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A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE Above: During fourth hour, senior Austin Hunzeker watches [the Chambers choir] sing ‘Carol of the Bells’. He stopped at the top of the stairs when he heard their annual caroling. “Other students gather around, and everyone was smiling or laughing,” Hunzeker said. “It brought a good feeling and made it seem like Christmas time.You can see everyone from a different point of view. It makes you feel like you are in the choir.” Photo by Alissa Pollack.

GAME FACE Below: Frustrated after archrival SM South scored their fourth goal on the Lancers, junior Andrew Goble buries his face in his jersey. The varsity boys’ soccer team was defeated 6-1 at their first home game. “Once they scored their fourth goal, we knew we couldn’t really come back,” Goble said. “I really felt like we let the school down. It became clear after that game that we needed to work harder if we were going to reach the potential we had.” Photo by Eliza McCormick.

IN PROPORTION Front Cover: In art teacher Jason Filbeck’s Drawing class, sophomore Jake McCoy learns how to measure proportions with his hands.

“Filbeck always tells us to measure before we draw,” McCoy said. “I knew I liked art, and I thought Drawing would be fun. Photo by Grant Heinlein.

PUMP IT UP Front Cover: During the first home volleyball game, senior Monica Talavera yells at help her team stay positive on the court. “During games, I get really animated,”Talavera said. “When I’m sitting on the bench, I get told to shut up a lot for screaming and yelling.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

WATER BREAK Front Cover: Freshman C-team runner Andrew Doerflinger takes a drink after a long run at Cross Country practice. “It feels good after a big run because you are finally done,” Doerflinger said. “Sometimes it was really hot, and we would stop at a gas station or church for water.” Photo by Lauren Bleakley.

A SKATE IN THE PARK Left: At the Prairie Village Skate Park, sophomore Taylor Foley performs a “melon”, his signature grab. “I’ve been skating every day for four-and-a-half years, unless I’m snowboarding,” Foley said. “Skating is either relaxing, competitive or anything you make it. It’s something you can really fall back on, and there are always friends up there. The main goal is just to skate for a long time so you can progress.” Photo

by Ben Kaplan.

IMPRESSION ROCK STAR PERFORMANCE Left: During the ‘Footloose’ musical, senior Lois Wetzel performs ‘Holding Out for a Hero.’ “[The song] was my favorite because I literally did feel like a rock star,” Wetzel said. “I had to take the audience into my own fantasy world, and I had to express my emotions of how I was on stage. It was so high energy and fun to sing. I gained so much more appreciation for [country singer Taylor] Swift and other people that perform on stage because it is so nervewracking.” Photo by Grant Heinlein.

SIDELINE MOTIVATION Right: At the football game against Leavenworth at the SM North stadium, football coach Chip Ufford yells from the sidelines to encourage his team to play better. “I try to motivate the defense for a goalline stand,” Ufford said. “I don’t get angry very often. I am not a coach that likes to yell at his players, but if a situation calls for it, I will.” Photo by Andrea Zecy.

DRILL TEAM Front Cover: Stretching in the new dance room before seventh hour, sophomore Lancer dancer Sophia Hichcock prepares herself for a drill with the rest of the JV team. “We love the dance room with the mirror,” Hichcock said. “It is nice to have mirrors, and now we are able to hear the music.” Photo by Brion Boyer.

COOL SCHOOL WHIP Front Cover: During KCTV5’s “Cool School,” history teacher Vicki “Yoda” Arndt-Helgesen is pied in the face. “I thought [Cool School] was fantastic; it was a celebration of East as a vibrant learning community,” Helgesen said. “It really allowed students and staff to come together to laugh with each other.” Photo by Lindsey Hartnett.

IMPRESSION WHAT: when: where: WHO:

Shawnee Mission East Hauberk 2010 7500 Mission Road, Prairie Village, KS 66208 1882 students PRINCIPAL PEP TALK At the Fall Sports football pep rally, principal Karl Krawitz gives the school a pump up speech for the playoff football game. It was the first time in several years that the football team was going to playoffs. “Pep assemblies are supposed to get you fired up and promote student support, so it is great when students interact and get involved,” Krawitz said. “At times I think the atmosphere at pep assemblies has been horrible, and other times, great. I think students want to see the staff excited about being there and about supporting the students involved in the activities.” Photo by Andrea Zecy.

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ONE LAST MORP Below: Dressed up in crazy outfits, seniors Margaret Brill and Mary Galvin dance at the MORP dance that took place on Nov. 20. The dance raised money for the Kansas City Christmas Bureau and was an opportunity for another school dance that the student council puts on. “Me and Mary Galvin knew that this was our senior year MORP, so we wanted to go all out and go up to the front with all the other seniors,” Brill said. “It is hard to compare with WPA and Homecoming but every year MORP is a blast. I’m going to be really sad when we graduate, and there are no more MORP dances. I’m ready for high school to be over, but it’ll be hard to get used to.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

THREE EYES Below: Folding T-shirts for the fashion show, junior DJ Burton stands in front of a mural that he and junior Whitney Kerr painted together.The theme of the fashion show was ‘third eye’ because it was held at the Third Eye Gallery. “The extra eye [in the mural] represents how I want people to open up their minds and see things from a different angle,” Burton said. Photo by Lindsay Hartnett.

SLED RIDE Below: Sledding down a hill by the tennis courts, senior Max Stitt enjoys the snowy weather. “I love winter,” Stitt said. “It’s one of my favorite seasons because even though it’s cold, you get to do activities like sledding and snowboarding. “With all the snow this year, I got sick of it after a certain point because it made going places hard and limited in what we could do, but it was still fun.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

An impression isn’t tangible, but it is unforgettable.

Impressions are those little moments, the small details that leave a mark.

Impressions are multifaceted – they come in the form of people, places and things.

Impressions reach globally– from the devastating Haitian earthquake that drew support even in a time of economic strife, to a groundbreaking healthcare plan amidst a swine flu scare.

But when the year draws to a close, it’s the small, personal moments that leave a lasting mark.

A snowball fight in the senior lot, a newly constructed school, a heartbreaking sub-state loss, a pie in the face of an unforgettable teacher.

Shawnee Mission East leaves its impression on you, but you, in turn, leave an impression on our school.

It is our impact, our imprint and the change we leave behind us. It is our...

IMPRESSION. 2 Theme

Opening Spread 3

AUGUST

“Purple Hibiscus was a good book about independence and dissention, and it has inspired my outlook on the future, like going to college.

It [college] is about finding yourself and sometimes overcoming adversity.

It is just another step of a lifetime journey to establish your identity.”

Sami Rebein 12

READ IN PEACE Above: True to her daily routine, senior Sami Rebein reads a book in her third floor locker. She was waiting for her friends to return from the first pep assembly of the year. “Sometimes [I get stuck in my locker] because I kind of go in sideways because the entrance is narrower than the actual width,” Rebein said. “People that know me will usually say hi, but other people just laugh.”

Photo by Anna Petrow.

BAND TOGETHER Right: Sophomore Becca Thrasher plays the mellophone at the first outdoor pep assembly with some of her closest friends, members of the East band. “We have developed a sort of community,” Thrasher said. “You can do something totally crazy during band, but if you do it during a normal class, people would just stare at you. We’re all just freaks together.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

4 August

MAGICAL MOVIE Left: In teacher Melanie Miller’s sophomore english class, Andrew Long films a Harry Potter video defining what magic realism is. “I was Dumbledore, and I was filming a fight scene between Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy,” Long said. Photo by Anna Petrow.

BLUE OUT BASH Right: During the ‘Blue Out’ football game, senior Nikki Reber texts a friend with H1N1 to update her the score of the game. “Everyone wore blue,” Reber said. “It was a way to bring our school together and get our fans pumped about the games.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

August Division 5

SCRUB IN STYLE Left: Drying a car with the swim and dive teams, junior Henry Foster wears a hat he normally reserves for ‘Crazy Hat Day.’ The teams washed cars for four hours to raise money for their spirit wear and trips.

“I started wearing the hat a couple years ago,” Foster said.

“I got it when I was little, and I thought it was really cool. It helps us get a lot of honks.

Everyone on the team got to know each other really well, so we always have a lot of fun.”

Photo by Nicole Luby.

MUSIC & LYRICS Left: Sitting outside the Little Theater after school, junior Jaeda Christensen practices guitar and works on writing a song. “[The song] is not finished yet,” Christensen said. “It’s about not fitting in and being different but not in an obvious way. I get a line in my head and write it down on a piece of paper, and I have a tune in my head that goes with the words.” Photo by Alissa Pollack.

WORK TO BLEND Right: Senior Sarah Are sings during her fourth hour Chambers choir class. “Choir is definitely my favorite class, and I’m really lucky because I have it both days,” Are said. “I think this year we have improved a ton. It took us a long time to learn each other’s voices, and now we blend together in one unified voice.” Photo by Alissa Pollack.

whats‘ your impression?

MAKING HEADWAY Right: As part of the band “Letterhead,” freshman Maxwell Braasch plays the drums at the freshman mixer. “We were playing at the freshman mixer because one of the girls who sang with us talked to her mom who was on the planning committee for the dance,” Braasch said. “It was the first time we played in school, so we mainly play outside of school.

We practice on average once a week, and now we’re getting ready to play at the Battle of the Bands.” Photo by Dan Stewart.

6 August

WATER BREAK Right: Junior Jack O’Brien takes a break from football practice to get a drink of water from the portable water container that is rolled onto the field to keep the players hydrated. “I played both defense and offense on the junior team this year,” O’Brien said. “My favorite part of football is when you get to knock someone down on the other team.” Photo by Brook Barnes.

EYE FOR ART Far Right: During his fourth hour Ceramics class, senior Patrick Schuele works on making a vase for his parents. “It was challenging to make,” Schuele said. “It broke once while I was constructing it, so I had to remake part of it. I really enjoy the triangle shape. I think it is underrepresented in modern art. My parents really loved it, and they put it on the mantel. ” Photo by Nicole Luby.

“I think Link Crew is really beneficial to the freshmen because they get to know their way around school and meet new friends. I was going to sign up, but I didn’t get around to doing it. Looking back, I wish I would have signed up.”

Polly Mytinger 11

GYMNASTICS

“I think AMIGOS teaches you a lot about other cultures and gets you to experience how other people live in other countries.

I saw a presentation about it in Spanish that a senior gave. I don’t know if I would do it, but it’s a great opportunity.”

Amy Cosgrove 11

LINK CREW

“I play tennis so [the Cross Country team] runs by us every day. Every year there are a ton of people that do it, so obviously people must like it. I wouldn’t do it just because I play tennis, and both of those sports are fall sports.”

Madeline McMahill 10

AMIGOS

“If I had a job, I would definitely work at the library helping with summer camps and earning money is a good thing.

I would probably stick to the summer. I would like to have one during the year, but I would be just way to busy.”

Chloe Anderson 11

CROSS COUNTRY

“I’m in orchestra, so I really appreciate the nicer room. All of the construction was worth the diesel fumes. Outside during lunch, all of the dust would come and hit me in the face, and I couldn’t breath, but everything was worth it.”

Heidi Kaiser 10

SENIOR JOBS

NEW SCHOOL

Jonathan Dawson 11

“I’m really impressed that the girls can do gymnastics without getting hurt. I’m kind of afraid of it, so it’s cool they’re so dedicated. If I was told about a meet, I’d go because I love being at the less known school events, and I want to support the East girls.”

CRAZY PANORAMIC Left: Before school, seniors Anna Petrow, Brian Rogers, Sam Kovzan and the rest of the senior class meet outside East on the baseball field dressed up in costumes for their senior panoramic. “My friend [senior] Joe Newman has multiple banana suits,” Petrow said. “So Brian Rogers and I decided to show how different we were from other years by dressing up crazy, and it definitely worked. The picture was hilarious.” Photo

by Andrea Zecy.

August Division 7

renovation reactions Students reflect on their favorite school additions.

Stefania Backs 10

Students return to a renovated and unfamiliar school, but learn to adapt to the changes.

“The counseling office is on my way in and out of school. It makes it easier for me to stop by and remember to do something, which I wouldn’t remember if it wasn’t right there. When I start thinking about college, I will go there a lot more.”

Mimi Rebein 9

“The whole choir setup is different which was hard to get used to, but it’s fine now. It was easier to get started and see [choir teacher Ken] Foley through class with the riser seating, but it’s nice that we have our own room.”

Maddie Gaughan 11

Adam Brownlee 10

Design by Emily Collins.

WHEN

A PEACEFUL PLACE After school, junior Ashly Rosenstock reads ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’ while waiting for her mom to pick her up. “[The senior entrance] is a nice place to sit and read,” Rosenstock said. “It’s all windows so it’s peaceful, and I can look outside and see the mix of modern architecture and nature. It’s a lot more homey than sitting near the office or any other place in school.” Photo by Andrea Zecy.

8 August

“I am on the football team, so after school, I usually lift with my friends in the new weight room. Last year, there were just some dumbbells on the ground. It’s better this year because there are different sections, and it is really nice and organized.”

new horizons history teacher Michael Chaffee walked into the school with the rest of faculty a couple days before school began to prepare for the new year, he was surprised at the site that greeted him. Construction workers were still found around the building. Rooms were unfinished. Bundles of construction materials and exposed pipes lay on the bare concrete ramps.

The school was still “under construction.”

“It looked as if it was going to be impossible to get things going,” Chaffee said, recalling the construction. “It was pretty amazing to see the work that did get done.”

When the first day of school rolled around on Aug. 17, the building still remained under construction, but nonetheless usable for students. The halls, however, were still littered with pipes and construction materials, making the trip to classes a little trickier.

“Everybody was confused on where to go, [because] classrooms had changed also,” sophomore

Olivia Lynch 11

Brooks Tate said. “Being a freshman last year, it was like two years of change in a row.”

Among the construction projects were new administrative offices, an auxiliary gym, a commons area on the south side of the school, a music wing and Tate’s personal favorite - a new turf football field.

“Practicing last year was terrible because we were up on the baseball field,” Tate said. “This year, practicing on that turf field is a lot better for us. It’s a step up.”

This year’s students and teachers showed their ability to adapt when the first assembly had to be outside due to construction on the main gym. They showed true strength and patience when construction became hectic, often interrupting classes with loud bangs. And they showed their pride walking into the new auditorium, singing the school song, arm in arm. The building may change again, but one thing will remain true- It’s always great to be a Lancer. Story by Evan Nichols.

What has left an impression on you this year?

“The nursing office is a lot bigger, which makes it easier to get around. I have to use it a lot, so it is nice that they made it better. I have to push the coffee cart, so anything that has more space makes my job easier.”

“The senior entrance is great because the layout allows for more grass, flowers and trees, which makes me feel like I’m going into a nicer school instead of a very industrialized place.”

“When you’re on the soccer team, it seems that there is a brotherhood and everyone’s connected. The upperclassmen kind of became role models for me and made me strive to do better. The captains motived us about how to get better.” •MAX DUNCAN 9

SENIOR ENTRANCE

Photos by Anna Petrow.

GYM ENTRANCE

“The entrance to the gym is very contemporary with the tall ceilings. I don’t go by it often, but I’ve seen it at college clinic, and I think it will really help with congestion in the hallways.”

Carly Griffith 11

AUXILIARY GYM

“I went to the auxiliary gym to watch JV and varsity volleyball games. I could see everyone, and it seemed like there were a lot more people which helped the cheering section.”

Hiba Akhtar 10

New School 9

Seniors share what they do during their free time at work.

passions to pursue in college while...

“We sit in the back booth and turn the juke box up and have dance parties.

Sometimes we don’t work for hours.”

“If we’re bored, me and my friend Danny make ‘survival’ necklaces, and we call the front desk ‘the castle.’ It’s all an inside joke, but it’s fun.”

“On order slips, I write little notes to remember people, and when there’s nothing to do, I write actual letters to my friends to give to them.”

Marisa Hunter 12

Annie Slaughter 12

Alexa Schnieders 12

on the job.

Design by Emily Kulaga and Gaby Thompson.

car door slams, and hurried footsteps move up the steps to Brick House Design Studio. Senior WHO: Tess Duncan’s hands are full: Starbucks in one hand, notebook Tess Duncan in the other. She drops off the coffee at the front desk, swings around the corner and falls into her chair, out of breath. Her WHAT: boss wanted coffee, and she still hadn’t found time to return Graphic a potential costumer’s call. Interning is never an easy job.

Over the summer, Duncan archived, marketed and deDesign Intern signed for Brick House Studio, working 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE: every day. Duncan’s internship was non-paid, so she worked Brickhouse solely for the experience.

Design Studio “I learned how to use [Adobe design programs] Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign,” Duncan said. “It seemed like I WAGE: had to learn how to use every complicated computer pro$0.00/hr. gram ever, and all at once.”

The responsibility of selling designs to prestigious companies such as Hallmark and E-cards, as well as local businesses,

THE

rested upon Duncan’s shoulders. That meant a lot of pressure to learn quickly.

“The business was only two years old, so I did a lot of marketing for them and sent emails to bigger design studios,” Duncan said. “There was a lot to do.”

Duncan plans to apply what she has learned to interior design and to get involved in the Kansas City art scene, especially in the Crossroads District where Brick House is located.

“It got me interested in different careers, and it opened my eyes to the art and design field in Kansas City,” Duncan said.

For seniors preparing to enter fields requiring hands-on experience, jobs can be more than just flipping burgers and bussing tables for money. They can teach and shape people into what they will do in life and how well they do it.

Photo by Anna Petrow.

WHO: Jacob Johnson WHAT:

Head Lifeguard

pool deck was damp from early morning swim team practice as senior Jacob Johnson stooped down to the poolside chlorinator. With the shake of his wrist, he checked the reading - it was a perfect day to be at Homestead Country Club Pool.

Johnson’s job as head lifeguard required more than enough work for a summer job.This included seven hours a day to apply chemicals, treat minor injuries and keep lazy lifeguards on task. After three years at Homestead as a regular lifeguard, he was picked by his peers to become head lifeguard. It was a big shift from saving swimmers to pumping chlorine. His entire family had been lifeguards, and he continued the dynasty.

Learning tons in a short amount of time was essential to becoming a head lifeguard. With more than a dozen pieces of equipment and even more chemicals to learn about, he had his hands full.

“I’ve definitely learned a lot about the chemicals I work with - how different acids react to the chlorine and about the pH meter,” Johnson said.

THE

10 August

WHERE:

Homestead Pool

Photo by Lauren Bleakley.

Photo by Anna Petrow.

GET CREATIVE In the back room at Brickhouse Studio, senior Tess Duncan creates greeting card mockups. “Mockups are basically the first step in making a card,” Duncan said. “They are kind of like rough drafts that we send to companies.” Photo

by Anna Petrow.

WAGE: $10.00/hr.

Beyond chemistry, Johnson learned serious management skills.

“When the manager’s gone, I run the pool,” Johnson said.

Days of treating injuries on the pool deck influenced Johnson’s career choice. Johnson plans on going to Boston College or Kansas University and wants to focus on becoming an endocrinologist, a doctor that diagnoses diseases that affect glands.

Then he won’t have to spend all his time worrying about money.

Johnson attributed his interest in medicine to his job, where he cared for injuries daily.

“It’s the safety mindset and making sure people are completely okay when they leave,” Johnson said. “Always be prepared. Plan for the worst. If there’s a kid crying on the deck, I think ‘broken bone.’ ” From whistle blowing to balancing chemicals, Johnson traveled up the Homestead Country Club hierarchy. In doing so, he found a passion to pursue in college.

his hands along a row of petunias, senior Cole Fevold looked for empty trays to replace. Within a week at Haling’s Green House, he had learned everything he needed to know. He was ready to handle any customer from the regular old woman to the corporate executive.

Fevold considered his job a social one with daily customer interaction, dozens of conversations with employees and an amiable atmosphere. He had a lot of time to develop communication skills, which he plans to build upon at college.

“You’re very much into knowing where everyone is,” Fevold said. “It is very social, and it’s all about interaction.”

Co-workers were an experience for Fevold.

“One of my co-workers is a retired mom, and I have another one who’s like twenty five

RUNNING

ON THE LOOKOUT At Homestead Country Club, senior Jacob Johnson keeps watch over the pool as head lifeguard. “I also do a lot of the behind the scenes work, like facilitating and keeping lifeguards on task,” Johnson said. Photo by Anna Petrow.

WHO:

Cole Fevold

WHAT:

Flower Waterer

and a teacher,” Fevold said. “You just get this mixing pot of life experience just by talking to them, and you really get a chance to think deeper about life and college.”

With customers usually coming in as large groups, Fevold and his co-workers had plenty of time to talk during the lulls and to develop interesting habits. “[One co-worker] comes in every day, says good morning to every single plant and ‘wakes them up’, as she puts it.”

Working in a greenhouse inspired Fevold to pursue a career in medicine.

“Taking care of all the plants made me feel like I should take care of other people, so it got me interested in becoming a doctor,” Fevold said.

Fevold’s job at Haling’s Greenhouse not only pointed him toward a career, but it also taught him life-long social skills. Stories by Wil Kenney.

WHERE: Haling’s Greenhouse WAGE: $7.25/hr.

“Mr. Finkelston has really been getting me to challenge myself. Since I’m in IB Art, I have to learn about my origins, so he’s been getting me into Indian artwork. He’s made a pretty big impact on the way I see art and how I’m able to execute it. “ •AVEEK DHAR 11

off the job

What has left an impression on you this year?

With a future full of expenses ahead of them, East seniors find new

WAY TO WATER In the greenhouse, senior Cole Fevold waters petunias. “A lot of people come in looking for yellow begonias,” Fevold said. “There’s no such thing as a yellow begonia, but they will argue with you until the end of the earth that there are [yellow] begonias.” Photo by Lauren Bleakley.

Senior Jobs 11

Design by Will Chertoff.

Cross Country members bond and practice together as a pack.

HOW IT’S DONE

Senior Scott Cantril describes the routine of a daily practice.

01 02 03 04 05

AFTER

the final bell rang, 231 students rushed down to the locker room to change into athletic shorts, running tops and tennis shoes. With such a large group, the East Cross Country team had a lot of depth for the 2009 season.

“There’s a different feeling this year,” senior and captain Taylor Haviland said about the team spirit. “It’s bigger than I remember.”

With 60 more runners than the last season, there was not only a new feel to the team; there were new friends to bond with. Favorite post-practice activities included TCBY runs and new Gossip Girl episodes.

“It’s cool making new friends you wouldn’t usually know and seeing them around school,” sophomore Emily Kerr said.

Although Kerr already knew people from running in 2008, she made more friends from the 2009 season. Kerr, along with junior Henry Foster, enjoyed the social aspect of Cross Country paired with the vigorous workouts.

Foster, one of ten junior varsity runners, pushed himself and his teammates when the junior varsity practiced with varsity.

“When we run with varsity, they run pretty hard, and we’ll try to keep up with them,” Foster said.

The girls’ junior varsity and varsity teams, equally competitive, strived to represent their exceptionally large team.

Freshman Molly Halter, despite being a brand new member to the varsity team, fit right in with the pre-meet ‘good, better, best’ cheer, eating pasta and brownies at carbo-loads, and finishing a 3.9 mile run at practice.

“During practice, we run as a pack,” Halter said. “If someone falls behind, you encourage them to stay with you. It’s more fun to run as a team than by yourself.”

The Cross Country team started out in shorts and t-shirts with no placements and no defeats under its belt. At the end of the season, they were the same runners but with more experience. And this time, it was a closer team that rushed out of the locker room to those final practices. Story by Taylor Runion.

“After school, we all have to rush down [to the locker room] to change and then meet at the block in the junior lot to sign in.”

“Usually we do warm up laps around the track [in order] to get our legs warm before our stretches and drills.”

“The stretching consists of two circles of boys and girls. Captains are usually in the center leading the stretches.”

“On Mondays and Wednesdays, we run on the track.

Other days are long, paced runs about six or seven miles long.”

“We group up and do circuits, which consist of pushups, sit-ups and stretches on the track.

Then we go home.”

FAST FACTS

About Caroline Creidenberg 10

THE FINAL EMBRACE Right: Senior Holly Lafferty hugs Cross Country coach Michael Chaffee. “I promised I was going to hug him three more times before the end of the season,” Lafferty said. “I’ll miss him [next year].” Photo by Anna Petrow.

TEAM:

Junior Varsity

SHOE OF CHOICE:

IN TUNE Far Right: Listening to her music player, freshman Taylor Thompson runs in her first time trial race. “I felt like music would help me do better because I was really nervous to run,” Thompson said. Photo by Anna Petrow.

ASICS brand

SAYS:

“I started the year on JV and finished on JV, but in between I ran some C team races. C team was more fun, but JV was more beneficial because there was better competition.”

12 August

“I was just taking drawing because I thought it was easy, but now I’m doing it outside of school. My dad is big into drawing and I didn’t understand it before. It’s kind of a stress reliever, and it lets you escape from things.” •EVAN TARRY 10

WORDS OF SUPPORT Below: Huddling with her teammates, sophomore Lilli Stalder gets excited and focused for the regional meet at Shawnee Mission Park. “We practiced out there the week before so that we knew what the course was like,” Stalder said. “I told the group not to be nervous.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

What has left an impression on you this year?

THE PRE-JOG Right: Warming up with teammates before regionals, senior Jay Lehoczky prepares himself for a tough race. “We get a group of varsity guys together and run about half the course,” Lehoczky said. “It helps us because when we feel comfortable running together in practice, it helps us run together in a race.” Photo by Andrea Zecy.

AHEAD OF THE GAME Determined to run a good time, junior David Hill puts himself in front of his competition at time trials. “I think [the time trial] was my best race,” Hill said. “It was a fast course, but it was easier than other races.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

Cross Country 13

AMIGOS MUST-HAVES

Senior Alexa Donahue explains the most important gear to take on the AMIGOS trip.

SNACKS

“Crystal Light was important because the water tasted like a pool. Snacks reminded me of home, and I spent time with my partner when we ate them.”

“It had photos that reminded me of home. My host family was curious about my life [in America], so it helped to show what my family looked like. ”

CHERISH THE MOMENT At her host family’s house in Chilgatoro, Honduras, senior Lauren Erickson, her partner and three neighborhood kids enjoy their last day together. “Our supervisor came that day [unexpectedly] with news that the political situation was getting worse and that we needed to evacuate,” Erickson said. “[My partner and I] decided to go around the community to say goodbye to everyone. We were trying to explain to the kids that we had to leave early. Our Spanish skills weren’t that great, so they didn’t really understand until we drove away. It was devastating.” Photo courtesy of Lauren Erickson.

a friend in need is an

THE LAST SPLASH Senior Alexa Donahue and her partner, Kristen Ellingboe, enjoy a swim with their classmates. “It was the last day of class for the week, so we decided to celebrate and go swimming in the river,” Donahue said. Photo courtesy of Alexa Donahue.

FRIENDSHIP.

indeed.

Three East seniors spend their summer volunteering for AMIGOS, encountering life-changing experiences.

PHOTO ALBUM

It’s a universal word and action that transcends cultures and languages, countries and citizens. It’s a power that can support the impoverished with the help of the blessed. It comes in every form- great and small, international and local, young and old.

For seniors Lauren Erickson and Leia Swanson, friendship came in the form of the volunteer program Amigos de las Americas - in English, Friends of the Americas. AMIGOS exposes students to Latin American culture and allows them to help the communities they visit.

After spending time there, the volunteers decide how they should help their community with money from the AMIGOS grant. “[In Honduran culture] you can be sitting with a family, even if you just met them, and there won’t be any forced conversation,” Erickson said. “Sometimes we would just sit there for 15 minutes not saying anything. It’s something I really came to love and appreciate.”

But adjusting to their culture was more than an easy dinner. The students chose their summer volunteer country with a much more difficult meal. They had to ravage through a foggy Jello cup, eating and

“There were lots of bugs, and I hated wearing [long] pants because it was so hot.”

BUG SPRAY

GIFTS

“They showed that we appreciate them having us, and gave them something to remember us by.”

“I never thought I loved Geography, but Mr. Nickels brought a new perspective. He said if you set your mind to something, you can accomplish anything. He gave us examples of people who started with nothing and accomplished amazing things.“ •RHONDA ANZAWI 10

CLASSIC COLOR This brightly painted adobe brick house is the home where senior Lauren Erickson’s partner Kevin McKay stayed. “It was only a two minute walk between my house and his, so we pretty much split our meals and time between both,” Erickson said.

Photo courtesy of Lauren Erickson.

kick a ro, Honduras tourKids in Chilgatu rhood KICKIN’ IT UPund, practicing for neighbo ge there,” hu soccer ball aro competitions. “Soccer is yed ever y naments and Erickson said. “Everyone plaErickson. senior Lauren t.” Photo courtesy of Lauren chance they go

What has left an impression on you this year?

WARMING -U Leia Swanso P Preparing to perform n Chelsea Stric practices the dance wion stage, senior dance costumkland. “We wore traditio th her partner Swanson said. es and danced at a festivnal Paraguayan al in Photo courtesy of Leia Swanso San Blas,” n.

digging to get through the copious layers of whip cream. But the slippery fingers and the momentary loss of dignity came with a satisfying reward at the bottom of the cup: a flag representing the country, and the community, where the volunteers would be serving that summer.

Erickson found the blue and white stripes of Honduras, and Swanson scooped out the red and blue bars of Paraguay. They knew they would be on their way to challenges, hardships and poverty, but they were also ready to embrace friendship.

“During training they told us we would have to purify our water,” Swanson said. “I was expecting them to have a well, but my family had their own purified water in a water tank.”

As their time away drew to a close, the volunteers reflected on their experiences there. Though all of the experiences were new to them, the most meaningful dealt with the lessons they learned.

“I realized that you don’t need to be doing something all the time,” Swanson said. “It was nice to relax.” Story by Mallory Fisher and Tim Shedor.

Design by Kate Kulaga and Gaby Thompson.

14 August

AMIGOS 15

TOP 5

On Freshman Orientation Day, Link Crew leaders voted on the best of the many group costumes.

SAILOR “We got our costume at Kmart and U.S. Toy. There’s a rap called ‘Halle Berry’ where it says ‘She the ship and I’m the captain…’ and my partner had the idea for the freshmen to be sailors and us to be their captains.”

Drew Auer 11

DOTTED AND RIPPED Above: During the second assembly, junior Julie Aliber takes off her colorful dots. “They were really hard to get off,” Aliber said. “They would rip off the hairs on our legs and arms.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

TECHNICOLOR

CROWD SUPPORT Right: While the students are dancing, freshman Elizabeth Kaufman sings ‘Don’t Stop Believing.’

“The crowd was dancing and singing along,” Kaufman said.

“It made me feel really good about myself.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

“The dots were the only thing we could find that was cool.

We also wanted something that was different and cheap because we didn’t want to spend any money.”

HELPING HAND Left:Touring her Link Crew group around their new school, junior Alysabeth Albano makes sure they know where to go on their first day. “They asked a lot of questions because they seemed to be confused,” Albano said. “But they got the hang of it.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

“I get up at five in the morning Monday, Wednesday, and Friday every week for ROTC. It teaches me discipline and respect. I pay attention more in class, and when teachers are talking, I don’t talk out. I respect them more than i used to.” •DAVID ROBERTSON 9

ft: On her OUT Far Le REACHING hool, freshman Anna sc of tening to fir st day y enjoyed lis Sheridan reall speech. “I felt like I Dr. Krawitz’s eady when he told us knew him alr es and how he wants his experienc olved,” Sheridan said. us to get inv Petrow.

Photo by Anna ft: EnjoyOVATION Le STANDING e freshman dance, juth ing a song at ebarger applauds the nior Gail Ston . “I loved cheering on nd ba the crowd freshmen d just getting the bands an ebarger said. Photo by pumped,” Ston .

Alissa Pollack

What has left an impression on you this year?

the Left: During ghs SURGE Far o lau LAUGHING e, junior Jessica Pard wn benc freshman da the floor. “I had fallen do y funny hysterically onnext to me told me a reall . l gir Alissa Pollack cause the said. Photo by man joke,” Pardo around, fresh shfre E Left: Joking ROWDY TIM aux decides to mess with oring Logan BoudreRutledge. “Andrea was ignreaux man Andrea essing with her hat,” Boud us, so I was mAnna Petrow. shmen said. Photo by e hallway, fre T Right: In th Troop talk about ce JUMP STAR ra “It was on and G Emma Robs nces on orientation day. Photo their experie w people,” Robson said. ne fun to meet rt. we

by Daniel Ste

Hannah Copeland 12

echoes through open doors, accompanied by exasperated sighs from winners and losers of 64 Squares, Count Off and countless other games played by the freshmen.

The purpose of this freshmen-only day was to make the freshmen feel fully prepared for their upcoming years at East.

“That’s the main reason I decided to join Link Crew,” senior Steven Shen said. “I thought it would be helpful because I didn’t know anyone my first year at East. I wish someone was there to show me around and give me the guidelines of high school.”

The twelve hours of training endured by the soon-to-be-leaders helped them learn the meaning behind the games that they were to play with their freshmen. Each game was designed to get the students comfortable in their new surroundings and help them create a plan for high school.

One of the games represented the path of getting through high school successfully.The game involved laying out 64 pieces of paper. Each student was to

LAUGHTER

KEEPIN’ IT Link Crew leaders continue to help freshmen cope with high school anxieties.

16 August

Design by John Francis.

attempt to find the right path to get to the other side. When a student made a mistake, they had to retrace their steps and try again. This symb that high school is a trial and error experience.

“The games were kind of ridiculous, but I could tell they were supposed to help us become more comfortable with high school,” freshman Katherine Higdon said. “The game with the squares was probably the most entertaining. We were supposed to pretend the pieces of paper were lily pads, and if we made a wrong move, we fell into the pond.”

Despite the games’ silly nature, some students agree they will be useful in high school.

“Unlike last year, where the games were more bonding related, we tried to make the games more life related,” senior Rachel d’Autremont said. “They have a deeper meaning, especially 64 squares.”

Though there were new students, new link leaders and a renewed school, the Lancer Link Crew goal remained the same: To help and encourage all students to make the most out of their memorable high school years. Story by Atiyeh Samadi.

WHITE OUT “We got the Tshirts at Kmart, spray paint and glitter from Michaels, and the bandannas and wristbands from U.S. Toy. We wanted to make the costume more personal, rather than just a necklace or something.”

Olivia Mansfield 11

Link Crew 17

PARTY IN THE B.U.S. On the bus to a meet, senior Lexi Mische shares her iPod with senior Grace Gillaspie. “[Listening to music] relaxes us,” Mische said. “We usually listen to ‘Party in the U.S.A.’ ” Photo by Andrea Zecy.

East gymnasts exhibit their flexibility while practicing at SM South due to East’s gym renovations during the season. car, blue car, big car, green car.

Junior Lindy Blackman watches them pass by her red Lincoln Mercury Mountaineer. She sees if anyone will let her escape the junior parking lot. 3 p.m. rolls onto her dashboard clock; there are only 30 minutes until she has to be in a leotard, stretching for gymnastics practice in the Shawnee Mission South small gym. After a late summer rainfall flooded the large gym, the gymnastics team was relocated to SM South until the floors were redone and the new stage door was installed.

The team moved down Lamar with their equipment to join six SM South gymnasts in their stage gym. With the move came both inconveniences and fantastic opportunities.

Practice time changed when coach Tiffany Mesche realized leaving East’s parking lots took more than a few minutes. Despite this change, the principles remained the same.

“Practices start on time no matter what, and that’s just a part of being on a team,” Coach Mesche said. “Everybody had to make adjustments when the practice location changed so we, as coaches, have to acknowledge that the girls need extra time to get to South, so practice changed from 3:10 to 3:30.”

RED

START THE MUSIC Waiting on the mat for her routine music to start, sophomore Alex Nichols holds her pose. “It didn’t really throw me off,” Nichols said. “It was really funny because everyone else’s music worked, but [our team’s music] had to be played on a different player.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

FAST FACTS

MY OPINION

About Leia Swanson 12

in short

Gymnasts explain the pros and cons of practicing at SM South.

TEAM:

“I loved it because I was already friends with South people. I’m a senior, but many of the underclassmen will probably be sad when they have to practice at East next year without our South friends.”

Varsity

EVENTS:

All around: vault, bars, beam and floor

FAVORITE MOVE:

Front handspring fronts

Grace Gillaspie 12 “It’s just a waste of gas because it took about 10 minutes to get there. If there was traffic, it would make some of us late for practice.”

Madeline Goss 11

18 12 August

SAYS:

FRIENDLY COMPETITORS Sitting in a massage circle during practice, junior Lindy Blackman talks to her teammates and SM South gymnasts. “[SM South gymnasts] were supposed to be our rivals, but we really got to know them, and they became our friends,” Blackman said. Photo by Andrea Zecy.

“I just do [tuck jump] to increase the difficulty in my routine. There are difficulty levels and [the tuck jump] is a different level that gives you more points.”

“This year, I realized that time during tennis season is really short. I didn’t have that long to make friends with the people that I would never have met if I hadn’t done tennis. Team dinners were a great way for me to talk to people and bond.“ •MAGGIE FENTON 10

THE UNEXPECTED Looked on by senior Leia Swanson at state meet, freshman Emily Kaplan competes on the uneven bars. “Bars really isn’t my best event, but I did better than I expected,” Kaplan said. Photo by Andrea Zecy.

What has left an impression on you this year?

STAYING LIMBER At state, junior Lindy Blackman stretches her hamstrings before her event. “Stretching is important because I use my legs a lot,” Blackman said. “You can tell when you don’t stretch because you can’t do all the moves.” Photo by Andrea Zecy.

With her coach’s understanding, Blackman, with the rest of her team, became accustomed to the travel and made it to practice on time.

“Some days the junior lot is horrible, but you’ve got to get a routine to get out in the smallest amount of time possible,” Blackman said. “But after leaving 75th and Mission, it’s like home free. All I’ve got is my iPod and a few minutes to myself before I pull into South.”

Junior Katy Beaver saw the relocation as a way to improve skills by working with the South girls.

“Our team has a great variation of skill levels, so having the South girls just add to each level,” Beaver said. “Lancers have varsity Raiders to learn from. The support we can give each other is just as helpful.”

This system helped the gymnasts ignore the cliché South versus East animosity.

“We have never been affected by the competition with South,” senior Katy Kettler said. “We’re the closest to the Raiders of all Shawnee Mission schools. It’s fun to play along for football, but in gymnastics, we’re all just there to help each other and get along as best as competitors can.” Story by Emily Collins.

CHALK IT UP At a practice at SM South, senior Katy Kettler chalks her hands for the uneven bars. “Chalk is important because your hands don’t rip open, and you don’t fly off the bars,” Kettler said. Photo by Nicole Luby.

09 Gymnastics 19

SEPTEMBER

“I have my own style when I skate.

I don’t feel like I have to follow what everyone does or what they expect me to do.

When people first meet me, they think of me as a normal skater, but once they know me, they realize I’m different.”

Jordan Rogers 10

SKATE AROUND Above: Skating underneath Prairie Village shopping center, sophomore Jordan Rogers practices one of his favorite hobbies. “The tunnel under Prairie Village isn’t very challenging,” Rogers said. “I normally skate at Prairie Village skate park, because I can’t get a ride anywhere else.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

A FAMILIAR RING Middle Left: During Art Foundations, senior John Paul Rowe uses a file to carve a ring out of blue wax. “It was easy to carve as wax because it was easy to shape,” Rowe said. “When it actually was burned into silver, you had to put in more effort to sand it out because it took a lot more strength to shape it out.”

Photo by Nicole Luby.

DISAPPOINTING LOSS Right: At the first game played on East’s new soccer turf field, junior Chris Melvin sits on the sidelines feeling embarrassed about his team’s performance against SM South. “We had a really off game,” Melvin said. “It was devastating and not a good representation of how good of a team we were.

All of the fans were dead silent.” Photo by Danielle Norton.

20 September

DANCE FOR THE DANCE Left: As a co-SHARE chair with junior Allie Hunter, junior Samantha Bartow holds up a sign promoting her project, the ‘Down Syndrome Dance,’ during the SHARE fair. “I’m just excited to work with the kids with disabilities because it’s fun to see them enjoy themselves in a normal setting at a dance,” Bartow said. Photo by Danielle Norton.

September Division 21

DARK DEVELOPMENTS Left: In her Photo 2 class, senior Taylor Burkhead develops a picture in the darkroom. “I tried to develop a picture after I exposed it to light,” Burkhead said. “It is difficult to know how long to expose it. When it turns into the picture, it needs to have the right amount of lightness and darkness. Usually you can tell if the picture is too light or too dark while you are in the darkroom.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

RAISING AWARENESS Left: Walking up Mission Road before school with ‘Coalition,’ sophomore Toni Aguiar and the rest of the students in ‘Coalition’ help raise awareness by holding up posters. “Coalition doesn’t raise money, but it really gets the word out, and that is what we work for,” Aguiar said. “The cars that went by definitely saw the posters, and sometimes they would slow down and honk.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

CARDED Right: At Blue Valley District Activites Center for the second game of the season, junior CC Creidenberg gets in a fight with a North Kansas City player. “I get kind of emotional on the field, and I know that I get kind of aggressive on the field, and know I can play dirty, “ Creidenberg said. “[When playing North Kansas City], I was going for the ball and swung my arm and punched him in the stomach, and then he came back and shoved me in front of the ref and got a yellow card. Then I laughed at him and also got a yellow card.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

DIFFICULT DRAWING Below Left: Drawing shadows with pastel, senior Audrey Howell works during art teacher Jason Filbeck’s drawing class. “I liked drawing cast shadows because they really make the picture come to life,” Howell said. “The most difficult one that we did was a hand drawing, and we had to change the size of our hand and draw it on a big piece of paper.”

Photo by Danielle Norton.

whats‘ your impression?

MONSTROUS MUG Right: In Ceramics class, junior Donald Roth works on his third coffee mug. The piece was 30 inches tall and took him 12 weeks to finish. “I was thinking of some monster from a ‘Star Wars’ movie that had a lot of teeth on it,” Roth said. “It inspired me to try and make the horns to twist the idea.” Photo by Danielle Norton.

22 September

LEVELED ART Right: In second hour ceramics, junior Dana Sherard levels out her slab project with a book. “It was fun learning how to combine slabs to make a vase,” Sherard said. Photo by Grant Heinlein.

DAY OF THE DEAD Right: Hanging ‘Day of the Dead’ skeleton heads in his Spanish 2 class, sophomore Logan Rose celebrates the tradition of honoring the dead. The foil skull hangings were more of an ‘American-Spanish’ class tradition rather than the real tradition that is celebrated in Spanish countries. “We made skulls by tracing skulls with a pencil and pressing hard enough into the foil to make an impression,” Rose said. Photo by Nicole Luby.

“I don’t think I would take [Chinese] because I’m just not into taking a foreign language, but I think it’s great that it’s an option.

I admire people that take it, and I think it would be useful in the future depending on your career.”

Marston Fries 10

GIRLS’ GOLF

“[Volleyball] is a really cool sport.

If I could I would play, but I have Cross Country in the fall, and I would rather play beach volleyball. I have never been to a game, but I have played it in team games and that is always fun.”

Ben Carlson 12

CHINESE

“I really admire people who have crazy wardrobes because they show who they really are.That compares to a lot of other people who try to blend in with the preppy or average style of clothing.”

Jessie Sykes12

GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL

“From what I have seen, they have had some rough patches in the team this year.They definitely had a lot of potential for this year, like [junior Zach] Colby is really good.”

Kylie Guess 10

UNIQUE FASHION

“I played [tennis] freshman year, and I really liked it. It is a relaxed sport, and you kind of get to do your own thing. I would definitely go out for it again because it is something to do, and it’s very relaxed.”

Andrew Dexter 12

BOYS’ SOCCER

GIRLS’ TENNIS

Bennett Clark 11

“I haven’t really followed how [the girls’ golf team] has done this year, but they’re always good. It takes a lot of skill and thoughtfulness to play golf, as a team and individually.

They are a really dedicated team.”

RUN & REFRESH Left: At Cross Country practice, freshman Nash Reimer stops to take a drink of water. “I run about five miles every day,” Reimer said. “It is a tough sport, and it is very mental. I usually have a song stuck in my head [while I’m running], but most of the time it is just random stuff like songs that I had heard on the radio or something.” Photo by Danielle Norton.

September Division 23

Pembroke Hill • Shawnee Mission West • Notre Dame de Sion • Blue Valley North • Shawnee Mission South • St. Teresa’s Academy • Olathe East • Blue Valley • St. Thomas Aquinas • Shawnee Mission North • Olathe South • Blue Valley Northwest • Olathe North Pembroke Hill • Shawnee Mission West • Notre Dame de Sion • Blue Valley North • Shawnee Mission South • St. Teresa’s Academy • Olathe East • Blue Valley • St. Thomas Aquinas • Shawnee Mission North • Olathe South • Blue Valley Northwest • Olathe North

Design by Helen Dinkel.

As a top contender for the state title, the girls’ tennis team prepares to face Blue Valley North in state for the third year in a row.

7:30 a.m. and freshman Elizabeth Wilcox, sophomores Mimi Fotopoulos and Mollie Cooper, junior Lysie Smith and seniors Nikki Reber, Grace Martin and Sally Schoenfeld gather around a hotel breakfast table to eat before heading off to the first day of state.

“That morning at breakfast, we all were really excited and ready to go and play our best,” Fotopoulos said. “On the way to the courts, we, of course, listened to pump up music the whole way in Chipman’s car.”

The team’s main competition was Blue Valley North. Last year, Fotopoulos beat BV North’s number one player. This year, however, when Fotopoulos played BV North’s number one player, she lost her only match of the season.

“Right after the match, I was definitely upset,” Fotopoulos said. “Then I thought about all of the good things that I did this year…. I only lost one game the entire season.”

Other factors played into the outcome.

“Against any good player, you have to bring your best,” Fotopolous said. “I only had about 45 minutes to eat lunch and catch my breath after playing a two and a half hour match. Then after that, I had to turn around

IT’S

and play BV North’s number one player. It was definitely a disadvantage to have such little time to rest, and I really think that affected my match.”

At state, temperatures were in the low 40s with a high windshield. The cold air made it harder for the players to breath, and the wind made the ball bounce differently. Although the players could not change the weather, they tried to keep themselves warm.

“We like to bring a bunch of blankets and we all huddle together and wait until it is our turn to play,” Martin said.

Despite the cold weather, the players felt like they tried their best.

“I would not want to do anything differently this season,” Reber said. “We all gave it all that we had.”

Reber and Cooper won the doubles championship, and Fotopoulos placed second in the singles tournament. As a whole, East placed second, losing by only eight points to BV North.

“I wish that we would have played good enough to win,” Martin said. “But in the end, we played the best we had ever played.” Story by Helen Dinkel.

SILLY SUPERLATIVES

FAST FACTS

Tori Spencer 11

About ANDREA ERICKSON 10

SASSIEST

CLUMSIEST

Team members respond to their nominations.

“Once I hit [junior] Kirsten Chadd in the head with my racket. We were messing around. I felt bad because she had to get ice, and she told her mom.”

What has left an impression on you this year?

top of the

“The mock trial program through legal studies left an impression on me and made me want to pursue law in my future. My first year I went against a murder case, and that really pulled me into the program. •PETER BAUTZ 11

LIVING IT UP Left: During a practice, senior Annie Bennett plays in a doubles match. “We always make practice fun,” Bennett said. “We probably joke around more than the coaches want us to.” Photo by Lauren Bleakley.

ABOVE AND BEYOND Right: Junior Sammi Kelly warms up for an upcoming match. “During practice, I try and play with people higher up on the ladder so I can improve,” Kelly said. Photo by Lauren Bleakley.

“On the bus to Topeka, we were dancing to the song ‘One Time’ by Justin Bieber, and she was acting out the lyrics in the song.

It was really funny.”

TEAM:

Junior Varsity

FAVORITE RACKET: Prince brand rackets

SAYS:

Corey Neidl 11 PERSONAL BEST Senior Molly Tidrick plays in a varsity singles match against Lawrence. “When I hit a good point, it motivates me to do better,” Tidrick said. “You can’t get cocky about it, though, or you will mess up.”

Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

“At my level, it’s not so competitive, so it’s more fun to play, and I get to meet a lot of new people, like an exchange student from Germany.”

SOLID SHOT Junior Lysie Smith hits a backhand shot during practice. “It [practice] was bonding time with the girls,” Smith said. “It was good to practice with them and see what their strokes are.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

24 September

Girls Tennis 25

next in

“I love working in the coffee shop during third hour because it teaches me how to serve customers, and it will be helpful in the future. My favorite part is basically helping people and Mrs. Joyce when they need me.” •JASON EWING 10

ALL TRIPPED UP Fighting for possession, junior Andrew Goble is slide tackled by a SM South player. “[A slide tackle] is weird because it depends on whether the referee will let it go or not,” Goble said. “If he thinks the tackle risks injury to either player, he will usually call a foul.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

Design by Will Chertoff.

season, the After a rough start to the boys’ soccer ery, which Lancer var sity team works to build comrad mi-finals.

FAST FACTS RED, About Cole Turner 11

POSITION: Forward

FAVORITE PLAYER:

Barcelona’s Lionel Messi

SAYS:

“The best moment of my soccer career was when I scored my first goal. It gave me confidence, and it gave the coaches an idea of what I am capable of.”

white, black and orange cleats pounded the field. “Goble, Goble, Goble!” Without hesitating, a pair of white cleats kicked the ball to the right. Orange cleats received the ball as another scream erupted. “Throck, left!” Immediately, the ball was passed to the black and white cleats belonging to the screaming voice. Without looking, the members of the varsity soccer team knew where to pass and who they were passing to.

While the team struggled at the beginning of the year, they began to play together seamlessly after bonding with each other throughout the season.

Whether they were cheering at a Kansas City Wizards game, getting pumped up for the next game at team dinners or hanging out at someone’s house, they built comradery.

“The juniors came over to my house before games,” junior Cooper Toombs said. “We watched [the movie] ‘300’ a lot, played XBox and ate pizza.”

This comradery, along with their grass stained

shorts and sweaty shirts, took them to the substate semi-finals against BV West.

At the game, East was down 3-1 at halftime.

Down only two goals, the team was confident they could pull out a win. But the game ended and the Columbia blue jerseys were not celebrating. The 18 members of the varsity team walked off the field with their heads low and their hearts lower. Even more frustrating than the actual loss was that this loss may have been due to a bad call. “[On] the last goal, their player was blatantly offside and the ref didn’t call it,” junior Zach Colby said.

For the five seniors, it was their last game. All were sad about the outcome, but thought that the overall journey of being on the team was fulfilling.

“I just couldn’t believe that everything was over,” senior Gordon Green said. “I was really upset with how it turned out. But [I’m going to take away] all the friendships with the guys on the team, the coaches and everything I learned.” Story by Mallory Fisher.

What has left an impression on you this year?

proved to be key in their run to se

Going4 Goal JV forward sophomore Max Duncan explains how the dynamics of the soccer shoe are used for the four most important shots.

GOING BIG Above: Junior CC Creidenberg plays his position at the Blue and Black scrimmage. “I got to be one of the older kids playing, and it got to be really fun,” Creidenberg said. Photo

by Anna Petrow.

THE SIDE Finesse Shots

“When passing, lock your ankle and create an L shape with your leg. The same goes for finesse shots.”

SITTING ONE OUT Above: Sitting on the bench during the KC North game because of a broken foot, senior Charlie Freyder cheers his team on. “Sitting on the bench was really frustrating,” Freyder said. “I really wanted to be on the field to make a difference and not leave my teammates hanging.” Photo by Nicole Luby.

RAIN RAIN GO AWAY Right: Battling for possession against KC North, junior Zach Colby plays hard through rough weather. “Even though it wasn’t the best game of soccer, it was still fun to play in the rain,” Colby said. “Dustin [Ballard] scored the winning goal in the second half to get a crucial win for the tournament.” Photo by Max Stitt.

THE LACES Power Shot

THE RIDGES Left Curve

THE FRONT The “Toe Poke”

“Point your foot as parallel to your leg as possible. You normally hit the ball with the left half of the laces.”

“Hitting the ball with the ridges on the inside of the boot helps the ball bend around your defender.”

“Normally you do not want to use your toe unless the ball is out of reach.

It’s only used in desperation.”

A ROUGH LOSS Above: Humiliated after archrival SM South scores their fifth goal, senior Joe Craig lets out his frustration.

“Everyone jokes that if you go 1-15, but beat South, it’s still a successful season,” Craig said. “If you lose to South, it gives a bad turn to your whole season.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

26 September

Boys Soccer 27

Kiki Sykes 10

“We [lifeguards] basically took old towels and twisted them up and made friendship bracelets out of them. Usually we just did it when it was raining and there were no little kids to watch.”

Andrew Forbes 12

Sam Haynes

Freshman Sam Haynes finds inspiration in music, performances and political beliefs. room is sweaty, and the amplifiers’ pounding is the only sound freshman Sam Haynes can hear. As Haynes DJs for the excited crowd, he is glad that he wore a sleeveless shirt. It’s a hot night.

Walking down East’s halls in high-heeled boots, a tank top and tie-dye pants revealed not only his fashion style, but also his political views. Stark contrasts, and flashy, but cheap, clothing epitomized his wardrobe.

“Hipster would be a loose definition of my style,” Haynes said. “It gives me a lot of options, not to mention it’s never mainstream.”

Haynes DJ’ed at clubs in Kansas City, Missouri, and will also DJ, design and model

at a fashion show downtown in the winter.

When on stage, Haynes reflects the influences that have been molded into his personal style.

“Cody Crichelo from The Shun has really influenced me,” Haynes said. “[The Shun] is a movement more so than a band. They mix many types of music, while incorporating wacky fashion and bizarre performance art.”

Haynes wanted to prove that large designer companies don’t have to dictate students’ clothing preferences. He also maintains that mainstream corporations, which use sweatshop labor, should not be the stores of choice for young consumers.

of plastic on racks combine with the ruffle of clothes being folded as sophomore Sarah King flips through her third rack of t-shirts.

From a young age, King was surrounded by fashion - her mother made clothes as a hobby and taught King her craft. As King grew, so did her interest in clothing. Thriftiness had been passed along, mother to daughter, and the effects were obvious.

“When people see my clothing, I hope they think, ‘Wow! She did that with five dollars?’” King said.

With her theater background, King has the natural confidence of a stage actress.

Her self-assured attitude carries over into her clothing choices. Her intent when buying, matching and making her clothes was to impress others while spending less money.

“I want to feel good in what I’m wearing,” King said. “I don’t want to look like just anybody else, and I like to think I do that everyday.”

The less money she spent, the better King liked her style. Ultimately, she reflected her voice through her clothing.

THE

CLACKS “[In jewelry class], we started with certain criteria, and then we drew and designed our jewelry. I ended up having five pages of sketches. I really liked it because you could make your own jewelry that has your own style added to it.”

Marlena Smith 10

Sarah King

Sophomore Sarah King reflects her confidence in the unique clothing she wears.

28 August

STOP TO SHOP Shopping at Salvation Army, sophomore Sarah King surveys the racks for vintage style clothing. “I just think the more unique it is, the better,” King said. “You need to be different from everyone else; at least I am.” Photo by Eliza McCormick.

SHINY STYLE Right: Rummaging through racks of clothes at Major Thrift, sophomore Sarah King stops to take a look at a sequined sweater. “I look for funky, vintage clothes that are inexpensive and stylish at the same time,” King said. Photo by Eliza McCormick.

HARD AT WORK Left: At Broadmoor Technical Center, senior Caroline Sheridan works on designing a dress. “I enjoy making things for myself and saving money,” Sheridan said. “I try to express my personal love for style.” Photo by Eliza McCormick.

THE

arduous process finally ends; Senior Caroline Sheridan holds up her masterpiece that has taken almost a week to make. Plaid here, stripes there, polka dots in the middle - the entire mosaic came together to form the perfect outfit.

Fabrics were a large part of how Sheridan chose her outfits. Stores like Hobby Lobby provided cheap ways of accessing those vital materials.

“I enjoy making things for myself and saving a lot of money,” Sheridan said.

Sheridan dressed to be stylish, and more importantly, to stand out. Sporting her own clothing gave Sheridan not only a feeling of accomplishment, but

What has left an impression on you this year?

East students accessorize with hand-made bracelets.

“My sister [senior Jessie Sykes] and I started making them every summer. I especially make the bracelets for when my church goes on mission trips, and I give them to the kids that we meet and spend time with.”

“Every time we do an assignment in foods, we learn about nutrients, and it has really improved my eating habits.We learned about fruits and how they prevent obesity, and I eat fruit as a snack instead of pretzels, which I learned were high in sodium.” •MAKENZIE NESSELHUF 10

Design by Emily Kulaga.

East students stand out with their own ‘do-it-yourself,’ thrift store and statement-making styles.

the ability to stand out.

Sheridan was influenced heavily by designers in the fashion world and by the people that surrounded her in everyday life.

“My grandma has influenced my style a lot,” Sheridan said. “She is a very classy lady who loves clothes and putting together outfits at a reasonable price. She will shop anywhere from a thrift store to high-end department stores.”

This combination of class and thriftiness surrounded Sheridan when she sketched, sewed and wore her outfits. She showed that great clothing doesn’t have to be expensive. Stories by Wil Kenney.

Caroline Sheridan

By making her clothes, senior Caroline Sheridan adds originality and saves money.

Unique Fashion 29

Team members coordinate clothing for game days.

“We all got together before the season started and made tyedye shirts so we could bond. All of the shirts are different, and it was fun to see everybody’s different handwriting.”

emily fuson 11

sarah johnston 10

GAME PLAN Middle Left: Before the substate game, the varsity girls discuss strategies for the match with their coach Scott Dowis. “We were trying to take the other team out of system, which means trying to serve aggressively,” junior Julie Aliber said. Photo by Andrea Zecy. serving it up Left: Freshman Audrey Hitchcock celebrates after winning a point on a serve. “When we get a point, we all cheer, and then we run into the middle and talk about what we are going to do next in order to win another point,” Hitchcock said. Photo by Lauren Bleakley.

“Everyone on our team is so full of

passion purpose pride and Before every game we have a

to win.

drives us to do better and to work harder.”

JULIE ALIBER 11

Determined volleyball team sets high expectations for the season.

JUMP FOR IT Left: Jumping up at the SM Northwest tournament, senior Alex Dahlgren blocks the ball.

“The higher you can jump, the better,” Dahlgren said. “You want your arms to be above the net, so you have to jump as high as you can.”

Photo by Makenzie Wylie. warming up Right: At the SM North tournament, sophomore Hayley Hansford warms up with her team. “There were a lot of people at the tournament since it was close,” Hansford said. “That was cool because there are not normally a lot of fans.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

DANCE PARTY Below: While dancing to Party in the U.S.A. by Miley Cyrus, junior Julie Aliber and her teammates get ready for their upcoming game. “ We almost always sing and dance at our team dinners,” Aliber said. “Our team is like one giant family. As the season went on, we all became each others best friends.” Photo by Makenzie Wylie.

OLYMPIC HUG Above: After scoring a point at the SM North tournament, the varsity girls do the Olympic hug. “When we do the hug, it makes the team come together as a whole,” senior Monica Talavera said. “We do the hug before the game and during time outs.” Photo by Danielle Norton.

“Choir was a class that was easy in middle school, but Mr. Foley has changed the way I think about it and has made me enjoy learning about it. He is so passionate about it. It has made me think about how far I want to go with choir in my future. “ •CHASE AINSWORTH 9

SUCCESS

“We don’t really wear anything special on game days. We just try to match. It changes from week to week what we wear. We talk about what we wear at the team dinners on Monday.”

What has left an impression on you this year?

dress for

get excited Far Left: At the SM Northwest tournament, senior Lindsey Sauls celebrates after scoring a point. “The team has a lot of energy and drive,” Sauls said. “We live by ICE [intensity, concentration, enthusiasm] during the match, and we use that to have success.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

Design by Helen Dinkel.

SOPHOMORE

Taylor Wolf woke up and walked down the stairs to the kitchen for breakfast. On the way out of her bedroom door, she stopped to look at a piece of paper that reminded her of what she and the rest of the varsity volleyball team were working towards. It had goals for the season, goals for matches and the main goal to make state.

In the recent summer, the East girls were able to practice together for the first time ever, considering Kansas State High School Activities Association changed a rule that now allowed volleyball teams to work in the off-season. The East girls got to work during the summer with Coach Scott Dowis, so they would function better as a team.

“We’re all a lot closer than we would have been which makes it easier to play,” Wolf said.

In addition to the rule change, the team only lost two seniors last year.

“This year there are four seniors,” junior Julie Aliber said. “[senior] Kareen [Schwartze] and Lindsay [Sauls] have shown

30 September

so much more leadership and just get along with everyone.”

Spending hours every week together and having eight returning members brought the girls close and allowed them to play off each other’s strengths.

“It’s awesome,” Schwartze said. “We all love each other, and we’re like a little family. We’re not even where we could be.

We’re going to improve so much.”

The extra practice and bonding time they put in paid off. In mid-September, the team was ranked first in state. With high expectations leading up to the state tournament, the team set mini-goals: first was to win ninety percent of their matches for the season, second was to place in the top three at all tournaments and third was to make it past sub state to be one of the top two teams in Kansas.

“I think we’re all expecting to make it to state and hopefully that’ll happen, Wolf said.

Extra work, talent, experience and leadership gave the Lancer volleyball team reason for such high expectations. Story

by Taylor Runion.

FAST FACTS

About ANNA SHERIDAN 9

TEAM:

Freshman Team

FAVORITE SPANDEX: Under Armour brand

PUMP-UP PLAN:

Listening to her iPod before the match

SAYS:

“It was really fun to try out for the volleyball team. I had never played before, so it was fun to learn all of the rules and techniques.”

Volleyball 31

LOVE

“It looks like a strange face, and it made me laugh. We spent the first couple weeks learning basics, like numbers and colors, so it was one of the first words we learned.”

“Since it’s pronounced ‘hu’, it just sounds weird.

We learned it in a unit that mixed the word ‘hu’ in ‘ma ma hu hu’.”

Takanori Sawaguchi 10

Susie McClannahan 11

Heather Athon 12

GETTING INTO CHARACTER Out of the many characters the Chinese students have learned, they choose their favorite character.

character Design by Jordan Dietrich and Gaby Thompson.

BACK AND FORTH As the teacher, Hau In Lau, says vocabulary words out loud, students, including senior Grant Wekesser, must repeat the words back to her. “[Repeating the words] helps engrain the pronunciation into your head,” Wekesser said. “It’s kind of boring, but it’s a good way of learning it.

We usually make flash cards to help us memorize the characters too.” Photo by Danielle Norton.

LIVING LEGEND Acting out the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, junior Susie McClannahan plays the role of Chang-e. “It has to do with a legend where a girl gives up her life so she can protect her country,” McClannahan said. Photo by Alissa Pollack.

MIND AND BODY To help the students learn body part vocabulary, freshman Samantha Walter sings ‘Head-Shoulders-Knees-and-Toes’. “We had a contest to see who could do it the fastest,” Walter said. “It was fun because everyone participated in it. It was also fun because we got to stand up during the hour and a half block period.” Photo by Danielle Norton.

FUTURE IN MIND Aware of the importance of Chinese, junior Kyle Engelken listens intently in class. “Chinese will be an increasingly important language as we become adults,” Engelken said. “Listening in class now will give me a head start when people realize that Chinese will start dominating the business world.” Photo by Alissa Pollack.

“Language is a tool. It is like adding wings to you. The Chinese saying is ‘like a tiger with wings’; it will take you farther.”

EXTRA MILE For an extra credit assignment, junior Tim Madison sings with his partner. “We were singing the ‘Mulan’ theme song in Chinese,” Madison said. “It was a lot of fun because everyone was singing it, and it helped us learn Chinese.” Photo

by Danielle Norton.

LANTERNS Above: To help learn about Chinese festivals and traditions, students made their own bright paper lanterns.

Students wrote riddles inside of the lanterns, which added a Chinese touch to room 514.

Photo by Nicole Luby.

student slams his head on his desk; another rubs the heel of his hand against his forehead. The girl in the back corner of the room runs her fingers through her strawberry blond hair. In the midst of the head banging, forehead rubbing and finger combing, these students were taking their first written Chinese test. While most of the students had trouble with the test, they also knew that they might be using this material in a real-life situation in the near future.

Since this was the the first year that the Chinese class was offered, only Level 1 classes were available. Chinese teacher Mrs. Hau In Lau tried to teach the students about more than just the language in each lesson. Students celebrated the moon festival one day, learned from a Tai Chi master the next and had worn chi-paos , or traditional dresses, the week before.

“I try to expose them to Chinese language and the culture,” Lau said. “[At the beginning of class] they need to stand up and bow to me, just to let them know that that is what happens in a Chinese classroom.”

The students took a surprising interest in practicing these Chinese customs.

“I actually really like [performing the culture’s customs],” senior Elizabeth Tillhof said. “It’s cool to see things from [the Chinese community’s] perspective and being immersed in the

ONE

A Chinese class is incorporated into the curriculum for the first time, giving students the opportunity to delve into a unique culture and language.

culture.”

While almost all of the students enjoyed learning about the culture, some students had a more personal connection towards the class. Sophomore Meara Smith, adopted from China, was going to be visiting China at the end of her senior year.

“I may be staying [in China] for a month or two with a Chinese family to experience the culture,” Smith said.

Freshman Elizabeth Clough also had plans to visit China but for a completely different reason. For Clough, it was not an unfamiliar experience, for her parents had already adopted her little sister from China. This time, she would be adopting a six-year old brother.

“My family thought it would be good for me to take Chinese because if he needs to go to the bathroom or something, it would help if I could understand him and speak to him [in Chinese],” Clough said.

Lau encouraged all of her students to continue to take a language class because, for Lau, language is an enhancement to their lives.

“Language is a tool,” Lau said. “It is like adding wings to you.

The Chinese saying is ‘like a tiger with wings’; it will take you farther.” Story by Mallory Fisher.

“MORP was more fun than any other dance or mixer that I’ve ever been to. I’ll remember it because I put on a lot of random neon stuff. Plus, going to Winstead’s and getting a skyscraper milkshake with 14 of my friends was fun too.” •MARY GRACE DIEHL 9

BLUE

What has left an impression on you this year?

TIGER “I decided to start learning Chinese because I wanted to learn more about China. If I wanted to ‘love’ Chinese, I felt like I had to know the word for ‘like.”

Chinese teacher Hau In Lau

32 September

Chinese 33

Despite their different goals, the girls’ golf team succeeds due to their teamwork and determination during the season. some, golf is just a sport; for others, a lifestyle.

Either way, it takes skill, dedication and immense concentration. In order to meet these demands, the girls had different goals they wanted to accomplish during the season. Every girl had a different way to accomplish that goal.

“I really want to place in a JV tournament,” junior Pauline Laberthe said. “Besides that, I really just want to improve year by year, and I’m trying to achieve that goal by taking private lessons. I also play with my parents, who are both into golf, every weekend.”

Over the past few years, winning state has been the girls’ golf team’s aspiration, and it is still pressed on their minds this year. However, personal goals were also important.

“I’ve given the team my all the past three years, and

FOR

since it’s my senior year, I want to take it easy and enjoy myself,” senior Erica Davee said. “I plan on playing my best but not letting the stress get to me as much.”

Some girls incorporated the team goal into their personal goal.

“I’ve gone to State for the past two years and making it again this year would be a huge accomplishment,” senior Caitlin Benson said. “I also want to be able to set a good example for the underclassmen and motivate them to do well. It’s important for us as a team to be encouraged and have a sense of togetherness. That means practicing a lot and cheering each other on.”

Although the golf team members had several goals and different methods to achieve those goals, they were all united by their dedication, concentration and hard work. Story by Atiyeh Samadi.

“This is my second year in debate, and I like being involved in a group that does a lot of work. Everyone works together, and it creates a sense of community. Senior year I will look back and be glad I was involved in debate.” •MARK TOWSTER 10

AIM OF THE GAME Just off the edge of a sand trap, senior Caroline Sheridan hits the ball out. “It’s just a matter of pinching the ball and getting it out and close to the hole,” Sheridan said. Photo by Max Stitt.

OVER AND OUT Above:Trying to get the ball out of the bunker and onto the green, senior Kristina Genton follows through with her shot. “Sand plays are my weakest part of the game, and in tournaments it’s really nerve-racking,” Genton said. “I just focus more to get my shot right and do the best I can.” Photo by Max Stitt.

SQUARE ONE Below: Practicing her short game, junior Lizzie Ward concentrates on making her putt. “Before I swing, I think about where I want to aim, and then I hit the ball,” Ward said. “Mainly my goal is just to hit straight to the green with the least strokes possible.” Photo by Nicole Luby.

FAST FACTS About ANNE WILLMAN 9

What has left an impression on you this year?

DETERMINED

STAYING POSITIVE In the bunker, senior Erika Davee laughs off a bad shot.

“I always get nervous in the sand,” Davee said. “Trying to lighten my mood keeps things positive because it can be hard.” Photo by Rachel d’Autremont.

Golf team members describe their personal goals for this season.

“My goal is just to have fun and do really well. I hope to get into the top three at state. Our team is breaking records and doing great; I want to continue that.”

Drew Auer 11 “I’m a transfer student, so my goal was to get to know the girls on the team. They were really welcoming, and we bonded at team dinners and practices.”

Eden Schoofs11 “Basically, I just want to score low so that the team does well overall. It’s an individual score, but as a team, the scores count together.”

Elizabeth Ward 11

TEAM: Varsity

TOURNAMENT ACCESSORY: White belt

FAVORITE MOMENT: Winning Sunflower League

SAYS:

“We are all really good friends, and we get along really well. Being the only freshman didn’t really feel any different because everyone always treated me the same.”

Design by Kate Kulaga.

34 September

Girls Golf 35

OCTOBER

“During the season, I tried hard to be a leader on and off the field.

I wasn’t the captain of the team, but I wanted to lead by example.

But at the same time, I wanted to have fun with my teammates.

I feel like I did a pretty good job of doing that.”

Spencer Barnhill 12

TRASHY FUN Right: On a field trip to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art for Advanced Placement Art, senior Hannah Copeland slides down a hill on a trashbag. “It was supposed to be rainy that day, so we brought trash bags for ponchos,” Copeland said. “It didn’t end up raining, so I thought that it would be fun to slide down the hill with them. It was painful because sometimes I fell on my face, but I think everyone had a fun time.” Photo by Ben Kaplan.

36 October

BEATEN DOWN Above: During the varsity game against SM West, senior Spencer Barnhill puts his hands on his knees to take a short breather. He was frustrated because they were losing even though they controlled most of the game. “This year was tough because we lacked the number of seniors we had last year,” Barnhill said.

“We came together as a team, though, and we had a good relationship. It helped that we were friends outside of soccer.”

Photo by Anna Petrow.

WHACK-A-MOLE Left: After waking up early to make the 6:02 a.m. start time of Mole Day, junior Polly Mytinger tries to hit the ‘moles’ popping up from the holes in the ‘human wack-a-mole’ game with an inflatable hammer. “I was really tired, but I got to hit a lot of people,” Mytinger said.

“I knew most of the people that were the moles, so I wasn’t too nervous about hitting them. At first, I was pretty violent because it was a rubber hammer, but I calmed down. I wasn’t too excited about getting up for Mole Day, but it was worth it because it was exciting to see a lot of the kids I know, and I got extra credit for going.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

October Division 37

PLAYING DEAD Left: Playing a zombie in ‘Maul of the Dead,’ a play at Coterie Theatre, sophomore Sam Rider rehearses eating someone’s hand. “They taught us how to do our makeup because we had to do it by ourselves,” Rider said. “The process of putting it on and taking it off was a pain, but the result was really cool and definitely worth it.” Photo by Lindsey Hartnett.

HOMECOMING? Below Left: Putting fish into a kids’ backyard swimming pool, senior Ian Boat prepares to ask his girlfriend, senior Kristina Genton, to Homecoming. “I wanted a unique way to ask her,” Boat said.

“She was shocked I bought fish, and she bought a tank to keep them in. The special fish died the day before we broke up.” Photo by Nicole Luby.

AUTUMN LIGHT Right: Sitting on a bench by the counseling offices, sophomore Natalie Pierce waits to be picked up. “I was sick and wanted to go home,” Pierce said. “It was fall and I was sitting there because it’s really bright and you can see all the different colors from there.” Photo by Alissa Pollack.

LAST LOSS Far Below: After losing the game in the first round of the regional tournament, junior Andrew Goble looks up in disappointment because of the outcome. “We came so close to winning that it crushed us when the final buzzer hit,” Goble said. Photo by Nicole Luby.

MASSIVE MASTERPIECE Far Right: At Planet Sub restaurant, senior Max McFarland signs a mural that he designed and painted on the wall. “It was a little nervewracking because its surface area is about ten times greater than all the other paintings I’ve ever done combined,” McFarland said. “It was a monstrous task but a good experience, and I was happy to contribute.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

whats‘ your impression?

“The halftime [drumline] performances look like they’re professionally executed.The boys must have some serious skill that they need to flaunt. I love drumming, and I’ve always thought it’d be cool to be on the drumline.”

Tracy Woltemath 10

HOMECOMING

“This year, it seemed like our football games had bigger crowds.

The team won more games, and the crowd got more into it last year because they were better. Next year, we should win a few more games.”

Ben Hargis 12

DRUMLINE

“I thought the parade was fabulous this year.

The floats were really creative, and everyone seemed like they were probably having a really good time.

It was good to see the our entire school come together.”

Peter Frazell 9

BOYS’ FOOTBALL

“I love taking part in fall activities, like picking pumpkins and going to corn mazes, because they are very festive. Plus, the temperature is nice because it’s not too hot, and it’s not winter yet, so it still feels good to be outside.”

Megan Sturm 10

LANCER DAY PARADE

FALL ACTIVITIES

Nathalie Solger 10

“I like getting dressed up and going to dinner and seeing everyone’s dresses, but the dance itself isn’t that great.

Dressing up, eating and going to the after-party and seeing everyone is the fun part.”

MONKEY BUSINESS Left: Seniors Mary Galvin and Maygan White sit with juniors Ashley Adams and Abigail Leek at the football pep assembly, laughing at senior Hannah Copeland dressed as a monkey. “The entire cheer squad started cracking up immediately,” Adams said. “Hannah tripped over Abigail and fell on top of her. The whole thing was so funny, and I loved the look on Abigail’s face. [Abigail] was laughing even harder than we were.” Photo by Alissa Pollack.

DANCE WITH ME Right: At Homecoming, junior Gillian O’Connell reaches out to hug a friend. “I had a really good time at this dance in particular because it was in the cafeteria,” O’Connell said. “Everyone was closer together, and there was more dancing going on. There was no division between dancers, and I felt people were having a better time, too.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

38 October

October Division 39

LEAFY LOVE Right: Despite having to rake her front yard, junior Courtney Boyd finds time to enjoy Autumn. “My favorite season is fall,” she said. “I love the smells and sounds of the leaves and all of the things you can do. Going to haunted houses and watching scary movies are my favorite things to do.” Photo by Brook Barnes.

ily Kulaga.

S’MORE TIME Senior Will Penner stands at the Fall Sports bonfire waiting for his marshmallows to roast. “I take pride in my CORN ON THE COB Standing at the edge of the Liberty Corn Maze, junior Reed Waldon stares at his split corn cob. “We were marshmallow roasting, so I do it slowly,” Penner said. Photo by just messing around, and we wondered what the inside of a corn cob looked like,” Waldon said. “It was red and white and yellow and sparkly with a star pattern.” Photo by Andrea Zecy.

Andrea Zecy.

what candy would you be?

East students explain which Halloween treat best matches their own personality.

SKITTLES

REESE’S

GOBSTOPERS

“If I could be a candy, I would be any candy that has multiple flavors. Especially ‘Skittles’ or ‘Gummy Bears’ because there are so many flavors. This is like me because I can accommodate people and adapt to different personalities and situations.”

“I would be a ‘Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup’ because you’ve got the delicious chocolate on the outside and a surprise of peanut butter on the inside.

Once people get to know me, they’re surprised at what they find out. It’s like I have a good ‘inner layer’.”

“I would be a Gobstopper because there are so many different flavors as opposed to one, and I want to show that I have multiple layers and that people can see me with different views, not with just a single personality or perception.

And once you get done with one layer on a Gobstoper, you get another layer with a new flavor, so that can compare to how I want to be viewed by others.”

Jessica Schneider 9

Jesse Sharp11

Alex Dressman 10

PUMPKIN-PICKING At the Louisburg Cider Mill, senior Tom Yeast walks away with his favorite pumpkins. “Going to corn mazes and pumpkin patches is the best part of the fall season, especially when the weather starts getting colder, and there isn’t much to do outside,” Yeast said. “Halloween is fun too, even though I don’t go trick-or-treating anymore. I usually get lots of candy, then eat most of it.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

Students get into the spirit of Autumn with activities that never get old.

SOUNDS

of plastic bags being dragged across the grass resonate in the chilly air. As the final leaves are swept into these bags, the entire group turns to run away from the yard. A smile spreads across sophomore Kiki Sykes’ face as she leaps over a real estate sign to escape the yard before its owner can see her.

This scene was part of Prairie Village Presbyterian Church’s annual ‘Rake and Run’ event, where volunteers raked leaves anonymously and free-ofcharge.

“When I rake leaves at home, I always complain, and it seems to take forever,” Sykes said. “But when you have the pressure to avoid being seen, it makes it that much less boring.”

Every October weekend, the youth spread out across town to do this volunteer work. Throughout this process, they were often out of breath as they sprinted from yard to yard to quickly rake and then move on. At the

same time, they helped out the community during this Halloween season.

Another group, East’s International Club, visited the classic haunted houses downtown, including ‘The Beast’. Senior Parker Heying laughed and screamed as masked figures leapt at him from the darkness. Seeing how foreign students reacted fascinated him.

“Having all these different cultures made them [the haunted houses] that much more interesting,” Heying said. “Not just how much more scared they were, but how they saw the way we entertain ourselves here in America. Most of the guest kids in International Club don’t understand the whole costume and candy part of Halloween, and the pumpkin stuff goes right over their heads.

Throughout fall, entertainment is a priority. These students from the Village Presbyterian Church and the International Club found ways to fill that need. Story by Wil Kenney

What has left an impression on you this year?

Design by Em

CRAZY COSTUMES Below: In a dressing room at Dottie Mae’s, freshmen Madeleine Reynolds and Helen Petrow laugh at the children’s Halloween costumes that they found. “I always dress up for Halloween,” Reynolds said.

“The best costumes are the Disney ones, and the Tigger costume I tried on was about 8 sizes too small. It only covered my arms and head.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

40 November

“Without Cross Country, I don’t think I would have had as many close friends as I have now. We would spend 10 or more hours a week with each other, and now I have the motivation to run. Now [Cross Country] is one of my favorite sports.” •LUCY LEHOCZKY 10

PICKIN’ UP PUMPKINS Far right: At the Asbury Church pumpkin patch, sophomore Miranda Treas spent the day searching for pumpkins to carve. “In the fall, I love going to pumpkin patches and haunted houses,” Treas said. “I also like getting pumpkin spice lattes and things that you normally can’t get in the other seasons.” Photo by Lauren Bleakley.

Fall Activities 41

ONE Frank STEP A float ilnin waits bT A TI was s her pa y the ME•L stiff, pier ‘Op eft said. “o I e : to takAnd thecouldnmâché ratio Sop e sm win ’t w pe n’ t ho a ll ste d k alk nc he m WOR ps.” ept ve il me ore with LD r c d P soph her h PEAC hoto blow y far ostu N with omore omemE•Ri by A ing, ,” Fr me AH g n t N h h na so ank . “I wrap e fir ath ade t: I l s cular ped tin t Co alie S pea Ma Petr had in a o a sha table t foil litionolgerce rchi w. n a o s said pe as get roun floa wa ign g . Pho po as d t. lks , to b ssib rou a “ I y A le,” nd cir nna So o Pet lge f row r .

y Am S t

Boys Soccer “It was funny watching all of the underclassmen walk as we sat during the ride down.

They’ll have their turn.”

Dustin Ballard 12

WIZARD’S CHESS

Debate “We forced [junior] Pratna [Dalal] to get on the float. [Senior] Steven Shen carried her outside and threw her on the float.”

Design by Gaby Thompson.

Chris Carey 10

E LANhe t RY MEMO After paLeft:cer Dayr Ben Lan senio at the rade, n cheer sssembly e e s Jen pep a er Th giant takes ovassemblbyy that . The ches uVillagdeed speehaffer, Staig, inclu r Ron S Joe Cr itz. mayoresident ar l KrawDay, co-p incipal K Lancer d as and pars my last e as louPhoto “It w ied to bn said. so I btrle,” Jense. possi na Petrow

by An

OPERATION

FAVOR a balloonITE THING Drew Au arch with S•Right Lancer Der decor the pep : Wor k exec ing o class and ay becauastes The V rade to hang ou e you illage s, junio n dition to star t,” Auet to wai get to. “I lov r dress up see all o r said. “ t for t mis e GUILTY .” Photo byf the diffeIt’s a fu he pa-s on thea !•Left: Ke Micha rent c n traDee ac tre’s ‘Clueeping a sel Stolle. lasses of murd cuses se ’ float, traigh Copelaner. “We knnior Sarjunior t face ally be d [Ms. W ew th ah E Jack the restmurdered hite] woat Hanvans Photo by of it was ,” Dee s uld usnah Mar y Longaall improaid. “Buuvise t n. d.”

NAHS “We painted the ‘Operation’ man on poster board, but it was so windy that it flopped around, and paint peeled off. Plus, my camera got trampled.”

Kelly Sabatés 12

Though their themes, floats and costumes varied, many groups found hats to be the perfect spirit accessory.

F to Lan cer spi rit!

HA TS

OF

t CH A h e EE jok shle para RY “ e y d L W a A e, j GIG o ee e t t da un G ally n ch k sa alwa he L ms l ior s ALES•L id y an aug bi ef P c m R cl ee . “ s h o gail t: A N o IM ose r b [A lau er L “W ick re ‘MP TI .” Ph ecau bigailgh abDay ver a eek after M nd W e h o E ot se an o pe n lot elte got elps use •Rig o by this d I] ut ins p asseinside ma s o r’s ou Ju Tr ht: Ma yea alw ide mb de f m m r co lia ap’ Pre cken r, ou ays h joke ly. so ou om stu Dav float par zie Wr squ ave s,” me se ,” N me is , s ing y ad fun of tails ick s frowith opho for t lie. is reou an sai m he mo he r e d e d. “ [so r m re sop ar s ar Sh pho ou Ca hose ro .” P s in e’s hot he a te more] mak line o b r cl ach Ca eup. r y D assr er ani oom and olyn elle h Nor . We a ad ton. lso

Kerri Ricketts 11

“Our theme was ‘Battleship,’ so we dressed up as sailors and wore our tennis skirts with sailor hats. We thought it would be a really cute way to show off that our theme was ‘Battleship.’

Rachel Rice 11

“We [sophomores] were dressed up with mouse ears in honor of the ‘Mouse Trap’ game. I also wore all grey and used face paint for my nose and whiskers.”

Emily Bates 10

“This is the original, very first band major’s hat from 1958. I got it from [band director] Mr. [Kim] Harrison and the band kids during one of my first years at East. To me, it symbolizes the community of Lancers through the decades and how the parade pulls us all together.”

42 October

“Since the juniors were ‘Jumanji,’ I thought I’d be ferocious and be a giraffe. It made me feel tall. And no one could see me.”

Vicki Arndt-Helgesen (Yoda)

PRANCING PRINCESSES Above left: Dancing to the beat of the marching band, juniors Haley Stewart and Rachel Duvall walk with the Lancer Dancer ‘Pretty Pretty Princess’ float. “It was pretty easy for us [Lancer Dancers] to be princesses,” Duvall said. “We were all dancing around and being girly.” Photo by Dan Stewart.

Lancer groups face off in the ultimate spirit showdown. hype of creating the junior Lancer Day float was shoved into room 315. While STUCO members stood at the whiteboard discussing potential float ideas, 38 juniors were scattered throughout the room, listening intently to the proposed theme. When ‘Jumanji’ was decided on, it was written on the board.The excitement of their Lancer Day float began.

Just like the junior class, each grade made a decorative float incorporating the theme of ‘board games.’ The competition to make the greatest float was ever-present, but the main competition lied between the junior and senior classes. Besides the panel of judges, each student and spectator made their own decision of which float was the best. After spending hours on each float, everyone took pride in the hard work put in.

Freshmen worked hard on making the ‘HighHo Cherry-Oh’ float bright and interesting with red and green wooden tree structure and festive costumes. Seniors wanted to make an impression and show the school that they had the tallest,

THE

flashiest and overall best-looking float.

“We voted on a theme, and it got really intense,” senior Jessie Jacob said. “Everyone was screaming ideas, but we officially decided on ‘Candy Land’, which was nice, and I thought that was a great theme.”

At the senior meeting, everyone was organized and listening as the senior STUCO members gave design ideas to other seniors. They finally agreed on using senior Tess Duncan’s design for the senior float.

On Friday, October 2, the school was filled with Columbia blue, black and white. Students, parents and teachers flooded the streets lining Mission Road at 2:00 p.m. in The Village, waiting for the parade of cheering students and athletes on decorated trucks come by.

“I was really excited,” sophomore Molly Jennings said. “I didn’t care if I was jumping around acting like an idiot because that’s how the whole atmosphere is; it’s just really fun and carefree.”

Story by Hannah Walter.

CLUE

Theatre “Every five or six seconds, we would all stab [senior] Hannah [Copeland] and scream ‘Murder!’ in ridiculous British accents.”

Jake Davidson 12

MOUSE TRAP

Sophomores “We had to find a mannequin to be the diver that’s in ‘Mouse Trap,’ so we found one in a dumpster at a mall. I think it was an old GAP mannequin.”

“Homecoming was the first dance I went to and my first real high school experience. Everyone was dressed up and pretty. We were all dancing and not caring what people thought and just having a good time.” •JORDYN LIDDICOTE 9

SCRABBLE

What has left an impression on you this year?

Im

PARTY ANIMALS Far Below: Sitting on a pickup truck, volleyball seniors Monica Talavera, Lindsey Sauls, Kareen Schwartze and Alex Dahlgren enjoy their original float theme.

“At the KU camp that we go to every summer, we decided everyone looks like an animal,” Dahlgren said. “We made our theme ‘Welcome to the Jungle’.”

Photo by Max Stitt.

Madeline Sniezeck 10

Candyland

Seniors “I got a big lollipop to hold during the parade.

It tasted really good.”

Sarah Sears 12

Lancer Day 43

RALLY THE TROOPS Screaming in the center of the huddle at the College Boulevard Athletic Complex, senior Jake Fleming pumps up his teammates before the game against SM Northwest. Fleming, along with seniors Tyler Woltemath and Ryan Olander, brought back a cheer from third grade to get fired up for their games. “I usually tell the team what we need to do to win,” Fleming said. “Then we break it down on game time.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

With a new coach and new systems, this year’s football team focuses on building confidence and heading in

DIRECTION SENIOR

Stewart Jensen jumped into East’s pool on a Saturday morning. 50 boys followed his lead, and within minutes, the pool was filled with varsity football players.

“Nobody had put swimming and football together,” sophomore Jeff Cole said. “We enjoy it a lot and it’s a fun way to get exercise in, and it keeps our bodies fresh.”

Swimming released the built-up lactic acid in the boys’ muscles from practices and Friday night games. This was one among many changes Chip Sherman, the new football coach, made to improve the East football program.

After giving their bodies a break on Saturday and Sunday, the team went back on the field for the infamous ‘Fundamental Mondays’. Mondays were for working on basics: blocking, catching, tackling and running drills.

“As much as the guys don’t like Fundamental Mondays, it’s a crucial part of our team,” sophomore Jeff Cole said. “Being fundamentally sound helps with not being physically as big as the other guys.”

BRINGING CHANGE Preparing to practice his offensive line skills, sophomore Tyler Nelson works hard to prove himself to the new coach and system. “The opening week we didn’t get home until 7:00,” Nelson said. “It showed the coaches who wanted to quit and who wanted to stay.” Photo by Mary Longan.

A QUICK THOUGHT In the locker room during halftime at the SM Northwest game, senior Brooks Anthony reflects on his team’s performance. “At halftime we were down by nine,” Anthony said. “I knew we could win because we were the better team.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

PAST THE LINE Breaking his way into the secondary at the Lawrence game, junior Griff Gans tries to overpower the Lawrence defenders. “I prefer a play called the seven counter,” Gans said. “If we are on a roll [with that play], they keep giving me the ball.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

BODYING UP Working on blocking at practice, junior Jackson Brett focuses on not letting the defender go by him.

“This year everyone is working harder,” Brett said. “People who didn’t get to play last year are getting better and it is a whole new atmosphere.” Photo by Eliza McCormick.

One of the biggest things Sherman brought from the get-go was a winning attitude.

“He’d tell us every day at summer weights: ‘if you do good things, good things are bound to come your way,’ ” Jensen said.

Instead of focusing solely on football and the ‘tangible’ aspects, like wins and losses, Sherman focused on the ‘intangible’ parts.

“Intangible things can’t be measured,” Sherman said. “A person’s will, you know, 84 percent, 86 percent, you can’t measure that. We’re working more on the intangible things and the tangible things will take care of themselves.”

The struggles of East football may not be over, but it headed a step in the right direction with the progress of the season. From the 3-6 record in 2008 to 4-6 record in 2009, it was evident that the Lancer football improved from the previous season.

“He’s given us a lot of confidence,” Jensen said. “We can all be successful and we know all of our times will come, He’d tell us ‘the days of losing at East are over’ and it stuck in everyone’s head.” Story by Taylor Runion.

FAST FACTS About COACH SHERMAN

NAME:

Chip Sherman

TEACHES:

Weights, Team Games, Foundations

WINS/LOSSES:

204/41 SAYS: “I came to East because I could come home to KC. I was intrigued by the challenges here. There are many great kids and families.”

throwing & catching a pass

As complicated as it may seem, completing a pass is actually a simple three-step process.

THE PLACEMENT

Hold the ball so your ring finger is just in front of the last lace on the ball.

Next, leave one space empty, and place your pinky between the next two laces.

THE RELEASE Your other hand should accompany your dominant hand on the ball as you throw.

When throwing, it should swing out away from your body as you twist your torso.

THE CATCH

“By seeing so many different fashion styles at [East] everyday, I realized that I want to develop more of a style. I really like dresses, flats, boots and clothes like that. Having more style makes me feel better about myself.” •OLIVIA BRZOZOWSKI 9

A NEW

What has left an impression on you this year?

Design by Will Chertoff.

Make sure you keep your eyes on the ball as it comes towards you.

Bring your hands together to form a triangle.

Reach for the ball as it nears your hands.

After catching the ball, bring it close to your body to protect it from the defenders.

Squeeze the ball hard before you throw it and flick your wrist down.

44 October

Football 45

students in their classrooms, the reverberating beats of the drums made chests pound as the drumline marched through the hallways. As classroom doors opened, students flooded the halls eager to see the drumline. Senior Jake Fleming exploded out of room 300 clapping his hands and dancing to the beat. Many of the teachers stood by their doors. Some enjoyed the surprise; others were irritated by the interruption during their precious class time.

“Walking through the hallways - it’s something that feels so wrong yet so right,” drum line captain and senior David Beeder said. “It’s kind of a spooky feeling but a great one to have.”

The drumline is a ‘brotherhood’ that shares a love for music. No matter where they are, whether it is during practice, on the field or marching throughout the halls, their passion for music, especially percussion, follows them.

“This is the strongest bond I’ve ever seen,” Beeder said. “We are making music and energy, and it’s a great connection that brings us closer. We also want to get anyone who is watching or listening pumped and really feel the music and the passion that we feel while playing.”

WITH

HIGH JUMP Above: Practicing his tricks for the next football halftime show, sophomore Khaaliq Martin jumps over senior Brian Rogers and successfully lands it. “I’ve always been a really active person, and we thought it would be cool if someone jumped over someone,” Martin said. “I tried it, and it just went from there. I’m always the type of kid to run around and try to do crazy things.” Photo

by Mary Longan.

To stimulate the crowd, the line itself must be upbeat and motivated. The ‘leprechaun chant’ is one way to channel this energy.

“The ‘leprechaun chant’ actually came from a YouTube video called ‘Leprechaun in Mobile Alabama,’ and I just perfected the accent and the smile,” junior David Smith said. “I say: ‘To me it looks like a leprechaun to me. To see it you look up in a tree’. Then everyone else says: ‘Yeah!’ The chant just gets everyone in a good, humorous mood and ready to perform.”

For some, performing in front of a large crowd could have been intimidating, but when the drumline performed, their passion for the music took over their nerves.

“If you really like the music, it’s not nerve-racking,” sophomore Saun Cedillo said. “And plus everyone on drumline are good friends, and we all have a good connection, so you know they will all be here for you and support you.”

The East drumline members had many things in common, including their love for music. The brought energy and enthusiasm to the student body.

“If we had a motto, it would be ‘drumline- we like to have fun’,” a laughing Beeder said. Story by Atiyeh Samadi.

in sync

“A big impact sophomore year has been being able to branch out more by doing the musical. Being in my first big East production really made me not afraid to branch out and meet new people. It was a really great experience.” •MEGHAN SPIVAK 10

In addition to excelling at statewide competitions, the East drumline encourages school spirit with hallway pep rallies, halftime shows, festivals and concerts.

What has left an impression on you this year?

RIGHT IN RHYTHM Left: Playing in the drumline on the field, senior David Beeder helps perfect the song by keeping the line straight and the rhythm on beat. “When I’m performing, I’m thinking about not messing up,” Beeder said. “When I play, I don’t think of melody or notes or pitch, I think of rhythm, and that keeps the nerves away. I try to enjoy the moment and take it in. I’m also in awe when I’m on the field and the lights come on. Before we go on the field, we get away from everyone and go through our exercises and warm ups and make sure our minds are in a real relaxed state.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

Design by Whitaker Sherk.

GOOFING AROUND Above: Playing the bass drum during the Winter Sports pep assembly, senior Connor Creighton makes a face at the other members of the drumline and band. “I decided not to play my saxophone and play the drums instead,” Creighton said. “Sometimes, I think the drums are a little bit more fun to play than the saxophone because I play the saxophone so much that I kind of get bored with it, and the drums are generally wicked awesome. I don’t know how to play the drums very well, so I just follow with the beat of the band. The funny thing is, I’m not a very rhythmic person, but I will definitely hit the drums any day.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

KEEPING TIME The drumline takes part in many different events and performances throughout the year.

46 October

AUGUST Auditions for the drumline are held during band camp.

Preparation and rehearsal starts for the “West Side Story” field show.

OCTOBER Drumline crafts a new halftime show for every home game.

The East drumline is one of few schools in the KState Marching Festival to receive a superior rating.

PARKING LOT PRACTICE Above Middle Left: Practicing in the parking lot after school, sophomore Sean Cedillo prepares to perform for the students. “I think about the notes, sound and whether or not we’re sounding good,” Cedillo said. “The crowd encourages me because it’s like an overpowering cheer. It feels good to be a part of the drumline and play with them. People in the group contribute great things and we fit everyone’s ideas. Everyone is happy with the end result.” Photo by Mary Longan.

DECEMBER

STRONG SUPPORT Above Left: At a Cross Country meet, junior Ryan Waisner waits for the team to run by.

“Drumline is a good way to show support for our school,” Waisner said. “It shows that we care about what’s going on.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

JANUARY

MARCH

Pep band, which plays during pep assemblies and basketball games, forms.

The drumline splits into two separate hours symphonic band and concert band.

Percussionists prepare solos and small ensembles to take to the district festival.

Percussionists participate in their annual ensemble, peforming at the winter band concert.

Percussionists senior David Beeder and junior Burke Smith audition for statewide ensembles.

The symphonic, concert and freshman percussion ensemble go to State.

Drumline 47

ready for Design by Kate Kulaga.

CROWNING THE QUEEN Below Left: At the Homecoming football game on October 2, East’s 2007 Homecoming queen, Laura Wetzel, crowns senior Maddy Rich. “I really don’t know what I thought,” Rich said. “I was really surprised and excited, but at the same time I was little embarrassed for some reason. It was a big honor though, and I was really happy everyone was so nice.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

CHIN UP Above: Relaxing in a barbershop chair, senior Brice Roberts gets a free professional shave. All of the male Homecoming candidates received complimentary shaves and haircuts at Sole Patch Barbershop in Corinth Square before the Homecoming dance. “I had never been shaved professionally before,” Roberts said. “I didn’t know what to expect. It was really relaxing and fun having all the attention on you.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

ROCKING AROUND Left: Hanging out in the basement waiting room of Sole Patch Barbershop, senior David Beeder plays drums on ‘Rock Band” with other guys. “One of the perks of being nominated was getting a free haircut, and the 12 of us got to hang out and watch football and play video games,” Beeder said. “I feel like it was easy for us to get along and accept each other. There was so much excitement and anticipation about the event that we didn’t worry about who we were with; it was just fun being together.”

Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

CHILLING OUT Senior Margaret Brill, a Homecoming candidate, shivers on the SM North track at the Homecoming game with her father. “I was really, really cold and just waited for everything to get over with so I could put my coat back on,” Brill said. “I felt nervous and excited, but really happy for Maddy [Rich] when she won because we’re really good friends.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

meal madness

SUSHI HOUSE Rebecca Callstrom 11

48 October

“We went to the Sushi House in Town Center. Sushi is my favorite food, so it was fun and way different than any other restaurant I’ve been to for Homecoming.”

For their Homecoming dinners, East students enjoyed some ethnic and some not-so-ethnic meals.

WINSTEAD’S Cooper Hylton 10

“It felt weird going to Winstead’s for Homecoming dinner, but it was definitely more fun than going somewhere super expensive and boring. We just had classic American fast food. ”

FIGLIO’S Taylor Guess 9

“[Figlio’s] is probably one of the best Italian restaurants I’ve eaten at. The ravioli was really good, and they also had a complimentary menu for East’s Homecoming, so that was cool.”

PREPARE FOR PEP In the girls’ locker room, senior Molly Tidrick puts on makeup with the other candidates before the Homecoming pep assembly. “Most of us brought our stuff to school and got ready together,” Tidrick said. Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

While most students celebrate another Homecoming week, Homecoming candidates enjoy their group dinners, rehearsals and luxurious pampering.

SENIOR

Brice Roberts yawns as he peers out his bedroom window into the still dark dawn. His eyes shift into focus as knocks sound at his door. Outside, he can hear muddled voices whispering “homecoming” and “the game’s tonight.”

Today was Friday: the day Roberts and several others were notified that they were candidates in the Homecoming court.

“The people who came to get me arrived at around 5:00 a.m. when I was still in the shower, so they had to wait outside my bathroom for five minutes until I awkwardly walked out with only my towel on,” senior Tara Raghuveer said.

The days leading up to the dance were filled with meetings, group meals and dress rehearsals. Although most of the event was stressful, the candidate dinners were generally laid-back and social.

“The dinners really provided an opportunity to reconnect with guys I hadn’t really talked to in a while,” senior Kaevan Tavakolenia said. “I mean, I hear their names on the announcements, but we all got to talk and get

to know each other again.”

During the days before the dance, the candidates were offered multiple discounts at shops and restaurants around town. The guys all received an hour-long grooming session at Soul Patch in Corinth Square, and after, they ate at Oklahoma Joe’s BBQ. All of the expenses were paid for by the school.

Meanwhile, the girls crammed into a limousine, referred to as a ‘squish limo.’ When they arrived at SM North, they snuck into the cafeteria and hung out before the Homecoming game, chatting and nervously joking as the tension before the crowning built.

Finally the moment arrived. It was halftime, and the candidates lined up in their respective places, knees shaking and mouths aching from so many smiles. Even with all of the stress, the catharsis when the names were finally called relieved the pressure. At the end of the day, regardless of who won what, the candidates were happy to be involved in such an exciting experience. Story by Wil Kenney.

What has left an impression on you this year?

“In Choraliers, we got to sing this really hard song called ‘Waternight,’ and we finally sang it through with everything right. Everyone was really excited and pumped up that we could actually complete the difficult piece.” •NATALIE BENDER 11

SPUNKY SUPPORT Left: Screaming in matching T-shirts, the drill team supports their captain and Homecoming candidate senior Annie Bennett at the homecoming football game. “We wanted to surprise her and make her feel special for the day,” sophomore Elizabeth Rogers said. “It’s a tradition that if a drill team girl is a candidate for homecoming queen, we support her and make signs and shirts.” Photo by Brook Barnes.

Homecoming 49

NOVEMBER

“When I got up, there was a charcoal stain on my new sweater.

It was ironic, karma almost, because I was texting in the halls.

I have been more aware of my surroundings ever since.

It bummed me out that my sweater was ruined.”

Aubrey Grantham 12

UNENFORCED RULE Above: On her way to the bathroom during Commercial Arts, senior Aubrey Grantham decides to sit down against the wall to text her friend. “In Commercial Arts, we’re not supposed to be on our phone, but a lot of people do it anyway,” Grantham said. “It’s similar with the rest of school because everyone seems to always be on their phones.” Photo by Nicole Luby.

QUESTIONABLE CALL Right: During the SHARE dodgeball tournament, seniors Grace Martin and Keelia Corchoran argue over a call the referee made. Their team name was called the ‘Shot Knockers.’ “It was really fun to actually win one with these group of friends because we hadn’t done anything like that before,” Martin said. “If there weren’t some questionable reffing during the game, I think we could have come closer to competing with them.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

50 November

ROLE REVERSAL Left: Prepping for the pep assembly on November 5th, senior Ellie Kessinger finishes putting on football pads. The cheerleaders dressed up as football players to promote fan support at the football playoffs. “They were really heavy pads, and we were struggling to put them on,” Kessinger said. “We were trying to put them on without messing up our bows.” Photo by Nicole Luby.

REMEMBRANCE Right: To celebrate the Spanish holiday ‘Day of the Dead,’ junior Sierra Laing attaches her paper butterfly to the library bulletin board. Inside each butterfly, there was a message inside. “It was a lot of fun to learn about the culture, and it helped us remember the dead,” Lang said. “It wasn’t hard to make the butterfly, but it was hard to think about what to write.” Photo by Andrea Zecy.

November Division 51

IMPORTANT COMPETITION Left: Varsity gymnastics athlete Grace Gillaspie takes part in the National Anthem played before Regionals, the meet which would determine what teams would go to State in Emporia. “I got really sick at Regionals, so it made me really nervous,” Gillaspie said.

“We didn’t think we’d make State, so we knew we had to try really hard. We were competing against Olathe East for the final spot.” Photo by Andrea Zecy.

A CHOIR CHALLENGE Left: During the Men’s Choir Chipotle Tour, senior Ben Jensen laughs at senior Max McFarland as he sings to his burrito at Chipotle. The annual tour includes stops to all of the East area elementary and middle schools. “It’s really fun because we get to bond and try to get other people interested in choir,” Jensen said. “We always do really goofy stuff when we’re together. When we were there, [senior] Beck Johnson ate thirteen tacos, and everyone cheered him on.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

PARKING LOT SPIRIT Right: After finding out that the football team was going to the playoffs, senior Brandon Burch wrote ‘Playoffs’ on the back window of the bus. “I thought it was awesome that we could accomplish that for the school and the football team,” Burch said. “It was kind of a moment thing [where] I wanted to write on the window. I was just thinking ‘playoffs,’ and that was all that was on my mind.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

RAINY PERFORMANCE Below Left: During halftime at a football game, senior Adele Daniel, a two-year drum major, conducts the marching band in the rain. “It was one of our last performances,” Daniel said. “It was fun when it was raining, but we still wanted to get it right because we had been working on it for three months.

[Even though it was raining], I knew the show must go on.” Photo

by Anna Petrow.

whats‘ your impression?

ECO CHALLENGE Left: During the Environmental Ed 2 field trip to Cromwell Environmental, senior Brian Little participates in a competition against other teams. “It was an eco challenge where we identified trees, flowers, local plants and got tested to identify reptiles and fish,” Little said.“It was our first time doing that in five years.” Photo by Max Stitt.

MAN, I FEEL LIKE A WOMAN Right: At a pep assembly before football playoffs, senior Beck Johnson and junior Will Severns, who are dressed in cheerleading uniforms, get ready to perform a skit for the school. “I didn’t know if the students were ready for what was coming,” Severns said. “I was more nervous for them than I was for myself. We took like 30 minutes for preparation and surprisingly, it felt natural being out there.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

52 November

OUTRAGEOUS FUN Right: Before the MORP dance, senior Phoebe Unterman gets her costume together and eats pizza at senior Lois Wetzel’s house. “My friends and I always get ready for MORP together to make sure each other’s outfits are outrageous enough,” Unterman said. “We always either go out to eat or get pizza before the dance. At MORP, we always dance the entire time.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

“I don’t know a lot about [ROTC].

I bet it takes a lot of dedication to know what you already want to do with your life in high school.

It looks really interesting, but it is definitely not for me, so I don’t know to much about it.”

Isabelle Ciaramitaro 10

Jenna Davis 10

“I think they have improved their routines since last year because they added some cool tricks.They’re still not as good as the Lancer Dancers or anything, but I can tell they are trying really hard.”

“I really enjoy creative writing. I take a class on the weekends for it, and we are getting ready to enter a Young Writers’ Contest where you submit your fiction stories and they pick the best ones.”

WRITING CLASSES

“I actually went to go to see ‘Grapes of Wrath’ with some of my friends and thought the actors did a really good job. Overall, I really enjoyed it and thought they did an awesome job at producing it.”

CHEERLEADING

Jacqueline Crain 12

ROTC

“I think autoshop is a great class, and it gets you ready to be responsible about your car when you’re an adult. Mr. [Brian] Gay is a pretty great teacher. He makes learning about cars a good learning experience.”

Kati Klehm 12

GRAPES OF WRATH

“I know that FACS is mainly cooking food. I heard it is a pretty laid-back class. My friends chose to take the class because it’s easy to get good grades.

My friends said it’s a good class because it’s fun and you get to learn how to cook.”

Blake Arnold 11

AUTO SHOP

“I think there are a lot of people here who are really good artists, so it’s nice that there’s advanced art classes they can take. If I was a decent artist, I’d love to show it off, so it’s cool that people’s art is hung up everywhere.”

Victoria Vaca 10

FACS

AP ART

Toyrena Harris 11

LOOKING HER AGE Left: Before the last dress rehearsal for ‘Grapes of Wrath,’ senior Kylie Morrow has her her spray painted in order to make her look older for her role as Ma Joad. “If you do theater, it’s always fun to get a costume and get your makeup done,” Morrow said. “A lot of the makeup can get cakey and oily, so it can be kind of gross. But a lot of us [in the production] were seniors, so we were used to it by then.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

November Division 53

LESSON PLANS Far Left Below: Soon after arriving at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Studio Art teacher Adam Finkelston tells students to observe different types of art and sketch at least two pieces. “I think it’s important for students to see other artists’ work in person,” Finkelston said. “It helps to see [artists’] brushstrokes and their technique up-close and helps [students] improve and develop their own technique.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

TWIN FOCUS Middle Left: In class, senior Colleen Ireland creates a piece focusing on twins, her concentration. “I wasn’t planning on focusing on [senior] Kathleen [Ireland] and I particularly, but a lot of the pieces have ended up involving us,” Ireland said.

“I’ve also discovered views on twins in other cultures and time periods that relate to my art.” Photo by Danielle Norton.

A DEEPER MEANING Left: Discussing contemporary art with her friends juniors Shauna Kenton and Ford Miller, junior Rachel Arnold observes rice piles. “I like contemporary art because it shows that everything can be art,” Arnold said. “The rice piles were hard to comprehend because it was a big message to get across in a simple way. It’s always good to see other artists because it inspires your own art work and shows you what’s going on in the world.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

THE COLOR WHEEL Design by Gaby Thompson.

student sings along to the music blaring from her iPod. Others discuss the English test they have next hour. At first glance, the Studio Art Class seemed just like any other art elective. It seemed consistent with the stereotypical “laid-back” atmosphere of an average art class. However, the work ethic and devotion from the students involved was far from relaxed.

“The [students] are laid-back but at the same time they’re self-motivated.” art teacher Adam Finkelston said. “They’re kind of competitive within themselves.”

To help procure this environment, Finkelston focused on keeping the class organized. This was key to running the class smoothly, since there were three different programs combined into one class period: International Baccalaureate Art (IB), Art Seminar and Advanced Placement Art (AP). These groups worked simultaneously on different projects with different objectives, as they tried to fulfill different curriculums. The IB students seemed to be the most unrelated group in terms of their assignments and objectives. The main goal for IB Art students was to learn about their culture through research and creating projects that are consistent with their culture.

ONE

54 November

“I did a project about a story in my heritage,” junior Aveek Dhar said. “It’s about a prince that gets banished and lives with his wife and brother. One day the wife sees a golden deer and wants the fur. It’s a very well known story in my heritage. For the project, I cut up small squares and drew pictures on them.

I’m going to write words underneath for those that don’t know the story.”

The other two groups, Art Seminar and AP Art, were similar to each other. The main difference between the two was their projects.

“One time AP did an oil painting, and we [Art Seminar] did a self-portrait made up of ripped pieces of paper,” senior Ali Yaqubian said.

No matter what section of the class the students belonged to, they appreciated the amount of independence they had.

“I love the freedom we have,”Yaqubian said. “You don’t have a teacher intruding you every 15 minutes like in regular classes.

You get to just work on your own.”

Behind the blaring music, singing and English test discussions that occurred in Room 207, there existed three groups, 18 students, one teacher and a tremendous passion for art. Story

by Mallory Fisher.

A LEARNING EXPERIENCE Above Right: Observing an installation piece at the Nelson-Atkins, senior Amilia Winter finishes up her tour of the museum. “At the Nelson, we saw different pieces of art and got ideas for new projects for us to start,” Winter said. “We drew sketches, and I loved seeing the Bloch building because most of the styles are modern. The big pieces of art were also cool, like the sculptures.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

INSPIRATIONAL INSIGHT Right: Looking at the large green canvas, Untitled by Alexander Ross, which is located in the Bloch Building on the AP Art field trip to the Nelson Art Gallery, junior Geoffrey Maxwell admires the exotic masterpiece. “Seeing art in real life inspires me because I like to see what other people do, and it helps me to decide what to put in my own art work.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

NAME:

NAME:

NAME:

Chenshan Zhou 11

Lauren Engelken 12

Ford Miller 11

CLASS:

CLASS:

CLASS:

Studio Art IB

Studio Art AP

Art Seminar

INSPIRATION:

INSPIRATION:

“I’m interested in cyanotypes since you have to use the sun to make the print. I researched it at the beginning of the semester, and I became interested in how to do them .”

“I think I like watercolor more because I like how you can put layers of color on top of each other for the final project so there’s depth in it.

I’ve been working a lot on portraits.”

“I’m really interested in the human body and the beauty of faces especially. I love faces, and they’re inspiration to me because they’re all around and no face is the same.

It’s just amazing.”

“Since IB is a two year program and I’m higher level testing in it, I want to work hard. We’re going to have an art show next year, and I have to do really well if I want to put my art work in it.”

“I’ve just had a lot more time to practice [watercoloring and art] this year because I have like five art classes so I work all day on my art. I feel really proud of my projects when I finish them.”

“My work ethic has changed I used to complete a project and settle but now I push myself to complete the project how I envisioned it. I’ve built on my skills to prepare for more intense classes next year.”

THIS YEAR:

THIS YEAR:

INSPIRATION:

What has left an impression on you this year?

After years of taking regular art courses juniors and seniors take their skills to the next level by challenging themselves in East’s more demanding courses: Studio Art AP, Studio Art IB and Art Seminar.

“I was breathalyzed at one of the first football games, even though I hadn’t even been drinking. They did it out in the open in front of a ton of parents and kids, and it made me upset because those parents might have a different image of me now.” •CAMERON SMITH 11

BE YOND THIS YEAR:

55 Studio Art Classes 09

Students share basic Foods knowledge.

BASIC UTENSILS

INGREDIENTS

NUTRITION

“For measuring, we use measuring cups and spoons, and the ingredients go in custard cups. For mixing, we have bowls, blenders or mixers, and for cooking, we use pots, pans or cookie sheets.”

“We used substitutes like ‘Splenda’ for sugar or apple sauce for oil. I was surprised that the apple sauce made the cookies better; they had less fat, and it made the texture more moist and the flavor sweeter.”

“Go to the nutrition facts label and look at the serving size. I’ve learned you can eat a balanced diet by eating in moderation and including a variety of nutrients and vitamins.”

Brittnie Wages 9

John Aldrich 11

Nicole Koch 10

Nathan McCloud 10

Students in Family and Consumer Sciences classes learn cooking and design techniques.

WAFTING

STARTING POINT On the second day of sewing class, senior Hannah Quillec contemplates where to start sewing on the piece of paper. “I’m in Sewing 3, and we were doing a checkup where we sewed onto a piece of paper to make sure we can sew straight lines and follow curves and turns.” Quillec said. Photo by Danielle Norton.

my ideal room Junior Madeline Goss, an Interior Design 1 student, explains how she would design her ideal bedroom.

56 November

his hand through light steam, freshman Jeremiah Clark savors the odor of freshly cooked shortbread pulled from the oven. The entire class gathers around, admiring the tasty-looking concoction. It’s another successful bake.

Every day, Focus on Foods students lined up to gather their cookware before hurrying to their tables to begin baking, frying and creating food. From cupcakes to Philly cheese-steak sandwiches, the class had no limits. Many students branched off from the assigned cooking project.

“I always take what I get, like the recipes we’re given, and then try to add my own ‘thing’ to it,” Clark said.

By learning the techniques and finesse of cooking, students became equipped with a lifelong skill: the ability to concoct their own edible meal.

“What I try and stress is that you can

make this yourself,” Foods teacher Julie Baker said. “They can take it to college and beyond because general techniques can be carried over to basically every style of cooking.”

While the first half of the class period was for notes and technique, the second half was for cooking. During this time, students were free to talk about anything they wanted to. This laid-back atmosphere allowed students to get to know each other.

“I came here to learn about food, but making friends along the way is no problem,” senior Erica Brandli said.

The class left most Lancers ready for any kitchen conundrum that could come their way, whether it was figuring out a recipe or fixing a faulty toaster.

Even though the common saying says “What can go wrong will go wrong in the kitchen,” Foods gave students the necessary preparation tools. Story by Wil Kenney.

CLEAN UP TIME Left: In the kitchen, senior Erica Brandli plays with bubbles while cleaning up after making macaroni and cheese. “I took [Focus on Foods] because I had no idea how to cook,” Brandli said. “I’m going off to college next year, so I thought it would be a good idea to get the basics down.” Photo by Nicole Luby.

WALL

DRESSER

BEDSPREAD

LAMPS

“The room would have at least two lamps‑ a floor lamp and a table lamp. They are necessary for lighting and can be decorative.”

“For the furniture, I’d have a desk for working on and an antique dresser that is distressed white.”

“I’d include a bedspread that pops, like a light blue or pink. The brown walls with the blue bedspread would make me feel relaxed and calm.”

“I would paint the walls a neutral color, like a light, opaque brown, so it ties you in but doesn’t attract all the attention.”

of life

Design by Emily Kulaga.

PIZZA TIME In Focus on Foods, sophomore Andrea Velez prepares a fruit pizza to present to the teacher. “Making the fruit pizza was different because it helped us understand how the appearance and preparation of food really matters.”

Velez said. Photo by Anna Petrow.

“When I got put in the dance chorus for ‘Footloose,’ I gained a lot of confidence and learned to be more outgoing. The whole theater program in general has taught me not to care what other people think about me.” •EMILY HADLEY 9

Essentials

TECHNIQUES “There are lots of ways to cook, like simmering, boiling and stir-frying. We learn what types of cooking to use with different ingredients and how they all relate to nutrition.”

What has left an impression on you this year?

Kitchen

KEEPING IT NEAT Right: In interior design, junior Katye Bever uses the paper cutter to make a floor plan straight. ”We kept all of our projects in sketchbooks, and to make everything look neat, we cut everything, like magazine cutouts, fabric samples, or color samples, so it was straight,” Bever said. Photo by Danielle Norton.

57 FACS 09

TURBO TUNE-UP Below Right: Auto teacher Brian Gay works on replacing the turbo charger on his Porsche. “The fan broke off the turbo charger and basically destroyed it,” Gay said.

“I broke it during my last race of the season in October, so it wasn’t the end of the world.The whole auto service repair class has been helping me tune it up.” Photo by Ben Kaplan.

SECURE THE STEEL Holding a welding torch in one hand and his welding helmet in the other, senior Matt Peterson works on making an engine stand for the Porsche. “It holds up the motor while you’re working on it, “Peterson said. “I made it out of random pieces of steel from around the classroom.” Photo by Brook Barnes.

DECOR NO MORE Senior Kelly O’Neill uses his Auto Shop hour to take chrome off of the wheel well of his car. “I have been fixing the car up for years, and I just decided I didn’t like the look of the chrome,” O’Neill said. “There were strips of it on the side, so I took it off.” Photo by Max Stitt.

a.

Kate Kulag Design by

Students in auto classes learn valuable car maintenance and repair skills.

These classes inspired some students to pursue the fields during their education or career. Senior Ben Hargis plans to go to Pittsburg State next year for the four-year automotive program. He hopes to someday work as the manager of a service center at a dealership. Receiving an early start in teacher Brian Gay’s Auto Service gave him a head start.

“Getting into the automotive field requires a lot of previous experience,” Hargis said. “Cars are not going away anytime soon, so it’s not an industry that is just going to die out. Even if somebody doesn’t want to make this a career, knowing as much as you can about something you rely on so much, like your car, is really helpful for anyone.”

No matter what students planned for the future, Auto Service and Auto Shop classes taught them applicable lessons. And even if some details slipped their minds, the oil stains beneath their nails and in the seams of their clothes subtly reminded them of these.

“Auto service is different than any other class,” Kurz said. “I never have to ask myself ‘When am I going to use this in life?” Story by Emily Collins.

water ran down the drain, leaving a grey residue on the side of the sink. Oil-stained sweatshirts and fingernails evidenced the day’s work in the 90 minute period of Auto Service. In Auto Service and a similar class, Auto Tech, juniors and seniors learned many tangible skills, like changing oil and painting buses.

“Auto Service is all hands on and no book work,” senior KP Smith said.

“You learn by checking twice before you do something right. And when you do it, don’t just slap it together.”

However, this philosophy also raised injury concerns.

“When we were taking the engine out of the dune buggy to remake it, someone dropped it on my foot,” junior Bryan Kurz said. “Another day, I got my hand stuck in the wheel-well with a spinning tire.”

But this risk came with reward.

“I’m really looking forward to putting the engine back in the bus,” Smith said. “I took it out, and it’s my first time. Putting it back in and hearing it start will be really rewarding.”

BLACK

CAR-O-METER

Students in Auto Shop explain the variety of cars they work with and how they fixed them.

MUSTANG

“For the Stang, we rebuilt the entire brake assembly, put in a new exhaust, new shocks and did the entire process of sanding and painting it.

It’s different working on manual cars.”

l

Dalton Winn 12

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200

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240

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Ben Hargis 12

FERRARI

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140 160 180

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0

km/h

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20

80

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Kelly O’Neill 12

58 November

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“I’ve worked on a lot of different cars in autoshop. For the Subaru, I bypassed the fuel pump relay to get the car to run, and I have to say that it’s different to work on new cars.”

l

PORSCHE

“On the Porsche, we rebuilt the turbo. Working on it was more complicated than regular cars, but I enjoyed it. It was a great learning experience.”

l

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SUBARU

l l l l60l 80 100 120l l l

What has left an impression on you this year?

MANUAL LABOR Above: Sitting on a car lift in the auto shop, senior KP Smith uses his manual to help him fix his car’s NO2 sensor. “[The NO2 sensor] monitors the gas and what emissions are coming out of the engine,” Smith said. “I was just reading to figure out which O2 sensor it would be.” Photo by Ben Kaplan.

“I expected that coming into East I would be isolated from everyone else, because the stereotype is that the upperclassmen treat the freshmen badly. Coming here, I’ve met a lot of upperclassmen, and they are all really sweet to me.” •KIM HOEDEL 9

Photos by Brook Barnes.

“For the Ferrari, I replaced the steering rack. It’s definitely more fun to work on upper-end cars just because you don’t see them as often, and it gives you satisfaction.”

KP Smith 12

59 Auto Shop 09

BEFORE AND AFTER Before the play starts, senior Patrick Barry, playing the part of the grandpa, gets BEHIND THE CURTAIN Waiting to go on stage as an ‘Okie,’ freshman Jacob King sits on bags of his hair sprayed and face painted by senior Dawn Selder. “The makeup crew had to transform high costumes listening to old country rock. “Being backstage is my is my favorite part because I like school students into immigrant workers in the Great Depression,” Barry said. Photo by Brook Barnes. talking to people and being social,” King said. Photo by Anna Petrow.

ENCOURAGING ARTWORK

Thespians explain the importance of ‘Break-a-Legs,’ the colorful and creative posters that decorate their lockers.

“Like encouragement for an athlete before a big game, a ‘Break-a-Leg’ is an encouraging thing to have. It gives you recognition for being in the play and a sense of pride and togetherness as a cast.”

Natalie Hine 12

Ben Slater 11

Isabelle Ciaramitaro 10

BEHIND

During the fall production of ‘The Grapes of Wrath,’ cast and crew bond together while producing a successful play. haunting screams fill the auditorium, the audience shifts uncomfortably, looking at each other. Sophomore Duri Long writhes on stage screeching, while the rest of the cast looks on somberly. The final scene is upsetting to say the least. The closing curtain falls, and for the majority of the cast, the most difficult roles of their acting careers are finished; East’s ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ production has come to a close.

After three months with hundreds of combined hours of work, the cast and crew take their final bows, marching off the stage, beaming.

“There was so much put into the show, especially the tech,” Long said. “They were there until six or seven most nights and showed up early Saturday mornings to work all day.”

Late night rehearsals and extensive lighting setups were part of the grinding process to put on the ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ production that showed in front of hundreds of people. As the show gradually came together, so did the cast and crew.

“I wouldn’t call it a family, more a group of extremely close friends,” senior Kaevan Tavakolinia said.

“But seriously, we felt these characters. We saw their dreams fall in around them. We felt their hope being crushed, and tried to convey that emotion to the audi-

AS

60 November

BACKSTAGE FRIGHTS Below Left: Backstage, senior Sarah Evans prepares and organizes the props. “For ‘Grapes of Wrath,’ I was narrator and prop crew chief,” Evans said. “I used a shift plot, which is a sheet all the crew chiefs use, to let the cast know what is happening.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

Design by John Francis.

THE SCENES

A TOUGH ACT Sitting by ‘the river,’ senior Brice Roberts’ character Jim Casey wonders whether or not there will be enough jobs out West. “A lot of my monologues were based around main themes from the play,” Roberts said. “It was really cool to be him because he was the voice of [writer John] Steinbeck in the play.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

TRUE FEELING Below Far Left: During the play, senior Cole Fevold’s character from ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ buries his grandpa. “[Acting] is really nerve racking,” Fevold said. “But at the same time, it’s the best feeling in the world.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

ence in such a short amount of time, which left us all tired, open and passionate.”

Set in the Great Depression, where hunger and malnutrition tore through the Midwest and millions of families went west, ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ was a funnel for the strife and troubles that Americans face today.

While everyone changed emotionally, they also changed physically; hair was dyed, and voices grew louder. The longer they rehearsed, the more familiar they became with their characters.

“The way we looked at each other changed dramatically, just being involved in something so human and real,” Long said.

With such an unrefined baring of emotion, the players and crew connected easily. The characters changed, realizing the hopelessness of their situation, as did the cast understand their motivation, their problems, and their desperate solution.

The culmination led up to an intense performance, and afterward, the entire cast saw each other differently. The production had changed them, and they hoped that it changed the audience as well. The cast hoped ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ would be remembered as one of the most raw and true portrayals of human conflict and emotion. Story by Wil Kenney.

FRAMING IT During a dress rehearsal for Act 2, Scene 1, junior Polly Mytinger holds up a picture frame that was left by the villagers who fled after a fire. “It definitely was the first scene that showed the tragedy of the era,” Mytinger said. “It was pretty intense for the audience because of the shocking images.” Photo by Lauren Bleakley.

“[American History AP] is really interactive, not just memorizing.

It beats the heck out of taking notes and just getting tested from it. I have always liked history, but the atmosphere in the room has made me more interested.” •AUSTIN MILLER 11

“My guitar was made by [freshman] Maddy Rowe. I like the locker decorations because they show the school what you do in a show. Also it’s like a surprise before you go out and do a performance.”

What has left an impression on you this year?

“Every show, we get a ‘Break-a-Leg.’ It’s a good way to have everyone recognized for being in the play, especially for the tech people, because nobody ever acknowledges their contribution.”

Fall Play 61

UNIFORMS TO BE PROUD OF summer blues Worn on special occasions

Seaman

SAYS:

“Drills are difficult, but they are fun. The column right and column left marches are the hardest.

They both are just complicated ways of turning.”

LEADING THE WAY Below: Leading his squad, sophomore Henry Curfman holds their flag at SM West. “I was proud to have been chosen to represent my unit in the march,” Curffman said.

Photo by Brook Barnes.

LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT At a drill practice in the East gym, sophomore Frankie Whytus keeps up with the count. “[Senior] Phil [Roach] is always fun during drill, and he sometimes messes up the count,” Whytus said. “He is also not too hard but not too soft when he leads.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

Service dress

Battle Dress Uniform

Was worn all last year

The same as summer blues, but for chiefs and officers.

Meant for the spring and summer.

Mostly worn on field trips and in public.

Female jacket is different. There is one row of buttons, and it is fitted.

Meant for outdoor activities, including orienteering or crawling on the ground.

RESPECT Design by Helen Dinkel.

Students involved in ROTC learn to lead, respect others and think toward the future.

THROUGH

SATISFACTORY SOCKS During a Monday uniform inspection in the East gym, sophomore Jessica Pardo gets her socks inspected along with her classmates. “If we don’t wear black socks on Monday, then we will get points counted off,” Pardo said. “Sometimes when I don’t wear the right socks, I feel like I am disgracing the uniform.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

62 November

Worn on Fridays for fun

CLOSE CALL Below: At the SM West inspection, senior Phil Roach fixes the company flag with tape after it fell over and almost hit the ground. “If it had hit the ground, we would have had to burn it,” Roach said. “It shows respect for the flag, and it is a way to retire it once it has been ruined.” Photo by Mary Longan.

WEAR IT WITH

the mass of hurried students filling the hallways on “Manic Mondays,” the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) members stand out in their khaki uniforms accessorized with badges, pins and polished black boots. Not many people knew the meaning of the uniform or what it meant to the people who wore it. They were also unsure of the purpose of the program itself.

Ask any ROTC student and one of the first things they’ll say is that the purpose of the program is not to recruit anyone into the army. Sure, many of the people in the program have intentions of joining a military branch, but it’s not the sole purpose. The program stresses the importance of leadership skills and respect. It also helped students realize what they wanted to do in the future and opened their eyes to the world around them.

“I wanted to put myself into a better position and have more discipline in life,” sophomore Caleb Hayden said. “At the beginning of the year, I was goofing off, and my commander told me if I didn’t shape up I wouldn’t be invited back to the program. That’s when it hit me that I need to change my ways. I cut my hair to the regulated length, and I became more respectful to the people above me.”

Commanders never directly taught the cadets respect, but they did, however, teach them the chain of command. This meant respecting higher ranking cadets and commanders.

“The respect I have for the people above me comes from the fact that they have done so much for the program and are loyal to it,” Hayden said. “Seeing how hard they work makes me admire them and encourages me to do the same.”

Since there were several new freshmen this year, the chain of command was a vital part of the program. Everyone had to come to terms with fact that there were people above you, and they deserve respect. It was the veterans’ job to help them grasp that concept.

“As a sophomore, it is your job to help the freshmen and set an example for them,” sophomore Katie Morgan said. “For the most part, they listen and acknowledge you because you have been through the program before, and you have seniority over them.”

ROTC is not just for those who intend to join the military, ROTC is a program that teaches kids to not only be leaders, but it also teaches them to take pride in themselves and what they can do. It creates a strong foundation as they head into a world of opportunity.

Story by Atiyeh Samadi.

bDu

Worn every Monday and during practice formation.

“I’m a [SHARE] chairman for the Ninos De el Centro. It’s a daycare in the Hispanic part of town. We went and helped with their Halloween party and played games with them. It taught me to appreciate what other people are going through.” •KATHLEEN SPENCER 11

POSITION:

khaki

ROTC students wear different uniforms for different occasions

A HELPING HAND Left: During an inspection day at SM West, sophomore Katie Morgan receives the Unit Achievement Ribbon for helping out around the community.

“I had met the expectations to get a ribbon, including showing good conduct, wearing the uniform right and completing community service,” Morgan said. “I was really happy knowing how much I had helped out, and I am very proud of all the work that I had gotten done the year before.” Photo by Brook Barnes.

What has left an impression on you this year?

FAST FACTS About Marc Peplow 9

UNIFORM CHECK Right: In the auxiliary gym at East, junior Thomas Nicoski gets checked for inspection by senior Phil Roach. “He was going through my uniform seeing if I had anything wrong,” Nicoski said. “I felt great because afterwards I was told I had my uniform correct.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

ROTC 63

practice and first period.

“Sometimes I’m late to my first hour,” Newell said. “And it’s hard because you don’t have too much time to talk to your teachers [before school] if you need to.”

But the team continued to show up to each practice, as they worked toward their goal of taking cheer more seriously than previous years.

“We’re trying to listen to each other’s ideas and incorporate everyone,” senior Maygan White said. “We usually have a goal for each day like to hit a particular stunt, work on a tumbling trick or just have everyone able to do a dance without forgetting anything.”

The team hoped that their hard work and early morning troubles had not gone unnoticed by their peers.

“I really wish [our classmates] would appreciate the cheerleaders,” Kessinger said. “We make it to every game and without us, the players might not have a single fan in the stands. I mean, I know we’re not incredible at what we do, but we work hard at every game and practice.” Story by Mallory Fisher.

UNBREAKABLE Far Left: Senior Hannah Mallen links arms with her fellow cheerleaders during the school song at the football playoffs pep rally. “Some of the [cheer] girls I’ve known since elementary school, but I’m close with everyone,” Mallen said. “It’s just so easy for us to really become friends.” Photo by Dan Stewart.

LINE IT UP Left: Junior Abagail Leek practices before school in the stage gym with senior Mary Galvin and junior Mimi Fotopoulos. “We practice the usual cheers all the time,” Leek said. “It’s important to not only personally know the routines, but make sure everyone is in synch.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

MORNING WORRY At 6:30 a.m., freshman Jayden Robert is in the gym for cheer practice. “ There’s no time for other morning activities,” Robert said. “Forget showering or breakfast. Everyone wears cheer shoes to school because they’re in a hurry.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

alarming SMILE FOR THE CAMERA Varsity cheerleaders get pumped for the camera at SM South during the ‘Metro Sports Game of the Week.’ “[The Metro Sports reporters] told us to scream, smile and shake our pompoms,” senior Maygan White said. “When the camera is there, it is really important to always be cheering. You don’t ever want to be caught not smiling.” Photo

by Mackenzie Wylie.

64 November

KICKS AND GIGGLES During the ‘Little Lancer Cheer Clinic’ at SM North in October, sophomore Mackenzie Nesselhuf plays with a third grader. “We taught the girls jumps and cheers at one of the Saturday clinics before,” Nesselhuf said. “They were so excited to be out there, and I think we had as much fun as they did.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

ADRENALINE RUSH During a football game at SM South, junior Cate Birkenmeier cheered with the rest of the girls on varsity. “[When I cheer], I get an adrenaline rush,” Birkenmeier said. “Almost the whole student body is supporting us, and we just want to show what our cheer squad can do.” Photo by Andrea Zecy.

T nes

Cheerleaders use various alarms to get up for practice.

“I have three alarms. The first two are boring and annoying, but the third is Kenny Chesney’s ‘Burn Time’. It’s nice to wake up to, plus it’s a good song to get stuck in my head.”

Samantha Bartow 11

“My alarm is really soothing. I know that if I set my alarm as a song, I would end up completely hating that song, so I just have a soft tone that gently wakes me up.”

Lauren Fischer 11

“I have to hear this unholy beeping every morning. I hate it, but I know what it means, and it pushes me to get out of bed and not hear it anymore until the next morning”

“I’m in the Culinary 2 program at Broadmoor, and we’ve been focusing on international cuisine a lot. I want to be an executive chef, and so next year when I go to Texas Culinary Academy, I will be more advanced than the other freshmen.” •ANDREW WICKERSHAM 11

The sound of a monotone alarm filled her room and pulled her out of her covers. After eating a bowl of ‘Cheerios,’ freshman Addie Hotchkiss headed to cheer practice. Unlike previous years where practices were after school, this year’s cheer team practiced at 6:30 a.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays.

This created both benefits and challenges for the team.

“It’s hard to be motivated to get up in the morning,” junior Lauren Newell said. “But it’s good because we have the afternoon off, and so if we have games or something that day we have more free time before then.”

Because of the early practices, many members of the team struggled with the time change, arriving late or not showing up at all.

“It was hard to get everyone to show up to the practice,” senior Ellie Kessinger said. “People made up excuses like being sick, or they didn’t know about it, or they had a test first hour they had to study for.”

The members of the cheer team faced challenges getting ready for the school day because there was not much time between the end of

5:30 A.M.

With 6:30 a.m. morning practices that both benefit and hinder their everyday lives, cheerleaders work to gain their peers’ respect.

What has left an impression on you this year?

Design by Emily Collins.

UP

and at ‘em

Lanie Leek 10

65 Cheer 09

JUST A JOKE Below Left: Trying to hold in her laughter, sophomore Emily Kerr experiences one of teacher Dow Tate’s teaching methods in Journalism 1. “He was giving an example of how you shouldn’t act during an interview,” Kerr said. “At first it was intimidating, but after a while I just started laughing because it was hilarious.” Photo by Andrea Zecy.

THE

A SWEET TREAT Far Below Left: Senior Lauren Erickson gathers treats for her Halloween poster in Writers’ Workshop. “[My poster] was supposed to be a trick or treat basket,” Erickson said. “In it were things you wouldn’t expect to get but wouldn’t mind.” Photo by Brook Barnes.

SENIOR

Annie Haynes ran from her Writers’ Workshop class to grab Horace and Gertrude, her snails that she was planning on using for a project, because she left them in the lunchroom. However, they were nowhere to be found; they had been thrown away. “[Teacher] Ms. [Laura] Beachy turned that into a prompt for us, and people wrote from the snails perspective or about mourning their loss,” Haynes said.

Students enjoyed the freedom of not taking a typical English class, where there would be a set curriculum. Writers’ Workshop was a more creativity-oriented course. This con-

TEACHER: Laura Beachy

tributed to a more open classroom environment.

“It’s a liberal mindset you can have while you write,” senior Greg Welsh said. “You can take a topic, and you don’t have to take one path.You can take the subject and twist it until it’s something its not anymore.”

Welsh not only learned to harness his creativity while taking this class, but he also learned how to relax while writing, which allowed him to clearly express his exact ideas in words.

“We don’t have to focus on sentence structure,” Welsh said. “We can just be ourselves with our writing.”

HELPING HAND Above: Using clickers and the projector, freshman Anna Colby helps her classmates during a Journalism 1 AP style practice. “On the screen there were sentences that we had to point out the errors on,” Colby said. “I went up to the board to point out to everyone when their remote numbers had answered.” Photo by Nicole Luby.

TRICK OR TREAT Above: In Writers’ Workshop, sophomore Grace Snyder brainstorms ideas for her Halloween story. “We get to write about just about any topic we want,” Snyder said. “The best part is seeing one prompt and all the ideas that come from it.” Photo by Lauren Bleakley.

COMING

through the classroom door wearing boxers, a turned-up baseball cap and a shirt that said ‘journalists don’t make misteaks’ over his regular clothes, journalism teacher Dow Tate had an odd way of showing his Journalism 1 students an important interviewing lesson.

“The point of him putting on the boxers, hat, and shirt was to show us how not to interview,” freshman David Sosna said. “He got really close to [Emily Kerr’s] face and was talking in a high voice, which is stuff you’re not supposed to do.”

Viewed as untraditional or not, students

CLASS:

66 November

Journalism 1

not only stayed awake in class but found usually mundane things, such as note taking, interesting.

“He goes nuts a lot of the time,” sophomore Maggie Thomas said. “He keeps it upbeat, and his notes are interesting because they have real life examples from previous students. He really knows what he’s talking about.”

While some teachers prefer more traditional styles of teaching, journalism students benefited by learning from a unique teaching style, even if it meant for the teacher to dress in an unusual attire. Stories by Taylor Runion.

HOUR: 6 and 7

TEACHER: Dow Tate

WRITERS’ WORKSHOP’S

PERSONAL POETRY

Writers’ Workshop students share a few lines from their poems written for class.

“A POEM FOR SHAGGY” “Oh carpets... that have been ripped into shreds, laying there dirty like a Rasta man’s dreads.”

Connor Creighton 12

“UNTITLED POEM” “Let the sun and moon collide together and the day and night into one.

Let the stars melt into the evening, and sink into the sun.”

Lois Wetzel 12

“THE WORST ENJOYMENT OF THE GREATEST PAIN”

What has left an impression on you this year?

CLASS: Writers’ Workshop HOURS: 5 and 7

“I started taking Latin this year because I want to learn all the romance languages, and it is the main one. I want to travel a lot in my life, and I would have a better experience if I know the language of the places I’m going to.” •DAKOTA DAVIS 9

Students choose alternative routes by taking elective writing classes.

“My arms and legs start twitching as the substance takes hold, Letting the feeling engulf me, with a sweat that was so cold...”

Danny Thompson 12

TAKING IT EASY Above: In Writers’ Workshop, senior Joe Turner brainstorms ideas for his next piece. “I like how the class is really laid back,” Turner said. “We get to express ourselves but at the same time get a lot of work done.” Photo by Brook Barnes.

Writing Classes 67

DECEMBER

“[Drill Team] has been a good experience and a good thing to be a part of.

It’s a great way to stay connected with the girls and to have friends that have something in common with you has been amazing.

I’m kind of sad it’s our last year, but it’s been a great experience.”

Keelia Corcoran 12

UP, UP AND AWAY Right: Pretending to be an airplane from the movie ‘Catch 22,’ senior Brice Roberts is hoisted in the air for his 60’s presentation in Theory of Knowledge. “There’s a scene where he flies the plane really low and chops off the guy’s head and runs into a mountain,” Roberts said. “[The class is] not always acting things out, but it’s doing stuff we wouldn’t normally do in other classes. I like the community part about it. It is really open ended.” Photo by Lauren Bleakley.

68 December

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE AIM Left: At a home JV basketball game against SM Northwest, sophomore Danielle Norton lines up to shoot her free throw. “I try to focus, but I also try to calm down before I shoot it so that I don’t mess up,” Norton said. “It’s not usually the crowd that gets to me, but my internal conscious nags me to make the shot.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

A SHOT OF STRESS Right: Being calmed by friends and volunteer clinic staff, sophomore Cheyenne Watts prepares to receive an H1N1 flu shot in the auxiliary gym. “I didn’t want the shot because I don’t like needles, but my grandparents made me get it,” Watts said. “They gave me a rubber chicken to squeeze to take away the away the stress, but it made me feel worse.” Photo by Michael Stolle.

DANCE FOR A CAUSE Above: Dancing to the song ‘Diva’ by Beyoncé, senior Keelia Corcoran performs with the drill team at the Coalition Dance Marathon in December. “[Senior] Sarah Are talked to [senior] Annie Bennett about dancing during a break at the dance marathon,” Corcoran said. “We went there to support the cause and to get people to go. We danced a routine that we’d already done at a pep assembly, but it was still really fun.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

December Division 69

FOOTLOOSE Left: Sophomore Meghan Spivak practices for the ‘Footloose’ musical in the cafeteria. “When we started putting the whole musical together, it was a wake-up call because we didn’t know what we were doing and we realized we had to clean it up,” Spivak said. “There were sometimes long practices when I wondered if we were ever going to finish, but in the end, it all came together.” Photo by Mary Longan.

DANGEROUS DANCING Right: Halfway through the Coalition Dance Marathon, sophomore Nathan Are does a handstand on the railing in the cafeteria. “I could tell people were getting tired and slowing down, so I decided to add some energy to get people dancing,” Are said. “I wasn’t really scared, and I never considered it as being dangerous. I just wanted to pump everyone up. With eight hours of dancing, people were bound to get worn out.” Photo by Eliza McCormick.

whats‘ your impression?

UP CLOSE & PERSONAL Right: At the varsity girls’ basketball game against SM North, junior Abigail Leek dances with the rest of the varsity cheerleading squad during halftime.

“It’s fun to cheer at any sports game,” Leek said.

“It’s really cool because the girls’ basketball games are really aggressive, and [the cheerleaders] get to see the games up close.

Sometimes, it’s too close.”

Photo by Andrea Zecy.

70 December

GO TEAM, GO Right: Junior Nick Lucas participates in a snowball fight with junior Cate Birkenmeier after school in the parking lot. “My car was stuck in the snow,” Lucas said. “I saw other people in a snow fight, and I decided to join in. Some people threw a snowball in my car window.

It was a blast.” Photo by Alissa Pollack.

THE RIGHT GUIDANCE Far Right: Band director Kim Harrison conducts senior Dale Smith along with the rest of the jazz band at the Blue Knights Jazz Band concert. “[When I conduct] I help [the band] with entrances,” Harrison said. “I help them with getting stronger or getting softer with my hands. Entrances, releases, cutting them off, stopping them, starting them, dynamics - that’s what music is all about.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

“Watching the kids on the Categories team is pretty cool, seeing the thought process they all go through and the teamwork they use. Whenever I think of them, I picture their Jeopardy game at ‘Cool School.’”

Ali Felman 9

JOURNALISM

“I think that they are doing much better than last year because I feel like they know what they are doing a little more. They’re a lot more together and more as a unit.

Last year, they seemed more individual.”

David Frizzell 11

CATEGORIES

“[Environmental Ed] looks like a really cool class, and I might join it later on.

It’s cool how it teaches kids all about animals, and it looks really interesting. It’s good to help the animals and the environment.”

Kaley Blake 10

BAND

“I think [basketball] is lots of fun. I played until I was in seventh grade.

The girls’ team this year is really good, so it was fun to watch.

They played as a team and they went to State, so they’re obviously good.”

Anthony Alvarez 9

ENVIRONMENTAL ED

“I think Pack of Pals is a cool program because it enriches not only the students of East, but also the people in our community.

It also opens up windows of opportunity to make new friends and to be a part of something great.”

Jacob Lanon 9

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

PACK OF PALS

Lauren Riley 12

“I am a freshman, so I will probably take [Journalism] down the road.

I have always heard it is a really hard class. All my friends have taken it, and they did not get the best of grades because I think Mr. [Dow] Tate is a really hard grader. They still learned a lot about writing and interviewing.”

PRACTICE GONE BAD Left: At varsity swim practice in the East pool after school, senior Jack Logan practices his backstroke while his coach Wylie Wright looks on. “Our coach is always messing around with us and cracking jokes and making fun of other swimmers,” Logan said. “One time, our coach made us swim down the pool, chug a Coke and eat two Oreos and then swim back underwater. Kids were falling and a few threw up.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

December Division 71

Lanie Leek 10

Calvin Handy 10

“My Pal is [junior] William Olson. While caroling, he wanted to hold all of the song books and wouldn’t let us carry them. William is a little shy at first, but once he is comfortable, he is always up for talking, and he always likes to be involved in the activity.”

Mary Newman 10

“On Halloween, I had a really fun time with [junior] Brian Levota. He was really funny and was so happy and bubbly. He kept making up jokes, and I love him because he is very outgoing. During bowling, he was welcoming everybody and making them feel very special.”

NOTE-WORTHY MEMORY While caroling at senior Amanda Privitera’s house, senior Molly Tidrick laughs with her Pal. “ We went to two or three houses and sang the same three songs at each of the houses,” Tidrick said. “I was laughing at the fact that Jordan [Halsey] and I didn’t know all the words and were singing off key.”

Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

TOGETHER WE

STAND Design by Helen Dinkel and John Francis.

Through different activities, East’s Pack of Pals project creates bonds between volunteers and special needs students.

the bowling pins exploded outward on impact, all watching jumped into the air in celebration. The TV screen above the lane played a colorful, animated version of the throw. Sophomore Mary Newman patted freshman Rachel Hoffman on the back to congratulate her.

For this Pack of Pals activity, bowling night was deemed a success.

Pack of Pals is an East project that creates relationships between volunteers and special needs students through bimonthly projects. In order to participate, students were specially requested, interviewed and then reviewed.

“I was raised with two special needs cousins and a special needs uncle, so it was almost an obligation for me, but it has turned into a gift,” Newman said.

In many cases, Pack of Pals was a gift for all involved. The volunteers were given the opportunity to help others, and the special needs students were able to develop their social

WHEN

72 December

skills and were placed in a safe environment to test those skills.

“I remember at bowling, one of the kids was crying because he thought he wasn’t very good at bowling,” senior Brooks Anthony said. “He sat out to the side. Then another Pal came up and sat next to him and cheered him up. He ended up having the time of his life.”

Situations like that presented special needs students with real-life interaction with others.

“It’s a sad truth that the kids aren’t the ones who go to parties every week but are really active in class,” Newman said. “[The Pals] give them the opportunity to speak up without fear, in a comfort zone.”

Picnics, laser-tag, fundraisers, car washes and basketball games all made up the Pack of Pals program. However, the true power of the program lay within the interaction between volunteers and special needs students. Story by Wil Kenney.

BEST FRIENDS FOREVER Above: While trick-or-treating for canned goods on Halloween, sophomores Lanie Leek and Ellie Walker talk about where they are going next. “It was really fun to be with them on Halloween, and it was fun to see everyone get dressed up,” Leek said. “Ellie and I are really good friends, and we get together outside of Pack of Pals a lot. We have choir together, and sometimes we will go out to lunch.” Photo by Dan Stewart.

NOT LETTING GO Above: On Halloween, junior CC Creidenberg trick-or-treats with [sophomore] Stefania Backs, who he had never met before. “On Halloween, she latched onto me,” Creidenberg said. “She would reach for some candy, and then grab my hand again.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

TAKE A CARD Above: While playing cards, junior Betsy Blessen drinks hot cocoa before she goes caroling. “While waiting, we found a machine that shuffled the cards for you, and we all thought it was pretty cool,” Blessen said. “[Senior] Cody [Winlaw] thought that it was cool and shuffled the cards about seven times.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

A GUIDING LIGHT Below: While caroling in the Roundhill neighborhood during Christmas season, senior Sam Logan uses a flashlight so he and East graduate Lane Sturgeon can read the lyrics to ‘Frosty The Snowman.’ “It was freezing out, but everybody wanted to keep going once it was dark,” Logan said. “It was worthwhile to see how much they enjoy spending time with us.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

“Ever since I joined cheerleading, I have been more responsible and more conscious of my grades. I chose to be a cheerleader this year because I wanted to find something that I could do that was not too hard. I have also made a lot of lifelong friends.” •EMILY TUTTLE 10

CONNECTIONS

Students describe the connection they have with their Pals.

“My Pal is [senior] Ryan Osborne.

When I first met him, he was really nice and was really excited to get to all of the events and activities. I called him, and he sounded really happy on the phone.”

What has left an impression on you this year?

MAKING

AN HONEST MISTAKE Above: At the girls’ varsity basketball game, senior Amanda Privitera tells junior Brian Levota that he had the wrong hand over his heart during the national anthem. “When I told him that it was the wrong hand, he just started cracking up,” Privitera said. “Then I started laughing too. He is hilarious.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

Pack of Pals 73

ON

“The Lancer Day Parade was fun because being a part of Student Counsel, I got to experience the school spirit and really be a part of it. It was a lot of fun meeting new people, and the whole experience gave off really great vibes.” •ABBY MOORE 10

Design by Kate Kulaga.

pass t i

UP IN THE AIR Above: At the sub-state championship at SM Northwest against SM North, senior Hannah Gerwick goes up for a rebound. “Rebounds were really important in that game, and I knew I needed to do well in order to win,” Gerwick said. “[SM] North is a really scrappy team, and we had to play really aggressively to beat them.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

SIDELINE SUPPORT Above Right: Standing on the sidelines at the state competition against Dodge City High School, sophomore Danielle Norton cheers on her teammates. “It was a frustrating game, and we weren’t playing up to par,” Norton said. “So I was trying to motivate the girls and let them know that they could do it. We lost the game, but anything could happen if we played them again.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

FAST FACTS About Caroline Dodd 10

TEAM:

JV/Varsity

PRE-GAME MEAL:

Ice cream and tortilla chips

SAYS:

“Before I play, I always write ‘audience of one’ on my left wrist in black sharpie. It reminds me that I’m not playing for the fans or the coach, but I’m playing for Jesus because he gave me my abilities and that’s all that matters.”

74 December

b-ball bonding

FORWARD FOCUS Above Middle Right: Driving the lane during a home game against SM North, senior Alison Stephens focuses on scoring. “As a forward, my job is to score, so I always think about the basket and about trying to be a passive defender,” Stephens said. “I try to play as hard as I can, be a strong player and finish hard.” Photo by Sammi Kelly.

The girls show their support for the boys’ team with shirts with their names and jersey numbers on the back.

“At the beginning of the year, we pick a guy from the other team and wear their shirt to support their team.

I picked [senior] Sam Kovzan for my shirt because he’s one of my good friends, and it’s good to support him. We go to all of the guys games that we can and sometimes do team dinners with them.”

“Each girl individually picks a guy on the boys’ basketball team to support.

We put their names on the back of our shirts. I chose [junior] Zach Nass just because I’m friends with him. I think it’s good, especially for JV players because it individually gives each player support and recognition.”

“I think that wearing the T shirts is a great new way to support the guys’ team. My partner is [senior] Kris Hertel, and some people pick specific guys for their T shirts, but I just picked randomly. We wear them on game days, and I think it helps connect the boys’ and girls’ teams.”

Hannah Gerwick 12

Sarah McKittrick 11

Molly Rappold 11

CRUSHING DEFEAT Far Above Right: Crying over the team’s loss against Dodge City High School at state, senior Maddy Rich hugs varsity cheerleader Mary Galvin for support. “We’ve been working hard for four years straight, and we thought we actually had a chance, so it was really emotional,” Rich said.

“I’m a senior, and to have the season end that way was really hard.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

TEAM TALK Above: Waiting in the gym for the varsity team, sophomore Logan Weckbaugh and the JV team talk in a circle. “We call it a ‘rap-out,’ and it’s when we have time alone and just talk and gossip and basketball and what’s going on in our lives,”Weckbaugh said.“We always hold the basketballs in case the varsity team comes up, so we can act like we’d been shooting.” Photo by Danielle Norton.

team!” To outsiders, this might mean nothing more than a cheer. But to the girls’ basketball team, it represents their two-hour practices, the unity of the team and their love for the blue and white uniforms. Together, the teammates encouraged each other to pull off a winning season.

This year’s varsity team of 18 members included seven seniors, six of which had already been on the varsity team in previous years. Due to their experience they quickly had to take on the task of leading the team. The remaining teammates took their advice and encouragement with open ears. “[The seniors] tell me just to be confident in myself and play as hard as I can,” junior Elizabeth Ward said.

However, the seniors were not the only ones giving others support.

Ward gave encouragement to freshman and sophomores.

“Sometimes the [underclassmen] ask me what we do in a play, and I’ll help them and show them what we have to do,” Ward said.

On the receiving side of this advice, freshman Sarah Spradling found the encouragement helpful and looked up to one upperclassman for support as well as friendship.

“[Senior] Janna Graf always helps me out and gives [me] advice,” Spradling said. “We’re in a class together too, so we always just talk.”

The tight-knit team found comfort in each other’s encouraging words during game time and also outside of it. This, along with the shell drills, 3-on-2 and 2-on-1 drills they perform in practice, catapulted them into one of the most successful seasons East has had in recent years.

Even with their strong defense and frequent wins, the team faced the problem of lacking a post-player.

“It makes it a lot easier [to have a post-player] because it makes it easier to block big players and score outside shooters,” senior Hannah Gerwick said.

With the absence of a post-player, the team had to work on new drills in practice to improve aspects of the game they were weak in.

“Our main weaknesses are defending the post and rebounding,” Gerwick said. “We do a lot of drills to practice our defense, and we’ve been working on rebounding.”

Post-player or not, this year’s team not only worked hard to do well personally and as a team, but also to encouraged others to perform to the best of their ability, so they could do the same. Story Mallory Fisher.

“GO

What has left an impression on you this year?

h Wit

or t p p u s

tball player s take their experience and... e k s a b ’ s l r i vice , g d a d n a

Girls Basketball 75

world

Design by Phoebe Unterman.

in front of the wide-eyed elementary students, holding Ducky, the Environmental Ed leopard gecko, senior Jake Parelman, along with some of East’s upperclassmen were makeshift teachers for the hour.

Environmental Education (Environmental Ed) was a yearlong class where students spent the first semester learning about a variety of animals, and then taught elementary students about them second semester.

Parelman believed that the class helped him with his hopes to become a teacher. “[Environmental Ed] gives life experience. I really enjoy helping people learn and help them better themselves,” Parelman said.

“Whenever I think of a really good teacher, I think of someone who inspires me and maybe one day I can inspire someone too.”

While he wanted insight into a possible career, Parelman also hoped to educate kids about the future.

“What I look for most is getting kids who want to help our environment,” Parelman said. “I want kids to realize what’s happening at an early age.”

Senior Max McFarland wasn’t looking into career options, but he hoped to influence the younger students into being environmentally friendly. “[Teacher] Mr. [Jim] Lockard encourages us to ‘brainwash’ kids into being environmentally friendly,” McFarland said. “He wants us to tell them to basically reduce, reuse and recycle.”

While he was ‘brainwashing’ them, McFarland hoped to better the future of the environment as well.

“I am one person and if I can recruit an army of ‘do-gooders’ for the environment, that’d be awesome,” McFarland said.

Environmental Ed was more than a science elective. It was a foundation for building an environmentally conscious generation. Story by Taylor Runion.

STANDING

Environmental Emulation

76 December

Students choose which animal in the Environmental Ed room they would want to be.

“I would be the bunny because it’s cute, furry, nice and it doesn’t bite people. I would also be able to hop really high and run around really fast and stuff.”

“I would be the big turtle because he gets to roam all around the room. It would be pretty tight to have a shell. I would probably have people decorate it.”

“The chinchilla because it’s extremely soft and cuddly. It’s my favorite animal in the room. Also, the chinchilla lives in the mountains, and I want to live in the mountains.”

Emilie Block 11

Madison Magalski 12

Sam Carpenter 12

KID TOUR Far Above: During a classroom tour for the elementary school students, Environmental Ed teacher Jim Lockard explains the rules for the tour. “They learn about different topics and animal stations,” Lockard said. Photo

by Danielle Norton.

LEARNIN’ LIZARDS Above: During a presentation, junior Jay Rios holds a monitor lizard. Interacting with animals is a major part of the class.

“When I’m hands-on with the animals, I get a better feeling for them and how they interact with humans,” Rios said. Photo by Danielle Norton.

SAFETY FIRST Above Left: After explaining the safety rules, senior Evan Herstowski lets the younger students touch the animals. “I’m never nervous around the animals, but I’m more nervous about how the kids are going to behave,” Herstowski said. Photo by Anna Petrow.

ECO-FRIENDLY Right: During the Eco Challenge Competition, senior Ali Yaqubian searches for native plants that he had to identify for a quiz the students were given. “We were given a list of 100 plants before the trip and were told to memorize it,” Yaqubian said. Photo by Max Stitt.

Photo by Max Stitt.

Photo by Danielle Norton.

Photo by Nicole Luby.

Photo by Alissa Pollack.

What has left an impression on you this year?

Environmental Education students inspire elementary school visitors to lead environmentally conscious lives.

“[Teacher] Mr. [Michael] Chaffee has a sarcastic sense of humor. I met him in track, but I also have him for U.S. History. Sometimes he picks on kids in class or at practice, so it’s fun in class and in track.

He helps me ‘warm up’ my thinking.” •MICHELLE RICHARDSON 11

into the

Environmental Education 77

D N BA ?

Y D A RE ily Kulaga.

East Band students practice hard to do well and uphold their reputation.

THE

be played and just do our best with the songs we have,” Harrison said.

The Symphonic Band worked hard to uphold their reputation.

The previous year, the Symphonic Band received a two, while the concert band received a one. The scoring system ranges from a one, which is the best, down to a three.

The atmosphere in the band room and the relationships between the members were also vital to the band’s success.

“I think the mood and the attitudes of the band members will help us reach our goal,” sophomore Tyler Germann said. “We have a wide variety of people, and it’s perfect because everyone is comfortable, and they will work well with each other.”

The band as a whole had their eyes set on their goal of getting ones at the Large Ensemble State Festival and becoming overall better musicians.They wanted to bring every detail of the song to life and play the song to the level it deserved to be played. Story

by Atiyeh Samadi.

HALFTIME HITS Left: At the varsity boys’ basketball game against SM South, senior Cameron Robles begins to play the first halftime song on his trombone. “We play during time outs, half time and between the JV and varsity games,” Robles said. “But the best part is observing the reactions of the audience when we play well known songs like ‘Iron Man’ and ‘Hey! Baby.’ ” Photo by Mary Longan.

HOLIDAY HONOR Right: Between performances during a holiday concert, conductor Kim Harrison recognizes the students who made District. “I don’t usually talk much during the concerts, so the players can receive most of the attention, but making District is a real honor, and it’s something to be proud of,” Harrison said.

Photo by Anna Petrow.

making

music

THE

sound of Band teacher [Kim] Harrison’s voice carried across the room.

“Band ready?”

The East Symphonic Band prepared to play. Focus and preparation played key roles in creating a substantial tone within the band. This tone, along with other aspects of music like dynamics and note quality, were the criteria that the band was being judged on during the various contests and competitions they entered into.

“We are really preparing ourselves for the Large Ensemble State Festival,” sophomore Kellyn Harrison said. “We are sight reading new and more challenging music and tying to express the music the way the composer wanted it to be expressed.”

The band decreased in size but continued to work at improving minor details that might make the difference between first and second place at the festival.

“For example, we want to play the staccatos as they should

CONCERT CONCENTRATION During the East Band’s first concert in October, freshman Graham Eidemiller plays ‘The Spirit of the Falcon’ on his trombone. “I’ve been playing in the band for four years, and to me, it’s interactive and fun,” Eidemiller said. “I take private lessons from two people, and I’m working towards being in the Blue Notes Jazz Band, the sophomore regular band and Pep Band next year.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

East Band students explain how their instruments produce sound.

CLARINET

SAXOPHONE

TRUMPET

“You play into the mouthpiece, which holds a wooden reed.

You blow into it, which vibrates against the mouthpiece. That creates the sound that comes out of the clarinet.”

“It’s basically a metal J. You hold in spots that are closed and push keys down as you blow into the mouthpiece. As you go higher, it opens more holes, and as you go lower, it closes.”

“It’s composed of brass piping, a mouthpiece and three valves. You buzz your lips to make it sound and that opens a combo of valves. You blow faster to hit higher notes and slower to hit lower notes.”

Daniel Colebank 11

Andrew Long 10

Sam Rider 10

What has left an impression on you this year?

RAIN OR SHINE At a football game against SM North, senior Collin Hoefer plays his tuba, and senior Adele Daniel leads the band during the halftime show. “The weather was really bad, and it was lightning, so we had to use white sousaphone instead of silver, so we wouldn’t get struck by lightning.” Hoefer said. Photo by Anna Petrow.

“Last year, I did poorly on the swim team, so this year I’ve made it my goal to improve. I’ve been really committed, and it feels good because I made varsity, placed at league and I’m going to state. It’s been an awesome experience.” •ANDREW SIMPSON 10

Em Design by

Photos by Nathan Simpson.

78 December

Band 79

THE ROUND TABLE During a Categories practice, senior Harper Coulson tries to come up with answers to practice questions before his teammates. “We practice every Monday and just go through trivia questions,” Coulson said. “We also practice reacting with the buzzers.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

HELLO, MY NAME IS Before taping, senior Joe Deng thinks of a unique way to introduce himself. “We try to think of something like Halloween costumes, favorite Christmas presents or astrological signs,” Deng said. “I introduced myself as a Capricorn, rather than a senior.” Photo by Alissa Pollack.

East Categories team was in it to win it.

This mentality had not changed since the previous year. They were the reigning regional champs, but this year, they were up against a more difficult challenge: maintaining the championship title. With their black and grey sweater vests designed for intimidation and their knowledge of random trivia and facts, the members prepared themselves for a repeat.

The game of Categories is a lot like Jeopardy in the way that it’s fastpaced and that one must recall random information quickly. The main difference is that there are teams of five people working together instead of just one person.

Knowing the information is one of the most important parts.

“A lot of people ask us how we know all this stuff,” senior Adele Daniel said. “It’s basically an accumulation of facts we have read, learned and heard about.”

The all-rookie team’s awareness of facts won them the championship in 2008-2009, so this year brought on added pressure. In past years, SM South had been their main competitor, but BV West was their main con-

wit & wisdom Design by Emily Collins.

RUFIO, RUFIO Before the first match of the year, senior Harper Coulson decides to mix things up with a cheer inspired from director Steven Spielberg’s ‘Hook’. “We were the second team up, and it was just really boring watching everyone go, so we wanted to fire things up for our match,” Coulson said. “I absolutely love Categories. I tried out on a whim and accidentally made it. Now, I get my trivia fix everyday.” Photo by Alissa Pollack.

tender for the 2009-2010 League Championship.

“Blue Valley West’s history didn’t used to be outstanding,” Daniel said.

“But this year they are fantastic. One of the things that makes them a threat is the way they get a feel for the question and buzz in before the host is done asking it.”

“There’s obviously a lot of pressure to do well,” senior Brice Roberts said. “We’re working on buzzing in faster and also getting a feel for Blue Valley West and how they play.”

Category members watched the previous matches of their opponents on the Shawnee Mission School District web site to learn about their strengths and weaknesses.

“We look for how well the team can anticipate the questions and their good members and what grade they’re in,” Daniel said. “We want to know what grade they’re in because we want to know if we have to go up against them again next year.”

The team tried to take advantage of every opportunity to prepare themselves to reach the championship, but “were left in the dust about what questions will be asked of us,” Roberts said. Story by Atiyeh Samadi.

“The commitment of cheerleading - both practices and games - has forced me to be more efficient timewise with my homework. It has given me a new sense of responsibility for school and everything else in my life.” •TORI DAVIS 9

What is the building famously built on an acropolis?

The East Categories team takes competition to new heights with more intense practices, an undefeated season and some serious outfits to match.

What has left an impression on you this year?

What word means ‘being able to see past the moment’?

THE

80 December

THINK FAST Junior Peter Bautz raises his hand for clarification after a practice question goes unanswered. “A lot of the questions that come up in Categories aren’t touched in regular class, so our trivia books are good preparation,” Bautz said. “If we don’t know something, we learn about it.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

Who had their most notable starring role in “The Miracle Maker”?

Answers: Anne Bancroft; Clairvoyant; Parthenon.

SNACK BREAK In between tapings, senior Adele Daniel shares a snack with her teammates. “We stay in the cafeteria, and I bring ‘Capri Sun,’ and we pop popcorn,” Daniel said. “We just talk about our gimmick or school.” Photo by Alissa Pollack.

TRICKY TRIVIA: Try out real questions from competitions.

ON CAMERA At Indian Creek Tech Center, Shawnee Mission School District films senior Patrick Barry with other Categories members. “Having the cameras there is more pressure because people are watching you do something you feel is normal,” Barry said. Photo by Danielle Norton.

Categories 81

in spare time

Journalism staff members create comical portraits of their fellow classmates.

“It was the first seminar, and I had nothing else to do. I was inspired by all the other Photoshopped pictures. [The photo] is called ‘A Wild Snorlax Appears,’ referring to a Pokémon character.”

Tom Lynch 10

“Everyone usually loves my Photoshops, so I just tend to mass produce them. I saw that picture online, and I thought it would be funny with their faces on it.”

Taylor Haviland 12

“I was looking for pictures for my Lancer Day spread, and I found one where I saw [sophomore] Danielle [Norton’s] happy little face under Dr. [Karl] Krawitz’s armpits. She reminded me of one of those ‘LOL Cats.’”

Gaby Thompson 12

Newspaper and yearbook staffs overcome their differences by working together on publications.

STEALING

each other’s computers, eating people’s food and being anything but helpful. That was the way the upper classmen on staff remember last year’s journalism program. It was divided into two separate entities: newspaper and yearbook. This year, the two staffs decided to rewrite history by making a pact to stop competing against each other and start working together.

“There had always jokingly been a rivalry,” yearbook photo editor Anna Petrow said. “But last year, it got to the point where we weren’t using people as resources as we should have been.”

The editors of both publications realized that all journalists had something to bring to the table to enhance their publications. They sat around senior and yearbook editor Whitaker Sherk’s house one night and laughed about the idea of creating a treaty that would state the terms and agreements of the alliance between yearbook and newspaper.

“Tim Shedor is just kind of a freak,” Petrow said. “So he took the idea and blew it out of proportion by actually writing the treaty.”

Whether or not it had more to do with the

treaty or the decision of the seniors to make a change, the relationship between the two staffs improved.

“Everyone gets along better and I’m glad we realized that we are not really competing against each other,” newspaper co-editor Phoebe Unterman said. “We are just kind of all in this together.”

Helping each other became contagious. More and more students from the two staffs were contributing to the other publication. Yearbook photographers stepped in to help out with The Harbinger, and newspaper writers filled in gaps on the shorthanded Hauberk staff.

“It’s reassuring to know that because we are short on staff, we have people who can back us up,” junior and yearbook portraits editor Hannah Walter said.

For example, the senior portraits section of the yearbook needed four profiles written, but all writers had been assigned to other stories.

The newspaper staff jumped in to help and completed the job. It was a collaborative effort.

By year’s end, no one was killing each other over computers anymore, and people were not as feisty over food. Story by Libby Wooldridge.

FORCES Design by Will Chertoff.

“This year, I have really enjoyed fun memories with StuCo and the Exec. Board. Recently, we went out to lunch at Jason’s Deli and talked about StuCo and some improvements. StuCo has been challenging but fun. I have learned how to lead better. “ •Robert Enders 11

PUMP UP THE STAFF Right: During a staff meeting at the Dallas summer journalism workshop, yearbook seniors, including senior Maddy Bailey, lead staffers in a cheer. “I liked the cheer and the meetings because they let the staff contribute,” Bailey said. “I really liked that about yearbook, but in the end I switched back to newspaper because I knew I’d miss it.” Photo by Eliza McCormick.

BROADCAST DEBUT Middle Right: During halftime at SM South, senior Phoebe Unterman interviews senior Jake Fleming for the first Online Broadcast. “I was kind of nervous because I’d never been on camera, but [senior] Jake Fleming was enthusiastic and gave me good answers,” Unterman said. Photo by Anna Petrow.

RAIN RAIN GO AWAY Far Right: Trying to keep dry on a rainy day in September, senior Nicole Luby shoots the soccer game at Blue Valley District Athletic Complex. “Me and Max [Stitt] went to the snack bar to ask for trash bags.” Luby said, “Since it was so big, I had to either put it over my head or not use it at all.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

J-BBQ Below Right: At the journalism barbeque over the summer, newspaper editor senior Tim Shedor reads ‘The Treaty’ with seniors Whitaker Sherk and Phoebe Unterman. “Last year, I was pretty profane to the yearbook editors,” Shedor said. “But after [senior] Whitaker [Sherk] became editor, I realized how much effort was put in. I didn’t want my staff to disrespect that.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

J-REBELS Full Page: During their 5th hour, senior yearbook members Will Chertoff and Max Stitt and sophomore newspaper member Tom Lynch take advantage of the snow to go sledding by the tennis courts. “It seemed like a good idea because of the fresh snow on the ground, plus the idea of missing an hour of school to go sledding,” Stitt said. “We originally thought we’d take pictures to use on the ‘Winter Activities’ spread, but once we started sledding, I didn’t think about it.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

What has left an impression on you this year?

STARVING STAFFERS Below Right: Enjoying their parent-provided pizza, sophomore newspaper members Tom Lynch, Kat Buchanan and Evan Nichols talk during their deadline night dinner. “Because we eat in the J-room together, it’s kind of like we’re a family,” Buchanan said. “Besides, it’s kind of become like a second home because I spend too much time in there anyway.” Photo by Nicole Luby.

KEEPING DRY Middle Below Right: Working on sidebars with sophomore Carolyn Welter, sophomore Ellie Jones protects herself from the faulty air conditioner in the journalism room. “The air conditioner was raining a ton of water out of it,” Jones said. “I just grabbed the umbrella in an attempt to stay dry. It was really annoying.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

FROM THE BOOTH Broadcasting during the halftime show at the varsity girls’ basketball game against SM South, senior Sam Kovzan uses his basketball experience to provide commentary along with junior Kevin Simpson. “My job was to provide insight on the game, like what each team needed to do to win, how the players were performing and giving background info,” Kovzan said. Photo by Anna Petrow.

82 December

Journalism 83

JANUARY

“Wrestling gets you in shape really fast.

It’s changed my personality, too.

I’ve made new friends, and it’s a very tight-knit team.

It definitely opened up a whole new world of sports to me.

In wrestling, you have to depend more on yourself than in football, and overall, it works pretty well.”

Andy Robinson 9

BLUE OUT BASH Left: Crying at the ‘Bryan’s Way Wiffleball Tournament,’ seniors Mary Galvin and Maygan White listen to Bryan Barrow’s mom Anne Peterson give a speech about texting and driving. Bryan was involved in a fatal car accident in March of 2009, his junior year of high school. “I love how much East has honored his memory,” Galvin said. “My favorite part of the tournament was watching the band Menlo perform because the lead singer was Bryan’s best friend.” Photo

by Mackenzie Wylie.

SPARKING SOME LAUGHS Right: In Chemistry teacher Coleman Ogden’s class, sophomore Natalie Pierce pops a balloon of gas to set it on fire. “It was really funny because the kid in front of me couldn’t pop it, and then I went up there and popped it on my first try,” Pierce said. Photo by Lindsey Hartnett.

84 January

SHIMMYING TO THE BEAT Right: Dancing to ‘Party in the USA’ by Miley Cyrus for the ‘A Chance to Dance’ SHARE project, juniors Emily Welter and Julie Chalfant perform in front of a crowd with kids from Pawnee Elementary School. They spent seven Fridays after school teaching basic steps to the girls in order to prepare them for the varsity girls’ basketball game halftime show on Jan. 21. “It felt good to give back and help the other kids,” Welter said. Photo by Nathan Simpson.

A NEW ROUTINE Above: Stretching in the East wrestling room before their first meet, freshman Andy Robinson and his teammates stretch their backs and shoulders. Despite already having participated in a fall sport, football, Robinson was nervous to compete in this winter sport. “It was the first year of wrestling I’ve ever done, and I’m in the most common weight class,” Robinson said. “It was pretty hard the first couple weeks, and it was definitely a big exercise change from football to wrestling.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

January Division 85

ON THE RUNWAY Left: East girls, including junior Alissa Pollack, participate in Ali’s Runway, a program that raises awareness for the protection of women.

They took a self defense class and watched a video of Ali Kemp who was murdered near Leawood Pool as part of the program. “I was really excited to do Ali’s Runway because it’s for a great cause,” Pollack said. “It was an amazing experience, and I’m glad I got to be a part of it.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

ICY FIGHT Right: Junior Toyrena Harris pretends to fight with her friend with ice sickles at her house.

“The movie the Matrix gave us the idea of leaning back in slow motion to avoid being hit,” Harris said.

“We used ice sickles because my house was covered with them. They reminded us of swords.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

whats‘ your impression?

FREE THROW FUN Right: Senior Hannah Satterlee encourages senior Maddy Rich when she shoots her free throw in practice. “Me and Maddy have been partners for every drill since freshman year,” Satterlee said. “We have had so much fun together.

We have to count how many shots we make out of 25 everyday before we leave. Each day we try to make more than the last, but we can get distracted.” Photo by Andrea Zecy.

86 January

JANUARY SWIM Right: Bored on a late January afternoon, senior Annie Slaughter hangs out with senior Max Sweet in her hot tub. “We had nothing to do,” Slaughter said. “It was cold, so we thought it would be fun to make weird beards and hair with the bubbles. We had fun making each other look funny.” Photo by Nicole Luby.

DANCE YOUR HEART OUT Far Right: In the musical ‘Footloose,’ junior David Frizzell stood on stage with ‘the guys,’ a group of boys in the cast that didn’t have a set name. He and the rest of ‘the guys’ were trying to teach the character Willard Hewitt, senior William Carey, how to dance. “In ‘Footloose,’ it’s illegal to dance in the town, so it was [Willard’s] first time dancing and we were showing him how,” Frizzell said. Photo by Anna Petrow.

“I think they had a decent year.

The team lost a lot of players the year before so replacing all of the pieces to the puzzle was tough.

It started off pretty shaky, but coach [Shawn] Hair did well at motivating them and helping them get through the season.”

Rachel Franklin 9

GRAPHIC NOVEL CLUB

“I think it’s a good program. If I was ever in a difficult situation, I’d want to know how to defend myself. It’s cool that they have a fashion show to raise funds for their program.

Next year, I would go to the selfdefense class with my friends because I heard it was really fun.”

Jeremy Higgins Staff

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

“I think Broadmoor is a great program that helps with people’s futures.

It’s an opportunity more people should take up.

Every program is good and the multimedia school in it is great for developing motor skills and creativity in general.”

ALI’S RUNWAY

“I had never really watched [wrestling] before, but I got to see a little bit of a match earlier this year. It is a lot more interesting than I thought, and I didn’t imagine it the way that they did it.”

Madeline McMahill 10

Hayden O’Gorman 10

BROADMOOR

“Winter is a good time to get to know new people and try new things.You have to really think outside the box for entertainment during winter because you can get bored so easily.”

Lili Stalder 10

WRESTLING

WINTER ACTIVITIES

Shauna Kenton 11

“I don’t read very many [graphic novels]. I’ve read a few, and I respect them. I understand there are some good ones out there, but I prefer actual books. I can enjoy them, and I know they’re not nerdy or stupid.

If I read more I’d probably join it.”

INSIDE JOKE Left: At the Bryan’s Way Wiffle Ball tournament, junior Ashley Adams competes on the ‘Smurf ’ team. “We tried to think of an inside joke name for our team, and we just decided on impulse to name our team [the ‘Smurfs’]. I have no idea where it came from, but it was funny. Our team was terrible - I don’t think we even scored, but it was really fun.” Photo by Grant Heinlein.

January Division 87

“I like to be warm while I’m gaming, and my KU Snuggie allows me to be covered completely. Instead of leaving part of my body cold, I can just pull my arms through the little sockets.”

“I have two leopard print Snuggies that I wear at the same time. They are so much better than a robe.

They are softer, and it’s a freaking Snuggie! Two Snuggies!”

Hank Tamblyn 9

Grace Boehm 11

“The dive team is getting blue Snuggies for state, and some of us have them now. It’s so easy to just put them on in between events. It’s warm and so much better than towels.”

BLOCKADE

“Everyone was involved in this snowball fight when I went out to the senior lot. I used the cars as blockades and went all out. Leave no prisoners was my strategy.”

Patrick Riott 9

David Beeder 12

SNOW BRAWL Middle Right: Making his way through the parking lot, senior Nick Wassmer packs another hefty snowball. “I got a text in Marketing saying, ‘snowball fight in the senior lot,’ so when I got outside, I immediately packed a snowball and went on the attack,” Wassmer said. “The event eventually escalated into a snow brawl as I frantically went ‘Buddy the Elf ’ on those surrounding me, winning fame and glory for all the oversized adopted elves out there.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

QUANTITY

“I just tried to throw as much snow as I could. My sister Grace took all of the snow off of her car and piled it on me. It wasn’t too cold, so I was fine without a coat.”

PUSH IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION Right: Gliding around at Carriage Club’s skating rink in January, junior Lindy Blackman scoots Haley Linden in her wheelchair. “Haley came into Pack of Pals late, so this was her first event,” Blackman said. “I think she had a ton of fun ice skating.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

Dalton Boehm 9

Students make the most of winter through a variety of activities and family traditions.

FREESTYLE

“I packed the best snowballs I could and just went with it.

I just aimed at random people, some who weren’t even in the fight. I got hit by some random people too.”

danced around freshman Hannah Ratliff and her family as they took their annual trip to the Plaza on Christmas.Their tradition of ornament shopping began when Ratliff and her brother were born. Ratliff plans to take the ornaments with her when she graduates.

Ratliff and her mother also enjoy the winter season by making the most of the season’s hallmark – snow. On a blanketed day, Ratliff and company ventured out.

“My friend and I convinced my mom to drive us to East so we could go sledding on the hill by the football field,” Ratliff said. “After 30 minutes, we were at the point where we couldn’t feel out fingers, so we decided to go to Starbucks at the Village and get hot chocolate and cookies.”

Sophomore Morgan Satterlee enjoyed the three school-free days of snow in January this year. Shawnee Mission School District, along with surrounding school districts, canceled school for three consecutive days because of temperatures that fell below 10 degrees Fahrenheit and because of fast-falling snow.

“We tried to build a ramp to sled off of, but since we had three people to a sled, it didn’t turn out so well,” Satterlee said. “And once we left Pembroke [Hill School], it took us almost an hour to get back to my house because we had to drive 15 mph because the roads were so bad.” Story by Atiyeh Samadi.

SNOWFLAKES

STOP THE SNOW Above: Walking to her car, sophomore Meghan Spivak tries to keep her balance on an icy road during another winter storm. “I have to walk from the sophomore lot every day, and it is pretty scary with all of the inexperienced drivers,” Spivak said. “I’m allowed to drive in the snow, but I skidded once, so I’d rather not drive anymore. I’m ready for winter to end.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

SLIPPERY SLOPE Far Above Right: Speeding down ‘Suicide Hill,’ juniors Katye Bever and Paige Gundelfinger enjoy their snow day with hot chocolate and sledding. “There were a couple of drops on the hill,” Bever said. “Sometimes when we hit them we completely fell off [our sled].” Photo by Andrea Zecy.

Sam Amrein 11

What has left an impression on you this year?

In the cold weather, students find their Snuggies useful.

“I realized how unnecessary all of the details of my math classes are, so I have stopped stressing on the particulars and started seeing how far I can get in high school with the basics that I can use in college. I don’t stress out as much now. “ •CORMAC O’CONNOR 11

snuggie love

wintry mix Design by Gaby Thompson and Emily Collins.

88 January

Winter Activities 89

Team members explain their pre-match rituals.

“I never focus on what has happened. I always think about what I’m going to do. I never listen to music before a match though because I get focused on the music instead of thinking about the match.”

“I usually think about what moves I’m going to do and jump around and get myself psyched. I always watch my opponents’ other matches and their moves, which teaches me what I need to do to win.”

Sam Hattaway 11

Blaine Hill 10

“I usually think about what moves I am going to make to set up my opponent. I jump around to get my legs warmed up and my blood flowing through my body. I also do arm circles to get them loose.”

“I get ready about 15 minutes before the match, so I’m loose and ready to go. I do whatever I can to get warmed up, like I jump around and get in the zone. I always listen to the song ‘Close to the Edge’ by Yes.”

Greg Welsh 12

Pete Uhl 12

SMACKDOWN Far Left: At the East senior night, senior Jeff Rutherford attempts to pin down his opponent from Olathe South. “He put up a good fight,” Rutherford said. “But when I got on top, I could tell that I was stronger and that I could turn him over and then go all out for the pin.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

SIDELINE SUPPORT Left: At the Spring Hill/Rockhurst double duel, junior Carter Kerr cheers on a teammate. “Whenever someone gets pinned down, the whole team stands up and claps,” Kerr said.

“Coach [Chip Ufford] is the most energetic of us during a match.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

“This year, I have gotten to know so many more people. Grade level doesn’t really matter, and because I don’t hang out with one group of friends, I have met a different variety of people that I can have fun with.” •ABBY JONES 10

NO PAIN NO GAME

What has left an impression on you this year?

THE WARM UP

Despite many injuries this year, wrestlers work towards a winning record.

PITILESS OPPONENT At senior night, freshman Jack Mitchell wrestles the No. 1 wrestler in the 6A division. “He caught me with my arm back, and he pinned it against the mat,” Mitchell said.

“It was the hardest match I have had so far this year.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

elbow slammed into junior David Hill’s eye.

Blood streamed down his face, but strangely, he felt no pain during this wrestling drill at practice. To him, it wasn’t a big deal, but the eight stitches above his brow said otherwise. Hill wasn’t the only wrestler with an injury; this year, the wrestling team suffered more injuries than they had in previous years. From stitches to shoulders, knees to nerves, many members of the team had to take time off of practice to heal, creating problems during practice and meets.

“We haven’t had a full, healthy varsity lineup yet, so it kind of hurt [our performance],” junior Ian Exline said.

For wrestlers like junior Chase Woofter, sitting out on the bench was not only boring but also irritating.

“I strained my back at [the] Basehor Linwood tournament,” Woofter said. “It’s frustrating not being able to wrestle and then see the other guys wrestling.”

AN

90 January

Without a full team at practices, it was hard for the team to work on wrestling drills. But since the varsity and junior varsity teams had the same practice time this year, the varsity team took advantage of the extra bodies.

Sometimes if we need [more people], we bring JV up to wrestle with us at practice,” sophomore Alex Beahm said. “It’s been pretty helpful.”

Despite their struggles with injuries, the team was confident that they could go far in the season.

“There’s a good chance of us winning the regional title and going to Sunflower League again,” Exline said.

The team worked hard on conditioning and drills like ‘shark bait,’ where two wrestlers have to stay on the mat for 10 to 16 minutes at a time.

The wrestling team hoped that their hard work and determination would help them push through their nagging injuries. Story by Mallory Fisher.

FAST FACTS About Cooper Hylton 10

TEAM:

Junior Varsity

FAVORITE MOVE:

Double leg or Cradle

SAYS:

“It’s the hardest sport that I’ll ever do because it’s a moving sport, and it’s based on every single person. It’s a one-onone sport, and what you put into it is what you get out of it.”

TAKING A STANCE At a senior night match, sophomore Jack Hedrick stands in the neutral position, looking for a chance to take down his opponent from Olathe South. “I had him in a cradle, and I didn’t lock it right, so he got out,” Hedrick said. “But after he got out, I pinned him down.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

PINPOINT After attempting to pin down a Spring Hill wrestler at the Spring Hill/Rockhurst double duel, junior David Hill tries to wear down his opponent. “It’s hard to pin down someone because they always put up a fight,” Hill said. “He wasn’t an easy opponent, but he wasn’t hard.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

Wrestling 91

INSPIRATION

“I look through artists’ good work that has individual style, and I take different things like the color schemes or shapes as inspiration. I also base a lot of my design on contemporary architecture.

That helps me look at all aspects of design.”

Design by Kate Kulaga.

junior SKYLER McCHRISTY Photo by Andrea Zecy.

from Seattle, Washington, to Vancouver, Canada, senior Anders Newman suddenly felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.The call was from Melodee Blobaum, a Johnson County Community Center administrator, who informed Newman that he was the winner of the logo design project for JOCOEducation.org.

“I was pretty surprised,” Newman said. “I had no idea I would win that because out of all the contests I had entered, that was the one I least suspected to win.”

DRIVING

planning ahead

92 January

junior CHAD PAPINEAU

SKETCHES

Photo by Max Stitt.

Photo by Max Stitt.

Multimedia and Graphic Design students at Broadmoor Technical Center find inspiration for their digital art.

INSPIRATION

The contest was an assignment for the Graphic Design class offered at Broadmoor Technical Center. The task was to create a design for a logo that would be the header of the Johnson County Education website. Students had free reign on their design as long as it fit the criteria.

“The design I created went straight from my head to the computer,” Newman said. “I tried to keep it very simple and modern, and I guess that’s the style they were looking for.”

Students explain how Broadmoor provides great opportunities and helps with their future plans.

FASHION DESIGN

CULINARY ARTS

FILMMAKING

RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT

“The class gives us a lot of freedom. We make sketches and designs and use all of our own pattern pieces. It’s my first year and I’m going to JUCO [Johnson County Community College] next year for Fashion 3 to see if I would like it as a career. I wouldn’t be doing that if I wasn’t in Broadmoor.”

“I take Culinary Arts. I started this year, and it’s a really great program. We learn everything about running a restaurant and cooking, and they bring some of the best chefs in the country to work with us one-on-one. I want to run restaurants in the future, so this is a great opportunity.”

“I take Filmmaking at Broadmoor, but I had to take Multimedia first. We do pre-productional work in solo and class projects, and it’s been a great opportunity. I’ve always liked making movies, and I took the Radio/TV class at East, but I wanted more. ”

“I found out about Broadmoor through my 8th grade Foods teacher, and now I’m in Restaurant Management and Culinary Arts. We run the Broadmoor Bistro restaurant two nights a week and manage it either in the front of the house or in the back of the house cooking. My plan is to major in Culinary Arts and baking and pastry. “

Ashley Lillis 12

Jeff Lefko 11

Zach Busey 12

Ian Exline 11

INSPIRATION

“My sister is a graphic designer, and when she graduated from [The University of Kansas], I got a ton of her graphic design textbooks and magazines that she studied from. I learn and teach myself that way.”

taking the Graphic Design class offered at Broadmoor, junior Chad Papineau found a way to incorporate design and his love for lacrosse. As he was visiting Arizona State University, Papineau came up with the idea of creating a design where the college’s mascot, the Sundevil, is holding a lacrosse stick instead of a pitchfork.

“I watched tutorials and used the techniques I learned in class to create the Sundevil,” Papineau said. “ I basically cropped out the pitchfork and replaced it with a lacrosse stick.”

WHILE

When the design was complete, Papineau planned to send it to the lacrosse program at Arizona State. He spoke with the admissions counselor and told him about how he was in Graphic Design and about his creation. She asked him to email her his work and keep in touch throughout the school year. Papineau planned to submit his work by the end of the year.

“It all just worked out great because I play lacrosse, I like Arizona State and I enjoy designing,” Papineau said.

“Dance and electronic music inspire me. The artist’s album work is always more artsy than pop bands’, so it really interests me.”

Skyler McChristy’s love for music inspired many of his projects for the Multimedia class offered at Broadmoor.

One of his favorite projects was creating an album cover for an electric genre band called Deadmau5.

“When I heard about the album cover project, I got really excited and chose to do mine for Deadmau5 because I’m really into dance and techno music,” McChristy said.

Using Adobe Photoshop, McChristy created the album

JUNIOR

cover by first making a black background, a title reading “Random Album Title” and a head of a mouse.

“The mouse was the hardest to make,” McChristy said. “It had multiple layers, and I tried to make a glow off the eyes and a shadow on its eyes and ears.”

Since it was his first large Photoshop project, it had a few bumps in the road, but McChristy was encouraged by his ability to use his musical interest while designing. Stories by Atiyeh Samadi.

What has left an impression on you this year?

creativity

senior ANDERS NEWMAN

“The theater department is a group that is really fun, and everyone works hard. I’m not much of an athlete, so it’s like having that sports team or that sport you play. It’s being part of something bigger than yourself. •AJ ORTH 9

cutting-edge

Broadmoor 93

Ali’s Runway models learn defense and runway skills while spreading awareness.

WALK IN STYLE Far Above: Strutting down the runway at the Overland Park Trade Center, senior Olivia Botts helps raise money for Ali’s Runway Self Defense Foundation. “It was a little nerve-wracking,” Botts said. “But I had a guy to hold onto, so I wasn’t worried about falling. I was just glad to be a part of the whole experience.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

THE PERFECT PUNCH Middle Above: Jabbing the mannequin in the nose with her fist at the 6th annual Ali’s Runway Prom Show and Self Defense Training Course, junior Madison Haverty learns helpful moves for self defense. “[There was] one move where we had to lay on the ground and try to get away,” Haverty said. “It was hard, but it was a good thing to know.”

Photo by Anna Petrow.

SHARING KNOWLEDGE Above: At the self defense class provided by The Ali Kemp Educational Foundation, senior Erika Davee felt self defense was necessary for all girls. “Some of my friends weren’t able to make it to the class,” Davee said.

“So I taught them some of the moves we learned. It’s just an important thing to know.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT Walking down the runway to the right of her escort, junior Ariana Sherk used the tips for walking that the models had learned the day before. “When I turned the corner [onto the runway], I first saw all the lights shining in my face,” Sherk said. “I was nervous, but I knew that had the confidence to walk.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

moves on the run 1

“I liked the move when you would grab the attacker’s neck because it would be the most reasonable and easiest to use to get away quickly. You’re supposed to use your two hands to choke them, so they don’t get away.”

Maddie Bavley 11

94 January

of people are in the crowd, and all eyes are on the model.

The models aren’t worrying about messing up though. Most are having too much fun.

Ali’s Runway is the largest annual prom fashion show in the U.S., that raises money by selling tickets for a donation. A donor from Overland Park provided the dresses to the participants who were females ages 12 and older. Junior Torry Spencer participated in Ali’s Runway for the first time this year. She said she would definitely do it again and didn’t stress too much on walking down the runway for the first time.

“It was more fun than scary,” Spencer said. “I walked down with two other people, so there wasn’t that much pressure, and plus you were just having fun and not worrying if you messed up.”

It was an added plus that Miss Kansas and Miss Teen Kansas were able to come to rehearsal and teach the models runway techniques.

HUNDREDS

2

Participants explain their favorite defense moves and their favorite runway moves.

“I liked the punching moves that were to the throat, nose and eyes. They were the first moves that [the instructors] said to do because the attacker won’t pursue you if you show aggression and act like you are in control and aren’t scared of the attacker.”

Emma Tyler 11

3

“I would do a reverse punch if I were attacked. It is the strongest punch, and it is much more effective than a kick. If you are being attacked, you don’t want to use your legs because a kick is too slow.”

Elizabeth Piper 12

moves on the runway 1

“I blew a kiss to the audience at the end of the runway. We decided to it right before the cat walk. My partner suggested to do the pose so that we could stand out.”

Katie Cox 11

2

“I walked with two other girls, and I posed with one hand on my hip.

While I was walking on the runway, I was so afraid that I was going to trip and fall with my heels on.”

Pauline Laberthe 11

“I think the runway techniques were helpful especially preparing us for the final show,” Spencer said.

After the fashion show, the models participated in The Ali Kemp Educational Foundation defense training session. The session taught women how to defend themselves and avoid a potentially dangerous situation.The T.A.K.E. Foundation has trained over 20,000 girls since 2004.

“The self defense class was a ton of fun,” Spencer said. “I definitely feel like I learned a lot and I think that if ever in [a dangerous] situation, I would know how to react now.”

A week before the actual event, there were already over eight thousand tickets pre-sold. All the money made by this event was donated to the Ali Kemp Foundation, which is dedicated to providing programs and scholarships for students.

For this reason, many of the girls who participated as models and fought dummies in the self-defense class received service hours, all while having fun. Story by Max Blanchard.

What has left an impression on you this year?

“The friends that I have made at East are now some of my best friends. As friends, we help each other with problems and hang out.

When I leave East, I really want to keep in touch with them since we are goofy when we are around each other. “ •ALEXA SCHNIEDERS 12

Design by John Francis.

Ali’s Runway 95

YOU KNOW

THE DRILL Basketball players explain how their game routines help them stay focused.

Photo by Allissa Pollack.

ROUGH RIVALRY Above: During the East vs.

SM South varsity game, senior Ryan Olander trips after being pushed while trying to shoot.

“It got intense because we’re such heated rivals with South,” Olander said. “Even though we played hard, it was still disappointing to lose that game.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

BIG WIN Below: In the varsity game against SM West, senior Jackson Harter fights through defenders to shoot a layup. “That was a really big win for us because the first time we played against West, they beat us in quadruple overtime,” Harter said. Photo by Anna Petrow.

BEFORE THE GAME

“Listening to music helps me relax, and I go through certain plays in my head to help me prepare. The team warms up together with shooting drills.”

Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

Kevin Hertel 12

DURING THE GAME

“The crowd keeps us going. If we’re winning, we feed off of their energy, and they pump us up. If we’re losing, they motivate us to get back into the game.”

Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

Zach Nass 11

AFTER THE GAME “After an important game, coach [Steve] Peppes or [Shawn] Hair sits us down and goes over what went well or badly. Everyone benefits from it because they either feel accomplished or they know what they should work on.”

Chase Hanna 9

CROWDING

the stands at the annual East vs. SM South boys basketball game, East students were clad in ‘blueout’ attire. East cheers filled the new gymnasium accompanied by SM South boos as the Lancer basketball team ran onto the court.

This year, there was a new feeling in the air. After graduating all but two returning varsity letter winners, the Lancers had a new team to show off.

This year’s most frequent starting lineup was made up of returning members Ryan Olander and Scott Kennedy, senior and transfer from SM South Anthony West, and freshmen Vance Wentz and Zach Schneider.

During the summer, the team competed in three tournaments: the Oklahoma basketball tournament, the Kansas City, Missouri (KAMO) shootout and the Rockhurst tournament. West saw these as an opportunity for team bonding.

“We were on a big travel bus,” West said “So we had nothing but time to get to know everyone.”

As a transfer student, West enjoyed the team atmosphere the Lancers had and what everyone

could bring to the court.

“Right now, we’re struggling, but we know something good is going to happen, West said. “The seniors could say I’m done and go to the next sport, but it means a lot to us. There’s no superstars, no egos - we all bring something.”

While West, as a senior, was getting accustomed to playing in a Lancer jersey, Wentz was doing the same as a freshman. He wasn’t used to playing for the size of crowd at most varsity games.

“In the locker room [before the East vs. SM South game], I was freaking out,” Wentz said. “And then I just wanted to get out there and play my game. Since then, I’ve learned to calm down and just play.”

Other players, like junior and junior varsity player Zach Nass, were excited for the future of East basketball.

“Those two [freshmen Vance Wentz and Zach Schnieder] come their junior and senior year will be great leaders,” Nass said. “They’ll have experience and be great motivators for the team.” Story

by Taylor Runion.

FAST FACTS About Billy Kirkpatrick 10

What has left an impression on you this year?

MAKING THE SHOT Below: At the varsity basketball game in the East gym against Olathe East, senior Sam Kovzan drives the lane at the end of the game. “Olathe East was favored to win the state championship, so we were automatically the underdogs,” Kovzan said. “But it was close until the last three minutes.” Photo by Lindsey Hartnett.

FORWARD

“Being involved in Cross Country really influenced me because it became a daily workout, and I got better at planning time. It was a huge commitment to me, so I made it my personal goal to participate in a sport and do well.” •ANNA MINKLER 9

Design by Emily Kulaga.

With only two returning varisty members, this year’s boys’ basketball teams recruit new players and...

TEAM:

Sophomore

ROLE ON TEAM:

“I take care of the ball, get it to the right post and play hard defense.”

LUCKY CHARM:

“Towards the end of the season, I wore the same shirt under my uniform because we had been playing well, so I didn’t want to jinx anything. It was a black East shirt.”

ABOVE AND BEYOND Junior Robbie Moriarty rises above SM Northwest opponents in order to shoot and score towards the end of the varsity game. “I was flustered from losing that game, but it was early in the season, so it was a new experience for most of the team,” Moriarty said. Photo by Katie East.

96 January

Boys Basketball 97

WHO:

Beth Capps, Elizabeth Locke, Niko Colom, Angelica White, Jaeda Christensen, Robert Kelly, Emily Mayfield

HINATA

WHERE: Library

WHEN: One Friday a month

CULTURAL COMICS Left: During a Graphic Novel Club meeting in early second semester, junior Beth Capps high-fives her friend after a productive conversation. The club explored both Japanese and American graphic novels. “My favorite would have to be the newest Spiderman called Ultimate Spiderman,” Capps said. “Instead of Peter Parker being a full-grown adult, he’s a teenager.” Photo by Nicole Luby.

FRIENDLY INTERACTION Right: Discussing a graphic novel at a meeting in the library, junior Melissa Gregg enjoys the company of her fellow club members. “It’s nice to have a group of people that likes graphic novels,” Gregg said. “I love how everyone interacts with each other. We all get along so well.” Photo by Mary Longan.

SHOW AND TELL Left: Showing off a book during a graphic novel club meeting, sophomore Elizabeth Locke discusses the book and its plot with the other members. “[During that meeting] we were supposed to share the novels we had read,” Locke said. “The ‘Fullmetal Alchemist’ series is my favorite.”

Photo by Mary Longan.

“I would be Hinata from Naruto. She’s really shy and seemingly weak – the weakest in a strong family. She also has a crush on a boy named Naruto, but she never tells him. I’ve also had a crush on this one guy for years, and I keep pushing it out of my mind and not saying it. Eventually Hinata gets sick of being so weak, and starts to train and get stronger but no one knows it. I used to be really shy like Hinata, especially when thrust into a new situation, but I started staying up until 5 a.m. watching the show, trying to be a ninja like her. I think I did about 200 sit-ups in one night. But I would never let my family know. Seeing her, I tried not to be weak like I used to be.”

Combining art and literature, graphic novels allow readers to explore a unique form of storytelling and identify with the novels’ characters.

Design by Gaby Thompson. Illustrations by Alishka Jolitz.

LUFFY “I choose Luffy [from One Piece]. He’s clueless most of the time, but when it comes to an important situation, he knows how to rise to the occasion, and I admire that. We’re both spacey at times, but we can make a lot of sense when we need to. It’s just knowing that someone can space out when it’s not important, but he rises to the occasion when truly needed. It makes me want to try harder in classes and in life.”

JAEDA CHRISTENSEN 11

MOTOKO KUSANAGI

C.C.

“I would be Motoko Kusanagi from Ghost in the Shell. She is a counterterrorism agent in the future with advanced technology. She has the capability to hack into people’s minds and bodies if it’s necessary, which allows her to gather evidence and evade capture. I’m very interested in computers and programming, so she is very impressive. I like that she works with a team, and they work as a team because they want to, not because they are ordered to. And I’m not one to approve of appointed leadership. Leadership isn’t a position. It’s a status. That’s how Motoko works. Her status is achieved because of her actions, not because of a given title.

When I work with others, I try to lead by example. I don’t control the situation. I try to understand what I’m doing, who I’m working with and the problem, and I try to work with it all.”

“I think I’d be C.C. from Code Geass. She’s really unusual – she has green hair – and I like to think of myself as unusual. She knows things about people, and I like to pretend I know things sometimes. She can always tell what people are thinking. She’s intuitive and bestows her powers upon other people. I can usually tell what people are thinking. That’s probably our strongest tie.”

Niko Colom 11 98 January

WHY: Brings people together who love graphic novels, and introduces others to graphic novels.

What has left an impression on you this year?

Graphic Novel Club

“Mr. [Ken] Foley has helped make this year special for me. His passion for music is so inspiring and it made me realize that I want to do music for the rest of my life. I will always want to do music, whether I am a performer, choir director or singing.” •EMILY WELTER 11

WHAT:

BETH CAPPS 11

ANGELICA WHITE 10 Graphic Novel Club 99

FEBRUARY

“East swimming is so different from other sports; it’s a real team.

We look out for each other in every way.

I think swimming has made me a better person.

It has taught me respect and how to gain respect from others.

I have learned to work hard and persevere, which transfers over to my schoolwork.”

Branden Schoofs 11

CARNATION SENSATION Right: Outside the cafeteria, sophomore Kennedy Burgess collects her carnations. “I didn’t buy any carnations for anyone, but I got 10 flowers from my friends,” Burgess said. “It was kind of embarrassing because I got them in the middle of lunch. I took the flowers home, but most of them were dead by then because I had to walk around school with them and put them in my locker.” Photo by Danielle Norton.

100 February

TIME TRIALS Above: Practicing with his varsity teammates after school, junior Branden Schoofs sprints in one of the daily time trials. “Sprinting is my biggest strength,” Schoofs said. “Time trials are always one [25 yard freestyle length], and then the second one is stroke or freestyle again. I usually choose to do two freestyles because that is my best [stroke]. Another reason I like time trials is because I get to swim against the guys I compete against in meets and at State.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

SWEETHEART KING Left: At the WPA dance in the cafeteria, senior Grant Stauffer is crowned for Sweetheart king. “When they were doing the whole crowning thing, it was actually really funny, because I was escorting Louisa Morton onto the stage, and when they said my name, she shoved me really hard, and I almost fell completely off the stage,” Stauffer said. Photo by Lindsey Hartnett.

BLUE OUT BASH Right: Senior Jake Parelman performs in play cuts the last scene of the musical ‘Footloose. “I was always confident about performing on stage, but I never thought I was going to be able to do a whole musical as the lead,” Parelman said. “Every time I performed the last scene, it was a really good, reassuring feeling.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

February Division 101

SILKY SMOOTH Left: Resting his foot on the soap holder of the bathroom, junior Andrew Watkins shaves his legs in preparation for swimming State in Topeka on Feb. 20. “Everyone shaves their legs each year,” Watkins said. “It helps you go faster, and we take any advantage we are offered. It’s just a norm for swimmers. Our coach definitely encourages it so we can be on the same level as everyone we compete with, but it’s not required. Most swimmers choose to.” Photo by Michael Stolle.

BLOOD DRIVE PHOBIA Left: Screaming at the top of her lungs, junior Claire Wahrer had some difficulties giving blood for the first time while she was at the Blood Drive. “[The nurse] stabbed me with the needle like ten times,” Wahrer said. “They couldn’t get any blood, so they stabbed me in the side of my arm and I ended up giving like two drops of blood.

I don’t regret signing up for it, but it was sort of pointless for me to donate because I gave so little blood.” Photo by Nicole Luby.

FUNERAL GAMES Right: As part of the “Iliad Funeral Games”, sophomore Tabor Jorns shoots an arrow in Spring GehringLowery’s English 10 Honors fifth hour. “We played games that they would’ve played in early Greece at a funeral,” Jorns said. “We did archery, chariot races with chairs, a discus contest and a foot race. In archery, there was a bullseye on the wall and we tried to score points with a little plunger arrow.” Photo by Anna Marken.

whats‘ your impression?

BE MY VALENTINE Right: Joking around on Valentine’s Day, sophomore Eliza McCormick sticks sparkly hearts on sophomore Caroline Savage’s face to be festive for the day. “My friend and I were making Valentines just for fun because there wasn’t much else to do on Valentine’s Day,” Savage said. “I didn’t go anywhere with the hearts on my face though. It would have been embarrassing. That was the main festive thing I did.”

Photo by Eliza McCormick.

102 February

CAN YOU IMAGINE Right: At the Love146 Benefit concert, students watch an awareness video. “That image is from a clip for Love146, an organization trying to stop human trafficking for sex slaves,” history teacher David Muhamad said. “When I saw this video, I felt very exposed because I never thought slavery was going on today. It was eye-opening.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

DELICIOUS LESSON Far Right: Preparing a butternut risotto, junior Ian Exline slices a butternut squash on a mandoline during a lab in the Culinary Arts program at Broadmore. “During Labs, we have to run through a meal and put every aspect together in a timely manner,” Exline said. “If one part of a meal isn’t successful, including prep time, the whole meal fails.” Photo by Max Stitt.

Chloe Fischgrund 11

Chelsea Clark 10

“I don’t see many freshmen in the programs that I work, and I didn’t get a chance to do SHARE as a freshman because it didn’t really reach out to freshmen. The underclassmen and incoming freshmen are lucky that SHARE is now a lot more open to younger students.”

“Even though I didn’t get to see the musical, it looked really good, and I regret not seeing it.

I admire the people who put on the show because they had to be creative and patient with the process of putting together the whole production.”

MUSICAL

“I think it’s good for guys to get asked by girls instead of like Homecoming.

But if I were a guy, I wouldn’t want to get asked publicly or by any big, embarrassing thing.”

FRESHMAN SHARE

“I think that [bowling] is more of a game than a sport, and it’s awesome that our school has a team because it is so different. I like to play with bumpers because I get a higher score. I would never go out for the bowling team because I stink at bowling.”

Maddie Gaughan 11

WPA

“I swam a little bit when I was younger, but I just haven’t recently.

I’ve heard of the swim team, and that’s about as much as I know.

I know they’re really good and hopefully they keep it up.”

Gabby Vandergriff 10

BOWLING

“I think all of [the drill team] has a lot of talent, since they have been practicing since they were very young. I know a lot of the girls, so it is interesting to watch them perform what they do. My favorite dance was ‘Tik Tok’ [by Ke$ha] because all the tricks they did were really cool.”

Jason Ewing 10

BOYS’ SWIMMING

“They help raise awareness about stuff happening in other countries.

It’s a good thing because some people don’t know what’s going on in other countries, and it’s important for everyone to know what’s going on in other countries besides their own.”

Abbie Symes 10

DRILL TEAM

COALITION

Will Purdy 10

WALK TO REMEMBER Left: After walking together as Sweetheart candidates countless times at rehearsals and pep assempblies, senior Jackson Harter and Tess Duncan make their last walk arm in arm at the Feb. 20 dance. “The best part was being able to hang out with new people,” Harter said.

“Tess and I had only talked a few times before, so it was nice being able to talk to her, while they were calling everyone else’s names.” Photo

by Lindsey Hartnett.

February Division 103

KNOW THE FACTS Above: For a slideshow played during the Love 146 benefit concert, seniors Max McFarland, Adam Levin, Joe Sernett,Tim Shedor, Connor Creighton and Duncan McHenry hold posters with facts about human trafficking. “While playing the Coalition Concert, I felt like I was contributing what I had to a good cause, and it revealed a lot of shocking stats about child trafficking,” Shedor said. Photos by Anna Petrow.

GETTING STARTED Below: Singing with his new band Spacebears, senior Max McFarland enjoys their first gig. “It was our first time performing for a double-digit audience,” McFarland said. “It was an exciting environment.” Photo by Nicole Luby.

A STATE OF MEDITATION Below: Senior Joe Newman performs at Village Presbyterian Church for the Love 146 Benefit Concert. “Performing for a benefit concert unites the musicians under one purpose instead of everyone just trying to show their talent,” Newman said. “When we perform the songs, it’s like the song is being reborn, so it’s easy to just let myself live in that place completely.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

Through a benefit concert, Coalition raises funds and awareness for the research and prevention of human trafficking around the world.

WAVES

ALL FOR A GOOD CAUSE Below: Leaping from the stage youth loft, senior Connor Creighton puts on a good show for his friends. “It was really intimate in the small space, and being able to see my friends’ faces,” Creighton said. “I just wanted to make it worth their’ time; I wanted to give them a reason to stay longer and donate to a good cause.” Photo by Nicole Luby.

of silence came over the Village Presbyterian Church youth loft as a slideshow of statistics played on the large screen. In a way, the silence muffled the music playing at the Love146 benefit concert and created an eerie atmosphere. The pictures on the screen were of band members who played that night holding signs that read stats and facts about child sex trafficking.

“When the slideshow came on, the room felt much more emotional,” sophomore Kate Kulaga said. “Everyone was just standing there learning about the cause and feeling like they wanted to do something about it.”

Love146 was an organization created to raise awareness about child sex trafficking in countries around the world. Human trafficking is the second largest illegal trade, after drug trafficking.

Members of East Coalition made it their goal to shine light on the issue by organizing a benefit concert featuring East bands such as Menlo and Kept Mess.

“The goal [of the concert] was to put out information about Love146,” sophomore Isabella Ciaramitaro said. “And to get the students to realize that it’s not just about Prairie Village or Mission Hills. It’s about everything and everyone.”

In order to emphasize the struggles of the children being sold, Coalition members handed out numbers to everyone who attended the concert.

“We gave out numbers not only to help us keep track of how many people came but to also give them a sense of how the children felt like with just a number to identify them,” Ciaramitaro said.

In addition to the pictures and numbers, powerful videos from the Love146 website were shown to enhance everyone’s perspective about the young children who were being kidnapped or sold into sex slavery.

“By giving out so much information we hoped the audience would leave saying, ‘Wow, I really learned something, and I want to help,’ ” Kulaga said.

Due to hard work and dedication to making a difference, Coalition brought a sense of reality to those who attended the concert for the first time.

“The concert made me realize that not everyone lives in the same protected environment as I do,” freshman Grace Cantril said. “That made me feel sad at first, but then I realized I really wanted to help.” Story by Atiyeh Samadi.

ALL IN A ROW Left: Setting up for the dance, sophomore Sarah King organizes the merchandise table. As part of the Coalition Council, King was heavily involved in the planning. “I love being on the Coalition Council and being behind the scenes,” King said.

“When one person comes to an event and learns about something they would not learn any other place, it’s really rewarding.” Photo

by Anna Petrow.

“Ms. [DeBe] Bramley isn’t like all the other English teachers. She’s casual but really wise. I feel like she knows everything that she’s talking about.When I did my book report, I talked with her like she was my best friend.” •RAE EHLY 9

Since 2002, Love146 has been committed to not only actively rescuing and rehabilitating trafficking victims but also informing others of human slavery.

What has left an impression on you this year?

Education is Prevention

HELPING OUT Right: Joining in an advertisement task, senior Amilia Winter helps hang a banner of Coalition facts. “It’s hard for me to stay involved in Coalition, because I work after school every day,” Winter said. “So if there is anything that I can do at other times I will.

Hanging the banner before school was a little thing I could help with.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

104 12 February

09 Coalition 105

Junior Rachel Duvall demonstrates some of the team’s moves.

BREAK DOWN Right: During halftime at an East junior varsity basketball game, sophomore Sarah Cook and the rest of the JV Lancer Dancers dance to a mix of ‘Wait’ by Chris Brown and ‘Take Your Shirt Off ’ by T-Pain. “The most difficult part of the dance is the slide,” Cook said. “It is hard because your knees just barely have to brush across the ground.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

EMBRACE THE MOMENT Far Right: At senior night during the basketball game against Olathe South, juniors Kirsten Clark and Julie Chalfant hug senior Annie Bennett. “The most emotional part of the night was being with Annie as her ‘little sister’,” Clark said. “We have been close, and it was sad to know this will be my last year dancing with her.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

A new dance room gives the drill team better conditions and a positive attitude.

“The hardest part is using your back muscles because they’re not muscles you use very often. It’s hard to lift your legs up and hold them. It’s mostly used in lyrical or contemporary dances.”

“You Know” “At Nationals last year, there were many promiscuous teams. One team said, ‘you know’ while they did the move, so we started doing it and called it the ‘you know’ move. It’s only used in ‘Hip-Hop.’”

Photos by Lauren Bleakley.

Photo by Anna Petrow.

However, some girls had complaints about the new room. Lack of space seemed to be the main problem.

“Sometimes we’ll end up running into walls, but we can live with that,” junior Kristen Clark said.

The issue of privacy bothered others.

“We need curtains because we have nowhere to change,” freshman Hannah Smith said.

Kristin Anderson, the drill team coach, said the entire room, especially the mirrors, helped with cleaning up dances. Cleaning up a dance means fixing any mistakes that are made during practice.

The Lancer Dancers hoped the new room would help them return to Nationals after attending the 2009 Nationals in Florida.

“It was such a great experience,” Nass said. “I would love to be able to do it again.” Story by Max Blanchard.

HIT THE

Pierrot “They are pretty much used in every type of dance. It’s a turn with your leg in passe. Passe is when your leg is bent, and your foot is at your knee. You will do it at some point in all dances.”

mirrors and more mirrors. They surround the new dance room. And drill team loves them.

“They help us make corrections and make our formations a lot tighter,” junior Megan Nass said.

Over the past few years, the Lancer Dancers have practiced in the ‘Little Gym.’ And during school construction, the drill team practiced in the Health room. “[The Health room] was a pain because we don’t get much done in an actual classroom,” junior Emily Welter said.

But in Sept. 2009, a new dance room welcomed the dancers. In addition to the mirrors, the dancers also appreciated a floor that makes turns easier and a room that is devoted entirely to dance.

“It’s cool to have a room all to ourselves, which we definitely did not have in years past,” Welter said.

MIRRORS,

“Coalition has made me think more about helping other people in other communities. I think it’s good to try to help people that are struggling. I really like learning about Love 146 in particular.” •GRACE

Arabesque

CHANEY 11

MOVE?

PUMP UP Left: Lining up with her teammates, junior Julie Chalfant helps create a tunnel for the boys’ varsity basketball players before their game against Rockhurst.

“We do it at all of the home games for [varsity] boys and girls,” Chalfant said. “One time [senior] Annie Bennett dropped her pom, and it was really embarrassing.”

Photo by Anna Petrow.

What has left an impression on you this year?

what’s that

WARM UP During first hour Drill Team, junior Haley Stewart and the team warm up their arms before practicing ‘Tik Tok’ by Ke$ha in the new dance room. “Now that we have mirrors, we can see our mistakes and how to fix them,” Stewart said. “We definitely push ourselves harder than we did before to make our performances better.” Photo by Lauren Bleakley.

Design by Will Chertoff.

106 February

Drill Team 107

What has left an impression on you this year?

FOLLOWING TRADITION The varsity team, including Hunter Stevenson, watch their swim coach Wiley Wright dive into the pool. “It was the third time he did it,” Stevenson said. “It just reminded me all the times we had to get to State.” Photo by Michael Stolle.

PASSING TIME During swim practice in the East pool, senior Clay Finley glides through the water, not doing a real stroke. “Sometimes you just mess around,” Finley said. “It’s a long practice, and you got to find things to mix things up.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

MAKING A SPLASH East names swimming pool after boys’ swim coach Wiley Wright, celebrating his 25th year of coaching.

SWIMMING ESSENTIALS Senior Jack Walker describes the swimming equipment in his locker.

PULL BUOY “The pull buoy helps your legs float so that you don’t have to kick, and you can isolate your arms.”

FLIPPER

“Flippers are designed to create greater resistance when kicking and building your leg muscles. They’re best used in moderation.”

108 February

took the microphone to make the announcement. “[Wright] knew something was up then,” Krawitz said.

“He seems like he doesn’t like to be recognized much, but he was emotional, and it was a great tribute. It was a very emotional time for everyone at the ceremony.”

Wright’s reaction was what was expected.

“I was completely overwhelmed and surprised,” Wright said. “It was an unbelievable feeling, and I have a deep appreciation for what they did.”

Many swimmers believed this award was well deserved. “He is such a great guy, and we all swim for him,” senior Hunter Stevenson said. “Even if we don’t want to practice, we feel obligated to treat him with respect in return, so we go anyways.”

Team members agreed that his encouragement and respect helped them become not only better swimmers, but better people too.

“He makes you want to work hard because he’s such a nice guy,” senior Clay Finley said. “He’s got a great sense of humor which lightens things up, helps keep practice interesting and makes it an enjoyable experience.” Story by Kate Kulaga.

FAST FACTS

“[Basketball] tryouts were really tough, and they made me realize that I really have to work hard all the time and never stop working.

It was my goal to make JV, so when I found out I made varsity I was really happy.” •VANCE WENTZ 9

the boys’ swim team’s last home meet, principal Karl Krawitz made an announcement to coach Wiley Wright in front of his family and friends: “Few people in the history of the school have touched as many people as you have, and from this moment on, East’s pool will now be called the Wiley Wright Pool.”

After coaching at East for 25 years, Wright had a decorated career, winning 14 league titles and 6 state titles.

The idea to name the pool in Wright’s honor started when a group of team members’ parents notified Krawitz about the news that it was Wright’s 25th year of coaching at East.

They asked him if it was possible to name the pool after Wright, and then Krawitz presented the idea to the administration.

Plans were formed, plaques were made and the date was made for Senior Night. The announcement remained a secret to Wright until the meet.

On that date, before the meet began, Krawitz

BEFORE

About Nathan Simpson 11

TEAM: Varsity

PUMP-UP MUSIC:

“All the Above” by Maina

SAYS: “The camaraderie, the jokes and the fun are all the best parts of swimming. Up until I began swimming at East, I swam by myself. Being on a team is definitely a lot better.”

ARCHRIVAL Above: At the Topeka Invitational, junior Peter Frazell does a backdive pike for one of his eight dives. Because he scored seven’s on this dive, Frazell beat his rival, senior Caleb Herrick, from Washburn Rural. “Caleb is a great senior diver, and it was cool having the chance to beat him when he was having an off day,” Frazell said. Photo by Michael Stolle.

FALSE FEELING Far Left: At the Sunflower League meet, senior Jack Logan believes that he missed his qualification time for finals in the 50 yard freestyle. Before the race, coach Wiley Wright projected a time Logan would need to get into finals. Logan ended up qualifying for finals and finished 5th overall. “At first, I was disappointed, because it’s senior year,” Logan said. “But about two minutes later, coach told me I made finals, so I was pretty ecstatic.” Photo by Michael Stolle.

SWIMMING FREE Left: Swimming in the East pool, freshman David Martinez practices his freestyle stroke for his next meet. “It feels good to loosen up before a meet,” Martinez said. “I want to make sure everything feels good before I go into a race.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

OUT OF THE NOISE Right: At the first meet of the year, freshman Grant Sitomer sits in the East locker room with freshman Chris Watkins during the diving portion of the meet. “I needed a break from the crowded pool,” Sitomer said. “I just wanted to rest and have a snack.” Photo by Grant Heinlein.

Boys Swimming 109

GIVE ME FIVE At the match aginst SM West, junior Daniel Colebank is congratulated after making a good shot.“We usually do high fives or sometimes a special handshake that we do if we get a stirke or something like that,” Colebank said. Photo by Andrea Zecy.

TEAM: Varsity

BALL COLOR: Split

SAYS: “The hardest game that I ever bowled was my highest game. I had a lot of pressure on me because I had bowled seven in a row, and after that I left the 10 standing and got a spare. When I have a lot of pressure on me, I just take a deep breath, slow down and think about what I am going to do.”

East’s two top bowlers represent the bowling team at State after working to improve their game during the season.

fives were passed around at bowling regionals after juniors Brennan Burns and Ali Dees names were called, announcing that they would be the sole boy and girl representing SME at the state bowling meet.

Dees was going to state for her third time as an individual, making up three of the four times East girls have been to state for bowling.

“It’s a lot of pressure of what people think I should do,” Dees said, “and it’s nice knowing all my hard work paid off.”

Dees had her ups and downs throughout the season, but recalls her best game. It was at a meet against Olathe East and Lawrence at the AMF West games.

“I was rolling the ball really well and had found my sweet spot in the lane,” Dees said. “Every time I got up, I refocused and tried to clear my mind. When I wasn’t bowling I was jumpy and wanted to get up there and bowl.”

In Dees’ mind, bowling is eighty-five percent mental, and the rest physical.

“When I bowl I try to take deep breaths, think of the fundamentals and go to a calm spot in my mind.” Dees said. “I try to get in a mindset where I’m the only one on the lane. Nothing else is going on around me, it’s just me and the lane.”

Burns was a returnee to the state meet, but this was his first time competing as an individual, and not as a team.

“I was really excited to go,” Burns said, “but a little disappointed the rest of the team couldn’t go. It would’ve been fun to make the trip with team.”

Burns approached the season with a serious attitude which he thought helped him progress to state.

“I don’t take bowling as a joke. I take it as another sport. I think some people on the team took it for fun, but I’m a serious person. I took it a little more seriously. During practice, I like to just go bowl.”

While at state, Burns wanted to do well, but also didn’t put pressure on himself.

“I had my best series at state by a lot: 56 pins, which was a huge difference,” he said. “I didn’t feel like I had an option to do bad. I didn’t want the coaches and my parents to make the trip for me to do bad.” Story by Taylor Runion.

HIGH

Photo by Andrea Zecy.

What has left an impression on you this year?

FAST FACTS About Pete Peterson 11

SINGING Before a match, senior Ashley Guerricagoitia prepares herself by talking to her friend senior Clair Finke. “Before a match, we sing a lot of Disney songs to help lighten the mood,” Guerricagoitia said. “This helps us to not get stressed out during the match.” Photo by Grant Heinlein.

STATE “I thought high school would mean growing up really fast, but you can still be young and have fun. I’ll look back on my high school experience and remember the peppy football games and being on the Cross Country team.” •KELSEY O’ROURKE 10

SPLITTING

Photo by Anna Petrow.

STATE OF MIND At AMF West Bowling Center, freshman Drew Broeckelman practices for his tournament that is three days away.

“All you can do to get better is play,” Brockelman said. “The coaches walk around and help us if we are doing something wrong, but it’s really all about controlling both your mind and body together.”

Photo by Andrea Zecy.

110 February

Photo by Anna Petrow.

Bowling 111

sophomore EMMA PENNINGTON

01 02 03 04

drop it low Ester Dean

SUSHI howHOUSE low _______________________ can you go

STUCK ON YOU On a Saturday three weeks before WPA, sophomore Emma Pennington and her friends completely covered junior Andrew Goble’s car with colorful sticky notes to ask him to the dance. “We’re dating so he already knew I was going to ask him, so I kind of wanted to do something that would annoy him,” Pennington said. “It had just snowed the day before, so we had to scrape it off and dry the car so they would stick. It took an hour and a half, and he was completely shocked.”

Photos by Anna Petrow.

by

Gaby Thompson 12 Ludacris

Darude

your love is my drug Ke$ha

“They all have a good beat and are easy to dance to.”

“I have made a lot of friends in Drill Team, and there are girls that are older and younger [than me] on the team. Drill team has made me learn how to have a better worth ethic and do better in school.” •CAROLINE DOERR 11

junior AUBREY LEITER

sandstorm

best

QUICK QUESTION Writing on the girls’ bathroom mirror at QuikTrip, junior Aubrey Leiter asks junior Anthony “Scotty” Scott to the sweetheart dance, or WPA. “[QuikTrip is] where he works, and I talked to his manager to see if I could write it before he went to work,” Leiter said. “When he got there, his manager told him to clean the bathrooms, and he ended up cleaning the entire guys’ bathroom before going to the girls’ bathroom and seeing what I wrote on the mirror.” Photos by Mackenzie Wylie.

Design by Kate Kulaga.

Girls at East come up with creative ways to ask guys to the Sweetheart dance.

AS

Taylor Swift

said Freshman Gracie Tapp had her own idea about girls asking boys to dances.

“I thought it would be nerve-wracking,” freshman Gracie Tapp said, “But it’s not a big deal. At Homecoming, I felt bad because I didn’t want my date to have to pay for dinner, but the guys experience it too.”

While Tapp’s school dance experience stretched only as far as Homecoming and WPA, senior Caitlin Benson had a little more experience.

“I think it’s a good idea for girls to be in charge for a while,” senior Caitlin Benson said. “That way girls appreciate and understand how much work it is when guys do it for you, especially junior and senior year when boys ask girls to two dances.”

While Benson thought it was a good idea for girls to know what boys go through when planning for dances, she still enjoyed traditional asking more.

“I like the traditional way better because I don’t have to do the planning,” Benson said. “There’s less pressure with keeping people happy all night since you’re not the one in charge.” Story by Taylor Runion.

PARTY IN THE U.S.A. Miley Cyrus

WATCHA SAY Jason Derulo

DISTURBIA Rihanna

CREATIVE CRIME During her 7th hour Weights class, senior Monica Talavera heads to the senior parking lot with crime-scene tape and chalk.

She wrapped the tape around her boyfriend, senior Tyler Woltemath’s car, with signs saying “I’d Just Die If You Didn’t Go To the Dance With Me” on the windshield. She and three friends also chalked dead bodies around the car and senior walkway. “It was a surprise to him because he didn’t expect me to ask in a cool way,” Talavera said. “I waited in a friend’s car to see his reaction, and he just laughed.” Photos by Mackenzie Wylie.

112 February

04 03 02 01

LOVE STORY

WORST

sophomore Jack Kovarik walked through the cold towards his car, he saw a group of his friends surrounding a car covered in Saran Wrap. It took him only a few seconds to realize the plastic-enclosed vehicle was in fact his own, and it was his invitation to WPA. On the windshield was a sign that read ‘It’s clear we were meant to go to WPA together!’ Sophomore Madeline Sniezek was the culprit.

“When we were out there, we were worried it wasn’t his car,” Sniezek said, “So we texted his twin [sophomore Paige Kovarik] to double check the model and that it was his.”

Sniezek was excited for the dance, but also knew the upcoming effort required to make the night one to remember.

“I like being able to choose who to go with, but it’s so much more work,” Sniezek said. “You have to make dinner reservations, make the right sized group and keep everyone happy, planning rides and where your after party is.”

Even with the extra work, she thought it paid off.

“I like being in control because you get to be in a group with all your friends, and you pick dinner, so it’s going to be something you like,” Sniezek

senior MONICA TALAVERA

What has left an impression on you this year?

TOP songs

Sophomore Chelsea Clark shares her opinion about the best and worst music to dance to at WPA.

“All these songs are really overplayed and cliché. You can kind of dance to them, it’s just not as fun!”

WPA 113

GETTING INVOLVED Holding a sign at an informational assembly during the SHARE fair, senior exec Hannah Mallen shows students how to start their project. “In previous years, freshmen didn’t get much of a chance to volunteer, so this year we made a project exclusively for freshmen,” Mallen said. “It makes it easier for them to get involved.”

Photo by Ben Kaplan.

A FRAGILE FRIEND After feeding and changing her water, freshman Cameron Edwards plays around with a black Labrador Grace.

“Grace had just had surgery, so she had stitches on her stomach,” Leiter said. “It was sad because we knew she had been rescued, but it felt good to be with a dog who didn’t always have someone to play with them.” Photo by Lauren Bleakley.

Freshman SHARE gives new high school students a chance to volunteer in the community without the overwhelming stress of working with upperclassmen.

Fair: a collective gathering once a year consisting of butterfly wings, neon tights and glitter. With all these appealing images, the SHARE fair tries to promote students to volunteer in the community. But for many freshmen, this was an overwhelming, new experience. To add to this, some people believed that upperclassmen preferred to choose their classmates rather than underclassmen. However, this year’s new addition of Freshmen Connection gave freshmen the opportunity to volunteer. Freshmen Connection is available only to freshmen, and it focuses on three volunteer projects: Pet Connection, Soup Kitchen and Pumpkin Patch. Sophomores Meghan Dickinson and Tori Holt started the group because they understood what it was like to be a freshman.

“It was actually my mom that came up with the project because there wasn’t very much for me to do [at school],” Dickinson said. “Our goal is to get the freshmen more involved because we know how tough it is to get the courage to go up [and try to get into] SHARE as a freshman.”

Some freshmen realized the opportunity that this project presented them.

SHARE

“Freshmen are just as capable of doing the same things the upperclassmen do,” freshman Cam Dingley said. “I mean, it’s understandable why [SHARE projects] usually pick upperclassmen first, but I’d just like people to see that we can handle it.”

Since it was the first year that Dickinson and Holt had been in charge of a project, many parents of the freshmen involved came to help out. However, Holt made sure that this project was mostly student-run.

“I think that Meghan [Dickinson] and I were kind of thrust into this,” Holt said. “It probably would’ve been better if [the parents] had gotten into it, guided us through it and then given us the reins. I just really want to take on more [responsibilities] next year.”

Although they wanted to do more in the project, Dickinson and Holt both felt that their project was more about showing that freshmen should be included more often. “[When it comes to] the upperclassmen, most of them aren’t accepting of the project,” Holt said.

“It’s a little bit like ‘Really? Getting freshmen involved?’ But we just want to help them because we know that they can do it.” Story by Mallory Fisher.

beyondthepaws 114 12 February

Explanations of other freshman projects that were available:

01 02 03 04

Blanket for Babies made tie blankets out of colorful fleece to drop off at Children’s Mercy Hospital.

The Pumpkin Patch project took freshmen to a local pumpkin patch and apple orchard to assist younger kids.

HOME, SWEET HOME Below: Enjoying his new life at Pet Connection, an appreciative black lab smiles for the camera.

Pet Connection is an animal shelter in Mission, Kansas, that works to form a no-kill coalition by educating the public and providing many services to pet owners. Photo by Lauren Bleakley.

What has left an impression on you this year?

CONNECTION

SOCIAL WORK Right: Chatting with new friends, freshman Madison Bradley works on her Ducks in a Pond blanket. “We just tied the strips together, it was really simple, so we could just talk,” Bradley said.

“We wore name tags, but by the end of the session, we knew each other.” Photo by Alissa Pollack.

A HELPING HAND Right: Playing with a recently rescued mutt at Pet Connection, freshman Matthew Boyer takes advantage of the chance to lend a hand. “I think it’s really nice that [SHARE] gives everyone an opportunity to get involved in the community,” Boyer said. “I felt really useful working there.” Photo by Lauren Bleakley.

“No Finkelston “Mr. other school hashas really ever been done getting the ‘House me to Cup’ challenge in thismyself. area, and Since it I’m inreally was IB Art, cool I have seeing to the learn whole aboutschool my origins, decked soout he’sinbeen ‘Harry getting Potme into ter.’

It showed Indian artwork. me that we He’scan made stillahave pretty a lot big of impact school on spirit the way andI see artmeand given hope howfor I’mfuture able to spirit execute weeksit.and “ •AVEEK events.”

DHAR 11 •SCOTT WATSON 11

TAKING A STEP BACK Left: Introducing the Blankets for Babies project, senior Hannah Lang helps out the freshmen. “I just asked if they needed help,” Lang said. “I didn’t know any of them, so I just wanted to talk to them without being too pushy.” Photo

by Lauren Bleakley.

Freshmen joined the annual Down’s Syndrome Dance around Valentine’s Day with other SHARE volunteers.

The Garage Sale included freshmen in the largest SHARE event at East. They sort and help set up and clean up.

09 Freshman SHARE 115

the What has left an impression on you this year?

Whether they are singers, dancers, crew chiefs or musicians, all parts of cast and crew come together to produce a successful performance of “Footloose.”

Design by Emily Kulaga.

Friday night performance of “Footloose” had already begun.The auditorium was filled with anxious students, parents, friends and alumni as the set was being transitioned for a new scene with Emma Marston, Emily Welter and Julie Chalfont, who were going to sing ‘Holding Up for a Hero.’

“That scene was a mock 80’s music video dream sequence,” Marston said.

“While Emily, Julie and I were singing, we made a quick costume change on stage. All that was covering us was two techies holding up a pink board, plus there was fog everywhere. It was crazy.”

Each scene had complicated transitions. Whether it involved lighting queues, costume changes or set transformations, the audience was unaware of any of these hardships because the show seemed flawless.This was because the cast and crew had been working since early December to prepare for the three-day span of performances.

For example, countless hours were spent creating the set and making sure the light and sound queues were correct.

“What’s interesting is that the best light queue is hardly seen, and the absolute sound queue is barely noticed,” junior Emily Donovan said. “But it all contributes to the quality of the overall performance.”

The cast spent day after day rehearsing their routines, lines and songs.

Especially for the lead roles, this amount of dedication required a lot of time and practice.

“I had to drop everything and quit my job for the production,” senior Jake Parelman said, who played the lead male role in the musical. “But it paid off.”

By the time of opening night, the cast and crew certainly had their parts down.The costumes and makeup were well thought out, the set was believable and the crew smoothly transformed the stage for each scene. Dancers knew every step, the chorus was well put together and the band playing in the pit resembled a soundtrack. With all efforts combined, the production members certainly completed the task of impressing the audience as well as themselves.

“Putting on a musical gives everyone an opportunity to participate and those who make it always come out with an accomplished feeling,” Parleman said. “The performance week was our ultimate goal and so much happened in the process, it was an amazing transformation from the beginning to the end.”

Story by Emily Kulaga.

MAMA SAYS Above: Senior William Carey, playing the humorous role of country boy Willard Hewitt, sings about his mother’s wise advice and marvels at the fact that she is never wrong.

“That was my favorite scene because I got to play around with the voice and humor of the song,” Carey said.

Photo by Samantha Bartow.

CAN’T STAND STILL Above: During the song ‘I Can’t Stand Still,’ senior Jake Parelman sings about how LINING UP In the opening act, sophomore Maggie Thomas and other dancers form a kick-line while singhe can’t resist dancing. “Ren was in awe about how ridiculous the place was,” Parelman said. “It’s a ‘boom- ing ‘Footloose.’ “The first number had lots of energy, and we wanted to impress the audience,” Thomas said. in-the-face’ song. Plus, there are cool acrobatics. I really got to rock out.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

“Everyone in that scene got to show a lot of attitude.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

Step in

Style

“Footloose” cast members tell the stories behind their shoes.

116 February

ROCKSTAR MODE Senior Lois Wetzel sings ‘Holding Out for a Hero’ as Ariel Moore. “That scene was supposed to look like an ‘80s music video, so I had to get into a rockstar fantasy mode, and I wasn’t used to it at first,” Wetzel said. “I watched old Cindy Lauper videos to get the hang of it, so those were going through my head while I was on stage.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

“Being on the bowling team was a great experience for me because it was relaxed, and the coaches were all really supportive. Their advice was personal. We tried to win at meets, because we didn’t want to fail, but no one took a loss too hard.” •ADAM LYNCH 9

THE

“I bought them at Boomerang in Westport. It was cool because it’s a mystery who wore them before me.

Practicing without them was really different than practicing with them on. Once we got into costume, everything felt more natural.”

“For the opening scene, I wore navy blue Converse with different shoelaces - one shoe had polka dots and the other had blue. It made me smile when I looked down at my feet. I got excited for the show every time before I went on stage.”

“I had pink suede cowboy boots, but they weren’t right for the show, so my mom, and I went to Savers to look for something that might work. We found the white boots and an ‘80s prom dress for ten dollars each, which was a really good deal.”

“I didn’t have any shoes that fit the ‘80s, so I went on line and found a pair of black Converse.

It was good because they weren’t too expensive, plus they aren’t too outrageous, so I can still wear them.

“I didn’t have any boots that were suited for an ‘80s musical, so they were going to rent them for me to wear. My mom surprised me with a pair, and that was good because in the end, we found that red rental boots were difficult to find.”

Megan Nass 11

Maggie Thomas 10

Sarah Cook 10

David Frizzell 11

Lois Wetzel 12

Footloose 117

MARCH

“When I look back on East, ‘Cool School’ will definitely be one of those things I remember always.

It felt carefree and amazing.

Everyone was so supportive of everyone else, and that is what makes East such a great school to be a part of.

Joining in is what made my experience memorable because I got up and did it.”

Meghan Spivak 10

WAR CRY Right: Senior Clay Finley plays croquet at senior Harper Coulson’s house as part of the East Croquet Club. “We normally get together at a person’s house to practice our skills,” Finley said. “The club started last year, and we don’t really play in competitions, but it is fun to just play against each other. Sometimes I just get so into the game and playing that I need to let out a war cry.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

118 March

PUNCH TO THE FACE Left: Practicing karate at Martial Arts Club, senior Jason Williamson works with his coach David Mohammad who teaches the club. “I have been doing karate since fifth grade,” Williamson said. “My older brother influenced me to do it because I wanted to be like him. Karate teaches you a lot about who you are as a person, and you learn what you are capable of based on how well you do in the class. The Martial Arts Club started last year, and I have been involved both years.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

MILKING THE COMPETITION Above: Dancing and singing in the karaoke contest at ‘Cool School,’ sophomore Meghan Spivak sings ‘Party in the USA’ by Miley Cyrus as a joke. “I just did it as a joke, so it wasn’t actually very nerve-wracking for me,” Spivak said. “I sang with the cow, and later on I realized it was [senior] Tyler Woltemath. He ended up getting the prize, which was unfair because he got AMC movie passes.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

FLOATS MY BOAT Left: In the East swimming pool, sophomore Jakob Yedo races a cardboard boat he made in Pre-Engineering class. “Our teacher had us do this group challenge where he had us make cardboard boats with as few materials as possible and as fast as we could,” Yedo said. “My boat actually ended up working really well, but I ended up getting second place.” Photo by Nicole Luby.

March Division 119

CRAZY FOR CARS Left: During the fifth hour Auto Tech, sophomore Cole Harkins changes a brake rotor, which is what the brake pads clamp down on to stop the wheels from spinning.

Harkins has been interested in cars since he was a kid and now really likes being involved in auto classes, such as auto shop and auto tech. “My buddy Andrew got me into cars when I was really young,” Harkins said. “He taught me how to repair them when I was only in fifth grade.” Photo by Brook Barnes.

POINT OF VIEW Left: During an art field trip at Bloody Creek Ranch in the Flint Hills, sophomore Gabby Vandergriff takes a picture. “We went there on the field trip for inspiration and just decided to climb the tree spontaneously to take pictures,” Vandergriff said.

“I was taking shots of the sky and tree from different angles, for a more up close and personal view.” Photo

by Lindsay Hartnett.

READY TO RUN Right: Getting ready for the relays at SM South, senior Hannah Satterlee is about to warm up. This relay was early in the track season, so it was one of the varsity team’s first meets. “I always do my warm-up ritual to wake up my muscles and calm my nerves,” Satterlee said. “The nerves get my adrenaline pumping, so I get really excited for my race, and all of the energy usually helps me do well in the relays.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

BEST OF BRASS Left Below: During a band practice early in the year, freshman John Mytinger plays his euphonium in the freshman band. “The band trip has to be my favorite part because we get to play in contests,” Mytinger said. “I’m not competitive about band, and I just really want to keep doing it because it’s a nice escape apart from competition in sports and everything.” Photo by Lauren Bleakley.

whats‘ your impression?

DOUBLE WIN Left: After winning a doubles match in tennis, sophomore Brooks Tate and senior Brooks Anthony celebrate by doing a chest bump. “When I am playing in doubles, my partner and I always do a chest bump after we win the match,” Tate said. “If we lose the match, we still hug each other, but the chest bump feels better after we win the match. We are still happy even if we lose, though.” Photo by Lauren Bleakley.

120 March

SMILE BIG Left: Posing behind a poster that the varsity girls’ parents had made for team support, senior Alison Stephens is congratulated by senior Ryan Olander. “I was embarrassed and telling Ryan to not hold a giant picture of my face,” Stephens said. “But the crowd liked it. I thought the pictures were surprising and a really nice way to support our team.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

POSTER PEP Right: Standing at the top of the bleachers during seminar, junior Zach Colby writes on the “Juniors” poster hanging in the gym. “All the pep execs went down there before a pep assembly to make the poster and put it up there,” Colby said. “Pep Club is one more thing to be involved in to be active and it’s fun.” Photo by Alissa Pollack.

Polly Mytinger 11

Elena Hardy 10

“I think if [Lacrosse] was more well known, people would get into and go to the games. It’s not a big sport at East, and it should be more schoolassociated instead of just people at our school playing it.”

“I thought it was cool. After I heard them, I thought they were good and deserved the opportunity to go. They should get the chance to share their talent in Europe.

If I could sing, it would be really cool to join and get to travel.”

CHOIR EUROPE TRIP

“If given the chance, I’d check out Robotics because it’s really cool that we have a team.

I’d feel like if I showed up, they would reject me because I’m not usually into that stuff. I’d like to go to an event to see what it’s all about.”

BOYS’ LACROSSE

“I used to play tennis, so I know what it’s like. It definitely takes a lot of skill and talent, and I think it’s admirable for so many people to be playing this year.To be honest, I don’t follow with the stats very well, mostly due to lack of interest.

I’m sure they’ll do well this year, though.”

Heather Nelson 11

ROBOTICS

“Sometimes I wish I would have joined freshman year. If I was good at arguing, I’d love it, but I’d be too nervous. I would be intimidating going up against someone else, but I think it would be fun yelling at other people.”

Oliver Johnson 10

BOYS’ TENNIS

“Soccer is an enjoyable sport.

It’s cool that boys and girls can both participate in the sport. I played it when I was little, but that was more of just a mass of kids swarming around a ball. I would go out for it if I had more athletic potential.”

Kayte Beaver 11

FORENSICS AND DEBATE

“I’m not much of a sports fan, but I know that a home run is good, so whenever I see a home run I am like ‘hey, our team is doing really well!’

When I’m watching the games, it gives me team spirit and I find myself cheering the team on.”

Paul Hose 9

GIRLS’ SOCCER

BASEBALL

Angela Clem 11

SNOWY DAY IN SALZBURG Left: In the streets of Europe, the choralier choir members walk around Salzburg shopping during a lunch break. Senior Rocky Hill enjoys sight-seeing in the town. “All of the towns were really old and historical, and I think it was pretty cool to see things that you never see here in Kansas, but all that stuff is normal there.”

Hill said. “Also, the snow there wasn’t as cold or windy like it is here, so even though it was cold and snowy, it was still really calm and peaceful.” Photo by Samantha Bartow.

March Division 121

Hitting the ball in different spots on the bat has different outcomes.

THE INSIDE HANDLE

THE “SWEET SPOT”

Hitting the ball close to the hands will cause the player’s hands to hurt as well and a slow rolling hit to third base.

It’s best to avoid hitting it here because a player’s hands can have a lasting sting.

A good player always tries to hit the ball here for solid contact creating a line drive or big hit into the outfield. This spot is located in the center of the bat.

When hit, the player will feel like he hit through the ball.

THE TOP Hitting the ball on the end of the bat makes a player’s hands sting or vibrate and sends a slow rolling ball to first base.

Sometimes, if the ball is hit hard enough, the bat can be bent on the top of it.

With new varsity coach Jerrod Reyherd’s approach, players feel more relaxed and ready to...

STEP UP TO THE

the bus ride to the first game of the season, the baseball team knew something was different about this squad. They were calm and confident. This, contrasting the nervous and uptight feeling of the team in the past few years, shows that this year was different. Contributing to this new atmosphere was first year East head coach Jerrod Ryherd.

“Everyone’s more relaxed,” senior Stewart Jensen said. “Even when we’re playing you can feel the calm attitude. Last year, everyone was really afraid to make a mistake.”

Senior Alex Cox thought the renewed attitude was due to Ryherd’s easygoing and understanding nature.

“I think last year we were afraid because we didn’t want to say the wrong thing [around Coach Jarrell],” Cox said. “But with Ryherd, we can say what’s on our mind since he knows where we’re coming from.”

Some of the team felt the different atmosphere right away at tryouts when Ryherd put the upperclassmen together with the underclassmen to show that he didn’t know any of them and he would treat them all the same.

“It helped going into the tryouts already being

ON

CURVEBALL On the mound, senior Gabe Miller pitches in the varsity loss against SM Northwest. “They only had three hits while I was pitching,” Miller said. “[Although] the fastball is my favorite pitch, I used the curve ball the most because I liked to change the pace [on the ball] to catch them off guard.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

KEEPING IT CLOSE Pitching in the varsity game against Blue Valley North, junior Brennan Burns tries to close out the game. “I came in during the seventh inning with one out, bases loaded,” Burns said. “I struck the guy out to win the game. It was a great first varsity experience.” Photo by Katie East.

122 March

REACHING OUT At the game against Blue Valley North, junior Dylan Becker has to dive back to the bag after a pick-off throw. “I had to get back quickly,” Becker said. “Later on in the game, I hit a ‘three run jack,’ [a homerun]. We were tied before that, so we took the lead, and it was a really awesome moment because it won the game.” Photo by Andrea Zecy.

PLATE

on varsity before,” Jensen said. “But since he put all of us together, we weren’t 100% sure how it was going to go.”

This new, calm approach to the game paid dividends when the Lancers won their first game 7-2 against BV North.

“I felt like we did really well considering it was our first game,” sophomore Billy Kirkpatrick said. “[Junior] Dylan Becker hit a three run home run, and we only had one error in the outfield, so it just shows how strong this year’s team is.”

It wasn’t too surprising that the team did well under Ryherd’s coaching, considering his track record. Ryherd has been coaching for seven years, with five of those years spent coaching at the JV level. During those five years, his teams had never had a losing season. He also took the team to State during one of his two years as a varsity assistant.

The team was hopeful that they would also be going to State and, along the way, gain more respect from their classmates.

“We shouldn’t be taken as a joke anymore,” Cox said. “We’ve kind of been overlooked in the past, but now we’ve got this whole new attitude, so we should be taken seriously. We’re going to do some damage.” Story by Mallory Fisher.

GET LOUD In the dugout at the game against SM Northwest, sophomore Billy Kirkpatrick cheers on his teammates. “I try to stay positive at all times and keep the guys ready to play,” Kirpatrick said. “I try to bring the same amount of energy I do to every other single game.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

FAST FACTS

About Anthony “Scotty” Scott 11

TEAM: Varsity

POSITION: Utility Man (multiple positions)

SAYS: “[The new coach] actually knows what he’s talking about this year. He has really helped me with my fundamentals and makes me play a lot more positions. He taught me to swing through the ball, and the most important thing to do is to get your timing down.”

What has left an impression on you this year?

BAT

“Being a part of Choir has opened me up to the rest of my class, and it let me meet people. It’s a very important part of high school, and Choir’s a good outlet to do it.You meet people with the same interests and do what you love. “ •AMY SACHSE 10

ITS ALL IN THE

FAST RELIEF Preparing to throw, senior Alex Cox pitches in a game against Blue Valley North.

“There was a ton of pressure when I came in,” Cox said. “My job was to get to the seventh inning without giving up any runs. I got to leave it all on the field and do whatever I had to do to get someone out.” Photo by Alissa Pollack.

Baseball 123

Favorite Footwork

Girls on the soccer team talk about their favorite footwork moves to use during games and practice.

“Faking is my favorite move because it usually works out pretty well, and you fake out your opponent and you can get an easy shot. lt really works when you have one defender on you.”

“My favorite move to do is a fake shot or a fake pass because the other team falls for it and it gives me a chance to go around them and hopefully score. And it works the best when it is one on one.”

“My favorite is the ‘Mathews.’ What you do is if you have the ball in your right foot, you do a small touch and act like you are going to pass it to your left foot, then you quickly hit it back to your right and go around the player.”

Andrea Velez 10

Addison Steiner 9

Hannah Roste 11

DECISION TIME At the second game against SM South, junior Heather Nelson receives a pass and tries to shield a SM South player from getting it. “I have to tell myself to be patient and not to panic [when I am passed to],” Nelson said. “I just look at all of my options and decide whether or not to pass the ball or to run with it.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

What has left an impression on you this year?

THE LITTLE THINGS Left: Huddled together with her teammates at their first game against Olathe North, senior Anna Swanson laughs at one of her team’s inside jokes. “I don’t have a lot of big memories [with the team], just small moments,” Swanson said. “In practice someone will say something funny, and the whole team will burst out laughing.” Photo by Lindsey Harnett.

STRETCH IT OUT Before their first game against Olathe North, sophomore Elisabeth McConnell listens to the team’s warm-up CD while stretching with a teammate. “We stretch about 20 minutes before every practice,” McConnell said. “I like it better when we stretch together because I get stretched better.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

STAYING IN CONTROL Right: At the game against SM South, junior Molly Rappold dribbles the ball past defenders and scores the fourth and final goal of the game. “When someone passes me the ball, I have to keep it in control,” Rappold said. “I look around and see if I can score. If no, then I see who I can pass it to.” Photo

by Lauren Bleakley.

LACING

up their cleats and stepping onto the green field, the girls’ varsity soccer team began a new season.

However, two players did not and were seated on the bench.

Seniors Lauren Dodd and Becca Clay tore their ACLs right before the season started, and their injuries kept them from being able to practice or play any games. Both were out for the entire season.

“It’s really frustrating,” Dodd said, “It’s not the first time I’ve torn my ACL during soccer season, but this year it’s different. It’s my senior year, and I was looking forward to playing my best.”

Neither one of the girls let their injury keep them from being a part of the team and rooting for their teammates. This was especially true for Dodd, who was voted by her teammates to be one of the team captains.

“I plan on going to every game and cheer the girls on because they still have a season to play and they still need encouragement from me,”

FAST FACTS About Kirsten Clark 11

TEAM: Varsity

JERSEY NUMBER: 13

SAYS:

“I have played soccer since I was little. I love to play defense because you get to steal the ball from the other team and it frustrates the forwards because they can’t score a goal.”

Although the girls’ varsity soccer team was set back because one of their captains and other key players suffered injuries, they continue to...

“Coming from a private school, I thought the people at East were going to be mean and not very accepting of me, but they were actually extremely nice. I have found a good group of friends with girls who I hang out with on weekends.” •EMMA VICKERS 9

UNSTOPPABLE Below: After stealing the ball away from a SM South player in a varsity game, sophomore Caroline Dodd does her best to keep possession of the ball.

“I tell myself that I am not going to let anyone beat me,” Dodd said. “I have determination, and I am not going to let anyone get past me.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

Dodd said. “Even though I’m injured, I still have the same amount of responsibility.”

Even with two injured seniors, the team still felt confident they could have a successful season.

“We’re fast,” senior Sara Schenkelberg said. “Every year, we say we can win State, but this year, I actually think we can do it. We’ve got the speed and the drive.”

The girls worked to build team chemistry, which they hoped would help their team dynamic off the field as well.

“The bonding helps get to know everyone and how they play on the field,” Schenkelberg said.

The injuries to their teammates did not stop the East girls’ soccer team from preparing themselves to play their hardest. It also encouraged the members to step up and build a strong team unified by their unanimous goal of winning the State title. Story by Atiyeh Samadi.

FIGHT FINISH to the

Design by Helen Dinkel.

124 March

Girls Soccer 125

With titles to maintain and internal competition, Debate and Forensics students work through their...

TITLE:

First place National Qualifier for East Kansas Student Congress

SAYS:

GETTING INTO

IN THE KNOW Below: Preparing for another week’s information paper, senior Sarah Sears goes through the numerous resources she has found convenient. “I have Google Alerts sent to my phone when any article has ‘Obama’ and ‘Political Capitol’ together,” Sears said. “And my group chips in to buy a 300 page packet of articles around the world each week to work off of.” Photo by Alissa Pollack.

CHARACTER Forensics students explain how they must change their demeanor to fit their different events.

oratory

The United States should substantially increase social services for people in poverty in the United States.” This was the resolution that the East debaters had in their heads in the late hours of the night when researching for both affirmative and negative cases.

Sophomores Chris Carey and his partner Michael Hill argued about inner city agricultural projects.

“Our main argument is that the U.S. Government should fund urban agriculture project on abandoned lots to solve poverty and racism,” Carey said.

Although the hours did build up after school, a lot of the work and research the debate team put into their topics was done in the summer camps.

“The debate camp this past summer was two weeks up at KU, but this upcoming summer, it is up in Washington for four weeks,” Kenney said.

“On the other hand though, I stay after school almost every day to work on research, but work goes much faster when you have the whole class working together.”

The debate team could go to eight competitions a year. Tournaments

“RESOLVE:

“When I do my oratory on environmental racism, I have to be more formal than I usually am, but I like to stay casual. Some people get very emotional, but I don’t want to be over-the-top.”

took extensive preparations and required research material that ranged anywhere from 9 to 39 pages long.

“It takes so much preparation and research to know the topic extensively enough to see both sides,” senior Tara Raghuveer said. “You have to be able to see both sides of the topic, not just one. You have to research laws and bills regarding the topic as well.”

Despite all the research, the debate team also had to practice speaking and arguing their topics against each other in preparation for final rounds.

“One thing that really helps us prepare for tournaments besides research is doing practice rounds against each other,” Carey said.

To prepare for some of the final rounds, Kenney has a specific method.

“My partner and I always listen to this Al Pacino quote that is this really inspirational quote from a football movie, and it always gets us really pumped up and ready to go,” Kenney said.

While debating, the team was also rewarded by improving their people skills.

“Taking debate has not only helped me in life in general but in just knowing about what’s going on in the world and my speaking skills.” Story

by Ellie Jones.

Michael Hill 10

MOCK TRIAL “In Mock Trial, we present a case in front of real judges and lawyers, so we have to act very professional and carry the arrogance of a real lawyer without getting in too deep in front of the real professionals.”

Jesse Sharp 11

LOVE STORY Right: In the Debate room, sophomore Adam Lowe works on his part of a project to integrate original work into internet-published monologues. “My partner and I wrote an unrequited love story where the girl was denying the guy,” Lowe said. “I had to work a lot on the computer to edit and mix the monologue and our story together so it sounded natural.” Photo by Alissa Pollack.

ACTING “As long as the play is a comedy, you can make any character a stereotype. I really like to do the ‘ghetto’ or ‘southern’ stereotypes. I use any idea I have about someone’s language and mannerisms and multiply it by ten.”

Roberto Sada 9 WORK FOR STATE Above Middle Right: Practicing a last minute run-through of his partner piece, sophomore Chris Carey prepares for his Forensics competition. “It’s a pretty laid-back atmosphere, but everyone wants to get in the top two so they can go to State,” Carey said. Photo by Alissa Pollack.

126 March

What has left an impression on you this year?

“I spoke on schools in low income areas because I knew I couldn’t successfully debate on a topic I couldn’t care less about.”

“Pep rallies really add an energy boost to the year. Sometimes things get so serious in school, and going to a pep rally and seeing the Lancer Dancers helps break that up. The ‘Tik Tok’ [by Ke$ha] dance was probably my favorite.” •KEARA MASSON 10

FAIRY TALE REVISED Below: Editing a prewritten story, sophomore Wil Kenney prepares a prose for the allotted time of competition. “With the Prose competition, you recite a story from a book,” Kenney said. “It’s really easy and doesn’t take a lot of preparation, so it’s my little break from all of my more intense and time consuming events.” Photo by Alissa Pollack.

Design by Emily Collins.

Anxiety

FAST FACTS About Austin Miller 11

EXACT ANIMATION Above Right: Rehearsing his comedy piece for Forensics, freshman Jack Mitchell steps into the shoes of a drag queen. “Our piece was ‘Oh, Will You Please’,” Mitchell said. “It’s about two ex-couples meeting in a subway and thinking about why they broke up in the first place. It was filled with flashbacks, and this was one of them fighting like they always did.” Photo by Alissa Pollack.

UNDER PRESSURE Senior Tara Raghuveer takes a break in between debate segments to regroup with her partner. “Debate can be a really stressful thing to be involved in,” Raghuveer said. “I spend at least 10 hours during the week working on it. My teammate and I put a lot of stress on ourselves as seniors, but it all paid off. We had a very successful season.” Photo by Alissa Pollack.

Debate and Forensics 127

The boys’ tennis team starts the season strongly by staying healthy and working on fundamentals in their quest for a State title.

Photo by Anna Petrow.

FAST FACTS About Federico Zepeda10

Design by Emily Kulaga.

IN IT TOwin it PJ Guignon’s tennis shoes screeched as he chased a lob going over his head. Sprinting into the backcourt, in an attempt to return the shot, Guignon ran full speed into a metal fence. He shook it off, turned around and walked back to the base line to prepare for the next point.

Three games later, with a commanding 5-2 lead, Guignon limped over to his coach Sue Chipman.

“The trainer is down on the track field if you need her,” Chipman said.

“No, I’m fine. I’m going to wait until after my match,” Guignon said.

Guignon is one example of a player working past a nagging injury. It’s only his second match of the season but he, along with the rest of the team, knows that it’s important to start the season strongly by staying injury-free.

“When it comes down to Regionals at the end of the season, you get seeded and every match counts,” Guignon said.

Out of the 56 tennis team members this year, the top six seeded players broke off into separate practice groups. On one court, top-seeded player Ross Guignon continued to build upon the work he has been doing for the past nine years since he first picked up a racquet at the Homestead tennis courts behind his house. While on another court, junior Kevin Simp-

SENIOR

tennisterms

East tennis players explain essential scoring knowledge.

128 March

son tried to improve his skills to move himself up on the ladder after his five-year break before sophomore year tryouts.

“I don’t really play with my friends on varsity because they’re all a lot better than me,” Simpson said. “But we still talk about tennis, and they all make fun of how bad I am.”

Up and down the ladder, players still wanted to win every match and see the varsity achieve the State title.

“I’m two thirds of the way down the ladder, but I’m friends with some of the guys on varsity,” Simpson said. “So it’d be cool to see them play even more of a role in the teams success this year.”

The team wanted the third State victory in the last five years so badly.

“Sometimes when there isn’t a scheduled practice, or if Chipman doesn’t have time, then the top six players will hold their own practice,” junior Ross Guignon said.

Even in April, a month before State, the players repeated forehand motions after missed shots and beat themselves up over unforced errors.

“You are your biggest enemy,” sophomore Austin English said. “Beating yourself is much harder than beating your opponent.” Story by Maddie Collins and Libby Wooldridge.

Doubles:

Deuce:

TEAM:

Junior Varsity

SHOE BRAND:

Adidas

SEASON GOAL:

TIME TO SERVE Left: Playing in a varsity singles match, senior Brooks Anthony throws the ball up for an overhand serve. “I’m not competitive,” Anthony said. “I’m just there for the team, but my goal is still to finish up with more wins than losses.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

“There are a lot of people on the team this year, which means there is more individual competition.

So my goal is to just move up on the ladder.”

Photo by Anna Petrow.

BACKHAND HITTING Above Left: During an afternoon tennis practice, senior Andres Rivera plays in his third challenge match of the day. “We just compete against each other in challenge matches during practice, and it’s a lot more competitive than some other sports because all of our goals are to make it to the top six,” Rivera said.

“It’s us against each other. That gives us all the more motivation to do well and make it to the top,” Rivera said. Photo by Anna Petrow.

TAKING A BREAK Far Left: After a challenge match during a tennis practice early in the season, freshman Andrew Doerflinger takes a long breather. “Playing tennis requires a lot of concentration to keep your eye on the ball and know which way to hit it, so it really wears me out. Especially when there’s sun, it’s harder to serve and see well,” Doerflinger said. Photo by Anna Petrow.

SINGLES:

LOVE:

Two vs. two match “An example of different rules between doubles and singles is which side of the court you play on. There are alleys that are defined by the white stripes. In singles, you can’t use them.

In doubles, you can, since there are two players.”

The tie-breaker point “The first point is 15 and the next is 30 and the last one is 40. If the players in a match are tied 40-40, it’s called a deuce, which is almost like overtime in a game. The first person to win eight games is the winner of the match.”

One vs. one match “There are different rules between singles and doubles. One is the way you rotate, for example who gets to serve. When it’s only one player against one other player, it’s a bit more simple.”

When the score is zero “If you’ve won the first point, the score is 15 to love. Ironically, love means zero. Another example of when you say ‘love’ is when the score of a match is ‘love-love.’ It’s 0-0. You have to win by two points.”

Ross Guignon 11

Philip Bever 10

Mark Towster 10

Andrew Doerflinger 9

“I hate when people stop to talk to friends during passing because the traffic slows down a lot.That made me realize that I when I stop to talk in the hall, people probably feel the same way about me. So I’ve become more conscious about doing that.” •RACHEL THOMAS 11

Photo by Anna Petrow.

What has left an impression on you this year?

ON THE BALL Middle Left: During a doubles match, sophomore Brooks Tate returns a drop shot. “I like doubles matches better because of the team work,” Tate said. “Me and my partner do a chest bump after we win, and, even if we lose, we still hug and know we did the best we could.” Photo by Lauren Bleakley.

IN TOP FORM Left: At the first practice of the year at East, senior Ben Carlson works on keeping his form, while playing a match against junior Reed Waldon. “Good form helps you hit the ball better,” Carlson said. “Reed is really consistent and hits the ball most of the time, so it’s important to keep your form in order to get a better hit.” Photo by Lauren Bleakley.

Boys Tennis 129

TAKING A LESSON Above: Drawing complex pictures on a whiteboard, sophomore Alex Barrera explains to the rest of the Robotics Club how certain parts of the robot will operate. “It’s a real learning experience,” Barrera said. “We have mentors from all over, and they talk and teach us, and it’s really hands on. If we have a problem, they will show us different solutions and help us build a lot of different stuff. We went to Nationals the first year, and we were one of the smallest teams in the Kansas City area.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

JOINING IN ONTHE FUN Below: Dressed in competitionT-shirt, buttons and war paint, head Robotics coach Brian Gay listens to directions and rules for competition with his team.“Painting our faces was Sargon team spirit and a spur of the moment thing on my part,”Gay said.

We wore the blue paint on Thursday in preparation for the competition that night, and the team was really surprised to see me show up with my face painted blue.” Photo by Lauren Bleakley.

down BUTTON IDENTITY Robotics members collect buttons as a team.

“Our team button had our team number on it, which was 2335. Every team is assigned a number for competitions. Our team’s name was Sargon because Sargon became emperor of the Mesopotamians in 2335 B.C.”

Russell White 11

“One team called ‘The Bomb Squad’ gave me their button that had the hazmat symbol on it, which is red and yellow. I think it was SM North’s button.”

John Mack 11

“The buttons are part of the team image. We give buttons to other teams so they remember us and come check us out later. I only wear our button and team Sargon on my shirt.

All of the other team buttons I wear on my belt.”

Andrea Wickstrom 11

130 March

Photo by Anna Petrow.

Photo by Anna Petrow.

to the details

While preparing for months for the KC Robotic Competition, Robotics Club members work out glitches and stay detailed to meet the specific requirements. preparing for months, the big day had come.

‘Breakaway’ was a three-day competition the East robotics team had been anxiously waiting for. This competition hosted teams from Chicago all the way to Cedar Falls, Wisconsin. The first day of the competition was used for practice, and the next two days was the competition itself.

“After spending six weeks of work building and putting our robot together, finally seeing it out there working was a great feeling,” senior Andrew Mohn said.

Three years ago, the robot looked like a toaster and was named ‘The Brave Little Toaster.’ Two years ago, it looked like a blender, and keeping suit this year, the robot was dubbed ‘The Brave Little Can Opener’.

“We put two large gears cut out of wood with surgical tubing as a string pulley system and added an extra motor to keep it moving,” freshman Matthew Williamson said.

Robotics members had fun making their robot as well as seeing the works of others.

“It was cool seeing teams and all the stuff they had done,” Williamson said. “It’s a really competitive environment, but everyone is really open. We were all walking around looking around at other teams designs. We were all just fascinated.”

AFTER

Although in awe at the mass of technology around them, East robotics members stayed focused on the competition.

Their robot had an on-board computer, and had to connect with the driver who controlled its movements with a joystick.

“It’s sort of like wireless Internet that connects the driver to the robot,” Mohn said. “There were wireless problems so certain robots couldn’t even move. We played as hard as we could when things were going right and just made the best out of the situation.”

With the wireless problems, the team pushed forward and made it to the quarterfinals of the competition.

“I’m not mad about not winning because I had so much fun,” Williamson said. “The key concepts for the competition were gracious professionalism and inspiring competition.”

The concept of robots interested Williamson. He planned to be an engineer and thought it was a way to get started with not only robotics but with programming as well.

“Being part of robotics was like a reality check,” Williamson said. “This is what the future could be like. Having machines to do tasks for humans, it could change the way modern technology works.” Story by Taylor Runion.

“I was really excited when I found out that East had a Frequent Friday. I didn’t think I was good enough for the acting, but the second time I tried out, I made it and got the lead. It was a twoperson play, and I had 95% of the lines.” •RACHEL FRANKLIN 9

Photo by Anna Petrow.

What has left an impression on you this year?

Design by Whitaker Sherk.

Robotics 131

FAST FACTS

About Burke Smith 11

POSITION: Defense

SAYS:

In their words

Lacrosse players explain why they started the sport and what they like about it.

“Everyone started playing, and I wanted to join in. I’ve played every year I’ve been at East. The team gets bigger every year. I like to play midfielder, which is offense and defense. We feed the ball to the forwards who go and score.”

FAST RELIEF Below: Cheering on the sidelines at their first game at Rockhurst, senior Max Sweet supports teammate junior Patrick McGannon after the game’s first goal. “We were playing Rockhurst, so it was pretty intimidating,” Sweet said. “So when he scored the goal it was riveting. I used to go to Rockhurst, so it’s hard to be competitive with them because I’m friends with all of them, but it’s fun to talk to them on the field.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

Jack Esberg 11

“I started playing in 7th or 8th grade for the Brookside Badgers. I wasn’t sure how it was going to be in the beginning, but it turned out to be a sport that I actually enjoy. It keeps me in shape and it never gets boring. Lacrosse is a fast paced.”

Whitney Kerr 10

ACROSS THE FIELD During the jamboree scrimmage, which is a practice game before the season begins, sophomore Spencer Andreson runs to catch the ball. “We were doing a ground ball drill, where two guys line up and go after the same ball,” Andreson said. “Me and [freshman] Connor McGannon rammed into each other’s shoulders and my knee gave out. I can’t play the rest of the year because I tore my ACL.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

AROUND THE OBSTACLES Above: Running around a cone at one of the first lacrosse practices of the year, freshman Alex Goldman works on footwork for conditioning. “We did a lot of footwork drills at the beginning of the season so that we could get in shape for the rest of the season,” Goldman said. “I’m a defender on the junior varsity team, and I hadn’t even touched a stick before the season. I had a lot to learn, but I’m catching on to the plays, and it’s a lot easier and more fun.” Photo by Nicole Luby.

“acrosse”

THE CITY 132 Senior Ads

Boys’ Lacrosse team plays with students from the metro area and deals with advantages and disadvantages of not being sponsored by East. the 45-minute drive over to KC Bible School, freshman Jack Longan looks forward to his first East lacrosse practice. This long drive was made every night since the lacrosse program wasn’t officially sponsored at East.

“The drive is irritating since all that needs to be done to fix it is have the sport be made official,” Longan said.

The fees were also an issue since East does not cover them. Not including equipment or hotel costs, the fee was around $400.

“I know at least ten people that would play if it were less expensive,” junior Darby Wooldridge said.

Another drawback of not being sponsored was the lack of publicity at school. In contrast, senior varsity goalie Danny Thompson thought the fees inspired players.

DURING

“Since we pay out of our pockets, people take it seriously,” Thompson said. “It makes players dedicated and willing to work.

I can see them working hard at each and every practice.”

Also the lacrosse team was able to be on the same team as people from other schools, like SM South and Bishop Miege.

Last year, in the State tournament, East was ranked 2nd in Kansas.

“The best part about our team is how our team works together and how we made it to State last year,” Thompson said.

“We have brought this program from zero wins to 2nd in State.

It’s incredible to see the transformation. I think we have a great shot at winning this year, and we are gaining some great players.”

Story by Max Blanchard.

“There’s been too much drama among my friends, and I’ve learned to think twice about who you tell things to. People get so ridiculously cliquey. But I’ve learned to stay close to people and trust my close friends.” KIRBY CLEMENTS 11

What has left an impression on you this year?

“I got started playing lacrosse on vacations over the summer in Rhode Island for a week.”

MOVING UP Left: At one of his first varsity lacrosse practices, junior Thomas Loudon observes offensive players to get used to the team. “I started out playing on the junior varsity team, but coach moved me up to varsity,” Loudon said. “I was watching the offensive plays get run because I’m still learning them.” Photo by Alissa Pollack.

Senior Ads 133

Design by Kate Kulaga.

to

134 March

Kiley Lawrence 12 “We just saw a marionette shop in Austria, and so I went in, saw a random clown marionette and bought it. There were a ton of different characters.”

Micah Patterson 12 “I got my prom dress at H&M in Salzburg. It was the last dress on the rack and only 20 euros. Almost every girl got a scarf. They were all really beautiful and cheap.”

Emma Marston 11

After visiting Nashville, Tennessee last year, choir students take a eight-day tour throughout Europe. of snow fell, occasionally obscuring the view of the Alps in the growing darkness. While on the bus ride to their hotel, the 100 choir members realized that they weren’t in Kansas anymore. In fact, they were very far from Kansas.Thousands of miles away from home, the students gazed out of the window at the sights of Salzburg.

Salzburg was just one of the four cities that the choraliers visited on their eight-day tour. They spent two days in each city: Salzburg, Vienna, Austria, and Prague.

While touring Europe, the choraliers did three formal concerts and three informal. Due to problems with connecting flights, 31 of the choraliers were stuck in Chicago for a day, while the rest had to perform at their first informal concert.

This seemed to be the only problem they ran into, for they continued their concerts without any other problems. The students found it interesting to hear how long the music rang out in the European buildings.

“We got to see how the music was supposed to sound,” senior Lois Wetzel said. “The acoustics, the resonance, it went on for at least a few seconds. It was unbelievable.”

The students were not only intrigued by the sounds of Europe, but also by the sights.

“The full effect that we were in Europe kind of hit me when we got to the hotel,” junior David Frizzell said. “We got to tour the cities each day during the afternoon, and then we’d have the concerts at night. We saw buildings that were built so long ago; it was amazing that they were still there.”

As with every school trip, the choir spring break was a learning opportunity. Choir Director Ken Foley’s main goal was to show the students how the music they were singing had begun long before in the places they were singing.

“The history of music started over there,” Foley said. “To be able to sing is a really great experience for them. I wanted this to be a spring break they would never forget.”

Luckily for Foley, all of the choraliers were sure that they could never forget their memories of Europe. It seemed to be an amazing experience for all.

“It was hard to believe and just grasp the fact that the songs we were singing were meant to be sung from where we were,” Wetzel said.

“Overall, the whole experience was unforgettable.” Story by Mallory Fisher.

SIGHT TO SEE Far Left: Overlooking a scenic town in Prague, juniors Morgan Holm and Dylan Dunn take a picture together.

“The trip was a life-changing experience,” Holm said. “It was my first time outside the country, and I loved being around the new environment, languages, food, currencies and people.” Photo by John Francis.

SOUND THAT SHINES Left: Standing on a chair in the middle of a cathedral at the ‘Melk Abbey’ in Vienna, choir teacher Ken Foley conducts an impromptu concert. “We had just taken a tour outside Vienna, and we ended up there,” Foley said. “It was the most live cathedral we sang in on the trip. It just had a beautiful sound.”

Photo by Dan Stewart.

CLUMPS

PLACE TO PLACE Above: Entering the courtyard of the Melk Abbey outside of Vienna, junior Tim Madison and a group of choir students admire the historic building before visiting the museum. “We were going from Vienna to Prague, and this was one of the stops along the way,” Madison said. “We took a bus if we were going somewhere far, but we just walked everywhere else.” Photo by Maddy Bailey.

“I bought a pair of earrings in every town we went to - Vienna, Cesky Krumlov and Prague. I thought getting the earrings would be interesting and will last a long time.”

What has left an impression on you this year?

from

‘The Sound of Music Fountain,’ Salzburg, Austria. Photo by Samantha Bartow.

Choir students share the souvenirs they picked up in Austria and Czech Republic.

“Going to State for girls’ basketball was really great. We worked so hard all season, and we felt like we deserved to win. I also didn’t expect it to be over so soon, so it was heartbreaking that we didn’t make it farther in State.” •LOGAN WECKBAUGH 11

LIFETIME MEMORIES Below: Holding hands during a song at a cathedral in Vienna, junior Tanner Williams and the chamber choir sing at a concert. “Singing in the cathedrals with the choir was a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Williams said. “They were really old and antique and had incredible acoustics, which made the song ten times better.” Photo by Dan Stewart.

spring break keepsakes

FOREIGN FLICKERS Left: After shopping in Vienna, senior Sarah Are and some friends stop inside a cathedral to light candles as part of a Catholic tradition. “I’m not Catholic, but my friends and I each lit a candle to pray,” Are said. “Some of my friends lit candles for [senior] Bryan Barrow. I lit mine in thanks for getting such a great opportunity to go on this trip.” Photo by John Francis.

Choir Europe Trip 135

APRIL

“The First Fridays opening was really cool. It was unique and pretty packed.

The exhibit next to Studio B had pictures and caught my eye.

It was really interactive, and the whole atmosphere made it really fun and interesting.

The way everything was set up appealed to me because it wasn’t just something to look at.

The hands-on aspect of it kind of opened up a new side of art to me, which is important to me because I’m really involved in filmmaking and dance.”

Drew McNamara 12

136 April

LEAP OF FAITH Left: During a pole vaulting practice, senior Dominika Golinska takes a break from weight training, running and other forms of conditioning. “At my school in Poland, we don’t have sports, so it’s my first sport in all my life,” Golinska said. “When I am pole vaulting, I feel like I am flying, but I’m not scared of falling at all. When I complete a vault I feel like it’s a job well done and it’s something I have a lot of fun with. It’s the best feeling ever.” Photo by Nicole Luby.

HALLWAY SCIENCE Right: Sitting outside of Biology class, freshman Sam Bihuniak works on a project in the third floor hallway with fellow students. Bihuniak chose to skip Physical Science and move right into Honors Biology freshman year as an accelerated approach to working through the extended science program offered at East. “I like the ecology part [of biology],” Bihuniak said. “I really like learning about the climates and the ecosystems.” Photo by Nicole Luby.

INTERACTIVE ART Above: Touring around the Crossroads Arts District’s First Friday on April 2, senior Drew McNamara tours an exhibit next to Studio B whose festive and interesting decorations caught his attention. “I liked that you got to get involved in the art and be a part of [the exhibit],” McNamara said.

“I’m always interested in going to First Fridays to see all of the different artists. I love all kinds of art.” Photo

by Anna Petrow.

April Division 137

THE LAST SWIM Left: Performing their song “To the Ocean,” senior Kaevan Tavokolina plays with his band Mr. Fish at their final appearance at Bunch Of Bands in the East gym on April 1.

“It was fun because we just let loose for 20 minutes and had fun,” Tavokolinia said. “I actually passed out for a second and fell backwards, but I caught myself and came back. [Our last performance at Bunch of Bands] was bittersweet, but we are all ready to move on to bigger things.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

FEELING THE ELEMENTS Left: Feeling the heat of lit coals near her face, sophomore Jane Turner performs at the First Friday event on April 2 in her second home that is the fire dancer’s parking lot of 21 Baltimore.

“I stopped dancing for a while, but I couldn’t not go back,” Turner said. “The feeling of having control if the fire surrounding me is the best feeling and the audience fearing for you so much is entertaining.” Photo

by Anna Petrow.

ENVIOUS ARTIST Right: In art teacher Jason Filbeck’s seventh hour Watercolor class, senior Evie Marshall sits outside the art hallway to complete her watercolor. “We had a substitute that day, so I thought, ‘what the [heck], it’s a nice day, I’m going outside’,” Marshall said. “[I was painting] my self portrait for one of the two Seven Deadly Sins. I chose envy because it’s something that I’m guilty of.” Photo by Alissa Pollack.

SM-EYE-LING Below Left: Showing off a tulle skirt designed by junior Emily Collins, junior Shauna Kenton strikes a pose during the NAHS Fashion Show at the Third Eye Gallery in Crossroads art district. “I was trying to show off how the tulle was flowing because that was the coolest part,” Kenton said. “I was trying to not drool or throw up, so I just made that face.”

Photo by Anna Petrow.

whats‘ your impression?

GOALIE GIGGLES Left: Guarding the goal for the Lady Lancers, senior Jessie Jacob lightens the mood by cheering and laughing during the April 8 varsity game at the Nieman Complex against SM South. “I’ve always been a goalie, and I used to get nervous whenever the action came near me,” Jacob said. “But now I just get excited. I like to just lighten the mood and have fun with it.

I just want to enjoy every minute I can on the field.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

THE BARE TRUTH Right: Fighting off the pain of cold cement and small rocks catching in her bare feet, junior Emily Collins holds her TOMS Shoes flag for curious observers. The Coalition led a bare foot walk to school on international TOMS “A Day Without Shoes” on April 8.“We walked less than an hour on side walks,” Collins said. “But the pain that we felt in our demonstration gave us more of an idea of what it is like to not have the luxury of having shoes. Photo by Anna Petrow.

138 April

Emma Robson 9

Maggie Allen 10

“I think the expectations are probably pretty high this year, but [golf] is definitely a good sport. Personally, I don’t think it’s very enjoyable to watch, but it’s awesome to play it because it requires a lot of patience and skill, plus it’s unique.”

“I have never played softball before, but my best friend plays softball at [SM] North. She tried to get me to join the team at East, but I didn’t want to. She just said it is a really fun game, and I will definitely go to the East vs.

North game.”

GIRLS’ SOFTBALL

“[My sister senior Haley Dagleish] just started this year and doesn’t really know what she is doing. I guess you could say she’s teaching me because I don’t know anything about it either.”

BOYS’ GOLF

“I play guitar, so I love music.

I would do orchestra if I could play those instruments, but they are all really talented. I’m not in a band, but I do solo stuff.

I play acoustic guitar.”

Logan Dagleish10

GIRLS’ LACROSSE

“I don’t know much about the swimming team at East, but I’ve been on a swim team before. It’s the most tiring sport of any I think because it works every muscle in your body.”

Mason Pashia 9

ORCHESTRA

“It sounds really intense, rough, dirty, time consuming and strength requiring. I would not want to go out for the sport because it is too physical for me.

I think it sounds really interesting, and I think that it should be more popularized.”

Sam Sudekum 10

GIRLS’ SWIMMING

“Track is a great sport, and anyone can find an event for themselves, so there’s something for everyone.

It’s been a good season so far, and the team captains are helpful.”

John Horvath 10

RUGBY

TRACK AND FIELD

Ben Williams 10

SINCE THE BEGINNING Left: Before the first varsity girls’ swimming meet, senior Taylor Burkhead cheers alongside fellow varsity members.

Many of the girls on the team are really close and have been friends since freshman or sophomore year.

“Before every meet we do a cheer, and that’s just a way to pump us up and give us encouragement,” Burkhead said. “We ended up winning the first meet. It was a good start to the season, and we were all successful. Being good friends helps us come together as a team when we are at meets.” Photo by Mary Longan.

April Division 139

NO PAIN, NO GAME Left: Struggling with the pain of two leg injuries during a meet at SM West, sophomore Emma Pennington jumps over a hurdle. “I was so glad that I was able to finish the race,” Pennington said. “My leg felt like it was tearing during the race, but I placed in both races, so it turned out okay.”

Photo by Anna Petrow.

READY, SET, GO Left: Freshman David Sosna waits for the command to start the race. “When I get on the blocks at first, I just get in the zone and I do final stretches,” Sosna said. “I just focus on everyone and think through all the techniques. There’s a kind of silence when everyone is down in position–a feeling of peace.” Photo by Mackenzie Wylie.

TEAM:

Junior Varsity

EVENT: Hurdles

SAYS:

RUN TO WIN Below: Varsity track senior Chris Clark runs a 100 meter race at meet SM West. “I always just run to win for my team,” Clark said. “I don’t think about much when I run, I just try to do my part. “Photo by Anna Petrow.

“I’ve been doing sprints for the past two years and it got boring, so I started hurdles, high jump and long jump to challenge myself.”

take lead the

EXHAUSTED EXCITEMENT Left: Exhausted but relieved, senior Jessie Sykes cools down after running the mile at a meet at SM West. “That was my first race ever on track, and I was glad to get it done and under my belt,” Sykes said. “I was tired but felt strong considering the conditions were a lot harder than at time trials because of the wind.” Photo by Dan Stewart.

What has left an impression on you this year?

MISS IT OR MAKE IT Below: During an afternoon track practice, freshman Grace Pickell positions her body to clear the bar for the high jump. “My goal is to get better and try to clear 5”2’ by the end of the season,” Pickell said. “Track is a team sport in the sense that we train together and want each other to do well, but you’re basically competing against yourself.” Photo

by Anna Marken.

Chosen for their leadership, responsibility and hard work, track captains lead the team. athletes stretched, flexed and reached in unison on the track as senior captains Scott Cantril, Zach Clements, Jay Lehoczky, Maddy Rich, Hannah Satterlee and Grant Stauffer called out the warm-ups and stretches.

Although the track team previously had never had leaders with titles, this was the first year the coaches felt official captains would be the best solution to keep the team together.

“On a team as big as ours, we felt [having captains] was necessary in order to keep unity in the team,” head coach Brie Meschke said.

Captains were selected by the coaches for work ethic, leadership, encouragement of other members, responsibility and their dedication to the sport. The captains often led by example.

“The team captains lead stretches, all have good attitudes and just help motivate people to work harder,” sophomore Jack Fay said.

After stretches and warm-ups, the track team separated into groups and started running, jumping and throwing.

300

While training for their own events, captains looked out for their teammates.

“They make you want to try harder because you know they’ve worked really hard all four years to get there,” junior Tucker Styrkowicz said. “It’s an honorable thing. I’d be proud to be a team captain. It wouldn’t mean as much if the coaches just picked the fastest six runners. It’s what they do at practice that makes the team better as a whole.”

Motivation was something that kept the team throwing, jumping and running strongly.

“If someone’s running and a captain starts cheering, that person would probably start running faster because of that motivation,” Fay said.

Captains weren’t the only motivators on the team. Other runners helped motivate each other too.

“Other kids trying hard makes you want to work hard,” Fay said. “If you see another person close in front of you, you want to try harder and try to beat them – that will definitely carry over to meets.” Story by Taylor Runion.

JUMPS

Track team members from different events explain their warm-up routines before races.

pre race routine 140 April

JAVELIN

SHOT PUT

HURDLES

“I do a variety of stretches beforehand, and we do a few practice runs before [our event]. We run through the pit without the jump a few times, and then we try it with the jump, just for more practice.

And then we run around the track a couple times.”

“We usually stretch out our arms and legs. We usually run two laps around the track and sprint a couple of times. While we’re stretching, we just talk with each other.”

“When they say ‘runners take your mark’ I do a few jumps. You stay in a squat the whole time and walk back to the block and get on our hands and knees. You have to keep your butt up and stay on your toes so you’re ready to go when the race starts.”

“First, we jog down and back on the football field. We do some basic stretches, just like stretching our legs, and arms out. We also run across the track a few times. It helps to get all of us loosened up before we go.”

Ryan Ash 11

Nora Kanally 11

Ali Gibbin 10

Eric Sieck 10

“Drill team has definitely been my best high school experience. It has taught me to work as a team and provided me with a lot of friendships. I have enjoyed spending time with the teams at games, because it is a more relaxed atmosphere.” •Alexandra Ferlas 12

FAST FACTS About Rhegg Delara 11

Track 141

UP UP AND AWAY Junior Mark Mergen subs for his teammate at practice. “You have to be pretty precise when you get lifted,” Mergen said. “You have to be on cue, and when they throw you up, we have signal that a guy will say so that everything is in sync.” Photo

by Brook Barnes.

GET EXCITED Before the game against Rockhurst, sophomore William Cameron huddles up with his team. “We have a cheer called ‘Alligator’ that we scream and we sway side to side,” Cameron said. “We also bash the other team, and that also helps to get us pumped up.” Photo by Claire Wahrer.

FAST FACTS About Scott Rainen12

TEAM: Varsity

POSITION: Back

WHAT’S A LINE-OUT? When a ball goes out of bounds in rugby, a line-out occurs. A line-out is similar to a soccer throw-in. Opposing teams line up to create a tunnel, and the ball is thrown down the middle. The East team uses these three plays to gain possession of the ball.

LIQUOR The two x’s on either side of the black x lift him up and try to be the first to get the ball as it is thrown back into bounds down the tunnel.

The same concept for Liquor applies to Beer, except the x that is lifted is in the front, it is the easiest to catch and it is the play that is used the most.

CIGARETTE East player

BE THE BALL At a practice at Franklin Park in March, senior Jacob Johnson feeds the ball into a scrum, when all of the forwards huddle together and the forward in the front middle fights for the ball with his feet. “I am always looking at what the other scrum is doing,” Johnson said. “I have to think about where my feet are placed, and I have to think about protecting the ball because we don’t want to lose it to the other scrum.” Photo by Brook Barnes.

142 April

Opponent

Ball

READY FOR CHANGE Senior Elliott Yohn tackles a teammate at practice. He recently switched from playing baseball to rugby. “Rugby is a lot more physical then baseball,” Yohn said. “It is also a continous sport, where in baseball there are a lot of breaks.” Photo by Makenzie Wylie.

BEER

The ball is thrown down the tunnel to the black x on the end who immediately runs with the ball. This play is used mainly to throw off the other team.

RUB SOME DIRT IN IT

The rugby team copes with many injuries throught the year, yet they still believe they have a good shot at making it to State. elbow to the face led to a dead tooth – a tooth which needed a root canal to fix it. This was just another injury senior Sean Graybill had to deal with while playing for the rugby team.

“Every game is tough,” Graybill said.

This year, sophomore Tyler Knight had a head-to-face tackle where he broke his cheek bone and nasal cavity. He will need surgery and a metal plate in his head in order to recover. Last year, several players broke their collarbones.

Every player will give you a list of injuries they’ve had over their short rugby careers. Senior Rocky Hill has sprained his ankle, stretched his rotator cuss and always had scrapes and bruises after a game. He has even caused injuries to others.

“I broke this kid’s knee once,” Hill said. “I went in for a low tackle and caught my shoulder in his knee.”

A lot of injuries become worse, however, because of a rule that only allow players to be subbed once. Once you cross the line and leave the field, you have to stay out. When players have nagging inju-

AN

ries, they don’t want to miss out on the game, so they insist they are all right and stay in the game.

All these injuries did not stop the team from getting 3rd in State last year and striving to be back in State this year.

“Our team strength is our aggressiveness and that we are never afraid,” sophomore Gage Cameron said. “We have good players in the back, and we’re never afraid of punching people in the face.”

Of all the opponents that the team wanted to beat the most, the number one team on that list was the Rockhurst Junior Blues. Rockhurst was ranked 3rd in the nation in ’09 and usually to dominates the matches against East. East has never beaten them, but the games get closer and closer every year.

“We stay close in the games against them, but at the very end, they just break away,” Graybill said.

With this positive trend, a positive attitude also surfaced.

“One of these years, there will be a Rockhurst upset,” Cameron said.

“I am very active in the theatre program, and the audition process made me very social. At the start of the year, I didn’t talk to a lot of people, and theatre helped me talk to more people. I like it because I have met a lot of interesting people.” •Jacob King 9

“A grubber is when you kick the ball at the ground, it bounces up to chest height and you run at it. It splits the defense of the other team because you kick it past their line so they’re out of position. It works more often than not, and when it does, it’s awesome.”

What has left an impression on you this year?

SAYS:

Rugby 143

LOOKING AHEAD Below: Reading the set list at an afternoon swim practice, freshman Elizabeth Bittiker looks over and prepares for the drills ahead. “I like having the set sheets that [coach Rob Cole] makes because I like being able to see what’s coming and how hard it will be,” Bittiker said.

“It always helps me to pace myself through the whole practice, so I can have energy for the hardest set.” Photo

by Alissa Pollack.

Marston Fries 11

“The swim cap makes your head be streamlined with your body. I don’t really feel weird wearing one anymore, but if I see a non-swimmer, they’ll usually give me a funny look. But I’m used to it.

SWIMSUIT

Katherine Higdon 11

TAKE A BREAK Left: Before continuing to work on her 50 freestyle at practice, freshman Tiernon Shank stops for a break. “I was working especially on my start and turn because they’re the things that can add to my time,” Shank said. “I just like [the 50 freestyle] because it’s just an all-out sprint the whole way, and it’s short and fast.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

“[The swimsuits] are Speedo Endurance brand, so they last longer and the materials are stronger, They definitely make us faster, and they dry really quickly, which is nice.”

GOGGLES

Amy Sachse 11

“I use Speedo goggles with a rope strap. The rope strap helps make the goggles more secure so that when we go off the block, they don’t fill up with water and interfere with our race.”

GASPING FOR AIR Left Below: During the meet against SM Northwest, freshman Helen Petrow races the 100 breast stroke. “It is a really hard race because your legs kill after it,” Petrow said. “I might have gotten a State consideration, but I’m not sure yet. I think it would be really fun to go to State, but I would be really nervous.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

Photo by Anna Petrow.

With a large swim team and limited varsity spots, Lady Lancer swimmers face... the bell rang to end the school day, the Lady Lancer swimmers made their way down to the locker room to change into their Speedo swim suits, Columbia blue and black caps and goggles. Going into this early-season practice, the girls knew they would have tough competition amongst themselves to be on varsity.

During tryouts in early March, the girls were told that 24 varsity spots were open and that there might be a slight possibility that it would be pushed to 30 if more girls proved to have varsity potential.

“Having thirty swimmers is a bit of a change for me,” junior Dana Sherard said, “But it’s not necessarily a bad thing. It just means we have a lot of good swimmers who could swim at the varsity level.”

Sherard, as well as other upperclassmen, was used to having a small varsity team and did not expect the number of swimmers on varsity to exceed the number of swimmers on JV. However, the new freshmen turned out to be competition for them, and it pushed

AS

them to swim harder and faster.

“We are actually swimming faster at this time this year than last so I think the extra swimmers has created a fairly competitive environment for everyone,” coach Rob Cole said. “So I see it as a positive.”

With over 50 girl swimmers, the pool was often crowded.

“Sometimes we have 8 girls in one lane,” senior Hannah Gerwick said. “And if one girl has to stop, everyone else either has to stop or go around her.”

But many of the girls thought the advantages outweighed the disadvantage of the crowded lanes. The large team allowed for a greater team dynamic, and the competition encouraged the girls to push themselves to swim to the best of their abilities.

“With as many girls as we have, there is always something going on,” Sherard said, “If someone is having a bad day there’s always someone there to cheer them up.” Story by Atiyeh Samadi.

READY, SET GO While at practice in the East pool, sophomore Lanie Leek works on her relay starts. “I was practicing this because I am a freestyle racer,” Leek said. “Being on time and earliest as possible with out false starting is the hardest part.This is my first year, so I am learning more and more about it.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

Photo by Anna Petrow.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT Left: During a difficult freestyle drill, junior Katy Richardson pushes through an afternoon practice at the East pool.

“Practice started off easier this year, but [coach Rob Cole] has made the practices a bit harder each time,” Richardson said. “I guess it’s working because I’ve done a lot better than last year. The tough practices have improved my times a lot.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

144 April

What has left an impression on you this year?

SWIM CAP

Swimmers explain what they need for practices and meets.

“I’m new to the district, so everything is everything is so new. In general, it’s different from middle school, but I was still really scared to be a new girl in a huge group of new people. I ended up making really good friends in all my classes.” •MORGAN KISLER 9

swim & dive essentials

Girls Swimming 145

MORNING MUSIC Junior Emily Goering joins the rest of the violinists in first hour.

“Once I walk in the Orchestra room, it’s easier for me to focus, even though I have friends there with me,” Goering said. “It makes it easier because we are all working to a common goal, and playing music is always a good start to the day.” Photo by Nicole Luby.

through the ages

Design by Emily Collins and Libby Wooldrige.

Orchestra students learn new techniques as they are introduced to music from different time periods and cultures. up her cello, sophomore Julia Davis felt nervous about sight-reading. She was used to playing more classical pieces, but this year, she was in symphonic orchestra, which focused more on music from different centuries, as well as music from around the world.

“Everything, except the 1800’s stuff, we’re playing is new,” Davis said, “So when you’re first reading it, it’s hard to know what it’s supposed to sound like. But once we play it a few times, it gets better.”

While she focused on improving her sight-reading skills with new music, she also spent time with more challenging pieces.

“Generally I think modern stuff is more interesting because the audience can relate to it,” Davis said. “But I like the classical stuff because it’s really hard. Once you get it, it’s a huge sense of accomplishment.”

Davis enjoyed performing at concerts for other people to hear but also understood that because she knew the music, she would understand more of what was happening in the piece than the audience.

“If you’re in the audience, it doesn’t sound as cool as if you’re playing,” Davis said. “When you’re playing you know all the little things that

PICKING

MAN’S BEST FRIEND Above: Senior Austin Hunzeker plays his violin in the March concert. “I am very protective of my instrument,” Hunzeker said. “I never let anyone borrow it, and I always leave it in a cubby in the orchestra room, so it’s never out in the open. I usually don’t take it home, but if I do, I put it under my bed so nothing happens to it. If something happens to it, I’m screwed.” Photo

by Anna Petrow.

Performance Preparation Below: Preparing for concert, senior Heather Athon plays her viola while looking off stand music. “I find my focus by feeling the music because each time we play it is a different experience,” Athon said. “We also have rotational seating, which adds a sense of independence with different experience levels.”

Photo by Danielle Norton.

CONCERTO GROSSO

Handel, 1739 “Combined Concert and Philharmonic Orchestras performed the Allegro from ‘Concerto Grosso.’

There is a certain thing Handel gets that we can relate to in a religious sense. The uprising and joyous feeling ‘The Mesiah’ creates- it translates to music the same way.”

GOING SOLO As a top seat violinist, junior Jonathan Dawson joins in with the rest of the section after a solo. Dawson didn’t feel nervous because he enjoyed performing. “I really like playing by myself,” Dawson said. “When you are in the group you sound so together. When you are playing a solo, the audience hears just you, and you have more control over what the audience hears.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

musical variety

make it sound like it does.

While Davis found that knowing what section was responsible for which part in the music made the piece more enjoyable, senior Laura Scott thought that knowing where the piece came from and why it was written made it more interesting to play.

“Mr. [Jonathan] Lane is able to teach us about time periods and musical periods,” Scott said. “We learn progression of music and how it’s changed.

Among all of the pieces the orchestra played this year, Scott’s favorite was Mendelssohn’s Reformation. One reason she liked it was she knew the history behind it, which she thought added to it grandeur.

“It’s a grand piece,” Scott said. “It’s powerful and big. It makes a statement. The song’s about reformation and challenges against the church.”

Scott found meaning deeper than the sounds of violins, violas, cellos, and basses playing together.

“When you get to that point in the music, you know where you’re at. It’s very bold.” Story by Taylor Runion.

MAELSTROM

McGraw, 2009 “The Symphony Orchestra performed ‘Maelstrom.’ It was a good opportunity to show [the students] what they are capable of by having them play something written by their peer [senior Charles McGraw]. This was written just last year, so it creates more excitement in the moment.”

FLOWER DUET

Delibes, 1881 “The Chamber Orchestra performed the ‘Flower Duet’ from ‘Lakmé.’ This romantic opera piece is something you hear all of the time. They remember it subconsciously. Sometimes it’s like we play the hits, but they’re old hits and are all cohesive to our orchestra.”

“For Homecoming, I went with a group of friends to ‘The Melting Pot’ [restaurant]. I enjoyed having a worry-free night with my friends. It was a different dance experience that I want to experience again.” •LAUREN ADAMS 10

&around the world

BUILDING UP Above: Focusing on his stand music, senior Brice Roberts plays the viola during his first hour Orchestra class. “After tuning, we work on problem spots and go through different places and work it back together,” Roberts said. “We start with small chunks and then add to both sides until it gets bigger, and we can play the whole piece all the way through.” Photo by Nathan Simpson.

146 April

COMING HOME Senior Laura Scott plays in the new East auditorium for the annual Collage Concert, the largest concert of the year. “Since the auditorium was under construction last year, we had to travel to other Shawnee Mission and Kansas City schools,” Scott said. “The new things don’t really effect us in our concerts, but I really see how nice it looks now, so it gives a better atmosphere, and we can build our sound to match it.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

What has left an impression on you this year?

THE FACE OF A PROFESSIONAL Above: Junior Greg Tracy plays the up-right bass in the Symphonic Orchestra at the Collage Concert on March 5. “I’m focused to the point that I have no idea what I look like,” Tracy said. “Most of the orchestra has commented on my facial expressions.

At times, playing hurts my hands. That’s where part of it comes from.” Photo by Eliza McCormick.

Director Jonathan Lane explains the benefits of playing diverse pieces.

Orchestra 147

NO TIME TO RE LA X

Design by Will Chertoff and John Francis.

guards, goggles and cleats were nothing new to junior Marissa Horwitz. After playing lacrosse for a few years outside of school, she decided it was time to create East’s first ever girls’ lacrosse team.

“I played for Blue Valley last year, and I was just kind of mad that I wasn’t playing with all my friends,” Horwitz said.

Horwitz had an overwhelming response after creating a Facebook group asking people whether or not they would play lacrosse for the Lancers. While one hundred people joined the group, 38 girls actually came out to play.

Instead of only Lancer girls playing on a team, girls from every Shawnee Mission School came together to form a team.

While there was a large turnout – more than enough girls to create two teams – there was a lot of inexperience as a group.

“A lot of practice has just been basic building, just passing and ground balls,” Horwitz said. “Most of the people on the team haven’t done it very long.There are probably only three girls with more than two years of experience. Then, there are about six people with one year of experience. Everyone else has never done it before.”

Learning to understand the rules,

MOUTH

PASSING MADE PERFECT Above: Junior varsity lacrosse player junior Mackenzie Burroff works on her passing skills at practice.

“We warm up with passing and pass back and forth with a partner,” Buroff said. “While receiving a pass, I’m trying to concentrate on keeping the head of my stick at the right angle.” Photo

by Anna Petrow.

RESET Above: Preparing for a throw-in after a foul at the game against Blue Valley, junior Libby Steinbock collects the ball from the referee. “We had a lot of fouls called at that game,” Stienbock said.

“Three of our players got yellow cards and were forced to sit out for three minutes.” Photo by Danielle Norton.

playing a brand new sport for most and playing with a new team were challenges many of the girls went through. Instead of complaining, the players, including senior Annie Bennett, focused on the positive.

“A couple of weeks before, [senior] Haley Dalgleish told me about it,” Bennett said. “She had heard that the team was looking for people so she told me about how it works and the kind of commitment it takes.”

Making a commitment to the team formed a common bond within the girls, which broke down barriers that normally would prevent complete strangers from becoming friends.

“I like getting to know different people from different schools that I normally would never see or hang out with,” sophomore Caroline Wooldridge said. “It’s just cool that we can all play together as a team.”

Hoping to continue their newly formed relationships, some girls on the team had hopes for the future of East girls’ lacrosse.

“I hope that it becomes a bigger sport at East, like basketball and football,” Wooldridge said. “I want more people to try it out because it’s just a really fun sport.” Story by Mallory Fisher and Taylor Runion.

ALL THE GEAR EYE FOR GOAL Above: At a varsity practice at Franklin Park, junior Kerri Ricketts works on her shooting technique. “We usually work on shooting for ten minutes every day,” Ricketts said. “The hardest part is putting enough force into it. You have to have a lot of arm strength.” Photo by Anna Petrow.

148 April

REACHING OUT Below: Chasing after the ball at practice, junior Shauna Kenton battles for possession. “I play wing defenseman,” Kenton said. “My main defense is mainly just to foul people a lot.” Photo by Lauren Bleakley.

What has left an impression on you this year?

Members of East’s first-ever girls’ lacrosse team work together to learn the moves and rules of this new sport.

FAST FACTS About Addie Hotchkiss 09 TEAM: Varsity

FAVORITE DODGE: The “twist”

SAYS:

“The best part is the aggressiveness. You really have to work hard in order to achieve a win. We have to work together because it is all about teamwork. We have won a couple and lost a few. Since we just started, it’s hard to be perfect, but we are improving a lot.”

Players rely on different kinds of equipment to get through the season.

THE CLEATS

THE STICK

THE GOGGLES

Cleats are neccesary to use because the player can get more traction on grassy surfaces. The cleats also provide better protection for a player’s foot.

The stick is the main tool used by the players. It is used to pass, shoot and collect the ball off the ground.

Players carry the ball in this to maintain possession.

The goggles are crucial for players’ protection. The ball is as hard as a baseball and can seriously damage one’s eyes. No player plays without these on.

“I graduated early and went to Winter Park, Colorado.This was the best winter I have ever had. I have had more fun this winter than I have ever had in my life. I’m doing what I was born to do be doing: Snowboarding every day.” •ANDREW ARNOLD 12

HUDDLE UP Right: Before their first game, senior Louisa Morton and the varsity team huddle for a pep talk before playing against Blue Valley High School. “[Our coach] always tells us what positions we will start in, and then we do our cheer,” Morton said. “I think we need to come up with a better cheer, though.” Photo by Lauren Bleakley.

Girls Lacrosse 149

boys’ golf team aims to take back the State

FAST FACTS About Chase Hanna 9

TEAM: Varsity

PLAYING SINCE: 7th grade

MARKING THE BALL:

“I put a dot by the number [on the golf ball] with a Sharpie to distinguish it.”

LUCKY HAT:

“I wear an orange hat that says ‘Warner Brothers’ in black lettering. I lose all of my stuff, and that’s the only thing I have kept for a long time.”

title after placing third last year. out onto the damp, green fairway, junior Andrew Morrison sized up his competition. Because of the harsh winter, he, along with most of the golfers, wasn’t able to practice in the off-season and began tryouts a little rusty.

However, after a few days the boys proved to have potential.

“Our scores in the beginning of the season are what they were towards the end of the season last year,” Morrison said.

The skill level of the players had the whole team longing to make a come back and win the ‘10 State title after taking 3rd place last year.

Many golfers had personal goal of stepping up their game and being part of the varsity team that gets to go to State.

“There’s a little bit of pressure competing against my teammates because everyone is ready to do battle on the courses,” Lucas said. “There are some really good underclassmen this year. We are all just sort of mesmerized by how good we are as a team.”

WALKING

Although golf is often an unpredictable sport, the boys’ team still wanted to perfect their every swing, aim and alignment.

“The hardest thing is staying consistent,” Morrison said. “One day, I’ll go out and hit the ball really well, but the next day, I’ll start slicing and shanking the ball, and I’ll have to sit down and figure out what the problem is.”

Perfection was what many golfers who wanted to make it to State strived for.

The players could have been moved up or down the team rankings depending on how well they played in tournaments and during practice.

“Everyone wants make it onto varsity and stay there, so it’s not only how well you play but how well you play compared to the other guys on the team,” Lucas said.

The players’ determination to win and their pursuit of perfection drove them to work towards their ultimate goal of taking back the State title. Story

by Atiyeh Samadi.

Players explain what they eat, drink and do to calm their nerves.

150 April

PERFECT HIT Above: Senior Grant Burnside tries out for the boy’s golf team at Mission Hills Country Club. “There’s nothing special about my swing; the best thing to do is just follow fundamentals that are taught in lessons,” Burnside said. Photo by Max Stitt.

PRE-GAME HABITS

Sunflower Seeds

ARNOLD PALMER

PUTT AND CHIP

“This year, I eat sunflower seeds in between rounds. It sets my nerves straight and gives me something to do while I’m playing.”

“Before every round that I play, I usually drink an ‘Arnold Palmer’, half-and-half iced tea lemonade. It calms my nerves.”

“Before a tournament, I like to warm up, so I go to the range and hit balls and putt and chip. I feel more confident when I get to practice beforehand.”

Grant Kendall 10

Grant Sitomer 9

Conner Knabe 9

AIM AND ALIGN In the middle of the golf course, senior Ian Boat uses a wedge to get out of the light rough. “The biggest thing is to focus on where to land it,” Boat said. “If you can’t land it on the right spot, it wont go on the right line. It’s tough to hit it at the exact spot, but I usually get it close enough.” Photo by Max Stitt.

What has left an impression on you this year?

With new players and fresh talent, the East

ON THE GREEN Above: During a practice at Mission Hills Country Club, freshman Chase Hanna and seniors Ian Boat and Grant Burnside walk to the next hole. “While I’m walking from hole to hole, I’m trying to think about what I need to do for the next hole,” Hanna said. Photo by Lauren Bleakley.

SWING TO A TEE On the green, sophomore Zack Kasmiskie swings and hits the ball straight down the fairway. “You can play bad one day and just amazing the next. You never know what’s going to happen,” Kasmiskie said. “If I’m playing badly, I go out on the range and work out the kinks. It really helps to practice swings to get them just right.” Photo by Max Stitt.

“Trying a new sport has definitely impacted me because I’ve realized how much I really love playing lacrosse. The new girls’ team is amazing, and it’s really great getting to know the other girls on the team.” •KERRI RICKETTS 11

UP TO PAR Design by Emily Kulaga, Atiyeh Samadi and Maddie Collins.

TAKE IT SLOW During a practice at Mission Hills Country Club, sophomore Henry Simpson thinks through his next shot. “I take my time to think things through,” Simpson said. “Before I take a shot, I make myself think good thoughts because if there are bad thoughts going through my head, I can easily get out of line.” Photo by Lauren Bleakley.

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many sports, veteran leadership is the glue that keeps a young team together. But with this year’s team, there were no seniors to provide this stability. Instead, the leadership of this new team was left up to sophomores and juniors.

“The majority of the softball organization this season are freshmen who don’t fully know what they’re doing, so I feel like it’s more the sophomores and juniors responsibility to take care of them and teach them how to do drills and give them pointers,” sophomore and varsity first baseman Morgan Satterlee said.

One change from the past years is the team voted on their captains, rather than giving this title to the seniors. Junior Haley Fosnough-Biersm and sophomore Kyra Slemp were willing to step up to the challenge of leading the young team.

“I feel like the juniors have much more responsibility because we need to be role models for the underclassmen,” FosnoughBiersm said. “We have to fulfill the examples

FAST FACTS

TEAM Varsity

POSITION: Pitcher

SAYS:

“Well, we don’t have any seniors this year. This means us little guys have to step up and lead the team, but other than that, we are doing alright so far.”

What has left an impression on you this year?

With no seniors on varsity, girls’ softball team looks for leadership from underclassmen.

IN

About Meagan Dexter 11

PICK OFF Right: Freshman and third baseman Kassey Hughes tries to tag out a player during their first game against Olathe Northwest.

“We were running a play where the catcher throws the ball to third base while the runner is leading off,” Hughes said. “It keeps them from leading off.” Photo by Alissa Pollack.

that the previous seniors have left behind.”

Instead of letting the lack of senior leadership hinder the team, the players embraced it and looked at the positives of this senior-less team.

“The team is mainly juniors and sophomores so we all know each other and talk to each other before and after school,” Satterlee said. “We have bonded more as a team, which will help us with our season.”

Aside from talking in the hallways, the girls also planned on having a team sleepover like the previous year. They took any opportunity, like going to Winstead’s after practice, to bond and grow closer to each other.

“It’s not like in the years past where you listen to certain people,” Fosnough-Bersm said. “We all just listen to each other, which is really important.”

If all players return for the next year, the same group of girls will play together in the 2011 season. So, this year was just the beginning. Story by Carolyn Welter.

FIRST PITCH During practice, sophomores Kyra Slemp and Cara Shaw work on pitching and batting to get prepared for their game. “We make sure to give them a pitch they would see in a real live game,” Slemp said. “We work on soft toss, which is just a light throw. Sometimes we also work on change-ups.” Photo by Danielle Norton.

PREPPING FOR THE PLATE

Players talk about pre-batting routines and practices.

152 April

“First, we hit off the tees and we practice inside and outside pitches. Then we just start doing soft tosses where someone lightly tosses you the ball.”

“We all do our stretches as a team, and then we warm up on the tees before we go out to the batting cages. We have stations [in the cages], which we rotate at.”

“I usually swing a couple times before [I bat] just to make sure I have the right form. We practice with [different] pitches, which is good if the other team tries to trick you.”

Sydney Edminsten 9

Ashley Lemos 10

Kennedy Grimes 10

FIRST PITCH Left: Pitching in the first varsity game against Olathe Northwest, sophomore Shannon McGinley pitches to the first batter of the game. “It was a really tough game because we lost ten to zero,” McGinley said. “When I miss a pitch, it’s easy to get down on myself, but I have to remember it’s only one pitch and the game keeps going, so I have to stay positive.” Photo by Andrea Zecy.

TEAM MEET Right: Standing with her team, freshman Dee Dee Guthrie listens to JV coach Mike Keener talk. “I was listening to coach Keener critique my catching and tell me that it will stop hurting when the pain goes away,” Guthrie said. “He has jokes that he thinks are funny but they’re not, so we all laugh.” Photo by Danielle Norton.

“I think Coalition [has left an impression on me]. I just think it is so cool that there is a way we can volunteer at school. I really liked the [Love 146] Benefit Concert because it was just really fun and we raised a lot of money.” •Hiba Akhtar 10

LESSON LEARNED At JV practice, freshman Emily Colebank gets a lecture from coach Mike Keener. “I probably messed up on one of our plays and ran the wrong direction,” Colebank said. “Usually he makes us sprint to the place we were supposed to be in.

After doing that a few times, it’s embarrassing so you end up doing it right.” Photo by Alissa Pollack.

UP TO BAT

TEAM SUPPORT Left: On the bench, sophomore Caroline Nick cheers on her teammates during their first game against Olathe Northwest. “We really needed our team to get a hit,” Nick said. “When we cheer them on, we are showing them we want them to do well.”

Photo by Andrea Zecy.

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