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SHAWNEE HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL // TECUMSEH, KANSAS
THE
TOTEM VOLUME 58
// ISSUE 2
EDITOR’S NOTE BY:
where the football player gets any girl he wants. What people don’t realize is all the hard work college athletes have to give and the countless hours they sacrifice to the program. What about birth control? It’s become a solution for so many problems, but few know the side effects of the medication they take on a daily basis. Antidepressants are their own beast, with side effects that many do not know exist. The technology in our hands often asks for us to “agree to terms of service,” but we never read the long paragraphs explaining what that actually means, not knowing the trouble we can get into with what we post.
The final topic we wrote about was FERPA, or the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. FERPA applies to every student and parent, even here at Shawnee Heights High School, and I would guess over 50% of students have never even heard of the word FERPA. We are excited about this issue of the Totem, and we hope we are providing you with information that has never quite been reached to you before. My advice is to really take the time to fully and thoroughly read the package stories because it is not information that is talked about every day even though we are impacted by these terms in almost every imaginable way.
SENIOR
How often do you take the time to really read all of the terms and agreements when you sign up for a new account on a website? How often do you see the words, “This site uses cookies,” and you actually take the time to figure out what that means? There are terms, conditions, and side effects of everything from medications to YouTube, but we often skip over the details. That is what our goal as a newspaper staff is this issue, to give you some examples of the benefits you can receive if you really take the time to “read between the lines.” Take, for example, college athletics - every athlete thinks going Division 1 is the perfect life, full of partying and playing in front of fans; life
Isaiah Wilson
ISAIAH WILSON Isaiah is the co-editor in chief of the newspaper. In addition to newspaper, he is also a Spirit Club leader, a captain and a four-year varsity player on the soccer team, and is involved in NHS. He enjoys going to eat with his friends, watching his favorite NBA player, Derrick Rose, and watching K-State basketball. He plans to attend K-State to study business.
JACK ARNOLD EMILY REB BROOKLYN JORDAN RYAN GOOD
STAFF:
TABLE OF CONTENTS G A P
Hannah Arensdorf Haven Blosser Ehllee Buckholtz Peyton Escalante Cesar Giron Kiana Glenn Haley Haltom Elly Keyes Arianna Lavalette Bella Lejuerrne Andrea Lopez Emily Metzger Toby Moss Brook Newberry Mia Osier Laurel Padilla Maddie Rice
E 17
EDITORS:
Check out a feature on Kylie Phillips as she heads into cross country state after a season full of broken records and first places. Also, look to see how fall sports are wrapping up and how some teams are looking heading into postseason.
EICs Olivia Talbert Isaiah Wilson
BUSINESS Rebecca Donaldson
DIGITAL
G A P
E 18
Tune into the package to learn what’s really involved in the fine print of everyday life. We tend to skip over certain small things, but these pages should help you see what you’ve been missing.
Josh Ybarra
SOCIAL Ethan Armbruster
COPY Tia Munoz
DESIGN Colton Thompson
ADVISER: Jeni Daley
G A P
The Totem is a student publication produced by students from scratch during the newspaper class held during 3rd hour. The thoughts and views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the school board, administrators or teachers - they represent the students. This publication is NOT prior reviewed and is a public forum for student expression created for the primary audience: SHHS student body.
E 29
Since the switch to the UKC, Heights has brought in many league championship trophies, but what do these trophies mean if it seems to some that the competition is lesser? An opinion piece by two varsity athletes goes in-depth on this topic.
10,600 copies printed 37 stories written 32 pages designed 25 computers used 24 staff members
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NOVEMBER CONTENTS DESIGNED BY:
Colton Thompson
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NOVEMBER ADS DESIGNED BY:
Rebecca Donaldson
Specialist in Magazine, Guides and Program Publishing 785.271.5801 • petersonpublications.com
Since 1947
Student Advisory Council provides
SCHOOL new opportunities for students BOARD group. For the middle selected by the principals ELECTIONS school, each team (both of their school and are Local school board elections were held after print date on Nov. 4. These candidates were up for election.
DISTRICT A POSITION 1
Lauren Tice Miller INTERSTATE PHOTOS
Matt Stadler TOPEKA CAPITAL JOURNAL
DISTRICT B POSITION 2
Rocky J. Busenitz INTERSTATE PHOTOS
DISTRICT C POSITION 3
Eric Deitcher INTERSTATE PHOTOS
MEMBERS AT LARGE
Joel Manzanares INTERSTATE PHOTOS
Jason A. Schulz TOPEKA CAPITAL JOURNAL
STORY BY:
Olivia Talbert Student have a new opportunity to make changes in their school district through a partnership with the superintendent and the board of education. Proposed by board member Rosa Cavazos, the Student Advisory Council (SAC) is a new group of students selected to communicate and represent the perspectives and opinions of the student body. “The SAC is an opportunity for the board and district level administrators to solicit input on policies and practices from students who are generally directly impacted by those policies and practices,” Superintendent Dr. Marty Stessman said. Students at both the middle school and high school are eligible to apply to be part of the
seventh and eighth grade) will select a student to represent them as well as one head student representative from each grade, according to the official Shawnee Heights SAC description. In regards to the high school, two students from each grade will be selected, one male and one female, in addition to two head student representatives. “We have a lot of adults in the system who tell us what students are thinking from their informed perspective. This will give us an opportunity to gain a student perspective more directly and accurately,” Dr. Stessman said. “We are looking for a group to help us understand the impact of some of our policies and decisions from a student point of view at the level closest to implementation, the classroom.” These students will be
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chosen for their broad representation of their student population. These students must be balanced on males and females, as well as reflect the ethnicity of the student population (Shawnee Heights SAC description). “Every student should have the opportunity to serve and every student should feel like they are being represented. We want members who are a representative sample of the student population,” Dr. Stessman said. “I would like to hear from all types of students and would like every student to feel like someone on the council represents them.” Some activities done by the SAC could include: polling clubs and other groups annually about issues regarding the district, discussing the suggestions and concerns of students, and reviewing and making recommendations on issues suggested by the Board of Education. “I am interested in student’s thoughts on a variety of issues including academic rigor, individual plans of study, technology, the school day and mental health,” Dr. Stessman said.
7
NOVEMBER ADS DESIGNED BY:
Elly Keyes & Hannah Arensdorf
BREAKING NEW GROUND FROM STAGE PRODUCTION TO CASTING, MUSICAL PRODUCTION OF ‘THE LITTLE MERMAID’ CHALLENGES DEPARTMENT AND PROVIDES OPPORTUNITY FOR REPRESENTATION THROUGH VITAL ROLES
The Little Mermaid will be performed Nov. 21, 22, and 23 at 7pm. Tickets are available at showtix4u.com. The stage craft classes have worked to create a set that replicates an underwater scene, using dozens of pool noodles formed into coral reef along the stage. EMILY REB
STORY BY:
Tia Munoz As the opening date for The Little Mermaid draws near, a closer look is being taken at the cast and the production. “This production is one of the largest productions we have ever done - with several set pieces that are two levels tall with scenes on both sides - as well as the first time we have attempted to use puppets as important cast members throughout the production,” director Mr. Jeff Boyer said. The musical had its biggest group ever audition, with each person finding a role. With such a large cast, the theatre department has been able to try new opportunities. “The puppets are a big piece of the production this year. We chose to use them for a couple of reasons: we wanted the animals to be on a different scale than the more human characters to help the audience to buy into the story more. It’s also a different skillset for the actors, and having challenges is the only way to help the department to grow and improve,” Mr. Boyer said. “It’s been difficult because no one locally has done the production like this before so there wasn’t anybody nearby to borrow items or to serve as a model for our production. In some ways we’re breaking entirely new ground.” Almost every cast member will be using puppets, with some operating up to three. “Working with the puppets was very new to me starting out,” senior Antonio Holbert said. He will be playing Sebastian. “But since I’ve gotten the role I’ve practiced a lot and I think I’m getting kinda good at it. We brought in a puppet master who’s been helping me out a lot and so with a little more practice I think I’ll be good to go for the show.” This is Holbert’s first year participating in the musical. After years of convincing from friends, he finally
-MCKENNA MOTEN
qualities is her ability to communicate decided to try out. “Toni is a dynamo who creates through her facial expressions and her energy all the time; we had to put that gestures, which is very important for electricity front and center,” Mr. Boyer a character who has lost her ability to speak,” Mr. Boyer said. said. For Moten, the role signifies Other leads for the musical opportunities for include senior Bronze everyone. Constantino, who will THEATER IS A GREAT “I’m pretty sure be playing Prince Eric, WAY FOR ME TO SHHS has never had a junior McKenna Moten, ESCAPE FROM MY black lead, or at least who will be playing PROBLEMS AND I WANT OTHER BLACK not in a long time. I Ariel, and sophomore KIDS TO GROW UP didn’t want young kids of Abby McDaniel, who will THINKING THAT color coming to see the be playing Ursula. THEY CAN DO THE musical and not seeing “One thing that all SAME THING. someone that looks like of those performers them on stage because have in common is charm, magnetism, and presence. then they will think that they can’t When they’re on the stage, they’re do theater,” Moten said. “Theater is a great way for me to escape from my magnetic,” Mr. Boyer said. Joining the high school performers problems and I want other black kids will also be elementary school students, to grow up thinking that they can do who have been attending rehearsals at the same thing.” The production this year features the high school. “We’ve worked with grade school a cast with more diverse leads, which students in other productions before sets the stage for others to be inspired so that experience was not new. We to try out. “The diversity of our production simply reorganized the order of scenes we rehearsed so that by the time the was not a goal of our casting, but a byelementary students arrived at 4:30 we product of the mix of talented people were ready for that scene,” Mr. Boyer we had audition for us,” Mr. Boyer said. explained. “For the last two weeks, we “I always hope that all of our audiences rehearse later in the evening so that can see themselves in the stories we we can run the scenes in order with put on stage, but I, of course, don’t have the same perspective that everybody there.” Recently the cast has been McKenna does. I’m glad this show rehearsing singing, but they have begun provided an opportunity for her and scene breakdowns and practicing Toni to showcase their performing prowess and would be very glad if dialogue and accents. “Rehearsals are so fun. The people it inspires more people to join our are great and it’s always a fun time,” theatre. ...While we have not been Holbert said. “I’m so excited for perfect in our selection of shows in the everyone to see the finished product past, we have always tried to choose but I’m most excited for everybody to plays and musicals that do not demand see Ursula because I think she truly the actors have a particular race or has the coolest and zaniest costume ethnicity in order to win a particular role. We have had students of color on set.” While this is Holbert’s first year in in lead and supporting roles before, the musical, his co-star Moten has been but perhaps with this more visible in theater since she was nine years old, departure from the traditional casting, and has participated in every musical we can better demonstrate that roles and play at the high school since her are truly assigned based on the quality of a person’s performance.” freshman year. “One of McKenna’s standout
Flouder and Sebastian’s costumes cost more than $1,000 a piece if purchased (they are being rented)
There are more than 100 puppets used throughout the production
17 elementary students are part of the choir
Abby McDaniel, who plays Ursula, is performing in her 4th musical at Shawnee Heights as a sophomore
During tech week (the week before the show), the cast performs with full microphones and costumes from 6 to 10 p.m. each night
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PG.
NOVEMBER SCHOOL NEWS DESIGNED BY:
Ehllee Buckholtz
Freshmen Fill Classrooms to the Brim AS ONE OF THE LARGEST CLASSES IN HEIGHTS’ HISTORY, FRESHMEN GROUP BRINGS NEW OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES Being one of the largest classes in Shawnee Heights’ history with approximately 350 students, the freshmen are finally adjusting to the drastic change from middle school to high school. “The most surprising part of high school has been the fun of it,” freshman Makenna Lunsford said. She said that her year started off a little rough, but she has embraced meeting all the new people at the high school. “I didn’t think I would have as much fun as I am.” This was the first year the freshmen did not have an orientation day before the sophomores, juniors and seniors began in August. Previously, this freshmen-only day gave new students the
opportunity to adjust to the high school schedule and learn where classes were located. Mr. Curtis Hamilton, who teaches freshmen World Geography classes, supported the decision to not have the orientation day. “It’s impactful, but not as impactful as you would hope. Freshmen just need to get into the rhythm,” Mr. Hamilton said. This group’s size sets them apart from all the other graduating classes. Shawnee Heights’ approximate enrollment is 1,100, according to the school’s official website. This means there are approximately 275 students in an average grade. The graduating class of 2023 - the freshmen now - have about 350 students.
With the large freshman class, school assemblies and pep rallies look different. Instead of all classes sitting on one side, classes are either split two per wall or placed in a U formation like at the motivational speaker assembly in September. JENI DALEY
For the teachers, that large number brings new challenges. Mrs. Savannah Hartman is a new staff member who teaches English, including English 9 and Honors English 9. She has 142 freshmen, ranging from 23 to 30 students in a single hour. “I would say that I don’t get as good of a connection with some students and a lot of it is trying to keep chaos under control,” Mrs. Hartman said. “Just the large amounts of students in a room and making sure personalities are jiving, and that there is learning going on and not just social hour.” Another issue is grading. For Mrs. Hartman, she will be grading 142 research papers. Mr. Hamilton is teaching more students
than usual, too. He says that as the class moves on to more group projects, there will be more students per group. “I would say that is difficult in a big class to get one-one one time, especially as we go to more project-basedlearning type stuff,” Mr. Hamilton said. Freshmen Shea Marney and Molly Busenitz said that they are used to a large class size. They acknowledge that their large class causes them to be louder in class settings, and say that because they are such a big class, it becomes harder to branch out to new people. Communication can also be hard when it comes to class projects, like the parade float for homecoming. With these struggles, this class is trying
AP CAPSTONE
STUDENTS PRACTICE DISSERTATION SKILLS IN NEW AP PROGRAM to defy the stereotypes and bad reputation. “Everyone has their stories and you have a story too, and we are just trying to make the best of ours,” said Lunsford. “But it’s hard when we are being judged by something that sometimes you can’t help or change.” Although the large numbers have presented challenges, Mrs. Hartman believes it opens up opportunities, as well. “They will kind of lead the pack in some ways because there are such a large number of them,” Mrs. Hartman said. “They will kind of affect the atmosphere of how the school goes, so I think if they just come into their own and they learn that they are actually leaders, they can be leaders for good.”
A two-year p r o g r a m with rigorous STORY BY: requirements, Tia Munoz AP Capstone is a newly offered diploma program from the College Board that helps students with skills like research, analysis, presenting, and more. “When (Mrs. Aeschliman) talked to our class about the new research program it seemed like a really good experience that actually prepares you for college,” senior Makenna Orton, who is currently enrolled in AP Research, said. First year students take AP Seminar followed by AP Research. In order to earn the AP Capstone diploma, students must earn a three on an end of course exam for Seminar, and a three in Research, though there is no exam for that class. Instead, the final is a portfolio presentation. They also must pass at least four other AP exams throughout their high school career. “With Seminar...they have two primary things they have to complete, they’re called the performance task one and performance task two,” Mrs. Aeschliman, who teaches both courses, said. “Both of them entail a written paper, a presentation, and oral defense.” For performance task one, students must work together in groups of three to five people to research a topic of their choice. Each person writes a paper, and the information is then combined into a presentation and oral defense. Performance task two is an individual opportunity that lets students research a topic based off information given to them by College Board. A paper, a presentation, and oral defense are required for this task as well. “In a nutshell, we learn high-level research, writing, and presentation skills. It’s a very intense course and I’ve
learned so much over the course of this first quarter,” AP Seminar student Landen Doty said. There is an exam for AP Seminar students at the end of the year. Last year, nine students took the exam, and every student passed. A 100% passing rate for an AP course is not common. After finishing AP Seminar, students then move on to the next course. “The second class is AP Research and it’s a beast in upon itself. It’s essentially a dissertation at the collegiate level,” Mrs. Aeschliman said. “Most papers that you do in high school, and including the papers that you do in Seminar, are based on other people’s research… these guys are doing their own research.” Students in AP Research must form their own theories and conduct their own experiments to gather research. Then they must write an academic paper with an oral defense over their topic. “It is graduate work. It is something that you’re going to do for your masters and PHD, that’s the level of work that we are doing. So bottom line, what happens is that these students will leave high school with a skillset to be able to handle anything that’s thrown at them at the collegiate level,” Mrs. Aeschliman said. Orton is doing her research project over film theory. However, there are a variety of things being studied in class, such as the placebo effect in marketing and the Kansas Can School Redesign. To enroll, students must meet prerequisites, including being at least a sophomore and committing to two years in the program.
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NOVEMBER SCHOOL NEWS DESIGNED BY:
Emily Metzger & Haley Haltom
Horizon Award Winners
MRS. REGAN JONES
FIRST-YEAR TEACHERS SELECTED TO REPRESENT DISTRICT IN ANNUAL KANSAS HORIZON AWARD CONTEST TO RECOGNIZED OUTSTANDING NEW EDUCATORS
STORY BY:
Rebecca Donaldson HISTORY 5TH GRADE
“It was a no brainer to apply. I have a lot of people rooting for me and I felt like I owed it to them and myself to at least give it a shot,” Doty said.
-REGAN JONES
MS. SIDNEY DOTY
-SIDNEY DOTY
“To win would mean so much not only to me but to my former teachers and the district so I worked very hard to craft fantastic application,” Jones said.
Each year, the district is allowed to nominate two first year teachers for the Kansas State Department of Education’s Horizon Award. Shawnee Heights’ 2020 nominees are history teacher Mrs. Regan Jones and fifth grade teacher Ms. Sidney Doty, both SHHS graduates. “Your first year of teaching is overwhelming and you often don’t feel as though you are doing enough so it was a huge honor to be selected and to see that my hard work paid off,” Ms. Doty said. Nominees from each district have the opportunity to apply for the state level Horizon Award. Both Mrs. Jones and Ms. Doty applied and judges throughout the state are currently reviewing the more than 160 applications. In January 2020 results from the state level will the 32 Kansas winners. “I am so honored to be a nominee for Shawnee Heights. To be even a small part of SHHS history is so humbling,” Mrs. Jones said. “It means that I am making a difference in your lives and I want to continue doing that.”
Each nominee is required to submit a total of eight essays. Two from the nominee must be over strategies used in the classroom and advice to future teachers, and the other six must be written THIS AWARD REALLY by peers, SOLIDIFIES THAT I AM RIGHT WHERE I NEED mentors, TO BE. or students regarding the nominee. “This award really solidifies that I am right where I need to be. I am so honored to represent my school, district, and the greatest profession in the world,” Mrs. Doty said. Nominations are strictly for first year teachers which helps recognize hardworking new teachers. “To me, ...LIKE MS. FRIZZEL it represents SAYS IN THE MAGIC first year SCHOOL BUS, ‘TAKE teachers who CHANCES, MAKE are willing MISTAKES, GET to attempt MESSY.’ new activities in their classrooms and form meaningful and long lasting relationships with students. Or really, like Ms. Frizzle says in The Magic School Bus ‘Take chances, make mistakes, get messy’,” Mrs. Jones said.
Breaking Barriers
SOPHOMORE JOINS COLOR GUARD DESPITE THE GENDER STEREOTYPES STORY BY:
Laurel Padilla & Mia Osier While color guard is usually a girl-dominated sport, sophomore Trenton Henery tried out and is the only male on this season’s team. Joining color guard wasn’t originally in Henery’s high school plan. “My biggest inspiration for joining color guard was the fact that during freshman year I played sousaphone and it really messed up my back,” Henery said. “So, not wanting to learn a new instrument, I started to look at color guard. I thought I’d at least try out to say I did it but low and behold, I made the team.” Color guard is a try out sport that requires dedication and memorization. “I was terrified joining color guard. There was a lot of pressure on me and a lot of people thinking it was just an
RYLEE BOYD “Color guard has affected my leadership and social skills the most probably,” Boyd revealed. “I am much less awkward now that I’ve been in color guard and I have a wider spectrum of friends,” Boyd said. VICTORIA REYNOLDS
elaborate joke,” Henery said. Meeting every Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday after school from 3 to 5 p.m., and every first hour during school for practices, Henery quickly began to make friendships and learn routines. “Of course I was scared because I was worried about what everyone would think but in the end I made a mark and that’s what matters,” Henery said. “Everyone else in guard was so accepting and excited and it made me feel really welcomed.” Senior captain Rylee Boyd has been involved with color guard all four years of high school and has been the captain for two of those years. “He asked if he was allowed to audition and I basically screamed yes at him, in the audience, from on stage, I was so excited,” Boyd said. “This year everyone has been much kinder to everyone.” There are three new freshmen this year, and Kassie
McManus and Rachel South help coach the team. Older performers take in and help others like family. “This year we have ten total in the color guard, and I’m always hoping for more in the following years,” McManus said. “As for team bonding, they are a lot more supportive of one another and there aren’t cliques like there used to be.” Incorporating the band along with the color guard creates new visuals and an emotional performance for halftime. There has been four months of preparation for football season. The team received three new flag silks and a piece of equipment called airblades for this year. “Color guard is more of a physical art form like dance as opposed to just stationary flag spinning,” Boyd explained. T h r o u g h o u t September and October the color guard competed in four different competitions. Recently at Neewollah the guard got best in class. “The routines are fun and challenging, the other members are fun to be around, and it’s really a great experience,” Henery said.
TRENTON HENERY “Luckily I had my friends who were, and still are, my biggest supporters. Ever since last year when I first said that I would join color guard they always told me to go for it,” Henery said. EMILY REB
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NOVEMBER FEATURE DESIGNED BY:
Laurel Padilla
Senior Women Dominate Athletics BETWEEN SOFTBALL, CHEER, AND VOLLEYBALL, HEIGHTS SENIOR FEMALE ATHLETES LOAD UP ON STATE CHAMPIONSHIP RINGS
STORY BY:
Hannah Arensdorf Beyonce once said, “Who run the world? Girls.” The senior class of women athletes at Shawnee Heights have represented that motto by dominating the athletic department for the last three years. Between softball, cheer, and volleyball, this year’s senior class of girls has won a combined six state titles. The softball team has acquired an astounding 73-1 record over the past three years, winning the 5A state tournaments in 2016, 2017, and 2018. “I think all of our team works really well together, and just have really good chemistry together,” senior softball player Jaycee Ginter said. Ginter and fellow athlete Aniya Holt were featured on the first episode of the Totem Talks podcast,
now available on the Apple Podcast app or on Spotify. As the softball team has crushed the competition, the cheer team has as well. KSHSAA held the first Game Day spirit competition in 2017, and the Shawnee Heights cheer team won the 5A state championship in both 2017 and 2018. With champions comes the hard work of making a champion. “We practice ten hours or more a week,’’ Ginter said. These athletes also have club team practice and tournaments on weekends. The amount of effort and time these girls put into their sports pays off when they receive college offers. Holt has committed to playing softball at Eastern Illinois Univerity, Ginter will play softball at Washburn University, Briley Ginter will continue volleyball at Washburn University, Kamrin Wells will play softball at Des Moine Area Community College, and Alexis Dial
TOTEM TALKS
PODCAST
VOLLEYBALL 20
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
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will play softball at Emporia State University. Having a hand full of state championship rings is even more rewarding when playing alongside friends, Holt said. She currently has five state championship rings and is hoping to add to that this year. “It makes me extremely grateful for each one of my teammates and the opportunity to get to play with them. I appreciate each and every one of them. Having the rings is just an accessory compared to the bond I have with both teams (softball and cheer),” Holt said. To hear more about Ginter and Holt’s experiences playing sports at Heights, tune in to the Totem Talks podcast. New episodes will expand on articles within each issue of the paper and will be linked online at thetotem.net.
First episode now available!
DOMINATING THE COMPETITION CHEER
SOFTBALL
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
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2 0 1 7
2 0 1 8
2 0 1 8
The class of senior women athletes have had the opportunity to earn six state championship rings before starting their senior seasons.
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NOVEMBER SPORTS DESIGNED BY:
Mia Osier
Turning a New Leaf
FALL SPORTS WRAP UP SUCCESSFUL SEASONS HOPING FOR BIG WINS IN POST SEASON PERFORMANCES
FOOTBALL
RYAN GOOD
As of print date, the football team is currently 5-4 after winning against Lansing in the first round of post season play. “I think the season went very well, it was one of the best times of my life,” senior Antonio Ruiz said.
Ruiz thought many of the seniors had stepped up this year to lead the team. “People who stood out this year were definitely the captains Chase (Eklund) and Reid (Holthaus) and others like Ray (Mendoza) and Davion
(Gardenhire),” Ruiz said. The thunderbirds are preparing and hoping to advance to state. They won the first round of regionals with a 7-0 win over Lansing and now play De Soto on November 8.
The boys soccer team became back-to-back league champs this year. The team full of 14 seniors is going to be putting their talents to the test after winning regionals with wins over Highland Park and Seaman.
Senior goalkeeper, Tyler Loy, was a key factor on this year’s team. Loy kept eleven shutouts with 48 saves on the year. “I think the team’s success this year was due to the chemistry we have been building since
we were kids, and this summer we all agreed to put the work in and set goals for the year. One of our main goals was to make state this year and we achieved that,” Loy said.
The girls tennis team had an expansion of players from last year to this year. This tennis team won multiple medals and meets with almost double the number of athletes this season. “I think the season
went alright,” senior Emily Reb said. Emily Reb plays varsity doubles for her final season. Reb said that Kristen Hines and Tatum Brown stood out this year. “They worked really
well together as a doubles team and were able to get a lot of wins,” Reb said. Kristen Hines and Tatum Brown won players of the year for the United Kansas Conference.
The girls golf team is two for two when it comes to United Kansas Conference champions. The golf team has ended up on top the first two years in the UKC. The four seniors - Rebecca Donaldson, Amanda Reiter, Mia Heflin, and
Makaila Astle - left a great example for the younger players leaving a legacy of winning. “I think that Rebecca really stood out this year, she was always the nicest but also worked hard and tried her best at every meet, and was
always cheerful and happy for all her teammates,” sophomore Olivia Morgan said. Morgan will have to take a bigger role on the team next year becoming a junior. Morgan’s record score for the year was 95.
BOYS SOCCER
RYAN GOOD
GIRLS TENNIS
RYAN GOOD
GIRLS GOLF
RYAN GOOD
Running Over the Competition KYLIE PHILLIPS BREAKS SCHOOL RECORD FOR GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY AND GOES UP FROM THERE
STORY BY:
Isaiah Wilson & Josh Ybarra The girls cross country team took second in the league this year, led by senior Kylie Phillips. Phillips had her best season yet, taking first in league, first in city, and first in regionals to advance to state. “Last year I was also league champ but I took second at city so being able to place first was pretty cool,” Phillips said. Phillips set her personal best record this year at regionals, 19:13, beating her past record of 20:05. Phillips is also now the school 5k record holder. “My goal was to go under 20 and also try and break the school record… knowing that all my hard work paid off was pretty cool to see,” Phillips said. Phillips has been running for the school since middle school. “Usually when it’s in the middle of the race what gets me through is the want to finish, the want to PR and so that kind of motivates me to keep going,” Phillips said. “When you are racing and competing I love the feeling of crossing that
finish line and you know you gave it your best, it’s pretty rewarding.” Phillips is planning on running in college next year. She has been looked at by York College out of Nebraska and Harding University out of Arkansas. “I’ve visited their teams and coaches and it seems that their track and cross country programs would be a good fit for me,” Phillips said. Phillips says her biggest inspiration to succeed in running is her family, friends, and teammates. “They’re always encouraging me to do my best and I know they’ll always have my back,” Phillips said. Phillips took 14th at state on November 2nd with a time of 19:44.4. Soon Phillips will be done with cross country and onto her track season. “It’s going to be a lot tougher but I am going to go out there and compete with the top girls,” Phillips said. Phillips is already looking forward to track season and setting goals for herself. “I want to improve on my mile and my two mile times,” Phillips said.
KYLIE PHILLIPS XC PR: 19:13 League Placement: XC: 1st place in 18’ and 19’ Track: 3rd in 1600m & 2nd in 3200m 19’ City Placement: All City for XC 17’ 18’ & 19’ and Track 19’ XC: 1st 19’ Regional Placement: XC: 1st 19’ Track: 1st in 1600 m and 3200m 19’ State Placement: Track: 7th in the 3200m ‘19
17
PG. JACK ARNOLD
NOVEMBER SPORTS DESIGNED BY:
Josh Ybarra
ACRONYMS 101: FERPA EXPLAINED
19
BIG COMMITMENT: COLLEGE ATHLETICS
20
MEDICATION: TOLL OF BIRTH CONTROL
22
SIDE EFFECTS: ANTIDEPRESSANTS
24
TECH: TERMS OF SERVICE
26
READ
BETWEEN
THE
LINES Laziness takes many forms, but in our fast-paced society, we often skim over the important details. When it comes to the attention to detail, not reading the effects can be detrimental. From Terms of Service that we all tend to check “yes” without even reading, to medication side effects, we are quick to accept what is being dealt to us. We can often miss out on key information without even knowing it. Lack of time, relevance, and lack of understanding are all excuses to not pay attention. Here’s a look into the fine print of your everyday, habitual obliviousness.
According to Media Kix, Gen Z has an attention span of
8 seconds.
PayPal’s user agreement is exactly
26,002 words.
Experts say the average adult can read
200 to 250 words per minute.
At that rate, it would take
minutes 130 to read the entire PayPal user agreement.
WHAT IS FERPA?
by Olivia Talbert
private without proper permission,” principal Mr. Ed West, said. On the high school level, FERPA provides regulations that outline the rights of parents and students to review educational records. “FERPA requires us to notify parents annually of what we consider directory information and provide adequate time for parents to request their student’s name be removed. We
and allow their parents or guardians to have access to their grades in college. “The key is that parents and students are both aware of this. If parents think they need access to student info at the post-secondary level, they need to be sure the student fills out the waiver info,” counselor, Mrs. Laurie Crimmins, said. “It simply states that We are required to provide parents with a list of information we deem directory information and give parents adequate time to request their student be removed from any directories
all communication must go directly through the student and the only way the parent can have access to student information such as grades or fees is if the student signs a waiver for them to access this info.” This means as students enter college, parents legally do not have access to their student’s grades by default unless their student signs off on the FERPA statement.
FAMILY
EDUCATIONAL
RIGHTS
AND
-MR. ED WEST
FERPA provides regulations for what student information can be shared, and what information must remain private without proper permission
must also understand the regulations when information that is part of a student’s educational record is requested. Parents and students, on occasions, ask to review an educational record, and we must understand our obligations when such a request is made,” West said. “Direct information” is considered a student’s name, address, date of birth, honors, awards, etc. Other information such as grades, test scores, and discipline records cannot be shared without permission. “Every year we notify parents of FERPA as part of our start-up activities. We are required to provide parents with a list of information we deem directory information and give parents adequate time to request their student be removed from any directories,” West said. “Another common example occurs when seniors want transcripts sent to colleges. Seniors must request transcripts be sent to specific colleges. We do not have the authority to send transcripts to colleges without permission.” Along with transcripts, once students turn 18 they have the option to wavier their FERPA rights
-MR. ED WEST
As college admissions heat up, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act is a silent statute that impacts postsecondary bound students. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA, is a federal law created in 1974 that gives parents certain rights to their children’s education records (US Department of Education). “FERPA provides regulations for what student information can be shared, and what information must remain
PERMISSIONS
ACT
REGULATES Transcripts
Test Scores Personal Info
IN1974
Requires written parent consent to release student records in most cases
18
Rights transfer to student at
AGE
But what does that even mean?
MADE
FERPA
“I waive my FERPA rights.”
SOURCE: US Department of Education
19
PG.
NOVEMBER PACKAGE DESIGNED BY:
Colton Thompson
BEYOND THE END ZONE
Many student–athletes share the misconception that playing a sport in college is similar to playing in high school and that the schedule is easily-adaptable. When examining the label of college athletics, the bold words animate the thrills and pleasures of this experience. Without reading the fine print, students often pursue this dream of competing their sport at the collegiate level. In reality, there are unconsidered factors that play a significant role in one’s college experience. According to Dr. Kris Stankovich of drstankovich. com, “Student–athletes who commit to playing at the college level might best think of their 4-5 years competing as working a full-time job. When you take into account all that is expected from studentathletes today you might even argue that they not only work a full-time job, but often put in overtime hours as well.” When considering playing in college, it’s important to understand the extreme time commitment demanded by the sport. Between all aspects, athletes often find themselves with a lot less time dedicated to academics– let alone free time. Those who believe that the schedule opens up during the off–season are mistaken. According to the NCAA Student–Athlete Experience Study of 2016, “Division I student-athletes spent 34 hours each week practicing and playing.” According to the same study, at least 75% of Division I players said that they spent at least as much time on their sports in the off–season as they did during the season.
“
Division I studentathletes spent 34 hours each week practicing and playing.
But at least there’s money involved, right? Some athletes believe that as long as they outperform other competitors, they have a clear shot at scoring that massive scholarship. In reality, your rushing yards, times, PR’s, and shooting averages are not the only factors being examined by coaches.
The truth about pursuing college athletics Unpacking the unwritten consequences and sacrifices by Kiana Glenn
3.4%
7.3%
4.8%
5.5%
4.0%
5.5%
6.8%
7.1%
high school girls advance to the NCAA
high school girls advance to the NCAA
high school girls advance to the NCAA
high school boys advance to the NCAA
high school girls advance to the NCAA
high school boys advance to the NCAA
high school boys advance to the NCAA
high school boys advance to the NCAA
“We do look for talent and athletic ability,” Washburn University men’s basketball coach Brett Ballard said. “And immediately after that, we start looking at attitude, how competitive they are, and what type of teammate they are. Do they have a good attitude, and are they coachable?” And even if you happen to be an exceptional player and teammate with the qualifying grades and test scores, that alone is not a guarantee for a full–ride scholarship. Coaches do not have unlimited funds to give scholarships to every outstanding player they come across. They have a tight recruitment budget and often have to divide their funds amongst multiple recruits. According to bestcollegesonline.com, “Athletic scholarships can only be given out one year at a time, so promises of a full–ride scholarship can be pretty thin. Even then, there’s a good chance your scholarship won’t even cover the cost of tuition, with the average athletic scholarship coming out to about $10,400.” In other words, do not rely on an athletic scholarship to pay for your tuition. It’s not to say that it’s impossible, but it’s crucial to aim for academic scholarships and financial aid to help cover your expenses. College coaches are evaluating your academic performance just as much as they are your performance on the field. While the NCAA does carry specific qualifications for an athlete to
“
The average athletic scholarship coming out to be about $10,400.
be eligible to play their sport, each college differs in what they do and do not consider acceptable academic behavior. “We definitely look at their GPA and their test scores,
7.0%
5.3%
7.3%
7.0%
high school boys advance to the NCAA
high school girls advance to the NCAA
high school boys advance to the NCAA
3.9% high school girls advance to the NCAA
7.1% high school boys advance to the NCAA
high school girls advance to the NCAA
% OF HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES THAT ADVANCE TO THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL BY SPORT AND GENDER (2019) STATISTICS FROM NCAA.ORG
we want to see how committed they are academically,” Coach Ballard said. “They know that we have standards and the expectation is that they’re gonna get their degrees.” Aiming for Division I and II scholarships is common amongst young athletes. However, they should in no way limit themselves to just that. Junior colleges, two-year post-secondary schools, are an option to be considered. They are much more affordable and tend to be generous with athletic scholarships.
“
We definitely look at their GPA and their test scores. The expectation is that they’re gonna get their degrees.
“NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) utilizes a three–division system kindred to that of the NCAA, it is comprised of 15 men’s sports and 13 women’s sports. There are roughly 45,300 students that compete in the association’s 24 regions, and over 50 national championships are hosted every year.” (collegesportsscholarships.com) While Division III colleges cannot give out athletic scholarships, according to US News & World Report, some of the best scholarships for athletes do, in fact, come from these schools. Yes, you read that right. Division III schools are typically smaller private colleges, and they often give merit awards for student accomplishments. Surprisingly, these merit grants can cut tuition costs by more than 50%, an excellent figure for any aspiring college athlete. (bestcollegesonline.com) “It’s about going where the best fit is. The best fit academically, socially, and from a basketball perspective,” Coach Ballard said. “Some of these guys get a DI offer, and they look at it just from a [sports] perspective. They don’t look at it from an academic or social perspective, like, ‘How am I gonna fit in?’ from those two standpoints.”
PG.
23
NOVEMBER PACKAGE DESIGNED BY:
Kiana Glenn
BIRTH CONTROL
“
Among teens, the usage of birth control has increased due to a variety of reasons from sexual interaction to acne prevention. Within Shawnee Heights, a female using each form of medical birth control was interviewed. Freshman Ruebee Buckholtz uses the oral contraceptive form of birth control, or “the pill.” “Before I started birth control, I had an experience when I was at Walmart with my family and passed out because my iron levels were so low and my period was so heavy,” Buckholtz said. After that troubling occurrence, her mother took her to her doctor and she was diagnosed with anemia. She was offered the solution of taking iron infusions as well as birth control. This helped slow down the flow of her period, which was more convenient for her day to day life. Having started birth control, it has helped Buckholtz be more steady on her feet and control her change frequency. However, she has reported side effects of weight gain and altered cycle timing. Another form of birth control is called the intrauterine device, or the IUD. Junior Katelynn Thomas has had her IUD in place since December 26,
I wouldn’t be able to go to school, and not only because of the pain but I couldn’t wear clothes without bleeding on them. 2018. Her initial decision to begin was because of excruciating cramps that partnered her period. “I wouldn’t be able to go to school, and not only because of the pain, but I couldn’t wear clothes without bleeding on them,” Thomas said. Within the first few months,
“Everyone is on it.”
irregular bleeding But what about the side effects? would occur with by Emily Metzger and Ehllee Buckholtz her IUD before eventually ceasing year because I was having two periods completely. Thomas says she still experiences the a month,” they said. The depo-shot may interfere with mood changes as an indicator of what bone mineral density. Prior to the time of the month it is. interview, the user was unaware of Thomas had full knowledge of this fact and found it concerning, but the risks and side effects and plans on not enough to outweigh the pros of continuing her usage of birth control. this contraceptive. Another form of birth control Nurse Jennifer Quanstrom is Nexplanon, or more commonly doesn’t believe birth control should known as the armbar “implant”. be prescribed as an end-all, be-all Senior Izzy Erickson uses of this kind. solution to common teen problems. Erickson has also used the pill form but decided to switch for convenience She believes the cons outweigh the pros. and effectiveness. “I support people’s desires to use “I switched to Nexplanon in birth control to prevent unwanted August 2018 because I had read that it pregnancies, but I don’t think birth could entirely stop periods and I kept control should be taken if you’re not forgetting to take the pill,” Erickson at that point in your life,” Quanstrom said. said. “In general, I think it’s best to not The side effects that come along put artificial things in your body unless with Nexplanon are typical side effects, you’re at a point where it is necessary but with research, it has also been for your lifestyle.” found to increase the risk of blood The side effects of birth control clots, which in rare cases can be fatal. can be temporary, but some also can Being a young, active teen, Erickson’s be detrimental long term, even as chances of that occuring are very far as contributing to cancer, and to low. Though this was Erickson’s best Quanstrom that’s not worth the risk. choice, the side effects still followedweight gain of 45 pounds, which she I think it’s best to not put suspects may be from the mixture of artificial things in your body metabolism slowing with age and her unless you’re at a point birth control use. This has been her where it is necessary for your only noticeable side effect. lifestyle. During the procedure, the “I do not think it is something only sensation Erickson felt was the people should make a decision on numbing shots beforehand, and mild casually, and lightly, and not take bruises after. into consideration the other risk Another medical birth control is factors like hormone imbalances, the Depo-Provera, or depo-shot. This maybe cancer, weight gain, mood is an injection of birth control in the destabilization. There is a lot of other hip. A student who chose to remain side effects that need to be considered anonymous has been using this form of birth control after finding it to be and you need to weigh your pros and cons with that,” Quanstrom said. more convenient than the pill. “I started birth control freshman
“
Oral con traceptiv es
Nexaplonan (armbar)
The pill is 91% effective, costs up to $50*, and is taken daily. The hormones in the pill stop ovulation from occuring. Side effects may include bleeding between periods, nausea, tender breasts, or headaches.
The armbar is a small device implanted into your arm. It’s 99% effective, can cost of to $1300*, and lasts up to 5 years. The bar prevents ovulation from occuring. Side effects may include irregular periods and weight gain.
60% take the pill, 11% get the deposhot, 23% use the armbar, and 7% have IUDs.
*These are the calculated prices before insurance. Depending on your coverage, your birth control could be less than the stated numbers or free. INFORMATION & STATISTICS SOURCE: PLANNEDPARENTHOOD.ORG
The IUD is a small device placed in the uterus. It’s 99% effective, can cost up to $1300*, and lasts up to 12 years. The device changes the direction of sperm away from the egg. Side effects may include cramping, irrregluar periods or ectopic pregnancies.
IU D
The shot is an injection of hormones in your hip. It’s 94% effective, and costs up to $150*, and lasts 3 months. The hormones prevent ovulation from occuring. Side effects may include irregular periods, up until your period stops after about a year of injections.
shot
Depo
64% of women of reproductive age are using a form of contraceptives in the US. 37.2% of which are girls ages 15-19.
Around 52% of girls at Shawnee Heights use birth control.
PG.
21
NOVEMBER PACKAGE DESIGNED BY:
Kiana Glenn
ANTIDEPRESSANTS An antidepressant is a medication or drug used to relieve and treat anxiety and depression. While the first thing that may come to mind is a prescription, amongst teenagers, illegal drug usage is a popular alternative. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse Archives, 6 in every 10 substance abusers also have a mental disorder. Many addiction specialists have reason to believe that teens turn to drugs and alcohol by self-medicating their mood disorders. As many teens turn to this, they face the grave danger of the many serious side effects that come along with it. In early August, junior Valeria Cervantes– Carrillo started a prescription dosage of Nortriptyline to treat her migraines and depression. Like many others on medications, independent research was believed to not be necessary due to the fact that the doctor covered the possible side effects that come with her certain medication.
“
I didn’t want to do anything but sleep, I was always home, isolating myself, and I wasn’t expressing my feelings to anyone
Although Cervantes–Carrillo has not been faced with one of the tragic consequences that may come with taking antidepressants, she does say she often experiences fatigue, so she has resulted in taking her dose at night before bed. She added that she experiences drowsiness and blurry vision sporadically over time. As a result, she took a break from medication, which caused mental instability. “When I stopped taking them the first day, it was the worst. I felt like an emotional wreck, anything would trigger me into feeling like I wanted to cry and I was so anxious.” Cervantes– Carrillo said. “I went from happy to sad very fast, I felt emotionally exhausted.” Antidepressants can be a lifelong medication for some, as discontinuing the use of the medication may seem useless. Freshman Gracie Chavez spoke out about her experience with taking antidepressants since she was thirteen.
“Just give me some Xanax.” But what about the FDA’s black box warning label?
by Emily Metzger and Ehllee Buckholtz “I started taking antidepressants because my depression and anxiety were putting me in a suicidal state,” Chavez said. Since starting she has been put into a better state of mind but still struggles with depression and major anxiety. Her day to day life hasn’t changed, she still experiences her ups and downs just as she did before. At one point, Chavez stopped taking her pills and noticed her depression worsening. “I was getting back to the point where I didn’t want to do anything but sleep, I was always home, isolating myself, and I wasn’t expressing my feelings to anyone,” Chavez said. As drug abuse escalates, especially among teens, some medical professionals are now relying on different solutions to help mental health. A 2016 study found that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy can be just as effective as antidepressants in treating depression.
12.7% of the U.S. population over the age of 12 takes antidepressants women are
TWICE as likely to take antidepressants
40%
of teens do not respond effectively to the first line of treatment - it takes time to find the right dosage
between 1999 and 2014, the percentage of people prescribed antidepressants jumped
64%
Because treating depression can feel like an immediate threat that needs a solution, it’s easy to turn to medication. However, the FDA warns that antidepressants like Xanax and Prozac can actually cause or worsen suicidal thoughts in teens. This study caused the FDA to put a black box warning on antidepressant drugs, which is the strongest warning they can include on a prescription medication, according to the Mayo Clinic. An anonymous student also spoke out about their battle with depression. In this case, they used non-prescription drugs and illegal substances to self medicate their depression. When confronting their symptoms head-on, their initial reaction was denial and shaming themselves into feeling weak for their feelings that they couldn’t control. “It was a few months after my 16th birthday, I just felt alone I guess,” they said. “The only way I could fill my emptiness was with drugs, so that was what I did.” Some do not have access to prescription medications, so instead, they revert to self-medicating with illegal substances such as cocaine, heroin, and the most popular among teens: marijuana. Even knowing the evidence of the damage each drug does to an adolescent’s brain, this individual had already known the side effects of each drug. “With ecstasy you take it and you wake up and feel like sh*t, you can’t breathe, and then like on cocaine your whole head and body hurts and it feels like you lose sensation in your fingertips.” they said.
But it doesn’t end there. According to the anonymous source, once you begin to abuse drugs it only gets worse from there. Taking the drug is the only way to make it stop, and that is only temporary. Another person who remains anonymous reached out about their battle with depression and how they’ve handled it.
I do smoke weed to cope with it instead– it mellows me out, it opens my brain up, I think a lot more when I have THC in my system.
“
“I was twelve when it started hitting me...I had many thoughts going through my head about why I wasn’t good enough, that no one would care if I wasn’t here, that I don’t even have a future so there’s no point in being here. And only being twelve, feeling like I was too ‘young’ for depression, therefore not feeling open to talk about my feelings,” they said. Throughout their four years of battling depression, rather than using a prescription pill, they use THC to calm themselves and bring them to a more level state of mind. “I do smoke weed to cope with it instead it mellows me out, it opens my brain up, I think a lot more when I have THC in my system,” they said. Though both of these teens use THC and additional forms of illegal drugs, research has proven marijuana to be a depressant. In addition, it slows the speed of thinking and processing your thoughts, and is a memory-loss drug. KIANA GLENN
SOURCES: American Psychological Association Child Mind Institute
in a 2004 study, teens that were prescribed an antidepressant pill over a sugar placebo pill experienced suicidal thoughts at
DOUBLE
the rate
as many as
80%
of teens suffering from depression can be successfully treated with the help of a doctor or therapist
PG.
25
NOVEMBER PACKAGE DESIGNED BY:
Kiana Glenn
T E R M S OF SERVICE “Check yes if you agree.” But what are we agreeing to? by Tia Munoz
FB
INSTAG RAM BILLION MONTH USERS LY
1
4/19/18
LAST UP DATED TERMS O F SERVIC OWNED E BY FACE BOOK
310.7
SNAPCH
AT
MILLION MONTH USER LY
SNAP 10/30/1 CHAT TLEARSMT SUOPDF ATE9 D OW SE NED BY SPAN IN C.
RVICE
TIKTOK
BD
MILLION WORLD USERS WIDE
500
This era in time is dominated by the internet and social media, with more than 3.5 billion people online. Even with more than two-thirds of the world using the internet, large amounts of people don’t know information about the sites they’re a part of. Statements like the Terms of Service are often overlooked though they affect every person online. The Terms of Service are legal agreements between a service provider and the person who wants to use that service. The person must agree to these terms before they are allowed to use the service. With some of these terms being multiple pages long, it’s not shocking that many people don’t read all the way through them.
so u rc es : in co m , he lp st ag ra m -p re ss . .in om ni co ne st ag ra m .c om , ag co m , m et en cy .c om , sn ap . ro .c o. uk ., tik to ob er lo .c om , cn bc .c om k. co m ,
2/18
LAST UP DATED TERMS O OWNED F SERVIC BY BYTE E DANCE
What most people fail to realize is just how much information and privacy they give up when they check the little box at the bottom of the screen when signing up for an app. In simple terms, this is some of what your favorite apps are allowed to do when you agree to their Terms of Service:
INSTAGRAM:
Instagram can share information about you with Facebook, its parent company, as well as outside affiliates and advertisers Instagram can use your photos and identity for advertisements - even if your account is “private” Instagram can block you from using the app, modify your account, and delete things from your account (According to Instagram’s Terms of Service, TLDR Legal and The New York Times)
SNAPCHAT:
Snapchat can access, review, screen, and delete your content at any time When you use Snapchat, it is constantly collecting data. Aside from the basic information that you give when you sign up, such as your name and birthday, the app is always learning more from you - which filters you view or apply, what you watch on Discover, and what you search. If you consistently watch sports highlights or dress your bitmoji in team colors, Snapchat will make an assumption about what you like. If you tap on an ad for a video game, the advertiser may let Snapchat know that you downloaded the app Snapchat can disclose user data and information with law enforcement The Stored Communications Act requires that Snapchat disclose information in the event of subpoenas, court orders, and search warrants. This means that even drug usage and drug deals over Snapchat can be turned over to police. (According to Snapchat’s Terms of Service)
TIKTOK:
TikTok collects information from your contact details, the content you create, and your location TikTok also collects information from the messages you send through the app
TikTok can use, modify, and reproduce any of your content in any format and on any platform, even if you are private. TikTok is allowed to use your content as a part of its advertising and marketing campaign (According to TikTok’s Terms of Service)
ARE PHONES LISTENING TO US?
Have you ever been talking about a product, and the next day there’s a coupon for it in your email? Or maybe you were talking about a specific sports team, just to have sponsored photos of them flood your timeline the next day? While it’s technically possible, researchers and security experts say that this is most likely not what’s happening. Researchers from Northeastern University led a study over this during the 2017-2018 school year to see what they could find. Out of more than 17,000 apps that were analyzed, there was not a single case where an app activated a phone’s microphone and audio files were leaked. Wandera, a mobile security company, conducted a similar study on apps known for data collection, like Amazon, Chrome, Facebook, and more. They also found no evidence of secret recordings. Both studies found that at the end of the day, recording audio files just isn’t the most practical way to gather marketing intelligence. In fact, many major phone providers fight for their customers’ privacy. In December of 2015, 14 people were killed in a mass shooting in San Bernardino, California. After the shooting, the FBI wanted Apple to create a new software that would allow them to unlock the iPhone 5C that was recovered from one of the shooters. Apple declined to create the software, and a legal trial between Apple and the FBI ensued. However, the case was dropped the day before it was set to go to trial due to the FBI finding another way to unlock the phone. So if companies aren’t recording you, how do they know exactly what to advertise to you? Companies use all sorts of methods, such as the Terms of Service mentioned above. Apps like Facebook can monitor your browsing activity, what you read, and what you place in your shopping cart. Others can tell when you linger on an image online, such as a specific purse or shoe, and then decide to advertise that. NOVEMBER
PG.
27
PACKAGE DESIGNED BY:
Ehllee Buckholtz
UKC Shallow competition removes honor of winning in new league
ETHAN
In August I was finally eligible to play my first high school sport ever for my senior year. I’ve never gotten the opportunity to play for my school, with my friends, or even compete in front of a “home crowd” and it felt good to do that this season. Although it has been a ride I will never forget, I do agree with Isaiah when it comes to changing one thing about the season: the league we play in. I never fully noticed the effect it has on the players’ season and preparation until I actually played in the league. Coming from playing in the Development Academy for four years with Sporting KC, along with all other MLS Youth Academies, every single game is a fight to the last minute to prepare you and sharpen you for your post season matches to take home the gold. Every game has a purpose, win or lose, and each game you come out a tad more prepared than you were before heading into it, and that is how it should be. The United Kansas Conference doesn’t do that, plain and simple. This “farmer’s league” we play in so far has been filled with multiple 10-0 mercy rule games, where kids stop trying at the 30-minute mark because they know we have already won. This does a few things: it causes a delay and slows down the team’s development. It doesn’t expose any of our weaknesses in the team, showing us what we need to work on in training or with film. When our team spends 80 minutes dogging on a no name team that can’t string together five passes, how is that teaching us in any way to problem solve and adapt? Everything we do in these games is working and successful because other teams are far below our standard. Heading into state we won’t be nearly as prepared as we need to be if we’re going to be playing better competition (5A or not) than who we play now. Secondly, these types of games are not showing us what we are doing right and will later potentially create opportunities against bigger and better teams. There are many solutions to a game of any sport, not just soccer, and it’s up to the coaches and each individual player to figure out how you will use
each answer to best benefit the team and manifest it into something unstoppable in playoffs. When the team is winning each game by 3+ goals (12/16 games so far) how are we supposed to identify what solutions will be successful and then what solutions will be shut down when we inevitably come across a good team? We’ve arguably come across 3 solid teams this season, losing two of those matches and pulling out a good win with nine seconds left on the third. Then on top of the competition perspective, we’re not even in the same league and competing for a title with the schools we surround ourselves with in our city. You see Washburn Rural, Seaman, Topeka High, and what looks like every other Topeka school going head to head every Tuesday and Thursday, competing for points while Shawnee Heights is traveling an hour away to play teams we don’t ever talk about, just to have no students show up and support. Same thing goes for the home games as well. When you hear there’s a home game tonight, the students’ first reaction is typically interested. Then, when they hear we’re playing Lansing or Basehor-Linwood, they’re turned off and don’t want to come because we’ve already beat each of them by 10. Looking at the Centennial League, there would be 4-5 solid teams (8-10 games for the season) competing against each other this year for the title. In the UKC there has been only one competitive game we were able to play, plus the three we were able to schedule from outside leagues (Centennial and Sunflower Leagues).
ISAIAH
All together our school’s athletic programs have been more successful, with more league titles than ever before, but is that worth anything considering the change in competition? Personally, coming from someone who has won back-to-back United Kansas Conference titles, the answer is no. I would easily trade both my UKC titles in for one single Centennial League title. Girls golf recently won the United Kansas Conference, but with the scores they had they would’ve taken fifth in the Centennial League. How low of competition is our school district willing to play at in order to win league titles in almost every sport? Apparently pretty low. We also switched over to join a league full of 5A schools. Two years later our league now consists of two 4A schools (Basehor-Linwood and Desoto) and a 6A school (Leavenworth). Sports players around the school do not find winning fun anymore when it comes to the
new league, and winning accolades such as “1st team all United Kansas Conference” basically means nothing. For example, soccer won league this year. Speaking on behalf of the whole soccer team, we wish we could have competed in the Centennial League this
year, and played better c o m pe t it ion for better quality and more fun games. I know my parents get bored driving an hour away to watch us mercy rule a team and then drive back home. It just feels like switching leagues can only be described in one way and the term would be “soft.” We lowered our competition to win more games. A personal experience for me that Ethan never had was the chance to have played in the Centennial League sophomore year. That year we had four overtime games. As a competitor, that is what you want to have, while in the UKC we have only had one game decided by one goal.
along with the drive or passion they have toward playing in it. If our whole reason for switching leagues was to play smaller, softer games so we can look a little bit better on paper, well then, mission accomplished.
ISAIAH
Looking at statewide standings in any sport you can see where our league stands. In soccer, Lansing and BasehorLinwood are bottom three record-wise in the state. In volleyball, Turner has a record of 7-22, Desoto has a record of 7-21, and Leavenworth has a record a 9-24. For football Leavenworth is 2-5 and Turner is dead last in state with a record of 0-7. This is the competition we are playing with and think winning against teams at this caliber is considered “successful.” As a competitor, I believe the definition of success should not be beating bad teams, but competing and excelling against top notch competition. It is given as a school that we can not just jump out of the United Kansas Conference and go straight back to the Centennial League, but instead why can we not add new schools to our league and raise the competition level? In the Centennial League we had 10 schools, including us. Now in the United Kansas Conference, there are only six schools in the league. Now we have to play the same schools twice from our league. This resulted in us winning league two games before league was even over by playing the low competition twice in a season. If most of the teams in our league are based out of Kansas City, why can we not try and add schools such as Saint Thomas Aquinas, Saint James, or any of the Blue Valley and Olathe schools? When we first switched leagues the school board made it sound as though Seaman was going to make the switch with us as well, and what ever happened to that? Even adding a school such as Seaman would significantly raise the level of the league. RYAN GOOD
ETHAN
Overall the league change makes the high school sport environment less competitive, taking away the development of the team in the season
OPINION BY:
Ethan Armbruster & Isaiah Wilson
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