15-16 Issue 7

Clipper The Seaman

Volume 85 Issue 7

May 12, 2016

Inside: Forensics crowned state champs

5 Drug Testing Evaluated 7 13 Vaulters, coach enjoy hard work Crown towers spring up around school 15 Team enjoys honor as first-time 5A winners.

Mr. Monaghan reveals the numbers on this year’s plan.

Seaman High School 4850 NW Rochester Rd. Topeka, KS 66617

Visit seamannews.com for late-breaking stories and all of our journalism projects.

Coach, players believe strong bonds can influence performance.

Latest “Clash” game gains loyal followers

Mr. Ron Vinduska thanks the crowd at his retirement reception on May 3. (TOP) Dr. Kent Hurn chats with Mr. Vinduska. Hurn hired Vinduska to become assistant principal in 1991. Vinduska began his career at SHS 41 years ago. (MIDDLE) Daughters Staci and Kristi and their children join the crowd to celebrate the event. (BOTTOM) Superintendent Mike Mathes gives Mr. Vinduska a clock from the district as a thank you for his years of service. The Viking Conference Room will also be renamed the Vinduska Conference Room in his honor.

www.seamannews.com 2 May 12, 2016 NEWS Vinduska shares his last thoughts as principal At the May 3 retirement reception in his honor, Mr. Ron Vinduska shared several moments he will miss about his 41 years at Seaman High School. “...school plays and musicals.” “...the enthusiasm of packed students at the basketball games.” “...working with motivated and dedicated teachers.”

“...the excitement of the last-second Viking victories.” “...the smiles and friendly greetings of students.”

Library clerk says her final goodbyes to Seaman High

by Kennedy Mirowski staff writer

Mrs. Barb Dolifka has been the library clerk for 17 years at Seaman High school. Before working as a librarian, Mrs. Dolifka worked at Pleasant Hill Elementary, West Indianola and Seaman High as a special education para.

After doing that for many years, she decided she needed a change.

Mrs. Dolifka says that the library has changed quite a bit since she has been there. She used to have a typewriter and card catalogs. She remembers when she and Mrs. Sweany had to stamp books everyday. Mrs. Dolifka says her job is much simpler now due to the new, more advanced technology.

A few of Mrs. Dolifka’s favorite memories were when she and Mrs. Sweany were on a ‘health kick’ and they sat on exercise balls instead of chairs and bounced around all day long at their desks. Another favorite memory of hers was when she and Mrs. Sweany would sit at enrollment and pick out books they liked, and they would order each other their favorite as Christmas presents.

“She’s still my BFF after 17 years” says Mrs. Sweany.

After Mrs. Dolifka retires she plans to do lots of relaxing, reading and spending time with her mother. She doesn’t yet have any plans to go on

POISED FOR RETIREMENT: Librarian Marian Sweany and library clerk Barb Dolifka both head for retirement at the end of the school year. They have worked together for the last 17 years. (Photo by Kennedy Mirowski.)

vacation, however, she is looking forward to doing whatever she feels like.

“It’s going to be weird not coming to the library every day; I’m definitely going to miss it,” says Mrs. Dolifka.

She is also going to miss seeing her lunch people and, of course, Mrs.

Sweany.

Principal Ron Vinduska says, “Mrs. Dolifka takes great pride in making the SHS library a welcoming resource center for anyone, students as well as faculty, to investigate any topic, from detailed research to reading for fun.”

May 12, 2016 3 NEWS New middle school assistant principal announced

www.seamannews.com

by Stone Brackett staff writer The new assistant principal for Seaman Middle School has been announced: Mr. Allan Cooper, current teacher of history for Blue Team. He is currently on his twelfth year of teaching. Mr. Cooper is a teacher well-known for his enthusiasm about interacting with students.

He believes that the largest change for him will be how the students act.

“The social maturity level of the students will likely be the biggest difference,” says

“The social maturity level of the students will likely be the BIGGEST DIFFERENCE.”

Mr. Cooper.

Mr. Cooper is excited to begin working in a new, yet similar, environment.

ALLAN COOPER

Mr. Cooper.

Although he believes that he will see that being the largest change, he is still interested in watching the students grow over the school year.

One of his initial goals for his first year of being the assistant principal is to overhaul the behavior system.

Next year, the middle school will launch a new positive behavior system. Another goal of his is to help teachers and students throughout the beginning of the 1:1 initiative.

“The 1:1 initiative will be a change for the school and for me, so I will spend time assisting teachers and students with the rollout of that,” says

Mr. Allan Cooper, new middle school assistant principal

History Day sends 10 students to nationals in D.C.

by Bethany Piel staff writer Nationals for History Day is taking place in Washington D.C. this summer June 12-16.

Participants going to Nationals include Dalton Cowan, Reese Emert, Mike Latendresse, Andrew Gill, and Walker Bassett for their group performance over Beatlemania; Ethan Sparks and Simeon Sykes for their group documentary over the Little Rock Nine; Melissa Brian and Katie McLaughlin for their group website over Rachel Carson; and Bailey Chinn for her individual website over WWII Brides.

These students will compete, tour all over D.C. and go “They are all great

REPRESENTATIVES

of our school and the State of Kansas.”

SUSAN SITTENAUER to the Baltimore inner harbor.

Teacher Susan Sittenauer says, “I am excited for the students to compete at Nationals!

They are all great representatives of our school and the State of Kansas.”

STATE HISTORY DAY WINNERS: State History Day winners showing off their medals. Seaman High School is sending ten of its juniors to the National History Day competition. The competition will take place on June 12th through 16th at University of Maryland College Park. They will be competing against almost 3,000 other students. (BACK) Walker Basset, Andrew Gill, Mike Latendresse, Ethan Sparks, Reese Emert, Simeon Sykes, Dalton Cowan (FRONT) Katie McLaughlin, Melissa Brian, Bailey Chinn. Photo taken by Susan Sittenauer.

www.seamannews.com FEATURES 4 May 12, 2016 New planners and hall passes with the start of 1:1

by Emily Burd staff writer

With the one-to-one program being put into place for the 20162017 school year, questions have risen regarding planners and if they will be taken away because of this.

In the Seaman district, starting in first grade, every student receives a planner for a $5 fee.

Planners contain information such as dress code, the drug-testing policy, a map of the school, discipline points, rules, and almost anything else a student or parent could possibly have a question about in regards to school.

If you pick a student at random, chances are they don’t fill out their schedule on a daily basis.

“I never use the actual planner part, ” Junior Braxton Huff says. “I use alternative ways to keep track, like reminders on my phone. I don’t think it’s a necessity because I only use my planner at school,” When a student leaves the room during class, they are expected to fill out the ‘hall pass’ section in the back; the date, the time they left, and their destination. It also requires a teacher signature.

“I usually just use my planner for hall passes when needed.

That’s not very often,” Huff says.

Starting the 2016/2017 school year, planners will now be on students laptops they receive will the one-to-one program. The planners will be easily-accessible through an application called iBooks.

“We feel like it’s a good fit to transfer to electronic,” say Mike Monaghan.

Planners will have everything the physical planners do, but now they can also have videos. For example, there will be a video over the dress code, so that students can see an example of what is expected to be worn when they are at school.

As for the hall passes in the planner, administration has been exploring options for them.

A look at the 2016-2017 student planner. Planners will be on an application called iBooks.

“We probably won’t see digital passes in the first year one-to-one is used, but we could work on getting there eventually,” says Monaghan.

Due to the phone policy at Seaman, a phone application isn’t a likely candidate for electronic hall passes.

Apps like myHomework or Schooltraq have hall pass options for students.

Hall passes for the next few school years will most likely be ‘old school’; students will have to ask the teacher for a hall pass, and then they will have to sign out of the room to travel elsewhere.

“We have good teachers,” says Monaghan. “And our new technology can’t replace them.”

Clipper The Seaman

Editors Business/Ad Managers Photo Editor

Mason Diederich(30), Jakob Ready(30) Brenlee Yingling(30)

Marcy Anderson(30)

Staff

Stone Brackett, Emily Burd, Bailey Chinn, Sophia Darting, Leann Isaacson(30), Kennedy Mirowski, Shyanne Osterhaus, Bethany Piel, Roland Westling

Adviser

Kelly Neiman, MJE

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.

(30) is the journalistic symbol for “the end.” We thank our seniors for their commitment to our Clipper staff as their Clipper career comes to an end. (Come visit.)

www.seamannews.com

FEATURE

May 12, 2016

Team clinches 5A for first time in school history

*Cassidy Harden - State Champion Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking *Thomas Faulkner - State Champion Dramatic Acting (Semifinalist humorous acting) *Travis Alt & Errick Guzman - State runnerup Duet acting (Travis - semifinalist humorous acting) *Cameron Charity - 4th Poetry Interpretation and 5th Dramatic Acting *Maggie Puderbaugh & Zach Kuti - 4th Duo Interp and 4th Duet Acting

STATE CHAMPIONS: (FRONT) Jillian Roy, Brett Broadbent, Cassidy Harden, Julia Hartner. (BACK) Zach Kuti, Maggie Puderbaugh, Cameron Charity, Coach David Ralph, Dameon Boland, Travis Alt, Thomas Faulkner, Errick Guzman. (Photo by Sierra McKay)

*Julia Hartner - 4th Prose Interpretation

In warm-ups for State, Coach Ralph wrote a rap for the team and even beat boxed.

*Jillian Roy - 3rd Informative Speaking *Brett Broadbent - Semifinalist Dramatic Acting and Poetry Interp *Dameon Boland - Semifinalist Foreign Extemp

5

‘FAMILY’ PHOTO: Seniors Maggie Puderbaugh, Dameon Boland, Brett Broadbent, Cassidy Harden, Tobias Mikkelsen, Coach David Ralph and Travis Alt hold their ‘baby,’ the state trophy. Coach Ralph described this victory as a legacy their class left future forensics teams. (Photo by Zach Patton)

(Collage photos by Zach Patton and Sierra McKay

For the first time in school history, the Forensics team has won the 5A state championship.

“I’m super proud of what these kids were able to work hard towards and accomplish,” said Coach David Ralph.

The team competed in 11 different events with the top 12 in each event advancing to semifinals.

From there, the top six advanced to finals.

Behind the Seaman champs, Lansing took second place and Blue Valley Southwest was third.

Coach Ralph stressed that the tournament was a success with a lot of help from those teammates who were in supporting roles in addition to the competitors.

“We hosted this tourney as well, so all those not competing did a fantastic job. This was a professional, well-organized tournament,” said Ralph.

6

May 12, 2016

FEATURES

www.seamannews.com

Previous era of education coming to an end

by Roland Westling staff writer As the school year concludes, two of the district’s oldest elementary schools (Rochester and Pleasant Hill) will be closing their doors for good.

Both elementary schools have dated amenities and limited space which were major factors in determining the future of the schools.

“Both Rochester and Pleasant Hill are closing because they’re landlocked with

no room for expansion,” said superintendent Mike Mathes.

Without potential to expand the schools, the district has decided to sell Rochester, and repurpose Pleasant Hill.

“Rochester is up for sale and Pleasant Hill will be used for other purposes by the district,” said Mathes.

The students currently attending Rochester or Pleasant Hill will be relocated to either West Indianola or Northern Hills.

“All Rochester students west of Rochester Road will

attend West Indianola. All others including transfers will attend Northern Hills,” said Mathes.

With the loss of two elementary schools, the district will save plenty of money and will also become more systematic.

“It is the conclusion of our 10-year facilities plan and will make the district much more efficient, saving over $100,000 in operating costs every year,” said Mathes.

With their final year of high school nearing comple-

tion seniors reflect on the closing of their elementary school.

“It’s very sad to think about all the memories I’ve had and that it’s all coming to an end. No one can experience the memories like we once did when we were little: walking through those same halls, falling off swings, playing four square, and singing to Mrs. Rogencamp and laughing at each other. It was some of the best moments of my childhood,” said Holli Woodyard.

Graduating seniors relive memories at Rochester and Pleasant Hill FAVORITE TEACHER: “Mrs. Ketron because she was there the whole time I was and she still checks up on me all the time. ( She is my inspiration to be a teacher)” - Brooklyn Rhyne

Mrs. Ketron’s Rochester Kindergarten, 2016 graduates: Mrs. Ketron front: Jewlissa Frickey, Kaylee Snell, McKenna Miller, Brooklyn Rhyne, second row: Travis Alt, Lauren Gros, Deven Wallace, Cody Desch, Leann Isaacson, back row: Mason Diederich, Hunter Williams, Dylan Hunt, Garyn Kickhaefer.

BFF: “My grade school BFF was Kaelin Summers because we completed each other. I was shy and she was obnoxious. Plus our boyfriends Daniel Kramer and Regan Bramhall were best friends. “ - Holli Woodyard FAVORITE GRADE: 5th grade was my favorite grade because my teacher was really awesome and we played football against the sixth graders every day. There was all kinds of elementary school drama and there were even a few kids that had a competition to see who could flip the most

REACTION TO CLOSE: “I’m really sad. I have a lot of really fond memories that come from that building and to see it closing makes me sad no one else will get to make memories there either. - Travis Alt

FAVORITE MEMORIES: “My friends and I used to play on the swings and try to grab the tree branches with our feet” - Daidria Murdoff FAVORITE TEACHER: “My favorite grade was probably sixth grade with Mr. Wendlandt I can’t even remember his name. I kind of liked all of the activities we did, especially with the rats. I also enjoyed the lizard, Ozzy.” - Breanna Saunders

colors.” - Kaleb Schumaker FAVORITE TEACHER: “Mrs. Wayant, she was the nicest teacher ever! I remember everyone had this VIP week over the course of the year, and she always made coming to school a somewhat enjoyable time! I’d like to thank her for an awesome 5th grade!” Andrew Litrell BFF: “I went to daycare with Megan Harwood, and we have been best friends since we were four. She’s goofy.” - Mallory Lantz

Mrs. Slimmer’s Pleasant Hill Kindergarten, 2016 graduates: (Back): Mrs. Renner, Mrs. Slimmer, Ryan Wooten, Jessica Herrick, Jakob Ready, Michelle Sieve, Gabrielle Rollins, Katelyn Tolin, Principal Carter (Middle): Jessica Arredondo, Keaton Middendorf, Emily Hersh, Megan Harwood, Mallory Lantz, Andrew Littrell (Front): Holli Woodyard, Leah Boarman, Madyson Campbell, Molly Mulqueen, Jordan Hayes

7 FEATURES May 12, 2016 Administration positive about drug testing success

www.seamannews.com

by Mason Diederich editor

“The cooperation

OF THE KIDS

The inaugural year of the random drug testing is coming to an end. One word to describe it from Mr. Monaghan, “exceptional”. When the school first brought up this idea administration had no idea of what was to come next. A community of 96 percent parents signed up for their kids to be drug tested this year. A number that seems to be more astonishing than the past one was that 97 percent of the students passed the tests.

“This is so awesome to see that our kids are taking the right approach to not using drugs,” said Mr. Monaghan.

It all began with the parents buying into what the administration had proposed. Once that happened, the rest of the pieces fell into place. Students began to get tested in September so that kids had time to make a decision to quit and begin to focus on school.

“We are not out to get kids and punish them. This is to help kids by getting

made this process very easy on us. We truly owe it TO THE KIDS.” ASST. PRINCIPAL MIKE MONAGHAN them off of drugs and to make smart decisions,” said Mr. Monaghan.

As the year went on the testing continued, the talk of it dropped down, and students just let it become a part of the normal routine.

“The cooperation of the kids made this process very easy on us. We truly owe it to the kids,” said Mr. Monaghan.

Now for the 3 percent who did not pass, some were accounted to prescriptions that were prescribed from doctors.

The others were handled according to policy.

“I truly believe that when people saw that it was a proactive view, they began

to buy into the process,” said Monaghan.

The drug testing process itself is a very simple one.The process takes a total of 10 minutes, and that includes casual conversation with Mr. Monaghan.

When called in, Mr. Monaghan usually brings up grades and chats about how the school year is going. He then goes on to explain what will follow with the testing and everything that is going to occur.

“That is my favorite part, I get to talk to students and interact with them,” said Monaghan. “It gives me the chance to meet students and build relationships.”

When speaking with students, many agreed that it was a good step that our school was taking. Positive feedback was mostly received from students and parents.

“I think it helped some kids, but I think that those kids that quit those activities to get around it could have really benefited from those activities,” said senior Bailey Kelly.

Senior Colton Moranz added by saying “It gives kids a reason to say no, and with the drug problem that was happening at Seaman, this is a great first step.”

School funding issue causes some Kansans to worry

by Stone Brackett staff writer New year, new problems.

As the next school year edges closer and closer, a large problem looms over Kansas: school funding. Currently, the Legislative branch must pass a law fixing school funding before June 30, otherwise the courts will have to shut down all of the public schools until they get the problem sorted out.

One of the recent measures to try to fix the issues was a bill which passed through Governor Brownback already: Senate Substitute for House Bill 2655.

This bill would change certain ways that funds are allocated for schools. It would also allow school districts to increase property taxes for

houses in their districts.

This bill has met strong opposition from some, however.

One aspect of it that many don’t like is that it benefits school districts in wealthier areas more than it does school districts in poorer areas (http://www.kansascity. com/news/politics-government/article70482057.html).

At the time of this writing, there are no additional details as to whether or not this bill has passed through the courts.

Although some students may see the schools shutting down as a blessing, many see it the other way. If the schools were to shut down, so would sports and clubs. Students wouldn’t be able to meet with their friends or progress in their classes in the normal way. Additionally, teachers

and other school employees will be out of work for however long it takes until they get it fixed.

Even though a potential school closure would be extremely bad, there are ways to work around it for students.

“If the schools were to shut down then I would get my remaining credits needed to graduate through an online course,” says Noah Siebert, junior.

Another option would be for students to attend a private school, such as Hayden, or to get homeschooled.

Luckily though, the government has strong motivation to pass the Legislature.

A failure to pass this crucial funding would result in economic devastation, embarrassment and a distrust of Kansas politicians.

Many students believe that the government is willing to quit being stubborn and pass the funding.

“I believe that they will pass a bill reworking the funding before next school year,” says Siebert.

Mr. Fred Patton, representative in the Kansas legislature, says, “Personally, I cannot imagine the Legislature not taking additional action, if directed by the Court, to make sure schools open next fall. If that means the Legislature has to come back for a special session this summer, then I anticipate that happening.”

The Legislative branch of the Kansas government has two more months before the deadline. A failure to pass this funding would deal a deafening blow to the state.

8

FEATURES

May 12, 2016

www.seamannews.com

Students take advantage of German exchange program

by Sophie Darting staff writer This summer, the Seaman students will leave on Tuesday, May 24. They will then fly into Frankfurt, Germany and meet Marco Otto at the airport. Then it’s off to school with their host partners for the rest of the day on May 25.

“This trip is going to be a great experience. I’m really excited for the students to experience life in a German home and I hope that this instills in them a love for travel and, of course, for Germany,” says German teacher Frau Calhoun. “After our two weeks in Marburg, we get to spend a day in Salzburg, Austria, which is one of my favorite places.”

While they are in Marburg, they will give presentations about life in Kansas, visit the Philipps University of Marburg, take a tour of the city, visit the university city of Heidelberg, take a tour of the “Fairy Tale Road”, take a day trip to the city of Weimar and the concentra-

12 30 $2000 24th

students years of this program operating per student of May is departure day

tion camp Buchenwald, and visit the city of Frankfurt.

After being in Marburg for two weeks, the students will go to Munich for three days.

They will explore the city and take a day-trip to Salzburg, Austria. The students will be able to see the pub where Hitler tried to take over the Weimar government in 1923 as well as the home of Mozart.

“I’m really excited to go and see the castles as well as try German food,” says junior Emily Russell. “I thought that going to Germany would be a great opportunity to advance my knowledge in German culture and language.”

“I am looking forward to what German schools will be like,” says junior Sydney Kirmse, “I want to try and speak in German to other German students to see

how much I have learned.”

“I decided to do the exchange program because I love to travel and have never been out of the country. I have also always wanted an exchange student and now I get the opportunity to be one and I think that is really exciting. I’m excited to see my exchange student again and to experience the culture,” says junior Melissa Bryan.

The trip costs approximately $2000 per student.

Other Seaman students participating in the exchange are Shania Church, Chase Anderson, Tori Reynolds, Julia Hartner, Bailey Stattelman, Laura Knight, Scott Monk, and Colby Lake.

This fall, 12 students hosted 12 German exchange students from Philippinum Gymnasium, along with their

teacher, Marco Otto, and chaperone, Tamotsu Kimura.

The program has been going on for over 30 years between Seaman High and Marburg’s Philippinum Gymnasium. Frau Anke Wells, a former Seaman German teacher, started the program. This is Frau Calhoun’s first time as the leader of this program.

During the fall visit, the German students took trips to the State Capitol Building, the Kansas History Museum, the Brown v. Board Education site, Gary’s Berries, and the Eisenhower Center in Abilene, the Flint Hills Discovery Center in Manhattan, and the Steamboat Arabia Museum in Kansas City. They were also able to sit in on several classes with their host partner and gave presentations to classes over different aspects of their lives in Germany.

There was also a welcome dinner and departure dinner for the German students when they arrived and when they left.

Foreign exchange student, Max Drobot, staying in America

by Bailey Chinn staff writer One of Seaman High School’s foreign exchange students is gaining new legal guardians!

Maksym (Max) Drobot, from Ukraine, is going to be staying for a longer period of time with his host parents, Mark and Carolyn Westgate.

Max says that they are going to take care of him until he is 18.

It is not very typical to see foreign exchange students

“Oh my God! I LOVED IT. (It is) basically why I’m going for two more years.”

MAX DROBOT for more than one year.

Counselor Dawna Edmonds, says that it’s very out of the ordinary for this to happen.

“It’s actually the rules of most exchange programs, that you know

you’re going to be an exchange student for a year,” she says.

Currently it is very dangerous in Ukraine, so that prompted the decision to adopt Max into their family.

Max has also loved his time here at Seaman.

“Oh my God! I loved it. (It is) basically why I’m going for

two more years,” says Max. Max will still miss his home country. He says, “Sure I will (miss it), I mean it is something I will always miss. Here I have more opportunities.”

He is leaving behind his parents, grandparents and sister back home.

Max will be enrolled as a junior next year and will graduate with the class of 2018.

He does not know what he wants to do after he graduates, but he still has plenty of time to decide.

www.seamannews.com

OPINION

May 12, 2016

9

Adult coloring books proven reliever of stress

by Brenlee Yingling ad manager Lately coloring books aren’t just for kids any more. Adult coloring books have been all of the buzz in the past few months.

From animal designs to intense geometric designs, there is a coloring book for everyone.

Amazon currently has 3,000 different adult coloring books to offer along with many on the top selling book list.

Not only are adult coloring books enjoyable, they are also proven to help the body mentally as well.

Imagine coming home from a long day of school, work, or sports and feeling totally overwhelmed. Sitting down with an adult coloring book and a tub of markers or colored pencils is an easy way to fix that stress and unwind for the day.

According to The Huffington Post, coloring stimulates brain areas related to motor skills, the senses and creativity. When coloring, people activate different areas of their two cerebral hemispheres.

Psychologist Gloria Martinez Ayala said, “The action involves both logic, by which we color forms, and creativity,

when mixing and matching colors. This incorporates the areas of the cerebral cortex involved in vision and fine motor skills [coordination necessary to make small, precise movements]. The relaxation that it provides lowers the activity of the amygdala, a basic part of our brain involved in controlling emotion that is affected by stress.”

One of the main reasons coloring de-stresses people is because they are focusing only on coloring and not any of their other worries. It also brings back childhood memories, where many people had a lot less stress.

Along with relieving stress, coloring is also known to help relaxation and anxiety. Coloring uses areas of the brain that enhances concentration and focus.

Coloring even has a positive effect on some people with mental illnesses, helping them calm down or stay focused more easily.

It is also a great way to add some creativity and art into the lives of those who aren’t very artistic.

Some businesses are even taking time out of the week to allow workers to color as a way to de-stress for the week.

A variety of adult coloring books are sold online as well as in bookstores.

To try out those coloring skills, visit the SHS library.

Students can find a table loaded with coloring page designs and colored pencils.

Common stress among students is frequently self-inflicted

by Shyanne Osterhaus staff writer Throughout the school year I have witnessed my classmates tweet, text, complain and post about the amount of stress school inflicts on students. S tress from schoolwork is combined with stress from athletic activities, jobs, and possibly stress put on by parents at home.

While stress is an intense and common part of the majority of student’s school day, I believe that a large amount

of stress is self-inflicted and can be avoided, and that students occasionally cause situations to be more stressful than they actually are.

Stress can easily be avoided if students learned to manage their time more wisely.

Lack of time is known for being one of the most common causes of stress in young students, especially because most participate in other activities outside of school.

Not having enough motivation causes students to procrastinate. Procrastination leaves little to no

time left in the day to get the necessary work done.

To reduce the stress in my life personally, I make lists of the tasks I need to complete. I will write down all the homework assignments I must finish and I will order them by highest priority, completing the work due the earliest first. Making a list organizes the work I need to get done, and it also helps me remember all the assignments I need to finish.

Staying organized and not procrastinating is the easiest way to conquer the

stress of school. Finishing work early frees up time later in the day or the week to spend doing whatever one wishes, without the feeling of not having enough time later to accomplish what needs to be completed.

Stress is simply a concept that is self-inflicted.

Students put it on themselves by not managing their free time wisely.

All stress can be avoided with the help of a few organizational techniques and a more strict approach to getting things done on time.

www.seamannews.com OPINION 10 May 12, 2016 New gender-neutral bathroom bills controversial

by Emily Burd staff writer

Recently, there has been a large focus on transgender men and women (or those who identify as neither or both), and which public restroom they should be allowed to use.

Transgender - defined as “someone whose gender differs from the one they were given when they were born” - is nothing new. Prior to the 1800’s, some Native American tribes would have third-gender roles. Some who were born male, would from there on take on a feminine role. By the 1950’s, the first transgender organizations and publications emerged.

Today, the word is well-known, but many are still uncomfortable with those who feel as if they have been “born in the wrong body.” Thus, leading to the controversial topic of whether or not to pass a bill or law to assign those who identify as transgender to a specific bathroom.

Many feel as if allowing men and women who are transgender to access a bathroom that does not match their birth certificate would lead to more problems.

Paving the way for change, Target has been the first national retailer to make gender neutral or unisex bathrooms available, while also allowing people to use the restroom that matches their gender identity. This is beneficial to both those in the transgender community, single fathers with young

daughter, single mothers with young sons, or parents with disabled children.

“Target’s policy is exactly how sexual predators get access to their victims,” AFA President Tom Wildmon says.

And that has happened. In Los Angeles in 2013, a man wore a wig and women’s clothing and was spotted walking into the women’s restroom in Macy’s department store. He was found with hours after footage from the restroom after customers contacted mall security. This story is among many other reports of occurrences of this nature.

States like North Carolina and South Carolina have both passed bills that only allows individuals to use the restroom by the gender that is on their birth certificate. In Virginia and Tennessee, a bill was introduced that enforced students at public schools and universities to use the bathroom that matched their gender at birth, but failed.

In contrast to those states, South Dakota’s governor vetoed a transgender bathroom bill in March.

More locally, Kansas is trying to pass a bill that puts a bounty on transgender students who use the restroom that doesn’t match their gender at birth. Bill SB 513 is part of the Student Physical Privacy Act, which requires students to use facilities that match their sex at birth.

“Allowing students to use restrooms, locker rooms and showers that are reserved for students of a different sex will create potential embarrassment, shame, and psychological injury to students,” the bill reads.

This bill would be active in both public schools and universities. Each time a student would be turned in, the school would be sued $2,500 for each instance.

The transgender bathroom bill was introduced on March 16; too late for this legislative session and isn’t to be debated.

The bill could be reintroduced next year.

On the other side of things, there is also the risk of a transgender being at risk. Walking into a bathroom that some may think does not match one’s gender could lead to sexual harassment, sexual assault, rape, and violence. The bill affects about an estimated 700,000 transgender individuals in the US. Since the law in North Carolina bathroom bill went into effect, the transgender crisis hotline has seen double the amount of calls from suicidal trans people.

VikingVOICES “Do you think those who identify as transgender should be allowed to use the restroom that they believe matched their gender identity?”

“Whether you’re a transgender or not, if you have male genitalia you should use the male bathroom, and if you have female genitalia then you need to use the female bathroom.”

Cameron Meinholdt, 10

“I think transgendered students have the right to choose which restroom they feel more comfortable in. I don’t want them to be bullied, and the restrooms are a perfect place for this to happen since there are no cameras.”

Silvia Grana, 12

“I think they should be allowed to because if someone feels like they belong to that group of gender and are in fact transgender, I believe they should be given the “freedom,” that we promise as Americans to use the bathroom they belong in.”

Thomas Faulker, 10

12

SPORTS

May 12, 2016

www.seamannews.com

Zeferjahn awarded another high honor

by Mason Diederich editor Senior baseball standout Ryan Zeferjahn has received another accolade to add to his very impressive list. Perfect Game is an organization that is used to help develop and expose young baseball players. This organization has some of the highest level tournaments and showcases in the nation. Ryan participated in their largest ones in this past off season which is what earned him this honor.

PG added Ryan to the Preseason All American watchlist. This is an honor that only the top 50 seniors in America receive.

“It is a great honor that I have been added to this list and to be mentioned with these guys,” said Zeferjahn.

Ryan participated in the Perfect Game All-American Classic this summer and was added to the list before this spring season began.

Zeferjahn was also added to the Central Region first

team which only featured kids in the central part of the United States. This was a team that contained 53 seniors in the states of IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, SD, WI. “All of these honors that I have received are great, but I try to stay humble through it,” said Zeferjahn. “My main focus right now is to help my team win and get us as far as we can.”

Currently, Ryan is still signed with Kansas University but has been getting a lot of attention from the MLB. Scouts fill up the stands whenever Ryan is on the mound. Zeferjahn is not affected by this attention.

“I just try to think of them as fans that are there to watch the game and perform up to my ability,” said Zeferjahn.

As the school season continues Ryan has pushed hard for his own success and his for his team.

“He’s one of those special players that coaches rarely have the opportunity to

coach. Ryan is one of the best that I’ve seen in my 25 years and he’s made me a better

coach than I’ve made him as a player,” said seaman baseball coach Steve Bushnell.

Ryan Zeferjahn sizzles in one of his 90 mph fast balls to Emporia’s center fielder (Photo by Kylie Cox)

Car crash on tennis courts doesn’t stop practice Stone Brackett staff writer It was a warm, sunny, Sunday afternoon - the perfect day to play tennis. The birds were chirping; the wind was blowing a smooth, gentle breeze across the courts. All of a sudden, a driver hit the tennis courts ruining two of the courts and destroying the shed. This disrupted the boys tennis team’s season greatly.

One impact that this crash has on the season is team practice. While the courts were being repaired, the players were only able to use three courts. Due to this, the team had split practices varsity practiced at Kossover and junior

varsity practiced on the three remaining courts.

Lucas Hurla, sophomore, said, “Varsity has to practice at Kossover, and we never see the head coach or varsity players.”

Additionally, many of the home meets, including the Seaman Invitational, were moved to Kossover or played at the opposing team’s school.

“If we had meets at home, we would have multiple fans who aren’t family members,” said Hurla.

Although the season has been very unorthodox, the team is fighting through it and succeeding. The junior varsity team has won or tied every meet

at the time of this writing and varsity is doing well too.

Even though the junior varsity team has encountered a lot of success, the season for some members of JV ended very poorly. On April 26, the final match of the season for some members of JV was cancelled due to a tornado watch.

“It made me sad. I was looking forward to finishing the season with a win against Hayden,” said Hurla.

With the conclusion of the tennis season, Seaman tennis looks as though it will be having a strong future. All of the courts are expected to be fixed and made to look like new - including the courts that were not destroyed.

www.seamannews.com

FEATURE

May 12, 2016

13

Pole vault coach inspires young athletes

by Shyanne Osterhaus staff writer A huddle of students gather near the pole vault pit. They surround a man who looks a bit different from the typical high school track coach. His well-worn cowboy hat, silver goatee, and tie-dyed t-shirt place him more as a child of the 70s than a pole vault coach. Each athlete is listening intently to what he has to say. From a distance, one can not know if he is showing them ways to improve their pole vault performance, or if he is simply engaging in a friendly conversation with his athletes. All the bystander knows is that the students are intrigued, and the coach has their full attention.

Seaman High School pole vault coach, Mr. Jeff Hisey, is a prime example of a coach that spends as much time connecting with his athletes as he does coaching them, in order to increase their athletic success throughout the track season.

An artist by day, Hisey has been coaching the pole vault athletes for the past six years.

Prior to coaching at Seaman he coached at Highland Park High School in the years 1979-1980.

Throughout his six years of coaching Hisey has made his mark on the lives of his athletes.

“Hisey would do anything and everything to make you a better vaulter,” former Seaman High vaulter Brock Safarik says. “He always had a positive mindset to improve your performance on a bad day of practice or even a tough day at a meet.”

Since Hisey has been the coach, two Seaman pole vaulters have placed highly at the state meet including Luke Shaw who won a state championship and broke the

school record. Safarik placed 8th that same year and returned the next season to earn a runner-up state finish.

Hisey claims that forming relationships with his athletes has contributed positively to the amount of success they’ve had.

“Forming relationships raises the confidence level,” Hisey says. “As long as we communicate and I talk straight to them, not down to them, it allows the athletes to understand what I am trying to accomplish with them.”

As a coach who interacts with a wide array of athletes with different personalities and learning styles, Hisey always manages to keep practice upbeat and interesting and spends time focusing on all aspects of each athlete’s vaulting performance.

“Coach Hisey’s enthusiasm is contagious,” head track coach Scott Petersen says. “He is always very positive and does a great job of motivating people to be better. He’s been very successful on getting kids working on pole vault and different camps throughout the year and it has really paid off the last few seasons.”

While Hisey is an active member of the track coaching staff, the majority of his time is spent running his local art gallery, Trails Market.

Hisey has been inspired by art ever since college, and he received a degree in commercial art.

Hisey’s art gallery encompasses a entirely new perspective of art, from scarves to LED lanterns to antique items and other knickknacks.

“I want people to be able to enjoy the different views of art,” Hisey says. “It’s not just drawing or a sketch pad.”

Hisey has been running his business for over two years

Please check out www.seamannews.com for the video that goes along with this story. It can be found under the headline of “Pole vault coach shares expertise with athletes”.

Top: Coach Hisey instructs senior Nathan Bredow on his last jump.(Photo by Marcy Anderson) Bottom: Senior Colton Moranz flies through the air as he practices before the next meet.(Photo by Taylor Stirton)

and in this time he has found art in the strangest of places.

One of those places is none other than pole vaulting.

“Pole vaulting is an expression of athleticism,” Hisey says. “Art takes technique to learn and it takes skill and mental capacity, and all art takes this. That’s why it’s an art within itself.”

While seeing the art in pole vaulting is important to Hisey, his favorite part about coaching is the athletes with which he works.

“I love getting to work with the kids and seeing their success unfold,” he claims. “I like knowing I can relate to them, and I like seeing them under-

stand the things I know they can do.”

While pole vaulting in high school may appear to be a very small part of a student’s career, Hisey spends his time making sure all athletes get the most out of every day of practice.

“Hisey isn’t your ordinary coach,” Safarik says. “He can quite possibly become one of your best friends, and you can talk to him about anything occurring in your life.

He always has great words of wisdom and advice to not only help you in pole vault but to help make you a better person.”

www.seamannews.com 14 May 12, 2016 FEATURES New escape room hopes to find success in Topeka

by Sophie Darting staff writer Keynundrum, Topeka’s first escape room, is an interactive game that allows participants to piece together clues, find hidden objects, and solve the puzzle to earn freedom from a locked room.

Participants have 60 minutes to escape the room. There are two rooms to pick from; Murder Motel or Jewel Thief.

The rooms are changed regularly so patrons can go back and participate again.

In Murder Motel, a young woman has been killed and a friend has been framed. Look around the crime scene and gather enough hints to find the real killer and clear your friend’s name.

This room has a 30 percent success rate.

In Jewel Thief, the famous Faith Diamond has been stolen by an infamous jewel thief. Participants must sneak into his office and search through his things to find proof of the heist.

This room has a 50 percent success rate.

“It was a

GREAT FAMILY EXPERIENCE

for us so we wanted to bring that back to Topeka.”

OWNER DAWN NEUHALFEN Dawn and Aaron Neuhalfen opened up Keynundrum in the middle of October, two months after having fun at another Escape Room location.

“We went to one with our son and a friend and had such a great time that we wanted to bring it back to Topeka and open one of our own,” says owner Dawn Neuhalfen, “It was a great family experience for us, and so we wanted to make sure that other families had a great experience. It really makes you think and you have to be off of your phone for an hour and actually talk to your family.”

Dawn came up with the main design of the room on her own and says that everywhere she looks, she sees things that could become a clue in one of the rooms.

Escape rooms make people have to think. Those who participate are not allowed to take anything into the room so there is no chance to google any answers. It forces people to interact for an hour without any technology.

“It was fun. I liked the stress level, because you have to stay focused on getting the puzzle solved, but you also are worried about running out of time,” says junior Michael Guerrero, “I did one down in Branson and they are really cool, so we decided to try one here. It was a good experience.

I would definitely recommend it.”

Keynundrum is located at a permanent location at 2900 SW Atwood Ave, Topeka, KS 66614 and costs $50 per person for two people or $20 per person for 3-8 people.

Apps provided for entertainment and practical use

by Shyanne Osterhaus staff writer On both the Android and Apple app stores, there are over 1.5 million apps available for download. With those kinds of numbers, it is almost impossible to come up with apps that do not copy others, yet according to ibtimes.com, significantly over 1000 new apps are submitted each day.

Usually, video posts are seen on Instagram or other social media sites with a caption on the video saying “made with musical.ly.”

Musical.ly is an app that allows one to lip sync to a song on their device or from the large number of tracks provided on the app. Not only can the user record themselves imitating the song, special effects can be added to further increase the overall appearance of the video. Once the creation is complete, it can be shared on various social media or messaging sites.

When most people think of apps they think of games that can be played on a device, yet some of the most unknown apps are occasionally the most

useful. As students, most of the time spent on our phones are used playing games or browsing social media, but there are an abundance of apps available that can be used to help study and aid in the productivity of school work.

Ever had that last-minute essay panic?

Instead of worrying about how to finish a paper without computer access, check out the Microsoft Office Mobile app.

With this app, the user is able to edit, access and create new PowerPoints, Word documents and even Ex-

cel spreadsheets, making the excuse of “I didn’t have a computer” unnecessary.

As students approach their senior year the concept of applying for scholarships becomes a main part of their free time.

Scholly is an app that analyzes each individual student and searches for scholarships that they could potentially apply for (itunes.apple.com). The Scholly Team states that “Scholly mobile and web platform turns the long months of searching for free money for college into minutes.”

Scholly can be downloaded at a small cost but that cost is not comparable to the amount of money that can be saved by using the app.

Another popular social media app that is recently coming into the spotlight is Cinemagram. This app allows the user to record a short video which is then converted into a moving photo, This can then be shared on other sites.

While some apps like musical.ly are used more for entertainment, there are lesser-known but more practical apps available that can help students better their educations and study practices as well as helping keep themselves organized and prepared.

www.seamannews.com

Feature

May 12, 2016

15

Supercell releases new game, Clash Royale

by Roland Westling staff writer

Photo retrieved from: http://bgr.com/2016/03/07/clash-royale-review-iphone/

MASTERING THE ART OF CLASH Photo of Olive_Guardian leader, Roland Westling, battling in arena 7.

(Provided by Roland Westling.)

“Did somebody say HOOOOG RIDEEEER?!,” The latest in Supercell’s line of hit mobile games, Clash Royale is a real-time, card- based strategy game that allows players to battle each other one-on-one.

“Clash Royale is a new twist of Clash of Clans. It has a simplistic design and is much less time-consuming,” said junior Carson Tjelmeland.

Clash of Clan’s influence upon Royale can be seen from the gold and gem based currencies to the characters and spells.

Opposed to spending hours training troops, Royale gives players the option to play back-to-back games without any delay.

“Clash Royale is fun because you are actually going head-to-head against people and not a simulated defense like Clash of Clans,” said junior Nick Steiner.

In order to further progress in the game, players must obtain chests from winning matches which will reward them with coins, gems, and cards.

The amount of common, rare, epic, and legendary cards the player receives will depend on the magnitude of the chest, with the most basic chests consisting of the wooden, free, silver, and gold

chests, and the more advanced cards coming from the giant, magical, and super magical chests.

As various card types and rarities are obtained, they can be upgraded using coins and the player will receive a stronger card and added experience. The arena itself consists of six towers in total with each player having two arena towers and one crown tower arranged in a ushaped formation.

One’s goal during a battle is to have more crowns (which are obtained from destroying towers) at the end of three minutes than the opponent. It is possible to win one of two ways; finishing a three-minute game with the majority of crowns or destroying your opponent’s crown tower.

While the idea of a battling is relatively straightforward at lower arena levels, the complexity and strategic thinking required to win progresses with each arena.

Similar to Clash of Clans, the concept of clans play a major role in Clash Royale.

Clans allow the player to battle their friends, as well as receiving and donating cards (which awards the player with experience and gold) to their clanmates.

“The Olive_Guardians is by far the best clan to be in and they have a great leader,” said junior Nick Steiner.

“Clash Royale is fun because you are actually going HEAD-TO-HEAD AGAINST PEOPLE and not a simulated defense like Clash of Clans .” - junior Nick Steiner

16

FEATURES

May 12, 2016

www.seamannews.com

Year-long school saves students from summer monotony

by Shyanne Osterhaus staff writer The typical midwest school year begins in August and concludes towards the end of May, with a few weeks off between semesters and numerous other small breaks. While this is considered a normal school year, some districts and states operate on a different format where students go to school all year long.

Negatives of year-round school are obvious. For example, students don’t receive the beloved three-month summer vacation they all look forward to for months before it comes. Teachers also do not have as much time before the next school year starts to tidy up their classrooms and prepare for the upcoming year.

Approximately 3,100 schools in the United States are on a year-long schedule with the majority of those schools being located in states near the coasts.

This format has been utilized since the 1970’s and from 2006 to 2012 the number of year-round schools increased by 26 percent (edweek.org).

The most common year-round school is on a 45-15 day schedule. This means that for every 45 days the students are in school, they get 15 days off at the end

of the nine-week period. This can pose many complications because the information learned in those 45 days could easily be lost within the three weeks the students are on break. The benefits of this are that students get significant breaks throughout the year instead of having to go to school with only a few days off for a whole semester. This could decrease the feeling students get towards the end of the school year, because every 45 days students receive a small piece of summer.

“One of the main benefits of yearlong school is you don’t have a threemonth period where nothing academic occurs,” counselor Mrs. Patty Allacher says. “Year-round school pays off in a subject like math or reading because skills acquired in these classes are not often used during summer.”

This format also decreases inactivity by students in the summer. According to neatoday.org, summer is too long and boring, and students often resort to a more sedentary lifestyle in the three months they have off. By decreasing vacation time to three weeks four times a year, students remain more active and the length of summer does not result in the decrease in student activity.

There has not been a scientific study

carried out that proves year-long school results in higher academic performance and better test scores, but numerous articles state that not having three months off causes students to retain what they learn, therefore increasing how well students perform in school.

“I like the idea of year-round school because it keeps you in a routine,” junior Mikaela Cox says. “You don’t have to get back into things after summer break.”

Year-long school not only affects academics, but also other concepts of students lives as well. Teenaged students often rely on summer vacation to get a job and make money, especially if time is spent during the school year with other activities that impede having a stable job. With only a few weeks off every three months or so, it may be harder for students to make money to prepare for their future.

The overall acceptance of year-long school depends solely on the preference of each individual student, but each year more and more schools are heading in the direction of yearlong school and away from the socalled “outdated” version still prevalent in the majority of districts today.

Deadlines approaching for summer camp registration •

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Viking Volleyball Camp Dates: June 14-16 Time: 4 p.m.-6:30 p.m.

Girls Basketball Camp Dates: May 31-June 3 Time: 8:30a.m.-11 a.m.

Boys Basketball Camp Dates: May 31- June 3 Time: 1 p.m.-4 p.m.

Girls Tennis Camp Dates: June 6-9 Times: 8 a.m.-10 a.m.

Cheer Camp Dates: June 10-12

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Girls Soccer Camp Dates: June 13-16 Time: 9 a.m.-11 a.m.

Boys Tennis Camp Dates: June 13-17 Time: 6 p.m.-8 p.m.

Football Camp Dates: July 11-15 Time: 9:30 a.m.-noon Dance Team Camp Dates: July 13-16 Marching Band Camp Dates: Aug 1-11 Time: 8:30 a.m.-noon

For registration forms and additional information on high school summer camps click the link on the seamanschools.org homepage

17 OPINION May 12, 2016 People quick to judge others for tanning choices www.seamannews.com

by Brenlee Yingling STAFF WRITER

Many people are quick to judge others when they say they have gone tanning in a tanning bed or even just laid outside in the sun to get a bronzed look. Often the reply is “well you are going to get skin cancer”, but before you judge, remember all of the other instances that can cause cancer as well.

While tanning is known to be bad for you and is known to cause skin cancer, it also can be good for you.

Vitamin D is gained from the UV rays of sunlight, which is a very important vitamin for the body to contain. According to Gizmodo, recent studies show that vitamin D is one of the most powerful anticancer agents ever known. Spending 10 minutes in strong sunlight allows your body to make as much vitamin D as you could get from drinking nearly 200 glasses of milk.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention skin cancer kills

less than 10,000 people in the United States every year.

Whether you are outside or in a tanning bed, there are ways to make tanning safe. Knowing your limit for getting sunburnt is an easy way to reduce getting skin cancer. Wearing protective eye goggles in the tanning beds prevents eye cancer. Moderation is also a good way to keep the possibility of skin cancer on the lower side.

When being out in the sun often, it is a good idea to visit a dermatologist. According to How Stuff Works Health, it is recommended that you visit a dermatologist once a year for a full body exam.

Often times, people don’t realize all of the other factors that can just as easily cause cancer as well.

You rarely ever hear someone say “you are going to get cancer from taking birth control”, but it is possible.

Taking oral contraceptives, such as birth control is known to influence the development and growth of some cancers. Birth control pills contain female

hormones, which if taken for long periods of time can increase the risk of breast cancer. The risk is highest for women who begin using oral contraceptives as teenagers.

According to the National Cancer Institute, long-term usage of five or more years of oral contraceptives can increase the risk of getting cervical cancer. The risk from those who used oral contraceptives for long periods of time is four times as likely to get cervical cancer compared to those who never used oral contraceptives or used them for less than five years.

Smoking is one of the leading causes of cancer and death from cancer. It has been found to harm almost every bodily organ and organ system in the body.

Cigarette smoking kills more than 480,000 Americans each year according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Perhaps the world would be a better place if we worried more about our own actions and less about those of others.

JORTS FRIDAY: The tradition continues (FRONT): Lucas Hurla, Hunter Hershey, Kevin Moranz, Matthew Schlossman, Spencer Fortney.

(BACK): Colton Brennan, Colton Moranz, Ian Hall, Dalton Cowan, Bailey Kelly, Roland Westling, Stone Brackett, Dawson Johannes, Cale Beam, Noah Siebert.(Photo by Kylie Cox)

18

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May 12, 2016

OPINION

www.seamannews.com

Clipper seniors say their final goodbyes

by Mason Diederich EDITOR

by Brenlee Yingling AD MANAGER

by Leann Isaacson STAFF WRITER

by Jakob Ready EDITOR

My time spent with the Clipper was the best time ever. Mrs. Neiman is hands down the best teacher that I have ever had and I feel bad for anyone that has not taken a class with her. As for the underclassmen in the class currently, I cannot stress it to you enough to stay in the class and enjoy your time with Neim and become a better writer.

I have to make sure to mention my best friend Jakob for taking the class with me sophomore year and sticking with me and Neim for those three years.He and I have made some of our best school memories while in this class and moments that I will never forget. This year went very well and a lot of growth occurred within the class. I am very proud of what everyone was able to accomplish. The Clipper is a class that I will never forget and I have to thank everyone that was a part of it.

I have had the pleasure of having Mrs. Neiman for all four years of my high school career. My sophomore year I decided to join the Clipper staff and I must say it was one of the best decisions I made throughout high school.

Mrs. Neiman taught me not only how to be a better writer, but how to become more outgoing. She has helped me gain so much knowledge to take with me in the future and I will be forever grateful for that. Some of my favorite memories are from the Clipper class, from hilarious story idea meetings that took way too long, being able to write some awesome stories, to late nights staying after school for layout. I am grateful for all the friendships and laughs made throughout the years with Neiman and all of my classmates. I definitely recommend anyone and everyone to take a class with Neiman because you won’t regret it.

My time in Clipper was short, but great. I started at the beginning of this year and will not regret it. My sister was always telling me how great Neiman was and that I needed to take her class.

Younger me thought she was crazy, now I am so grateful I took her advice.

Neiman is now my favorite teacher. There is no way I could thank her enough for all she has done for me. She inspired me to go outside of my comfort zone and to laugh, because there is always something that’s funny. I will for sure miss the many laughs that were shared in C-2. I hope that underclassmen will give Neiman a chance because she is the best teacher here. I think that everyone needs to take at least one of her classes. It’s better late than never.

Sophomore year I enrolled in Clipper hoping to one day become editor. That dream has been ful-filled as I now co-edit with my best friend Mason Diederich. However, I would not be in this position without my teacher, supervisor, and friend, Mrs. Neiman.

She has taught me everything I know about writing stories and designing pages. Both she and Mason along with all the other previous and current staff members, have shared some of my most valuable memories in high school together and I could not stress enough just how much this class has rewarded me through the years. We learned early on that the more we can work together as a family, the more the work will be done in a quality way. I will never forget the memories made in Clipper. Thank you, Mrs. Neiman, Mason Diederich, and the rest of the staff members that have made this class so memorable.