the
standard myygbiggest gg thing is just jy trying to g strayy from the bas ic
the standard blue valley southwest volume 6 | issue 5
It’s purple,, pp kind of edgy [dye] ing to be different
a little chaotic and a little different
students express the reasons behind their colored hair feature: pages 13-15
inside
i am more than special sections: page 6 transformation feature: page 10 super bowl for dummies sports: page 18 a change of heart news: page 28
you kind of gget yf addicted to hair dyeing
Front cover: Students share their uniqueness by dyeing their hair various colors. Read on pages 13/15 to see how they express the reasons behind their colored hair. photo illustration by Abby Yi
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contents www.bvswnews.com volume 6 | issue 5
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features 10 | transformation 20 | just a boy and his dog 23 | color the mind 30 | a piece of cake
22 31
sports 18 | super bowl for dummies 31 | below the surface
opinion 16
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8 | we are the millennials
news 16 | crowning moment 26 | practice what you peach 28 | a change of heart
special sections 4 | the debate down low
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6 | i am more than 13 | [dye] ing to be different
online exclusive gallery: girls varsity basketball vs. bv high gallery: diversity assembly
Editor’s Note
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he last time I wrote an editor’s note about a year ago, I recall griping about the difficulty of coming up with a philosophical realization that should be shared with our readers. I still haven’t
thestandard editor-in-chief lexi tarter online editor-in-chief margo johnson
come up with that philosophical realization, and that may never happen.
associate editor michael magyar
But similar to last year, I’m writing this editor’s note after just having
business manager nicole becker
finished writing about a topic that is certainly relevant today in our school – transgender students. I was initially hesitant to write this story, as I had worries about possible backlash — not toward the article itself, but toward the transgender student interviewed for the story. While I know that not everyone will agree with the lifestyles of the those included in the story, my co-writer and I recognize the benefits of being part of the student newspaper and the opportunities we have to share our writing with a large platform. I know that this article won’t suddenly change the views of all our readers. However, I hope that the article can promote a degree of education about the transgender community, which is something all people interviewed for this story reiterated is important. Another recurring point that I heard during interviews for the story was the importance of diversity, and this issue celebrates diversity in multiple ways. As you read over stories about transgender students, students defying stereotypes and overcoming their obstacles, students with special needs and students expressing themselves with their unique hair
photo editor delaney oliver online photo editor donna armstrong social media manager blake gustafson writing coaches nicole becker michael magyar design coaches lillie hoffart riley martin staff writers uma desai sydney swyers seth wingerter photographers lily smith kara torgler graphic designers kate bowling abby yi adviser rachel urban
colors, I hope you all realize the importance of diversity and acceptance.
| onlineeditor-in-chief
The Southwest Standard is published seven 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 administration 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.
| rileymartin
6 in
state titles
6 3 4
years regional titles
The debate team has competed at the KCKCC national tournament, the Iowa Valley national tournament, Iowa Caucus national tournament, and the Chicago Glenbrooks national tournament. Upcoming tournaments include: CFL Nationals in Sacramento, NSDA nationals in Salt Lake City and NDCA nationals in Orlando.
FUN Fact
district titles
Debate coach Jared Zuckerman said the varsity debaters spend at least 2-3 hours per night preparing for a debate.
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Songs by Taylor Swift are the music of choice on most work nights or road trips. 4 | feb. 2015 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | special sections
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| lexitarter
students reflect on what they don’t let define them
T H A N...
I AM MORE
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(1) Freshman Maddy Hunt said being more than a few extra pounds has shaped her to understand people who don’t fit into the general ‘norm.’ “You are beautiful the way you are. Don’t let people define you with how you look,” Hunt said. (2) For senior Brooke Egan, her anxiety doesn’t define her in her day-to-day life. “It’s really easy to let something like anxiety control you on a daily basis, so, to me, being more than it means taking control of my own life,” Egan said.
be helped to get over them. “It doesn’t define me but it is definitely still a small part of my life and who I am,” Striebinger said. (6) Senior Patrick Seagraves has suffered with depression for as long as he can remember. “I know just how hard it can be, and I want to be there for anyone who is dealing with it too,” Seagraves said. (7) Senior Luke Brown is more than his addiction to nicotine. “When an administrator confiscated my e-cigarette I realized
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(3) To be more than her makeup to junior Lindsey Tobin means to be more than what people think defines her. “There is more to a person than what it appears,” Tobin said. “People are more than their looks.” (4) Being more than her Jewish religion to senior Brianna Bartalos means being like everybody else but being raised differently. “Just because I may believe different religious aspects doesn’t mean I don’t have feelings just as others do,” Bartalos said. (5) Anorexia has made senior Charlee Striebinger realize that everyone has different problems that can’t necessarily always be how unnecessary it was to my life,” Brown said. (8) Senior Sara Stowe Eskilson’s moms chose a sperm donor to be her “father” even though they weren’t guaranteed to be treated with respect. “Being a test tube baby reminds me of how much my parents wanted my brother and I,” Stowe Eskilson said. “I’m very thankful to have two parents like mine; it’s taught me the importance of loving others.” (9) Freshman Caroline Ayres has struggled with her eating disorder for about three and a half years. Ayres said an eating disorder isn’t who she is, it’s just something she struggles with.
Hello we are the
MILLENNIALS millennials unfairly receive a bad reputation
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illennials are the future leaders of America, those that will guide the country through the energy crisis, the social security crisis and any others that may arise in the next 40 years. They are defined as anyone born between 1980 and 2000, yet they represent much more than just an age group. They have grown up with technology, and in a time when advances are progressing at an exponential rate, they bring a familiarity with technology that is unparalleled by other generations, bringing with it the potential to change the world. Yet with these great experiences and a formidable task at hand, older generations have unwisely doubted the capacity of the generation, simply distrusting them because of their different style and strengths.
Characterizing Millennials by their obsession with social media and phones, members of Gen X and prior have led the movement against Millennials, which can be best described by the Forbes headlines “Are Millennials ‘Deluded Narcissists’?” and “Are Millennials Lazy Or AvantGarde Social Activists?” English teacher Marilyn Brewer has taught for over 45 years, and after noticing significant shifts among generations, she said Millennials are ready to change the world. “I think that they will figure it out,” Brewer said. “Millennials are not going to be quite as focused on having a huge house; they recognize there is a problem, and they are going to be smarter about the way they approach it.” However, a new problem has arisen
8 | feb. 2016 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | opinion
with the technological revolution, as faceto-face contact is potentially suffering due to the increased use of technological communication. “I feel this generation can be superficial and lonely,” Brewer said. “Texting has caused us to lack communication and social skill.” Additionally, accompanying the wave of technology has been the influx of information and a subsequent rise in the number of opinions on the internet. With so many opinions prevalent, it is easier to borrow someone else’s ideas instead of formulating one’s own. “An advantage to teaching is that if I have a question for anything, I can go find the answer,” Brewer said. “The downside to that is that I don’t have to look for my answer.”
The lack of the necessity to look for one’s own answer to certain problems could potentially have a leading role in dropping levels of creativity. According to the College of William and Mary, creativity levels have been dropping among all age groups since 1990, and a large part of those creative thoughts are built from abstract thinking. When abstract thinking is replaced by immediate searches, it is only reasonable to see why creativity levels are declining. “Patience doesn’t exist any longer,” English teacher Katherine Buchanan said. “Everyone expects instant gratification in terms of anything.” Society has modeled itself off of this form of instant gratification, specifically through the rise of Netflix, Amazon Prime and many other services. No longer do Millennials have to endure minor inconveniences, such as commercials or having to go to a store; they instead receive immediate gratification. Because of this instant gratification, it has lead to continual streaming, continual action, which has led to non-stop lifestyles, making stress easy to accumulate. “Millennials tend to be more rushed with how they handle things, and they tend to always be going,” senior Swetha Jasti said. “We’ve got to be engaged all of the time because we have that instant gratification of being on our phones.” In a changing society, this infatuation with technology has led to new advantages, specifically through intelligence, as anything can be looked up immediately. Given such a wealth of information, Millennials should be able to learn more than any generation ever has before, and in turn, they should be able to think more, discover more and
advance the world further. “[Millennials] are smarter than we used to be,” Brewer said. “Because they grew up with the computer always, they have no fear about being able to find things, do things or access information.” The growing intelligence has been apparent, as according to the Pew Reasearch Center, 33 percent of Millennials own a four-year college degree or higher, already making them the most educated generation in America. Further, the increased education and knowledge consumed translates to processing abilities, as according to the Washington Post, Millennials score an average of six points higher on IQ tests compared to those that are 20 years older than them. Of the gains, logical reasoning has one of the greatest improvements over past generations, leaving Millennials more capable and more willing to find better solutions to more complex problems. Although they are more capable, a significant amount of the problem solving process comes from the ability to learn from past experiences, and Millennials lack that wisdom. “[Millennials] know so many facts, but developing wisdom can only come with understanding people through face-to-face communication,” Brewer said. However, what Millennials lack in wisdom they make up for in eagerness to learn and willingness to be inventive. “I feel like our generation is more optimistic,” Jasti said. “We like to take problems and find a way to solve them instead of taking them as they are. With technology and how much information we have access to, we know there are so many ways to solve problems.” Millennials have also shown that
they care about solving these very problems the future faces. Despite decreasing political participation, social activism is high, as according to TBWA, nearly seven out of 10 Millennials identify as social activists, with one third attending some sort of rally or contacting a local representative. Among their highest priorities are education, health care, the energy crisis and social issues, such as gay rights and marijuana legalization. Even though Millennials are leaders in the field of activism and emerging leaders in the technological field, the reason they are looked down upon is not in their qualifications but in generationism. Generationism is defined by the inherent worrying about younger generations, and published examples of these doubts span back to 1950, when writers from TIME Magazine profiled the continual doubt. Unwarranted were those claims, as that generation not only fought and won the World War II, but also propelled America into the economic prosperity of the 1950s and were at the forefront of social change in the 1960s. The same potential exists for today’s Millennials, a generation with all-time high levels of intelligence, diversity and exposure to technology. Despite facing problems such as a possibly bankrupt Social Security and global warming, there is still good reason for optimism. “I have a lot of hope for the future generations,” Brewer said. “We have got a group of really smart students that can go into the future and figure things out.” | sethwingerter graphics by Kate Bowling
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transformation junior Devon Orth faces the challenges of coming out as transgender
10 | feb. 2016 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | feature
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he first day of school brought junior Devon Orth the traditional new-student jitters. After leaving behind bad influences and unhealthy friendships at Blue Valley Northwest, Orth was nervous but eager for a fresh start. But creating new relationships and becoming accustomed to a new set of teachers weren’t the only changes that the new school year carried. The beginning of the school year marked Orth identifying as male. When Orth was in elementary school, he always chose to be a boy when playing pretend games with his friends. His avatar in video games was always male, he shopped in the boy’s department, and he bonded with his father by playing football and attending monster truck rallies. Because of Orth’s tomboy appearance, he was sometimes asked if he was a boy or girl. While Orth would respond with “girl,” it never quite felt right. It wasn’t until Orth’s sophomore year that he came out as transgender to his close friends. Despite being met with acceptance, Orth supposed it would be too difficult to change his pronouns with the students he had attended school with since second grade. But once he transferred, Orth saw the opportunity to identify as what he felt was his true self. Orth officially came out as transgender in a post on Facebook on Coming Out Day in October 2015. But as Orth learned, not everyone — especially his family members — was accepting. “When I came out to my grandma, I asked her if it was OK, and she said, ‘No,’ and that she’d pray for me — it was terrible,” Orth said. “I started crying because I’ve always been my grandma’s favorite grandkid, and she’s never been mean to me, but just to hear her say something like that hurts really badly.” Familial rejection is common among transgender teenagers. According to the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles, while LGBTQ youth make up less than 10 percent of the population, they account for 40 percent of homeless youth. Counselor Shari Schaake said although it may be difficult for family to understand what a transgender child is experiencing, familial acceptance and support are nevertheless crucial to a transgender child’s transition. “Feeling accepted and loved are core values,” Schaake said. “If he’s not being accepted by his family members or friends, he has nothing to connect to. That’s the thing [transgender] kids most struggle
with. If you’re not being accepted by your parents, you feel like you’re a failure and that you’re letting down [those] who are probably the most important people in your life.” Orth said coming from a religious family has made it difficult for family members to accept his new identity. His mother, Stephanie Steiniger, is his only family member who has made an effort to use his correct pronouns, and he said the rest of his family ignores how he chooses to identify. Although Steiniger said she has always unconditionally supported Orth, the coming out process has still been difficult. “When Devon came out as gay, I didn’t care; transgender is different because when Devon came out as gay, I never felt like a failure,” Steiniger said. “With transgender, it’s a constant, ‘What did I do wrong?’ Everything you thought you knew is gone. Every parent thinks of walking their child down the aisle and having babies — that’s gone. It’s not that my dreams are crushed. It’s now I have different dreams, and I have to figure out what those dreams are going to be.” Steiniger said there are three phases that parents go through when their child comes out as transgender: denial, grievance and acceptance. She said for her, the denial phase was short lived, and she describes herself as being at the point where she is accepting Orth’s new identity, but she is still grieving the loss of a daughter. “I wish I knew what the future held, but I don’t,” Steiniger said. “I’m doing the best that I can, and when I say that, it’s me doing the best that I can as a parent of a child who is obviously going through some really heavy [stuff]. The universe knew what it was doing when it gave me Devon as a child. I think I’m the perfect parent for him because I do support him and will always love him. I’ll do whatever it takes to make him happy and keep him safe.” Orth said his experience at school has been anything but similar to his experience with his family. He’s found a group of people he can relate to in Diversity Club and Gay-Straight Alliance, his teachers have been willing to refer to him as his preferred pronouns, and the school has been generally accommodating of his transition. Schaake said while the older generation is still becoming accustomed to transgender people, she often finds the younger generation is the most accepting of diversity.
The transgender flag was first introduced at an LGBTQ pride parade in Phoenix in 2000. The light blue and pink stripes represent the traditional colors for boys and girls, respectively, while the white stripe signifies those who are intersex, transitioning or don’t identify with a gender.
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“I feel like the student population is so much more educated and so much more accepting,” Schaake said. “The student population recognizes people are people — they’re not to fit into some cookie-cutter mold. I think, as adults, we can learn from that because we were all raised a little differently, so we’re all learning.” Although Orth was teased at a younger age, he said he is fortunate he has not been bullied directly to his face since coming out as transgender. However, when Orth used the boys restroom at school shortly after coming out, he realized not all his classmates were accepting of his identity. “I have a friend who heard people saying, ‘Oh, did you hear the transgender was using the guys bathroom? I would have punched it in the face if I saw it in there,’” Orth said. “I was bullied in third grade because people couldn’t tell if I was a boy or girl, so they’d call me ‘it,’ so I’m very sensitive when people call me ‘it.’ I have a hard time controlling myself when people are being ignorant.” For his safety and in order to not start controversy, Orth devised a plan with Schaake and principal Scott Roberts for his restroom usage at school. Orth currently uses the gender-neutral restroom in the nurse’s office and is allowed to use whichever restroom he chooses in the office. While Roberts has worked on an individual basis with transgender students on restroom policies, he hasn’t yet encountered the situation where a transgender student wanted to join a sports team or use the locker rooms. “There are more and more students who are choosing to identify themselves as transgender, and now we’ve got to figure out how we can make students feel comfortable — that’s the number one thing,” Roberts said. “We don’t have all the answers, and it’s not perfect right now, but it’s working from Devon’s perspective, so that’s how we’re dealing with it now. We are looking at the school district
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on how to address it appropriately and address all students.” The Kansas State High School Activities Association’s policy for transgender students wanting to participate in athletics states that the school is ultimately responsible for deciding the appropriate gender team for a transgender student. The school district currently has no set guidelines for transgender students and only began discussing policies last school year. Roberts said he’s not worried about the school district establishing appropriate guidelines, and in the meantime, students can become accustomed to attending school with transgender peers. “I think students figure out Devon is just a kid like every other student in the building,” Roberts said. “People are fearful of what they’re not exposed to. Devon is just Devon — he’s in class with us, and there’s not much difference with how we interact with Devon. I think it’s important for students [to be exposed to transgender students] because students are going to continue to see this more and more, especially as they leave high school.” Schaake said although some teachers may not agree with Orth’s lifestyle, the entire faculty and administration are nonetheless committed to respecting Orth’s identity. “We as a staff are all on board with Mr. Roberts, so we’re going to figure it out together,” Schaake said. “We’ve got a lot of learning to do, but we’re all committed to doing that. We’ve got kids who want to be who they want to be and we will support that here — that’s the bottom line. I feel like we’re all headed in the right direction. There’s a processing time, and then you just work through it, and that’s where at. We’re working through it as a school district.” | blakegustafson | margojohnson photos by Donna Armstrong
[DYE]ING TO BE DIFFERENT students express the reasons behind their colored hair
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little chaotic and a little different is how sophomore Maddie Conigliaro describes her hair, which she has dyed around five times. Expressing oneself can be done in many different ways: through one’s activities, looks and music taste. Conigliaro has found it easy to express her creativity and personality through her colored hair. Conigliaro said her purple hair is mellow, but still bright enough and is completely different than what
one sees everyday. She hopes to add variation to her hair the next time she visits the salon. “Most people try to tame their hair with a flat iron or blow dryer,” Conigliaro said. “I usually let it do its thing, and it looks messy, but whatever.” Conigliaro begged her mother to let her dye her hair for a year before receiving her permission after her mother realized dyeing it was better than shaving half of it off, as she had
| delaneyoliver
done in high school. Occasionally though, Conigliaro said she feels people judge her for expressing herself through her hair. “I think when people see my hair color, they are quick to judge and think maybe I’m not that smart and I’m just kind of do-what-I-want,” Conigliaro said. “I take pride in academics, and I feel that just because I look a little different from everyone else doesn’t mean I don’t function the same.”
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Senior Elliot Sullivan first started dyeing his hair after accidentally coloring his hair orange with Sun-in. He then concluded there was no going back to his natural color. After a recent move from Maryland, Sullivan has decided to tone down his “edgy” purple hair. Before purple, Sullivan’s hair was white, but
Junior Shane Logwood is completely confident with his decision to dye his hair blonde on his first hair-dyeing occasion. After months of thinking, Logwood decided to dye his
Sullivan’s mother requested he dye it any other color. At the salon, Sullivan asked for icy blue, but he said the “hair dresser took purple and ran.” Sullivan suggests researching hair dye before dyeing one’s hair for the first time. “You always want to make sure your hair is going to react to the
hair a “crazy” color. Logwood said his favorite part about his experience was that his hair didn’t get messed up or fall out. He said it is uncommon for boys to dye their hair, and his hair
14 | feb. 2016 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | special sections
chemicals the same way as somebody else’s hair does,” Sullivan said. “And it is basically chemistry, and if you messed that up, there is no going back. If one bleaches one’s hair, it can turn some nasty colors. Always make sure you’re prepared to bleach more than you think you need to bleach.”
color reflects his personal style — not basic, plain or routine. “Just [dye your hair],” Logwood said. “Hair grows and gets cut; it’s not the end of the world.”
y biggest thing is just trying to stray from the basic a little chaotic and ittle different you kind of get addicted to hair dying It’s purple, kind f edgy my biggest thing is just trying to stray from the basic a little cha tic and a little different you kind of get addicted to hair dying It’s urple, kind of edgy my biggest thing is just trying to stray from the basic little chaotic and a little different you kind of get addicted to hair ying It’s purple, kind of edgy
Having dyed her hair at least 20 times, senior Madeline Hoyt said she would never take it back, as it has almost become an addiction. She said many people dye their hair, but everyone does it differently and it never turns out the same, making hers unique. Hoyt doesn’t think her hair describes her personality as it is right now because it is only one color. She said her current hair color is mature and appropriate for graduating, while still not being completely natural. “I just think my natural brown hair is really boring,” Hoyt said. “I guess it is something fun to do, but you kind of get addicted to hair dyeing.” Hoyt changes her hair color often simply because she wants to put dye in her hair. When she is trying to lay off the hair dye for a bit, Hoyt finds herself asking others to dye their hair. If she had to dye her hair a color that would describe her, Hoyt said she would choose purple because it is happy and dark at the same time. “Most of the time, people think [my hair] is pretty cool,” Hoyt said. “I’ve been called a snow cone before because I guess it’s colorful, and I look like a snow cone. Not everyone is cool with it, but nobody is really rude about it.”
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Crowning
senior Madison Moore wins Miss Kansas Teen USA
tanding on the stage among the other top five contestants, senior Madison Moore reminded herself to stay in the moment. She held the hands of the other contestants as the judges called the name of each runner-up winner until only she and another girl remained with names uncalled. “It’s fine if they say your name because she’s really awesome, and it’s going to be OK,” Madison thought to herself, and at last, the judges announced the final runner-up. Madison’s name had still not been called. Her jaw immediately dropped, and tears flowed instantly as she met her sister, sophomore Malerie Moore, for a celebratory embrace. “I was just in complete shock, and then it was just tears and crying instantly, so much crying because it finally happened,” Madison said. “I kept touching my head, and I was like, ‘Oh my God, [the crown] is really there,’ but I was feeling so blessed and so humbled. It was the coolest thing that ever happened to me, flat out.” After four years of competing for the
title of Miss Kansas Teen USA of the Miss Universe organization, Madison finally earned the crown on Nov. 29 in Mulvane, Kansas. She competed alongside her sister Malerie who entered pageantry for the first time. Both sisters placed in the top five as Malerie won fourth runner-up and Madison won overall. The pageant commenced with opening number, in which the judges caught their first glimpse of the contestants on stage performing a choreographed dance with all the other contestants. After that, the girls competed in swimsuit where teens sport a one-piece suit and are judged on physical fitness, stage presence and overall impression. Malerie won the swimsuit portion of the competition. “Swimsuit is my favorite because it’s kind of sassy, and I’m pretty sassy sometimes,” Malerie said. “So that was fun, but also I’m very clumsy, so not having to walk in a big dress was a lot more comfortable for me.” Following swimsuit, the contestants competed in evening gown with the goal of walking with grace and poise to end the first night of the presentation. The next morning, contestants underwent four-minute, oneon-one interviews with each judge so the judges could get to know the personality of each contestant. The judges ask questions such as what the contestant would do if she won the crown or what the contestant enjoys to do in her free time. Throughout her previous three years of competing, Madison had won every section of the pageant except for interview, but this year, she ended up winning that portion of the competition. “I really enjoy interview,” Madison said. “I like getting to talk to the judges, and they really are trying to get to know you as a person. I had great conversations with the judges this year and made a lot of cool connections with them, so I had a good time.” Madison had made it to the top five and semifinals in previous years, but this year, Madison said she entered the competition
16 | feb. 2016 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | feature
with a different mindset. In previous years, she had stressed about events that were to take place the next day or in the next couple of hours, but this year, after a reminder from her mother, Angela Moore, Madison focused on the things that she was experiencing in each moment instead of worrying about what was to come. “I tried to remind [Madison and Malerie] that it’s just an experience, and winning or losing isn’t really what it’s about,” Angela said. “This year, just for them to have the experience together, win, lose or draw, it was going to be a really special time for them.” Since Madison and Malerie don’t share many common interests, they haven’t had the opportunity to participate in the same activities. They said experiencing the pageant together brought them closer because they were there to support each other as they underwent the same stress. Although they were competing against each other, ultimately, they said they were there to cheer each other on. “As soon as they called Malerie’s name for top five, I forgot judges were even watching me, and I completely flipped out on stage,” Madison said. “I was so excited for her, and I came off stage and I was like, ‘Malerie, if it’s you that wins, I want you to know I’ll be so proud of you. Yeah, it’s going to be hard if I lose, but just know that more of my feelings are going to be pride for you than anything else.’” As both siblings entered the pageant, they were aware that it was possible for one to win over the other, and Angela made sure to discuss the possibilities prior to the competition. If Malerie had won over Madison, Madison still had another eligible year left to compete once more for the crown. However, upon Madison’s crowning, she said that’s no longer necessary. Since the previous Miss Kansas Teen USA crowns the new winner, the Moores said they hope next year, Madison will be crowning Malerie.
Moment
“Folks would look at us like, ‘Are you nuts? What are you thinking having both kids compete against each other?’” Angela said. “In the back of your mind, you start to doubt whether it’s the right choice. So we talked about it quite a bit as a family, about the importance of having the experience and the girls being there and supporting each other.” Angela said that the entire family is really excited to see what Madison does with the year she has as Miss Kansas Teen. Not only does Madison reap the benefits of the pageant’s extensive prize package, but she has the opportunity of new experiences that are “once in a lifetime opportunities.” Already, Madison’s title allowed her to travel to watch the Miss Universe pageant in Las Vegas on Dec. 20 in the front row. Throughout the year, Madison will be
“I’m really excited to see how I can impact the state of Kansas and the people living in it through having this title and where that title takes me later in life,” | madisonmoore doing numerous appearances for various causes. Specifically, she’ll work a lot with Warrior for Ross, which aims to support children battling cancer and their families. “I think that this experience will carry forward with Madison in her career and in her future, and I think that she’s going to have, has already have, really, experiences that are unique and are life-changing,” Angela said. “I think the exposure that she gets through this experience is something that she would never get any other way, so I’m really excited for her. I’m excited to share it with her and see what she does with it.” Along with various appearances, Madison said she hopes to start a Dream Big project
where she’ll write and publish a children’s book with a message and travel to different elementary, middle and high schools across Kansas to share it. Madison has always wanted to be a writer, and she said her title has given her a platform to achieve one of the career goals she’d set for herself. Although her book will primarily be a children’s book, Madison said that she hopes to tailor the message for students of different age groups. “I thought I was going to be a million different things before I got to where I am now, and I want to tell [high school students] that’s OK — you don’t have to have your entire life planned out from freshman year on or when you’re 6 years old,” Madison said. “Then for younger kids, it’ll be about how there’s no limitations. There’s nothing holding you back, and as long as you work hard you can do anything. If you want to be the president, if you want to be an astronaut, if you want to be a princess, then you can be that.” Regardless of whether she won, Madison said pageants have taught her valuable lessons she can carry with her throughout her life. She said she’s learned how to be “confidently beautiful” and to stay true to who she is. Likewise, she’s acquired valuable skills such as interviewing, which she can utilize when starting her career. Now that she has the title, Madison said she’s eager to learn even more from the people she meets and the connections she makes. “I’m really excited to see how I can impact the state of Kansas and the people living in it through having this title and where that title takes me later in life,” Madison said. “It’s a great platform for me to get the word out about important things, and it’s a great platform for me to just be doing well in my career some day or just with people in general. I’m really interested to see what kind of person I am this time next year.”
| nicolebecker graphics by Riley Martin photo submitted by Madison Moore
Miss Kansas Teen’s
Prize Package $1,000 fitness pacakge
$5,500 worth of dresses
$300 sterling silver and diamond earrings
3 pairs of shoes
$3,600 worth of photo shoots To view full prize package, visit MissKansasUSA.com.
| 17
s e i m dum
FOR SUPER BOWL
Denver to take on Carolina in Super Bowl 50
| katebowling
WHO DENVER BRONCOS
CAROLINA PANTHERS
vs.
9TH TIME IN
2ND TIME IN
SUPER BOWL
SUPER BOWL
WHAT
WHERE
The Super Bowl is the largest television event of the year with over
100 MILLION VIEWERS
LEVI’S STADIUM
SANTA CLARA, CA SAN FRANSISCO BAY AREA
WHEN
WHY
2.07.2016
The Super Bowl is played between the champions of the National and the American Football Conferences to determine the National Football League champion.
7:30 PM EASTERN 6:30 PM CENTRAL
L This is the first year in which Roman numerals are not used to represent the game. The Roman numeral for 50 is L.
FUN FACTS The Panthers are one of 13 teams that have never won a Super Bowl, whereas the Broncos have won twice.
This year’s halftime show features Coldplay with Beyoncé and Bruno Mars.
Information gathered from: www.superbowl.com, www.washingtonpost.com
18 | feb. 2016 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | special sections
ads | www.bvswnews.com | southwest | feb. 2016 | 19
20 | feb. 2016 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | feature
just a boy and his dog freshman Spencer Peck gets a new service dog
S
tudents may have noticed an unfamiliar face roaming the halls of Southwest recently. However, this face doesn’t belong to a new student; it belongs to an English Mastiff, Whoopi. Whoopi is freshman Spencer Peck’s new service dog. Whoopi is a mobility assistance dog. She helps Spencer move smoothly and stably throughout the halls of school, at home and anywhere else he may go. When Spencer was two months old, he had an allergic reaction to a medication that led to him develop Neuromuscular Disorder, more commonly known as Cerebral Palsy. Cerebral Palsy is developed before, during or immediately after birth because of an injury to the infant’s growing brain. According to CerebralPalsy.org, the disorder is unique in each individual, but it has the ability to affect muscle control, muscle coordination, muscle tone, reflex, posture and balance. The benefits of having a mobility assistance dog for Spencer are numerous, as Whoopi’s abilities help negate the effects of Cerebral Palsy that specifically affect Spencer. Spencer’s parents said it was important for him to have a Service dog to help bridge the gap between him and other children in addition to helping with his balance. Not only does Whoopi help Spencer with mobility, but she also enables him to be more independent at school. Instead of Spencer constantly having a paraprofessional with him, he now has a four-legged companion. Whoopi provides him friendship, and she ensures he doesn’t fall as often. “She is always by my side,” Spencer said. “I don’t think I need to fall that much, or that I need to fall at all, which I hate.” Spencer only comes to school for two hours a day. He takes concert choir and an interpersonal skills class with special education teacher Brooke Claypool. Spencer’s class with Claypool is a social skills-based class where he and his peers work on social interaction and active engagement. Since Spencer works closely with other students in this hour, they were naturally inquisitive about Whoopi.
| 21
“We had a conversation as soon as [Whoopi] arrived that service dogs are [here] to work and they’re not supposed to be touched or interacted with, and that Spencer needs to give all the commands,” Claypool said. “For the most part, all of the students in my classroom have been really good about that. There is some definite curiosity because she is a big dog.” However, curiosity hasn’t only been a problem in the classroom. Claypool said that on Spencer’s first day in the lunchroom with Whoopi, somebody reached out to pet her. Claypool and him then had to remind the student that Service Dogs are not meant to be pet. “A lot of [service dogs] wear a vest, and she has the halter, but nothing that’s really apparent,” Claypool said. “It might not be as easy for somebody to stop and think, ‘Whoa, I shouldn’t be touching.’” Spencer began his wait for a service dog at 8 years old. He was on the list of an agency that provides Service Dogs, the Kansas Specialty Dog Service (KSDS), for five years, but switched to a different organization after finding out that the KSDS does not grant service dogs to children under the age of 16. Then, Spencer’s family decided to put him on the waiting list of the Canine Assistance Rehabilitation Education and Services (CARES). After waiting for 18 months, Spencer received his first service dog, Monroe, a Labrador retriever, on June 12, 2014. Monroe served as Spencer’s mobility assistance dog for nearly a year and a half, but after he contracted Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever on a camping trip, he was returned to CARES Nov. 6, 2015. “After three months of medical care working to rehabilitate Monroe ourselves, it became clear Monroe would never return to work as a mobility service dog,” Spencer’s mother Bec Peck said. “Since Spencer’s primary need for a service dog is mobility and support, we realized Spencer needed a new dog.” Spencer’s family then notified CARES that he would need a new service dog. CARES took a month to train a mobility assistance dog to exactly fit Spencer’s needs.
22 |
On Dec. 9, 2015, Whoopi was placed in Spencer’s care. However, Spencer’s initial bonding and training with Whoopi was a bit different than it was with Monroe. “During the first two weeks we had Whoopi in our home, Spencer was the only family member allowed to touch her or address her,” Bec said. “That was really hard on us, but really important for their bonding. Whoopi has to see Spencer as her alpha for her to bond with him, listen to him, follow his commands and want to work for him. This was really the most important part of their training. We didn’t do this as well with Monroe. The result was that Monroe didn’t listen to Spencer as well as the rest of the family.” Whoopi is a much larger dog than Monroe. Monroe was around 75 pounds, whereas Whoopi weighs in at over 140 pounds. Whoopi’s size categorizes her as an extralarge dog. This also means that she has a higher center of gravity than Monroe, which helps Spencer maintain his balance. Not only does Whoopi help maintain Spencer’s balance, but she also helps boost his self-esteem. She is there for Spencer and comforts him when he deals with normal teenage issues. She licks his face and helps him walk a little taller. “They look at the dog,” Bec said. “It moves the attention to, ‘Why does that kid get a dog in the grocery store?’ rather than, ‘Why does that kid have crutches?’” Whoopi doesn’t only instill a sense of comfort and independence in Spencer, but she instills this in his parents as well. His parents now see him becoming more independent and don’t have to worry as much about Spencer having low self-esteem because of people looking at him for his disabilities. “He doesn’t want to be seen as a kid with disabilities,” Bec said. “He wants to be seen as a kid. What is more typical than a boy with a dog?”
| donnaarmstrong
c l he mi d
students utilize coloring books to express themselves and help relieve stress
A
fter a long day filled with lectures, quizzes and theatre rehearsal, sophomore Maggie Galloway needs time to relax and unwind. She gathers some pens, pulls a book off her shelf, flips to a fresh page and begins to fill the picture in with color. Coloring book sales have increased in recent years, which can be attributed to publishings of complex coloring books for adults. According to a ranking from fortune.com, five of the 10 top-selling books on Amazon were these adult coloring books. Drawing in coloring books can benefit the artist, reasons why many people have chosen to take coloring up as a new hobby.
feature | www.bvswnews.com | southwest | feb. 2016 | 23
Galloway had colored as a child, but calming pastime and drawing as an art stopped during middle school. However, form that requires more concentration. once she entered high school, she began “Drawing something, people use more anew. She owns dozens of coloring books, of their creative side.” Thompson said. “I ranging from adult coloring books with think sometimes people think more about complex patterns and details to character small details [when drawing] as compared books filled with Ninja Turtles and Littlest with a coloring book where they are filling Pet Shop creatures. Now Galloway has in what is already there. I also think its is worked this new activity into her daily relaxing for someone to sit down and color routine. something that doesn’t have to be perfect “I transferred from West, and I did not but they can still have fun with it.” have a good experience when high school Kerr said the difference in atmosphere started,” Galloway said. “I think that doing between these two activities is due to the that really helped me relax.” concentration that is involved. The ease Galloway will often color while of coloring makes it a good stress-relief watching Netflix after school, using the method. time to unwind. “When we are talking about stress, “I think what it does is it takes us sometimes freehand drawing is harder back to a time when life was simpler and because it takes more planning,” Kerr said. when coloring was an activity we could “If you are really stressed and can’t think do without any difficulties or problems really well, then picking up a colored pencil or stresses,” school psychologist Cathy and starting to color is something that is a Kerr said. “Coloring involves both your little more automatic. Part of dealing with hands and your mind in neutralness and anxiety and stress is keeping your hands in doing something and your mind busy pleasant. I think It takes us back to a time and so coloring that sometimes it really does that. But helps us get a hold when life was simpler and when freehand drawing on our stress.” you have to make a Kerr provides coloring was an activity we lot of decisions and coloring activities if you are really, in her office as could do without any difficulties really stressed stress-relievers for or problems or stresses. out, making those students. She has decisions are multiple coloring psychologistcathykerr too hard at that books and also a moment.” large strip of black and white patterned From stressful moments to everyday fabric. An embroidery hoop is fitted onto events, coloring can be used to set a more the fabric and students are encouraged to tranquil tone. work on the material with fabric markers. “[Coloring is] peaceful,” Galloway “When we began I started [the fabric] said. “I think it is my way to cope with with a solid here,” Kerr said. “Then people everything that is going on.” started breaking it up and doing patterns Kerr said one of her friends discovered and different things within those, so now coloring as a new method of meditation. it’s interesting to look at the collective Her friend had been trying traditional work.” forms of meditation but was having issues Kerr invites anyone to come and work clearing her mind. Coloring proved to be on the fabric and add their own designs. a more effective way to relax and now is Although coloring and drawing have built into her meditation time. similar aspects, the two types of art have “I think we are all looking for ways to created different aesthetics. handle stress and anxiety and manage our Like Galloway, senior Grant lives and we all need lots of tools,” Kerr Thompson had colored often when he said. “I would tell people ‘you know what, was younger. Although he had always give it a shot. It might work great for you, enjoyed it, he colored less frequently after it might not, and if it does, you just added elementary school. Recently he picked the a great tool that is cheap, it’s portable, and hobby back up and now owns four coloring you can do it any place, anywhere.’” books; his favorite is filled with pictures of different cities and types of architecture. He also draws, but sees coloring as a | lilliehoffart
“
”
24 | feb. 2016 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | feature
relax & color here
| 25
Practice What You Peach students reflect on their experiences as cast members in ‘James and the Giant Peach’
A
fter a year of multiple all-day rehearsals, the first ever all-state production of “James and the Giant Peach” was ready for the main stage. Waiting backstage in Wichita’s Century II Theater, senior Joann Armstrong, who played the evil Aunt Spiker, listened to the roar of the audience as 1,600 people shuffled to their seats. It was then that Armstrong realized how fortunate she was to have been casted as one of the leads and how she wouldn’t give up the experience for anything. Although the challenges of the show left mixed feelings in the hearts of various cast members, Armstrong said it was worth it in the end. “The most challenging part of ‘[James and the Giant] Peach’ was that we only got to meet and rehearse every few months,” Armstrong said. “We had to keep this show in our memory and bodies for a year with months in between where we wouldn’t even think about it. It was very stressful to be working on doing good in school and being involved in community shows while also having to remember everything for ‘Peach.’ Although it was difficult, I knew this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.” “James and the Giant Peach” was the first Kansas All-State Musical. The storyline involved five magical bugs, an earthworm, ladybug, grasshopper, spider and centipede, who traveled in a giant peach across the ocean in order to save a young boy named James from his evil aunts, Spiker and Sponge. Auditions took place at the 2015 Thespian Convention and students from all over Kansas were casted. The directors of the show were Max Brown, director at Blue Valley North, and Southwest’s own, Dan Schmidt.
26 | feb. 2016 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | news
“It’s all about logistics,” Schmidt said. “Getting the kids here to rehearse, getting them fed, working with the other directors — it’s a whole new experience. I’ve had experience with that before, but it just seemed very foreign this time. The positives about working with kids from all over Kansas was that I got to know them very well and got to learn about their departments and respect them as artists and students. The negative aspects of that would be only working with them short amounts of time. From weekend rehearsals to the show, there was not a lot of time.” Although the cast was stressed by the limited rehearsals and spaced out rehearsal times, senior Paige Boomer, who played the ladybug, said that even with the circumstances, the cast made many memorable moments when they stepped on the Century II stage opening night. “I think the most memorable experience was when the bugs made their first appearance at Century II, and you could hear the gasp in the audience,” Boomer said. “And then when you get to climb the peach, you are literally above everyone else, and it’s so incredible to look at all those people. It was kind of magical. In that moment, I suddenly remembered a time from rehearsal when we were all singing ‘Everywhere That You Are,’ and we were all connected. That was the moment we all started to become like a family, and I will never forget it.” Stage manager senior Brea Clemons said “James and the Giant Peach” gave her an opportunity to understand the process of putting a traveling show together. Throughout the process, everything they did was in preparation to move to a new location, which is unlike normal high school productions. Both cast and crew said they learned new organizational skills and how important communication is. “I have loved being a part of this show and wouldn’t
trade the experience for anything else,” Clemons said. “It has truly been unforgettable, and I am so grateful for the friends I’ve made and the knowledge I’ve learned. This is one of the most memorable show experiences I’ve ever had, and I have all my friends to thank for that. I have so much love and respect for all the incredibly talented cast, crew and production members, and I’m so lucky to consider them family now.” Aside from making new friends who became family, “James and the Giant Peach” also gave ensemble cast members the chance to play various parts and do things they wouldn’t normally get to do. “I got to work with people from all over Kansas, and since it was a new show, all of the music was super fresh and exciting,” senior Austin Ragusin said. “Also, I haven’t really had a big dancing part since my sophomore year so it was super fun to do a bunch of hype dances in crazy costumes. It definitely pushed me outside of my comfort level, and I really appreciate the opportunity to try something new.” Ragusin wasn’t the only cast member who appreciated the experience. Even though Armstrong has previously been in many shows, she said she’s never experienced one quite like “James and the Giant Peach.” “I think that the people in the show have made it so memorable,” Armstrong said. “There is a line from the show that says “what a peculiar family we are” and I think it fits our cast so well. We are from all over Kansas, but we come together to create something magical. I really can’t imagine this last year without all of them in my life.” | sydneyswyers graphics by Abby Yi
| 27
A change of heart
senior Christina Cornell works toward Girl Scout Gold Award by raising heart health awareness
M
any students are preparing for the annual sweetheart dance on Feb. 6 the same as they would any other dance, but for senior Christina Cornell this dance is different. This dance comes with a new theme and name —the Red Heart Dance — but also with a deeper purpose. Cornell brought about changes this year as she aims to bring awareness to the student body and community about heart health while working toward receiving her Girl Scout Gold Award. Cornell was a Girl Scout throughout elementary and middle school but decided to take a break from the association after her eighth grade year. She was reinstated as a Girl Scout this year in order to pursue her Gold Award. The award is the highest level of honor a Girl Scout can receive and entails the completion of seven steps in order to inspire others. “Before the actual Gold Award project began, I had to complete a prerequisite project called ‘The Journey,’” Cornell said. “It was a project centered on women and leadership. After that was completed, I was able to present my project idea to the council
Fast facts Someone in the United States dies from heart disease every
90 seconds
for approval.” The idea came from her interest in medicine and more specifically, the heart. Cornell researched information about both the American Heart Association (AHA) and the Go Red for Women campaign. Cornell connected with the cause and was inspired and motivated to work on promoting awareness and advocate for heart health. “Many are not aware that heart disease is the number one killer in both men and women,” Cornell said. “One out of three women die from heart disease while only one in 35 women die from cancer. The campaign is all about educating women and showing that women are strong fighters too.” Working with members of the AHA, Cornell said she pushed herself out of her comfort zone in order to receive further understanding of why it was necessary to encourage others to stay healthy. Cornell gave numerous presentations to sororities and other groups of women about the importance of a healthy heart. “For me, this project hasn’t been just about earning an award,” Cornell said. “It’s been a huge task, and it’s definitely been more work than I expected, but it’s
helped me further develop leadership skills as I’ve been given a lot of control over creating this project.” Initially anxious about how the student body would react to her notion to raise awareness, Cornell turned to Student Council in order to help make her idea become a reality. StuCo aided Cornell with a special subcommittee to help intertwine her project with this year’s sweetheart dance. She was pleasantly surprised by the amount of support and positive feedback she received. “People became excited about the dance and willing to show their support, which has been a huge relief,” Cornell said. “I was able to present this project in an appealing way while still promoting heart awareness and the idea of living heart-healthy.” StuCo has supported Cornell during the process of tying things together for the student body. Executive board vice president senior Koree Case has been working in part with Cornell and said the dance will allow students to take the information they learn and use it to positively impact their own lives and the lives of others.
8.56 million
$108.9 billion
Americans are living with some form of heart condtition
28 | feb. 2016 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | news
is spent every year on heart procedures
“Student Council felt that it would be a nice idea to pair one of our big events with a charity cause,” Case said. “The dance gets people talking and excited so we hoped that we could boost awareness at the same time.” Cornell has acted as the middleman between the AHA and StuCo. As she works toward receiving her gold award and promoting her cause throughout the community, advocating within the school has also been all under Cornell’s control. “[Cornell] brings StuCo weekly updates,” Case said. “She is consistently meeting with the AHA to ensure that we are doing everything we can to promote the dance and its relation to the cause.” Executive board president Maddie Allen also jumped on board after Cornell presented the idea, as the creative and different change of theme intrigued her. Both Cornell and StuCo have created a series of activities to promote the AHA along with the sweetheart dance. “We have made a lot of signs, and the week of sweetheart we will be tweeting out heart health facts,” Allen said. “We will also be handing out pins and little cards with facts and suggestions to
Two thirds
of women have some sort of heart problem
keeping your heart healthy. [Cornell] even pushed the school to get a speaker for the sweetheart assembly.” The Red Heart Dance at the moment is a one time event. There is no guarantee advocating for the AHA will be carried out during future sweetheart dances. Cornell and Allen both agree though that the idea is something that is worth considering in the years to come. “It will be up to the student body and the new student council next year and the following years to continue this idea,” Allen said. “I think trying to raise awareness during National Wear Red Day and Heart Awareness Month helps tie everything together for the students and gives purpose behind the dance.” Cornell said this project has helped her with more than just achieving her initial goal of being awarded her Gold Award. Speaking with a large sum of people has allowed her to empathize with those who are affected by heart disease and has become a main motivator for her project. “I have loved being able to hear about different women’s experiences,” Cornell said. “It amazes me how strong they are. After hearing all of these women’s
1000
infants are born with a heart defect every year
different experiences I felt really happy that I had been inspired and motivated to work on promoting such an important campaign.” Exploring the many opportunities provided by the AHA and bringing light to this cause has been one of Cornell’s major successes with this project. She hopes that her project will not only allow students to be more knowledgeable about this issue but also encourage them to live out a healthier lifestyle that leads to a healthy heart. While she doesn’t expect the aftermath of this project to be life changing, she hopes the school and the community continue to raise awareness. “I think it’s important to educate men, women and students about the risk at hand,” Cornell said. “It’s also important to help others be aware of the possibility of heart disease and provide the necessary precautions. Heart disease has affected everyone in some way or another, and by bringing awareness to the issue, we are able to gain support for finding better treatment.”
| karatorgler
47%
of cardiac arrests occur outside of a hospital because the early signs aren’t recognized information provided by Heart.org | 29
F freshman Rachel Lovell creates baking business
reshman Rachel Lovell gathers her supplies and carries them across the street to her Nana’s house, where she bakes her cakes. Rachel separates the ingredients into two groups: wet and dry. Next, she combines the ingredients to prepare them for the oven. While they are baking, Rachel preps the frosting and fondant for decoration. After about 20 minutes, the cupcakes are done and have to cool. After adding the finishing touches, the cupcake is ready. “I love to bake because it’s edible art, and it gives me time to relax,” Rachel said. Rachel said this was only a hobby until she became fascinated by the show “Cake Boss” and wanted to become a good cake decorator. Rachel decided to create her business, Lovell’s Cakes at the beginning of this school year because she had a project in her marketing class and brought the leftovers to her PE class. Because she said they loved the cupcakes, she started bringing them to sell every Friday. “I really enjoy making cakes and seeing the happy faces of those I give them to,” Rachel said. “Making other people smile and feel important is very validating for me.” Rachel said she bakes cupcakes at least once a week with contribution from her mother, Kimber Lovell. She said her parents help out by driving her to the store to buy supplies, staying up late to finish her orders and encouraging her to chase her dreams. “I am most proud of Rachel for her initiative and determination,” Kimber said. “I love how she gets an idea and goes after it.” Kimber also said Rachel has learned a lot about time management and she has the satisfaction and confidence that comes from working hard to achieve her goals. Rachel has some of her own goals, too. She said she has learned from having her own business. This includes how to decorate cakes, how to create a website for her online orders and how to create a working budget to manage her profit. Someday, Rachel hopes to own her own store. “I think it’s really definitely help me cope more with frustrating things,” Rachel said. “If you’re staying up to decorate a cake you can take eight hours and that’s a lot of time on a Sunday night, so it’s definitely helped me cope with frustrating things or things that take a long time. It helps you persevere and keep going.” Rachel said when they customer is happy, then it makes her happy. She said this is why she goes through the effort. “She has great decorating and baking skills, and it’s amazing how creative she can be with her business,” friend freshman Nada Bayazid said. “I’m sure she’ll open a great little store or something one day.” | umadesai photos by Lily Smith graphics by Riley Martin
30 | feb. 2016 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | feature
below the SURFACE boys swim team prepares for remaining meets
| 31| 31
1
3
4
2 5
(1) Sophomore Sam Krone warms up with the butterfly stroke during practice. The swim team practices six days a week for about two hours per day. (2) Mid backstroke, freshman Trent Price extends his arm straight above him at practice on Jan. 12. 2016. (3) Senior Ian Holman turns fast off the wall in a streamline position to start off his swim at maximum speed. Holman is one of the senior captains of the team alongside senior Reed Bowling. (4) Underwater Holman reaches ahead practing his freestyle stroke. “Most people view [swimming] as an individual sport just because most of the time you are swimming by yourself, but you practice as a team and support each other as a team.� Holman said. (5) Sophomore Harrison Porter begins the recovery phase of the freestyle stroke.
|abbyyi
32 | feb. 2016 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | sports