The Express- March 2019

2018-2019

The express

an optimistic fighter Page 17 abnormalities in parts of senior Jake Childs’ brain prevent normal functions Due to a rarely diagnosed brain disorder.

Volume 26 • issue 6 • Blue Valley Northwest High school

Issue 6 | 03.21.19

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Contents 05 06 07 08 10 13

editorial: where are the women?

Opinion: THe pay for play crisis OPinion: THE POWER OF WORDS Pinpointing history connecting through art unlikely companions

Childs’ neurosurgeon, Dr. Gerald Grant (left) and his nurse practitioner, Nicole Hodgeboom (right), both work with Childs at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif. Both have helped Childs and his family during their time there and will continue to help him when he returns (Photo Courtesy of Lisa Childs).

03.21.19 | Issue 6

03 Cover: An X-Ray shows the brain of senior Jake Childs. He was diagnosed with the brain disorder of Chiari at the age of 5 (Photo Courtesy of Lisa Childs).

Left: Senior Zoe Zincent and her cousin, sophomore Lucy Vincent, paint in their Painting II class, Feb. 28. “It’s fun to work next to her because our methods and styles are pretty different,” Zoe said. (Photo by Sara Maloney).

Below: Sophomore Megan Edwards shows a painting of her family’s farm, which has been in her family for six generations. (Photo by Emma Johnson).

Above: The “Veggie Ramen” from Aoyama Ramen on 119th St. and Blackbob Rd. in Olathe (Photo by Sara Maloney).

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inve$ting to $ucce$$ An optimistic fighter breaking down vaccines perspectives rating ramen life Styled mad lib: my mall disaster

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Issue 6 | 03.21.19

follow @BVNWnews on twitter

03.21.19 | Issue 6

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staff Editorial Where’s the women?

lthough March is our country’s Women’s History Month, it’s ironic how little history we know about women, especially those in a minority.

Those who don’t see this lack of representation tend to claim that women and minorities aren’t mentioned as equally in our textbooks and curriculum because they didn’t have as many impactful contributions and weren’t the ones really making history.

But this doesn’t mean women were staying silent in the kitchen the whole time.

Rather, women and minorities’ histories were ignored or lost because those in power who documented history didn’t recognize their achievements and stories.

Throughout our history, women and minorities usually couldn’t write or receive quality education.

This lack of fair education led to men dominating positions of power, meaning women and minority stories were lost. As a result, our history textbooks and curriculum include women and minorities, but generally

as afterthoughts and not as widely discussed as men.

The discrepancy in retelling history is what AP US History and Sociology teacher Matt Christensen said is a result of people in power writing different narratives than the history of those oppressed.

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Hispanic Heritage Month and Black History Month. This lack of discussion during these months doesn’t raise high hopes for an informed month of women’s history, though March isn’t over yet.

With the failure of educating us on other minorities’ respective months, our school needs to take this last week of Women’s History Month to pay respect to the women of our history by teaching us about what they contributed.

We demand the school and its leadership team pay respect to the women of history by promoting “Oftentimes those who more education of women’s aren’t in power, which contributions to history and typically in many countries society. The adults in our women weren’t in power school must teach us more and their stories weren’t than what meets the surface collected, they’re not a part of of basic American history. the history narrative of that Our teachers and leadership country,” Christensen said. team absolutely need to do a “It’s now a challenge to go better job of fully celebrating back and find out what’s the the accomplishments and truth of the narrative.” overall existence of women in Our school failed to history. It’s time to embrace teach us the importance of a Women’s History Month Hispanic and black history where we actually learn the and promote discussions history of women of our past, of the role of minorities in while also fully discussing the America during National roles women play today.

It’s time to embrace a women’s history month where we actually learn the history of women of our past.

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Opinion

Issue 6 | 03.21.19

the pay for play crisis

By Jonny Isaacson

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ith many Northwest student-athletes committing to play college sports in the fall, putting both their emotional and physical health at risk and getting next-to-nothing in return, the time is now to allow collegeathletes to get paid.

Zion Williamson, a freshman at the University of Duke and the NBA’s most hyped prospect since Lebron James, is bound to enter the NBA draft this June, and he hasn’t been paid a dime. NCAA Division I basketball has always been like this; big-name prospects go to college for one year then enter the draft with nothing but dreams. But what happens when they get injured? Or suspended? Their hopes of making the NBA go out the window and they walk away from the opportunity to make millions.

Abilene Christian University player and 2018 BVNW graduate Joe Pleasant agreed that it’s time for

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college-athletes to be paid. According to Pleasant, players deserve to bring in some of the money they generate.

“Look at someone like Zion Williamson, who is bringing in tons of fans to Duke basketball and raising the cost of tickets,” Pleasant said. “The cost of tickets for the Duke vs. University of North Carolina game was up there with tickets for the Super Bowl. The players are the reason the school is getting so much money from the fans, yet they receive nothing.”

“The players are the reason the school is getting so much money from the fans, yet they receive nothing.”

-Joe Pleasant Many scandals have come out about athletes secretly being paid by separate organizations, like the 2017-18 NCAA Division I men’s basketball corruption scandal.

The corruption scandal is ongoing, initially involving sportswear manufacturer Adidas as well as several college basketball programs associated with the brand, but now involves many programs not affiliated with Adidas.

As a result, former Adidas executive James Gatto recently got sentenced to nine months in prison on March 5.

Gatto and two others were convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in October for funneling illegal payments to families of recruits to the University of Kansas, the University of Louisville and North Carolina State University.

The Adidas NCAA basketball scandal has heavily impacted five-star Kansas basketball player Silvio De Sousa, who was found guilty of taking a $20,000 payment from Adidas. The NCAA ruled

De Sousa ineligible until the 2020-21 season, which would be his senior season.

Due to the ruling, De Sousa’s entire career is in question. An easy way to prevent scandals like this from happening in the future is to let schools pay their athletes.

On average, a full Division I scholarship is $25,000 per year, which may seem like a lot of money, but it really only covers the basics. It covers thousands of dollars in tuition, housing, a meal-plan and multiple, hundreddollar textbooks.

Contrary to what most believe, being a college-athlete is a full-time job. The average Division I football player devotes 43.3 hours per week to his sport, 3.3 more than the typical American work week, according to a Forbes study. Although the NCAA claims these athletes are just students, their own tournaments require students to miss classes for televised games which bring in revenue.

The NCAA currently produces nearly $11 billion in annual revenue from college sports, which is estimated to be more than the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League. Much of the huge revenue streams from college athletics don’t go directly back into the classroom.

Instead, a substantial share of college sports’ revenues stays in the hands of a select few administrators, athletic directors and coaches.

Athletes earn their schools hundreds of thousands of dollars, increase enrollment and if they do well, provide a recruiting piece for generations. Top NCAA executives are paid one million dollars per year, but an athlete can’t earn $15 from signing an autograph.

Let’s open our eyes to what’s really happening: the players have become employees with no compensation, which not only violates common decency but perhaps even the law.

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Opinion

The power of W o r d s 5

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eing a self-motivated student, I constantly focus on grades, success and pushing myself 3 to be the best person I can be. I also have an inexplicable worry for everything school-related, a coinciding trait to my type-A character.

Every so often, I experience an overwhelming feeling of defeat prior to a particularly heavy test day, especially if I realize I’m not prepared enough to perform to the best of my ability. Accepting the fact I most likely won’t succeed, I tend to wallow in self pity and refuse to pull myself out of the mental hole I put myself in solely because of the belief that I won’t earn an A. In my moments of selfinflicted weakness, my mom would only say one thing to me: “words are powerful.”

Frustrated, I never used to take that idea to heart, focusing on myself and my potential failure and ignoring the blatant possibility that with a different mindset, I could succeed. After months of repeating this routine, I decided to change my inherently negative attitude, and positive results followed.

Through doing this, I’ve learned that if I’m positive about myself and my ability to achieve a goal, that’s what will appear for me externally. Likewise, if I continue to use words about myself or my circumstances that cultivate anxiety and discouragement, it will prove to be detrimental to my mental health.

For the past few weeks, I’ve started to pay attention to the quirks that come with being genuinely positive and content with their place in life.

I look at my happy-go-lucky friends

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By bella rinne

and try to learn how their mindset has impacted their work in school.

One of my close friends, sophomore Jacqueline Craig, said that while studying and taking tests, having a more confident attitude can help improve her performance on assessments.

“I’m nervous no matter what, but if I’m more confident and positive before taking a test I think I do better,” Craig said. “Even if I don’t do well, it’s OK because I know I tried my hardest and put my best foot forward.”

This isn’t just a method I’ve learned from my peers; a study published by Stanford found that one’s approach to learning, as it turns out, matters just as much as his or her IQ.

In my moments of selfinflicted weakness, my mom would only say one things to me: “words are powerful.”

The study proved the correlation between liking a subject and high performance, as well as the attitude behind it. In an article published by the Stanford University School of Medicine, lead author of the study Lang Chen said a positive attitude can lead to success.

“We think the relationship between positive attitude and math achievement is mutual, bidirectional,” Chen said. “A good attitude opens the door to high achievement, which means you then

have a better attitude, getting you into a good circle of learning.”

However, having a positive outlook in our classes isn’t supposed to replace proper studying and preparation for a test, nor am I trying to express how easy it can be to just “be happy.” I continue to struggle with this idea simply because of how difficult changing my mindset can be. Rather, focusing on the positive aspects and using it to work toward our goals is a way to succeed not only in class but throughout our lives.

My experience with a new mindset has made me a believer in the power of words, and even more so, I’m amazed at the power that comes out of those who say them.

Loving one’s self and body is growing in popularity throughout social media, and it encourages those who tend to compare themselves to the “perfect bodies” of Instagram. These accounts focus on empowerment by relating to others and breaking the mold of society. The idea that the words “ugly” and “fat” defined them quickly changed, and their new mindset validating their beauty results in a positive outlook on life and a happier existence in the ever-degrading world we live in.

Our words influence our attitudes toward anything, proving that changing our mindset has the power to change our actions throughout a community. Whether it’s ’s through academics, working to achieve a goal or loving ourselves, the simple switch from I can’t to I can won’t just improve our lives, but will have an incredible impact on the world around us.

Issue 6 | 03.21.19

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Pinpointing history

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1878

A vast 175 acres of land unveils the history and lifestyles of sophomore Megan Edwards’ ancestors over six generations dating back to the 19th century.

By Jenna Weyforth

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fter it was established nearly 150 years ago, sophomore Megan Edwards and her family often visit their family farm in Coffey County, Kan. that has been passed down more than six generations.

The farmhouse covers only a small part of the 175 acres that the farm includes, along with a barn, pond, creel and fields for crops.

Their farm is currently a working farm and the Edwards’ are involved in sharecropping with their land and helping maintain the land. However, they don’t harvest the soybeans and corn that the farm grows.

Although her father and current owner of the farm, Zach Edwards, didn’t grow up living in the house, he said it still became a large part of his life.

His mother, Jane Mohling, grew up living on the farm and often brought Zach to visit after the family moved to Emporia, Kan. To this day, Zach said his mother continues to visit frequently, and their family enjoys the opportunity to spend time with her at the farm. This connection to the land throughout his life, he said, encouraged him to share the farm and his family’s history with his three children.

“Everything has a history, so it’s not just running across an old artifact, my ancestors actually touched that,

Design by Erin Reece and now my kids are part of that lineage,” Zach said. “It really brings us perspective on things that we worry about here.”

After its establishment in 1878, the farm has gone through numerous renovations through each generation of homeowners. Even so, Zach said they stressed the importance of keeping the majority of the original farmhouse,

including restoring the original hardwood floors of the house.

Learning about the history of the house from her parents and spending time at the farm, Edwards said, has helped bring her family closer together.

Many remnants of the history of the house can still be found on the grounds, such as hundred-year-old

Edwards stands before her family’s barn. “I’ve gotten closer with my family,” Edwards said. “Not just my immediate family but learning the history and being so close to where my ancestors lived and grew up, it’s made us closer.” (Photos courtesy of Megan Edwards).

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Edwards poses in front of her family’s farmhouse. “It’s a lot different from the city which is fast-paced,” Edwards said. “In the country no one’s bothering you and it’s slower-paced and relaxed.” branding irons and tools that earlier residents of the farm had used.

“There’s a ton of old artifacts and stuff like that and sometimes you can find little arrowheads made a long time ago,” Edwards said. “My siblings and I would just run around trying to collect the coolest thing, which was really fun.”

The arrowheads, Zach said, were made by his great grandfather, who would use them to keep nearby Indians from stealing dogs off the land.

“We’ve had some original wagon wheels and things like that, so when we’re out there and you run across an old tool or maybe the tree is grown up through some fence,” Zach said. “I think it’s kind of neat because either my grandpa, my great grandparents, or my great great grandparents, that was significant to them.”

The farmhouse was also once the site of his great-grandmother, Katherine Copple’s hair salon for more than 40 years. Currently, the room where Copple worked is still intact and is a mud room in the farmhouse that includes her original hair salon chair.

“I remember as a kid being out there and all of her hair appointments would come in with their husbands who were all farmers,” Zach said. “They would talk to my grandpa and would have coffee in the kitchen and the little shop

that it was back then.”

The history and importance of the farm are significant to Edward’s life, she said, and her experience at the farm has been enjoyable.

Fishing, riding four wheelers and relaxing, Edwards said, are just a few of the many activities that the family, along with their dog, Wally, enjoy on their visits to the country.

“Everything has a history, so it’s not just running across an old artifact, my ancestors actually touched that, and now my kids are part of that lineage.”

-Zach edwards “I like to go out on the water with my dog and explore the creek,” Edwards said. “It’s fun just to be out there in the fresh air.”

Edwards said she treasures the time she gets to spend away from Overland Park when the family travels to the farm twice each month.

“I do really like being in the city with all of my friends, but it’s definitely

different than the farm,” Edwards said. “Mostly we go down there to relax and get away.”

Edward’s mom, Sherry Edwards, said the family has many fond memories of their frequent visits to the farm. Their experiences at the farm, Sherry said, have helped the family bond because they don’t have to focus on schedules or activities which allows them to spend more time with each other.

“One of our favorite things to do is to get into the Polaris, which is a six-seater ATV. We go on night rides, so it’s so fun to just kind of go out and see wildlife,” Sherry said. “We’ve had so many fun experiences together that we wouldn’t have had if we didn’t have access to the farm.”

The family said they often spend the Fourth of July at the farm as well as visiting nearby Melvern lake, where the Edwards’ often go boating.

Due to its slower-paced and peaceful nature, Edwards said farm life is very different from life in the city, which is a welcome change from her routine.

“The farm is pretty cool because there is a whole other place that I can also call my own,” Edwards said. “I’m really lucky to have that opportunity.”

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Connecting through art

Issue 6 | 03.21.19

Creating art together since they were young, cousins sophomore Lucy Vincent and senior Zoe Vincent use their interests in art to bond.

By Olivia Dowell

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ainting their own choice of subject in their Painting II class, sophomore Lucy Vincent begins her work for the class period while joking with her cousin and senior Zoe Vincent who sits next to her. As Lucy pulls her paint out of her bag, Zoe begins talking about what they wanted for Christmas when they were younger and the other members of their table laugh at their memories.

After taking the majority of the art classes BVNW has to offer, Zoe said she

Design by Emma Gau prefers drawing because she’s able to express herself and always has access to to a pen or pencil to draw in her sketchbook. While also experimenting with painting and photography, Zoe said she prefers drawing because she feels she can have more control over her drawings than with taking photos. “[Drawing] is really fun because I like taking photos but you don’t have that same expression,” Zoe said. “I feel more like a fraud when I’m taking photos because I don’t feel like it’s me, I feel I’m mimicking other people and

highlighting other people’s work.”

While Lucy enjoys drawing as well, she said painting has shifted to her favorite medium recently because the process of painting is more detailfocused.

Art teacher Melanie Mikel had Lucy for Drawing II and currently has Zoe for Independent Study. Mikel said their dynamic as cousins is different compared to siblings because they don’t seem to argue as much as some siblings.

“It’s different because they’re

Below: Sophomore Lucy Vincent works on a portrait in her Painting II class. “We’re working on an individual study right now, and I chose to do a portrait using acrylic with palette knives on a small canvas board,” Lucy said.

Above: Senior Zoe Zincent paints a portrait in her Painting II class, Feb. 28. ”I’m working on a portrait of Jane Goodall because she’s amazing and I love her,” Zoe said. (Photos by Sara Maloney).

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Zoe and Lucy paint portraits together in their Painting II class. “I’m blessed to have her in class. Notice how Lucy doesn’t get her own water and just steals mine,” Zoe said. cousins,” Mikel said. “With siblings they can love each other but still also get on each other’s nerves. I haven’t seen them get on each other’s nerves like siblings.”

While Mikel hasn’t had both Zoe and Lucy in the same class, she said the Vincents’ bond as cousins helps them improve their artwork due to their competitive nature.

“They admire each other so much that I feel like they’re pushing each other,” Mikel said. “There might be the tiniest bit of competition between the two of them, but there may be more love than competition.”

Though she believes Zoe and Lucy are close with or without art, Heather Vincent, Zoe’s mother, said art is a huge part of their connection.

“With girls this age as they grow up together, they pass through these ages where one feels a lot older than the other since they’re two years apart,” Heather said. “But in the last year, I’ve just seen them grow closer more in a friend way than a family way.”

Through Zoe convincing her to take the class, Lucy said she will take Portfolio as a junior, a class that’s aimed toward collecting the students’ best artwork for later use if the student chooses to pursue art in college.

Mikel said the Vincents’ work ethic is inspired by admirable competition, which Zoe said has been the case when they were involved in the same

activities since elementary school. Zoe said when they were kids she would try an activity, and Lucy would do the activity a year later “ten times” better than her.

Zoe said she plans to attend the University of Kansas next year to study Art Education. Mikel said Zoe will be able to find work in any industry after attending college because of her confidence in Zoe’s style.

“They admire each other so much that I feel like they’re pushing each other.”

-Melanie Mikel “Every single industry employs people that are in the arts that have an art background,” Mikel said. “She could do anything and I’m excited to see what she does. I have no doubt she’ll do well there and she has a lot of confidence in what she’s doing and that’s a big part of it.”

When Zoe graduates this May, Lucy said she’ll miss having the familiar face of her older cousin around next year.

“When I go down to the Art Department, there are a lot of intimidating artists who are down there who are really good, and it’s nice to have a familiar face to be able

to sit there and be with Zoe,” Lucy said. “She’s really close with both art teachers so then through that I was also able to talk to them more and get close with them on my own.”

When Zoe visited KU, Heather said she was able to meet with a professor in the Fine Arts Department, which she said was a big reason in her decision to attend KU’s art school. “[Zoe and the professor] were talking on a whole different level and was looking at her work,” Heather said.

“She showed him her artwork and he told her some of the things she would explore as a student there. It made my husband and I both really excited for her to be pursuing art.”

Through Zoe helping Lucy with her artwork, Lucy said her helpfulness and dedication to art will help her in becoming an art teacher.

“It’s amazing because she’s so interested in it and it’s something she’ll stay interested in,” Lucy said. “She’ll be really good at it because I know at least for me I’ve asked her multiple times for help on my artwork and what she thinks of it. She’s always been really helpful for me on that, so she’ll do well as an art teacher.”

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BLUE VALLEY NW BVNW

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03.21.19 | Issue 6

Unlikely Companions Due to her father’s job of breeding reptiles and amphibians, freshman Celeste Nabors has grown close with these animals her entire life, including a milk snake and crested geckos.

BY KATHRYN CASE

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reeding frogs, snakes and geckos since 1994, Patrick Nabors, freshman Celeste Nabors’ father, said he has been working with these animals for 25 years. Nabors said because she’s grown up with these animals, they don’t frighten her.

“It’s really fun to form a bond with an animal who trusts you and you can walk around with it on your shoulder,” Nabors said.

Nabors said she has managed to separate her father’s work pets that are not a part of the family from her own crested geckos and snakes.

“There are subgroups of the animals that I don’t interact with and the ones that I do because there are ones that I’m more comfortable with,” Nabors said.

Design by Naomi James When she was around 8, her dad had a milk snake that she said she quickly grew close to. When the St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series in 2011, she said she named her snake Freese after MVP David Freese, due to her love for the Cardinals.

Nabors and her father also said they participate in reptile shows, which he started taking her to when she was around 7-8.

“People that breed reptiles or people that sell reptile-related products go to these shows,” Patrick said. “It’s kind of like going to a pet store, but it’s not a store. It’s like a flea market crossed with a store.”

Nabors’ sister, Marie Nabors, said growing up with reptiles made her feel special and allowed her to learn more about amphibians.

Nabors poses with a leopard gecko on her shoulder. “Sometimes if I get bored I’ll go downstairs and hang out with my dad because I know he’ll put up with me hovering around and asking questions. Every day is a learning experience and it’s overall shaped me as a person,” Nabors said. (Photo courtesy of Patrick Nabors).

“Being able to hold frogs and snakes on the weekends made me feel kind of special,” Marie said.

“It’s kind of like having a friend in a sense. It’s like the same as coming home to a dog. I just feel more attached to them like a friend.”

-CELESTE NABORS As a result of being around the animals, Marie said she’s been inspired by her dad’s job to major in environmental science. “[My parents] taught me a lot about the environment and ecology. Not all of it came from my dad’s business, but a great portion of it did,” Marie said.

Of all the pets her dad works with, Nabors said turtles are by far her favorite because she’s loved them her whole life.

“Ever since I was two, I’ve always loved turtles. I have so many stuffed turtles and turtle everything,” Nabors said. “If we go on vacation and we see a turtle on the road, he’ll stop and move it off the road, but every now and then he’ll take it with us.”

Nabors said she prefers her snakes over her other amphibians and dogs, because she’s more attached to them.

“It’s kind of like having a friend in a sense. It’s like the same as coming home to a dog,” Nabors said. “I just feel more attached to them like a friend.”

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Issue 6 | 03.21.19

FREE 10 DAY consecutive, unlimited, all access pass to our facility!

Book your first session by visiting:

Issue6|03.21.19

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Inve$t to $u¢¢e$$ A new club to BVNW, the Investment Club introduces members to aspects of the economy.

By Danya Radhi

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ealing with many aspects related to investing, the Investment Club gives students the chance to invest in mock stocks, learn about the strategies of investing and take part in other activities related to investing itself.

The club is sponsored by AP US History and US History teacher, Corby Lange, but according to junior and member of the club, Eva Welsh, it’s primarily student run.

“I had the idea to start it but really the kids are the ones running it which is the really cool thing about it,” Lange said.

Design by Emma Gau After hearing Lange announce to the class that he would be starting the Investing Club, Welsh decided to look into joining.

“I thought it would be interesting and I didn’t know anything about the stock market,” Welsh said. “I don’t think there’s anything like it and it’s unique in that it’s mainly student run by our president, Derek [Zhang], and it’s also unique in that it’s new this year.”

During meetings, which take place every Thursday during Husky Halftime A, president and junior Zhang presents a powerpoint displaying certain stock terms in an attempt to make people

Junior Derek Zhang teaches during an Investment Club meeting, Feb.12. “I enjoy teaching my friends and peers about something I’m passionate about,” Zhang said.

(Photo by Alyssa Peterson).

more familiar with the idea of stocks.

Along with informational powerpoints, members take part in a paper trading website called Wall Street Survivor, where members can buy stocks with virtual money and track their portfolio over time.

“It’s a very good educational experience if you want to get your feet wet without sacrificing real money or you just want to gain experience,” Zhang said.

Believing that investing is an important topic for people to know about in order to take care of their futures, Lange said he decided to start the club because he believes it’s something that most people know little-to-nothing about.

“Investing is something that’s applicable to just about everybody,” Lange said.

With Lange leaving the head boys varsity baseball coaching position last school year, he said starting the club was his new way to leave his impact on the students of Northwest. Being the sponsor of Investing Club, Lange said he could use it as a way to have a good connection and good impact with students outside of the classroom environment.

Lange said he hopes to teach students various lessons regarding investing and the stock market.

“The stock market isn’t a scary thing,” Lange said. “Anybody can be involved and benefit from the stock market, and the earlier you start the better.”

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03.21.19 Issue 6

AN OP TIMISTIC

FIGHTER

Diagnosed at the age of five with Chiari, senior Jake Childs aims to raise awareness about this rarely diagnosed brain disorder.

By Jenna Weyforth

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hroughout his life, senior Jake Childs has suffered from a lifechanging brain abnormality called Chiari, but said he continually strives to keep an optimistic mindset.

Chiari is a brain malformation where the cerebellum, which controls coordination and muscle movement, pushes against the spinal cord. Often, this also causes the brainstem to extend into the spine, which can apply an increased amount of pressure on the brain.

Childs was diagnosed with Chiari at five years old, but didn’t have surgery until his freshman year, when he said the pain in his neck and back became overwhelming. In the past year, Childs has undergone 17 procedures due to Chiari and its related problems.

Childs’ mom, Lisa Childs, said raising awareness for the disease is essential because people who have Chiari can start showing symptoms at any time in their lives, or never even show symptoms, so often they go undiagnosed. Many of the best neurosurgeons, Lisa said, disagree on how to treat Chiari because it can be different in each patient.

“We’re very blessed in the U.S. to have as many neurosurgeons as we do, but there’s so much they still don’t know about the brain,” Lisa said.

“There’s very little money in Chiari research. They’re finding out there are actually more people than they realize who have Chiari.”

Although Lisa said her son’s journey is likely not similar to most patients, the family hopes to inform and offer support to other members of the community that may be going through

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Senior Lachlan Layt visits Childs while he was hospitalized at the University of Kansas Hospital for a medical infusion in November. (Photo courtesy of Lisa Childs). something similar.

“When people reach out to us, we try and be really sensitive to the fact that Jake’s journey is so scary,” Lisa said. “We try and put them in touch with good Facebook support groups and good doctors who can help them.”

Since Childs has become more educated about his condition, he said one of his goals has been to spread the word so that Chiari can be common knowledge among doctors and others in the community.

“It’s just not a well-known thing,” Childs said. “Chiari used to be considered one of the rarest brain deformities. Now it’s being recognized as one of the most rarely diagnosed brain deformities. But a good amount of people will go through their lives having Chiari never experiencing symptoms or being aware of it.”

The buildup of pressure and weak healing that Childs’

experiences from disorders that coincide with Chiari have caused multiple ruptures in his brain, releasing vital spinal fluids. These leaks have been the target of multiple procedures and surgeries that he’s undergone, adding up to more than three months in the hospital over the past year.

The pressure in his head makes it difficult for him to be upright or flat for long periods of time, but he said he continues to work to have a positive mindset and appreciate what he has.

“In general, I’m just a pretty happy person,” Childs said. “Most people don’t know that I have issues. Even my friends who I talk to on a daily basis will forget that I’m having problems because I’m lively and entertain playing games and stuff with them.”

A close friend of Childs for nearly six years is senior Lachlan Layt said although Childs can’t

pursue his passion for baseball anymore, he’s found a new hobby in playing video games with friends.

“Jake is my hero since despite such hardship, he has an overwhelming desire to just be a teenager going to school again and doing what he loves.”

-Gerald Grant, MD Even when things get tough, Layt said he’s noticed his friend is continually optimistic and above all, a fighter. Additionally, Layt said he encourages students not to be afraid to talk to Childs because he enjoys talking and

03.21.19 | Issue 6 being with others.

“I know some people have told me they don’t know how to talk to Jake because he’s been in the hospital, but just talking to him would be great,” Layt said. “He’s just glad to have conversation with other people. He’s as social as they get.”

Childs said he’s only been able to attend one full semester of high school, but kept up with the curriculum through online school until the second semester of his junior year. Due to a variety of medical procedures, he said he wasn’t able to continue schooling in person or online.

BVNW ELA teacher and family friend of Childs,’ Erin Pearson, has known Childs for more than five years, and said she admires him for keeping a positive outlook on life and appreciating the smaller things.

“Jake is probably one of the most compassionate and mature people I know,” Pearson said.

“When he was physically able he would actually come to class. I was very happy to see him.”

The support of his parents has been monumental, Pearson said, in encouraging action in the community and helping Childs continue to stay optimistic.

“They’ve gone above and beyond to educate themselves about Jake’s condition and understanding it and advocating for him to get the best care they possibly can get,” Pearson said.

Although Childs isn’t currently on track to graduate this year, he said he attends school one hour each day for Broadcast I while he focuses on getting better.

“I’m going to the class to learn how to edit videos, audio and stuff like that,” Childs said.

“I think it’d be really cool if I could start a YouTube channel about Chiari and all the other comorbid disorders that go along with it. Not just about me, but just informative kind of teaching lessons on how to identify it and take questions, or interview neurosurgeons.”

19 In the future he said he hopes to either go into voice acting or become a history teacher.

For the past year, Gerald Grant, the Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford University, has been working with Childs to determine the best course of action to combat his pain.

“Jake has a very complex condition,” Grant said. “He has a connective tissue disorder which makes his ligaments and healing very weak on top of his Chiari malformation with severe ongoing headaches.”

Grant said he enjoys caring for Childs because of his motivation to get better despite the problems he faces.

“Jake is my hero since despite such hardship, he has an overwhelming desire to just be a teenager going to school again and doing what he loves,” Grant said. “He sometimes can barely function due to the severe pain, but somehow he keeps going and tries his hardest to do his very best every day to function and reintegrate back into school and his passion for video producing.”

Jay Childs, Childs’ father, said their experiences as a family advocating for Chiari and Childs’ journey have helped them become closer.

“The purpose of telling his story is really that there are a lot of people out there suffering that probably need to be diagnosed,” Jay said. “It’s about awareness for the general population.”

Childs said getting the message out about this disorder, is one step closer to embracing the stories and impacts of this disease and patients who are battling it.

Childs shows a scar from his previous surgeries. The scar runs from the base of his hairline to near the crown of his head. (Photo by Alyssa Peterson).

Typical Brain

The cerebellum and brainstem stay fully contained in the skull, so spinal fluid is allowed to flow freely around the brain and spinal cord.

Jake’s Brain

The brainstem is contained in the skull, but the tonsils underneath the cerebellum are below the opening of the base of the skull. This blocks brain fluid from moving freely about the brain and spinal cord.

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breaking down Vaccines

By Grace davis and aidan knauth

Design by Ben Hobbs

Although vaccinations have generally been considered a norm in society, some people choose to opt out of getting them.

WHAT ARE VACCINES? Vaccinations are small pieces of dead bacteria that attach to something the body recognizes as “foreign,” according to Christine White, a pediatrician at Johnson County Pediatrics.

After the infusion of the vaccine, White said the body makes antibodies to fight the bacteria off, allowing the body to mount an immune response to the virus.

Every year, 5-20 percent of the population gets the flu in the United States, sending more than 200,000 people to the hospital, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This equates to more than $10 billion in direct medical costs for hospitalizations and outpatient visits from seasonal flu-related complications.

The U.S. experienced 17 outbreaks of Measles in 2018, which is the greatest number of imported cases

since Measles was eliminated from the U.S. in 2000, according to CDC.

The Science behind vaccines The body’s immune system protects itself from pathogens, which are bacterium, viruses or microorganisms. These act as imposters by looking like a certain bacteria or virus to the immune system, but they don’t make the body sick because the body makes antibodies to fight it off.

These imposters are covered with molecules that White said trigger a specific immune response by exposing the imposter, while the vaccine prepares the immune system for a future disease.

Herd immunity is the theory that a community will be protected from a disease if the majority is vaccinated for that disease, according to an email sent by Ralph

Cardin, a chiropractic doctor at Cardin Center for Wellness and a BVNW parent.

In a normal, functioning and healthy nervous system, Cardin said the body can defend itself against all diseases known and unknown to man. For this reason, Cardin said he doesn’t support vaccinations nor herd immunity.

“Mass vaccinations are promoted because of a concept called herd immunity,” Cardin said. “But it’s been shown that the only way this will work is if the population has actually had the disease and created the immunity.”

The anti vaxxer argument An anti vaxxer is a person who is opposed to receiving vaccinations, or in some cases, a parent who refuses to vaccinate their child.

Chemicals and materials like mercury, aluminum, latex, human

1000

1796

1800

The chinese adopt early forms of vaccinations as a defense against smallpox

Edward Jenner’s breakthrough proved a cowpox infection could protect from smallpox

Benjamin Waterhouse performs the first U.s.

Vaccination on his children

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Vaccine Facts and animal cells are found in vaccinations, which Cardin said can be toxic to the nervous system.

“The second concern is that the vaccinations have to be manufactured and preserved until usage,” Cardin said. “They have to have several ‘preservatives’ in the vials to protect the medication from being contaminated and to allow it to last a long time. It’s like the food in your cabinet that has an expiration date on it.”

The history behind vaccines Jonas Salk, a medical researcher and virologist, developed the first successful Polio vaccine. After vaccines were introduced, the rate fell to less than 10 percent in the 1970s, according to the World Health Organization. Since 1988, the WHO said global vaccination efforts have decreased Polio cases by more than 99 percent. According to the World Health Organization, immunization prevents between two and three million deaths every year.

93.3 percent of the student body is vaccinated and 92.3 percent of students believe vaccinations are healthy. Of the 7.7 percent who don’t believe vaccinations are healthy, more than half believe vaccines might cause other diseases or disorders.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment mandates that in Blue Valley every individual must be vaccinated, unless someone has certain health or religious requirements, according to the Blue Valley district nurse, Tara Asher.

For students with a medical issue or exemption, they would fill out a medical form that would allow them to be exempt from their vaccines.

Freshman Laura Murambadoro said she thinks vaccines are necessary in maintaining a healthy lifestyle as well as keeping others safe.

“If you don’t get vaccinated, it puts people in danger that are around you because if you carry the virus then other people can get it if they also haven’t been vaccinated,” Murambadoro said.

Vaccines protect against 26 diseases*

ManyVaccines carry chemicals that are toxic to the nervous system**

many effects of vaccines are still unexplored**

increasing vaccines globally could sa ve 1.5 million lives each year*

HUsky Health The majority of Blue Valley Northwest students are vaccinated, according to a survey conducted by The Express from Dec. 24. to Jan. 11.

Out of the 209 student responses,

*According to the World Health Organization **According to Ralph Cardin

1813

1926

2000

the u.s. vaccine agency is established By congress

An organized mob forms to throw out officers attempting forced vaccinations in Delaware

Endemic measels is eradicated in the U.s.

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Perspectives 1.

2.

1. Seniors Josh Sternberg (left), Ben Bevil (middle) and Eric Blank (right), cheer at the Sub-State Championship game, March. 2. “I get fairly intense at the games, and that just shows my dedication to the team,” Blank said.

(Photo by Sara Maloney).

2. Junior Payton Carlson watches a solution for color change in her seventh hour Chemistry class on Feb. 8. “It was the rate of reaction lab and we were experimenting with temperature to see how it affected the solution,” Carlson said. (Photo by Lola Shipman)

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3.

4.

3. Sophomore Brynn Stasiulis builds a bridge out of pasta in her Honors Principles of Engineering class, Feb. 8. “I like HPOE because it’s one of the few classes where I feel most of the things we do are purposeful, and I’ll use them outside of school,” Stasiulis said. (Photo by Lola Shipman).

4. Junior Kate Christie shows photography teacher Melanie Mikel a final print in Photography I, Feb. 22. “It’s a fun, relaxing, chill class. I get to do what I want. There is a lot of freedom that comes along with it,” Christie said. (Photo by Maddie Beischel).

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5.

5. Junior Bella Steketee places a solution in hot water during a lab in her seventh hour chemistry class, Feb. 8. “It was a hands-on way of learning about chemical reaction times and helped students to visualize the content we were learning,” Steketee said. (Photo by Lola Shipman).

6. Junior Jack Cowden levels flour in his seventh hour Baking and Pastry class, Feb. 8. “I took this class to gain skills in the culinary specifics and I wanted to be able to cook for my family later in life,” Cowden said (Photo by Grace Davis).

7. Sophomore Alison Arrigueno participates in a diversity activity by putting string in places around the canvas to represent what makes students diverse. “Using string and a board was a really interesting way to show the diversity of our school. I thought it was super cool to share the different things about me and others this way,” Arrigueno said (Photo by Alyssa Peterson).

6.

7.

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8.

8. Senior Luke Vega hardens a bracelet in his 7th hour Jewelry I class, Feb. 8. “I like the hands on experience,” Vega said.

(Photo by Lola Shipman).

9. Students play human bowling in their sixth hour Connections class. “Words can’t even describe my love for the Connections class and all of the students in it!,” senior Lauren Spector said. “It’s brought endless joy, smiles, and so many forever friends into my life. By far the best part of my time here at BVNW and I can’t imagine my days without it,” she said. (Photo by Ellen Bruce).

9.

Rating Ramen 26

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From Olathe to Kansas City, three ramen restaurants were reviewed and rated out of five ramen bowls for their vegetarian takes on this dish.

By Raabia Qureshi

Boru Ramen Bar Walking into the Japanesebased restaurant, the upscale and contemporary interior design was a pleasant surprise, considering the restaurant’s distinct location in an eclectic neighborhood like Waldo in Kansas City, Mo. When the restaurant name includes the word “ramen” in it, any customer would expect it to offer a variety of ramen options. However, the menu limited itself to only six options, with only one appealing to vegetarians. Thankfully, the waitress was accommodating with the Korean ramen bowl and offered to swap the meat broth for vegetable broth and the pork belly for tofu.

Despite the small space, a total of eight TVs covered the walls of the restaurant. They disruptively blared 90s alternative music, clashing with the intimate atmosphere of the restaurant and the attractive red, black and white theme of the design.

In a few short minutes the food arrived fairly warm upon its arrival.

The garlic greens, bamboo shoots, eggs, onions and green pepper were sectioned off inside the bowl and topped with three well-cooked pieces of tofu concealing the noodles underneath them. Instead of receiving a mild, savory flavor from the vegetable broth, it tasted heavily of salt, as if

the chef had accidentally poured two measures instead of one. As much as their take on sharp flavors was appreciated, the flavor of the dish tasted the same throughout. The vegetables merged to taste all the same and failed to add to the flavor of the noodles, which were cooked thoroughly. Ironically, the tofu provided a variety of taste and was cooked nicely enough to genuinely

Design by Ellen Bruce

enjoy.

In the end, an $18 bill was left along with an impartial impression of “Boru Ramen Bar.” The attractive design, good service and upbeat atmosphere of the place is applaudable but the food itself deterred from the overall experience. However, the restaurant did offer other mouthwatering dishes earning it a possible second chance.

(Photos by Sara Maloney).

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Aoyama Ramen

Aoyama Ramen is a Japanese-based restaurant located on 119th street in Olathe. It has a mundane exterior that may create a downscale impression with customers compared to other Ramen restaurants, but the appetizing food inside proved to be just as appealing.

It’s obvious Aoyama opened just recently, as the space is limited and the design features, such as

murals and paintings, stray far from contemporary. Customers will also immediately notice the kitchen, open for them to take a glimpse at the cooking process up close, while adding to the relaxed and homey feel of the restaurant.

The menu features appetizers and rice bowls and offers up to eight different Ramen options accompanied with several extra toppings, from eggs and mushrooms to green onions and fresh garlic. It was slightly disappointing to see that all the bowls are prepared with only pork broth, except for the veggie ramen, which became the final choice.

Fortunately, the lack of a crowd on a Saturday afternoon allowed the food to arrive fairly quickly. The dish was served hot with a portion big enough for one person to eat. The noodles were thinner, cooked well and immersed in

Komatsu Ramen Near Westport in Kansas City, Mo., Komatsu Ramen is a Japanese-based restaurant unlike any other in the area. On a chilly late evening, a warm bowl of ramen proved to be a great choice for Ramen in a modern, casual atmosphere.

One look at the exterior of the brick building with its dark tinted windows gave it a strange and mysterious impression. From the inside, it was obvious that the owners were aiming for a modern, cool look. It mirrored the look of a makeshift warehouse, transformed into a trendy eating space with several unique seating arrangements, including booths, traditional tables and a bar in the center of the room. Although it is a Japanese restaurant, the design steered clear of any cultural aspects, unlike most other ramen restaurants.

It was a pleasant surprise to see that the menu not only offered a

variety of appetizers and beverages, but also a large assortment of ramen.

Unlike other ramen restaurants, the menu categorized each type of broth, including pork, soy and miso broth.

The restaurant offers up to twenty-six types, making it ideal for people with dietary restrictions.

The waiter was more than helpful in providing an overview of each meal and ordering the Kama ramen with the miso broth, minus the shrimp and fish cakes, for the table. On the downside, it wasn’t until almost twenty minutes later that the food came warm and served with additional hot sauce for a dollar extra. Without doubt, the sauce enhanced each aspect of the dish with its unique flavor, especially since the miso broth is known to have a mild taste. Although the noodles were a bit chewy, the broth and other elements of the dish, including mushrooms, cabbage, corn and bean sprouts,

27

mushroom and kombu broth, which is a Japanese broth made primarily out of sea kelp. The dish contained various steamed vegetables, including cabbage, mushrooms, broccoli and cauliflower. The rich flavor of the broth blended well with the noodles without overpowering the taste of the overall dish. However, the vegetables lacked seasoning and weren’t given a lot of precedence throughout the cooking process. The taste definitely improved after requesting the waitress to add more spice.

For someone who is vegetarian while looking to eat flavorsome ramen, Aoyama may not be the ideal restaurant with only one vegetable option. But considering the other dishes the restaurant has to offer, it’s an undeniably good choice for a lunch or dinner with its casual atmosphere, pleasing service and location.

complimented each other nicely with their distinct flavors. There weren’t any extra sauces available on the table, but there wasn’t much of a need for it as the dish was rich and delectable.

Komatsu is an excellent spot to eat for anyone seeking a casual or even intimate dinner. Not only does it provide adequate service, its unique interior and numerous options of ramen are attractive to those who prefer different flavors as well as those with dietary restrictions.

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Issue 6 | 03.21.19

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@BVNWNEWS

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LIFE

STYLED

Since thrifting is a trendy and inexpensive way to buy clothes and accessories, this issue of Life Styled is dedicated to shopping at thrift stores.

By Lola Shipman, Grace Davis & Maddie Beischel JACKET

NECKLACE Savers $3

This jewel necklace is from Savers and is a great statement item to add a unique vibe to a simple look.

Salvation Army $9

SHIRT

This jacket is from the Salvation Army and is a vintage, fashionable way to incorporate comfort and style.

Savers $3

This grey tank top is from Savers and is simple but stylish.

It pairs nicely with the outfit because it matches the retro vibe and adds a clean look to the overall look.

BELT

Salvation Army $6

This belt is also from the Salvation Army and is in style with its oversized look, adding in a chic aspect to this look.

Modeled by senior Maya Gargesh

Salvation Army: 11412 Metcalf Ave.

JEANS Savers $8

These black jeans are also from Savers and are a great way to be comfortable, while effortlessly looking trendy. Black jeans are in right now and although they appear simple, they really help add definition to the look.

Savers: 13509 S Mur-Len Road

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puzzle MAd lib: my mall mishap

By Naomi James

You wouldn’t think shopping for prom would be this hard. So, there I was at the mall, holding my ______ from Starbucks, looking at the most ______ noun

adjective

______ I have ever seen. I knew I had to have it. As I went into the dressing article of clothing

room, ______ was playing over the speakers and all the other customers song

were singing along and tapping their ______ to the beat. When I tried pulling part of the body (plural)

the ______ on over my ______, it ripped right down the middle with a same article of clothing

part of the body

“______!” I was mortified, because there were only ______ of them in the sound

number

entire store. I didn’t want the other people to see that I had started ______, verb ending in ‘ing’

so I ______ walked up to the cashier. The cashier’s name tag said ______ adverb

name

and her hair was ______. “______!” I said. “I don’t know what happened, color

exclamation

one ______ everything was fine and the next this was completely torn!” unit of time

______ told me that I now owed the store $______ because that item was same name

number

part of a limited edition collection by ______. “But that’s not fair!” I said. “I celebrity

was going to buy a ______ with my extra savings!” “Sorry honey,” the cashier noun

said. “Sometimes that’s just how the ______ ______.” noun

verb ending in ‘s’

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 Jenna Weyforth

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

print editor Anna Levine

online editor Jaelen Matthews

Photo Editor Ellen Bruce

features editor Olivia Dowell

Online Copy editor Ethan Knauth

Photographers Maddie Beischel Grace Davis Emma Johnson Sara Maloney Alyssa Peterson Lola Shipman

contributing writer Bella Rinne

assistant adviser Kimberly Hillstock

adviser Jim McCrossen

Blue Valley School District #229 Blue Valley Northwest H.S. 15020 Metcalf Avenue Overland Park, KS 66223

Letters to the Editor Letters to the editor may 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 may be edited.

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 March Issue of Volume 26. Subscription rates are $10. The Express is printed by The Sedalia Democrat, 700 South Massachusetts, Sedalia Mo. 65301.

disclaimer 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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