THE TIGER PRINT
blue valley high school | vol. 52 | issue 2 | september 2021 | bvtigernews.com | overland park, kansas
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Multicultur al students , teachers convey stor ies of overc oming obstruction s brought a bout by cultural diff erences
design by ayesha khan illustration by sofia hughes
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ON THE
news
WEB
september 2021
design by charlie trent
Contents NEWS
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NEWS
Study Sessions Need new ways to study? Find apps to help you stay productive.
FEATURE
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Awesome Accessories Sophomore Megan Mullen’s jewelry business starts up.
ENTERTAINMENT
27
Girls Pro Lacrosse League restarts.
For Future Reference Students give their favorite piece of life advice they have received.
OPINION
30
FEATURE Activit
y
11:16
Toxic Tech Publication editor Kaitlin Green warns of the dangers of fitness trackers.
THE TIGER PRINT editor-in-chief Charlie Trent assistant editor Stephania Kontopanos design editor Ayesha Khan adviser Michelle Huss
publication editors Kaitlin Green Frannie Lamberti Charley Thomas
staff writers Regan Byrnes Amy Collins Allie Crawford
“The Tiger Print” is an official publication of Blue Valley High School, an open forum distributed to all students six times a year. This publication may contain controversial material. Kansas law prohibits the suppression of a student publication solely because it may contain controversial matter. Blue Valley Unified School District No. 229 and its board members, officers and employees may disclaim any responsibility for the content of this publication; it is not an expression of school policy. Student authors and editors are solely responsible for the content of this publication.
@bvtigernews
Emily Fortin Brynn Friesen Isaac Hudson Harris Jones Sofia Hughes Ava McGuire Harrison Melton Elle Moulder Chanie Rankin Rhylan Stern Mena Walker
Letters to the editor are encouraged for publication. “The Tiger Print” reserves the right to edit all submissions for both language and content. Letters should be submitted to Room 518, emailed to thetigerprint@gmail.com or mailed to: The Tiger Print Blue Valley High School 6001 W. 159th St. Overland Park, KS 66085
bvtigernews.com
Maddie Watson explains Girls Who Code.
OPINION
Staff writer Allie Crawford discusses the importance of high school dances.
rief iews Charlotte Warren, 10
around
3 lue alley
SCHOOL STORE COFFEE CLUB On Aug. 24, the Tigers Inc. Cafe announced on Instagram that they would be offering membership to the new BV Coffee Club for the 20212022 school year. Students interested can pay $65 for unlimited coffee, tea and hot chocolate throughout first semester, a complimentary tumbler and free refills. “Students are able to try the different flavors we offer monthy and can experiment with their favorite drinks while saving a good amount of money,” Tigers Inc. staff member junior Julia Walsh said. “Plus, you get a tumbler that’s perfect for holding hot and cold drinks, keeping you refreshed all day!”
| PHOTO BY CHARLEY THOMAS
Mitchell Campbell, 12; Kenzie Hammontree, 12; Anna Borcherding, 12; Ava Nickell, 12; Leah Moores, 12
SUPERFANS After the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic and a year of intermixed online and hybrid schooling, athletes are more excited than ever to have fans back in the stands. The most enthusiastic of these supporters are known as “Superfans,” and they focus on supporting one senior in particular by providing gifts and cheering at every game. “I want to continue the tradition,” Superfan senior Anna Borcherding said. “It’s great to be able to cheer on my peers who I’ve grown up with.”
| PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT
Mrs. Whitten’s 6th hour
AP WORLD HISTORY This year, the Blue Valley School District replaced the AP European History course with AP World History. The move comes as part of a diversity initiative to ensure that every student is able to see themselves represented while learning about key figures and events of the past. “There are so many interesting things in our wide world,” teacher Molly Cowan said. “Focusing on only one section of history limits the perspective students and our society have of our world.”
| PHOTO BY CHARLEY THOMAS | PHOTOS COURTESY OF TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE | WORDS BY CHARLEY THOMAS
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news
september 2021
design by ayesha khan
Tigers Inc. struggles with supply shortages
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round the world lots of companies and businesses are struggling to come back to life and return to normal while trying to recover from the effects of COVID-19. One business that has been taking the hit is our own school store, Tigers Inc. Currently, there is a supply shortage going on and they are really feeling the heat. Senior Kate Van Brunt took the time to explain what this means for Tigers Inc. “The supply shortage means that there is so much stock being used up in all these delays that it is really hard to get supply to every single person,” she said. “There’s too much demand for the amount of supply that they have.” Unfortunately, this is causing issues for the school store’s custom orders team. “We do a lot of deals with our vendors, and we rely on them to have supply in their warehouses so we can fill our orders,” Van Brunt said. “We have to move quickly because it’s there and then it’s gone.” This shortage has put the pressure on custom orders to work faster and more efficiently than ever before. “With [the shortage] being so off and on and changing every day, it’s so unknown,” Van Brunt said. “There’s no way to adapt to that change.” Because the shortage has been very unpredictable, leniency and understanding from their clientele is necessary. “If we can’t fill an order, we can’t guarantee
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they will have the product that they need,” she said. Although Tigers Inc. has been looking for alternatives, making changes in terms of brands has been inevitable. “I’m hopeful they’ll be able to get a handle on at least some brands, but I’m not sure that it will just because demand is constant,” Van Brunt said. “If there’s no way of it being made faster, then there’s no way of getting anything.” Despite this being difficult for the custom orders team, there have been some positives nonetheless. “It’s real world experience because this happens to a lot of things and that’s what drives prices up — that’s what causes more demand,” Van Brunt said. “I finally understand why things take longer, why they’re becoming more expensive and why things go out of stock so often.” This experience that Tigers Inc. kate provides their staff is preparing them for van brunt, the future. The market is ever-changing 12 and after the problems that COVID-19 has caused, the custom orders team will be prepared to tackle anything that comes their way. “Demand is coming from all different people,” she said. “So even if one person stops using so much of the product, there’s always going to be another person to use the same product.”
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chanie rankin |staff writer
There’s too much demand for the amount of supply that they have.
Taking On Tiger Time
news
september 2021
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design by emily fortin
Teacher, senior discuss mentor program
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underclassmen she leads. “I’m most looking forward to making connections with the freshmen,” Rogers said. “With Tiger Time fully being back, it’s helped people open up and start talking more.” After reflecting on her own experience, Rogers urges students to apply to be a Tiger Mentor in order to leave a positive impact on not only the freshman class but the school as a whole. “I would recommend people be Tiger Mentors because it’s a way to get involved,” Rogers said. “It’s making it less scary for the freshmen and helps them a lot.”
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hen freshmen enter their first week of high school, many changes can be overwhelming. Thankfully, the Tiger Mentor program aims to create a smooth transition for these students. Each year, juniors and seniors apply for the chance to be a Tiger Mentor for a class of freshmen. Twice a week during Tiger Time, these leaders spend an hour in a freshmen room with the purposes of leading lessons, encouraging students and being role models, all to make the switch to high school more manageable. Teacher Mackenzie Fuller became the director of the program four years ago because of the passion she felt toward making incoming students feel welcome at Blue Valley. Fuller hopes the student leaders have the same drive. “The goal is to make sure that the mentors are talking to the freshmen — not just in Tiger Time,” Fuller said. “[Mentors] should be in Tiger Paws or in the hallways making sure they’re actually forming true relationships.” Meanwhile, senior Jill Rogers is returning for her second year as a Tiger Mentor, this time as an executive member. Like Fuller, Rogers is very passionate about helping the program be its best. “Coming to senior year, I wanted to be more involved in it,” Rogers said. “There were some things I felt like we could add, and I wanted to contribute more than I did.” Unlike regular mentors, executive mentors handle several projects that help Tiger Time run smoothly, from planning events to coordinating mentor and teacher pairings. “It’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work and things you wouldn’t normally think of,” Rogers said. With COVID-19 forcing many Tiger Time sessions onto Zoom last year, Fuller was nervous to train not only juniors but also seniors for a full year of Tiger Times. However, she is extremely proud of the mentors who were selected
and the dedication they have put into making this year as normal as possible for the freshmen. “The mentors haven’t skipped a beat,” Fuller said. “I have had teachers seek me in the hallways just to compliment them and say how amazing they were.” With school starting in person this year, Fuller looks forward to Tiger Time occurring twice a week in the hopes that an even stronger relationship will solidify between upperclassmen mentors and freshmen mentees. “They’ll actually get to know each other with having more time together,” she said. “It forces them to move past just [the] Tiger Time curriculum and become real friends, not just freshmen, juniors and seniors.” Like Fuller, Rogers is also excited for the opportunity to bond with the
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kaitlin green |publication editor
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| PHOTO SUBMITTED BY MACKENZIE FULLER
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news
september 2021
design by charlie trent
APPLY APP LY YOURSELF As homework loads and coursework accelerate in volume over the course of the semester and year, many students may find it difficult to maintain a balanced and productive study routine. Read on to discover how students have used technology to keep up with their busy schedules.
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TIGER | PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT
TIDBITS With school back in session, sports and activities are in full swing. Blue Valley’s school spirit has been better than ever.
“It’s great to have every body around and back in school,”senior Mason Fleichman said. “The crowd was really exciting.”
| PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT
| PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT
“My favorite part of cross country is the team,” sophomore Noah Summers said. “I like when everyone is cheering me on, like the JV team and my family and friends.”
| PHOTO BY KAITLIN GREEN
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“I never thought I would have the friends I do now without making the team, and being able to grow with these girls has made my high school experience amazing,” senior Kenzie Gill said. “The coaches are the reason our team is the best we have ever been, and I wish I had another year, but all good things come to an end.”
| PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT
| PHOTO BY FRANNIE LAMBERTI
“My favorite part is having fans at the game,” sophomore Ryan McAleer said. “It makes the atmosphere more fun and more competitive.”
| PHOTO BY RHYLAN STERN
| PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT
tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits news tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits september 2021 tiger tidbits tiger tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits design by tidbits frannie lamberti tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits iger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits t tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits tiger tidbits | PHOTO BY BRYNN FRIESEN “It felt very special and I loved having my parents with me,” senior Lexi Pribyl said. “They have watched me for the last four years, and it was nice to finally have them on the field with me.”
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| PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT
| PHOTO BY STEPHANIE KONTOPANOS
| PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT
“The most exciting part about choir this year is the many opportunities we get that we didn’t have a chance to do last year. We have a lot more concerts built into the school year, multiple show choir competitions, show choir camps, and a lot of new possibilities for more,” senior Emma Niederhauser said. “I like the new department more because we perform a lot more current songs. We are getting new costumes, and I like all of the change and I think it’s going to be an awesome year.”
| PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT
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Seniors Katie Briggs and Micheal Allen ride alongside each other in the annual Homecoming Parade. Both Briggs and Allen awarded the respective crowns of king and queen — Briggs in the crowning ceremony during halftime at the football game Friday, Sept. 17, and Allen at the dance the following night.
| PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT
| PHOTO BY CHANIE RANKIN
“The Wigs Out carwash was important to me because [breast cancer] is such a widespread issue. It has been around so long that people seemed to accept it instead of fight it,” senior Trinity Mayer said. “I think it’s really cool to see everyone band together and continue to raise awareness, despite how long we have to fight cancer.”
| PHOTOS BY ALLIE CRAWFORD
| PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT
feature
september 2021
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design by elle moulder
Sophomore launches new jewelry business elle moulder |staff writer
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nlike most jewelry companies, Bee Kind Beading is a female-owned business in which a percentage of proceeds go to the seller’s charity of choice. Sophomore Megan Mullen crafted the idea of Bee Kind Beading in January of 2021 with the goal of helping others in mind. As stated in the company’s name, they are on a mission to encourage the people purchasing Mullen’s creations to be kind to others. Mullen said she has enjoyed creating arts and crafts ever since she was little. “My main pieces are made from seed beads,” she said. Mullen believes what sets her company apart from other jewelry businesses is that, as the owner, she not only likes to make the jewelry by hand, but also likes to wear it. Although Mullen comes up with ideas for her creations all on her own, she also grabs inspiration from her peers and what they’re wearing. “[I like] following the latest trends,” she said. “I love to make new items and custom jewelry.” Mullen enjoys selling at flea markets and has been working on making more inperson sales. Fortunately for Bee Kind Beading, business is going well so far. “I’m thankful to have been supported by my family and friends,” she said. “I have been working on setting up my website.” She will soon launch BeeKindBeading.com after recently purchasing her own domain. Every six months, Bee Kind Beading chooses a new charity to donate a portion of its profit to. Mullen found her current organization through a speech presented by Blake Lively at Variety’s Power of Women event in New York. Mullen has a family friend who is running a 5K marathon donating to the same organization as Bee Kind Beading. “The Child Rescue Coalition is an organization that I donate 20% of my profit to,” she said. “The Child Rescue Coalition is a nonprofit that helps stop sex trafficking, child pornography, and all that bad stuff.” Mullen said the jewelry is versatile and can be mixed and matched in different ways. “Jewelry is trendy, and can easily be mixed and matched with all aesthetics,” she said.
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feature
september 2021
design by frannie lamberti
SCORING ON AND OFF THE FIELD
Football captain commits to prestigious university
frannie lamberti |publication editor Anticipation was building for the football season this year, and senior Nick Herzog was more eager than ever. Playing football since third grade, Herzog has loved the experience of being around the other football players all year long. “Even when it’s not in season, you’re still doing off-season workouts and you hang out all the time,” Herzog said. “Friday nights and games are fun, but the rest of the year is what makes high school football the best.” Herzog sees the opportunity of being a football captain as an honor, and he values the respect of his teammates. His four years of the high school sport and the position of captain has prepared him for a higher level of football.
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Not only do I get to play Big 10 football for a school that’s ranked a top-10 team, but they’re also a top10 academic college.
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nick herzog 12
“I was really excited [to commit to] Northwestern University,” Herzog said. “Not only do I get to play Big 10 football for a school that’s ranked a top-10 team, but they’re also a top-10 academic college.” This past February, Herzog took an unofficial visit to experience the campus on his own. Later on, he took an official visit where he interacted with players, coaches and staff. “We went to Wrigley Field, and it was an awesome time — [I] got to try out on the uniforms and everything,” Herzog said. “It was packed minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour of a weekend of fun.”
Not only is Herzog looking forward to playing his favorite sport but also getting a quality education and taking classes he is genuinely interested in. “I’m planning on majoring in either engineering or business,” Herzog said. “I’ve always loved building and tinkering with stuff.” With college just around the corner, Herzog is grateful for the preparation that high school football has given him. “The way coach [Allen] Terrell runs his program [is] a lot like a college program,” Herzog said. “In fact, the way practice is scheduled and run is very similar to the way Northwestern runs theirs.” Herzog said the process of committing to a school for football is a little different than other sports. Rather than having a traditional early deadline, Herzog instead needs to decide by signing day, but he is confident with his decision. “I already knew Northwestern is where I wanted to be,” Herzog said. “Getting to meet those coaches and players in person honestly just made it feel like home.” | PHOTO SUBMITTED BY NICK HERZOG
feature
september 2021
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design by regan byrnes
Every Day in Paradise Student works at local fish store
brynn friesen |staff writer
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obs of all varieties have been open to many youths still in high school, most concerning fast food and coffee. Many students get jobs to earn money rather than to have fun. Junior Ella Moore was able to find employment that satisfied her personal interests for not only now, but the future as well. “I work at Paradise Aquatics — it’s a saltwater fish store,” Moore said. “It was the end of last year that I started working there, and it’s really funny because I’m the only kid who works there.” Her decision to work at the fish store was influenced by her passion for sea life and the potential future career opportunities. “I have a lot of interest in marine biology,” Moore said. “It's a really competitive field, so having experience and being able to put it on a resume is definitely going to give me a leg up in the future. It also gives me handson experience.” Paradise Aquatics handles multiple kinds of fish, but also other small sea creatures that they fit into different segments. “There is a section in the corner of the store where there are many different types of crabs,” Moore said. “Sometimes we get in horseshoe crabs, different snails and shrimp. We have peppermint shrimp, cleaner shrimp, you know, all these fancy things — just invertebrates in general.”
Moore is very eager to deal with the sea life involved in her job, primarily because she gets to discover more about different types of animals. “My favorite thing is definitely whenever we get new orders or packages full of fish,” Moore said. “One time we got in a mantis shrimp, which was crazy and really weird and I was like, ‘What the heck is that?’ It was really cool, and we get to see so many different kinds of fish species.” While maintaining marine life has always been an enjoyment for Moore, it comes with its negatives as well. “My least favorite part is definitely cleaning because there are a lot of organisms in these tanks,” she said. “It’s sometimes really gross.” Her job provides an opportunity to immerse herself into marine biology, a topic she has been passionate about for years. “I think I actually have always been interested,” Moore said. “It's really odd because I live in Kansas, and there's no ocean — but I was that kid that totally would just watch all the different things on TV. I was obsessed with shark week as a kid and I’ve read all the books. [I’m] just super interested.” Moore also enjoys the aspect of her job where she gets to assist customers in their search for a newfound interest. “It’s a really easy job,” Moore said. “It’s talking about something that I’m really passionate about all the time and using my knowledge with my own fish tanks to help guide people who are new to the hobby.”
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feature
september 2021
SAY YES TO THE DRESS
design by harrison melton
Sophomores discuss preparations for Homecoming
harrison melton |staff writer
“I have so many dresses to choose from omecoming: a time for students to put — the hardest part is picking out the perfect on their best outfit, get glammed up, and dress,” Gravitt said. “I’m leaning toward this experience BV in a completely different one red dress, and all my friends have voted for way. It’s a yearly tradition which has been going it, so it’s probably going to be the red dress.” on for seemingly forever, but COVID-19 canThe preparations leading up to the dance celed the dance in 2020. are almost just as, if not more, As freshmen, they important than the actual couldn’t experience this night. Despite the dance being timeless tradition, but they hosted outside this year, that did this year as sophomores. didn’t derail anyone’s plans. “I’m most excited about “ I’m going to go over to The hardest part experiencing a high school my friend’s house [before the is picking out the dance because last year dance and] we’re all going everybody missed out on to do our hair and makeup perfect dress. that,” sophomore Kate together,” Kozlowski said. kaitlyn Kozlowski said. “I am “We’re going to dinner and gravitt going in a big group with a are going to take pictures at a 10 bunch of my friends, so I’m park.” excited just to have fun with From dinners to after everybody.” parties, Homecoming isn’t comThroughout the Homecoming season, plete without these key elements. If there’s no the halls are filled with talk about the most pictures — it didn’t happen. important question of the semester: “What “I have a date and all of my friends have should I wear?” Sophomore Kaitlyn Gravitt one, too,” Gravitt said. “We’re so excited, it’s thought extensively about this question. going to be a blast. I just know it.”
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kaitlyn gravitt, 10
kate kozlowski, 10
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|PHOTO SUBMITTED BY KATE KOZLOWSKI
|PHOTO SUBMITTED BY KAILTYN GRAVITT
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on the cover september 2021
design by ayesha khan
countless cultures members of the BV community share experiences of being apart of multiple backgrounds
Written by Allie Crawford, Brynn Friesen, Stephanie Kontopanos, Ava McGuire, Elle Moulder, Charley Thomas and Mena Walker
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thnicity, or one’s cultural identity, plays a key role in forming each person’s unique set of traditions and experiences. This role can become even more amplified for people who consider themselves to be multicultural, meaning they enjoy the customs of — and simultaneously face the challenges of — more than one cultural group. The “melting pot” of ethnicities for which America is known, and out of which the idea of multiculturality stems, is evident here in the Blue Valley District — roughly one-third of all students enrolled are minorities, and the same is true for
Jule’ahna HayesNigro illustrations by sofia hughes
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just over 20% of the students attending Blue Valley High. This complex blend of cultures and different perspectives pushed district board members to alter the history curriculum by offering AP World History instead of AP European History starting this year to ensure every student is represented. As initiatives like these grow in number and continuously strive for inclusivity, we look into the individual, day-today lives of members of our BV community who consider themselves multicultural and examine how this aspect of their identity has influenced the people they are today.
ith an Italian father and a Native-African-American mother, senior Jule’ahna Hayes-Nigro is a fourth generation immigrant juggling her different identities. On her mother’s side, Hayes-Nigro is still in the process of learning about her Cherokee-Choctaw ancestry. “Before my grandma moved to Arizona, we went through all these old books,” Hayes-Nigro said. “[We thought] all those books must have been gone because my mom’s side of the family moved a lot. When we [found it], there were a lot of missing parts to it — we had to look online. [We’re] seeing from their family tree who we are [and] where we came from.” Since finding out about her Native ancestry, Hayes-Nigro has connected with other students who are part of the “huge” tribe.
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on the cover
“[I found out another] one of our students [is] Cherdesign by ayesha khan okee as well,” Hayes-Nigro said. “It’s very interesting to find those things and [be] like, ‘Oh my goodness. Are you serious?’” Despite her being Native-American, Hayes-Nigro is occasionally confused for other ethnicities. “Many people think I’m Hispanic just because I have that Native American in me,” she said. “At work this guy thought I was Hispanic, and he [told me], ‘I bought these jalapeños just for you.’” Although there are challenges, Hayes-Nigro feels proud of her Native heritage. “There’s always going to be a win because I know my ancestors were here first on the Native American side,” she said. As for her Italian half, Hayes-Nigro’s father is from Sicily. The family’s Italian culture is shown in their culinary practices. “My grandma said [the way] to a man’s heart is his stomach,” she said. “We don’t buy anything that’s pre-made. We always make everything by our hands, so it’s traditional ways of what my Noni taught us.” An elegant appearance is also part of Italian culture for Hayes-Nigro. “[My Noni] always makes sure us kids look sharp,” she said. “We have nothing on [our] fingernails [and] wash [our] september 2021
hands thoroughly.” Additionally, Hayes-Nigro keeps in touch with the local Italian community “all the time.” “It’s just a cool feeling when you go to an Italian festival like, ‘Oh my gosh. There’s so many Italians.’ They all know me for some reason,” Hayes-Nigro said. “We always go to authentic Italian delis.” Although less in tune with her African roots, Hayes-Nigro’s mother still makes special dishes characterized by their association with African American culture in the South. “My mom makes really good greens with cabbage, a ton of water and fried bacon in there,” Hayes-Nigro said. “It’s so delicious, [along with her] sweet potato pie.” Hayes-Nigro also recognizes the big difference between being African versus being African-American. “The difference between those two is that [with] Africans from Africa, the whole continent kept their culture,” Hayes-Nigro said. “They didn’t get it taken away.” She is hopeful that future technological advancements will allow her to understand where in Africa her ancestors were from. “We will find out where we specifically came from, what tribe we came from, what our culture was like and all those details that will help us move forward,” she said. Overall, she is content with her ethnic and racial identity. “Right now I’m just loving who I am,” Hayes-Nigro said. “I’m glad I’m a colored person with multiple races.”
Dr. Shah
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illustrations by sofia hughes
hen you live in America but come from a different culture, it’s important to embrace your background and stay true to your ethnicity. For chemistry teacher Dr. Neerav Shah, this ideal means more to him than anything. Although Shah was born and raised in America, he considers himself fully Indian because both his parents immigrated from India. He loves his culture for the reason that it is different from anything in American culture. “The thing I focus on the most about my ethnicity and Indian heritage are the differences more than the similarities,” Shah said. There are several holidays and traditions in Indian culture not practiced in America. Shah described a tradition dealing with the brother-sister relationship, and how it is one of the most important holidays in India. He wears a bracelet to symbolize the significance of his relationship with his sister. “My sister gave me this bracelet as a sign, and I keep it on until it falls off,” Shah said. “It’s my job to protect my sister, and there’s nothing like that in American culture.” Having a different ethnicity can be very rewarding, but it can also lead to uncomfortable situations. People with different ethnicities face prejudice and often have to fight to prove themselves equal. “I definitely remember right after 9/11 happened, that, just because of my skin color — more than people knowing what my ethnicity was — I was singled out a lot,” he said. “[I’d have been] waiting at a restaurant, and I [would] have gotten there before other people, but other people are seated before [me]. Those things just kind of happen sometimes — you know the reason.”
Many people with different ethnicities love educating others about their culture, and for Shah, sharing this information means so much more when people seem interested in his background. “I don’t like forcing my culture on somebody else, but I’ve had students who ask me, ‘Hey, why are you wearing this?’ and I love sharing what it means,” Shah said. “These things I celebrate are core to me and core to my beliefs, so they’re things that are part of me.” Having a different ethnicity has its ups and downs, but for the most part, it is something people enjoy and are proud of. Shah believes there is a significance in his differences and is glad to be able to show a side of him that not many people have the opportunity to see. “I’m different than everybody else around me, and I like celebrating the fact that I don’t look like anybody else,” Shah said. “I don’t have the same background as anybody else around here. I think that’s important.”
Jude Mubaslat
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lue Valley has an array of cultures. Senior Jude Mubaslat defines multiculturality for her as “you’re able to have two cultures in a way to cross upon each other, which also means introducing people from one culture to another.” Mubaslat said she has encountered difficulties as a multicultural student. “I’ve had a lot of people assume I can’t do things,” she said. “It’s really wrong for people to assume that.” Mubaslat feels as though multicultural students have an advantage. “I think a lot of people underestimate what we can do,” she said. Mubaslat believes there are benefits of identifying as multicultural. “[They’re able to have] more than one experience and more than one culture to look at,” she said. “Having this perspective of life that other people aren’t going to have [is beneficial] because they don’t share that aspect.” Mubaslat said she doesn’t experience all of the same struggles as others who are multicultural. “I personally don’t have a language barrier,” she said. “I speak both English and Arabic and am able to do both really well. I feel like multicultural people have that advantage of having more than one thing to go to.” Mubaslat said her relationship with her extended family is going well. “We are all really close,” she said. “When it comes to my aunts and uncles, we always make sure we get together on holidays, we make sure we are calling each other every single
week and I call my grandparents every single day.” Mubaslat sees her family relatively often. “Over summer, we always go to Jordan and stay with them for as long as we can to make sure that we’re keeping that bond,” she said. She said she has not lost connection with her culture. “My parents, aunts and uncles —they’ve always done a really good job of making sure that we knew where we were from,” she said. Mubaslat feels she is in tune with many aspects of her culture. “I always make sure I’m incorporating it into what I am doing,” she said. “We cook the food at home. We go to parties and a lot of my friends will do the dances and listen to the music. I try to be in touch with it as much as I can.” She said during class discussions, multicultural students will speak up to share their perspective, yet there is still work to be done. “That’s pretty cool, but I think overall as a school the impact could be bigger,” she said. “When you’re in a class, in a moment, you’re discussing with people, it’s just amazing to see another perspectives come into the conversation.”
of BV BV students students consider consider of themselves to to be be multiethnic multiethnic themselves according to a survey of 53 students
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Mrs. Wiedel
he Blue Valley diversity committee is devoted to spreading the word and educating others about topics such as multi-ethnic individuals, diverse cultures, and social justice. Chemistry teacher Manal Wiedel is the sponsor of the Diversity Club and a BV District Diversity Committee member. Here at BV, multi-ethnic individuals shape the culture of our school. That mix of culture and ethnicity provides a glimpse of the real world outside of the “JOCO Bubble.” “Whoever allows themselves to be exposed to someone different from them — whether that identity is ethnicity, whether that identity is a sexual orientation, whatever that identifying marker is — it shapes this fostering of acceptance, awareness, and knowledge [at BV],” Wiedel said. As someone who has had the personal stories of multi-ethnic individuals shared with her, Wiedel said those individuals not only relished in their diversity but struggled with it — whether it’s feeling it through their education, socializing or how they’re being treated by others through unkind words, microaggressions or even discrimination. “Our [school’s] demographic [now] is significantly different from when I entered the district,” Wiedel said. Issues in the past and to this day that face multicultural individuals include a lack of knowledge, experience and exposure. “Adults only know what they know, and students only know what they know,” Wiedel said. “There is an eagerness and a willingness to want to know more, but initially those difficulties happen because a student doesn’t feel seen or heard by a peer, an adult or anyone [who] they would have that experience with.” For Wiedel, celebrating diversity and mulitethnic students is a goal for BV that should be consistently happening. “One thing we’ve always battled is how do we celebrate diversity every day?” she said. “How do we make this important all the time and not just during Black History Month — the diversity assembly, for example — not just during a specific instance. How do we embed and foster the importance of this topic into our everyday lives?’’ Wiedel said it’s difficult to push a message or force this “want” onto others. A challenge that must be faced is not everyone wanting the celebration and acceptance of diversity the way it should be received because we can’t control how people will hear or feel about something. “At the end of the day, no one wants to just be tolerated, but I think the fact that a [student] could say, ‘Oh my gosh, I attended a meeting and was able to listen to someone experience this,’ feeds into [a] cycle,” Wiedel said. “It feeds into social-emotional learning, it feeds into feeling aware of your surroundings, and that feeds into being a global citizen. The more we can do to create that, the more it improves our school culture.”
Dario Salas
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or sophomore Dario Salas, being from a different country — Cuba — and being immersed in a different culture from many people at the school has proved to be both beneficial and difficult. “At first, [it was hard] because I didn’t know anybody,” Salas said. “It’s gotten easier as I’ve gotten to know people, but some people made fun of me at the beginning. They’re like, ‘Oh, you’re cute. Get out of here, whatever,’ things like that. Now, I’d say it’s pretty good. I mean, it’s easier to get jobs because I can speak two languages — so that’s a plus.” Spanish and English aren’t the only two languages Salas and
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some of his family members have learned. on the cover september 2021 “[My family] actually speaks multiple design by ayesha khan languages, but where I’m from we only speak Spanish,” Salas said. “My parents, like my mom, for example, she speaks Spanish, English, French [and] Russian, and [she] understands Chinese.” Their extended family lives in Cuba, and Salas’s family helps them from afar. “We have to send money to my family in Cuba constantly; I have grandparents, but if we were to not send money from the U.S. to Cuba, they would have died years ago,” Salas said. “There’s no food in the stores, there’s no internet, there’s no money — there’s nothing, absolutely nothing. The government controls absolutely everything, and its own power of the whole country, you speak against the government [and] they literally kill you with an AK.” While living in the U.S., Salas has been able to stay in touch with various aspects of his culture. “I like the music — the music is a big aspect of the Cuban culture,” Salas said. “It has such a unique style to it, but it’s also popular in a sense because the artists known in Cuba are really big here, too.” Despite moving four years ago, Salas still experiences difficulties living in a different country. “I have not been in touch with the culture as much like school, my friends, what the trend [in] Cuba is,” Salas said. “Cuba is like a completely different planet right now, I wouldn’t even want to be in Cuba because of how bad it is. The biggest thing I’ve lost from being Cuban and then coming to the U.S. is probably the languages because I don’t get to talk as much.” Salas believes having different cultures and ethnicities mixing in society is vital in order to expand an understanding of various lifestyles. “Diversity is amazing — diversity is necessary,” Salas said. “If you have multiple ethnicities or multiple people from multiple places, it makes [the] environment a lot nicer because of all of the different possibilities there [are]. If you were to just have a room completely [full] of Americans, it wouldn’t be the same as having a room full of people from Canada and people from China. Every person from somewhere else is going to be unique in their own way.”
Mrs. Cowan
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n many ways, visualizing race, identity and change is about difference. These differences are confided through categories, languages and segmentations. The implicit sortings go on through our heads in terms of the way we label others and more so ourselves. Having both Irish and Scottish-American characteristics, teacher Molly Cowan explains her challenges despite being an American citizen. “I was born and raised here,” she said. “I know language barriers are a big one. Having traveled to other countries, if you can’t read the language, it’s scary.” Regardless of adapting to new surroundings, Cowan believes students should grow up with diverse groups. “I had a good experience when I was in high school because I had a lot of friends from different cultural backgrounds,” Cowan said. “I appreciate that it gives me a wide variety of perspectives from different people, which I liked.” Cowan describes her feelings toward ethnicity and how it can alter society’s view of individuals. “If you identify with more than one ethnicity, you get the benefit of being able to see things from different perspectives,” she said. “I was talking to a kid yesterday and he’s like, ‘Yeah,
I look pretty white [despite being mixed].’ It all depends on which parent he’s with and how he’s perceived.” Within the school, Cowan said mixed ethnicities and cultures shape the community at Blue Valley. “Added diversity allows people to get a better understanding and build empathy,” Cowan said. “When you are friends with somebody and they’re experiencing things, you see it firsthand when you’re with them. It gives you a better understanding of the day-to-day experience of some people of color.” While living in America, Cowan accepts it is important for people to undergo different aspects of their culture. “I’ve had haggis before,” Cowan said. “It’s not something I make at home. You say, ‘Yeah, I’m eating sheeps’ intestines’ [and] people are like, ‘Oh my God, gross.’ How do you know you [never] had it? [Also] I love to bagpipe. It’s fun. It’s weird.” From learning her cultural background, Cowan gives advice to multicultural students. “Don’t forget your heritage — that’s what makes America really cool,” she said. “You’ve got a wide variety of cultures and people. Who doesn’t like to experience other cultures?” illustrations by sofia hughes
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LIGHT , design by allie crawford & mena walker
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Senior explains new safety standards at AMC
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t’s not an easy task to satisfy everyone when you need to socially distance and make sure people are following safety precautions. On behalf of working for AMC Theatres during a pandemic, senior Brynn Sankey has learned new experiences to keep both customers and coworkers happy. “You definitely need to have people skills,” Sankey said. “Not necessarily just with customers, but with your coworkers, too. You need to be able to work effectively as a team.” In the last two years, businesses didn’t anticipate the spread of coronavirus, leading many companies to close. AMC had to follow restrictions and have certain precautions in order to keep employees happy and customers safe. For Sankey, it was a difficult time for the unexpected at the theater. “The main area was closed down, and there were only registers where the
concessions were,” she said. “Everyone had to wear masks.” Sankey said the crew at AMC adapted well to the new restrictions and being optimistic about rules according to COVID. They are willing to take a more protected approach in order to keep customers safe and to stay in business. “If you’re an usher, you’re required to carry a spray bottle into theaters to wipe down anything that you see,” she said. “Depending on if it gets bad again, we’ll probably have to take more precautions.” Despite things being different due to COVID-19, Sankey is still finding ways to be positive around her workplace. “I do enjoy working there, quite a lot — I just love movies in general — I mean, free movies!” she said. “I feel like even if COVID hadn’t happened, I probably would have ended up working at [a theater] anyways because, honestly, I love the people there, and it’s really great.”
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allie crawford & mena walker|staff writers
It’s easier in some seneses, and it’s harder. There are definitely pros and cons to being opened back up. brynn sankey 12
SANKEY
| PHOTO BY MENA WALKER
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MARCHING FORWARD
design by rhylan stern
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Underclassmen anticipate marching, competition season After not being able to march during her first year of high school, Molly James is taking on the role of Sophomore Band President and Student Leader. Students in marching band are either learning everything or having to relearn the things they already learned after having to take a year off. “It’s my first year marching, so I’m learning everything but also helping at the same time,” James said. “It’s not too bad in the end, but there are times where things are confusing and there’s pressure.” Going along with the stress, playing an instrument while marching can be hard, but for James, it’s the placement. “The hardest part about marching is just figuring out where I’m supposed to be and at what time,” James said. “It can be hard — but it’s not too bad in the end.” The marching band started practicing in the summer when many connections were formed and bonding moments took place. “Summer camp was so much fun — in between morning and afternoon rehearsals, we went out to lunch as sections, and as student leaders, we hung out a lot,” James said. “The water balloon fight was great. There were a bunch of great memories from summer camp.” The fun from summer camp wasn’t the only thing
freshmen and sophomores in the band anticipated — they also looked forward to their first season getting underway. “I’m really excited — I love being a part of such a big effort,” James said. “I’ve never done a collaborative thing on this scale before, and I really like the people in the band. They make it so much fun.” Right now the main focus of the band is on their competition piece and learning all the components of it. “It’s titled ‘Hello Yellow,’ and it’s a metaphor for coming out of COVID told from the story of a dying and regrowing sunflower,” James said. “It’s something a lot of people can relate to and understand.”
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rhylan stern|staff writer
It can be hard but the upperclassmen and the other student leaders are really helpful. molly james 10
|PHOTO BY RHYLAN STERN
|PHOTO BY RHYLAN STERN
|PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT
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words & design by sofia hughes & stephanie kontopanos
SWEET STAFF STATS
get to know the people who keep the school running
Name: Joel Sandersville
Name: Jeff Stark
Position: High school lead custodian
Position: “Custodian. I clean rooms, restrooms, take care of all the carpet and floors and stuff around the school.”
Favorite thing about the job: “I get to see approximately 1600 students every day, Monday through Friday.” Least favorite thing about the job: “The mess at lunch.” Weirdest thing he’s seen while working: “Students blatantly in front of you throwing carrots, grapes, raisins, that kind of thing. Then they’ll look and see if you’re watching, and you’re right there, watching.” What he does that people may not know about: “If they’re in athletics, they probably know: the setups. We’re there in the morning. Let’s say there’s a pep rally...if it’s rained out, it’s going to be in the gym, so we’ll have to get the bleachers out.” Something students wouldn’t know about him: “That I love sports, and played sports when I was in high school. [I played] baseball, basketball, [and] golf.” Advice for students: “Enjoy your time here, because it’s short and fast. You’re freshmen one day, and then it seems like the next day, you’re graduating. So enjoy the time. Make memories.”
Why he became a custodian: “I love cleaning.” Favorite thing about the job: “Having a crew that cares about the cleanliness of the school.” Least favorite thing about the job: “Cleaning dirty bathrooms.” How to make his job easier: “Pick up bottles [and pencils] off the floor. It takes more time when you’re in a room cleaning it [when] you have to go back behind [and get] all the trash that’s laying on the floor. What he wants to say to the students: “Thank you for being so kind and respectful to me and to our staff. We work hard in here every day to make sure that your school is healthy [and] sanitized for you to come [and] enjoy your school.”
Name: Kathleen Hempley Name: Christine Fausen
Position: Manager In-Training
Position: Cafeteria manager
Part of her job that people may not know about: “Paperwork. the planning that we have to do to get ready for the next day.”
What she does in a day: “I start at 6, so I clean and I open everything up. I start with breakfast, then — see, I have to plan my day — what takes the longest to cook, what takes the longest to steam. I have to plan that so I make sure that I have lunch ready. Then we get everything ready for lunch, run lunch, do dishes, clean up and go home.”
Why she became a manager-in-training: “I have a special needs son that was going into high school, and I wanted to be there where I could see what was going on. That was over 20 years ago.”
Why she became a cafeteria manager: “I don’t think anyone plans on it. It’s one of those things that just happens. I love cooking and I love working with kids, so here I am.”
Favorite thing about the job: “The kids.”
Favorite thing about the job: “The kids and my employees.”
Most interesting thing she’s seen while working: “The way everybody dresses — the different styles.”
Least favorite thing about the job: “Cleaning and dishes.” Most interesting thing she’s seen while working: “Interesting? Honestly, the outfits. Honestly, some of the outfits that come through every day are kind of different. That’s all I’m gonna say.” Part of her job that people may not know about: “The ordering, the paperwork every day — there’s a lot of paperwork that they all don’t know that I do.” Something students may not know about her: “That I am from Nebraska and I’m a huge Nebraska Huskers fan.” How to make her job easier: “Respect. A lot of them do not respect us — and that makes our job even harder. Some of you do, some of them don’t. Something she wants to say to the students: “Just be kind to each other. Be kind to us, be kind to everyone.”
Least favorite thing about the job: “Sometimes the work is really crazy.”
Her favorite food on the menu: “Probably the chicken nuggets.” Something students may not know about her: “I’ve been doing this for 20 years.” How to make her job easier: “Listen and be respectful.” Something she wants to say to the students: “Push for the stars. Keep going.”
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design by ayesha khan
N E O I R T O C F A E R B TT A ors Juni
to-c o h p lay p s i d t to n u o acc y h rap g o t ho mp l i f ate cre
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ayesha khan |design editor Film photography has recently regained popularity among teens as a candid way to document memories. Juniors Max Holdhusen, Brady Alderson and Anthony Messina have hopped on this trend starting their very own film account, Before Attraction. “Before Attraction is a creative group that me and Brady made up [around] a year and a half ago at Great Wolf Lodge,” Holdhusen said. “Honestly, there’s not a set in stone subject that our group does — it’s just the three of us taking pictures and having fun.” The group thought it would be a fun idea to have a film camera for the summer and were inspired by Odd Future, Tyler the Creator’s group of friends, to take an abstract yet catchy approach when it came to their name. “Me and Brady thought of ‘Before Attraction’ because we saw it on a sign at Great Wolf Lodge and I thought it sounded like Odd Future,” Holdhusen said. “I remember the sign because we were about to go into a water slide, and it said ‘before the attraction’ and listed the steps — I don’t know, I thought it
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sketches and funny stuff,” Holdhusen said. “We made skits It’s really fun to in Tiger get into—you TV that should buy a we could have post- camera and ed to our just start taking YouTube channel, pictures of but we things. never made [it]. max Brady and holdhusen Anthony 11 [also] had the idea to make merch or start a clothing brand because Anthony’s been wanting to do that for a while.” If you’re thinking about getting into film photography or just want a fun way to document your high school experiences, they encourage you to give it a try. “It’s really fun to get into,” Holdhusen said. “You should buy a camera and just start taking pictures of things.”
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| PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY BRADY ALDERSON pictured (left to right): anthony messina, brady alderson, max holdhusen
sounded cool.” Typically, they post their film in collections, including the film roll number and location where the photos were taken in the description. “I [also] want to start doing different types of cameras,” Holdhusen said. “I have my film camera, a digital camera and a polaroid. I can put those on Instagram to say, ‘polaroid pictures, number one, and then the film location,’ and do a variety of those [kinds of] pictures — I think it’d be so cool.” When creating content for their group, they prefer to keep it spontaneous by simply bringing the camera along for the adventure. “My favorite [photos] are the ones when we go downtown without a plan and just let it roll,” Alderson said. “Sometimes when we try to go too deep into planning, it never turns out as good as we’d hope.” Switching from digital to film photography was a learning process that took time for them to adjust to. “Honestly I didn’t know anything about it — the first film roll I ever took was in Brady’s basement, and I pulled it right out of the camera to try to get the film out, but that just ruined the whole thing,” Holdhusen said. “It took me a while to learn how to develop the film.” Looking into the future, they plan to expand their brand to include videos and clothing, ideally sometime this winter. “Our idea from the very beginning was to create a YouTube and post
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september 2021
design by chanie rankin
LIFTING UP
BLUE VALLEY
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Sophomore’s arm injury limits her ability to cheer After last year, everyone is excited about sports and activities and finally getting a more normal school year. The current sophomores didn’t get a great start to their high school experience, but lots of students are hoping to make up for it by getting involved. Sophomore Rypli Donahue was planning on doing that by committing to school sports. Sadly she has encountered some obstacles along the way. Donahue couldn’t wait for her second year as a Blue Valley cheerleader. Due to COVID-19, the cheer team didn’t get to do as much as they ordinaryily would. Unfortunetly, her plans for a normal return to cheer didn’t go exactly as she thought it would. “This year was my first time stunting,” Donahue said. “We went to a stunting camp, and I am a main base. I was main basing my flyer for two days for seven hours a day.” After a long day of stunting, her arm hurt a little, but she didn’t think much of it. Little did she know, she actually had a stress fracture in her arm. Along with Cheer, during the summer she plays on a recreational volleyball team with her friends, so that night she went to play and she immendiatly felt the pain when she went she tried to serve the ball. She ended up turning her stress fracture into a break. Still oblivious, when she went to stunting camp again the next day, she was asked to stunt on it and she thought she would be fine. Sadly, this was not the case. “I had broken it and then stunted on it, so I had this thing called compartment syndrome,” Donahue said. “Then I got emergency surgery [because] I broke my arm.” She got it cast a week later after the swelling from the surgery went down. After her hiatus, even though she couldn’t do much, she was still happy to be there. “[Returning has been] frustrating because
|PHOTO SUBMITTED BY RYPLI DONAHUE
|PHOTO SUBMITTED BY RYPLI DONAHUE
|PHOTO SUBMITTED BY RYPLI DONAHUE
|PHOTO SUBMITTED BY RYPLI DONAHUE
I feel a little bit useless,” Donahue said. “I missed it a I love those lot because I really like girls so even cheerleading. with my injury, I missed all those girls, cheering on the and I missed sidelines with the environment.” them is the Despite best feeling. the predicarypli ment, it also donahue, comes with 10 its perks. “I get to pay more attention to other stunt groups and support the girls,” Donahue said. “It’s cool because I get to build all of them up even when I can’t necessarily do it.” She has big goals regarding this year’s cheer season and what she hopes to accomplish when she gets back from her injury. “After I am fully healed, I want to strengthen the muscles I’ve lost so I can be the best I can,” Donahue said. “I just want to lift Blue Valley up and be a part of the team.”
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chanie rankin|staff writer
|PHOTO BY RHYLAN STERN
SAGE ADVICE
a&e
september 2021
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design by isaac hudson
Students, teacher share life advice
isaac hudson |staff writer
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e all need advice. Whether it’s about school, relationships or just life in general, we all need a helping hand from time-to-time. So, with that in mind, five BV students and one teacher picked out one of the most important lessons they have learned to share.
Paul Bessetti (Band Director): “Life is fun if you’re weird about it. You’ve got to live that weird life.”
Eli O’Bryan (12): “You are your harshest critic. Start looking at yourself like you would look at other people.”
David Edwards (10): “Seizing the day isn’t about going on a big adventure. It means finding joy in the mundane.”
Christina Stone (12): “It’s important to try new things. To continuously better yourself by stepping out of your comfort zone to learn how to keep an open mind and to gain appreciation for the new skill or activity.”
| PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS
Emma McAtee (9): “Something that sounds really cheesy is staying true to yourself. It’s easy to get caught up in different groups, but by being yourself you’re living for you and not trying to please other people.”
Emma Sandler (11): “Life isn’t supposed to be easy. Appreciate when things get hard. Those hardships make you a better person. Let them lift you up instead of holding you down.”
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september 2021
design by charley thomas
To Rank ? Students debate whether or not athletic and performance activities. It allows the best to be celebrated for charley thomas their efforts and accomplishments and |publication editor motivates many to strive for success. Why then, is ranking so strongly criticized when it enters the academic realm? School, just like any extracurThe week is sometime in midricular activity, provides the opportuAugust — boys ranging from nity for dedicated students to excel, freshmen to seniors file onto the similarly to how a Division-I commit football field for tryouts. After a few might excel at the State championship, days of observations, tryouts conclude, and it should recognize those who do and players are sorted into teams accordingly. according to their skill, work-ethic, As far as counterarguments go, natural talent and various other the preservation of students’ mental factors. health is typically the main reason for Fast forward to early December, class rank criticism. Opponents of the when a plethora of performing arts system argue that ranking students by students anxiously await the results of their grades alone may trigger deprestheir auditions. Behind closed doors, sion, lower self-esteem or cause them the directors sort through their list of to believe their value is wholly depenpotential lead actors and actresses, dent upon their grade in algebra or eventually settling on a cast that best English class. This mindset, however, fits everybody’s individual abilities. reveals a drastic double standard. Months later in May, students As mentioned previously, students across Kansas make the trek to Wichare ranked in nearly every single other ita in hopes of capturing a champiactivity that demands dedication, onship title in track and field. The practice and skill. Some of these activgun goes off, and eight athletes spring ities are even academic at their root, forward chasing both the runner in such as debate or DECA. Athletes, front of them and the prospect of actors and all other participants alike victory. At the conclusion of the race, are able to handle competition in their the runners’ times are ranked in order extracurriculars, so the idea of an to determine the winner, and those academic rank shouldn’t be perceived placing highly are recognized atop as something so appalling. their coveted podium spots. It should also be noted that a Ranking, as is shown through the class rank doesn’t need to include the three examples above, is both an esentirety of the grade; recognizing the sential and accepted element of both top 20-30% is enough to benefit those
students while still avoiding insecurity for those placing lower. Though it may sound harsh, the fact of the matter is students cannot be sheltered from competition or adversity for the rest of their adult lives. Universities and companies will take the candidates most likely to find success, and both will also foster competitive environments. Exposing students to class rank in high school is therefore mentally preparing them for their futures, something BV stresses as a primary goal. Another forgotten benefit of class rank is the option to do with it what you will — students dissatisfied with their rank are by no means required to advertise it, change it or submit it to universities. Those who are pleased with their placement, though, are able to include their rank in their college and scholarship applications, some of which even mandate it. According to College Board, “Most large state universities still require applicants to report class rank (as do many scholarship programs) and rely on it to help sort through the high volume of applications received.” Not conducting it, therefore, can narrow the opportunities of students who have made their education a top priority throughout their lives. Conceptually, class rank is no different than any other sport or competition you might watch on TV — it simply recognizes a different set of players.
Or Not To Rank? schools should conduct class rank amy collins |staff writer
Too often in academics we let a number define us, whether it is a score we got on a test, our GPA or our ACT score. Students in high school face a lot of pressure and there is no need to put even more pressure on students by having class rankings. A student’s class rank is based on their GPA. In academically inclined schools, having a class rank is not beneficial because many students get a 4.0 GPA or above, which makes it difficult to separate out students and rank them. It is also harder for students in a more rigorous school to get a higher ranking compared to if they went to a less rigorous school. For example, a student who got ranked 30th in a highly academic school may have ranked 10th in a less academically inclined school. Class rankings are an unfair way
of comparing students from different high schools, especially when admissions to elite colleges and scholarships are on the line. Some may argue ranking students will motivate them to do better in school and reward those who have worked hard and have a good GPA. Other people believe having class ranks creates healthy competition between students, similar to competition in sports between athletes. However, when students are only focused on their GPA and how they compare to their peers, they lose sight of what truly matters in school — learning. Class ranks do nothing but degrade students and negatively impact the learning environment within schools. They cause students to be too obsessed with their GPA and feel jealous of other students’ success, creating unhealthy competition between students. School should be an encouraging environment where learning is the first priority, not rivalry between students. According to a report made by
34% no
the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, class rankings cause stress and negatively affect teens’ mental health, as well as cause students to lose interest in learning. Students tend to take more challenging classes such as AP or honors classes over a class that might interest them, due to the perks weighted classes have on a student’s GPA and class rank. Sure, class rankings can be beneficial for the few students who get scholarships or admissions into elite programs, but for most students, class ranks only have a negative effect on them. Schools are starting to realize that class rankings do more harm than good for students. According to the National Association for College Admission Counseling, “Nearly 40 percent of high schools have either stopped class rankings or refuse to share those numbers with colleges.” Academics should not be a competition someone is trying to win, and instead academics should focus on the growth and encouragement of students.
Do you think BV should conduct class rank? 66% yes |53 students surveyed
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opinion
september 2021
design by kaitlin green
W ary
of the Watch Students should not rely on fitness trackers kaitlin green |publication editor
This past Christmas, my parents gifted me with an Apple Watch. Nine months later, I can say it is fun to review the data of my workouts and participate in challenges. However, time has also taught me that having the knowledge of a workout’s statistics come with a price. I feel like I have not worked hard enough when I am told that I only burned 300 calories dancing, instead of the 8001,000 calories I have burnt on previous occasions. My mother paces around our house at 11 p.m. because her watch tells her she only needs to burn 25 more calories until her move ring is closed. Even my friends never forget to start a workout on their watches because “it’s not a workout unless I track it.” The negative impacts Apple Watches can have on a person’s mentality are numerous. Students must be careful
Activity
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about the amount of trust and reliance they place in this piece of technology. For those who are unfamiliar, Apple uses three concentric rings to display movement status for the day, with the goal being to close each ring. The user gets to set each ring’s total, which includes stand time, minutes spent exercising and calories burnt. In theory, having a visual motivator sounds like it would help the wearer live a less sedentary life. However, closing these rings for many turns into an obsession, where emphasis is placed on hitting a certain number instead of enjoying fitness. Rather than focusing on improving or carefully and gradually pushing boundaries, attention gravitates toward unrealistic goals. In addition, when these quotas are not met, Apple Watches send its users messages such as “Your Move ring is off track,” which in no way promotes listening to one’s body and actively responding to its needs. According to Medical News Today, rest days are essential because the body replenishes its glycogen stores, which allow muscles to repair themselves and save energy for future workouts. When rest days are not taken, a depletion in glycogen leads to muscle pain and a higher risk of injury. There are days where it is important to rest, not only for the physical benefits but also for the mental break it provides. Users forget their watches do not understand it is not realistic, or oftentimes healthy, to vigorously exercise each day. Ultimately, Apple Watches can be helpful until the goal of working out becomes a congratulatory message instead of a healthier lifestyle. At that point, wearing the technology is not worth the risk of injury and a negative mindset around exercise. Why should I care about how many calories I have burned during a workout if I’m proud of my body? How much of a difference does burning 25 extra calories make? Why should a piece of technology take away a person’s sense of accomplishment? What students must remember is that exercising should bring joy, and when a watch begins to take that sense of fulfillment away, it is time to reevaluate whether the technology is worth constantly wearing. Closing a colored ring should not determine your worth.
opinion
september 2021
31
| CARTOON BY EMILY FORTIN
Assimilation leads to destruction of identity The United States is often recognized as a “melting pot.” With no official language and a population that’s almost 26% immigrants and second generation immigrants, it’s clear the U.S. is ethnically diverse. But is a “melting pot” the most ideal way to describe the culture of our multicultural country? The exact definition of a melting pot is “a place where different peoples are mixed together.” In a melting pot, the “mixture” becomes homogenized, where one group can’t be distinguished from another. Everyone becomes the same, otherwise known as assimilation. Multiple sources are reporting higher levels of assimilation. Although assimilation is seemingly unquantifiable, AmericanProgress.org and other studies have found ways to measure assimilation using variables such as English language proficiency and citizenship. Pew Research Center shows that as of 2018, about 53.2% of immigrants speak English well, and that number
is steadily increasing. According to the Center for American Progress, the children of immigrants are learning English more rapidly than ever. USCIS states the number of naturalizations of immigrants rose 11% in the United States from 2018-2019. Additionally, most foreign-born people in the U.S. are naturalized citizens. The citizenship test represents assimilation in that it requires an immigrant to pledge allegiance to the U.S. and relinquish allegiance to any country of which they were previously citizens. It’s clear that modern assimilation occurs, and the process is becoming more rapid. But besides the word’s association with the United States’ mistreatment of Native Americans, why is assimilation bad? For starters, assimilation is seen as a necessity. The more assimilated one is, the more likely they are to attain higher education, generate a high income, and/or own a house. The message this sends is that the more one has lost their culture and become a standard
American, the more likely they are to succeed. It equates their original ethnicity with a lack of success. Assimilation has a negative impact on an immigrant’s mental health. The National Academies Press describes assimilation as “a traumatic process rather than a simple solution to the traumas of immigration.” One study they conducted demonstrated that Mexican immigrants were more likely to develop a psychiatric disorder if they had assimilated more into American society. Perhaps the most harmful of all, however, is the rhetoric and ideas surrounding assimilation. There’s a belief system that an immigrant needs to assimilate into American culture in order to succeed, or even just to survive. As Korean-American journalist Euny Long said, “Assimilation, not success, is the American end game.” If the only real benefit to assimilation is comfortability in white American culture, how beneficial can this melting pot truly be?
This staff editorial is the representation of the opinion of The Tiger Print staff.
| WORDS & DESIGN BY CHARLIE TRENT
WHITE OUT
Each sport at the school has seen larger student sections than previous years, including those prior to the spread of COVID-19. This year, the theme assigned to the first game of each sport, “White Out,” exemplified the rise in student participation across school activities. Discover the experiences of students as they participated in white out through the lenses of both the student athletes and student supporters.
|PHOTO BY RACHEL RAST
SOCCER
STUDENT SECTION
Boys soccer also saw the benefits of the large crowd numbers at their White Out game this year which took place Friday, Aug. 28. The team won the Big Cat Classic against BV West 4-2. “Big crowds make the games better because it reminds us who we are playing for,” senior Austin Dauernheim said. “The students made it such a good environment when they were cheering us on.”
As class president, senior Parker Neal is an avid supporter of various activities at the school. “I think the White Out games had big crowds because people were excited to finally be able to watch fall sports again,” Neal said. “I’m thinking the Tiger family could potentially be closer than ever before.”
|PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT
|PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT
SCHOOL SPIRIT
|PHOTO BY EMILY FORTIN
Senior Tristan Bashara explains why being an active supporter of school sports as a part of the student section this year is more crucial than ever. “It’s an important part of the tradition we have here,” Bashara said. “Last year we didn’t get to experience that but it makes the games super lively.”
|PHOTOS BY CHARLIE TRENT
|PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT