The Standard Vol. 7 Issue 2

items posing a threat to safety

skimpy tops

visible bra straps

Not a distraction bare midriff dress code should not limit access to learning

bare backs

opinion pages 20-23

short skirts

short shorts

items posing a threat to safety

provocative necklines skimpy tops

clothing that is too tight provocative clothing short skirts

short shorts

visible bra straps

apparel that advertise illegal activities

skimpy tops clothing that is too loose short skirts

provocative clothing clothing that is too tight

provocative necklines bare backs apparel that advertise illegal activities

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clothing that is too loose

blue valley southwest | volume 7 | issue 2

2 | contents / the standard / sept. 2016

CO NT EN TS

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volume 7 / issue 2 www.bvswnews.com

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FEATURE

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Taking Center Stage Change of Place Pressing Play Philosophy of Teachers Lending a Paw to the Canine Community

NEWS

05 10 27 30 ON THE COVER: Phrases from the dress code cover previously dress coded sophomore, Skylar Jacobson. To read about staff member Donna Armstrong’s opinion on the dress code, see page 20. photo illustration by lillie hoffart, donna armstrong and delaney oliver

Planting Opportunities Homecoming by the Numbers From Ranked to Blank The Problem with Voting

OPINION

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Not a Distraction

SPORTS

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Freshman Perspective

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE Gallery : Girls varsity tennis vs.

St. James

editor’s note 4|

THE STANDARD The freedom of speech, guaranteed by the first amendment, is something we all practice every day. Because we live in this country, we have the privilege of expressing ourselves, whether others agree or not.

This year, I was excited to take America Decides, a class which is only offered every four years before the presidential election. This class promotes discussions over controversial issues, issues which we will not all agree upon. Even though I sometimes find myself the only person sharing an opinion over a topic, because we are protected by the first amendment, I have the right to make that statement as everyone else has the right not to agree with me. This class has been an eye-opening experience. I have learned more about why I believe certain things, as well as more about the perspectives of others and why they believe something entirely different.

As the election approaches, I see how, in this country, respectful conflict is necessary. Without it, no one would dig deeper into issues, challenge injustices and no progress would be made. Our country was founded on conflict: from severing ties with England to the Boston Tea Party to the Revolutionary War. During the constitutional convention, the founding fathers experienced a great deal of conflict — four months worth of it.

However, these varying viewpoints made the country into what it is today, a country which thrives because of conflict and is protected by the freedom of speech.

Our staff has the privilege of sharing our viewpoints in print with the entire school, as well as the responsibility of highlighting those of others in our writing. In this issue, this staff, as well as other students, exercise the first amendment through stories about dress code or challenging city pet laws.

While I am fortunate enough to use my freedom of speech in this paper, many of you can also express your opinions by doing things like getting involved with clubs, attending city council meetings or posting on any of the vast social media networks. Exercising the first amendment should be encouraged, because if everyone thought in exactly the same way, how boring would that be?

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF delaney oliver

ONLINE EDITOR donna armstrong

ASSOCIATE EDITOR lillie hoffart

STAFF WRITERS megan flood jenna hope summer lyon emma olinger elianna oliver arielle singer

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER taylor falkner

ADVISER

rachel chushuk

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.

The Standard 17600 Quivira Road Overland Park, KS 66221 Phone: 913-624-2262 Website: bvswnews.com Email: bvswnews@gmail.com

5 | photo essay / the standard / sept. 2016

ribbon cutting ceremony is held to commemorate wheelchair accessible garden

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newly wheelchair accessible garden opened Thursday, Sept.

1 outside by the loading dock. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held to celebrate the opening of the newly constructed raised bed which is wheelchair accessible. The garden was built by the husband of science teacher and environmental club sponsor Debora Cash with the grant money she received from the PTO last year.

At the opening, students from Cash’s class, Marilyn Foerster’s class and Jacqueline Smith’s class were in attendance.

Cash said the garden was built in hopes of tuning the fine motor skills of students in the SPED program, showing them that what “you do has an impact and you can actually raise something,” “Camaraderie, following through, watching it grow, all of those things they get something out of,” Cash said.

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(1) Sowing his new plant into the garden, sophomore Ryan Gress buries the roots and stem of the herb with the help of science teacher Debra Cash and paraprofessional Jen Wise. The garden is open to all students and staff members. “Mrs. Forrester’s class uses the garden, Mrs. Smith’s class uses the garden, the environmental club is going to go out there and do a little bit, so hopefully more people will access it and use it because it’s for everybody,” Cash said. (2) With the assistance of paraprofessional Jen Wise and paraprofessional Dominique Johnson, freshman Jackson Deves takes his turn at the raised bed.

At the ceremony, each student planted an herb. (3) Unveiling the new garden, paraprofessional Dana Temchin pushes junior Annelisa Willoughby through the ribbon to signify the official opening of the wheelchair accessible garden.

(4) Assisting senior Lukas Scheumann, science teacher Debra Cash and paraprofessional Alex Fredericks plant an herb. With the goal of a completely wheelchair accessible garden, Cash said when the wheelchair fit under the ramp, she almost cried. (5) Covering her plant in dirt, sophomore Sruthi Srinivasan helps commemorate the opening of the wheelchair accessible community garden. | donnaarmstrong | lilliehoffart Photos by Delaney Oliver

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8 | feature / the standard / sept. 2016

g n i Tak

t n e C

are e nts sh

e g a t S er rough

h ined t a g s e nc

s roces p n o i audit

xperie

stude

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is name up next on the list, senior Travis Hampton mentally prepares for his turn. When the previous student exists, he walks into the black box, stands before the improv team captains, and introduces himself.

They give him four words to choose from, and he selects Barbie. After taking a few seconds to collect his thoughts, he launches into three stories he creates on the spot, made of real experiences with a bit of exaggeration and manipulation of the facts to keep it interesting. Afterward, he thanks them and exits. The easy part is over; now the wait for the list of those who are accepted begins.

With three mainstage productions a year, improv club and repertory theatre, students become very familiar with

the audition process. Each monologue, song or improvised scene gives students a chance to practice being in front of an audience.

“There are going to be times in college and life where you’re going to have to be in front of a group of people,” Hampton said. “It’s nice to help me get some of the jitters out, knowing how to audition.”

The skills necessary for an audition don’t just apply to those looking to be professional actors, however.

“Everywhere you go is an audition if you think about it; I’ve been told that a lot,” freshman Maddie Huwe said.

“It always helps you be more confident in yourself if you’re going to do a regular job or performing.”

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Top left: Freshman Jackson Salin lifts senior Travis Hampton, who is acting as the banana about to be made into a smoothie during improv troupe auditions.

Below: Freshman Maddie Huwe improvises on the topic of crop tops during an improv audition game.

While it may take a lot of confidence to audition, many times afterward students feel anything but sure if they will make the cut.

Hampton said waiting for a cast list is one of the most stressful times for those who auditioned.

“You’re stomach’s sick and you’re thinking about ‘Did I get it? Did I not?’ and all of a sudden you start going over all the things you could’ve done better,” Hampton said.

When the cast list does come out, those suspicions sometimes are confirmed. Huwe said rejection can be difficult but it helps to focus on the positive. Sometimes, it just means there is someone better for the part.

“A lot of times I know there are people who are more experienced than me,” Huwe said. “I can accept it, it just takes time.”

Choosing the right cast can be challenging, and as a result there is just as much pressure on the director as there is on the students.

“In high school, it’s different [than professional productions] , because I try to cast the appropriate people for the show, but I also try to get as many people involved as I possibly can,” theatre director Dan Schmidt said. “But I want to be true to the author’s intent. So if I keep that in mind — if I’m true to the author’s intent — then I’ll be fine.”

Since Schmidt is adamant about spreading involvement, it isn’t uncommon to see a large number of freshmen at the auditions, though their experiences differ slightly than what they were used to from middle school.

“I didn’t know I would have to go in there by myself,” Huwe said. “It wasn’t as scary as

I thought. I felt like I was prepared [from middle school].”

Huwe and fellow freshman Jackson Salin said auditions in high school also give the performers more freedom in their choices. Although there are a few differences, such as student selection for the improv troupe, Salin said the overall feel of the audition process is the same.

“There is usually a nervous feeling in the room no matter what or how good the people auditioning are,” Salin said.

However, Huwe said there is also an overwhelming feeling of positivity and pride in the room, as those who do not receive a part will congratulate the ones who did. “[What makes auditions worth it is] the time you get to spend having fun with friends and even making new ones,” Salin said. | meganflood

5 | news / the standard / sept. 2016

Homecoming by the numbers students estimate homecoming expenses The homecoming dance will be held on Satuday, Sept.

24 from 8-11 p.m. The theme this year is Old Hollywood.

Seventy students were surveyed during lunch about their past Homecoming experiences.

Average prices Tuxedo/ suit: $100+

Hair and Makeup: $0 Dress: $80-100

Shoes: $20-40

Shoes: $20-40

| jennahope

69% went to an after party

73% of students recieved a corsage or boutonniere

56% of students went with a date

The average total price of homecoming is more than $100

Letter to the Editor Dear Editor, The Volume 7 edition contained a piece about Ramadan and Islam, including the five pillars of Islam. I applaud the inclusion of our newly expanding population and educating the student/ parent communities. However, in the spirit of inclusion, will there be a follow up article on Christianity, Judaism, or Buddhism?

The discussion of Lent, Easter, Advent, meaning of Christmas, Hanukkah, or the Four Nobel Truths would also be valuable in sharing the education of religion. If there is to be discussion of religion in a public forum such as The Standard, it seems that we should be fair and discuss all religions. Inclusion and acceptance is important to everyone. Thank you for making that effort for all.

Happy writing, Virginia Zimmerman Dear Ms. Zimmerman, We appreciate you reading our article about Ramadan and writing to us.

When our staff chooses to cover a topic, we analyze the timeliness, human interest, school connection and readers’ prior knowledge. We chose to cover Ramadan in our last issue because we decided it fulfilled these requirements.

Including Ramadan in our issue is not the exclusion of other religions. Our staff prides itself on exploring topics we may not know much about. Regarding religions, in the past few years, we have covered the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Judaism and religious tolerance in school, among others.

I hope this answers your question and gives you a perspective on how our staff chooses stories. We look forward to exploring more topics regarding religions in the future and always appreciate reader feedback.

Regards, Lillie Hoffart Associate Editor The Standard visit bvswnews.com for past articles on religion

NEED HELP WITH YOUR COLLEGE ESSAYS? MRS. BREWER CAN HELP!

Call or text: 913-706-6395 or email: mbrew580@gmail.com. TUTORING also available.

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12 | sports / the standard / sept. 2016

Freshman Perspective freshmen Samantha Schnitta and Miranda Nolte make varsity volleyball team

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(1) Leaping into the air, freshman Samantha Schnitta makes a jump serve. ”I’ve been playing volleyball since I was about 4 years old, and I started club in third grade,” Schnitta said. Schnitta was among one of the two freshmen to make the varsity volleyball team this year. (2) Before the game, the team gets pumped up. Freshman trying out for the volleyball program compete for placement with players from all grades. “Change happens every year so each year we’re a different team, whether it’s comprised of all four classes or if it’s more weighted toward juniors and seniors,” varsity coach Tom Symons said. (3) Focusing on the ball, freshman Miranda Nolte tosses her serve. “I was on [Schnitta’s] rec team and we played club together for the last two years,” Nolte said. (4) Moving as a pair, Schnitta and senior McKenzie Canon block a spike from Abi Johnson. “I think [the freshmen] helped our team to just bond,” Canon said.

l taylorfalkner

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PRESSING PLAY

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students express themselves through making videos on YouTube

100 students surveyed

Students are subscribed to

Students watch on average

74%

28

channels

3.5

hours

of students watch YouTube regularly

on average

of YouTube daily

WHAT DOES SOUTHWEST WATCH?

LEAFYISHERE

14%

BUZZFEED

13%

DRAMA ALERT KIAN AND JC FILTHYFRANKTV

8%

7%

5%

H3H3

3%

EVER HEARD OF YOUR PEER CHANNELS?

DUPERTUBE

15%

AMANDA W

13%

ALPHADRAGON

5%

Graphics by Emma Olinger

14 | feature / the standard / sept. 2016

You Tube What to Watch My Channel My Subscriptions

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History Watch Later

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Preston Dupriest | [STU]Tuber

PLAYLISTS

Timmy/Tina The Timberw...

by DuperTube 3,786 views | 2 years

Harambe Liked videos

SUBSCRIPTIONS

DuperTube

28

Alpha Dragon

19

Amanda W.

S

6

itting down to his computer, sophomore Preston Dupriest cracks his knuckles as he readys himself for a new game.

He reaches out to switch the button on his microphone and does a couple test puffs into the metal quilt of woven fibers. Once he finds the volume to be suitable, he turns to press the red button, now ready to begin the video.

According to tublarinsights.com, an estimated 300 hours of content are uploaded to YouTube every minute. With 17,000 channels containing more than 100,000 subscribers, there is a lot of competition in the field. However, that doesn’t discourage students from creating their own videos on the massive site. From the largest channel, PewDiePie, at around 42 million subscribers to the smallest channels of five, YouTube provides an oppurtunity for anyone and everyone to create and share their own videos.

Starting his YouTube channel in the summer of 2014, Dupriest

Amanda Wambold | [STU]Tuber

by Amanda W 768 views | 3 months chose the screen name DuperTube because his family had a reoccurring theme to usernames involving the word “Duper,” a play on his last name.

“I feel like making videos on YouTube not only stretches my abilities, but adds a bit of fun to it,” Dupriest said. “I can do a lot of things on YouTube and I feel like making entertainment is a great way to do it.”

At 82 subscribers, Dupriest said he is content with his audience and thinks lots of middle-school-aged children enjoy his videos.

Not only has he made a name for himself as DuperTube, but he’s also made videos with some of his friends.

“The best part about making videos with friends is probably that I don’t have to be the only one trying to be entertaining,” Dupriest said. “I have friends to make stupid jokes as well as [myself].”

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Morgan Polowniak | [STU]Tuber

by AlphaDragon 5,987 views | 1 year Dupriest said he was inspired by the YouTube gaming community, populated by people like Markiplier and Jacksepticeye, to start making videos. Gaming videos make up 15 percent of all of YouTube’s videos, according to tublarinsighs.com. Dupriest plays video games like Minecraft and Garry’s Mod for his channel. However, it wasn’t just the video games that drew his attention toward entertainment.

Dupriest embraces the comedy side of being a YouTuber as well.

“I was mostly inspired by Smosh to make people laugh and do comedy,” Dupriest said. “I just thought it was so cool that I wished I could do that.”

Smosh is a YouTube comedy channel that as of Sept. 14, 2016 has 22 million subscribers and 5.8 billion views. Though the possibility of becoming a full-time YouTuber is slim, Dupriest has proven that making the videos hasn’t been a waste of his time. The videos have aided Dupriest in getting a job.

“I got hired and am currently helping out [Validity Screening Solutions] with their department of video editing,” Dupriest said.

“They asked me to help them out with that because they know me and have seen my videos.”

DuperTube took a break over the summer but is coming back with new videos as the school year begins. Dupriest said he has worked very hard on every video he has made and hopes people will like his content.

“If anybody enjoys gaming videos, I highly recommend my channel, DuperTube,” Dupriest said. “It’s not as big as other people’s channels, but I work my hardest.”

DuperTube has inspired other people to make their own channels, including freshman Morgan Polowniak. She said YouTube has always interested her, giving her entertainment when her TV would stop working. Seeing Dupriest’s videos sparked her curiosity in becoming a YouTuber.

“He’s my friend and I saw that he was [making videos] and I decided it would be fun,” Polowniak said. “I made videos mainly for fun just because I enjoy it.”

Polowniak said she has not been as active on her channel due to her hectic schedule. She posted her last video more than three months ago. However, a lack of time has not been the only thing standing in her way of creating more content.

“I’m working on getting an editing system in order to start making

gaming videos,” Polowniak said.

She said she has always been interested in entertaining children and portrays that in her videos as she uses pocket-sized Littlest Pet Shop toys to tell stories. According to goodyguides.com, Littlest Pet Shop toys were made back in the 1990s by Hasbro and gained popularity again from the 2012 TV show “Littlest Pet Shop.” Polowniak mainly targets her videos to a younger demographic and said that her younger sister loves her videos.

Using her father’s office as a studio for her videos, Polowniak has several different lamps she uses during filming as well as special light switches which contain dimming settings. She said the skills she has learned through making videos and using different editing software has given her hopes for the future.

“I’m probably going to use what I’ve learned through YouTube to do something later in life that is similar,” Polowniak said. “But not exactly YouTube because I would rather be out and about than sitting at home doing videos all the time.”

Polowniak said though she has fun making videos and knows people are entertained by them, she acknowledges that they are not the types of videos most of her peers are looking for because they are targeted to a much younger audience.

“I feel like [my videos] are different from other people’s and I feel like people could have a bit of a change in taste every once in awhile,” Polowniak said. “I just feel like it could change viewers’ perceptions.”

At 76 subscribers and counting, Polowniak said she is content with her level of production quality. She also is beginning to venture into a new genre, gaming videos, which she said would soon be uploaded to her channel, Alpha Dragon.

Specializing in an entirely different genre of videos, junior Amanda Wambold said she created her channel at the beginning of June in order to share her one true love: singing.

“I get the chance to share with people what I love to do because I love singing and I think it’s really cool that I get to share that with people,” Wambold said.

With only two uploads on her Amanda W. channel, as of Sept.

14, she already has more than 700 combined views on both of her videos. One video features her and junior Levi West singing a cover of “Secrets” by OneRepublic.

“The video was worth it to me because I got to hear [Amanda’s] awesome voice and our harmonies and critique my piano playing,” West said. “It was cool to see how we sounded together.”

Wambold said she mainly sings modern pop songs in her videos and generally targets her videos toward the millennial demographic.

While other students spend hundreds of dollars on their equipment for videos, Wambold pulls out her iPhone and is ready to record.

“The best part about using my iPhone to record is because it’s on hand, easy to use and work, and has just as good quality as an expensive camera,” Wambold said.

Ever since she could remember, Wambold said she has exercised her voice by singing as much as possible. She said she found her passion for singing at age 7, something she is now known for.

“It’s important for your voice to be heard,” Wambold said. “If you have something special, you need to share it.”

| emmaolinger

16 | feature / the standard / sept. 2016

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s senior Viktoria Komornikova walks through the doors of her new high school, she is greeted by a wave of unfamiliar faces. Backpackclad students rush by, heading off to their lockers and classes, across a school much larger than the one she is familiar with, filled with more students than she has become accustomed to. While the thought of entering a new school is daunting enough for some, Komornikova deals with a set of challenges unknown to the majority of students attending Southwest. Komornikova is an exchange student from Slovakia who is not only new to the school, but the country. She is one of five foreign exchange students who have left their home country to join Southwest for one year.

“I decided [to come to America] because I wanted to try something new, learn English better and learn more about American culture,” Komornikova said. “I was nervous that I would not find friends because it’s a lot of new people and I don’t know anybody.”

Komornikova said she now feels accepted, and the initial cultural shock has been worth the experiences she has gained so far.

Each year, the school gains about five foreign exchange students, according to counselor Kristi Dixon. Dixon works closely with foreign exchange students and their host families. She said host families are found through various companies that help place students with families in America, and she is often able to help aid in finding reputable organizations. The school has put a cap on the potential number and only allows five each year, and that maximum number is often met.

“Students need to demonstrate that they are a good student, have a teacher recommendation, be financially committed to making the journey and emotionally committed to spending a whole year away from their family,” Dixon said.

She said older students typically deal with the transition better, so people around 17 and 18 are preferred.

All five students this year were placed as seniors, though they may have been in different grades while in their country due to the different school systems.

She said extracurricular activities, including dances and sports, are often not available at foreign schools.

Many of the new students enjoy the ability to experience the events that many American schools offer to high school students, and are aided by the senior class who she said does “a really good job at adopting our exchange kids.” The students are often surprised by the freedom they have while attending school, and enjoy the additional time they have outside of the school day and studying.

The five exchange students this year are Ondrej Cerny, Komornikova, Andrea lo Guidicci, Iskender Tavaldiev and Frank Yi. The students are from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Italy, Kyrgyzstan and China, respectively. The five have gone through this process described by Dixon and have made the decision to come to America for a variety of reasons, whether wanting to experience the culture, improve their English, or just take a break from their home country. Each has faced a different set of challenges and gained new experiences since arrival in America.

Andrea lo Guidicci Italy “I’m so excited right now because I’ve just arrived here, and I’ve been here just three weeks. I’m excited.”

Ondrej Cerny Czech Republic “I chose to come to school here because I needed a break from my school and also I wanted to experience new culture.”

change of place foreign exchange students join community

17

Viktoria Komornikova Slovakia “I decided to come because I wanted to try something new and learn English better.

I wanted to [learn] more about American culture.”

VK Slovakia

AG Italy

OC Czech Republic

IT Kyrgystan FY China

Frank Yi China “I wanted to see the school and improve my English. I thought America was interesting and I wanted to come to experience American life.”

Iskender Tavaldiev Kyrgyzstan “I think my favorite part [of America] is your relationships. You’re friendly and open-minded.”

| ariellesinger

18 | feature / the standard / sept. 2016

The Philosophy philosophy of teachers students and staff explain what makes a good teacher

| 19

T

he tapping of pencils and clicking of pens were the only things that could be heard through the expanse of the classroom. Some students worked vigorously on the assignment that had been handed out to them. Some sat in their seats, staring aimlessly as the seconds ticked by on the clock at the front of the room.

Making the next day’s lesson plans, the teacher sat silently as the bell rang and the students shuffled out into the hallway. The last student left with the small click of the closing door, leaving nothing to be heard but muffled voices as everyone made their way home for the day. The teacher peered over the laptop screen and onto the stretch of deserted desks and chairs, teaming with students the minute before. With a blink, the teacher’s eyes flew back to the laptop.

According to busyteacher.org, one of the main characteristics students look for in a good teacher is belief in his or her students.

The site also said it is important for there to be support from teacher to student.

“I look for a teacher who respects their students, helps them to grow and someone you can come to and feel comfortable around them,” senior Carsyn Greet said.

“I also look for someone who is friendly, not monotone the whole class period when giving a lecture [and] wants to engage the students.”

Greet said she would advise teachers to connect with their students. By giving the students something memorable about the class to latch onto, she believes that would help teachers get more personal with students. She also recommends smiling a lot.

“My best experience with a teacher would be my English teacher because she was really good at providing examples, getting personal with the students by telling stories about her life and who she is to help us connect to one another and get to know her,” Greet said. “She made sure that we were succeeding and she would definitely notice when a student was upset or something was wrong. She’d want to make sure that all was well and that the personal life and school life was important.”

Professors at the University of Rhode Island conducted a study on how studentteacher relationships affect learning. In the study, investigators went to a neighborhood setting in the East Bay, Rhode Island, area to observe and interview classroom teachers they had trained to be the best in their practices. The professors conducted three interviews with each of the teachers and compared the results to the observed interactions in the classroom. It was evident

to the researchers that there was a definite correspondence between the way a teacher taught and the achievement of the students in their class.

“I think probably one of my best experiences with a prior teacher was in high school. It was a physics teacher that I had and physics was a very tough class for me. There was a target, we had to put it in the right spot so a ball would hit it and we got really lucky. It was all luck and it was obvious that it was,” science teacher Chris Jenson said. “He pulled me out into the hall and he said, ‘I feel sad about your lab today.’

I was confused because we had done really well. I said, ‘Why would you say that?’ His answer was, ‘Because I think what you’re learning is that you can get lucky and get your way through life doing part of it. You could do so much more than that.’ And it was the first time a teacher had ever called me out on something, so it caught me off guard. It helped change the person that I wanted to be.”

“I look for a teacher who respects their students, helps them to grow, and someone you can come to and feel comfortable around them.” | seniorcarsyngreet Jenson has been a high school teacher for six years, not including the years he taught residents and students in his medical career. His interest in teaching grew from his medical career. As a science teacher, Jenson said he tries to bring different styles of learning into the classroom according to specific needs of the students.

“I respect the fact that my students learn different ways, so I try to force myself to teach different ways,” Jenson said. “I, personally, tend to be a visual person. I think if I didn’t try to force myself to change it, that’s what a lot of my lessons would become.”

Jenson understands a learning style that is beneficial to one student may resonate differently with another. As a teacher, he said it is his responsibility to acknowledge the differences in learning within every student.

Sophomore Kale DeYoung recognizes his learning style apart from others.

“I would probably say the teacher that helps best for me is an interactive teacher,

somebody who engages in the class instead of sitting at their desk and doing nothing,” DeYoung said. “Overall, I’ve had teachers who have sat at their desk, but they’ve done a pretty good job of helping the class as well.”

Math teacher Kelley Alexander said interaction with peers is one of the most effective ways to learn within the classroom.

She said she teaches through her own experiences as a high school student.

“I was a sophomore before, so I sat at a desk,” Alexander said. “I didn’t have much interaction with people. I was pretty much all on my own, so that was the first thing. I wanted to be around people.”

Alexander said, in math, there is not much you can do kinesthetically to explain something. When teaching, she said she likes to show the visual aspect of math by making hand motions on the board to show movements in different mathematical situations. Alexander said different students have different ways of learning.

“I can explain something to one kid and it totally clicks,” Alexander said. “Then I can explain something to another kid and they get it, but maybe they get it in a slightly different way. Every student has different little things that they can point out and they can understand. You can explain something to a whole class and then one kid will ask a question that you would have never thought about and most of the class would have never been thinking. You get surprised because everybody’s mind works so differently.”

Sophomore Christie Seyl said she appreciates when teachers can bring more meaning into different works that are incorporated within the classroom.

“In eighth grade, with our social studies teacher, he did [this] thing where they made the barricade, like the trenches from World War II, and we had to go in and be part of the minds of the soldiers,” Seyl said. “That was very intense and I learned a lot from that.”

Seyl said when teachers change things up with lessons, she finds that it is more memorable. She said teachers should try new things within their lessons to keep students interested.

“Have fun with what you do,” Seyl said.

“My mom is a teacher and I know if you’re not having fun, then you are not going to want to teach. You’re not going to want to grade homework or anything. If you don’t like the kids then it’s not going to happen so you have to find good things about students to bring out and incorporate into the classroom.”

| summerlyon

20 | opinion / the standard / sept. 2016

| 21

Not a distraction dress code should not limit access to learning

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are midriff. Bare back. Clothing that is too tight or too loose. Short shorts and provocative necklines. Clothing that disrupts learning is not appropriate. Student will be asked to change his or her clothes.

Above are some of the examples of clothing that disrupt learning according to the student handbook appearance and dress policy. But how does one define such types of clothing?

Dress code is often viewed by students as a way to restrict freedom of expression through dress; however, this expression isn’t always a guarantee in public schools.

The Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent School District case was heard by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1969. According to Education.findlaw.com, the case involved high school students wearing black armbands in order to protest against the Vietnam War. The Supreme Court ruled that schools may limit expression only if there is a real concern “that such expression will be disruptive to the learning environment or violate the rights of others.” States now reference this case when implementing the right for school districts to have dress codes to ensure learning isn’t disrupted.

This can lead to variations between what schools classify as distractions. Principal Scott Roberts said dress is not guaranteed as a mean of expression if it is considered to disrupt learning.

“As long as [what a student wears] doesn’t have something that is offensive or obscene, not against the law, not revealing, we don’t get involved in dress,” Roberts said. “You can wear what you want to wear, but it’s not really about your expression; it’s just what you choose to wear.”

22 | opinion / the standard / sept. 2016

Due to the Tinker ruling, states have laws that allow school districts to make school-specific dress codes for students. According to Kansaslegalservices.org, schools in Kansas can “justify dress codes as a method to control discipline and avoid distraction.”

“There are times when someone’s dress can be a distraction to other people,” Roberts said. “And if what someone is wearing, or frankly not wearing, is a distraction to other students, then it’s going to affect their learning.”

The real problem with the dress code is clearly defining what is considered a distraction. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word distract as “to take (attention) away from someone or something.” With such a vague word, it is left open to interpretation — the interpretation of the people implementing the policy. Most of the clothing that is listed under the “disrupts learning” section of the dress code does not actually do so. Seeing an inch of someone’s midriff, someone’s bra strap or bralette, or a section of someone’s back is in no manner going to distract another from learning.

Senior Karie Wu said she was told to put on a shirt provided by the school after she was approached for a violation in the dress code on Sept. 13. She said the shirt in question was then taken from her and she was told she could get it back at the end of the school day. Wu’s shirt contained multiple slits in the back of it. She said she had on a bralette underneath the shirt and was told that even though it covered more, it was considered the same as only wearing a bra underneath.

Assistant principal and activities director Erica Warren said bralettes, even though they are not technically bras, are still considered an undergarment, so they are against the dress code. She also said when administrators ask students to change shirts, they keep his or her shirt until the end of the day to guarantee he or she “remains in accordance with the dress code.”

Current fashion styles are often considered more revealing than styles of 10 or 20 years ago, or it could just be that different clothing is considered more socially acceptable in this day and age. Regardless, most students don’t wear clothing to school that blocks learning or brings forth distractions to other students or teachers. Bralettes are an example of a fashion trend that could be seen as revealing by the standards of the dress code, but inhibit no disruption to the learning environment.

“I don’t think [my clothing choice] gets in the way of learning,” Wu said. “The people who aren’t paying attention in class aren’t going to not pay attention because of me. My back isn’t going to tear attention away from the subject.

Plus, most of the time I’m sitting, leaning my back on the chair or have a backpack on.”

Something as acute as a bralette or someone’s back showing doesn’t divert attention away from the main focus of the school day: to learn. Additionally, since much of classroom time is spent in a chair, there truly is no threat if the so-called distraction isn’t even visible.

In an attempt to keep what the school considers

distractions at bay, the dress code states that it is against the policy to wear anything that advertises illegal activities or anything that students cannot legally purchase. The dress code also includes examples of clothing that it states will impede learning. Some of the items in this section include: provocative necklines, bare backs, bra straps or provocative clothing of any kind. While it is essential to recognize the impact a dress code has on a student body, it is nearly impossible to determine what may actually be disrupting learning. Most of what the dress code classifies as distracting is not at all prohibiting students’ learning.

Roberts said for him, a distraction is more or less when someone may focus on someone’s clothes instead of the lesson at hand.

“There are times — I’ll use a female student — if a female student is provocatively dressed, either a low slung blouse, [or if her] shorts are too short, that can be a distraction sometimes for many people,” Roberts said. “Certainly if someone is wearing something that has marijuana or pot leaf or beer or something people are going to chuckle and say ‘look at that,’ and they’re not going to be thinking about what they should be thinking about — which is class — they’re going to be thinking about what someone is wearing.”

Prohibiting having illegal activity or profanity displayed on someone’s outfit is an important part of the dress code because something that is illegal at school shouldn’t be worn on a shirt to school. However, when the dress code mentions things like provocative necklines, bare backs and bra straps, one can question how much this actually disrupts a classroom setting. After all, it is no secret that everyone has backs and most girls wear bras, so it shouldn’t be considered a disruption to learning when one of these shows from time to time.

Roberts said enforcement of such issues varies from case to case. He also said that in the case of provocative necklines, he thinks students are typically able to judge for themselves what that means because there is no set definition besides a shirt that is too low-cut or too revealing. Roberts also said usually backs are only an issue when a student’s entire back is revealed.

However, students still get told their shirt might be inappropriate when there is a relatively small slit or hole in the back of the shirt. For example, sophomore Skylar Jacobson said she was asked to put on something to cover up her shirt on the first day of school after being approached by an administrator. She said she was told her shirt was in violation of the dress code because of the slit in the back of it.

“I don’t think that clothes showing backs and bra straps are actually distracting to any person because there is nothing inappropriate about a back or any way someone can’t learn since they’re distracted because of a back showing,” Jacobson said. “Also, bra straps are not distracting to anyone and causing them not to be able to learn because both genders know that females wear bras.”

| 23

Roberts said the issue of bra straps is not one that is as heavily enforced in the school anymore. He said that since it is now a style to have bra or bralette straps showing, it is enforced less frequently.

While bra straps are not as heavily as enforced, Roberts said in cases where the dress code is imposed — two to three times a week, depending on the season — an administrator will tell a student that they don’t think what the student is wearing meets the dress code. They then will either tell the student to not wear the attire again or they might ask them if they have any other clothing to put on to further cover up.

In extreme cases, a student may be asked to have his or her parent bring different clothing, to go home to change into more appropriate attire or be given clothing from the school to wear for the remainder of the day. Roberts said the staff tries to deal with dress code violations with as much dignity as possible and tries to work with each individual.

“We try to use common sense… and be able to work with the student,” Roberts said. “We understand that [dress code] is important, but it’s also not more important than learning.”

Dress code is something that continues to be addressed because of what the school deems appropriate. The most important thing is that learning always come first.

English teacher Marin McCrossen said the dress code should reflect a “ready to learn” mindset. She also said she recognizes the importance that dress code holds to teach students about future endeavors.

“Learning about audience and purpose specific to situations is an important soft skill,” McCrossen said. “Each of us has to be able to determine appropriateness of dress, language and demeanor based on situational awareness.

There are things that one can wear that are perfectly acceptable by societal standards, perhaps, but are not appropriate to the purpose and audience found in schools. It isn’t really about the hat or the T-shirt, or the lacy bra straps, or the sagging jeans; it’s really about the recognition of an important soft skill that is necessary in the real world.”

Counselor Tom Hult said students often try to mend

their school dress to the current styles and trends, but that sometimes these trends are too revealing for school.

“When it is too distracting, the school has an obligation to all students to do what is in the best interest of learning for students,” Hult said. “There are plenty of options for students to express themselves while staying within the limits of the dress code.”

Wu said she thinks many students are able to express their styles within the limits of the dress code; however, she doesn’t find herself, among various others, being able to do this. With some of the more repressive aspects of the dress code, it becomes difficult for certain students to find they still are given the right of expression.

“The dress code restricts my sense of creativity because for me, my clothes are a part of who I am,” Wu said.

While the dress code holds importance in a school setting, sending a student home is not justified. Students come to school to learn, and that shouldn’t be taken away from them because they are told to change outfits. The importance of the dress code lies within its deeper meaning: to teach students that different situations and cultures have different appropriate dress types. However, in the school setting — where dress is supposed to be a guaranteed expression unless it is a distraction or violates others’ rights — it isn’t a distraction or an impediment to learning to have something as miniscule as part of someone’s back showing. Even though it is important to set standards for students, a back does not distract anyone and should certainly never take away from the opportunity to learn.

“In most cases, I don’t think it’s okay to send someone home for the way he or she is dressed,” Jacobson said. “I don’t think anyone is truly that distracted in class to where they can’t learn because of the way someone else is dressed.

So, sending that person home and actually taking away from their learning to change clothes that weren’t too bad doesn’t seem like a logical solution.”

| donnaarmstrong

24 | / feature / sept. 2016

Lending a the

1

F

rom labs to golden retrievers to pit bulls, sophomore Taylor Walton said she found her life’s passion two years ago working with dogs. Taylor often volunteers at Wayside Waifs or in the comfort of her own home. Her family has three dogs and sometimes a fourth foster dog.

“If we can take a dog out of the shelter, that saves the life of another dog, so you’re technically saving two lives,” Taylor said. “It’s totally worth it because you can see the dog blossom in so many different ways.”

To the Walton family, fostering dogs is a chance to change the personalities or mindsets of shy or timid animals. The dogs they foster

are usually part of the Confidence College at Wayside Waifs, whose goal, according to waysidewaifs.org, is to do exactly what the Walton’s strive to do: change dogs who are shy or fearful of people, new places and noises into well-rounded adult dogs. However, to Taylor, fostering isn’t just about aiding the timid personalities of dogs; it also saves lives.

“We help bring them out of their shell to make it to where they can be adopted,” Taylor said.

Outside of fostering, Taylor usually volunteers two to three times a week at Wayside Waifs. Her volunteering consists of walking and running dogs, playing with the dogs or puppies,

helping with kennel clean up and introducing potential adopters to their future pets. Taylor’s hard work definitely does not go unnoticed, according to adoption counselor Candy Brown; she said she is especially proud of and impressed with Taylor and her hard work ethic.

“Taylor has always set an example to other volunteers and not just the young ones,” Brown said. “Anyone that meets her knows how committed she is to our waifs and program.”

Having owned dogs since she was 4 or 5, Taylor said her adoration surfaced from always having them around.

However, according to her mother Cam Walton, the love for dogs is

| 25

paw to

canine community

sophomore Taylor Walton fights for equality for all dog breeds in Overland Park pretty much a unanimous love in their family, especially regarding the girls.

“Our family all likes dogs, but the females — three of us — are definitely the animal lovers,” Cam said.

With this love in mind, and Taylor’s self-proclaimed stubbornness and impulsion, her fight for the lift on the pit bull ban in Overland Park began. After volunteering for two years, Taylor got a feel for the adoption program and began to notice a problem.

“There’s always a bunch of pit bulls and no one’s taking home pit bulls,” Taylor said. “I’ve had several adoption cases, too, where people would love to adopt this dog — they’re a perfect fit for their family, and the dog’s been there forever — and they live in a place where they can’t have [that breed].”

Taylor said she decided something

needed to be done for pit bulls to be treated correctly instead of based on their history or reputation of violence and danger. It only took one pit bull at Wayside Waifs, Fawn, to change her heart.

“I was a little skeptical of pit bulls too, but Fawn just completely changed my mind. She came in to Wayside and she had just had babies, but they never found her babies,” Taylor said.

“I met her and she went through our programs, Confidence College and Peace Academy, because she was so shut down when she came in, but [she] finally realized, ‘Hey, I can just be myself.’ I worked with her for at least four months, and during one of our big adoption events — called Mega Match, all dogs for $25 — this nice couple came in and were looking for a dog, and they picked Fawn.”

For Taylor, Fawn broke the “all pit bulls are bad” stereotype with her developed kindness, sweetness and great behavior. With her new love for pit bulls and their breed, Taylor decided to take action to repeal the ban on pit bulls in Overland Park.

“I wrote a three page paper, got personal testimonies from Wayside staff and volunteers and took in tons of pictures and examples; I did my research,” Taylor said. “My mom said if I put as much work into that as I did to school, I’d be a straight A student on the honor roll.”

Next, Taylor got a hold of her city council president Paul Lyons, and scheduled a meeting. Taylor said she went to the first meeting knowing she wasn’t going to change his mind right off the bat. Lyons told Taylor to come back summer of 2017 to have their

26 | second meeting and to share her opinions in depth. Taylor plans on returning this coming summer to hopefully lift the ban. Although her work cannot be seen in Overland Park yet, it may have contributed to other cities taking action.

“I’m not trying to take credit for any of this, but after I went up and talked to city council, other places started looking into [pit bull bans] again,” Taylor said.

In April, the city of Shawnee officially repealed their ban on pit bulls. Then, a month later, according to Kansas news website kshb.com, citizens in Prairie Village requested their ban to be reevaluated. Prairie Village City Council members then

voted to “reopen” the city’s breed bans.

Taylor said she hopes the involvement of other cities such as Shawnee, as well as her own, will set the ball in motion for Overland Park. She said if changes aren’t enacted soon, pit bulls will pay in the form of euthanization.

According to barkpost.com, pit bulls are the most commonly euthanized dog breed annually.

“Overland Park is a sitting duck,” Taylor said. “They need to make their move now, because the longer they wait, the more pit bulls get euthanized ... because of their reputation.”

Both Brown and Cam have expressed their expectations for Taylor’s future, and dogs are definitely a part of it. Aside from the special

2 (1) Sophomore Taylor Walton sits with her dogs white lab mix Nate, yorkie maltese Willie and choclate lab Hershey in the Walton family’s backyard.

connection Taylor has with dogs, she said volunteering makes her genuinely happy. She said she hopes to continue helping the canine community and eventually attend Kansas State University’s veterinary school.

“I have been saying for the last two years that Taylor will make an impact on the rescue community and she will be someone everyone will know in the years to come,” Brown said. “Taylor has had a passion since day one, especially for the pit bulls. They need someone like Taylor in their corner.” | eliannaoliver photos by donna armstrong graphics by delaneyoliver

3 (2) Taylor holds onto a treat as her dogs watch intentley to see who she will give it to.

(3) Hershey, the chocolate lab, extends out his paw to shake Taylor’s hand in hopes of getting a treat.

FROM RANKED R an

ke d

TO BLANK

district removes class rank from student transcripts

S

tanding in line at Haagen Dazs in the Mall of America, senior Eunice Lee received a text with an attached link to a news article from KMBC news titled “Blue Valley school district explains why it’s dropping class rank.”

Her gut reaction: disappointment. Her No. 1 class rank would no longer be acknowledged. After analyzing the situation, Lee decided to remain positive. Realizing her role as No. 1 in her class was not the most important part about her, she stepped back into reality, ordered her double-scoop ice cream cone and continued on with her day.

Last year, a committee of counselors and administrators from the district were given the challenge of making a decision on whether or not class rank should be calculated.

In May of 2016, after surveying multiple public and private institutions across the country, as well as contacting multiple scholarship programs and local and non-local colleges, the district reached a decision to stop ranking students based on their weighted and unweighted GPAs. “What we found is that there are many high-performing, both public and private, school districts across the country who are not ranking students anymore because they did not feel like it was an accurate reflection of how students are performing,” assistant superintendent of academic services Tonya Merrigan said.

Merrigan noted that multiple students with over 4.0 GPAs applied for scholarships and colleges, but did not receive a scholarship or get admitted because they were not in the top 10 or 25 percent of their class. Merrigan said most likely — had their class rank not been noted, requiring colleges and scholarship programs to review multiple data points and do a little more digging — these students would have been awarded the scholarship money or been admitted.

“Again, because so many schools in the country don’t do this, it was penalizing [our students] in many cases,”

“STUDENTS ARE MORE THEY ARE MORE THAN THAT D I S PR OP OR T I O N AT E LY ABLE TO DO.” Merrigan said. “[Removing class rank] makes our students able to stand out based on how they perform in the class. They are still going to have a GPA and they’re still going to have to perform well in their academic classes.”

Whether or not class rank is available at other schools in the country, assistant principal and curriculum and instruction principal Jason Peres said he agrees with the district’s decision to remove class rank and believes doing so will not hurt any student. He said ranking puts many at a disadvantage knowing that students with very high GPAs can still be considered 30th in the class, an inadequate representation of the student.

“As a school district, we want our students to have the best competitive edge that they can have nationally, and we are noticing that the trend nationally is no longer reporting class rank on a transcript,” Peres said.

Not only does class rank encourage competitiveness among students, but Peres also said he believes it enables colleges or scholarship programs to base their decisions off a singular number.

“I think it is kind of time to change how we look at kids, especially with the amount of kids going to universities and how highly competitive they are,” Peres said. “Students are more than just a number; they are more than that rank, and that rank so disproportionately reflects what they are able to do. We should

THAN JUST A NUMBER; RANK; AND THAT RANK SO REFLECTS WHAT THEY ARE

| AS SISTAN T PRINCIPAL/ CURR ICULUM AND INSTRUCTION PRINCIPAL JASON PERES

be looking at multiple data points in order to determine whether a kid would fit into [a] program.”

Peres said he hopes this change will improve chances of scholarship awards or college acceptance while also releasing tension between students within close rank proximity of each other.

“By making this change, we hope that high school becomes a more collaborative experience where you are willing to work with other kids and you don’t see other kids as a threat to your success in high school,” Peres said.

With more collaboration and less individual focus, Lee’s assertions agree with Peres: that class rank is not a correct indication of someone’s accomplishments or qualifications to get into a school or receive a scholarship.

“I don’t like the concept of class rank because I think it fosters an unnecessarily competitive atmosphere,” Lee said. “Honestly, the difference between people ranked first or 21st can be as simple as a scheduling problem or one B, especially at a school of Southwest’s caliber. That’s not a proper indicator of someone’s intelligence or work ethic.”

For some students, like junior Saketh Bhavanasi, this news did not produce as positive of a reaction. Bhavansi said he prefers the calculation and reporting of class rank as an incentive to work harder to get to the top or stay there.

“I think we should have class ranks because they allow students to work for a goal,” Bhavanasi said. “People think it makes some students feel bad about their rank, but it shows them that if they work harder, they can improve. It gives them a scale that they can use to compare themselves and it’s more like the real world.”

While Lee, unlike Bhavanasi, agrees with the decision to remove class rank, she has had some hesitations as well.

“There are a lot of risks involved with removing class rank. I read a story — I believe from the New York Times — a while ago about Vanderbilt, and how admission rates were lowest for students whose schools did not rank, as opposed to schools who do,” Lee said. “It forces some admission officers to do one of two things: pay more attention to your ACT or approximate an artificial class rank by looking at data from your high school.”

Knowing these apprehensions from students would occur, the school district has offered students who started high school with a class rank —class of 2019 and older— the opportunity to choose whether or not to report their class rank when sending their transcripts to colleges or scholarship programs. This provides those who have had access to class rank in the past the decision to keep it or not.

However, beginning with the class of 2020, this access will no longer be available.

“Our thought is that if you are that No. 1 kid, or you wanted to put that No. 1 rank, then you would be able to put your GPA up there, you would be able to put your ACT and SAT scores up there and we think that is justification as to where you stand nationally and competitively,” Peres said. “We don’t think you need a class rank to show that you are a stellar student. I feel like you would have the resume that shows ‘Hey, I’m a high quality individual.’” | delaneyoliver

30 | news / the standard / sept. 2016

The problem with

N

ot everyone’s vote will count in the next election.

Kansas’s voter registration process varies from that of other states in that it requires proof of identification — like a birth certificate — to be sent in with the registration. This is intended to eliminate voting fraud, but consequently is making registering to vote more difficult for others.

For example, League of Women Voters chair of social policy Tami Zillig. Her friend’s daughter turned 18 and filled out the paperwork to register to vote. However, after the required paperwork was sent in, she was told she needed to send her birth certificate in again. And again. And again.

A total of five times.

“The 10th amendment provides for the sovereignty of the states, which allows for each state to have differing laws, including statutes regarding voting,” election commissioner Ronnie Metsker said.

“Most states have similar laws, but none are likely to be precisely identical.”

Due to this amendment, Kansas has the right to create its own voting laws.

Secretary of State Kris Kobach has been pushing for strict laws requiring proof of citizenship when registering to vote. This law, called the Kansas Secure and Fair Elections (S.A.F.E.) Act, was adopted in 2011. Due to these laws, a potential voter must submit a documentary proof of

citizenship (DPOC), which includes a birth certificate, passport, U.S. naturalization document, Bureau of Indian Affairs card, tribal enrollment number or military record of service along with the voter registration papers.

“Requiring photo identification at the polls reduces the risk of individuals voting as someone else,” director of public affairs for the Secretary of State Craig McCullah said. “Requiring proof of citizenship reduces the risk of a non-citizen voting.

Any time a non-citizen votes, it effectively

“I think that is why there are so many people on the suspended voters list because there is no notification that says ‘hey, you’re on the list.’” | senioramirabajracharya

cancels the vote of a citizen, denying them their voice in our democracy.”

However, laws such as these can cause complications for potential voters. Failure to provide a DPOC can land voters on the suspended voter list. According to McCullah, the list is around 26,000 people long. After 90 days, if the document is not

remedied, these voters will be booted off the list and have to start the process anew.

“At this point, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and League of Women Voters are suing Kris Kobach at the national level to try and reverse some of those rules,” Zillig said. “Right now, they are saying ‘voter fraud, voter fraud,’ and I’m thinking, of all of the people who vote in the state of Kansas, I know of two instances.”

Back in May, according to court documents, U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson issued an order saying proof-of-citizenship laws violated the National Voter Registration Act. Kobach must reinstate “all otherwise eligible... applicants that have been canceled or are in suspense due solely to their failure to provide DPOC (documentary proof of citizenship). *Kobach has since appealed the ruling. In the same case, Robinson reviewed possible occurrences of voter fraud and found three cases from 1995 through 2013. In that same time, around 14 noncitizens tried to register to vote.

If a citizen who was on the suspended voter list were to vote in the upcoming election, their vote would be pulled because of the incomplete paperwork.

It is up to the voter to check if they are approved to vote, and often a missed form can be overlooked by the voter.

31

Kansans face challenges when registering to vote “I don’t think the general public knows all this stuff,” Zillig said. “They just thought ‘oh, I voted and it’s fine, because I’m an American.’ But it’s not fine. Your ballot got dumped in the trash — or the shredder, actually.

Senior Amira Bajracharya found herself on the suspended voters list this last month.

“I had no idea [I was on the suspended voters list], because, like I said, not everything is clear when you are applying; its all jumbled up,” Bajracharya said. “It’s frustrating because you want to get these things in on time but at the same time you are not told by anyone what you need and what you don’t need.”

After applying to vote, Bajracharya said the process was not streamlined and could be altered to be more user-friendly.

“After you apply to be a voter, there is no confirmation given to you,” Bajracharya said. “I think that is why there are so many people on the suspended voters list because there is no notification that says ‘hey, you’re on the list’ or something like that. I feel that if there was more notification, then the whole process would be a little bit easier.”

Aside from challenges of the proof of citizenship requirements, some eligible voters may also struggle with more common voting requirements such as obtaining photo IDs.

“We all just assume that everyone has a driver’s license, while in a big metropolitan area like Chicago or New York City, not everyone has to have a driver’s license,” Zillig said. “If you don’t have a driver’s license, you will have to go into the DMV to get just a photo ID but if I’m, let’s say, an hourly employee, I would have to take off

“I don’t think the general public knows all this stuff. They just thought ‘oh, I voted and it’s fine, because I’m an American.’ But it’s not fine. Your ballot got dumped in the trash ­— or the shredder, actually. “ ChairofSocialPolicyTamiZillig

work to get that photo ID and that might really inconvenience me and I might lose pay.”

Additionally, according to Metsker, if someone registered less than 21 days before an election, they would also be ineligible to vote in that election.

However, some states are taking steps to encourage people to vote. They are implementing programs and policies which ease the voting process.

According to Zillig, groups across the country are calling for a national holiday.

Germany, which observes an election day holiday, had a voter turnout of roughly 73.5 percent in 2013 for the parliamentary election according to the Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, while the Unites States observed a turnout of 66.7 percent for the last presidential election in 2012.

“One thing a lot of states are turning to is something called motor voter,” Zillig said.

“When you go to get your driver’s license, you turn in a copy of your birth certificate, that’s your documentations, and you are automatically registered to vote. You would have to opt to not be registered to vote.”

This program is convenient because when one gets one’s driver’s license, documents which would qualify as DPOCs already have to be turned in.

“I don’t feel like we should leave what happens with our country in the hands of a small group of people,” Zillig said. “It’s up to you and me to vote so we have a voice.”

|lilliehoffart

*As of publication deadline, court cases and appeals are still in progress.

More information can be found at http://apne.ws/2ceNSvn.

in America who

Actually

votes?

|lilliehoffart

Highest and lowest voter turnout of eligible voters in 2012 by state

DC 76%

West Virginia 48% Voting based upon age: older demographics have a higher voter turnout People who voted

Wisconsin 74%

Massachusetts 71%

Oklahoma 52%

Hawaii 52%

Colorado 70%

Arkansas 53% High school diploma 55%

18-29

30-39

50-59

60-69

Bachelors degree 76%

Masters degree 85%

40-49

People who are registered but didn’t vote People who are eligible but not registered

A higher level of education means a higher chance of voting

70+

Puerto Rico has the highest voter turnout compared to the states. It gives its voters election day off.

Top reasons for not voting in 2012:

The number of female voters exceeds male voters 64% to 60% Sources from the US Census Bureau and www.idea.int

Too busy or conflicting schedule Not interested Illness or disability Did not like candidates or issues

Did not like candidates Other reason Out of town Registration problems Transportation problems