May 2016 issue

THE

PATRIOT VOLUME 50

ISSUE 9

MAY 2016

LEARNING OFF THE BEATEN PATH As graduation commences, students who have dropped out look forward to new horizons.

SHAWNEE MISSION SOUTH 5800 W. 107th ST, OVERLAND PARK, KS, 66207

(913) 993-7500

ON THE COVER

PHOTO illustrations BY Savannah morgan

Although a GED is the equivalent to a high school diploma, why are dropouts who pursue a GED viewed as lazy? Both diplomas and GEDs require dedication and determination in order to actually earn them. In 2014, 200,000 Americans took the test and only 86,000 successfully earned their GED (Inside Higher Edu).

CONTENTS NEWS

OPINION FEATURES

4

Yearbook Release

9

5

StuCo Leaders

10

6

Raider Revue

7

Retirees

8

Photo Essay

12

Staff Editorial

The Debate: Should juniors have open lunch?

Farewell Column

THEN AND NOW

32

A&E

SPORTS

13

Cover Story: Getting a GED

20

The Local: The Village

26

Generation Gap: 50 years

16

Senior College Plans

22

Street Style: Mona Jahani

28

Pace Yourselves

18

Q&A: Jerry Kim

24

Reviews

29

Q&A: Adam North

30

Sporting With(out) Seniors

25

Twitter Contest: Create Your Own Superlaitve

31

Photo Essay: Walk a Mile

Photo Essay: Generation Gap

STAFF Emily Wilkinson Editor-In-Chief Opinion Editor Lauren Rosenstock Assistant Editor-In-Chief Sports Editor Rose Pollina Features Editor Infographics Editor

Amelia Holcomb News Editor

Jenna Fackrell Photo Editor

Casey Mispagel Editorial Cartoonist

Lily Wagner Staff Writer

Kate Anderson A&E Editor

Savannah Morgan Photographer

Mark Holland Staff Writer

Keeli Ward Staff Writer

Jacob Cox Web Editor

Hannah Carter Photographer

Max Holmes Staff Writer

Avery Woods Staff Writer

Sophia Belshe Ads Editor

Maxie Crimm Photographer

Jacob Robertson Staff Writer

Julie Fales Adviser

The Patriot is a news magazine that aims to objectively present topics affecting Shawnee Mission South High School, as well as connect with readers on issues concerning the student body. Staff members reserve the right to express their views in the Opinions section. These pieces are labeled and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the staff as a whole, except the Lead Editorial, which represents the views of the editors. Under the First Amendment and Kansas Law, The Patriot staff is entitled to freedom of the press and neither the school nor district is responsible for any content or coverage. The staff encourages letters to the editor, but they will only be published if signed. The editor-in-chief reserves the right to refuse or edit any letters for reasons of grammar, length and good taste.

MISSION

For extended content, monthly polls and photo galleries, check out http://smsouthnews.com.

CONTENTS MAY 2016

03

photo by jacob cox

NEWS BRIEFS

This month’s must-know news stories

BY KEELI WARD STAFF WRITER

>>> WORLD

The first U.S. cruise ship to arrive in Cuba in over 50 years, the Adonia, arrived May 2 in Havana. The company that runs the cruise line, Carnival, had to get permission from both the United States governments and the Cuban government. “It is a hopeful sign that the two countries will become closer,” social studies teacher Joseph Laurenzo said.

Senior Tyler Bates redesigns the senior advertisement flier for next year.

>>> NATIONAL

Massive storms have hit the central United States including Texas, Indiana, Kansas and Missouri. Before those storms struck, there was major flooding in Houston, Texas. This flooding forced many people to evacuate their homes. The water in Houston is starting to dry up but, there is still more rain coming their way. “It’s bad, but it is regional. Some areas got it a lot worse than others. It is sad that many people had to be displaced,” science teacher Joel Rios said.

>>> SCHOOL

The last day of school for nonseniors will be Monday, May 23. “We are required to have a certain amount of hours for attendance to meet the state guidelines and so our folks who are responsible for review[ed] and calculated our hours of attendance,” Superintendent Jim Hinson said during a student journalist roundtable. “That is why they determined that we needed to be in school on that Monday to make sure that we have enough hours.”

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NEWS MAY2016

YEARBOOK DISTRIBUTION TODAY by jacob robertson staff writer

The yearbook is a product of months of work.

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outh’s yearbook staff is ready for the 50th yearbook distribution today after working all year to complete it.

This year ends South’s 50th anniversary and so, this yearbook features traditions South has had throughout those 50 years.

“We talked about traditions and had a lot about looking back at past decades and how it relates to things we’ve done this year,” senior and Co-Editor-In-Chief Alyssa Pavlu said As the Co-Editor along with senior Bailey Cook, Pavlu helps oversee all that happens within the yearbook. This includes checking pages and making sure editors, reporters and photographers are doing their jobs so the yearbook comes out in the best way possible. Working as Co-Editor-In-Chief and being on yearbook staff gave Pavlu knowledge and skills she can take into the real world.

“I met a lot of close friends when I joined freshman year; I learned a lot of how to work with other people because you meet a lot of personalities. I learned how to jump into different positions, how to work under pressure. You learn a lot about cooperation,” Pavlu said.

The students aren’t the only ones running the yearbook. Advisor Julie Fales works to help students generate ideas and coordinate the production of the yearbook.

“It’s more like running a business than teaching a class because you have to make sure everyone does their job to produce the yearbook,” Fales said.

A large staff that spans three classes all pitched in to help create the 50th yearbook. Today when yearbooks are distributed, seniors will get their yearbooks after their third hour final. Juniors will be released at 1:15 p.m., sophomores at 1:35 p.m. and freshman at 1:55 p.m. All students need their I.D. to pick up their yearbook. For students who did not already purchase a yearbook, any available extra yearbooks will be sold for $65.

The literary magazine, Inscriptions, will also be sold for $1 at the same time.

The Literary Magazine includes pictures of students art pieces, poems, short stories and photographs as a way to share what they have worked on over the school year.

THE LEADING LADIES

The 2016-2017 Student Council Executive Board includes sophomore Elena Kernan, junior Rakeya Martin, freshman Emma Ross, junior Cinthia Romo and sophomore Annaleigh Hobbs.

PHOTOs BY SAVANNAH MORGAN by lily wagner staff writer

Changes are made to the organization of StuCo.

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nlike the 2016 presidential election, the elections for next year’s StuCo officers were fairly tame. Most of the candidates ran unopposed for their positions and a new position was added to the Executive Board.

With hopes to introduce StuCo members to Robert’s Rules of Order and run meetings more smoothly, the position of Parliamentarian was added to the executive board.

“If I’m preparing these leaders for positions in the community they will need to know these things,” StuCo sponsor Cynthia Hartwell said.

Freshman Emma Ross will hold the position of Parliamentarian and is responsible for learning parliamentary procedure to help run meetings.

“We would be able to get more stuff done,” Ross said. “Right now each StuCo meeting is different.”

Ross will also be responsible for running StuCo’s social media and planning bonding for members.

“I hope to involve more students in the

activities we run and hopefully promote more school spirit in all grades,” Ross said.

Inclusion and bonding will be even more important this coming year due to the low participation in elections.

“I think every person ran unopposed excluding board president and senior president,” Ross said.

StuCo members plan on continuing the Homecoming parade and canned food collection next year.

Besides the parade and can collection, junior Cinthia Romo, who won the election for next year’s student body president, doesn’t have any concrete plans.

“I want to try to make everything better from this year, and create new bonding for the school,” Romo said.

Romo was one of the few who ran against an opponent. Low participation is prompting Hartwell to think about reworking how the elections run to improve the representation of the student body.

“One thing that I’m a little bit excited about is there is more diversity in our officers,” Hartwell said.

Between increased organization and more diversity, StuCo hopes to boost school spirit and efficiency in the coming year even more than they did this year.

2016-2017 STUDENT COUNCIL CLASS OFFICERS SENIORS:

President: Amelia Holcomb Vice president: Michael Carter Secretary: Gabrielle Brazzell Treasurer: Jackie Stidham

JUNIORS:

President: Sam Rowe Vice president: Samah Boullaouz Secretary: Creighton Young Treasurer: Madison Holloway

SOPHOMORES:

President: Hannah Carter Vice president: Drew Wollard Secretary: Marvy Opera

{____________} ><><><>< To CoNgRaTs >< sophomore Stephanie Rogers, juniors Trisha Olson, Noah Birkel, Steffen Seamon, and Anton Caruso, and senior Alyssa Pavlu for winning national awards at the Journalism Education Association conference in Los Angeles.

seniors Drew Brooks, Nick Fowler, Remy Gordon and Alec Antrim for receiving honors for their inventions at the metro-wide Project Lead the Way Senior Showcase. Brooks and Fowler received a top-five Innovators award; Gordon and Antrim received a top-10 honor for their project documentation.

seniors Hannah Dixon and Michelle Phan for receiving two of the five available $500 visual arts scholarships for next year’s Johnson County Community College students.

NEWS MAY 2016

05

The Heritage Choir practices new songs during fifth hour to prepare for the Raider Revue May 13th and 14th. The show will feature songs by all the choirs as well as soloists, Indian Woods students and the Alumni Choir. photo by HANNAH CARTER

2016-2017 PATRIOT STAFF Editor-In-Chief, Features Editor: Amelia Holcomb Assistant Editor-inChief, Opinion Editor: Sophia Belshe Photo Editor: Savannah Morgan

News Editor: Mark Holland A&E Editor, Social Media Manager: Tara Phillips Web Editor, Infographics Editor: Lily Wagner Copy Editor: Avery Woods Ads Editor: Madison Holloway Editorial Cartoonist: Miah Clark Photographers: Hannah Carter Maxie Crimm

READY FOR RAIDER REVUE

BY LILY WAGNER STAFF WRITER

Choir to hold their final show of the year tonight.

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hoir teacher Jon Duncan will be ending his first year teaching at South on a high note with Raider Revue. The shows will feature not only South students, but singers from Indian Woods and the Alumni choir in celebration of South’s 50th anniversary.

“For many students, Raider Revue is their big thing,” choir teacher Jon Duncan said, “there’s choreography involved, it’s less formal, and it features a lot of pop music that people already know.”

Since they were announced April 22, the thirty five soloists have been busy preparing for their performances tonight and tomorrow night.

“I need to register my vocal pitch a little lower so I can hit the high notes,” said sophomore Patrick Wiley, who will be singing “We Are the Champions” by Queen.

Some soloists are taking the annual pop focused concert as an opportunity to sing songs they wouldn’t ordinarily sing. Senior Rose Smithson will be singing “Dream” by Priscilla Ahn.

UR O Y K MAR NDAR! E CAL

06

NEWS MAY 2016

May

Sports Editor: Keeli Ward

“I’ve known that song since I was in fifth grade, and I’ve been singing it since I was really young and decided to finally perform it,” Smithson said.

The audition process was difficult and only 35 people out of the 60 that auditioned will perform in the shows.

With less time to prepare than most concerts, even singers who don’t have solos have had to work hard getting ready for the concert.

“It’s a very short turn around after contest to get music and choreography learned,” Duncan said.

The upperclassmen and members of the Heritage choir have been stepping up to help out all year, but with the time crunch before Raider Revue, they have been lending more of a hand.

“Duncan always asks us for help and we kinda tell him ‘this is how we warm up‘ and stuff,” junior Aidan Sarmiento said.

Raider Revue will take place tonight and tomorrow night, both at 7pm in the auditorium. The shows will each feature different soloists and you can catch the Indian Woods choir on Friday night only.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for kids, and students can get in free with their ID.

ards w A r Senio embly, Ass tion a u d Gra 17

Memorial Day 29

Last Day of School 23

photos by savannah morgan

MOVING ON

Teachers who are leaving South discuss their plans for next year.

NICHOLAS DEFFER

AU REVOIR, RETIREES by jacob robertson staff writer

“I’m going to Blue Valley Northwest to be a technology integration specialist.”

BRENDAN CURRAN

A

Schellpeper, Wells announce their retirements.

fter many years of teaching, family and consumer science teacher Paula Schellpeper and chemistry teacher Art Wells announced their retirement this year.

Schellpeper has taught for 27 years and in over five schools across the country. “[When I began teaching], I wanted to be able to connect with kids and get them the information that they were interested in and I was able to do that fairly well. I taught in a small school that had 30 students in a graduating class,” Schellpeper said.

Along with teaching a student body of 8th to 12th graders, Schellpeper was also the Pep Club sponsor, volleyball coach, Junior Class sponsor and leader of FHA (Future Homemakers of America).

Schellpeper looks forward to retirement.

“My daughter just moved to Chicago and she is having a baby so I’ll be able to help her out and be grandma full time. A vacation sounds good I think there will be some bike trips in the future,” Schellpeper said.

Wells is retiring after teaching for 47 years. Wells enjoys teaching because he gets the opportunity to teach students and help them problem solve.

“I like working with students who like to learn and promoting science and getting students to develop problem solving skills,” Wells said.

After retirement Wells looks forward to spending more time with family and watching his grandchildren grow up and give them opportunities in the science field that they wouldn’t have otherwise.

“I have two grandsons that I will spend more time with and hopefully help them with school and science,” Wells said.

Whatever the future holds for Schellpeper and Wells, South appreciates their years of service.

“I’m going to St. Thomas Aquinas.”

HAYLEY MEEK

“I’m moving back to Virginia. I hope to get a librarian or gifted teaching job.”

EMILY PINKSTON

“I’m moving to Mt. View California to be a high school math teacher at Palo Alto.”

photos by Savannah Morgan

Finals Week

Wednesday 18: 1st hour final & hours 2, 4, 6 Thursday 19: 2nd & 3rd finals, 10:50 release

Friday 20: 4th & 5th finals, 10:50 release Monday 23: 6th & 7th finals, 10:50 release

NEWS MAY 2016

07

1 POEMS AND MUSIC AND DANCING OH MY!

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vents held by the dance teams, creative writing and KSMS kept students busy last month. The poetry slam invited the whole school to share their voice in verse and KSMS hosted Southapalooza, while Pacesetters showed off their year in dance.

Telling the crowd how to participate in the Poetry Slam, senior Ali Ballester demonstrates a snap along with fellow emcee senior Connor Hill. The Poetry Slam filled the aux gym and was packed with poets every hour. photo by hannah carter

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Lip Synching to Outkastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hey Ya, junior Anton Caruso gets up close and personal to the live feed camera. Lip synching was one of the numerous activities KSMS had at Southapalooza. photo by jenna fackrell

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NEWS MAY 2016

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During the Disney themed Extravaganza the Shawnee Mission South staff performs a routine featuring the popular dances throughout the last 50 years. photo by hannah carter

STAFF EDITORIAL

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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION By Rose Pollina

s Shawnee Mission South says goodbye to its 50th graduating class, senior students look back on their past four years here with pride and accomplishment. From their first day to first homecoming, to their last final and final school picture, these last few weeks give off the the distinct, rosy air of nostalgia more than anything else.

Students routinely meet with their friends every morning for the last few times, turn in their final assignments and accomplish every menial task left with the same poignant notes of finality. For most seniors, this is the home stretch before the finish line, which leads us to forget that some have left the race a long time ago.

For students who’ve dropped out of high school, this too is a nostalgic set of weeks, albeit a tad bittersweet as well. Although many of these students will watch their friends graduate and participate in end-ofyear festivities without them, many still believe beyond any shadow of a doubt that they’ve made the best

decision by dropping out.

And who are we to say that they didn’t? When a student knows for certain that traditional schooling will not work out for them, who are we to tell them to stick it out?

Those who are so quick to write off those who drop out of high school and perhaps turn to the GED test or e-school do not take into consideration the countless circumstances that lead students to turn to those methods in the first place. Students rarely, if ever, drop out of secondary school due to sheer laziness. Factors like the student’s health, family life or financial burden make up the majority of reasons as to why these “drop-outs” find themselves unable to finish traditional high school. Some must dedicate more time to their physical and mental betterment, and others must assume the responsibility of a full-time job much earlier than their peers. Regardless of circumstance, it is unfair to assume that these students are undisciplined and destined for failure.

The GED is the equivalence

of a high school diploma, yet we act as though the test is solely for underachievers and those who have failed everything else.

As ceremonies close for South’s 50th graduating class and senior classes all over the country, let’s make time to celebrate the achievements of all students. Each of us are born into unique personal and financial circumstances, and different methods of education benefit different students.

This year, let’s graduate as a united front. Let’s remember the friends standing beside us and send our appreciation to those who found more meaningful learning in someplace unexpected.

8/8 editors agree with the views expressed in this editorial.

OPINION MAY 2016

09

THE

DEBATE PHOTOS BY SAVANNAH MORGAN

YES:

BY MAX HOLMES STAFF WRITER urrently, South’s open lunch policy only allows seniors to leave campus during their lunch period to get a bite to eat.

While this is all well and good, given the fact that some high schools around SMSD don’t even allow open lunch, the policy should be changed to also allow juniors the option to go out and get lunch. This would result in more benefits for the school, and more particularly the lunch hour.

If juniors were allowed open lunch, we would see a significant increase in cooperation between seniors and juniors, and also between juniors and the administration. One of the major topics juniors discuss during the lunch hour is about wanting to be able to go out for lunch, or that they are a little jealous at the seniors for being able to do what they cannot. By allowing juniors to eat open lunch, these small conversations would begin to fade into nothing, and the bond between upper and lower classmen would get stronger, resulting in more help between students, which in turn would better grades and test scores.

Not only would relations be less strained, the lunchroom would too. With a smaller number of students in the cafeteria, the lines would run more smoothly. Not to mention that there would be less of a risk of food running out due to the decrease in demand.

However, fewer students buying food may lower the revenue of the lunch room. But what would most likely happen is the other students would fill in for their missing peers, buying more food than they normally would.

Allowing juniors to go out for open lunch would have many positive results.

Communication between many parties would be bettered, along with the functionality of the lunchroom. It will also help support many local businesses, and would help teach students to be more punctual by giving them a short time to get back to school. A change in the open lunch policy would be beneficial to the overall well-being of the school.

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THE RESULTS ARE IN...

YES 39%

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OPINION MAY 2016

NO 61%

Students voted on whether the legal smoking age should be increased from 18 to 21.

Visit The Patriot Online at smsouthnews.com to vote for your opinion in this month’s Debate.

SHOULD JUNIORS BE ALLOWED TO GO OUT TO OPEN LUNCH?

NO: O

BY SOPHIA BELSHE ADS EDITOR

pen lunch. A coveted senior privilege that underclassman wait for three long years to earn.

It’s easy to say that anyone who can drive should be able to leave campus for lunch, but it’s best for the student body if everyone but the Senior Class stays at school.

The parking lot gets notoriously hectic at the start and end of every school day. If underclassmen were allowed out for lunch, traffic would be heavier during lunch as well. This would put stress on students trying to make it back for the start of class and it would increase the likelihood that drivers will get into accidents.

And let’s face it: Some seniors are already late to class on a daily basis because they leave for lunch and don’t get back in time for the start of fifth or sixth hour. If juniors were allowed to go out for open lunch, there would be even more students missing the first few minutes of class, and that’s valuable class time that teachers utilize.

Additionally, students walking in late disrupts class for students who were on time, and if the parking lot is more hectic during lunch, students who left would be even later than they already are. Do we really need to add another thing for students to navigate when attempting to make it back before the bell?

There are also enough non-seniors that already break the rules and sneak out to lunch. If juniors were actually allowed to go to lunch, sophomores would sneak out, and we’d be facing the same dilemma we are currently.

Granted, not every senior goes out to lunch, and not every junior would if they were allowed to, but changing the rules is still not a risk we should take. Juniors, as well as seniors, used to be able to go out, but it has been years since that rule was changed, why change it back?

Seniors have waited for four years to earn the privilege of a 30 minute break from campus, and it wouldn’t be fair to them to just allow juniors to go out for no reason. The concept of senior privileges is not a new one, and it needs to be respected.

South is one of the few schools in the area that still allows any of their students to go out for lunch. It’s a luxury that we are allowed to do it at any point in our high school careers, so we shouldn’t push this privilege by allowing more than seniors to go out.

OPINION MAY 2016

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PHOTOs BY JENNA FACKRELL

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s Editor-in-Chief of The Patriot, I found myself falling deeper in love with my school and all those inside it through every article written and every story I found buried beneath these halls. When I took over this immense responsibility, I made a promise to leave no stone unturned and provide every student I could with a platform to share a part of themselves. Looking back on my three years spent on the newspaper staff, I believe that I am humbly able to declare that I achieved just that.

I love my school. I adore the teachers who inspired me and the present and previous members of The Patriot staff who supported me through all obstacles, and of course, my heart burns with admiration for my advisor and journalism teacher, Julie Fales, who has coached me and watched me grow from my first semester to my last.

I love Shawnee Mission South.

With that being said, I am not deluded enough to believe or even pretend that this was our best year yet. As

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OPINION MAY 2016

SIGNING OFF

much as it tarnishes all sentimental instinct by saying this, 50 is not some special, magical number, nor has our behavior this year even closely indicated it as being so.

It is with great grief in my chest that I cannot leave Shawnee Mission South without feeling a twinge of disappointment in how this year has progressed. As a journalist, I chose to investigate all areas affecting student life, from Islamophobia to immigration to self-harm to Black Lives Matter, and despite garnering very little reaction from the school through any of them, I took great pride highlighting the dreams and sacrifices of all members of the student body. While doing this, however, I found my greatest shame.

It was not until I covered Crowd Control in my first and only sports story for The Patriot that I discovered what a true reaction could be. As the article was released, I, as well as other members of the staff, were bombarded by mania and outrage.

Before then, I thought Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d seen everything. I recalled students bursting into tears as they recounted their experiences with parental abuse for the foster care cover story, or talking face-to-face with parents who had just lost their daughter

to suicide mere weeks before interviewing them, all resulting in little to no public response upon publication. Of every story I ever wrote, this was the one people cared about: who sat with whom on the bleachers. It felt like a slap in the face.

I, of course, cannot choose what students decide matters to them, but to know that this is how Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be remembered for my experience in journalism; as the rogue, man-hating feminist, is an insult to every source who opened themselves up to the school and received little in return.

Crowd Control was, by all means, an important story, but to regard it as the story does a disservice to every member of The Patriot staff and speaks volumes in a tale of screwed up priorities and status quo.

I love my school enough to know that we are better than this.

Yours faithfully,

Emily Wilkinson Editor-in-Chief

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY SAVANNAH MORGAN

LEARNING

OFF THE

BEATEN PATH

As graduation commences, students who have dropped out look forward for new horizons.

BY EMILY WILKINSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, OPINION EDITOR s May unfolds with the promise of graduation and new beginnings for high school seniors, many look beyond to the great unknown with one question on their mind: “What next?”

“There is a level of apprehension, because most [students] haven’t been away from home for an extended period of time away from their families,” counselor Kelly Lillis said, “but I think there’s also a really big sense of excitement and adventure that’s coming. It’s a really exciting time of life. It’s a transitional period.”

For students who have dropped out of high school, this

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period may feel a little more uncertain than most.

“Everyone told me, ‘Do not get your GED! Colleges won’t like it, and you won’t be successful. It’ll be terrible getting a job,’ but so far, none of that’s been true,” Heather Jensen, a South senior who dropped out in September 2015, said. “I’m proving them all wrong.”

FEATURES MAY 2016

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Many students who have dropped out of high school find themselves worrying about more than future college plans. Before making any choices about postsecondary education, these students must first consider finding reliable work that accepts their level of education.

Colleges themselves can be choosy about accepting a General Education Diploma (GED). Even if the school accepts the GED, the admission process may be different for the student applying. The military has even tightened requirements from previous years, and now prefers high school diplomas over the GED. In this way, Lillis says that dropping out of high school comes with many risks, even if the student pursues the GED. “I think there’s a risk of just not finishing up at a later date. I see a lot of students who walk at graduation but haven’t finished their requirements,” Lillis said. “A lot of students have a credit or so left, and they think they’re going to go to online school, and then life just sort of gets in the way, and [schooling] just gets pushed aside as they start working and moving on with their lives.”

Many factors may contribute to high school students dropping out, including mental and physical health or added financial burden.

“Most of the time, students just get far behind in credits for whatever reason… I’ve had students who have babies.

Sometimes, it has to do with attendance at school for reasons like anxiety or illness,” Lillis said. “There’s kind of this stigma [about students dropping out], but a lot of the kids who drop out are as capable and as smart and work as hard as those who stay here.”

Jensen, who experienced frequent health issues throughout her high school career, knew from the beginning that traditional high school would never work in her favor.

“I’ve had a hard time with school my whole life,” Jensen said. “By the beginning of senior year, I was in the hospital a lot, and I missed a lot of school. I didn’t have a good social life, especially at school. It was emotionally, mentally and physically exhausting. I was missing entire quarters of school at a time.”

Upon dropping out during her senior year, Jensen chose to pursue testing for the GED. “For some students, the GED works out just fine. I think if [the GED test] is done and done quickly, some students definitely have the capability to walk out of this place and do just fine,” Lillis said. “But I also kind of think it’s like online school. A lot of kids think, ‘The grass is greener over there,’ and they think the GED is going to be so easy, when it isn’t as easy as they think it is.”

That, however, was not the case for Jensen, who completed her final GED test earlier this month, crediting her success with the fantastic education she says she received at Shawnee Mission South.

“The GED was so much easier than I thought it’d be,” Jensen said. “I know that’s not true for everyone, because I feel I’ve got a really good advantage having gotten such a great all my life. I was privileged to go Shawnee Mission

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FEATURES MAY 2016

H E AT H E R J E N S E N Dropped out in September 2015 Achieved her GED in May 2016 Currently participating in JCCC’s Certifed Nursing Program Will attend JCCC in the Fall schools. I got an excellent education there.”

Jensen currently attends Johnson County Community College, the same institution from which she obtained her GED, in the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program, training in various long-term care and senior living facilities to obtain her certification.

“I knew I wanted a career in healthcare, but I wasn’t sure exactly what,” Jensen said. “[The CNA program] allowed me to try it out and see if it was something I’d like.”

Having been around nurses and hospitals throughout her life, battling various physical ailments, Jensen once had a perpetual fear of what she described as “anything medical.”

“I decided I wanted to be a nurse two months ago honestly, but now I’m set on it,” Jensen said. “In the doctor’s office, I used to have anxiety attacks getting my blood pressure taken. It just stressed me out so much. One day, I just woke up and decided that I wanted to do something in the medical field… I just feel like being a nurse is my calling, and maybe one day I’ll figure out why.”

To conquer her fear of all things medical, Jensen decided she’d try her hand at JCCC’s CNA program.

“Through Johnson County Adult Education, where I’m taking the GED test, they have what’s called the “A-OK”

program, and the CNA program is a part of that. Because I’m taking my GED classes there, I get to attend all of the A-OK programs for free. That was my main motivation for trying out CNA training.”

Currently, Jensen is looking for hospital jobs where she can put her CNA training to use, but in the long run, Jensen says that she could see herself attending a university.

“Ultimately, I want to be a registered nurse. I want to get my Bachelors of Science and Nursing,” Jensen said.

“Because my whole education has been kind of in shambles, I’m going to take it slowly. I’ll ease myself into being a fulltime student again.”

For now, as Jensen wraps up her training at JCCC and plans her next foray into adulthood, she has no doubt in her mind that the decision to drop out of high school was the right one.

“I always thought that because of my struggles in high school and missing so much due to illness, that I wasn’t supposed to finish high school for another year at least,” Jensen said, “but now I’m actually going to be finished before my peers. [Dropping out] has kind of gotten me ahead in a way. I still might be a little behind in college, just because of application deadlines, but I’m figuring it out like anyone else.”

GET TO KNOW THE GED: Every year, over 1.2 million students drop out of high school in the United States alone.

Stats from: U.S. Census Bureau

A high school dropout (without a GED) will earn $200,000 less than a high school graduate over his lifetime. And almost a million dollars less than a college graduate.

Higher Ed DoSomething

About 25% of high school freshmen fail to graduate from high school on time.

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In 2009, 16.9 million adults earned a GED certificate BY to satisfy their high school requirements. While HOTOs P 73 percent of those who received a high school diploma went on to complete at least some postsecondary education, less than half (43 %) of GED certificate recipients did so.

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Only 40 states offer the GED Average GED pass rate for 2014: 60% Average cost of the GED: $120

FEATURES MAY 2016

15

AWAY THEY GO...

:THE MAP

P

Coe College: University Of Central Missouri Hannah Waldorf Kara Pringle Ryan Dubinski Taylor Kopek Skyler Rudy Casey Mispagel Emma Shenefield YiKendall Jongerius Alyssa Pavlu

Dom Esparrago Emily Anderson

Rose Smithson Jack Huggins Hannah Hall

Leorah Addadi

Hieu-Antonio Phan

Fatema Abuhamda Kara Byrd Mona Jahani

Kaylee Bruce

Emily Wilkinson

Drake University: Jon Buenger

A &

Q with

JERRY KIM

BY MAX HOLMES STAFF WRITER PHOTOs BY JACOB COX

18

FEATURES MAY 2016

J

erry Kim, nicknamed by the wrestling team as Chef Jerry, is pursuing a career in culinary arts after he graduates. He is currently taking cooking classes at Broadmoor and will be in the Army as a chef.

What are your plans after graduation?

I plan to serve in the US Army as a cook. 92 Gulf, Culinary Specialist, if you want to make it sound more fancy. But it basically just means a cook.

How has your past four years at South prepared you for the future?

Very well, I believe, very well. Through South, I gained some valuable skills. I made some great friends along the way, and through the Shawnee Mission School District I got the pleasure of going to school down at Broadmoor and I built different connections with other chefs in the industry. I got a pretty solid foundation of cooking, and communication and leadership. It has prepared me very well, I believe.

Why have you chosen to enter the army?

It had the most benefits in my case. Through the Army, I’ll be a naturalized citizen. I’ll have my college paid, guaranteed pay, and just seeing what being a cook is like for the first couple of years before I actually decide if that’s what I want to do for the rest of my life. Kind of like a trial period

What got you into cooking?

I’ve always liked cooking, ever since I was small, ever since I was little. I cooked with my mom and dad. But I knew I wanted this as a career, what I wanted to do for the rest of my life when I first took classes down at Broadmoor. I had been taking small foods classes through church and school and other stuff. It got me interested, but when I first went to Broadmoor and did the actual cooking, I realized it was what I wanted to do.

Explain a day at Broadmoor.

On typical Tuesdays and Wednesdays, I go to Broadmoor in the morning. So how Broadmoor is set up, it’s a two hour class, one hour and fifteen minutes, and to take a class there is two hours off your schedule and one hour for transportation. So I go there in the morning and bake for about two hours. In the morning it’s baking classes, in the afternoon it’s cooking classes. I go in, I bake, I clean up, then by the time I get to South, its about 10:15 so I usually have time to get to my fourth hour early which is weights. I get to get a good warm up before anyone else. That’s real nice. Then after classes, I go back to Broadmoor from 3:30 to, on Bistro Nights, 10 p.m. We have a restaurant service. Lot’s of prep, lots of cooking, and a lot of cleaning. And a lot of young chefs getting yelled at.

Do you think it’s important for people to know how to cook?

Oh, definitely. Whether you want to get into this industry or not, whether you want to pursue a career in cooking, just being able to cook has a lot of benefits. Everyone’s got to eat at least three times a day. And if you are able to cook it will save you a lot of money and stress in the long run. And best of all, ladies love a man who can cook. *Wink, wink*

FEATURES MAY 2016

19

By Kate Anderson A&E Editor Photos by Jenna fackrell

T

The village

o Prairie Villagers, the Village is a homey area with quaint shops and restaurants.

But the majority of outsiders have no idea that this haven exists. From the street, the Village just looks like any other suburban shopping area, but walking through the inner streets, one can find local boutiques with upscale merchandise and lovely bakeries.

The Village has a wide variety of specialty shops. The Better Cheddar is a specialty cheese shop. Pinotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Palette lets guests paint and eat and have fun. The French Market imports specialty

items from France, ranging from popular childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s toys and housewares to fine salts and herbs. There is an eclectic range of shopping and eating so close to home.

The annual Prairie Village Art Show will be taking place June 3 through June 5 this year. Lesser known than the popular Plaza Art Fair, the Village Art Show is quieter, but no less packed with art.

And Saturday, June 4, there will be a pancake breakfast from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. The weekend will be a family affair, so be sure to bring everyone.

RSVP

3934 W 69th Terarace, Prairie Village, KS 66208

The French Market 6947 Tomahawk Rd, Prairie Village, KS 66208

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Restaurant: THE CHOCOLATE FROG

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3935 W 69th Terrace, Prairie Village, KS 66208 he most beautiful words ever uttered are “all day breakfast.” If that is part of your restaurant’s targeting campaign, there is a 100 percent chance I will want to purchase food from your establishment. the Chocolate Frog is no exception. Part of the Standees dinein theatre establishment, the Chocolate Frog is a quiet restaurant with friendly waitstaff and a full bar.

Even though we arrived at a normal dining time, the large restaurant was completely empty. Granted, it was a Tuesday evening at around 6 p.m., but it

seemed eerily quiet. We ordered a veggie omelet (my go-to order) and a stack of three pancakes. While the pancakes were giant, they proved to be a bit rubbery but still delicious nonetheless. The omelet was pretty good but nothing amazing. The star of the evening was definitely the breakfast potatoes, probably because it’s hard to mess up a potato.

Overall, the Chocolate Frog is a decent establishment with reasonable prices but I won’t be hopping back there anytime soon.

Cafe: EINSTEIN BROTHERS

6970 Mission Rd 36 & 37, Prairie Village, KS 66208

A

lthough not a Kansas City native, Einstein Brothers is a perfect spot for quiet studying or catching up with friends.

The large windows allow for a lot of natural light and more productivity. My only complaint would be the music choice. I generally look for quiet music in a cafe and Einstein Bros has more poppy and loud music. So if you plan on going there for intensive reading or studying, I recommend bringing headphones. The coffee and food is very good and decently priced for the amount you get. They do not only serve baked goods, but also a wide variety of sandwiches and drinks.

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21

senior

by kate anderson a&e editor PHOTOS BY MAXIE CRIMM

Theatre work has facilitated senior Mona Jahani’s sewing skillset and has enabled her to make many clothing items for herself and others. theatre design. Theatre has been a vital part of Jahani’s life and she attributes much of her success toward it.

“Designing for theatre is so different from designing fashion or designing for everyday life because theatre can be…fantasy or time period or modern,” Jahani said.

“Getting to learn through theatre has definitely given me such a variety and diverse background that I’ll draw upon the things I’ve learned for a very long time.”

“

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A&E MAY 2016

Theatre has given me opportunities that I wouldn’t have gotten in any number of classes I could take.

-senior Mona Jahani

“

D

on’t ask senior Mona Jahani where she got her prom and homecoming dresses this year because the answer is that she made them. This Washington University-bound seamstress has a real talent for making costumes and clothes. She got her start in theatre through the costume department sophomore year and her skills have taken off ever since.

“I never took any formal sewing classes. It was...just learning on the spot stuff as I went through shows so I learned the skills as I needed them,” Jahani said. “I by no means was an expert to begin with.”

Jahani didn’t start off with an extreme desire to learn how to sew. She started off being interested in costuming as a whole. Starting off as a backstage hand for makeup and hair, Jahani eventually worked her way up to being a costume crew head for repertory theatre.

“I got a lot of my practice through theatre work because the more involved I became, the more work was given to me, and the more I got to accomplish,” Jahani said. She has been a crew head for two years.

Costuming will hopefully play a large part in Jahani’s future as well.

She has chosen a university that her main degree can be a BFA in costuming and

Jahani created her own 1965 theme dress for South’s Homecoming this year.

“When I realized that was the [homecoming] theme, I thought I could make a dress for myself,” said Jahani, “so I got the pattern and the fabric and I just trial and errored my way through the pattern to something that fit me really well.”

This fun fabric caught Jahani’s eye in the fabric store.

“When I’d been in and out of fabric stores, I’d always seen this fabric there and I thought [I’d] buy it eventually and use it for something but I never quite knew what,” Jahani said.

“I wanted something I could wear more c a s u a l l y. . . I used the things that I learned from making the homecoming dress to make something a little more fun and casual.”

Jahani found an innovative way to repurpose an old tablecloth.

“I found this [circular] tablecloth at savers for $5 or $6. I thought, I can just cut a hole in it, put some elastic and it could just be a really full skirt,” Jahani said. “So this was something really easy to do to make a casual outfit but take something and repurpose it and make it fun and different and new.”

Jahani’s prom dress was definitely a talking point at prom this year.

“I knew I wanted to challenge myself with making my own prom dress without a pattern, it was definitely a learning experience...”

Jahani said. “I really loved how it turned out and that I got to feel like a fairy princess for a night.”

A&E MAY 2016

23

REVIEWS GAME REVIEW: KINGDOM HEARTS UNCHAINED

by MARK HOLLAND STAFF WRITER

T

he Kingdom Hearts game series has become increasingly popular over the years. Now, the game has come to the iPhone. Kingdom Hearts Unchained is a beautifully designed fantasy game that combines RPG gameplay with a well-written plot that incorporates some of the characters loved by many in the Disney film genre.

The storyline follows a young boy as he goes on a quest to free the world from darkness wielding a magnificent keyblade (a magical sword in the shape of a key). As the player travels through the intricate world, they encounter various Disney characters such as the Seven Dwarves from Snow White or Mickey Mouse. While this may sound like a generic Disney game for baby girls, it is not. This game is addicting, and will appeal not just to hard-core

Disney fans. The design is incredible, and the storyline is intriguing once one gets into it.

The game and series was created

by Square Enix, and was designed as a crossover between Disney and the Square Enix games Final Fantasy and The World Ends With You, the characters of which also appear in the games.

As far as fantasy games as a whole, it probably is not super innovative, but the creators did the best that they could with mobile technology and it shows. So anyone who is looking for a good fantasy game that they can play on their phone should definitely check this out, especially since it is free. There are many other games in the series for other devices to check out too, along with soundtracks, companion books, figurines and a manga series.

ALBUM FILM REVIEW: “THE ODYSSEY” by jacob robertson STAFF WRITER

F

lorence and the Machine’s long anticipated companion album film “The Odyssey” release date was delayed until April 25 in respect of the unexpected passing of Prince. The film ties together the music videos from Florence’s third studio album How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful connecting them with short interludes. This concept film follows Florence Welch’s cinematic journey through the storm of heartbreak.

Florence and The Machine’s third album tells a story not only about a heart break, but a total eclipse of the heart. With the combination of director Vincent Haycock, Welch’s astounding vocals and the beautiful lyrics that speak to one’s soul create an unforgettable visual masterpiece.

The film starts with a skyline of

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an unknown city covering the fact the album title How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful is in fact about the great open American sky. The camera zooms in on a lit up white cross. Welch was raised a devout Catholic and the film and lyrics contain many religious allegories. Songs like “Delilah,” an allusion to the Biblical story, where in the film she invokes herself as both characters. She is seen cutting her lover’s hair as Delilah does in the story to destroy her lover’s god given strength so she can survive but then pulls the pillars down on herself to end her suffering as Samson did.

As the white cross fades away the first song on the album, “What Kind Of Man” plays and you see her with her lover on a balcony and a storm in the distance, a recurring theme. The storm is a symbol throughout How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful. Most of the film it’s stormy or cloudy, representing her constant battle with her partner.

“Various Storms and Saints” and

“St Jude” both contribute to this theme.

“St Jude,” the patron saint of lost causes, tells the story of her struggle and destructive coping mechanism and how it puts her constantly in a storm. She is seen kneeling in the street during a rainstorm most likely being the deadly St Jude storm that hit Europe in 2013.

This free film illustrates the beauty of this album and I recommend that everyone watch it on the band’s website florenceandthemachine.net.

Florence is coming in concert May 23 for Buzz Under the Stars Night One. It’s an all ages show and tickets can be bought at 965thebuzz.com.

TWITTER PHOTO CONTEST Students tweeted @smspatriot pictures of their own superlative and The Patriot staff picked their favorites. The winner will receive a $10 gift card to QuikTrip. All entries were submitted into a drawing for two free Vans Warped Tour tickets. The winner is senior Mona Jahani. Congratulations!

1

Most likely to steal your man.

-senior Adric Tenuta @AdricTenuta

2

Most likely to win a Grammy.

-sophomore Dan Baker @drbrocks

4 3

Most likely to win Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Got Talent -senior Taylor Kopek @tayko_

Most likely to become a cat.

-senior Rose Smithson @Rosie73241217

A&E MAY 2016

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GENERATION GAP 6

7 k 19

co to o h P

of sy e t ur

e ag r it

Yea

o rbo

He

W

hen South first opened in 1965, there weren’t as many sports available for athletes to compete in.

South athletics have gone through many changes since the school first opened. One major change is that there are equal opportunities for everyone.

The first sports that were offered were, football, cross country, basketball, swim, track, golf and tennis. At the time, all of the sports listed were only offered to boys because it wasn’t very common in 1965 for girls to be involved in school sports.

“There has been many more sports added [since South first opened.]

Clearly in 1965 there were very limited sports and now we have equal opportunities for everyone,” athletic director John Johnson said.

“There has been a huge increase in club sports compared to what it used to be.”

South hasn’t always had the district stadium, but they had a track in 1965. The stadium, along with the pool, was built in March of 1970. Until the pool was built, the swim team would go to the local YMCA or the Olathe School For The Deaf for practice.

In South’s early years, there were many athletes who participated in two or more athletic seasons.

Today, it is uncommon for an athlete to be a two or more sport athlete. Many athletes want to focus in on one sport that way they can be Photo courtesy of Heritage Yearbook 1976 good enough to possibly c o n t i n u e playing their sport at a

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SPORTS MAY 2016

Celebrating 50 years, South recognizes changes to the athletic program, sports clubs and school spirit groups.

BY KEELI WARD STAFF WRITER

collegiate level.

There have been many star athletes since 1965. South created a Hall Of Fame in 2010. To be inducted into the Hall Of Fame, an athlete or coach must be nominated by someone and then a committee will vote on whether or not that person should be inducted.

“The purpose [of the Hall of Fame] is to recognize former athletes, the best of the best, with versatility and excellence,” athletics secretary Karen Wagner said.

The first graduating class of South graduated in 1966. Back then, there were only three classes which made the varsity teams made up of mostly seniors. Today, all of the classes are a part of varsity due to there being a lack of seniority.

South’s student body has repeatedly had great supporters for student athletes. In 1965 Pep Club was made up of all girls, and in 1967 the school’s mascot was a girl. Back then, pep club functioned more like a club. They had a president, vice president, secretary, corresponding secretary and a treasurer.

Today, there are pep executives.

“I would say that our focus has shifted a little into partnering with Crowd Control. I think that is going to be a goal next year to set and make sure we communicate out about all the spirit weeks and spirit concepts for the games,” pep club sponsor Travis Gatewood said. “We are promoting everyone for all sports and activities.”

In 1965 the school had “Raider Rooter” buses that would take the student body to the away games. South no longer does that anymore but, a few years ago the school provided buses to take students who would want to watch a State championship game.

Another way that the student body supports the athletes is through Crowd Control. South hasn’t alway had a Crowd Control; it started seven years ago.

Although there have been many changes since the beginning, South still has strong athletic teams. Win or lose, sports teams at South will support each other until the end.

Changes are still being made to the athletics right now so in the years to come, many things may be different.

50 YEARS LATER Y

ell leaders were a big part of spirit groups at sports games.

The yell leaders wait for a play to end during a football game.

The photo below features all the varsity yell leaders from ‘74: (from left to right) Brian Lasche, Mark Gunnison, Thom Carter, John Williams and Trip Haenisch.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HERITAGE 1973

S Photos courtesy of The Heritage 1974 Photos courtesy of The Heritage 1999

outh has had a skillful girls gymnastics team for years, but in South’s earliest years there was also a talented boys gymnastics team.

P

reparing to release their arrows, archers judge and adjust to the target distance.

This photo was featured with a story about some of South’s athletic clubs.

Photo courtesy of The Heritage 1967

A

popular sports club at South, hockey served as a great physical challenge for student athletes as well as an entertaining and fun pastime. Similar to this athletic club, South now has a boys and girls lacrosse club.

RED WING STORE 8920 W 95TH ST OVERLAND PARK, KS 66212 913-648-7860

PACE YOURSELVES

BY AVERY WOODS STAFF WRITER

Next year, the Pacesetters accept their first male member.

Imagine it’s the first big Pacesetters performance of the 201617 school year. The curtain opens and the spotlight is drawn to the center of the stage, where the JV Pacesetters are posed for the beginning of their dance – and a boy stands in the middle.

Though this scene may seem fabricated, it will become a reality next year.

Freshman Zeb Lyons will be the first boy to participate in Pacesetters this coming school year. He made JV at tryouts and will sometimes work with varsity.

“I think it will be very different and interesting and cool,” Lyons said.

Dances will be changed with Lyons performing.

“I think there will be different things that we can do with dances

with him, like partner stuff,” freshman Jill Propst said.

Propst will be dancing with Lyons on JV Pacesetters next year. She and Lyons will be the only sophomores on the team.

According to Lyons, the Pacesetters’ dances are feminine because of the lack of males on the team, so these dances may have to adapt to accommodate him.

So why is Lyons the first boy to try out for the drill team?

“A lot of boys think they should do the masculine sport of football, basketball or baseball. It takes a lot of self-confidence to step out of the society norm and show your athleticism in a different way,” JV Pacesetter coach Sue Williams said.

Lyons says it’s about self-esteem and showing off his talents.

“I don’t really care what other people think about me, but I think some people might be embarrassed.

I’m not really embarrassed – if I’m good at it, then I want to show it,” Lyons said.

Why did he try out in the first place?

“I decided to join Pacesetters because I wanted to be more involved in the school, and I wanted to do more activities, and I think it would just be a fun experience to have,” Lyons said.

So as Lyons dances onstage next year for the JV Pacesetters, he’ll be the first boy to ever do so, making history in itself.

At his ballet class, freshman Zeb Lyons practices balancing in first position. Balancing in sur le coup de pied which means on the “Neck” of the foot. Lyons practices his tendu devant by extending his leg keeping his foot “closed.”

Freshman Zeb Lyons holds a combre bac, the bending of the body back or to the side.

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SPORTS MAY 2016

Again holding a tendu devnat, freshman Zeb Lyons extends his leg back and holds his arm forward. Holding a tendu arabesque, Lyons finishes a group stretch and warm up with his class.

PHOTOS BY COURTNEY SPAULDING

Senior Adam North finishes a swing during South’s game against SMNW May 3 at South’s baseball field. PHOTOS BY HANNAH CARTER

BY MARK HOLLAND STAFF WRITER

Senior Adam North had been a ‘Boy of Summer’ since he first started playing baseball, and now he is looking forward to continuing his career in college.

How long have you been playing baseball?

Since I was about 3 years old.

Why did you start playing?

My dad got me into it and I just kind of fell in love with the game.

What do you enjoy most about it?

It’s something that I’m good at. I just like the game. There’s so many small things you have to focus on and pay attention to the little things.

What other sports and hobbies do you have?

I don’t play any other sports, but hobbies, I like to do outdoor things, frisbee that’s fun, I like to hike, and I love to work out.

What is your role in the team?

I consider myself a leader. I’m a senior, we don’t have actual captains, but being that I’m a senior and I’ve been on varsity for my third year.

with senior

ADAM NORTH

us to make sure we don’t slack off during practice. There is another coach, Coach Jarrell, he’s taught me a lot about the game, a lot of things I didn’t even think about before I got to South, so he’s helped a lot with that.

What kind of mindset do you have to have when you start a game?

Clear your mind. Whenever I start, whenever they sing or play the national anthem or whatever, my mind is completely blank. I’m not thinking about anything else except I’m about to play a baseball game. You just have to clear your mind.

What do you plan on doing with baseball in college?

I’m going to Kansas City Kansas Community College next year, so that’s two years. My long term goal: go there, do well, and then and pick up a scholarship from a four year school.

Since you have grown up playing baseball, how has your How have your coaches helped opinion on the Royals changed you to succeed? over the years?

Coach Wiles always keeps us focused, and he does a good job of motivating

I’ve always loved the Royals. I’ve

always been a Royals fan. It’s kind of cool now getting to see them play well, but I’ve always been a huge Royals fan.

What is the most influential piece of advice a coach or teammate has given you?

Two summers ago, I played on a really good summer team. I was going into my junior year, and we had a bunch of D1 guys on the team, and see I got a walk-off hit in one of the games and I was talking to one of the seniors on the team and I said, ‘Man I really needed that,’ and he told me ‘No, we needed that as a team,’ and I took that to heart.

What tips do you have for aspiring baseball players?

Never forget why you started playing the game. I mean, baseball’s a thing where it’s really easy to fail. You’re gonna fail seven times out of 10 even if you’re good. So even when you’re not playing good just remember why you started playing and just tell yourself it’s gonna get better.

SPORTS MAY 2016

29

SPORTING WITH[OUT] SENIORS

BY AVERY WOODS STAFF WRITER

In recent years, athletic programs have seen more underclassmen join and fewer team members return.

T

hough there have been several athletic achievements this year, one recurring problem has been cropping up across the board of sports: lack of seniority. Girls soccer only has two seniors, football had seven, girls basketball had one and softball has one.

“There’s not a lot of leadership, so I feel like it affects the underclassmen,” senior Clara Sitas said.

Sitas was the only senior on girls basketball. According to Sitas, not only are the underclassmen affected, but also the seniors themselves; such a small group makes it harder to relate and share the experiences of being a senior.

“It’s definitely hard because all the seniors want to hang out. We want to do group activities, and only a handful of us are in sports still,” senior Erin Bunker, goalie for the girls soccer team, said.

So why is there a shortage of seniors in athletics these days?

“I just think that our class in general wasn’t really targeted when we were in elementary school and middle school to really do sports. We were just kind of thrown into gym in middle school,” Bunker said.

There is also the issue of commitment.

“This class now, the class of ‘16, we started out pretty strong, and little by little, they all kind of decided to do other things,” senior Steven Erbacher, a senior on the football team, said.

Of course, the main problem is the lack of leadership available to the underclassmen, according to Bunker.

“There’s an unspoken lack of leadership, and to some extent the freshmen don’t realize it because they haven’t been part of any team where there was a team with a majority of upperclassmen,” Bunker

30

SPORTS MAY 2016

At practice, senior Kasi Jarrosak gets ready to bat. Jerrosak had been a softball player at South since freshman year. PHOTOS BY MAXIE CRIMM

Senior Steven Erbacher takes pride in being a senior on the football team this past season. He enjoyed being someone the freshmen looked up to.

PHOTO BY SAVANNAH MORGAN

Playing against Olathe Northwest, senior Clara Sitas waits at the freethrow line. Sitas was the only senior on girls basketball this year.

PHOTO BY Hannah carter

said.

Maturity is also an issue – size and strength is a huge factor in some sports where physicality is key.

“The ability of an 18-year-old is different from someone who is 14,” Bunker said.

The pressure on the few seniors also increases as more underclassmen idolize them. With fewer coaches, Bunker says, there’s a lot more pressure to hold freshmen to a high standard.

However, lack of seniority can’t always be viewed as a bad thing.

Erbacher says that he enjoys being someone the freshmen look up to.

“I take pride in it,” Erbacher said.

When there are so few seniors, the underclassmen are often treated as equals by the upperclassmen.

According to senior Kasi Jarrosak, the line between the upperclassmen and the underclassmen blurs when there is less exclusivity.

“Usually it’s like the seniors have their own way of talking differently to the underclassmen, but I talk the same with everybody else,” Jarrosak said.

Though the players are affected greatly by the lack of seniority shown in sports, coaches are also the victims here. Their jobs are made harder, and it puts more pressure on them to set a good example.

“If you have a class of underclassmen or inexperienced players, it makes the job a little bit harder for the coaches,” Bunker said.

In other words, coaches aren’t used to the lack of leadership, and they have to work to make up for it.

There can be a positive side to a loss of maturity on the team, but coaches don’t always want it that way.

“The only benefit of having less seniors – there’s not really any benefit – but the only positive side you can look at is you get more experience for the younger players, but that’s not a situation that you want to be in,” head football coach Brett Oberzan said.

Some experiences are different from others, but most agree: lack of seniority means a lack of structure for the team, and a lack of leadership for the incoming underclassmen.

WALK A MILE Between South’s soccer games against Shawnee Mission West, the track was filled with men and women participating in the “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” fundraiser. PHOTOS BY MAXIE CRIMM

1 2 3

4 5

Sophomore Robyn MacDonald crosses the field during the

1 varsity game. The Lady Raiders suffered a loss to West 1-0.

South administrator Ryan Flurry walks the track with West and 2 South participants during the “Walk a Mile” fundraiser.

Freshman Faith Danaher, a defender for the Lady Raiders, waits 3 for the ball to be passed to her during the game.

Junior Kenny Chan prepares to start the walk by putting on a of silver heels. He, and many other male participants, wore 4 pair heels to further express their support for the cause.

Freshman Lexi House throws the ball onto the field to a teammate

5 during the varsity game against West.

SPORTS MAY 2016

31

THEN 1967 The last photo in the second Heritage Yearbook is of a student standing outside her car in the school parking.

Even though many things have changed in the past 50 years, Raiders we ever shall be.

photo from the 1967 heritage yearbook

GENERATION GAP NOW 2016 Sitting on top of her car, senior Kate Anderson reminisces on her past four years: stressing over finals, thinking about AP tests, past school dances and finally looking towards her future after graduation.

PHOTO BY jenna fackrell

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GENERATION GAP

MAY 2016