thestandard vol. 4 | issue 4 | december 2013 | bvswnews.com | blue valley southwest | overland park, kansas
cross country page 6
audio-visual genius page 14
printedition|
content|
| feature
¬ Adam Schifman | page 14
| opinion
¬ digital bridge | page 17
| photo feature
¬ Indian dance | page 22
| guest column
¬ charity dance | page 20
editor’snote|
H
ours are spent cultivating our talent; these passions push us to go further than ever before. Whether it is telling a traditional tale of culture through each poised movement of the hand, or leaving an audience breathless from a powerful line, we volunteer hundreds of hours to move ourselves forward. Our talents lie in so many different categories, but it is the dedication and strive to succeed that makes us similar. For those of you who have spent years working and training, I applaud you; and those who have yet to get there, I encourage you to keep going and to not give up. Remember all the examples in history of inspirational individuals — hardly any of them became who they are known for over night. I used my opportunity within the pages of this publication to recognize those individuals who are dedicated enough to put in that extra time, and my hope is that anyone who has that drive and possesses that desire for success will achieve. What you believe, you become, so keep believing in what you do — I can’t wait to watch you succeed.
taekwondo Junior Jae Young Jeong pursues martial arts after earning black belt.
page 11 photo editor
Photo by Charlotte Davis. Cover photo by Anna Glennon.
onlineedition| Hamlet
girls bowling
Thespians prepared for modern rendition of Shakespeare’s classic.
The girls bowling team gets ready for its upcoming season.
2 | dec. 2013 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | in this issue
vol. 4 issue 4 dec. 2013 the standard
Sharing their Vision Wolfbyte crew wins VidCon by adhering to its vision
| laurenstone
feature | www.bvswnews.com | southwest | dec. 2013 | 3
Photo courtesy of Steve Cortez.
Sharing their Vision T
heir names were called, announcing their victory. From the group of 16 students emerge the leaders, who step onto the stage to receive their award. Cameras flash and parents beam at their children as they stand before them, accepting their first place plaque. Their heads spin, overwhelmed with a sense of immense pride at their victory, and they know that the past 72 hours have been worth it. They spent the weekend putting their skills to the test, creating films while facing time constraints and fierce competition, only to be awarded for achieving such a high standard of excellence. For the majority of students, advisory is the only place that they ever get the chance to see what the Wolfbyte crew is capable of. However, the crew has recently won film competitions around the state of Kansas for their hard work and dedication to the show. They competed at the Emporia Film Festival, the Kansas State Fair, and most recently, VidCon, where they won the sweepstakes competition with nine awards. One of the biggest contributors to the crew’s success has been their steadfast dedication to their visions, a set of “rules” they use as
The Wolfbyte crew wins VidCon by adhering to its vision
a guide when creating every show. “This year [the crew is] hungry,” Broadcast teacher Steve Cortez said. “They’re hungry to do well because they really believe in the visions we put together that the show is not about us, it’s about the kids and the people of Blue Valley Southwest. One of the things we’re trying to do is evoke some feeling and have feeling in our stories so that it’s not just a story of just facts. We want to feel an emotion. That’s what we’re living by. That’s what we’re trying to do. So they are really buying into our vision, and they should because they came up with it.” Part of the Wolfbyte vision has to do with how the crew comes together as a team and the relationships that they have built while working on the show. “[Wolfbyte] gives me this aspect of a team because our first vision is #FOE, which is family over everything, and we really try to compliment each other, improve each other and work as a team,” executive producer Cassie Johnson said. “[The show] is very time consuming, so we really grow together, and the bonding I’ve gotten from broadcast is some-
4 | dec. 2013 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | feature
thing that is just irreplaceable. I have the best friends because of this class, and people that I wouldn’t normally hang out with are in this class. It’s amazing to see all of the friendships grow.” Playing up all of their individual strengths allows the crew to create the best possible show for the students at Blue Valley Southwest, which is another part of their vision. “We want to make each story better than the last,” editing producer Jillian Lewis said. “Part of our vision is that we want to have an equal balance of fun packages and serious packages, so we really try to be funny but also be serious to evoke emotion. We kind of ask ourselves every week ‘Are we following our vision? Are we doing what we strive to do?’ I think what motivates us is just wanting to do better than the story before. We want to do better because we want to leave our mark on the school.” Unfortunately, the whole school isn’t always attentive to the amount of work and dedication that goes into each show, making film competitions a better way for the Wolfbyte crew to see that they are on the right track.
“I know that not everything in this school is important to everyone,” Lewis said. “Some people don’t care about debate or they don’t care about this or that, so a lot of people kind of look over broadcast and they don’t think that it’s very hard or challenging.” However, flashy awards and first place medals aren’t the only way that the crew measures its success. “If we didn’t win a single award this year but we did our best to tell a great story, I’d be ok with that,” Cortez said. “I don’t look at awards as our end-all-be-all. What I look at is did we tell a great story? That’s what I want. Even if they don’t win a single award, if they work hard on a story and have true passion for it, then they’ve succeeded.” It was with this mentality that Wolfbyte entered VidCon, a film competition held in Springfield, Missouri from Nov. 1 through Nov. 3. Their win at this competition boosted the crew’s pride in all of the work that they do by letting them know that their dedication to their vision had paid off. “This makes me feel good that all of my hard work is paying off,” Lewis said. “We do stand out and other schools are kind of scared of us, like when we go [to competitions] they’re like ‘Oh, Southwest is here.’” But perhaps the person with the most pride in the crew’s achievement is the man who made their win possible by teaching and motivating them every day. “I’m very proud anytime my kids — be-
cause they are my children — work hard and to the best of their ability to do the things I taught them,” Cortez said. “Obviously I can only take them so far, and they have to take things further on their own, but I was just extremely proud. I will say that once I do the teaching, during the competitions, I will really let the students do their own work. In other words, I don’t sit there and hover over them and make sure they’re doing exactly what I taught them. I really believe it’s their chance to shine on their own. My previous crews built a foundation of excellence in our program, so I think when you have that foundation of excellence, you don’t want to be the crew that brings the level of excellence down. So I think their motivation is very intrinsic. They’ve seen what the other crews have done, and they want to maintain that excellence at Wolfbyte TV and exceed that excellence if they can.” As they work together every day, the crew pulls motivation from one another in order to achieve the excellence that they strive for. “What motivates me is my crew because they show me things that make me a better broadcaster and a better person every single day,” Johnson said. “I want to improve myself and my work for them because, even though I’m a senior and I’ll be going off, what I do now will help the program later. I want to make a lasting impact on this program because I have been a part of it for so long and to show that excellence can be achieved.”
| laurenstone
The Wolfbyte Visions 1. #FOE-make sacrifices for the family
2. It’s not about you 3. Exceed expectations: each story should be better than the last
4. Well-balanced and relatable show for the student body, a mix of funny and broadcast stories
5. Try something new on each story
6. Our stories must evoke feeling
Top: Seniors Cassie Johnson and Hayley Cape discuss editing with junior Jack Rose. Top Right: Senior Meagan Holloway puts the finishing touches on her story. Bottom Right: Junior Annika Hedstrom prepares to film a prank for the upcoming show. Photos by Lauren Stone.
feature | www.bvswnews.com | southwest | dec. 2013 | 5
cross country at State varsity runners race at Rim Rock
“It [State] was like no other race ever. It was a big fulfillment for the season. To prepare, I ran all season from July on, and I didn’t take a day off.” | sophomoretristaneastham
“State seemed like a blur to me. I was just trying to soak it all in and enjoy my last race. When I crossed the finish line my first feelings were disbelief that it was all over and disappointment because I know I should have done better. I’m so proud of all my teammates, and I’m really going to miss them.” | seniorcarsonbuel
6 | dec. 2013 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | cross country at state
“I wanted to run for my team. I knew they would do the same for me. I also had a goal to place top 20 at state and I wasn’t going to let anything get in my way. I was concerned about my foot because it had been hurting a lot before the race. However, I knew I had to get the thought of the injury out of my mind.” | juniortyconstant
“I felt compelled to run again because I felt like God was telling me to. I thought it wouldn’t be leading by example to give up on the sport or my relationships just because of a bum year. I always looked forward to the year I would be able to sort of redeem all those injuries with a really good season.” | seniorhollyharmon
“Honestly, State was unlike anything I had ever experienced. I waited so long and suffered so many heartbreaks for this one moment. I felt satisfied knowing my career ended at State and owning a new personal record on one of the hardest courses in the nation.” | seniorbradywagner Bottom Left: Senior Carson Buel sprints to the finish on the last downhill leg of the course. Top Left: First place winner, sophomore Tristan Eastham battles his way up the first mile hill, beating other runners left and right. Top Right: Junior Ty Constant pushes past the pain of a fractured foot in order to reach the top of one of the steepest hills the course has to offer. The Rim Rock course is known for its hills, which are steep enough
to challenge any runner and can be almost impossible to get up in bad conditions. Middle Right: Senior Holly Harmon is determined to reach the top the second mile hill, which is the second largest hill on the course. Bottom Right: Senior Brady Wagner desperately runs to the finish, while trying not to let others pass him.
| sarinaacharya
cross country at state | www.bvswnews.com | southwest | dec. 2013 | 7
The Gift of Giving
Sophomore Mikayla Murphy examines a donated coat to ensure that it is in fit condition for the holiday shop. The JCCB uses 200 volunteers year-round to collect donated items and sort them for the annual holiday shop. Photo by Nicole Becker.
Students donate their time at the Johnson County Christmas Bureau
S
ophomore Mikayla Murphy was volunteering at the Johnson County Christmas Bureau last year when a single dad walked in with four daughters clinging to his hip. All the man hoped for was for his daughters to have the best Christmas that they could. He poured his heart into caring for them, working two jobs in the effort to provide for his family. Unfortunately, he still fell short. “Even though the man couldn’t afford much, he was still trying so hard for his family,” Murphy said. “That was probably the sweetest thing I had heard. It really gave me perspective of how great of a parent he was for his daughters and I admired him for it.” The Johnson County Christ-
mas Bureau (JCCB) is a non-profit organization devoted to providing low income residents of Johnson County with various items for the holiday season. Those items include groceries, personal care items, children’s clothing, coats, hats, gloves, scarves, toys, adult and teen gifts and books. The JCCB holds an annual holiday shop from Dec. 6-14 in which people “shop” for these items. The clients are asked to give a $3 donation to the holiday shop if they can afford it. Southwest Students have come together to donate their time to this organization. Clubs like Spanish National Honors Society (SNHS) and Student Council (StuCo) have volunteered as
8 | dec. 2013 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | feature
a group to help out. Aside from clubs, various students have organized individual groups to help as much as they could. Junior Justin Hicklin started volunteering for the JCCB his freshman year with StuCo and has continued to serve with StuCo and on his own. “It definitely gives me a chance to realize how lucky I am and makes me realize that people are always attempting to overcome their struggles, and we should do our best to help them out,” Hicklin said. “I felt happy that I could change some-
one’s life by donating a couple of hours of my time. I was really thankful for the opportunity.” The JCCB is a non-profit orga-
nization, so it runs solely on volunteers. The JCCB holiday shop relies on 3,000 volunteers each year. These volunteers help set up, lead families around to shop and take down once it’s all over. “I can’t even begin to thank the students and what they do for us,” JCCB Executive Director Barb Mcneile said. “They help us with donation drives and volunteer during the holiday shop. Without high school students, we wouldn’t have any groceries to give to our clients because we get all of our groceries from student food drives. We really love the kids that come in and give their time.” Students provide manpower for the JCCB, in which the organization relies on for its success.
Graphic by Sam Billman.
Last year, the JCCB provided 3,461 families — 12,965 individuals — with items for the holidays. A family of four typically receives over $300 worth of goods, which includes a holiday present for each family member. Holiday presents offer gifts for a variety of ages with different selections such as adult books or children’s toys. In 2013, the JCCB expects to serve 3,949 families and 13,845 individuals. “The organization does so much for Johnson County to make sure everyone has a good holiday,” Hicklin said. “Everyone there is always so happy, which makes it really fun. I’m really glad to be a part of it.” Not only does the organization benefit from the volunteers, but the volunteers gain perspective after donating their time. “It [volunteering] really made me more grateful for what I have and it helps remind you that poverty happens even in Johnson
County,” Senior Jack Ayres said. “Seeing that is a great reminder to keep volunteering and helping out the most you can.” The unique thing about the JCCB is how much the volunteers interact with the clients who are benefiting from the organization. Each family is taken around by one volunteer in the holiday shop to pick out its items. This interaction allows volunteers to witness the impact that they truly are making. “It means the world to you when the people you’re helping thank you or give you a smile, and you can really see how much they appreciate what little they’re given,” Murphy said. “It made me feel really good to know that I was helping these people get back on their feet.” The interaction between clients and volunteers allows the families to display their stories. It gives volunteers an insight on another view of Johnson County.
“I think that this is the most rewarding volunteer job because you get to see how you’re making an impact and work with the clients one on one,” Mcneile said. “You get to see how appreciative they are, and most people are so humble and appreciative. It’s so rewarding to see their faces and know that they’re having a brighter holiday season because of it.” Mcneile shared her most memorable story from her clients in which a lady came in with her small daughter. The JCCB asks for a $3 donation from the clients to shop if they can afford it, and the woman had forgotten to bring money with her. As the lady went to leave to find an ATM, Mcneile assured her that she could still shop without the donation. The lady was very grateful that she didn’t have to trek to find an ATM. cont. to page 10.
feature | www.bvswnews.com | southwest | dec. 2013 | 9
cont. from page 9.
She said she had come straight to the holiday shop from a chemotherapy appointment for her daughter. The family had to move from Arizona back to Johnson County because of her daughter’s cancer. “That moment really touched me; you don’t really expect something like that to happen and here these people were right in front of me sharing their story,” Mcneile said. “Other people have come into the holiday shop with piggy banks and nickels trying so hard to pay the $3 donation in order to give back to the holiday shop.” Although the JCCB is aimed at providing to those financially struggling in
Johnson County, Southwest students have benefited from the program.. Students have been give the opportunity to make a difference in their community, which to them is a reward in its own. “When you leave a place like that filled with so many volunteers working to help others, it makes you feel genuine and want to give back the most you can,” Murphy said. “It really made me think about how blessed we are and how our parents are there for us to provide even the simplest of needs.”
Swickard and Murphy search the pockets of donated coats to ensure they’re in top condition for the clients. Then, they sort the coats by size and gender. Photo by Nicole Becker
| nicolebecker
Sophomore Riley Swickard sorts the dirty coats into bins to be taken home and washed by a volunteer so that they may be used in the holiday shop. Photo by Nicole Becker
Looking for a way to give back to your community this holiday season? VOLUNTEER AT OUR ANNUAL HOLIDAY SHOP FROM DEC 6-14 It’s not too late to sign up! We need at least 3,000 volunteers. Visit www.jccb.org to find more information on how to volunteer. Or for more information, use your smartphone to scan this QR code.
10 | dec. 2013 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | feature
journey to a black belt
| charlottedavis
feature | www.bvswnews.com | southwest | dec. 2013 | 11
After practicing for years in South Korea, at the age of 10 Jae Young Jeong and her family moved to America. Her f a t h e r, K i h o J e o n g , h a s o w n e d and operated his taekwondo business for more than 30 years, and now Jeong spends her afternoons and evenings teaching classes at his side.
12 | dec. 2013 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | feature
“
Ta e k w o n d o d e f i n e s who I am.”
She’s a third degree black belt, an accomplishment which was no simple feat. “The hardest part is the physical training, because the training is really tough,” Jeong said.
feature | www.bvswnews.com | southwest | dec. 2013 | 13
behind the scenes senior Adam Schifman pursues his passion
F
rom the quiet environment of the sound booth in the performing arts center (PAC), setting up the microphones for the actors and actresses in the latest school play, to the overwhelming and throbbing setting of a club, senior Adam Schifman is responsible for everything sound and lighting. He is a business owner with employees twice his age. However, he’s also a student and is very involved in school events and activities. At a young age Schifman knew his passion resided in audio and lighting and has been pursuing it since he was eight years old. “In the third grade I moved from Arizona to Kansas,” Schifman said. “I had realized I was interested in sound and lighting at that point in my life; it intrigued me as a kid. As I moved to high school level, I still enjoyed it a lot and wanted to be involved in everything
regarding it [audio and lighting].” Schifman owns his own company that deals with audio and lighting. He took his passion and created his company APAR [Adam’s Pro Audio Rental] so he could experience what he loves to do everyday. He works after school and visits multiple sites to assist them with setting up for their events. “I own a company that specializes in lighting and sounds,” Schifman said. “I come in and do on-site technical management. We are hired by clubs or performing arts centers and what I do is provide the lights and sound and whatever other technical source the exterior companies need so they can prepare for their presentations or shows and don’t have to worry about the lighting and sound for their show.” He started his company when he was 15 years old, and a year later the
company took off. He was a standalone company owner at age 16. “I had an inspiration to start a full service audio company that could do everything at a reasonable cost and have the best customer service starting at even a basic platform,” Schifman said. “I started by talking to the best people in the business on how they became successful. I talked to everyone that works in the KC area that does what I do. Also, due to my parent’s connections, I was able to have a meeting with the world’s largest audio and lighting company [Production Resource Group]. They were my inspiration.” Schifman works year round. He has multiple trucks, so his employees can go to multiple sites.
| lexitarter
Photos by Anna Glennon.
feature | www.bvswnews.com | southwest | dec. 2013 | 14
a day in the life 5- wakes up 5:15- calls workers and they learn their task is for the day 6:15- gets ready 6:30- gets trucks and trailers ready to go and then leaves for school 7- gets to school His employees include: engineers, designers, audio designers, contractors, an installation crew and a full time mechanic. He has 15 full time employees and three part time. He found his employees through referrals of people that are in his field. They vary in age from 22 to 43. “For Adam’s company I mainly help him out with organizing the events and assisting with whatever he needs; whether that be running the store to grab something or helping him set up before the event, I’m almost like his personal assistant, if you will,” senior Keaton Fahnholz said. “It helps me with my career, considering that I might go into a mass communication degree. The audio aspect has really helped me out because when I’m with him [Adam], I’ve
learned a lot about how audio and lighting work and it’s really given me another
“
It took a lot of hard work to get where I am today, but it all paid off. I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else.” | adamschifman
perspective on how all of the equipment works and it expands my career choices if I ever decide to do
something else.” In addition to owning his own company, Schifman also helps out around the school. His primary station is in the sound booth in the PAC. “The start of high school was just around the time I wanted to start my own company, so I figured helping out the high school would be great practice for me,” Schifman said. Schifman is responsible for all things regarding audio and sound around the school, particularly in the PAC. He helps multiple departments of the school, such as theatre and choir, prepare for their performances in the PAC, as well as make sure that all things technical are set up and ready for the events. He has been trusted to crawl around the catwalk above the PAC and change
15 | dec. 2013 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | feature
lights since he was a freshman. He says he is held to high standards and is assigned difficult tasks. “I manage all the events, sound and lightwise, that come into the PAC,” Schifman said. “Whether that be regarding theatre such as plays, band concerts, teachers meetings or out of school performances or presentations, I am in charge of running the lights, having things ready. Everything on technical side I am responsible for. What people don’t know is that I’m not just in the PAC; if the school needs help setting up audio or lights for games, assemblies or if people need help setting technical things up in general, then I’m there to help them.”
7:20-7:45- preps things in the PAC 7:45-2:50school
attends
3-6- in school fortheatre rehearsal 6:15- leaves school and heads to job site midnight- done with work 1 a.m.- gets home 1:30 - goes to bed
Scan to read more about Adam online.
cont. to www. bvswnews.com. Photo by Ciara Murphy.
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16 | dec. 2013 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | ads
| grantlaster
D I G I TA L
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technological learning opportunity Digital Bridge disappoints, raises concerns about the future success of distance learning
classes offered on the Digital Bridge
cont. to page 18.
| Latin 1 | Honors Multivariable Calculus | Latin 3 | German 2
| hours 1, 2 | hour 4 | hour 7 | hour 2
| Jonah Baldwin | CJ Armenta | Caitlin Rose | Elissa Schlumpf
opinion | www.bvswnews.com | southwest | dec. 2013 | 17
| grantlaster
DIGITAL
D
IS
technological learning opportunity disappoints, raises concerns about the future of distance learning
T
he Southwest bell rings. After 42 minutes of uninstructed free time, a catchy tune signals that a video call is coming from Blue Valley Northwest, and five video feeds appear on the overhead projector. Two of the five projected rooms are dark, and the announcements blare in the others. When the noise all stops, the Honors Multivariable Calculus teacher CJ Armenta assesses which schools are present and which are on an assembly schedule. One minute later, the Southwest bell rings again, signaling the end of fourth hour, but Northwest and Blue Valley High continue the lesson plan. Welcome to the Digital Bridge. The Digital Bridge is a way for Blue Valley students to take classes that would otherwise not be offered at their respective schools. Each class meets online, and the video conference is comprised of separate video feeds from each of the schools involved. The class is taught from one of the schools and the teacher’s work is projected on to a SMART Board at every school. When math teacher Richard Wilson told the juniors in my AP Cal-
18 | dec. 2013 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | opinion
culus BC class that those enrolled in the Digital Bridge classes would need to work as a group in order to succeed, he was absolutely right. Strength in numbers is the only fitting motto for a class in which there is no teacher to seek help from before or after school. Originally, I disregarded what my former math teacher said, as I thought there would be nothing cooler than to have a completely digital classroom that shares a video feed with other Blue Valley students. But the distance that I thought this technology would eliminate did not shrink; it only became more obvious. Other students, such as junior Corinne Rolfs, a veteran of the online classroom battlefield, like the system. Although Rolfs admits that the learning environment is not always ideal, she appreciates her opportunity to learn something otherwise unattainable. Without the Digital Bridge, she knows that she would not be able to continue to take Latin and learn about the rich history surrounding it. Rolfs’ unique perspective has even noticed improvement in the Digital Bridge over the years.
staff vote
yes — 13 | no — 3
| Do you think Digital Bridge classes have too many drawbacks? Go online to www.bvswnews.com to cast your vote for this month’s editorial question. Read other student responses and comment on the editorial. Make your voice heard at www.bvswnews.com. or mention us on twitter @bvswnews.
Photo illustrations by Anna Glennon.
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“As in any classroom, not everything we learn can be understood
right away,” Rolfs said. “Fortunately, our teacher is very good about reviewing and practicing with us until we fully grasp each concept. It makes all the difference in the Bridge classroom. Sometimes minor sound issues occur and the screen may go blurry, but these are problems we can easily overcome. In this new year, the system is functioning better than it ever has and we have had few major mishaps.” While valid points can be made about the opportunities that the Digital Bridge presents, I still propose that changes can be made to enhance the ease of learning at such a great physical distance. For instance, as Armenta points out, coordinating the schedules between all five schools involved is a Herculean task. Assemblies and standardized tests such as the PSAT are typically the worst schedule-manipulating events. Sometimes, Southwest students are without
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“I thought that all the schools would be on the same schedule,” Honors Multivariable Calculus proctor Carolyn Zeligman said. “So when our announcements get done, and there are others going on, that bothers me. It would be hard to be the teacher. How is he going to organize in an efficient manner when he’s ready to start and there are kids here who are talking, there are kids who are arriving, there are kids who are leaving? I think for something that is connected to all five schools, they’ve got to have the same schedules.” Classroom technology is changing many school districts across the nation. Any student with a device capable of making an internet connection instantly has a deluge of information at their fingertips, but the digital infrastructure for distance video classrooms has not evolved to the mature stage that singular schools have utilized.
cont. to www.bvswnews.com.
an instructor for an entire class period.
opinion | www.bvswnews.com | southwest | dec. 2013 | 19
sweetheart to snowball student voices opinion on winter dance’s name change
C
ontroversy has struck. It has turned student against student, teacher against teacher, unraveling the very fabric of the school. Throughout the halls, people break out into fights at the very mention of it. When brought up, babies cry in their cribs and small children burst into tears. What is this cancerous event that has turned a whole school inside out? The Sweetheart dance is getting it’s name changed to Snow Ball. Student Council has recently announced that Sweetheart, the annual winter dance, is receiving a name change. My opinion on the unconsented name change for the dance is a spiteful, belligerent editorial for another time, but it must be acknowledged that the student body did have the opportunity to
vote on what the new name would be. There were two options, Winter Formal or Snow Ball. They chose Snow Ball. Many claim that the name Sweetheart is a school tradition, whereas others believe that the name Sweetheart discourages those who cannot get dates from attending the dance. While I am wholeheartedly jealous of the lucky guy that gets the title “King of the Snow Ball,” I know that I have a much more effective idea that would benefit everyone. I propose that the winter dance be made into a charity dance for heart disease awareness and research. Think about it. Everyone wins. The name would keep with the Valentine’s Day theme, keeping the spiritual tradition of BVSW
from sinking into the abyss while also helping others. Instead of paying twenty dollars to awkwardly grind in a dark gymnasium, you could pay twenty dollars to awkwardly grind in a dark gymnasium for charity. The dance could also be renamed to a name more fitting to a heart disease charity — I personally like “Heart to Heart” — but it would still maintain the Valentine’s day imagery of Sweetheart. As for those without dates, they would still have the incentive to go because every ticket is a donation. If you’re still not convinced, just look at events such as Relay For Life or Hoops For Hope. Just last year, Relay for Life was able to raise $127,500 for cancer research. If there’s one thing that people flock to, it’s the chance to
20 | dec. 2013 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | guest column
help another human in need. Say a student didn’t have a date, then they can still purchase a ticket and attend to benefit heart disease research. Even if a student did not attend the dance, they would still be able to donate separately. If a charity dance is implemented, then the winter dance would be self-supporting, fun, and it would provide an invaluable service to those suffering from heart disease. It’s useless to argue about a name change when there exists an opportunity to help others. Students will be able to take comfort in the fact that their money will be going towards a good cause while also enjoying themselves. | sawyerlike
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culture in COLOR girls represent traditional India with complex dance and dedication | margojohnson | annaglennon
22 | dec. 2013 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | feature
It’s not about showing how of an amazing dancer you are. I like showing my culture. I like showing the stories that come from my past and my people.� | anjalipradeep
feature | www.bvswnews.com | southwest | dec. 2013 | 23
culture
in
COLOR
Through the position of her body, Anjali Pradeep depicts the third eye of the Indian god Shiva. According to legends, Shiva’s third eye opens only when he is angry. In bharatanatyam, dancers use the motions of their bodies to represent the stories of gods and godesses, among other popular figures in Indian culture or childhood stories of gods. Rathi Narayan once performed a dance depicting the god Krishna being scolded by his mother. Photo courtesy of Anjali Pradeep.
DanceWear
10
The ornate, embroidered costumes in rich colors are one of the physical aspects that distinguishes bharatanatyam from other types of classical Indian dance. The typical costume consists of five pieces. Dancers also apply heavy makeup and jewelry, known as temple jewelry. In total, the costume can weigh 10 to 20 pounds.
6
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Costume 1. Cropped blouse 2. A pallu, which is a piece of cloth draped across the chest, similar to a saree 3. A small fan that sits around the hips 4. Satin pants 5. A large fan that’s attached between pant legs
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s her eyes fixate on the mirror straight ahead of her, sophomore Rathi Narayan examines her every step and movement with each beat of her instructor, Maithili Parikh’s, tap of the wooden tatta kali. Her knees bend, and her feet face outwards, forming a diamond shaped position, and her wrists gracefully flex as she moves her outstretched arms from side to side. Each piercing strike of her teacher’s wood block over the rhythmic hum of her Carnatic vocals signals a new stance for Narayan, as she moves her feet, arms and wrists accordingly with the beat. Every Sunday morning, Narayan spends an hour and a half in the basement studio of Parikh’s home practicing bharatanatyam, one of the many forms of Indian classical dance. Narayan, along with sophomores Sneha Bhavanasi and Anjali Pradeep, has been doing bharatanatyam for close to a decade. Bharatanatyam is characterized by the movements of the face, hands, wrists, arms and legs over the beat of classical Indian Carnatic music. Through each movement, the dancers tell stories of famous Indian gods, goddesses, princes, princesses, travelers and poets, among others. The dancers put all these components together and use the formations of their bodies to create symbols, thereby telling the life story of these influential figures in the Indian culture. Bharatanatyam is predominantly a style of dance popular in South India, where it originated in an-
Jewelry 6. Gold headpiece 7. Long earrings 8. Choker necklace 9. Long necklace 10. Bangles 11. Bell anklets
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cient times 3,000 years ago. “It is actually really hard to keep track of [what you’re supposed to be doing with each part of your body],” Pradeep said. “But I feel like when I’m dancing a dance that I’m really into, I kind of go into a trance where I just go methodically into [the dance]. Otherwise I’m focused on so many things that I sometimes do forget, but when I forget I usually just smile it away.” This year Bhavanasi, Narayan and Pradeep entered their tenth year of dance. After their parents signed them up for lessons in attempt to have their daughters learn more about the Indian culture, the girls have learned a multitude of different dances and movements. Pradeep is now even teaching younger students and choreographing dances. “It is my role to teach [my students] about the Indian culture,” Parikh said. “At the same time, I try not to make it very strict for them. They need to keep that interest of coming to dance class every single time. They start here because their parents want them to. It is eventually their interest that keeps them going.” For the three girls, that spark of interest has remained, and Bhavanasi attends biweekly dance classes, while Narayan and Pradeep go once a week for now, but plan on adding more sessions to their weekly schedules in the near future. “I originally started because my mom wanted me to see the Indian culture, but then I grew to
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like [dance] a lot,” Bhavanasi said. Outside of the dance studio, Bhavanasi, Narayan and Pradeep display their adept skills with the other students of their instructors in performances held multiple times throughout the year. “It’s really fun to show what you’ve learned [in performances],” Narayan said. “A lot of people here don’t know about Indian dance. It’s cool when your friends come and watch. You get to show them about your culture, and what you know [regarding dance] and what you can do.” In performances, the dancers, in Indian tradition, open with a dance about god and will then proceed to do a welcoming piece, in which each of the dancers introduce themselves. After the introductory dances conclude, the show continues with dances about legendary characters and figures in Indian culture. Each dance typically lasts five to ten minutes; however, the more arduous dances can last up to 20 minutes. “[When I’m performing], I’m just trying to remember everything because there are a lot of little details,” Narayan said. “You have to do everything in a certain way, and there are so many things to remember, like what your feet should be doing, what your face should be doing and where you should keep your hands. You’re basically running through [in your head] what’s the next thing you have to do and trying not to mess up.” cont. to page 26.
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When I’m dancing a dance that I’m really into, I kind of go into a trance where I just go methodically into [the dance]. Otherwise I’m focused on so many things that I sometimes do forget, but when I forget I usually just smile it away.” | AnjaliPradeep feature | www.bvswnews.com | southwest | dec. 2013 | 25
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cont. from page 24. With performances come the dutiful task of preparing both in technique and in appearance for the performance. Along with practicing both inside and outside dance class, dancers have to set aside an abundant amount of time prior to the performance to put on the proper attire, fasten jewelry and accessories, style hair and apply makeup, all of which can take hours to complete until the dancer is ready in her appearance to perform. “The actual performance day is pretty hectic based on how long it takes us to get ready,” Pradeep said. “Usually for performances we only do one or two [dances], so basically we’re getting ready for two hours for maybe 20 minutes of performing time, but we’re totally okay with that because we love performing. The actual performance itself is we just go onstage, we dance and it’s over before we even know it.” Out of the three girls, Pradeep is the only one who has completed her arangetram, a performance given in celebration of a student’s graduation from the basic skills and techniques of bharatanatyam. The performance is considered to be the student’s onstage debut as an advanced dancer. Pradeep completed her arangetram the summer before freshman year after having danced for nine years. “[My arangetram] actually [took] a year and half long preparation,” Pradeep said. “During the school year [my instructor, Ritu Daga, and I] would meet two to three times a week and dance for maybe four hours. But during the summer in June and July, we would meet every single day and work from eight in the morning to four or five in the evening with an hour of lunch break. We would work and go through our entire repertoire of eight dances maybe two times each day.” Bhavanasi and Narayan haven’t completed their arangetrams yet, but it’s something that Narayan has discussed with Parikh and Bhavanasi has discussed with her instructor, Anjali Tata. Narayan is planning on having her arangetram the summer before her senior year, and Bhavanasi will have her’s in the next few years also. cont. to www.bvswnews.com. | margojohnson
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Above: Sneha Bhavanasi and Rathi Narayan use their fingers to create the three pathaka, a commonly used hand configuration in bharatanatyam. Dancers can also use their fingers to represent a variety of symbols such as a flower, arrow, trident, woman, goddess or lovebirds; their hands tell their stories. “We have to put all the components together all at once, and with that we have to use the gracefulness of our bodies and move our bodies in different ways,� Anjali Pradeep said. Photo courtesy of Anjali Pradeep.
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Senior Bailey Blood drives to the hoop while trying to get away from junior Nikki McCurdy.
Photo by Erica Good.
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n Nov. 12-14, Hoops for Hope, a charity basketball tournament, took place in the main and auxiliary gymnasiums.
The purpose of Hoops for Hope is to raise money for Strive and Thrive — a program that helps kids that can’t afford treatment, therapy or any of cancer’s side effects — at Children’s Mercy Hospital. This year, the Southwest community raised $5,500 and had 270 participants, much more than last years total donation number of $3,700 and 170 participants.
see more Hoops for Hope photos online.
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Top left: Senior Connor Davis reaches over senior Andy Lindsey and freshman Evan Haas to get the rebound. Top right: Sophomore Alex Riley shoots while senior Kelsie Bartlett attempts to block his shot. Middle left: Junior Blake Shinkle waits for his teammates to open up for a pass. Bottom: Senior Adam Pelfrey dribbles the ball to fake a defender. Photos by Erica Good.
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Top left: Sophomore Freddie Charlesworth attempts to block the pass. Top right: Sophomore Zach St. Clair struggles to hold onto the ball in his oven mitt gloves while junior Abe Hermes stands ready in defense. Bottom left: Freshman Matt Nixon dribbles the ball away from his defender junior Adam Borker. Bottom Right: Junior Max Baum dribbles the ball away from the defenders. Photos by Erica Good.
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Top left: Senior Ryan Price tries to evade defender senior Adam Samazin. Top right: Junior Cameron Long flies past the defender sophomore Zach Keeling for a layup. Bottom left: Senior Jack Raybuck dribbles the ball past his opponents. Middle right: Senior Aleksei Cohee prepares to shoot the ball. Bottom right: Senior Ellen Winkle tries to decide what to do with the ball before throwing it to a teammate. Photos by Erica Good.
hoops for hope | www.bvswnews.com | southwest | dec. 2013 | 31
Venturer the life of a
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unior Sydney Carnes is a female Boy Scout. She’s been shotgun shooting, which she prefers to archery. She’s camped in below zero degree weather with her crew. And yet, even though she has a card that says she is a member of the Boy Scouts of America, the waitress at Culver’s doesn’t believe her when she says she knows her friend from Scouts. “They don’t think I can be a Boy Scout because I’m a girl and no one’s heard of venturing,” Carnes said. “They always look astonished and they look at me strangely. I have to keep explaining it to them because they don’t believe me.” Carnes is a part of Venturing, a program described by scouting.org as “a youth development program of the Boy Scouts of America for young men and women between ages 13 and 21” and by most Venturers as “Boy Scouts with girls.” “It’s an excellent opportunity for the kids to build confidence in themselves and what they can do and create positive change,” associate advisor Bill Snyder said. “[It’s there] to make you guys
a look into the lesser-known side of Boy Scouts
leaders, to make you guys responsible adults, to where you can go out into the world and make changes, make things happen. They have infinite possibilities on what they can do and what they can achieve.” Junior Bryan Murphy is brand new to Venturing, but he has been active in Boy Scouts since age 12. He has since worked his way up to the position of Patrol Leader, which entails helping the younger members earn merit badges. “[The hardest part is] probably the leadership positions that you have to take on, because it’s a lot to deal with when you already have school and other things,” Murphy said. “It’s a lot of time and effort that you have to put in. If there’s campouts and stuff you have to plan, sometimes it could be 7 to 14 hours a week.” Much of the time spent as a Boy Scout consists of earning merit badges. There is a strong focus on basic survival skills, such as first aid and learning how to tie different kinds of knots. “There’s something to gain from everything —
just learning how to do different things,” Murphy said. “Over the years I’ve gotten really close to some of the people in my troop. There’s always older groups leaving that have gotten Eagle and new kids going in, so it’s kind of interesting all the new kids you get to meet.” Although there aren’t any merit badges or the traditional Eagle Scout title to work toward, Venturing members can earn a bronze, gold or silver award. “You have to do it all on our own,” Carnes said. “We don’t do anything [for awards] in the meetings. Boy Scouts work on earning their merit badges at meetings and campouts — we don’t. We don’t really care about earning stuff.” Junior Kylie Jennings was a Girl Scout for three years in elementary school until her troop disbanded when the leaders left. She never considered becoming a Scout again until last summer, when she wanted to volunteer at a Cub Scout day camp with Carnes but couldn’t because she wasn’t a Boy Scout.
Left: Junior Sydney Carnes helps set up a tarp over the castle for a haunted house. Top right: Sierra Ashton hangs fake spider webs over the entrance of the haunted house. Bottom right: Sydney Owings sends string through the slats of wood to hang up a fake skeleton. Photos by Erica Good.
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“Girl scouts was mostly ‘let’s eat snacks and play inside games,’ but this you actually go and help people and camp out,” Jennings said. “I think camping out is the biggest difference. Venturing does more building, while Girl Scouts does more community service, like volunteering at places.” Although she hasn’t had the time to attend many meetings or activities, Jennings loved the people there and she hopes to go on a camp out in the near future. “When people think [of] Boy Scouts, they kind of look down on it,” Jennings said. “Some Boy Scouts they call nerdy, but we’re really not. We just do stuff for people and help them and have fun while doing it.” Like Carnes, Jennings had trouble explaining Venturing to others. “A lot of people when they think of Boy Scouts they think of the big Boy Scouts — Eagle Scouts,” Jennings said. “They don’t really think of the different branches. I’ve been asked ‘Did you mean a Girl Scout?’ and I’m like ‘No, I mean a Boy Scout, because Venturing is part of Boy Scouts, not Girl Scouts.’” Carnes said that even Boy Scouts are unfamiliar with their sister program. “[At] Boy Scout camps they always give us weird looks and they’re like, ‘Why are girls here,’” Carnes said. “Not many troops have a sister crew, so not very many of them know what Venturing is.” Advisor Lynda Weerts agrees that there is a lack of awareness among the groups. “I think that girls think that when they get to junior high, Girl Scouts is over, and it’s not,” Weerts said. “You can go all the way to your eighteenth birthday, until you graduate high school, and get your Gold Award, and I wish more girls would do that. On the same side, I don’t think that a lot of girls and boys especially know that Venturing is available to them.” There is more to the problem than simply a lack of awareness. At one of the camp outs, the Boy Scout members asked to take all of the pictures with Venturers in them out of the slideshow because they didn’t want to be seen with them. “They were really rude to us,” Carnes said. “The people who planned it made Syd stand up in the front of all the other Boy Scout troops because they had this competition throughout the day against us, and they made her stand up until the end, and they were like, ‘Well, you would’ve gotten third place, but you don’t really count because you’re girls.’ That’s pretty much what they told us. And the troop leader who said that was the one who got third place. They were pretty much just saying Venturing doesn’t matter.”
cont. to www.bvswnews.com. | anandabhatia
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What made you decide to start Girl Scouts?
“I started in kindergarten as a Daisy. My family has always done Boy Scouts and Girl scouts. I had a sister who did girl scouts and brother in boy scouts. My dad had been in boy Scouts for a while and me all were in 4H.”
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What should people know about Girl Scouts?
A Girl Scout Perspective | sophomorekirstygordon
What’s your favorite part about Girl Scouts?
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“We always get to go on fun trips and right now it’s just me and my friend who are left in our troop — it’s really fun to be with your friends and still know that you’re helping. I also enter things in the Kansas State Fair through Girl Scouts and the State Fair is my main passion. There’s arts, sewing, baking, woodwork — anything you can imagine. I’ve actually won sweepstakes nine times. It’s all in a Girl Scout house, and it’s really cool because you see all these Girl Scouts coming together. ”
“That it’s actually really fun. You’re serving your community and you feel like you’re doing something good, but yet you still have so much fun. I probably got to do a lot more fun things with my troop that I probably couldn’t have done, and in the long run, it helps because you end up getting scholarships. That’s how my brother got his job: because he was a Boy Scout.”
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What makes Girl Scouts different from Boy Scouts and Venturing?
“Girl Scouts, they’re super strict. You can’t do anything. You have to have all these background checks from even your parents. It’s very intense. Boy Scouts obviously are still really intense, but they get to do a lot more — like the activities, they get to shoot guns and archery and the high adventure stuff, and What was your Girl Scouts, you really don’t get to do that favorite project? because there’s so many risks.” “When we had three girls in our troop, we went to MLM Metropolitan Lutheran Ministries, and there’s been a lady who’s been working there forever and we redid her office. Seeing her hard work and dedication is just inspiring, to just see her heart and how she serves her community. She definitely puts herself last out of What are some anyone, and so that we could be there for her for common misconceptions? once was really cool. [We got] to help at MLM “Especially as you get older, a lot — they’re kind of like a food pantry, and if people hear you’re a Girl Scout, we helped a lot for the people who come you get made fun of a lot. They’re into MLM. You get to meet a lot of not one of the populars — [people really cool people.” think] that it’s not cool to be in it or that they’d rather do that than go play sports or just go to camp with friends, even though we still get to do that throughout Girl Scouts.”
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Graphic by Anna Glennon.
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Success through Scouts Students receive their Eagle Scout and Gold awards
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ehind the Thin Mints and flavored popcorn, a group of boys and girls strive to leave a lasting impact on the community. With their uniforms decked with badges ranging from making the world a better place to being a social butterfly, the Girl Scouts work toward the ultimate goal of achieving their Gold Award. The Boy Scouts, on the other hand, complete badges that require from learning basic survival skills to how to be an effective salesman in order to get the chance to work toward their Eagle Scout award. Both awards require dedication to the scouting program and the power to ignore the stereotype that labels the scouting programs “uncool.� Each student holds a different connection and story to the scouting program, and these awards helped them tell that story.
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Left: Locke starts constructing his bench with the help of his stepdad, Charlie Houska. Top Right: Locke cuts the wood needed to build his bench. Bottom Right: Locke, along with seniors Zach Case, Nick Edwards and Jack Ayres sit on the completed bench. Photos submitted by Tristan Locke.
Scouts taught Locke that fitting in isn’t everything
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or almost four years, senior Tristan Locke ceased working toward his goal of becoming an Eagle Scout. After completing all the requirements in middle school, Locke became too busy in high school to finish what he had started when he joined Cubs Scouts in third grade. “It wasn’t until this summer that I realized that I would regret not completing the requirements needed to achieve this accomplishment,” Locke said. After deciding he wanted to pursue the award, Locke set forth to find an idea. “I wanted to leave a piece of myself behind, and give back to the school that has given me so much,” Locke said. “[Principal Scott Roberts] specifically requested the construction of a bench somewhere around the school, and I decided that this would be an appropriate project.” Although his original plan was to build multiple benches, Locke settled on the one but came across some problems. Since Blue Valley regulations require that any external structures at the school cannot be
composed of naturally deteriorating materials, instead of using traditional wood, Locke had to use a composite alternative that is composed of mainly recycled plastic. Finally, after putting in 88 hours of working, planning and constructing the bench, Locke had finished. However, the Eagle Scout award was more than just an added “fluff” for Locke’s resume, but instead a lasting impact to Locke’s view on the world. “Eagle Scouts share a common set of values and upon meeting an Eagle Scout, one can usually trust that he is a good-hearted, genuine individual,” Locke said. “I feel that there is a certain respect that comes with the title of an Eagle Scout.” While the scouting program prides itself on teaching common traits of acceptance, the Boy Scouts are viewed as a program that teaches useless skills and are deemed as being nerdy. “I feel that it is often socially burdensome for boys to be involved with scouting,” Locke said. “Especially during middle school, I witnessed many boys abandon scouting because of the ridicule they received from others.”
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However, Locke saw past the names and the judgment and continued on with his endeavors. “When I was younger and more insecure, I hid the fact that I was involved with scouting for several years because I was unsure of how that knowledge would be perceived by others,” Locke said. “As I matured I realized how ridiculous this fear was, and I learned to be proud of my involvement with scouts.” Although not a badge that scouts can earn, the lesson Locke took away from the scouting program was that sometimes doing what one loves isn’t always “cool.” “I would encourage everyone else to realize that scouts are composed of normal, good people that have great character and care for the younger and weaker,” Locke said. “I hope that the future scouts are not deterred from pursuing their scouting goals because of a stigma that exists against scouts. The lessons in scouting are too great to lose and they should not be overshadowed by concerns about popularity or ‘fitting in.’”
Scouts taught Rolfs that you can make a difference Steps to getting
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n 4th grade, junior Corinne Rolfs joined Troop 625 to get involved with the community. After a brief hiatus, Rolfs rejoined before her freshman year, and even though the troop number had changed, her end goal remained the same. Her journey as a Girl Scout has led her to come within reach of achieving the highest award
for the scouts — the Gold Award. “I really value the structure scouts gives me and the community service that the program encourages,” Rolfs said. “Being a part of such a community is really uplifting, and I really enjoy the company of my fellow troop members.” However, first Rolfs must come up with a community project idea,
and then once she has decided on a project, she has to submit the idea to the board to be approved. “The project must be lasting and important to the community,” Rolfs said. “The biggest thing that I questioned in achieving the Gold Award is the receiver’s purpose. The project that I complete must mean something to me.”
Although the steps Rolfs has to take in order to finally get her award is a long process, the meaning behind the project is more impactful. “I decided to start this because I really want to put all my effort toward making a difference in the community,” Rolfs said. “I feel my experience will benefit my view of the community and give me in-
sight into how it functions.” Rolfs is still in the beginning stages, but is leaning toward starting an electronic recycling drive. “The Gold Award ultimately demonstrates the commitment, effort and sacrifice that a lifetime Girl Scout has put forth in order to help better her surroundings,” Rolfs said.
Scouting awards 1. Be an active member in one of the scouting programs. 2. For Gold Award, one must have already completed your Bronze and Silver Awards. 3. Be under the age of 18. 4. Discuss with a troop leader and decide on a community
project that will leave a lasting impact.
Scouts taught Rickert that you can’t do it alone W hile society views the Boy Scouts of America as a bunch of kids who sit around and discuss how to tie a knot or safety survival skills, freshman Jake Rickert doesn’t agree. “Being a Boy Scout doesn’t just mean camping and earning badges,” Rickert said. “It means being prepared for every outcome and helping others whether they need it or not.” His passion to serve others has led him to the Eagle Scout award. His simple interest in the scouting program began in 2009, and now Rickert takes the program to heart. “I decided to go for the Eagle Scout rank because I can feel good about what I have done for the community,” Rickert said. While every project must include a lasting impact, Rickert chose to put up a news board in his church where his troop holds meetings. Although his board will reflect his own dedication and hard work to the scouting program, just like life itself, Rickert wasn’t able to do this alone. Through the Eagle Scout pro-
cess and Boy Scouts itself, Rickert took away a lesson much larger than how to tie a knot. “I have learned that you can not do most things alone,” Rickert said. “You need trustworthy friends and family to
help guide you along the right path.”
|carolinefronczak
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Graphic by Anna Glennon.
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ophomore Shelbey Thomas just became a teen mother. Her boyfriend dumped and abandoned her. Her parents do not want the baby or Thomas in the house, so they kicked her out. She only has $85 a month to take care of both of their expenses. Now she is responsible for finding a new lifestyle that can be molded to her situation. Thomas just joined the Baby Game. The Baby Game is an interactive experience for the Child Development classes. Each person is assigned a paper baby that all have different characteristics and issues. Students draw a card at the beginning of every class in order to determine what turn their life will take. Some will take a good turn while others take a turn for the worse. It leads up until finals where the results of the competition are announced and prizes are awarded. Terry Miller has been a Child Development and FACS (Family and Consumer Sciences) teacher for 34 years. “I didn’t decide to become a Child Development teacher; it was just part of being a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher,” Miller said. “The Baby Game is something that I do every year and have been doing on and off for the past nine years.” Miller says the different scenari-
os are good eye openers to see what things might happen. “The point is to in a fun way get some real life experience of things that could happen to you to see that it is not glamorous, not easy and that lots of different things can happen to you,” Miller said. “When the students get the babies, they weren’t all perfect. Some were addicted to drugs, some were premature, and some cried all the time. It is so you get a slice of real life in a fun way. It shows that it is not a glamorous thing in order to discourage pregnancy.” Sophomore Tori Wilson thinks that it gives good insight into how your background could possibly influence the baby. “It’s where you get a fake baby and you get certain events that happen,” Wilson said. “For instance, I slapped my baby once and it gives you possible outcomes of how your early life affects your baby. My background in this activity was that I am a drinker, smoker, and drug addict, so my baby has problems.” Wilson was shocked by some of the cards that she was dealt. “This has made me more serious on what could happen when you have a child and how difficult things are because I never thought someone would actually slap their baby or drive with their baby in their
lap,” Wilson said. “This offers a new p e r spective because everyone sees it as more glamorous, but it is actually really difficult to have a screaming baby in the middle of the night and not know what’s going on.” Thomas had to do many activities while wearing the Empathy Belly. “She [Miller] made us walk around, stand up and sit down in a normal chair, try to put on and off our boots or our tennis shoes or untie them, and she made us try to lay down like we were going to lay down on a couch or on a bed and learn how to get up and roll,” Thomas said. “Then she made us try to hug somebody and it just makes everything more challenging with the Empathy Belly. Every time you moved, you moved basically a little baby inside of you. It just made me more protective almost. It probably took me more than half of the time I had it on to just simply get up. Normally you don’t think about getting out of bed as being so difficult. It’s just you sit up, but you can’t do that.” While being a part of the Baby
Left: Sophomores Tori Wilson and Shelbey Thomas attempt to get up while wearing the Empathy Belly. Right: Senior Taylor Egan shows off when it is her turn to wear the Empathy Belly. Photos by Rachel Conner.
Game, Thomas has also learned that small things turn into big things when you have children and get pregnant. One of her cards said that ‘you left the diaper bag at the movie theater’ and she had to pay $200 just to re-buy the diaper bag and replace everything in it. “I feel that myself right now, I would probably [not know what to do],” Thomas said. “I feel like in easy situations like that, you don’t think you just paid $200. That’s a really big deal. I think she tries to disguise it as just being a fun game that we play, but also if you take time and think about it, it is also a learning experience. Most people are like ‘I drew the card and okay’ and sometimes you’re like ‘oh my gosh’. If you put some thought into it, you learn something out of it and it transforms from a game to a learning experience.”
| rachelconner continued to www.bvswnews.com
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Girls With Guns
girls break hunting stereotype
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enior Lindsey Ennen takes aim, croutching in the tall plains of Pratt, Kansas The gun cackles. The dog at her side looks up at the sky. The pheasnt drops from the air and a smile forms on her face. “Hunting is a huge part of my family,” Ennen said. “ My dad and my brother always had a special connection, and I never really figured out that the connection was hunting until I grew into it too.” Ennen wasn’t intrigued by hunting until she started high school. However, her newly gained
interest had to be shelved while her father was recovering from his illness. “When I finally took interest, my dad got diagnosed with cancer, and I wasn’t sure whether he’d ever be able to take me,” Ennen said. Nonetheless, her father’s health changed for the better. “After he went into remission, he took me deer hunting for my first time,” Ennen said. “Sitting in that deer stand with him was a special moment that I’ll always remember.”
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For Ennen, the reasons to continue on this family bonding activity are numerous. “I love the feeling of power it brings and I feel so relaxed every time I step into the fields,” Ennen said. “It’s a part of my life and every experience is special.” More and more women are starting to hunt. According to Census Bureau Statistics, the number of women hunting rose 25 percent from 2006 to 2011. While men own the majority by far, the number of female hunters is increasing.
Freshman Grace Bottaro has been hunting all her life. In her family, hunting isn’t just an activity — it’s a lifestyle. Bottaro’s family is so dedicated to hunting that when their house was built, they installed a special deck off their back-porch for shooting. cont. to page 41. Photo courtesy of Lindsey Ennen.
cont. from page 42. “Hunting isn’t just something I do; it’s a part of who I am,” Bottaro said. “I love the challenge of outwitting the animal, and a lot of the reason I do it is to simply watch nature.” Like many hunters, Bottaro enjoys the excitement that comes with hunting. “The rush of adrenaline you get when a big buck walks out is insane,” Bottaro said. “Hunters call it buck fever. I usually get it, and I start shaking really bad.” Hunting season never seems to end for Bottaro. She keeps herself busy by hunting a variety of game and has hunted for deer, turkey, squirrel, rabbit, raccoon, opossum, coyote, pheasant, quail and bobcat. “Hunting has definitely taught me patience,” Bottaro said. “ It’s not fun going home without seeing any game, but that’s just part of hunting.” Last spring a hunting show asked her if it could film her hunt, and she succeeded in killing a trophy turkey. The Kansas Department of Wildlife holds workshops that teach women wildlife recreation skills such as hunting and fishing. These workshops are titled Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW). The goals of these conferences are to give women the necessary skills and knowledge to participate in outdoor activities. Outdoor outfitters such as Cabela’s are also noticing the rising trend of female hunters and are coming out with more hunting clothing lines for women. Sophomore Riley Swickard relishes every chance she gets to hunt and to take part in one her family’s traditions. “I don’t usually go down to the farm with my dad and brothers because I, of course, am a social teenage girl that likes to spend her weekends with friends,” Swickard said. “However, if I ever get the chance to go, I normally go to my grandparents property or to some of my Dad’s family friend’s property out in western Kansas.” To her, hunting is a bonding time and a chance to get close to family. “I think the main reason I enjoy hunting is because I get to spend time with my dad,” Swickard said. “Hunting isn’t a common thing between girls, and since I enjoy it so much, and my dad is not one to go shopping with me, we get to both spend time together doing something we love.” While men continue to make up the majority of hunters in this country, the women starting to take up this generation’s past time are certainly embraced by the hunting community.
“I love hunting for so many reasons,” Ennen said. “I love nature and enjoying what God created. I will admit hunting is more popular with guys and not too many girls are interested. That doesn’t bother me because — for me — it’s more of a family activity than anything.”
Photos courtesy of Lindsey Ennen, Grace Bottaro and Riley Swickard.
| michaelmagyar
feature | www.bvswnews.com | southwest | dec. 2013 | 41
returning wrestlers prepare for the upcoming season | mariemtowakoli | annaglennon
Austin McBee
Marty Verhaeghe
113 lbs
182 lbs
Trevor Watson 152 LBS
“
“For every match, you have to be mentally ready to give 110%, regardless of who it is,” Like said. “I just get into another mindset while in the match.
Adam Pelfrey 126 lbs
Sawyer Like 152 lbs
42 | dec. 2013 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | feature
| sawyerlike
essful seaother succ n a er, to qualify ho’s strong n in hopes so t’s about w l il and gain has more w once more rs Trevor n faster and o e ot hing title. Senio n s te e ta o S d a It . Pelfrey, match lling to pern, Adam to win the o ri d ts f a o W rs u o es h be Austin luck. It tak ondition to yer Like, c w a to S d n a e u ephomore fect techniq est always have som Bee and so e are all c M b r. e e h ett egh the best. T ake them b rty Verha g them to m er each other Ma ualifiers planning on in sh u p e n o g aft State q l through o guys goin ight minutes g their goa It takes tw in ra h c st ntal a n re e v for se xtreme me at all costs ined; this is work and e rm rd a te h e d is ner on the until a win focus while wrestler. a rn f a o l le a o rs g u the mat. ountless ho Spending c own their d e k ta to s hnique ing new tec five returning State e th t, d ready for opponen re back an a rs e fi li a u q
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feature | www.bvswnews.com | southwest | dec. 2013 | 43
Trevor Watson
E
very season has its uncertainties in wrestling and Watson has been dealing with the mental aspect in the sport in order to stay focused. “I have to remind myself that anything can happen in this sport,” Watson said. “The other guy wants to win just as bad as me and I have to go as hard as I can and win every position to come out on top.”
While qualifying for State twice in his high school career, Watson has high expectations for his individual season as well as the team’s. “Personally, I want to try to place in every single tournament, Watson said. “For the team I want to be JOCO Champs again, League Champs, and Regional Champs.”
To reach such a lofty goal, Watson has a mindset to keep him mentally tough and ready for the season. “This year I need to continue being conditioned and mentally tough, Watson said. “I have to keep a mindset that I can compete with anybody.”
Adam Pelfrey
L
ike Watson, Pelfrey is a two time State qualifier who has major goals for his individual season. “I want to focus mostly on my top and neutral game,” Pelfrey said. “I need to start scoring points on top and getting more takedowns whenever I need them.” During the off-season, Pelfrey has been practicing for his last and final high school season since last spring.
44 | dec. 2013 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | feature
Pelfrey has been attending practices at Purler Wrestling Academy and Greater Heights as well as camps and tournaments in the past summer and fall. He has also corrected his mindset in order to place this year at state. “I normally try to be really confident and just have to be in the mindset that I’m going to go out there to win,” Pelfrey said. “And no matter
what happens I’m not going to let up.” From now until State, Pelfrey plans to continue his current progress in order to reach third or higher at State. “At tournaments I want to get into the finals and get used to the pressure during a match,” Pelfrey said. “I’m going to try to wrestle tough kids at every tournament to get me ready for tough matches at State.”
Countdown to STATE 63 days of practice
4
tournaments
Sawyer Like
L
ike also has major goals for this year that requires hard work and motivation. “I want to get better in every aspect of the sport,” Like said. “I want to get in peak shape and perfect my technique and the best way to do that is by competing.” Like placed second at State during last years season, taking on the legacy of older brother and former wrestler Hunter Like. Like plans on placing first at State this year with it being his last shot to do so. Due to such a prestigious goal, Like has been wrestling
since last year’s season ended. “I’ve never really stopped wrestling since the season ended,” Like said. “I’ve been to Colorado, Nebraska, and Missouri and I’ve gotten some really tough matches. In the time that I’m not wrestling, I’m usually working out and keeping in shape.” Like also has had to prepare himself mentally for what he must take on this year in order to win State. “For every match, you have to be mentally ready to give 110%, regardless of who it is,” Like said. “I just get into
11
duals
another mindset while in the match. After the match, I can rest, but for that moment, I’m primed and ready to give it my all to win.” Throughout the years of nonstop wrestling, Like has enjoyed knowing the improvements he has made throughout his career. “Besides skill, I think I’ve improved mentally,” Like said. “I’m not scared to rise to a challenge, and I’m not scared to give something all I’ve got.”
Marty Verhaeghe
V
erhaeghe, just starting his second season of high school wrestling and has already qualified for State. Verhaeghe plans to also place this year at State due to the amount of off-season work he has completed. “I have already committed myself to the wrestling team and this season,” Verhaeghe said. “I have been wrestling all summer and i believe what helped me most was the sum-
mer Olympic lifting workouts at the Mid America Nazarene College.” Looking back on his previous season, Verhaeghe has already noticed improvements he has made that will help him with the upcoming season. “I have improved a lot on my flexibility as well as my strength,” Verhaeghe said. “I’ve been working hard so I can be the best for the team
and the program.” Verhaeghe has also been working on his confidence and focus for his matches and duals coming up. “I have to feel confident and I have to be warmed up enough so I won’t gas out in the middle of the match,” Verhaeghe said. “I plan on being at my best in any situation and at any time.”
Austin McBee
1
82 pound wrestler McBee qualified for State just last year and third at EKL is now planning to take his skills to the next level with hard work and dedication. “My goal is to place as State this year,” McBee said. “ I want to better my technique and create a better season record for myself as well as my team.” McBee has been wrestling since his freshman year at Southwest alongside his fellow senior teammates and has witnessed a change in his abilities.
“My physical strength has grown and has helped me out a lot on the mat,” McBee said. “I have gotten stronger at my technique and this will help me this year’s season.” McBee also states that he is anxiously anticipating the upcoming home duels starting in December. “Home duals are the best because we have a lot of fans that come out to support,” McBee said. “Our gym gets blacked out and the matches get pretty intense because no one wants to lose at a home dual.”
With their first duel on November 30th, McBee and the wrestling team have been working hard to perfect their technique and mental mindset for the upcoming season. McBee has been waiting for his last and final season since the beginning of the school year in hopes to give this year’s season his all. “I’ve been focusing a lot on the technique aspect of the sport,” McBee said. “My goal is to win and succeed in all the duels I can so I can place at this year’s State tournament.”
feature | www.bvswnews.com | southwest | dec. 2013 | 45
Top: Hamlet, played by junior Caleb Jenkins talking to the dead kings ghost. Bottom: Polonius, played by senior Jake Louis and Laertes, played by senior Johnny Tapp discussing Laertes leaving for France.
to be or not to be Students perform in the production of Hamlet by William Shakespeare | sambillman
46 | dec. 2013 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | Hamlet
“
I’m really proud how it turned out. It went really well for the difficulty of the show.” | seniorlaurenhenke
Top left: Caleb Jenkins and Horatia, played by junior Erica Christie are discussing the ghost of king Hamlet. Bottom left: King Claudius, played by senior Kyle Drum listening as his wife is talking to Hamlet. Top Right: Ophelia, played by senior Lauren Henke reading a letter from Hamlet. Hamlet | www.bvswnews.com | southwest | dec. 2013 | 47
to be or not to be
|sambillman
48 | dec. 2013 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | Hamlet
“
This play was such a great experience and is one of my favorite plays of all time. I hope the audience enjoyed it as much as I did.� | seniorjakelouis