The Patriot Issue 8 by Julie Fales

The

patriot SHAWNEE MISSION SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL

THE BODY ISSUE

SMS under the influence Distrisct survey reveals raw numbers concerning SMS student involvement with drugs and alcohol.

pg 06

glamorization or representation? Film industry portrays real life problems like addiction and mental illness in a glorified, unrealistic light.

pg 18

healthy mind, healthy body

Connections between mental and physical health have never been so evident. What do you need to do to take care of yourself? pg 20

PHOTO BY ETHAN STONE

APRIL 2014 . VOLUME 48 . ISSUE 08

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Table of contents April 2014

ISSUE 08

Arts & Entertainment

Meet the Staff CALVIN FREEMAN Editor-in-Chief

RACHEL ROSENSTOCK Asst. Editor-in-Chief A&E Editor

HAYLEIGH CHUDIK News Editor

ROLA ALASMAR Opinions Editor

LUKE HOLLAND Features Editor

GARRETT MOULD Sports Editor

ETHAN STONE Photo Editor

CHRIS MANGA Web Editor

MIGUEL PALOMINO Ads Editor

ROSE POLLINA Copy Editor

TERESA HEDIGER Infographic Editor

TRIVETTE KNOWLES Writer

GRIFFIN ZELLER Writer

LAUREN ROSENSTOCK Writer

Stepping outside genre stereotypes; Guide to getting ready for prom

Senior provides healthy alternatives and the hard truths to hookah and cigarettes

Reviews on Rio 2, Oculus, Hyperbole and a Half, and The School for Good and Evil: A World Without Princes

18 Senior Brooke Holmes competes in the season opening JCCC indoor track meet. Holmes has won 6 medals so far this year.

Sports

PHOTO COURTESY OF TRACK AND FIELD BOOSTERS

MACKENNA BARKER Writer

DANIELLE LAUDICK Writer

EMILY WILKINSON Writer

ARIELLA DAVIDSON Writer

GRACIE WILLIAMS Writer

AUTUMN MOCK Writer

AMELIA HOLCOMB Writer

NANAE URANO Designer

ARTURO SANCHEZ-VERA Photographer

JENNA FACKRELL Photographer

BROOKE HOLMES Photographer

HANNAH HOLLANDER Photographer

JULIE FALES Adviser

Mission Statement The Patriot is a news magazine that aims to objectively present topics affecting Shawnee Mission South High School, as well as connect with readers on issues concerning the student body. Staff members reserve the right to express their views in the Opinions section. These pieces are labeled and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the staff as a whole, except the Lead Editorial, which represents the views of the editors. Under the First Amendment and Kansas Law, The Patriot staff is entitled to freedom of the press and neither the school nor district is responsible for any content or coverage. The staff encourages letters to the editor, but they will only be published if signed. The editor-in-chief reserves the right to refuse or edit any letters for reasons of grammar, length and good taste. For online news go to www.smsouthnews.com.

News 04

Theatre presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream; students to compete at R&D forum; 2014-15 STUCO execs announced

Seniors keep “Gotcha” tradition alive, science teacher gets national attention

KCTC data released, how many SMS students are getting involved with drugs and alcohol?

opinions 07

Editors discuss why the government should play a role in deciding what we eat

Writers debate whether or not DARE was a successful prevention program

Editor expresses feelings about the dangers of tanning bed; Sophomore shares thoughts on the drinking age and why it shouldn’t change

Senior editor expresses concerns about making poor health decisions; Sophomore editor voices disapproval for society’s “right” body image

Glamorization of serious mental and physical illnesses in movies; South teacher and students play roles in Theatre in the Park

Senior editor makes an effort to understand what goes on in the sports world

A closer look at what’s going on in long-distance runners’ heads; Are our physical and mental health more connected than we think?

Sports briefs on track & field, swim and dive, golf, tennis and baseball, softball and soccer

Sports with Garrett: Skydiving Experience & Sporting with the Staff

Photo Essay Top photos from the past month

Features 11

Concept of gender neutrality getting global attention

How the idea of a “perfect” image is affecting the minds of young adults

Q&A with STUCO president Kelly O’Connor on how she’s embraced her body image

Head Coach of the girls soccer team, Caroline Ewing, introduces her squad with her traditional pre-season rap at the spring assembly. PHOTO BY ETHAN STONE

TOC

INTRODUCING THE 2014-2015 STUDENT COUNCIL EXECUTIVES

autumn mock

VICE PRESIDENT

morganne veal

miah gray

students showcase talents at the upcoming forum

rtwork, science projects, inventions and other student works will be displayed today through April 27 at Shawnee Mission West High School for the public to see as part of the Research and Development Forum. Projects and exhibits are from five categories: CTE (Career & Technical Education), Social Studies, Performing Arts, Science and Visual Arts. Students from across the district can enter their work to showcase their talent. The entries are not only on display, but can also win awards. The grand award from each category wins a substantial scholarship, and other awards can include trophies, gift certificates, field trip opportunities and ribbons. Last year junior Matthew Logan won the Award of Distinction for his science project about organic solar cells. “The top three or two [winners] get money, and the other ones in top five get Awards of Distinction, it’s just a big trophy,” Logan said.

In addition to the art and science projects, elementary and middle school instrumental and vocal music groups will be performing and students in grades 5-8 will present their knowledge in a social studies categories competition. The forum will give the public a chance to see work from a variety of subjects and will be highly interactive. “The National Honor Societies from other schools will have kids painting or throwing on the wheel or potentially having looms out or something for people to either observe and ask questions or participate in themselves. I believe science has people out doing experiments and things like that with the little kids so it’s very cross curricular,” art teacher Jennifer Hudson said. There will be a plenty to see at the R&D forum and will be a great way to experience the district’s finest.

04NEWS

ry t e

taking on Shakespeare

BY TRIVETTE KNOWLES

he theatre department is working on Shakespeare’s, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” to present April 30 to May 2. With many new faces to the South stage, expectations are high for the cast and crew. With a High School Musical twist, newcomer senior Nick Oliver is performing in his first theatre production as a main role. Coming from the world of sports is a big culture shock entering the realm of theatre. “I know some of the theatre kids, but not a lot of them because they’re always in theatre and I’m always in sports. Now I’m seeing a whole different side of South. They all love what they’re doing. It’s just like another team,” Oliver said. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is the last production of the school year and the cast and crew have been working hard by rehearsing as often as possible. Another new face to the crew is freshman Megan Berning. With co-roles as Puck and Philostrate, Berning is taking on a big job. “I haven’t been in that many plays before, but I think we’ll do well on opening night. We have a lot of talented actors in the show,” Berning said. “Learning the lines was kind of hard but once you get the rhythm of it, it becomes a lot easier.” As a Shakespearian play, students are having a harder time grasping the lines and incorporating the dialogue into speech. “I think we’ll surprise people with the way it’s going to be performed. A lot of people who go on the nights will expect it to be boring and are there just to respect the arts. It will be more physical and interactive,” senior Kyle Fairfax said.

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY

check your

R A D LEN

PHOTO BY JENNA FACKRELL

theatre to present ‘a midsummer night’s dream’

raiders rock r&d BY AMELIA HOLCOMB

Senior Remy Lierz and other cast and crew members of the upcoming show prepare for the opening night April 30.

meeting

APRIL 29, 2014 7 a.m.

4/25

slam

4-30-14

SECRETARY

rachel larberg

TREASURER

PRESIDENT

PHOTOS BY BROOKE HOLMES

SENIOR

breakfast

making a splash

BY LAUREN ROSENSTOCK

annual gotcha game commences

his time of year, the seniors’ main focus is graduation in less than a month. Few things capture their attention. However, the highly anticipated game of Gotcha did just that. Recently, Gotcha has been compared to a real life Hunger Games, but instead of poisonous berries and traps, seniors use water guns of all shapes and sizes. Each senior is matched with another, at random. It is in every player’s best interest to keep his or her target a secret. When one person catches the target, he or she are reassigned another target. Every participant has a week to catch their new assignment or the player times out. There are three operators of Gotcha this year: junior student council members Rachel Larberg, Isaac Lanan and Morganne Veal. “Kelly O’Connor asked me to run it this year, and I was like, ‘Well, I might as well, I have nothing to lose,’

and I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into, but it’s been a lot of fun,” Larberg said. Larberg says that this project was easier than expected, but it is stressful. She thinks it is easier for those who organize than those who play because they get to sit back and watch the game unfold. “Basically what happened at the sign up meeting was complete chaos, but that was the easiest way to do it,” Larberg said. “There were six or seven pieces of paper just flying around and we kept saying, ‘Put your name down, put your number down,’ and they would give me the $5.” The targets were distributed to the participating seniors Monday, March 31, at midnight. And a new rule had to be installed. “If we didn’t have over a hundred people sign up, we would’ve had another sign up day... This year we have over a third of the senior class participating,”

junior Isaac Lanan said. What participants forget are the safety zones. Regulating who follows the rules and respects the boundaries is held by the honor code because keeping a group this large controlled is a challenge. “The biggest thing that people don’t remember are the safety zones,” Larberg said. “What we did this year, that they hadn’t done in the past was we said parking lots are safe. So walking to and from practice is safe... but walking to and from work isn’t.” One way to keep up with the latest news about Gotcha is to follow them on twitter at ‘smsgotcha14’ for updates on how many people are still in and who is out. To all the students assisting, good luck and have fun. To the seniors: may the odds be ever in your favor.

alderson’s award

science teacher to be inducted to national teacher’s hall of fame

BY AMELIA HOLCOMB

cience teacher Jan Alderson was worried that she would never get her picture on a school wall for 25 years of teaching because she jumped between two schools for 31 years. She has been teaching at South for 14 years now, and a plaque will finally be hung recognizing her hard work and induction to the National Teachers Hall of Fame. “I was just so honored. It’s the highlight of my career,” Alderson said. But there is more to her job than awards. “My favorite thing to do is to create lessons that are effective. I want kids to come in and think ‘OK, what are we doing today,’ something that I think excites students,” Alderson said. Besides showing commitment to her students in the classroom, Alderson goes above to create new opportunities for science students. She started the Science Knowledge Bowl at Rockhurst, a yearly science competition with questions from biology, chemistry, physics, earth/space science, math and computer science. She brought Science Olympiad to Kansas and Missouri. She also started UMKC’s High School Science Mathematics Technology Institute, which is a three-year program providing handson experiences for high school students who are interested in science, mathematics and technology.

In addition to creating these programs, Alderson was the alternate finalist from Missouri in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Teacher in Space Program, where she would have had the opportunity to teach lessons from space. If she was selected for the program she would have been part of the Challenger crew, which exploded in 1986, killing the teacher on board and the rest of the crew. “She’s very energetic about what she does and she loves science,” freshman Sarah Wheeler said. Even with all of her accomplishments, Alderson remains humble. “Whenever you achieve something like this, you really owe a lot of people. A lot of people are a part of your achievements whether it’s administrators, parents, other professionals, you know, the community, resources, people… Just a wide array of individuals involved in this,” Alderson said. “[Administrators] will give you the go ahead to do things, you know, not every administrator really wants often to do something different and so you have to have some administrator who will be willing to let you create some new kinds of programs or innovative ways to teach.” And now, finally, her picture will be on the wall..

PROM may 3, 2014 8:30p.m.

a midsummer night’s dream april 30- may 2 7:30 p.m.

Science teacher Jan Alderson spoke to the crowd as she was recognized in the Spring PHOTO BY ETHAN STONE Assembly March 27.

ert

c n co

d n a b -07-2

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5 0 --

S EXAMS N A Y I O 7 & 8 R NEWS

5.1%

gave $ to able buyer

given by someone 21 or older

stole it

30.2%

19.1%

Alcohol

45.6 %

How students who had been drinking in the past month got their alcohol

gave a different answer

The average age that most students first

marijuana

smoked marijuana was

14.59 years old

The average age that

14.63 years old

28.9%

45.7%

of students admitted to drinking 5 or more alcoholic drinks in a row within the two weeks preceding the survey

of students answered “drink it” when asked what they would do if a friend offered them alcohol at a house party

28.4% The average age that

most students first smoked a cigarette:

13.92 years old

of students admitted to smoking a cigarette at least once in their lifetime

about 1 out of every 16 students

when students were asked how easy it would be to get marijuana

63.6%

43.5%

of students admitted to drinking “more than just a few sips” of beer, wine or hard liquor at least once in their lifetime

of students admitted to having used marijuana at least once in their lifetime

SMS under the influence a statistical breakdown of shawnee mission south students and their experiences with drugs and alcohol according to the kansas community that cares survey STATS COMPILED BY CALVIN FREEMAN GRAPHICS BY TERESEA HEDIGER AND ROSE POLLINA

17.3%

of students have used smokeless tobacco chew, snuff, plug, dipping tobacco, or chewing tobacco at least once

19.3%

of students admitted to being drunk or high at school at least once in the past year

believe that they will smoke cigarettes as an adult

tobacco

over 99%

of students believe that people either slightly, moderately or greatly risk harming themselves if they smoke one or more packs of cigarettes a day

75.1%

72%

10.2% of students admitted to smoking marijuana 10 or more times in the past month

of students believe they could smoke marijuana in their neighborhood without getting caught

only

of students admitted to using prescription pain relievers not prescribed to them by a doctor at least once

13%

of students said that their family had clear rules about drug and alcohol use

of students admitted to using prescription stimulants, such as Ritalin, Adderall, or Concerta, not prescribed for them by a doctor at least once in their lifetime

of students answered “yes” when asked if they recalled hearing, reading or watching an advertisement about prevention or substance abuse in the past year.

when students were asked how easy it would be to get a drug like cocaine, LSD or amphetamines

answered “very easy” or “sort of easy”

73.98%

14.2%

12.8%

most students first drank alcohol was

85%

answered “very hard” or “sort of hard”

other Drugs

What is the Kansas Community That Cares survey?

06 NEWS

The Kansas Community That Cares survey is a tool that SMSD and other school districts across the state use to gather information about teens’ use of harmful substances along with other things like teen participation in gambling, bullying, use of weapons and their perception of related issues among their peers and in their community. The survey is handed out to 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th graders. This past year 68.3% of students in SMSD participated in the study. All statistics on this page represent answers submitted by SMS 10th and 12th graders in 2013.

Staff Editorial

should the government be able to regulate what we eat? editors discuss why we need the government to regulate foods

ood. We eat it every day without much thought. It’s mandatory to survive. But that doesn’t mean we should shovel Cheetos Puffs into our mouths every chance we get. While tempting, all those processed foods don’t do us much good in the long run. Too many “unhealthy” foods often leads to diabetes, heart disease, obesity and a long list of other possible complications. So the question is: Should the government regulate more of what we eat? To start, it’s probably best to state that regulation is different from control. Regulation has more to do with banning certain preservatives and chemicals in food that can be harmful to us. What about GMOs? GMOs or “genetically modified organisms,” are animals or plants that have been engineered with DNA from bacteria, viruses or other plants or animals. Many developed nations do not consider GMOs to be safe. In more than 60 countries around the world, including Japan, Australia and all of the countries in the European Union, there are significant restrictions or outright bans on the production and sale of GMOs. Currently the U.S. approves GMOs, but there is a lot of pressure for that to change. Right now GMOs are in as many as 80 percent of processed foods. Regulating GMOs more harshly would improve health nationwide. Not enough regulation on pesticides, preservatives and trans-fats is a problem. Because they are not as regulated it makes it easier for processed foods to be mass produced. This creates quite a lot of surplus

and because of this, unhealthy foods are cheaper. Unhealthy food is about $1.50 cheaper per day, or about $550 per year, than healthy food. When we’re concerned about saving money it is easier to purchase the cheaper, less healthy foods than the more expensive healthy ones. Also, while $550 per year is not exactly ideal for many people, that cost figure doesn’t include any long-term healthcare costs as a result of eating a poor diet. Harsher regulations would even out the prices more fairly. We all think it. We all wish it. Why can’t everything be both healthy and tasty? The reason we don’t like school lunch is because it never meets both standards equally. We have a tendency to think that whenever something is healthier it won’t taste as good. And our school lunches just further encourage that way of thinking. They also give bias against food regulation. Why would we have a positive image of food regulation when the easiest example to point to is our less than desirable school lunches? A good question to ask: Is health more important than taste? Yes, it is. It’s better to sacrifice taste for health because in the long run it pays off. We don’t appreciate it much when we’re young, but when we’re not riddled with health problems due to a poor diet in the future we’ll be thankful. Harsher food regulations are the key to a healthier nation. It will lead to lower obesity rates and fewer diet related illnesses. While it won’t fix all food related problems, it’s a step in the right direction.

Go online to smsouthnews. com to read about.... • State Latin Convention • Goat Simulator Review • Cheerleading Tryouts • Cher Lloyd Toured KC • And More!

7/11 editors agree with the views expressed in this editorial. For your voice to be heard you may write a letter to the editor and send it to Room 195.

Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation TASTE Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food RegulationHEALTH Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation CARTOON BY ROSE POLLINAFood Regulation Food Regulation Food Regulation

OPINIONS

The

Debate

is the Dare program actually effective? PHOTOS BY ETHAN STONE

’m a hardbass junkie and I need my fix. I’m addicted to the rhythm made of monster kicks. But not drugs because drugs are bad. I don’t know about you, but I was a stupid kid who knew nothing about drugs. Drugs looked pretty super duper amazing and cool. But then Drug Abuse Resistance Education came into my life and I learned all the things. Those things were that drugs are bad. Just terrible for the body. Thank you DARE. According to the DARE website the original DARE program was developed in 1983 as part of a joint effort between the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) “to break the generational cycle of drug abuse, related criminal activity and arrest.” The way DARE teaches can be slightly cheesy at times, but it gets the job done.

“

Pro: Teresa Hediger

The point is to reach out to as many children as possible and teach them what will happen if they make those choices.

”

All police officers who teach DARE must attend and graduate from a twoweek training program that includes instruction on drugs, gangs, internet safety and teaching techniques. The curriculum consists of core elements such as resistance, self - esteem building and skill training. Dare focuses mainly on gateway drugs like alcohol, tobacco, marijuana and inhalants which leads to harder drug use. What do kids do for fun in the 21st Century? The kids nowadays listen to the techno music. Go to the techno

raves and do dropping of the ecstasy, listening to the Miley Cyrus because that makes you see sounds and smell the hearing. DARE teaches you that everyone can get that euphoric feeling without drugs. Why does this program exist? “Teaching students good decision making skills to help them lead safe and healthy lives.” The DARE Vision. This is the meaning of the program. It helps kids know what drugs will do to them. Even if they end up smoking weed, at least they will know the effects of it. And isn’t that what we want for our kids anyway? We can’t expect everyone to promise to never do drugs and follow through with it; some get curious and end up doing them anyway. The point is to reach out to as many children as possible and teach them what will happen if they make those choices. Smoking may look cool, but black lungs are lame. Now iron lungs, those are hardcore.

Con: Gracie Williams

or most of us, we remember going through DARE in elementary school. Although DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) was aimed at helping us stay away from drugs, it didn’t always work. After a five year study conducted on DARE by a group of doctors, they saw that kids who hadn’t gone through DARE had almost the same attitude towards drugs, capability to resist peer pressure and estimated level of drug use by peers as kids that had. Although DARE definitely didn’t lure me towards drugs, it certainly didn’t change my opinions either. DARE says that they intend to keep students away from drugs, but in reality, all they do is inform students. The only thing DARE did was get kids out of class once a week. In addition to not working, DARE was also very boring. When you first heard about DARE, you thought it would be fun and interactive, but it was just a lesson what was not hands on at all. DARE would have been more effective if they had implemented

08 OPINIONS

more fun into the program. Even with DARE deemed ineffective by professionals, about $750 million are spent each year to keep the program in schools, not to mention the thousands of police officers recruited each year to teach the programs. In addition, DARE cuts out a large amount of class time. Usually, the DARE officer comes to the school to teach the program every week for 17 weeks. It also takes up time to put each DARE officer though the 80 hour training that is required to teach the program. Even though DARE is popular with administrators, police officers and the general public, some people don’t realize how outdated the program is. The methods they use to prevent students from using drugs are old and ineffective. Also, DARE does a bad job stating the difference between legal drugs and illegal drugs. In some cases, the programs identifies all use of drugs as abuse. Instead of wasting time and money having police officers explain outdated

“

The methods they use to prevent students from using drugs are old and ineffective.

”

techniques on how to stay away from drugs, teachers can inform students using new methods. Why do we need a police officer to teach us about drugs? With DARE wasting time and money and having a negative effect on students, it shouldn’t be a course that takes time out of class. DARE can be implemented in high schools during health class. DARE would make a much larger impact in high school because drugs and alcohol become much more apparent once you get to high school. The information DARE gives you is not useful in elementary school. By the time you get to freshman year, you’ve forgotten almost everything you learned in DARE in elementary school.

Go online to smsouthnews.com to vote for your opinion

to tan or not to tan

senior editor explains the dangers of tanning beds BY HAYLEIGH CHUDIK

rinkles, brown spots and scars. Attractive, right? Not! No one finds leathery skin attractive. So why do we put ourselves at risk to look like this later on in life? I can’t think of the last time I saw an old person with unnaturally brown, wrinkled skin and thought “Wow, their skin looks really healthy! I hope I look like that one day!” This and so many other reasons are why I have chosen to stay away from tanning beds. The reasons above just deal with vanity. Unfortunately for people who tan, leathery skin is the least of their worries. According to skincancer.org, every time us high schoolers (or anyone under the age of 35 for that matter), decide to hop in a tanning bed we increase our risk of getting melanoma by 75 percent. Yes, you heard that right: 75 percent. For those of you who have never heard of melanoma, it is the most dangerous type of skin cancer and the leading cause of death from skin disease. I hope that was at least a little eye-opening for some of you. Don’t get me wrong- I definitely understand wanting to be tan. Both of my parents used tanning beds when they were young. Both of my parents have had to get cancerous moles removed. Both of my parents have to get checked by the dermatologist regularly in hopes of catching any cancerous cells before it’s too late. Being pale is not super fun, but neither is having skin cancer. While laying out in the sun isn’t super great for you either, it is still

PHOTO BY ETHAN STONE healthier than tanning in a bed. Personally I would rather go lay out by a pool than stand in an uncomfortably small machine any day. On everydayhealth.com, Dr. Jessica Wu explains that laying out in the sun gives you a mixture of UVA and UVB rays while tanning beds mainly only give you UVA rays. UVB rays cause sunburns, which is why tanning in a bed usually doesn’t cause sunburns like laying out does. However, UVA rays, which are the rays that cause a tan, are also linked to causing melanoma. So this summer you can get nice and tan the good old-fashioned way: outside. What about winter you ask? My answer to that is winter is the one time of the year where being pale is acceptable! If that’s not a good enough reason to stop using the tanning bed, then get a spray tan. Spray tans are a great way to get a sun-kissed look, but minus the skin cancer. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

legal choices for legal adults sophomore discusses the price of a lower drinking age BY EMILY WILKINSON

he United States considers a legal adult as a person above the age of 18. From civic duty (voting and enlisting in the military) to vices reserved only for those over the legal age (gambling and obtaining cigarettes or adult material), horizons for the newly legal adults broaden significantly. However, with all this responsibility on their shoulders, one seemingly insignificant vice remains absent from the list of luxuries reserved for 18. Though the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) has been 21 since 1976, this has not stopped minors from obtaining and consuming alcohol illegally. In fact, a study conducted in 2006 by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse found that those below the MLDA accounted for 17.5 percent of all alcohol sales in the United States. However, despite evidence in favor of lowering the MLDA, there are certain arguments against a lowered drinking age that we can’t overlook. Medically speaking, lowering the age from 21 to 18 is just irresponsible. Our brains are constantly in development until about the age of 25. Add in a devil-may-care attitude toward alcohol consumption and you’re looking at longterm and maybe lifelong problems like memory loss, weakened decision-making abilities, and a greater vulnerability to addiction. With this in mind, it is also highly likely that with a lowered MLDA, riskier places like bars and nightclubs

PHOTOS BY ARTURO SANCHEZ GRAPHIC BY ROSE POLLINA

would open their doors to younger patrons. In no way am I suggesting that all teenagers would unsafely take advantage of a lowered drinking law, but in order to rewrite laws as we know them, it’s imperative to look at all variables. While I’m on the subject of how the current law is written, it’s worth mentioning that the MLDA does actually have exceptions in 45 states, with only two of the eight exceptions applying directly to Kansans. The first exception applies to Kansas and 28 other states. It says that underage consumption of alcohol is allowed only if consumed on “private non alcohol-selling premises with parental consent.” The second, applying in 10 states including Kansas, says that underage drinking may be allowed for minors “on alcohol-selling premises (restaurants, bars, etc.) with parental approval.” Talk about contradictory. Basically put, if your parents don’t want you drinking, you have no legal standing to do so. If they’re OK with the idea (in moderation, I hope), then go for it, only if you’re all right with drinking in front of your parents. The other exceptions to the MLDA include the following: drinking on “private non alcoholselling premises without parental consent” (six states), “for religious purposes” (26 states), “for medical purposes” (16 states), “for government work related purposes” (ex. working undercover

for the police. Four states.), “for educational purposes” (ex. using wine in culinary school. 11 states.) and “when reporting medical need due to underage drinking for another minor” (D.C. and 17 states), which states that if an underage drinker reports a medical emergency regarding another minor under the influence of alcohol, the one reporting will not be penalized. All things considered, despite lingering medical concerns regarding a hypothetical drinking age of 18, the argument in favor of lowering the MLDA, I believe, makes a stronger case than the opposition. Allowing 18-yearolds the option of drinking in a regulated environment is ultimately safer than the present methods of illegally obtaining and consuming alcohol in unsupervised locations. A lower MLDA will erase the thrill of breaking the law to get drunk. In addition, the MLDA of 21 is ineffective at best and almost destructive at worst. Teenagers will always find ways of obtaining alcohol, legally or not. Enforcing laws against underage drinking is a waste of police resources when the alcohol consumed is in moderation. If 18 years is the minimum age for purchasing cigarettes, voting and enlistment in the military, then 18-year-olds are beyond responsible enough to handle a beer. Legal adults should be allowed to make legal choices.

OPINIONS

the ‘Right’ Body Image

by the

sophomore explains why there shouldn’t be a ‘standard’ body BY ROSE POLLINA

ressure is undeniably on teens to have the “right” body. What is the right body? Is it being able to fit in size 0 jeans or wear extra small tank tops? Does it mean being under a certain weight? There is not a true “right” body. There is only the image of ideal beauty put in front of us by the media. The problem is that the “standard” should not be standard. Every person is different. Just because someone isn’t skinny doesn’t mean they’re not beautiful. And just because a person is skinny doesn’t mean they’re beautiful. In many cases, in order to fit into extremely small sizes teens (both female and male) will risk their physical and mental health. In pursuit of following the standard, eating disorders can develop and self esteem can plummet. It’s easy to blame the media for causing us to desire to fit their “standard,” but ultimately the problem does lie with the consumer. Advertisements wouldn’t use size 0 models if they didn’t sell well. To change the media, the consumer has to change first. As a society we place too much value in physical appearances. I’m not going to lie and say that physical beauty doesn’t matter because face it, it does. But inner beauty is even more important. It’s much better to be remembered for having a great personality than a pretty face or body.

When asked to choose their ideal body shapes, 30% of women chose one that is 20% underweight while 44% chose an ideal body shape that is 10% underweight.

Four out of ﬁve women in the U.S. are unhappy with their appearance.

90%

BodyImage

9/10 of girls who are high school juniors and seniors diet while only 1/10 of high school girls are overweight.

More than of girls, 15 to 17 years, want to change at least one aspect of their physical appearance, with body weight ranking the highest.

Stats from: http://www.raderprograms.com/causes-statistics/media-eating-disorders.html http://www.heartofleadership.org/statistics-on-body-image-self-esteem-parental-influence/

INFOGRAPHIC BY ROSE POLLINA

Taking Care of Yourself

editor expresses concerns about making poor health decisions

60% of high school seniors think

of people feel that tattoos and piercings hurt your chances of being hired

40%

of people between ages 18 and 29 have a tattoo

80%

of U.S. teens have a “poor diet”

70%

of teens have had alcohol by age 18

10 OPINIONS

o me, the biggest problem for teenagers and young adults is the inability to plan ahead. That may seem like a bold statement, but the difficulties we face in foreseeing the consequences of our actions are becoming disturbingly characteristic of our generation. Everything you do has a consequence. Everything. There is nothing that you can do that will not in some way affect you or the people around you, whether on a micro scale or in a massive way. The flip side of that is that everything that you encounter in the world is the result of a series of x number of causes and effects that are constantly shaping the world. But back to the important stuff: what this means for you. Let’s say you’ve just earned your PreMed and are applying for your residency at a local clinic. They have had a position open for a while and are considering you and a person who just graduated from a different college, but who has the same exact credentials as you. Although you are both extremely qualified for the job, they choose the other instead of you. Why? Because the tattoo on your lower bicep extends an inch below the sleeves of the average set of medical scrubs. This scenario seems like a stretch, but according to a Careerbuilders poll, 42 percent sources of managers’ opinions of an interviewee are from: nytimes. lowered by visible tattoos. Interpret that as you com, salary. will, but in my mind that says that my inked com, upi.com, friend will be at a disadvantage right off the toosmartto- bat in a little less than half of any jobs he can start.com apply for. But hey, at least he stuck true to his GRAPHIC BY TERESA HEDIGER childhood pact that he and his pals would all get coordinating Stormtrooper helmets imprinted on their flesh for life (true story). It’s not just tattoos, though. Really anything

marijuana isn’t harmful

76%

BY LUKE HOLLAND

you do to and with your body has a plethora of consequences you never could have imagined. And let me take this opportunity to not-sosubtly implore all of you to make a habit of bathing yourself daily and applying certain odor combatants to certain areas under the arms where perspiration tends to gather. I think I speak for the entire population of Shawnee Mission South when I say you need to shower and put on some DeO for that BO. Please. The big one that always seems to circulate is smoking and/or drugs. And while it is true that a pattern and habitual usage of these controversial substances is detrimental to your health now and in the future, oftentimes the physical repercussions are not the most damaging. Job interviews will be difficult. Wayward glances in public will haunt you in private. Your family may or may not lose respect for you, but it is certain that they will notice and be affected by the way you deal with the decisions of your past. Here’s a sobering question: do you want your children to live how you do now when they are in high school? Would you be comfortable with your own kids making these crucial daily choices, because they know mom and dad did it when they were kids? Even if there are no physical ramifications, will you be able to confidently look your son or daughter in the eye and answer the questions that children are bound to ask in their thirst for knowledge and desire to know their parents? Maybe you are fine with that prospect; maybe you would even go as far as to hope that your children act like you. But I have a suspicion that everyone has choices they aren’t proud of. Make the changes now while you can.

The gender generation welcoming identities outside the binary

BY EMILY WILKINSON

t’s the little things. Applying for jobs, dressing in comfortable clothes, even a simple bathroom break can be stressful --not to mention dangerous-- for teenagers outside the gender binary. “Kansas has a long way to come,” senior and copresident of the Gay Straight Alliance Remy Lierz said. “If a trans man were to walk into the men’s restroom, it’s entirely possible they could get beaten or something terrible could happen, but if they were to walk in the women’s restroom, because that is what their biology dictates, then it’s also unsafe.” The gender binary is the social construct that says biological sex should dictate gender identity. Simply put, it’s society’s unspoken commandment that those born as females should dress feminine and those born as males should dress masculine solely because of how they were born. “We should be more open-minded to how people express themselves if they want to dress a certain way to feel more comfortable,” sophomore and co-president of the GSA Mona Jahani said. “People should understand that gender is a personal thing, and no one should feel unsafe about how they identify.” Facebook added 56 new gender options to their website in February to better represent its nonbinary members from Agender to Two-Spirit, much to the delight of the LGBT community. “I think it’s a great idea,” Lierz said. “There are a lot of gender identities that have been kind of pushed aside because they don’t know the word for them, and having it on Facebook where everyone can see it is a great way to gain visibility. ” Those opposed to the change have criticized the website for using labels applying to so few people, a critique Jahani chalks up to narrow mindedness. “That kind of falls into the category of ‘I want to label how other people express their life,’” Jahani said. “If there is even a single person who feels that they want to identify as one of the 56 and it’s there for them, no one has the right to take that away.” Among the new 56 is a term that applies to the vast majority of people, despite being unknown to most: Cisgender or simply “cis.” “Cisgender means you identify as the gender you were assigned at birth,” Lierz said, “There are people

who are perfectly comfortable with that, and they are the majority. Cis people can show their support for the non-binary community by respecting pronouns, using a preferred name and simply protecting them in any way they can. If your non-binary or non-cis friend would use the same bathroom as you, you should accompany them if they feel comfortable with that to make sure that they’re OK. Also, being there for support if they’re transitioning, helping them educate other people and just being there for them in the best way possible.” As understanding of non-binary persons has increased, so have the methods of supporting them, including the addition of gender-neutral pronouns in modern vocabulary (see chart), one of the many profound changes regarding gender that may be difficult for some to accept right away. However, Lierz says, the community is understanding for those new to these concepts.“It’s a new thing that’s still coming around, so when a cis person is confused by something, the best way is to ask in a polite manner,” Lierz said. “For cisgender people, you shouldn’t be afraid of non-cis people. They are humans just like you. For non-cis people, I would like to say that you are not alone. There is always someone around who can help, and there are always resources on the internet if you need them. Stay curious. Keep asking questions. Keep learning more.” Nonetheless, despite this generation’s most recent progress in supporting non-binary genders, the movement has a long way to come in legislation and societal acceptance as a whole, sitting miles behind the gay, lesbian and bisexual rights movement. “Gender identity is not set in stone,” Lierz said. “There are people that are perfectly comfortable in the gender they were assigned at birth. There are people that are perfectly comfortable in their own identity, whether it be trans, androgynous, fluid, queer, agendered, bigendered... and there are other people who are still figuring it out, who still don’t know. Maybe because they weren’t exposed to it or maybe because they’re just discovering themselves. Nothing is set in stone. Whether it is your gender, your sexuality, your maturity level even, you are a person who is changing constantly, and I think that applies to everything and everyone.

Gendered Pronouns Nominative

Masculine/Feminine Him/Her Neutral Masculine* Xem Neutral Feminine* Zem

Accusative Masculine/Feminine He/She Neutral Masculine* Xe Neutral Feminine* Ze

Possessive

Masculine/Feminine His/Hers Neutral Masculine* Xyr Neutral Feminine* Zyr *There are various pronoun sets for non-binary persons. They are not official or set in stone and may change over time.

THE ADDERALL GENERATION: teen prescription drug use on rise

BY MACKENNA BARKER

t’s 11:45 on a Thursday night. You’re frantically working on a 10 page research paper that, despite your better judgment, you left entirely for the night before it’s due. It’s already taken two hours to get through three pages, and hope for making it through the night alive is dwindling. A lot of people turn to coffee, energy drinks or other energy supplements to push through nights of cramming or frantic attempts to make up for procrastination. But in the past couple of years, the nation has seen a disturbing rise in teenagers turning to other forms of energy and concentration: prescription drugs. One in four teens (24 percent) reports having misused or abused a prescription drug at least once in their lifetime (up from 18 percent in 2008 to

24 percent in 2012), which translates to about 5 million teens. That is a 33 percent increase over a five-year period (drugfree.org). Why prescription drugs though? Enter the popular drug, adderall. “Adderall is a drug for people who have attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and what it does is help them calm down and focus,” school nurse Kara Erickson said. “Basically it’s an amphetamine drug, which if someone who takes it who doesn’t have ADD or ADHD, it’s an upper for them and they can become high off of it.” Adderall certainly isn’t the first drug on the scene that teens use to chase a high. Adderall is distinguished though by its side effect of insane focus. “It just gives you this huge rush

of focus,” a senior student who didn’t want to be identified said. “I would take it because it wakes you up and makes you feel energized, you can actually focus. And also, it makes it so you’re never hungry, so it’s one way to lose weight.” Recreational use of the drug is present at both the high school and college level, but studies show that teenagers use Adderall or the likes of it to get a leg up in school on a much greater scale. Studies have found that teenagers are more willing to resort to Adderall than other drugs simply because of the word “prescription.” According to drugfree.org, 40 percent of teens think it’s okay to abuse prescription drugs because they believe them to be “safer” than the street equivalent. But this is

a false misconception. Adderall is classified as a Class 2 controlled substance, the same classification as cocaine. Taking the drug without a prescription can lead to dependency, fight-or-flight anxiety levels, sleeplessness and depression. It’s an extreme step, but students can find themselves backed into a corner by stress and see no other option but to take the drug just to help get by. “A huge reason so many kids use it is that school puts so much pressure on us,” the source said. “You have to go to work and stay up late studying and write that report, and it’s just easier to focus and stay awake when you have Adderall.”

FEATURES

Q and A

with Kelly O’Connor QUOTES GATHERED BY HAYLEIGH CHUDIK PHOTO BY BROOKE HOLMES

What is your condition officially called? A lot of people refer to us as midgets but that’s

actually not an acceptable term. Many people don’t know that so I don’t hold it against anyone when they say it. But a lot of little people do get offended because the word ‘midget’ is what circuses and freak shows refer to little people as. Most little people prefer to be called dwarves or little people. I generally call them little people. It’s basically the most acceptable term to be used.

How tall are you? Will you continue to grow?

I’m 4’1 now and this is as tall as I’m going

to get.

How did being a little person affect you as a child? I had a hard time keeping up

with my friends since I was smaller. I couldn’t do some of the stuff they could do so that was kind of hard. Self image was a big thing for me when I was younger too. I had a bad self image through elementary school and middle school. I’ve gotten better about that. It affects me in just the daily stuff too. I have to ask for help from a lot of people because I can’t reach stuff like in the lunch line or getting books and things like that.

How did being a little person affect your health?

I had a lot of ear infections as a kid and that’s common with little people. I had to get tubes in my ears and then I got those taken out later. I had sleep apnea which a lot of little people have that too. I had to get my tonsils and adnoids out when I was three to help with the sleep apnea. When I was 10 I developed Spinal Stenosis. It’s the narrowing of the spinal cord and the spinal fluid wasn’t flowing right. I had one surgery on my neck where they removed a part of my skull and I had to also have surgery on my back where they fused my spine and put in two titanium rods.

Will you have to have any more surgeries later in life?

Doctors said that there’s a chance my Spinal Stenosis could come back around 10 years after my surgery so when I’m about 20. It could come back soon or there’s a possibility it won’t come back at all. I may have to have surgery again.

How did you overcome your self image issues?

For a long time I hated my body and how I looked and how I was so different but as I’ve grown up I’ve started to realize that being unique isn’t a bad thing. I don’t need to be negative towards myself and it’s easier to be positive than to be negative.

Do you have any advice for others with self image issues?

Learn to love what makes you unique. It makes you, you. One of my favorite quotes is ‘The only disability in life is a bad attitude.’

14 FEATURES

PICK FOR PROM

BY DANIELLE LAUDICK

TUXEDOS Men’s Wearhouse

DRAKE

ONE DIRECTION

G N I K A BRERRIERS BA

as a typical white girl, but her playlists would fool anyone. “I mostly listen to rap music,” Barton said. “I love Drake, but my favorite rapper would have to be Childish Gambino.” Living in Johnson County, it’s not expected that white girls are familiar with rap. A lot of the times people look at it as “scandalous” and out of place in the suburbs of conservative Kansas. “I feel like it’s just a personal choice of what I like and people are always like ‘what, you like rap music?’ and they’ll get in my car and there’ll be cussing and it’s loud and it really surprises people,” Barton said. People become shocked when they meet someone with musical tastes they consider to be “different” simply because society’s expectations and stereotypes have become so instilled in their minds. Encountering someone who goes outside the stereotype can be shocking. “I love One Direction,” Murrell said. “People judge me based on my music taste, but I don’t really care. People will judge you on anything you do, you just have to ignore it.” Stereotypes will likely be ingrained in our culture long into the future. They are familiar and comforting to groups who are afraid of what they don’t know. What makes breaking these rules so fun is finding something you genuinely enjoy that doesn’t conform with your stereotype and getting to prove to society, and yourself, that you’re more than just a pretty little box.

CHILDISH GAMBINO

TAPPING INTO genres crossing the cultural norms

BY MACKENNA BARKER

tereotypes: the ruler of our culture. African American kids from the inner city listen to rap music and wear baggy clothes with chains. The other side of the spectrum: white girls wearing Ugg boots, drinking Starbucks while listening to the Top 40 hits. This is what society tells us. Modern and even past cultures are hardwired to label everything and be able to fit everyone in a pretty little box with a set of predetermined characteristics and interests. This compulsion overarches into every aspect of our lives - mannerisms, speech, dress and even music taste. When it comes to music, there’s a genre for each neat little box of stereotypes - country music for the hicks, rap music for the gangsters, alternative music for the hipsters, and boy bands and Justin Bieber for the white girls. “Being black, I do feel like people expect me to listen to a certain type of music,” senior Langston Murrell said. “People expect me to listen to rap music and have baggy pants and I’m the complete opposite of that.” While these expectations are true in some cases, often people will branch out into their own interests that don’t conform to their stereotype. “I listen to rock and all that kind of music and my pants don’t sag at all. I don’t act like a ‘stereotypical’ African American,” Murrell said. A lot of people decide to expand their horizons from what is considered “normal” for them. Senior Rebecca Barton could be labeled

PHOTO SPOTS Horse Carriages

Off of Quivira and 95th

Plaza

Natalie M.

Penn Valley Park

Metcalf Ave. and 127th

W. 29th Street

Dad’s Closet

The Sculpture Lawn at the Nelson Atkins Museum

Save money by looking through your dad’s closet. You never know what you’ll find.

Oak Street

DRESS SHOPS

Camilla’s

Oak Park Mall Large selection of dresses worth the extra money

Windsor

OP Mall Wide selection and prices that don’t go over $300

Cinderella’s Couture across from mall on Quivira

PHOTO BY HANNAH HOLLANDER

SALONS

A Friend’s House

Instead of spending money on something you could easily do yourself, go over to a friend’s house and get ready together

Regis Salon OP Mall

Par Exsalonce

OP Mall and College and Quivira

FLOWERS

RESTAURANTS Hy-Vee

Multiple locations, affordable, and support South choir

Dalton’s Flower

Santa Fe Drive Same day delivery

Stems Floral

Lydia’s

W 22nd street

Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbeque W 22nd

Grunauer

W 22nd street

Antioch and 124th Arrangements for both corsages and boutonnieres

A&E

PICK YOUR POISON

does legality make it right? BY RACHEL ROSENTOCK

f thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one thing that never stops high schoolers in the path of doing something, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the law. Illegal is barely a word in our vocabulary at this point and hesitating before partaking in questionable activity lasts an impressive 2 seconds for most. So what happens when some of these acts arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t illegal anymore, like cigarettes or hookah? Does that make them automatically OK? The answer, of course, is no. While activities like drinking are completely legal in a safe setting, after the required ages, their health effects still make them dangerous. Among the most popular recently among high schoolers are hookah and cigarettes. Recently, E-cigs have made smoking seem almost â&#x20AC;&#x153;healthy.â&#x20AC;? and personal hookahs can be found in purses and bags around the school. Meeting up with a group of friends to hit up a hookah bar in downtown KC is a typical weekend or sometimes weeknight activity for high schoolers. Skirting around the 18+ age requirement is a laughable challenge if you know the right lounges to hang out at. Cigarettes or e-cigs are much of the same situation; if you know the right gas station or friend to go to, the legality of obtaining it is never called into question. While many of us are at least aware of the repercussions of smoking cigarettes, e-cigs and hookah were not included in our health class curriculum. According to the CDC, smoking a hookah is at least as harmful as smoking cigarettes and in many cases, worse. A typical hookah session lasts around an hour and an average of 200 puffs, while one cigarette is typically 20 puffs. You can do the math. Hookah exposes users to the same cancers and diseases as cigarettes and also leaves users who share a hookah with friends vulnerable to

communicable diseases passed on by the mouthpiece. E-cigs are the same story; while advertised as a wise alternative to traditional cigarettes, they still contain nicotine, just minus the tobacco. The nicotine vapor contained inside e-cigs is just as harmful as other forms and possibly even more detrimental. The market for e-cigs is even more wide open to teenagers as many can be ordered online with no proof of legal age required. While many high schoolers probably only smoke hookah or cigarettes in social situations or a semi-regular basis, this opens a doorway for long-term addiction and health repercussions. The thrill of easily getting away with something that was once illegal but no completely in our rights as an â&#x20AC;&#x153;adultâ&#x20AC;? overwhelms the common sense factor; both types of smoking are bad for your health and arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the type of effects that can be slept off the next day. Next time youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re out on the town, pick a movie instead or try a new restaurant. Check out Theatre in the Park in Shawnee Mission Park or walk around First Fridays on the Plaza. In the fast approaching summer, there are cheap concerts almost every night downtown at the Midland or Crossroads. Shop downtown in the eclectic stores of Westport or grab some gelato in Park Place at Pacuigo. Many or all of what you and a group of friends can get up to on the weekend can be less expensive than a round of hookah or a couple packs of cigarettes. $5.51 for the average pack of cigarettes? No thank you. $3.00 for three delicious flavors of gelato? Sign me up There are plenty of alternatives to damaging your body permanently. Pick one that works for you and make high school memorable for the right reasons.

HITECH Health Information Systems

Are you interested in health care? Do you enjoy working with technology? Try out a class in this growing career field for free!

Check out HITECH/Health Information Systems classes at JCCC.

Thanks to Senate Bill 155, Kansas high school students can enroll in Introduction to Health Information Systems (HCIS 230) for free. Classes are online or in a hybrid format, and are 5 weeks in length. Visit www.jccc.edu/ high-school/sb-155.html to learn more.

Contact us at www.jccc.edu/hitech or call 913-469-8500, ext. 4020. +PIOTPO $PVOUZ $PNNVOJUZ $PMMFHF t $PMMFHF #MWE 0WFSMBOE 1BSL

16 A&E

Hitech Ad 03-2014 BW PF 4.8 x 5.25

APRIL REVIEWS

thoughts on movies, music and more

OCULUS MIKE FLANAGAN

RIO 2 CARLSO SALDANHA

BY LAUREN ROSENSTOCK Rio 2 expands the story of Blu and Jewel, two blue macaws, after they find where they belong with their three kids. I did not enjoy the lack of creativity in the plot. There was no specific point of interest or scene that got my attention from the start. The sequel did not have a plot that was easy for a 16 year old to follow and might be equally or more challenging for the younger audiences to understand. The flare of bright colors, cute animals and elaborate musical numbers acted as a distraction from the story. How do movie producers lure people in to see the movie? Well-known actors, in this case: Ann Hathaway, Bruno Mars, Jamie Foxx and Jake T. Austin. These actors creatively embraced their characters who had a mind of their own and occasionally did not support the plot. By filling the first 10 to 20 minutes of the film with decoration and distraction while the plot is being built, I didn’t follow the middle portion of the plot as easily. For about 45 minutes of the rising action, we see separate stories that correlate only loosely. As confused as I became, I found myself making faces and thinking only about how cute the birds were, not how interesting the actual picture was. Following the plot was a challenge, but in a random and twisted manner, the movie concludes nicely. Surprisingly, the movie was radically different from the original, but not for the better.

THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL: A WORLD WITHOUT PRINCES SOMAN CHAINANI BY ROSE POLLINA

Don’t judge a book by its cover. “The School for Good and Evil: A World Without Prince” by Soman Chainani is not nearly as cheesy as its cover and title suggest. While there are princesses and magic, the story is rather grim. Its plot never becomes stuck and has twists and turns that constantly keep you guessing. This book is the sequel to “The School for Good and Evil” which came out in May of last year. Agatha and Sophie are returned to the school they had hoped to forget after Sophie’s life is placed in mortal danger. But the school has changed. No longer are students separated by their inherent characteristics of good and evil. Now they are separated by gender and the school is on the brink of war among the sexes. And the students are more than ready to kill to get what they want. The most obvious theme of the book is the battle between good and evil. The Problem? Good and evil is never black and white. Can evil become good? Can good become evil? Can they exist together? This theme is present in both of the books. Equally important is the emphasis on relationship. Can just friendship sustain happiness or is something else required? Is friendship more important than love? The most intriguing theme was about changing gender roles. The girls idolize strong independent women who don’t depend on princes and it has driven a wedge between the genders. This story was an enjoyable read and made me eager for a sequel.

BY RACHEL ROSENSTOCK From director Mike Flanagan, Oculus aims to scare and definitely succeeds. Siblings Kaylie (Karen Gillan) and Tim (Brenton Thwaites) continue to be haunted by their past, even 11 years after their parents’ grisly death. Kaylie believes an antique mirror that hung in their childhood home has supernatural powers and was what killed her parents, not her brother, like the police believe. After Tim’s release from a mental institution, he (reluctantly) teams up with his sister to try and kill the spirit living inside the mirror. It has killed not only their parents but countless victims before in a variety of gruesome ways. Kaylie uses her elaborate set-up of video cameras, battery operated lights, weapons, scheduled food and drink breaks and a deadly device rigged to smash the mirror at a moments notice to catch the ghost. The movie moves in an extremely nonlinear fashion, diving into flashbacks with no warning, coming back to the present just as quickly and even meshing the past and present in many scenes. The family’s history is revealed slowly as the story unravels and you come to question Tim and Kaylie’s true motives behind killing the mirror and what they’re willing to sacrifice. I was, for once, actually scared by a horror movie. There were moments that jumped out and others had a slow, horrifying reveal that scared the audience just as much. The story has twists and turns that you don’t expect and keeps you on your toes the whole time. I did think that the lead actress overacted many scenes and her character’s attitude often didn’t match her motives. The end was also extremely disappointing; the entire movie “resolved itself” in about 5 minutes after and hour and half of build up, but the producer’s are clearly begging for a sequel.

HYPERBOLE AND A HALF ALLIE BROSH

BY EMILY WILKINSON

It’s uncommon to find a chapter book with illustrations on each page, even less often to find one in full color. Based on Allie Brosh’s awardwinning blog of the same name, Hyperbole and a Half is a collection of personal narratives portrayed in hilariously colorful MS Paint drawings. (One may recognize the Brosh’s art style from the meme “Clean ALL the things!” which is taken from an illustration in the book.) Through these whimsical illustrations, Brosh provides the reader a unique outlook on the highs and lows of growing up with stories about depression, identity crises and finding hope in the littlest, stupidest, most human moments of all. Hyperbole and a Half is a fast read since it primarily consists of pictures, but Brosh makes up for this by keeping each story laugh-outloud funny while staying true to life at the same time. From finding her time capsule in the yard to the time a goose broke into her house, Hyperbole and a Half has more than its fair share of side-splittingly funny tales, but the story that truly takes center stage is Brosh’s first-hand account of depression. The two-part chapter chronicles the emotional as well as emotionless moments of rock bottom, which has been praised both readers and psychologists for its portrayal of a day in the life of depression. MS Paint drawings making me teary: that’s a first.

A&E

APRIL REVIEWS

thoughts on movies, music and more

OCULUS MIKE FLANAGAN

RIO 2 CARLOS SALDANHA

THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL: A WORLD WITHOUT PRINCES SOMAN CHAINANI BY ROSE POLLINA

Don’t judge a book by its cover. The School for Good and Evil: A World Without Prince by Soman Chainani is not nearly as cheesy as its cover and title suggest. While there are princesses and magic, the story is rather grim. Its plot never becomes stuck and has twists and turns that constantly keep you guessing. This book is the sequel to The School for Good and Evil which came out in May of last year. Agatha and Sophie are returned to the school they had hoped to forget after Sophie’s life is placed in mortal danger. But the school has changed. No longer are students separated by their inherent characteristics of good and evil. Now they are separated by gender and the school is on the brink of war among the sexes. And the students are more than ready to kill to get what they want. The most obvious theme of the book is the battle between good and evil. The Problem? Good and evil is never black and white. Can evil become good? Can good become evil? Can they exist together? This theme is present in both of the books. Equally important is the emphasis on relationship. Can just friendship sustain happiness or is something else required? Is friendship more important than love? The most intriguing theme was about changing gender roles. The girls idolize strong independent women who don’t depend on princes and it has driven a wedge between the genders. This story was an enjoyable read and made me eager for a sequel.

HYPERBOLE AND A HALF ALLIE BROSH

BY EMILY WILKINSON

A&E

representation or glamorization? addiction and mental illness in film BY EMILY WILKINSON

y doctor said we can’t choose where we come from but we can choose where we go from there. I know it’s not all the answers, but it was enough to start putting these pieces together.” In 2012, moviegoers had their hearts handed to them with Stephen Chbosky’s movie adaptation of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. The movie revolves around Charlie as he learns how to cope with his traumatic past and mental illness while entering high school. Wallflower received widespread acclaim for its depiction of the darker side of adolescence and for responsibly portraying Charlie’s mental illness. “There are a lot of stigmas that society has on addiction and disorders,” Psychology teacher Heather Sheppard said. “Any time someone has an abnormality whether that’s a learning disability, an addiction, a disease of any sort, I think there’s this thought that they’re being labeled as weird or different or abnormal. The emotional stigma that these people are given; that’s tough for them to deal with. One positive about representation of mental illness in movies is it at least brings these things to light. People are becoming more interested in learning more about them, and I do think stigma is going down.” Released the same year as Wallflower, Oscarwinner Silver Linings Playbook was another movie publicly praised for its representation of bipolar disorder and a family at its breaking point. Despite this, Silver Linings was by no means perfect. Some psychologists and those afflicted by mental illness

criticized the movie for how the relationship between main characters Pat and Tiffany seemed to dilute all of their psychological problems into near nonexistence. The same can be said for The Perks of Being a Wallflower. In the movie, Charlie’s mental illness is never seen as destructive as long as he pursues a relationship with Sam, but once she leaves for college, his mental health spirals out of control. Even more can be said for Wallflower and similar “teen” movie’s tendency to normalize substance abuse, impulsiveness and depression as ordinary adolescent behavior. “A lot of people have the wrong ideas about these things,” Sheppard said. “‘Oh well, all kids are experimenting with drugs, all kids get depressed, all kids go through eating disorders.’ That’s not true. I like the fact that these movies are bringing attention to these issues. I like that it’s lessening the stigma that’s attached to these things, but again, to say that they’re phases or milestones or benchmarks or rites of passage: that’s just not true. That’s something we’ve overblown. Is there a percentage that is? Absolutely. I think by showing these movies we’re showing that, hey, this is real, this is present, but sometimes I think we almost add to the uneducation that these things are more prevalent than it really is.” Leonardo DiCaprio’s Oscarless portrayal of Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street was the latest accused of glorifying addiction this award season. Throughout the two and a half hour

Raiders in the park BY AUTUMN MOCK

faculty and students feature in summer production

alled by Time Magazine, “a triumph for the stage,” “Ragtime” will be showing at Theatre in the Park during the first two weeks of August and portrays life in turnof-the-century America. Directed by South’s theatre director Mark Swezey, the musical intertwines the stories of three families as they confront history’s timeless contradictions of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and despair, and what it means to live in America. “Mr. Swezey is really dedicated and an awesome director,” senior Tamera Graham said. Even though this will be Swezey’s 18th production he has directed at Theatre in the Park, each production has its own challenges, such as working with a new cast, adjusting to the huge stage and coordinating everyone. “Capturing all of the production’s nuances is an extremely important part of the show’s success,” Swezey said. A few of the actors and singers in “Ragtime” are also from South, including Graham. She is in ensemble in the production, where she sings, dances and acts in chorus numbers. Another South student, senior Molly White, is participating in “Ragtime” as well but as an assistant stage manager. As an assistant stage manager, White has to help run everything backstage, including making sure actors are

18 A&E

spectacle, DiCaprio’s character uses cocaine, alcohol and quaaludes with little consequence in the long run. “I find that when we talk about drugs in my class, that there’s a lot of people that don’t even know what they are or how they impact people,” Sheppard said. “These people that put forth these movies, they have a responsibility to educate. Hopefully, they’re doing that in the genuine, right way, but I feel like if they’re not doing that, this is just another way to continue and perpetuate this miseducation of our society.” While directors work to find the balance between what’s truth and what sells, Sheppard says that no movie has ever represented its subject matter perfectly. “It’s difficult for some [directors] to keep a straightforward viewpoint based in reality of the disease that they’re portraying,” Sheppard said. “In psychology, we watch A Beautiful Mind, and for schizophrenia it gives a pretty good snapshot. Of course, all of these movies have that Hollywood component to it, so there’s a quality of embellishment going on. It’s based as a true story, but is everything in it going to be true? No. Directors want to Hollywood it up, but sometimes they compromise the real story as well. How do you fix that? I don’t know if it can be fixed. I just think we always have to have enough curiosity to ask the next question like, ‘Is all of that true?’ and sometimes we don’t ask that question.”

ready in their spots, helping the backstage crew and carry the orders from the stage manager. While they have both been in previous Theatre in the Park productions, such as “Hairspray” last year which was also directed by Swezey, they are still just as excited to meet new people and to participate in the legendary production. “Theatre people are always a blast to be around, and it’s always a great experience,” White said. Theatre in the Park and the South theatre program do not have many differences. “What’s special at South is that everything is produced and built by students,” White said. Unlike South’s theatre program, Theatre in the Park involves many adults too and has the challenges of working with a new crew every time. While at South, the crew has the luxury of working with mostly the same people. Also, the crowds are slightly different. While South productions tend to draw in more students or families of the performers, Theatre in the Park productions tend to draw in more families, first timers, as well as those who just love theatre. “I especially love to draw in those first time theatre audiences,” Swezey said.

GRAPHIC BY ROSE POLLINA

SPORTS FOR

BY MIGUEL PALOMINO

DUMMIES

I’ve never been highly versed in the world of sports. Lucky for me, I know some very nice student athletes. Now I finally know a thing or two about sports. Turns out I was way off about everything. PHOTOS BY HANNAH HOLLANDER

Austin Giannola, Senior (Baseball) How many outs are in an inning? Six, you have to count for both sides.

Charlie Stanton, Senior (Golf) Interesting Golf Fact: There is no exact regulation for how a course is set up. No two courses are ever the same.

Miguel’s Response: Did you also know that golf is the less classy version of croquet.

Zach Ferrera, Senior (Soccer) How many players on on the field? 22 players, 11 for each team Tessa Osborn, Senior (Track & Field) What is a helpful tip to run long distance? Don’t run too fast at the initial levels. Instead, run slowly for the first few miles.

Miguel’s Response: So one, two, three strikes and you’re out? Wait, are the innings the guys on the field?

Miguel’s Response: Well, I won’t worry about that because I’m not good with numbers past 10.

Miguel’s Response: Also, don’t eat Tacobell before you run or else you’ll regret it! Listen to plenty of Miley to keep you going like a wrecking ball.

SPORTS

for reassurance. He walked me through his skydiving experience. He drove to Topeka with a handful of his college friends, and boarded a cramped plane. One of his friends, who grudgingly agreed to jump, had second thoughts when it was his turn. His eyes widened with fear and he latched himself to the sides of the plane, begging the instructor to fly him back down. As my dad laughed hysterically behind him, the instructor explained that it was safer to dive down with him then fly back with the pilot. After convincing him to take the leap, they hurdled through the air at 120 miles per hour. To the left they saw the plane they were in, taking a complete nosedive towards the ground. At the last second, it pulled up, nearly skimming the ground below. It was after they landed that my dad learned their pilot was once a Vietnam Fighter Pilot, whose mental state was beyond questionable. Thanks for consolation, dad. When I arrived in at the Missouri River Valley Skydiving site, I was taken aback by the lack of y feet curled around the edge of the plane as flare. I was expecting a newly furnished plane, state I stared at the fields below. The plane circled of the art parachutes and a reassuring instructor. the landing area, climbing higher by the Instead I walked past a plane barely larger than my minute. Through the gusts of wind, I heard the pilot car, the wings swaying with the breeze. I pictured holler with excitement, a Red Bull clenched in his the plane plummeting into a nosedive, a Vietnam right hand. It was then that it hit me. I was 10,500 veteran at the helm. I made my way inside, where feet in the air, about to leap out of the plane, diving I saw a group of guys, talking to each other about into the open air. My stomach curled at the thought, their weekend at the lake. No, they werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fellow but there was no turning back. The instructor hit first time skydivers, they were the instructors. One the back of my head. It was time. I clenched my fists, jumped up and shook my hand, introducing himself took a deep breath, and pushed away from the plane. as Rick Baylor. His 1990s haircut and goofy smile Three hours earlier, I was on route to Henrietta, reminded me of Jim Carrey from Dumb & Dumber. Missouri, a town with a population of 369. As we After he explained to me that he quit his office job to winded through the empty highways, I pictured become a skydiving instructor, and that this was his myself leaping from a plane. With my headphones 2,500th jump, I figured he had to have a few screws in, blaring Mastermind by Rick Ross, I imagined missing. Either that or a death wish. cutting through the clouds on my descent back to I was introduced to our pilot, who luckily seemed earth. As I plummeted downwards, the thought of a like a normal guy. Next I met Lydia, who was busy faulty parachute crept into the back of my mind. I working on our parachutes. Every alarm in my mind snapped out of my daydream, and looked to my dad began ringing when I realized Lydia was no older

My Skydiving Experience

than I was, and she was tasked with readying the equipment that would decide whether I lived or died. She lit the Marlboro Red that rested behind her ear, and puffed away. I looked back at my dad, who was busy laughing to himself. After signing my life away on contracts and insurance forms, I was ready to jump. The engine of the plane roared as it sped down the runway. Any chance of backing out vanished after the wheels lifted from the ground. At 10,500 feet, the fields below are reduced to small patches. The air gets colder the higher you climb, and your nerves begin to kick in. When we reached altitude, the metal door slid open. I was taken back by the extreme gusts of wind. I had drifted asleep back at the facility, but my eyes were peeled now. Adrenaline rushed through my body as I prepared for the jump. There it was, the hit on the back of my head. The signal to jump. I clenched my fists, took a deep breath, and pushed away from the plane. For a brief second the wretched feeling of falling kicked in, but after that it was pure bliss. The sun illuminated the horizon as I carved through the sky. I closed my eyes and let the feeling take over. The wind rushed against my skin and as I cut through the clouds. The most amazing part was the sound. There was none. Other than the breeze it was completely silent. I felt another hit on my head. I grabbed hold of my harness as the parachute was deployed. I had completely forgotten about the possibility of a disaster, but the deployed parachute sent a wave of relief through my body. For the next five minutes I floated through the air, soaking up the view as I finished my descent. The ground approached quickly, and I landed in the middle of an open field. In the distance I saw car headed my way, kicking up dust on the dirt road. I waited, looking up to the sky, wishing I could do it again.

SPORTING WITH STAFF predictions and review of the current sports world

CALVIN FREEMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

GARRETT MOULD SPORTS EDITOR

GRIFFIN ZELLER WRITER

TRIVETTE KNOWLES WRITER

LUKE HOLLAND FEATURES EDITOR

1. NBA CHAMPION

San Antonio Spurs

Miami Heat

San Antonio Spurs

Miami Heat

Oklahoma City Thunder

2. Best QB DRAFT PROSPECT

Blake Bortles

Johnny Manziel

Teddy Bridgewater

3. BEST NBA PROSPECT

Joel Embiid

Shabazz Napier

Jabari Parker

Marcus Smart

Andrew Wiggins

4. Royals RECORD

82-80

85-77

90-72

80-82

77-85

22 SPORTS

Runner’s High long distances can be euphoric S “ ” SIGNED BY GRIFFIN ZELLER

Griffin’s Running Playlist

DMX- Where’s Da Hood At Ron Artest- Champions Eminem- Till I Collapse Survivor- Eye of the Tiger Anton Bland- Player Hatin’ T-Pain- Bring ‘em Out Three 6 Mafia- It’s a Fight A$AP Ferg - Work Remix

enior Jersey Boydstun effortlessly glides across the track in the men’s 2 mile race. He walks off the track straight to his coach. “When is the next race?” Boydstun jokingly asked. Boydstun found a passion for running freshman year. “My parents wanted me to do cross country freshman year, and honestly I had no idea what it was. But, once I figured out that I could be good I put started to put in the work and it showed. I really like the feeling of success,” Boydstun said. Many runners believe in the “runners high.” “I get a runners high all the time. I’ll just be staring at the ground and the ground will be moving. Then it gets to the point where your muscles are moving for you,” Boydstun said. Junior Brandon Maxey started running in 8th grade with the middle school cross country team. Maxey runs because he loves the individuality of the sport. “As a sport I like it because it’s individual, and you can be on a team and also have that team feel. But, it’s more about you than other sports so you can improve yourself and still feel like you’re winning even though your team is not,” Maxey said.

There have been times when I’ve been running and I’ve just forgotten where I am and just got engulfed in the run.”

-junior Brandon Maxey

If you didn’t know this already, the track and cross country teams run more than you do. “The team usually runs 3-10 miles on a weekday. But, on the weekends up to 16, they’re longer,” Maxey said. Maxey says he doesn’t believe in the “runner’s high,” but has had some pretty interesting stuff happen on runs. “There have been times when I’ve been running and I’ve just forgotten where I am and just got engulfed in the run,” Maxey said. Some people have the hardest time motivating themselves to go out and run, but for Maxey he isn’t just running for himself. “I feel like I let the whole team down when I don’t run or do my part,” Maxey said. Boydstun feels like it is his destiny to run. “I’m a skinny guy, I feel like what I’m built to do is run,” Boydstun said.

GRAPHIC BY TERESA HEDIGER

HEALTHY MIND, HEALTHY BODY BY LAUREN ROSENSTOCK

s it possible for a person’s mental health to affect their physical health? A factor as significant as stress affects both mental and physical health. Having resilience, a sense of empowerment the ability to problem solve, an overall optimistic point of view, and seeing mistakes as building blocks to success help people develop eustress or positive stress and more positive outcomes compared to those who lack these characteristics. The states of mental and physical well-being are directly linked. As mental health increases or decreases, the body acts in a way that suits the brain’s new working system. If a person developed or was afflicted with brain damage their body would react or, in some cases, the body lacks the ability to react to specific stimuli. Prolonged periods of negative stress influence a person’s mental and physical health dramatically. When stress affects the body the person may seem in a state of alarm, they may become affected with high blood pressure or other cardiac problems. Depression, eating disorders, anxiety or other social disorders can develop if a person feels helpless or hopeless in intense states of stress. People who are affected by these disorders will feel better in mentally and naturally. The main idea when battling one of these disorders is to stick to a routine that suits that person’s lifestyle. More influences of stress that affect include violence, risky behavior, and how they maintain and take care of their physical health. For example, a person who always eats right, wears a seatbelt, gets an adequate amount of sleep and exercise daily will more likely have a positive perspective and outcome in their physical health.

20SPORTS

On the other hand, a person who is exposed to violence, feels powerless, works in an unhealthy environment, doesn’t care about themselves or others, or uses drugs illegally will slowly destroy their physical health. “Stress, for me, is any situation that makes my heart race, tenses my muscles, makes me sick to my stomach or makes me feel like I’m taking a fast elevator down one hundred floors in 3 seconds,” health teacher Jennifer Owens said. Stress is commonly defined as a subject pressure or tension or a state of mental or emotional strain commonly caused by a stressor or stimulant is how stress is commonly defined. Stress has a vital role in mental and physical health; sources of stress include environmental changes, biological factors, thinking or behavioral patterns, and life changes. “After it is dealt with, I crash. My body is trying to get back to normal so it is important for me to sleep... I have discovered that I am also affected psychologically. When I sleep, I have bizarre disjointed dreams that are in some way, connected to that which I dread or look forward to,” Owens said. To look on the positive effects of stress, eustress, or positive stress provides the motivation for a person to complete short term goals. As a result, the overall satisfaction and quality of life improve. Along with satisfaction, self esteem is boosted and creates the greater likelihood for the person to take better care of their body, keeping their mind and body balanced. The body has ways to react to each of these possible stressors, with more negative than positive effects.

connection between mental and physical health

Junior Sam Stueve carries the baton in the track relay race. PHOTO BY ARTURO SANCHEZ-VERA

SPRING Sports Catch-up an end of season look into the raider sports world

INFORMATION GATHERED BY GRIFFIN ZELLER

(AS OF APRIL 22nd)

Track & Field Standout Players:

Memorable Moment:

Brooke Holmes, Trent

Brooke Holmes tied the Girls

Flagler, Jersey Boydston, Long Jump record at the Ashlie Fischer

BV Relays

PHOTO BY HANNAH HOLLANDER

Baseball

Softball

Record: 5-7 Standout Players: Tyler Purdue, Marshall Bland

Record: 7-2 Overall (5-2 League) Standout Players:

Memorable Moment:

Abby King, Maggie Reid, Sydney

Tyler Purdueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no-hitter against ON

Holler, Christina Mountain

Upcoming Events:

Memorable Moment: Remaining

3:45 p.m tomorrow vs. BV @ KU

undefeated in league play

4:30 p.m. next Tuesday vs. LHS @ 3&2

PHOTO BY JESSE YORK

PHOTO BY ARTURO SANCHEZVERA

(5/29) vs SM Northwest

Tennis

Golf

Standout Players: Ben Bernard,

Record: N/A Standout Players: Tony DiSilvestro,

Griffin Zeller, Mitchell Fowler, Nick Claerhout

Andrew Barton, Parker Ling, Blake

Memorable Moment: Hitting cars

Simmons

with tennis balls at practice

Memorable Moment: Dom

Upcoming Events: League Tournament

Upcoming Event:

PHOTO BY HANNAH HOLLANDER

PHOTO BY ARTURO SANCHEZVERA

Esparrago shooting an 18 on his first hole of the year

Girls Soccer

Girls swim & dive

Underwood, Sophie Vogt and Olivia

Record: 3-5 Standout Players: Jo Jones, Taylor

Wilerson

Christie, Megan Stollsteimer

Memorable Moment: 200m

Memorable Moment:

medley relay team qualifying for

The team talent show

Standout Players: Hannah

State

PHOTO BY JENNA FACKRELL

PHOTO BY BROOKE HOLMES

SPORTS

My Skydiving Experience

SPORTING WITH STAFF predictions and review of the current sports world

CALVIN FREEMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

GARRETT MOULD SPORTS EDITOR

GRIFFIN ZELLER WRITER

TRIVETTE KNOWLES WRITER

LUKE HOLLAND FEATURES EDITOR

1. NBA CHAMPION

San Antonio Spurs

Miami Heat

San Antonio Spurs

Miami Heat

Oklahoma City Thunder

2. Best QB DRAFT PROSPECT

Blake Bortles

Johnny Manziel

Teddy Bridgewater

3. BEST NBA PROSPECT

Joel Embiid

Shabazz Napier

Jabari Parker

Marcus Smart

Andrew Wiggins

4. Royals RECORD

82-80

85-77

90-72

80-82

77-85

22 SPORTS

Choosing a university is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make.

Congratulations to Bethel’s Concert Choir for being selected to perform at the 2014 Southwestern Conference of the American Choral Directors Association.

Become a Gorilla and join the 7,200+ students who have dreams as big as yours!

COLLEGE

} Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Sat., March 22, 7:30 p.m., Yardley Hall Church of the Resurrection, Leawood, Sun., March 23, 10:45 a.m. Or watch online at rezonline.org.

When it comes to higher education, JCCC delivers more for your money. Beginning January 2014, high school students can earn more than 24 college credits through College Now! Be prepared to sign up for College Now classes this fall. Save money on four-year university tuition with college credits in high school. See your school counselor for details or visit www.jccc.edu/collegenow.

12345 College Blvd. | Overland Park, KS 66210

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Pittsburg State University Pittsburg, KS V 1-800-854-PITT V www.pittstate.edu 3/4/14 3:05 PM

More for Your Money

start at Pitt State

Wichita Symphony Orchestra, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, “Choral,” Sat–Sun., April 5–6, Century II Concert Hall, Wichita SMSad.indd 1

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big value- Flat-rate tuition. big selection- More than 150 academic programs. big opportunities- Internships available with the

SPRING PERFORMANCES

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Toby Cook, BA ’90 oyals tions, Kansas City R VP-Community Rela

SMSSNAPSHOTS 1

5 4

1. Seniors gather around a sign-up sheet for Gotcha at the Sonic near 107th and Roe March 8. Out of the 149 seniors who signed up, only five are left as of April 22.

PHOTO BY ETHAN STONE

2. Senior Conner Viets

struggles to run the track at SMS while wearing high heels strapped to his feet with duct tape April 16. Viets was participating in Walk A Mile, an event dedicated to helping its participants understand women’s’ struggles. All proceeds went to Safe Home KC, an organization that provides a place for women to stay and be safe from abusive partners.

PHOTO BY ETHAN STONE

3. Junior

Brendan Brooks tries to grab a dodgeball without crossing the line. The dodgeball finale was held Friday, April 4 in the auxiliary gym.

PHOTO BY JENNA FACKRELL

4. South’s

varsity cheerleaders perform for Extravaganza cuttings April 17 in the

auditorium.

PHOTO BY HANNAH HOLLANDER

5. Pep execs Kelly O’Connor and Rasheed Brady “pull an Ellen” and take selfies with the entire Senior Class during the Spring Assembly March 27 in the gym.

PHOTO BY ETHAN STONE