Issue 14

Harbinger the

ISSUE 14 / SHAWNEE MISSION EAST / PRAIRIE VILLAGE, KS

APRIL 13, 2009

HOME NO PLACE LIKE

Under financial constraints, more seniors consider state schools

// SARAHMcKITTRICK

With the economy struggling and unemployment rising across the United States, deciding where to attend college has become a much more complicated issue.

According to a New York Times study, there are reports nationwide of increases in applications for public universities and decreases in applications to many private universities as a result of the worsening economy.

According to the College Board Web site, the average annual tuition and fees price for a public school is $6,585. However, the average annual tuition and fees price for a private school is $25,143. This $19,000 difference has become more pronounced as students make their college decisions during the current economic recession.

The study also reported a substantial increase in financial aid applicants throughout the country.

Senior Wraye Sewell chose to attend a state schools, citing cheaper cost of a public school as the prevailing factor in her decision.

“I don’t have much of a choice,” Sewell said. “It’s hard to balance two jobs and then still have time for friends and family, but it will be worth it in the end.”

Sewell, who will attend the University of Kansas in the fall, must pay for 40 percent of her college tuition and ruled out attending anywhere else outside of the state early because of cost. To earn money for school, Sewell has taken up two jobs, one at a law firm and one selling dog food for the company Netro. She works five days a week for a total of 18 hours and has been doing this since June.

To help save money, Sewell signed up for the most inexpensive dorm available and the lowest costing meal plan. Since she wants to become a teacher, she may also have to take out loans to help pay for graduate school.

Local colleges, like Kansas State University and University of Missouri - Columbia, have felt the effects of the economy through increases in applicants and need for financial aid.

According to Larry Moeder, Director of Admissions at Kansas State University, applications have held steady, despite a small high school graduating class for the state of Kansas.

Continued on page 2

NEWS: Earth fair cancelled >PAGE 3 SPREAD: Exploring the stem cell issue >PAGE 16-17 A&E: East students at First Fridays >PAGE 21

PAGE 2 NEWS / APRIL 13, 2009

the price of higher education

they can attend these schools.

Although he applied to several state schools, senior Jordan Holsinger decided that a private school was worth the extra cost if he could get some financial aid through scholarships. Jordan, who will attend Juniata College in Pennsylvania in the fall, said that a private school is a better fit for him after spending two years learning in a small community with East’s IB program.

“I will definitely get a more personalized education at a small school,” Jordan said. “At a smaller school it’s harder to fall through the cracks.”

Since money was an issue for Jordan, he researched several scholarship options with his mother to help pay for tuition and fees. Jordan applied for scholarships at each of the 10 schools he applied to, as well as one scholarship through his church.

The scholarships he applied for had a wide variety of objectives such as leadership, theater and academics.

Once he narrowed his decision down to two schools, Jordan “haggled” with the two schools over the amount of scholarship money they would give him in order to receive the maximum amount of money possible. The amount of money he ended up receiving from Juanita almost matched KU’s in state prices for tuition based on merit scholarships.

“Financial aid was going to be a big part of his decision,” Jordan’s mother, Christi Holsinger said. “But all of the extra work for scholarships paid off.”

Like Jordan, other students across the country have been offered in-state tuitions from outof-state school. According to the New York Times study, several public schools have started offering in-state tuitions to students in nearby states to compensate for the budget cuts states are making.

To compete with public schools’ lower tuition, many private schools such as SLU have started programs to help students fighting the economy.

SLU recently began a program to give scholarships and loans to new and returning students who are affected by the economy. SLU has also been contacting alumni and local businesses to donate money to the school’s endowment fund.

“College choices are going to continue to be a hard decision,” Dick said. “Cost is going to become the first thing people think about and people will have to look at more affordable schools.”

This decline in applications is especially devastating for small private schools, who rely heavily on tuition to remain open. According to the New York Times study, two-thirds of the private institutions interviewed by the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities said they were concerned about how to compensate to decreases in their enrollment.

To compensate for loss in applications, these universities plan on accepting more students to make up for the loss of money. Other universities are eliminating teaching positions and courses and cutting back departments’ budgets.

“There is so much speculation,” Baker said. “Everyone has their own ideals and it’s hard to tell what will happen in the future.”

// MICHAELSTOLLE

// CONTINUED FROM PAGEONE

However, Moeder said that the university has seen a 40 percent increase in federal in financial aid application rates in the past year. About two-thirds students at K-State will receive some type of financial assistance through grants, loans, or scholarships.

“Although there is the same amount of interest in applying, students need more help paying for college,” Moeder said.

The economic struggles have also affected the K-State’s scholarship funds. Alumni, who in the past gave donations to the school’s scholarship fund, are now giving less because of the economy. As a result, KState has lost 10 percent of its scholarships for the upcoming year from last year.

Senior Alyssa Jonson received an academic scholarship to K-State and said the school contacted her about the lack of available scholarships. According to Jonson, K-State sent a letter out to potential students to ask them to tell them if they weren’t attending so they could give the money to some other people who also needed it.

“A couple of my friends got scholarships to other schools but K-State is still cheaper compared to them even with the extra money they got,” Jonson said. “I don’t know why I would go out of state when I could get a good education in state.”

K-State’s out-of-state applicants are also not declining, but Moeder said that’s not necessarily indicative of how many will decide to attend the university.

“It’s very difficult to predict with the economy how many will be able to actually attend,” Moeder said.

Unlike K-State, the University of Missouri, Columbia has seen a substantial increase in their applicants over the last several years. MU’s class of 2012 is the largest freshmen class ever to attend MU, with almost 5,900 students. This year, the university has seen an increase in 1,900 total applicants compared to last year.

Daniel Willis, an admissions representative at MU, attributes this increase to several factors, such as the good education the university provides as well as the cheaper cost of attending MU. “Missouri is a good deal compared to many private schools,” Willis said. “There has definitely been an increase in financial aid from applying students.”

Dan Dick, a financial services counselors at Saint Louis University (SLU), said that the private university has not seen a decrease in applications this year despite the opposite trend among many other private schools. He attributes this to many students applying to more colleges to keep their options open.

“We have heard a lot more about applicants’ concern about paying but it hasn’t seemed to effect where they are applying,” Dick said.

However unlike SLU, many private schools across the country have experienced decreases in applications. The New York Times study said that 13 members of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest, which includes private colleges such as Carleton and Grinnell, plan to accept 11 percent more applicants to make up for a 10 percent decrease in applications. The study attributes this to more students applying to state schools to save money during the economy.

The New York Times study also reported that several well-known public universities, such as the University of North Carolina, the University of Michigan and the University of Virginia all had gains in total applications. According the study, this indicates that some students are opting to attend college closer to home to avoid the high costs of private schools. Enrollment is up so much at some public universities that states such as California and Arizona are capping off enrollment because of state budget cuts.

Despite this trend, counselor Don Baker is surprised at the lack of change in student’s college decisions with the worsening economy.

According to Baker, in East’s typical graduating class of 500 students, 150 will attend KU, 50 will attend K-State and 150 will attend Johnson County Community College. Only two parents from the graduating class have come and talked to the counselors about financial situations with college, only 1 percent of the graduating class “I thought I would see more interest in the state schools, but the numbers aren’t showing it yet,” Baker said. “I was shocked when they told me this. I have no idea why this is.”

Many students who have decided to attend private schools are taking advantage of scholarship opportunities to get help paying for tuition so

Students reevaluate college plans due to the weak economy

AN EARTH-SHATTERING EVENT Annual Earth Fair cancelled due to construction, leaving students looking for alternatives // CONORTWIBELL

Senior Savannah Duby, president of the Environmental Club, was very disappointed that there was not going to be a formal Earth Fair this year. Duby was one of the first to know, and the news didn’t come easy.

“I felt like some of the reasons it was cancelled were legitimate, while others seemed like excuses,” Duby said. “Part of it was that we wouldn’t be able to handle traffic for that many people, but we still have a gym, so we really could have done something using the space, even if it was scaled back.”

For the first time in seven years, East will no longer hold their own Earth Day celebration for the city of Prairie Village, East students and faculty, due to the construction going on. Ever since East started their annual Earth Day celebration seven years ago, Environmental Ed teacher Jim Lockard has been involved in some fashion.

“We have nothing planned at this time for an Earth Fair,” Lockard said. “So hopefully we’ll come up with some kind of cleanup, maybe of like a creek or something, we’ll see.”

One of the main problems construction caused for the Earth Day celebration is the destruction of the Spirit Circle. Lockard said that this is a big problem, be-

cause there is no access in and out of the gym, which is where most of the Earth Fair would be set up. Among other problems due to construction included destruction of the auditorium, where videos were shown during the event.

In the years past, there have been many activities offered during the Earth Day event, such as watching videos in the auditorium, going to different booths set up in the gym about our environment, and a display and presentation of Solar Cars.

Lockard feels that the annual East Earth Fair had become a pretty big deal and hopes that his classes can come up with some good ideas for a celebration.

“It’s not just kids that would get something out of it, it’s the whole Prairie Village community,” Lockard said.

However, one East parent has already found another way for students to celebrate a traditional Earth Day celebration. Kristen Riott, mother of senior David and freshman Patrick and active member of the Prairie Village Environmental Committee, spoke to students earlier in the year at an environmental assembly about going green.

“I work for a company called Bridging the Gap, which does another Earth Fair called Earth Fest, which will be on May 9,” Riott said. “It could be a good event for students to attend to learn more about our

EASY WAYS TO GO ‘GREEN’ According to Environmental Club president Savanah Duby <<Support a clean energy move-

Turn off lights and electronics when they are not in use. Computers and gaming systems can use as much energy as an average household refrigerator.

<<

// RACHELENGLISH

ment such as wind energy or clean coal. Duby showed support at a clean energy rally at the state capital in March.

<<Stop using plastic water

bottles that can often be difficult to recycle. Duby suggests the reusable aluminum SIGG water bottles that start at $18.

Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs. Duby suggests that if the dark tinge of the light bothers you, put it in a room in combination with a regular bulb.

plan.”

Most of the Environmental Club members look forward to seeing what creative alternatives they can come up with after the break.

“We are thinking of doing a walk, something related to the shoe drive, maybe like a shoeless walk or something like that,” Duby said. “We might do that either the last day of the drive which is the [April 11}, or on Earth Day which is [April 22].”

Duby also thinks that they may do a unique spin-off of the school wide cleanup STUCO did earlier in the year.

“I noticed after [the cleanup] the school didn’t seem significantly cleaner, and so maybe we’ll try that again,” Duby said. “We really haven’t talked about it much, but I definitely like the idea of it.”

Duby thinks that though these activities would all be great alternatives, the club is having trouble getting students to be involved, such as senior Andrew Curtis, who attended East’s Earth Day celebration as a freshman, but hasn’t been to one since then.

“At first I wasn’t too interested in [Earth Day], but after staying at the event for a while I felt like I got a better understanding of the environment,” Curtis said. “I think it was a pretty good experience overall, but I just felt like once I went, I didn’t need to go again because I had learned a lot already.”

Duby hopes that students like Curtis continue to go to environmental events around the community.

“It is important that everybody is aware of what they are doing to the environment and then also how they can help,” Duby said. “But it is kind of hard to get everyone conformed to sustainable practices, because out of habit, we just don’t do that naturally.

Earth Day is really important because it reminds everybody and compels everybody to really pay attention to the environment.”

Changes to seminar under consideration for next year // TAYLORHAVILAND

After a year of block scheduling, East has decided to make a few changes to improve the schedule. Seminar, which is currently second period of even scheduled days, will be moved to the end of the day next year.

Having seminar in the middle day was not as efficient as the administration would have liked. Multiple complications occurred, and East’s administration decided to move seminar to the end of the day.

“Our biggest problem was our Broadmoor kids returning at awkward times during the day,” Associate Principal Heather Royce said. “Kids also found it easy to leave seminar and go to lunch, especially underclassmen.”

Royce feels that fewer students will skip class at the end of the day because so many are involved in extracurricular activities. Studies at other schools have shown an improvement in attendance when their study periods were moved towards the end of the day. “[Students] are going to leave no matter when seminar is, and having seminar at the end of the day won’t make a difference except for more Friday schools, so why not make seminar optional?” junior Dani Miller said.

One of the main issues East’s seminar committee faces is whether to allow seniors in good standings (passing the schools set requirements) to leave school instead of at-

tending seminar.

“If optional seminar was approved it would only be open to students in good standings, Royce said, “We have not really talked about what good standings is yet, but I speculate you will have to have passing grades and good attendance” Other problems that have posed concerns are that seminar counts towards the total hours students spend in school, so the school may not meet the required hours if seniors do not attend seminar.

“It’s already an easy year and there is usually not that much to do, so we would be better off being away from school instead of sitting around aimlessly pretending to do work,” junior Andrew Mohn said.

PAGE 3 NEWS / ISSUE 14

briefs Athletic orientation for incoming freshman will be tonight at 7 p.m. Information regarding sports and eligibility will be distributed during this orientation.

There will be an 1:10 p.m. early dismissal on Tuesday for a teacher workday. The class schedule for the week will be as follows: Today: All hours Tomorrow: Even blocks Wednesday: Odd blocks Thursday: Even blocks Friday: Odd blocks The 9:20 a.m. late start for May 6 has been moved to April 29. The schedule for that day will be 2, 4, 6 with no seminar period.

Seminar Update: There will be no seminar on Tuesday because of a 1:10 p.m. early dismissThere will be no seminar on April 29 because of a 9:20 a.m. late start.

The Kansas science assessment is next week for freshmen, sophomores and select juniors. The library will be closed next week during the school day.

The last day of school is May 27. This is a change from the original date of May 29 because of the unused allowance of two snow days. Finals schedule will be as follows: May 21: 7:40 a.m. first hour final and shorter seven class schedule .

May 22: 9:20 a.m. to 1:10 p.m. hours two and three finals.

May 25: No school for Memorial Day May 26: 9:20 a.m. to 1:10 p.m. hours four and five finals.

May 27: 9:20 a.m. to 1:10 p.m. hours six and seven finals. Last day of school for freshmen through juniors.

The “Bunch of Bands” concert which showcases five East student bands is Thursday at 7 p.m. in the gym. Admission to this concert is $3.

The East football team will be delivering mulch this Saturday between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. If ordered is not delivered, contact the salesman. To purchase mulch without pre-ordering, mulch will be available in the senior lot during this time period.

For additional coverage of news affecting East, including coverage of the programming team’s extended success, visit The Harbinger Web site at www.smeharbinger.net.

PAGE 4 NEWS / APRIL 13, 2009

Alcohol-related death affects future Greek policies // KEVINSIMPSON

After a fatal night of binge drinking at a University alcohol education courses for freshmen, as well as ocof Kansas fraternity, questions are being raised as to casional meetings with students to refresh the informawhether or not the current Greek policies need to be tion. changed.

Smith believes that policies concerning mixers with Jason Wren, a freshman at KU, drank multiple marsororities could be one way to slow the alcohol probgaritas and beers, as well as several shots of whiskey, lems. He said there is concern on the amount of alcohol before being put to bed by a few of his Sigma Alpha allowed at the events and stricter rules could help ease Epsilon fraternity brothers, according to the University the fears.

Daily Kansan newspaper. The next day, Wren was proStill, not everyone is certain that rule changes will nounced dead due to “excessive drinking.” have an effect.

Wren’s death has led to policy-changing discussions “I think everyone makes mistakes,” Smith said. by the Inter-Fraternity Council at KU. The level of alco“We’re college students. We’re up living on our own. I hol consumption in the tragedy is at the center of the think we should be mature enough to make the right debate. decision.”

East ’06 graduate and Phi Delta Theta member GraThere are policies in place that attempt to prevent ham Stark is president of the IFC at KU. Stark thinks the binge drinking. The Phi Delta Theta fraternity is a dry incident taught the campus a lesson. house, meaning no alcohol is allowed in.

“I was in an initial state of shock,” Each night, most fraternities find Stark said. “It’s really unfortunate a member to place on duty for StuWe’re college students. We’re up dents Against Drunk Driving. This that it happened, but I think it made everyone on campus think about living on our own. I think we should be sober person drives around, looking how their decisions affect the rest of mature enough to make the right deci- for other house members to pick up their life.” and safely transport home. Formal Stark said that the tragedy has sion. rush parties are even alcohol-free, sparked new programs around camper IFC regulations. pus in order to discourage students from drinking. PoDespite the attempts to keep drinking safe and to a lice officers discuss the legal ramifications of getting minimum, the problem is apparent. caught drinking underage. Doctors and nurses from the According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse Lawrence Memorial hospital talk about alcohol abuse and Alcoholism, four out of five college students have effects. consumed alcohol, including two of five binge drinking One of the new programs involved a guest speaker in the last two weeks. who had consumed alcohol before driving. He got in a According to the NIAAA’s study, over 1,400 alcoholcrash and two of his friends were killed. The speech forelated deaths at colleges are reported nationally each cused on the dangers of drinking and driving. year.

“There really is a lot of stuff in place to show that Senior Chad Allen did admit that, with the tragedy drinking isn’t the number one priority of college stuoccurring at his future school, he would be more caudents,” Stark said. tious.

Changes to the Greek scene come on a house-by“I don’t know what kind of policies they can apply to house basis, according to Stark, and the IFC is currently the whole Greek community,” Allen said. “Unfortunatediscussing ways to solve this problem. ly, [Wren’s situation] might have to be a lesson.”

East ’06 grad Tyler Smith, a rush chairman of the Even with the presentations, policies and punishBeta Theta Pi fraternity, anticipates more regulations to ments, Stark believes it is the student’s responsibility to be made regarding alcohol consumption. make a safe choice.

He thinks one way to combat the consumption is to “You only get one chance at life,” Stark said. “You make mandatory don’t want to waste it on alcohol.”

“

”

-East graduate Tyler Smith

lancer voice On alcohol-related fraternity death

Does the recent alcohol-related death affect your decision to rush a fraternity or sorority?

Do you think there should be any policy changes to prevent accidents like this?

senior BEN GLOE

“No, I think the people just need “No, not really. If you control to know their limits. If someone yourself then it doesn’t become dies, the college kind of has to an issue.” intervene. They shouldn’t let that house be a wet house.”

senior MARIA JUAREZ

“No. He just made bad decisions and other people around him were making bad decisions.

College for me is a super serious endeavor, and I’m not into all that partying.”

“This has happened in the past and they intervene. Kids are going to find a way to drink. It’s the same as in high school. Kids will do what they want.”

senior JANE MAHONEY

“It doesn’t change my decision.

I think that sometimes people get out of control and don’t realize that things could happen.

You have to use self-control.”

“It’s hard for universities to intervene for that stuff, but sometimes it’s necessary if it gets out of hand. I’ve heard of fraternities going on probation.”

GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS

Twenty-eight qualify for Anaheim DECA competition

// BILLYKIRKPATRICK

Junior Beck Johnson has worked hard for this. He has come in before and after school. He has taken numerous practice-tests.

He had done countless role-plays. But he is also going to Anaheim to have fun.

“It’s really fun because we’re going to Disney {Land}, basically,” Johnson said. “We have a lot of free time to go around and do fun stuff and I think everyone is pretty excited.”

The East DECA program will send 28 students to the DECA International Competition in Anaheim from April 29 to May 3. Although East participates in this competition every year, the number of students being sent this year is double the total of students that participated last year. The students participating in the trip to Anaheim finished in the top 3 percent in the state of Kansas at the state tournament and will compete against about 18,000 kids from around the world.

“I barely tweaked in,” said Johnson, who finished fourth at state, but got in via dropout of another contestant. “I am just going to go and do my best.”

DECA is a marketing competition club in which students compete in different areas of business. Within those areas of business, students can compete by doing role-plays, in which a reallife scenario is given to them to solve. The students then have 15 minutes to solve the scenario before presenting their solution to a judge who works in that area of business. Students also take 100-question tests over the material.

Another way in which students can compete is by preparing a presentation over a particular topic which includes a 30-page paper and a 20 minute presentation for the judges. These are the procedures that will be used in Anaheim, as well as the ones that were used at the state tournament. Students may compete either individually or in teams.

The trip to Anaheim costs $657 per student, which includes lodging and airfare to and from Anaheim. The trip is paid for strictly by the student and, as a result DECA, is organizing a variety of fundraisers. These include a bake sale, the selling of East Lancer apparel and a raffle in which the winner gets to park in front of the school for two to four weeks.

Students prepare for competitions by taking practice-tests and doing sample role-plays. In the opinion of Johnson, they are a key contributor to the success of the DECA program at East.

“They really help you with your self-confidence,” Johnson said. “The more and more I do those, they seem a little easier every time.”

Johnson and Sarah Hemer have also received a special honor in DECA other than going to the international competition. Johnson was elected the Kansas DECA President for 2009-2010, and Hemer received the position of Kansas DECA Vice President.

Both had to campaign at the state tournament in front of 1,000 students that participate in DECA in the state of Kansas and will be going to leadership training while in Anaheim.

In the opinion of DECA sponsor and marketing teacher Mercedes Rasmussen, one of the added benefits of participating in DECA is that it helps students see if having a job involving business or marketing would interest them.

“These kids actually dress up in suits, and they are putting on the air of a business person,” Rasmussen said. “They are having to solve problems. They are having to think on their feet quickly.

They are having to develop professional, promotional campaigns of ideas that businesses would actually use. So I think all of these things make them see what the real world is going to be like.”

Johnson believes that DECA has helped him prepare for what might become a career path for him and would recommend it to other students.

“I would tell [other students] it is the best way to prepare them for business in the real world through school,” Johnson said. “Next to getting a job somewhere, I don’t think you can do anything else more realistic and better preparing for the real world than DECA.”

Preparing for State, Mock Trial team works hard on

JUNIOR Dana Leib sorts her Mock Trial material in preparation for her upcoming competition. Leib is part of East’s team that went to State last Saturday. // MAXSTITT

// MELISSAMcKITTRICK

She wishes she could wear her power suit to court. Junior Dana Leib’s skirt and blouse don’t fit her argumentative nature: she wants to seem professional, sharp and quick. Instead, she steps into a slightly clingy and ruffled black skirt – something she thinks a working-class mom might pick out to look nice. She pulls her green and light wool V-neck sweater over her head, sliding her arms through the bell-shaped sleeves. Next come the sensible black flats, a complete opposite to power-pumps. Gold locket – check. Fake diamond earrings – check.

Hair down – check. Legal pads, pens, and documents – check, check, and check.

She’s a take-no-prisoners lawyer one minute and a single mom with three jobs the next. It’s a tough balance, but no one ever said Mock Trial was easy.

“Mock Trial is sort of like Fight Club,” Leib said, “in that you know it’s a mock trial but you aren’t allowed to say or admit that it’s not real. You have to completely play it as if you were in a real courtroom.”

That means that single mothers can’t afford sky-high pumps and expensive suits. Lawyers can’t attack emotional women who have just lost their sons. Defendants can be on the verge of tears, coaches can’t lie and everyone has to be on top of their game. Leib is ready, and so are the rest of her teammates: East students junior Weston Halberstadt, junior Nick Caruthers, sophomore Jesse Sharp, junior Jayson Williamson, sophomore Nik Dijko, senior Kelsey Henry and freshman Chandler Pruneau. After months of memorizing, writing and rehearsing, East’s eight-person Mock Trial team qualified for State and competed last Saturday, May 11, hoping to qualify for Nationals.

“Making it to Nationals is definitely our goal,” Leib said. “I’d say our chances are pretty good, but I don’t know about the teams from the other Regionals tournaments.”

Although East teams oftentimes do well at Regionals and continue on to State, it’s much more difficult to make it to Nationals. This year, though, the team’s coaches have told them that they have a

PAGE 5 NEWS / ISSUE 14

MAKING THEIR CASE shot.

Mock Trial is a class at East where students study the judicial procedure, divide into teams and try an imagined case at the Regional Mock Trial tournament at the Johnson County Courthouse. Students play the parts of plaintiff, defendant, lawyers and witnesses, oftentimes going through several between rounds.

“The case was about a student who was using steroids and consequently got a heart attack and died,” Mock Trial student and junior Tara Raghuveer said. “His mother was suing the school that he attended as well as his track coach.”

The case has itself is full of twists and turns for Mock Trial competitors to navigate, such as the Vice Principals’ testimony that he gave the coach an internet printout linking the deceased to steroids and the best friend’s accusations that the coach said a couple of supplements were worth if for the scholarship money athletes can get.

Raghuveer believes that the coach automatically looks guilty, senior Tommy Gray ran into a question that seemed to blame the student’s best friend, Sharp worried about other witnesses’ answers and Leib struggled to balance the temperament of an aggrieved mother with the cunning answers of a student who’s in it to win.

“We spent a lot of time planning strategy and being aware of what points the other sides will bring up,” Leib said.

In addition to navigating the courtroom drama of witnesses, testimonies, and arguments, Mock Trial students also have to learn to play the part. As Leib discovered, it’s sometimes hard to dress for two parts. Leib has to be a mom and a lawyer; Caruthers, on the other hand, has to be a fraternity boy and a lawyer.

“We’re trying to ‘frat him out’ because he’s supposed to be a college student,” Sharp said, “but we’re trying to figure out how to do that and still have him be a lawyer.”

Although Leib was both a witness and a lawyer, her favorite part to play was that of the lawyer. Leib’s love of public speaking means that she shines during the opening – she sees it as a chance to truly perform.

“It’s also the best opportunity to – manipulate is not the right word – to take control of the situation,” Leib said. “In everything else, what you do is dependent on what the other team does. Openings and closings are your time to shine.”

Sharp also loves the opening statement for the same reason: it’s a chance to say what you want, without having to worry about the other team objecting. After the opening statements come direct and cross examinations. Question time for the lawyers; show time for the witnesses. Gray, a witness for both defense and prosecution, says that creativity is the biggest part of success.

The act is full of contradictions: answering a question without giving away too much, acquiescing without seeming to give in, and sometimes skating over facts without leaving tell-tale signs of an omission.

“You’re basically trying to make an argument with what you’re saying, but not come across as ar-

gumentative,” Gray said. “I’m trying to defend myself but not look defensive.”

After the questioning and closing statements, it’s decision time for the judge. Not only does the judge decide on a winner of the case, but he or she also decides on a winner of the team competition. The teams advance through four rounds, trying to win the most and advance on to State.

Leib said that her team had been gunning for state the entire semester.

“It came down to our last two rounds,” Leib said.

“If we lost them both, there was just no way.”

At the awards ceremony, all eight members of Leib’s team were – as she put it – freaking out.

“It was really tense, and no one would tell us [if we made it],” Leib said.

The National Forensic League’s squad policy mandates that students don’t learn the results until they’re announced at awards ceremony. As the students huddled together, the speaker began to list off schools. Leib and her team listened for the top four, knowing that those slots were the ticket to State.

Fourth place – not them.

Third place – not them.

And then, finally: “They called our team for second place,” Leib said. “We were all just sort of in shock. There was a lot of mental jumping up and down – I might have jumped up and down a little bit.”

East’s other Mock Trial team – including Gray and Raghuveer – will not continue on to State. Although the scores were not announced, the team believes that a technical error kept them out – although their scores likely placed them in the top four, a rule that only one team per school can continue on kept them from advancing.

Excited, the team immediately began to plan: what they needed to practice more, what they needed to change. They know some of the curve balls from Regionals, and they’ve reviewed holes in their case. Every Monday the team met, doing objection drills and running over evidence rules.

“We’ve been memorizing our openings and closing so we look even more professional,” Sharp said.

“We’ve been practicing anything and everything for Mock Trial so that it goes into our heads and we don’t forget it.”

The Mock Trial assistant coaches have told the team that they have a pretty good chance, and the team believes it.

“We’re hoping to qualify for Nationals, and that entails getting first place at State,” Leib said. “I think that with Jordan Simon died from the extra work that steroid abuse. His mom, we’re doing we should Kelly Simon, is now suing be able to definitely his school, Desert Willow beat the teams we met High, and his track coach, at Regionals.

ObviTerry Swift, for negligence. ously, the other teams Swift holds that he couldn’t from the other Regionhave known about Jordan’s al tournaments are an steroid use, but Kelly says unknown factor – but that a trained professional we’re not going to let like Swift should have recthat psyche us out.” ognized the signs.

the TRIAL

// KANSAS BAR ASSOCIATION

PAGE 6 NEWS / APRIL 13, 2009

Officer Bartlett leaves after position is eliminated by district budget cuts // ANNABERNARD

At 7 a.m. Officer Ted Bartlett arrives at East. First thing, he sets up the front circle drive, getting things ready for the morning drop off. Keeping the traffic moving has always been a problem this year. Around 10 a.m. he escorts the cafeteria ladies to their workplace.

Next, he monitors the student parking lot, making sure no underclassmen try to sneak out for open lunch. Throughout the day, Bartlett patrols the halls, making sure everything is as it should be. At 2 p.m. he walks the cafeteria ladies back to their cars, then prepares the front circle for afternoon pick-up.

Even with the drive between East and his house in Osawattamie, Kansas, Bartlett has been completely satisfied with his job this past year.

Bartlett had become accustomed to the daily routines and found his niche within the community.

However, due to the district-wide budget cuts, Bartlett’s position, as newer of the two SMSD district officers at East has been eliminated along with around six other staffed positions.

The cuts leave East, and all other district high schools, with only one district officer and one student resource officer at each school.

Then Bartlett made the decision to leave

before formally terminated, starting the job hunt after only eight months of employment at East.

Bartlett was quick in his decision to return to his hometown to work as a patrolman at the Osawattamie Police Department where he had worked previously and was currently employed part time.

Now, Bartlett’s new job as an Osawattamie patrolman involves enforcing traffic laws, responding to calls, and patrolling the area. During his evening shift, he checks the local lake. During his night shift, he completes “business checks,” where he makes sure the local shops are safe. On weekends, heavier patrol is required when looking for people who are “heavily intoxicated.”

Things that he said he will have to re-acclimate himself to after his stint as a district officer at East and an SRO in Osawattamie for eight years.

Bartlett is glad to have a job closer to home, but he said that takes the good with the bad. He said he feels fortunate to have a job in the economy, but ultimately is saddened to leave a high school environment and the East community.

“With patrol, the comment we all make is that you deal with ten percent of our population 90 percent of the time,” Bartlett said. “It’s not the desirable ten percent we deal with. In the schools, you see an end result with what you do… I found it more rewarding than writ-

ing tickets and putting people in jail.”

Bartlett would highly consider working at a school again, but positions at the Osawattamie High School currently does not include his previously held SRO position because of the school size.

“Part of what they’re doing down here [in Osawattamie] is that they’re looking to reestablish the SRO program,” Bartlett said.

“I had worked down here for eight years as the SRO in the school system where I graduated from.”

“

I came from a very small, conservative community. It was refreshing to be in a larger school system that had so many more opportunities for the students and was much more open-minded to things.

”

-Officer Ted Bartlett

Osawattamie High School is a class 4A school and only has around 360 students in the building. East is a class 6A school with a larger student body. But, Bartlett says, the responsibilities as an SRO at both schools are very similar.

District officer Richard Pacheco and SRO Brady Sullivan will now be responsible for the duties that used to be split among the three.

Principal Dr. Karl Krawitz believes that the budget cuts could possibly limit the of-

ficer’s ability to supervise and protect the premises.

“The decrease in officers could make supervision tougher,” Krawitz said. “The parking lots have been hit hard [with break-ins].

If this was able to happen with three officers, a reduction would sure not make things better.”

However, Pacheco believes that since there had previously been only one district officer several years ago, before the addition of a second officer, so security will be just as manageable.

“I will probably be a little bit busier on a daily basis [with Bartlett gone.]” Pacheco said. “If there was any other way to have as many officers as we’ve had in the past that would be a good thing.”

The district officers patrol the school building and look for potential problems or conflicts that might arise throughout the day.

They also write tickets in the student parking lots, but Bartlett said that their number one responsibility is keeping the students and staff safe.

“I came from a very small, conservative community,” Bartlett said. “It was refreshing to be in a larger school system that had so many more opportunities for the students and was much more open-minded to things.

The administration is great, the students are great, and the parent involvement was phenomenal.”

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PAGE 7 EDITORIAL / ISSUE 14

To make grades better reflect student’s efforts and give them greater motivation to succeed, East should switch to a plus-minus grading system

SETTING THE PACE The fourth quarter has arrived, third quarter grades are finalized, senior papers have been turned in and summer looms in the near future. During this time, it is easy for upperclassmen and underclassmen alike to “check-out” of their classes with a lack of attention.

This slacking off is only encouraged if the student has established a mid-level grade, such as an 86 percent, causing them to lose the motivation that drives most students: grades. Ideally, students would be motivated by the opportunity to learn, but all too often this is far from reality.

Select students with borderline grades have the motivation to fight to achieve or maintain grades, but for a large number of students who have mid-level grades, this motivation lacks. Chemistry teacher Cole Ogdon has noticed this trend of students who are near the middle of the letter grade, being less motivated to do well. He sees this in the effort that students put into the class to maintain their grades; be it homework assignments, class participation or performance on tests.

In order to stifle these cases of inattentiveness, East should adopt a plus-minus grading system similar to the one adopted by the University of Kansas for the fall 2008 semester.

In this system, grade point average would build on the A through F scale and establish weighted values for plus and minus grades on each point level. Students within two percent of the adjacent grade level would receive a plus or minus and a quarter grade point added or deducted.

Then a quarter of a grade point would be added for a plus, or subtracted for a minus, so that students with grades between 80.0 and 81.9 percent would receive a B minus and a 2.75 GPA for the class, grades between 82.0 and 87.9 would receive a B and a 3.0 GPA and grades between 88.0 and 89.9 would receive a 3.25 GPA. Under the grading system, these students with mid-level grades would have greater motivation to remain involved in their classes because of the opportunity to build on, or fear of deductions to, their grade point average.

The student with an 86 percent would now have motivation to get within two percent in order to get a B plus and earn an extra quarter of a grade point. Conversely, a student who may have an 83 would be motivated to keep up with their

Harbinger the

a publication of shawnee mission east high school 7500 Mission Road, Prairie Village, KS 66208

april 13, 2009 issue 14, vol. 50

The Harbinger is a student-run publication. The contents and views are produced solely by the staff and do not represent Shawnee Mission East or the SMSD faculty or administration.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/ STEPHENNICHOLS

ASSISTANT EDITORS/

NEWS PAGE EDITORS/ ANNABERNARD CAMILLEKARRO

studies in order to avoid a B minus, and the deduction of a The system could be tested while keeping students on the quarter grade point.

Honors and AP classes would be weighted similarly to the regular classes, with an 81 percent receiving a 3.75, an 85 percent receiving a 4.0 and an 89 receiving a 4.25 GPAs. FOR AGAINST ABSENT Unlike the plus-minus grading system at KU, in which the The majority opinion of the Harbinger Editorial Board system is decided upon at the individual professor’s discretion, the best system for East would be a universal plus-minus grading system. This is impossible to set at the universioriginal grading system as to not impact the students’ grade ty level because there is no set of core classes for the student point averages during the testing phase by having teachers population, but at East it would function where the majority report two grades at each progress report. This way, data of classes taken by students are core subjects. could be collected, as well as student, faculty and parent reOgdon, a proponent of a plus-minus system, believes that sponse for the system at the high school level. the system would help minimize debate over grades because Principal Dr. Karl Krawitz, who has had experience with the students would have less a grade disparity to change. a similar system at a previous school, believes the system Additionally, he believes the system would more accurately would work well at East. portray the student performance by showing the students “[Plus-minus] would work as long as the research is on 12 grade levels with the plus-minus versus five with the done,” Krawitz said. “East is such an academically contraditional system. scious school I think [a plus-minus grading system] would “Ultimately I would prefer that grades are based off of function well at East.” straight percentage,” Ogdon said. “But using a plus-minus system would work to eliminate the inequity of assigning a straight letter grade to a student,” Ogdon said.

The motivational factors created by the new grading system may not work for all, but would benefit those that At the beginning of the 2008at 2009 school year KU adopted the are willing to take advantage of the opportunity. plus/minus grading system. We’ve The College of Liberal Arts and SciAdditionally, the plus-minus grading system would based our proposed scale on their ences at KU switched to a plus minus concept. provide a more accurate representation of student acagrading system this fall. About half or demics. This way, parents and colleges would receive 17,000 of the University’s students a more discriminating analysis of the students’ effort are enrolled in the College. The new 4.0: 92-100 percent within the courses the student takes, and would create a grading system approved by the more discriminating method for class rank.

College Academic Council was put 3.75: 90-91.9 percent in place to show the differences in This grading system would work to alleviate the preseffort in the range between two letter 3.25: 88- 89.9 percent sures on teachers from students with borderline grades grades. The professors at the College to raise the student’s grade. The student within one or 3.0: 82-87.9 percent can choose whether to use this new two percent of the next grade level would be less inclined scale in grading their courses. to argue with a teacher over the grade because they 2.75: 80-81.9 percent would receive an extra quarter of a grade point.

2.25: 78-79.9 percent “The concern that was brought Principal Dr. Karl Krawitz explained that the system forward was the example of a student had not yet been adopted because the plus-minus sys2.0: 72-77.9 percent who earned 81 percent in a course and tem had not been tested when the current system was a student who earned 89 percent. Our originally adopted. He said that changing the policy now 1.75:70-71.9 percent faculty felt that it was important to would involve it being districtwide change. distinguish between those grades.”

1.25: 68- 69.9 percent East could seize this opportunity to model the pro-Kim McNeley, 1.0: 62-67.9 percent gram and serve as a pilot school within the district for Assistant Dean of Student Academic the program as it had with IB. Services

ote 8 3 0

MAKING THE

SWITCH A AB+ B BC+ C CD+ D D-

1.0: 60-61.9 percent

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PAGE 8 OPINION / APRIL 13, 2009 an opinion of

/ CAMILLEKARRO “Take the test now because you’ll forget it over break." That was my precalculus teacher's advice. And teacher knows best I did forget. I did most of the homework, stayed awake in class, aced the test and left everything I'd learned behind with my Scantron.

Now I knew I wouldn’t remember the material, but I was shocked to find that my teacher shared my knowledge. If she doesn’t expect me to permanently learn what she's teaching, what is the point in either of us coming to class? It feels like busy work to me.

In my opinion, math should be reserved for students who are as eager to learn the material as teachers are to teach it. Instead of shoving convoluted math courses down kids’ throats, faculty should encourage or even require them to take classes that will benefit them in any career. If they’re really craving some more numerical nourishment, then they can seek it out as an elective.

As a senior, I have family, counselors and teachers prodding me to plan my future. If one more person asks me what I’m going to study next year, I may just give them the low-down on my plan as an aspiring hit man.

I really don't know what I want to do. But at about the time number equations turned into letters, I knew math wasn’t it. So even though I'm Undecided and Undeclared, I at least want credit for knowing what I like and what I don’t.

Instead, I get credit for drudgingly knocking out my three math requirements I know I won’t need and my teachers know I won’t remember. It would be much less irritating if I was forced to learn something we both knew

NO SOLUTION would help me.

Grades may be enough incentive to do the work, but they don’t give me any connection to the "real world" I’m reminded of so often. So I want some "real life" motivation. I’ve done the time, and I feel like it was a waste.

Part of the problem is that some of the material is necessary to prepare students for the Kansas Assessment and to meet the requirements for No Child Left Behind. But it’s still a little excessive; three years of math for one biannual test doesn’t add up.

Counselors encourage four years of math because they believe a well-rounded background will help students in any field of work. But I find it difficult to believe this when my own counselor admits to never having done a math problem during his time at East.

However, he strongly believes the thought processes he developed in his college statistics class are crucial when working with students and grades. The logical mentality practiced in math is a realistic reason to learn it, but I think it can be attained with less work than is required in these upperlevel classes.

I’ve believed for a long time that all the math I need was taught to me in elementary school. You’d think by my senior year someone would have given me reason to refute my theory. But the truth is, outside of third grade multiplication and fifth grade division, some people hardly use math.

A lot of those people pay others to do it for them, which is a poor excuse for a solution. My mom is a successful photo-stylist, and although she could make a cardboard box look elegant, she may not be able to find its dimensions. But I bet she remembers the quadratic formula jingle.

Required classes should elaborate and build on simple daily math so that we don’t end up relying on others to do it for us.

Counselors are right in saying that none of us seniors know what we will end up do-

lancer voice

Senior struggles to find the benefits of learning higher-level math

ing.

S o w h y am I re qu i re d to study in-depth conics? Even if I decide later on I want to become an engineer, I’m fairly certain my ninth grade geometry class will not aid me in that decision. I can’t remember the material from my last test. How could I possibly recall the format of a geometric proof?

I couldn’t. Math classes have a standard structure with hardly any stimulus; it’s notes, homework, test. Repeat. It never fluctuates. Ever. The classes provide no motivation, beyond “you’ll need to know this for the test." This leaves a lot of students, including myself, wondering things like “when am I going to need to use the arc tangent function or translate a polar equation?”

According to my precalc book, if I study manufacturing or aviation. Which I won't.

I do think some classes may have worthwhile effects. Statistics and discreet math, for example, focus on real-life problem solving.

So basically, you’re still exercising your left brain, except the work-out isn’t worthless and the results are more permanent. These classes teach students how to think logically, which is generally more helpful in everyday life than memorizing intricate formulas.

If teachers could show me a problem to do my taxes, I would probably be more compelled to solve it. But if I continue on the recommended math path, it looks like I’ll be

// ALYSSAJOLITZ graduating college with an expansive knowledge of shape dimensions and not a clue on how to manage my finances.

With my college degree and all, it will be a little frustrating when I have to stoop to paying an average of $250 a year in tax preparation fees. But it’s okay - I’ll know my triangles.

Math isn’t even my worst subject. French is, but I work at it so that I can someday speak the language abroad. The languages of logarithms and trigonometry, however, seem less useful. And my teachers have not even attempted to prove me wrong.

Subjects taught in school should be useful outside of school. Math is no exception.

I encourage math teachers to think about what math they use outside of teaching.

That's the kind we need to learn.

What are the benefits of learning higher-level math?

Should a student be obligated to take math if they know they are not headed into a math related career?

What can students do to be more successful in higher-level math courses?

freshman JACK HEDRICK

“There are definitely benefits. It challenges you and keeps your brain in tone.”

“I think everybody should be obligated to get to a certain level of math. Then they can decide whether they think they might want to head into that field.”

“It always helps to pay attention, take good notes, do your homework and study.”

junior CLAIRE FREEMAN

“If you like math, the course will be enjoyable. It makes you think differently.”

“Everybody should have to take math, but it is their choice if they want to take more challenging courses.”

“In math, specifically, it is really important to do your homework so you understand the concepts.”

“It teaches you other skills to use besides the exact math you are learning.”

“Yes, but not necessarily higher level courses. While you may not use certain parts of math, it teaches you problem solving.”

“By doing solid work.”

On higher-level math classes at East...

junior BRIAN AITKEN

PAGE 9 OPINION / ISSUE 14

Staffer criticizes recent national proposal to Soaking up some controversy reduce summer to frequent breaks an opinion of

/ KENNEDYBURGESS

Just thinking of those complacent summer days gives me that refreshing feeling of relaxation. Oh, how I love those days of sitting pool side as I take in the smell of chlorine and sunscreen alloyed in the balmy summer air, the sunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rays turning my peach complexion into a tomato-like tint. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t imagine what my life would be like without that three month break when I can travel on vacations to places Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never been to, go to camp, meet new people or participate in sports like swimming and tennis.

To me, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what summer is all about.

When I saw a recent report during a Feb. 22 press interview with the new Federal Chief of Education Arne Duncan, I started to think what my teenage days would be like without those never ending, sunny afternoons.

Duncan is considering taking summer away. Not only did he propose to the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Board of Education the idea of shortening summer even more than it has been in the past years, but he is considering the idea of eliminating a full summer completely.

I understand Duncanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s concern with kids

these days getting enough education, but with year-round school will come inconsistency and frustration.

Students would have the same number of school days, as well as break days. The only difference is breaks are spread throughout the year, which doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t benefit or change anything in terms of curriculum. It could actually affect students in a negative way. California is one state where year-round school isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t out of the ordinary. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Simply, we need a year-round school year,â&#x20AC;? Duncan said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As we talk about fighting the status quo, there is no greater example of an inexplicable, counterproductive anachronism than taking youths out of an educational setting for two to three months every summer.â&#x20AC;?

In the 1920s, when the nation was more agricultural because most people worked on farms, summer was a way for teens and younger kids to take the time off from school to help their family with labor on the farm.

According to a recent study by Ohio State University, year-round school doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t improve studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; abilities to learn or their test scores. The study showed that studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; test scores stayed the same. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We found that students in year-round schools learn more during the summer, when others are on vacation, but they seem to learn less than other children during the rest of the year,â&#x20AC;? said author of the study and research statistician in sociology at Ohio State Paul von Hippel.

One disadvantage of year-round schooling is a large majority of teenagers take up the responsibility of having a summer job. A summer job is just as educational as going to school, except you get paid with actual money instead of an A+. A lot of teenagers donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have time during the school year to apply for jobs, as juggling school and a job just becomes too much to handle. So, if we eliminate summer, many teenagers will not get the chance to experience earning their own money, which is valuable in the long run.

Once students graduate from college, they are no longer students. They must find their own career and venture out into the real world to find a job or career. Experiencing this earlier on in life would be useful for when they no longer have their parents to support them with money. The money they earn from summer jobs helps to pay for college as well.

Another con of year-round school is the cost. Los Angeles Times states that it costs $4.2 million a year to operate year-round schools in California. That is too much money in my book. This cost is because the school building would be climate controlled year-round and more students would be accommodated. Teachersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; salaries would also be higher since they would be working more. In the end parents would have to pay more than they already are.

I also think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s better that teens have that time to review at the beginning of the year instead of teachers continually cramming

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new knowledge into their brains. I learn better at a slower pace and if I have more time to process the new material I learn, then it stays with me longer.

According to an Illinois State University study, year-round school has yet to be proven more academically efficient than traditional schooling.

The school year would seem so repetitive without a long break to relax. I find it nice after I come back to school from summer break because I am eager to learn since Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been away from school for so long. If yearround school was put into action, I would feel unmotivated to learn.

These conflicting and varied breaks wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t allow kids to participate in essential, beneficial summer activities.

Year-round school seems somewhat illogical in solving the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s educational issues because the tests and studies show there is no major difference in curriculum between year-round and traditional school years. Changing the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s school systems would just be an extensive hassle for absolutely nothing.

Summer gives students something to look forward to during the school year. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something familiar. Students also need time to just sit back and relax without constantly being judged by teachers. I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to be in school when I could be sitting by the pool, just soaking up the sun.

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PAGE 10 FEATURES / APRIL 13, 2009

After attending five different high schools in several different states, senior Nick Tolbert has become used to

PACKING UP AND MOVING ON

// PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BYMACKENZIEWYLIE

// MEGSHACKELFORD

He was watching TV on his couch when his mom first broke the news.

She first told him to turn the volume down and then eventually told him to turn off his show. Then she asked: “How would you feel about moving to Georgia?”

This wasn’t the last time she would ask something like this. The next time would be to move somewhere in Texas and after two months, back to Kansas City. She would always ask how he felt about moving right after he had settled himself in a new house, a new school, a new city and with a new group of friends.

But senior Nick Tolbert has learned more and more how to grin and bear it. While moving changed his school year and his transcripts, as he would soon find out, it has taught Tolbert more about people than anything else.

Tolbert’s mom, Ruth, is what he calls a nomad. She loves to move around and meet new people, just like him.

“She acts like she is a 20 year-old sometimes,” Tolbert said. “She is always wanting to go and move to try something new.”

Instead of putting up a fight over how detrimental this could be to his school year, Tolbert always kept an open mind.

“It was just something I had to do,” Tolbert said. “I knew it was what she wanted so I just went along with it and would try to make the best out of it.”

After bouncing around from five different high schools ranging from Olathe to the heart of Georgia, then Texas, and back to Kansas City to attend Shawnee Mission West and then East, Tolbert only complained once.

“I didn’t want to leave Georgia,” Tolbert said. “Everyone there was really nice and accepting, it reminds me a lot of East. I just liked being in a big city like Atlanta.”

Saying goodbye to Georgia meant saying goodbye to sweet tea, his favorite drink. That delicious taste can only come from the south, he said. And as far as the people go, he left behind the best of friends. They were drawn to him as quickly as he was drawn to Georgia.

“In my home room on my first day I had already made a few friends,” Tolbert said. “I just loved the friendly atmosphere down there. Our neighbor even baked us good cookies when we first moved in, personable things like that.”

Since he has what he calls a very strong personality, which he didn’t gain until he began to move around, he finds it easy to make friends. He realized quickly he had to put himself out there and be friendly so that people would remember him. Now, meeting people is one of his favorite things to do.

“Moving around has given me a better perspective on life,” Tolbert said. “I think it will benefit me later on with getting jobs. It gives me a better understanding of different people: if I want to live in the south later on, I’ll know how those people are and how things work down there.”

In November of his sophomore year, Tolbert and his mom picked up for Texas where they lasted two months before returning to the Kansas City area. Tolbert thought that his Texas high school was too large in population and it had such differing cultures. He could never find a place to fit in there.

Up until his senior year, Tolbert attended Shawnee Mission West where his brother had graduated. It reminded him a lot of his Texas high school, so finally, Tolbert transferred to East this fall for his senior year.

That’s when senior Arias Lockhart met him in his Desktop Publishing and American Government class and hung out with him a few times.

“He seemed nice and very talkative,” Lockhart said. “He seemed like he talked to everyone, you don’t see new kids usually going and talking to everyone like that.”

Fortunately for Tolbert, his mom has planned to stay here for his whole senior year.

“I think she wants to move back to Texas after I leave though,” Tolbert said. “She just didn’t want to put me in a position where I had to move during my senior year. She also didn’t want me to make up any more credits either.”

Upon arriving at West, he met with his school counselor

“

Because of moving so much I never got that high school experience that everyone else does and that you see in movies.

”

-senior Nick Tolbert

who pulled out his transcript. They both found he was missing a semester credit of English 10. Frustratingly enough, Tolbert had already completed a year’s worth of honors credit in English 10 at his old schools in Georgia and Texas, but the credit wouldn’t transfer.

“All that work for nothing,” Tolbert said. “Those schools down there only allowed you to take a core class like English for a semester and the credit was worth a full year, which is why it wouldn’t count.”

After enrolling at East Hebron High School this fall, Tolbert met with his new school counselor who found he was missing only a semester credit for fine arts. At his old schools, he took theatre classes to earn enough credit, but it completely disappeared Located in Carollton, Texas. Tolbert along with his English credit,

and no longer matters. He is currently taking art foundations to make up for the lost semester.

According to Stephanie Blackmer—the registrar at East who is in charge of the records and transcripts—students losing credits after moving are rare.

“When it does happen usually it’s when they are transferring from a private school and the credits get held up,” Blackmer said. “Sometimes it happens if they’re coming from out of the country and we have trouble getting them.

Most schools are pretty prompt with resolving it, though.”

Blackmer said there have been instances when students haven’t been able to graduate, but usually they just have to take summer school or online courses to make up for it. This is the case for Tolbert who has to balance night school every Monday and Wednesday night of this semester.

“It is such a hassle having it on top of other homework and then working also,” Tolbert said.

Driving ten minutes on the highway and then an additional 20 on neighborhood streets, Tolbert finally arrives at Horizons where he spends three hours sitting, writing reports and watching movies in order to get credit.

Before Indian Hills Country Club closed for construction over winter break, Tolbert worked as a server there while he also worked the floor at Abercrombie and Fitch in Oak Park Mall.

“I was working all the time,” Tolbert said. “It gives me that sense of independence, though. I don’t like asking my mom for money when I would need it so it’s nice to have my own.

I figure it will help me later on in life, too.”

Once he completes night school, his credit issues will be resolved in time to graduate. In the fall, he plans to attend either the University of Kansas or the University of Alabama.

“It’s going to be so nice not having to move around in college,” Tolbert said. “Because of moving so much I never got that high school experience that everyone else does and that you sometimes see in movies.”

He wishes he had the opportunity to be a part of more, as he never got to be a part of different clubs like track, which he always wanted to do. This spring he couldn’t participate due to a knee injury.

“Pretty much at every new school I went to they required a new student to be at the school for a full semester before they could participate in a sport,” Tolbert said. “I just always happened to be a few months short of that.”

Tolbert also never got the chance to live with the same people he grew up with and could eventually graduate with.

“I never had those extremely close friends some people gain during high school,” Tolbert said. “I just moved around too much.”

In this case, college will be a fresh start for Tolbert. No matter if he ends up where he started, or back in the south where he can order sweet tea, Tolbert will have that chance to be a part of something, for however long he wants.

Nick Tolbert’s former schools

attended for only two months.

Shawnee Mission West

Harrison High School

Nick went to West for second semester sophomore year and all of his junior year.

Located in an Atlanta suburb, Nick went to Harrison for most of his freshman year.

dress up Sophomore stays grounded despite success as a model

grown up // MADDYBAILEY

Tall, slim, stylish—she has the look.

Sophomore Samantha Bartow’s friends always told her she should be a model. Taking the advice, Samantha pursued modeling not knowing where it would take her.

A year later, she is the new face of Hemline, a boutique on the Plaza.

With many opportunities now facing her, Samantha doesn’t want to get into the ‘craziness of intense modeling,’ as she describes it. With her desire for an exciting, new experience, she has gained confidence and been able to avoid getting caught up in the materialistic aspects of modeling.

“I will just see where modeling takes me,” Samantha said. “I’m just so young, so I want to focus on school. As of now, modeling has mainly helped me strengthen my people skills.”

It started last spring when Samantha heard from a friend about a modeling agency in Kansas City called Voices&. She met and eventually signed with agent Wendy Franklin. The types of models that agents look for, according to Franklin, are girls that are at least 5’9” and thin. However, the decision to hire the model is up to the agent and usually depends on the interview.

“Something that immediately stood out to me was Sam’s personality,” Franklin said.

“She’s a sweetheart. She looks people in the eye, she shakes hands and she is just very pro fessional.

That’s one of the most important things because you can’t just be pretty.”

O n c e S am antha was signed with the a g e n c y, it was agency’s job to find her paid modeling jobs.

Franklin pro-

motes her models through the Voices& Web site and also distributes contact cards. If a client is interested in a model, they call the agency.

Samantha’s first photo shoot, which Franklin scheduled her, was for 435 South, a local magazine for southern Johnson County.

The advertisement was for a new makeup line called Lover Cosmetics which is now sold in local stores, such as Haught Style.

The makeup artist created several different bold make-up looks and painted designs on Samantha’s face. One of the designs consisted of a thick, blue stripe across her face and dark blue shades around her eyes with long, fake eyelashes. Thin, silver strokes of paint were swept across her face for a satiny finish.

When Samantha stepped in front of the camera she realized how difficult it is to put on the right facial expression to give the photographer what he was looking for.

“Anytime I would usually be in front of a camera I just automatically smile, so in my first photo shoot I was really nervous and didn’t know what to do with my face,” Samantha said.

Fortunately, Samantha was guided by her photographer and was told exactly how to pose. Many photographers, though, don’t tell you what to do and just start taking pictures, as Samantha experienced later with other photo shoots.

“Photographers usually tell me to relax my lips, narrow or widen my eyes or just tell me what emotion they want from me,” Samantha said. “But one time a photographer just started taking pictures without saying anything so it was kind of scary. I had to decide for myself what to do. I learned to just relax and go with it.”

Samantha took a step forward in her modeling career by traveling to New York City with 20 other models from Voices&. The purpose of the trip was to meet with larger agencies in New York City and try to sign with one of them. Each of the girls brought her portfolio book which contained her measurements and various photos from previous modeling j o b s — essentially a model’s resume. The girls showed their portfolio to each agency and met with profes-

PAGE 11 FEATURES / ISSUE 14

// photo illustration by KATIEEAST

sionals from the modeling industry.

“When I decided to go on the trip I didn’t know what to expect at all,” Samantha said.

“It seemed like it would be all glamorous, but when I walked in to one of the agencies it was very serious and almost surreal. The buildings were gigantic, like something you would see in a movie.”

One of the agencies Samantha met with was IMG Modeling Agency. The agency, located on the top floor of a huge corporate building, was one wide-open room with high ceilings and big glass windows. There were rows and rows of chic desks and computers with people busily working. The group gathered at a lounge on the roof of the building decorated with elegant greenery, outdoor furniture and umbrellas. Agents interviewed each of the girls, asking basic questions about modeling experience and willingness to travel. Later, each model did a photo shoot in a studio to take pictures for their portfolios.

“In New York, I knew it would be easy for Samantha to get drawn into all the glamour of modeling, but she didn’t,” mother Elizabeth Bartow said. “She is smart. She doesn’t let it go to her head.”

While in New York, Samantha signed with an agency called Code. One the rules in the modeling industry is that a model can only sign with one agency per city. Samantha hasn’t done any work with Code yet, so she can end the contract if she receives a better offer. She is in the process of possibly signing with the Ford Models Agency in Chicago; she had an interview two weekends ago. Recently Samantha modeled locally for boutiques, Hemline and Haught Style.

Samantha did a photo shoot for Hemline’s winter and spring lines. One thing she has learned from those photo shoots was the idea of getting into character and matching facial expression and behavior to the outfit. The winter photo shoot took place in a studio with a plain backdrop. The dresses she wore were elegant and classic; One of the dresses Samantha modeled was royal blue satin. The spring photo shoot, however, was more urban and dramatic.

The style was ‘Bohemian Earth.’ The shoot took place in a rundown studio with old street signs and large windows that overlooked downtown. She sat in an old folding chair right next to a dusty filing cabinet. Another shot was her lounging on a wooden step wearing a long, coral Bohemian skirt with braided leather sandals peeping out.

“I really liked this photo shoot because the outfits I wore were my style—sort of hippie and bohemian,” Samantha said. “I wore a lot of outfits by Free People.”

Samantha is planning on traveling to Paris after her junior year to meet with more agencies. Franklin pushed her to travel this summer, but Samantha knows she is too young right now. She said she just wants to hang out and be a teenager.

Samantha’s future is up to her, as Franklin explained.

“The sky is the limit,” Franklin said. “If she decides she wants to do it, she has to go after the opportunities that are in front of

her. She has a really great potential for doing big things in modeling.”

Samantha hopes the skills she learned will take her somewhere in the future. Despite the number of dresses she’s worn or the photos she has taken, she remains humble and truly inspired by her modeling experiences. She remembers her favorite outfit from the spring photo shoot. It was a white dress, feathery and extravagant.

“It looked like it belonged on the red carpet,” Samantha said. “It was so amazing to be able to wear something so beautiful and fancy because I know I will never actually get to wear a dress like that. Or at least not anytime soon.”

head toe A look at some of Bartow’s favorite accessories From

to

feet feet

on the ground

and where you can find similar ones

multicolored mid-rise heel Option 1: $39.95

www.dsw.com: Madden Girl Cappa Thong Sandal

Option 2: $34.95

www.dsw.com: Impo Maria Strappy Wishbone Slingback

red pump Option 1: $26.99

www.target.com: Mossimo “Monique”

Option 2: $34.30

www.macys.com: Karen Scott “Newlin”

Metallic heel Option 1: $26.99

www.target.com: Mossimo “Portia” pewter

Option 2: $49.95

head head

www.dsw.com: Chinese Laundry Wilamena Strappy Sandal

out of the clouds blue fabric headband Option 1: $7.99

www.target.com: Xhilaration® Fabric Covered Headband

Option 2: $2.80

www.forever21.com: Floral Lace Hairband

floppy straw hat Option 1: $9.99

www.target.com: Merona® Straw Crown Floppy Hat Natural

Option 2: $20.70

www.macys.com: Charter Club Floppy Solid Braid Hat

patterned scarf Option 1: $9.99 www.macys.com: Cejon Floral Linen Wrap

Option 2: $26.22

www.macys.com: Collection XIIX Paisley Wrap

// all accessories courtesy of SAMANTHABARTOW

PAGE 12 FEATURES / APRIL 13, 2009

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40 days ago - Comment

What did you give up for

LENT?

Forfeiting

During the season most priests, as long of Lent, most practicing as the true meaning of Catholics choose to give Lent remains in focus. up something as a sign of The time people would faith, such as TV, sweets regularly spend surfing and soda. through Facebook picBut this year, Lent got a tures is recommended taste of the twenty-first cenby priests to be used to tury. focus on their faith.

While others gave up things like chocolate and soda, senior “I like to think that when we sacrifice, we’re remembering it’s Lyndsey Seck and student teacher Cassidy Stamp attempted a truly not about the world and material things, but it’s about Jesus,” said technological sacrifice- not logging on to Facebook for six and a half Father Greg Hammes, a priest at Cure of Ars Catholic Church. weeks.

Hammes suggested using the time regularly spent on FaceLent is the 40 day period preceding Easter in the Catholic church, book on other, more meaningful activities, such as prayer, service in remembrance of Jesus walking through the wilderness for 40 or having true face-to-face conversations. days with no food nor water while being tempted by the devil. The “Connect to your family and have real interactions with your season begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on friends,” said Hammes. “With Facebook, I don’t Holy Thursday, the start of Holy week. To preknow how deep [the relationships] are.” pare for the Easter day, Catholics started using Seck and Stamp both agree they have become these forty days to repent and fast as early as more productive during Facebook hiatus. Stamp the fifth century. Over the years, the traditional felt that she wasted less time and was more procustoms transformed into the act of “sacrificductive, and Seck has been able to put more focus ing” something for lent. towards homework.

Stamp and Seck aren’t alone in their jourWith most of their friends still using the site ney. In the days leading up to the start of Lent, -Father Greg Hammes daily, both Seck and Stamp fudged their vows to hundreds of Facebook users joined groups titled stay updated. For Seck the crack came over spring “40 Days and 40 Nights without Facebook” and “Lent Commitment- break while she was in Omaha, NE. Stamp logged on during the 2009.” first days of Lent.

Both felt that Facebook had become too much of a priority in life.

“The whole cold turkey [approach] was a little tough, so I cracked Seck logged in for one to two hours a day. She gave up texting for a couple times,” Stamp said. “Then I kind of weaned off it instead of Lent last year, and after a suggestion from her mom, decided to give stopping altogether one day.” up Facebook this year.

Junior Gaby Thompson also gave up Facebook for Lent in an “None of my friends though I could do it,” Seck said. “If I have 20 attempt to improve her self control. She would use Facebook as a minutes of time I should be working on Calculus, not seeing what distraction, logging on to procrastinate rather than doing homeother people did this weekend. It’s all about getting your priorities work. But unlike the others, she did not log on once during the 40 straight.There were times I would just log in just to check my profile, days. and then I would look at the clock and it would be like an hour later.

“It was hard because I always wanted to know what was new None of my friends thought I could do it.” with my friends,” Thompson said. “I would think of someone, and This new type of technological sacrifice has been accepted by have the urge to write to them.

It has been a challenge for all to stay faithful to their vows, Seck especially. After giving up texting last year for lent, she realized that it’s possible to live without the things believed to be necessities.

“For me giving up something that’s really important is the only way to do lent,” Seck said. “There are people who give up things that really don’t matter to them that much, and to me that defeats the whole purpose.”

Islam: Ramadan Judaism: Yom Kippur Ramadan is the ninth Yom Kippur is a day of Thompson in particular has noticed a large improvement in her month of the Muslim “NOT” doing. It is becalendar. It is during this lieved that to fast on Yom self control. month that Muslims Kippur is to emulate the “I don’t feel the urge as much to use Facebook.,” Thompson said. fast. It is called the Fast angels in heaven, who do of Ramadan and lasts Christianity: Lent not eat, drink, or wash.

“When I feel an urge to use Facebook, I dismiss it right away instead the entire month. Rama- Today, Christians vow The Five Prohibitions of of getting on.” dan is a time when Mus- to give up something of Yom Kippur [are] eating lims concentrate on their temporal significance in and drinking, anointing After Lent, Hammes suggested returning to your sacrifice as faith. It is a time of wor- lieu of actual fasting. In with perfumes or loship and contemplation. Roman Catholic tradi- tions, marital relations, usual, but in moderation with a different attitude. [and] wearing tion, meat and chicken washing, “Obviously you’re going to go back to [Facebook],” Hammes said. are not eaten during leather shoes.

“But whatever you learned in Lent is what you want to bring back Lent. In Protestant tradition, followers will often into Facebook. Whether its honesty, or connecting a little bit deeper give up something they consider a vice - somewith people. Maybe you [find] something else you really like to do thing blocking their focus during lent, prayer, being with people and maybe that’s what you on true repentance. want to do more of.

“

I like to think that when we sacrifice, we’re remembering its not about the world and material things, but it’s about Jesus.

”

“Soda and ice cream. I only caved one time at Gelato’s on the Plaza. I got half wedding cake and half strawberry and it was definitely worth it!”

-Freshman Lilly Myers

“I made more of a goal not to procrastinate on homework. It helped me better understand what’s going on and raised my grades too.”

-Sophomore Amy Wilson

“I gave up all sweets because they’re everywhere and it’s more of a sacrifice.

It’s hard to compare but its a reminder of how Jesus gave up his life.”

-Junior Laura Scott

of sacrificeS seasons A look at “giving up” something in several religions

“I lasted about three hours giving up watching Pokemon. I have every boxed season and I’ve watched each episode 23 times, at least!

-Senior Reed Cody

ALLPHOTOS// KATIEEAST

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STAR POWER

PAGE 14 FEATURES / APRIL 14, 2009

Senior Alison Meagher-Manson starts her acting career with performances at the Coterie Theatre // HALEYMARTIN

Tapping her fingers on the desk and staring at the elemen- nect with them.” tary school clock, then sixth-grader Alison Meagher-Manson A month after her audition, she still hadn’t counted down the minutes until her grandma would check gotten a call and guessed that she didn’t get a her out. Twice a year every year, Meagher-Manson would get role. When her middle school bus dropped her taken out by her grandma to see a play of her choice at the off at her house, her mom came outside smiling.

Coterie Theater. When she heard the secretary’s voice calling Meagher-Manson walked to greet her and her her to the front office, Meagher-Manson would jump out of mom bent down and whispered, “You got cast as her desk and hurry to meet her grandma. a part of Sarah Plain and Tall at the Coterie, out After arriving at the Coterie, Meagher-Manson couldn’t of over one hundred other girls!” wait to see the play. The few minutes before the opening music Meagher-Manson let out a shriek, hugged played seemed like hours, and then the curtains would reveal her mom, and bounced with excitement. She the scene. had accomplished her goal. Immediately after “I would see kids my age on the stage and I would be so she calmed down, Meagher-Manson went inside jealous of them,” Meagher-Manson said. “I didn’t know how to call the director and confirm the role. they got to be up there and I wanted to know how.”

“It was a moment of excitement and joy and it Now a senior, Meagher-Manson has worked with the Cote- changed my life,” she said. rie for six years, and was chosen from her master acting class From her freshmen year on, Meagher-Manat the Coterie to the be in a Comedy Troupe called Updog. The son has been involved in the performing arts Coterie is “one of the top five best theatres for young audi- at East. She has taken classes where she has ences in the U.S.” rated by Time Magazine. learned about all aspects of With her Comedy Troupe she performs from Tech Theatre, I would see kids my age on the stage theatre, before the opening night of some Coterie where she was taught about plays and performs at the Westport Coffee and I would be so jealous of them. I what happens backstage house during the year. during a play to Advanced didn’t know how they got to be up Rep class in which they It all started soon after the play she was taken to in sixth grade. Meagher-Manson produce Frequent Fridays. there and I wanted to know how. found a pamphlet for a class on learning For two years straight, how to audition. The class was taking place Meagher-Manson has been at the Coterie. She convinced her parents in the Coterie play, “Night of to let her take the acting class and she loved it. Throughout the Living Dead,” where she played a character the class, she learned the do’s and don’t’s about auditions as barricaded by ravenous zombies in a remote well as improvisation. farm house. The play is mainly aimed toward On the final day of Meagher-Manson’s acting class, audi- the 16-21 demographic and is one of the Cotetions were held for the upcoming plays at the Coterie. For rie’s Late Night Shows. the audition, each individual would perform a minute and a “Doing the show was really fun because I half monologue in front of the director. During the class they got to get my hair teased every day,” Meagherworked on monologues to perform at auditions, Meagher- Manson said.

Manson’s was a piece from Junie B. Jones. During the audition, Currently Meagher-Manson’s comedy she had to pretend like she was dropped into a new world and troupe, they are currently working on a stage could only make sound effects. In the empty room Meagher- reading of “Mean Girls”. In the reading, the Manson picked up invisible flowers and had conversations troupe will put their own twist on the characwithout speaking. ters while sticking to the script of the movie.

“I try to be very relaxed and be my self [when I go into an They have not cast it yet but it will be peraudition],” Meagher-Manson said. “I try to be very natural and formed at the Coterie. it’s hard to be natural. Sometimes you start thinking too much She plans to major in acting at Southwestand you are worrying what they are thinking about you. Basi- ern College next year. cally you have to go in and act like your having fun and con-

“

“

—Alison Meagher-Manson

CURRENT The Breakfast Club Mondays Starting Feb. 9 They are five total strangers, with nothing in common, meeting for the first time. A brain, a beauty, a jock, a rebel and a recluse. Before the day is over, they break the rules and bare their souls.

Star gazing New and old shows featured at the Coterie

The makings of a STAR

“I would see shows every season from 7 years on until I appeared in a show at the Coterie. It used to be the only thing I looked forward to because I missed a day of school. Then I had to miss about a month of school to perform in one which was even cooler!” Alison returns to the Coterie stage where she has previously appeared in The Young Playwrights’ Festival 2007, 2008, Night of the Living Dead, The Witch of Blackbird Pond and Sarah, Plain and Tall. She has been involved in the Coterie’s education programs for five years as a member of the Coterie’s Master Acting program and “Updog’s Special Friends,” the Coterie’s comedy troupe comprised of members of the Coterie’s Comedy Master Class program. Alison, a senior at Shawnee Mission East, has dance training with the Kansas City Ballet and Miller Marley and is a classical pianist.

Audiences can see her next on stage in A Servant For Two Masters at Shawnee Mission East. // PHOTOS COURTESY OF KAREN VANASDALE AND THE COTERIE THEATRE

PAST

Night of the Living Dead

*Allison’s Performance

September 16 – Oct. 24, 2008 Flesh eating zombies menace our audience and terrorize seven people trapped in an isolated farmhouse.

“This ain’t no Sunday School picnic!” Featuring live music from a guitar-wielding zombie, this critically acclaimed hit returns!

PAGE 15 FEATURES / ISSUE 14

Mowing down the competition Sophomore operates thriving lawn-mowing business // KATHLEENIRELAND

Sophomore James Rosa mows parallel to the concrete curb to ensure a straight cut.

Behind him he father Joseph follows with a grass trimmer to correct any spots missed by the lawn mower. Across the street he sees the truck of a larger competing lawn care business, he focuses on the job at hand.

He hopes to outgrow them someday.

“And at the rate things are going, it seems like a possibility,” Rosa said.

Rosa likes to do things outdoors in his free time. Bike riding, camping, playing wih his dog-all favorites of Rosa. He is currently working on earning his Eagle award in boy scouts by getting some last minute badges.

Too bad there isn’t a badge for mowing lawns professionally.

Rosa started his company Team Green Lawn Maintenance and Snow Plowing when he was eight years old.

He first became interested in the field of lawn care in 2003.

“I saw this guy on a fancy riding lawn mower and thought, ‘Wow that looks really cool!’” Rosa said.

He had no professional experience other than helping his dad mow their lawn at home. But he had heard a lot of stories, mainly from fellow lawn laborer Kurtis Arnold, about making nearly $50,000 a year, and decided it would be a good experience.

Rosa cut the grass so short his first time you could nearly see the dirt. Luckily the customer, Karen Hawkins, was a friend of the family and didn’t hold a grudge, or even dock his pay. Now he has 10-12 loyal customers and has worked for 20-30 different clients over the years.

Rosa hopes to expand his business beyond himself and his father soon to increase profit. He wants to find someone preferably out of high school or college who can drive and work while Rosa’s at school.

“It’s hard to find good people you can count on to do the job right,” Rosa said.

His first equipment consisted of a Honda 20 inch push lawn mower that cost him $900 from Wal-Mart, and nothing else. Due to a rise in business and proficiency over the years he has continued to accumulate more, higher quality tools for his business.

His commercial-grade equipment now includes two straight-shaft Echo string trimmers, a midsized walk- be-

by the

numbers

15 30 loyal dollars

customers

per lawn

2

people working on a lawn

20 6500 15-20 lawns mowed

minutes to dollars made mow one lawn last summer

in one week

THE ENGINE:

THE HEADPHONES: To protect his hearing from the roaring background noise, Rosa wears headphones.

“Even though I don’t care now,” Rosa said. “I still want to hear when I get older.”

With a 23 horsepower hind mower with a 13-horsepower Kawasaki engine, engine, Rosa has cut his a stander, stand-up turbo mowing time from an mover with a 23 horse-power hour and a half down to Kawasaki engine, a seeder, 15-20 minutes. “It can snow-blower, one backpack run through mountains and one hand leaf blower, an of leaves bigger than the Echo chainsaw and a trailer mower,” Rosa said. to carry it all in.

THE PLATFORM: The stand mower has been This allows the driver to his biggest improvement stand up and have more which he got as a steal at control. “I’ve used a rideTHE WHEELS: $7,000 off of ebay from a man ing mower and sitting for Smaller and quicker, in Lawrence. It allows him to seven hours can cramp these tires don’t leave cut his work time in half compared to a sit-down mower, up your legs,” Rosa said. ruts when turning. and he’s able to see things “Way less dirt clumps more accurately without getmean way less comting fatigued. Does he always plaints,” Rosa said. go solo during his lawn jobs?

If so, why does he choose not to seek help?

Rosa does everything from weed control and leaf removal to seeding and snow plowing, Rosa found this $8200 standing lawn mower for only $7000 used and his dad, Joseph Rosa, recently became licensed and on eBay. While his dad paid for it, part of his income goes to pay for certified in Kansas to put his half. However, Rosa claims it is completely worth it because of down pesticides.

“My dad was gracious the faster speed and and overall higher quality. “It makes working enough to take the test for me even more enjoyable because it’s less fatiguing,” Rosa said. ‘cause i wasn’t old enough, so // CCCREIDENBERG he’s the licenced applicator and I’m the technician,” James said.

Other improvements in When things get busy in the spring and up his equipment. When gas prices rose he Team Green Lawn Maintenance’s future early summer he anticipates work after had to charge customers a five dollar gas are getting a new truck for their equipment, school every day and all day on the week- sur charge before other expenses. but Rosa putting lettering on the side of their CR-V to ends. makes the most out of all aspects of what he advertise, and starting a Web site to get the “If it’s a nice day and the grass is growing doe. word out. quick I’ll expect the phone to be ringing off During the winter and off-season he Fliers around The Village and business the hook,” Rosa said. stays on call to take care of whatever peocards have been a big help so far in getting And even though the most work he’s ple need like shoveling driveways and leaf the word out about Rosa’s constantly growever done in a day was 10-15 yards, Rosa es- removal, and if nothing else he takes care ing business, though most of the progress timates he could do of his equipment. Changing oil, fitting, has been due to word-ofat least 20-25 a day and sharpening blades are just a few of the mouth if he got the work. equipment problems he deals with. He even “If you do outstandMost yards can loads ground up leaves from his mower onto ing work, you develop be mowed once a a tarp and dumps them in a pile in his back and don’t have to worry week in the early yard he hopes to turn into compost and sell about complaints,” Rosa spring but the fre- back to customers said.

-sophomore James Rosa Even when things go wrong he takes quency of cuttings But what Rosa enjoys slowly decreases care of the situation and stays professional. most about the job is being able to work outLike the time he was attacked by a nest of as the weather gets hotter. doors all the time. He had thought about beRosa charges a $35 minimum per yard yellow jackets, he just limped it off and went ing a lifeguard over the summer but opted and increases the price according to size and back to work as soon as he could. He’s even out after considering the endless amount type of work. If he mows a really large yard learned how to deal with complaining cliof young, screaming kids he’d be dealing with a lot of leaves to blow he can make up ents. He remembers what his mom, Patricia with every day. to $350 a yard. But Rosa has to worry about always tells him, “Just make the customer “I like being outside much more than a lot more than just yard size when figuring happy.”

I would being cooped up in a small, his profit.

Rosa enjoys getting to know people most cramped office,” Rosa said.

Weather and gas prices play a large role and considers being outside and staying His next steps toward expansion are in how much money he makes. If it’s too healthy a plus. He hopes the business will getting larger jobs like offices, aparthot and dry out the grass doesn’t grow and continue to grow and if things go well he’ll ments, and schools, though now he is he gets no work. And gas can be a huge run it for the rest of his life. only involved with homes. expense sometimes costing $30-$50 to fill

Analyzing the “Stander”

“

I like being outside much more than I would being cooped up in a small, cramped office.

”

In keeping with the theme of change, President Barack Obama has removed some limits on federal funding for stem cell research. The removal came in an executive order signed on March 9. Both embryonic and adult stem cell research are now eligible for funding.

Former president George W. Bush limited funding during his terms. During the period, federal funding could only be used on a small amount of stem cell populations, called lines. Only lines created before Bush’s presidency were allowed to be funded. Federal funding can now be used for research on lines created during Bush’s presidency. However, there are still congressional restrictions on creating new lines.

Much of the controversy around stem cell research comes from the use of human embryos, known as embryonic research. Embryonic cells are pluripotent, meaning they can generate any type of body cells. The cells are fertilized in vitro - the sperm and egg are

HOW

Stem cells can benefit Arthritis research

joined in a laboratory and not inside a woman’s body.

Adult stem cells are cells that can generally develop into one type of tissue. Some adult cells can develop into multiple types of tissue. However, scientists still remain unsure about whether they are truly plurip

“

[The order] will accelerate work being done on things like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes.

tent.

Proponents for embryonic research cite potential benefits as reasons to continue, including cures for AIDS, cancer, and many more diseases. Opponents of embryonic research generally claim that destroying embryos is akin to ending a human life.

In a March 9 press release, the International Society for Stem Cell Research stated that research will now “result in increased collaborative efforts amongst the scientific

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It is caused by the wearing down of joint cartilage. This protective cartilage cannot be grown back, but stem cells could change this.

community” thanks to the removal. According to ISSCR president Irving Weissman’s statement, the decision will “ultimately lead to a better understanding and treatment of many diseases” One effect is that more scientists will become interested in stem cells, according to Kenneth R. Peterson, PhD, Professor and Vice-Chairman of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

But increased funding will also help scientists already working on the cells, Peterson believes.

“More funding is always a help to scientists, who generally never have enough money to do all the studies they want to do. We always have more great ideas than money,” he said in an email interview.

Overall, Peterson thinks that the lifting of the ban will help make stem cells more practical.

The lifting of the ban will help with […] what we call “translational” research - that is, transforming basic science discoveries into treatments for patients,” he said.

Despite the limitations on creating new lines, Brad Kemp believes that this is still an important move.

Kemp is the executive director at the Kansas Coalition for Lifesaving Cures. The KCLC was founded in 2005 to protect stem cell re s e a rc h

Arth

Who is affected?

“

PAGE 16 SPREAD / APRIL 13,// GRIFFINBUR 2009

A E R B

A P A

ST C

the

Arthritis

ritis

According to a 2003 estimate, 25 percent of U.S. adults 18 years and older will have arthritis diagnosed by thier doctor by 2030. Currently, over 19 million Americans have activity limitations due to Arthritis.

in Kansas. Its members inc are organizations like the A Stowers Institute for Medic “This will absolutely hav Kemp . “[The order] will ac Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, a Kemp sees the removal o simple choice.

“There is no real scientifi research is a viable option. issue,” he said.

Controversial embr severa // TAY L

ORH

Student Reactions Junior Carl Cornwell, afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis, has been patient. He believes that there was little chance that former President Bush would have allowed federal funding. But that’s not to say he isn’t excited. After all, a potential arthritis cure is one of the possible applications of stem cell research.

“My arthritis is something I have to deal with literally every day, so I’m really happy about [the removal of restrictions.]”

Carl, who has had arthritis since a young age, is optimistic about the removal of restrictions. He frequently has pain and stiffness in his joints and occasionally has to wear knee braces. These problems, he believes, could be alleviated by research.

Carl, was also an avid basketball and tennis player before his condition worsened. Playing sports again, he said, would be life changing.

“If you don’t have the problem, it’s harder to understand that a cure could really make a difference in one’s life. Playing sports would be that kind of difference for me.”

possibilites are still being discovered, Carl’s father, Mr. Carl Stepp is enthusiastic about progress of Cornwell, sees stem cell research as the best hope any sort.

“I mean, for me, any cure for for those with problems like arthritis.

“If we have more research,” he said, “maybe they’ll anything is tremendous,” he said. have a cure for the next kid like Carl.”

Mr. Cornwell feels that researchers often face unnecessary opposition to their efforts, especially from a moral perspective.

“Things like religion don’t have anything to do with this. The stem cells they use are not children and they are not about to be children,” he said.

Stem cells can Senior Jonathan Stepp, an osteosarcoma cancer surbenefit cancer research vivor, sees the decision as a no-brainer. Stepp’s condition Stem cell research has the potential left him with months of chemotheraphy. Just simply havto greatly benefit cancer treatment and research. Cancer cells and stem cells have ing enough energy for the day was a challenge. Minor some very similar characteristics, meaning that illnesses took weeks to get over. Prior to having cancer, we we be able to understand the way cancerous Stepp generally supported research. After his expericells work in the long run. Recently, scientists have theorized about the potential of cancerous matter ence, however, he’s thoroughly convinced of stem being made up of cancer stem cells as well as “bulk cells’ value. He even wrote a letter in government cells.” class to Kansas congressman Dennis Moore.

“To me, I don’t know why you would need to think about [stem cell research,]” There were 555,303 deaths caused by cancer nationally in Stepp said, “especially if it’s not hurt2005 including 5,428 in Kansas according to the CDC. Kansas has about 153 males die per every 100,000 due to prostate ing anyone.” cancer.

While stem cell research’s

HOW

Who is affected?

Cancer

AVIL A

ND

clude doctors and citizens. Also included American Diabetes Association and the cal Research. ve a significant effect on research,” said ccelerate work being done on things like and diabetes.” of restrictions as a logical move and a

fic debate about whether stem cell . That’s more of a political or ethical

A KI N G

ART

TEM CELLissue

HIV/AIDS

PAGE 17 SPREAD / ISSUE 14

HIV/AIDS A word from the expert...

“Looking way in the future, it would be great if stem cell research could get us towards total eradication of HIV infected cells. It would be great if we could do bone marrow transplants that have zero HIV infected cells but still somehow keep it related to the patient’s own body. So what we hope for is to be able to one day remove all the bad cells from an HIV positive patient.”

-Dr. Sharon Lee, Director of the Southwest Boulevard Family Healthcare Center

Who is affected?

A 2007 estimate reported that 37,041 Americans were diagnosed with AIDS. About 21 percent of the estimated 1,106,400 HIV infected Americans are currently not beThe ing treated.

Stowers Institute for Medical Research, a local facility that specializes in stem cell research, “applaud[s] the removal of restrictions on federal funding for [stem cell research]” according to a press release about the removal. While Brad Kemp, executive director at the Kansas Coalition for Lifesaving Cures, says that while federal funding will help research, the scientific nature will remain unchanged, he said. The effect will be primarily political.

“We face restrictions here in Kansas year in and year out. Some people in Kansas [who oppose research] are talking about restrictions here in the state, even if it’s federally legal,” he said.

Kemp believes that, at least for the time being, state legislature will be fo-

ryonic stem cell research could lead to al medical breakthroughs

ve i t c e p s er P s ’ e t a St

cused on budget issues and not restricting research. Additionally, current governor Kathleen Sebelius has said she will veto any restrictions on research. If research remains legal, government will not necessarily direct research, said Kenneth R. Peterson, PhD, Professor and Vice-Chairman of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

“The majority of cutting edge research in the U.S. is funded by the federal government, but they allow scientists to have the freedom to pursue the questions they think are important,” he said in an email interview.

However, Kansas opposition to research can even be found as high up as the senate. Senator Sam Brownback is a prominent opponent of embryonic research. Groups such as Kansans for Life also oppose it, calling it “an unethical choice for therapies” on their website.

Regardless of this, Kemp has seen a highly positive public response. As a part of his job, he travels around the state talking to various people about stem cell research.

“At the end of a lot of my talks, people stand up and say things like ‘I have a nephew who uses a wheelchair and I’m pleased that this might help.”

If research continues to be legal in Kansas, Kemp is optimistic about its future. He’s also careful to keep that optimism realistic. But at the same time, he hopes that in 20 years or so the public may see some cures. For the time being, Kemp doesn’t see much progress without stem cells.

“There’s no absolute guarantee we’ll get a cure for Parkinson’s out of stem cells.

But there’s a guarantee we won’t find one if we don’t pursue the research.”

A

Heart Disease takes more lives in the United States than any other cause of death. Stem cells could lower those death totals. Scientists are attempting to grow back damaged heart muscle injecting the stem cells into the heart. This could help victims of heart attacks recover in a faster manner. There has been some success with this procedure in small animals.

Cancer

Who is affected?

The Center for Disease Control estimated that 652,091 people died of heart disease in 2005. This accounted for 27.1 percent of all U.S. deaths. Heart disease cost more than $304.6 billion in health care services and lost productivity according to the CDC.

Heart Disease

Heart Disease cells can benefit cancer research HOW Stem

PAGE 18 PHOTO ESSAY / APRIL 13, 2009 // ALL PHOTOS BY TYLERROSTE

SOUNDING UP

THE SANCTUARY The choir of Shawnee Mission East assembled again on Monday April 6, to put on a performance at the Village Presbytarian Church

RIGHT: Choir instructor Ken Foley conducts as the choraliers sing up on stage for the crowded chapel.

FAR-RIGHT: Seniors Maureen Orth and Paige Anderson prepare for the choraliers performance.

For many seniors this was their last performance with choir at the village church.

BELOW: The overall inside view of the main chapel of the Village Presbytarian Church while the varsity choir performs below.

PAGE 19 MIXED / ISSUE 14

the page about...

springfashion //AUBREYLEITER

I wouldn’t exactly call myself a fashion expert. But I can tell you that crocs aren’t in style, never were in style, and never will be in style. I do know a thing or two about what is in and what is out. If you want to be in style this spring, here are a few suggestions to help you complete your look.

MEN

Men’s fashion isn’t exactly my forte, considering the obvious. But I did my research and trust me, this season you can’t go wrong with bright or striped t-shirts. Pair a striped tee with simple khaki shorts and if you really want to stand out, pair a bright tee with plaid shorts. You will be seeing a lot of plaid this season, especially with men. Plaid shorts and plaid button-up’s are very trendy, but not togetherof course. Shorts at stores like American Eagle, Gap and Old Navy range anywhere from $24 to $49.

And white denim, clarified by the editors of GQ magazine, is in this season. You can match a pair of white jeans with topsiders and a solid color button up.

WOMEN

According to J Crew, this season is all about the mix. They suggest trying a simple white knit tee and putting it with something exquisite, like bright color and stunning accessories. Using the same kind of approach, I suggest taking a solid color dress and matching it with exciting accessories that stand out. Floral patterns and ruffles are also very in this season. With patterns like these, you do not need to wear accessories because the pattern stands out enough itself. In my opinion, I wouldn’t go overboard with ruffles. They are cute and fun, but only if you keep it to a minimum. Now that it’s spring, it’s shorts season. You can’t go wrong with solid color J Crew chinos for $40; they have a wide selection of colors and lengths. You can get a very similar type of shorts at Old Navy or American Eagle for half the price of J Crew. And just because the weather is nicer, it doesn’t mean that lightweight scarves are out. I love scarves and they go with almost anything. Pair one with a tank top and shorts or skinny jeans to make your look complete.

// ALLPHOTOSBY DANSTEWART

PAGE 20 FEATURES / APRIL13, 2009

Reaching

Stars for the

KELLI JACKSON

East graduate Kelli Jackson fulfills her dream of becoming an actress after moving to Los Angeles

// COLLEENIRELAND

She’s two years old, sitting on her bedroom floor. Her six-year-old sister, Kelli Jackson, gazes around at the semicircle of teddy-bears and other stuffed animals that make up her improvised group of audience members, along with her younger sister.

She recited lines from her latest movie obsession with confidence and conviction.

Make a point with the story. This is one of the earliest memories that senior Mary Jackson has of her older sister.

“I think she liked [the stuffed animals] because they didn’t complain as much as I did when she acted,” Mary said.

Now Kelli is a Hollywood actress and has the experience ranging from being an extra in two episodes of Monk, to being a main character in 2005’s Shackles, starring D.L. Hughley. Though growing up with an actress could be frustrating, Mary got as much encouragement from her sister and she gave as much in return.

Even though Mary wasn’t as interested in acting as Kelli was, she did anything she could to help. They both competed in the Best New Talent contest and made it to semifinals, but only Kelli advanced on to the finals in LA. Mary and their family went along to be supportive. They were even put to work

cleaning up a suitcase full of clothes that had been covered by a bottle of shampoo after being tipped over at the airport. Mary spent hours in the tiny hotel bathroom, hand washing, ringing out and hanging all of the clothes out to dry so that Kelli could practice her lines. Kelli ended up winning the contest, which rewarded her with a manager to help start a career in Hollywood.

Though she did what she could to be helpful, Mary always felt a little left out.

With Kelli as an actress as an older sister, it was a lot to live up to.

“It wasn’t really that I wanted to be exactly like them, more like it would be cool to be talked about like them,” Mary said. “Everything became a competition, and I’m just not like that. She’d yell from the sidelines at my soccer games, and it was annoying, but she was just trying to push me to be better.”

It was still difficult to see Kelli leave when she got the management contract and had to move to California. They fought constantly, yet at the same time always remained extremely close.

“When they were young, they’d be with me at my daycare from five in the morning, and stay anywhere from 10 to 15 hours a day,” said Mary’s mother Barbara Jackson.

“They’d be organizing the classes. It was

like they were little mothers. When she was little, someone would ask her what her name was, and if she was being really quiet or taking too long, Kelli would just step up and be like ‘Hi, I’m Kelli and this is my sister Mary.’ ” Mary didn’t always have as much charisma or confidence as Kelli did. Kelli helped Mary get over her shyness by being someone to rely on.

“I was shy to the point where if a waiter asked what I wanted, I’d start bawling,” Mary said. “I’d always sit to her right, if that was the direction the orders were being taken, and so after she’d say her order I’d just say I wanted the same.”

By the end of elementary school, it started to get irritating for Mary because of how much Kelli spoke for her instead of letting Mary speak for herself. That didn’t get in the way of their relationship though, just a minor bump on their lifelong commitment as sisters.

“They spent all of their time together,” Mary’s father Warren Jackson said. “They used to do drama skits for the family and they’d work together to get costumes ready.”

Even though they no longer share the same room, see each other after school

“She definitely taught me about ambition. If you didn’t get it, then you just weren’t trying hard enough.”

// SMEHAUBERK

-Mary Jackson on her relationship with her sister Kelli Jackson (left)

every day or enjoy the same activities together, she still relies on Kelli for support and advice.

She calls Kelli to talk about the usual stuff; boys, clothes, what happened that day. She also relies on her for advice like for the interview she had with Kansas State University, and counts on her way of making things seem possible and easy.

“She definitely taught me about ambition,” Mary said. “If you didn’t get it, then you just weren’t trying hard enough. If you wanted something bad enough, and you really worked hard for it, then anything was possible.”

past productions A look at some of Jackson’s TV and movie performances SHACKLES (2005)

Jackson played Valeria Johnson in this drama starring an aspiring teacher (D.L. Hughley) who accepts a teaching position within a prison.

PHAT GIRLZ (2006)

In this romantic comedy about two plus-sized ladies who find their true loves, Jackson appeared as Plus Sized Shopper #2.

MONK (2007) In the first episode of season six, “Mr. Monk and his Biggest Fan,” Jackson played the Second Bidder Lady.

// PHOTOS COURTESYIMDB.COM AND CELEBRITYWONDER.COM

FIRST FRIDAYS East students showcase their talent in the Crossroads district // ELIZABETHMCGRANAHAN

LAEDAN GALICIA

Senior Laedan Galicia considers himself to be a “street artist.” His art form of choice is graffiti, or anything that involves spray paint.

“Graffiti is my favorite because it’s such a controversial art form,” Galicia said. “My style of graffiti will always be unique because it’s my way to express myself.”

His graffiti can be found around the school and around the community, including the Crossroads district. Galicia showcased a mural, a painted ottoman and a sidewalk chalk mural at the last First Friday, an art show in dowtown Kansas City that mostly features older, experienced artists, on April 3.

He first heard about the opportunity when a woman from First Fridays came to

East to talk to the art students. Impressed by Galicia’s talent, she promised that if an artist dropped out, he and sophomore DJ Burton could join. Two days later, they got the call.

“Going into it I was a little nervous simply because we were the only high school students and everyone else in the mural was a pro artist,” Galicia said. “I didn’t know what to expect....[but during the event] I was getting compliments all night. It was such a great feeling.”

Galicia didn’t always dream of being an artist. He initially started high school with the hope of becoming a famous soccer player. While he focused on soccer, he took a few art classes for fun and soon realized his art was much more than a hobby. When soccer season ended, he began enrolling in as many art classes as possible in order to

>>

PAGE 21 A&E / ISSUE 14 First Fridays have become a ritual in Kansas City. On every first Friday of the month, the Crossroads district of Kansas City, MO welcomes the public for food, fun and most importantly, art.

For many artists, first Fridays have become a great opportunity to showcase artwork, gain publicity and make a profit. Many East students are taking advantage of this great opportunity by doing what they do best. Making art.

// ALL PHOTOS BY KATIEEAST

explore all types of art.

“I wanted to learn everything there was to learn,” Galicia said. “Soccer became the hobby and art my passion.”

So far his accomplishments include two East pep club shirt designs, a CD logo, a hoodie design, awards, tattoos, murals and graffiti. Because of last First Friday’s success, Galicia has been asked to participate in a ‘chalk walk’ on April 25 where he will be able to combine his love for graffiti with sidewalk chalk.

ANNE SCROGHAM To junior Anne Scrogham, photography isn’t just about snapping pictures and catching images.

It’s about making memories.

It’s about inspiring people.

And most importantly, it’s about beauty.

“I like photography because it’s like you’re capturing a piece of life that may never be there again,” Scrogham said.

Thanks to Landon Gallery, located in the Crossroads

DJ BURTON

Sophomore DJ Burton always had an itch to draw. In elementary school, he couldn’t resist doodling all over his worksheets and notebooks. In a few years, his doodles would stretch beyond the classroom and into the streets.

“In sixth grade a kid in my class was looking off a graffiti alphabet and doing these really cool letters,” Burton said. “I printed it off and started making words with the letters. I couldn’t stop.”

Burton quickly found his doodling habit consuming more of his time.

He began exploring more than just doodles and

district, Scrogham has been able to turn her passion for photography into a source of income.

Recently she participated in the show entitled ‘Ophelia Rising’, organized by Sabrina Staires who owns the gallery. Staires usually doesn’t hold high school shows but made the acceptation for Scrogham and a few other local talented photographers.

Four of her six photographs were sold at the show for $30-50. The show did not have a theme so her photos ranged from a picture of a sunset behind a graveyard to a picture of an old car in France.

Scrogham has been taking pictures since she was in third grade when she first started messing around with cameras.

turned to other forms of art, but he focuses more on graffiti street art.

“Graffiti is an art that says something,” Burton said. “Whether its your characters, how your letters flow or the colors you use.

It all has a unique feeling to it.”

At First Friday, on April 3, Burton displayed his first public piece of artwork, a mural that he worked on with senior Laedan Galicia. It’s compiled of several different panels painted by different local artists, but Burton and Galicia were the only high school students.

The theme for the mural was ‘Sorry for the Miscommunication.’ Their panel consisted of a city, a man and flowers. The city represents the miscommunication that happens when two sides don’t talk clearly

“My first camera was one of those clunky plastic ones with film that doesn’t even have a zoom,” Scrogham said.

One of her favorite photos was taken in fourth grade. She got up early in the morning before the sun had risen and grabbed her camera.

“The sun was coming through the trees and you could see the sunlight,” Scrogham said. “I grabbed my camera and took the show. I still have that photo and I love it.”

‘Ophelia Rising’ was such a success that Staires plans to do another one this upcoming summer with all new photographs from Scrogham and other local students. For information on upcoming shows, visit Staires’ web site at www.sabrinastaires.com.

in society, the man with an exposed brain symbolizes a need to keep an open mind, and the flowers coming out of the city show new possibilities.

Overall, Burton and Galicia spent roughly 12 hours working on their panel for the mural. The crowd reaction was well worth the work.

“Everybody was really impressed,” Burton said. “Our work was definitely well received. The First Fridays event was my first big accomplishment. I’ve always dreamt of being a part of a big production like that.”

While this is Burton’s first major piece of art, it won’t be his last. He plans to do more art, graffiti and possibly start a clothing line.

Shawnee Mission East

The Bank of Prairie Village would like to Congratulate Curran Darling, our bank intern, and all the players of the Shawnee Mission East Lancer Basketball Team for their great State Basketball run and third place finish. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re proud of you Curran and all the Lancer players.

not so ‘HAZARD’OUS

// www.decemberists.com

PAGE 23 A&E / ISSUE 14

The Decemberists get ambitious with their fifth album, a sprawling indie rock opera

The Decemberists have won over many an indie rock fan with their charming ballads, hush lullabies and lyrics that read like an SAT vocab section. Their previous album, “The Crane Wife” is a highlight with several tracks inspired by an old Japanese folktale.

Castaways & Cutouts

UPCOMINGRELEASES

2005

Her Majesty

Death Cab for Cutie

THE OPEN DOOR (April 14)

Silversun Pickups SWOON

(April 14)

Ben Lee

THE REBIRTH OF VENUS (April 28)

Bob Dylan

TOGETHER THROUGH LIFE (April 28)

// http://www.metacritic.com/music/upcomingreleases.shtml

2006

ards” quite a standout from the band’s other albums, which all had perfect sing-a-long songs but didn’t string together nearly as close. Admittedly, those records were easier to enjoy at first, but “Hazards” shouldn’t be passed up.

The Decemberists aren’t an easy band to understand right away. Most of their albums require a few listens to get accustomed to, but their style is unmatched. They often implement unusual sounds like the accordion and melodica (a piano-like wind instrument).

These elements are part of what have gained them their cult following and rave reviews throughout the years.

After three to four listens, “The Hazards of Love” just clicked with me. The nuances that connect each song, Meloy’s heavily detailed characters and how even in 2009 the pipe organ can still be a thoroughly modern instrument. The Decemberists have put a daring foot forward into the often bored and cliched indie rock genre.

“The Hazards of Love” goes to show even more what potential the band has. While it isn’t likely to achieve “The Wall” or “Tommy” status, it’s still a great forego into the genre and will only be made better by the band’s North American tour in 2009 where they will perform it from beginning to end each and every night.

The way it’s meant to be played.

2003

LOOKINGBACK

“

“

tale plot follows a woman named Margaret who is in love with William, a dweller of a nearby forest. When she sets out to find him, their relationship is threatened by all of the evil things that exist within the wooded trees. Without further research though, that plot isn’t easily pulled out of the album. Most of it is hidden in Meloy’s intricate lyrics.

As Margaret and William begin running into the story’s conflicts, the band picks things up quite a bit to accompany the action of the story. Tracks like “The Wanting Comes in Waves” and “The Rake’s Song” both come at key moments and are amongst the most memorable songs on “Hazards.” This mix and match can drag it down a bit too. Once it was all over I was left wanting more of powerful tracks than the numerous and subtle lullabies.

Storyline is only a small piece of what makes the album so captivating though. “The Hazards of Love” is structured like a musical, which makes it difficult to just jump right in at any point.

To get everything out of this album, it’s a must to listen from start to finish. Not only does it sound more fluid this way, but it makes the songs a lot more powerful hearing them in their intended order.

“The Queen’s Rebuke,” for example, sports one of the album’s flashiest and loudest jams, but hearing it out of order just doesn’t have the same effect as flowing into it from the soft-natured “The Abduction of Margaret.” This makes “Haz-

2002

// BOBMARTIN

Each time Portland, Oregon’s “The Decemberists” release a new record, it’s far more than 13 or 14 tracks, a catchy single and attractive cover art. The album is a captivating story, an advanced lesson in linguistics and further proof that front man Colin Meloy is by far the brightest mind in modern indie rock. The band’s most recent and arguably riskiest release yet, a rock opera “The Hazards of Love” continues down a storytelling path that The Decemberists have mastered with their past works like 2006’s exceptional “Crane Wife” and 2005’s “Picaresque”.

Their new release, originally planned as an epic stage production, “Hazards” certainly shows its musical roots. The rock opera route isn’t one that many groups go for anymore, but the band seems to have the formula down.

The steady progression and flow between songs, along with strict attention to storytelling through its 17 numbers all show a work that was meant for the stage.

The album’s subtle opening, “Prelude,” gives off the vibe that what’s to come is going to be very calm and mellow. This trend continues as “Hazards of Love 1” introduces us to the story that’s about to play out. It also brings several of the guitar hooks that will be key later on.

The fairy

Picaresque

The Crane Wife

Full of ‘Sunshine’ PAGE 24 A&E / APRIL 13, 2009

Amy Adams’ most recent film overcomes flaws with funny moments and a terrific cast // LANDONMCDONALD

Can a film succeed in spite of itself ? The bittersweet comedy “Sunshine Cleaning” struggles valiantly against derivative plotting and stale dialogue before finally achieving a healthy measure of respectability largely due to the charm and talent of its vivacious leading ladies.

“Sunshine Cleaning” obviously wants to bottle some of the left-over goodwill from profitable low-budget gems like 2007’s “Juno” and “Little Miss Sunshine,” but it has neither the creative ambition nor the engaging eccentricity needed to generate a breakout indie hit. What it does have is Amy Adams and Emily Blunt, two of the most appealing and talented actresses working today. Their characters lace the film’s overt perkiness with a quiet melancholy and add tender doses of reality that far exceed the script’s feeble grasp.

The set-up has all the makings of a sappy Lifetime original series. After her young son Oscar (Jason Spevack) is ejected from public school, struggling single mother Rose (Adams) must find a way to pay for his private education. Officer Mac (Steve Zahn), the married cop Rose is having an affair with, suggests the lucrative but unsettling business of crime scene and biohazard clean-up.

Knowing that she’ll need help and unable to turn to anyone else, Rose desperately joins forces with her freespirited little sister Norah (Blunt), a drug-addled bohemian who would prefer to spend the rest of her life trapped in extended adolescence and living with her aging father (Alan Arkin). The two women soon form Sunshine Cleaning, the best deal in town for dealing with those pesky post-mortum blood and semen stains.

Surprisingly, the film’s first half-hour is by far its weakest.

The story drags and the writing seems predominantly rough and unformed. But after that thirty minute mark, purpose and sympathies are gradually established and the film steadily evolves into a workable human drama with bursts of dark and thoughtful humor.

Most of this stems from Adams and Blunt, both turning in beautifully understated performances as partners on the ragged edge of a future shrouded in uncertainty. Adams, steadily becoming one of my favorite actresses, instills Rose with a complexity that confounds description. A former head cheerleader brought down by a failed marriage and a fatherless son, Rose is a character that few performers could portray convincingly without veering into unwarranted quirkiness or the comic distortion of overacting. But Adams nails it, developing her character’s hidden hopes and fears with every public triumph and private breakdown.

The film’s most touching scene comes when Rose and Norah enter their first crime scene, the site of a grisly double murder that arose from a domestic dispute between a husband and wife. The sisters stare at a gore-splattered bedroom wall, the grim nature of their new profession laid bare for the first

The sunny parts of the movie

Rose (Amy Adams) befriends one-armed chemical salesman Winston (Clifton Collins Jr.), a relationship that avoids the pratfalls of Tinsel Town romance.

Alan Arkin’s grumpy grandfather, eager to assist Rose and Norah, resumes his occupation as a shrimp salesman, always tending a fresh batch in his bathtub.

STAR SCALE | |Stay home |

// movieweb.com

time.

“Do you think they loved each other?” asks Norah quietly.

After a moment of fearful contemplation, Rose answers her. “Yes.” If only the rest of the film could have maintained the painful resonance of that brief but magnificent little scene.

The potential here isn’t necessarily wasted, just needlessly muted or rerouted to unworthy sources. Far too much time is spent on Arkin’s doddering performance, a subdued shadow of the dirty old heroin addict he played with such sardonic zeal in “Little Miss Sunshine.” As much as I like Arkin, I can’t help but feel that the movie would have been better without his interference.

Not nearly enough time is devoted to Norah’s efforts to befriend the hardhearted Lynn (Mary Lynn Rajskub), whose mother’s suicide was cleaned up by Rose and Norah. There are faint hints of a possible romance between Norah and Lynn, subtle but intriguing implications that Megan Holley’s mixed bag of a screenplay is far too timid to explore.

The film does find occasional greatness in its quieter moments. A perfect example is Norah and Lynn’s deeply affecting train “tressling” sequence. Illuminated in a shower of train track sparks, Blunt’s expression of balanced fear and elation offers more insight into her character than any amount of exposition or dialogue ever could. Silence seldom speaks so well.

In addition to Adams and Blunt, an additional compliment must also be paid to newbie filmmaker Christine Jeffs, best known for the 2003 Blythe Danner drama “Sylvia.” Her skillful direction and obvious passion for what she’s putting onscreen comes across in every scene, even the ones that fail to connect. Although the pacing lags at times and some of the plotlines talspin into cliche, this film is still an obvious labor of love.

“Sunshine Cleaning” may fall short of its true potential, but it still deserves ample credit and praise for the one thing it

In the movie’s only moment of gross-out humor, Norah (Emily Blunt) trips and falls into a bloodstained mattress during a heated argument with Rose.

| Rental at best |

g et s absolutely right: the pitch-perfect casting. Even minor players like Zahn’s philandering Officer Mac and Rajskub’s grief-stricken Lynn inhabit their roles with a weatherworn realism that feels just right. I only wish the same could be said for the rest of the movie, which substitutes good for great at every turn.

| About: Amy Adams

|

She was born in Italy and raised in Castle Rock, Colorado. After high school, she studied dance and worked in regional dinner theater until age 20, when she moved to Minnesota with her family after being spotted by a visiting Minneapolis producer. She was recruited to work in his dinner theater there. She landed her first film role in the satiric 1999 comedy “Drop Dead Gorgeous,” which was, appropriately enough, set in Minnesota. After appearing in the independent comedy “Psycho Beach Party,” Adams made guest appearances on a number of television series, including “That ‘70s Show,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “The West Wing”; she was also cast as a regular in “Manchester Prep,” a TV spin-off of the hit film “Cruel Intentions.” “Manchester Prep,” however, was never aired when its network decided that the show’s sexual content was too strong for television, although several episodes were eventually re-edited into a direct-to-video feature entitled “Cruel Intentions 2.” 2002 proved to be a very busy year for Adams, who appeared in four features, including “Catch Me if You Can,” featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks.

//

starpulse.com and celebrity wonder.com

The gloomy parts of the movie

In the film’s surprisingly gruesome opening, a depressed office drone blows his brains out all over a guns and ammo shop. The clean-up bill is even more shocking.

Midway through, the stress-out Rose finally snaps, admitting that she’s always used her looks to get ahead in life. More world-class acting from Adams.

|Worth seeing |

Norah struggles to bond with Lynn, the unstable blood drive nurse whose mother’s suicide is Sunshine Cleaning’s latest sanitation project.

|Instant Classic

PAGE 25 A&E / ISSUE 14

Gritty ‘Gomorrah’ Italian mob epic showcases extreme realism, but lacks compelling story

//ALEXLAMB

// IMDB.COM

Ah, the gangster picture. It’s a genre that’s been around since James Cagney in the ‘30s, romanticized into aweinspiring art by “The Godfather” in the ‘70s, and even successfully transitioned over to television with “The Sopranos” 10 years ago. The last big movie to come from these parts was 2006’s best picture “The Departed,” and it’s high time a new member was inducted into the family.

Enter “Gomorrah,” a gritty telling of five true stories concerning the Italian crime syndicate in Naples, the Camorra.

Now I thoroughly relish a good mob film and had heard only positive praise for this so-called masterpiece, which Martin Scorsese (the master behind “Goodfellas,” “Casino” and “The Departed”) was sincerely endorsing; I obviously had high expectations from the get-go.

By the end of the movie, I felt like I’d gotten whacked.

The film starts off promising enough, with the shooting of several unsuspecting mobsters in a tanning salon, a sequence that grabbed my attention and propelled me headfirst into the thick of an Italian criminal underworld. But once I arrived, captivating entertainment went missing for most of my stay.

I was instead subjected to unfulfilling tales about a frightened money distributor for mafia families, a 13-yearold boy who joins a gang, a toxic waste management graduate learning from a crooked businessman and a talented tailor secretly training Chinese garment workers.

In addition, there was also a fifth yarn (the only one I honestly enjoyed) about two naive Scarface wannabes.

The whole story left me with a sort of “Grand Theft Auto” vibe, and like that esteemed video game series, it was naturally entertaining all the way through. From the two young men’s idolizing impersonations of Tony Montana and fascination with big guns to their firing of stolen assault rifles at an uninhabited lake (wearing only their underwear), each scene easily kept me anticipating the next.

Sadly, the level of engagement present throughout the entirety of this segment is only reached once or twice in each of the other four narratives. The 13-year-old’s initiation into the gang (being shot at point blank range with a bulletproof vest strapped to his chest) is shocking to see, especially since the force from the gunshot blasts him onto his back in the blink of an eye. And the crooked businessman’s hiring of little children to drive waste-transportation trucks, when they can barely even look over the steering wheel, is both fantastic and ironically humorous to behold, but the remaining parts of the four uninteresting stories range from slightly intriguing at best to boring at worst.

partners in crime: other gangster films “City of God”

A staggering Brazillian crime epic that sheds light on child gang wars.

STAR SCALE | |Stay home |

| Rental at best |

“Mean Streets” Martin Scorcese’s early brilliance was established with this film.

The realization that “Gomorrah” was not the masterpiece I had been expecting came to me a little over halfway through the movie as I thought to myself, “This is not compelling. These characters could get killed right now and I would hardly even care. I’d probably actually be happier because then something thrilling would be happening onscreen rather than this mundane confusion.”

Usually when I don’t care about a character in a film, it’s the actor’s fault. Not so here. Everyone in the cast gives a fine performance, and many of them have never acted before. No, the blame falls on director Matteo Garrone.

As far as I can tell, much of the movie’s weakness comes from him. There were plenty of shots following someone which lingered too long and many others that were completely irrelevant. In their place could’ve been more scenes of extended character development that dig deeper into the insidious conflicts these people face.

But the worst aspect is the lack of cohesiveness. It’s not necessarily the flow of the interwoven stories, jumping from one to another, which makes them somewhat difficult to understand; rather, it’s that often one boring scene is followed by another, the pacing is sluggish and uneven and characters are easy to mix up. If each tale played out entirely and then moved on to the next, like in “Pulp Fiction,” all the narratives and the whole film itself would’ve been far more engrossing.

Had Garrone and Roberto Saviano, the journalist who authored the non-fiction book, gone with their original plan of filming 10 different hour-long narratives for a miniseries, “Gomorrah” could’ve attained the greater depth it so desperately needs.

Although the stories may be skewed, the depiction of a controlling crime syndicate is not. The over-arching theme that the Camorra commands and influences the entire area in which it’s based is spot-on, most easily observed during a shot showing the roofs of the apartment blocks where much of the film takes place. Kids are seen happily playing in a cheap little patio pool while Camorra guards patrol the rooftops one floor above them, carrying automatic weapons. The children are aware of the guards; it’s just part of daily life. Everybody knows, accepts and lives with the fact that the Camorra is in charge, not the regular citizens and certainly not the law.

At first glance, “Gomorrah” gives off the impression that it’s a brutal and unflinching representation of modern mob life, but that makes it sound more rousing than it truly is.

In reality, it’s quite slow, even plodding at some points, and not overly violent. With Garrone’s deliberate, emotionally detached direction, “Gomorrah” sure gets its point across, and is more realistic than “Goodfellas,” though nowhere near as worthwhile or enjoyable. Well-made, just not welledited.

For the glamourless, non-Hollywood rendering of gangster life it illustrates, this may be worth a view on DVD to a very small handful of people. But if you like your mafiosos with an absorbing backstory and distinct personalities, this is an offer you should definitely refuse.

|Worth seeing |

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|Instant Classic

PAGE 26 A&E / APRIL 13, 2009

LOST IN THE ‘FURY’ New ‘Fast & Furious’ runs empty on fresh vehicular mayhem

// LANDON MCDONALD

VIN REVERSE

Action star Vin Diesel has actually given a couple of watchable performances. Let us now shift gears and reminisce on Diesel’s repressed inner thespian.

Yes, he was in that movie.

Saving Private Ryan Diesel gives an intense,

Find Me Guilty

memorable performance as Private Adrian Caparzo, a World War II soldier torn between honor and faith on the frontlines. Spielberg does tend to bring out the best in people.

Sidney Lumet’s wiseguy comedy is bolstered by Diesel’s shrewdly vulgar portrayal of mob informant Jackie DiNorscio.

Boiler Room

Diesel played investment broker Chris Varick to sleazy perfection in director Ben Younger’s supremely underrated study in power and corruption.

STAR SCALE | |Stay home |

Scantily-clad women boogie on the hood of a turbocharged Honda Civic. Asian imports and American muscle cars vie for dominance on the mean streets of Los Angeles, burning enough rubber and oil to make you forget we’re in a recession. Vin Diesel practices extreme brooding as Paul Walker’s FBI agent plots complicated criminal takedowns, pausing only to carefully apply more hair care product. The new “Fast and Furious” movie is in town, and I can almost smell the exhaust fumes.

Or is that just exhaustion?

Let’s be honest here. There’s no viable reason for this movie to exist, other than to line the pockets of its increasingly desperate stars and Universal Studio execs lusting after easy, watered-down profit.

Simply put, this series was never built to last. They’ve even run out of title ideas.

The original “The Fast and the Furious” from 2001 was a reasonably diverting trash-classic, but the quality quickly stalled in the hastily made sequels. Walker’s ill-advised solo effort “2 Fast 2 Furious” ran out of gas within its ridiculous first act and the starless “Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift” was an unabashed disaster, the last sputter of an apparently doomed franchise. Until now.

The new film starts with an admittedly spectacular action sequence that finds a gang of fearless speed demons attempting to steal fuel from a massive semi-truck while barreling down the narrowest desert highway I’ve ever seen. This awesome opening sequence is the only real high point of the film, so enjoy it while it lasts.

The flimsy plot kicks in with the startling death of a major character from the first film, a tragedy that forces racing kingpin Dominic “Dom” Toretto (Diesel) out of hiding to seek revenge on the Mexican drug cartel he holds responsible for the murder. Toretto’s reappearance draws the attention of Special Agent Brian O’Connor (Walker), now an aging FBI big-wig itching to see some glory day action.

O’Connor jets out to L.A. just in time to reignite his romance with Toretto’s foxy sister Mia (Jordana Brewster) and help Dom uncover the identity of a shadowy drug lord known only as Brago.

The film attempts to recapture some of the original film’s reckless magic when Dom and O’Conner enter an underground racing circuit overseen by Brago’s baby-faced lieutenant Campos (John Ortiz). The two former rivals, each wanting to find Brago for different reasons, are again forced to race each other for the purpose of infiltrating Brago’s crime syndicate. Now if this were the first film and jocular action director Rob Cohen were still at the helm, this scene would probably be nothing short of fantastic. But the replication here is only skin-

| Rental at best |

// all photos from www.allmoviephotos.com

deep. Director Justin Lin, who made his second American debut with “Tokyo Drift,” has a fatal reliance on digital effects. The racing scenes here are way too steeped in pixilated saturation, especially towards the end. The film occasionally bears an unflattering similarity to last year’s seizure-inducing “Speed Racer.”

Vin Diesel turns in another blank slate performance as the stoic Dom. Contrary to popular belief, this guy is not a bad actor (see sidebar) but his proclivity for token action hero roles is wearing a bit thin after all these years of “XXX” and “Babylon A.D.” nonsense.

Unlike fellow bad-ass Jason Statham (the upcoming “Crank 2: High Voltage”), Diesel doesn’t bring any charm or humor to the roles he takes. He just counts on the same empty posturing and grating monotone for every character he’s asked to play. Only directors like Steven Spielberg and Sidney Lumet have been able to coax this guy out of his hardboiled, impassive comfort zone Diesel has played Dom three times now. One would think he could loosen up a bit by this stage in the game.

Paul Walker also phones it in for his umpteenth portrayal of the frankly annoying Agent O’Conner. The character, already a cardboard cut-out in the first film, has now entered the realm of a squarejawed cartoon hero, Dudley Do-right with an auto fetish. I really wish Walker would pick more films like 2006’s gonzo gangster/horror film “Running Scared.” That film at least stretched the boundaries of his recurring role as undercover cop. Here he just seems grateful to be getting a paycheck.

The girls in the movie are just accessories to go with the cars, beautiful objects with very little going on under the hood. The usually stunning Jordana Brewster is rendered flat and stupefying here.

Her cornball romantic dialogue with Walker is often groan-worthy.

The bad-girl antics of Michelle Rodriguez were attractive in the first movie but seem relatively tame and wasted here.

Despite all the negative feelings I have towards this film, I will admit that “Fast and Furious” is a marked improvement over the franchise’s other brainless sequels and nearly equals the first film in terms of pure adrenaline. Action highlights include the aforementioned opening scene, a midnight border run involving a beautifully restored 1969 Dodge Charger and a climactic chase scene through a series of winding subterranean tunnels. Yes, the film has its share of decent action junkie moments. But the 2001 model was here first, and far too much of “Fast and Furious” feels about as original as its title. This one is nothing but spare parts, folks.

|Worth seeing |

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|Instant Classic

the

calendar ae &

// MADDYBAILEY

17 Again

Zac Efron stars as an uptight dad who turns back to age 17 and experiences life as a teenager again in school with his daughter.

He supposedly dropped his role in Footloose because he wanted to break away from his musical stereotype. But his label as a Disney Channel heart-throb will never fade!

The Soloist

Robert Downey Jr. might be the real hardest working man in show business. The Oscar nominee just wrapped Guy Ritchie’s “Sherlock Holmes” reboot and is now hard at work on next year’s “Iron Man 2,” also featuring Mickey Rourke as the new bad guy. Here, Downey co-stars with Jamie Foxx in a movie that explores the unlikely friendship between a cynical reporter and a gifted homeless musician who suffers from schizophrenia. The film could be a gift for both actors. Fox needs a hit and Downey needs to prove that last year’s comeback wasn’t just luck.

The Killers

Sure to be an extravagant show, Sandstone will certainly be filled with many humans, and dancers as the Killers roll through Bonner Springs. With their newest single, “Spaceman” still getting heavy radio play, the band is sure to pack the outdoor venue.

Angels and Demons Tom Hanks returns as heroic symbologist Robert Langdon in this adaptation of Dan Brown’s only good novel. Also stars Ewan McGregor.

Dane Cook

Taking a break from Hollywood, Dane Cook comes to the Sprint Center for one night only on his “Isolated Incident Global Thermo Comedy Tour.” Being a comic of his status, its no surprise that he’s taking on a venue as big as the Sprint Center With tickets ranging from $30 to $100, good seats are a must for the full comedy experience.

April

Get the scoop on entertainment events blooming this spring

Crank High Voltage 2

17

April April

24 27

April 30

May 2 May 15 May May

16 30

PAGE 27 A&E / ISSUE 14

Chev Chelios (Jason Stratham) simply goes wherever his heart takes him— literally. After a Chinese gangster hijacks his heart and substitutes it with a mechanical one, Chelios must electrocute himself regularly to keep his heart beating while he looks for his own. The sequel to “Crank,” produced again by the writer/director team of Mark Nevldine and Brian Taylor, hopes to recreate the frenzy and action of the first.

Franz Ferdinand

“Take yourself out” to see Franz Ferdinand at the Beaumont Club. Fresh off of their third album’s release in January “Tonight, Franz Ferdinand,” the band is stopping in KC before heading off to Minneapolis.

Neil Young with Death Cab for Cutie

The old folk master will get his first crack at the Sprint Center this month after having to reschedule last November’s Kansas City date. He’s accompanied by a much younger, hipper act, who will be sure to attract a younger fan base. In other words, don’t be surprised to go for Death Cab and then see your dad there for Neil.

Ben Folds

Celebrate the beginning of summer break by catching Ben Folds downtown at Grinders in the Crossroads. If there’s anyone to help you forget about the school year, it’d be the guy who sings the lyric “I was never cool in school, I bet you don’t remember me.” Banking on the energy he brings to live shows, you probably will. // SOURCES: http://www.allcdcovers.com, http://www.appleseedmusic.com, http://www.dialoginthedark.com

PAGE 28 SPORTS / APRIL 13, 2009

// PHOTO AND ILLUSTRATION BY ANDY ALLEN

The Fantastic These men left behind their sports legacy to teach at East // JOESERNETT

JAMIE KELLY: Fear The Mullet The match against Graceland University was in golden goal overtime, after a fiercely contested 1-1 game. The outside midfielder opposite then senior Jamie Kelly was making a run. Kelly followed, beat his guy and as a teammate crossed it in, he scored his second goal of the game for the win.

After graduating from East in 1994, Kelly went to Missouri Valley College to play soccer. He received the maximum scholarship from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletes school.

From his sophomore year and on, Kelly, who donned a flowing mullet, played varsity at East. During high school he played forward, then in college he moved to play outside midfielder.

“I enjoyed both [positions], but I would have to say I liked forward a little more, I’m more of an offensively minded person,” Kelly said.

Despite enjoying forward more, Kelly still got plenty of playing time at outside mid during his college career. During and after sophomore year, he made the all conference team each year for the American Conference and almost made the regional team for the Midwest portion of the NAIA. He took a starting position about halfway through his freshmen year, and was a team captain as a junior and senior.

“As a freshmen, yes it was tough because you’re on your own without your parents there,” Kelly said “And you gotta keep your grades up because they’re more important than playing soccer.”

After graduating college with a degree in secondary education and an emphasis on math Kelly began to substitute teach in Missouri while waiting to get his Kansas teaching certificate. He moved to East where he teaches today, and is now the head coach of the boys and girls soccer teams.

JOHN COMSTOCK: Mind over Water It was the conference championships his

freshman year in college at Missouri State University. Psychology teacher John Comstock was swimming back stroke. After the water had settled and the event was over, he found that he placed fourth, with two other teammates taking first and second place.

After graduating as a swim team captain from Southwest High School in the Kansas City Missouri School district, Comstock went to Missouri State on a small swimming scholarship.

“In high school we had a cluster of people who were good swimmers each year, and that made for a good team.” Comstock said. “We also had the same kind of situation when I was in college.”

During high school Comstock swam the 100 yard backstroke event, and in college swam the 100 and 200 backstroke. In both he also took part in the medley relays, and in his high school senior year his medley team won their event at state.

Throughout college, swim practices were two times a day, and sometimes even threea-days.

“Probably the best thing for me because it gave me structure certain times, and this way college wasn’t one big social event,” Comstock said. “It was hard but good.”

In college, Comstock’s school swam in a conference that consisted completely of schools from Missouri. But every year his team would head down south and swim against division one schools such as LSU, Rice and Tulane.

Swimming in college was very competitive for Comstock; his team got second in the conference all four years he was there. He also placed in the 100 and 200 backstroke every year at districts, which he viewed as a big accomplishment because only the top six are considered to place.

Comstock graduated college with a Bachelor’s degree of science in education with a social studies comprehensive. He went right into teaching after college and coached the boys and girls team at SM North for 28 years.

“I really wouldn’t change much, swim-

ming in college had its highs and lows,” Comstock said. “Some of my best friends are from swimming.”

TODD McATEE: The Record Holder History teacher Todd McAtee played basketball all four years of his college career on a small basketball scholarship at Southwestern College, in Winfield, KS. “I know I missed out on lots of social opportunities by going to a small school and playing basketball, but the rewards that came from that decision were very unique,” McAtee said.

Averaging three games a week and five or six two-hour practices a week, playing basketball for McAtee was a big time commitment. During the beginning parts of the season the coaches would even set aside time just for studying. McAtee says all this time really helped him to learn time management skills.

“We had one pretty good year, the first year I was there, but from then on we were horrible,” McAtee said. “We went 3-26 when I was a junior, which was the worst in school history and still is today.”

He graduated in 2002 with a BA in history, and he teaches US history at East and serves as an assistant varsity boys basketball coach. Starting as the sophomore coach, then coaching freshmen for five years, he’s moved up.

“I’ve actually thought about going back a lot,” McAtee said. “Part of me wants to go back and just be a KU student, part wants to go experience that, but I’m glad that I made the choice that I did.”

SCOTT DOWIS: Double Threat During his time in college at Graceland University in Independence, Mo., Dowis played both soccer and volleyball. After graduating high school from Highland High School in Palmdale, CA, Dowis looked for a school were he could try to play two different sports.

During and after high school, Dowis viewed soccer as his more dominant sport.

He felt he was much better at it, as he had only been playing volleyball since his freshmen year in high school when he tried out.

“In high school soccer was my favorite of the two, but once I got to college volleyball started to take over,” Dowis said.

But for Dowis, things didn’t seem to start out so great in college. After his freshmen season in soccer he wasn’t too happy with the big change from a large suburban area outside of Los Angeles to a more rural setting. He considered leaving Graceland University to go to school closer to home. However, just as he was about to make a decision, he walked onto the volleyball team and made the cut, so he decided to wait until the end of the year. By the end of that year, he decided to stay at Graceland.

Playing varsity soccer all four years and varsity volleyball starting his junior year, Dowis stayed busy. Some days he would play volleyball from 2 to 3:30 p.m., then soccer from 4 to 6 p.m.

All the hard work and time spent on these sports paid off his junior year in college when his volleyball team won a national championship. Graceland, an NAIA school, played a regular NCAA schedule because not enough NAIA schools had teams. But since the school did not qualify in enough D-1 sports they could not play in the division one championships. Instead, they played with the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association against many other club teams from all around the country and won the national title at NIRSA. Dowis’ soccer team at Graceland wasn’t too bad either. In 1997 and 1999 they won their conference and in 1999 were one game away from winning their district.

Dowis graduated with a degree in business and took night courses at Avila and earned his teaching certificate.

Now at East he teaches computer applications and is the head coach for the girls volleyball team and likes where he is at. He also said looking back he wouldn’t change a thing.

PAGE 29 SPORTS / ISSUE 14

INTHE

LAWRENCE LIMELIGHT Track team headed to KU for elite Kansas Relays

// PATRICKMAYFIELD

// JACKHOWLAND Then sophomore Jordan Dietrich stepped up to the starting blocks lining the track of Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, his arms and legs beginning to go numb.

“Don’t drop the baton, don’t drop the baton.” The thoughts echoed in his head.

Gazing across the jam-packed bleachers, a queasy feeling set in his stomach. He has no time to think about form or strategy – he’s too nervous. The last thing he wants to do is let down the seniors in his 4x100 race, their final Kansas Relays as a Lancer.

Dietrich runs an 11.1 lead-off split, keeping East in the race. The 4x100 team runs their fastest time yet for the season, a 7th place 43.7.

With the aura of a D-I stadium and some of the best athletes in the world, the invitational meet separates itself from any other in the season.

“I would say for the kids, this is the most fun meet, even more so than state” head track coach Brie Meschke said. “Because there are colleges competing there, there are Olympians competing, they see kids that they don’t usually get to compete against.”

On April 15, the qualifying athletes from the boys and girls track teams will be competing in the Kansas Relays at Memorial Stadium at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. Only around 20 East athletes compete in this event each year, creating a “varsity of varsity” as Meschke describes it, meaning that the best of the best will be competing in the Relays.

To qualify for this meet, you need a time that either meets or beats the suggested time. Each year, the Kansas Relays only take a certain amount of people for each event, so even if a student has a time that qualifies, they may not make it because of how many students can fill the quota. It all comes down to how competitive the field is each year.

There are just as many events in this meet than any other in the season, but the major difference is how many schools compete. Meschke estimates that there are at least 100 more high schools at this meet than at any other in the season.

In addition to high schools competing, the meet also has events which consist of college athletes, invitational athletes and even youth athletes.

“It is definitely a regional meet,” hurdles coach David

Pennington said. “There’ll be competitors from all over the region. Oklahoma comes, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado schools come. It gives you a chance to compete against the region as opposed to just the state. It also gives you an opportunity to see colleges, small colleges and big universities compete.”

The large field of athletes makes this competition one of the toughest to place in through the season. Despite the meets reputation of being tough, East did well last year.

The meet was one of the Lancer’s best. Although it doesn’t have one final team score, the individual results did all the talking. Last year, East’s boys took third in the high jump, 100 meter sprint and the 4x400 relay. The girls took seventh in the 4x800 relay out of 55 squads.

Any finish within the top ten at the KU relays is essentially seen as a victory by East coaches. Out of the two teams that beat East last year in the 4x400 relay, one won the state championship and the other became the state runner-up in Missouri.

“We did exceptional at KU last year,” Meschke said. “I would say usually we have several entries and they fare well against other Kansas people and maybe not so well against out of state people, but last year we had some great performances even against out of state people.”

The expectations for this year are somewhat lower than they were last year, with the loss of nine seniors to college.

But senior Allie Marquis still believes this can be a good year at the Kansas Relays.

“Next year I’m going to KU so I know that my future coach will be there, so I’m really hoping to run well,” Marquis said.

“And I had mono through cross country season, so I feel like I want to go out strong.”

Junior Chris Clarke also wants this to be a good year. His goal is to make it in the top three in the 100 meter run, and as far as team results go, he has high hopes but also knows how difficult it is to do well in such a selective meet.

“I don’t think we’re taking as many people this year,” Clarke said. “You never really know about the competition, people can pop out of nowhere.”

But despite the stress that comes along with the relays, this meet is a favorite because of its atmosphere. The bulky

megatron shadowing the field adds to the excitement, as well as the great weather and the beautiful view of Lawrence. All of the stadiums impressive architectural features give the meet a feeling of importance in the early track season. This meet comes three meets into the season out of eight total track meets.

“I think it’s an incredible event for the general public, for track fans, for those who are just getting into track,” hurdles coach David Pennington said. “There’s a lot of energy and excitement at this meet.”

This year East is expecting around 15 athletes to qualify, a lower number than last year. Although East lost three athletes to D-1 colleges, many of last year’s competitors still remain at East.

Clarke is expected to qualify in the boys 100 meter and may be a serious contender for first place. Also, the entire placing girls 4x800 relay team is returning, hoping to meet last year’s 7th place finish. Senior Curran Darling has already committed to high jump at Villanova next year and should place in the top ten in the high jump if he qualifies.

In order to prepare for this meet, Meschke plans to work hard leading up to the relays. Unlike events like state, where East takes it easy in the weeks that precede the tournament in order to be fully rested for the meet, Meschke pushes students to work hard up until the Kansas Relays since it comes so early in the season.

East only has two meets before the Kansas Relays to prepare. In the Lancer’s first meet of the season, both the boys and girls teams won. In the second meet, the Shawnee Mission South Relays, East won many boys and girls events.

The meet was not a team scored meet, so there was no final winner.

And now with two varsity meets in the books, the Lancers are looking ahead to the Kansas Relays.

“I don’t want to take kids to just participate, I want to take kids that are going to excel,” Meschke said. “A lot of coaches from other schools will take kids just to participate and be a part of the atmosphere. If our kids go, I want them to finish in the top ten in every event...and some events will have over 100 entries.”

Come to Avant Garb!

What? a fashion show featuring student desingers from all over smsd.

When? May 1st from 6-7

Let usmake your night one to remember. . . dream

Where? Leedy Voulkos Art Center, 2012 Baltimore, KCMO, 64108

School the SENIOR BREAKFAST Ends May 27th Hey, SENIORS!

Bring your camera, bring your parents!

Friday, May 15, 7:00am-7:45am SME Cafeteria, all meals FREE of charge

Bring an appetite for good food and socializing with your peers as your high school days dwindle to the end

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PAGE 31 SPORTS / ISSUE 14

the

who to watch and what to watch for

sophomore • tennis

Being one of the youngest members of a state championship team what do you see is your role in keeping the success in the future?

Word on the street is that you and Ross may not actually get paired with one another this season... What’s the deal?

We just need to keep going with what we had last year, obviously. We have to motivate the freshmen through what we did and hopefully they can pick up some matches at the end of the season. I’m going to make sure we all click and can make it happen again because eventually it will be us younger guys that will be the veterans. I think we all just will practice hard together.

I’m not sure if we’ll end up matching together this year, really.

We’ve got a very strong team all around this year with a good freshman and a new junior transfer, so we’ll see how that works out with some new arrangements and duos on the court. No matter what happens we’ll be a strong group and have other successful pairings.

You’re junior brother is a varsity baseball player... When did the separation come?

What was it like winning state last year and placing third in doubles as a freshman?

Back when we were younger he used to play tennis also and we kind of would always go back and forth. He kind of had a bit of a temper problem so I think he had to step off the court. I’m glad I’m not a baseball player, really. We’re both successful at what we’re doing now so it’s the only way I could see things being. I used to play, but was never very good at it so I guess it’s just natural that we’ve got our own things going.

It was a really good experience just going through all that and seeing what it’s like. I never really expected it to happen the way it did... I always knew I’d play in high school but wasn’t really sure about where on the ladder I would be, so finding myself with a state title my first year was really incredible.

What’s it like being teammates with one of your best friends, sophomore Ross Guignon?... Especially when you’re one of the top duos in the state.

When you look at the season ahead, do you expect a cakewalk to a championship or a tough and challenging road?

It’s good. We have a lot of chemistry and things like that. I always know what he’s going to do and where he’s going to go, so that helps a lot. We never get too heated on the court too much, but trust me, it’s definitely happened before.

signing day LIBBY JANDL SOCCER duke university MARCUS WEBB FOOTBALL central college

April 15, 3:30 p.m.

April 13, 3:00 p.m.

Boys’ Varsity Golf @ SM Northwest Tournament: The second tournament of their season, the returning state champions will face strong Sunflower League competition in Northwest. They will look to returning seniors Joe Lynch and Chase Lucas to lead the team through another successful season.

ALLIE MARQUIS TRACK/ XC university of kansas

April 14, 6:00 p.m.

Girls’ Varsity Softball vs. SM South: A young team, led by new head coach Deon Slemp, hopes to capitalize on some early wins against their Raider rivals. The team has struggled in recent seasons, but have brought in new faces to change the team’s direction.

LOGAN KLINE DIVING indiana university

April 17, 3:00 p.m.

CURRAN DARLING HIGH JUMP NICHOLE HEMMINGSEN SOCCER villanova university park university NATALIE PARSONS SOCCER southern alabama university

JEFF SOPTIC BASEBALL johnson county community college

ARIAS LOCKHEART FOOTBALL fort scott community college

MIKE JOHNSON FOOTBALL fort scott community college

CHRIS FOTOPOULOS TENNIS university of oklahoma

Sports PANEL

Girls’ Varsity Swimming vs. St. Thomas Aquinas: Having won four straight Sunflower League titles, the girls hope to win another. Thursday’s meet is Senior Night and will be against a formidable Aquinas squad that lost a few swimmers, but won’t hand the seniors a victory at their final home meet.

DANA HEMMINGSEN SOCCER park university

WINN CLARK BASKETBALL mcgill university

the

Boys’ Varsity Tennis vs. BVNW: Last year’s top team in the state is going up against a crippled Husky squad that lost their top player to national competition. The team should ease through this match and build steam for top varsity players to work their way towards the state competition.

April 16, 4:00 p.m.

I think it’s going to end up being a lot like last year. Blue Valley North has got another tough team and can pose a threat the way they have in years past with some of their top players. We’ve got a lot of experience, though, and will be ready to take whatever comes at us at any point in the season.

these 13 seniors sealed their athletic futures by signing with college programs last Wednesday

WEEKahead

MTWT F

Sam Amrein with

Varsity Track @ Kansas Relays: Sometimes considered a bigger meet than state, the Lancers will face their best competition from around the region at the weekend meet.

Senior Allie Marquis will be running on the same track she will be in her college career at KU and hopes to continue the success her and two other returning members of the 4x800 relay had at state last year.

EVENT of the WEEK

...Giving you the heads up on the sporting down low Girls’ Soccer @ Olathe South

Golf at State: Back to Back Titles?

Kansas Basketball: Preseason #1?

Royals: Over/ Under 70 Wins?

Spring Sports Stud

SM East

Obviously

If the Dynamic Duo Returns

Under

Molly Rappold

Olathe South

Absolutely

On paper: No. In my heart: Yes.

Over

Chris Fotopoulos

SM East

Yes

Of course

Over

Coach Deon Slemp

SM East

No doubt

Who else could be?

Over

Joe Lynch

sam kovzan sam logan

kevin simpson cam smith

PAGE 32 PHOTOESSAY / APRIL 13, 2009

This season the softball team will hit it hard and

// ALLPHOTOSBYMACKENZIEWYLIE

Walk

ti

Out ABOVE: The JV bats line the backstop at the field in Leavenworth. The girls softball team led the season off with 10 runs and a record of 2-3, compared to last season’s 0-20.

RIGHT: Freshman Caroline Nick prepares for the Leavenworth Pioneer’s pitch while freshman Keira Slemp looks on from the on deck circle. The Lancers won the game against Leavenworth 2-1 on April 7.

FAR RIGHT: Freshman Shannon McGinley winds up as starting pitcher during the last varsity game.

Playing softball since kindergarten, McGinley is a part of a young team of mostly underclassmen with four seniors and a handful of juniors. “ There’s no pressure because we’re young,” McGinley said. “We’re all young and we can make mistakes. I think that we’re going to do really well and we’re not going to ever not win a game in a season.”

FAR ABOVE: During a break in practice, freshmen Amy Franklin, Ereka Lindsay and Lauren Adams dance to the song “Walk It Out.” Off the field, the team bonds over team dinners .

ABOVE: After their first game and team meeting, the varsity team walks off the field. They have five three-hour practices a week and are scheduled to play 20 of games through the remainder of the season. “We are making a big comeback,” freshman Shannon McGinley said. “We’re going to definitely win more games this season.”