Senior Magazine 2014

magazine design by KATIE BLECHINGER

* cover design by MADI WELLMAN

table of contents

photos provided by TAYLER PARSONS, CLARA MURPHY & OLIVIA MCLAIN

3 7 12

would you rather/ embarrassing moments spring sports spotlight

4-5 8-9 13-14

the next step/ college info

senior superlatives

advice for seniors

index

6 10-11 15

teachers describe the class/teachers pet

last words/ farewell

panther highlights...

INSTA STYLE

August 2013

@mckade_ The Rage Cage prepares for a great season

September 2013

October 2013

@abrechsteiner23 Olivia Ortiz is crowned Homecoming Queen

South defeats Park Hill 38-0

January 2014

2

@itsclaramurphydude

February 2014

@lindseyyharriss

Artists at South make good Courtwarming winners use of their snow day share a slow dance

Timeline of a few of South’s events this year

November 2013

@jess_pres

December 2013

@mrcwhorton Panther Publications take on Boston

March 2014

@ronaktheindian South hosts its first ever casual dance

jazz band/ prom

@malmox

Semester graduates say goodbye to friends

April 2014

@mandaashow STUCO raises money for cancer with Relay for Life

May 2014

@shelbycooperr The South Paw Yearbook is distributed

would you rather...

GO TO A PARTY THAT GETS BUSTED?

“Neither because parties scare me.”

“Throw a party at my house because then I know it wouldn’t get busted.”

-Sean Hobbs

-Tayler Parsons

HAVE POPCORN COME OUT OF YOU BUTT EVERY TIME YOU FART?

OR

OR

THROW A PARTY AT YOUR HOUSE?

“Go to a party that gets busted, so I could have the thrill of running away.”

-Robert Lane HAVE YOUR PAST AND FUTURE INTERNET HISTORY AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE?

“Popcorn out of my butt so I could just eat it afterward.”

“Past and future web history because I have nothing to hide.”

“Have everyone see my internet history because farting popcorn sounds painful.”

-Tara Hall

-Robert Pollan

-Kendra Allen

EVERYONE HAVE ACCESS TO YOUR MIDDLE SCHOOL SELFIES?

OR

EVERYONE HAVE ACCESS TO ANY SNAPCHAT YOU HAVE EVER SENT?

“Have everyone see my middle school selfies because that would probably be less embarrassing.”

“Snapchat because I didn’t take any middle school selfies and Snapchat is awesome.”

“Have everyone see my Snapchats because I was awful looking in middle school.”

-Michael Silvio

-Bria Barry

-Lauren Powers

mortifying moments

Seniors reveal some of their most embarrassing moments at South

“When I was a freshman, I was changi ro d om and som e ng in the lock nd need a e guys put m r e p a p er y m I y clothes an a lo ’ n r. ck o e er e b k b th ta ru at d underwear is a was locked u m need y ll in a p.

“I made a re to g I w ‘I h in , el ad to walk ar th and get a cu so I said ound in a stodian, and the same n a e m an eraser, ’t I n was late to -Mason Wee ber’ does d.” class.” dman guess ‘rub in Englan s e o d it s a S U “ e S opho in th “Freshman year at pbell m fell d more ye a C y t lu t nc h, a a o I knocked -H a senior girl’s lunc every wn in th r I trippe h tray out of her d e one hands--and she w laugh cafeteri and as a re S all e y popular, too.” a d amu “I was leavin -Ryan Proffitt g early for el So at me.” nd an appointmen botka t and wipe d out in the mud. I “My sop had to go h homore ome and change yea during a walked zipper was down because I g in y “M to the b r, I accidently t ot mud sa I . all over me a ss oys bat n cla d Ryan .” hroom speech in Debate Proffitt le op pe H at th was in e d -Lauren Jim laughed there. down and realize a enez y crotch.”

-Karson t me.” were staring at m

pers

-Cameron Ca “During fi rst lunch caught o s n the do ophomore year, my back ors by th doors clo pack got e band r sed. It w o o a m, and p unhook u myself a s super busy as nd then well, and lled the -Tessa B re-open I had to the door allam s again.”

Lenger

day on my second “Freshman year main e th I tripped on of high school, backpack y M ce planted. staircase and fa me.” er ov d people ran spilled open an

k -Shannon Brou

3

the next

Find out where fellow classmates are taking their education locally after South

by LESLI MALCOLM

STEP

University of Kansas

Maple Woods

“I’m going into the Accelerated Law Program so I get my law degree a year sooner.”

“I have a stable job at home already and I’m just going to use A+.”

-Devin Steinhauser

-Clara Murphy

Northwest Missouri State

University of Arkansas

“I chose the campus because it is small and homey and good for teaching degrees.”

“It’s far enough away from home that it’s not right next door. And it’s ranked top 20 for business majors.”

-Susan Monroe

-Austin Stump

Missouri State

UMKC

“I have a good friend base there and it was originally a teaching school. Also, it is a good distance away from home.”

“I’m going there to study in music therapy, which is to help reach people with Autism and Alzheimer’s. UMKC has a conservatory that offers that.”

-Chelsea Barnicle

-Phillip Anderson Missouri S&T

University of Missouri

“Rolla is one of the best engineering schools for metallurgical engineering which is making and treating metals.”

“My parents and my sister went there and I just grew up loving it.”

-Madison Henning

-Caelan Kennedy

NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE Maryville, MO

3

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI Columbia, MO

1 4

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-KC Kansas City, MO

5

MAPLE WOODS Kansas City, MO

2

POPULAR

MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY

4

Springfield, MO

PICKS

A look at some of the most common future colleges of the 2014 class

UNDECIDEDUNDERGRADS

by BREANNA WEBSTER Seniors with undecided majors talk about why they chose their school

next year’s

How to make you dorm room as comfortable as possible

NECESSITIES 2 sets of sheets, 2 pillow cases, a pillow and a comforter

University of Missouri

Northwest Missouri State

“I’m thinking about doing elementary education but I’m not really sure. I’m planning on getting involved and finally declaring a major someday.”

It’s cheap but it’s far away from hope so I don’t have to deal with everybody here; I’m just ready to meet new people and do new things.

-Lindsey Harris

-Joshua Froude

Johnson County

Penn Valley

“I really like their cafeteria.

They have a Pizza Hut in it! I’m living with my dad after college and that’s a great college that’s close to him.”

I’m pretty undecided. I’m going to go for art, I think, or something like that. It’s close to home so I can still stay at home and save money.”

-Carson Williams

-Jacob Randall

far out

These students chose to attend colleges that are a long distance from home

by RAVEN JENNINGS

extra blankets and pillows shower shoes or flip flops 2 towels and 2 washcloths approved kitchen appliances (coffee maker, mini fridge, microwave) medications such as Advil or Ibuprofen TV with DVD player laptop or tablet (with a Netflix subscription) hangers and laundry basket desk chair (and other office supplies) small trash can or waste basket

Pepperdine University

Harvard University

“I want to go into business or computer science, so going to the West Coast just made sense.”

“There’s a lot of history and culture there; I thought it would be more exciting than [staying in] Kansas City.”

-Chase Riekhof

-Emerson Lee

University of Washington

University of Michigan

“When I visited Seattle for the first time, I fell in love. That made my college decision a million times easier.”

“I used to live [in Michigan] so it’s been on my radar for awhile. I like the city and it’s great for medical school.”

-Sara Parolin

-Ronak Sutaryia

5

the class of 2014 is...

CHARISMATIC DIVERSE

BRILLIANT

-Benay Shannon

-Chris Reuscher

-Daniel Henson

ENTERTAINING

-Nancy Park

GLORIOUS

ADORABLE

-Michael Nelson

-Megan Carson

CHAMELEON

MONUMENTAL

-Deana Bindel

-Jennifer Mattson

teacher’s PET

Seniors share who their favorite teachers were during their four years at South

by RAVEN JENNINGS

“Mrs. Shannon and Mr. Dale because they’re really good at teaching and engaging the classroom.”

-Chloe Granger

“Mrs. Brockhoff, because she has helped me in a lot of areas in life other than choir, like my confidence and self esteem. She helps me be outgoing.”

-Sean O’Rourke

“Mr. Henry, because of the Code Red story.”

-Alex Gross “Mr. McDaniels, because even though I was really nervous about giving speeches, he made us all really comfortable with each other.”

-Olivia Post

6

2014 STARS

spring sports

Get to know some of this years top spring athletes

by SHANNON McKENZIE, JORDIN WOODWARD AND LESLI MALCOLM

Most people who know Luke Becker, know that his second home is the golf course. Becker started playing golf in the seventh grade, leading him to play competitively through all four of his years at South.

Although he does not plan on playing golf when he attends Mizzou next year, he hopes to continue to play recreationally in his free time.

“I hope to play on one of their intramural golf teams while attending Mizzou,” said Becker.

“Even though I won’t be playing competitively for the school, I still love the sport."

During his last competitive season, there is nowhere Becker would rather be than out on the course hitting golf balls.

“There’s no better feeling than the feeling you get when you crush a ball perfectly across the golf course,” he said.

Becker, along with the two other seniors on South’s varsity golf team, has instilled a powerful work ethic in the underclassmen. He hopes the team will continue to put in the necessary effort to succeed, even after he graduates.

Morgan Keesee has been a member of South’s track and field team since her freshman year.

In her four years here, she has set and broken numerous records, including the discus and shot put record. She has broken the discus record twice and the shot put record four times.

Although Kessee mainly throws shot put and discus for South, when she goes to Louisiana Tech next year on a full ride athletic scholarship, she will also throw hammer and weight.

“I love track and field because it’s a team sport and an individual sport at the same time,” she said.

“In order for your whole team to bring home the win, you have to succeed individually. Even though you compete individually, your team encourages you to try your absolute hardest.”

While looking forward to attending and throwing for Louisiana Tech next year, she continues to be a strong leader and an example for the underclassmen and her fellow senior teammates.

“She’s a great example of how hard work and practice truly pays off in the long run,” said teammate CJ Whisnant.

Ryan Cockriel has played baseball since he was six years old and ever since then he has loved the game. What has kept him going through his 12 years of playing (four of those years being at South) is his love for every aspect of the game.

Cockriel’s favorite part about baseball is knowing that each and every one of his teammates will have his back at any given time, on or off the field.

“Your teammates are your brothers,” said Cockriel. “We bond over something that we all love.”

However, Cockriel’s future plans are not leading him to play baseball. Despite the fact that Cockriel received offers from many schools to play baseball, he chose to go into the Air Force; not only will his college be paid for, but this will also get him closer to reaching his career goals of someday becoming an air traffic controller.

Even though Cockriel’s baseball playing career will end at South, his passion for the sport will last forever.

“Baseball is the best sport out there, hands down,” he said. “It’s one of the oldest sports and is an American pasttime.”

Rising above the other players, Ashton Anderson leads the Lady Panthers soccer team by being the only senior captain this spring. Having played all four years on the team, Anderson continues to dedicate herself by always working hard and leading with a passionate voice.

“I shared a motto by Coach Jim Valvano who said, ‘Don’t give up! Don’t ever give up!’ with a friend who had cancer,” said Anderson.

She adheres to this by using positive reinforcement with her teammates both on the field and during practice where she tries to act as a buffer between Joe Toigo, varsity girls coach, for the underclassmen.

“Ashton leads by example and with a young team, she raises the level for others with her dedication and high work rate,” said Toigo.

While looking forward to an athletic scholarship for volleyball at the University of Tulsa, she gives her younger teammates the advice to always have an excellent work ethic and that results will come along with their effort.

Gripping the racket and standing at the center line, Jim Geary proves himself to be a reckoning force on the tennis court. Having played for a total of ten years, he continues to demonstrate his immense passion for the sport.

“My mom was a big influence because she played in college,” said Geary, “and my dad, also, who plays for fun.”

Geary was recruited by Grinnell College in Iowa where he found the “right balance with science and tennis.” While mainly being self-motivated, he hopes to continue the school’s conference win streak of 11 years.

“The competition will be a lot stronger in college due to a lot more recruiting and more passionate players,” said Geary.

From backhanding to volleying, Geary will be setting a new standard to the court throughout his college years with aspirations to be in the NCAA tournament. With a major in biology, he hopes to strike the perfect balance to maintain the intense environment on the court and in the classroom.

Isaiah Jones has played rugby for South’s team for only two years, but has a new found love for the sport. He enjoys every minute on the field.

Jones first started when he heard some of his friends talking about playing and decided that he would go check it out. He was hooked after his first season.

“I heard a lot of good things about it and the team seemed to always do pretty good,” said Jones. “It just looked like a lot of fun, plus the rugby team is mostly made up of football players so I already knew everybody and was sure that it would be fun.”

So far Jones does not plan to play rugby in college, although he doesn't want his rugby career to end here at South. He wants to someday play in the Heart of America, a city men’s league, after high school.

“I love the aggressiveness and the difficulty of the game,” he said. “Being able to get low and blow someone else off the ball is a really powerful feeling.”

7

superlatives 2014

MOST LIKELY TO BE LATE

BEST SMILE

BEST TWEETS

Kayla Mikuls & Robert Lane

MOST ARTISTIC

KeeleyShaye Hill & Rhett Delay

FIRST TO MAKE A MILLION

Hannah Brown & Alex Gross

BEST PERSONALITY

Shannon Brouk & Derek Braun

BEST DRESSED

Skye Tackett & Emerson Lee

COUPLE THAT NEVER WAS

Sarah Hardin & Blake Youngdahl

BEST HIPSTER LOOK

Erika Stark & Scott Cline

BEST CELEBRITY LOOK ALIKE

Ramsha Babar & Darpan Bhatt

photoshop credit: derek braun

MOST LIKELY TO STAR ON BROADWAY

Nicolette Santana & Max Laney

MOST CHANGED SINCE FRESHMAN YEAR

Madison Putnam & Garrison Ballam

8

Miranda Brand & Phillip Anderson

Rachel Brown & Sean McCulloch

BEST BFF’S

BEST BROMANCE MOST LIKELY TO WIN THE HUNGER GAMES

Abbie Rechsteiner & Sara Parolin

CLASS CLOWN

Jordan Lindsey & Josh Hall

BEST EYES Morgan Keesee & Austin Miller

PERSON YOU’D LIKE TO BE STRANDED ON AN ISLAND WITH

Bria Barry & McKade Hermansen

BIGGEST TECHIE

Madison Wellman & Joseph Panella

BEST SELFIE Olivia Miller & Stephen Komar

MOST LIKELY TO PLAY AT A COACHELLA FESTIVAL

Shanna Beyer & Travis Fennel

BIGGEST WORKAHOLIC

Danielle McKenzie & Chase Whorton

BEST HAIR

Hatty Campbell & Nick Riffle

MOST LIKELY TO GIVE A TEACHER AN APPLE Clara Murphy & Ryan Dansby

BIGGEST RAGE CAGER

Shannon McKenzie & Josh Kirby

WORST CASE OF SENIORITIS

Alex Eiken & Joshua Priemer

Madison Palmer & Robert Pollan

Shelby Cooper & Tristan Odle

9

party like

JAY GATSBY

South students were treated to an elegant night at Mr. Gatsby’s mansion with live music for this year’s Prom by HATTY CAMPBELL

INSTAGATZ

“There was music from my neighbor's house through the summer nights. In his blue gardens, men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and he champagne and the stars,” Nick Carraway describes, as he narrates seeing one of Jay Gatsby’s parties for the first time in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, “The Great Gatsby.”

The Roaring ‘20s was a symbol of the American dream, with lavish parties, a booming economy and a cultural explosion of music, movies and architecture. And this year, South’s Junior Exec threw it back to this era, with the Smoothest Jazz, Glamorous Flappers and all of the liveliness you would expect from one of Jay Gatsby’s parties. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s words became reality for students.

“Junior Exec usually votes for the theme. However, it was a unanimous decision so it took little time, especially as the movie was so popular. The decision was made promptly in January and everyone was so excited,” said Laura Lehnert (art).

Embassy Suites was adorned with beautiful Art Deco design decorations, with inspiration being drawn from the popular blockbuster movie.

“The theme was so well put together,” said John Flemming. “It really fit the

10

Gatsby-Art Deco look. I think it must’ve been hard to do because the 1920s were a while ago. They were very creative with it and it looked so professional.”

While this year’s Prom theme was something new and unique, it also included more. For the first time in the school’s history, there was a live performance from South’s own Jazz Band.

“We asked the Jazz Band play at prom to give a ‘Big Band’ 1920s feel for the dinner. I think it captured the theme perfectly,” said Lehnert.

Jazz Band members were impressed with the outcome of their performance as well, and were honored to be able to play at this event.

I was so excited to be able to play at Prom,” said Wills Van Doorn. “It’s a great opportunity to play live, and I feel like everyone enjoys live music at a dance, as well as the usual DJ set; it’s something different.”

With an extraordinary theme, eyecatching decorations and live music from incredibly talented musicians, South seniors could not ask for anything more for their final high school Prom.

“The ‘20s was an amazing era; it was the start of commercialism and was just so glamorous,” said Hailey Hennier. “It was a perfect theme for our senior Prom.”

photos by BOB BOHNING

The senior class took over Instagram, looking exceptionally elegant for Prom 2014

@jordanlindsey13

@allie_murphy

@slonekays

@dyl_pickle24

@chaseriekhof

@sarahnels5

@laurenpusateri

@laurenpowers_

&

two truths We asked this year’s senior Prom candidates to give us two truths and a lie about themselves.

See if you can guess the right answers!

Erika Stark

1. I’ve been playing piano for 12 years.

2. I’m going pre med.

3. My favorite book and movie is “Pride and Prejudice.”

Austin Miller 1. I have scored three varsity touchdowns on offense.

2. I enjoy spending mass amounts of time painting portraits.

3. I enjoy being with all sorts of innocent animals

a lie *answers to Two Truths & a Lie and Find the Fact are on page 13

Josh Hall 1. I have won three state championships in club soccer.

2. Both of my siblings are married.

3. I broke my collarbone while skiing on a black diamond.

Molly Jackson

Sarah Hardin

1. My role model is Cinderella.

2. I hate road trips.

3. My favorite day of the week is Tuesday.

1. I’ve played all but three of South’s girls sports.

2. I went ziplining in Mexico.

3. Ceramics is my calling.

Matthew Knight 1. I was a state champion gymnast.

2. My favorite flavor of protein is chocolate.

3. My favorite South sport to watch is football.

the

FIND FACT

and the winners are...

Sarah Hardin and Matthew Knight were crowned this year’s Prom Queen and King.

Both candidates were extrememly happy to accept the award, and the excitement was shown through their smiles as they shared a slow dance after the crowning. “It was so cool having that recognition from my classmates,” said Knight. “And getting to share it with an amazing queen was even better.”

Match the correct candidate on the right with their fun fact on the left!

A. I can ride a unicycle.

This year’s Spring Break

1. Erika

B. was the first time I’ve

2. Austin

C. I am a Call of Duty God.

3. Sarah

back into every D. Isingle parking spot.

4. Matthew

ever seen the beach.

E. I don’t have a pinky knuckle.

5. Molly

Since I’m very into sports

F. people think I’m a dumb jock, but I have good grades.

6. Josh

photo by BOB BOHNING

11

Class of 2014,

“MY FAVORITE CLASS!”

I am the luckiest man in the world. All of my life has revolved around working with people, but the last 20 years teaching and coaching you and others like you has been the most rewarding part of my many adventures. Webster Dictionary defines an adventure as “an exciting or dangerous experience.” The life you are beginning after high school may be one or both. My encouragement to each of you is to make sure your life is an adventure. The easy way out is to just take the more traveled road that is less scary and doesn’t allow for failure. So take a chance and dream big, take risks that lead to great things, and love life and love those you meet along the way.

“

“

you can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of shore.

-Christopher Columbus

Most of you have experienced that life is not fair. Sadly, we are not promised a fair shake in life, but through faith we can have the promise of making it through the hard times and being a better people because of our struggles. Little is learned when everything is going well. Most of what we learn happens when times are hard. Live by the principle that every day is a good day and do all you can to greet everyone with a smile and genuinely encourage them. It will brighten your day and hopefully theirs as well.

My hope for each of you is that you will hear the depth of what I am sharing with you. That you too can have a life that has been as happy and fulfilling as mine has been. Good luck in your “New Adventures.”

Congratulations, words of advice from a few of your

SOUTH SENIOR SCHOLARS

How did this day get here so fast? It seems like just last month that we were getting off of the buses for our 8th grade visit, and stepping foot into the future. And yet, sometimes it seemed like we would never get here, through the slog of finals, AP exams, final athletic competitions, big projects, and meetings. But nevertheless, here we are, about to step foot into the future once again.

Yes, we have finally reached our last portof-call, but let’s not forget the epic voyage we have been embarked on. We have learned, suffered, failed, succeeded, and grown together. Some of us have been together for all 13 years, some for just four, and some have joined our crew just this year. No matter how long you have been with us, we can all agree on one thing: senior year has been amazing!

As seniors, we have a lot to be proud of. We have made records, broken others, showcased all our skills, gotten into great colleges, and of course, beaten Park Hill in pretty much everything. We witnessed the beginning of the Bell Tower, and the last days of the snack bar. Over the course of this year, we have even gotten to assassinate each other!

The class of ‘14 truly can take pride in always pushing the envelope this year.

When I came to South, I was a skinny, awkward sophomore with no friends and no goals. Well, skinny and awkward haven’t changed, but the other two things sure have!

Thanks to a welcoming and involved class, and the attention of a few quality people specifically, I have been able to become a part of something great--and that is what makes our class so awesome. We have all helped make each other who we are. None of us could have gotten this far without the people walking across that stage before and after us.

So enjoy the big day, Panthers, and remember, always look out for each other. See you guys in the future!

your fellow panther,

12

BOB BOHNING

STEPHEN KOMAR

Webster’s dictionary defines success as… actually, I will not bore you with all that. It’s May; school is ending and the sun is shining! You do not need to be listening to stuffy speeches all day, it’s time for a celebration! In fact, I have to be honest I will be impressed if you make it to the end of this letter.

We have come a long way together. Can you remember the first day of senior year?

The first day of high school? The first day of kindergarten? Ok, maybe not that far, but the point is, this is the culmination of a thirteen year long journey. And whether we have been classmates for a year or a dozen, I have cherished every moment I’ve spent with you all. Fine, I will admit I may not have loved coming to school before the sun’s even up every cold winter morning, or cramming for half the night before a huge test. But the people I have met and the friendships we have forged are truly invaluable.

Yes, I know most of you are planning on achieving great things later on, the kind of stuff that will dwarf your four years here in comparison. And I know more than a few graduates-to-be who are counting down the days until they can finally get out of here for good (oftentimes they are also the ones Senioritis has afflicted the worst), but I think we can all agree that we have had some good times at Park Hill South- and if you don’t agree, you can probably admit that it wasn’t that bad. We have been graced with a fantastic school, incredible classmates, and a support system built from the ground up to help us succeed.

At the end of the day, I am no sage, I don’t have any particular gift for insight. If I am half as successful as the rest of you guys I will consider myself lucky! I am just a regular guy whose rose tinted glasses are already on full blast. So relax! Have a (non-alcoholic!) drink on me! If not before, I will see you guys at the reunion!

sincerely yours,

BEAU PIEPER

One thousand three hundred seventy-four days ago, in the middle of August 2010, most of us embarked on our high school journey. If you were a straggler because of a late vacation or something, do not expect me to calculate that for you as well—I’m not about that.

Throughout our four years at Park Hill South, we have grown both individually and as a class; we have been given a chance to share ideas and insights with our peers, teachers, and other community members, and we have achieved remarkable success in the past four years in the realms of athletics, academics, and various arts. It is certainly no mere contingency that these diverse accomplishments have been realized—they are the result of our zeal, ambition, and dedication.

All of our efforts culminate tonight, at graduation, the zenith of our high school careers, whether you are ready for it or not.

Tonight, many of you will cry, be it from elation, sadness, or simply a whacky estrogen imbalance (you know who you are). I most likely will not. But it’s okay—there is absolutely nothing wrong with a little vigorous sobbing. A Minnesota study indicates that crying can help wash out stress-causing chemicals such as adrenocorticotropic hormone—but I digress.

Crying is to be expected: we have formed some of the best friendships and fondest memories at South, so leaving it all behind is veritably difficult. But remember this as you prepare to don new colors and head off on yet another adventure: the daily occurrences of high school may fade away, but the true friendships we have made are eternal. We may disperse across the country, and indeed, the world, but in each of our hearts lies a restive panther just waiting to be awoken.

After four years, maybe it’s finally time to tone down the “It’s a great day to be a panther” rhetoric.

best regards,

EMERSON LEE

index

A

Adams, Harmoni - Unknown Alexander, Dakota - Maple Woods Allen, Kendra - Undecided Allison, Connor - University of Missouri Allred, Trey - University of Missouri Andersen, Kassandra - Unknown Anderson, Ashton - University of Tulsa Anderson, Benjamin - Unknown Anderson, Keller - Armed Forces Anderson, Parker - Maple Woods Anderson, Phillip - Missouri State Asztalos, Cameron - University of Michigan Ayers, Case - Maple Woods Bachman, Kelsi - Paris II Cosmetology School Baker, Troy - University of Missouri Ballam, Garrison - Maple Woods Ballam, Tessa - Northwest Missouri State Barnicle, Chelsea - University of Missouri-KC Barr, William - University of Arkansas Barry, Bria - Undecided Barth, George - Arizona State University Batton, Cody Levi - Undecided Bauer-Rodriguez, H Simeon - Armed Forces Bean, Ryan - Maple Woods Becerra, Jessy - Armed Forces Becker, Luke - University of Missouri Bennett, Dakota - Unknown Benson, Brandon - Oklahoma State University Berardelli, Nicholas - Undecided Bernardo-Mendez, Diana - Maple Woods Berryman, Cheyanne - Maple Woods Bertelsmeyer III, Ronald - Culver-Stockton Beyer, Shanna - Truman State Bhatt, Darpan - University of Texas Birdsell, Jacob - Maple Woods Black, Danielle - Northwest Missouri State Black, Hanna - Penn Valley Blakely, Kevin - Unknown Blechinger, Katelyn - University of Missouri Bledsoe, Kaetlyn - Undecided Bohall, Sydney - Hawaii School of Dental Arts Booth, Jordan - Missouri Western Boucher, Madison - University of Missouri-KC Boyd, Emily - University of Missouri Brady, Grant - Lake Forest College Brand, Miranda - American Musical and Drama Academy Braun, Derek - Park University Britz, Danni - Unknown Brizendine, Isaac - University of Missouri Brouk, Shannon - Savannah College of Art and Design Brown, Hannah - University of Dubuque Brown, Rachel - University of Missouri Brown, Theo - Mid-America Nazarene Brown, Trey - University of Missouri Browning, Sydney - Park University Bui, Andrew - University of Missouri Bunnell, Mitchell - Maple Woods Burkholder, Graham - University of Missouri Burnette, Jackson - Undecided Burns, Joseph - Northwest Missouri State Butler, Addison - UMKC Byers, Kyle - Maple Woods Byous, Alaina - Maple Woods Cade, Morgan - University of Missouri Cagakit, Leonardo - Rockhurst University Camp, Audrey - Northwest Missouri State Campbell, Hatty - Maple Woods Capers, Cameron - Northwest Missouri State Carlson, Dalton - Unknown Carpenter, Alexander - Kansas State University Carver, Christopher - Unknown Cassity, Spencer - Armed Forces Chastain, Kamryn - University of Missouri Churchman, Derrick - Armed Forces

B

C

ANSWERS:

Cleary, Kendrick - Undecided Cline, Scott - Central Methodist University Coats, Emma - University of Missouri Cockriel, Ryan - Armed Forces Cockrill, Hannah - University of Missouri Colbert, Alexander - Unknown Comstock, Elijah - Maple Woods Connor, Christopher - Linn State Technical College Connor, Kiele - Maple Woods Coombe, Morgan - Employed Cooper, Shelby - Drake University Cote, Ashley - Maple Woods Coyle, Courtney - Unknown Dansby, Ryan - Missouri State Davis, Michaela - Northwestern University DeClue, Alexa - Missouri State DeLay, Rhett - Kansas State University Dibben, Trevor - Northwest Missouri State Dittmer, Conner - Unknown Dugas, Tristan - Maple Woods Dulle, Ilsa - Lindenwood University Dunn, Nicholas - Armed Forces Dusenbery, Ann - Northwest Missouri State Edmisten, Jacob - University of Kansas Edwards, Jason - Maple Woods Eiken, Alexandria - Northwest Missouri State Eisler, Jacob - University of Missouri Eller, Aurora - University of Missouri Elmquist, Nicholas - Northwest Missouri State Engle, Jordan - Maple Woods Evans, Tara - University of Arkansas Fall, Aaron - Armed Forces Fennel, Travis- Missouri S&T Ferguson, Justin - Armed Forces Fisher, Brandan - Maple Woods Fleming, Ian - University of Central Missouri Fleming, Jonathan - Carthage College Ford, W 'Cady' - Chadron State College Fricke, Thomas - Northwest Missouri State Friedlund, Claire - Missouri S&T Froude, Joshua - Northwest Missouri State Gamboa, Conan - Unknown Garcia, Jessica - Maple Woods Gardea, Deisy - Unknown Geary, James - Grinnell College Gentzler, Jordan - Maple Woods Ghasemi, Chelsea - Undecided Gillespie, Logan - University of Missouri Gordon, Jesse - Concord Career College Granger, Chloe - Drury University Gray, Corey - Armed Forces Griffith, Nicolas - Illinois State Gross, Alexander - University of Missouri Gurrola, Daysi - Undecided Guy, Ashley - Undecided Hadley, Akimi - Unknown Hale, Alexzandra - Unknown Hall, Joshua - Truman State Hall, Tara - Undecided Haltom, Calen - Unknown Hamilton, Kelsey - University of Central Missouri Hammler, Benjamin - Maple Woods Hannah, Maddison - Northwest Missouri State Hardin, Sarah - University of Alabama Harris, Lindsey - University of Missouri Hayward, Ariana - Maple Woods Hendrickson, Taylor - Northwest Missouri State Henn, Alec - Northwest Missouri State Hennier, Haley - University of Kansas Henning, Madison - University of Missouri Hermansen, McKade - Utah State University Hernandez, Cody - Maple Woods Herrejon, Daniel - Jefferson College Heston, Emilie - Washburn University

D E F

G

H

2 TRUTHS & A LIE: Erika - 1 and 3 are true, 2 is a lie; Austin - 2 and 3 are

true, 1 is a lie; Sarah - 1 and 3 are true, 2 is a lie; Matthew - 1 and 2 are true, 3 is a lie; Joshua - 2 and 3 are true, 1 is a lie; Molly - 1 and 2 are true, 3 is a lie

FIND THE FACT: 1. B; 2. F; 3. E; 4. D; 5. A; 6. C

Hill, Keeleyshaye - University of Missouri Hines, Evan - Pratt Institute Hobbs, Sean - Undecided Hochstatter, Nick - Missouri State Hood, Terrell - Kansas City Art Institute Howe, Blake - University of Missouri Hudson, Morgan - Missouri State Hull, Makarios - Unknown Hutson, Noah - University of Oregon Hwang, Seung Hoon - University of Missouri-KC Jackson, Andree'Aun - Unknown Jackson, Molly - University of Missouri Jarman, Jecee - Missouri S&T Jennings, Raven - University of NC-Wilmington Jeong, David - West Point Jimenez, Elena - Maple Woods Jimenez, Lauren - University of Colorado-Boulder Johnson, Jacob - Berklee College of Music Johnson, Justin - Unknown Johnston, Dillon - Unknown Jones, Isaiah - Armed Forces Jones, Jaason - Unknown Jordan, Michael - Undecided Justis, Kynan - University of Missouri Kaltefleiter, Jacob - University of Missouri Kays, Slone - William Jewell Keck, Hannah - Maple Woods Keesee, Morgan - Louisiana Tech Keith, Kyleigh - Missouri State Keller, Madeline - Northwest Missouri State Kemp, Amanda - Donna’s Academy of Hair Design Kennedy, Caelan - Missouri S&T Kennedy, Paige - Unknown Kessler, Gabrielle - Drake University Kibbey, Cory - Unknown Kilgore, John - Unknown King, Westley - University of Missouri Kinn, Eric - University of Missouri Kirby, Joshua - Arizona State Kluge, Nichole - Maple Woods Knight, Matthew - University of Alabama Kolkoski, Breanna Breezy - Northwest Missouri State Komar, Stephen - University of Arkansas Krug, Nichole - University of Oklahoma Lacore, Ericka - Unknown Lajeunesse, Mary - Undecided Land, Corey - Dodge City Community College Landry, Chase - Northwest Missouri State Lane, Robert - University of Central Missouri Laney, Max - Dodge City Community College Langhorn, Thomas - University of Missouri Lanham, Michael - Unknown Lara-Ramos, Jorge - Unknown Larry, Clifford - Armed Forces Lee, Andrew - University of Missouri Lee, Brandon - Armed Forces Lee, Emerson - Harvard University Leibee, Grant - Missouri State Lenger, Karson - University of Missouri-KC Leonhart, Alex - University of Missouri Lightner, Dalton - Central Methodist Lindburg, Jacob - ITT Technical Institute Lindsay, Courtney - Unknown Lindsey, Jordan - William Jewell Lozano, Kristyn - Unknown Lunders, Keyan - University of Arkansas Luton, Adam - Creighton University Lyvers, William - Unknown Macken, Jade - Johnson County Community College Mahmood, William - Washburn University Malcolm, LesliAnne - University of Missouri Mallett, Jessyka Paige - Penn Valley Marrs, Adam - University of Oklahoma Mayo, Parker - University of Arkansas

J

K

L

M

13

index

Q R

McBride, Carly - University of Missouri Quick, Jacob - University of Missouri-KC McCulloch, Sean - KCK Community College Quigley, Hannah - Maple Woods McDonald, Mason - Employed Ramirez, Mariah - Vanderbilt University McHenry, Macie - Missouri State Randall, Jacob - Penn Valley McKenzie, Danielle - Maple Woods Rechsteiner, Abigail - Northwest Missouri State McKenzie, Shannon - University of Missouri Reeves, Andrew - Unknown McLain, Olivia - University of Nebraska-Omaha Reid, Carson - Missouri Western McMahan, Daniel - Maple Woods Ridgway, Emalee - Armed Forces McMullen, Megan - Maple Woods Riekhof, Chase - Pepperdine University Meek, Payton - Dodge City Community College Riffle, Nicholas - Belmont University Mesias-Rolen, Samara - Unknown Riggs, Zharia - Unknown Messina, Devin - Maple Woods Rivera, Alexis - Maple Woods Mikuls, Kayla - Iowa State University Roberts, Mary - Unknown Miller, Austin - University of Central Missouri Robinson, Bryan - Undecided Miller, Daniel - Truman State Rose, Karissa - Employed Miller, Olivia - University of Iowa Roy, Samantha - Oklahoma State Miller, Perri - Missouri State University Royce, Brandon - Maple Woods Mings, Payton Mary - William Jewell College Ruckman, Samantha - Maple Woods Mondaine, Courtney - Unknown Ruggles, Mikayla - Missouri State Monroe, Susan - Northwest Missouri State Russ, Lauren - University of Missouri Montgomery, Jamell - Unknown Salsbury, Jeffery - Unknown Moore, Bethany - Maple Woods San Agustin, Michael - Undecided Moore-Kiser, Vittoria - Truman State Sanders, Sydney - University of Arkansas Morgan, Grace - Park University Santana, Nicolette - University of Missouri-KC Morrow, Michael - MMI Technical Institute Santoro, Shelby - University of Missouri Morton, Alex - University of Missouri Sarbessa, Abdi - Rice University Mottet, Sheridan - Iowa State Schmalz, Jordyn - University of Missouri-KC Moxham, Mallory - Texas State Scott, Ashley - University of Missouri Murphy, Allie - University of Arkansas Scott, Michael - Central Methodist Murphy, Clara - Maple Woods Scott, Zachary - West Point Murry, Keaton - University of Central Missouri Seiwert, Ty - University of Arkansas Murry, Michael Anthony - Unknown Siebel, Ryon - University of Missouri Nassab, Andrew - University of Michigan Silvio, Michael - University of Kansas Nelson, Christopher - University of Missouri Simmons, Kayla - Truman State Nelson, Nicolette - Missouri State Simpson, Kayla - Northwest College-Wyoming Nelson, Sarah - University of Missouri-KC Skender, Amer - Unknown Nguyen, Nguyen - University of Missouri-KC Smith, Amanda - University of Missouri Nguyen, Stephanie - Shoreline Community College Smith, Cheyenne - Unknown Norman, Haiden - Arizona State Smith, Lukas - Unknown Norton, Zakari - Maple Woods Smith, Nia - Unknown O’Rourke, Sean - University of Missouri Smith, Ryann - Columbia College-Chicago Odle, Tristan - Missouri State Sneden, Jacob - Missouri Western Ortiz, Olivia - Armed Forces Sobba, Nicholas - William Jewell Orvos, Lee - Employed Sobotka, Samuel - University of Missouri Overfelt, Joel - University of Kansas Soriano, Edwin - Unknown Palmer, Madison - University of Colorado Springs South, Emili - Northwest Missouri State Panella, Joseph - Univeristy of Michigan Spooner, William - Unknown Parolin, Sara - University of Washington-Seattle Sprague, Cicely - Northwest Missouri State Parsons, Tayler - University of Missouri Stahl, Nathan - Unknown Patneau, Tarah - Metropolitan Community College Peck, Connor William - Metropolitan Community College Peguero, Jonathan - Maple Woods Penrod, Ashton - Maple Woods Peters, Cody - Upper Iowa University Pettijohn, Hannah - Maple Woods Philpot, Joe - University of Arizona Pieper, Beau - University of Illinois Pollan, Robert - University of Central Missouri Post, Olivia - Missouri State Powers, Lauren - Penn Valley Preston, Jessica - Missouri State Priemer, Joshua - University of Central Missouri Proffitt, Ryan - University of Missouri Pusateri, Lauren - Northwest Missouri State Putnam, Madison - University of Missouri Putthoff, Gavin - University of Missouri

S

N

O P

Stahl, Valerie - Truman State Stark, Erika - University of Missouri Stein, Joseph - Unknown Steinhauser, Devin - University of Kansas Sterling, Marchelle - Unknown Stevick, Keilyn - Maple Woods Stifter, Patrick - University of Alabama Stoker, Abigail - Missouri State Stump, Austin - University of Arkansas Sutariya, Ronak - University of Michigan Sutton, Linda - Unknown Tackkett, Skye - Missouri S&T Taylor, Cory - Maple Woods Temple, Haley - University of Missouri-KC Templin, Autumn - Northwest Missouri State Thigpen, Michael - University of Missouri Thirkell, Samantha - University of Central Missouri Thompson, Bailey - Missouri State Thompson, Madison - Maple Woods Thurston, Alexander - University of Arkansas Todd, Courtney - Washburn University Tryon, Jonathan - University of Missouri Turner, Corey - Maple Woods Valles, Yvonne - Unknown Van Doorn, Thomas - University of Missouri Vaughn, Cody - Waldorf College Verner, Elizabeth - Penn Valley Waters, Collin - Maple Woods Watson, Alexander - University of Missouri Webster, Breanna - Park University Webster, Makinlin - Maple Woods Weedman, Mason - Unknown Welch, Bridget - University of Missouri Wellman, Madison - University of Missouri-KC Welty, Hudson - MidAmerican Nazarene University Wesley, Timothy - Unknown West, Charlethea - Unknown Whisnant, CJ - University of Missouri Whorton, Chase - University of Missouri Williams, Carson - Johnson County Community College Williams, Elias - Missouri State Williams, Savanah - Maple Woods Williamson, Kendall - Unknown Wilson, Loren - Maple Woods Woodward, Jordin - San Jacinto College Worth, Richard - University of Missouri Ybarra, Evan - Maple Woods Youngblood, Kristen - Southeast Missouri State Youngdahl, Blake - University of Missouri

T

V W

Y

2014 senior magazine staff

This is the fourth volume of the Senior Magazine at Park Hill South High School in Riverside, Mo. It was created using Adobe CS6, using fonts and colors from our 2014 South Paw Yearbook. The magazine was printed by Osage Graphics in Olathe, Kan.

14

EDITOR

Katie Blechinger

STAFF MEMBERS

Shannon McKenzie Madi Wellman Breanna Webster Gabby Kessler Jordin Woodward Lesli Malcolm Raven Jennings Hatty Campbell

letter from the editor

It has been quite the journey for us throughout these past four years. Through the good times and bad, we have been able to find ourselves and learn who we really are.

When you think of our class as a whole, we are a group of very diverse people. We come from different backgrounds, have different goals and want different things out of life. But there is one thing that we all have in common--each one of us has a great amount of potential; the journey to reaching this potential may just be longer for some than others.

Class of 2014, we are the future. The choices we make and how we plan our lives will affect not only our generation, but generations to come. Our time at Park Hill South has prepared us for this, and set us up to challenge ourselves beyond what we’ve ever expected.

From the moment we set foot into the school back in August of 2010, until we made our cheerful exit on May 16, 2014, we have done nothing but grow and develop. Though our academic growth has been incredible, perhaps one of the greatest things that we can take away from South is our growth as people.

Sure we have had stumbles along the way; we have given into peer pressure, made wrong decisions and sometimes we let stereotypes

and opinions of others blindsight us from important things. But our ability to overcome these situations and not let them get the best of us is a true judgement of good character, and it shows the people we have become.

So as you walk across that stage tonight, indulging yourself in the bittersweet moment, think to yourself, what do I have to offer to my generation? No matter how big or small it may seem, your contributions to the world, along with the rest of ours, will in fact make a difference.

We are no longer students at Park Hill South; we are now Park Hill South alumni.

And now, anything is possible.

sincerely,

Katie Blechinger, Senior Magazine Editor-in-Chief

To The Park Hill South Class of 2014, Your yearbook theme this year is both reflective and prophetic: Evolve. One of the joys of working in a high school is watching the evolution of our students over their four years. Our students come in as children barely able to support the weight of their backpack and they leave as strong and confident young men and women heading off to tackle the next phase of life. Age will clearly teach that this process of evolution is rarely complete. You will continue to grow and evolve through the many stages of life. Always keep that youthful energy you have such ample supply of right now, but also seek out and celebrate the many transitions of life that you will encounter over the years.

“...SEEK OUT AND CELEBRATE THE MANY TRANSITIONS OF LIFE THAT YOU WILL ENCOUNTER OVER THE YEARS.” As you get ready to graduate, enjoy all these moments with your family, friends and those who have supported your talents, goals and dreams throughout the years. It will never be same again. This paradox brings intertwined feelings of sadness and joy. These people and events will now become fond memories while the future only holds the promise of new opportunities.

congratulations!

SINCERELY,

Dr. Dale Longnecker, Principal

in memory of HUNTER JAMES OLDSON February 29, 1996 - July 6, 2011

It is strange to think that my brother would be graduating this year. My brother would be 18 years old. He would be driving around, like manyof you have recently started doing these past couple years. He could have a small job where he would be saving up money. He could be falling in love for the first time. He could be getting ready to go to college, where he would learn to become anything he desired. These are just some of the things my family and I have contemplated in the past almost three years since my brother has been gone.

We will always miss Hunter. Not a day goes by that we don’t have another flash of memories

crash on us like a wave. Mom still cries every day. But most of all we are angry. Angry that he would make such a selfish decision! Me and my family have given up on the should have done, would of done, could of done. There is no sense in beating ourselves up over something we have absolutely no control over.

We will never know the reasons why he decided to take his own life, but that shouldn’t have ever been an option in the first place!

Some of you seniors are probably beginning to realize that your high school career is over; you are moving on, you are going to college and you are growing up. My point is, you

have your whole life ahead of you. A world of possibilities awaits you. Your path may lead you in directions you never thought possible.

Whatever the case may be, take it on with an open heart and a clear mind, and make those memories that you can cherish for the rest of your life. Because I truly believe that we live on forever, in the lives of the people we touched.

with love, Carson Oldson &

The Oldson Family Stop bullying. Learn about the Hunter Oldson Pledge. >> Please like the R.I.P Hunter Oldson Facebook page. >>

15