when kids are more mature.” Griffin Stuewe, 10
“14-16 because that’s when you’re in high school and you kind of see that stuff anyways.” - Delaney Kramer, 12 Opinion
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Impatient Americans prefer worldwide choice of Cyber Monday by Jacob Wildeman staff writer
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hoppers frantically trampling over each other to get the last new toy on the shelf is the typical scene associated with Black Friday. However, shoppers might just be trading in their shopping carts for their laptops. The growing popularity of Cyber Monday could soon overtake the old time Friday tradition. According to a report from Adobe Digital Insights, Cyber Monday in 2016 was the largest shopping day in
the history of the United States, even beating Black Friday. With the trend of online shopping increasing, Cyber Monday has been projected to be even bigger in 2017. Some Seaman students like Cyber Monday better than Black Friday because of the simplicity of being able to shop online. “I personally don’t like to go shopping,” says senior Makayla Akin, “so I like Cyber Monday better than Black Friday since I can get all the good deals online.” However, even with the rising popularity and sim-
plicity of Cyber Monday and shopping online, some students still like the social rush of Black Friday. “I like Black Friday because it’s all about the experience,” says junior Allison Branam, “Cyber Monday isn’t as fun because you just sit at home. With Black Friday you get to go out shopping and take on the crowds with your friends.” Both Black Friday and Cyber Monday are major shopping days and will continue to be with the year’s best deals. Cyber Monday may be rising in popularity, but Black Friday won’t be going down without a fight.
Black Friday starting times tearing apart family traditions by Alexis Desch staff writer
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t’s the fourth Thursday in November. For Americans that means watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, yelling at the TV while rooting for one of the opposing football teams, and gathering with family while feasting on a special Thanksgiving Day meal. After done talking to aunt Charlotte about who knows what, and finishing the feast, it’s time for a nap… However, with Black Friday times getting pushed to be sooner and sooner, it makes it difficult to spend this holiday relaxing with your family. Black Friday is officially defined as, “the day after Thanksgiving, regarded as the first day of the traditional Christmas shopping season, on which retailers offer special reduced prices.” This is exactly what Black Friday should be, the day after Thanksgiving, not the day of Thanksgiving. Recently Black Friday has been starting earlier and earlier with each passing year. In 2016, stores started their Black Friday sales as early as 2 p.m. Thanksgiving Day, but if we wanted to get technical, some select stores offered their Black Friday prices throughout the
entire month of November, all the way up until Christmas Eve. However, ideally stores should not open their doors for Black Friday sales until 12 a.m. Friday. For some families, enjoying their Thanksgiving day is tradition. Family members from out of state may even fly in to spend time with the ones they love. Now, the holiday is beginning to look more like families hurrying up and eating so that they can begin their search through that night’s ads so that they can figure out what exactly it is they need to purchase. This frantic rush is caused by some stores opening on Thanksgiving. Wait until 12 a.m. Friday. This way families could spend their Thanksgivings together and not have to cut ties with one another in the middle of the afternoon. Stores could even benefit from this push back in times as it’d give them more time to organize the products so that the crowds aren’t as large, and even dangerous when the one item everyone wants goes on sale. This push back in time would allow for employees who have to work these sales to have some family time on this important holiday. For these reasons and many more, Black Friday sales should not start until 12 a.m. Friday morning.
Viking voices Which do you prefer, Black Friday or Cyber Monday? “Black Friday because it is hands on and I can get my things faster and see how things fit.” Grayson Seevers, 11
Opinion
“Black Friday because you can either go to the store or shop online.” Trent Cox, 11
“Cyber Monday because I can chill out from the comfort of my home.” Kaden Henley, 12
“Cyber Monday because I do not have to go out with all the crazy people who are pushing and shoving...” Amy Riley
Infographic by Jacob Wildeman
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ot everyone dreams of hiking 49 miles over the course of five days while also carrying a 65 pound backpack, but for Boy Scouts Samuel Feleay, D.J. Knight, and Ian Tilley, it was an event that was months in the planning. Their high adventure trip to northern Colorado this summer required them to carry their own food, and filter their water. It’s this kind of adventure experience that could draw girls into the Boy Scout experience. Both the Boy Scouts and the Girls Scouts have been in existence since the early 1910s. In recent years, both organizations have taken hits in membership. In 2013, Boy Scouts lifted the ban on gays, and in 2015 allowed gay leaders. However, membership continued to fall, plunging by 10 percent between 2013 and 2016. In January, Boys Scouts allowed transgender children who identified as boys to join. Now they have invited girls into the mix. Girl Scouts have seen a similar decline, with membership down 15 percent in 2015. Some suspect welcoming girls to the boy scout program is a ploy to increase numbers. Chief Boy Scout Executive Michael Surbaugh tried to calm the masses in a letter to the membership. “We know this decision has sparked conversation and debate, but we want to be very clear that we remain committed to serving boys and young men as we invite girls and young women to benefit from our iconic programs by experiencing the same opportunities to develop leadership, face the same characterbuilding challenges, and have the same fun adventures.” The adventure component is exciting to many Girl Scouts who have had very limited opportunities learning survival and outdoor skills. Girl Scout leader Becky Bahr said, “I applaud this decision!!!! As a Girl Scout leader we spent A LOT of time trying to give our girls more experiences similar to Boy Scouts because that is what they wanted...” Boy Scout Logan Stuke acknowledges the differences in the two organizations. He notes that much of Girl Scout activities revolve around community service. He said, “Girls Scouts don’t do as
much high adventure camps…Boy Scouts learn more survival skills.” Science teacher, Girl Scout Gold Award Recipient and Lifetime Member Mrs. Elizabeth Halpin agrees that Girl Scouts are not meeting the needs of today’s girls. “Overall, I do not like the idea of girls in Boy Scouts. However, Girl Scouts right now is not doing what they need to. Girls are seeing all of the activities boys are doing and they want that also.” Girl Scout Jodi Kern agrees. “There are so many more opportunities you could do with the Boy Scouts.” These opportunities include everything from first aid to STEM. “They [Boy Scouts] get to do arts and crafts, they shoot guns, they go backpacking, horseback riding. But there are also leadership classes that they can take and things that they can do that are just at a different level than the Girl Scout program currently offers,” said Science teacher and Venture scout leader Cassie Geis. Despite these programs, many scouts on both sides of the gender gap want to continue the separation of sexes. Junior and Girl Scout Kristen Collom does not like the change. “I would NOT like it [girls in Boy Scouts]. I enjoy having girl time and being open about stuff.” Boy Scout Tristan Hahn also does not support the change. “It’s called Boy Scouts for a reason. It’s for boys, not girls. According to Surbaugh, the integration of girls into Boy Scouts does not make programs coed. “We acknowledge and celebrate that boys and girls develop differently, and there are times that single - gender learning is most appropriate. We will maintain the experience boys have had in our organization while at the same time expanding our time-tested programs to girls and young women.” “In fact, we have outlined a structure that would enable us to continue providing single-gender environments — dens within Cub Scout packs and a single-gender scouting program for older girls within a broader structure that
will allow us to serve the whole family.” Until those programs get established, girls can opt for the Venture scouting program. Venture scouting has been around for almost 20 years, impacting a quarter of a million youth every year. Created for 14 to 20-year-old boys and girls, it follows the ALPS model of Adventure, Leadership, Personal Growth, and Service. Venture scout leader Geis loves the opportunities. “It’s cool! It really is. this summer we took boys and girls to Havasu Falls, and it was with the Boy Scouts. It was a 10-mile hike with 40 pound packs on our back, carrying all our food and water. We went down into the Grand Canyon into this beautiful oasis. It’s this great opportunity. Could the Girl Scouts do it? Yeah, but they’re not. Boy Scouts just has so much that they’re offering.”
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hangin’ in there: Eagle Scout D.J. Knight rapels down “The Thumb,” a 100-foot cliff in northern Colorado while on a high adventure trip with the Boy Scouts. (Photo by Kevin Feleay)
In our next issue: Males, females and the coveted Eagle Scout award
A little slice of heaven
Girl Scouts hope addition to Boy Scouts increases opportunities Story by Samantha Boyles, Lily Gallardo, Isabella Galvan, Paige Gilbert, Parker Gower, Cody Kyser, Reese Lister and Andrew Patton Features
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Apple set to release brand-new lineup of iPhones Viking voices What is the most used app on your phone?
“Twitter because it makes me laugh and keeps me updated on current events at the same time.” Allison Branam, 11
“Messages because I don’t like snapchat or any social media.” - Dalton Temmen, 12
“Snapchat because you aren’t really talking to someone unless you’re sending a snap of you with the dog filter.” Avery Barta, 10
“Snapchat because I like to send pictures of me making silly faces to my friends.” - Joe Crome, 11
Viking voices
Which new iPhone would you get?
Features
“I think that the iPhone X has a lot of cool features, like the facial recognition, but I don’t think it’s worth the extra $300. Personally, I would get the iPhone 8 because it does basically all the same things the iPhone X does, but for a cheaper price.” - Alex Taylor, 11
“iPhone X because it has a really good camera, and I love to take pictures. I also love how the iPhone X has face recognition.” Loren Baldwin, 10
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Local company gives back to students by Kyser Dougan Co- editor The habitat house lot stood vacant, a crumbled mess of gravel and concrete. Junior and senior boys from the architecture/construction science class had gathered to watch a transformation. In no time, employees from Sunflower Construction company moved in to provide a major upgrade -- a new base for the next habitat construction. Principal Mike Monaghan and industrial technology teacher Mike Wilson contacted Mr. Jamie Andrews, Project Manager of Sunflower Construction and 1992 SHS grad. They wanted to make this a learning chance for students, and he jumped at the opportunity. “I wanted the students to know and learn they have many opportunities after graduation such as college, tech schools, and jumping right out in the workforce altogether,” said Andrews.
Mr. Monaghan appreciated the educational value the students got out of the project. During the project the students had the opportunity to ride on the asphalt paver while they smoothed the asphalt under the houses. The project made it easier for students to work on wiring and plumbing on the house because they can now roll under, as compared to having to work on the gravel. Mr. Andrews’ family ties run deep in the Seaman district. His father was inducted into the district hall of fame, and he currently has students attending school here. He adds, “It makes me happy and my heart feel good to give back to the community I grew up in and still live and work in today.” In addition to this project, Sunflower Construction has also installed a new concrete sidewalk around the foot-
ball stadium and fixed many asphalt patches and other small jobs throughout many schools in the district.
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GETTING TO WORK: Sunflower construction workers come together with Seaman students to lay the new asphalt for the habitat house. (Photo by Kyser Dougan)
College degrees becoming less valuable in working world
by Eli Laird staff writer
Countless people have been in this moment. The stage is right there, parents are in the crowd, and a high school diploma is in hand. Throughout all the enjoyment present is an underlying question that needs to be answered. What does my future hold? Students future after high school is often filled with great uncertainty. Some go to college, others go straight into the workforce. The growing trend over the last couple decades has been for stu-
Walt’s Auto Body CARSTAR 785-273-7701
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The number of students enrolled in college in 2017 is a little over five million larger than that in 2000.
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- National Center for Education Statistics
dents to attend college rather than just stopping at a high school diploma This growth is seen by many as a positive because more people are advancing their education and getting degrees. However, some will argue whether or not college is worth it. One point to consider is that get-
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ting a college education costs thousands of dollars, leaving students with a degree that comes with a lot of debt. They often can make this money back with a quality job, but some find themselves at low paying jobs that did not require the degree in the first place. Forbes stated, “The percentage of college graduates who work in jobs that don’t require any advanced academic preparation (the “mal-employed”) has been rising for years, and now stands at 36 percent.” Technical schools have seen a boost in their admissions training in skilled occupations like heating
and air conditioning and plumbing. At SHS, 41 students attend Washburn Tech, which is a 20 percent increase from last year. Seaman counselor Mr. Steve Alexander expects to see these numbers keep growing. Alexander believes that this sophomore class appears to be more interested than previous classes. He explained more students are realizing the benefits and how the program can give a head start into the workforce. Although getting a college degree is still extremely popular, there are signs that point towards more students taking alternatives routes and working sooner.
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Students respond to new seminar teachings by Garrett Polter ad manager
A new facet of seminar is School Connect. The program revolves around three modules: Creating a Supportive Learning Community, Developing SelfAwareness and Self-Management, and Building Relationships and resolving Conflicts. The curriculum was developed to help boost social and emotional skills in school, an area sometimes missing in the academic classroom. In one lesson, employers were surveyed about nec-
Viking voices
“I do not like them because sometimes I have to go talk to a teacher, and I don’t have the time to because we have to do the lessons.” - Brinley Bocquin, 9
essary job skills they required. What students discovered was that while basic knowledge is important, employers also relied heavily on soft skills like teamwork and social responsibility. “[However], we aren’t trying to tell students that education is no big deal and that they do not need to worry about school any longer.” says Principal, Mr. Mike Monaghan. “We as a district are trying to better prepare our students for college and the workforce. These studies shows us what employers are looking for, so we decide to implement it into our curriculum.” Students have mixed reviews of the curriculum.
Torey Moten says “I feel that people are unable to be taught soft skills. People skills are something that are learned with real world experiences. Students can not be taught how to interact with others, especially after we have already been interacting with others for many years now.” Contradicting Moten, Brent Hart says that he “Doesn’t mind doing the lessons. I just go through them with my class and get them over with, and then proceed with my day!” Career Cruising is the second stage of seminar lessons which will be implemented in November.
How do you feel about the School Connect lessons? “I do not like the seminar lessons; they are a waste of time.”
- Kolby Dougan, 10
“The seminar lessons are okay, I like talking about myself in them.” - Emily Easum, 11
“I like the seminar lessons because they help me work on my people skills.” - Luke Konrade, 12
Senior hoping to enter Kansas Gubernatorial race by Alexis Desch staff writer
An astronaut, the president, a princess, a firefighter... all common responses children give when voicing their future occupations. However, senior Cameron Meinholdt has always had a different vision. “I knew when I was younger that I wanted to run for politics when I got older.” And this is exactly what he’s doing. In Kansas, no minimum age exists to run for office.
off to the races: Hopeful future Governor of Kansas, Cameron Meinholdt with his running mate Dawna Ross. (Photo by Stacy Wienck)
Features
However, he doesn’t want to be dismissed because of his youth. He has very definite goals. According to his website, Meinholdt’s goals are to create more jobs, get the funding back to our schools and end the corruption of today’s politics. Meinholdt stresses, “The things Brownback has done are not permanent, and we, together as Kansans, can change that and can make things better.” One well-known struggle Kansas faces is that of our budget. When this issue was brought up, Meinholdt stated, “I believe that you’d have to make a tax reform and change the way taxes are being put into the government. I don’t think tax cuts are the answer, but I also don’t think raising your taxes are the answer either. Our sales tax is extremely high compared to other countries, so that is one place we could take a look at cutting. Then, you have to give the money back to education, and you have to raise teacher salaries, because they’re training our youth, who are the next people to go out there and do the job.” Where does Meinholdt get his inspiration? “As an independent, Greg Orman is someone that I look up too tremendously. He is proposing the same ideas as me, and he is a true independent. He sees both parties as negative and both parties as corrupt just like I do, and he’s just someone I look up to and someone that I aspire to be like.” One of the many questions Meinholdt’s peers have
is about his decision to run independent. “Both political parties are horrible. They’re both corrupt, they’re both about money. It just goes to show you that if you want to win in either of those political parties you have to have money, and you have to have friends. But, as an independent you don’t have to have anything. You just have to have a message that can reach across to both voters. So, I think that my message can reach to both Republicans and Democrats, and I think that I can make a change.” Due to running as an Independent, Meinholdt must raise his own campaign money in order to be eligible to run. One attempt at raising this money is through the selling of t-shirts. Purchase one of these shirts directly from Meinholdt for only $15 in support of his run for governor. As well as t-shirt profit, any campaign donations will help Meinholdt in his strive to bring Kansas back to the people. However, Meinholdt is trying to run his campaign on as little funding as possible. Before he can become eligible for governor, Meinholdt must obtain 5,000 petition signatures from citizens of voting age by March 31. To sign this petition, find Meinholdt in person, on his campaign facebook page ‘Cameron Meinholdt for Governor of Kansas,’ or on his website camein2000.wixsite.com/meinholdtgov2018.
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Never calm before the storm
Enthusiasm for weather guides to future career by Kyser Dougan co-editor The thunder rolls. Lightning crackles. A weather advisory beeps on the radio as students run for cover. But for sophomore Josh Duncan, this is sweet music to his ears. A night of storm chasing and weather watching is about to begin. For Duncan (“Stormmaster J” to his fans), weather is life. He says, “One day my dad showed me the radar and it blew my mind.” Now it envelops every facet of his life. During his free time Duncan can be seen with forecasts and wind patterns on his computer screen. He can twist just about any class project into a weather discussion. During his English project over World War II, Duncan presented over the weather saying, “Alright so weather had a really huge impact on World War II, and I know you guys don’t know it so I’m just gonna explain it.” First year English teacher Tatiana Schafer said about the presentation, “It was cool to see him take something that he is known for being passionate about and bring it into his project.” In addition, he has a website dedicated to the weather. He has created weatherwatch365.com and updates it with forecasts and picks of the week. He even adds blogs when big systems or weather days are coming up. He tries to keep the website updated a few times a week. He loves to share his passion for weather. Classmates can often hear him engaged in an enthusiast lesson that can range from identifying wall clouds to explaining the Bermuda high.
ARE STORMS COMING? Sophomore Josh Duncan checks out the fickle Kansas weather on the computer bank in C2. Duncan often educated classmates on weather terms and maintained a weather webpage at weather365.com. (Photo by Jaclyn Roy)
The desire to be a meteorologist prompted Duncan to attend a weather camp at The University of Oklahoma in the summer of 2015. During the camp they had the opportunity to stay in the dorms and spent the week visiting the National Weather Center. He keeps in close contact with some of those students and they video call back and forth about...you guessed it... weather. After high school Duncan hopes to attend The Uni-
versity of Oklahoma to major in atmospheric science. He is interested in broadcasting and forecasting all types of weather....especially those Kansas thunderstorms. So when the winds howl, the rains pour, and the rest of the world is ducking for cover, prepare to see “Stormmaster J” out in the midst of it all, always searching for that perfect storm.
focus on the ones that capture your attention. Think of which ones pull you into a world of new excitements and ideas that you never thought would interest you. Finding a passion isn't a goal, it’s a process of learning about yourself. Curiosities often lead to your passions. Sometimes they just teach you a great deal about yourself. •#2 DON’T MAKE MONEY YOUR ENTIRE OBJECTIVE. You've probably heard the quote, “Money doesn’t buy you happiness” which fits this particular theme perfectly. Why spend your time on a career that pays well, but doesn’t bring happiness that every human being should experience? Figure out what you love doing and then find a way to get paid while doing it, but don’t make money your number one priority if
looking for a deeper meaning in life is your goal. •#3 DON’T BE AFRAID TO FAIL. If an individual is afraid of failure, they are never going to put forth the effort in finding their passions. Not everyone can be perfect at everything they attempt, but the goal is to try new things, make mistakes, and to be encouraged to keep going. Don’t be afraid to fail, even if it doesn’t lead to success. •#4 CHALLENGE YOURSELF TO EXPLORE NEW OPPORTUNITIES. Don’t be afraid of the aftereffects. Claiming something that brings happiness can have a tremendous effect in a person’s life. Pursue your dreams and set off to a journey that unlocks and shows your creativity.
Tips to discovering a true life by Mercedes Scarbrough staff writer
Discovering what an individual is meant to accomplish in life may seem to be exhausting and unfathomable when they don’t quite know what they are passionate about. Finding what a person is passionate about is a stepping stone into an entire new world of opportunities. At the end of the day, the path in which we choose to follow is ultimately up to ourselves. So how does someone go about in finding their passions? •#1 FOLLOW YOUR CURIOSITIES. Uncover the less obvious interests and discover a gateway to a new passion. Continue to explore curiosities, and
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Fall play to be produced Nov. 9, 10, 11
The International Thespian Society will be performing their annual fall play on the days of Nov. 9, 10, and 11 at 7 P.M. This year’s play is entitled And A Child Shall Lead written by Michael Slade. The true
CREW
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Stage Manager – Grant Delka ASM- Madison Flory, Colton Fund, Lily Gallardo, Haylie Gwaltney Light Board- Andrew Brewer, Ryeann Steinhoff, Dawson Carlat Sound Board- Lillian Fletchall, Jordyn Mean Follow Spot -Triston Cruz, Alex Sullivan, Riley Senne, Ayden Harman Costume Head- Caitlyn Charit, Michaella Jordan, Caite Wools Hair & Makeup- Kamryn Pendelton, Kalie Kleiner, Sage Hernandez, Chelsea McNamara, Amanda Small, Dahlia Aboras, Allison Johnson, Mallory Leifried, Lyssa Reed Running Crew Head-Mason Clark, Carter Sandall, Dakota Wallace, Dylan Foster, Evan Craig Props Crew- Bailey Wright, Alya Crumpton, Amelia Lotspeich Publicity Crew- Nora Billings, Reagan Propps, Dakota Wallace Cast Biographer- Lucas Anderson Dramaturge- Emily Swanson House Manager- Jodi Kern Construction Crew- Logan Anderson, Noah Bilby, Mitchell Lewis Rehearsal Pianist- Phoebe Stottlemire
Jana Hellerova........Abby Noyes Alena Lederova….....Hailey Morton Gabriela Winterova.......Danae Young Eva Hellerova……...Gabby Van Sickle Erik Kosek.....….Max Drobot Martin Lowy…...…Tyler Parkhurst Pavel Hoffman…........Daniel Cluff Miroslav Weiss…......Kyle Kleiner Masha Meyer….....Abigail Wendlandt Marta Nowak.........Jade Essman Darya Mazur….....Sage Hernandez Katya Piotrowsky....….Kasey Sturgeon Petr Nemeck….....Colby Edinborough Nic Svoboda…....Tristen Hahn Adam Mueller….....Hayden Wells David Pudnik....…Isaiah Boutz Kai Fekete……....Sidney Lopez Val Dvorak……..…Madeline Hulsing Victoria Barta…..Mary Paige Bramlett Sasha Varga…......Rae Conoway
story is based during the time period of World War II. It is told through the eyes of children, as they encounter the Nazis moving their Jewish community to ghettos before sending them to the death camps.
The children use their creativity to continue to think positively and as a way to be hopeful throughout the deadly war.
Conspiracy theories; mandela effect becoming more popular by Avery Bocquin staff writer You may have heard people claim that the moon landing was faked, filmed in a private studio by a desperate U.S. Government, racing to beat Russia to the lunar journey. Or maybe that all of our world leaders are shape shifting reptiles, on a mission to overtake the human race. Both of these conspiracy theories, along with countless others, have overtaken the media, leaving many readers lost in confusion. Another popular theory you may have heard is the Mandela Effect. Based around the death of Nelson Mandela, this theory provides an explanation of the collective misremembering of a fact or event. Meaning that when a question is
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asked of a group of people, an alarmingly large amount of the group will remember the answer to the question to be different than how it actually is. For example, you may have owned a pair of name brand shoes during your awkward elementary school years. Famous for the large ‘S’ on the side of the shoe, this brand was advertised for its comfy fit. Off of the top of your head, do you remember how the brand name is spelled? If you, like many others, remember it as Sketchers, you would be incorrect, as the actual spelling is Skechers, without the ‘t’. This idea comes from the shared false memory of Nelson Mandela’s death. Many claim to remember this famous South African human rights activist dying in prison in 1980. However, Mandela did not truly pass away until 2013.
Over the years, multiple theories have emerged in an attempt to explain the reasoning behind these common mis rememberings. One of the speculations claims that the human race is slipping back and forth between parallel universes, and there are sometimes “glitches” in the system. The glitches represent the minor change in detail in certain facts or events. Other speculations involve time travel and holodecks (virtual reality devices), but none have gathered enough scientific evidence to prove to be irrefutable. Though there have been many theories and attempts to explain this phenomenon, many cannot seem to agree on one idea. With a handful of unanswered questions circulating social media, we are left with one question: what is the truth?
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Helpful apps for young adults gaining popularity by Annika Lloyd Staff writer
When University of Missouri student Zach Winkler noticed his peers feeling unsafe walking the street at night, he decided to make a change. He teamed up with classmates Brittany Dameron, Nick Droege, and Aaron Kunneman to develop the app SafeTrek in 2013. The app is free to download, and comes with a one-month free trial. After that, it costs $2.99 per month. To use SafeTrek, the user holds their finger down on the blue button until they feel safe. The app can also be used as a “panic button” by pressing the button quickly and releasing. Once the button is released, ten seconds is given to enter the
PIN which indicates that the user is safe. If the pin is not entered, the app tracks the user’s exact location and sends the police. SafeTrek works well for people who are unable to talk on the phone due to their situation. If they feel like they would be put in even more danger by talking on the phone, this app solves that problem by calling the police for them. The app has helped many people in these kinds of situations. When one teen in New Jersey felt an argument with her parent was getting aggressive, this app came in handy. “I got to the point where I felt really unsafe. I was depressed and too unstable to call the police, so I used SafeTrek [...] Right away, I was comforted.” She felt safer having SafeTrek to use because she couldn’t call 911 herself, but they were able to help her.
Another new app gaining popularity is tbh. While many anonymous apps such as Sarahah and ask.fm pave the way for cyberbullying, “tbh” only allows positive feedback from friends. The creators of the app claim that they made the app because “social media should make us feel better about ourselves- not worse.” The app works by first accessing the user’s contacts and having them connect to a school. Then, it gives the user polls about people in their contacts or in their school. Some of these polls are made by the company, and others are created by users. To create a poll, a user submits one, and it is reviewed by the company and is either confirmed or denied in two days. Since all of the polls are reviewed, there is no way to be negative on the app.
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I“got to the point where I felt really unsafe. I was depressed and too unstable to call the police, so I used Safetrek [...] Right away, I was comforted. - Ashley from New Jersey
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CALIFORNIA FOREST FIRES
Las Vegas Shooting age of shooter
counties involved
acres burned
people dead
people killed
people evacuated people injured
guns used
Photo from Wikimedia Commons
Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico
“ I will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our flag or our national anthem.” - Vice President Mike Pence on Twitter.
The five former presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter sponsored a concert on Saturday Oct. 21. The concert helped provide relief to victims of Hurricane Harvey, Irma, and Maria. The event raised over $31 million.
$5 billion in damages
44% - of people support
3-5 months until power is fully restored
“ Take a Knee Movement”
88.8% of cell towers were down
56% - don’t agree with it.
55% of Puerto Ricans still don’t have access to water
Recently, NFL players have been ‘taking a knee’ during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racism. Picture from Wikimedia commons
Lawrence shooting kills 3 Three were killed Oct. 1 on Mass Street in Lawrence. Lawrence police have arrested another suspect, Anthony Lawrence Robert Jr., a n20-year old from Topeka. The two other suspects are Ahmad Malik Rayton and Dominique Jacquez McMillion.
79% don’’t have power
The #METOO Movement is about those who have been sexually assaulted. Women, men and children all share their personal stories of their experience. In less than 24 hours when the movement started, 4.7 million people had joined the movement, and there are about 12 million posts with the hashtag #METOO. Infographics by Samantha Boyer (fires), Reese Lister (Vegas), Lily Gallardo (presidents), Isabella Galvan (take a knee), Andrew Patton (Puerto Rico), Parker Gower, (Lawrence), and Cody Kyser (#Metoo)
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Cheer competition brings new morale to state teams by Alyssa Flower staff writer
T
he Seaman High School cheer team is taking a whole new approach to the sport in the upcoming weeks. Not only will the team be continuing their normal cheer routine of practice and games, but will be adding the pressure of a cheer competition. This is the first cheer competition in the area and will bring great rivalry to cheer teams all over the state. The Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) and Varsity, a cheer and dance organization, will be hosting the cheer competition at the Kansas Expocentre on Saturday, Nov. 18. Here each classification of school will be able to show its school spirit as performing the routines according to competition guidelines. “Each class will have their moment to go out and perform with their time limits they are given which is one minute per section including a band dance, fight song,
and crowd leading. “Everyone will start off with competing one section at a time. Then if the team makes it past the preliminaries to the finals, the sections are put together,” coach Julie Olson said. The competition will last all day with team competitions starting at 8 a.m. and lasting past 7 p.m. Each section of the competition includes time guidelines, but includes stunting guidelines that keep all teams on an even playing field as well. This allows judges to focus on the technique of the team. “Stunting has been limited, so we can’t do anything elaborate or elite. We have to just stick to the basics so everyone is on the same playing field,” Olson stated. Each team will be competing with others within their classification, with six teams making it past the preliminaries into the final competitions the night of the competition. “I believe there are trophies being given out to the winners,” Olson said. The team is working hard as curveballs
are thrown as this is a first year competition. “It’s the first competition that KSHSAA has done with cheer so it’s a really big deal. With that first year, there’s some bumps in the road, and they know that too and each year will get better. This sounds like it will be an every year competition now, so it’s very exciting,” Olson said.
we’ve got spirit: Junior Allison Branam cheers on the vikings during a football game. Allison was elected one of the varsity captains for this cheer season. (Photo by Regan Bond)
Free agencies mean possible loss of influential players by Jackson Cobb staff writer
O
ver the past few years, Kansas City Royals fans have been flying high on the backs of some of their star players. Guys like Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, and Lorenzo Cain have become household names for many families in the midwest area. But all good things must come to an end, and that seems to be looming in the near future in KC. This offseason the Royal’s organization is going to be dealing with free agency among some of their top players. Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar, and Jason Vargas have all reached the ends
Viking voices
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of their contracts and will be free agents this offseason. All of these players have given fans great memories over the years including them all being on the 2015 World Series championship team roster. These players were a part of lifting the Royals out of the dark ages and back up to the national stage. While with the Royals, Hosmer and Escobar have both won Gold Glove awards for being the best defender at their position in the American League. Along with them, Lorenzo Cain always seemed to make jaw-dropping plays in center field. Moustakas over this past season broke the Royals single season home run record with 38, and he seemed to come up with clutch at-bats during the two postseason runs we had. Vargas
was up and down at times, but for the most part he was a pretty steady arm in the rotation. The problem that KC will face is trying to get any of these guys to stay with the Royals. Money plays a huge factor in all of this and based on what the Royals have to offer, it would be hard to keep one if not any of them in KC. Even if we can’t keep any of them we still have guys like Salvador Perez and Whit Merrifield around to keep the energy on the team. Along with them we have some prospects in the minor leagues that have shown flashes of being reliable players, but ultimately Kansas City will be going through some rebuilding.
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Which Royals free agent would you miss the most if they left? “Hosmer because he was my favorite player.”- Gabby Van Sickle, 10
“Obviously Hoz”- Trevor Schumaker, 12
“Hosmer because he always came up big when the game was on the line.”- Tyler Gooden, 11
“Hoz because he was the energy of the whole team.”Mr. Jeff Pierce, 9, World History teacher Sports
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Fall athletes finish out their seasons strong Girls Cross Country What was your best memory from this season?
“One day when we were running, we turned a corner and there was this giant, beautiful dog that looked like an angel. Basically, we thought we had died.” - Emily Jowers, 12
What was your best memory from this season? “My favorite part was the people. Everyone gets along so well. Whenever we see each other outside of cross country, we run and hug as if we haven’t seen each other in forever.” - Tristan Fangman, 9 Top five regional finishers qualified for State.
Football
“Luke Konrade got in trouble during practice, so Coach Rineberg yelled at him and told him to run to the tennis courts and find him a tennis ball, so Luke ran around the tennis courts looking for a ball until Rineberg told him to come back.”
- Mitch Miller, 12
Tennis
What were your goals for the season? “I made it to state and that was the one thing I wanted to do this year.” - Sydnie Crow, 12
Entire team qualified for State.
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What were the highlights of the season?
“My favorite part of the season has to be the end of the season, because we basically have everything together.” - Nathan Brewer, 12
What were the highlights of the season?
“When we could connect passes and get along like a true team.” - Dray Podlena, 12 Boys won first regional game over KC Turner, 2-0.
Boys Cross Country
What was your favorite part of the season?
“My favorite part of the season is watching all of my team mates progress throughout the season. It’s awesome to watch someone hit their personal record.” - Maliki Pope, 11
What was your favorite part of the season?
What was your best memory from this season?
Finished regular season 4-4.
Boys Soccer
Golf
What was your best memory from this season?
“Our team is pretty young and we had some really good tournaments. With a small team, we all did well as individuals. We’re looking forward to next year.” - Molly McLaughlin, 9
Three girls qualified as individuals for State.
“The team did pretty well this season. We lost a lot from last year and had a lot of young guys but did well overall. We also had some injuries this season but other guys stepped up to fill their place.” - Taegan Loy, 10 Finished 3rd at regionals and qualified for State.
Volleyball Team lost to Lansing in sub-state finals.
What was a highlight of the season?
“On the night of Oct. 16 at approximately 7:19, my team and I pulled out a victory over Bishop Miege in a three set game with a final score of 27-25.” - Cheyla Myrick, 11
What was your favorite part of the season? “I couldn’t have asked for a better group of girls to spend my senior year with.” - Hallee Olson-Thomas, 12
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Controversy stirs, fantasy sports upsetting athletes by Eli Laird staff writer Odell Beckham Jr, star receiver for the Giants, is enjoying a normal day when his phone is bombarded with tweets. All of these, of course, have to do with fantasy football. He, like many other notable athletes, has been subject to the harsh criticisms of fantasy football users. The negative writing is a little different than the commentary given by the media who is also extremely critical towards famous athletes. This is a constant barrage of people who make derogatory remarks and have little to no background in journalism or what it is like to play a professional sport. NFL players have had mixed emotions and some embrace the game
Week 9 of the NFL season is upon us. This is just past the halfway point in the season and players have less question marks than they did at the start. New stars have risen and veterans have faded. Fantasy owners are tasked with deciding whether or not to get rid of struggling players or keep them, hoping for a late season resurgence. Here are three players who have not performed to projections that you should keep or get rid of.
and enjoy the attention it brings to the sport, while others deem it as toxic. Odell Beckham Jr. for instance, had an injury he was working through at the start of the season. Impatient fantasy owners began to question him and tweeted bitter remarks. Beckham eventually had enough and said this about the situation, “No offense. I could care less about ur (sic) fantasy teams. This is my Real Life. Focusing on gettin healthy and gettin better. 1 day at a time.” Seaman student and athlete Ty Hurla thinks he would have a similar view to the Giants wide receiver if he were in his position. Hurla stated, “ I would not like it because I am at the top of my game and people who are not are judging me. You go out there and play and see how you produce.”
While the majority of athletes take this side and would like to avoid the game all together, there are a select few out there that do get involved with fantasy football in a positive manner. Running back for the Kansas City Chiefs Kareem Hunt starred in a video on one of ESPN’s fantasy shows. He poked fun at owners who did not start him week one and provided a comical take rather than bashing the game. Keelan Palmer, a Seaman student athlete, believes if he were a professional football player he would relish the attention, and the nonstop messages would be motivational. If Palmer were to have a poor performance he said, “I would feel poorly for my fans. I would want to please my owners so they draft me next season.” Whatever one’s stance on the topic, it
is an indisputable fact that the popularity of the NFL and its players has increased because of fantasy football’s growth. Now more and more fans tune it to not only the local team’s games, but the games that have their fantasy players in it. According to CNN, this is one of the main reasons the NFL contract with DirecTV increased by 500 million in 2015. There will never be a true consensus on whether or not fantasy football is healthy for the NFL, but one thing is for sure; The wealth of many organizations such as the NFL has gone up and continues to rise because of the prominent game known as fantasy football.
MARSHAWN LYNCH OAK RB- Marshawn Lynch has not lived up to the hype surrounding his return to football. He is currently ranked outside the top 30 running backs in ESPN PPR scoring. The Oakland Raiders have divided carries and snaps limiting Lynch’s production and making him touchdown reliant. VERDICT: GET RID OF
AMARI COOPER OAK WR- Amari Cooper has been as of the biggest busts this season. He is tied for the league lead in drops through seven weeks and has less than four weeks with double digit fantasy points. That being said, he still is one of the top options in a quality Raiders offense that will put up points. VERDICT: KEEP
TERRELLE PRYOR SR. WSH WRTererelle Pryor Sr. came into the season with high hopes after being traded from the Browns to the Redskins. Despite being a top option he has failed week after week to produce. His fellow receiver Josh Doctson seems to be overtaking his role and this makes Pryor’s value go down even further. VERDICT: GET RID OF
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(Clockwise from top left) balling out: Freshman Sam Feleay and sophomore Andrew McGlinn go up for a jump ball. The Vikings United team had their first game against Washburn Rural on Oct. 15. (Photo by Alyssa Flower) playing with pride: Senior Mattie Ritz performs her solo during the halftime show ‘Angels and Demons’. The band performed this show during halftime of the football games this season. (Photo by Suzanne Marshall) grand opening: Bank president Zach Patton cuts the ribbon to symbolize the student bank’s new partnerhsip with Silver Lake Bank. The new partnership started at the beginning of this school year. (Photo by Cortlyn Kerr) bleeding out: Senior Yahaira Saliceti donates blood for the Community Blood Center. Twenty five students each donated a pint of blood during the drive. (Photo by Kennedy Boyles) going for the kill: Freshman Camryn Turner hits the ball during a home match against Blue Valley. The Lady Vikes ended the season with a 18-21 record. (Photo by Kyser Dougan) defending the goal: Junior John McGrath takes the ball from a Hayden forward on cancer awareness night. The Vikings won the game 2-0 despite the harsh weather conditions. (Photo by Ruth Requejo) stomping out bullying: Freshman Hailey Hershey participates in STUCO’s anti-bullying campaign. Posters with handprints and footprints were hung around the school to promote their mission. (Photo by Alyssa Flower)
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