Issue 6 by An Nguyen

epic volume 50. issue 6 february 17, 2012

the

shawnee

8800 west 85th street overland park, kansas 66212

mission west

taking home the

prize Anthony Balas wins the 2012 Mr. Viking Pageant [pg. 20]

living on the â&#x20AC;&#x153;edgeâ&#x20AC;? Many students are living a drug, alcohol and tobacco free lifestyle called straight edge. [pg. 11]

bringing home broadway high school relationships Students give opinions and insight into high school relationships. [pg. 12-13]

[NEWS]

snapshot

CORD POWELL

Ice melts and breaks apart at the lake in Shawnee Mission Park during a winter characterized by abnormally warm temperatures.

news in brief Pop star Whitney Houston was found dead in her room at the Beverly Hilton hotel as the music industry converged onto Los Angeles for the annual Grammy Awards last weekend. Jennifer Hudson covered one of Houston’s most famous songs “I Will Always Love You” and Grammy host LL Cool J led a prayer at the awards show Sunday night. Police do not expect to know the cause of death for several weeks, but many speculate that drugs and alcohol were involved.

by connor henderson

In other music news, after winning six Grammy awards, singer Adele announced that she would take a fiveyear hiatus from the music business. She cited her need to focus on her relationship with her new boyfriend Simon Konecki. Adele’s announcement comes in wake of her return from a five month recovery from vocal chord surgery. During this break she plans to “get married. Have some kids. Plant a nice vegetable patch.”

february/march 17

Varsity Boys Basketball vs SM South Sweetheart Royalty

WPA Sweetheart Dance 8 - 11 p.m.

2 THE EPIC ISSUE 6

Spring Sports Begin PTSA Meeting 7 p.m.

President Obama waived 10 states from No Child Left Behind, a 2002 act with the goal of having every student proficient in math and reading by 2014. The states that became exempt from the law are Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oklahoma and Tennessee. In order to receive the waiver, states must design their own plan to improve student performance and reward top performing schools, among other requirements.

President’s Day No School

ERICA HUI ANDY GOTTSCHALK

Booster Club Meeting Cafeteria 7 p.m.

Girls’ Soccer Preseason Meeting Varsity Basketball vs ON

A video of an angry North Carolina father has received over 22 million views on YouTube. In the video, Tommy Jordan addresses a disrespectful post that his daughter put on her Facebook page. He responds to her complaints and proceeds to shoot her laptop. Although his unique form of discipline has sparked controversy, 74% of the respondents in an unscientific online poll by Today.com agreed with Jordan’s parenting techniques.

22 1 FMP Meeting 1:40 - 2:10 p.m. Little Theatre

Varsity Boys’ Basketball @ Leavenworth

Late Start 9:40 a.m.

Band Chili Supper 5 p.m.

[NEWS]

taking the high road West joins with Adopt-a-Highway in remembrance of Ashton Brunmeier and Tom Karlin. by marina sarkisova and erica hui Among the four pillars of National Honor Society is community service, and one way NHS is trying to help students engage in more in this pillar is by adopting a highway in remembrance of Tom Karlin and Ashton Brunmeier. As a junior, Karlin was inducted into the society, and was going to continue his membership as a senior. Although Brunmeier was not in NHS, the society wanted to honor both the Karlin and Brunmeier families to showcase the impact that both students had on the community as well as to provide a public venue for their foundations. NHS is honoring Tom and Ashton by having a sign displayed along the side of the highway that reads “In memory of Ashton and Tom, By Shawnee Mission West NHS 2012.” Erin Miller, senior NHS co-secretary, has been keeping in contact with Alicia Turner, one of the Adopt-A-Highway Overland Park representatives, who is working with the NHS executive board to get the highway adopted. “Once we get the adoption approved, Alicia Turner comes and talks to the society as a whole about safety regulations, the attire, and information about the pokers and trash bags to clean with,” Miller said. After the Adopt-A-Highway representatives supply West with these provisions, they will talk about how many times a year the society is required to clean the highway, which is typically about three times each year. Because the highway is usually adopted for an average of two years, the current juniors will have already experienced the conservation of the road and can pass it down to the class of 2014. Current seniors and juniors will help maintain the highway by cleaning up trash and checking up on the site about three times a year at the least. If, by the end of the second year, the highway project is considered successful, NHS can renew the contract. Not only does the highway allow for the recognition of Tom and Ashton, it sends a message to the community that shows how high school students work together to benefit the environment. “The main reason why we supported adopting the highway so greatly is because it is an on-going community service opportunity and can always be done for people who are in need of hours or a group project,” Skylar Mann, senior and community service officer, said. While the highway is a unique project to raise attention and help the community, there are many other ways NHS is able to raise money for charities. Rock 4 Hope, one of the most noted events that NHS hosts, is not just an

faces in the hall Brandon Nichols senior Gavin Nielsen junior Holly Pratt sophomore Michael McCrey freshman

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: MARINA SARKISOVA

annual charity event, but also an opportunity for local Kansas City bands to come together and perform to raise money and awareness for philanthropic organizations. “NHS is having its 17th annual event on May 5. The theme is “RAVE” and the proceeds go to support the Tom Karlin Foundation and a charity of the Brunmeier family’s choice,” Annie Flurry, NHS sponsor, said. This year, the event hopes to attract a large audience to support causes that have personally affected the West community. Another fundraiser that West is involved in is Polar Bear Plunge, where students raise money and take a chilly dip in the lake. “[The] proceeds go to the Down’s Syndrome Foundation. Here, students get in teams, dress in costumes and raise $40 to plunge into the lake at Shawnee Mission Park. This year we had the most teams of any other year and raised the most money,” said Flurry. There is also Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, an event in which high school boys walk a mile in heels to raise awareness in the community about the causes and effects of domestic violence, and Future Viking Fun Night, which is a night for younger children in the West area to come enjoy fun activities at West. NHS is involved in many events that happen in the community, with all profits raised going to good causes.

by lauren scobee

Favorite Disney Movie

#1 on your bucket list

Dream vacation spot

What do you think of the weather?

Toy Story

Bungee jump off Eiffel tower

What would be your name if you could choose?

Mexico

Blake

Great

Tangled

Biking in the Alps

Ireland

Holly

No bueno

Monster’s Inc

Base jumping in Switzerland

Australia

Gavin

I want summer

Toy Story

Sky diving

Brazil

Troy

Bipolar

ISSUE 6 THE EPIC 3

[NEWS]

Dance team has been busy preforming at

a lot of competitions, dancing at games, and preparing for Spring Show with the hopes of being successful in each. “I love dance team because we are super close to each other since we spend so much time together. There are so many inside jokes, and we always end up laughing at something. Most of our goals for the rest of the year revolve around Spring Show. We have several more dances to learn, and we just want the next couple months to go as smooth as possible,” Nicole Howard, team captain, said. Kansas Spectacular Competition is one of the biggest competitions the dance team goes to every year. Both the JV and varsity teams won the GPA award at this competition with an average right above a 4.0 for both teams. According to the team, the judges like to give this award to acknowledge the team that not only has great dancers, but also does well

in school. Before the competition each team submits their GPA average of all the girls on the team. “It was very surprising and amazing that we won this award. Our two competitions, 5 star and KSPEC, were all around pretty good. We got several awards for our team dances as well as class and officer dances too,” Howard said. According to senior dancer, Cassie Playter, one accomplishment they have made is dealing with the new schedule. “We’ve had some trouble with our choreography being not what we want and we’ve had to re-choreograph some of our dances because of it. Even though we have a shorter amount to get what we need done, I feel like we do a great job in focusing when we need to,” Playter said. The teams main focus is now geared towards Spring Show. The theme this year is YouTube, and according to the team they have a lot of great and entertaining ideas to add to

the theme. “The goals for spring show are to have all our dances clean and ready in time and to have it be funny and entertaining. I’m really excited for the actual night of spring show because I love performing all our dances for everyone,” Sarah Bass, senior, said. They are planning on performing every dance that they have and all the dances they have choreographed specifically for the show. For example, dad dance, boy dance, drum line, and finale are all going to be preformed. According to the team, they have a lot of hard work on their plates for the next couple of months in order for there to be a successful show. Since it is March 31st, it doesn’t give them much time to prepare for the show after spring break. “We always want to put on a good show because we know a lot of people go to spring show but also because for almost half the team this will be our last time ever dancing together,” Playter said.

The Golden Girls dance team shows that they’ve got just as many moves in the classroom as they do on the dance floor. by molly smith

west way, best way

by andy gottschalk With the number of office referrals down, the West Way team is on track to reach their goals of reducing behavior issues.

Four hundred ninety-four. Two years ago,

this number was only a dream of the administration. It’s the number of office referrals in January of 2012, and comparatively it’s a triumph. In the 2007-2008 school year, West had 1,011 office referrals. One thousand eleven times a student was sent to the office out of disciplinary action. “Over the last two years we’ve seen a decrease in the number of office referrals. That’s a part of what the West Way team does,” Rosie Riordan, coach of the West Way team, said. The West Way tea, works with students who frequently receive office referrals to stop their habits. They chose students who’ve had 20 or more tardies. “We’ve really focused on finding out who are these ‘chronic offenders.’ There was one girl with 85 tardies,” Riordan said. Riordan and the team were motivated to personally work with students to cut down on the number of office referrals the students they picked were receiving. “Kids who are struggling with school need an extra boost. Kids with connections to

4 THE EPIC ISSUE 6

adults do better in school. They get an extra adult that they need to be successful,” Riordan said. The involvement proves to be beneficial for the students chosen. “Being in a club, for them, helps. It really does have an effect on the people we chose,” Alexis Patterson, West Way team member and organizer, said. The meetings with the students were outside of class time and were used as a tool of discussion to cut down the number of referrals for each students. “We looked at the original data. Asking them ‘What is it that’s happening that you can’t do this?’We let students set a goal,” Riordan said. The West Way team is responsible for reducing the number of office referrals of the most culpable students. “We don’t find the ones who are good all the time. It’s finding the other ones and turning it around,” Erica Warren, Associate Principal said. A large part of the team is enforcing the familiar West Way - Safe, Responsible, Respectful. And even if the repetition of the

ever eminent three words may seem like they could easily become meaningless, current statistics show it’s working. “Even if people make fun of it [the West Way], at least they recognize it. Even the most annoying commercials are the ones you remember,” Warren said. But the way office referrals have recently been handled in past months might also be responsible. “A lot more things are being handled in the classroom. If you look at the number of minutes they’re [students] out of class and talking to administrator, you’d be surprised,” Warren said. “Kids are missing tons of class time when they go to the office for discipline.” Patterson hopes the program continues. “I hope that our group grows. It’s our second year. We’re still getting awareness,” Patterson said. Their influence isn’t just at West. Other schools are getting involved as well and the program’s influence is apparent. “It’s a nice program.There were often schools asking us questions because they were interested. It truly does have an impact,” Patterson said.

[ADS]

JCCC Honors: Dig deeper. Aim higher.

“As an Honors student, I am able to enroll in classes early and have extra one-on-one time with my Honors professors.” Brandon, JCCC Honors student and Shawnee Mission North graduate

Johnson County Community College’s Honors Program stimulates and challenges academically talented students. An Honors application is required for admission. For more information, call Pat Decker at 913-469-8500, ext. 2512, or visit www.jccc.edu/honors

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ISSUE 6 THE EPIC 5

[OPINION]

the drawing board: GARRETT WILSON by

the intimidator by tim dodderidge

veering into vinyl

the

leininger lexicon

by alex leininger

this one time at journalism camp

Yeah, I went to Journalism Camp. Sue me (don’t though, my dad’s a lawyer). It is Valentine’s season, and love is obviously prevalent in my extremely mature 17 year-old life, but I won’t be talking about love. I’ve been up late every night this week laboring over paper to write wonderful love poetry (going to bed at 10 after a four hour nap...basically the same thing), so I’m a bit loved out. Instead, I’m going to give one of many examples as to why I’m one of the dorkiest kids ever, and why that’s okay! So Journalism Camp...I went there. Last summer at KU, I (along with some other not-nerdyat-all Epic and yearbook kids) stayed in a dorm for four days and learned how guys like David Letterman started off. Even some cool-guy actors like Brad Pitt started off in journalism. But what I really learned is that aside from the sports side (which I love, don’t get me wrong), journalism is pretty female-heavy. I’M NOT COMPLAINING. All I’m saying is that generally, guys tend to like math and science better. And while I still don’t understand how you can possibly keep the vomit inside your body while solving a quadratic equation, I respect your decision, future engineers and chemists. I guess I’m an anomaly. It’s fine. I don’t even

6 THE EPIC ISSUE 6

care. What this realization actually verified for me is the idea that you should do what you want to do...unless you want to be like John Wayne Gacy or something. I don’t know what Lady Gaga’s parents would have said if she would have told them she was going to wear a fish net on her face at the Grammys, but look at her now. She’s rich. And almost normal. She followed her weird little dreams, so you can too if you have them. At journalism camp I solidified what I want to attempt to do with my life (not at KU though...sorry). Furthermore, camp taught me that sometimes life is more fun on a whim. We could have gone to bed like we were “supposed to”, or we could have run outside the dorm to the playground where all the students’ babies play. They had a swing-set...what would you choose? At no part in our busy day did we plan on gathering up some people to go down a three foot slide. But in the end, it made it much more fun. We also played some ultra-competitive version of pattycake, ordered pizza at midnight and went to the creepy basement to watch Donnie Darko. Just a good old-fashioned journalistic time. I hope college is like that... To the 15 of you who actually read down this far (first of all, tell your friends, I don’t write these to not be read) I’m not telling you how to live your life. Actually, I’m trying to tell you to not listen to people telling you what to do with your life. Except me. I’m right. Just be yourself once you figure out who that is. However, don’t be like any of these people: 1) Hitler. No explanation necessary. 2) Donald Trump. One of him is plenty. 3) Justin Bieber. Talentless, overrated, stupidly dressed and Canadian. All kidding aside, just do what makes you happy, as long as it’s not too dangerous. Good luck.

Let’s call 2012 the year of the vinyl. The sell of vinyl records in the United States jumped from one million to two million records in 2008, and 2011 saw over three million records purchased. Early projections for 2012 predict that 3.6 million records will be bought this year alone. And now I’m proud to say that because of me, this number will keep growing. Being a huge music fan, it has become quite obvious to me that CDs are going down the drain. Everything seems to be going digital today. Spotify and Grooveshark stream music for free, and iTunes is making millions by selling their music online. So with CDs becoming abandoned, why are so many people turning to vinyl? What is quickly making this type of music such a widespread phenomenon, with thousands of them (from artists ranging from the Foo Fighters to Adele) being bought? First of all, vinyl is the absolute perfect collector’s item. There are numerous albums in my life that I hold near and dear to me, and now it would only make sense to buy and collect them on vinyl. Records come in huge, carefully printed paper cases, often flooded with pages upon pages of colorful lyrics and artwork. So much effort and craft is put into the packaging for records that there’s no reason they shouldn’t be bought. Also, vinyl sounds a lot better than any other format I’ve ever heard music from. Even from my first experience of listening to vinyl, it was something that totally captivated me. Popping in Mumford And Sons’ “Sigh No More,” right away I could hear a huge difference in the sound coming from the speakers of my parents’ record player. I heard the crackle of the needle scratching upon the record’s surface, and it just sounded much more crisp and rich than the smooth, flatness of digital music. While listening to vinyl downstairs next to my TV, I feel as if I am being transported back to the 1960s. I play “Sigh No More” and feel a grandiose chunk of history being brought up to modern times. Rather than just hearing the plucks of the banjo, the strums of the acoustic guitar, and rustic vocals of Marcus Mumford, I truly felt them resonate within me. It’s a much more comfortable sound than the digitized state of mind that everyone in America seems to be riveting over nowadays. It’s history. I’ve recently started compiling a list of vinyl records that I want to get, because I have become obsessed with them. I’m obsessed with my parents’ record players that are situated behind the glass doors of our TV stand. I’m also obsessed with the bulky substance of the records themselves and all of the goodies that come with them. It just comes to show that as we see ourselves moving forward towards more advanced technology, the only thing I find myself doing is tracing the steps back to those before us, and I can’t think of a better way to do this than through vinyl records.

[OPINION]

quite

frankly by madeline frankel it is worth it

“Wait, I wanted to ask him...but go ahead you can,” I don’t even know how many times I said that sentence this year in preparation for WPA. WPA has become a planning nightmare, it’s like if you don’t claim the person you want to ask to WPA two months before the dance actually takes place there is a pretty good chance someone is going to ask the person you were wanting to. I wonder if boys have this same problem before homecoming or prom when trying to pick their date? In the last two weeks of January or so the girls begin talking about who they want to take and negotiate about who gets to take who. It seemed like every single time I decided who I wanted to ask I would find out that some other girl had already “claimed” him. The negotiating begins, you pick your boy and then you find out that someone else also wanted to ask him. Instead of the two girls talking to each other we go through friends, so it’s like second hand negotiation until a decision is finally made, and sometimes by the time the two original girls make a decision there may be a new girl involved, its like a never ending cycle. It’s now the Sunday before WPA, six days before the dance is taking place, and I think everyone that was wanting to go to WPA now has a date. It took about five weeks for everything to be worked out, that is crazy, as I said before, this has been a planning nightmare. After everyone has their date, sometimes ever before the girl has officially asked her date, groups have to be made. Who is in our group? Where are we taking pictures? Where are we having dinner? Are we having a party bus? Where is the after party? In my opinion, the girls should get to choose everything, since they are paying. However sometimes the boys don’t go for that, they want to be with their close friends and the girls feel the same, but sometimes the friends aren’t in the same group. That causes more negotiating. The boy has his reasons for going in one group and the girl has her reasons for going in the other one, and of course, since it’s high school, nothing can be simple. Then some people want to go to one restaurant and others want to go to a different one, still more negotiation, it’s never ending. The planning is usually never finalized until like the Monday or Tuesday before the dance. In the end when you are standing there with your date during pictures, eating at the perfect restaurant, and when you take those steps into the dance you realize that all the struggles and planning that you have been doing for months is totally worth it. To close this up I just have to say, it is worth it! Have fun at WPA and be safe! Oh and one more thing, I would like to thank my best friend Anne Madison Troester for finding me a great date this year and I can’t wait for tomorrow night! See you all there!

the

ox files by landon ochsner

1st world problems

America is known for many things-- rednecks, McDonald’s, Twinkies, and imaginary problems. By imaginary problems, I mean manufactured issues. We as a society are so privileged in our system of living, that we must find something to complain about. Most of the time, we fail to realize how incredibly blessed we are, that we can go to the store and have access to virtually any food we want, health care within constant reach, and a government that doesn’t try to kill us, among other things. Recently, a group of people in Leawood complained about the possibility of a barbecue restaurant moving into a shopping center near their homes. They claimed the smell it produced “violated their property rights” and the traffic caused by the restaurant would create problems. Traffic is one thing, but smell violating rights-- really? Can I get rid of all the flowers because they make me sneeze? No, I can’t. More than likely, these people are just upset because their fancy dogs drool at the scent of burnt-ends, and that’s gross. Personally, the constant smell of barbecue sounds like heaven. These Leawoodians are complaining about having food too close to their homes, it’s too accessible. A solution to their prob-

lem is to hide their food. Make it hard for them to get to. Put it as inconveniently far away as possible so that they won’t be able to see it, much less smell it. That’ll teach ‘em a lesson, but then they’ll complain about having to spend money on gas to get there, so either way, it’s a lose-lose for the rest of society. These people just like to complain. The location issue is also ridiculous. These people chose to move next to the shopping center, which happens to be one of the busiest in the area, Ranch Mart. If you aren’t a fan of people, shopping, eating, traffic, or general fun, you probably shouldn’t take up residence next to a place where there’s people who shop, eat, drive, and generally have fun. It’s actually a very fixable issue, just leave. Move away and leave the rest of us to bask in the smoky goodness that is barbecue. I say we excommunicate them from the KC area. How is it possible to live anywhere near here and not love everything about barbecue? More seriously, they’re being selfish. The barbecue place, called Slab-n-Pickle, happens to be a small business. These Leawoodians are going against the American Dream, and in a time when that dream is increasingly difficult to obtain, we should all embrace small businesses run by locals. This restaurant plans to move into a building which has sat vacant for the last two years. I’d much rather have a “nuisance” of a restaurant behind my house than a creepy deserted post office. Slab-n-Pickle will help the area much more than it will ever harm it. So basically, these people have it so well, they are so satisfied with their lives, that they have to find something completely ridiculous to complain about. It just so happens that a barbecue place is that something. Soon, they’ll forget about the barbecue and start complaining about something else-- it’ll probably be how kittens are too fuzzy, or how the sun is too bright.

ISSUE 6 THE EPIC 7

[OPINION]

Editorial Board Epic Staff

technological takeover

In this age of technological innovation, we are constantly texting, tuning in and tweeting. With the advent of social media outlets such as Facebook, YouTub e and Twitter, we have grown accustomed to sharing all facets of everyday life with anyone willing to open Internet Explorer. Trivial matters such as cleaning our rooms, going to McDonalds for dinner, and ranting about the Bachelor Ben cover Twitter feeds on any given night. In fact, Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, has been quoted as believing that the amount of information we share will double every year. This presents some intriguing and controversial questions. As we become more attached to technology, does this detract from our ability to commu nicate face-to-face? And how much information sharing is too much? All this new techno logy gives us the freedom of anonymity; it gives us the ability to criticize, discuss or belittle others without having to deal with the consequences. Encouraged by this sense of safety, we often make comments on Facebook or Twitter that we wouldn’t dare say to someon e’s face. This freedom also encourages ignorance; we forget that the majority of the informa tion we share is accessible to any stranger with enough motivation to find it. The fabric of our social lives has completely changed; it now centers on technology. Instead of hanging out with friends at the park or going out for lunch, we meet up on the battlefi elds of Xbox Live or chat over phone. We feel that constant need to be texting someon e, and this behavior can be insulting to those around us. Having all this technology at our fingertips is a privilege. Believe it or not, using damaging words on the Internet is a chargeable offense; libel is the crime of publishing untruths about another that will harm their reputation. Don’t abuse the power; words published on the Internet are just as hurtful as ones that are said in person . When you sit down to dinner or hang out with friends, put the phone aside. Live in the moment and appreciate those around you by making real-life connections more importa nt than virtual relationships. Ask yourself: could you spend a week without your cell phone, TV, PS3 or computer? If the answer is no, it’s time to re-evaluate what’s truly importa nt. Technology is an incredible resource; use it to enhance your life, not control it.

8 THE EPIC ISSUE 6

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 madeline frankel andy gottschalk claire hug erica hui jordan johnson hayden lasalle ryan miller marina sarkisova lauren scobee natalie stephens photographers 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.

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. written by: jenny brown

PHOTOS BY: LANDON OCHSNER

[FEATURE]

300

words

Parents: you grow up with them, spend every day with them. Sophomore Anne DeArmond’s birth parents are in China. “I was born in Guangzhou, which is in southeastern China,” she said. “My Chinese name is Guo LiQiao.” DeArmond was adopted when she was 13 months old. “My parents left me at a train station, hoping someone would take me to an orphanage,” DeArmond said. DeArmond’s birth parents also had another daughter, named Mara. “Mara is my birth sister. I’m 11 months older than her. She lives in Shawnee now,” she said. Mara and DeArmond used to talk a lot but aren’t as close now. Although she grew up close to her sister, DeArmond hasn’t tried to find her parents. “I went and got DNA samples in case I do ever find them, but I’m not going to take the effort to go look for them,” she said. “Although it would be cool if I found them.” DeArmond has no recollection of China at all, but a trip to China is probably in her future. “If I was back in China, I would probably be super smart or be a famous dancer or gymnast. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t live there, but I would visit,” DeArmond said. “I like the life I have here. I feel like I could do more here than I could ever do in China.” To stay close to her Chinese culture, DeArmond has taken classes to learn Chinese. She also participated in “Walk for Hope,” which is a fundraiser for orphanages in China. She sent the money she raised to the orphanage she was adopted from. DeArmond’s adopted mom always wanted her to go back to China to learn more about where she came from. Because her adopted mother passed away, DeArmond plans to return as a tribute to the mother she grew up with.

ISSUE 6 THE EPIC 9

[ADS]

10 THE EPIC ISSUE 6

[FEATURE]

straight

edge By Tim Dodderidge

A new lifestyle is beginning to spread among people in the United States - a lifestyle free from alcohol, drugs, and tobacco.

life

What do rapper Tyler, The Creator, Texas Rangers pitcher C.J. Wilson and Rise Against vocalist Tim McIlrath have in common? They all claim to be living a straight edge lifestyle. For those who don’t know what this means, straight edge is a lifestyle in which alcohol, tobacco, and drugs are not only completely absent in a person’s life, but will be for their entire life. Not only are these people claiming to be living such a lifestyle, but students are also following in their footsteps. Chris Lofland, junior, has been straight edge since starting high school. “I’ve always wanted to not do drugs, and I’ve always wanted to stay clean. So when I found out about straight edge, I just thought I might as well be that,” Lofland said. By definition, straight edge means that its supporters don’t even take a sip of beer. Even when he turns 21, Lofland says that he won’t drink alcohol; he’s going to stay clean throughout life. He says he hasn’t had difficulties dealing with peer pressure over this lifestyle. “I’ve never really been tempted by drugs. It’s always going to be a temptation, but not really for me,” Lofland said. The music scene was the birthplace of of the straight edge movement, with the song called “Straight Edge,” released in 1989 by punk band Minor Threat, sparking the beginnings of the hardcore/punk subculture. Since then, the movement has grown, and numerous musical acts, including members of the bands Blessthefall, New Found Glory and A Day To Remember, have begun supporting the movement. Even with the roots of straight edge being in heavy music, according to Jonathan O’Callaghan, vocalist of the straight edge band Liferuiner, supporters don’t have to listen to or be a part of the genres of punk or hardcore. “I have friends that are older now and have careers, but they’re still straight edge. It’s something they’ll have forever,” O’Callaghan said. Though he doesn’t support the punk movement, John Gaumnitz, junior, considers himself to be straight edge. Gaumnitz was mainly influenced by family members when it came to abstinence from alcohol, drugs and smoking. “As I grew up, a lot of my friends started doing stuff like that, and I never really felt the want to [drink, smoke or do drugs] because no one in my immediate family, and even in my extended family, does it. So I never really felt the inclination to try it or do anything like that, because I’m not in the environment to,” Gaumnitz said. Lofland is into a lot of heavy music and is a vocalist in a local metal band called The Uprooting, which definitely has a lot of influence on his status as being straight edge. “I’ve been listening to heavy music for a while, and I didn’t realize that straight edge had evolved from heavy music, and when I found that out, I was pretty happy,” Lofland said. O’Callaghan finds straight edge to be a positive thing for fans of heavy music such as Lofland. “Especially for younger people it can be a really cool thing. When you’re

going through school and trying to fit in, maybe you don’t want to be that person who goes to parties to fit in, and I think it’s cool that you can go to a show instead and hang out with people that believe what you do,” O’Callaghan said. Gaumnitz, who was mainly influenced by family and religious beliefs, finds strong backing from musician Alice Cooper. Cooper was a serious drug addict, but became a born-again Christian after being an alcoholic for several years. He said, ‘Drinking beer is easy. Trashing your hotel room is easy. But being a Christian and saying no to all that, that’s a tough call. That’s rebellion.” Gaumnitz agrees. “That’s kind of how I feel about it,” Gaumnitz said. Through the overall concept of being Straight Edge, Lofland has found himself to have a positive impact on the youth of America. “Most younger kids when they see someone that looks like me, they wouldn’t think that person is clean. And when they see that someone who looks like me can be drug free, that’s something I think is good,” Lofland said. From an early age, students are educated on the effects of alcohol and drugs. According to a study done by the Sacramento County Sheriff, alcohol results in poor grades, bad judgment, crime, and health problems. “I am making my own choices, and I am aware of all the choices I am making. I think that’s the coolest part of it, and that’s the fact that I’m not just being below the influence, I am above it. I am my own person,” Gaumnitz said. A lot of clothing and fashion brands have started to embrace the overall idea of straight edge. Vincent Bennett, vocalist of metal band The Acacia Strain, started his own straight edge clothing company called Diamond Cut. In addition, Lofland has bought shirts in the past from the online clothing company 1981 Straight Edge Clothing. “I just wanted to make it public that I am straight edge,” Lofland said. With health issues being a big concern with alcohol, drugs, and tobacco, there are many slogans on straight edge shirts, including one that says “I Won’t Be Consumed By Your Poison.” “It’s just not healthy and it’s not a good habit to get into because that kind of stuff is controlling and addicting. It can take hold of your life and pull you away from things that are important to you,” Gaumnitz said. Straight Edge as a whole has seen a large growth in recent years, especially within the metal and punk music scenes and their supporters, but it definitely doesn’t count out people who aren’t a part of that scene. It’s a growing movement that is seeing more and more people turn away, or as Gaumnitz said, “rebel” against the influence. “It started in heavy music, and for the most part it’s staying in heavy music, but I would not mind if it became a mainstream thing. To me, it’s better to have a world full of straight edge people than a world full of drug addicts and alcoholics,” Lofland said.

ISSUE 6 THE EPIC 11

With competing arguments on relationships and sex in high school and an ever influential media, it’s hard to find an honest opinion from real high school students about touchy subjects. There comes a big question in many relationships, some earlier and some later: When is the right time for the first time? For Sophie Allen*, the decision to have sex with her boyfriend arrived after she felt her relationship was strong enough. “I was with my boyfriend for about four to five months. We wanted to wait until we thought it was right and it wasn’t some random hookup - with someone we could see ourselves being with,” Allen said. Her decision was thought out, not impulsive. “I’m not for random hookups and being provocative and promiscuous,” Allen said. She decided after she talked about it with her boyfriend and knew it was right for her. “It was definitely a mutual agreement. We waited until it was, for sure, a good relationship,” Allen said. There were certain factors that helped her decide she was ready.

“When you love someone, you want to share everything with them,” Allen said. Allen believes that trust is an important part of a relationship and is important for making the decision. “Having love and having trust is important. It was as soon as we really started trusting each other,” Allen said. Allen was comfortable with her own decision. “It wasn’t awkward like I’d figured it’d be,” Allen said. “If anything, I felt closer to him afterwards.” But she doesn’t exactly advocate it for everybody else. “If you’re in a troubled relationship, you can’t use sex to make it better. Some people want it [virginity] gone to say they’ve done it. That’s not what it’s about,” Allen said. Others prefer to be abstinent until they are married. “I’m waiting because in my religion it [premarital sex] is considered a sin,” Ryan Baker*said. “I’m not for it at all. To me it shows irresponsibility. Everybody is anxious and they are going to make a lot of mistakes.” Baker doesn’t believe relationships should involve sex early on.

Surveys were optional and are given to all grade lev

vels.

“I consider a common respect for each other is the most important part [of a relationship]. Without respect for each other’s interest, it will simply not last,” Baker said. “They should be about supporting and enjoying being with each other.” Baker believes in waiting for the right person so sex has meaning. “Sex is an act of love and respect, not just a physical activity,” Baker said. However, Baker believes that to some extent the choice is made by the people involved. “I think that it is up to the couple, but there are more people to consider than just themselves. Sex, to me is a selfish thing.,” Baker said. When considering sex, health professionals urge couples to

make sure it’s the right decision for them. “We encourage couples to talk about when they’re ready. Both partners have to be comfortable when they’re making that decision,” Cheynne Clonch, Coordinator of Education and Outreach Services at MOCSA, said. It’s important for partners to feel okay about the subject. “As long as you discuss it and are comfortable,” Allen said. No matter the person, sex is at the individual’s discretion. “When to have sex is a personal choice. We usually make better decisions when we think through the possible benefits and the risks,” Sarah Aanestad, Director of Education at Planned Parenthood, said. *Students’ names were changed.

[FEATURE]

caring for the youth by ryan miller West students help elementary level students enhance their math skills through a tutoring program. Budget cuts have taken a lot of activities away from SMSD over the past few years, especially at the elementary school level. One of the most drastic cuts was to the tutoring systems that some of the elementary schools had. When senior Cesar Luna was told he couldn’t play football his senior year mostly due to injuries, he needed to find something productive to do with his time. Cesar was aware that the tutoring program had been eliminated due to cuts and it became obvious to him that he needed to start it back up. “I started it back up because I had so much free time, and since my brother goes to Overland Park Elementary, I knew what was going on. Budget cuts cost them to cut their tutoring,” Luna said. “I also went to Overland Park Elementary, so I saw an opportunity to do something good for the community and the school that had given me so much,” Luna said. Once Cesar had the idea, he needed other peoples’ support and help to put the plan in motion. “I talked to Ms. Debner, the Overland Park principal, and she immediately pulled some strings to get it started there. I started with four people but had some trouble running this; it required more people to gather materials, get food, run the thing, and just to help tutor,” Luna said. The program was shaky until one day when Luna was called to Dr. McLean’s office, who said he wanted to help out. “I gave Cesar a grant which provided him with office supplies and gift cards to buy the elementary students treats,” McLean said. He also helped promote the program to get more student helpers. After the grant and further promotion of the program, many more students started to get involved, one of which was senior Nathan Bahnmaier. “I found out about the program because I’m friends with Cesar and when he started the program, he came to us and asked who he thought would be willing to do it and I said I’d think about it. Then a couple weeks later I started going and really enjoyed it,” Bahnmeier said. With the help of Nathan and many others, the program was able to grow vastly. They now have sessions at both Overland Park and Rising Star Elementary multiple times a week. “We meet thrice a week at Overland Park for one hour, and twice a week at Rising Star for an hour also. The program has now grown to tutoring 30+ kids with about 20 tutors,” Luna said.

(LEFT) Junior Ami Purohit and senior Nathan Bahnmeier play card games with elementary school students at Rising Star Elementary. (ABOVE) Bahnmeier plays a game called “Math War” to improve the students’ counting abilities. PHOTOS BY SARAH MCGREEVY

The sole purpose of the program is to help the elementary students understand math and help them enhance their math skills. They do this in several different ways. “We mostly help them with their basic skills, like addition and multiplication, by playing math war with them. We also do worksheets based on whatever their teachers say they’re doing that week in school and we help them with any homework they may have,” Bahnmaier said. Overall, the program has been very successful, and both Luna and McLean think that it should continue next year. McLean thinks that the program helps not only the person being tutored but the high school student doing the teaching as well. “I believe they receive insight into the world of individuals that are math challenged and may become more tolerant. I also think it gives them a sense of giving back to their community and doing something that will make the world a better place,” McLean said.

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View issues of The Epic ...to visit The Voyager, the online in their home of Shawnee Mission West. entirety!

A collaboration of newspaper, yearbook, and video production. Featuring game recaps, photo galleries, and more! ISSUE 5 THE EPIC 15

[SPORTS]

marleah & me

by marleah campbell

There is nothing more exhilarating for our student section than to watch the other team’s point guard dribble the air out of the ball near half court for 30 seconds. True or false? If you answered false, then you are 100% correct. How many times have you been to a basketball game and watched a team simply waste time by holding the ball? The offensive team’s coach is waiting for the other team to change their defense, while the defensive team’s coach is waiting for the offensive coach to give in. Meanwhile, the crowd doesn’t really care what happens as long as SOMETHING happens. IF ONLY THERE WAS A SOLUTION TO ALL OF THIS! Voila! The shot clock. For those of you who

killing time

don’t know what this is, here’s the basic gist: it’s a 30-35 second clock (depending on if it’s a girls’ or guys’ game) that runs on the side of the court. If you don’t hit rim within the time of the shot clock, the other team gets the ball. With the shot clock, teams are forced to shoot within a limited amount of time. Say goodbye to two minute long possessions where teams aimlessly run through a motion offense waiting for the perfect shot to show up. There’s pretty much one rule when playing with a shot clock: If you have a reasonably makeable shot, you take it. This eliminates the problem of teams stalling towards the end of close games and makes teams play at a fast tempo until the finish. If this idea is so perfect, then why are 42 states in the US not using the shot clock in high

school sports? Well, it’s not exactly as simple as it sounds. Although there are many arguments for the shot clock, there’s one that always seems to trump them: money. The cost for every school in the state to pay for shot clocks and for people to work them probably isn’t what (for lack of a better term) the “budget people” want. So while AAU, college, and professional basketball teams play under the additional aspect of the shot clock, I guess we’ll just have to wait. Maybe one day we’ll be able to go to a high school basketball game where frustrated fans aren’t forced to chant the classic “BOOOOORING. BOOOOORING. BOOOORING” while a player awkwardly stands with the ball at half court.

just joshua

by joshua smith Well there goes that. Another NFL season has finished. Empty stadiums, empty locker rooms, and empty hearts will now have to wait months again until it returns from its vacation. So what now? Well we wait… and we wait… and we wait. We still can remember those great days with those great games. As football fans, we all are sure to have had our ups and downs of the football season, here are a few of mine. THE UP: It seem that every year we are hopeful going into the season for our beloved Kansas City Chiefs. It is hard to understand why we always come back to this team after all of the losses, but I think that I’ve figured it out. It’s not really the sport that we love so dearly but it’s the show. It’s the experience that the NFL has created for us, in part from the leadership of commissioner Roger Goodell. I mean really if you

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well now what... think about it, what’s so pleasant about standing in a stadium in freezing weather to watch the team you came for lose. I can attest to the fact that it’s the experience, especially after having one of the coolest moments I’ve had in my life thanks to the NFL. This winter I stood on the field next to the players and referees as they did the coin toss for what was probably the biggest game for the Chiefs last season. I’m personally convinced that the reason why the Chiefs were able to beat the previously undefeated Green Bay Packers that day was because I shook some of our key athletes hands. I don’t remember the plays that drove us to the win, and I don’t even remember what the score was, but I most definitely remember that feeling I had on the field. THE DOWN: We all hated it, but the catch is we really all loved to hate it. The 2011 NFL lockout. A disagreement among the players,

association and the NFL itself kept the audience at the edges of their seats, as they were taunted by the sight of a whole football season dangling above a trashcan. We saw it in the paper day after day, and were updated constantly on the progress of the event. I had conversations all the time with my friends about the lockout. Not because I really cared that much, but because it was drama. I mean, face it, as high school students we seem to always magnetically attach ourselves to drama, and this was a fun one to cling to. And like a disagreement in a naïve high school relationship, after a while, the flame ignited in all our hearts once again, ending with a marriage between the Super Bowl XVI trophy and the deserving New York Giants. I guess for now we shall enjoy the honeymoon, and wait to see who will catch the boquet for next season.

[SPORTS]

WRAPPE

D UP

by abby banning

Sports trainer brings insight to her life, and coming to her career. Megan Hampel knew she wanted to be an athletic trainer in the sixth grade. “I went from wanting to be a teacher, to a zoo keeper, to a doctor,” Hampel said. Hampel moved to Kansas to go to massage therapy school. She needed a job, so she applied for a physical therapy tech job at Shawnee Mission Medical Center. After being told she was certified to be an athletic trainer she decided to pursue that. Although Hampel wanted to be an athletic trainer she wanted to work at a college. But since no positions were open and she was in need of a job quickly she took the job here. “At colleges, the trainers have final say over the athlete’s care, here I can’t tell them what doctor to go to. In college, the trainer is there all day everyday. You can call up on Sunday and get an MRI, you can’t do that here, high school is not the environment I learned,” Hampel said. Despite not wanting to work in a high school, Hampel has made a huge impact. “Megan is really kind and really helpful, whatever you need to have done she is there to help you figure it out. And she’s funny,” senior Erin Miller said. Miller worked with Megan last year during swim season to help with her swimmers’ shoulder. “Swimmers’ shoulder is where your peck muscles pinch the tendon that connects your shoulders to your rotator cuff,” Miller said.

“Megan is there pretty much everyday after school to help everyone with their various injuries before and during practice,” senior Mike Meier said. Meier had a concussion last year and spent a lot of time with Hampel. “My experience working with Megan has been great, she’s always there to help,” Meier said. Hampel also worked with junior Joey Reed when he dislocated his shoulder freshman year. “I should have gotten surgery then, but my doctor didn’t think I needed it,” Reed said. Because Reed didn’t have surgery then, when he dislocated it five or six more times this year surgery was mandatory. “I had to get surgery after the third game of the season. Now I have to come in and work with Megan for physical therapy,” Reed said. Hampel works hard everyday to help athletes recover faster. “Without Megan our school would not be the same,” Reed said. According to Hampel the worst part of the job is the pay she receives for the hours she works. “If I were to have a family there is no way that I could work for this money and raise a family even with a husband’s income,” Hampel said. Although Hample has a very difficult job she still enjoys what she does. “Do I lose my patience? Yes. Do I come here sometimes hating my job? Yes. But I do love doing what I do, I like making a difference. As long as I can make a difference at the end of the day that’s all that matters,” Hampel said.

Favorite Movie

Wizard of Oz

College

Kansas State

Favorite Food

Italian

Dream Dog

Lhaso Opso

Favorite Sport to Work

Baseball

Favorite Color

Royal Purple

Actress to play you in a movie

Sandra Bullock

PHOTO BY JONAH HENG

ISSUE 6 THE EPIC 17

[SPORTS]

from coached to coaching by erin feller & hayden lasalle They walked the same halls, used the same lockers, and sat in the same desks. Even though the building has changed, these lifetime vikings have been a part of west as students, teachers, and coaches. Coach Ryan Darst graduated after earning 9 varsity letters for soccer, baseball and basketball before teaching Algebra 2. “My favorite thing about playing sports in high school was going through the journey with my teammates,” Darst said. Some of Darst’s favorite high school memories included being a starter for the 1992 state championship soccer team and playing for the state-runner up baseball team. He was coached by some other familiar west faculty. Darst’s baseball coach was Nip Shepard, who retired in 2010 after 46 years at West. Darst also was a varsity soccer starter for three years under the coaching of history teacher, Gordon Wetmore. “Ryan was a very intelligent player, one of the best we’ve had. He wasn’t the fastest, actually he was one of the slower ones, but he was strong and tough,” Wetmore said. Darst went on to receive his teaching degree and interviewed with the Shawnee Mission district. He was offered jobs at South and West and accepted his offer from West. Since then he has been a boys basketball coach. According to Darst, one of the main reasons why he decided to coach basketball was because of his own high school coach, John McFall, who is no longer coaching at West. “McFall was an intense guy, and he always got the best out of us,” Darst said. Darst has now been teaching at West for 15 years. “My favorite thing about coaching is the relationships with the guys, they are fun to be around. I love watching them improve as both players and as people,” Darst said.

Coach Sarah Gonzalez is known for more than just coaching girls soccer. She teaches Algebra 2 and is commonly known for taking away cell phones. Gonzalez is also a West graduate. During her time at west Gonzalez was very involved. According to Gonzalez, soccer was her favorite sport, and that was only one of the many extra curricular activities she was involved in. Gonzalez participated in NHS, basketball, and band and was the first attendant to the homecoming queen. When asked what her coaches were like, for soccer, “Sheldon was very disciplined and knowledgeable,” she was then asked her feelings on coach Scott for basketball, “Scott was hard working and always tried to make us better.” For over two decades Gonzalez has represented West in multiple ways. “ It was my dream, I was a JV coach and I got to student teach here.” She is now the current girl’s soccer coach and a favorite among students when teaching math. “My favorite thing about being at West is helping the soccer program and representing the school,” Gonzalez said.

Evolution of the Jacket

90’s

2000’s

Here you can see what a letterman’s jacket looked like nineteen years ago, to the style it has transformed into today. PHOTOS BY AARON ROBERTS & NATALIE STEPHENS

If Tommie Davis isn’t in the counseling office, he might be coaching on the sidelines of the football field. The same place where he could have been found often during his time in high school as well. During Davis’ time as a student he played football under coach Harvey Nip Shepard. “He was a very hard nosed disciplined minded coach,” Davis said. His most memorable moment wasn’t a specific game, he says “practices were fun, hanging out and playing with friends.” Davis’ team made it to sub state during his senior year. “My favorite part of coaching is getting to work with kids everyday in a more of a fun way,” Davis said. Before Davis was here at West he taught at Hocker Grove for a year but later heard there was a job opening at West in the business department. Davis eventually transferred to counseling. According to Davis the transition from student to faculty was weird at first. Davis had Ms. Bunch and Mrs. Benge as teachers. “It’s not as weird now because I have more memories of being on staff then going to high school here,” Davis said. “There has been some additions and changes to the building but the people are still as awesome as always.” According to Darst, West is still a school with lots of leadership and a strong community.

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[SPORTS]

playing your cards right a look into some of our winter sports best athletes statistics written by//kyle becher photos by// sarah mcgreevy

for love or the game?

Junior Max Bullard and junior Rylee Goodson are dating, but Bullard and junior Tanner Clark have played football together for years. Who knows Bullard better? written by// marleah campbell

photos by//jonah heng Rylee Goodson

Max Bullard

Tanner Clark

girlfriend

athlete

teammate

cheese

turkey

middle name?

Brom

Jeffrey

best feature?

abs

eyes

his muscles

favorite jolly rancher flavor?

blue raspberry

favorite sandwich?

total

blue raspberry

Wow Tanner, you should probably hang out with Max more

ISSUE 6 THE EPIC 19

[A&E]

app central

discover some of the latest popular apps trending within the schools to your devices by joshua smith

TRENDING APP’S GAMES

ENTERTAINMENT/UTILITIES 1. Temple Run Platforms: iOS Devices Swipe left, right, up and down to escape wild monkeys as you run with stolen treasure!

FREE

2. Hanging With Friends Platforms: iOS and Android Devices Hangman like puzzles have you battling against friends in ventures to see who can withstand their ground before losing their balloons.

3. Angry Birds Platforms: iOS, Android, and Windows Devices Use each individual birds power to destroy the pigs from hiding to get back your eggs in this action gameplay. Available in many versions with numerous levels

FREE

2. Facebook Platforms: iOS, Android, and Windows Devices Stay in touch with your friends with the hit social networking site to go. On the mobile app post status updates, pictures, and chat with friends with ease.

FREE

$0.99(+)

3. Instagram Platforms: iOS Devices Feel like a professional as you transform your device into a professional camera. Using preset filters change your pictures from boring to something memorable.

FREE

4. Pinterest Platforms: iOS Devices Discover recipes, outfits, and so much more as you scroll through pinterest, with the abilty to share with friends at any moment!

FREE

4. Words With Friends Platforms: iOS, Android, and Windows Devices Challenge your vocabulary as you plot words onto a “Scrabble” like board against your friends.

5. Flick Homerun! Platforms: iOS Devices Your finger becomes the bat as you flick your finger across the screen to see just how far you can hit a homerun!

FREE

EDITOR’S PICK - Joshua Smith (Assistant/Sports) 1. Tweetbot - A Twitter Client with Personality Platforms: iOS Devices Unlike any other Twitter application emerge yourself into your own personalized experience. Customize gestures for retweeting, favoriting and so much more. Seamlessly swipe through your timeline with a clean, smooth interface. Tweetbot is an app you’ll love!

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1. Pandora Platforms: iOS, Android, and Windows Devices Stream your favorite music on the go as Pandora creates a playlist for you automatically!

$2.99

5. Shazaam Platforms: iOS, Android, and Windows Devices Let your phone think for you as you try to remember the name of that song! Just by listening Shazaam can help identify your music.

FREE

ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL’S PICK- Mrs. Springfield 1. Quickoffice Pro - Edit Office Documents Platforms: iOS Devices This powerful editing application allows you to easily access all of your documents that you would commonly find on your computer, and edit them on the go! With other features like effortless publishing to social networks Quickoffice Pro is worth the price. $14.99(+)

[A&E]

competing for the crown Seniors perform unique talents to see who is best fit for the title of Mr. Viking. by natalie stephens & claire hug // photos by landon ochsner and sarah mcgreevy On February 4, the auditorium was packed with 600+ people waiting to see a pageant unlike any other. The Mr. Viking Pageant is a popular fundraiser for senior sizzle. Sixteen senior boys participated in it’s third year. Hosting the show this year were seniors Michael Tahmasian and Emeri Eaton. “Being an emcee was such a fun experience,” Eaton said. “The best part was getting to watch all of the guys do crazy stuff. They were all hilarious.” The first part of the show was a group dance, which all of the boys took part in. This years dance was choreographed by two members of the Varsity dance team, Katie Ring and Tori Wilkinson. “My favorite part was seeing how they portrayed the moves I taught them. It was hard getting them to calm down and remember it,” Wilkinson said. After the dance, the boys continue to the talent portion of the show. To prepare, the boys did many different things. “First, I had to come up with a talent. I chose to do (sing) one of my own songs and performed it in front of my sister. The week before Mr. Viking, we practiced our dance and talents at school almost everyday,” Anthony Balas, senior, said. Each talent was very unique, whether it was playing the guitar with their mouth (Grant Harper), or figuring out a Rubiks cube while on a pogo stick (Warren Johnson), the talent portrayed a unique part of each of their personalities. After the talent portion of the show, each contestant presented a pick-up line to their escort. “Hey baby, you look hungry. Want a Schnack?” Jacob Schnackenberg, senior, said to Whitney Crow, senior. After the pick up lines, the competition got narrowed down to the top eight. The judges chose the top eight based on how much money each contestant raised, their talent and their pick-up line. The top eight contestants were the following seniors: Logan Peifer, Ryan Miller, Anthony Balas, Logan Weaver, Jacob Schnackenberg, Connor Henderson, Chase Clayton and Grant Harper. For the final section of the pageant, the boys had to answer a randomly chosen question. Following this, the winners were selected. The second runner-up was Clayton and the first runner-up was Peifer. As a whole, the 16 participants were able to raise over $6000. The pageant finished with Anthony Balas taking first place. “I was absolutely not expecting to win, so that made it all the more exciting. A good amount of time and preparation went into the event and I was just happy to be a part of it,” Balas said.

ISSUE 6 THE EPIC 21

[A&E]

tales

Internet from the Students and teachers are taking advantage of the tools the Internet has to offer in order to share writing. by tim dodderidge & jordan johnson // photo by landon ochsner All it takes is the click of a mouse - sharing writing with others has never been this easy. Blogging has become a great way to share writing online, and through websites like Blogspot, Tumblr and Wordpress, students and teachers alike have been able to reach out to an audience like never before. “It lets people from California all the way to the East Coast read each others’ stuff and see what people go through,” Ashley Allen, senior, said. Many students at school have started their own blogs, including Allen, sophomore Andy Larson, and language arts teacher Annie Flurry. Flurry’s blog, Lessons From Liam, was inspired by her son, who was born last February. “My blog is about my son, and on the day he was born, we realized that we were no longer the teachers and that he teaches us every day,” Flurry said. Flurry, who updates her blog a few times a month, was also inspired by her English 11 and Writer’s Workshop classes. “I was inspired by my students, but I was also inspired by the idea of wanting to share his life with those who love him,” Flurry said. Allen’s blog, Music Through Life, was inspired by her involvement in Writer’s Workshop. She wanted to continue to write even when not in the class, and with a unique idea in mind, it became reality. “I relate my life through music titles. At the end of every music title, it has to do with the theme of that song, and then I end with a line and the song title,” Allen said. Her favorite aspect of blogging is the overall concept of it being an excellent form of both an expression and an extension from the real world. “It helps me put stuff out there, and I know that people actually enjoy reading it. It helps me express and then lets people read fun stuff,” Allen said. Andy Larson, sophomore, started a personal blog because he was bored. “It’s just about my life, things I do, and things I’m interested in,” Larson said. As an aside from social networking, blogging is a

22 THE EPIC ISSUE 6

(ABOVE): Flurry’s blog, entitled Lessons From Liam. (BOTTOM LEFT): Larson working on his blog, Diary of a Ginger: My Soul Less Journey. Photo by LaNdon Ochsner.

whole different type of expression and communication. It’s also, according to Flurry, a great time waster just like social networking. “It just gives me something to do in my free time,” Larson said. Larson’s blog is titled Diary of a Ginger: My Soul Less Journey. Many sites allow comments, and people can follow blogs to get updates on recent posts. Most of all, it focuses more on the writing than the individual at mind. “Blogging is really nice because I don’t feel that it’s so narcissistic. I feel that it’s really about storytelling, or at least my blog is. That’s what I really enjoy about it, it’s just the vehicle by which to tell stories about Liam,” Flurry said. Flurry’s blog usually includes numerous pictures and lots of writing. “They take me a while, but it’s really turned into something I enjoy doing,” Flurry said. Like Flurry, Allen has also become actively involved with her blog. Her overall goal is to keep writing outside of school in general, whether it’s through a blog or not. “I’ve been really good about trying to keep it up. If I don’t put it up, then I still write,” Allen said. With a sudden surge in the popularity of Tumblr and Blogspot blogs, it’s become more convenient to share writing online. According to Larson, blogging has also helped him express his mind. “It makes the Internet colorful and more interesting,” Larson said. Blogging is a change in technology that is not only, with more and more people owning computer, becoming more accessible, but also, according to Flurry, a great way to interact. “It’s a really nice, modern way to share stories,” Flurry said.

A&E

A&E IN KC

how to start your morning bright

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

Find out which breakfast place to start your morning off with. by terri harvey and alex leininger // photos by jonah heng

by molly smith

CONCERT WATCH West 87th Street

Shawnee Mission Parkway & Quivira

Sante Fe Cafe is located in a small strip mall on west 87th street; the building is pretty small, there’s almost not enough room. It’s decorated with a western theme complete with pictures of cowboys, several desert plants, and wooden wagon spokes. Honestly, I think the decor could have been carried out a lot better, and the silverware and table that I was given was a little dirty. But overall the atmosphere, was very family-friendly.

D.R.U.G.S.- 2/19 @ 7pm Beaumont Club

Walking in, you notice a bright, rustic and somewhat basic environment. Although general, the layout was simple and tasteful. I was helped immediately. The regular chair and booth format made the space seem open. The staff was helpful and quick, and seemed to be enjoying themselves. Most importantly, it was quiet despite the fact that it was pretty busy. There wasn’t anything special to look at, but also nothing to complain about.

There isn’t anything particularly unique or fantastic about the menu, but there is a large selection. I ordered the classic breakfast: eggs, hashbrowns, sausage, and toast. It was very good, especially the hashbrowns, they were perfectly crisp and buttery. The cafe also has a selection of crepes which were just as equally delicious, specifically the blueberry crepe, which was the one I tried.

Excision- 2/20 @ 8:30pm The Midland in KCMO Drake- 3/1 @ 7pm Sprint Center Torche- 3/9 @ 8pm Beaumont Club Radiohead- 3/11 @ 7:30pm Sprint Center

I ordered a basic meal, with eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy. The biscuits were true to the name of the restaurant the best part of the meal. Everything had plenty of flavor, and the amount was well worth the price. The meal arrived within 15 minutes, even with the crowd.

Ben Rector- 3/11 @ 8pm Midland Theater Janes Addiction- 3/16 @ 8:30pm Uptown Theater Tech N9ne- 3/24 @ 7pm Midland Theater

The prices tended to hover right around $7 or $8, which was definitely reasonable for the amount of food. At $7.59, I got the around the same amount of food I would have gotten at a Perkins for much cheaper. Overall, Big Biscuit is definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area.

It is very reasonably, with prices ranging from $5 to $9 basically anyone could afford this breakfast. The only drawback was the horrible service; my waitress was extremely confused and insufficient, but I have been told that that is a rarity, so I will let it go.

Uncle Kracker- 3/25 @ 8pm Beaumont Club Torche- 3/9 @ 8pm Beaumont Club Young The Giant- 3/30 @ 9pm Midland Theater

the winner is big biscuit

OTHER THINGS TO WATCH FOR Romeo & Juliet Ballet- 2/19 @7:30pm Muriel Kauffman Theatre

Leawood Juried Art Show- 2/24 @6pm

double

take

brandon baudry freshman

Great Day Cafe Open Mike3/2 @7pm Great Day Cafe in OP, KS

russell up character

ISSUE 6 THE EPIC 23

comic corner brochacho by

GARRETT WILSON

Spot the six can you find the six differences?

Aaron Roberts