Issue 9

passage NORTHWEST VOL. 42

ISSUE 9

FEB. 10, 2011

love of the beat /14 TWO JUNIORS SHARE A PASSION FOR RAP.

broadmoor experience /12

TWO STUDENTS FURTHER THEIR CULINARY ARTS EDUCTAION AT BROADMOOR TECHINCAL CENTER.

direct hit / 16 SMSD IS FACING SIGNIFICANT BUDGET CUTS FOR THE 2011-2012 SCHOL YEAR.

/ PHOTO BY BAILEY KOPP

contents 

PASSAGE STAFF

Co-editors-in-chief MARIA DAVISON + STEPHANIE SPICER

Copy Editor

BRIANNA LEYDEN

Design Editors

STEPHANIE SPICER + BAILEY KOPP

Assistant Copy Editor WYATT ANDERSON

Photo Editors

DAVID FREYERMUTH + HANNA MEIGS

Graphics Editor TYLER ABSHER

News Editor

HAYLEY BATTENBERG

Opinions Editors MARIA DAVISON + STEPHANIE SPICER

Features Editors MORGAN JONES + BRIANNA LEYDEN

Entertainment Editor WYATT ANDERSON

Sports Editor BRADY KLEIN

Ads Editor

CLAIRE MARLEY

Staff Writers

JEFFERY ALLEN, KIRK BADO, LOGAN COFFMAN ASHLEE CRANE, RACHAEL DEMJANIK, RACHEL FERENCZ, MICHAEL GRIFFIN, PIA HECKMAN, DANIEL MAGWIRE, JOSH MEIGS, TESSA MILLER, EVAN SHINN, CONNOR THOMPSON, ERIC ZOELLNER



SMNW.COM

Co-editors-in-chief LAUREN MINICK + STEPHANIE SPICER

20 20 / of mind and muscle

/GRAPHIC BY TYLER ABSHER  NEWS 04 news

Updates on happenings at Northwest.

06 news schmix  ENTERTAINMENT 09 reviews

12

The Green Hornet: Despite the dull and predictable plot, The Green Hornet actors work well together.

A Shore Thing: The Jersey Shore star’s book made the New York Time’s best seller list.

10 reviews

Some Kind of Trouble: James Blunt's newest album is full of relaxing sounds.

Mean Girls 2: The sequel is disappointing compared to the success of the first.

Thank You, Happy Birthday: Cage the Elephant’s second album doesn’t live up to their first, self-titled album.

 OPINIONS 07 #nothingasexpected

09 (TOP) Chef Bob Brassard chops green onions for

the chicken pot pies the culinary arts class was making at Broadmoor. / PHOTO BY DAVID FREYERMUTH (BOTTOM) Though the plot lacks substance, The Green Hornet is worth seeing. / PHOTO COURTESY OF DAEMONSMOVIES.COM

NORTHWEST PASSAGE / VOL. 42 / ISSUE 09 SHAWNEE MISSION NORTHWEST 12701 W. 67TH STREET SHAWNEE, KS 66216

Despite its negative connotation, Twitter provides a way to stay connected.

pushing their luck Sequels tend to go straight to DVD for a reason.

Athletes discuee the mental, emotional and social side of sports, opposed to the physical.

 FEATURES 12 broadmoor experience

Two seniors learn about culinary arts at Broadmoor Technical enter.

14 love of the beat

Two juniors share a passion for making music.

16 direct hit

Due to a state budget deficit, SMSD is looking to cut another $10 million.

17 basics of school finance

See where the money for public education comes from and where it goes.

 SPORTS 19 boss

The best sports photo and Q&A with varsity basketball player Bill Graves.

20 of mind and muscle

Athletes discuss the mental and psychological side of their sport.

23 upcoming games 23 essence of the upset

Every fan knows the feeling, but they occur in some sports more than others.

The purpose of the Northwest Passage is to relay important and interesting information to the community, administration and students of 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 fourth hour. Subscriptions will be available to the community for $35. 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 co-editors-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 co-editors-in-chief reserve the right to refuse any letter.

NEWS

ACADEMIC DECATHLON PLACES FOURTH AT STATE

FIRST KNITTING AND CROCHETING CLUB MEETING HELD JAN. 24 After noticing students knitting scarves or other things during her class math teacher Susan Nagel founded the new knitting and crocheting club. Seniors Brooks Foreman and Jake Todd volunteered to be the co-presidents of this club.

Foreman was only boy at the first meeting on Jan. 24 greeted the participants.

“I expect to learn how to knit and perfect my skills,” Foreman said.

Foreman is a beginner, but sees this club as an opportunity to learn something new.

Eleven students, sponsors Nagel and Connie Lutz and teacher Kiera O’Boyle attended the first meeting in room 214. Nagel, a precalculus teacher, introduced herself as the sponsor of the club but as a beginner in knitting and crocheting. Lutz, an apparel teacher, has more experience in knitting and crocheting.

“It is very relaxing and fun to make presents for people. It is something to do during all the times in your life where you have to wait” Nagel said.

She would like to share this hobby with other interested or stressed out students. Teachers are welcome, too. Advanced knitters and crocheters in the club have the chance to get help or to learn new skills.

“I just expect to get a little farther in my own knitting. I mainly just want to knit scarves, but I want to learn how to fancy it up a little bit,” junior Kelsey Hendricks said.

Those who want to join this club and start a project should bring size 8 wooden knitting needles, scissors and yarn to the / PIA HECKMAN next meeting on Monday in room 214.

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/ FEB. 10, 2011

Fourteen schools competed at the Kansas Academic Decathlon Jan. 21-22 at Kansas State University. The competition consisted of 10 events based on aspects from this year’s theme, Great Depression.

Competitors took test over topics including art, music, literature, language, economics, math and science.

“The team holds meetings every Tuesday. We read through several hundred pages of material, listen to musical recordings of historically significant songs and practice speeches,” sponsor Elaine Mick said.

Competitors also had to write essays, give an original oratory to a panel of judges and be interviewed by representatives from K-State’s Mortar Board, a campus leadership organization.

The team placed fourth overall for team score. Senior Siobhan Barrett won a $500 Outstanding Leadership Scholarship for

her efforts in the competition.

“Considering how much effort we all put into this, we are very happy with the results,” Barrett said.

The Academic Decathlon team consists of 12 members from all grade levels split into three teams based on GPAs. Three team members were entered in the highest level, with each student having a GPA of 3.75 or above.

Preparation has already begun for next year’s competition.

“We have begun recruiting in the middle schools by doing a practice competition and getting them interested in the activity,” Barrett said.

Mick has high hopes for the team next year.

“When we really hit our stride and maximize our full potential, we’ll be taking home the state trophy and heading to nationals.” / KIRK BADO

COALITION TO HOST 5K RACE IN FEBRUARY The third Coalition 5K to be held on Feb. 26 will raise money for the organization Love146, an anti-human-trafficking group that works to prevent childhood prostitution.

Love146 was founded in 2002 after the co-founders travelled to Southeast Asia and witnessed child trafficking first-hand.

According to love146.org, children from every age are sold as sex slaves.

Children subjected to trafficking are forced to sit dressed in red with an identification number pinned on their chest while predators choose who they want to have sex with. These children get raped seven to fifteen times a night by the men who visit the underage brothels. According to love146.org, two children are sold every minute, and human trafficking is the second largest illegal moneymaker, bringing in $32 billion per year. The majority of the children sold into sex slavery are 11 to 14 years old.

Love146 tries to prevent child sex slavery, researches it and cares for children after rescuing them. Coalition raised money for Love146 before with poetry nights at Black Dog Coffee House and previous 5Ks. Participants must pay $15, or $18 on race day, which all goes to the charity. The event is financed by Hunter Family Vision, Haley Photography, Shawnee HyVee, Maverick Exteriors, Fish Window Cleaning and Candita Home Decorating, who will be providing T-shirts for all participants as well as giftcards for the winner of the race, which is approximately 3 miles.

“I want it to be fun. The race doesn’t have to be serious, ” junior Victoria Banks said.

The race starts at 10 a.m. in Roe Park, near 103rd and Roe Avenue in Overland Park. Food will be served and everyone is welcome to participate. / PIA HECKMAN

LAB ASSISTANT HOUR REMAINS AN OPTION Among the changes in scheduling for next year, the most popular question seems to be the fate of lab assistants. According to administrator Lisa Gruman, the system will undergo changes, but the option to be a lab assistant will still exist.

“There will be two plausible ways to be a lab assistant in the following years,” Gruman said.

“The first would be if the student’s schedule just did not work out.”

This just means that in cases where, for example, a student cannot find a way to cram six AP classes into a day and needs to fill their schedule completely, being a lab assistant would be a possibility.

“The second is for the student to have a genuine desire to help Northwest and to help teachers,” Gruman said.

This suggests that lab assistants will have more requirements under the new system.

Another change to the lab assistant system

is that students who meet the criteria to be a lab assistant will be given a list of pre-approved teachers from which they must choose.

“This will effectively eliminate the problem teachers experience when they are afraid or indecisive when telling a student they do not need help,” Gruman said. “It will also increase the productivity of lab assistants as students will help teachers who genuinely need the help.”

Lab assistants will be viewed differently in this system. They will no longer be students who simply want a free hour each day.

“Students will be put into classrooms where the teacher needs help,” Gruman said.

The lab assistant system will undergo changes in the following years, but the opportunity to become a lab assistant will remain an option for students for at least another year.

PREPARATIONS FOR MOCK TRIAL BEGIN This year’s NW mock trial team is assembling and practicing for the regional competition. For the past six years, debate and forensics coach Linda Raner has led students through fictional court cases and taught them how a real trial happens.

“Mock trial,” Raner said, “is the opportunity for students to act out an actual court trial by playing the parts of witnesses and lawyers in front of lawyers who then act as the judges.”

The students are given the choice of acting as either a lawyer or a witness. Sophomore Amit Bhatla, who participated in mock trial last year, has not yet decided which role he is going to pursue.

“Last year I was a lawyer for both prosecution and defense,” Bhatla said. “But this year, there’s a lot of people who want to be lawyers. So I think it would be pretty cool to go to the other side, but I’m more experienced as a lawyer.”

Every year the case switches back and forth between a civil and a criminal case. This year’s civil case involves two individuals in a car accident. The plaintiff claims that the defendant was intoxicated and texting while driving, which caused a wreck.

The plaintiff is suing for damages.

Each student involved has their own role to play in the case.

“As a lawyer you have to direct your witness,” Bhatla said, “meaning you have to lead them through their affidavit and ask them questions. Then on the flip side, in that same trial, you have to cross-examine one of the opponent’s witnesses. You want to have the best amount of information, and you don’t want their questions to hit your witness hard. So, it’s pretty fun being a lawyer, but you have to think on your feet.”

Sophomore Ashley Sanders and freshman “My favorite part of mock trial is the strategy that goes into Heidi Foreland help check in judges and give planning,” Raner said, “which questions you’re going to ask, them information on the trial on Jan. 29. which witnesses, because you want to make your witnesses look good and make their witnesses look bad.” / PHOTO BY BRITTANY BONSIGNORE The only competition before the state competition is regionals on March 12.

“It takes a lot of work and perseverance,” Bhatla said, “a lot of seminars and a lot of weeknights. But it ends/ up working out ASHLEE CRANE in the end.”

more nw news WPA COURT/ This year’s WPA Queen of Courts was crowned at the Northwest vs. Olathe East basketball game last Friday night. The second runnerup was Olivia Rezac, the first-runner up was Haylee Slocum and Amanda Gossman was crowned as Queen. The next night, at the dance, Kenneth Mings received the title of Big Man on Campus. The first runner-up was Connor Haley and the second runner up was Jacey Drummond.

JAN. 25–27 / SNOW DAYS: Students in the district were able to enjoy — or hate — three snow days in a row during the biggest snowstorm of the year that stretched across 30 states.

FEB. 7 / NATIONAL MERIT FINALISTS: The following students were named finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program: Jordan Dillon, Emily Guerin, Jacob Lindenlaub, Jordan Perlmutter, Jens Thomsen, Aaron Thornberg and Thomas Verschelden.

FEBRUARY 11

NO SCHOOL

FRIDAY Parent teacher

confrences

15

7 p.m. /

TUESDAY Great works concert at

Community Covenant Church

17-19

7 p.m. /

THURS-SAT The Man Who Came to

Dinner winter play in auditorium

21

NO SCHOOL

22

9:40 a.m. /

24

7 p.m. /

MONDAY President’s Day

TUESDAY LATE START

THURSDAY Talent Show

NEWS

/ 05

Compiled by Connor Thompson

IRELAND CANADA

Deposed Tunisian president, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, is attempting to lay low in Canada. He has been replaced

by Fouad Mebazaa, who is acting as the interim president.

On Feb. 25 Ireland will elect a new Prime Minister.

Current Prime Minister, Brian Cowen, will retire from politics and step down as the leader of the Fianna Fail (the Irish version of Republican) party.

Cowen will leave the Irish government in deep debt when he steps down before the election.

CHINA EGYPT

A peaceful protest against the current president turned violent when a group of pro-government protesters rallied against the anti-government protesters. On Day 13 of the protests, vice president Omar Suleiman talked with the protesters in an attempt to end the protests.

AUSTRALIA

BOLIVIA

Cyclone Yasi, a category 5 storm, hit Australia and flooded the area in and around Queensland. According to Neil Roberts, the Queensland Emergency Services Minister, Yasi is the biggest storm to hit the area in the last 100 years.

The Bolivian president replaced the Production Minister, Environment Minister and Energy Minister after the beginning of his sixth year in office. All 20 cabinet members stepped down, but only the three were replaced.

$345

MILLION

11.64 06

NT

 OF ALL CHOCOLATE SOLD DURING THE YEAR IS SOLD DURING VALENTINE'S WEEK

P

5.1

E

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 OF CHOCOLATE CANDY SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES DURING VALENTINE'S WEEK

 POUNDS OF CHOCOLATE EATEN BY AMERICANS EACH YEAR

/ FEB. 10, 2011

The Chinese are angry after a Groupon.com commercial mocking poor conditions in Tibet aired during the Super Bowl.

GOOD TIME TO BE:

BAD TIME TO BE:

Green Bay Packers.

Congratulations! You won the Super Bowl. Meet you in Disneyland.

A snow hater.

The Kansas City area received 9-12 inches, varying by location, Feb. 1–2.

Kansas.

Your sesquicentennial anniversary (150) was Jan. 29. Welcome to the century and a half club. May your deer and antelope play happily for many more years.

A Kansas Government Worker.

They could see a 7.5 percent pay cut over the next few months in an attempt to counter-act steep revenue declines.

A student with a club idea

Clubs have been sprouting up all over Northwest. New clubs include: foursquare club, Club 8, Knitting & Crocheting Club, Cooking Club and Yoga Club. Harry Potter club has already come and gone. Poof!

A fire broke out during repairs early A Smithsonian Natural History Feb. 7, causing the building to be Museum curator evacuated and traffic to stop.

#NOTHINGASEXPECTED Twitter is a beneficial social network despite the negative connotation it holds.

Twitter.

Just the thought of it used to make me mad.

The people who followed it made me mad, too. How could they give into yet another form of online media, especially one that seemed like something Entertainment Network came up with?

I saw it as the epitome of social failure. Fat chance it would ever compare to Facebook, and “following” celebrities just made me mad — they have big enough heads as it is.

Then one day, it happened. My friends started getting Twitter accounts.

It was like the world was collapsing around me. These people I looked up to had broken the social code of what we had found acceptable. I didn’t understand.

While this made me furious, it also made me curious. What was so great about this network? Why would smart people want to join? So I got one and found out.

Twitter has all the features of Facebook I like, plus I can change my background.

I’m not a huge fan of Facebook, to be honest. I enjoy the simplicity of Twitter while Facebook remains congested. With Twitter, you can post tweets (status updates) as well as tag friends in them. I feel like what I’m actually trying to say gets heard… or read.

Also, there’s the benefit of getting to change the background of a profile, something I’m very fond of.

You can follow celebrities/companies…. or not.

While at first I thought following people meant constantly knowing what celebrities were up to, I quickly realized that while you can follow celebrities, you can also follow your friends, a feature I fell in love with because my friends live far away and none of us text that much. In fact, I never see any tweets except for those of my friends, or of the people I decided to follow.

Twitter also allows me to follow websites, corporations or characters. In turn, they can also follow our Tweets or follow trending topics across Twitter. Any given company

can click on a hash tag about their product and see what people have liked and disliked about it, helping them improve the product.

Twitter can be used a way to be globally informed during times of crisis.

Don’t laugh. I’m entirely serious.

Currently, although the Internet is down in Egypt, Tweets are being sent out on their phones by the Egyptians about what’s going on, keeping people up-to-date.

Another example occurred last year during the riots in Iran over the election.

Twitter gave the people who weren’t in Iran knowledge of what was going on.

Twitter provides a way to stay connected to friends while also staying connected to people, companies, governments and topics all over the world. Even The White House has a Twitter. A new kind of social networking has developed with the creation of Twitter, bringing multiple aspects of the world, social; news and entertainment into one convenient place. And finally, I accept it.

MORGAN JONES

PUSHING THEIR LUCK Movie sequels aren’t always necessary, or wanted.

Classic movies do not pave the way for good sequels. They may be wonderful, but that doesn’t mean they should push their luck.

Sometimes the offspring of blockbusters can be decent, even good — think Star Wars and Indiana Jones. But, the majority of the time, sequels seem quickly written, cast, shot and released, which usually leads to shoddy cinema.

When a movie brings in millions of dollars in the box office, most production studios get greedy. They think that if one film made such a huge splash, then two could easily bring in more money. But the producers fail to take into consideration why these movies were so amazing in the first place.

All great classics are classic for a single reason: They are unique. Sure, some might be so sappy they’re hard to watch, and others might address totally cliche topics, but each brings something new, at least for their generation.

The Sandlot is one of the few great American movies that every child watches before puberty. If you reach high school and still haven’t viewed it, you automatically pass into the underprivileged minority. It’s more

than just another coming-of-age sports flick; it’s a rite of passage.

When The Sandlot 2 was released in 2005, everyone knew it couldn’t compare to its predecessor. It was as if the producers were trying to force lightning to strike the same place twice.

The plot was a terribly warped version of the original: A group of pre-teen baseball lovers in the 1970s must retrieve a rocket from Mr. Mertle’s terrifying dog. But the dog isn’t The Beast, there are girls on the team (a Sandlot sin) and Scotty Small’s nonexistent younger brother, Johnnie, didn’t learn from his brother that Mr.Mertle is a kind, old man.

There are just too many fatal flaws to make this plot acceptable.

The majority of these awful sequels follow the same pattern: make one of the characters related to one from the original and/or in the exact same situation, change one minor aspect of the plot and, voilà, new movie. Who needs something innovative when you can watch the exact same thing, just this time with terrible actors?

Take Mean Girls 2: It wasn’t about a girl who starts a new school and joins the in crowd, only to become a mean girl herself.

No, instead it was about a girl who starts a new school and goes up against the in crowd, only to become a mean girl herself.

Entirely unoriginal, and filled with Disney Channel rejects with no believable teenage traits, the film was a huge failure. Mean Girls was a success because it was unlike any other movie: It had a phenomenal cast and adolescents could relate (to an extent). The most recent installment lacks all of those qualities. (See page 10 for a full review.)

While second movies generally fail, some sequels can add to the franchise as a whole.

The majority of these are the movies that can’t possibly be contained in less than three hours.

Book-to-movies like Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia and Twilight (sadly) need a few films to tell the entire story, and they break the same-plot, different-characters mold. Truly amazing storylines that continue to be unique throughout the installments are what make good sequels.

Sequels can be phenomenal, but the majority of the time they are disasters that go straight to DVD for a reason.

HAYLEY BATTENBERG

OPINIONS

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smnw com {dot}

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WRITE US A LETTER

We would love to hear your opinion about anything we published or other things going on around Northwest or in the outside community. Letters can be sent to passageletters@smnw.com or be brought to Room 151. Only signed letters will be published.

 NEWS THESPIANS PARTICIPATE IN STATE CONFERENCE: Thespian Troupe #888 attended workshops pertaining to different aspects of theater at the state thespian conference in Wichita.

A staff member compares earbuds and headphone in a search for the best durablity, color, price and sound quality.

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 ENTERTAINMENT

TOUGH

Stuck? Solution can be found at smnw.com.

In Social Distortion’s Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes, the band seems to have matured and the singers have reached their potential.

REVIEWS

THE GREEN HORNET 3/5

Green Hornet debuted delivering a hard / T he sting to the radio in the ‘30s, following up with

a solid return to the television in the ’60. But it has finally lost its prick on the big screen this year in full-feature form. Released Jan. 14, in 3-D of course, the latest incarnation of this pulp detective story has jumped to the big screen, unfortunately landing just a little short of expectations. Directed by Michel Gondry with Seth Rogen as not-so-bright protagonist Britt Reid, Jay Chou as side kick Kato, Cameron Diaz as the love interest Lenore Case, and Christoph Waltz as the poorly named villain, Chudnofsky.

After the death of his father and leader of a media giant, the Daily Sentinel, the lazy degenerate

Britt Reid decides, instead of taking responsibility, to become a vigilante. With the help of his almost superhuman sidekick, whose first appearance in the movie was making espressos, they believe they’re ready to take on the criminal world with a car built like a tank and Kato’s martial arts abilities. But they quickly find out they have no clue what they got themselves into.

Overall the movie was unsurprising and dull. With boring twists and a predictable plot, it really isn't a blockbuster. Maybe this movie just wasn't in Michel Gondry’s area of expertise, seeing how he has made his name in making music videos. Or maybe it was Seth Rogen who couldn't handle action and ended up

just throwing out bad jokes. Not to mention Cameron Diaz is a bit old for a role as a love interest. And there’s the fact that Jay Chou, a re-known Taiwanese musician, does the the majority of action sequences that are all pretty bad.

This movie really is nothing but bad punch lines and overly dramatic fight scenes but the actors work well together and through the mess that is the Green Hornet there is something that will manage to hold your attention, so if by some brash decision on a boring day you decide to see a mediocre movie, the Green Hornet is now playing in a theater near you. / JEFFERY ALLEN

SNOOKI’S A SHORE THING 0.5 /5 I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who was completely stunned when it was announced that Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, of Jersey Shore fame, would be releasing her own novel.

Despite a slow start, only selling 4,000 books in the first week, the book surprisingly (really surprisingly) jumped to #24 on the New York Times best selling author list, showing that people really will pay anything for a laugh.

Her antics on MTV’s highest-rated show certainly do not show her in the best light: They showcase her fist pumping and partying with her fellow guidos and guidettes through bars, fights and other unsavory situations. Her book, A Shore Thing, basically does the same, but for two fictitious characters, Giovanna “Gia” Spumanti and Isabella “Bella” Rizzoli, promising each other to make the most of their summer vacation down at the Jersey Shore. The book starts out illustriously with the opening line, “Life was hard. But a pouf? That should be easy.”

It then follows our two “heroines” through adventures in job searches, spray tanning, shark rescues, disgusting bets, laxatives, burning their condo, becoming famous and, of course, guys. Bella has come down to escape the stalking of her artfully named ex-boyfriend, Bobby Bonehead, and has now found a new possible summer fling in her boss, Tony “Trouble” Troublino. Gia just flounders through life and manages to meet her love

interest, firefighter Frank Rossi, after one of many incidents with the police.

Obviously, the majority of the novel focused on the pursuit of “gorillas,” highly attractive meatheads with more muscles than brain function. As you can guess, the description of these times were, at best, raunchy.

Throughout the novel, I could slowly feel my brain functions devolving. I only found relief in the situations where the dialogue and commentary were just too much, and I couldn’t help but burst out laughing at the sheer ridiculousness. In the end, the girls, in a true Jersey Shore fashion, learn no life lessons, and act as recklessly and inconsiderate to others as they did originally, leaving no moral of the story or general purpose at all. They leave their summer like some year-old Halloween candy: tacky, tasteless and with a leftover feeling of wondering what you just did.

If all you’re hoping to get out of a book is how to create the perfect pouf or the perfect Oompa Loompa tan, A Shore Thing might actually be for you. In fact, feel free to check out The Situation’s self-help guide, Here’s the Situation, released in November, or JWoWW’s book The Rules According to JWOWW,” to be released next month.

But if you are any other person, I would recommend spending the $24 on something more worthwhile — like a trash can for the book when you’re done.

/ BRIANNA LEYDEN

ENTERTAINMENT

/ 09

REVIEWS

JAMES BLUNT: some kind of trouble James Blunt is one of the most successful performers of his time. He already sold 18 million records, has been nominated for the Grammy Awards for Best new Artist, Best Pop Album You might not have noticed, however, because he isn’t producing music we teenagers would normally listen to. Indeed, his music style is more soft rock. In Europe he has already won several important awards and he has even been nominated in the Grammies for his music.

For the last few years, his relationship troubles have been publicized more than any of his music releases. But three years after All the Last Souls, Blunt’s has released Some Kind of Trouble.

I have to say that after an hour listening to this album, I was close to falling asleep. The lyrics and sounds are so repetitive that I’ve come to the conclusion that his voice is made for lullabies.

I’m sure that his music must be relaxing and hopeful for stressed-out, working women. Most of the songs are melancholic, romantic and kitschy,

 UPCOMING CONCERTS Death Angel, Bonded By Blood, Early Man, Hexen (metal) The Riot Room, Feb. 11, 8:30 Flannigan’s Right Hook (celtic rock) Raglan Road Irish Pub, Feb. 11-12, 10 p.m.

Disney Live! Mickey’s Magic Show (childrens) Independence Events Center, Feb. 12, 3 p.m.

2/5

much like his previous album. But as a teenager full of life and energy, do you really want to hear dull love songs or stories about frustrated adults who cry about times gone by? It may be that I am not able to interpret his lyrics right, but it seems to me that he’s cradling his broken heart in songs like “No Tears” and “Calling Out Your Name” or desiring a woman he’ll never have, like “Stay the Night” or “Dangerous,” in a way a 15-year-old boy would do. “Turn Me On” is the only song that differentiates itself from the rest by being full of pep and fun if not a little sexy.

I wouldn’t say Blunt doesn’t make good music, vocally and instrumentally. But his lyrics, tone and sound are painfully repetitive. This album and, in general, his music is great for falling asleep to or relaxing. It may not be the time for teenagers now to listen to his songs, but perhaps it will be after a rough decade filled with challenges and broken hearts. / PIA HECKMAN

Salt N Pepa with Legends of Hip Hop, Biz Markie (hip hop) Municipal Auditorium, Feb. 13, 7 p.m.

Hellogoodbye (alternative/indie) Bottleneck, Feb. 19, 7:30 Grease (musical) Municipal Auditorium MO, Feb. 22, 25-26, 8 p.m.

Kid Rock with Jamey Johnson (country) Sprint Center, Feb. 25, 7:30 p.m.

MEAN GIRLS 2 1/5

Mean Girls 2 came as a total disappointment when it premiered Jan. 23 on ABC Family. This was not all that surprising, with previews highlighting a relatively obscure cast and a seemingly simple plot. However, considering the success of the first movie, it was possible the sequel could be OK. It wasn’t.

The cast does include Jennifer Stone (from Disney’s Wizards of Waverly Place) and Maiara Walsh (from Disney’s Cory in the House), but they could not live up to the anticipation of an audience who had been drawn into the first movie with a cast that included Lindsay Lohan and Tina Fey. The only actor who made an appearance in both movies was the principal, played by Tim Meadows. The cast did not work well together and simply could not make this poorly written movie into what viewers expected it to be.

The cast, however, was the least of the problems in this pathetic attempt at a sequel. The plot strongly resembled that of the original Mean Girls and had only enough differences to entertain the interests of an avid Mean Girls fanatic. The plot was predictable and at times I found myself fighting to stay awake through it. As far as made-for-TV movies go, this one was one of the worst I had seen. It did not live up to any of the hype. In my opinion, Mean Girls 2 has joined the ranks of Legally Blonde Two: Red, White & Blonde and Speed 2: Cruise Control as one of / JOSH MEIGS the worst sequels of all time.

CAGE THE ELEPHANT: thank you, happy birthday 2/5

With a stampede of anticipation, Cage The Elephant’s second album, Thank You, Happy Birthday, hit the shelves. Following their self-titled debut album, which landed two singles in Billboard’s Alternative Rock Top 5 and put the band’s name in the national spotlight, Cage The Elepant attempts to recreate their radio-friendly, garage-band punk attitude. There’s no doubt that Cage The Elephant maintains their signature rambunctious vibe with rebellious, heavy guitar in songs such as “Sell Yourself” and “Sabertooth Tiger”.

Due to their noticeable punk influence, Thank You, Happy Birthday is no album for the indie fan. Ironically, “Indy Kidz” is full of lead singer Matthew Shultz’s distinctive screamo vocals and progressive-punk style.

10

/ FEB. 10, 2011

Cage’s second album haphazardly transitions into an almost Red Hot Chili Peppers funky jive, like “Shake Me Down,” Thank You’s radio single. The song has an upbeat Southern demeanour that doesn’t let Cage the Elephant fans forget the band’s Kentucky roots.

That being said, something about this album just didn’t click like it did in Cage’s first. Thank You, Happy Birthday epitomizes the dilemma that many band’s run into with their second album: maintaining earlier supporters while evolving musical personality. The album seemed a little disorganized; while the individual songs hold up well, they just don’t flow together in a way that can make this album as big a hit as the first. / ERIC ZOELLNER

broadmoor experience TWO SENIORS FURTHER THEIR PASSION FOR COOKING AT BROADMOOR TECHNICAL CENTER.

BROADMOOR BISTRO

A prided feature of Broadmoor’s Culinary Arts program, the Broadmoor Bistro, is a student run restaurant in which the students prepare the menu, meal and serve as well.

“It’s a four-course meal that’s only $25 which is a good deal since we serve foods like lobster and caviar.”

The menu changes each Wednesday the bistro is open.

To make a reservation, go to www.broadmoorbistro. org and click “Make A Reservation” on the left hand side of the page.

Broadmoor Technical Center is located at 6701 W. 83rd Street, Overland Park, KS 66204.

BROADMOOR BAKING FRIDAYS A special feature of the Commercial Baking class is its Broadmoor Baking Fridays. Only on select Fridays of the school year, the students of the Commercial Baking class prepare and sell desserts including cookies, tarts, cakes and pies to show of the skills they have learned in class. The sale is held in the foyer at Broadmoor Technical School.

To find out which days the bake sale will be going on, go to www.broadmoorbistro.org and look at the right hand side of the page under “Broadmoor Baking Fridays”. The next Baking Friday will occur April 1.

NOTE: NO CASH IS ACCEPTED WHEN PURCHASING THE DESSERTS.

12

/ FEB. 10, 2011

SENIOR TANIA PEREA FOUND HER LOVE FOR COOKING IN THE CULINARY ARTS PROGRAM.

The aroma of fine spices and well-blended ingredients wafts through the air amid the sound of sizzling oil. Senior Tania Perea stands over a bowl, carefully following the recipe’s instructions while other students at Broadmoor Technical Center do the same, all a part of the Culinary Arts 1 program the school offers.

“I’ve liked to cook ever since I was little. My mom taught me; she’s been cooking forever. [We] make Mexican food a lot,” Perea said.

Perea was interested in the culinary field but wasn’t completely sure that’s what she wanted to do. To find out more about the industry, she enrolled in Broadmoor’s Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management classes her senior year.

“I wish I would have started earlier because it’s such a great program. Our kitchen is bigger than the one at Johnson County Community College and most of the restaurants downtown,” Perea said.

According to Perea, Culinary Arts 1 at Broadmoor has taught her the foundations of cooking. “[We learn about knife techniques and meats. At the beginning of the year, we learned the basics, and then we did more hands on stuff. [For Restaurant Management], we’re divided into those that serve and those that cook. In serving, we learn how to properly set a table and we prepare for Wednesday night,” Perea said.

Wednesday night is when the class presents its Broadmoor Bistro, a restaurant completely run by the students.

“Tuesday we prepare the kitchen and Wednesday night we just get everything ready,” Perea said.

Perea took Focus on Foods here during her junior year but found Broadmoor to offer her more of the culinary focus she was looking for.

“The instructor worked at a high-end restaurant, so he’s really good. It’s more hands on and we get to cook full meals: We don’t just make brownies,” Perea said.

Perea has only four classes at Northwest and spends the rest of her day, as well as some nights, at Broadmoor.

“Going to Northwest for only two hours then back to Broadmoor then back to [Northwest] for the remaining two hours is great because the day goes by a lot faster. I don’t have a seminar which is kind of a downside because I miss all the school assemblies,” Perea said.

Outside of cooking at Broadmoor, Perea has found other ways to use her skills.

“I actually cook for my mom’s group of friends sometimes and they pay me. They refer me to other people so I have this side job of cooking for people,” Perea said.

After a semester at Broadmoor, Perea made the decision to become a chef and attend the Art Institute of Kansas City’s culinary program. She hopes to open her own restaurant one day.

“I would like to open a restaurant, probably a bistro. I want it to be a family thing, since [my family is] into cooking. My younger sister likes to bake and my older sister likes to cook like I do,” Perea said.

THE COMMERCIAL BAKING PROGRAM GAVE SENIOR KAT KEELING THE HANDS ON EXPERIENCE SHE NEEDED FOR IMPROVEMENT WITH BAKING. Inside of the kitchen at Broadmoor Technical Center, senior Katherine Keeling works busily to complete the flourless cake she has been assigned to bake.

The smell of baking pastry fills the room and causes students in the halls to pause on their way to class.

Although it’s technically time for break, Keeling continues to work to finish her dessert, not at all bothered by loss of a time to relax. As she works, her instructor, Chef Tobias, called Chef Toby by the students, walks by and offers advice on how to improve on the dessert she is making. As he walks away, Keeling makes the adjustment then continues to work toward a finished product.

“I learn more of the basics in Culinary Arts.

[Commercial Baking is] definitely a hands on class.

You learn by having Chef Toby come by and say, ‘Here, try this,’” Keeling said.

When she was younger, Keeling helped her mom cook, but she never had a preference in what they made. The programs at Broadmoor helped her find her love for baking.

“I’m interesting in baking more than culinary, but I thought it would be good experience to try cooking.

I want to go into a culinary college, either Johnson County Community College or to the Kansas City Art Institute, and someday open my own bakery,” Keeling said.

Baking for Keeling is not just cookies, but includes exotic and different desserts as well as breads.

“One of my all time favorite things to make are breads. I love making bread. I also like desserts that are different, like a chocolate decadence cake which is a flowerless cake,” Keeling said.

Other than baking in the Commercial Baking 2 class, Keeling also bakes for the Broadmoor Bistro, also part of her Restaurant Management class.

“After school [on Tuesdays] we have to prepare for the Bistro. Monday is optional. On Wednesdays, we have to be there as soon as possible. I’m in the bake shop, so I plate all the desserts and make breads and stuff for the display case,” Keeling said.

After almost two years in the Commercial Baking program, Keeling has found a lot of advantages for those considering going into the culinary field as a profession.

“The [classes] at Broadmoor are more hands on.

[The chefs] give advice from experience and they know people in the industry, so that helps with getting a job,” Keeling said.

For other students who are interested in going into baking, Keeling points out the advantage of living in Johnson County.

“The people who want to go into baking are really lucky because Johnson County Community College has a good program and they are recognized nationwide. [For Broadmoor], I would recommend it.

It’s a good experience and I learned a lot,” Keeling said. / MORGAN JONES

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LOVE OF THE BEAT JUNIORS TAMBOURA WATSON AND JAKE GIPPLE SHARE THEIR PASSION FOR MAKING MUSIC.

(TOP) Junior Tamboura Watson exhibits how he mixes the tracks together to create a final product.

(BOTTOM) Watson taps the pads on his drum machine to produce beats that can later be mixed in with vocals. In additon to the drum machine, keyboards are also used to create rhythms for the songs.

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/ FEB. 11, 2010

From Jay-Z and Eminem to Easy E and Dr. Dre, the list of quality rappers goes on and on. With the never-ending explosion of young new artists onto the hip hop scene like Wiz Khalifa and Kid Cudi, it seems as if the love of this genre has dug itself into our social mainframe like a tick, unlikely to release its grip any time soon.

This pop culture phenomenon has understandably found its way to Northwest. School dances demonstrate this in the most obvious way. A large majority of the songs found on the play lists for Homecoming, WPA, Prom and every other dance are in the hip hop genre.

Junior Tamboura “YungWats” Watson is the the most recognized artist that Northwest has to offer when it comes to serious rappers.

“I freestyle sometimes. I work in the studio and do a lot more professional stuff writing and recording though,” Watson said.

“Freestyling”, or coming up with rhymes on the spot, is something that very few can claim to be skilled at. It is an art form that many famous artists like Eminem got into the industry by mastering.

Other famous artists such as Drake, Lil Wayne, and Wiz Khalifa are inspiration for Watson.

“I like [Drake’s] style. He has really witty lyrics that aren’t too gangster. [Wayne] has great determination and I really admire that; he’s always in the studio on the grind getting his music out there.

Wiz [Khalifa] is another one of my favorite rappers because he has his own flow that’s different from everything else out there,” Watson said.

Becoming a famous rapper may seem somewhat far-fetched, but making music is nothing less than a love and passion for Watson. Watson became interested in rapping because of his sister’s ability to sing. Although he also likes singing, he prefers rapping.

To perfect the art of rapping, practice is paramount. Other students often notice Watson constantly coming up with beats and raps while in class.

“Tamboura is always rapping or tapping on the desk and making beats during class,” junior Luke Moore said. “You can tell he enjoys it a lot and he is good at it just by how committed he is to his career.”

As well as practicing and recording in a studio, Watson has also tried to be like real life hip hop artists who constantly work to recreate themselves. Last year, Watson began working with junior Jake Gipple to strenghten his musical abilities. The two first began talking when Gipple helped Watson out with

a rap for a concert.

“He and a friend came up to me as I was at a computer [in the library] and they were trying to come up with a rap for a concert. They needed a couple more bucks to have the proper funds for it so I helped them out. His friend said something like, ‘We’ll pay you back when we’re famous,’ and I said, ‘I’ll give you two more bucks when I’m famous.’ He asked me how I was going to be famous and I explained that I play the keyboard and my interest in music”, Gipple said.

“Tamboura asked me to come in [to the studio] with him to see if we could help each other out. That’s kind of how it started.”

Gipple, Watson and a few of their friends got together to share their passion for music in a friend’s basement. Although it may seem like meager accommodations for two teenagers trying to get their music on the popular scene, the recording studio they work out of has everything necessary to produce.

“We meet at one of Tamboura’s friends’ house in his basement and he owns a lot of nice computer and music equipment. We can record any instrument and put together different beats,” Gipple said.

Being able to work with Watson and blend styles effectively was something Gipple thought might be challenging at first.

“I was pretty relieved because it wasn’t as difficult as I thought it was going to be. They usually have a drum beat when I come in. I make up a chord progression and choose an instrument to play,” Gipple said. “Sometimes they have something they have made but they don’t know the technicality of it, like what the chord progression is so I figure it out and improve it to help them out. “ The love of music that Gipple and Tamboura share makes being creative and communicating with one another much easier, even though each is so seemingly different.

“It’s great, actually. I feel all of our new projects will be outstanding. You have to learn your genre and master it, but to be a great artist, you must learn things from every genre and attempt to grasp and understand all music and have a very strong vocabulary,” Watson said.

Watson has big plans and doesn’t intend on having anything slow him down when it comes to fulfilling his dream.

“I plan on being famous; striving [with] determination and motivation, and also with the support from my city and my team I know I can get there,” Watson said. / LOGAN COFFMAN

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direct hit

“Each successive layer of cuts,” SMSD finance manager Tim Rooney told the Passage a year ago, “is going to get closer and closer to the classroom.”

As district officials struggle to reduce the budget another $10 million for the coming school year, teaching and administrative positions, academic programs and even individual classes are potentially could potentially take a direct hit, but nothing is safe.

“What it boils down to is reduction of services, whether that be teachers, programs,” Mach said.

“That’s where we are.”

GLOSSARY BSAPP: Base State Aid Per Pupil; districts receive money from the state based on how many students they have enrolled on Sept. 20.

At-risk weightings: At-risk weightings are added on to the base state aid per pupil for students who are more expensive to educate, for example, English language learners or who eat free or reduced lunch.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: The stimulus act was passed in 2009 by the federal government with the goal of creating more jobs.

Some of the money was set aside for education.

LOB: Local option budget; districts can raise 31% more than they are provided by the state by taxing their citizens.

A $550 million budget shortfall for the state of Kansas and the loss of stimulus funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, are forcing the district, which has already lost more than $20 million for the 2009–2010 and 2010– 2011 school years, to make drastic cuts.

Because of the state deficit, Gov. Sam Brownback proposed cutting the base state aid per pupil (BSAPP), which is how schools are funded on the state level, by $75 per student for the 2010-2011 school year, which adds up to a $2.6 million loss for the district for this school year alone.

“We’ve already set our budgets,” school board member Patty Mach said. “So we’re going to have to dip into our reserves, which are dwindling.”

For the 2011-2012 school year, Brownback recommends that the BSAPP be reduced by another $157, or $5.4 million more for the district.

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/ FEB. 10,2011

THE DISTRICT IS FACING $10 MILLION IN BUDGET CUTS FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW DUE TO BUDGET DEFICITS AT THE STATE LEVEL.

According to Mach, the base state aid per pupil for the 2012-2013 school year will be close to what it was in 2002.

Under the current school finance formula, which was established in 1992, schools receive money from the state based on the number of students they have enrolled on Sept. 20. At-risk weightings are added on to the BSAPP for students who eat free or reduced lunch, or are in the English language learners program or for almost any student who is more expensive to educate. Because of these weightings, SMSD actually falls in the bottom 10 percent of districts in Kansas in terms of per pupil funding.

“In a large district like ours, what we would do with at-risk money is we might put them into a small setting to try to help to give them more individualized attention, so we have to use our at-risk money to do that. But [other schools] have already been given low enrollment weighting to do that,” SMSD budget and finance manager Tim Rooney said. “They end up getting kind of a double dip because there is interplay between the factors.”

On top of the BSAPP, districts can raise additional money through a local option budget (LOB), which is a local property tax. But districts are only allowed by law to raise 31 percent more than what they are given by the state, which Shawnee Mission is already doing.

A group of SM parents filed a federal lawsuit against the state of Kansas on Dec. 10 claiming that the 31 percent cap on the local option budget (LOB) violates citizen’s constitutional rights because it prohibits them from taxing themselves.

“In a nation founded on liberty, self-government, and local initiative, and at a time when America’s educational system is widely recognized to be in financial crisis and requires substantial improvement, it is alarming that any State would prohibit its communities from improving their schools through collective civic action. But the State of Kansas has done just that,” the parent group said in a statement.

The parent group also stated that the lawsuit is not intended to attack the district or its employees, but an attempt to gain the funding the district needs to provide a quality education to all students across the district.

“The school district is not a party in the lawsuit.

The parents are acting on their own accord without explicit or implicit approval of the board of education,” the district’s statement said.

Even though the district is not a party in the lawsuit, they do support increased local control.

“If the state cannot provide the funding needed, the legislature should provide provisions to generate

the funds locally,” the district’s legislative platform said.

“There still needs to be some state commitment because obviously there’s a different wealth from one community to another [across the state],” Rooney said. “But we don’t think that they need to come in and tell us, ‘This is your budget and we’re not going to let you do anything else. We’re not going to let you raise more local funds.’”

For the 2011-2012 school year, three SM schools will be closed, Antioch and Mission Valley middle schools and Bonjour elementary school. Dorothy Moody elementary will be closed at the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year. Together, these closings will save the district about $2 million annually.

“When you close a school, a couple of things happen,” Mach said. “One is your operation budget will go down, in that you had an extra administrator, extra custodial staff, lunchroom staff, nurse, librarian, etc. The educators themselves sometimes can get placed in another building, but you are reducing staff.”

According to Mach, about 87 percent of the district’s operating money goes to pay salaries. With roughly 4,000 employees, the district pays more than $19 million in salaries every month.

“People don’t understand we can rebuild a building and lay off teachers, but the state says that money can not be used,” Mach said. “People are saying, “Why can’t you use capital outlay money for teachers?’ When people are taxed, they understand that that [money] is for upkeep and maintenance.”

Another change that can definitely be expected is an increased student to teacher ratio. Right now the schools operate at about 18 and a half students for every teacher, but next year it will be increased to 19 and a half students for every teacher.

“If you’ve already noticed those things, you should expect to notice them even more,” Chapman said.

Also, as cuts increase, smaller classes will be put at risk. “[Principals] have to figure out how many classes can [they] afford,” Chapman said.

After that, it is hard to tell which programs could be cut next.

“We are as efficient as we can be, and now we’re going to have to cut again. It’s going to have to come out of the classroom now, and we are really upset about it,” Mach said. “That does not come easily.” “[The state] doesn’t have any resources. So realistically, if we’re going to have any relief from this, they’re going to have to give us more local authority,” Rooney said. / MARIA DAVISON

BASICS OF SCHOOL FINANCE DOLLARS PER PUPIL

MONEY IS DISTRIBUTED TO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN A COMPLEX, PREDETERMINED FORMULA. HERE’S THE VERY BASICS OF WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM AND WHERE IT GOES.

5000

federal stimulus

BASE STATE AID REDUCTIONS

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provided money for education jobs. The district will lose $4.7 million in stimulus funding for the 20112012 school year.

4000

3000

2008-2009

2009-2010

2010-2011

2011-2012

2012-2013

SCHOOL YEAR

base state aid per pupil (BSAPP)

Kansas provides school districts with funding based on how many students are enrolled in the district on Sept. 20. This year, the BSAPP was going to be $4,012 per student, but Gov. Sam Brownback recommended cutting it by $75. For next year he recommended cutting it by another $157. There are also weighting factors applied to the BSAPP for students who are more expensive to educate. Those factors include virtual, bilingual, vocational, at-risk, transportation, news facilities, low enrollment, high enrollment, declining enrollment, cost of living, special education. SMSD ranks 266 out of 293 in terms of available funding per student.

kansas

The state of Kansas is currently facing a budget deficit of $550 million. Since schools are funded by the state, they are probably facing budget cuts for the coming years. The state funds schools based on how many students are enrolled in the school.

4.02%  food services 3.63%  other support services 3.19%  transportation

The general fund is made up of the BSAPP and all the weightings applied to that, as well as the money raise by the LOB. This money is used to pay staff salaries, transportation, supply and operation costs.

8.64%  operations and maintenance 5.12%  support services (school admin.)

0.82%  support services (general admin.)

school closings

At the end of this school year, Antioch and Mission Valley middle schools along with Bonjour elementary. At the end of the 20122013, Dorothy Moody elementary will also be closed. These closings will save the district $2,023,323.

3.93%  support services (inst. staff)

local option budget

Along with the BSAPP, districts can raise additional money by levying a local tax. However, they are only permitted by law to 31% more than the amount the state provides.

local property taxes

Capital outlay money comes from property taxes which are levied on people living in the district.

5.8%  support services (pupils) 64.85%  instruction

capital outlay fund

Capital funds are used for construction projects, upkeep and maintenance of buildings, furniture and other equipment. By law, capital funds can not be used for general operations.

ON

CONSTRUCTI

FEATURES

/ 17

State Farm 速 Providing Insurance and Financial Services Home Office, Bloomington, Illinois 61710

Jim Allen, Agent 6011 Nieman Road Shawnee, KS 66203 Bus 913 631 4600 jim.allen.b6si@statefarm.com

SPORTS

boss/

BEST OF SPORTS SHOT

Freshman Mckayla Ross passes the ball to a teammate while being defended by a SM South player on Jan. 27. “Coach Dickson has really helped me overcome being shy and playing with confidence. I don’t think about being a freshman. I just try to go out there and give it my all,” Ross said. / PHOTO BY HANNA MEIGS

// by michael griffin

QUESTION + ANSWER WITH BILL GRAVES

JUNIOR, VARSITY BOYS’ BASKETBALL Q: What’s the biggest game coming up for the team?

A: We need to beat SM West. [NW beat West Feb. 5][Next game tonight vs. East]

Q: How do you expect NW to do at the sub-state tournament this year?

A: I expect us to come together and play well together.

Q: In your opinion, how is the team

Q: Does the team have any traditions

performing this year?

A: We are a team who has a ton of talent but doesn’t play as well together as we should.

We’re coming together though.

that have started this year?

A: After a tough loss, the team sometimes goes to Chili’s.

Q: What is the most memorable event

be?

A: Apparently there’s a rapper A.J. [Spencer] and Kenneth [Mings] like a lot that has a tendency to yell “waka.”

from basketball this year?

A: The 4th quarter of the East game. Our players kind of came together and outworked east.

Q: How did the term “waka” come to

Q: What’s the funniest thing that has happened off-court this season?

A: During the Hy-Vee Shootout, I fell straight on my face, but luckily nobody was looking.

SPORTS

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of mind and muscle

PLAYING SPORTS OFTEN HAVE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES THAT GO BEYOND THE PHYSICAL TO INCLUDE EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL AND MENTAL ASPECTS. “Swimming is my life. I plan my day around it,” varsity swimmer Ben Koeller said with a smile. “This has been my ninth year of year-round swimming.” “[Drill team] has developed the person that I am and my identity,” varsity drill team member Tessa Parker said.

Many athletes can relate to what Koeller and Parker are talking about. Whether they are runners, basketball players, gymnasts or throwers, involvement in athletics consumes the lives of some high school students and is ingrained in who they are. Sports have become a huge part of the high school life.

Junior Jessica Johnson’s interest in sports revolves around the need to be the best.

if you want something and you work for it, you can become good. I like the idea of beating someone,” King said.

Both Johnson and King have been competing athletically since they were very young and the tenets of discipline and focus have been drilled into them.

“I am always concentrated on the play, the next play, and what I need to do,” Johnson said about her on court performance.

Varsity athletes like Johnson and King, play their hardest simply to win. Winning however, is not necessarily the main goal of coaches, athletic director Richard Grinage said.

“If you look at some of the greatest coaches out there, they don’t look at the winning and losing piece.

They look at setting and “Sports teach young people life and work skills that achieving goals,” Grinage said. “I think that is the you normally wouldn’t get in a classroom. [Sports develop] focus that top coaches have. If you take care of that skills and abilities that people want from their employees, piece, then the winning and such as work ethic, leadership, and [the ability] to work losing takes care of itself.”

For athletes, especially within a team environment. Those things are really those at the varsity level, difficult to find in a classroom,” —athletic director Richard time becomes a very precious commodity.

“In a summer day I will “When you step out onto the field, onto the run for cross country, lift weights for basketball, court, on the course, you always want to beat that have basketball practice, go to a soccer game or a person in front of you,” junior Jessica Johnson said, practice.” Johnson said.

“Competitiveness is everything.”

Add a job, school work and possibly a social Johnson the three-sport varsity junior (basketball, life, and the days do not seem long enough for the soccer and cross country) has been competing since athletes. she was 6, and has not stopped.

Athletic trainer Kodi Bauer, who has nine years That passion for sports drove Johnson to push experiences as a sports nurse, explains that although her limits in her chosen sports, as well as to achieve sports are beneficial, there is a limit to how much a success in a new field: cross country. Unlike many student can put into a sport. high school athletes who feel pressure from their “When someone plays soccer all year long, and parents, their coaches or fans, Johnson gets all the then has basketball practice and basketball games, it drive she needs from herself. drains him. It takes away from studying and school, “I am always the one pushing myself,” Johnson and from [a social life],” Bauer said. “[People] need said. “I put a lot of burden on myself to do better.” other interests besides sports.”

Her sentiments are echoed by teammate Anna Johnson and Koeller both admit that they miss King. many social opportunities for sports, but agree that “It’s the idea that there is an opportunity where sports is also a way to interact with friends.

20

/ FEB. 10, 2011

“All my friends play sports with me, so I am always with them,” Johnson said.

This seems to be the common theme, the sense of team and friendship that develops in sports. For cross country runner Harry Schroeder, it was his teammates who got him through a rough time in his life.

Last season, Schroeder suffered from an iron deficiency, which occurs when blood cells struggle to carry oxygen to muscles used during physical activity.

“It’s called foot striking hemolysis. Every time your heel slams the ground, you kill more red blood cells so hitting your foot down ten thousand times a day wears on you,” Schroeder said.

Simply put, the more miles run, the greater the risk for iron deficiency. The strain was not just physical, but also damaging mentally on the runner.

“It was a horrible thing. When you know that your body is designed to fail, it really gets to you two miles into the race,” Schroeder said.

But it was the camaraderie and help of the team that got Schroeder through this ordeal.

“My teammates and coaches helped me so much,” Schroeder said. “The encouragement and support were vital.”

Schroeder’s sentiments are echoed by Grinage. “[Being part of a team] is one of the best things you can do.”

Sports can take a lot out of devoted athletes, as well as consume all their time; however, athletes know what they have to sacrifice to play in the sport that they love. But sports off benefits as well.

“Sports teach young people life and work skills that you normally wouldn’t get in a classroom.

[Sports develop] skills and abilities that people want from their employees, such as work ethic, leadership, and [the ability] to work within a team environment. Those things are really difficult to find in a classroom,” Grinage said.

But it is the intangible things that really make a difference.

“I would not be the same person without running.” Shroeder said. “All my closest and dearest friends come from that, and I would really miss it if it was gone.” / KIRK BADO + BRADY KLEIN

(DOMINANT) Sophomore Ben Koeller performs breast stroke in a meet at SM East Jan 21. Koeller has been swimming for nine years. “I enjoy the people I swim with,” Koeller said. “I have made a lot of friends. It is a good way to meet people, go places and have fun.” / PHOTO BY DAVID FREYERMUTH (FAR RIGHT) Junior Jessica Johnson plays defense against SM South Jan. 27. Johnson also plays soccer and runs cross country. “Coming in freshman, I just wanted to try new things.” Johnson said. “I really enjoyed that, so I decided to push myself.” / PHOTO BY MARISSA BRUNS (RIGHT) Senior Harry Shroeder runs at the regional cross country meet at Haskell University Oct. 23.

“Sports are an opportunity to teach young people life and work skills that you normally wouldn’t get in a class room,” Schroeder said. “If you go into the workforce there are skills and abilities that people want from their employees and you talk about work ethic, leadership to work in a team environment.” / PHOTO BY PAIGE WALTMAN SPORTS

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UPCOMING VARSITY GAMES

ERIC ZOELLNER

Boys’ Basketball Feb. 11 at SM East, 7 p.m.

Feb. 15 vs. Olathe NW, 7 p.m.

Feb. 18 at Leavenwortht 7 p.m.

Feb. 22 vs. Olathe South 7 p.m.

Girls’ Basketball Feb. 11 at SM East, 7 p.m.

Feb. 15 vs.. Olathe NW, 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 18 at Leavenworth, 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 22 vs. Olathe North, 5:30 p.m.

Boys’ Swim and Dive Feb. 17 at State, TBA Feb. 18 State, TBA Feb. 19 State,TBA Wrestling Feb. 12 at Sunflower League, 9 a.m.

Feb. 19 at Regionals, 9 a.m.

Bowling Feb. 10 vs. SMNW Meet, 3:30 p.m.

Feb. 16 vs. Varsity League Meet, 3:30 p.m.

Feb. 17 vs. Varsity League Meet 12:p.m.

Feb. 23 at Saint James Academy, 3:30 p.m.

ESSENCE OF THE UPSET Upsets occur in all sports, but some more than other.

Every fan knows the feeling: The final seconds on the clock tick away and your team is losing to a team they should be beating. You get that sick feeling in your stomach. It’s almost unbearable when the final buzzer goes off.

“As a fan, I get really upset at an upset, that’s why they call it that,” junior football player and sports fanatic Grant Pittrich said.

Upsets happen in some sports much more often than others.

There are two different types of sports: ones where multiple members simultaneously compete on the same playing field (team sports) and ones where individuals of a team independently attempt to earn collective points for the team (individual sports). Sports that fall into the first category include basketball, football, soccer and other sports where players effectively alter their own teammates’ actions based on their own. The second category includes swimming, wrestling and sports where it is still very much a team, but individual players earn the team points based solely on their own performance.

It seems as if this divide is where the difference in upsets occurs. Looking at the number of upsets that occur in the two category of sports, upsets occur far more often in team sports as compared to individual ones.

A quick look at NCAA Division 1 championships tells the story. Sports that have a less variety of champions indicate that it is more difficult to upset another team, while sports that have a wide variety of champions are much more prone to upsets.

In Men’s NCAA Division 1 football, there have been 43 different champions and 35 in Division 1 basketball since the NCAA was established in 1906, while in soccer there have been 21 different champions since the sport was added to the NCAA in 1959.

In more individual sports like wrestling, there have only been 11 different NCAA champions, and in swimming, only 13.

The same goes for high school sports. Since KSHSAA established the 6A football state championship in 1979 there have been 10 different champions, while in 6A basketball there have been 16 champions and 15 in soccer.

In Kansas swim and dive, there have only been 10 different champions within all classes, and only seven in 6A since 1979 in wrestling.

Why are there so few upsets in individual sports? With individual athletes, it would seem there would be a lot of upsets. And there are. But all of these upsets within the competition don’t contribute as much to the outcome of the competition as much as they do in team sports, therefore the better team usually wins.

The propensity of upsets to occur is based upon scale of the competition. For example, a basketball team has the same chance of an upset as an individual swimmer. But the swim team doesn’t have the same chance of an upset because there are so many races within the actual swim meet.

Any player knows how deflating upsets can be. And as a coach, watching your team lose to a less talented team is one of the most frustrating things.

“It is very saddening, going in expecting to win and then being upset by a lesser opponent,” Pittrich said. “The coach has to get back to the grindstone and keep working hard cause, obviously, the team has flaws.”

However, upsets can lift athletes to the top of the world. There is nothing more rewarding than after months of hard work and dedication, pulling off a win that you thought was impossible.

Upsets can reveal hidden strengths in a team and convert nonbelievers into avid fans.

Upsets can be both the most exciting and the most depressing part of being an athlete. They can tear away your confidence or inflate it until you feel unstoppable, but the important thing to remember is that you can be on either side of an upset and they are what makes sports as exciting as they are.

SPORTS

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IN focus

“I always love doing hip hop at assemblies because all the girls get really into it. It’s a huge crowd pleaser. I think we rocked it.”

— senior Olivia Rezac

/ PHOTO BY BAILEY KOPP