Southwest Standard Issue 3 by The Standard

Southwest

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Vol. 3 Issue 3 October 2012 Overland Park, Kansas

Southwest attendants share their scariest real life stories pg. 12-13

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Editor’sNote:

PrintEdition: n

Fall Recipes -A&E

Otaku Club -feature

Fields of Faith -news

7 17

Perpetuating the Problem -opinion

*Cover photo submitted by sophomore Jack Collins.

by madison parr managing editor

In the days ahead, you’ll reflect on high school with nostalgia. When you look back on your high school memories, what do you hope to remember? Well if you are the student who isn’t capable of going to a high school event sober, chances are, you won’t remember much. Before you “light up” or “knock back a drink” for an event, think about what you are truly getting yourself into and the consequences that may follow. Your reputation. Showing up to a school event, drunk or high may bring you attention, but I assure you it’s not the attention you want. You may start out the night with a few laughs from your friends, but you are putting yourself in the situation of ending the night with a phone call to your parents and administrator and a misdemeanor. Just because you may feel hidden in the crowd of the student section, you are not invisible. Families, administrators and coaches are constantly walking by the student section, and when you are stumbling down the stairs or if the stench of alcohol follows every chant, you are only asking for trouble. Your future. If you are caught intoxicated at a school event, there are many potential consequences that follow. You could be banned from coming to another event, get suspended, or be fined. Resisting the temptation to drink could not only save your reputation, but also your life. Your safety. The only thing worse than drinking before an event is driving after. You are not only putting your life at risk but every other individual on the road. Your selfishness could be the death of a family driving home from a soccer game or of your friends lives who are in the car with you. Don’t put innocent people at risk just because you want to have a good time. Your careless acts could be the last thing you do. If you respect your school and your peers, then you will take the pledge to stay sober. Make the right choice and create high school memories that you will never forget.

OnlineEdition: Multicultural Fest

KC Fear Farm

Student wins limitededition sneakers

Varsity Soccer against BVNW

Learn about the food and diversity that happened at the multicultural festival on Oct. 4

Read all about how sophomore Alex Martin won shoes through a ParaNorman twitter contest.

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Check out a review about the most recent haunted attractions which opened in Gardner, KS

View the photo gallery depicting the boy’s varsity soccer game against Northwest

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briefs news Library Breakfast Club reads “Side Effects” by Amy Koss What: A returning club made up of a group of students interested in the library, food and spreading the love of reading. “If students like to read and like to see the library, along with doing some interesting contests, it’s a good place to have a voice and join in,” Library Media Specialist Christy Bolton said. When: The first Thursday of every

month at 8:30 a.m. Next meeting: Nov. 1 Where: The Library Upcoming events: The Southwest Library Breakfast club is about to start reading “Side Effects” by Amy Koss. “Side Effects” is a novel about a teenage girl named Isabelle who is suddenly diagnosed with lymphoma.

by royan black online editor

Political Science Club discusses the election What: A new group organized by seniors Lauren Tobin and Jessica Skaggs with sponsorship from social studies teacher Kathryn Pinto, advocating for political literacy and discussion. “We want to encourage kids to discuss politics and think for themselves, rather than just always go with what their parents think,” Tobin said. The group wants to organize

presidential debate viewing parties in order to foster relevant discussion regarding the election in November. In order to join Political Science Club, there is a ten dollar membership fee to cover refreshments at the meetings. When: Mondays from 3 – 4 p.m. Where: Room 213 Next Meeting: Nov. 22

Categories knows trivia

History Club reflects on interesting events in the past

What: An organization that meets to discuss interesting events in history along with ideas. The club, headed by history teacher Michael Ortmann, works to promote love and enjoyment of the subject of history. Recently in History Club, the club has been discussing the upcoming election and

politics. When: Every other Tuesday at 3 p.m. Where: Room 215 Events: The History Club traveled to the Truman Library in Independence, MO for the Truman Trivia Contest on Oct. 15.

What: A club for anyone who enjoys playing ping pong. The club, was created by seniors Garrett Becker and Jake Novicoff. When: Thursday mornings at 8 a.m. Where: The cages Events: Currently the club is hosting

an opening tournament which members attend at their convenience. All members will later be ranked based on skill level. Following this tournament Novicoff and Becker hope to have two tournaments every quarter.

Ping Pong Club waxes its paddles

What: A trivia team that competes against local Blue Valley and Shawnee Mission teams. It is headed by school psychologist Cathy Kerr. They cover trivia over a variety of topics from the solar system to politics. The club was created in 2011 when the school opened.

The categories team also competes on live television during its competitions. When: Tuesdays at 3 p.m. and Thursdays at 8 a.m. Where: Room 406 Events: First competition is Oct. 22

What: An organization of students who excel in visual art and want to provide an opportunity for art based community service. It is headed by art teacher Robert Putnam. In order to join NAHS, one must have at least a B in an art class, 15 hours of community service, active participation in class and must pay the fees. After qualifying for those requirements,

one must attend the meetings actively. When: Thursdays at 3 p.m. Next meeting: Oct. 18 Where: Room 101 Upcoming events: National Art Honor Society is preparing for the water-fire event in the Country Club Plaza on Oct. 27

NAHS excels in visual art

Academic Decathalon competes in curriculum competition

What: An academic competition filled with ten events that cover the entire school curriculum taught by enrichment teachers Jacque Cork and Linda Collins. The contest is filled with different areas such as music, art, literature and math, and the student must know a variety of the subjects. “Besides receiving medals, I really like how the team works together, the col-

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laboration of the competition and just the experience of it,” senior Hersh Ellis said. At last year’s event, Ellis won eight out of ten competitions. The competition has a theme each year, and this year’s theme is Russia. When: The competition is Jan. 25-26 at Kansas State University Where: Room 616

NAHS members discuss fuse designs for the upcoming show Water Fire. Photo by Matt Forster.

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2012 election coverage

Political debate surges as the election comes to a close

by mark maas opinion editor

s election day nears, Democrats and Republicans are desperately trying to persuade Americans to their side. Only two weeks are left until Nov. 6 and the 2012 victory could still go to either party. Both President Barack Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney are escalating their advertising and their campaigning in a last attempt to gain votes. Each candidate has made his views evident, especially on Medicare, which is one of the biggest issues facing the United States today. According to a Gallup swing-state poll, voters in key states, such as Ohio and Florida, believe that Obama is more qualified to define the best system for Medicare. In particular, Obama’s policy restricts certain Medicare benefits for upper class retirees. On the other hand, Romney has said that he plans to overhaul the entire Medicare system. Under his plan, after repealing most of Obamacare, Romney plans to create a new Medicare system specifically made for people under the age of 55 who are disabled or otherwise need Medicare. Each candidate has his own policies that

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he thinks will be beneficial. Students who follow politics closely have distinct views on who is the most qualified to be the leader of the United States. Some are unsatisfied with Obama’s performance for the past four years and think that Romney will send our country into the right direction. Senior Nic Larson is a Republican who agrees with Romney’s views. “Obama is largely to blame for the $6 trillion worth of debt that was made,” Larson said. “Big government policies, failed stimulus packages and the auto-bailouts all created the new debt.” Other students believe that Obama has made progress over the past four years, and that another term would give him the time to implement the policies that he wants to. Senior Will Barboza thinks that Obama is not to blame for the new debt. “I think [Obama] inherited a lot of the debt,” Barboza said. “He came into office with two wars and he had the blow back from that. It takes more time to fix the economy than he has had.” Both sides agree, however, that Obama and Romney are acting in their own political interest, possibly disregarding the greater good of the country. “If Obama got re-elected, he would be stronger in his second term,” Barboza said.

“He has been political in his first term in order to get re-elected, but in his second term, he would push for things that he thinks are best for the country.” Republicans think the same about Romney. “I think Romney’s choices are influenced for political reasons,” Larson said. “However, his choices are less political than Obama’s. He’s not running on a platform of lies.” In particular, states that are moderate politically are the focus of the candidates’ attention. Florida, Ohio and North Carolina are among the most significant of the swing states. According to Larson, both candidates are focusing on these states in order to further their chances of winning, meaning that they are acting in their own political interest. Kansas is a generally Republican state, so the votes here will likely be going into Romney’s favor. Regardless, voting is still one of the few ways that citizens can be involved with politics directly. In the midst of all this, public criticism of the opposite side is a common occurrence. Historically, Democrats and Republicans didn’t take nearly as many cheap shots as they do today. Even Obama, after a recent ad, said that his administration probably went a bit too far. During the presidential debates of the past few weeks, the two candidates faced off against each other in attempt to prove who was more fit to lead the country. They debated a variety of issues, from Medicare to PBS. The full videos of all four debates can be found at http://www.2012presidentialelect

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Gallup 7-Day Rolling Average Poll as of Oct. 10: Obama: 47% Romney: 49% Electoral Votes as of Oct. 10: Obama: 263 Romney: 206 Tossup: 69 *270 Votes required to win* Poll courtesy of Gallup Inc. http://www.gallup.com/ Electoral Vote Count courtesy of TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

ionnews.com/2012-debate-schedule/2012presidential-debate-schedule/ After the Oct. 3 debate concluded, viewers were asked which candidate was the winner. According to a recent Gallup poll, 72 percent of viewers thought that Romney was victorious in the Oct. 3 presidential debate. Only 20 percent thought that Obama won that day. Viewers were asked to disregard which candidate they supported normally when answering the poll. On Nov. 6, Americans across the country will be heading to the voting centers to determine the next president. Anyone who has his or her 18th birthday on or before Oct. 23 and registered can vote.

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Dr. Chris Jenson nominated for Horizon award

Jenson’s performance last year earned him recognition from the State Department of Education by meg huwe editor-in-chief At the beginning of September, Dr. Chris Jenson discovered he was the recipient of the Horizon Award for the Blue Valley School District. The Horizon award is an annual recognition for a first year teacher who has demonstrated exceptional teaching at either the elementary level or the secondary level from each district in Kansas. The district had five other nominees for the secondary level. “The school district has extraordinary talent and I’m happy to be a part of it,” Jenson said. “I was flattered to represent Blue Valley. [The recognition] was very nice.” Jenson was nominated by Principal Scott Roberts for his accomplishments last year, despite the fact that Jenson did not teach at Blue Valley Southwest. Jenson taught Foundations of Medicine at the CAPS building, which required Roberts to contact CAPS administrators to help him write his essay. Roberts, however, had known Jenson from when he taught as a student teacher for science teacher Dianne Dunn two years ago. “We only had one option,” Roberts said. “But he was the obvious option. He was probably the best student teacher I’ve ever seen. I received 15 parent e-mails talking about what a great teacher he was.” The Horizon award also included an essay describing his teaching style and what advice he would offer to teachers. “[It was] a very interesting story of why he became a teacher,” Director of Professional Development Kelly Ott said. Ott is a part of the Horizon Award Selection Committee for the Blue Valley District. To judge these applications, she selects five people to form a committee. This committee is then given the applications, and all traces of a name or school are removed to eliminate bias.

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Currently, Jenson is a chemistry teacher. “He is a great teacher,” junior Cassie Johnson said. “The thing I like about him is he’s an ER doctor so he applies everything to real world situations. Even though he knows that we’re not going to be doctors or anything, it’s just cool to learn something that actually is used in the real world.” Jenson works to understand from his students’ perspective. “Whenever you ask a question, some teachers make you feel bad,” Johnson said. “He kind of takes responsibility for us to understand it. He’s really understanding if we don’t get something.” Johnson had Jenson as a student teacher in Biology, and she noted how his teaching style has evolved since then. “He was definitely better than any of the other student teachers I had, but very much like regular ones because he handed out many worksheets,” she said. “Now he’s very personable, more now than he was.” As part of his teaching, Jenson tries to make activities to which he knows the students can relate. As homecoming was approaching, he made an atomic homecoming dance and there were certain characteristics atoms wanted to stay away from. “He’s kind of quirky, but he tries to make learning fun,” Johnson said. “I was really dreading Chemistry because it’s chem and no one likes it, but going to Chemistry doesn’t really seem like a class. I’m learning but it’s fun.” Jenson says he mutually admires his students. “I firmly believe that opportunity to teach is a wonderful thing and you only get out what you put in,” he said. “I enjoyed putting in it of effort a passion.” Roberts says that Jenson is a valuable asset to the school. “He wants to make a difference and teach,” Roberts said. “It’s a pretty special teacher we have and

Photo by Morgan Vietti

he’ll continue to grow and get better and I’m excited to watch that.” Because Jenson won the Horizon award for the district, he will move on to the state level. The state level requires letters written by teachers, friends and former students. He will also have to write two more essays. One is about the advice he would give to a first year teacher, and the other are his teaching instruction and strategies. Jenson is competing against 32 other teachers in the Kansas. Winners will be notified in January and then invited to attend the Kansas Experience Education Network (KEEN) Feb. 21 - 22 in Topeka. There, they will learn about more strategies for teaching and there will be a luncheon to celebrate the winners. “Dr. Jenson is an outstanding nominee and candidate,” Ott said. “Whether he wins or not, he is just truly an outstanding teacher.”

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october 2012

Fields of Faith

by anna welch special sections editor

s she prepares to sing “How He Loves” in front of 500 high school students, junior Jaeky Spencer makes sure her focus isn’t just on how she performs, but concentrating on leading the worship. The nerves were racking up as they usually do for every performance Spencer does, but the main goal is to remember why she loves to sing. Being able to hear and watch fellow peers sing their hearts out is what drives Spencer to do her best. This is the first year Spencer and her youth band from Grace Church performed at Fields of Faith. It was hosted on Blue Valley High School’s football field, and it took place on Oct. 10. Fields of Faith is an international event put on by youth groups from local churches and FCA’s from the Blue Valley schools since 2009. “The purpose of Fields of Faith is to give teenagers a way to express their faith to their peers and for their peers to hear the message of Jesus Christ in a non-threatening environment,” event coordinator Danita Hill said. “Teenagers can make a difference; they can impact their generation and influence those around them.” Fields of Faith is put on by students from four of the Blue Valley High Schools who start planning in the spring. Since it’s an international event, the date is not determined by the students. It happens every year on the second Wednesday of October. “We like to incorporate as many schools as possible so we can reach more students,” BVHS senior Sarah Hill said. “There’s

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a handful of parents who are involved to help in the logistics of planning, and try to contact a lot of different youth groups and invite them to bring their students to the event.” The event started at 7 p.m. and included the Grace Church youth band, Chief ’s linebacker, Andy Studebaker as the main speaker and student speakers from Blue Valley Northwest, Blue Valley West, Shawnee Mission Northwest and the University of Kansas. “Every detail from what speaker we need to where the band is going to plug in their sound equipment has to be thought about,” Hill said. “Our number one priority is to create an event that will glorify God and be welcoming to everyone.” After everyone had spoken, students were invited to go down on the field to participate in the Altar Call where they would show a personal commitment. “What really gets to me is when the Altar Call is given and students can come down and find out more about Jesus and how He can impact their lives,” Hill said. “I love to see the compassion of the Altar Call students, the earnestness of those who come forward and the fact that Jesus can be felt in a palpable manner in a high school football stadium.” There are many reasons to get involved including meeting others students who share a passion for not only sports, but for faith. “Getting involved is an awesome opportunity to meet other Christians,” junior Gabrielle Wingert said. “It’s a really fun way to get to know Christ. You see God working in your friends life and what is really cool is seeing Christ work in my own.”

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students gather to worship and fortify their beliefs

Top right: Facing a crowd of people deep in worship, junior Jaeky Spencer sings “How He Loves” along with the worship band. Bottom Right: Gathered with other attendees, senior Emily Eldridge and sophomore Laura Eldridge commit their lives to Christ. Left: With his fist in the air, Chief’s linebacker Andy Studebaker tells his testimony to the mass of high schoolers. Photos by Kylie Norcross.

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Otaku inside

by ananda bhatia features editor

Otaku n. an avid collector or enthusiast, esp. one who is obsessed with anime, video games, or manga

or anyone who is unprepared, walking into room 606 on a Tuesday afternoon can lead to confusion. People are shouting across the room while girls chatter in Japanese in the background, while a whirlwind of markers are being thrown back and forth. However, to Otaku club members, this is just a typical Tuesday. Each week, one or two Japanese animations, known as animes, are played on a projector while club members either watch or find something else to do. There are “gamers” surfing the web for Japanese drawings, artists doodling on sketch pads, students doing homework and writers re-blogging on Tumblr. The group was just formed last October by club president and senior Danielle Stoops, so there are a few common misconceptions about both the club (no, it isn’t the “taco” club) and anime itself. “When people think of anime, they think of giant eyed people with crazylooking hair that sticks up and defies gravity, who dance around with little cat-tails and high-pitched voices,” junior Kaitlin Looney said. “That’s not what anime is like at all.” In fact, anime can range from any book or movie genre used in America: yes, there is comedy and romance, but also sci-fi, historical fiction and even horror. “People don’t realize that they [graphic novels and animes] cover so much about life and society,” Stoops said. “As I read and watched, I fell more and more in love with the whole culture of Japan. I find it all so fascinating. It just captured me.” The Otaku Club culture extends outside of the walls of Room 606. Looney uses her sewing abilities to create cosplays, or costumes based on anime characters, sometimes within a few hours and using nothing but materials she finds lying around her house. Stoops is learning Japanese with Rosetta Stone, which she received for Christmas two years ago, in order to understand more of what she reads and watches. It also isn’t uncommon for an otaku to know how to draw or write. Junior Chris Bishop, a veteran member of the club, is currently in the middle of two projects. His more prominent one is a video series he calls “Fall of the Turnabout.” It’s essentially a fan-fiction crossover between the “Ace Attorney” television

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show, a murder mystery series, and the Cartoon Network show “Adventure Time.” The series follows Jake from “Adventure Time” as he tries to find someone who can prove him innocent after he was accused of killing his own father. “When you’re trying to write for characters that already exist, it’s actually more difficult than writing about your own character,” Bishop said. “You need to know that character from the bottom up, especially the more complex ones such as Artwork submitted by Janaye Geraci. Marceline in ‘Adventure Time.’ When a character is unpredictable, they’re pretty hard to write.” Bishop plans on posting his completed series on YouTube. This project is similar to another video series, known as Turnabout Storm, which is a crossover between “Ace Attorney” and “My Little Pony.” Bishop’s side project is a fan-fiction visual novel, titled “Blank World,” that is based off of a Japanese television anime called the “Puella Magi Madoka Magica” series. “I think that Blank World is probably the best character craft I’ve done so far,” Bishop said. “I’m trying to focus on themes such as life and death--not necessarily being scared of death, but not recklessly giving Artwork submitted by Asiah Hertzel. your life up. It’s kind of complicated what I’ve got going on.” Bishop isn’t the only writer in the Otaku club. Junior Lauren Atkeisson is working on a “light novel,” or a book written in multiple perspectives with manga style drawings. And junior Janaye Geraci, a member of the club’s leadership team called the Sugoi (“awesome”) Council, is on chapter two of her manga. But whether it be drawing, writing or simply watching anime episodes, the Otaku Club is an open environment where anyone can feel comfortable. “Sometimes there are people who are really into some things but who worry that it’s weird or that no one would like them if they found out,” Stoops said. “I want the club to be casual and to be friendly, where everyone can geek out and love whatever they want to love.” The club brings together completely different people with a common interest, something the members take pride in. “It’s really just a club for a bunch of nerds to get together and geek out,” Looney said. “There’s not many other clubs like that.”

It’s really just a club for a bunch of nerds to get together and geek out. -Kaitlin Looney

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Artwork submitted by MacKenzie Patterson.

Artwork submitted by Danielle Stoops.

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Teachers climbing the education ladder Six teachers and staff members take a page from their students and pursue higher degrees by jessica skaggs news editor

pportunities for students to better themselves throughout high school are constantly created by staff members. Teachers and specialists are taking a page from their students, and expanding their horizons of opportuni-

ty by pursuing their masters or doctorates. Staff members Linda Collins, Lindsey Hogan, Jerald Holtorf, Tyson Ostroski, Courtney Weber and Joel White have or are just beginning their pursuit of achieving a higher degree.

Lindsey Hogan continues learning

Library media specialist Lindsey Hogan is a staff member who is simply hoping to gain knowledge with these added letters to her name. She started her program called the Library and Information Science at Emporia State University this summer. While this may sound like a mouthful, its focus is on how students find information and utilize it. “It’s called ‘information seeking behavior,’” Hogan said. Although Hogan already has received her B.S. in Education and Masters of Library Science from Appalachian State University, she has always wanted to get her Ph.D. “I have always been interested in how people learn, share, and accept new information,” she said. “I’m only in my second semester and I’m learning so much. I hope to stay at BVSW for a long time, so it really will not affect me professionally.”

Joel White

pondering the possiblities

Biology teacher Joel White has created a support system with his wife during the last 18 months. They are both pursuing higher degrees while raising their daughter Riley. “We have had to help each other by balancing out our time with chores and entertaining Riley when we know the other has homework,” White said. White has unaccomplished goals in the classroom that he wants to continue working toward at this point in his career. However he is not naïve about the possibilities that he has access to. “With getting my masters, more administrative and chair positions become possible,” White said. “However, at this point and until my daughter gets older, I want more time in the classroom.” While climbing another rung on the ladder of education does take up quite a bit of time, White is positive that the success is worth it. “I would just encourage kids to be lifelong learners and to follow their dreams. Education can never be taken away from you, and if you chase after it, the possibilities are limitless.”

Courtney Weber propping doors open

Special education chair Courtney Weber has had the support of her colleagues, including Ostroksi, in working toward her Ph.D. “I hope to finish the program in the next three to three and a half years, which is actually very hard to do,” Weber said. Although Weber is currently unsure what route she will take with her doctorate once she earns it, she is confident it will help her get wherever she wants to be. “I truly love learning and want to open as many doors for myself in the future as possible,” Weber said. “I am not sure if I truly want to be in administration someday, but [I] know this would help me get into that field if it is something I chose to do.”

Tyson Ostroski earns doctorate

With a doctorate following his name, English teacher Tyson Ostroski is interested in the possibilities outside of the classroom. His transition from high school teacher to the possibility of working at the college or district level has had the support of both his colleagues and his wife. “My wife has been the most supportive and encouraging in this process, because sometimes I get a little whiny,” Ostoski said. Eventually those possibilities will be explored, but for the time being, Ostroski is just enjoying his accomplishment. “It feels pretty dang good,” he said. “I don’t like to talk about it normally, but nobody in my family has ever gone to college. Ever. So this is kind of a big deal.”

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Jerald Holtorf

accepting the challenge

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Math teacher Jerald Holtorf is hoping to accomplish his lifelong goal of a doctorate within the next three years. Although Holtorf has approached this challenge with enthusiasm, he admits it is quite demanding. “It has been a little of a butt-kicking with having four hours of class, and anywhere from two to three hours of homework per hour of class,” Holtorf said. However, it is the doors of both leadership and college-level teaching that drive Holtorf to continue on this long road. “If you set your mind to fight at it and do the best you can, then it will all fall into place.” Holtorf said.

Photos by Morgan Vietti

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Linda Collins

making a difference

While some staff members have ambitious dreams in correlation with their higher degree, Linda Collins has different goals following her doctorate. “I hope it will impact my students and my peers more so than just my career,” Collins said. “I am not ambitious about getting a new position; I want to use my degree to be able to help students on a deeper level. I am especially interested in doing more research on twice-exceptional students and students who have learning disabilities. I’m curious about how all students learn.” In addition to exploring the different ways students learn, Collins expresses interest in teaching at the college level while continuing to teach at high school. Collins’ past experiences in education,

as well as her family support, motivated her to continue onward in her doctorate pursuit. “I have published some articles and have been presenting at the national level for about 10 years,” Collins said. “I have seen the need to have several more letters in back of my name. The doctorate carries more clout than my master’s degree does in the academic world.” Although earning her doctorate is very time consuming, she thinks earning those letters will be worth it. “It feels like something that I should be doing, even though my life is very busy right now,” Collins said. “ It’s worth it if I can make a difference in a student’s life.”

Photo by Morgan Vietti

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Applying to college

Graphic by Matt Forster

Three important factors in picking a college

by brianna bogdan staff writer

repping for college isn’t the most exciting or easiest thing to do but hopefully with these three tips students can dodge the last-minute stressing and pick the right campus for them with ease.

Environment

When picking a college it’s crucial that an applicant chooses a place that’s comfortable. “It’s important that you know what type of environment you’re looking for,” counselor Kristi Dixon said. To do that, students should develop their own set of criteria for what they want in a college. Whether a student is trying to decide what points to add to that personal checklist or searching for a campus that meets those criteria, they should schedule some visits. For example, if a student doesn’t know whether or not they’d rather attend a large or small school, then visiting both types could give them an answer. Dixon suggests visiting campuses on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays when colleges are in full swing. That way potential applicants would be able to witness the daily life at that university. Senior Alex Durand knows what he looks for in a col-

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lege environment after doing some research on a few colleges in Minnesota. “You don’t want to get homesick and you want to like what you’re doing,” Durand said. “I’m going into business and I want a place that can help me with that.” Counselor Kevin Halfmann describes the right campus as “the kind of place where you feel you can be connected- connected to the people, the activities.” Dixon also encourages visitors to ask themselves questions like: • How does this make you feel emotionally? • How does your gut feel? • Are you comfortable? These answers can help an individual determine if the campus is right for them or not.

Finances

It isn’t logical to apply to a college that can’t be afforded. Teenagers should sit down with their parents and get a clear idea of what their budget for college is. But if a student absolutely has his or her heart set on a campus that can’t be squeezed into the budget, there is another option. Student loans offer a different, though potentially risky route. “A lot of students rely on student loans to make college possible, but not everybody is comfortable with the debt,” Dixon said.

“For me there was no option; I had to get one if I wanted to go to college.” But Halfmann warns that it’s very easy to accumulate debt. “A loan is an investment and you want that investment to pay off,” Halfmann said. Unfortunately, it’s something a lot of students aren’t taught about, which makes the chances of owing a lot of money even higher. “I feel like I don’t know anything about them [student loans] or how they work,” senior Lydia Pine said. So before taking a loan like Durand plans to, it would be wise for an individual to first do their research, then only apply for an amount they’re confident they could pay back. Being cautious can help students stay safe and still go to the college of their dreams.

Be realistic

Students should know what different colleges expect from their applicants. Doing

some research in this area before applying would be very beneficial. This can include finding out the average SAT scores and GPAs of the students accepted into the college that a student is interested in. If an individual fits into that range, then it becomes a lot easier for them to be confident about his or her chances of acceptance. Unfortunately, the opposite is what many students fear. “I’m worried because if you don’t do good then you get rejected,” Pine said. This fear of rejection is an understandable concern, but Dixon encourages students not to worry. “A test score is a snapshot of how you performed on that day; it doesn’t necessarily reflect what you can accomplish,” Dixon said. Test scores alone do not have the ability to reflect the character of a person, which is what colleges really want to know. So, while reality should be kept in mind while browsing for potential colleges, applicants should remember that they’re more than just a set of numbers.

For more helpful advice and information, Halfmann and Dixon have suggested the following websites: • collegeboard.com • bigfuture.org • insidecollege.com • campustours.com • review.com Also, be sure to check out the counselor website and Twitter.

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october 2012

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Conquering standardized testing

Tips to help succeed on the ACT and the SAT How have you been preparing by caroline fronczak staff writer

lthough the ACT and SAT are mostly taken by upperclassman, the preparation begins as early as freshman year. Later on, these tests can determines someone’s future. While students take different approaches to preparing for these tests, here are some tips to help make them a little less stressful.

Get the right materials

Since there are many books available for purchase that promise a high score on the ACT, it is important to choose the right materials in order to achieve the higher score. “Princeton Review,” “Kaplan” and other books may look the most convincing, but focusing on problems that will actually show up on the ACT will benefit in the future. The “Real ACT Prep Guide,” written by the test makers, provides problems that have showed up on past tests and will help review the basic topics that will appear on test day. Most bookstores will have these available for purchase. While these materials

will help you prepare for the test, on the actual test day it is important to have a No. 2 pencil (no mechanical pencils allowed), a calculator (check the ACT official test website to see a list of approved calculators) and a watch, in order to keep track of time in case there is no clock in the testing center. Phones are not allowed during the test so it’s best to leave them at home the day of the test.

Take timed exams

Weigh the options

In order to be ready for test day, managing time beforehand will help develop a pace so that one is able to finish the whole test in the time allowed. Taking timed exams will help push one to reach the time frame and not feel rushed during the ACT or SAT. This also will help determine which standardized test best suits each persons’ needs.

Take some time to pick the test that best suits one’s skills and strengths, rather than just deciding on the ACT or SAT at random. Although the ACT is a shorter, more straightforward test, it is helpful to know which one will have better opportunities when deciding on colleges. While researching prospective colleges, take into account whether that particular school prefers the ACT or SAT. Both tests can be taken multiple times, so there is no need to put pressure on the first time the test is taken. Learn from the mistakes and move forward.

Every student has different goals when taking the ACT or SAT; it all depends on what college best fits what each student wants to do in the future. Even though most would consider an ACT score of 30 or above a score that guarantees entrance into any college, most in-state colleges only require a minimum of a 24. This can be accomplished for students, and with the right preparations, any score is within reach. Colleges on the west coast and east coast generally prefer the SAT, while colleges in the Midwest prefer the ACT. However, many do take both.

Differences between the ACT and SAT ACT: 0-36

1. An achievement test, which means this is based

SAT: 200-2400

2. Five components: English, Math, Reading, Sci-

2. An aptitude test, which measures the students

on what the students have learned throughout school ence and an optional Writing test

1. Three components: Critical Reasoning, Math and a required Writing test

reasoning and verbal skills

3. No penalty for guessing, score is based on number 3. A quarter of a point is taken off for each question of questions correct 4. Allows students to take an “Interest Inventory”

missed

to determine what they would like to pursue in the future based on their strengths and weaknesses throughout the test

features

www.bvswnews.com

for the ACT or SAT?

“I’ve been attending the PSAT prep sessions before school on Thursday,” junior Riley Clark said. “I’ve also been studying the Princeton Review PSAT 2012 book a bit.”

“I’ve been attending a weekly SAT tutoring class for the past six months,” junior Lauryn Bogseth said. “It meets every Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:30, and we go over every section of the test, take practice tests and learn helpful tips in order to improve our scores.”

“Well I had a tutor for the first time I took it and did a lot of practice tests – timed and not timed – and then I went over the stuff I missed,” senior Tanner Lund said.

“I never actually studied for the ACT,” senior Liran Ziegelman said. “I was supposed to take the SAT and accidentally took the ACT but I got a 33 so now I’m focusing on the SAT. I do about 40 minutes a day of SAT prep which entails doing two-ish sections of the SAT, grading, reworking to find the correct solution as well as reading lots of vocab words.”

october 2012

southwest standard

Fearful fables real-life scary

graphics by matt forster

stories bring chills

twisted

tornado threatens student’s family

“Well, two years ago like towards the spring when we were in tornado weather,” junior Brady Wagner. “There was I guess a microbursting over Blue Valley middle, and it did a lot of destruction over there.” The tornado started making its way towards Southwest, so the students were instructed to gather into the busi-

ness rooms. Brady was in math class texting his mom, who was near Louisburg at the time. “We were at the bottom of the school so if anything got tore up or anything it’d probably be on top of us,” Wagner said. “I was scared out of my mind.” Inside the business rooms, that the students were using for shelter, there wasn’t a very good cell phone connection. Brady was in a middle of a text conversation with his mom, who was near the tornado. “It was a scary feeling,” he said. It didn’t take long for Brady to overcome the scare of the tornado that was near Southwest. “My mom was close to it, and

Trick or creep

fearful fables

she wasn’t answering her phone or anything,” Wagner said. “That was probably the worst feeling. One second she was texting me saying that she was in a bad situation, I kept trying to ask her what happened, and she didn’t answer. It kind of just gives you that gut-wrenching feeling.” Brady never received a text back from his mother that day. “Well, I had track after school, so after that I kind of realized everything was fine,” Wagner said. “I had negative thoughts going through my mind [throughout the day]. I could kind of picture the school getting a call and saying ‘hey your parents were in an accident, you need to go to the hospital,’ which dampened the mood for the whole day.”

by jordon fields staff writer

Fear is very peculiar; everybody in one way or another is scared of something. Yet even though everyone has a fear, most will blatantly deny their personal demons that haunt them during the day or perhaps at night before they go

Speedy

Around February of last year, senior Max Hudson and his friend Taylor Norris were

grab the candy, I turned around to look at my parents and she grabbed my hand and tried to yank me in the door and I freaked out and ripped my hand away from her.” Rutledge said. Rutledge quickly fled from the house, her bag of candy tightly clutched in her hand. Rutledge was running so fast that when she finally stopped she realized hadn’t dropped not a single piece of candy.

swerving out of control on the road at night, when suddenly both of their lives were put on the line. “I’m driving down the road, it’s an eerie night, the air is brisk, and I’m driving down highway 470 east,” Hudson said. “A bad song comes on. I check my iPod to change the song, when all of the sudden the light ahead of me on the highway turns red. Me with my 2004 Chevy Impala, slams on the brake - which does not work- spinning me off in a multitude of directions towards

the large line of cars stacked up at the stoplight.” Hudson’s car spun into the left turn lane, barely missing the other cars. “My life flashed before my eyes, and at one moment in the turmoil of the tornado spin, I looked at my friend in the passenger seat,” Hudson said. “Our eyes met and we both indirectly said ‘I love you and I hope you make it through.’ Luckily, God was on my side that night.”

from the local cemetery. “I worked in a small town,” Balderston said, “And if you’re familiar with cemeteries around town, you know there’s lights and stuff. Its more of a rural setting and out there it’s [the cemetery] just right outside of the town in the woods.” As Balderston drove to the cemetery – in his police car with the windows down the eerie midnight wind flowing into his car – he searched the scene with his spotlight. Unable to see anything from his car, Balderston got out to

search the cemetery on foot. “As I was walking it was around 1 or 2 a.m. in the morning, it was dark and it was a little scary walking through the cemetery,” he said. Balderston continued the search through the cemetery, he didn’t see it, but a loud shrieking noise came from his side – it was a cat. “I never did find anything. It might of been some cats or something, or it could’ve been some ghosts. I don’t know but I never found anybody.”

Midnight trek searching cemetery

escaping candy clutch

When junior Rachel Rutledge was five years old, she went trick or treating in a nearby neighborhood. She went to a house that seemed suitable for her Halloween-ish needs. She rang the doorbell of the house, and a woman answered. Without a word, the old lady held out a bowl of candy, presumably offering the sweet treats to the young Rutledge. “I reached my hand in to

to sleep, and because of this unspoken fear of fear, it is oftentimes odd or nerve racking to learn about those things that keep our peers up in the middle of the night. However, in spite of the social taboo to broadcast ones fears, there are some people who had the courage to tell their stories.

Early in his career, officer Lance Balderston got a call on his radio; some people had reported that they heard screaming or screaming-like noises

www.bvswnews.com

fear defined

Optophobia Fear of opening one’s eyes Unatractiphobia Fear of ugly people Ephebiphobia Fear of teenagers Peladophobia Fear of bald people Pogonphobia Fear of beards Barophobia Fear of gravity Caligynephobia Fear of beautiful women Ebulliophobia Fear of bubbles

Panphobia Fear of everything Geliophobia Fear of laughter Nephophobia Fear of clouds Scopophobia Fear of being looked at Heliophobia Fear of the sun Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliaphobia Fear of long words http://phobialist.com/

being watched

caller frightens siblings home alone

When she was in third grade, junior Julia Ryan was home alone with her older sister while their mother was at the grocery store. The day was relatively normal, and she was going about her business when the phone rang and Julia answered. There was a man on the other line whose voice Julia did not recognize. He asked to speak to her mother. Julia responded by saying that her mother was in the shower and could not make it to the phone at the moment. The man said that he knew her mother wasn’t home. Frightened, Julia said that her mother was indeed in the shower and that she would have her mother call him back. Julia hung up the

phone without waiting for a reply from the man. “Chills went down my spine, my stomach twisted in a ball, and I felt like was going to throw up,” Julia said. After the strange call, Julia quickly grabbed the phone again and called her mother to tell her what had happened. Her mother reassured her and told her not to worry, because it was probably a prank call. Shortly thereafter, the phone rang yet again. This time, Julia’s older sister Lauren Ryan answered the phone. The man asked yet again if he could speak to their mother, again Lauren told the man that their mother was in the shower. “And he said I know you’re alone, I see you,” Julia said. Lauren hung up the phone and didn’t tell Julia what had happened so that she wouldn’t get scared. Once again, the man called Julia’s house phone, and her sister picked up again. This time when she tried to deny that they were home alone, the man said that he could see Lauren and proceeded to tell Julia’s sister exactly

where she was standing in the house. Lauren hung up the phone and told Julia to go the basement, where they called their mother again. After hearing what had happened, Julia’s mother said she was on her way home and to make sure that everything in the house was locked. The phone kept ringing so as an added precaution Julia and her sister hid away in the back room, where there were no windows. “He called and my sister answered, he said we needed to find a better hiding spot, ‘I see you in your backroom,” Julia said. “I started balling.” Julia’s mother returned shortly afterward. She tried to call the man back, but each time she tried he wouldn’t answer. The man never called back after that. “I didn’t sleep [that night],” she said. “Afterwards, I slept in my mom’s room for like a month. I had nightmares. I was afraid that I was going to be taken away.”

october 2012

Let’s talk politics

southwest

This issue’s topic: deficit spending

Liberal

sensible liberal would advocate refueling the plane so that it could reach its destination safely. The United States has incurred (and is flying toward disaster) the largest national debt in written history, reaching a grand total of 16 trillion dollars. That amounts to each American citizen being $51 thousand in the red. Our country’s financial security is teetering on the edge of disaster, and it is obvious that any fiscal mistakes on the part of the government would have an extremely damaging effect. Contrary to fiscal conservative beliefs, a reduction of taxes on the wealthy does nothing to decrease the deficit, nor does it spur economic activity. Because economic confidence has stagnated since the Repub-

licans have gained control of the House of Representatives, the conservative belief that cutting taxes will have a trickle down effect is flawed. Time and time again, America has tested the hypothesis that conservative, supply-side, trickle-down economics will benefit our country financially. We have tried this theory, and it has failed. The obvious conclusion that can be made from this experiment is that the conservative approach to deficit spending and fiscal policy has not, is not and will never work. In the Clinton Era, a similar, sensible approach to deficit spending was taken, and Bill Clinton later left the office with a surplus of $236 billion. When the government switched to a more orthodox method

under former-President George Bush Sr., taxes were decreased and the deficit fell to $4 trillion. It may be the hard thing for some to do, giving up a fraction of their income for the common good, but the future of America requires selflessness. The battery that runs America is dead, it simply needs to be charged by tax dollars. Cutting tax dollars and spending will only keep the battery dead. Simply put, conservative pundits need to de-politicize the debt: the plan that will gain a senator more voters will not solve our nation’s financial failures. It may never be the popular thing to do, but sometimes the bandwagon leads us astray. Sometimes, we all need to take one for the team.

Moderate

Deal, as well as modern day spending in education and military are, if done effectively, examples of “good deficit spending” because these are all necessary items. On the other hand, throwing money at the wall in hopes of creating some jobs to help the economy without a real need for the work the jobs would provide is not a good idea. The most, and possibly the only effective way to utilize deficit spending, is to spend money through the private sector. Due to the constant criticism of government efficiency, private companies should be encouraged to create a competitive mar-

ket to guarantee efficiency. It is important to note a few facts about debt: 1. The majority of our debt is mainly owed to taxpayers who bought savings bonds, not China. Any foreign debt we may have is checked by money that other countries owe the United States. 2. A large debt doesn’t discourage investors. The United States is still the safest investment. Who are they going to invest in ... Greece? 3. The United States is not like your average family in debt who owes a bank some money. The United States isn’t required to pay back our debt mainly because it is owed

to us. 4. Nearly all of the “problems” that people commonly tack on to a high deficit such as a debt ceiling/borrowing limit or sequestration cuts are lies. Nothing requires us to have borrowing limits or automatic cuts. These are things Congress created to get a leg up on the opposing party. Plus, these are clearly not important as we always find ways around them. While we shouldn’t go crazy with it, there really is no imminent danger in having a little deficit spending if it is necessary and done efficiently and effectively.

Conservative

steps into an environment that allows the economy to thrive. Politicians on both sides (yes, even Republicans) have contributed their fair share to creating this massive hole the American people now find themselves stuck in. This is an unfortunate reality of the American climate we find ourselves in. Because of the government’s expansive size and society’s constantly growing dependency on federal investment, it’s really no wonder why we are looking up and realizing just how deep we have gotten. Republicans recently, since gaining majority rule in the House of Representatives, have advocated cuts in the federal budget, especially in areas of “waste” and “social welfare programs.” I am willing to acknowledge that federal spending is necessary in some sectors of the economy, simply because of the dependency

we have created. I hate the dependency, and think that over time, it could be reduced. But what could be done today? The most important action Congress could take is to prioritize spending in a budget. This is a simple, common sense approach that would increase the efficiency of federal investment. After there is a clear budget, cut wasteful spending. There is no way that all sectors of federal investment are as efficient as they could be. This would include military expenditures. The left has proposed new taxes to generate federal revenue. However, why as a country we would take even more away from our citizens trying to recover, blows my mind. They claim they would only be increasing taxes on the wealthy. Although this seems like a nice idea, punishing success is never the answer. Simplifying the tax code to a consump-

tion-tax, is the second step Congress could take to address the ever-growing debt. By taxing based on consumption, it allows more money to be saved in the private sector and businesses, while at the same time generating more revenue for the government. Currently, the tax code is complicated. But if simplified, the government would become more efficient in raising its revenue because everyone consumes something. A 19% tax would generate needed funds for the government to be sustained upon, while allowing the economy to strengthen. The best solution to fix America’s debt problem is to prioritize spending, and address the overly complicated tax code. By taking both of these steps, a stairway to a brighter American economy can begin to undergo construction.

magine that an airplane, flying 35 thousand feet above sea level, suddenly runs out of fuel. As the plane Grant Laster plunges to its impending doom, a conservative might suggest dumping cargo from the plane to lighten the load. Most people would recognize that the failing engines, no matter the weight of the plane, would still cause a fiery crash. The

Jack Ayres

certainly acknowledge the necessity of deficit spending for the continual operation, functioning and responsibility of the government. The United States shouldn’t look to deficit spend just for the fun of it. On one hand, programs like the New

he best way to get out of a hole you’ve dug yourself into is to keep Jessica Skaggs on digging, at least according to most Democrats in the wonderful world of fiscal policy. Or, looking at Grant’s analogy, just fly the economic plane into the nearest gas station in the sky and fill up on the rider’s dime. However, Republicans offer another idea to climb out of the hole. The solution is to stop digging and start building stair

opinion

www.bvswnews.com

october 2012

standard

staffed: Being responsible at school functions by royan black online editor

here is nothing wrong with wanting to be proud of our school. We want to saunter past the Blue Valley High’s football gates, take our post on the bleachers and stamp our feet for the varsity football team. However, a serious problem has arisen at the game regarding the Southwest students. It seems that at games, students are sneaking in questionable materials, not to mention cursing at little kids. How can anyone be proud of that? Simple. They can’t. As near adults, high school students are supposed to be setting the example for the middle and elementary school kids. Showing up drunk and smelling of narcotics not only disgusts parents, but it also indicates to kids that it’s okay to be doing this. If narcotics and alcohol are banned in school, it’s probably a good idea to not be using those at school

functions. We don’t need to be cussing out some little kid because they accidentally wandered into the student section. These behaviors also go against the code of student behavior. It clearly states that ‘obscenity, profanity, or indecency;’ along with ‘possession, transfer, consumption, sale, or being under the influence of alcoholic beverages’ and ‘possession, transfer, use, consumption or sale of narcotics’ is under the tag of unacceptable behavior at schoolsponsored activities. Not to mention it’s illegal. If you want something fun to do before a game, go out to eat and consume something other than the vodka you lifted from your parent’s liquor cabinet. It’s really doubtful that one’s life is so dull that the only way to be entertained is to drown yourself in spirits. Not only is it irresponsible to do this at a function, it also puts yourself in danger. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Ad-

ministration in 2011, the percentage of alcohol-related fatalities involving teen drivers was 31 percent. It may seem like nothing to hop into a car with someone who has had a few too many to drink, but it’s actually putting yourself at risk. Football games should be easygoing and fun, a time to gather and cheer for our team as they run the ball into the end zone. It’s not limited to a specific grade either. Students of all high school grades are guilty of this, it’s not just limited to freshmen and seniors. Listen, it’s understandable to want to have fun on a Friday night at a football game with all your friends, but there are better ways to do it than getting plastered and higher than a kite. What happens if you are driving home drunk and end up being stopped by the police can have serious consequences? More and more states are passing a Zero Tolerance Law. The Kansas Legislature passed

the “Zero Tolerance” law making it illegal for anyone under 21 to operate or attempt to operate a motor vehicle with a blood or breath alcohol concentration (B.A.C.) of .02 or higher. Don’t throw away your entire future just for one drink or a night of fun. No one wants to be known as “that one girl who got drunk at the games all the time” or to be known as “that drunk boy who crashed his car coming home from a game.” If you want to be remembered, be remembered as the kid that said no to drinking or the kid who influenced his friends to stop getting smashed at every game. Go to the games sober and realize that it’s much more enjoyable when you can actually comprehend what’s going on. High school is supposed to be a time of memories and it’s going to be impossible to recall these memories if you’re going through life drunk. Photo illustration by Matt Forster

staff Do you think bad behavior at football games reflects poorly on Southwest?

““

I don’t think the other schools care but the parents might think so.”

Sophomore-Vanessa Peterson

opinion

““

When the other schools see us acting like that, it tends to reflect badly on the school.” Junior-Sam Kaiser

www.bvswnews.com

““

vote

yes - 13 no - 1

your vote

I believe when the parents see the students acting badly, it gives the school a bad label.”

Senior-Courtney Hensler

Go online to bvswnews.com to cast your vote for this month’s editorial question. Read other student responses and comment on the editorial. Make your voice heard at www. bvswnews.com. or mention us on twitter @bvswnews

october 2012

southwest

Perpetuating the problem America’s favorite child pageant show reveals disturbing truths by grant laster staff writer

hey prance across stage like exotic dancers amidst a crowd of screaming fans, and wear bikinis or other promiscuous outfits. These women are not professionals. In fact, most of them still use booster seats and rely heavily on their parents. This group of girls, with ages ranging from 2 to 6 years old, gives the best insight into the world of child pageantry, and based on the viewership of shows such as TLC’s “Toddlers and Tiaras,” America approves. On average, each episode attracts a whopping 1.2 millions viewers per episode, and its most renowned contestant, Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson from Georgia, has accumulated over 10 million views on YouTube. Despite its obvious popularity, the practice of child pageantry must stop. Many people, such as senior Alyssa Phelps, recognize the exploitation of young children that “Toddlers and Tiaras” endorses, yet they continue to watch a train wreck develop in front of their eyes. “I do enjoy the show,” Phelps said. “But it’s like every other reality show: it’s full of crazy people.” Much like fathers trying to relive their ‘glory days’ through their younger sons, the mothers of child pageant stars also live vicariously through their young and impressionable daughters. These children are tools, like Barbie dolls, through which mothers reap notoriety and selfvalidation. Because these girls compete at such young ages, they have never known a life outside of pageantry and hardly know the damage that is being done to them. Pageants ingrain the idea into their minds that beauty is the only significant trait one can possess, but it is such thoughts that can lead to crippling depressions and constant dissatisfaction with their bodies. “It’s teaching girls that looks are the only thing that

matter, and it shouldn’t be like that,” Phelps said. Beauty competitions can even affect a girl’s sexuality as they grow older. By making the connection between using suggestive gestures and getting attention, they will grow up to view sexuality as an act or routine as opposed to a display of passion and feelings. Researchers on the topic believe that, on the most benign level, children are harmed because participating in pageants requires a great time commitment, and in doing so, they are missing out on building relationship with friends, participating in sports and receiving a primary education. On the most basic level, child pageantry robs children of their childhoods. Child pageantry even ingrains injurious ideals into the minds of these young competitors. They begin to learn that natural beauty will only get them so far in life; that their worth and self-esteem are directly based off of being the prettiest girl in the room. Their understanding becomes that looks outweigh attributes such as intelligence, resourcefulness, creativity or cunning. Some supporters of “Toddlers and Tiaras” see the show as an early inroad to Hollywood and success. But, sadly for

The Southwest Standard editor-in-chief meg huwe

features editor ananda bhatia

managing editor madison parr

opinion editor mark maas

web editor royan black

sports editor mariem towakoli

news editor jessica skaggs

special sections editor anna welch

photo editor anna glennon

opinion

photographers matt forster kylie norcross morgan vietti staff writers brianna bogdan jordon fields mackenzie kivett grant laster adviser heather lawrenz

these girls, producers don’t like models who are trained to be fake. This horrifying trend must be stopped. A boycott should be placed on shows like “Toddlers and Tiaras,” and a push must be made for legislation that bans such abusive behavior. Simply watching the show only perpetuates this negative trend, and it must stop.

The Southwest Standard is published ten times a year for students, faculty and surrounding community of Blue Valley Southwest. It is an open forum for student expression. Therefore, the opinions expressed within this paper do not necessarily reflect the views of the administrations of Blue Valley Unified School District #229. Letters to the editor and reader responses are encouraged for publication. The Southwest Standard reserves the right to edit all submissions for both language and content and encourages letters to be no more than 350 words. All letters must be signed and names will be published.

www.bvswnews.com

National Beauty Pageant Statistics:

-An estimated 3 million children participate in beauty pageants in the US -“Toddlers and Tiaras” has aired for five seasons and has had hundreds of contestants -Participants are requires to wear specific outfits, according to the judges Statistics courtesy of ABC News Network http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=126315&page=1

Letters should be submitted to room 118, emailed to bvswnews@gmail.com or mailed to: The Southwest Standard c/o Blue Valley Southwest High School 17600 Quivira Overland Park, KS 66085

The Southwest Standard also encourages guest photography. Photos should be submitted to room 118 with information pertaining to the photos.

october 2012

standard

Fall Favorites

by madison parr managing editor

Whether it be football games, Halloween parties or Thanksgiving, every get together is a must for fall treats. There is nothing like the aroma of apple pancakes and pumpkin rolls throughout the house. Fall not only brings many festivities, but also many delicious recipes. Read on to discover how to make some of the tastiest and most festive meals of autumn.

Apple Pancakes with Cider Syrup

For the full recipe on Apple Pancakes and many other delicious fall recipes visit www.pinterest.com/bvswnews/

Photo by: Madison Parr

Apple Nachos Ingredients:

• • • • • • • •

36 caramels 1 tablespoon water 30 large marshmallows 1/3 cup butter, cubed 4 medium tart apples, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices 1/3 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts 1/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips 3 tablespoons Halloween sprinkles

Caramel Apple Muffins Ingredients: • • • • • • •

Your favorite apple muffins 8 ounces softened cream cheese 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon maple syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla extract orange and brown paste food coloring chopped nuts craft stick

Directions:

•

In microwave, melt caramels with water; stir until smooth Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt marshmallows and butter. Arrange apple slices on a large platter. Drizzle with caramel; top with marshmallow mixture. Sprinkle with peanut, chocolate chips and sprinkles. Serve immediately.

•

arts & entertainment

Chocolate Drizzled Trail Mix

Pear Nut Biscuits

Ingredients:

• • • • • •

• • • • • • • • •

3 cups nuts (peanuts, almonds, pecans) 1/2 cup of sunflower seeds 1/2 cup coconut flakes 1 cup raisins 1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Bake or use batch of your favorite apple • muffins in reusable paper liners and let them cool. Use an electric mixer to blend 8 ounces softened cream cheese, 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon maple syrup, and 1 • teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. Add paste food coiling: 1 small dollop of orange and 2 small dollops of brown. Blend until evenly incorporated. If needed, add more color until the desired shade of caramel is reached. Frost each muffin and coat or edge it with chopped nuts. Slide a craft stick into the center of each.

Mix together the nuts, sunflower seeds, coconut flakes, raisins and dried cranberries or cherries. Spread the mixture on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave. Pour the chocolate over the baking sheet in ribbons. Stir to coat everything, let the chocolate cool, then break the mix and pack it in individual containers.

www.bvswnews.com

1- 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons cold butter 1 egg 1/2 cup half-and-half cream 1 cup chopped peeled ripe pears 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions: •

•

In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Whisk egg and cream; stir into crumb mixture just until moistened. Fold in pears and pecans. Drop by 1/4 cupfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

october 2012

southwest

What to watch this fall on television

Reviews of premiering and returning shows Elementary

Photo of Lucy Liu, courtesy of http:// www.flickr.com/photos/crespoevents/5544351709/

If you like: “The Mentalist” or “House” Airs on: CBS Premiered Sept. 27 Airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. lementary presents itself as a modern rendition of the classic Sherlock Holmes detective stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The show stars actor Jonny Lee Miller as an American Holmes and, in a surprising twist, Lucy Liu portrays the female interpretation of Dr. Watson. Elementary is set in

New York City where Sherlock Holmes is a recovering addict with former surgeon Joan Watson hired to be the detective’s sober companion, who eventually becomes his crime-solving accomplice. With this in mind, it’s hard to tell whether the show is a fast-paced and unique thriller or merely one of the many generic crime shows already on television, but with the widely known image of Sherlock Holmes stapled to it. After watching the promo on CBS senior Hannah Cohen decided to tune in for the first episode.

by brianna bogdan staff writer

“I was hooked,” she said. “It’s got a little bit of everything: action, suspense and mystery.” Cohen plans to make it one of her regular watches, having been a fan of Liu’s work. “When I was little I was obsessed with Charlie’s Angels, and she’s one of the angels so of course I was excited that she was in it,” Cohen said. So, for a student who has read all the Sherlock Holmes books or is simply a lover of crime shows, Elementary is worth taking a peek at this fall.

The Walking Dead If you like: “American Horror Story,” “Supernatural” or “Lost” Airs on: AMC Returned Oct. 14 Airs Sundays at 8 p.m.

action-based, but upon closer inspection the series also contains a lot of the elements that make up a drama. “Even my wife who hates comics and scary movies likes it,” Tyson Ostroski said. He has been tuned in since season one. As the plot unfolds, many secrets between the survivors are formed and exposed, including many instances of betrayal and a dangerous love triangle. Monster-slaughtering aside, “The Walking Dead” explores how humans interact when strained to keep themselves and their

television adaptation of the comic book written by Robert Kirkman, “The Walking Dead” is a story about life during a zombie apocalypse. The show follows Rick Grimes, played by actor Andrew Lincoln, who leads a group of fellow survivors as they struggle to stay alive. At first glance, “The Walking Dead” may seem purely

The Mindy Project If you like: “New Girl,” “Scrubs” or “Bridesmaids” Airs on: Fox Premiered Sept. 25 Airs Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m.

Photo of Mindy Kaling, courtesy of http:// www.flickr.com/photos/watchwithkristin/3226778153/

arts and entertainment

ollowing the success of the movie “Bridesmaids,” more and more sitcoms this year have been incorporating female leads, which isn’t an entirely new idea. Shows such as “I Love Lucy” and “Roseanne” were driven to success by their leading ladies. But unlike past years, these comedians are not playing the wife or mother figure but instead independent, single women. Sophomore

families among the living. “It deals with the characters’ relationships and their pasts,” Ostroski said. The critically acclaimed series, which won the Saturn Award for Best Television Presentation among other recognitions, has already formed a large fan base which anxiously awaits the series’ return. “It’s for geeky people – people who like something different,” Ostroski said. For an ample fill of gore, action and drama, catch “The Walking Dead” when it returns for its third season this fall.

Brant Milleborg, who enjoyed the movie “Bridesmaids,” feels like ladies can do just as well as men in the humor department. “Women can do whatever they want,” Milleborg said. “They don’t have to be just a mother.” “The Mindy Project” follows that 2012 trend exactly. Actress Mindy Kaling, known for her part in “The Office,” will play Dr. Mindy Lahiri in her pursuit to become “the perfect woman.” Lahiri sets multiple goals for the things she wants to accomplish in life, which she repeats as a mantra to inspire or get her through a particularly rough set of antics. The show’s comedy sprouts from

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Photo of Andrew Lincoln, courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/45019754@ N02/7606818500/

her struggle to obtain these seemingly impossible ideals while trying to find the guy that meets all the strict points on her mental checklist. Because the main character is a woman, the jokes featured are different than what male-dominated sitcoms discuss. “Girls make jokes about the things guys do and it’s funny because we actually do that stuff,” Milleborg said. “Females comedians have a different outlook.” It’s like the basic romantic comedy unraveled over a span of episodes, so viewers are kept guessing whether Lahiri will get her happily-wedded ending or not.

october 2012

standard

Making waves at the World Final Junior Anna Glennon competes in national jet ski competition by meg huwe editor-in=chief *Editor’s note: It is the policy of the Standard to report newsworthy events that do not promote the interest of our staff. However, in the case that a staff member accomplishes a feat worth reporting, the Standard is entitled to cover said subject.

wenty girls stand in the shallow water of the beach, gripping the handlebars of their jet skis as their holders stand next to them, pulling back against the revving jet ski to keep them from jumping the starting band too early. The tension builds as the flagman drops the card and the riders look to the band. Looking from left to right, junior Anna Glennon realizes she is competing with girls who have four to five more years of experience than her. The band snaps and those anxious thoughts are drowned out by the revving of engines and a blast of jet wash. She leans back, opens up the throttle and lets the jet ski take off, hoping to beat the 19 other riders to the first buoy and keep it together until the end of the race. Anna began riding a stand up jet ski when she was 12. She began jet skiing competitively during her sophomore year. After her first season, she got the opportunity to compete in the International Jet Boat Association’s 2012 Hot Products World Finals in Lake Havasu City, Ariz. The World Finals took place Oct. 1 - 7, and brought in hundreds of high-level riders from across the world. Teams were represented from Kuwait, Australia, Serbia, Sweden, Canada, Brazil, Russia, Argentina, Dubai, Portugal and more. Anna and six other riders represented Kansas, though out of those six, Anna was the only girl. Representing her sponsors, Rad Dudes Freestyle Innovations and CrashForensics.com, Anna went toe to

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toe against the world’s best riders. In her race alone, more than five countries were represented. Last spring, after joking around with her father about racing, Anna decided she wanted to compete. Since then, every weekend over the summer they went to practice, primarily at the Lake of the Ozarks, where her father made a homemade race course for her to practice on. Jet ski courses are similar to that of motocross courses. There are about 15 to 20 buoys that are different colors. The colors signify the directions of the turns. Races are classified based on skill levels and sometimes age: junior, beginner, novice, amateur and professional. Women and men also may be separated into different races as well. There are typically six riders per race in a regional race. The World Finals brings a bigger crowd, with at least twenty riders per race. For this reason, there are more races and the event lasts a full week. There are also different categories of jet skis, and each depends on the modifications.

Anna raced in the novice women’s limited class at the World Finals. This was her first time competing in this class, as she normally competes in the stock class for regional races. In the stock class, jet skis that have not been modified are raced, challenging the skill of the riders. While in the limited class, certain modifications can be made to increase power, as long as they follow the rules. The top three finishers in a race must take their engines apart to make sure that there are running limitedclass legal. “I was one of the only girls racing a stock ski in the limited class,” she said. “It was really intimidating knowing these girls all had crazy mods under their hoods. Going into the race I knew it was going to be a tough fight.” Anna races a Kawasaki 800SXR stand up jet ski, which she has only been riding for half her season. The jet ski used to belong to Spencer Sieracki a two time world finalist. Riding as No. 777, she has taken first place in all her races since getting this jet ski. Anna and her father did a lot of

searching to find this jet ski. Races have qualifying rounds, called heats, and depending on how one finishes he/she can move on to the next round. The rounds after the heats are called motos, and the final ranking is determined by how a rider finishes in his or her motos. The number a rider finishes as counts for points – lower numbers being more and higher numbers being less. The rider’s average score in the motos determines his or her final standing. After making her World Finals debut, Anna qualified in the heat race with an 11th place. She finished moto one in 9th place and finished her last moto in 13th place. She placed 13th overall, which ranked her as 13th in the world after her first season. “In general she progressed rapidly,” Anna’s father John Glennon said. “For me to watch her progression is really amazing. Most noticeably is the short period of time she’s been riding. Kids with four or five years of experience were beating her pretty bad at the beginning of the season. She’s caught up to them and

surpassed most of them. She’s very dedicated.” Anna already has begun training to improve for the next season, and she hopes to move up from her current ranking of 13th. She hopes for more support in her upcoming season. “It’s always hard for me,” she said. “Going out there by myself, you can’t hear whether or not someone’s cheering for you over the sound of the engine. I’ve got my family, and my sponsors have been amazing, but who wouldn’t want more people on their side of the bleachers? It’s been great seeing more of my schoolmates support this crazy dream I’m chasing.” Once next season gets underway, Anna plans to race the IJSBA National Tour, travelling across the country to compete, along with racing in any regional races she can find. “I want to get my name out there,” she said. “I’ve found a unique way to do that, and I’m going to run with it and give it all I’ve got. I hope I can put my name on the map in a different way.”

As she opens up the throttle, Junior Anna Glennon puts her weight toward the back of the tray. The first race she competed in on the No. 777 jet ski was the Mid American Shoot Out on July 28. She took first place out of six in two motos that day. Photo submitted by Anna Glennon.

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october 2012

southwest

Varsity football vs. BVNW: Oct.

Timberwolves varsity football defended their home turf against the Blue Valley Northwest Huskies on Fri. Oct. 5. While the game was back and forth the whole time, the Timberwolves managed to pull a win, ending with a final score of 35-28. “It was a big win for our program,” head coach Bill Lowe said. “I was really proud of the effort with which our guys played. They know the most important games are ahead of us, and we can’t be satisfied with where we are at.”

Southwest victory 35-28

Top left: The starters gather together during the game to discuss strategy. Bottom left: During the performance of their half time show, Structure of Design, sophomore Emma Lucas performs a visual as she holds her saxophone. Photos by Kylie Norcross. Top right: At the line of scrimmage, senior Anthony Miller squats low and keeps his eyes on the opponent. Bottom right: Lining up for a field goal, senior Ben Lewis prepares to kick as senior Aaron Ramsey holds the ball. Photos by Morgan Vietti.

football

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october 2012

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Varsity soccer vs. BVNW:

Oct. 9

In the cold night air, the varsity boys soccer team took on the No. 1 ranked soccer team in the state, the Blue Valley Northwest Huskies on Tues., Oct. 9. Despite the 11 shots on goal made, the Timberwolves managed to keep the Huskies at bay. “We competed very well and created some good opportunities against the No. 1 team in the state,” head coach Jason Pendleton said. “We were overmatched physically, but overcame that disparity to make the game interesting for the entire match.”

Southwest loss 0 - 1

Top left: With the ball behind his head, junior Jacob Flores throws the ball back into play during the first half of the game. Bottom left: Eyes on the ball, senior Brett Young receives a pass from a fellow teammate before kicking the ball down the field toward the opponent’s goal. Above: After signalling to a fellow teammate on the field, senior Aaron Lippert punts the ball from the goal. Photos by Anna Glennon.

soccer

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october 2012

briefs sports

Girls Tennis in Topeka

The girls tennis team went to the State tournament in Topeka on Oct. 13, marking a new high for the team. In previous years, the team fought hard, but only managed to make it to the Regional competitions in 2010 and 2011. Senior Kelsi Kirwin and her doubles partner freshman Melisa Capan both played well at Regionals and made it to the state competition. “We were a lot closer to winning this year,” Kirwin said. “None of us placed in

Football team tackles the rest of the district

The football team has a chance for greatness this season. The team has had a solid reputation so far, having won 4 games and lost 3. Recently, the team defeated Blue Valley Northwest. The match was difficult for both sides. In the end, however, the Timberwolves took home the victory with a score of 48 to 25. Senior Dylan O’Dell is a varsity football player who said he will step up his

Boys soccer team has its final push this season

Like the volleyball team, the soccer team has improved greatly compared to previous years. As of Oct. 11, the team has had six wins, six losses and two ties. Even still, winning the district is a possibility. If they can win the district, the team will head to the state tournament. On Oct. 18, the team will face Blue Valley High School, and how they do will also determine who they will face on Oct. 25.

state, but it was a good experience for all of us.” Kirwin and Capan said they both made great progress compared to previous years, especially at regionals. “I, throughout the last two years, didn’t get to State,” Kirwin said. “We played well and placed 5th at regionals.” The tennis team may not have placed at sState, but in years to come the team will improve even more, which Kirwin believes can lead to state placement. “We have more spirit this year,” she said. “We’ve bonded more as a team.” game, just like the rest of the team, as the season comes to a close. “We always expect to go in and win, no matter what,” O’Dell said. “If we can win the next 3 games, we will win district and go to state.” Considering the past success of the team, winning district is in the realm of possibility. It’s just a matter of having the determination. “It’s been a good season for us,” O’Dell said. “We’ve all been working really hard.”

Junior David Hu is a varsity soccer player who has high hopes for the rest of his team this year. “I think we’ve had a good season as a team so far,” Hu said. “We need to stay focused together and keep working at it.” Compared to last year, the team has made great progress. Before, they had more losses than wins, but this year they have the same number of wins and losses. “We’re working hard and putting a lot of effort into playing,” Hu said. “Hopefully, we can get wins in the next two games.”

Coming soon this month: Oct. 19

Oct. 20

Oct. 22

Oct. 23

Oct. 24

Cross Country Regionals Varsity Volleyball Tourn. Varsity Football vs BVW

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southwest by mark maas opinion editor

Girls golf heads to state

On Oct. 15, the girls golf team went to the state tournament in Emporia, KS. The competition was fierce, but the girls managed to proform with their usual expertise. At regionals, on Oct. 8, they qualified as a team to go to the state tournament. Only the top three teams in the region go to state. Senior Laura Vanderheiden is a varsity golf player who had a total score of 99 at regionals. “Regionals was my best tournament of the year,” Vanderheiden said. ”I think the state tournament is on a pretty easy course. We’ll do pretty well at state.” Sophomore Nicole McCurdy had the most impressive preformance at regionals,

Volleyball team sets new heights

mines if we go to state.” The girls fought Olathe East on Oct. 9, and once again had a tough fight. “We went to 3 with Olathe East and lost,” Phelps said. “I think we expected it to be a good game.” On Oct. 13, the team fought hard all day against many different schools. Among these were Olathe Northwest, Mill Valley, Olathe East, Shawnee Mission North, and Shawnee Mission South. As the fall season comes to close, the team has grown in strength, and could bring us home the state title.

Cross country to compete at Regionals

girls team, senior Maleigh Pagenkopf and sophomore Alyssa Yarbrough are AllLeague runners. On Oct. 20 the varsity teams will go to Regionals at Shawnee Mission Park. The top three finishing teams go to State, though individuals can still qualify. “Our goal ultimately is to qualify as many people and/or teams to state,” assistant coach Aaron Ballew said. “They both have a very tough region, but I think they’ll do well.”

The varsity volleyball team is a heading to substate on Oct. 20, currently having a solid 18 wins and 12 losses overall, as of Oct. 10. Freshman Jenna Phelps is a varsity volleyball player, and said the team had their best preformance in Southwest history this year. “I think we should finish pretty strong,” Phelps said. “Substate is coming up on the twentieth[Oct. 20]. That tournament deter-

The cross country team hosted EKL at Lone Elm Park on Oct. 11. This race marked the end of the season for all juniorvarsity runners, but varsity teams have one, potentially two more races. The boys varsity team finished 2nd overall. Freshman Tristan Eastham and sophomore Justin Hicklin are All-League runners by finishing in the top 10. On the

Oct. 25

Oct. 26

Varsity Soccer Regionals Squad and Sophomore Football vs BVW

Photo by Anna Glennon

having an individual score of 78. The bar was set high for both her and the rest of the girls golf team to preform well at the state tournament.

Oct. 27

Oct. 29

Oct. 30

Oct. 31

State Cross Country at Rim Rock

Varsity Football vs Pittsburg

For a full calender of all sports events, visit http://www.usatodayhss.com/school/blue-valley-southwest-overland-park-ks

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october 2012

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Rivalry Reoccurs

Fans anticipate an intense varsity football game vs. West by mariem towakoli sports editor

is blockers reacted, fanning out, and the crowd jumped to their feet with high hopes of what the next big move to be made was. All of a sudden, the green field opened up before him – senior Ben Lewis ran in the touchdown against Bishop Miege on Sept. 28. Players and fans are hoping that Southwest will repeat this scene Friday, Oct. 19, against West, when the Timberwolves take on the Jaguars. As the game reaches closer to reality, students anticipate a change for what Southwest should be known for other than “the rejects.” “We have been rivalry schools since Southwest opened and we are constantly told that we aren’t good enough,” senior Betsy Upton said. “Beating West would show our school coming together and becoming a real tough competition for the future.” Fans of the Wolf-pack known as @BVSWSUPAFANS on Twitter, discuss Spirit days for games, encourage students to go to Southwest sporting events and to bring their spirit along with them. Media interaction online has become an informal way to show off the spirit from students and as well as excite them for what is to come with

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any sporting event. The class of 2013 has led the school in class competitions and enforced spirit days on game days for students to participate in and to get more fans to attend the games. “The themes have helped a lot and have gotten more people involved because it’s a fun way to show spirit and show our support to our school,” senior Zach Rosenkrans said. “The school is becoming closer and I think the school enjoys supporting all the different teams this year.” The pack’s first year of existence as a team brought in a close victory with a final score of 36-35 in 2010, but lost in last year’s season with a final score 14-10. For this year’s final score, head varsity football coach Bill Lowe expects the best from his players and an intense game for the them, as well as the fans. “All of our games are very important and we hope to play well every Friday,” Lowe said. “I expect a well-played, hard-fought game by both teams, as it is a district game and will be one of the games that determines a playoff possibility.” The current record of the 2012 varsity football season is 4-3 and has already been a more successful season than the previous two years. The rivalry game is approaching and super fans anticipate the outcome of this imperative game.

“The support is finally paying off, and so many of the kids at Southwest went to West before Southwest opened,” senior Maddie Hampton said. “To finally beat a school some of us went to is a huge accomplishment and could give our school a new name for itself. We go through so much adversity and are still a family at the end of the day.” Varsity tight end senior Anthony Miller predicts a win over the Blue Valley West varsity football team and to excite the fans of Southwest. “We have stronger, more physical players than last year, and more experience than ever before,” Miller said. “This is a big game for Southwest, and the senior class is ready to get to work.” The stadium’s student section of Southwest has recognizably increased in the number of fans that come to support the football team each week. Seniors Aaron Ramsey and Anthony Miller celebrate after “In previous years, our school was the game-winning sack on the opposing quarterback during the Blue Valley Northwest game. not a family, and now that we have all joined together, students are starting to show more pride and spirit by actually participating in spirit days and coming to games,” senior Zac Rogers said. “This really made the games more enjoyable for the players as well, because they know we actually want to see them perform well when we all are cheering in the stands.”

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As he runs up the field, sophomore Johnny Dunlap gets a first down for the Timberwolves. Photos by Morgan Vietti.

october 2012

Fall choral concert:

Students’ performance showcases vocal skills

Top: Chorale takes a moment to pause before beginning the final song of the concert that took place Thurs. Oct. 10. This concert featured over ten songs performed by students. Above: Mouthing the words along with the choir, director Susan Scheibler gets into the music along with her students as they perform “Let Me Ride.” Scheibler guided students through the songs from her position at center stage. Left: As they sing, “You Gotta Be A Football Hero,” junior Johnny Tapp and his partner junior Lauren Henke perform the choreography alongside senior Ian Ostrom and his partner senior Isabel Quinn. The dance to this piece was choreographed by junior Lauren Mylin and performed by the chamber singers during the concert.

choral concert

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october 2012