Andover Trojan Bluestreak- Feb 11 Issue

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trojan

BLUESTREAK

1744 N. Andover Road Andover, KS 67002 www.trojanbluestreak.com 316-218-4600 February 14, 2011 Volume 25 - Issue 9

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newsWORTHY Shakespeare to come for Spring play

snip-ITS StuCo offers fun holiday activities for students enjoyment With the season of love among us, StuCo prepares to host their annual Vanity Fair as well as reintroducing Hush Hearts. StuCo has been selling items during lunch this week to prepare to deliver Valentine goodies to students on Feb. 14. Items that StuCo offer are treats such as cookies, cups of love and kisses in a bag. Roses and tulips are also being sold to students. “My favorite gifts to give are cookies because they are delicious,” senior Paige Bergmeier said. Sing-a-grams performed by the Madrigals are included in the list as well. Male Madrigals sing to female students while female Madrigals ode to males. “Sing-a-grams are the best part about Vanity Fair because it is a fun way to interrupt class and it is funny seeing people get embarrassed,” junior Abby Teinert said. Another StuCo-sponsored activity, Hush Hearts, will take place next Monday. Girls will receive paper hearts to put around their necks during first hour. If they speak to a boy, they must give their heart away. The boy who steals the most hearts at the end of the day will receive a prize from StuCo. Many students enjoy the activities StuCo offers during the Valentine season. “They are a fun way to show friends or loved ones how much you care about them,” Teinert said.

katieSCHNEIDER

suzannaGEHRER staff writer

SARAH CLARK

Sophomore Ronia Stephan reads through her “A Midsummer’s Night Dream” book and memorizes her lines for the spring play tryouts. Tryouts for the spring play will take place on Feb. 15.

The theatre department has decided to take a new spin on the show business by producing a classical play. The play that students will be putting on is “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare. The tryouts for this play will be the week of Feb. 15. Many students are happy that the theatre department is putting on a Shakespearean play, while other students are not looking forward to it. “Shakespeare is not enjoyable to most high school students, therefore, many students will not enjoy the play,” sophomore Elizabeth Carro said. Other students are getting antsy about when it will come out. “I think it is awesome that we are producing “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” because it has a lot of diversity in it,” senior Monica Farfan said. Staff members have a different feel on Shakespeare and are ready to see students perform “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” “I am very excited to produce a Shakespeare play because many students have negative connotations when they think about

Shakespeare and I want to show them how funny it can be when it is being performed instead of just being read,” theatre teacher Sarah Koehn said. Students who do not participate in the theatre department feel as though those who will be cast in the play will put on a good performance. “I think that we can put the play on well; we have good actors at our high school,” senior Trent Garman said. Students do not have doubt that the play will not be well prepared. “I think that with all the hard work Mrs.Koehn and the cast members put into the play that this play will be awesome; I just hope that they will make it where it is understandable and enjoyable,” Carro said. Every play that goes on is very challenging for Koehn. “The burden falls more on me as a director to make you understand, than it does with a play written in contemporary language, and that is another reason why I chose this play. I need to continue to be challenged or I am not going to enjoy myself,” Koehn said.

K4K club prepares for benefit dinner ericaANDERSON staff writer

This year will be the fourth annual Voice of the Children Benefit Dinner, run primarily by the students in Kids 4 Kids (K4K) clubs at AHS and ACHS. “Each year there are guests who come up to members of Kids 4 Kids saying how they can not believe that the kids put this wonderful event together,” cochair Camille Hantla said. The dinner is K4K’s main fundraiser, of the year in which they bring in thousands of dollars that go to their other fundraisers and other organizations that help abused and neglected children in the community. It is an opportuERICA ANDERSON nity for people in the community Senior Lauren Fahsholtz cuts out a shoe print during clubs. The to go and donate to the cause, Kids 4 Kids Club meets in the commons on Mon. to organize participate in auctions, watch a

events.

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Feb. 14, 2011

talent show and have a nice dinner. “The money we receive goes to charities and to help run our other events, such as our It’s a Kids Christmas event,” K4K president Jordan Haas said. When guests arrive at the Crestview Country Club, they bid on the items in the silent auction, then they move on to the buffet. Following is the talent show then another short bidding session and then the judges announce the winner of the talent show. Then the night is over, so they take their baskets and leave. “The kids want to make it all about the kids,” volunteer Kathy Herzog said. At the dinner there is a talent show that is composed of grades 3-12 and they choose the top

three from each category to per- dinner is seeing how we as high form at the dinner. This year the school students are making a winner of the talent contest wins difference,” co-chair Lauren a talent contract with the Gregory Fahsholtz said. Talent Agency, a photo shoot, a bond and a scholarship to Launch Showcase in Chicago. Although their sponsorship for this year has gone down so they may not raise quite as much money as they have in the past, they hope to fill all 280 seats at the dinner. “We needed a way to raise funds and we want to do something that benefited all the kids in the community,” Herzog said. Most of the guests that attend are amazed with that the students coordinated the whole event and the students enjoy that ERICA ANDERSON Junior Camille Hantla cuts out stars for decoreaction in return. “My favorite part of the rations for the dinner during club times.


Band performs winter concert with professional staff writer

Performing is a skill few hold due to the difficulty of becoming an elite performer, ut Andrew Hitz plays an instrument few rise to the plate for: the tuba. “I just try and stay relaxed. I do make sure my air is moving. That’s the most important thing about playing the tuba, that you need to use a lot of air and so I make sure that I’m relaxed, but I just try and stay loose,” Hitz said. Hitz has performed all around the world in 25 different countries and 49 out of the 50 states. He travels a lot with his brass quartet called the Boston Brass. Balancing this with his teaching job at Gettysburg College and George Mason University, living in te Washington D.C. area is hard on Hitz, but believes it is worth it. “He taught us to play loud and get it wrong instead of playing it softly and getting it right,” freshman Kody Kostboth said. Hitz was contacted through the Jupiter Musical Instruments sales representative who is a friend of band director Ray Linville. He first spoke to Linville last August and finalized the details of the combined performance in October. The piece that he chose for the concert with band was “From the Shores of the Might Pacific.” “He was on a different level; he made our section look bad,” sophomore Joel Findley said. The piece itself was written 100 years ago for a professional band, so it was hard for the students to learn and perfect. Also, it was originally written as a solo for the cornet, which challenged Hitz as well.

alexHERNANDEZ

“They had to be really flexible in terms of it’s not going to go how they rehearsed it and tonight, it’s not going to go the exact tempo they rehearsed,” Hitz said. Tempo changes throughout the song since no one knows how fast Hitz would play. Hitz practiced at a speed he liked and Linville practiced tempos that he thought would be close to Hitz’s. “We played a lot of really challenging music and made a good sound,” Linville said. Both Hitz and Linville were impressed with the flexibility of the students to be able to take the tempo changes in stride. According to Hitz, the sound was excellent for high school students and contributed to the overall success of the performance. “The band sounds great. Very, very, good sound, which is obvious that Mr. Linville has worked on the sound quite a bit, which is the number one thing I look for in a band,” Hitz said.

We played a lot of really challenging music and made a good sound. rayLINVILLE

All-State Choir concert conducted by Utah State music professor hollyHEIRONIMUS copy chief

High school students who tried out for All-State Choir in Kansas have been practicing their music for their performance. During their performance, they will be joined with a conductor who deems professionally in the music field: Craig Jessop. According to ksmea.org which gives information about all All-State concerts and activities, Jessop has studied and been involved in music for more than 30 years. “He conducted the Mormon Tabernacle Choir,” choir teacher Bob Schofer said. Three Andover students as well as one COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS | ABC PROGRAM MYBANK CHECKING | SIGN & SAVE

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Andover Central student will be working along with other All-State Choir students and Jessop. “I have never worked with [Jessop] before, but I am looking forward to it,” Martin said. Martin, along with fellow seniors Bren Marion and Ariana Moll are All-State Choir students who will be under Jessop’s conduction. “I’m told [Jessop] does a really good job with choirs. I don’t know a lot of information about him,” Moll said. Moll looks forward to learning new things from Jessop. “I like the opportunity to work with new directors because then you learn how to make a piece sound awesome. [Different directors] all have different styles,” Moll said.

Jessop will work with different techniques to make the choir better. “He will work with our tone, and dynamics and try to increase our overall performance everyday,” Martin said. Jessop’s accomplishments are known to the students in the choir. “Bren [Marion] told me that he had a Grammy. I googled him and he seemed really well accomplished,” Martin said. Though Jessop is a professional in the musical field of choir, his dedication is just as important as the students’ who participate. “These are some very dedicated kids. Bren has tried out for four years, Elisa takes lessons and Ariana constantly practices,” Schofer said.

be there >>

ALL-STATE CHOIR CONCERT -Feb. 26, 1:15 p.m. @ Century II Convention Center -$7 per ticket general admission ANDOVER SINGERS

- Bren Marion - Elisa Martin - Ariana Moll

Like a Good Neighbor State Farm is there.

Tony Durano CLU ChFC Andover. KS 316-733-1000 tony@tonydurano.com

Feb. 14, 2011

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Andover police acquires new drug dog kathrynSILL

sports writer

five questions with the homecoming candidates

By looks, it is a typical “man’s best friend” situation, but it is more than a simple canine. The city of Andover police department has recently received a new drug dog that is still in the early stages of training. “[We got a new drug dog] so we can have a patrol dog, drug dog and tracking seven days a week. We have two, so now the two dogs can trade on and off,” Master of Patrol Officer Mickey Farris said. The dog lives with Farris and on Mar. 4, the two will leave for a 10-week academy. Farris acts as a “foster parent” to the dog.

Taylor Tilson

Lindsey Eck

drug detection, police work and scent tracking. The new drug dog provides benefits for the community. “I think it is good because there will be a drug dog in Andover everyday. We will not have to call other agencies to bring over [a drug dog],” Parker said. The drug dog will be used within the city as well as inside schools. Athletic Director Gary Merritt thinks it is great for the city to get a new drug dog because it is another tool to help fight against drugs. Principal Bob Baier agrees. “I am very thankful that the city keeps the school in mind when making decisions and helps keep drugs out of school,” Baier said.

What is your favorite Country Club activity?

What is the best waffle topping?

Who’s identity would you steal and why?

What Andover activity will you miss the most?

“Ariel from the Little Mermaid.”

“Basketball.”

“Chocolate chips.”

“Lexie Tilson, she’s so amaizing!”

“Basketball, I love my coaches and my girls!”

“Power Rangers.”

“Racquetball all the way.”

“Chocolate chips with whipped cream.”

“My dad so I would know what’s like to be stronger than n ox.”

“Band, I love my trombone.”

“Little Mermaid nightgown.”

“Tennis.”

“Chocolate chips with syrup.”

“Scarlet Johanssen, she’s super beautiful!”

“Band, Mr. Linville has made such an impact on me.”

“Jurassic Park PJs.”

“Racquetball.”

“Peanut butter and syrup. . . it’s so good!”

“Spiderman, so i could swing around Wichita.”

“Scholar’s Bowl, it’s my definition of fun.”

“Disney princesses pink nightgown.”

“Golf.”

“Only butter.”

“Carrie Underwood, she has an amazing tallent.”

“Going to games because I got to see the people i didn’t have in class.”

“A onesie.”

“Jumping off the high dive.”

“Chocolate chips and whipped cream.”

“Dallas Fizel, he is an all around stud.”

“Trojan Nite, it was fun to be a part of.”

“Monkey pajamas from Aeropostle.”

“Underwater basket weaving.”

“Either blueberries or strawberries.”

“Carrie Underwood because she has nice legs.”

“Theatre because I love being on stage.”

“Space Jam.”

“Golf.”

Evan Willford

Lauren Fahsholtz

Grant Ralston

Jenny Cooper

Feb. 14, 2011

PHOTO BY SUZANNA GEHRER

What were your favortite PJs as a child?

Kyle Shook

Trent Garmen

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“I am excited [for the new drug dog]. I am an animal lover. Years ago, I worked as a vet tech,” Farris said. The dog has yet to be named. It is a Belgium Malamar breed. “The city is looking for people to put in [recommend] names [for the dog],” Student Resource Officer Lance Parker said. The dog is only 13 months old and is 83 lbs. He will be fully grown when he is 100 lbs. There is no age requirement for the drug dog. “You want to get them early so you can start training,” Parker said. Right now, the canine is going through basic training. In March, he will go to police dog training school for further training on

“Chocolate chips.”

“Lebron James because he is an all around stud.”

“The student section at games.”


Governor’s propositions for education will affect Andover katieSCHNEIDER staff writer

Gov. Sam Brownback’s restructuring plan, proposed last month, will affect the school district’s budget for next year. The District Office has been talking about next year’s budget since the start of the school year. However, the first time an organized really began to analyze it was on Feb. 3 when the Budget Advisory Committee held their first meeting. District Business Manager Jim Freeman heads the committee and says it is a little too early for the committee to see where all the cuts will be made.

“The only thing I think we are seeing right now is just the drop in the funding. I think what will come out of the legislative session will be a lot of study and work that goes on next year, but it may not impact anything other than just funding,” Freeman said. The district budget is based on estimates of enrollment and tax receipts. School district budgets operate using different funds, which are similar to separate bank accounts. The General Fund is based off of enrollment of the school district and provides the majority of the money. Sept. 20 is the official enrollment count day that the district bases their numbers off of. One of the effects of the governor’s restructuring plan involves the lowering of the Base State Aid Per Pupil (BSAPP). The total enrollment of the district multiplied by the BSAPP equals the General Fund budget amount. For the 2011-2012 school year, the governor has recommended the BSAPP to be lowered to $3,780 per student, which would end up in a reduction of approximately $900,000 to the district potentially.

However a possible $530,000 of that total could be reduced because of fixed cost budgets as well as the Contingency Reserve Fund. The purpose of the Budget Advisory Committee is to now decide where to place the cuts of the remaining $370,000. “We have not really started talking where any of the cuts will be but that will probably happen on Feb. 23, which is our next meeting. There is nothing specific yet that has really been determined,” Freeman said. Students on the committee said they have seen changes even this year. Effects such as bigger classes and fewer coaches are among the visible changes. When discussing how the cuts will affect the actual education students will receive, Freeman said it will most certainly be affected. “It affects how much attention a teacher can give to individual students because they have more of them. It makes it harder to teach,” Freeman said. “It [budget reduction] is going to have some negative impact on us, and it has already.” HENRY HOOK

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback greets and chats with people after a presentation in Topeka.

Two popular businesses Cabela’s, Menards make Wichita home edenVIERTHALER features editor

Lately, Wichita has been growing, which offers opportunities such as construction of businesses, creation of jobs or occupations and installation of home developments. According to geonames.org, Wichita is the largest city in the state of Kansas with a

population of more than 350,000 people. In turn, the population attracts a multitude of super centers. An extremely diverse city, Wichita offers a combination of big city amenities with a relaxed home-town environment. Significant attractions recently added to the area include the Intrust Bank Arena as well as Bill Warren’s IMAX Theatre.

Incoming to the Wichita area, at the Regency Lakes Shopping Center on 21st and Greenwich is outdoor store Cabela’s. Cabela’s construction is said to begin in July of 2011 and conclude in Spring 2012. Cabela’s, an outdoorsmen’s dream store of 80,000 square feet, will be full of supplies for hunting, fishing, camping, boating, hiking and wildlife-watching. It also will contain outdoor clothing, gifts and furniture. Currently, Wichitans purchase things for these activities mainly at Gander Mountain. “Hunting is what I do right now, and [I will shop for] just about everything at Cabela’s: decoys, shotgun shells, clothes and coats,” junior Matt Bohannan said. The nearest Cabela’s is located in Kansas City and teach-

ers as well as students have an idea as to why the store chose to build in Wichita. “There are a lot of people in Wichita that travel to Kansas City to go to Cabela’s,” Chad Wilmott said. “There are many outdoorsmen in our area.” Junior Hunter Weddington, who participates in hunting, acknowledges the colossal number of people who will want to shop at Cabela’s. Weddington plans to go to Cabela’s once or twice every few months for items like ammunition, camo and supplies. Bohannan has anticipated Cabela’s arrival in Wichita. “I wanted one to come for a while,” Bohannan said. “I was told it was coming by my dad and the news.”

A brand new home improvement store coming to Wichita in two locations called Menards plans going to make its debut in

ers of both locations. He offers a reason as to why Menards chose to put two stores in Wichita. “They looked at a lot of different markets and performed studies,” Ablah said. “They liked the midwest.” Ablah claims approximately 125 jobs will be gained at each store, adding to 250 new jobs for Wichitans. Predictions exist for the number of people Menards will attract. “We estimate there will be about 2,500 customers a day per week and 3,500 on weekends,” Ablah said. Art teachers Pat Chambers and Lana Kaylor both plan to shop at Menards for various aspects of their jobs.

April and March of 2011. Offering supplies for homes, decks or garages, Menards will be located north of K-96 and west of Webb Road in addition to another on the southeast side of 37th Street North and Maize Road. The 160,000 square foot infrastructure is similar to current home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s. Christian Ablah of Classic Real Estate was one of the sell-

EDEN VIERTHALER

Menards, located north of K-96 and west of Webb Road opens April 19. An additional location is on the souteast side of 37th Street North and Maize Road. This one will open March 1.

Bohannan said he is going to try to get a job at Cabela’s. “I would get better discounts on stuff and it would be awesome to work there,” Bohannan said. Wilmott, who plans to buy hunting and fishing supplies in addition to clothing, used to shop at Gander Mountain; but says he will never go back once Cabela’s arrives. He sees the emergence of Cabela’s as beneficial to Wichita. “It will bring in tourists,” Wilmott said. “There are a lot of online orders to Cabela’s from this area and they took that into consideration. There is plenty of outdoorsmen in the area [to support the store], more than you’d think.” “I buy cheap lumber stuff for bases for projects,” Kaylor said. Chambers will shop at the store for similar reasons. “Usually I get tools, sandpaper, steel wool, screwdrivers and drill bits,” Chambers said. Overall, the Wisconsin-based chain Menards will attract many customers, provide jobs and accommodate for anyone attempting to enhance their home.

Feb. 14, 2011

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aroundANDOVER

Central Park offers community members gathering place tjRIGG

staff writer

As people jog around Andover Central Park, one may not consider the history of the park. “The city acquired the land back in 1997 and first built a master plan for the area,” Community Development Director Les Mangus said. Before the city purchased the land, Central Park served as a Girl Scout camp for many years. Some of the shelters that were used when the park functioned as a camp still stand near the lake. The Girl Scout camp closed shortly after the Andover Tornado in 1991. Since the city acquired the land, many new features have been added to Central Park. The most recent addition is the new city hall, which opened for business on Jan. 3. The need for the new city hall existed for many years. “The plan for a government center was first put in the plan for Central Park almost 15 years ago,” Mangus said. “A space needs study was conducted about 10 years ago to determine the needs for police, municipal court, and city administration. At that time it was determined that the police, and municipal court needed more space and a building program was initiated to expand the existing building.” Another building added since the 1997 purchase is the Central Park Lodge. The lodge hosts many events, and can accommodate up to 100 people. “The Lodge hosts the Hometown Christmas celebration, weddings, family reunions, parties, business meetings, and many government agency meetings,” Mangus said. One of the other most recent additions is the new Andover Public Library. The library opened in Oct. 2008 after several years of discussion for a new library. “The library board talked about a new library for many years, but not until 2004 did everything come together,” library director Carol Wohlford said. The library contains many new features

“ ” The city acquired the land back in 1997 and first built a master plan for the area. lesMANGUS

that were missing from the old location including a coffee shop, art gallery, a reading garden, a storm shelter, and Wi-Fi. Wohlford said the location of the library in Central Park is quite convenient based on two observations. “We average 375 people through our door every day, so that in itself proves the location must be convenient,” Wohlford said. “It was very difficult to turn in and out of the old library’s driveway. In addition, there were very few parking places, never enough to accommodate the number of patrons we had.” Wohlford said the difference between the old library and the current one is great. “The old library was simply a small-town warehouse for books,” Wohlford said. “This library is a state-of-the-art library and information center. We remain as technologically savvy as possible in order to remain relevant. Our library is on the cutting edge of libraries its size.” In addition to the media services the library provides, the library hosts many other events, including eight story times per week for infants through pre-K, movie nights, a summer reading program which serves more than 1,200 children and four adult book clubs. Mangus said several new features could be added to Central Park in the near future. “There are many future improvements planned, including an amphitheater, additional playgrounds, walking trails and all of the support amenities like parking, restrooms, etc.” Mangus said.

DEVIN DYMKOWSKI

On Jan. 3, the new city hall opened up. Construction on the new city hall began this summer. The park is a great place for recreational activities for young Andover citizens.

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Students maintain dangerous disease, gain responsibility edenVIERTHALER

features editor

Living with type 1 diabetes while attempting to maintain an average high school life, students are forced to always be aware of their health. Ranging from measuring food intake to the amount of physical activity performed, students with diabetes must be knowledgeable of the way they are feeling. Approximately seven students at the school have the disease and experience its affects every day. “Diabetes is one more thing to worry about,” junior Chad Hamman said. “I have to constantly keep it in the back of my mind; I have to make sure my blood sugars are good all the time.” According to diabetes.org, around 25.8 million children and adults have diabetes, which is 8.3 percent of the population of the United States. “Diabetes is a pretty devastating illness,”

Justin Moore of the Kansas University Medical Center said. “It is a severe enough disease that one-sixth of the healthcare money goes to treating it.” How daunting of a diagnosis diabetes may be, Hamman felt relieved to be provided with a reason behind the way they had been feeling. “I was so out of it at the time. My blood sugars were completely off the charts in that two months before the diagnosis that I did not know what was going on,” Hamman said. Hamman found out he was diabetic in February 2007 and does not know why he got it; he calls himself a mystery case. “Most of the time it is hereditary, but in my case nobody in my family has it,” Hamman said. “Maybe, when I was little, I got sick and it destroyed my beta cells, but that is the only theory.” Others, such as senior Kenzie Mattson who has been diabetic since age 13, most likely got the illness because having side effects.” Mattson medicates by giving herself

see Diabetes on page 20

HENRY HOOK

Students with diabetes inject insulin in many different ways to act as an artificial pancreas to stabilize their blood sugar. One way is through shots in various regions of the body, as shown above. Insulin is developed in laboratories and using artificial animal hormones. This student is shown injecting insulin into their arm.

Math teacher chooses new career beginning this summer loganWOLTEMATH staff writer

Math teacher Rachael Neibling has decided to take a different route in the role of education. As of the summer, she will take up the occupation of a librarian. “I really enjoy reading and learning new things from books.” Neibling said It is undecided where she will be a librarian at depending on how many different job openings there are when she finishes her thirty-six credit hour class in the summer of 2011. ALEX DURANO “The change of becoming a liMath teacher Rachael Neibling instructs her class. Neibling will soon change her profession this brarian is definitely going to change summer from teaching mathematics to being a librarian. Neibling does not know which library my daily routine. I will start managing a larger amount of kids throughshe is going to work in.

“ ” I really enjoy reading and learning new things from books. rachaelNeibliNg

out the school year; I will miss seeing some of my students though during my school days.” Being in a classroom all day will be very different then being in a library from 7:50 a.m to 7:50 p.m. “We may fight sometimes, and she may send me into the hallway, but she

really is a great teacher and helps me when I need it,” an anonymous student said. Her students did not affect her decision at all. To be a librarian was a choice Neibling made long before. “I already decided it was a course I was going to take before I met most of my students.” Though Neibling feels that being a librarian is the correct job for her, she will miss things about her current job. “There are certain things that I will miss when I become a librarian, I will still be a teacher just in a different way and also in a different surrounding. I will miss being in a classroom every morning,” Neibling said.

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After graduation seniors to enter Marines, Air Force robynHERBERT

in-depth editor

As graduation looms, most seniors are preparing for life after high school. While many are planning their academic future, some are taking a different route. “I am definitely going into the United States Air Force,” senior Ariana Moll said. “I went to my MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Service) on Jan. 13 and 14, and swore in on the 14th after I qualified and finished all the paperwork.” While the average person in the military is 22 years of age, according to the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, the percentage of high school graduates among military recruits has fallen to a low of 79 percent. “It really depends on the month; we get a lot more people in the summer. People are finishing school and they are more apt to join,” an army recruiter said. Although the decision to go into the military is difficult, family support aided Moll in her commitment. “I have actually been thinking about joining for three years, but obviously [I] was not old enough, but with a lot of family support, I did it,” Moll said. Like Moll, family inspired other seniors to sign up for a military profession. “One reason I decided on the Marine Corps is because there have been a lot of men in my family that fount in the Marines,” senior Phil Heironimus said. Moll will be going straight into training after high school, as she did not want to jump right back into a school environment. But Heironimus has decided to take a different route. “I am entering a program called P.L.C. (Platoon Leaders Class), it’s like R.O.T.C. (Reserve Officer Training Corps), but the training only takes place in the summer,” Heironimus said. “Through this program I will be able to sign a contract that will guarantee that I will be sent to flight school after I graduate college. Then I can do what I want to do, which is to be a fighter or helicopter pilot.” Following his graduation in May, Heironimus will be entering the United States Marine Corps. “There is a romanticism the Marines have being able to do more with less equipment and older equipment. They have the best uniforms, and there are not very many marines: only about 200,000 compared to almost two million in the army,” Heironimus said. Heironimus does not plan to make a full career of the military, but wants to spend some time before leaving. “I will be required to spend at least 10 years in the Marines if I take the route to be a pilot. I am not going to be a career officer, the maximum time I’ll spend in the Marine Corps is 12 years,” Heironimus said. “After I reach a certain rank they may put me behind a desk doing paperwork for

the rest of my service. That is something I just cannot get into.” Moll, however, wants a military career and is using her early start to get ahead in college. “The military will pretty much pay my way through college,” Moll said. “I get a pretty good paycheck, considering I do not have to pay for living costs and I get college credit for basic training. If I get the job I want, Geospatial Intelligence, then my tech school will give me another 39 college credits.” Geospatial Intellgience, according to airforce.com, analyzes still and video images to discern actionable intelligence for commanders and troops on the ground. “I chose this branch [of the military] becuase my cousin is in the Air Force and loves it,” Moll said. “The intelligence branch means that a lot of work is done in building and interpreting data, rather than joining in on ground combat, making it safer than some of the other branches.” Heironimus and Moll will contribute to the 480,000 soldiers on active duty in May and are excited about their careers. “When I am 70 years old I will be able to look back on my life and know that I made a difference for the better,” Heironimus said. Moll, too, believes that the decision to join the Air Force will benefit her in several aspects of her life. “I believe this will be a great career for me,” Moll said. “I love to travel and write, take pictures, and experience new cultures. This job will give me opportunities to do everything I love.”

United States Military Soldiers on Active Duty: 480,000 Average age: 22 Average Service Time: 4 years Average Base Pay: $2,199.90 a month Percent of High School Graduates: 79% Number of Students who took the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Test (ASVAB): 722,000 Percent of Students who failed the ASVAB: 25%

Source: United States Senate Armed Services Committee

340 S Andover RD. (behind blockbuster) Mon-Thurs 8-9 Fri 8-8 Sat 8-6 Sun 11-5 316-733-0480

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Feb. 14, 2011


speakUP <<

Vote for Stewart, Colbert for president in 2012 Two comedians, both with dueling talk shows on the Comedy Central network making fun of the world of politics. Now these two men don’t seem like people we would want running the country, right? Wrong. Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have become America’s most trusted sources for news and may be just what this country needs: A good sense of humor. Now by the time the 2012 election comes I, along with all seniors, will be 18 and will be ready to cast my vote for the first time in my young life. So am I serious in saying that if Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert decided to enter the race for presidency that I would vote for them? You would be surprised by how serious I am. There is no denying that America is inching out of an economic crisis, with many more issues facing our nation and the radical political rhetoric between starting the two political parties is not helping the situation. So what

torted view of the truth. What sets the Stewart, Colbert duo apart is that they make fun of everyone, thus being a non-biased program. So what would make this comedic duo a good choice for the presidency in 2012? A lot of things. Despite some opinions, Stewart and Colbert have knowledge of the world and the issues that face America, but they also know how to laugh. They also gain a popular following from Americans, the people trust them to get an entertaining, yet factual, point-of-view on America’s issues.

chrisJONES

this country needs is just what Stewart and Colbert have, knowledge of the political word combined with a sense of humor that would hopefully lighten the mood in America. On Oct. 30, 2010, Both Stewart and Colbert held dueling rallies at our country’s capital. Stewarts to “restore sanity”, Colbert’s to “Keep Fear Alive”. Both rallies drew large crowds who supported the two comedians. What they preached was a message of keeping politics and political talk calm and sane, unlike the way the political world is today.

These two comedians running the white house could be a breath of fresh air for a country gasping for oxygen. chrisJONES

Both have successful political satire shows,. The American people watch them, laugh with them, but most of all, they trust them to be un-biased in their views on the political world, and something the American people desperately need. The main political news networks can be seen as biased, Fox News to the republican side and MSNBC to the side of the democrats. Because of this, the American people get a dis-

Colbert attempted to run for president in the 2008 election, but was rejected by the Republican Party, but were any of the republican candidates better than him? Yes, they have political experience, but what else sets them apart from these comedians. So if these two were to actually make a run for the presidency as the dynamic duo that they are, who would run for president and who would be the vice president? In my opinion,

Colbert is your man. Sure Stewart would do fine as president, but Colbert has the passion, the anger, and the drive to fight for the presidency. Stewart would make a great vice-president because he would provide great support and the political knowledge to help Colbert make this country great again. Another pressing issue that would surround their political run is an important one: would they run as democrats or republicans? How about neither? Political hatred and conflict between the two political parties is pretty much tearing this country apart, so why not run as independents? This would be a great solution because in my opinion, a third political party is what politics in this country needs to fix our broken political debate system. So not convinced that the Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart duo is the right choice to run the country? Well who else would you vote for? Knowing the student body at this school, your probably not voting for Barack Obama, so who else would make a better president? Sarah Palin? No thank you. These two comedians running the white house could be a breath of fresh air for a country gasping for oxygen. So, hypothetically, if Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart were to run for the white house, They would probably have my vote. What better options are there?

Long-term relationships lead to heartache, regret

trinaBHATTARAI As the countdown to Valentine’s Day begins, the number of people hoping for a boyfriend or girlfriend drastically increases. I often see Facebook statuses with song lyrics representing someone’s devastating heartbreak, loneliness or even someone’s passionate hatred towards a person caused by some tragic chain of events. Now, before I say anything more, I would like to say that I am hardly jaded to love, and

neither am I a pessimist; however, I praise logical thinking and thought-out judgments. Thus, I wonder the reason behind everyone’s desperation to become involved in a romantic relationship in high school. Sure, it seems to have its perks, but the cons out weigh the pros significantly. The biggest glaring factor to consider is that high school relationships tend to last approximately three to six months, if not less. Those months might be filled with bliss and the occasional drama, but as the month digit grows bigger, the amount of drama slowly increases, inevitably resulting in a broken heart or two. Unfortunately, a broken heart is the ultimate fate of most relationships in high schools; the longer the relationship lasts, the deeper the wound. Of course, rare couples make it through all the obstacles and might even end up married. Nevertheless, the key word here is

rare. In a typical high school relationship, two people talk for a while, their feelings for each other grow and the guy finally gathers enough courage to ask out the girl (hopefully not over text but things happens.) After that, long story short, they change their relationship status over Facebook; they hang out as much as possible; they text 24-7; they share some secrets; their grades drop; some PDA happens; I-love-yous are said and then due to some “tragic” event, the relationship comes to an end. During all this, I wonder if anyone thinks, “What was the point?” Sadly, most high school students delude themselves into thinking that their six months of flirting and making out might be love, therefore, giving love a bad name, according to Bon Jovi. Putting aside the rare occasion, how can one possibly recognize true love in a place

where majority of the guys only have one thing in mind, and the girls still live in their fantasy land? High school provides the ideal place to build your knowledge; despite what people think, it’s not a disguised form of eHarmony. Finding long-lasting love here is more difficult than persuading a dog that it’s a cat. So why are we so eager to find love at such a young age? What is the harm in having some fun before you have to commit yourself to binding relationship? I encourage my fellow friends to flirt and enjoy their youth, maybe even have some harmless flings. However, treat long term relationships like drugs. Just say no. Otherwise, “love” happens and then inevitably, heartache happens. Maybe with less committed couples, I might be spared the nauseating PDA in our school. Just saying.

Feb. 14, 2011

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Plus-sized fabrication: How ‘obesity epidemic’ could be media manipulation

It isn’t very often that I get a night to just chill out at home without having to worry about homework, college classes or work. For once, though, I actually was doing that. Unlike a lot of my friends, I actually enjoy watching the news every night, be it national or local. On this particular night, the lead anchor came on to the air and announced the headline story. It wasn’t about the war or unrest in Egypt. Rather, it was about the release of new obesity findings. As the words began flowing out of the anchor’s mouth I was appalled at the astounding numbers and statistics she was stating. There is no possible way, I thought, that two-thirds of the U.S. population is overweight. It even went so far as to say that 10 percent of toddlers and infants are “precariously heavy.” Excuse me if I’m wrong, but in my opinion a chubby baby is a healthy baby. Those statistics really got me wondering: How did they get these statistics? Who did the survey? What are the standards for overweight and obesity in America? So I logged on to MSNBC.com and read the article, finding more of the same information from the earlier newscast. The article said that the newly released information had been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and was conducted mainly by a Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) researcher by the name of

chadHAMMAN

This seems extremely contradictory in a world that is trying to eliminate prejudice as well as reverse the idea that females have to attain a sticklike appearance in order to be attractive.

Cynthia Ogden. The article stated that people can learn whether they are healthy, overweight or obese on CDC.gov. So I took the test, only to find out that even I am considered overweight. At 5-foot-7 and 160 pounds I can hardly believe that. I was marked at a BMI level of 25.1, which as you can see in the sidebar is in the overweight category. Though I made the overweight mark by a matter of one-tenth of a point, I still find it remarkable how high the bar has been set. In my disbelief, I had other students surrounding me take the test. Both students had surprising results. One, who I and several other students in the area agreed may have been just slightly overweight, was labeled as morbidly obese. The other student ended up on the same boat as me, healthy in appearance but overweight by government standards. This seems extremely contradictory in a world that is trying to eliminate prejudice as well as reverse the idea that females have to attain a stick-like appearance in order to be attractive. Now, I’m not trying to say that I am a specimen of perfect health, but in my personal opinion, if I can’t even meet the CDC’s requirement for physical health I’m not sure how

REPORT CARD GRADE C+ GRADE B-

Making it Count Assembly Jan. 28

>>

Even though the speaker had an important and informational message, many students did not take the assembly seriously.

Spirit Week Jan. 31-Feb. 4

>>

Though some students went all out, the majority did not participate in Spirit Week. This showed a lack of school spirit.

Snow Days Feb. 1-2 & Feb. 8

>>

The snow days gave students the opportunity to catch up on homework and relax. It also kept them safe.

Homecoming GRADE B- Basketball Game >>

The band helped maintain the spirit by staying for the entire game. Both boys and girls varsity teams won. However, the student section lacked major spirit.

GRADE A

Feb. 4

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Feb. 14, 2011

many people can. Several problems exist with the survey’s results. For one, the survey only measured heights and weights. The tests did not take into consideration body fat content, muscle content or genetic factors. Secondly, the sample size of the survey was alarmingly low. There were 9,762 individuals surveyed, roughly 5,700 adults and 4,000 children and infants. That is an awfully small sample size to use and be able to definitively say that the results represent an entire population of Americans that is 310 million strong. For those of you trying to do the math in your head, 9762 out of 308 million is a mere .003 percent. And they say the results of these few tests represent the whole United States… really? I know it is impossible to represent the whole population of the United States, but would it kill them to at least reach a whole percentage? Like one percent? Another problem I have with this survey is the fact that the people who were included in this survey were compensated. Compensation opens up a whole new can of worms. Paying out money to takers of a survey would make the survey more attractive to many people, especially those who may come from a lower end of the income spectrum. If economics has anything to do with weight, the survey is instantly tainted. Finally, since when is a person’s weight a matter of science and fact? How a person feels about himself is an opinion and a personal matter. The idea of putting a scientific calculation on such a thing seems absurd, especially when this scientific calculation leaves out important factors such as muscle capacity and genetics. I don’t believe these studies should be as prominent in American media as they are, and I encourage everyone reading this to think before you believe what you see on television.

Body Mass Index Definition:

a calculation in which the body height and weight determine a score that fits into one of four categories

BMI FORMULA=

(

weight in pounds * 703 height in inches2

Categories: Underweight: 18.5 or less Normal: 18.5-24.9 Overweight: 25-29.9 Obese: 30 or more Source: apps.nccd.cdc.gov/dnpabmi

TOP 5 THINGS WE ABOUT... 1 2 3 4 5

math teacher Cathy McGuire

She is willing to come in before and after school to help students with assignments. She knows how to effectively present lessons to her students. She is involved with other activities outside of the classroom, like NHS. She is willing to stop what she is doing to help a student in need. She is one of the sweetest people ever.

)


-Evan’s Easel-

speakUP << BLUESTREAK

editorialPOLICY The Trojan Bluestreak exists to inform, persuade and entertain its readers concerning topics of importance. The newspaper recognizes all rights and responsibilities under the First Amendment. The Bluestreak operates as a public forum for student expression, and the staff takes full responsibility for newspaper content and its ramifications. The Trojan Bluestreak will not publish material considered to be legally unprotected speech, libel, obscenity, copyright infringement, unwarranted invasion of privacy or material that could disrupt the educational environment. The Bluestreak is a CSPA Gold Medalist and a KSPA AllKansas honor recipient.

editor-in-chief- features editor-

elisaMARTIN edenVIERTHALER

managing editor- circulation manager-

morganMESSMORE katherineHARTLEY

buisness manager- pop culture editor-

ashtonSCHRAG genGAUDREAU sports editor-

corbinMIHELIC cartoonist-

evanWILLFORD opinion editor-

chadHAMMAN

assn. sports editor -

chrisJONES

photo editor-

kaitlynDEYOUNG news editor-

kelseyDICK

copy chief-

hollyHEIRONIMUS in-depth editor

robynHERBERT

EVAN WILLFORD

staff writers-

ericaANDERSON trinaBHATTARAI alexDURANO jordanDUSENBURY devinDYMKOWSKI ryleeELLISON suzannaGEHRER alyssaGOODMAN alexHERNANDEZ jacobHIGHFILL henryHOOK ryanLAKE alexLEFF ryanMINEAR hayleyPHILLIPS laurenPRILL laurenQUAM tjRIGG katieSCHNEIDER kathrynSILL loganWOLTEMATH

adviserkristinBAKER

staff

Fundraising more of a responsibility now than ever EDITORIAL >>

activities should bare the responsibility of fundraising position: Extracurricular to support themselves in the wake of more possible budget cuts. vote:33-2 With even more budget cuts on the horizon, no one doubts that many extracurricular activities will have to survive on even lesser funds than they are currently. For this reason, students need to step up to fundraise for their extracurricular activities. Though not every extracurricular activity takes part in fundraising, this may be a practice that all activities soon need to start doing. The football and baseball teams are prime examples of how fundraising should be done. The football team sells entertainment cards from the Ace Entertainment company. A large portion of the sale of these cards goes directly to the football team. The team then uses the money to buy new equipment, and a few years ago it even invested in a brand new end zone camera to film games. Football players also are given incentives to sell more cards, such as no conditioning on the last day of prep week, and drawing money out of a bag for being a top seller.

The baseball team has sold door to door like the football team as well, but players also have been able to fundraise in other ways. The team often runs the concession stands at sporting events, and it has sold signs to be displayed around the baseball field during games. These fundraising efforts will result in the addition of a press box to the baseball stadium. While these two teams have done a good job of raising money for themselves, other teams and activities may struggle due to lack of funds. That is why all school activities should take it upon themselves to raise money for their organizations for the coming years. It is noteworthy, however, that Assistant Principal Amanda Grier must approve all fundraising by the Sept. 15 deadline. However, in special circumstances, such as an invitation to perform at a bowl game, those fundraisers can be approved after the deadline. Not all fundraising opportunities will be accepted, as all nine schools in the district have several fundraisers throughout the year. Fundraising will be allowed based on need, and an application process is required. Despite the restrictions, school organizations should still apply to earn their equal opportunity. By not applying for fundraising, the opportunity is exponentially smaller. Though every activity needs some funding to get through the year, many activities may not need the funds as badly. There is an equal responsibility to not hog the fundraising opportunities when those funds are not a necessity. It will take collaboration and a fair judgment on the school’s behalf, but there is no doubt ways exist for extracurricular activities at the school to support themselves and each other through these budget cuts.

Feb. 14, 2011

11


what makes you...

HAPPY?

science of

12 Feb. 14, 2011

“Visiting Texas because I used to live there. Everyone I know lives there.”

thomas burns

“Dance, because it’s something I love to do.”

Kali Richardson

Studies show hu

Four points increa katherineHARTLEY

“I love being around other people that are happy and area positive influences.”

ALLEGRA Branch “Hanging out with friends because friends help you with life’s issues.”

brandon fahsholtz

“Chuck (T.V. show) because it’s all about spies. I also share it with my best friend Marissa (German).”

SHELBY WASINGER

“Family and feeling like I’m actually making progress in my job. I love being productive.”

RUSS THIEL

“Hanging out with friends because I have a good time with them.”

EVAN clopine Working because it’s fun and I work with fun people. I also like making money.”

Melanie daovannary “Seeing other people happy makes me happy because smiles spread.”

MICHAEL JUST

“Our puppy makes me happy because he is crazy and does silly things.”

LANA KAYLOR

circulation manager

Happiness- the quality or state of being happy; g fortune; contentment; joy.

It’s something people want and make every effo achieve, but hormones and the way people treat thei may have more to do with attaining happiness than m think. “When our hormones [such as cortisol] are in b and there is no significant stressor, the body keeps in meostasis, or in balance; our heart regulates and the chemicals in the brain are specifically designed to ele moods,” counselor Dawn Robinson, who is a Licens cialist Clinical Social Worker, said. The things people do and the way they take care themselves directly correlate with their sense of hap This includes the things and people we surround ou with as well as our five senses. Scents, sounds, sights and touches can elevate or deflate a good mood, but can control it. A study published in 2009 in “Proceedings of th National Academy of Sciences” found that our gene only responsible for a portion of our well-being. So, 50 percent of our happiness that is not genetically d percent has to do with uncontrollable life circumstan the remaining 40 percent is completely up to us. “I’m not generally in a bad mood, but sleeping, ing movies and going to IHOP makes me happier. I IHOP,” freshman Garrett Swanson said.


measuring your Rate each statement from 1-7. 1 being not true at all, 4 being moderately true 7 being the absolutely true 1. If I could do my life over, I would change almost nothing. 2. I have a solid support system. 3. I am proud of my work (school, job, etc.) 4. I have all the possessions that I need. 5. I have an activity that allows me to express my feelings.

add up each rating 35-30 = extremely satisfied with life 29-24= very satisfied with life 23-17= neutral towards life 16- 10= slight dissatisfied with life 9-5= extremely dissatisfied with life

jacobHIGHFILL & kaitlynstaff writers

Music can chemically alter one’s emotions, as well as trigger a one’s endorphins allowing for a rise in pleasant emotions. “When you listen to music and relax you can get into an altered state, without drugs,” music therapist Meg Beck said. Songs have the ability to bring back memories of all types, pleasant or bitter. Additionally lyrics influence the feeling of the song. “[My favorite song is] ‘Happiness’ by The Fray because it’s just true. I can relate to every word of

the song. It doesn’t necessarily bring emotion, because it isn’t really a happy song, but it makes me realize that there is more to life than material things,” freshman Brooke Leatherman said. Listening to music is a way to express emotions that cannot be accessed with other activities. “I work with a gal that’s on an autistic spectrum and music is the best way for her to express herself,” Beck said. Although music is simply heard, internally emotions can go wild. “Music is a universal language, because everyone understands it,” Beck said.

uman happiness dependent on human surroundings

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Feelings of Attachment

A lot of research shows that the feeling of attachment and acceptance with other human beings triggers happiness in people,” Robinson said. “That kind of joy sustains us through hard times. Having faith and relationships meets the primal needs of humans.” Humans find excitement by being around people they love and doing enjoyable activities with them. So when one finds himself upset or in a bad mood, it’s best to surround himself with the people he enjoys being around. “I feel better when I’m in a social group rather than alone because there’s more interaction and being with other people just makes me happy,” sophomore Taylor Shook said.

Sweet Scents

“Smell, like taste, is a chemical sense detected by sensory cells called chemoreceptors. When an odor stimulates the chemoreceptors in the nose that detect smell, they pass on electrical impulses to the brain,” according to an article from Discovery Health by writer Sarah Dowdey. According to another article published last year in Allure magazine, “scent elicits powerful memories.” Eating chocolate has been shown to release endorphins in our bodies, altering our mood. The same can be done by simply smelling the stuff too. Other scents such as foods or other fragrances can be uplifting as well. “I like the smell of velvet tuberose from Bath & Body Works because it reminds me of my mom,” sophomore Claire Christopherson said.

Sweat It Out

Exercise is one of the most important activities that a person can do for their body. Everywhere, there are gyms, workout DVDs and other workout programs. But exercising benefits us in more ways than just a method of losing weight or toning up. An article on Foxnews.com said that exercising once for 20 to 30 minutes at 80 percent of your capability will bring our pain-relieving endorphins. According to Robert G. McMurray of the University of Carolina, endorphins and cortisol are two chemicals and hormones that make exercising so beneficial. Cortisol is a hormone that is released when we feel stressed or anxious and exercise burns cortisol, making us feel more pleasant. “I think it’s very true that working out releases endorphins because whenever I get done working out I just feel happier,” Shook said.

Musical Moods

“Yes, I think that music is chemical because depending on what kind of song it is it changes your mood and can bring memories back that can make you happy or sad,” freshman Brooke Leatherman said. Dopamine is a substance that makes people feel a sense of joy when they do such things as the usage of illegal drugs. Dopamine has also been linked to the emotional feeling one gets when listening to music, according to research by scientists at McGill University in Montreal. Leonard B. Meyer, a late musicologist also connected the music theory with psychology, neuroscience and the emotional response to music.

Sometimes the hardest thing about being happy is taking the initiative to spend time finding what puts someone in their best mood. But by listening to how our bodies respond to certain activities and making the best of what one is given, it’s makes it more difficult to fall into that dreaded feeling of depression. “When people get to feeling down, they usually stay down and get stuck in a rut and when hormones are activated like that you don’t think very clearly. So calm your hormones down to get the brain thinking straight again, and then go out and do those activities that make you feel happy,” Robinson said. So clear your head, find what makes you happy and hop on cloud nine.

When our hormones [such as cortisol] are in balance and there is no significant stressor, the body keeps in homeostasis, or in balance; our heart regulates, and the certain chemicals in the brain are specifically designed to elevate moods. dawnROBINSON

ase overall happiness in day-to-day activities

Feb. 14, 2011 13


intheGAME

<<

DEVIN DYMKOWSKI

Baseball team seeks funds for new press box alexLEFF

sports writer With the school’s move up to 5A, sports teams have started to look for new ways to compete with the 5A and 6A counterparts. Head coach Chris Weidert intends to do this by reinventing the baseball field. “We have needed improvements on the field for a long time,” sophomore Zach Baker said. The plans for the field include adding 50 tons of dirt to the field, totally making the JV field playable, and putting new fencing on. That is not all; Weidert has plans for the last addition to the field is going to the press box. “It would be neat to have a press box because we would play music and stuff,” senior Jordan Jones said. The baseball field was a thing of beauty in 4A, but now that we are in 5A, most fields have large stands, and press boxes and even some of the bigger 5A schools have turf on their field. With the addition of the press box, it would

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Feb. 14, 2011

be one giant step towards being a well-known 5A school. Having plans for a press box is one thing, but actually having it is another. The problem about the press box is raising enough money for it. The dilemma is that the school cannot get a press box with its own money. If the school put money into the press box, then the school would also have to get the girls sports teams something. So the question is how does a team raise enough money to get a press box? “Selling ads for the outfield wall is what we have done so far,” Weidert said. Another thing that the team is doing is that they are having athletes work concessions. The deal with the concessions is that athletes work two-hour session from the start of the tournament to clean up. After they athletic, director Gary Merritt and Weidert count the money and the team gets some of the profit. For the signs, kids go to or call a business and try to sell them a sign that you can see around the fence on the field. The contacts for the sign

are the first year is $400, and then the last two years are $200. “Nobody wants to work concessions or sell things, but we have to if we want it, that’s what drives us to work and sell,” Baker said. That is not the only way to earn money fast. Another way to earn money is going doorto-door selling coupon cards. “I plan on selling a lot of signs and cards,” junior Forrest Scott said. Still, that is not enough money coming in. Another clever way Weidert has to raise money fast is selling ESPN magazines to people willing to help the team. The team is also taking donations. The biggest help is students’ parents helping with the construction of the press box. Some companies have already pitched in, including Killian Electricity, which will put in all the electoral materials. Another company is Fasholtz Construction. Even some of the parents are getting into the mix of things, like Steve Seagraves, who

said he would put in the concrete around the press box. “If we were able to get the press box it would should that we belong in 5A and it would add a moral boost to the team,” Jones said. The press box would add much needed looks to the field; also some hope it would make the players care about the field more. “The feeling of the press box would make me feel like I’m in the big leagues and make me feel like a badass,” senior Taylor Spencer said. Along with the boost of confidence and morale the team looks for support for people outside of the school and seeks help of any company or any person willing to give a donation of any kind. “Currently the plans are to have the press box by midsummer,” Merritt said. If anyone would like to give a donation so the boys can get the press box, please contact Weidert at Andover High School.


MIDSEASON REPORT CARD Hamblin analyzes team performance at season’s halfway point chrisJONES

sports writer

Overall: B+

“We are happy with where we are at so far in the season. We have given two games away this season on stupid mistakes, but overall we’re on the right track.”

Offense: B+

“We are playing pretty good offensively so far. We’re shooting well and teams are starting to play zone on us because they can’t handle playing man-to-man against us.”

Shooting: B

“Were shooting well. We don’t make too many stupid shots, and we wait until we have a good shot to take one. We also spread the ball around so not just one person has to make every basket.”

Passing Efficiency: B-

“Sometimes we make unnescessary passes that get us into trouble at some points during games, but overall we have been efficient in our passing game.”

Teamwork: A

“They get along great. Four of our five regular starters are seniors and have played together their high school careers so that builds team chemistry, but they also are supportive to their other teammates, which is definitely a positive.”

Defense: B+

“Overall we are good, but there are definitely still areas we need to improve at. Boxing out has been an issue, but our defensive pressure has been pretty good.”

Rebounding: A

“We out rebound our opponent regularly, both on offense and on defense. We go to the boards hard constantly and that translates into winning the rebound factor of the game.”

Defensive Pressure: B+

“We play a full-court defense, which puts great pressure on our opponent and makes them make mistakes. Capitializing on those mistakes is important to us winning games.”

Conditioning: A

“We are in pretty good shape, and we emphasize conditioning during practice. Playing a full-court game takes a lot of running and energy, and becaue of all of the running we do in practice, we feel like we are prepared.”

*Editor note: We spoke to head coach Max Hamblin to get his opinion on each category and how the team has performed so far this season.

Wrestling team hits snag during season of progress chadHAMMAN

sports writer

DEVIN DYMKOWSKI

Junior wrestler Alex Grommet tries to fight off his Andover Central opponent during their head-to-head meet on Jan. 27. Andover lost to Central 73-3.

Though this year’s wrestling team has undoubtedly improved from year’s past, after the Jan. 27 duel match with Andover Central, it seemed the team took a huge step backward, losing 73-3. The team, which took seven pins and three open weight classes, could not keep up with the number one ranked team in the state. The only win of the night was an 8-3 decision for junior Kieran Ritchie over Andover Central’s Tevin Panzer. “I think we wrestled well. I don’t think the score showed the effort that we put forth and I was impressed with a lot of our wrestlers that night,” head coach Brett Fiene said. “We didn’t win but if we would have wrestled them in the beginning of the year there would have been a lot more pins than there were.” Fiene tried to stay positive, knowing that Andover Central is the best team in the state and will likely win the state championship this year. “It’s gonna be interesting to watch them at state and see how they do. They’re a cross-town rival, but if we don’t win state the next best in line I think is Andover Central,” Fiene said.

Though the team took one of their more humiliating losses of the season vs. the Jaguars, they quickly rebounded and continued their successful season with a fifth-place finish at the Circle High School Invitational. “There was a couple guys that should’ve won some matches, and they were close matches,” senior Darrion Ray said. “If we could have just won those close matches we would have probably placed fourth and brought home our first plaque in years.” Despite coming up short of bringing home the hardware, a fifth place finish at a tournament with 23 teams competing is nothing short of impressive. That bodes well for the team as they move closer to the post season. “It was good that we got fifth. We just know what we need to work on since we were so close to placing higher. We were one match away from bringing home a trophy,” junior Forrest Scott said. The team moves on to the regional tournament on Feb. 19 in Arkansas City. The tournament will consist of Andover Central, Arkansas City, Emporia, Bishop Carroll, Kapaun Mt. Carmel and Wichita West. Three of those teams are ranked in 5A state.

Feb. 14, 2011

15


Bowling team deals with positives, negatives of season alexLEFF

sports writer

It is still early in the season, but the bowling team has yet to find its groove. The team has been struggling along with some of its stars, but the season is still far from over and there is plenty of time to fix problems on the lanes. “We need to, together, play three games out every time,” sophomore Joel Findley said. The team hopes to take Findley’s word and ffix its problems. It certainly doesn’t help that the supposed star bowlers have been underachieving thus far. “I have not been hitting my marks,” senior Scott Rochat said. Just because Rochat is off to a bad start, does not mean he is not going to work at it. “After practice I go and work on my game,” Rochat said. Rochat plans to get better, hoping his fellow teammates see this and work a little harder at their game. The younger players are off to a slow start too. “I am doing alright, but I need to throw the ball in the same spot everytime,” Findley said. Another issue is that the move up to 5A has pinned the team against tougher competition. However, the team sees positives on the season.

One of the positives is that some players are really working on their game. “Everyone is getting better which will in time get everyone better,” Findley said. Another good thing is that Rochat is helping to develop the undeveloped players. “Right now, I would give the team a C because we are not converting on spares and hitting the mark consistently,” Rochat said. With that letter grade, the team needs to get some wins to get momentum and confidence so it can get on the right track and hopefully get into the postseason later in the year. “We hope to get spare percentages up,” Rochat said. Hopefully that will be enough to shape up the team.

Everyone is getting better, which will in time get everyone better.

joelFINDLEY

DEVIN DYMKOWSKI

Senior Matthew Cory focuses on his shot as he tosses his bowling ball down the lane during bowling practice. The Andover boys and girls teams competed on last Friday, Feb. 11 at Northrock Lanes.

Garman’s impact on court stretches beyond scoring average corbinMIHELIC

sports editor Trent Garman is barely 6 feet tall, but that didn’t stop him from swatting away a shot by Andover Central’s 6-foot-10 center Jorden Kaufman in December. Coach Ryan Harshaw used the phrase “sneaky athletic” to describe the senior point guard. Whatever the attribute is, Garman has made himself a game changing force in more ways than perimeter shooting. “He’s got that mental toughness along with along with his physical talents,” Harshaw said. “In practice. he can get up and throw one down now and then. We’re trying to use that the best we can so we can be successful.” Averaging a team-high 14 points per game, Garman is also the team’s third leading rebounder, grabbing just over four each game (he had eight in the team’s home win over Garden City). Whether or not Garman has a statistically good game is usually based on how he performs early on. His only first half with double-figures scoring came in last month’s home win over Garden City. In turn, Garman finished the game with a DEVIN DYMKOWSKI Senior Trent Garman drives for a shot in the Feb. 3 game vs. Hutchinson. season-high 26 points. “I don’t usually start out hot very often, Garman leads the team in scoring with 14 points.

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Feb. 14, 2011

so whenever I’m making shots early, I feel like it’s going to be a good game,” Garman said. As the leading scorer, Garman knows his team tends to succeed and fail based on his personal performance. He said that he blames himself if he hasa bad game resulting in a loss. “If (Garman) has an off night, obviously we’re going to have to find stats and points from other players on the team,” Harshaw said. “We need him to play well for our team to do well.” Lately, other players on have stepped up and contributed greatly in scoring. Garman has remained consistent, scoring 14 points in each of the last four games, but he was the leading scorer in only one of those. Senior Landon Oberg instead stepped up in that time period, scoring more than 15 points in three of the last four. Oberg’s contributions are greatly appreciated on the overall young team. “Realistically, we are struggling to find some depth on our team,” Harshaw said. “We are only playing with seven or eight kids. When we play against these teams that have high pressure and play with so much energy, for 32 minutes it’s hard digging deep to find that extra in the last few minutes.”

Trent Garman - 13.9 points per game - 4.1 rebounds per game - 54 percent FG shooting - 73 percent free throw shooting

be there >> Upcoming games Feb. 11 at McPherson Feb. 14 at Maize Feb. 18 at Andover Central Feb. 21 vs. Campus Feb. 22 vs. Arkansas City


DEVIN DYMKOWSKI

Seniors Lucas Linder, Caleb Windholz, Grant Ralston, and Blake Gumeringer sign their letters of intent to play football at Friends. “I am looking forward to the new opportunities that are in store because I have no idea what to expect,” Linder said.

SIGNING DAY: chrisJONES

sports writer It’s the hope of high school athletes around the country, and for the lucky and talented few, it is the next step to reaching the ultimate goal of playing sports on the next level. But for these Andover athletes, it’s more than that; it’s a way to continue to play the sports that they love after their high school years. “I looking forward to the new opportunities that are in store, because I have no idea what to expect,” senior Lucas Linder said. “I am excited to experience football at the collegiate level.” Linder, who will play offensive lineman at Friends University, will be joined by teammates Grant Ralston (wide receiver), Caleb Windholz (safety) and Blake Gumeringer (fullback). The opportunity to play with the people they have played with for their high school careers was definitely a deciding factor. “Yes, it had a major impact,” senior Grant Ralston said. “Going to play football in college will be very hard, so having great friends will make it way easier.” Ralston turned down offers for both basketball and football. The chance to play college football for a division two championship contender like Friends is a very tempting offer. For Ralston, his future profession was the main factor in his decision. “Friends has the best pre-dentistry program in the state, so it will help me later on in my life to become an orthodontist,” Ralston said. Monty Lewis, head coach at Friends University, is excited that they were able to recruit all four athletes. “We are very pleased with our recruiting class,” Lewis said. “Being able to land Caleb, Lucas, Grant and Blake really makes going through the ‘‘recruiting-battles’’ worth it.” Despite being incoming freshman for a championship-caliber team, Lewis believes they will be able to have some valuable playing time early on.

Andover athletes choose future, opportunity to play on next level

“All four [players] have that “difference-maker’’ potential for our program,” Lewis said. “Without question, all four will have the opportunity to play quickly.” For Gumeringer, the chance to keep playing football was incentive enough. “It’s four more years of football,” Gumeringer said. “I was upset after my last game of high school, so having an opportunity to keep playing was good.” While these four athletes are pursuing a future in football, senior Jordan Jones is taking the baseball path. He will attend Mid-America Nazarene University (MNU) and will play catcher for the baseball team. “I really like the coaches and the way they play the game at MNU,” Jones said. “They have been great to me for the past couple months.” For Jones, a former Andover player was a major selling point in deciding where to go. “My sophomore year, senior Mason Lent signed to play there and has convinced me to follow in his footsteps,” Jones said. Unlike football players, Jones still has one season left to leave his mark on the baseball program and he wants to take advantage of it. “I want to make a name for Andover baseball,” Jones said. “I want to show everyone that we can pull it together and play with the best teams in the state.” Once Jones begins his college baseball career, he is optimistic for what he can accomplish. “I would like to go into MNU my freshman year, earn a starting spot and help the team to an NAIA title,” Jones said. Whether they were planning on playing football or baseball on the next level, the process of recruiting is definitely tough, but it’s one worth enduring. “It was very fun,” Ralston said. “I enjoyed finally being rewarded for the all the hard work I put in my whole life and now

getting my college paid for all my hard work.” From the coach’s perspective, giving high school athletes the opportunity to play in college is a very rewarding one. “These young men are committed to earning a degree, making good decisions off the field and last but not least all four are very accomplished athletically,” Lewis said.

DEVIN DYMKOWSKI

Senior Jordan Jones signs his letter of intent to play baseball at Mid America Nazarene University. He will play catcher and hopes to play early.

Feb. 14, 2011

17


Junior gains leadership skills as president High school 4-H member organizes, leads meetings

morganMESSMORE managing editor

Woodworking, cooking, bymanship, photography and arts and crafts – some of the many activities junior Katelyn Rose is involved with in Butler County’s 4-H club. Since the young age of seven years old, Rose has been an active 4-H member. Although there are three high-school students from Andover Central in the club, Rose is the only student from Andover High. “Both of my parents were in 4-H growing up, so they introduced it to me,” Rose said. “I plan on having my children participate in the club as well.” Butler County’s 4-H group meets once a month at the Andover Methodist Church. Within the club is a president, a vice-president, a secretary and a treasurer. Rose has been the president, vice-president and secretary, and currently holds the position of the president. “I organize and lead each meeting,” Rose said. “I call the meeting to order and I also dismiss it. I like to get things done quickly.”

Rose is also a 4-H council member. Every council member from each 4-H club must attend a council meeting to discuss budgets and plan the spring mini-fair and the summer fair. “I enjoy 4-H. I have done it since I was seven, and I have gained leadership and speaking skills from participating,” Rose said. “I got my leadership skills from being elected president and my speaking skills by giving presentations to younger members.” Rose enjoys woodworking the most. She has taken it upon herself to turn it into a hobby, and has made all the wood furniture in her bedroom. “If you’re interested in joining 4-H, you can contact me or your county’s local 4-H club.”

“ ” I have gained leadership and speaking skills from 4-H. katelynROSE

Enrollment for the Butler County 4-H club is from Oct. 1 to May 1! Sign up now! - Katelyn Rose

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Students share love for Anime trinaBHATTARAI staff writer

Junior Shelby Karst doodles anime figures and drawings in her sketchpad. Karst was inspired to draw anime for fun through other students’ drawings and Japanese cartoon booklets.

The world of anime, animation originating in Japan, found its way to Andover, and junior Shelby Karst, and sophomore Jason Katzenberger feel absolutely captivated by this international phenomenon. “[I like it because] it’s just the Japanese culture, and I love their culture,” Katzenberger said. The typical characteristic of anime developed around 1960s in Japan, and became internationally known in the 1980s. Osamu Tenzuka, the Walt Disney of the anime world, set the foundation to the elements in the anime today. In a way, anime is looked upon as a type of Japanese art; different artist personalize their anime to their own taste. However anime tend to have characteristics such as huge eyes, large hair and drastic facial expressions. Nowadays, anime can be seen interpreted in books, movies, TV shows and even video games. “I saw other students reading anime novels, it just looked so cool. I like the artwork in it; It’s the main reason I started,” Karst said. Karst originally began reading Naruto, a popular anime series, which sparked her initial interest. She also enjoys the short series “Amazing Agent Luna.” Though the comic interest her, Karst find the artwork most intriguing and began creating her own anime. “I just like drawing [anime], I don’t really

Junior embraces Tongan heritage ryanMINEAR staff writer

Junior Matt Maumalanga holds pride in his ancestor’ culture from the Kingdom of Tonga, also known as Tonga. “I’m proud of my culture because it is one of the only countries never to be colonized,” Maumalanga said. “We are different from everybody, our culture is different. Traditionally we are tough. We stress honesty and being a good Christian.” Tonga is a country in the South Pacific Ocean consisting of 176 individual islands. Maumalanga has never visited Tonga but hopes to travel there in the future. “My dad lived there, and so did my grandparents,” Maumalanga said. With any country, distinct differences in culture differentiate itself from other countries. There is a monarchy there. It is one of the last monarchies left in the world. The currency is also different,” Maumalanga said. An interesting side to Tongan culture is gender ranking. According to Maumalanga, women have a greater social prestige than men do.

“Women are respected and revered more than men. It was a taboo for a brother and sister to be in the same room. Women have great baby showers and weddings,” Maumalanga said. Despite the differences, Tonga is similar to United States. “It is very close to California. It has a lot of tourist places,” Maumalanga said. “The religions are Methodist, Mormon, and Catholic. They are really close to family there. I know cousins from Tonga.” Tongans also enjoy spending their free time entertaining themselves with activities such as sports. “We play a lot of sports. We play football and rugby,” Maumalanga said.Maumalanga’s father, Chris Maumalanga, me to the United States to play football at the University of Kansas. His dad went on to play in the NFL for four years for the New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams. Maumalanga has not met many Tongans in his life. “I know very few people; there are not many real Tongans [in Wichita]. The only reason I’m here is because of my mom. My parents met at KU; my dad was there to play

make stories. I just like being artistic, I feel like I am creating something,” Karst said. Karst finds her inspiration for her drawings in her surrounding and her feelings. Similarly, Katzenberger wait for his inspiration to come, and feels the immediate need to sketch it once he is inspired regardless of the time. “I don’t have a set time [to draw]. Its just whenever the inspirations hits me, I have to draw,” Katzenberger said. Unlike Karst, Katzenberger likes to watch anime, especially Sonic the Hedgehog and Inuyasha, more than reading. Nevertheless, he also likes creating anime, and sometimes just drawing characters from his favorite shows. “I started watching anime when I was around five and started drawing around that time too,” Katzenberger. Katzenberger actually wants to create and program 2-D or 3-D videogames related to anime in the future. However, Karst just likes drawing anime as a hobby and does not think that she would consider making a career out of it. “I have thought about it but I think if I had to do it as a job, it would take the fun away,” Karst said. Karst and Katzenberger both believe that drawing allows them to safely convey their feelings and stress. Karst feels that her changing moods can be seen in her drawings. “If I am in a bad mood, I get it out on paper and out of my mind,” said Katzenberger.

DEVIN DYMKOWSKI

Junior Matt Maumalanga holds a plaque with a Tongan crest. Tonga is a country consisting of 176 seperate islands. football. Most [Tongans] live in California,” Maumalanga said. Cultures like Maumalanga’s help give people a new sense of the world around them. “[Different cultures bring] knowledge, hopeful understanding, diversity, a different perspective. What might be important to yours and not their culture. What might be important to your family and not their family,” counselor

Robin Anderson said. Maumalanga agrees with Anderson as he believes that a culture like the Tongan one helps create “The Great American Melting Pot.” “It brings diversity. Brings new flavor, new spice to community. It exposes people to other cultures not just black or white,” Maumalanga said.

Feb. 14, 2011

19


Coach becomes paraprofessional tjRIGG

staff writer This year, the special education department has a new paraprofessional in the shape of Brett Foster, who came to the school after spending many years as a basketball coach for the middle school. “This is my first year as a para in the district,” Foster said. “I have never worked as a para anywhere.” Science teacher Jason Teeter is acquainted with Foster through coaching and basketball. Teeter said Foster is doing a proficient job as a paraprofessional. “I think he is compassionate for the (students), and they can relate to him,” Teeter said. In addition, history teacher Adam Melichar works with Foster in some of his classes. Though he has not had contact with Foster over matters of the course’s content, Melichar feels Foster will continue to be adept at his job. “I would assume that if he works hard with students with the content, he will be great,” Melichar said. Foster did not have to return to college in order to become a qualified paraprofessional as he already holds a degree in middle school edu-

cation. However, Foster had good reason for his career choice. “I wanted to gain experience working in a school as I will student teach in the fall,” Foster said. “I knew becoming a para would give me the best preparation for entering student service.” Foster will student teach in social studies and English beginning in the fall of next year. “It has shown that his background is working with students,” Teeter said. “Because of that, I am not surprised that he is good at it.” Being a paraprofessional can be difficult for Foster, as he has to remember lessons from all core subjects. For him, history comes naturally while math is more challenging. “History comes really easy for me and when I student-teach it will be in history,” Foster said. “The math classes have been the hardest for me. A big reason is that I have not done any of it since college.” Foster does not plan to become a paraprofessional for the middle school, where he serves as the girls’ basketball coach. He plans to continue assisting in the resource room. LAUREN PRILL “I really enjoy being here at Andover Paraprofessional Brett Foster looks over his notes that he had taken throughout the day. Foster will begin student teaching social High,” Foster said.

Diabetes, page 20 her father has it. “I was just in shock [when I found out],” Mattson said. “I always have to be thinking about how I feel and what my blood sugar is. I cannot just eat everything I want without insulin based on the amount of carbs she eats. “I give myself a shot after every meal and then one before I go to bed,” Mattson said. Moore, who sees patients from age 10 until their death, says symptoms indicating diabetes are things like excessive thirst, excessive urination, blurred vision, fatigue, sometimes unexplained weight loss, dry skin and unexplained infections. “Type 1 diabetics just use insulin because their pancreas no longer makes it. So, they take shots to replace what is missing,” Moore said. Freshman Adam DeKoning and junior Devin Dymkowski medicate using insulin. “I am fully reliant on shots,” Dymkowski said. “Basically, I eat whatever I want and then use that much insulin accordingly. If I eat a huge meal with a lot of sugar, I use a lot of insulin. If I am having a small snack I will use a small amount of insulin.” Hamman used shots in the past, however he now uses an

studies and English in the fall. This is Foster’s first year as a paraprofessional following his coaching job at the middle school.

insulin pump. “The pump acts as an artificial pancreas in the sense that I only have to know the number of carbohydrates I ate during the day, and then I press a few buttons,” Hamman said. Dymkowski found out he was diabetic when he was 3 years old, so at first his parents supported him by helping him medicate. He was drinking a lot of water and using the restroom often, so his parents took him to the doctor to find out why. “There are four ways to diagnose diabetes,” Moore said. “You can check blood sugars, check random blood sugars, do a glucose tolerance test or you can do a lab test.” Having the disease causes students to be more responsible. “Whenever I am on an outing I have to make sure I have all my equipment packed including insulin, needles and blood sugar strips,” Dymkowski said. Nurse Rebecca Rudkin is extremely familiar with all the students with diabetes. “They check their blood sugar and I make sure they are doing OK,” Rudkin said. “I see them very regularly. If they are not on top of it they can be high or low, which can affect concentration or focus.” If gone untreated, diabetes can have extremely dire consequences. “The long term affects of diabetes is that it is the number

one cause of blindness, kidney failure and food amputation. By controlling your diabetes, you can avoid any of those things happening,” Moore said. Students understand the need to mature and be dutiful in order to take care of the disease. “If I do not keep control of it, I could get a lot of internal damages or die early,” Mattson said. “My friend had to get her foot cut off because she did not keep track of hers.” Students feel supported in a variety of ways. For example, Dymkowski said when people get him Christmas presents, they give him sugar free candy. Mattson, whose mom is a nurse, gets support from her family and friends. “My friends help me out with remembering to bring my insulin whenever we go out,” Mattson said. The change from before students were diagnosed to after is life-changing. They are forced to be more responsible, selfconscious and physically aware. “The big question is how it will impact my future. What you do today affects future health,” Hamman said. “[My life has been changed] dramatically. I was so much more carefree before and did not think about health as much. But, diabetes has been a blessing in disguise, making me more responsible and appreciate things more.”

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cultureSHOCK<< Zumba provides new, fun way to get in shape alyssaGOODMAN staff writer

LAUREN PRILL

YMCA instructor Amy Rumyan teaches class at the Andover YMCA. Zumba classes are held at the YMCA, and there is no need to sign up.

Opinions regarding working out vary from person to person, but the Zumba dance class allows an upbeat way to get fit. “The best part about Zumba is the uniqueness of the workout; the instructors make it fun for all dancers,” sophomore Alexa Oliphant said. Zumba classes are held at the YMCA and there is no need to sign up. All people have to do to participate in this activity is show up with an eagerness to have fun and be active. This class has mostly women attendees, but varies in ages. “It is easy and it puts me in a good mood. [Zumba] is a fun workout, and I hate working out,” junior Chandler Kowalski said. Some may see Zumba as an embarrassing workout, but once people start dancing they find the enjoyment of getting fit and spending time with their friends. Zumba works the cardiovascular system and many mus-

cles, such as abs, legs, hips, arms and more. The music pulses, and so does the heart rate. Zumba uses many different styles of dancing and music, mostly originating from Latin countries. Depending on the instructor, the music for Zumba ranges from world rhythm to popular songs. According to an Andover YMCA instructor Amy Rumyan said she is not able to choose whatever music she pleases. Seventy percent of the dancing music must come from Latin, African, Indian or other international music while 30 percent is of her choice. “I use choreography that Zumba provides and new choreography is coming in all the time,” Rumyan said. “I have had to learn many salsa steps and techniques, which has been a lot of fun.” Stereotypically, exercising for most people is more of an obligation than a hobby, but some zumba dancers excitedly look forward to the class. Dancing Zumba for an hour can burn up to 750 calories and is

said to be a lot more enjoyable than running on a treadmill or riding a bike. “Zumba is not hard; it is pretty easy to learn the dances since the instructor helps you a lot,” junior Cayla Vaivada said. Zumba is advertised many places such as the Andover YMCA, Genesis, Curves, TV, and the Internet. To find information about Zumba, just check a local YMCA website or ask a participant in Zumba dance. Many people in Andover are involved in this at this activity at the YMCA, between two classes there are about 140 participants having a great time while losing weight and getting fit. “[Zumba] keeps me in shape. It is exciting and empowering being able to motivate people who don’t enjoy exercising,” Rumyan said. “It took me a while to feel comfortable when dancing in front of at least 60 people, but after a while, I realized it was just a great way to let loose and have a good time.”

New technology takes reading to new level through devices ryanLAKE With the recent release of the Nook Color, it is important to carry out a detailed Nook Color vs. Kindle comparison to see which is the best eReader amongst the two. Barnes & Noble have done something revolutionary here (as far the eReader market is concerned), and they have started the process of transformation of the Nook into a full fledged tablet PC. Industry observers have claimed that 2011 is going to be the year of the tablet, and the Nook Color has now got first mover advantage into this particular segment. Moreover, it has adopted the astoundingly growing Android platform as a base for it’s new and improved product. It has long been assumed that the Kindle from Amazon is the best ebook reader around, and everyone else, including the Nook by Barnes & Noble, was simply playing catch up. But this has all changed with the release of the Nook Color in November 2010.

With the year of tablets occurring, I give you a comparison of the Nook Color with the Kindle 3, since it is the latest offering in the Kindle series. The biggest difference between the Nook Color and the Kindle, as the name suggests, is the presence of a capacitative full-color touchscreen on the Nook Color now, differing from the original Nook. This has opened up a whole new set of activities that can be carried out on the Nook Color like watching videos, movies and reading full colored children’s books and graphic novels. On the other hand, the Kindle 3 is still available with its black and white E-Ink display that is great for reading eBooks but ultimately falls short when compared with the brilliant new Nook Color and the added features that have been put into the device. The Nook Color also lets you download and use apps now, using the Android-powered system much like the Samsung Galaxy tab as well on all droid-developed phones, very similar systems in all, and more and more app developers will soon start surfacing. The device already comes pre-installed with some useful apps and games, and plenty more are on the way. The full colored screen also gives you the ability to surf the web now, but the only limitation is that it only has Wi-Fi connectivity, and

FACTOR

NOOK COLOR

KINDLE 3

Screen Size Screen Resolution Storage Space Battery Life Weight Operating System

7 inches (diagonal) 1024 x 600 pixels, 169 ppi 8GB/ add 32GB microSD card 8 hours (Wi-Fi off ) 15.8 ounces Android 2.1 (Eclair)

6 inches (diagonal) 800 x 600 pixels, 167 ppi 4GB/ add No microSD card 3 Weeks 8.5 - 8.7 ounces Kindle

It has long been assumed that

the Kindle from Amazon is the best eBook reader around.

not 3G as of now. However, with the next update of the device, it is expected to be 3G connectivity-ready. This simple difference indicates that the Nook Color has left the Amazon Kindle far behind now. The limited usage of the Kindle means that it can only be used as a standalone e-reader now, and nothing else. The Nook Color, on the other hand, is a full-fledged tablet computer. As far as pricing is concerned, the Kindle 3 sells for $139 (Wi-Fi only) and $189 (Wi-Fi

+ 3G). The Nook Color sells for $249, and in our opinion, it is definitely worth the extra price. When you compare this price with other tablet prices like the iPad and the Samsung Galaxy Tab, you will be pleasantly surprised. Now you may say that the Kindle 3 comes equipped with 3G connectivity. With so many advantages that the Nook Color enjoys over the Kindle 3, there is only one clear winner in the Nook Color vs. Kindle 3 debate. Here are some more differences between the two devices listed above. Coming to a conclusion as to which tablet-styled device to choose on a budget, the Nook color is the way to go, make the right choice friends, you won’t regret it.

Feb. 14, 2011

21


Oscar Corruption? Perhaps

jordanDUSENBURY staff writer

The Academy Awards are just around the corner…and they have turned into something truly ugly and corrupt. The actors who take home the Oscars tend to play characters who either were real people, drug addicts, overweight, underweight, poor or rich. The Oscar mostly never goes to actors who played just legitimate people. Last year, Sandra Bullock won for playing a real-life person who took in a homeless person; Jeff Bridges took home the Oscar for playing a drug addict senior country singer; Christoph Waltz played a Nazi who killed everyone he didn’t like; and Monique played an overweight and abusive mother for “Precious: Based On The Novel Push by Sapphire.” How political. To my mind, society now-a-days feels that there needs to be something special in a scenario to actually care. The last time I remember when someone won an Oscar for playing an ordinary character was Helen Hunt for “As Good As It Gets”. She played a middle class waitress and

single mother. Don’t get me wrong, I do think that some people who have won the Oscar actually deserve it, but I almost thought it was a major cry for help when Sean Penn won for “Milk”, which was a real person he played, as opposed to Mickey Rourke for “The Wrestler”, who was fictitious. One of the most epic wins was Marisa Tomei’s supporting role for “My Cousin Vinny”. The other nominees that Tomei was up against were these serious English lady characters, but no…they gave the Oscar to an actress who played an ordinary Brookie-gal. Why the need? Now I’m not saying that the Oscar never goes to a non-deserving performance. But, the tricky thing about acting is that it can be interpreted whether or not did a good job in playing their roles. There’s not a right or wrong way to play a character. Any random person can say “they didn’t deserve it” or “so-and-so didn’t get nominated.” Artistic criticism will never have security because it’s never a guaranteed topic.

Previous Best Actress winners: Actress:

Movie:

Status:

Kate Winslet

“The Reader”

Ex-Guard

Marion Cottillard

“La vie En Rose”

Real-life Person

Helen Mirren

“The Queen”

Real-life Person

Reese Witherspoon “Walk The Line”

Real-life Person

Hilary Swank

“Million Dollar Baby”

Poor woman

Charlize Theron

“Monster”

Real-life Person

Nicole Kidman

“The Hours”

Real-life Person

Halle Berry

“Monster’s Ball”

abusive mother

Julia Roberts

“Erin Brockovich”

Real-life Person

Hilary Swank

“Boys Don’t Cry”

Real-life Person

Spring concerts offer new entertainment options be there >> laurenQUAM staff writer

Upcoming concerts for 2011: Feb. 20 - Ke$ha at Uptown Theatre Feb. 27 -Winter Jam 2011 at Intrust Bank Arena Feb. 27- Soulja Boy at Sprint Center April 5- All Time Low at Beaumont Club April 13- Kenney Chesney at Intrust Bank Arena May 19 - Tim McGraw at Intrust Bank Arena

This spring, many exciting concerts will be coming to Wichita. There will be various genres and lots of concerts that appeal to many different age groups. At the beginning of February, Kid Rock and Snoop Dogg performed. Kid Rock performed on Feb. 1 at Intrust Bank Arena and Snoop Dogg performed on the third at the Cotillion. Both concerts had a good turn out and went really well. “Snoop Dogg’s concert went very well. It was sold out. We also had several notable people on stage with him,” Cotillion rep Richard Leslie said. The country performers that are coming to Wichita are Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw. Various artists will also be performing at Kissin’ Country’s concert on Valentines day at Hartman Arena. Tim McGraw will be coming to Intrust Bank Arena on May 19 and Kenny Chesney will also be performing at

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Feb. 14, 2011

Intrust on April 13. Intrust Bank Arena will be hosting their annual Winter Jam concert this year on Feb. 27. This concert will be showcasing many well-known Christian singers and bands. The cost is a 10-dollar donation at the door. “I thought last year Winter Jam had good music and I like the atmosphere. I really like Fireflies, I had never heard of them and they were good,” sophomore Bill Hodge said. In addition to concerts coming to Wichita, there are many diverse performers visiting Kansas City during the spring. Ke$ha will be performing on Feb. 20 at Uptown Theatre. Soulja Boy will be performing on February 27 at the Sprint Center. Country bands, Rascal Flatts and Little Big Town, will be performing in March at the Sprint Center and Uptown Theatre. Whether it’s Tim McGraw or Snoop Dogg, the Wichita and Kansas City area will have high-profile entertainment that any age group would enjoy.


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Staff members rank top spring nail polish colors and brands ryleeELLISON & ashtonSCHRAG

cc cc staff writers

Revlon:

Essie:

Featured: Minted Other: Poppy

Featured: Barbados Blue Other: Splash of Grenadine

OPI:

Nicole:

Featured: Strawberry Margarita Other: Simmer and Shimmer

Featured: Yellow It’s Me Other: Fresh Squeezed

Avalible in these patterns and colors: Cut It Out, Girl Flower, Booty Camp, Collide-O Scope, Frock Star, Blue Ice, Bling It On, Glitz Blitz, Skinny Jeans, Check It Out, Misbehaved, Laced Up, Wild Child, Kitty Kitty, Fly With Me, Raise A Glass, Wicked Bamboo, Cry Baby, It Girl, Violet Night, Red-y For Trouble, Squeezed, Electric Shock, Groove, and Teal With It.

KATHERINE HARTLEY

Top 5 Video Games of the Decade: evanWILLFORD cartoonist

Inspired by Ryan Lake’s and Morgan Messmore’s piece on the best albums of the decade, I decided to share with all of you my absolute favorite video games of the past ten years. So prepare yourself, dear reader, as we unleash upon you the essential (in my opinion) games of the decade.

5. Sid Meier’s Civilization IV (2005, PC): “Civ IV” is one

of the best strategy games ever. The perfectly paced turnbased strategy game played on my fondness for controlling little people on boards. It’s like “RISK”, only less tedious and comparably as addicting as heroine (or so I’ve been told). Taking on the role of one of history’s greatest leaders has never been so fun.

4. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 (2000, PlayStation):

This was my childhood right here (as far as video games go). For almost an hour a day (15 minutes each), my brothers and I would be glued to the good old PlayStation, busting out million point combos as Spider-man and “Ollie-ing” over the magic bum. To those who say video games discourage physical activity: this game was actually an inspiration for us to start skateboarding, although we were slightly less awesome in real life.

3. The Orange Box (Half Life 2, Portal, Team Fortress 2) (2007, PC): Probably the best deal in all

of gaming, developer Valve’s “Orange Box” contains five incredible games and is essential for any PC gamer. The story and perfect execution of “Half Life 2” kept me hooked throughout the adventures of MIT grad student turned savior of humanity, Gordon Freeman. “Team Fortress 2”, a crazy multiplayer shooter game with a wicked sense of humor, contributed heavily to lack of sleep during the summer. Finally, “Portal”, a 3-hour first-person puzzle game, contains possibly the best writing and one of the cleverest mechanics in any video game.

2. Mass Effect 1 and 2 (2008 and 2010, PC): Each “Mass Effect” game is a 24-hour thrill ride of adrenaline-fueled combat, truly epic missions and a detailed universe that is quite probably the best in any game so far. The writing and production values rival the best Hollywood blockbusters, but what really got me was the impact that I could have on the story. Major choices are left up to the player, making multiple play-throughs a necessity.

Video game connoisseur evaluates favorite video games from past years 1. Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006, PC/ Xbox 360): Here

we go, the big one. I’ve spent upwards of 150 hours wandering through the woods and mountains of Cyrodiil. As an admitted nerd, “Oblivion” seems custom-built for my tastes, complete with huge spaces to explore, creepy dungeons to plunder and more loot than is probably good for me. I can’t pin down one thing that makes me love this game as much as I do; it’s really just the perfect combination of everything in a way that keeps it fresh, no matter how often I play it.

Feb. 14, 2011

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Freezing Festivities

Despite snow days during weekly events, students stay spirited DEVIN DYMKOWSKI

Above, senior homecoming court members Trent Garmen, Jenny Cooper, Evan Willford, Lauren Fasholtz, Kyle Shook, Taylor Tilson, Jenny Cooper, and Grant Ralston pose crowning pictures in between the girls and boys varsity basketball game on Feb. 4. Tilson and Shook were voted homecoming queen and king.

DEVIN DYMKOWSKI

Right, juniors Renee Pederson and Alyssa Friend work on a physics assignment in their pajamas. Pajama day kicked off spirit week on Monday.

DEVIN DYMKOWSKI

DEVIN DYMKOWSKI

Friday at the Homecoming Assembly parents, and students all await to see the Homecoming candidates announced. Along with this the school mascot brought the crowd alive that afternoon.

DEVIN DYMKOWSKI

Top middle, sophomore Evie Bryan sports blue and white attire for super fan day on Friday. During spirit week, two snow days hindered Tuesday and Wednesday’s dress ups. Bottom middle, sophomore Andrew Bunting submits his guess on how many pieces of candy were in a jar during lunch on Feb. 4. There was a seperate jar for each grade level.

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Feb. 11, 2011

MAHA MADI

Assistant principal Gary Merrit and senior Lindsey Eck celebrate after senior Grant Ralston successfully finishes the candidates game at the pep assembly on Feb. 4.


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