Issue 2

epic volume 50. issue 2 october 21, 2011

the

8800 west 85th street overland park, kansas 66212

shawnee mission west

catching the culprit fall play recap [pg. 18]

creepy costumes

educating the masses

As Halloween approaches, we check out a few of the costumes that students are wearing and the importance behind them. [pg. 12-13]

Science teacher shares experiences from his teaching positions at the Kansas State School for the Blind and the Johnson County Juvenile Detention Center. [pg. 8]

[NEWS]

snapshot

CORD POWELL

LANDON OCHSNER

ANDY GOTTSCHALK

news in brief

Several seniors were honored by the National Merit Scholarship program.

Based on the results of the PSAT/ NMSQT taken their junior year, semifinalists include Connor Henderson, Megan Smith, Layne Viets, and Jackson Wallace. Commended students are Nathan Bahnmaier, Devin Mitchell, Danielle Neighbour, Erin Newman, Molly Norburg, and Jeb Stewart. Michelle Willis is a semifinalist for the National Achievement program.

by connor henderson

The Homecoming royalty was revealed at last Friday’s football game against Shawnee Mission South, where the Vikings defeated the Raiders 33-17.

Geo Hough was named Homecoming King, Lorenzo Boyice 1st Attendant, and Jacob Schnackenberg 2nd Attendant. Whitney Crow received the crown for Homecoming Queen, with both Jordan Gregory and Emeri Eaton tying for 1st Attendant.

october/november 21 Writers’ Walk 22 Varsity Football vs SME After Party 9-11 Report Cards

ACT Band Spaghetti Dinner 5:30

29

Debate Invitational Tournament 7 am SMW

2 THE EPIC ISSUE 2

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25

24

31

30

Mark October 31 on your calendars.

Yes, it’s Halloween, but it’s also the day the population of the world is projected to reach seven billion people. The milestone brings a number of concerns to light, among them water shortages, poor urban living conditions, and negative environmental impacts. You’ll have to wait fourteen years to see the global population hit eight billion and until 2083 to be around when it reaches ten billion.

2 Halloween

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26

Picture Retakes Herff Jones Senior Parent Night 5-7

NHS Induction Ceremony 7 p.m.

Auditorium

Booster Club Meeting 7-9 p.m.

New details have emerged as to the exact cause of Apple visionary Steve Jobs’s death. In the death certificate issued by the coroner in Santa Clara County, respiratory arrest was his immediate cause of death and “metastatic pancreas neuroendocrine tumor” as the cause of this. Jobs stepped down as CEO in August and died a day after the company introduced the new iPhone 4S.

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27

3

Late Start 9:40 a.m.

PTSA Meeting 7 p.m. Library

Yearbook Group Photos Varsity Football vs BVN @ SM North

FMP Meeting 1:40 Little Theatre

5

4

SAT Testing

Not only do we have a new schedule and a new cafeteria, but also some interesting foreign exchange students. by jordan johnson // photos by kendra hoffman

Caroline De Rosso

Debbie Dengiz

Ana Faria

Alex Munge

Balazs Szekers

Senior, Sweden

Senior, Hungary

Had you ever traveled to the U.S. before?

No, it’s great, it’s fantastic, and everyone has been friendly with me. I have a chance to live an American teenage life.

Why did you choose to come to America?

To learn the language and see a new culture.

Had you ever traveled to the U.S. before?

Yes, I’ve been to Disney World.

Why did you choose to come to America?

My dad used to be an exchange student and recommended it.

What do you like most about America?

I mostly like my new friends and football.

What do you like most about America?

The high school, the people, and the food.

Is there anything you don’t like about America?

Public transportation depends on cars, and I can’t drive yet.

Senior, Brazil

Why did you choose to come to America?

In Brazil to be successful, to get a job, you need to speak English fluently. I was interested in learning about U.S. and come here for shopping and fast food. It is great.

How does it feel to be here while your family is back home?

You get used to it.

iPod ipod shuffle

Senior, Germany

Is school easier or harder than it is back home?

It’s definitely harder. I have more homework.

Is there anything you have here that you don’t have at home?

Football, baseball, cheer, and pop tarts.

Senior, Brazil

How are the two countries different?

The quality of schools; Brazil’s schools are bad.

How does it feel to be here while your family is back home?

I miss them, but I feel guilty that I’m not sad about it, because I’m happy here.

How much different are the two countries?

The countries are very different. An example that first comes to mind is that the school here is much bigger.

Is the school easier or harder than back home?

Easier Is there anything you have here that you don’t have back home?

I don’t have language problems back home. I’m more free and can do more.

What do you miss most about home?

My friends and my girlfriend.

by kyle becher // photos by tomos ridenhour Rane Crawford senior Nathan Witters junior Anne DeArmond sophomore

shuffle

Is there anything you don’t like about America?

In the beginning when I arrived in the summer, I felt it was too hot. The food isn’t healthy.

[NEWS]

with new changes come new faces

Anna Eschrich freshman

“Destroyer of the Universe” -Amon Amarth “Put You In A Song” -Keith Urban “Redneck Yacht Club” -Craig Morgan “I Like It” -Enrique Iglesias

“November Has Come” -Gorillaz “Problem” -Chris Webby “Working on a Tan” -Brad Paisley “Opposite of Adults” -Chiddy Bang

“In One Ear” -Cage the Elephant

“Heads Up” -Bassnectar

“Dear Professor” -The Dean’s List

“Teach You To Fly” -Wiz Khalifa

“Keep On Loving You” -Steel Magnolia

“Never Gonna Leave This Bed” -Maroon 5

“I Like The Way It Feels” -Enrique Iglesias

“Jacuzzi” -Chiddy Bang

ISSUE 2 THE EPIC 3

Epic Staff

A Golden Anniversary Anyone who has been around West lately has noticed a buzz in the air, a buzz that is totally unique to this year. Signs hang proudly on the wall announ cing West’s fifty anniversary. You might wonder What’s all this hoopla about? Why should this be important to me? Where do I fit into all of this?

You only turn fifty one time. That’s why it’s a huge deal for people, especially when it comes to birthdays. It’s a time to look back and celebrate on everyth ing you’ve accomplished. That’s why the homecoming theme of West’s 50th Birthday Bash, no matter how cheesy it may seem at first glance, is perfect. Current students, staff, and alumni have the chance to come back, reflect, and celebrate who we are as a school.

The festivities of homecoming definitely gave us a chance to have a good time. Many different groups of students, staff, and alumni rode on creative, fun floats to go along with the birthday bash theme. Throngs of students and alumni took part in the special activities and excitement of the homecoming game. And keeping with the decades-long tradition of the homecoming dance alive, hundreds of students had a ball dressing their best and cutting a rug just as students of years past have done.

We go to school everyday without realizing the history that lives in the halls of West.

That hallway under the bridge you just walked through? There used to be no classrooms there, and students could walk right under the bridge. That gym you just entered? Hundreds of gut-busting wind-sprints, invigorating pep assemblies, and nail-biting games have all taken place there. That bathroom you just walked out of?

Thousands of kids have...you get the picture. Crazy to think about, huh?

We need to realize that each and every one of us Vikings is an importa nt piece of something way bigger than each of us alone. All the tests we take, the sports we play, the performances we put on are a crucial piece of a legacy that has lasted half a century.

It’s our job to find out how we as individuals, four unique classes, and one student body can make our lasting own impact on this place we call home. Now that is something to celebrate.

[OPINION]

Editorial Board co editors-in-chief tim dodderidge alex leininger assistant/sports editor joshua smith photo editor landon ochsner news editor connor henderson features editor molly norburg copy/opinion editor terri harvey a&e editor molly smith staff writers abby banning kyle becher jenny brown marleah campbell erin feller andy gottschalk claire hug erica hui jordan johnson hayden lasalle ryan miller marina sarkisova lauren scobee natalie stephens photographers madeline frankel jonah heng kendra hoffman ryan lansdon sarah mcgreevy tomos ridenhour aaron roberts cartoonist garrett wilson adviser amy morgan The “Epic” is the newspaper of Shawnee Mission West, 8800 W. 85th St., Overland Park, KS 66212. It is produced by a staff of high school journalists dedicated to the principles of journalism: to present facts and occurrences truthfully and without bias. Articles of opinion or analysis are labeled and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff and/or the publication.

In accordance with Kansas law, the “Epic” staff is entitled to freedom of the press. Neither the West administration nor the SMSD are responsible for any article, advertisement, photograph,, illustration or opinion piece in the “Epic”.

The “Epic” encourages letters to the editor, but they must be signed and submitted to room 11. The “Epic” is published bimonthly. It is printed by the Kansas City Star and is distributed free of charge to students. For advertising information call (913) 993-7911.

ISSUE 1 THE EPIC 4

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ISSUE 2 THE EPIC 5

[OPINION]

simply dandy

by andy gottschalk

reader’s woes

For many, getting back in the routine of school is hard because their summers were spent sleeping in and watching too much reality television. They complain for the first month of school about how much work they have and how they have no time to complete it.

I have similar complaints, but I’m not yearning to return to the tube to watch a marathon of Teen Mom. I want back all the books I was able to read, and the many that I still want to read.

I’m aware that this is very lame, seeing as most people look forward to the break as a time to take in as little knowledge as possible and absorb as much mindless trash TV as they can. I know how this makes me look - a creepy boy who spends his summers checking off books from his extensive reading list.

My sun-kissed skin is the result of too many hours laying on a hammock in my backyard. My callused hands are not the product of a summer spent playing, but turning pages every minute or so. One might mistake me for actually having done something this summer, but don’t be fooled.

I guess there’s something not socially conventional about restricting yourself from any contact with real people and staying home for hours on end just to finish some of your favorite literature? I don’t know. But to me, it is bliss. Just like some find pure enjoyment from a great conversation or some extra rest, I have a feeling of absolute happiness when I finish a good book. And I miss that feeling.

School has ironically enough restricted me from getting my reading done. Now back in a seven hour routine, I am no longer being rewarded for exploring literature outside of the class curriculum.

In a way, I’m actually getting punished. I’m spending approximately 23 hours of the day working on homework, attempting to get anything more than five hours of sleep, and loathing the fact that I no longer have the free time I once so enjoyed.

I’m lucky enough to spend a few hours on weekends to return to my aloof state of confinement. I call it a break. I suppose that reading after a week of schoolwork isn’t that relaxing, but when you enjoy what you read, it’s pretty nice.

Others are out on their weekends eating dinner with friends, going to parties. You know, normal stuff. While they’re having their extravaganzas, I’m spending some time with my friends - Vonnegut, Sedaris, Franzen - some literary icons that I follow religiously. We too are talking, but it’s more just me listening to them, and I don’t think that’s very social.

Don’t get me wrong - I have somewhat of a life, right? It’s just that reading is... a hobby?

I’m going to stop writing about this before I embarrass myself any more. I hope you don’t think I’m completely insane, and I’ll think the same about you.

6 THE EPIC ISSUE 2

the

harvey

chronicle

by terri harvey

psychic friends

I constantly find myself watching re-runs of my favorite shows, talking to the same people, and generally doing the same things over and over again. Life seems to be layed out in a boring rut in which everyone must fall into to keep their day-to-day lives going well. Repetition is just inevitable, but so are new experiences.

“Monk” used to be, and probably still is, one of my favorite shows. I watched it religiously: every day, every episode, and every season. It is centered around a very intelligent, troubled detective, Adrian Monk, who’s life goal is to find the man who murdered his wife, Trudy.

Sadly, the series ended last year, and for anyone who’s wondering, he did find the killer. Though before the tragic loss of this series, the brilliant people at USA predicted this incredible upset and began to prime their audience by creating another, similar, series.

A few seasons before my beloved “Monk” stopped airing, a new show had appeared almost as its partner in crime(that should be funny because both shows are about detectives).

Psych proved to be a great following act to “Monk”; a delicious, fluffy dessert after the full meal and dryer comedy of “Monk”.

For anyone who is not already familiar with this fantastic series, “Psych” is focused

on the zany Shawn Spencer and his best friend/ side-kick Gus who together, began their own private, psychic investigating business appropriately named, Psych. They, somewhat, work with the Santa Barbara police department to solve various, special cases. “Psych” is clearly directed toward a younger crowd than “Monk” was, and is more of a comedy based plot, whereas “Monk” is following the cases more closely with their personal lives as an afterthought and “Psych” does more of the opposite.

Soon “Psych” was the only one left standing to fulfill my need for comedic cops, and I’m sure the needs of many others. Anyways, the newest season of Psych recently began, with the first episode “Shawn Rescues Darth Vader”, to replace the monotonous re-runs of the past few months and add a little excitement to the boring rut.

Sometimes in life you just have to realize that change is coming eventually and if you’re in a rut it’s probably only for the moment. Different exeriences only improve life, and sometimes you may even find yourself missing the old activities, or people, you considered to be run-of-the-mill before.

But for these lesser matters of terminated shows it’s much easier to cherish the past and move on to the future. I guess I’ll just have to try to get over my former love, “Monk”, to create a proper space in my heart for “Psych”. Like many other great things in life, popular shows must end and bring on mountains of depression, but usually an equally good, or maybe even better, situation comes along as well. The mundane eventually changes, and sometimes it’s so shocking that it seems impossible to assimilate. Don’t let changes, or losses, get you down though; a fluffy dessert might just be around the corner to delight you(and is probably more attractive than Tony Shalhoub).

by

the intimidator by tim dodderidge

the best advice I ever got

the

leininger lexicon

by alex leininger

college? yeesh..

As I sit here pondering the “most important decision of my life” for the 1,386th time, I can’t help but wonder why it has to be this hard. The big college search has really excited me, but overall, it’s just been one big hassle.

First topic: the school website. When going on to the school’s website, you will notice a few things. Undoubtedly, the school will claim it is the best in the nation in multiple categories (so are all the colleges tied for first...or what?), and how it will change your life forever (but honestly, where do I find the college that doesn’t change my life?). The shiny, colorful layout and the smiling, multiethnic students on the main page will be quite an attention-grabber. But I warn you, don’t fall into their tricky little trap. Search the website for the information that really matters. Unfortunately, the cost will probably end up being one of the major reasons as to why you chose the school, so look for all of the fees, and head to the financial aid section. The school website is a huge asset, but you need to use it correctly.

One thing I’ve noticed is that when asked about their school activities, most highschoolers say the team/club atmosphere is the best part. This same idea applies to college,

which is why it is important to make a college visit. Not only will the visits give you tons of information about the college, it will also give you the opportunity to visualize yourself actually attending. I have made a formal visit to two colleges, Mizzou and Drake, and they have consequently become my top two choices (if you’re reading this...cough cough). You will spend quite a bit of time on your college campus, so make sure you like it.

After you choose a few schools, you will have to apply, in order to see whether or not you meet the school’s “standards of excellence”. In all of the seemingly harmless questions on the application lie the true questions - the ones they really want the answer to. What makes YOU so special? Even though you’ve worked so hard throughout high school, why should we let you give us money so that you can walk on our sacred ground? It all seems dumb, but you have to put yourself in their shoes. With so many applicants each year, your GPA and test scores aren’t really enough to separate you from the rest. Colleges want kids that stand out, but not just for great grades and scores.

Really, I don’t know that much about college. In fact, I know very little. But the one thing I know for sure not only applies to college, but to the rest of your life. You need to find something to set yourself apart from most of your competition. The heroes we know from history are the ones that did something nobody had done before; something that changed the world for the better in some way. However, you don’t have to be in the history books to be a hero. Anyone with a job that benefits the community contributes to heroism in some way.

This is why we go to college - to get a job.

So no matter how ridiculous the whole college process seems, they’re really just trying to find the best person for their school, and in turn, the best person for the job.

[OPINION]

the drawing board: GARRETT WILSON

Sometimes I look back at my past to understand how it’s changed the present me. All of the events and moments have changed who I am as a person and how I look at life. And if it wasn’t for one guy, I don’t think my life would ever have turned out the same.

A little over a year ago, I went with my parents to a track meet - the Kansas Relays - to cheer on my fellow runners. There I met Billy Mills, the only American to ever win the 10K in the Olympics. The thing that was great about this moment was the fact that I was young and immature, and Mills was a man who had a lot to say.

Usually when meeting someone as famous and experienced as Mills was (he was 71 at the time), I would expect him to give me some well thought-out advice. And that’s exactly what he gave me: advice.

But these weren’t typical words of wisdom, like “dream big,” or “work hard.” He told me one sentence that I don’t think I’ll ever forget: “Reading is the most important thing you should do.” Reading?

Really? I didn’t expect him to tell me something like that. But then he continued his story. Mills described someone - someone just like me - who he motivated to become an author after his running career at Notre Dame was halted. The young college student kept with it. He wrote all the time, striving to finish his first book the following summer. Now he’s a published author, having written books such as “The Notebook” and “Dear John.” That man is Nicholas Sparks.

Now that I look back on it, I really took Mills’ advice to heart and lived it out. That summer, I started reading more. I read novels, magazines, online publications, anything and everything. Not only did I read more, but I enjoyed reading for the first time in a long time.

The language, the diction, the way the words were arranged, in such a creative manner that it was almost an adventure. That’s how the material I read was printed. I felt smarter, wiser. All of this will help me, no matter what profession I get into. In fact, I loved reading so much that I started writing. Eventually that led to the start of my own web blog, where I give my opinions on music. In addition to that, I became a “professional” writer, who may even be printed in magazines soon (pretty cool, eh?). A year and a half ago, I never would have thought I could be such a great writer. It’s because of reading.

You’ve probably been told that little statement in elementary school, day in and day out, that reading is important, but seriously, it is. Not only will it make you smarter, but it will prevent this crazy technological future from taking over our alreadyshort attention spans. Maybe it’ll help me become a writer someday. You never know; maybe I’ll end up just like Nicholas Sparks.

ISSUE 10 THE EPIC 7

[FEATURE]

SIDE

TEACHING ON THE

Second year science teacher brings experience from the Kansas State School for the Blind and Juvenile Detention Center // by tim dodderidge

W

hen science teacher John Taylor isn’t teaching...he’s teaching.

He has spent a lot of that time instructing outside of school, educating blind students and students at a juvenile detention center.

Before starting his first term as a full-time teacher at school last year, Taylor taught at the Johnson County Juvenile Detention Center. He has spent a lot of time teaching at the Kansas State School for the Blind. In fact, Taylor spends almost every summer teaching there.

“Three generations of my family have taught there, so it made it natural to be a summer job,” Taylor said.

His mother, grandmother, and sister have all taught at the School for the Blind. Taylor finds himself comfortable around the blind, which makes his job a lot easier.

“I’ve spent my entire life around the blind. A lot of people freak out; I don’t,” Taylor said.

A typical day at the school consists of normal classes, just like

THE BRAILLE ALPHABET:

8 THE EPIC ISSUE 2

a public high school. Most classes consist of three to five students, making it much easier to teach. But the main difference comes in the methods of teaching.

“You have to be ready to teach everything many different ways.

That’s the key,” Taylor said.

Taylor, who teaches math there, often uses different instruments of instruction, such as abacuses, braille, and tactile devices.

After college (Taylor attended Creighton University for his undergraduate degree and the University of Kansas for his degree in teaching), he searched for education-related openings, eventually signing as a temp at the Juvenile Detention Center, before eventually being hired for a full year term.

Taylor taught math and finance at the JDC. He was given the task of educating students who had been arrested recently.

“Depending on the kids arrested, I would be in charge of teaching them within the 48 hours that they were arrested all the way up until their court hearing,” Taylor said.

According to Taylor, the biggest challenge as a teacher there was the fact that students from all ages were coming in and out all the time.

“Some days were pretty difficult,” Taylor said. “Most new students weren’t always in the same grade, so I had to be ready to teach any year at any time.”

Every classroom consisted of mostly lightweight picnic tables and lawn chairs, to assure that students didn’t harm anyone.

“The classroom atmosphere was usually pretty angry, though security guards were usually stationed to keep the students clamped down,” Taylor said.

Between the school for the blind and the JDC, Taylor’s teaching experience has varied.

“It really will help him teach all different kinds of students,” senior Davis Clum, Physics I student, said.

Students enjoy the stories he shares about his teaching experiences outside of the regular realm of high school.

“I hope he stays for a long time,” senior Spencer Jones, Physics II student, said.

Wherever Taylor is teaching, he still strives to continue in an education field. As this is his second year teaching at a public school, he hopes his career lasts a long time.

Everyone has a story. This is the belief behind the series “300 words.” Each issue, a student or teacher is chosen at random and their story is told in 300 words. by molly smith

[FEATURE]

300

words

n i g n i R

Full Swing

You may have seen this 5’10” goofy girl out there in the middle of football field every Friday night in front of the loud, cheerful crowd.

When she is out there she is pursuing her number one passion: dancing.

Katie Ring, junior, has many interesting hobbies: like hanging out with her group of friends, listening to her favorite jams, and searching for squirrels in her backyard. Even though those things are all unique, her absolute favorite thing to do is dance.

“My favorite thing about dance is being able to express myself in all different ways. I can show my true, crazy self through dance,” Ring said.

She has been dancing since she was about six years old and is on the varsity dance team. Being one of only five sophomores to make the varsity squad last year, she has already accomplished a lot. However, she wants to continue improving her dance skills.

“My goal is to become better every day in dance and really work on my technique as much as possible,” Ring said.

According to Ring, being on varsity dance team is a whole different story compared to junior varsity.

“My freshman year, dance team was so easy. I kind of took it as a joke, but when I made varsity I was surprised at how different it was.

It was a lot harder than I thought it would be,” Ring said.

Being on varsity means she must dance in a lot more dances for Spring Show and have to compete more competitively at dance competitions in the spring.

“A typical varsity dance team practice involves a lot of practicing and running through dances until you’re so tired that you just want to go home and sleep,” Ring said.

However, Ring is glad to have been able to be a part of the team and meet the amazing people that she has.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY: AARON ROBERTS & JOSHUA SMITH

ISSUE 1 THE EPIC 9

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10 THE EPIC ISSUE 2

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SM West 2011

please recycle your Epic

[FEATURE]

the great college debate With rivalries set aside, seniors start deciding which colleges to attend next fall. by abby banning and erin feller // photos by kendra hoffman

TYLER RIGGS [iowa] Tyler Riggs, senior, has been a Nebraska Husker fan for as long as he can remember, but this coming fall he’s planning on attending the University of Iowa.

“I went on a college visit, and really liked the campus,” Riggs said.

There’s a lot of factors that go into a college decision. Some base it on sports teams, on-campus activities, or how far away it is from home.

“I liked that it was a big campus with lots of stuff to do and that it was known for sports. Plus it’s away from Kansas,” Riggs said.

Students like Riggs are starting to plan out majors and other college plans.

“I’m planning on studying chemical engineering and potentially playing baseball,” Riggs said.

The transition from a Husker to an Hawkeye may be a difficult one, but Riggs is excited for the change.

STEPHEN SHELTON [kansas state]

Senior Stephen Shelton was born into a divided house.

“My dad went to KSU but my mom went to KU,” Shelton said.

Opposed to his mom Stephen was attracted to KSU because of their Biotech program and the all around atmosphere of the campus.

“I liked that all of the teachers already cared about how well I fit in the college and wanted me to be successful there even if I’m still in high school,” Shelton said.

MCC and OCC were other schools that Shelton considered but he ended up deciding that KSU was the best choice for him.

“KSU is better than all of the other schools in the state because of the small town feel but at the same time it’s still relatively big,” Shelton said.

SKYLAR MANN [arkansas]

Skylar Mann, senior, is basing her college decision on her major; law.

The University of Arkansas offers instate tuition to Kansas school students with scores of a 24 or higher on the ACT. “I haven’t fully committed to Arkansas, I’m visiting soon, so I’ll make my decision after that,” Mann said.

Although Mann hasn’t decided for sure on what college she plans to attend, she already knows some of the activities she wants to get involved in.

“I’m planning on rooming with someone cool, and then joining a sorority,” Mann said.

With seven months left in the school year, Mann is prepared to make her final college decision. “ I’ll decide when I get there if I’m a Razorback or not, but until then I’m still a Jayhawk,” Mann said.

SARAH BASS [kansas]

Most kids have an idea of what college they will attend for many years before they make their actual decision, but not senior Sarah Bass.

“I didn’t want to go to KU until sophomore year.”

Sarah debated between other schools near home like Nebraska and Arkansas, but she made her decision after a college visit to the KU campus.

“I liked that it was a big school and that they have what I want to major in. Also it is close to home.”

Bass decided to attend KU mostly because of it’s size and location although she does not think that KU is the best of all the state schools.

ISSUE 2 THE EPIC 11

this is...

by marina sarkisova & natalie stephens

BOO! It’s October and that means Halloween is right around the corner. From ghosts to scary movies, to costumes and candy, Halloween is a popular holiday that both young and older people participate in. For some, getting dressed in different costumes is the best part, while others find the candy more appealing.

Cherys Eland, Senior “I design my costumes off of my mood. If I’m feeling goofy, I’ll dress like a nerd. If I feel sneaky, I dress like a robber. If I feel tomboy, I dress like a boy! If I feel old and boring, I dress like a grandma but I chose Batman because it had a cape. Most people avoid people who wear capes.”

Brett Sterbach, Junior “Dressing up as Hugh Heffner has been my all time favorite costume in the fact that he is my idol and I hope to be like him some day.”

Deana Sarkisova, Junior “I chose this costume because as a kid I always watched Wizard of Oz and loved her dress. I also loved going to farms so this costume was typical Kansas. I usually choose the costumes based off of movies.”

As Halloween approaches students begin to think of what they want to be this year.

Yeah, we’ve all had that pumpkin stage or that full-out dog costume, but as the years change the costumes people choose usually fit their personality and character.

A well known Halloween store that carries a wide variety of costumes is Spirit. Carrying many different brands of costumes and accessories, Spirit won’t disappoint when finding a costume.

“We don’t usually have one certain popular costume, it tends to be brands such as Leg Avenue for women, and boys usually come in asking for Marvel characters such as Spider Man,” Jeree Dickens, Spirit store manager said.

“My favorite costume would have to be when I was Hugh Heffner two years ago” Brett Sterbach said.

Everybody has their preference on costumes, some like to be their “idols”, while others, fictional characters.

“My favorite costume was a blow-up “flamingo rider”. It had blow up legs that made me look like I was riding it,” Cherys Eland, senior, said.

“I really wanted to be Lady GaGa last year but I didn’t really

know how I should dress like her. I didn’t want to wear a cardboard box or a package of meat on my head” Deana Sarkisova said.

Although some prefer a costume in a package, from Hugh Heffner to a blow up flamingo, there are those with a creative side who like to make their own. “my favorite part about dressing up is people’s reactions! I expect people to either laugh or be impressed with my costume” Eland said “I’ve never made a complete costume, but I cut a robber mask out of a t-shirt.”

“Hot add-on items for girls tend to be tutus and hosiery,” Dickens said “So many come in asking for them every year.”

Halloween isn’t just all about the costumes, it’s also about the candy and decorations too. Youre never too old to go trickor-treating.

“Oh and I am definitely going trick-or-treating this year, even if it’s on a Monday” Sterbach said.

Trick or treating is one thing, but some enjoy the decorating too.

“My favorite part about Halloween is definitely decorating, the candy is fun too” Sarkisova said.

[FEATURE]

open season Students and teachers alike find enjoyment in hunting. by jenny brown and claire hug Imagine sitting in forest, in a cut out tree trunk. There is a whitetailed deer, ready to get shot. BOOM. The gun fires. The deer is on the ground, and there is freshly shot dinner. This sounds like a video game, but for some it’s real life.

In this day and age, many people just sit on their butts and watch TV instead of spending time outside. Dylan Carter, writer’s workshop teacher, hunts because it connects him to nature.

“I love being outside and watching the snow fall down,” Carter said.

“I enjoy being so still that you become part of your environment.”

For many people, hunting runs in the family. Chris Sharp, sophomore, hunts with his dad and brothers. Kris Scheuerman, German teacher, also hunts with family members.

“I’ve gone hunting with my dad and uncle before,” Scheuerman said.

Some people don’t pick up hunting from their family, but from their friends.

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“I used to be a carpenter and in order to have anything to relate to those guys you had to hunt, and I fell in love with it,” Carter said.

There are many different ways to hunt and different weapons to use. Most people hunt with guns.

“I hunt with a 270 rifle,” Sharp said.

Carter has a completely different perspective on hunting. He hunts in a more traditional way.

“I hunt with a compound bow with 2 pulley systems; and depending on your strength and its draw weight, it can fly about 300 feet per second,” said Carter.

While people hunt with a variety of weapons, people in our area usually hunt the same types of animals.

“There’s big game hunting where you track and hunt big animals. There’s also deer and turkey hunting where you sit for a long time and wait for them,” Scheurman said.

Scheurman hunts birds like pheasant and quail, whereas Sharp and Carter hunt white-tailed deer.

Hunting can be a very dangerous sport. Hunters need to take a safety course to make sure they can hunt without injuring themselves or others.

Wearing bright colors and being sure to communicate with the other people in the group are other precautions.

“Make sure you don’t stay up too late the night before,” Carter said.

Attempting to hunt without any help can be very dangerous. Carter recommends finding a mentor that can teach the basics of hunting.

Hunting can be just for entertainment, but many people also eat what they kill.

“My buddy taught me how to butcher and skin it,” Carter said. “I eat all the deer I shoot.”

Carter likes to eat the backstraps with mashed potatoes.

“There’s something different about eating something you killed yourself,” Carter said.

“My favorite meal with hunted food is bacon-wrapped quail,” Scheuerman said. “Quail tastes like chicken.”

Hunting is a great way to become one with nature, get closer to family and friends, plus enjoy a delicious meal.

Dylan Carter, English teacher, uses a compound bow to hunt recreationally. PHOTO BY ERICA HUI

A CLOSE CALL

It is extremely important to be careful while hunting. Carter almost accidentally shot himself because of lack of sleep. He had taken off the safety because he had seen a deer, but decided not to shoot it. Putting the gun down, he leaned it against the tree. Unfortunately, he forgot to put the safety back on. As he went to put the safety on, his finger accidentally brushed the trigger. The gun fired right next to his head, but fortunately missed. The bark of the tree stand rained down on his head, but luckily Carter was uninjured.

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ISSUE 2 THE EPIC 15

[SPORTS]

freeze frame

just joshua by joshua smith

#sports-talk Undeniably it’s true that social networks have expanded their popularity. There is promotion of sites like Facebook, Twitter, and the up and coming Google + on TV commercials, magazine ads, and even the radio.

The ability to let people know what’s on your mind at any second is at your fingertips, whether you are a politician, musician, or even an athlete.

I personally am all for social networks. I find it useful to keep in touch with friends, and helpful for spreading out the news to my supporters (I don’t like to call them fans) about my music. As most people I’m sure can agree, sites like Facebook are far from the best source to helping you get your homework done though. (Hence the reason why this column is taking so long to write).To make my point made sites like these can easily become a distraction from any task.

There is a limit put on what I post, because honestly I don’t want everybody knowing every little thing going on in my life. A thought I often find myself thinking is, “do athletes ever do this as well?” I have already learned from being a witness that those addicted to social networking are those that have to create posts or tweets all the time. Sports people have commonly been known for this, for instance professional football player Chad Ochocinco when declaring the changing of his name for the fiftieth time, and owner of the Dallas Mavericks Mark Cuban when posting about a bad call that he thought a referee had made. All of it makes me wonder where we draw the line.

Organizations like the NBA and the NFL have already made rules on social networking for their establishments. For example the NBA has a rule that you may not post in what is known as the “blackout window,” 45 minutes before and after a game. In addition the NHL has recently declared that you may not post two hours before a game, during a game, and not until all other media obligations are fulfilled after a game.

Violations of these rules can result in fines for the franchise, and possibly towards the athlete.

As a journalist, I believe in freedom of speech, and I feel like there shouldn’t be rules on this. With the exception of maybe tweeting during a game or something, I would have to say let the people say what they want, as long as it’s appropriate for themselves and the franchise.

I’ve been desperately trying not to check my newsfeed while writing this but the thought of wasting my time in pure enjoyment is inevitable. For now I must sign off. Let this be my form of protesting against the social networking rules. Who knows maybe my one little action could make a difference even though #I’mJustJoshua.

16 THE EPIC ISSUE 2

Seniors Geovondie Hough and Whitney Crow enjoy the moment after being crowned homecoming king and queen during halftime at the football teams’ homecoming game.

PHOTO BY AARON ROBERTS

a positive imPACT

A new program for identifying concussions finds a home at West. by molly norburg

The crunch of a tackle. The thump of a soccer kick. The whoosh of a punch. The crack of a bat. These are the sounds that an athlete may hear seconds before sustaining a concussion, one of sport’s most common injuries. A new system of identifying concussions, called imPACT, has been implemented at West.

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that is most often caused by a blow to the head. Concussions can alter the way your brain functions, causing discrepancies in memory, balance, concentration, or coordination. Although its effects are often temporary, serious concussions can result in permanent brain damage.

Concussions are most common in the sport of football. A 2000 survey found that more than 60% of retired NFL players sustained a concussion at some point in their career.

Between 1.6 and 3.8 million sports-related concussions occur ever year and it has been proved that an athlete who suffers a concussion is three to six times more likely to sustain a second concussion than the average player.

In the NFL, stricter punishments have been given to athletes who commit the illegal helmet-to-helmet tackle that often results in a concussion. The U.S. Congress even conducted a hearing that investigated the precautions (or lack thereof) taken by the NFL regarding concussions. Here at West, athletic trainer Megan Hampel has pushed for several years now for a more effective means of diagnosing or identifying concussions.

“I strongly suggested it [imPACT testing],” Hampel said. “I tried to get it last year but I didn’t have good backing or support.”

But Hampel kept pushing, and a new pro-

gram, called imPACT was implemented this year. “imPACT tests the neurocognitive function of an athlete,” Hampel said.

Athletes are now required to take the imPACT test before beginning their sport’s season. imPACT analyzes reaction time, spacial recognition, and memory recall. Using these responses, the test establishes a benchmark score that is recorded as the player’s normal mental capacity. When a trainer believes that an athlete may have sustained a concussion, they need only to compare the player’s results to their benchmark score.

To take the initial test, players take a 20-minute computer assessment. Grant Hoofnagle, senior, is a defender for the boys’ soccer team who recently sustained a concussion during a game. “[To take the imPACT test] I had to do a bunch of stuff on the computer, like memorization of shapes and numbers,” Hoofnagle said.

After getting kicked in the head by an opposing player, Grant was pulled to the sideline and asked a number of questions.

“I had to list all my symptoms, if I had dizziness, nausea, trouble focusing, if I remembered what happened, and then I had to follow a light with my eyes,” Hoofnagle said.

According to Hoofnagle, the test did not matter much because afterwards, he went to his family doctor to get the concussion diagnosed. But for Hampel, imPACT testing makes life much easier.

“It has been very helpful to me because it is a better way to manage concussions,” Hampel said.

Freshman Caroline Miller juggles dramatic changes in her life. by madeline frankel Freshman Caroline Miller continues with her love for gymnastics after injuries and many changes in her life throughout the past couple of months.

After recently transferring from Holy Trinity Catholic School to Shawnee Mission West, Miller joined the freshman cheerleading squad and made the varsity gymnastics team, as her way at trying to get used to the life of public schooling.

“It was scary coming from private school to public because it’s so much bigger. There are so many more people and there is a lot more drama, but it’s not as bad as I thought it would be,” Miller said.

MIller started gymnastics about eleven years ago at Emerald City Gymnastics then moved to Kansas Gymnastics Dance and Cheer, KGDC. She was a part of a competitive gymnastic team for almost 10 years, but was forced to quit last year due to a series of injuries.

“It was a lot of time and my injuries were getting out of control. I have a stress fracture in my wrist, I got it about two years ago and then I had a cast and then I tried to do gymnastics again and it started hurting then I got another cast, then when I got it off it was still hurting, so I had to quit,” Miller said.

Miller was not sure about joining the school gymnastics team but her friends convinced her it would be a fun, good way to stay in shape.

During club gymnastics Miller had to practice 23 hours a week.

“I would definitely have Caroline in school gymnastics,” Michelle Dixion, Miller’s mother said, “Caroline seems to have more fun now than she did in the last couple of years of club gymnastics.

It can get very expensive with monthly tuition fees and traveling. There is also more potential for injuries with the 20 plus hours a week of practice and mus-

Miller really enjoys being on the varsity team as a freshmen.

“It’s a lot of fun being the only freshmen on varsity but it’s also kind of intimidating. It’s my first season on high school gymnastics, club and high school rules and scoring are totally different, so it’s hard to get used to,” Miller said.

Miller’s friend junior Emily Eddins said that Miller is very serious about gymnastics. She has been doing it for a long time so she is really good.

“She [Caroline] is probably one of the best on the team so her scores help the team a lot,” Eddins said.

So far this year Miller is not terribly proud of her performances but is really proud of the team. Everybody working really well together is a trait of the team that Miller believes will help her achieve her hopes of doing well at state this year.

Miller’s favorite event is floor excersize because she likes performing in front of everyone.

“I feel like it’s what everyone likes to watch and you don’t have anything to fall off of like you do on bars and beam,” Miller said.

According to Miller it’s very hard to balance being a cheerleader, varsity gymnast and student all at once, but she is thankful of her friends and family for helping her through it.

“Outside of school Caroline is relaxed and fun,” Austin Eck, Miller’s friend, said.

Eck has known Miller for about four years. They met at Emerald City where Eck is also a gymnast.

“I used to practice with Caroline and she was one of the best ones on the girls team,” Eck said.

Miller’s childhood friend, Meredith Clark, says that outside of school she is really fun to hang out with and she is really nice.

Caroline likes hanging out with friends and shopping when she’s not at gymnastics practice, cheering or doing homework.

“On the rare occasion that Caroline is at home, she is a talented multi-tasker. She can operate three screens at the same time, TV, computer, and her cell phone. She can also snack like a champ, right now Nutella and pretzel sticks are her current favorite,” Dixon said.

As a student new to public school, joining activities has really helped Caroline “get a grip” in high school.

[SPORTS]

getting a grip

cle conditioning.”

About the gymnast

PHOTO BY AARON ROBERTS

Inspirational Quote: “The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary “ Favorite Animal: Dolphin Celebrity Crush: Justin Bieber Favorite Class: English Pump Up Song: “All I Do Is Win” Biggest Dream: To marry someone rich, and to be successful in life

ISSUE 2 THE EPIC 17

[SPORTS]

sporting some new changes Sporting Kansas City resumes play amongst new modifications

written by // madeline frankel by marleah campbell

Sporting Kansas City goal keeper, Jimmy Nielsen keeps his eye on the ball during the game against the Philadelphia Soccer Club. PHOTO BY SARAH MCGREEVY Two of the most significant changes in Kansas City soccer history have recently shaped a season for the history books.

Celebrating their 16th year in Major League Soccer, Sporting Kansas City (previously known as the Kansas City Wizards) adopted a new name and moved into a new stadium.

Livestrong Sporting Park is a world-class, over $200 million soccer stadium which opened June 9th. This provides a home to the team who has been without a home stadium for 15 years. They played at a stadium built for football for 12 years and another built for baseball for three years.

“It is very important for a soccer team to have a real home,” Jimmy Nielsen, Sporting KC Goalkeeper, said.

Nielsen first came to the club in 2010 when Sporting KC was still the Wizards. He is a strong supporter of the Livestrong Stadium and the atmosphere it creates.

“The atmosphere of the new stadium is a huge advantage for us,” Nielsen said.

Seniors Kyle Wright and Anthony Balas are both fans of Sporting KC and have attended games at the new stadium. Both Wright and Balas agree that the new stadium provides a better place for Sporting KC fans to watch the team play.

“The new stadium holds more fans and creates a better atmosphere,” Wright said.

Fans like the stadium for a variety of reasons.

The stadium is able to hold 18,467 people and is

18 THE EPIC ISSUE 2

equipped with six locker rooms, 300 HDTVs, and 36 suites. The playing surface is natural grass with a SubAir™ under-soil heating and cooling system. Wright’s favorite part of the new stadium is how close fans are to the field.

On the east and west sides of the stadium, fans in the first row are just 16 feet away from the action.

“My favorite part about going to the games is that every seat in the stadium is a really good seat,” Balas said.

Along with the new stadium came a new name, Sporting KC. The team adopted this name last November.

Fans differentiate on their opinion of the change in name. Wright prefers the name Wizards over Sporting KC. At first, Balas didn’t like the change. Now that he has gotten used to it, he favors the new name.

“The new name has given the team a new identity,” Balas said.

For Nielsen, the new name took some time to get used to. For a while he would accidentally call the team the Wizards instead of Sporting KC. Nielsen believes that the new name is good on the international scale as it can be recognized from all over.

“If you want to be big, you have to have an international name like Sporting Kansas City,” Nielsen said.

In addition to the new name and new stadium, Sporting KC has also been recognized for their success in games so far this season.

Triumph on the field has gotten fans excited for a potential playoff run. Both Wright and Balas agree that success in the postseason is likely and expect the team to make the playoffs.

Despite starting off with a 1-5-1 record, Sporting KC is now competing to clinch the top spot of the Eastern Conference.

“We didn’t start very well; now we’re on top,” Nielsen said.

Nielsen thinks the team has a good chance of making the playoffs and hopes to win the MLS Cup. Wright and Balas agree that the new stadium houses a passionate fan base which provides an ideal environment for fans to enjoy soccer.

“All of the fans really care about soccer,” Wright said.

As for Nielsen, the new stadium and outstanding fans create the ideal atmosphere to play soccer.

“I feel so proud when I step onto the field,” Nielsen said.

Individual Stats

Most Goals: Kei Kamara, Teal Bunbury, Omar Bravo (9) Shots: Kei Kamara (28) Saves: Jimmy Nielsen (74) Yellow Cars: Aurelien Collin (10) Assists: Graham Zusi (7)

2011 Season Team Stats Goals: 49 Shots: 461 Shots on Goal: 155 Assists: 35 Penalty Kick Goals: 4 Fouls Committed: 414 Games Played: 33 Home Record: 9-2-6 Away Record: 3-7-6

staff members pick which football teams they think will do the best written by // joshua smith & ryan miller

N F L

B I G 12

Garrett Wilson cartoonist Team: Baltimore Ravens Regular Season Record: 12- 4 “Common Ravens are excellent acrobatic flyers on par with falcons and hawks.”

Kyle Becher Staff Writer Team: Oklahoma State Regular Season Record: 11 - 1 “The cowboys are too fast, and have too good of an offense to be stopped.”

Landon Ochsner Photo Editor/Photographer Team: Pittsburgh Steelers Regular Season Record: 12 - 4 “They’ve done alright so far, all they need to do is keep doing what they’re doing.”

Hayden Lassalle Staff Writer Team: Kansas State Regular Season Record: 9 - 3 “They have a shot, and have gotten off to a good start. I’d look out for Oklahoma State though.”

by ryan miller

[SPORTS]

staff football

ryan’s rants outspoken crowds

Before I get started I want to say I have respect for all the administrators with the exception of one thing.

I feel like they do a great job running our school and making sure it’s a positive place for everyone, but I feel where the problem with their authority lies, is with freedom. I feel like we need more freedom at all west sporting events.I understand there has to be some rules and restrictions as to what our behavior can be while representing the school at games, but as students and fans we need to have a longer “leash” to express and support our friends and classmates..

In each of my first three years at West during football games when West would score a touchdown two or three seniors would run west flags up and down the sidelines to celebrate the Vikings success on the field.

This year my friends and I tried to keep the flag tradition alive but we were told at the first game that we would be kicked out if we ran with the flags like the students that came before us had. WHY I ask? All we are trying to do is keep a tradition alive, support the football team, and promote school spirit. Also, I think they need to realize that this is our personal high school experience and our chance to make memories at this school, by them having so many restrictions it is limiting our chances at doing just that.

At the beginning of the year my friends Anthony Balas and Charlie King-Hagen decided that they were going to wear West colored full-body spandex suits at the football games. After the first game in their lively suits, they were called to the office and were told that they could only wear the suits if they don’t zip them up all the way and keep their heads uncovered. Wearing the suits isn’t near as cool if they can’t cover their heads, and I understand they want to see peoples faces at games to make sure they are being safe and are actually students at West. Wouldn’t having the two of them check in with an administrator at the beginning of the game to make sure they are safe and that it’s them be a fair compromise? So after they were to check in with them they could zip up their suits completely during the game.

You can call me cynical but I think it’s a bit hypocritical that we get accused for not having good spirit but also have so many restrictions on what we can and can’t do/say. After all of these instances the administration has tried to help in some ways, but in their help new limitations have only been added to the mix.

Okay phewww, my rant is over but after all of that I’m here to ask, can the student body and the administration work together to meet halfway to help resolve some of this? Or will the crowds that are supposed to be loud and fun, continue to be outspoken for this year and years to come?

ISSUE 2 THE EPIC 19

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autumn airtime: fall tv preview With a number of new shows and new casts, television this fall is primed to be good. by lauren scobee Up All Night: NBC, Wednesday 8/7p starring- Christina Applegate, Maya Rudolph, Will Arnett.

Up All Night is one of the many new shows there are this fall.

It’s a comical series about a young couple who just had their first child. The mom, Regan(Christina Applegate) works for a talk show studio. Her best friend and boss, Ava, is a character that is not too bright. Ava kind of offsets the parenting aspects to add a little light ‘ is she really that dumb’ comedy. Nick Cannon also plays a cameo in the show at perfect times to make everyone’s day.

Whitney: NBC, Thursday 9:30/8:30p starring- Whitney Cummings, Chris D’Elia, Rhea Seehorn Two and a Half Men: CBS Mondays 9/8p starring- Jon Cryer, Angus T. Jones, Ashton Kutcher Vampire Diaries: CW, Thursdays 8/7p starring- Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder

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Criminal Minds: CBS, Wednesday 9/8p starring- Shemar Moore, Thomas Gibson, Matthew Gray Gubler Many things are new to Criminal Minds this season. First of all Emily Prentis is back, turns out she’s not dead after all. Issues are having to get worked out with the team after her return this season.Another big thing is that Jennifer Jareau is officially back with the BAU at Quantico after being transferred. On a side note, what’s up with Reid’s hair?

The Office: NBC, Thursday 9/8p starring- Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer There are big changes this season to The Office. Now that Steve Carrell (Michael Scott) is gone as the regional manager of Scranton there was the big question of who would replace him. In the season premier they showed that James Spader will be the new manger. But of course there has to be a catch, he turns out refusing the title of the regional manager and talks the CEO out of her own job and consequently, Andy becomes the new manager. There will be two new babies on the show this year. Both Pam and Angela are pregnant so this will be a recurring theme in the plot this year.

Modern Family: ABC, Wednesdays 9/8p starring- Sofia Vergara, Julie Bowen, Tye Burrell New Girl: FOX, Tuesdays 9/8p starring- Zooey Deschanel, Max Greenfield, Hannah Simone American Horror Story: FX, Wednesday 10/9p starring- Connie Britton, Evan Peters, Taissa Farmiga Psych: USA, Wednesday 10/9p starring- James Roday, Dulé Hill, Timothy Omundson

20 THE EPIC ISSUE 2

[A&E]

pesky preparation

The cast and crew of Kill Me, Deadly worked on a short schedule to produce the school’s fall play. by alex leininger “Kill Me, Deadly”, the title of this year’s fall play, aptly describes not the plot, but the preparation of the play.

The dark comedy was put on in a very short amount of time, which was a new experience for most cast members. The thespians put tons of time and effort into the play, “killing” themselves to get the job done.

“Kill Me, Deadly” revolves around Charlie Nickels, a private detective in Los Angeles. All is well until one of his clients is murdered and a big diamond is stolen, causing Nickels and his secretary, Ida, to go on an adventure to find the culprit. The detective meets a wide variety of characters on the way, adding to some of the play’s situational humor.

“It [the play] is a noir comedy and is one of the funniest plays I know. High schoolers seem to enjoy light humored and exciting plays,” Trenna Keltner, sophomore said. “I played Ida, the bad girl. It was fun to have to be seductive and evil for the character.”

Charlie Nickels, played by junior Garrett Viets, offers most of the play’s dialogue.

“Charlie is described in the original script as a “hard-bitten P.I.” in his mid30s, or what we high-schoolers would know as a player. Charlie’s lines include page-long or longer monologues, fast-paced dialogues, sexual innuendos, dry humor, and more,” Viets said.

The character contributes to the dark, dry aspects of the play, getting into tactless brawls and taking advantage of women. While he is not considered a “bad guy” type of character, Charlie Nickels is a different type of leading man than seen in most high school productions.

“At risk of sounding absolutely horrible - please understand it’s all acting this was a very fun role. Honestly, the less like one’s real persona a character is, the more challenging and fun the role is to develop and portray,” Viets said.

With only four weeks of rehearsal and preparation, the cast had significantly less time to fully develop their characters, not to mention form an entire production. Along with learning their own parts, cast members also had to work with the stage crew on blocking (the position of the actors on stage at any given time), costumes, props and makeup. However, the most difficult part of preparation for many of the cast members was memorizing lines.

“The memorization was by far the most difficult part of this production for me. It was hard to keep up with homework from my AP classes without letting down my fellow cast members who were counting on me to know my lines,” Viets said.

Michael Reiff, director of the theatre department, overlooked the cast and crew during production.

“There is a lot of prep work that goes into the show, including picking a show that would be good for a high school audience. Then there’s the casting element, and working with the actors to create memorable scenes and lines.

Casting is done by the production team, which consists of myself, Art Winter the tech director, and sometimes another person,” Reiff said.

The little preparation time was a different and sometimes stressful experience for all involved in the play, but ended up working well with the uniqueness of the play.

“For the last five or six years our fall play was put on in October, but this year we performed in September, so we really had to push the fast-forward button and be much faster preparation wise,” Reiff said.

The characters in the play were also different from what most of the actors were used to playing. Although it was a difficult transition, many of the actors saw it as a new opportunity..

“This character was totally different than anything I had played before, and it sounded like it would be fun,” Keltner said.

Overall, the play met the high standards of the theatre department.

“I think it went over really well. It was different kind of play that most people probably hadn’t seen before, so the audience probably didn’t know what to

expect. But it was a fun experience, and it played well,” Reiff said.

Despite how well all of the theatre department worked together, a lot of them came from different backgrounds. Starting at different times and in different situations, they managed to pull together and make a solid production.

“I first started in theatre when I auditioned for the school play my sophomore year. Ever since I have been involved in theatre in some way, whether it be acting or directing,” Reiff said.

Naturally, the director has the most experience, and guides the actors and set toward how they feel the play should be. But the actors and set are just as important, and need to bring their experience together as well.

“I have been involved with the SMW Theatre Department since my freshman year, 2009, when I auditioned for Wait Until Dark. Although I was not cast, I became very devoted to the tech crew, the group of students who create the set and design the lights and sound,” Viets said.

“Since then, I have auditioned for six shows (including Kill Me Deadly) and been cast in all six. My largest role before Kill Me Deadly was as Detective Sergeant Trotter in The Mousetrap last year (my Sophomore year). I love theatre for the family, friends and fun it entails. Theatre provides a fantastic outlet for creative energy and we love the give and take of each other’s talent we are able to enjoy on the stage.”

Charlie Nickels and Ida, played by Garrett Viets and Trenna Keltner, perform a scene from the play in front of a large audience. PHOTO BY AARON ROBERTS.

ISSUE 2 THE EPIC 21

[A&E]

facebook vs. google + Jsmith and LandO try to prove why they think their social networks are the best. by joshua smith & landon ochsner

Google +

facebook Introduction: Ever since 2004, the year Facebook was founded, the popularity of social networks has grown. With more than 800 million users, other socialk networks have thrived to steal its thunder, one of these being Google+.

Here is why I think Facebook can still handle its own.

Interface

Pros: The interface is very clean and comfrtable.

Convenienent tabs for all features like viewing your personal profile, messages, events and others are clearly positioned to the left and out of the way.

Cons: Facebook is strongly supported by ads which keeps the site a free service. Sometimes ads can be annoying.

Pros: In my opinion Facebook has the staple of newsfeeds in the social network community.

The layout is clean and easy to scroll through.

Cons: The new recent update now smushes the two seperate newsfeeds of “Top News” and “Most Recent” together, and puts a triangle in the top left corner of the post.

Friends

Pros: Friends are easy to get, whether you are a social person or not. Its easy as a click to send a friend request to a friend. With a recent update you can now organize your friends as close friends, acquaintances, and many others.

From this you can now change who can see what posts.

Cons: Being that I also have Google+ I like the ability to create my own groups of my friends.

With this new update on Facebook this is not an option.

Messaging

Pros: Chatting is now fifty times easier with the new bar on the right. Here friends that you mostly interact with are posted there, with all of your other friends listed below. This makes it easier to always stay in touch with your closest friend. Video chat is also available with groups of up to 10 people!

Cons: Messages tend to have glitches involved with them. I personally have gotten constant notifications that I have a message but it turns out there isn’t one

22 THE EPIC ISSUE 2

PP

Landon Ochsner - October 21, 2011 - Public Introduction: Launched on June 28, 2011, Google Plus or Google+ is marketed as “re-thought for the web”. Just barely out of its testing stage, it is host to more than 50 million unique users around the world and already takes in 13% of American adults. The fledgling project has grown faster than any other social network in history and is expected to be a real competitor to Facebook.

Joshua Smith

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VS.

Interface - October 21, 2011 - Public Pros: The Google+ interface is a very simplistic theme done in the style of Google, white background with few colors.

Organized into a “Stream” and “profile”, Google+ is not too different from Facebook Cons: Although Google+ has features that Facebook doesn’t most of the site seems all too familiear. Google+ doesn’t stray far from the Facebook layout at all.

Stream - October 21, 2011 - Public Pros: The main user interface, dubbed “Stream” by Google+, is set up in a very easy to read, organized way.

Users have the ability to “+1” a post. +1’ing is equivalent to “liking” a post in Facebook.

Cons: Google+ is designed in traditional Google format, plain and utilitarian. Not much to look at, the layout is gets boring quickly.

Circles - October 21, 2011 - Public Pros: Google+ uses a system of groups called “circles” in which you can organize your friends and acquaintances.

Fully customizable, the user has the ability to place people in whatever circle they choose. Once the circles are organized, the user can choose to selectively share statuses between circles, picking who can and can’t see it.

Cons: The circle system has very few flaws. The user can choose to follow people without the other persons approval. Therefore, circles fill up quickly with follows.

Messaging - October 21, 2011 Pros: Google+ does have a traditional messaging format, similar to email, but it also has a feature called a “hangout”. A user may start a hangout with up to 9 friends. While in the hangout, each person can video and voice chat with one another and watch the same Youtube videos simultaneously.

Cons: The “hangout” controls are a tad compicated, confusing, and take time to get used to.

the best of local arts and entertainment in the kansas city metro area

“Moneyball” is a true story about how baseball changed forever. by hayden lassalle

taylor swift -rachel stamm, senior plaid -nick perrin, freshman cross country -jeffrey pots, freshman

by molly smith

the Boston Red Sox, and his salary would make him the highest paid General Manager of all time, you will have to see for yourself if he betrays the A’s and goes to a team eager for a General Manager that can get them to the World Series or stay with the A’s to hopefully make his team of nobodies all champions one day.

I predict ‘’Moneyball’’ scores big when movie award season comes around. Aaron Sorkin who co-wrote ‘’Moneyball’’ and last year wrote the hit movie ‘’The Social Network” has always been a fan favorite to film critics. Some are even saying it could be the best baseball movie ever, which is saying a lot because that mean it beats the 1989 classic ‘’Major League’’ I’ve been really excited to see this movie ever since I heard it was in production a little over a year ago and I am happy to say I actually liked this movie , not because I’m a huge baseball fan but rather because this movie was nicely done, for a baseball movie that focused more on the business side of the game they really had a way of keeping my attention every second and I think part of the reason was because Brad Pitt played the role of his character very well, with him being aggressive it looked like he has been a GM before, and Jonah Hill and Brad Pitts chemistry together make their characters come to life a little more and can be funny at times. It really catches your attention and keeps you wanting to watch, which can be hard to do in a movie based on a true story. Also if your a Kansas City Royals fan seeing their interpretation of classic Royals players like Joe Randa and Mike Sweeney taking on the Athletics is well worth the price of admission.

I think this movie is worth full price even if your not a baseball fan, love or hate the sport, ‘’Moneyball’’ gets all A’s.

or

You don’t even have to like baseball to be a fan of this movie.

The World Series is upon us, so why not go see a baseball movie? ‘’Moneyball’’ has enough detail to captivate any sports fan and enough heart to attract the average movie goer.

The film follows the true story of the struggling Oakland Athletics in the early 2000s and their general manager Billy Beane played by Brad Pitt ( ‘’Troy’’, ‘’Mr. and Mrs. Smith’’ ). The movie is based on the book titled ‘’Moneyball’’ by Michael Lewis who also wrote the hit book ‘’The Blind Side’’ based on the story of the Baltimore Ravens Offensive Tackle Michael Oher. ‘’Moneyball’’ begins with the Athletics or ‘’A’s for short’’ final game of the 2001 playoffs losing to the New York Yankees, and then following the loss they also lose their star players to bigger teams with more money. In doubt of going to the playoffs ever again Beane picks up an assistant ‘’Peter Brand’’, played by Jonah Hill (‘’Superbad’’, ‘’Get Him to the Greek’’ ) who has the idea to change the game by using math to pick up underrated players who get on base other than overrated big name players who hit several homeruns. One of these players being Scott Hatteberg, a worn down catcher Billy signs to play first base. With all the changes the Oakland Athletics can no longer be taken seriously by sports fans, but Billy still believes their idea will work.

There is not much negative to say about this movie except for the parts when they were away from the action and showed him and his daughter. I felt this was only put into the movie to add more drama to the fact that he was facing the hardship of being divorced and living far away from her.

The movie ends with The Oakland Athletics making it to the playoffs against the Minnesota Twins. After the season Billy is later offered a job as General Manager for

A&E

A&E IN KC

movie review: moneyball

CONCERT WATCH Mayday Parade- 10/29 @ 6:30pm Beaumont Club in KCMO All Time Low- 11/1 @ 7:30pm Beaumont Club in KCMO New Boys- 11/2 @ 6pm The Midland by AMC in KCMO The Scream Tour- 11/2 @ 6pm The Midland in KCMO Skrillex- 11/2 @ 9pm Liberty Hall in Lawrence The Dirty Heads- 11/6 @ TBA The Midland in KCMO New Found Glory- 11/9 @ 6:30pm The Midland in KCMO Guns N Roses- 11/12 @ 7:30pm Sprint Center in KCMO Tech N9ne- 11/19 @ 8pm The Midland in KCMO

1/2

Demi Levato- 11/22 @ 7:30pm The Midland in KCMO Kid Rock- 11/29 @ 7:30pm The Midland in KCMO Jay-Z & Kanye West- 11/29 @ 7:30pm The Sprint Center in KCMO

texas a&m -brian smith, senior indianapolis colts -seve sites, junior nike socks & sperry’s -emily franchett, sophomore

Deadmau5-10/24 @ 8:30pm The Midland in KCMO

OTHER THINGS TO WATCH FOR

Pumpkins on Parade- 10/22 Lakeside Nature Center Reba McEntire - 10/29 The Sprint Center in KCMO

double

take

Halloween Rock n Metal Show -10/29 Longshots in Grainvalley, MO austen niese senior

mac miller rapper

ISSUE 2 THE EPIC 23

comic corner / teacher test brochacho by

GARRETT WILSON

Teacher

Test

Answer these questions to find out which teacher you’re most like.

Favorite past time...

A) Hanging out with family B) Outside Activities

Which color?

A) Red B) Blue

Favorite season...

A) Fall B) Summer

Movie genre...

A) Suspense drama B) Documentaries

If you picked mostly As

If you picked mostly Bs

Which vacation spot?

A) China B) Paris

Jayhawk or A) Jayhawk!

B) Celtics

Favorite sport...

A) Basketball B) Tennis

Which job?

A) Teacher B) Doctor

Then you are more like Annie Flurry...

“I tended to be the class clown in school, but was also smart in a non-traditional way. I got good grades, but never up to my “potential” they would say. I am a really loyal friend and family member, but get my feelings hurt easily. I have a rebellious side, but never to an extreme. And politically speaking, I tend to hold liberal views. I love to write and read as well.”

Then you are more like Jed Bair...

“I am fun loving, enjoy friends and family.

Hard working and do things the “right” way. I am competitive as a coach and player. Love new and old music and amazed by the natural world. Love to know the “whys” of things.”