Newtonianthe

Issue 2, Series 86 Newton High School; 900 W 12th; Newton, KS 67114 September 4, 2009Non-Profit OrganizationPermit No. 300Newton, KS 67114U.S. Postage Paid

Seniors Brittnie Dillon and Alex Anderson talk with seniors Matt Malo and Robert Howell about the new school store. The new school store opened Aug. 24. Gum has had the highest sales in the past two weeks.

newsPage 2 The Newtonian September 4, 2009

Erin Regieropinion editor

Student Council (STUCO) has begun a new competition with a prize that they promise will knock the winner’s socks off.

This is the first year that STUCO has held the Class of the Year com-petition (COTY). They started it in the hope that it will be incentive for students to get involved with school activi-ties.

COTY is a competition between the different grade levels to see who can earn the most points. Students can earn points

through a variety of activities. Atten-dance at school sponsored events, success at homecoming events and other competitions throughout the year are all opportunities to earn points.

“Students can do anything from playing in the winter homecoming volleyball tournament to coming to school dressed up for spirit week to earn points,” senior Arin McMullen

said.There are

several dif-ferent ways for students to find out which events

will count for points. Events will be posted on the STUCO bulletin board and will also be announced in the

student bulletin. A running tally of the point totals will be posted on the Newtonian website in the STUCO Alerts section.

While STUCO cannot disclose what the prize for the winning class is, they promise that it will be some-thing no student will want to miss. Because the prize is so amazing, they have decided to keep it secret until the winner is determined in early May.

“We can’t say what the prize is, but it will stop your night terrors, if that is the case,” said senior Seth Klein.

Senior Alex Beck agrees.“It will be something beyond

bragging rights.”

“We can’t say what the prize is, but it will stop your night terrors.”senior Seth Klein

To promote student participation in school activities, StuCo holds class competition for first year.

Q: How is the construction changing the (junior) locker section? A: It is not going to change at all because that entrance will still be there.

Q: Are the tennis courts going to be fixed or replaced? A: They are not part of what we are doing now, but they are on a time table to be done in a year or two.

Q: Is the parking lot going to be bigger or smaller? A: It will probably be about the same. There will be additional parking where the new library is going to be.

Q: When will the parking lot be done? A: It is the very last thing of the construction to be completed, in about a year.

Q: When will all the construction be completed? A: Everything should be done a year from now. We hope to have the new offices and library done by spring break.

Q: What are they doing to the wrestling mezzanine? A: Nothing. What they are doing now is putting in new piping. They just finished taking out old piping. It is all necessary for air conditioning to be put into Ravenscroft.

Q: What is happening to the old science classrooms? A: They will remain science classes. There are just going to be two more.

Q&A

Megan Learyonline editor

This year the Newtonian has an on-line version to complement the printed copy. All stories from the printed New-tonian as well as exclusive daily updates can be found on the Web site http://railernews.com.

The daily updates will come from a Twitter feed. Twitter is an online micro-blogging site that can also be accessed from any mobile phone with text mes-saging.

Any student can contribute to the Twitter feed by adding the hashtag #railernews to a Tweet.

Follow the Newtonian staff at http://www.twitter.com/railernews for news directly from the Newtonian. The New-tonian staff is looking for Tweets about current sports scores, event cancella-tions and other time-sensitive informa-tion.

Contact Megan Leary, online edi-tor, for more information or questions regarding the Web site.

Newtonian online constantly feeds news

WEBON THE

TWITTER

WEB SITE

http://twitter.com/railernews#railernews

http://railernews.com

YourAd Here

Contact the Journalism department for more

information

Call us at:(316) 284-6280

ext. 2117

Construction

*Find more questions online.

newsSeptember 4, 2009 The Newtonian Page 3

Budget cut$Feilisha Kutilikenews editor

Considering the large class of fresh-men this year, there is a chance that a large number of boys will come out for baseball. C-team baseball is normally composed of freshman, but C-team baseball and the C-team baseball coach’s position were eliminated this year because of budget cuts.

About $7,000 was cut from the high school’s athletic budget of $20,000 from the previous year.

The junior varsity cheerleading and diving coaches’ positions and an assistant football coach’s position were cut at the high school. There was also a cut in the Scholar’s Bowl budget, since the team had not been spending its full budget.

The loss of state aid poses the pri-mary challenge for the district in the next few years. State tax cuts and the weakening economy forced the district to cut more than $1.3 million. Mid-year cuts also loom among the district’s cur-rent cuts.

“Of course, there were cuts in travel,” superintendent for business services Gary Jantz said. “We basi-cally, for the most part, cut most field trip budgets with the exception of the elementary (schools) as the science curriculum has several field trips. They think, at least at the elementary level, they’ll make most of that up with fundraisers.”

Even with the $1.5 million of assis-tance from the American Recovery and

Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), the money will run out in two years. The ARRA is an economic stimulus pack-age that initiates federal tax cuts, and it supplements assistance to the unem-ployed, domestic expenses on educa-tion, health care and infrastructure and energy efficiency and science.

The district made about $220,000 in cuts for technology.

“We lost all state aid in the capital outlay fund,” Jantz said. “Normally we would be getting about 41 percent state aid. New technology and some software will probably be put on hold for now.”

Extra teaching duties and supervi-sion pay at both the high school and middle schools have been reduced.

“We sometimes buy teachers planning periods, and they teach an additional class, so that is what (super-visions and sixth periods) are,” Jantz said. “(Cuts in the athletics activities budget) was pretty much given to the high school to make those decisions where that would be cut.”

There was also a middle school sup-plies budget that was eliminated.

“What they are going to do is use gate receipts from middle school ac-tivities to take the place of (finances),” Jantz said.

Gate receipts are the money col-lected from admission to middle school and high school activities.

The district is getting three differ-ent sets of stimulus package money. The general fund has about $956,000, which replaces what the state cut. Special education money, a little over

$600,000, is another set. Title 1 or Title 2 money is federal money based on the poverty level of the district cen-sus figures.

“Most of the Title 1 money is directly for elementary schools,” Jantzi said. “We have $14,000 of Title 2 money for technology and other things for the district. Some of it has to be used for professional development, too.”

Allocations of various Title finances come in every year. Title 3, for ex-ample, funds the English Language Learners (ELL) program.

“You can transfer some Title moneys between other Title funds,” Jantz said. “We never get enough Title 1 funds to meet the needs of the students.”

Salaries were frozen for all staff in the district, so pay raises were not given this year.

“We did cut four elementary teach-ing positions,” Jantz said. “We cut professional development travel and so forth by 40 percent.”

On top of reducing the fuel budget, the district is also trying to reduce overtime.

“We did have some in-creased costs for utilities with the new buildings coming on line. The square footage we’ve added, plus the water rates going up, it’s going to cost us about $40,000 in the district,” Jantz said. “So we had to make some cuts in order to pay for those increases.”

Shannon Ahlstedtstaff photographer

The first annual commencementof Newton High School was held Friday, May 28, 1886 at Ragsdale Opera House located in the former Ragsdale building at Broadway and Main Street.

“Not Finished, But Begun,” was the motto of the first graduating class of Newton High School.

NHS has come a long way since its start in 1886 with its first graduating class of only eight students, all female. When the first class graduated, high school was a three year course.

This year’s seniors will be the 125th class to receive diplomas, expanding from the original eight students to ap-proximately 226 students.

NHS turnspull sports out of NHS

Check us out! Our link is on the district Web site or find us at:

www.railernews.com

newsPage 4 The Newtonian September 4, 2009

Carly Blaufussentertainment Editor

Basketballs flying through the air, students walking and running, with only one teacher trying to keep it under control.

This was a typical scene during Seminar Exercise Time (SET) before some renovations were made to the format.

The system for SET last year con-sisted of students coming and going as they please. A system that began to cause over crowding. Members of

the Physical Education (PE) depart-ment decided to put a new spin on things to keep SET time productive.

The year started off with the PE department just trying to allow stu-dents to come in during one of two sessions, depending on the area their seminar is located in. This struc-ture did not cut back enough on the crowding, which is what motivated the 50-student per session limit.

SET now consists of a structured activity, but walking with the iPods is still allowed. In order to attend SET, you must get a signed pass

from the student service office in advance and only 50 students will be allowed per session.

“It sort of becomes recess,” PE teacher Lisa Antonowich said.

The leniency with last year’s time was causing students to abuse the option.

“We had a lot of kids taking advantage of the opportunity,” PE teacher Heath Elliot said.

The PE department hopes that the new format will prove affec-tive and students will show positive feedback.

Carly Blaufussentertainment editor

This year, Newton High School students and staff are responsible for recycling everything, not just paper. The new recycling guidelines were implemented as part of a district decision.

“We think in the long run, it’s going to save the district money, because it will result in fewer trash pick-ups,” Superintendent John Morton said.

Last year, the high school primar-ily recycled paper. Now, the recy-cling consists of anything recycled for the city. The entire school district is taking part in the project, which was determined last year.

“What I’ve noticed is that the kids don’t think of it as a difficult task. They haven’t complained about it,” assistant principal Janis Whitfield said. “It just seems like they believe it should be that way, too.”

In addition to the recycling bins found in each classroom, there are 13 larger collection bins located throughout the school.

Support services teacher Georgetta Grimmett vol-unteered to be in charge of part of the project.

“I’ll do anything I have to do to promote recycling,” Grimmett said.

Grimmett hopes the new guide-lines will help teach others the importance of recycling.

Greenhouse Club is also playing a role by promoting the recycling.

The goal is to be able to get rid of one of the school’s large dump-sters and replace what would have normally been thrown away with recycled materials.

“I think it would be a pretty good thing to say we got rid of one of our

dumpsters because we throw away a lot of plastic and cans and paper, so I’m glad that we’re doing it,” Greenhouse Club supervisor Liz Gunn said.

Students play a role in the recycling, so if students want

to get even more involved, they can sign up for Greenhouse Club on club sign-up day.

Coffee nook

Joanna Eppfeatures editor

Walking into the new library at the end of this school year, students will notice many changes. With the new location of the library, the lecture hall and digital pro-duction room, the different entrances, the big windows, many aspects of the library will be foreign. Along with all of these, the library staff plans to have a “coffee nook” situated in one corner of the library.

The coffee nook is intended to be student run, according to librarian Ronda Limon.

“I want some real company to train baristas, who would be National Honors Society kids,” Limon said. “They could run that for their project. It would be a con-tinual fundraiser all year long. That’s just my dream. I don’t know if it will happen.”

Limon has been ordering furniture and planning the coffee nook. She plans to have magazine racks nearby, along with wireless Internet. It is her hope that students will be able to bring their own computers and access the Internet at the

coffee nook. “Hopefully there

will be lots of technol-ogy and lots of interac-tion and input from students,” Limon said.

Library makeover to transform how students interact, study

Entire district going green

SET structured format implemented

NewsBriefs

Senior academic awards - September 15, 2 pm

Journalism Conference @ K-State - September 22

Club sign-up - September 23

Homecoming float meeting - September 23, 6:30 pm

Early Release - September 25

Homecoming week - September 28- Oct 2

Taste of Newton - October 1

staff editorialSeptember 4, 2009 The Newtonian Page 5

Erin Bradley editor-in-chiefErica Rickard adviserFeilisha Kutilike news editorErin Regier opinions editorAshley Murrell sports editorJoanna Epp features editorCarly Blaufuss entertainment editorTyler Prochazka editorial editorMegan Leary online editorMeaghan McEachern photography editorShannon Ahlstedt staff photographerCassoday Harder news assistantEmma Bradley sports assistantJennifer Scott business manager

The Newtonian316-284-6280 ext. 2117900 W. 12thNewton KS 67114

newtonian staffLetters to the EditorThe Newtonian may accept letters to the editor, guest columns and news releases from students, faculty, administrators, com-munity residents and the general public. Submissions should be 300 words or less and contain the author’s name, address and signature. All submissions will be verified.

The Newtonian editorial board reserves the right to withhold a letter, column or other submission and/or return it for revision if it contains unprotected speech or grammati-cal errors that could hamper its meaning.

Letters to the editor, guest columns and other submissions can be given to the editor-in-chief or adviser, delivered to room 1-113 or be e-mailed to thenewto-nian@gmail.com.

Students should chew gum responsiblyAdministrators allow school store to sell gum again

After only three days of being open, the school store sold 100 packs of gum. With each pack sell-ing for a dollar, it has been a very profitable product for the store. However, the administration had said that the store could not purchase more gum to sell because it might create future problems, but after reconsideration, the store will be able to sell it again. As a student body, students need to act maturely so we can keep the priviege around.

The school store at NHS is a fundraiser for the Distributive Education Clubs of America and Busi-ness Professionals of America clubs. Along with making money, it is a great hands on experience for students who would like to do business related oc-cupations in the future. Unlike sports teams, clubs do not have a budget that is given to them, therefore they must raise the money for their activities on their own. This year, BPA nationals are in Anaheim, Calif., and DECA has numerous trips.

So far the school store has been successful with a vast majority of the profit coming from gum. The clubs have researched and found that other school stores have been very successful selling gum. The store was told that after they sold all the gum they had they were not allowed to order more. Jani-tors were afraid they would find it stuck in places it should not be. However, the decision was changed after a meeting among teachers and administration.

As teenagers in high school, we are mature enough to know where gum belongs and where it does not. There are the few occasional bad apples that are too lazy to simply stand up and throw their gum away so they stash it under a table. Do not be the person who ruins it for everyone. Asking students to act appropri-ately with gum is not a difficult request.

Now that gum is brought back to the store, it is a privilege to the school, a privilege that high school students should

be able to and can handle. The opportunity to sell gum can easily be taken away again if students are not able to handle it. If it does not cause a problem, the store can continue to sell it.

The school store is a great experience to students who are working it and students who are buyers. Being able to continue to sell gum would greatly benefit BPA and DECA. As a student body, we will be mature enough to handle depositing our gum where it belongs. It is understood that there will be consequences for those who are not able to do so, and people should be willing to accept that. If students want the school store to continue to sell gum, they need to act like the young adults they are and there will not be any problems.

v o t e snewtonian staff

yes no13 0

According to the staff vote, the majority of the Newtonian staff agrees with the above staff editorial.bubble graphics by Brandon Hanchett

opinionPage 6 The Newtonian September 4, 2009

Tyler Prochazkaeditorial page editor

August brought the United States its largest monthly death toll for military serving in Afghanistan, which makes 2009 already more deadly than any other year. The country has lost sup-port for the war and is beginning to ask, “why are we still here?” Stepping back, one begins to wonder if any of the United States’ current military adven-tures are worth it.

Contrary to popular myth, Obama proposed and got a higher military bud-get. Spending $1 trillion annually is not fiscally responsible. There is no need to have troops stationed in 70 percent of the world. This spending and expan-sion has actually lead to less weapons and lower military readiness.

The current justification for the military and intelligence expansion is the terrorist attack on Sept. 11. Yet it was the huge bureaucracy that allowed the terrorist attacks to happen. Many agencies had critical information that could have stopped the attack, but it was not utilized because the system was too large.

THE IRAQ WAR

Despite being “the next Hitler,” the CIA helped Hussein initially come

into power. The U.S. helped continue his regime by covertly providing him with billions of dollars for weapons and intelligence to fight the Iran-Iraq war. That included helping to develop chemical weapons and weapons of mass destruction (WMD), the same WMDs we justified invading Iraq for.

Even with all of the weapons that the U.S. provided Iraq, it never posed a threat, and by the time of the Iraq invasion, it had long dismantled its WMD program. Not to mention Iraq had no connection to terrorists or Sept. 11. Nevertheless, preemptively striking another country is immoral.

The Iraq war has led to the death of more than 4,000 Americans and more than a million civilians. The price tag: $3 trillion. All in the name of national security, when in it has only made us less safe. Invading the country has led to vast increases in al Qaeda recruit-ment. Despite Obama’s promise of get-ting us out of Iraq, he plans to leave up to 50,000 soldiers there indefinitely.

THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN

The initial justification for the war in Afghanistan was to track down those who planned the Sept. 11 attacks. Particularly of interest was Osama bin Laden, who ironically was trained and given weapons to by the CIA. Suppos-

edly, the Taliban in Afghanistan was harboring these terrorists. In actuality the Taliban offered to give bin Laden to a neutral country if President Bush supplied evidence of bin Laden’s involvement with the terrorist attacks. Bush refused and continued with the invasion. Instead of actually looking for the perpetrators of the attack, the mili-tary became distracted with creating a pro-west regime change. Now, eight years later, thousands of civilians are dead, and bin Laden remains free.

It has become a war against the Tali-ban, a group that ironically was largely created and previously funded by the U.S. The Taliban is not going to surren-der, and they are only getting stronger. The United States’ continued pres-ence in Afghanistan fuels the Taliban’s recruitment and targets their resent-ment toward the U.S. The environment in Afghanistan makes it a difficult war zone. The Soviet Union collapsed trying to fight a war there.

With this in mind, “winning” is unlikely. The only reasonable option now is to have talks with the Taliban and create an exit strategy. Otherwise, as has been the case so far, American deaths will continue to increase and the cost will skyrocket, with nothing to show for it.

SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

With the constant meddling in the Middle East’s affairs, it is clear why they have such resentment for the U.S. In fact, according to bin Laden himself, as well as multiple terrorist experts, CIA officials and the “9/11 Commission Report,” the attack on Sept. 11 was mo-tivated by America’s foreign policy.

To find the origins of Sept. 11, one must look back to the Gulf War. Before the war, the U.S. didn’t object to Hus-sein invading Kuwait over a border dispute. When Hussein did invade, he became a villain and a threat to oil prices. Despite no actual threat to the U.S., Bush senior invaded Iraq.

The Gulf War stirred anti-American sentiment in the Middle East that al-lowed bin Laden to recruit so readily for al Qaeda. One of the biggest motiva-tors for the attack on Sept. 11 (and the original attack on the World Trade Center) was America’s base in the Ara-bian Peninsula, which was established during the Gulf War. Is it a coincidence that 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis?

The true risk of these terrorists is low. Losing this many Americans and killing all of these civilians is not worth it and has the opposite of its intended effects. Until we wake up and see this, we will never be safe.

War

Do Crew asks students to stay positiveJennifer Scottbusiness manager

Students dressed up as crazy characters like cow-boys or decked out in Railer gear are a common site at football games. Supporting the team by dressing up is what a lot of schools do. Our school has organized a spirit group, called Do Crew, to get the whole student body involved in helping to support the Railers are their way to victory.

The reason the administrators lets the student body do fun things like dress up is because they know

that students will follow all school rules. If the rules are broken, students will be punished. A football game is still considered a school activity, so students are under the school’s supervision.

Another reason Do Crew is allowed to organize school spirit events is because, for the most part, students all stay positive. As soon as someone says a derogatory word about the other, it causes a chain reaction, and students find themselves in trouble. Staying positive is the only way to go.

Being a member of Do Crew is a lot of fun. Mem-bers get to have a fun time with friends while support-

ing the team. It is a way to let their creativity flow. I enjoy being a part of Do Crew, and I believe everyone should try it out.

To have a successful year and to keep Do Crew go-ing, the only things that need to be done are students following all rules, staying positive and just having fun.

Do Crew sign up will be next week during lunch, and I advise that everyone signs up. Members get a t-shirt, which is one of the best parts.

: What is it good for?With death tolls rising and hatred growing, the war has become pointless

opinionSeptember 4, 2009 The Newtonian Page 7

Attending different events can help fans understand sports and help athletes feel support, perform better

Erin Bradleyeditor in chief

While standing at the football scrimmage at Fall Fest, I felt a-lack-of-want-to-be there like other games and thought to my self the main reason for coming was to see everyone intro-duced and see friends. that What is the motivation of cheering if either way our teams win and we do not know who wins since no score is kept? I believe Fall Fest is a wonderful event that needs to keep happening, but I think there are ways to make it more inter-esting and entertaining to the student body.

Fall Fest is an event that I have watched every year since middle school. I use “watched” loosely because without a specific team to cheer for or an opponent to want to beat, it is not as fun to watch.

Bethel College also does a Fall Fest later on in the season. They do their Fall Fest beginning with the Taste of Newton and make it their homecoming weekend for all the alumni, current stu-dents and fans. This is more what ours should be like.

We would not nec-essarily need to com-bine it with homecom-ing but add another team to join us in Fall fest and maybe make fall fest part of their own tradition.

It would not have to be with a team from our league or from our class, but just adding another team or school into the mix would make fall fest more interesting for everyone.

For example, we could get a place like Peabody, Goessel or Hesston to come and its team could play against ours. We could even alternate locations, or if

they did not want to make it part of their fall tradition, we could just play them to get the practice.

Another option would be to just wait until the week of the first football game and make it Fall Fest week. We could make sure to have a home game for every sport that week. Then we could promote it as Fall

Fest week and encourage people to go support the teams. Then, at half time of the football game, we could introduce

all the teams. Adding another team into the mix

would not have to change a lot about the current way it is now with coaches on the field, coaching throughout the game.

This would also help our team because when teammates are playing against teammates, they all know the plays that are being played. Playing a different opponent would give us more experience and a chance to practice how our plays will work out for the rest of the season.

I am not saying that the concept of fall fest is a bad one. I think it is a good way to promote school spirit and get people to get involved, but I think there is a way to improve it and make it more interesting for people.

Emma Bradleycopy editor

At Newton High School, some sports are ignored by students and community members. All sports should receive equal attention.

Support from the community is im-portant because it motivates the players to do well.

On Friday nights, many high school students go to football games. Most of these students do not go to watch the game, but for the social aspect. If people only go to socialize, why don’t they do this at other sporting events as well. Personally, I do not attend that many sporting events. The only reason I go to football games is to hang out

with my friends. I do not understand the game.

This could be the reason that most people don’t go to other meets and games. Attending a sporting event can help you understand a sport. People could increase their knowledge of sports in general by going to more sporting events. Even if they don’t go for the learning experience, they could go to support their school. But, when people go to a sporting event to provide support for the athletes, they are more likely to go to a boys game than a girls game.

The boys teams receive a lot more attention than girls teams in general. During the basketball season, since boys and girls games are often at the

same time, people have to make a choice on which game to watch. The most common choice being the boys team.

Why are boys sporting events so much more popular than girls? They tend to be more thrilling and have more action. Furthermore, boys tend to be more aggressive than girls.

Some sports, such as tennis, cross country , baseball, softball and gym-nastics, do not get very much support from the community. People should attend their meets and games, and sup-port them just as they would support a football or basketball team.

It is not difficult for people to sup-port everyone at their school equally. Being supportive is as simple as attend-

ing a sporting event. It could even be as simple as wishing someone good luck before they go to a game or meet. A lot of time, athletes do not receive even this much attention. When no support is shown, athletes will be disappointed and not do as well as they might have if they had been supported by their peers and community members.

So, instead of sitting around watch-ing television or playing games on the computer, try attending a sporting event. Students and community mem-bers might find that they enjoy it. If they don’t, they never have to go again. If students and community members have a gold card or an activity card, there is no reason not to attend sport-ing events.

Fall Fest Improvements need to be made to hold the interest of students

It would not have to be with a team from our league, but just adding another team to the mix would make Fall Fest more interesting for everyone.

‘All sports should receive equal attention’

featuresPage 8 The Newtonian September 4, 2009

Spending a year in the United StatesGreta Sundermann

What is your age? 17Where is your hometown? Coesfeld, GermanyWhat differences have you noticed between Germany and Kansas? “In Germany I don’t eat so much meat. Here we

have meat every day. Breakfast here is very different. Here we have little cakes and so much sugar. At home we just have bread. I am not used to it, to eat so much sugar in the morning.”What is your favorite thing you have done so far? Going to the lake with junior Liz Schrag, her host sister.How is your life different here? “Life is just school, practice, homework and sleeping. I’m busy.”

Sundermann

Exchange student finds similarities between Newton, KS and NorwayFeilisha Kutilikenews editor

Sporting a Moods of Norway shirt and cropped gray sweats, senior Lars Erik Kavli strolls through the halls of the high school carrying that nonchalant swagger that causes any American teenager to look twice. But the Norwegian exchange, who hails from the rainy, coastal town of Åndalsnes, has more in common with a typical Kansan than one might expect.

“Since I’m from a farm, I want to see the agriculture here (in Kansas), how they do the crops. I’m look-ing forward for the harvesting,” Kavli said.

Kavli also indulges in the finer treats that tempt any sweet tooth, homemade ice cream being one of his favorites. He also likes peach rings and cheese-flavored tortilla chips.

“I eat chocolate every day,” Kavli said. “I like M&M’s.”Outside school, Kavli has enjoyed waterskiing at East Lake, while P.E. and weights are favorite activities

in school. His favorite subject is government. “There is more homework here than

in Norway, but I like the school better here because of the discipline,” Kavli said. “My habits of doing work will be better when I come back to Norway.”

Besides the United States, Kavli has traveled to Turkey, Spain, Denmark and Sweden. Kavli also speaks German. Other hobbies include golfing, playing computer games such as Counterstrike, hanging out with friends and snow ski-ing.

“I’ve snow skiied my whole life, since I was two years old,” Kavli said. “On average, it’s very cold (in Norway) com-pared to Kansas.”

Kavli mentioned the rules at NHS are stricter than at his school in Norway.

“(At) my school in Norway, if some-

Catharina NilsenWhat is your age? 16Where is your hometown? Sarpsborg, NorwayWhat do you miss most about Norway? “Family, friends and my boyfriend.”What surprised you about the

United States? “The food. There is a lot of food everywhere.”What is your favorite food? “Spaghetti and ketchup. Its yummy.”Do you have any siblings? “I have twin brothers (age 1) and a sister (age 3).” What are you looking forward to this year? “Everything. And I really hope that I’ll make friends and memories for a lifetime.”What are your plans when you get back to Norway? “Catch up on all the lost time with my friends.”What’s your favorite candy? “Smash, which is a Norwegian type of chocolate. It’s amazing.”

Nilsen

Alexander DaberWhat is your age? 17Where is your hometown? Dusseldorf, GermanyWhat are your hobbies? Soccer. He has played for 11 years.Why did you become involved with the exchange program?“I wanted to improve my English and see America. I was a bit bored of my life in Germany, and I wanted to see something new.”What are you looking forward to doing? “Playing on the varsity soccer team, going to parties and having fun.”

What is your favorite thing you have experienced so far? “The food, this is the first time I have ever eaten peanut butter.”

Daber

courtesy photo

featuresPage 8 The Newtonian September 4, 2009

featuresSeptember 4, 2009 The Newtonian Page 9

Spending a year in the United States Students hailing from Norway, Montenegro, Brazil, Germany come to Newton as foreign exchanges

Carola LillpoppHow old are you? 15Where is your hometown? Cologne, GermanyWhat is your favorite fruit? PeachesWhat do you like the most about being here? The

different life and the people.What do you think is the weirdest about being here? The school system What is your favorite breakfast cereal? Honey Nut CheeriosWho is your host family? The JolliffsWhat is your favorite sport? TennisWhat is your favorite class? Yearbook and HistoryWhat is different about the U.S.? The way of life is different.

Lillpopp

Jovana PotparaWhat is your age? 16Where is your home country? MontenegroWhat’s your favorite class subject? Food for LifeDo you play any sports? If so, how are they different from

where you live? “I play tennis. I’ve never played in competition.”What’s your favorite school food? GrapesWhat do you like about Newton? “I like the people here. They are friendly.”What’s your family like? “I have one brother and one sister.”What do you think is the weirdest thing about being here? “Everything is weird. There are different people and a different lifestyle.”

Kai HasenkrugWhat is your age? 16Where is your hometown? Kőln, GermanyWhat are your parents occupations? “My father is a brewer at Reisśdorf Kölsch.” His mother helps with an

after school program.Where have you traveled? “I travel a lot, to Munich, Barcelona, Mallorca, Netherlands, England, and Bulgaria, (then) France and Italy for class trips.”How is the clothing style different in Germany? “(It’s) not really different. You have a lot of school shirts like “Game Day” and in our school we are allowed to wear anything.” They don’t have a dress code in the school that Hasenkrug goes to, which is a lot different from here at Newton High.What is your favorite part of being in Kansas? “I like going to school here and the sports afterwards.”

Paul HoffmanWhere is your hometown? Cologne, GermanyHow old are you? 16Do you have any siblings? One sisterWhat activities have you done so far? Bowling and

visiting Harvey County West Park, Wichita, and El DoradoWhat has your favorite activity been? BowlingWhat are some differences between Newton and your hometown? There are many differences because of the size. Cologne is much larger than Newton. “I like how people communicate here.”What are your plans after this year? “I have two more years of school, then college after graduation. I don’t know where or what to study.”Who is your host brother? Freshman Alec Potluri

Felipe CarvalhoWhere is your hometown? Campinas, Brazil How old are you? 16 Do you have any siblings? One 10-year-old sister Who are some of your favorite singers/music

groups? Snow Patrol, Keane, Lil Wayne, Ne-Yo, Coldplay What do you like to do in your free time? “Play soccer.” How is school in the U.S. different than in Brazil? “You can’t choose your schedule there. You can be lazy here; there you can’t.” What is the biggest difference between the U.S. and Brazil? “The people are just different. Moving from a city of 1.2 billion people, to a smaller town.”

Carvalho

Hasenkrug

Ronja BoolzenWhere is your hometown? Landsberg, GermanyHow old are you? 16What do you do during break? “I go to my locker and talk with friends.”What has been your best

experience thus far? “The first day of school because I got to meet new people and they were really nice.”Do you plan on going to sporting events and games? “Maybe, I want to go to a football game.”Are you in any sports here at the high school or is there a sport you wish the high school had? “I’m in tennis, and there’s nothing more I want.”What was most surprising about NHS? “The teaching style. The teachers actually plan the lessons here. In Germany, it is more up to the students to make their own lessons.”

Boolzen

Potpara

Hoffman

entertainmentPage 10 The Newtonian September 4, 2009

MGMT “Electric Feel”

This is the ultimate feel good song. No matter what mood

you’re in, it can always make you happy. So if you’re looking for some-thing different and

upbeat, give it a try.

Megan Learyonline editor

“Spud” by John Van de Ruit has everything a good book needs: romance, a little bit of action, and a lot of humor. John “Spud” Milton is a 13-year-old South African boy in his first year at an all-boys boarding school. The author just happens to be a graduate of an all-boys boarding school in South Africa, but I hope for his sake that this book is not autobiographical. Spud’s story begins the morning he leaves for school. He leaves his paranoid father, his mother

and her bad cooking and his hopelessly forgetful grandmoth-er named Wombat for life at his boarding school.

Spud tells his story of embar-rassing pranks, hilarious teach-ers and riotous cricket games through a series of witty diary entries. His misadventures at the school provide hilarity and continuous giggling as you read about Spud and his crazy room-mates, dubbed “The Crazy Eight” by the teachers. These eight boys are together through girl problems, midnight jaunts off of school property, family misfor-tunes, cricket matches and a

tragedy in the final chapters of the novel

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and have recommend-ed it to friends who enjoyed it just as much. However, beware of reading it when you’re sup-posed to be quiet. It will make you have an outburst of giggles in the middle of silent reading and cause your whole seminar class to give you puzzled looks. Spud’s tale may not remind you of your own high school experi-ences, but you will find yourself rooting for Spud.

Rooting for ‘Spud’

‘Share the gift and change the world’

Erin Bradleyeditor-in-chief

Everyone was asked to leave once they heard what the late, great Red Ste-vens (James Garner) had left for them. Everyone was gone, left with nothing of their wealthy relation, except for grandson Jason Stevens (Drew Fuller). But the question remained. Why would Red leave Jason anything? They hated each other, but Jason is asked to stay and listen to what his grandfather has to say.

The movie “The Ultimate Gift” was a touching movie about learning about the value of money, life and family. Although it was a movie by Fox Faith, it did not overdo the religious, “God almighty” thing. It was a nice way to do the faith part of life without pushing tons of religious thoughts and verses at you.

Red does not want to spoil his

grandson like the rest of his children, so a series of video messages and a series of challenges and tasks are made before his death to hopefully change his grandson for the better. Red’s plan is make him receive the ultimate gift, which Jason believes is a large amount of money.

While trying to receive the ultimate gift, Jason first travels to Houston to work for his grand-father’s friend, Gus (Brian Dennhy). His task is to make a fence to surround Gus’ land. As Gus drops Jason off the first day, he says, “If I had a dollar for ev-ery fence post I set, oh wait, I do.” Lazy the first few days, he suddenly realizes if his does the task, he can leave and get his gift.

When he gets home he find out that there are many other tasks and chal-lenges he must pass to get his gift. Throughout his tasks, he loses every-thing and meets and befriends Emily and Alexia.

Emily (Abigail Breslin) and Alexia (Ali Hills) are a mother and daughter who are living in tough times yet are so happy and kind. Jason comes to find

that Emily has leukemia and Alexia is $1,600 in debt. The tasks bring Jason closer to Emily and Alexia and to the ultimate gift.

Based on a book by Jim Stovall, “The

Ultimate Gift” is a touching story about discovering yourself and coming closer to your family, friends and God. It is

a good movie that touches your heart and keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering what the next task will be and what the ultimate gift is.

Breslin plays Emily wonderfully in showing the emotion and pain a young girl feels in being ill. Fuller portrays the many layers of Jason and the depth of his emotions.

Overall, the movie was a hit in my book. Probably not the type of movie you would want to watch with your boyfriend or girlfriend, but definitely something to watch with your family or youth group.

The Web site for “The Ultimate Gift” has inspired a movement, and its main phrase is “Share the gift...and Change the World.” For more information about how to get involved in the move-ment or how to have whole discussions with a group about the movie and the movement, check out theultimategift.com.

‘The Ultimate Gift’ perfect fit for any viewer

Novel includes romance, a little bit of action and a lot of humor

‘The Ultimate Gift’ is a touching story about discovering yourself and coming closer to your family, friends and God.

reviewsSeptember 4, 2009 The Newtonian Page 11

New Movie Releases: � All About Steve �The Final Destination 3D �Halloween II�Julie and Julia�Shorts �Inglourious Basterds�District 9�The Time Traveler’s Wife � G.I. Joe* Information from chisholmtrail8.com

Top 5 Songs of the WeekAccording to the Billboard top 100

1. “I Gotta Feeling” The Black Eyed Peas

2. “Party In The U.S.A.” Miley Cyrus

3. “Down” Jay Sean featuring Lil Wayne

4. “You Belong With Me” Taylor Swift

5. “Run This Town” Jay-Z, Rihanna & Kanye West

*Information taken from www.billboard.comWha

t’s H

ot? W

hat’s Hot?Something’s Missing...Find the eight differences between the snapshots

Differences: Bird in the archway, One archway is missing, Tile on floor is missing, Guy on step is no longer there, statue is MIA on right, three jars are added to the guys table, Chalk board is missing from group, replaced globe with a basketball.

Raphael’s “School of Athens”

sportsPage 12 The Newtonian September 4, 2009

How long have you played golf?four years

How did you get involved in golf? “My dad is a coach at Gossel, so I grew up around it.”

What is your favorite golf memory?“Last year when our team locked the keys in the van and the coaches had to pry it open with a wire hanger.”

What do you predict for your team this year?“To do well at regionals and have a chance for state.”

How has golf helped you with other things in your life?“It helped me to meet new people outside of my class.”

What are you looking forward to this season?“Our team is very mature and experienced. Hopefully we will have a chance for state.”

Will you golf after high school?“I golf just for leisure, so I’m not playing in college.”

Marissa Bontrager

senior

Q&ANewton girls golf

Feilisha Kutilikenews editor

With nine returning start-ers this season, the Newton boys soccer team preserves its prospects for a solid season. The team faced longtime rival McPherson Tuesday. Newton proved itself to be a fiery team as it flew ahead to a 4-1 victory.

The boys won a key game con-sidering it was the first conference game and the first game of the season.

“We were able to finish up top and (had) solid defense,” coach Scott Jantzi said.

Two juniors who typically start at games, goalkeeper Casey Budd and center mid-fielder Ben Kreider, sat out against McPherson because of their red cards in last season’s final game against Liberal.

“Having the success we had without two key players just means we are going to get bet-ter,” Jantzi said.

Budd said Jantzi picked up the intensity in practices this season by having the team run more and get in better game shape. Repetition in training sessions and working with ball touches also allows the players

to have a good game. “The drills we’re doing (are)

done at a higher pace,” Budd said.

One of the team’s strengths is its defending lineup of juniors Tanner Gatz, Gonzalo Toribio, Derek Welsch and Ju-lio Aramburo. Toribio said the defenders work together with

communication. “We have a

lot of offense and quality forwards. (Senior) Felipe (Carvalho) came with a good shot (on goal) and ability to keep the ball,” Budd said. “(We have) a lot of speed we didn’t have last year up top.”

Maize, a con-tinually state-ranked team, is another strong opponent. Der-by and Salina Central are also tougher teams to beat. Jantzi said some goals for the team are to get to the championship in the Goddard Tournament, get a good regional seating and get to the quarterfinals of state.

“My style of coaching is to find the best 11 (starters) that make us succeed on the field. Finding the best 11 is a chal-lenge for the coaching staff,” Jantzi said. “I’m feeling better than I have in recent years with the amount of talent we

have.”

Soccer team looks forward to solid season

photo by Shannon AhlstedtQuick feetSeniors Guillermo Meza and Jorge Ayala fight for control of the ball during the soccer scimmage on Aug. 28. Newton plays Tuesday in the Goddard Invitational.

photo by Brandon HanchettKick it up a notchJunior Will Leake drives the ball down the field during the Fall Fest scrimmage on Aug. 28. Newton had a big turnout for soccer this year forcing them to have a “C” team.

“Having the success we had without two key players just means we are going to get better.”soccer coach Scott Jantzi

9 returning starters, talent proves victorious

sportsSeptember 4, 2009 The Newtonian Page 13

Football team lacks experienceAshley Murrellsports editor

Experience and depth are important parts of a successful football team . After losing 24 seniors from last year, the Newton football team is working on preparing its younger athletes to play at a varsity level.

“We don’t have nearly the quality depth we did in past years,” football coach Brent Glann said. “We need a bunch of our younger guys to come really far, really fast. Experience is a huge factor, and right now we don’t have it.”

After losing so many seniors, the team has to adapt. Senior William Markus says the team will handle it just fine.

“We’re going to have to step it up but we have people who can fill the spots very well,” Markus said. “This is the seniors’ last year playing foot-ball at NHS, so we have to work our hardest and try and get everybody to work their hardest.”

While working on improving and getting younger players where they need to be, the team has kept upbeat. Glann said the players’ positive attitudes and their ability to work well together are his team’s strengths.

“We’ve got great attitudes and awfully good quickness,” Glann said. “A big one is the chem-istry among the seniors. They get along really

well, and overall this group just has a lot of fun playing football.”

The Railers start their season Sept. 4 at home against Liberal.

“We’re all looking forward to playing the first game, and we’ve worked really hard this summer, so we’re looking forward to playing somebody else,” Glann said. “The first game is always exciting because you see how you stack up against somebody else.”

Coaches and players agreed that McPherson would be the best team by far that Newton will see this year. The Railers biggest obstacle will be staying focused.

“The toughest part about the season is going to be maintaining focus throughout the whole year,” Glann said. “Last year we lost focus the last several games of the year and lost some games that kept us out of the playoffs.”

Markus said a team goal is to make the play-offs. Along with team goals, Glann has goals for himself as a coach to help make his team better physically and mentally.

“I try and get them to improve every game, and mainly I’m trying to get lessons across that go beyond the football field,” Glann said. “We’re not just trying to make good players. We’re try-ing to make good people.”

photo by Meaghan McEachernNewton vs. NewtonNewton football players make a tackle Aug. 28 at the Fall Fest scrimmage. The scrimmage happens every year to get the varsity team ready for its season.

Gymnastics team working to achieve its goalsAshley Murrellsports editor

The gymnastics season is underway and the team is ready to prove to the community that the support and money that helped keep the team was well worth it. Even though this could pos-sible be the gymnastics team’s last year, the girls are staying optimistic. This year is not any different than any other year to them. “We’re not looking at it that way. We are doing what we normally do and that is practice hard, set realistic goals and do the best we can as coaches and as gymnasts,” coach JoAnne Thaw said. “We hope it’s not the last year, but there are a lot of determining factors over which we have no control. This is my 36th year of coaching, and I am just as passionate about it as I was when I

started.” The Railers have an incentive to push themselves harder this year at state because it will be hosted by Newton. A goal for the team is to place in the top three at state. “We’ve been sixth the last two years, and we don’t really know how realistic the goal is until we see some of the oth-er teams,” Thaw said. “I know we have some really good girls, but they have specific skills they need to attain to put us up there. Time will tell. Last time we hosted state we had no qualifiers, and I just don’t want that to happen again, nor do I expect it.” Thaw said she was not sure whether all the work of raising the money to keep the team would change their per-formance skills.

“I don’t know if it will affect their performance or not, but I do recall

one of them saying that they were so grateful that the community believed in them and that she hoped we would show them we were worthy of the sup-port they gave us,” Thaw said.

Along with the support from the community, the team is a support system in itself. The girls have a close bond that helps bring them together. “They are very close, focused, de-termined and they love what they are doing,” Thaw said. “They are really great individuals, and we all like being together. Practice is hard, but we have fun.”

The bonding and time the team spends together is very important to all the team members. “I love getting to see the girls every-day,” senior Katie Yoder said. Thaw says her favorite part of gym-nastics is the bonds she and her hus-

band, Jack Thaw, who is also a gymnas-tics coach, form with the girls. “Our other favorite part is watching them when they accomplish a new skill or goal,” Thaw said. “I still get a thrill when they achieve a goal, and their happiness is also my happiness.” The team looks forward to all of its meets. They use them as benchmarks to help them achieve their short term goals, while still keeping their long-term goals in mind. “We look forward to seeing our girls accomplish some of their goals because the skill level will be higher and that will be exciting to watch,” Thaw said. “I am also hoping there will be lots of support in the stands because it really helps them perform.”

Newton’s first home meet is Sept. 10 at 6 p.m.

sportsPage 14 The Newtonian September 4, 2009

NHS LETTER JACKETAnderson Office Supply

Main & Broadway w Newton w 283-3570

photo by Erin BradleySwing awaySenior Lynh Tran returns the ball during a scrimmage Aug. 28. Newton plays at home Tuesday at 3 p.m.

For the love of the game

Cassoday Hardernews assistant

For many seasons, tennis has been a part of everyday life for senior Hannah Vogt.

“I took a tennis camp when I was 10 years old,” Vogt said. “I thought it was the greatest thing ever, and that’s kind of how I got started.”

Vogt has had several accomplishments in tennis over the years, but she says her biggest is just deciding to go out for her sport and decid-ing to stick with it.

“Going out in seventh grade was a big step for me,” Vogt said.

She said this year was less about learning basics and more about learning to be mentally stable.

“I don’t want to expect too much out of this season. I don’t want to be the best. I just want to be my own best,” Vogt said. “I sometimes psyche myself out and bring myself down men-tally.”

Vogt began taking private lessons last sum-mer. She also prepared for the season by going out and playing with other teammates.

“This summer I liked to go out (and play ten-nis) with (junior) Adrienne (Buss) and Mollie Emerson,” Vogt said.

Vogt plans to play tennis in the future. She will attend Tabor College and continue playing tennis there.

“Hannah is very encouraging,” junior team-mate Avery Vogts said. “She keeps the team going.”

Runners make memories with traditionsEmma Bradleycopy editor

The NHS cross country team has lots of traditions that it likes to do. A personal favorite of sophomore Amy Kondziola is senior awards. At the team’s end-of-season banquet, the seniors on the team hand out awards that bring back memories from the season.

After meets and during other team bonding times, the team gets together for movie nights at people’s houses.

Everyday at practice, the boys on the team touch the Newton High School sign as they run past it.

“It is just something they do, and they’ve always done it,” Kondziola said.

At the end of every season, the senior boys pass down the

senior cane to the fastest ju-nior boy on the team. Whoever receives the cane, is the team captain for the following year.

A similar tradition that the senior girls have is to pass down a pair of spikes to the fastest junior girl on the team at the end of the season.

The team’s first meet is Sat-urday in Manhattan. Kondziola said it is one of the toughest courses because it is so hilly in

that area.“The toughest course we

run on is the state course, at Rim Rock Farm in Lawrence,” Kondziola said.

This year’s seniors are Joel Gouvion, Joe Kondziola, Mal-lorie Coffman, Erin Loeffler and Dylan Koerner.

Kondziola’s goal for the team is to keep the AVCTL title the team won last year. Her personal goal is to run races

in less than 17 minutes and qualify for state.

“It’s going to be tough, especially without my senior mentor, Emily Metzler, who always pushed me to my limits in practice,” Kondziola said.

Season teaches senior different mindset

sportsSeptember 4, 2009 The Newtonian Page 15

photo by Meaghan McEachernAt the netVarsity volleyball players freshman Emily Hiebert, senior Arin McMullen and junior Kate Lehman stand waiting for the serve at the Fall Fest scrimmage against the junior varsity team. Newton is currently 7-1 and plays Tuesday at home.

Conditioning helps team get headstartErin Bradleyeditor-in-chief

A new rule from KSHSAA says that coaches can coach their athletes throughout the summer. Volleyball coach Jamie Dibbens said all the volley-ball coaches in the league voted against the rule change because it demanded so much of the athletes, but since the rule change was made, she took advantage of the rule.

During the summer, the volleyball team was scheduled to go to weights and conditioning every weekday morn-ing except Wednesday, and the vol-leyball team practiced on Mondays and Tuesdays. The team also participated

in two camps, Wichita State University and Railer team camp, and three tour-naments throughout the summer, two in Topeka and one in Wichita.

On Mondays, practices were more for individual workouts. Hitters came in at a certain time, and setters and passers came in later. Mondays were for focusing on the fundamentals. Tuesdays were group workouts. They did six-on-six and other group work.

The rule change and all the summer training gave the girls a head start.

“I thought it was a good head start for the season, and we got a lot of stuff done before the season. A lot of other teams didn’t start, so hopefully we will have an advantage,” senior Casie Ronen

said.Dibbens agreed that it helped

because the season started early and there is no season before to get the girls ready for the volleyball season.

With in the past two weeks Dibbens has had another reason she is happy to have had the early practice.

“Since we have had more injuries, I feel better knowing the girls have worked together instead of going into (the AVCTL Hutchinson Invita-tional) with zero work,” Dibbens said.

At the end of the summer the girls who participated in summer train-ing were rewarded in two ways. The first was just knowing that they will be ahead of their opponents. The girls who

completed a certain percent of partici-pation of the conditioning were also able to sit out of conditioning at the first practices.

With the conditioning they fin-ished, Dibbens’ expectations are high.

“I always have the same high expec-tations. I don’t expect us to reach our potential early on. That will be some-thing we have to fight for,” Dibbens said. Ronen’s expectations are for a good season.

“I think we are going to do good, make it to state and hopefully win league,” Ronen said.

By the numbersThere are players on the boys soccer team.

seniors are on the girls tennis team, with of them being foreign exchange students.

The football team will go days without a home game.

The volleyball team participated in different tournaments this summer.

There are state qualifiers returning to the cross country team.

Girls golf players travel miles to practice at Sand Creek Station Golf Course.

60 7

3

3

28

4

2.5

photo essayPage 16 The Newtonian September 4, 2009

We’ve got spirit, yes we doWe’ve got spirit, how about you?

Groups, students show support for teams at Fall Fest football scrimmageMeaghan McEachern Photo Editor1 Walking onto the center of the field, the Newton Railiners get ready to perform. The Railiners worked throughout the summer to get their dance ready for the fall season.

2 Sophomore cheerleader Riley Roberts cheers for the football team during the Fall Fest scrimmage. This is Robert’s second year as a varsity cheerleader for Newton.

3 The Railerman makes his first ap-pearance on the field at the scrim-mage on Aug. 28. The Railerman has been portrayed by a different student for the past three years.

4 The Railaires sing the Alma Mater before the football players take the field at Fall Fest. Donna Woolery has been conducting the choir at Newton High School for 25 years.

5 Senior drum majors Marissa Bontrager and Rebecca Trumble conduct the band at Fall Fest. The Marching Band show includes three Bon Jovi songs this year.