BVSW - The Standard - Volume 8 - Issue 6 by The Standard

the history of internet challenges past and current internet challenges analyzed feature page 32

standard the

blue valley southwest | volume 8 | issue 6

2 | contents / the standard / march 2018

sports 08 | spring sports preview

news 12 | vaccination nation

opinion

on the cover

24 | introvert

past and current internet challenges analyzed

graphic design by jonah mccormick

volume 8 / issue 6 www.bvswnews.com

editor’s note Looking back at the things I chose to take part in during my four years of high school, some, like band, are quite obvious as to why I chose them. Others, like calculus BC, I sometimes wish I could go back in time and warn myself to stay away from (sorry, Mr. Doolin). Newspaper, however, is a little more complicated. There were a lot of reasons, but the main reason I continued was it gave me a chance to do something no other class or activity did: share my thoughts with the entire school and communicate with people I would never speak to otherwise. It gave me a unique opportunity to use my voice. Everyone has something to say, whether they are introverted or extroverted, an athlete or spectator or club member, senior or freshman. When we try to find students and staff to interview, we aim to select the people we know are most passionate on the topic, because once they start talking, they’ll sometimes say more than they usually would in an entire week. Some share their opinions with pride, and for others, it takes a little more coaxing to get what they really think. I’ve interviewed people I’ve never spoken to before, and afterward, when I pass them in the hallway, I recognize them and feel like I know the people here just a tiny bit better. The world we live in today is a complicated one, and as adolescents, some adults assume this means we don’t know or care about what happens in our society. Even if they did, they wouldn’t expect us to do anything. But that’s where they’d be wrong, because we all have a voice we can use to change the things we dislike in our world. Our voices — our opinions — are not to be ignored. We are the future, we will inherit the world one day, and it’s our job to speak up for what type of world we want it to be. So find what you care about, and make your voice heard.

| writing coach

the standard editor-in-chief arielle singer online editor emma olinger writing coaches megan flood summer lyon social media manager elianna oliver staff writers samrina acharya aubrey birk victoria palmer isha patel lauren urschel graphic designers jonah mccormick isaiah tarwater 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 Website: bvswnews.com Email: bvswnews@gmail.com

4 | feature / the standard / march 2018

Chicken wars

Zaxby's

Strip's Chicken

117 students surveyed about the best fast food chicken restaurant on 135th | eliannaoliver

Best overall resturaunt 48% Chick-fil-A 24% Raising Cane’s 15% Slim Chickens 11% Zaxby’s 2% Strip’s Chicken

17% Slim Chickens 8% Zaxby’s 3% Strip’s Chicken

20% Slim Chickens

Best Fries: Chick-fil-A 50%

16% Raising Cane’s 12% Zaxby’s 2% Strip’s Chicken

23% Raising Cane’s

Best Sauce: Chick-fil-A 50%

15% Slim Chickens 9% Zaxby’s 3% Strip’s Chicken

Slim Chickens

Best Chicken: Chick-fil-A 45%

Chick-fil-A

27% Raising Cane’s

Raising Cane's

6 | feature / the standard / march 2018

n d n e a rb w e

rs a

ch t ea

ing

beginnings

stu de n

ts exp l

e ain mood differences betw

d an r inte w en

he delicate petals of newly-grown flowers blow gently in the breeze under the soft glow of the evening sun. The days have grown longer and people are laughing happily as they soak up the last drops of sunlight the day has to offer. With the last traces of winter disappearing, people’s moods improve dramatically. This is a phenomenon described by psychologists at theodysseyonline.com as “different parts of the brain [becoming] activated” as the weather changes. “When more light hits the eye on the growing days of spring, the pineal gland responds and tells the brain to cease production of melatonin, the sleep hormone.” However, the increase in happiness isn’t just due to the fact that people are less sleepy. Theodysseyonline.com also states “levels of serotonin, the hormone that stimulates happiness, increase when it is sunny.” These two circumstances of chemical changes in the brain trigger shifts in both people’s personalities, and their general outlook on life. English teacher Heath Fisher said he notices changes in himself as winter fades into spring. “I definitely feel happier and more hopeful when the warmer weather rolls around,” Fisher said. “That’s when the windows come down, and I can do that thing where you surf on the wind with your hand in waves, up and down. No one has ever done that while in a bad mood.” Senior Marcus Hedstrom said he also notices change in others between the two seasons. “I think in the winter, after the whole Christmas season passes, it’s just kind of gloomy and cold and people are just waiting

for the sun to come out,” Hedstrom said. “And as soon as it does, everybody’s outside or has their windows down, listening to music and enjoying the warm weather.” Though Fisher said his mood improves in springtime, he also said the warmer weather tends to distract him from being responsible.

I definitely feel happier and more hopeful when the warmer weather rolls around. That’s when the windows come down, and I can do that thing where you surf on the wind with your hand in waves, up and down. No one has ever done that while in a bad mood.” “

| englishteacherheathfisher

“When it finally gets warm enough, I can take the top and doors off of my Jeep,” Fisher said. “And I’m good at getting outdoors and finding fun things to keep myself busy.” Contrastingly, Hedstrom said he actually works better when the weather improves. “I think it’s easier to get work done in the springtime,” Hedstrom said. “If I can be sitting and doing homework with the window open and there’s a nice breeze coming in, that’s a lot easier for me than sitting inside when it’s cold and it’s gloomy and all I want to do is curl up in bed and watch Netflix.” Fisher said happier people and increased

concentration aren’t the only benefits that come with springtime. “I also like the idea of starting anew,” Fisher said. “Springtime allows you to begin again, in certain ways.” Hedstrom said renewal is something he notices during springtime, as well. “There’s something about spring, with all of the flowers blooming and trees start coming back to life,” Hedstrom said. “Just kind of a fresh start to not only the year, but also to your life for that season.” Hedstrom said this fresh start is something that reminds him of his childhood. “Growing up, there’s a lot of rebirth talk that comes around Easter,” Hedstrom said. “And there’s a lot of symbolism in all of the baby animals being born and all of the trees and flowers coming to life that kind of ties into that. And I think renewal is pretty evident, regardless of what you believe about it, when you go outside and see the world come back to life after winter.” Hedstrom said he believes that this renewal is important because the beauty of it encourages people to keep going when times get rough. “I think as humans, we carry so much baggage around with us,” Hedstrom said. “ We’re so often weighed down by stress and worry and things we have going on in our lives, and even something as small as the weather changing and the sun coming out, it does something to us where it doesn’t seem as heavy. And if we can be outside and see the sun instead of seeing the winter gloom, I think that does something to our psyche and it makes our problems not seem as terrible.”

| aubreybirk

8 | sports / the standard / march 2018

Spring Sports preview Athletes prepare for the upcoming sports season

(1) Senior Rene Ramos pulls his arm back to pitch the ball to his teammate during baseball practice. “The goal I have personally for this year is breaking the strikeout record at Southwest and as a team I want to win a state championship,” Ramos said. (2) Sophomore Natalie Leachner successfully completes a dive into the swimming pool during her turn on the board in practice. (3) Senior Jack Miller works on putting the golf ball during practice to refine his technique.

“We’ve had some players on the team for the past 2-3 years, so when we spend hours at a meet together we get really close, but we also have a lot of new freshmen and sophomores this year so we’ll see how we do,” Miller said. “The goal for the team is to do well at state.”

|9 (4) Freshman Emily Ervin runs on the track to warm up during one of the first practices of the year after tryouts. (5) Senior Ethan Renner gets into position in preparation for the next serve in a practice tennis match.

“I’ve been playing competitively for around seven years now, but playing at Southwest is just a lot of fun,” Renner said. “We’re all very competitive, but at the same time we all really care about how the others are doing. If someone is having a down day, someone is always there to help pick them up so everyone can be better at the end of the season.”

10 |

7 6

(6) Sophomore Casey Mills swings a bat during hitting training in softball practice. “As a team we bond really well together on and off the field and I think our chemistry on the field is what got us to the state championship last year, so as long as we keep that chemistry going this year then I think we will have another outstanding season,” Mills said. (7) Sophomore Savannah Greathouse warms up for practice with a few laps in the pool. “As a team, we have to set a goal to get a trophy at state, but personally I would like to qualify for state this year and be able to contribute to that trophy,” Greathouse said.

8 (8) Freshman Mandy Kooken and sophomore Mary Hartweger fight for possession of the ball during soccer practice. “I like playing soccer at BVSW because, unlike club, everyone on the team works for each other and toward a championship,” Hartweger said. | samrinaacharya

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12 | news / the standard / march 2018

vacination nation students debate whether or not vaccinations are necessary

he World Health Organization reports that an estimated two to three million deaths are avoided every year due to vaccines. Historyofvaccines.org displays a timeline of vaccines, including early epidemics of age-old diseases like typhoid and smallpox — which were reported to exist as early as the 14th century — to polio and the measles, which were virtually eliminated in the 20th century due to vaccines. In the current day, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 18 previously deadly diseases are now preventable thanks to vaccines. Senior Faith Meier said vaccines like these are important and that she gets all of the “big” vaccinations — like human papillomavirus — done, with the exception of the yearly flu vaccine. “I believe they are crucial,” Meier said. “It’s sort of like an advancement in technology, it’s something that we understand about our bodies and we’re being able to use it to our advantage and I think that it is crucial to us — using that opportunity that we have. We might as well make our lives easier, rather than living like it’s 1920 and we don’t have a polio vaccine.” The CDC also explains how vaccines work to prevent infection. The organization explains that vaccines imitate infections, in order to get the body to produce certain cells that fight infection. To some parents, the website states, this can seem scary as vaccines sound like they will harm, not help, one’s immune system. Junior Sadie Putnam said she foregoes certain vaccinations, and believes many aren’t necessary. “I don’t think not getting vaccinated is dangerous, because, from personal experience not getting vaccinated I think has helped my immune system be able to fight diseases better, not that I know that for sure,” Putnam said. “As long as you don’t have any health conditions that will make your immune system weaker, it’s fine to not get vaccinated.” There are many who agree that

vaccinations are not vital, and thousands of parents do not vaccinate their children, according to Science Alert. Science Alert’s site reports that 47 states in the U.S. allow parents to skip vaccines based on personal beliefs. Senior Meagan Walker, on the other hand, said vaccines are crucial, and not choosing to get vaccinated could be harmful. “I think that it’s the wrong view [to not get vaccinated], even though everyone is allowed to have their own opinions,” Walker said. “In this instance, it is depending on whether your son, daughter, child will live or die due to a serious illness or disease. I think that, yes, you should get them vaccinated — no matter what you believe — because you don’t have to get vaccinated, but they should get vaccinated.” According to vaccine.procon.org, there are many scientific facts that show vaccines are perfectly safe for both children and adults. Yet, the site also states characteristics of vaccines that could potentially be harmful. Many parents have come to be fearful of these characteristics, causing them not to vaccinate their children due to their concern for the safety of vaccines, according to parents. com. Walker said although the populous needs to be more informed about vaccines, there is no question regarding how safe they are. “I think that because there’s a lot of regulation and testing surrounding what goes into our body through these shots,” Walker said. “I know that what they are putting inside of me through the shots is safe.” According to time.com, 10 percent of Americans believe vaccines are dangerous. Meier said she also believes vaccines are safe. “There’s always some risk when you

are putting a small bit of sickness into your body, but the risk of that small amount outweighs the risk of, say, getting the flu and dying from it that comes later if you don’t get the vaccine,” Meier said.

| 13 Despite the fact many agree with the beliefs of Meier and Walker, there has been an increase in those who disagree in the past decade, according to onlinemattersinpublichealth.com. The organization reports that there has been nearly a four percent decrease in measles, mumps and rubella vaccines administered; a near three percent decrease in the chickenpox vaccine; and a two percent decrease in diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough vaccines just in one year. According to the British Medical Journal, this decline was largely caused by a 1998 British study that was later debunked by other studies that reported the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine caused autism. The article also includes angry reactions to the measles outbreaks that have followed the decrease in vaccinations. Meier said the outbreaks of measles could have been prevented. “Vaccinate your kids, please, especially for the big stuff like measles,” Meier said. “The vaccine came out for measles and everyone was like ‘Wow, now we can vaccinate our kids, it’ll stop them from getting it, let’s do it,’ and then people were like ‘Oh, but maybe it’s not really doing anything. Maybe our kids are getting autism because of it,’ and so now people stop vaccinating their kids, and now I think it’s extremely ironic that it’s come back and people are like, ‘Oh, hey, maybe it’s because you didn’t vaccinate your kids, like we told you to.’”

On the other hand, Putnam said she’s never had the measles and has never known anyone who has gotten the measles, and believes the solution lies in one’s immune system. “I don’t have anything against people getting [vaccines], I just think that not getting them helps your immune system fight the disease itself, and then you’re less likely to get sick again after that, instead of getting a vaccine and then relying on the vaccine to keep you healthy,” Putnam said. “Unless their child has any sort of condition that would require them to need extra help for their immune system, I think it’s fine for them to not get their children vaccinated.” According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, the debate between anti-vaxxers and those who believe everyone should get vaccinated will most likely continue until outbreaks cease to exist or vaccines are proven to be either totally harmful or 100 percent beneficial. Meier said although she believes vaccines

are always helpful, each person should make their own decision and understand the “risk.” “If you’re not going to get vaccinated and then all of the sudden you get the measles, well, you can blame that on you not getting vaccinated, or you can say ‘I would’ve gotten it anyway if I was vaccinated,’ and you’re still living with the measles,” Meier said.

| laurenurschel

14 | feature / the standard / march 2018

DECIPHERING students discuss how clubs affect diversity

n a school of 1,100 students, only 14 percent of the population is filled with students of different ethnicities according to usnews.com.owever sophomore Saadia Siddiqua said everyone has their own diversity and helps contribute to it overall. Siddiqua is the service chair of the new club, Muslim Student Association (MSA). “I think the purpose of MSA is that we’re creating a group of people who all want to do service together,” Siddiqua said. “We just want to put a good name out and represent Muslims in a good way.” MSA meets every other Thursday during Timber Time in English teacher Heath Fisher’s room, where they discuss different projects and service ideas they can do to help give back to the community. Siddiqua said while the club may seem religious due to its name, it really isn’t at all. In fact, Siddiqua said they have non-Muslim members in the club as well and anyone is welcome to

join. “I think all clubs contribute to diversity because all club have a different goal and a different thing they are trying to get people interested in, so whenever you have a new thing for people to do, there’s diversity in that itself,” Siddiqua said. Like MSA, other clubs help contribute to the overall diversity at school, including Asian Culture Club. Founder and president Esther Lee said she first started the club when she heard about its representation in other schools in the district. The new club, which started up in the 2016 school year, gained popularity in the school with its 40 members and counting. “When invited to the club, many respond with ‘I’m not Asian though,’ but once they come, [they] see many groups are represented within our club and all ethnicities are welcomed,” Lee said. “I want to provide students an opportunity to further their understanding of the

| 15

Diversity different aspects of Asian culture I would feel empowered,” Bechtel and create a sense of community, said. “I feel creative, but here I feel not only within Asians, but [within] welcomed, I feel a part of something those who present interest in the even greater than myself. I think it’s cultures of different Asian nations.” just because of the fun atmosphere With the purpose of spreading and its a different kind of feeling Asian culture in mind, , Lee said you have once you leave one of those the group plays games, make crafts and eat food along with host an “I think all clubs annual water balloon fight and contribute to ping pong tournament to further diversity because their members interest. All in all club have a all, Lee said her main point is “to different goal and a teach people you don’t need to like different thing they your roots to fit into the American are trying to get Society, [it] is tied into accepting people interested in, so your background.” In addition to Asian Culture whenever you have a Club bringing more diversity to the new thing for people school, the Diversity Club has an to do there’s diversity equal partake in school diversity in that itself.” as well. Senior Helene Bechtel | sophomoresaadiasiddiqua said the club creates a safe place in which anyone can come and voice meetings, especially ones from last their feelings and share what’s year where we would just talk been happening in their lives. “[The about difference and why people act club] helps promote differences that certain ways and why your special we all have and help celebrate it [compared to] everyone else, why [and] bring awareness to it instead you’re an individual.”Despite some of having people hate on each views of a lack of diversity among other,” Bechtel said. One of the big the club’s members, Bechtel said activites the club puts on yearly is there are many different branches the Diversity Assembly in which of diversity people have yet to Bechtel runs the executive board discover, making up the diversity for, having the job of running the of the club, as well as the diversity activities and turning diversity into of the entire school. “Everyone is a celebration throughout the week such a unique individual at our of it. “If I lead in NAHS or STUCO, school, you can’t really find a copy

of anyone which is so much to see because if you have two of the same kind of [people] and you hang out with two copies of yourself, then what kind of advancement do you have the future, what do you learn?” Bechtel said.

| ishapatel

Marvel vs DC finally settling the score between the superior comic franchise

joy â&#x20AC;&#x153;I en r the g Su and

Among BVSW Students: 68 percent prefer Marvel and 32 percent prefer DC

68%

32%

have y e h t use Batman r a c e b in de y DC t rivalry lso a wi a es reat an, and heros.” r m uper of supe ty varie

“I like Marvel better because that’s what I grew up watching and I think they have better heroes.”

Favorite Superpower: Strength: 8% Flying: 17% Invsisible: 27% Teleportation: 23% Other:25%

Favorite Hero (Marvel): Spiderman: 29% Captain America: 18% Ironman: 12% Thor:16% Other: 25%

Favorite Hero (DC): Superman: 20% Aquaman: 17% Batman: 25% Wonder Woman: 26% Other: 25%

18 | feature / the standard / march 2018

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ALL IN THE JEANS

Blue jeans were invented by Jacob W. Davis and Levi Strauss in 1871. They were later patened in May 1873. Today, Leviâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Wrangler remain two of the most popular brands for jeans.

Jeans originally started off as working clothes due to their durability. They originally started off in an overall fashion in the workforce, and gradually worked their way into the jeans that people know today. Now, jeans are one of the clothing items specifically excluded in a work dress code.

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old style jeans come back into fashion | victoriapalmer

Jeans of the past were often wide-fitting and had enough room at the bottoms to extend over boots and other shoes. There were certain fashion eras where there were slim-fitting jeans, but they didn’t quite make their way into the mainstream However, in the mid-2000s, more fitted pants were brought back into the women’s fashion world, and became widely known and worn. They were later introduced into men’s fashion in the late2000s.

The commonly known term of “mom jeans” was actually meant as derogatory when it was first used. These jeans were more common in the 1980s-1990s, and eventually fell out of fashion when low-rise jeans were introduced. Mom jeans, also known as high-rise jeans, were ridiculed by the fashion world until the 2010s, where they became widely

popular once again.

20 |

Denim skirts became popular during the 1970s, and slowly became more popular as hippies became more well known. They started off very long, and resembled pant-style jeans in terms of belt loops, fitted waist and front zippers. However, as time went on, skirts became shorter, and fashion designers added things such as lace and embroidery.

In the 1950s, when the movie â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rebel Without a Causeâ&#x20AC;? was released, jeans without the bib (the extended part that makes jeans into overalls) became a symbol of youth rebellion and change. They were soon banned by many public meeting places, such as schools, restaurants and theaters. They became a widely known fashion staple in the 1970s.

The most commonly used dye for jeans was indigo. This color was extracted via a 10-15 hour process. However, in 1878, there were attempts to create a synthetic indigo color. This would not prove successful until 1897, and synthetic indigo has been used ever since.

information from historyofjeans.com

feature / the standard / march 2018 | 21

broken home broken people?

ccording to the American Psychology Association, 40 to 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. Divorce rates have skyrocketed in the past century, increasing from 1 to 5 people out of 1,000 getting divorced. When compared to the number of marriages per 1,000 people moving from 9 to 10 in that span of time, the results are astounding, according to washingtonpost.com. Despite a general societal consensus on the topic of divorce, sophomore Alyssa Bloom said divorce is not exactly how the media portrays it. “I think the stereotypes are in place because of the way they’re portrayed in movies and TV,” Bloom said. “But it’s better for my parents this way, so I’m happy for them.” Bloom said despite her parents’ divorce, the two are generally good friends. Though this is reality for her, it’s a dream for other students like junior Finny Bradin. She said one of the biggest causes of her parents’ divorce was fighting,

which has only continued in their current interactions, Bradin said. “They get along for a couple minutes, but then my mom will do something and my dad will make fun of her, or my dad says something and my mom will get upset,” Bradin said. “It can turn into a fight relatively quickly. Usually when a fight starts, one of them removes themself from the place to keep it from continuing.” Bradin said she has grown up without a mother for the majority of her life. Despite living at her grandparents’ home with her father, she said she hasn’t seen much of him either due to work. Without constant supervision, Bradin said she had to figure out life by herself. “Basically, I’ve had to teach myself to grow up because I never had a true mother or father figure in my life,” Bradin said. “I had to teach myself how

22 |

to be an adult — how to take care of my younger siblings. I still take care of my younger siblings.” However, divorce in the family is not always detrimental, freshman Harrison Powell said. Even though his mother lives in Overland Park and his father lives three hours away in Wichita, they both make an effort to see him frequently. “Having divorced parents can be bad at times, but it’s not the horrible life-threatening event that will have a negative impact on your life,” Powell said. “In many ways, having divorced families has helped me develop as a person more than it hurts me.” Much like Powell, Bloom said she has good and bad experiences with her family situation. “Sometimes it’s kind of nice to have another house to go to if I don’t want to really be at my mom’s or vice versa,” Bloom said. “But it’s kind of sucky not to see my dad every day and I miss him a lot. When I was younger, it was really hard for me to talk about because most of my friends had parents who were together.” The media, such as television and movies, all have several bad portrayals of divorce, Bradin said. She said she does not agree with the stereotype and is living proof that not all divorces are exactly like some shows say they are. “I think [society] views divorce in a way that if your parents are not together, you’re automatically asking for trouble or you’re always trying to get into trouble,” Bradin said. “You’re the emo kid that constantly wants to die. It’s never seen as the kid of the divorce is a happy kid. They’re never seen as a normal, ordinary kid. Personally, I don’t agree with that stereotype because I’m a pretty cheery person compared to what the media says. My friends who experienced the same thing seem just as happy.” Despite some stereotypes being untrue and hurtful, others are very accurate, Powell said. His parents’ divorce has shown a new light on the world that he said he wouldn’t have been able to see without going through the experience.

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“The good things about my parents being divorced is that, first of all, they are happier than they were together,” Powell said. “Second, I get two sets of each holiday, one per household. Third, I get different perspectives on life … it’s interesting to have divorced parents, since you basically have two households instead of one. You also have two sets of siblings, which can be weird when you don’t see them a lot.” Bradin said he has been able to relate with his friends who have divorced parents, and these people have helped him feel a little more normal in an area that has less than the national average ratio of divorced versus married parents. However, he said he wants other people to know how to treat him and others with difficult family situations. “Kind of treat them with support, say you’re there for them,” Bradin said. “But don’t treat them differently; they just want to be a normal kid. They don’t want to be singled out because they have divorced parents.” Despite Bradin being able to find a support net, Bloom said it has been hard for her to talk about it in the past due to a lack of friends with a similar situation. She said she promotes respectful conversation, which can be healthy and educational to both parties. “I think students should just respect how people talk about it, and if they don’t want to talk about it, don’t make them,” Bloom said. “If people are going through it and want to talk about it, just listen and comfort them, because it really is a hard thing to have to deal with no matter how old you are.”

| emmaolinger

24 | opinion / the standard / march 2018

IN TRO VERT

noun — more than antisocial

introversion shouldn’t be considered a character flaw

hy, antisocial and uninterested are words that commonly come to mind when one thinks of introverts. Media largely portrays them as the quiet, bookish people who sit at the back of the classroom, make office conversations turn awkward and stop abruptly, or who, by the end of the story, are happier because they can finally go to a party, talk to people and fit in. However, junior Lillie Barnhart said being an introvert isn’t necessarily what is portrayed by the ever-busy society we live in where people are in constant contact with one another. “I really like having quiet time alone to be with myself and relax,” Barnhart said. “A lot of times it’s stuff I don’t do on purpose. I’m always not answering

people, not on purpose, I just forget, so I’m finding myself alone a lot.” Introverts can be described more accurately as those, like assistant band director Laura Bock, who need time alone to recharge. They often feel drained after being in situations with lots of people and stimuli. “Obviously I have to run a band and especially in marching band, that’s where I’m a lot more energetic and out there,” Bock said. “On the podium, you have to be different. The thing for me, that I know about myself, is that then I need that recharge time, otherwise I’d just totally burn out. That became most apparent when I was in college. People would want to go out and party and that was always a terrible experience for me.

I’d rather go practice or go to a coffee shop.” Similarly, Barnhart said she thinks more people are extroverted and so they don’t understand why someone would choose to spend time alone, hence the stereotype of introverts hating other people. Since a lot of her friends are introverted as well, she said they understand each other a little better. “A lot of my friends are also introverted so when they just need some time alone, I get that, but sometimes I want to hang out and they’re not really up to it,” Barnhart said. “I get it because sometimes they want to hang out and I’m like, ‘no.’” For senior Jeremy Wood, being an introvert made it difficult to make

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friends when he moved a couple of years ago, but now, he said he has more meaningful connections with people. “Most of my really, really, deep, good friends are introverted, but what I’ve actually found is my more extroverted friends, they tend to have a lot of friends but not super deep connections with a lot of them,” Wood said. “So it’s more of shallow friendships but there’s a lot of them, like a lot of the difference of being known as opposed to being friends with someone, per say. From my experience, I think my more introverted friends are the ones that have been there longer and I’ve had deeper friendships with.” According to Psychology Today, introverts and extroverts approach friendships differently, so introverts need one-on-one time to build their relationships while extroverts feel they can spend quality time with people in group situations. Introverts can get along very well with extroverts, however, as Bock said she has an interesting work dynamic with band director Brandon Lesando that allows them to complement one another. “We have traits that balance out really nicely, but at the end of the day we think very similarly,” Bock said. “We’ve said the same thing at the same time or come to the same conclusion independently a lot of times so that’s a really cool, unique situation where we fit together as coworkers.” Having a more introverted personality doesn’t make someone a better or, more often portrayed in media and literature, worse friend, classmate or coworker. Introversion isn’t a character flaw or trait that needs to be overcome as some make it out to be. Wood said there is definitely pressure on introverts to portray more extroverted qualities. “If you go look at, say, [my] class, the front row of our assemblies and things like that, all of those people up there are super extroverted and you notice as you sit further back you get more of the introverts,” Wood said. “I feel like there’s pressure because one of their friends will be like, ‘Hey, come sit in the front,’

and they might not want to because they might not be as vocal as some of those people and some of those people in the front may make awareness of it. I know I have been put in positions like that.” Society as a whole deems extroverted qualities more acceptable, especially in when it comes to social interaction. High school is a primary example, as students who are quiet or reserved are often told they need to participate more in class

“I think we need to recognize whatever personality a person has, there are strengths that they can draw upon if they’re in the right environment.” | assistantbanddirector laurabock

or a group project, or are antisocial if they don’t go out with friends on the weekend. “I think [it’s] the capitalist side of our culture — even just what you guys are going through where you’re filling out college applications and they’re asking about leadership, with that it is kind of banking on people having extroverted qualities,” Bock said. “I find it kind of crazy that they’re expecting every high school student to be a leader when statistically speaking, that’s not really possible.”

The idea of introverts as social outcasts is problematic, Bock said. Introverts have a lot to contribute to society, just one example being their ability to focus on their own for long periods of time. “I think we need all different kinds of people,” Bock said. “I think it’s a bit of a false dichotomy, because people are different in different environments, is the key thing ... I think we need to recognize whatever personality a person has, there are strengths that they can draw upon if they’re in the right environment.” Everyone has something to contribute, Bock said, whether they are vocal about it or prefer to write in down, something she has students do in symphonic band so that everyone can contribute their feedback and insights comfortably. Similarly, Wood said introverts can come off as indifferent when they are just more likely to only speak when they feel they need to. “If I don’t have something to say, I won’t say it, so if I do say something, it does mean something to me and I don’t want to be one of those people who just talks all the time,” Wood said. Just like everyone else, introverts have opinions, feelings and quirks, and it’s important to accept them for who they are. It may be more difficult to get them to open up, but it’s important to give everyone a chance and not pressure them to be something they’re not. “Not everybody is going to be the same as you,” Wood said. “Ego has a big part to play in that, regardless of who you are. I can say I’m kind of a nerd, and I’m fine with that. I don’t usually care what other people think of me because if they wanted me to change and I don’t, and they’re not going to be friends with me or something like that, that’s something they’ll have to deal with. Same goes for me; I’m not going to ask someone to change.”

| meganflood

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Extroverts vs

Introverts

Enjoy oneon-one conversations

Recharge by spending time alone

Have a few close friends

Focus for long periods of time

Enjoy group conversations

According to psych2go.net, there are four types of introverts: 1) Social - prefer small groups or solitude 2) Thinking - introspective daydreamers 3) Anxious - feel shy and awkward 4) Restrained - prefer to think before speaking or acting

Recharge by spending time with others

Have more friends but are not as close

Are easily distracted Source: Officevibe

Roughly 1/3 of the world’s population is introverted.

Source: Forbes.com

Famous introverts: • • • • • •

Albert Einstein Frederic Chopin Sir Isaac Newton Rosa Parks J.K. Rowling Steven Spielberg Source: Forbes.com

feature / the standard / march 2018 | 27

’ n ‘ r e t t u B t u n Pea ’ n i m m a J A

s rience e p x e their share band s n ia music ly formed w in a ne

mong students, common interests include competing in various sports, playing the latest video game or maybe just reading a book. However, a couple of students have used their deeprooted love for music and decided to start a band. Junior Jackson Klestinske has taken his interest in music to a new level and started his own band, Headspace, with classmates and friends junior Michael Charest and junior Matt Lowry. Klestinske said his interest in music and previous experience with other bands encouraged him to start his own. “I played guitar for a long time and I took lessons as a kid, and I kind of just found that I was good at it,” Klestinske said. “At that point, I wasn’t really good at anything and I was like, ‘This feels good to be better than people at things, so I’m just gonna keep doing this.’ A couple of my friends, Matt, Michael, and I thought [to myself,] ‘It wouldn’t be that hard to pick up another instrument.’ So I had Matt pick up on the drums and Michael on the bass and we just started jamming and hanging out.” Lowry, who plays the saxophone in the school band, said he had never played the drums and found it difficult before he started in his band with Klestinske and Charest.

“At first, I really sucked, but I’m entirely self taught,” Lowry said. “Then, you start to get a rhythm for it all, you start to move your hands and feet together to make stuff that sounds like music. It was hard at first, but I’m only going up from here.” Similarly, Charest said he originally wanted to be the guitarist, but ultimately settled on being the bassist. He said he had some difficulty acclimating to a new instrument. “I really wanted to play the guitar, but Jackson was significantly better than me, so I picked up the bass and learned how to play it,” Charest said. “It was really different than learning the French horn, style wise. But it really just came down to repetition and practice.” Klestinske said he used to get nervous before performances, but soon came to overcome it as he and his bandmates performed more and more. “I used to get really nervous in front of a crowd or whenever I’d have to perform, but I don’t know, concert after concert, playing in bars and stuff I just got used to it, and I guess I just kind of learned that as long as I’m confident and I just go out there all the way that I’ll be fine,” Klestinske said. “A big thing for me was stage presence, because you know, nobody likes a guitarist that just stands around, so, you know, really getting into the music

really helped me instead of just staring and not moving.” Although Lowry, Charest and Klestinske said they have had a lot of fun and good times in their band, they said they probably won’t be pursuing a career in music. However, music will always be an important part of their lives. “I get this [question] from family members a lot, and the answer is maybe — I don’t really know yet,” Klestinske said. “Music is fun and all, but I really like to eat and not be homeless.” Although these three students may not be pursuing a future career in music, Klestinske said the band has brought them closer as a group of friends and groupmates. “Previously we had similar interests, but now we have these big things in common, and we always talk about how we should play all these different songs and I guess having these common interests really helps us become closer as a group,” Klestinske said.

| jonahmccormick

28 | feature / the standard / march 2018

ith 22,787 students, a 1,848 person certified staff and 91 square miles of property, the Blue Valley Unified School District is rated number one for the best school district in Kansas, according to niche.com. Among these 22,787 students, 87 select students choose to leave their home school and enter an alternative program in order to pursue a different way of learning. With the sometimes negative perception of the Academy and its students, many Blue Valley students may have varied opinions about its purpose in the community. Junior and former Academy student Daniel Ginsberg said he agrees with the stigma, encountering first-hand what it’s like to be an Academy student. “There is a stigma,” Ginsberg said. “All people do is get high and do stupid [stuff]. It’s true what people say. Academically, [students] need it. They need to do nothing in order to get an A. It’s just making it easy on people who are too lazy to make an effort. It’s like preschool for high [school students].” Transferring back this semester, Ginsberg said his main reason for coming back was due to joining a 12-step-program. Ginsberg said he has been sober for about five months. “Being in sobriety, I’d say the worst thing about the

road less traveled

perceptions about the Blue Valley Academy analyzed

| 29

Academy is that everyone there gets high,” Ginsberg said. “If you want to go sober and you’re at the Academy, either drop out or go to one for the home schools.” The Blue Valley Academy is a district program that allows students to receive credits at a faster pace than a traditional high school in the district, along with many other benefits. Since many students may view the Academy as a way for the district to relocate students who may have struggles at home and associate the Academy with drug use, crime or behavioral issues, principal Dr. Valerie Jennings said it is difficult to fight the stigmas. “You think about the kids that you know that have made the choice to come to the Academy … those kids are making a big decision to leave their big high school and go somewhere else,” Jennings said. “And oftentimes, not always, but oftentimes those kids aren’t doing well in school. They’ve not made good decisions. They’ve not gone to school regularly. They’ve gotten themselves into trouble because of poor decisions outside of school. Or, they hide in the corner. So you think about, ‘O.K., they’ve got this place and that’s where those kids go.’ It’s hard

to battle because those are the kids, the individuals that we help reshape, so that is our purpose. When you’re in a big high school, all those things are still happening there, but it’s just that one group of kids and that’s not the focus.” Jennings has been in the Blue Valley district for 30 years, working as an art teacher, school psychologist and assistant

“It’s true what people say. Academically, [students] need it. They need to do nothing in order to get an A. It’s just making it easy on people who are too lazy to make an effort. It’s like pre-school for high [school students].” | juniordanielginsberg principal at Blue Valley North prior to her current job at the Academy. Following her job as an art teacher, she said she decided to receive her administrative certification. Jennings said she was not present for the founding of the Academy, but helped lay the groundwork for the program.

“I was actually on the committee to decide what we needed and what [the Academy] might look like,” Jennings said. “I was on that committee as a school psychologist and I kind of feel like I helped invent it in some way.” Jennings said the role of the Academy in the Blue Valley community is to aid “at risk” students with getting back on track and completing high school by connecting with students on a more personal level. “Even though I am principal, I really am working as a school psych because I work differently than a principal would typically work,” Jennings said. “In addition to that, I also teach an art class ... it’s kind of like the best of both worlds.” As an alternative schooling program for those who find it difficult to learn in a traditional school setting, the Blue Valley Academy aims to help students recover credits and provides alternative methods to teaching students the curriculum. The Academy averages 87 students per semester, with between seven to 15 students in each class. “Blue Valley Academy is kind of like a family,” Jennings said. “We’re very small. We have an eight [person] teaching staff, not including me, so we work really closely together and we really problem

30 |

solve in teams all the time. We’re always collaborating and talking and communicating about our kids because we try to be as proactive as we possibly can with any situation that may come up. I love working with my staff and I love working with the kids in this building. If you work here you are making a significant difference in somebody’s life every day.” Jennings said the relationships between the Academy staff and its student body are crucial to the success of the program. While in large high schools, many students may feel as though they are unnoticed and unrewarded for their hard work or actions outside of the classroom, Jennings said the Academy focuses on making sure students know they have that support they may have lacked at their original school. “It really is about the relationship building,” Jennings said. “If I, as a teacher, believe in you and you truly feel that I care about you, that in itself will [incentivize] you to try a little harder. Even if you screw up a day, we all screw up. We deal with it, but we don’t hold it against them … it’s all about learning. We’re not going to think of you any differently, we’re just guiding you to make better decisions. That’s really the biggest part of kids feeling like they belong somewhere and feeling like they

can do it differently.” In addition to the emotional support in the program, the students have the ability to receive credits at a faster pace than a traditional high school. Jennings said this is another key component in students making the decision to transfer from their home school and joining the Academy program.

“I love working with my staff and I love working with the kids in this building. If you work here you are making a significant difference in somebody’s life every day.” | principalvalariejennings

“Students can earn eight credits in a school year instead of seven and a half,” Jennings said. “They can get two credits per term [if] they’re enrolled in four classes … Our hours are 9 to 2:50, but we do that for a couple of reasons. It allows kids to take a first hour at their home school. They can still get over here for our school day or if they’re a credit short and

they are a senior and they’ve got to make up nine credits, they can actually get nine credits in a school year to make that up.” Each term at the Academy is equivalent to one quarter at a traditional high school and allows students to receive half a credit in a course while each semester at the Academy allows students to gain a full credit, as opposed to the other high schools in the district, where students must take courses for an entire school year to receive a full credit. “It’s really important because they really feel like they need to get out [of high school], but they also want their diploma,” Jennings said. “[For] kids that are just ready to move on, it allows them that opportunity. We had 15 early graduates at winter break. It’s amazing how that half credit can really allow you to move forward … If [a student] is a credit short and they are a senior and they’ve got to make up nine credits, they can actually get nine credits in a school year to make that up and graduate.” Students in the Academy program are able to transfer by talking to their home school counselors or administration. Counselor Kristi Dixon has helped students who originally attended Southwest transfer to the Academy. “My role is the same of all of our counselors in that if we have students

| 31

that we think are a great fit for the Academy or if students approach us about a desire to go to the Academy, then we help them with that process,” Dixon said. “[With] students that choose to attend the Academy, typically the most common reason is that traditional high school just isn’t a great fit for a variety of reasons. As you know, not every kid wants to be in a classroom with 30 other people trying to learn. That just doesn’t work for everybody. Even though we’re the smallest of the Blue Valley high schools, we’re still a large school.” Southwest enrollment is currently 1,100 students, with an average class size of 28, while the Academy has an average class size below 15 students. Southwest students who decide to join the Academy program, however, still are a part of the Blue Valley Southwest community, Dixon said. “Our Southwest students who attend the Academy finish with a diploma that says Blue Valley Southwest,” Dixon said. “Basically, they’re still ours — you can still be on our teams, you can still participate in our clubs, you can still go all of the events and the dances — you’re still a Timberwolf. It just so happens that your classes are held in a different building. That’s the way we like to look at it. Blue Valley Academy, while it feels like a school, in educational terms, it is considered a program, so your diploma still comes from here.” In visiting with students, Dixon said she recognizes certain students need different types of environments. Similarly, Jennings said she believes in unique kinds of support and that every student is different. “Not all kids are the same,” Jennings said. “Some kids need more personalized and individualized support in order to become competent, confident adults. Most kids

in large high schools can achieve that, but it’s not for everybody. So I think it’s important to have this option for kids and we’re lucky we have it.”

| summerlyon | ariellesinger

editor’s note When we first began looking into the Academy as a possible news story, we were unsure of what stance to take. From talking to students from other Blue Valley schools, we knew the general perception of the Academy was negative, with students claiming those who attend the Academy do so for “drugs” or an “easy” alternative to traditional high school. With a former student confirming this perception, it was hard to deny it. Wanting to find a different perspective, we set up an interview with Dr. Valerie Jennings, the principal at the Academy. After speaking with Jennings and touring the building, we gained a better understanding of the purpose of the Academy in a community where it seems as though there is no alternative to traditional high school. Students at the Academy face challenges the Southwest student body may not relate to or understand, but in the Academy there is a purpose for them and a staff of people who constantly support them. Given the Academy is much smaller, the staff can provide the students with a much more stable environment they might have been lacking within the bigger schools in the district. Despite the harsh stigmas, we realize the Academy is essential in the Johnson County community and hope others will begin to look past these stigmas and realize it, too.

32 | feature / the standard / march 2018

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge July-August 2014 After going viral in the summer of 2014, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge was able to raise over $115 million for ALS research. Participants were encouraged to pour a bucket of ice water over themselves and donate to ALS research while challenging others.

Salt and Ice Challenge July 2012 Although placing ice and table salt on your skin may sound harmless, this challenge can cause burns worse than those made by frostbite. The mixing of the two common household items can create temperatures of 0 degrees Fahrenheit. These burns can remain on the skin for weeks after the challenge.

Tide Pod Challenge Jan. 2018 Following a surge in the popularity of the Tide Pod meme, teens around the world began to participate in the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tide Pod Challenge,â&#x20AC;? in which the participant consumes a laundry detergent pod and challenges others to do so as well.

Least Dangerous Challenges

Mannequin Challenge November 2016 Originally a phenomna through highschool cliques and sports teams alike, the Mannequin Challenge is a dance movement in which a group stands perfectly still and the camera moves through the crowd to the beat of the music. This movement spread through the country, but died out in just a few months.

Cinnamon Challenge 2001-2012 Beginning as early as 2001 and peaking interest in 2012, the cinnamon challenge involves consuming a spoonful of powdered cinnamon and not drinking anything after. This can result in the powder getting trapped in the lungs, which can cause infections and may lead to death.

Most Dangerous Challenges Information taken from alsa.org, The Washington Post and The New York Times

| isaiahtarwater