Issue 4

the

Issue 4 10.18.04

harbinger

a publication of Shawnee Mission East • 7500 Mission Road • Prairie Village, KS • 66208

SME votes getting involved student opinions congressional races political accessories

pages 10-15

2

news

the harbinger

College daze

College Clinic attracts students from throughout the metro to meet with potential colleges

Ben Whitsitt

Duke, Harvard, and Princeton were some of the schools McCarter looked at but had no intention of going to.

Junior Bryan Medina has no idea where he wants to go to college and still comes to college clinic even though the future is still cloudy for him.

“It’s too early for me to start wondering where I am going, I’ll probably end up at KU anyways.” Even after going to the Clinic as a sophomore, Medina still hasn’t changed his views about college.

Although some students have a fixed view on their college careers, representatives come to change their minds. K-State representative Kristin Shaw is in her second year as an admissions counselor and says students get the wrong views about colleges, especially K-State.

“Many people don’t know that K-State is the number JUNIOR Brian Rice fills out a form in the East gym for one choice for high school seniors and that we are in the information from Colorado University. top ten of most comprehensible colleges in the nation,” Shaw said. “We are also very reputable in academics and one I’ve attended,” Suni said. we are just trying to get that across to students.”

Even with all the people, UMKC still tries to separate K-State is one of the many Kansas schools that attends themselves from the rest of the colleges. the clinic and gets so crowded with students that they need “We talk a lot about our medicine school and what types two rooms to give presentations and talk about separate of things that make UMKC unique,” Dehaemers said. areas of their school.

But for seniors like Jack Lynch the search for colleges Schools like UMKC also got swamped with people and gave presentations every half hour to get their point came down to where he has applied. “I have applied to USC, across to students. Jennifer Dehaemers and Erl Suni, the Princeton, Washington in Saint Louis, and I want them to representatives for UMKC, call this clinic the biggest one know me now,” Lynch said. “This {College Clinic} doesn’t they’ve seen next to the national college clinic in Saint really affect my decision, I just want to get a feel for the STUDENTS were lined up at the doors before they were let colleges.”

Louis. inside College Clinic to gather pamphlets and hear presentations.

“So many people from across Kansas come to our presentations, it’s like a zoo and this clinic is the biggest

photos by Emily Rappold

Groups of parents and students from across Kansas and Missouri gathered outside every entrance at East 30 minutes before College Clinic even started. When the doors opened swarms of people started their search for which colleges they were interested in or look at the ones they already applied to.

“I come to have fun and look at the colleges I probably won’t go to. Its interesting to see what they all have to offer,” junior John McCarter said.

McCarter didn’t even think about which colleges he would like to go to until he found colleges that centered around his major for right now: engineering. Colleges like

d l r o W The true story of The Real Mike from Season 10 speaks to DECA students about The Real World and lessons he learned

Andy Launder

photo courtesy of Mercedes Rasmussen

DECA participants from East and around the state of Kansas attended a leadership conference with the promise and anticipation of seeing someone famous. The some 250 people attending had no idea who it would be until Mike from MTV’s The Real World walked on stage to speak to everyone.

“I was really excited; I was screaming,” senior Annie Thompson said.

Mike talked for approximately an hour about growing up in a small town in Ohio and how he always dreamed of being on The Real World. He preached to everyone about the importance of leadership skills and how they got him where he is today. He correlated their impact through his own personal experiences. He even talked about his new goal, which is to become a professional wrestler.

“People were excited because he was sort of a celebrity.

Usually at these kinds of conferences they have really boring speakers,” senior and Vice President of Kansas DECA Lauren Gray said.

Mike walked in wearing his blue pin striped Tommy Hilfiger suit, given to him personally by Hilfiger to wear for the MTV Video Music Awards.

“All my students sat in the front row and asked lots of questions and were excited about talking to him,” marketing teacher Mercedes Rasmussen said.

After his speech there was a Meet and Greet where people could get their picture taken with Mike and receive his autograph.

“My first impression was who is he, but after his speech he inspired me to reach my goals,” senior Jordan Steadman said.

Kansas DECA officials had kept Mike’s appearance a secret since June. Gray and senior and Kansas DECA President Sarah Smart had the opportunity to hang out with Mike the night before the conference.

“He said he hangs out with other people from The Real World all the time,” Smart said. “I scrolled through his phone book and it was like Abe, Ace, Amaya….”

Mike talked to the officers about everything from wanting to be a wrestler to regretting his relationship with Trishelle.

“It was fun because it was one on one and he was more open with us. He talked about things he couldn’t say in front of the audience,” Gray said.

DECA SENIORS pose with Mike “The Miz” from Season 10 Mike was chosen and brought in by the State adviser of “Back to New York” of MTV’s The Real World. Mike can still be DECA to speak at the conference, which was held in Rock seen on MTV every Monday at 9 p.m. on The Battle of the Sexes.

Springs, Kansas on Sept. 30.

Oct. 18, 2004

news

issue 4

MOLES GONE

Chem students carry on the tradition

New Mole Tees Where you purchase the shirts: You can talk to Mr. Ogden in room 406 to purchase the shirts.

How much the shirts cost: The shirts cost 10 dollars When and why you wear them: You wear the shirts to Mole Day in spirit of the celebrations. .......................................................

What is a mole, really?

When the festivities begin: Friday, October 22 at 6:02 a.m. It’s usually on the 23rd but this year chem. 2 students had to change it because the 23rd is a Saturday.

What is it?

A mole is an amount of matter.

The number everyone has been going on about (see number in the art with mole flashing crowd) measures the amount of moles in a substance.

news BRIEFS

Sarah Steinwart

i W LD

3…2…1… MOLE DAY. The annual Mole Day celebration is coming this Friday in the Cafeteria. The Chemistry 2 IB/AP classes have been planning for a month to make this year’s Mole Day run smoothly and be entertaining. The national theme is Pi a la Mole, but the East theme is Moles Gone Wild.

“We didn’t see how Pi a la Mole had to do with molality, so we decided to make our own theme,” said Katherine Hammes, Chemistry II IB student and Mole Day coordinator.

Hammes finds it interesting to see who shows up for Mole Day. One thing is sure: all the people are half asleep and want extra credit. This year they are trying to change that.

“This year the committee is trying to get more than just extra credit seekers into the cafeteria so early in the morning,” said Junior Sue Xu, a Chemistry II AP student and one of the coordinators for the event.

All Chemistry I students who attend received extra credit, getting 6.02 points.

Activities that will take place are going to be similar to those of years past. There will be an anonymous student Mole, guacaMOLE and MOLEsical chairs. This year they are also attempting to have venders and news stations attend.

This year it is more than just Chemistry students who are interested in attending Mole Day. Due to the increase in publicity from years past and hearing about experiences students who went had last year, students such as Sophomore Emily True, are really looking forward to Mole Day. There are going to be announcements, posters made, showings of videos of Mole Day in the past within science classes and the Mole Day t-shirt to try and influence people into coming.

“I am so excited to be able to attend Mole Day this

Feast for East When: St. Ann’s School What: It proceeds to benefit the SME Edu-

year,” True said. “Last year I thought that it was one of those dorky things sponsored by the school that no one would really attend, but after hearing stories and seeing pictures from last year, I am really pumped for the free food and wild games.”

Xu looks back on her first Mole Day experience, as a sophomore, and remembers what a good time she had.

She is excited to be able to plan and run Mole Day for all those other science loving students. “ What I remember most about my first Mole Day experience is having a few hundred students crammed into the cafeteria. That was not an easy task,” said Xu. “What I enjoyed the most was all the food, but I was really l o o k i n g forward to this year when I am able to actually plan the event.”

Xu feels that attending Mole Day is similar to attending a basketball game. It gives people a thrill to be together with so many other people for the same cause.

Being in a room with hundreds of other students wearing the same shirt really gives you a rush, and seeing a Chemistry 2 AP/IB student running around in a mole suit for an hour just adds to the excitement.

“Even with having to wake up early, Mole Day is worth the loss of sleep,” Xu said.

Whiffle Ball Tournament

When: Saturday, Nov. 13

When: Friday

What: All completed packets must cational Excellence Fund. Donations and auction items needed. Call Julie Parman at be returned by 3 p.m. No packets or permission slips will be given out on 381-1891 or Kim Rappold at 341-9205.

When: Friday at 9 a.m.

Friday. If there are any questions, see Where: In the library Miss FitzSimmons (room 412).

What: An informative, efficient way to feel “in the Students: Anyone interested in volunteering call Jan Howard at 649-4822. loop” about East. In under an hour, you’ll hear Why: All proceeds from the tournament from Principal Angelo Cocolis, learn a lot from your will go to the Can Drive. student’s counselor and find out about the myriad of issues they deal with every day. Come with your questions and enjoy meeting other parents.

Parent/Principal Coffee

Oct. 18, 2004

3

International Baccalaureate Program When: Oct. 28 at 7 p.m.

Where: In the library What: Have you heard about I.B. and wondered what it is all about?

Parents and students are invited to a PowerPoint Presentation, question and answer session, and short video which will help in making an informed decision about pursuing an International Baccalaureate degree.

4

news

the harbinger

Changing the standard Students prepare for PSAT testing that has a whole new style

Cynthia Goldman As the last test day for seniors to take their SATs before college deadlines rolls in, juniors begin to fret about taking their SATs for the first time. But it’s not just taking a college-bound standardized test for the first time; the class of 2006 will be the first to take the new SAT. The preparation began a while ago. With juniors taking the new PSAT last Wednesday at school, some students have already begun to prep.

“I bought a PSAT prep book and I’m taking practice tests and everything,” junior Annie Frizzell said. “I also took a free PSAT offered by the Princeton Review just to get the format of the test.”

The format of the new SAT is no longer made up of one math section and one verbal section. It is now divided into three sections: writing, critical reading and mathematics.

The greatest change is perhaps the writing section.

This section includes a short essay that will ask students to establish a point of view on an issue with support based on experiences, readings or observations. There will also be multiple-choice questions on writing style. The PSAT, however, will not include the essay, only the multiple-choice questions. The entire writing section in the SAT will take 60 minutes (35 minutes

for multiple choice and 25 minutes for the essay).

The next two sections will take 70 minutes. The critical reading section, currently called the verbal section, will eliminate analogies and add short reading passages to existing long reading passages. The math section will eliminate quantitative comparisons and extend the math content to include third-year preparatory math.

Each section will be scored with the same scale of 200800 like the old SAT, but two subscores will be given for the writing section. There will be a multiple-choice subscore on a scale of 20-80 and an essay score with a scale of 2-12.

Each essay will be graded by two trained high school or college teachers who will not know your identity, school or the score given by the other grader. The grader will then give a score from 1 to 6 based on the quality and demonstration of writing competence. The two scores of the grades will then be added together to give the essay subscore.

According to collegeboard.com, the essay will be scored using a “holistic approach,” meaning graders will “consider the essay as a total piece of work and will judge it on the overall impression it produces.”

Therefore, a few errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar should not hurt a student’s score too much.

Handwriting will also not affect a student’s score, but it is important to write legibly for the reader to grade.

So why are these tests changing suddenly? The organization in charge of the SAT and PSATs, College Board, says that the new SAT will “reinforce the importance of writing throughout a student’s education”.

It is also based on knowledge and skills acquired in school coursework. This will allow colleges to make better decisions on admissions and placements of students.

The change has caused mixed reactions of students and parents.

“I don’t think [the new SAT] is a good idea. You can’t give right or wrong answers. It’s all in the eye of the beholder,” junior Corey Waldman said. “The grader might think one thing when really the write meant another. There’s too much time for error and the time factor doesn’t give you time to think before you write.”

Frizzell disagrees. “I definitely think it’s a good idea. I don’t like the analogies,” she said. “I remember getting really worked up about it [when taking the old PSAT as a sophomore]. I rejoiced when I heard they were getting a new SAT format.”

New SAT Test Dates and Registration Deadlines, 2004-2005 Test Date March 12, 2005 May 7, 2005 June 4, 2005

Registration Date Feb. 7, 2005 March 25, 2005 April 29, 2005

Join Mathletics!!!!!

Oct. 18, 2004

Late Registration Feb. 16, 2005 April 6, 2005 May 11, 2005

opinion

issue 1

Struggle in the Sudan

5

The United States has been oblivious to the genocide for too long

in 100 days and delayed the deployment of troops to the Sudan, but we have made ourselves the self-proclaimed region because of arguments over who would pay the bill mightiest country in the world, so why do we just stand and provide the equipment. We have watched this present around and do nothing? To be a world leader we must take genocide in Sudan, the fighting and on crises in the world that are actually death in the Democratic Republic Over 50,000 people dead, present and real, not simply create of the Congo and the murders and 1 million displaced, countless conflict for ourselves to fix. Along “How many deaths and lives use of child soldiers in Liberia and articles in huge media outlets with being the mightiest country, we ruined and coverage given will the Ivory Coast. including the cover story in must also be the best country, and that The United States must aid the it take for the United States to Time Magazine - and still no means helping countries and people Sudan initially with monetary action. How many deaths and that are in need of our aid. take some sort of action in the and diplomatic support and lives ruined and coverage given will it take for This problem, like so many others African nation of Sudan?” the possibility of a military the United States to take some sort of action in the African in Africa, has fallen on closed ears in intervention with the help of the nation of Sudan? the United States and around the world. international community through The Sudan is the largest country in Africa and is located We both have done little but pull away the United Nations. This action has two benefits: first, it directly south of Egypt. It is controlled by an Islamic portions of the money pledged to fighting AIDS in Africa, provides the best expertise and largest number of resources government that is based in the capital city of Khartoum. we have watched 800,000 people in Rwanda be murdered because both are given by This government the entire world to best help has been employing the Sudan, and secondly, a roving militia called since the United States does the Janjaweed to little without self-interest systematically rape and in mind, it would bring kill the black Africans our standing within the that live in the country; international community up most specifically in from the basement-dwelling the Darfur region. The low it is hovering around government has gone currently. The White House as far as providing early and the rest of the world military assistance to the must let the Khartoum Janjaweed by attacking government know that it towns with helicopters is unacceptable for these and fire bombs before practices to continue, the militia arrives. and that there will be All of this is consequences if they do. happening and the In 1994, when the United States stands by Rwanda genocide had and does nothing. We ended, the international have talked about things community said, “Never we could do and we again,” yet here we are only have even sent Secretary a decade later and there of State Colin Powel to are mass killings in many the Sudan, yet we have African nations, the worst taken no real action. of which in the Sudan. The Obviously the United States and the world United States is not have no choice but to take the only country that action. is just standing by and watching the genocide in

Gordon Culver in my own words

Freshman Ken Williams

What are you being for Halloween?

What: Ken the Barbie Doll Why: “ ‘Cause that’s what everyone calls me.”

Sophomore Molly Rice

What: Superman Why: “Because he’s so hot.”

Oct. 18, 2004

Junior Eric Kelly

Senior Micaelee Neubert

What: “One of What: The Pink Robin Hood’s Ranger merry men.”

Why: “Because Why: “My friends who wouldn’t want are making me.” to be a pink Power Ranger?”

6

opinion

RealityCheck

the harbinger

As Halloween and elections near,

beware of a

frightening

A close encounter changes a student’s outlook on Kansas Ross Boomer in myown words

There she was. Six foot four.

Platinum blonde.

Her features immediately caught my eye. The other prostitutes, scattered between the sex theaters and marijuana shops, were old and short with leathery dark skin and greasy black hair. If you can imagine 50-year-old immigrant cleaning ladies in tight corsets presenting themselves to you in large, red-lit windows, you can understand the excitement I experienced – in a figurative sense – of this blonde novelty.

Or so I thought.

As I got closer and closer to her window, I realized something wasn’t right. When I gave her eye contact (something travel books warn not to do) and she in return gave me some vriendschappelijk gestures (the reason for the warning,) I discovered her secret: who I thought was a lovely Vrouw van Pussen was really a Vrouw van Dickam. In other words, She was a He. It didn’t hit me, though, until I walked away and was sitting eating chocolate in Amsterdam’s main square: I really was in the Netherlands.

Before this encounter I had decided something after being an exchange student for a month: Dutch culture wasn’t that different from American culture. Yeah, my Dutch host mom had OCD when it came to shutting doors and my host dad dressed up like a bumblebee, but I would have experienced the same difference between families if I had moved to a farm 200 miles west of Kansas City. Sure, Dutch was different from English, but the country’s inhabitants were the most fluent English speakers in Europe and watched the same “Friends” episodes we did—and they watched then in English. And yes, the Dutch ate chocolate sprinkles on bread in the morning, but I could deal with that. In my opinion these were minor nuances of a culture that was generally the same as ours. I’d felt I never actually left America. But then I saw the prostitute.

I was raised in a very open-minded household and was quite aware of the alternative lifestyles that existed outside my home. It even seemed like when I was younger my parents made it a prerogative that we stayed in the gay district every time we traveled to a major city – Chicago’s was flamboyant; New York’s was hip; Paris’ was quiet – but all of them were tame compared to Amsterdam’s. Furthermore, I still lived in the very sheltered, conservative community of suburban Kansas. It’s one thing to know that transsexual blonde prostitutes exist in the world. It’s another thing to see one a few feet away from you, with only a piece of thin glass separating you from her. Er… him.

Thus, a dilemma ensued in my mind: “Had I actually seen what I thought I saw?”

“Of course you did. This is the Netherlands, land of Gouda cheese and ultraliberal politics.”

“But is this really possible?”

“What are you talking about? You saw it with your own two eyes. Besides, you know people like this existed in the world.”

“Well yeah, but not like these. They are so…out, out in the open. And people walk by them like its no big deal. I walked by them. This is supposed to be like Ameri…wait. But I’m not in America, am I.” It was the openness that got me. It just wasn’t always present in America. I was wrong in my judgment. I was wrong to assume that Dutch culture wasn’t that different. I was wrong to think I had never really left my own country.

And as I sat there amid the hippies and pigeons of Amsterdam’s Damplein, biting into my fourth piece of overpriced, yet definitely-worth-it-because-you-can’tbuy-this-stuff-in-America Belgian chocolate and pondering what I saw on my walk through the Red Light District, a new voice popped into my head: “Ross, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

Michael Pope in my own words Nobody takes me seriously anymore.

Much like the man on the corner downtown holding a sign with “Tha End iz Neer” scrawled upon it, I too try to warn everyone of their impending doom by broadcasting my message to the public.

“You should be scared!” I shout. “The election will soon be upon us! Are ye not afraid!?”

“Get off our lunch table,” you reply.

It seems that you people are not ready for the truth; you try to convince me that Halloween and the presidential election are so close together by coincidence. You all think I’m crazy, but you’re not the ones with your own bi-weekly column, now are you? Therefore, I have now made it my crusade for this issue to prove beyond any reasonable (and in some cases unreasonable) doubt that these two cursed events are entwined in evil so thick it would make John Ashcroft blush.

Try to stay with me here. Even though they aren’t in the same month, the two events take place in the same span of three days; three being the approximate number of Scream movies made, which is three too many if you ask me. Plus, John Kerry’s head bears a striking resemblance to the overly-elongated mask that the killer traditionally dons in those theatric masterpieces. But, like they say, the killer is never the one you suspect.

A few trivial coincidences will never prove this all true, though, so I must find some real substantial evidence to support my thesis or, at the very least, fabricate it. In order to do this, I have decided to go back; back to a time when Halloween meant everything, when a simple white sheet with eye holes cut in it would not do - this wonderful time of innocence before you came to realize that Barney probably liked hitting the bottle a lot more than being your friend.

Halloween was a night of legend, when vampires and zombies and Dick Cheney roamed the earth in search of fresh souls on which to feast. The parents of the surrounding neighborhoods, much like the candidates nowadays, always made sure to feed us everything we desired in unlimited supply: candied apples, kingsize candy bars, tax reform, etc. In return, we promised not to smash their

Oct. 18, 2004

Fall

pumpkins all over the front stoop. But there was always that one house, that Independent thinker, who would, in their absence, leave out a courtesy bowl full of the cheapest candy that they could buy in bulk at the last minute.

These people, while meaning well, came off as unprepared, unintelligent and unimportant to the general consensus of us kids. They would leave a little note with something scrawled upon it about the “honor code” and how we should only take as much as we thought was right, which was easy enough for us to ignore considering the fact that we couldn’t read anyway. There is no honor among thieves, seeing as they were all illiterate, which is why you’ll never find any of their memoirs lying around the public library (“Day 132: No sight of land since we set sail from the West Indies. I have growing suspicions that the crew is planning mutiny; I wore my new ivory peg-leg with the turquoise rhinestones today and they didn’t even notice! Only Mr. Birdie understands me…”).

Excellent, that was a good trip. Digging up stuff from the past is the best way to show how much more right you are by comparison.

I’m so close to proving it now, but close only counts in horseshoes and Weapons of Mass Destruction, right? So, now that we’ve taken a look back, why not steal a glance toward the horizon of our future.

Like it or not, no matter who wins this election, there will be changes and there will be compromises. The winner will go back on his word at least once, if not more, simply to please everyone. Innocent people will die, whether they are 18-yearold white suburbanite males or 8-year-old Cambodian refugees. All so that one party can continuously stick their tongue out at another for four years straight with the possibility of another four.

And if that doesn’t frighten the dickens out of you, consider this the coup de gras: When it comes to the election - just like on Halloween - a lot of perfectly e l i g i b l e people don’t participate.

This could be the scariest Halloween ever!

editorial

the harbinger

Editorial Cartoon

Political leanings

Politics breeds both hateful and possitive attitudes

The only thing scary about that was the price!

Davin Phillips

From stolen yard signs to arrested offense.

While supporting a candidate or idea is protestors, the upcoming election is dividing the country down the middle. This level of important, we must remember that others debate, while perhaps a bit immature, can do have the right to think differently. To have freedom of speech means that you have to nothing but good things for the country.

However, when political allow someone to scream at the top of their debate starts to rip apart lungs the exact opposite of what it is you friendships, it can be going think. too far. It is every American Whichever candidate you support, the citizen’s constitutional fact that you support one at all is great. right to hold their own Those however, who become overzealous beliefs, those who think in their quest to get someone elected and differently than you resort to uncivilized, or shouldn’t be seen illegal means, merely pose as traitors within a as drones in the mess that Students should not let friendship. Rather candidate support has they are exemplary become. this year’s election divide American citizens Signs have been stolen, friendships using their rights people insulted (often on a to the fullest and personal level), and many they should be have been arrested all in applauded just as an attempt to make their agree disagree absent mush as you. views known to the world.

For the first time When anti-Bush protestors in a long while, the “infiltrated” the Republican citizens of this country are actually taking National Convention, their actions, while interest in the future of this nation. Voter noble in spirit, only served to cast a bad light registration is up, tension is high, and people on their cause. are expressing their beliefs like never before, Kerry or Bush, Bush or Kerry, the division all of which are steps in the right direction. these two men are evoking from within the While all of these things are good, country is a major positive in these uncertain supporting one candidate or the other can times. Analyzing the pros go a little far. At one house in Kansas City a and cons of both candidates Kerry/Edwards sign was stolen three times. and holding them to their After the third time the owner decided enough word, citizens can do their was enough and put up a new sign reading, part in making the sure “Kerry sign stolen for 3rd time.” While this the future of America is a particular person chose to be lighthearted good one without drawing about their sign being stolen, it is no small childish lines in the sand.

7

8-0-3

the

harbinger

Shawnee Mission East Editor In Chief Assistant Editors Art/Design Editors Head Copy Editor Photo Editor News Editor News Page Editors Features Editor Features Page Editors

Libby Nelson Annie Fuhrman Gordon Culver Cynthia Goldman Mallory Toombs Stephen McKim Linda Howard Courtney Condron Katie Jones Ally Heisdorffer Ellie Weed Kathleen Bole Jayne Shelton Madi Moedritzer

A&E Page Editor Sports Editor Sports Page Editors Opinion Editor Opinion Page Editor Editorial Editor Special Section Editor Copy Editors

Staff Writers A&E Editors Letters to the editor should be Ian sentMcFarland to Rm 521 or smeharbinger@gmail.com. Letters can be edited for length, clarity, mechanics, and libel, and accepted or rejected at the editors discretion.

BREIFS

BREIFS Construction around SME was planned to be finished before school started-- instead, it is currently spreading up Mission Rd.

Evan Favreau Erin Morrissey Curtis Shank Peter Goehausen Frances Lafferty Sara Steinwart Tom Grotewohl Cay Fogel Amanda Allison Amanda Allison Courtney Condron Cay Fogel Curtis Shank Ian Stanford Katie Jones Evan Favreau

Researchers at MIT have discovered a way to use the photosynthetic energy of spinach and other plants to power computers.

Staff Artists Ads/Business Manager Asst. Ads/Biz Contest Coordinator Public Relations Photographers

Derek Martin Sarah Burford Meg Fracol Andy Launder Scott Peterson Davin Phillips Michael Pope Bryan Dykman Ben Whitsitt Maggie DiSilvestro Lauren Kelly Erin Morrissey Meg Fracol Emily Rappold Samantha Ludington Molly Magoon Kevin Grunwald Dow Tate

Patrick Haverty Advisor Ross Boomer is a student run publication. The contents and views are produced solely The Harbinger by the staff and do not represent the Shawnee Mission East or SMSD faculty, student body, or administration.

Oct. 18, 2004

8

features

High Christian Clubs K- School LIFE

The sea of highschoolers laugh in disgust as vanilla ice cream and frozen mayonnaise melts Sarah Burford down the competitors’ noses and necks as they plant their faces into the Styrofoam bowls. Leader Mike Higgins declares a winner and the crowd cheers; pats on the backs and excited chatter ensue. Welcome to the KLife house.

K-Life is a nation-wide organization that began when campers from Kanakuk Kamps (Christian sports camps) wanted to retain the summer’s spiritual high once they returned to normal life.

“Our purpose is to show teenagers how to live for Christ,” K-Life leader Darin Diggs said. “Our focus is discipleship and walking alongside students as they go through middle

Whipped cream-sauerkraut pies smeared into faces, pantyhose pulled over squashed noses, students singing to a guitar in the school’s library and Jesus. What may seem like a contradiction is really a form of outreach for K-Life, Young Life and Ichthus. These three Christian organizations strive to provide non-threatening environments in which students can learn about the Christian faith and enjoy fellowship with their peers.

school and high school.”

So what does stuffing your face with frozen mayonnaise have to do with God? “We do that kind of stuff to help draw people that aren’t Christians and to show that, as Christians, we can be that way,” Diggs said. “If it were all worship and prayer, some people would be into that but some people wouldn’t – mainly those who are unfamiliar with Christianity.”

In addition to Thursday evening skits, competitions, and worship, K-Life focuses on mentorship through small groups, each separated by grade and gender and consisting of about five people. In addition to weekly bible studies, small groups occasionally hang out on the weekends.

Whether it’s going to movies, sleep-overs, baseball games, or (on the more feminine side) the mall, small groups spend time getting to know each other in order to offer support and prayers through times of trouble.

Younglife Ichthus Sarah Burford

“Brown-Eyed Girl” and “Wonder Wall” resound from Emily Shoemaker’s basement. It’s a Wednesday night, 7:58 to be exact, and Young Life has begun right on time. Similar to K-Life, Young Life’s goal is to introduce students to the Christian faith in a casual setting.

“It’s not God-intense or anything like that; it’s just a good time,” senior Kate Wooldridge said.

Though the purpose of ridiculous competitions and oldies songs may escape some, Young Life uses these activities to provide a comfortable setting in which to talk about God. “Young Life is a fun, non-threatening environment where we get to know each other and learn about Jesus and what he was all about,” said leader Amber Heggestad, currently a senior at KU. This year, South and East are combined, so the club alternates every few weeks between East and South homes. After competitions similar to K-Life’s, one of the leaders talks briefly about the Christian faith and how it identifies Jesus Christ, ministering primarily to those who are unfamiliar with Christianity. K-Life is directed more toward long-time Christians who come to be challenged and take their faith to new levels.

Young Life leaders strive to provide a pressurefree place for students to figure out what they believe, and encourage kids to think for themselves.

“It’s a fun and casual way to grow closer to God,” senior Kelly Kyndesen said.

the harbinger

Students sit, stand, lean wherever they can find room in the crowded library. All heads are bowed, all eyes closed, some lift their hands in praise as they sing to sophomore Emmi Scott’s guitar.

Ichthus, formerly known as Club 121, meets at 7 a.m. on Thursdays at East to worship, pray, and enjoy each other’s company. George Bocox and Nate Severson, youth group leaders at Hillcrest Covenant Church, lead discussions on various scriptures, focusing on how students can share their faith at East specifically and support each other throughout the day, whereas K-Life and Young Life have no single common setting.

“The main focus [of Ichthus] is to encourage you for the week so you can go out with a smile in your heart,” senior Greer Donley said. “It’s not a lecture; it has more of an encouraging tone.”

In addition to Thursday mornings, Ichthus meets at Homer’s coffee shop in old Overland Park on Wednesdays at 6:30 a.m. This usually draws a slightly smaller crowd but the discussions are similar.

Senior Reed Fagan goes to have fellowship with students that “have the same convictions” about the Christian faith as him. But to those who may fear exclusion, Fagan is reassuring.

“You probably won’t find a warmer group of people at East,” Fagan said. “It’s not something to miss.”

Occasionally Ichthus students go to events outside of school together such as Christian concerts. When the group is together, whether at school or elsewhere, students often exchange prayer requests and share any struggles they are going through.

Oct. 18, 2004

“In a small group, we can show them how to live,” Diggs said. “Our impact and influence is greater in that setting.”

Higgins leads the junior boys’ small group in which Brad Blessen is involved. Scott McElvain introduced him to KLife several years ago.

“The leaders were really neat guys who I could tell cared about me,” Blessen said. “[K-Life] has given me a good group of friends to hang out with and support spiritually with everyday problems.”

Greg Blessen, Brad’s father and president of the Kansas City K-Life board, sees how the leaders’ time commitment to the students has helped his son mature and given him solid Christian support.

“K-Life has reinforced the spiritual values that we have established at home,” he said. “It’s more appealing to my son when it’s coming from someone he can identify with, who’s closer to his age.”

Locations & Contacts

Young life

WHO TO TALK TO: Amber Heggestad (785)331-9466 When/Where: Location is tentative; changes weekly Wednesday 7:58 p.m..

K- Mike Life Higgins or

WHO TO TALK TO:

Darin Diggs (913)383-9415 When/Where: 2015 W. 79th St. Thursdays 7 p.m.

Ichthus

WHO TO TALK TO:George Bocox Nate Sereson (913)901-2304 (913)901-2309 When/Where: Library small room Thursdays 7 a.m.

Homer’s Coffee Wednesday 6:30 a.m.

features

issue 4

9

up Digging the past Tom Grotewhol

T

he bullets blasted the blacksmith building, piercing easily through the log walls. The chinking of the pellets colliding resonated throughout the small village, terrifying its inhabitants. They realized the daunting fate that awaited them for trying to practice their religion. They knew their time had finally come.

The state militia had arrived to dispel the settlement of Mormons residing in Hans Mill, and they did so by firing over 1200 shots. Pieces of wood and brick jetted off in every direction, littering the ground, until finally the militia left, having made its point. Even after dumping 14 of the 17 Mormons they killed into a nearby well, however, the militia could not hide the massacre from history.

Fast forward 150 years. A student unearthed another chip of burnt brick, and world history teacher Paul DeBarthe explained it was from the foundation of one of the buildings at Hans Mill. Long ago, the village of Hans Mill was annihilated by the state militia who had come to dispose of the Mormon militia that had been established to protect the Mormons’ right to practice their religion.

“When it’s a dispute between church and state,” DeBarthe explained, “the state almost always wins.” 17 Mormons were killed and another 17 were wounded.

Not until 1996 did the rich history of this site begin to be revealed. The Missouri Mormon Frontier Foundation staged a series of three digs over two years’ time under the supervision of DeBarthe, who is an archaeologist in addition to his teaching duties at East. During these digs, artifacts that had remained untouched since the bloodbath in 1837

were uncovered, and DeBarthe and company realized that the gruesome history of Hans Mill could not stay untold.

Since then, Hans Mill has become quite the tourist attraction. “It is a great resource of history that thousands of people visit,” Debarthe said.

Among these thousands of people who visit Hans Mill are DeBarthe’s own sophomore students, whom he takes in groups to excavate the site several times a year.

“It is especially valuable for students to participate in these excavations because it gives them a legitimate sense of history,” Debarthe said.

DeBarthe teaches his students not to believe everything they read in history books, as they are not always completely accurate. “History is written by the winners,” Debarthe said.

“Archaeology is one of the few pure forms of history that are not tainted by the lies of historians.”

But digging up the past is hard work, explained sophomore Annie Krieg, and sometimes frustrating. “Every time you dig something out of the ground you think it’s important, but it’s usually not,” Krieg said. “I spent hours in the hot sun with mosquitoes the size of my fist and found nothing.”

Another one of DeBarthe’s students, sophomore Nathan Yaffe, was also out of luck. “I basically spent the entire afternoon with my shirt tied around my head and my belt fastened over that, digging holes in the ground, and I didn’t really find anything,” Yaffe said.

In the past, however, DeBarthe’s students have dug up ceramics, glasswares, and other artifacts that help weave the tale of Hans Mill. “One girl found a nail and some

Oct. 18, 2004

photo by Kevin Grunwald

DeBarthe, students excavate artifacts to piece together 150-year-old Hans Mill story

DEBARTHE and senior Rachel Findley discuss a piece of pottery found recently. The piece has a unique salt glaze.

porcelain, and Mr. Debarthe told us where they might have come from,” said Krieg.

DeBarthe hopes that students will manage to find some educational value after the sweltering hours in the sun. “I learned about the general process of digging at an archaeological site,” said Yaffe. DeBarthe divides students up into two groups; one team works on a 10 foot by 10 foot patch of land scraping the surface for bits of burnt brick and stone, and the second group cleared out new patches of land.

“He then taught us what to look for in terms of artifacts,” said Krieg. “Even though most of us didn’t find anything, we know what’s important to look for.”

More and more pieces of the town are being revealed, and by helping in this process students are helping to divulge history.

“Students see the artifacts as they come out of the ground,” said DeBarthe. “These objects whisper of the truth, of what has happened in this place.”

With a history as rich as this, Hans Mill is begging to be further excavated to divulge its full story. For now, we’ll just have to make due with the pieces uncovered by DeBarthe’s students.

6E&RE H OW N tio

c ele

04

0 n2

[ getting involved ]

the harbinger

THEY WANT YOU!

Ways to be politically involved in the weeks before the election

CAMPAIGNS

Voter Registration Ends TODAY

The congressional campaign for both Republican Kris Kobach and Democrat Dennis Moore have been encouraging and accepting student help. The volunteers are not paid, but they do get service hours for their work. Both campaigns combined are currently using students along with their adult volunteers.

For Moore’s campaign, student volunteers have walked in Dennis Moore parades, worked in the office after school and gone door-to-door to talk to potential voters.

Both campaigns are still taking volunteers in the week leading up to the election. You can sign up on either of their websites: http://www.kobachforcongress.com/volunteer.html or http://www.mooreforcongress.com

ELECTIONS

Even though students aren’t old enough to vote, some will still be working the election as volunteers. They’ll spend Election Day at a polling place, helping people to work the machines and accepting registrations.

Volunteers have already undergone a training session where they learned about the process of dealing with voters—what to do if they need a different ballot or to be at a different polling place.

They then learned how to work the electronic voting machines. For the combination of training session and election work, they will be paid $100.

Johnson County and Kansas as a whole suffered from a lack of election volunteers until a law was passed that lowered the eligible age to volunteer to 16. This year, they’ve had so many students volunteer—promised $100 and a day of from school for helping—that they’ve had to start a lottery system to choose which students they’ll use.

MOCK ELECTION

Students not yet old enough to vote will nevertheless get a chance to experience the process on Thursdsay, Oct. 28, when East will hold a mock election sponsored by the social studies department. To make it more like a real election, students were required to “register” to vote, and only those registered will participate.

“We want this to be as close to a real election as possible,” American History teacher Vicki Arndt-Helgesen said. “We want to see how many students actually register, how many bother to vote, how many ballots are tossed because they didn’t register properly…That’s the way a real election works.”

Voting will take place on the North Ramp on Oct. 28.

Are you planning on voting this election, but you haven’t registered? The deadline is TODAY. You can register in person at most city halls, including Prairie Village. For more information, go to www.jocoelection.org Students registering to vote in the presidential election must know either their Kansas driver’s license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number. It’s also recommended to bring one of the following as additional identification: Kansas driver’s license *bank statement *paycheck *government check *utility bill *other government document such as Medicare or Medicaid documents, military identification, student identification or a passport.

Registration closes today; however, if you are 17 now and will turn 18 before the election, you can still register and will be considered eligible to vote.

Voters can register at drivers’ license bureaus, city halls, or state-run agencies such as the Johnson County Housing Authority or Mental Health Center.

Applications are also available in public libraries and schools.

Issue 5. It’s coming.

Watch for it Monday, Nov. 12.

election 2004 | page 10

[ SME poll ]

issue 4

We polled 225 students from all grades on who they’d elect if the election were really “here and now”–if they were picking the President today.

R DE NA

70% 30%

?

11%

n2

004

of students would vote differently than their parents

interest KERRY

38%

ctio

of students would vote the same way as their parents

not interested

BUSH

ele

influences

the president

4%

HER NO& E W

T h o u g h Kerry won by 5 percent, 11 percent of students were still undecided. With two weeks before Nov. 2, this race is still too close to call.

43%

election 2004 | page 11

15% 35%

“very interested”

69% “somewhat interested”

“How interested are you in politics/ this election?”

close races

Among sophomores and freshman, Kerry beat Bush by only one vote. But seniors made the difference–twice as many voted for Kerry as for Bush.

12

Showing

Polit

Scott Peterson

W

Students show views through merchan

ith the November elections approaching, people are working frantically to have their voices heard.

In order to make sure that they bring in more support for their candidates, new campaign items like buttons and t-shirts have found their way in area stores.

Students have taken to this frenzy.

Buttons are pinned to backpacks, purses, and clothing, while bumper stickers line up the back of car windows.

Senior Aimee Slater has come up with an idea to show her support for her candidate, and is now selling them to student buyers. Recently t-shirts and hats with “Jesus is my homeboy” on them have popped up in clothing stores and schools. Now, Aimee is selling shirts that say, “Bush is not my homeboy,” as a creative way of showing her support for Kerry.

“It started when my friends and I were talking at lunch about funny tshirts, and that is how I got the idea.

It was meant to be small, but it grew when word got around,” Slater said.

With all the effort she has put into making the shirts, Slater hopes she gets her message across.

“We thought it would be funny, but we also wanted to speak what we thought.”

Sophomore Rebecca Mosley thinks that the campaign apparel can be unnecessary.

“To a certain extent, it gets to be overwhelming. There are backpacks with millions of buttons that are completely anti-Bush, or anti-Kerry, although most of them are pro-Kerry.”

Nearby stores have also picked up on the rush. Mission’s Southwest Jewel’s owner Bob Sherman has converted part of his store into a Kerry apparel shop. Like Slater, he says it

started smal “We got campaign, a about it, I sta a few button Southwes in voter reg many peopl “We all background opinions, so visitors that “We get eigh up to senior Whether down the st buttons ever “I think th more outspo don’t think i Sophomo same way.

“It’s not anything an

tics

w political campaign ndise

ll. t involved in the Kerry and as more people heard arted selling more than just ns,” Sherman said. st Jewels also is involved istration, and that attracts le to the store. l come from different ds, diversities, and o there is a wide variety of t we get,” Sherman said, hteen year olds all the way rs, it doesn’t matter.” in the halls, or walking treet, there are signs and rywhere. he Kerry people are a little oken,” Mosley said, “but I it makes a difference.” ore Emily Hipps thinks the

like it’s going to change nyways, I mean, it’s just

a shiny button, and most kids in the school can’t vote anyways.” She said.

Slater believes it is important for kids to voice their opinion, regardless of whether they can vote or not.

“When people talk about the elections at school, they aren’t talking about their opinions, they are just talking about which candidate is worse.” There aren’t just Bush and Kerry signs. There are also signs and buttons for state and district elections. Democrat Dennis Moore and republican Kris Kobach are running against each other for the third Congressional district.

Whether you are in school, or just strolling around in your neighborhood, the rush of the upcoming elections will become even more noticeable, as more paraphernalia finds its way onto lawns, backpacks, or clothing.

photos by LInda Howard

photos by Kevin Grunwald

g Pride in

“

To a certain extent, it gets to be overwhelming. There are backpacks with millions of buttons •Sophomore Rebecca Mosely•

”

Express

Yourself

You too can have the hottest buttons, signs, and apparel that supports YOUR candidate

Pro-Kerry/Anti-Bush •KerryGear.com •CafePress.com Pro-Bush/Anti-Kerry •GeorgeWBushStore.com •KerryIsScary.com Represents Both Parties •DemocracyMeansYou.com

6E&RE H OW N tio

c ele

04

0 n2

[ smaller elections ]

Also on the ballot Despite all the presidential hoopla, there are several other elections happening Nov. 2

Kansas Senator Candidate

Economy

Civil Rights

Social Issues

-Advocates the two tax cuts that President Bush passed in the last term -Wants to achieve a balanced budget -Advocates a child adoption credit -Wants to partially reform welfare

-Supports a constitutional amendment to outlaw gay marriage -Opposes gay adoption -Opposed adding sexual orientation to the hate crimes legislation

-Wants to put a ban on partial birth abortion -Protect gun makers from lawsuits -Wants to increase penalties on drug traffickers -Support President Bush’s “No Child Left Behind” plan for education

-Supports the Bush Administration Energy Plan -Voted for $40 Billion for limited drug availability through medicare (2003) -Advocates War on Terror and War in Iraq

-Opposes outsourcing of jobs -Wants to remove barrier that limit the flow of exported goods and services from Kansas and the rest of the nation -Remove the Bush’s tax cuts for the people making over $200,000

-Against the proposed constitutional amendment to outlaw gay marriage -Advocates benefits for gay couples

-Advocates restoring the full 40 percent federal funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Act -Opposes “No Child Left Behind” unless full funds are guaranteed -Advocates right to bear arms, just not concealed or assault weapons

-Advocates policies that allow small family farms and livestock to co-exist and compete with large abribusiness -Tap the capped oil wells in Kansas to provide jobs and more oil -Opposes ANWR drilling

Civil Rights

Social Issues

Miscellaneous

-Supports the passage of the constitutional amendment that bans gay marriage -Wants to commit national guard troops to patrol the border with Mexico in order to enforce the immigration laws

-Advocates banning abortion -Wants to move control of the schools away from the national government and back to the state, local and district level -Advocates the Second Amendment

-Adamantly wants to make sure that

-Does not have any plan for repealing -Voted against and is still against the the Bush 2001 and 2003 tax cuts amendment that is for banning gay marriage

-Supports “No Child Left Behind” on the premise that it is granted full funding -Wants to reduce the cost of prescription drugs

-Opposes the Patriot Act

Sam Brownback

Lee Jones

3rd District House of Representatives Candidate

Kris Kobach

the harbinger

Economy

-Advocates further tax cuts beyond the Bush tax cut packages of 2001 and 2003 -Reduce tax burdens on small business in order to decrease the number of businesses that go bankrupt and increase productivity

Miscellaneous

the Patriot Act 1 and 2 are renewed

Dennis Moore

Kansas State Senator Candidate

Economy

Education

Insurance

Miscellaneous

-Advocates intelligent state economic incentive programs that are both attractive to business and fair to our communities

-Wants to make sure that the conservative legislature fully funds education

-Advocates the expansion of HealthWave which is the state’s healthcare program for low-income children

-Wants to modernize Kansas statutes because there are so many out of date statutes and laws on the books

-Opposes creating penalties for outsourcing of jobs oversease -Supports the continuation of a bistate sales tax compact with Missouri

-Opposes offering tax-supported

-Opposes imposing new health insureance coverage mandates

-Opposes further restriction of

Thurston Cromwell private school vouchers for k-12 education

election 2004 | page 14

the use of stem cells in biscience research -Opposes authorizing concealed carry of weapons

6E&RE H OW N 04

0 n2

io ect

el

[ student opinions ]

the harbinger

Taylor Hinson Sophmore “Bush. I believe he’s a stronger leader and overall I believe in Republican views over Democratic. I believe Kerry is too indecisive.”

What presidential candidate do you support and why?

Jami Block - Senior “Kerry, because my sister is a diabetic and he supports funding for stem cell research which includes diabetes.”

Madi Jenkins- Junior “Kerry, because he thinks that the war in Iraq is wrong and I do too. Also, Bush got sidetracked with the leaders instead of the main issue.”

Debaters on the debates

Emily Limpic - Senior

Alex Bergin - Junior

“Bush, because that’s what I’ve been raised around those values.”

“It is necessary and it parallels the two candidates together. It accomplishes so much more than months of seperate speeches could.”

Maddie Barajas Freshman

Camilla Claiborn Sophmore

“I don’t support anyone.”

“Both times Kerry has come out as the obvious winner.

In both debates he tends to start of slow...but picks up as they go on.”

Paige Peeke - Junior

Charlie Ehler - Junior

“Bush, because with the war it would be a bad time for a change in office.”

“It’s critical to inform citizens about different issues that may affect the country for the next four years.”

election 2004 | page 15

16features

Comfy with a

KICK

the harbinger

1992 East alumnus opens restaurant with ‘comfort’ theme

Erin Morrissey

Scrawled on a chalkboard on the wall of the small, dimly lit restaurant are the specials of the day. Roasted chicken. Pan-seared scallops. Spinach and brie tarts.

Desserts straight from Grandma’s kitchen. And of course, true to the restaurant’s name, they have chicken pot pie.

“It’s dressed up comfort food,” said Shawnee Mission East alumnus John Williams of the menu at his thirteenmonth-old bistro, Pot Pie, located at 904 Westport Road.

Nearly everything about Williams’ quaint eatery could be described as “comfortable”. There are a mere eleven or twelve tables, and the only light comes either from the almost-burned-down candles or out of the kitchen, which is in plain view of the diners. Tasteful decorations adorn the walls, giving the room an almost artsy feel. It’s hard to not feel at home.

Williams isn’t only the owner; he’s also the head chef. However, he didn’t always plan on owning his own restaurant.

After graduating from East in 1992, Williams moved to Colorado to snowboard. He began working in a restaurant there, but not because he loved to cook.

“They fed me. It was warm. I wanted to snowboard, and cooking was just something to do on the side.”, said Williams.

However, the culinary arts soon became more than just a job on the side for Williams. When he moved back

to Kansas, he realized that he wanted to own his own restaurant. Originally, he intended for it to be a French bistro. However, the United States and France were in somewhat of a conflict at the same time Williams was planning to open his restaurant. So, for the sake of business, he decided to rethink the concept a bit. He opted to serve a cross between what he termed “down-homecooking” and French Cuisine. As for the name?

“We figured, ‘Eh, let’s call it Pot Pie.’ Why not?”

The name isn’t the only thing that makes Pot Pie different. For one thing, the desserts aren’t cooked in the restaurant. Instead, Williams’ grandmother bakes homemade treats every morning and brings them in.

Among the choices are chocolate cake, apple crisp, and pumpkin pie, but they change fairly frequently, as does the rest of the menu. There are some constants, such as pot pie, but other things change every few weeks.

“People like some consistency, but it’s also nice to change the menu and get a little variety,” said Williams.

Also adding to the variety at Pot Pie is the entertainment.

Every Wednesday night there is a live band playing on the small stage at the front of the restaurant. Williams likes to allow all genres to play.

“It’s generally pretty fun and casual,” said Williams.

“It’s homey.”

JOHN WILLIAMS, owner of Pot Pie, in his yearbook picture 12 years ago

Pot Pie Menu Specials

*House Salad, Spinach Salad, Goat Cheese Salad *Spinach Brie Tart *Steamed Mussels *Roasted Chicken Soup *Pan Seared Scallops w/ vanilla espresso sauce *Sea food mixed grill w/ stugreon escolar and sallons *NY Strip w/ Red Wine sauce *Pan Roasted Chicken w/ Pan Jus *Beef and Mushroom Pot Pie *Chicken Pot Pie

MU offers high school credit

Required high school courses now being provided through University of Missouri For those students who struggle to meet the necessary requirements for graduation the University of Missouri-Columbia High School program is here to help. This program provides correspondence classes you can take at home or online at your own pace and it goes on your East transcript.

Students who are interested in these correspondences can sign up to take them anytime during the school year with their counselor’s approval. There are over 180 courses available and thirty-one seniors, juniors and the approved sophomores have enrolled this year.

“It’s a great way to get a class out of the way, but it’s hard to stay motivated,” said senior Susan Ryan, a MU High School participant.

If the classes taken are online, then the lessons, lectures, tests, and projects are downloaded, and some for classes, books are supplement the course. The other option is to receive the materials by mail. Midterms and finals are supervised at the University in Columbia. Teachers at the University grade the lessons and the results are e-mailed back to you.

“The only bad part is you don’t get any personal feedback or help,” said junior Hannah Parkinson, a MU High School participant.

The prices for the classes vary with an average of $170 per class.

The MU High School program has benefited hundreds of students in completing graduation requirements over the past twenty years. The classes can be completed at your own pace and done when the time is right for you.

Oct. 18, 2004

art by Davin Phillips

Davin Phillips

issue 4

Meg Fracol

Abandoning

ACNE

features

17

Shh. I’m here to talk about acne.

But, I won’t talk too loud because we don’t want anyone to hear, because acne is embarrassing and painful, right? Yet, chances are every single person will experience some form of acne. While most over-the-counter medicines can rid the common breakout, sometimes we need a little something extra to clean up the more severe forms. That’s why I’m here to tell you about serious prescription acne medicines; how they work, the side effects, and the information you can only get from a dermatologist.

According to Dr. Colleen Reisz at Midwest Medical Center, Acutane is a 6-month daily medicine that gives serious results and side effects. It has been in use for the past 17 or 18 years. Acutane works by drying out the entire body. First, it shrinks the sebaceous gland by 90 percent. The sebaceous gland secretes oil at the opening of little holes in your skin called follicles. By shrinking this gland, it stops the flow of oil, a major cause of acne.

Not only does it stop the oil there, but through out the whole body, so it can dry out other areas as well. If you’re looking to take this medicine, be prepared with an endless supply of chapstick because chapped lips are a side effect. Contact users may also find

it difficult to put in their contacts and dry, itchy eyes as well. It’s also not uncommon for patches of dry skin to pop up. These are only minor side effects. Since Acutane is taken as a pill, it passes through the liver like all medications. However, unlike most medicines, it can cause serious damage to the liver, so an Acutane user should not have a queasy stomach because blood samples are taken each month to test the liver.

There’s more.

Acutane can cause depression, headaches, and interfere with one’s ability to recover from athletic injuries.

Still interested in it? According to Dr. George Reisz, the medicine is a little too popular.

“It’s over-prescribed actually. Teenagers see it as being the cure but the reality is it only permanently helps about 40-50% of the population [taking the medicine],” Reisz said.

Acutane can also cause malformed babies, so girls taking the medicine must be on birth control before it can be prescribed to them, bringing me to my next topic.

Birth control is even more popular among girls who wish to fix their acne problems. It regulates and decreases hormones, the soul cause of all acne in teens. It’s been around for about 30 years as a means of treating acne.

Side effects of taking the pill include

Through the Fog Erin Morrissey

headache, nausea, and vomiting.

These are more common than Acutane’s severe side effects so they can prove more of a day-to-day nuisance than something that would require extreme medical attention. In the end, it is an individual choice on what the person would rather deal with; acne or feeling sick.

According to Hy-Vee pharmacist Bruce Sheridan, antibiotics are a common, gentler choice to stop acne. It works by limiting the growth of bacteria that cause acne. However, compared to Acutane and birth control, it may not always target a specific acne which is why medicines like Acutane can be more beneficial for certain people.

So for those with severe acne, it would be recommended to talk to a dermatologist about whether Acutane or even birth control can target the type of acne plaguing them. However, those with only a smattering of zits or a pimple or too can probably find an effective treatment with over-the-counter medicines. Just remember, everyone has acne, so next time you’re walking down the treatment aisle, don’t be embarrassed because you’re not the only one.

Alzheimer’s causes hardships for family

photo courtesy: Becky Warren

Caroline was dating a great-looking with them’,” said Warren. football player, and hung out with a The first main symptom of crowd of pretty, preppy college kids at her Alzheimer’s is memory loss, followed college in Iowa. She’d seen Chuck around by changes in thinking, behavior, every once in a while, but he was friends and personality. For example, with a rougher group of people, so they’d Caroline was depressed, forgetful, never really gotten to know each other. and irritable in the early stages of her But when she ran into him one day and Alzheimer’s. Now, ten years later, he offered her a ride home, she couldn’t the depression and irritability have resist. She got into the car with him, and let up- but they have been replaced he took her home. He pulled in front of by terrible bouts of anxiety. her house, and before she got out, he “We took a cruise with the whole kissed her. She knew it was right. Soon family because we knew it was after, she dumped her popular footballgetting to be where she wouldn’t playing beau for Chuck. They were be able to travel anymore. She was married after dating for a while, and the pretty much fine the whole time- she rest is history.

BECKY WARREN poses for a picture with her grandmother. wandered off once, but we found It’s a story sophomore Beckie Warren Warren’s grandmother has Alzheimer’s Disease. her again, happy as ever. But on the recalls vividly- it’s the tale of when her plane ride back she started saying all the areas of the brain involved in memory, grandparents met. When she was little, this stuff to my mom about how she she used to snuggle under the covers of a intelligence, judgement, language, and was such a horrible person and that she bed at her grandma and grandpa’s house, behavior. It is the most common form of didn’t know who my mom was but she didn’t and listen to her grandmother recount the mental decline, or dementia, in older adults. like her at all,” said Warren, “She’s not trying experience as she drifted off to sleep. It’s a It affects the person’s ability to function to be mean, but she couldn’t help it. She just memory she cherishes, and one she’ll have from day to day, and is far more severe didn’t understand.” to cling to. This is because her grandma, than the common short term memory loss All of this has taken it’s toll on Caroline’s Caroline Warren, age 65, was diagnosed experienced by many elderly men and husband, Chuck. Last spring, after trying with Alzheimer’s ten years ago, and has women. several other options, such as Alzheimer’s “My mom always explained it to me as day care, he and the rest of the Warrens never been the same.

Alzheimer’s is a progressive condition, ‘It’s not forgetting where you put your keys, finally opted to place Caroline in a nursing meaning it continually gets worse. It affects it’s forgetting what you’re supposed to do home. At first, the family had an extremely

Sept. 18, 2004

art by Cynthia Goldman

Quicker solutions aren’t always best

Acne Myths o Washing your face too much can actually irritate the skin and cause more acne. o Eating of chocolate or greasy foods does not cause acne. o The sun helps to make acne better because it acts as a chemical peel, but it is never recommended it due to the risk of skin cancer. o Holding the phone too close to your face won’t cause blemishes. o Acne is not caused by dayto-day stress felt by most people. hard time coping.

“For a while, my mom would cry every time we left the nursing home. It was just really sad for her. Now, though, we do things like taking my grandma out to lunch for a cheeseburger or something. It seems to make everyone happier.”, said Warren.

Caroline started taking a breakthrough experimental drug in January that was supposed to help reverse her memory loss.

However, after taking it for over two months, it had done nothing.

“It was a huge disappointment for me and my family.,” says Beckie. “I guess I’d had my hopes up.”

Beckie’s family is still praying for a cure for Caroline. But for now, Beckie just tries to be there for her grandmother and the rest of her family. She also wishes that people knew more about Alzheimer’s, because she constantly sees people making jokes out of it.

“I can’t stand it when people forget something and they are like ‘Oh, I have Alzheimer’s!’. It’s really nothing to joke about and it hurts and makes people mad who are victims of it or family members of the victim. People just need to know that it’s a family- and life-shattering disease.”

18 a&e

Fright Night ‘04

the harbinger

Not sure what to do this Halloween?

Let the Harbinger help you decide.

To trick or not to What are you doing treat? this Halloween?

Spooky cinema

“Trick or treating. I think I can pass for 12.”

-sophomore Maggie Townsend

Unless you actually find yourself having to face a hoard of evil demons every week or two, horror movies can be the most heart-pounding experience of your domestic life! Here are some of the best: What do you do when you’re infected with Satan? Call The Exorcist (1973.)

Thought by many to be the scariest movie of all time, The Exorcist is a tour de force when it comes to fright.

Evil Dead (1981) traps four innocent twenty-somethings in a cabin with one bad cursed forest that’s turning everyone into zombies!

Succeds in being scary and hilariously bad.

The Blair Witch Project (1999) may not have had a large budget, but you’d be lying if you said that you weren’t scared.

In the movie, a trio of young film makers set of to make a documentery about the so called “Blair witch,” but by the end, they’re more worried about survival than a good film.

The Harbinger also recomends: Alien, House of 1,000 Corpses, Psycho and The Ring Oct. 18 2004

“I’m going to a themed Halloween party.”

-junior Rieta Drinkwine

“I don’t know, I really don’t know.”

-senior Ian Flora

issue 4

No strings attached

a&e

Team America: World Police, while offensive, delivers laughs Ian McFarland In an era with discord, death and war, sometimes we can get out of line trying to fix it all. In Team America, we are taught this lesson, with examples that aren’t all that far from the truth— but with puppets.

In Team America, Gary Johnston, renowned Broadway actor is approached by the government to join “Team America” and use his acting skills to help infiltrate the terrorists and stop what is being called “9/11 times 100” or, as they call it, “91,100!” Along the way, there’s romance, explosions and everything else you would expect to see in a Jerry Bruckheimer film—but with puppets.

That’s right, every character in this movie is portrayed via marionette.

Maybe the real key to Team America is the puppets. Watching puppets go kung fu on each other is priceless. By

using these obviously fake-looking, fake-moving, and downright ridiculous marionettes, director Trey Parker hits the

“

Team America Director Trey Parker hits the right chord while setting the outrageous tone...

show tune “Everybody has AIDS” and the recurring power ballad ”America– F*** Yeah!,” on the way out of the theater– that is, if you aren’t gasping for air after just thinking about it.

As funny as this movie may be to me, I wouldn’t recommend it to just anyone.

There are stereotypes gone wildly out of control, outrageously explicit puppet sex, and perhaps most offensive, a criticism thrown at anything political. It is noteworthy that there isn’t one mention of President Bush, nor of any political party.

Parker only makes fun of America, not of specific group of Americans.

While Team America: World Police may be the most offensive movie of the year, it may also be something else: the funniest.

”

right chord while setting the outrageous tone of the film.

Though Team America is far from a musical, Parker manages to sneak more than enough songs in. Parker’s last movie, South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut, was packed to the brim with hilarious songs that made your eyes tear in laughter, and Team America does the same. Make sure you recite songs like the sappy country track “Freedom isn’t Free,”

photos courtesy of Movieweb.com

A piece of New album is unique and original Evan Favreau

“

Pressure Chief

If there’s one thing Cake has going for them, it’s that the sounds they give us are unique to them, giving them an identity that most of today’s popular music is sorely lacking. When you hear a new Cake song for the first time you can tell who it’s from without some annoying DJ yelling it in your face. The band has a habit of melding somewhat odd sounds together into excellent music that they make theirs, and this tradition continues in their latest album, Pressure Chief.

It’s been over three years since Cake’s last release, and I welcome them back with open arms. You only need to listen to the first song for five seconds (seriously, I counted) before realizing their dominance over most of the mediocre schlock you hear on the radio every day.

The rest of the album continues in similar form with only a few hiccups here and there.

The spoken/sung lyrics by lead John McCrea are as catchy as ever and you tend to find them easily being stuck in your head. His identifiable voice and the sometimes-amusing lyrics blend in with most songs in a way that makes them as important as the guitar.

The medley of sounds also propels this CD above the rest.

Guitars, trumpets, drums, electronica and your random sound effect produce sounds that no one else has. There are even touches of country in some songs, which would usually be a death knell in my eyes.

However, a few songs just don’t work. The first single released from this album, “No Phone,” is the weakest track on the whole CD. Despite the fine guitar line, the vocals and electronic rhythms quickly become annoying after a couple listens.

Steer clear of it if you know what’s good for you.

The other song that should be avoided is “Dime.”

The song has several things going for it, but again the electronica, which reminds me of the pitiful music from a Game Boy game, ruins the experience. The vocals also tend to get on my nerves.

There’s no doubt that Cake has returned its strong form. And despite a few misses, the majority of the album is unbelievably superior to the common music on the airwaves today. I just hope next time they return in less then three years: I don’t think I can take much more GreenDaySum41DashboardConfessional.

..the album is unbelievably superior to the common music.

”

Oct. 18, 2004

Track Listing

1. Wheels 2. No Phone 3. Take it All Away 4. Dime 5.Carbon Monoxide 6. The Guitar Man 7. Waiting 8. She’ll Hang the Baskets 9. End Of The Movie 10. Palm of Your Hand 11. Tougher Than It Is

19

20

sports

the harbinger

Train to gain

Frances Lafferty Conditioning programs not only help strengthen bodies, but also team unity. East coaches and athletes alike benefit from these off-season workouts - from the endurance runs to the water break chats.

Preseason conditioning is a program that coaches use to get their athletes into shape before the season actually begins. Head girls basketball coach Rick Rhoades says that his conditioning sessions are mainly for girls not in fall sports so that they will be as in shape as the girls who are in a fall sport. It will keep from overwhelming the girls at tryouts.

Sophomore Anee-Sophia Jackson started going to basketball conditioning sessions in the fall of her freshman year and liked getting to know the other new freshmen girls.

“When tryouts came around, there weren’t any fresh faces. We were able to get to know each other,” Jackson said.

It increased her comfort level at the actual tryouts.

Senior Rachel Beck says the conditioning helps to bring future teammates together. Beck played on varsity last year and has been attending the preseason conditioning for all four years.

“Sharing pain together in the preseason helps when it comes around to the actual season,” Beck said.

Not only did getting to know the girls help, but the workouts also helped the athletes know what the coaches expected from them at the try-outs, according to sophomore Kate Adams. The weights and running helped to get her prepared for the intensity of practices.

For the entire fall season the girls would go to the conditioning sessions Monday through Thursday. These sessions allow the coaches to cut down on conditioning time during the early season practices and devote the minutes to drills. According to Coach Rhoades, the restriction for preseason conditioning is that there can be no basketballs present and no plays can be run.

Every Monday and Wednesday there is a cardiovascular workout including sprints, long distance running, jump roping, and running up stairs. Senior Jennifer Franklin, who was also on varsity, described a workout in which they ran for 32 minutes straight, the length of an entire basketball game.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays the girls head to the weight room to lift weights for strength conditioning.

“Keeps me from having to worry about fitness. We’ll be able to work on plays during practices not fitness,” coach Rhoades said.

photo by Emily Rappold

Programs condition athletes during offseason

SENIOR Allison Owens runs the bleachers at a recent conditioning session for basketball.

ports ticker•sports ticker•sports ticker•sports ticker•sports ticker•sports ticker•sports ticker•sports ticker•sports ticke Varsity Soccer @ Regionals Date and time to be announced

After games against Olathe NW and SM North, the team heads into Regionals against an yet unknown opponent, at the time of this report. This soccer team has been struggling recently, the lowpont being a 9-0 shellacking at the hands of St. Thomas Aquinas. If the teams loses this game, their season is over

13 4

By the Numbers Number of strokes by which the girls golf team failed to qualify for state Number of times that the varsity volleyball team has lost this season, out of 31 games

Catherine Ward Freshman Varsity Girls Golf

Ward qualified for the state tournament today at St. Andrews after tying for first at the regionals last Monday. She is the first girl to qualify place first in the regionals tournament in head coach Ermanno Ritschl’s nine-year tenure as coach Ward showed consistent improvement, throughout the season, her coaches say. “She started out shooting in the mid-90’s but now she shoots in the 86-87 range,” assistant Ward is the only member of the golf team to qualify for state coach Tim Burkindine says.

Girls Tennis Cross-country V a r s i t y V a r s i t y At the regional tournament at SME last Monday-Thursday, the team had two teams qualify for state. Kristin Bleakley in singles and Melissa Lem and Jessica Wochner in doubles will play in the state tournament this Friday and Saturday in Topeka.

Junior Varsity The team finished the season having only lost three matches all year. Led by freshman Tess Hedrick, sophomore Abbey Blick, and senior Kelly King, the team’s strength was in its depth.

Other Top Performers

Player of the Week

Heading into regionals, the team expects to qualify for state at Rim Rock farm in Lawrence.

Junior John McCormick and senior Mikey Horrell, the top two boys on the team plan to qualify individually as well.

Junior Varsity Juniors Connor Dennis and Johm Sullivan lead the JV team.

As the strongest team in the Sunflower League, the team expected a strong finish at League (occurred last Saturday) to the season and look forward to next year.

photo by Emily Rappold

Game of the Week

Girls Golf V a r s i t y

The girls golf team has finiished their season, with the exception of Catherine Ward who has qualified for state. This year, the team set a goal of breaking 400, meaning that the top four golfers’ scores have to be less than that numbers. They accomplished this in mid-season. “We were ecstatic,” asssistant coach Tim Burkindine says.

Junior Varsity

The team won their last three matches of the year, and won the Sunflower League tournament.

They were led by freshman Valerie Fagan who medalled twice.

Oct. 18, 2004

Kristin Bleakley Junior, singles, varsity tennis Regional tournament, SME Qualified for state Brian Tagg Junior, wide receiver, varsity football vs. SM North, @SM South 1 punt block, 1 interception

Injury Report

Colin Hertel Sophomore, Varsity Football high ankle sprain, out 1-3 weeks Jared Hodgson Senior, Varsity football broken ankle, likely to retur

Football V a r s i t y

Freshman Terrence Thomas has been moved up from freshman to varsity as a backup to junior running back Bryant Condie. This is the first time a freshman has been a backup on varsity since 1999.

The rest of the team has rebounded from a four game losing streak to beat Wyandotte. The losing streak included a 28-7 loss to SM North, in which sophomore Colin Hertel was inured on his first run of the game

Junior Varsity

Five freshman have recently been promoted to varsity to bolster the struggling team.

Volleyball V a r s i t y The team went 2-1 at the St. Thomas Aquinas, losing only to Olathe East. Coming up Saturday is substate, which the team has to win to play in state. Overall, the team is 27-4. The regional tournament features the four top teams in the state, head coach Terry Wright says.

“St. Thomas Aquinas, BV North, BV NW and us are pretty much the best teams in Kansas,” Junior Varsity he says.

The team won the Sunflower League tournament to put a nice ending on an excellent season, Wright says.

sports

issue 4

Part of the team

photo by Samantha Ludington

Sophomore Raphael Torres is not the only student at East who has hearing disabilities, but he is the only one who plays football Peter Goehausen Tweet! As the whistle blew freshman coach Steve Peppes signaled for the players to go get some water. “Ready Team!” Peppes hollered at boys as they sprinted down the freshman field. “Lancers!” the 55 freshman echoed back, except for one: Raphael “Raphael” Torres.

He is the second deaf player to put on the pads at East.

The first was a 2003 graduate named Idrisi Schifano.

“He taught me about the game and helped me out a lot when he was a senior,” Raphael said through his translator Trudy Lounds.

He was diagnosed with his hearing abilities before he left the hospital in the Phillipines. He is about 80% deaf although he can hear very acute sounds.

Two years ago Raphael Torres moved to America from the Phillipines with his ten year old brother Kirl. Their mother, Eva Franklin had moved to America two years

21

SOPHOMORE Raphael Torres watches his teammates at a freshman football game from the sidelines

weeks, he started watching some of friends playing.

“Once I got the hang of how things I decided to give it a try,” Torres said.

He started out by playing two hand touch with his friends in the park. At first, he struggled learning the complicated parts of the game.

“It was tough communicating with the others,” Torres said. “But he helped me out,” as he pointed to a picture of Idrishi Schifano.

Schifano helped Torres out with playing football and learning about the rules of the game. Also, he taught him how to play with his hearing problems.

“Moving here was tough enough,” Torres said.

“But having to learn the language with my hearing abilities was almost impossible.” ****** Summer 2004.

After fully adapting to his new Facts of the Field American life, Torres decided to take a shot at playing football.

• Francis Torres moved to America from “I told him he could try it,” his mother said. “If he could do it alright he could continue to play.” the Phillipines two years ago with his younger Like all of parents of football players, Franklin brother. was worried at first. But after talking to her friends they told her it was not too dangerous.

“They told me that there’s always the risk of • Francis is the second deaf student to play injury, but they thought Raphael would be alright,” football at East.

Franklin said.

In the spring of last year Franklin contacted head football coach John Stonner about Torres playing.

• The first deaf student to play football was He told her to have Torres participate in the team Idrishi Schifano who graduated in 2003. summer camp from July 31 to August 3.

Raphael Torres had finally gotten his chance to play the sport he had admired since moving to Kansas.

As he got ready for the first day, he put on his earlier when she re-married an American salesman. ankle braces, tied his shoes, got up and shrugged his ****** shoulders forward to give himself his strong football player “Are you ready for some football,” a Hank Williams Jr. song came blaring out of the television to start up the look and walked out of the locker room onto the field.

“When Coach Stonner told us that he was going to try weekly Monday Night game out of the television as Raphael to play football we were all impressed,” sophomore Dylan sat and watched his first football game.

Ballard said, “ I have great respect for him.”

“It was the San Diego Chargers,” Torres said, “ my cousin As the loud whistle blew Stonner instructed the seniors is one of their coaches.” After watching that first game to lead the team in the calisthenics. Now after weeks of Raphael was in love with football. excitement Torres had finally gotten to take his spot on the “In the Phillipines, I tried baseball, soccer, basketball,” field, just like a normal player.

Torres said. “But they were nothing like football.”

The whistle blew again after calisthenics. “Defensive After spending his time watching football the following backs with Coach {Kevin} Oehme, line and backers with

Oct. 18, 2004

Coach {Miles} Martin and {Chip} Ufford,” Stonner echoed to the 65 or so players at the camp.

Raphael ran down with defensive backs, weighing a meager 121 pounds It was the position that would best fit him.

“You could tell he really wanted to be out there,” Stonner said. “He had a great attitude about everything.”

By week’s end Torres had gotten a strong background for his position and was ready to take on bigger challenges. ****** August 16, 2004. The first day of practice for all four of the football teams. Torres was not in uniform because he had to get a waiver to play from the KSHSAA because of his age. Instead he filled his other job in football, being the varsity team manager. For the next three weeks Torres will only take part in being the manager.

Four weeks later, on September 13, the waiver had cleared and Raphael could finally participate in his first day of practice. As he sits in the front row of the locker room he goes through his pre-practice routine: ankle braces, shoes tied, shrug the shoulders, and run to the field.

The first day of the freshman practice was very much like that of the camp.

“Get in six lines and start the calisthenics,” freshman coach Steve Peppes yelled.

“The first couple of weeks were hard for us {coaches} and him,” freshman coach Shawn Roberts said. None of the coaches knew any sign language and their was not a translator available for them.

“We have to draw out what he is going to do on each play,” Roberts said.

“So far I have enjoyed it very much,” Torres said, “mostly I like running after the {wide receiver} and tackling him.”

Although Raphael has yet to suit up for a freshman game this season, he has fulfilled his job as being one of the team managers.

“It’s funny,” Roberts said. “Every Friday when {the four freshman coaches} have to run in early for the varsity game, Raphy comes running along with us.”

“As we go along, he continues picking things up,” Roberts said, “such as the breakdown drill.”

“Ready Team!” Peppes hollered. The 55 football players echoed back towards him, including Raphael.

22

sports

the harbinger

Living the game “Once John Michael made it past a year I believed he would live,” Trish Owen said. “He was such a fighter and Part one of a two part story still is today.”

The kidney failure caused Owen a slew of other medical ophomore John Owen placed his red and yellow mini problems.

He developed a bone deformity known as renal Chiefs football on his kicking tee and took three methodical rickets, which in caused knee crookedness and arms that steps backwards. Head down, eyes focused on the ball, Owen took three strides and drove the ball end-over-end could not fully extend. His left eye never fully developed, into the sky. The 30-yard field goal attempt fell two yards causing almost complete blindness in the left eye. Hearing short of Owen’s uprights, which are two orange cones for problems caused Owen to have conductive congenital hearing loss, which means that he cannot hear vowel the posts and a pitching net for the horizontal bar. sounds. He has anemia (iron deficiency) and asthma. Lack “I usually make those,” Owen says.

Owen is practicing for flag football season. He runs of testosterone has given him growth and developmental around his aunt’s apartment complex, kicks field goals, retardation; today Owen stands at about five feet in height. punts, and throws into a pitching net, sometimes for three An overhanging brow, a partially caved in nose – all were effects of his prenatal kidney failure. hours a day.

When John was three, he suffered a near-fatal asthma “I want to play quarterback, kicker, or maybe free attack. Owen was at a friend’s house when the attack safety,” Owen said.

Before he can sign up he must get a doctor’s approval, struck and didn’t have his pulmo-aide machine with him, which is hard to come by for Owen, who suffers from a machine that helps him breathe. Without the pulmoaide, Owen’s airway swelled shut, blocking off his oxygen chronic renal failure, also known as kidney failure. supply. Trish Owen rushed her son to Shawnee Mission Owen’s life has revolved around Medical Center. “I thought he was hospital beds, doctors and complex going to die. He was turning blue medical terms. He’s had overnight “I though he was going to stays, appointments and two-dozen die. He was turning blue and and I didn’t think I would make it to the hospital.” surgeries. But Owen hasn’t let his Trish made it and got John into I didn’t think I would make it medical problems get in the way of the emergency room. “The doctors his passion – sports. “Owen lives for to the hospital” had lots of trouble getting a tube sports,” John’s Aunt Shirley said.

-Trish Owen down John Michael’s throat. When Owen collects, watches, they finally got it down, John slipped commentates, fantasizes and plays into a coma,” Owen’s mother said.

– when he can. He tried out for the Doctors told Trish it would Lancer baseball team but passed out during tryouts. He be a miracle if John lived, and at one point asked her wanted to play football but his doctors said that he could permission to pull the plug on his life support. “No way,” die if he took a hard hit to the kidney.

Owen couldn’t play, but still wanted to stay involved. So Trish said to the doctors. “Not in a million years.” Trish left he became a team manager because he just wanted to be the hospital only once during her son’s coma.

“I had family bring me clothes and belongings,” she “part of the team.” said.

Such is the mentality of Owen – “I feel like a normal kid.

During the day Trish prayed and she read to I wanted to be treated equally.” Unfortunately for Owen, his past experiences – not just medical - have prevented him unconscious John.

Against all odds, John came out of his coma on the 28th from living a normal life. day.

The doctor’s writeup read, “the love of his mother and Owen’s medical problems began in the womb. A her prayers is why John Owen has made it through this.” partial blockage at the base of his urethra, the tube Owen has undergone almost two-dozen surgeries, that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body, caused urinary backup and over-expansion of the ammounting in a hospital bill of nearly $1 million by the bladder, giving no room for Owen’s kidneys to develop. age of six. “My credit is completely ruined. I can’t get a The underdeveloped kidneys could not fully perform their loan, buy a home, my life is so changed,” said Trish. “But it doesn’t matter. I’d die for my son.” intended function: cleaning the blood stream of waste.

All of the problems, hospital visits, and surgeries took It wasn’t until three months after birth that doctors realized Owen’s kidney problem. Doctors emptied a toll on young Trish Owen, who was nineteen when she his expanded bladder with a catheter, finally giving had John. “I was dealing with a sick child and that was very the kidneys some space to develop. Owen was put on stressfull, but I always stayed positive and and knew that medicine to try and reverse the renal damage. But nothing we could get through everything.”

Then things started to unravel for Trish. worked. The damage had already been done; John Owen After breaking up with Owen’s father, the 27-year-old had chronic renal failure and his chance of living a year mother found herself alone with John. was “small,” according to doctors.

A short time later Trish Owen was brutally raped.

“The doctor’s told me all the time to expect for the “Getting raped changed my perspective on everything. worse. That way I would be ready for him to die, and if he Before (the rape) I stayed positive with life. After I was didn’t it would feel like Christmas every day,” Trish Owen, raped I gave up hope. I stopped trying or caring.”

John’s mom, said.

Trish started dating a drug dealer, and was soon doing In the first year of his life, John was in the hospital over drugs herself. “Drugs became an escape from my stress. I half of the time. But he kept coming back home.

photo courtesy of Owen family

Sophomore John Owen’s journey from fighting kidney failure to being a normal kid.

Ian Stanford

S

Oct. 18, 2004

SOPHOMORE John Owen poses with his mother, Trish, as he prepares for one of his dialysis treatments. put my kids through a lot during that time,” she said.

Trish’s drug problem interfered with her care for John.

Trish stopped giving John his medication regularly and wouldn’t get up some days until two in the. During this time John relied on a neighbor to help him get to school.

He knew that his mother was doing drugs but didn’t know how to help her. “She was in a daze a lot,” John said.

Trish eventually realized her problem and what she was doing to her son. She sought a better life for John.

Trish signed over temporary custody to John’s aunt and grandmother when John was eight, planning to get her son back as soon as she cleaned up. “I gave away my son but continued to use,” Trish said.

Life was different at Aunt Shirley’s apartment. John started getting his medicene again and was fed better.

About a month later, John’s Aunt Shirley and his Grandmother Maggie Owen appealed to a court for full custody of John. “With the temporary custody, Trish could come knocking on my door anytime, strung out on drugs and demand her son back,” Aunt Shirley said. “With full custody, we legally could deny Trish her son. We were just looking out for John’s safety.”

The court date came and Trish didn’t show up to defend her custodial right. “I wasn’t going to show up to court high,” she said. “I let drugs get in the way of John.”

Trish was still another four months from admitting herself into rehab, three years from making a full recovery, and John was five years from becoming a freshman at Shawnee Mission East.

John Owen was now in safe hands, but his future was still uncertain. He was still living on his depleted kidneys, but doctors knew they could fail at any time.

To be continued November 1st

sports

issue 3

23

photo by Linda Howard

Sidelined.

Senior Richie Wagstaff is benched from varsity football for the season after injury Kathleen Bole

Sitting on the sideline, Senior Richie Wagstaff watches as his teammates play in the Friday night football game. He is out for the season with a broken tibia.

Many athletes are out for the fall season with injuries on the Varsity football team. There are few juniors and seniors, so making replacements is a struggle. Wagstaff, tight end defense on Varsity football, broke the bottom of his tibia, a bone in the lower leg, while practicing defense only into the second week of school. He is expected to be out for two to four more weeks depending on how rehab goes.

Wagstaff attends physical therapy at Sports Rehab with the athletic trainer at East, Amy Austin. He does exercises to keep his other muscles in shape.

Replacing Wagstaff are sophomore John Brickson and junior Brandon Barnes. John Brickson started in the first four varsity games.

“I was really nervous at first but once I started I was just playing football.

Varsity is a big difference from freshman football, you can get away with a lot more on freshman,” Brickson said.

Varsity football coach John Stonner believes the weight-training program, led by coach Chip Ufford, helps injury prevention.

“We’re doing a new injury prevention program to help athletes. We encourage all athletes to do weight training. The majority of the players injured are not in weights,” said Stonner.

Injuries bring challenges, but the team doesn’t dwell on them because they also bring an opportunity for other players to perform.

“We’ve just got to focus on the next game,” Stonner said.

SENIOR Richie Wagstaff supports his team off the field.

HARBINGER HARBINGER HARBINGER

ISSUE 5 NOV. 1 JUST READ IT. HARBINGER HARBINGER HARBINGER HARBINGER Oct. 18, 2004

24 photo essay

the harbinger

INTENTLY GAZING in to the mirror, Allison Isenberg is pleased with her hairstyle, created by stylist Amy Cordoza. Due to unfavorable experiences in the past, this is the second time Isenberg has gone to a professional to get her hair done for an event. Isenberg is honored to be nominated: “You always see those girls who are nominated for Homecoming and you see them on the football field and you see how good they look, but you never think it’s going to be you. The day finally comes and it’s you and it happens so fast,” she said.

AT THE CANDIDATES’ DINNER, Nick Paris explains to girls’ fathers the sequence of events for the crowning.

Royal photos by Celene Reynolds

The

RACHEL BECK digs in at the Isenberg home. “The food was excellent, but my will power was lacking. It probably got me in a little trouble with my dress, but there was a little extra room in the gathered fabric to help me out,” she said.

IN ONE OF THREE limousines taking the candidates from the dinner to the football game, Allison Owens is checking out the benefits of being a candidate. “We were a little nervous in the limo at first, but we got all our energy out by just dancing and having a good time,” she said.

Treatment

Rushing, dining, relaxing–the candidates prepare for the big night Oct. 18, 2004