2018-2019
The express
worth a thousand words Page 14 From walking with elephants to floating over the ground, sophomore Skylar Guarini poses for her mom’s daily Instagram photo challenge.
Volume 26 • issue 2 • Blue Valley Northwest High school
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Issue 2 | 9.20.18
Opinion: perfection is over-hyped opinion: The future of bvnw boys soccer staff editorial making verona Keeping it in the family royal additions worth a thousand words
Above: Junior Amy Truong enters an order into the register at her family’s cafe, Sweet and Simple, Sept. 2 “Working with my mom is different, but it’s also something I think has grown our relationship because I understand how hard she works,” Truong said. (Photo by Ellen Bruce). Right: At Church of the Resurrection, senior Max Zimmerman practices with his band at RezLife Sept. 10. “I was really good friends with the guitarist because of church and then we decided to make a band, so we got our bass player and later got the singer,” Zimmerman said. (Photo by Maddie Beischel).
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Above: Sophomore Skylar Guarini stands in a sunflower field Sept. 2. “I think that’s what makes my mom different than a lot of photographers, she can just envision a photo in everything,” Guarini said (Photo Courtesy of Skylar Guarini). Cover: A headshot of Guarini taken in her mom’s studio April 29. “The painting that’s layered on top just gives it a cool effect, and it’s special, too, because the painting was actually done by my mom,” Guarini said (Photo Courtesy of Skylar Guarini).
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Perspectives a bond deeper than disability climbing to the top life Styled The Shack: Best of both worlds puzzle
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opinion
Issue 2 | 9.20.18
Perfection is over-hyped by Maddie Oliver
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rowing up, I was a pretty energetic kid. Around the age of five, my mom enrolled me in ballet and it instantly became my passion. For 10 years, I was a pre-professional ballerina, going five days a week (sometimes six) to the studio, warming up or rehearsing. Dance was a way to express myself. I felt like I could do anything. I felt free. There was a downside to ballet, though. When people think of the word “ballerina,” they usually picture someone who is really tall, white, skinny, long-legged with no curve whatsoever. I didn’t fit those standards. I felt that people were constantly criticizing me because I looked different than the other dancers. My insecurities got to me. Every day, millions of people pick away at their bodies wishing they were different, different meaning having the more “ideal” look society has put upon them. According to a TED Talk done by Ashley Graham, only two percent of women find themselves beautiful. That statistic took me by surprise. In today’s world, teens wish to be something they’re not, skinnier, taut, muscular, taller, shorter or equallyproportioned. An unattainable form of “beauty” is showcased all over social media, posted by celebrities who frequently edit their photos. The photos are made to look “perfect,” but in
reality, they’re photoshopped or edited. Looking at these pictures day-in and day-out led me into a downward spiral. I bet everyone has been in the same shoes I was in: picking away at myself for something I’m not. Pictures are only a sliver of reality.
“To me, beauty is imperfection. It’s ok if you aren’t perfect.” -Maddie oliver Who defined what? To me, beauty is imperfection. It’s OK if you aren’t perfect. We all, at some point, feel like we aren’t good enough for someone else’s standards. Why does someone’s standards for the human race matter when it makes others miserable? Why do we beat ourselves up for this? Why is beauty so limited in society’s expectations? I wonder about that. Who has the right to tell me that I am ugly? That isn’t, and shouldn’t, be the way to live. Everyone is unique. Perfection is overrated. We all struggle. We all have insecurities. We all understand what it’s like to feel imperfect. Today, we’re isolated, judged and discriminated against for the way we look. We
become heartbroken and confused when someone calls us out for being different. We feel lost because the idea of perfection has changed us. Parts of society are working on breaking the stereotypes not only in modeling, but in film and music as well. Their images by showing diverse body types, Brands such as Aerie, ASOS and Old Navy are expanding in their diversity with body types. Actors and musicians like Gabourey Sidibe, Sofia Vergara, Kelly Clarkson, Adele, Christina Aguilera, Shannon Purser and Kate Winslet have spoken out about body positivity and the unrealistic beauty standards of today. We’re a diverse world and there’s definitely some progress happening. However, there needs to be more diversity in modeling, television and the arts. There needs to be more ballerinas that don’t fit the stereotypical mold. Can’t we agree that breaking the boundaries in these roles would empower, strengthen and inspire us to be who we are and to accept the fact that we’re all unique and amazing? My young dancer self would.
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Opinion
The future of BVNW boys soccer By Aidan knauth
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he BVNW boys soccer program may be on the rise in the upcoming seasons. Some of the best and brightest have been through this program in recent years, but few have been able to succeed in taking home the state trophy. The varsity soccer team has had its ups and downs over the years, but have not been able to make it past the qualifying round for state since the state championship team in 2015. This year will be the start of a new chapter with underclassmen on the uprise and new interim coach Brian Pollack in charge. Over the next several years there are five freshmen that are going to play an important role in the program. These five freshmen, Joseph Rahto, Yousif Radhi, Ryan Masterson, Andrew Mitchell and Gavin Biancalana, are currently on junior varsity and will likely make the varsity team next year. Pollack said these players were high caliber players and they will likely make up most of the defensive positions in the coming years. Sophomore Will Vancrum and freshman Christian Colle have proven their importance to the varsity team
throughout the season so far. The future of the BVNW program relies heavily on Vancrum and Colle’s experience to guide the other upcoming underclassmen in the coming years. Colle and Vancrum have the opportunity to learn from experienced varsity players while gaining more varsity experience. Vancrum’s versatile movement and solid defense are influential to the team’s success, while Colle’s impressive acceleration and hard work practically demand that he be put in when the team needs a boost. There is no wonder that these two have earned their spots on the varsity team. The 2015 team was one to remember having won state while totalling a 191-0 record. The aspects of the soccer program over the years under former head coach Rick Pribyl were great, but some believe that his tactics became too predictable and conventional in recent years. After 25 years of having Pribyl at the helm, BVNW will have it’s first new soccer coach with the announcement of the hiring of interim head coach Brian Pollack. With Pribyl’s retirement, there is speculation on whether or not Pollack will have a positive or negative
influence on the program, with the players being optimistic that Pollack will have a strong influence. Pollack has a lot of high school coaching experience while coaching one of Northwest’s C teams and being an assistant coach to three state championship winning teams with Olathe South, Olathe East, and here at Blue Valley Northwest, but this season will certainly prove to be a new test for Pollack as the coach of varsity. So far, Pollack has introduced a new style of play to the varsity team, which comes with demanding practices that requires players to have more endurance which will prove crucial for the team’s success. The recent struggles of the BVNW soccer program have caused doubt within the BVNW community to whether it was the force it once was, but the new coaching and promising young players will become the start of a more promising soccer chapter at Northwest. With the help of varsity players, Vancrum and Colle, plus the incoming freshmen on the junior varsity, the upcoming seasons will be unforgettable.
Freshman Christian Colle dribbles up the field against Shawnee Mission Northwest Aug. 29 at BVW. BVNW defeated SMNW, 3-1. (Photo by Sara Maloney).
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9.20.18 | Issue 2
staff Editorial We are not the enemy
Throughout his campaign and presidency, President Trump has called the media “fake news” and invited his followers to do the same. On a visit to KC this past summer, he pointed to reporters and called them “the enemy of the people.” But we are not the enemy. In the past, our staff has sought the truth in our stories, and this year will be no different. We’ve covered all kinds of stories from an unbiased perspective, from stories about vaping, to mental health, to student deaths and even to our president’s first year. While we grieved with our Northwest peers over students’ deaths, we also reached out to
the parents of those students and gave them an outlet to share their stories and the stories of their kids. No matter the controversy or political connotations a story may have, we’ve done our best to have accurate reporting. When we make mistakes, we address them as quickly as possible, while owning up to them. This year, our staff is comprised mostly of underclassmen, meaning we’re eager to try new things and cover topics we never have before. We want to push our limits to become the best we can be, all by looking to find the truth behind every story. We look forward to serving you during the
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2018-2019 school year and beyond. Whether you’re a BVNW student, parent, staff member, alumnus or an outsider, our journalism will serve you. As student journalists, we owe it to our community to expose the truth, even if it’s something some people want us to back away from because it’s unpopular or uncomfortable. It’s not our job to cushion our reader’s predisposed beliefs, but instead to truthfully inform the Northwest community on pertinent issues of our community. It may shock. It may create discomfort, but we are not the enemy.
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Making
V E R O N A
After a summer of being in the studio and recording, local band Verona has released their first song, “Are You Scared.”
by jonny isaacson
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erona is an alternative rock band that consists of Northwest senior and drummer Max Zimmerman, vocalist Robbie Matthews, guitarist Andrew Telthorst and bassist Jamison Foglesong. After being with Verona for a year, senior Max Zimmerman and his band released their first official single, “Are You Scared.” Their single was released Aug. 29 onto Spotify, YouTube, Soundcloud and Apple Music. According to Zimmerman, the group formed when they met at church. “I met the guitar player, Andrew, from the Church of the Resurrection,” Zimmerman said. “We became really good friends there and we played in RezLife band, and he asked me if I wanted to be in a band with him. He knew the bass player Jamie through school, so we got him and our singer Robbie through our bass player because they were in the same band.” Although the band has been together for less than a year,
Max Zimmerman practices with his religous band at RezLife, Sep. 10. “I was really good friends with the guitarist because of church and then we decided to make a band so we got our bass player and later got the singer,” Zimmerman said. (Photo by Maddie Beischel)
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Zimmerman said music has always been a big part of his life. Zimmerman’s dad, Gregg Zimmerman, also said his son began drumming on things around the house as a kid. “He’s always drummed. Even when he was a little kid, he banged on things,” Gregg said. “Drumming is just something that he enjoys, and he started drumming in his church band and he just has a natural affinity for it.”
“It’s hard for a lot of bands to stay together, but I think we have really good chemistry.” -robbie matthews Surrounded by music as a child, Zimmerman said he started to teach himself how to play the piano and drums. “My family is pretty musical and I’ve always had music around me all the time so I started with piano,” Zimmerman said. “I developed playing piano pretty well, and I moved on to drums and kind of taught myself, then decided I wanted to keep playing and keep doing music.” Since forming the band, Matthews said Verona has been very successful booking gigs and practicing very hard to get better. “Every time we practice, we’re working hard like it could be an hour, three hours or five hours, and that really builds up to where it sounds really good,” Robbie said. “We’re always getting songs done and making things flow and that work really pays off for me and the band.”
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Zimmerman and Matthews both agreed they would be able to stay together because of their hard work, practice and good chemistry as a band. “I really hope we get as far as we can,” Robbie said. “It’s hard for a lot of bands to stay together, but I think we have really good chemistry.” Their newest single, “Are You Scared,” covers a variety of topics focusing on what they are going through in life, such as relationships and other situations, according to Matthews. “I write about what I feel and what I’m dealing with in relationships and certain situations,” Matthews said. “It’s just about the passion for letting out what I feel and letting everything out, and things that are going on in my life because it can really be a powerful thing to let it out.”
“A lot of our songs are about experiences we have with relationships, girls, with other people and things we experience in life,” Zimmerman said. According to Matthews, Verona has big things coming, including an album which will include their new single, “Are You Scared.”
check out verona’s single, “are you scared”
Zimmerman plays the drums on a rooftop in Westport for an art fair, May. 10. “It is really cool being in a band because you have a different connection with the other guys which is unlike any with school friends,” Zimmerman said. (Photo from Verona’s Instagram).
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Keeping it in the family With her family running a Brookside café, junior Amy Truong is a store manager at 16. Truong also designed all the merchandise and logos for the store.
by lola shipman
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rior to opening their KC area café, Sweet and Simple, their family had grown distant, junior Amy Troung said. After opening the café, Troung said their relationship improved and her family became close again. “Before we even started this business, my family wasn’t very close,” Truong said. “But when we started to get close again, that’s when we started the business to help keep us together at the same time because we had kind of been distant for a while.” Their Brookside café sells specialty drinks, such as smoothies, coffees, boba teas and edible cookie dough as well. Preparations to start their café began in December of 2017, and they opened in April of 2018. Truong said she designed the store, logos, menus and is now seeing her work’s effect in the real world.
“It’s pretty family-oriented,” Diana Dang, Truong’s mother, said. “It’s a good place for kids and families to gather.” She said they were inspired to start the café because they wanted something fun and different. The store is run by Truong’s aunt, uncle, grandmother and Dang. Truong said her aunt manages it and all of the employees work to pull together funds and divide up profits. Truong said when her aunt is not there, the managing position is given to her. This entails talking to customers and making sure everyone is on task while working. “I feel like we have to rely on each other a lot so we have to work together and make sure everything gets done,” Truong said. Senior Jimmy Kavanaugh worked alongside Truong at Sweet and Simple for three months. He said the
staff all worked very well together. “She can be very authoritative,” Kavanaugh said. “I also feel like working with your friends can be like that.” When the store opened in the spring, Truong worked full-day shifts most days throughout the summer. She said she has cut down her shifts during the week, now working Monday to Thursday, to accommodate for the higher levels of her schoolwork. Despite fewer shifts, Truong is still on call and said if an issue were to arise at the store, she has to be ready to drop everything and help. With school back in session, Truong said she is learning to balance her classes with her responsibilities at the store. Truong said she is adapting to a schedule at the restaurant which is different than her school schedule. She said
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Left: Truong scoops cookie dough Sept. 2. “Technically it is like a topping bar, but we just use larger trays for the dough.” (Photo by Ellen Bruce). Above: Sweet and Simple order (from left to right) L&P milk tea, chocolate chip cookie dough, pink flamingo smoothie with popping strawberry boba, and ombré pineapple tea. Sept. 3. (Photo by Emma Johnson). Right: Truong and her mom, the owner of the store, talk with a former employee Sept. 2. “I understand how hard she [her mom] works and so I don’t really take her for granted,” Truong said. (Photo by Ellen Bruce). Below: Sweet and Simple offers an ombré pineapple tea. (Photo by Emma Johnson).
it takes a lot of organization and writing down responsibilities to stay on top of things. “It’s stressful, if I’m being honest,” Truong said. “I do a lot of organization, writing down what I need to do [for school].” Designing the store has been a very beneficial practice for her future, Truong said, as it has given her an advantage to show colleges and businesses that she has created a successful store, to which the public has responded positively. Through working with customer service at the store, Truong said she has been presented with many opportunities to meet influential people. She has been offered summer internships through the interactions. Truong said she is grateful for this real-world involvement and knowledge she is gaining through the experience.
“It's benefiting me to know this is the real world,” Truong said. “It’s not like high school where I get to go party on the weekends and come back to school and call it a day.”
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royal additions Seniors Abe Rottinghaus and Nate Kenney begin their first year of working as ball boys for the Kansas City Royals.
by Danya radhi On an average game night, there are smells of fresh cut grass, sounds of cheering, and 34,900 eyes looking on as seniors Nate Kenney and Abe Rottinghaus work behind the scenes as ball boys for the Kansas City Royals. Making about $10.30 an hour, Kenney and Rottinghaus said they work at Kauffman Stadium four to five days a week during the baseball season. Shifts usually last for about nine hours after school or on
weekends, meaning that they would usually be getting home by about 1:302:30 a.m. depending on the number of innings played as well as the amount of work needed to be done before and after the games. Although not a typical job for a high school student, Kenney said, ball boys usually pick up after games, do laundry, prepare the bullpen/dugout, organize stuff into their places, get the bats out and more. Which differs from the preconceived notion that
ball boys just stand on the line, picking up foul balls. Along with housekeeping duties, both Kenney and Rottinghaus said they get to know the players and interact with them, creating bonds. Rottinghaus said that his favorite thing about the job is getting to know the players. “It’s really fun,” Rottinghaus said. “Even if we’re not that good, it’s still fun to be around the players and stuff like that.”
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In addition to getting to know the players, Kenney and Rottinghaus get to attend each home stand with an up-close viewing. One of the perks of being a ball boy, Kenney said, is getting a front row seat.
“It’s one of those things where I hope to do it as long as possible.” - nate Kenney “I think it’s really cool to be on the field because people have to pay thousands and thousands of dollars to sit in the crown level seats, and I get to sit closer than them and get paid to do it,” Kenney said. To become a ball boy, both boys said they needed to have a connection with someone who is associated with the Royals. In Kenney’s case this connection was his father and Rottinghaus’s was his brother. As the head athletic trainer for the Kansas City Royals, Nick Kenney said his job revolves around managing the healthcare of the players. Nick said due to his job with the Royals, Kenney had the opportunity to get to know the players even before Kenney began working there himself. Prior to Kenney working for the Royals, both Nick and Kenney said they would rarely see each other because of the long hours that came with his work, but that has changed in result of them working together. “It’s a joy because a lot of the time I don’t get to see him very much so when he’s working at the stadium it increases my opportunity to spend some time with him,” Nick said. With getting to see his dad more frequently as well as the unique atmosphere that comes with being a ball boy, Kenney said he plans on continuing for as long as he can with Rottinghaus agreeing. “So you know, not super glamorous but it’s still a really fun time,” Kenney said. “It’s one of those things where I hope to do it as long as possible.”
Senior Nate Kenney and his dad, Nick Kenney, attended Royals spring training. (Photo courtesy of Nate Kenney)
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Worth a thousand
words
Sophomore Skylar Guarini poses for her mom’s daily Instagram photo challenge.
By Jenna Weyforth
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vibrantly-dressed girl stretches her arm back, leading the elephant onward, in an otherwise undisturbed emerald
meadow. Sophomore Skylar Guarini and her mom, Kristen Snyder, have been participating in a photography challenge on Instagram since January, with a different word or theme chosen each day. “The word was isolate,” Snyder said. “I wanted it to look like she was alone with her only friend.
A jungle-book type of thing. Like they were about to go off on an adventure together and leave everything and everyone else behind.” As a part of an online photography group called Journey, which has more than 3,000 members internationally, Snyder posts a picture to her Instagram account that corresponds with the given word. “Every day it’s your responsibility to come up with something that you think represents that word,” Snyder said.
Guarini has been modeling for her mom in various pictures since she was 4 years old, and said she frequently poses for Synder’s Instagram and Facebook accounts. By seeing her mom try new things with editing and Photoshop, Guarini said she enjoys getting the opportunity to experiment with how the two depict certain aspects of the words. “You do stuff a lot with perspectives too, like something ordinary but you wouldn’t usually see it from that perspective,” Guarini said. The best part about modeling for her mom, Guarini said, is seeing the final product and the differences in the vision she had imagined compared to the one her mom brought to life through the picture. “I like the experience too, of collaborating to make something beautiful,” Guarini said. Sophomore Aviva Keating, who has been friends with Guarini since seventh grade, has seen many Skylar Guarini appears to be levitating over the ground, while in reality she is simply lying on a stool. Her mother uses photoshop to layer photos and create the illusion that Guarini is suspended in the air. (Photos courtesy of Skylar Guarini).
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of Guarini and Snyder’s photos throughout the year. Frequently, Keating said she and Guarini often talk about the upcoming themes for the next day’s photos. “Just being a viewer without any technical knowledge, it all just seems pretty cool to me,” Keating said. The mother-daughter pair said they have gotten closer throughout their journey into photography and modeling. “Even if I’m not even in the picture, or not necessarily collaborating for that day I still want to be a part of it, and I still come and help her,” Snyder said. Guarini and Synder both said they work together almost every day to find new ideas for setting up pictures. “They just seem to really enjoy doing the pictures together,” Keating said. “It seems to be kind of a bonding thing for them.”
“I like the experience too, of collaborating to make something beautiful.” -Skylar Guarini Snyder said she and her daughter get to do things they wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to do, from going to downtown Kansas City, Mo. at 4 a.m. to take a picture of the sunrise, to shooting in two degree weather in the winter. “We went over to the highway, over off of Antioch and 127th where that bridge is, but we climbed down so I could take a long-shot time lapse of the cars coming,” Snyder said. “It was like two degrees; it was super windy and so freaking cold. We were sitting there shivering.” The two of them said they work as a team for most of the pictures. Even when Guarini isn’t in front of the camera, she said she helps to set up the scene and often works with the other, younger models. For some of the models that have
Guarini poses for her mother with the daily challenge of glitter. little experience modeling, Guarini said she will help them fix their hair or their positioning to try to compliment the mood Snyder is trying to create. “I’ll tell her the kind of feeling I’m trying to portray, and she just kind of takes it from there,” Snyder said. The mother-daughter duo said they have many stories of the photographs they have taken over the past few months. “In Texas, I have these pictures of her laying in bluebells which are a certain kind of flower that only bloom once a year,” said Snyder. “We pulled over on the side of the
highway, but it was like a major interstate. We ran across the median where [the flowers] were, and she layed in the bluebells and we took a bunch of pictures and then we ran back across the highway.” In another picture, Guarini is holding a flower in the middle of a grocery aisle. “We were just randomly walking around the grocery store and I grabbed a flower from the vase of flowers and just had to roll with it. She was so embarrassed but she did it anyway,” Sndyer said. “Those are my favorite ones, like the candid ones, just because they’re fun.”
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Before
Top Left: To take this photo, Guarini said her mom, Kristen Synder, pulled to the side of the road Aug. 4. “We tried a ton of different poses to start feeling this
concept out, but theses were the ones were the one’s we were most happiest with,” Guarini said.
Bottom Left: Guarini said she is grateful for the opportunity to take part in her mother’s daily photo Instagram challenge. “I love that I have an opportunity to
be a part of this whimsical world my mom’s creating,” Guarini said.
Right: Guarini said Synder used photoshop to make the elephant look realistic.
after
Snyder said she started photography about three years ago. “I’ve always wanted to do it,” Snyder said. “I’ve always been kind of artistic like painting and drawing, but I just bought a camera and decided to figure it out.” Snyder said she takes photographs nearly every day, and likes to experiment with different aspects of photography. She said she takes an uncommon approach to editing
photos, such as pictures with lions and elephants alongside her models. “I don’t think there’s very many people photoshopping animals into their pictures or anything like that,” Snyder said. “I think my style is pretty unique. If you look at it you can kind of tell if I did it or not.” In one of these photos, Guarini looks as if she’s suspended in the air, levitating over the ground below her. In reality, Guarini is simply lying
on a stool. By layering photos of her daughter on the stool and without the stool, Snyder creates the illusion that Guarini is floating in the air. Trying to create make-believe things into something that could be real, Snyder said she enjoys making things look like they could be found in a dream. They both said they enjoy seeing the final product, but treasure the time they get to spend together.
From planning to execution, each photo is different and requires a lot of time to come up with an idea. “I like the ones where we kind of make something normal look like something fantastical, but keep it in a realistic way so that it looks like it could have happened,” Snyder said. With more than 100 days left to go in their challenge, Guarini and Snyder said they will be working to create new posts every day.
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Perspectives 1.
1. At Husky Night, the Dazzlers perform their pom routine choreographed by seniors Caitlyn Krebs, Taylor Fine, Sloan Logsdon, Pandi Lau and Samantha Taggart, Aug. 24. (Photo by Emma Johnson). 2. Junior Ebru Acikgoz talks to Linda Strieby during her seventh hour Field Biology class, Aug. 22. The class caught bugs for their insect project behind the school and in their free time (Photo by Ellen Bruce).
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3.
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3. Sophomore Lucy Vincent combines two pinch pots with a coil and slip to create a larger vase shape, Aug. 29. “I love ceramics because the teacher, Chris LaValley is amazing,” Vincent said. “I really enjoy the hands-on aspect of the class and the freedom with creativity too.” (Photo by Ellen Bruce). 4. Seniors Shawdee Ahmadian, left and Jacqueline Serati dissect a sheep brain with another student, Aug. 22. “I’m excited for anatomy because I really enjoy hands-on learning,” Serati said. “I feel like this class will allow me the opportunity to actually see how the body works and different functions that occur instead of just reading about it.” (Photo by Sara Maloney).
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5. Sophomore Will Vancrum draws his shoe in Design Fundamentals, Aug. 29. “I thought it was a fun project because we got to spend a long time just drawing something that we wear every day,” Vancrum said. (Photo by Maddie Beischel).
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6. Senior Anna Avery rehearses her music in Chamber Singers, Sept. 7. “We use this method called Diva Mode to bring out energy in our singing. It usually just ends up in all of us goofing off,” Avery said. (Photo by Sara Maloney). 7. Sophomore Cameron Quick marches the hall with the Howling Husky Marching Band, Sept. 7. “My favorite part about marching the halls is the opportunity to show school spirit through the band,” Cameron said. (Photo by Emma Johnson).
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8. Junior Edward Thomas catches bugs in his Field Biology class, Aug. 22. “It’s a chill class just going outside takes a break from your day, and it’s interesting to find some of the bugs,” Thomas said. (Photo by Sara Maloney). 9. Junior Ella Markley informs students about the Mental Health Board during the activity fair, Aug. 24. “The board is a bridge between the administration and the students to take a step toward changing how we address mental health at school, and I want to be a part in that process,” Markley said. (Photo by Grace Davis).
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A bond deeper than disability Senior Noah Shepker and his younger sister, Isabella, grow closer while dealing with stigmas surrounding her visual impairment.
By Grace Miller and Emma Johnson
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sabella Shepker stays busy by cheerleading, sewing, playing computer games and swimming. However, she does all these activities while being legally blind. Isabella, a seventh grader at Oxford Middle School, was born with a visual impairment called Peters anomaly. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, Peters anomaly is a genetic abnormality that causes the eye’s cornea and lens to not fully separate. Due to this, she wears a prosthetic, or fake eye, in her right eye, and has partial vision in the left eye. Isabella and Noah’s dad, Matt Shepker, said her visual impairment requires some extra patience, but it has improved her relationship with her brother, BVNW senior Noah Shepker. “She’s not all that different from anyone else,” Noah said. “Just because she’s blind doesn’t mean she’s limited. She needs extra help with things, and it doesn’t make her different than anyone else.” Isabella said people often underestimate her ability to perform daily tasks. “I wish people would never say that I can’t do anything because I’m partially
blind,” Isabella said. Noah said he understands Isabella’s true potential even though people try to define her by the disability she has. He supports his sister by helping her with math homework, giving her swimming tips at the pool and assisting her with technology that allows her to read, play games and interact with the world. Matt said Noah is also extremely
“I really wish they wouldn’t stare, that’s the biggest thing, It’s not something that we’re ashamed of. It’s something she’s lived with all her life, and she doesn’t know any better.” -noah shepker protective of Isabella. “Any time that anybody or anything hurts her, it bothers him quite a bit,” Matt said. “He’s generally a really
caring kid for everybody, but for her, in specific, it definitely will get him going.” Despite the circumstances, Matt said Noah and Isabella have the typical sibling love-hate relationship. Noah said he and Isabella have also grown closer through various events that support the blind community, like the Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired Trolley Run. The Trolley Run is a 5k fundraiser for the CCVI. The Director of Development at CCVI, Susan Angulo said CCVI is an organization that reaches out to blind youth and helps accommodate them to the sighted world. Noah said the Trolley Run is his favorite because people come together and give their time to a cause that is close to him. “It’s really nice because you can see everyone show up and support the eye center,” Noah said. Although Noah said he does his best to support his sister, he acknowledged there is a stigma around blind people. He said he notices how people treat Isabella differently because of her visual impairment. “I really wish they wouldn’t stare, that’s the biggest thing,” Noah said.
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Noah poses with his sister Isabella on a bridge. (Photo courtesy of Noah Shepker).
“It’s not something that we’re ashamed of, you know. It’s not something she’s ashamed of. It’s something she’s lived with all her life and she doesn’t know any better.” Instead of being treated differently, Noah said he hopes people will kindly ask her questions and talk to her just like any other kid her age to gain some perspective. Regardless of his sister’s visual impairment, he said Isabella is just like any other kid and has a bright future ahead of her. “She has the same dreams as everyone else. She’s a good kid,” Noah said. “I think she’s gonna do just fine.”
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climbing to the top As a fun way to stay in shape, junior Gabriela Meriano and the rest of the club go rock climbing.
By Kathryn Case
S
hortness of breath, burning abs and the sense of accomplishment are something the members of the Rock Climbing Club said they experience weekly. President and junior Gabriela Meriano and the rest of the club said they go climbing once a week as a unique way to stay active and enjoy time with friends. Meriano hosts meetings with club sponsor, Chad Askew, every Tuesday in room 704 to discuss when the next climb will be. Meriano said she chooses a time that works best for the club’s 40 members. Apex Climbing Gym, their typical climbing location, is a gym that includes a variety of rock climbing walls, according to junior Eleanor Wyndrum. The gym has a wall for every level of experience, so the majority of people can participate in this sport. The gym has a 7000-square-foot climbing wall that consists of slabs, overhangs, arches, corners and a cave. “There’s easy routes for everyone. If you can do a pull-up, then you can probably do 80 percent of the paths
in [Apex],” Wyndrum said. “Even if you don’t think you can, it’s way easier than you think.” Meriano said she is a seasoned climber who knows how to assist the less experienced climbers. “I help [the new climbers] point out different holds they can use and the way they should orient their body in order to get up higher,” Meriano said. The club provides a laid-back environment, Wyndrum said, where people come to stay fit while having fun. While climbing, the members also play games to make it more interesting, Wyndrum said. They play games similar to “Twister” on the walls, or games where they have to follow the same path as the person before them. “When we play the games it makes it more fun instead of climbing a route that’s really hard,” Meriano said. The members climb routes similar to the ones from the television show “American Ninja Warrior.” The ninja warrior room
Meriano climbs at Apex Climbing Gym, Sept. 4. (Photo by Emma Johnson).
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Apex climbing gym offers a variety of walls to climb and obstacles to try. (Photo by Grace Davis). has diverse obstacles such as the warp wall, as seen on “American Ninja Warrior.” “I like how it pushes us to our limits because you think you can’t grab that last hold, but then you feel that extra kick of abs at the end and you reach it and you feel really successful that you just did it,” Wyndrum said.
“I like how it pushes us to our limits because you think you can’t grab that last hole, but then you feel that extra kick of abs at the end.” -Eleanor Wyndrum Along with the ninja room, they also participate in bouldering. Bouldering is essentially rock climbing, but the wall is shorter so there is no need for a harness. Joining rock climbing club has allowed students to enjoy working out, Meriano said. “I really like getting to see friends outside of school while working out and having fun,” Meriano said.
“You get to climb and that’s kind of a challenge, because there’s different levels, so you can work on improving yourself.” Junior Lauren Jindrich uses rock climbing to take a break from schoolwork. “It re-energizes you and it’s a nice way to work out,” Jindrich, an active climber, said. “You get to know people and use problem solving all at the same time.” Meriano said she plans to continue participating in Rock Climbing Club until she graduates. “Everyone who has gone rock climbing can agree that it’s way better than sitting there lifting weights,” Meriano said. “You have a goal when you climb, because you want to move up levels. It’s a great way to show how much you’re progressing.”
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Life Styled
homecoming edition
by grace davis, lola shipman & maddie beischel
Sparkly dress Price Range: $60$70 Places to buy: Lulu’s, Windsor, Essence, promgirl This dress is very cute and sparkly. It is a very simple yet elegant dress that you can dance in all night.
Ties Price Range: $50-$100 Places to buy: Von maur, Nordstrom, Mens Wearhouse This traditonal tie can be paired with almost any color, pattern, or dress.
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Jewelry Price Range: $15-30 Places to buy: Francesca’s, tilly’s, Zaful, threshing bee This gold choker is trendy and can go with anything. It looks great when dressing up as well as an everyday look.
Bowties Price Range: $40-$60 Places to buy: macy’s, Men’s Wearhouse You can pair a simple bowtie, like this one with any collared button-up that complements your date’s dress.
Heels Price range: $60-80 Places to buy: Dsw, target, macy’s, Nordstrom These strappy heels are great for homecoming. They’re super comfortable and eye catching.
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THE S HAC K Best of both worlds
The Shack, which opened on Aug. 10 at 135th and 69 highway, serves a variety of breakfast and lunch foods. Their most popular breakfast menu items were rated out of five pieces of bacon.
by Maggie McCready "Why the French Hate Us" Rating: “Why the French Hate Us” is a giant, fluffy croissant stuffed with sausage and topped with eggs, cheese and sausage gravy with an order of hash browns on the bottom. The croissant is very flakey and buttery which complements the toppings well, but what stands out in this dish is the gravy. It has the perfect amount of black pepper and the sausage which provided a mild taste, instead of the mainly rich flavors making it my favorite part of the dish. The crispy hash
browns underneath provide a nice base for the dish, but also add a nice element of saltiness in contrast to the creaminess from the gravy. Complementing the crispy hash browns, the eggs and cheese add different flavor profiles which give some needed contrast to the dish. Though this dish is really delicious, it is a lot of food for just one person to eat by themself.
"Merica" Rating: The next dish, “‘Merica,” is an order of french toast topped with strawberries, blueberries, whip cream and a honey glaze drizzle. All the flavors throughout this dish balance each other out very well. The french toast has a great cinnamon flavor and crispiness, which complements the fresh fruit on top splendidly. To place on the top, they provide a small pitcher of hot maple syrup which gives an extra bit of sweetness compared to the mainly tart fruit. The sweet honey flavor from the glaze adds a natural sweetness to the french toast which stood out compared to the other relatively
sweet ingredients. In contrast to the other ingredients, they swirled whipped cream on top, giving a nice textural difference compared to the other mainly sweet flavors. While this dish was tasty, it was overall a little too sweet.
Photos by Alyssa Peterson
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"Make A Grown Man Cry" Rating: Closing out the taste test is the “Make a Grown Man Cry” breakfast burrito. This massive burrito is filled with eggs, onions, bacon and sausage with homemade queso sauce layered on the top. After taking the first bite, I knew immediately this would be my favorite dish because of its ingredients both inside and out. The fillings work so well together, but the star of the show here is the queso sauce. It had a great cheese flavor, but is also nicely paired with onions and other vegetables
which add some complexity to the burrito. Not only is there queso sauce on the top, there’s also salsa fresca which gives the burrito a fresh and spicy taste. The crispy bacon inside this burrito complements the bacon aroma that fills the whole restaurant perfectly, but also the lit-up letters spelling “bacon” in the center of the restaurant. Similar to “Why the French Hate Us,” this dish also has a layer of hash browns on the bottom which provides a much needed crispy element.
"Bringing home the bacon" Overall, this restaurant is reminiscent of a traditional, rustic diner which takes a modern twist on the classic breakfast experience with unique dishes and funny quirks like random messages written across the walls. With its restored antique doors and classy chandeliers, The Shack is really the best of both worlds; modern, yet classic. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone since it’s both out of the box and traditional at the same time, but I would advise to bring a buddy along to help finish your plate.
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Homecoming
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puzzle By Naomi James
Across 1. Koi, e.g. 5. Husky’s hands 9. Whatsa ___ wit choo? 14. Lyft competitor 15. “___ your service!” 16. Soviet spy Hiss 17. NFL broadcaster Tony 18. Simba’s love 19. Fibber’s confession 20. Homecoming event under 55-across 23. Diplomat 24. How parent chastises when you violate 1-down 28. Teeny 29. “Pet” that needs watering 33. Artsier, maybe? 34. Also, in Paris 36. Like Slurpees or Konas 37. Homecoming event in the gym 41. “Right now!” 43. Chips and ___ 44. Fade into the background 47. Cat, in Tokyo 48. “Wheel of Fortune” purchase 51. Fido or Snowball, e.g. 53. Kind of jar 55. See 20-across 59. En pointe, for a ballerina 62. Uncommon 63. Ye ___ Shoppe 64. Mechanical man 65. Entrepreneur Musk 66. Brain surgeon’s specialty: Abbr. 67. GEICO mascot 68. Look after 69. 21st-century exclamation
down 1. Cinderella’s was midnight 2. NYost:Royals :: ___:Yankees 3. Take away 4. Prefix with type (first effort) 5. ___tweet: prioritize on page 6. Mrs. George Clooney 7. Stock exchange street 8. Bucks 9. Seriously injured 10. Reacting badly, as to peanuts 11. ___ Friday’s 12. Plain shirt 13. Difficult, in Cockney 21. How most will arrive at Homecoming
22. “The dog ___ my homework!” 25. Statement of approval 26. Spider-Man creator Stan 27. 24 mos. = 2 ___ 30. Low, steady sound 31. “His word ___ good as gold” 32. Narnia lion 35. Not busy 37. It’s the truth 38. The best kind of test! 39. Request 40. [Your humble author :) ] 41. Dadaist Jean 42. “I ___” (understand) 45. ___ dream
46. Now-defunct record label for Beatles and others 48. Pete Wentz’s ex. 49. Like a library book with time remaining 50. “___ coin here” 52. White heron 54. Immense pain 56. Lucy of “Pretty Litte Liars” 57. 1982 video game- based Disney film 58. Loan 59. Nonprofit URL 60. Man of the ark, en francais 61. This story’s not done yet... (abbr.)
2018-2019
The express staff editor-in-chief
writers
contact information
Anna Cowden
Kathryn Case Emma Gau Ben Hobbs Jonny Isaacson Naomi James Aidan Knauth Izze Lenfter Maggie McCready Grace Miller Maddie Oliver Raabia Qureshi Danya Radhi Erin Reece Katie Rodriguez Lola Shipman Jenna Weyforth
Mailing address: 13260 Switzer Rd, Overland Park, KS 66213 Phone: 913-239-3544 Website: BVNWnews.com
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about us The Express is the official high school news publication of Blue Valley Northwest High School, an open forum distributed to all students seven times a year. This is the Summer Issue of Volume 25. Subscription rates are $10. The Express is printed by The Sedalia Democrat, 700 South Massachusetts, Sedalia Mo. 65301.
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