Th e
North Blue Valley North High School
December 2015
The North Star | 1
North Star Staff junior Kendall Avenia
Maya Schrieber
Jake Goldman
Michael Paul
Corey Minkoff
Jaxson Dubinsky
Jake Kaufman
Kristin Larson
Caroline White
Amanda Birger
Sammy Galapo
Gigi Wildman
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Amanda Mok
Kusal Kularatne
Sophia Clarke
Nicole Dolan
MEET RITA
Q&A with the North’s attendance secretary, Rita Mouber By Jake Goldman Q: What does your job entail? A: I have to answer the phone, check kids in and out, and find out where kids are. It’s demanding, but not stressful. Luckily, I have never lost a kid. Q: What do you enjoy about your job? A: I like to interact with the kids. Q: What are the most ridiculous excuses you’ve heard? A: I [frequently] hear that the dog died or got out. I always hear about car issues, flat tires and dead batteries. Q: Do you have to believe every story that students tell you? A: If a parent calls, I have to buy them all. Q: What is the most frequent problem that you encounter with students? A: A lot of the kids leave campus for lunch. They think they can, but they cannot. They come back in with an outside lunch. Fortunately, the kids don’t lie about leaving, which is nice. Q: If students were to bribe you with food, would you let them leave? A: I’d take the food, but I wouldn’t give them allowance. I wouldn’t help because I‘d lose my job; however, any chocolate would do. Q: What occupies your time out of school? A: I am a big walker. I usually walk everyday after school. I frequently read and go to movies. I have two grandchildren who are 6 and 9 years old. Q: Why do you sit on a ball? A: It’s for strengthening the core of my back. It’s also good for my posture. Since I’m short, it puts me up higher. Cover photo by Gigi Wildman, Inside photo by Jake Goldman
The North Star | 3
a year in news January 7, 2015
Two gunmen killed 12 staff members of the Fresh Magazine “Charlie Hebdo,” including the paper’s top editor, Stephane Charbonnier, and several cartoonists. It was the worst
terrorist attack in the country since World War II. “Je Suis
Charlie,” was a phrase created to support the freedom of speech and press after the attack.
March 4, 2015
The Boston Marathon bombing trial began for alleged
bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. He was sentenced to death by lethal injection in June. The 2013 BOSTON
MARATHON bombing was the worst terrorist attack in
the United States since 9/11.
March 11, 2015
Unarmed teen Michael Brown was shot by a police officer, sparking racial discrimination protests and riots
in FERGUSON , Missouri. Brown’s death triggered discussions on a much larger scale concerning issues of race,
JUSTICE and police violence nationwide.
April 12, 2015
Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old African-American, died after being put into a chokehold and dragged into a
POLICE van during his arrest in Baltimore, Maryland. Gray
asked for medical care and did not receive it during the arrest that preceded his death. Gray suffered from multiple injuries caused by the officers’ own bare hands, including a severed
4 | Blue Valley North High School
spinal cord. PROTESTS began in Baltimore in reaction to his death.
Briefs of the biggest news events in 2015 June 17, 2015
By Nicole Dolan
Dylann Roof, a 21-year-old white male, opened fire during a prayer service at CHARLESTON’S historically significant
Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, killing nine people, including Rev. Clementa Pinckney, a state senator and the church’s pastor. Advocates came together to support the shattered community, fight RACISM and once again push for a overhaul in gun legislation.
June 26, 2015
Ireland became the first country to legalize same-sex marriage in a national referendum and the U. S. followed soon after. A 5-4 ruling by the Supreme Court marked a historic day for equal rights.
The decision concluded a decades-long battle over whether GAY
MARRIAGE should be legalized. Under the 14th Amendment,
states must issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples and recognize same-sex unions that have been legally performed in other states.
July 10, 2015
The CONFEDERATE FLAG was removed from the
statehouse grounds during a ceremony, ending 54 years of it being on display at the Capitol.
August 21, 2015
Alek Skarlatos, Spencer Stone, Anthony Sadler and Briton Chris Norman overpowered a man heavily armed planning to attack as
he walked down the aisle on a train outside of Paris, FRANCE. Norman, Sadler, Skarlatos and Stone were awarded the Legion of Honor, France’s highest honor by President Hollande for their bravery and thwarting a potentially devastating attack. The North Star | 5
September 22, 2015 POPE Francis arrived in Washington D.C. to begin his first visit to the United States. He traveled to New York City
and Philadelphia. While in New York City, he went to the United Nations to meet with world leaders.
October 23, 2015
Hurricane Patricia becomes the most powerful TROPICAL CYCLONE ever measured in the Western
Hemisphere when its winds reached an unprecedented 200 mph.
November 1, 2015
After losing to the San Francisco Giants in game seven of the World Series last year, the Kansas City ROYALS defeat the
New York Mets in game five to win their first World Series title in since 1985. The final game ended in the 12th inning when the team scored five runs to win 7-2.
October 10, 2015
One hundred people were killed in two separate
explosions during a peace rally in Ankara, Turkey. After the
EXPLOSIONS, protesters took the streets in outrage over
the bombings.
November 13, 2015
Eight terrorists from the self-proclaimed Islamic State attacked six separate locations in Paris, France. The attackers killed 129 people and left over 350 wounded. On Nov. 16, French President Francois Hollande told France’s parliament that “FRANCE
IS AT WAR.” The French military, along with other NATO
nations, have begun air raids on Islamic State targets in Syria.
6 | Blue Valley North High School
Photos via Creative Commons
Photo by Joe Ledford
Editor’s Perspective: Death Sentence of Frazier Glenn Miller Jr. By Jake Goldman
A
s Frazier Glenn Miller Jr. was wheeled into the Johnson County courtroom, I looked deep into the eyes of the devil; a man corroded by hatred, evil and villainy set out to kill my people, the Jews. Just nineteen months before, Miller murdered 14-year-old Reat Underwood, his grandfather Dr. William Corporon, and Terri LaManno outside two Jewish centers in this community. He felt the necessity – a duty – to kill Jews. None of his victims were Jewish. “I thrive on hate,” he said. I watched the court hearing and left asking myself, “How can a human be this evil?” Very few ever encounter a person so vile. Although there are corrupt humans everywhere, I had never imagined sitting so close, only six feet away, to a remorseless killer. Aged and corrupted with hate and ignorance, he snickered at his own anti-Semitic remarks, acting childish, yet wicked. He called himself a patriot, but in reality, he was a coward and a disgrace to everything our country stands for. The families of the three victims made statements. Curly-haired Lukas Losen – just 13-years old –
timidly approached the podium, leaving the safety of his family to face his brother’s killer. Tears welled in his eyes as he powerfully squinted and turned his head toward Miller, indignantly making eye contact. “On that afternoon, I lost my childhood in a split second.” His voice quivered; Miller was silent. Before the tragedy, he was a boy; after, he became a man. Lukas then described watching his grandmother, Melinda, “try to exist with a broken heart.” She lost her companion of 51 years, an emergency room doctor that would have cared for anyone, even a sickened Miller. Still, the killer sat silent. Later, Alissa LaManno walked defiantly towards the man that murdered her mother. Speaking in public, she said, was a difficult task, but in light of what happened, Alissa could not remain silent. “With every positive moment in my life, I will also feel pain. I wish I had one more hour with my mom.” Remaining silent, Miller focused his soulless black eyes on the floor. As I listened to the monologues of the victims and to Miller, I was taken back to April 13, 2015, one
year after these three innocent people were murdered. More than 3,000 members of the community walked together as one, past the two Jewish centers where the three were killed. I felt religions bridged, cultures blended, and families united. Miller failed. His senseless acts of hate brought our community together as people from all denominations walked beside each other. No longer did we see differences but similarities – united in the pursuit of peace and kindness. The movement had only just begun. I pray Miller realizes that he’s mired in hatred. I pray Miller encourages others not go down a similar path as he did. I pray Miller sees light in his heart to change. Although I pray for that man, I know it’s too late to save him. I hope, however, that my community sees a difference - a difference between the hatred of one man and the power of a family to band against evil and spread love within a community. We must speak up and teach our children, our peers, and our neighbors that faith, love and kindness are the ripple to change the world. The North Star | 7
Eccentricity in a Sea
The halls of BVN are filled with students dressed in Lululemon, Patagonia and Vineyard Vines, making it difficult to find individuality in a sea of what often seems to be the same. Some students, however, transcend the bounds of BVN fashion scene by wearing what they prefer, regardless of what others think.
By Caroline White
Kennedy Feuerborn Freshman
Q: How would you describe your style? A: My style is probably considered New York Street Style. I like to wear classic things, neutral colors, and I really like simple things with some accents. Q: Do you find it difficult dressing for your height (6”2)? A: I don’t find it extremely difficult. Usually pants are hard because my legs are on the thin side, so I have to find pants that are small and long enough. Q: How are you going to adjust your style to the cold weather that is to come? A: I’ll probably wear a lot of boots. I also wear jeans pretty much all year round so those usually keep me warm along with bundling up with jackets and coats. You can find jackets anywhere. They keep you warm while still being trendy. Q: What are some of the benefits of dressing to stand out? A: I’ve never liked dressing the same way as everyone else. I think that I get a lot of attention for what I wear, and I guess that’s nice. That’s not necessarily why I do it though. I don’t really care what other people think. It’s just what I find to be stylish. I think you should wear what you want to wear whether it’s dressing like everyone else or standing out. It’s just what you find the most comfortable or stylish. 8 | Blue Valley North High School
of Conformity Sam Brown
Zachary Lacy
Q: Who or what inspires your style? A: I have a lot of people that inspire me. Sometimes I just see random people on Tumblr and social media and I’m like “Oh, I can get an idea from that and incorporate it into my style.” People like Tyler the Creator have had a big influence on me. He just doesn’t care about anything, and that grew on me in that I shouldn’t care either. ASAP Rocky and Ian Connor are also inspirations along with bands like the Arctic Monkeys and The Strokes.
Q: How would you describe your style? A: I would say my style is similar to 90s’ hip hop in a way, but more minimalist and simple. I like monochromatic things, like when I have white which matches white.
Junior
(As seen on the cover)
Q: What motto do you use when picking your outfits? A: Don’t worry too much. If you have a risky outfit, just go with it. Don’t overthink it. If you dress yourself up, then you’re trying to get people’s attention. Dress like you want to get attention and don’t go for less. Q: If you had to pick one accessory/ clothing that you couldn’t live without, what would it be? A: Shoes. Converse are stylish, but Vans are more my personal preference. I always buy shoes and I need to stop. I used to have these maroon (vans) that I got in California. I wore them for a good year and a half before they finally wore out. Those were my favorite because I got them in California and it kind of influenced my style.
Sophomore
Q: Has your french-canadian heritage influenced your style? A: Definitely. [Here] everyone sponsors creativity, but they don’t actually want to see it. They support it and they’re all for it, but they don’t actually follow through with it. There’s an amazing music scene in Montreal, and I think music is intertwined a lot with fashion in that you emulate what you want to be, and music does that too. So I guess it’s almost parisian but it’s not, it’s obviously Quebec. Q: Where do you shop? A: All of it is online, really. I like American Apparel here, that’s one of my favorite stores for basics. For more unique clothing I like APC and there’s a really cool exchange market called Asos where you can find cheap things along with vintage stores. Q: Are you often inspired by art? A: Yes, that’s a major factor. I’m not into classical artists, I’m more into new “new age,” like digital artists like Chloe Wise. She does a lot of critiques on society in interesting ways, like some could be graphic in some peoples’ views, but it’s art and we have to have a distance. The North Star | 9
Is Jimmy Johns re T
he first sandwich was invented over 200 years ago when the fourth Earl of Sandwich refused to leave his gambling table. Ever since then, the sandwich industry has reformed and revolutionized to fit its customers’ needs. Jimmy John’s, a sandwich restaurant chain with over 2,000 stores in 43 states, is one of these pioneering sandwich shops. Ever since 19-year-old Jimmy John Liautaud opened his first store in 1983, Jimmy John’s has been hard set on making customers happy by following their slogan, “freaky fast delivery.” Jimmy John’s is widely known for its speed in sandwich making and delivery; however, its advertisements may be deceiving. Is Jimmy John’s really freaky fast? “We get sandwiches to people before they think we will get there. That’s what qualifies us as freaky fast,” sandwich delivering veteran Mitch Yeomens said. Yeomens has worked for Jimmy John’s for almost three years and tries to live up to the expectations that Jimmy John’s advertises. “It’s in the job description - freaky fast - so we just have to live up to that,” Yeomens said. Despite a staff that tries to live to what they promise, freaky fast is not always attainable. “I’ve been getting Jimmy John’s since it opened [in the Leawood location], but they aren’t that fast. Sometimes they can deliver fast, but a lot of times they take around half an hour,” senior Jed Schaffer said. Schaffer is not alone in his thoughts about Jimmy Johns. Many Twitter users and reviews of Jimmy John’s reveal that other customers are unhappy about the speed of Jimmy Johns’ sandwich deliveries. “[Being freaky fast] is unrealistic in the way we advertise
10 | Blue Valley North High School
eally freaky fast? A senior farewell by Michael Paul
deliveries. Lots of time people expect orders to take under 15 minutes, which really is impossible,” Jimmy John’s worker Spencer Carpenter said. Carpenter explains that many Jimmy John’s locations are understaffed, so one or two drivers are charged with delivering sometimes more than ten sandwiches. “If we had more drivers, I think we could be faster, but freaky fast is a little deceptive because of being understaffed,” Carpenter said. “We do the best we can, but it’s sometimes just impossible to live up to the expectations that are set for us.” Workers still do what they can to make deliveries as fast as they can. “We take a lot of measures to speed up the delivery,” Carpenter said. Some of these measures include using only cold food so that there is no cooking time required, and delivering within a two mile radius of a Jimmy Johns store. Despite the slow deliveries, inside the shop, sandwiches are made much faster; usually under 30 seconds. “All the sandwich materials are laid out so that it takes very little time to actually make the sandwich,” Yeomens said. “We can usually have the sandwich ready before the customer has paid.” “I ordered my sandwich and then stood waiting for a few minutes but the workers weren’t doing anything. A lady that worked there said that my sandwich was ready to eat and was sitting on the counter… I didn’t even realize that it had been ready the whole time,” Schaffer said. Jimmy John’s does not have freaky fast delivery, only freaky fast food assembly.
The North Star | 11
Holiday Traditions
Everyone has his or her own holiday traditions. Take a look at how some North students enjoy this time of the year.
By Kristin Larson
Christmas
Christmas is the annual festival of the Christian church commemorating the birth of Jesus. It’s celebrated on December 25 and now generally observed as a legal holiday and as an occasion for exchanging gifts.
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T
he celebration of Christmas continues all year long at Meghan Peavey’s house because they never take down their Christmas tree. It has stood tall in their basement for the past seven years. Christmas is one of Peavey’s favorite holidays because her family unites to participate in Christmas festivities. “Every Christmas Eve we go to my grandparents house with the six cousins on my Dad’s side of the family. We all open presents together, have dinner and make Christmas sugar cookies that we decorate with icing.” Peavey said. On Christmas day, Peavey, her three siblings, four dogs and parents all gather around the tree and open presents together. Peavey’s mom then makes a gourmet breakfast of eggs, bacon, cinnamon rolls, and a breakfast casserole while they all enjoy family time. Christmas time is special for the Peavey’s because her two oldest siblings come home from college. Will Elliott begins his countdown to Christmas as early as September.
He claims it is the greatest holiday of the year. On December 1, Will and his mom begin their tradition of putting Christmas themed puzzles together. It gets them in the holiday spirit. In mid December, Will’s six cousins come in from Georgia and stay with his family for a month. “Putting up the Christmas tree and all th lights in decorations is the best. It’s definitely my favorite holiday.” On Christmas Eve Will and his family open up all of their presents from their relatives in England because when it is Christmas Eve here it is Christmas day overseas. This ritual allows them to celebrate the holiday together even though they are thousands of miles apart. “We have a huge feast on Christmas day with either Chinese food or a traditional feast with turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing.”
Hanukkah is a Jewish festival lasting eight days. It is celebrated from the 25th day of the month of Kislev to the 2nd of Tevet in commemoration of the rededication of the Temple by the Maccabees following their victory over the Syrians under Antiochus IV and is characterized chiefly by the lighting of the menorah on each night of the festival.
Hanukkah
Hanukkah is one of Rose Azorsky’s favorite holidays because her whole family comes together to celebrate. “Every year we go to my Grandma’s house and we always have the same meal. We have brisket, a potato casserole, a green bean casserole, and Hanukkah cookies in the shapes of stars and menorahs.” After dinner all of Azorsky’s family sits together on her Grandmother’s couch and opens their presents together. “Each night of Hanukkah my
family gathers together to light the menorah, sing songs and say prayers. On the first night we always sing the shehekianu which is recited when you do something for the first time.” A special tradition for Azorsky’s family occurs on the sixth night of Hanukkah each year. “Every year on the sixth night of Hanukkah my family attends services at the synagogue to honor my Grandpa who passed away on the sixth night.” Each night of Hanukkah Abby Flekier and her family always make
sure to take out time of their nights to celebrate. Flekier and each of her two brothers all have their own individual menorahs that they all light together each night. “We all open presents we get for one another every night.” Flekier and her family have a family meal dinner every night of Hanukkah or join family friends. Her favorite holiday dish is latkas. “Its a lot of fun because everyone is happy and it is a great time of the year to celebrate.”
The North Star | 13
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Warming Up the Holidays By Am
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14 | Blue Valley North High School
anda
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The North Star | 15
By Gigi Wildman
Ralph Lauren Polo Red. $25.00 at Ulta.
GIFT GUIDE
What’s Your Poo Telling You? $8.45 at Target. For those considering a career in
scatology. Warning: Hilarious illustrations inside.
14 trendy and affordable gift ideas for the friend that’s impossible to shop for Dwight
Victorinox Swisscard
Shirt. $11.99 on chillibull. com. (Bears. Beats. Battle Star Galactica.)
Lite Pocket Tool in Black. Also comes in blue and red. $25.09 on Amazon. Features 13 tools, including: blade, scissors, ruler, tweezers, magnifying glass, ballpoint pen, screwdriver. For those who like to live dangerously.
Trader Joe’s
Chocolate
Covered Potato Chips. $2.99 at Trader Joe’s. To the skeptics: If you don’t like them, I will finish them for you.
CHUP Triphon Socks. $35.00 at jcrew.com. These socks are just
downright cool.
16 | Blue Valley North High School
Buckyballs.
$7.99 on miniinthebox.com.
Bib Necklace with Stones in Multicolor. $24.99 at Target. Guaranteed to make a t-shirt and
Sweet Briar Notebook in Coral. $12.95 at
jeans look
anthropologie.
chic.
com. So cute, you might actually write in it. If not, it’ll look adorable sitting on your desk.
The Sartorialist: X. $21.77 at Barnes and Noble. The
streetstyle guide for the ultimate
fashionable teen.
Kate Spade Insulated Tumbler. $18.00 at
katespade.com.
Water tastes better in a Kate Spade cup. The New Neutrals by Essie. $25.50 at Nordstrom. Radiate those winter vibes in these
shimmery new shades.
Disco Drop Earrings in Multicolor. $35.00 Balsam and Cedar Candle. $18.00 at anthropologie.com. Your room is guaranteed to
at jcrew.com. It’s J.Crew, they’re gorgeous.
smell like Christmas when this candle is burning.
The North Star | 17
HIT THE LIGHTS
BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE PLAZA LIGHTS BY AMANDA BIRGER
T
ens of thousands of people gather at the Country Club Plaza every year to watch the world-famous plaza lighting ceremony. The event is one of Kansas City’s most renowned and celebrated attractions as the country’s largest ceremonial lighting display. The ceremony is televised, along with performances by various artists before and after the flip of the big light switch. Putting up the lights for the first ceremony took one man and a ladder. Before it was a nationally recognized ceremony, the tradition began by stringing 16 lights over a doorway in 1926 on the Plaza’s first building. When the Plaza expanded, so did the tradition. As buildings were added, lights followed. All 280,000 multicolored LED and incandescent bulbs stretch over 80 miles, and are hung individually by a three-man crew of electricians. The crew begins the tedious task of hanging the lights in August, and works testing lights and replacing bulbs daily until Thanksgiving. Leading up to the ceremony, different blocks or sections of streets are tested individually. A test run is held the night before Thanksgiving. On the big day, the crew members spend Thanksgiving Day with their families, but are expected to report back to the plaza at 4 p.m. to check for any last minute problems. At 6:54 p.m., when it’s time to flip the switch, each crew member stands at their appointed spot. They are ready with the backup switches in case any electrical problems occur, even though the lights have lit up on queue for all of the ceremony’s 85 years. Kansas City based company Capital Electric runs the show. The company is in charge of selecting
18 | Blue Valley North High School
members for the light crew and ensuring that there are no electrical issues. Matt Deardorff, foreman and member of the three-man electrician crew, has been working with the team since 2006. It’s a rare occasion when crew members opt not to come back to the team, so when that does happen, the remaining team members are immediately on the hunt for a new associate. According to Deardorff, working on the plaza lights is an exciting job that not many people can manage. “Training takes a long time,” Deardorff said. He explained how difficult it is to teach new teammembers. The job requires extensive training, and the trainee often needs a member of the team to chaperone or guide them for a lot of their work because they don’t know where things go or how to work the equipment. In order to reach the tops of all of the buildings and towers, the tallest of which nears 140 feet, the team uses lifts and repels off of the roofs. “Everything that we do is safe. We wear repelling gear and we work all of the electrical stuff dead so there is no risk of electrocution,” Deardorff said. Safety is a big part of the job and the team goes through a lot of training to ensure that they are educated enough to know how to do everything safely. According to Deardorff, seeing all of the countless hours of stringing lights and replacing bulbs come to life on the night of the ceremony is well worth the work. The thousands of people who come to see the ceremony on the night of Thanksgiving stand in awe of the lights and the beautiful display every year. It is a tradition that is special to Kansas City, “we are proud to be a part of it,” Deardorff said.
Photo via Creative Commons
CC photo courtesy of Brent Flanders
The Boy Who Lived is Back By Sophia Clarke
W
ith many series making a comeback, you might have missed the news that the famous young wizard Harry Potter and his “Wizarding World” are also on their way back. As an avid Harry Potter fan, I’m shocked at the number of fans who don’t realize what is going on. Two major additions are being made to the beloved wizarding world. The first, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, was a play written by JK Rowling as the 8th story in the Harry Potter series. This will feature a grownup Harry and his youngest son, Albus Severus, as he begins his first year at Hogwarts. In short, it will pick up just where the epilogue left off. The play will be in two parts and will debut at the Palace Theatre London in July of 2016. The second new development, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, is set to be a movie trilogy. Screenplays will be written by JK Rowling. This story will not include Harry, but is instead centered around Newt Scamander, a wizard living in New York in 1926 (nearly 70 years before Harry’s time). In 2016, 19 years
after the first book was published, we get to go back to Hogwarts. “I am super ecstatic for Fantastic Beasts and where to find them because I love Harry Potter and I’ve been wanting a new movie or book to come out for such a long time.” Sophomore Ashmika Behere said. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them began merely as a book referenced by Hermione Granger in
Harry Potter, but in 2001 JK Rowling decided to make the book a reality. JK Rowling announced in September of 2013 that she would be working on a screenplay surrounding the book’s author, Newt Scamander. In the original Harry Potter series, Newt Scamander is referenced as a historical figure. To fully tell Scamander’s story, JK Rowling decided to go back in time. The movie will be set in 1920s New York, 70 years before Harry’s story begins. The movie, coming to theaters November, 2016, will not be the only one of its kind. Warner Brother’s CEO, Kevin Tsujihara, announced in an interview with The New York Times that the story would be a trilogy. It was also confirmed that Eddie Redmayne, who won
“Harry Potter is such a big part of my childhood, and I am so excited to see it back on the big screen!” Victoria Gaa, Sophomore
the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2015 for The Theory of Everything, will be playing the lead role of Newt Scamander. A more complete cast list was later announced, including Katherine Waterston, Colin Farrell, and Ezra Miller. “Hopefully I will be able to go to the midnight premiere.” Behere said. We thought the story of Harry Potter ended with the epilogue in Deathly Hallows, but in 2013 JK Rowling announced that she was working on a new play that would bring the wizarding world to us again. It was later revealed that this new play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, would follow the lives of a 35 year old Harry Potter and his second child, Albus Severus Potter. JK Rowling is using the theatre expertise of Jack Thorne and John Tiffany to help her bring Harry Potter to the stage. Of course, as with all projects she does, JK Rowling will be entirely involved and have the final word on what happens to her characters, a relief to many devoted Harry Potter fans. These new developments pose many questions. What more can Harry get himself into? Can Voldemort rise again? Does anyone else have to die? What house will Albus Severus be sorted into? One thing is clear, fans will be able to rejoice in the wonderful world of Harry Potter. The North Star | 19
*HEAvY BREATHiNG* A NEW STAR WARS FILM IS SOON TO BE AMONG US ONCE MORE WITH THE RELEASE OF EPISODE 7, THE FORCE AWAKENS, AND WE COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED. by jake kaufman and Corey minkoff
WHAT TO EXPECT
Photo taken from wallbasehq.net
From the trailers, alone, it is clear that Episode VII is going to set itself aside entirely from the disaster that was the prequel trilogy, from the powerful allusions to the original storyline involving the Empire and the legacy left behind by Darth Vader, to the return of original cast members like Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher. Fans have clearly noticed this as well. Theaters across the nation are already experiencing sellouts. Critics aren’t expecting this growth to end any time soon, with some analysts predicting that it could generate as much as $3 billion in the box office, outselling James Cameron’s Avatar to acheive the highest worldwide box office gross profit.
HERE’S THE DEAL... There’s a lot to be excited about with the new release, especially if you’ve been keeping up with the series since its origins. Many fans found themselves disappointed with the prequels (ourselves included), seeing them as off-kilter compared to the original standards of intricate special effects, intense plot development, and strong character choices. Let’s face it, just thinking about Jar Jar Binks is enough to make any fan weep in agony. From the trailers and statements made by the producers of the newest film, however, it would seem that The Force Awakens is going to leave Star Wars fans feeling anything but disappointment. 20 | Blue Valley North High School
CC photos via Flickr
WHY WE’RE EXCITED If you’re having trouble wrapping your head around all this hysteria, just ask some of your peers what they think all the fuss is about, like Max Peterson, a senior at Blue Valley North. When Peterson was in third grade, he came down with a case of the flu. At the same time, there just so happened to be a Star Wars marathon on Spike. “When I was a kid, my dad was obsessed with Star Wars. He recorded them so when I was sick I could watch them,” Peterson said. Ever since then, Peterson has been an avid fan of the entirety of the Star Wars franchise. Fans like Peterson love the style of the films originally directed by George Lucas, and later on Irvin Kershner and Richard Marquand. Still, people are excited about the signature of A-list director, JJ Abrams, onto the newest film. According to Peterson, Abrams is one of the key factors in what’s going to make the upcoming Star Wars a box office hit. “I believe JJ is more focused on making it a quality film than making profit. He’s definitely more focused on bringing back the quality that the original trilogy had, and not looking at all the visual effects and computer graphics,” Peterson said. “He likes to use a real set, real pieces and real effects.” Along with the great additions that Abrams brings to the franchise, the cast he’s bringing in is also reason for excitement. “I love the fact that they’re bringing back all the old characters, such as Chewbacca and Han Solo, and we get to see how they’ve developed over a 30 year span,” Peterson said. Peterson believes that one of Abrams’ biggest challenges is getting people to understand Star Wars without having seen the others. “I started with the original trilogy, then I went to the prequels, but you would think that because there’s a whole new generation that hasn’t seen Star Wars, and will be seeing it for the first time in theaters, they probably put into consideration that there’s a whole new audience that’s wanting to know what Star Wars is and why it’s so popular,” Peterson said.
THE BIG PICTURE Whether you’ve seen the previous Star Wars films or not, there’s no denying that The Force Awakens is going to be one of the top films of the year. Star Wars was our whole childhood. The release of Episode VII has reawakened the child within us, and once again, we are able to re-experience all of the magic that led us to fall in love with these incredible films in the first place. These movies changed our lives. The least we can do as superfans is hope that they have just as much of an impact on our peers as they did on us. The North Star | 21
T
hey were raised in the 2000s, came of age in the 2010s, and are teens today: this is Generation Z. “All of us have had some form of social media outlet, but wkids in the millenials didn’t necessarily have that.” said freshman, Mickey McMahon. “I also think we use technology to our advantage, to grow from that.” While there are multiple definitions on the exact start of Generation Z, many marketing firms and researchers agree that they were born onwards from 1995 to the present day. mainly comprised of students still in school. “The oldest members of this cohort are warely 18 and they’re already getting a bad rap,” said business consultant Jeremy Finch. “They have the weight of saving the world and fixing our past mistakes on their small shoulders.” Of the people that were interviewed, the three most common words to chosen to describe Generation Z were: individualistic, creative, and connected.
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HA DO T I ES S G AB T EN O HE E RI UT W RA G TH O TIO H W T? E RL RO A M? D N Z TO N RE AR THI ? W G TH E NK H F ? O IN TI EY TH AT UT D M EY E .
Ge ner at
ion
Z
by Ku sal win Ku lar at
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22 | Blue Valley North High School
WHAT MAKES GEN Z UNIQUE? As pioneers of the 21st-century, Generation Z were the first to truly integrate the internet into their lives. Whether it’s through smartphones, tablets, or smart watches, they’ve always had the internet within an arm’s reach. “We have a lot more technology,” freshman Shantha Burt said, “I think how much we use it and rely on it, we don’t even realize that back then, we didn’t have it at all.” As the Millennials set the stage for media sharing through Facebook, Generation Z was the wave that followed up with social media with apps like Instagram,
Online shopping is a key feature of this generation. Market researchers estimate that Generation Z holds an annual income of $44 billion per year. Similarly, many businesses and marketers agree that Gen Z’ers are a key market to touch, especially since they already have a lot of capital from their parents and jobs, and the fact that they will be joining the workforce soon. “Tweens and teens of today are primed to become the dominant youth influencers of tomorrow,” New York Times writer Alex Williams said. “Flush with billions in spending power, they are...the next big thing cultural observers and trend forecasters.” Unlike previous generations, when diversity and equality were not accepted by the mainstream public yet, much of Generation Z are very open-minded towards other people and new ideas. “I mean, if you just look around our school, you can see a lot of diversity programs,” McMahon said. “And they’re very accepting to all forms of people.” Many social researchers and analyzers attribute this trait to the conflicting and rapidly changing new decade that many Gen Z’ers grew up in. “Gen Z has had two terms of an African American president, tackled bullying online and in school, and watched the nation go from conflict to acceptance and approval of gay marriage,” said Forbes writer, Laura Heller. “They are more open minded, practical and solution-oriented than their Millennial elders.” Last but not least, Generation Z is known to hop on the bandwagon, as new trends are instantaneously shared all over the world through the internet. As such, many members also have a certain “fear of missing out”, a trait that researchers call “FOMO”. “FOMO”.
WHAT ARE SOME MISCONCEPTIONS? “The media has painted Gen Z as a bunch of socially inept citizens,” Finch said. “In reality, Gen Z is under immense pressure to simultaneously manage their personal and professional brands to help them fit in while also standing out.” Though it is true that teenagers of any generation tend
“The millennial generation infamously pioneered the Facebook beer-bong selfie,” said New-York-based trend consultant, Dan Gould. “But many in Generation Z have embraced later, anonymous social media platforms like...Snapchat. ‘As far as privacy, they are aware of their personal brand, and have seen older [Millennials] screw up by posting too openly.” Moreover, a 2014 study by the Center of Disease Control (CDC)found that alcohol consumption by teens has reduced by over 30% since the 1980s. Teen birth rates have reduced by 60% since the 1960s. Additionally, some critics complain that this generation has too short of an attention span (studies approximate this at 8.25 seconds on average), which signifies a lack of intelligence. “We found that Gen Z actually has what we’re calling highly evolved “eight-second filters,” Finch said. “They’ve grown up in a world where their options are limitless but their time is not. As such, Gen Z has adapted to quickly sorting through and assessing enormous amounts of information.” Regardless, other critics confuse the Millennials with Generation Z, and assume that today’s students are brash, narcissistic, and have no control for their future. “Whereas millennials were criticized for their lack of focus, Gen Z are determined to plan ahead,” Finch said. “They’re committed to avoiding the mistakes their meandering millennial predecessors made.” Along with a weaker economy and lower job opportunities in the future, today’s teens are starting to take control of their lives, and plan out their goals as they approach college and careers. “Put it all together — the privacy, the caution, the focus on sensible careers — and Generation Z starts to look less like the brash millennials and more like their grandparents,” said social research consultant Neil Howe. Which leads to the final point about Generation Z: not only are they the most careerfocused generation of all time, but as Howe says, they are also going to be the richest. The North Star | 23
AT
THE END OF THE DAY...
No matter what decade it may be, the younger generations will always come under criticism from their elders. However there are times when such criticisms become hyperbolized, so it is important to avoid such fallacies of ad hominem attacks, exaggeration, and just pure guilt-by association. Additionally, it is key to stick to the facts, and listen to what the opposing points of view have to say, especially the students. “I’m proud of us, I’m proud of who we are as people [and] sometimes, we might have negative aspects that I’m not proud of ” said Rai. “But then again, everything comes with pros and cons, no one can be the best at everything.” Courtesy of Creative Commons.
A VISUAL COMPARE & CONTRAST GENERATION
BORN PERSONALITY/TRAITS
INFLUENCES SOCIAL MEDIA
1965-1978 • • • • •
X
Balanced Lifestyle Cynical/skeptical Money-driven Result-oriented Self-reliant Cold War, Dual-income households, Energy Crisis, Watergate scandal
GENERATION 1979-1997
Y
GENERATION
Z
1998-ongoing
• Caring/concerned • Enthusiastic • Pragmatic • Quick-thinking • Socially accepting Post-9/11, economic recession, Portable tech, 9/11, electronic rising divorce rates, diversity gaming, high-pressure movements
• • • • •
Confident Fast-moving Optimistic Social/friendly Tolerant of others
None Facebook, Kik, Viber Calls only (maybe email) Calling and texting TECHNOLOGY Cellphone Desktop Computer COMMUNICATION Merged families, rising First dual-income families, FAMILY divorces first “working moms Fast-paced, ambitious, Structured, results-only, “get CAREER/WORK entrepreneurial the job done” Many people from this This generation is currently generation are currently WHERE ARE THEY NOW? parents to teens and tweens graduating college and taking over the workforce. 24 | Blue Valley North High School from Gen Z.
Instagram, Snapchat, Tumblr Text, GroupMe, iMessage Smartphones and tablets Diversified, step-families, “stayat-home” parents Multi-tasking, efficient, practical, online-driven Children to Generation X, they are still in college and/or K-12, and will join the workforce in 10 years.
Senior Column
Maya Schreiber
I will be graduating in a few weeks. Here is my senior column, a semster early. Thank you to all the teachers, staff, and students who have contributed to a great four years.
D
uring the weeks attempting, and failing, to write this column, I’ve been forced to reflect -- to compare the person I was entering these halls for the very first time and the person I am now leaving them. The difference is enormous. I’ve lost an innocence and gained a confidence. So, I’m both mourning my loss and celebrating and growth. I used to have an unconditional positivity. believing that the good would always overpower the bad. I could avoid difficulties solely with my mentality. Every senior can point to that one moment they began changing, maturing, truly growing up. My moment was April 13, 2014. That shooting caused my family to suffer uniquely compared to the majority of the community. My father was the CEO of the JCC. But I also changed. I began to understand that I would face struggles, against my will. I miss my complete faith in living a purely positive life. That was my moment. Many followed. While I’ve lost, I’ve also gained. Discovering and developing my many new abilities, I became confident and excited by what I was able to accomplish.
Honestly, I’ve mainly used my capabilities outside the walls of North in extracurriculars and various activities. But that development would have been impossible without the new perspectives found here. It’s completely cliche to talk about loving AP Euro, but few seem to talk about why. Sure the material was super interesting and Mr. Breedlove was incredible. But most importantly, this class taught me new perspectives — new ways of thinking. I learned how to analyze and problem solve through the skills required for that class. These skills have been essential both inside and outside of North. But the most important lesson I’ve learned during my years here was perfectly summed up by a sliver of paper I found on my windshield a few days ago. It read “Make A Difference.” That’s what I’ve learned most about myself. I can and want to impact others. And I encourage all of you to do the same in order to provoke a very specific change at North. All you have to do is:
. e l i m S
Our school has perpetually been criticized for being unfriendly, judgemental and cliquey. It’s true. It’s our culture. We’re afraid to converse with peers not in our friend group. We look to form temporary relationships with those in our classrooms, not long lasting ones. We’re afraid to be seen talking to those “uncool” kids. Can you honestly say that you are equally as friendly and as accepting during school as you are outside? I know I’m not. There’s something about these halls, this culture, which makes us afraid to fully befriend and accept those we don’t know. And the amount of students who acknowledge this issue is gigantic. So if most of us agree we have an issue, change it. Make a difference. Be the person to smile at the peer sitting alone in class or looking somber in the halls. Be the person to break this
culture.
Every single person is worth getting to know. You’ll only gain from what they have to offer. So smile. Make a difference. Change this culture.
Goodbye BVN! The North Star | 25
Big 12 Conference Basketball Preview By Sam Galapo n Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016, the Big 12 Basketball Conference will begin play for the 2015-2016 season. The Big 12 was one of the best basketball conferences in the nation last year having 7 of its 10 teams reach the NCAA Tournament, the most by any conference in the nation. With most of last year’s stars returning for a shot at a Big 12 championship, and in some cases a national championship, this year’s Big 12 basketball season looks to be as good as, if not better than, last year’s. The ten teams in the conference have separated themselves into three tiers: championship contenders - Kansas, Iowa State, and Oklahoma, conference noisemakers - Baylor, West Virginia, Texas, and Oklahoma State, and progress seekers - Texas Tech, Texas Christian, and Kansas State. Here’s how the tiers break down:
With Senior forwards Rico Gathers and Taurean Prince, and Junior forward Johnathan Motley, the Baylor Bears have one of the most formidable frontcourts in the country. “Prince, Gathers and Motley form what might be the Big 12’s best frontcourt. All three are efficient scorers and top-notch rebounders” Forgrave said. Baylor’s formidable front line has the potential to make some noise in conference play this season.
Last season the Mountaineers installed a new full-court press system that revitalized the program and led them to an 11-7 conference record. “The frenetic full-court press installed before last season turned “PressVirginia” into one of the most exciting teams in the country,” Forgrave said. West Virginia’s maniacal full-court pressure defense,could propel them back into Big 12 title contention.
Oklahoma State returns last season’s second leading scorer, and one of the best 3-point shooters in the country, Senior guard Phil Forte, and incoming Freshman point guard Juwan Evans, a McDonald’s All-American, has been impressive so far. If OSU can put it together around their starting backcourt they could be in for a good Big 12 run, if not it’s going to be a long winter in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Texas finished conference play with an 8-10 conference record last season, but new coach, Shaka Smart, looks to turn around a disappointing team with his intense “Havoc” defense. “Smart is bringing Havoc to Austin, where he’s taking over a hugely talented Texas team”, Forgrave said. With Smart’s coaching on defense and Junior guard Isaiah Taylor’s scoring on offense the Longhorns are in good shape for the Big 12.
Kansas State lost a lot of players from last year’s middle-of-the pack team, and aren’t expected to play well this season as a result. The players they retained from last season’s team only acounted for 8.6% and 48.1% of the team’s scoring and rebounding, respectively, last season.
Texas Tech brings back a pair of impressive freshmen from last season, Norense Odiase and Zach Smith, to lead their team this season. “They have a young team that could conceivably make the [NCAA] tournament in the coming years”, Sports Illustrated writer, Matt Ostrowski, said.
The Horned Frogs will look to their frontcourt of Junior forwards Karviar Shepherd, Chris Washburn, and Kenrich Williams, to lead the team. TCU isn’t likely to win many games but they have the potential to pull a few conference upsets like they have in previous seasons.
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26 | Blue Valley North High School
Conference Title Contenders
Coming off of last year’s conference best 13-5 conference record, the Jayhawks are the preseason favorite to win the Big 12 Championship. “They could easily be a top-10 team in offensive and defensive efficiency—and therefore a true [national] contender,” Luke Winn, a writer for Sports Illustrated, said. Kansas is led by Preseason All Big 12 Team member Perry Ellis. Ellis, a senior, was also placed on the Preseason Karl Malone Award watch list, an award given to the best power forward in Division I College Basketball. Ellis will most likely be the lead scorer which will allow high-energy incoming Freshman, Cheick Diallo, to focus on blocking shots and anchoring the Jayhawks defensively. Coach Bill Self has one of the deepest teams in the country, with almost 12 guys, including Ellis and Diallo, looking to play significant minutes for the team. With Kansas’ mix of talent, and depth, especially in the frontcourt, the Jayhawks will be a force to be reckoned with in both the Big 12 Conference and in the NCAA Tournament. “Kansas looks like the deepest, most balanced team in the nation and will be my preseason pick to win it all,” Fox Sports analyst Reid Forgrave said.
Iowa State finished tied for second last year in Big 12 conference play; however, last year’s coach, Fred Hoiberg, left for the NBA. Former Murray State coach, Steve Prohm, has taken over this team, which is loaded with talent. “[Prohm] is in the pressure-filled spot of having a Final Four-capable team during his first season as a major conference head coach,” Forgrave said. On his “Final-Four capable team” Prohm has the all-around capabilities of Senior Preseason All-American, Georgis Niang. Niang is one of the best offensive players in the entire country. He can shoot 3s, post up, makes good decisions passing the ball, and is a good rebounder. Prohm also has one of the better point guards in the nation in Junior Monte Morris. Morris has led the nation in assist-to-turnover ration the past two seasons all while being the team’s second leading scorer. With the offensive firepower from their star forward and a leap from their point guard, the Cyclones will contend for that top spot in the Big 12 and possibly a Big 12 Championship that would end Kansas’ dominant reign in the conference. What a way that would be to begin the Prohm era in Ames, Iowa.
After last year’s unexpected success in conference play, a 12-6 second place campaign, the Sooners are looking to prove that last year’s success was no fluke. Oklahoma is led by Senior Preseason AllAmerican and Big 12 Player of the Year, Buddy Hield. Hield was also named the conference player of the year for the 2014-2015 season, and led the entire Big 12 conference in scoring at 17.4 points per game. “Hield, last year’s POY in the league, has turned into a stellar, well-rounded college player, and if he completely lifts Oklahoma to a big run, don’t be shocked if he’s taken in the top 20 of June’s draft,” Matt Norlander said. Since Hield led the team to an elite eight appearance in last year’s NCAA Tournament, expectations have been running high in Sooner nation. Oklahoma began the season ranked as the eighth best team in the nation according to the Preseason AP Poll. The Sooners also landed in the ninth spot on Dick Vitale’s National Preseason Top 40, two spots behind the Cyclones, and three behind the Jayhawks. “Buddy Hield will battle for national player of the year while leading the Sooners to Big 12 contention”, ESPN analyst Dick Vitale said. The North Star | 27
Andrew McLeod
Senior commits to play soccer at Northwestern University
By Jaxson Dubinsky
28 | Blue Valley North High School
M
oving here from Jamaica, when he was in the third grade; senior Andrew McLeod will be living out his dream next year when he is playing soccer at Northwestern University. “The decision wasn’t really that difficult for me. When I visited [Northwestern] last January, I felt like I needed to be there,” Andrew McLeod said. According to US News, Northwestern University is 12th ranked scholastic university in the United States; however, they have high quality athletic programs as well. “They have a really good soccer program. They’ve won the Big Ten Conference many times, and they’re doing pretty well this year. Also, their coach has been there for a long time, so it’s a good fit,” Andrew McLeod said. Despite earning a soccer scholarship, Andrew doesn’t intend to only improve his skills between the white lines. Academics played a big role in his decision as to where he wanted to play soccer. “Before I began getting recruited, I would first factor how good a school was academically and then how good the soccer program was. Those were really the two main factors, so Northwestern was always really high on the radar,” Andrew McLeod said. Northwestern was not the only school interested in having Andrew attend their institution to both play soccer and get an education. “Some of the other schools that I was talking to were Yale, Cornell, Saint Louis University and Loyola,” Andrew McLeod said.
Universities don’t always go out of their way to seek high school athletes. In many cases, it’s expected that athletes reach out and show their interest in the universities they want to go to. “With soccer, [an athlete] can’t get recruited until September 1 of his or her junior year, but I kept reaching out to a lot of different schools that I was hoping to go to or at least talk to,” Andrew McLeod said. The main school that McLeod wanted to talk with was Northwestern University. “After reaching out to [Northwestern], the coach came to watch one of my games in Florida. That’s how it started. For me, being recruited was a short window of about five months, but it was an exciting five months. There was a lot going on with different schools, calling and reaching out to me.” Andrew McLeod said. High school soccer players have to make the decision whether to play on a premiere soccer team or play with their friends for their high school team. Both scenarios give players different opportunities. “If I played high school soccer, I probably wouldn’t be going to Northwestern. They saw me when I was playing for my academy at a showcase. They open up different opportunities, but between high school soccer and the academy, you can’t say one is better than the other, it’s just what each individual player needs,” Andrew McLeod said. Playing on a high profile club team, such as Sporting Academy, gave Andrew and his teammates several chances to be exposed to college coaches, due to the excessive amount of traveling that they do for tournaments. “Mostly, for our league, we go to Texas,
Oklahoma and Colorado; but then there are different showcase tournaments every year, such as the Sarasota Showcase in Florida,” Andrew McLeod said. Because of the amount of travel that Andrew has to participate in, he and his family must make sure that they work out the rest of their schedule around Andrew’s soccer. “It has impacted how our leisure time and vacation is spent. Vacation time and locations were often planned to coincide with or at the exigencies of soccer commitments. For example, it was great to reunite with friends and family in Canada while Andrew happened to be playing futsal with the US national team in Toronto in December 2014.” Cheryl McLeod, Andrew’s mom, said. Like most teenagers, Andrew also has a role model, someone whom he looks up to and wants to follow in the footsteps of. “I would say my dad is a pretty big role model. He played soccer for a long time and did both the club soccer and school thing, so we are pretty similar in that way,” Andrew McLeod said. Andrew hasn’t gone through this process alone. He has had the support of his parents and family throughout the whole ride. “We played more of an advisory or facilitator’s’ role. Our involvement was mainly to support him at school and at soccer, by being at his games, getting him around and encouraging him,” Cheryl McLeod said.
Andrew McLeod
Class of 2016
Position: Defender Height: 5’11” Weight: 180 lbs Team: Sporting Acadmey Goals w/ team: 13 Commitment: NU
The North Star | 29
designing your Junior Milton Lee and his parents have designed the first smart placemat that they hope can revolutionize the way we control what we eat
J
unior Milton Li always had an interest in technology and an admiration of successful businesspeople. So, when the opportunity to combine these two fields presented itself, it quickly became a passion project. Thus, the Aegle Pallette was born. “Essentially [the Aegle Pallette] is a scale that syncs with bluetooth to our mobile application and sits right on your dining table. As you put food onto your plate, you’ll be able to weigh that food and then read all the calories, fats, and other nutrients on your mobile device,” Li said. Unlike other methods of nutrientcounting, there’s no guesswork in terms of measuring the exact volume or serving size. Though the company is hoping to achieve a broad consumer base, the idea actually originated from a medical concern that didn’t have a convenient solution. “One of our cofounders had hypertension while she was pregnant. She couldn’t find a healthy way, without medication, to manage that.
30 | Blue Valley North High School
She came up with the basic concept of accurate and convenient methods of weighing food, but it was a long process of brainstorming,” Li said, “Right now there’s nothing else like this that sits on your dining table and allows you to use your own plates and utensils, things like that.” Despite the product’s origins in medical dietary assistance, the Aegle Pallette team hopes to see their market expand beyond that. “Initially we tried to target people with chronic diseases. Now we see that anyone can benefit from this. Our of our scientific advisors said that the majority of chronic diseases can be prevented through diet. We see that although people with chronic diseases are likely to purchase it, everyone can benefit from it,” Li said. The Aegle Palette team is comprised of Milton, his parents, and a few other specialists, including a Harvard researcher, which, according to Li, isn’t as daunting as it sounds. “We pretty much just knocked on her door. We flew to Boston, gave a presentation and she liked it so she signed up,” Li said. Despite his age, Li has played a crucial role in the company’s development since the very beginning. “I’m in charge of a lot of the creative
and technological aspects. [I’ve been involved with] marketing, designing advertisements, and other things like that. I also developed the website and created the demonstration video,” Li said. With the company still being in its early stages of development, Li’s work with the Aegle Pallette staff takes up a lot of his time. “Any time that i’m not working on homework, i’m working [on the business]. I spend so much time because really want this to succeed,” Li said.
“I SPEND SO MUCH TIME WORKING BECAUSE I REALLY WANT THIS TO SUCCEED” Though the workload is extensive, Li’s passion for the business helps him to strike a balance between work and school. “I’m in many AP classes so that takes a lot of time by itself,” Li said, “I spend my entire weekend working on this. I stay up late at night and wake up really early. It’s tough but when you like
health doing it, it’s fun.” With the successes the company has seen, even in its early stages, Li and his family have spent some time considering Milton’s plans for after graduation next year. “It’s currently up in the air. I skipped a grade so we’re currently debating whether or not I should spend a year working on the company and then go to college with my age group,” Li said. Though it’s still in its early stages, the company has seen a multitude of successes and has been exhibited at events all across the country. “Over the summer we were selected for a business accelerator program at K State. It was a one and a half month intensive course on business,” Li said,“More recently, we were in the top 15 for a nationwide competition called One Million Cups. We go to many conventions, including the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo and American Diabetes Assiociation
photos courtesy of aeglepalette.com
by Kendall Avenia
events.” Before the lauch of the product, Li and the Aegle Palette team are revamping many areas of the business. “Right now we are rebranding ourselves; repositioning ourselves in the market,” Li said, “We’re going to launch an Indiegogo campaign which is similar to kickstarter, hopefully in the next month. That will be our nation-wide launch and people will be able to get it for presale price.” Li’s advice for other young aspiring entrepreneurs is simple and classic:
“You’ve got to learn from your failures. You’ve got to learn from your mistakes. we’ve been redoing things since the beginnings. Take into account your failures and don’t take them as failures, take them as the process towards success.”
The North Star | 31
CUT THE CARDS Cut out the trading cards of four all-star Mustangs
DEBATE
Orchestra
By Jaxson Dubinsky and Kendall Avenia
Lucy Li
Avanyish Toniappa Junior
band
Theatre
Sophomore
Elie Laville
Madison Hines Senior 32 | Blue Valley North High School
Senior
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