THE
HARBINGER
issue nine january 22 2007
Shawnee Mission East 7500 Mission Rd. Prairie Village, KS 66208
The locker room, the internet and MTV. You hear about it everywhere. Now it’s your turn to talk.
THE SEX ISSUE pages 14- 16 photo by samantha ludington
19 DAYS TO
SWEETHEART
POOL PARTY Senior plans on taking an alternate route after high school and plans on playing pool professionally. 11
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATING The environmental education class at East opens their tours to elementary kids this week. 12
EAST-ROCKHURST PREVIEW The Harbinger analyzes this Friday’s showdown against the cross-town rival. 24
Looking forward to Black History Month Frederick Douglass on Black History Month
by [nathan yaffe] Black History Month. After nearly three centuries of slavery followed by another century of disenfranchisement, there is now an entire month dedicated to celebrating the culture, achievements and stories of blacks in America. So in the spirit of Black History Month and to promote awareness about ways to actually get a dose of black history during its month of honor, the following is a list of a few of the various events taking place both locally and nationwide. PBS SPECIAL On the national level, PBS has put together a slate of special programming concerning the lives of famous black scientists and musicians, as well as the history of the Civil Rights movement. Programming begins Feb. 6 with the story of Percy Julian, self-made millionaire and civil rights pioneer. Check PBS.org for details. CIVIL RIGHTS GAME Tickets go on sale in February for the MLB’s first Civil Rights Game, a pre-season contest
held on March 31 in Memphis, home of the National Civil Rights Museum. This year’s match-up puts the Cleveland Indians against the defending World Series champion, the St. Louis Cardinals. EDUCATION AT THE LIBRARY Locally, the Johnson County Public Library is hosting a presentation called “A Glimpse of the Past” at the Antioch branch on Feb. 3. There will also be a roundtable discussion about Toni Morrison’s short story, “Recitatif,” a story about the troubled friendship between a white girl and black girl, at the Central Resource branch on Feb. 10. The time is to be determined for each of these events. Finally, the Thomas Hart Benton House is putting on a display that will last throughout the month of Feb., depicting drawings and sculptures both from the historic South and from black laborers in the ‘30s and ‘40s. These are just a few of the ways to participate in this potentially instructive month dedicated to the legacy of black America.
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The history of the observation
This month-long holiday finds its roots in Negro History Week, founded in 1926 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, a renowned black historian. Much like Black History Month today, the week was intended to honor the contributions of black people throughout American history.
For this purpose, he chose the second week of February because it marked the birthdays of two men who had a tremendous impact on black history: Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. In 1976, Woodson’s Association for the Study of African American Life
NEWS B R I E F S
Sweet Charity Musical The theater department will perform “Sweet Charity” on Feb. 1- 3 in the auditorium. Tickets will be on sale Jan. 29-Feb. 2 on the north ramp during lunch and are free for students with an activity ticket. Otherwise, they are $7. Tickets will be on sale at the door, but the cast recommends advance purchase. Brian Cappello directs the cast, Tracy Ressugie directs the music, and Tom Defeo directs the technical aspects. Choreography is by Alexis Bugler. Janet Whitehead is costume mistress.
and History (ASALH) successfully lobbied to have the week extended to a month-long celebration. Each year, ASALH dedicates a new theme for Black History Month. The focus this year is “From Slavery to Freedom” and will address the issues faced by blacks after emancipation.
SMSD recognized for success
As is often the case, a first person account may be more illuminating than a description when it comes to understanding black history. Such an understanding encompasses not only the achievements, but also the struggles, of blacks in America . In this spirit, the following is an excerpt from a speech given by Frederick Douglass on the Fourth of July in 1952. The speech ties in both with the theme of Black History Month this year, as well as with the legacy of Douglass, which Woodson had in mind when he picked the date for Negro History Week. Fellow citizens: pardon me, allow me to ask, why am I called upon to speak here today? What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national independence? Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us? And am I, therefore, called upon to bring our humble offering to the national altar, and to confess the benefits and express devout gratitude for the blessings resulting from your independence to us? …What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your cele-
Band The following band members qualified for all-state band: Kelly Tankard, Brandon Mais, Quin Jackson, Paige Smith, Paul Wiseman and Brent Parker. Flute alternate: Amy Coffman.
SMSD has been named among the top 4 percent of school districs in the nation by the Education Quotient, one of the only existing tools used to identify and compare school districts across the nation. SMSD also received a gold medal rating from Orchestra Expansion Management magazine. ApproxiThe following orchestra members qualified for mately 2800 school districts were ranked, all-state orchestra: Violin: Neill Campbell, Jessie Light and Molly Werts. Viola: Ren Li and Chelsea Sweetheart nominations Olson. Cello: Kate Adams and Max Clinkingbeard. Bass: Erik Deddens, Val Fagan and Graham Nominations for Sweetheart king and Greene. queen are Wednesday.
Y
Late Start There will be a late start on Tuesday. School starts at 9:20 a.m.
What’s
new
with...
...Kansas City
Larry Stewart
Last Friday, Larry Stewart, better known as “Secret Santa,” died from esophagul cancer. He was 58. Stewart, who had arrived in Kansas City in 1971 with $18 in his pocket, gave away an estimated $1.3 million over 26 years to people who looked down on their luck.
Choir
The following choir members qualified for allstate choir: Erin Aitken, Thomas Henry, Matthew Pope, Benjamin Ashworth, Jeff Straub and Casey Williams.
bration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciations of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade, and solemnity, are, to him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy—a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices, more shocking and bloody, than are the people of these United States, at this very hour.
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Leadership Program Scholarship
The SME Interact Club, which is a student-run volunteer service club sponsored by the Shawnee Mission Rotary Club, is offering two full scholarships to attend the RYLA summer leadership camp June 3 – 9, 2007 at Washburn University. Current freshman and sophomores are eligible to apply. E-mail smeinteract@ gmail.com for an application if interested.
Enrollment Material Finalize distribution enrollment Freshman: Jan. 23, Jan. 31 Sophomore Jan. 18, Jan. 30 Junior Jan. 17, Jan. 25
...the nation
Presidential elections On Dec. 27, Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.), former vice presidential nominee, announced that he will run for president in the 2008 elections. He has been building his campaign since John Kerry lost the 2004 campaign. Last Tuesday, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) formed an exploratory committee, the first step to a presidential campaign. This is his second year in the Senate. He will announce his official plans on Feb. 10. Tom Vilsack (D-Iowa), the current governor of Iowa, has also announced he is running for the 2008 presidency. According to his website, he was the first Democratic governor in Iowa in 30 years, and Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.)
the [harbinger]
photos courtesy of candidates’ campaign websites
f
page 2 [news]
Gov. Tom Vilsack (D-Iowa)
page 3 [news]
Equalizing Education
A change in policy makes honors classes open to everyone Although IB junior Stacy Bonds understands Swift’s motivation, she fears that challenging AP and IB classes will become easier because students who aren’t used to honors coursework won’t keep up. “Letting anyone into IB would give people the opportunity to take hard classes they can’t handle just to make their transcripts look better, pad their resumes and get an extra [weighted] grade point,” Bonds said. “If students are smart but have a [poor] academic record, then they probably don’t have the skills to succeed in IB. Not to be mean, but I think they should continue to be excluded.” East is the only school in Kansas with entrance requirements to its IB program, and has the most stringent requirements of any IB school in the Midwest. The International Baccalaureate Organization said the other Kansas schools that offer IB – Wichita East, Hutchinson and Sumner Academy – allow all students into the program. IB administrator Mike Wolgast said he believed the main reason for maintaining entrance requirements was to uphold East’s transfer policy, which only allows students to transfer into East if they intend to enroll in the IB program. Murphy, however, attributed the entrance requirements to a degree of “sorting” within the program. “The IBO governs the program worldwide,” Murphy said. “They don’t believe in requirements. But at East, it has been our personal choice to keep the program elite to some extent, until now. You have to be reasonable about what type of kids can and can’t be in the program.”
The changes to the AP and honors programs will have less of an effect, mainly because the course requirements have slowly been eliminated over the past few years, Wolgast said. Previously, if a student received a C in an honors course, the administration required that the student transfer to a regular class unless they won an appeal. The administration also required students to enroll based on teacher recommendations, even if the teacher recommended an honors class and the student would have preferred a regular course. Again, appeal was the only way out. Swift feels that students like Bonds should not feel concerned about the changing requirements. Self-selected honors students will not be lowering the bar for difficult courses, she said, because the problems they may have can be dealt with by applying different teaching strategies. “Every teacher needs a ‘bag of tricks,’” Swift said. “They need to try to reach every student by using different methods. I believe, and many people believe, that every student can learn the material if it’s taught to them in the right way.” Freshman honors geography and senior IB world history teacher John Nickels feels that in the end, different teaching methods won’t make a difference. “Sometimes a kid surrounded by achievement will achieve because they
Inconvenience for Travelers?
photo by Rachel English
by [laura nelson] Modifications in the fall 2007 enrollment may mean drastic changes for students in all types of classes. The new enrollment process, encouraged by principal Susan Swift, cannot stop a student from trying an honors class. There will no longer be a required teacher signature for an Advanced Placement course. And the changes will be the most drastic for the International Baccalaureate program. Students were previously admitted into IB based on a minimum GPA, standardized test scores in the 80th percentile and evidence that they had taken a challenging honors schedule, according to coordinator Rebecca Murphy. However, starting with the applications for the class of 2009, anyone who applies to IB will be accepted. These changes have unsettled teachers and students, who are accustomed to separated classes. They fear that the standards of honors classes will decrease as more students select their own courses. However, Swift’s goal is not to increase enrollment numbers or lower the standards of AP, IB and honors classes, but to raise the standards for previously non-honors students. She hopes that someday, every student will have tried an honors class. “There are more students than you would think in this school who have a very high intelligence, but low motivation because their classes don’t interest them,” Swift said. “Many kids have potential that comes out when they’re interested in the subject or when the class is intellectually challenging. That’s what we want to encourage.”
want to be like the rest of the kids in the class,” Nickels said. “But most of the time, that doesn’t happen. Teachers can’t teach to all different levels of students at once, and no matter what you do, some students will always fall through the cracks. That’s the sad truth.” Murphy, however, remains more optimistic. “Dr. Swift has come to this school to be an academic leader and give every kid the best education she can,” she said. “Obviously, you can’t put all these kids in a challenging class together and expect them to succeed. But the people in top-level AP classes aren’t the only ones who can do that work. The work isn’t that hard if you just approach it the right way.”
New regulations require passports for travel to Canada and Mexico by [joey soptic] Business travelers, adventure seekers and spring breakers beware. At the end of the month of January, laws regarding leaving the continental United States will undergo a large revision. According to the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, all travelers must now present a valid passport before being able to leave the country, whereas before, a birth certificate was considered worthy identification for entry to a foreign country. With prices of passports near $100, many see the change as an unnecessary expense. “It doesn’t seem like there was really any need to make passports a necessity,” senior Kelley McCormick said. “It wasn’t really that much trouble to just use a birth certificate, especially on spring break.” The Passport Initiative has its benefits, though. With airports already in a state of chaos during spring break, losing one’s identification is always a worry. Passports offer a replacement service for those who are unlucky enough to lose theirs. With a simple phone call and a replacement fine, a new temporary passport can be sent out within 24 hours. A lost birth certificate would be a much harder process, especially when overseas. Though everyone, including those on spring break, will be required to have a passport, it will be most helpful
for those visiting several countries on one trip. Senior Nick Boehm visited multiple European countries during his freshman year. His passport became an invaluable item while in transit between Spain, England, Monaco, and France, as he spent little to no time in customs. Birth certificate users would have spent much more. “I guess it wouldn’t be a big deal for spring breakers, just going to one place to stay,” Boehm said. “Overseas in Europe, though, it proved to be well worth the money.” Rather than needing temporary access granted and photocopies of paperwork made, passports are much simpler to get by with. “They basically just stamp it and you’re good to go,” Boehm said. The Initiative comes as a bigger change for those who frequently visit family or friends out of the country. Senior Eric Chapman often visits family members in Canada. “The passport laws are a big hassle right now,” he said. “But they will make it easier once everyone has one. It is just annoying going through the process.” In order to obtain a passport, you must either have two photos of yourself that meet the precise specifications on the government’s website, or have them taken at the post office when you are there filling out the paper work. Those who pick the typical ground shipping option are
Jan. 22, 2007
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative:
told to expect their passports in six to - Beginning January 23, 2007, eight weeks. If the all persons traveling by air to passports are needed Canada, Mexico, Central and sooner, there is an South America, the Caribbean express shipping and Bermuda will be required to option for a much provide a valid passport higher price. Typically, it is finding the time - As early as January 1, 2008, and inclination to go all persons traveling between send for a passport the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, that discourages Central and South America, many, rather than the the Caribbean and Bermuda by price. land or sea may be required to “Most likely,” provide a valid passport Chapman said. “If someone has got the money to be leaving the country, they probably can pay the $100 for a passport.” Luckily for some, the laws do not apply to United States territories. They are considered U.S. soil and citizens never technically leave America. So for those who refuse to spend the $100 for a passport, there is always Puerto Rico or Guam.
A price to pay
page 4 [news]
Students anticipate wage increase by [sylvia shank]
Steven Rowe makes $5.15 an hour. If it weren’t for his tips, the money he makes at Sonic each week would barely cover his gas, car insurance, and spending money. But after the House of Representatives voted on the 11th to raise minimum wage, Rowe, a junior, may soon be making $6.50 an hour. If The Senate approves the measure that passed through the House with an overwhelming majority: 315-116, the minimum wage will increase by $2.10 over the next two years. For East students working at minimum wage, the first pay increase should come by the beginning of this summer. “I could save more for college,” Rowe said. The raise affects anyone earning under $7.25. The legislation would raise the current $5.15 minimum wage to $5.85, effective 60 days after the measure becomes law. The measure would push wages to $6.55 a year later, and $7.25 a year after that. Marketing teacher Mercedes Rasmussen sees potential benefits both for businesses and individuals. “Obviously, people making minimum wage would be able to support themselves better,” she said. Rasmussen also feels businesses will expect employees to work harder because of higher wages. Senior Melissa Powell makes $6.25 an hour at TCBY. She’ll still be affected by the wage raise if she continues working there another year. “I think (my wages) are definitely too small,” she said. Though she’s dissatisfied with how much money she makes, she continues serving milkshakes and frozen yogurt be-
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cause it’s convenient for her. Still, Powell is opposed to the minimum wage raise because of how it would affect smaller businesses. “I know that TCBY is not going to be able to pay people $7.25 an hour, so they’ll have to raise prices. Then they might lose customers,” Powell said. Al Bream, co-owner of TCBY, agrees TCBY would be negatively affected from raising minimum wage. ”Right now, we can reward people,” Bream said. “But if it gets up to $7.25, there’s not gonna be any rewards.” In dealing with a higher minimum wage, Bream worries, “You can raise prices, but there comes a point when, in a frozen yogurt business, your customers will stop coming.” Another concern of raising the minimum wage is that employers will demand older, more experienced workers in exchange for higher wages. Financial advisor Will Lynch believes it may also be a deterrent to job creation. “If you raise the level of income that employers have to pay workers, then employers may not create jobs that they otherwise would have,” he said. When the cost of labor goes up, businesses could be less likely to hire new employees. Senior Megan Ellis left her last job at TacoVia because she wanted better pay. “I was working at minimum wage, but after taxes it was around $4 an hour,” she said. “That’s not cost effective because I have so much other school stuff I have to do.” Ellis now works at Winstead’s, receiving a base fee of $2.15 an hour. The minimum wage is lower in food services
Candy Store 8600 Ward Parkway (Ward Parkway Center) KC, MO 64114
MINIMUM WAGE
The federal minimum wage is $5.15 The minimum wage in Kansas is $2.65
the [harbinger]
because waiters and waitresses are expected to get tips. On the average day, she’ll make about $8 an hour, but there’s still no guarantee she’ll make more than $5.15 an hour. Senior Sara Corrazin, another Winstead’s waitress, says her nightly average covers a wide range. “Because weather’s been bad lately, some nights it’s been, like $4.00 an hour,” she said. “I think a new minimum wage would encourage people to get out in the work force and that would help the economy,” Ellis said. She’d like more time for homework, and she’s active in NAHS and varsity bowling. If her paycheck was bigger, she’d be able to work less hours, but still make enough money for gas and college savings. Yet there will likely be an increase in the hours small business owners have to put in. “I think we’re gonna see a lot of the small businesses close their doors and let the big guys handle it,” Bream said. It all comes down to the Senate’s decision on raising minimum wage - a decision that will likely be made within the next few weeks.
page 5 [editorial]
Who’s to
the
HARBINGER staff
BLAME?
Editor-in-Chief AMANDA ALLISON Assistant Editors PETER GOEHAUSEN LAURA NELSON
Finger pointing gets us nowhere in Iraq It seems that the Democrats are only whining and don’t want to agree with anything that the president wants to do. Their most recent war cry was “dissent is patriotic.” The Democrats have figured out that the only way they can raise their approval ratings in hopes of running and possibly winning in ‘08 is to disagree with the president. But the problem with their dissent is that they pose no alternative to what is happening. The Republicans, on the other hand, are trying to surge forward and ignore the lessons that this war has taught us. Their battle cry of “stay the course” has caused nothing but disaster for the US troops and for the Iraqi people. Sure, we finally caught Saddam, and sure, his brutal hanging was carried out by the laws of the country, but that does not dismiss the 3,000 plus U.S. deaths in Iraq. If we want to “win” this war, then we need to focus on getting along and trying to defeat the enemy. We also need to get our troops out of there with a stable country in place. It’s time for our politicians to throw their personal agendas to the wayside and get something done.
AGREE DISAGREE ABSENT
8 D 0 3
D
There used to be a saying about wartime policy that went, “partisan politics stops at the water’s edge.” Yet it seems that in recent years this saying has gone by the wayside. It seems like more and more of America’s politicians are using our military might to further their own personal agenda. And it’s not for the good of America. After watching the president’s speech about a “surge” of troops in Iraq on January 10, and after watching the Democratic response to his speech, it seems that the only goal America’s politicians have is to make the other party look bad. No one is talking about the over 3,000 U.S. troop deaths. No one is talking about the countless number of Iraqi civilian deaths. And most of all, no one is talking about the country we destroyed in the name of American politics. We didn’t destroy Iraq because of our search of WMDs. We destroyed it because of American politicians’ inability to cooperate. All anyone cares about is, “how will we spin this war to make it look like we can do a better job.” (See 2006 election) The president recently announced that he wanted to send 21,500 more U.S. troops into the city of Baghdad. He said there needs to be more Iraqi control. Shortly after the president was done, Senate Majority Whip Mitch McConnell (D-KY) came on TV for the Democratic response. He said the exact same thing the president did, but with a different spin. The Democrats didn’t take a position on the war; they more just denounced the president’s plan. All they said was that the “surge” that the president wants to put forward is one of two things: not enough, or too many.
Iraq by the Numbers Number of days since the U.S invaded Iraq
1360 source: antiwar.com
3026
American soldiers dead from occupation of Iraq as of Jan. 17
Number of dictators sentenced to death by Iraqi law
1 Jan. 22, 2007
Photo Editor SAMANTHA LUDINGTON Assistant Photo Editor KATIE WOODS News Section Editor PAIGE CORNWELL News Page Editor DEVEN O’BRYAN Op/Ed Section Editor DANIEL HEADY
Freelancer Page Editors LAUREN ERICKSON RUTH STARK JOEY SOPTIC Art/Design Editors DEREK MARTIN ELLIE WEED Head Copy Editor HALLIE MCCORMICK Ads/ Business MELISSA MCKITTRICK Copy Editors TOM GROTEWOHL THOMAS BRASLAVSKY ADRIENNE WOOD LIBBY NACHMAN RONAN MCGHIE
Opinion Page Editor Staff Writers NATALIE EISENACH ERIN MORRISSEY MOLLY TIDRICK ALLY HEISDORFFER Features Section Editor SYLVIA SHANK SARA STEINWART MEGAN BENSON LANDON MCDONALD Features Page Editors MICHAEL HAKE RACHEL BIRKENMIER FOSTER TIDWELL BERNADETTE MYERS ELIZABETH MCGRANAHAN RACHEL MAYFIELD SAM LOGAN Spread Editor NATHAN YAFFE LIBBY NACHMAN Circulation Assistant Spread Editor DAVIN PHILLIPS STEPHEN NICHOLS Photographers Mixed Editor KAREN BOOMER MEG SHACKELFORD ABBA GOEHAUSEN A&E Section Editor JENNY HOWARD KATIE JONES FRANCES LAFFERTY A&E Page Editors PATRICK MAYFIELD JOHNNY MCGUIRE TAYLER PHILLIPS Sports Section Editor MARISA STEVENS CLARK GOBLE RACHEL ENGLISH Sports Page Editors MACKENZIE WYLIE SARAH LUBY ANNA LEEK NICK RATLIFF SALLY DRAPE Adviser C. DOW TATE
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The majority opinion of the Harbinger Editorial Board
Each issue the 12 members of the board choose a topic and a member writes the editorial. Before being published a consensus is made and the results are published here.
54000 Source: Iraqibodycount.com
Minimum estimate of Iraqi civilian deaths
Billions of dollars spent on the war in Iraq
300
Source: Costofwar.com
page 6 [opinion]
More than just a beat...
The more meaningful side to rap
Lancer Voice
“
LINDSAY ROOKER, 9
TOP RAP SONGS
according to... Daniel Heady
“I Have A Dream”Common feat. Will, I Am
“Runaway Love” - Ludacris
“Hip Hop Is Dead”- Nas
“Jesus Walks”Kanye West
“Changes”Tupac
Do you think that rap lyrics have good messages in them?
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“
Not the popular stuff you hear on the radio ... it has a really negative approach towards women. There is some underground artists that really deliver.
MIKE SHEPERS, 10
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“
Some forms of rap do [have good messages], but there are a lot of songs out there that give rap a negative reputation.
they endure everyday. Most rap songs talk about how they play the game of thugging and killing. Not because they want to, but because they have to in order to survive. In interviews with Snoop Dogg he talks about how he doesn’t condone gang violence. In fact, in a song entitled “gangbangin 101” he talks about how he, a crip, reaches out to The Game, a blood, and how life is about more than just being a blood or a crip, it’s about surviving. Hip-hop and Rap, at their core, are based upon radical political messages, racial issues, and the poverty in the underbelly of America’s cities. People don’t like to think about what is going on outside the doors of their Mercedes Benz and when artists sing or rap about those issues people get scared of what is actually going on. “They get behind me tryin to check my tags, look at my rearview and they smiling/ Thinkin they’ll catch me on the wrong well keep tryin/ Cause they denyin is racial profiling/ Houston, TX you can check my tags/ Pull me over try to check my slab Glove compartment gotta get my cash/ Cause the crooked cops try to come up fast” -Chamillionaire Many of us in our bubble don’t want to acknowledge that these things are happening, in Chamillionaire’s song “Ridin Dirty” he dedicates a major portion to telling the story of him being pulled over by the cops. People dismiss this as just a rant by a political “wacko.” but according to the 2005 Missouri racial profiling report, black drivers have a 42 percent greater possibility to get pulled over than a white driver. Rock and Roll was called the “devil’s music” and people claimed it would make a generation of people act sinful and most of all, they thought it could make you angry. But now a days you can listen to seven channels of rock-inspired music while you are hard pressed to find Beethoven on the radio. Society has accepted rock and roll as an acceptable form of music. I just hope that some day my kids can listen to Akon and Young Jeezy and most of all I hope that Akon can actually take it easy because the problems that Dre, and Luda, and Nas address will be solved because of their music. “Little nicole is only 10 years old/…Alcoholic step dad always wanna strike her…/Its only one girl really knows what she about/ Her name is lil stacy and they become friends/ Promise that they always be tight til the end/ Until one day lil stacy gets shot/ A drive by bullet went stray up on her block/ Now nicole stuck up in the world on her own/ Forced to think that hell is a place called home/ Nothing else to do but get some clothes and pack/ She says she’s ‘bout to run away and never come back.” -Ludacris
“
It depends on the song. [ I think that } it’s a good cultural immersion of the African American community in our country.
PARKER HINE, 11
the [harbinger]
“
“Warning! This album contains Ludacris material/ Parental discretion is advised So kids cover your ears and Daniel Heady close your eyes/ Otherwise you’re about to witness HISTORY/ The thoughts and views expressed on THIS album/ are a direction reflection of the new generation/ So without further ADIEUX/ I bring to YOU” -Ludacris After a day at one of the safest schools in the country, I came home to my mother’s decision that all of the rap music on our home computer had to go. She said that it was inappropriate for my 12year-old brother and on top of that she thought it made me angry. This statement infuriated me. I wasn’t mad because I’ve been bumpin’ to Nitti beats or because I had been listening to Lil Wayne “Make it Rain.” Those songs hadn’t added sparks of rage to my persona, I was more upset at the fact that music I felt had a message, music I felt had meaning, wasn’t even given a chance. What is it with new and progressive music that makes the societal inertia of acceptance that much greater? Elvis in the 50’s innovated a historically black music and was persecuted by interest groups everywhere he went. All because he shook his hips and sang songs like “In the Ghetto.” Hip-hop and rap, historically black music, has been criticized from its conception. From the minute the Sugar Hill Gang released “Rappers Delight” rap’s critics have called it “shocking, misogynistic, vulgar, and violent.” Even Oprah is after Ludacris for the language he uses in his rhymes. However the Poetry that Nas drops in “Hip Hop is Dead” doesn’t use vulgar or violent language in a negative way. Rap brings issues to the forefront of society forcing us to look at what is going on in the inner city. In fact the critics who are the most judgmental of rap are other rappers. They want to make sure that other artists who do have misogynistic lyrics are not listened to because those lyrics act in direct opposition to their movement. “What influenced my raps? Stick ups and killings/ Kidnappings, project buildings, drug dealings/ Criticize that, why is that?/ Cuz Nas rap is compared to legitimized crap/ Cuz we love to talk on a** we gettin’ /Most intellectuals will only half listen” -Nas Rappers will tell you their talents are nothing more than poetic form of spreading the message. The message of an oppressed multitude of people, begging and pleading to get out of the hell that
I don’t really listen to a lot of rap. ...a lot of popular stuff out there is mostly negative .
ALISHA ERNST, 12
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an opinion of
page 7 [opinion]
HUNG Up
Saddam’s death puts worries aside for mankind
ON Iraq
an opinion of
Foster Tidwell Invading Iraq was a costly mistake—a bone headed blunder committed by politicians who didn’t understand the complex situation in the Middle East, and who never sought to understand it. Now thousands of our troops are dead, and as a nation, we’re all left with nothing more than a pit in our stomach and the ire of the world concentrated at the doors of our White House. Obviously, I’m no proponent of the George W. Bush war agenda. But no matter how much I criticize the war, no matter how much I blast Bush and Cheney and Rumsfeld and the rest of the war-crazed crew, I have to admit that when the news flashed across CNN that Saddam Hussein was officially dead, I felt pretty damn good. Some might call me a barbarian. Now, I wouldn’t go quite so far, but more or less, they’d be right. I would venture a more accurate word: human. You see, when a man who has inflicted so much damage on the world—a man who has posed such a terrible
threat to humans everywhere—ceases to be, the instinctual human reaction is to feel comfort. It’s estimated that about 250,000 Iraqis were slaughtered during Saddam’s quarter-century rein of terror. They were pulled from their homes and families, thrown into prisons and executed by the direct order of Saddam and his secret police. Many were Kurds— Saddam harbored an especially burning hatred for the Kurds, and consequently, a significant portion of them were tortured and executed using experimental gasses. These actions were well-planned and micromanaged. They were calculated. Saddam Hussein didn’t just commit murder; he committed genocide. No, if I’d had my druthers, I might not have chosen to hang Saddam. Maybe the firing squad would have done a more humane job, I don’t know. But I’ll be honest; I have a really hard time feeling sorry for the man. The same goes for his being taunted just before the line went taut. This act of malice—perpetrated by Iraqis, not Americans—showed a clear disrespect for human life, and was, in my opinion, regrettable. But I’ve seen the images of the broken and bloodied corpses of thousands that Saddam killed, and I’ve tried—and, thankfully, failed—to extrapolate what I saw to account for the hundreds of thousands more that lost their lives under Saddam’s regime. It’s simply impossible for me to believe that the man really would have been bothered by a few harsh words. Hell, after the life he lived, the jeers probably gave him some sick, nostalgic
By The Numbers: Atrocities Under
Saddam
600,000 children executed by his regime 8,000 days under Saddam, with an average of 70-125 people were killed per day by government violence
500,000 deaths in nine-year war with Iran 50,000-100,000 Kurdish Iraqis massacred, including the “Bloody Friday” attack that killed as many as 5,000 civilians in one day
comfort. I have no doubt that my critics will counter all that I’ve said with the age old logic of American idealism: no matter what Saddam did, it is our obligation, our burden to bear as righteous Americans, to act morally. Let’s spare his life and just lock him up. The truth is that Saddam Hussein would have posed a continued threat to the world if he had been allowed to live, even in the highest security prison. Beside the obvious possibility of escape or the potential threat of outside communication, the mere knowledge of his being alive would continue to strike terror into the hearts of those he hated and to inspire those who followed him. This was deemed unacceptable, and Saddam was killed. I’m not arguing that Saddam’s death in any way justifies the war or that hanging was a morally flawless method of execution. I’m certainly not praising the Iraqis that taunted Saddam at the gallows. The truth is that when it comes to exploring such a morally ambiguous situation, there’s very little that I do know without a doubt. But there’s one thing about which I am absolutely certain. Along with the majority of the world— whether or not they choose to admit it—I think I’m going to sleep a little easier in my bed tonight knowing that Saddam Hussein is tossing and turning, six feet under, in his.
The Controversy Continues: Two weeks after the hanging of Saddam Hussein, two of his former aides were hanged as well. Awad Hamed al-Bandar- Former Chief Justice of Revolutionary Court- Sentenced to death by hanging for being involved with Dujail killings Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti- Former Head of Intelligence and Saddam Hussein’s half- brother- Sentenced to death by hanging for involvement in Dujail killings. The hanging accidentally beheaded Barzan, which further exacerbated the resentment and tension following Hussein’s execution. information courtesy of www.moreorless.au.com
Jan. 22, 2007
page 8 [opinion]
Stick it to the ticket Ticket amount shouldn’t increase based on parking spot an opinion of
Mike Hake of Section C of the SME Parking Rules and Regulations, which reads: “Vehicles parked in the fire lane, faculty/reserved spaces, handicapped, no parking zones, double parked, or parked in a drive interfering with the flow of traffic will be fined and may be towed at the owner’s expense”…yada yada…so on and so forth. That rule covers about everything outside of parking your car on top of an elephant, so, basically, if you leave your car somewhere that’s not between two yellow lines, our great
“
“
When future Lancers receive a brand new textbook someday, they’ll have me to thank. Those annoying book detectors in the library? All me, baby. The new classroom technology we’ll be getting in the coming year? All made possible by yours truly. Me and anyone else who has had to pay the school for an overpriced parking ticket, that is. It was 7:10 a.m., and already the junior lot was full. Now not only was I put-out in general about being awake at this unholy hour, but the last thing I wanted to do was have to pull back out on 75th, risk getting hit by a sophomore that was trying to parallel park and make the long trek from Delmar in the middle of December weather. And that’s when I did the most terrible thing. I parked in a space with a white X painted on it. What I didn’t know was that this space was technically staff parking. Later on in first hour, the dreaded white slip from the office was delivered to my class. My teacher said it was for me, and I would have to move my car during the next passing period. I laughed about it along with my classmates, thinking that, although it would carry a $10 fine, it wasn’t such a terrible price to pay for a lesson learned. I was wrong. When I first saw the $30 box circled on the ticket placed under my windshield wiper, I thought it had to be a mistake. After further reading, I realized that it wasn’t an error made by one of our campus police officers. I was in violation
A $30 fine is too large, given that parking in a ... staff spot is no more harmful than parking in the junior or senior lot.
school can and will charge you like Paris Hilton’s Mastercard. I’m not arguing the ticket; I know that where I parked is against the rules. I’m arguing the fine. Thirty dollars is too large of a fine, given that parking in a reserved staff spot is no more harmful than parking in the junior or senior lot without a pass, which only carries a meager $10 fine. If I had parked in an area that was creating an inconvenience or danger, I can see how $30 would be fair. This, however, wasn’t the case at all. I wasn’t parked in a fire lane where I would be in the way of a potential emergency. I wasn’t parked in a spot reserved for handicapped, and I definitely wasn’t double-parked. The thing is, I didn’t even realize at the time that this space was staff parking. If you are familiar with the junior lot, you know that there are several spaces with big X’s painted o v e r
them that are generally disregarded and regularly parked in. It wasn’t until about a month later when I found out that the space, although it appeared to be yet another useless no parking space, was actually reserved for faculty. Nonetheless, it’s ridiculous that I should have to pay $30 when a $10 fine would be enough to discourage students from parking there. For most of us, including me, $10 is enough of a punishment for us to learn our lesson. As much of a hassle as it is, I would still rather walk from Delmar than pay a $10 fine. Although the extra $20 wouldn’t have even bought a half tank of gas, it still seems a bit excessive to me. Parking in the junior or senior lot without a pass only carries a $10 fine for a first infraction. I don’t see how where I parked is more harmful, as the space I was in was between two spaces and was in no way sticking out or causing a problem. If a student still keeps breaking the rule, it’s reasonable to increase the increments of the fine per offense, but $30 for a first infraction is more of a school fundraiser than it is a fine. So, in the end I had to learn my lesson the hard way: Don’t break the school’s rules, because the punishment often won’t fit the crime. Isn’t “The Man” great? From now on at 7 a.m., I’ll be driving right past those tempting X’d out spaces. I’ll let someone else fund future Lancers.
PARKING
by the numbers. junior spots
204 352 senior spots 233 staff spots
PARKING 1st: $10
offenses:
2nd: $20 3rd: $30 4th: $30 fine; parking suspended for 30 days 5th: $30 fine; privileges suspended for remainder of the year
PARKING violations
PARKING: • no permit • double park • fire lane • handicapped • no parking area • improper display of permit
MOVING: • wrong way • over grass • speeding • reckless • criminal damage to property
PARKING
and appealing.
the [harbinger]
• Traffic court is held by StuCo. • Any student wishing to repeal a traffic citation (ie a parking or speeding ticket) must attend traffic court. • The time is always 3 p.m. in the Little Conference Room (adjoining the library) source: Officer John
page 9 [features]
Following forme r art teacher Catherine Siege l’s departure for China, Adam Finkelston has
Big shoes tofill Adam Finkleston, teaching one of his new Photo 2 classes. He won an honorable mention at the Kansas City Art Institue for his photographic rendition of Cinderella.
photo by Frances Lafferty
by [bernadette myers]
From running cross country at Shawnee Mission South to learning how to say “I love you” in German while living in Berlin, new art teacher Adam Finkelston has been all over the world. Taking Catherine Siegel’s old job after her departure for China, Finkelston now teaches Design and Photo 2 classes. As the new pair of eyes in the art department, Finkelston hopes to use his worldly background to help students develop their own style. He aspires to get to know each student as best as he can and then help them do what they want to do. “It’s really hard because each person has a different aesthetic and thinks different things look good,” Finkelston said. One of the things that Finkelston admired most about Siegel was her close relationship with all of her students and he hopes to develop similar relationships. Siegel also had more computer experience than Finkelston which is definitely a set-back. “Working on the computer for me is too stationary,” Finkleston said. “I like to be able to touch my art,” Finkelston said. His interest in art started when his dad was in the army. His family moved to Honolulu when he was one and he lived there for four years. Soon after he moved to Berlin for three years. “I remember spending my sixth birthday in Berlin,”
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Finkelston said. “I didn’t have any friends to come my birthday party.” Traveling across Europe helped him see just how big the world was. When he was eight, he even took an African safari with his dad. “We were in Africa when the Royals won the world series and we listened to it on the radio,” Finkelston said. “We were jumping around and no one understood what was going on.” His exposure to these countries gave him a deeper appreciation for the people who lived in them. “I got really interested in different cultures and different people and I think art is a really great way to learn about people,” Finkelston said. He enrolled at the Kansas City Art Institute thinking that he would major in ceramics. Ceramics then evolved into sculpture and while documenting his sculptures with a camera, he found it was a new passion. “I love the idea that when you take a picture, it’s real,” Finkelston said. “Some art can be totally abstract and from your imagination, but no matter what, a photo is real.” Finkelston’s work throughout college at KCAI included self portraits and had a recurring theme of gender role issues in society and how gender-roles are determined. Receiving his bachelor’s in art education at UMKC, Finkelston went on to teach at Highlands Elementary for two and a half years. Jumping from teaching kindergartners to teaching high
school students has been interesting. Instead worrying about passing out supplies or who gets to go to the bathroom when, Finkelston feels he gets more time to help students develop their art. “In elementary school if a kid feels like crawling on the floor and spinning around in a circle, they are going to do it,” Finkelston said. “High school students have so much more independence and confidence in their work because obviously their a lot more mature.” Finkelston may have left his bathroom schedules behind, but senior Katie Christianer does feels that Finkelston has brought more structure to her Photo class. “He’s definitely more nit-picky and in control,” Christianer said. “I am in Photo 3 and I thought we would pretty much be doing our own thing.” Though different, senior Meghan Ellis likes these assignments. Normally in Photo 3 students would design their own projects. Instead Finkelston has assigned self portraits as their first project. “Kids would normally slack off and not put much thought into their projects,” Ellis said. “Now they’ll be a little better quality.” Finkelston doesn’t expect to change much because there are some great projects on the syllabus, but he wants to add his own ideas too. “Something I want the students to take away is that art is an adhesive,” Finkelston said. “It can really be applied anywhere in your life.”
page 10 [features]
GREEK LIFE
SORORITY
“I think that some people just want to at least try living in a house for a while and some just have the mentality to be independent.” - Cate Stark “Girls join sororities because they want the bond it creates. I don’t think that if I went to a bigger school I’d want to be in one. They really encourage us to not restrict ourselves to just our sorority. It’s a great way to include yourself in college life, rather that excluding. It can really be taken in either direction. You really get out of it what you put into it.” -Jane Clarke
What are some thoughts that went through your head before rushing?
“You go to all of the different kinds of sorority houses – even the ones you’ve never even heard of before. You can really find where you fit, and that’s what’s fun about it. If you go into rush week and think that you’re going to be one way or another or all you think about is whether or not you’ll be cut, it ruins the experience. It’s really important to keep an open mind. It’s fun to be surprised. -Cate Stark “I was scared just because I didn’t want to have a bad rush. There are a lot of girls and that would be just devastating to have gotten cut. I was scared I wouldn’t make a good enough impression. I kind of knew which ones I thought would be best for me and which ones I wanted to look at. You do hear stories of hazing and all, but that was totally not an issue. We did get a lot of presents that night though.” -Claire Cody “Rush week was so nerve wrecking. You don’t think about other stuff. Some girls can get catty, but rush is really all about you. You don’t really have time to think about anyone else.” -Anne Slaughter
How do you know which sorority is right?
“You attend all the sorority rush parties where they ask you questions about your personality and interests. I knew a lot of people in the house which made it much easier. It was a hard decision because there are a lot of really good houses. The right house just feels right. It’s a connection with the girls and you have to feel really comfortable with.” - Claire Cody “I always knew I wanted to do the sorority thing. My mom was in a sorority and I saw the friends that she had made and they’re still friends today. I knew that even if I didn’t get my number one pick, it would all work out for the best. Everyone I know who didn’t get their number one choice now agree that they wouldn’t change anything about it.” - Cate Stark
. . .
Do you think sorority life is right for everyone?
“There are about 100 East kids who end up going to KU. There are 26,000 students at KU. There’s no way it’s like East all over again. KU is what you make it. It can be as far away or as close to home as you want to make it.” - Anne Slaughter
.. .
What is rush week like? The formality is what really stands out in the rushing process. There are certain things we’re not aloud to talk about. It’s really kind of crazy at first. You’re just standing outside the house in line alphabetically. They call your name and girls holding giant trays of water hand you a glass and you’re supposed to just go around and talk to everyone. You ring a bell and then sing the sorority’s song – all the little songs have little meanings to them. It’s kind of strange. - Claire Cody “Rush week is a week that no matter how you feel – sick, tired, etc.,--you have to put on a happy face and hope you make all the right decisions and impressions.” - Cate Stark “Being in such a small school (750 students in the freshmen class) it’s kind of urged to join a sorority, or at least give it a shot. About 200 girls rush overall and there are only four sororities total. Rush week is taken pretty seriously with sororities and is really different than the way guys rush. While with sororities it’s really formal and strict. Guys just go around and hang out at the frat houses and play sports or something. It wasn’t intimidating at all. There were immediately 100 girls I could call and ask advice on something. It was a little awkward at first, but I never felt a feeling of superiority.” - Jane Clarke
What is rush week like? “With most fraternities you rush during the second semester of your high school senior year. You get invited to rush parties and just kick back and watch the KU game and eat pizza. The guys take down your e-mail address and academic information. It’s a really good way to meet guys in the house. I think it’s easier to rush at KU because you have a whole year to get to know people as opposed to one week. I had friends who rushed at the same time I did, so that made it a lot easier. You get to know all of guys and then later see them at school, so it’s not just the older guys, it’s other seniors from different high schools as well. All the guys are really nice to you too. The first time you go up to campus, you don’t know where to go. I didn’t know my way around Lawrence at all. They’re all really helpful. It’s cool because sometimes the social scene isn’t very fun in high school. It’s really nice to get out and meet new people.” - Graham Stark Have you ever felt pressured to do something in order to get in your choice of house? “Well, rush parties want to attract people. We’re just nice to them. We try to welcome every kid that rushes.” - John Sullivan Does being a part of a frat make meeting people easier in a new school? “The transition from high school to college is so big. A fraternity helps the adjustment a million times better. It really helped so much. Not only do you meet the new guys rushing but really the whole Lawrence community.” - Graham Stark
ΦΚΨ ΦΚΤ ΒΘΠ ΔΥ ΦΔΘ ΣΑΕ
Is KU really like going to East all over again?
.. .. . .
ΒΘΠ ΔΥ ΦΔΘ ΣΑΕ
FRATERNITY .. .
compiled by [meghan benson]
ΦΚΨ ΦΚΤ ΒΘΠ ΔΥ ΦΔΘ ΣΑΕ
Former East students talk about their greek experience
.. .
ΒΘΠ ΔΥ ΦΔΘ ΣΑΕ Is KU really like going to East all over again?
“I heard that my whole senior year. I was debating going to KU for that reason. With seven guys in my fraternity from East, I thought that would be the case. It’s easy to keep to your own group knowing people though. But within the first two weeks of being in the house I knew all kinds of people from all over. One of my best friends now is from New York. It’s really cool.” - Graham Stark “KU is known to be all SME. But I don’t really even hang out with anyone from East that much. I’ve meet so many people for the time I’ve been here.” - John Sullivan
Go Lancers!
Lining up his future: Senior plans to become professional pool player
W
photos by katie woods
Senior Logan Thorup lines up his next shot while playing pool one afternoon. Thorup wants to play pool professionally and dreams of eventually owning his own pool hall.
by [derek martin]
ith the sounds of Incubus blasting from the stereo, senior Logan Thorup circles his pool table like a shark, analyzing his next shot. He finds the angle he likes, runs the cue through his fingers a few times, and smashes the cue ball into the orange-striped 13-ball at the other end of the table. The striped ball bounces off the felt lined edge and into a pocket, while the cue ball spins backwards to land squarely behind another stripe: just like he wanted it. After playing pool for two years, shots like these have become the norm for the Grandview High School transfer. Logan plays pool anywhere from 3-4 hours every day, and game after game, shot after shot he hones his skills on the felt with friends and family alike. Unable to enter tournaments until he’s 18, for now he’s still only working towards his goal: to become a professional pool player. Logan first started playing two years ago with some friends who represented a “bad crowd,” as he put it. “I started hanging out with the wrong guys, started doing a lot of heavy drugs, and [started] playing pool,” Logan said. After a few months of the routine of drugs and pool, Logan’s lifestyle finally caught up with him and he was put on house arrest. It was during this time that his pool playing developed into a passion. “My grandpa and my mom got me a pool table and I started playing every day,” Logan said. His mom thought a pool table would be a great way to spend more time with her son and have him around the house. Because he was on house arrest, Logan was required to be in his house at all times. The only reasons he could leave were for school, work and church. “I’d get home at 2:45 every day and just play all night,” Logan said. With his games lasting less than ten minutes each, Logan played a lot of pool. After each game he would retrieve all the balls, line them up in the rack,
Jan. 17, 2007
page 11 [features]
and slide the rack quickly in place to make sure the balls were extra close. Game after game, night after night. Evidence of his time spent can be found in chalk marks all along the edge of the table. With the help of friend and fellow pool player Kevin Hart, Logan took his game from the recreational to the competitive level. Hart himself had played many tournaments, and won a few, around the city. “He’d been playing for a few years, and he taught me how to play,” Logan said. “And once I got interested in it, I wanted to know more about it.” As Logan continued playing he began to learn the finer points of the game such as how to hit the cue ball and make it roll to a certain spot on the table after hitting another ball; or how to line up a shot so it banks three times and still goes in. He also learned that a pool player’s most important asset is his stick. “You wouldn’t be in BMX with out a bike,” he said. A good stick is determined by how it’s made, the warp factor, how the tip is made, and the player’s ability to keep the stick steady. Logan’s Mali pool cue cost almost $700. After playing pool for almost two years he now dreams of not only playing professionally, but also opening his own pool hall. “The reason I want to open it up is pool is my passion. I could own my own carpet business, but that’s boring – carpet isn’t my passion,” Logan said. According to Logan’s mother, Deana Thorup, a passion was just what Logan needed. “When you’re growing up, once you focus on something you tend to become more interested in the rest of your life,” Deana said. Logan’s abilities at the pool table would indicate that his dreams are not too far out of reach. He can put the ball almost anywhere he wants it, and nine times out of ten leaves himself with a good shot. According to Hart, Logan has what it takes to win at pool. “His strength is in his consistency,” Hart said. When Logan plays, it’s almost a methodical cycle of actions: circle the table, line it up, shoot, and most of the time the ball he hits ends up in a pocket. In a world where attending college is almost expected, Logan certainly has his detractors. More than a few people have told him his dream is “ridiculous.” His mother, though, has supported him since day one. “She supports my pool playing. She helped me get my table and she’ll play with me sometimes,” Logan said. “I support him, but I always encourage him to have a back-up plan,” Deana said, “but he’ll figure it out.” Not everyone is so certain, though. “The other day I met my girlfriend’s brother and I told him my game plan and he laughed. Everyone thinks it’s stupid,” Logan said, “but I just tell them, ‘watch wait and see.’” With his 18th birthday just a month away, Logan is poised to enter the “professional” pool world by beginning to play in small local tournaments at bars and pool halls. His short term goal is to enter and win the U.S. Amateur Open, where the winner gets $10,000. If he wins, he plans on taking that money and using it to open his own pool hall. While he attempts to make it in the professional pool world, he will continue his studies at Johnson County Community College. Logan plans to get some sort of business degree to help him when he owns his own pool hall. For now though he continues to focus on the Amateur Open. He’s hopeful, but realistic as well. “The odds [of me winning] are about 1 in 1000,” Logan said, “it’s about me going there in December and just rockin’ it.”
page 12 [features]
When it’s a domestic cat that is under the scalpel, it is easy to be caught in
emotionald istress
A
by [melissa mckittrick]
s students entered Nicole Bauer’s human anatomy class on the second day back from winter break, everything seemed relatively normal. The desks were in the same places. Charts and diagrams still hung on the walls. The only difference that the students noticed was a tub sitting in the front of the room. Inside of the bin were bags filled with vacuum-packed cats. Every year in Human Anatomy, students begin their
An animalencounter by [lauren erickson]
As a mass of fidgeting kindergartners stood in the crowded biology room, they were instructed to make their way over to their next station–the arthropod table. Convincing these squeamish kids to hold a creeping-crawling tarantula may have seemed like an impossible task, but this is a routine feat during the tours presented by the Environmental Education students. The tours, or “Animal Talks,” that the environmental class prepares for elementary school kids will begin on Jan. 23 and run until the beginning of May. Elementary school teachers sign up for a spot to bring in their students for a 90minute tour. There will be nine small groups from Jim Lockard’s Environmental Ed. classes, each presenting information about a different group of animals or an aspect of the environment. At the start of second semester, these students begin preparing for the talks. The first task is getting into groups and choosing a topic. “I like presenting the reptiles the most,” senior Alice Cousineau, who took the class last year, said. “We have lots of animals for the kids to hold.” Before any kids handle the reptiles certain safety precautions need to be taken.
“You have to make sure that your hands are damp, or the oils from them can burn the reptile’s skin,” senior Nikki Harper said. Being able to have hands-on experience is important for the young audience. To make this a safe experience, tour leaders have to be certain all instructions are clear or problems could arise. “Last year, Susie, our tarantula got dropped by one of the kids and her leg ended up getting broken,” Cousineau said. For Cousineau, also enjoys working at the arthropod station. This includes presenting scorpions, hermit crabs and the infamous tarantula. Any student brave enough to hold Susie is rewarded with an “I Held a Tarantula” card. “It was funny, because if you showed them the card, more kids would want to hold the tarantula,” Harper said. “I was even shocked at the number of girls who wanted to hold it.” Third grader Amy Sears, sister of freshman Sarah Sears, remembers receiving her card last year. “I wasn’t even afraid of it,” Amy said. The environmental group, which is the only station not focused on animals, discusses global warming and pollution. Then they share ideas
the [harbinger]
underneath. Bauer said that no large mistakes have occurred yet, but that smaller problems – such as cutting too deep – are fixable. Students can normally switch between the left and the right side of the cat if they make a small mistake. “It’s a fine line between being too careful and too aggressive,” Bauer said. Although the dissection is difficult, the entire first semester was spent both preparing students for the cat dissection and teaching students about the human body. “She lays out the bones and tissues on microscopes,” Senior Darcy Letourneau said, “and we go around and look at them.” The main problem that students encountered was not with the process itself, but with the smell. The stench from the preservation fluids is so bad that Malone brings a hospital mask to avoid it. “The smell from the preservation fluid is awful,” Popplewell said. “It really reeks.” Other students have trouble dissecting an animal that they may have as a pet. Senior Darcy Letourneau feels lucky that she has no cats to go home to. Bauer, however, says that the dissection is worth it. In addition to learning more about themselves, students also gain insight that can be valuable in their future jobs. “It’s good if you have an interest in a medical profession: doctors, physical therapists, nurses,” Bauer said. “It doesn’t just help doctors…it can help a lot of people.” For some students, the long dissection unit and frequent quizzes are two reasons not to sign up for Human Anatomy. Others can’t wait to start the second semester, because they view the dissection as the highlight of the year. “My class is just going at it,” Letourneau said. “We’re really excited.”
Environmental Ed classes prepare to give tours to elementary students
about how to help our environment, such as carpooling and recycling. To be able to present these tours, students studied all first semester. Their brains were jam packed with information and facts about animals from single-celled sponges all the way through mammals. They took notes, filled out worksheets, and were quizzed to make sure they knew as much as they could before the second semester. While this is an experience to learn more about animals and the environment, it is also a time to share knowledge and inspire younger students. “A little teaching is important,” Lockard said. “This is something that will give [my students] a chance to see if they’re interested in that.” Mr. Lockard expects this tour to be a memory the elementary kids will always have. So he tells his students to end every speech with a message to the kids about ways that they can go out and help. “I always try to fill the students up with specific facts that they can go back to school and be ale to talk about what they learned,” Harper said.
photos by tyler roste
Senior Allison Melia mimics the diagram and takes a cut into her feline that she is dissecting for Anatomy class. photo by samantha ludington
second semester with a 10-week long dissection. While regular biology classes dissect rats, students in Bauer’s classes do something much more unique. They dissect a favorite family pet: cats. Although students knew about the dissection when they enrolled in the class, the dissection still came as a shock. “A girl in my group has two or three cats,” junior Audra Stalzer said. “Her cat was lying on the floor when she went home, and she started freaking out because it looked like the cat we were dissecting.” Every year, Bauer orders dead cats from Carolina Biological Supply. The cats are strays who no one adopted, and they are put to sleep so that science classes can dissect them. The cats come in bags, surrounded by preservation fluid, to keep them fresh. The students divided into groups of three, and each group came to the front of the room to pick their cat. “I thought they were huge and pretty nasty looking for a cute cat,” Stalzer said. All of Bauer’s students had dissected in biology, so she did not spend a lot of time reviewing techniques or tools. Instead, she guided the class through the cuts as the dissection unit began. “We’re just jumping right in,” junior Drew Popplewell said. “Right now we’re skinning the cats.” Bauer told the students exactly where to slice with their scalpels. The first cut was emotionally difficult for some students. “When you first cut into it, you don’t really want to,” senior Hailey Malone said. After the initial slice, the dissection became easier. As the skin comes off, forming a sort of cape around the cat, it began to look less like a pet and more like a project. “We’ve just taken off the skin,” Senior Hailey Malone said. “Now it’s just a big chunk of muscle.” Students were instructed to only slice through the skin and connective tissue; they will later identify the muscle
parakeet
guinea pig
corn snake
In Your Face
page 13 [features]
Some of the options available for those wanting to clear up their acne
by [ruth stark] For teenagers, acne is not uncommon. That does not make it any less stressful and embarrassing to deal with. Whether your skin is really bad or you just get the occasional breakout, there is something here that can probably clear up some of your problems.
Common Active Ingredients When searching for acne medication, there are many different types of active ingredients that include either Benzyl Peroxide, Glycolic Acid, Salacylic Acid. Try different ones and see which one works best for you.
Accutane
Retin-a-Micro
Birth Control Pills
ProActiv
For those who have had consistent acne, a dermatologist may suggest Accutane. This is a very strong prescription pill for the treatment of acne. While there are some very significant side effects, most are very satisfied with the end result. 90 percent of people experience serious lip chapping and 80 percent dry and itchy skin. Some other common side effects are depression, joint pain and nosebleeds. The most serious and damaging side effect of this medication is the effect it has on the child if a woman becomes pregnant while on Accutane. Most dermatologists have their female patients on birth control while taking this medication. It is so effective that only one in 10 people see their acne return within a year of being off of Accutane.
This is a great topical product especially for the treatment of blackheads and white heads. It is proven very effective in unclogging pores with the help of one of its key ingredients, Vitamin A. While this product can make your skin dry and irritable, those who stick it out will see results in six to nine weeks.
While this only applies to 50 percent of our readership, birth controls have about a 60 percent success rate of clearing acne. Birth control pills produce a certain chemical in your liver which will clear up your acne for the long term. This hormonal approach will give you clearer, healthier skin for longer.
When Kelly Clarkson and Jessica Simpson come on your TV and say “ProActiv Solution really works,” they are not lying. ProActiv can be ordered by anyone at anytime with any level of acne off of infomercials or the ProActiv web site. Their three0step system of topical treatments promises to work miracles on your skin. The first step is the renewing cleanser which exfoliates your skin with tiny grains and kills the bacteria that hides deep in your pores. The second step is the revitalizing toner which removes excess oil and unclogs your pores, eliminating blemishes fast. The third and final step is the repairing lotion. It doesn’t sting and serves to gently restore moisture and balance to your face. Most companies have now made three step systems very similar to ProActiv. They are also effective in treating acne.
“There is no relationship between cost and efficacy. You can spend $200 on products at Nordstrom or $25 at Osco and they will have the same effect.”
-Dermatologist Colleen Reisz
Painful wisdom
Students undergo the painful procedure of getting wisdom teeth out by [landon mcdonald] There comes a time in nearly everyone’s life, usually in their late teens or early adulthood, when they must submit to a dental procedure that involves the systematic pulling of their newly emerged wisdom teeth. It’s never a happy time, to say the least. Many dread it the way others dread death, taxes, and insurmountable Calculus tests. Scary stuff indeed. Although most dentists these days will sedate their patients during the operation itself, the incredibly painful after-effects that invariably follow have led many teens and young adults to question whether or not the whole ugly ordeal is really a necessary one. East volleyball team middle Lindsey Seck, who recently had her wisdom teeth pulled, recalls the experience. “I was drugged during the operation itself, so everything felt numb and looked really weird and blurry. You’re kind of in this dreamlike state. There was no real pain until afterwards, but when it finally came, it was horrible,” Seck says. “I thought at one point, what’s the point of all this?” To answer that question, we must first look at the roots of the problem, so to speak, in the wisdom teeth themselves. Wisdom teeth are the third molars that appear between the ages of 17 and 24. They are extracted because they tend
to crowd out other teeth, a detrimental impaction that is referred to as “coming in sideways”. These impactions can be vertical or horizontal in nature, depending on the location and size of the wisdom tooth in question. Most people will develop four wisdom teeth, although some have been known to grow more, less, or none at all. But why do we even grow these extra teeth? Why are they there in the first place? What real use could they possibly have? The answer is that before the golden age of oral hygiene that was the 20th century, having extra teeth would have been most advantageous. In the Middle Ages, for example, it was not uncommon to lose more than half your permanent teeth before the ripe old age of 18. In that era, suddenly gaining four new teeth at that time in life would have actually been considered a great blessing. Nowadays, though, wisdom teeth have no practical use and thus their removal, however excruciating it may be, is indeed essential to prevent the gum disease, decay, erosion, and ugly crooked teeth that ultimately follow the nasty progression of overcrowding. Sophomore Michael Payne, another recovering patient,
Jan 22, 2007
reminisces about his dentist’s warnings about what would happen to Michael if he didn’t choose to undergo the procedure. “He said that my teeth would get so overcrowded that I’d end up with some kind of gum disease or something. It sounded really bad, so I chose the lesser of two evils and just got them pulled right then and there.” Almost all of the developed countries in the modern world practice the procedure and recent developments such as sedative gum injections and soporific nerve gas have served to make both the operation itself and its dreaded after-effects much less agonizing than they used to be. Sophomore Kendall Johnson, for example, remembers the operation being a relief of sorts. “ I think they’ve really made it a lot better than it used to be. People told me horror stories before I went in. But when the time came for me to go, it really wasn’t that bad.” While getting four teeth pulled still may not seem like your idea of an enjoyable experience, it is nevertheless a necessary evil that must be dealt with, sooner or later, for the good of your future health.
page 14 [spread] whatnumbers
To find sex trends at East, 469 students were surveyed.
theTHE factsPOLL survey has to say results
say they are waiting students say they are of seniors 26.4% ofuntilstudents 24.9% ofwaiting a point in a relationship until marriage 42% had sexual
whatTell me the truth. reliable
You don’t listen. PARENTS authority I love you.
have to say
“
Stay safe. I trust you. Be careful.
They’ve been there for us when we were sick, when we needed help or when we needed a hug. Now, parents tell how they view sex in the lives of their kids.
“ “
*some parents chose to withold their names
There are a lot of hidden dangers—a lot of regrets. I think that sometimes teens think that relationships will go on forever, and they don’t end up that way. And that’s the role the parent has to play, to make their kids look at it more objectively.
“
— DAD, NAME WITHELD
”“ ” what STUDENTS “ have to say “ “ ” “ “ Sometimes I think that there are times when parents make certain assumptions that certain things are communicated either in institutions, public schools or through churches. I think that a lot of what we tend to pass onto kids is mentioned in passing and maybe not through values—it’s not openly discussed.
I’m waiting.
pregnant boyfriend
Sex is everywhere. religion We love each other.
You don’t have to listen to people gossiping in the hallway — these are the opinions of your peers discussing how sex fits into their plans for life.
My belief in God and His method of loving has made me decide to wait. By waiting, I am showing my future husband my love for him, and I am loving others by letting them wait for their spouses. I can tell [people] my opinion, but I believe the most effective way of getting through to them is not forcing your beliefs on them. I refuse to shun someone because they decided differently. I think our culture has ruined the intimacy and love part of sex, and people are lax and don’t think much of it.
— SENIOR PATTI BLAIR
The conversations about sex at church or youth group have been serious conversations where we talk about the things we should be wary about with having sex before you get married. I have also been to conferences where the main topic is saving your sex life for your marriage. It’s refreshing to see a whole auditorium of other teenagers who approach the issue of premarital sex the same way that you do.
relationship committed relationship. A common topic among te
gossip serious Was it at a party? marriage husband pressure
— SENIOR ERIK DEDDINS
wifevirginity chemistry
Was it at a party? mistake waiting
pressurepregnant
”
I’m waiting until marriage.colleg Don’t tell lust hookconnection up gossip
secrets
I can’t believe we had sex.
— SOPHOMORE JACEY GORMAN
”
”
the [harbinger]
We had
whatelections Abstinence.
POLITICIANS I don’t promote that. Safe sex.
It’s best for everyone.
”
I think [finances] definitely play a huge role, because if you can’t support the family that you’re probably going to have then it’s a huge thing. I think it makes you look horrible and you can really damage a few lives — not just yourself but everyone in your family. I don’t think it’s necessary whatsoever in high school. I think you’re too young.
by [amanda allison], [hallie mccormick] and
girlfriend
— SENIOR EMMI SCOTT
Because of what my sister has gone though [teen pregnancy], I know I’m not ready. You have to have a steady job. That’s why my niece grows up with my family – it’s a lot of money to take care of a child. I think you should wait until you are absolutely ready. You have to be mentally mature. I don’t want to do it in high school because of all the STDs. I want ‘experienced people.’
From the first discussions couples or the decisions o to wait until marriage, we what students, their pare professionals have to say
parents
Even without the base of religion, I really think that before becoming involved in premarital sex, people in general, not just teens, should consider the kind of emotions and changes that come along with any physical relationship. And if something goes wrong, sex can really change your life. STDs, pregnancy — there are a lot of emotional and physical risks involved.
— SENIOR DAVID SABIN
CHATTE
sex I’m waiting until I’m in a
”
— SOPHOMORE CARI CHESTNUT
sorting through
high school
” had sex? ” They sex
— MOM, NAME WITHELD
maturity
yes
waiting Who had sex?
I would really love to wait but with all the pressure to do it you get a different opinion in your mind like in college, I want to have fun with guys. That is what college is about and as long as you’re very careful and you’re in a relationship with someone and you really feel comfortable I think it’s OK.
I’m mature.
I talked to my parents.Don’tvite marriage sex loveAre y relationship STDs
no
”
You guys face things we never had to face, like HIV, and if parents don’t discuss these things, you could face death. I think it’s part of a parent’s duty, and if you can’t discuss these things with your child, you need to find a professional to have them discuss it with.
— GEORGE ENDERS
responsibility
boyfriend I’m waiting until m connection
Kids need information from reliable sources, and their parents are the most reliable source they’re going to get it from. We’re pretty open in my house: we’ve talked to them about protection and the right relationships and when how you do have sex for the first time, that it should be meaningful and there should be respect.
— BROOKE BELLNER
— MOM, NAME WITHELD
“
SEX hook up
It’s hard to talk about because there is too much out there. By the time the parents get around to talking about it with kids, they know too much and it’s uncomfortable. Teens think they know a lot about it, and they don’t want to listen. There’s so much about it in movies and TV, and it’s hard to know what age to bring it up with them. By the time I got around to thinking I should talk to my kids, they thought they knew it all.
havelaw to say
PRESIDENT BU
President Bush has taken sev towards teaching abstinence in sch it mandatory for parents to sign if th children to have sex education. If you a They make the laws that determine what is and type of sex education, more is taught o is not a crime. Several important politicians instead of safe sex. According to Salon have definite opinions on premarital sex. taking steps towards “global abstinenc
It’s an issue.
PHILL KLINE
In 2006, former Attorney General Phill Kline tried to pass a law which would have required all health care workers to report any sexual activity by minors under 16 as sexual abuse. This would have included any consensual activity between minors of similar age. Kline has also made significant stances against abortion. In 2003, Kline attempted to get medical records from two abortion clinics without respecting the privacy of the patients, according to Planned Parenthood. He also filed a lawsuit against Governor Kathleen Sebelius in August 2005 to block the state from funding abortions through Medicaid, even though federal Medicaid law states that abortions should be provided in case of rape or incest or when the woman’s life is in danger.
PAUL MORRI
Attorney General Pau introduced the Romeo and regarding teen sex. It was to suggest that each sexua be treated differently an individually. The law states that sex between a child who is at lea than 16 with a partner who i with less than a four year a may be tried less harshly tha rape case, according to Morr
page 15 [spread]
say they have l intercourse
say they have of sophomores say they of freshman say they have 26.1% ofhadjuniors sexual intercourse 25.7% have had sexual intercourse 9.3% had sexual intercourse
BEFORE THE CONVERSATION
We had sex.romance marriage. Is she pregnant?serious ell my parents. irginity lust
love what We need to talk.
COUPLES
I trust you. Should we? pregnancy? STDs? She lost her virginity. We had sex.
you waiting college until marriage?
the
ER
eens: sex. between of others listen to ents and about it.
d [libby nachman]
chemistry
parents high school
secrets
sexpassion dating I’m waiting until college.
husband
morals girlfriend premarital I talked to my parents.
gossip protection
wife
Who had sex?
protection She lost her virginity. mistake
They had sex?
I’m waiting until college.
pregnant? morals Is sheyes dating romance
veral actions hools: making hey want their are taught this on abstinence n.com, Bush is ce.”
ISON
ul Morrison Juliet Clause s the first law al case should nd examined
xual relations ast 14 but less is less than 19 age difference an the typical rison.
couple ONE — juniors
“
dating for a little over two years • conversation came up after six to eight months HER: We talked about it for six months before we decided versation about whether or not it was worth the risk. We both to…for most of it, the biggest concern was pregnancy, but I’m on birth control now. We’d been together long enough that it wasn’t too big of an emotional issue. We weren’t worried it would ruin our relationship. It was the first time for both of us so we weren’t worried about STDs. It was more of a con-
“ SEX “
d sex. premarital passion
USH
Talking about sex for the first time can be a big deal with both your partner and your parents. Students, all of whom chose to stay anonymous, tell their stories of this fateful conversation.
no
love sex my parents.
ge
to say Whathave do you want?
Planned Parenthood suggested a list of relationship qualities to help people discover how close they are with their partners. If you answer “yes” to the following questions, you and your partner may already have an intimate relationship. Is your partner clear about caring for you? Does your partner always tell you the truth? Is your partner attentive to your needs and pleasure? Does your partner accept your decisions and feelings? Does your partner always treat you as an equal? Does your partner know what’s necessary to know about birth control? Does your partner share responsibility for safer sex and/or birth control? Does your partner have checkups for sexually transmitted infections? If you wanted your partner to accompany you, would your partner go with you for a checkup? Does your partner discuss problems without bullying, manipulating, or trying to “smooth-talk” you? Does your partner believe you when you say “no”? If an unplanned pregnancy occured, have you discussed how you would handle it?
had in our minds that had been dating for long enough and would continue to. It wasn’t like, “Is this a good idea now?” It was “Should we do it now or later?” We knew we would continue to date. Neither of us felt we had to wait for marriage.
couple TWO — seniors
dating for nine months • conversation came up after six months HER: It wasn’t that big of a deal. … We were watching a movie HIM: Important factors in the discussion at my house, and I thanked him for not pushing me, and we both decided that high school is too early to be having sex. If you both agree on yes or no, that makes it easier. But if one person wants to, it’s definitely a lot harder.
”
though, when bringing it up in a relationship are, primarily, it’s a big emotional commitment. Protection as well….it’s kind of an irreversible decision, so deciding whether you can stand the magnitude of it is a huge step.
”
couple THREE — seniors
dating for five months • conversation came up before, as friends, and periodically during
HER: We have not had sex because you have to wait until you are HIM: Talking about it is the most important thing. We
Talking to your Partner Three steps to talk to your partner about sex
1 2
Be a good communicator. Be clear about your feelings and limits. Try to understand your partner’s point of view.
Be a good listener. Let your partner speak, without interruption. Use active listening skills: eye contact, avoid distractions, etc.
3
Be positive. You are taking the initiative to protect you and your partner from a bad sexual experience and/or negative consequences. Smile, and have fun! www.plannedparenthood.org
truly in love with each other. We agree that you have to wait until that emotional connection is there, and you are ready. He wanted to be emotionally ready and available. That’s why we’ve been waiting, just until we’re available. Stuff is going on all the time though, and we’re both really busy, and you want to be emotionally there. We don’t want that time to be distracted, so we’re just hanging out now.
“
both kind of established that we didn’t want to rush anything…that we need to make sure we are both on the same page and make sure that we are ready. We don’t want to rush anything. You just have to make sure that you are comfortable enough with the person.
”
couple FOUR — sophomores
dating for two years • conversation came up after six months HER: It all depends on if you’re ready. … If you can’t talk about HIM: We just started talking about it….we were watching a having sex, then you’re not ready. I think if you’re going to talk about it, you shouldn’t need to plan it or think about it. … You shouldn’t be in a situation where … people can hear, just so it’s not a big deal between other people. It should be just the two of you.
TEENAGERS
movie that kind of spurred the discussion. We decided that it will happen when it happens, but we also talked about how we would feel afterwards and if it would affect our relationship positively or negatively. We thought it might help our relationship and make us stronger, but I know that if you’re not ready, it would do nothing to help.
Having the “TALK”
•Be patient. This way you allow your kids to talk at their •Listen. Find time to give your kids your undivided own pace and show them that they are worthy of your time. attention. •Try to be honest. Whatever their age, your children •Communicate your values. You have the oppurtunity, as a deserve honest answers and explanations. parent, to pass on your sense of values. •Write down the three most important things you want your parents to know. •Set aside an hour or so to talk at a particular time so that you know you have their undivided attention.
Jan. 22, 2007
•Let them know directly that there’s something you’d like to discuss. •You may also want to think about how your parents might react and plan the most effective response.
”
PARENTS
D
BA
[mixed]
Christmas Gifts
page 17 [mixed]
by [elizabeth mcgranahan]
gave me the Gilmore Girls DVD, I’m “ Myprettyparents sure it was meant for my sister. - Fresh-
“
[Tricks and
Tips
“
ow ard
“ “
nn yh
“
[Top 10] oto sb y je
“ “ “ “ “
“
ph
man, Cole Fevold My mother and I got matching Christmas sweaters! - Freshman, Anna Swanson I got a recycling bin. - Sophomore, Whitney Kraft I got a pair of pants. - Junior, Lesley Monarres I received a garbage can. - Senior, Karl Wiederaenders I got a really ugly wallet and earrings that I’m allergic to. - Senior, Aishlinn O’Connor
by [rachel mayfield]
Dry skin on your hands? Try rubbing Vaseline petroleum jelly all over your hands before bed. Then, put socks on over your hands to keep the Vaseline from getting messy. When you take the socks off in the morning, your hands will be smooth and moisturized!
5 Natural Mood Boosters: 1.) Go for a walk: A study by researchers at Dalhousie University found that 30-minute walks were effective at reducing tension, anxiety, and mood disturbances and increasing energy and vigor. 2.) Go to bed early: Make your bed a restful haven. Splurge on good pillows. Also consider treating yourself to soft sheets with at least a 300thread count. Sheets made of Pima, Supima, or better yet, Egyptian ds oo cotton, which tend to be softer. ew i t a yk 3.) De-clutter your space: it’s really hard to feel great when b art your surroundings are a mess. Having everything in order can help calm anxiety. 4.) Listen to music: Research has shown that it can lower blood pressure, heart rate, stress hormone levels, and may even improve cognitive abilities. 5.) Try aromatherapy: A study in the International Journal of Neuroscience found that people exposed to the What is your New Year’s Resolution? scent of lavender or rosemary - To keep all my work turned in and keep up my school spirit. essential oils felt happier than people who didn’t You dance a lot at the East games. Why do you like to do this? use essential oils. - I love to dance! I have a lot of spirit. I’ve been dancing at East games since I was five.
what you
information courtesy of: http://pittsburgh.about. com/cs/holidays/tp/ resolutions.htm and the harbinger
[???
How did you learn to dance like that? - I didn’t learn from anything, I just taught myself.
[
didn’t know about... Augie Borchers
Is that your favorite thing to do in your spare time? - Probably dancing. I do it for exercise, and I just like to shake it! I cheer with the cheerleaders, too.
Jan. 15, 2007
photo by abba goehausen
page 18 [features]
the [harbinger]
REA
Y LIT
a dram
ce vor
age teen
the weight of
The side effects from not eating had more of an effect on her than she thought. She couldn’t concentrate. Everything at school seemed so surreal to her. Running on only a couple hours of rest, she had very little energy, but she couldn’t fall asleep at night. She was too worried about what would happen the next day at school because she and her and her grades were gradually getting worse and worse. This was the vicious cycle that for almost three years seemed never ending to Senior Emmi Scott. She soon realized she had a problem and it was time to tell her parents that she was anorexic. When Scott was in seventh grade, her parents got a divorce. It was a long and hard separation. She became very stressed and struggled to find an outlet to ease her stress. “I felt like I couldn’t control anything going on in my life,” Scott said. “I knew I couldn’t control my parents’ separation but I could control my weight and the food I ate. Not eating became my outlet.” Not eating wasn’t difficult for Scott. It was a mind set she would put herself in and she just told herself it wasn’t a problem. She started out by not eating lunch and exercising a lot. Scott’s sophomore year was when everything got bad. She didn’t eat, but if she did, she would make herself throw it up. “I made lots of excuses by saying I had already eaten,” Scott said. “Everything was crazy with the divorce so no one really noticed.” Scott became depressed and was unable to sleep at night. Her condition wasn’t caused by poor self image, it was just stress-induced. She wasn’t doing well in school and she realized that this was a problem she wouldn’t be able to fix on her own. Being so close to her Dad, she decided to confront him first. As soon as she talked to her Dad he got her help. Scott was seeing a therapist, a nutritionist, and a doctor that specializes in eating disorders. Scott was very determined to get past her problem. Scott had a lot of support from friends and family. Her best friend, Senior, Carly Beck stood out the most when it came down to being patient with Scott and trying to help her. Beck would just remind Scott that eating was the right thing to do and that she was a strong enough person to overcome this problem. “A big thing wasn’t telling her to stop,” Beck said. “It was gradually getting her to be able to eat a real meal.” Even now Scott still struggles with her problem on a day to day basis. Her Dad is very understanding about her situation and is encouraging in helping her get through it. “Sometimes when I get really stressed its really hard for me because I still don’t know really how to handle my stress. I just let my Dad know that I am really stressed about some things and it would probably be best if I didn’t eat because I might try and make myself throw up. He always understands and just tells me to eat as soon as I feel hungry,” Scott said. “What I put my body through is really self-abuse,” Scott said. “Hating your body and yourself to the point that you won’t eat is the saddest thing to me. I think there is something making other people with anorexia hate themselves besides not liking their appearance.” According to Wrong Diagnosis, 85-90% of anorexia/bulimia cases are women in the U.S. The results from anorexia are ultimately bad for the body like, shrunken bones and mineral loss, low body temperature and irregular heartbeat, permanent failure of normal growth, and development of early osteoporosis. “Sometimes people will tell me that one of their friends told them that they are anorexic or have an eating disorder and then they will ask me what to do, Scott said.” “I tell them that your friend told you because they realize they need help. Your friend wouldn’t have said anything if they didn’t think it was a problem. It’s personal.”
di
by [rachel mayfield]
anorexia
it a l
l
Senior battles divorce, anorexia and...
7 0 0
Up Events by [ j o
Concerts Albums Movies Games
ey so p
ALBUMS
tic]
LCD Soundsystem • Sound of Silver • Jan. 28 Built to Spill • Unknown • 2007 Interpol • Unknown • 2007 Kings of Leon • Because of the Times • Early 2007 Coldplay • Unknown • Late 2007 U2 • Unknown • 2007 Radiohead • Unknown • 2007 Common • Finding Forever • 2007
courtesy of www.builttospill.com
2
g n i com
page 19 [a&e]
CONCERTS
Eric Clapton • Kemper Arena • April 2
After recording many songs together throughout the years, such as “Cocaine,” Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale have teamed up to create their first CD together, “The Road to Escondido.” Clapton planned a tour to begin shortly after its release, with Kemper Arena on its list for this April.
Other Future Releases:
Moe • Liberty Hall • Jan. 28 The Shins • Liberty Hall • Feb. 12 & Feb. 13 Incubus • Uptown Theatre • Feb. 2 courtesy of www.theshins.com
GAMES
Halo 3 • Release date: Fall 2007 • Predicted Score: 4 out of five stars
Halo 3 will be released in Fall of 2007. The third game in the ridiculously popular Halo series following the hero of Halo, Master Chief, as he tries to save humanity from the alien Covenant. The first to be released on Xbox360, the graphical powers of the 360 will make Halo 3 the most stunning of the Halo games yet.
Other Future Releases:
Half-life 2: Episode 2 Release date: Fall 2007 Predicted Score: 4.5 of 5 stars Command and Conquer 3 Release date: March 28, 2007 Predicted Score: 4.5 of 5 stars
courtesy of www. enjoyincubus.com
MOVIES Evan Almighty • Release date: June 22 • Predicted score 4 out of 5 The sequel to the hit “Bruce Almighty,” “Evan Almighty” follows Evan , a minor character in the first film. Played by the ever-funny Steve Carell, “Evan Almighty” is sure to be a hit.
Other Future Releases:
Simpsons Movie Release date: July 27 Predicted score: 2 out of 5 Die Hard 4 Release date: June 26 Predicted score: 2.5 out of 5 courtesy of www.movieweb.com
What’s New New • a&e event ticker What’s
~Girl Scout honor ~Girl The Scout honorFeb. 9 Jim Gaffigan, The Lied Center at KU, Jan. 27 • moe., Liberty Hall, Jan. 28 • Waking Ashland, The Bottleneck, Jan. 30 • Techn9ne, Granada, the [harbinger]
page 20 [a&e]
While promising,
Mos Def
lacksTrue Magic by [erin morrissey]
It seems as though these days, celebrities are trying to do it all. It’s not uncommon for an actor to release a CD, or for a singer to put out a clothing line. But, in an era that prizes covering all the bases, is it possible to stretch yourself too thin That seems to be the problem with Mos Def’s new album, “True Magic.” Appearing in films such as, most recently, “16 Blocks” and the forthcoming “The Brazilian Job,” Mos Def seems to have left little time for his musical career. The album, a l -
though promising, falls short of Def’s immense talent. On previous releases, like “Black on Both Sides,” Def examined social issues with a fresh outlook and made sure to scatter lyrical gems throughout every track. On “True Magic,” he doesn’t seem to do this. The problem with the new release is that it’s simply nothing new. After three solo albums, one would think Mos Def would have grown musically—but he hasn’t. Many of the songs on the album lack the passion and attitude that was once synonymous with the name “Mos Def.” The most disappointing track on the album is the awkwardly named “Thug is a Drug.” Its subject matter—gangs—is something which Def has dealt with before. However, this track is banal and lacks cleverness. If you’re going to write a song about something you’ve written about before, you have to be innovative and clever. Otherwise, there’s no point to revisiting the topic. It’s not all bad, though. On “Dollar Day (Surprise, Sur-
Good Luck to the
Sweetheart Nominations are on Thursday 25
Varsity Girls Basketball team in the upcoming tournament Thurs. 25 Sat. 27
Mathletics mAthletics maThletics matHletics mathLetics mathlEtics mathleTics mathletIcs mathletiCs mathleticS Wednesday 24
photos courtesy of www.photostar.com
prise),” about the government’s lack of response to Hurricane Katrina, Def actually gets excited about the subject matter. There are points in the song where he literally screams, but it works. He uses a beat from Juvenile’s “Nolia Clap,” which provides a nice backdrop for his lyrics. It’s a shame Def couldn’t get this passionate about other things, or he would have had a really great album.
Jan. 22, 2006
Two Paws UP
page 21 [a&e]
‘Alpha Dog’ holds attention, but lacks substance
by [devin o’bryan]
When I first saw a preview for the movie “Alpha Dog,” all that registered in my mind was a heavily tattooed Justin Timberlake, Bruce Willis in a funny-looking toupee and a bunch of white boy thugs living a life of crime. I remember thinking something like, “This movie looks like a total train wreck,” followed closely by, “Can Justin Timberlake even act?” So blame my morbid curiosity, but I knew I needed to see this movie as soon as it was released. Saying I walked into the theater with low expectations would be an understatement. I was prepared to endure a movie full of awkward moments, cringe-worthy dialogue and bad acting. So I was surprised when none of these were present. But although “Alpha Dog” had some solid acting performances and exceeded my almost non-existent expectations, its complete lack of morals and weak resolution left me feeling cheated out of a good movie. Written and directed by Nick Cassavetes (“The Notebook”), “Alpha Dog” is loosely based on the true story of drug dealer turned fugitive Jesse James Hollywood, one of the youngest people to ever make the FBI’s Most Wanted list. In the movie he is known as Johnny Truelove (Emile
Hirsch), the leader of a group of upper-middle class wannabe-gangsters. When junkie Jake Marzursky (Ben Foster) won’t pay the $1,200 he owes Johnny, the gangster impulsively kidnaps Jake’s 15-year-old half brother Zack (Anton Yelchin) as ransom. Zack is more than happy to get away from his controlling parents – he drinks, does drugs and bonds with his kidnappers, especially Frankie (Justin Timberlake). But what initially seems to be a pretty harmless (if not idiotic) kidnapping quickly spirals out of control when Johnny and his gang learn they could face serious jail time if Zack were to return home to tell about his abduction. The movie, which is a little over two hours long, successfully captured my attention from beginning to end with nonstop action and drama between characters. Drinking, drugs, parties and fights flew by so rapidly I was never bored with what was happening on screen. The quick pacing of events helped “Alpha Dog” keep my attention when other movies its length would have started to bore me. Justin Timberlake surprised me by being good. Actually, I was shocked because he gave one of the stand-out performances of the movie. His portrayal of Johnny’s right-hand man Frankie was one of the most real and relatable in the entire movie. Frankie’s last scene with Zack was emotional and heart wrenching, and I was impressed with how well Timberlake was able to pull it off. Another notable performance was that of Anton Yelchin,
who played his character Zack perfectly. Zack’s curiosity and eagerness to prove he could fit in with the older guys seemed so honest and true. Zack was the only character I grew to really like and sympathize with, and Anton stole almost every scene he was in. Even though there was good acting and an interesting plot, “Alpha Dog” fell short in most other categories. All the characters, excluding Zack and Frankie, were just downright unlikable. They were either too negligent, too overbearing, too drunk, too stoned, or too idiotic to care about. Both kids and parents drank, did drugs, and partied with no remorse. The movie glamorized the stereotypical Hollywood lifestyle of drugs and parties instead of condemning it, which would have made more sense. There was little, if any, character development throughout the movie and no real emotional resolution at the end. The characters didn’t seem changed by what had happened, so when the movie ended it felt abrupt and incomplete, like a big piece of the puzzle was missing. Also, there wasn’t a meaningful lesson or moral in the movie. What I took away from it was: “Drugs and alcohol and parties are cool, and so are people who do them. Oh, by the way, it’s probably a bad idea to kidnap someone you see walking down the street because you’ll probably go to jail.” There was so much potential for this movie to say something powerful about society or to be a cautionary tale about poor parenting, but it wasn’t. I would recommend “Alpha Dog” to anyone who wants to see Justin Timberlake take a legitimate stab at acting and to people looking for a movie with entertainment value and not a lot of substance.
Only
5 3 days left until spring break!
Jan. 22, 2007
~Girl Scout honor ~Girl Scout honor
Deep, Dark and Exciting After seeing “Children of Men,” one senior discusses her thoughts on the chances of an apocalypse by [ally heisdorffer]
The apocalypse is the farthest thing from the average person’s mind. Environmental issues or terrorism are more likely to take precedence when contemplating current concerns. “Children of Men” was a futuristic glimpse into a world where men are sterile and women are unable to have children. When the oldest person alive, a young man of 18, is assassinated, the world begins to sink deeper into a state of entropy and terror. This is the ultimate horror story: there is no future for the human race and nothing can be done about it. As the government is trying desperately to find the cause of sterilization, the last hope for the human race, a pregnant Fiji woman, is in hiding to protect herself and the future of her unborn child. Although humankind isn’t preoccupied with thoughts of total annihilation, we are getting better at taking care of what we have. People are becoming more aware of their deteriorating environment and trying to prevent future disasters. With so much technology helping us to determine how we can procrastinate extinction, the idea of our own apocalypse being self-inflicted is truly mind-boggling. Although the idea of humankind being unable to reproduce in 20 years was frightening, according to futurist Glen Hiemstra, it is totally impossible. “From a futurist’s perspective, it’s a plausible, but not very likely story,” Hiemstra said. “I suppose it’s always possible that there could be some strange virus, but it’s not realistic that [women could not have babies] in 20 years.” According to Hiemstra, the most pressing issue is global warming. He believes that global warming
has the greatest chance of wiping out mankind. Although global warming is possibly the most pressing current issue, it would take around 300 years for the world to be totally destroyed by global warming. With this much time on our hands, it gives us ample opportunities to prevent this worst possible scenario from occurring. Since we do have plenty of time before global
Children of Men
“The plot itself was gripping and in a constant state of change. The characters were dynamic and it was impossible to say what was going to happen next.” warming ruins the Earth, we should be putting effort into preventing it from ever getting to that point now, but according to history teacher Tom Niermann, who also has a background in theology and philosophy, humans like to put off things as long as possible until things get out of hand. “Movies like this are really important because it reminds us that our fate is not guaranteed,” Niermann said. “We have to guard it so it won’t collapse.” I’m easily scared. I hate watching horror movies. I always get that gut-wrenching feeling like I haven’t eaten in days. Science fiction movies never scare me, but this wasn’t like all those other futuristic movies
where the world ends with an attack of aliens or killer zombies. This could actually happen. As technology becomes more and more advanced, more genetic tests are going to occur. Niermann discussed a futuristic theory that is based on genetic abnormalities recently obtained by frogs. Because of all the chemicals that can now be found in water and soil, frogs in various parts across the U.S. are being born with bizarre abnormalities such as two heads or extra legs. “It’s only a matter of time before we’ll be experiencing these same kind of problems,” Niermann said. Hiemstra has his own ideas about how chemicals could affect humankind. His greatest fear related to chemical exposure is the flame retardants found in most mattresses. Toxins like these could begin to totally disrupt our bodies and do serious damage to our natural systems. The concept of all people going sterile coincidentally all at once was a little far-fetched, but ideas like this one are becoming more concrete with each genetic test, scientific alteration and general disturbance of natural functions. I never want to think of pregnancy as the last hope for humanity. I assume it’s something that will naturally continue to happen. I don’t even want to think about what would happen if there was no future for the human race. Okay, so the world isn’t ending yet. People are still having babies and I’m pretty sure there aren’t any detrimental uprisings to be worried about, at least for the time being. It’s always a good idea to plan for the future, though. You never know what could happen.
Three Possible Apocalypses
photo courtesy of movieweb.com
What’s New • a&e event ticker
above left: Actor Clive Owen makes his way through the apocalyptic streets during Children of Men.
courtesy of wikipedia.org
• Global Warming- an increase in the earth’s average atmospheric temperature that causes corresponding changes in climate and that may result from the greenhouse effect. • Nuclear War- a war in which nuclear weapons are used to cause mass destruction. • Depletion of Natural Resources- to exhaust the supply of food, water, oil and other resources necessary for the survival of the human race.
Incubus, 2/7/07, Uptown Theatre • The Shins, Liberty Hall, 2/13/07 • Breaking Benjamin, Beaumont Club, 2/16/07 • Of Montreal, Granada Theatre, 2/20/07 • Ben Kweller, Beaumont Club
page 22 [a&e]
Little Richard, Voodoo Lounge, 1/25/07 • Moe, Liberty Hall, 1/28/07 • REO Speedwagon, Ameristar Casino, 2/2/07 • John Prine, Uptown Theatre, 2/3/07 • the [harbinger]
e
DV yo D ur s tim
page 23 [a&e]
5.
rth
Te wo n
The Big Lebowski: Special Edition (1998) Rated R – The ingenious writer-director team that is the Cohen Brothers strike dark comedy gold with this eccentric head-trip about a slacker and a millionaire, both named Lebowski, who get mixed up in a crazy kidnapping scheme.
6.
To p
A History of Violence (2005) Rated R – Not for the faint of heart. This extremely vicious thriller blends Hitchcock menace with Peckinpah brutality when a local hero’s dark past comes back to haunt him and his unsuspecting family. Starring Viggo Mortenson (The Lord of the Rings), the beautiful Maria Bello (The Cooler), Ed Harris (The Rock), and the virulent William Hurt (The Good Shepard), who earned an Oscar nomination for only ten minutes of screen-time. Directed by the twisted maverick David Cronenburg.
7. Carlito’s Way: Ultimate Edition (1993) Rated R – A companion piece to Brian de
by [landon mcdonald]
1. Pulp Fiction: 2 Disc Collector’s Edition
(1994) Rated R –The story details the various seedy exploits of assorted hit men, crime lords, drug dealers, down-and-out boxers, twisted hillbilly pawn shop operators, and other unforgettably crass characters over the course of a single weekend in L.A. A must-see for anyone who truly loves the movies.
2.
Little Miss Sunshine (2006) Rated R –When little Olive Hoover gets the opportunity to compete in a California beauty pageant, he entire dysfunctional family piles into their old yellow VW van to get her there no matter what. The DVD comes with four humorous alternate endings, a making-of segment, and a director’s commentary.
3.
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) Rated PG-13 – If you’re a fan of Will Ferrell, then this is definitely the movie for you. A bookend of sorts to 2004’s Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, this film follows the misadventures of Ricky Bobby (Ferrell), an all-American NASCAR driver whose position is usurped by a gay French Formula One driver played by the uproarious Sacha Baron Cohen, the genius British comic responsible for Borat and Da Ali G Show.
Palma’s other gangster-on-the-rise epic Scarface, this film stars the incomparably brilliant Al Pacino in the third greatest performance of his life (following The Godfather Part II and Scarface itself). This vastly underrated classic is one of the finest gangster movies ever made. It concerns the story of Carlito Brigante (Pacino), a Puerto Rican drug lord fresh out of the slammer looking to leave his life of crime behind. Of course, he encounters opposition in achieving his goal from both sides of the law as his old enemies and the Feds close in for the kill. Pacino manages to make Carlito a vast departure from the psychopathic nuances of Tony Montana.
8.
Lord of War: 2 Disc Special Edition (2005) Rated R – Nicolas Cage plays international arms dealer Yuri Orlov in another tragically underrated film that deserved much more acclamation than it garnered while in theatres. It’s the rare action movie with a brain, an explosive thriller with a lot on its mind both politically and philosophically when it comes to society’s love affair with guns and the death and destruction they sow.
9. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) Rated R – Jim Carrey and Kate
Winslet play former lovers who undergo a brainwashing procedure to erase their painful memories of each other. Carrey gives the performance of a lifetime as Joel Barish and Winslet holds her own as the lovely Clementine. This film serves as a testament to the limitless imagination of director Charlie Kaufman and screenwriter Michel Gondry.
10. Walk the Line (2005) Rated PG-13 – A stunning biopic of
4. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas The Criterion
the legendary country singer Johnny Cash (played dutifully by Joaquin Phoenix) and his two decade-long courtship of fellow songbird June Carter (Reese Witherspoon, who won an Oscar for Best Actress). Even if country isn’t your thing (I hate it personally, but Cash is something else entirely), you’ll enjoy this flick.
Collection (1998) Rated R – One of the best movies of the
90s, pure and simple. A cult classic in the full sense of the word, this movie concerns an oddball journalist (Johnny Depp) and his psychopathic lawyer (Benecio Del Toro) as they travel to Las Vegas for a series of psychedelic escapades. Based on the generation-defining novel by the late great Hunter S. Thompson. With cameos by Tobey McGuire (Spider-Man), Cameron Diaz (There’s Something About Mary), and of course, Thompson himself. photos courtesy of movieweb.com
OrthodonBring in this ad and receive $5 off Professional Strength Whitening Strips (regularly $45). Stop by Monday through Thursday to pick up your whitening strips today! Diane Dyer-Chenoweth, D.D.S.
7501 Mission Road, Suite N-11 Prairie Village, KS 66208 (913) 383-9338
Jan. 22, 2006
page 24 [sports]
the biggest fans talk about what it takes
BASK ETBALL HEADS
by [ellie weed]
*WB=Will Becker NS=Neal Stark GB= Gage Brummer
Gage Brummer
Junior- Basketball Head ‘06-’07
1. What do you think makes a person worthy of becoming a basketball head? WB- A little bit of craziness, and a willingness to make a fool out of yourself. NS- Be one of the craziest fans and wear things crazy too, like “jorts” (jean shorts) will always come in handy. GB- Being so enthusiastic that they influence the crowd around them.
2. What kind of responsibility does being a bball head bring?
WB- It’s your job to get the crowd into the game, and you have to have a major love of the team. NS- You’re obligated to show up, and show up before the game starts. You’ve gotta be one of the loudest fans, and you’ve gotta be ready to start some cheers. GB- People expect you to be there and people expect you to destroy your vocal chords for the sake of the team.
3. What does it mean to you to be a basketball head? Do you consider it an honor? WB- It was a big deal to me because it meant that everyone noticed my dedication to the team. NS- I consider it the greatest honor at East. To me, it’s a bigger deal than the Homecoming or Sweetheart King. GB-It’s like being part of a school tradition and being someone that underclassmen can look up to.
4. As a big fan, what do you think the importance of school spirit is?
Will Becker
WB- The 6th man rocks the house. Without the fans, it would be hard to be the undefeated force that we are. NS- Having a huge student section plays a big part in how the games turn out. Last year, with the Emporia State Tournament, I think the fans made a big difference in helping them get all the way to the championship. GB- It shows other teams that we’re all together and it lets everyone know that we stand behind out team no matter how they perform.
Senior- Basketball Head ‘05-’06
State Line showdown
As the annual East- Rockhurst showdown takes place this Friday at Rockhurst, The Harbinger breaks down the key match ups and predicts the outcome. -compiled by Peter Goehausen
GUARD
Ross Simpson vs. Nathan Scheelhaase -After last year’s victory over Rockhurst, one would think Simpson has Rockhurst’s number as he lead East
with 19 points and was later named the KSHB Channel 13 Athlete of the Week. This season Simpson will once again be looked upon to score over the unexperienced sophomore, Scheelhaase, who made a name for himself on the football field this fall.
EDGE>> SIMPSON
GUARD
Reid Robson vs. Sam Schultz- In the match up of the ball handlers, the edge on offense will go to Schultz who has erupted for double-digit points three
times this season including a win over Central when he scored 16 points. On the other hand Robson, right, is still working on regaining his shot after being sidelined the first part of the season. Defensively, Robson holds the edge as he has been one of the main reasons East had held opponents to 36 points a game.
EDGE >> SCHULTZ
GUARD
Michael McRoberts vs. Brian Barnthouse- In what could be the most important match up for East, McRoberts must shutdown Barnthouse, who com-
bined with Teahan is 65 percent of Rockhurst’s scoring. While the defensive effort for East will be focused on Teahan, Barnthouse is just as much of a threat, as he has been known to quietly drop 20 points and beat a team by himself. The taller McRoberts should be the perfect man to guard Barnthouse and deny him the outside shot. On offense, McRobert’s ability to score in and outside should give him the edge of Barnthouse.
EDGE >> McROBERTS
FORWARD
Bryan Nelson vs. Conner Teahan- Nelson and Teahan could form one of the best head-to- head match up’s in the KC area this season. The two, who
have played AAU basketball together since seventh grade, are both the leaders and leading scorers on their teams. Nelson lacks the quickness to rival the KU basketball recruit on the outside, but Teahan lacks the size and muscle to compete with the 215 lb. Nelson in the post. As dominating as Nelson has been this season, Teahan has been better- averaging 25 points per game. EDGE>> TEAHAN
FORWARD
Bobby Miller vs. Keith Langtry- In three games against South, Northwest and Lawrence, Miller has averaged 20 points per game; however, in the other
four games he is averaging only three points per game. If the hot handed Miller shows up, East will be hard to beat. The sophomore Langtry, who lives in East district and whose sister goes to East, could be Rockhurst’s most athletic player but has yet to help them much on the offensive end.
Bottom Line>> When it comes to playing his alma mater, Coach Hair is strictly business. Hair, who reportedly declined the Rockhurst coaching job in
2000, has won his last three against Rockhurst. If the defensive minded Hair can devise a strategy to stop Teahan and at least quiet Barnthouse, East could take their fourth straight over their cross- town rival. EAST 56 - ROCKHURST 48
Neal Stark
Junior- Basketball Head ‘06-’07
page 25 [sports]
Swim team strives to be state champions...again by [sarah luby]
After gazing around at all the state championship banners that adorn the walls of the Shawnee Mission East pool, senior George Hart dives in. Just like the glass windows that line the natatorium, the team’s loss to Blue Valley North is fogged. While it is still a loss, they haven’t lost their focus on their main goal: winning state, for the third year in a row. This year’s senior class hopes to use their strong leadership to win state once again. The team is made up of mostly upperclassmen with senior Luke Tanner, who won four state events last year, leading the way. Although the Lancers lost their first meet since 2004 last Tuesday at Blue Valley North, the boys are still relaxed. “BV North doesn’t scare us,” sophomore Kyle Sitomer said. “It just motivated the whole team.” After 46 consecutive wins, a two-point loss didn’t influence their morale. The Lancers could have won the meet, had there not been a controversial call regarding Tanner’s 200-freestyle time. The electronic touch pads broke during the meet, and while many Lancer fans believe he won, the manual timers had him finished two hundredths of a second behind BV North’s Jason King. But they press on. At practice they help each other out by giving each other advice and pumping each other up to swim their hardest and fastest. “Let’s go brah! Right here, Kyle, you can do it!” sophomore Chad Allen yells to Sitomer. During warm-ups in practice, most of the boys are splashing around in the water and cracking jokes at one another. At one point, three sophomore boys race out to the middle of the pool to play underwater games. Their favorite is tea party- holding their breath and plunging beneath the
surface, only bobbing up to the surface after they run out of air. The practice then gets serious. The splashing and joking around comes to an end, for now. They go into their main sets, the most difficult of practice. The swimmers realize it is time to stop playing and start swimming with one goal in mind: win state. Again. Pressure. Expectations. The swimmers feel the need to do their best and make their coach, Wiley Wright, a pleased man. The swim team feels pressure, but their coach doesn’t. “ It’s not necessarily pressure I feel, but the expectations to perform well,” Wright said. “It [winning state] is not easy, but that’s what makes winning more rewarding.” Senior George Hart mostly feels pressure from himself to perform well. Hart went to state last year and placed 17th in the 100-yard breaststroke; he has qualified for the 200 I.M. (individual medley) as well as the 100 breast for state this year. He is hoping to place in the top ten individually this year. “I know I can do well in my events, especially breaststroke, so I put a lot of pressure on myself to do my best,” Hart said. Hart believes the team has a shot at winning state this year for many reasons, but one in particular stands out. “What makes the team work is a great coach.” He said. Hart also believes a strong chemistry amongst the team works to their advantage. Freshman Hunter Stevenson is off to a great start, his first year as a varsity swimmer. Following in the footsteps of fellow teammate Luke Tanner, Stevenson has qualified for state in the 100-yard freestyle (with the time of 52.48 seconds), just as Tanner did his freshman year. Stevenson is relaxed now,
but as state is closing in, he believes he will become more nervous. Stevenson feels pressure from his teammates, mostly from the upperclassmen who helped win state last year. “I feel pressure from them indirectly,” Stevenson said, “They don’t knowingly put it on me, I just want to impress them and not let them down.” As the Feb. 16 state meet approaches, practices change slightly. The team still stretches for 30 minutes and keep pushing themselves to work hard during practices and meets. Tanner says that a couple of weeks before state, Coach Wright pushes them really hard. Sometimes they are so sore, they have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning. But the week before state, they will take it easy, with less demanding sets and more focus on form and conserving their energy for state. Last year at state, Tanner got first place in four events: 100 free, 200 free, and the 200 and 400 free relay. This year, he is hoping to do the same, as well as winning the 50 free and 100 backstroke. The memories about state last year are different for each individual. Hart’s favorite moment was staying up until 5 a.m. after state in his hotel room with teammates watching the crime channel on TV about a show on Glenn Rogers, a serial killer, while chugging Red Bull energy drinks. For Tanner, he remembers getting out of the water after anchoring the 400-yard free relay team, water dripping off him, and realizing that his teammates and himself have just won state. They both have different memories from state last year, but the team has one common goal for state this year: victory.
page 26 [sports]
5
minutes with...
tanner johnson freshman • wrestling
Tanner Johnson is a freshman wrestler. He is currently ranked fourth in the state of KS in his weight class, 130 lbs. He has been wrestling since fifth grade.
“ photo by kelsey brown
On his greatest achievement- Definitely placing third at Liberty Nationals. It was in the 14under division with a 135 lb. weight class, so it was full of talent. I had won state categories, but a nation-wide honor was awesome.
Johnson, in black, hopes to continue his success and place in the top four at state.
Revue 1415 west 39th street KC, MO 64111 816-561-6059 (phone) 816-561-3098 (fax)
On the differences between youth wrestling and high school wrestling- Practices are so much harder. That hit me pretty hard. Even the tournaments are more difficult... Everyone in the room will show up, everyone is now more advanced. On how he got his start in wrestling- My dad had talked to me about it, and he did it when he was younger. I liked wrestling kids in the neighborhood, so it was almost meant to be.
On who has helped him with the transition to high school wrestling- [Senior} John Carr and {senior} Drew Robinson have helped me out. They’ve talked to me and just said how hard I need to work to reach my full potential. Of course, Coach Ufford has been a big help with making me tougher. On differences between his dad, who coached Johnson for four years, and head wrestling coach Chip Ufford- It’s a lot different. With my dad I was more comfortable, and he understood me so it was pretty convenient. It took time for both of us (Coach Ufford and Johnson)... to get to know each other since I was used to being coached by someone I was so close to, and he pushed me to see what I was made off. On personal expectations for the year- I definitely think that if I continue to work hard at practice and conditioning, while keeping a healthy diet, I hope that I’d be capable of placing at state, and I think I’m capable of doing just that, possibly top four. On team expectations for the year- Right now we’re looking great. Everyone seems to be clicking, and people are saying we’re the best team the school has had. If we all continue to do our jobs and work together... we have a shot, I think, at winning state. We currently are fourth, and the schools ahead of us are beatable.
”
compiled by sam logan
EAST vs. ROCKHURST
Come Cheer on the Varsity Boys Basketball Team Friday 26, 7 pm
Nails For You 601 w. 95th. st leawood, ks 66206 (913)642-2955
DANCE SPECIAL FOR STUDENTS FULL SET $23.00 FILL $14.00 Man.-Ped. $30.00 Ped. $22.00
Make plans to see the SME Musical Thursday 1 through Saturday 3
Come to the
Columbia Brew SME’s own Coffee Shop
Coffee...Hot Chocolate...Vitamin Water...Starbucks Frappuccinos...Biscotti
the COUNTDOWN
questions we want answered
Here’s a run down of what’s happened and what’s coming up in Lancer sports
Will the arrival of David Beckham affect American soccer everyone expects it to? The simple answer to this one would be yes. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Every World Cup for the last 20 years has been declared the one that would change American viewpoints forever, and that has yet to happen. But from a soccer fan’s standpoint, let’s hope the Beckham move changes things
Are the Jayhawks ever going to be consistent? It will take a few more games, but it could be coming soon. The three-point win vs. Missouri was only close because Missouri plays up to KU and KU has been playing down to opponents. Coach Self is finally finding a rotation that works. Then again, this is a team that lost to both DePaul and Oral Roberts.
Will Kansas City get the Penguins hockey franchise? We at the Harbinger staff hope so. With the Chiefs struggling and the Royals being, well, the Royals, a new franchise could be good for the city. The Sprint Center is also empty and needs a tenant.
How old is Ohio St. center Greg Oden? Seriously. This is the biggest way-too-good-for-his-age story since Danny Almonte. His neck-beard also makes him look 34 years old.
:02......
3
can’t miss games
TUESDAY, 1/23
Boys’ swimming @ Topeka Swim Invitational- Coming off a two point loss filled with controversy, the two-time state champs look to rebound in Topeka. The team has qualified 13 swimmers for state.
FRIDAY, 1/26
Boys’ basketball @ Rockhurst- For a more in-depth look at the match ups, see page 24. Senior Bryan Nelson (right) keys the Lancers. With a 7:30 p.m. start and the Lancers on the road, going directly from school to Rockhurst may be the only way to guarantee a seat.
TUESDAY, 1/30
Girls’ basketball @ SM West- Coach Rhoades’ trapping defense is what allowed the Lancers to beat the Vikings 45-35 at home Jan. 4. If the defense can keep them under 40 points again, expect the Lancers to come home with a victory. If they fail, watch for junior guard Taylon Johnson. She had 24 of the 49 points in a loss to Olathe South.
:01......
moment
players to watch
MIKE JOHNSON- SOPHOMORE- BOYS’ BOWLING- Johnson and the boys’ varsity bowling team swept Sumner Academy and SM South in the home meet at Mission Bowl Tuesday. Johnson bowled a 617 series, meaning he averaged around 206 pins a game. The East team as a whole beat South by 326 pins. Just a sophomore, Johnson will no doubt improve as the season carries on.
photo by samantha ludington
4
page 27 [sports]
X
24
BROGAN RUNION- JUNIOR- BOYS’ SWIMMING- Although the boys’ team took their first loss in 46 meets Tuesday, they are still a top contender for the state title. Runion is a member of the All-American 200 medley relay that set a state record last year. He has the best time, 52.2 seconds, in Kansas in the 100 butterfly. This will be coach Wiley Wright’s (top right) first meet after a loss in two years and might need to do some extra motivating.
X O photo by patrick mayfield
Jan. 22, 2007
X O
The diamond and one. It’s a defensive strategy the boys’ basketball team might see a lot more of in the coming weeks. It starts with one defensive player matching up with the biggest offensive threat on the floor, and placing the other players in a 1-2-1 zone. It was employed by Lawrence and this is how the Lancers dissected it. Point guard Reid Robson threw the ball to Bryan Nelson, the player most teams will try to neutralize. Nelson took it to the basket and as the bottom defender double teamed, he kicked it out to Bobby Miller (24) for an uncontested three.
page 28 [photo essay] Below Right: Sophomore Callie McGuire scrapes her car in the freezing cold after school. photo by samantha ludington
Left Middle: Freshmen Dani Miller and Adrienne Whitham hold on to one another as they make their way down the slippery slope from the senior doors down to the second floor. photo by samantha ludington
A janitor plows the sidewalk leading out to the senior lot as students leave school. Dropping temperatures were accompanied by a consistent mist of sleet, snow and ice. photo by samantha ludington
Frozen
Solid
Students slip and scrape cars as temperatures drop and ice pounds KC
Junior Mallory Gasaway scrapes the ice off of her car. photo by karen boomer Right: Juniors Jenn Sunderland, Erin Aitken and Stefanie Enger make their way across the treacherous junior parking lot after school Jan. 12. photo by karen boomer
the [harbinger]