A study of budget cuts for the arts has won a national advocacy award for the Kansas Music Educators Association. Hays High School director of bands Craig Manteuffel is the group’s vice-president.

The survey finds that more than 600 music positions in grades K – 12 have been eliminated in Kansas the past five years.

Manteuffel calls it a “real travesty.  The 2012 national A-C-T average composite  is 21.1  The Kansas average is 21.9  The KMEA all-state honor group composite average is 27, a huge jump,” says Manteuffel.

“Music can do so much–teach team work, problem solving, and of course, creativity.  Today, most big corporations are looking for creative employees.”

The study, headed by a KSU professor, has been presented to national and state legislators, as well as the Kansas Board of Education.

HAYS, Kan. — Clay target shooters from Fort Hays State University took the Division II Collegiate Clay Target Championships at the national competition of the Association of College Unions International San Antonio, Texas. Tiger shooters broke 2,156 targets out of 2,300 total to place win the division and place third overall for all divisions, I, II and III.

Two team members posted perfect scores in individual events. Damian Giles, North Platte, Neb., senior, posted a perfect score in two events, breaking 100 out of 100 targets in the American Skeet and American Trap events. Ashley Nau, Gering, Neb., junior, also scored a perfect 100 in American Trap.

This was the second consecutive year that Giles was perfect, 200 for 200, in the combined American events.

The FHSU team won three events outright — International Skeet, International Trap and American Skeet — and placed in the remaining three, taking second in American Trap and Sporting Clays and tying for third in Five-Stand. Team events are not divided by gender.

Giles and Print Zutavern, Broken Bow, Neb., sophomore, were named All Americans for a second consecutive year.

In all 10 events of the season, including the national championship, said Dr. Duane Shepherd, associate professor of health and human performance and team coach, FHSU either won the high overall or were second.

Shepherd, of course, expressed his pride in the team’s accomplishments, but not only for that.

“We’re always proud of them,” he said, “not only as shooters but as individuals. They are non-scholarship and put forth their own time and effort. You have to to be proud of them. They have chosen to reach the level they have reached.”

FHSU’s team is a student organization supported by some Student Government Association funding. The team also enjoys community support and engages in various fundraising activities.

The national tournament also featured a special event for clay target shooters, a separate International Skeet and International Trap competition sponsored by USA Shooting, the governing body for the U.S. Olympics shooting teams. Nau placed second and Kendall Hostler, Grand Island, Neb., junior, placed fourth, both in International Trap, among the women shooters, and Giles placed second in the men’s International Skeet competition. First-place men and women in each category were added to USA Shooting’s Olympic development team.

FHSU’s clay target team has been competing since the spring of 2006, which was the national tournament, said Shepherd. In 2007, the team won the first of several most-improved awards for individual events and was the Division II national runner up in both 2011 and 2012.

ACUI shooting divisions are based on the number of shooters, not the size of the school. The division structure was implemented for the 2011 season.

The FHSU Shooting Team for the ACUI nationals, listed below with their hometown and FHSU classifications and majors:

Tye Smith, Bartley, Neb. McCook High School graduate, is a junior majoring in agribusiness

Print Zutavern, Broken Bow, Neb. A Broken Bow High School graduate, is sophomore majoring in agribusiness.

Ashley Nau, Gering, Neb. A Gering High School graduate, is a junior majoring in biology.

Kendall Hostler, Grand Island, Neb. A Northwest High School graduate, is a junior majoring in animal science.

Tarent Tevis, Haysville. A Derby High School graduate, is a senior majoring in agribusiness.

Caitlin Watts, Kingman. A Kingman High School graduate, is a senior majoring in social work.

Cody Pedulla, Minatare, Neb. A Scottsbluff High School graduate, is a senior majoring in marketing.

Katie Svoboda, Mitchell, Neb. A Gering High School graduate, is a sophomore majoring in speech-language pathology.

Damian Giles, North Platte, Neb. A North Platte High School graduate, is a senior majoring in justice studies.

Kilee Hutchison, Pratt. A Lakin High School graduate, is a senior majoring in animal science.

Bill Leighton, Quinter. A Quinter High School graduate, is a senior majoring in technology studies.

Robert Ring, Springfield, Colo. A Springfield High School graduate, is a senior majoring in accounting.

Zachary McClure, Tescott. A Tescott High School graduate, is a senior majoring in general science.

Bryan Hull, Wellsville. An Ottawa High School graduate, is a sophomore majoring in general studies.

Due to the probability of inclement weather, the 2013 Arbor Day celebration and the Vineyard Park Nature Area Grand Opening has been changed to Wednesday, May 1, 2013. The Arbor Day celebration will be held at the Vineyard Park Nature Area (
1650 East 41st, behind Home Depot) beginning at 12:00 p.m. Immediately following will be the Grand Opening of the Vineyard Park Nature Area at approximately 1:30 p.m. Following a brief description of the Vineyard Park Nature Area there will be a walk around the 1.1 mile trail. The general public is invited and encouraged to attend to see this new nature trail. Click on the map for a closer look