October - Cimarron High School

CHS has many new
teachers! To find out the
scoop, see page 3!
For the latest news on the
fall sports front, check out
pages 6 and 7!
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Cimarron, KS
67835
The Bluejay Post
Cimarron High School
Cimarron, Kansas 67835October 2009
Vol. 7, No. 1
Taking flight:
Honor Flight program helps close generation gap
by Britnie Jenkins
A
merican poet and
novelist James Dickey once said, “Flight
is the only truly new sensation
that men have achieved in modern
history.” Students and World War
II veterans of Cimarron will experience a new kind of “flight.”
The Honor Flight is a program designed to take World
War II veterans to Washington,
D.C., to see the WWII memorial.
Guardians accompany these veterans to assist them with whatever
they need.
Last November during the
Veterans’ Day celebration, Superintendent Mike Waters announced
that he would be starting the
Honors Flight program in Southwest Kansas. It has taken almost
a year to get the program off the
ground, but now the Honor Flight
is headed at full speed to Washington, D.C. The trip will take
place October 7, 8, and 9.
“I heard about [the program]
from a Superintendent in
eastern Kansas,” said Waters. “It is a
very special
program. I
looked into it
to see if there
was anything
going on in Southwest Kansas
and when I saw there wasn’t, I
decided to start it.”
The trip has encountered
some bumpy turbulence throughout the planning part of it.
“There were details during planning that I didn’t even
know existed,” Waters said. “First
we had just Southwest Kansas
veterans. Then it stretched into
Western Kansas, then from Pratt
to Norton, and all the way up to
Colorado. Second, we had to get
a plane that was large enough to
fly about 120 veterans and 60-70
Guardians.”
From raffle tickets to T-shirts,
fundraising was a huge part of the
planning process.
“We wanted to get a plane
to land in Garden City,” Waters
said, “but their runway wasn’t
large enough, and it was just too
expensive.”
An Honor Flight Board was
assembled to take care of the planning and other minor details.
“The Board,” said Waters,
“consists of Jessica Nothern,
Lee Jantz, Karrie Millershaski,
Brenda Kuhlman, and myself.”
A small number of the veterans and students going are from
Cimarron.
“We have six veterans from
Cimarron,” said Waters. “There
are ten Guardians from Cimarron,
but only seven are able to go on
this trip.”
All the Guardians are seniors
‘I hope the veterans
will understand that
students care about the
sacrifices they made.’
-- Supt. Mike Waters
except one.
“My grandpa and I thought it
would be fun to go to Washington,
D.C., together,” said Sophomore
Wyatt Richardson. “He’s 81 and
we may not have anymore time to
bond. I’m really excited to spend
time with my grandpa.”
Guardians will have all kinds
of tasks during the trip.
“A Guardian is just a special
name for helper,” Waters said.
“Some veterans don’t have a fam-
ily member
going so
the Guardian will talk
about what
is happening, getting
t h e i r ve t eran to the
right bus,
walk with
the veteran,
and help
them with
whatever
they need so
the veterans
can have the
best experience they
can have.”
Getting
everyone to
the same airport proved
difficult.
“ I n
Southwest
Kansas we
aren’t close
to a major
a i r p o r t , ” 3, 2, 1 TAKE OFF! Wyatt Richardson, sophomore, sells raffle tickets to Jonnalee Salmans to
said Waters. support the Southwest Kansas Honor Flight. Richardson is the youngest Guardian from Cimarron
“We will all attending the Honor Flight. “I’m really excited to spend time with my grandpa,” said Richardson.
just meet at (Jenkins photo)
different
“It’s been tough trying to put
Waters hopes the students
airports either in Wichita, Denver, it together,” he said. “But hope- and veterans will both benefit
or Amarillo, and everyone will fully we’ll do smaller trips and from the trip.
meet up in Washington, D.C.”
they will be more manageable.
“I hope the veterans will unThe WWII memorial isn’t The first time is the toughest.”
derstand that students care about
the only memorial the veterans
There are a few things Wa- the sacrifices they made,” he said.
will see.
ters is looking forward to about “I hope the students gain some ap“We will lay a wreath at the the trip.
preciation for the veterans and see
Tomb of the Unknown,” Waters
“I am looking forward to into a different life. Most of the
said. “I am really hoping we seeing the veterans being happy,” veterans grew up in a completely
also get to see the Holocaust he said. “They will be with other different world than what we have
Museum.”
veterans they haven’t seen in a now. I also hope the students will
If everything goes well, Wa- while. I’m also looking forward to be able to bond with the veterans
ters hopes this won’t be the last their stories and seeing how they and will be friends after the Honor
Honor Flight trip in Southwest interact with the students.”
Flight is over.”
Kansas.
2
The Bluejay Post
October 2009
Opinions
‘Cash for Clunkers’ clanks along road to ruin
by Spence Byer
$787,000,000,000: Money set forth
in the stimulus package. That money went
toward different government packages,
including one called “Cash for Clunkers” to help save the environment. Cash
for Clunkers allowed people to trade in
a vehicle for a new car, giving their old
“clunker” a tremendous trade value.
There were certain stipulations, such
as the car must be at most 25 years old,
and the participant must also trade in for
a vehicle that gets a certain mpg better.
The project was created to help rid the nation of gas-guzzling vehicles and change
them to economy-friendly, gas-conserving
vehicles.
“Cash for Clunkers” was a great deal
for the American people. Thousands of
Americans have upgraded to new vehicles.
But in the long run will it actually help
America? Was Cash for Clunkers a good
deal?
The answer is no, it was not a good
deal. The program will end up hurting
American automotive dealers and leave
many people without a vehicle. We are
not a society where everyone can own
brand new vehicles. Not everyone can
afford them.
The American society is hurting,
thus many struggle to meet monthly expenditures. Adding yet another liability
to one’s plate is not a good idea. With
another payment people will not be able
to pay, that new car will eventually get
repossessed. Who does this hurt? The
automotive dealers.
Because of all the “we finance” policy,
many lots are financing people as a “sideproject” to bring in more money, and if
there is a repossession they have a chance
to make money on the same car again by
re-selling it again to cut their losses.
Financing at car lots many times
require little to no credit, unlike bank
loans. The dealership will end up with a
six month-old car with many miles on it,
and the moment a car is driven off the lot,
it depreciates.
We have traded a house market for an
automotive market.
To help gain better fuel economy
and help America be less dependant upon
foreign oil, what should we do? Certainly
not buy people’s junk and give them a
new car.
We should give this topic more
thought. The government should run
finance on the vehicles going into the
program, and if a buyer fails to make the
payments, the government can use the new
cars as “government vehicles.” With the
flailing economy, banks and dealers cannot
afford to give out loans that may not be
paid. The American government needs to
take liability for its own packages.
Editorial Board:
Although our editorials are written by individual board memebers, the thoughts
and ideas conveyed are that of The Bluejay Post editorial board. Members of the
Editorial Board are Kyle Maddox, Spence Byer, and Shelby Pulkrabek.
OMG! Mom’s on Facebook again!
Opinion
by Shelby Dawn
Facebook: a
social network
originally created for college
students but now
branched out
to high school
and junior high
students, then
to parents and
eve n g r a n d parents. Have
things gone too far?
Some may think so. I, on the other
hand, do not.
Parents being nosey and getting
into your business?
I’ve got an easy solution for you!
If you don’t want your parents to know
about it, don’t put it on your Facebook
page! It’s as simple as that.
I know from personal experience
not to put things on my Facebook that
I don’t want my parents to see. That’s
how my mom found out about the new
boyfriend I wasn’t sure I wanted her
to know about yet. Not only can your
parents access this now not-so-secret
information about your wild weekend
at your boyfriend’s house, but so can
future employers, scholarship communities, and that Big 12 School you’re
hoping to get into next fall.
Parents putting embarrassing
things on your wall? There is a simple
solution to this problem. All you have
to do explain to them that everyone
can see this stuff, and you would like
them to stop.
Most parents don’t understand
this. Show them how to send private
messages. That feature is there for
a reason. They’re not stupid, they’re
learning. I bet you had to get used
to Facebook’s features when you first
signed up also. Help them out! It will
stop a lot of frustration in the future.
Parents really don’t mean harm by
joining Facebook, and actually, there
are ways that it’s great. Take the case of
my uncle. He got Facebook so he could
keep in touch with his teenage daugh-
ters he hardly ever gets to see. It’s a
great way for him to contact them in a
way that is cool to them. It also helps
him keep up with their lives, share
pictures, and keep tabs on them.
I have several older relatives who
have Facebook accounts, and I think
it’s great. The main reason I even have
a Facebook account is because it’s a
great way to keep in touch with relatives I never get to see and share my
photos with them, without having to
send them all separate e-mails.
You may feel that Facebook tears
your family apart, but when used right,
it can really bring them together.
Letter Policy
The Bluejay Post welcomes letters
from readers. We do, however, reserve
the right to edit letters for purposes of
clairty and space, and we regret that we
cannot publish unsigned letters.
The Bluejay Post
2009-2010
Editor: Britnie Jenkins
Assistant Editor: Shelby Pulkrabek
Sports Editor: Spence Byer, Lyndi Stokes
H.S. Organizations Editor: James Rittenhouse
Photo Editor:
Shelby Pulkrabek
Community News Editor: Lyndi Stokes
Grade School Editor: Tess Trahern
Copy Editor:
Kyle Maddox
Watch, Read, & Listen:
Nicole Marshall
Advisor: Lynne Hewes
Cimarron High School
Cimarron, KS 67835
October 2009
Volume 7, Issue 1
The Bluejay Post
October 2009
News
3
Rickers joins ranks of math teachers
by Spence Byer
Perfection: Russ Rickers,
Cimarron’s new
math teacher, uses
a compass to draw
a perfect circle on
the board. Rickers,
from Fowler, enjoys
teaching at CHS. “The kids are great,
the facilities top-ofthe-line,” he said. (Maddox photo)
The hallways of CHS have a new
face this year: new mathematics teacher
Russ Rickers. Rickers is here after a prior
teaching stint in Fowler.
“Prior to coming to Cimarron, I had
thoughts of pursuing another field, but Cimarron changed my mindset on American
education,” said Rickers.
Cimarron has rejuvenated this instructor and he expects great things out
of CHS.
“The kids are great, facilities are top
of the line, and I really like the high expectations from the administration,” said
Rickers.
Cimarron is not new to Rickers. He
has lived in Southwest Kansas all his life,
other than while secondary education at
Kansas State University
“I grew up in Meade and graduated
high school from Fowler. After that I
attended KSU with intentions to major
in electrical engineering with a minor in
psychology,” he said.
Teaching was not always his intention.
“I didn’t always want to be a teacher.
My friends and family suggested that,”
said Rickers. “I kind of had a skill that I
wasn’t taking advantage of; I wasn’t using my abilities like I should have been.
After I decided to be a teacher, it had to
be math.”
Rickers looks forward to the school
year and says he is excited about high
state assessment scores. Rickers is hosting
tutoring sessions in math in his room every
Tuesday morning before school, and every
Thursday after school.
Gray brightens up day:
New gifted education teacher at USD 102
by Kyle Maddox
Though its scope is more limited, the
Gifted Education position has changed
hands like the Defense Against the Dark
Arts position in a certain well known
book series. This year, MeLinda Gray has
stepped up to the plate to attempt to steer
the Gifted students in a productive and
useful direction.
Gray has lived and taught in many
places.
“I am originally from a small Pennsylvania town just outside Elmira, New
York,” said Gray. “I just moved to Kansas
after living for eight years in Okeechobee,
Florida.”
Gifted and Talented Education
(GATE) has always been a big part of
Gray’s life.
“I decided to work as a GATE teacher
because I was in the gifted program from
the time I was in third grade up through
high school,” said Gray. “I know first
hand the benefits of receiving additional
assistance to challenge in subjects of
interests.”
Gifted education is an integral part of
the education process.
“I think it is important because students who are gifted still need the challenge that comes from beyond what the
regular classroom can offer,” she said.
“Gifted students may be smart, but it does
not mean that they shouldn’t be allowed
to explore their interests further, or go
beyond the basics of a regular assignment
to work at their own potentials.”
Gray expects to take the Gifted education program to new heights.
“I have been given the task of making
this the best program in the state of Kansas
and am very excited about doing so,” said
Gray. “I want to involve my students in a
variety of activities that not only work to
build on those strengths that they already
exhibit but also foster a sense of awareness
for their community and school.”
USE THE GIFT: Gifted teacher MeLinda
Gray (right) works with a student.(Maddox
photo)
Car Creepin’
New teacher in special ed. hall
Stucki sticks with students in Special Education
by Kyle Maddox
In the day of fast food, the Internet,
and regular trips to outer space, one man
has taken the time to slow down and help
students at their own pace. Michael Stucki
has joined the Special Education staff this
year, introducing talent and potential to
the position.
Stucki is somewhat new to education.
“Before settling in Cimarron,” Stucki
said, “I substitute taught regular and special
education during the 2008-09 school year
in Evansville, Illinois.”
The inspiration to teach special
education came from a clear source
for Stucki.
“Throughout my education, I can
vividly remember three to four outstanding teachers who influenced my life in
a positive fashion,” said Stucki. “These
dedicated and intelligent individuals
consistently used their knowledge, time,
and energy to help students learn through
promoting creative guided experience of
the curriculum.”
Stucki believes Special Education
is an important part of the educational
process.
“I believe Special Education is important because every individual in our
country has a right to attend school, learn,
and succeed,” he said. “I believe we are
fortunate to live in a country that values
education and protects these fundamental
rights of all individuals.”
Stucki hopes to improve the Special
Education program beyond what it has
been in past years.
“In addition to planning effective
teaching lessons, strategies, and interventions in accordance with a student’s individualized education plan,” said Stucki, “I
would like to focus on promoting student
social and academic achievement in a positive environment.”
If you know whose car this
is, come to Mrs. Hewes’
room (125)! The first one to
guess correctly wins a prize!
4
Features
The Bluejay Post
October 2009
Luke Reed: Ci marron’s next bi g thi ng
S
by Spence Byer
ome things are just meant to be - Pop Evil.
For CHS sophomore Luke Reed some
things are “just meant to be.” Luke Reed is on
a highway to stardom.
“Playing guitar makes me feel good,” he said, “it
doesn’t matter if you’re sad, or happy or angry or whatever
you just feel pretty good.”
Reed has been surrounded by music his whole life,
beginning with his accomplished guitar-playing father,
Hank Reed.
“I have to say the biggest influence was my dad,” said
Reed. “He would play constantly, and I thought that it was
really cool that he didn’t force me to learn, so I actually
wanted to learn.”
Luke has been playing guitar for about two and a half
years. He cites his top five popular influences as Dave
Mustaine, Randy Rhoads, Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, and
Johnny Ramone, in no specific order.
“Randy Rhoads was a big one, especially the song
“Crazy Train.” It was one of the first songs I tried to
play,” he said.
ENCORE! Luke Reed, sophomore, opens for Jackyl and Pop
Evil. Luke has played guitar in a number of venues. “I have
played a number of gigs,” says Reed, “a few with my father and
also some opening for big name bands such as Jackyl and Pop
Evil.” (Courtesy photo)
Reed isn’t just a shade tree guitar player. He’s had a
bit of public exposure.
“I have played a number of gigs,” says Reed, “a few
with my father and also some opening for big name bands
such as Jackyl and Pop Evil.”
Reed claims his favorite music to be metal, but,
strangely enough, his top five bands are all over the board:
Pink Floyd, Bowling For Soup, Nirvana, Blink-182, and
Van Halen.
Reed openly admits that playing guitar is one of the
best privileges he’s had.
“Being able to express yourself, when you pick up a
guitar and start to play, you’re pouring all your heart and
soul into it, and no one can take that away from you,” he
said.
The future holds great plans for Reed. He hopes
to play guitar on the professional level.
“I don’t plan on stopping or slowing down, only
speeding up straight to the top,” he said.
Reed doesn’t plan on being a music teacher,
guitar technician, or simply a salesman. He wants to be
under the big lights.
“I plan to record an album, get signed to a major
record label, and go on tour, all with Contingency,” said
Reed, “and if for some reason or another Contingency
doesn’t work out, I will push forward and make it. One
way or another, you’ll hear me on your iPods someday.”
Here from Germany, Broers adjusts to Ci marron life
by Tess Trahern
I
magine being away from home for almost a year.
That’s what one brave student is doing. Christoph
Broers is a new foreign exchange student from
Germany.
Broers comes from a village called Aurich.
“I came here to meet all these nice people,” Broers
said. “I will be here for ten months.”
Broers is currently staying with a local family.
“I am staying with Rick and Jean Dizmang, but I live
with my mom, dad and brother in Aurich,” he said.
According to Broers, the town of Cimarron and
his village of Aurich are different.
“There are more dairy cows there and everything is
closer together,” he said. “Also, I had more free time.”
Some students from other countries have trouble
adjusting to life in the United States, but Broers is faring
well.
“I am having fun here. I am enjoying most things
about Cimarron,” he said. “My favorite class here is
physics.”
Broers may be from a different country, but
his favorite activities don’t stray far from ours.
He likes to do all the things the majority of our
student population does for fun.
“I like to play on the computer a lot and
listen to music,” he said. “I also really like to
hang out with my friends and read.”
Though Broers is new in the country,
his language is not lacking. He speaks fluent
English.
“I learned simple English words when I
was young but I started learning real English in
fifth grade so I have been speaking it for about
five years now.” he said.
As with every foreign exchange student,
there is a feeling of sadness for the memories
from home.
GUTEN TAG! Christoph Broers, junior, finishes up an assignment on his
“I really miss all my friends back home computer. Broers came to Cimarron from Aurich, Germany. “I am enjoying
and my dog,” Boers said. “I also miss all the most things about Cimarron,” he said. (Courtesy photo)
parties.”
Features
by Shelby Dawn
Shelby Dawn: Facebook, a social networking
site originally created for college students that has
expanded to everybody--from junior high students
to grandmas--has one. Are things getting out of
hand?
From a mother’s standpoint, Facebooking
parents are a good thing.
Wendy Pulkrabek (Facebook-Using Mom):
It’s a good way to keep up with who your kid’s
friends are and what they are doing. We live in a
technical age and we have to use technology to
keep up with our kids.”
Shelby Dawn: Some students aren’t quite sure
what to think.
Britney Boersma (junior): I’m half and half
about parents having Facebook. I like having my
mom on Facebook, but sometimes she can get too
nosey and stalk my page and find something bad
on it and get me in trouble.”
Shelby Dawn: There is a solution to getting
in trouble though.
The Bluejay Post
October 2009
TheNextsensation
sweepingthenation
Zachary Pulkrabek (CHS Class of 2007
Graduate):Parents being on Facebook just means
I put less on my page.
Shelby Dawn: It can be a little awkward having
your parents doing it though.
Randee Grover (Eighth Grader from Saint
Francis, Kansas):I think parents being on Facebook is kind of weird.
Shelby Dawn: Why shouldn’t they have Facebook?
Erikah Pena (Eigth Grader from Cimarron,
Kansas): I think its fine. They have friends they
want to keep in touch with just like us.
Shelby Dawn: Facebook is a convenient way
to keep up with each other’s lives.
Pena: You can connect with all of your friends
and let everyone know what’s going on in your
life.
Shelby Dawn: Facebook is a great way to
keep in touch with friends and family.
Wendy Pulkrabek: I think the best part about
Facebook is being able to keep in touch with so
many people.
Shelby Dawn: Moving away from your friends
can be tough, but Facebook can help make the
transition a little easier.
Boersma:I signed up to keep up with some of
my old friends in Clovis. It also helps me stay up
to date with my friends here in Cimarron.”
Shelby Dawn: Facebook has its dangers
too.
Pena: I think that the worst part about Facebook is when people add people they don’t even
know. Then that person can find out a lot about
you just from your profile.
Shelby Dawn: The creators of Facebook might
be getting a little carried away with their applications.
Zachary Pulkrabek: I hate that there is so
many little pointless applications that people send
to me. I end up just ignoring them all anyway.
Oh, rally round the…what?
‘
Oh, rally round the
banner. Come let our
colors wave, glorious let
them fly C! H! S! Come
and hear the war cry. Something, something,
for good ole Cimarron
Ci marron st uden ts lack knowledge of school fight song
A
by Nicole Marshall
t each football game and basketball game, we
hear the school fight song played. Very few
Cimarron students, however, know the lyrics to
the entire song.
Senior Cecilia Hommertzhein sang, “Oh, rally round
the banner, lift it on high. Show the world what you can
do for good ole Cimarron High!”
There is an entire middle part that many of Cimarron
students don’t know.
Computer applications teacher Wes Johnson originally
arranged the school fight song in 1982.
“I did the arrangement of the school fight song in
1982, which happened to be the same year that Michael
Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ album was released and John Belushi
died of an overdose,” Johnson said.
The lyrics are as follows:
“Oh, rally round the banner. Lift it on high.
Long may our colors wave glorious let them fly.
RAH! RAH! RAH!
Come and hear the war cry, live now or die!
5
Show the world what you can do for good ole Cimarron High!”
The fight song has been around for years, and teachers
High!’
at Cimarron who were graduates of CHS can still sing the
- Jackie Jantz,
song, though the lyrics have been slightly modified.
accounting teacher
Jackie Jantz, accounting teacher, sang, “Oh, rally
round the banner. Come let our colors wave, glorious let
Oh, rally round the banner,
them fly C! H! S! Come and hear the war cry. Something,
lift it on high. Show the world
something, for good ole Cimarron High!”
what you can do for good ole
Most teachers as well as students’ only know bits and
Cimarron High!’
pieces of the traditional song.
- Senior Cecilia Hommertzheim
Sophomore Breanna Bryant sang, “Oh, rally round
the banner something, something for good ole Cimarron
High!”
Few know the song. However, if Cimarron students
put their minds to it, they can learn it and memorize it
Oh, rally round the baneasily.
ner something, something
Sophomore Grace Royle said, “I was inspired by felfor good ole Cimarron
low students who knew the fight song and I didn’t. I’ve
High!’
-Sophomore Breanna Bryant
been practicing and I have it down.”
‘
‘
6
The Bluejay Post
October 2009
Sports
Leading the pack:
Trevino’s leadership shines through CHS halls
by James Rittenhouse
Junior Pedro Trevino is a man of few
words.
Many admire his modesty, but it is clear
that Trevino has all the qualities of a great
leader. He demonstrates this leadership in
both the classroom and on the football field,
helping others along the way. He is well
respected by both his teammates and his
fellow students.
Trevino inspires all with his leadership abilities, on and off the football field.
Whether it’s scoring a touchdown for the
‘Jays in a time when touchdowns are scarce
or helping out a fellow student, Trevino is
the definition of the word “leader.” He gets
the job done and gets it done right the first
time out. Trevino always strives to set a good
example. He puts in as much effort as he can
into everything he does.
“I lead by example,” Trevino said, “I
do what I’m supposed to do and set a good
example for others.”
Leadership is something that Trevino
has a natural ability to do, although it does
help that he attended the Harvest of Hope
Leadership Academy at KU this summer.
During the leadership conference Trevino participated in various events. This
camp was put on to encourage students to
inspire and support students to attend college.
When on the KU campus, Trevino even had
a chance to stop into a few of the college’s
lecture halls.
“We took college classes like Algebra,
Civics, and Literature,” Trevino said, “We
talked about other stuff too, like financial aid
and things like that.”
His fellow teammates and the coaches
have noticed Trevino’s leadership too.
Trevino is in the captain’s council for the
football team.
“Pedro’s leadership skills are more by
example,” Coach Doug Minneman said.
“He does what he’s told and people tend to
follow him.”
Leadership is something that you gain
when you get the respect of your fellow
teammates and students, and with one more
year of eligibility left in his high school
career, Trevino can expect to continue leading the Bluejays onto the football field. next
season.
BOOM!STUDY,
BUDDY!
Pedro Trevino,
junior, studies
intently during
his English
class. Pedro
has showed
leadership skills
from the campus
of Kansas
University to
the hallways of
Cimarron High
School. “Pedro’s
leadership skills
are more by
example,” said
Coach Doug
Minneman.
(Courtesy photo)
Looking back...
Sports
highlights
Football
Elkhart: 14-34 Loss
Satanta: 42-0 Win
Sublette :14-22 Loss
Stanton Co.: 8-35 Loss
Cross Country-Ulysses
Girls, 3rd place
Boys, 5th place
Saige Martinez: 13th
Janelyn Reimer 3rd
Tennis-Meade
No. 1 Doubles: Jenkins/Sauzameda,
1st
No. 2 Doubles: Schartz/Garcia, 3rd
No. 1 Singles: Giebler, 3rd
No. 2 Singles: Claro, 3rd
Volleyball
Record: 11-5
2-0 against Scott City, Win
Homecoming: Moments in time
1. BIG HAIR: Payton Dewey, junior, goes all out with his costume for Spirit Week
before Homecoming. Dewey’s outfit was captured by the Dodge City Globe. “I loved
the wig, but the uniform was uncomfortable,” Dewey said.
2. CANDIDATES: Candidates for Homecoming King and Queen were (front row)
Senior Kelsey Stucky, Junior Miranda Burns, and Sophomore Emily Payne, (back row)
Senior Matt Wehkamp, Junior Nate Baublits, and Sophomore Tyler Siek. Burns and
Siek were crowned queen and king at halftime of the game.
3. GO, BIG BLUE! The Cimarron High School football team huddles during the
homecoming game. On Homecoming evening, Cimarron suffered a loss to Sublette
with a score of 22-14.
The Bluejay Post
October 2009
Sports
7
Volleyball team off to good start
by Lyndi Stokes Bump it, set it, and spike it.
That’s how the volleyball team made
their way to a miraculous start early in the
season. They are 10-4 and placed second at
the Hugoton Tournament two weeks ago.
Every year some girls are lost, but new
girls are gained. This year CHS has a fresh,
new team, eager to win. This year’s group
has outstanding athletic abilities, which
they prove on the court.
Since the beginning of the summer,
these athletes have been working hard to
improve their skills and learn to play as
a team.
“We now work ten times better as a
team, and we consider each other a family
and that definitely helps us come together,”
said senior Callie Losey.
Being able to work together and help
each other out is key to volleyball. This
team has the ability to beat anyone they
want.
“The best part is when you work well
together as a team and end up winning.
It’s a really good feeling,” said freshman
Ellen Waters.
Being able to stand the long training
hours, conditioning, and more proves that
these young ladies have the enthusiasm to
do their best.
“The hardest part is all mental and it’s
hard on us players to shake our mistakes
off,” said Losey.
The girls have established in such a
short period of time that, even though they
have challenging workouts, it can pay off
during matches.
“I think we need to improve on not
getting mad at ourselves when we make a
mistake,” said Waters.
Many of Waters’ teammates have
agreed that there is room for improvement,
but how much more?
“We are hoping to win league and do
well in sub state,” said Losey.
GAME TIME! The JV volleyball team listens to Coach Paula Wehkamp give inspirational
words before the game. The JV has had a successful year so far. “The best part is when
you work well together as a team and end up winning. It’s a really good feeling,” said
freshman Ellen Waters. (Courtesy photo)
CJH,CHS cheerleaders attend spirit spreader
by Lyndi Stokes
Cheerleaders around the area applied a dash of glitter, put on their ribbons, added a peppy smile, and headed
off to Spirit Spreader in Dodge City.
UCA (Universal Cheerleaders
Association) staff cheerleaders come
from all around, but specifically Kansas, to help high school cheerleaders
progress to a higher level, meet new
squads, and have fun.
“It’s awesome,” said sophomore
cheerleader Emily Payne. “It’s so easy
to spread so much spirit, especially
being around great girls that love
cheerleading.”
Cheerleaders learned new cheers,
chants, dances, and stunts. This helps
them progress into a high cheerleading level to catch fans’ attention.
UCA staff helps many learn correct
techniques when it comes to cheerleading.
“It’s a fun and crazy time that allows us to spend more time together as
a squad,” said head cheerleader Kelsey
Stucky.
Learning new, fun cheers, and
eye-catching stunts helps bring in
the crowds’ enthusiasm, bring life to
games, and encourages the team to
give it their all. Spirit Spreader gave
cheerleaders the courage to make new
friends, learn new stunts, and create
memories.
“My biggest achievement was
making great friends, getting stronger,
and entertaining people,” said Payne.
Are sports affecting us academically?
RUN, RAZZY, RUN! Senior Erasmo Rueda
runs well at the cross country meet at South
Gray. The boys’ cross country team placed
seventh, and the girls placed fourth as a
team. (Stokes photo)
WHACK! Junior Eva Giebler plays fiercely
against her opponent during a home
meet. The girls tennis team has had an
extraordinary start to the season.(Courtesy
photo)
Sports are a great
way to stay in shape, be
healthy, and have fun, but
do they affect us academically? Most teachers
limit our freedom when
it comes to distractions
during class. What about
sports? Sports play a
Opinion
dramatic role in our
by Lyndi Stokes
academics.
All the activities we are in interfere with
our learning and prevent us from achieving our
best in academics.
Leaving in the middle of classes and having to miss classes many times a week interfere
with our role as students. It is harder to learn
while not in class because we fail to try or to
finish our homework.
Also, being tired from long training
hours, two-a-days, and morning practice
causes stress and laziness, which makes us
incapable of paying attention in class, and this
prevents us from learning.
Why have such long practices, two-adays, or morning practices when we have a
reasonable time for practice after school?
Coaches should be responsible for compressing our conditioning and training into a
reasonable amount of time. Doing so could
help our future and help us reach a superior
academic level.
8
The Bluejay Post
October 2009
Administrative News
Principal’s Perspective
PO Box 77
For about three months now, I’ve been
having a recurring set of dreams that have been
absolutely wonderful. As with most families, I
had two sets of grandparents.
However, my grandfather on my dad’s
side died right before I was born, so I never
knew him. Even though the other three have all
passed away, I do have a lot of fond memories
of my dad’s mother and my mom’s parents.
Grandma Brown used to make wonderful
fried chicken (probably the world’s best) and
a dessert called ‘orange ice.’ And, she lived
within walking distance of the A & W; she
always thought it was good idea for my brother
and I to go buy a gallon of A & W root beer.
And then, with Grandma and Grandpa
Davidson, it was always cool to play crochet
in their back yard, take walks with grandma,
and listen to grandpa’s stories and jokes. I also
remember sitting on a quilt in the living room
and watching television with no sound. My
brother and I thought this was a little strange,
so we would make up our own story lines for
the shows.
However, one of the things I looked
forward to the most was riding with Grandpa
Davidson as he went to check the mail at
the downtown post office. You see, he was
a traveling evangelist and it was always
fascinating to see what types of mail arrived at
PO Box 77.
Even though he would never read us the
letters, he would look at the return address and
sometimes give us a little history about the
person who had written the letter. Since my
memory is not what it used to be, I seem to
recall stories about the woman who’s husband
was an alcoholic, the little child who became a
Christian, the pastor who was discouraged, and
many other types of letters.
I thought it was always interesting that
people would pour out their hearts to my
grandpa. To me, he was grandpa. But to some
people, he was the only ‘lifeline’ that they had in
their lives. Grandpa understood the meaning of
‘integrity’ and the importance of being ‘truthful,
yet compassionate.’
I remember one time when grandpa asked
me to go inside the post office and get the mail
for him. At the time, I remember this being
a ‘big moment’ in my life. Not only was I
entering a large post office by myself, but also I
was accountable for bringing back the writings
and thoughts of a desperate people.
I guess that is what I want to convey to you.
At one time or another, we can play a part in the
lives of a ‘desperate’ people. We, in a sense, are
accountable to them. And, sometimes we are
the link to a ‘desperate’ person without us ever
knowing the impact we are having on them.
It is sad, but when my grandpa died, there
was no funeral or ceremony. Everyone just
assumed that, when he died, grandma would
soon follow. But, she surprised everyone
and lived many more years. Due to the
circumstances, there has never been a funeral
or a time of remembrance.
As you might imagine, I have this ‘craving’
in my heart to travel to my grandparent’s burial
site and pay my respects. And, while I’m there,
I think I’ll take my lawn chair and spend time
reading the ‘underlined’ passages from his
Bible. For it was this Bible and it’s everlasting
message that molded his life.
PO Box 77 … a link for the desperate ones.
May I become a similar link for others.
--Mr. Brown, CHS Principal
H1N1 spreading through Kansas
by Tess Trahern
The Swine Flu epidemic started
earlier this year and has quickly become
everyone’s worst nightmare. In Kansas
alone there have been reported over 10,000
possibilities of having H1N1 and over 300
confirmed.
Rayna Maddox, Nurse Administrator of Gray County Health Department,
said, “H1N1 especially targets infants and
children. Young adults are two times more
likely to catch the virus.”
Some ways that can help prevent from
giving or receiving the virus is by washing
your hands and frequently touched areas.
“There are no special cleaning recommendations. However, stepping up cleaning procedures and washing places that
are constantly touched can help prevent
spreading,” Maddox said.
Many counties have confirmed having
cases of H1N1, however, some counties
have not been randomly tested for H1N1.
“In Ford and Finney County there have
been cases confirmed of patients having
H1N1,” Maddox said. “There could be
patients who have it in Gray County, but
they have not been confirmed.”
H1N1 is more likely to affect the
younger population and pregnant women.
Patients have been affected and confirmed, but no vaccinations have been
given out.
“Doctors and nurses will begin giving
out vaccinations in mid-October,” Maddox said.
Counselor’s Corner for Oct. 2009
This morning I looked at the calendar and realized that we are already half way through
the first nine weeks. Where has the time gone? Students and faculty have filled their days with
classes, sports and numerous activities. It is exciting to walk down the hall and listen to the chatter
of students.
The past few weeks I have heard about the State Fair, the ACT Exam, and of course
homecoming.
With all that is expected, it is hard for a student and parent to keep everything straight. I
recently came across a booklet that detailed what all parents of JH and HS students must have or
know to survive:
A school calendar
Attendance policies and proceedures
Graduation requirements
State testing information
School rules
Summer school options
Eligibility requirements for extracurricular activities
Requirements for advancement to the next grade level
Please know that you can call us with any question or concern that you might regarding your
child.
As always I have a few dates for you to mark in your calendar
Oct. 5
Oct. 7
Oct. 14
Oct. 23
Oct. 24
Oct. 26-27
Oct. 30
No School
PLAN test for 10th graders
PSAT test for selected 10th and 11th graders
End of nine weeks
ACT exam
Parent/Teacher Conferences in the evening
No School
Mrs. Millershaski, CHS Counselor
Thinking outside the box
Staff Restrooms:
What are they Hiding?
What’s behind the locked doors of
the staff restrooms?
Opinion
by James Rittenhouse
Since this
school was built in 1995, the staff have
had the privilege of being able to use
the restroom without any student interruption.
What I want to know is what’s so
special about the staff restrooms? Do
they have their own personal masseuse?
Do they get their own personal doorman
to give them a hot towel? What’s the
mystery behind those restrooms that say,
“staff only”?
I say no more mystery of the staff
restroom. Let students know what you’re
hiding.
The faculty might have many wondrous advantages to their own restroom.
They probably have higher-grade toilet
paper than we students do. What happened to equal rights for all?
Why should students be forced to
use the public restroom when staff gets
a restroom to themselves?
I think it’s time for a change in bathrooms. For just one day I would like to
be able to have the advantages offered by
having my own personal restroom.
Every student should know what
the staff has hiding in their restroom.
Next time you see one of the teachers
go inside that bathroom, feel free to slip
in behind them.
After all, if they have nothing to
hide, why should they care?