JagWire Newspaper - Volume 17, Issue 1

JW

Jagwire

mill valley high school volume 17 issue 1 Sept. 28, 2016 mvnews.org

the rising cost of epipens affects students Pages 4-5

IN THIS ISSUE NEWS 04 EpiPens 06 AP scores

06

FEATURE 08 Spotted: Zolton Gothard 09 broken phones 11 privacy

OPINIONS 15 staff editorial 16 opinions

08

SPORTS

11

18 injured athletes 19 overtime

A&E

22

20 behind the scenes 22 pokemon craze 23 farmers markets

PHOTO ESSAY 24 marching band

02

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Design by Madison Ferguson

18 Cover photo by madison ferguson and margaret mellott

24 mill valley high school

Jagwire

LEtter

from the editors

w

hen we started the production cycle for this issue, we had no idea how little time we’d have to work on our own stuff in class. It’s the beginning of the school year and we’re still getting familiar with everything. It’s not just time management we’re getting used to; we just got new computers and are still figuring out the updated programs and technology.

At the end of last year, we lost 13 staff members, 10 of which were seniors. To compensate, we added 16 new staffers this year, adding to the pressure of our nine returning members. Thankfully, these fresh faces are learning quickly and willing to go out of their comfort zones.

For our special section this issue, we decided to follow up on the invasion of privacy incident from last year when the student took inappropriate photos. The information for that case is now public and we wanted to

JAGWIRE OFFICE

5900 Monticello Road Shawnee, KS 66226 Phone: (913) 422-4351 Fax: (913) 422-4039 Email: jagwirenewspaper@gmail.com Adviser: Kathy Habiger khabiger@usd232.org JagWire, a monthly publication of Mill Valley High School, is printed by the Sedalia Democrat.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Kansas Scholastic Press Association National Scholastic Press Association Journalism Education Association The 2015 JagWire was named a Pacemaker winner and an All-American newspaper by the NSPA, and earned an All-Kansas rating from the KSPA. The Mill Valley News website was also named a Pacemaker finalist by the NSPA.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Twitter: @millvalleynews Facebook: Mill Valley News

Jagwire

mill valley high school

provide coverage on what happened and the policies regarding student privacy.

Along with that case, there is so much more to privacy in our day and age. A lot of what we think is private, really isn’t. Hopefully, our coverage will give students a better idea of what information is public and what invades privacy.

There was a lot of content that we wanted to cover in our first issue, which is why we’re starting with 24 pages instead of 16.

We want to continue to build our page count in future issues, complete with a wide range of interesting topics that impact the student body.

This first issue is a jumping-off point for this year’s staff. While we’re starting off a little rough, we’re ready for any challenges that are thrown at us. As we all begin this year working as a team of journalists, we will continue to learn and improve our newspaper with each one we publish.

EDITORs-IN-CHIEF Madison Ferguson Margaret Mellott Braden Shaw

managing editor Morgan Gurwell

copy editor Alison Booth

photo editor Victoria Wright

business manager Hunter Ristau

news editors Katya Gillig Annie Myers

Madison Ferguson

features/a&e editors Claire Boone Tricia Drumm

opinions editors Margaret Mellott

Nora Lucas Ally Nguyen

sports editors Braden Shaw

CENSORSHIP POLICY

Kansas Senate Bill 62 guarantees the same rights for student journalists as are guaranteed for professional journalists. These rights include, but are not limited to, all First Amendment rights, including the rights of freedom of speech and the press, insofar as published items may not contain libelous, slanderous or obscene statements, may not incite or promote illegal conduct and may not cause a substantial disruption to normal school activity.

EDITORIAL POLICY

We value your opinions. If you wish to submit a column or a letter to the editor for the JagWire, you can do so by handing it in to a member of the staff or to the print journalism room (C101). Additionally, you may email any member of the staff with opinions, as well as tweet us at @millvalleynews.

Anonymous content will not be accepted.

Please understand that we have the right to edit all copy that runs in this publication.

Anika Roy Jakob Twigg

social media editors Lexi Flipse Abby Layton

ILLUSTRATOR Avery Sheltra

REPORTERS & Photographers James Ball Carter Lawson Joe McClain Michael Sandri Marah Shulda Chris Sprenger

Design by braden shaw

staff information

03

Epipen Escalation

by MICHAEL SANDRI

reporter and photographer jagwire.michaelsandri@gmail.com

by JOE MCCLAIN

reporter and photographer jagwire.joemcclain@gmail.com

International drug company Mylan greatly increased the price of EpiPens, affecting people across the U.S.

T

he EpiPen sold for $100 in 2008, but in the past eight years the price has increased by more than 500 percent according to CNBC. This extreme rise in price has many people concerned. It has also yielded much criticism from politicians such as Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who has even gone as far as to call it “unjustified,” according to CNN. The price of a two pack of EpiPens is now over $600 according to New York Times. In Canada, the price has remained about $100, even though they are distributed by the same companyMylan.

This is a major problem for the nearly 43 million people who need an EpiPen to counter a life-threatening allergic reaction. Many people are unable to come up with $609 for an EpiPen pack that expires every 12 months, which is why a lot of people are now deciding to go without them.

Those who have an allergy with the possibility of producing a severe,

2016 February

March

April

May

June

May EpiPens typically

need to be replaced July one August after yearSeptember

Aug.

04

November

May

news

cism as the only consequence.

According to school nurse Heather Van Dyke, who is responsible for handling multiple students’ EpiPens, the price spike will be problematic because EpiPen purchasers and carriers will not deem the investment of an EpiPen necessary.

“If [they are] good at avoiding the food or the latex, to them, it’s not worth the cost,” Van Dyke said.

Junior Luke Guilford has a nut allergy and carries an EpiPen in both his backpack and his car. Guilford has had to dispense his EpiPen three times before due to exposure to nuts.

“The most recent time was the last SuperBowl,” Guilford said. “I ate an M&M cookie and it had peanuts in it.”

If his EpiPen were not available, he would have suffered from a very severe reaction because of his allergy. According to Guilford, the price increase doesn’t affect him personally, but it does affect his parents. The only reper-

fast facts 43

Statistics about EpiPen use in the U.S.

January

October

life-threatenening reaction are recommended to carry an EpiPen with them at all times. These allergies may include food, latex and insect stings and bites.

However, with prices being so high, this is no longer possible for everyone.

Social studies teacher Chris Dunback deals with numerous EpiPen owning students on the track team. He is aware of the cost increase but does not understand why Mylan has raised the price to $609.

“I don’t know if [the cost increase] is about trying to make excessive amounts or if the company is just trying to break even,” Dunback said.

Mylan has not yet provided a reason as to why the prices have risen so much, but they have offered a $300 coupon to reduce the cost by 50 percent. Mylan has a patent on the EpiPen and has no direct competition. Without there being any alternative way of getting an EpiPen, Mylan is free to increase the price however they choose with criti-

7,320,000 individual EpiPens are sold per year in the U.S.

Million people suffer from anafulaxis and require EpiPens to prevent an allerigic reaction

December

mill valley high school

Jagwire

cussion of the cost increase for him is the frequent complaints from his mom, who pays for the EpiPen. At Mill Valley, there are 72 students, including Guilford, with allergies that require an EpiPen in the case of a reaction, according to district health coordinator Tara Harmon-Moore. However, there are only 10 being held in the nurse’s office, two of them belonging to the school.

“Say you got stung by a bee and you

“If [they are] good at avoiding the food or latex, to them, it’s not worth it.”

SCHOOL NURSE HEATHER VAN DYKE didn’t know you were allergic to bees, because it’s the first time. Then, we’d have [an EpiPen] for you, because you didn’t have it.”

Although the price is high, Mill Valley maintains the yearly cost to have the two EpiPens available. If the cost increases at the same rate, Harmon-Moore will have to reconsider the medical spending to adapt to the economical situation.

Photo illustration by Chris Sprenger

Price climb

A quick look into the cost increasion over the past six years

800 700 $608.61

EjeNctor 0.3mg Pe)AIP uto-In E in ephr

(Epin

$608.61 EjeNctor 0.3mg Pe)AIP uto-In E in ephr

(Epin

Is the cost for every two pack of EpiPensN .3mg E r0 EPIPuto-Injecto

ine)A ephr (Epin

EN

EPIP

.3mg tor 0 -Injec o t u ine)A ephr (Epin

U.s. dollars

600 500

$461.00

400

$349.19

300 200

$218.98

$264.50

$164.98

100

05/2011 07/2012 07/2013 05/2014 05/2015 05/2016

dates Source: Wells Fargo

Sources: CNBC, IMS Health (Midas), Wells Fargo

Jagwire

mill valley high school

Design by margaret mellott and anika roy

news

05

Ap plu

against the nation Combined AP European and AP Chemistry test scores of Mill Valley versus the nation

52.5 %

of the nation’s students got a three or above on the tests

50 % of the mill valley’s students got a three or above on the tests RIGHT:While learning about force, junior Brady Watkins pushes a bowling ball with a broom during AP Physics on Wednesday, Sept. 14. Photo

by Nora Lucas

06

news

AP European History and AP Chemistry scores fail to meet the national average

L

ast year, student scores at the school for the AP European History and AP Chemistry exams dropped significantly. The 2015-2016 school year was the first year AP European History was taught at Mill Valley, and AP exam scores were low across the nation.

Conversely, AP Chemistry exam scores were consistently low throughout the school compared to past years.

As a result, both teachers have said they plan to improve and alter preparation curriculum for the exams.

According to College Board, AP scores range from one to five and are derived from tests to determine a student’s comprehension of the subject.

This ultimately determines whether college credit for the course will be permitted. For example, a five on the test suggests the student is extremely well qualified, a four means well qualified, a three qualified, a two possibly qualified and a one suggests no recommendation for college credit.

According to College Board’s AP Exam Score Distributions, in 2015, 62.3 percent of students who took the AP European History exam received a three or higher on the test nationwide. In comparison, in 2016, only 52.6 percent of those who took the exam received a three or higher. Out of the 40 students at Mill Valley who took the test, 50 percent received a three or higher.

The format of the AP European test was redesigned last year, and according to College Board, “adjustments to the language of historical thinking skills” were made.

Social Studies teacher Chris McAfee said the recent low scores can be partially credited to the format change of the exam. “[The format] was brand new and I don’t think a lot of people understood, myself included, everything,” McAfee said. “I think it was supposed to be a change to teach students how to analyze better and to think more like a historian instead of just memorizing facts.”

However, senior Emma Wilhoit said that the decline of exam scores will not have a large effect on her preparation

mill valley high school

Jagwire

ummet

by ALISON BOOTH

copy editor jagwire.alisonbooth@gmail.com

by ABBY LAYTON

social media editor jagwire.abbylayton@gmail.com

for the test.

“I don’t find it terribly daunting when I think about taking the test because I think that [McAfee] will learn how to improve curriculum for this year,” Wilhoit said.

McAfee said that the class would incorporate “more discussion and a lot more writing” in order to attempt to improve class exam scores.

Similarly, for AP Chemistry, science teacher Mary Beth Mattingly said the average AP score for a single test for the school did not reach above a three in 2016, which is noticeably lower than past years.

Mattingly said that she was disappointed in the scores, and plans to change curriculum in hopes of raising them.

“We had a rough year last year, some of the lowest scores I’ve seen,” Mattingly said. “I’m really trying to improve my end of it this year, with giving even more problems, more complicated problems and making sure they have … more homework.”

According to senior Meg Green, Mattingly should alter her preparation curriculum to reflect the curricula of other AP classes, such as AP Calculus.

“One thing that she could do … About six weeks before the [AP Calculus test] we started taking practice quizzes in the format of the AP test and we had an entire test that was in the format of the AP test,” Green said.

Although difficult, Wilhoit believes the knowledge she receives from taking AP classes is ultimately beneficial for future endeavors.

“I feel like it’s almost a higher quality of education just because you do get more information to pertain to the subject, which allows you to make more connections and have a deeper understanding of the subject,” Wilhoit said.

“Just being in a more rigorous course gives you some valuable experience for ... college.”

Jagwire

mill valley high school

ABOVE: While taking an AP Euro test, senior Meg Green and sophomore Josie Carey, focus on selecting the right answers. “I felt like I knew the material [on the test] very well,” Carey said. Photo by Marah Shulda

To Ap or not to AP Students discuss the benefits and drawbacks of taking AP classes

“You’re definitely going to grow from an AP course, whereas if you’re not challenged in an AP course, then you’re not going to grow.”

SENIOR EMMA WILHOIT

“The classes [at Mill Valley] are way harder than my old school. I feel like education without AP classes is good.”

SENIOR GABBY HOPKINS

Design by tricia drumm

news

07

Spotted

A series on our students and staff and what makes them unique

Around t h e World

Junior Zoltan Gothard encounters various cultures from living overseas

ABOVE: Alongside his friends, Maarten, Jens and his sister, Kelly, junior Zoltan Gothard poses for a photo in Belgium. Photo submitted by junior Zoltan Gothard

by KAtyA GILLIG

news editor jagwire.katyagillig@gmail.com

LEFT: Every day on the way to school, junior Zoltan Gothard passed Princen Castiel, a Belgian fort built in the 11th century. Photo submitted by junior Zoltan Gothard

F

or some, traveling to places as far as Europe is unimaginable, let alone moving there. For junior Zoltan “Zozo” Gothard, moving to different countries is not uncommon. Gothard has lived in Canada, Belgium and the U.S., and has experienced the cultures of all these countries. He now resides in the U.S. permanently.

Gothard, originally born in Canada, moved to Kansas. After living in Kansas for 12 years, he moved back to Mississauga, a suburb of Ontario, Canada.

While living in different countries, Gothard experienced different educational systems. Gothard attended a private school in Canada, and the curriculum is not as rigorous as it is in the United States. It is about a year behind classes in the U.S., according to Gothard.

Although the school in Canada was not as difficult as others, Gothard learned best there because of his teachers’ approach to learning.

“The teachers there are really focused on each individual student,” Gothard said. “They don’t think of it as a class.”

Despite cultural differences between the different countries, living in Mississauga was somewhat similar to living in Kansas, according to Gothard.

“It’s pretty much the same,” Gothard said. “The area I lived in was very suburban, like Johnson County.”

From Canada, Gothard moved to Grimbergen, located in central Belgium,

08

features

design by tricia drumm

for his freshman year of high school.

In Grimbergen, people mostly speak Dutch and French. According to Gothard, locals enjoyed being able to speak

“It gave me experiences that most other kids wouldn’t have.”

JUNIOR ZOLTAN GOTHARD other languages, and this made Belgium Gothard’s favorite place to live.

While living in Grimbergen, Gothard met local Jens Moens. Despite a language barrier, the two quickly became friends.

“My English is very bad, but I could understand him,” Moens said via email and Google Translate. “We only learn English from our teachers and from the internet … We never talked one lan-

guage; we always talked a mix between English and Dutch.”

In Belgium, according to Gothard, the school work is at a pretty high level.

“The school is very much you go to school [only to learn]” Gothard said.

“There’s no extracurriculars, and how they do schooling there is that you choose a path.”

Paths offered include science, economics, arts and Latin; Gothard chose science. He had to take both biology and chemistry in his freshman year.

According to Gothard, the freshman level classes are similar to a sophomore level class in an American high school, Gothard said.

Moens often noticed the many cultural differences between the U.S. and Belgium.

“I think it changed [Gothard’s] life,” Moens said. “We have another culture than in the U.S., so he learned new languages ... [and] different eating habits.”

Living in different cultures taught Gothard a lot and a unique perspective.

“It let me learn a lot how people act differently in different areas,” Gothard said. “It gave me experiences that most other kids wouldn’t have.”

mill valley high school

Jagwire

Students face common issues with the fragility of their phones

#Broken 66

24

10

Percent of students broke their phone by dropping it on the ground

Percent of students broke their phone by dropping it in water

Percent of students broke their phone in another way

by ANIKA ROY

sports editor jagwire.anikaroy@gmail.com

by CHRIS SPRENGER

reporter and photographer jagwire.chrissprenger@gmail.com

Cracked Stats

A student survey shows the quantity of broken phones = 20 students

Number of students who have broken their phone

Number of students who have not broken their phone

Survey of 200 students

Youdidi t

Students share personal experiences of how they broke their phone

“A teacher walked past me and hit my knee which flung my phone down the cement stairs and it cracked the bottom of my phone.

My parents were very upset.”

“[My phone] slipped out of my hand and perfectly landed in the toilet in somebody else’s pee. It took me a few seconds to realize what happened and then I quickly reached in [the toilet] and grabbed it.”

“It started pouring rain … So my shorts got drenched and then when I got home I turned on my phone and the phone kept calling my brother over and over and over again.”

SOPHOMORE DELANEY KEMP

SOPHOMORE ADELLE WARFORD

FRESHMAN CAHILL ECKARDT

Jagwire

mill valley high school

Design by alison booth and jakob twigg

features

09

Serving Mill Valley fans since 2000 11222 Johnson Drive Phone: (913)-268-0069 Shawnee, Kansas 66203 Fax:(913)-962-0803

www.heartlandseating.com

10

ads

Design by hunter ristau

mill valley high school

Jagwire

What’s your Photo Maze?

Photos become more difficult to keep private causing expectations to change

Jagwire

mill valley high school

special section

11

A

recent criminal investigation involving a male student taking inappropriate and illegal photos of female students while at school has raised questions about student privacy in the digital age.

The male student, who no longer attends the school, was reported in May 2016 after taking several inappropriate photos and videos of female students from Friday, Feb. 5 through Monday, May 2. The photos were taken in the school, during the school day.

The male student took pictures of private areas, which, according to Kansas law, indicates a violation of privacy, even though the pictures were taken in a public place. This violated Kansas Statute 21-6101 subsection six, which states that using a camera to take photos or videos of others with an intent to view the body or undergarments without consent is illegal, and classified as a level eight person felony.

A senior girl, who wishes to remain anonymous because she doesn’t want to be associated with the case, said she saw the male student “holding his phone up under a girl’s skirt … walking up the stairs.”

The student was charged with 11 counts of breach of privacy and was charged with juvenile diversion. Ac-

“[Privacy is] a broad term. Everybody looks at privacy a little bit different.”

STUDENT RESOURCE OFFICER MO LORIDON cording to the Johnson County District Court, juvenile diversion is “a program for juveniles with no prior offenses who commit less serious offenses and are therefore given a “second chance.”

Student resource officer Mo Loridon declined to comment regarding specifics of the case.

The issue of privacy is not confined to only this case; privacy is an open-ended subject that pertains to several people and aspects of technology.

THE LAW

According to state law, a “private place” refers to “a place where one may reasonably expect to be safe from uninvited intrusion or surveillance.”

The violations of privacy range across a broad spectrum, from personal privacy to technological privacy, according to Loridon. “[Privacy is] a broad term. Everybody looks at privacy a little bit different,”

12

special section

my eyes only

Expectations of privacy differ among students

by ALISON BOOTH

copy editor jagwire.alisonbooth@gmail.com

by BRADEN SHAW

editor-in-chief jagwire.bradenshaw@gmail.com

Loridon said. “Privacy can be space, like if you’re too close to someone. Privacy can be touching someone when they don’t want to be touched. Privacy can mean lots of different things, like listening into conversations.”

Loridon said that legal lines are sometimes blurred because privacy depends on a specific person’s expectation and definition of privacy, which may differ among victims and situations.

“You have to have an expectation of privacy with your own [personal values],” Loridon said. “You shouldn’t have an expectation of privacy in C-hall, for example, there’s other people in there.

But, you should expect privacy in bathrooms or other places you would expect to have privacy.”

Sophomore Lauren Rothgeb said that she isn’t knowledgeable regarding Kansas privacy laws, but thinks she and high school students should be.

“I wouldn’t say I know that much [about privacy laws],” Rothgeb said. “I should know more, but I haven’t put that much thought into it before.”

TECHNOLOGY A study conducted by the Pew Re-

search Center showed that 92 percent of American teens report using the internet at least once daily, while 71 percent use at least two social media networks.

According to junior Lilly Blecha, privacy should be expected on the internet when someone indicates that they want privacy, such as in instances where people make social media profiles private.

“The internet isn’t a very private place in general so if I’m going to post something online then I have to expect that it’s going to be out there [for everyone to see],” Blecha said. “I like to control who can see my [personal posts].”

While there is an expectation of privacy in the instance of social media, it isn’t always met by everyone, as was the case of an anonymous junior girl.

The girl student consciously sent a partially-nude photo of herself to another male student over Snapchat, intending for the picture to disappear after three seconds. Instead, however, the male student screenshotted the photo.

“I expected [privacy] because I trust the person I sent [the picture] to,” she said. “I think that any time, at least in my instance, that you send [an inappro-

mill valley high school

Jagwire

Social standards A quick rundown of the privacy policies on social media

TWITTER - Other users can share personal things without permission - Privacy settings are changable to control who can view the profile

INSTAGRAM Photo illustration by Victoria Wright

priate] picture then you expect privacy because if you were meaning for it to be for more than one person, you would send it to more than one person.”

The anonymous junior girl said if the male student shared the photo, she believes her privacy would be violated.

“I would be petrified [if anyone found out], because it’s not something I’m proud of, and I wish I’d never done it,” she said. “If someone found out that about me I wouldn’t want that to shape the way they think about me.”

If the male student shared the photo, he would be violating subsection two of Kansas Statute 21-6101. This section states that divulging the contents of an inappropriate message without the consent of the sender is illegal, and classified as a Class A nonperson misdemeanor.

According to Loridon, teens should be aware of posts to social media networks because of “future implications” of questionable posts.

“If you’re a senior and you’re saying stupid things on social media, then your colleges will see that,” Loridon said. “Colleges and jobs check social media. That’s a big thing for me — not just invading

Jagwire

mill valley high school

privacy, but also putting your privacy out there for everybody to see.”

PREVENTION This issue of privacy impacts a wider range of students further than Mill Valley, according to Loridon.

“This is a problem with every single school,” Loridon said. “They have problems with this in middle school. Now they’re having problems with this in elementary schools, because people are giving their kids phones in second or third grade who are on social media. It’s not just at Mill Valley; I have friends who are SROs at other schools and they have the same problems we do.”

If one witnesses or is victim to a breach of privacy, contact Loridon.

Ultimately, Blecha said that students should be informed of laws and policies relating to privacy.

“Everybody should have awareness on privacy and how to make things private when they want it to be,” Blecha said. “We’re just a bunch of high school kids, and we’re kind of dumb with our social media, so we should know privacy and understand it.”

- Will store and keep personal information on databases - Will not rent or sell any of your information without consent

SNAPCHAT - Automatically downloads contacts so it’s easier to find people - If required, can use personal information and disclose it in any legal situation

Design by tricia drumm

special section

13

drawingtheline STA RT

A flow chart explanation of when to expect privacy

NO

NO

are they Taking a Picture OR video of someone Wthout consent?

is it In a public place, such as a hallway or classroom?

are they Listening into another conversation in a Public Place?

YES

YES

NO

are they Sharing information with a friend or Classmate?

is The picture being taken deliberately underneath clothing?

it is in a bathroom or Locker room/Private Area?

YES

YES

has the picture is shared with numerous people?

Not a violation

Report the incident to Officer Mo

what is the

NO

law?

A breakdown on popular belief vs. the law

myth

myth

If your picture is taken at your place of work without permission, your boss or manager can do something about it

Private conversations remain private, even in public places

law

If it’s in a public place, then it’s never private, even if it’s in hushed tones

14

special section

law

Since your place of employment is public place, there is nothing your manager can do

mill valley high school

Jagwire

epipens should be more Staff affordable editorial

The JagWire gives its opinion on a topic covered in this issue

The federal government should investigate inflated costs of the life-saving drug, epinephrine, to allow equal access

E

piPens, an injectable emergency medicine for allergic reactions, are a necessity for people living with severe allergies. This device have been around since the 1980s, but over the last few years has grown exponentially more expensive. Several senators have asked the federal government to review prices of EpiPens, proposing legislation to make them more affordable for the 43 million Americans that need them, according to CNBC. The unreasonable increase of the price of EpiPens should be investigated by the federal government, which will hopefully lower the cost and therefore give people equal access to the device.

According to CNBC, of the last four years, the cost of a two pack of EpiPens has increased about 264 percent, from $165 to over $600. Comparatively, in Europe today, EpiPens cost a mere $100 to $150. Anyone who depends on EpiPens to protect themselves from anaphylaxis, a fatal allergic reaction, deserves the same opportunity to afford them.

Those who cannot afford EpiPens can apply for an EpiPen Savings Card, which reduces up to $300 off a two pack, according to its website. To obtain this savings card, however, you must

have non-federally funded health insurance, excluding Medicare and those covered under the Affordable Healthcare Act. EpiPen producer Mylan Pharmaceuticals is facing public criticism, and CEO

“Mylan profits about $137 per pen.”

CEO HEATHER BRESCH Heather Bresch agrees that prices are shockingly high. According to CNBC, Bresch estimated the company profits about $137 per pen, proving that prices could be reduced and still support production.

This is not just a random kink in the economics of the pharmaceutical industry. Over the course of the past few years, prices for hundreds of other drugs have risen exponentially as well. Heart medication such as Isuprel increased its prices by 525 percent overnight after a buyout from Valeant Phar-

maceuticals International, according to the New York Times. These companies have established a niche market and are able to control prices with little interference from competitors.

The problem seems to lie in the corporate management of drug companies themselves. We are just high school students, and though none of us have any degrees in economics, we recognize the injustice of these inflated prices and ask for action to be taken. Students here in particular rely on EpiPens as a matter of life or death. Without them, an allergic reaction could be fatal. It sounds cliché, but writing in to our congressman Kevin Yoder could help support the lives of students at our own school.

We care about the lives of our classmates and think everyone should be able to afford a life-saving device such as an EpiPen. Surviving an allergic reaction should not be a luxury, and it should not cost a family a fortune. The federal government should propose legislation about the increased price of EpiPens, as well as other pharmaceutical drugs, to better support a nation of families desperately seeking emergency medicine.

jagwire staff vote Agree

24

Disagree

0

Jagwire

mill valley high school

Design by Lexi Flipse and nora lucas

opinion

15

posivity is a spectrum, time to experience both sides Stay positive and surround yourself with people who support you is essential to being a happy person

by CLAIRE BOONE

A&E editor jagwire.claireboone@gmail.com

W

ith the school year starting again, negativity tends to be flooding the halls. Not because the people are particularly negative, but because all the stress of school, work, sports and various other activities, seems to be building up. Thankfully, I have recently become accustomed to the positive lifestyle and I have ideas that might help you.

Our mood is typically affected by the environment we put ourselves in. If I were to start all of my mornings by running late, I am more than likely going to be remotely bitter for the rest of the

day. Whereas, if I start my day by being timely, then I am more likely to have a positive attitude throughout the day.

The major thing that affects our environment is the people who we surround ourselves with. Some of us like to be around loud people, others of us prefer quiet friends. Some enjoy having crazy friends, others of us prefer the more calm type. No matter the kinds of friends you prefer, your main priority in friends should be having ones that have a positive outlook on life. If you have friends that are positive and lift you up, then you are succeeding. If you have friends that are not positive and don’t lift you up, then you are not succeeding as well. If your friends are negative, you have the glorious opportunity to be the positive one.

Being the positive one can be a bit draining, but is extremely rewarding.

You will get to see your friends’ everyday lives transform into more positive experiences. I am fortunate to have been able to be the one receiving the positivity as well as providing it. Both of those opportunities were amazing, and I am grateful to have been able to be a part of them. I hope you, too, get to experience both sides of the spectrum.

thanks to my job at price chopper My summer job gave me hands-on skills beyond sacking with pride

by NORA LUCAS

opinions editor jagwire.noralucas@gmail.com

L

ast spring, my mother gave me the daunting, long-awaited task of any 16-year-old: get a summer job. I was pretty enthusiastic about the matter, considering I would be rolling in bank come August, so I agreed. I didn’t really want to spend a long time thinking about the endeavor, so I applied online to our very own Price Chopper just down the road. After a couple awkward phone calls and interviews, I got the job as a sacker and started in April.

The job itself was pretty standard.

16

opinion

Most of my tasks included sacking, cleaning, corralling carts and doing price checks, along with the occasional odd job here and there. You could find me at the end of the register with a red bowtie and a yawn on my face. I met all different types of people, from the Yale women’s track team to the suburban wine moms who enlightened me on the perfect sangria. Every single shift was a new experience. The people I met made me laugh, but they also helped me cultivate my customer service skills. Talking to people became my favorite part and sometimes I even got tipped for it.

While talking is my strong suit, I’m not going to deny anything — I’m a nerd. I play chemistry trivia in my free time, spend my weekends binge watching “The Men Who Built America,” not to mention I tripped over a hurdle in 7th grade track. What was I doing trying to lift a 20 lb propane tank out of

a cage? Why was I speed racing heavy grocery bags to someone’s car? The answer is that I had never experienced anything like it. Somehow, pushing 10 carts in the pouring rain became an actual accomplishment, instead of just a muscle monster’s waste of time. And while I’ll probably never take Strength and Conditioning, I appreciated sculpting out my calves.

Alas, the job wasn’t perfect. There were slackers and rude customers. Some of my coworkers got on my last nerve, but that can happen at any job. There will always be people complaining about expired coupons, but you have to learn to live with it and move on. All in all, I had fun, made money and learned a lot. A summer job is not going to be the best experience of your life, but it is worthwhile. Thank you, Price Chopper, for opening my eyes to the real world. I truly did sack with pride.

mill valley high school

Jagwire

enough with political correctness People should learn to be less offended by content that is accurate

BY VICTORIA WRIGHT

photography editor jagwire.victoriawright@gmail.com

B

rad Paisley once wrote a song called “Kung Pao Buckaroo Holiday” with the intent to make fun of political correctness. Throughout the song, the Kung Pao Buckaroos were trying to sing traditional Christmas songs, but would get censored whenever they said a word such as “Christmas,” “white,” or even “little.”

As humorous as it is, this song represents how, nowadays, people get so offended by the slightest things. Society has taught people that certain words are

racist or not OK to use. This is caused by something called political correctness: the idea that some words are taboo.

However, there is difference between censoring actual offensive content and being overly politically correct.

This is illustrated by Starbucks and their red cup controversy.

Every year since 1997, Starbucks has released a red cup with winter designs to signify the holiday season that is coming up. In 2015, Starbucks put out its cup that was just plain red. Almost immediately the coffee chain received backlash from their customers who called it a “war on Christmas.” Starbucks did not need to wipe away an almost 20 year tradition of designs because they feared they would offend someone. As Thomas Bertram Lance once said, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That’s the trouble: fixing things that aren’t broken and

not fixing things that are broken.”

Another example of being overly politically correct was during the Olympics.

After Jennifer Able, a black Canadian diver, won a gold medal the announcers called her an African-American. First of all, “black” should not be an offensive term — it’s just a race and people need to realize that. Secondly, the swimmer is Canadian, not American, so referring to her as African-American does not make sense.

Society needs to learn how to be less offended by little things. Something like cussing doesn’t phase a lot of people, but calling someone a radical Islamic terrorist — when they are indeed a terrorist — sends people into an uproar. Everyone just needs to understand that something should only be offensive when it is said to intentionally hurt someone, not when it is a fact.

hateful attacks ruin the Internet Being nice to one another can solve our generation’s biggest issue

BY ALLY NGUYEN

opinions editor jagwire.allynguyen@gmail.com

I

am an avid user of the Internet and I am on social media at least twice a day.

I consider the Internet a necessity to my daily life, whether it be school related or just a place for me to view enjoyable content. But, I’ve recently noticed a change in the attitude and mood of Internet users and the online world in general.

People have always been rude on the Internet, but now Internet hate is becoming increasingly normal. I’ve seen an article on Twitter about former feminist blogger, Jessica Valenti, deleting her blog because Internet trolls threatened her daughter’s safety. I’ve also opened Instagram to find racist and sexist comments plastered across the photos of actress Leslie Jones.

Even the children of celebrities can be the victim of Internet hate. They are constantly having their actions, outfits

Jagwire

mill valley high school

and facial expressions overanalyzed. It seems like any tweets, Instagram posts, Snapchats or Youtube videos are met with a constant hateful nature. This becomes especially true if you have a large follower count or you post about something controversial.

Internet users may think that celebrities or those who open themselves up to the public don’t read these comments, but that doesn’t mean that it’s OK to post them. Not only does it affect

We, as youth, can stop Internet hate.

ALLY NGUYEN the actual owner of the account, but also other Internet users who may be viewing these rude and unnecessary comments.

Of course I’m not saying that you should always keep comments to yourself; sometimes people need criticism to improve, but please give criticism constructively. The growing problem

in today’s society is that many people don’t know or refuse to acknowledge the difference between criticism and constructive criticism.

Saying that someone is ignorant or dumb for their opinion isn’t helpful and won’t make them spontaneously change their mind. Acknowledging their points and explaining to them why their opinion is wrong, respectfully, might be able to help them grow mentally and shape their mind. The omnipresent culture of hatefulness on the Internet makes the online world less enjoyable for many people, including myself.

Even though Internet hate has the potential to last for a very long time, we, as the youth who impact and shape society, can stop the spread and normality of it. If you’re not sure what you can do, here are some guidelines. First of all, leave your snarky opinions and comments to yourself. If you feel like your opinion is necessary, you can communicate it in a kind and respectful manner.

Also, remember to not say anything on the Internet that you wouldn’t say to someone face to face. As a new generation, we have the power to stop hate culture on the Internet, and we can achieve this by not spreading negative comments ourselves.

Design by nora lucas

opinion

17

Out of the Game Due to severe injuries, student athletes are unable to compete

M

any athletes consider not playing their sport to be a negative thing. Imagine being permanently benched and it’s not because of lack of skill or effort.

For some student athletes, his or her last game comes before they are ready due to an injury. Some are just out for a season, such as sophomore Henry Lopez, but others have to quit the sport for good.

Last season, Lopez underwent anterior cruciate ligament repair surgery.

He hoped to be back on the field this season, but the discovery of another injury prevented his return.

“After a little more kinks and not feeling 100 percent, we went back to check and found out I had a torn meniscus, which brought me out for this season,” Lopez said.

Although he currently has a recovery time of three to six months, Lopez anticipates returning next year. Due to this, he has lessened the amount of time he spends at practice this season.

“I went to the practices and [managed], so I helped out … I didn’t completely stop going,” Lopez said. ”I just stopped going as often because I’m going to wait until next year.”

In contrast, not all athletes are able to return to their sport after an injury.

After his fifth total concussion last October, three of which were during his high school football career, senior Tristan Milne’s neurologist told him it was “not a good idea to play anymore.”

According to Milne, the hardest part of the process was coping with the dis-

HEads Up

appointing news in the beginning. “[I did not handle it] very well at first,” Milne said. “I was mad, but as time went on, it kind of faded away.”

Similarily, multiple concussions took sophomore Makayla King out of her sport. Her doctor advised her to stop playing soccer after her fourth concussion. The information devastated her.

“Mainly, [I miss] my friends that I played with and just the sport in general,” King said.

Although athletic trainer Clint McAlister rarely sees injuries that permanently take athletes out, he does see the hardship that students face when this does happen. His best advice is to find a new activity to devote time to.

“Stay passionate about things you do. Find something that you can do and can be involved in, even if it’s not contact sports,” McAlister said. “Look into coaching … just something where you can still stay involved. It helps ease the blow.”

Fortunately for King, her inability to play soccer led to a newly discovered passion.

“I researched a lot of things to see if I could actually go back and play. After I figured out that I couldn’t play anymore, I tried a new sport … Now, I like track,” King said.

Although the experience of not being able to play a sport after years of dedication is disheartening, McAlister hopes the affected athletes cope in a practical manner.

“I just hope they all realize that there is more to life than just sports. I know it is a life changing event when you’ve been playing sports all your life and you no longer can play,” Clint said. “Everyone reaches that point, some just reach

Nov. 14, 2014 Milne’s second concussion, in middle school again.

sports

design by braden shaw

by ALLY NGUYEn

opinions editor jagwire.allynguyen@gmail.com

ABOVE: While playing the position of running back, senior Tristan Milne carries the ball during the Homecoming game on Sept.

18th, 2015. Photo by Victoria Wright BELOW: While playing goalie, sophomore Makayla King dives to save a ball in a club game. Photo submitted by Makayla King

Milne’s third concussion, this time in high school. Sept. 5, 2015

Sept. 13, 2012

18

managing editor jagwire.morgangurwell@gmail.com

Senior Tristan Milne suffered five concussions, the last officially ending his football career

Milne’s first concussion while in middle school.

Dec. 28, 2010

by MORGAN GURWELL

Milne’s fourth concussion, happening three days before a game against St. Thomas Aquinas.

Milne’s fifth concussion, happening in a game against St. James.

OCt. 16, 2015

mill valley high school

Jagwire

O v e rT i m An in si covera de lo ok and ge on this se additonal and ath ason’s sport s letes

PEANUT BUTTER e SANDWICH TIME Coach Joel Applebee reflects on the growth of the peanut butter sandwiches for the football players

PEANUT BUTTER

“I think they bring in typically 14 loaves of bread and 5 or 6 jars of peanut butter [a week].”

“Our kids burn so many calories throughout the day [by working out] and we want to replace those calories as quickly as possible.”

DO YOU KNOW the ekl?

Students identify which mascot goes with an Eastern Kansas League team

Gardner-Edgerton: TRAILBLAZERS St. James Academy: THUNDER Blue Valley: TIGERS Blue Valley North: MUSTANGS Blue Valley Northwest: HUSKIES Blue Valley West: JAGUARS Blue Valley Southwest: TIMBERWOLVES St. Thomas Aquinas: SAINTS Bishop Miege: STAGS Mill Valley: JAGUARS

HOW MANY DID YOU GET CORRECT?

1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10

21%

Q&a with

junior bella hadden Junior Bella Hadden shares how she succeeds in two sports

by KAtyA GILLIG

news editor jagwire.katyagillig@gmail.com

JagWire: How do you balance

playing golf and running cross country at the same time?

Bella Hadden: I have to be really

efficient with my time. The head coaches for each sport get together at the beginning of every week and they make a schedule of what organized practice I’m going to go to each day. Then if I go to golf practice I run in the morning and if I run after school with the team, then I’ll golf afterwards.

jw: How is the team dynamic different in each sport?

17% 20% 17%

BH: The cross country team is it’s

a big team atmosphere. Everybody’s in pretty different positions though so we’re really supportive of each other. The golf team we play together a lot and we talk a lot more throughout practice and stuff so we get to know each other really well.

jw: Which activity is the biggest time commitment?

BH: I would say golf, competition

25%

wise, because a golf tournament can take up 8 hours of your day.

Survey of 200 students

Jagwire

mill valley high school

Design by claire boone sports

19

Behind the scenes

An inside look on jobs and activities in our community

by James Ball

reporter and photographer jagwire.jamesball@gmail.com

keeping mv clean

JagWire reporters learn what it takes to be a part of the custodial staff

by JOE MCCLAIN

reporter and photographer jagwire.joemcclain@gmail.com

Bathrooms: Due to recent high water pressure, the toilets have been leaking water. First, the water flow must be stopped by cutting off the water to the toilets. With that much water on the floor, a special water vacuum is pulled across the floor and hence the water is eliminated. When water pressure is normal and there isn’t water to be removed, janitors clean the bathrooms with multiple chemicals and disinfectants to ensure the bathroom is sanitary. jagwire overview: The water vacuum makes cleaning up water easy. Our strategy was to have one person hold the stall door open while the other vacuumed. Once the puddle was gone, we switched roles and moved on to the next one.

20

a&e

mill valley high school

Jagwire

cafeteria: After all four lunches have concluded, the staff is hard at work to get the lunchroom clean quickly. After the floors have been swept, tables washed, and chairs pushed in, the floor is scrubbed down using a zamboni-like piece of equipment called the scrubber. The whole cafeteria takes about 30 minutes to clean using the scrubber, which uses orbital pads at the bottom to pick up dirt. Once students are dismissed, the staff goes back to mop the tighter spaces in the kitchen where the scrubber can’t get to. jagwire overview: Mopping is quite the arm workout and it takes awhile. The scrubber on the other hand is fun to use and surprisingly efficient. The only drawbacks are the side wheels, which have the possibility of catching on a chair and taking out the whole row.

on the scrubber An inside scoop on what the custodial staff uses to wash floors

Orbital pads spin to remove dirt, while water is released and then vacuumed up with residue

Used three to four times daily for cleaning up spills, puddles and the floor

The current scrubber at Mill Valley is two years old

Jagwire

mill valley high school

It runs on four car batteries, totaling 50.4 volts

Design by madison ferguson and carter lawson

a&E

21

pokemon n

Hit mobile app “Pokemon Go” faces decrease in popularity

by LEXI FLIPSE

social media editor jagwire.lexiflipse@gmail.com

A

s sophomore Ryan William’s friend drives through town, Williams sits in the passenger seat with both his phone and the driver’s in his hands.

While moving through the streets, he throws Pokeballs at Pokemon as they pop up in the road, hoping to catch enough to level up. For many Pokemon Go fans, this is how the last few weeks of summer vacation were spent.

On Wednesday, July 6, Niantic, a software company based in California, released the greatly anticipated mobile app Pokemon Go. When first released, the game was a sensation among all age groups. Fans around the world were obsessed with the new app, and for many, the game brought back fond memories of the original Pokemon games. However, now that the excitement of the game has worn off, many players have retired their Pokemon and deleted the app.

Among these players that have given up Pokemon-hunting is junior Caroline Gambill.

“I think now that the craze is over people are kind of realizing that it’s not that cool,” Gambill said. “It’s kind of a waste of time in my opinion, and I think that other people see that and think the same.”

Senior Joey Pentola still enjoys playing the game on occasion, but understands why some players would want to give it up completely.

“I think people were really excited in the beginning just because it was a new Pokemon game,” Pentola said. “Once they actually realized its flaws and how it wasn’t what they expected, it started dying out.”

Pentola contends that these many flaws have contributed to its rapid decline in popularity.

“It used to glitch out a lot. It got a lit-

22

a&e

design by james ball and claire boone

ABOVE: With Pokemon Go app open, senior Joey Pentola drives beside junior Caroline Gambill. Gambill believes the game is “kind of a waste of time,” especially because her friends no longer play it. Photo by Annie Myers

tle better, but you’d have to relog in every five minutes,” Pentola said. “[Also], the tracking system for hatching eggs was terrible.”

Junior Devin Mendenhall was also deterred by Niantic game developer’s lack of effort to improve the game. “[I stopped playing because] they were kind of slowing down on updates on the app store,” Mendenhall said.

“They just didn’t really add what anyone wanted for a while.”

However, these fans that have strayed may have incentive to return to the game with the new Pokemon Go Plus. Along with this addition, a Buddy System was recently implemented for the mobile app. This system allows players to choose a Pokemon to be their buddy in the game.

Mendenhall thinks that new additions such as Pokemon Go Plus will once again boost the game’s user count.

“Once they start adding things that the people want, it will eventually become more popular,” Mendenhall said.

The release of Pokemon Go Plus could potentially draw some players back to the game. For many players, however, it may be too late to re-engage. This is because many players have deleted their accounts, forgotten their username or passwords or simply don’t have time to play anymore.

“My phone updated the app, and I got locked out of my account,” said Gambill.

“Since then, I realized I don’t need to be playing it that often, so I stopped.”

Like Gambill and many other players, Williams realized early on that the game was losing momentum and decided to quit.

“The buzz died and no one wanted to play anymore,” said Williams. “It had its five seconds of fame.”

What’s your Starter?

Students share what starter Pokemon they chose for their account

15% 17%

44%

23%

mill valley high school

Jagwire

farmers marketfrenzy A review of produce, products and overall setting of local farmers markets in the Kansas City area

by ABBY LAYTON

social media editor jagwire.abbylayton@gmail.com

City market 20 E 5th St. #201, Kansas City, Missouri

by MICHAEL SANDRI

reporter and photographer jagwire.michaelsandri@gmail.com

At a glance

A rating system out of five for environment and product variety

Shawnee market 11110 Johnson Dr.

T

he City Market is a loud and boisterous place, with vendors of all different ages, backgrounds and cultures.

It’s bordered by permanent shops and restaurants. Their products are very miscellaneous and range from flowers to clothes to little brunch stops. There is a spice stand, a flea market and of course, the produce section. The produce section is so large that customers would think they are stepping into an organic grocery store. There is an entire row dedicated to spices of every kind, and in the middle of it all is a stand that makes tea and smoothies. This stand sells a wide variety of tea leaf and

smoothie flavors. All of the drinks are handmade right in front of the customers and the ingredients are fresh. This makes for some really tasty drinks and smoothies.

Almost everything is overpriced, like the smoothies and guacamole, but it is also fresh and natural, so that made up for the abnormally high prices. Fortunately, there are a lot of places to grab a bite to eat, since a trip to the City Market could easily last all day. Many local musicians play for customers and some people stop to listen to their work. The combination of the music, the people and the sensory overload creates an atmosphere perfect for spending a day in the sun.

The overall setup is very organized, and the whole place is kept neat and tidy. The best part of the City Market is the diversity of the vendors. This is something the other two markets do not have and its location creates a variety of people who shop there.

Overland park market

F

or someone who is looking for a less crowded place to get their produce, the Shawnee Market is for you. The Shawnee Market has a smaller amount of stands and organic food, but is the best when it comes to finding unique items and extremely friendly people.

There are numerous vendors who sell everything from crocheted purses to habanero-flavored jelly. However, when shopping at a farmers market, one is most likely looking to buy fruits and vegetables, and very few can be found. It’s unfortunate to go to a place that is known for fresh produce and to not have it be easily accessible. The Shawnee Market is a fun place to go because of the atmosphere, but it isn’t the greatest farmers market due to the lack of produce options.

Jagwire

mill valley high school

64106 7950 Marty St.

T

he Overland Park Market is the perfect balance between the City Market and Shawnee Market. There is a good amount of people, but nowhere near as many as the City Market. This market has many interesting attractions. There are numerous jewelers, bakers, and clothing producers, but the main attraction comes from the farmers who grow the biggest fruit around.

Although the fruit was big, the inventory was not nearly as large as it was at the City Market. So, if you can get there early enough, the Overland Park Market would be a great choice for a place to buy fruit.

design by morgan gurwell

a&e

23

Marching J

a

g

u

a

r

Band members prepare during practice and partake in various performances

s

LEFT: At practice on Friday, Sept. 9, junior Marissa Olin focuses. Photo

by Hunter Ristau BELOW: Performing at the football game on Friday, Sept.

19, junior Isaac Knapp plays his marching baritone. “I do a lot of [fun] activities with the band.” Knapp said. Photo by Victoria Wright

ABOVE: Drum major, senior Kasey Meeks (middle) leads the band in the Homecoming parade on Wednesday, Sept. 14. “[I] help set ... show formations, direct songs, marching and music,” Meeks said. Photo by Victoria Wright RIGHT: In her last Homecoming show on Friday, Sept. 16, senior Meghan Clark reads her music. “I will miss knowing … you’ve done the best you can,” Clark said.

Photo by Margaret Mellott

ABOVE: In the Homecoming parade on Wednesday, Sept. 14, junior Mary Kate Stoneburner marches in formation. “[I enjoy] being surrounded by people who appreciate music as much as I do” Stoneburner said. Photo by Victoria Wright

24

photo essay

design by victoria wright

mill valley high school

Jagwire