March 2020 Blue Valley West Spotlight

spotlight Blue Valley West 16200 Antioch Rd., Overland Park, Kan. Volume 19 Issue 6 March 26, 2020

INSIDE Sexual Assault..............07 Signed Students...........12 Cricket Club...................16 High School Movies.....18

Masthead Letter from the editors

T

he fourth quarter is usually filled with anticipation and excitement. The thought of summer and sunshine fills students’ minds. Prom, assassins, pep assemblies and graduation are the events that live in students’ memories for years and years to come.

However, with the rapid spread of COVID-19, commonly known as the coronavirus, these plans hang in the balance. Schools, including the Blue Valley School District, are doing their best to give students some normalcy. While Zoom meetings and delayed events may not be ideal, teachers and students are working through it together.

On the cover

More importantly, the number of confirmed U.S. cases and deaths continue to rise and The Spotlight staff wants to remind everyone that we must stay home. We hope this edition still provides you with interesting stories about the school during this pandemic. We hope to see you soon and thank you for a wonderful year, Jags.

Your E.I.C.’s, Hannah Cole Rae Zimmerli

contact us Blue Valley West High School 16200 Antioch Road Overland Park, Kan. 66085 Phone: 913-239-3700 Email: bvwspotlight@gmail.com Web: www.bvwnews.com All Social Media: @bvwspotlight

19-20 Staff editors-in-chief Hannah Cole Rae Zimmerli

managing editor Natalie Fiorella

M

any sexual assault victims feel uncomfortable coming forward. This proves especially true for young victims and teenagers, but one BV West student felt compelled to share her story with The Spotlight.

Through this article, she hopes to help other students and inspire them to seek help. Other sources in the story also hope to provide resources to victims. Students should note that the cover story may be triggering. In addition, the student featured on the cover, and the students featured in the other pictures, are models and are not associated with the article.

Photo by Rae Zimmerli.

Spotlight is printed at least six times per school year for BV West students and the community. Its goals are to inform, entertain and interpret through bylined articles, opinions and editorials, while providing an open forum of communication for the diverse student population.

Spotlight aims to be fair, accurate and impartial. The content of the print publication, online news site and social media accounts is determined by its student editors as determined by the Kansas Scholastic Press Act and may contain controversial subject matter as the staff exercises their First Amendment rights.

Spotlight does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the faculty adviser, the administration of BV West or USD 229.

reporters

Kolbie Christensen Jillian Dunlay Kevin Glenn Norah Kennedy Natalie Lindmark Ally Madden Lucas Park Kiley Peterson Aminah Syed

in this issue 12

News

Photo by Libby Schwabauer

04.............Election Breakdown 07.........................Sexual Assault This story may be upsetting to some individuals

Sports

10..............Recreational Sports 12.....................Signed Students

14

Photo courtesy of @BVWcricket

15

Photo by Aminah Syed

Features

14.............................Cricket Club 15......................Hijabs in School

Opinion 16..........Mental Health Stigma

A&E

18..............High School Movies 20..........................Winter Guard

Photo essay

22...........................Spring Break

04

news

Election

BREAKDOWN All students need to know about the 2020 presidential election and its candidates Jillian Dunlay

2

020 is a big year. It marks the start of a new decade. For seniors, it’s the year of graduating high school and embarking on a new path. 2020 is also significant on a national level: in November, the presidential election will take place.

The United States will hold its next presidential election on Nov. 3, 2020. According to the New York Times, President Trump is running for re-election against one other opponent for the Republican party presidential nomination. Trump is the first impeached president in history to run for re-election. In addition, as of Mar. 12 2020, three candidates are vying to be nominated as the presidential candidate for the Democratic party.

Candidates must fight to be nominated by their political parties, thus the election process begins long before November. Presidential hopefuls must go through a process called primary elections. A primary election is a state-level election where party members vote to choose the candidate they want to proceed to the general election.

“In essence, each political party holds a primary (or sometimes a caucus) in every U.S. state,” senior and Rho Kappa president CJ Pfanstiel said. “In each of these primaries, candidates campaign against

reporter

one another. The candidate who receives the largest amount of votes in a state gets the most delegates from that state. This process will continue until a candidate from each party receives a majority of the available delegates across the country.”

Presidential primary election voting began Feb. 3, 2020 with the Iowa Caucuses, and the final presidential primary is in June.

“Kansas uses a closed primary system, meaning that you can only vote in the primary for the party you are affiliated with,” senior and Junior State of America president Payton Lujin said. “The Presidential primary election is May 2 in Kansas.”

The candidate from each party who receives the majority of delegates from the primary elections is finalized as their party’s presidential nominee at a national convention. The nominated presidential candidates then campaign throughout the country to gain the support of the general population in effort to win the general presidential election in November. “[The election is] based off of the electoral college. It is all 50 states in a single day,” AP Government teacher Nicholas Macdonnell said. “As a result of federalism, states have

different ways that they collect the votes but they are all done on the first Tuesday of November. The way the Electoral College works in 48 of the 50 states is winner take all, or first past the post, so whoever gets the most votes gets all of the pledged delegates. That is not true in Maine and Nebraska. They have proportional delegation.”

As presidential candidates try to win the public’s support, they do so by voicing their positions on a wide variety of controversial issues.

Candidates have the opportunity to discuss their stances on issues through televised debates. Candidates are allowed to criticize one another and argue why their policies as president would be best. Topics like climate change, health care and student loan debt have become subjects of great debate for potential presidential nominees.

“As a student who is in the process of learning about the cost of college, I feel that student debt is an issue worth consideration,” Pfanstiel said. “Though, I think that the biggest issue for this upcoming election, especially in the Democratic primaries, will be healthcare. It has been on the Democrats’ radar for a while now.”

Each candidate harbors different viewpoints when it comes to the

issues they care about and the policies they are striving to implement, so it is crucial for students to educate themselves.

“Democracy only works well if voters are informed about the decisions they make on election day, and for that reason it’s incredibly important for seniors to stay up to date with the election,” Lujin said.

“The decisions voters make on election day will have a lasting impact on state and federal policies for years to come. There are also many opportunities to get involved with campaigns at the local, state and federal level.”

Macdonnell adds that it’s important for students to care about the presidential election because many students will be directly affected by the selection of the next president.

“A lot of this year’s juniors will be able to vote. All of this year’s seniors will be able to vote. It’s really important because every single student will either be in the workforce, military, or college within the term of this next presidency,” Macdonnell said. “For those who are college bound, student loan debt is a massive issue. For those looking at the military, there are considerations there as well. These are things that

news

05

will directly impact students in their adult lives.”

Regardless of whether students are old enough to vote in the next election or not, it’s a good idea to stay informed. For those students preparing to vote in the 2020 election, Rho Kappa will be hosting a voter registration drive in April 2020 to help students register to vote so that they can participate in the upcoming primaries and elections.

The 2020 Presidential Candidates As of Mar. 12 2020. Information from the New York Times.

Bernie Sanders (d) • Senator of Vermont • Supports Medicare for All • Proposes free college tuition

Joe Biden (D)

Tulsi Gabbard (D)

• Former vice president for Obama administration • Plans to expand Affordable Care Act • Wants to fight income inequality and raise minimum wage

• Congresswoman from Hawaii and veteran • Supported Bernie Sanders in 2016 election • Opposed to overseas military intervention

dONALD tRUMP (r) • Current U.S. President • Has focused on restricting immigration • Has renegotiated international deals on trade and climate change

Bill wELD (R) • Former governor of Massachusetts • Describes himself as more moderate than Trump • Favors fiscal restraint

news

SURVIVING AssaulT

07

The issue of sexual assault proves prominent in high school; the following story may be upsetting to some individuals

Hannah Cole

editor-in-chief

Natalie Lindmark

reporter

17.7 MILLION. 433.6 THOUSAND. 73 SECONDS. These statistics have a human toll. They demonstrate the vast amount of people affected by sexual assault every decade, every year and every minute.

According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), 17.7 million American women have been sexually assaulted or have experienced attempted sexual assault as of 1998. 433.6 thousand Americans, aged 12 years or older, are sexually assaulted each year in the United States. Every 73 seconds, another American is sexually assaulted. In addition, people aged 12-34 years are at the highest risk of sexual assault, meaning high schoolers are particularly susceptible. These statistics are seen through the various sexual assault cases covered in the news.

In 2015, college student Brock Turner sexually assaulted the then 22-year-old Chanel Miller on the Stanford University campus. The USA Gymnastics national team’s former doctor, Larry Nassar, sexually abused many girls, including then 16-year-old Aly Raisman and 13-year-old McKayla Maroney. A sexual assault even occurred at Shawnee Mission East in 2016.

These crimes are a reality for both girls and boys in high school and even middle school. One BV West student, who requested to remain anonymous, detailed the events of her own sexual assault.

“When I was about 13, my boyfriend at the time wanted to have a more sexual relationship,” Anonymous said. “I was 13. I didn’t really know what that meant and I didn’t really understand the concept of consent.”

Photos by Rae Zimmerli Students pictured are models and are not associated with the story.

08 news

The student said that because she didn’t understand what consent meant, she didn’t realize that she didn’t have a sexual obligation to her boyfriend.

“I remember there was a very specific moment in time when it was happening,” Anonymous said.

“I was fighting back at first. [After] few minutes, I just stopped. I just let it happen. That is probably one of the moments that I regret most in my life.”

After the assault occurred, the student said she didn’t understand how horrible and wrong this incident was. People may assume that rapists are typically strangers, however, intimate partner sexual violence, intimate partner rape, marital rape and spousal rape all constitute different types of sexual assault. For the student, she said that she believed her assault was normal at the time due to their relationship. However, RAINN states that any sexual activity without consent is wrong.

“At the time, I didn’t really understand that what had happened was wrong,” Anonymous said. “I figured that this is what he wanted, and so it’s my responsibility to give it to him even though that makes me feel like less of a person.”

The student said that she felt like the event defined her as a person from that point on. After she real-

ized the severity of the situation, she said she felt angry that someone took away her right to say “no.”

“For the longest time, I was like, this is my fault. I deserved it, or, it’s my fault because I didn’t do anything to prevent it. I was just so angry, but then that person and I actually ended up talking again. I had the opportunity to talk to him about it and confront him,” Anonymous said. “Once I was able to have that conversation, I didn’t have any satisfaction from it after. I guess that dissatisfaction is just something that I still carry with me today. I still felt like a part of me was missing in a way. I felt like I wasn’t my own person.”

“I didn’t really understand that I had the choice to say no,”

Anonymous said In addition, the student said she decided not to tell anyone after the rape occurred. The student didn’t tell anyone until two years after the event and felt that, at that point, it was too late to take action against the assaulter. She said she regrets not seeking immediate help but recognizes that one of the biggest taboos of sexual assault and rape is that girls don’t tell people for fear that others won’t believe them or will judge them.

“My family doesn’t know. I think one or two of my friends know but they do not know the extent of what happened,” Anonymous said.

“I still think of how my life would be different if I’d said something.”

The student said that finally

sharing her story with The Spotlight may help her release some of her bottled up emotions and possibly help others who could be struggling with a similar situation. The student also hopes that through this story, others can become more educated on this topic and if victims read her story, they may seek help regarding sexual assault and violence.

One of the guidance counselors, Joni O’Neill, also shared her insight on how the counseling department helps students struggling with a sexual assault.

“Sometimes when people are talking about [sexual assault], they kind of feel guilty or like they played a role in causing something to happen,” O’Neill said. “I always want to clarify that you have a right to say it’s not okay and if something happens, you have a right to take a stand. I encourage people to take a stand and do something about it. If they were touched inappropriately or anything else like that happened, I think they definitely need to speak up and not feel guilty about it.”

While the counseling department makes an effort to help students that come to them about sexual assault, the anonymous student said that schools should also try to reach out to students through current and more understanding methods.

news “I feel like the way that counselors or other mentors try to teach upcoming generations needs to adapt to the way that the world is also changing,” Anonymous said. “[Sexual assault] is a serious topic and you cannot present the same kind of information that you did 10 years ago because that information is no longer relevant. If I had been told at 13 that if I had told someone what had happened to me that I would be taken seriously, I think that I would have said something.”

In an attempt to educate people and prevent sexual assault, the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOCSA), has an education and prevention department. Their role is to conduct outreach programs at schools and community events. Julie Donelon, MOCSA President and CEO, said their goal is to communicate with school counselors and school administrators about their services.

Donelon said they want to provide information about where people should go if they have been raped or sexually assaulted and know that someone is present to help. They begin education at a very young age and create their discussions based on the age group.

“We start with kindergarten through fifth grade, talking about

safe and unsafe touch,” Donelon said. “Then starting in middle school, we start talking about ageappropriate topics about sexual violence. Then moving throughout the grades talking about date rape, sexual assault, drug-facilitated rape, always with an emphasis on helping educate individuals about what consent is. When you have it, when you don’t and how to navigate that.”

In addition to education, MOCSA provides support to victims. If victims aren’t comfortable telling an adult or a close friend, Donelon urges people to use their 24-hour crisis line for support. “[We operate] 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year,” Donelon said. “Our crisis line is answered by a live person so anytime someone is struggling with sexual assault and what to do, they can anonymously call our crisis line and somebody will be there to help them if they don’t feel comfortable telling their family or friends.”

The crisis line is available to everyone. This includes men and boys because while the media may generally cover sexual assaults against women and girls, at least one in six men, ranging from various ages, have experienced some form of sexual abuse or assault according to the 1in6 Organization.

09

“There is a stigma that this is an issue that only impacts women and girls, but boys and men are victims of sexual assault and sexual abuse.

I think culturally, people are uncomfortable with that concept,” Donelon said. “I think that the more support we can provide to boys and men, [the more they] know that we’re here for them. That’s critical because this is a heavy burden to bear without support.”

If a victim decides to come forward and discuss his or her assault with a friend, Donelon urges people to remain supportive and understanding. She suggests that people begin by believing the victim. After that, she said people need to listen to victims in a non-judgmental way because if they react negatively, the victim may never open up about their experience again.

Most importantly, both Donelon and the victim want readers to know that the victim is never at fault.

“If 13-year-old me was sitting in this room and I could tell her anything now, I would tell her that it’s okay to be upset and it’s okay to be angry, but you shouldn’t blame yourself and it’s not your fault,” Anonymous said. “You don’t have to hate yourself for these things because bad things happen to you but that doesn’t mean that it has to change the kind of person you become. That doesn’t define your existence or your character. You’re a human being and you have a right to be happy.”

Resources: RAINN: Website: rainn.org Phone: 800.656.HOPE (4673) MOCSA: Website: mocsa.org Phone: 816.531.0233 or 913.642.0233

10 sports

AN alternative game Kiley Peterson reporter Ally Madden reporter

Students join recreational sports to have fun with friends without the pressure of a high school sports

R

unning. Jumping. Passing. Dribbling. Shooting.

Scoring. Cheering.

A lot of students at BV West are involved in a sport, either for the school, a club or for fun. While playing a sport for school or a club can be fun, not everyone may have enough time for that commitment.

The kids who share a love for sports, but don’t have enough time to play, still have an option.

A recreational sport is played simply for fun in-

S

enior Ashlyn Acheson plays rec basketball and even started her own team. She decided to play rec basketball because she stopped playing club and high school basketball, but still enjoyed the sport.

“I made a team, and recruited former basketball players or other people that were interested in it,” Acheson said.

Compared to a club or high school sport, Acheson said that a rec sport is way less time consuming.

“It only takes up one or two hours a week compared

stead of solely for the purpose of training and winning. Recreational, or rec, sports usually have less practice time, which makes it easier for students to also manage homework and other activities. At BV West, there are many kids who currently play a rec sport and among them are freshman Camdyn Hatch, junior Nick Edwards and senior Ashlyn Acheson.

to club or high school, which is about 14 hours,” Acheson said.

A rec sport for some is a perfect fit because it’s less of a commitment and it has a more fun and relaxed atmosphere.

“It’s almost an escape,” Acheson said. “Rec gives me an opportunity to continue playing the sport I love without the drama and pressures that comes with high school sports.”

Acheson hopes to continue playing sports in college, and for her team to remain undefeated.

Photo Courtesy of Ashlyn Acheson

sports

N

ick Edwards plays rec basketball and sand volleyball. He mainly enjoys playing these sports because of the time he gets to spend with friends.

“Rec sports are not just about the talent and championships,” Edwards said.

“They are about having fun while still enjoying the sense of competition that drives us all.”

Edwards and his friends don’t usually take practice too seriously nor do they have a set practice schedule.

Instead, they view practice as a time to have fun and hang-

out with one another. However, when it comes to game day, it’s a different story.

“We take games very seriously,” Edwards said. “We are all very competitive people who enjoy playing sports.”

Due to the freedom of their schedule and relaxed nature of their practices, rec sports prove to be a perfect fit for most people.

“Rec sports are fun for everyone, regardless of individual talent,” Edwards said.

Photo Courtesy of Nick Edwards

C

amdyn Hatch is a lacrosse player and participates in rec sports. She believes that the best part about playing a rec sport is that you can have fun without worrying about winning every single game. In addition, Hatch has played lacrosse since elementary school and favors rec because the practices are flexible and require less of a time commitment.

Hatch said that another benefit of playing a rec sport is the friendships that playPhoto Courtesy of Camdyn Hatch ers form.

“Playing a rec sport outside of school is fun because I get to play with people from other schools that I don’t normally see,” Hatch said.

This year, she will be playing for the Blue Valley District lacrosse team. They will practice four times a week at Homefield Olathe, 68 Inside sports or, when it’s warmer outside, they practice at the Blue Valley District Activity Complex.

11

14 feature

DIVERSITY IS NUMBER ONE BV West students start a Cricket Club in hopes of promoting diversity Lucas park

reporter

C

ricket is one of the most popular sports worldwide, but it isn’t as prominent in America as it is in India. Two seniors at BV West decided to create a club dedicated to playing the sport and spreading the culture with it. Hamza Khaliq, the Cricket Club president, and Yousef Elghzali, the Cricket Club Vice President, played together at their Mosque and wanted to spread the game to others at school.

The board members of the club said they worked hard during the initial stages of the club in hopes of creating the perfect environment for students.

They hoped that people would join their club and at their first meeting of the year, the two leaders said that they were surprised to see more than 50 people show up. In total, over 100 people had signed up for the club.

Photos courtesy of @bvwcricket on Instagram

“I expected we would have less people, but I knew how much fun it would be and how diverse the team would be when we started it,” Elghzali said.

After the club’s success at BV West, other schools around the district created their own clubs. BV Northwest and BV North followed soon after because of their connections with some of the board members of BV West’s club.

The motto of the club is “Diversity is Number One” because of the club’s emphasis and appreciation of the differences between all of the club members. However, they are all the same in that they enjoy playing cricket.

“We use our motto as saying everyone is welcome no matter who you are,” Khaliq said.

The club leaders hope that they will begin games against other schools in April 2020, but it is not too late to join the club and start playing. The club also has an Instagram page that they will start using more often when the weather permits more practices and games.

What’s that thing on your head?

Muslim students explain what a hijab is and address incidents in Blue Valley involving hijabs Aminah Syed reporter

W

ith a Muslim population of 1.8 billion, seeing someone wear a hijab is not out of the ordinary. The hijab is a religious scarf worn on a Muslim woman’s head to maintain modesty and to keep a constant reminder of God. Wearing the hijab is a choice made by a woman, and by her alone.

“The hijab is a culturally and religiously beautiful sign of modesty,” sophomore Yusra Farrukh, a Muslim student, said.

As simple as it may seem, the freedom of this expression has been marred by misunderstanding, acrimony and aggression. It can also often be fueled by political rhetoric.

Many incidents have occurred all over the country in which people rip hijabs off of women’s heads. In other states, pulling off a woman’s hijab has been labeled as an assault as well as a hate crime. At a school in New Jersey, a student who ripped off a girl’s hijab was charged with assault and harassment. In Oregon, a 23-year-old woman was charged with two counts of hate crimes for pulling off a Portland University student’s hijab.

A similar incident happened to BV West freshman Nargis Suleman.

Suleman reported that she asked a classmate to borrow a pen in her AP Human Geography class, and he obliged. The student had always been a little bit quiet according to Suleman, but she also said he seemed a little passive-aggressive.

“I had asked a kid to borrow a pen,

and I dropped that pen,” Suleman said. “I was moving my MacBook to see where it went because I didn’t realize it [fell] on the floor. So he said, ‘Where’s my pen?’ Then he said, ‘Well if you don’t grab it right now, I’ll take whatever the hell that is off your head.’”

Considering the number of Muslim students at BV West and the number of young women that wear hijabs, Suleman said that she did not expect the student to take her hijab off her head.

“I was like, ‘Really?’ So, he did it,” Suleman said. “After he [took the hijab off], I was kind of in shock.”

Suleman said the incident happened so discreetly that she doesn’t believe anyone noticed that he pulled her hijab off. The student didn’t apologize until he was pulled into the principal’s office.

“He said that he was sorry, but he didn’t receive any punishment,” Suleman said.

Another incident took place at Lakewood Middle School in 2017, according to junior Rafia Siddiquea.

She said she was walking to her friend in her pre-engineering class and as a student passed by her, they took her scarf.

“I just felt like a whoosh. You can’t really like describe the feeling of your scarf pulled off, it just wasn’t there anymore,” Siddiquea said. “All my friends were like, ‘What the hell dude? Why did you do that?’”

The student who pulled off her hijab walked along as if nothing had happened while Siddiquea rushed

feature

15

to put her hood over her head in an attempt to cover her hair. She was upset over what they had done to her and so were her friends who witnessed it.

“I felt hurt because, why would you pull my scarf down?” Siddiquea said.

She told the teacher. The teacher spoke with the student and advised Siddiquea to tell the principal but she said that the principal did not punish the student.

Neither Dr. Potts nor the Lakewood Middle School principal were able to comment on the incidents or any specific sanctions that were issued to the students. However, Dr. Potts did address the situation in the context of bullying.

“We try to investigate the accusation of bullying and harassment and then respond appropriately,” Potts said. “Maybe, get a couple students together and have them work it out. It could range from that all the way to an out-of-school suspension.”

According to Dr. Potts, the BV West staff is working on trying to reduce the problem of harassment.

“Our teachers and other staff members have been spending a lot of time in the last year, really trying to take a hard look at ourselves, as the adults in this school and how we might prevent some of these instances from happening,” Potts said.

a&e 16 opinion 16

Stigmatized State of Mind Students and teachers discuss the stigma around mental illness Natalie Fiorella

I

managing editor

n a nation where one in six adults live with a mental illness, the lack of knowledge most people have on the topic is startling. Other than what is taught in elective, high school psychology courses or what is presented in yearly guidance counselors meetings, the reality of mental illness is rarely acknowledged in a space where it is the most important: school. Half of all mental health problems that people face begin by age 14, yet the discussion

about life with a mental illness is not prioritized.

All high school students face enormous amounts of stress, whether it be from class assignments, planning out their future or friendship drama. These stressors are obstacles that every student must face, but they prove much harder for the one in five adolescents who have a serious mental health disorder. The problem also worsens when people become scared to talk about their mental illness due to fear of judgement.

While the topic of mental health is making progress in the right direction, people with mental illnesses are still fearful.

Fearful to tell trusted adults and professionals about how they cannot envision themselves making it to their next birthday. Fearful to admit that the smallest things, such as giving presentations in class, can spark panic attacks.

BV West teacher and coach Daniel Catanzaro has dealt with depression and anxiety for the majority of his life. Catanzaro starts the beginning of every school year by telling his students about his mental health and how it affects his life.

“I dealt with anxiety for so long but I never knew what to call it,” Catanzaro said. “I didn’t understand what that feeling was.

When I had my breakdown in college, had to leave and started seeing a therapist, I was then able to put a finger on it.”

By sharing his history, Catanzaro hopes he is able to create an environment where students feel more comfortable to talk about their issues. However, he was not always open about his mental health.

“In the beginning, I hid it like crazy. In college, the biggest [change] for me was physical. I had gone from, like 170 pounds in really good shape to when I dropped out of school and I was around 130 pounds. I didn’t even look like myself anymore,” Catanzaro said. “I was embarrassed about the way that I looked and then on top of that, I was embarrassed of people finding out what was going wrong.”

In addition, four percent of adults and adolescents with men-

opinion 17 tal disorders have more than one diagnosis, such as anxiety and depression. The National Institute of Mental Health characterizes anxiety disorders as having feelings of worry and fear that interfere with day to day life. Depression is often seen through a loss of interest or pleasure and feelings of guilt or low self-worth. Catanzaro said that these two illnesses both took a toll on him.

“My anxiety had taken me down into a hole of sorts. Then I was becoming depressed because I was letting my anxiety get in the way of me doing what I wanted to do,” Catanzaro said. “I would then get really anxious about how upset people were going to be and their responses.”

No one should feel ashamed of their mental illness and the struggles that mental illness can engender. Breaking the stigma by creating a comfortable environment is essential in encouraging those who are struggling to seek help.

“We all have our own stories and we are all in different levels of comfort with that story,” Catanzaro said. “If you are comfortable talking about it and you had that experience, then I think you should share it if you want to.”

When talking about mental health in school, Catanzaro stresses how important it is to talk about the issue carefully.

“I think that as long as we continue to grow, that’s all we can really do. We have to be careful about the way we talk about it. It’s not something that we can joke about either,” Catanzaro said. “You don’t joke by saying you’re going to kill yourself when there’s someone in the room that really might be. The people who make these jokes aren’t horrible people though, they just have a lack of understanding.”

Overall, Catanzaro hopes that BV West can have more open discussions about this issue. He said

that BV West needs to continue to be a place where students and faculty embody family, pride, excellence and grit.

Through a more cognizant and understanding school community, students can hopefully feel more comfortable discussing their struggles with their mental illnesses instead of feeling like an outcast.

“Just because you’re seeing a therapist doesn’t mean that you’re going to end up in the loony bin.

Seeing a therapist just means that you need help,” Catanzaro said. “I believe that getting help is a show of strength that you’re strong enough to get the help that you need.”

However, Catanzaro also stressed that there isn’t a magic cure or solution to mental illness. Speaking up and getting a therapist will help alleviate some of the issues, but not all. Rather, therapy is about recognizing your shortcomings and accepting yourself nonetheless.

“A big misconception is that the kids who are going through it think that they’re going to be fixed.

So much of the therapy that I’ve learned is not about fixing myself.

It’s about learning to deal with my shortcomings and learning to deal with the issues that I have,” Catanzaro said. “I don’t know if I’m ever going to be not anxious and not depressed. I don’t know if I’m ever going to be not on medicine. But I am. So let’s just make the best of it and find the best way to function and succeed with my current set of circumstances.”

To help bring awareness to this issue, a new club, Sources of Strength, was started to hopefully break the stigma surrounding depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses.

“The purpose is truly to show others that it is okay to not be okay.

There are so many people who experience these problems and we’re hoping to spread awareness so people can see that they aren’t the only ones,” Club member and senior Pooja Jain said.

“We are hoping to see people seek out help. We want to break down the stigma and get people to talk about mental health.”

Jain hopes that Sources of Strength will help educate students about mental health and normalize the conversation.

“I feel like it [mental health] is something that everyone knows about, but it’s not commonly discussed. Hopefully, once the conversation starts happening, people will be more open about it,” Jain said.

“Without awareness, people would not see how many others struggle and that they aren’t the only ones.”

Starting the discussion about mental health is necessary. People need to know that it’s okay to speak up and seek help. Struggling with your mental health does not make you broken, it makes you human.

When people experience depression or panic, it can be hard to remember what “normal” once felt like.

18

a&e

High School Movie Review Five high school movies graded on whether or not they accurately depict high school Rae Zimmerli

editor-in-chief

“Mean Girls” follows Cady Heron as she struggles to navigate moving to a new school. She initially befriends two outcasts. Cady then uses her new girl status to infiltrate the circle of popular girls to take them down on the outcasts’ behalf. The events that follow are grandiose and blown way out of proportion, however, that creates a more realistic high school feeling. For example, Cady once envisions that high school resembles a zoo and all of the girls are animals who are fighting each other. This scene reflects the ru-

mors and drama that are present in high school and illustrates this in a comical way. The teenage stereotypes hit at just the right level as to not be offensive to teenage viewers and still be funny for all audiences. When things go wrong, it does feel like the end of the world in high school and “Mean Girls” can poke fun at that perception while still accurately representing what high school life looks and feels like.

Grade: “High School Musical” follows star basketball player, Troy Bolton, and genius new student, Gabriella Montez as they fall in love with each other. Both of them are interested in playing the leads in the next school musical, but between Troy’s basketball practices and Gabriella’s Scholastic Decathlon meetings, they struggle to do both activities. Obviously, breaking into song during school doesn’t create a realistic high school atmosphere but the struggle to do more than one activity in

A-

high school will hit close to home for many students. “High School Musical” also features a theatre teacher with an obsessive phone hatred, which goes to show that nothing much has changed in regards to phones in the classroom since 2006. While this movie may not perfectly represent the school environment, as children, it was still nice to believe that high school would be filled with singing, dancing and Zac Efron.

Grade:

B+

a&e “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” begins with junior Lara Jean Covey who’s in love with her older sister’s boyfriend, Josh. She writes a letter addressed to him professing her love but instead of mailing it to him, she places the letter in a box with four other letters, all which are other love letters addressed to old crushes. Through a series of unfortunate events, the letters find a way out of Lara Jean’s closet and into the hands of her crushes. She ends

Grade: “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” stars Ferris Bueller himself as he embarks on the world’s wildest day playing hooky from school. He enlists his sick best friend who was already home and breaks his girlfriend out of school to accompany him as they see the sights of Chicago. Meanwhile, the principal goes to every length possible to expose Ferris’ shenanigans, even making a visit to his house at the end of the movie. Ferris’ day represents what many students wish their high school ex-

B-

perience could be. The reality is, even if students could find a way to ditch school they would not have the means to go on an adventure quite like that, purely based on the amount of money it must have cost. “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” is a romantic dream of what a day off of high school could be like and it is a phenomenal movie, but it is not even close to an accurate representation of high school and playing hooky.

Grade: “Tall Girl” details the life of Jodi Kreyman, a 6-foot-1 high school girl who sports men’s size 13 Nike shoes.

Jodi begins the movie by admitting how uncomfortable she feels with her body, almost bragging about her life and struggles as if competing with other teens. This sour attitude continues throughout the movie as the uncreative plot unravels. The resident mean girl, Liz, and other students bully Jodi until a foreign exchange student, Stig Mohlin, expresses his interest in her.

19

up pretending to date one of the boys, Peter Kavinsky, to cover up her crush on Josh. Ultimately, Lara Jean and Peter become a real couple. While this Netflix favorite is a phenomenal movie with an interesting plot, it looks at the world through rose-colored glasses.

Overall, however, if viewers overlook this fairytale storyline, the actual high school environment is seemingly normal.

C+

Their relationship continues until Stig betrays Jodi because her height is considered unattractive and makes her unpopular. In a typical setting, such as BV West, most people wouldn’t take a second glance at the girl with abnormally large feet. Overall, it does not represent the high school experience because, realistically, not many BV West teens are shunned due to their height or swept off their big feet by a Swedish exchange student.

Grade:

F

20

a&e

A Starry Performance Winter Guard takes on a variety competitions Kolbie Christensen

B

V West is always bustling with different activities and sports and there’s always a constant stream of students in and out of the building. Basketball, football and baseball stand at the forefront but another challenging and competitive sport is winter guard.

The BV West Winter Guard is the same Color Guard from the fall season, however, they perform in the winter months and participate in more competitions. The team performs around the state and against different schools.

17 students in all four grades are on the team for the 2019-2020 season. One member, junior Hayley Ford, has been on the team since her freshman year. She is a avid member and loves to compete alongside her teammates.

“Everyone in the team is honestly a family for each other. No matter what happens in life, I’m 100 percent sure that everyone would have their back no matter what,” Ford said.

An added feature to the team this year is the new coach and BV West alumna, Kerstin Crouch. Crouch was a member of the Color and Winter Guard while she attended BV West and was asked to come back to coach in fall 2019.

“Coaching the team is definitely a huge change from being on it,” Crouch said. “I think that it helps that I was on the team because I have a better understanding of what they’re feeling.”

Crouch adds that a big difference from being on the team is that she

reporter

is in the decision-making role now and it’s up to her to make sure the team is successful while also having fun. As a coach, she said she enjoys watching each team member improve their skills as the season goes on.

“My favorite part about coaching is watching them grow,” Crouch said. “As they learn new things and practice they start becoming more confident and it’s exciting to see how they improve.”

This year, the team’s show is titled “Vincent” and is an ode to Vincent van Gogh. Complete with gold, flowy uniforms, bright rifles and sparkling flags, their season began with a winning start. In addition, Crouch said that the song and choreography that the team uses goes through ups and downs, similar to van Gogh’s life and all the challenges he faced.

“This concept really allows them to show off some of their stronger skills and we have many moments that feature smaller groups of per-

formers,” Crouch said.

The show allows everyone to demonstrate their own style and finish with the entire team coming together to give one final throw of their flags as a group.

Crouch encourages anyone who is interested in Winter Guard to try out. She said that most of the people who tryout stay on the team and enjoy it and Ford said she agrees with the sentiment.

“I joined mostly because it looked like so much fun,” Ford said. “I saw the Winter Guard perform at Pleasant Ridge in eighth grade and I knew that was what I wanted to do in high school.”

The BV West Winter Guard had plans to go to state, however, it was canceled due to coronavirus concerns. The team said they appreciate all the support they get. They are hoping to continue their winning streak next season.

Photo courtesy of @bvwcolorguard

e m i T e h All t

ads

spotlight

21

Always available to tell the stories of blue valley west

twitter

instagram

the web

bvwnews.com

@bvwspotlight

@bvwspotlight

FIND US AT 14471 Metcalf Avenue Overland Park, KS 66223

913-402-4700 www.zhairacademy.com

20 FOILS FOR $20 New decade, new you!

@zhairacademy

Now enrolling for 2020 classes!

All services performed by students under supervision of instructors Financial aid and scholarships available to those who qualify

22photo essay

CORONANORAH KENNEDY reporter

Dominican Republic 50 plus seniors went to the Dominican for their senior trip Photo courtesty Preston Nordstrom

Pensacola, Florida Freshmen Audrey Kirk and Ashley Reecht went to Florida Photos courtesy Audrey Kirk

Puerto Rico Sophomores Sammi Houge and Marlow Brugee went to Puerto Rico Photo courtesty Sammi Houge

Dominican Republic Juniors Josh Hallowell, Elena Peterson and Riley Peterson went to the Dominican

Photo courtesty Elena Peterson

photo essay

CATION

Despite COVID-19 several students went through with Spring Break plans

Gulf Shores, Alabama 8 senior boys went to Gulf Shores for a senior trip Photo courtesty Jo Koga

Overland Park, Kansas Junior John Martin stayed home for break Photo courtesty John Martin

Maui, Hawaii Junior Remy and Sophomore Reiss traveled to Maui Photo courtesy Remy Wood

Caribbean Cruise Brokaw sisters traveled on a cruise Photo courtesy Leah Brokaw

23

Blue Valley West Spotlight

US Postage Stamp Here

16200 Antioch Road Overland Park, Kan. 66085

bvwspotlight@gmail.com Web: www.bvwnews.com Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram: @bvwspotlight

OAK PARK MALL

#WindsorProm2020

15% OFF YOUR PURCHASE TO RECEIVE YOUR DISCOUNT, PLEASE SHOW THIS AD IN-STORE DURING CHECKOUT. VALID IN STORE ONLY.

USE CODE: PROM2020BVWHSKS WINDSORSTORE.COM SHOW THIS AD AT ANY WINDSOR AND GET 15% OFF, BEFORE TAXES AND DISCOUNTS. CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER CODE, OFFER, PROMOTION AND DISCOUNT. ONE PER CUSTOMER, PER VISIT. NOT VALID ONLINE. PREVIOUS PURCHASES ARE EXCLUDED. NO CASH VALUE. VALID THROUGH APRIL 3, 2020.