WEST WORd November 2016 Issue 2
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Make a Run For It
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Pink-What’s it mean?
14
Cinema Scares to See
West Word
Staff
Newsmagazine
Editors
Gabrielle Hazen-Junior Zavier Barrow-Junior
Reporters
Xira Alexander-Junior Ralph Dayacap-Junior Adelina Finch-Junior Madison Harper-Junior Rachael Papps-Junior Brisa Perez-Junior Itzel Salas-Sophomore Evan Yazzie-Senior
Photographers
Alexis Chicalas-Senior Ralph Dayacap-Junior Skyler Meyer-Sophomore Eric Ramirez-Sophomore
Stories Editorials
(Pg. 6-7) Opportunity List (Pg. 8) Athletic Competition Between Schools Bring Negative Feelings
Features
(Pg. 12) Bootanica Event at Botanica Gardens (Pg. 13) Cancer Survivor Feature Mrs. Bozarth (Pg. 14) Halloween Movies to Check Out
Sports
(Pg. 4-5) Cross Country Feature
Advisor
Spencer O’Daniel-5th Year
Social
Twitter @PioneerWestWord 2
The Word is an open forum for student expression. The Word is not subject to prior review by administration. Content of the paper is determined by staff. Editorial articles express the opinion of the editors and do not reflect the view of the faculty or administration of West High. The inclusion of an advertisement does not signify its endorsement for business by the West Word Staff.
What’s Inside!
Unplanned Pregnancy? Desisions to make?
FREE PREGNANCY TESTING “WALK-INS” WELCOME CONFIDENTIAL Monday through Saturday
BIRTHLINE 339 N. Seneca
BL
265-0134
or 1-800-848-5683
Cap & Gown Photos
26th Annual Turkey Drive
November 17th Wrestling Room
NOV. 14th - NOV. 18th
Wichita Art Museum 1400 W. Museum Blvd.
FREE admission but advance registration is required:
wichitaartmuseum.org/register
Stay out late
at the Wichita Art Museum and make some art. Sketch-a-Thon is a special night for high school students to meet local artists, make art, dance, and eat pizza, and it’s all FREE! Saturday, November 5
6 to 10 pm at WAM !
for information email education@wichitaartmuseum.org
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of a sport One hill
Page by Brisa Perez & Madison Harper Photos by Eric Ramirez and Skyler Meyer
Cross country is not just about the race. It is about the dedicated process you do to strengthen the race.
Nevertheless, the “tough” mentality seems to work like a charm when it comes to the preparations for meets.
That same process is what West High’s Cross Country team has been bringing to the table. Claiming victory and remaining unaffected by the rough challenges that come along the way.
The boy’s team has won three meets this season while the girl’s team has been getting more and more competitive to develop themselves as state runners and as a team.
They tolerate and survive the worst because of one goal that each runner has in mind.
Believing you can do something and having the ambition to break the chains holding you back is exactly what sophomore Cross Country runner Cinthia Jimenez did.
Success. “The workouts are hard, but at the end it pays off. All the pain that‘s inside you goes away when you’re focused on the task,” said senior Javier Puente. When it comes to support, the team advances in being there for one another along with their families supporting them too. Senior Jonathan Fonseca took his family approach from former Pioneer runner and West High graduate Dominick Fonseca. “The best advice that I was ever given would have to be from my brother. He said to me, ‘You’re tired but so is everybody else,’ said Fonseca. Michael Lewis is a first time Cross-Country coach here at West High School. He has a unique way of showing his devotion to the sport and to the runners. “I want students to think of me as tough because I believe in tough love. A lot of times they say ‘Coach Lewis is mean’ but I take that as a compliment because once I discipline you I don’t hold that against you. I do it to move you forward,” said Coach Lewis.
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Jimenez took the chance to prove to herself that she could do something others thought she couldn’t. “I started running cause my dad said I couldn’t because I was too small so I had to show him wrong,” said Jimenez. The encouragement and love the team has for one another is something you don’t see every day. It’s a fun and positive environment they surround themselves with when they are with each other. “We applaud them for every little thing they do and we make fun of each other but everyone knows we’re just playing around,” said Puente. With college around the corner for the senior runners, they continue to push themselves in practice for their future goal-running cross country at the juco or Division I level. “I want to go to college and be successful in life and getting a scholarship for running will help me get there,” said Fonseca. Sports Feature
Upper right: West High’s Boys Cross Country team gets in an early warmup run before the cross country seasons begins. Bottom right: Using the rest of her energy to push her way through, Perla Salas (10’) full out sprints her last forty yards to the finish line.
Above: Sprinting to the finish line, Matthew Riggle (10’) paces himself at the Salina Invitational.
TEAM Country Workout
INSPIRATION
COACH
race
MOTIVATION
SUCCESS
RUNNING
2016-2017
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Page by Gabrielle Hazen Pictures by Eric Ramirez and Alexis Chicalas Cartoon by Juliana Casillas
O-list could aid students in their academic affairs If you ask any graduate what their favorite aspect of high school was, it’s generally an easy answer. They will probably tell you whatever sport, club or academic group made the most affect on them. While involvement is crucial to the high school experience, each school also has their own specific set of requirements their students must meet before they become involved with extracurricular activities. West High over the last two years has been working to establish their own set of standards. The Opportunity List, a set of academic standards, is a list that basically states a child has two or more F’s they are banned from all non-educational pastimes. West created the list to force teachers to keep up on their grading and become more dedicated to their students’ triumph. It was also installed to encourage students to stay on track throughout the whole year; instead of having them rush around at the end of each semester trying their hardest to raise their grade.
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Even though both students and teachers are working to improve themselves, there are still many problems arising. Due to this, Principal Joel Hudson decided to give the list a break in early October of the fall quarter. “Right now we have about 500 kids on the opportunity list, which means 40 plus percent of the student body has two or more F’s,” Hudson stated. Hudson is very supportive of the list, but is concerned that the standards at this time are not being met. The number of students who make up the list is worrisome. “If the Opportunity List is going to work, we should see that number go down as we go through the semester not go up,” Hudson said. Hudson has proposed to re-educate the West High staff on what events the list covers. Numerous teachers have been allowing their students to attend day long field trips and after school activities, purely because they were not aware of the rules and how it applies. Editorial
The opportunity list is literally giving children the chance to realize the dedication they need to start having in order to have the life they dreamed of having as children. -Sara Powell
“
Hudson has also pointed out that a huge percent of students on the list are constantly there.
purely because they were so dedicated to their grades and high school career.
The list does not effect them because they are not involved in anything school related. This number of 500 is highly inflated due to this large percentage of students who simply do not care at this time.
“It makes kids more focused on their grades because they want to attend or participate in all these events,” said Powell.
It’s not only the principal that is in favor of the list, but teachers and students as well. West’s History teacher Seth Garinger believes that the list isn’t pressuring the students to succeed as much as the school might hope, but it still makes stduents want to strive for that passing grade. “I think it [the list] drives them to do what they gotta do to get their grades up so they can play... they’re just getting it up to a sixty so they can be out there on the football field,” Garinger said. Sara Powell is a junior at West and is active in in a plethora of school events and clubs such as Drama, Choir, STUCO and swimming. Powell loves seeing her friends and team members participate in the things they enjoy,
Ultimately, Business teacher Janet Hartley thinks the Opportunity List doesn’t dictate if a student graduates or not, but she believes it does help. “A high school diploma is a gateway to the next opportunity, that’s why it’s so important. Don’t let not graduating be a road block,” said Hartley. There seems to be a schoolwide belief that this opportunity list can have positive impacts on our student body. There is no excuse for one to be failing courses. There are countless support systems to help kids be successful; these include after school tutoring, Academy time and Saturday school. For the list to stay active and be effective, West High needs the entire student body and staff to be committed and value the list’s significance.
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Shaking Aggression Off Page by Evan Yazzie
Is there a new battle between brain and brawn?
Athletic Crime Statistics For NFL
Athletes have been battling more than just teams at sport games. They have been battling aggression against each other, their coaches, and other teams. This constant use of anger in young athletes can make them succumb to violent nature in their adult lives.
30% Violent Crime Property
45%
Alcohol
Students play a role in abusing other athletes who play at their own school. Damaris Flores, West High volleyball defensive specialist, is used to the ridicule about her team over the years. “Since freshman year, people say that West High’s volleyball team is not that good, I just shake it off,” Flores said. The constant neglect and hate can push an athlete to be even more aggressive off the field. According to Human Kinetics, specialized website on athletic statistics, “domestic violence is the number-one-crime perpetrated by male athletes.” Coaches can also play into this aggravation on athletes as well. This leads to more aggravation on the field and more stress off the field.
Drugs Other
4% 8% 13%
West High football tight end Jared McGehee is always under pressure through coaches and his teammates to do his job correctly on the field. “If we are doing stuff wrong, he [coach] gets aggravated real easily,” Jared Mcgehee said. More often than not, students often have to find time to vent out this anger and neglect. This can lead to an athlete to backlashing towards his own team and causing more stress for everyone. “If your coaches and teammates are bashing you because you’re not playing well, you probably should not be playing with them. It’s not good to be around, especially if you’re an athlete,” McGehee believes. Students who are becoming school athletes should consider becoming strong in their mental state. An athlete should become balanced in body and mind because one cannot exist without the other in competitive school sports. If one is ever feeling down or stressed out due to the constant backlashing of school sponsored sports, just remember Damaris Flores’ motto. “You’re just taking it to your heart too much, just shake it off.”
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Editorial
Have you bought your yearbook yet? Get yours now before the price goes up. Only $45.00 in the main office. Yearbook Promo
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The Art Swap Project Page by Rachael Papps and Itzel Salas Photos by Skyler Meyer
“My hope is that they will remember what it was like to learn new things as a younger kid and then to progress through.” Art Instructor Natalie Wright knows the importance of starting art at an early age. This year, West art students will be teaming up with Riverside Elementary artists to create combined art pieces. The first project entitles drawing three lines, where the high school students come in from there to draw and sketch. The second project will be another drawing that responds to the Maya Angelou poem where it will hopefully be shown at the Christmas Art Show. The last project is when the elementary students draw a character or monster that will then be sent to the high school students who will make the drawing 3D by using clay. “The project is about two things, on the first part the project is about enabling people to realize that creativity is a learning skill that you embrace, the second part of the project is about connecting art classrooms and art communities across geographical space,” Wright said. For the first project each drawing will have three participants. The first elementary or high school student will draw a picture from the lines that have been created, then they will pass to their partner who will add body parts.
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The drawings are then sent to the paired school where the students will add color and texture. As the project is progressing, the students are having an amazing time working on this project. One of the many students working on the project is junior Larissa Buffalohead, who is enthusiastic to be working with the younger kids. “They have a different mind set than we do,” said Buffalohead. The students are finding true meaning to this project, whether it be the excitement of receiving the drawing back or creating art with younger students, or just to show younger kids that older kids still have creativity. Buffalohead appreciates their innovative way of looking at art as a whole. “They give us really great ideas because they have a greater way of seeing things, they have imagination,” said Buffalohead. The teachers enjoy watching how their students interact and change their behavior with the project. They have also seen some things they didn’t expect of their students. “I’ve seen a lot more of the students being caring. They see the drawing they immediately start thinking about what the kids want as opposed to what they could add to it. That was something I didn’t expect,” said Wright. West Feature
From
Start to Finish
With creativity, anything is possible. From what started with an outline, to what ended with color, shape, texture, and depth of field is now a functonal piece of art. Both high school and elementary students had an amazing experience working with each other. To expand each other’s creativity, they showed each other what it means to combine their talents to create an art piece.
The Process With the projects starting off with elementary students, they expand their creative minds to make an outline of these drawings. Next, they pass it on to high school students where they will expand the outline using color, shape, texture, and depth of field. When in the hands of the high school student, they then add on to the drawing. They may add a setting to the drawing to make it realistic.
West Feature
Finally, they start to add texture to define the objects. With defining they make the drawing stand out to the viewers eye. They may also use the composition of depth of field, to make the back round appear more
focused and distanced to the main focus. They also include shapes into the drawings. The can consist of a twodimensional area that is defined by change in value or in another form of contrast.
(Left) To begin, Parisho adds detail to the original drawing of the elementary student (Middle) He now begins adding color and texture to the piece. (Right) Parisho applies the skills that he has learned to this drawing, “It has helped me gain my creativity back from so many years,” said Parisho.
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Page by Ralph Dayacap Photos from Google Images
Cinematic Scares
Paranormal spirits, serial killers and scary clowns are just a few trademarks that symbolize that the Halloween season is here.
Fending off killers, entities, and zombies all while keeping an eye on mischievous teens will sure make you want to see more.
2016 has been a great year for movie producers who have been feeding the viewers hunger for extravagant movies.
If those movies weren’t grabbing your attention enough, then paranormal activity just might.
But with three months left in the year, Halloween movie enthusiasts around the country are in for a visually thrilling ride.
A mysterious video tape and a horrifying girl that jumps right out of the television, Rings will sure make you want to keep an eye before you head to sleep. Being a spin off of the original Ring movie this one will bring back the memories from the past.
Ouija Origins Of Evil will takes you back in time to Los Angeles in 1965, where a family invites a spirit using a Ouija bored that ends up terrorizing the house hold. This movie will have you questioning if interactacting with the spirits of the dead is really a good idea. If your more into the comedy horror type movies then Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween will laugh you out of your seat all while having a hair-raising tone to it.
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You can relive the iconic movie this October 26th as it comes out nationwide. With Halloween this year falling on a Monday, hitting your local theater for a movie might be your best option. It’s safe, predictable and you get to select your favorite candy at this venue. Movie Feature
Pink Faith Page by Xira Alexander Photos by Eric Ramirez
Just a lump. Sometimes that’s how it starts, but that lump could change someone’s entire life. Former teacher of West High, Mrs. Bozarth, found that life-changing lump. Breast cancer. “I found a lump under my arm, went to the doctor, and got a mammogram. At first they didn’t think it was cancer, but later they found that it was.” Once she was diagnosed, she had the tormenting task of telling her loved ones. “My husband knew immediately, I had two teenagers at home, we were just honest, we just told them,” Bozarth said. The emotional affect on her family at first was taxing. “My family began to realize that I might not be there forever.” Mrs. Bozarth now subs for many teachers in the science department at West High. She survived her experience and is still going strong. Before she retired, Bozarth taught Biology and Anatomy as well.
Bozarth credits her faith and strong religion as a reason she was able to fight through the cancer. “I’m a religious lady, when I found out I became closer with God,” Bozarth said. Sooner or later, she had to decide what to do for treatment. After discussing with her husband, they decided to put their faith in the hands of the doctor and go through with the surgery that he had recommended. “I’m a science person, I knew what to expect when I woke up from surgery and I knew that if I found little drain bottles, then I had had a mastectomy. And I found them. The most important thing to me at this point was to wake up as quick as I could and find my husband so that I could comfort him.” To Mrs. Bozarth, the power of a close-knit family instilled hope; not only to keep her alive but to keep her family intact. The close ones around provided the stability and support she needed. These days, she is cancer free, educating again and mentally stronger than ever. “I taught through all of this, I only missed 17 days of school. I walked up and down these halls trembling, but I knew that if I quit, I’d become a basket case.”
1 in 8 U.S. Women Develop Invasive Breast Cancer. Person Feature
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COnnecting the COMMUNITY Page by Adelina Finch-Photos by Alexis Chicalas
How does your garden grow? It begins with a seed. A seed that has the ability to flourish the earth with an array of vibrant greenery. Comparable to a garden, Botanica is able to bring different communities of Wichita together in order to create a beautiful environment of people. Botanica, the home of 30 exquisite gardens is located in Riverside, Wichita. The gates of Botanica were unbarred in 1982. Since then, they have strived to enlighten Kansans about horticulture, the practice of garden cultivation, while providing an aesthetic, natural experience. Botanica is known for hosting annual familyfriendly events such as Festival of the Monarch, Bootanica, and the holiday favorite, Iluminations. All of which are run by volunteers from around the city. Community partners such as the Exploration Place and the Wichita Nature Center volunteer their time to provide booths and events.
This year on Saturday, Oct. 8th, the family friendly Halloween event Bootanica brought together over 5,000 Kansans for a day full of mad scientists, pumpkin decorating, life-size lawn games, and Halloween-inspired fun. “The kids seem to really enjoy all the different crafts that they have for them to do. They also seem to really enjoy the large games including Tic-Tac-Toe, Lego blocks, and the Tinker toys,” said Janet Walsh, grandmother of three. From booking booths, to establishing décor, Kathy Sweeney, Director of Special Events, is responsible for arranging events such as Bootanica.
“Without the volunteers we couldn’t have Bootanica. We just have so many areas going; I think there were 18 activities running. Without volunteers we just wouldn’t be able to make it happen,” Sweeney said. Shelly Cannady, Volunteer Coordinator for Botanica, seeks Wichitans who want to give back to the community and make a difference. She believes that the hardworking affection of the community brings Wichita together. “I think it is great for the community to host events like Bootanica,” Cannady said. “It’s a way to bring several groups of the community together and see what we have to offer here.”