TheRock-ItNEWS Rose Hill High School 104 N. Rose Hill Road Rose Hill, Kansas, 67133

Monday, November 21, 2011Volume 12 Issue 5 Student voice of RHHS

Joe Coles talks to RHHS about bullyingOn Monday, November 14, Joe Coles

spoke to each class separately about bullying. He told some jokes, but he also said some very serious things. He told stories about people committing suicide because they got bullied.

Freshman Allie Swada said, “Three words…wow cool mom. The thing I’ll remember most from the assembly is ‘wow cool mom.’ I think it was a VERY effective assembly. My favorite part of the assembly was ‘wow cool mom.’”

Sophomore Erin Walls said, “We listened to Joe Coles talk about bullying and the effects it can have on people. He told us to stand up, find a partner, shake their hand, and say things like ‘you’re super duper’ or ‘you’re awesome.’ I’m definitely going to remember the stuff he said about companies being able to find everything you’ve ever posted/sent on the Internet. That could completely

ruin some job opportunities you could get later in your life! I think it was a little long, but other than that it was good. I’ll probably remember the ‘wow cool mom’ the most.”

Junior Jaime Schultz said, “We listened to a guy talk about bullying. The thing I’ll always remember is that nobody deserves to be treated disrespect-fully and even the smallest gesture can make someone’s day. Yes, I do think the assembly was effective. My favorite part of the assembly was the ‘wow cool mom’ part.”

Senior Jake Treat said, “The assembly was about the effects that bullying had on kids, and the speaker tried to teach us how to be positive. We did things like standing up, and giving compliments to our neighbor. I was shocked most by the stories of suicide, and even though I myself have never really been a bully, I

will try more to stop if I see it. To some I think it was effective. Others, I think, ignored it. The exercise where you tried to catch your partner’s finger was my favorite part.”

Camille Mitchell

A major part of being a Rocket would be being a fan. If students did not participate in school spirit, athletes and other organizations would not have any motivation to do the best they can and win their way to state.

This year all the fall sports teams and the robotics teams have all made it to state. Boosting the school spirit to the maximum, students have done the best they could to cheer on the teams.

“I love hanging out with my friends and eating tons of food before the games,” said junior Keanu Bradley.

Whether it is in the gym or in the park-ing lot, our spirit never fails in leading

Paige JohnstonRockets blast off with school spirit

Rocket teams to success. Running along the track with a flag or cheering along with the cheerleaders, senior Gage Grant never fails to pump up the crowd with his own spirit.

“It’s my senior year and I want to make it the best by being involved see page 4 Fans.

Joe Coles spoke Monday at the assembly. His presentation was about bullying and the consequences of bullying. Photo by Josh Jones.

See page 1.See page 8.

Rocket fans attend every home game for every sport, and most away games. The Rocket student section, even at away games, can out-cheer any home crowd. This crowd attended volleyball senior night against Buhler. Photo by Josh Jones.

Monday, November 21, 20112 Editorial

Tardiness has negative consequencesKatie Gilbert

Everyone is late sometimes. It is a fact of life. For most things, being a few min-utes late is not a big deal, but at school, being late can be a big problem.

School starts at 7:50 a.m., which is kind of early. Students also have to deal with trains and the occasional late bus. Trains cause a lot of tardies here in Rose Hill, but those tardies are excused in the office. Unexcused tardies can cause some major problems for students.

Teachers keep track of who is tardy, and how many times. If a student is tardy to the same class three times, he or she gets a detention. Every tardy after the third—in that specific class—results in a referral and a detention or an extended school day (ESD), depending on the number of tardies. RHHS assistant prin-cipal Brian Deterding said, “For every tardy you get in that class afterwards until the end of the semester is additional time. A lot of students are under the misconception that once you hit three it starts over and you get three more until you get another referral. That’s not how it goes. Every tardy you get after that un-til semester equals some time. Typically you’ll do a detention from about three to maybe six or seven [tardies]. From there it turns into ESD’s and hopefully it doesn’t get to the point that we have to look at doing something more…”

All Rose Hill schools start about the same time, although the high school does start earliest. There is no reason students should be late more than three times in one semester; school starts the same time everyday but Wednesday—which is later.

Being on time is very important. In the “real world”—outside of high school—being late has bigger consequences than a detention. Deterding said, “It isn’t so much what we do first hour. It’s creating a very bad habit for students. Regard-less of what you’re supposed to do when you’re supposed to be somewhere, once you start work you may have five minutes to do whatever…We start at 7:50 you need to be here by 7:50. Now unfortunately, you get into a bad habit of, ‘Well we don’t do anything for the first

ten minutes so I’m going to show up at 8:00.’ That’s a very hard habit to break once you’ve gotten into that routine of showing up ten minutes late…[In] the work force later on, they’re not going to be so accommodating, say ‘oh, it’s going to be a detention’…they’re going to say, ‘sorry you, can’t get here on time you’re not going to work for us anymore.’ We’re trying to teach some life skills to kids so later on that doesn’t come back and bite them.”

Getting into the habit of accepting the

consequences for being late, is danger-ous. Employers do not give detentions or ESD’s; they fire workers who are late.

While Deterding cannot access any past records to say whether or not there are more tardies this year than in years past, he did keep track of the number of unexcused tardies for the first quarter of this year. “We had about 330 tardies to first hour during the first nine weeks. That is a lot,” said Deterding. He was only counting unexcused tardies in that number.

Monday, November 21, 20113 News

The Rock-It News is the official student publication of Rose Hill High School. The newspaper will be published 14 times during the school year of 2011-2012. The Rock-It News is produced by the journalism students in Newspaper, Yearbook, and Video Production classes. Journalism teacher Butch Gilbert is the advisor. The school’s phone number is 316-776-3360: Mr. Gilbert’s email address is cgilbert@usd394.com. Anyone interested in advertising in the Rock-It News should contact Mr. Gilbert and he will designate a student to contact the potential advertiser. Current students who make up the staff of the newspaper include: • Editor-in-Chief, Opinion Editor, and Layout Editor - Katie Gilbert, senior • Assistant Editor - Paige Johnston, senior • Feature Editor, Assistant Layout Editor - Caylee Sprague, junior • News Editor, Reporter - McKenzie Randall, senior • Sports Editor, Reporter, Photographer - Samantha Shepherd, senior • Assistant Sports Editor, Reporter - Amber Anderson, senior • Assistant News Editor, Advertising Manager - Kelsey Loecke, senior • Feature Writer, Reporter, Photographer - Nicole Dinwiddie, senior • Reporter, Photographer - Josh Jones, senior • Reporter, Photographer - Camille Mitchell, sophomore • Feature Writer, Reporter - Meredith Bartley, freshman • Cartoonist - Alysha Phillips, junior

Being a good business student could result in an awardFor the month of October Andrea

Burghardt was awarded Business Student of the Month. She said, “I was actually surprised. I walked into Shelman’s class to give her a note and she surprised me with it in front of her freshman class. I didn’t think I would actually get it be-cause I am not currently enrolled in any of her classes.”

Burghardt has taken five business classes. For getting this award she has received a plaque with her name on it and a certificate for a large pizza at Pizza Hut. Her advice for other students would be “Take many different business classes to receive this award. Staying on task and finishing the class with a good grade always helps.”

McKenzie Randall For the month of November Cierra Bentley received the Business Student of the Month. After she won this award she said “I felt very accomplished and I feel like I’ll be able to succeed in accounting in college because of all the classes I’ve taken.”

Some things she did to earn the award are taking five business classes, getting good grades in all the classes, and having a good attitude.

As well as Burghardt, Bentley also was awarded with a plaque and a certifi-cate to Pizza Hut. Her advice for other students who want this award is to take a lot of business classes and work hard.

This year’s Snoball theme: neon tundraThe KAY club sponsors Snoball and

the theme has been picked. It is neon tundra. Snoball will be on December 3rd.

KAY sponsor Teri Koester said, “The students were wanting a rave theme but because it’s winter and it’s a formal dance we decided to go with a white theme with neon colors so that’s how we came up with neon tundra.”

In the past there has been some confu-

Kelsey Loecke sion about what people can wear. Senior Sammi Meikle said, “The neon theme was so it could be a dance club type theme but it doesn’t mean that outfits have to be neon or white.”

Many people go to Snoball every year. Devyn Pointer said, “Snoball is fun and exciting and we get to hang out with our friends and our dates. It’s the only dance the lowerclassmen get to dress up for.”

KAY club president Shelby Johnson

said, “There [could be] a chocolate fountain!”

Many are planning on attending Sno-ball and KAY club is hopeful that it’ll be another great year.

Senior Andrea Burghardt is the Business Student of the Month for October. Senior Cierra Bentley is the November student. No photo of Bentley was found. Photo by Josh Jones.

Monday, November 21, 20114 Features

Fans

Seniors rewarded for their achievements

in everything and show my spirit, “ said Grant.

Being a part of the crowd may be an adrenaline rush of its own, but nothing compares to the pressure and intensity being on the field or court provides.

Athletes are able to look at the crowd and see smiling faces and wide eyes due to their achievements on the field.

“Nothing feels better than making a big hit on the soccer field and hearing the student section go crazy,” senior William Wyatt.

Dedicated fans make the experience worthwhile. With multiple ways to show their spirit, most students attend the games and are just as enthusiastic as the cheerleaders and athletes are.

cont’d from page 1

Seniors Bo Baldridge and Katie Gilbert are the senior citizens of the month for October. Photo by Josh Jones.

The seniors who got the senior citizen-ship award for the month of October are Katie Gilbert and Bo Baldridge. This is a great award to be able to get a chance for a scholarship.

Gilbert said “I was surprised and happy for the recognition. It’s nice when people notice that you’re trying.” Some of the things Katie does that got her this award is doing all her homework, trying to follow all the rules and also being polite to people.

McKenzie Randall After she won this award she said “I got a nice parking spot in the front of the parking lot, a board with pictures in the office window, and a chance for a schol-arship at the end of the year.”

Gilbert’s advice for students who try and get this award would be to “work hard, don’t complain, and don’t cause trouble in class.”

Baldridge said he was very surprised when he won this award. His advice would be to be nice to people because that is how he was awarded for this.

Reaching the end of the first semester, this year’s foreign exchange students blend in the halls well. Senior exchange student Leonie Sager comes from Berlin, Germany and senior Stina Ahlmark comes from Gothenburg, Sweden.

Sager comes from a small school with roughly 300 students. She is adapting well to our school system compared to hers at home. “We don’t have school sports after school like here,” said Sager.

In the spring, she plans to be involved in track. Back at home Sager danced bal-let for 10 years. When it comes to what

Foreign exchange students missing their familiesPaige Johnston she likes most, there is not just one thing

to enjoy in the American life. “I can’t say what I like most. Going to high school, meeting new people. The football games, proms, and the school spirit,” said Sager.

Sager has no plans about where she will visit while here. She misses her family and friends the most. “I miss my family and to eat breakfast, lunch or din-ner together,” Sager said.

Ahlmark misses her family along with her friends, food, and the fashion. What she misses most about her family Ahlmark said, “That it’s MY family. I really like my host family but it’s not the same thing.”

Her favorite thing about America is the people. She plans to travel to California, Florida, Colorado, and Chicago while she is here. Just like in Germany, Ahl-mark comes from a school where they do not have sports. Ahlmark was involved in cross-country in the fall, and does not plan to try out for any sports in the winter or spring.

Different countries means different school systems and schedules, “We don’t have the same classes everyday. We don’t have a bell so our breaks aren’t in the time. We can leave the school during our breaks,” said Ahlmark.

Seniors Katelynn Slade, Caleb Feigl, Cody Adams and Dalton Lipsey support the football team during the homecoming game. Photo by Mark Blauser.

Monday, November 21, 20115 Features

NHS inducts new members into prestigious groupMeredith Bartley

Robotics prepares for Regionals in ArkansasCaylee Sprague

On Tuesday, November 8, 15 juniors and seniors were inducted into Rose Hill High School’s branch of the National Honor Society (NHS) in an annual cer-emony.

Senior points chair Molly Ellison, senior president Kalyn Pfaff, senior vice president Miranda Raevsky, senior sec-retary/treasurer Katie Gilbert , and junior Stuco rep TJ Slade spoke, then NHS sponsor Risa Haug read the inductees’ names while Pfaff lit the new members’ candles. Said Haug, “The induction cer-emony is kind of our official ceremony where we bring in our new members,

and even though some of them have been participated already, this is mak-ing it official, this is where they say the pledge, where they commit to being a good citizen and part of our trip. It’s also an opportunity to include parents in this event.”

Junior Sierra Skillings, who was inducted at the ceremony, thought the inductions went fairly well, and said “Kalyn, Miranda, Katie, and Molly all did a very good job speaking.” Her favorite part, she said, “was probably the candle lighting, even though we were all scared we would burn ourselves.”

Pfaff was proud of the new members.

“I’m really excited about the new group we have this year. It was great to honor and celebrate all that they’ve accom-plished,” said Pfaff.

Pfaff and Raevsky were inducted last year, in November as well. Raevsky remembers her induction well. Said Raevsky, “[I] lit my candle from the flames on the person next to me’s candle as Haug read my name. I then read the pledge at the same time as all the other students being inducted at that time.”

While NHS is an academic- and lead-ership-based group, they love to have a great time. Said Raevsky, “NHS is incredibly fun!”

The newly inducted members and the old members of NHS. Members had to apply for admittance into the group and the induction ceremony honors new members and recognizes their achievements. Photo by Mark Blauser.

Game day was a success for the Rose Hill BEST Robotics team when they were declared one of six teams that qualified for Regionals for their note-book, teamwork, and team exhibit at game day.

Team members arrived at Koch Arena early in the morning on November 5 for their game day. All members represent-ing Rose Hill High School rushed to get set up for the busy day that awaited them.

As the day went on, juniors Chelsea Pinkerton and Caylee Sprague gave a speech to four judges describing their team exhibit, which incorporated the theme, “BUGS!” Pinkerton said, “They didn’t ask any major questions, which is

usually a sign that they got all necessary information from the display alone.” All judges visit participating school’s tables and rank them according to how specific, creative, and organized they are.

Meanwhile, members that control the robot, known as “drivers,” competed against robots from other schools to score as many points as they could. During the rounds, teammates sat in the stands cheering on the driver as he col-lected game pieces for points. Rose Hill finished at tenth place for game points.

Ending the day was the awards ceremony, where schools are awarded for their efforts and successes for game day. Rose Hill was declared the first place winner of the Cessna “Teamwork” Award for displaying how well they

worked together throughout the day. Group sponsor Lee Ann Youse said, “Once we won the “Teamwork” award, I didn’t care if we got to go to Region-als because I knew we had done great.” The team also received second place for the Bombardier Learjet “Craftsmanship” award and fourth place for the BEST award, which is based on the team’s overall evaluation.

Finishing off the ceremony, the six teams qualifying for Regionals were announced. When Rose Hill Quark Robotics was called, senior driver Jason Prior said, “I am so proud of the team and I hope we continue to get stronger for Regionals.” They will continue onto regionals on December 9 and 10 in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Monday, November 21, 20116 Entertainment

Caylee Sprague‘Our (Zombie) Town’ performances successful

Cast members performed the classic adapted by English teacher Mark Blauser for an eager audience last Saturday and Sunday and received many compliments for their hard work.

To start the show off, the Rose Hill Performance Dance class did a zombie themed recital where they wore character make up and costume to set the mood for the upcoming play.

All actors had to portray their char-acters as real people. Many found the gravediggers to be the funniest. Junior audience member Katy Nutsch said, “The gravediggers were my favorite part. They were so funny and Lauren [Kalp] was hilarious.” Both showings drew

laughter throughout the play. During intermissions, actors

rushed to change costumes and pre-pare for the next act. With little time to get ready, the performers hurried to finish becoming their characters before stage lights came on and show time continued. Junior lead Lauren Kalp said, “Even though I didn’t have a costume change, I spent a lot of time helping other ac-tors who had to be back on stage at the beginning of the act.”

The Rose Hill Drama Department managed to perform an adapted classic and impress the audience simultaneously. Junior audi-ence member Jamie Frazier said, “Having never seen the original, I couldn’t imagine it without zom-bies. I think [Blauser] did a great job modernizing an old play.”

Audience members showered the cast with compliments at the end of each performance, but for the actors it was a relief to see a cheerful crowd and know they had pulled off the creative

show. Kalp said, “[The cast] was so stressed during rehearsals up until the final showings, but I feel we pulled it off smoothly.”

Sophomore Christian Boudreaux and junior Chelsea Pinkerton were the leads in “Our (Zombie) Town.” Boudreaux was George Gibbs and Pinkerton played Emily Webb. Photo by Caylee Sprague.

Junior Lauren Kalp was Gravedigger 2. Her job was to tell the story and keep the cast from dying. The last was not always a success. Photo by Caylee Sprague.

The cast of “Our (Zombie) Town” put in many hours of rehearsal after school to put on the adaptation of the classic play. The hardest part may have been not gettting eaten by their undead fellows. Photo by Mark Blauser.