Issue 5

vol. 44 • issue 5 Dec. 7, 2012 photo by Nisha Bisht

/ pg. 12

X(-mas) MARKS THE SPOT

For the holiday season, this is your guide to activities around the KC area to enjoy with loved ones.

The Beat Goes On

/ pg. 14

Counseling secretary Christina Nick was recently diagnosed with a heart condition.

Sugar and Spikes

/ pg. 18

Powderpuff football and volleyball are a way for gender roles to reverse.

Issue 5 • Vol. 44 • Dec. 7, 2012

07

NEWS / 05 • Northwest News Updates about happenings Northwest.

at

06 • Currently Pop culture and news from around the world.

PHOTO BY KATE JACOBSEN

OPINIONS /

18

09 • Staff Editorial: Finding a New Priority The holidays should be a time for giving back to the community.

10 • Sticking with Tradition A staff writer discusses her holiday traditions.

09 • From a Lack of Understanding Intolerance of the Islam religion is based on unreliable facts.

PHOTO BY ALEXA STYERS

FEATURES/ 07 • Love by Giving CCC students are raising money for families in need during the holiday season.

12 • X(-mas) Marks the Spot There are plenty of activities to do with the ones you love in the KC area during the holiday season.

14 • The Beat Goes On After visiting the doctor for flu-like symptoms, counseling secretary Christina Nick realized something much more serious was wrong.

ENTERTAINMENT / 16 • New to Who? In honor of the upcoming Christmas special, staff writers take an inside look at BBC’s Doctor Who. 17 • Reviews Twilight: Breaking Dawn: Part 2, Ceelo’s Magical Moment Christmas + Editor’s Unpick: Red Dawn

SPORTS/ 18 • Sugar and Spikes Powderpuff football and volleyball allow traditional gender roles to switch.

21 • Sports Grid See stats and quotes from the most recent and future games for each of the winter sports.

22 • Nonexistent Late Night Not So Late Night was cancelled because of low attendance last year.

Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Park features the world’s first all-trampoline, walled playing courts.

Sky Zone KC

OPEN JUMP (Pricing: includes taxes and shoes)

30 minutes: $9 60 minutes: $13 90 minutes: $17 120 minutes: $20 Pre-purchase tickets: www.skyzonesports.com/kc

SKYROBICS

Did you ever think it was possible to burn up to 1,000 calories per hour, and still have FUN doing it? With SkyRobics, that reality is now a possibility.

Classes are going to be offered 6 days a week by SkyRobics instructors.

Individual classes: $12 per class Unlimited class, monthly membership: $70 10-class Punchcard: $100

EDITOR’S NOTE: With the Christmas season in full swing, it’s very easy to get wrapped up in gifts, no pun intended. After new experiences from being hired at a Super Target, I now realize the extent of some Americans’ obsession with the buying attitude. Gift wrap, ornaments and presents galore seem to be the only thing that I see coming through my check lane.

Not to say there is anything wrong with giving. I am the biggest proponent of giving over receiving. I mean, I might have an online shopping addiction. However, coupons and promo codes are not what the season is about, no matter how much money you can save.

Something you should consider this season is spending time with family and friends and helping the community. Check out the Christmas event guide on page 12 for activities that you can do with your loved ones, and read the staff editorial for ways to help out those who need it the most during these holidays.

The most important thing to keep in mind during this time is to not forget the reason for the season.

Sincerely,

Ashlee Crane Editor-in-chief

STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / Ashlee Crane DESIGN EDITOR / Bailey Kopp COPY EDITOR / Mac Cook PHOTO EDITORS / Mikala Compton + Nate

Compton ASSISTANT DESIGNERS / Grace

Amundson + Maddy Grimes GRAPHICS EDITOR / Mitch Feyerherm ADS EDITOR / Paige Waltman CONVERGENCE DIRECTOR / Aaron

Messick WEB MANAGING EDITOR / Edelawit

Hussien NEWS EDITOR / Brooke Courtney FEATURES EDITOR / Atalie Black OPINIONS EDITORS / Ashlee Crane +

Aaron Messick ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR / Sam Bellmyer SPORTS EDITOR / Gabby Lorino STAFF WRITERS / Sarah Egger, Nina

Gramajo, Haena Lee, Baili McPheeters, Alaura Moore + Randy Prosser

First Timer? Your first class is half price.

Tuesdays: 7pm Thursdays: 9am Saturdays: 9am Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Park 6495 Quivira Rd Suite A Shawnee, KS 66216 913-213-5900 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 newsmagazine, 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 24-page newsmagazine. The paper will be distributed every two weeks during third 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 a solution. In these cases, the editor-in-chief will the have final say in all decisions. Letters to the editor will be accepted and encouraged, but will only be published if signed. 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 reserves the right to refuse any letter.

COLORADO AND WASHINGTON BECOME FIRST STATES TO LEGALIZE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA Not only did voters in Colorado and Washington State help re-elect President Obama, residents of these two states also approved the legalization of marijuana for recreational use.

Colorado voters approved Amendment 64 by a margin of 55 to 45 percent, becoming one of the first states to legalize small amounts of pot for recreational use. The recreational use of marijuana comes with some restrictions, however.

Under the law, anyone 21 or older may hold up to an ounce of pot and smoke it in a private area.

Amendment 64 also establishes a plan for regulation. According to The Coloradoan, Amendment 64 creates “a system of marijuana stores, regulation and potential taxation, but those portions phase in over the next several years.”

Colorado Attorney General John Suthers, who is against the legalization of marijuana, is doubtful of the success of the Amendment. State officials will have difficulty implementing the law because the recreational use of marijuana is still illegal at the federal level. Colorado Governor Hickenlooper has until January 5, 2013 to issue an executive order proclaiming Amendment 64 constitutional.

Although young voters helped pass the law, universities still do not allow the use of marijuana on campuses. Because universities receive federal funding, the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act requires them to prevent the use of drugs. The same law applies to workplaces. Facing all of these restrictions, the recreational use of marijuana is not likely to be implemented anytime soon.

After the vote, Hickenlooper said that “The voters have spoken and we have to respect their will. This will be a complicated process, but we intend to follow through. That said, federal law still says marijuana is an illegal drug, so don’t break out the Cheetos or goldfish too quickly.” / EDELAWIT HUSSIEN

IN 2013 IN THE UNITED STATES, THE POSSESSION OF 1 OUNCE OF MARIJUANA IS...

Allowed for medical use only A civil infraction (decrimminalized)

Allowed for medical use and decrimminalized Legal for adults and medical use A criminal act

Senior Graham Wills raises his hand to argue in the affirmitive of the bill that is being presented. PHOTO BY MIKALA COMPTON

STUDENTS EXCEL AT YOUTH IN GOVERNMENT MOCK LEGISLATURE Twenty-four NW students participated in the Kansas Youth in Government, which allowed high school students to participate in a mock legislature in Topeka. This year’s legislative leaders included seniors Amit Bhatla, Aaron Bullard, Peter Campain, Caitlin Chen and Sarah Hansen and junior Chi-Leigh Warren.

High school students wrote and petitioned bills that they prepared beforehand. Nine new Kansas laws passed the mock legislature and were sent to the real Kansas legislature for consideration, including senior Anna King’s bill.

King proposed a bill allowing Kansas to divide electoral votes. Each congressional district would receive one vote, and the two extra would go to the popular winner. Similar laws exist in Maine and Nebraska.

“I was proud that [the bill] passed because we signed a bunch of really good bills,” King said. “I just wish it would actually pass.”

Seniors Matt Styers and Sarah Hansen were voted “outstanding legislators” and junior Lena Dennington was voted in as next year’s Lieutenant Governor. / EDELAWIT HUSSIEN

BLOCKED SCHEDULE: NO SCHEDULE CHANGES ALLOWED AFTER Students will not be able to change their second semester schedules when they return from winter break this year.

“The intent is not to be mean or ugly,” head of the counseling department Dr. Marybeth Green said. “It’s to make the school day flow better for students and teachers throughout the first five days [of second semester].”

The change was made by the counseling department because students were missing too many classes and teachers could not start classes on the first day back from winter break.

“Most of our classes are full, so it’s hard to move students in or out,” Green said. “Most of our changes that were occurring in the first five days were the students who were just kind of shopping around for classes with other students, and not about the subject.”

Students who realize they want to move from one class to another after winter break will only have the option to enroll into study hall or become a lab assistant. All schedule changes must be made prior to the beginning of winter break.

“They are just stuck,” Green said. “Part of what we hope high school to be is to explore classes and figure out if they really like it or not.”

All of this is just to make it easier for teachers to start teaching right away when students come back from winter break.

“I think it’s a good idea because it will make students plan in advance so when second semester comes they will be ready for new classes,” Spanish teacher Kathy Tarbutton said.

Students who want to alter their second semester classes must make an appointment with a counselor and complete all changes prior to the end of first semester. / BROOKE COURTNEY + HAENA LEE

News 05

COMPILED BY ATALIE BLACK GRAHPICS BY MITCH FEYERHERM

In Gaza City 100 non-combatant civilians, mostly children, were killed by Israeli air strikes which began on Nov. 14. The airstrikes were in response to the 200 missiles launched by the Hamas, an extremist militant group based in the Gaza strip, because of the Israeli blockades around their borders.

The Hamas is being held responsible for these deaths because they used civilians as shields. usatoday.com

THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN KANSAS IS 5.9%

google.com

VOTED TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA, AND ONLY 1,252,269 PEOPLE VOTED FOR BARACK OBAMA TO SERVE A SECOND TERM AS PRESIDENT. firedoglake.com

An estimated

250,000

people die of heart failure each year. heartsite.com

25% 10%

of women and of men will suffer from clinical depression in their lifetimes

medschool.pitt.edu

BREAKING DAWN: PART 2 GROSSED $30.4 MILLION ON ITS FIRST NIGHT. zimbo.com

SANTA [IS] MORE OF A FEELING. MORE OF A STATE OF MIND THAN AN ACTUAL PERSON."

— Line from Laura Miller (Wendy Crewson) in The Santa Clause, showing tonight at 6 p.m. as part of ABC Family’s “25 Days of Christmas” lineup. imsb.com

News 07

PHOTO BY AARON MESSICK

LOVE by giving

food and holiday presents, six students set up cappuccino tables outside of Target for those who were waiting in line for Black Friday shopping on the evening of Thanksgiving.

They set up two tables with hot chocolate, cappuccinos and cookies. The students arrived around 7:30 p.m. at Target, then eventually moved to Kohl’s. The students packed up and left at 12:30 a.m. The cappuccino tables made a profit of about $150.

“I would call it a success,” Ellis said. “I feel like we pretty much raised enough money to take care of one family. It was great to see people give back on Black Friday. They are there to buy gifts for themselves, and they are donating to those who can’t. It’s great to see some people give back like that and help other people.”

CCC has adopted two families around the holidays. The classes raised money for the families so they could have food and presents on Christmas; however, they make sure the family had food and clothes before they buy presents.

“It doesn’t matter who you are, you can always make a difference in someone else’s life,” Ellis said. “Whether its big or small, it’s a way to help.”

One of the families that CCC adopted is a mother with a 24-year-old autistic daughter. Poplau takes food to them every Friday after school, because they lack the money to buy food.

“It’s a new experience,” Poplau said. “You will learn more from each other than in a classroom. This is what CCC is about. Our motto is ‘The Doer of Good Becomes Good.’

We are the only school in America that offers community service the way we do.”

CCC does a variety of different service projects and every project is different from the year before.

“The sky’s the limit,” Poplau said.

“Everyday is different, every year is different.

We have had nothing but miracles.”

/ SARAH EGGER

(TOP) Senior Cassidy Brinckman pour hot chocolate for customers waiting in line for Target to open on Black Friday. CCC sold warm drinks to raise money for KC families in need.

(MIDDLE) Pouring water into a heat� er, seniors Ryan Ellis and Tiffany Jor� dan prepare drinks to sell. CCC raised about $150.

(LEFT) Senior Maddie Becker pours hot chocolate on Thanksgiving night before Black Friday shopping began.

PHOTO BY KATE JACOBSEN

e unlocked the door to room 208 and walked over to his desk, which was covered with miscellaneous documents. He reached down to grab a slip of paper that he didn’t remember seeing the night before: “Family of 8 in need of Thanksgiving dinner”. ”I don’t really know how this person got into my room, and I don’t know this person, but they know us,” Cougars Community Commitment (CCC) teacher Ron Poplau said.

He set the paper back down on the desk and quickly added the family to the list of those who would receive baskets for Thanksgiving.

Around 60 CCC students volunteered to bring Thanksgiving baskets for families who could not afford Thanksgiving dinners.

Each basket contained 15 foods including flour, sugar, instant potatoes, jars of gravy, carrots, canned fruit, corn muffin mix, dry noodles, cake mix, frosting, chicken broth, JELL-O, shortening, beans and a turkey, if the student chose to include one. ”They are giving a Thanksgiving dinner to a family that really needs one [and] can’t really enjoy the holidays like everyone else,” CCC Vice President Ryan Ellis said. “Their Thanksgiving is being swallowed up by bills, [but] now they don’t have to worry about the dinner.”

CCC students are required to do 40 hours of service work per semester. The baskets, without the turkey, are worth five hours of service, and the turkey adds an additional three hours. Students, however, did not bring these baskets solely to gain service hours.

“It’s a way to help other people that are worse off than you,” Ellis said. “It’s not just focusing on your life, but actually helping other people. I feel like it makes peoples’ lives better and also makes you a better person.”

On Nov. 19 and 20 the CCC students delivered over 100 Thanksgiving meals to different families around the Shawnee area. Each family who received a basket had been certified as “less fortunate.”

In order to raise money to pay for a family’s

H

PHOTO BY AARON MESSICK

Students are helping families in need during the holidays by donating food, money and time.

News 07

STAFF EDITORIAL

FINDING A NEW PRIORITY In between holidays it’s important to keep giving back. hanksgiving has already passed, and the winter holiday season is upon us. While this time of the year, for many of us, is a time of cheer and family gatherings, for others in the Kansas City area, this time is a reminder of what they don’t have: a warm meal, a safe bed or a family to be with this holiday season .

With a growing homeless population of over 2,000 men, women and children in the area, along

T

THE MAJORITY OPINION OF THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE EDITORIAL BOARD

15 AGREE

0 DISAGREE

with nearly 490,000 people under the federal poverty line, it is important to not be swept up in the rush of the buy-buy-buy attitude that is becoming more common in American culture.

Giving back to the community should be an important part of each person’s holiday.

Organizations such as Harvesters and City Union Mission are great ways to get involved in the community. Both take donations of nonperishable food items. City Union Mission has an on going needs list that includes essential items such as underwear, socks as well as hygiene products such as razors, toilet paper, as well as toothpaste and toothbrushes. Harvester’s alone helps to feed 66,000 individuals each day, and City Union

Mission also offers ways to donate clothing to underprivileged families.

Aside from donations, each organization also allows people to volunteer at their community center centers.

If you are already wrapped up in the holiday spirit, giving back to the community is not limited to donating food, clothes and time. Find a way to donate in your own way. Maybe that means setting aside cookies to take to homeless people in between your shopping, or even making sure you have spare change to donate to the Salvation Army bell ringers standing outside of stores instead of just giving them the head nod and wave that says “I don’t have any money but I didn’t want to ignore you.”

The Ronald McDonald house also has a volunteer opportunity for a groups of people to cook dinner for guest staying at the Ronald McDonald houses. Groups can range from six to fifteen people depending on which of the three houses you volunteer at. At each McDonald house your group will donate the food, and time to provide a meal for anywhere between twenty five to fifty people. For more information such as when you can serve, what you’ll be making and who to contact to schedule when you can make dinner you can visit www.rmhckc.org/cooks4kids As the holiday music continues to play and the tinsel is being hung with care, don’t forget to look for opportunities to show that you care. Donating that set of socks and undershirts you got last year might be just the thing to help your heart to grow three times larger this holiday season.

FOR MORE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITES VISIT SMNW.COM SCAN HERE

WORDS AND INK WITH MITCH FEYERHERM

Opinions 09

STICKING WITH TRADITION Although my holidays aren’t like the typical American celebrations, they are certainly a part of my family tradition.

Honestly, I have no clue what a traditional holiday looks like because I have never celebrated one.

I have never had ham, or mashed potatoes and gravy for Christmas.

I never made a gingerbread house either.

To me, the regular holiday dinner occurs at a relative’s house and includes all sorts of Korean foods.

My grandma makes homemade egg rolls, and my uncles and dad cook 15 people’s worth of galbi, or Korean barbeque.

Christmas is the only holiday where every member of the family

comes to town. So Christmas in my family is a big deal.

After we say our prayers, we eat while watching the Christmas Eve football game. While my family is screaming at the television, I explain to my grandpa all the rules of the game, and, because my cousin and my youngest sister aren’t interested, they always play some made-up game and run around screaming.

In our Christmas the tree is ignored. I only remember a few Christmas’ where I decorated a tree.

After the meal, if we go to my aunt’s house, we sing karaoke in her

basement. It’s usually a blast because it’s so entertaining when the adults sing their outdated songs. Back when my uncle had a full head of hair, they had this Korean genre called trot. It is the oldest form of K-pop, so it is popular with the older generation.

Often my family doesn’t leave until about 1 a.m, so by the time we leave, all my siblings and I are half asleep.

If that is my traditional holiday what is considered traditional? Just because it isn’t the typical American dinner doesn’t mean it’s different or non-traditional. It is just part of my

by Haena Lee culture where the tree and Santa isn’t a big deal. In my order of important things family always comes first. The presents don’t really matter I’m am perfectly happy with just getting the opportunity to see my cousins that I only see a few times a year.

For me, as a Korean-American, my kind of “tradition” is different from the typical American views. I believe tradition is only what you make of it.

FROM A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING The popular belief that Muslim people are terrorists seems strange with nearly 3 million Muslims living in the US, almost all of which oppose extremist violence.

by Gabby Lorino When you hear the words ‘Muslim’ or ‘Islam’ what do you think? According to prnewswire. com people responded saying things like “Muslims value life less than other people,” “The Muslim religion teaches violence and hatred” and “Muslims want to change the American way of life.” However, the majority of people educated in the subject would find you ignorant.

I personally can’t stand the intolerance people have for Muslims.

When I was in fifth grade, my mom, Major Catherine Lorino, served in Iraq for a year, working with people suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Her experience changed my views of people from different cultures, especially Islam.

She lived with Muslim people for the majority of her tour and learned a great deal about their peaceful religion. I’ve had people ask me if

10 Dec. 7, 2012

she was being held captive there, if they were violent to her, or if she got attacked. Yes, my mom was attacked.

So were the Muslims she lived with.

Shots were fired at their clinic by extremists.

“The Muslims who supported American troops were a very peaceloving group of people,” Lorino said.

“They were loyal to their families and the regions in which they lived.”

Some don’t know there is a gigantic difference between Islam and extremist groups like the Taliban, Hamas, Hezbollah and al-Qaida.

They profess to base their extremist thoughts and actions on Islam, which actually conflicts the religion’s emphasis on peace. Let’s start with some simple definitions. The word Islam comes from the Arabic word Salam which means submission to God and is indirectly interpreted as peace to most people. Al-Qaida means “the base” and Taliban comes from “talib” that means student of Islam that studies with a religious

teacher . People who practice Islam are called Muslims. Within Islam, like Christianity, there are many different sects or denominations including Sufis, Sunnis, Shia, Ismailis, Alevis/ Alawites, Druze and others. Some are more conservative than others.

Extremist groups, such as Fred Phelps’ Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, exist within Christianity as well. Many Christians disagree with Westboro’s picketing of military funerals as well as anything that appears to present homosexuality in a positive light. That isn’t to say all Christians do that. Generalizing all Muslims as terrorists is like saying that all Christians are hate filled, funeral-protesting killers.

The Taliban and other extremist groups aren’t religions, they are extremist organizations, that operate within the Islamic religion. Most Muslims do not agree with their radical beliefs. Al-Qaida and other terrorist organizations have put laws in place in the name of religion that

have nothing to do with Islam or the Quran. The majority of Muslims do not condone the actions of these extremist groups.

“They are giving a horrible name to Islam,” Elqadi said. “They have ruined the name of Islam as a religion.”

The tenets of the Islamic religion are misunderstood throughout this country and oliveskinned people are often stereotyped as terrorists. People enforcing their belief in this stereotype are either ignorant in what they’re talking about, or chose to ignore what is true. No one likes to be generalized, and no one deserves to be. Americans have always gone through rough spots having to do with the popular beliefs of racism, and hopefully this one comes to pass like most others have. It is up to us learn the difference between al-Qaida, the Taliban and the Islamic faith and to know which of these truly presents a threat.

-(mas)

S K R A M T O P S E TH

ys, students may da e e fr s as cl 13 h o weeks away. Wit e sponsoring holiday festivities. F tw an th ss le is ak Winter bre w local places ar fe A . ys da r holidays full of fun ir u e yo th p ll e fi ke to lp g e in h th ld e m ou so / BY A family, this map sh d an s d n ie fr h it w n to fu

X THE PLAZA COST: Prices Vary LOCTAION: 4706 Broadway Street #260, KCMO, Missouri

X "A VERY FIFTIES CHRISTMAS" COST: $2 LOCATION: Johnson County Museum of History, 6305 Lackman Rd., Shawnee, KS 66217

PHOTO BY NISHA BISHT

10

Dec. 7, 2012

The Johnson County Museum has decorated their building for the All Electric House “A Very Fifties Christmas” tour. Bring your friends and family to this thirty minute tour between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Monday - Friday, or on Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Enjoy the aluminum tree and lots of other festive fifties style decor. This classic event takes you back to how Christmas would be in the fifties from Nov. 24 - Dec. 31.

SHA

JOHNSON DR QUIVIRA RD

The 2012 KCP&L Plaza Lighting Ceremony kicked off the holiday season on Nov. 26. The lights will be shining brightly until Jan. 13. Enjoying the downtown scenery is a fun and cheap way to celebrate the winter season. For date night, many great restaurant options in the Plaza area have extended holiday hours; Bo Ling’s Chinese Restaurant serves Chinese cuisine and is open until 10 p.m. on Christmas. Buca di Beppo will satisfy your hunger on a winter night with an authentic Italian meal. Restaurants aren’t the only attraction on the Plaza: an abundance of places to shop, from Urban Outfitters and Forever 21 to Barnes & Noble and The Apple Store, will make it possible for you to purchase all of the gifts on your Christmas lists while appreciating the holiday atmosphere.

KANSAS CITY

AWNEE

COURTESY OF DON IPOCK

The Crown Center Ice Terrace, Kansas City’s only public, outdoor ice skating rink is now open for its 40th season.Through January, the rink will be open Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. and from 10 a.m. - 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. This is the perfect place for fun with friends or for a romantic evening with your significant other.

PAIGE WALTMAN

ALAURA MOORE

COST: Admission: $6, Skate Rental: $3 LOCATION: 2450 Grand Boulevard Kansas City, MO 64108

PAIGE WALTMAN

y be looking for From date nights n.

X CROWN CENTER ICE TERRACE

X A CHRISTMAS CAROL @ KC REPERTORY THEATER COST: $25-$65 (ticket prices vary based on seat location) LOCATION: 4949 Cherry Street Kansas City, MO 64110

Get your friends or family together and head out to the Kansas City Repertory Theater Nov. 16 through Dec. 26 for the 2012 production of A Christmas Carol. This holiday classic is the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, his experience with the ghosts of Christmas and how he discovers the true meaning of giving and helping others in the Christmas season. This lively presentation is complete with grand musical numbers, costumes, festive decor and a wonderful cast directed by Kyle Hatley.

R

X CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK COST: Free (donations encouraged) LOCATION: 10711 West Scherer, KCMO 64134

GRANDVIEW

Every year since 1988, Jackson County Parks and Recreation has hosted Christmas in the Park at the Longview Lake Campgrounds. Visiting this holiday lighting display won’t cost you anything, but the organization encourages donations which will be given to local charities. In past years, the proceeds from this winter wonderland have exceeded more than $500,000. This Christmas destination is jam packed with 175 displays and 300,000 lights, including a 20-foot animated teddy bear which entertains children of all ages and will be open to the public until Jan. 1.

Features

13

the

goes on The counseling secretary, Christina Nick, was diagnosed with a life changing condition, but to her she just listens to her favorite song sung / BROOKE COURTNEY AND HAENA LEE

ounseling secretary Christina (Chris) Nick left school at 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 15, planning to go to the doctor to be treated for flu symptoms.

She planned to return to school later that day. Instead, her doctor sent her directly to the hospital.

“I couldn’t feel my legs, but I was never in any pain,” Nick said. “I felt like I had a brick on my chest.”

Nick’s heart was racing at 220 beats per minute, causing damage to about 15 percent of her heart.

Nick did not return to work for 15 days. The diagnosis was congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation, a type of irregular heartbeat that occurs when one or both of the upper chambers of the heart beat erratically and become out of sync with the two lower chambers.

“I had been in cardiac arrest for two weeks,” Nick said.

Congestive heart failure affects nearly six million people in the United States. Congestive heart failure does not mean that the heart has stopped working; it is when a weak heart can no longer pump enough blood to supply the other organs of the body.

Blood pressure is the force pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood. When the pressure increases and stays high over time, it can damage the body in many

C

ways. The condition is brought on by factors that overwork the heart, but often shows no signs or symptoms.

People with the condition may go years without knowing they have it.

“My mother had congestive heart failure that was brought on a by a virus,” Nick said. “She was diagnosed 15 years ago. They gave her five years, and she’s still here 15 years later.”

Congestive heart failure is not hereditary though.

“Mine was brought on by high blood pressure,” Nick said.

Since returning to school, Nick has started just where she left off.

She spends hours proofreading senior names, making sure each letter is correct in every single name that will be printed on a diploma this spring.

“I’m the background person in your graduation,” Nick said.

This will be Nick’s 14th graduation as the counseling secretary. November 14 marked her 27th year of working in the Shawnee Mission School District.

“You will probably be taking me out of here seeing me use a walker,” Nick said, “[saying] there goes Ms. Nick in her cotton hose and her big red hat and her pocketbook.”

Students are the reason why Nick keeps coming back to work.

“My students are my escape.

It’s like being at the beach, or at the park; I love every student in this building,” Nick said.

Nick thinks that Northwest has a great faculty, support staff and parents. If she believed a student was correct and a counselor thought differently, Nick said she would stand up for that student.

“I don’t always win, but I love the kids,” Nick said.

Nick’s condition can be treated with medication and a healthy diet.

“I’m on nine medications a day, and I will probably be on them for the rest of my life, and I’m supposed to stay as stress-free as I can,” Nick said. “I’m on a low-carb, no-sodium diet and with liquid restrictions. Exercise also plays an important role in the treatment.”

Nick also has something to do on her bucket list.

“In three years, when my grandson Tyler turns five, just before he starts kindergarten, we plan on riding the Space and Splash Mountain together at Disneyland,” Nick said.

Despite the hardships that come with the condition, Nick keeps a positive attitude about the situation.

At the end of the day, Nick believes that, as quoted by singers Sonny and Cher, “The beat goes on.”

(DOMINANT) Senior Taylor Breckenridge helps Ms. Nick find photos on her computer on November 16 in the main office. Photo by Monica Castellon (LEFT) Laughing with her lab assistant senior Taylor Breckenridge, Ms. Nick tells her stories of her grandson. Nick is keeping a positive attitude. "We have a trip to Disney planned, and i will be there with him," Nick said. Photo

by Monica Castellon (RIGHT) Office secretary, Ms. Nick smiles while she tells a story to sophomore Savannah Kelly on Nov. 22. Photo by Reagan Key

Features

15

NEW TO WHO?

/BY AARON MESSICK + PAIGE WALTMAN

Ever since its premiere in 1963, the BBC’s Doctor Who has captivated audiences with stories of time travel, aliens and the adventures of the mysterious Time Lord known simply as The Doctor. Over the past 49 years, After 789 episodes and one made-for-television movie, things can get confusing. In honor of Doctor Who’s 49th anniversary, here is a timeline of some of the biggest events in Doctor Who history.

W H O ’ S H I S T O RY William Hartnell is the first carnation of the mysterious Time Lord known as The Doctor on the Nov. 23 premiere of Doctor who.

1963

Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart or “The Brig” founds UNIT.

1968

John Pertwee starts season 7 as the third Doctor.

1970

The Master is first introduced he is the The Doctor’s arch enemy, similar to Moriarty and Sherlock Holmes.

1971

Tom Baker becomes the fourth Doctor. He is the longest lasting Doctor lasting of season twelve until the end of season eighteen.

Seasons 18 and 19 feature Adric as The Doctor’s companion. He is the youngest companion to date and was the first companion to die while travelling with the Doctor.

The Classic Who television series is stopped.

Christopher Eccleston revives Doctor Who as the ninth Doctor.

1967

1973 1975

1982

1983 1989 1996 2005

Patrick Troughton takes over to become the second Doctor.

After directly interfering with an unnamed planet’s history, thus breaking the laws of time, The Doctor is exiled to Earth and forced to regenerate.

In the series tenth anniversary, “The Three Doctors”, The Doctor’s first three incarnations meet in a plot created by the legendary Time Lord Omega who is stranded in an antimatter universe. This marked the first time The Doctor crossed his own time stream.

After stopping The Master from taking the universe hostage the fourth Doctor falls to his death. He regenerates and Peter Davison plays the role of the fifth Doctor.

In the twentieth anniversary all of The Doctor’s incarnations cross each other in a timestream when the Time Lord Borusa attempts to gain immortality.

Paul McGann portrays the eighth Doctor only one time in the Dr. Who movie.

The creatures known as The Weeping Angels are introduced.

2006

David Tennant becomes the tenth Doctor after Eccleston’s one season tenure.

Matt Smith becomes the eleventh doctor.

2010

Amy Pond and Rory Williams become the Doctor’s companions.

2012

The eighth Doctor Who Christmas special is set to premiere Christmas Day.

18 Dec 7, 2012

COMMON TERMINOLOGY Torchwood An organization founded to protect the Great Britain from extraterrestrial threats. and to secure alien technology.

UNITA branch of the United Nations created to investigate and defend Great Britain from aliens.

They are not related to Torchwood.

Time Lord A resident from the planet Gallifrey with two hearts. They have the ability to regenerate their atomic structure on the verge of death in order to survive.

The Doctor “The last of the Time Lords.”

T.A.R.D.I.S. (Time and Relative Dimension in Space) - The Doctor’s spaceship that allows him to travel through time and space; usually disguised as a 1960’s blue police box.

Sonic Screwdriver A multifunctional tool used by The Doctor. It is most commonly used as a lockpick (on anything but wood), but it can perform medical scans, identify aliens and do almost anything in between.

Companion A friend that travels with the Doctor.

Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2 Breaking Dawn Part 2 proved to be the best out of the five Twilight Saga movies, the acting and special effects has drastically improved. The movie was released on Nov 16, and is an hour and 55 minutes long, and made $43.1 million on opening day.

For people who had not seen Breaking Dawn Part 1, they would not understand that Bella Cullen, played by Kristen Stewart, had been in the process of changing into a vampire. Bella woke up at the beginning of the movie with bright red eyes and a normal skin temperature, cold like vampires skin, to her husband, Edward Cullen played by Robert Pattinson, and the other Cullens. After going on her first hunt, Bella was able to see her newborn daughter, Renesmee played by Mackenzie Foy, and her best friend Jacob Black played by Taylor Lautner.

When an audience member compared the book to the movie, he or she would notice a lot

RUNTIME: 115 MIN RATING: PG-13

of differences like Jacob and Renesmee’s relationship was different, the book portrayed their relationship with Jacob being in the protector role and in the movie their role was more of a friendship, not as serious as it was in the book. Also, the fake baby used to portray Renesmee as a newborn was obviously fake and looked like a boy, not a girl.

Speaking of fake things, there was a fake out ending, that made the audience believe that the movie would end completely different than the book. Alice(Ashley Greene) gives Aro(Michael Sheen) a vision of a war that would happen if he did not leave Renesmee alone. This vision did not happen in the book and had the audience convinced that it was the actual ending, although it was not.

The ending leaves the audience satisfied that it ended like the book.

/ BROOKE COURTNEY + NINA GRAMAJO

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CEE-LO’S MAGICAL MOMENT CHRISTMAS If you’re looking for the new traditional sounding Christmas smash hit, just stop here. This album will only step on your mistletoes.

But if you’re looking for a sometimes over-the-top, sometimes cheesy, white elephant-style gift then go ahead and put this on your wish list.

At first glance, Cee-lo Green’s CeeLo’s Magic Moment Christmas is a piano-driven retread of popular Christmas songs featuring artists such as Christina Aguilera, Rod Stewart, a cappella group Straight No Chaser, and even Disney’s Muppets. Nearly half way through the album in between “All I Need Is Love” featuring The Muppets and a well done a capella version of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” featuring Straight No Chaser an idea clicks, the point of the album wasn’t meant to be a chart smashing

financial success, but something Cee-Lo wanted to do. Throughout the album, it’s very easy to imagine that this album was something CeeLo was excited about. Each song has a refreshing energy to it that seems uncommon in today’s music scene.

CeeLo’s Magic Moment is a excellent change of pace from the Christmas music styles of more traditional artists like Bing Crosby.

Expect to see this album in at least several white elephant gift exchanges along with oversized novelty remotes, ugly sweaters and any of the accessories from Urban Outfitters. While most of the items you’ll question if you should keep it or leave it in the trash on your way out. But not this album. This is one of the rare quality gag gifts you could be lucky enough to receive.

/ AARON MESSICK

Red Dawn

EDITOR’S UN PICK

Will it be a real shock to anybody that Red Dawn turned out to be a bad movie? Not a strong showing with a cast made up of Thor, Peeta, and one of the kids from Drake and Josh and a plot so flimsy that it regarded North Koreans as a national threat. This film is not so much starting at the low end of the bar as it is sliding under it.

The film revolves a group of American teens trying to make it during an invasion by the forces of North Korea. That’s right, North Korea. The country with a nuke that can’t lift off the ground and an arsenal consisting of a revolver with three missing bullets. In a reality, the biggest problem would be all the soldiers groaning from hunger pains too loudly.

This is not another useless, mediocre remake. This is an entirely different animal. This is Battleship stuff we’re looking at here. This is bad on a level of complete nonsequitor dialogue masquerading as action lines, where swearing is suddenly equivalent to quality writing. This is where the world has suddenly gone crazy and a few teenagers with one marine can

RUNTIME: 93 MIN RATING: PG-13

take on an entire army. Granted, that army is made up mostly of already-starving North Koreans.

The sad part is that we aren’t looking at the 1984 Red Dawn with the fantastically bad Patrick Swayze and Charlie Sheen as the cherry on top. This isn’t the Russians invading, it isn’t Jed and Rober, and it isn’t even in Colorado. I didn’t even see a point to the change in location, they didn’t even keep it the same as a nod to fans, it seemed completely arbitrary to change it.

This film is, in short, clinically insane. A xenophobic fear of a Third World country, the casting of an actor who, as far as most audiences know, has only ever played in a half-decent teen comedy on Nickelodeon, and a villain who is so ridiculously evil I’m surprised he doesn’t spend the whole film twirling a mustache and tying females to train tracks. This movie is patently ridiculous from beginning to end, and it’s worth your time in the same way that every bad movie is. Its lasting memory will be watched in the basement with a cadre of sarcastic friends.

/ SAM BELLMYER

Entertainment 19

Sugar Football and volleyball have always been sports associated with specific genders. But every fall and winter, students switch to try out the other side.

“I see powderpuff as a way that guys can go out, play and have fun,” senior Matt Peterson said. “I am pretty sure that girls would beat us [at volleyball].”

Ahead of the games, each team is coached by experienced classmates to improve the competition. As competitive as the sports may be between the seniors and the juniors,

16 Dec 7, 2012

SPIKES

powderpuff is meant to be a group bonding experience.

“Even though it was competitive, it was a really friendly atmosphere,” junior Spencer Cook said.

It might have been a friendlier atmosphere for the boys’ volleyball powderpuff teams, but the girls were caught up in the competition. A fight between junior Mia Woodward and senior Katie Nelson broke out.

Referees and other teammates had to intervene to break up the clash.

With or without the fight, the girls still enjoyed their chance at football.

“I enjoyed it because, even though I did get knocked around a little bit, it was a team building activity,” junior Kaitie Rose McKinley said.

The boys on the powderpuff volleyball team promoted competitive spirit, driving each team to try their hardest.

“The best part was when the guys got the kill (a spike), because they just went insane,” junior volleyball coach Carolina Mach said. “It was so funny to see them because they always give us trouble about getting excited after getting points, and then

when the tables have turned, they got really stoked. It was really awesome to see how it translates.”

A lot of players on the teams enjoyed the gender switch but believe that powderpuff is not for the timid.

“Anyone who wants to [play] should, but you have to be willing to tackle someone,” McKinley said.

“You cannot be afraid because they are going to come after you, and, good Lord, if you don’t, you’re gonna be on the ground.”

/ NINA GRAMAJO

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6 PHOTOS BY NATE COMPTON AND CARLEIGH WHITMAN Senior Connor Jarman screams in celebration after the senior boys

Amid the team, senior Lindsey Nelson claps and cheers during the

2 Powderpuff Football game held on Nov. 17 at SM North District Stadium.

1 scored a point in the annual powderpuff game on Nov. 9.

3

Senior Lovell Jones attempts to block the ball during the game in the NW Auxiliary Gym. Junior and senior boys participate in an annual powderpuff volleyball game and the girls in an annual powderpuff football.

Junior Colton Allen celebrates with his team after scoring the winning

5 point of the match at the boys powderpuff volleyball game.

The senior team broke into cheers after senior Katie Nelson scored the first touchdown of the game.

Junior Maddie Frazier is tackled by senior Meghan Haun during the

4 Powderpuff Football game on Nov. 17 at SM North District Stadium. The juniors scored one touchdown in the game.

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After a break away, junior Katie Rose McKinley is taken down by seniors Chloe Weishaar and Anna Guigli during the Powderpuff Football game on Nov. 17 at SM North District Stadium. The juniors lost the game by a one touchdown difference.

Features 17

COMPILED BY SARAH EGGER, MITCH FEYERHERM, HAENA LEE + GABBY LORINO

LAST EVENT BOYS’ BASKETBALL BOYS’ SWIM + DIVE GIRLS’ BASKETBALL WRESTLING

NEXT EVENT

NOV. 30 SCORE: 51-49 vs SM WEST

DEC. 11

NOV. 30 LOSS vs WASHBURN RURAL

DEC. 7 @PRAIRIE TRAIL, 5PM vs OLATHE NORTHWEST

DEC. 3 SCORE: 64-52 vs SM NORTH

DEC. 11

NOV. 30-DEC 1

DEC. 8 @SMNW, 9AM

PLACE: 5

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@SMNW, 7PM vs WASHINGTON

@SMNW, 5:30PM vs WASHINGTON

/ BY AARON MESSICK With only 10 returning players the boys’ and girls’ bowling teams are looking to recruit players this season. Coach Britt Haney hopes to teach new players several techniques of bowling, such as throwing a curve.

Haney is also looking for the second year bowlers to step up and help carry on the winning streaks of the past four years. The boys are four-time JV league champions, and the girls have medaled each year for the past four years, winning league twice.

Bowling season starts on Jan. 5 with a tournament against Bishop Carroll at West Acres bowl in Wichita.

QUOTE

RECORD SO FAR

“We have been rivaling against SM West ever since we were kids, and to beat them senior year showed that Northwest is still on the map for athletics.”

1-0

- SENIOR LOVELL JONES

“I’ve been coaching for nearly 8 years so I just look forward to passing on my knowledge and joy of the sport since we have many new swimmers that could really surprise many." - COACH BRITTANY SMITH “[SM] North was beating us at half, but we pulled ahead in the fourth quarter, and they never came back. It was a close call, but we executed and got the win.” - JUNIOR TATUM GRAVES "The hardest part of wrestling is dealing with loss, but the meet was a learning experience.

We all help each other through it, the team is like a family" SOPHOMORE ALEX QUINN

0-1 1-0

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PLACE AT PLEASANT HILL

FOR DAILY UPDATES OF NW SPORTS, VISIT SMNW.COM Sports 21

NONEXISTENT LATE NIGHT

BY GRACE FREEMAN

Not-so-late night was cancelled this year as the result of low attendance last year.

WAS CREATED IN

1972

IN AN EFFORT TO INCREASE FEMALE PARTICIPATION IN ATHLETICS.

22 Sept. 28, 2012

after graduation last year.

POWDERPUFF FOOTBALL

attendance last year.

The administration is what canceled it,” Snider said.

Many students were probably unaware that any of this occurred.

They likely will not even realize not-so-late night was cancelled.

I know I didn’t. But this event being cancelled does come with consequences. Winter sports don’t really get a kick-off, which does upset some athletes.

“I feel like they didn’t really give us a chance. I mean we are a different team than the team last year, and we’re not getting recognized,” junior and basketball player Max Jenks said.

He has a point. Even though fall sports might draw in more people to

31 SENIORS

football draws people.”

T-shirts are sold, and the whole student body knows about it. The bonfire also serves as a kickoff for all of the fall sports.

However there is a similar event to the bonfire that is definitely not as well known. It’s called “not-solate- night” and it usually happens this time of year, however there have been some complications.

“Not-so-late night was a tradition brought back a few years ago, I think three,” Snider says. Not-solate night was around awhile ago at Northwest, but it dropped off for a few years.

Unfortunately, the event was cancelled this year.

“There was not enough

The bowling team lost

Kickoffs for sports are special, at least in my opinion. Every year that I’ve been on the swim team, only the seniors have been introduced at school assemblies. But this spring I am going to get my chance to stand in front of the school and talk about my sport. To me, it’s one of the more exciting parts of playing a sport: getting the chance to show off a little. The bonfire kicks off fall sports, but what about winter sports? Not-so-late night is supposed to be theirs, but unfortunately, this year, it is not happening.

“Bonfire has a high attendance,” Spirit Club member Halie Snider said, “partially because it is a tradition that has been around forever and because the kickoff for

their pep rally, to me it is not fair the winter sports athletes get no introduction at all. Some athletes aren’t bothered by the cancellation of not-so-late-night.

“I feel like we really do get a lot of publicity for our [basketball] games, so it didn’t bug me too much,” junior Meghan McCluskey said.

Spirit Club did come up with a sort of replacement. This past Friday, they hosted a tailgate, an event full of food and karaoke.

“Not-so-late night being cancelled didn’t bother me too much. I mean, I really liked the tailgate,” McCluskey said.

After a 32-yard field goal with 2 minutes left in overtime, the Texas Houstons beat the Detroit Lions 34-31 on their Thanksgiving Day showcase.

12

SCHOOLS WILL BE COMPETING IN THE VARSITY WRESTLING INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT THIS WEEKEND, WHICH WILL BE HELD AT NORTHWEST, STARTING AT 9 A.M.

WHAT’S NEW ON

gallery:

BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ BASKETBALL See photos of the first games of the season for the girls’ and boys’ basketball teams. Visit smnw.com for all sports updates throughout the season

PHOTO BY CARLEIGH WHITMAN

by Mikala Compton

REVIEW: LINCOLN The biographical war drama detailing the life of the 16th president of the United States may be one of the best films of the year.

by Atalie Black

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest NW news updates. facebook.com/smnwdotcom

twitter.com/smnwdotcom

“My favorite part of performing the Mean Girls song was teaching the boys, watching them and making them spin.”

— senior Raegan Wilks, about the seniors’ performance at half-time of the basketball game on Nov. 30.

PHOTO BY KATE JACOBSEN