Mansfield School Blog

By: Kimber Stout

The winter’s been so long,

But now it’s almost gone.

Babe, the winter’s been so long,

But now it’s almost gone.

School’s about to end,

And summer’s about to begin.

School keeps dragging on,

Every day seems a mile long.

Oh, school keeps dragging on,

Every day seems a mile long.

The end seems so near,

But yet it seems so far.

All the fun seems to be passing me by,

Making time drag on, seming to never end.

Yeah, all the fun seems to be passing me by,

Making time drag on, seeming to never end.

Oh how I wish, I could be at the creek,

Just hanging with my friends.

The weather’s turning warmer,

Making school feel like torture.

Babe, the weather’s turning warmer,

Making school feel like torture.

I can’t wait to get out of this prison,

And make my escape into my heaven.

The time is coming near,

It’s so close I can almost taste it.

Oh, the time is coming near,

It’s so close I can almost taste it.

If I can h old on just a little longer,

I think I may just make it.

Mansfield High School’s yearbook, the El Leon, will be available for orders through May 11. Orders for the fall delivery yearbook for the 2011-2012 school year can be made in the high school, middle school or elementary offices. Basic books are $35 each. Personalization and a variety of icons are also available. Copies of the 2010-2011 El Leon are also available in the high school office for $35 while supplies last.

By: Nicole Mitchell

Due to scheduling conflicts, Summit Band Contest will not be hosted by Hartville High School as originally scheduled. Instead, the contest will be hosted by MHS.

Summit Band Contest is a relatively new event. This year will be its third occurrence with last year’s cancelled due to severe weather. MHS is ready to take up the challenge of hosting the event.

“I’m excited,” Autumn Bennett, band director, said. “It’s going to be exciting to show what we’ve got.”

About 50 students from conference schools will be attending. All of the students will be split into groups. The different groups will be assigned rooms for auditions. The students will play their audition pieces, and the judges in the room will determine their positions.

“Lots of factors come into play,” Bennett said. “We need the gym, chairs, mats, use of the different classrooms and parent help. It’s going to be a group effort.”

After the auditions, students will gather in the gym to get chair placement and begin rehearsal. There will be a clinician for the day to help the students and to direct the band. The clinician this year will be Marvin Manring, band director at Stockton High School.

Band boosters will be providing a lunch of pizza, chips and soda. After lunch, students will start the rehearsal.

Twelve MHS students will be participating.

“I’m excited to see how things go this year,” senior Nicole Mitchell said. “It’s my senior year, and I’m excited that my school is hosting.”

Mitchell is first chair baritone saxophone.

After the event, the entire band will hold a concert that is open to the public.

By: Nathan Bogart

The stage is set. The cows are mooing. The barn is full of the smell of fresh manure, and the whole place is packed with students fighting to get a closer look at the animals. It’s a normal scene at any FFA contest and what three MHS students live for.

Seniors Kyle Rummens, Christian Gray and Katie Hanson have participated in FFA competitions through all four years of high school. The three banded together as freshman and have worked together ever since.

“They’re smart. They work hard, and they care,” adviser Stan Coday said.

As freshmen, Rummens, Hanson and Gray took part in FFA’s poultry contest for which they attended district contest, but did not qualify by only three points. They returned the next year, determined to do better, and reached seventh at districts, qualifying for state. At state, they took fifth.

“We felt really good about our performance, especially after barely making it at districts,” Hanson said.

Last year, the team was more motivated. The competed in dairy cattle judging and dominated at every contest they attended. The three took first at district contest and took third at state.

“We knew that we had a chance at state and felt like we had accomplished our goal by getting third place in the entire state,” Rummens said.

After their impressive performance last year, the team members were invited to attend World Dairy Expo in Louisville, Kentucky.

“I was nervous going up against kids that had prepared a lot more than we had,” Gray said.

After attending the international contest, Rummens, Hanson and Gray have earned themselves the name Dream Team.

“The name came as a joke from friends,” Hanson said, “but it just kind of stuck.”

By: Jordyn Loge

Hard work and dedication paid off for two MHS students this year.

Seniors Christian Gray and Katie Hanson both ranked number on in GPA for the class of 2012, making them co-valedictorians. Salutatorian is Emily Neal, who is very close behind.

“I enjoyed the tie,” Neal said, “because it enabled me to get salutatorian.”

The three seniors have been at the top of their class all through high school.

“I feel that us three worked hard to keep our grades up and we all deserved something to show for it,” Gray said.

The three seniors have taken most of the dual credit classes offered at MHS.

“Some classes we have had are Chemistry, College Writing, College Algebra and Trig/Calculus,” Hanson said.

The classes were difficult, but the three were determined to succeed.

“I have enjoyed taking all of the hard classes with Katie and Christian,” Neal said. “It has challenged me to do better and learn more.”

When the trio found out the results, they were very pleased.

“I was a little nervous,” Gray said, “but I knew I did my best. I would’ve been satisfied with the outcome either way.”

But Neal didn’t even consider being nervous.

“I wasn’t nervous to see what people would get because I didn’t expect to get either one,” she said.

By: Tucker Kirkland

Beginning cheerleading two years ago, senior Trey Jones was instantly hooked on the sport.

In fact, Jones became so good that he was invited to cheer camp tryouts sponsored by Central Methodist University on Feb. 25. By the end of the tryouts, the Fayette based school had selected Jones as Best High School Cheerleader (male).

“I didn’t think I was good enough for something like this,” Jones said.

But he was.

After having been selected, Jones visited the CMU campus.

“It was a three and a half hour drive that took forever,” Jones said.

The drive was worth it for Jones though, when he was selected for a cheerleading scholarship.

“I was the only guy to try out,” Jones said, “and the girl I was lifting was the best I’ve ever stunted with. She helped me a lot.”

Jones’s cheerleading coach, Tracy Collins, is happy for him but was not surprised by his success.

“I knew immediately that Trey had a gift,” Collins said.

By: Tyler Henry

When the whistle sounds, the runners bolt.

Spring track season has begun. Some of the 2012 athletes are juniors Bryon Stout, 400 meters, and Dusty Equevilley, 400 meters, and sophomores T. J. Hilton, 100 meters, Chance Reed, shot put, and James Samuel, shot put.

“I joined track because it’s been around for may years and my father had competed in track when he was in high school,” Reed said. “I also think I’m better at track than any other sport, and it is a good way to spend time with my friends.”

But participation in track requires commitment.

“Although it is a hard, athletic sport with long practices and extensive workouts, I think it’s better for me to stay occupied with something,” Reed added.

In fact, Reed has a history with the sport.

“I first joined track when I was in the seventh grade, and I prepared in the off season by running a little bit every day, eating right and getting good practice with a shot put I bought for myself,” Reed said.

In this sport, it is true that the more an athlete puts in, the more that athlete gets out. As MHS track team members prepare for the season, they can expect good results.

By: Stephen Trent

Once the competitor starts speaking, the crowd gets quiet. The competitor speaks until the minimum time allowed.

Three students at MHS competed in speech tournaments this year with the goal of attending national competition.

“What I feel about nationals is that I’m nervous,” junior Ben Smith said, “because we are going to compete with top schools.”

The members of the speech team practice half an hour to an hour each day at school or at home.

“I just drag things out as long as possible,” Smith said.

Last year, former student Devon Huff went to state and nationals, but winning by itself is not the only reason team members compete.

“There is lots of laughing and loving speech with my speech team and friends from other schools,” junior Savannah Phifer said. “That and I accidentally smacked Ben [Smith] in the face with my laptop.”

Team members really like coach Calvin Helsley.

“If I have any problems in speech,” junior Shafi Williams said, “I will just go talk to Calvin, and he will help me.”

By: Jordyn Loge

Baseball season is approaching, and MHS Lions have mixed feelings about the season. Senior Kyle Rummens is preparing to make his last baseball season his best.

“There is definitely a new sense of urgency that I didn’t have in previous years,” Rummens said. “Being a senior made me realize that I have just a short time left to play this game. I have worked and played competitive baseball since grade school, and I intend to bring it all together this spring.”

Several area teams will make the spring a challenge for the Lions, but Rummens is confident.

“Basically, we will play the same kids I’ve played since freshman year,” Rummens said. “Most of the teams have a lot of returning starters, but so do we. Sot the competition will be pretty intense. We have a legit shot to compete for both titles: districts and conference. It’s going to take a lot of hard work and a little luck. If we all stay healthy and committed, we’ll be very successful.”

The Lions start the season on March 22 on the road against the Ava Bears.

By: Nathan Bogart and Nicole Mitchell

The MHS Future Business Leaders of America chapter received 14 first place ranks, one second place rank and many third place and below ratings at the District 14 contest on Friday, Feb. 10. The first place winners will all be going to Columbia to compete at the state level on April 22. The group is advised by teacher Marsha Appleby.

“I am so proud of my kids,” Appleby said.

Many of the students who are going to state have already started preparing. One team, entrepreneurship, is also planning strategies to win in April.

“I enjoy it,” senior Nathan Bogart said. “It’s awesome. I’m good at it. That’s why I like it.”

But the competition is tough.

“We have to start working now if we want to have any chance at winning because this is going to be a lot tougher at the state level,” senior Christian Gray said.

“FBLA contest is pretty much just tests,” Bogart added. “the tests cover most subjects business related such as entrepreneurship, banking and financial systems.”

But competition is not the only reason FBLA members compete.

“It’s also nice to get out and meet new people,” Bogart said. “I enjoy the experience.”

Senior Jordyn Loge took first place in Business Plan Project (a team event).

“It took a long time to get finished,” Loge said, “but the hard work paid off. Now I’m going to state. I like FBLA because it’s a fun club to be a part of. It also teaches important business concepts that will be useful in life.”