October 2018

THE PATRIOT VOLUME 53 / ISSUE 2 / OCT. 18, 2018 Shawnee Mission South High School 5800 W 107th St, Overland Park, KS 66207 913.993.7500

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psychopathy (n): a personality disorder characterized by persistent antisocial behavior, impaired empathy and remorse anorexia (n): an eating disorder characterized by weight loss clinical depression (n): a mood disorder that causes sadness and/ or loss of interest in activities once enjoyed bipolar disorder (n): a mood disorder that causes mood episodes, or extreme changes in mood, called manic, hypomanic and depressive

WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW

Many believe society has given little further thought to the subject of mental health beyond existing generalizations.

02 / CONTENTS

THE PATRIOT

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MEDIA often generalizes mental health and makes it harder for those suffering to receive treatment.

COVER BY AVERY WOODS

STAFF

AVERY WOODS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MIAH CLARK ASST. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, A&E EDITOR ANSLEY CHAMBERS COPY EDITOR ABBY COX PHOTO EDITOR EMMA HARDING ASST. PHOTO EDITOR ADDIE SOYSKI NEWS EDITOR MEGAN SMITH SPORTS EDITOR NICHOLE THOMAS FEATURES & INFOGRAPHICS EDITOR LILY WAGNER OPINION EDITOR GINI HORTON WEB EDITOR ALI HARRISON ADS EDITOR BRYNN TAYLOR SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER CLAIRE BRISSETT EDITORIAL CARTOONIST

MISSION STATEMENT

ON THE COVER REPORTERS JULIA CALDWELL CIARA DIAZ KATIE HIEBL MILAD JAHANI LEXINGTON LINK MCKENNA PICKERING ANNALIE POLEN MADDI ROBERTSON EVAN SHIBEL

PHOTOGRAPHERS HANNAH CARTER TRINITY CLARK KYLA HUNTER QUINN KASPAR JILLIAN MCCLELLAND KATE RILEY LUCAS SILVA ABBY YORK

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 Staff Editorial, which represents the views of the editors. Each section editor designs their own section’s pages, unless otherwise specified. 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; 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.

THE PATRIOT ONLINE @SMSPATRIOT

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

@SMSPATRIOT

Find the hidden Rocky in the issue and win a gift card!

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

TABLE OF CONTENTS

04.05 The Calendar 07 Midterm Madness 08 Student Lunch Opinions 10 11 12

06 Theatre Gets a Facelift South Theatre gets new black box addition.

Tiny But Mighty

10

Breakfast of Champions

at a day in the administration’s life.

PHOTO BY HANNAH CARTER

20 Staff Editorial

of The Brands: 25 Battle Starbucks vs. Scooters 26 Peter Pan 28 Pumpkin Spice 29 Concert Calendar 30 The Look: Chloe Hubbard

FEATURES

22.23 Sexual Abuse The Debate:

The Problem With Gifted

24 In Defense of the CAA

SPORTS

14.15 Perspectives An inside look

Essential Oils What We Think We

21

Hitting it Off & Flipping Into State Highlight of South’s girls tennis and gymnastics teams.

Q&A with James Russell

16.17 Know with 18 Q&A Maddy Musson

NEWS

PHOTO BY KATE RILEY

PHOTO BY HANNAH CARTER

13

CONTENTS / 03

Writers go head-tohead on the topic of new Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh’s admittance.

PHOTO BY EMMA HARDING

OPINION

27 Craft Corner

Fun fall crafts to get ready for the Halloween season.

PHOTO BY ABBY YORK

A&E

the CALENDAR

04/ NEWS

THE PATRIOT

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PHOTOS of the

MONTH

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OCT. 23 OCT. 22 Peter Pan debut Boys Varsity Regional Board of Education Meeting

OCT. 29 Girls Basketball Fundraising Fall Orchestra Concert

NOV. 5 Band Concert NHS Inititiation Reception

NOV. 12 Board of Education Meeting

OCT. 30 Boys Varsity Soccer Freshman and Jazz Band Concert South Area Choral Festival NOV. 6

NOV. 13

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OCT. 24 Fall Play

OCT. 31

NOV. 7 Mr. AmeriCAN

NOV. 14 FAFSA Night

NEWS / 05

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

Stay up to date on South’s activities and events.

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OCT. 18 Boys Varsity Soccer

OCT. 19 Varsity Football

OCT. 20 Festival of Champions (Band) XC Varsity Regional Girls Varsity Volleyball Gymnastics State

OCT. 25 Fall Play South Area Choral Festival

OCT. 26 Fall Play Varsity Football Varsity Volleyball State

OCT. 27 Fall Play XC Varsity State ACT

TRUMPDATE 10/6 Trump holds rally in Topeka 10/9 UN Ambassador Nikki Haley resigns

NOV. 1 Orchestra Fall Concert

NOV. 8

NOV. 15 French and Spanish NHS Initiation Yearbook Club Pictures

NOV. 2 Varsity Football Regional Varsity Soccer Regional Band 5K Packet Pick-Up

NOV. 3 Evening of Cabaret Orchestra KNEA Auditions Varsity Soccer State

NOV. 9 Varsity Football Sectional

NOV. 10 IPS Dance

For more news, be sure to check out

smsouthnews.com and other The Patriot social medias.

10/9 The Trump Administration proposes a stricter “public charge” policy for immigrants Events as of 10/11

06 / NEWS

THE PATRIOT

THEATRE GETS A FACELIFT SMS theatre to get a black box addition.

BY KATIE HIEBL REPORTER PHOTOS BY EMMA HARDING

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outh’s little theatre was demolished a couple years ago, leaving only the auditorium to stage productions. Since then, the theater department has been working to get a new smaller theater.

“The big part of the new renovations will be the black box theatre,” theatre director Mark Swezey said. “Everyone is excited because it’s like a whole performing arts center so it will be really cool and the other high schools will be very envious because they don’t have anything like this.”

A black box theater is a room with plain black walls and movable seating. There is no permanent stage so the seating can be arranged in different ways depending on how the space is being used.

“Above the stage is a tension grid that you can walk on which means that it is not really a solid thing,” Swezey said. “It gives a little bit so you can hang lights up. It’s awesome.”

During the 2015-16 school year, the little theater, gifted room, journalism room, a storage room and computer lab were all torn out to create a new space for the district’s Post High Program.

“Four or five years ago they took away the little theatre,” Swezey said. “I used it a lot. It was great because it was a smaller space and the current stage is gigantic. It seats 1,100 people so to do anything truthful and meaningful you almost need a smaller space. We have been hoping for this for a while.”

In order to accommodate the new theater addition, the school will also be redoing the parking lot. An additional eight feet of space will be taken from the courtyard and will connect to the lobby.

“This should make it a lot easier because the buses will have a specific way to come in and drop off. So it should be much easier. They are supposed to be done a year from Christmas so they’re looking at six months. Hopefully they get a lot of the noisy work done over the summer,” Swezey said.

Theatre students are especially excited for the new renovations because they will get to produce more plays and learn different production styles.

“I’m super excited,” sophomore Leah Flint said. “I think it is going to be really cool. And it gives us a lot more opportunities to do more shows and have a more intimate view on what acting and plays we are doing.”

Flint and sophomore Seneca Sims have been in theatre since middle school. They are looking forward to doing plays like “Peter and the Starcatcher” and “The Fantastics” in the new theater.

“There are so many shows that we can’t do in this theater because you can’t process them the same way because it is not an intimate setting and it is really going to broaden our horizons,” Sims said.

Students that are not in theater are also excited for the new renovations because it will be less of a struggle to get out of the parking lot.

“I think it will be good because the parking lot now is really confusing and hard to get out of at the end of the day,” sophomore Olivia Chavez said.

Construction is set to start June 1, so the beginning of the school year might be a little hectic. However, by January of 2020, construction should be finished and South will have a new performing arts center for everyone to enjoy.

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

MIDTERMS MADNESS

NEWS / 07

Meet the candidates up for election in Nov.

BY LILY WAGNER OPINION EDITOR

SHARICE DAVIDS (D) Third Congressional District Race Education: Supports student loan forgiveness and refinancing programs Healthcare: Supports Expanding Photo courtesy of Sharice for Congress Medicaid Economy: Supports creating a childcare tax credit

KEVIN YODER (R) Third Congressional District Race Education: Supports local contol of education Healthcare: Supports private health Photo by Fernando Salazar insurance Economy: Supports cutting taxes and reducing regulations for small business

LAURA KELLY (D) Gubernational Race Education: Supports hiring more social workers in school Gun Control: Supports background checks and banning bump stocks Economy: Supports investing in infrastructure

KRIS KOBACH (R) Gubernational Race Education: Supports partnering with trade schools Gun Control: Supports the preservation of Photo by Mark Reinstein concealed carry Economy: Supports cutting taxes and reducing regulations

HOW TO GET INVOLVED Democrat Club currently meets every other Wednesday after school at in room 156.

Republican Club meetings will resume on Wednesday mornings in Nov. at 7 in room 157.

Paige for a representative at the capitol building in Topeka.

08 / NEWS

THE PATRIOT

TROUBLE IN LUNCHTIME PARADISE

Cafeteria often runs out of food, leaving students to eat the same thing everyday.

BY CIARA DIAZ LOPEZ REPORTER PHOTOS BY LUCAS SILVA FERRERIA

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Freshman Vianey Gamboa eats the same thing everyday. It’s not unch is a place where you can enjoy a meal and talk with your uncommon that there isn’t enough food left that she likes. There is also friends. However, there are some real problems with lunch. very little variety in the options. She would like to try different things Some people eat the same thing everyday, which is considered boring. Some people want to change how the lunch room operates or everyday, not the same thing all the time. She likes the activities in lunch when KSMS sets up games. the food they are given.

Senior Cesar Nolasco said that he eats different things because it’s Another problem is that there isn’t always enough food for everyone. boring to eat the same thing everyday. He wishes that everyone could Sometimes people don’t eat because there just wasn’t enough food for have open lunch and more time to go get the foods they want. them. For many people, there isn’t enough time to eat after waiting in Senior Ericka Reyes said that she eats different foods everyday line, purchasing their meal and finding a place to sit. because she gets bored of eating the same thing everyday. She likes Senior Darlene Mangandi said that she eats a different lunch the food and trying new things; however, she would like to have straws everyday. for her juice. She likes the food in the cafeteria and “I don’t like to repeat the same food she enjoys her meals. everyday,” Mangandi said. She would like to Sophomore Alex Ruiz usually eats a different change lunch so that her food has more salt. lunch everyday.

She also wants to eat more food from other “It’s boring [to] eat the same thing, so I eat countries. differently,” Ruiz said. The thing he would change Junior Luz Esparza likes to eat the same about school lunch is that he wants more flavor in thing everyday. the food.

SOPHOMORE “I loved pizza and that’s why I buy it The school nurse Angie York said that eating everyday,” Esparza said. She wishes there was ALEX RUIZ the same thing or something different everyday more Hispanic food.

Senior Aisha Juarez likes to eat different things everyday. Juarez does not hurt students. As long as they are eating, that’s the most thinks that it’s boring to eat the same thing everyday so she eats important thing.

Some of the students eat different foods while others eat the same different meals and likes to try new things. She would enjoy a higher thing.

There is never anything new in the cafeteria so many students quality of food and more time during lunch to eat. are forced to eat the exact same meal every single day. Most students Freshman Keyri Rosales eats different meals everyday. Rosales want more time for lunch, more options and more food available for wants the school to provide more food so that everyone can get the everyone to eat. foods they want. She eats the same thing every day because the Some students prefer to eat the same thing because they like what cafeteria often runs out of food before she can pick what she really they eat or because there’s nothing they like so they eat the same safe wants.

Sophomore Jaime Mendoza eats different foods because she has to option everyday. In conclusion, students want to change the food and eat what she can grab because there is not always enough food. She try new things, as well as making sure there is always enough for wants more food to be provided in the cafeteria. During lunch, she everyone. likes to eat pizza and talk to her friends.

“ ”

It’s boring to eat the same thing, so I eat differently.

A group of students eats school lunch in the cafeteria.A portion of the students body wishes their were food options from other countries.

STUDENTS eat the usual lunch options. Simlar foods are served day tp day.

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

HITTING IT OFF

SPORTS / 09

The girls tennis team is looking forward to State after a winning season.

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BY LEXINGTON LINK REPORTER he Shawnee Mission South girls tennis season is coming to a close. After a winning season, a few of the girls have qualified for State. The Varsity girls had a total of nine wins, four losses and three ties this season.

“Coming into the season, we lost a lot of seniors from last year and didn’t really know what to expect, but we’ve actually done really well this season,” Varsity tennis coach Kurt Hodge said.

The team finished in fourth place at the Sunflower League on Sept. 27th. Tennis players practice weekdays after school at Marty Courts in preparation for competitions. The girls spend practices focusing on particular aspects of the game. Some practices they will focus on serving and others on swinging.

“The season is coming to an end, but I’m looking forward to training during the off season to get better and ready for next

year,” junior Mariana Ochoa said.

“My favorite part of tennis is feeling good about myself, even if I lost, and knowing that I played my best.” Ochoa finished in sixth place in her singles match at the Sunflower League on Sept. 27th.

“I love tennis, because it’s self-officiated. There’s no referee or umpire, it’s the girls being honest, calling balls in and calling balls out. It takes people with a strong character to play tennis,” Hodge said.

After regionals, four of the Varsity girls have qualified for State. Senior Kaylee Bartel qualified for State at regionals after winning in a three-hour match against Shawnee Mission East. Junior Mariana Ochoa also qualified for State. The doubles team of sophomores Madison Hanna and Mary Novak qualified for State earlier in the season.

PHOTOS BY KATE RILEY

FL PPING INTO STATE PHOTO BY HANNAH CARTER

The girls gymnastics team is having a record season, winning districts for the first time ever.

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BY JULIA CALDWELL REPORTER his year the girls gymnastics team has been competing very well. There’s hope of winning state. The whole Varsity team, including seniors Bergen Cooper, Eden Alderman, Meg Blinzler, juniors Phoebe Holmes, Kierstan Divine and freshmen Zakaiyah Gillom and Sydney Johnson have qualified for State.

Before a meet the girls usually are all together as a team and they often go out to eat. Before each event they go and have a

pep talk with their coach and go through their routines together.

“Before each event I picture my routine in my head and how it looks if I get it perfect … and then I even have a handshake with my friend Bergen [Cooper] and we do it before every event,” Holmes said.

During this season the team competed and won their first meet at South with a score of 100.200. A week later, they competed and placed second at the Olathe East Invitational,

going on to place third at the North Invitation the following weekend. The team placed third in their fourth meet and moved on to win districts for the first time ever, beating their biggest rival Shawnee Mission Northwest, the reigning champions from last year. They’ve had one of their best seasons so far.

“We have a really small team which makes us all like family,” Cooper said. State will be hosted at Shawnee Mission South this year. Most of the Varsity

girls that qualified for the state competition will be competing in multiple events. Cooper will be competing on vault, bars and beam. Alderman, Holmes and Gillom will compete in all four events: vault, bars, beam and floor. Blinzler will be competing on vault and floor. Johnson will be competing only on floor and Divine will only be competing on beam.

10/ SPORTS

WHAT’S

THE SCORE? Your update on sports stats.

THE PATRIOT

TINYBUT MIGHTY

They may be young, but they’ve competed at the highest level in their sports.

BY EVAN SHIBEL REPORTER

PHOTOS BY TRINITY CLARK

BY KATIE HIEBL REPORTER

FOOTBALL

WINS

4

LOSSES

2

BOYS SOCCER WINS

3

LOSSES

9

VOLLEYBALL

WINS

7

LOSSES

17

HALEY CARTER

NEELY HOPKINS

What attracted you to running?

I always wanted to run, but my grandma wouldn’t let me. But I convinced her to let me do it, then I started winning races and it all kind of took off from there. My grandma did not want me to do it in high school, so that took some convincing, but obviously it was the right decision to continue.

When did you start playing tennis?

I started playing when I was 10 and played a lot year round when I was 11 as well. Then when I turned 12, and through now, I have just been playing a lot during the summer.

What attracted you to tennis?

Well, it is a lifetime sport, so you can play it forever and that is something that I have always loved about it.

CROSS COUNTRY

GIRLS TENNIS WINS

9

GIRLS TENNIS

LOSSES

5

CROSS COUNTRY KC METRO MEET

26TH PLACE : HALEY CARTER 41ST PLACE : CHLOE WANNAMAKER 80th Place : Mason Fitzmaurice

GYMNASTICS

WINS

2

LOSSES

GOLF

4

SUNFLOWER LEAGUE HONORABLE MENTION KATIE SCHULTZ AND McLAIN NEAL

AS OF OCTOBER 11, 2018

BLAKE BARNES

McLAIN NEAL

What is your favorite part about soccer?

The fun I get from it, excitement and joy I get from playing competitive soccer.

What brought you to the level you are at?

In 5th grade, I switched clubs from division 4 to division 1 and that took my game up to the next level.

The ‘JV’ level that I am at now.

What attracted you to golf?

My grandparents live on the golf course and my dad plays. So I have been around the sport since I was four years old, going out and playing on the hole that sits behind my grandparents house.

What is your favorite part about golf?

Being outdoors and walking around in nature and being apart of nature and the serenity of the golf course.

JV BOYS SOCCER

GIRLS GOLF

SPORTS / 11

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS Athletes with dietary restrictions find ways to get enough nutrients to be successful.

BY ANNALIE POLEN REPORTER

CELIAC - a disease in which the small intestine is hypersensitive to gluten.

VEGAN - a diet in which no animal byproducts are consumed.

VEGETARIAN - a diet in which a person does not eat meat.

In the last three years, there was a 600% increase in people identifying as vegan in the United States.

Users of Grubhub have chosen vegan food 19% more in the first half of 2017 than of 2016.

Only 1% of the world has Celiac disease, but as many as one in ten people are gluten sensitive.

E

very athlete knows to eat pasta, or to “carb load”, before a huge workout, but what if you can’t eat gluten, drink milk or eat meat?

Many athletes at South face dietary restrictions or have special diets that can both hinder and help their athletic performance. Finding the right foods to fuel them is important to their success.

Sophomore Chloe Wannamaker runs Varsity cross country. She also has celiac disease which prevents her body from processing gluten. Gluten can be found in wheat and provides the elastic texture of dough.

“Villi ... help absorb the nutrients from your food, and celiac disease breaks down the villi so that you don’t receive the nutrients that you need,” Wannamaker said. Villi are projections of tissue in the small intestine that increase the surface area and hold cells that transport substances into the bloodstream. Because of this, she has to find substitutes that help her keep up with cross country workouts.

“I eat a lot of rice... whether it be rice flour or just rice,” Wannamaker said.

Overall, the effects of the diet have been positive.

“This year especially it’s affecting me just because I’ve grown,” Wannamaker said, “But especially I feel like it makes me feel better running knowing that I’m actually getting the nutrients I need to get my calories back and stuff like that.”

Junior Kennedy Ash plays Varsity soccer and is vegetarian.

“What you get from protein I can tell I don’t have as much as other people ... I have to eat a lot more of something else to make up for it,” Ash said. She faces difficulties mainly when going out to eat with friends. Also she sometimes feels she lacks energy.

“You get a lot of strength from [protein] so without it, it’s hard,” Ash said. Though there are difficulties, she

feels the diet works for her.

“For me, yeah, I feel that way,” Ash said, “A lot of other people don’t [think the diet is healthier] and it makes you feel better.”

Freshman Jordan Hunter plays football and is gluten free. He works very hard at football and makes sure to get nutrients from fruits like apples and bananas to make sure that he is getting enough nutrients to do his best.

“It’s not that hard [to find gluten free substitutes]. It’s just way more expensive,” Hunter said. Overall, he feels that he is still able to have pretty normal meals; they just taste differently.

Freshman Annemarie Smith participates on the girls soccer team.

She is gluten free and lactose intolerant.

Lactose intolerance is caused by a lack of an enzyme in the small intestine that makes one unable to digest lactose.

Lactose can be found in milk and other dairy products.

“In the beginning it was really hard [to find gluten free substitutes],” Smith said, “But now I’m a little more used to it and it’s kind of like a trend to be gluten free now so it’s becoming a lot easier. You just kind of have to take stuff out of meals.” Being lactose intolerant makes her lack calcium, so she has to take calcium pills. Besides having to take the pills, she doesn’t feel like she lacks energy when playing sports.

“I feel fine, but then again I’ve been doing this for... a really long time so I feel like I have kind of gotten into a system,” Smith said.

For these athletes, getting a nutrient packed meal can be challenging, but thanks to the time, it is likely easier than ever before.

“I mean, today, the world, or at least the United States, has more options ... I feel like it’s getting a lot easier than it was,” Wannamaker said.

Q&A 12 / SPORTS

THE PATRIOT

with sophomore

James Russell

Competing worldwide is just part of James Russell’s career in karate.

BY ANNALIE POLEN REPORTER

Q: What brought you to start doing karate?

A: I was not tall enough and not big enough to do the other sports, so I am now doing karate.

Q: How many years have you been doing karate?

A: Seven and about to come up on my eighth year in August.

Q: How hard do you have to work for karate?

A: It definitely takes a lot of dedication, a couple hours, two or three hours a day, everyday working out and practicing.

Q: What drives your passion?

A: Being able to compete in the Olympics, because it is really cool to go into the Olympics, or at least try to, and to represent my country.

Q: Is that pretty likely?

A: Yeah, right now it’s looking pretty good.

Q: What makes you stand out in karate?

A: I kind of do it differently, I practice harder and I’m the only person that’s not homeschooled;

my parents aren’t making me do a lot of things. I’m kind of just self-motivated.

Q: Why were you able to go Italy?

A: I qualified in many different tournaments around the United States to get to go to Italy.

Q: What was your experience like out of the country?

A: It was really cool; I was there for about ten days. I competed for six days, two fights a day.

There were about 65 countries there and over 6,000 competitors.

Q: How well did you do?

A: I got a gold and bronze [medal].

Q: How many trophies do you have?

A: Probably, now over 1,000.

Q: Will you have the opportunity to go out of the country again?

A: Yes, I go to Mexico in a month and a half.

Q: Have you traveled before for karate?

A: I travel all across the United States and Canada, I’ve been travelling for about four and a half years.

I just recently have been going to big, international qualifiers.

Q:

How often do you travel?

A:

Once or twice a month.

PHOTO BY EMMA HARDING

Visit smsouthnews.com for a video of the full interview.

FEATURES / 17

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

Essential Oils

Natural remedies for everyday illnesses.

I

BY ALI HARRISON ADS EDITOR

magine a magical substance that could help any of your health issues or even affect your mood, something that is completely natural and even smells natural.

Something you can rub on your skin, directly swallow or diffuse into the air you breathe. That something is an essential oil.

Essential oils are highly concentrated liquids derived from a plant through steam distillation. They are often sold in tiny

Lavender Apply directly to scabs to prevent scarring

bottles and can be found in most natural grocery stores or online. They have a reputation as being indie, but they are slowly becoming more common in people’s everyday lives as the world begins to realize their incredible benefits.

Topically, aromatically or even through consumption, these oils can be used in many different ways. Topical oils are applied directly to the skin, often with a

Lemon

carrier oil, which is an oil used to prevent skin irritation and help “carry” the oil into the skin. There are numerous carrier oils - some of the most common being coconut oil, olive oil and jojoba oil. Aromatic oils are used simply by smelling, either directly from the bottle or in a diffuser. Oils that can be consumed are either for internal reasons, like a sore throat or stomach ache or for cooking.

Peppermint

Helps with concentration

Dilute if applying topically Relieves congestion

Calming

Antibacterial properties

Helps with sleep

Apply to acne to help clear

Cinnamon Helps with inflamation Diffuse to clean air for relaxation Mix with hot water and honey to help sore throat

Rose

Tea Tree Apply to a tick to aid in removal Apply to eczema or dry skin to moisturize and reduce itchiness Natural bug repellent

Chamomile

Rub on temples to relieve headache

Copaiba Helps with pain Referred to as “nature’s ibuprofen” Can tighten skin and reduce facial wrinkles

Eucalyptus

Aids in skincare and moisturization

Can calm crying children

Reduces acne scarring

Apply to temples to ease insomnia

Add to toothbrush or mouthwash to help fight bad breath

Natural perfume because of its floral scent

Diffuse to help anxiety and depression

Apply to joints or muscles for pain relief

Helps with deodorizing

14 / FEATURES

THE PATRIOT

Administrators make the school go round, but how?

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BY NICHOLE THOMAS FEATURES EDITOR

alking through the halls, it is hard not to notice our administrators patrolling, keeping students in line. To some, this is all we see of our administrators besides their occasional appearances at sporting events or surprise visits to our classrooms. We are left to wonder, what do they do? What is their job?

Are they only around to discipline students and teachers?

After spending time talking with all of the administrators, I was shocked to hear what their job fully entails. The amount of work they are required to complete on the daily seems overbearing to an outside perspective.

All five of our administrators came from a teaching background and because of this, they have a profound appreciation for the teachers in our school. Part of their job is assessing teachers and helping them with their plans.

Assistant principal Nicholas Platko taught at South as a psychology teacher before becoming an administrator. He is also a South alum. Platko, along with many of the other administrators, loves being in the classroom.

“I wish I had more time to spend in the classroom to see teachers teaching and working,” Platko said.

Along with their joy for teaching, they love making connections with students. As administrators, their roles with students become slightly different, but they still like to make connections directly or indirectly with every student they can.

“The most important element of my job is that I have the wonderful opportunity to

serve and impact the lives of 1,600 students every day. That’s what I love doing, getting to know students and how we can possibly impact the lives of young people,” principal Todd Dain said.

As I began to understand what the administrators really thought about students and the joy educating brought them, I couldn’t escape the stigma of “the principal’s office”. Even though I wasn’t called down

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I have the wonderful opportunity to serve and impact the lives of 1,600 students every day.

”

DR. TODD DAIN because I was in trouble, I couldn’t help but feel nervous. Walking into each new interview was another step into breaking down that stigma. These offices and the principals within were much more welcoming than the stereotype allows.

“Principles kind of get the rap of, ‘Oh, well they’re just here to hand out detentions and out of school suspension and all that stuff. Really, my job is to make sure that students are successful,” Platko said.

There are rules the administration has put in place that are seemingly insignificant, such as the hoard of regulations placed on Thursday mornings like the blocked hallways.

These rules may seem trivial, but they

PHOTO BY HANNAH CARTER

are put in place to ensure the students are provided with a safe learning environment.

“We’re not here to be punitive, we’re here to set up a place for you to be successful,” Platko said.

Each week, the administrators have a meeting with the cafeteria staff, custodial staff, etc., to discuss a variety of topics.

Sometimes their meetings consist of advisory plans, new rules that need to be implemented, or the scheduling of programs. In addition to these meetings, our administrators often have meetings with concerned parents, inquisitive teachers and students that need guidance.

This year South hired two new administrators: assistant principals Brad Page and Charles Golden. Page, a first time administrator, oversees the Special Education Department (SPED), the post-high SPED and pioneered a new program this year called “Raider Rise”.

While I was talking with Golden, his passion for educating students was clear.

“What I do miss is being in an English class, reading a piece of literature, maybe that I’m really, really familiar with, but a student teaches me something that I didn’t know about because they have an insight I never would’ve had, which happened every year, in just about every work I ever read,” Golden said.

Many of their days are filled with answering phone calls, attending events for South, and answering hundreds of emails.

It sometimes seems as if the administrators have zero downtime.

FEATURES / 15

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

“I try not to just chase down emails administrators are trying to put us in the because we do get a lot. I feel like I chase prime position to succeed. Every day our emails all day that I don’t get [time] to get in administrators try to prepare us to be the classrooms,” Page said. the best students we can be, and just the Athletic Director John Johnson is in thought that their students are succeeding is charge of making the schedules for sporting enough to make them content and proud. It events. If there is a sporting event such takes a special type of person to become an as football, Johnson helps set everything administrator and South has managed to find and everyone up. some of the best.

Secretary Karen There was a Wagner helps consensus among Johnson with the We have a very healthy the administrators rosters for each that they believed school culture. You can see South had one of sport, ensuring it in students’ faces during the best cultures each student has a physical in passing period and at games and atmospheres in and many other the district. and you can see it in teachers’ logistics.

“We have a faces as they go about their very healthy school “We have great support between work, as they’re in meetings. culture. You can Ms. Wagner and see it in students’ Ms. [Sharon] faces during Anderson. We meet passing periods DR. CHARLES GOLDEN a lot and talk about and at games, and a lot of things,” you can see it in Johnson said. teachers’ faces While I was finishing up my interview as they go about their work, as they’re in with Johnson, he said something that meetings. People like being here, they like particularly struck me. He mentioned that working here. There’s a lot of pride in our people only report about their administration school and in our community. It’s not that if something bad is happening. This rang way everywhere, it’s not even that way at very true, which is sad, because all the every successful school,” Golden said.

“

”

Page, left, and Golden, right, talk while monitoring the hallway. Kids walked by going in and out of the lunch room.

PHOTO BY HANNAH CARTER

Follow the Administrators on Twitter SMSouthTDain TODD DAIN

ChasGoldenSMS CHARLES GOLDEN

MrPageSMS

SMSRaidersAD

BRAD PAGE

JOHN JOHNSON

What do you want the students to know about the administration and about your job?

TODD DAIN: If I had a message for all

the students it would be that we are here to serve you and to help you be successful.

Sometimes we use our opportunities to guide young people in their decision making process but overall we’re all on the same side and we want you all to succeed. We want you all to have wonderful futures beyond Shawnee Mission South.

CHARLES GOLDEN: Our job is to help teachers and students have the best possible day they can at school day after day after day; that’s our job. And that is sometimes getting things out of your way and sometimes putting things in your path so that the learning process is as rich as it can be. My job is to help us continually be improving how we offer instructional opportunities so students get the most out of their four years here.

NICHOAS PLATKO: I think the biggest thing is that we’re here to help students and teachers. We’re here to be a liason for them to be successful; to make sure that they have the things that they need and are moving in the right direction. That’s our main job, to make sure that students achieve success.

BRAD PAGE: I want students to know that [administration and staff at South] are here to support. We want [students] to become advocates for their needs and their learning styles. And the more they’re able to do that the better off that we’re able to help them. We’re constantly striving for students to take accountability of their own learning and that’s really really important to us. That’s why our doors are open at all times so that we can have students come in and out and make connection. That’s what I feel is most important here at South and our culture.

JOHN JOHNSON: I want students to know that those of us who are administrators, and particularly this team of administration, love young people. We do this because we look forward to coming to school every day with high school students and this case 1,509. I think a lot of people don’t understand that drives us is to see success, cajole and support and do everything we can to make sure everyone here is successful. I can guarantee you, and I know not many people believe this, we don’t say anything negative about kids, because we don’t feel that. I love being in a high school, always have, and this is a particularly special place.

Q&A

18 / FEATURES

THE PATRIOT

with Maddy Musson

In recognition of National OCD Awareness Week, senior Maddy Musson shares her experience with OCD.

BY MIAH CLARK ASST. EDITOR IN CHIEF, A&E EDITOR

Q: What is it like having OCD? A: For me, it’s definitely a control

thing.

Everything has a specific place and there’s an order to things and I get stressed out if things don’t go the way I say they should.

A:Not really. I mean it’s something my dad

has always gone through so it’s just how it’s always been for me.

Q: Do you think society has a warped or generalized view of OCD?

Q: Could you explain a bit more thoroughly A: I think a lot of people generalize it a lot. your obessions, compulsions or ticks?

A:

...It’s definitely more of a control thing. I don’t have say something a certain number of times, but for me, I just feel really overwhelmed and anxious and borderline anxiety attack if things aren’t in their place and how they should be.

Q: What is a day in your life like with your OCD?

A:

When I wake up in the morning everything is laid out. My lunch is made and put in a specific place in the fridge and everything is packed and my clothes are laid out and my backpack is already packed. My mornings actually run pretty smoothly but throughout the day it’s kind of me writing in my planner and making to do lists and just trying to get everything done that’s on my list for that day. After school is kind of more organizing for the next day and making sure everything is in the right place and my clothes are laid out my alarm is set. It’s just a lot of organizing.

Q: When were you diagnosed, or when did it start to make sense that this is what you were going through?

A:

I would say I’ve always had it. My dad has OCD as well, it’s definitely present in my family. I think my dad also partially influenced that because he’s always lived by a strict schedule and he needs things organized way more than I do so I guess that’s just always been how I function.

Q: Before making sense of your own OCD, do you think you had a warped or generalized perception of OCD?

I think a lot of people have a habit of saying “Oh, I’m really OCD about this” but it’s a singular thing, not actually having OCD.

Q:

What do those kind of misunderstandings or misconceptions make you feel?

A:

I don’t take serious offense to it.

By no means am I like, “Oh my god, you’re so insensitive”. I think, like everything in life, there’s kind of a spectrum and I wouldn’t consider myself very far on the spectrum of OCD. There are some people who definitely have it a lot worse.

There are some people that definitely don’t have OCD.

Q:

What do you think others, with or without OCD, can do to help?

A: I think that outside of the individual, there isn’t a whole lot that society can do.

Definitely for me, I’ve had to learn to accept t h a t t h i ngs a r e n o t

going to go my way. Control is an illusion and not everything is going to happen the way I want it to happen. For me, it’s been working through therapy and doing other things to get my own anxieties under control.

PHOTO ESSAY / 19

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

SOUTH SO SPORTY 1

PHOTO BY JULIA CALDWELL 1. Junior Mac Wissel gets set up for kickoff against the Lawrence Lions. The Raiders beat the Lions on Oct. 5th, 30-24.

2. Senior Kaylee Bartel serves during her match at Regionals. The girls tennis team finished 3rd overall and are sending one singles team and one doubles team to State matches.

3. During the Homecoming assembly the Varsity cheerleaders hoist up senior Bergen Cooper as she poses at the top with a large smile. Homecoming King and Queen were announced at the Homecoming football game on the 21st.

4. Junior Tj Mikkelson rushes the ball down the field against Shawnee Mission East. The boys soccer team wore pink to show support for breast cancer survivors.

2

PHOTO BY HANNAH CARTER

3

PHOTO BY HANNAH CARTER

4

PHOTO BY KYLA HUNTER

20 / OPINION

THE PATRIOT

CARTOON BY CLAIRE BRISSETT EDITORIAL CARTOONIST

STAFF EDITORIAL

We need to take mental health issues more seriously without glorifying them.

W

e live in a society where mental illness is more prevalent than ever. It’s healthy that we can finally discuss depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, Bulimia, anorexia and other mental illnesses, but we often do so to the extent that to the point where a healthy discussion turns into normalizing mental health problems. We log onto Twitter and see jokes everywhere about being depressed or anxious. Joking can be a coping mechanism for many, but sometimes it crosses the line and shows impressionable young people that it’s trendy to have a mental illness.

Young people could refuse treatment or insist they have a disorder that they don’t because it’s “quirky” to have one.

This is seen in one of Netflix’s hit series “13 Reasons Why.” The show chronicles the events that led up to a girl taking her own life and shows the effect her suicide has on the school and her peers.

The show could have been done it in a

way that would have brought attention to suicide and mental illness, but instead it glorifies suicide as a way to get revenge on those who wronged you. It gives the idea that your legacy moves on with more influence after you have ended your life.

It shows suicide as a viable option, and instead of highlighting mental illness, the show focuses more on bullying. Though bullying can be a cause of suicide, usually a mental illness is involved in a person taking their own life. The show doesn’t discuss mental health at all; it focuses solely on the main character getting revenge on her bullies.

Shows and mainstream media like this can show teens that it’s ok to be mentally ill, but it also normalizes that and makes it seem like you can only be interesting if you have a mental illness. Though mental illness is incredibly common, showing impressionable teens that it is “interesting” and suicide can make you “important” is not the way to go. We, as a society, need

to show that mental illness, although common, is not a positive trait and teens should be working towards getting better rather than normalizing their mental illness in order to impress their friends. Making light of, normalizing and generalizing mental illnesses is ultimately detrimental to those who actually experience those mental disorders because they feel like they don’t have to get help or they don’t need it. They feel like they can’t be taken seriously because there are so many people crying wolf with their jokes. Saying “I want to die” after any minor inconvenience is disrespecting those who are suicidal.

Calling yourself “OCD” because you straighten out your papers is discrediting those with the actual disorder.

Students should be mindful of what they say because it can cause certain impressions on others. Mental illness is a serious topic and should not be taken lightly.

11/11 EDITORS AGREE WITH THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS EDITORIAL.

OPINION / 21

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

THE PROBLEM WITH GIFTED

BY AVERY WOODS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Enhanced Learning can be detrimental to students’ mental health.

R

emember in elementary school, when the smart kids were shipped off to a different school one day a week to do who knows what? The gifted program, or the Enhanced Learning program in elementary school, involves six percent of students in the country, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights. Students who are gifted are those “who give evidence of high achievement capability in areas such as intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership capacity, or in specific academic fields, and who need services and activities not ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully develop those capabilities,” according to the National Association of Gifted Children.

If you were in gifted, you should remember hearing kids say, “They should know, they’re smart” and feeling embarrassed for not having the right answer. Although the gifted program is beneficial, and I am grateful to have qualified for the program, it often negatively affected my childhood and elementary experience.

The federal government does not fund the gifted program, and decisions for gifted students are made at the state and local level. This means that the gifted program is different everywhere. Additionally, Common Core does not account for gifted students. This combination leads to very little regulation for the program.

Being in elementary E.L. also enhanced my childhood anxiety. The amount of times I cried when I didn’t understand something or because I got a question wrong is innumerable. I had almost daily mental breakdowns because I didn’t meet other kids’ and teachers’ standards of “smart.” My fear of failure was greater than any other fear I had. If I didn’t get something right away, I never tried it again, because I didn’t want anybody to make fun of me. I didn’t raise my hand unless I absolutely knew the answer, because I didn’t want to get it wrong. I got a C on a worksheet once and I hid it under my bed for a week for fear of my parents hating me. I would have nightmares about not completing my homework when I was in the second grade. I would have a mental breakdown if I didn’t get a 100%. The gifted program, though challenging and an overall positive experience, one that I don’t regret having, often affected me negatively.

However, the program is more developed in the middle and high school level. There’s built-in time to get higher level homework done and there’s a low amount of challenging things to work on, so it’s rarely ever stressful. I just think that the elementary level of gifted was extremely harmful to both my mental health and my elementary school experience and I often dreaded going to E.L. simply because of the toll it took.

Additionally, being gifted, or being one of the “smart” kids, never gave me a reason to learn how to study. Going to high school was like getting punched in the face by seven different people at once. I had to actually study for my grades and they dipped because of this, which caused more anxiety for me.

E.L. students were never taught how to study because we never needed to until it was too late.

More regulation by the state and working it into common core may make the gifted experience easier for elementary children. Having teachers recognize that even the smartest students in the grade can make mistakes can also have a positive impact on students and helping gifted students learn study skills can help them later on in life.

My point of view may not be the same for everyone, but I know that my E.L. experience was not positive all the time.

22 / OPINION

THE PATRIOT

THE DEBATE:

Kavanaugh Timeline July 9: President Trump nominates Kavanaugh to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court July 30: Dr. Christine Blasey Ford sends a letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein describing her allegations of sexual assault Sept. 4: Confirmation hearings begin Sept. 16: Ford comes forward to The Washington Post Sept. 23: Deborah Ramirez tells The New Yorker of allegations of sexual misconduct against Kavanaugh during her time at Yale University with him Sept. 26: Julie Swetnick alleges that Kavanaugh was present at gang rapes at college parties in the 1980s Sept. 27: Kavanaugh and Ford testify in hearing Oct. 6: Kavanaugh is confirmed

Events as of Oct. 11

PRO

A

BY ALI HARRISON ADS EDITOR & GINI HORTON WEB EDITOR PHOTOS BY ABBY COX

fter a lengthy process in the Senate, now Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed on Oct. 6 after being appointed by President Trump on July 9 to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court. However, right before his pre-confirmation questioning by the Senate Judiciary Committee was scheduled to conclude, Senator Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat from California, came forward with an anonymous letter accusing him of sexual assault. Dr. Christine Blasey Ford came out as the accuser, saying he assaulted her at a small house party over thirty years ago. Days later, two other women, Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick, came forward accusing him of sexual assault, also occurring decades ago.

Since the allegations of sexual assault, there have been complaints about the lack of investigation. Kavanaugh has had six FBI investigations over the past few years, according to President Trump, and had a seventh to appease Senators, especially Democrats, in which they interviewed ten people, including Ramirez. It is their job to thoroughly inspect him and his past; the FBI would not miss sexual assault - let alone multiple cases of it - in seven investigations.

This is not the work of a shoddy investigation, it is the work of an organization that has already done the work required of them and to an extensive level on numerous occasions.

By no means should we disregard victims of a crime as horrible as sexual assault.

However, in this case, there is no evidence or corroborating witnesses; therefore, this case would not have been considered a legitimate case in most courts. Because of that, the default would be for Kavanaugh to be considered innocent until proven guilty, which was definitely not the case. After being cleared by the FBI, people were still calling

for his removal as the nominee, declaring him unfit due to the allegations. These people also commented on his “unruly” temperament during his hearing, and say that this is not the temperament of a Supreme Court Justice.

If you had been falsely accused of sexual assault, you would probably be visibly angry and frustrated as well.

The timing and chain of events of all this is suspicious - strategic for Democrats to stall the confirmation until midterms in which Democrats hope to win the majority in Congress. Feinstein held this letter, which she had for over a month, and chose to present it right as the hearings were concluding.

Ford didn’t bring up the incident until now, disrupting the normally unproblematic confirmation process. She also chose to send the letter and contact the Washington Post tip line, but didn’t go to the police. Also, before President Trump’s nomination, Kavanaugh was a circuit judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which is on second highest court level in the country, for 12 years. It wasn’t as if he didn’t have a position of power prior in which the allegations, if true, would prove him unfit for.

Additionally, all of the accusations occurred over thirty years ago, allowing all involved to forget important, minor details that could have confirmed one of the two perspectives.

According to the electoral college, Donald Trump is our president, giving him the presidential right to appoint a nominee to the supreme court. As of Oct. 9, Kavanaugh is an official member of the supreme court, legally appointed, and confirmed, by a majority. Unless substantial proof is somehow discovered, that was missed by the FBI seven times, Justice Kavanaugh will remain that - a justice.

OPINION / 23

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

KAVANAUGH’S CONFIRMATION

CON

BY MILAD JAHANI REPORTER

P

resident Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, was sworn into office on Saturday, Oct. 6.

Kavanaugh will be the first justice to earn his seat from a president who lost the popular vote, with support from senators representing less than half of the country while also having his nomination opposed by a majority of the country.

Almost a month prior on Sept. 16, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, a psychology professor at the University of Palo Alto and research psychology at Stanford University in California, accused Kavanaugh and his longtime friend Mark Judge of pinning her down on a bed while muffling her desperate screams for help and trying to remove her clothes at a party in 1982. Many Republicans were quick to dismiss her, while some simply said “who hasn’t?”

One week later a second accuser, Deborah Ramirez, came forward accusing that Kavanaugh had exposed himself at a drunken dorm party, thrust his penis in her face, and caused her to touch it without her consent.

Three days after that, a third woman, Julie Swetnick, came out under oath saying that Kavanaugh was present while she got gang raped at a college party in the 80s.

During her congressional hearing, Ford said that she is “one hundred percent” certain that she was assaulted by Kavanaugh and Judge. Ford said that the “...uproarious laughter between the two, and their having fun at my expense” was what she remembered most vividly from the alleged assault. “I was underneath one of them while the two laughed.

Two friends having a really good time with one another.” The traumatic memories that have been seared into Ford’s brain by Kavanaugh should not be cackled at like it has been by some conservatives on Twitter and Instagram. Ford is now too scared to sleep in her own home because of the relentless death threats she has received.

Kavanaugh’s anger that he displayed in the hearing is also extremely concerning,

especially when he called the Democratic opposition “revenge on behalf of the Clintons.” We cannot trust a justice to have good temperament and to be impartial if he can’t even keep his composure during a congressional hearing.

If people like South Carolina Republican senator Lindsey Graham are so confident that Ford and the others are lying, they should demand an FBI investigation to clear his name and embrace the investigation process with loving arms. The amount of hypocrisy displayed by the Republican party at his hearing is incomprehensible. They have showed us that they have no sympathy for women who come forward with accusations of sexual assault.

The “Party of Morals” failed to at first allow a week-long investigation into the claims that were made, because they did not want to wait until after the midterms when Democrats could have control of the House and Senate.

When Senator Jeff Flake reluctantly made a deal with the Democrats to allow an investigation, it was limited to be only one week long and was severely handicapped in the scope. During the investigation, the FBI was not allowed to interview Ford, Swetnick, Kavanaugh and most of his former Yale classmates.

Before the accusations came out, Kavanaugh was a more than appropriate and capable judge for Republicans to nominate.

However, we cannot hand out a lifetime appointment to someone who may have attempted to rape someone in high school. The claims that were made are not without basis.

If he really is innocent, which he could be, he shouldn’t have opposed the investigation.

These allegations cannot be ignored like Anita Hill’s were in 1991, when she accused sitting Justice Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment. Republicans have once again proven to us that the only thing that matters to them when it comes to the Supreme Court is keeping the nation conservative.

Sexual Abuse Statistics 1 in 3 women and

1 in 6 men

will experience some form of sexual violence in their life

63% of sexual assaults

are not reported to police

1 in 5 women and

1 in 71 men will be

raped at some point in their lives

13 87 percent

percent

Results from @SMSPatriot Twitter Poll of 31 students

24 / OPINION

THE PATRIOT

IN DEFENSE OF THE CAA

Allegations pushed toward the CAA raise questions to whether it was a good investment or a waste of time and money.

BY BRYNN TAYLOR SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

F

or almost 50 years, the Shawnee Mission School District has been devoted to providing top-notch educational opportunities for every student.

Since its opening in the fall of 2017, the districts Center for Academic Achievement has provided a new, innovative learning space for students The district’s signature Career and Technical programs while also supporting the administrative offices for the Board of Education and District administration are housed in the CAA. Some of the signature programs that many students are currently involved in at the CAA are Animation and Game Design, Biotechnology, Culinary Arts and Hospitality, Engineering (Project Lead the Way) and Medical Health Sciences.

Until recently, the CAA has been thought of as something beneficial for SMSD, but earlier this year, June 25, the CAA and SMSD received some critical remarks by Secretary of State Kris Kobach during a GOP gubernatorial debate in Salina. His criticism has made debaters arise to contradict his comments as he clearly states that the creation of the CAA is an example of a “Taj Mahal building,” being all about the looks, and that it doesn’t contribute to classroom

learning.

Even though the CAA may have created some backlash, that doesn’t mean that it is a total waste of time and money. It should not have received such harsh criticism from Kobach and others from the Johnson County community.

There is absolutely no reason why the CAA should be getting any kind of negative comments from anybody. It was made for many reasons; one main reason was to give students an environment where they can learn more about topics of interest, things that usually aren’t offered in their own schools.

The district is consistently ranked among the finest school districts nationwide for its high student performance all because of the outstanding programs and learning opportunities that have been given to us and I don’t see any problems with the district trying to give another path to find our way.

The CAA has given students a path, a way to pursue what they love to do, whether it be cooking, engineering, even game design or animation.

“...It looks like a corporate headquarters. I have no idea what those people are doing in there.

They’re probably on their phones playing games.”

SECRETARY OF STATE KRIS KOBACH ON THE CAA

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

A&E / 25

BATTLE BRANDS of the

STARBU C KS

BY MCKENNA PICKERING REPORTER

D

id you know that Starbucks has more storefronts all around the U.S. than Scooter’s does? Currently there are 13,000 Starbucks all around the U.S. Starbucks also sells as many drinks as three times the U.S. population per day in the U.S. Lots of people claim that starbucks is too expensive when it comes to coffee prices but It costs Starbucks on average $3.95 to make a cup of coffee. This may indeed be a higher figure than what most people have in mind, but this is inclusive of all costs like taxation, equipment costs, store expenses, rent, etc. In order for Starbucks to keep its cute café clean and open for business and to keep their drinks festive and tasty, it’s going to have to be a little pricey.

Starbucks has festive flavors for every holiday, season and time of the year. For example, pumpkin spice

anything for the fall, peppermint mocha and the eggnog latte for the holiday season, zombie frappe for the spooky seasons, the cherry mocha for Valentine’s Day and many more. So Starbucks stays at the top because of the wide variety of hot and cold drinks they have.

Although Scooters has more of a home feeling kind of cafe because of how small and not as well known around the US and also is cheaper to buy coffee, it’s probably not quality. It’s so cheap that they most likely don’t get the quality ingredients. Starbucks’ flavors for their coffee are so good and don’t leave a bad taste in your mouth after you drink it like some coffee flavors tend to do.

Their teas also have a wide variety of flavors; they even mix some of the teas together to make another type.

So next time you feel like getting a blended drink, a tea or even water (for free) don’t stop to find out where a Scooters is near you, just go stop by the Starbucks; you won’t be disappointed.

VS

BY NICHOLE THOMAS FEATURES & INFOGRAPHICS EDITOR realize Starbucks is no longer your go-to. Of course, coffee is a matter of preference; there is no right or wrong.

And for all of you non-coffee people out there, Scooters has a fantastic selection of muffins, cookies and scones.

In the Overland Park area, we have only 6 Scooters compared to more than a dozen Starbucks locations. Even though this may be a slight inconvenience, no one is saying you should trade all your Starbucks out for Scooters. Just give it a try if you happen to pass it. One time going should hook you for life.

At the end of the day, Starbucks will always be a more convenient option, but a safe one. Be spontaneous! Go try new things.

Sometimes the coffee bean is better on the other side.

70%

RESULTS FROM @SMSPATRIOT TWITTER POLL OF 27 STUDENTS

SCOOTERS

W

hen it comes to coffee, there is no perfect choice. In a pinch, you hope for any coffee that can cure your drowsiness.

Yes, Starbucks is a classic, some might even say the best choice, but I believe Scooters is where it’s at. First off, Scooters has multiple kinds of pumpkin spice drinks, all of which are superior pumpkin spice drinks to Starbucks. If we are talking about coffee, their iced coffee is no better or worse than Starbucks.

The main reason everyone gravitates towards Starbucks is because it’s a household name. Everyone knows that their coffee will be uniform, and the same can be said with Scooters. With all this in mind, variety is the spice of life.

Why have the same drink every day? Why go through the same drive through every morning? Branch out.

Experiment. Who knows, maybe you’ll

30%

26 / A&E

THE PATRIOT

PETER PAN FLIES INTO SOUTH South Theatre prepares for fall play.

O

BY MILAD JAHANI REPORTER

n October 25th, the SMS theatre premieres their first show of the year, “Peter Pan”. It’s South’s first time performing the show in almost five years, with senior Leah Lissauer playing the lead role of Peter Pan. “It’s really great because I’m obsessed with Peter Pan; I always have been. He’s been my favorite Disney character since day one. It’s really nerve racking but super fun at the same time,” Lissauer said.

The story of “Peter Pan” revolves around a young girl, Wendy, and her two younger brothers, John and Michael, who go on adventures with Peter Pan and Tinkerbell in Neverland. During her adventures in Neverland, Wendy must learn that, unlike Peter Pan, she cannot be a child forever and that she must return home.

Before the show can open, the cast and crew must work tirelessly everyday on the show to make sure it’s ready in time. They rehearse everyday after school for three hours, and come in most Saturdays to work anywhere from three to ten hours.

The crew has to make sure that the lights, audio, costume changes, set changes and just about everything else works perfectly. In their rep theatre class, senior company manager Ashley Hays supervises all of the different crews working on the show. Without the crew, the show wouldn’t be possible, and the cast can testify to that.

“They do so much work for us and without them we wouldn’t have lights or moving scenery or the curtains being moved on and off. Even that would destroy the show. They don’t get the appreciation they deserve but they do so much for us,” Lissauer said.

This years’ show is also unique in the fact that it is full of flying from Tinkerbell and Peter Pan, which isn’t easy to pull off. “...It’s really exciting even though I’m afraid of heights and I have horrible motion sickness,” Lissauer said. The flying mechanics work via a pulley system that a flying company must install. One rope pulls the actor/actress up and down on the y-axis, while another rope pulls them left and right along the x-axis. The company installing the system, Flying by Foy, is the same company that Broadway used in their 1954 version of Peter Pan. This year’s show is also very special to the deaf community in the fact that all of Tinkerbell’s lines will be performed in sign language.

Theatre director Mark Swezey came up with the concept seven years ago when he had a pair of deaf twins playing the Lost Boys.

“It ended up working out so well that I pretty much kept that concept throughout other productions that I’ve done of this...The original concept for Tinkerbell was just laser light. We still use a laser light, but she materializes in different points in the show so there’s more communication there,” Swezy said.

The show will be running from Oct. 25 to Oct. 27, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free with a student ID and is five dollars for everyone else, so cancel whatever plans you’ve made and come enjoy the show.

JUNIOR Jose Stuart and seniors Alex Cross and Anna Burns construct pieces of the set for the upcoming performance.

PHOTO BY ABBY COX

Should We Censor Older Plays and Shows?

W

PHOTO BY EMMA HARDING

hen films such as “Peter Pan” or “Aladdin” were made, characters such as Tiger Lily and Jafar were caricatured to fit the stereotypes of their ethnic groups at the time. For example, when “Peter Pan” originally came out in 1953, there was a scene in the movie where Peter Pan and Wendy meet the Piccaninny Tribe and the song “Why is the Red Man Red” is sung. They are depicted as people with bright red skin and disrespect and mock various aspects of Native American culture, such as their clothes, their headdresses and their sacred drums, which some consider to be living entities. The jokes they made were wrong then and are wrong today, but if you refuse to watch a movie or play because of its racial undertones, you are denying that the racism itself ever existed. We need these movies and plays to remind us of the struggle colored people and women went through in America. They are a part of our history that should not and cannot be forgotten.

If people were to refuse to watch a movie like “Peter Pan” because of its cultural insensitivity, they would also have to stop watching shows such as “Family Guy”, which constantly jokes about people’s sexuality, religion and race. How people view “Family Guy” today is exactly how people viewed “Peter Pan” in 1953. While the show can be offensive, it’s not racist, unlike “Peter Pan”.

While there is a line between satire and racism, most old shows and movies were racist, though some of the writers may not have even known it due to the different standards of their time. For a show to be able to make edgy jokes about a singular minority group, they also need to show that they don’t have bad intentions by not specifically targeting that one group alone. A good example of this would be “South Park”, where even though the jokes are normally questionable, you can’t say that it is racist because they make fun of almost every race and culture consistently.

A&E / 27

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

CRAFT CORNER Autumn has arrived! Here are crafts to fill your fall needs.

BY BRYNN TAYLOR SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER PHOTOS BY ABBY YORK

Glitter Gourd

Halloween Bubble Lights

Fall Mood Board

MATERIALS

MATERIALS

MATERIALS

• Glitter (Halloween colors) • Small gourds

• Twine (black) • Orange and black yarn • Hot glue

• • • • •

STEPS

STEPS

STEPS

1. Set gourd on covered surface and spray with adhesive or paint on glue.

2. Pour or tap on glitter.

3. Let dry for glue’s recommended time.

1. Cut two arms length of twine.

2. Take yarn and wrap around finger until your desired thickness.

3. Cut a small piece and tie it around the center of the wrapped yarn.

4. Cut the edges of the yarn to make a puff ball.

5. Tie 10-12 puffballs on twine piece.

1. Print out pictures.

2. Tack on pictures to the cork board.

3. Add stickers.

4. Arrange fairy lights.

5. Hang up on wall.

Cork board Tacks Pictures Fairy lights Cute stickers (optional)

Go to smsouthnews.com for step-by-step videos.

28 / A&E

THE PATRIOT

I HATE YOU A LATTE (pumpkin spice)

The pumpkin spice flavor is overrated.

T

BY ANSLEY CHAMBERS COPY EDITOR

hink of your basic, rich, Johnson County, teenage girl stereotype, yoga pants, Uggs and a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks, paid for with their credit cards, thanks to mom and dad. Pumpkin flavoring is everywhere in the fall months. As soon as the temperature dips below 65 degrees or one orange leaf falls off the first tree, the world goes bonkers, craving the taste of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice mixed together and labeled as “pumpkin spice”.

Whether or not pumpkin flavored things taste good is not what’s up for debate. Everyone likes different things. Some people enjoy the taste of brussel sprouts or hate chocolate, and while that is arguably wrong, it’s not anyone else’s place to judge. We all have incredibly unique sets of taste buds. Trying to debate how something tastes is as pointless as debating whether or not water is wet; it’s irrelevant and nobody is going to change their mind or taste buds. That being stated, the fact that everyone goes insane over a drink is a bit much.

PSLs are overpriced and overrated. It’s just a seasoned cup of coffee that everyone pretends to be obsessed with in hopes of proving that they have more fall spirit than any other basic JoCo teen. Everyone loves a good pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, a pumpkin cookie or scone on a brisk autumn day or a pumpkin bagel just for the heck of it in October. The hype over pumpkin spice is too much though. Does seasonal flavoring mean things are cooler? Why do pumpkin flavored things get so much love in the fall, while around the Fourth of July you never hear about firecracker flavored things or egg flavored things for Easter? I would love an explanation for the pumpkin spice addiction.

Is it something you try out of peer pressure? Are there social PSL drinkers that then become addicted to fall festive caffeine? Pumpkin spice is the autumn specific drug of choice for basic teens everywhere.

The media forces teenagers to worship the almighty PSL. Every other Snapchat story in September features a Starbucks cup, overflowing with whipped cream and sprinkled with the light brown spice, and a soft orange filter with stickers of leaves and pumpkins. All you see in October on Instagram is pictures of pretty girls snuggling their plastic cups and a caption reading, “I’m falling for you,” or, “I love you a {pumpkin spice} latte,” and a cute heart emoji followed by a ghost, leaf or pumpkin. All of their loyal followers leave a like on the post and comment, bragging about how much pumpkin flavored caffeine they’ve consumed that week. The entire world falls at the altar of the PSL. These kids see the inadvertent advertisements by their peers everywhere they look. They go and excitedly dish out over half of their weekly allowance at a coffee shop counter, camera ready to document the trendy moment. They take the first sip and the disappointment sinks in when they try a pumpkin flavored beverage that is just mediocre at best, having hyped up expectations higher than its potential to fulfill them.

Order whatever seasonal beverage you want. During the fall and winter months, there are tons of potential drinks besides just a PSL. Nobody should feel pressured into ordering any drink just because it’s “trendy”. If you prefer the taste of a peppermint milkshake, spend your money on that. If you love the comforting feeling of a classic hot chocolate on a cold day, then break out the Swiss Miss. If you prefer any other number of seasonally festive drinks, then you do you and enjoy whatever beverage you want. If you truly enjoy the taste of pumpkin flavored things, then feel free to order all the cheap, pumpkin flavored junk food that your heart desires.

Ansley’s Obviously Better Choices

Hot Chocolate

Chick-Fil-A’s Peppermint Milkshake

Chai Tea

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

PHOTO BY MEGAN SMITH

A&E / 29

CONCERT CALENDAR When and where to watch live music in KC this month.

BY EVAN SHIBEL REPORTER

BROCK HAMPTON

OCT. 18

OCT. 19

EDEN The Truman

Andrew MacMahon and the Wilderness KC Live

Fleetwood Mac Sprint Center

A

BY MEGAN SMITH SPORTS EDITOR

fter my experience at this concert, I can confirm that BROCKHAMPTON really is the hardest working boyband in show business. During the show, they were all jumping around onstage and trying to hype up the crowd.

After pushing my way to the front barrier, I screamed the lyrics to every song and had the time of my life.

Even though I was nearly trampled several times, the show was truly one of the best experiences I’ve had. During QUEER, I made a heart at Matt Champion and he waved to me, causing me to go into shock until TONYA began, three songs later. Even Kevin Doan, a production assistant for BROCKHAMPTON, made sure everyone had a good time and he gave a few people in the crowd high-fives.

About three songs into the concert, I didn’t think the night could get any better, but it did.

We were waiting outside for around five or ten minutes when we saw Ian Simpson leave the theatre. We talked to him and got pictures; then, Bearface, Matt Champion and Jabari Manwa came outside and I got pictures with all of them. We began talking to Matt and mid-conversation, he looked me in my eyes and said he appreciated my support of the band. After losing all sense of reality for a second, I saw Joba come outside. I gave Matt another hug and sprinted down the sidewalk to where Joba was standing. I asked for a picture and a hug, then talked to him before leaving the venue.

Overall, BROCKHAMPTON was definitely the best concert I’ve been to. Everyone was so sweet, especially the guys who work behind the scenes.

However, if you’re not a fan of being surrounded by hundreds of people scream-singing, it’s definitely not your thing. This concert confirmed two things that I already suspected: That BROCKHAMPTON is the best boyband since One Direction and that I am, in fact, taller than Matt Champion.

Kansas Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland

NOV. 2

NOV. 4

Big Gigantic Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland

Lil Xan Uptown Theatre

Joywave The Truman Lynyrd Skynyrd Sprint Center

NOV. 8

NOV. 11

Ben Rector Uptown Theatre

Robert DeLong recordBar

30 / A&E

THE LOOK. THE PATRIOT

BY MIAH CLARK ASST. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & A&E EDITOR

SHOES adidas $50

SWEATSHIRT savers $7

SENIOR CHLOE HUBBARD SHIRT plato’s closet $10 TANK target $10 JEANS urban outfitters $50

“The better I feel about my clothes or my outfit, the better I feel about myself.”

- Chloe Hubbard visit smsouthnews.com for the full gallery.

FLANNEL thrift store $6 TANK target $10 JEANS thrift store $6

GLASSES urban outfitters $20

SHOES vans $60 CARDIGAN aeropostale $20 SHIRT gift $25 JEANS urban outfitters $50 SHOES adidas $50 PHOTOS BY QUINN KASPAR

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

ADS / 31

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

PATRI

FEATURES / 32

T PICKS

Social media stars from South.

Instagram @ juliandff Junior

Posted since Aug 27, 2015

Twitter

@BandRaider SMS Rompin’ Stompin’ Raider Band

It was an amazing day for the band yesterday. The pep assembly went smoothly, the parade was a blast, and we performed the WHOLE show. But couldn’t forget the part that our Field Captain, Emma Ross won Homecoming Queen!!

2nd year in a row our field captain has won Hoco Queen!! September 22

It was a good weekend for the band at Lee’s Summit North Marching Invitational. We recieved a Superior rating (highest rating) from the judges.

Although the competition was inside due to weather, we still had a blast. See you at our next competition, October 20th at UCM @SMS_PACE October 8

Cafeteria Questions Cosmic Bowling

$10

Bowling with shoes Cut out coupon and redeem at front desk.

Saturday 10pm-12:30 am www.missionbowl.com

Weekly Instagram segment with social media manager Brynn Taylor.

What is your favorite day of the week?

“Friday, because it’s the weekend.”

Freshman Bella Wojciechowski “Friday, because it’s game day.”

Sophomore Emily Hays What do you do when the wifi is out?

“Talk to my friends about my day. I really like how we get to communicate face to face and everybody focuses on each other.”

Junior Maria Beach What makes you happy or sad?

“When we don’t have the food I’m craving.”

Sophomore Keely Wright