The Harbinger 19-20: Issue 9 by The Harbinger

the harbinger. S H AW N E E M I S S I O N E A S T 7500 MISSION ROAD PRAIRIE VILLAGE, KS 66208

KANSAS CITY

JAN. 27, 2020 VOLUME LXII ISSUE 9

For the first time in 50 years, the Chiefs are going back to the Superbowl — and Kansas City is ready

02 | INSIDE COVER

cover design by | lila tulp cover photo courtesy of | diego galicia

ONLINE

PREVIEW @smeharbinger

@smeharbinger

@smeharbie

STORIES

WPA DATE SWITCH The WPA Sweetheart dance was moved from Feb. 15 to Feb. 1 due to conflicting events. by | kate heitmann

CLASS OF 2021 QUIZLET The class of 2021’s shared Quizlet page has become a central resource for students studying for tests of a range of subjets. by | elizabeth mikkelson

CARTOON | RIVER HENNICK

STAFF LIST

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

R I G H T Senior Ben Walburn holds the class bunny while listening to presentations during Mr. Debey’s environmental ed class. photo by | elise madden

A B O V E Freshman Elise Welsh poses at the end of the JV Lancer Dancer winter pep assembly performance. photo by | trevor paulus

PRINT EDITORS Lila Tulp Carolyn Popper Caroline Chisholm ONLINE EDITORS Ben Henschel Jackie Cameron ASST. PRINT EDITORS Catherine Erickson Rose Kanaley ASST. ONLINE EDITORS Lauren West Riley Atkinson ASST. DESIGN EDITORS Celia Condon Sarah Bledsoe HEAD COPY EDITORS Carolyn Popper Jackie Cameron ASST. HEAD COPY EDITOR Natasha Thomas PHOTO EDITORS Aislinn Menke Kate Nixon ASST. PHOTO EDITORS Sarah Golder Trevor Paulus Julia Percy VIDEO EDITORS Maggie Schutt Ryan Gossick Lawder DeSantis ASST. VIDEO EDITOR Sydney Williams BROADCAST EDITORS Alex Dinyer Lucia Barraza ASST. BROADCAST EDITOR Natalie Scholz Megan Stopperan PHOTO MENTORS Noelle Griffin Megan Biles Megan Stopperan STAFF WRITERS Lyda Cosgrove Kaia Monaco Caroline Gould Caroline Wood

Kate Heitmann Cesca Stamati Lily Haw Grace Tuckers Peyton Moore Kelly Murphy Jilli Foley Campbell Wood Winnie Wolf Sophie Henschel Brynn Winkler Elizabeth Mikkelson Tommy Paulus Lauren Dierks Sydney Newton Emma Brown Lily Billingsley Allison Wilcox Phoebe Hendon Grace Allen Annabelle Moore Lydia Underwood Maddox Mogenson Sydney Decker COPY EDITORS Ben Henschel Lila Tulp Carolyn Popper Jackie Cameron Caroline Chisholm Natasha Thomas Sarah Bledsoe Brynn Winkler Lydia Underwood Catherine Erickson Rose Kanaley Campbell Wood Lauren West Phoebe Hendon Jilli Foley Allison Wilcox Sydney Newton Riley Atkinson Lily Billingsley EDITORIAL BOARD Ben Henschel Brynn Winkler Caroline Chisholm Carolyn Popper Catherine Erickson Jackie Cameron Lauren West Lila Tulp Natasha Thomas Riley Atkinson River Hennick Rose Kanaley Tommy Paulus

Phoebe Hendon Sarah Bledsoe Lydia Underwood SECTION EDITORS EASTIPEDIA ONLINE Kelly Murphy EDITORIAL PRINT Tommy Paulus NEWS PRINT Sophie Henschel & Campbell Wood ONLINE Phoebe Hendon OPINION PRINT Annabelle Moore ONLINE Gabby Caponecchi FEATURE PRINT Sydney Newton ONLINE Brynn Winkler A&E PRINT Elizabeth Mikkelson ONLINE Sydney Decker SPORTS PRINT Allison Wilcox ONLINE Lydia Underwood ADVISORS Lucia Barazza & Alex Dinyer PAGE DESIGNERS Caroline Gould Caroline Wood Kate Heitman Cesca Stamati Lily Haw Grace Tucker Peyton Moore Kelly Murphy Jilli Foley Sophie Henschel Elizabeth Mikkelson Tommy Paulus Lauren Dierks Sydney Newton Emma Brown Lily Billinsley Allison Wilcox Grace Allen Annabelle Moore Maddox Mogenson STAFF ART EDITOR

River Hennick STAFF ARTISTS Sophie Henschel Gabby Caponecchi Lyda Cosgrove STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS MJ Wolf Maggie Merckens Emily Pollock Hadley Chapman Emma Kate Squires Maggie Klump Reily Moreland Elise Madden Taylor Keal AnnaKate Bilks Lucy Kostner VIDEO STAFF Olivia Olson Natalie Scholz Lawder Desantis Evelyn Roesner Ryan Gossick Maggie Schutt Sydney Williams Roberto Galacia PODCAST EDITOR Lydia Underwood Sophie Henschel SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Lilah Faye SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Annabelle Moore Maddox Mogenson SOCIAL MEDIA STAFF Kaia Monaco Megan Stopperan Reilly Moreland Gabby Caponecchi ADS MANAGER Sydney Newton CIRCULATION MANAGERS Campbell Wood Anna Stover SOCIAL CHAIR Lila Tulp Reilly Moreland CONTEST COORDINATOR Catherine Erickson

EDITORIAL | 03

design by | tommy paulus

WORLD. WAR. MEME.

FOR: 9 AGAINST: 0

The individuals on the editorial board who agree with the viewpoint of the editorial are represented by for, and those that disagree with the viewpoint of the editorial are represented by against. EDITORIAL POLICY The Harbinger is a student-run publication. Published editorials express the views of the Harbinger staff. Signed columns published in the Harbinger express the writer’s personal opinion. The contents and views of the Harbinger do not represent the student body, faculty, administration or Shawnee Mission School District. The Harbinger will not share any unpublished content, but quoted material may be confirmed with sources. The Harbinger encourages letters to the editors, but reserves the right to reject them for reasons including but not limited to lack of space, multiple letters of the same topic and personal attacks contained in the letter. The Harbinger will not edit content though letters may be edited for clarity, length, libel or mechanics. Letters should be sent to room 413B or emailed to smeharbinger@gmail.com

n the Internet, anything can be turned into a joke. So when the first major news story of 2020 broke, it wasn’t shocking to see severity met with sarcasm. Qasem Soleimani, the Iranian major general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was killed in an air strike by American forces on Jan. 3. After receiving backlash for the seemingly unprompted attack, several defensive statements were made by President Donald Trump, who authorized the attack without consulting Congress. While some have quickly labeled Trump’s actions as a one-anddone incident, others fear for the worst: World War III. But amidst the news blasts and CNN updates, American teenagers responded to the idea of war in a somewhat unsurprising way — through memes. Within hours of Soleimani’s death, American teenagers — equipped only with the limited news from their Twitter feeds — flooded every social media platform with memes dripping in sarcasm and apathy. One Twitter user, @ImToresea, wrote “dudes be worried about an open window letting cold air in.. fam you’re focused on the wrong draft... #WW3.” The biggest source of meme fuel? A hypothetical military draft. Unlike adults who asked themselves whether the war itself would even happen upon receiving the news, teenagers immediately took to TikTok to joke about becoming doting army wives or “swapping genders” to avoid being drafted — even though the practice has been largely

abolished and the likelihood of the draft’s reinstatement is low. For a majority of teenagers contributing to the jokes, their formative years have been spent debating whether guns should be put into the hands of citizens and what can be done about the eruption of fires around the world that result from climate change. Given this, the fear teenagers experience when confronted with the idea of being forced to carry a gun and light cities on fire with bombs isn’t coming out of left field. In fact, it’s this fear that acts as most teenagers’ rationale for the memes. Youth in major cities on the East Coast fear for their safety as threats of retaliation bombs litter Reddit. Young girls discuss whether or not they’re equipped to fight across seas. High schoolers with depression and anxiety Google search for whether or not mental health issues disqualify one from being drafted. These fears are valid. We’re young and naïve. We’ve lived in a world dominated by the complete opposite of feel-good news for as long as we can remember — we’ve learned to expect the worst. And we can’t help it. But what most teens — the ones who text funny TikToks to their friends and joke about wearing tube tops and camo joggers on the battlefield — haven’t realized is that for the citizens of Iran, the crisis we fear is their reality. Since mid-Nov. of 2019, Iranian citizens across the country have been protesting against their government due to increasing fuel prices, government corruption and opposition to the Islamic Republic. The protests began as

peaceful demonstrations and quickly turned violent as the government met the protesters with harsh resistance. The Iranian government has used a series of tactics to deter the protesters, such as shutting down the nation’s internet and shooting and killing protestors with machine guns. Families are warned to not hold funerals. Banks, shops and other buildings are being destroyed. Trump’s Congressionally-unauthorized Soleimani strike only made matters worse. American teens are treating the issue like sheer entertainment, nothing more — but it is. In America, we may not be suffering through any physical consequences from Trump’s actions, but innocent men, women and children in Iran are having their lives interrupted by the fuel Soleimani’s death added to the already devastating fire of Iran’s civil unrest. For as much as WWIII memes are being spread around the Internet, we should be putting equal attention on Iranians who are losing their homes and families as a result of American interference. Thinking about the turmoil across the Atlantic isn’t easy to stomach, but being aware of the situation in Iran does two favors — it allows anxious teens to get a better sense of what to expect in the future and keeps those who consume WWIII memes from being insensitive on the subject.

The uncomfortable truth is that as teens in America, we sip ignorance-is-bliss juice until the concept of conflict is out of our brains, leaving us free to continue going about our lives as we please. Right now, those in Iran don’t get that choice.

Despite how insignificant it may seem, there’s a small sense of comfort for Americans in retweets, likes and the embrace of a generationally-shared concern for their lives being interrupted by warfare. We haven’t spent our entire lives prepping for SATs and college applications just to be forced into combat before we reach the finish line to adulthood. The jump-the-gun meme response isn’t an outlier from the behavior of a typical teen, either. We hold peace signs up to the mirror after we’ve cried our eyes out and laugh at ourselves. Most cringe at how cliché it is to be told that laughter is the best medicine, but comedy — and the community that comes from sharing it — is comforting.

SCAN ME | VIDEO What students think about World War three memes and how if they use them.

There’s nothing wrong with laughing at the TikTok your friend texted you of someone doing the “Renegade” dance on a green-screen image of a battlefield. But it’s important to remember there’s a certain privilege that comes with being protected from the very real conflict in Iran. While Americans have the luxury of finding entertainment in the situation, Iranians are suffering — at our hands, too.

04 | NEWS

design by | sophie henschel

NEWS

by grace allen

HIGHLIGHTS Catch up on news around the school, the state and the nation

EAST

DUE TO TRIP scheduling conflicts voiced by students, the WPA dance was rolled back from Feb. 15 to Feb. 1. According to Student Body President Eva Hill, the original date for WPA was set in May 2019, but the original date overlapping with President’s Day weekend caused a number of students to present their complaints to school administration. StuCo voted on a proposal to switch the date to Feb. 1, which passed with a clear majority. The new date overlaps with Super Bowl weekend, which several students will be traveling to attend. “Some weekends there were church ski trips that we had to plan around,” Hill said. “[Feb.1] was the best option.” After going back and forth between Feb. 1, Feb.15 and Jan. 18 at their meetings, StuCo saw Feb. 1 as a clear best choice, according

LOC A L

T O P S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e Mike Pompeo (above) will not be running for U.S. Senate this fall, to the surprise of some political officials. photo courtesy of mct campus

P OL L Did you follow the happenings of the women’s rights march in D.C.? INSTAGRAM POLL | 195 VOTES

81% 19%

YES

Are you a fan of the Sweetheart dance and Super Bowl in the same weekend? INSTAGRAM POLL | 270 VOTES

43% NO 57%

W E ’ R E S O E X P LOS I V E A N D W E K N OW T H AT W E G OT E V E RY T H I N G WE NEEDED RIGHT HERE. K A N SAS C I T Y C H I E F S | 01 / 2 0/ 2 0

SCAN ME | VIDEO Scan to see a live version of the 4th annual Women’s Rights March

Sweetheart dance moved to Feb. 1 to Hill. The date was the only option that didn’t conflict with a holiday or extended weekend during which students would be more likely to be traveling. Freshman Charlotte Emley had to reevaluate her WPA plans after the switch since her date has plans to attend the Super Bowl, but would’ve been fine with the previous Feb. 15 date. “[My date’s] grandpa made a promise to his dad that if the Chiefs ever made it to the Super Bowl he would take him, so his dad made the same promise to him,” Emley said. Emley and many others are going to be left without a date because of the Superbowl, one of the many controversies over the date change. Despite the complications and controversy behind the switch, the dance is set to occur on Feb. 1 from 8 to 10 p.m. in the East cafeteria.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has opted out of running for U.S. Senate spot representing Kansas

SECRETARY OF STATE and former Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-KS) decided against running for the open U.S. Senate spot for Kansas on Jan. 7 in a move that put Democrats slightly more at ease and secured placement for several Republican senatorial candidates. Instead, Pompeo chose to remain in his position in the Trump administration’s state department. His decision to not run for Senate gives the Democratic party a more favorable chance in the upcoming Senate election, according to senior Ian Gould, an intern for Democratic candidate Barbara Boiller. Gould believes Pompeo was the strongest candidate in the Republican Party for the seat in the Senate. “[Pompeo] is one of Trump’s right hand men and is very big in the administration being Secretary of State, so he is massively popular as a Republican,” Gould said. “He would beat the Democrat by a large margin

no matter who they were.” Now that Pompeo is out of the race, the Republican party no longer has the same strong option to secure votes, according to junior Charlie Birt, an intern on Roger Marshall’s senatorial campaign for the race. “It’s throwing an interesting dichotomy into the race between Roger Marshall and Kris Kobach,” Birt said. “Because I think those are going to be the two candidates [for the Republican Party] moving forward, and it is going to be an interesting primary battle between the two.” Republican candidates Kobach and Marshall appeal to different types of Republican voters in Kansas that vary between the east and west parts of the state, making them the favorable candidates for the Republican party in the election, Birt said. Along with local and presidential elections, the senatorial spot will be open for vote on Nov. 3.

N A T I O N A L Fourth annual women’s rights march held Jan. 18 YES

MA R K YO U R CA LE N DA R ROC K H U RST GA M E | D EC . 3 1 SW E E T H EART DA NC E | F E B. 1

THE FOURTH ANNUAL Women’s Rights March was held on Jan. 18 in Washington D.C. In the frozen rain, protesters from across the country came together at the Freedom Plaza in Washington D.C., beginning their descent to the White House. Compared to previous years, the march consisted of a much smaller crowd and focused on more descriptive ideas like climate change, reproductive rights and immigration. “I’m here in support of women protesting against Trump’s actions, against his divisive rhetoric, against his attacks on women and trans people,” Protester Connor Czora said

in an interview with NPR. Along with this protest, which brought thousands to the capital, there were many smaller demonstrations in cities around the country like Chicago and Los Angeles. Sophomore Bella Wolfe is very passionate about women’s rights and supports the march in D.C. “I really think [the demonstrators] make a difference even if it doesn’t feel like its a direct difference that they are making,” Wolfe said. “It really does affect someone out there and empowers them.” This march will be the last Women’s Rights March before the Presidential Election in November.

NEWS| 05

design by | lily haw photos by | trevor paulus

WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES,

ANOTHER ONE OPENS by caroline chisholm

Recent business openings and closings in the Kansas City area

A NOTHER B ROKEN EGG C A FE & S NOOZE: A N A.M. EATERY H O UL I H A N’S TWO KANSAS CITY area locations of the American restaurant and bar Houlihan’s closed their doors this month. Both Fairway and Olathe residents found their local spot closed suddenly on Jan. 1. The Houlihan’s locations were just two of HRI Holding Corp’s 47 restaurants located in 14 different states. The closings came after Houston-based hospitality corporation, Landry’s, bid the highest to buy assets of HRI Holding Corp. out of bankruptcy, including the locations that closed. According to court documents, HRI Holding Corp. filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November for reasons that included senior management changes and unfavorable leases. Senior Tatum Hood, a Houlihan’s employee, felt blindsided by the close. By the close she, like many employees, were given no notice. She got a call hours before her scheduled 5 p.m. shift informing her the business was closing effective immediately. “It was really confusing because when we heard about the bankruptcy we had a huge meeting about it,” Hood said, continuing,

“and they were like ‘We are fine. This location is going to stay open and is one of the most profitable locations. Everything is going to be okay,’ but then one day out of the blue I got a call saying that they were shutting down.” Other HRI Holding Corp restaurants include McCormick and Schmicks on the Plaza and The Bristol in Power and Light, both of which are set to stay open under Landry’s control. Houlihan’s was a neighborhood staple in the Fairway triangle according to Hood. It was a spot for families to grab dinner, friends to celebrate birthdays or adults to meet for drinks. “The Fairway location had the most community feel just because Fairway is a very small neighborhood,” Hood said. “I cleaned tables and hosted, but there were always a lot of regulars that knew me by name. We had a lot of people who had come in for many, many years.” The space, owned by Block Real Estate, has yet to be filled. Its doors will remained closed until a new tenant contract is created.

CHAIN BREAKFAST SPOTS Another Broken Egg Cafe and Snooze: An A.M. Eatery are making their debut in the Kansas City area this month, a common time for business development in KC. Another Broken Egg Cafe, originally founded in Florida, opened on 133rd and Metcalf by franchise owners John and Britney Valas. The franchise began serving Kansas Citians on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. They serve upscale breakfast, brunch and lunch options. They pride themselves in specializing in award-winning, Southern-inspired menu options with innovative twists and signature cocktails, according to the company website. Denver-based restaurant, Snooze: An A.M. Eatery took over a 5,000-square-foot building located next to Westport Ale House on Broadway and will be opening on Feb 5. Snooze is a chef-driven restaurant known for its six signature Eggs Benedict options, according to their social media accounts. Nation’s Restaurant News

reported that Snooze takes “a whimsical approach to comfort food and brunch cocktails as well as a focus on sustainability efforts and community giving.” Math teacher Andrew Walter discovered Snooze on a wedding trip to Colorado and became a huge fan. “My wife and I did some research on the best brunch spots in Denver and Snooze kept coming up,” Walter said. “So we went and we enjoyed it so much that we went back again the next day, and then every time we went back to Denver for wedding stuff we always made a point to visit Snooze. It has great food, but also has great memories for us.” Walter has been spreading the word about the new addition to Westport. He is excited to make the new local location a place to celebrate special occasions with his family. “Everybody I talk to about brunch I mention how much we enjoy going to Snooze,” Walter said. “I am really excited [that it is coming to KC].”

MACY’S PRAIRIE VILLAGE MACY’S is clearing its racks with a final clearance sale as they close their doors after 62 years in business. The sale is expected to last 8-12 weeks as they take the next 90 days to slowly wind down their business. The Prairie Village location is one of 30 nationally in the department store chain that are set to close early in 2020. According to Business Insider, the closings are reportedly due to six consecutive years of declining sales. The company has been closing locations as their leases end. The decision to close the Prairie Village location came after “careful consideration,” according to Macy’s spokesperson Carolyn Ng Cohen in a public statement. East parent Ingrid Adel has worked at Macy’s for a little over a year part time. Adel is sad to part ways

with the employees she has built relationships with through the job. “I am sad because even though I have only been there for a little over a year, I have feel like I really fit into that group [of employees]. This [location] is a very family oriented community for not just the customers, but also the employees.” Many employees at the Prairie Village location have been working at the store for more than a decade according to Adel. She hopes that they are relocated to other locations and continue to be a part of the Macy’s family despite the location close. Senior Director of Leasing, Elise Bueker at First Washington Realty said they own the building, but are not commenting on plans to fill the space quite yet. They plan to inform the public as soon an update is available regarding the space.

ADDITIONAL OPEN INGS IN KC Four other restaurants and shops coming to KC at the beginning of 2020

M USALE T IS P IZZA

P IC KLEMAN’S

FROZEN GOLD SPLITLOGG COFFEE

06 | NEWS

design by | sarah bledsoe copy by | kaia monaco

FIRE

THE FIRST OF the Australian brushfires ignited in Oct. 2019 — the beginning of the country’s “fire season”. According to CNN, the majority of the fires were started by natural causes, such as lightning strikes. But not all, as about 10-20% of the fires were reported as man-made, such as control campfires or arson. Since Nov., about 250,000 people have been evacuated from Australia’s three easternmost provinces: Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales. Plus, 28 people have died and around 3,000 homes have been destroyed. About one billion animals have died due to their inability to outrun the fires or burned habitats. According to BBC, of these one

billion animals, 25,000 are koalas — an already endangered species. Reports of the first three deaths caused by the fires occurred in Queensland and New South Wales, on Nov. 8-10. According to CNN, by the end of 2019, 16 people had died and hundreds of thousands of people had evacuated their homes. According to The Guardian, recent thunderstorms in Australia have assisted in putting out some blazes, although the lightning strikes from the storms have stirred up some new blazes as well by striking dry ground.

CELEBRITY I N VO LV M E N T

THE TIMELINE SEPT. 2019 The fires start with first blazes lighting in Queensland and New South Wales (east coast), either due to lightning strikes or humans.

OCT. 2019 Australia’s “fire season” officially starts, with embers from already burning fires floating around, causing additional blazes.

N O RT H E R N T E R R I TO RY

WESTERN AU ST R A L I A Western Australia hasn’t had nearly as many fires as the other provinces, but has still been hit by about 30 fires.

Hundreds of citizens were stranded on an island off this province on New Year’s Eve, waiting to be rescued.

QUEENSLAND The fires originated here due to lightning strikes, and killed 3 people within the first

NOV. 8 to 10 Three people die in fires in Queensland and New South Wales.

week of lighting.

DEC. 28

S O U T H E R N T E R R I TO RY Monstrous dust storms have ripped through South Australia, turning skies black and red.

NEW SOUTH The hardes hit province, and burnt about 10 million acres and 3,000 homes .

A total of 240,000 people are told to evacuate the East Gippsland region of the Victoria province.

DEC. 31 The fires have killed sixteen people and still continue to

JAN. 7 Rain begins to fall in Victoria and New South Wales.

V I C TO RI A

Victoria is one of the first provinces to welcome rain since the fires started, and many have extinguished due to the downpours.

JAN. 20 Around one billion animals and thirty people have died from fires.

JAN. 21

P ! N K D O N AT E D

$500,000 TO LO C A L F I R E S E RV I C E S .

REBEL WILSON auctioned a lunch with her to her fans and donated the money raised to the NSW rural fire service.

S E L E N A G O M E Z D O N AT E D A N

UNDISCLOSED A M O U N T TO R E L I E F E F FO RTS

CHRIS H E M S WO RT H and his family donated $1 million to help their home country.

E L L E N D EG E N E R E S D O N AT E D

$2 MILLION TO T H R E E R E L I E F O RGA N I Z AT I O N S

T H E I RW I N S SAV E D

The amount of fires burning has been cut in half due to the rain, but the storms are causing more problems such as floods and dangerously large hail.

TA S M A N I A

In late October 2019, lighting strikes started four bushfires and 60,000 acres have burned since, yet there have been no deaths.

THE FUTURE The fires don’t show any time of stopping soon, as Australia isn’t even close to entering peak fire season yet.

90,000

A N I M A L S A N D T R EAT E D T H E M AT T H E I R W I L D L I F E H OS P I TA L I N QUEENSLAND

A N E N V I R O N M E N TA L C R I S I S

I N C O M PA R I S O N

The number of total animals affected could be as high as

g ra p h o f t h e a c res t h a t h ave b ee n b u r n e d i n re ce nt m a j o r w i l d fi re eve nts

1 BILLION With the death toll of Kolas in New South Wales alone reaching around

1/3

of the koala population.

2,683

H O M E S H AV E B E E N LOST I N T H E F I R E AS O F JA N . 1 4 .

17. 9 m

6. 7 m 2.0 m

2.2m

Anybody would have said these forests don’t burn, that there’s not enough material and they are wet. Well they did. SEBASTIAN PFAUTSCH | FOREST RESTORATION EXPERT AT WESTERN SYDNEY UNIVERSITY

2 018

C A L I FO R N I A

A M A ZO N

2 019

2 019 SIBERIA

AU ST R A L I A

F ires

Fires

2 019

NEWS | 07

design by | elizabeth mikkelson photo by | lucy kostner

ST U DY

A new study facility opens for teenagers to learn essential studying techniques

LAB by allison wilcox

T O P Private study room at the new study lab photo by | lucy kostner

STUDY LAB’S KEY OBJECTIVES By achieving specific, objective study goals, completing homework regularly and on time, and by developing good study habits, StudyLab gives each student a sense of accomplishment and confidence in their own abilities.

E N VI RON M E N T

tudyLab, a new location for middle school and high school students to learn study habits, opened on Jan. 13 at 75th and State Line. The building offers various comfortable rooms for students to complete projects and finish homework. StudyLab was created by parents Jamie Berg and Heather Johntz. Both having kids at Pembroke Hill, they have dealt firsthand with the hectic lives of students with heavy workloads in school while participating in extracurriculars. They hope the study skills learned can be translated into future work — whether it’s college or in the work force. The programs offered range from renting a private room for $25 an hour to a month of unlimited hour-long sessions for $175. Students are able to book a private room as well as one of the two group rooms to work on projects and group studying. During all sessions, students can receive help from study mentors if they have any questions.

[Study Lab is] a place where they knew they could come and other kids were hanging out and get a snack if they want to.

jamie berg | study lab creator

D I REC T I O N WO RK H A B I T

HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT STUDY LAB KC? INSTAGRAM POLL | 241 VOTES

8% YES 92% NO IF YOU HAVE, DO YOU PLAN ON USING IT? INSTAGRAM POLL | 101 VOTES

6% YES 94% NO

The hired mentors and tutors are highly qualified in a variety of classes including biology, chemistry, physics, math, English and history, and are available when students need help. The mentors consist of teachers, college students, retired teachers and students studying to become teachers. StudyLab also offers private tutoring if kids want more one-on-one time. “All of [the mentors] did well in high school in math, science and they all can structure a paper,” Berg and Johntz said. “We have a couple that are language majors, and we’ve been surprised about how many questions a lot of our students have had on Spanish, and we’ve had somebody there that’s been able to answer all their questions, which has been great.” After Berg and Johntz began advertising and informing friends and other kids in the community about StudyLab, 11 students signed up with their program in the first week. Johntz mentioned that she noticed students benefited from being in a study environment surrounded by kids working on their homework. Their time spent working on homework was also more efficient — assignments

****

S T U D Y L A B | 4 S TA R S 7 6 1 1 | S TAT E L I N E R O A D ST U DY P RO G R A M

transitioned from three hours to an hour and a half. Berg and Johntz think the students’ productivity has increased significantly due to the environment and mentors that check in to make sure they stay on task. They reported that the students were so focused, they didn’t need to tell anyone to put their phones away. Teaching organization is one of StudyLab’s top priorities. In order to become organized, all members of StudyLab purchase an official planner, which allows them to schedule daily and long-term assignments, tests and after school activities. “We came up with a planner and that another focus is getting kids organized,” Berg said. “The parents seem to really like that.” In addition to improving students’ study habits, StudyLab was intentionally designed to create a relaxing, distraction-free environment to maximize student productivity. “We tried to set it up like a coffee shop atmosphere,” Berg said. “A place where they knew they could come and other kids were hanging out and get a snack if they want to.” Freshman Jolie Kerwin learned about StudyLab from a friend and thinks students will benefit from the center. Kerwin believes students will do well in the new environment being surrounded by other working on homework. “It would help you get more motivated seeing people your age with you doing the same thing,” Kerwin said. East parent Anita Newton is familiar with StudyLab and supports it because of the fundamental elements of studying like organization and productivity that are being taught. “The traditional model for assistance is that you have a problem with a subject and you hire a subject expert to help you,” Newton said. “That’s helpful, but it underlines the problem, which is, most kids do not know how to study, and it’s not just about learning the ins and outs of Spanish. It’s really about knowing what you need to do to organize yourself, to be focused and to learn how to learn.” According to Berg and Johntz, StudyLab’s ultimate goal throughout its coming years is to help students form good habits that will be beneficial in their futures — even if they don’t realize it. “If we can create that situation for them, it will help their self-esteem; it will help them in college,” Berg and Johntz agreed. “The rest of the business part of it will take care of itself — we really are focused on creating a winning situation for the clients that come in.”

08 | OPINION

design by | lily billingsley

OPINION

HIGHLIGHTS A look into student opinions and the opinion section

THE WEEK IN 280 C H A R AC T E R S FO R T H E F I RST T I M E I N 5 0 Y EA RS , T H E C H I E F S A R E A FC C H A M P I O N S ! NFL | 1/19/20

STUDENT OPINIONS W H AT DO YO U T H IN K A BO UT T HE W PA DATE CHA NG E ? Personally, I’m not a fan of it because dance team was supposed to have a competition that day. The competition got canceled because it was the day of WPA, and now we only have one competition until Nationals which is inconvenient for us.

I M P E AC H M E N T T R I A L O RGA N I Z I N G R E S O L U T I O N H A S B E E N C H A N G E D TO A L LOW F O R A RG U M E N TS FO R 2 4 H O U R S TO H A P P E N OV E R 3 DAYS . T H E O R I G I N A L R E S O L U T I O N H A D A RG U M E N TS OV E R 2 DAYS . NBC POLITICS | 1/21/20

claire baker | junior

W HAT’S YOUR FAVO RIT E DANC E AF T E R PA RT Y TH EM E? I’d say it’s jerseys. I like sports a lot so it’s always fun to wear jerseys and it’s good to wear comfortable clothes after being in a suit for a long time. I have a Wakanda jersey that I save for occasions like parties so it’s always fun to wear a more unique jersey.

ben rodriguez | freshman

D E R E K J E T E R F E L L O N E VOT E S H O RT O F J O I N I N G H I S YA N K E E T EA M M AT E M A R I A N O R I V E R A A S U N A N I M O U S S E L EC T I O N S I N TO T H E B A S E B A L L H A L L O F FA M E E S P N STATS | 1 / 2 1 / 2 0

O P I N I O N AT E D DO KEEP TRACK OF YOUR HOMEWORK USING SOME SORT OF LIST? | 328 VOTES

F U N A N D GA M E S

66% YES

STORIES O F T H E WE E K WO R D SEARCH R S M M C C E E R T C O U U S Z B U N L P T A V G D T F A U B P E Y W U S O O S B R T L I C E A R L D E C N A Y F N U T L W B D R S I O C I L P A O O N I V G D O G N

Q H F B L I T U B U E G Q F B S O B N Z D I T R

L E L L L L E E I E E O D T E S T S T E A T T C

I N U P G L C H I E F S A Q A K E S O B O K Q B S S E P E I R B S E Y B Y J K

R E Q T K O L F K

E E D W T M

W B U I A U U A J A H R A S R N O G S O I F K I E E E C

Y G Y Z Y D G E S S I S S S G S E S S S E I Q I J I A I J D I U L E B E L E P G G E G P A L Q L L L B P K L G

I N O G O E O L A E A Q V H X B K L X L A O S J D B K V K P P B M B D B C A B R L E P B Y S T E R E O T Y P

D C H K J G Q Q L I A P P O B N P A B P D G G G

L N

A A O P A A L D R E L Q K S S V K W X G I A G E E S T D I R

34% NO WA R p . 3 BU S I N E S S E S p. 5

DO YOU STRUGGLE TO STAY MOTIVATED WITH SCHOOL WORK? | 326 VOTES

85% YES

AU ST R A L I A p. 6 S T U DY L A B p . 7 CO N D E S C E N D I N G p. 9 S T E R E OT Y P E S p . 1 0

15% NO DO YOUR PARENTS PRESSURE YOU TO GET STRAIGHT A’S? |324 VOTES

O R G A N I Z E D p .1 1

48% YES

C H I E F S p .1 6 - 1 7

52% NO

C O O K I N G p .1 8 T E STS p. 1 9 C U LT p . 2 3 R E S TA U R A N T S p . 2 4 N E W M U S I C p. 2 5 C U R L I N G p. 2 9 B O L LY W O O D p . 3 0 OS C A RS p. 32

DO YOU THINK THAT CRYING MAKES YOU WEAK? | 319 VOTES

21% YES 79% NO

OPINION | 09

design by | jackie cameron photos by | julia percy

HIGH-PITCHE D

what’s upppp?!

heyyyy!

omg how are you?!

HA L LWAYS

Greetings and interactions should be genuine rather than a time to make oneself feel better about their status

Y by

lauren dierks

ou hear a high pitched “heyyy” and see a smile way too big to be on someone’s face during school hours, and you’re puzzled — what’s meant to be nice and welcoming seems more like a reminder of your place on the high school food chain. The condescending greeting leaves you feeling like a charity case while they carry on to the next person to look down on. Personally, I’ve been on the receiving and giving end of this strange interaction. When faced with this belittling exchange, I often wonder why they chose me to be their little pet to show others that they have more friends than just the ones they post on their Snapchat stories every weekend. I’m a high schooler taking AP English, not a third grader looking for help to the bathroom. This all too common acknowledgment is most frequently seen in the hallway where you can get more bang for your buck attention wise, but a hello should be for the sake of simply saying hello. On the giving end, I hardly notice my voice jump three octaves when I blurt out a “hey, what’s up!” to someone I don’t usually talk to in the hallway. It feels natural for my voice to contort to sound nicer than usual to someone who I’m not close with, but I never recognize that I’ve struck a blow at this person’s self confidence. Although the disrespect isn’t always intentional, it’s a part of high school culture that needs to be improved upon. It’s putting the person you’re talking to in a box, looking down on them and acknowledging that you think they’re under you — and it’s absurdly

WATC H YO UR M A NNER

Avoid these condescending actions and test out these more genuine questions Are you going to the basketball game this week?

thinking you not relating to know everything others issues

Are you planning on going to WPA? What did you do this weekend?

dominating the conversation denying advice

How did you do on the CAT quiz?

exploitive•entitlement

to use others’ p resence fo r yo ur own p erso na l b enefi t

destructive considering the unofficial caste system that’s taken over not only East, but all high schools. On the ‘totem pole’ of high school social standings, each friend group occupies a level, rarely moving up or down, and we’re reminded of that with each overly-friendly wave. The kids who have the most Instagram followers or go to the most parties usually sit highest on the pyramid of social hierarchy, and from there it makes its way lower and lower on the ‘totem

pole.’ It’s hard to find a balance. On one hand, the way I say hello shouldn’t be a big deal, but at the same time, peers should be seen as equals rather than competitors in popularity. And sometimes it’s not even a reminder of your social status. Sometimes it’s just, “Hey! You’re shorter than everyone else so it’s okay if I treat you like a child” or “you’re quiet and introverted so I can say hi to show people I’m friends with the quiet kid.” You’d think we could pass by each other in the hallway and address each other like the young adults we are rather than the kids you occasionally babysit on the weekends.

Although the disrespect isn’t always intentional, it’s a part of high school culture that needs to be improved upon.

lauren dierks | junior The question is — why do people feel they have the entitlement to talk down to other people? I’ve come to realize this kind of behavior is most commonly traced back to a narcissistic personality type. They would rather use a public interaction to get attention instead of taking the time to have a conversation deeper than “what’s your favorite color?” According to a 2004 study by Science Direct, exploitive entitlement is tied to having low selfesteem and lower levels of social commitment. In other words, those who exploit other people’s company for attention are doing it to boost their self esteem. When I see this exploitive entitlement in action I can’t help but to cringe at just how uncomfortable the interactions are. It’s hard to tell if the victim is aware of what’s happening, but either way it’s still unbearable to witness. Sure, most of the time, the highpitched hello is solely for the sake of saying hi to someone. But in other cases, the baby voice and overly enthusiastic tone is a dead giveaway of a normalized condescension that’s past its expiration date. Don’t get me wrong, there’s no problem with hanging out with new people and having a lot of friends. The problem arises when you use other people for your own benefit and not for the benefit of having a friend.

10 | OPINION

design by | jilli foley photos by | sarah golder

B O R N TO S T E R EOT Y P E

Staffer shares her thoughts on stereotypes that kids are exposed to at a young age taught when growing up

by grace tucker

If a boy calls a girl a loser, they like her. If a boy cries after scraping his knee, he’s a sissy. If you don’t get a grade higher than 80% in math or science, you’re dumb. These are all stereotypes that I was led to believe in elementary school. I can’t be the first one to think that these stereotypes are all just one, big, messed up lie. “You’re too tall.” “You aren’t even good at soccer.” “I did way better on that test than you.” Those are all remarks I’ve gotten from boys when I was younger. Do you want to know what I was told by my teachers? They said, “Oh, he’s just saying that because he has a crush on you.” As a girl in elementary school, we were taught that if a boy tripped us on our way to second base in kickball or made fun of our light up twinkle toe shoes it meant one thing — they had a liked us. We may have believed this when we were younger, but as I’ve gotten older it’s become painfully obvious how flawed this logic is. Do we really want boys growing up thinking that treating girls poorly is okay, even flattering? The answer is — or at least should be — no. Nowadays, girls seem to go for “bad boys” over the “good boys.” A prime example is, bad boys portrayed as the love interest in movies and TV shows targeting young girls: Mark Sloan from “Grey’s Anatomy,” Noah Flynn from “The Kissing Booth,” and Peter Kavinsky from “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.” But, I’m starting to question, shouldn’t it be the other way around? This unreasonable logic can lead to abusive relationships. According to thehotline.org, more than one in three women in the U.S. have experienced rape, physical violence or stalking in their lifetime. Maybe the reason this number is so high is because women

are led to believe the horrible treatment and cruel actions are compliments — something that most fourth graders believe. Girls aren’t the only victims when it comes to gender stereotyping. Boys grow up thinking that crying is a sign of weakness, when really we should view these tears as a sign of strength. Not to mention all the traditionally non-masculine activities boys are too reluctant to join — joining theater, keeping up with the latest style trends, listening to Taylor Swift’s newest album. When I click through Snapchat stories, it’s rare that a girl isn’t showcasing her tear streaked face, detailing her most recent breakup. I’m accustomed to answering a best friend’s facetime call to sobbing cries of homework troubles. For boys, they could

I can’t be the first one to think that these stereotypes are all just one, big, messed up lie.

grace tucker | freshman be ostracized for that seme feat. If girls cry, they are called sensitive. If boys cry, they are called a pussy. According to WebMD.com, crying is very positive and healthy. Crying shows that a person cares, and last time I checked, boys are people too. The stereotypes don’t just stop there, as little kids, it was said that getting grades other than As and Bs make us “dumb.” As we’ve grown up, math has turned from simple addition to knowing the quadratic formula and study hours at night have gone from 30 minutes to 4 hours. Freshman Grace Knoff says that she even gets stressed out and feels dumb if she has a B. According to parentingmonkey.com, a low B is the average

grade for most high schoolers, therefore, teens shouldn’t be stressed if that is where their grade falls. Lots of kids are forced to take classes they aren’t interested in just because it is part of common stereotypes that an average the curriculum. Sophomore Ben Trusty says, person believes since they were born “Someday I want to be either a lawyer or psychologist in which I won’t need the hard SPORTS Algebra 2 class that I am required to take.” BAD For some, calc doesn’t click in their brain the GRADES way creative writing flows naturally. School isn’t for everyone — and it shouldn’t have to BREAD be. WINNER High school isn’t the sole determiner of MESSY the success of your future — Aretha Franklin NOT dropped out when she was 15 and went on to EMOTIONAL win 18 Grammys. Morgz, a famous YouTuber, dropped out when he was 15 also and now has a net worth of $7.7 million. I’m not saying quit high school if you get CLEAN a bad grade on your chem quiz or a youtube career is your calling, but that the pressure DOLLS on grades in high school curriculum doesn’t SENSITIVE need to be as intense as it is. The high MAKEUP stakes atmosphere of high school wears out teenagers. HOME According to EvolveTreatment.com, 10% MAKER of students say that stress causes them to get lower grades than they think they could really get. This stress definitely stems from the fact that since second grade we’ve been told that an A on your report card means smart and anything below that is, well, not DUMB WITHOUT A’S AND B’S smart. IF BOYS ARE MEAN We should stop telling young girls that a TO GIRLS, THEY LIKE boy being mean to them is supposed to be THEM flattering. We should stop telling boys that WILL BE they aren’t allowed to cry. And finally, we SUCCESSFUL IF YOU COME FROM should stop telling kids that their grades A RICH FAMILY don’t determine their brilliance. These stereotypes that we learned at a young age need to be changed. I for one think that they need to broken — and I hope you do too.

SINCE THE DAY YOU OPENED YOUR EYES...

BOYS

GIRLS

BOTH

design by | natasha thomas photos by | kate nixon

TO-DO: lea r n th e power o f l i sts

OPINION | 11

Not only do lists maintain organization — science indicates that they enhance productivity

by caroline wood

ike around Amsterdam, 0.07 lead, orthodontist appointment, finish problem three on worksheet 6.5, find shoes for WPA and “The Lightning Thief.” Though these words may not seem like they could have any relations, each has its place on one of my many lists. Let’s face the obvious — being a teenager isn’t without its challenges. Between doing vocab packets, forensics tournaments and spending time with friends, simple daily tasks are bound to fall through the cracks of a hectic, chaotic schedule. I’ve found that making lists allow me to stay organized and cut through the noise of life with a surefire tabs system. My floral-rimmed notepad gets stamped with homework, shopping lists, upcoming events and pretty much all other to-dos for the day — something that’s become my daily routine. Writing down what I need to do incentivizes me to actually do it. But my notepad isn’t the only place you can find checkboxes for chores, homework and packing lists. I have colorful stacks of sticky notes to jot down thoughts, and the Notes app on my phone is filled with constant reminders. Out of all of my lists, my favorite is definitely my book list. It took me way too long to get through the “Harry Potter” series, but when I finally did, I decided I needed to catch up to my friends on all of the books I missed out on in those five monotonous years from third to eighth grade. After finishing the series, I made a checklist on the Notes app of all of the books I wanted to read. Now, a year and a half later, I’ve read almost 50 new books — thanks to my list, of course. I find myself scrolling through the list when I’m bored, looking back at all I’ve accomplished and counting how many books I have left before I take on the “Percy Jackson” series — I’ve only got five left. My daily to-do list is by far the most frequently used among my lists, varying from putting away my mountain of laundry to finishing my punnett squares worksheet. Whenever I get home from school, I go straight

to my list, update it and start working, with my math worksheets always sitting at the top. Crossing off a task brings a great sense of satisfaction and builds a natural ambition to keep on checking things off — enhancing my productivity. Every time I crumple up a list and throw it in the trash, I feel a burst of pride because I’ve finished everything I set out to do. It’s turned into a sort of therapy. Ralph Ryback, a psychiatrist who taught at Harvard Medical School, wrote that completing a list boosts dopamine, a “feel good” neurotransmitter, causing you to become accustomed to productivity. Ryback further explains that dopamine is amplified within people when they get something they want — resulting in its trademark, pleasantly productive feeling. Your body recognizes the cause of this feeling and urges you to replicate it, which compels you to complete more items off your list. Making your bed could lead you to washing the dishes or taking out the garbage — the more you cross off, the more likely you are to cross off the next one, too. As several people are guilty of, I’ll spend my Saturdays being lazy, letting all of my work pile up like magma in Mount Vesuvius, and by Sunday, it all explodes, leaving me buried in ashes. But with a list, once I check the first thing off, the rest are blown away like dust, leaving me time to enjoy the rest of my weekend. I don’t necessarily get this feeling from crossing milk off a Hen House shopping list, but dragging my red Pilot G-2 pen across “Study for Unit 7 Bio Test” does the trick. Matthew Tull, PhD — a professor of psychology at the University of Toledo — says that lists can also help with depression, anxiety and other mood disorders through a process called behavioral activation. When people are dealing with these kind of disorders, it’s common for them to withdraw themselves from their usual activities, worsening their symptoms. Tull also says that behavioral activation is a coping strategy where you partake in positive, rewarding activities that reflect your values and interests. You work towards those goals,

Caroline’s notepad, one of the many places she keeps lists photo by | kate nixon

which can boost your mood and lower your stress levels. Although behavioral activation, such as lists, is not a cure for these disorders, it can help improve mood and is often suggested as a part of treatment. All things considered, a list is both a simple system and rewarding motivation. Small tasks or goals you want to accomplish like reorganizing your closet, taking a 30 minute walk or meeting a friend for coffee are things that could be on these lists. When you’re feeling down and out, a list may be just the thing to motivate you to get moving. Seeing your progress raises your mood — like how I felt on Dec. 31 looking over all that I have accomplished throughout the year. Which leads me

to the last list that I’d like to mention — the annual New Year’s Resolution. It is pretty typical for us to not finish these lists — I still haven’t been able to check off “learn how to cartwheel.” Studies have shown that most people don’t follow through with their resolutions, with 60% giving up after six months and 25% quitting after only seven days. However, a study done at the Dominican University of California showed 42% were more successful when they wrote them down. With the new year just starting, make a resolution, write it down , put it somewhere for you to see and get everything checked off before Jan. 1, 2021. And, if I may — you might also want to include “writing more lists” on there, too.

12 | OPINION

design by | celia condon

by sydney decker

PROOF I’M A GOOD HUMAN Social media has morphed philanthropy into a misguided oneup method to garner the wrong kind of attention DO YOU VOLUNTEER REGULARLY? INSTAGRAM POLL | 102 VOTES

49% YES 51% NO

H EL P O U T I N R EA L LIFE A list of the local volunteer organizations that give opportunity to give back

SALVATION ARMY After a mid-winter closet clean out, donate your old clothes to Salvation Army: a win for you and the customer.

GREAT PLAINS SPCA Get your puppy fix at Great Plains SPCA by helping out the dogs living in the shelter: they’ll always be excited to see you.

HARVESTERS Volunteer at Harvesters to help give back to those who need it. The post-volunteer feeling is well worth it.

ithin a day of the Australian wildfires hitting international news circuits, Instagram feeds became clogged with stories reposting the same devastating picture of burning trees to “donate $1” to the efforts. And you’re left wondering why the girl you sit next to in Stats felt the need to let all 847 of their followers know they donated to the cause. With this generation of media — specifically social media — the ease of spreading information and awareness for charities and causes has changed drastically through easily accessible links and posts. Instagram, Twitter and even TikTok have helped alert audiences about major social issues including Sudan’s political crisis, the development of Muslim concentration camps in China and most recently, the Australian bushfires. Thanks to Instagram stories and TikTok’s informational, but still hilarious videos, it’s hard to miss relevant world events. However, there’s an important distinction between spreading awareness with the right intentions and showing off your good deed of donating money or

The reward of making a difference in the world or even in your community should be enough motivation to give back — knowing you helped someone out by doing a selfless act.

sydney decker | junior volunteering. Human ethics are put into question when you show off your charitable act just to make yourself feel better — and make others feel guilty for not shelling out a five-dollar bill to the Salvation Army. Although adopting an Australian koala for $70 is beneficial to the wildfire crisis, the reasons for doing so are up for debate. Is it because you have a true sense of philanthropy? Or do you want your followers to know you care about more than just concerts and vacations. There are videos of people shoving their camera in a homeless man’s face as they hand him a $100 bill. It’s dehumanizing to watch someone degrade the less fortunate for a few comments of praise under their post. There’s no point in broadcasting your generous act — be satisfied with the fact that they can put that money to food or clothing, not that your crush is going to see you being charitable on your Snapchat story. Human tendency means having a mindset of “what’s in it for me?” When donating, it should be motivating enough to know you’ll be helping someone immensely by giving any amount at all, whether it be financially or through service. But people have manufactured a self-serving reward for volunteering: the gratification of being able to prove that you’re a good person. It’s a pat on the back for doing something good and a slap in others’ faces for not. Donating to charitable causes and volunteering is part of being a decent, contributing member of society. You shouldn’t feel guilty about being unable to serve the community because of a lack of financial

resources or time, but even the little ways we give back make positive impacts on our community. This includes donating your winter coat from last year knowing it’ll keep someone else warm or going on a mission trip to Africa with your church — like my mom did proudly without alerting her Instagram followers. But for some, it’s not enough. I’m sure we’ve all seen the plethora of posts from our peers — and even celebrities — taking pictures of them volunteering with kids in places like Haiti or the Dominican Republic. What’s most important is the fact that kids are getting help through volunteer work. But each time I see the posts of pictures with the kids and orphans, I can’t help but question their authenticity and wonder why people feel the need to dedicate their 10-picture posts to boasting about how much they love the kids — even though those kids will most likely never see that post. I understand taking pictures to collect memories, but posting them seems unnecessary. The pictures help to remember the trip and to reflect upon the close connections made with the kids, but there is no reason to post it on Instagram — unless you’re promoting an effective way for your followers can help or volunteer. And oftentimes, when people claim to be “spreading awareness,” it’s just posts on their stories about how no one is doing anything about the issue at hand. These posts don’t offer any way to donate or contribute, and this just reinforces the fact that no one’s doing anything about it — including the poster. These posts serve no purpose but to prove their “wokeness” about said issue. Whether or not it matters if people show off — the donation or volunteer work still goes to the same place. The Australian bushfires still received financial support whether you bragged about it or not and the kids at an orphanage in the Dominican Republic still made connections through the volunteer work. In the grand scheme of things, sharing your donations and charity work doesn’t affect the process and I’m glad those organizations can benefit from anything they can get.

SCAN ME | WEBSITE Scan he re to go to CFA’s website a nd do nate to the Aust ralian B ushfires

But social media has corrupted our minds that we have to share every aspect of our lives and that somehow validates our actions. It can have detrimental effects that can lead us to thinking we’re not good enough or can cause us to live solely for social media posts. So the next time you donate to a charity, give money to the less fortunate or volunteer at a soup kitchen — do it with the right intentions. Be motivated by your passion to help others, not with the idea of how many Instagram likes you’d receive.

Creating Peace of Mind Serving Your Investment Needs

Satu Stechschulte, CFA Kristin Patterson Bryant Barnes Stuart Berkley, CFA Andrew Muther Peter Greig, CFA Jeff Ream, CFPÂ® Matt Montgomery, CFA

fciadvisors.com 800-615-2536

FEATURES | 14

design by | sydney newton

F E AT U R E

HIGHLIGHTS

LO U I S A M I L L S F EAT U R E D ARTIST

PA S S I O N P R O J E C T S

LO U I S A ’ S FAV O R I T E T O O L S

B E L O W Freshmen Spencer Blacketer and Thomas Gogel learn about punnett squares using jelly beans photo by | emily pollock

d re s s fo r m s EAST COSTUMES, HAIR AND MAKEUP CREW CHIEF

s ke tc h b o o k

WHAT DO YOU DO? “We have a big costumes loft with all of our old costumes. Typically, I figure out how we want each person to look and how we want their outfits to be for each number. Then we go up to the loft and pull from the clothes we have or we go to thrift stores and buy stuff. What we are doing a lot this year is rentals. We are renting a lot of the costumes because there’s a lot of show girls.”

HOW DO YOU APPROACH MAKING COSTUMES? “I typically find a recording of the show and watch that and read through the script to see what style and what era the characters are in and supposed ot be around. Then I figure out what they are supposed to dressed as, such as outerwear if it’s summer or winter. Then with

A B O V E Junior Keaton Arnett tosses a box of donations to j u n i o r B o b by O l s o n a t U p l i f t KC, where both basketball teams volunteered on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. photo by | megan biles

that you figure out how to make the costume.”

HOW DID YOU GET INTO COSTUME DESIGNING? “Last year, I wanted to be a part of the musical but I didn’t really want to be in it. I thought that I would help with

R I G H T B E L O W Juniors Reilly Kenney and Jilli Foley perform the dance to “Stiff Upper Lip” during a “Crazy for You” musical rehearsal. Kenney plays the role of Eugene Fodor, an English tourist and Foley plays Patricia Fodor, Eugene’s wife. photo by | annakate dilks

costumes because I didn’t want to build sets. It was really fun for me and I had a really good time doing that. So I decided to apply for costumes crew chief. There’s an application that Defeo puts out and you apply for it and he reads through your essays and decides if you should get it. He thought I should I guess.”

V I D E O F E AT U R E S

WHY DO YOU LIKE IT? “I’m a very creative person. It’s very creative, especially even if your not a crew chief which I wasn’t last year. Especially with little mermaid, which is making people into other species like fish you had to be very creative

SCAN ME | ANGEL SINNER CO. I A CLOTHING BRAND WITH A VOICE Senior Tatum Hood combines her love for music into a clothing company with a purpose | by lawder desantis

and think of ideas to make people look like something that they aren’t. I have always

been

into

clothes, so I decided to try for it. I do musical

SCAN ME | CURLING IN COMPETITION After the bell rings, teacher and coach Alex Henton taps into his unexpected interest: curling. Through the Kansas City Curling Club, Henton is not only able to play the Olympic sport, but also strengthen his relationship with his father | by sydney williams

theater

outside

school, and I’m in the shows.

That’s

always

been fun for me, and I’ve

always

interested in it.”

been

FEATURES | 15

design by | carolyn popper photos by | annakate dilks

THE FRESHMEN BALANCE Freshman scores lead in East’s winter musical “Crazy for You,” despite upperclassmen usually landing the lead roles by catherine erickson

s freshman Fritz Sullivan retook his biology test after school, he glanced at the email notification on his computer screen — the cast list for “Crazy for You,” East’s winter musical, was just released. As he prepared to scan the list to find his name, expecting a featured ensemble part, he realized he didn’t have to — his name was the first listed, under the male lead Bobby Child. Instead of jumping up and down with excitement like when he was cast as Lumière in StageRight Performing Arts’ production of “Beauty and the Beast,” Fritz left the biology classroom mixed with emotions of shock and horror — he knew being the first freshman to be cast as the lead would evoke some negative backlash from upperclassmen within the cast. “Once auditions happened [the directors and I] were sort of looking at each other going — ‘We’re going to put a freshman in the lead aren’t we,’” music director Ken Foley said. “And it was unanimous.” Although no one ever confronted him directly, Fritz couldn’t help but feel an underlying sense of resentment from other cast members for earning the lead, as leading spots are typically given to upperclassmen. Some senior boys felt upset and confused as to how Fritz received the lead since he had no experience in the East theater program, even though he’s been involved in theater since second grade.

We had people that could have done the part, but are we going to not give it to him because he’s a freshmen? I just don’t believe in that.

ken foley | music director But when the directors watched his audition, his acting, singing and tapping expertise made him an unmatched choice for the dance-intensive musical — and his grade level did not deter them, according to Foley. “I don’t think anyone could [play] the part as well as he can,” Foley said. “We had people that could have done the part, but are we going to not give it to him because he’s a freshman? I just don’t believe in that.” Senior and co-lead Lucy Brock also overheard some negative comments about a freshman cast as a lead, as they believed it should be senioritybased. Brock could relate to this feeling of targeting, as she experienced the same initial reaction from eighth graders after she was cast

as Elle Woods in the Indian Hills Middle School production of “Legally Blonde” as a seventh grader. “It’s not even like they’re mean to [the younger lead] or anything, it’s just that, you know, they were really mad that it wasn’t them, and it’s just kind of a slap in the face for the older people,” Brock said. However, once rehearsals started, the tension died down. According to Foley, there was a shock reaction when the cast list came out, but everyone soon realized that Fritz’s skills made him ideal for the part, especially because of his training in dance through years of musicals and classes at Miller Marley School of Dance and StageRight. “The cast is totally supportive because we all make so many mistakes and get scared because we don’t know how the directors are going to feel, so we rely on each other,” Fritz said. “If anyone messes up, we’ll all just be like ‘You’re going to be okay, you’ll learn it, don’t worry.’” Because the musical is structured as a showabout-a-show, Fritz said it has more of the cliché musical aspects — tap dancing, kick lines, jazz hands — and Fritz was all for that. “Tap dancing has always been something I felt comfortable with,” Fritz said. “I don’t know why and how [my feet are] doing that, but they are. I love tapping in shows because I feel like no matter how much it’s done, it’s always going to be impressive. I don’t want to sound selfish, but it’s like you’re showing off.” Even with the constant encouragement from the rest of the cast — cheering from the wings and helping each other review dances before rehearsal starts — Fritz still feels pressured to execute his role perfectly since he is so much younger than the other leads. After watching the current seniors in East’s productions of “Curtains” and “The Little Mermaid” when he was in seventh and eighth grade respectively, he’s been striving to reach their level ever since. “It’s cool to be part of that group this year, like at first I was looking up to you and now I’m among you,” Fritz said. “Of course Janie Carr as Ariel last year was amazing, and then she went on to the Jimmy Awards, so I’m trying my hardest to reach that standard.” After Fritz pushed himself to memorize all his lines and learn each intensive dance, Foley has watched Fritz grow into his part. “I think he’s gotten a lot more confidence, not that he wasn’t confident, but at the beginning I think he was thinking ‘Oh my god am I going to pull this off, everyone’s watching me because here’s the freshman that got the lead,’” Foley said. “But that’s melted away because everyone’s been supportive and he’s just blossoming into the part.”

LEFT Sullivan and Brock rehearse the introduction to “Stiff Upper Lip.” R I G H T Sullivan laughs while reading through lines with senior Janie Carr.

T O P Sullivan playing Bobby Child, a young man in love with musical theater, and senior Lucy Brock playing Polly Baker, a postmistress, stand atop two chairs while the company of “Crazy For You” point towards them in the finale of “Stiff Upper Lip.”

ON THE S I D E Outside of his new lead role, Fritz is passionate about his own original music ORIGINAL MUSIC Fritz is currently recording an album at Massive Sound Studios called “Tomorrow and Forever,” and working on setting up an at-home recording studio.

WHEN I WAS A KID, I WENT THROUGH THIS THING CALLED ROCK BAND ACADEMY, AND I JUST REALLY FELL IN LOVE WITH IT AND ALL THE CREATIVITY INVOLVED.

W R I T I N G LY R I C S Sometimes song lyrics stem from a poem. Or, while stumbling on the piano, Fritz will pull out voice memos and record some tunes.

THE SONGS ON THIS UPCOMING ALBUM HAVE BEEN THINGS I’VE BEEN WORKING ON AS FAR BACK AS 6TH GRADE BECAUSE I’M TRYING TO PULL OUT MY BEST WORK.

by rose kanaley

hen 12-year-old Stu Stram watched in awe as his dad was lifted up by 46 of the players on the Kansas City Chiefs football team, eagerly carrying him out onto the football field in praise. They’d done it. Led by Stu’s father, Hank Stram, the Chiefs won the 1969 Super Bowl. Fifty years later, the Chiefs will return to the Super Bowl on Feb. 2 for the first time since then. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ “magic” throughout the season and the team’s ambition to make it all the way has done more than just excite Chiefs fans to hopefully see the $5,000 rings on each player’s hand. Their chance to bring home the shimmering gold trophy engraved with Superbowl LIV has brought the entire city together. Then Briarwood-Elementary-schooler, Stu remembers running up to kiss his dad after each touchdown. Fifty years later, he’s never forgotten the image of the team storming the field, and he knows the same enthusiasm will carry through the new generation of fans. “This team is providing memories for a whole new generation of football fans in Kansas City,” Stu said. “To me, that is the coolest thing that the team and the Super Bowl provides to this community.” At the last game, junior Major Park watched as older fans jumped and shouted as if they were young again in excitement. Amid the 10 minutes straight of red and gold confetti spraying the stadium, Major saw every fan taking the win in different way — screaming, high-fiving, hugging, crying. Park watched the players rush to the center of the field, hugging and yelling in disbelief. But his favorite part had to be seeing Tyreek Hill and his son jumping around, playing in the sea of confetti that covered the field. Park realized the atmosphere inside Arrowhead was a reflection of how the entire city felt. Diego Galicia, an East alum who works with video for the Chiefs, saw the overwhelming support of the team through his season spent sideline filming — he’s glad he has a job he’s connected to, with the team he’s been listening to, reading stats of and drafting in his fantasy football teams since his dad took him to a game when he was eight. Using his Black Magic Pocket Cinema 4K camera, he takes videos to help fans watch and experience those games in the same way he gets to. Getting to watch and work around the players, Galicia now knows the team beyond what you see from watching the game on TV or in the stands. Galacia never saw Kansas City as a popular city before, but he thinks a new light has changed the country’s perception.

This team is providing memories for a whole new generation of football fans in Kansas City. To me, that is the coolest thing that the team and the Super Bowl provides to this community.

stu stram | son of hank stram “Kansas City is a big city for sure, but it’s like a small town, too,” Galicia said. “So it’s kind of cool how our non-major city, compared to like Chicago, New York, L.A. or anything, has so much spotlight on it.” Growing up, junior Meredith McGannon’s dad, Pat McGannon, promised that if the Chiefs ever made it to the Super Bowl, he’d take their whole family. He kept kis promise. Before the Chiefs became the top-seed team they are now, Meredith loved it when her dad came home from games and, although they’d lost, hear her dad tell her stories of the crazy drunk fans screaming next to him and the friends he’d gone to the game with since high school. She also loved when he came home with Chiefs jerseys for everyone in her family, branded “McGannon” across the back. “It’s just such a good atmosphere that’s fun to be in,” Meredith said. “Like, when the Chiefs score a touchdown,

when you’re just high fiving all these random people around you, it describes Kansas City as a community.” To Meredith, the Chiefs aren’t just an NFL team, they’re part of what brings their family together — what gives her older siblings a reason to fly home and her dad the permission to book a 30-person party bus, carting family and friends to Arrowhead. Like Pat McGannon, East social studies teacher Klein has been going to the Chiefs games with his best friend since kindergarten. Always texting play-by-play updates of their thoughts on the game when they can’t attend or watch the games together, over the years they’ve celebrated just as energetically when the team was led by Todd Haley and Matt Cassel, as when Patrick Mahomes was first signed, according to Klein. “When the chiefs took the 18-point lead in the fourth quarter and there was a long pass to Sammy Watkins, it just kind of dawned on me that, holy moly, this is actually happening,” Klein said. “And all of the sudden it was happening and I didn’t realize the extent to which I subconsciously didn’t believe it would ever happen during my lifetime.” It’s affected more than just the lifelong fans. With an entire city feeling the impact of their success, people like English teacher Amy Andersen are joining the fan base for the first time.

F I R S T T I M E AT T H E S U P E R B OW L S I N C E

THE CHIEFS ARE G O I N G I N TO T H E S U P E R B OW L A S A

19701 P L AY I N G AGA I N S T VS B E AT T H E T I TA N S I N P L AYO F F GA M E

24-35

P O I NT FAVO RI T E

FIRST IN THE AFC WEST DIVISION

PAT R I C K MAHOMES: 2019-20 SEASON 26 4,681 PA S S I N G T H R O W N POINTS YA R D S 2018 NFL MVP IN H I S S ECO N D Y EA R

T R AV I S K E LC E : 2019-20 SEASON 5 1,229 TO U C H R EC . D OW N S YA R D S 7TH YEAR ON THE CHIEFS TEAM

T I C K E T S TO G O TO THE S U P E R B OW L ARE PRICED ON AV E R AG E F O R TYREEK HILL 2019-20 SEASON 66 RECEPTIONS 7 RECEIVING TOUCHDOWNS 7TH YEAR ON THE CHIEFS TEAM

$ 5 ,0 5 0 T H E GA M E WILL BE P L AY E D I N MIAMI, FL.

SPORTS FEATURE | 09 design by | lila tulp photos courtesy of | diego galicia

T H E T EA M T H AT LAMAR HUNT FO U N D E D H AS J U ST WO N L A M A R H U N T ’S T RO P H Y I N T H E STA D I U M T H AT WAS L A M A R H U N T ’S D R EA M K A N SAS CITY CHIEFS | 01 / 2 2 / 2 0

T H E W I N AGA I N S T T H E T I TA N S WA S T H E L A RG E ST C O M B AC K I N FRANCHISE H I S T O RY * I N F O R M AT I O N A N D S TAT S C O U RT E S Y O F E S P N . C O M & T H E ESPN APP

50 YEARS IN

FEB. 2

AT 7 P . M . T H E C H I E F S W I L L TA K E O N THE 49ERS

Andersen had only ever considered herself a social football game watcher, always chatting with friends or eating the AllAmerican snacks they’d have during each game — everything from hot tamales to Velveeta cheese dip — instead of paying attention to the game. But after receiving a red Chiefs jacket for Christmas, Andersen knew she’d feel guilty if she wore it without really watching the game and decided it was time she tried to pay attention. To her surprise, Andersen was sucked in. “The games themselves have been awesome, full of twists and turns,” Andersen said. “Mahomes’s big pass in the last game was epic. But also, just as a lifetime Kansas Citian, it’s so fun to have something to rally together and celebrate, and I feel the Chiefs fever.” The “Chiefs fever” is everywhere, according to Andersen, from the loudest stadium in the world holding 76,416 screaming fans in red and white to the lifesize bobblehead Patrick Mahomes in HyVee. Even on a 15-hour bus ride to Winter Park, CO, everyone on the annual Village Presbyterian ski trip was decked in Chiefs red. With the AFC championship held in the middle of their day on the slopes, sophomore Spencer Newton and his friends, along with the rest of the Chiefs fans in Winter Park, left the mountain three hours early without hesitation to head over to a small bar on the mountain to watch the game — the waiters hadn’t seen the bar that packed before, Newton said. But it wasn’t just watching the game with his friends instead of skiing. They all wore their Chiefs jerseys while they skied, and the mountain of strangers became a community. Hearing a “Go Chiefs!” on the chair lift or meeting strangers from Kansas City in the same #15 jersey, Newton found it to be a completely new experience. And this was all happening 675 miles away from Arrowhead. “It’s definitely a different experience, because at the games you know everyone there is going to be a Chiefs fan and the energy is awesome,” Newton said. “But being in Colorado and being able to watch the Chiefs and end up around so many Chiefs fans, it’s also a great experience. It’s definitely like a community, where everyone’s just friends with everyone just because they like the chiefs.”

The Chiefs have brought the whole city together as they make their way to the Superbowl for the first time in 50 years on Feb. 2

by rose kanaley

This team is providing memories for a whole new generation of football fans in Kansas City. To me, that is the coolest thing that the team and the Super Bowl provides to this community.

F I R S T T I M E AT T H E S U P E R B OW L S I N C E

THE CHIEFS ARE G O I N G I N TO T H E S U P E R B OW L A S A

19701 P L AY I N G AGA I N S T VS B E AT T H E T I TA N S I N P L AYO F F GA M E

24-35

P O I NT FAVO RI T E

FIRST IN THE AFC WEST DIVISION

PAT R I C K MAHOMES: 2019-20 SEASON 26 4,681 PA S S I N G T H R O W N POINTS YA R D S 2018 NFL MVP IN H I S S ECO N D Y EA R

T R AV I S K E LC E : 2019-20 SEASON 5 1,229 TO U C H R EC . D OW N S YA R D S 7TH YEAR ON THE CHIEFS TEAM

T I C K E T S TO G O TO THE S U P E R B OW L ARE PRICED ON AV E R AG E F O R TYREEK HILL 2019-20 SEASON 66 RECEPTIONS 7 RECEIVING TOUCHDOWNS 7TH YEAR ON THE CHIEFS TEAM

$ 5 ,0 5 0 T H E GA M E WILL BE P L AY E D I N MIAMI, FL.

SPORTS FEATURE | 09 design by | lila tulp photos courtesy of | diego galicia

T H E T EA M T H AT LAMAR HUNT FO U N D E D H AS J U ST WO N L A M A R H U N T ’S T RO P H Y I N T H E STA D I U M T H AT WAS L A M A R H U N T ’S D R EA M K A N SAS CITY CHIEFS | 01 / 2 2 / 2 0

T H E W I N AGA I N S T T H E T I TA N S WA S T H E L A RG E ST C O M B AC K I N FRANCHISE H I S T O RY * I N F O R M AT I O N A N D S TAT S C O U RT E S Y O F E S P N . C O M & T H E ESPN APP

50 YEARS IN

FEB. 2

AT 7 P . M . T H E C H I E F S W I L L TA K E O N THE 49ERS

The Chiefs have brought the whole city together as they make their way to the Superbowl for the first time in 50 years on Feb. 2

18 | FEATURES

design by | sarah bledsoe photos by | julia percy

TAST EBUD S

East librarian opened a family franchise of a cooking entertainment space, strengthening her family bond and love for teaching

by riley atkinson

he opens the doors to her Saturday morning cooking class crowd, greeting each of them with a soft smile. As they sit down in their fiveyear-old-sized chairs, there’s one thing on their mind: just how good is their homemade donut going to taste? After laughing off Mrs. Robinson’s comment about becoming pro donut chefs, the kids were ready to get to work — Taste Buds Kitchen’s 9 a.m. Saturday class is in session. The Leawood franchise of Taste Buds, a “culinary entertainment” space, was opened by East Librarian Jennifer Robinson for two reasons — her love for teaching and her family’s shared passion for cooking. Mixing colored icing for a kids birthday party or kneading dough during a team building class is what strengthens their family bond and gives them all a place to teach through entertainment on the weekends. “It’s brought us closer together because we’re doing something different together,” Mrs. Robinson said. “We all have a common goal: we want it to be successful, we want people to have fun . . . that’s a goal we have that a lot of families don’t have.” At Taste Buds, they are able to hold over 10 different kinds of birthday parties — the most popular being battle cupcake and pasta wars. And each of the Robinson family members pitch in. Even though her husband, Matt, takes the lead on most classes since they have several throughout the school week, Mrs. Robinson and their 13-year-old daughter Sydney help whenever they have the extra time. Sydney gives up sleeping in on weekend mornings to join her parents and sit around the miniature tables to make sure the toddlers don’t get blue dye on their Spider-Man shirt or purple-checkered jacket. She’s become great at helping kids use the whisks or frost their cupcake during birthday parties or kids classes. Like her mom, she loves the look on kids’ faces when they perfect the icing. And her parents have loved watching her grow — learning how to manage time and

K I TC H E N

handle kids while spending time with her family has been a great experience for them all. “Working with [my family] is really fun to kind of see them grow, and to kind of teach my daughter a good work ethic and what service looks like,” Mr. Robinson said. “Obviously working with my wife is fun because we’re kind of best friends, so it lets us see more of each other.” On Saturday mornings, the Robinsons are used to providing moral support for moms who have to stir the baking-sodaegg-mixture for their kids (over the years, they’ve found that five-year-old wrists get worn out quickly). Mrs. Robinson usually takes the lead on weekend kids classes, reading themed books that relate to the class while the donuts or cupcakes are in the oven. It’s the librarian in her. The teaching she does at Taste Buds translates to East, where she helps 18-year-olds with databases or freshman with which book to read next. But whether she’s in the kitchen or at her desk in the library, she’s still doing her favorite thing — helping people. “I like to cook, I like to teach kids,” Mrs. Robinson said. “It’s kind of a different world being [At Taste Buds] from [East]. I still teach, but it’s totally different, so it’s fun getting to do both.” According to English teacher Melanie Miller, the drive down Nall to 151st street is worth it — Taste Buds is a great option for a hands-on activity and an easy way to get to know new people. Miller has been to two classes that fit her vegetarian diet — Indian and Pasta night. Through the three-hour classes, she hung out with her fellow English teachers while they learned how to make a new dish, while also

getting to support Mrs. Robinson as she teaches outside the school day. “It is just a fun atmosphere to take some friends and have an evening out and do something a little different,” Miller said. “It is more interactive, it’s more like going bowling or something where you actually talk while you do it as opposed to a movie or a show.” Miller sees both sides of Mrs. Robinson — in the kitchen and in the library. Whether she’s assisting someone making homemade naan or helping seniors with their dreaded senior research paper, it’s clear she’s passionate about helping others.

At school, it’s the relationships built by teaching teenagers that she enjoys the most. But at Taste Buds, it’s the time she gets to spend with family. The Robinson family weekly routine

includes watching cooking shows like Cake Boss and cooking brunch before church on Sundays. So it’s not surprising that her two younger kids see the dynamic that Taste Buds brings to Sydney and their parents — they can’t wait to get involved. “I have two younger kids that are excited to be able to come and work and help,” Mrs. Robinson said. “My little nine year old said he’s gonna run it when he’s older. So we’ll see what happens.” Whether or not her kids continue the family franchise and stick with cooking, Mrs. Robinson is soaking up the time she gets with her kids. And to her, there aren’t many things more fun than teaching five year olds how to make buttercream donut frosting — especially when it’s with her family.

19 | FEATURES

A L L H A N S ON D E C K 4

design by | kate heitmann photos by | sara golder

Siblings work together at family businesses, Urban Prairie Coffee and Mission Board Games

H by

kelly murphy

anging out with their friends, playing baseball, painting, fishing ... sophomore Ella and freshman Mitchell Hans could list a thousand things they’d rather do than work at their family businesses — whether it’s Urban Prairie, their parents’ coffee shop, or Mission Board Games, their older brother’s store. Their older brother, Mason, became an entrepreneur at 22 in Dec. 2016 when he decided to channel his passion for board games into co-opening a storefront on Johnson Drive called Mission Board Games with his parents. He’d always been obsessed with games — he grew up playing Risk with his dad and uncle and in college he traded Pokemon cards with his friends. Two years later, when the owner next door was selling her coffee shop, Twisted Sisters, the Hans parents bought it. After months of research on how to run a coffee shop, Julie and Jason opened Urban Prairie in Sept. 2018. They decided to connect the two stores so that people could drink their daily coffee over a game of Monopoly. “It was surprising because months before this coffee shop existed I wouldn’t have thought we would ever have a coffee shop,” Mitchell said. Even though the idea of being small business owners was foreign to the Hans’, the businesses are just an extension of their family room and kitchen. Ella and her friends frequently go to Urban Prairie to study and drink coffee after school and Mitchell usually stops by for a quiche or burrito before school. When they aren’t busy with school, Ella, Mitchell and their older sister Abby, a senior at KU, clock in too. They spend their weekends and summers restocking shelves with new shipments of Monopoly, teaching customers how to play Catan at Mission Board Games or making lattes for the caffeine-craving customers at Urban Prairie. “We all have our own little roles and it definitely takes a village,” Mason said. “I get a lot of help from family and friends and customers.” The siblings eventually saw the value and enjoyment of working at the stores. Through working together as a family, the Hans’ have found each other’s strengths and put them to use. “Mason is obviously more of the game person and I’m more of a people person,” Julie said. “Ella and Mitchell have learned from watching and being a part of it all of the work that’s involved in making a business.” The adults do most of the behind-the-scenes work — Julie

A B O V E Freshman Mitchell Hans, Mason Hans, sophomore Abby and Julie Hans behind the counter at Urban Prairie Coffee. photo by | sarah golder

hires and trains employees, while Jason takes care of the business and legal side of things for both stores. Getting to know the regulars and advertising uncommon games like Pandemic, where players fight disease around the world, is Mason’s job at Mission Board Games. Strong communication has made all the difference in uniting the family, according to Julie. They have periodical family meetings to fix whatever problems come up during the week.

It was surprising because months before this coffee shop existed, I wouldn’t have thought we would ever have a coffee shop.

THE TOP PICKS DRIP COFFEE This classic cold drink is the superb choice for any occasion. CUSTOMER FAVORITE

CARAMEL ICED LATTE

mitchell hans | freshman Julie tries to turn the problems that arise into teachable moments for her kids. They’re points of learning, both large and small — when one of them didn’t want to go in for their shift at Urban Prairie, Julie explained how it would be unfair to the other employees if they were short-staffed, convincing them to go in. If they had been working for someone other than their family and skipped a shift, there would’ve been greater consequences. “I’m very thankful that I get to work with my kids,” Julie said. “It gives me a chance to be around my two grown children more than I would otherwise. And it’s fun to watch my two younger kids learn work skills that will be helpful [later] in life.” Collaboration has also been key to the Hans’ success. To improve sales at Mission Board Games, Mason goes to Mitchell and Ella for advice on appealing to high school students, Abby for attracting college students and his parents for catering to adults. While it’s fun for the Hans’ to have a project they’re all constantly working on together, their businesses work their way into all aspects of the Hans’s lives. Even when they get together for Thanksgiving dinner or celebrate on Christmas Day, they still talk about what they need to improve and what’s working at the family businesses. “It’s hard to turn it off and not think about it when we get together and hang out outside of work,” Mason said. Although the businesses have consumed their lives, the Hans’ wouldn’t have it any other way. “Having a common love of game playing and coffee has brought us closer,” Julie said. “They just bring people together, not only our family but also the community.”

A great way to cool down on a hot day, this is a classic iced latte but with a sweet caramel twist. ABBY AND ELLA’S FAVORITE

MOCHA A chocolatey combination of coffee and mocha perfect for a cold day. MASON AND MITCHELL’S FAVORITE

JUST ONE Just One is a game requiring players to guess mystery words based on teammates’ clues. FAMILY FAVORITE

AZUL Azul is a two to four person game where players arrange tiles to match the color and design of the tiles around them. CUSTOMER FAVORITE

design by | emma brown photos courtesy of | spotify

20 | FEATURES

I N S P I R E D BY. . . by natasha thomas

enior Tatum Hood doesn’t know what people think when they see her walking through the halls with her two Hard Jewelry necklaces, all-black Cold Hart hoodie and Half-Evil black sweats. She’s not sure what opinions they form of her based on her black-on-one-side, white-on-the-other hair and sharp-winged eyeliner. But most people that see her in the halls don’t know what the brands she wears mean to her. Every Hard Jewelry product she receives has hand-spray painted packaging — unique to the piece she ordered. She’s met the Cold Hart hoodie designer, Nathan Copes, in person (she says he’s a pretty cool guy) — and his hoodie is merch from one of her favorite artists collectives, GothBoiClique. The black sweatpants are a collaboration between two of her favorite brands, Half-Evil and Ransom — she follows Johnny, the owner of Ransom, on Instagram and Tiktok. The relationship Tatum has developed with brands like these have influenced the philosophy behind Angel Sinners, her own clothing brand that she’s preparing to launch. “Everything I’m wearing is brands that inspire me,” Tatum said. “I didn’t even plan that.” Fashion is purposeful for Tatum — the pieces she wears are merch from her favorite artists or by brands she’s looked up to for years (and sometimes both.) Through wearing artist’s work and unique brands, Tatum has used style to show her identity — now she wants to create a similar thing with her own clothing line. Tatum didn’t take a crash-course on clothing design — she’s been sewing cloth pieces onto thrifted jeans by hand and using her art-class painting experience to add designs to the clothes. But the important thing to her is what the clothes mean. The pieces are based off of artists that inspire her, and are all one-of-a-kind. She didn’t want it to be about mass-producing; she wanted each piece to be made with purpose. That’s how her very first piece came about. Tatum saw that her pair of dark grey jeans were in desperate need of personalization. Inspired by Artist ZillaKami’s song “Aw Shit” and his trademark patch jeans, she painted the song title on the pants and hand-sewed patches into the fabric. The inspiration for the brand’s name came through these jeans too — she painted the words “Angel Sinners” on the fabric after listening to GothBoiClique’s “Last Fall” lyrics, “I’m a devil with some angel wings.” Tatum stepped back at the jeans with “Angel Sinners” across the hips, and she knew she could make it a brand (and what the brand’s name could be.) To her, Angel Sinners means the balance of

“angel” and “devil” in each person — it was perfect — it was rooted in music, and unique, like all the brands she loved. One of GothBoiClique’s artists, Lil Peep, has inspired the designs on many of Tatum’s pieces and also formed her mentality about wearing what “feels right.” “He would dress however he wanted to, and he kind of reminded me of myself in a way,” Tatum said. The Angel Sinner-turned grey jeans were soon followed by more pieces — while Tatum listened to GothBoiClique and City Morgue, she a painted a white snake and broken heart on the chest of a hoodie and lined the hood with long pointy studs to create the Angel Sinner hoodie. Tatum estimates that she spent five hours cycling through songs while adding metal crosses and chains to another pair of jeans for the clothing line.

If I wore something I didn’t like it just makes me feel like I’m in the wrong skin

tatum hood | senior Because the styles are inspired by her favorite artist’s, the pieces are distinctive and handmade. They are like the brands that she’s stalked on Instagram for years and the stitches themselves are hand-done by her — Tatum feels they represent who she is. “If I wore something I didn’t like it just makes me feel like I’m in the wrong skin,” Tatum said. “I’m more comfortable in this; I’m more me in this.” Tatum says her everyday outfit used to be black leggings and Uggs, while swapping between a pink Patagonia and a Breckenridge sweatshirt. After years of cycling through clothes she didn’t love, she now feels like there isn’t an item in her closet that she wants to change. “I hadn’t really found myself until like, literally this year.” Tatum said. “Even though I started dressing drastically more different and fitting less in, I feel so much more myself now than I ever have before.” Tatum realizes that the brands, the artists and her taste is specific — but that’s because she knows who she is. And she’s not the girl that dresses like everyone else at high school. “Me finding myself and getting over the hoops of caring about what other people think, or realizing that I look completely different from everyone else because I want to — I think that helped me make the brand,” Tatum said.

TOP Senior Tatum Hood paints black X’s over the eyes of a bunny she painted onto a flannel shirt. photo by | reilly moreland MIDDLE Hood looks up while she brainstorms a design for the back of one of her shirts. photo by | aislinn menke BOTTOM Hood’s supplies are laid out on the table she used to make some of her pieces. She frequently uses fabric paint, bleach, fabric, and metal embellishments to create her clothing pieces. photo by | aislinn menke

21 | FEATURE PHOTOSTORY

design by | aislinn menke

Over the past year, senior Tatum Hood has spent time creating one-of-a-kind clothing pieces inspired by her unique taste in music and style

LEFT Senior Tatum Hood laughs as she threads a needle to sew onto the back pockets of a pair of jeans. “I cut up an old sweater to make the pockets different” Hood said. photo by | aislinn menke FA R L E F T Hood paints a crown onto a Peep bunny she painted on a plaid shirt inspired by one of her favorite artists, Lil Peep. photo by | aislinn menke FA R L E F T Hood dips her paintbrush in a bottle of diluted bleach to paint a spiderweb design onto a black sweatshirt. “I was trying to make a spiderweb design on the hood of the hoodie” Hood said. photo by | aislinn menke A B OV E Hood displays a sweatshirt and two pairs of jeans she created on a table. The sweatshirt was created by bleaching and screen printing a design onto the garment and adding spikes to the hood. For the jeans, she sewed on crosses, fabric and painted on designs. photo by | aislinn menke LEFT Hood sews an old sweater onto a pair of jeans to make the pockets look unique. “It can take 30 minutes to an hour probably [to sew the sweater onto the jeans]” Hood said. To keep herself busy, Hood “watch[es] music videos, listen[s] to music or watche[s] Netflix.” photo by | aislinn menke

A&E | 22

design by | elizabeth mikkelson photos and information courtesy of | amazon, amc, and spotify

REVIEWING A RECENT RELEASE

A&E

HIGHLIGHTS

The Harbinger hub for all things trending in the arts and entertainment world

REC E N T M OV I E S S E E N ON TH E BI G SC R E E N M OV I E | 1 9 1 7

M OV I E | D O L I T T L E

ROTTO N TO M ATO E S | 89 %

ROTTO N TO M ATO E S | 1 8 %

L E N GT H | 1 H R 5 9 M I N S

L E N GT H | 1 H R 4 1 M I N S

Director Sam Mendes brings his singular vision to this World War I epic. Two British soldiers must cross enemy territory and deliver a timely message to stop a deadly attack.

The eccentric Dr. Dolittle sets sail on an epic adventure to a mythical island, regaining his wit and courage as he crosses old adversaries and discovers wondrous creatures.

M OV I E | K N I V E S O U T

M OV I E | L I T T L E WO M E N

ROTTO N TO M ATO E S | 9 7 %

ROTTO N TO M ATO E S | 9 5 %

L E N GT H | 2 H RS 1 0 M I N S

L E N GT H | 2 H R S 1 5 M I N S

A detective investigates the death of a patriarch in an eccentric, combative family during this comedy, drama and crime

Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of the timeless and beloved story of four sisters each determined to live life on their own terms.

WO R D S EA RC H A NSW ER KEY

Staffer’s take on the newest film in the Star Wars series by

gabby capponechi

IN 1977, Star Wars became the biggest American space opera phenomenon, thanks to writer and director George Lucas. Lucas was determined to create his ideal film of a “space opera” with the help of his partner, Gary Kurtz. After directing “Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith,” Disney acquired Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion. Since then, directors J.J. Abrams and Rian Johnson have taken over the role of directing episodes seven, eight and nine of the Star Wars saga — and have been met with a wave of criticism from fans. Abrams most recently directed the ninth film in the saga, “Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker,” which particularly sparked controversy among fans and critics alike because of its story line. But the constant argument over what “Star Wars” should be is actually the most substantial problem with the film. Considering the saga has gone through a handful of directors with different intentions, keeping a perfect storyline and wrapping up every character arc would be near impossible. “The Rise of Skywalker” nearly did the best it could with the substance it was given in the preceding two films, which differed to a point beyond successful return. All things considered, Abrams is yet to completely let down audiences. According to The Hollywood Reporter, it

was always going to end this way. No matter which direction the “Skywalker Saga” — the designated title for the nine “Star Wars” films — was going to be taken, the movie was going to face a storm of backlash from the mixed crowd of “Star Wars” fans everywhere. “The Rise of Skywalker” was full of action-packed fighting, with an unexpected love interest. From Kylo Ren finding the Sith wayfinder, to Rey fighting the urge to join the dark side — the movie’s breakneck pace keeps the audience teetering on the edge throughout. Abrams perfectly wrapped up the ending to the trilogy, which featured a clash between the Resistance and First Order. He did an excellent job with every fighting scene, making sure the audience’s gaze never drifted from the screen with the constant shift of camera angles. Abrams didn’t only showcase plenty of battle scenes, but there were a handful of underlying themes sprinkled throughout the movie. Rey’s journey mirrors much of Luke Skywalker’s, how the Force can be found in even the humblest of beings and the difficulty of the journey to master it. And the lost feeling that Rey exhibits, paired with the power of loving the family you choose, brings the saga full circle in an emotional telling of “Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker.”

U P C O M I N G K A N S A S C I T Y C O N C E RT S

P OST M A LO N E

SPRINT CENTER W E D N E S DAY, F E B. 5

M I R A N DA L A M B E RT

SPRINT CENTER T H U R S DAY, F E B. 6

CHANCE THE RAPPER

SPRINT CENTER S AT U R DAY, F E B. 2 2

A&E | 23

design by | lila tulp photos courtesy of | imdb

N OT BA D RUN TIME | 1 HR 35 MIN R E L EAS E DAT E | 1 9 9 0 STARRING | GEORGE HARDY

A cool 20%, bad, but the plot was so weird that it almost worked

Staffer reviews three movies that fit right in with the “so bad it’s good” craze following the release of ‘CATS’

TROLL 2

BIRDEMIC

TO M M Y ’S TO M ATO E S | 2 0 % ROTT E N TO M ATO E S | 6 %

TO M M Y ’S TO M ATO E S | 1 0 0 % ROTT E N TO M ATO E S | 1 9 %

IN THIS REVAMPED sequel to the already hated “Troll” movie, a young Joshua Waits lives in a town called “Nilbog” — goblin backwards, corny already — and is warned by his dead Grandpa to steer clear of vegetarian creatures. These goblins pray on humans and turn their flesh into veggie fibers. Joshua does everything in his power to stop his aloof family from turning into vicious green slime for the trolls to feast upon. The movie barely fits into the horror genre, mainly because of its “Afterschool special” vibe. Though branded as PG-13 for gore and language, it resembles a rejected episode of the children’s horror show “Goosebumps.” The good-versus-evildynamic teaming the children against the adults could have been played in a second grade classroom. Try to envision the following scene in a thriller: Joshua eavesdrops on one of the town’s underground meetings for the old townsfolk — or rather, vegetarian goblins. They’re all disguised as humans, chanting about how terrible meat is and how they like to kill humans for eating meat. The movie’s vegetarian antagonists are ironic, given the goblins’ crusade is to kill living creatures. Not sure PETA would approve. The plot already solidifies its reputation as absurd, but the new-to-screen acting is what packs in the horrible quality. The actors can’t distinguish between fear and confusion during situations that would normally bear one or the other. When a character melts into vegetable goo, the rest of the gang acts as though its an everyday occurance — no shock detected in the facially deaf performers. In the best case scenario, the actors were probably trying — and failing — a new technique they learned at community center acting classes. There is no saving grace for this movie. The plot is unorthodox, the acting is comical and the characters are foolish. In my opinion, it has the qualifications for the perfect good-bad movie.

C AT W O M A N

BU T N OT GOO D E I T H E R

RUN TIME | 1 HR 45 MIN R E L E AS E DAT E | 2 01 0 STARRING | WHITNEY MOORE

100% from me, so but perfect for all the wrong reasons

SUPERHERO MOVIES USUALLY can dodge the accusing fingers of movie critics. They generally cost the net worth of the richest man in Luxembourg and can bank on a diehard fan base. However, there are always exceptions. Catwoman (2004) not only is branded by this reputation, but steals the shining spotlight of faulty superhero movies. The main character, Patience Phillips, is a meek and quirky girl who works at a beauty company. After she’s murdered for knowing a secret she shouldn’t, a magical street cat resurrects her and rises out of the ashes like a Phoenix — or rather, Catwoman. Her super powers include sassy comebacks, rocking leather catsuits, transforming anything into a whip and actually possessing the mental traits of a cat, such as snarky remarks...and landing on her feet? Yeah, I don’t have an answer for that one. When I wasn’t squirming at Halle Berry’s bizarre feline acting, I was laughing at the bizarre close-up face shots and jolted camera movements. Disoriented, I felt like I was riding a poorly constructed

THIS MOVIE CHRONICLES the lives of Rod, a software engineer and Nathalie, a fashion model. After the two fall in love, a murderous wave of birds attack their city and leave it in ruins — it’s a birdemic! This movie is nowhere near the quality of Alfred Hitchcock’s acclaimed and original film, “The Birds,” but offers audiences a film they love to hate. The biggest eyesores of this movie are the antagonists: bloodthirsty birds. They can only be described as a CGI designer’s nightmare — 2-D figures that seem to have been lazily copypasted from Windows Paint into iMovie. I couldn’t contain myself from erupting with laughter at the “birds.” These digital disasters are what have made critics question if this movie should have as huge a following as it does, but for me, their absurdity only adds to its novice charm. Alongside the poorly designed creatures were static characters that resembled Elon Musk’s newest delve into artificial intelligence. Their stage presence is uncompelling and the dialogue consists of uncomfortably long pauses between shallow conversations about car types and solar panels. The conversations prompt extreme — yet hilarious — logic from the characters. In one of the scenes, the couple trap themselves in a motel to hide from the birds. Instead of waiting out the wave of avian attackers, they attack the birds with coat hangers. By attack, I mean haphazardly waving a coat hanger in the air and having one the CGI birds disappear. As the attacks are amplified, I absolutely lost all sense of reality and followed the twisted but entrancing logic of this movie. Though the acting was atrocious, it was almost endearing. Like, I felt bad for them! The adorable nature of the movie topped off with unrealistic scenes that can only warrant laughs, “Birdemic” has amassed quite a following.

roller coaster. It’s uncomfortable to watch Halle Berry scarf down five cans of tuna while our point of view is right above her forehead. The dialogue is also something to be marveled over because of how out of touch with reality conversations were — my personal favorite being the cheesy cat puns. This includes Catwoman telling her lover that she is part cat with an entirely too predictable “cat’s out of the bag” or ending every monologue with a “meeeee-ow”. While it’s a shame to see $100 million dollars in budget be wasted on overbearing CGI and invasive cameras, at least the audience gets a classic movie to pop in during bad movie night.

SCAN ME | TRAILERS Scan this QR code to be directed to imdb.com to view the trailers for Catwoman, Troll 2, Birdemic and more cult films.

A&E | 24

A PEEK

THE CRITIC

INTO

by cesca stamati

E V E R S I N C E the phase of baby food and fruit cups ended, I’ve been a picky eater. My spice limit takes a hard stop at my order of very mild chicken curry at Wornall’s Taj Mahal restaurant and my Chipotle order hasn’t ventured from a bowl with chicken, rice and guacamole since I lost my first baby tooth. Following my New Year’s resolution of breaking out of my comfort zone, I decided to take on KC Restaurant Week and try four meals I wouldn’t order in a million years.

R E STAURANT W E E K Staffer seeks new flavor by tasting and rating multiple restaurants during Kansas City’s Restaurant week

B O RU R A M E N

G U Y F I E RI’S TACO J O I N T

I SAT D OW N at this last restaurant, hesitant to be anywhere near the raw fish waiting for me in the kitchen. Though this restaurant was the biggest push from my cramped comfort zone, it proved to be my favorite. I fell in love with the Boru 2.0, a bowl complete with ramen noodles and pork shoulder. The combination of ramen, pork, soup and spices in this bowl created a rich taste, making it the perfect mix. Next time my family wants to eat out at an Asian restaurant, I’ll know where to go.

WA L K I N G I N TO THIS R E STAU R A N T , my expectations hit the ground when I saw that we were the only ones eating — at 9 p.m. You would think that a restaurant owned by a blonde, spiky-haired Food Network Star set right in the middle of downtown would be the top of everyone’s “places-to-go” list, but the restaurant stayed deserted for the duration of my entree. My order of Diablo Shrimp Tacos included a chewy, leathery shell that, combined with the chewiness of the shrimp, made for an unpleasant texture that tempted me to spit chewed up Diablo Taco into my napkin. Maybe, had I been sitting

***** B O R U R A M E N | 4 . 5 S TA R S 500 | W 75 ST.

B B ’S L AW N S I D E BA R B EC U E I’ V E A LWAYS LOV E D T H E TAST E I’ve always loved the taste of Kansas City’s acclaimed American barbecue. Walking into BB’s Lawnside BBQ and Blues, the ramshackled exterior reminded me more of a crumbly gas station, but to my surprise the inside was filled with warm neon lights and plastic picnic tablecloths with a jazzy, inviting vibe. The charming design perfectly complemented the authentic KC barbecue menu. After skimming the menu, I ordered a pulled pork sandwich. There was just one problem with this meal — I hate barbecue sauce. I’ve always thought the most authentic barbecue doesn’t

design by | peyton moore photos by | megan stopperan & emily pollock

A N D B LU E S need to be soaked in sauce to make it delicious. The meat should speak for itself. After contemplating whether the chewy pulled pork was too soggy for my liking, I realized it’s top feature was the scarcity of sauce. By the end of my visit, I learned that even the most authentic barbecue in Kansas can’t change my mind about barbecue sauce.

***

B B ’ S B B Q | 3 S TA R S 1205 | E 85 ST.

across from Guy Fieri himself, the novelty establishment would have been worth the money. But even his namesake didn’t draw in a crowd. Before this restaurant, Mexican food was my least favorite kind of food, and this stop did nothing to change my mind — in fact, it solidified my hatred for the food genre. At this point, I almost considered quitting my quest of trying new foods and sprinting back to Chipotle for my comfortable, wannabe-Mexican burrito bowl.

TA C O J O I N T | 2 S TA R S 1 3 3 3 | WA L N U T S T R E E T

B R E W E R ’S K I TC H E N A P EA N U T B U TT E R A N D J E L LY burger is something you wouldn’t find at any typical burger joint. It combines two of my least favorite foods: peanut butter and burgers, so of course, with my New Year’s resolution and all, I ordered it. Surprisingly, I didn’t throw up afterward. You probably won’t ever catch me eating this sandwich again, but I will say that the sweet jelly balanced out the saltiness of the burger and wasn’t too overpowering or noticeable.

****

B R E W E R ’ S K I T C H E N | 4 S TA R S 3 1 0 7 | G I L L H A M ROA D

F I N A L T H O U G H TS L I V I N G I N P R A I RI E V I L L AG E , it’s easy to get away with eating Chipotle and Chick-Fil-A five out of seven days a week, making me forget that Kansas City has a lot more to offer in the restaurant scene. Although I’m not giving up my tuna and brownies any time soon, it’s nice to try something new once in a while. You never know, even if you’re someone like me who can’t even look at the jar of Jiff in the pantry, you might risk it all and try a PB&J burger — and actually like it.

A&E | 25

design by | celia condon photos courtesy of | spotify

A COU P L E O F

Staffer reviews Selena Gomez’s long awaited album and Mac Miller’s suprise album

RARE RELEASES

by brynn winkler SINCE SELENA GOMEZ’S “Revival” was released in 2015, the pop singer has been through more than most — a battle with an autoimmune disease, a risky kidney transplant and a public emotional breakup with Justin Bieber. Given the trials she’s faced these past few years, I joined the majority in assuming her newest album “Rare” would follow the same somber wavelength. Instead, Gomez graced us with surprisingly upbeat anthems of self-love and growth, along with aching personal ballads that leave listeners hopeful and optimistic. “Rare’s” first single to be released, “Lose You To Love Me,” reflects on the way she lost herself in a toxic relationship and the strength it took to find her way back. The emotional ballad is arguably the saddest song in the album, as Gomez sings, “you tore me down and now it’s showing.” Through “Lose You To Love Me,” Gomez reclaimed the narrative of her off-and-on relationship with Justin Bieber — while also landing her first Billboard No. 1. Gomez shows off her low, breathy singing voice in another highlight of the album, “Vulnerable.” She sings along with a delicate beat as she examines one of her strengths in a relationship — her vulnerability. She earnestly asks whether her partner can accept her realness, while proclaiming that if they

CIRCLES ALBUM

Circles- Mac Miller

RELEASED Jan. 17, 2020

NO FEATURES

can’t, she’ll still “stay vulnerable.” The album takes a more upbeat turn with tracks like “Look At Her Now,” “Dance Again” and the title track, “Rare.” The latter is a beautiful, melodic proclamation of self-love in which she recognizes her individuality and realizes she deserves someone that values it — an inspiring reminder for those who mistakenly allow their self-worth to be determined by someone else. This song in particular shows the self confidence Gomez has gained as a result of her tribulations, with self affirmations like “I know that I’m special” and “I’m so rare.” Gomez doesn’t try anything too innovative in terms of sound and style, but her raw authenticity that has drawn over 46 million monthly listeners on Spotify undoubtedly shines through in the album’s lyrics. Though “Rare” mainly looks towards the future, at times the album feels like it’s more about her breakup and her past self rather than who she is now. While “Rare” could have been less Taylor-Swift-breakup-song-esque in some areas, Gomez succeeds in creating an intimate album that doesn’t dwell on the past, but celebrates the person she has become because of it.

DREAMLIKE AND CONTEMPLATIVE, Mac Miller’s posthumous album “Circles” reflects on the rapper’s struggles with anxiety and depression while still remaining optimistic about his ability to prevail. Though Miller passed away from an accidental drug overdose before the album was completed, “Circles” was finished by composer-producer Jon Brion, who Miller worked closely with prior to his death. “Circles” seems more like the work of a singer-songwriter than rapper — a shift most likely spurred by Miller’s collaboration with Brion. “Hands” is the only full rap song, and Miller experiments in several songs with elements like lo-fi beat music, guitar strumming and indie rock drums. The album refuses to restrict itself to one distinct genre or sound, signifying Miller’s comfort with branching out from the expectations set by American rappers. Tracks like “Blue World” further establish music as Miller’s form of therapy, as he gets lost in thoughts, singing “I’m here to make it all better / With a little music for you.” He seems to retreat in his mind in a dreamlike state, evoking an emotional response in the listener and illustrating Miller’s increased emotional clarity. In “Complicated” and “Once a Day,” Miller continues to take listeners through his stream of consciousness as he works through his battle with depression and reminds himself to take life one day

B AC K I N T H E DAY | S E L E N A SELENA GOMEZ & THE SCENE

ALBUM Kiss & Tell RELEASED 9/29/2009 #1 HIT Naturally

SELENA GOMEZ & THE SCENE ALBUM A Year Without Rain RELEASED 9/21/2010 #1 HIT Round & Round

SELENA GOMEZ & THE SCENE

ALBUM When The Sun Goes Down RELEASED 6/21/2011 #1 HIT Love You Like A Love Song

SELENA GOMEZ

ALBUM Stars Dance RELEASED 7/19/2013 #1 HIT Come and Get It

I’M SO

RA RE ALBUM

Rare- Selena Gomez

RELEASED Jan. 10, 2020

FEATURING 6LACK, and Kid Cudi

at a time. Over surprisingly upbeat lo-fi music in “Complicated,” he asks “Fore I start to think about the future / First can I please get through a day?” Miller touches on the topic of relationships in “Woods,” where he sings “Hate love, heartbreak will have you bankrupt,” but proclaims love is worth the pain in the end. The evident pain in these lyrics seems reminiscent of Miller’s publicized relationship and breakup with singer Ariana Grande, as the song depicts a passionate love that just couldn’t logistically work. “Circles” serves as a companion piece to Miller’s 2018 album “Swimming,” a bittersweet examination of working through depression and heartbreak. It seems Miller intended for “Swimming” to flow into “Circles,” as the album builds on similar themes. However, the tone in “Circles” presents itself in a more hopeful light than in “Swimming,” such as in “Good News,” where Miller sings, “Wake up to the moon, haven’t seen the sun in a while / But I heard that the sky’s still blue.” Overall, “Circles” fittingly loops into “Swimming’s” narrative, while revealing Miller’s sophisticated style he was coming into around his untimely death. The listener is able to relate to and find refuge in the late artist’s headspace, where he was evidently optimistic about overcoming his demons.

B L A S T F R O M T H E PA S T | M A C MAC MILLER

ALBUM Best Day Ever RELEASED 3/11/2011 #1 HIT Donald Trump

MAC MILLER

ALBUM Blue Slide Park RELEASED 11/8/2011 #1 HIT Blue Slide Park

MAC MILLER

ALBUM Macadelic RELEASED 3/23/2012 #1 HIT Loud

MAC MILLER

Movies ALBUM Watching With the Sound Off 6/18/2013 RELEASED #1 HIT Objects in the Mirror

26 | A&E

design by | caroline chisholm photos by | kate nixon

I LOV E D I T

a latte

Staffer reviews latte art class offered every third Saturday of the month at local coffee shop, The Roasterie by sarah bledsoe

’m not artistic — at all. My mom wouldn’t even hang up my first-grade self portrait out of pity. I get that most people wouldn’t be nervous about something as low-key as a latte art class, but I couldn’t help it.

It was full of laughter — mostly at myself — and the opportunity to learn new skills with three strangers while drinking roughly four lattes per hour.

sarah bledsoe | senior If you’re wondering how lattes and art can be related, let me explain. The Roasterie offers a class that teaches untalented, coffee-enthused people — like yours truly — to make the signature foam heart that baristas ohso-effortlessly pour on your daily latte. I signed up by Googling, “Roasterie Classes” and enrolling for the class on Jan. 18. Despite the hefty $60 fee for an hour-long class, it was a painless process. I signed up two weeks in advance and snatched the last slot. The class was located at The Roasterie Cafe at Corrigan in downtown KC, which called for about a 20-minute

drive from the East area. Since I never actually learned how to parallel park, I did have to pay an additional $5 to park in a lot nearby. Regardless, the downtown location provided perfect vibes for a latte class — tall windows flooding natural light and the strong aroma of espresso inspired me to serve up the perfect latte leaf. At 3 p.m. sharp, the barista shut down the cafe for the next hour, allowing for a private setting. Alongside me were two other espresso enthusiasts and my personal Harbinger photographer. The small group meant a few awkward conversations with strangers and a lot more latte practice for each of us (sadly, not enough for The Roasterie to hire me). First, we watched. As the barista poured the shot, steamed he milk and demonstrated the latte design, we prepared for our turn. When I was informed the machine I was using to clumsily design a flower was worth $20,000, I almost walked out before I could even considering the dang thing. I was first tasked with emulating the Monk’s head — the typical leaf shape seen in bloggish Pinterest photos. Also, the most amateur level in the world of latte art. It’s basically a latte with a big white dot of cream in the middle — but trust me, it’s way harder than it seems. Nevertheless, no matter how bad my design turned out the barista continued

to cheer me on so we moved on to a heart, which was just the Monk’s head with a line down the middle. While my heart was somehow even worse than my Monk’s Head, the barista teaching the class told me that my talent was definitely there. Just hidden. Then we all went around in a circle trying to determine what my failed attempt at a heart truly was. As humiliating as it sounds, I think the best response was a stick figure doing cartwheels. Now I’ll say I was definitely the odd one out considering the two other people taking the class were clearly dedicated coffee connoisseurs. I mean, one dude brought his very own espresso machine from home, and the other girl in the class had already taken two other classes at the Roasterie. Further highlighting my atrocious attempts were my flower petals — which ended up looking like dirt specks on my latte — that made my counterparts art seem perfect in comparison. Overall, the class was well worth the $60, especially considering the fact that my parents paid for it. It was full of laughter — mostly at myself — and the opportunity to learn new skills with three strangers while drinking roughly four lattes per hour. Since my dad has already booked us for next month, I’ll have another chance to perfect my Monk’s head.

THE

A RT O F

coffee

ALL IN THE MILK Make sure the milk you are working with is steamed at the right temperature and is silky smooth.

P U T I T O N R E P E AT Practice makes perfect! Repeat the steps in order for it to become second nature.

H AV E D E T E R M I N AT I O N Don’t give up! Keep working at it and slowly but surely you will improve.

G E T U P C LOS E A N D P E RS O N A L To keep your design clean and precise, you must get very close to the surface.

B O O K A C L A S S AT T H E ROA S T E R I E LATTE ART | 3RD SAT. OF EVERY MONTH BE A BARISTA | 4TH SAT. OF EVERY MONTH SEED TO CUP | 1ST SAT. OF EVERY MONTH

$ 30 - 60 @

www. theroasterie.com

Congratulations for 25 years of success to Michael J. Brown (Chairman, CEO & Founder) and Euronetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 7,000 worldwide employees!

28 |SPORTS

design by | lily billingsley

S P O RTS

HIGHLIGHTS Updates, schedules and quotes about the winter sport season

COMING UP THIS WEEK B O Y S S W I M M I N G | B O Y S VA R S I T Y I N V I TAT I O N A L 1 / 2 8 @ C A P I TA L F E D E R A L N ATAT O R I U M COLLEGE LANES 1/30 @ SEAMAN HIGH SCHOOL B O Y S B A S K E T B A L L | VA R S I T Y G A M E 1 / 3 1 @ ROCKHURST HIGH SCHOOL

M A R K YO U R C A L E N DA R

B AS K E T B A L L | B OYS &

WRESTLING|

G I R L S VA R S I T Y G A M E S

VA R S I T Y D I S T R I C T

WITH SWEETHEART

@ S H AW N E E

C R O W N I N G @ O L AT H E

MISSION SOUTH

bowling All of the seniors graduate so [everyone] this year are new so they’re all kinda bad. The underclassmen and juniors have to step up which is normally the opposite. [There is] also a new assistant coach.

wrestling

G I R L S B A S K E T B A L L | VA R S I T Y T O U R N A M E N T

FEB

WHAT WILL BE DIFFERENT THIS YEAR COMPARED TO LAST?

sam thomas | junior

B O W L I N G | J V / VA R S I T Y M E E T 1 / 3 0 @

JAN

AT H L E T E ’ S TA K E

A B O V E | Senior Lauren Decker performs a leap during the Varsity boys basketball game against Olathe South. photo by | kate nixon

This year’s going to be different because we have a lot more people on the team and they actually stayed on the team this year because some people leave after winter break and second semester. We have a lot of kids who are dedicated and focused this year so they’re going to be going to state and placing.

max smiley | junior

NORTH

STUDENT POLLS ARE YOU PLANNING ON GOING TO THE EAST VS. ROCKHURST RIVAL GAME? | 334 VOTES

25% NO 75% YES IS EAST GOING TO BEAT ROCKHURST? | 382 VOTES

14% NO 86% YES A B O V E | Sophomore Jacob Rigby emerges for a breath of air as he swims butterfly in the medley relay during the varsity meet. photo by | noelle griffin L E F T | Senior Jack Slaughter dribbles during the boys varsity basketball game against Olathe South. photo by | elise madden

SCAN ME | WEBSITE Go to the Harbinger website to view a gallery from the boys Varsity basketball game against SM South

29 | SPORTS

design by | sophie henschel photos by | elise madden

CURLING THE CO M P E T I T I O N Curling has been a casual outlet for history teacher and coach

by lauren west

ast history teacher and coach, Alex Henton shuffles down the ice, quickly sweeping his curling broom back and forth alongside teammate Anthony Winklemann. “No, I never got a chance to watch it,” Henton said, looking up at Winkelmann. “My cable wasn’t working.” Clink. Henton and Winklemann’s rock barely tapped the opposing team’s rock out of the target, leaving their rock hugging the outer ring of the target.

Committing to understand the sport is a whole strategy. [Curling] requires balance and a low center of gravity

alex henton | coach Their casual game-time conversation was referencing NBCSN’s new show — “Friday Night is Curling Night” — that Henton missed because of cable issues. Curling — a strategic sport in which a team of four slides rocks down a lane of ice, sweeping brooms to straighten the direction of the rock, in hopes of making it on the target — has been Henton’s pastime since he was 16 years old. “Growing up he’s always been interested in sports,” Henton’s father Aaron said. “Our family are big Olympic watchers, and curling really caught our attention during the [2006] Winter Olympics.” When the following Winter Olympics came around, 16-year-old Henton and his family signed up to take Kansas City Curling Club’s “Learn To Curl” class — a two-hour session that teaches the basic strategies in curling. Since then, he has been competing in Kansas City Curling Club’s league for the past 10 years. “In the actual playing of the game, I love shooting the rock,” Henton said.

“Committing to understand the sport is a whole strategy. [Curling] requires balance and a low center of gravity — those little movements are key in order to be successful.” Last year Henton and his family headed to Omaha to watch the 2018 curling Olympic Trials. After nearly eight years on the ice, watching the speed of the professionals was more entertaining because he was well educated on the sport. “Obviously, I’m not hitting the shots Olympians are hitting,” Henton said. “But talking about what strategy they should use and then seeing them actually use that strategy is pretty cool.” Opposed to Olympians, playing the sport at a recreational level doesn’t require outside practicing and conditioning, and instead is more about positioning and strategy. Since it’s more for fun and he’s not planning on taking a trip to the Olympic Village anytime soon, Henton can focus his attention on his students, the girls varsity volleyball and girls freshman basketball team. Junior and varsity volleyball player Sarah Bingham has known Henton since eighth grade volleyball conditioning at the high school. “[As a coach], he is really approachable,” Bingham said. “Everyone on the team has some kind of strong relationship with him, which creates a good culture because people aren’t afraid to talk to him.” Henton’s light-hearted attitude isn’t just around on the ice. According to Bingham, Henton is never afraid to jump in at practice and serve the ball or volley it back and forth. Her favorite memories are when he interacts with everyone. “Last year, my teammate Jenna Thieman and I were working on serving at a morning practice,” Bingham said. “When he went to toss the ball, Jenna threw her ball at him and he was so mad he [jokingly] left the gym.” After a day of coaching two-hour

freshman girls’ basketball practices and grading LEQ’s, Henton still makes time in the winter to play on Sunday’s at Line Creek Community Center. Jan. 19 marked the first official game of the season, with five more weeks to play the remaining teams in the league. Males and females of all ages can form a team and enter the league. Henton’s current team consists of his dad, East’s JV girls volleyball coach Anthony Winklemann and any friend that wants to join in on that weeks game. “I have the most fun playing in the league with Alex,” Aaron said. “Growing up he was always a really good kid — but maybe I’m being biased because I’m the dad. [Curling] is a sport that spans ages, so I don’t have to be in the peak of athletic condition to play.” F A R A B O V E Alex Henton pushes the stone down the ice to his teammates.

Everyone on the team has some kind of strong relationship with him, which creates a good culture because people aren’t afraid to talk to him.

sarah bingham | junior According to Henton, one of the best parts of curling at the recreational level is that anyone can do it. “I mean [curling] is such a low commitment sport with low training,” Henton said. “I could see myself doing it till whenever I can’t anymore.” Both Henton and his father want to encourage anyone who is able to take the “Learn to Curl” class at Kansas City Curling Club. “I know that Alex loves to talk about [curling] to his students,” Aaron said. “I think it’d be great if some of his students got together and came to do a ‘Learn To Curl Class’. He would love having that influence on some of his students.”

A B O V E Coach Henton signals his teammates to let the stone roll without them sweeping.

KNOW THE

TERMINOLOGY CURLING TEE

THE TARGET

C U R L I N G STO N E

EACH TEAM GETS 8 STONES

C U R L I N G B RO O M

USED TO SHOOT THE STONES AT THE TEE

ONE END

EVERY 8 STONES THROWN, AN END IS COMPLETE

END

KNOW THE

SCORE SYSTEM POINTS ARE SCORED AT THE E ND OF EACH “ E ND ” THE TEAM WITH THE STO N E C LOS E ST TO T H E TE E WINS TH AT E ND

THE WINNING TEAM THEN G E TS O N E P O I N T FO R EAC H STONE LYING CLOSER TO THE T E E T H A N T H E O P P O N E N T ’S CLOS E ST STONE

30 | SPORTS

design by | sydney newton photo by | kate nixon

WELCOME TO

BOLLYWOOD

The East Bollywood Dance Club gives IB students a chance to step out of their comfort zone T O P Bollywood Dance Club performs during the winter pep assembly.

MEET THE

MEMBERS MEGHMA PAL GRADE: SENIOR ROLE: PRESIDENT FAVORITE MOVE: SPINS

IAN GOULD GRADE: SENIOR ROLE: MEMBER FAVORITE PART: NEW EXPERIENCE

KATHLEEN DEEDY GRADE: SENIOR ROLE: MEMBER FAVORITE OUTFIT: SARI

by maddox mogenson

undreds of East students walking down to the gym for the winter pep assembly experienced a bit of a road block. 18 members of the Bollywood Dance club, led by senior Meghma Pal, were spinning and jumping in the hallway, rehearsing their upcoming routine. As students passed by them in the halls, words of encouragement and muffled “good luck’s” calmed down the nervous performers. Through social media posts and offering CAS hours for IB, Pal was able to take the Bollywood Dance club from a mere five people to a troupe of 18. The group members were already familiar with each other — they had all done IB together since junior year — so spending hours on Friday afternoons preparing to perform together was easy. In fourth grade, Pal studied Bollywood dance by watching Bollywood movies, learning Hindi and taking Bollywood dance classes until freshman year. The cultural knowledge and experience proved her the best candidate for the next president of Bollywood Dance club, after last year’s seniors graduated. Although Bollywood dancing requires an intense skillset and sense of coordination due to the fast arm motions and intricate hand placements, according to Pal, she wanted to open the club to everyone, regardless of dance experience. Besides her, no one in the club had any experience in Bollywood dance nor any dance experience as a whole. Senior club member Kathleen Deedy, a trained swimmer, was a little skeptical about taking on an entirely new sport with which she had no familiarity. “I’ve never done anything dance-related in my life,” Deedy said. “I’m a swimmer mostly, so it’s not even the same types of movement. It was a lot different than anything I’ve done before.” But their lack of experiences introduced Indian culture to a group of high schoolers who wouldn’t have exposure to otherwise. It serves as a community of people learning about Indian culture. All of the members already knew each other well, so even though practices consisted of difficult arm movements and hand placements, it was a time for each of the members to hang out with their friends and talk about their IB English oral examination topics. “If we’re not dancing, we’re doing goofy jumps in front of the mirror or seeing how many spins we can do without falling over,” Deedy said, “[My favorite part was] hanging out with everyone and trying new things.” Those familiar friendships were what made the members willing to adapt to learning a completely new style of dance, according to senior Ian Gould. The constant support, encouragement and help from Pal and the friends within group made every part of the process easier — whether that

be learning the choreography through videos of Pal in her pajamas or performing in front of the entire school. Gould was one of four male dancers that joined the club. He and the other three dancers were the first boys to ever join the Bollywood dance club, all four of them also a part of the IB program. Gould was a little unsure of his skill set, but he decided to take a risk and indulged in something new. “[Pal] needed a couple of male dancers,” Gould said. “I do not dance, I am not graceful, but I said yes.” According to Pal, even with her experience, the creative process — choreography, music choice and costuming — is still a long and detailed process. Each song chosen has to tell a story. She finds inspiration from YouTube, but every dance is completely choreographed by Pal.

If we’re not dancing, we’re doing goofy jumps in front of the mirror or seeing how many spins we can do without falling over. [My favorite part was] hanging out with everyone and trying new things.

kathleen deedy | senior

The story is continued through the costumes. The girls wear long and flowy dresses that flare when they spin, while the boys wear long shirts that frame the body. Each of the girls’ costumes were Pal’s old dresses that she purchased in India, and each one was tailored by Pal and her mother to fit each member perfectly. After every piece of the show is perfectly prepared, the group is ready to perform. Since every athlete, as well as non-athlete, on the team isn’t used to a performance-style sport, standing on the gym floor with hundreds of eyes was an unfamiliar feeling. Gould turned that unfamiliar feeling into an even more successful performance. “It was all over so fast, but I always found myself really getting into it,” Gould said. 7:40 a.m. practices lead up to another performance at the orchestra collage concert. The upcoming performance is themed around the four natural elements, one song dedicated to each element, and the last song tying all four of them together. According to Deedy, the most rewarding thing that has come from the club is her new love fwor something she didn’t know how to do before her senior year started. “We were all so bad, and we learned so much,” Deedy said. “Being able to goof around and still learn stuff and have it turn out really great was my favorite part.”

PHOTOSTORY | 31

design by | kate nixon

VO LU N T E E RI N G M A D E P U R - F EC T

Seniors Evelyn Rosener and Elizabeth Sandstrom chair a SHARE Project with monthly volunteer opportunities at Wayside Waifs

A B O V E Sophomore Taylor LeMay holds a cat while the volunteer coordinator Amanda Smasal takes a photo. photo by | kate nixon L E F T Senior Elizabeth Sandstrom sits in a circle with other volunteers while petting an adoptable lab mix puppy. “[The volunteer coordinator] brought in this little lab mix puppy, so we went to a separate room to let [him] walk around and he kept coming and sitting in people’s laps and he just happened to sit in my lap...I was trying to pet him because I wanted him to stay in my lap,” Sandstrom said. photo by | kate nixon

F A R A B O V E Adoptable dog Brijon looks optimistic before getting a treat. photo by | kate nixon A B O V E L E F T Volunteer coordinator Amanda Smasal holds up a bowl of treats volunteers made before having East volunteers hand them out. photo by | sarah golder A B OV E R I G H T Senior Evelyn Rosener smiles while folding laundry “[the shelter] did so the dogs can have blankets for their kennels so it’s something that’s a little more comforting for them to have than just the bare concrete while they’re staying at the shelter,” Rosener said. photo by | sarah golder R I G H T Sophomores Taylor LeMay and Maddi van Asselt talk while folding laundry. photo by | kate nixon

SCAN ME | WAYSIDE WAIFS Click here to visit the Wayside Waifs website to view adoptable animals and ways to help.

ALT COPY | 32

design & copy by | lila tulp photos courtesy of | imdb

AND THE

AWA R D Ultimate guide to the 91st annual Academy Awards

GO E S TO T H E B I G AWA R D S

WELL IT’S THAT TIME of year again: Oscar season. The nominations are out, the predictions are set and we’re just 13 days away from the movie event of the year. So, whether you’ve watched every Best Picture nominee since ‘1917’ or

stuck around to see Timothée Chalamet shut down the red carpet, we’ve got you covered with everything all you ‘Little Women’ and men need to know before the 91st annual Academy Awards ceremony taking place on Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. on NBC.

TA L K A B O U T T R E N D S

BEST PICTURE NOMINEES B E S T AC T R E S S N O M I N E E S 1917 C H A R L I Z E T H E RO N FORD V FERRARI “ B O M B S H E L L” JOKER R E N E E Z E L L W E G E R “ J U DY ” THE IRISHMAN CY N T H I A E R I VO “ H A R R I E T ” PA R A S I T E SCARLETT JOHANSSON ONCE UPON A TIME IN “ M A R R I A G E S T O RY ” H O L LY W O O D SAO I RS E RO N A N “ L I TT L E L I TT L E WO M E N WO M E N ” JOJO RABBIT B E S T AC T O R N O M I N E E S M A R R I A G E S T O RY J OAQ U I N P H O E N I X B E ST D I R EC TO R N O M I N E E S ”JOKER” M A RT I N S C O RS E S E ” T H E L EO N A R D O D I C A P RI O IRISHMAN” ”ONCE UPON A TIME IN Q U E N T I N TA R A N T I N O H O L LY W O O D ” ”ONCE UPON A TIME IN J O N AT H A N P RY C E “ T H E H O L LY W O O D ” T WO P O P E S ” BONG JOON-HO A DA M D R I V E R “ M A R R I A G E “ PA R A S I T E ” S T O RY ” SAM MENDES “1917” A N TO N I O BA N D E R A S TO D D P H I L L I P S “ J O K E R ”

I N T RO D U C I N G. . .

“ PA I N A N D G LO RY ”

GREEN IS THE NEW black this award season. According to our favorite A-listers, it’s already time to ditch Pantone’s color of the year, Classic Blue, and trade it for all different shades of green — throw an oversized bow onto your dress — or better yet pantsuit — and you’ve successfully portrayed all of this year’s red carpet fasion trends.

J A S O N M O M OA PRESENTER TO M F O R D S U I T G O L D E N G LO B E S

J E N N I F E R LO P E Z “HUSTLERS” V E RSAC E D R E S S G O L D E N G LO B E S

A N D T H E B E S T PA R T S A R E . . .

C O V E R I N G C O N T R OV E R S Y The predicted most talked about topics at the Oscars

G LO B A L WA R M I N G

AU ST R A L I A N FIRES

GOING V E GA N

SNUBS & SURPRISES IT’S NO SURPRISE that the Academy is yet again under fire for their lack of diversity in their nomination pool — so let’s break it down. “Harriet” star Cynthia Erivo was the only non-white actor recognized as a nominee for Best Actress, female directors as a whole were shut out of their category and the cast and crew of “Parasite” was left seemingly unrecognized.

B E ST D I R EC TO R G R E TA G E R W I G “ L I TT L E WO M E N ” & A L L OT H E R F E M A L E D I R EC TO RS B E S T S U P P O RT I N G AC T R E S S J E N N I F E R LO P E Z “ H U S T L E R S ” B E S T AC T O R A DA M SANDLER “UNCUT GEMS”

I think I’m just excited to see who wins. It makes me want to watch more of those movies.

janie carr | senior

I really enjoy watching them. Politically motivated speeches and all of the big names, I really love it when they get up there and get politically motivated.

mac muehlberger | junior

I really like to see all of the different dresses on the red carpet and seeing which ones are the craziest, which ones are the most shocking, the classiest and the most elegant.

chloe sowden | senior