Issue 5

the

NW PASSAGE Jan. 25, 2018 Vol. 49

Students with ADHD weigh the positives and negatives of their medications

NORTHWEST PASSAGE

TA BL E OF

Is s u e 0 5 V o l . 49 J a n. 2 5

CONTENTS

Rock Out

5

This band’s faulty performance does not define them

Take a Chill Pill

Students with ADHD weigh the positives and negatives of their medications

9-11

Make America Think Again Josh Marvine serves as the Kansas Youth governor

13

STAFF: PUBLICATION OVERSIGHT:

OUR PASSAGE: The purpose of the Northwest Passage is to relay important and interesting information to the community, administration and students of the Shawnee Mission Northwest High School. As a news magazine, the Northwest Passage will cater to the interests and concerns of the student body. Outside concerns and activities will only be covered if they somehow affect the school or students. The Northwest Passage is a 20-page news magazine. The paper will be distributed every four weeks during fourth hour. Subscriptions will be available to the community for $25. The Northwest Passage firmly supports the First Amendment and opposes censorship. The content of the newspaper will be determined and created by the entire staff. When questions concerning word choice, legal problems or ethics arise, the editorial board and adviser will discuss the problem to find the solution. In these cases, the editor-in-chief and editorial board will have the say in all decisions. Letters to the editor will be accepted and encouraged. The staff reserves the right to edit for grammatical mistakes, length and good taste. Letters may attack policy but not people. In no way will ideas or viewpoints be changed. The editor-in-chief and editorial board reserve the right to refuse any letter.

02 JAN, 25 2018 | Vol. 49

+PHOTO BY MADDY MANNING

Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief

STAFF WRITERS: Cadence Elder Jack Lynch

CONTENT MANAGEMENT: Design Editor Photo Editor Photo Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Ads Manager Online Copy Editor

Rachel Albers Madeline Manning Erin Henton Asher Norberg Samantha Joslin Will Gross Annalissa Houser

ADVISERS: Adviser Assistant Adviser

Susan Massy Wes Mikel

Erin Albers Jake Ditto Anastasia Kling Rory Dungan Kate Lawrence Nicholas Lorino Sonni Meyers Matthew Owens Sam Rice Kaili Sitz Cate Taggart

STAFF DESIGNERS: Kennady Bustamante Rylee Garrett Kasi Maniktala Alden Norberg Grace Roeder

98 Seconds Our generation can end sexual harassment Every 98 seconds.

That is how often a person in the United States is sexually assaulted, according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN). Since October, dozens of high profile men have been accused of sexual assault and/or harassment. The “#MeToo” movement has trended in support of the victims and as a call for others to come forward. On Jan. 20, millions of women marched to protest a president who openly bragged about sexually assaulting women. In Los Angeles, 600,000 women, representing 15 percent of the population of the city, marched. Another 200,00 marched in New York and 300,000 in Chicago.

Sexual harassment is a problem far more common and far less challenged than sexual assault.

FO R F i g h t i n g an institution means fighting the bedrock it is built on. In this case, that means the everyday harassments and indiscretions. People in the media, in Hollywood, and in a variety of high profile businesses knew about what was going on. They stood by and did not actively fight this systemic abuse. It is up to every single person to confront sexual assault and harassment when it occurs or as soon as they learn of it.

In fact, sexual harassment is neither committed nor experienced only by powerful men and celebrities. It happens here, at Northwest, every day.

It happens in our hallways, in our classrooms and at lunch.

We hear it in the jokes that people tell or send out in group chats. We laugh, but do we tell people it’s wrong?

There are ways to give compliments without being inappropriate. We all know how to do it. And we all know when we have gone over the edge, don’t we?

To pressure or force someone into

sex is a form of sexual assault. No one has any obligation to do anything they do not want to, no matter what they have done in the past or what you think they should do. The jokes, the catcalls, the inappropriate comments are all examples of sexual harassment as well.

To women, this is not news. To men, it may be.

When the many do nothing, the few seize control. To sit idly by while people make derogatory and disgusting comments is tantamount to approval.

For too long sexual harassment has been too commonplace. Though the stereotype of the slob construction worker whistling at a woman walking by may not be as common as it once was, it is still there.

As we make the AGAI N ST transition from children to adults, we depend on our parents to teach us right from wrong, our teachers to show us the difference between good and bad, and our peers to set the example of what is acceptable.

We are on the brink of adulthood. Ours is the generation that will have to deal with a post-industrial economy and a fundamentally different world than the one our parents grew up in. While every generation hopes that their children will experience a better world than their own, we have the power fulfill that vision. But do we have the drive to do it? We can make sure everyone, yes.

EVERYONE, has a fair shake in life. And we can end sexual harassment.

We can end catcalling.

We can end “off-color” jokes.

We can stop judging people based on their looks and instead focus on their character.

Speak out and speak up. Let us say “No More” as one voice, one generation, one school.

*

*Three staff members were not in attendance at the vote. + P H OTO I L LU S T R AT I O N BY M A D DY M A N N I N G

JAN. 21, 2018

63,000 75 children are sexually abused each year in the United States 1

WOMEN’S MARCH

harassment victims % of experienced retaliation when they reported it

54

1. Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network

MARCHED 200,000 WOMEN IN NEW YORK CITY

2

equal to 2% of the city’s population

of women have experienced

WOMEN MARCHED 600,000 IN LOS ANGELES equal to 15% of the city’s population

% unwanted and inappropriate sexual advances 3

2. The National Center for Biotechnology Information

3. ABC News

NW PASSAGE| staff ed 03

Hollywood Infinity War

+BY JAKE DITTO

While the Marvel Cinematic Universe provides entertaining films, it has killed originality It all started in 2008 with Iron Man. Since then the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has 17 movies to its name, with seven more set to be released. According to Box Office Mojo, the MCU has made $5.6 billion and inspired other production studios to make their own cinematic universes like the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), the MonsterVerse (Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla) and the Dark Universe (The Mummy and Dracula Untold). While most will say that the MCU has made some of the most entertaining films in recent years, I say that it is the worst thing that has ever happened to Hollywood.

While people are on their way to see the next Marvel movie, they are missing amazing movies like The Shape of Water, The Big Sick and Mother! While original movies like Mother! and The Shape of Water are still being produced, few will see them in theaters. Studios like Universal, Tristar or Paramount don’t want to fund those types of movies and make $10 million when they could fund the next entertaining and funny superhero spinoff that will make $100 million. A film that highlights

Learn to let go

this perfectly is Birdman. One of the major themes in that movie is how these big budget movies like Transformers and Spiderman make a ton of money, while original movies are dead.

The main reason the MCU took off like it did was because of the amount of money it made in the box office, but critics have also added fuel to the fire. For years, critics have been begging Hollywood to make original movies, but they continuously rave about how good every MCU movie is. All of the movies of the MCU are good, but critics continually praise them, consider them the best films of the year and tell everyone to go see them. It doesn’t help when a new original movie comes out and critics call it pretentious. You can’t ask for originality and then say that what is original is bad.

The box office also shows how much audiences have changed. The highest grossing film of all time, adjusted for inflation, is Gone with the Wind, a four hour-long romance dealing with themes of racism and self-reliance. Next on that list is Avatar. Gone with the Wind was released in 1939, while Avatar was

released in 2009. This shows that 79 years ago, people didn’t need to see an explosion every 30 seconds, but wanted to watch a film that changed how they thought about the world.

All Avatar ever did was have 3-D and CGI spread throughout, and have blue giants flying on funny looking birds. A majority of moviegoers in 2018 don’t want to think about what they watch, they just want something that will keep them occupied and entertained for a couple of hours.

I am not denying that movies like The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy are good movies. They are entertaining and well-made.

That doesn’t change the fact that they have caused more harm than good to Hollywood and to general audiences by killing original and thought provoking movies. The MCU has inspired many other film studios to do the same in making connected movie universes. Originality is dying with every Thor and Captain America movie coming out. The only way this can stop is when audiences become tired of these movies and give smaller independent movies a chance.

learned that no matter how horrible something seems, the lesson learned from it is so incredibly worth it.

One of the worst experiences of my life has turned into one of the best lessons: learn to let go.

The people you surround yourself with should fill your heart with sunshine, not thunderstorms of self-doubt. Respect yourself enough to choose being alone over being surrounded by negative people. Love yourself enough to create your own sunshine. Remember that while sometimes your life is filled with clouds, the sun will always return.

For me, it’s not the present that makes it hard to let go, but the happy memories I have with the person.

But people change, and the person in the picture frame from years ago is not the person whispering behind my back now. No matter how awful a person makes me feel, I always hold onto a sliver of hope that the person in the picture frame will return.

And maybe, someday, that person

will, but right now it is important to remember that letting go of a person does not mean giving up positive memories. I have dozens of photos on a wall in my room and, recently, I took every single one down and ordered new ones. Instead of ripping the old photos into a million pieces out of anger, I put them in a box. I know that someday I will be able to reflect on joyful moments with people who have become strangers. It is okay to be afraid of letting go, just like children are afraid of thunderstorms or the dark. But it does get better. I am now surrounded by people who have helped me become content with where I am in my life. Finding contentment is not the easiest thing to do, but traveling is a lot easier in good weather, and it will be worth it.

Let a few people go here and there, prevent a few thunderstorms, and the destination will be that much brighter.

+BY ANNALISSA HOUSER

Remove toxic people from your life

If you have ever talked to children about giving up toys, you probably know that they almost always refuse to let them go, even if the toy has not brought a smile to their face in years.

Some things never change.

We probably don’t play with toys anymore, but teens have found another thing to hold onto — people.

Holding onto people that bring you joy is a great thing. It’s when these people begin to bring you down that holding on isn’t so great. Toward the beginning of middle school, I spent every millisecond of my time trying to impress my so-called “friends.” I knew that they couldn’t care less if I was a part of their lives, but the sole thing I cared about was fitting in with them.

But why did I care so much? It’s not like I was happy with these people in my life. After we stopped being friends, I’m not going to lie, I was extremely upset. But then everything changed for the better.

Through this experience, I have

04 Jan. 25, 2018 | vol. 49

1.

1. On stage, seniors Bryan Morfin, Aaron Masters, and

ROCK OUT

Rebecca Holler perform in the talent show Jan. 18 in the Greg Parker Auditorium. They sang “Sweater Weather” by The Neighborhood. “One day while jamming out in my car, we just came up with the idea of starting a band to spread the joy of music,” Morfin said. +PHOTO BY PIPER SCHEURMAN 2. Senior Aaron Masters plays guitar for the band “Color Whale.” Tha band covers songs with alternative rock bands, including “Arctic Monkeys” and “The Neighborhood.” +PHOTO BY SKYLAR BROGAN 3. Senior at Liberty High School, Rebecca Hollar is the guitarist and lead singer for “Color Whale.” Although the band origionally was set to perform “Do I Wanna Know?”, they switched at the last moment to Sweater Weather when they discovered their drum set couldn’t be moved from Hollar’s basement. +PHOTO BY ABBIE ROBBERTS 4. Senior Bryan Morfin strums his guitar and sings “Sweater Weather” by The Neighborhood. Morfin’s guitar is a Les Paul Silhouette Specila One by Ebcom, which he purchased for around $160 because he liked the color and sound. +PHOTO BY ABBIE ROBBERTS

2.

This band’s faulty performance does not define them +BY SAMANTHA JOSLIN, ASHER NORBERG & CATE TAGGART

M

embers of the audience during the 2018 talent show may remember the band Color Whale for their interesting name. Others may remember them for their performance of a popular song, or guitarist Bryan Morfin cheekily throwing his guitar pick into the crowd or the few minutes prior to the performance during which they tried to fix their glitching amplifier.

“The performance just had disaster after disaster,” Morfin said. “Our amps were totally malfunctioning.

My guitar sounded like mud through molasses, Rebecca’s was not loud enough and Aaron turned his down.”

Morfin also forgot his multieffect pedal, which helps control and transform the guitar’s sound.

“Even though it ended up being not as good as I expected, I would have regretted not doing it,” Morfin said. “Our reason for auditioning was we thought it would be fun to have a cool show and dress up like rockstars and rock out, the whole shebang. It was fun to be cocky. I threw a guitar pick into the crowd and everything.”

The band was formed about a year ago by Morfin, a senior, and guitarist Rebecca Hollar, a senior at Liberty High School. They met while modeling at a photoshoot for Instagram and bonded over their love of music. The name Color Whale materialized during this first discussion of the band.

“We were just talking about how much we love music and Rebecca said, ‘man, I’ve always wanted to be part of a band,’” Morfin said. “I was like, ‘well, let’s start one.’ Rebecca grew up on Whale Street and whales are my favorite animal, specifically killer whales. So we changed the ‘killer’ to ‘color’ for the band name and wanted to have rainbows on all

of our stuff and have everything be rainbow colored.”

They later added senior Aaron Masters and drummer Alex Hernandez, a junior at JC Harmon High School.

Just a few months before the talent show, Color Whale, who had then only performed on Instagram Live and never in front of an actual crowd, began practicing for the talent show in Hollar’s basement. There was a drum set there for Hernandez, who is also a member of Morfin’s other band, a Christian group called In His Name. Originally, the group practiced the alternative hit “Do I Wanna Know?” by the Arctic Monkeys. But, when they discovered that they could not move the drum set from Hollar’s home a mere two weeks before the performance, they made the switch to “Sweater Weather” by The Neighbourhood, a song less reliant on drums.

“I wanted to perform ‘Do I Wanna Know?’ because it’s my favorite song of all time,” Morfin said. “I seriously play it all the time, and I was originally going to dedicate it to someone special to me.”

The alternative vibe of these songs stays true to what Color Whale typically plays. They’ve covered songs from “Tell Her You Love Her”

by Echosmith to “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd.

“We perform a lot of alternative, classic and indie rock,” Morfin said.

“We want a pretty chill vibe, but at the same time we want to have some songs that you can really headbang to. We’re all covers right now, but eventually we do want to start making our own songs.”

So far, his song choices are heavily influenced by his and his bandmates’ favorite songs, most of which were

shown to him by his father and little brother.

“My dad is really, really into rock,” Morfin said. “Ever since I was little, he’s shown me different kinds of bands ... Metallica, Def Leppard, anything like that. And my little brother, too: he’s always the one looking for new songs. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t even know about or listen to ‘Do I Wanna Know.’”

Hollar’s father influenced her love for music as well, specifically her desire to be in a band. He encouraged her to learn how to play various instruments, leading to Hollar being skilled in playing the piano, drums and guitar.

“My dad was in a band when he was my age and he always told me stories about how fun it was,” Hollar said. “He inspired my music interest from the start and exposed me to rock music when I was young. The idea of being part of a group and playing live has always fascinated me, and I knew I really wanted to be in a band.”

Hollar plans on following in her father’s shoes as far as leaving her band as a hobby and pursuing other careers. Hollar’s goal is to become a psychiatrist, but to continue to play music, model and do photography on the side.

Although Morfin also doesn’t consider music a viable career pursuit, he does think of singers like Jesse Rutherford of the Neighbourhood and Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys as idols.

“Before going on stage I was just trying to relax since a lot of our equipment was failing,” Morfin said. “I was like, ‘What would Jesse Rutherford do?’”

“And the answer is to just rock out.”

3.

4.

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For ks Panera

Panera

VS Potbelly +BY ANASTASIA KLING

When the weather turns cold, tomato soup will warm your soul Tucked between Barnes & Noble and Topsy’s Popcorn sits one of many locations of Panera Bread, a quaint cafe-style restaurant. A display of pastries and an easy-to-read menu greet those who walk into this national chain. When Kansas becomes colder than expected, something that becomes more of a craving is warm soup. The vegetarian tomato soup is the most delectable example of a warm winter soup. It is presented in a white bowl with croutons.

Panera’s tomato soup uses basil, oregano and garlic but still lacks the appropriate amount of spice. I found that adding simple salt and pepper complimented the overall taste. The first spoonful of soup is the most splendid.

To make the tomato soup even more perfect, consider Panera’s You-Pick-Two combo, which comes with a cup of soup and half a sandwich (grilled cheese and tomato soup is a timeless pair), as well as a side of an apple, bread or chips. Prices

vary on this menu item depending on what is ordered, but the grilled cheese/tomato soup combo is $7.88. An individual bowl of soup (larger than a cup of soup) can be purchased for $5.59. It comes with your choice of sides. While Panera’s soup was warm and comforting, Potbelly’s tomato soup was extremely acidic and lacked the subtle flavors. My first bite into Potbelly’s soup made my face immediately scrunch.

At Panera, the soup was creamy and pleasing to the palette.

Potbelly lacks the comfortable decor of Panera. Panera is set up as a cafe, while Potbelly’s decor leans more toward hipster informality. Overall, Panera was a superb and tasteful tomato soup to enjoy on a cold winter’s day.

When temperatures drop below freezing, Panera is the place to go for comfort food. A bowl of Panera’s tomato soup will warm your spirits.

+BY SIDNEY HENKENSIEFKEN

Potbelly

+BY KAILI SITZ

Potbelly’s classic tomato soup is the best in OP Right across the street from the Oak Park Mall, stands Potbelly Sandwich Shop. When the doors open to Potbelly, the customer is instantly met with a unique, hip vibe but with a “grab-asandwich-and-go” feel, compared to Panera’s hackneyed sit-down-and-chill atmosphere. However, both places have something in common: a hot tomato soup for the coldest of days.

Walking up to the menu board, the customers eyes are drawn to the food available written in chalk, a unique touch that adds a friendly feel to the restaurant.

The options are displayed in an organized manner with main titles that give the customer a quick way to order efficiently.

Although Panera’s menu is organized, it lacks something unique. Underneath the title “Soups of the Day” is the tomato soup in multiple sizes, ranging from an 8 oz cup ($3.60) to a 12 oz bowl ($5). The soup meal has many add-on items that could be included that Panera lacked,

such as the ability to add avocado, bacon or onions for a small additional fee.

One thing that Panera did better than Potbelly was presentation. When Panera’s tomato soup came out, it arrived in a white bowl paired with bread for no additional charge, a much more pleasing presentation than Potbelly’s smaller unimpressive cup served with no sides.

The tomato soup at Potbelly is creamy and smooth, compared to Panera, Potbelly’s rival across the street. When it comes to personal favorites, the first bite of Potbelly’s soup had a more intense tomato flavor, with a kick of seasoning at the end. The seasoning in the Panera soup overpowered the tomato flavor. Both Potbelly and Panera have their strengths, but Potbelly is the better option and will make the winter seem more bearable.

+BY SIDNEY HENKENSIEFKEN NW PASSAGE | opinion 07

Outside the Lines

+PHOTO BY PIPER SCHUERMAN

Lillian Oliver finds inspiration for her art while traveling around the world

While most students learn how to draw skeletons. Oliver mixes a mass of emotion through required art classes in high school, into her work to help people understand senior Lillian Oliver had a far different that they have to face death and decide for experience. As she moved to Asia, followed themselves what will happen after.

“I like art because when I see something, I her dad to Japan for work and traveled automatically want to capture the image and through Europe, Oliver learned art from each make it more my own,” Oliver said. “Right culture she experienced.

At 11 years old, her father’s job as a military now, I’m exploring different ideas that make chef pulled her family from the midwest others uncomfortable.” state of Kansas all the way across the world After three years of living in Japan, to Japan. Her artistic abilities blossomed Oliver’s father’s job brought them back to when she took her first art class in Japan.

Kansas. Oliver hung onto the lessons she “My teacher in Japan taught me to branch learned from her teacher and took her advice out and draw from my real life situations and back with her to inspire her new works. to use my art to explore things that actually Even after winning multiple awards and mean something,” Oliver said. placing first for her 2-D art at the Merriam art show, Oliver still From a canvas to just a blank piece of paper, whether it be oil doesn’t always or acrylic, Oliver has talent in consider her all forms of art. She goes above art exceptional. basic figure drawings and selfOliver is able to portraits. compete in these “In my art, I try to explore shows, continue with art, and trust things like reincarnation and her talent because finding your true self,” Oliver of the major said. “Things like past lives, influence of her what happens after death and family.

Oliver never-ending karma.”

Taking either a few months feels a connection or maybe only a few weeks, to her mom Oliver creates unique pieces because of her with the utmost detail. determination.

— SENIOR LILLIAN OLIVER “My biggest “Art is important to me in a sense that it’s a part of me,” role model is Oliver said. “I go out and when I see things my mom because she said she wanted to like people or landscapes, I imagine what be an artist as a kid and she actually did,” colors I would use to mix on my palette. I Oliver explained. “She has made a living look at colors and shadows and think how I as a theater costume designer, which is would use them to create the image I see.” cool because when you go into the art field Most of Oliver’s pieces include skulls and it usually doesn’t work. She strove for her 08 Jan. 25, 2018 | Vol. 49

“... when I see something, I automatically want to capture the image and make it more my own.”

+BY KATE LAWRENCE goals in life.”

Throughout the stress, her love for art always fits into her schedule. After intro to art classes, ceramics, painting and more, Oliver finds herself in International Baccalaureate (IB) portfolio, an art class in which she prepares her portfolio for her college courses. She continues to take Japanese as a language and is currently in her sixth year.

Oliver bears an incredible academic load as an IB diploma candidate and is involved in several organizations including National Honor Society and varsity tennis. She also serves as the president of Mural Club and secretary of National Art Honor Society.

The IB credits and continuous art classes paid off for Oliver when she was accepted into her dream college, John Hopkins University in Maryland. Oliver plans to double major in cognitive neuroscience and East Asian Studies and to also take art classes at the Maryland Institute of Art. “I will always do art [outside] of school but, if possible, I want to combine art and science to research the mental structure,” Oliver said.

Being a military child and having cheaper military flights, Oliver has the chance to travel even more. Recently, Oliver took a trip to Europe where she explored Germany and Austria and learned even more about culture.

As Oliver moves onto college and leaves high school, she will focus on herself and the different cultures that are part of her.

“Since my personal artwork isn’t really at the school or affecting the school, I hope to leave my literal mark on the walls at Northwest by being in mural club,” Oliver said.

“The Wheel of Life Mandala” by senior Lillian Oliver shows a journey through the realms of life before enlightenment in Tibetan Buddhist beliefs. The painting depicts Yama, the God of Death painted in acrylic on canvas.

“Manushyas” by senior Lillian Oliver depicts the Tibetan death ritual called “the Sky Burial”. It’s an ancient Tibetan tradition of reincarnation. “In my paintings, people encounter death in a large visual format that is hard to ignore,” Oliver said.

TAKE A CHILL PILL

Take a Chill Pill Students with ADHD weigh the positives and negatives of their medications “I was a hot mess,” senior Caymen Northrop said about her habits in sixth grade. “I couldn’t focus, couldn’t sit still, couldn’t do anything. Finally, my teachers recommended I see a doctor.”

Northrop was, and still is, diagnosed with ADHD, otherwise known as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

This disorder makes it difficult for her to focus in class, and she’s not the only one.

Most think of attention deficit as a twitchy, distracting mental disorder that affects a handful of students in every classroom. These students wiggle in their chairs, fidget in their desks or stare off into space. But there is more to this disorder that many do not notice, especially the way in which these students manage their disorders: with a variety of medications. Most move from one medication to the next, trying to find the one that, according to family physician Adrian Delaney III, MD, “brings them back down to earth.”

“One of the biggest symptoms is impulsivity,” Delaney said. “They just do what they want to do, right then and there, and they don’t think twice about the consequences.”

Senior Macey Walsh has been taking ADHD medication since sixth grade when she was having trouble focusing in school, just like her brother, who was also diagnosed.

“My oldest brother has the same problems,” Walsh said. “He was doing really bad in school and my mom took him to the doctor.” Her older brother was given ADHD medication and gradually moved from a C student to an A student.

“It was all because he couldn’t focus,” Walsh said. “It wasn’t because he wasn’t smart.”

The first medication prescribed to Walsh was Adderall, but the side effects of the medication ended up outweighing the benefits.

“It gave me a lot of headaches and made me depressed because I was stimulated all the time and focused,” Walsh said. “I wasn’t as funny as I usually was, just kind of bored and normal.”

She then switched to Vyvanse as she searched for a medication that made her feel more like herself. She has taken it ever since.

Like Walsh, senior Lilly Novak has been taking medication for attention deficit since she was in sixth grade.

Without her medication, Novak’s mind wanders. She might spend an entire class period thinking about the concept of birds.

“Like, literally all the different colors and sizes — and how did ostriches get so big?” Novak said.

She bounced from medication to medication trying to find the right fit.

She finally settled on Vyvanse.

“For a while, the medications really did help me,” Novak said. “But as I got older and was on them for so long, I developed a tolerance and they just started to make me feel really bad.”

Medications can have different effects on people and Delaney pays attention to signs of misdiagnosis.

“If you get a lisp from this medicine, or if it feels like a jolt of energy, like four Red Bulls, then we misdiagnosed you,” Delaney said. “That is how people get addicted to it; that is how people become dependent on it. They use it for energy just like you would see somebody using cocaine.”

The drugs that treat attention

+BY CADENCE ELDER, WILL GROSS AND ASHER NORBERG

deficit are amphetamines, and some people abuse them for the energy rush, according to Delaney.

While Novak still has a prescription for Vyvanse, she often goes for long periods of time without taking her medication because of the negative side effects.

But without the medication to help her focus, Novak’s academic performance declines. “[Vyvanse] just makes me feel very flat,” Novak said. “I don’t feel like myself when I’m on it. I go months without taking my medicine. But when I don’t take it, I fail all my classes.”

Walsh chooses not to take her medication during the summer or vacations throughout the school year, in order to fully feel like herself. If she forgets to take her medication in the morning, she often cannot stay at school.

“Kids that have ADD are sitting through six hours of class and they have no idea what they are learning,” Delaney said. “Then when they go to take a test or do a report, they have to go back and relearn it because they didn’t catch it the first time around. It is a hard problem to understand, like depression or anxiety or addiction, unless you actually deal with it.”

Novak has been searching for relief from attention deficit for nearly seven years and has struggled with the side effects associated with each of the drugs she has tried.

“At this point, I eat the same amount of food when I’m on my medication,” she said. “I’m used to having to force myself to eat.”

On the other hand, junior Jack Burton just started taking Vyvanse in August of 2017 to treat his ADHD. Burton claims he

had trouble focusing for longer than 15 to 20 seconds in class before he was diagnosed. The summer before his junior year, he was prescribed 20 milligrams of Vyvanse which was slowly increased to 50 milligrams over a few months.

“Ever since I began taking the medication, my focus has increased dramatically and I am doing much better academically,” Burton said.

Burton did note some side effects of the medication though, including appetite loss (which led to weight loss), dehydration and loss of sleep.

“I’ve had more than one sleepless night because of the medication,” Burton said. “I’ve lost 5-10 pounds as well.”

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that it is difficult to sleep while the medication is in effect. In addition, Northrop also noted an increase in her metabolism, leading to weight loss and dehydration.

In a world full of distractions, students struggle not only to focus but to find the right medication.

“I feel like everyone is a little ADHD anyway, but some people just want to get prescribed so they can do better,” Walsh said. “I feel like there is a difference between not being able to focus and not wanting to focus. A lot of people choose not to pay attention in school and, for a lot of other people, it is really hard to actually try to listen and follow along without medication.”

“I tell parents all the time that they don’t have to be dependent on this stuff. You don’t take it during the weekends, you don’t take it in the summertime unless you are doing school, and you don’t have to take it every day. You use it for learning.” — Adrian Delaney III, MD

ADHD Medication Side Effects

Common Medications:

According to childmind.org, these key side effects of ADHD/ADD medications are seen in children:

1. Problems Sleeping 2. Lack of appetite 3. Headaches 4. abdominal Pain 5. Nervous Tics 6. Irritability

AdderalL

Dexedrine

Ritalin

Methylin

Focalin

What is ADHD?

First diagnosis and identification of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Accordingreport to add.org, ADHD is a neurological focuses on the Scientists that stimulants can besyndrome used tothat treat ADHD regulation of brain functions and behaviors like: attention, concentration, - Notable amount ofhyperactivity, ADHD diagnosis in America, memory, impulsivity, organization and socialpops skills.up on global radar Adderall invented to treat ADHD 7.8 percent of children in US are diagnosed with ADHD Vyvanse invented 11 percent of children in U.S. are diagnosed with ADHD ADHD diagnoses continue to rise, along with prescriptions

History of ADHD

ADHD diagnoses in America rise sharply

Scientists report that stimulants can be used to treat ADHD

. .

Adderall invented to treat ADHD

Vyvanse invented

ADHD diagnoses continue to increase, along with prescriptions

NW PASSAGE | feature 11

Naomi’s 12128 Shawnee Mission Pkwy and Quivira (913) 268- 3940

12 Jan. 25, 2018 | Vol. 49

MAKE AMERICA THINK AGAIN Josh Marvine was elected Youth and Government governor

The Youth and Government program gives students a chance to write their own bills. The students act as members of Congress and debate and vote on the proposed bills. If a bill passes through Congress and is signed by the youth governor, it is sent to Kansas Governor Sam Brownback for review. Students can choose to write bills on any topic or issue they find interesting.

+BY RORY DUNGAN & ANNALISSA HOUSER

Josh Marvine never planned on running for an executive position after joining Youth and Government (YAG) last year. In fact, he did not decide to run until the opening dinner in Topeka, when the other two candidates had already written speeches. Thanks to Marvine’s background in debate and forensics, writing a speech was not difficult for him.

“My friend Julian Kuffour [said], ‘Hey Josh, you should run for something,’” Marvine said. “He and Spencer Modiri were the two people who sort of were like, ‘It would be really fun if you ran for governor.”

Modiri said that he and Kuffour knew that Marvine had the “passion needed to be an amazing governor,” and all he needed were friends to encourage him.

People like Modiri and Kuffour are the reason Marvine decided to join YAG, and the reason he chose to continue this year.

“I had a lot of debate friends doing [YAG], and I’ve always been interested in politics, so it looked like an activity at least worth trying out,” Marvine said.

When it comes to politics, Marvine knows what he stands for. He is not afraid to speak his mind, particularly in terms of President Trump, who Marvine refers to on his Twitter as a “cowardly authoritarian.”

“People who know me know my political stances,” Marvine said. “I’m pretty left-wing; I think Donald Trump

is horrendous. [We] shouldn’t believe a claim without reason, you need a ‘why’ before a ‘what’. I think the root of a lot of other problems can be addressed by fighting racism and other structural prejudice.”

As youth governor elect, Marvine does not have the power to make all the reforms he believes in, but he does have the power to improve the YAG program for years to come.

“Expanding the program and getting more kids and schools on board is a big priority for us,” Marvine said. “One way to do it is to contact government teachers and debate teachers because those are the teachers who have kids who would be interested in trying the program.”

After high school, Marvine plans to pursue a career involving politics and is considering running for office.

Marvine’s inspiration for the future plans he wants to tackle is the quote, “I’m here for a good time, not a long time.”

“It doesn’t mean that you’re going to die young,” Marvine said. “It means that you don’t know when you’re going to die, so you have to live your life in such a way that you can feel good about yourself, that you can put yourself in the best position for happiness and success, regardless of when it all might end, because you never know when it will get taken away.”

+PHOTO BY SKYLAR BROGAN

Josh’s political tweets

September 9, 2016, Marvine had a tweet regarding the election that went viral, and since then his Twitter continues to accurately reflect his political stances.

His Twitter: @JoshMarvine NW PASSAGE | feature 13

+ PHOTO BY MAYA LEE

“It wasn’t the first time that she attempted, it was just the time that she succeeded.”

Suicide rates for teen girls doubled between 2007 and 2015 and increased 30 percent for teen boys, according to Huffington Post.

— ABIGAYLE REDEKER

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, according to the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and the second leading cause of death for teenagers, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

SheWill Not Fail S

enior Abigayle Redeker’s life was turned upside down Oct. 13 when she returned home from picking up her parents at the airport to find that one of her two sisters had committed suicide.

Redeker climbed the stairs to the second floor of her home and found a white note from Amber, who went by the name Avery, on the bathroom door.

In a moment of absolute shock, Redeker screamed for her parents.

“I wasn’t sure what was wrong, but I knew something wasn’t right based on the tone and urgency in her voice,” Redeker’s mother Jan said.

Twenty-five-year-old Avery’s suicide was not unexpected. She had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age 12 and, according to Redeker, her condition progressively worsened.

“There were always warning signs,” Redeker said. “It wasn’t the first time that she attempted, it was just the time that she succeeded.”

Redeker pushed through, not missing her activities, such as Homecoming float

14 Jan. 25, 2018 | vol. 49

building for cheerleading, just a few days after Avery’s death.

Redeker is quick to describe Avery as her biggest fan, claiming that she never missed a dance performance or cheerleading event, even when her parents could not make it.

The first varsity football game after Avery’s death was senior night.

“Senior night is supposed to be about your family,” Redeker said. “We took family pictures and it was hard to accept that it was just my parents and me. I feel like now I’m doing [cheer and dance] for my sister.”

Redeker joined cheer just this year after being convinced by a friend and varsity cheer coach Renee Chambers to give it a try. Before making varsity cheer, Redeker participated in drill team for two years due to her love of dance. After quitting drill team, she continues dancing at what she claims is her second home: Jody Phillips Dance Company.

“I’ve surrounded myself with a good group of people through dance, people

Senior Abigayle Redeker copes with her sister’s suicide

I want to be around,” Redeker said with a smile. “The people make it feel like home.”

In the wake of her sister’s death, Redeker tried to turn her world rightside up by maintaining her normal dance and cheer routine as closely as possible.

As the holidays approached, however, no amount of bright Christmas lights could push away the darkness Redeker’s family faced.

“We had a lot of traditions we did with her that we just didn’t do this year,” Redeker said. “Every year my sisters and I went ice skating at Crown Center and baked cookies with my nephews.

We didn’t do any of that this year. We just stopped all traditions. It was kind of strange.”

The holiday season was the hardest time to get through for both Redeker and her mother, who she describes as a “supermom.” Throughout these painful weeks, Redeker said that her oldest sister Sam was able to keep the family afloat. “[Sam] was really the backbone of

+ BY ANNALISSA HOUSER our family,” Redeker said. “She took the hardest beating of us all because we relied on her so much, but she still kept it together really well.”

As Redeker struggles to cope with her sister’s death, she reminds herself of her personal motto: “God is with her, she will not fail.”

“I rely on [my motto] all the time, just knowing that I have God there for me to lean back on,” Redeker said. “I know that God wouldn’t give me something I couldn’t handle.”

In knowing this, Redeker is strong enough not only to handle Avery’s death, but remain her “positive and outgoing” self, as her best friend senior Grace Seibold puts it.

“After a death, everyone expects you to be all gloomy and sorry for yourself, but it’s important to know that it’s okay to have joy and happiness,” Redeker said.

“The person you lost wouldn’t want you to be sad all the time. They wouldn’t want you to go through that.”

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE ’BOTS +BY SONNI MEYERS & NICK LORINO

+ PHOTO BY PIPER SCHUERMAN

The Robotics team will attend two competitions this year +BY SONNI MEYERS AND NICK LORINO

W

ith a worldwide championship approaching, robotics co-captains Devin Keeney and Drake Clark prepare their robot for competitions that will help them qualify to enter. One of the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) championships will be the Heartland Regional Competition in Kansas City, March 9-11, and the Iowa Competition will follow on March 22-24.

“We have two competitions this year,” Keeney said. “[In] prior years we’ve only done the Kansas City Competition, but this year we managed to raise enough funds to go out of state, for a second competition in Iowa. So we have 45 days exactly from when we can start brainstorming to when we have to finish the robot.”

The team won two awards last year, including second out of 23 teams at the Kansas Cup Tournament and an award for professionalism.

“When we won the Gracious Professionalism award, I was not expecting it at all,” Keeney said. “We’ve been a fairly mediocre team every year before this. It was about five seconds of just shock — not realizing that it was us on that screen. It was a thrill realizing that they managed to pick our team out of 60 others for being the best at [exhibiting spirit and teamwork] .”

The team is led by sponsor Sarah Frederickson with the help of mentors.

“Robotics is pretty cool,” Frederickson said. “I didn’t know anything about it until Devin and Trent McHenry wandered into

my room and asked, ‘Do you want to be the Robotics sponsor?’ The kids are all super geniuses. We meet every day, pretty much, except Saturday and Sunday. We are here from 3-9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

If there is a teacher workday, we will meet.”

FIRST Robotics, the worldwide organization that sets up competitions for robotics teams, consists of 10,000 teams.

“One of the big things about FIRST is it’s all set up sports-style, so you have alliances of three teams in each match,” Keeney said.

“A team you have as an [ally] one round can be against you the next or vice versa. That’s one of my favorite parts of FIRST. Everybody is working together to help build robots. It’s all about the robots. ” To qualify for the world championship, the team needs to be in the alliance of the winning or finalist team. Additionally, winning The Chairman’s Award or The Engineering Inspiration Award can land them a spot.

“It’s really like a big old athletic event,” Frederickson said. “People are screaming.”

Compared to other schools, the Robotics team is small, averaging about 20 students a year. According to Keeney, the team owes the experience that they are getting to the mentors who help them.

“What we are doing is nothing groundbreaking,” Keeney said. “It’s just helping to teach students the fundamentals of robotics. We have industry mentors who have been doing this for 20-30 years, some even more.”

After school, sophomore Angelina Ortega looks over the sign-in sheet for Robotics Dec. 5 in the Robotics Lab. Ortega is the only girl in the program.

“Being the only girl on the robotics is a little irritating,” Ortega said. “Some times you’re looked down on from other teams and they see you as weaker.” + PHOTO BY PIPER SCHUERMAN

Sophomore Brogan Mackenzie uses a drill press Dec. 5 in the Robotics Lab. Mackenzie was making a wooden piece that would be a prototype of gear mechanism.

+ PHOTO BY PIPER SCHUERMAN

NW PASSAGE | feature 15

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FORGET YOUR CAMERA? WE DIDN’T. CHECK OUT ANY EVENTS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED

BY GOING TO

PHOTOS. 16 Jan. 25, 2018 | Vol. 49

WPA

Austin Bachert Piper Schuerman

Jackson Brogan Erin Osner

Jacob Cobler Caymen Northrop

Michael Filsinger Rachel Lee

women pay all

COURT The annual Women Pay All (WPA) dance is approaching, and court candidates have been chosen. The ten girls and boys were selected by their senior class, but how well do you really know them? Court candidates were asked 10 rapid response questions and these were their answers: +BY SAMANTHA JOSLIN + PHOTOS BY ABIGAIL ROBERTS

Austin Bachert: Biggest Fear: Walking in front of school buses Favorite school subject: Lunch Favorite book/movie: Catcher in the Rye

Jackson Brogan: Dream Vacation: Iceland Best song of all time: Party in the U.S.A. by Miley Cyrus Best Advice: Work hard

Jacob Cobler: Favorite movie/book: The Avengers Biggest Fear: Spiders Dream Vacation: Australia, so I can look at cool spiders.

Michael Filsinger: Biggest Fear: Not being successful Favorite school subject: Student Council Dream Vacation: Dubai

Piper Schuerman: Favorite book/movie: Juno Coolest person you know: Cassie Gomer Best song of all time: Life is a Highway by Rascal Flatts

Erin Osner: Favorite book/movie: Bride Wars Dream Vacation: Thailand Best Advice: If it won’t matter in two years, don’t stress about it now

Caymen Northrop: Best song of all time: Definitely Hey Jude by the Beatles Biggest Fear: Trains and balloons Favorite book/movie: Harry Potter

Rachel Lee: Best Advice: Meet as many people as you can Dream Vacation: Greece, so I can go to a fish spa College Plans: University of Kansas

Julian Kuffour Grace Seibold

Bhargav Marada Sophia Terryberry

Matthew Owens Michelle Banks

Mihir Shroff Payton Bennett

Daniel Vargas Grace Roeder

ZhanArden Vil Jordann Nachbar

Julian Kuffour: Biggest Fear: Electrical fires Favorite book/move: To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee Dream Vacation: Las Vegas

Bhargav Marada: Favorite movie/book: Rocky 4 Best song of all time: Dirty Little Secret by the All American Rejects Coolest person you know: My mom

Matthew Owens: Biggest fear: Being locked in a closet in Russia Favorite class at Northwest: Economics with Matthew Wolfe.

Favorite book or movie: The Wolf of Wall Street

Mihir Shroff: Dream Vacation: Somewhere in the Bahamas. Or driving a Ferrari down the highways of Dubai Plans for college: Go somewhere hot Biggest Fear: Dying before I get to college

Daniel Vargas: Dream Vacation: The Great Barrier Reef Biggest Fear: Spiders College Plans: Kansas State University

ZhanArden Vil: Coolest person you know: My little brother.

Best song of all time: I Want You Back by Jackson 5 Biggest Fear: Losing everyone I love

Grace Seibold: Biggest Fear: Snakes College Plans: University of Kansas Coolest person you know: Mackenzie Cooper

Sophia Terryberry: Biggest Fear: I really hate needles Dream vacation: Scandinavia College plans: That is a fantastic question

Michelle Banks: Best Advice: Dance like nobody’s watching Favorite School Subject: Psychology Best Song of All Time: Hey Ho by the Lumineers

17 Jan. 25, 2018 | Vol. 49

Grace Roeder: Payton Bennett: Biggest Fear: Rejection, or dying Dream Vacation: The Maldives in the shower and someone Best Advice: Your mistakes don’t define you finding me Biggest Fear: Rabbits Favorite school subject: Anything but physics.

Coolest person you know: My mom and Debbie Boren.

Jordann Nachbar: Dream Vacation: Greece Coolest person you know: Myself Best Advice: Treat people how you want to be treated

TOP

10 Films of 2017

I watched a lot of movies this year so I thought it would be a good idea to make a top 10 list of my favorites. This is my personal opinion, so there will be critically acclaimed movies like Dunkirk that will not be on this list. Additionally, movies like The Florida Project, Call Me

by Your Name and Phantom Thread could have made the list, but I was unable to watch them. +BY JAKE DITTO

1

Blade Runner 2049

For the second time in a row, Denis Villeneuve has made my favorite film of the year. Last year, it was Arrival, and this year it was the masterpiece Blade Runner 2049. It was amazing to look at, perfectly acted, edited seamlessly and very entertaining. Watching this, you can easily see that Villeneuve loved Blade Runner and made a film even better than the original.

6 I, Tonya This film provides insight into the life of Olympic skater Tonya Harding and helps the audience understand her motivations.

I originally thought that Harding was crazy, but, after watching, I saw the other side of the story. Funny and entertaining throughout, Margot Robbie and Allison Janney give excellent performances and deserve Oscar nominations.

18 Jan. 25, 2018 | Vol. 49

War for the 2 Planet of the Apes The Planet of the Apes prequels are some of the best movies in recent memory, and War for the Planet of the Apes is a perfect conclusion to the trilogy. The film blew me away and upset me with its allusions to the Holocaust. The statement it makes about war is not one to be missed. Andy Serkis’ delivers his most compelling performance as the leader of the apes, Caesar.

7 It I haven’t had more fun watching a film this year than when I went to see It. Easily the biggest standout of this movie were the child actors, especially Finn Wolfhard. I can’t wait to see what he does in the future.

I am also excited to see the future of Andy Muschietti, who looks like he could be one of the best horror directors working today.

3

The Shape of Water

This is the best film Guillermo Del Toro has made to date. In addition to being the best-acted film of the year, it is also one of the most original stories of 2017. Del Toro leaves his typical extravagance behind and uses more simple settings and creatures than he has in the past and instead makes a love story that is not like anything audiences have ever seen.

8 Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Before watching this movie, the only film I had seen by Martin McDonagh was Seven Psychopaths, so going into this I didn’t think I would love it as much as I did. It sends a message that cops, like civilians, can be both good and bad. The film also deals with tough topics like redemption, forgiveness and how we cope with death.

4 The Disaster Artist The Room is a film I have known about and made fun of for years. After watching The Disaster Artist, I now have a newfound appreciation for Tommy Wiseau. James Franco not only gives one of the best performances of the year, but also one of the best of his career. This was also the most inspiring and heartfelt movie I have seen all year.

9 Baby Driver I have loved director Edgar Wright since I saw Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. This movie proves that Fault in Our Stars’ Ansel Elgort is not just a teen heartthrob, but a star who will have a successful career as a serious actor.

The movie’s soundtrack is its most impressive aspect and blends with the story to create an incredibly fun film to watch.

5

Get Out

This was an amazing directorial debut for Jordan Peele. The more I watch Get Out, the more I notice his direction, like having a character foreshadow what will happen in the end. The social commentary behind the movie is relevant and should not be missed. Racism still exists today in many forms.

Peele finds a way to bring to the audience’s attention by showing rather than telling.

10 Logan This was the perfect ending to Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. He got the R-rated movie he finally deserved and it was relentless. Patrick Stewart was also great as the old Professor X and left on a high note as well. The last shot of this movie will be the first thing I remember when I hear someone talk about it.

Month in

Photos

WW

2.

4. Holding up a rainbow flag, a Prairie Village resident counter-protests the Westboro Baptist Church Jan. 19 at SM East. She came to join with Northwest and East students to peacefully rebuttle the protest from the Westboro Baptist Church. +PHOTO BY MADELINE MANNING 5. Before the performance, senior Bryan Morfin smiles at the crowd Jan. 18 in the Greg Parker Auditorium. Morfin began the performance by getting the crowd to clap to the beat of the song. “I felt like some rockstar when I got up there, even though I’m far from it,” Morfin said. +PHOTO BY PIPER SCHEURMAN

3.

1. Fighting for the rebound, Senior Jordann Nachbar reaches around Mill Valley player Evan Zar Nov. 30 at Mill Valley.

The Cougars lost their first game of the year against the Jaguars. “I know we did our best,” Nachbar said.” But [the loss] was especially disappointing because it was the official start to our season.” +PHOTO BY PIPER SCHEURMAN 2. Coming up for a breath, freshman Brian Harrell competes in the 100 meter Jan. 18 in the NW pool. Harrell swam a 1:09:03 for the race. +PHOTO BY MAYA LEE 3. Leading the “Cougar Coaster,” senior Rachel Lee and junior Hailey Spring swing their arms forward with the varsity squad Jan. 12 in the main gym. Before each home varsity basketball game , the squad races in front of the student section. “The Cougar Coaster is something that the crowd really enjoys to do and being able to sit in front of the students makes it special for the cheerleaders because we really never get to be a part of the crowd,” Lee said. “It’s also special to Northwest so that makes it so much better!” +PHOTO BY SKYLAR BROGAN 4.

5.

NW PASSAGE| feature 19

“I think they [the Westboro Baptist Church] are full of hate and are taught wrong. I have gone to counterprotests before, and who cares?

We have a bigger group than them.”

— Junior Kaylin Groneman

the

NW PASSAGE