The Express - Summer 2016 by The Express

THE

Express

22 and counting

Junior Chloe Ching has traveled to a variety of countries with her family and went to five new ones this summer.

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volume 24 | issue 1 | August | BLue Valley Northwest High School

Feature

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CONTENTS

Sound of summer Students discuss the different musical festivals in the area theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve attended and why they go.

Entertainment

Programmed for success

Senior Narayana Venkobasah is taking classes at JCCC to learn programming.

27 and counting

Junior Chloe Ching and her family traveled to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark and Liechtenstein for two weeks this summer.

Parks and pooches

Read reviews of local dog parks and their defining features, as well as tips to keep dogs safe in the warm weather.

News

BVNW eliminates class rank Read about the decision to no longer calculate class rank and how a student sees the possible impact.

Senior Narayana Venkobasah works on an assignment for a Johnson County Community College Class July 6. Venkobasah started working on his Computer Information Systems Associate of Applied Science Degree when he was a freshman (photo by Jack Oxley). Cover:Junior Chloe Ching poses in front of Lake Lucerne in Lucerne, Switzerland June 7. Ching and her family spent three days in Switzerland, part of a European family vacation (photo courtesy of Chloe Ching).

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Visit BVNWnews.com to read about students’ involvement with the new “Pokemon Go” app (photo by Justin Lehtinen).

Contact Information

Mailing address: 13260 Switzer Rd, Overland Park KS 66213 Phone: 913-239-3544 Website: BVNWnews.com

Responding to the Publication

Letters to the editor can be submitted electronically on our website at BVNWnews.com under the “Contact Us” tab. Letters may be published either on BVNWnews.com or in our print edition. Letters must not contain personal attacks against an individual and may be edited.

Advertising

The Express and BVNWnews.com accept advertisements. Pricing and information can be obtained by contacting us at BVNWnewspaper@bluevalleyk12.org.

Purpose

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 23. Subscription rates are $10. The Express is printed by Osage Printing, 400 N Liberty St Independence, MO 64050. This is a student publication and may contain controversial matter. Blue Valley Unified School District No. 229 and its board members, officers and employees disclaim any responsibility for the content of this student publication; it is not an expression of School District Policy. Students and editors are solely responsible for the content of this student publication.

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THE EXPRESS STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Emma Bruce

MANAGING EDITOR Eden Kurr

DESIGN EDITOR Kaitlyn Noon

FEATURE EDITOR

Lauren Fischer

REPORTERS

Ben Brown Anna Cowden Ellie Druten Dan Edmonds Brandon Fagen Paige Fulenwider Walker Johnson Ryan Jones Anna Levine Sara Rooney Gia Shipman

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Justin Lehtinen

Madi Allen Ellen Bruce Jordan Devorak Nicky Lentsch TJ Vore

SPORTS EDITOR

Kimberly Hillstock

PRINT PHOTO EDITOR Jack Oxley

ONLINE PHOTO EDITOR Gabe Swartz

CHIEF WRITER

Xiqing Wang

ASSISTANT ADVISER ADVISER

Jim McCrossen

CLASS RANK Class rank will no longer be included on transcripts and eventually no longer calculated at all.

BYGabeSwartz&SaraRooney

What is Class Rank? Since the opening of Blue Valley Northwest in 1993, students have used the class rank measurement as another tool to compare students when applying for college. BVNW Associate Principal Katie Bonnema explained class ranking and how it works. “Class rank is based on students’ GPA, and it ranks students from highest to lowest within their class,” Bonnema said. Bonnema said it is normally used for college-related applications. “Students right now receive both weighted and unweighted class ranks because those GPA’s can be quite different,” Bonnema said. “Students can use class rank - it’s on their transcript and they typically report it during college admissions processes and scholarship applications.”

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Importance? A Blue Valley School District panel Bonnema was part of, as well as the superintendent, counselors and other school administrators, reviewed and discussed the level of need for class rank. 2016 BVNW Graduate Riya Rana said she thinks class rank had importance to her because she was highly ranked in her class. “I think that without [class rank] my application would have been the same in terms of strength under scrutiny,” Rana said. “I took comfort in knowing that I had another number as a way of showcasing myself to schools”.

Removal? While Rana believed class rank helped her application, Bonnema said the committee found class rank hurt more students than it helped. “Students who may have a 3.8 GPA here at BVNW might be ranked 30th to 50th in their class, whereas if that student attended a more average-performing high school in the nation, they would be in the top 10 percent, Bonnema said. “We felt there was an element of harm to class rank for some of our students.” With many colleges not requesting class ranking anymore, Bonnema said it became more apparent how unnecessary class rank was. For high-ranking students in the class of 2017, ‘18 and ‘19 it may be beneficial to include their class ranking in their application and they will have the opportunity to do so. However Bonnema said most students should not expect to do so. “For most students, not sending it would be more advantageous,” Bonnema said.

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SOUNDS OF SUMMER BYLaurenFishcer&Gia Shipman

BUZZ BEACH BALL

Juniors Selena Badami and Dannah Fields went to Buzz Beach Ball this year, a summer music festival presented by the radio station 96.5 the Buzz. The festival happened at Children’s Mercy Park, formally Sporting KC Park, on July 16 and 17. This was Fields and Badami’s second time going to the festival. Both said they planned to go with a few friends to the festival, and met up with others once they arrived. Fields said the first time she went to Buzz Beach Ball was overwhelming, due to the many people there. “So much is going on [at Buzz Beach Ball], there’s people in the stands everywhere and there’s people walking around everywhere, and there’s always music playing,” Fields said. According to Badami and Fields, music festivals can be fun and carefree, but both stressed the importance of being prepared to go to a music festival such as Buzz Beach Ball. “You have to find good shoes...that will not hurt you six hours in,” Badami said. “You can sit, but it’s mainly just standing, so you have to be really prepared for that, and stay really hydrated and just ready to take on thousands of people.” Bands such as Cage the Elephant, Alabama Shakes and Glass Animals performed at Buzz Beach Ball this year. According to Badami, many different music styles can be found at the festival. “If [a person] likes music, I’d encourage them to see their favorite performers live all the time, I think… you have to experience something like that in your life,” Badami said. “It’s just so surreal seeing something you’ve been listening to on your phone or in your car months upon months, and just seeing it in front of you being played out the way artist interpreted it.” Above: Juniors Selena Badami and Dannah Fields attended Buzz Beach Ball July 16 at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kan. (photo courtesy of Selena Badami). Top right: Juniors Lauren Sommer, Sunny Henein, Mackenzie Nicole, Chloe Ching, McKenna Regan, and Divya Jain pose together at the Silverstein Eye Centers Arena in Independence, MO going to Red White and Boom on June 17 (photo courtesy of McKenna Regan). Bottom right: Seniors Tess Sharpe, Alishka Rojas, Kira Moylan, Sarah Lasnier, Ashlyn Griffin, and Sofia Sandino pose for a photo during Celebration at the Station May 29. The event included performances by the Kansas City Symphony and other music groups (photo courtesy of Tess Sharpe).

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RED WHITE & BOOM On June 17, juniors McKenna Regan and Divya Jain attended Red, White, and Boom at the Silverstein Eye Centers Arena. This was Jain and Regan’s first time going to Red, White, and Boom and both said they had a positive experience. “It was a lot of fun,” Regan said. “I knew most of the artists so it was fun to...listen to them.” Red, White, and Boom featured artists such as headliner Meghan Trainor, Timeflies and Zara Larsson. According to Jain and Regan, the event was a great way to be exposed to new types of music. “[Red, White, and Boom] is special because it’s [artists] that aren’t as well known as the most famous singers, but their songs are still really good,” Jain said. Regan said she enjoyed the multiple artist style of Red, White, and Boom because it allowed her to discover new artists. “It was a little different than normal concerts, just because there were so many different artists, but I had fun,” Regan said. “I like having different artists because you get to hear different people sing in it, not just one person the whole entire time.”

CELEBRATION AT THE STATION

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Senior Tess Sharpe and her mother Brenda Sharpe went to Celebration at the Station with the Kansas City Symphony on May 29. Sharpe and her family have been attending the event since it started 14 years ago. “I think [Celebration at the Station] is a lot of fun, it’s a great experience, and I think it’s just a good experience to have with friends if you’re looking for something to do right when summer starts,” Sharpe said. Celebration at the Station is an annual outdoor concert held at Union Station. The event not only includes music by the Kansas City Symphony and fireworks at the very end of the program, but also honors veterans from different branches of the military. Brenda said her family was initially drawn to the event due to the fireworks show, but it was the Symphony that made them want to go back the next year. “We didn’t realize it at the time, but we were starting a tradition for our family,” Brenda said. Sharpe said her group usually arrives at the festival at around 5:30, leaving them plenty of time to set up their campsite on the hill overlooking Union Station. Along with her family, Sharpe brought along a few of her friends this year to the event. “We have great performing arts and they get overlooked, so I think things like this...are some different venues that draw a different crowd,” Brenda said. “I think it’s a signature Kansas City event that makes us special and unique in the country, I’m sure others do something like it, but it’s pretty special.”

Freshman Jackson Barlows will march and play as a member of the BVNW drumline this year. This is a rare position in the band for someone of his age.

T Barlows on beat by Xiqing Wang and Dan Edmonds

Freshman Jackson Barlows practices playing his instrument for the band (photo by Jack Oxley).

he booming of drums and crashing sounds of cymbals fill the air. A coordinated line with percussion instruments strapped to their bodies march into the gym to perform for students during an assembly. This is is the BVNW drumline, and this year, they are joined by freshman Jackson Barlows. Barlows said he was drawn toward the BVNW marching band because his older brother played in it. He said he has played the drums since he was a child. “I just kind of played with [drums],” Barlows said. “I got pillows, when I was little, and I’d make my own little drum sets.” Barlows’ mother, Hannah Barlows said watching the percussion section of the BVNW drumline inspired Jackson to pursue being on drumline. “We watched all the percussion, and Jack was like, ‘That’s what I want to do,’” Hannah said. “Then they had eighth grade night, and that was the night that he was like, ‘Yes, this is me. This is what I want to do.’” 2016 graduate Camden Hatley said he knows Jackson from being friends with Barlows’ older brother. Hatley said he saw Barlows’ name on the list of people who made drumline for the 2016-17 school year and was excited for him. “I was pretty excited because it’s really cool to have a freshman on drumline,” Hatley said. “It doesn’t happen too much.” Hatley said it is rare for a freshman to make drumline, with himself being the last freshman who made drumline, four years ago. He said most people make drumline during their sophomore or junior year. “A lot of freshman audition for it,” Hatley said. “Mostly, they get put in the pit, which is the people in the front of the field who play xylophones and don’t really march around. It’s rare for a freshman to be on the actual drumline.” Jackson said he takes private lessons from BVNW percussion instructor Ray DeMarchi. He said he sought out DeMarchi because he does not have any percussionists in his family who could have helped him. “My dad would try to figure it out before so he could help me, but he was figuring it out just the same as me,” Jackson said. “So having an actual percussionist to learn from was very helpful.” DeMarchi said the drumline auditions occurs in front of a panel of judges who look for a person who can keep a good, solid tempo and can march on. He said the judges also look for a person who is willing to learn a certain part and who can also learn that part. He said the audition is based on skill level, so all auditionees are treated the same way, whether that person has been on drumline for four years or is an incoming freshman. “The auditions are pretty straight up and down,” DeMarchi said. “If you can make it, you get the job. It has nothing to do with how old you are or how nice you’ve been to the teachers. It has to do with how you play the audition on that day.” Hatley said the audition consists of playing a part that a player gets to practice over the summer and sight reading a part in front of a panel of judges. Jackson said he was nervous to audition for drumline at first, but throughout the audition process, he thought the audition was comparatively easy to what he had anticipated. Jackson said that he did not expect to make drumline as a freshman but was very excited when he did. He said that synchronized marching on the field is what he is most looking forward to next year, as well as going to percussion competitions with the

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drumline. Hannah said Jackson will need to learn to manage his time with greater care now that he is on drumline. Aside from that, she said Jackson will have a positive experience on drumline because he will have an instant group of friends. “I think he’s going to do really well,” Hannah said. “I don’t think anyone can tell, ‘Oh, there’s the freshman.’” DeMarchi said drumline is helpful for freshmen transitioning into high school because it is an accepting community of student with similar interests. “Drumline is a great little family,” DeMarchi said. “They all have been playing drums and love it and want to play, so they all tend to be good friends. They all talk with each other and help each other out. So freshman, the first couple of days, they’re quiet, but by the end of the week, they’re all friends and they’re all talking.” Hatley said drumline helped him transition into high school because he was able to meet people of different grade levels. “It’s just a really good experience because it gives you a lot of friends right off the bat,” Hatley said. “You kind of have a place where you feel you belong in the school. It was really good to jump right into that high school atmosphere.”

PROGRAMMED FOR SUCCESS ByEllieDruten&EdenKurr Senior Narayana Venkobasah will have an associates’ degree by the time he graduates high school. Venkobasah explains how it works.

any seniors will be selecting colleges, applying for scholarships and choosing a career. But for senior Narayana Venkobasah, college is already a very familiar subject. Venkobasah is enrolled in one of Johnson County Community College’s programs that allows him to get an associates degree before he graduates high school. “It is extremely time consuming,” Venkobasah said. “You have to schedule your time...because most of the classes take a lot of out of class time to do all of the homework.” Venkobasah has been enrolled in the JCCC program since the end of his freshman year, and is fluent in the programming languages Java, C++, and C#. Programming languages are collections of unique commands used to code programs for computers or other devices. “You can go to more advanced classes for like Android programming, but I had to do all of the mere basics first,” Venkobasah said. Chad Rawalt, one of Venkobasah’s classmates, said Venkobasah is very mature for his age. Rawalt has been in an information technology class with Venkobasah for more than eight weeks. “It did shock me that he was enrolled,” Rawalt said. “[Venkobasah] definitely came across as a traditional college student. It’s not very often you see the drive and desire to learn higher level courses at that age. I certainly did not possess this trait as a younger man.” Rawalt said as far as he knows, Narayana is the youngest student in his class. Venkobasah said while he is not the only high school student in his classes, most of his fellow students are much older. “My freshman year there was someone that was 50 years old,” Venkobasah said. “[The ages] just range.” Senior Tyler Tripp, a friend of Venkobasah’s from BVNW, said Venkobasah is an exceptional programmer already. “[Venkobasah] is amazing at programming,” Tripp said.

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“He is helping out with many of my programming projects, and he can do amazing things with programming.” Venkobasah has been taking programming classes since the beginning of his sophomore year. Tripp, who has known Venkobasah for more than five years, has also taken programming classes at BVNW. “Most of the stuff [Venkobasah talks about] I don’t understand,” Tripp said. “But he has talked to me about a lot of things that have really helped me to do more things with less code in my programming classes, and I get insight that I normally wouldn’t get in the class.” Venkobasah said once he completes his associate’s degree at JCCC, he will likely go to a college and obtain a full bachelor’s degree. He also said that since he is a part time student, it will take longer for him obtain his associate’s degree. “[At JCCC] there are the fall, spring, and summer semesters - so there are three semesters,” Venkobasah said. “This will be my ninth semester here.” As Venkobasah is also attending BVNW, he cannot spend the amount of time on his degree that full-time students can. Most of his classes are “hybrids,” meaning that some lectures take place in the classroom and others are online. Venkobasah said the idea to enroll in the program was not his own - his father signed Venkobasah up and told him about

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the benefits it would bring him. “At first I didn’t [want to enroll], but later on I figured out it was a lot more fun, and that I could do things with the time that I had,” Venkobasah said. Tripp said Narayana will be well-prepared for whatever he does after high school - not only because of already taking some college courses, but because of his personality and work ethic as well. “[Venkobasah] has an excellent personality,” Tripp said. “He is incredibly hard working. The thing about him is he is someone you can very easily talk to.”

22 and counting BY Anna Levine & Lauren Fisher

outh Africa, France, Israel and Honduras are four of the 22 countries junior Chloe Ching has traveled to since her arents took her to the Philippines when she was 11 months old. This summer, Ching added five new countries to that list after traveling to Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark and Liechtenstein for two weeks with her family. “[Traveling] has opened my eyes a lot more, because we do live in a little bubble,” Ching said. “It shows you that there’s more to the world than just your little bubble and not everybody’s as well off as you are.” Ching’s vacation began in Germany, where they saw many sights, some of them being the Berlin Wall, the Holocaust Museum and Memorial and many castles. Ching said she then met up with a tour group and took a Rhine River cruise. “We didn’t really get to talk to any native families,” Ching said. “I don’t know too much about [German] culture, but I got to experience a little bit of it which was nice.” Ching’s father, Elton Ching, said even though he had been to Germany and Austria before, he noticed the differing aspects of each country’s culture. “We were in the southern part of Germany and the northern part of Austria, so there are some similarities [in culture] but still different,” Elton said. Ching’s mother, Beverlie Ching, said her family first began traveling with tour groups on their trip to Turkey. “Since [going to Turkey] I just got lazy because [tour groups] are so cool, you don’t have to do any research, you just sit on a bus and somebody’s just telling you all the history,” Beverlie said. After seeing Germany, Ching and her family drove to Switzerland. Ching said Switzerland was one of her favorite parts of the trip. “The hotel was right next to the mountains and you could see the Swiss Alps, and a bunch of other mountains,” Ching said. “You felt like you were in one of those cozy little towns which was really nice.” Austria was the next country Ching and her family went to. They spent a large part of their time in Salzburg, and got to see where some scenes from the movie “The Sound of Music” were filmed. “My mom loves “The Sound of Music” and in Salzburg they have [the musical] on rerun 24/7, which is insane, so we watched it like three times [one] night,” Ching said. While driving back to Germany, Ching and her family passed through Liechtenstein and on their way home went through

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Left: Junior Chloe Ching poses with her parents Beverlie and Elton at Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest June 12. Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest, known in German as Kehlsteinhaus, is located near Berchtesgaden, Germany (photo courtesy of Chloe Ching). Right: Junior Chloe Ching stands in front of Hiedelberg Castle in Germany June 6. Ching traveled to five European countries over the summer, including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Denmark (photo courtesy of Chloe Ching). Denmark. Looking back on the trip, Ching said she was glad she took AP European History, because she said having knowledge from the class helped her enjoy the trip even more. “Half the stuff we saw I was like ‘Oh my gosh I actually know this for once’, and it was really nice because I remembered it in class and I could actually apply it, so it was cool to see it [in real life],” Ching said. Beverlie said her mother used to take her on trips when she was growing up in the Philippines. This encouraged Beverlie to take Chloe on trips all over the world. “I saw my friends weren’t traveling and the fact that my mom took me, I felt like it was an honor just learning something different,” Beverlie said. “With Chloe being an only child and the fact that I love to travel, it was just always easier to travel with her and making an effort to make sure that even when she was young...that she gets used to traveling.” Ching said the trip gave her many opportunities to experience new things and see different cultures. During the trip Ching got to try new foods such as wienerschnitzel, schnitzel, pork knuckles and different pretzel breads. “[Traveling] also teaches you a lot about other cultures, like people are different than you, they wear different clothes, they have different traditions, their houses are different and a lot of people value different things,” Ching said. “I feel like I’ve grown more because [traveling] helps me not be as judgmental, like if someone is different than me it’s not necessarily

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bad, it’s just their way of life.” Beverlie believes traveling is very beneficial for Chloe, because not only does it help her get used to traveling, but it helps her experience things outside of her home country. “Over time I really realized taking trips out of the country is really good because it opens your eyes to different cultures, different people, different ways of living,” Beverlie said. “Just being open and being aware that America is not the only country in the whole world, and we have to respect other people’s beliefs.” Elton also said traveling has benefitted Chloe over the years, and has helped him grow closer to his family. “When we’re home everybody has their own schedule, so it’s hard to spend time together,” Elton said. “And when you’re traveling on vacation...you set aside time to spend time with each other.” According to Ching, traveling has not only changed the way she sees the world, but has also helped her and her family bond. Beverlie, Elton and Ching said traveling presents an opportunity to spend a solid amount of time together as a family that they only get during the summer. “During the school year, I’m so busy all I have time to talk about with [my parents] is the urgent stuff, but then on the trip you can talk about anything and you find new things to laugh about,” Ching said. “It’s just nice knowing that we all have this one thing we all bond with and something to look forward to when we get busy throughout the year.”

Parks and pooches BY Xiqing Wang & Sara Rooney With the help of friends Basset Hound-Labrador mix Andy and Miniature Goldendoodle Rosie, we explored three local parks with dog off-leash areas. Read a review about these parks based on the averaged values of three criteria—cleanliness, dog energy levels and amount of space.

Heritage Park

14025 W 159th St 3.33 out of 5 paws At face value, this park is pretty. With rolling hills and clean water fountains for both humans and dogs alike, one would think that this park is by far the best dog park. However, looking more closely, the grass, clean-cut at the entrances, becomes unruly near the center of the park. Not only was this long grass irritating for us to walk through, Rosie and Andy had trouble wading through with their shorter legs.

This park has a lake for dogs to swim in, but the entirety of it is a muddy, watered-down hot chocolate color. The sentiment of the lake is nice, but no towel-less owner would allow his or her dog to splash about in it. Due to the lack of shade in this park, as well as the lack of seating areas, dogs and humans alike felt lethargic and hot. This park is comparable to an immense amount of stale, dry, bland dog food.

Cleanliness: 3 Dog energy levels: 2 Amount of space: 5 Defining feature: The sheer amount of space allotted for dogs to roam and frolic.

THomas S. Stoll Memorial Park 10601 Lee Blvd 4.17 out of 5 paws Entering the dog off-leash area of this park, the first thing we thought was, “Oh.” Reflecting the scenery many believe of Kansas, this dog park is flat - which, is not necessarily a bad thing, as a paranoid owner can see his or her dog from all points of the park. However, the fence surrounding the park is low, and a larger dog could easily escape the area. The grass in the park is consistently clean-cut, so Andy, Rosie and other short-legged dogs have no trouble

roaming about. There is a trail - actually, a shoveled-out line - but it is narrow and dusty. Fortunately for this park, however, the forested area at the back of the park is a true gem. With an abundance of shade and nature to explore, both dogs and humans alike felt more energetic and kindly toward this park. This park is comparable to an off brand dog food that an owner never expected would become their dog’s newest obsession.

Cleanliness: 4 Dog energy levels: 4.5 Amount of space: 4 Defining feature: A shaded, wooded area at the very back of the enclosure that is reminiscent of Sleepy Hollow or some other magical fairy forest.

Leawoof Dog Park 10601 Lee Blvd 4 out of 5 paws At first glance, this park seems hidden, but once one walks across the bridge leading to the entrance, a towering welcoming sign hangs over the gate. The entrance of the park is unique because it has a designated area inside the gate for owners and dogs to prepare to enter the park. Another interesting aspect of Leawoof is a gated area just for dogs under 25 pounds. Rosie and Andy displayed an unusual amount of energy at this park, due to the agility course through

which they were coaxed through by a handful of treats. While many aspects of this park are ingenious, the aesthetics of this park consist of dust and patchy grass. However, if an owner is looking for a comfortable, shaded area to sit while his or her dog expends energy, Leawoof is the place to be. This park is comparable to dry dog food with bits of real chicken in it.

Cleanliness: 3.5 Dog energy levels: 5 Amount of space: 3.5 Defining feature: An agility course complete with a tunnel, seesaw, weave poles and more.

Tips & Tricks With the hot summer days, Medical Director at Olathe Animal Hospital Matt Peuser said it is especially important to take careful care of dogs. “When it’s over 90 degrees I would try to avoid walks for most dogs,” Peuser said. “For some breeds that temperature would be even cooler.” Peuser said the best time for walking dogs is early morning or late evening, as the heat is at its lowest point during

these times. He said care has to be taken to protect dogs’ feet from hot concrete and asphalt if they are walked during the day. “On the extremely hot days, it’s best to keep your dog inside,” Peuser said. “But if dogs have to be outside, shade and fresh, cold water are requirements. They have to be able to get themselves out of the sun somehow.”

Thomas S. Stoll Memorial Park includes a seven acre off-leash dog area open from March 15 to Nov. 15. The park is one of several in Johnson County that has an area designated for dogs to use recreationally (photo by Ellen Bruce).

Robeks welcomes you back to school, BVNW Exp. 9/30/16

Exp. 9/30/16