The Harbinger: Issue 8

the harbinger.

SHAWNEE MISSION EAST 7500 MISSION ROAD PRAIRIE VILLAGE, KS 66208

DEC 18, 2017 VOLUME LIX ISSUE 8

Equal access has been a part of the internet since its inception.

Net Neutrality regulations have made it so that internet service providers must give equal access to all sites, services and content on the internet. On Thursday, the FCC voted to take that away.

SPECIAL SECTION — PAGES 14-19

COVER DESIGN E MILY FEY & WILL TULP

THE HARBINGER

2 CONTENTS

table of contents. editorial

FEATURED SPECIAL SECTION

Juveniles shouldn’t face life sentences . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

NEWS

News briefs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Finals Schedule Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Sexual Assault Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 SMSD BARS FREEDOM OF SPEECH . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

OPINION

People make high school meaningful. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Passion for the holidays. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 A Brotherly Bond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

F E AT U R E S

Robert Tilden finds film pasion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Charlie Colvin chemistry lab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 SMSD professional programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Finding herself through chronic illness. . . . . . . . . . . 21

SPecial section

Net Neutrality Breakdown: ALT-COPY. . . . . . . . .

15 Threat to the Net: NEWS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16/17 Net Neutrality Fosters Community: OPINION. . . .

18 Russel White: FEATURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

19

A&E

Secret Santa Shopping Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 East student and alumna in new christmas musical. . 23 Health House & T-Loft Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Christmas music review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

SPORTS

Best of 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 .

Basketball & Wrestling Recaps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Senior Basketball Boys share bond. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

MORE

Chemistry photostory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 2018 preview ...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

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 521 or emailed to smeharbinger@gmail.com

peek inside.

A more detailed look at a few stories in the issue

E

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

A BROTHERLY BOND

I’M NOT BITTER

PAGE 7 | NEWS

PAGE 10 | OPINION

PAGE 25 | A&E

Staffer reflects on bond with brother and how it’s impacted his life

After an anti-Christmas song opinion last year labeled her a “bitter Grinch,” staffer attempts to redeem herself by reviewing favorite Christmas songs

SMSD BARS

Smsd and the First Amendment The American Civil Liberties Union sent a letter to the SMSD school board on Dec. 6 saying that their policy regarding open forums violates the first amendment

| Ellen Swanson

the harbinger staff.

PRINT EDITORS-INCHIEF Grace Chisholm Robbie Veglahn ASST. PRINT EDITORS Emily Fey Lizzie Kahle HEAD COPY EDITOR Daisy Bolin ART & DESIGN EDITOR Katie Hise ONLINE EDITORS-INCHIEF Reser Hall Kaleigh Koc ASST. ONLINE EDITORS Annabelle Cook Will Tulp PRINT SECTION EDITORS Editorial- Caroline Chisholm News- Lucy Patterson Opinion- Gracie Kost & Scout Rice Features- Lila Tulp & Abby Walker Spread- Annabelle Cook A&E- Grace Padon & Liddy Stallard Sports- Elias Lowland

PAGE DESIGNERS Anna McClelland Carolyn Popper Jackie Cameron Natasha Thomas Gabby Leinbach Brynn Winkler Kaylin McCann Sarah Wilcox Sarah Bledsoe Meg Thoma Elizabeth Ballew Ava Johnson

PHOTO EDITORS Diana Percy Ellie Thoma Carson Holtgraves

STAFF ARTISTS Donna Kay

HEAD PHOTO MENTOR Izzy Zanone

COPY EDITORS Mac Newman Madeline Hlobik Abby Walker Harrison Gooley Reser Hall Kaleigh Koc Annabelle Cook Will Tulp Caroline Chisholm Scout Rice Lucy Patterson Alex Freeman Pauline Shaver Daisy Bolin Marti Fromm STAFF WRITERS Lucia Barraza Miranda Hack Jackie Cameron Maya Stratman

ASST. PHOTO EDITORS Grace Goldman Print- Audrey Kesler Online- Maddie Smiley SME PHOTOS EDITOR Carson Holtgraves

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Tyler Browning Ellen Swanson Reilly Moreland Luke Hoffman Lucy Morantz Elizabeth Anderson Ava Simonsen Morgan Plunkett Katherine Odell Katherine McGinness Hadley Hyatt Ally Griffith Kate Nixon Aislinn Menke Kathleen Deedy ONLINE SECTION EDITORS News- Alex Freeman

Sports- Jet Semrick A&E- Kaylin McCann Homegrown- Pauline Shaver Opinion- Miranda Hack Eastipedia- Lucy Kendall Humans of East- Kate Nixon MOBILE MEDIA EDITORS Anna Kanaley Lucy Hoffman ASST. MOBILE MEDIA EDITOR Brooklyn Terrill VIDEO EDITOR Avery Walker ASST. VIDEO EDITOR Drake Woods VIDEO TRAINING EDITOR Nic Bruyere LIVE BROADCAST EDITOR Peyton Watts WEBMASTER Marti Fromm PODCAST EDITOR Lucy Patterson

ANCHORS Ian Schutt Drake Woods INTERACTIVE EDITORS Will Tulp Annabelle Cook MULTIMEDIA STAFF Ian Schutt Dylan Kreig Maggie Schutt Reilly Moreland EDITORIAL BOARD Grace Chisholm Robbie Veglahn Reser Hall Kaleigh Koc Emily Fey Lizzie Kahle Annabelle Cook Will Tulp Daisy Bolin Anna McClelland Anna Kanaley Lucy Hoffman Brooklyn Terrill Harrison Gooley Caroline Chisholm

DECE MBER 18, 2017

NEWS IN BRIEF

DESIGN LUCY PAT TERS ON

NEWS

3

BY GABBY LEI NBACH Staff Writer

EAST

Lip dub blocked by YouTube for copyright violation East’s new lip dub was blocked by YouTube for a copyright violation, brought to administration’s attention Tuesday. The video, released Dec. 7, amassed 5,600 views the first day it was posted. Five days later, the 17-minute video had reached over 10,605 views.

The 29-second sample of “Twist and Shout” by the Beatles caused the video to be blocked, according to principal John McKinney. Assistant principal Britt Haney, senior Matthew Trecek and senior Lily Swanson are working with him to find a solution, McKinney said.

“Mr. Haney, Matthew and Lily are looking at options, whether we replace the song or take out the song,” McKinney said.

McKinney is also trying to suggest to YouTube that the video is for educational purposes, since it is a school lip dub. YouTube’s fair use guidelines state that copyrighted material may be considered fair use if the video has commentary, criticism, research, teaching or news reporting.

In the 2013 lip dub, East wrote a check to Steve Perry from the rock band Journey for the use of “Don’t Stop Believing.” The title of this year’s lip dub, “60 Years of East!,” features fragments of 31 songs ranging from Marvin Gaye to Kanye West. Because they were using 30 seconds or less of each song, the school did not think they needed to write checks to the artists.

“We’re working on it, but as soon as we have other information, we’ll let people know,” McKinney said.

LOCAL

NATIONAL

Several local plaza businesses to close after the new year Williams-Sonoma and Zoom on the Country Club Plaza will be closing their stores after their leases expire in mid-to-late January.

Williams-Sonoma, a locally owned business that sells gourmet food, cooking supplies and kitchen decor, posted a sign in their window announcing the closing. It invited customers to visit their online store or their other location in Town Center.

Employees could not be reached by The Kansas City Star as to why they are closing.

Sophomore Greta Horton has memories of her and her sister, Maddie, playing, “Which do you like best?” with the pots and pans in the store while their mother bought supplies for homemade ice cream.

“It’s really disappointing [that Williams-Sonoma is closing] because my mom, she makes ice cream every weekend with the homemade stuff from there,” Horton said. “I guess we’re going to have to order the stuff in bulk now.”

Zoom Toy Store’s owner John Middelkamp told The Kansas City Star that Zoom’s reasons for closing are that he is over retirement age, the competitiveness of online shopping, and that they lost their “grandmother” company, Halls department store. Everything from Legos to bath bombs is 20 percent off, and the sign on the door reads, “Entire inventory must go!”

Roy Moore loses Alabama U.S. Senate election

Doug Jones won the special election for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Tuesday over controversial Republican candidate Roy Moore. Jones becomes the first democratic Alabama U.S. senator in over 20 years.

Senior Taylor Revare, a member of the Young Democrats Club, didn’t expect this outcome.

“I was definitely surprised, I kind of expected Roy Moore to win,” Revare said. “But I’m pretty happy, it’s another senate seat, and that’s good.”

This shocking result in deep-red Alabama after an extremely close election — Jones with 49.92 percent of the vote and Moore with 48.38 percent of the vote — is believed to be caused by the allegations of sexual misconduct against Moore.

Moore was first accused of making sexual advances on Leigh Corfman when she was 14 and he was 32, along with romantically pursuing three other underage girls while in his 30s, in an article from The Washington Post posted Nov. 9. He has since been accused of sexual misconduct by at least four other women.

Moore denies the allegations, but admits to having had a relationship with a 16-year-old — the age of consent in Alabama is 16 — while in his 30s.

President Trump endorsed Moore late in the campaign, tweeting, “Roy Moore will always vote with us,” Dec. 11.

Vice president of the Young Republicans Club, Reser Hall, was also surprised by the outcome, but believes the better candidate was chosen. “[Moore] would’ve caused a lot of problems for the Republican party in 2018 I think, and he would not be as big of a positive for how big of a negative he was with the sexual harassment stuff,” Hall said. “I wasn’t really sad, but I was kind of disappointed by the campaign he ran.”

PHOTOS of the WEEK

LEFT |

Woodshop teacher Brian Gay helps a student use a level while building her final project in woodshop. | Audre y ke s s le r

ABOVE | Sophomore Eva Hills looks through a

“window” of Kleenex boxes during class. Hill’s Honors English 10 class was busy preparing for their annual “survivor” game. | K ATH L EEN D EEDY

ABOVE | A group of sophomores gather in Ms.

Miller’s room to work on their survivor project. This survivor group was working on creating their island map and logo. | K at h l e e n de e dy

DESIGN LIDDY STALL ARD PHOTOS ALLY GRIFFITH

4 NEWS

THE HARBINGER

FAREWELL to the old FINALS SMSD creates new finals schedule for highschool students

BY AVA JOHNS ON Page Designer

T

his year, the district has replaced the one full day and three early release day week for winter finals with two full days and one early release day. Assistant Principal Britton Haney said that the decision was made in order to ensure that all Shawnee Mission School District students have earned the state required hours (1,096 hours for seniors and 1,152 for juniors and underclassmen) to earn credit for the school year.

Due to the Thursday late start times for teachers and administration, the district needed to ensure it had enough hours of class for the year. According to Haney, by adding Monday and Tuesday afternoons during finals, the district will gain some leeway in case of snow days or other unplanned school cancellation next semester.

Haney agrees with the decision for the new finals schedule.

“I like the late start professional learning community time for our teachers and if this is a concession we have to make in order to keep that PLC time for our teachers, then I am for it,” Haney said.

Finals week begins today with first and second hour finals followed by 35-minute class periods. School will be released at 2:40 p.m. and buses will depart at normal times.

Tomorrow will be another full day. Students will have their third, fourth and fifth hour finals, with a 50-minute seminar after third and fourth hour finals. Haney said that the 50-minute

seminars can be used as a mental break or time for students to study for the finals that will follow after.

Junior Addie Von Drehle, who takes both IB and AP classes, finds having three finals in one day “inconvenient.”

“I think it’s really stressful on the day where we have three finals because I have my three hardest classes,” Von Drehle said.

Finals will come to an end on Wednesday with sixth and seventh hour finals followed by an optional lunch at 10:50 a.m. Buses will depart after the optional lunch at 11:30 a.m.

U.S. History teacher Stephen Laird said this year’s finals schedule is “alright,” but he believes that there are better options to help students prepare for the future.

“I would prefer it go down to two days instead of three days. I think students are equipped to do it in two days where it is odd finals on one day and even on the other,” Laird said. “In fact, that is how many students will have college finals jumbled together so it’s just a process that prepares them for life going forward.”

Laird pointed out that a lot of teachers used the time after early release to grade finals and get them in on a timely manner.

“From a teacher perspective it does put a lot more on our already full plates. This new schedule makes [grading in a timely manner] a lot more difficult to accomplish,” Laird said.

This schedule will be an adjustment for students and teachers.

“I know it is going to be stressful on our kids,” Haney said. “It is different.”

Finals Schedule Monday Hour 1 Final - 7:40- 9:10 Hour 2 Final - 9:20- 10:50 Hour 3 10:55- 11:30 (35 minutes) Hour 4 11:35-12:10 (35 minutes) Hour 5 12:15-2:00 (35 minutes + lunch) Hour 6 1:25-2:00 (35 minutes) Hour 7 2:05-2:40 (35 minutes)

Tuesday Hour 3 Final - 7:40- 9:10 Seminar - 9:15-10:05 (50 minutes) Hour 4 Final - 10:10-11:40 Seminar - 11:45 - 1:05 (50 minutes + 30 minute lunch) Hour 5 Final - 1:10-2:40

Wednesday Hour 6 Final - 7:40- 9:10 Hour 7 Final - 9;20 - 10:50 (Optional lunch 10:50 - 11:30 Buses leave at 11:30)

DESIGN LUCY KENDALL PHOTOS AVA SIMONSEN

DECE MBER 18, 2017

NEWS

A MOVEMENT CONTINUED With all of the sexual assault allegations in the media, East tries to remain proactive to avoid any incidents

R

A Breakdown:

Sexual Allegations in the Media

Roy Moore Former Alabama Attorney General Matt Lauer Former host of The Today Show Warren Sapp Former NFL Network Employee Kevin Spacey American Actor Russel Simmons Music Producer

BY LUCY PAT TERS ON Copy Editor

ecent allegations of sexual assault against high profile figures have reminded the East community that sexual assault is an issue felt everywhere — and one East knows well, too.

“It’s never been just an East issue or a Shawnee Mission School District issue,” Principal John McKinney said.

“But now [it] is truly a national topic of discussion.”

In light of last year’s events and current national discussion of sexual assault, McKinney and the East administration have been proactive in preventing another incident at East.

At the beginning of the year, McKinney met with each individual grade during seminar and explained the harsh consequences students will face if they commit a non-consensual act — up to a year-long expulsion. The English department forfeited curriculum time to allow MOCSA and other educators to speak to students, according to East social workers. Students were given an email detailing all resources available to them, in and around East.

“I had a realization,” McKinney said.

“A realization that I needed to do a better job of explaining [the] expectations.

Things needed to be made abundantly clear.”

As for students, Feminist Club presidents Iman Jaroudi and Ellie Van Gorden quickly realized the national issue of sexual assault and have several speakers lined up to speak during Feminist Club next semester, specifically about sexual assault in the media. In addition to the speakers, Jaroudi and Van Gorden are hoping that these discussions will continue to increase the conversation around sexual assault at East and continue to shed a positive light for survivors.

In addition to educating students,

McKinney reached out to the Feminist Club and the Gay-Straight Alliance, hoping these groups would be supportive toward sexual assault victims.

Jaroudi and Van Gorden share McKinney’s vision of finding the “silver-lining” in the situation and were hopeful that together, they could make a difference in the conversation surrounding the national issue at East.

Last spring, Jaroudi and Van Gorden saw an incredible amount of support from the East community and were encouraged by the overwhelming support given by East students.

“After last year, as terrible as it was, everyone [at East] was willing to do something to counteract this event from happening in the future,” Jaroudi said.

“And that’s where Feminist Club saw an incredible amount of support. Everyone was behind it.”

In May, Jaroudi and Van Gorden sent out a poll to East students, asking for stories from sexual assault survivors.

Not expecting any responses on such sensitive subject, Jaroudi and Van Gorden were surprised as 200 responses flooded their inboxes.

“These people wanted to share their stories,” Van Gorden said. “After last year, these people realized that speaking out was going to make an impact. And we’re not encouraging people to speak out if they are not ready, but we do want to show that there are resources.”

Now, Jaroudi and Van Gorden are working on a video project, showcasing survivor’s stories. While the idea did not directly spring from last fall, Jaroudi and Van Gorden are driven by the positive conversation surrounding sexual assault prevention at East. The video will premiere in April, national sexual assault awareness month.

“There are people here for you,” Van Gorden said. “There are people who stand behind you, support you and want to make a change.”

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DESIGN ANNA MCCLELL AND PHOTOS DIANA PERCY

DECE MBER 18, 2017

NEWS 7

Shawnee Mission School District and the

First Amendment

The ACLU of Kansas has challenged SMSD’s open forum policy, claiming that it restricts free speech

BY GRACE CHISHOLM Print Editor-in-Chief

T

he American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas asked the SMSD Board of Education to change its recently-approved open forum policy, saying that it violates the First Amendment.

The board’s policy, approved Nov. 27 in its manual of procedures, does not allow speakers at open forum – the time allotted for community members to address the board – to make “complaints against individual board members and/or individual employees.”

Doug Bonney, Chief Counsel and Legal Director of the ACLU of Kansas, said in a letter sent Dec. 6 that the board’s restriction against naming individuals in open forum comments “violates the Speech Clause of the First Amendment, which gives the people the right to express ‘vehement, caustic, and sometimes unpleasantly sharp attacks on government and public officials.’”

The board’s official statement regarding the policy, sent via email by vice president Brad Stratton, said the manual of procedures will be reviewed once new board members Laura Guy, Heather Ousley and Mary Sinclair are seated Jan. 8.

“As the Board continues its procedures, it will take the comments in the letter into consideration as it balances the privacy rights of individual students and employees with the free speech rights of individual citizens,” Stratton wrote on behalf of the board.

This is the second letter the ACLU has sent the board regarding its open forum policy. Bonney contacted the board in May issuing similar

The signatures-

Important names to know relating to SMSD’s open forum policy

concerns about violations of free speech after then-board president Sara Goodburn stopped SMSD parent Jeff Passan from making complaints against board member Deb Zila.

“We’ve got better things to do than write to the Shawnee Mission School District about things that they should know better than to do,” Bonney said.

Bonney said the ACLU has not sued a district over open forum policy, though he thinks the ACLU will eventually sue because other school districts’ policies also echo that of the SMSD. The Olathe’s Board of Education’s open forum policy states that “remarks ... criticizing specific school district personnel are not permitted” and Blue Valley’s Board of Education allows their board president to “interrupt or terminate any individual’s statement if it is disruptive.”

If a citizen who wished to speak to the board felt they were restricted from speaking by the policy and approached the ACLU, Bonney said they would consider suing the district.

“We don’t really want to sue anybody over this kind of thing,” Bonney said. “[SMSD] should should just fix it, because they’re clearly wrong.”

Bonney thinks the three new board members taking office next year will change the way the board has been operating which, according to Bonney, hasn’t been transparent or responsive to the public at large or the ACLU. Guy, Ousley and Sinclair all anticipate reviewing the current board’s policy and making appropriate changes with the help of legal counsel once they take office.

“We have that chance,” Ousley said. “Come January, it’s a whole new year. It’s a whole new ball game.”

DOUG BONNEY

Chief Counsel and Legal Director of the ACLU of Kansas

BRAD STRATTON SMSD Board Vice President

All three member-elects agreed criticism was necessary in order to improve upon actions as a board.

“At the end of the day, we’re an elected body and citizens have the right to criticize their elected officials if they disagree with decisions that they’re making, so people need to have a way to do that,” Guy said. “I hope as a new board, we can figure out what’s the best way to allow that to happen.”

Guy, Ousley and Sinclair heard patrons voice concerns about the district’s transparency while running for the board. Guy and Sinclair both mentioned they wanted to revise the open forum policy during the campaign. Apart from procedure at open forum, each member-elect stressed the importance of keeping the public involved and aware of the board’s decisions.

Ousley named social media as an important mode of communication in keeping her constituents informed. Sinclair mentioned restarting “Super Chats,” open meetings with the superintendent five times a year at area middle schools. Guy said she hoped to publicize when she’d attend school events, so people could approach her in person. Guy and Sinclair talked about potentially re-creating advisory councils where people could address specific issues in a more relaxed setting which could then be relayed to the board.

“I think we need to work together with parents and patrons to figure out what is going to be the effective mode of communication,” Sinclair said.

“If we are open to doing those kinds of things, that will change the dynamic of what’s happening at open forum.”

LAURA GUY HEATHER OUSLEY MARY SINCLAIR

New board members who will help review the policy in January

DESIGN CAROLINE CHISHOLM PHOTOS COURTESY OF SARAH WILCOX

8 OPINION

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e

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Senior reflects back on her experience at East and is glad to have been involved in school activities

BY SARAH WILCOX Page Designer

“W

hat was your high school experience like?” Ask twenty people and you’ll get twenty different responses. “Demanding.” “Cliquey.”

“Miserable.” If you ask me, I think the quality of your high school experience is what you put into it — through what you become involved in and who you meet.

Heading into my last semester has me feeling nostalgic; I’ve come to realize that these four years are important in discovering interests, talents and growing as a person. As cliché as it sounds, getting involved made the biggest difference for me because it led me to meet people that have contributed to making high school so memorable.

Looking back I regret the days I spent wishing high school away so that I could move on to bigger ventures in college. Some people rush to the parking lot at 2:40, but I’ve learned what it’s like to eat Chik-fil-A in a circle at newspaper deadline or volunteer at ReStartKC through SHARE; the memories you make in high school can form some of the best years of your life.

Three years ago I was a little freshman walking through a school of 1,700 students,

hustling from girls gym in the basement to Spanish 1 on the top floor. I did my best to steer clear of the upperclassman that towered above me. The five floors, two ramps and three stairwells felt like a life-sized maze.

It’s easy to feel small in a school so big, but not when you know the people walking down the same hall as you. I joined tennis in the fall of freshman year so I was immediately a part of a sport that led me to meet over 80 girls. Suddenly the majority of my time was consumed by drills at practice after school, cookouts at team dinners and matches on the weekends. The juniors and seniors weren’t so intimidating once we were high-fiving after a long doubles point or arguing over who got the last caramel apple lollipop.

In my last match freshman year, I saw the two seniors, one junior, one sophomore and one freshman on the sidelines cheering for me to win in the state tournament. When I won my singles match, then-junior Aidan Epstein climbed over the fence to tackle me to the ground with tears in her eyes (don’t worry, all happy).

Winning state in 2014 was unforgettable, but the friends I made are much more important to me now than a single match.

My teammates I’ve had over the years have become lifelong friends that I still call over break to get coffee.

Now I can’t imagine my life without the people I’ve met from being involved in things like sports. Even as a freshman on C-team swim, I always found people that I could depend on to comfort me after a race or to lend me their goggles. I feel grateful for friends I made at school that helped give me a sense of belonging when my best time was five seconds slower than the girl before me. Just as sports served as a place for me to make connections, so did the classroom.

When I woke up at 5:50 a.m. for Mole Day sophomore year, I contemplated whether the five extra credit points Mr. Appier promised were worth it. I showed up half asleep and wearing my black “Mole Wars” T-shirt, but once I was in the cafeteria, my lack of sleep suddenly felt secondary. I ended up playing “Whack-a-Mole” with the kid that sat behind me in class whose name I didn’t know and in second semester, Alex and I became lab partners. It began as a day I had dreaded, but afterwards I realized that I had gained more than just extra credit points.

I didn’t think Mole Day would be a memorable part of my high school career, but that’s just it. It could be Mathletics on Wednesday afternoon or a holiday choir concert in the auditorium that makes you not want to leave. Whatever it is, East is a place to make memories that’ll last a lifetime.

,

THE HARBINGER

SARAH

I remember the first time I saw what school spirit at East really looks like. At the 2014 state football game, a sea of Columbia blue flooded the stands in Emporia. I was in awe of how many people showed up to a game nearly two hours away. When the team won with a two-point conversion, the undying chants and relentless cheers students showed as they stormed the field made me realize how special of a place East is. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?

At the end of the day, the score you got on the stoichiometry test that felt so important doesn’t matter. When you look back on your high school years you remember the Thursday night football game, screaming until your voice hurts alongside your classmates as the team came back in the fourth quarter. You remember the mosh pit of students in the cafeteria at Homecoming dancing wildly.

You remember the power of singing “Lancers we will ever be...” while standing in the front row of the student section.

Next year when I’m off to college I’ll miss all the people and good times I had at East.

High school can be four years of the best times or the worst, I am glad that mine have been so memorable.

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DESIGN JACKIE CA MERON

DECE MBER 18, 2017

CRAZY about CLARK Love for “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” fuels a family’s Christmas spirit

BY BROOKLYN TERRILL Mobile Media Assistant Editor

I

t doesn’t m a t t e r whether it’s March, July or September.

If you come to Birch Lane, there is a good chance you will find the Terrill family watching “Christmas Vacation,” as it is a regular occurrence in our household.

During the holiday season in particular, it is the only movie we watch.

When we show up to the Alamo Drafthouse, an old-school theater downtown, every December, we are not embarrassed, We wear matching T-shirts with Chevy Chase’s painfully awkward facial expressions proudly printed on top, ready to enjoy the film with oneliners in our heads and popcorn in our buckets as the holiday struggles of the Griswold clan unfold on-screen.

For those who haven’t seen it, “Christmas Vacation” is the story of the Griswold clan as they, and their extended family, attempt to salvage their holiday while all living under the same roof. If you haven’t seen it, you can borrow my copy.

While Ellen Griswold might think the holidays bring on misery, her family’s blunders make for the exact opposite for my family. “Christmas Vacation” has been a constant part of spending time with my family during the crazy holiday season. We always make enough time to watch it on at least three different occasions. “Christmas Vacation” was introduced to me when I was around eight, with the TV version, and as I

got older, I started to notice more of the subtle jokes. It became a source of bonding with my family and one of my favorite movies.

We first discovered Alamo Drafthouse movie parties with “Steel Magnolias” about two years ago, and “Christmas Vacation” when the holiday season rolled around. Everyone can recite the lines and during “Christmas Vacation,” the lady next to me (who complimented my T-shirt by the way)

There is something that makes a movie special when you are sharing it with people who are just as obsessed as you are.

B R OOK LY N T ER R I LL JUNIOR sang along with music that helps set the stage for this holiday family fail.

Alamo Drafthouse does not disappoint when it comes to facilitating, “a good, old-fashioned family Christmas.” When you reach the theater, you are provided with a twinkle-light glow stick, an evergreen car freshener and a shiny plastic tie. They build an atmosphere for all of the honorary Griswolds to enjoy. The hosts encourage you to participate and not just to watch.

After all, the holidays are all about, “the experience” according to Clark.

There is something that makes a movie special when you are sharing it with people who are just as obsessed as you are. People sit in anticipation for the jokes that they’ll blurt out even

before the actors can. Everyone can fully embrace the movie instead of the usual hesitation while you wait to see if a movie will meet your expectations. It makes it so much more enjoyable when a room full of 100 people can stand and say the Pledge of Allegiance with Aunt Bethany and laugh along with each other.

Some people love “Elf” or “Home Alone” (there are movie parties for these too), and whatever your favorite movie is watching it with people who will cackle along with you makes it twice as fun.

This year, I spent most of our annual trip downtown listening to my Dad crack up at Cousin Eddie and the high level of human feces in his decrepit RV. Having someone you love enjoying something you love is awesome. His laughter just spread to me, making me laugh more too.

Though most of our holiday experiences probably aren’t as rough as the Griswold’s, this movie does resonate to a certain extent. Everyone has at least one crazy family story, and if you say you don’t, you’re probably lying. This Thanksgiving, my Dad lost the tip of his finger to a cooking utensil, so you never really know what is going to happen.

The exaggerated tales of the Griswold’s have a grain of truth in everybody’s’ holiday experience.

On top of that, “Christmas Vacation” is ridiculous and hilarious. Hopefully nobody I know falls through a ceiling or electrocutes a cat, but you never know.

So thank you National Lampoon for giving me and my family hours of fun and thank you to the Alamo Drafthouse for providing the perfect place for us to enjoy it.

OPINION

9

Quotable MOMENTS A look into Brooklyn’s favorite lines from the movie

“It’s Christmas, and we are all in misery.”

WHO SAID IT: Ellen Griswold

“Get off me you little fungus!”

WHO SAID IT: Audrey Griswold

“Hallelujah, holy s---!

Where’s the Tylenol?”

WHO SAID IT: Clark Griswold

“If you need me, give me a holler. I’ll be upstairs, asleep.”

WHO SAID IT: Clark Griswold Sr. “Boy’s training for his career.

College?

Carnival.”

WHO SAID IT: Cousin Eddie

DESIGN LIZZIE K AHLE PHOTOS ELLEN SWANS ON

10 O P I N I O N

THE HARBINGER

HIS RIDE OR DIE Differences between two brothers only bring them closer together

BY HARRIS ON GOOLEY Copy Editor

J

ump in the Pegasus. All kinda reckless, the necklace. All kinda reckless, I flexed it.

Rae Sremmurd’s “Perplexing Pegasus” blasts through the speakers of my green, ‘05 Ford Escape. My curly haired, 11-year-old brother, Christian, is sitting shotgun next to me, belting out every word. I’m thinking to myself, “How the hell does he know this song?” But I don’t really care. So we keep driving to meet our family at Dos Reales for Taco Tuesday, nailing every line, except for the mumble rap of Lil Pump.

This is every car ride with my brother, Christian. We may share the same music taste, but that’s one of the only things we have in common.

He’s a soccer guy. I’m a football guy. He wears his Adidas joggers and Adidas EQT shoes while I wear my Levi’s and Nocona boots. His room has posters of Lionel Messi and Dom Dwyer while mine has boxes of .243 deer hunting shells and deer antlers hanging on the wall.

We come from the same family, but we could not be more different – really, in almost every way. But somehow that hasn’t stopped either of us from being as close as Ricky Bobby and Cal Jr. from Talladega Nights (don’t worry he doesn’t know who they are...yet.)

I can’t think of a time when we aren’t laughing together.

Every day after school you can find me in my unusually tall bed, attempting to take a nap. I can time down to the minute when my brother whips into the driveway on his gray, electric Razor scooter at 3:24 pm. His room’s down the hall from mine. Everyday, without fail, he stops in my doorway to ask me how my day was, what I did and if any of my friends were coming over later.

gh

, lau brother, Christian

son and his ALL ABOVE | Harri r backyard. together outside

in thei

HARRISON

Vs.

CHRISTIAN The main differences between the brothers

It’s the little things like a “HEY HARRY” when he walks in the door that make me cherish the few months I have left with Christian. I will be going to the University of Arkansas in the fall, and he won’t be there every morning to greet me in the kitchen while eating his scrambled eggs and banana breakfast or lose to me in Madden. I love being around him, but for all the struggling pairs out there, don’t worry, he isn’t perfect.

He knows how to annoy and piss me off more than my worst enemy. The mildest of them all is purposely singing off key. The rest I’ll leave out for the sake of him not being grounded.

But knowing these things is what brings us so close. Next year, no one is going to know which buttons to push and how to change what they’re doing to make me laugh like Christian does.

From standing on the sideline of every football game I’ve ever played in to sitting front row during my performance as Kenickie in Grease my eighth grade year, he’s always there. He’s 11, so I’m going to take a wild guess that he probably doesn’t enjoy being forced into all of these activities. But I’m not sure if he knows it still means the world to me when he’s there giving me constructive criticism on my games like, “you should’ve caught that,” (even though he doesn’t even play football.)

Yes, we are pretty much polar opposites.

Pictures of my 11-year old self look almost identical to him and we talk alike, sure, but we are 100% different. Yet being unique in our own ways has brought us closer than most. I love the kid.

P.S. Christian, don’t miss me too much next year. And keep learning rap lyrics so we can jam in the car. But listen to the clean version or else Mom and Dad won’t be too happy.

18

football

hunting

AGE

SPORT

HOBBIES

11

soccer

watching Sporting KC

DESIGN CAROLYN P OPPER

DECE MBER 18, 2017

F E AT U R E S

NOW SHOWING

ROBERT'S REELS Senior Robert Tilden's passion for movies is unparalleled

BY S COUT RICE Copy Editor

T

he score from John Williams. The cinematography of the two suns. The blue screen. A subtle audience applauding.

Tunisia.

These are the details of Star Wars senior Robert Tilden takes mental note of. Since being intrigued by the cinematography of “Star Wars: A New Hope,” Tilden has been passionate about movie watching, critiquing, and making.

As a child, Robert’s dad, Thomas Tilden, exposed Tilden to more vintage entertainment on their Samsung TV in the basement, including his original VHS set of the “Star Wars” trilogy.

“Rob's mother and sister understandably roll their eyes at us a lot when we start going on about it [‘Star Wars’] or impersonating various characters voices,” Thomas said. “But we don’t care. ‘Star Wars’ holds a special place.”

Both Tilden and his dad went to see “Star Wars” more than once in the theaters. Robert went seven times in 2015 and his dad went 11 times in 1977 to see the original.

While many people find the movie theater's large screen, plush seats and loud speakers an important part to the movie atmosphere, Tilden comfortably sits on the black couch in his basement. The Samsung big screen is surrounded by hundreds of movies stacked on large wooden shelves. On the weekends after work, he sifts through the shelves in the set to find one or two of the movies in his collection of 174 movies to watch along with his favorites: diet coke and skittle.

He funds his growing collection of movies by working at Vintage Stock, a shop that sells video games, music and movies. Tilden is able to rent any used items for free as an employee which saves him spending to watch movies.

Two weeks ago Tilden decided he wanted to try “The Night of the Hunter,” a 1955 black and white movie part of the Criterion Collection, and he was able to try it out for free during one of his usual Friday night binge watch sessions.

“That’s the nice thing about working there, it’s not a gamble anymore if you want to try a movie,”

Tilden said.

Besides Vintage Stock, Tilden regularly peruses Amazon for movies. On Black Friday, Tilden was scouring Amazon for the best deals, and ended up getting “Spider Man Homecoming” and “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” each for $10 – a steal in the movie industry as Blu Ray discs usually cost around $20.

After long weeks of school and work, Tilden rewards himself by watching “Hoodsucker Proxy” with SM North senior Joe Piecken analyzing their movie of choice. The only noise is what’s coming from his dad’s giant Pioneer speakers from the 80’s – the sound quality perfect for movies and music, according to Tilden.

Piecken, one of Tilden’s best friends since eighth grade, shares Tilden’s passion and expanded Tilden’s views and knowledge of movies from “The Big Lebowski” to the original “Blade Runner,” even introducing him to “The Clockwork Orange,” Tilden’s all-time favorite movie.

“We went through all the Quentin Tarantino, The Coen Brothers movies and Danny boyle movies,” Tilden said. “He picks a director and we go with it, that’s how I’ve learned a lot.”

Once Tilden has fully analyzed a movie, he submits blog entries for the Harbinger, giving in-depth reviews of movies in the theater. In his most recent submission, he writes about the “comically bloody” fight scenes and the “often blunt but amazing humor” in “Kingsman the Golden Circle.”

Tilden applies the knowledge he absorbs from his friend, dad and each movie he dissects, in the 3D animation class he takes at the SMSD Center for Academic Achievement. Despite the fact that it takes hours for him to animate a simple object, Tilden enjoys each new challenge.

Animating, watching, reviewing, learning – it doesn’t matter which it is, if it has to do with movies, Tilden is all eyes and ears. He fills his life with movies because for him, it is the one form of art he feels connected to.

“I view movies the way that an art enthusiast would look at Picasso. The best ones speak to me in ways other forms of art cannot,” Tilden said.

11

FAVORITE FILM

BREAKDOWN

Read what Robert loves about his favorite films

"[It's] a beautiful story about becoming something more than what everyone thinks you are."

BiRDMAN

"I like it because it reminds me that so many of the mainstream superhero movies don't challenge the audience like real visual art should."

"This movie won the Oscar for best picture in 2014, which it was obviously deserving of."

"[It has] some of the best dialogue in the history of film."

"I love how everything flows, and how [the movie] comes full circle." "[It has] so much style and so much flair. It's iconic and it always will be comes full circle."

"My personal favorite film of all time, and probably the most thought provoking film of all time."

FAV

OR

"It focuses on the ideas of morality and what it means to have your own individuality."

"It's a dystopian future, so the costume design is marvelous, and futuristic. The music is even weird."



ITE

DESIGN ANNA MCCLELL AND PHOTOS DIANA PERCY

THE HARBINGER

12 F E AT U R E S

CHARLIE THE CHEMIST T

BY MEG THOM A Staff Writer

he ever-so-familiar chemically induced scent of fish seeped out of the depths of AP Chemistry 2 student and junior Charlie Colvin’s basement, filtering into the rest of the house. It was July going into sophomore year and Charlie had just received his biggest load of equipment thus far, including beakers, vacuum pumps and roder evaporators — he just had to put to use.

With his mom’s old tool bench, his cabinet full of miscellaneous chemicals complemented by a full nitrogen tank, his bucket of sand and fire extinguisher in close proximity in case of an incident, Charlie lives out his passion in the comfort of his own basement.

“Charlie, you seriously need to stop doing that in the house.”

His mom, Sara Colvin, could smell his mixing of ammonia and hydrochloric acid — he was making ammonium chloride again. Unlike other substances, these two liquids mix together to create a finely vaporized powder, covering everything in its path with a white, ashy coat and making

it rust, along with eye watering fumes.

“I used to not do things outside that I really just should have done outside,” Charlie said.

Every pipe lining the ceiling of his basement is oxidized from the many chemical reactions, and Charlie’s parents can distinguish the smell of benzoyl chloride and dichloromethane by the stench wafting up the stairs to the kitchen. Though being downsides to his hobby, Charlie’s interest in chemistry characterizes his love of learning new things.

Charlie’s interest in organic chemistry and the workings of molecules was first piqued at the age of eight when he began to notice the plethora of anatomical models of drugs scattering his home, which he would take apart and study. These were brought home by his dad; both of his parents worked as drug representatives for Johnson & Johnson.

He got his hands on a chemistry set in the second grade — “the coolest thing ever.” This is when he figured out his love for the testing of chemicals and the way the chemistry goggles made him feel like a professional. Little did he know that the plastic test tubes and litmus paper pH

strips in the kit would turn into his own sophisticated lab seven years later.

Just last summer, after watching the Trintellix antidepressant commercial more times than he could count, Charlie decided that he would do research on the drug and figure out its properties. After doing online research and obtaining the necessary materials and resources from Brookside Toy and Science or Half Price Books for the experiment, he was able to recreate the drug after weeks of reviewing the chemical composition — this just being one of his many ways in which he can mix his knowledge in chemistry as well has his desire to learn everything about everything.

Charlie enjoys having the ability to use the concepts that he learns in chemistry and takes notes on and take them to his lab.

This way, it helps him further understand what he’s really learning about. Charlie finds it much more beneficial for him to be able to apply the skills that are being taught in chemistry into real life and see the reactions and molecules work together in front of his own eyes.

“It’s nice to be able to take home and see what you actually learned in school,” Charlie said. “That way, you’re not just taking notes

over it like a lot of other classes.”

Just as anyone else would pursue their hobby of cooking using recipes from a cookbook or a mechanic pursuing his love of fixing up his old truck, Charlie finds his passion through learning more about lab reports from other students online and testing them out in his own lab.

His knowledge of the practical uses of chemistry have lead to a more thorough understanding of topics that go beyond what is being taught in the classroom.

“His setup and investigations [at home] have generated some interesting questions and discussion [in class], at times proving to be difficult even for me to provide satisfactory responses,” chemistry teacher Steven Appier said.

With his almost self-taught knowledge of organic chemistry, according to Sara, Charlie hopes to attend college and major in drug design pharmacological chemistry where his after school hobby has the potential to turn into a career.

“He is going to make it a lot further than either myself or my husband did,” Sarah said. “His love for chemistry and for helping people has really sparked a fire in him that will make a difference.”

DECE MBER 18, 2017

DESIGN CARS ON HOLTGRAVES AND GRACE GOLDM AN

P H OTO STO RY

CHEMICAL (ABOVE) | Junior Charlie

Colvin explains the story behind his chemicals. “I worked a ton this summer,” Colvin said. “I would work 55-60 hour weeks to get the money at prairie village pool.” | CA RS ON HOLTG R AVES

EXPERIMENT (ABOVE RIGHT) | Colvin

does a mock experiment combining sodium thiosulfate and iodine. “My inspiration came from both of my parents being medical reps,” Colvin said. “My dad mainly did heart surgery stuff, but my mom was a pharmaceutical rep.” | D i ana p er cy

13

INSIDE CHARLIE’s

Junior Charlie Colvin conducts chemistry experiments in his basement

LAB

BELOW | Searching through his collec-

tion of books, Colvin describes when he became interested in chemistry. “I’ve been doing this since freshman year,” Colvin said. “My collection really took off last January.” | ellie t ho m a

ABOVE | Colvin adjusts the vacuum pumps on his experiment. “There have been times when my parents complain the house smells like bleach,” Colvin said. “I used the gas mask three weeks ago when using what was used back in World War I as tear gas.” | CA RS O N HO LTGRAVE S

LEFT | Charlie made different chemical structures and displays them above his lab table. “I feel like it’s always useful to know what you are working with and how it is used.” | dia na pe rcy

14

DESIGN CAROLINE CHISHOLM

THE HARBINGER

SPECIAL SECTION EDITORIAL

FCC-ALT-DELETE HOW Internet runs today

INTERNET

ISPs

YOUR SCREEN

HOW ISPs WANT IT TO run

INTERNET

ISPs

ISPs want to demand a cut from every website in order to funnel that content to customers

YOUR SCREEN

Net Neutrality must be protected despite the FCC’s efforts to remove restrictions

FOR: 15 AGAINST: 0

I

nternet freedom as we know it will soon be gone.

The Federal Communications Commision voted on Thursday to take away your open internet and give it to internet service providers (ISPs). They have given ISPs the power to manipulate your internet experience, controlling what you see on the web based on their business interests.

The FCC should not have lifted current regulations, and their vote must be reversed.

Net Neutrality is key to protecting the open internet that has become an integral part of our livelihoods in today’s society, and it must remain.

Net Neutrality is the idea that internet service providers, such as Comcast, Verizon and AT&T, must give equal access to all sites, services and content on the internet for users. It prevents ISPs from throttling your connection to web content based on business, keeping the internet an open, level playing field for all companies and content creators.

For example, Spotify cannot pay a premium to Comcast to have faster streaming speeds than SoundCloud, and AT&T cannot make a deal with Amazon to give its users exclusive or unrestricted access to any of their services under Net Neutrality. Likewise, websites cannot be forced to pay extra to keep their speeds even, and ISPs cannot section off websites and sell them in extra packages to users.

Until now.

The only group that benefits from — or for the most part even wants — the removal of strict internet regulations is ISPs. Without Net Neutrality, ISPs gain control of how information reaches you, and they can speed up, slow down or even block your access to any site.

Imagine stopping every 30 seconds to wait for YouTube to buffer because Google refused to pay premiums to Verizon. Or even worse, picture being barred access to Netflix

entirely due to an exclusivity deal from another ISP. These are some of the real risks once Net Neutrality is removed, and that’s the terrifying part. Without strict control from the FCC to maintain the open internet, your freedom to explore the web how you want is compromised.

Protecting our net is not a bipartisan issue, either, as people and corporations alike have shown their support for the open internet. 73 percent of opinionated Democratic and Republican voters were in favor of current restrictions according to Politico. Google, Facebook, Paypal and 41 other corporate behemoths joined forces as the Internet Association in support of Net Neutrality.

On the other hand, Comcast, AT&T, Verizon and the National Cable and Telecommunications Association have spent $572 million in the last decade lobbying the FCC and government for less restrictions according to research by MapLight. It’s millions of people versus millions of dollars.

Still, the FCC remains unphased despite the overwhelming opposition and the millions of comments against the plan on their website. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai believes that his regulation rollback will promote competition and that a “freemarket” approach to ISPs will allow them to essentially self-regulate — if one ISP makes a move that displeases consumers, they can simply switch providers.

His argument is fundamentally flawed, however, since most of the U.S. hardly has a choice in the ISP they use. According to a report released by the FCC themselves, roughly one-third of the population had more than one ISP in their area that offered broadband speeds of 25 Mbps or more, the FCC’s internet speed standard.

Additionally, Pai stated in a Keynote speech Dec. 5 that under his plan, the FCC will simply shift from “pre-emptive

regulation” to “targeted enforcement.”

Instead of establishing set restrictions on what ISPs can or cannot do, Pai wants to ease regulation until they infringe on their customers. In an interview with NPR, he stated that with “after-the-fact regulations,” violations by ISPs would not go unseen.

We cannot trust Pai and the FCC to effectively regulate, though. Even under the former strict regulation, ISPs have been caught engaging in anti-competitive business on multiple occasions without any interference.

In 2012, AT&T blocked its users from accessing FaceTime unless they upgraded to a premium plan. In 2013, Comcast slowed download speeds for Netflix roughly 20 percent until Netflix agreed to pay the ISP, where an almost 50 percent increase in speeds followed over just two months according to data from Netflix. Now, Verizon and Comcast have both hinted toward implementing “flexible” fast lanes for paying companies after Net Neutrality is removed in filings to the FCC. Furthermore, we cannot trust that the FCC will work to prohibit anti-competitive acts for us since they have already acted against us by trying to take away Net Neutrality.

Pai and the FCC have refused to listen to the people, and the only way we can make ourselves heard is to be louder. Although the vote to strip away our freedom has already passed, the battle to protect our open internet is not over. According to Reddit CEO Steve Huffman, the vote is expected to immediately be challenged in courts, possibly prompting Congress to attempt to legislate a “fix.”

To protect our internet freedom, we must contact our senators and representatives to make a legal change. We must protest the FCC’s decision and fight to reverse the regulation removal. Most of all, we must make sure that the fight for open internet does not end with the FCC — it ends with us.

DECE MBER 18, 2017

DESIGN ROBBIE VEGL AHN

S P E C I A L S E C T I O N A LT- C O P Y

national

15

TIPPING THE SCALES

The two sides of the fight for Net Neutrality

3/4

73%

of voters support Net Neutrality

Republican voters support Net Neutrality

BY THE NUMBERS*:

INFORMATION COURTESY OF P OLITICO.COM & THE WASHINGTON P OST

CONGRESS

A breakdown of how East, Congress and the nation feel about Net Neutrality

133

% of East students who know what Net Neutrality is

37% 38%

200

202

PRO Net Neutrality

of 230 who knew, % of East students who support Net Neutrality

61%

UNDECIDED

ANTI Net Neutrality

20 MILLION votes in support of Net Neutrality on

EAST

LANCER VOICE

% OF CONGRESSMEN

25%

INFORMATION COURTESY OF BAT TLEFORTHENET.COM

$572 MILLION spent by ISPs to lobby congress and FCC

80%

*information based off poll of 374 East students

Net Neutrality

BREAKDOWN

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE

BY ROBBIE VEGL AHN Print Editor-in-Chief

How the “fast lane” concept works for internet service providers

with Net Neutrality regulations:

equal access

without Net Neutrality

FAST LANE

slow LANE

FAST LANE “Traffic” in the fast lane is given priority by an ISP to have increased speed over other sites.

Theoretically, websites can pay ISPs to get this kind of service, but ones that can’t afford could suffer slower speeds.

slow LANE “Traffic” or websites stuck in the slow lane are being kept at relatively lower speeds by ISPs. With Net Neutrality regulations, content cannot be slowed down by ISPs.

16

DESIGN ANNABELLE COOK

THE HARBINGER

DECE MBER 18, 2017

DESIGN ANNABELLE COOK

SPECIAL SECTION NEWS

SPECIAL SECTION NEWS

T H R E AT TO T H E With the repeal of Net Neutrality regulations on Thursday, many fear the implications the decision could have on small businesses, public schools, and the nation

T

BY K ALEIGH KOC Online Editor-in-Chief

he Federal Communications Committee voted on Thursday to rollback Net Neutrality rules, and now educators, business owners and everyday internet users fear the open internet — and consumers’ ability to control what they view — will no longer exist.

They fear they might have to pay to use applications like Snapchat and Instagram. They fear their small businesses may have to pay more money just for people to view their content. Most of all, they fear the uncertainty of what the vote will mean.

“It’s going to be a shock to a lot of people that we’re going to start seeing our internet service providers dishing out plans for people to make payments,” senior Matthew Trecek said. “[What’s scary] is you don’t know what you’re going to come across. We’re not going to know until we encounter it. And until that day comes we’re going to have to live in fear for what the outcome might be.”

Net Neutrality is the principle that internet service providers (ISPs) must provide citizens with open networks. A set of rules adopted in 2015 reclassified internet service providers as “common carriers,” meaning that they must provide consumers with equal access to all websites, regardless of content. The rules kept ISPs from

throttling information and giving prioritization to companies who paid premiums.

America has never experienced a web without Net Neutrality regulations, according to Stanford Law Media and Strategy Fellow Ryan Singel, but after Thursday’s vote, it will.

Since his appointment as FCC commissioner by then-President Barack Obama in 2012, FCC chairman Ajit Pai has opposed the “commoncarrier” classifications, and after his appointment to Chairman by President Trump, Pai has moved quickly to get rid of the classification.

“Many critics don’t seem to understand that we are moving from heavy-handed regulation to light-touch regulation, not a completely hands-off approach,” Pai said in a speech Nov. 28 that was later posted on the official FCC website. “We aren’t giving anybody a free pass.”

Pai’s plan is entitled “Restoring Internet Freedom,” but many fear that the new rules will do just the opposite. Though the implications of the vote are uncertain, Singel predicts the vote will affect everyday internet usage. “[ISPs] could charge Instagram or Whatsapp or Snapchat a lot of money simply so Verizon users could use that service,” Singel said.

Pai, however, states that unfair data prioritization still won’t be legal. He explains ISPs will be required to be transparent about their practices, and his proposal would stop the federal government from

micromanaging the internet. He argues that ISPs announcement in November. Websites such as won’t have a “free pass,” but opponents state that battleforthenet.com have emerged to make it the FCC won’t be able to control what ISPs do after easier to find protests, call senators and learn the rule reversal. about the issue. At least 850,000 people have called Net Neutrality supporters, like art teacher and Congress to voice their opinions, according to co-owner of Hand magazine Adam Finkelston battleforthenet.com. and Singel, think trusting ISPs is a bad idea when East students have taken action, too. Responses it comes to transparency. from a Harbinger poll of They argue that giving 374 students revealed power to ISPs will result in that students have called throttling, blocking and paid congressmen, shared prioritization of web content informational posts on [We’ve had] 20 years where we – or faster service for those social media, commented on could use whatever we wanted who give ISPs money. Paid the FCC website, educated without worrying about whether prioritization could mean friends and more. Of the [ISPs were] going to block it. That’s East students who said some sites, videos or social media pictures take longer to they understood what Net the world we’ve lived in, and that’s load.

Neutrality is, 79.1 percent the world we want to keep.

According to a November opposed Pai’s proposal, and RYAN S INGEL poll from Morning Consult/ 17 percent were undecided NET NEUTRALITY EXPERT Politico, 52 percent of or neutral. Only 3.9 percent Americans support Net favored the proposal.

Neutrality, while 18 percent “There really is a huge oppose it. 29 percent didn’t know or had no opinion. implication that this will have on the way we get our People from across the political spectrum are news and the way we communicate with our friends opposed to Pai’s plan: the survey also found that online,” senior Matthew Trecek said. “That could Net Neutrality rules are supported by 55 percent of not only have an effect on the way people get their Democrats and 53 percent of Republicans. news, but the way people think down the line.

Individuals, the media and companies According to principal John McKinney, the Act have spoken out against the proposal after its will affect educational institutions that rely heavily

on technology, like SMSD. Since SMSD students got MacBooks in 2014, they have had to use the internet for Google Classroom, YouTube, Moodle, Kahoot, Skyward and more. Students — and all consumers for that matter — have used the internet with Net Neutrality rules in place.

“It will have an effect on students in the same way it’ll have an effect on the nation,” McKinney said. “Because of the internet, we’re able to see and experience in a way that we might not be able to without technology, and frankly without unlimited access to the internet. To try to put barriers on that or to try and monetize the internet will have an unfortunate effect on public schools and public government agencies.”

Small business owners like Finkelston support Net Neutrality because it keeps them from having to pay extra for websites that will add to the cost of their doing business. Finkelston sees other problems with the rollback of Net Neutrality rules.

“The internet has changed from something that is a commercial commodity that businesses use to sell things into a really important source of information,” Finkelston said. “The Restore Internet Freedom Act would pave the way for communications companies to be able to throttle the amount of data that customers are able to stream through their devices, which means that they would be limited with the amount of information they

could get.”

In the short term, Thursday’s vote could be reversed by bipartisan legislation, a lawsuit or an administrative challenge. Congress rarely overrides FCC decisions, according to Singel, but there is still a chance Congress will overrule the FCC’s repeal. If the FCC vote is not repealed, the new rules will be added to the federal register in the next 30-90 days, where they will officially become law.

If the decision goes into law, Singel worries that up-and-coming businesses won’t have the means to pay ISPs extra money to reach users, or to reach users fast.

“We live and breathe on the internet, and we love when new things come up,” Singel said. “We’ve had 20 years where it’s been easy for people to start new things on the internet and 20 years where we could use whatever we wanted without worrying about whether [ISPs were] going to block it. That’s the world we’ve lived in, and that’s the world we want to keep.”

Although the implications are uncertain, the effects will be felt by everyone, including East students.

“I would hate to think that our teacher’s ability to teach and our students ability to learn could be reduced to if you can’t afford it, you can’t learn it, or you can’t teach it,” McKinney said. “And I hope it doesn’t come to that.”

17

18

DESIGN E MILY FEY

SPECIAL SECTION OPINION

KEYto

The loss of Net Neutrality will destroy the “spirit of the internet”

A

BY PEY TON WAT TS Staff Writer

s I browse through YouTube watching some of my favorite Vine compilations (RIP Vine) or Amazon looking at that Darrelle Revis jersey I’ve been scoping out for weeks, it’s hard for me to imagine not being able to have these excuses to procrastinate. But because of the Federal Communication Commission’s proposal to abolish net neutrality rules, these may become things of the past.

In February of 2015, the (FCC) passed the Open Internet Order which set a list of rules prohibiting internet service providers such as AT&T and Verizon from blocking websites, having paid subscriptions or slowing down certain websites in order to benefit themselves. Not only would this protect companies from monopolies, but it also benefits the general public. With the elimination of net neutrality, service providers are trying to repeal this order and make a “different legal footing” so that ISPs can do whatever they want to make an extra buck off of their customers.

If you’re anything like me, practically everything you do is online. Every morning I wake up, turn on my Beats Pill, and start bumping, “The College Dropout” on Tidal. If the plan to take away the OIO goes through, I may be unable to do this. Service providers could slow down the site, or God forbid, block it and force me switch to Spotify because of a financial agreement.

Ending Net Neutrality would mean the tragic end to the spirit of the internet — and that’s something we don’t want to lose.

The spirit of the internet is a sense of freedom. You can like, post, share and comment on anything you want with whomever you want, no matter where you are on the globe. It brings people together through laughter and communication. If the FCC decides to end the open internet that we know today, the feeling of freedom everyone gets while scrolling through their recommended videos on YouTube will be lost.

YouTube was founded back in 2005 and has grown to a widespread database of videos uploaded by millions of people across the world. According to Fortunelords. com, 300 hours of videos are uploaded to YouTube every minute. I contribute to the YouTube community, whether it be posting a video for Harbinger or watching my favorite reaction channel, ZIAS. People thrive off of being able to post a video for their friends, family and fellow subscribers to see. If these videos are slowed down to the point where they are barely viewable, no one is going to watch them. It’s going to stop people from sharing their videos, viewing them and leaving a comment describing how they felt

THE HARBINGER

connection

about it. This is what the internet is all about, having the ability to share something with people that results in an increase in your overall happiness.

Social media is another important part of the community. Websites such as Instagram and Twitter have become a huge platform for Americans to share different events and accomplishments throughout their life. This would affect everyone across the US whether it is a high school student posting a picture from homecoming or a grandparent posting a picture from their last family reunion.

Another huge community that is completely virtual is the “meme” community.

Memes are an internet inside joke that can be made up of captions, videos, and pictures and are rapidly shared across the web. These are shared on many different websites, but one of the main places memes are published is Reddit.

Reddit would be a perfect target for big service providers to place a block or throttle on due to the amount of traffic that goes through Reddit, which would destroy laughter around the world. Can we really live without gifs of seals playing the trumpet?

This is one of the biggest internet communities, and the number of users would suffer a huge hit if they were to put a price on their website.

Here are some ways you can contribute to the fight to As much as I love visiting these websites, taking save Net Neutrality away their speed or blocking them will kill their social aspects. I don’t know if having to pay more money to visit them is worth it. Since I’m already paying a monthly Visit battleforthenet.com subscription to use them, I shouldn’t have Go to the site to stay updated to pay a monthly subscription to view on the latest news on Net them.

Ending Net Neutrality is going to be Neutrality a burden on the users of all the big-time Write or call your state congress ISPs. It will only result in companies to express your dissaproval of like T-Mobile charging their customers the end to Net Neutrality more unnecessary fees. So the next time you login to Instagram, tune in to your Sign Online Petitions favorite YouTube channel or play your favorite album on Spotify, don’t take it Go online and search for Net for granted. It could all be gone before Neutrality petitions like the one you know it.

SAVING SPIRIT

Contact Your Congress

on change.org that has 1.6 million signatures

DECE MBER 18, 2017

DESIGN GRACE CHISHOLM PHOTOS REILLY MOREL AND

S P E C I A L S E C T I O N F E AT U R E

CRACKING THE

19

<C DE>

Q&A with alumnus Russell White ‘11, a current Google employee, about Net Neutrality

Q A ABOVE | White’s senior yearbook portrait.

BY K AYLIN MCCAN Staff Writer

AP AMERICAN HISTORY teacher Curtis White’s son, 2011 East graduate Russel White works for Google as a language programmer and also programs internal tools for the Knowledge Graph, which Google created. The Knowledge Graph is a program that was made in 2012 to help the search engine gather information needed to find results faster from various sources.

Working with technology constantly is one reason he deals with Net Neutrality and considers it to be very important.

“It’s a lot of moving data from one place to another, which I swear is more exciting than it sounds,” Russell said.

During his senior year he participated in theater and was the lead programmer for the robotics team at East. Being in a leadership position helped him become successful and prepared him for his future.

He first learned his love for programming in Deb Launius’s class. Her class, combined with robotics and his good fortune in attending East, helped him get on the path he is on today, he said.

After graduating from East, Russell attended New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology to study Computer Science. He was then hired at Google.

Although he does exciting things there, such as make tools to curate the Knowledge Graph, he’s impacted by Net Neutrality inside and outside of his work.

Q A

WHAT DOES YOUR WORK DAY CONSIST OF? I work on the Knowledge Graph, specifically in making tools to help curate it. I program mostly in the languages Java and Go and work entirely on internal tools to help debug problems with the graph.

HOW IS YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE AFFECTED

BY NET NEUTRALITY?

I follow a lot of small websites. Those are the kind of people who would be hurt most by the loss of Net Neutrality. They’re not large enough to be a must include in any package or influential enough to have a special deal with internet service providers, like Facebook, Microsoft, or Netflix are. The only way they’d be reachable is through an expensive all websites option, which means very few would find them.

I’m also a gamer. Without Net Neutrality, an internet service provider is free to spy on my traffic, see that I’m playing the newest Call of Shooterperson game, and give me enough lag to make it unplayable unless I fork over a bit more every month.

I should be clear that I’m painting something of a nightmare scenario. I don’t think there would be immediate, drastic changes to the way the internet works. Instead they would be slow so that we barely notice them happening. We can already see it in some places: T-Mobile doesn’t count certain video sites towards your mobile data. That might look nice and consumer-friendly, but it also means that anyone wanting to compete with those sites has yet another hurdle ahead of them.

Q A

Q A

>/”gnp.751x75 >/”gnp.441x44 >/”gnp.751x75 >/”gnp.441x44 >/”gnp.751x75 >/”gnp.441x44 >/”gnp.751x75 >/”gnp.441x44 >/”gnp.751x75 Net Neutrality is the idea that no data>/”gnp.441x44 moving across the Internet can be treated>/”gnp.751x75 differently from other data by those who>>//””ggnnpp..474511xx4745 control the infrastructure it is moving over.>/”gnp.441x44 This is important because it means that>>//””ggnnpp..745411xx7454 Comcast, who owns Hulu, can’t slow down>/”gnp.751x75 every other video site in order to get you>>//””ggnnpp..474511xx4745 to use Hulu. It also means they can’t block>/”gnp.441x44 articles about how bad Comcast is or even>/”gnp.751x75 >/”gnp.441x44 block certain sites altogether. It would not>/”gnp.751x75 be surprising to see internet options that>/”gnp.441x44 >/”gnp.751x75 only allow access to Facebook and Hulu>/”gnp.441x44 >/”gnp.751x75 without Net Neutrality. >/”gnp.441x44 >/”gnp.751x75 >/”gnp.441x44 >/”gnp.751x75 >/”gnp.441x44 >/”gnp.751x75 >/”gnp.441x44 >/”gnp.751x75 >/”gnp.441x44 >/”gnp.751x75 My hope is that this conversation>/”gnp.441x44 results in a stronger concept of how to>/”gnp.751x75 >/”gnp.441x44 handle a public good like the internet.>/”gnp.751x75 Net Neutrality allows it to continue to be>/”gnp.441x44 >/”gnp.751x75 a driver of innovation and international>/”gnp.441x44 betterment, but it will cease to be that>/”gnp.751x75 >/”gnp.441x44 if we allows ISPs to restrict its use. We>/”gnp.751x75

WHAT DOES NET NEUTRALITY MEAN TO YOU?

WHY IS THE CONVERSATION SURROUNDING IT IMPORTANT?

need to recognize that certain things should remain in a place above private exploitation if they are going to be able to better humanity as a whole.

DESIGN NATASHA THOM AS

THE HARBINGER

20 F E AT U R E S

the path to

profession

BY ANNABELLE COOK Online C0. Assistant Editor

3D ANIMATION AND MODELING

LIAM SULLIVAN

Junior Liam Sullivan couldn’t get the top of the barrel to look quite right. He was spending hours on the 3D Animation and Modeling software Blender just trying to figure out how to make a barrel after being inspired by the trailer for the animated movie “Boss Baby.” A few months later, he is able to create detailed shipyards, with everything from the sheen on the water to the grain on the wood. But his passion never left the walls of his home. That is, until he discovered SMSD’s 3D Animation and Modeling Program.

“I’ve always wanted to be in STEM but with art involved,” Sullivan said. “I thought, ‘Well I’m on the computer a lot and I can actually do something productive now and something artsy.’”

Since his first-ever project, a simple rectangular prism which took hours of adjusting and experimenting, Sullivan has seen his animation skills improve over the course of a semester in SMSD’s Animation and Modeling class. And is looking toward a future involving animation.

Sullivan is now enrolled in SMSD’S 3D Animation and Modeling program. After fifth hour, he heads to

MEDICAL SCIENCE

CHLOE KOWALSKI

Students gain real-world career experience through the SMSD signature programs

In the Outpatient Burn and Wound Center at the University of Kansas Hospital, senior Chloe Kowalski watched an exposed tendon move in a burn patient’s foot with wide eyes. As a doctor examined the gash-ridden leg, he asked “Do you see that Chloe? You can see the tendon move.” For most people, the sight of this would induce vomiting, but for Kowalski, it was it was intriguing and a look closer into her future as a nurse.

After going through an interview and evaluation process, Kowalski was accepted to SMSD’s Medical Science Signature Program. During her junior year, she learned the basics to medicine such as health insurance and tribal remedies, as well as technical aspects training to use stethoscopes and read breathing sounds. But this year, Kowalski gets to step out of the classroom and into the clinic, shadowing in local hospitals Monday through Thursday, fifth through seventh hour.

There are no notes or lectures. Instead, students carpool to a hospital where their rotation will take

SMSD’s Center for Academic Achievement to take the class. Entering with the skills to create scenic landscapes, he was expecting to be the star of the program. However, on his first day, Sullivan realized how difficult animation really is.

“I was trying to make a person walk and I accidentally made their torso spin out of control,” Sullivan said. “It was all janky but I thought I was the biggest animator on the block or something. Then I was like ‘Oh yeah, I still have a lot to learn.’”

The bulk of the class is taught as a tutorial of the computer programs 3DS Max and Adobe After Effects. Instead of creating basic shapes like he was doing over the summer, he is rendering rafts on water, realistic looking characters and tours through boats — all made through software and sets of coordinates.

Even though he gets to animate during school hours, Sullivan still finds himself coming home to his Powerspec PC desktop and continuing to work on projects, trying to master all the different commands and buttons of 3DS Max. “For some reason I have a knack for making the

people look like real people instead of like weird puppet things,” Sullivan said. “It’s like making a film but without the restrictions. . . Instead of waiting for the sun to come up like you would in a live-action film, you can adjust the lighting in your scene to your liking — any time of day.”

But adjusting the lighting of the scene from sunrise to sunset isn’t easy. Even though the students have the creative freedom to make short films, it’s nowhere near as simple as stop motion with clay.

“3D animation is an entirely different ballpark [than video editing],” classmate and senior Robert Tilden said. “But even with all the training that [my animation teacher] Mr. Johnson has graced us with, I’ve had to use a lot of self control not to throw the computer out of the new building.”

Inspired by “Boss Baby,” Sullivan wants to someday create Dreamwork or Disney films of his own that kids will flock to. With just a laptop, software, and an external hard drive, he has found that there are infinite opportunities to bring his ideas to life.

place to shadow under different specialties. Some of her favorites have been the pediatric clinic, labor and delivery unit and the outpatient burn and wound center.

Although she isn’t allowed to perform procedures, Kowalski has witnessed live births, C-sections and occasionally assists doctors, like the time she held a scared child while they were receiving a vaccination.

Between watching doctors treat pressure ulcers, burns, drug addicts and fungal infections, she not only learned the ins and outs of a medical career, but also self-advocacy and professionalism skills.

“We have to act like we’re 30 years old, and we haven’t even graduated high school yet,” Kowalski said. “You have to find somebody to learn from. No one is there to hold your hand and say ‘You have to go do this now.’”

At age 12, Kowalski’s enthusiasm for caring for children was sparked when she volunteered at Camp Wood YMCA, where she lead groups of kids and made friends with the nurse there. She never

considered pursuing an actual health career until her sophomore year. Kowalski and her mother went to the district’s program fair to learn more about IB, but the Medical Science booth caught her attention.

“I really like helping people, and the one thing I wanted more than to be around kids all the time [was] to have the power to save their life or be responsible in that way,” Kowalski said.

Kowalski plans to major in nursing in college with a pediatric specialty. She also hopes to travel to places like Africa to help patients around the world.

Stepping into the shoes of the staff at University of Kansas Hospital and Truman Medical Center has confirmed her desire to go forward with a health career.

“I’m constantly reassuring myself that this is what I want to do,” Kowalski said. “I know I want to be a nurse. I know that’s what I’m supposed to do. I would definitely second guess myself if I weren’t in this environment walking around the hospital every day.”

DESIGN ELIAS LOWL AND

DECE MBER 18, 2017

in the balance

F E AT U R E S L ENA CY R D A N FFIE o U S nt IN ok i A lo hen’s c Gret ition cond

Junior Gretchen Ternus battles a rare disease that requires intense care, but she remains optimistic

BY ELIZABETH BALLEW Staff Writer

J

unior Gretchen Ternus’ alarm blares at 6:15 a.m. — but every morning she is already up to hear the beep. She’s used to this routine, having woken up at the same time for the past year. Whether she was on vacation, the weekend, or late start, Gretchen will always be up at 6:15 a.m., or else she could go unconscious.

She has to take pills at the same time every day for the rest of her life, or she’ll go into shock, according to Gretchen. Not taking the pill within 30 minutes of the set time causes her to vomit, void of the energy needed to lift up her phone to answer a Snapchat.

Gretchen has Schmidt’s disease: a combination of adrenal insufficiency and hyperthyroidism. Her adrenal gland stopped working, so she doesn’t naturally produce hormones, which combined with her overactive thyroid leaves her off balance.

Gretchen’s life completely changed when she was diagnosed last year. A lifealtering disease would have broken down most people’s spirits, but not Gretchen.

According to her family, she has handled the going through her diagnosis with strength and maturity beyond her years—so much so that her family even jokes that her mantra is “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

Sunday before school at the start of her sophomore year, Gretchen couldn’t get through 10 minutes of tennis with her dad before having to stop, completely exhausted. ‘It’s just hot out,’ she told herself.

The first day of school, Gretchen woke up vomiting. She brushed it off. ‘Just nervous about driving to school for the first time and tennis tryouts,’ she told herself.

The next day, repeat. And the day after that. Making the 50- foot trip across the fifth floor hallway from English to French was so tiresome she had to stop for breaks. The two- minute walk up the hill towards her car in the sophomore lot seemed impossible.

She had to call her dad to pick her up and drive her to her car. ‘Just out of shape,’ she told herself.

“I was sitting on the benches in the front circle bawling my eyes out because I was like ‘What is so wrong with me that I can’t

even make it to the sophomore lot. Am I really really sick?’” Gretchen said.

Friday, she went to the doctor. The doctors couldn’t find a pulse.

Standing up, lying down or sitting, no nurse could find her pulse because her blood pressure was so low — a symptom of Schmidt’s disease. They told her she had no sodium in her system. The optimal thyroid level is 1.5 on the thyroid stimulating hormone scale. Hers was at 95. If she had gone to the hospital an hour later, she could have died, she said. She could have gone unconscious due to shock, and the

I can do stuff because I have dealt with one of the worst things you can deal with. I should just be grateful that I am here.

G R ETC H EN T ER N U S JUNIOR

doctors wouldn’t have known to inject her with emergency steroids. Having “come back to life” has put things in perspective for Gretchen. After talking with her doctors she got a new regimen — and now everyday for the rest of her life starts at 6:15 a.m.

6:15 a.m.: Take pill for hyperthyroidism.

6:45 a.m.: Seven micrograms of steroids needed, 2 other sodium pills.

1:00 p.m.: Take more hydrocortisone steroid, 5 micrograms 9:00 p.m.: Two and half micrograms hydrogreen.

Thanks to her pills, Gretchen can be as energetic as anyone else on any regular day. But on her bad days, she can barely stand. Because of her illness, her immune system doesn’t work properly, so she gets sick often and intensely. Walking seems like a far-fetched goal. She’s forced to sleep all day. She’s not able to work on homework or watch Netflix — she’s chained to her bed.

It’s hard because teachers don’t always understand that when she’s sick she can’t work on homework, Gretchen says.

“People aren’t able to experience what I experience, so they don’t know how much of a toll the day takes on me because they

don’t have to go through it,” Gretchen said.

Besides feeling “dead” when she’s ill, she other symptoms affect her daily life. From a lack of hormones, she does not get acne and is more irritable. Hyperpigmentation also causes Gretchen to get tan and stay tan year round (although she’s “not really complaining about that one”). She’s always craving salt because she doesn’t produce any sodium. While people may see no zits and a year round tan as a “perk,” her disease takes an intense toll on her.

“When I tell people my skin darkens pretty quickly people say ‘Oh that’s so nice I wish I had that’ or when I say I have to miss school a lot, people are like ‘Oh you’re so lucky you got to stay home’. . .

People see [symptoms] as benefits but [they’re] really downfalls,” Gretchen said.

She’s constantly worried about going unconscious or going into “crisis mode,” but that shouldn’t happen as long as she stays on her medicine schedule, she said.

She tries not to think about that, because the more it crosses her mind, the more likely she feels it will happen. In case it does happen, she wears a silver and turquoise wrist band that has emergency information.

The disease has taught her to prioritize what she wants and what she needs.

“It has given me new perspective on how I approach things . . . I can do stuff because I have dealt with one of the worst things you can deal with. I should just be grateful that I am here,” Gretchen said.

Her father, Jon Ternus, says it has forced her to mature quicker and because she has handled it so well, it’s easy to forget she has a lot more on her plate than the average teen.

“It’s been quite a life-altering adjustment, but she is stronger person for having to deal with something like this, especially since she doesn’t have a choice,” Jon said.

Gretchen’s close friend junior Parker Gordon has noticed that Gretchen became an advocate for those with long-term illness, and she is empathetic towards others going through similar struggles as a result of her disease.

Gretchen says it’s helped her discover herself, and the strength she’s gained truly follows her mantra: what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

21

WHAT IS ADRENA INSUFFIE L NCY?

the adrenal occurs when t produce glands, don’ n hormones rtai enough of ce

affects 1 millio 110 to 144 of n peop every .01 per le or about cent

O WHAT D L A N E R AD NES DO? HORMO

assists in reg

ulation

•

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of BLOOD PR ESSURE METABOLI SM • STRESS

ARE WHATPTOMS? YM THE S

• • •

CHRON IC FATIG UE • WEAKN ESS HYPERP IGMENTA TION LOW SO DIUM LE VELS

INFORMATION COURTESY OF: THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DIABETES AND DIGESTIVE AND KIDNEY DISE ASES

DESIGN ABBY WALKER

THE HARBINGER

22 A & E

SECRET SANTA

Read about the best Secret Santa gifts to get for boys and girls

BY SARAH BLEDS OE Staff Writer

WE ALL KNOW the struggle: that feeling the night before a gift exchange, running to Walmart for that last minute

present that you either forgot about or just didn't have the time to get. Too many times I’ve handed over a pack of gum and generic gift card and uttered “yeah, it just reminded me of you,” through an awkward smile. So I decided to spend a few hours roaming through convenience stores, making

FOR THE GIRLS

FOR THE BOYS

FUZZY SOCKS & COFFEE MUG

I WALKED INTO the Target on State Line and set a timer for 10 minutes to try and be as efficient as possible. I told my dad to look on the right side of the aisle and I would look on the left trying desperately to find that perfect gift.

Let’s just say that failed- miserably.

But luckily the helpful target assistant Elizabeth and I figured something out. The first gift would be a coffee mug and fuzzy socks. There was an assortment of cute coffee mugs with different sayings including “hello gorgeous,” but I decided to go with one that says “Wifey” to give to my favorite person, Olive Henry, for only $6. Next I went to the fuzzy sock section and got some sparkly fuzzy socks which were the softest things in the whole world and they were only $7.

Then I finished the gift off with a $2 gift bag with a snowman on it, that just spoke to me as I walked passed it, bringing my total to $15. Overall it was, a pretty easy to find a cheap gift that is still personal and loved by many. This is my favorite gift because it combines my two favorite things — socks and coffee — and everyone loves being warm in the winter.

a list of every gift I’d want for myself. I may not be able to afford an iPhone X for each of my friends, but here are some cheaper and more practical gifts, so you can avoid that pregift exchange struggle and have everyone dying to steal it during that white elephant game.

PAJAMAS I'M PRETTY SURE everyone in the history of the world loves pajamas.

Pajamas are always a go-to for any gift for a guy, like my brother, who has probably gotten different pairs of pajamas every year for about four years now.

And you can’t go wrong with the unbeatable prices of Costco and Target.

I first went to Target and got a Chewbacca onesie for $12 which I will admit is -slightly strange-, but my brother loved it and he is planning on wearing it to the new “Star Wars” opening night. But if “Star Wars” isn't their thing, that's totally chill. I also went to Costco searching for the perfect pair of pajamas and I actually found the perfect pair. They were dark blue pajama bottoms that had light white checkers all over them. The total price was surprisingly only $10 and they were basically the softest things ever that I wish were sold in my size.

If you are ever in the need for a last minute holiday gift for someone that you still want to be personal, pajamas will never lead you wrong.

BOW TIES

SUCCULENTS

LIKE MANY SUNDAY nights, I abandoned my Honors Algebra 2 homework for online shopping. After falling into a hole of suggested websites, I came across one for succulents — the absolute cutest plants in the world (yes plants can be cute) that fit perfectly in any room.

The website I found these on is called Simply Succulents. With a white base and three pages of choices of which little cactus-esque plant you want, I got lost in options of which to choose. However, the best part though was the fact that it was a total of $6 for three mini pots and matching succulents. I ended up buying six succulents, three of them hanging and the other three sit nicely on my desk.

This is the perfect gift that is extremely cheap and freaking adorable. I wish I could buy more. The only downside of this gift that takes a little planning ahead, because it took three days to arrive, however, worst case scenario you can express ship it for an extra $3 and it will arrive the next day. However, it did take a little longer to wrap the gift, because wrapping dirt is a little harder than you would expect.

IT ALL DEPENDS on the occasion but a tie or a bow tie for a guy is the perfect gift. They will get alot of use out of it: everything to dances to dressy event. So I decided to go thrifting for this gift item and let me tell you it was a success.

I first went to Boomerang, a thrift store downtown, and found more than a 100 bow ties for $3 each. Then I went to Red Racks for regular ties and found a ton of Christmas ties on sale boarding at 50 to 60 bow ties for $5 and regular ties for $8 which was an amazing great deal. I ended up with a blue and white polka-dot bow tie and a red bow tie with the Grinch laughing perfectly on it. As for the ties, I purchased an all red tie with lighter colors of red stripes slanted across it and a basic black tie for the more formal events.

I bought a few gag ties and real ones to hand out to the male members of my family for Christmas this year. But my all time favorite was the bow tie with a Grinch on it and bow ties are universal gift that will never be re-gifted.

Some of the best and closest places to grab a last minute Secret Santa gift

URBAN OUTFITTERS 502 Nichols Rd. KC, MO BEST FOR: Someone who likes unique apparel and funny items

TARGET

8509 State Line Rd. KC, MO BEST FOR: Someone who is obsessed with home decor and decorations

SAVERS 5441 W 95th St. OP, KS BEST FOR: Someone who likes thrift shopping and good deals

AMAZON amazon.com BEST FOR: Anyone, you can find anything on Amazon

DESIGN GRACIE KOST PHOTOS COUTRESY LGE METRICK PHOTOGRAPHY

DECE MBER 18, 2017

CANCELL NG CHRISTM S

A & E 23

Premiere of “A Milking Christmas” at the Living Room brings a new look at Santa’s selfish motives for celebrating Christmas

BY LIL A TULP Staff Writer

A

TOP | East alum dresses as Mrs.

Clause and sings to her son about her views on Christmas.

BOTTOM | Sophomore Margaret

Veghlan portrays a milkmaid as she sings along to the songs of Milk and Christmas.

s a little kid, I would put on my favorite holiday dress and head to the University of Missouri Kansas City to watch “A Christmas Carol” in the 509-seat room of the Kansas City Repertory Theater. But every year I was traumatized by the glistening ghost of Christmas Past and as always, found myself dozing off onto my sister’s shoulder before Tiny Tim had a chance to blurt out his iconic line: “God bless us, everyone.”

Sure, it’s a tradition, but how many times can you watch the same two-and-ahalf hour show? Let’s just say, if you can quote it, you’ve probably seen it one too many times.

This year, I’ve said goodbye to Ebenezer Scrooge and decided to go for something new. The world premier of Friend Dog Studios’ new musical, “A Milking Christmas,” at the Crossroad’s Living Room Theatre had me cracking up from the minute I heard the singing snowflake tell me to silence my phone to the tune to sleigh ride, until I the minute I left the 80-seat theater.

The $20 ticket bought me a trip to Christmas Town where I watched Macy Maid-a-Milking and her misfit friends try

to save the city from Santa’s evil plan to ruin Christmas.

The hour and a half show opens with bright lights showing the townspeople getting ready for the Christmas magic celebration. But while the elves and the other seven maids-a-milking are full of cheer, Macy is too busy making a list of everything that seems off, and is checking it twice. The elves are making toy horses with five legs, wind-up soldiers are watching their every move, the miners are gathering more coal than ever before and someone even changed the lyrics of jingle bells.

Joke after joke, it never crossed my mind that I was lacking a chance to stretch my legs during intermission, and as the show continued, the more invested in the quirky show I became. As Macy tricks the security guard and sneaks into the palace to hear the real story, she finds out that Santa is stealing the holiday spirit to make his magic more powerful.

This leads to the introduction of my favorite character: Cindy Cane. With a voice so squeaky and irritating that it becomes funny, the discarded candy cane is recruited by Macy and joins the rest of “The Rebels Without a Claus,” to start a revolution to take down Santa and Mrs. Claus –– all in song, of course.

According to cast member, sophomore Margaret Veglahn, more than half of the script was improvised, with the exception of their songs. The pieces that the cast of 12 sang were always something refreshing, and even if it was just a simple twist on a holiday classic it had me second-guessing my post-school 93.3 FM car concerts. As they danced across the 20 foot stage in their synchronized choreography, I couldn’t help but tap my foot along to the tune coming from the snowflake playing the frosted grand piano.

With such a small stage, there wasn’t much they could do with the set, but the simple design –– snowflakes, twinkly yellow lights and blue spray-painted crates –– did not disappoint. Between scenes the team created new structures using the crates ranging anywhere from Santa’s throne, to the entire bar at “Santa’s Lab.” If the lights on Mission Road and the constant loop of “Elf” on Freeform didn’t already fill me with Christmas cheer, “A Milking Christmas” did the job. So, if you find yourself feeling a little “bah humbug” this season, catch a ride to Christmas Town until Dec. 23 for “A Milking Christmas.”

THE FACES OF THE REBELS WITHOUT A CLAUS CiNDY CANE

Discarded candy cane Always anxious Lila’s favorite character

Ginger

Over-baked gingerbread man Always in a “bah-humbug” mood

Jingle B. Elf

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DESIGN LIZZIE K AHLE PHOTOS K ATHLEEN DEEDY

DECE MBER 18, 2017

A & E 25 Combined Health House and T. Loft location offers dual benefits

&

GY M JUICE

SNACKIN’ THE HEALTHY WAY

Take a peek at what’s inside the food

ALIVE AND ALERT

kale, spinach, grape, orange, apple and ginger

BANANA COCOA GRAIN BOWL

bananas, quinoa, chocolate chips, cashews and honey

MEAN + CLEAN

orange, ginger, carrot, apple and lemon

LUNCH BOX

whole grain crackers, PB protein ball, grapes and cheese cubes

BY BRYNN WINKLER Staff Writer

M

y legs burned and my arms began to shake as I pushed the dumbbells up to the ceiling. Jumping back and forth between the rowing machine and workout mat, I only had two things on my mind – my ice cold Alive & Alert juice and chocolatey grain bowl that awaited me at the T.Loft counter.

Using this as motivation, I pushed my way through the 45-minute “Rip & Row” class at the new Health House studio in Prairie Village.

Health House’s two locations offer intense, high-energy workouts that combine cardio and strength training. Their new location in the Village has a T. Loft inside – a modern “health cafe” for fresh food.

I felt slightly out of place when I first stepped into the Village’s new Health House-T. Loft concept. Almost entirely surrounded by hip twenty-somethings decked out in their patterned Lululemon leggings and black Nikes, I weaved my way towards the T.Loft counter. One perk of this new concept is the option to order your post-workout snack and have it waiting for you after your class – count me in!

I have to admit, I was pretty intimidated at the beginning of the class. After all, “Rip and Row” does sound like a torture device. I had never taken an organized workout class before – I usually get my workouts in through sevenmile runs at cross country practice or everyday two hour swim practices during swim season.

The studio was outfitted with 18 rowing machines, with a nearby mat and 12.5 pound dumbbells across from each machine. The entirety of one wall was covered in a huge screen displaying videos of lapping water in a lake and the best split times of people in the class (which I never seemed to make it on).

Class kicked off with a few jumping jacks, and then we got right into the exercises. The class worked in five-minute rotations, so while I was lunging and squatting and pressing on the mat, my friend was nearby on the rowing machine. The setup of the class allowed you to workout next to a friend, which was great during the workout when we would make eye contact and laugh to ourselves – making the pain a bit more bearable.

The “row” part of “Rip & Row” was my favorite because although this wasn’t a “row– row–row–your–boat” kind of deal, the machine is a two-for-one: cardio and strength.

As I was nearing 4,000 meters on the rowing machine, practically choking for air,

our instructor Jack Reilly shouted, “Half way done!”, as he jumped around the room.

“Half way done?” I whisper-screamed to my friend. This workout better pay off during the 100 fly this season.

Reilly proved to be a real motivator as the class progressed. Decked out in a red and navy matching Nike set and shoes to match, he jumped to the music as he was instructing us.

Even he himself was sweating by the end of the workout, making it seem like he was just part of the group.

Although the class was challenging, it was also rewarding – you know you’ve done something right when you’re sore for three days after. The class was extremely fast-paced and intense, great for anyone looking for a quick, hard workout.

However, if you’re looking for a more personalized workout experience, this one may not be for you. With a little under 40 people in the room and only one instructor, there was little one-on-one instruction.

Besides the size issue, I found little to complain about during the 45-minute class.

The loud pop remixes blasting from the speakers kept me energized and the quick pace of the class ensured that I never became bored.

We wrapped up the class with some stretches and headed out to pick up my T.Loft order. When I made it to the counter, my Alive & Alert juice and Banana Cocoa Grain Bowl was already waiting for me.

I definitely know why they call it Alive & Alert. When I started sipping on the green juice, I was pleasantly surprised by the sweet, energizing taste. The green color was daunting, so I was glad when I could barely taste the kale and spinach. Instead, I got a refreshing kick of apple, grape and orange. Although the $5.50 for a juice was high, I was refreshed by the post-workout drink waiting for me.

Next I dug into the grain bowl, which I wasn’t as impressed with. The appearance was very “aesthetic goals”, with bananas, unsweetened chocolate and cashews neatly arranged on top if the oats. However, as someone who isn’t used to unsweetened oats, I found the bowl lacking in flavor. And besides the pre-packaged snacks, the small selection of grain bowls was the only food option.

In the end, my overall experience was a positive and rewarding one. I felt the rip, I loved the row, and my T.Loft juice waiting for me was like a pat on the back – although I may grab a Chipotle bowl instead of the grain bowl next time.

DESIGN SARAH BL EDS OE

THE HARBINGER

26 A & E

I’M NOT BITTER

41.1%

Of people start listening to Holiday music the day after Thanksgiving.*

After her anti-Christmas song opinion last year her labeled a “bitter Grinch,” staffer tries to redeem herself by reviewing Christmas songs

the Christmas tunes. To show everyone in my life that I do in fact have a heart (I almost got coal in my stocking last year), I am reviewing my favorite holiday albums. While you’re finishing your three-story gingerbread house or flipping on your 25,000-bulb light display, take a listen to my favorites to set the right mood.

14.2%

Of people start listening to Holiday music Nov. 1st.*

Michael buble Christmas

A Charlie Brown Christmas Every year, without fail, I binge watch all the classic holiday kids movies — “Frosty the Snowman,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Santa Is Coming to Town.”

And of course, “Charlie Brown.” Now, because I don’t have time to sit down and watch a movie in the middle of finals, I listen to the movie’s classic soundtrack, “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” The old animation and unforgettable songs are ingrained in me.

I hear Linus’s piano solos and Charlie Brown’s little friend group singing “Christmas Time is Here” and remember that blizzard in fifth grade that kept me inside for days, watching the movie in my PJs with my family. While the childish voices can get annoying, the piano keeps me listening.

BY ABBY WALKER Copy Editor

This year, I am asking Santa to clear my tainted reputation. Last year, I wrote an opinion going into the holiday season outlining why I thought Christmas music should be saved for December — what a mistake. I was branded a “bitter Grinch” by my friends, my advisor, even my mom — until I finally allowed them to turn up

CHARlie brown

Pentatonix

All this album makes me want to do is curl up next to a fire with a blanket, some hot chocolate and my dogs.

Hopefully we can all find time to watch this masterpiece of a movie, but until then, the album will do just fine.

That’s Christmas to me

Pentatonix’s upbeat holiday album, “That’s Christmas to Me,” is my all-time favorite. In this album, the a cappella group reminds me that “Pitch Perfect” is not the pinnacle of instrument-less music. Pentatonix hits all the classics like “Santa Claus is Coming” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” but surprises with songs like their mashup of “Winter Wonderland” and “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” featuring Tori Kelly. Mashups like these were a nice change of pace to the usual Christmas music — tired, though lovely classic crooners like Dean Martin.

Along with this creative mix, Pentatonix also wrote an original song for the album, which gives the album its name. While not their best piece on the album, “That’s Christmas to Me” is not as bad as other Christmas songs, so it gave me something new to listen to this holiday season.

I appreciate how Pentatonix is able to perform the timeless songs as I’ve known them, while also making the songs unique by changing up the tempo often. This is the perfect album to wake you up on the way to school or while driving around looking at the Plaza lights.

OK, I’ll say it. Michael Bublé is only good for his Christmas album. Fact: all ten of his featured songs on Spotify are from his Christmas album. But man, his old-fashioned Christmas album is great. Debuted in 2012, “Christmas” is a must-listen for the holiday season — it would be a shame to leave it off this list because of how perfect it is. This album has all the classics, from “Santa Baby” to “Silent Night.”

Bublé’s voice is akin to Frank Sinatra — low and smooth. Listening to him is like bathing in a mug of hot chocolate — warm and inviting.

His voice is the quintessential picture of a holiday album; every song sounds exactly as it should. The biggest stand-out on this album is Bublé’s rendition of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” Bublé takes Carey’s up-beat hit single and makes it his own, slowing it down and making it borderline acoustic. The only thing that would be better than Bublé’s version of this song? A duet between Carey and him.

26%

Of people start listening to Holiday music on Dec. 1st.*

ingrid michaelson Snowfall

7.9%

Of people listen to Holiday music all year round.* Holiday Music Statisics

Ingrid Michaelson blessed all of us Nov. 10, the day she dropped a winter EP, titled “Snowfall.”

Although only five songs, this EP is perfect for when you want to watch Christmas movies all day, but are stuck inside alone studying for 12 hours. I was left wanting five more songs, even though I was satisfied with her five.

Ingrid’s soft and comforting voice pairs perfectly with the five songs she chose for this EP — a mix of quiet, comforting songs and upbeat holiday songs. My two favorites on the album are “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “Winter Song” featuring Sara Bareilles. I’ve been dreaming of an Ingrid and Sara duet for years, and this song was the ultimate choice. I could listen to “Winter Song” all day, no problem. Their voices mesh together flawlessly — both are soft and emotional. Ingrid and Sara, if you’re out there, please do a duet again. Please.

This album reminded me of simpler days, when “Be OK” was my favorite song and I didn’t have to worry about three days of impending doom — finals. But at least I have their warm voices to comfort me when I’m studying at 1 a.m. *statistics curtosy of a harbinger survey of 431 students

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DESIGN K ATIE HISE PHOTOS PULLED BY HADLEY HYAT T

THE HARBINGER

best of 20 7 28 S P O R T S

A look back at the best moments in 2017 sports

PHOTOS DIANA PERCY

January 27

HAWKLETS

49

POSS

BONUS

The energy was there, a lot of people in the stands. It was just crazy to be on the floor in front of all those people. ... It was an electric atmosphere in there so it was hard to keep everything all together.

ROCKHURST BASKETBALL

JAC K WOR KM A N S ENIO R

BOYS SWIM WON STATE FOR THEBOYS THIRD SWIM CLASS 6A YEAR IN A ROW

20

54

PERIOD 4

BONUS

JESSIE STINDT WON STATE IN TRIPLE JUMP

LEFT |

Stindt also competed in high jump and long jump at state. To the left is the approach to her high jump, where she finished in sixth place.

She finished fourth in long jump. |

Stindt beat the second place finisher, Olathe Northwest student Audrey Fisher, who had a jump of 38 feet 7 3/4 inches.

February 18

File photo L a ini Re yno lds

November 22

17

KSHSAA STATE CHAMPIONS

ABOVE | East ended the state meet with 394.5 points while the second place finisher, Blue Valley North, only had 282 points. | Linda Holb r o o k

January 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 9 10 11 12 13 15 16 17 18 19 20 22 23 24 25 26 29 30 31

May 27

VISITOR

0.0

7 14 5 21 12 28 19 26

27

May February 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 21 22 23 24 25 27 28

18

COLLYN LOWRY AWARDED GOALIE OF THE YEAR

P h oto Co urt e sy

march

april

7 14 21 28

May 1 2 3 4 8 9 10 11 15 16 17 18 22 23 24 25 29 30 31

I would say the one thing that sets Collyn apart from the [goalkeepers] in the past is his reactions.

Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s got a good balance of size and agility. ...

And his work ethic and leadership is what really helps set him apart too.

JA M IE KE LLY SOCC ER COAC H

p h oto AUDR E Y KE S LE R

5 12 19 26

6 13 20 27

27

June

August

October

July

September

December

5 12 19 26

May November 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 21 22 23 24 25 27 28 29 30 31

22

DESIGN S COUT RICE PHOTOS AINSLINN MENKE

DECE MBER 18, 2017

CHAMPIONSHIP

S P O R T S 29

SHOWDOWN RECAP

Breakdown of first basketball tournament of the season and wrestling recap

BY DAISY BOLIN Head Copy Editor

EAST VARSITY BASKETBALL won the annual 2017 Championship Showdown tournament on Dec. 8 for the first time since 2012 – the year East won 21 games, a school record. In addition to winning the tournament, senior Jack Schoemann won tournament MVP and both senior Kelyn Bolton and junior Zane Meeks earned All-Tournament team.

In the first game of the tournament and season against Bishop Seabury, East dominated winning 70-34. Meeks had 30 points and 16 rebounds, surging the team confidence for the rest of the tournament, according to Schoemann.

In the semi-finals the Lancers played Central Academy, finishing 79-54. The 25 point victory was not as lopsided as the score suggests – Central played tough but wasn’t able to convert on offense. Schoemann led the way with a double-double, scoring 20 points and collecting 10 rebounds on the night he shot eight of 13 from the field.

To finish it off, the student section stormed the court in celebration following a 54-42 championship game win against the Olathe East Hawks. After Bolton won

the tip-off to start the game, senior Will Curran received the pass on the wing. He took one dribble and fired a bounce pass to Schoemann streaking towards the hoop starting the game off 2-0 within the first five seconds. The Lancers held the Hawks to 35.9% from the field. This was important because in the Hawks first two games where they first beat ACE Prep 65-37 and Shawnee Mission West 72-42 in the second game, East only allowed them 42 points.

The final game was the best defense the team has played together, head coach Shawn Hair said. The defense held their ground and packed the lane forcing the Hawks to take outside shots. The team recorded five steals as well as eight deflections.

“It was exciting to watch for me because the team we were playing had KT who is talking to KU basketball,” spectator senior Will Wiggins said. “And it was fun to watch Schoemann square up with him cause that’s two division one athletes.”

The team’s high energy came clear in a few highlights shifting the momentum according to Meeks: Curran’s three-pointer just before the half, Bolton’s and-one, Schoemann’s two three-pointers and scoring four straight possessions late third quarter.

“We’ve got a lot of pieces,” Meeks said.

“We’ve got speed, size, and we just really gotta hit shots and play to our strength, and we will have a great season.”

Accompanying the physical advantages the team has this year, the 2017-2018 team motto “nothing beats family” is incorporated throughout practices and encouraged to become not just a team value but a team action according to Hair and teammates. After a team lock-in at school Nov. 21 and lunches at Johnny’s Tavern after Saturday practices, Schoemann feels that both the varsity and JV players are close enough as a whole to build a stronger team chemistry than most years.

The current team chemistry or “family” is evident both by the bench when the team’s on their feet celebrating and on the court when the team comes together after a big stop on defense. The significant amount of trust among the team makes everyone’s job much easier, Curran said.

Looking forward to the rest of the season, the team hopes to maintain the strong transition skills they’ve practiced. Hair hopes to improve on guarding without fouling and stay committed to running.

“This team has a very good chance to be successful,” Hair said.

ABOVE |

Senior Seamus Carroll watches the hoop for a rebound. | A INS LINN M E NKE

LEFT | Senior

Keyln Bolton dribbles the ball down the court. | A INS LINN M E NKE

WRESTLING RECAP

THE EAST WRESTLING team competed in the Cougar Invitational 15th Annual tournament Dec. 9 and had five wrestlers place. Going from not participating in this tournament at all last year to five placing was a big jump

FRESHMAN

SENIOR

Charlie McCray John Gorman

6 WEIGHT 106 PLACE

CHANGES

FOR SUCCESS Athletes talking about recent changes in the wrestling program

PLACE WEIGHT

6 152

according to senior John Gorman. The new, active and invested coach Lucas Vincent has changed the practice schedule and brought a refreshing energy to the team according to teammates.

SENIOR

SENIOR

JUNIOR

4 WEIGHT 182

2 WEIGHT 220

2 WEIGHT 126

Clarence Miller Justin Shuman Dane Erickson PLACE

New Coach Lucas Vincent He’s a lot more involved than its been in years past. It’s cool especially because he’s a heavyweight wrestler but he’s out there doing every move that everyone else can’t even really do he’s out there flipping. It’s really fun,”

Dane Erickson

PLACE

PLACE

New practice setup “He’s implemented a more structured practice [...] One group learns how to do the move, another group learns how to defend the move and the third group learns how to set up the move and we rotate,

John Gorman

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DESIGN LIL A TULP PHOTOS REILLY MOREL AND

DECE MBER 18, 2017

S P O R T S 31

THEIR LAST SHOT After nine years of being on the same basketball team, four seniors reminisce during their final season together

BY M ARTI FROMM Webmaster with help of Daisy Bolin

I

t’s Friday and as usual, then-fifth graders Charlie Moreland, Will Curran, Jack Workman and Joseph Brouillette head straight to Jack Schoemann’s driveway. It didn’t matter if it was 90 degrees in July or 30 degrees in December, at the end of each week these five boys counted on apple juice, two-bite brownies and basketball.

Not only did the cement mock-basketball court bring the boys snacks and pick-up games, but it also built the boys’ foundation as their own “family.” They originally met through their premier team, Swish, coached

by Schoemann’s dad Chris Schoemann.

And although Brouillette no longer plays basketball with them, he’s a large part of the original Swish family.

Now-seniors Schoemann, Curran, Moreland and Workman are in the middle of their ninth and final season as teammates.

They’ve gone from red and white checkered Swish jerseys to black and blue Lancer jerseys.

And Moreland’s nickname, “Chomo,” first founded by the Swish team, has transformed to “Chum” on the Lancers.

“Being in the stands watching them is awesome because [I’ll] see a move or something that they were jokingly doing in practice, and then pull it off in a game and you’re the only person that actually knows the backstory of it,” Brouillette said.

It took countless traveling tournaments, Famous Amos cookies, driveway pick-up games, lunches at Johnny’s Tavern and advice from coach Schoemann for them to mature into the senior varsity athletes they are now.

Before the four boys were working to outrun each other in 10-60’s at East, they were sprinting through hotel halls. Rounding up as many teammates as they could for a game of hotel tag during the weekend getaways to Oklahoma City and Dallas was their idea of fun. Every room on any floor was fair game.

Usually, Chris got too many noise complaints and shut it down. If they were playing P-I-G after school in fifth grade, each guy treated every shot like it was a buzzer beater in an

STATE LINE

NCAA championship game.

They spent summers pouring water from five gallon jugs on themselves to cool off, and winters playing in layered sweatpants.

Whether it was outside of Schoemann’s house or the floors of the St. Paul’s gym, the competition never faded.

“Even though we didn’t go to school together, these were the guys I hung out with on the weekends,” Moreland said. “I wanted to go to school with them since I never had before.”

After playing on the same team for five years, they were separated onto different teams their freshman year. However, this year the boys are back together, playing at the varsity level. As of Thursday, varsity has an undefeated season with a record of 3-0 after winning the Champion Showdown Tournament. According to coach Shawn Hair, the bond they share has translated to their success on the court.

“A lot of [the team chemistry] starts with those guys, but the team as a whole has incredibly strong chemistry,” Hair said. “This year [as a team] we’ve preached ‘nothing

REROUTING

STATE LINE

HIGH DR.

M TO K AW AH .

RD

W 68th ST.

HIGH DR.

W 67th ST.

beats family,’ and those boys really live by that.”

Ever since the boys spent their Friday nights in elementary and middle school going to East basketball games, they had one dream in mind - win state together. “[Winning state] would be everything,” Moreland said. “Everyone on the team has worked really hard for [that] ultimate goal, and achieving that would be unbelievably rewarding.”

In addition to hopefully winning state, the boys are looking forward to coming home from college for breaks and returning to Schoemann’s driveway. They are looking forward to taking road trips to Colorado State University to watch Schoemann play. They are looking forward to seeing each other with grey hair and wrinkles, looking back on the years of two-bite brownies, Famous Amos cookies and apple juice boxes they shared.

These five boys fall back on this year’s motto to explain their relationship, “nothing beats family.”

The boys’ old bike routes to senior Jack Schoemann’s “lot”

W 70th ST. L RD.

IL

H OVER W 69th ST.

BELINDER AVE.

JACK SCHOEMANN JACK WORKMAN CHARLIE MORELAND WILL CURRAN

DESIGN & WRITTEN BY GRACE PADON

32 A LT- C O P Y

JANUARY

A preview of all things arts and entertainment taking place in 2018

FEBRUARY

MARCH

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

5 INSIDIOUS: THE LAST KEY

4 SUPER BOWL

"Insidious: The Last Key" is the fourth installment in the horror franchise, and the second of the series' in-story chronology, following 2015's "Insidious: Chapter 3."

9 LANA DEL REY

Lana Del Rey is starting her fourth nationwide tour in Kansas City. The “LA to the Moon” tour will feature her latest studio album, "Lust for Life," which released in July 2017. This will be her first tour since 2015.

15/16 NO SCHOOL

APRIL

Super Bowl 52 is set to play in Minneapolis in the twoyear-old U.S. Bank Stadium.

This will be the first Super Bowl played in Minnesota since Super Bowl XXVI (1991), when the Washington Redskins defeated the Buffalo Bills, 37-24.

7 TYLER, THE CREATOR 11 JACOB SARTORIUS Jacob Sartorius is the latest teenager to take social media by storm and is touring in KC in February.

19/20 NO SCHOOL

MAY

9 A WRINKLE IN TIME Reese Witherspoon, Oprah Winfrey and Mindy Kaling will star as Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Which and Mrs. Who in the second "A Wrinkle in Time," movie. The first came out in 2003 and was produced by Disney. The plot follows siblings who go on a quest throughout different dimensions on a journey to rescue their father, a gifted scientist, from the evil forces that hold him prisoner on another planet.

10/18 SPRING BREAK TBA SAMSUNG GALAXY X9

JUNE

2018

THE HARBINGER

SCHOOL EVENTS TECHNOLOGY CONCERTS MOVIES SPORTS

JULY

1 2 3 4 1 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 26 27 28 29 30 31 30 24 25 26 27 28 29

14 KENNY CHESNEY

8 BARBIE

Kenny Chesney is kicking off his "Trip Around the Sun" stadium tour in April and will be performing at Arrowhead on July 14. Chesney's last tour brought him to KC in 2015. A percentage of proceeds from the tour will go to "Kenny Chesney's Love for Love City," which benefits Hurricane Irma disaster relief in the US and the US Virgin Islands.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 18 SAM SMITH 28 29 30 31

2 NO SCHOOL

4 AVENGERS: NEW INFINITY 15 GRADUATION 25 SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY

1 DEADPOOL 2 14 WORLD CUP

11 AJR 27 TRUTH OR DARE

Truth or Dare is an upcoming American horror film directed

by Jeff Wadlow starring Lucy Hale and Tyler Posey.

The plot follows a group of eight college students who are haunted by spirits after playing the "supernatural" version of Truth or Dare.

A new year, a new Star Wars movie. "Solo: a Star Wars Story," is about Han Solo and Chewbacca's adventures before joining the Rebellion, including their early encounters with Lando Calrissian.

28 LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

Thirty-two teams have qualified to play in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

This will be the first time the tournament has been hosted in Russia.

A PREVIEW OF THE NEW YEAR

A doll living in "Barbieland" is expelled for not being perfect enough and sets off on an adventure in the real world, starring the voice of Anne Hathaway.

22 NIALL HORAN

Niall Horan and Maren Morris are visiting Starlight Theatre in August 2018. This will be Horan's first solo tour since the official separation of the famous boy band, One Direction, and Morris's first official tour.

20 MAMMA MIA: HERE WE GO AGAIN! 27 US OPEN

OCTOBER

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 15 THE INCREDIBLES 2 28 29 30 31 Over a decade later, the second film in the animated Incredibles franchise is releasing, taking place only a minute after the first movie ended.

SEPTEMBER

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Take a (well deserved) day off to relax after celebrating April Fools Day.

AUGUST

13 ED SHEERAN

Ed Sheeran will return to Kansas City for his fourth time for his first North American stadium tour. This will be Sheeran’s second time playing at Arrowhead since he opened for the Rolling Stones in 2015.

TBA GOOGLE PIXEL 3 SWIFT

Rumors have it that Google will release a trio of Pixel 3s next fall, including a budget friendly model and an ultra premium model, similar to the iPhone X.

NOVEMBER

8 TAYLOR SWIFT

Taylor Swift is returning to Arrowhead Stadium for a tour for her latest controversial album, "Reputation," that dropped on Nov. 10. Taylor has 44 stops on her fifth world tour and will be visiting five continents.

TBA APPLE KEYNOTE Apple has several "Special Events" throughout the year, but the September Keynote is typically when the newest iPhones and other products are introduced to hit the market weeks later in October.

DECEMBER

1 2 3 41 5 2 6 3 1 4 7 8 5 9 6 10 7 11 8 12 13 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 13 14 17 18 16 20 17 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 14 11 15 12 16 15 19 19 20 23 24 21 25 22 26 23 27 18 21 22 24 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 31 29 30 28 25 29 26 30 27 28 30 31 25 26 27 28 29 SHOW BOAT

One of the most influential musicals in history, "Show Boat," follows the lives of the performers, stagehands and dock workers on the Cotton Blossom, a Mississippi River show boat, over the course of 40 years from 1887 to 1927. It will be showing on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in November 2018.

10 ANNUAL EAST FUND AUCTION 22 PLAZA LIGHTING CEREMONY SMITH

9 HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS Gear up for Christmas with an animated version of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of the infamous Grinch.

Director Michael LeSieur reimagines the classic movie while still staying faithful to the original book, according to movieinsider.com.

14 SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE DEC 20-JAN WINTER BREAK