Jerett Pfannenstiel believes that for the most part students do tend to slack in the spring because they have already been in the classrooms for seven months.

“I think when kids stop trying they’re just getting burned out,” Pfannenstiel said. “It happens to everyone, teachers get burned out too, but we all have to keep trying.”

Some students allow their grades to slip in the spring; others do just enough to get by.

Lisa Colwell has noticed teens coasting by towards the end of the year with decent grades, rather than putting forth all of their effort.

“I think a lot of kids get overwhelmed with activities in the springtime,” Colwell said. “Some kids are just getting cars and jobs, therefore, they make less time for schoolwork.”

From a student’s perspective, sophomore Laura Engel described spring time slacking as very common.

“When springtime finally arrives and the weather starts getting nice out, I think every student starts anticipating summer break.” Engel said. “We feel more relaxed when it gets towards the end of the year, and when we return back from spring break it seems like it’s all downhill from there.”

Engel admits that her grades drop a little bit in the springtime along with some of her fellow classmates. She called it a “chain reaction.”

“Some students continue to work just as hard,” Pfannenstiel said. “But I can definitely tell when students to begin to slack, especially when they’re in yearlong classes.”

Junior Juan Chavez thinks that teachers make school hardest for their students during their springtime when they know they are slacking.

“It gets so close to May and you just want to be done with the year,” Chavez said. “Maybe if teacher’s rewarded kids more often on their good work, they’d put forth more effort in the spring.”

Teens entering spring sports may not see school as their main focus, and for those finally finishing up winter activities seem to feel the need to relax.

“Spring is my season off from cheerleading,” Engel said. “I like to take advantage of it and use it to relax with friends. It’s when I can finally take a deep breath.”

Sophomores Derek Drees and Joshua Brungardt competed along with juniors Trever Rohn and Nathan Adams in the 400 Free Relay. The boys placed third. Their time was 3:57.81.

Drees, Rohn and Adams also competed with junior Torrey Contrerez in the 200 Medley Relay.  The boys placed third again with a time of 2:07.12.

Brungardt and Contrerez competed alongside sophomores Blake Mathews and Spencer Greathouse in the 200 Free Relay with a time of 1:53.09 earning them fourth place.

Drees won fourth place in the 50 Free with a time of 24.66.  Along with competing in the 50 Free, Drees competed and placed third in the 100 Free.  His time was 56.30.

Brungardt placed sixth in the 100 Free with a time of 1:02.03.

Mathews competed in the 200 Free and 500 Free.  He placed second in the 200 and third in the 500.  Mathews’ times were 2:15.54 and 6:15.16.

“I hope to improve in my 200 time to less than two minutes,” Mathews said. “Then my 500 time to lower than six minutes by the end of the year.”

Competing in the 100 Free was Rohn.  He placed fourth with a time of 58.70.

Adams placed third then fourth in the 200 IM and 100 Breast.  His times were 2:25.15 and 1:14.48.

Contrerez competed in the 100 Fly placing sixth.  His time was 1:21.13.

Competing in the 200 IM and 100 Back was junior Nathan Adams.  Adams placed fourth in both races with times of 2:28.66 and 1:08.16.

Junior Trevor Rohn competed in the 100 Free and placed fourth with a time of 58.27.

Sophomore Blake Mathews placed sixth with a time of 2:19.62 in the 200 Free.  Mathews also took sixth in the 500 Free in a time of 6:21.80.

Swimming in the 200 IM and 500 Free was sophomore Connor Hess.  Hess took sixth and fourth with times of 2:36.26 and 6:16.67.

Sophomore Derek Drees competed in the 50 Free and 100 Free.  In the 50 Free, Drees placed fourth with a time of 25.11. Drees then placed third in the 100 Free with a time of 58.05.

“I was practically walking on water like a Water Ninja,” junior Jake Nelson said. “After all of the black practices we had.”

The boys will next compete Jan. 6 at Salina South.

In the 200 Free, sophomores Connor Hess and Blake Mathews placed fourth and sixth.  Their times were 2:19.26 and 2:24.36.

Hess took fourth in the 500 Free with a time of 6:25.50. Medaling in the 500 Free along with Hess was sophomore Justus Jungnickel and junior Jake Nelson.  Jungnickel and Nelson tied for sixth with a time of 7:27.94.

The only one to place in 200 IM was junior Nathan Adams.  Adams’ time was 2:30.52 earning him a fifth place medal.

Sophomore Derek Drees and junior Trever Rohn finished the 50 Free with times of 25.49 and 26.55.  Drees placed third and Rohn followed in sixth.

Drees and Rohn also took fifth and sixth in the 100 Free. Rohn placed fifth with a time of 59.19 and Drees took sixth with his time of 59.36.

Wrapping up the placing at Hutch in the 100 Fly was junior Kevin Rivera.  Rivera placed sixth in a time of 1:33.00.

“I felt that I dramatically improved in Hutch,” Rivera said. “The first meet at Salina I got disqualified, and embarrassed almost every event that I did, but now I am swimming like a baby dolphin.”

“I’ve noticed this one person wearing the same shirt repeatedly for two years now,” sophomore Nick Petz said. “I don’t think any differently of this person; it’s just something I’ve been noticing.”

While getting ready in the morning, some people put deep thought into what they’re going to wear because of the fear of what others think.

“I’m always worried that if I wear the same jeans, people are going to look at me and think that I didn’t wash them or something.” Junior Kylie Meyers said.

Wearing the same clothing and spending a great amount of time getting ready comes hand in hand for people who worry about what they look like.

Freshman Ashley Curry said that she has to look good every single day, or else she feels self-conscious.

“It makes me more confident when I spend more time getting ready in the morning,” Curry said. “I like looking decent.”

Curry’s friend, Lexie Ditter, chimed in, saying that Curry does her hair at least seven times in the morning before actually liking it.

“When she’s finally done getting ready, she’ll ask me dumb questions like, ‘Do I look like a man?’” Ditter said.

It’s questionable on whether or not getting ready is even noticed by other people.

“I notice if a girl looks cute or something one day,” Senior Caden Junk said. “But if you asked me the next day what she was wearing, there’s no way I’d be able to tell you.”

Junk admitted that these days, girls especially have pressure put on them to look a certain way. He believes that the concept of beauty has changed dramatically.

“Back in the ‘50s beauty was more natural,” Junk said. “Nowadays, girls seem as if they try too hard, but in reality, not many people pay that close of attention.”

Self-esteem reflects someone’s personality in a tremendous way.

“I just always like to put off a good impression,” senior Christina Carreira said.  “I think if you put off a good image, others will give you more respect as well.”

For some people, Carreira’s theory is more than true, but for other’s trying to look nice is pointless.

“I never remember, or even notice what people are wearing,” freshman Lane Clark said. “I’ll wear a blue shirt and black shorts and not think anything of it. They’re just clothes.”

Junior Sidney Schmeidler also said that she doesn’t worry about what she wears to school.

“It’s overrated to worry about what people think,” Schmeidler said. “The only opinion that matters is your own, nobody even pays attention.”

“I’ve noticed this one person wearing the same shirt repeatedly for two years now,” sophomore Nick Petz said. “I don’t think any differently of this person; it’s just something I’ve been noticing.”

While getting ready in the morning, some people put deep thought into what they’re going to wear because of the fear of what others think.

“I’m always worried that if I wear the same jeans, people are going to look at me and think that I didn’t wash them or something.” Junior Kylie Meyers said.

Wearing the same clothing and spending a great amount of time getting ready comes hand in hand for people who worry about what they look like.

Freshman Ashley Curry said that she has to look good every single day, or else she feels self-conscious.

“It makes me more confident when I spend more time getting ready in the morning,” Curry said. “I like looking decent.”

Curry’s friend, Lexie Ditter, chimed in, saying that Curry does her hair at least seven times in the morning before actually liking it.

“When she’s finally done getting ready, she’ll ask me dumb questions like, ‘Do I look like a man?’” Ditter said.

It’s questionable on whether or not getting ready is even noticed by other people.

“I notice if a girl looks cute or something one day,” Senior Caden Junk said. “But if you asked me the next day what she was wearing, there’s no way I’d be able to tell you.”

Junk admitted that these days, girls especially have pressure put on them to look a certain way. He believes that the concept of beauty has changed dramatically.

“Back in the ‘50s beauty was more natural,” Junk said. “Nowadays, girls seem as if they try too hard, but in reality, not many people pay that close of attention.”

Self-esteem reflects someone’s personality in a tremendous way.

“I just always like to put off a good impression,” senior Christina Carreira said.  “I think if you put off a good image, others will give you more respect as well.”

For some people, Carreira’s theory is more than true, but for other’s trying to look nice is pointless.

“I never remember, or even notice what people are wearing,” freshman Lane Clark said. “I’ll wear a blue shirt and black shorts and not think anything of it. They’re just clothes.”

Junior Sidney Schmeidler also said that she doesn’t worry about what she wears to school.

“It’s overrated to worry about what people think,” Schmeidler said. “The only opinion that matters is your own, nobody even pays attention.”

The girls beat Salina Central, but lost to Pratt Skyline and Phillipsburg.

Salina Central – W 25-23, 25-20

Phillipsburg – L 17-25, 23-25

Pratt Skyline – L 19-25, 25-23, 22-25

Volleyball plays today at the Colby Quad.

Every time any sports group wins, someone write s up what the points scored were and whether if it was varsity, junior varsity, or the freshman group.  For individual sports such as wrestling , cross country, and golf; someone writes what the whole team placed and the individual placers.

“The victory wall was started by Dawn Albers and a couple other people,” coach Rick Keltner said.  “It started before I was a Spirit Club sponsor which would have been between eight to 10 years ago.”

“The reason we have the wall is to give recognition to all teams that win,” Keltner said.  “It also shows that when schools come in or other people stop to read it, that we have pride to show that we win.”

“Instead of having a cheerleader or sponsor update the wall, we now have only coaches do it.” Keltner said.