JagWire Newspaper Issue 6 Volume 15

jw J AGWIRE

MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL • VOLUME 15 ISSUE 6 • MARCH 11, 2015 • MVNEWS.ORG

HAVE YOU SEEN THE NEWS? methods of getting news differ between students pages 10-11

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NEWS board controversy

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7

FEATURE music producers

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12-13

SPORTS league change

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16

A&E spring break

2 NEWS home-school activities

MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL • JAGWIRE

NEW LEGISLATIVE BILL CREATES Bill in the legislature would allow home-schooled students to participate in all KSHSAA activities

BY CLAIRE BILES

reporter/photographer jagwire.clairebiles@gmail.com

BY SAM LOPEZ

reporter jagwire.samlopez@gmail.com A bill that recently moved to the state House of Representatives would allow home-schooled students to participate in all Kansas State High School Activities Association activities.

The bill, SB 60 was introduced by the Committee on Federal and State Affairs to the state Senate on Thursday, Jan. 22. It was then referred to the Committee of Education to be revised on Friday, Jan. 23.

If the bill is passed, homeschooled students must follow guidelines set in place by the bill in order to participate in KSHSAA activities. These guidelines state students must be immunized, comply with the academic requirements set by the school where they play, follow KSHAA’s age and eligibility requirements, have liability insurance and be a resident of the school district where they play.

The Committee on Education has since passed a substitute bill that changed the original regulations of SB 60. The new bill passed the Senate 30-9 and reached the state House of Representatives on Wednesday, March 4.

KSHSAA executive director Gary Musselman said KSHSAA is against the bill because of the pride that comes with going to a public or private school.

“If anybody can just walk in the door and [participate] the privilege means very little,” Musselman said to The Wichita Eagle. “It diminishes the value of what it means to wear that uniform for East High or wherever, to earn your place on that team.”

Hurting school pride may not be the only issue on the line. Determining how academically eligible a student is could pose a problem for high schools if the bill passes.

“We make sure [students are] in line with KSHSAA. We’re very aware of the courses that those students are taking because they’re taking them at our school,” activities director David Ewers said. “The home schooling, we’re not quite sure. We can’t without a doubt know what’s going on there [scholastically].”

However, home-schooled senior Alex Goertz, who plays on Metro Academy, a home-school basketball team, supports the bill because of equality and proximity.

“I’m for it personally because I think there should be equal opportunity for everyone,” Goertz said.

“I live in Lawrence, but my homeschool team is in Kansas City, so I have to drive to Kansas City every day for practice and, if I were to play

with a high school, that’s three minutes away from my house.”

Football coach Michael Strack agrees with Goertz’s claim. With this, he wants KSHSAA to hold home-schooled students to the same standard as public and private school students.

“I am supportive of home-school kids having an opportunity to be involved,” Strack said. “I just hope the state would find way to make sure they would police it the same way they do public school kids.”

Although junior quiz bowl member Ryan Schwaab isn’t opposed to SB 60 either, he said having homeschooled participants on a public school team would mess with the team’s chemistry.

“I think that it would actually decrease morale,” Schwaab said. “I think that it would be better if all the kids were from the same school because they know each other, because they’re friends.”

According to Ewers, if the bill does pass, the activities department will have to learn how to regulate home-schooled students who want to compete in school activities.

“We may have to make a decision on how we address it and how we move forward or how we handle those kids that want to participate,” Ewers said. “It has nothing to do with being against kids, it’s just protecting the sanctity of what [KSHSAA] is about.”

ABOVE: The KC East Lions and the Metro Academy Mavericks compete in the National Christian Home-school Championship Heartland Regional Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 28. The NCHC offers sports tournaments for home-schooled students who can’t participate in public school sports teams. Photo by Clayton Kistner

BY THE DATES Timeline of SB 60 Thursday, Jan. 22 SB 60 is introduced and received by state Senate

Wednesday, Feb. 25 The Committee on Education recommends a substitute bill

Friday, Jan. 23 The bill moves to the Senate Committee on Education Design by Madison Ferguson and Raven Hodges

Wednesday, March 4 The House of Representatives receives the substitute bill

Thursday, Feb. 26 The Senate passes the substitute bill 30-9

Wednesday, March 4 The substitue bill was referred to the House Committee on Education

board controversy NEWS

MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL • JAGWIRE

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BOARD MEMBER ASKED TO RESIGN District residents believe Board of Education member Scott Hancock has violated multiple Board policies

“While there are a lot of allegations going around, ... I’m not going to say that they’re true or untrue,” Handy said.

RIGHT: District resident Pete Panagakis speaks to the Board of Education in front of a large crowd who attended the Board meeting on Monday, March 9. “You guys need to be holding each other accountable,” Panagakis said to the Board.

“If [leaders are] not doing their job, then they need to answer why.” Photo by Clayton Kistner

BY JUSTIN CURTO

managing editor jagwire.justincurto@gmail.com Multiple district residents have called for Board of Education member Scott Hancock’s resignation in recent weeks, alleging he violated Board policies and, in doing so, caused the recent resignations of superintendent Dr. Doug Sumner and director of teaching and learning Dr. Jessica Dain.

Seven district residents spoke during the public forum portion of the Board meeting on Monday, March 9, in front of a standing room only crowd of more than 325. They called for change on the Board while not specifically mentioning Hancock due to policies against public evaluation of district personnel.

The Board approved Sumner and Dain’s resignations on Monday, Feb. 9. Their contracts with the district end on Tuesday, June 30. Sumner will then become assistant superintendent of human resources for the Shawnee Mission school district, while Dain will become assistant superintendent of teaching and learning for the Olathe school district.

Hancock, Sumner and Dain declined comment.

ALLEGATIONS SURFACING

The allegations against Hancock began on Wednesday, Feb. 11, when district resident Anh-Nguyet Nguyen posted an open letter to the Board on her blog and sent it to Board members. The letter called for Hancock’s resignation, alleging his “clearly inappropriate behavior” caused Sumner to resign. Additionally, Nguyen’s letter said district residents should have gone to Board meetings to hold the Board accountable and should have not allowed Hancock’s alleged actions to occur.

“It was just very infuriating that it was allowed to get to that point,” Nguyen said. “So, that’s why I wrote that letter, because I just

KEY PLAYERS

Those involved in resignation requests

EXAMPLES OF MISCONDUCT

wanted accountability at every single level.”

In her letter, Nguyen said she would “take formal measures” if Hancock did not resign.

She will file to recall him from his position on Monday, March 16, if he does not resign.

“The patrons that I have spoken to and who have reached out to me, that’s what they want,” Nguyen said. “Even though I voiced it, it apparently was not [just] my own opinion.”

FURTHER RESEARCH

After reading Nguyen’s letter, retired district teacher Karen Wall decided to look further into the situation. She interviewed multiple district residents and employees who wished to remain anonymous for protection and compiled that information in two letters — one to district residents and the other to Board members. In her letters, Wall alleges Hancock has violated the Board’s Code of Civility and policies against sexual harassment and bullying. Wall’s letters also called for Hancock’s resignation.

As she talked to more sources, Wall became worried that Hancock’s alleged actions occurred.

“The reports I heard were obvious examples of a bullying attitude” RETIRED DISTRICT TEACHER KAREN WALL “Each time I started talking to people who had information, I grew more and more concerned … that anyone was behaving in this manner — particularly in an open forum, in a public setting,” Wall said. “The reports I heard were obvious examples of a bullying attitude, of an arrogant attitude [and], I hate to say it, but of a sexist attitude.”

Board president Angela Handy did not say if the allegations against Hancock were valid.

In Wall’s letter, Hancock’s alleged behavior during open Board meetings includes talking down to female presenters during presentations by calling them “missy” and “little girl” and disrespecting presenters through behaviors like eye rolls and intimidating questions.

Wall also alleges Hancock criticized director of facilities Steve Deghand’s performance in an open Board meeting, against Board policy.

Allegations of behavior outside of meetings include engaging in lengthy phone conversations with presenters before meetings in order to elicit information later used to question them in meetings and intimidating teachers by showing up in their classrooms unannounced to observe. Teachers who Wall spoke to also said he would then ask them if he knew who he was and, if they did not, he would claim he was their boss. As a Board member, Hancock, and the rest of the Board, holds jurisdiction over the superintendent, who leads district administration and school principals. School principals, in turn, are the “bosses” of teachers.

District resident Julianne Wright has previously observed rude behaviors from Hancock and believes the allegations against him to be completely valid.

“He should be removed,” Wright said. “I was on the boundary committee and I saw firsthand some of the issues that have been raised about him. He was argumentative, he was giving false information out to people [and] he was disrespectful.”

CAUSING OTHER RESIGNATIONS

From her information, Wall concluded Hancock played a role in Sumner’s resignation and may have also helped cause Dain’s.

“I believe that his actions were in major contribution to the resignation of Dr. Sumner,” Wall said. “I am thinking that they also contributed to the resignation of Dr. Dain.”

District resident Tony Lauer, who said he has attended every Board meeting since the beginning of the 2013-14 school year, has concerns about allegations against Hancock.

“I think it is unfair to allege that a Board member or Board members could drive this to happen, drive these resignations,” Lauer said.

“You’ve got two professionals ... They know how to deal with Board members.”

Nonetheless, Nguyen said she wants Hancock to be mature and resign.

“I hope that Scott does the right thing because, if he steadfastly refuses and behaves in his characteristic manner, it could get really ugly,” Nguyen said. “Hopefully he knows the right thing to do and does it … I don’t know if it’s going to happen.”

SUPERINTENDENT DR. DOUG SUMNER Resigned Monday, Feb. 9. Will become Shawnee Mission school district assistant superintendent of human resources

DIRECTOR OF TEACHING AND LEARNING DR. JESSICA DAIN Resigned Monday, Feb. 9. Will become Olathe school district assistant superintendent of teaching and learning

BOARD MEMBER SCOTT HANCOCK Asked to resign by multiple district residents due to alleged misconduct

DISTRICT RESIDENT ANH-NGUYET NGUYEN Called for Hancock’s resignation in her blog and an open letter to the Board

RETIRED TEACHER KAREN WALL Investigated allegations against Hancock For further coverage: { http://www.mvnews.org } Photos by Clayton Kistner Design by Nick Booth

4 NEWS state rock

MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL • JAGWIRE

METEO-WRITING

HISTORY

Eighth graders propose a bill to make the meteorite the official state Kansas could soon have an official state rock if eighth grade students at Monticello Trails Middle School get their way. The students have proposed a bill that would make the meteorite the state rock of Kansas. The bill, HB 2327, and was introduced on Feb. 12.

The bill could not be presented at the latest session of the state legislature; the students were told there was not enough time to present their case.

MTMS Science teacher Amy Hanna came up with the idea for the state rock project when eighth grader Adam Burke was doing a geology project.

“Adam had done a project on geodes and this project stated that geodes [are] the Iowa state rock and I was like, ‘What is our state rock?’ Well, we didn’t have one,” Hanna said. “That is where

I though we need to do this somehow.

The higher-ups tell us we have to do cross-curricular and I thought this would be perfect because I would just need all the team’s help to accomplish it.”

According to the students, the entire eighth grade class was mobilized to accomplish the project. In their math classes, the students computed how many meteorites Kansas had per square mile. In social studies, they learned about the process a bill goes through to become a law and in communication arts, they wrote out the bill. In the science classes, the students researched meteorites.

Now, seven eight grade students are continuing work on the project: Burke, Alyssa Cosmillo, Tyler Hilk, Marrah Shulda, Christopher Sprenger, Jordan Teufel and Ryan Williams.

The bill was originally sponsored by

Kansas Representative Brett Hildabrand, but is now sponsored by Kansas Representative Tom Sloan due to a death in Hildabrand’s family.

The students also said that Kansas has the most meteorites per square mile, distinguishing it from other states.

Eighth grader Ryan Williams is excited about the project because it makes the state more unique.

“Well it really puts us on the map, geologically,” Williams said. “We have the most meteorites per square mile, and we almost have the most in the nation.”

Despite some of the complications, Hanna remains optimistic.

“We have no idea where it is going to go right now but we have people that are talking about it and trying to get it out there,” Hanna said. “We’re not done squeaking our wheels yet.”

ROCK RESULT

Monticello Trails tudents work on different steps of writing and passing a bill in their various core classes

SOCIAL STUDIES

SCIENCE

“In social studies we learned about how a bill becomes a law”

Science teacher Amy Hanna began by doing the underlying research and science of the project

JORDAN TEUFEL

Design by Tori Aerni

COMMUNICATION ARTS “In communication arts and LINC we did a rough draft [of the bill] and edited it” JORDAN TEUFEL

MATH “In math [our teachers] gave us a project to find the amount of meteorites per square mile for each state” TYLER HILK

BY NICK BOOTH

news editor jagwire.nickbooth@gmail.com

BY GRACE VAN INWEGEN

reporter jagwire.gracevaninwegen@gmail.com

ABOVE: Eighth grade Explorers at Monticello Trails Middle School, along with their science teacher Amy Hanna, Facetime interim director of the Kansas Geological Survey Rex Buchanan, talking about the process of passing the bill on Thursday, Jan. 15. Photo courtesy of Amy Hanna LEFT: On Thursday, Feb. 26, eighth grade Monticello Trails Middle School student Ryan Williams explains the importance of having a state rock.“We have the most meteorites per square mile, and we almost have the most in the nation ...

It really puts us on the map,” Williams said. Photo by Sharnelle Bennett

MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL • JAGWIRE

ADS

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p: 913.962.2010 f: 913.962.2013

www.westgleneyecare.com

Design by Raven Hodges

6 FEATURE friends in learning

MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL • JAGWIRE

FINDING NEW

FRIENDS

Students join hands-on program aimed at building friendships When senior Abby Taylor walks into the special education room, the friendly faces of her peers greet her. Taylor, like the other student helpers of the Friends in Learning program, does everything from helping students with special needs with school work to walking them out to the bus at the end of the day.

Friends in Learning is a program where students befriend and help students with special needs.

Since the 2011-12 school year, when Friends in Learning was first introduced, only seniors were allowed to apply to help with the students with special needs. Currently, there are 15 seniors in the Friends in Learning program. This low enrollment has caused a need for change.

As of next year, juniors will be able to apply to be a friend as well.

During course selection meetings, current sophomores and juniors were offered applications for the program. The student fills out a one page application and has to submit two teacher letter of recommendations. Once a student is accepted, he or she will have Friends in Learning as an elective class for one semester.

Senior Abby Taylor said she thinks the inclusion of juniors will have many benefits.

“I think the addition is a good

idea,” Taylor said. “We have a lot of younger students who have special needs and they need younger friends to help them too, not just older friends.”

Special education teacher Amanda Wondra-Appl agrees that the inclusion of juniors is a good idea, but she said there are no plans to extend the program to freshmen and sophomores.

“I think it is a great addition to MV,” Wondra-Appl said. “Friends need to be mature and be in the program for the right reasons. We are looking for positive role models that can concentrate on making connections.”

A special exception to this rule is sophomore Ashley Creiger who has been helping the students in the program during seminar since her freshman year. Creiger was invited because during her freshmen girls Physical Education class she befriended some of the students enrolled and helped them. Creiger said she appreciates the exception.

“I’ve learned how to work better with kids and what makes them happy,” Creiger said. “[I like] watching them grow and expand their knowledge.”

Despite the challenging parts, Taylor said there are many rewarding aspects of the program.

“It’s really fun; it’s having a friend who always cares about you,” Taylor said. “I really enjoy it because it allows me to help my peers and it allows me to connect with them

more.”

One of the students in the program, freshman Estefania Mayorga, said that she enjoys having the helpers around.

“We play around together,” Mayorga said. “We do things like high five and hug and do work boxes together.”

Wondra-Appl said Friends in Learning benefits not only the students enrolled, but the students who help as friends as well.

“The benefits of the program include, but are not limited to, building a more accepting community at MV, and creating lasting friendships between students,” Wondra-Appl said. “Students gain skills in working with a diverse population and positively impact people’s lives for years to come.”

Taylor said the program is helpful because it teaches valuable lessons.

“I’ve learned to have a lot of patience,” Taylor said. “I’ve learned about how the kids are and how they thrive when you give them compliments … I’ve become more encouraging.”

Creiger recommends other students to apply and said she thinks the program is important. “[It’s important] because it shows people that these kids struggle with things just like we do,” Creiger said. “I would tell anyone who wants to attempt to get into the program to do so because it’s really fun and you learn a lot.”

BY LIZZIE KULCSAR

reporter jagwire.lizziekulcsar@gmail.com

BY MARGARET MELLOTT

reporter/photographer jagwire.margaretmellott@gmail.com

ABOVE: While in the special education room, senior Ashton Ward helps freshman Estefania Mayorga with her schoolwork on Wednesday, Feb. 25. “I absolutely love the fact that I’m helping other peers with things they might not be able to do the same way others can,”Ward said. “It’s a fun experience all around.” Photo by Brooke Wiebe

FUTURES IN FRIENDSHIP Functional specialist Melynda Kaifes suggests careers which the Friends in Learning program can benefit

teaching

nursing

recreation

“Of course in terms of the teaching, its just like going into any elementary or secondary education, you learn how to work with students”

“Nursing is also very important here, because with students who have adaptive needs, meaning they may need help toileting, brushing teeth, personal hygiene so that goes along with nursing”

“Parks and recreation really is the [most fun] part because you do get to do fun things with the kids”

Design by Adri Talavera

ABOVE: Assisting in her Friends in Learning class, senior Madison Koca leads a reading activity on Thursday, Feb. 26. “It’s beneficial for the kids to get peer interaction.”

Koca said. Photo by Clayton Kistner

music producers FEATURE

MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL • JAGWIRE

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BEHIND THE BEATS

Students spend time outside of school producing and sharing original music

BY BRADEN SHAW

reporter jagwire.bradenshaw@gmail.com

BY ADRI TALAVERA

features/A&E/social media editor jagwire.adritalavera@gmail.com With a medley of songs playing in the background, senior Aaron Hieb sits at a desk in his fully-equipped bedroom studio. He concentrates on the monitor of his computer, pressing keys and twisting knobs in order to adjust the melody, pitch and bass of a song and transform it into a work of his own.

Years of playing musical instruments and listening to artists such as Skrillex motivated Hieb to teach himself how to produce his own original electronic music.

“I was listening to a lot of Skrillex like four years ago,” Hieb said. “My dad bought me this little recording studio kit to put on my laptop … so I was like, ‘Huh, I wonder how I could make [music] with this,’ and ended up figuring out how to make electronic music. It was really bad, but it got better eventually.”

Since beginning to produce music, Hieb has devoted time to his songs on a daily basis in hopes to improve. “[I work on my music] pretty much every night for a couple hours,” Hieb said. “I feel like I have to come in [my studio] and do this because it’s fun and I just want to try and get better at it every day.”

According to Hieb, inspiration for a song can be hard to come by, making starting a song exceptionally difficult.

“Honestly, getting the motivation to get in [my studio] and try to make a song [is challenging],” Hieb said. “It’s so hard to get an idea; it just comes out of nowhere.”

Similarly to Hieb, sophomore Tyson Baker also devotes his time and money into perfecting his music. Spending thousands of dollars on equipment, Baker said he is very dedicated to putting out the highest quality of electronic music that he can.

“You can’t stop halfway in the middle of a song and just release it,” Baker said. “You have to finish the whole thing. You have to structure it all and it takes a lot of time …

Feeling accomplished comes from completing a project or an album and it meets your expectations of what you think is good.”

Aspiring rapper sophomore Marcel Meljanac, also known as Lil’ Marcelo on YouTube and SoundCloud, has invested approximately $500 in equipment to supplement his music production — a hobby which began after drawing inspiration from Lil’ Wayne and his father.

“When I listened to music, I wanted something new, so I was like, ‘Why not produce some myself?’” Meljanac said. “I got into [music producing] by the attractiveness of speaking your mind and changing fans and having support in something that you love.”

ABOVE: Mixing various songs together, senior Aaron Hieb produces his own music in his room on Thursday, March 5. “[My goals are] to get people to listen to [my music],” Hieb said. “[I want to] make it sound as good as it can.” Photo by Brooke Wiebe Meljanac said his music serves as a means of expressing himself as well as his many aspirations for gaining popularity as an artist.

“I would describe it as a collection of dreams I am trying to pursue,” Meljanac said. “So, I talk about the things I want if I get big off the game [of rapping].”

Since beginning to share his music online, Meljanac thinks his music has earned the adoration of his listeners.

“[My music is] pretty popular,” Meljanac said. “If I had a show I think half the school would go.”

Baker said he aspires to pursue a music career. He hopes to sign to a record label, as long as the label respects him as an artist and he is more well established with a fan base.”

“I really have no expectations regarding record labels,” Baker said. “If they are good and accept my music for what it is, I will sign

with them. I also just want to have my name out there a bit more.”

With plans to release an extended play in the near future, whether or not he successfully finds a label to sign with, Baker will still continue to follow his dreams and share his music with the world.

“With music, you are never really accomplished,” Baker said.

“You’ve got to keep putting [music] out. You’ve got to just follow your heart with things sometimes.”

MIXING EQUIPMENT Senior Aaron Hieb uses a variety of equipment to create music

“I use my Epiphone Les Paul guitar for coming up with ideas and for chord progressions”

“[My Akai APC40] is used to help me record things and set levels on volume”

“My audio driver makes things sound better coming out of the speakers”

“I’ll just mess with [my] MIDI keyboard and start making little melodies until I figure something out” Design by Jena Smith

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OPINIONS

MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL • JAGWIRE

STAFF EDITORIAL

JAGWIRE INFORMATION

STAFF

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Tori Aerni Katherine White MANAGING EDITOR Justin Curto PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Karissa Schmidt NEWS EDITOR Nick Booth FEATURE/A&E EDITORS Sarah Myers Adri Talavera OPINION EDITOR Jillian Leiby SPORTS EDITOR Sam Lopez WEB EDITOR Jena Smith BUSINESS MANAGER Raven Hodges REPORTERS/PHOTOGRAPHERS Sharnelle Bennett Claire Biles Madison Ferguson Clayton Kistner Lizzie Kulcsar Margaret Mellott Braden Shaw Grace Van Inwegen Brooke Wiebe 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 2014 JagWire was named an All-American newspaper by the NSPA and earned an All-Kansas rating from KSPA. The Mill Valley News website earned an All-Kansas rating as well.

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.

SOCIAL MEDIA Twitter/Instagram: @millvalleynews Facebook: Mill Valley News

BOARD MEMBER MUST RESIGN OVER ACTIONS In light of alegations of Board of Education member Scott Hancock’s misconduct, he should resign

YOU SAID IT What do you think the role of the Board of Education is?

“They talk about the things that the people in the ... school district want to do”

“I don’t know” SOPHOMORE TIFFANY PAINTER

FRESHMAN ISAAC KNAPP

Illustration by Jason Chen

After superintendent Dr. Doug Sumner and director of teaching and learning Dr. Jessica Dain’s recent resignations, many district residents have alleged that Board of Education member Scott Hancock contributed to the resignations through inappropriate behavior and general misconduct. This includes disrespecting presenters, criticizing employees and intimidating teachers. In light of information surrounding these allegations, Hancock should resign before district residents make an effort to recall him from office.

Former district teacher Karen Wall compiled information from interviews with various district employees and residents in order to document allegations against Hancock. In a report of her information, Wall found Hancock in violation of the sexual harassment and bullying clauses of the Board’s Code of Civility. Although Wall’s sources are anonymous because they fear retaliation, there is no reason to discredit her information, as she gives many

specific examples from district residents and employees.

Hancock’s alleged behavior is not acceptable, and should not be tolerated as such. If the district teaches students in its schools to treat others equally and not to bully, then its officials should also practice those behaviors.

Even if the allegations against Hancock do not prove to be completely true, his perceived actions have still damaged his and the Board’s reputations, and it would not be in the district’s interest for him to continue serving.

At the same time, if Hancock’s alleged behavior occurred, district residents should have never allowed it to continue. Residents should attend Board meetings to hold their elected officials responsible for such actions. Board members hold much influence over district schools and, if one acts in a way contrary to the district’s policies, residents should hold him or her accountable.

Many of the behaviors Wall noted occurred in open session of meetings, so residents would

have witnessed them if they had come to these meetings. If residents see misconduct occurring at the meetings in the future, they should make a comment either to their Board representative or to the entire Board.

If Hancock does not resign, district resident Anh-Nguyet Nguyen has plans to begin the process to recall him from office.

District residents should get involved in this process by signing the petition and voting in the recall election if they truly do not want Hancock to continue serving as a Board member.

With many reliable sources alleging his misconduct, Hancock should resign as a Board member.

In the wake of these allegations, district residents should also make it a point to attend Board meetings and hold their elected representatives accountable. The district has already lost two qualified administrators, and cannot afford to lose more if policies continue to be violated — either

by Hancock or another Board member’s doing.

“They are involved in all the major decisions ... in our school”

“To make executive decisions for the betterment of our school”

JUNIOR BRENDEN TENER

SENIOR MICHAELA DERVIN

STAFF VOTE The JagWire staff votes on this issue’s staff editorial

Agree

Disagree

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1 Absent

0

OPINIONS

MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL • JAGWIRE

BUZZFEED DOES MAKEUP IS NOT AN INDICATOR OF PROMISCUITY GIVE READERS

BY ADRI TALAVERA features/A&E/social media editor CREDIBLE NEWS jagwire.adritalavera@gmail.com

BY JUSTIN CURTO

managing editor jagwire.justincurto@gmail.com

Although it gets discredited for having fun content, BuzzFeed still writes quality news As a JagWire staff member and journalism enthusiast, people usually expect me to be on top of the news. For the most part, I am. However, whenever I start a conversation about the day’s news with “I read an article on BuzzFeed …” I brace myself for eye rolls and speeches on “credible” news sources. And, as I hear about why CNN or NBC is a more reputable news outlet, I wonder — why don’t people respect BuzzFeed as a news source?

I get most of my news from BuzzFeed. On Twitter, I follow seven BuzzFeed accounts, and I open my BuzzFeed app multiple times a day. Whenever I hear about breaking news, I go to BuzzFeed to read about it first.

After reading hundreds of news articles on BuzzFeed, I can honestly say that they are up to par with almost anything CNN or NBC has written. Sometimes, BuzzFeed even covers news that other outlets don’t venture into as much. I’ve seen more news about women’s issues, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights and developing countries on BuzzFeed than on any other news site.

Just like all other news outlets, BuzzFeed hires trained reporters to write its news. BuzzFeed has even posted its Editorial Standards and Ethics Guide on its website: “to keep BuzzFeed’s writers, reporters, and editors accountable to our readers.” The guide has most of the same policies you would expect any major news outlet to follow. So, if BuzzFeed goes through this much trouble to defend its reputation, why is it still be disrespected?

Most of this disrespect comes because people can’t differentiate between the two sides of BuzzFeed. On one end, there’s BuzzFeed News, writing about current events and breaking news. On the other end, there’s the rest of BuzzFeed — fun lists, quizzes, videos and the like, usually supplemented with gifs, social media posts and humor. To most people, these two types of content cannot coexist, so they just blur together — and, all of the sudden, an award-winning news outlet is discredited because it also writes about pizza, cats and Beyonce.

In short, I’m tired of all of the hate that BuzzFeed gets. Sure, it posts a lot of fun and lighthearted content, but it also knows how to clean up its game and report on hard-hitting news quickly. And that, precisely, is what makes it so awesome.

9

Cosmetics are means of self-expression, not a way to communicate sexual activity I walked into work a few weeks ago looking exactly how I do every Saturday — clad in my plain uniform with my hair in a ponytail and my makeup done. As I approached my manager’s office to clock in, I was greeted by one of my coworkers with whom I usually banter back and forth. However, as opposed to hearing a playful “What’s up, loser?” or something of the sort, I was caught completely off guard when I was addressed instead as a “slut.” What surprised me even more was that another coworker of mine suggested that the insult may have been a result of the way I do my makeup.

It’s unclear to me how anyone could even attempt to make an accurate assumption about my promiscuity based solely off of what I wear on my face. Not only do I carry myself in a professional manner at work, but my coworkers have only ever seen me out of my modest uniform of a black polo and slacks a handful of times.

Even in the event the accusation that I was in fact a “slut” — that I participate in sexual activity with multiple partners — were true, it would not be any of my coworker’s business and not a fair means of judgment. The act of

Illustration by Lizzie Kulcsar

putting down those who participate in sexual activity as a means to humiliate or chastise them serves no purpose.

For me, my face serves as a canvas — not a billboard advertising promiscuity to attract the opposite sex, like my coworkers so ridiculously assumed. Makeup is truly an art as well as a mean of self-expression. The way I wear my makeup is personal to me and an extension of myself.

There are so many negative connotations associated with wearing makeup. You shouldn’t have to have your self-esteem as well

as your morals put on trial.

However, if you choose not to wear makeup, people conclude that it’s because you’re lazy, sick or choosing to look masculine. What some people don’t understand, though, is that waking up an extra 30 minutes early is not appealing to everyone. Wearing no makeup makes you appear no less feminine or more lazy or sexually active than any other female.

The correlation between makeup and promiscuity is virtually nonexistent because in no way, shape or form does what you wear on your face makeup who you are.

MEDIA NEEDS TO OFFER MORE ACCURATE DIVERSITY

BY CLAYTON KISTNER

photographer jagwire.claytonkistner@gmail.com

Television and movies leave little room for minorities to be represented in the media Awards season is somewhat of an odd spectacle of American pop culture. Don’t get me wrong, I love watching awards shows. However, there are realistic implications to these exhibitions of American culture, as they shed light on an unequivocal lack of media representation for anyone but straight, white men.

When the nominations for the Oscars were announced this year, there was something missing, and that something was anything but white people. White people dominated the nominations, sweeping all 20 acting nominations and all but one directing nomination. Though this distinct lack of diversity is deplorable, it is not in the least bit shocking.

Hollywood is constantly dominated by

straight, white men. They play the leading roles, direct the top-rated television shows and when it comes to acting, 95 percent of Oscars have been awarded to white people in their 87 years of existence.

Though it may seem trivial, the larger issue at hand is the distinct lack of media representation for minorities in a society whose culture is dominated by artistic media such as television and movies. Awards shows give us only a glimpse into a system that was built by the inherently privileged, and continues to grow whether minorities are invited along for the ride or not.

Media representation is something that seems to be often overlooked. However, providing positive role models and developed characters across a diverse spectrum gives everyone, especially minorities, a more unique and enjoyable experience.

Too often, minorities are simply background characters or harsh and often offensive stereotypes. People want to see themselves portrayed accurately and authentically, rather than as the token “black friend” or “gay best friend” who are thrown in to add some sort of false diversity to a cast.

The truth is, many plots that are told from the perspective of straight white men could be seen through the eyes of a black woman, or any other minority that would add beneficial representation to a whitewashed media.

Though some characters’ identities as white men are vital to their storyline, many could be adjusted to offer much-needed diversity to movies and television.

“People want to see themselves portrayed accurately and authentically” These adjustments have the potential to create a media in which stories accurately represent the diversity of society as a whole.

Though a majority of movies and television shows tell their stories along a plot full of white people, I encourage you to seek out media that’s diverse, and that may give you a viewpoint from a perspective outside of what dominates media today. You never know what you might find.

Design by Jillian Leiby

10 FEATURE news sources

MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL • JAGWIRE

BY NICK BOOTH

news editor jagwire.nickbooth@gmail.com

BY JILLIAN LEIBY

opinion editor jagwire.jillianleiby@gmail.com

BY BRADEN SHAW

reporter jagwire.bradenshaw@gmail.com

READ ALL A

As methods of communication have changed, the way news is mainly spread has evolved; now, wi

lize differing me Students and teachers uti

nts

on current eve thods to stay up to date

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“One of our du vey of 145 stu- Tw ents] that are happening, then I what is on t ren cur adults. A JagWire sur be [ev to or is the U.S. percent of stuit 24/7.” d. “[It is importdents found that 19 Pew could easily get r, happening,” King sai lly, na nte Ce tio Na rch s. sea new Re TV Pew to g our legislatures din at cor dents watch wh Ac ow kn get their ant to] only 55 percent lts nd adu fou r of t nte cen Ce ngs are being per rch thi ht sea w eig Re ut doing and ho ir news on TV. abo r, while 30 percent go are cal agencies itte liti Tw po m nt fro of young adults find the s ere diff new at handled is one such nts. eve t ren cur d fin to y.” ok Junior Sydney Hanson ntr Facebo the cou marily gets her to lts still get throughout young adult — she pri Around 33 percent of adu .

TV le cab news by watching it on

“I used to not really care about the news, and then I started using apps”

Photo by Margaret Mellott

11

news sources FEATURE

MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL • JAGWIRE

ABOUT IT

ith many different ways to access news, students and staff differ on their choices of sources

SOURCES SURVEY

Survey of 145 students reveals what students read and where

Primarily, how do you get your news?

9% 8% 54% 19%

3% 1% 3% 3%

Twitter/social media TV News websites Websites not solely for news Radio Hear it from a friend Newspaper Don’t pay attention to news Not pictured: magazine (0%) 3%

What kind of news do you read the most?

Current events Sports A&E/celebrity Feature/human interest Politics School/local news

6% 24%

21%

40%

6%

ON THE

MOVE

JagWire recommends apps that give students news on the go

NEWS REPUBLIC

UMANO

YAHOO NEWS DIGEST

News Republic compiles news from different sources into one app. The key selling point of the app is the technology behind it; it keeps track of what kinds of stories a user tends to read and actively creates an experience around that.

Additionally, the app strings multiple stories together using keywords

Umano allows users to listen to the news rather than read it. You can use the app to listen to recordings of narrators reading news stories from different sites, in addition to daily breaking news, which condenses short, pertinent news items from an entire day into a single recording

Yahoo News Digest delivers breaking news to users once in the morning and once in the evening daily. Each story is accompanied by multiple pictures, videos related tweets and more indepth information on the topic. The app presents information in a way that is user-friendly without sacrificing content

YESTERDAY’S NEWS The method of spreading news has changed drastically over the years, as shown through this timeline MARCH 21, 2006 MAY 3, 1948 SEPT. 25, 1690 JULY 18, 2011 Twitter is founded, opening the way CNN is the first to stream a 24-hour CBS airs first regularly scheduled TV First American newspaper, Publick for news through social media news program with an anchor Occurences, published in Boston news network online and on mobile

NOV. 15, 1926 First NBC radio newscast. NBC is America’s oldest major radio broadcast network

AUGUST 30, 1995 CNN website launches

JULY 10, 2008 The Apple app store opens, providing news apps such as the New York Times app Design by Sarah Myers and Katherine White

12 SPORTS league change

MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL • JAGWIRE

IN THE BIG

Mill Valley accepts invitation to Eastern Kansas League for KSHSAA events and will transfer out of the Kaw Valley League beginning in 2016

LEFT: Senior Bryan Burnett and junior Hersimeran Auijla attempt to block a Blue Valley Northwest player on Friday, Sept. 11. Photo by Karissa Schmidt MIDDLE: 2013 graduate Tanner Tripp passes to a teammate during the game against Blue Valley Southwest. Photo by Katherine Beck RIGHT: 2011 graduate Mary Altman competes in the 100-meter hurdles at the Blue Valley track meet. Photo by Carly Granato After 15 years and 85 Kaw Valley League championships between 18 sports, the school officially accepted its offer to the Eastern Kansas League on Tuesday, Jan. 13.

After principal Tobie Waldeck and activities director David Ewers sent a letter of interest, the EKL made a formal invitation on Thursday, Nov. 13. The Jaguars will join Bishop Miege, Blue Valley, Blue Valley North, Blue Valley Northwest, Blue Valley Southwest, Blue Valley West, Gardner-Edgerton and St. Thomas Aquinas beginning in the 2016-17 school year. St. James Academy will also join the EKL in 2016.

LEAGUE CHANGE PROCESS According to Ewers, the school has been looking to move out of the KVL for several years, primarily due to its enrollment consistently being significantly larger than any other KVL school. Mill Valley has the largest student enrollment in the KVL with 1,287 students, and has held this status for the past three years. According to Ewers, along with the largest enrollment, the school also has the highest number of participants in all activities including music, drama and sports.

As the school has been looking for a change like this for multiple years, the elaborate process of leaving the KVL and being invited to the EKL has made it more challenging for this transition to be implemented.

“We can’t just go and join a league. We have to be invited. The EKL did formally invite us, and I think that is a point that doesn’t need to be missed,” Ewers said. “Leagues typ-

ically like to have even numbers of schools — like how both us and St. James got invited to the EKL so they could go from eight to 10. And for scheduling purposes in athletics it makes it a lot easier.”

Accepting the invitation to the EKL was an easy decision for the school as the benefits outweighed the possible challenges.

“It’s a good fit for our school,” head football coach Joel Applebee said. “Where we’re at, the size of our school and the likeness that we have with all the other schools that are in the EKL, it’s just going to be a good fit for us.”

Ewers agrees and said that it will lead to more opportunity for students.

“Our coaches and activity sponsors are really behind it,” Ewers said. “Changing to a new league opens more doors for people, it creates more challenges too, but it does create some more opportunities for our kids and that’s what we’re most excited about.”

ANTICIPATED ADVERSITY Challenges are expected as the school will join the EKL, as in the past eight years, Mill Valley athletic teams have been eliminated from post season play by EKL teams 37 times.

Girls soccer player Haley Freeman is unsure of what to expect in a more competitive league.

“We could get our butts kicked,” Freeman said. “There’s no telling what the competition will be like our first year because it’s going to be brand new. [Current EKL teams are] used to that competition and we’re not, so it’s going to be harder to adapt.”

However, the soccer program is not the

only team anticipating adversity. The track and field team has, in total, won 23 KVL championship titles with the girls team earning 14 and the boys team nine. Head boys track coach Chris Dunback said maintaining this reputation will be a challenge.

“Our goal is to not shy away from the challenge but to embrace it” ACTIVITIES DIRECTOR DAVID EWERS “[We will have] tougher overall schedules,” Dunback said. “[I] hope the public and the kids understand that. Going undefeated in the KVL was hard. Going undefeated in the EKL will be extremely hard.”

Competing in the EKL will bring many challenges, but Ewers looks forward to welcoming this change.

“Our goal is to not shy away from the challenge but to embrace it, and we want to work to be as competitive as possible as quickly as possible,” Ewers said. “We understand that every night is going to be very challenging in some of our activities but … we’re looking forward to it.”

FUTURE AND PREPARATION While Ewers is excited about the future of the athletic program, senior track member Holly Webb will not have the opportunity to participate in events when the school is a member of the EKL. Webb is glad to be end-

ing her high school athletic career in the KVL. “I’m happy that I get to end my senior year on a high note. It’s a good and bad thing. I can finish with 15 KVL titles [won by the team] which is a good thing instead of a sad memory,” Webb said.

Despite the anticipated challenges, Applebee will continue to focus on improving his team rather than focusing on their competition.

“No matter who we’re playing, we worry about us more than our opponent and make sure we’re doing the right things as far as preparing ourselves to win. I think that will be a little bit of a change, but our approach to things football wise, I don’t think that will change at all,” Applebee said.

Freeman looks forward to joining the EKL because of the potential benefits it could bring.

“We will be able to improve as a whole . it’s going to be a lot better competition so we’re going to grow on and off the field,” Freeman said. “We’ll have to work on speed of play and just aggressiveness and how to play at that level.”

Overall, various coaches and administrators felt it was time for a change, and joining the EKL was the best decision for the future of the athletic program.

“I just feel like it was time that we do something and I think all the coaches agreed with that,” Applebee said. “We had some real healthy debate, but in the end we all agreed that this is the right time and this is the right decision.”

league change

MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL • JAGWIRE

LEAGUE FUTURE OPPONENTS

Beginning in the 2016-17 school year, Mill Valley will join the Eastern Kansas League along with nine other schools. Here is a rundown of each school and our record versus each in the past three years. Overall, Mill Valley is 42-64-4 against EKL teams.

3. BLUE VALLEY NORTH

1. BISHOP MIEGE

BY TORI AERNI

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

SPORTS

13

BY BRADEN SHAW

reporter jagwire.bradenshaw@gmail.com

BY SAM LOPEZ

sports editor jagwire.samlopez@gmail.com

2. BLUE VALLEY

Enrollment: 734

Enrollment: 1,449

Record versus: 3-6

Record versus: 5-6-1

State titles won: 77

State titles won: 24

4. BLUE VALLEY NORTHWEST 5. BLUE VALLEY SOUTHWEST

Enrollment: 1,512

Enrollment: 1,593

Enrollment: 1,059

Record versus: 2-3-1

Record versus: 3-4

Record versus: 7-6-3

State titles won: 58

State titles won: 21

State titles won: 2

1.

MILL VALLEY

6. BLUE VALLEY WEST Enrollment: 1,290 Record versus: 3-6 State titles won: 13

7. GARDNER-EDGERTON

8.

Enrollment: 1,406 Record versus: 10-20 State titles won: 0

9.

4.

3.

8. ST. JAMES ACADEMY Enrollment: 839 Record versus: 6-4 State titles won: 14

7.

6.

5.

2.

9. ST. THOMAS AQUINAS Enrollment: 905 Record versus: 3-9 State titles won: 86 Design by Tori Aerni

14 SPORTS briefs

MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL • JAGWIRE

GIRLS BASKETBALL

17-3

BY LIZZIE KULCSAR

reporter jagwire.lizziekulcsar@gmail.com

POSTSEASON:

BY GRACE VAN INWEGEN

reporter jagwire.gracevaninwegen@gmail.com

SEASON WRAP-UP Regular and postseason results of winter sports

LEFT: Aftrer scoring the winning basket against St. Thomas Aquinas, junior Logan Koch celebrates with his teammates and fans on Saturday, March 7. “[The substate win] felt great,” Koch said. “We started [the season] out 2-6, but then we won nine out of 10 of our last games.”

Koch is also looking forward to the fans at the state playoff games. “[I’m excited for] the crowd ... the hype and the craziness.” Photo by Lindsay Roush

ABOVE: Seniors Jabria Leggett and Savannah Rudicel cheer as they receive the Kaw Valley League championship trophy. Photo by Madison Ferguson

BOYS SWIM

12-8 POSTSEASON: Will play Maize South in first round of state tournament in Topeka tomorrow at 3 p.m.

Design by Sam Lopez

Lost in sub-state championship vs.

BVSW 53-46 on Friday, March 6 REGULAR SEASON:

Placed in seven out of 10 meets with four first place finishes POSTSEASON:

Placed 14th at state ABOVE: Junior Brendan Tener competes in his freestlye heat during the boys swim meet at Blue Valley Southwest on Saturday, Jan. 24. Photo by Clayton Kistner

WRESTLING

BOYS BASKETBALL REGULAR SEASON:

REGULAR SEASON:

REGULAR SEASON:

Placed in seven out of nine meets with five first place finishes POSTSEASON:

“We’ve been working so hard ... All the work we’ve done paid off” JUNIOR CLAYTON HOLMBERG

Placed third at state ABOVE: Senior Bryan Burnett wrestles on Saturday, Feb. 21. Photo by Claire Biles

BOWLING

“I am very proud of this team and what they have accomplished” BASKETBALL COACH MICHAEL BENNETT

REGULAR SEASON:

Boys: placed in eight out of nine meets Girls: placed in five out five meets POSTSEASON:

ABOVE: Junior Jacob Jackson bowls at Park Lanes on Tuesday, Jan. 27. Photo by Rachel Shulte

Girls placed 12th at state

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MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL • JAGWIRE

15

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Design by Raven Hodges

16 A&E spring break

MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL • JAGWIRE

SPRING BREAK? IT’S TIME TO...

HIT THE ROAD

The JagWire recommends media such as books, movies, TV shows and music, to give you the spring break road trip experience from the comfort of your couch

BY JILLIAN LEIBY

opinion editor jagwire.jillianleiby@gmail.com

BY SARAH MYERS

features/A&E editor jagwire.sarahmyers@gmail.com

NEW YORK: “BEGIN AGAIN” From cult director John Carney comes “Begin Again,” a love letter to New York City.

With talented actors Mark Ruffalo (“The Avengers”) and Keira Knightley (“Pirates of the Caribbean”) helming the film, “Begin Again” is all about the music industry. Dan (Ruffalo) is a record label executive going through a mid-career crisis, finding himself disillusioned with most artists on his label.

Then, singer Greta (Knightley), having just been dumped by her rock star boyfriend (Adam Levine of Maroon 5), comes into the picture, and changes everything for Dan and his declining career.

Knightley, having no previous experience in either singing or playing guitar, has a sweet voice, and the songs are catchy and well-written. One particular song, “Lost Stars” was nominated for best original song at the Os-

cars. Both Knightley and Levine’s versions of the song are beautiful to listen to.

The music may be good, but the city truly takes center stage in a few choice scenes.

When Dan and Greta decide to record an album together, they record all the songs in public locations all over New York City. The musical montage scenes epitomize New York’s infectious energy. In another scene, Dan and Greta walk around the city streets, including Times Square, listening to random songs on headphones. This fun scene encapsulates the amount of pride the film takes in its setting.

The entire movie, however, is not flawless.

The screenplay is awkward at times, and the plot is not entirely realistic. In some scenes, the film can be overly dramatic. In this case, the acting overcomes the plot.

The true main characters of the film, however, are the music and location. New York’s electricity shines through the music. Watching this film, you will truly be in New York.

TENNESSEE: “NASHVILLE”

Design by Katherine White

Currently in its third season, “Nashville,” can be described as a musical drama. Really, it is a sparsely well-acted soap opera. That being said, the majority of the actors have a nice singing voice, and the songs (crafted by current country music artists) are catchy and a highlight of the show.

It is also an accurate showcase of all the musical attractions that Nashville, Tennessee has to offer. Main characters on the show performed at the Ryman Auditorium in one episode. The Grand Ole Opry is featured in multiple episodes, as well as the legendary Bluebird Cafe. Famous country music artists often guest star, bringing more authenticity to the show. Fans of both country music and Nashville (the city) will feel at home while watching this show.

BY KATHERINE WHITE

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

MICHIGAN: “MICHIGAN”

BY SUFJAN STEVENS Indie musician Sufjan Stevens announced his “50 States Project” — a plan to make an album for each state in the U.S. — in the early 2000s. After two albums, “Michigan” and “Illinois,” he called it quits and admitted that it was a promotional gimmick. However, this does not mean that these albums aren’t worth a listen.

“Michigan,” the first album in the “50 States Project” written entirely about Stevens’ home state, is a collection of indie folk songs that perfectly evoke the trip-to-the-lake feeling. He sings about the the streets of Detroit, Tahquamenon Falls and other Michigan landmarks — one song is simply titled “The Upper Peninsula.” The use of electronic instruments, acoustic guitar and layered vocals helps create the mellow musical background to the Michigan-inspired lyrics.

Overall, Stevens encaptures the spirit of his home state in calming music fit for a coffee shop or a spring break trip to the Great Lakes.

FLORIDA: “PAPER TOWNS”

BY JOHN GREEN In his New York Times best-seller “Paper Towns,” John Green tells the story of Quentin “Q” Jacobson, a boy following a trail of clues to find his friend Margo Roth Spiegelman. Throughout the story, Green develops well-thought-out metaphors that explore the truths of life and people. His writing simultaneously evokes humor, creates suspense and looks into the depth of clever, honest and authentic characters.

While leading the reader through the mystery of Margo and Q’s adventure to find her, the story also spends time exploring the city of Orlando. Having spent part of his life growing up in Orlando, Green seems to draw much of his inspiration from his own observations of the city. Green describes downtown Orlando from the top of the SunTrust Banks building, also briefly referencing the Tower of Light. The book additionally features Baldwin Park and SeaWorld. Winter Park High School, the school that the characters attend, is also a real school. The school is located in a suburb of Orlando, about 20 minutes from the SunTrust building.

Overall, Green does a good job of illustrating the city in a positive, yet honest way.

MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL • JAGWIRE

RADIO REVAMPED

JagWire reviews music streaming services after Edison Research finds teens listen to 21 percent more streamed music than radio

Spotify

Pandora > Commercials: About every two or three tracks > Skips: Six per hour > Content: Playlists, albums and individual songs, though some artists (like Taylor Swift) do not have contracts with Spotify > Premium: Ad-free, unlimited skips and downloadable music for $9.99/ month > Overall: A wide variety of free music is perfect for listening on a budget

SoundCloud > Commercials: No commercials between songs > Skips: Free to choose between tracks > Content: User-uploaded music > Premium: More uploading time, starting at $59/year > Overall: Lots of original music, but may be more useful for those looking for a platform to share their music

Rdio

> Commercials: 30 second commercials about every ten minutes > Skips: six skips per hour > Content: Offers 32 million songs, with playlists based off artists or mood > Premium: Rdio Unlimited has ad-free listening for $4.99/ month > Overall: Rdio is less user friendly and the premium account may not be worth it

8tracks

music streaming

A&E

BY JILLIAN LEIBY

17

opinion editor jagwire.jillianleiby@gmail.com

BY ADRI TALAVERA

features/A&E/social media editor jagwire.adritalavera@gmail.com

YOU SAID IT What’s your favorite streaming service and why?

“Grooveshark [because] I was able to get a variety of music” FRESHMAN RYAN PRAISWATER

> Commercials: Three minutes of ads per hour > Skips: Six per hour per station, with a total of 24 skips per day across all stations > Content: Customized stations based off chosen artist, song or genre > Premium: Ad-free, higher-quality listening for $4.99/month > Overall: Customizable stations enhances listening by allowing listeners to discover new artists

> Commercials: Advertising on the website and app > Skips: 4-6 per hour > Content: Listeners can choose tags based on moods or genres and listen to playlists made by other users > Premium: Removes all advertising from the page and the app for $25/six months > Overall: 8tracks has fewer privileges, but it truly adapts to the listener’s mood

“I use Pandora ... I like that when you shuffle, it takes music from all the stations you have” SOPHOMORE ELAINA BARTLOW

“Pandora, because it chooses the song for me unlike Spotify where you have to go through and pick one. I don’t like that” JUNIOR LILLY LUTZ

“8tracks, because there are so many different playlists for anything and I can skip as much as I like” SENIOR DRAKE VANBUHLER Photos by Madison Ferguson and Adri Talavera Design by Justin Curto

18 ADS

MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL • JAGWIRE

CITY OF SHAWNEE, KANSAS Now hiring Lifeguards and Swim Instructors!

The City of Shawnee is seeking enthusiastic, de pendable workers who possess fantastic customer service for the 2015 Summer Pool Season.

Lifeguards: must be 16 years of age or older and hold current American Red Cross Waterpark Lifeguard Certification by date of hire. Lifeguard certification classes are available through the Shawnee Parks and Recreation Department. Starting salary is $8.75/hr.

Swim Instructors: must be 16 years of age or older. Must be available to work from June 1 - July 31. Training will be provided. Starting salary: $9.75/hr.

Pool Employment Applications available on-line at www.cityofshawnee.org and at Shawnee City Hall, 11110 Johnson Dr., Shawnee, KS 66203.

Positions open until filled. All positions require post offer drug screen.

Mill Valley News your source coverage of the state basketball tournament

follow @millvalleynews for updates of all games use #mvstatebound and tweet us your photos

Design by Raven Hodges

pizza showdown A&E

MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL • JAGWIRE

19

THE SHOWDOWN

FROZEN PIZZA EDITION Seven students taste test five different brands of frozen pizza

BY CLAIRE BILES

reporter/photographer jagwire.clairebiles@gmail.com

BY GRACE VAN INWEGEN

reporter jagwire.gracevaninwegen@gmail.com

RED BARON

FROZEN

“Everything about it was good ... it tasted how pizza should taste”

FAVORITES

FRESHMAN TRENT ANDERSON

Students choose their favorite and least favorite frozen pizzas

FAVORITE PIZZA TOMBSTONE

JACK’S

“The sauce wasn’t good but the crust was nice and fluffy”

“[Jack’s sauce] was zesty, but not zesty enough”

SENIOR ADAM SEGURA

JUNIOR ANDY SLOOP

“It had such an amazing red sauce. It’s not crusty, but it tastes really good.”

SENIOR ELI SHEAHAN

LEAST FAVORITE PIZZA TOTINO’S

DIGIORNO

“I had to spit it out because it reminded me of raw pizza rolls and sadness”

“It [had] too much sauce and the crust does not have flavor”

SOPHOMORE GRACE MCGILL

FRESHMAN BRYNN RITTENHOUSE

Design by Sarah Myers and Jena Smith

“It was doughy and flavorless. I felt it was my duty as an American citizen to throw my slice away.”

JUNIOR HELINA MEKONNEN

20 PHOTO ESSAY percussion

MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL • JAGWIRE

KEEPING THE

RHYTHM Percussionists in the Blue and Silver bands learn to keep beat, read percussion sheet music and perform with the other instruments involved in the band

ABOVE LEFT: During the boys basketball game on Thursday, March 5, senior Val Stuerman provides a beat for the pep band to follow.

Photo by Madison Ferguson ABOVE RIGHT: With the booming sounds of her fellow percussionists, freshman Marissa Olin drums on the timpani on Wednesday, March 4. “I like playing [timpani drums],” Olin said.

“They’re challenging.”

Photo by Margaret Mellott RIGHT: Junior Spencer Hamilton drums with his fellow percussionists on Friday, Feb. 27. “[In band] you get to meet more people,” Hamilton said. “It is a different place to put myself out there.”

Photo by Claire Biles Design by Karissa Schmidt

ABOVE: While concentrating on the beat, junior Cole Griggs plays the drums on Friday, Feb. 27. “I feel like being able to express your way on drums is a lot different than any other instrument,” Griggs said. Photo

by Claire Biles LEFT: During Silver Band on Wednesday, March 4, freshman percussionists Ryan Ballard and Cameron Mitchell play the vibraphone. Photo by Margaret Mellott