In the education system, schools are divided up by class, 1A-6A, depending on the amount of students enrolled in a certain school. With 1A being the smallest class, for example, Palco High School, to 6A being a school with a large number of students, Dodge City High.

Based on the school size it affects the competition in sports, music, journalism/yearbook and debate/forensics at state level tournaments. Hays High has been a 4A school for over four years, but according to the Kansas State High School Activates Association, Hays High has officially bumped up to a 5A school.

Vice Principal and athletic director Lance Krannawitter stated that football was officially posted as a 5A division on Aug 13^th. However, the rest of the programs had to wait until Sept. 20^th for official results.

“I was 95 percent sure we would become 5A this year,” Krannawitter said.

Hays high had 791 students enrolled last year, which made it the largest 4A school in Kansas. This year there are 837 students enrolled.

Since the class change, coaches see this as an opportunity to compete with larger and tougher teams across Kansas. Girls golf head coach Mark Watts said no matter the division the team is still working hard.

“They come out to practice and try to improve every day,” Watts said. “We just try to work on our weaknesses.”

In the music department, band director Matt Rome said it would only affect them at music festivals. The judges will be more picky and judge more harshly.

“We’ll be playing more advanced and harder pieces,” Rome said. “But we’ll practice and practice. We’re capable of it.”

Journalism and yearbook will also be affected at the state level tournament that takes place in the summer.

Journalism and yearbook instructor Bill Gasper said that competition will be harder because of the larger schools. They have more students, so they’ll have more options to send students to the state competition.

Gasper plans on helping his students become better reporters, writers and photographers by simply practicing and giving more advice.

“It’s just like with sports, practice makes perfect,” Gasper said.

Debate and Forensics are other activities that would also be affected with a larger division. It will not only change the location for regional and state tournaments, it will also affect the competition.

Debate for 5A is dominated by more policy-maker debate, versus 4A which is more traditional stock issues debate. For forensics, the number and type of events offered are different. Head coach for both debate and forensics Codi Fenwick said judging requirements differ at the state level.

20ymaldonado@usd489.com