Griffin rites vol 48, issue 4

The Griffin Rites Winnetonka High School | Kansas city MO, 64119 | Vol. 49, Issue 4 | Dec. 20, 2017

This land is our land

Immigrants share their stories, struggles and successes

ARTS Figuring it out: Students learn the art of figure drawing Page 16

SPORTS

Finding their balance: boys’ basketball wins three of their six first games Pages 14 & 15

CONTENTS

On the cover:

Senior Waleed Khaleel stands in front of both the American flag and the flag of Jordan.

Khaleel immigrated to America from Jordan five years ago at the age of 12. Photo illustration by KatieBullock

Snapshot: Senior Jonathon Orr holds a box with string snowballs for a young pediatric cancer patient at the annual Leukemia and Lymphoma Society holiday party.

Orr played with the Symphonic Orchestra as patients walked through the door to the party. Other groups such as the A Capella Choir as well as the Brass and Woodwind Choir caroled on the plaza on Dec. 15 to serve their community with music during the holiday season. Photo by JessicaGlaszczak

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Editorial

Features

03 - In representation we trust Congressional makeup should be more representative of American’s population

News 04 - Creating a career Work skills programs provide an opportunity for students to gain job experience and allow a path for vocational schooling after graduation

Entertainment 06 - Best gifts for students The best holiday gifts under $10 and under $20, according to student survey

08 - This land is my land Immigrants share their stories, struggles and successes

14 - Finding their balance Boys’ basketball team works to harness individual talent to create a stronger team dynamic

10 - Disentangling depression Students detail their battles with depres- 16 - Freshman fighters sion and offer suggestions about how to Three freshman athletes work hard to make it on varsity teams overcome it

Arts

The Griffin Rites Purpose

12 - Figuring it out Students participate in University of Kansas’s high school art competition and experiment with figure drawing

STAFF Editor-in-chief Print Editor Sports Editor Multimedia Editor Photo Editor

Sports

Staff Writer Katie Bullock Jessica Glaszczak Staff Writer Hani Yousif Elizabeth Hopkins Andrea Simmons Adviser

Jason Hopkins Gage Rabideaux Laura Williams

The Griffin Rites strongly supports the First Amendment and opposes censorship. Freedom of expression and press are fundamental values in a democratic society. The mission of any institution committed to preparing productive citizens must include teaching students these values, both by example and lesson. We welcome letters to the editor and reserve the right to edit them for length and clarity, but we will not change ideas. Letters may attack policies but not people. They must be signed an submitted to F6 or mailed to Laura Williams at 5818 NE 48th St., Kansas City, Mo. Advertising space is available. Please contact laura. williams@nkcschools.org or call 816-321-6527 for information. Our organization is a member of the Journalism Educators of Metropolitan Kansas City, Journalism Educators Association, the Missouri Interscholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association.

EDITORIAL | PAGE DESIGN BY KATIE BULLOCK

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In representation we trust

Read student perspectives at tonkanews.com by scanning the code below.

Congressional makeup should be more representative of America's population ry,; Dont wor how w o n we k t to comba ic ethn ation. discrimin

Griffin Rites staff opinions: 7 agree 0 disagree

The Editorial voice of the Griffin Rites staff,

Jessica Glaszczak

| Art by GageRabideaux

I

n order to fairly and accurately serve and represent American citizens, the age, ethnic, gender and religious makeup of Congress should be more representative of the overall population of the United States.

It is a common expression that the government is run by old men, but this expression actually holds truth when referring to the majority of Congress. The average age of members of the House of Representatives is 57.8 years, and the average age of members of the Senate is 61.8 years, according to the Congressional Research Service. This is compared to citizens, who have a median age of 38.1 years, according to the Central Intelligence Agency. While it should not be said that older citizens are ignorant to current problems, the problems of a younger generation are different than those that have faced older generations. As such, age disparities can make it hard for Congressmen to accurately represent the current political climate.

Additionally, while 81 percent of Congress is Caucasian, according to the Pew Research center Caucasians make up only 62 percent of America’s population. This means that the 38 percent of America that is non-white is dramatically underrepresented in congress. And while the U.S. Census reports that 51.4 percent of the national population is female, just 19 percent of congressional lawmakers are women according to U.S. News and World Report. If you take females out of ethnic statistics then it is revealed that, while only 38 percent of American citizens are white males, 74 percent of Congress are white males.

Nearly three-fourths Congress representing just 38 percent of the nation is unnerving, since a representative cannot constitute the best decisions for nationwide minorities if he or she has never had first-hand experience as that minority.

Not only is the majority of Congress by far white and male, but it is also overwhelmingly Christian. In the 115th Congress, 90.7 percent of lawmakers are Christian, but as of 2016, the total Christian population of the United States was 70.6 percent according to the Pew Research Center. Although Christianity is the largest religion in the United States, the 29.4 percent of the national population that is not Christian still correlates to nearly 90 million people, a large number of citizens to remain underrepresented in Congress.

The knowledge of those who have learned from experience is just as powerful if not more powerful than the knowledge of those who have learned from being educated. And whether intentional or unintentional, this majority of old, white men act as a wall - preventing minorities from voicing their opinions. Being an African-American will teach a person things about the United States that a Caucasian person will never understand.

If all American citizens are to be able to truly trust that their views are being represented by members of Congress, then their knowledge needs to be politically represented in order for the government to be a reflection of its people and for the government to correctly discern what is best for all its people, not just the majority.

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PAGE DESIGN BY HANI YOUSIF | NEWS

CREATING A CAREER Work skills programs provide students an opportunity to get job experience

By Hani Yousif

F

or most students, going to school means sitting in a classroom. It means four walls and a few rows of desks. But for junior Kaye Vandendaele, a hospital hallway is just as comfortable a classroom as the D-Quad.

Vandendaele is a student associate in the medicine and healthcare strand of the Northland CAPs (NCAPS) program, which she joined to help her decide her future career path. To Vandendaele, work skills programs such as NCAPS provide an advantage to students.

“You get to learn much more in the program than you would in a high school classroom,” Vandendaele said.

“You also get to do hands on stuff that I’ll use in the future. You do things that put you ahead of kids that haven’t done this program. It will help with college and getting jobs in the future.”

Programs like NCAPS not only teach students about their respective fields of study, but according to Vandendaele they also build professional skills by providing students real-world opportunities to

serve as employees.

“We also have medical skills, people skills and professional skills,” Vandendaele said. “We have business cards, elevator speeches, resumes, and we all have to talk to business professionals on our own.”

Because of the NCAPS program, Vandendaele has made connections to people and professionals in the healthcare industry, which she believes will give her a better chance at getting a job with higher-than-average pay after high school “We’ll have job experience which will help us with getting internships,” Vandendaele said. “Since, we already have the experience, I’m more likely to get the internships than other people who don’t.

Even if I’m fresh out of college, people will see that I have experience.”

In addition to the medical strand of the NCAPS program, the Metropolitan Community College Business and Technology Center (BTC) provides students an opportunity to build skill in three high-skill, high-demand technical career fields through a variety of programs. One

1.

2. such program is the Technology Solutions program, which junior Brandon Burt joined this year.

“The program is beneficial for both college and a job,” Burt said. “It helps with college because you are being taught by a professional. The professionalism aspect of it helps with interviews and getting a job.”

In order to be an associate at BTC, Burt takes only

1. Senior Payton Stephenson works on a part for a heating and cooling system on Dec. 7 at the Northland Career Center in the Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refigeration class. Photo by MakenzieJackson 2. Instructor Jacob Blankenship teaches his students how to set up a piping system for a heating and cooling system in the HVAC class. Photo by MakenzieJackson

two classes at Winnetonka each afternoon. In the mornings, he attends the BTC program for the first two blocks.

Although students in work skills programs lose time in the high school classroom setting, according to Burt the on-the-job experience offered by off-campus programs makes them worth the lost classroom time.

“I lose time to take other classes at Tonka but I gain

Off-campus opportunities: Career and technical Education Center: - Automotive technology 1, 2&3

MCC - Business and Technology: - College Computer Integrated Machining & Manufacturing - College Engineering Technology 1 & 2 - College Industrial Technology 1 & 2

Northland Caps - Digital Media and Design - Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing - Global Business and Entrepreneurship - Global Logistics and Transportation - Medicine and Healthcare - Technology Solutions

Northland Career center: - Agricultural Education 1 & 2 - Construction Technology 1 & 2 - Culinary Arts 1 & 2 - Health Sciences 1 & 2 - Teaching Professions 1 & 2 - IT Professionals 1 & 2 - Law Enforcement/Crime Scene Investigation 1 & 2 - Aviation Technology 1 & 2 - Diesel Technology 1 & 2 - Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration 1&2 - Industrial Welding 1 &2

NEWS | PAGE DESIGN BY HANI YOUSIF

other classes at Tonka but I gain workforce experience,” Burt said.

In addition to the NCAPS and BTC programs, the North Kansas City School District also offers its students the ability to be a part of the Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC) CTEC offers three automotive technology classes for students who intend to pursue a career in auto service after high school.

“We [CTEC associates] learn bumper-to -bumper mechanics,” senior Rayann Murray said.

"We learn to fix anything in a car. We can basically do everything.”

Murray, a student associate of the CTEC

program, joined to help himself obtain internships.

Programs like CTEC help to serve students who are looking for non-collegiate opportunities after high school. But after he graduates, Murray plans to use the knowledge he has gained to attend Longview Community College as an intern in mechanics.

“It [CTEC] has taught me a lot,” Murray said. “It has taken me from watching my dad doing it, to me knowing how to do it. From me watching him, to me knowing if he’s doing it right or not. I know how to properly and carefully work on automobiles.”

Students also have the opportunity to par-

“You get to learn much more in the program than you would in a high School classroom.”

-Junior Kaye Vandendaele 3. Career and Te c h n i c a l Eduation Center instructor Ron Webster teaches his students how to repair a truck engine during Automotive Technology. Photo

by MakenzieJackson

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ticipate in the Northland Career Center (NCC]), located in Platte City. NCC offers 11 programs with two classes each that focus on different career pathways. According to NCC instructor Ron Webster, these classes give students hands-on experience that is applicable to their lives before they leave high school.

“They are immediately relevant to what they want to do after high school,” Webster said, “whether that is to get a job or go to college. They are going to learn the academic, technical and soft skills needed to be successful in their career.”

ENTERTAINMENT | PAGE DESIGN BY JASON HOPKINS

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BEST GIFTS FOR STUDENTS The best holiday gifts under $10 and under $20, according to student survey

Gifts under $10 1. Gift cards

Gifts under $20 1. clothing

2. food 3. Candy

3. makeup 3. Candy

4. hats, scarves, socks, gloves

4. tech cases

5. EArbuds

6. Books 7. letter 8. perfume 9. JOurnal

5. shoes

6. sports eq.

7. jewelry

8. photos | Graphics by JasonHopkins

100% human hair clip-in highlights Light blond

$6.50 each or 2 for $12

Winnetonka colors or assorted other colors

$8 each or 2 for $15

Call (816) 781-9339 or visit stevieandcompany.com

Stevie and Company Hair and Nail Salon 6805 Sobbie Road, Pleasant Valley MO, 64068

FOLLOW US FACEBOOK: facebook.com/tonkanews

INSTAGRAM: Tonka_News

TWITTER: Tonka_News

EMAIL: winnetonkanews@gmail.com

WEBSITE: tonkanews.com

YOUTUBE: Tonka_News

FOLLOW US

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PAGE DESIGN BY KATIE BULLOCK | FEATURES

this land is our land Immigrants share their stories, struggles and successes

By Katie Bullock

F

oreign-born immigrants make up 13.5 percent of America’s population according to the 2016 Current Population Survey. These over 43.3 million people and their 41 million American born children come from around the world, bringing with them hundreds of different cultural traditions.

Raised in America but born in South Sudan, senior Lily Abdulla’s childhood is one marked with change and movement. She left her birth country when she was just 3 years old.

“My grandmother was like my mom, we were always together. She took care of me all the time, she was always there for me,” Abdulla said. “I remember this one day we [Abdulla and her mother] got on a train and we never went back. I cried. I bawled all of my tears out and got sick. I was so upset because that was the last time I ever got to see her [grandmother].

I miss her so much.”

Nearly 1 in 5 women in South Sudan give birth to their first child before they are 18 years old according to UNICEF. Abdulla’s mother gave birth to Abdulla at the age of 17, and no woman in her family has graduated high school. Three years after Abdulla was born, her mother made the decision to leave South Sudan and travel to Egypt in order to provide her daughter and any future children a better education.

“My mom had me when she was as old as I am right now, and a lot of other girls in South Sudan do that too which is one of the things that is stopping them from going to school and getting an education,” Abdulla said. “If you do want to get educated there, then your parents usually send you away to a family member who lives in a better place in Africa or to

America. My parents didn’t send me away, we all came together as a family.”

After living in Egypt for two years, Abdulla and her family immigrated to America.

“On the plane here, that was the first time I tasted pizza and hamburger. My parents had to sit with my little sister, so I was alone, but it was crazy,” Abdulla said. “I mean, New York, Ellis Island, all of that is like freedom. Once you’ve past it, you’re free.”

Abdulla and her family stayed in New York City for two days before moving to downtown Kansas City.

No one in the family besides Abdulla’s father could speak English.

“The first few days and months were horrible because we didn’t know how to do anything,” Abdulla said. “When I went to school I didn’t know English or anything so I felt dumb because people would talk and I would just sit there. I would speak in my own language [Arabic] like they knew what I was talking about.”

Two years later, Abdulla moved one last time to North Kansas City where she still lives with her mother, step father, younger sister and two younger brothers. Although she began American school at the age of 7, Abdulla said she sometimes still struggles with speaking.

“I get frustrated sometimes because I think in a very different way than other people,” Abdulla said.

“When they say something I take it to my head as something else. I think of the order of words in a different way, so when people say something it can take me a while to understand what they mean because I have to rearrange their words so that they make sense to me. Others don’t really understand that. I get frustrated when people don’t understand me because I feel

FEATURES | PAGE DESIGN BY KATIE BULLOCK dumb and like I can’t do anything.”

Part of Abdulla’s struggle with English comes from learning two languages at once.

Abdulla’s mother taught her and her sisters to speak Arabic at the same time that they were learning English, and it is still spoken frequently in their household. Senior Waleed Khaleel also speaks Arabic since he immigrated to America from Jordan in the seventh grade.

“We [Khaleel and his family] wanted to live the American dream just like everybody else,” Khaleel said. “The economy is bad in Jordan so America is like a second chance for us to start a new life. I am definitely happy that I came here, but sometimes you do miss the people back home.”

According to Khaleel, although America is often viewed as a safer nation than third world countries, it does not always feel that way.

“It [Jordan] just feels safer, even though it’s not the safest place in the world.

You can go out at 3 a.m. as a male or a female on a walk and feel safer than taking the trash out at 12 a.m. here,” Khaleel said. “The people there are friendly. They don’t ignore you like here.”

Although he sometimes misses Jordan, Khaleel said that he enjoys America’s diversity, even though he believes it can be hard to get to know people so as to appreciate that diversity.

“My favorite part of America is the difference in cultures,” Khaleel said. “You can meet people from all around the world. You can learn a lot from hanging out with people with different backgrounds. But sometimes you feel isolated from your community. People don’t even know their neighbor’s name, which is really sad.”

But despite the cultural diversity of America, some citizens do not accept immigrants like Khaleel and Abdulla.

“I hate when people say ‘go back home,’ because I can’t. I can’t because there is civil war in my home,” Abdulla said. “Since colonialism, African countries have become so corrupt over power and who gets what and I don’t want

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America to be dividing people too. We should all be one. We shouldn’t be talking down to people just because they are different.”

In 2015, 1.38 million foreign born individuals moved to America according to the Migration Policy Institute. Khaleel hopes that people will learn to ask questions and understand that these immigrants are just as American as natural born citizens.

“Home will always be home, but America is my new home now,” Khaleel said. “It is definitely disappointing when people say it [negative things about immigrants], because most of the time people’s hate towards immigrants is based off of ignorance, but a lot of people are not that way. Don’t be afraid to learn. Always ask, if anything is going through your head, if you ask respectfully then even though it might come off as a little offensive I am sure the person that you are asking will still be understanding.”

Though - Senior lily abdulla she may have a different heritage than the average American citizen, Abdulla grew up in the United States and believes that it has played a crucial role in creating her current character.

“If I wasn’t here I wouldn’t be who I am,” Abdulla said. “I think that when people are against immigrants, when they say that we’re bad, well no, we just want an opportunity. Isn’t America called the land of opportunity? We came here because we wanted a better life, that is what this nation promises.”

Americans may come from all around the world, but it is their ancestral and cultural differences that Abdulla believes unifies them.

“Truly, we are all immigrants. You came here, or someone in your family did, and even if you just came from Alabama instead of Africa, you are still not from here, from this community,” Abdulla said. “We are all foreigners, that is what we have most in common. I am from South Sudan. I was born there. But I came to America and I was raised here. They are both my homes.”

“I am from south Sudan. I was born there. But I came to America and I was raised here. they are both my homes.”

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PAGE DESIGN BY JESSICA GLASZCZAK | FEATURES

isintangling depression Students detail their battles with depression and offer suggestions about how to overcome it

By Jessica Glaszczak

W

ith 350 million people worldwide dealing with depression - including 16 million Americans - it has become a worldwide problem according to the World Health Organization.

Senior Anna Braman has struggled with depression throughout her life. Although she was first diagnosed in fifth grade, last year her depression hit its peak.

“I used to be really overweight for my height and I was made fun of and bullied for it all

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of teens have a form of depression by the age of 18. through middle school and grade school,” Braman said. “And then I lost it, and people were telling me that I was too skinny. It kind of hit last year when I couldn’t

really make anybody happy with anything that was me. It made it to where I couldn’t make myself happy.”

Braman’s great-grandmother, who she considered one of her best friends, died in the fall of 2012. Two months later, shortly after Christmas, her great-grandfather passed away as well.

“This time of year is when I don’t really feel like myself because I have their pictures in my room,” Braman said. “I don’t always try to think about it, but it hits me even harder in this time-period because that’s when I have all my stuff going on for school, but then it just reminds me that I lost one of my best friends.”

Depression can become a very prevalent problem during the holiday season for some people, according to school community resource specialist Shelly Meinke.

“This time of year is hard depression-wise. Anywhere you go, there’s Christmas everything,” Meinke said. “You could be dealing with something difficult, or maybe you don’t have a great family or maybe you have finan-

cial difficulties; there are a lot of reasons why this time of year can be really hard. Then you throw in the fact that the we don’t have a lot of sunlight in the winter, which also impacts our emotions.”

For the theatre departments annual production of senior shorts, Braman decided to write and direct a short that brings attention to depression.

“Some of it is based off of true thoughts that I’ve had in my head,” Braman said. “I did think about self-harm. I thought about suicide. But this is more following the life of a girl - her name’s Mia - and everyone at school, on Facebook, her grade; they’ve all started to go downhill. There’s this part where you see her Facebook feed and it says, ‘No one wants you here on this earth, you’re not important…’ It’s a lot of self-doubt that she has expressed through this short.”

Junior Owen Garoutte, who also struggles with self-doubt as a result of his depression, was diagnosed at the beginning of eighth grade.

“I was missing a lot of school, so I was put on probation,” Garoutte said. “They sent

FEATURES | PAGE DESIGN BY JESSICA GLASZCZAK

me to a therapist beacuse I was obviously depressed about being on probation, and that therapist was like, ‘Woah, you’re depressed on a lot more things than just probation.’ And so, that kind of grew into me having depression. Everything else kind of made sense after that.”

Due to his depression, Garoutte often becomes easily unmotivated.

“I’m easily derailed, and I’m easily demotivated from many things,” Garoutte said. “If some-

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and change in our environment is also something that can impact people this time of year.“ Not only can environment have an impact on someone’s mood, but so can a chemical imbalance in the brain.

“There are those that seemingly have absolutely no reason to be depressed,” Meinke said. “They come in and they say, ‘I’m fine. My grades are fine. My family is awesome. I have great friends. Activities are awesome. Everything is wonderful. Why do I feel like this?’ Some-

of college students have reported feeling depressed, which has disrupted their ability to function in school.

thing gets really hard and I enjoy that thing, it’s easy to get depressed about it because I feel like it has more weight. It’s easy to fall.”

According to Meinke, environment is one of the many causes of depression, as Garoutte’s experiences proved.

“There are life events that can cause depression, something happening in your life, somebody passes away, you have to move - maybe change schools or you have a breakup,” Meinke said. “Seasonal Affective Disorder, a type of depression that occurs due to lack of sunlight

times it’s just a chemical thing. Just like a person with Diabetes who has insulin and sugar-regulation issues, those with depression are impacted by an imbalance in their brain chemistry. A medical evaluation is needed to consider if medication is something that’s warranted. Sometimes it is and sometimes it isn’t.”

There are different ways to disentangle depression, according to Meinke.

“It can seem silly that just talking about things and working through them with somebody that you don’t even know would make

NEED Need HELP? help?

The National Suicide Prevention hot line can be contacted at 1-800-273-8255.

To see anyone in the counseling department students can stop by the counseling office and see the counseling office Administrative Assistant Summer Wilson to make an appointment or email Wilson, the school counselors, school community resource specialist (SCRS) or school psychologist.

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a difference, but it does," Meinke said. "Talk-therapy can be a very big help.”

However, sometimes talktherapy alone is not enough to hinder depression, according to Meinke.

“Other times, it takes a combination of talk-therapy as well as medication,” Meinke said. “It’s really up to the therapist and the patient to figure out what is best; if that is talk-therapy alone or if medications need to be a part as well.

Often, people take medications to treat their depression and are eventually able to titrate off the medications once their situation improves.

For others, longer term medication is essential to maintain stability.”

Garoutte’s friends help him cope with his depression.

“A lot of my friends have depression too,” Garroutte said. “It’s nice to have friends that can empathize with that.”

To help with her depression, Braman got the Italian word respirare, which means 'breathe' in English, tattooed to her wrist as a daily reminder to remain clam.

“It’s to help me calm down because somebody always has it worse, and somebody could always be in a worse situation than you are, and so you need to just breathe,” Braman said. “Take it step-by-step and remember who you are, what you need to accomplish and don't worry about the little things.”

Counseling administrative assistant: summer.wilson@ nkcschools.org 9 grade counselor: todd.maher@nkcschools.org 10 grade counselor: alicia.hollis@nkcschools.org 11 grade counselor: jennifer.ford@nkcschools.org 12 grade counselor: tabitha.todd@nkcschools.org SCRS: shelly.meinke@nkcschools.org School Psychologist: lisa.bischoff@nkcschools.org

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PAGE DESIGN BY GAGE RABIDEAUX | ARTS

Figuring it out

Students experiment with the art of figure drawing

“For beginners, I feel it’s a required activity, helping you not only draw faster, but to understand form and movement within a figure.”

- Alumni Gardner Littleton

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By Gage Rabideaux

A

n artist must be bold when preparing for figure drawing. When tracing the form of another human on a piece of paper, the line cannot be shaky, it cannot show hesitation. Instead it must be confident. Not only are these strokes daring and poised, but so are the artists behind each drawing.

While there are many subjects an artist may draw, these competitive artists have taken a special interest in drawing the human form. This type of art is called figure drawing. Student artists won an overall third place at a Nov. 30 art competition at RayPec High School that included this unique art form.

Junior Ashley Johnson has developed a love for figure drawing since she first tried it last year, though she has been an artist since she was young.

Even as a six-year-old, she had a passion for drawing on her own wallpaper. Now she takes her art more seriously and strives to improve.

“I think that it [figure drawing] is interesting. I think it helps my artistic abilities because I get to see people in different poses,” Johnson said. “It’s not just seeing somebody just sitting

1. Senior Matthew DeHass observes the model as he draws her face.

2. Senior Linsey Brewer puts finishing touches on the figure drawing that won third place at the Ray-Pec High School’s art competition.

Photos courtesy of HeatherSulzen

2. or somebody just standing. It is cool to see how the human body works, different kinds of body styles and types.”

Johnson is not the only artist who has found her calling in figure drawing.

Senior Matthew DeHass has also learned to appreciate the organic shapes and forms often found in figure art, saying figure art is natural, while other art forms tend to be more artificial.

“It’s a thing where you just sit down and go. It’s not a long drawn out art piece where you have to work on it and it takes a long time while you sit, look and draw,” DeHass said. “I think it gives an opportunity for things to look nice. When you draw things that look like objects, it’s something people can recognize and enjoy.”

Even alumni still pursue their artistic craft through figure drawing. For-

mer student Gardner Littleton graduated in 2016, but he continues to take figure drawing classes at Metropolitan Community College to earn an associates in arts.

His goal is to transfer to the Kansas City Arts Institute and major in the animation program.

“Figure drawing can be cool because as an art form it’s very quick and you don’t have too much time to think about the end product - only getting lines and shapes,” Littleton said. “Sketches can go from 30 seconds to 30 minutes, so intensity is another thing; it pushes you to make something quickly. Only sometimes does it come out looking nice.”

Because figure drawing tends to be intense and requires the artist to work quickly and effectively, Littleton recommends figure art to blooming artists to

ARTS | PAGE DESIGN BY GAGE RABIDEAUX

Senior Linsey B r e w e r ’s award winning figure drawing, which won third place at the RayPec High School art competition.

within a figure,” Littleton said. “In the end though, being able to register what’s in front of you quickly and efficiently is essential, and figure drawing does just that.”

Oftentimes, figure drawing is done using nude models as a way to study the human form in a natural state.While this may be normal for art students like Littleton, other students often find the images of nude models to be odd and uncomfortable. According to Johnson, although drawing models this way benefits her by improving her artistic skill, she receives push-back from peers who have not figure drawn.

“Generally, people are really squeamish when they see naked people. In our society, you don’t go outside and see somebody naked,” Johnson said.

“I showed people my drawing and they got really weirded out. To me, it’s not weird. I walk into the art room, and everyone thinks it’s really cool. Nobody looks at it and says, ‘that’s weird, and you shouldn’t be doing that’ because we’re all used to drawing like that.”

For DeHass, figure drawing is about finding form and movement in a figure.

“It’s all about society wanting people to be clothed. The making of the artwhat it says about the artist and what it says about the form of the human body- is different than just creating images of naked people,” DeHass said. “I can see why

"the making of the art - what it says about the artist and what it says about the form of the human body - is different than just creating images of naked people."

- senior Matthew DeHass it’s seen as taboo, but I think it’s only seen that way because people don’t think about it the way an artist would.”

Although Littleton draws nude models on nearly a daily basis, he still understands why the drawings may be perceived as taboo among those who do not consider themselves artists.

“It’s [figure drawing] something

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3.

3. Junior Ashley Johnson sketches out the model in black and white. Some of Johnson’s figure artwork was judged at the Ray-Pec art competition on Dec. 8. Photo courtesy of HeatherSulzen

artists use to deeper understand anatomy and form of the human body so normally it’s just nude,” Littleton said. “Of course it depends on how the artist draws the subjects, some people just exaggerate details like that, changing the idea of the image. It really comes down to the fact that people get uncomfortable with the naked human body. It’s not ‘normal’ to see on a daily basis for most.”

Students are not the only ones who are passionate about figure art. Art teacher Heather Sulzen takes her students on figure drawing field trips as she believes it is important for them to learn how to draw from observation.

“Figure drawing, just like any sort of drawing from observation exercise, is going to make any artist better at drawing because you are training your hands to do what your eyes are doing,” Sulzen said. “You’re tracing over the figure with your eyes, so your hands should be moving in that same direction.”

Sulzen teaches her students that figure drawing is essential for students because it teaches them to appreciate beauty in all natural things so they may find the form and movement in a drawing.

“If people could learn to look past the human body as something sexual, and learn to appreciate the beauty in every human form, figure drawing would not be seen as taboo,” Sulzen said.

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PAGE DESIGN BY KATIE BULLOCK | SPORTS

Finding their

balance Boys’ basketball team works to harness individual talent into strong team dynamic

By Katie Bullock After winning three out of their first six games, the varsity boys’ basketball team has already tied their previous season record, and they show no sign of slowing down. Now, both athletes and coaches are already looking towards the end of the season with the hopes of becoming conference champions.

“I think they were kind of shocked. We won a game at the buzzer and they were going crazy in the locker room afterwards. We finally got them calmed down, and then I went nuts,” head coach Todd McGuire said. “I told them, ‘an ugly win is better than a beautiful loss.’”

With a 3-3 record as of Dec. 11, the team has shown that they are capable of winning games. But according to McGuire, a shortage of players makes it hard to maintain scoring momentum.

“We’re rather quick, but we’re not very deep as far as varsity goes,” McGuire said. “Right now we’re only playing about six kids, but I’d like to be playing at least seven or eight. We’re giving some of the younger kids who are sophomores an opportunity but they’re going to make mistakes; it’s just a part of growing and learning.”

Although the team might be small and still has room to improve, according to senior Bol Tong it is stronger than it was in previous years.

“We’re a fast, athletic team. We’ve got fast guards and we know how to attack the room, but our team chemistry right now is not very good,” Tong said.

“We need to work on moving the ball

Above: Senior Bol Tong pulls the ball out of the hands of a Staley player who is attempting to block senior Jones Sabastiano.

Right: Junior Racine Williams III passes the ball to a teamate during the Dec. 5 game against Staley. Photos by KatieBullock

around so that we can get a good shot.

The only way to fix that is practicing hard every day, getting in the gym and working it out there so that we know how each other plays.”

McGuire believes that once mistakes made due to a lack of communication are resolved, players individual talent will show through.

“Individually, we are better than these other teams but collectively we just need to learn how to work together,” McGuire said. “We as coaches are just teaching and getting kids to understand that it’s not what you do with the ball, it’s what you do without the ball.”

Although the team’s overall skill level is higher than previous seasons, according to junior Nate Triplett, it will only be successful once athletes learn to communicate with one another.

“Personally, I’m just trying to stay

on the floor and talk more and make it so that we don’t get confused or have mixed signals,” Triplett said. “There’s definitely more talent this year, but we need to work together more. We’re good at scoring - that’s our main thing - but we’d do it more often if we were better at communication.”

Each player is responsible for their actions on the court, however for Triplett, effective communication starts with leadership and cooperation.

“We need to actually pick our leaders on the floor; like who needs to talk,” Triplett said. “Bol and Jonas are our leaders on the floor and hopefully if we look at them and they start talking more then we’ll start talking more. We need to stop bickering and getting mad at each other. Instead we’ve just got to focus on the next play and how to make it great.”

SPORTS | PAGE DESIGN BY KATIE BULLOCK

“These kids have the potential to win a district championship.”

- Head coach Todd McGuire

cess is,” McGuire said.

“In the last few years, we’ve been down. We haven’t won a lot of games. They just don’t know what it takes to get over that hump, but I can sense it. It’s coming. Once we learn how to do some fundamental things I think we’re going to be incredible. I don’t Above: Both the Staley and Winnetonka athletes watch in anticipation as senior Jones Sabastiano follows through on a one point attempt. the kids realize how Down five, the basket helped the Griffins keep the score close before amazing they can be their eventual 51-63 loss to the Falcons. Photos by KatieBullock if they learn to work together. I’m proud, Last season, the boys’ basketball every day we’re trying to get better.” team won just three games total. Now, acWith the improvements being cording to McGuire, as the team begins to made, McGuire’s goal for this season is realize their own strengths they will also to win conference for the first time since begin to harness those strengths.

2007.

“They don’t understand what suc“I really think this team could be

15

scary when it comes time for districts,” McGuire said. “Our schedule is extremely tough; our next three opponents haven’t lost a game. But we want a conference championship this year. We’ve only had two of those in the history of Winnetonka because our conference is loaded with Raytown South and Grandview which are pretty talented teams.”

McGuire is not the only person already looking forward to the end of the season. Tong is focused on not only a conference championship but also an attempt at state, which would entail winning conference, districts and sectionals.

“I’m looking forward to the postseason, seeing if we can make a state run. We’ve got guys who can play the game of basketball.

We’ve got runners. We’ve got some shooters,” Tong said.

“Collectively we’re a good group. We’re getting up and down the floor, running and gunning, but it’s going to take playing hard, being gritty and fighting through every game.”

But before the team can think about making it to state, they must first put in work and practice on the court to build the fundamental skills that they currently lack.

“We just try to keep them focused and driving. I mean, it’s the simple things,” McGuire said. “If one guy breaks down it costs the whole team, and that’s why I said they all have to be on the same page. We just keep on repeating until we get better.”

Although students have a tendency to underestimate it, according to McGuire by the end of this season the team will not only have a positive record but will also be pursuing a postseason. The last regular season game will be against Kearney on Feb. 20.

“We’re going to be scary good.

We’re going to shock some people,” McGuire said. “These kids have the potential to win a district championship.

I mean, a lot of people say, ‘Oh it’s just Winnetonka,’ but if they can learn to play together - which is a tough thing to try to teach - they will be a tough team to beat.”

SPORTS | PAGE DESIGN BY ANDREA SIMMONS

16

FRESHMAN FIGHTERS

Three freshman athletes work hard to make it on varsity teams

By Andrea Simmons

TAKING THE FLOOR

A

lthough freshman Javier Hernandez had never wrestled until the beginning of this school year, according to head wrestling coach Ryan Lowry, Hernandez has made enough progress to earn a spot on the varsity team.

“He went from not knowing anything about wrestling on junior varsity, to having two varsity matches back-toback,” said Lowry. “He has made a lot of progress.”

In order to prepare for this wrestling season, Hernandez attended pre-season conditioning and training sessions to build his strength and skill.

“My favorite thing about wrestling is that it’s one-on-one, kind of like a battle,” Hernandez said.

The Boys’ Wrestling team went to Raytown South for a wrestling tournament on Nov. 30. While there, Hernandez wrestled a state qualifier because of his position on the varsity wrestling team.

“The toughest tournament I’ve been part of was today, because of wrestling a state person,” Hernandez said.

shooting for the stars

B

eing the only freshman on the girls varsity basketball team may come with challenges, but freshman Juliana Despite her young age and being one of the smallest players at just 5’7’’, Lupercio is finding a way to stand out on the team.

“She started coming to practices over the summer so I always knew she was athletic, she could jump out of the gym,” head coach Brittani Tiefenbrunn said.

Although Lupercio sometimes plays on the junior varsity team, her favorite position is varsity post player.

“It can be confusing playing so many positions sometimes because they all have their own special things that you can mix up. When I play varsity, I play post player which is my favorite position because I can be aggressive“When we win a game, I feel really happy because we worked hard enough to win, and we can probably do it again. Because we won one game, you’ve gotta keep going.”

FROM: Winnetonka High School, 4815 NE 48 St, KC, Mo 6119

TO: Griffin Rites Subscriber

above and beyond

T

he majority of students do not play sports, and those that do rarely play more than one. But freshman Jada Tunstall is determined to be a part of both the girls swim team and girls dive team at the same time.

“I started swim in sixth grade,” Tunstall said. “I like being in the water and the feeling of it.”

Although Tunsttall began diving at the beginning of this season, she has already made significant progress according to head Girls’ swim coach Luke Young. In order to make the varsity dive team, divers must first learn 12 dives and perform them before Young.

“Jada went from not knowing anything about dive to learning four or five dives. She’s halfway to making it on the varsity team,” Young said.

Tunstall is working to conquer her fear of falling during dive so that she can become a varsity diver by the end of the season.

“Landing on my back hurts, but I would like to get better and hopefully not do that anymore,” Tunstall said.