The Patriot May 2017

THE

Patriot

May issue 9

The Class of 2017 Shawnee mission south 5800 W 107th St, Overland Park, KS 66207 (913) 993-7500

VOL. 51

2017

On the Cover

After being introduced by senior class president Amelia Holcomb, Principal Todd Dain congratulates the seniors on all of their plans for the future. The 142 seniors attending college earned $6.5 million in scholarships.

Contents News Sports

Photos by Savannah Morgan Photo Editor

Features

Opinion 21

Staff Editorial

26

22

The Debate: Graduating Early

Baranowski Gaming

27

KC Summer Calendar

24

Signing Off Adulting

28

Dorm Checklist

25

Realistic College Choices

29

Who, What, Wear

30

Twitter Contest

31

Review: Crushed Red

4

News to Know

10

Odd track Combos

15

Spotlight on Seniors

5

Next Year’s Schedule

11

Multi Sport Athletes

18

Q&A with Owen Swanberg

6

Raider Revue 12

20

AP Calculus

8

Youth and Government

9

Syria

13

Staff Amelia Holcomb Editor-In-Chief Features Editor Sophia Belshe Assistant Editor-In-Chief Opinion Editor Savannah Morgan Photo Editor Mark Holland News Editor Tara Phillips A&E Editor

Mission

Managers Senior Sports Stars

Avery Woods Sports Editor

Mara Baine Writer

Lily Wagner Web Editor Infographics Editor Madison Holloway Ads Editor Miah Clark Copy Editor Editorial Cartoonist Blake Atkinson Writer

A&E

Hannah Carter Photographer

Mitch Brock Writer

Angela Machado Writer Addie Soyski Writer

Tess Conley Writer

Nichole Thomas Writer

Kice Mansi Photographer

Faith Danaher Writer Anastasia Jackson Writer Muriel Lund Writer

Hannah Underwood Writer

Jillian McClelland Photographer

Cassandra Awad Photographer

Julie Fales Adviser

Maxie Crimm Photographer

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.

Table of Contents

03

News to Know

By Anastasia Jackson Writer

Superintendant Retires

After 34 years of working in the education field, Superintendent Jim Hinson decided to retire to spend more time with his family and “pursue other lifelong goals.”

“I was surprised about it,” debate coach Natalie King said Hinson persuaded the district to go to a 1:1 Apple device for The calendar for the 2017/2018 school year can be found on the district website. students. He also upgraded the district’s security by including Photo By jillian McClelland more cameras in buildings and War against North Korea locking building doors when A North Korean mid-range school begins. Hinson partnered ballistic missile test failed for a third with businesses including helping time Saturday, April 7. The U.S. organize composting in some of the national security and the military buildings. Hinson’s retirement goes are trying to be prepared in case into effect June 30. The timeline North Korea continues with the to hire a new superintendent is as agression. follows: President Donald Trump has July-August: ordered the military to conduct Issue request for proposal and drills in the Korean Peninsula. select search firm.

Trump said that he would be September-October: honored to meet Kim-Jong-Un. Conduct ommunity engagement Tensions are higher than ever surveys. before at the Korean Peninsula October: driven by the worry that North Search firm presents community Korea will conduct another missile survey results to board. test in defiance of the United States.

November-January: North Korea used propaganda, Recruit superintendent candidates. including a video of one of their February-March: nuclear weapons hitting the White Conduct candidate interviews.

House.

March-April: “We never signed a peace treaty Select new superintendent. for the Korean War and North

Korea will say, if we look at them funny they’ll nuke us. But their nukes can’t reach us. They have to place them in Cuba or somewhere close like that in order to reach,” senior Dakota Heaton said. “Their nuclear program isn’t as good as they think it is”

End of Year Schedule

With the end of another school year comes a new final schedule.

Because school is ending earlier than scheduled on May 19, teachers are creating their exams and underclassmen are beginning to cram down on studying as they prepare to take their end of year exams. Seniors graduate May 16 and have already completed their finals.

Below is the finalized schedule for the last week of school.

Monday, May 15- odd block} Tuesday, May 16- final 1-even block {2-4-6}, Graduation in the stadium Wednesday, May 17- finals 2,3 Thursday, May 18-finals 4,5 Friday, May 19-finals 6,7

Shout Out To

National Spanish Exam

Poetry Slam

Debate

Junior Adam Nicholas earned Gold, scoring in the 96th percentile for Spanish III nationwide. Junior Sara Schafer earned Silver for Spanish IV and junior Cora Selzer earned Silver for Spanish III. Junior Reagan Christie, sophomores Brendon Gardner and Jane Swanberg all earned Honors in Spanish III.

Sophomore Clayton DuncanRoland placed first, senior Caroline Cooper placed second, senior Anton Caruso placed third, and Sophomore Miah Clark placed fourth.

Seniors Kenny Chan and Cinthia Romo took fourth in DUO at the East Kansas National Speech and Debate Association Qualifying tournament

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News

These are the new drawings of next year’s library by Hollis Miller architects. A freestanding, full-service coffee shop will be installed to house the Green Bean. Photo by Jillian McClelland

New Halls and Walls For 2017/18 Library, front hall, stadium to be renovated for the new school year

By Nichole Thomas writer hark”, “Willow Springs”, and “Gypsum” are three names of paint found by the orchestra and band hallways. The reason behind these swatches is that the school is having a makeover.

The main halls are being repainted and the floors will be updated. Flat screens will also be added in parts of the hall. South is being modernized.

The auditorium entrance is also getting a major face-lift. A concession stand and ticket booths will be added.

New doors to stop light from coming into the theater will be added as well.

The bathrooms by the theater will be completely redone too.

“Those bathrooms will be pretty nice. Those will be the best public bathrooms in the district, or pretty close,” associate principal Nicholas

“S

Platko said.

Another area of the school being updated is the library. It will have a full-service coffee bar, home to the Green Bean. The middle of the library will no longer have shelves, and instead movable furniture. The library hopes to host more visitors next year. Students are excited for these upcoming renovations.

“I only go to the library when I have to for class. However, adding more furniture is good because it could make you feel more welcome and that you have more space,” freshman Kayla Pham said.

In addition to the physical changes being made to the school, the schedule will also undergo changes.

A week-long break for Thanksgiving is in the plans for next year. Some teachers and students would rather take the days added to Thanksgiving break, shortening the school year. “...I would rather have it at a different time and get out for summer earlier,” junior Danielle Hoff said.

Because the late starts provide the teachers with work time before school, teacher-in-service days are no

longer needed on Fridays. Next year there will be five three-day weekends and three four-day weekends. This year, there were only 21 full weeks of school out of 41 weeks. Teacher work times on Thursday mornings are going to be a way to help avoid shortened weeks.

“We [teachers] have started doing a lot more professional learning during those times we have available on Thursday mornings,” Spanish teacher John Greene said.

After football season, construction was started on the stadium. The old press box was completely removed and a new one will take its place. The concession stand will be separate from the stadium. This will allow for more sports to use it. There was a new soccer and softball field put in, and those were finished before spring.

Even though only half of it can be used for the ceremony, Graduation will still be held in the stadium this year, barring heavy rain. This will be the first event in the partially renovated stadium, which features ADA compliant seating.

News

05

A Last Goodbye As the class of 2017 graduates and gets ready to move on, some teachers are getting ready to move on as well.

Quotes Gathered BY Mitch Brock, Photos by Maxie Crimm

Industrial Tech teacher Greg Thielmoving to Broadmoor Technical Center

Math teacher Tyler Rodden moving to Olathe West as wrestling coach

“I have had an extremely supportive and positive administration here, as well as a very positive teaching staff. I’m going to miss everyone here tremendously. I’m feeling two things: I’m feeling very sad about leaving, but then I’m also feeling excitement for what’s to come at the Broadmoor Technical Center.”

“I loved getting to know a whole new group of kids. It was cool getting to know a group of kids with a lot of diversity and I would say it’s the same situation with the other teachers.

I got to go to Olathe Northwest as a student when it first opened and now I get to go to Olathe West from the teaching and wrestling coach perspective which for me will be a lot of fun.”

Custodian Brett Danemoving to North

Art teacher Jennifer Hudsonmoving to K-State

“The people and the students have been my favorite part about South.

Everyone is just very friendly and everyone gets along well and it’s just been really good being here. It’s been a great place to work.”

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News

“I think there will be a shift in focus in the college student’s artistic skills versus trying to get students to pass.

The thing that I’ll miss most about South is the students. I like all my colleagues too and it is nice that the [college students] will be more responsible, but it just won’t be the same fun relationship that the students give.”

Health teacher Jennifer Owens retiring “When I first started teaching here I felt like I had been holding my breath all my life. It felt like I had let something out that had been in me for quite a long time. The best part was the relationships that I had established with the students and the faculty. It was like coming home. I made really good friends with people and life-long friends with others.”

Office secretary Candi Baileyretiring “[My favorite part of South has been] both kids and adults. I would say it’s been great to get to work with people that I like and to be able to be with people who are interesting. I really liked being with the kids.”

Cafeteria employee Clayton Bailey- retiring “I would say my favorite part about being at South has been interacting with the kids. All my grandkids are in Texas so I don’t have any here, so the students here are filling in for me.”

Straight From Broadway Chior’s last show, Raider Revue, showcases talent of students.

bY Blake Atkinson Writer

W

henever people think of a high school choir concert they probably imagine tuxes and dresses with classical and more formal music. Once a year though, the Shawnee Mission South choirs changes that with Raider Revue.

“Most of our other concerts are classical formal concerts so we are in our tuxes and dresses and singing classical music,” choir teacher Jonathan Duncan said.

With pop music, casual clothing and a live band, Raider Revue is the final performance of the year for choir. Raider Revue will also have choreographed dancing instead of the more traditional choir movements. The event will even include students from Indian Woods Middle School.

“It’s all pop tunes or Broadway tunes. It’s a lot less formal. We have a live band that plays along with us. There’s singing and dancing. It’s just a totally different show,” Duncan said.

The Raider Revue theme is No Business Like Show Business and will include performances from several different choirs, as well as solos and duets.

“All the choirs do big group numbers and we have lots of special solos and duets interspersed as well,” Duncan said.

One of the special acts includes the trio of sophomore Leah Lissauer, junior Kaitlyn Fields, who will also be performing a solo, and senior Celeste Kincaid.

“We are singing ‘Like Other Girls’. It’s from ‘Mulan 2,’” Lissauer said.

During fifth hour choir, students practice for their upcoming performance. The concert will have a pop feeling to it, and will involve casual clothing and a live band.

Photo By Cassandra Awad The concert will be at 7 p.m. May 12 and 13, in the auditorium.

Tickets are $5 for students, $10 for adults and free for choir booster and patron members. This is one of only two choir events that cost money to attend and will be a major fundraising event.

“It’s the last choir concert of the year, and it’s also a fundraising concert for the choir boosters,” Duncan said.

All the choirs will be performing and it will be a night of song, dance and fun.

L

ast week the art department displayed a K-12 Vertical Team art show in the front hallway. The show highlighted student work from all South feeder schools. Juniors Aaron Wilson and Kyra Ringler looked at the artwork during their third hour.

The art department hosted the art show Wednesday, May 3.

“I think it’s an opportunity for us to highlight the awesome work that our students do and share with a part of the school that sometimes doesn’t even get down to this wing,” Art teacher Cortney Dougherty said.

Photo By Heaven Jones

News

07

Youth in Government participants include seniors Olivia Mark, Cinthia Romo, freshman Addie Soyski, junior Sara Schafer, freshman Diana Mark, and juniors Laura Legg and Nick Dunn. Photo courtesy of Scott Hirons

We Got The Bills

Students try their hand at lawmaking during the Youth and Government conference.

A

fter spending several months preparing, Youth and Government members enjoyed a successful weekend of mock lawmaking in Topeka, Kan. The delegation from South nearly tripled in members from last year and got three of their bills passed.

“Kids come to the meetings and they usually have a bill idea and we talk about what’s plausible, potential problems with what they want to do,” Youth and Government sponsor Scott Hirons said.

While students are given creative freedom, the program does have some restrictions on what bills can be about.

“They are supposed to do something that is at the state level as opposed to the national level. So they’re not supposed to try to take the penny out of circulation or something like that, something that state governments can’t do,” Hirons said. “It has to be something that state legislature has control over.”

Bills authored by South’s delegation had a wide range of topics.

“My bill was lifting the ban on pit bulls throughout the state of Kansas because currently they’re banned in 76 cities,” freshman Diana Mark said. “I think that all dogs should have equal rights.”

The bill writing process is taken seriously, since bills passed at Youth and Government are sent to Kansas governor Sam Brownback for consideration.

“My bill had to do with the ban of neonicotinoids,” senior Olivia Mark, who was selected for the role of lieutenant governor, said. “It is an insecticide that has been killing the honeybee population in the state of Kansas very rapidly.”

08

News

In addition to Olivia’s bill, two other bills authored by South students were passed. Freshman Addie Soyski’s bill regarding medical professionals in crisis pregnancy centers was passed, as well as senior Cinthia Romo’s bill to stop government employees from discriminating against members of the LGBT community.

“All the people did well. Their bills were really well written and they were really well represented and they were respectful and polite,” Olivia said.

During the conference in Topeka, the participants use the same processes used by the state government to pass bills.

“I give a two minute speech of authorization after my bill has been read and I explain it, answer any questions, we debate it,” Olivia said. “If it passes through there, which mine passed with no opponents, then it goes to either the house or the senate.”

A similar process involving speeches and debating takes place in both the house and the senate before moving on.

“After that it goes to the governor’s cabinet, which is me and the other people who are selected and they either decide to veto it, send it back to make amendments, or they sign it and it goes to Brownback’s desk,” Olivia said.

While the Youth and Government governor doesn’t sit at Brownback’s desk, the conference does take place inside the Kansas capitol building.

“I don’t think there’s another experience quite like it because we go to the capital and we use the actual Senate and we use the actual House of Representatives. We use the committee rooms,” Hirons said.

This year only 13 bills from around 80 participants were passed.

“We did such an amazing job. Three of our eight bills made it all the way through which is super awesome,” Olivia said. “I’m proud of South. It honestly couldn’t have been a better year for us.”

A local vegetable seller pulls his cart through war-torn neighborhoods of West Mosul, Nineveh Province, on March 19, 2017.

Photo Courtesy of Marcus Yam, Los Angeles Times, TNS

Syria Strike on the People Initial Attack: 89 dead after sarin bombing by Syrian government

One of the worst chemical attacks in the history of the Syrian conflict occurred Tuesday, April 4. Syrian warplanes attacked the city of Khan Sheikhoun by dropping sarins onto the populace. Sarin gas is a nerve agent that’s 20 times as deadly as cyanide. It causes muscles, including those needed for breathing, to spasm. Victims of the attacks all had the same symptoms: pulmonary oedema [build-up of fluid], increase in the lung weight, blood in the lungs, difficulty breathing, and weakness, which are consistent with the effects of sarin. The Syrian government denies having ever deployed toxic substances in Syria on the 4th or otherwise. However, the Assad regime was accused of using sarin in the 2013 strike on Damascus.

Trump’s Response: The president launches missiles against Syria.

Two days after the sarin gas attack, President Trump launched a strike. Fifty-nine Tomahawk cruise missiles were launched from U.S. warships against a Syrian government air base. According to the U.S. government, it’s the first direct military action that has been taken against the Syrian government during Syria’s six year long civil war. It represents a serious shift in U.S. foreign policy in the region, as former president Barrack Obama engaged little with the Assad regime.

The shift comes as a surprise, as Trump opposed military action against Syria on the campaign trail.

Russian Response: The Syrian government is defended by its ally.

After the attack on Khan Sheikhoun, Russia, an ally of Syria, provided the unsubstantiated claim that the attack was meant for terrorists groups transporting chemical weapons, though that explanation is widely distrusted. Russia also responded to Trump’s missile strike. Vladimir Putin said the strike violated international law and was a blow to the Russian-American relationship.

South Responses:

“I feel that with an exception of alliances and close relations with other countries, keep in your fence.” ­—freshman Lydia Kernen.

“I don’t think that there’s any real solution to the problems in Syria, especially right now.... I feel like there’s no one group you can support without supporting a group that you’re also against...It’s something that I think will take decades to solve, if it can ever be solved...” —senior Isis Perez “It’s atrocious. It’s absolutely horrific, the fact that that happened especially considering the fact that it’s 2017. To think that what governments do against their own people is just horrible...” —French teacher Rebecca Haden

Sports

09

Perfect Pairings Track and field athletes succeed in an unexpected combination of events.

By Miah Clark Copy Editor editorial cartoonist

Photo by Maxie crimm

S

eniors Desi Upton and Faith Ndavi set themselves apart from other athletes with their odd track event combinations and how successful they are in each of them.

Upton has been competing in track and field since eighth grade, where she began both her events: sprints and throws. She began with throwing shotput, then was intrigued by sprinting.

“I didn’t start sprinting until midway into my eighth grade year, and last year I decided I wanted to sprint again,” Upton said.

On South’s varsity track and field team Upton throws shotput and discuss, runs the 100 meters and 200 meters, and is a part of the 100-meter relay. She competed at last year’s State meet in both the 100-meter relay and shotput.

With competing in both sprints and throws though, Upton often faces problems.

“I struggle to get equal practice time between both. Just trying to get a good workout in with sprints and still trying to throw at the end of the day is a hassle,” Upton said.

“And at actual meets I have to run from throwing to go do the 200.”

Despite her hardships, Upton explained her reason for staying with both her events.

“I don’t like not having anything to do, so that and the potential that I have keeps me pushing to get better,” Upton said.

Desi Upton BEST THROW: 38’11.5’’ (5th best in school history) BEST TIME: 12.57 seconds Photo by Savannah morgan

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Sports

When Ndavi started track and field her sophomore year, she was not expecting to become a varsity discus thrower and triple jumper.

“I actually did sprints. I ran the 100 and the 200,” Ndavi said.

It was not until her junior year that she began throwing and jumping.

“I just really enjoy it. It’s really fun. The coaches are great, and the teammates, we’re like a family. I just couldn’t imagine doing one and not the other,” Ndavi said.

Ndavi threw discus at last year’s State meet, and is hoping to compete in both discus and triple jump this year.

To manage her practice time, Ndavi throws daily, and alternates jumping on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She also began throwing shotput this year, and hopes to excel in her new event the way she has in her mastered two.

In the midst of all her success though, Ndavi still faces struggles with both throwing and jumping.

“I struggle mostly at meets, because usually shot and triple or disc and triple run at the same time, so it’s hard doing both events,” Ndavi said. “It’s hard to manage, but it’s possible.”

Faith Ndavi BEST THROW: 117’04’ (10th best in school history) BEST JUMP: 33’10.75’’ (8th best in school history) Photo by Jay Lang

Two is Better Than One Athletes who play multiple sports lower the risk of injuries and burnouts and get more experience.

By Avery Woods Sports Editor here’s a running joke about student-athletes on the internet: working hard, getting no sleep, “never stop grinding.”

Though it’s a good laugh, studentathletes do have a harder time keeping their grades up while succeeding in their sport. And it’s even harder when they play multiple sports.

Junior Jacob Gusman goes to JV baseball practice every day that they are working on pitching. Then he leaves and heads to the track, where he participates in the running workouts.

“You have to choose a priority sport, so I chose baseball as a priority sport and I do track to stay in shape,” Gusman said.

Gusman met with both the baseball coach and the track coach and signed a contract that said that he could only do both track and baseball if he kept his grades up.

“I’m more exhausted when I get home. I get home and I barely have time for homework and I just go eat and then I go sleep like right away,” Gusman said.

According to Gusman, he has to make sure that he keeps a balance between the two sports, as well as changing his mentality between sports.

“In track, if you miss out on a day, then I’m completely lost for a week or so, and with baseball, I just have to make sure I have quality pitches and keep my team in the lead or in the game,” Gusman said.

Though Gusman is an anomaly in that he does two sports in one season, other athletes who do multiple sports in one year have similar issues.

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Junior Jacob Gusman warms up with the long-distance runners in track. Gusman played baseball and ran track in the same season. Photo by savannah Morgan

“I don’t get to go home after school, so I don’t have a lot of time to do homework, and I get really tired, because it goes straight from basketball to soccer and I don’t really get a break,” sophomore Carolyn Schneck said.

With playing a sport comes exhaustion, but girls basketball head coach and softball coach Terry Tinich argues that playing multiple sports has its benefits.

“As a player, it eliminates injuries.

It gets you learning how to work with lots of people because you’ve got several teams….It shows a more rounded person,” Tinich said.

Tinich said that athletes who play multiple sports are easily coachable, good leaders and hardworking.

Playing just one sport, according to Tinich, can cause burnout.

“When you play one sport you tend to get burned out from pressure from parents and everybody else.

When you’re playing multiple sports you get different experiences,” Tinich said.

In addition to improving athletic skills, playing multiple sports can open up athletes to other options that they may not have known about if they hadn’t tried them.

“He [the athlete] doesn’t even know a sport that’s out there that he might be good at that he didn’t even take the time to pursue because he was so caught up in one sport,” football and girls basketball coach

Sophomore Carolyn Schneck jumps to bring down a ball in the air. Schneck played basketball in the winter.

Photo by Matthew Neaderhiser Chris Kiblen said.

Kiblen said that each sport can translate to a different sport, like in basketball and football.

“In football, I love basketball players, because of the footwork.

Same thing with basketball to football, or football to wrestling, that stuff kind of translates. It helps each other and it helps other sports,” Kiblen said.

In the end, doing multiple sports just comes down to hard work and determination.

“They’re competitors. They want to get after it. That’s what it’s all about,” Kiblen said.

Sports 11

Behind the Scenes: Managers Team managers help sports run smoothly.

By Faith Danaher Writer oys on the courts hit balls with rackets, while a secret hero fills the water jug to keep them hydrated. Boys tennis manager senior Julie Jeong helps the team by filling up the water jug or by helping tennis Coach Julie McCormic with attendance. Jeong decided to manage because she liked working with McCormic as a coach and did not participate in spring sports.

“My favorite part is just watching the boys play and sometimes they do a bunch of weird stuff and they just fool around, so it’s just entertaining to watch,” Jeong said.

Team managers work during the spring season to make practices, games, matches and meets go smoother for players and coaches.

Girls swim managers help set up lane lines, fill up water bottles and help time the swimmers at meets.

They also help certain levels of swimmers with their stretching and core exercises.

Swim manager, senior Noah Birkel, likes being able to help instruct and teach the swimmers.

“My favorite part is definitely

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Quotes gathered and Photos by Kice Mansi

Sports

getting in the pool or teaching girls how to do their dives correctly or flip turns and things like that,” Birkel said.

On the other hand, swim manager senior Spencer Brown appreciates being able to help, but doesn’t always enjoy just sitting around.

“My least favorite part is when we sometimes have to just sit there and do nothing for two hours,” Brown said.

Girls soccer managers make the season less problematic for the coaches and the players. They help make practices and games go more smoothly.

“To help, I get equipment before practice,” junior manager Ben

Hanson said. “During practice, I just make sure everything goes well, and sometimes I’ll play if I need to, and I’m pretty good, and then afterwards I just clean everything up. At games, I just make sure everybody has water.”

Overall, team managers volunteer time in order to help the coaches and players by taking on some of the responsibilities so that the team can focus on their games, meets or matches. They are appreciated by players and coaches.

“The team managers for girls soccer are probably one of the most important things,” girls soccer coach Caroline Ewing said.

Athlete Snapshots

senior Kyle Hamm What was your favorite part of golfing for South?

“Definitely golfing with all of your friends, playing nine holes every day, and making memories.”

12

Managers junior Ben Hanson and senior Isaias Olson put a soccer ball in the ball bag during the girls soccer game against Shawnee Mission West. The Raiders won 1-0. photo by kice mansi

SENIOR EDITION

senior Crimson Barker What was your favorite part of swimming for South?

“My favorite part of swimming for South has always been the team... it’s been a blast.”

senior Cameron Maxey What’s your favorite memory of tennis at South?

“It’s probably just gassing Andy Searl and Ethan Iba on the loop. I consider them slowpokes, but that’s just me.”

Successful Senior Sports Stars

By Tess Conley and Mara Baine Writers

Rosie Brig nior gs e S

Seniors look forward to playing at the next level in college for their sport.

Senior Rosie Briggs will be attending Graceland University with a volleyball scholarship next year.

Briggs likes the competitiveness of the game, and like many other athletes, feels the sport shaped her into who she is today.

“I think my mental toughness has gotten better. When I first started playing I got really irritated and just shut down and got really quiet,” Briggs said. “But now when we aren’t playing very well I’m more able to build from it and play harder to get back into it.”

Photo by Hannah Carter

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l ol

Balancing out her lifestyle, staying healthy, pushing herself — that’s what senior Karynn Carroll loves most about running. Carroll will attend University of Central Missouri in the fall.

"Obviously I don't like going to practice every day. I like being able to set a goal and try and meet it and the constant improvement and the idea of being able to get better," Carroll said.

Carroll has qualified for State every year in cross country, except sophomore year.

She was also the top girl runner this year at South. Carroll placed 37th last year at the State meet with a time of 20:40:9.

r Kar ynn Ca o i rr n

Photo by kelsey dunkin

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nio Se

After receiving a scholarship from William Jewell to play soccer, Schneck is looking forward to playing at the new level of play in college. He also believes that over the years he has grown, not only physically, but also mentally.

"I guess [I like] just the freedom it gives me. I don't think when I play. It gives me a nice release," Schneck said.

Schneck is a defender and was captain of the South varsity soccer team this year.

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Senior Madi McAvoy will be attending Ottawa University in the fall to play basketball.

McAvoy learned a lot from her time on South’s team, developing leadership skills that will be beneficial to her college career.

“I’m excited because I’m going to bring everything I’ve learned from South and bring it over to college basketball,” McAvoy said.

The new skills she learned also turned her into the type of person she is.

“I think I’ve developed a lot, but mostly I’ve developed leadership because my junior and senior year I brought a lot of leadership to the program,” McAvoy said.

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Photo by Maxie Crimm

Photo by Hannah Carter

Sports

13

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The Class of

2017

This year’s graduating class will go on to pursue a number of different plans next year.

by hannah underwood, writer and Amelia Holcomb, Editor-in-chief e made it! We have made it through four years of overcrowded hallways, jammed lockers and passing periods. We have made fond memories of Rocky the Raider taking down Dr. Dain and Mr. Baranowski in a wrestling match, Budetti strutting his stuff in a denim dress, and our teachers dancing to Uptown Funk. We have engraved in our minds that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell, stayed up until ungodly hours cramming for tests, and spit some fire rhymes at the poetry slams. The point is, we have thrived together as a class, and we had a fun time doing so.

Next year, we will move our separate ways. Some of us will further our education, while others will work, travel abroad, join the military or take a gap year. Even though we are anxious to begin the next chapter in our lives, we will long remember our experiences as Raiders and stay grounded. We will always remember that there is nothing greater than a Raider. And we Raiders are going to accomplish some pretty stellar things, Class of 2017.

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Seniors’ Most Popular College Choices

The results are in. After compiling responses from the Senior Signing Ceremony and The Patriot’s future plans questionnaires, here are the top schools South graduates will attend next year, along with the number of students going.

University of Kansas, 30 Kansas State University, 23 Johnson County Community College, 22 University of Arkansas, 7

Find an interactive map of each senior’s response and their plans on smsouthnews.com.

At the winter sports assembly, seniors finish singing the school song with a flourish. Many students will have a new school song to sing this fall, but raiders they ever shall be. Photo by Savannah Morgan

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Tucker Barry Barry has been a part of 16 theater productions in his high school career.

Ranging from “Hairspray” to “Les Miserables,” Barry has played a variety of roles and plans to continue his acting next year in college.

“I will be in the theater program next year at Missouri State University.

I’m really excited,” Barry said.

The department of theater and dance and the department of music theatre at Missouri State is one of only 200 schools in the nation to receive the National Association of Schools of Theater accreditation. Such high rankings attracted the attention of Barry to the school, along with fellow seniors and theater friends Julia Cunningham, Zach Greer and Zach Russell.

“I think it’s gonna be really fun to continue acting with Zach because we worked together so well in high school, and I think that’ll translate over to college,” Barry said. “I think the future has a lot in store for us.”

Elizabeth Holmes Holmes knew right when it happened that she had tore her ACL. “You hear the pop and then there was the rush of pain. Then your body goes numb for a while... I was like blacking out on the bench,” Holmes said. “I could tell. I could hear it. I could feel it. It was really gross. ” She tore her ACL and meniscus in the first basketball game, against SM East. Holmes is no stranger to injuries. She tore her other ACL in eighth grade, and has dealt with other knee and back injuries that come with her sport for years.

The hours spent in doctors’ offices and with physical therapists contributed to Holmes’ plan to study to become either a pediatrician or a physical therapist.

“I’ve always been interested in medicine, but my history with knee injuries and injuries in general has kind of given me an interest in doing more with physical therapy and doing more with adolescent girls and knees,” Holmes said.

She will start by majoring in chemistry on a pre-med track at the University of Kansas, then go on to medical school. Holmes’ experience with injuries, although adverse, will help her relate to patients.

“Being a physical therapist, I’ll mostly work with kids who do sports and were injured in sports. So I’ll have the lifestyle that they live,” Holmes said. “I’ll be able to understand, and especially with them being injured I’ll be able to sympathize more with them.”

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Colleen Bontrager “I’m going to the University of Notre

Dame to study either science or engineering. My dad went there and my brother went there. I was exposed to it really young and I’ve always wanted to go there. It’s a great university.”

Julia Cunningham

“I plan to go to Missouri State just to get a BSA and design tech theatre stuff… Since I was a crewhead and I stage managed like six shows, I’ve learned a lot and I’m just ready to apply that to other things... I want to get better.”

Sam Schneck

“Next year I’m going to be playing soccer and probably study business at William Jewell College. I’m excited to see what the future has in store.”

Katie Turk

“Next year, I’m planning on studying Elementary Education and Arabic at the University of Arkansas.

Then, I’d like to teach at the Islamic School here in Kansas City.”

Cinthia Romo Stella Shapiro

“I’m going to Clark University in Worchester, right outside of Boston.

I’m not sure what I’ll major in yet, but I’m interested in English and art history. I will probably do dance at Holy Cross and take occasional classes at the Boston Ballet. But other than that, I’d love to go backpacking in New Zealand soon.”

It is undeniable that Romo has been involved with an incredible amount of activities here in her four years of high school. From being on the executive board of Student Council, to excelling in debate and forensics and performing poetry on the Louder than a Bomb team, Romo has almost done it all.

“I think the leadership aspect [of being so involved] has taught me a lot in high school, and I think I’ve become a stronger leader because of it,” Romo said.

Romo’s strong leadership skills will carry over to her future professional life, as she intends to pursue a career in politics. Next year, Romo will attend Grinnell College in Iowa on a full-ride scholarship studying English with a focus on pre-law. She plans to one day go to Law School, as she is passionate about politics and law. “[My interest] actually started when I was little, because I’m an immigrant.

When I was five years old, my family came over from Mexico,” Romo said. “Since I’ve been through that and just in general a lot of life-changing situations, I really think [going into politics] is my calling.”

Steele Schimming John Byrne

“I’ll be going to KU... I think most likely I’ll try to double major in math and economics, but I’m really not sure... I’m a fan of utilitarianism, which is a moral philosophy that originated in 18th century Britain.

But the ways of thinking that come from economics are very similar to the ways of thinking that come from utilitarianism. So it’s something I feel like at least its fundamental premises come naturally to me.”

Emma Kate Stapp

“I’m going to go to the Raikes school at Nebraska, and I plan to study actuarial science... Actuarial science is really cool because you’re able to calculate risk and use more advanced math. Like when you’re learning about math and you say to your teachers that you want to use this in real life, I actually will be able to use it in real life. The ability to use math to predict people’s responses to stuff I think is really cool.”

After graduating, Schimming plans to move to California for the summer to model. She will live with her sister, who works at a law firm. She plans to continue with modeling through the fall if she can make enough of an income.

Schimming started modeling when she was a baby and into her childhood, then stopped when she got braces.

“After I got [my braces off] I was like ‘well I want to do it again.’ I did it again and I ended up making money off of it,” Schimming said. “Then I went to New York and I met a bunch of different agencies and I realized, ‘wow I can probably make a living off of it.’ Then I went to California a couple months ago and I went to so many different agencies…”

Schimming matched with a California agent from her mother company, Voices&, in Kansas City. Her agent will work on getting her jobs. “[A shoot] is very intimidating and nerve racking because some photographers are really rude and they just kinda treat you like you’re just like a doll,” Schimming said. “Especially working with other people, it’s like some people are just so much better at it than you are. It brings your selfesteem down and ‘you’re like I want to be better than her’ or ‘wow, she’s moving so much better than I am.’”

Photo shoots offer opportunities, too.

“The best part is meeting the people and just connections,” Schimming said. “Like if you meet a photographer they’ll pretty much always remember you and they’ll always have your picture. And if they want to use you again, they know who you are.”

Features Features Features 1717 11

The NJROTC program holds daily classes and goes to local parades and community service events. Senior Owen Swanberg has participated in it the last four years. photos courtesy of owen swanberg

Q

A &

with senior Owen Swanberg Swanberg shares how being a part of the NJROTC program throughout high school has prepared him for his future, and how he was able to still join the Navy after initially being medically discharged because of his tree nut allergy.

PHOTO BY hannah carter BY angela machado writer

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How did you first get started in ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps)?

I wanted to do the Navy after high school and I wanted to experience the program in high school. When I found out in middle school that ROTC was a thing in high school, I just signed up for it.

Describe a typical day at ROTC.

In the mornings there’s PT (physical training) at six a.m., and then every other day there’s drill which is like marching around and stuff. But just in class we normally go outside. We teach the younger cadets how to drill.

How do you think ROTC has benefited you?

It’s given me leadership practice. I was the first in command for about a year so I got to use my leadership skills and practice them. I did a lot of community service and I was a part of the PT and drill team starting at freshman year, so just being involved helped me get chosen. All of it is voluntary, so you can just go to the class or you can join everything. We’ll tell new cadets that if you want to like the program then you need to be involved. If you just go to the class you won’t like it.

What has ROTC taught you that you will be able to use even if you don’t do something regarding the military?

It taught me a lot about leading people and how I should lead individual people. You don’t just want to lead a group of people, you want to find out how to lead each person and find out what makes them tick and use that motivation to lead them. I guess that’s what I would use if I don’t go into the military.

What got you interested in being in the military?

My grandfather was in the Navy so ever since I was a kid I thought it’d be cool to be in the navy and once I went to school I found out about the naval academy and different scholarships leading to becoming an officer. I thought it was really a good opportunity to have not only your college paid for but also a job after your college education.

What is your next step after you graduate high school?

I’ll go to Iowa State University and I’ll be doing a NROTC (Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps) program there, which is pretty much the same except at the college level.

I think I’m going to major in some type of engineering; it has to be some sort of science or math. And then right after you get out of college you commission into becoming an officer.

Why won’t you be able to join the military?

I was medically disqualified for being allergic to tree nuts, and I went through a waiver process and that was denied and I appealed that waiver decision so I can go into the navy now. I don’t think they would care so much if I was just enlisting, but I’m going to be an officer, so if I had an allergic reaction I wouldn’t be able to lead.

How did you find out that you had been discharged?

You do medical examinations for the scholarship, so I did that and a couple weeks later I got a letter saying I wouldn’t be able to do it because of a tree nut allergy. I already knew I was allergic to tree nuts, but I didn’t know I would be disqualified because of it.

How did you react to finding out the news?

I was pretty mad. After I got the letter I researched, and trying to get a waiver is pretty much automatic so I was just going to wait for the waiver. I think about two months after the initial letter came in another letter came in saying that they denied my waiver. I ended up going to see another allergist and he told me all of my blood work was wrong. We did an oral challenge with pistachios and regular peanuts because those were the two highest blood test. I passed those and we put an appeal in saying that all of the bloodwork was wrong and then they gave me the waiver.

How do you plan to use what you’ve learned in ROTC in your future?

Just building off of the foundation of leadership that it put down for me. I’ll keep developing good leadership skills and practice leadership in college and put it to use in the Navy.

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A Numbers Game Junior Ben Hanson shows the other students in his group, junior Aidan Smith and senior Rebecca Brodine, how to solve a problem.

Calculus BC often worked in groups and partners to practice for the AP test. photo by cassandra awad

Calculus BC students worked as a team to prepare for the AP Test. by madison holloway ads editor ith backs hunched and heads bowed, the students in Vince LaVergne’s sixth hour, Calculus BC, work silently to complete the Free Response Question on the board. Pencils scratch and calculator keys click as time ticks on.

As soon as time is up, the classroom visibly relaxes, erupting with friendly chatter and even laughter as students compare their answers.

AP Tests are a stressful part of high school for upperclassman, but they may be easier to bare when studying is treated as a team effort. Aspects of sports and academics join together in Calculus BC where LaVergne has worked to create a team atmosphere in his classroom.

“We try to set the class up so we are all on the same team and even that it’s kind of us against the AP exam… hopefully [students] realize that the more they work together and help each other the better it is for all of us,” Lavergne said.

Students work together frequently both in and out of class. Class time often includes working together in partners to go through problems

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and check answers. Outside of class, LaVergne encourages students to work together to complete their take home tests, assigned at the end of each chapter.

“The students have to take it upon themselves to join up and work, which they do and it’s very beneficial,” senior Colleen Bontrager said.

Students carry the team mindset beyond doing math problems. In past years, Calc BC classes have designed T-shirts to sport their “team-pride” around the school.

“We try to personalize it with some humor each year,” LaVergne said.

LaVergne also hosts an annual team dinner a few nights before the AP test. That evening, all the Calc BC students gather at LaVergne’s house to bond by eating pizza and playing wiffleball, as well as going through any last minute Calculus questions.

LaVergne’s students have enjoyed success on the AP test in past years, as shown by the seven nearly full top score banners hanging across the wall of his classroom. Current students have worked diligently as a team all year to hopefully see their name on a banner next year.

“Everyone does a good job of getting along and working together…” junior Bethany Ward said. “It’s really comforting to know that LaVergne is a great teacher and students have done so well on the AP test in the past.”

4.3/5

average AP Test score of LaVergne’s students

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students enrolled in AP Calculus BC

30-45

minutes of nightly homework students can expect

40-50

free response questions assigned to students throughout the year

195

the AP test

minutes to take

100%

of LaVergne’s Calc BC students have taken the AP test

Staff Editorial

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n Johnson County, many students consider college to be the default next step in their post-high school lives. Some affluent students can even afford to pick and choose which schools to apply to based on location, programs and a host of other factors. But for many students, it’s a stretch to attend college at all, and it has nothing to do with academic performance or effort. It comes entirely down to cost. Our education system has become so moneycentered that it puts even public and community colleges out of reach at a time when a degree is more expected than ever.

In recent months, Governor Sam Brownback slashed funding to Kansas public schools, forcing college tuition prices to continue to rise at an even steeper rate than they already have been in recent years.

This puts even more stress on the already thin financial aid programs at many universities, making it even harder for students to afford the cost of education.

In the current job market, a college degree is all but required if one hopes to make a living wage, and it’s incredibly unjust that some students still cannot afford the opportunity to earn this milestone. When it became apparent that high school education was vital to success in the job market, the government made sure that students could finish their high school diploma without having to worry about cost. So, why should they not begin to do the same for college, seeing as it is now a necessity?

It’s true that loans are always an option for students looking to afford the cost of college tuition, but going into tens of thousands of dollars in debt before the age of 20 puts incredible stress on young adults, making it hard for them to start their lives and settle into careers after graduation, let alone go on to graduate school or other higher education.

This issue largely boils down to the stigma placed on those who cannot pursue higher education. People often associate students who do not

Editorial Cartoon by Miah Clark

go to college with laziness, when in fact many cannot go simply because of the cost. We need to help these students make ends meet, not shame them.

There are also perceptions that private universities are superior to public ones, that the cost of tuition at any given school equates to the quality of the education students receive there, and that community college is inferior to four year schools.

None of these things are inherently true. Expensive, private universities are not automatically better. Degrees from prestigious universities were valued a lot more 20 years ago than they are now. In terms of getting a job, the most important thing is the degree itself, not where you got it from. And as for community college, it’s an extremely useful way for many students to get general education classes out of the way at a low cost, and should not be looked down upon.

Programs like Missouri’s A+, which offers students an opportunity to volunteer in exchange for free community college tuition, show that the government can be doing much more to make education accessible.

Other countries such as Germany

and France offer free or nearly free education to citizens. It is achievable with the right amount of work, but could also take years to implement in America, and likely won’t happen in time to help current students.

In the meantime, our own counseling department has been doing so much work to promote scholarships and other opportunities that make college practical. We have a myriad of resources at our fingertips, and it’s time we start using them. If college seems out of reach, go down to the counseling center to talk about ways to make it happen.

It may be unfair that it costs so much, but there’s little we can do about that in the short term. It’s important to remember that there are ways to make it happen for nearly every student with enough research.

9/9 editors agree with the views expressed in this editorial

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The

Debate

By Mark Holland News Editor Photos By Kice Mansi

Yes:

H

igh school graduation is an important step in the life of a young adult. It’s a time when they finish their childhood and go out into the world. When the opportunity presents itself for you to make that step sooner rather than later, why not take it?

Some people are opposed to the idea of graduating early, but it actually has several distinct advantages.

First of all, it allows you a chance to get started on college early. High school takes a significant chunk out of your life when you have to devote an entire four year period to it. While it is important that you attend high school, there is nothing wrong with wanting to move on to bigger things.

College is another important step in the life of a student. If you have completed all the needed credits to graduate high school early, then why not do it and move on to college? The faster education is finished, the better. You don’t have to attend some prestigious college when you start out. It might be best to stick with a community college for a semester or two. It’s a cheap opportunity to start getting those college credits while considering other options for schooling. A good school to do this at is Johnson County Community College.

“While it is important that you attend high school, there is nothing wrong with wanting to move on to bigger things.”

There are other non-college related advantages to graduating early. It could be a good opportunity to get a decent job and start building savings.

With all the free time that is now available, you could get more work hours and make more money than you could have during school. Graduating early should not mean that you give up on hard work. It can be a profitable time in a teenager’s life that can make them better prepared for what is ahead.

If you don’t go to college right away you can also use that time to really think about not only where to go for college, but also what you want to major in, and where you want your college education to take you. The sad reality is that many students who come to the end of their senior year haven’t had the time to give college choices enough thought. This could lead to rash decision making and a wasted college career. When choosing colleges, it’s important that you pick what best suits you and your educational desires. If you don’t know what your desires are yet, graduating early could give you the needed time and energy to make that decision.

Graduating early is by no means a necessity. If you need those four years to get the kind of education you need, then use those four years.

But if you have the required credits and you are ready to move on, then do it.

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Should students graduate early?

No:

by Anastasia jackson Writer

A

dulthood is what some students look forward to and what some students dread. High schoolers shouldn’t graduate early due to the fact that they will miss out on a year of activities like plays and musicals.

Student’s won’t be able to participate in all the activities they wanted to if they leave high school early.

High schools also offer dual credit classes which lets the high schooler take college courses and still be able to have time to hang out with friends and join the clubs they want. College Now credits are offered to juniors or seniors in some AP classes.

College also requires a mental and a emotional maturity that high schoolers haven’t reached yet. Teenagers are still in the stage of being in the middle­— they’re not an adult just yet — but they’re not kids either. Teens tend to let their emotions control them instead of them controlling the emotions. Teenagers are more likely to make impulsive decisions due to hormones and the hormones affects one’s ability to have a emotional and mental maturity level.

There are many other ways to save money rather than graduating early. Some other ways to save money for college besides the dual credit classes include working a part-time job that coordinates with the high school hours.

“College also requires a mental and emotional maturity that high schoolers haven’t reached yet.”

Graduating early puts more stress on the seniors to get everything done sooner so they can graduate. Seniors are already stressed about the ACTs, SATs, and finals so why add on the extra time pressure of graduating early?

The weekends also change for seniors who choose to leave high school early.

Instead of hanging out with friends and having free time, they have their heads in books studying so they don’t fail the classes they are taking. So while most teenagers are out having fun with their friends people who graduate early are doing their homework Additionally there is no guarantee that you’ll get a job. Most employers look for people who are in their mid-twenties because they have more experience and maturity than people who are younger.

Like every other college student you’ll have to deal with bank loans.

College students can have loans that consist of thousands of dollars.

There are gaps in education when students graduate early. The brain hasn’t fully developed. If you go to college early, you’re not giving your brain as much time to develop before college.

Teenagers need to be able to be teenagers and not have to worry about college just yet. Just have fun senior year with friends because you’ll never have another senior year.

Poll results: Are innovative schools a good idea?

Yes

72%

No

28%

Poll via @SMSPatriot on Twitter

Opinion

23

Signing Off

My time on The Patriot helped prepare me for whatever is next.

By Amelia Holcomb Editor-in-Chief, Features Editor Photo by Jillian McClelland lthough I’ve been involved with various organizations during my four years at South, my time spent working on The Patriot has been the one that will stick with me the most, both for the lessons learned and the memories made.

I first came onto the newspaper staff second semester of my freshman year, back when the journalism room was in Room 195, next to the Little Theatre and Gifted room. Through my three and half years on staff, I’ve been in uncomfortable situations, but they overall made me a better leader and a more effective communicator. I’ve learned how to respond to critics. I’ve developed a thick skin, and I’ve had to be my own biggest advocate, standing up for myself against building teachers and district officials.

When I look back on my time working on the newspaper, the regrets I have are from situations where I didn’t stick up for myself enough, where I changed my reporting just because an authority figure told me to.

Overall, I’m proud of all the work and dedication that was put into the 51st volume of The Patriot. I hope everything

A

the rest of the staff and I put into the paper shows in print. We worked in daily classes, monthly late nights and countless hours away from the journalism room transcribing interviews, editing photos and checking sections.

But there is always room for improvement. That’s one of my favorite parts of my job. I love the tangible paper, the manifestation of all the hours I’ve spent just thinking about what I should be doing for the paper, let alone actually working on it. After washing off my ink-stained hands from distributing papers during fifth hour, I would grab a paper and take it home. I had seen every page and read every word in it already, but I still looked through it, looking for areas we could improve upon for the next issue.

Journalism is perhaps one of the best organizations to be involved in at the high school level because it develops real skills needed for a career: meeting deadlines, asking tough questions and thinking creatively. Journalism is an increasingly important field. While the president dismisses the media as “fake,” journalists are going into war-torn countries, investigating stories and keeping elected officials accountable to the people.

My high school experience would not have been the same if I had never enrolled in 21st Century Journalism my freshman year. Because of it, I think about the world and my responsibilities differently. Whatever I end up doing after high school, I know I will benefit from the skills and lessons I learned in the J room.

Adulting 1-0-None Students struggle as schools fail to prepare them for adulthood.

By Miah Clark Copy Editor, Editorial cartoonist Photo by Cassandra Awad he vast majority of a student’s education is content they retain simply to prove they are capable of learning. Required core classes often have little to do with every student’s future field of work, making it hard for them to be educated in whatever it is they would like to do in their future. But among all the issues with the setup of today’s educational system is the lacking of a subject everyone will actually use: adulting.

Adulting categorizes all essential tasks and knowledge people will need in their future, such as how to do taxes or buy a house. Instead of filling students’ brains with facts they may not need, make room for teaching them what they will. It is safe to say all students worry about these issues, and fear being unprepared as they enter a new stage of their lives. This can be easily prevented by having an ‘adulting’ type class or seminar at some point in

T

24

Opinion

a student’s high school career. At South, we have financial literacy classes as a requirement, but can still take steps forward through using advisory time to help educate students on what their future will require, no matter their profession.

Schools have offered little assistance with adulting though, making it seem as if knowledge you will need and use the rest of your life is something you should learn from your parents or just come about. But education has been such an important part of our culture for long enough that it almost helps raise students, and is responsible for preparing them for their future and adult life. Your education and experiences at school shapes who you are as a person, just as who your parents are and your experiences at home do. But instead of having to awkwardly ask your parents, “How do I adult?” as you exit your adolescence, schools should be sitting students down and discussing the essential tasks they’ll need in their future in an organized and educational fashion.

It is a school’s job to teach, so why are they not teaching the knowledge that students are sure to use in their future? An adulting class would not be a struggle to arrange, especially with the flexibility and resources schools have today.

Let’s Be Realistic With the rising cost of tuition, your dream school isn’t so pleasant on your wallet.

By Hannah Underwood Writer et’s face it: high school is stressful. For those of us who aspire to go to college, we spend these four years doing everything we possibly can to get into our dream schools, from staying up until ungodly hours studying to spending our weekends doing community service for National Honors Society.

Since our parents were in college, the standards for getting into college, especially a prestigious university, have been getting increasingly tougher. Top colleges in the U.S. expect their students to not only have good grades, but also have extensive community service, extracurricular involvement, hobbies and the list goes on.

So, naturally, in my high school years, I put myself through the wringer trying to become the perfect student with the most perfect resume. I was determined to get into my dream school, Vanderbilt University. My friends and I talked about the prestigious schools that we wanted to go to, ignoring the fact that most of these schools have annual costs ranging from $55,000 to almost $70,000.

We dreamed that somehow we would manage to pay for not only an expensive undergraduate education, but also some sort of graduate school.

But in reality, this was not the case. As I was researching schools I could apply to, I was dumbfounded at the amount of universities, even state schools, who were stingy with their money. Despite having a high ACT score and involvement in my community, there were some schools I looked into where I could barely knock down the price from out-of-state tuition.

However, I am here to tell you all to not lose hope.

Believe it or not, there are schools out there who are on the rise and giving out boatloads of money. For example, at my future school, University of Arkansas, students have the ability to reduce the cost of tuition by up to 90 percent. At the University of Alabama, students with a 32 ACT score can be named as a Presidential Scholar and earn $107,800 over the course of four years.

Moreover, those schools aren’t just your average state schools. Each of the universities have highly regarded, highly funded honors programs offered to students with academic merit. Through those honors programs, students have the opportunity to participate in special study abroad programs, join honors societies, and most importantly, take classes with a small teacher to student ratio. These schools want talented, ambitious students, and they are willing to throw you one heck of a package deal to ensure that you attend their university.

As I ventured further into my college search, I was more and more attracted to the University of Arkansas because I knew that I would be a priority to them. The

L

Photo illustration by Jillian McClelland more I listened to my heart, the more I realized that college is what you make of it. Going to a prestigious university was not necessary going to make me more successful, but taking advantage of the many opportunities at state school honors program would. And when it all boils down to the cost, high tuition costs are a slippery slope to eventually accumulating hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt just for an education.

So, my advice to you, underclassmen, is to think outside the box. Don’t be afraid to dream big and apply to those prestigious schools if you really want to, but have a backup plan. Find a university that will value you for what you are truly worth and look for the schools that will give you endless opportunities to reach your full potential.

Rising Cost of Tuition at the University of Kansas 1988: $1,325 1995: $2,038 2000: $2,518 2005: $4,737 2010: $7,414 2013: $8,000 2017: $11,455 Statistics gathered from CollegeSimply.com

Opinion

25

Little Bored Bear Gaming Never with Board Games

English teacher Jordan Baranowski displays one of his favorite board games, Splendor. Baranowski is an avid board-gamer.

photo by kice mansi

Video games are a big part of some teens’ lives, but one teacher prefers board games. by mitch brock writer

E

nglish teacher Jordan Baranowski is a big gamer, but he stands out from all other students and faculty in one unique way. Some people are classified as gamers, but Baranowski would be classified as a boardgamer.

“I play pretty much every kind of board game.

Overall I really like the competitive aspect of them. I like strategizing and seeing how people play the game differently,” Baranowski said.

Baranowski also believes you can develop certain skills and talents from playing board games.

“I think it teaches you critical thinking and it lets you analyze a situation and come up with a probability. I also think it’s really just fun to beat your friends at things,” Baranowski said.

Board games are all about strategy, and Baranowski seems to know all about strategy as he explains what he sees in other people’s game play.

“I think the coolest thing is seeing how people react to the same problem. Some people are more aggressive, some people hold back, and some people are hesitant. I think it’s interesting how one problem is approached in so

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A&E

many different ways,” Baranowski said.

There’s no doubt that Baranowski loves board games of all kinds, but where does he find them?

“I usually go to a place called TableTop Game and Hobby on 91st and Metcalf. Aside from that one there’s another place on Johnson Drive called Mission Board Games, but that’s really it for around here,” Baranowski said. “I like TableTop Game and Hobby because there’s rooms with tables set up so you can bring games and play or try out new games. They have a ton of selection too which is really nice.”

TableTop Game and Hobby: 9156 Metcalf Ave, Overland Park, KS, 66212 Sunday: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Monday - Thursday: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Friday: 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Saturday: 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Mission Board Games: 5606 Johnson Drive, Mission, KS 66202 Monday-Thursday 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Friday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Sunday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

SUMMER IN KANSAS CITY With summer coming soon, there are various events you can go to over break, whether you enjoy viewing local art or even eating BBQ. by mara baine writer

May:

Boulevard Drive-In Movie: On the weekends all summer, go and enjoy a new movie while sitting in your car.

Location: 1051 Merriam Ln Kansas City, KS When: Currently open for all of summer.

Price: $10 - cash only Photography Portfolio: Walk and see photographs by local photographers all presented together.

Location: Nelson Atkins- 4525 Oak Street, Kansas City, Mo. When: May 18, 6:00-8:00 Price: free

All of Downtown KCMO is visible from the skydeck of the Liberty Memorial.

Pictured in front of Union Station is the obstacle course for the show “American Ninja Warrior.� photos by maxie crimm

June:

Old Shawnee Days: - Ride on rides, eat carnival food and listen to music all in one weekend in Shawnee.

Location: Shawnee Town 1929, 11600 Johnson Drive, Shawnee, KS When: June 1-4 Price: Free admission, with rides and food costs differing. On Thursday nigh, wrist bands are $25 Lenexa BBQ battle: Taste some of the best barbeque from all around town in Lenexa where families and companies are competing against each other to be the best.

Location: Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park, 87th Street Parkway and Lackman Road When: June 23-24 Price: $5 Friday, free Saturday

July:

Kansas City Fringe Festival: Listen to poems and watch international and local plays and films as artists show off their talents.

Location: Different venues around Kansas City.

Check the website at a later date for the list.

When: July 20-30 First Friday Downtown: View local art, listen to music and eat food from downtown restaurants in the Crossroads.

Location: Crossroads, Kansas City, MO When: July 7 Price: free

Downtown KCMO is home to some of the most well known shops: old and new. Advertisements for things to do around the city are posted all around on billboards and signs.

August:

Hot Summer Nights: A country music concert every Thursday at Power and Light. The concerts are going on all summer, with many in August.

Location: 13th & Grand Blvd, Kansas City, MO When: Thursdays all summer starts June 1-Sept. 10 Price: free Royals Games: Support the Royals baseball team with their games all summer at the Kauffman Center.

Location: 1 Royal Way, Kansas City, Mo. When: The season has already started, but still goes through the whole summer.

Price: ranges from $10-$140

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Move-In Must Haves A

fter deciding where to study next year, the next task for soon to be college freshmen is knowing what to pack. This can be stressful and daunting to many graduates, considering this is the first time, for most, that they will be living on their own. Aiming to help alleviate some of the pressure, this checklist outlines some of the most common items incoming college freshmen need to bring to their dorms in the fall. by muriel lund writer

Dorm Room Items: Most college students are sleep deprived. Don’t be a part of the statistic and make your bed comfy by adding something like a mattress topper from Amazon.com starting at $6.

PBedspread P2 Sets of sheets PPillows PPillowcases PMattress topper PFan PFull length mirror PHangers and storage containers PPlug in air freshener or spray

Desk Essentials: Keep your

school space stocked with these study must-haves.

PBulletin board PPlanner PLamp PPost-it notes PWaste basket PTape PPaper PBasic school supplies (pens, pencil, ect.)

Electronics: College students are

always on the go, so make sure you stay charged and bring these items to campus.

PLaptop PPhone and laptop chargers PHeadphones PExtension cords PBatteries

Toiletries: These items are tiny

but mighty, and you’ll miss ’em if you don’t check them off before move in day.

PBobbi pins PCotton balls PToothbrush and toothpaste PTide To-Go Stain stick

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PFloss PMouthwash PDeodorant PFace wash and toner PBody and face lotion PHair brush PMakeup and makeup wipes PPerfume/ cologne PRazor and shaving cream

Bathroom Supplies: Check all

these items off your list in one stop.

Target offers bath sets starting around $11.

PBath towels PWashclothes PShower cap PRobe PShower caddy and shower shoes PHair dryer/curling iron PLoofa

Decorations: Make your home

away from home feel like your own with some simple decorations or DIY crafts.

PRug PPictures PThumbtacks PChristmas lights PSports banners PDTI crafts

Food/kitchen items: Spending $20 on things such as a Brita Water Filter Pitcher can save you bundles down the road and make fresh water quick and easy. Check out some of these items that can have similar benefits.

PCups and plates PCoffee maker (Keurig) PDish washing soap PPaper towels PUtensils PMini fridge/ microwave PSnacks

photos by maxie crimm

Who, What, Wear:

Senior Duos Edition Julia Cunningham & Marin Sanders

Jackie Stidham & Zoe Cikot

“I think that when we get all dressed up together it makes us both feel better and we always feel more confident when the other feels more confident.” Stidham “When we hang out, we usually go to the same places, so we dress for the occasion the same and we share clothes a lot. We wear the same clothes.” Cikot

Anton Caruso & Tucker Barry

photos by hannah carter & maxie crimm

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Students tweeted/Snapchatted @SMSPatriot “finals got me like...� @dottiepowell13: #finalsgotmelike

@AnnaleighHobbs: #finalsgotmelike

1st

2nd

Social Media Contest 3rd

@kullathanyou: finals got me like

4th

@mxtthiasmiller: #finalsgotmelike

First Place in the Social Media Contest won a $25 Taco Via gift card.

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Crushing It Crushed Red is a recently developed artisan restaurant minutes from South.

by tess conley writer rushed Red is crushing the food industry. Serving up artisan salads, hand rolled pizzas and soups, Crushed Red is a modern lunch and dinner restaurant. They are also a part of the Green Dining Alliance, which means the restaurant’s produce little-to-no waste and maintain sustainable operations.

Crushed Red has a city vibe with an open layout and a personalized experience. On the menu you can order pre-designed salads, or make your own. Pizzas are arranged like this to. They also serve soups and appetizers with mostly house-made dips.

At the restaurant I had a roasted chicken gorgonzola pizza and a This Pear is on Fire salad. The pizza was really good, but nothing special: just what is in the title. However, the pizza crust was incredible. The ‘This Pear is on Fire’ salad was really good, but the pears weren’t on fire - my mouth was. All the salads that are predesigned combinations, about 11 options, have a really good balance of flavor and can provide inspiration for your customized salad.

At 12:30 p.m., when we arrived, the line would have been out the door, had it not been 50 degrees outside. When we finally got our food, after waiting for 20 minutes, they informed us there were no more formal tables available inside, so we had to sit at a tiny counter right at the entrance.

The idea of Crushed Red is really good, but being placed in the middle of suburban sprawl the size of the restaurant is quite a downfall. The food is delicious and, given the amount of people who order at once, comes pretty quick. They have a wide range of menu items, and the customizable options make it so there is something for everyone. Their beverage menu isn’t extensive, but they offer sparkling water, bottled root beer and some alcoholic beverages.

Their menu is a little bit pricey, but it is pretty much worth it, given the quality of the ingredients and the suburban location.

C

A menu is available for customers to look at while waiting in line. Food was delivered to the tables after customers ordered.

photos by hannah carter

Crushed Red offers a variety of salads, as well as the option to create a personalized salad. The salads came in three sizes: snack, regular and large.

After ordering, customers can watch employees prepare the food. Some ingredients were kept in labeled jars and grouped together by type.

Personal pizzas, flatbreads and salads are available at Crushed Red. Silverware was out on the table and a condiment station was located next to the pay station.

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Poe(tree) Slam 3

1 4

2 1. For his last poetry slam, senior Anton Caruso strikes a pose on stage

before welcoming the crowd. With fellow classmate senior Jackie Stidham, Caruso announced all the poets and even performed one of his own pieces.

2. First place winner of the poetry slam, sophomore Clayton Smith, performs his poem referencing racial issues. Smith received a 10 by all four judges on his piece.

3. After moving to the city, sophomore Chyna Conde shows the crowd the difference between country and city culture with her poem about living in Texas. Conde walked off stage with high scores and a clapping crowd.

4. Judging away, French teacher Rebecca Hayden, English teacher Pam

Schaff, Spanish teacher Leigh Rysko and sophomore Becca Beeler all gave the winning poet, sophomore Clayton Smith, a 10. Teachers and students volunteered every hour to judge the poets.

5. Caught in the moment, junior Jenica Kolbeck stretches her arms and

scrunches her face while performing her poem. Jenica has been a part of the Louder Than a Bomb team this year and has performed in both poetry slams. photos by savannah morgan

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