Standard Volume 5 Issue 2

S the standard blue valley southwest volume 5 | issue 2

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CONTENTS 11

september 2014 vol. 5 | issue 2 overland park, ks

06

rolling in revenue

08

skin deep

11

are you game?

12

theatre transfers

14

homecoming bonfire

16

making the split

18

10 things to do before you graduate

20

shooting for the stars

22

color blind

24

soccer city

28

a week in the life of a vegan

30

hot diggity these words are amazeballs

31

making a splash for ALS

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31

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editor’s note

Front cover: Students gather around the burning of the Gardner Edgerton mascot, the Trailblazer, at the Homecoming bonfire.

Photo by Riley Martin.

Graphic by Abby Yi.

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he morning of our first staff meeting, I ran into the school almost 10 minutes late carrying my own First Watch leftovers and carry out for my friend who had refused to wake up early. Naturally, I was already frazzled from my entrance, but I

remember looking around at my new staff for the first time and thinking, I’m sure everyone

here thinks I’m really weird. I don’t fit in with any of them.

I felt out of place because everyone looked so different, and I think that diversity contributed to our strong differences of opinions this issue. The past few weeks, we got into quite a few arguments, and we didn’t always know what to do when someone was having a bad day, and I’m sure we would have had an easier time if we were more similar people.

But at the same time, having staffers with varying opinions forces us to think more about how to tell our stories and provides more diverse content. I laughed when I looked through which stories we finally decided to run this issue because each one reflects our staff’s personality so well. We have a serious topic that we had to grapple with to find the right angle, a story written in a completely new style of writing and then that one feature that allows us to put “amazeballs” in the paper. In the end, working with a diverse group of people is truly a gift.

I can’t think of a specific turning point when I suddenly felt comfortable with everyone on staff. Maybe it was bonding over food and snap circles, or maybe our major struggles really brought us closer together. But looking back, I can’t believe that I was ever worried about fitting in with my staff, because I’ve gone through the same process for three years.

We have staffers who want to major in journalism and become reporters and those who

|editor-in-chief

just need a computer credit, but ultimately, we always come together to create one paper.

10 percent discount on film and paper with student ID 4 | sept. 2014 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | ads

Don’ t Miss Out

Seniors No Senior ads will be accepted after final deadline of

Friday, Sept. 26 turn into office

| thesouthweststandard editor-in-chief ananda bhatia managing editor margo johnson web editor nicole becker writing coaches michael magyar

nicole becker design coaches lauren stone lexi tarter copy editor ellie augustine adviser heather lawrenz

photographers donna armstrong kate bowling riley martin delaney oliver abby yi staff writers lillie hoffart blake gustafson madison leighty katie lucas broc putnam

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.

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

ads | www.bvswnews.com | southwest | sept. 14 | 5

Rolling up revenue Chipotle’s unique aspect of fast food causes its stock values to soar

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he worker instinctively grabs a gray bowl and spoons brown rice into it upon spotting sophomore Olivia Swyers entering the store. Swyers reaches the counter to be welcomed back by the piles of organic chicken and fresh salsas. She whips out one of her multiple gift cards as she gets ready to pay for the meal. Swyers is a Chipotle regular.

“I probably go to Chipotle about every other day,” Swyers said.

“The workers and I are starting to become buds.

They just see me and recognize me and start the beginning of my order without me even having to say anything.”

Consistent regulars like Swyers enhance the trend of Chipotle.

People flood to Chipotle restaurants across the United States for the unique food experience that Chipotle offers. It’s this special experience that captures dedicated customers and success in the fast food industry. the Chipotle story When CEO Steve

6 | sept. 2014 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | feature

Ells graduated from culinary school in 1990, he knew that he wanted to open his own small restaurant. Ells acquired a job cooking at a restaurant in San Francisco, where he was fascinated by a local taqueria. The taqueria served burritos with large tortillas in tin foil, which inspired Ells with its authentic ingredients. Receiving a small loan from his parents, Ells moved to Colorado and opened the first Chipotle restaurant in 1993, just outside of the University of Denver.

With a culinary background, Ells created his menu with fresh, quality ingredients as opposed to typical fast food chains, such as McDonald’s and Burger King. From the beginning, Ells believed in the use of quality ingredients, despite their higher costs. However, it wasn’t until Ells’s visit to a local farm in 1999 that he decided to change the style of his produce. As of now, all of Chipotle‘s meats are organic, from farms that don’t allow animal confinement or the use of antibiotics or

growth hormones, thus, revolutionizing the idea of fast food. extensive expansion Chipotle continued to expand its stores, eventually making its way to other states, like Minnesota and Ohio. With its rapid expansion, Chipotle opened its stock to the public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2006 with a starting price of $44. Since then, Chipotle has grown to 1,681 stores, and its stock value has increased to $680. Chipotle value has been consistently rising, and it can attribute its success to the simple basis of its fresh and organic products.

“I can see why a lot of people like Chipotle and eat it over other fast food restaurants like McDonald’s,” junior Maddie Parrish said. “It looks a lot fresher, and you can see the people making the food. You know the food isn’t gross or microwaved when you see it being made.”

Chipotle successfully captivated the interest of teenagers with its concepts of fast food.

Chipotle facts from www.chipotle.com and student survey taken from Twitter, with responses from 30 students.

From meeting up with friends to random cravings, nearly every high schooler can find his or her way into Chipotle for some reason. “[Chipotle] has really just become unique to the younger population,” Stifel financial adviser Mike Petri said. “They really love the concept of the healthier food and better taste. Therefore, you see that growth of stores, and people really flock to it.” proportion problems Many people see the fresh, organic ingredients of Chipotle and automatically consider it to be healthy food. However, just because something is organic and fresh doesn’t mean it’s healthy, as far as calories and fat content. By the Organic Foods Production Act, food can be called organic if it is produced without the use of substances that enhance the natural ecological balance.

Customers benefit from the vitamins, minerals and protein of Chipotle ingredients, but that often causes people to misjudge the calorie and fat content of the food.

In fact, the order of a double cheeseburger,

large fries and a Coca Cola from McDonald’s is less calories than the average burrito with chicken, black beans, rice, salsas, cheese and guacamole from Chipotle. The total of the McDonald’s order is 1,150 calories compared to the Chipotle order of 1,335 calories. However, much of Chipotle calories attribute to the portion control that Chipotle has established.

“I definitely think that they could cut down on their portion size,” Swyers said. “I can see how a big guy who eats a lot could want that much food, but I personally don’t need an amount of food quite like that.” innovating fast food Chipotle masks the unhealthy calorie totals of burritos by allowing the customer to choose his or her own meal exactly how he or she wants it, thus also controlling the calorie content. Chipotle’s style of serving, with the ingredients lined up on the counter, not only allows the customer to personalize his or her meal, but allows the customer to see exactly how his or her food is being made.

“[Chipotle’s] presentation is phenomenal,” Petri said. “The fact that they have the grill right behind the counter and you can see them cooking the chicken or the steak makes a difference in people’s minds. The way that the meat and all of the ingredients are aligned and presented definitely makes a big difference.”

Likewise, Chipotle’s style allows for faster service to customers. Upon entering Chipotle, the customer may be greeted by an enormous line of people, but he or she typically finds that the line moves through within 10 minutes. This is credited to the more simplistic menu that Chipotle offers. With a shorter menu, customers don’t have to flip through long lists of options, but rather have their decision narrowed down to four simple choices. Without having to wait for people to make up their minds, the line is able to move much quicker. cont. to www.bvswnews.com.

| nicolebecker

Photos by Riley Martin.

|7 4 | aug. 2014 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | feature

Skin

Deep

students share meaning behind tattoos

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verything is up to interpretation, including tattoos. When these four girls are spotted in the halls, their peers may come up with their own interpretations of the tattoos each girl has. But regardless of how other students may perceive them, each tattoo will always contain a story of love, luck, cultural pride or self-discovery embedded within its ink. | laurenstone

8 | sept. 2014 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | feature

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s someone who walks the line between two different cultures, senior Salina Ye recognized the fact that she may one day lean more toward one culture than the other. Despite this, Ye resolved to find a permanent way to preserve her family’s background and culture so that she would never forget who she is.

This past July, Ye decided to act upon a wish she’d had since she was 14 — to get a tattoo. Her desire to get a tattoo was initially met with resistance from family members, meaning that Ye had to do some bargaining so that she could have the Chinese character representing her last name tattooed on her upper arm.

Ye eventually agreed to her family’s terms — maintaining a rigorous school schedule and attending school events, such as dances — because she “really wanted that tattoo.” Once these terms were agreed upon, it was

Kylie

Salina

Jennings

Ye

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or senior Kylie Jennings, her relationship with her family has always been important, so when she made the choice to get a tattoo, it was by instinct that she decided to recognize her bond with her father. In June 2013, after eight months of deliberation, Jennings went to the tattoo parlor with her father get a tattoo of “BK” inscribed on her inner ankle.

The tattoo, which is the nickname given to Jennings by her father, is written in his handwriting and is especially meaningful now that her father must spend more time working out of state than at home.

“Now that my Dad lives in Oklahoma probably seven-eighths of the time, it’s like he’s gone, but he’s not — he’s still on my ankle,” Jennings said.

While the meaning behind Jennings’s tattoo is already important, it is heightened by the fact that she is constantly aware of the tattoo.

“The weird thing is I always know exactly where it is on my body,” Jennings said.

“Even though it’s not raised because it’s in

time for Ye to go under the needle. “[Before getting the tattoo] I was thinking, ‘Remember Salina, you can get out of this right until the needle touches your skin,’” Ye said. “There definitely was a lot of fear. I was looking at my arm, knowing that it’s never going to look the same again.”

But despite her initial worries, Ye stood firm on her choice because she knew the significance her tattoo would hold.

“My family is very oriented in Chinese traditions, but I also live in America,” Ye said. “Intuitively, I just know that as I get older, I’m going to forget about the Chinese side, and I don’t want to forget that.

I’m really proud of who I am; I’m proud of my family’s background and culture, so I just wanted the tattoo as a reminder for me to realize that I’m never going to forget who I am.”

my skin, I always can tell where it is on my body, even if I’m just sitting there I can feel it, even though I can’t physically feel it.”

Despite her excitement, Jennings worried about receiving negative comments from her peers about the tattoo.

“I was really worried when I first got my tattoo that people would judge me harshly for it, but now I don’t care,” Jennings said. “If you don’t like tattoos, it’s my body. I don’t understand why people get so worked up when other people have tattoos when it’s not their body.”

Once Jennings stopped worrying about how others would perceive her tattoo, she came to her own conclusion about what attitude people should have toward tattoos.

“Do what you want; tattoo whatever you want,” Jennings said. “Even if you want to get something that’s just pretty — it doesn’t need to have a significant meaning behind it, in my opinion, — that’s okay. If you think it’s cool, that’s okay because it’s your body, and you should do what you want.”

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his past July, junior Jada Torian celebrated her 16th birthday by getting an elephant tattooed on the side of her stomach. Before getting the tattoo, Torian was overwhelmed by a sense of apprehension, despite having wanted a tattoo for some time.

“I was terrified,” Torian said. “I was thinking, ‘Am I sure I want to get this?

Am I sure I want to get it here? Am I sure I want to get anything today? Let’s just turn back and go home.’ But I just decided that I just had to get it because I needed this, and I’d been waiting for this.”

Once she was able to overcome her initial hesitations, Torian was able to focus on the significance behind her tattoo.

“I like how the elephant represents good luck, protection and strength,” Torian said. “I really needed it because it’s been a rough past few years, and I really needed something that at least made me feel like I have some good luck.”

Though she was proud of her tattoo,

Jada

Torian

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n December 2013, sophomore Carsyn Greet began creating a collection of tattoos. She currently has five tattoos scattered over her body, all of which remind her of the admiration she has for art and the importance of persevering through life.

“I thought tattoos would really be different, and they’d make me more unique because not a lot of people here have tattoos,” Greet said. “I’ve just had a love of them for a long time — especially after I got my first one.”

Across Greet’s ribs is a tattoo that reads “God is still working on me,” which to Greet serves as a reminder that “He’s not finished yet” and that she “still [has] time.” Her hipbone reads “Inhale, Exhale,” which signifies the importance of life, despite her past struggles.

Greet also has “Dreamer” under her right arm to inspire her to “keep dreaming about [her] goals” for the future.

Most recently, Greet got her largest tattoo which says “She flies with her own wings” in Latin. This tattoo stands for

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she was also curious to know what her peers would think of the tattoo, so she posted a photo of it on Instagram, earning many positive comments from friends.

“It made me feel good, like I made the right decision,” Torian said. “I already knew that I had because I don’t care if anybody else likes it because I like it; it’s mine. But it was awesome that my friends supported it, and that made me feel even better.”

With the support of her friends and family, Torian was able to feel even more confident about her tattoo than she already was, and she shared advice for others considering getting a tattoo.

“If you want a tattoo, it’s not as bad as people may think it is, so don’t stress out about it,” Torian said. “Just make sure that’s what you want on your body unless you want to go through a very painful removal process in the future.

You have to know it’s what you want and where you want it, and just go for it.”

Carsyn

Greet

her moment of self-discovery when she “found [her] soul” and who she truly is.

Though the majority of Greet’s tattoos have deep meaning behind them, she also has a tattoo that proves that art doesn’t have to have an abstract explanation in order to be worthy of becoming a tattoo.

“I also have a star and moon on my foot which I got just to get,” Greet said, “So there isn’t really importance behind it other than it’s something I like.”

For Greet, the tattoos have even more significance as a group than individually because they mark a turning point in her life which will be memorialized for years to come. “[My family and friends] understood that [getting my tattoos] was my breakaway to become who I am today, and they knew the meaning behind them, and they aren’t just some random tattoos,” Greet said. “I want to grow up and have these as a reminder that I got through it — ­­ all the hard times — and I think my family and friends respect that.”

4 | aug. 2014 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | feature

Are You Game? get to know the new athletic trainer

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t’s no secret that the school has some talented athletes this year; but with talent comes caution as well. These athletes need to make sure that nothing interferes with their ability to compete.

Injuries have always been the main hindrance when it comes to playing sports.

With the departure of a former vital member of staff comes a new addition to the crew. Athletic trainer Christopher Poskey is game for anything this year.

Q

Do you think the sports you played in high school influenced your career choice?

“Going into college, I knew that if I was going to do anything with sports, I wanted to be in athletic training, where I have an impact still on kids being able to play.”

Q

Did you have any injuries in high school that influenced your career choice?

“I got hurt one time in my senior year playing football, for just about a week and a half, but not having someone at a small school influenced me wanting to get into athletic training so I could help.”

Trainer Bio

Name: Christopher Poskey Position: Athletic trainer High School Sports: Football, Basketball, Track

Q

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What are you most excited about this year, and what do you want people to know about you?

“I’m ready to see how I can help out at every competition.

Just know that I am here to help. Don’t be afraid to come see me for an injury. I can help you out as much as anybody else at this school with an injury. I have resources that I can call upon to get you better as quickly as I can.”

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cont. to www.bvswnews.com.

| ellieaugustine

College: University of Kansas Family: Wife and two daughters, Layla (16 months) and Charlotte (16 months) Other Jobs: Cross-Fit Trainer Photos by Delaney Oliver.

feature | www.bvswnews.com | southwest | sept. 14 | 11

Theatre Transfers four students transfer for theatre program

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n the few short years that the school has been open, the theatre department has accomplished many extraordinary things. The school has taken its fall play to the state convention twice. The plays that have made it all the way to state have been “The Laramie Project” and “Hamlet.”

The actors consider themselves lucky to have a

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director as experienced and creative as Dan Schmidt. That reputation brings students from other Blue Valley Schools.

This year the theatre department welcomed four new transfer students.

Three of the performers came from Blue Valley High — juniors Lauren Browning, Sam Kalmus and Zach Miller.

The three were all friends

I think they have really brought a different level to our program because a lot of our transfers came in with an excitement about improv.” | senior amandamiller

previous to transferring to the school. Senior Melissa Rakos also decided to transfer from Blue Valley Northwest for the theatre program. These four actors find themselves adjusting well to the theatre department and to the Timberwolf atmosphere.

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12| sept. 2014 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | feature

| donnaarmstrong

With the new kids, it’s really cool, because they bring a new dynamic, kind of like fresh blood, that you’ve never really gotten to work with.” | seniorcaleb jenkins

Upcoming theatre events Noise is off

October 15, 16, 17

Letters to Sala

November 13, 14, 15

Improv show

November, TBD

“

I believe having new students has really made us come together as one group.” | juniorbrea clemons

Lauren Browning

Zach Miller

Melissa Rakos

Sam Kalmus

4new faces

Photos by Lauren York.

Q A

Was deciding to transfer an easy or hard decision?

I thought about it for a really long time, but once I made the decision, it was really easy. I sat down and made a pros and cons list, and I showed it to my brother, and he was like, “All your cons are fake — go to Southwest.” I realized that I had been subconsciously telling myself it wasn’t a good decision, but it was the best decision I could make.

Q

What about Mr. Schmidt makes him a good theater director?

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He seizes every opportunity to teach and he takes the time to stop and explain something and you have that ‘eureka!’ or ‘ah-hah moment,’ and it’s so powerful when you finally get it. Sometimes it’s something as simple as, “Stop, say that again” because he sees you’re almost there, and he can phrase a question in a way that makes you understand so much more of the craft. We spent a lot of the first week of school talking about why we do theater, and just having that clarity has helped drive me so much this year. Everything about how he directs is wonderful.

How were you introduced to the Southwest theatre department?

I saw “Hamlet” at State last year, and I thought it was amazing. Then, [senior] Caleb Jenkins and Mr. Schmidt contacted me at the end of the year asking me to do the summer show, “The Tempest,” so I auditioned for that and I got Ferdinand, who was one of the leads, and I just had a chance to have Mr. Schmidt direct me and be in a show with a lot of the people that I would be going to school with, so that was really neat, especially feeling the different directing style.

What about the theater department is appealing at Southwest?

Mr. Schmidt focuses more on his students futures’ in acting, past the high school level, so he helps with college auditions , and he has a lot of connections beyond high school, so that was really cool.

What made you want to transfer to Southwest?

Is Southwest what you expected?

Even though I don’t want to pursue theatre in the future, it’s something that I have a passion for and that I enjoy doing and that I just like to have under my belt at full experience. I fell in love with Schmidt and his program freshman year. I have a lot of set friends here that I were really good friends with in middle school. And a lot of the people here are really friendly, and the school is just beautiful, and I just really wanted to be a part of this whole thing you guys got going on.

It’s been, if anything, better. I just thought it was a cool school and a cool place to be, and now that I’m in here, everybody’s just so welcoming. It’s better than I expected.

What about the Southwest theatre department is appealing to you?

Schmidt for one is great; he is so personable, he really cares about his students, and he is a brilliant teacher. Not only is he a phenomenal actor, he is also a great teacher, and I just love how he really takes students under his wing to teach them everything... And so coming here where people are actually like, “Oh yeah theatre — that’s fine” gets it recognition.

What about Mr. Schmidt makes him a good theater director?

Not everybody gets a gold star and he’s honest. He gives his honest opinion, and it helps you grow as an actor. He doesn’t sugarcoat it; he just gives it to you as it is. It’s a humbling experience. It helps you put everything in perspective. It’s awesome because that’s what I’ve been wanting my entire high school experience.

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homecoming bonfire students get fired up for homecoming game

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n preparation for the Homecoming football game against Gardner-Edgerton a traditional bonfire was held. Food was served at a cookout and DJ played. During the bonfire, the band, the Glitter Girls and the cheerleaders performed. Then, a speech was given by the football players to pump up the student body for the game. Finally, the night concluded with the burning of a replica of the opposing team’s mascot, the Trailblazer. The replica was made by members of the National Art Honor Society. | lexitarter Photos by Riley Martin.

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14 | sept. 2014 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | photo essay

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1. The Gardener-Edgerton Trailblazer mascot is burned at the bonfire.

2. Seniors Nathan Peroo and Cody Demoss pump up the students in preparation for the homecoming game. 3. Seniors Addison Daniel, Madi Wright and Paige Donovan lead the cheerleaders in the fight song. 4. Freshmen football players enjoy the Two Guys and a Grill catering at the cookout.

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e h t g

n i mak spl it

ast year, students who performed with the dance team were also members of the color guard. Color guard, unlike dance team, uses flags and rifles during performances that correspond with the music of the marching band.This year, color guard and dance team are separate entities. The final say on if the dance team and color guard would split was made by principal Scott Roberts two days before dance team tryouts. Girls who were on the team during previous years were extremely irritated with the news being given at such short notice. They had very little time to de-

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dance team splits from color guard

cide whether they would continue on dance team or on color guard.

“It would have been better for the 20152016 year because the announcement was made two days before the audition,” sophomore dance team member Nicole Charest said. “I feel like more girls would have tried out for the dance team knowing the time commitment wouldn’t be as large.”

The major deciding factor of splitting the two was the time commitment. Color guard practices before school, during first hour, after school Thursdays and on Sundays. Dance team also practices during first

8 Color Guard: 1. Freshman Claire Boomer extends her leg in a leg hold using her rifle. 2. The guard girls gracefully swing their flags over their heads. 3. Freshman Meggie Fowler poses with her rifle and waits for direction. 4. Junior Charlee Striebinger holds her flag strong as she strides across the field. 5. Senior Jillian Lewis spins her flag in front of the band. 6.

Senior Jaqueline Leonard focuses on her rifle as she tosses it into the air. Dance Team: 7.

During their dance, the Glitter Girls line up and dance in sync. 8. Senior Alexis Jalbert leads the stretch at the beginning of practice. 9. Freshman Haley Eksi, Jalbert, freshman Samantha Gabler, sophomore Nicole Charest and freshman Malerie Moore hit their pose at the end of the dance. 10. Freshman Malerie Moore stretches before dancing.

7 16 | sep. 2014 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | news feature

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hour. Due to the announcement being made at last minute, many girls were confused whether they should try out for color guard or dance team. “[The split] was not necessary for this year because it wasn’t fair for all of the people who had to rework the [halftime] show because they had been planning it for so long,” sophomore dance team member Lily Inghram said. “But maybe, I think, for the next coming year it could have been good.”

The dance team will be making adjustments to not performing with a large group.

Since the dance team will not be perform-

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ing with the band, it will have to get used to working with only eight girls, compared to the hundred people it worked with in band.

Only color guard will perform at halftime alongside the band.

However, the split was a positive change for freshman color guard member Claire Boomer.

“I was happy about [the split] because at first I didn’t make the dance team, so when they split I got put up as someone who would want to be on color guard,” Boomer said.

With the dance team and color guard no

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longer being a combined activity, members will be able to spend more time improving at their respective activities.

“I think [because of the split], guard can focus on guard,” Boomer said. “I mean, we do have a bit of dancing on guard, [but] dance team can work on dance.”

| blakegustafson Photos by Kate Bowling.

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It makes me feel good that I can give back to people. I donate time to an organization called Gotta Have Hope. It is a primary school in Uganda.”

| freshmanoliver davis

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I always wanted to be an engineer, so I looked at good engineering colleges, and USC was up there. I also went and visited USC for a family vacation.”

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Football really helps to bring the school together as a family because you aren’t divided by different grades.”

| juniormegan price

| juniorseth wingerter

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[Former French exchange student] Elisa Marcheschi and I became friends in anatomy class, and she taught me a lot of stuff about her native country.”

| juniorcole nelson

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“I love watching my friends perform, and they always do such a great job. Mr. Schmidt is a really great teacher.”

| seniorbrooke hancock

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I get straight A’s because I think it shows good work ethic, and it will pay off in college.“

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| senioraustin hoegerl

| juniortoriwilson

It makes me feel good to be a positive influence because I feel like like I am making people’s lives better.” | juniortaylor mckillop

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Mrs. Pinto and I are besties for the resties because she was friends with my mom, and I have been her teacher aid for the past two years.”

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The first time I played varsity basketball was definitely important and a great memory.”

| juniorpatrick cairns

I thought going to the dance was a new and exciting experience, and I enjoyed it.” | sophomore greer corcoran

Shooting for the Stars

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shooter walks up to the end of a solid concrete walkway. The sun is beating down on his face as he wipes the sweat off his brow.

He takes a few breaths slowly and steadily as he raises his gun to his shoulder. With a final breath, he shouts a single word, “Pull!” As he says this, an orange disk is launched from a slingshot and the shooter pulls the trigger, bent on making the target explode into a million fragments.

Freshman Noah Hanny is a specialist in a very unique sport — trap shooting.

It’s a sport that few get involved in and even fewer pursue far enough to go to national tournaments to show off their skills among the best.

Trap shooting is a sport that consists of five shooters who stand at five different locations along a curved walkway. One by one, each of the shooters has five chances to shoot a clay

20 | sept. 2014 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | feature

freshman Noah Hanny shares his love for trap shooting

target — which, according to the Kansas City Trapshooters Association, is used in replacement of live pigeons — at each station before they must rotate. At the end of the round, each of the shooters has a total of 25 shots.

Noah has been trap shooting ever since he was 10 years old at his step-brother’s grandparents’ house. He now practices every day, shooting a total of 100 to 200 shots at a single practice. His practices mainly consist of him going to the Powder Creek Shooting Range or stepping off his back porch and practicing at home, taking advantage of his family’s multi-acre lot.

“For me, I have to go to practice whenever,” Noah said. “If there’s [a practice] and I miss it, I know I’m not going to do well the next tournament.”

All of his practice has paid off. Noah has attended national championships in Nebraska and countless other tournaments in and out of state. In his first official round of shooting, he hit 24 out of 25 targets. That’s when he knew that he might have a talent for the sport.

Noah was an avid dove hunter before he took up trap shooting. He used the skills that he learned for dove hunting and applied them to his new sport. Dove hunting and trap shooting are roughly the same sport, but in dove hunting, the hunter can’t predict where the target will go, whereas in trap shooting, the shooter knows the vicinity in which the target will fly.

“I love trap shooting because it is not only a sport itself, but the fundamentals that it teaches me help me when I go dove hunting,” Noah said.

“I do a lot of dove hunting, and I love being able to shoot at stuff in the air.”

The tournaments that Noah attends start out with a few rounds of 25 shots. If the shooter makes it in the top of those rounds, then he or she gets to go into the finals, which consist of 50 shots. On average, Noah makes it to the finals and places around second or third with 49 hits out of 50 total targets.

“You just get really into it once you’ve been doing it for a while because once you get into the championships, you’re just like, ‘Okay, I’ve made it this far, so I’m just going to keep on doing this because I’m really good at it,’” Noah said.

When Noah goes shooting he always take his equipment with him, which includes his team shirt, team pants, a couple hundred shells and his shotgun, a Mossberg 500. But he cannot forget the safety equipment that is needed for every shooting day. He always takes his ear protection and safety glasses because if a shooter doesn’t have his or her safety equipment, then the coaches won’t let him or her shoot.

Noah’s mother Susan Hanny said she hopes his trap shooting leads to a lot of good experiences. Both of his

parents have always supported him and his trap shooting passion by attending tournaments.

“I thought that he was getting into a good start to a new future,” Noah’s father David Hanny said.

When Noah took lessons he could always remember his coach saying, “Don’t shoot too fast.” Noah said that phrase stuck with him during all of his tournaments because he has seen so many people shoot at the target as soon as the clay pigeon leaves the house.

“I’ve learned to wait at least three or four seconds until it gets out right in front of you,” he said.

Like most competitive shooters, Noah has developed a calming system that works for him. He takes three deep breaths, and on the third breath, he exhales slowly and squeezes the trigger.

“It helps so much,” he said. “The hardest part, to me, is just thinking, ‘I hope I don’t mess up. That’s the main thing that goes through my mind: don’t mess up; don’t mess up.”

When Noah advances into the finals, he has a tradition of putting a sleeve over the stock of his gun with five shells on it. These shells are special because they are empty shells that his dad used at one of his best tournaments where he hit 200 targets.

Noah plans to continue trap shooting through high school and look for scholarships. He wishes to be on a college trap shooting team because he is devoted to the sport and wants to be involved in it as much as possible.

Shooting For the Stars

TRAP FIELD LAYOUT 45° trap house

27 yards

16 yards

story and information on trying trap shooting cont. to www.bvswnews.com.

| brocputnam

Photos submitted

by Noah Hanny.

Graphics by Abby Yi.

| 21

Color Blind

students and staff share experiences and analysis of racism at Southwest

O

n Aug. 9, 2014, an unarmed, black teen- reotyping isn’t here; it’ll only go away if people age boy was shot and killed by a white stop talking about it,’” sophomore Niya McApolice officer in Ferguson, Mo. An inter- doo, who identifies as mixed race, said. “That national turmoil began, with many citizens and makes it worse. I hear a lot of the time, ‘Oh, leaders from various states and countries con- Southwest is diverse; we have all of this culture,’ demning the shooter, Darren Wilson, for the and whatnot, and I look around, and I’m like, we racist and wrongful death of Michael Brown. actually don’t. We don’t have a lot of that at all.”

Yet the halls and classrooms of Blue Valley In fact, instances of racism at Southwest Southwest have remained quiet about this trag- are much more common than our predomedy. Conversations at the lunch tables and in inantly white school would like to believe. the library did not turn toward the event, even “Students will say stuff that is kind of offenas television screens displayed updates on the sive sometimes, and they say it in a way that situation. No moment of silence or remem- you know that they’re joking, so you don’t realbrance was held over ly make a big deal the announcements, out of it,” Pakistani despite Aug. 14, the junior Adnan Isfirst day of school, lam said. “But it’s being declared a Nastill offensive.” tional Moment of SiAfrican-Amerlence for the increase ican senior Romof police brutality in aric Keuwo has the United States. been the target Even as I considof jokes calling ered writing an article him “Oreo,” imon the situation at Ferplying that he is guson, I had to reject black on the outthe idea, because the side and white on reality of the situation the inside. He has was that no one cared also been called enough about Brown’s a very “white” | counselorkristidixon death to read about it. black person.

People at Southwest and in the surround“Because I don’t talk, like, ‘yo, yo, yo,’ and ing area wanted to believe that Johnson County that kind of stuff, does it make me less black was separate from Ferguson, that racism wasn’t or less African-American?” Keuwo said. “No, a problem in Blue Valley and that ignoring is- no it does not. I’ll try to laugh at it, and I know sues going on elsewhere would make them that it’s a joke, but honestly, it bothers me.” go away. Admittedly, it’s tempting to use our Keuwo’s experience reveals one of the priprivilege as an affluent community to ignore mary causes of racist actions at Southwest: the inequality that occurs around the world. stereotypes. Living in Johnson County, an area But not only does this hurt people suffering in very sheltered from the outside world, it is ofother places, it also affects those in our own ten difficult for students to contradict what community who endure the same problems. they have heard about different groups of peo“People want to be like, ‘Racism is over; ste- ple when meeting those people in reality.

“

Sometimes people will say, ‘I don’t really see color.’ They’re trying to say, ‘I don’t judge you based on your race,’ which is great. But to completely disregard [race] is hurtful.”

22 | sept. 2014 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | opinion

Graphics by Madison Leighty and Lauren York.

“There are jokes and stereotypes ingrained in our culture that come up all the time, and they’re just so common,” Islam said. “I think [the problem is] the students and what they’re exposed to at school with other students and the media.”

In 2011, when terrorist Osama bin Laden was killed by American forces, Middle Eastern students experienced an increase in racial bullying. Persian senior Parisa Hemmat had students joke that bin Laden was her grandfather, implying that because she was Middle Eastern, she was related to the terrorist.

“One person was like, ‘You don’t belong here — go back to your country,’” Hemmat said.

The bullying Hemmat endured was not an isolated incident. Other Middle Eastern students were targeted by other students comparing them to terrorists.

“I’m Middle Eastern, so kids will make bomb jokes or jokes about me flying planes into stuff,” Islam said. “I’ve heard it so many times that each instance doesn’t offend me, but the fact that it happens so much, overall, just makes me think about how stereotypes are so prevalent that people almost begin to think of them as true. And they get normalized, and people take it as a joke, but deep down, I don’t know if it’s a joke or not.”

Students, however, are not the only ones perpetuating racism at Southwest.

“I remember freshman year, my parents came in to the parent-teacher conference,” McAdoo said. “I remember my teacher told them that when she first saw me walk in the room, she automatically, right off the bat, just because of the way I looked, assumed that I was going to be her worst problem in that class. She told my parents that.”

At another conference, McAdoo was walking around with her one and three-year-old sisters as her parents talked with a teacher. The next day, a student told her that his mother had assumed McAdoo’s sisters were her daughters, an assumption that stems from the oversexualization of black teenage girls.

“At the end of the day, even if I did have kids, it’s not your place or your business to judge

me at all, in any type of way,” McAdoo said.

In its five years as a school, Southwest has still managed to maintain an image of equality for all its students. However, it is obvious that this assumption is not entirely accurate.

“You know how we always say we’re one family?” South Korean senior Jae Young Jeong said. “If you discriminate against other people and have low respect for them, then that’s all a lie. We’re not one if you don’t actually try to be one.”

Part of the problem stems from Johnson County residents’ tendency to prize political correctness over recognition of racial issues in the area. People of all ages — even adults — are more apt to ignore the presence of racism in favor of throwing around phrases like “post-racial America” and “color blind.”

“Sometimes people will say, ‘I don’t really see color,’” counselor Kristi Dixon said.

“And that’s like, well, are you looking with eyes open, or are you covering up your face?

I feel like I understand the sentiment when people say that; they’re trying to say, ‘I don’t judge you based on your race,’ which is great.

I appreciate that. I try to do the same. But to completely disregard [race] is hurtful ... I would like people to recognize that race exists and that racism exists. Because to pretend that it doesn’t gives all the power to the bad guys.”

The question remains: what can students and staff do to absolve racism at our school?

First and foremost, it needs to be recognized that the problem exists. I chose to write this piece because I knew racism existed, but each time I interviewed a student about their

experiences, my eyes were opened to new levels of harassment based on race, and I know that I still have a lot to learn. As a white journalist, I was blinded by my privilege, which ensures that I will never face racism.

Naivete is a luxury that we all must leave behind in order to surpass judgment, stereotypes, and harassment on the basis of race.

Secondly, it is necessary that Southwest as a whole takes steps to combat the racism that still seeps through the cracks. This means stepping in when witnessing a racist joke or statement by others, listening to people of color about what is and is not appropriate in order to actively learn about different ways we could be perpetuating racism and constantly self-assessing our actions to make sure we are making our school a safe place for all students and staff.

Finally, we must embrace the different backgrounds and experiences of our peers.

“Sometimes I get looks, like, ‘Why are you wearing such foreign clothing?’” Keuwo said. “It’s almost that kind of look, but they never say it. And it’s like, ‘What are you looking at? Why does it matter to you?’ I love to show off my culture. I love my culture.”

Keuwo and all other students and staff deserve to have their cultures, religions and races respected and acknowledged.

“You have the right to feel safe here,” Dixon said. “You have the right to expect that people not say hateful, hurtful things. Nobody deserves to have their voice stolen or silenced.” | madisonleighty

According to the Kansas State Department of Education, 11.19 percent of Southwest students identify as an ethnic or racial minority.

| 23

soccer city Kansas City is undergoing a soccer renaissance

24 | aug. 2014 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | feature

4 | aug. 2014 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | feature

| 25

D

eep in the heart of the great plains lies a curious love affair with a sport that has tried and tried again to become relevant in the land across the pond. Kansas City shares an unlikely bond with cities on the global stage such as London or Rio — a passion for the game of soccer.

It was a wet and chilly November night in 2010 when ownership of the local soccer team, the Kansas City Wizards, opted for a European style name and re-branded the team as “Sporting Kansas City.” This move was hit with immense backlash. National sports outlet Deadspin, called the name change “impossibly awful.” A local news station created an online poll in response to the re-branding. Eighty-nine percent of voters tallied that they were not in favor of the name change. Coming off a season without a playoff appear-

26 |

ance and fans in uprising against the re-branding, many feared the worst for soccer in Kansas City.

What happened next was unprecedented.

The US Men’s soccer team had just finished off Ghana in the opening round of group play in 2014 World Cup. The national ESPN broadcast showed a variety

“

has undergone a true soccer renaissance.

Soccer fever is a reality in the sunflower state. Sporting Kansas City is the defending champion, and there is no question about fan support. The team just announced a 50th straight sellout for games at its home stadium, Sporting Park.

The club was even able to outdraw

Sporting is consistently good, unlike the Chiefs and the Royals.” | sophomoretrenthaley

of watch party celebrations, and after showing large cities such as Chicago and Los Angeles, a camera showed Kansas City’s very own Power and Light District with a hoard of passionate soccer fans going hysterical. Since the outcry of the name change, Kansas City

the MLB’s Kansas City Royals in number of fans on certain nights, which is rather telling. The historical demise of the Kansas City Royals and the Kansas City Chiefs is major a key in the rise of soccer in Kansas City.

“Sporting is consistently good,

unlike the Chiefs and the Royals,” sophomore varsity soccer player Trent Haley said.

Sporting is able to target the younger audiences. Teenagers and young people never got the glory of the Kansas City Royals or the lone Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory.

Consider this: to find the last time the Royals have made the playoffs, one has to go all the way back to 1985 — 29 years ago.

“Fans want to see a winner,” junior and varsity soccer player Daniel Staudenmaier said.

“The team really markets well to younger people.”

The team also has links to the Blue Valley School District. Goalkeeper Jon Kempin and defender Matt Besler are both alumni of Blue Valley High Schools. Besler recently became the first Kansas native to play for the US Men’s National Soccer Team in the FIFA World Cup.

Photos submitted by Gary Rohman and Mike Gunnoe.

It isn’t just the local pro men’s team taking home the trophies. FC Kansas City of the National Women’s Soccer League is the defending champion of its respective association, winning the league championship over the Seattle Reign. The successes of both teams have some claiming that Kansas City is the true soccer capital of the United States.

“Kansas City really is a soccer hub,” Staudenmaier said. “Sporting has had 50 straight sellouts; people really care about it here.”

The Kansas Youth Soccer Association lives by “starting ‘em young.” According to its website, Kansas soccer has a current membership base of over 25,000 youth players and 1,600 active coaches. Located right here in southern Johnson County is the core of youth soccer in the midwest: the Overland Park Soccer Complex. Ranked the number one soccer complex in the nation by Livability, the complex is a marvel.

The complex has 12 lighted synthetic fields

and a vast number of extra amenities. The fields host both regional and national tournaments regularly and draw teams from around the US. “The development of the soccer complex was in response to the demand for field space,” Complex Director Mike Laplante said. “Advancement of youth soccer was a byproduct of

“

Kansas City really is a soccer hub.” | juniordanielstaudenmaier

the development.”

Soon, the Overland Park complex won’t be the only local soccer complex in the news.

Last July, with Governor Sam Brownback’s approval in conjunction with Wyandotte county, Sporting Club CEO Robb Heineman announced plans to build a soccer complex that

2009

2010

2013

Overland Park Soccer Complex opens

Kansas City Wizards re-branded as Sporting Kansas City

Sporting wins the MLS Cup

will serve as a training center for US Soccer.

The $75 million plus plans will call for 16 fields on a 175-acre space.

The announcement came off the heels of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. During the duration of the tournament, the devotion of Kansas Citians showed. Ranking high in the TV ratings and showing up in droves to major watch parties, diehard fans made Kansas City’s love of soccer known – a love that could even call for a world cup host bid if the tournament ever comes to the US. “I think KC will be given a serious look as a host city, should the US be awarded a World Cup in the future, especially since it was used previously and identified as a possible location in the last failed bid attempt,” Laplante said.

In a country where the game of soccer is sometimes branded “not American enough,” the sport brought across the seas has found an implausible refuge in Middle America. | michaelmagyar

2014 Overland Park native Matt Besler is named to US World Cup roster

2014- FC Kansas City wins the NWSL Championship

| 27

Vegan a week in the life of a

student eats vegan for five days straight

6:27 p.m.

A

beautiful night on the patio of my backyard, and I have just finished eating the last piece of meat I will eat in the next five days. I’m sad that I will be unable to eat another meatball sub for a while, but I am a determined woman, and with a fire in my eye and meatballs in my stomach, I am ready to go vegan.

The vegan trend. With places like Whole Foods and Sprouts supplying healthy and tasty food for people who are vegans (as opposed to going to Hen House and crying at another salad-only option), becoming vegan is even easier than before. With more resources, kids are more eager to make the switch to vegan — which is basically a vegetarian who also doesn’t eat anything made from animals either, for example milk, eggs and honey. To see for myself the life of a teenage vegan, for the next five days, I decide to try it out.

There are various reasons why people make this lifestyle choice. For some it’s related to religion, while others have ethical reasons against the killing of animals. For many, the health benefits are a key factor in making the decision, as changing one’s diet can help fight heart disease, diabetes and obesity. The choice to become vegan may be a hard one, but for junior Stephanie Kealey, it was a choice that felt necessary.

“My grandpa has had two heart attacks and luckily survived both, but medicine wasn’t a good enough long-term solution, so my grandparents did lots of research on what diets gave the best chance for reversing heart disease,” Kealey said.

“Going vegan has seemed to almost completely solve his heart issues, and now he’s the healthiest he’s been in years.

Heart disease doesn’t start once you get old; it’s a build up over time. So, I decided, since my genetic chances for heart

disease are high, I want to start early rather than too late to give myself better chances of a healthy and fulfilled life.”

In the same way, sophomore Sam Thomas worked his way up to becoming vegan, as he started out as a vegetarian, which helped to make the transition much easier.

“I feel like knowing that I could do this — making a change for something I’m passionate for — gave me this feeling that I could follow and achieve things I think I should be doing,” Thomas said. “I think it’s helped me become involved in the world because I’m able to make this commitment. It made me a lot more conscious of the world. Most of the motivation that pushed me to get this new ideology was probably speeches and literature about it.

I would spend a lot of time thinking about becoming vegan, and thinking about it a lot was really what drove me.”

Can you imagine being a vegan?

“

“I can’t imagine being a vegan because I love meat and fish. I couldn’t live on salad for the rest of my life.” | juniorosamazam

“

“I could not imagine being a vegan. I like meat too much.” | administrative assistant tandeebaker

“

“I totally can becaus we’re nature ourselves, so I can totally imagine people think it’s not good to kill animals for our own consumption.” | seniorjellebuijs

28 | sept. 2014 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | opinion

Day one: 10:53 a.m.

I am entering the lunchroom as a vegan for the first time, deciding to try eating from the school as a part of my experience. After the initial quick scan, I am disappointed to find nothing really “meal-like” that’s all that good. Never before have I been more grateful for the vegan peanut butter and jelly.

“When I was starting to become a vegan, I would eat a little bit from the cafeteria, but most of it I brought, and now I just bring everything,” Thomas said.

To bring more variety into their diets, and not the same foods from the cafeteria, students take their own lunch to create more of an option.

“The choices would be slim if I were to choose to buy lunch, [but] it’s no hassle to bring my own lunch,” Kealey said. “If I forget, it’s not too hard to find something to eat.”

Sophomore vegetarian Valeria Lobitz eats at the cafeteria every day, and says she doesn’t have a hard time finding something to eat, as there’s salad, pasta and pizza. However, Lobitz does think that that there are things the cafeteria could do to help the vegetarian and vegan students.

“You could give them more choices every day, because there’s pasta and pizza, but the pasta is only every other day,” Lobitz said. “You also don’t want to get pizza every

Day three: 10 a.m.

It’s my third day of being vegan, and I’m trying not to fall asleep through first hour.

I’m assuming it’s because of a lack of protein, as I’ve never had this problem before.

When not eating as much meat, it’s important to get enough protein. Some students take supplements, while others search for other foods with the same protein available. “[You need to] find other ways to get protein and to fuel your body, because if you don’t, it’s not healthy,” Lobitz said. “You have trouble finding protein for yourself; you have to eat tofu or beans, or whatever to give the nutrients you need when you’re not eating meat.”

Deciding to hop on the tofu-train, I eat a huge amount

of “Extra Firm” tofu that night for dinner. The recipe makes it tastes like chicken, but a lot more chewy. It’s spicy and flavorful, reminding me of Asian food, and I respect everyone who has the courage to give it a shot.

Thomas had a similar issue trying to figure out what to eat at the start of his vegan journey. As the only person in his family to go vegan, he had to go through trial and error to find what worked for him.

“At the beginning it was more of a struggle, learning where to get this and that, but I learned about more products and learned what foods I liked with the nutrition and protein that I need,” Thomas said.

day because you don’t want two main bread things each lunch. You want to mix it up.”

Some students’ main concern isn’t what’s available food-wise, but what’s available on the labels. At places such as Whole Foods, labels like “gluten free” and “vegan” are usually prominently displayed in large fonts on the fronts of food items.

“I do realize it’s hard to be all inclusive with food and everything, but there are a lot of different alternatives that could possibly be sold,” Thomas said. “Also, I think something that might help could be markings that tell people what’s vegan and what contains allergy concerns.”

Healthy Vegan Options Bean carbohydrates have been proven to drastically improve the stability of blood sugar levels

Apples contain no fat, sodium or cholesterol and are a good source of fiber

Day five: 9:10 a.m.

It’s my last day in the lunch room as a vegan, and I’m feeling a little worn out by this point in time. The replenishment of Baked Lays potato chips has me weeping with joy. It’s the simple pleasures in life.

Day six: 11 a.m.

Sunday. My five days of vegan are over, and I hotfoot it down to Subway. At last, I hold a meatball sub in my hands.

All’s well that ends well.

Drinking juice is a good way to get nutrients from all sorts of fruits quickly and easily

Graphics by Riley Martin.

facts from workman.com and farmflavor.com.

Many vegans enjoy fruits and fruit smoothies.

Instead of using ice cream or yogurt, some vegans use frozen bananas to get the same smoothie texture

To make salad contain more protein, add things vegtables, beans, tofu and chickpeas | katielucas

| 29

Hot Diggity, These Words are Amazeballs | lilliehoffart

new words are added to the Oxford English Dictionary

Used to express excitement or delight Origin Alteration of hot dog

w

Can you use these words in a sentence without knowing the def i nition?

clickbait (On the Internet) content, especially that of a sensational or provocative nature, whose main purpose is to attract attention and draw visitors to a particular web page “My uncle said to grab the clickbait to go fishing.”

| juniorcaseygonzales | juniorrachaelsorcher

“I’m going to text my clickbait.” | freshmanshannonbaird

Origin Early 21st century; blend of list and article

listicle

EXCLAMATION

An article on the Internet presented in the form of a numbered or bullet-pointed list

NOUN

hot diggity

hot mess NOUN

A person or thing that is spectacularly unsuccessful or disordered

amazeballs Extremely good or impressive; amazing “This swiss roll is the amazeballs of the world.” | sophomoremickeyvanhorn

cordcutter A person who cancels or forgoes a pay television subscription or landline phone connection in favor of an alternative Internet-based or wireless service “I rented a cordcutter to cut my cords.” | sophomorejacksonreeves information from www.oxforddictionaries.com.

| sept.

2014 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | special sections 4| 30 | aug.

2014 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com | feature

Caution: Clickbait Scan this to see more new words in the dictionary.

dox VERB Search for and publish private or identifying information about a particular individual on the Internet, typically with malicious intent

Making a Splash for ALS students participate in the ALS ice bucket challenge to raise awareness for the disease

freshmancassieschmidt

L

seniorkylemersch

ately more and more people are voluntarily dousing themselves in freezing water, without knowing what the foundation they are raising awareness for even is. The ALS Association is a group that raises money and alertness for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or the ALS disease. Participating may seem crazy, but there is a method to this madness. When doused in ice water, the body experiences the sensation of being paralyzed for a split second.

The challenge has two outcomes: raising money for the ALS association and raising awareness of what the disease does to the body.

ALS, otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a very serious neurodegenerative disease that affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. According to the ALS Association, motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. Once these motor neurons are degenerated, the patient with ALS loses his or her ability to control the movement of his or her muscles. At this point the illness

becomes terminal, and the patient may become totally paralyzed.

The ALS ice bucket challenge, which has recently swept the nation off its feet, was inspired by the former Boston College baseball captain Pete Frates. Frates was diagnosed with ALS in March 2012, at the age of 27. After being diagnosed he decided he would make a difference by allowing his diagnosis to bring more attention and action to the ALS Association.

When Frates was introduced to the ice bucket challenge in July 2014, he challenged some of his friends to participate in this so-called phenomenon. However, he was not expecting the challenge to spread like wildfire and become a national sensation. Athletes throughout the state of Massachusetts began participating and nominating others. Soon enough, the ice bucket challenge became a countrywide craze.

| delaneyoliver

Graphic by Kate Bowling.

Photos submitted by students.

juniorkylekramm

sophomoreabijohnson

news | 31 www.bvswnews.com | southwest | sept. 2014 | 31| | sep. 2014 | southwest | www.bvswnews.com

Making a Splash for ALS 1

1. sophomoreneilbhatia 2. freshmanbenbyerly 3. juniorgabbimiller 4. sophomoreumadesai 5. senioraislinndesieghardt 6. dr.chrisjenson 2

“

That’s just been my main focus since this started happening — to be a positive influence for other people who have the disease and be a positive influence for family and friends. At the end of the day, I want to be the cliché game-changer.”

3

| Pete Frates, ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Founder quotation taken from espn.com.

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