BVSW The Standard - Volume 11 - Issue 2 - December 2020

THE STANDARD blue valley southwest | volume 11 | issue 2

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2 | contents / the standard / dec. 2020

Contents news

14 | Final(s) countdown 16 | Building the future 24 | 2020 Rewind

Feature 8 | There is one impostor among us 18 | Fashion flare 22 | New beginnings and sad goodbyes

Opinion

11 | Time to turn over a new leaf

18 Fashion Feature Flare 5 Teacher

Sports

6 | Winter sports photo essay volume 11 / issue 2 bvswnews.com @bvswnews on Instagram, Twitter & Snapchat

on the cover

the Earth is held by human hands, symbolizing our role in reversing climate change pages 11-13

photo illustration by Siri Chevuru

|3

16 Building the Future 624Winter Sports 18

Quarantine Craze new beginnings and sad goodbyes

22

4 | editor’s note / the standard / dec. 2020

Editor’s Note A

The Standard

s 2020 comes to its highly anticipated conclusion, I have editor-in-chief found myself wondering what this upcoming year will bring. keithan sharp I think it’s safe to assume that this year has been like none other and many, including myself, are ready for a fresh start. With online editor everything that this year has stolen and all of the uncertainties it has posed, the most tremendous thing it created was space karley kent between us. There is already a great deal of pressure put on high school students, but when you combine that with the harsh design editor transition to virtual learning and delaying finals, you end up with an entire school community struggling to find motivation. It’s hard for siri chevuru both kids and teachers to wake up in the morning knowing that for social media manager the next eight hours they get to stare at a black computer screen.

There is really no way to socially distance the teenage sahar baha experience without missing out on everything that makes it memorable. However, I feel the best way to remain positive is to business manager remember how much I’m used to being unprepared. This year, rebecca suku while I resent it, has made me stronger and taught me that no matter what happens, I am capable of adapting. Nothing remains staff writers guaranteed, not even the safety of our own planet, so I encourage anyone who’s feeling lost to find joy in the little things and take it ellie phillips one day at a time. erica peterson With technology continuing to rapidly change and improve, maleena baha this generation is the first to truly bear the burden of a constant exposure to social media. Countless trends in fashion and gaming adviser have grown in popularity in the midst of a global pandemic which rachel chushuk allowed for a huge transformation in pop culture. Along with this, the holidays have inspired a gratuitous energy amongst students, whether that be participating in an unpredictable winter sports season, donating desks to low income families or just simply reconnecting with a former teacher.

The Southwest Standard is published Eventually, there will be a light at the end of this long tunnel and seven times a year for students, faculty, surrounding community of Blue Valley the struggles of 2020 will subside. Until then, my message to the and Southwest. It is an open forum for student expression. Therefore, the opinions expressed Timberwolves is to remember that it’s OK to feel like you don’t within this paper do not necessarily reflect know all of the answers. You are not alone, and with every day the views of the administration of Blue Valley Unified School District #229. that passes, we grow closer to some form of normalcy. I wish Letters to the editor and reader responses everyone a very Happy Holidays and the happiest New Year. 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.

| online editor

The Standard 17600 Quivira Road Overland Park, KS 66221 Website: bvswnews.com Email: bvswnews@gmail.com

sports / the standard / dec. 2020 | 5

Winter Sports students attend winter sports tryouts on Nov. 17

Shooting the ball, junior Abby Augustine tries out for the girls basketball team on Nov. 17. “I am super excited for my third year on the team,,” Augustine said. “We have a great group of girl coming in this year, and despite the cojmplications, I think we will have a great season.”

Taking a breath, junior Nate Kaestner swims laps at boys swim tryouts on Nov. 17.

“Being on swim in one of the highlights of my year and I’m so grateful we get to have a season even though there are heavier restrictions,” Kaestner said.

6 | sports / the standard / dec. 2020

Taking down the opponent, junior Nick Gillen trys out for the wrestling team on Nov. 17. “Even though we have to wer the full ninja mask, I’m ready to be back on the mat with my boys again for a new season,” Gillen said.

Dribbling the ball, sophomore Drew Siebs trys out for the boys basketball team on nov. 17. “The guys are all super chill and I love playing on the school team because it doesn’t put so much pressure on me,” Siebs said.

|7

Demonstrating a move, wrestling coach Cody Parks tussles with team member Brett Umentum at tryouts on Nov. 17. “These guys have been working extra hard this year and I think we’ve got some great potential for some big titles,” Parks said.

Swimming a lap, sophomore Rhett Krewson trys out for the boys swim team on Nov. 17. “I’m lucky my sport doesn’t require me to wear a mask underwater,” Krewson said.

Taking down a teamate, junior Nate Kays trys out for the wrestling team on Nov. 17. “Wrestling is still my favorite part of the day despite COVID, especially because of the ninja masks,” Kays said.

| karleykent

8 | feature / the standard / dec. 2020

who was the impostor?

R

eleased by Innersloth in 2018, an old, yet new game has risen up the ranks in the gaming world, reaching people from social media and streaming services. Although video game developer, Innersloth, came out with the game two years ago, “Among Us” only recently became popular. Esports sponsor Neal Doolin said he heard about the game in March, during the start of lockdown.

Doolin said he thinks the game became popular when a streamer on Twitch, a live video streaming service, found the game and started playing it. Many gamers use Twitch to watch and support their favorite streamers.

“My understanding is that basically some really popular Twitch streamer found it, thought it looked fun, played it with some of his friends on stream to thousands or tens of thousands of viewers,” Doolin said.

Senior Eric Faltermeier, Esports club leadership member, heard about the game around late summer through Twitch, as well as YouTube. He said streamers such as Sykkuno, Pokimane and Ludwig started playing the game which introduced “Among Us” to their viewers and fans.

“All the mainstream streamers ... started playing it on stream,” Faltermeier said. “I just watched it and thought it’s a good time to play as well.”

During their September meeting, the Esports club played “Among Us,” but Faltermeier has also found a way to play the game with his friends completely virtually. Faltermeier said he preferred playing on his

computer so he can talk to his friends at the same.

“We have this thing called Discord,” Faltermeier said.

“We all sit in there and we will just talk in there. Then every time we’re alive, we just mute our mics and deafen and when the meetings get called, we unmute and talk and see what happens.”

Discord, a messaging platform where users can communicate using voice calls, is used by students like Faltermeier who often play video games with friends.

Freshman Niki Ahmadian, who heard about the game from her brother, also plays other video games on Xbox but said that “Among Us” was easier to use because of how simple it is to play with friends.

“It’s more easier and straightforward to give out a code, and all your friends can join it rather than like hoping to get us in.” Ahmadian said. “I usually play it when I’m with my friends.”

“For Xbox, you have to, make sure everyone’s on at the same time. Hopefully, you get in the same game,” Ahmadian said. “But for ‘Among Us,’ I feel like it’s easier and [more] straightforward to give out a code, and all your friends can join it, rather than hoping to get us in.”

Ahmadian said the goal of the game was to finish tasks on a ship before the impostor(s) kill everyone.

Although players can’t choose to be Impostor or Crewmate, Ahmadian said she prefers being impostor, especially when playing with friends. “[I] definitely [like being] impostor more because if you’re playing with your friends and like you know

|9

students express their views on a popular online video game

you’re the impostor, you can follow your friends around and kill them,” Ahmadian said. “It’s more fun and you have a mission.”

Faltermeier had the same preference as Ahmadian, but Doolin said that having a mix of being both impostor and crewmate is good.

“I think everyone’s going to tell you they prefer to be the impostor,” Doolin said. “But at some point you can only be the impostor so often when there’s one or two [impostors] ... I would never want to be all one or all the other.”

After his friend mentioned the game to him in March during quarantine, Doolin also started playing the game with friends.

“I like mafia-style games,” Doolin said. “I think that style games are really fun. You know, deception, trying to outsmart other people, trying to act innocent.”

Mafia-based games are turn-based, whereas “Among Us” happens in real time. “Mafia,” a social deduction game often played in parties, is similar to “Among Us,” except it happens during daytime and nighttime with pauses in between. “Among Us” happens in real time, which means there aren’t breaks except for emergency meetings which are held when a “body” is reported or a player pushes the button.

“If the crewmates see a ‘dead body,’ and they can report it, there’s a whole meeting where they talk about, you know, wherever it was near trying to figure out who killed them,” Faltermeier said.

Playing other games such as “League of Legends” and “Rocket League,” Faltermeier said what differentiates “Among Us” from other games is its simplicity and ease.

Its easily adaptive features allow a user to learn the rules quickly.

“It’s a very simple game, but its simplicity is where it shines because it doesn’t take a whole lot to play and you can just vibe out with your friends,” Faltermeier said.

There are also no “levels” or upgrades that can be bought that could let one player have an advantage over another.

In efforts to encourage people to vote in the 2020 election, Democratic congresswomen Alexandria OcasioCorez and Ilhan Omar played “Among Us” live on Twitch to some 400,000 viewers according to bbc.com.

Whether or not “Among Us” will stay popular for long is up in the air but Ahmadian said she thinks the game will die out by the new year.

“I think it’s going to get really hyped up for a few more months and slowly starting to die out again,” Ahmadian said. “This last month … I was really hyped up and now by 2021 I feel like barely anyone’s going to start playing it.”

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opinion / the standard / dec. 2020 | 11

Time to Turn over a new leaf Implementation of the Green New Deal is essential to combat climate change and ensure the health of the planet

12 | opinion / the standard / dec. 2020

C

limate change is one of the most prominent issues of our time and it is integral that we take major action immediately to combat it effectively.

Dire consequences loom over us with every step we take while choosing to ignore climate change in the name of lack of relevance or cost.

Recently, a “climate clock” was placed in New York City with the purpose of bringing awareness to the urgency of the current situation.

According to Forbes.com, the clock shows the amount of time left to considerably reduce greenhouse gas emissions by enough to have a 67% chance of keeping the planet under 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming.

Experts predict that 1.5 degrees Celsius isthe maximum temperature of global warming we can reach without facing irreversible environmental damage. According to NASA, the effects of climate change are clearly displayed based on technological data scientists have gathered about rising

sea levels and the global temperature, declining Arctic sea ice and snow levels, and the increasing occurrence of natural disasters.

AP environmental science teacher Lynn Martens said although we don’t take accountability for it, humans are by far the biggest contributors to climate change, with airborne pollutants and the CO2 buildup trailing behind.

“A lot of people argue that the Earth goes through cycles, and glaciation and then back to warming anyway,” Martens said. “Yes, it does, but not like this.”

Our individual human footprint on the environment is often brought up when discussing climate change.

Although it is definitely beneficial to adopt sustainable habits and limit our waste outputs, the real reform is needed in the methodologies of big industries. It is imperative that federal action is taken against these industries to place restrictions on the emissions they can release. Senior

Jordan Hunter said climate change is mostly affected by the transportation and electrical industries and the fossil fuels they burn in these sectors.

“This is a global issue and needs to be prioritized as one,” Hunter said. “That means governments, countries, and continents are going to have to stand united, despite their differences, in the battle against a rapidly changing planet.”

The Green New Deal, crafted by Representative Alexandria OcasioCortez of New York and Senator Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts in 2019, is a major proposal that provides an intensive plan on how to tackle climate change. The Green New Deal strives to solve economic inequality and poverty, in addition to replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources. Sophomore Jared Barber said the Green New Deal is pretty much a win-win situation because it will positively affect numerous aspects of society.

“I believe the Green New Deal

| 13

would benefit the Earth immensely,” Barber said. “By converting businesses and people to a more efficient, healthier source of energy, new jobs will be created as well.”

Martens said the Green New Deal will help facilitate awareness of the issues at hand and restrict industries from abusing their power.

“I would say it’s going to hold people accountable to a level that they’ve never been before,” Martens said. “It’s just multifaceted and what it’s going to do is shift our society and economics into the position that they need to be in for change to occur.”

Opponents of the Green New Deal consistently say it’s not feasible because of the extremely high cost.

According to Businessinsider.com, Ocasio-Cortez said the Green New Deal will cost at least $10 trillion, which came across as a shock to many.

Hunter said the Green New Deal is a necessary initiative because the cost of the repercussions caused by climate change will be far harder to bear.

“I think a trillion dollars is worth knowing your children will grow up without destructive water patterns, rising sea levels, and food and water shortages,” Hunter said.

Senior and president of the school’s Environmental Club, Subhan Jamal said the Green New Deal should be implemented immediately because there are already visible signs of danger as a result of limited action being taken.

“We’re going to have to deal with all sorts of natural disasters, which we are even seeing already with the wildfires in California and more hurricanes each season,” Jamal said.

“These disasters have already started to come and we have started to pay that price already.”

It is important that we educate ourselves about this topic, and take as many steps as possible to help reverse the effects of climate change and restore the ecosystem.

By enforcing the Green New Deal and further federal action, we will be

closer to creating a safer and healthier environment for future generations to live in. Advocating for change and realizing the utmost importance of coming together and enforcing worldwide sustainability is key to preserving our planet and ensuring that its beauty lasts forever. | rebeccasuku

82% of students believe in climate change

53% of students support the Green New Deal

*137 students surveyed

wAYS YOU CAN HELP

Recycling helps Reduce food waste conserve energy and and incorporate more limit the amount of plant-based foods raw materials we use. into your diet. Meat Remember to clean takes many resources before you recycle to produce. Finish something and avoid the food you buy recycling any food or and avoid needlessly liquids. throwing it away.

Fast fashion is a major contributer to pollution. Wear your clothes for a longer period of time, and seek out sustainable clothing brands to buy from.

Reduce water waste because it contributes to carbon pollution. Take shorter showers, and keep the tap running only when necessary.

Advocate for change and use your voice to spread awareness to those around you.

Contact elected officials so more laws will be put into place to solve these issues.

14 | news / the standard / dec. 2020

The T

n w o d t n u o c ) s ( l fina

his year, finals week is scheduled for Jan. 13-15.

In order to account for the required number of educational hours mandated by the state of Kansas, first semester will extend after winter break, leaving students with a 12 day hiatus from an educational environment before they prepare for finals week.

Math teacher Randi Williams said the entire school year has been full of new experiences, so finals will just be one more obstacle to tackle.

“I think it probably would have been better in December, but I understand why it’s in January,” Williams said. “Honestly, it might be kind of cool to see new things in January, just to see that retention over time; see if we remembered it from what we did in December.”

Freshman Kayla O’Connell will be taking her first high school finals this January, but she said because of the Coronavirus, she isn’t as prepared this year as she would like to be.

“In eighth grade we were supposed to take mock finals and we never got to because of COVID, and I just feel like we might not be as prepared,” O’Connell said. “I don’t know if we’re going to be taking them at home possibly; I really don’t know what to expect.”

Even students who have taken finals before are limited in ways they can prepare for this year.

Senior Ben Hansen said he expects less pressure to come along with the new date for finals.

“I expect them to be easier than the finals I’ve taken my previous years of high school because of online learning,” Hansen said. “I think the classes in general have been easier this year, so I think finals will be the same.”

Hansen said he has been less motivated to do anything school-related this year, so he doesn’t plan to study over his winter break.

“I mean if you think about it, the finals in January are one week after we’ve been back, so what are they going to do in one week?” Hansen said. “I don’t get it; they should just do it before winter break.”

The format for school has been fluid all year, so

teachers have had to change how they go about teaching to accommodate everyone in a hybrid and now distance - classroom. “[During hybrid,] I just teach with the in-person people, and then the people at home watch a video,” Williams said. “I like that because then I can be more personable with the people in front of me, and otherwise I’d be like ‘there’s too much going on,’ so I feel like I’ve built a better environment in the classroom because it’s kind of cozy, as opposed to me being all over the place.”

O’Connell said she also enjoyed the hybrid learning experience because she enjoyed the downtime that comes with at-home learning.

“I like the variation of going to school a couple days and maybe waking up early and having a schedule, and then I like it being a little more lowkey the next couple of days and being able to sleep in and just relax a little bit more,” O’Connell said.

The school district releases learning modes one month at a time, which has been met with mixed reviews from students and teachers. Williams enjoys knowing the schedule for an entire month is set in stone, even if she can only plan one month out.

“It’s been nice to know the full month is going to be a certain way, so I’ve really enjoyed that,” Williams said. “It’s been OK just because we know as teachers not to plan too much so that we know, ‘hey, we need to stop planning at this day,’ so it’s good to have that timeline.”

However, for students juggling multiple activities, one month is not enough foresight in the schedule.

“That’s really frustrating trying to figure out my work schedule when I don’t know what days I’m going to be at school,” Hansen said. “That is very frustrating.”

O’Connell said the late start to the school year is still being felt by the freshman class, so delaying finals was a necessary step to off-set the October start to school.

“I’m still learning my way around to classes and stuff, and that usually, I’m sure, wouldn’t be the

| 15

With new schedule implemented, final exams to occur after winter break

“It was a very goo decision, they defi d nitely needed to move [fi nals] back sin ce we sta rted so late.”

scenario in a normal year,” O’Connell said. “I think it was a very good decision, they definitely needed to move [finals] back since we started so late.”

The math department, along with many others, has had to eliminate certain parts of the curriculum to keep from falling behind this year. Delaying finals week gives about two more weeks of learning time before the first semester ends.

“We’ve been taking away big unit tests for a lot of our classes, so that’s given us the time, and some of the projects we would have done, we can’t do that this year, so that’s also given us time,” Williams said. “We’re caught up, but we haven’t taken the chance to do those big projects.”

Even though some students are concerned about finals occurring after winter break, the decision to move finals allows for more time to learn the material and make up for the delayed start to the school year. “[The amount of material taught] is dependent on when finals are, so if finals were moved up we’d be way behind,” Williams said. “So that is the good thing about finals, we’re keeping on track with that.”

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16 | feature / the standard / dec. 2020

Building the future Woods II students build desks for Salvation Army donation

I

n an effort to make a positive impact in a hurting world, woods II teacher Steven Cortez wanted to make a change. Cortez decided to wander off the normal teaching trail to create a project that would go on to impact others for many years to come. His woods II students would make desks to donate to students in need to use during at-home learning.

Cortez has been teaching woods for 29 years. However, this year, the nature of the class has changed. Woods II can be a great outlet and opportunity for many students to express their creativity and think outside the box.

“Woods II has always been a really open-ended class; it allows kids to apply what they have learned in woods I and make their own projects,” Cortez said. “But usually, at the beginning of woods II, we always make a project for the school or something of that nature — ­ we will make a cabinet for teachers [for example].”

Cortez said he values teaching his students lifelong skills that will continue to be useful as they go on in their life and believes one of the most impactful things as a teacher is watching how his projects can change a student’s attitude or day.

“I just like seeing kids walk out with their chest puffed out, head held high because they made something that they are really proud of,” Cortez said.

“It’s been really cool, and I like having kids being proud of their work. It’s not something that you make every day.”

The COVID-19 pandemic left Cortez with a grieving heart and a motivation to give back to the community. Cortez got the inspiration to make an impact while watching TV. “I saw a story on NBC News about a young man that was making desks for young kids that didn’t have a desk to use during COVID,” Cortez said. “And with all of them being at home, they needed a place to work, and I was really inspired by that, and so I asked permission from [principal Scott Roberts].”

Cortez was moved by the story and wanted to create something similar within the woods II classroom. With the approval of Roberts, Cortez turned to different organizations to see who needed desks.

“I started calling around, and I called the Salvation Army, and I left a message, and they were like, ‘Yes we need whatever you are making,’ and I told them that we are making desks and she said she has some kids that are starting the after-school program because parents can’t be there, and they all need desks,” Cortez said. “It was a perfect fit, and they are looking forward to the desks.”

After finding a home for the class’s creations, the next task at hand was to design the desks in the most efficient and useful way possible. Cortez wanted to create a desk that was very functional for the children and the situation that they may be in.

“After calling the Salvation Army, we decided to make a 32-inch desk a little bit shorter because a lot of times these kids don’t have a lot of room in their home,” Cortez said. “And so the project entails making a desk that is portable, fairly light and has a drawer for them to keep their keepsakes and pencils and stuff in.”

Junior Tyler Wells said Cortez’s fun and relaxed personality led him to take woods II. Now, Wells said he thoroughly enjoys the class for his friends, but also because he can give back to the community.

“I had Mr. Cortez for broadcasting and he’s a pretty cool teacher and it’s fun to take a class with a teacher you really like,” Wells said. “This class has impacted me by seeing how other people are being affected by this pandemic.”

| 17

The giving back aspect of the project has motivated the students to professionalize their product, as well as giving it a personal touch.

Senior Braden Crank is involved in the project and said he has enjoyed knowing that the desks are going to be put to good use.

“It has given me more incentive to work hard at the project and make it as nice and neat as I can,” Crank said. “I hope I can help out a little kid and their family and provide a good desk for them.”

Wells said one aspect of the project has really stuck out him: writing encouraging notes to the children who are going to be using the desk. Wells said this is a personal touch that truly adds to the project. The children receiving the desk not only get a nice surface to do their homework and activities on, but they also receive some supportive words from an older influence.

“We put some notes on the desks, one underneath the drawer and I put one underneath the legs if they ever find it, but we wrote a nice note to them and it was really nice to know that they will use it almost every day,” Wells said.

This project has brought perspective to the students as well as Cortez. This project has encouraged students to peer out of the “Johnson County bubble” and look into many of the privileges that many do not have.

“I want them to think outside themselves a little bit more; a lot of kids that are kids of Blue Valley Southwest are very fortunate — ­ we have a lot of opportunities, we have a lot of options and we have a lot of support most times, and the kids we are giving these desks to do not have that,” Cortez said. “If I can get my students to think outside of the box and bubble, that will be a success.”

This project will not only make a positive impact on the desk recipients, but it also impacts the students making them. The experience of creating something which will benefit their own community and have a long-lasting effect on the children receiving the desks is something Cortez hopes will stick with his students forever.

“Hopefully, these kids will have these desks for years and they last forever and they can always think back to ‘hey, I received this desk from a kid who handmade it for me, a teenager just like myself,’” Cortez said. “Hopefully, it’s something they can really hold on to.” | ericapeterson

1. Finising up the last details on his drawer, sophomore Griffin Roberts nears the end of his project in woods II. 2. Receiving some advice, junior Jackson McCarty and woods teacher Steven Cortez discuss changes to make before finishing his desk.

3. Junior Jonathan Staten sands down his desk in woods II. Students built desks to donate to the Salvation Army for children to use during at-home learning.

ASHION

18 | the standard / feature / dec 2020

Trendy students share their style journeys

Katelyn Seyl S

enior Katelyn Seyl defines her style as “different and quirky.” She said her style journey has immensely changed throughout quarantine.

“I thought I found my style, like, in sophomore year, but it was so bad,” Seyl said. “I think I found my style during quarantine and then the summer.”

Quarantine encouraged Seyl to find new things to do to keep her entertained, and one outlet was styling.

“I started playing with makeup and styling different outfits, and it just kind of gave me an outlet of expression and creativity to use and that’s kind of what got me into actually having a good style,” Seyl said. “And I just like being able to express myself through my clothing.”

Over the past few months, Seyl said she had a multitude of influences. From everything she’s seen from Tik Tok to Pinterest, she said her favorite trend is the pearl necklace inspired by Harry Styles. She said Styles is an inspiration because he always tries different things, which, in turn, encourages her. Seyl said one thing she respects and admires is that Styles breaks stereotypical clothing gender norms.

“I really like just playing with the idea of clothing having no gender, so wearing sweater vests and button up shirts and pants that would preferably be for men,” Seyl said. “You can wear whatever you want.”

Although Seyl is surrounded by content related to jewelry and clothing, she said she doesn’t follow trends because they’re popular, but because they inspire her. She said she sometimes subconsciously follows them, but they’re not something she prioritizes.

“I feel like if a trend fits who I am, then I’ll follow it. But if it doesn’t relate to who I am or what I represent, then I won’t,” Seyl said.

When it ultimately comes down to what she’s wearing, Seyl said it depends on how she’s feeling that day.

“I tend to just find stuff that I like, and whatever mood I’m in that day, I’ll wear something that reflects that,” Seyl said. “And it just depends on how I feel, but I try to use my style to express myself and who I am.”

Seyl said she still has many things she wants to add to her closet.

“I’ve seen a lot of flare pants; I really like that recently,” Seyl said. “I also like long pattern skirts. Those are two trends that I like a lot. I think it’s really fun.”

From her experience with her new found style and expertise in fashion, Seyl said coordinating is what defines being stylish.

“It’s kind of just learning what pieces can go together and what pieces might not look as good,” Seyl said. “Just playing around with different ideas and shapes of clothing.”

N FLARE

| 19

Katie Taylor J unior Katie Taylor said she found her style fairly recently. “[I probably started following trends] during the summer, just during quarantine I just wanted to kind of find my style more,” Taylor said.

Taylor said her current style has elements of other trends she has always admired.

“I’ve always seen goth and emo fashion, and I think that’s really cool,” Taylor said.

She said her style completely transformed over quarantine. The time to herself allowed her to foster growth within her confidence. From a more pastel indie look, she shifted to a dark alternative and indie style.

“I think [quarantine] definitely gave me time to find myself and be more comfortable [with] myself,” Taylor said. “So I don’t think I would dress at least as extreme as I do if there was never quarantine.”

Taylor said TikTok encouraged her to change her style. By simply looking at what others were wearing along with occasional videos on fashion tips/trends, she was influenced to style herself differently.

“My ‘For You’ page is just alt, so that’s all I see,” Taylor said.

Although her style is drastically different, Taylor said she didn’t need a lot of things because there’s more than having specific pieces when it comes to following a style.

“I had to get some accessories, but the way you style things can make it appear different,” Taylor said. “Most of the stuff I already had.”

Taylor said she thinks she’s well caught up with trends relating to her style, but she is not so confident in the others.

“I mean, I’d say from what I’ve seen, I’m pretty caught up,” Taylor said. “But I think, especially since it’s from Tik Tok, everyone sees different things. So I would say I’m caught up, but other people would probably be like, ‘what are you wearing?’”

Taylor said she is satisfied with her style and there isn’t another prominent trend or style she’d like to try. She said her love for the alternative style goes deeper than just the fashion.

“It’s just the alternative mindset and clothing trends, I just think [they] are really cool and a good way to express yourself,” Taylor said.

20 |

Megan Hanahan

S

enior Megan Hanahan describes her style as a feminine streetwear look.

She admits she wouldn’t have ever been able to transform her style if it wasn’t for the help of a few fashionable friends.

She said they inspired her to start diving deep into her style.

“I wouldn’t say I didn’t have a very strong sense of fashion before I became friends with them,” Hanahan said. “But they’ve definitely had a large influence.”

For Hanahan, her friends not only introduced her to a new way of dressing but also a newfound appreciation for fashion.

“As I started to get more into it with Josie [Henzlik] and Faith [Henzlik], it almost acted as a creative outlet,” Hanahan said. “It was so fun to put different pieces of my clothing together to form an outfit I didn’t even know was possible before.”

At first, Hanahan said the sisters helped find some basic clothes for her closet, which opened an array of outfits she could wear. However, she said she is far from completing her clothing collection.

“I had some things that I was able to put together to form certain outfits,” Hanahan said. “But as I’ve gotten older over the years, I’ve definitely picked up a few more pieces that have helped individualize my wardrobe.”

Now, as the presence of social media has grown, Hanahan said it plays a large role in guiding her style.

“A lot of my ‘For You’ page [on TikTok] is a lot of trending fashions and I love fall fashion, so that’s been really fun,” Hanahan said. “But Pinterest helps, too ... it’s basically all social media [that] is really helpful.”

Through being exposed specifically to trends from social media, Hanahan said she was introduced to clothes that she would’ve never considered to add to her closet.

“The bell bottom jeans is something I never would have thought I’d get into but I do have a pair,” Hanahan said.

Hanahan said she considers herself knowledgeable on trends and enjoys observing where they’re heading.

“I like to think that I’m pretty caught up.

This fall has been a lot of leather and gold jewelry and chunky boots. I know a lot of people wear Martens,” Hanahan said. “It’s been cool to see that evolve and see how pieces fit together. And what comes back from fashion is always interesting.”

A trend she wishes to follow more but finds peculiar is chunky headbands.

“One of the weird trends that I noticed that come back, and I wear them every day is headbands … those have been super interesting,” Hanahan said. “I’m curious to see if those carry on.”

Out of all the trends she’s seen, Hanahan said there are a few she integrated into her style.

“I love leather. I love the chunky gold jewelry,” Hanahan said. “I also love to cheetah print. I mean, anybody that knows me knows I love cheetah. I say those are probably my favorites.”

Although trends inspire some of her outfits, Hanahan said she doesn’t rely on them.

“I’d say I’m more focused on staying ahead of the fashion,” Hanahan said. “I think I formed my own personal style probably around sophomore year, and it’s kind of ran on from there.” |sirichevuru

FIND YOUR STYLE

| 21

START

Colors Dark

Butterfly Clips

Light

Yes

No

Hello Kitty Yes

Low Rise Jeans

No

No

Chains Yes

No

Yes

Print Plaid

Animal

Thrifted No

ALT

STREET

Y2K

Yes

SOFT

22 | feature / the standard / dec. 2020

Ne w begin n in gs a nd s a d goodbyes Former anatomy teacher takes on new role as district CDC representative

A

Former science teacher Chris Jenson performs a dance during a school assembly in 2018.

Photo courtesy of Leah Goldstein.

s the school ages, there is a continuous revolving door of new teachers and freshmen, accompanied by graduating seniors and teachers retiring or moving to the next phase of their professional career. This transition is often bittersweet for both the person and the people who they leave behind. However, with new changes of settings comes newfound opportunities. Former anatomy teacher Dr. Chris Jenson is now embarking on another journey as CDC Representative of the district. However, he said Southwest will always have a special place in his heart.

“I love the opportunities that I had at Southwest,” Jenson said. “The staff and students of Southwest are the most amazing group of people. So, it was hard to walk away from that this year. But, I also saw an opportunity to try and do some good for the district at large.”

Jenson’s workload at his new position as a medical adviser for the district is largely consumed by COVID-19 research and analyzing the current trends. With the ever-changing and advancing knowledge of the virus, it is important to stay on top of the most recent science and incorporate this into the district’s plan moving forward.

“The goal is to get students in school so they can socialize with each other and enjoy the aspects of life that they deserve to enjoy, while at the same time, being reasonable about limiting the spread of COVID,” Jenson said. “That has kind of created...a very different school year.”

| 23 For senior Alex Swanson, Jenson was impactful for her during school, and she said she appreciated his words of wisdom.

“He’s probably my favorite teacher of all time,” Swanson said.

“I don’t know of a better teacher besides him. I feel like a lot of kids who have had him will say that he’s probably one of the best teachers that Blue Valley Southwest has ever had.”

Swanson said she believes his teaching methods strive for growth rather than perfection. Many of his projects encourage students to use critical thinking skills and creativity rather than memorization. Swanson said she appreciated this teaching style and chose to continue working with Jenson on independent studies for years after she took his class.

“We’re very, very close. I’m doing an independent study with him right now,” Swanson said. “We’re still in contact, even though he doesn’t actually teach at the school anymore … The project is about looking at successful countries and how they’ve responded to COVID versus countries who weren’t successful; comparing them and asking the question between what was the difference between the countries and their performance?”

This independent study, among others, has been a chance for Jenson and Swanson to work together. Swanson said she views Jenson as a mentor and role model. Junior Veronica Fuendling is another student who admires how Jenson cares about each one of his students.

“Whenever he would grade something on canvas, he would always leave like a positive and encouraging note,” Fuendling said.

“He always checked up on his students to just see how they were doing. Especially at the beginning of the pandemic, because it was so hard for a lot of the students. He was one of the only teachers who actually checked in on me and I appreciated it so much.”

As a teacher, Jenson saw a need to check up on his students through tough times. The prevalence of the importance of mental health in his classroom was something that Fuendling said made him differ from other teachers. Fuendling said she fondly remembers Jenson sharing his med school trials and tribulations.

By relating to and telling his students about his own failures and challenges, Jenson attempted to ease stress in his classroom.

“My favorite characteristic of his will probably always be that he always told us that we don’t have to be perfect; we don’t have to be these perfect human beings,” Fuendling said. “He said errors are going to happen, mistakes are going to happen. And that honestly helped me so much through school and with grades.”

While anatomy is often considered a complex, difficult subject, Swanson said Jenson had a way of making it seem less intimidating.

“He has this way of taking super complex concepts and then making them comprehendible for everyone,” Swanson said. “I was a sophomore in his class when I took anatomy and I felt like I was understanding these super complex topics that maybe were really hard. He’s really good at just kind of dumbing it down for us.”

Swanson is one of many students who felt that Jenson really took the time to make sure that his students were grasping the material. Jenson described his students as his “kids” and emphasized how much he enjoys hearing from prior students and seeing how they have progressed.

“I think one of the coolest parts about being a teacher is you get to watch your former students develop over decades,”

Senior Emilyn Ruhnke dissects a sheep brain with the help of science teacher Chris Jenson

photo courtesy of Morgan Polowniak

Jenson said. “And it’s really nice when they check in with you and you get updates. It’s just exciting to hear how their life is going.”

From leaving his position as an emergency medicine physician of 13 years to going back to school to receive a degree in education, Jenson has conquered the educational and medical fields. His love for teaching and his passion for medicine led him to a job that made him happy for many years. As he transitions to a new position, it is clear that he has left an impression and mark at Southwest.

“He definitely had a positive impact on our students and staff at Southwest,” Fuendling said. “I just miss going into this room seventh-hour first semester and first hour second semester, and just getting to either start or end my day with him.”

Not only has Jenson left a mark on the students, but the students have positively affected Jenson’s life. However, when the opportunity to make a difference for those very students’ school experiences at the district level arose, it was a chance he felt called to take.

“I have really enjoyed the opportunity to work with students.

I think they challenged me as a person in a good way, pushing me to consider ideas from different viewpoints and try to remain creative,” Jenson said. “I also just think young people have new and exciting thoughts about the world and I enjoy hearing them.

So it’s just kind of added some energy to my life.”

| elliephillips

20 20

REWIND

24 | news / the standard / dec. 2020

a reflection of events that have come to pass in the year of 2020.

information gathered from infoplease.com

JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE

news / the standard / dec. 2020 | 25

“I was happy that they locked it down, because my dad’s immune system is a lot weaker so we had to take [the lockdown] more seriously.” | sophomoresofialanni

4- Delay in the Iowa caucus.

19- Shooting leaves 2 dead in a Kansas City bar.

5- President Trump is 20- First acquitted on two COVID-19 case articles of recorded. impeachment.

26- Kobe Bryant and 8 others die in a plane crash.

8- First American citizen dies from COVID-19.

1- Blue Valley moves to continuous 13- First Kansas COVID-19 case is learning for the remainder of the recorded. school year.

13- Breonnna 9- Saudia Taylor is shot Arabia declares a in her Kentucky ceasefire against home.

Yemen.

30- Statewide 19- Statewide stay-at-home lockdown is order goes into extended. effect.

4- Gov. Kelley’s Plan to reopen Kansas goes into effect.

8- .Stage 3 of the reopening plan begins.

25- George Floyd is killed during an arrest

12- Blue Valley Northwest BSU hosts a peaceful BLM protest.

26- Black Lives Matter protests begin after the murder of George Floyd.

12- Yemen’s humanitarian crisis is nationally recognized.

26 |

JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER

“[The Presidential Election] was kind of a toxic situation with the insults being thrown; it was very unprofessional.” | juniorkendallcranor

“[Ruth Bader Ginsberg] helped pass a bunch of progressive laws...I think it was wrong of the Republicans to nominate [Amy Coney Barret].” | seniorlukelangham

4- Actress Naya Rivera passes away in a boating 1- Class of 2020 accident. graduates at the Lamar DAC. 14- The World Health 21- Board of Organization Educators decides announces that to start the school there are 163 year distanced. vaccines in development.

27- Student athletes protest 25- Statewide the decision to mandate for postpone fall masks begins. sports.

9- Distance learning begins.

18- Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passes away.

26- Amy Coney Barrett is nominated to take to Ginsburg’s former position.

7- Joe Biden is announced as the winner of 5- Students move the presidential to a new hybrid election. learning model.

18- Protests 14- Early voting worldwide are opens for the triggered after the presidential arrest of music election. star Bobi Wine.

31- COVID-19 cases spike due to Halloween celebrations.

30- School returns to a distance learning format.

5- The third mysterious metal monolith was found (firstUtah, secondRomania, thirdCalifornia) First shipment of COVID-19 vaccines will be received midDecember. | saharbaha