The Tiger Print — December 2018 by The Tiger Print

THE TIGER PRINT

illustration by noma kreegar

-THIS PRODUCT IS RECYCLABLEtrash affects global environments, needs solution read about it on page 19

2 | december 2018 | contents

Contents NEWS

Ice, Ice, Baby Here’s what you need to know about preparing to drive on slick roads.

FEATURE

Ballin’ Students Aidan Shaw and Jonathan Jackson share their unique experiences on the basketball team.

ENTERTAINMENT

My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Noodles What astrological changes are happening for your zodiac sign?

OPINION

Summer, Winter, Spring, Fall Four staff writers make their cases for their favorite seasons.

| DESIGN BY NOMA KREEGAR

//TIGER PRINT THE

editor-in-chief Noma Kreegar managing editor McKenna Cole design editor Nick Lamberti

staff members Cassidy Carpenter Jaron Cole Emily Cummings Josie Cuthbertson Molly Holmes Maddy Kang Shay Lawson

J.D Loftin Tymber Moody Vince Orozco Kate Oudejans Liya Patel Claire Powell Olivia Sherlock Charlie Trent

adviser Michelle Huss

“The Tiger Print” is an official publication of Blue Valley High School, an open forum distributed to all students eight 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. 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 450, emailed to thetigerprint@gmail.com or mailed to: The Tiger Print Blue Valley High School 6001 W. 159th St. Overland Park, KS 66085

OFF the

news |december 2018 |

RADAR

Mercy Hospital shooting in Chicago results in four deaths A shooting at Chicago’s Mercy Hospital and Medical Center on Monday, Nov. 19 resulted in at least four dead. According to the Denver Police Department, the wounds of the three injured people are not believed to be life threatening. Among the victims were a doctor, a pharmaceutical assistant, a police officer, and the suspected gunman. Earlier in November, #ThisIsOurLane, a hashtag used by doctors and medical personnel to protest gun violence, was popularized on twitter. The hashtag was created in response to a tweet by the National Rifle Association that advised doctors protesting gun violence after mass shootings to “stay in their lane.”

Hackers delete thousands of web pages hosted on the dark web Hidden on the Tor network, a website that contained more than 6,500 pages published on the dark web was infiltrated by unknown hackers who deleted excessive amounts of data. The website, Daniel’s Hosting, was home to many different web pages including web marketplaces, fan fiction and porn. The administrator of Daniel’s Hosting, Daniel Winzen, said because there are no backups kept of the pages hosted on the site, the data deleted will be impossible to recover. He also said the site should be up and running again by December. Both the perpetrator and the motive behind the data deletion remain unknown.

Comic creator Stan Lee dies at age 95 On Monday, Nov. 12, Marvel’s comic writer, editor and publisher, Stan Lee, passed away. The exact cause of death is still unknown. Lee was considered by many as a legend of the superhero comic and movie industry. However, fans can still look forward to Lee’s classic cameo appearances in upcoming movies. As it stands, the late comic writer has 32 cameo appearances total, but is reported to have at least three cameo scenes prerecorded for upcoming Marvel movies. | ILLUSTRATION BY NICK LAMBERTI | PHOTOS COURTESY OF TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE | WORDS & DESIGN BY NOMA KREEGAR

4 | december 2018 | news

Operation Christmas Child FCA provides gifts for underprivileged children j.d loftin staff writer

CA is a student-led club that meets Thursdays before school in the gym. The club has 30 to 40 members, and students don’t need to be an athlete or a Christian to join. “We have food we have games, and then we have some sort of message,” FCA student leader senior Jackson Allen said. “It has been around for as long as I can remember, but I think it’s not too well known.” Allen said Operation Christmas Child is FCA’s big project this semester. Operation Christmas Child is an international organization where churches send out shoe boxes filled with toys to kids who need them. “People can pick up these shoe boxes and then take them home and fill them up with toys,” Allen said. “We will drop off the boxes then they will mail it out to kids all over the world who don’t have much and are poor, so they can experience Christmas the same way we do. The organization that runs it will also send out bibles and all sorts of ministry stuff to help local churches in the area.” To fill these boxes, donors select the age range and gender and fill it accordingly. They can also make a small donation for shipping, and with this, they can also track their box and see where it goes. “When I tracked one of my boxes last year it ended up in Thailand,” Allen said. “Before we started [to collect boxes] we set our goal as 100 boxes, and now we have about 35 boxes left.”

Donation boxes for Operation Christmas Child that need to be filled for 2018.

Members of FCA play “The Jesus Game.” Players win by being the person to grab the Jesus figurine at the end to win.

| DESIGN BY J.D LOFTIN | PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY JACKSON ALLEN

Sophomore Luke Johnson plays a game for “A Minute To Win It.” The goal was to get a Oreo from your forehead into your mouth.

news |december 2018 |

TIGER TIDBITS During the Performing Arts showcase, senior Celie Strain dances with the Color Guard. Strain is captain of the Color Guard and has been on the team all four years. “Performances in front of the school are always the most stressful for me because that’s when I get the most nervous,” she said. “But I think both times we performed, it went pretty well.”

| PHOTO BY KATE OUDEJANS | DESIGN BY MOLLY HOLMES

6 | december 2018 | news Thanking her supporters, senior Paige Robbins officially commits to playing softball at Washburn University.

Expressing her gratitude, senior Ella Palmer speaks at Blue Valleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signing event. Palmer will play soccer at Regis University in Colorado next year.

SIGNING DAY Nov. 14, 10 athletes signed their letters of intent and finalized their commitment to play sports at the collegiate level. Signees from baseball, softball, volleyball and soccer were present. Each signee had the opportunity to thank those in their life who helped them get to this point, as well as hear from coaches about their successes. | PHOTOS BY MOLLY HOLMES

news |december 2018 |

Proposing to sophomore Mia Rice, senior Cat Farrell performs in a Fifth Wall show. “I love getting on stage with my family away from home,” Farrell said. “We get to have fun while making other’s laugh and make the audience’s day better.”

Check out page 10 for more about Fifth Wall | PHOTOS BY CLAIRE POWELL

Signing their letters of intent, 10 athletes from the senior class finalize their decision to play sports after graduation.

Read more about the NHHS Veteran’s Day Luncheon on page 16 | PHOTOS BY VINCE OROZCO

Monday Nov. 12, NHHS put on a Veterans Day luncheon for veterans and active military members. All students were welcome to attend and connect with the veterans. The event took place in the library.

Locking arms with her classmates, junior Riley Hinmon participates in an activity for psychology. “It was better than taking notes and it actually made sense what we were learning,” she said.

PSYCHOLOGY To aid in learning about sensory interaction, Psychology students performed serveral activities with vision-distorting goggles. Students had to do things like limbo, an obstacle course and throwing a football with the goggles on. | PHOTOS BY OLIVIA SHERLOCK

Holding a balloon, junior Tori Ward is involved in an activity for Mr. Bien’s Psychology class.

news |december 2018 | Two consecutive weeks in November, the Performing Arts Showcase took place during Tiger Time. Performing arts groups like orchestra, band and choir performed.

Performing a flute solo, junior Mary Israel plays in the marching band’s State piece. The band placed second at the State competition. | PHOTOS BY KATE OUDEJANS

Playing the xylophone, junior William Kim performs the marching band’s State music. “Performing at State was a very good experience,” Kim said. “We got to represent our school in the best way possible.”

10 | december 2018 | news

Fifth Wall Senior hopes acting will result in career

tymber moody staff writer

right lights, clapping hands, quick-thinking and laughter. Those are all things that come with being an actor for the improv group, Fifth Wall. The actors in Fifth wall meet before school on Thursdays and Mondays during Tiger Paws. During this time, they rehearse the games that they play during the show. They do this to understand how to perform successfully and make the show enjoyable for the audience. Co-captain senior Jake Demo has been part of Fifth Wall since his sophomore year and became a co-captain later that year. “I was interested in Fifth Wall when I saw them perform during ‘freshman day,’ my first week at BV,” he said. Improv is different than regular acting because everything said by the actors is thought of on the spot, not memorized from a script, which eliminates the nerves about forgetting lines or what to do. It also gives the actors a chance to be

“I love bringing people joy through performing.” - Senior Jake Demo

| DESIGN BY TYMBER MOODY

unique and play ideas off each other. They have the ability to hide who they really are with a different person. “I enjoy being able to have multiple characters and voices in one show,” Demo said. “I enjoy the comedic aspect because normal acting isn’t always comedic.” Although performing on a stage with harsh lighting and hundreds of eyes on you may sound frightening. Demo said he doesn’t get nervous because his team’s there too and he can lean on them. Demo said, if you get stuck “you have a team to back you up and they are able to come in and save you.” You’re never alone on the stage so it takes some of the pressure and fear away from performing. “When I perform improv, I can do anything on stage and I’m not structured by a script,” he said. “I like having that ‘free to do whatever’ feeling.” Demo said in the past he has gone blank and not known what to say, but he doesn’t normally worry about it. If he worries about it, then he won’t be able to think of anything else. Improv is a great way to create new characters, and it helps bring more energy to the stage. Demo said this is needed when acting to keep the audience interested, which is helpful with both, acting from a written script and acting from nothing but your mind. This is especially helpful for Demo’s acting experience, which he plans to turn into a career. “My favorite part about Fifth Wall is making people laugh,” he said. “I love bringing people joy through performing.”

| PHOTO BY CLAIRE POWELL Playing a game called “Late to Work,” sophomore Adalyn Green pledges, which is the ending statement of the game. “I like improv because I get to interact with a bunch of different people from the department and experiment with the different games that we play,” Green said.

| PHOTO BY CLAIRE POWELL Playing a game called “Naive Replay,” sophomore Ann Heitman makes a statement about the actors ripped pants and how they were appropriate. “It’s really fun to play because you have no idea what’s going to come next, and you can’t change what you’re saying. I love it,” Heitman said.

news |december 2018 |

how to stay safe on the road this season

What to keep in your car during the winter season: • Ice Scraper and snow brush • Gloves and other winter clothes • Blanket • Shovel • First Aid-Kit • Jumper Cables • Flashlight and emergency flares • Water and non-perishable snacks

According to PaleGalAdvice.com

Icy car removal tips: •Start the car, and let it idle to warm up. •If there is thick ice on windows, use an ice scraper to remove the ice. •Another option would be to put rubbing alcohol into your windshield washer fluid tank. •Spray your car windows with a saltwater solution, not just regular hot water. •Apply an alcohol and water solution to the windows. Store-bought product is an option. •Use a squeegee, soft-bristled brush or your windshield wipers to clear the windshield of residue. •Alternatively, cover your car with a tarp overnight to prevent ice formation.

Things to remember while driving: •Reduce speed — it takes longer to slow down on icy roads, and this will reduce the risk of sliding. •Increase following distance — the original 4 seconds should be changed to 8-10 seconds. •Don’t keep accelerating — your tires might spin. •Avoid hills — if you have to go up a hill, try to let the speed from your car carry you to the top; if you press on the gas, your wheels might spin. •Don’t stop unless you have to — try to slow down enough to keep the car rolling until the light changes. •Don’t apply much force to your breaks — your wheels might lock up, and you will lose control.

| WORDS BY TYMBER MOODY & JARON COLE | DESIGN BY NICK LAMBERTI

12 | december 2018 | feature

HUMANS OF BV IF YOU COULD EAT ONE FOOD FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

IF YOU WON THE LOTTERY, WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S THE FIRST THING YOU WOULD BUY?

feature|december 2018 |

IF YOU COULD SWITCH LIVES WITH ANYONE, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER, WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP?

WHAT’S THE DUMBEST WAY YOU’VE EVER BEEN INJURED?

WHAT’S YOUR BIGGEST PET PEEVE?

| DESIGN BY MOLLY HOLMES

14 | december 2018 | feature

Room 608 gains new student teacher

vince orozco staff writer

his year BV has gained a new member of the family. This new addition to the Tiger crew is Kansas City native Andrew Hovis. Hovis is currently the student teacher for social studies teacher Brian Mowry. Hovis is on his fourth and final semester of student teaching, a required component of his undergraduate. “I am student teaching to get my degree in teaching history from 7th through 12th grade,” Hovis said. “I go to K-State, and part of their setup program is doing a semester of student teaching,” Hovis described the process for pairing college students with current teachers. “I didn’t get to choose my specific teacher, but I’m ecstatic that I got put with Mr. Mowry,” Hovis said. “This is my fourth school, and I’ve never been anywhere else like it. Between him, his teaching style, the students, everything is great about it. The reason I got put with him is because I’m a history major.” Hovis said the reason he chose to pursue history was because it provided a

captivating story, and he enjoyed finding the various patterns and links throughout history. Hovis said his favorite historical subject is ancient civilizations, including Egypt, Athens and Mesopotamia. Hovis’ inspiration for wanting to teach came from the adults in his life. “I come from a pretty big family of teachers,” Hovis said. “My mom’s a teacher, both of her parents were teachers, my dad’s dad was a teacher. I’ve been blessed in my life to have a lot of great teachers from both my family and growing up. They seem like happy people. They go to work, each day it’s something new, you get to have a lot of different interactions with different people, they’re making a positive difference and I like the aspect of flexibility.” Hovis believes his experience at BV stands out compared to his student teaching at previous schools. “The students here are different,” Hovis said. “They care more, they’re nice, cool, including of everybody, and I think that has been the most enjoyable experience for me at Blue Valley.” Hovis shared his plans for engaging with students who may struggle in his future classrooms. “One thing that is true for me, and

| PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY ANDREW HOVIS & RYAN BIRD | DESIGN BY CASSIDY CARPENTER & VINCE OROZCO

I think is true for other students, is that the student that won’t work doesn’t have the proper motivation, or they have anxiety about not understanding concepts,” Hovis said. “When I was in high school, I was the type of student that would have to work very hard to get low Bs and high Cs. Back then, I would consider myself not smart. But going through college and meeting people in the professional world, I realized that there’s way more to life and especially way more to teaching and school than just being able to turn your homework in or understanding this concept. Hovis said he wants to aim for improvements when he gets his own classroom. “I think whatever class I want to be a part of I want the main focus to be, ‘How do I grow as a positive individual for myself and for society and what can I do to better myself as a person and what can I do to help other people?’” he said. Overall, Hovis said he is happy to be at BV. “I feel very lucky to have been placed here and have had an awesome experience,” he said. “I really like the administration, the teachers, the students, and I feel blessed to have this opportunity.”

feature |december 2018 |

s ’ d Bir w e i V e Ey

ace p S rth is Fall a E s Th ost r H e h V B eac T t n e “After I did an internship in Pennsylvania, I knew I Stud wanted to work with young students,” Bird said. “I wanted to

cassidy carpenter staff writer

ometimes it seems as though every teacher has been teaching at Blue Valley for 50 years. Twenty-four-yearold student teacher Ryan Bird works with Karen Koch in her Earth Space classes in preparation for his own class next year. Teaching is something that runs in Bird’s family. “My grandfather was a professor at the University of Illinois, so he was a big role model for me,” Bird said. “Four of his five children, including my mom are teachers. Education and teachers have always played a big role in my life.” Although his career path almost seems obvious to him now, when he was in college at Kansas State University, it wasn’t so clear. Bird started with a major in Milling Science, which is an agricultural major, before switching to education his junior year.

do it the rest of my life.” Bird said being back in the high school environment is different than his daily life was in Manhattan. “I’m still on my college schedule, so waking up at 6:30 every morning was a shock at first,” Bird said. He said starting out teaching so young can be strange at times. “I don’t think a lot of the students realize that I’m not much older,” Bird said. “I think that’s been a delicate boundary to walk on. Most people don’t realize how young I am and that I’m not that far removed from your generation.” Bird will student teach at Blue Valley until the end of first semester. After that, he said he will probably work as a substitute teacher and hopefully have his own classroom starting next fall. “I would love to stay in the Blue Valley school district if not THE Blue Valley High School,” Bird said. “I’m excited to take over the reigns and see what type of culture I can build on my own.” Bird said although he was assigned his student teaching school, he’s grateful for where he’s at. “I didn’t get to pick Blue Valley, but I consider myself extremely lucky,” Bird said. “The culture is great, [and] the people are great.”

16 | december 2018 | feature

Military Munchies

vince orozco staff writer

| PHOTO BY VINCE OROZCO Conversing with a veteran, senior Brandon Noah gains wisdom in preparation for his departure to the Marine Corps. “It lets me know what to expect,” Noah said.

| PHOTO BY VINCE OROZCO Addressing the crowd, school nurse Jennifer Runyan retells her story as a nurse in the United States Navy and its profound impact it had on her. “I’m very proud of my service and it was a valuable time in my life,” she said.

| PHOTO BY VINCE OROZCO Talking to the group, Eric Ruth discusses his experiences in the United States Marine Corps and how they shape his view of Veterans Day. “One thing that I have always gotten from the military is pride,” Ruth said. | DESIGN BY VINCE OROZCO

On Nov. 11, 100 years ago, the Allies and Central powers signed the Armistice of Compiègne, marking the end of World War I. It was also Veterans Day, a time to honor those who served in the United States Armed Forces. This year, National History Honor Society (NHHS) hosted a luncheon to give Blue Valley students a chance to interact with veterans face to face. NHHS officer sophomore Shayla Bhuri said the luncheon took place Nov. 12 during Tiger Paws A and B in the library. Bhuri and the rest of the officers decided to make this an open event. “Veterans and active military members are all welcomed to this luncheon,” Bhuri said. “All students of any grade level and the staff are invited to come to this event.” Bhuri said the NHHS officers had several reasons behind organizing the luncheon. “The motivation was to honor the veterans and active military members for Veterans Day on Nov. 11,” Bhuri said. “We all appreciate the great service from each military member. Another reason for this event is that we will be remembering the Armistice for World War I, which will be the 100th anniversary.” Bhuri said the students will have an opportunity to learn much from the warriors. “Students are invited to come and create meaningful conversations with veterans and active military,” Bhuri said. “Each student can take time to learn about the experience and history in war each of these great veterans [and] active military members have. This event is also a way for the students and staff to thank these military members for their service.” This was the first of many other opportunities for all interested in what NHHS has to offer. “The National History Honor Society will most likely plan another event like this and honor another significant time in history,” Bhuri said.

feature |december 2018 |

Benefits of meditation and yoga Ways to achieve your ultimate zen

ith anxiety as the most common disorder in America, professionals are found turning every which way looking for solutions and coping mechanisms. Apps like Headspace, Calm, MINDBODY and Buddhify have been made to help control breathing or calm someone during a panic attack. Another solution people turn to is meditation in many forms, including yoga. Psychology teacher Courtney Buffington sponsored a yoga club last year. “I suffer from anxiety,” she said. “People think [only] a pill will help, [but] I have learned over the years that not only breathing but also muscle movement and focusing your body is a great way to reduce anxiety.” Although there is no yoga

club this year because no students have shown interest in leading it, Buffington said she would like to eventually bring it back. “I never taught the yoga — we had a student who was a certified yoga instructor, and she led the club for two years,” she said. “When she left the third year, we did it through videos. It was less successful and popular opposed to having a real instructor.” Yoga is an important part of Buffington’s health and has become a vital routine, especially when stress arises. “It is an important part of my emotional well being,” Buffington said. “If I’m feeling sick or stressed, that is the first thing I’ll look to. I did not realize how important yoga was until I took a year off from it. What I love about yoga is it is the most meaningful way to calm your mind as well as your body.”

| WORDS BY OLIVIA SHERLOCK & J.D LOFTIN | DESIGN BY J.D LOFTIN

18 | december 2018 | ads

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THE LAST DAY TO PRE-ORDER A YEARBOOK FOR $60 IS JAN. 18, 2019

on the cover |december 2018 |

disastrous debris The average person generates more than four pounds of trash every day and about 1.5 tons of solid waste every year.

The EPA estimates that 75 percent of the American waste stream is recyclable, but we only recycle about 30 percent of it. Humans generate 21.5 million tons of food waste each year. If we composted that food, it would reduce the same amount of greenhouse gas as taking 2 million cars off the road. A glass container can go from a recycling bin to a store shelf in as few as 30 days.

words by

Claire Powell, Charlie Trent and Kate Oudejans

design by Nick Lamberti

20 | december 2018 | on the cover

There are two main types of landfills. Municipal solid waste landfills -> designed to hold household wastes, as well as other non-hazardous wastes. Industrial waste landfills -> designed to hold commercial and institutional wastes.

Companies that are going green: Starbucks: In July 2018 Starbucks officially announced they would eliminate the use of plastic straws in all stores by 2020. Starbucks anticipates this to eradicate more than 1 billion straws per year by developing strawless lids and offering straws of substitute materials like paper and compostable plastic. McDonald's: McDonald’s packaging is currently 50 percent renewable and plans to follow suit with the rest of their packaging by 2025 after receiving complaints by customers over “packaging waste.” Francesca DeBiase, McDonald’s sustainability officer, said the company’s ambition is to make changes customers want to use less packaging, sourced responsibly and designed to be taken care of after use.

Dunkin' Donuts: After six years, Dunkin’ Donuts replaced its styrofoam cups. After starting the process in the spring, the coffee chain is changing out the cups for recyclable, responsibly sourced, paper cups instead. Karen Raskopf, Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer, said the company has a responsibility to improve packaging, making it better for the planet. Dunkin’ Donuts measures 1 billion foam cups will be out of the waste system per year once the process is completed in 2020. The company is also working on finding a recyclable lid.

DO recycle .

Plastics . Bottles . Paper . Cardboard

Meta . Glas brok

DON'T recyc .

Styrofoam cups/trays/ containers . Soiled food items

Plas uten Fast pack

on the cover |december 2018 |

Marine debris

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Common trash from consumer goods makes up the majority of what eventually becomes marine debris, polluting our waterways and oceans. Plastics in the aquatic environment are of increasing concern because of their persistence

and effect on the environment, wildlife and human health. EPA’s Trash-Free Waters program is reducing the volume of trash entering U.S. waterways. Each week, Americans buy enough plastic water bottles to circle the earth five times.

What you can do about marine debris • • • • •

Bring your own bag Carry a reusable water bottle Pack a waste free lunch Bring your own cup Slow down and dine in

• • •

Say no to straws or bring your own Bring your own container or utensils Use a fabric bag or no bag to carry produce or other grocery items

Food waste In the United States, 40 percent of food that is produced is not eaten. In addition, food waste makes up 22 percent of total trash makeup in America. But what exactly is food waste made up of ? According to the Food and Agriculture

Organization for the United Nations, food waste is the decrease of food in subsequent stages of the food supply chain intended for human consumption. Food is lost or wasted throughout the supply chain, which creates food waste, or food loss.

Ways to dispose of food waste • • •

Reduce the volume of surplus food generated Donate extra to food banks, soup kitchens and shelters Divert food scraps to animal feed

• •

Provide waste oils for rendering and fuel conservation and food scraps for digestion to recover energy Create a nutrient-rich soil compost

22 | december 2018 | on the cover

Trash at BVHS Walking around the halls at BV, principal Scott Bacon spends many of his Tiger Paws picking up trash and reminding students to dispose of their waste responsibly. However, Bacon said that although Tiger Paws is beneficial to the students, it has created a real waste problem throughout the school. “There a lot of schools around the country [that] don’t have [Tiger Paws], and one of the things that we asked [students] to do is just pick up your trash,” Bacon said. “It’s frustrating to me when I see trash [not picked up] because I sound like a broken record when I address it with students.” Bacon said last year the Fixed Forum was a primary issue with trash, but he has seen an improvement this year, especially with custodians and several clubs help keeping the school clean. “We’ve got an Environmental Club that [recycles], and that’s been very helpful,” Bacon said. “National Honor Society has Tiger Paws patrol, and they go out several times a week and remind people [to] pick up their trash and keep things clean.” Bacon said he does believe schools around the globe contribute to the global waste problem, comparing schools to “small communities.” “Think of all the trash that is thrown away by the end of the day from just the five high schools in the Blue Valley School District, and that

can be quite a bit,” Bacon said. “If we dumped all [the trash] on the front line, we’d probably be shocked.” Though schools largely impact the worldwide waste issue, Bacon said the focus should be on individuals within the schools, not necessarily the school district. Bacon said he personally is environmentally-friendly by recycling and not littering but is disappointed by others who are not. “The human species takes their environment for granted to some extent,” Bacon said. “When you look at levels of pollution and waste that are generated throughout the world, at some point, [I wonder if] we [are] going to be living in our own filth.” The average person creates four pounds of trash daily, a statistic Bacon said he was surprised by. “I have to think beyond my lunch here, but I will throw away a plastic fork, a cup and a styrofoam plate, which probably doesn’t even weigh half a pound collectively, so four pounds seems like a lot,” Bacon said. In the past 10 years, Bacon said he’s noticed more awareness over the human impact on the environment. “I would like to think that we’re better at dealing with it than we used to be,” he said. “However, it boggles my mind when I hear of a huge barge going out in the Pacific Ocean, [having to collect] trash that is floating around.”

While Bacon focuses on the school aspect of the waste problem, science teacher, Karen Koch, thinks about trash more on a global level. Koch said most people use outdated methods in order to get rid of waste. “Dilution [isn’t] the solution to pollution,” Koch said. “That used to be what happened in the ‘60s and ‘70s. People would just throw stuff in the ocean, [and] it’ll go away because the ocean [is] so big.” Koch said to fix this problem, many beneficial steps could be taken to decrease the global waste problem, like banning plastics. “Grocery stores should use recyclable bags and get rid of plastic bottles [all together],” Koch said. “In every park, they should have water [for refilling] so you wouldn’t have to use a plastic bottle.” Koch said the first step is for people to learn more about the environment and ways to help. “The biggest thing is education,” Koch said. “[We need to educate] people [on what] to do with their trash [and] how to recycle, even here at school.” Bacon said fixing the global waste problem will take a group effort. “How can we better manage [waste] is the million dollar question,” Bacon said. “It’s not just [the younger] generations, but [something] all generations need to be mindful of.”

TIDAL WAVE

feature |december 2018 |

BV senior hopes to make a splash at State olivia sherlock staff writer

L year.

ast year, the boys swim team placed 16th at State. Senior Gehrig Westermajer, a sprinter on the swim and dive team, hopes for a win at State this “We lost Ryan Richards, our best swimmer, and I’m going to have to take his place this year as the head swimmer,” Westermajer said. “I’m hoping to win the 100 freestyle this year and place in the top six of the 200 free and 50 free at EKL and State.” After moving to Kansas in January of 2018, Westermajer joined the team in the middle of the season. “I feel like I clicked with the team really well,” Westermajer said. Westermajer has been swimming since eighth grade and made his school’s swim team in Texas

his freshman year. Ultimately, Westermajer said his competitive drive pushes him to work hard and stay committed to the team and the sport. “I’ve always been a really big competitor — it’s in my blood,” he said. “Whenever I win, I get this rush of joy. I love racing, and I love competing — which is why I do this sport.” Even though the team is small this year, Westermajer said the team’s hopes are still up for a chance at placing at State. “We have a lot of promising swimmers coming back this year,” Westermajer said. The swimmers give a lot of time throughout the season. “We put in a lot of work every day,” Westermajer said. “Waking up at 5 [in the morning] is one of the hardest parts, at least for me” The team has a very strict practice regiment, practicing about 10 times a week, working in the weight room and doing yoga. “We practice every day — in the mornings, we practice for about an hour and forty-five minutes. Westermajer said. “In the afternoons, we practice for about two and a half hours. He said practices consist of two hours of swimming, half an hour in the weight room and doing yoga exercises. The team also completes a two-hour practice every Saturday morning. Westermajer said in order to do well this season, the boys are focused on pulling together as a team. “We need to work hard to really fill those gaps,” he said. “We need to go to State and to place high at State.”

| DESIGN BY OLIVIA SHERLOCK

24 | december 2018 | feature

Famous Freshman Basketball Prodigy plays at BV liya patel & emily cummings staff writers Regionals and a world championship are just some of the achievements that freshman Aidan Shaw already has under his belt. For many people, sports is a way to unwind, compete and just have fun with friends. But for Shaw, sports is his whole life. Many students know Shaw for his accomplishments in basketball, which include winning Regionals and a world championship, all before coming to BV. Growing up, Shaw was surrounded by basketball. Everywhere he was, basketball was by his side. Shaw said his love for the sport began at a very young age. “I’ve been playing since I can remember,” Shaw said. “I started playing and ended up liking it.” As his love for basketball grew, he realized that he was going to go somewhere. Shaw moved from club to club, but found the right fit when he decided to join the Power Group. Through this group, Shaw made one of his greatest achievements. “We won this regional competition, and we got to go to the world championship,” he said. “People from different countries were there, and we played them and ended up winning.” At this point in his basketball career, Shaw became the center of attention to players at BV, along with other schools across the nation. When he came to BV, he had one goal — to play varsity for the basketball team. Shaw hopes he will be able to

play and hopes it will help him with his long term goal of playing in the NBA. Managing school and basketball seems to be one of Shaw’s main struggles, but he tries to remember to balance his time between shooting shots at the gym and completing his school work. “I usually go after I get my work done — pretty late at night, but I always try and mange how I use my time,” he said. Being a young basketball worldchampion, Shaw said he never lets the fame and glory get in the way of who he tries to be as a person and always remembers all the help he got from other people to get to where he is now. Shaw said his parents are very supportive of his basketball career. “[My parents] drive me to the gym and practices, and they even hired a personal trainer to help me,” he said. Basketball is such an important part of Shaw’s life, and he can’t imagine what it would look like without it. “Without basketball, I don’t know where my life would be,” he said. “It’s become such an important part of who I am and I couldn’t imagine it any other way.”

| PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY AIDEN SHAW

feature|december 2018 |

Joined by

THE JACKSONS

BV Welcomes 2 New Siblings

cassidy carpenter, shay lawson & maddy kang staff writers This year, Blue Valley received two new siblings who will play on the basketball teams. Freshman Jordan Jackson and junior Jonathan Jackson moved to the Kansas City area two years ago from Houston, Texas. “My dad’s job moved us up to Kansas City,” Jonathan said. When they first moved to KC, the Jacksons were homeschooled their first year and then went to private school the second year at Maranatha Christian Academy. Despite being placed at BV based on where their house is zoned, Jonathan said he likes the family environment. “Being new here makes it difficult [to meet new people], but playing sports makes it easier,” Jonathan said. Both Jonathan and Jordan made the varsity team at BV, but because of the Blue Valley School District’s transfer rules, they must play Junior Varsity until second semester starts in January. While they’re excited to play basketball at BV, the Jacksons also play

on their own club teams. Jordan said she plays competitively for Missouri Phenom. Jonathan plays for Mokan Elite and said he has aspirations beyond high school basketball. “Some colleges that are interested in me are Virginia, Kansas, Oklahoma, Pittsburgh, Colorado and more,” Jonathan said. Athletes run in the Jackson family. Their older brother, Justin Jackson, plays in the NBA for the Sacramento Kings. “It’s cool and all to have a brother in the NBA, but sometimes people take it too far and compare me to him,” Jonathan said. Jordan also has high hopes to continue her basketball career at the next level. “[My dream school is] Texas A&M — I really just like Texas,” Jordan said. Jordan said she looks forward to the competitiveness this season. “A goal for me this high school season is to get to State,” Jordan said. While both are committed to the sport, they said they’re looking forward to all BV has to offer, including its family environment. “[We] want people to know that there’s more to us than just basketball,” Jonathan said. “Basketball for me is something that I can go to at anytime and not have to worry about any of the distractions or negatives in the world. It’s also something that I love to do so there’s never a dull moment while doing it.”

| PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY JONATHAN JACKSON | DESIGN BY CASSIDY CARPENTER

26 | december 2018 | feature

Winter Holidays Holidays Winter Diverse Holidays Celebrated Around Blue Valley During the holiday season, most people tend to just think about the snow and presents. However, there are so many holidays celebrated in the winter like Hanukkah, Christmas and Chinese New Year. Blue Valley is a very diverse school with many different celebrated holidays. Students present an open and welcome environment to anyone

with religious and cultural differences. When asking people about their favorite part of their celebrated holiday, everyone responded with spending time with family — and presents. The holiday season is about so much more than just getting some days off school — it’s about spreading happiness and spending time with loved ones.

Hanukkah

Jewish holiday celebrating the rededication of the Second Temple Hanukkah is a holiday celebrated by the Jewish community at different dates each year. “The dates for Hanukkah change, but it is supposed to start on Dec. 2 this year,” junior Molly Levinson said. The holiday lasts eight days and its focus surrounds the Menorah. Each day, a family lights one candle on the Menorah until all of the candles are lit. “Each family has a Menorah of their own that they celebrate with and get to light every day of the celebration,” she said. “There is also an exchange of gifts — one per night.” Levinson described her holiday as very laid-back and relaxing. She loves all the traditions that come along with Hanukkah, especially the food. “Normally, people eat Latkes, [which are potato pancakes] and play Dreidel together,” she said. “It is a time [where] we get to sit back and relax all together, and I really enjoy this part of the holiday season.”

| PHOTOS BY LIYA PATEL

feature|december 2018 |

Christmas

Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christmas is a commonly celebrated holiday on Dec. 25 all around the world but especially in the United States. A majority of BV students celebrate Christmas and love to spread their joy about it. Senior Brady Sheer described this holiday season as the best and most joyous part of the year. ”My family and I always open our presents on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas day as a family tradition,” he said. Sheer said everyone celebrates differently, but most people go to church. One of Scheer’s favorite moments is giving and receiving presents with his family and seeing their reactions to the surprises. “Christmas is my favorite time of the whole year,” he said.

Chinese New Year Chinese holiday celebrating the new year

The Chinese New Year is not a holiday you normally think of in the winter, but it is celebrated by more than 3 billion people. Sophomore Mishy Liu said the Chinese New Year is more of a family celebration than making it to another year. “I really enjoy the family aspect of Chinese New Year,” she said. The holiday isn’t celebrated in January like other New Years; it is in February and based off the Lunar Calendar. Liu enjoys all of the traditions with Chinese New Year and looks forward to all the festive memories she will make. “I usually just watch the parade on TV and eat traditional Chinese food,” Liu said. “We always call our family in China and check-in on everyone.”

| DESIGN BY EMILY CUMMINGS

28 | december 2018 | feature

It’s not all in your head Senior diagnosed with Bipolar I disorder shares experience, advice maddy kang & shay lawson staff writers

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY PEYTON MOTT

No one is perfect. Many people in the world have struggled with their mental health every day, even if it is undiagnosed. Senior Peyton Mott is one of those people — Mott was diagnosed with Bipolar I disorder earlier this year. “I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder Type One,” Mott said. “Based on society’s norms, it’s the less bad one.” Mott said the disorder is accompanied by manic stages. “I go through manic stages,” Mott said. “Mania can either be highs — like I’m on top of the world and I can get stuff done, followed by really dark, depressive states — I can’t get out of bed, and I have no motivation.” Mott said she can’t control her manic stages, despite what most believe. “The highs are constantly happy, sometimes in a cartoon manner and almost unreal,” Mott said. “Some of the lows are some of the darkest things I’ve ever thought — not necessarily suicidal things, but some very dark things have come into my mind.” Mott said before she was

diagnosed, she missed many days of school because she couldn’t get out of bed. “Now I go to therapy, which I recommend to everyone, even if they don’t have a diagnoses,” Mott said. “I also take medicine that stabilizes my mood.” Mott believes the subject of mental health is too taboo and people should stop degrading it. “I personally am not a huge fan of ‘Oh, she’s so bipolar,’” Mott said. “I understand not a lot of people are educated about it, but until you know how it feels, you don’t recognize what you’re saying.” Mott said her friends and family have helped her along the way and believes others who might be struggling with their own mental health should find someone to talk to. “The key is to not self diagnose,” Mott said. “But if you do see signs of things, find someone to talk to. I know a lot of people don’t really talk to the counselors or anything, but the psychology teachers know a lot about it and will talk to you about it — and parents as well. I know it’s scary to bring up to parents, but it’s a big deal even if they don’t understand at first — you have to tell someone.”

DESIGN BY MADDY KANG & SHAY LAWSON

a&e |december 2018 |

DX FOR THE RX How to survive the retrogrades for 2019

When a planet is in retrograde, the planet is seen as if it is orbiting backward, when in reality the planet is moving normally. In astrology, each planet has different areas they rule, such as romance, communication or dreams. So, in astrological terms, when a certain planet goes into retrograde, whatever traits rule that planet will be affected negatively. People will often find themselves challenged and face problems that have to do with that planet during the retrograde. Retrogrades are often a time to look back on who you are and allow you to revisit things of the past in clarity. The longer a planet is in retrograde, the more subtle the effect will be on you.

MERCURY Be careful what you say during this retrograde. You will find yourself getting into arguments a lot easier than normal. Communications will be challenged greatly and you can often find yourself unable to get your point across or say the right thing. Avoid making big decisions in your life until Mercury goes direct again. 2019 dates for this retrograde are: March 5 to 28, July 7 to 31 and Oct. 31 to Nov. 20.

JUPITER Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be surprised when you notice a couple bad omens in your life during Jupiter in retrograde. Being the planet of expansion, expect to grow greatly during this chunk of time. But be careful â&#x20AC;&#x201D; having this planet in retrograde can make you feel greedy very easily. Remember to stay humble to prevent yourself from becoming too self-obsessed. 2019 dates for this retrograde are: April 10 to Aug. 11

NEPTUNE When Neptune goes into retrograde, take off those rose-tinted glasses and face the real world. During this time, the illusions Neptune usually has over us fades away, and the harsh truth of reality steps in its place. You will find yourself in a shocked state of mind and will more often than not feel very overwhelmed. It will be very common to find yourself caught up in your own selfpity and problems, try to be more proactive than usual, and take a few deep breaths to slowly let the truth settle in. 2019 dates for this retrograde are: June 21 to Nov. 27.

PLUTO Finally get free in this long-awaited retrograde. During this time you will reflect on what has power over you in life. This would be a good time to drop that toxic friend or just let go of that issue that has been taking over your thoughts lately. You will find yourself getting in touch with the deepest, darkest thoughts, and may be prone to acting on those. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be scared though, this allows you to acknowledge that part of you and truly transform yourself into a better person. 2019 dates for this retrograde are: April 24 to Oct. 2.

SATURN When Saturn goes into retrograde, be ready to put your big boy pants on. During this time, you can find yourself in an almost forced state of reflection. Somethings may come to light, regardless whether or not you want it to. Saturn in retrograde is relative to the

choices you made pre-retrograde. Being a very karmic planet, you may experience a very negative time in your life or a time filled with rewards and happiness. Regardless, this will be a time of reflection and karma. 2019 dates for this retrograde are: April 29 to Sept. 18. | WORDS & DESIGN BY KATE OUDEJANS

A COLLECTION OF

BY STAFF WRITER VINCE OROZCO

WHERE DREAMS COME TRUE

was so excited to go to Disney World. I always dreamed of seeing the castle that would appear at the beginning of all my favorite films. Then one day, my dad came to me and showed me a letter. It was signed by Mickey Mouse. I screamed with elation and sprinted around my house until I grew exhausted. Then I hugged my dad. Once we got checked into our hotel and got all our luggage to the room, it was off to the park. The obvious first destination was the crown jewel of Disney World, the Magic Kingdom. The feeling I got when I saw the castle glowing at the end of Main Street was beyond what my 7-year-old brain could comprehend. This was going to be the best day of my life. I wanted to ride and see everything. I zoomed through the galaxy on Space Mountain, observed Captain Jack Sparrow’s mischief and guffawed until tears were streaming down my face on the Monsters INC. Laugh Floor (I was even picked to play the part of Boo in their recount of the life of Mike Wazowski). However, my least favorite ride that day was Small World. It was just plain weird. The lifeless blinking of the wooden dolls dancing around and singing was unsettling. However, I paid it no mind since my dad seemed

to enjoy it. By the time of the fireworks show, I was exhausted. Despite all my fun, there was one thing I wanted to do more than anything — meet Cinderella. I wanted to ask her what it was like growing up with such mean step-family members and how she managed to communicate with mice. Then suddenly, as if Mickey Mouse himself had heard my wish, I saw her. Her blue dress was a sparkling gem weaving amongst the crowd, prepared to watch the closing show. I let go of my dad’s hand and began my pursuit. I needed to meet her. However, as my chase drew on I seemed to be losing sight of her more and more, until eventually she disappeared completely. I was distraught. Sulking in defeat, I went to return my dad. Except, something was off. I didn’t recognize where I was. We hadn’t visited this part of the park, and I could not find any landmarks above the towering bodies of the adults around me. I was trapped by a sea of strange figures, cast away from my guardian. I started to panic. Terrible thoughts began racing through my head. I picked a direction and started to wander worryingly. However, a good samaritan must have noticed my anguish and approached me.

“Hey there,” said the cast member. “What’s wrong?” “I’m lost,” I replied on the verge of tears. “Oh, don’t you worry. I’ll help you find your parents,” she replied in an encouraging tone. I followed her to a building located past a sign that read “Cast members only.” Once inside, she brought me to a dimly lit room and had me sit down. “Don’t worry,” she said. “I’m just going to go find a way to contact your parents. In the meantime, I got you an ice cream. I even called Mickey Mouse to come hang out with you until I get back. Does that sound OK?” I enthusiastically replied, “Yes.” She gave me the ice cream and went into the next room. As the door was closing, I caught a glimpse of the tall mouse himself. I got excited. In my excitement I did not notice the funny taste of the ice cream as I gobbled it up. The sugar crash must have come quicker than I had expected because I was soon passed out cold. The last thing I remembered before I fell into slumber was the iconic laughter of Mickey. My eyes slowly opened. My body felt off. I felt shorter. I tried to move, but I could not. I tried to scream, but I could not. All that came out was six words. “It’s a small world after all.”

a&e |december 2018 |

A DESPAIRING COUPLE

t was another day of coffee and croissants. I was annotating my copy of “State and Revolution.” Beauvoir was finishing up her work on the “Second Sex.” Suddenly she broke the monotony of her typewriter clacking when she said, “Oh, did you see we got a letter from Che? He invited us to come visit in Havana. I must say he did speak highly of your work. He particularly liked ‘No Exit.’” “Yes, I did. I’m actually quite excited to see the Cuban project first hand,” I replied. Suddenly I noticed my mug shiver on the table. The rest of the furniture followed suit. In addition to this quaking of the Earth around us, the roof lifted with seeming ease. I must say that when I sat down for coffee that day, I did not expect to meet God. Naturally, as an Existentialist, I did not believe in one. One tends to find that such things are in contradiction with the idea of existence preceding essence. Even then, I thought that even if it did exist, nothing would change in regards to the human condition. However, it appears that today he felt it necessary to prove himself to me. “Why hast thou forsaken me?” the faceless being said. I could not tell if the voice came from a woman or a man. I could also not tell the color of the semi-transparent skin. It was gargantuan. All the paintings and poems in the world could not do its magnitude justice.

“I’m sorry. May I ask who you are?” I asked facetiously. “Don’t be a smart aleck, Mr. ‘Boo-hoo-life-is-meaningless,’ you know who I am,” God replied with irritation. “Well who knows? You could have been any of the thousands of possible deities,” I answered, continuing my prank. “Look fool, I heard you and Beauvoir talking smack about me. Saying that I don’t exist and that even if I do my existence doesn’t matter. And don’t get me started on your little friend Camus, the wannabe Ivan Karamazov,” God proclaimed with a hint of insecurity. “OK, I know there’s a lot of bad blood between you two, but I think we need to sort this out before it devolves into more shouting. God, why have you come to us?” Beauvoir calmly interrupted. “I got tired of Aquinas incessantly yammering about how right he was and trash-talking Diderot and Schopenhauer, so I came down to Earth to rub my existence in your Existentialist faces,” God responded. “OK you have proven your existence; now Jean, why are you trolling God? You obviously know that this is it so why are you acting so childishly?” she inquired. “Because this bastard made me hideous! He must’ve thought in Heaven while he was making me, ‘Oh, I know, let’s make this kid a short little cross-eyed goblin. Oh,

also, make it to where when he takes mescaline one time he ends up seeing crabs for the rest of his life. This seems fair,” I snapped with pent up anger over my bad hand in life. “Hey, I’m the one that gave you the brain to be such a successful philosopher. A little appreciation would be nice,” replied God. “Ah yes let me give you thanks. Let me give you thanks for WW2 and the rise of the Nazis. Thank you for your divine intervention,” I bellowed. “Oh yeah, blame me for what you humans did with your own free will,” responded the deity. However before I could retort, Beauvoir slapped me across the face, and with the same motion, threw her cup at God who recoiled like a child avoiding a bee. “OK that’s enough. God you’ve proved your point you may leave now. Jean-Paul Sartre, I expected more maturity from both you, a world renowned philosopher, and from you God, an all-powerful being. Both of you need to stop, now!” Beauvoir again intervened this time with the tone of a mother reprimanding her mischievous children. “Fine,” replied both God and I. “I’ll see you punks later,” God said as he disappeared with the accompaniment of a thunderous clap. “Finally he’s gone. If you hadn’t stepped in, Nietzsche would have needed a more than a few volumes to describe what I did.”

| STORIES BY VINCE OROZCO | DESIGN BY NICK LAMBERTI

32 | december 2018 | a&e

LET'S LET'S GET GET

REVIEWS REVIEWS OF OF LOCAL LOCAL

STAFF PICKS Kate Oudejan’s favorite: Spin! Jaron Cole’s favorite: Papa John’s Josie Cuthbertson’s favorite: Imo’s Nick Lamberti’s favorite: Spin! Claire Powell’s favorite: Spin!

MARTIN CITY Cheesiness:.............................. 2/5 Crust fluffiness......................... 2/5 Presentation............................. 1/5 Flavor...................................... 3/5 Overall......................... 2/5

a&e |december 2018 |

CHEESY CHEESE PIZZA

DOMINO’S Cheesiness............................ 1/5 Crust..................................... 4/5 Presentation.......................... 2/5 Flavor................................... 3/5 Overall.......................3/5

PAPA JOHN’S Cheesiness......................... 4/5 Crust fluffiness................... 4/5 Presentation....................... 3/5 Flavor................................ 4/5 Overall.................... 4/5

SPIN! Cheesiness............................ 4/5 Crust fluffiness...................... 3/5 Presentation.......................... 5/5 Flavor................................... 4/5 Overall.......................4/5

IMO’S Cheesiness............................2/5 Crust fluffiness......................2/5 Presentation..........................1/5 Flavor...................................3/5 Overall...................... 2/5

| DESIGN BY JOSIE CUTHBERTSON

34 | december 2018 | a&e

Getting Lit for the Check out some of the best

maddy kang & shay lawson staff writers

intertime is filled with a festive feeling, and nothing represents this excitement better than the bright lights. KC is home to some of the finest light displays from the Plaza Lights to Paulie’s Penguin Playground — read on to learn about more of the must-see views this holiday season.

Plaza Lights

The lighting ceremony falls on Thanksgiving night every year, and the lights stay on until mid-January. A big light switch turns on all of the colorful lights that cover every outlined inch of every building, tower and shop at the Plaza. Attendees can watch the ceremony take place while they shop and eat. Light colors are purposefully chosen. For example, all tower lights are red.

Why it’s unique? This holiday tradition has been occurring for 89 years.

| PHOTO BY CLAIRE POWELL

Crown Center

The lighting of a 100-foot tree at Crown Center helps begin the holiday season with a plethora of dazzling lights. This kickoff ceremony features mayor Sly James and usually another celebrity guest. The tree arrives every year on Nov. 1 and the following day, the ice skating rink is opened. Attending the tree lighting event is free, but other activities at Crown Center have various costs.

Why it’s unique?

Although the lights at Crown Center are beautiful, this place is unique due to its several holiday activities, including holiday musicals. | PHOTO SUBMISSION BY ADDY MCALEER

a&e |december 2018 |

Holiday Season

festive lights around KC

Deanna Rose

Deanna Rose is a family friendly light show that provides joy every year. The lights can be seen from the warmth of one’s car for free. The show is synchronized with music playing from the radio station 90.5 Rose FM, so watchers can experience the full package. The lights begin Nov. 22 and run through Jan. 7.

Why it’s unique?

The show, in its entirety, runs for 38 minutes.

| PHOTO BY MADDY KANG

Paulie’s Penguin Playground

Paulie’s Penguin Playground is run by the Craig family. It is the largest light display in the Johnson County area. Paulie’s Penguin Playground is a walk-through filled with hundreds of figures of singing mechanical penguins and there are even penguin videos playing on the roof. The Penguin Playground even possesses its own snowmaking machine.

Why it’s unique?

This display is worth going to during the daytime. Along with that fact, donations are accepted for Leukemia Lymphoma Society and has continuously raised more than $25,555 every year since 2012.

Location

16617 Indian Creek Parkway Olathe, Kansas

| PHOTO BY SHAY LAWSON | DESIGN BY MADDY KANG

36 | december 2018 | a&e

2018: A YEAR IN REVIEW A LOOK BACK ON 2018

ASTROWORLD — Travis Scott Aug. 3 Rap/Hip Hop

A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships — The 1975 Nov. 30 Alternative

beerbongs & bentleys — Post Malone April 27 Pop/Rap

Incredibles 2 dir. Brad Bird Science Fiction/ Animation

Big Mouth Netflix Comedy

Queer eye Netflix Reality TV

Halloween dir. David Gordon Green Mystery/Slasher

A Star Is Born dir. Bradley Cooper Drama/Romance

Tik Tok

Teenage JUUL Epidemic

TikTok, formerly known as Musical.ly, is a social media app similar to vine or dubsmash, where short, comedic videos are created, consisting of a user lip-syncing to a song or audio from a short video clip.

JUUL, a rechargeable, refillable e-cigarette is reaching epidemic levels due to its rapid increase in use among teens. The device is easy to obtain, discreet and easy to hide. Due to its recency, scientists are not sure of the long-term effects the JUUL has on the body and brain.

| WORDS BY NICK LAMBERTI, JOSIE CUTHBERTSON, KATE OUDEJANS, JARON COLE, VINCE OROZCO & OLIVIA SHERLOCK

a&e |december 2018 |

Mac Miller, 26 Sept. 7 Rapper

XXXTentacion, 20 June 18 Rapper

Aretha Franklin, 76 Aug. 16 Singer/Songwriter

Stan Twitter Aquaria Crowned in Drag Race Aquaria became the tenth queen to win Rupaul’s Drag Race.

A new culture has seemed to arise on Twitter, consisting mainly of fans of famous pop icons. This new group of people, who call themselves ‘stans’ communicate using self-invented slang terms like “skinny,” “tea” and “wig.” The culture relies heavily on abstract comedy and is very Gen-Z based.

Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson break-up After a short period of dating and a quick engagement, singer Ariana Grande and comedian Pete Davidson called off their relationship on Oct. 14.

Royal Wedding On May 19, Prince Harry married American Meghan Markle. It received widespread coverage with about 18 million viewers in the UK and 29 million viewers in the US.

Fortnite

ASMR

Fortnite, a free-to-play online battle royale game, was released in 2017. It became a worldwide sensation with its peak player count in June 2018, reaching 125 million players.

ASMR, classified as autonomous sensory meridian response, became viral after slime and soap cutting videos became popular on social media.

| DESIGN BY NICK LAMBERTI, JOSIE CUTHBERTSON & KATE OUDEJANS

38 | december 2018 | a&e things to do in

WINTER watch holiday movies

hether you’re out in the snow or snowed in, the winter season bears plenty of pastimes. If you’re short on what to do this winter, here are some activities you can enjoy during this time of year.

build an igloo How to build an igloo: 1. Build on a slope to save effort 2. Fill a five-gallon bucket with snow to create each block 3. Stack blocks in a circular formation 4. The top of the igloo can be left open to save time and effort Optional: cut a door shape into the side of your igloo

Some popular holiday movies include: “The Polar Express” “The Nightmare Before Christmas” “Home Alone” “Love Actually”

decorate

Hallmark Holiday Movie Collection “Deck the Halls” “Christmas with the Kranks”

make food

Decorate your house with festive items like a Christmas tree, string lights, menorahs, winter-scented candles, wreaths or a gingerbread house

go holiday shopping

For more advice on see page holiday shopping

Mistletoe cookie recipe: 1. Melt ⅓ cup butter in large saucepan on low heat 2. Add around 30 marshmallows 3. Cook and stir 3-4 min or until melted 4. Remove from heat 5. Stir in several drops of green food coloring 6. Evenly add 3 cups of corn flakes 7. Drop by tablespoonfuls into 30 mounds on waxed paper-covered baking sheets sprayed with cooking spray 8. Press hot tamale candies on top of each cookie 9. Let sit for 30 min or until firm

look at holiday lights For the best places to find holiday lights

see pages

34 & 35

go sledding

ice skate

Some popular places to go sledding include: Penn Valley Park, 31st Street and Southwest Trafficway in Kansas City, Missouri. Suicide Hill, at 57th and Brookside in Kansas City, Missouri. Westwood Park, at 47th Street and State Line Road in Kansas City, Missouri. Blue Valley Park, at 23rd Street and Topping Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri. Waterworks Park, at Waterworks Road and North Oak Trafficway in Kansas City, Missouri.

Nearby recreational ice skating rinks are located at Park Place and Crown Center

| WORDS & DESIGN BY NICK LAMBERTI & JARON COLE

a&e |december 2018 |

How Americans spend their money on the biggest shopping day of the year

black friday special black friday special Staff Shopping

To experience Black Friday herself, staff writer Claire Powell recorded her shopping spree. To watch, scan the QR code below.

Most popular items bought on Black Friday 8% travel

11% giftcards

In 2017...

64 million shopped both online and in stores

27% tablets/ laptops/ PCs/TVs

58 million shopped only online 51 million shopped only in stores In total, $2.87 billion spent

15% toys

Top retailers 15% smart-home gadgets

24% clothing

*Walmart *Amazon

| DESIGN BY CHARLIE TRENT

40 | december 2018 | opinion

ELIMINATE THE MIDDLEMAN Electoral College discourages high voter turnout

noma kreegar editor-in-chief

Voter awareness is at an all-time high, sparked by the massive controversy surrounding the 2016 presidential election. The Electoral College has been used in the United States since its founding. Its purpose, according to the National Archives and Records Administration, is to form a compromise between the “election of the President by a vote in Congress” and an “election of the President by a popular vote of qualified citizens.” This buffer between the population and the election of the president creates a perpetual middleman — and for what reason? The Electoral College fosters a sense of indifference among voters — especially in circumstances where the popular vote outweighs the Electoral College. For example, the 1824 election for president between Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams —

| DESIGN BY NOMA KREEGAR

although Jackson had more votes cast in his favor, Adams won more Electoral College votes. The popular votes were counted for the first time in American history during this election. A democracy relies on elected representatives, and when people feel as though their voices aren’t heard, it creates a sense of tension and unease. If you’re a liberal living in Texas, what’s the point of voting if you know your state’s electors will vote Republican? Alternatively, if you’re a conservative living in California, why would you go through the trouble of voting knowing your state will elect Democratically? I would agree with the statement that every vote counts, but when only a reported 63 percent of people in Johnson County voted in the midterm elections, something needs to change. Although the midterms are not based on an out-ofdate system that encourages a lack of interest among voters, the indifference caused by the Electoral College visibly reflects in voter turnout. These problems could be fixed very simply: eliminate the Electoral College, and base presidential elections off the popular vote.

opinion |december 2018 |

e d

s t out

Finals should be used to help raise students’ grades

charlie trent staff writer

Twice a year, high school students around the country stay up late studying for heavily weighted exams that could potentially make or break their grade — these are known as finals. Not only are these tests usually over material that was covered months ago, but they add a large amount of stress and pressure to students. However, if students have a good grade in the class, why should they ruin it with a pointless final that could destroy the countless hours of work they put in throughout the semester? These finals can quickly bring down letter grades, which can affect students’ GPAs and can result in students performing poorly in classes they worked hard to do well in. The weight and stress placed on these exams result in students staying up late the night before to cram the past 5 to 10 months of material into their brains. According to a study done at UCLA, students were likely to perform higher on exams when they have had an optimal 8.5 to 9.25 hours of sleep. Although it could be argued that students should responsibly study each day to comprehend the material better, this is impossible for many students. This is because many students aren’t given the material for the finals or the reviews until a few days before. On top of this, many students are busy with extracurricular activities and do not have time to work on reviews

or study each day leading up to the final. The end of the first semester is a busy time for many students, and setting time aside to study is a difficult task. Being able to opt out of finals would prevent students from feeling pressured to cram and would give the students who want to pull their grades up an opportunity to do so. If finals have such a large impact on the grades of the students, why should they be used as a possible threat to a student’s grade when it could be used to benefit those who want to bring their grade up?

to be able u o y d l als? Shou t of fin opt ou

be should f u o y d to sai opt ou able to finals

uldn’t ou sho said y ble to opt be a finals out of ts ll of 147 studen

*based on a po

| DESIGN BY CHARLIE TRENT

42 | december 2018 | opinion

Cozy Tigers

Should blankets be allowed in schools? j.d loftin staff writer

At Blue Valley students are seen in the halls with blankets around them or they are carrying them. This is just not right â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a school is a place of learning and it is not your home. At school when students bring blankets, it not only makes it inconvenient for them but it can also be inconvenient to the people around them. The blankets can sometimes drag on the ground, making it so that others might step on it. Sure you can bring blankets to school, but what about when you get a job? They wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let you walk around with a blanket. They will say to put on a jacket, which is more professional than a blanket. Blankets could distract or hinder a student from working more efficiently because the student would have to hold on to the blanket instead of writing or typing. Along with that, having a blanket in class could potentially distract the student along with other students around them. Students will feel the urge to fidget and mess with the blanket. Students will also have the desire to want to go to sleep in class due to the use of blankets. Because the body usually associates blankets with sleep, students will be more inclined to want to go to sleep during school. Blankets should not be allowed in schools. There are other ways of staying warm, so why bring a blanket?

| DESIGN BY J.D LOFTIN

josie cuthbertson staff writer

Students spend up to seven hours of their day at school, starting in the early morning, five days a week, nine months a year. We spend a huge portion of our time at school, coming in second to home for most. So with that large of a time sacrifice, most kids are not able to look professional every single day coming to school. Students should be able to bring blankets to class to sacrifice looking professional for comfort at school. Students being able to bring blankets makes the classroom environment more welcoming as well, allowing students to have more freedom and adaptability in their school experience. Some classrooms can also be colder than others, helping students stay warm and focus. Bringing a blanket has no affect the learning experience, either. Every student, whether they show up in comfy attire or professional attire, comes for the same thing: to go to their classes and learn. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing in the dress code against bringing blankets, so students should be able to bring them if they so choose. If a student decides to bring a blanket to stay warm, then by all means, do so. As long as blankets do not get in the way of the learning experience, they should be permitted.

Give a Helping Hand

opinion |december 2018 |

U.S. needs to prioritize humanitarian aid to ensure unified success mckenna cole managing editor

Ever since president Donald Trump took office in January 2017, his “America First” agenda has radically shifted the U.S. role on the rest of the world. The U.S. role has already been slowly diminishing for years as other foreign countries continue to expand their militaries, economies and world power, but there has been a difference in U.S. foreign policy that has launched this evolution. Through actions such as exiting NAFTA, the Iran Nuclear Deal and the Paris Climate accord, Trump has made drastic changes resulting in the U.S. becoming a far more isolated nation. This was furthered when the White House unveiled the 2019 Federal Budget on Feb. 12, which proposed cuts to foreign aid in an effort to make funds more local. This decision, however, was a big mistake. While focus on domestic issues is not a false approach, ceasing involvement in foreign crisis is an action the U.S. should seek to avoid. Officials and supporters of such action argue that federal money is better spent at home to boost American growth or American jobs, but foreign aid offers mutual benefits to both the donor and the recipients. By aiding countries in crises, we will be aiding ourselves in regards to the nations security. Evidence of this can

be found in the 9/11 attacks. When the event took place, the U.S. discovered they needed to stifle terrorism within Middle Eastern countries, that were unable to do so themselves, before it spread any further. The U.S. government realized world powers must interfere in the affairs of other countries to help them attain stability; otherwise, instability will spread and pose a threat to their own countries. Aside from our collective security, there is a moral obligation of developed countries; to aid crises in order to prevent mistakes made in the past. In 1993, the U.N. launched its mission in Rwanda to monitor a cease-fire agreement between the Rwandan Hutu government and the rebel Rwandese Patriotic Front. The mission, which was not allowed to use military force to achieve its aims, proved insufficient after the slaughtering of an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and Hutus took place. The Rwanda representative at the U.N. agreed with the assertion that there is a responsibility of developed countries to prevent heinous and preventable mistakes from repeating themselves. Trump’s presidency has changed the international goals of America, transforming the U.S. from a global leader cooperating with other countries to ensure mutual success to a self-focused superpower with motives to only improve personal national security. By lowering humanitarian and foreign aid to the bottom of our priorities list, we are putting our prosperity at risk. Domestic economic improvement with the promotion of global prosperity proves foreign aid is good for America — and for the world.

| DESIGN BY MCKENNA COLE

44 | december 2018 | opinion

four

Which season charlie trent staff writer

When the winter season hits, people complain about pipes breaking, cold temperatures, ice on the road and spending too much money. However, these are just a few sacrifices that must be made to experience the best season of the year — winter. One of the best parts of the season is being surrounded by family and friends. Whether you celebrate any holidays, the cold season brings people together for food, family and fun activities. Seeing people come together to support others lifts people’s spirits and brings them joy. In addition, winter activities like sled-

ding, sipping hot cocoa around the fire and ice skating set the mood for a season full of good memories that last a lifetime. Although some may argue the cold temperatures may ruin this festive fun, they set up the perfect atmosphere for bringing people together. You don’t have to sweat while listening to soccer moms argue at your cousin’s games or deal with peeling sunburns. Instead, you can sit back and enjoy peppermint flavored drinks while being surrounded by the people you love most. On top of it all, winter has an added extra benefit — ‘tis the season of joy.

What season do students of BV prefer?

claire powell staff writer

I could go on and explain ‘the feeling’ of fall, but that is unnecessary because everyone knows what fall is — just as everyone knows fall is the best season. Leaves change to bright reds and oranges, and somehow everything becomes perfect in this place we call the world. Fall has the perfect weather — not too cold, and not too hot, but as Goldie-Locks would say, “just right.” During the blistering, hot summer, AC can cost hundreds of dollars. This goes for heating as well, when winter punches you in the face with its cold, dead hand. Meanwhile when it’s fall, the door can be closed to keep in the heat, or the door can be kept open to allow delightful air in. | DESIGN BY CHARLIE TRENT

Of course, spring can say the same, but nobody actually enjoys spring. Spring is like the sloppy seconds of the seasons. After winter, the roads are covered in mush, ruining clean cars and new shoes. Even when the weather becomes eventually decent, students are too busy taking finals to be outside in the mosquitoinfested air. With fall, life is amazing. Television series begin their next season, scented candles fill rooms and everyone has an excuse to jump into a pile of leaves. The feeling of fall doesn’t need to be explained — everyone knows and loves the feeling the other seasons can’t compete with.

44.9% prefer fall

seasons

opinion |december 2018 |

is the best?

kate oudejans staff writer

17.7% prefer winter 8.2% prefer spring

After a long, dead season full of snow storms and frigid temperatures, you can finally let out a sigh of relief as life starts to blossom back into nature — spring has sprung. There’s something magical about watching leaf buds form in colors of white and pink, then slowly changing into a dozen shades of green. The color you were once missing from your life can finally come back to you. Seeing flowers bloom and baby animals coming out to play while listening to

birds chirp outside your window perfectly adds to the joy of this whimsical season. You can finally put away your bulky jackets and boots and exchange them for tennis shoes and jean jackets. Rainy days are like the cherry-on-top of the spring season. Nothing will ever beat making the perfect rainy day playlist and sitting out on your porch watching the rain fall down. Spring is seen as the season of new beginnings, and what’s better than starting anew?

olivia sherlock staff writer

29.3% prefer summer *based on a poll of 147 responses

Imagine you’re in a lounge chair on the dock at the lake sucking on a bomb pop listening to all your favorite songs, all while getting gorgeously tan. Now imagine you’re in school listening to your teacher lecture. You’re sleep deprived and about to start stress-crying. Summer is without a doubt the best season of them all. During the school year, yes, you can be around your friends, but you’re also forced to sit next to that one guy who always smells like beef jerky in Spanish. During summer, you can filter out the people you don’t want to see every

day. You can be as social or antisocial as you want. You can go out all night on a Wednesday, and it wouldn’t matter because there is no school the next day. Summer is a time when people make their most lasting memories of going on vacation, having little flings and getting a summer job. It’s also a time to do all those things you don’t have time for during the school year, like exercising, reading a book and spending time with friends and family. You can do all the things in summer that make you happy because you now have time for them.

46 | december 2018 | opinion

A LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Diving Deep Into Criticism To the Staff of The Tiger Print: Let me start this by saying thank you for hearing my criticism. I recently acquired [October’s] copy of the school newspaper and I’ve got some criticism on the article “Diving Deep” that I think should be known. First of all, you have the accurate-to-a-degree image to show the different amounts of the internet. You got the surface web correct, but not so much the deep and dark webs. | Lane While, yes, the deep web does contain the information you stated, it also contains a lot more. You see, the deep web includes literally everything you can’t find through a search engine. This means anything you need a direct link to, or is pay-walled/ password protected, is part of the deep web. The dark web is easily explained like this: the dark net’s version of the deep web. This makes everything for the next few moments easier to understand, I’ll get on my soapbox for a little bit. The USA government realized the regular internet wasn’t the most private way of getting information, to say the least. To solve this they created an overlay network, a system on top of the internet that would encrypt what you do, thus allowing more anonymity. They soon realized, however, that if they kept this overlay technology to themselves, people would know when the CIA or some other government agency was looking at their websites based on pings coming in over the overlay. To make the system truly anonymous, everyone would need access to it, so they released the technology for their overlay network which used special technology called onion routing, thus the name Tor, aka The Onion Router, came to be. Because it used this specific technology, it is classified as a darknet. People can use Tor for very legitimate and everyday needs, but then comes in the dark web. Earlier I said

that the dark web was like the darknet's deep web. Now that you know what a darknet is, and more specifically Tor, I can explain what the dark web is. Like the deep web, to get to the dark web you need a direct link — but with the dark web, you also have to be using a darknet. These direct link sites for the dark web are known as hidden services and, on Tor specifically, a little over half contain the illicit content you showed on the graph (this is only Tor websites from a study in early 2016), while the other half is completely licit. Simply stating that it’s all illicit would be untruthful. OK, I’m off my soapbox — about that at least. Next in the paragraph below, you quickly contradict your own graph. You say in the graph that 4% is public and 96% isn't, but the paragraph says 5% is public while 95% isn’t. This, however, is completely covered up by the fact that these are mere estimations. On a side note, you never mention that CSOonline’s study was an estimation. By the deep web’s very nature, it is impossible to know where the percentages lie. You can count the surface and dark web’s count by locating the servers and such, but you can’t do the same thing with the deep web. It is entirely possible that the surface and dark web combined make up less than 1% of the internet. Also, let me state again, the entirety of the dark web [being] illicit simply isn’t true. Along with that comes with the fact that we don’t know if they are actually real. Any person can create a hidden service for any reason. For example, a murder-for-hire site was once hacked and emails from the admins were released stating the site was a scam against criminals, and all of the orders were forwarded to police. But, who knows — the hack could have also been faked. Now to the meat of the article: You are correct that you need a dark net-

like Tor, but I wouldn’t classify them as browsers. These safety precautions are fine and all, but due to the encryption and anonymity of darknets, the precautions aren't needed. Just follow the normal rules (don’t click shady links, don't download shady things, and don’t talk to shady people) and you’ll be fine. Erasing your computer, though, seems like a little much. To the interviews: Oh boy, the red rooms. You should have stated that it’s just an urban legend. The sneaking-in videos, while I won’t say it’s not possible to find that, it sounds like that was straight-up ripped from a scene in the second “Unfriended” movie where the kids find a video of a guy doing that exact thing: sneaking into a kid’s room and smiling at the camera. The calls would, again, only happen if she was extremely clumsy with what she said or did on the dark web. It’s the same thing with the “changing your IP:” Tor already encrypts your web traffic, thus you'd have to be really clumsy for someone to track you. Putting your computer on full screen wouldn’t do anything as far as I know. Lastly, while it’s possible for sites to have a lot of barriers to entry, the vast majority can be accessed using just the direct link. It’s really not interconnected, [but] it is still possible some of these sites require you to be in a community. Another misconception is saying that the internet is a small part with a vast criminal underground. This couldn’t be further from the truth, as the dark web already makes up a very small part of the internet, and the criminal part is even smaller. Also, to blame a Netflix hack on the dark web — while it’s possible the dark web is responsible, it’s highly unlikely. Finally, you aren’t going to get hacked or targeted just for accessing the dark web. You have to be clumsy to let that happen. Sincerely, Matthew Lane, Class of 2022

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 450, emailed to thetigerprint@gmail.com or mailed to:

The Tiger Print, Blue Valley High School 6001 W. 159th St., Overland Park, KS 66085

staff ed |december 2018 |

| CARTOON BY KASSIDY WAGNER

Styrofoam trays pose harmful threat to environment, should be eliminated from school lunchrooms nationwide Styrofoam trays — they’re a lunchtime-staple in cafeterias across the country. Praised for its lightweight composition, cheap price and heat insulating quality, Styrofoam has established prevalent use in school lunchrooms. However, ubiquitousness has caused students and school administrators to turn a blind eye to the dangerous effects Styrofoam evokes once thrown away. Despite many Styrofoam products sporting the recycling symbol, the Department of Sanitation concluded that Styrofoam cannot be recycled. Since much of the Styrofoam used is contaminated with food or drink, it is not accepted at drop-off sites and many recycling programs. Styrofoam products are then placed in landfills where, according to LiveStrong.com, they make up 30 percent of its contents. But the journey doesn’t end there. Being 95 percent air, lightweight Styrofoam is easily carried away by wind and often ends up littering streets and beaches, clogging storm pipes and harming animals. Styrofoam buoyan-

cy allows it to float down waterways, eventually making it to the ocean where it gets broken down into smaller pieces and is fatally mistaken as food and is ingested by marine life. In addition to environmental dangers, Styrofoam also poses harm to human health. Styrofoam is made using the monomer Styrene, a neurotoxin. When heated or in contact with acidic foods and beverages, Styrene leaks from the Styrofoam and contaminates the items. Contamination of Styrene into the human body is also possible through simple physical contact with any products containing the neurotoxin. According to Clean Water Action, human exposure to Styrene can cause lasting effects, such as hindering balance and spatial orientation, hearing problems, concentration problems and decreased color discrimination. Styrofoam causes harmful dispositions to humans and the surrounding environment, so why is it so accessible to students and the public? The Blue Valley School District and every school district nationwide

should seek to replace Styrofoam trays with more eco-friendly alternatives like compostable plates. Some districts have already taken steps; In 2013, New York City legislation announced its directive to eliminate the 860,000 Styrofoam trays used daily in its school systems. This policy provoked additional school districts to follow suit — the Philadelphia public schools, which by switching to compostable tableware, ceased the disposal of their monthlyused 880,000 Styrofoam trays, plates and bowls. Annually, both cities collectively eliminate over half a billion toxic and polluting styrene foam trays from entering the environment. By incorporating a similar policy, Blue Valley could make a significant difference in the way Styrofoam affects the local and global ecosystems. Schools are supposed to provide a setting of safety and active learning for students that will teach them to be improving members of society — let’s not allow school lunch trays to jeopardize that agenda.

This staff editorial is the representation of the opinion of The Tiger Print staff.

news |december 2018 |

M O R P R O F IES

hos s r o Juni

ksg n a h T

ert

ess d g n i

ier

ras fund

230 pies sold over $1,000 made

Loading pies on a cart, junior Stuco reps prepare for distribution. “We had a ton of help from our fellow officers and reps,” junior Anna Van Brunt said. “It would not have been possible without them.”

Junior Anna Van Brunt came up with the idea to pursue the pie fundraiser as a way to raise money for prom this school year. Van Brunt and junior Surina Walia ran a majority of the operation, including sorting and inputting orders, communicating with vendors and managing finances. The fundraiser raised over $1,000 for the dance this spring.

Handing over a pie, junior Anna Van Brunt distributes. “We had all the pies in the senior lunchroom,” Van Brunt said. “We had our reps getting the pies we needed.”

| PHOTOS BY MADDY KANG

| DESIGN BYMOLLY HOLMES