The boys cross country team won another State Championship while sophomore Reece Wright-Conklin took home a State Wrestling Championship. Most students know about these accomplishments, yet most students do not know about what the cheer and pom squads accomplished on Feb. 27 during a competition at Baker University.

   Only a fraction of the student body knows what the journalism department accomplished Feb. 26 at the Kansas State Press Association Regional competition at KU.

   The prominence of sports on the high school agenda is large. However, this does not give students a free pass to ignore the accomplishments of their peers in alternative disciplines. Teachers offer their congratulations to these winners while peers are left wondering what they have done to deserve those accolades. This should not be the case. Ignorance should not be tolerated.

   This is a school where we are expected to learn and increase our knowledge, yet we are promoting ignorance with regards to others.

   Our peers compete in the Kansas Scholastic Press Association’s Regional competition with the hopes of advancing to State. Our peers compete in chess tournaments, Scholars’ Bowl competitions, engineering expos and choir festivals. Students fiercely compete for the opportunity to represent LHS at the Kansas Music Educators Association’s convention in late February. None of it is recognized.

   Part of the blame lies on the students’ backs. The other portion of blame for this tragedy lies on those directly involved with the event. At least Chess Club posts its results from various tournaments on the announcements. The other winners are congratulated for their victories with a deafening round of silence, not applause. Announcements regarding these accomplishments are rarely heard, and as such, the students feel they are not as worthy as other groups.

   High school is supposed to prepare us for our next step in life. This step might be college or joining the workforce. The NCAA reminds viewers that “almost all student athletes will go pro in a career other than sports”. These engineering expos, choir festivals and dance competitions develop integral skills that students will use for the rest of their lives. This is not to say that sports achievements are overemphasized, but rather to say that other achievements are not held under the same microscope. How sad that a student who performs well at a competition under the name of LHS is not recognized by the students in the school.