The Medallion v 2

7/31/2019 The Medallion v 2

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High School Entries

Nicholas EasterSt. Francis, Grade 9

Kansas Celebrations

The Sunflower State, The Jayhawk State, TheMidway State, The Wheat State, Bleeding Kansas. Iam sure you have heard these names beforesometime in your life. The reason is because Kansashas many celebrations which people call Kansasdifferent names. What do you call Kansas?

When you hear that someone did somethinggreat and they are from Kansas, do you sit there andthink that is impossible or thats not right? The thing isthere are many great American heroes from Kansas.

The name Bleeding Kansas came when Kansaswas being entered into the United States. There was ahuge fight going on about slavery and antislavery.

They were fighting over if Kansas would become a

slavery state or an antislavery state. When theelection came, the northern states won and Kansasbecame an antislavery state, but the southern peopledid not like that and so that is what started the CivilWar.

Do you ever wonder who the founder of the

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planet Pluto was? The person who found Pluto wasClyde Tombaugh and he was from Kansas. He foundPluto on February 18, 1930. He built his owntelescopes on his farm. Many people say he was not

the founder of Pluto, but he was so determine to findPluto that he took it to his grave.

Do you know a famous person from Kansas?Ronald Ellwin Evans Jr. was from Saint Francis,Kansas. He was the command module pilot of Apollo17. Ronald served with the astronaut support crewsfor the Apollo 7 and Apollo 14. Ronald also was theback up command module pilot for Apollo 14. His first

time of being a command module pilot was on Apollo17. Ronald has a monument in Saint Francis, Kansasthat is next to the museum.

There is a famous Hall of Fame football playerwho is from Kansas. His name is John Riggins and hewas born in Seneca, Kansas. John led the Jayhawks toa Big Eight Conference championship win in 1968.After that he was drafted to the New York Jets, he

became the first rookie to steer the team successfullyin both rushing and receiving.

United States was once roamed by the Indiansand most of them lived in Kansas. Most of the Indianleaders came from Kansas and fought against theEuropean people who came on their land. That is acelebration which will be remember forever.

Kansas has many heroes, but the most important

one would be Charles Curtis. He was the 31

st

vicepresident of the United States. He was the first personwith knowledge of Native American ancestry and nonEuropean ancestry. He tried the next election to bepresident and lost.

Kansas has many celebrations and still is

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planning on have many more. The Kansascelebrations will live on until the end. Kansas will havemore heroes and will be remembered as a great state.What do you think of Kansas? Have you heard of these

great heroes?

Grant FrasierWeskan, Grade 9

A Taste of Paradise

From the Flint Hills UplandsTo the Great Plains,The Smoky HillsRolling like the waves of a great ocean

This land called KansasMany call home.

A land of historyAnd future,

The place where grain wavesAs gracefully as the rising of the sunOn a warm spring day.

The farmer wakingTo the smell of breakfast in the kitchen.

The shadow of treesOn the brisk waterRunning with the fish beneath itssurface,

The crunch of green grassAs cattle graze on the bankWith baby calves by their side

The family in the parkCelebrating the day a child was born

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Into this great state,The state with the friendliest

communitiesAnd the cleanest countryside.

A countryside filled with fields of flowersAnd roads filled with waving drivers.

This state called Kansas,I call GREAT!

Madison GawithColby, Grade 12

Kansas Celebration

Kansas, how wonderful are you

with fields of green and skies of blue.

There is no home I'd rather have.

Yes, the winters are cold, the summers are hot

and you never decide whether it will rain or notBut still, there is no home I'd rather have.

Nothing's better than a still, cool night

out in your fields, watching the starts shine bright


Though the wind is constantly blowing

and I know it never shows signs of slowing


Kansas, the heart of our great nation

this poem is for you and your celebration.


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Rainbow

Corinna HanishBrewster, Grade

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Katera HarterColby, Grade 12

The Unforeseen Storm

Imagine this: A Kansas corn farmer stands gazing at his bountiful crops. Just acouple more weeks and they will be ready for harvest. He notices a dark, forebodingfigure approaching from the west. With no other warning, swarms of grasshoppersengulf the land. As he runs for cover to his farm house, he can feel them crawling on hisskin and hear them crunching beneath his feet. The Grasshopper Plague of 1875destroyed crops across the Great Plains and made Kansans cringe at the mere thoughtof these petty creatures. The grasshopper became the most repulsive, cumbersomefigure in the history of Kansas.

Kansas farmers were devastated by millions of grasshoppers, or RockyMountain Locusts, in the summer of 1875. Locusts, in search of food, traveled from theRockies to many of the breadbasket states. Kansas was one that was hit the hardest.Not only did they devour every bit of living vegetation, but they gnawed their way throughwooden handles, leather pieces, wool from sheep, and the clothing off peoples backs. Ina matter of seconds, everything these farmers had worked so hard for had disappeared.

Many of these hardworking men and their families were new settlers. After theCivil War, they had come to Kansas in the hope of buying reasonably pricedland and making a living. This was their first shot at starting at new chapter in their lives.

As this was their first crop, it was essential in order to feed their working animals andplant for the following year. This plague caused many of these hopefuls to pack up andleave almost as soon as they arrived. It also left many scratching their heads andwondering what would come next. With so many crops gone, not only did it affect thelives of these farmers, but people all across America. How could they provide for thecountry when the majority of crops were destroyed? Many farmers endured the toughwinter with help from other states and because of the crop loss, America had to depend

upon other state producers.This devastating year of 1875 marked one that remained vivid in many farmers

minds and reminded them just how quickly life could change. Many more devastatinginvasions came in the late 70s and continued until the sudden extinction of these locustsin 1902. Kansas has made it through some tough times, including this grasshopperplague of 1875. The grasshopper remains prominent in the spirit of Kansas because ofmany devastating years it caused and the hardships many had to overcome.

Works CitedFunston, Dale. The Grapphopper Plague of 1874. Discovering Our Roots, 30 Oct. 2008.

Web. 08 Sept. 2011Kansas Historical Society. Grasshopper Plague of 1874. Kansas Historical Foundation,

June 2003. Web. 08 Sept. 2011.Kittleson, Kermitt. The Grasshopper Plague. Lyon County Genealogy, Aug. 2006. Web.

08 Sept. 2011N.P. When The Skies Turned To Black. Hearthstone Legacy Publications, n.d. Web. 08

Sept. 2011.

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Kelsie HossWeskan, Grade 12

Kansas stretches before me as a symbol of freedom, a land where

the love for this freedom is recognized by the vastness of pasturesuntouched by time or demolished by urbanization, wrapped in fencinglaid down by the men and women who dedicated their lives topreserving and enhancing the freedom of Kansas. The freedom of apasture only lasts to the fence line, just as the ideals Kansas representsare confined to the state borders.

Since Kansass early beginnings, it epitomized the fight for libertyin many ways. In 1859, the Wyandotte Constitution was ratified makingKansas a free state. Slaves poured into Kansas, seeing the state for whatit truly was: a land of opportunity. Kansas was a place they could maketheir own.

White settlers also saw Kansas as a place for a fresh start. Theycould create life as they wanted to. Americans from the North and Southtraveled to Kansas to build their dreams in the form of homesteads.Hard work could produce a thriving settlement, and a good life unknownto many Americans outside of Kansas.

Kansans have learned through their residence how to survive. Atfirst, it was simply about facing everyday challenges. Settlers had nochoice but to learn to become self-sufficient. When, in the 1930s,Kansas was struck by the tragedy of the Dust Bowl, Kansans provedtheir resilience. Ingenuity was a necessity. They found ways to dust-proof their homes, and adjusted to the constant threat of life threatening

dust storms. While food was scarce due to drought and greedygrasshoppers, they found ways to survive by hunting, scrounging, andmany times going without amenities theyd previously enjoyed.

The Dirty Thirties came and went, leaving a scar in its wake.Another residue left by the Dust Bowl was strength. Just as Kansans hadalways done, they persevered and continued working towards a betterlife. Improvements in agricultural technology followed the growth instrength of Kansans citizens.

Conservation became a prominent aspect of farming. Terracingwas introduced to farmers along with advanced equipment. As timewore on, Kansans became more productive farmers; they produced

larger yields, and took on more acreage. Crops produced a large part ofmany Kansans incomes, and fed many Americans. Livestock only addedto Kansass prosperity.

Cattle could be seen dotting various pastures. Sheep and goatsgrazed in the fields owned by proud farmers and ranchers. Chickenssquawked obnoxiously from their roosts in chicken coops all over thestate. These animals fueled Kansass economy, and lifted the spirits ofits previously downtrodden residents.

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Because of Kansass background many residents were ingrainedwith the value of perseverance, and a strong work ethic. In thebeginning, they toiled endlessly for freedom; the African Americanswanted freedom from slavery, and the European Americans wished forfreedom from the confines of dirty cities and factory jobs.

Starting a new life was not easy. Children worked on the farmalong side their parents from little on. African Americans, although freein Kansas had to battle racism every day of their lives. They workedextremely low paying jobs, and lived in substandard homes. However,these people who dedicated their lives to the rights granted toAmericans in the constitution (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness)can proudly say they created a legacy that will forever be embodied inthe state of Kansas.

Presently, the agricultural youth of Kansas labor to produce theirown freedoms. Agricultural families support themselves and contributelargely to Americas economy. Families living in urban areas of Kansas

are free to pursue any lifestyle they wish. No person is forced to follow apursuit in which they are not passionate.

Kansas stretches out before me as a symbol of freedom. Its awe-inspiring pastures will remain untouched. The farmland will continue tobe fertile. The ideals of Kansass founders will perpetuate through thegenerations. There will be harsh winters and blistering summers,changes in fall, and new life in spring, but the beauty and freedom ofKansas will be everlasting.

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Grain BinsJessica JohnsonBrewster, Grade 9

Capturing the moment with digital photography.

Echo JonesSt. Francis, Grade 9

Kansas Celebration

What is Kansas? The ground looks thirsty while the wind blows dirtand my messy hair into my face. Sliding my hand across my face I pushmy hair out of my eyes. Doing a routine check up on my farm, I see mypig lying under a tree in retreat from the sun. His big, lifeless pink ear isflopped over his eye and his flat nose wiggles simultaneously from thetickle of the wind. The sun finally forces me to walk over to the refuge ofthe barn. I lean up against it and absorb the sight of the farm. A dropletof sweat works its way down my brow and finally falls off my perspiringnose. I feel the repression of heat against my skin. How can farmerstake this?

Looking around myself I can see hard worked acres of farmland.Across the roadway, I can see a glimpse of a field filled with corn that

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reflects the suns rays in beautiful plush green colors. Seeing all of thismakes me wonder how it all happened. Who could have made all thishappen? Who built the barns, scraped the ground with shovels andconquered nature?

Early in the mornings you can see the farmers routinely at the

town cafe. Sitting on warn out bar stools, dressed in overalls and buttonup flannel shirts theyre sipping their steaming cups of coffee. They talkin smooth voices while their hands are rapped around the warm coffeemugs. These are the men that make Kansas worth celebrating. Old andgetting brittle they still have that spark in their heart. The spark with inthem is of perfection which is displayed with every kernel of corn andherd of cattle.

The American farmer will stay up through the night to check theircattle or because the approaching storm has them on edge with anxietyfor their crops. Theyre the men who took our county like a piece of wetclay and molded it into the work of art it is. The American farmer goes

through endless days of hard work and sweat only to have it followed bya restless night of worrying. Why do they do it?

Some say its the cowboys way of life. He works for everything hehas with every ounce of energy. Hardworking, loving, and a never-give-up attitude makes these men nothing short of remarkable. The farmerswent from sitting and riding on an old weathered cow horse for hours toriding around in old pickup trucks across the rough prairie fields in thefreezing of winter and scorching temperatures of summer. Feeling thedryness in their mouth and cracks running up and down their lips theynever had the pleasure of quenching the never ending thirst. No matterthe harsh blizzards and dying heat spells the American cowboys never

gave up.Who are these men? Are they the ones who have tamed and

worked the Kansas land? They are my family, my friends, and mycommunity. All of them are the reason for a Kansas celebration. It is forevery man who cut himself on barbwire. For every women who criedover the dryness of the land, and its for every boy who sweated his ownweight in water working to become the man his pa is. Their blood, sweatand tears are scattered throughout this land. Why do you celebrateKansas?

Leea JuenemannGolden Plains, Grade 10

Forever Strong

Benignant wind breathing upon the wheat.

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Pink fuses with orange as clouds look at me so sweet.

Black birds overlay the sky.Milo and corn are ready to try.

Trees, stalwart amidst the harsh, enraged snow.Yet their branches stay strong, never to slump low.

Lilacs bloom as the beauty of nature again awakens.The youth of Kansas perseveres, never to be taken.

Rachel JuenemannColby, Grade 12

A Piece of the PuzzleEach piece in a puzzle is unique in its size, shape, and color, but when all of

these pieces are put together a picture is formed. In the puzzle that makes up Kansashistory, a very important piece can be found in a young girl with big dreams. With her

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story, she has become an identifying symbol for the state of Kansas in her ruby redslippers. From book reviews to souvenir shops, the prominence of Dorothy Gale in ourKansas history can easily be seen.

Dorothy is a famous piece of Kansas everyone knows about. The story whereshe is whisked away by a tornado from the monotonous Kansas farm life to theWonderful World of Oz has become a fairy-tale that has touched many hearts. If it was

not for L. Frank Baum Dorothy wouldnt even exist. According to the Library of Congress,since the publication of his book in 1900, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, has becomeAmericas greatest and best-loved homegrown fairytale, and one of the most-readchildrens books (The Wizard).

Through Baums writings, Dorothy has grown to be the most prominent figure inKansas history. From images on postage stamps, to t-shirts and collective bells, Dorothycan be found representing Kansas in her ruby red slippers in almost every Kansassouvenir shop. The sparkling red shoes have left their mark on our society as well.

According to Smithsonian.com, there are only five original pairs of Ruby Red slippers,one of which is located in theSmithsonian museum for people to go see. Another of the pairs, sold for $666,000 atthe auction block in 2002 (Rhodes). Replicas of these shoes can be found in several

stores including Wal-mart and Target, but no matter the condition or size, the slipperswill always be a trade-mark associated with the legend of Dorothy.

While the slippers have left their mark, they are not the only piece of Oz peopleask about. Almost any time a Kansan travels outside of the Midwest, he receivesquestions about Dorothy. People automatically think of Dorothy when they hear Kansas.Some may be annoyed with this identifying factor, but without Dorothy, a piece ofKansas would be missing.

A puzzle is not complete without all of its pieces and Kansas wouldnt be thesame without Dorothy. Her touching story and ruby red slippers have left a legacy thatcannot be replaced. Dorothy Gale is one piece of the puzzle of Kansas that no oneshould overlook.

Works Cited

Rhodes, Jesse. For those Ruby Red Slippers, Theres No Place Like Home.Smithsonian. com. January 2009. Web. 10 September 2011.

The Wizard of Oz: An American Fairy-tale. The Library of Congress. July 27 2010.Web. 9 September 2011.

Wizard of Oz: Cultural Impact. Emmanuellevy.com. 2011. Web. 11 September 2011.

Strante LawsThird Place WinnerNikki KnopQuinter, Grade 10

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http://www.smithson/http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/oz/http://www.emanuellevy.com/comment/wizard-of-oz-cultural-impact-9/http://www.emanuellevy.com/comment/wizard-of-oz-cultural-impact-9/http://www.smithson/http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/oz/http://www.emanuellevy.com/comment/wizard-of-oz-cultural-impact-9/


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Strange lawsYou would think people in Kansas are deranged,

In order to have laws that are so strange.

Like we cant have ice cream on cherry pie,

The oddness of that makes me wonder why?

Or in Lawrence you cant wear a bee in your hat,But why would somebody want to do that?

If you want to cross the highway at night,You are required to wear a set of tail lights.

I would advise against hunting a whale,Because if you were caught, youd end up in jail.

Now I wonder why we have such strange laws,Maybe its to correct our many flaws.

So dear Kansas, the moral isObey the laws, and mind your own biz.

Hannah MatchellColby, Grade 12

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Ghost Town

Youve seen it all;

From the rise of brand-new buildings, their scent stillfresh of pine in the air. To the decaying roof of thegeneral store

Where many experienced their first taste ofsomething wonderful and awe-inspiring: candy.Where many received their first pair of shoes,preparing to start their adventure into yearsfilled with good friends and plenty of arithmetichomework.

Ghost town, youve seen it all.

From the time the sun rose in the East with the manon his pony, galloping into town with news of hopeand fear. You were there until the sun set in the westwith the whistle of the newest locomotive chugginginto the horizon to where we are now.

Ghost Town, without you one wouldnever know the ways you have evolved into what youare now, telling of our rises and falls. We owe ourhistory to you Ghost town.

Brenna McKee

Colby, Grade 12

Hatchetations

For someone to be named the most prominent person in Kansas history, thisperson must have tenacity, ambition, and the strength to follow their own beliefs. CarrieAmelia Moore Nation possessed these characteristics and through her efforts enforcing the

Prohibition law, she helped save many marriages and lives from the evils of alcohol.

Carrie Amelia Moore was born on November 25, 1846, in Gerrard County,Kentucky, to George and Mary Moore. In 1867, she married Charles Gloyd, a young

physician and a heavy drinker. She always despised his drinking ways, but when she gave

birth to a mentally disturbed child, she had had enough. She blamed alcohol for their failed

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marriage and the condition of their child and moved to Texas. There, Carrie fell in love

with a preacher named David Nation. They moved to Medicine Lodge, Kansas, where she

taught Sunday school, helped the poor, and became a jail evangelist. She preached aboutthe consequences and evils of tobacco and alcohol.

Kansas residents voted for prohibition in 1880, but many saloons ignored the new

law. Carries hatred for alcohol pushed her to do something about the law-breakingsaloons. Her religious beliefs became so strong that she visualized herself stopping the sale

of alcohol under a divine protection. These visualizations led her to go by the name Carry

A. Nation and to begin her destruction of local saloons. At first, she would just stand infront of the saloons and pray, but on June 1, 1890, she made her first brutal attack. She

stepped into the building and broke bottles and windows by throwing rocks and bricks.

Soon every building selling alcohol in Medicine Lodge was shut down, but she did not stop

there. She learned that the town of Kiowa, Kansas, was a main source of liquor and made aplan to attack. She arrived at a saloon announcing that she was saving the men from a

drunkards fate and began destroying bottles and other objects using rocks, brickbats,

and even a billiard ball as weapons. After her successful attack on Kiowa, her husband

suggested she start carrying around a hatchet to do more damage, so she did. As Carriebecame more violent, she lost support from fellow church members. This did nothing to

slow her down. She moved on to other communities and began receiving nationalattention. In 10 years, she was arrested a total of 30 times for destroying saloons or what

she would call hatchetations.

With little support, she achieved greater results to enforce prohibition than anyother church or group. With her nationwide fame, she published a biweekly newsletter, a

newspaper, and an autobiography. Later, she sold photographs and miniature hatchets to

help pay off most of the debt she earned from many bail payments. On June, 1911, Carry

A. Nation died in Leavenworth, Kansas. Eight years later, prohibition became nationwidewith the ratification of the 18th Amendment. She would be proud to know that a Kansas

woman helped Carry A. Nation to Prohibition.

Works Cited

Carry A. Nation. United States History. Web. 7 September 2011.

Carry Nation.Alcohol Problems and Solutions. Web. 8 September 2011.Carry Nation Biography. Who2.N.p., 2001. Web. 7 September 2011.

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Leyton MillerWeskan, Grade 10

YesterdayJeremiah was kicking the dust when the truck rolled up.

Howd you fare? Jacob questioned.Jeremiah smiled at the familiar sound of his brothers

growling voice.None last night. You?Almost all of em! Had to break the barn doors in again.

He knew it was a mistake, but he feared hed have to ask hisbrothers help to gather up his cattle again. Jacob was a proudman and rightfully so, but it was slowly killing him with everypassing storm.

Putting your cattle in the barn before a storm is a good

way to lose em. Thats how Henry lost all of his. I told you meand the boys have no problem with helping you. The boys lovespending time with you, and Amys cookin is making them fat.Ever since their mommas passing. Jacob stopped his brothershort by raising his hand and sadly shaking his head.

I know. Jacob said quietly.Then let me help you! Jacob began to cough so Jeremiah

joined him on the tailgate overlooking what was once a bountifulsun-kissed prairie filled with more cattle than one could count.

It helps to have someone to talk to during the blackouts.

A gust of wind began to throw small particles of rock againstJacobss truck, a sound all too familiar to the Martin brothers.

Get the boys; yall can stay with Amy and me tonight.Jacob wanted children, but hed never bring a child into a

world as desolate and unforgiving as this. Years ago he dreamedof it but now, he simply couldnt for his childs sake. Pulling into

Jacobss ranch, you wouldnt have been able to tell it was once athriving prosperous profession turned into a death wish in awasteland. Now the barn is broken in, the paint on the house isnearly gone, and the train tacks are completely overtaken with

dust. The remaining cattle were following the truck bellowing,crying almost, for food and water. They passed the old house theranch hands use to live in, completely torn down from theunstoppable winds.

Five minutes to destroy something we spent monthsbuilding. Jeremiah sighed.

They took their boots off outside by Amys demand, and she

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swept each of the men one by one and filed them in like cattle.The house was impeccably clean.

Spick and span as always, Amy, Jeremiah declared.Thank you Jeremiah. Supper will be ready shortly. Amy

replied.

Smells delicious! The boys said simultaneously.The brothers laughed while the boys left to join Amy in the

kitchen. The men sat down at the poker table and Jacob pouredhis brother a drink while Jeremiah dealt cards.

Last bottle, thought Id drink it with you. Jacob saiddejectedly.

Ill savor every drop. I was talking toThe story was cut short with the violent sound of the dust

pelting the boards over the windows on the north side of thehouse.

Its gonna be a long night, Amy said as she brought thesteaming pot of soup through the den into the dining room theboys close behind with canned beans and potatoes.

Big pot, Jeremiah said.Big boys, Jacob replied with a smile.We were expecting more company. Herman and Allen were

supposed to be here when we got home.They mustve stayed home due to the brewing dust

overhead. Jeremiah decidedThey were planting trees last I knew.

Where at?Just north of Hermans house, they said they were heading

over to Allens once they finished. Jacob said.Lets head over there and check on em after we eat they

could be stuck out there and Hermans truck is scrap metal onwheels.

After eating the men headed out to help their friends.Allens house was empty so they left for Hermans.

I can hardly see the front of the truck!Imagine how they feel, Jacob continued probably

stranded somewhere between the tree line and his house. I havenever seen a storm this strong!

The storm began to pull the wheat from the earth and throwit like a bullet from a gun. A figure began to form in the distance.

There they are!Hermans truck was broken down in the middle of the road.

They pulled up to the side to find the men lying back to back with

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their hats pulled over their eyes and mouthWhat day is it? Herman askedSunday, April 14th.

Ad Astra Per Aspera

Fourth Place Winner

Kaycee Niermeier

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Hoxie, Grade

Kaycee created a paper mache representation of Kansas.

Christina Ostmeyer

Colby, Grade 12

Caring for Kansas: a Testament to Kathleen SebeliusAs a Kansan, one should be no stranger to the meaning of pioneers, for theywere crucial to the shaping of Kansas's rich history. Today, that pioneer spirit stillshines with an invigorating light. Though not a Kansas native, Kathleen Sebelius haspioneered a new kind of politician- the kind that can inspire and break throughboundaries. Through her political accomplishments and great contributions to Kansas,she prevails not only as our history's most prominent Kansan, but also as one of theUnited States' most prominent women.

Born Kathleen Gilligan, the daughter of Ohio's former Governor John J. Gilligan,the realm of politics would not seem far off the beaten path for Sebelius, but with herheadstrong determination, she was able to forge her own way. Sebelius's work inKansas began when she moved to the state in 1974 after marrying K. Gary Sebelius, afederal magistrate judge. While also getting her degree in Public Administration fromthe University of Kansas, she served as an aide in the Kansas Department ofCorrections. Immediately following her graduation, she had the opportunity to becomethe director of the Kansas Trial Lawyers Association. From there, she was able to voicethe opinions of Kansass citizens throughout the eight years she spent as arepresentative in the Kansas House of Representatives. Her journey didn't endhowever; she soon advanced to the spot as the Kansas Insurance Commissioner.Ultimately, after an already impressive career, she was elected as Kansas's Governor.

As governor, Sebelius reached across parties to become a spokesperson forbipartisanship. She also played a key role in boosting education throughout the state ofKansas. When it came to the economy, the governor had no inhibitions when taking onthe budget that had a deficit of $1.1 billion at the time. In 2005, Time magazine evenplaced her in its elite list of the Five Best Governors. Needless to say, she was re-elected in the 2006 elections to help the state continue in its quick and successful

journey forward.Her achievements certainly did not go unnoticed. When rumors started to fly

about the possibility of Sebelius becoming the United States Secretary of Health andHuman Services in the cabinet of President Barack Obama, they were met by much

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positive acclaim. Once the position was hers, expectations were exceeded. She hasmade it her mission to make sure Americans gain the care and attention they deserve.For example, her Affordable Care Act made history by knocking out the abuses thatinsurance companies ensued and making it so millions of uninsured citizens would havehealth coverage. As a testament to her work, Forbes magazine named her the 13th

most powerful woman in the world in 2011.Each day, her commitment to the wellness and advancement of our nationincreases its velocity. "Our goal is for all Americans to live healthier, more prosperous,and more productive lives," Secretary Sebelius said. That is why it is clear that KathleenSebelius is our state's most prominent figure.

Allyson Patterson

Quinter, Grade 10

When Celebrations Go WrongKansas, like many states has weird laws. Heres an

explanation as to how this law was created.It all started in the 1870s. Dodge City was just

beginning to bloom. The population was growing to about1200 people. At this time 19 businesses were selling liquor,so liquor was a big part of everybodys life. Cowboys wereeverywhere and fighting was a big factor.

On April 20, 1880, a young cowboy was riding throughin on his horse. He decided to stop for a drink. He saw a lot

of commotion at the Long Branch Saloon and decided to stopin and see what was going on. All the people there weredrinking alcohol and carrying on in a drunken stupor. Whenthe young man walked in, a guy piped up, Who are you andwho gave you permission to come in here?

The young man replied, Im Ed, Im just stoppingthrough to give my horse a rest and to have a quick drink.

The older guy, whose name was Wyatt, looked at him indisgust and just carried on. Ed walked up to the bar and

asked the young lady behind the bar, for a drink. The ladygave him a big welcoming smile and handed him his drink.He finished his drink and walked out to where he had hitchedhis horse. As he walked out, the older man followed him. Hesaid, Sir I suggest you get on out here before we haveourselves a problem.

Ed looked at him with a questioning look on his face

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and stated, Im not here to cause any problems sir.Wyatt took one look at him and spit on the ground and

rubbed his shoe in it. He said, Get on outta here or this willbe your head, as he pointed to the shoe he was stomping

on the ground.Ed had had enough. He had two choices, either he wasgoing to leave without a fight or he was going to end thisproblem right here and just fight him. He thought about it forawhile, giving Wyatt a stare down. Ed decided he was goingto fight him. By the time the first punch was in mid air readyto be thrown, the whole town was gathered around themwatching the fight go down. Children were frightened,women were yelling for someone to do something to stopthe madness, and men were chanting fight, fight, fight!

Punches were being thrown left and right. Blood was gushingeverywhere and spit was flying in the sky and landing on thepath that lay next to them.

When it was all said and done, Ed came out with thewinning punch. He hit Wyatt so hard, it blacked him out.After the last punch was thrown, Ed unhitched his horse andaway he went. He left Wyatt laying there with all thetownspeople circled around him trying to help him comeback to life.

Now I know what youre thinking, wow what a story, butthis wasnt the end. Fights continued and every time onehappened it ended with someones blood and spit layingthere in a puddle on the streets of Dodge City. It becamesuch an everyday occurrence that no matter how hardwomen tried to clean the streets, they couldnt keep themclean long enough before another fight began to break out.

Today Dodge City has grown a lot. Its population isnearly 29,955. You can still see some of the buildings thatwere once standing in the 1800s. They no longer have paths.

They have roads, malls, and all kinds of fast foodrestaurants. Along with a big city come many laws. After all,you have to have laws to keep everything under control. Oneof Dodge Citys crazy laws is no spitting on sidewalks. Thismay seem a little crazy, but it all started that one day inApril when that cowboy rode through. Ever since then they

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decided to make it a law. That way it keeps their city niceand clean. To celebrate this law people go through once ayear to clean all the sidewalks of Dodge City. A spit freetown is a happy town.

Behind MeFirst Place WinnerGrace PurvisWeskan, Grade 9

Behind Me

Kansas isgolden wheatwhispering to the hillsas the windrumbles throughthe golden ocean.

Kansas,stretching before me,as a land of dull gray mindlessnessa landin which the

gray might beengulfedby quiet grace.

Kansas,stretching before meas a landthat celebrates

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and lives,if only you will stop to listen.

Kansas,stretching before me,as a land

of hope,a landin which theflat, dull exteriormight eruptinto alush, greeninterior of new life.

Behind me,the sun is settingand the rolling hills are

shifting from apeaceful greeninto aflaming, rolling spirit

Windmill, WatercolorFourth Place WinnerDara RoulierBrewster, Grade

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SupermanIan RowlisonHoxie, Grade 12

I choose to draw Superman because of his connections to Kansas. Evenfrom his creation in 1938, Superman has always been from Kansas. Hewas raised with virtues that nearly every Kansan admires Supermanshoes the Kansas mentality of fighting the odds to succeed. Even nowwith Supermans publisher rebooting the character, his values are stillthe same. He believes in truth, justice, and the American way.Superman has been a hero for numerous generations, and will always be

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a hero for American, and most importantly, Kansan society.

Jessica SchneiderQuinter, Grade 10

The typical day

Its as sweet as the honey bee, the smell of the summer rains;

The rolling hills of the windswept plains.

The meadowlark flies high above the tall trees along the widespread

creeks.

You fall back and up to your shoulders the Indian grass lays,

and you slowly find the root to a perfect dandelion,

you take a deep breath taking in smell of the perfect cottonwood tree-

filled air.

While youre looking up, you see the trees start to sway more, suddenly,

as the wind sings through your hair.

Your perfectly calm day turns

into a terrible dust storm in the blink of an eye.

The wind is so strong the birds cant fly straight.

The clouds go as dark as night although its only

late afternoon. They rumble almost shaking the whole ground

or so it feels like. The sirens go off

they are loud

making your ears ring and your heart tremble with fear.

Finally the dust settles

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you look out the window. From trembling with fear

now you can hardly help but smile at the beautiful sunset in the west

filling the windswept sky with light.

Jennifer SchwankeColby, Grade 12

A Dish of SuccessTo many people, pizza might just seem like a simple and tasty meal, but

for one Kansan it was the ticket to success. Frank Carney was born with pizzasauce for blood. He took advantage of this and founded Pizza Hut, changing thefood industry. Frank has proved anything is possible, even in Kansas, with hardwork.

The hard work began in 1958, when Frank partnered with his brother Danto establish the first Pizza Hut. The two college students borrowed $600 fromtheir mother and opened a beer and pizza restaurant in their hometown ofWichita, Kansas. On May 31, 1958, the pizzeria opened at 503 South Bluff.Frank and his brother ran the restaurant based on trial and error, because theyhad no prior restaurant experience and had not even made a pizza before.

Franks humble beginning did not last long. The next year the firstfranchise opened in Topeka, Kansas. From then on the company grew likewildfire. Over 300 stores were established just in its first decade. By the mid1970s, Pizza Hut had expanded to about 3000 locations. Frank is the first toadmit their business strategy was not always the best. He experienced failures

due to no major standardizations, but it was Franks motivation that kept thebusiness alive and growing. He understood the importance of a team, alwaysaccepting and encouraging input. When his brother, Dan Carney, stepped downin 1973, Frank maintained the momentum of the business until 1980.

In 1977, Pizza Hut, with almost 3,400 national and international locations,caught the interest of Pepsi Co. Later that year, Pepsi Co. purchased the pizzapowerhouse for $300 million. Three years later, Frank Carney left the company.He felt that the quality of the product was not up to the standards it was startedon, and also, that it was time for a change. Carney became a venture capitalinvestor. He had much success with projects such as ski resorts andrestaurants. In 1989, however, his luck began to run out. Companies Frank had

invested in started to fail, and by 1993 his millions were history. Next year, hewent back to what he knew best pizza. But this time Frank joined up with PizzaHuts rival, Papa Johns, and became a franchise of 133 stores in four states.Today, Frank still continues to reside in his hometown but travels weekly tomonitor his stores in Houston, Sacramento, Hawaii, Wichita, and Kansas City.One thing that will always remain the same is Franks passion for his work.

Unexpected success and tough times have made Frank Carney thepassionate person he is today. A foodie favorite, pizza, became Franks ticket

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to success. The franchise, a Kansas original, is now a worldwide favorite. Frankcontinues to prove that with the right motivation, even the craziest of dreams canbecome a reality.

Ariel SeversonColby, Grade 12

Why Kansas Celebrates

Over mountains and terrains you find the Great Plains,rolling and waving with tall grass and grains.Not always sparse and not always lush,filled with meadowlarks, coyotes, and brush.Acres flooded with a yellow shower,the air perfumed with the smell of sunflower.Almost always a breeze in the air,

usually never a cloud to spare.Windmills, sod houses, barns, and fields;all these things simply add to the appeal.History written in the very foundation,Kansas rules in the center of the nation.

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Michael TubbsColby, Grade 12

Living ForeverHe was not a famous politician or athlete, and by no means was he a movie star.

Most people have never heard the name Ray McIntire, but his mark on society is moreprominent than any other Kansan. In fact, McIntires only acknowledgment for hisaccomplishment was his induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, forpolystyrene, or Styrofoam.

McIntire was born in Gardner, Kansas, in 1918, and earned his bachelors

degree in engineering from the University of Kansas in 1940. Afterwards he went to workfor the Dow Jones Industrial Company. In the midst of a rubber shortage during WorldWar II, an accidental experiment led him to create Styrofoam. He continued to work forthe Dow Jones Industrial Company that facilitated his invention until 1981 and later diedin 2006. Styrofoam, however, would continue to thrive.

His legacy lives on in the impact of his invention. The tiny bubbles that make upStyrofoam make it an adequate insulator. But it is Styrofoams extraordinarily cheap costof production makes it the best on the market. It is used daily to ensure the longevity ofbeverage temperature. Millions of homes all across the country use it to drasticallyreduce the cost of living, making living in air-conditioning less of a luxury and more of astandard. The artists who create intricate detail with something so simple should not beforgotten either.

Styrofoam has become a staple of modern art. From 3D model representationsof the Mona Lisa to miniature models of the Eiffel tower, Styrofoam is a craftsmansdream. Without it, our standards of living could not be maintained.

It is odd, though, how something so crucial to our accustomed lifestyle can alsobe degrading our Earth. The appealing attributes of Styrofoam, like the tiny, almostindestructible little balls that make it up, make it the cancer of our world. It never fullydecomposes back into the Earth. It can be broken up but never eliminated by nature,and ironically, it is one of the most littered products on our planet. The solution wouldseem simple, just recycle it, but technology hasnt made an efficient means to do so. Thedesire for any business to do the right thing by recycling for the environment isdiscouraged by a low margin with little profit incentive. Which leaves but one option,incineration. Yet this only feasible means of making our use of Styrofoam tolerable is

worse for the environment. Carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide is produced byincineration, causing damaging effects on our ozone, and it does not even eliminate allof the Styrofoam. Fractions are still left, which are dumped into landfills that reap ourground of any ability to prosper.

The general population does not recognize his name, but his mark--or better yet,scar--on society is everywhere. With good intentions, an evil was alsocreated. Ray McIntires invention is famous to some and infamous to others, but it will bewith us for as long as those tiny balls.

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Works CitedHall of Fame | Induction | 2008 Inductees. Invent Now. 2008.Web. 16 Sept. 2011.Senegalese, Babia D. Polystyrene Foam Report. Earth Resource Foundation. Green

Restaurant Association. Web. 16 Sept. 2011.

Barbed Wire, WatercolorSecond Place WinnerLayton WerthBrewster, Grade 9

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Middle School Entries

Aiyana Albrecht

Hill City, Grade 6

AAZ news

Tik-tik-tik-tik. The rain hit the broadcasting window.

Hi, my name is Randy, coming to you live on AAZ news in Hill

City, Kansas. If you live on the south part of Graham County you

have a terrible storm coming your way.

There will be strong wind 48 miles per hour, hail the size of soft

balls, and rain. Im asking anyone who lives in this area to please

take cover. Somewhere where there are no windows.

Back to you Allen!Bong-bong-bong-bong. The rain hit the video camera.

Thank you, Randy. Yes, people in the south part of Hill City,

please take cover. It is the season for strange weather.

Thanks Allen!

Well, our weathermen seemed to have picked up some kind of

tornado. But the weird thing is that its heading East of Hill City. Away

from the rain, sleet, hail and wind. So people that live on the east sideof Hill City, please take cover.

Brandy?

Wow, there is a lot of strange weather this time of year. When

we come back well tell you how out of nowhere a strange tornado hit

the ground. It made an awful booming sound! And how its such a

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threat to the Michael family. After the break!

CUT!

Three minutes later.

Hi, my name is Brandy, back from the break. A tornado fell outof the sky! We know a family whose lives were at risk. The Michael

family that lives in Studley. They said that they were on the farm

working a normal day

Video

when there was a big booming sound! Their son went out to

check what it was. He said,

Well, it was a very sunny day. You wouldnt think a tornader

would show up any time soon! I was milking my cow as I heard a big

BOOM! Like 12 gun shots shooting at once. So I squirted last bit of

milk. Put the cow away. And opened the door. And Im sure glad I did

or wed of bin fried eggs on a hot sidewalk in the summer time. I saw

a tornader comin at me about 50 miles per hour. So I ran to get my

ma and pa. My mama was cryin about her cat Mr. Michael. I told her

hed be ok. And darn tootin he was. I never lie to my mama and

never will. Everything else wasnt okay. Nothing was left exceptSandy. Not even the top of the shelter house! Thats when we knew it

wasnt good. Boards were falling on us. We were trapped. We

couldnt breathe. I panicked. I was pushing boards and then finally we

heard a voice. It was a sheriff. He helped us out. Thank goodness!

Brandy? Wow that was a heart touching story. Back to you,

Allen.

We have no other sign of any storm. But stay in touch with us

on the radio. Back to you, Brandy.

Thats it for today. We will see you next time on AAZ News.

Thank you!

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Savannah AllmerHoxie, Grade 6

3 Little Pigs

INSPIRED BY NUMEROUS FAIRY TALESOn an early Kansas afternoon, a pig named Moe and hisbuddyGingy, were building a straw house. Moe wanted his house tobe better than his two brothers, Curly who was making astick house, and Larry who was making a brick house. Moewas rather surprised at how strong Gingy was. I mean theway he was carrying those hay bales; it was like nothing. On

the outside he looks like your average gingerbread man buton the inside, he was like a monster!

All the pigs lived in a town called Wichita. The king of Wichitawas King Wolf. He was a mean wolf too. He lived in his castlelocated in a city called Topeka. If anyone missed paying theirtaxes, the king would come down from his kingdom, and to

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their house. He would knock on their door,and if they let himin, he would destroy all of their things and then blow theirhouse down. If they didn't let him in, then he would just plainblow their house down. He especially hated all three pigs

with a passion.

While the pigs were busy building their houses, the date forgetting their taxes in had already come and gone. AfterMoes straw house was built, Gingy and Moe went inside tocool off and get a nice cold refreshing drink, when theyheard a knock on the door. Gingy sat up and said, Ill getit. When he opened the door, there was a big wolf standingthere in the doorway. Wolf looked right at Gingy and said,Cookie, wheres your friend pig? Gingy said, He is inside,

but you are not coming in, if that's what you think. Wolf gotfrustrated and yelled, LITTLE PIG, LITTLE PIG, LET ME IN!Once that was said, Gingy slammed the door in his face, butthen opened it up again and said, Moe has a message foryou. Not by the hairs of his chinny chin chin. The big badwolf huffed and puffed and blew that straw house tosmithereens. On he goes to the next house.

The big bad wolf knocked on the door of the stick housewhich was the house of Moes brother, Curly. The big badwolf said, Let me in or Im gonna BLOW! A few secondslater a wooden boy named Pinocchio, opened the door. Thewolf asked, Where is that porky? The boy, with a smirk onhis face said, Hes not home, so get out of here.Immediately after he said it, his nose started to grow. Theboy had forgotten about his curse the wicked witch of thewest gave him. Anytime he lied his nose would grow, so theboy could never lie without being caught. The wolf wasabsolutely furious that the boy had lied to him. He didnteven wait for the pig to come out. He just stared blowing.

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Down that house went just like the first house.

Once Wolf got to the third house, Wolf still had steam rolling

out of his ears. He didnt even knock he just started to blowthe house down. There was something wrong here, Hethought. The house wasnt falling like the other two. He wasso mad and frustrated, he just slowly sank to his knees andstarted crying. Larry, the third little pig walked outside to seewhat all the sobbing was about. He was kinda surprised tosee the king sitting there. He invited him into his house, andgave him ice cold refreshments. The king thought because ofLarrys kind hospitality, he was going to give him two moredays to get his taxes paid. But since the wolf had ruined

many other houses, it would be unfair if he let Larry off witha warning. He decided to call in a wrecking ball if Larry didntmake the deadline. The king told Larry his plan. Larrythought about it, and agreed. He did end up making thedeadline, but with only thirty seconds to spare. Larry waslucky, and could only wish he could celebrate with his twobrothers, who had mysteriously gone missing, along withtheir friends of course. Some say it had something to do withWolf.

Forceful Prairie Wind

First Place Winner

Faith Biermann

Goodland, Grade 8

Forceful prairie wind

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Dancing through the trees

Brown dust-filled air

This is not a peaceful breeze

Oh! hear it howl

The storm is on its way

I see it on the horizon

So much for a peaceful day

Crash! Boom! Bang!

Thunder and lightning sound

The sun is gone from view

No creatures can be found

And now here is the rain

Down it comes, pouring

Soaking the tall, green grass

And the wind is still soaring

When the tempest finally ends

Only a cool breeze remains

The prairie can now breathe

Until the wind comes again

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This Land of AmericaFaith Biermann

Goodland, Grade 8

This land of America has changed so much! Once wild, free, and untouched

by European civilization, it is now covered with the modern lifestyle. In the middle

of this country lies the important state of Kansas. Although she is still the home of a

vast prairie and fascinating wildlife, Kansas, too, has evolved from what is used to

be. We should remember and celebrate the beauty of this great state....

The year is 1835. I sit upon my horse, Tadewi, glancing out across the sea of

grass. The flowing prairie goes on forever, stretching past the horizon. A cool,

summer breeze catches my long, black hair. I can smell the fresh aroma of the

yellow wildflowers that are scattered in the grass. The sun will soon turn the sky

shades of pink and fiery red. I hear distant drums pounding, calling us in for

gathering. Tadewi and I gallop off to our village.

The following day, I wake up to the sound of rumbling thunder. However,

the sun is shining and there aren't any clouds. I rush out of our small valley to the

top of the hill. There is an amazing sight below me! Bison stampede across the

tallgrass, trampling everything in their path. They are as numerous as the stars in the

night sky. This wondrous creature helps my people in countless ways. I could not

imagine life without it.

In contrast to my miraculous morning, the afternoon brought frightening

news. Some of the braves spotted white men near the creek. My people are being

very cautious. I am no longer allowed to stray from our village. Despite my

restrictions, Tadewi and I sneak out into the night. While she grazes on the bluestemgrass, I lay down on the soft, damp earth gazing up at the stars. I need time to think.

What will the white people do to my beautiful prairie? I am very scared but I will

bravely protect my beloved land.

At daybreak, the warriors brought back even worse news. In the valley

beyond the creek, more than half of the bison lie dead, skinned for their fur. I, along

with everyone else, cried. The mighty beast was like our family. Even the

meadowlark's song from the cottonwood tree was sorrowful. The flowers appeared

to be drooping, hanging their heads in shame. I know not what our rolling plain

shall become.

We can say that Kansas' history has been rough. Some of the settlers' actionswere wrong, but we learn from our mistakes. Native American culture and the

culture of Kansas has changed, but now remains a strong, friendly, and unique

society. Although some say this land's beauty was lost, I say that it has become

something great. The people of Kansas hold its artistry, nurturing it in their arms.They are what makes Kansas so special. Just because things change doesn't mean

that they are ruined. Kansas has learned from its past and moved on to behold a new

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kind of beauty.

A Poem for Nicodemus

Second Place WinnerSarah Bird

Quinter, Grade 7

A Poem for Nicodemus

There we were.Walking down the dusty roads of Nicodemus.Only black town west of the Mississippi.

The culture opposite of the small town where I live.But in a good way.

I remember seeing the old, antique churches.The tiny one-room school house.The run-down houses and cracked sidewalks.

Its awe-inspiring to think how far weve all come.African Americans no longer have to serve us.No longer are punished for the color of their skin.

We walk down dusty roads together now.

Portal to all Honesty, PhotographyKenna BogartColby, Grade 7

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Animals offer a window into the emotions of those around them.

Lance CoburnQuinter, Grade 8

The Need of Air

There I was.Eight years old.Harvest equipment headin home.I was ridin high on the top of the world.Grandpa and me on the combine.

Papas oxygen tank, green as the combine,sitting on the cab floor.Just another accessory like the suspenders

and cowboy boots he always wore.

We climbed down, me first.Papa handed me the tank.Grandpa sure couldnt do without me!I lugged the tank over to the red Ford truck.

Thats when I heard it.A thud.The unforgettable sound,of my Papa hitting the ground.

His old fingers gripped the dirt.His eyes were closed as he lay there on his side.My little boy voice hollered loud.Dad, Papa fell! Papa fell!

I ran to the house, interrupting Grandmas call.As I sprinted across the farm yard, I was gulping for air.I got Mom, and by the time we got back to Papa,911 had been called.

We four waited. Not breathing.Ambulance stopped.Dust cloud engulfed us.Our own breaths exhaled in unison,As they put the oxygen mask on my Papas face.

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Abbi EscamillaWeskan, 7th Grade

Kansas Celebration

Kansas wheat is very valuable to our farmers.Just as the Kansas Cattle are.

The sunflower is as bright as the sun.It shines like a beacon of hope.

The Western Meadowlark soars threw the sky like a kite.Its song is music to my ears that puts me to sleep at night.

The Honeybees honey is sweet like candy.But their stinger hurts like a needle.

The American Bison is soft like a teddy bear.

But bigger and stronger than a bull.The Ornate turtle is faster than a snail.

Their colors come together vibrantly.The smile of the Barred Tiger Salamander brightens the smile of

children.Its colors yellow and black on its skin are bright like the night sky.

The cotton from the Cottonwood tree looks like clouds.The seed makes a blanket of white on the summer ground.Finally, the Kansas sunset is a beauty of colors in the sky.

That tells us the day is now over.

Nathan GoodwinHill City, Grade 6

Eagle

Bird roams

Big eagle flies gracefully

It watches over Kansas

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McKenna HaleWeskan, Grade 8

Untamed West

It was a beautiful night on the western plains of Kansas as theWright family sat down to eat their dinner. It was just that time of daywhen the sunset shone like a light in the dark night. The wind was just awhisper and the birds were singing their nightly song. Susanne, the

middle Wright of only 14 years old, was enjoying the sounds when hermother called her in to eat. It would seem that she was always outsidelistening to the birds sing their songs to the gods. The birds songsflowing through the air in peaceful whispers calm my soul she wouldtell her mother and father whenever they asked why she spent so muchtime listening to them.

The next morning the wind was blowing through the wheat like thesouls of people who had past away on their journey to the west to settlethis harsh land, whispering their thanks to their families for living outtheir dreams. The Wrights had come out west to get away from thehustle and bustle of city life. Along the way Susannes dad had

developed a disease know as Cholera. He suffered for quite a whilebefore he finally passed on and his pain was relieved.

Susanne missed her father so much but it was taking a huge tollon her mother to take care of her and her 2 older brothers, and 2younger sisters. Susanne would pitch in with the chores and helping withthe meal. Her oldest brother Aaron would take care of the livestock andall the field work. Her second oldest brother Tyler would help Aaron withthe field work and sometimes with the cows.

One morning in October Susanne went outside and she hadnoticed that it had gotten really cold overnight. She knew that winterwould be here soon. She went inside and told her mother that it was

really cold and that it looked like it was going to snow. Her mother didntbelieve her so she went outside. When she came back in she lookedmortified. She has never delt with a harsh winter without her husband.She didnt know what to do or how to prepare. What was she going todo?

The next morning when she woke up and looked out the windowthe snow was falling and the smooth, frozen ground was covered in a

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fine layer of powdery white snow. The trees had a thin glaze of ice onthem with a fine dusting of snow as well. It looked like a scene out of amovie. It was beautiful! The Wright family survived that winter with notroubles.

***This Kansas day please remember the people that risked their lives tocome out west to start a new life out in these untamed lands.

Carrie KennedyHill City, Grade 6

Rednecks Undercover!

Im going to start out saying, my family is notwhat you would say ordinary. I have a brother, asister, and my parents.

My brother is 18 and he is restoring a 63 fordpickup. He is pretty smart. He has always likedpickups and welding and that kind of thing so one day

when he was in AG he welded 2 bucket seats off of apickup onto a metal bar sitting side by side and put abar sticking straight out and connected a hitch to theend of the bar so it can hook on to his pickup.

Now when he goes to the lake he always hitchesthe two bucket seats up to his pickup.

Hill Citys mascot is a ringneck and everyone inschool calls my brother the redneck ringneck!

My sister is not as redneck as the rest of us. Sheis actually pretty normal. She likes pigs and takesthem to the fair. She and I built a fort out of fallentrees in our pasture, so I guess she is a bit redneck.

My mom is about as redneck as my sister butmainly she is just an outdoors person. She makes her

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own birdseed she wakes up at 5:00 every morningand goes on a walk she walks with a baseball batbecause some dogs try to bite her when sheswalking, she likes watching the ox in our pasture, and

she loves to garden.My dad oh my dad. His favorite things to do are

grilling, building, hunting, fishing, and playing Call ofDuty PS2. We will yell to him in the back room whatya doin hell yell back. Killen the commies! Nowshush

He has one hunting dog and his name is blue(and no not like Blues Clues) He is a shorthair. There

is long story to his name. He has a boat and he lovesit!

He has always been good at building. He built onto our house, remodeled the garage completely, andbuilt a whole new shed.

Me on the other hand, well I dont know what tocall it.

I raise sheep and show them in the fair, I learned

how to make my bike sound like a motor, and I knowhow to make a bomb out of firecrackers!

You probably see my family as somethingcompletely different than what they really are so putdown the paper and picture each one of my familymembers.

Now how do you picture my dad? How do youpicture my mom? How do you picture my siblings?

How do you picture me?My mom is a school secretary and she isawesome at it. My dad works in the FSA office and hasto dress up everyday. My sister is short and reallyfunny and ended up going into a private school. Mybrother is well my brother.

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So now you see that a lot of rednecks are as yousay under cover. They may appear as normaleveryday people but there house may be covered inmounts and moving, talking fish. So dont think your

the only one because they are everywhere. They maybe among you right now.

Symbolic Animals of KansasRebekah KitchQuinter, Grade 6

Symbolic Animals of Kansas

Almost every Kansas school kid knows that our statemammal is the buffalo, our bird is the western meadowlark,our amphibian is the barred tiger salamander, and ourreptile is the ornate box turtle. But if you really researchthese creatures, youll find that they are very interesting.

You might have heard buffaloes called bison. Manypeople use these names interchangeably. Actually though,the animals we have in the United States are supposed becalled bison.

A bison enters the world as a 50 pound baby. I wonder

how much that kid can eat! They can grow to be six feet talland weigh 2000 pounds.

You probably know that the meadowlark has a yellowbreast, but did you know that Kansas school kids voted forthe meadowlark as our state bird in 1925? Also, five otherstates have the meadowlark as their state bird.

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Some people call the salamander a mud puppy. Thisis because they like to lay their eggs in mud puddlesbecause they dont want their eggs to get eaten by fish thatlive in ponds and lakes. If you see one and notice that it only

has four toes on the front feet but has five on the back,dont think they are missing front toes. Thats is just howthey are born.

Do you know what the word, ornate means? Itmeans, fancy and very decorated. That is why the ornatebox turtle, our state reptile, is called what it is. Its shell iscovered with red, black, and yellow designs. These guyssure are not very picky eaters! They eat slugs, snails, salad,earthworms, insects, berries, leaves, and pretty much

anything. They have even been seen eating dead ducks anddead cows.

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Wings in Flight, Colored PencilLexi Kraft

Colby, Grade 6

Wheat fields are common sightings in Kansas. However theWestern Meadowlark is not. I enjoyed the combination ofthe two symbols of Kansas in this product. The challenge inpracticing the details in feather work kept this taskinteresting to me.

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Feline Farm WifeKatelyn Lee

Quinter, Grade 8

Feline Farm Wife

It seemed like we had just gotten over one grandmasdeath when Granny T. started going downhill. She hadntbeen in the best condition lately, but she was still takingcare of all the farm cats those cats that seemed feral butwould always run up when they saw Granny T. come out with

scraps of ham.After awhile, she let us have some of the ham, and the

cats learned to come to us too. My sister and I would alwaysbeg, Can we go to Granny T.s? We loved seeing ourcats and spending time with our Grandmother Truelove.

But one day, I heard that my Granny T. had developedcervical cancer, and now, instead of heading out to the farmto visit her, we had to go to the long term care center. Shewas in the more independent ward, but we could see she

wasnt the same.While she was gone, my uncle took care of the cats, but

they didnt act the same for him as they had Granny T.Granny T. started doing better even rid herself of thecancer, but the chemotherapy and radiation had weakenedher. She didnt have a lot of time left. We understood whatmy dad meant when he said, She wont be here forever,when we would go to visit her.

She went back to the farm, and even lived anothermonth there, caring for her cats. But she fell and broke herhip going down the front steps to give those cats theirscraps.

I learned that you dont fully appreciate someone untiltheyre gone is an understatement. You change after deathfinds your family, but not necessarily for the worst. Granny

T.s cats changed too. Every now and then, when we drive

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by the farm, now owned by my uncle, we still see those cats.And in a way, when I see those felines gathered around thefront steps, I can still see my Granny T. living today. Its thelittle things that you remember most about those you love.

And those little things are what help you get through theirpassing with grace.

That Got Me ThinkingFourth Place WinnerKatelyn LeeQuinter, Grade 8

That Got Me Thinking

All of these familiar toys fill the aisles.My youth group sharing a mission to help an unfamiliar

culture.The little brown kids playing with the toys . . .just like we did.

And that got me thinking . . .Volga German immigrants barely hanging on.

The all-Black town Nicodemus fighting to survive.

The prairie schooners making the best of our land.

And that got me thinking . . .John Brown leaving no stone unturned for his beliefs.Pro-slave Missourians invading innocents in Lawrence.How many people died over Bleeding Kansas?

And that got me thinking . . .Parents persisting for truly equal education.Brown v. Board getting the ball rolling for equality.Separate is NOT equal makes headlines everywhere.

And that got me thinking . . .Those little brown kids leaving their homes behind.Toughened up by the long journey,

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but very appreciative of the chance for their own AmericanDream.

All of these images show the strength of Kansans.How far we will go for our beliefs!

Survivors of all of these movements thriving. . .here in Kansas.

Hayden ReinertColby, Grade 6

Here in Kansas we have many celebrations and community activities, but my

favorite is Christmas. I am from Colby, and at Christmas time here it all starts

with the light parade. Its a lot of fun to be in, or to just watch. Our local farmequipment dealerships always have big, grand floats. Last year there were floatswith tractors on a semi trailer. They were all wrapped up in lights, which made itlook like the tractor wheels were actually moving! I have been in the paradeseveral times on soccer and 4H floats. At the end of the parade we end up atSanta City. It is our local Boy Scout building and its all decorated up forChristmas. You walk through a maze of twisting pathways to get to Santa. Andwhen you get done telling him just what you want for Christmas you can continueon your exciting trip to see Mrs. Claus and get a wonderful homemade frostedSugar cookie.

During the Easter season we always have an annual Easter egg hunt in FikePark. It is divided into different age categories. For anyone from 2 to 8. The eggshave anything in them ranging from money, to candy, to McDonalds free icecream cone certificates.

In the Summer on Wednesdays we have Picnic in the Park where people fromall over Colby come to Fike Park, to listen to music put on by local bands, or justa single singer or family. You bring your own food, and lawn chair or blanket orboth, and sit down and enjoy the music while talking with friends! Children can goand play on the playground equipment while their parents talk with one another.One of the local senior centers brings a van full of their residents to listen to the

music and watch the children play. Sometimes people set up barbecue grills andgrill Hot dogs and Hamburgers for all the attendees.

These are some of the few reasons why I think that Colby is indeed the OasisOn The Plains! Not to mention THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE who are nice to bearound, knowledgeable, and caring; THE VAST PRARIES with open spaces,fertile fields, and the areas to roam free; and THE QUIET OF THE NIGHT, withno horns honking or people yelling, and awesome views of star filled skies which

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all make Colby Kansas, the great town it is!

BuffaloesThird Place WinnerJarrett Simon

Hill City, Grade 6

Buffaloes

Creatures bellow

Bulky giants walk laboriously

They eat like ogres.

Jarrett Simon

Hill City, Grade 6

Running Downstairs

Running downstairs, the wind blowing,You hear the hail pounding the house.House shaking, ground trembling,Thinking we are going to be swallowed up.

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Icons of Kansas, Pencil SketchKarissa SingerColby, Grade 6

This pencil sketch was inspired with a samplerof Kansas images that have been drawn with

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pencil. Using only the pencil to highlight andgive focus on various aspects of each image wasthe challenge in doing this work.

Oh Kansas

Kayla ZimmermanGrinnell, Grade 6

Oh Kansas, Oh Kansas,A little place on the atlas,Not very much like Atlantis,Oh Kansas, my home!

Kansas girls can sass,While Kansas boys can dance!My friends & family amassThese people are my world!

Oh Kansas, my Kansas,Home to cowboy boots and hats,

Home to Jayhawks and Wildcats,These things make you great!

Oh Kansas, Oh Kansas,A little place on the atlas,Id never try to change this

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Wonderful place, my home!

Elementary Entries

MeadolarksKelby AschenbrennerTrego, Grade 5

We were cutting wheat one day as the sun was setting. Ilooked over and by the sunlight it was a Western Meadowlark! As Isaw it we realized the combines header was bulging, so my dad went

to get the wheat out. I glanced over and the meadowlark was gone.So whenever we went to unload the truck, Id always look over to seeif the meadowlark was there. Even when we were on our way toanother field I kept looking over on fence posts to catch anotherglimpse of the meadowlark. All I saw were robins, black birds, turtledoves, killdeer, and king birds, but I didnt see the meadowlark again.

We called it quits for the night and my dad and I rode home inhis 1981 GMC Sierra Classic 1500 spark injection. When I got homeI dreamed that I was looking at the meadowlark with its many colorsand V chest. I woke up the next morning and got dressed and weheaded out to cut more wheat. As we were headed to our farm I keptdaydreaming about the meadowlark. When I got there they said itwas too wet to cut, so I went to the computer to look at pictures ofmeadowlarks.

Later it was dry and we could go cut wheat. I got in my dadscombine and when I climbed up the ladder I saw a meadowlark sitting

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on the mirror bar!

Ethan Beckman

Grinnell, Grade 4

My Trip to El Cuartelejo

I didnt even know that Kansas had a really fascinatingarcheology site called El Cuartelejo by Scott City. But then,a kid named Andrew and I got to go there in person and seeall the interesting things there. I also found out that it is thefarthest north Pueblo style site in the U.S.A.

We drove in to a place where we saw a sign that saidthat El Cuartelejo was near. I saw a big lake. We got out ofthe vehicle and walked down a sidewalk to a big statue. Thesign on the statue said that this place was lived in around500 years ago. And then we went and saw a whole bunch ofrocks that were formed into what looked like a maze. It wasnot a maze. It was actually the remains of Pueblo stylehouses. I wondered what it looked like before it got weededover.

We explored a little then we walked around the lake.We went up a big hill. I was looking at the ground becausethere were some cool looking rocks around. Then I saw areally strange rock. It looked carved. I picked it up andshowed my teacher. She said she thought it was an artifact.

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We took it to the El Cuartelejo museum. The man there saidit was made by the Native Americans and was a scraper. Heshowed me some other ones just like it. I told him I woulddonate it to his museum. But he said I could keep it. I was

so happy. That really made my trip to El Cuartelejo.

Going To The PastFourth Place WinnerBayleigh CritchfieldHill City, Grade 5

Going to the Past

Hi my name is Zoey Matthews and this is the story of how me andmy best friend went back in time.ENENENENENENE! The alarm clock went off in my bedroom. I knewthat I had to get up to go to school. My mom yelled from the kitchen,Time to get up Zoey, you need to get ready for school. I hated to getup for school, especially on Mondays.When I got to school, I saw my best friend Matt. Hey Matt, Mattlooked up and smiled at me. Hey, he replied. We both went to

homeroom and sat next to each other, then class started.In class we are learning about Kansas history and are studying

about people back then. Once class was over we both went to secondperiod, science. When we go tin the classroom we saw a huge machinein the middle of the room, then all of a sudden we saw our scienceteacher, Mr. Wacky. Mr. Wacky was big on time travel and alwaysshowed us his new inventions. He told everybody to sit down and to beprepared to see his amazing creation. Once everybody was seated, he

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began to talk about the science of time travel and how he created a wayto go back in time. Then he randomly picked out of the class, two kidsto be the first time travelers. Surprisingly he picked Matt and me.

We stood up out of our desks and walked to the front of the room.Once we were there we both go into the machine and sat down. Now

type in the year, date, and month that you want to go back to, said Mr.Wacky. Matt and I talked about where we wanted to go and then wehad it, we were going to go back in time to Kansas! So we punched inthe date: February 22, 1882 and POOF! We werent in our classroomsanymore.

We were in the middle of a dusty road and in the middle of ashootout. Matt was smiling so hard because he has always wanted tosee one before, but not in the middle of one! So matt turned and lookedat me and his smile turned into a frown. In less than a second we wereout of the time machine before we were blown to smithereens. WE fellon the ground covering our heads. Once the shootout was over we got

back up on our feet again and started to walk towards a crowd.We went over to a woman with a pink dress and her hair up in a bun.Can I help you children? asked the woman. Yes, please, can you tellus where the school is? I said. Over there around the corner. Weboth said thank you and ran toward the school. When we walked intothe school we saw kids of all ages! We stayed where we were becausewe could feel tons of eyes on us, then the teacher hit a stick on her deskand all of the kids looked forward. Suddenly the teacher hit the stick ontwo desks and told us to sit down. We were in there the whole day! Itwas so cool because we even had a spelling bee at the end and playeddifferent games as a class!

Once the school day was over Matt and I went outside to find thetime machine. We didnt want to go but it was getting dark there. Inever thought Id say this but that was the best Monday that I have everhad! Finally we found it and got in it. Before we left we saw a man deadon the ground, he apparently didnt win the shootout, and I felt bad forthe man.

Then we punched in the date: January 31, 2012 then POOF!, wewere in our school again. Mr. Wacky came up to us and said, wasntthat amazing? Matt started to smile and so did I. WE couldnt believewe were the first time travelers! Best school day ever.

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Western Meadolark, Medium MarkerTrego, Grade 5Adrian Dietz

The TrainSecond Place WinnerBrittany FossColby, Grade 4

The Train

Taking a bath for a kid is never much fun, but today Im excited. Im

going to ride on a train! After the bath I get an all-new haircut and newclothes. Mrs. Cooper told me Im fixin to get a new home soon.

That afternoon Mrs. Cooper escorts me onto the train. In the train thereare wooden seats and a whole lot of children aboard are hopingsomeone will want them. After a while a few kids get sleepy and go tosleep. The bigger ones watch out for their little brothers and sisters.Hoping that they wont get separated from each other.

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Then my little bother Jackson asks me if we will get put together. I toldhim that I dont know. We can just hope for the best Jackson.

Then suddenly the train stops and a man comes in. Hes shouting for all

the males to one side if youre over age 8. The train cant go anyfurther the tracks have been iced over from the melting snow. Hurry!he shouts. Grab a bucket of sand and pour over the ice. All thechildren go crazy looking out the window. The same man came in andtold us thanks for the help and that were moving on.

Were getting close Mr. Sulzman said. Where are we going? askedClara. Were headed to Kansas City, youve got another day on thetrain. Jackson got really excited once he heard that news; he was reallylooking forward to running around a bit.

Soon we make a stop for more wood for the train and a meal. It was adelicious meal of cold fried chicken, green beans and cold milk just thekind of meal that puts a kid to sleep quickly.

The next day, we arrived at St. Joseph, Missouri and everyone wasexcited. As we got off the train, Mrs. Cooper dusted off our clothes,fixed our hair with spit and hustled us in line for the stage of the localtheatre. Behind the curtain, as were on stage Im thinking and crossingmy fingers hoping to get picked.

Kayla JaegerColby, Grade 1

The Hiss-Butterflies

Once in a land far away there was a motherand father Hiss-Butterfly, the Motherwas going to lay eggs on the milkweed.

Once the babies were born, they began towonder off making it hard for theparents to keep track of them.Two, wondered off into a portal.They were terrified because they

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didnt know where they were. Fred andKayla exited the portal and they were extremely dizzy.When their eyes focused, they noticed that they were HUMAN His-

Butterflies!

Fred said, Were standing up, but on what?

You know Fred, Ive seen these before, humans have them to getaround. Do you think they the legs they speak of? If so, this is howhumans travel.

What should we do? Fred asked.

Lets try them out, Fred. I see some milkweed nearby and Im thirsty.

So they tried. Together they wobbled and tripped all the way to the

milkweed. It was so refreshing and yummy they fell asleep in the petals.

*Kayla created her animal on www.buildyourwildself.com and then heradventure.

Cowboys Lasso Their Cattle:First Place Winner

Julia Lawson

Rawlins County, Grade 5

Cowboys lasso their cattle.Strays escaping the herd.Long hours in the saddle.Silent thoughts, not spoken words.

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Dusk to darkness falls.Its time to set up camp.Come and eat yallBy the light of a campfire lamp.

Time to hit the sack.Cowboys bedded down.All around its black,So very far from town.

Sunrise comes too quickly.Its time to hit the trail.Drive the cattle onwardTo Abilene without fail.

The job is almost overWorking on the open range.Ready for a paycheck,Clean clothes and a little change

Kansas Oh KansasThird Place WinnerSaige Newman

Goodland, Grade 4

Kansas Oh Kansas

Kansas oh Kansas wild and free

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Kansas oh Kansas you mean a lot to me

Your golden grain growing tall

There are pumpkins to harvest in the fall

In the winter there is snow

And the wind how it will blow

In the spring it's still a bit cold

The new plants will replace the old

In the summer when it's hot

Is it boring, no it's not

Kansas is the best state

It's God's land, he knows it's fate

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Sam NdiayeTrego, Grade 5

I used cake batter, 3 eggs, 1 cups of water, 2 teaspoonsvegetable oil, twinkies and sunflower seeds. The sunflowerseeds represent how old Kansas is --- 151 years.

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Sunflowers

Harley RoyHill City, Grade 5

There are many kinds of flowers in Kansas. The state flower is the sunflower. It

has yellow petals and a brown center. It gets its name because it turns toward

the sun. The sunflower can grow really tall. Many people use the sunflower in

many ways.

Farmers grow sunflowers on their farms. Sunflower seeds are edible. You canput them on salads or in recipes. You can also turn sunflowers into sunflower oil

and use it for cooking. It can be ground into flour. People use the seeds for bird

seed. People can use the petals to make dye.

You can find the sunflower in many states. Kansas has the most sunflowers.

You can see sunflowers in the country or on a farm. They can also grow in

everyday gardens. The sunflower will grow in the spring or summer but it usually

grows during the summer. I love sunflowers, do you?

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Sunflower, Clay Mold painted and antiquedPayton SelbyTrego, Grade 5

John Deere inHarrison StephensGrinnell, Grade 4

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Sweet Ol KansasJordyn VincentGrinnell, Grade 4

Sweet Ol Kansas

Sweet ol Kansas is where I live.

Its the state that has lots to give,

Bringing lots of fun for everyone!

Dont forget to visit this sweet ol state!

Its great!

The Medallion v 2

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Transcript of The Medallion v 2