The Tiger Print — October 2004 by The Tiger Print

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Issue 2 Vol. 34 Oct. 8, 2004

6001 W. 159th Stilwell, Kan. 66085 (913) 239-4946

Klopfenstein captures national Discourse contest Matt Galloway Staff Writer

lue Valley High School teachers have recently begun integrating the Discourse program, a computer application that allows them to view student progress as it happens, into the classrooms. Created by the Educational Testing Service, the innovative system allows teachers to create and give tests in the new wireless lab while monitoring the reaction time and answers the from the students. Technology Integrating Specialist Mark Klopfenstein brought the Discourse system to BVHS after winning an essay contest called the “Discourse Challenge,” a nationwide search for the school most deserving of a Discourse system. He is one of eight teachers at BV who has used Discourse for classroom purposes this year. “I love it,” Klopfenstein said. “It gives a clear picture of where my classes are and what they do and do not know.” So far student and teacher reaction to Discourse indicates the system has been an early success. Students are able to see their areas of strength and weakness immediately following completion of the program. “I find it helpful because it allows real time interaction with the teacher,” junior Steven Wallace said. Science teacher Lisa Hill has used the Discourse program during class and was pleased with the results. “I like that it gives students immediate feedback on what they did whether it’s a test or a review,” Hill said. “It’s a great tool to use for discussions because you can include every student’s results.” Another new tool included in Discourse is the open-ended typed response option, something the students were unable to do in the old CPS program. Now, typed explanations and short answers can accompany the results sent to the teacher. “CPS only allowed students to answer objective questions, so it was harder to see what the problem was,” Klopfenstein said. “Even last Spring I had students tell me they learned a lot in a short time period. They felt like they had a better grasp on what they needed to know.” Klopfenstein looks for Discourse to have a strong position in BVHS education in the upcoming years when the program’s success stories spread. “I think we’ll have more and more teachers and administrators using Discourse as the word spreads,” Klopfenstein said. “They’ll use it for the various forms of information they can get as well as the quick feedback included per individual student.”

Fieldtrip to Kindergarten Above: Senior Kaitlyn Davidson portrays a bride puking on her mother (senior Mandie Payton) as her father (senior Matt Crooks) and groom (senior Zak Smith) look on. This scene described how mothers of the bride can get carried away and the effects this may have on the newlyweds. Characters were not assigned names in Kindergarten. Photo by Angela Solomon..

Rep Theater performs first student-directed show Kim Hieber Entertainment Editor

he Repertory Theatre Company presented Robert Fulghum’s All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten as its first show of the year. The show, performed on Sept. 23, 24, and 25 in the Black Box Theatre, included dinner. With Senior Britney Chrisco as the director, this show was well-liked by many. “It rocked my socks off,” senior Nina Fardipour said. The essence of the show lies in the basics of learning. The show moves along in a choppy sequence, with different scenes occurring periodically, jumping from past to future and vice versa. It was a unique layout for a play. The point of the various scenes was to push the idea that back in kindergarten we learned to be ourselves, whereas, now as teenagers and young adults, we

tend to forget the basics and not be ourselves. The moral of the show was to push teenagers to remember those basics and hopefully nudge them back in that direction. Chrisco did a wonderful job in directing the show, according to drama instructor Dan Schmidt, as well as many students who came to watch the show. “The scene ‘the bench’ was really good,” senior Jennifer Vu said. “It made me cry.” As for Chrisco herself, she was very thankful to have had the chance to experience student direction. “I think the play went well, and I think that this experience was very beneficial to me,” she said. “It was good especially because I plan on pursuing a career in this area in the future.”

Fitzhugh emphasizes healthy choices Playing along, freshman Rebecca Gibbs helps Steve Fitzhugh deliver his message to BV students. The former safety for the Denver Broncos visited Sept. 22 speaking for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Fitzhugh passed along personal anecdotes and used demonstrations to show how teenagers react when put into tough situations by their peers. He contends there is no peer pressure, only peer influence and this influence is what causes some young people to make poor choices in inopportune moments. Photo by Brandon Lutz.

Fitzhugh suggests healthy choices

Even if your birthday isn’t until Nov. 2, register by Oct. 15 and you can vote in this election. Check out pages 5-7 for issue by issue breakdown.

year olds register to vote by Oct

Front page edited by Kyle Rogers

Senior countdown: days

2 NEWS Oct. 8, 2004

Page Edited by Maneeza Iqbal

OverCrowding

Speaking Briefly

causes future challenges for district Blue Valley High School remains classified as a 5A school by the Kansas State High School Activities Asssociation. It was announced Oct. 25. The classifaction is based on the sophomore through senior population. BV was 35 students away from being 6A with 920. However, Blue Valley West dropped from 6A to 5A with 955 students.

Maneeza Iqbal Editor-in-Chief

Blue Valley will host a Blood Drive on Nov.2 from 8 a.m.- 2 p.m in the auxiliary gym.Students must be 17 years old and weigh 110 pounds or more. The Community Blood Center encourages all students to donate because one pint of blood saves three lives. Signups will be in the commons during the week of Oct. 25. Students will need to have their parents sign a permission form.

Left: Students leave mobiles after class. There are eight classes in mobiles, and as the BV community grows more classes will have to move in to them. Photo by Emily Kuyendall

Problem: Right now, the district does not have the facilities to accommodate the growing student population. The high schools will reach capacity in two years. In order to have a new school by the 2009-2010 school year, planning for the building should begin next year, according

middle schools will not reach capacity until the 2009-2010 school year. The high schools will reach capacity in two years.

Solution:

To solve the population growth problem, the Board of Education will recommend a bond issue in its meeting Oct. 11. The community will vote to support The BV district will grow or not support the 17 percent or by 350 stu- bond in a future election. dents each year for the The money from the next five years. bond will be used to Breakdown of the growth build new schools renovate old schools, High schools- 21 perand get new technolcent or 1,050 students ogy. The bond cannot pay teachers or hire Middle schools- 22 pernew teachers. cent or 1,100 students “A building like Elementary schools- 13 Blue Valley, which is percent or 1,100 students about 35 years old, will need renovations,” Bacon said. to the Blue Valley district website. Depending on the bond recommendation “In two to three years, we’ll need to add meetand the community’s vote, taxes might ining space - additional mobiles,” Principal Scott crease. Bacon said. “As we get larger, it will not effect “Typically, patrons have paid money for the education. Teachers will keep teaching and stu[district],” Bacon said. “If they don’t vote for dents will keep learning.” [the bond] we will have to Three elementary schools will have to be built go back and rethink a lot of in the next five years — the first school will be things.” on 158th and Roe, the second is planned to be Bacon said that BV has built on the west side of the district and the logone through population cation of the third school is not decided yet. growth/bond proposals Currently, some elementary schools have three times and that they reached capacity and need to send the fifth gradhave a handle on how to ers to the nearby middle school for classes. The solve this problem.

Go Figure

The Kansas Association of Youth will sponsor a car wash tomorrow at the opening of a new Goodyear on Metcalf and 148th Street. NASCAR will be promoting the new store. The money raised from the car wash will go toward funding KAY projects such as rose grams and turkey grams. Tomorrow the Stridin’ Tigers will host the third annual Blue Valley Tiger Marching Invitational at BVHS. Competition begins at 2 p.m. and includes bands from all over the area. The Stridin’ Tigers began their marching season in Pontiac, Mich. on Sept. 25 in the Bands of America Regional Championship where they placed 15th. On Oct. 2 the Stridin’ Tigers competed in the Blue Springs Marching Competition. They finished first place in the 5A class and won awards for outstanding marching, outstanding music, outstanding general effect and outstanding auxillary.

It’s that time of the year again, ITED testing. Testing will be on Tuesday Oct. 12 and Wednesday Oct. 13. On Tuesday, freshmen and seniors will take the ITED while sophomores will take the PLAN and juniors a pratice ACT. On Wednesday, freshmen and seniors continue with the ITED, and juniors and sophomores, who signed up, will take the PSAT.

Enrollment Projections Above:The graph shows the current enrollment in the district and projections. Right: The graph shows the current enrollment in the high schools and projections. Graphs courtesy of district office.

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OPINIONS 3 Oct. 8, 2004

Page Edited by Adam Lary

Students discuss Sound Off: negative ad campaigns

“

I think it’s cheap shotting the other opponents and that you’re really not taking the high road if you do that.

“

They just bash on each other when they should be talking about what they can do to better the country.

freshman Kolbe Joens

“ ” ” ” I like the negative campaigns against Kerry. They are hilarious. Negative ad campaigns are more enjoyable.

senior Corey Johnson

Political ads need appeal Andrew Robinson In-Depth Editor

’m Andrew Robinson and I approve this message. It’s that time of year again folks. Days are shorter, the leaves are changing color and political ads are flooding our television airwaves. While watching everything from Sesame Street to SportsCenter, you will see these ads, and they contain such simple vocabulary, words like, taxes, support, law enforcement, approved. They need some excitement, and they definitely need some flair. Each commercial, though only 30 seconds, shows time and time again candidates at factories, schools, walking the streets. They never make the ads humorous whatsoever, never use a catchy song or even a phrase. They need to look at Hardees; they put a hot woman on a mechanical bull and let her ride around while she eats a thick burger, (Missouri

governor candidate Claire McCaskill take note.) Now if any candidate got on a mechanical bull, she’d get my vote. In essence, these ads need pizzazz, an MTV style appeal and more. There is a saying out there that it is about quality, not quantity. If you make these ads a high quality production, we might pay attention. These ads are more like cheap overseas films rather than a good Stephen Speilberg epic. As far as a solution to this problem, starting Aug 1 of a current election year cable companies should dedicate three channels, one for the democrats, one for the republicans-oh wait that is what FOX News is for- and one for the green party and all the other ones that don’t seem to matter too much. On these channels the parties can show ads 24 hours a day and people like us who want good entertaining GEICO, or Aluminum Can Council ads won’t be bothered, and everyone turns out happy at the polls come November.

“ ”

They are bad because candidates should focus on themselves and not on the mistakes of others.

sophomore Austin Quarles

junior Jamie Nutt

photo poll compiled by Shay Alford

Negative lunchroom accounts mean empty stomachs for students Kyle Rogers Editor-in-Chief

welve hundred students file through everyday. They purchase pizza, cheeseburgers, chicken, Bosco Sticks, salads and ice cream. Occasionally, a student even lets his lunch tab run out. This is when catastrophe hits. For the 1 millionth time in the last year, the lunchroom staff has posted signs saying negative accounts will not be allowed to purchase food. Finally, they are enforcing this rule. The inconsistency in policy is making things difficult for BV students. Last year, some students claimed to be $10 or more negative, all the while buying food. Last week, students who were negative by 15 cents were forced to put back their Gatorade. According to district food and nutrition director, Steve Davis, the system allows those who have forgotten their lunch or lunch money to purchase food; yet students are continually asked to put

food back after going negative. Furthermore, Davis says students are notified when their accounts are running low. Unfortunately, this isn’t happening consistently at our school. Attentive students notice that when their accounts get too low, the register will beep, informing the lunch people how much money is left. This process initiates when students have $15 or less. Knowing many students in this school, $15 can go quite fast. The register often beeps for three or four days before a lunch person finally tells students how much money is available. Recently, the lunch staff has improved, but there is still room for improvement. No one, including district director Davis, wants students going without lunch, but actions by our lunch staff are making it increasingly difficult for students. We’re not blaming the staff for our forgetfulness, but more than one reminder would help all parties involved. Some of us need an extra reminder.

TIGER PRINT STAFF 2004-2005

Blue Valley High School 6001 W. 159th Street Stilwell, Kan. 66085

(913) 239-4946

The_Tiger_Print@yahoo.com

Editors in Chief: Maneeza Iqbal, Kyle Rogers

Opinions Editor: Adam Lary

Photo Editor: Brandon Lutz

Artist: Garrett Griffin

In-Depth Editor: Andrew Robinson

Entertainment Editor: Kim Hieber

Photographers: Shay Alford, Kendra Kruse, Autumn Fuller

Sports Editors: Michael Johnson, Adil Shabbir

Features Editor: Michaela Cross

Staff Writers: Nick Speed, Matt Galloway, Emily Kuykendall, Brady Skjervem

Adviser: Susan Agee

The Tiger Print is published nine times a year for the students, faculty and the surrounding community of Blue Valley High School. It is an open forum for student expression. Therefore, the opinions expressed within this paper do not necessarily relfect the views of the administration or Blue Valley School District #229.

4 OPINIONS Oct. 8, 2004

Page Edited by Adam Lary

Ban banned books

Staff editorial

Funneling the SPIRIT

Staff Editorials

Maneeza Iqbal Editor-in-Chief

It’s banned book week and I realized how much this week bothers me. Many of the books that are banned, I’ve read and I still don’t understand why they are banned. The books that completely throw me off are the Harry Potter books. People claim that they teach children witchcraft and encourage children to rebel. First, if anyone tried the made up spells in the book it wouldn’t work. I know, some kids I baby-sit watched the movie (watched the movie, didn’t read the book) and were repeating the incantations to me. Suffice to say I’m not a pineapple with hands typing a column. Yet, I can see how the book encourages children to rebel. Harry Potter, an orphan, deliberately disobeys his aunt and uncle. However, the impetus to rebel has some justification. Harry’s aunt and uncle abuse him (This fact is very prominent in the book, but not the movie), so actually the book encourages readers to stand up against abuse and seek help if needed. Another, book that is on the list is The Adventures Huckleberry Finn. The book is the epitome of a child coming of age in a perplexing society. Huck is a kid that goes on adventures and helps slaves. One reason that may justify this book banning is that it uses the “N” word a lot. The book takes place during pre-civil wartime and the “N” word was a common term. Okay, so parents don’t want to expose their children to this, but think about it. The earlier we teach children about prejudices and to accept everyone, the more likely they will stand up to racism and other prejudices. The funniest part about banning a book is that the sales of that book go up. As soon as the book hits the list, people go out to buy it. People hate it when you tell them what to do, so to go against the order they do the opposite. Also, there are cases where people burn the banned books. By buying the books the publisher is getting more money. All they want is the money.

s we’ve all heard many times, Blue Valley High School is committed to excellence, responsibility and educational growth. As students, we not only understand that we are commit“If we’re proud of our ted to those things listed, but to us, it’s all about being comschool and want to mitted to Tiger pride. Blue show that to every Valley is known for its school spirit with crowded sports one else then we’re and students decked supposed to chant the events out in black and gold attire. good things about our “We should tone up the spirit,” senior Graham Yohe school ” said. “It sucks when people don’t dress up on Fridays.” “The school spirit here is awesome,” Athletic Director Bob Whitehead said. “Kids feel better about the school than any other place I’ve been.” But lately many students have been wondering why they are told to “tone down” the chants at football games. We’re all just showing our school spirit, right? Maybe. If we’re proud of our school and want to show that to everyone else, then we’re supposed to chant the good things about our school. According to Whitehead, “When we taunt the other schools, that’s when we’re crossing the line. By putting the other team down, it builds resentment.”

Although many students feel they are just doing their jobs by supporting our school, it probably doesn’t make us look very excellent or responsible. Many people also don’t realize that the administrative team is just doing its job as well. They have to think about safety hazards (ok, so maybe crowd surfing through the student section isn’t exactly the safest thing to do) and also about what could happen in the parking lots after the games are all over. And what about picking on one player for no particular reason? It’s been done before as most of us can probably remember. We’ll chant the player’s name, taunt them when they screw up, or even might give them a not-so-nice nickname. It’s all fun and games to us, but what we’re not thinking about here is that while we taunt and humiliate this individual, his mom is coming to our administration team complaining and asking why they allow us to continue doing this. Let’s just put ourselves in their shoes for a minute. It’s probably hard enough to come to Blue Valley and face the student section as well as the team, but to be singled out like that as it has been done many times before? It’s got to be rough. “I know we have great spirit, but we can’t make ourselves bigger than the game.” Whitehead said. It makes sense though. If it weren’t for the game, there wouldn’t even be anything to cheer for. We’re all proud of our school, so why don’t we show everyone how great we really are and make ourselves sound better, not just make the other schools sound worse.

Dirty dancing needs cleanup at school Adam Lary Opinion Editor

A new dancing trend has swept the school scene. Dirty dancing, that is. Like a wildfire, students have taken hold of the sexy salsa and run with it. But have they taken it too far? Example: at the school pizza dance Sept. 17, students gathered round a single chair in the middle of the dance floor. For the lucky guy who managed to take a seat amid the estrogena n d - t e s t o s t e ro n e - r i d d e n crowd, he received multiple

lap dances from members of the female persuasion. Most people would think this kind of thing only happened at the local strip club or late at night on Cinemax. Unfortunately, it has been brought from those venues to our high school. Slowly, school dances have transformed from a scene of head-banging and boogying to soft-core porn. High school girls seem to be lacking in the self-respect department, and rather than using their brains to impress men, they use their full bosoms and tiny skirts.

Please, have a sense of pride. Some people just don’t enjoy watching desperate girls throw themselves at a guy in a chair. Contrary to popular belief, it is demeaning. Other girls look on and say things that shouldn’t be published, while guys look on and say, “I would never date a girl who got around like that.” Or at least they should. The sad thing is that dance supervisors didn’t see this group of “dancers.” In response to the situation principal Scott Bacon said he was unaware of what was going on.

“That is not why [students] were there,” Bacon said. “The spirit of the dance is to come together and have fun without insulting others. We will have to monitor more closely next time, which is unfortunate.” We aren’t asking administrators to make students stand 12 inches from their dates, nor would we want that. We just want students to act more mature, rather than letting their puberty-induced hormones take over. It might be fun, but there is a time and place, and it certainly isn’t at a school dance.

IN-DEPTH 5 Oct. 8, 2004

Page Edited by Andrew Robinson

ELE

CTION

On Nov. 2, U.S. citizens will go to the polls to elect their 44th president. This year the issues making waves include war, education, taxes and more. Also this year the 18-25 age demographic is being hit harder than ever with propaganda encouraging them to vote. So in this issue, The Tiger Print goes inside the race and looks at how important the 18-24 demographic is, as well as what war means to one Blue Valley Student. The TP also looks at the most important part of the campaign, the candidates.

0 04

LOS

LO O

KA T

18-25 age group targeted in election Cross tells what it’s like to have dad overseas Michaela Cross Features Editor

y dad joined the army a year before I was born. At my birth he wasn’t able to be there because he was overseas. Eventually my parents divorced, and it was not that big of a deal to me; my dad was never home. I am lucky, however, to still have contact with him. And, it was two years ago that he flew in from Texas, spent a weekend with me, and flew to Germany that next week to be stationed for Iraq deployment. Not more then a few weeks later, he was sent to Iraq for a “sentence” of a year. It’s like a huge tornado rushing at you at very high speeds that you can’t run from. He felt more away and out of my life than ever before. Separated by an ocean and a few time zones we managed to talk every six months. It was not until this last spring that he was allowed an e-mail address. So, we communicated weekly about what life was like in Iraq (how dusty it was), but mostly it was about my life and what I as up to. Still miles and miles away he was like a normal parent interested in me more than him. My dad was in danger everyday

while he was over there. He guarded Iraqi prisoners and managed missions. He learned that everyone is just the same no matter where one goes in the world; they were required to take classes to learn how to treat the prisoners like people. He realized the Iraqis are just regular people caught up in something bigger and more powerful than them. He loves the military; he always has. He has traveled all over the world and met all types of people; and after 18 years he has reached a much higher position than anyone ever thought he would. He plans and carries out missions. Thankfully, my dad is now out of Iraq and living on a military base in Germany. I am one of the lucky ones whose a parent who is now out of the war situation. I used to pray everyday for him to stay safe; every time I heard of attacks, explosions or any type of death I couldn’t help but worry it might be him. But we never got that call, and I am thankful. This experience has taught me to appreciate everything and be thankful for what you have. I love my dad with all my heart and love that he is doing what he loves; but, I’m glad he is safe now.

Michael Johnson Sports Editor

We’re seeing transitions in political interest. “Voting is for old people” was a popular slogan displayed on T-shirts last election. This year’s shirt slogan: “Vote or Die.” The slogan was coined by P. Diddy, one of many celebrities committed to spreading the importance of youth voting. It’s about time voting appeals to the younger generations, being that young voter turnout has been declining since 1972. The numbers show it all. In 2000, 26.9 million voters ages 18-25 were eligible to cast ballots. Only 9.9 million voted, averaging a 37 percent turnout. Over 90 percent of ages 18-25 have never contacted a political official, and 85 percent have never taken part in any political action. The turnout this year, however, should put a spike in the voting data similar to the 1992 election, because political issues have never affected young Americans more. Terrorism, education and the War in Iraq are at the top of the policy agenda, which has students forming opinions as the brutal campaigning draws closer to November. Thank MTV. When role models’ continuously stress the importance of voting on national television, the understanding slowly sinks in. “It’s good that businesses are taking it upon themselves to glorify voting,” senior Paul Cantin said. “But they

should always be nonpartisan.” The programs with the most success usually are nonpartisan, such as Rock the Vote, which expects 25,000 voterregistration volunteers by fall., and The New Voters Project, which plans to register over 260,000 18-24 year olds in six states. Other businesses are putting in the effort to take the process an extra step, in which they not only encourage the youth to vote, but also to vote for a particular candidate. It’s easy to sense the liberalism in some shows like Late Night with David Letterman, or the conservative side of Jay Leno. It’s especially easy to pick up on the biased opinions of radio station 96.5 the Buzz, or the one-sided views of Michael Moore. “Movies like Fahrenheit 9/11 are completely ridiculous,” senior Katie Swatek said. “It should have been banned.” Whether it was ridiculous or not, it still appeals to students. “It’s much more tolerable for an 18year-old to sit through a documentary than to read campaign material,” junior Landon Boiter said. That’s the point. When politics works it’s way into movies, radio stations, teenage television programs, music, and even certain ice cream flavors, it becomes hard to ignore. This helps both candidates ultimately, because both Kerry and Bush are relying on young peoples’ votes. They have thrown in issues that effect students, such as Kerry’s effort to close loopholes in student loans, and Bush’s continuous effort to encourage the No Child Left Behind Act.

6 IN-DEPTH Oct. 8, 2004

Page Edited by Andrew Robinson

ON THE CAM Kerry takes different route with war Sports Editor

WHERE THEY STAND

ne of the most striking moments in recent history was when President Bush flew to the Abraham Lincoln to stand among the sailors under a sign that falsely stated, “Mission Accomplished.” Later that day he gave a casual speech in which he said, “major combat operations in Iraq have ended.” Now Iraq is on the brink of a civil war while Al Qaeda is recruiting and strengthening its forces in 60 countries, none of which involve Iraq. Yet Bush’s plan of action is this: build fire stations in Iraq while closing them in New York. Yet it’s hard to criticize Bush’s current actions without criticizing the origin of the war in the first place. Bush threw our nation into an unnecessary war, claiming that he had evidence of silos containing parts of nuclear weapons. When the objective failed, Bush then tried to spark a connection between terrorism and Iraq, turning the focus more toward Al Qaeda than the weapons of mass destruction. In doing this he had the perfect tool, the 9/11 attack, to influence Americans into supporting him. Take a look at Bush’s speech at the Republican Convention. He opened and closed his speech with emotional remarks about 9/11, but how many times did he mention Osama Bin Laden? None. America must remember that the reason behind the first military action after 9/11 was to seek Osama Bin Laden, and Iraq is completely separate. If the president won’t even mention Osama’s name at the Republican Convention, just consider it a lost cause. This is no war on terror. A war on terror wouldn’t?’ involve withdrawing 12,000 troops from the Korean Peninsula during a time of negations with Kim Jong Il, a homicidal maniac that actually has nuclear weapons. Bush did this, yet he still keeps his entire focus on Iraq. “No terrorist network will gain weapons of mass de-

struction from the Iraqi regime,” President Bush said. Good observation. That is because they were never there. All weapons were dismantled in 1991, and no hard evidence has been discovered that proved otherwise. So it’s time to let John Kerry run the show. Even though Kerry also questions the reasons behind invading Iraq in the first place, he realizes that pulling the troops out cannot be done at this time. So his first step is to restore alliances. We have only three friends remaining in the United Nations, which can be seen by the minimal number of European nations that even attended Bush’s U.N. address two weeks ago. If America has any hope of restoring these alliances, it’s under Kerry’s rule. Nations won’t listen to Bush when he slips and says we can’t win the war, only to take it back and say he meant to say something else. Kerry criticizes Bush for rushing into Iraq without a plan to restore the peace before democracy. Bush ignored the advice of advisers and associates, even that of Republican Chuck Hagell, after Bush promised America that war would be his last resort. To correct Bush’s lack of planning, Kerry will make sure Iraq is

BUSH

KERRY

secure before he turns his focus to reconstruction and democracy. Rumor has it that Kerry will raise taxes. This is misinterpreted information. Kerry wants to repeal the tax cut that Bush gave the wealthy Americans right before he asked Congress for the initial $87 billion to fund the war. It doesn’t make sense that some of the wealthiest Americans would receive tax cuts while two wars are being fought, both of which contribute greatly to the $7 trillion national debt. Our country’s reputation is slowly diminishing under Bush’s rule. John Kerry is fit to restore our national morale and lead a more effective war on terror and Iraq.

EDUCATION

Michael Johnson

Passed No Child Left Behind for grades 3 through 8 and at the high school level. No Child Left Behind will also add resources to early education as well as increasing federal funding for public schools.

Wants to amend No Child Left Behind Act to insure the program can be fully funded as well as affordable for school districts.

IN-DEPTH 7 Page Edited by Andrew Robinson

Oct. 8, 2004

MPAIGN TRAIL Bush tries to defend office Brady Skjervem Staff Writer

ar...to some it may seem glorious; others believe it to be the worst side of humanity. No matter how wrong or right war is, sometimes it’s the only way to end something. George W. Bush is a president who doesn’t kid himself and will not be deceived by false hopes in an imperfect world. After the Sept. 11 attack, the world wanted revenge and someone to pay for the damage caused. The world wept and prayed with us; however, the world’s support ended there. The United Nations didn’t start a massive coalition to stop terrorism, but continued on a soft route in stopping terrorism by using diplomacy. President Bush saw how little was being done to stop terrorism and decided to do something about it. He realizes that killing the leader of a militant group does nothing because there will always be more leaders to rise up.

Rather than attacking the leader, President Bush decided to go after what was keeping the terrorist group alive, the country giving the economic support. President Bush was given information from England and the U.S intelligence agencies that Iraq was funding terrorism and, in fact, had illegal weapons of mass destruction. Bush saw a supporter of the terrorists and decided to take action against a nation who had been able to tests weapons on its own people, duck U.N. inspection, and attack countries for the sake of resources, with no repercussion from the U.N. Some believe there could have been a diplomatic solution to the whole war in Iraq, but people don’t realize there have been diplomats there for over 10 years, which have changed nothing. People ask why the United States hasn’t found “weapons of mass destruction,” but fail to realize Saddam probably already sold them to terrorists before we invaded or destroyed them prior to the invasion. Saddam wasn’t stupid, and he knew if America invaded and didn’t find any weapons, the public would be less likely to back any further attacks on nations with terrorist links. Bush made a decision to help the world with the vast resources America has. Rather than providing a greater welfare check for someone, he has given that extra money to save a country from bondage. Along with Iraq being a threat, America is a firm believer in natural rights. President Bush saw the crimes being committed against a people and decided to do something about it. People were being killed and dictated by a vicious leader who needed to be taken out. The billions of dollars spent are worth the lives saved by America invading Iraq. There are reports from all over the world of Christians in underground churches who are less afraid to voice their beliefs where Christianity is illegal because of the war. Countries where Christianity is illegal see what America has done to Iraq and see how serious the United States are about terrorism and natural

rights. These countries are less likely to commit crimes in fear of world repercussion. Iraq hasn’t been a bad thing; America has proven to the world we will not tolerate terrorism of any kind. Some people believe that we shouldn’t have gotten involved in Iraq because there were no weapons of mass destruction, Iraq never harmed us, and there are issues at home that need to be taken care of first. Critics of the war fail to realize, first of all, that Iraq had connections to terrorism and whether or not he had physical access to weapons doesn’t mean Saddam couldn’t fund an attack if he wanted to. Secondly, if we barricade ourselves in America and just care about ourselves, attacks like Sept. 11 are bound to occur again. If we do nothing, something is bound to happen sometime. It is about time Bush took America and did something to change the world. If America is this supposed world power, then let’s start acting like one and change this world into a better one with a strong leader like George W. Bush.

Kerry emphasizes the disconnect between the war in Iraq and terrorism and how the war was managed. He stresses the importance of foreign policy.

1.7 million new jobs would be available by the end of his term after estimated tax-cuts.

Criticizes Bush for record $400 million deficit and tax cut. One solution is to eliminate cuts for the wealthy, returning to preBush tax rates.

HEALTH CARE

Formed the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate all law enforcement and intelligence angenices.

ECONOMY

TERRORISM

*Photos courtesy of AP Worldwide

Wants to promote Health Savings Accounts, which allows policyholders to put money in a tax-free account for future expenses in health-care.

Plans to provide coverage for 27 million uninsured. He slams Bush’s medicaredrug plan as too expensive and too beneficial to drug companies.

8 ENTERTAINMENT Page Edited by Kin Hieber

Oct. 8, 2004

Things That go Bump in the Night Haunted houses provide October fun Kim Hieber Entertainment Editor

t’s that time of the year again. Halloween is just around the corner and there are tons of activities for students to be participating in. One such popular activity is “haunted housing.” Halloween is all about being scared, so for those of you who are looking for a good fright, check out some of KC’s best haunted houses this October. Most of the local haunted houses are located in downtown Kansas City, Mo. Such haunted houses include The Edge of Hell, The Beast, The Fear and the Catacombs, The Devil’s Dark Side, Dr. Deadly’s Haunted Hospital, The Main

Street Morgue, Nightmare, Nightmare on 13th Street and the Transylvania Haunted House. While the Main Street Morgue, Transylvania and Nightmare will give you minor chills, The Beast, The Edge of Hell, and The Fear and Catacombs will give you major thrills. If you’re choosing to go to these, they are located near the 12th street bridge. For those of you who do not wish to travel so far, there is one Haunted House located in Olathe. This is the Silo X Haunted House, which can be found on 153rd street. Besides Haunted Housing, October also brings around Leawood’s own Corn Maze. Located on Kenneth Road, this maze will bring a challenging and fun weekend night for any student.

Halloween decorations are numerous throughout the area including those at Walmart and Price Chopper. Photos by Brandon Lutz.

Freaky Facts Edge of Hell

Five-story warehouse including spiral slide down from heaven into the arms of the devil himself.

The Beast

America’s largest haunted house, includes a maze and a four-story slide.

Catacombs Extreme Scream

Degrassi a forgotten show Teen drama scores with students

2 haunted houses, 60-90 min. duration through 40 rooms.

Michaela Cross Features Editor

THIRSTY?

mma and Manny are in a fight again, Marco’s in jeopardy of losing his boyfriend and Paige’s rape trial is under way. Confused? That’s because Degrassi: The Next Generation is unlike any other teen drama on television. Now in its fourth season, Degrassi has tackled issues from Internet stalkers, to cheating boufriends, to backstabbing friends. Unlike other teen angst shows, Degrassi: The Next Generation has real teenage kids playing life-like characters. Also, there is no condescending preaching toward teenagers but it does portray good messages. An original Canadian series, Degrassi began in 1979 with Kids of Degrassi Street. It franchised into Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High. To end the series, due to the teenagers leaving behind their teen years, there was a two-hour movie called School’s Out. After that final movie Degrassi Talks came out as a

documentary series with six original cast members talking about real issues. It began in February 1992 and ended in March 1992. Ten years later, creator Linda Schulyer had the great idea to bring Degrassi back. Through the character Emma this was all possible; in the original series Spike Nelson had Emma at 14, so in the year 2001 Emma would be starting grade 7. This is how the Degrassi saga was brought to life again. In the new season one can expect to see Craig trying to fix his mistakes and console relationships between Manny and Ashley. Rick will find trouble fitting back in at school after last year’s incident And, will Marco finally come out to his parents? Also, don’t worry about coming into the series late, every episode is replayed every night at 6 and 9 p.m. on TheN. The fourth season began on Friday Oct. 1 and a new episode can be seen every Friday night at 7 on The-N and it’s only found on satellite and digital cable.

Stop by Sonic FOR

A Route 44

Only 99 cents am to am Sonic Drive-In 8501 W. 151st Stanley, KS 66223

J.T talks with Manny from the show DeGrassis: The Next Generation. Photo printed with permission by Cassie Steele Central

ENTERTAINMENT 9 Oct. 8, 2004

Page Edited by Kim Hieber

Movies: The Bad and the Not So Bad ‘Hero’ Falls Short

‘WimbleDON’ a WimbleDON’T

Not the next ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’

This flick probably won’t win movie of the year Nick Speed Staff Writer

good date movie. That is about it. Paul Bettany did a great job in his first lead role. He has played supporting roles in movies such as a A Knight’s Tale and Master and Commander. In this movie, Bettany plays Peter Colt, a struggling tennis pro. Kirsten Dunst does an okay job playing an up and coming tennis star, Lizzy Bradbury. Both actors did a pretty decent job pretending to be tennis players. This movie portrays the life of a washed up tennis pro who is in a drought. One day he meets an up and coming woman counterpart. She changes his luck and he starts playing well. They fall in love but he has the opposite affect on her. She starts playing poorly. The love story is where the movie gets

awkward. These two don’t have very much chemistry on film. It just looks weird. It doesn’t seem like these two would ever get together, even if they were the last two people on Earth. They call this movie a romantic-comedy but really it’s more sweet than funny. Four parts romantic, one part comedy. This movie should have been a lot funnier. The director decided to under develop a story without getting people to laugh. Not the best option. He also didn’t take the story anywhere. He stumbles around and doesn’t really go anywhere until the end. It is a good date movie though, if the guy is willing. It will evoke some laughter and have plenty of romance for the girl to enjoy. Overall, Wimbledon gets a C+. The story could be better, but the girls will like the romance and the charming Englishman on Centre Court.

Adam Lary Opinion Editor

azzling scenery and cinematography are the defining points of the movie Hero, directed by Zhang Yimou. But what it makes up for in visuals, it lacks in an easy-to-follow plot. Jet Li stars as a nameless warrior in this action-drama film about ancient China. Set over 2000 years ago, the emperor of the Qin dynasty attempts to create a unified China. Six other empires stand in his way, specifically the Zhao. Three master swordsman from the Zhao dynasty plot to assassinate the emperor in order to stop his ruthless conquering. The nameless warrior is the only one that seems to stand in their way. Similar to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Yimou takes on much of the choreography from the earlier film. Characters soar through the treetops and run on water while deftly slicing and parrying with their swords.

The choreography and beautiful scenery are what really takes the film out of the ordinary and into the extraordinary. A fight between one of the master swordsmen, Snow (Maggie Cheung Man-yuk) and a servant named Moon (Zhang Ziyi) takes place in a forest of falling yellow leaves. At the end of the battle, the entire scene, leaves, clothes and all, turn blood red, leaving the viewer with a gaping jaw and look of curiosity. Despite the breath-taking fight scenes and even more beautiful scenery, the movie is slightly confusing. As Jet Li recounts his battles with the three assassins to the emperor, played by Chen Dao Ming, he goes through not one, but four different accounts, due to the emperor’s skepticism. Keeping track of all four stories can be a headache. On the whole, Hero is a movie worth seeing if you have the patience to follow the plot. The immersive scenery and spectacular choreography really help, but it can never live up to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

A Musical Review 3-Fold Brady Skjervem Staff Writer

Raven Symone

Keane

‘This is My Time’

‘Hopes and Fears’

Take a really bad run through of a Destiny’s Child song and run it through a music processor to polish it up a little and you will get Raven Symone’s CD. The problem isn’t the groove behind the voice, nor the lyrics of the song, but the voice itself. With cheesy lyrical lines and generic pop vocals, Raven Symone doesn’t even come close to the major pop artists of today. Being marketed to the 11 to 15 year olds, you can’t expect much in the degree of talent. If you’re a fan of pop, stick to your Beyonce and Justin Timberlake albums rather than waste your money on this upcoming CD.

If you have seen the Victoria’s Secret commercial, you have heard the band Keane. When you take Coldplay’s piano and mix in some of Benfolds’ vocals, you will get the sound of Keane. Consisting of only piano and drums, Keane adds a different look at piano rock. The unanticipated lyrical lines blend perfectly with the simple, but powerful, piano strokes. Keane’s manager has found a way to use his voice to make up for the lack of instruments in the band. If you are a fan of piano rock, good vocals and an overall great sound, I would recommend this album to you.

The Killers ‘Hot Fuss’ The ‘80s have somehow made a comeback. With the breakthrough of Franz Ferdinand, ‘80s new wave has found new listeners to suffocate with pop beats and extreme synth. The Killers are the next band to hit the United States with an old school/underground ‘80s/new wave feel. You have probably heard the hit single “Somebody Told Me” on the radio and have to wonder what the band is all about. Many people’s first thought is another crazy Euro-band, but oddly enough the band originates out of Las Vegas. Using extreme synth, one wouldn’t expect in a modern band, takes people back to the ‘80s era. Influenced by bands like Duran Duran, there is a brash and fun feel to the music. The overall album is put together very masterfully. With songs like “Somebody Told Me” and “Smile Like You Mean It,” the music is edgy and fun, but to keep the variety the band wrote the songs “All These Things I’ve Done” and “Andy, You’re a Star.” These tracks keep the music flavorful and add a delightful originality. The album is worth buying if your into fresh music with new sounds contrary to hard rock and extreme pop. The band is playing at the Grenada in Lawrence Kan., Thursday, Oct. 21.

10SPORTS Sept. 17, 2004

Page Edited by Michael Johnson

Pass the mike

Playerprofile Ashley Ratliff Junior

Sport: Golf Grade: 11 What’s your favorite part about the sport? Competition Do you have any pre-game rituals? I always wear pigtails or side ponytails when I play What are your goals for the season? Go to State as a team What athlete do you admire the most? Why? Anna Frazier because she is always positive about golf

New football strategy brings same success

e’ve seen this before. A completely dominant football team inches closer to the State Championship with every team it beats. Sound familiar? It’s the historic summary of last year’s season, the mirror image of what we’re noticing this year; yet the team strategy is completely different. This changed team is achieving the same results. “The offense has changed the most,” senior David Tafreshi said. “We run more spreads, we have some different plays, and we pass the ball more.” And it’s working. With a solid offensive line in front of the best quarterback in the state, senior Geno Waters, passing is now mandatory. Waters broke the school record against Great Bend with 482 total yards, but he gets much of his help from the 274-pound stud in front of him, senior Nick Speed, who also happened to be the All East Kansas League center last year. It also helps when you can trust your receivers, also known as the “Killer B’s,” in the words of Ryan Wallace. These consist of junior Steven Blumhart, senior Nick Biagioli and junior Colin Brown. The team has kept one thing consistent from last year. Team unity. “The team has good chemistry,” coach Steve Rampy said. “Everyone gets along well and they stay focused.” If it weren’t for the change in numbers on jerseys, a spectator might mistake the Tigers for last year’s championship team based on player reactions alone. The enthusiasm is remarkable, and it shows in every game. Against Great Bend, Biagioli’s touchdown reception was celebrated with a clash of helmets in the end zone, and the team respect shone all the way into the crowd. This helps win games. This is seen on both sides of the ball. The defense unity is just as strong, and they also have the skill to accompany it. The defense is younger than last year’s, but it’s not holding them back. Junior Cody Scribner is leading the EKL for individual stats, making him a reliable backup to the strong defensive line. Speed is a big factor for the defense, which is especially seen in cornerbacks Waters and Biagioli.

Brad Chinery Senior

Sport: Cross Country Grade: 12 What’s your favorite part about the sport? When I run, I don’t have to worry about anything else Do you have any pre-game rituals? I pump up my team What are your goals for the season? My personal goal is to break 17. Our team goal is to win regionals and state What athlete do you admire the most? Why? My little brother because he wants to run cross country, too. Profiles compiled by Kendra Kruse and Autumn Fuller

Strike three for pro sports Kansas City sports fans losing interest Matt Galloway Staff Writer

ould it really be that much to ask for Kansas City’s sports franchises to have at least half the success of Blue Valley High School’s athletic programs? Another sports year has come and gone for K.C. and once again the loyal fans here have gotten the shaft. Both the Chiefs and the Royals have fallen to new lows after building the fans’ hopes up during hyped off seasons. The sellout crowds and the tailgating fanatics don’t deserve these teams futility that seems to date back since their creations. Chiefs’ fans are already bracing themselves for one of the longest seasons ever. Considering its heart breaking history, fans shouldn’t be surprised that three games into the season they’ve already choked. A squad that many picked to win the Super Bowl has started 1-3 and is by far the biggest laughing stock of the NFL What’s the purpose in dressing up in red every Friday when the only color the Chiefs have shown is yellow? Last year’s defensive playoff collapse or the three missed field goals in 1996 were torturous, but at least those teams made the playoffs. This year’s team already has one foot in the grave and is on track to miss the playoffs completely. The Chiefs’ early season sting might not hurt as much if the Royals hadn’t set an all-time team record for losses this year. Every day they ran out a Double-A talent level team who, almost every day, were destroyed. The playoffs haven’t even come to Kansas City since the mid-80s before most of us were born. Royals’ fans also had to endure a sure playoff team missing out because of the 1994 strike and last year’s monumental collapse after the All-

Star break. Even when the teams do well, they’re often unappreciated. The Wizard’s great season would matter a lot more if the majority of Kansas City even knew what they were or what sport they played. As for the NHL and the NBA? We’ll have to live without them for a few more years since Kemper Arena is such a dump. Everything that could’ve gone wrong this year has, and it eats up the emotional KC sports fans the most. The torture they’ve put up with to fill their craving for a champion is tremendously high. Until that day comes, Kansas City might as well be known as the Abu Ghraib of sports cities. Illustration by Garrett Griffin

SPORTS 11 Oct. 8, 2004

Page Edited by Adil Shabbir

Country Tigers Ivanuska finds Cross push each other to their potential support in team Adil Shabbir Assistant Editor

Junior Michael Ivanuska runs the Cross Crountry course at the Ottawa Invitational where he finished 5th . Photo by Austin Proll.

BLUE VALLEY BLOTTER

s he runs the course at one of the biggest cross-country meets of the season, he pulls a muscle in his leg in the closing moments of the race. In excruciating pain, he roars in agony. His leg tells him, “Give it up Mike! You’re done for the day!” But the mental part of the sport kicks in, and he reminds himself of the team that is depending on him. Blue Valley junior Mike Ivanuska, who took first at the Paola Invitational, blames his success as a runner on the team he trains with. “Without my team pushing me, I would never improve my time,” Ivanuska said. “I owe all my success to my coach and teammates.” The competition within the team helps the team compete better with other schools. “We have a lot of talent on the team,” Ivanuska said. “If any of us start slacking off, one of us is always there to keep them going.” Going and going is more like it; Ivanuska is always on the run. Rain, shine, hot or cold, Ivanuska is running. Ivanuska realizes that running is not a popular activity among his peers.

Basehor to Blue Valley

BREAKING the 16-game winning streak, Saint Thomas Aquinas pulled out a win against the Tiger football team last Homecomming Friday. PLACING first and third at the Blue Valley and Saint Thomas Aquinas tournaments, Ashley Ratliff has golfed her way into the spotlight. KEEPING Blue Valley North from scoring at Sept. 24’s game, the Tiger defense had their first shutout of the year.

race not because he finished first out of nearly 1,000 runners but because he finished with his best time of 16:52. “It was great to take first. I mean, I beat everyone else out there,” Ivanuska said. “But it was better to set my best time because setting my best time means I had beaten myself.” His personal will to succeed is something he hopes he can shed on to his fellow teammates. “I try to be a positive role model out there,” Ivanuska said. “We all inspire each other.” Ivanuska’s teammates are indeed amazed and proud of his contributions to the team.” Ivanuska’s work hard “Without my team pushing me I r u n would never improve my time ” hard Ivanuska said “I owe all my success m e n tality to my coach and teammates ” is also a c knowlbetter if not for his cramped leg. edged by his running partner. “I felt pretty good and felt I “He shows up, runs hard, has would finish strong,” Ivanuska fun goes home,” Chinery said. said. “But I cramped up, and all No matter where he goes or I wanted to do was fall on the how fast he runs, Ivanuska ground and curl up into a ball.” never forgets what has gotten Ivanuska’s list of achievehim to where he is. ments goes on, but his proud“I run faster when I’m havest achievement came this suming fun.” Ivanuska said. “With mer in the Hospital Hill Run. these guys, it’s a blast.” Ivanuska is proudest of this However, Ivanuska argues saying that with the right company, running can be fun. “I like running with Brad,” Ivanuska says about his senior teammate Brad Chinery. “He has a good work ethic, and we have a good time.” In spite of the grueling workouts, Ivanuska knows that the path to glory is a tough one. “Preparation is vital in cross country,” Ivanuska said. ” Indeed, his practice has paid off. In only his second season on the team, Ivanuska has become one of if not the fastest runners on the team. Recently Ivanuska finished twenty-second at the Rimrock Invitational where he would have finished

Browns welcomed with open arms Nick Speed Staff Writer

t’s sometimes awkward moving to a new school and only recognizing the face you see in the mirror. This is not the case for senior Pete Brown who has moved here from Basehor-Linwood. His father Paul Brown has also joined

the BV community. He left his job as head coach at Basehor for an assistant coach and teaching position at BV. “Pete fits in very well as a Tiger,” senior Casey Donahoo said. “It’s nice having an outside linebacker you can count on.” Pete plays outside linebacker and runningback for the foot-

Play like you’re in first. Train like you’re in second. Velocity Sports Performance is where athletes of all ages and skill levels maximize their athletic potential. With the help of our degreed and certified coaches, you will actually experience the thrill of accelerated gains in speed, power and agility- the three pillars of athleticism. And you will do it all in our state-of-the-art facility. So, whether you’re trying to make the varsity team or take it to the next level, we promise we’ll help get you there. In fact, we guarantee it. Team Training As low as $10/session Small Group Training As low as $11/session High School Football Combine December 18th, 2004

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Senior Pete Brown listens to some advice from a new coach on a new team. Photo by Austin Proll.

ball team and started as a sophomore at Basehor, playing the same positions. He also wrestles and runs track. Paul had been a long time coach including Bishop Miege, Basehor-Linwood and now BV. “My dad has been coach Brown ever since I can remember,” Pete said. “I look forward to playing his old team (Miege).” Pete has made his presence known during his first year at BV. He is a starting outside linebacker and a second-string running back. “Pete has filled in awesome at a spot that we needed help with,” senior Geno Waters said. “We needed someone to step up and play and Pete did.” Paul is coaching the wide-receivers and defensive backs. “He is a good coach,” junior wide-receiver Colin Brown said. “He is teaching me a lot about running routes and where to be.” Pete is enjoying his time at Blue Valley. “It’s nice being a part of such a rich tradition here at BV,” Pete said. “Before this year I had only won two varsity games.”

12SPORTS Oct. 8, 2004

Page Edited by Michael Johnson

Back in black Running back Tywon Hubbard returns after season at Olathe East Emily Kuykendall Staff Writer

s many have noticed, there have been some new additions to the Blue Valley football team. Many newcomers are filling the jerseys worn by the old greats, but the legendary jersey number 22, once worn by ’04 gradu-

ate Michael Denning, is now displayed by junior Tywon Hubbard. Though some are not aware of it, Hubbard started out as a freshman at Blue Valley. After moving to a different area, most of his sophomore year was spent at Olathe East. But he is back this year to be a part of more Tiger action

Junior Tywon Hubbard runs against Saint Thomas Aquinas on Oct. 1. This was Hubbard’s fifth game back in the Tiger uniform after his season at Olathe East. Photo by Brandon Lutz.

on the field. “I didn’t like the school district over there,” junior Tywon Hubbard said. “Blue Valley’s football program is a lot better, and there is more teamwork than at Olathe East.” There is some good that came out of Hubbard’s experience on a different team. “The running back at Olathe East was good, so I worked harder so that I could be better than him,” he said. “I think it’s made me a better player for this year.” According to Hubbard, he has had even more of a desire to do better since he has been a part of Blue Valley’s football program. “When I was younger, coach Tupper influenced me to be really good, and

since I’ve been playing for Rampy, he believed that I could do big things for our school,” he said. Hubbard is not only doing big things for Blue Valley, but also in the East Kansas League. He is the leading rusher in the league. But there is more to being on a team than just being a good athlete. When asked how he got along with the coaches and teammates, he replied, “We get along better than good. It’s great. I can’t even describe why, we just have this good connection,” he said. Hubbard’s teammates seem to think so as well. “Everyone likes Tywon because he brings a different flavor to the team,” junior Collin Brown said. “We had a hole in the running back position and Tywon came and filled that hole.” Hubbard has already made quite an impression on this year’s team. How long does he plan on staying this time? “I’m here to stay for good,” he said.

Sports in Short Football

Girls’ golf

The Tiger football team takes on Blue Valley Northwest tonight at the DAC. Blue Valley Northwest is 32 with losses to Blue Springs South and Saint Thomas Aquinas. Last week the Tigers took on the Saints at home. They lost, 8-3, for their first loss in 16 games. Aquinas scored two field goals and a safety while the Tigers had only a field goal. Aquinas had 133 yards of offense on the night and BV had only 109 yards. Senior quarterback Geno Waters suffered a concussion in the first half and did not play the second half. On Thursday Sept. 23 the Tigers trounced the Blue Valley North Mustangs at the DAC. With over 300 yards of offense and shutting the Mustangs out on defense, the Tigers won the game 31-0. In the second game of the season, the Tigers won 49-26 against Great Bend. Senior Geno Waters led the offensive attack with 353 yards passing and 129 yards on the ground. He also accounted for six touchdowns.

At the Saint Thomas Aquinas Invitational on Sept. 22, junior Ashley Ratliff placed third, and as a team, the Tigers also finished third. The day before was the Blue Valley Invitational where Ratliff took first, and the team walked away as tournament champions. “Our progress through the year will hopefully help us achieve a regional title,” Ratliff said.

Soccer The soccer team traveled to Lawrence to face off against the Lions Tuesday, Sept. 28. The Tigers were down 1-0 within the first seven minutes. They ended the first half down by one goal. In the second half the Tigers came out scoring within the first 10 minutes of the half, only to be answered by the Lions scoring yet again. With time dwindling down senior Chris Lee tied the game 2-2. The Tigers got a break when there was a penalty in the box, resulting in a penalty kick. Sophomore Marshall Stula took the PK leading the Tigers to a victory over the Lions 3-2. The boys snatched an easy victory the previous evening against Ottawa. The boys started off the first half scoring in the first 15 minutes and then again at the 12-minute mark. Senior Austen Lucansky put the Tigers up by two at the end of the first half. The second half proved to be an even match between the two teams. Within the last 20 seconds, sophomore Michael McDonald scored making the final score 3-0 in favor of the Tigers.

CC Lawrence Rim Rock Farms, the site of the Sept. 18 cross-country race, is the largest cross-country meet in the nation. Over 2,000 runners were involved last week, with 200 participants and 35 teams in each race. The boys’ Varsity took fourth place. Girls’ Varsity took 12th place, which is improvement from last year, when they placed 20th. The junior varsity girls won fourth. Freshman Devin Wiegers placed sixth in girls’ Varsity, and freshman Mindy Smith won eighth place in JV (which moves her up to Varsity for the next meet), and Michael Ivanuska placed 22nd out of 25.

Tennis Tennis The Blue Valley Girls tennis team continued its season with individual wins against Blue Valley Northwest last week. The girls were eager for the EKL (East Kansas League) tournament last Tuesday, and Regionals, according to second year head coach Nelson Elliot. The girls finished last at EKL. Freshman Courtney Kreamer beat her opponent from BVNW in a tiebreaker 7-6. Niki Burzcyk also won her singles match at the meet in a tiebreaker. Along the lines of tiebreakers the team of Ashley Kuzmich and Emily Brown again beat the Huskies in a tiebreaker. Kuzmich has set goals for herself at the upcoming Regionals meet. “At Regionals my goal is to get some wins and make it a good learning experience,” she said.

Volleyball The volleyball team won three of its matches in its past quad, which they hosted Sept. 27. The teams that attended were Wyandotte, Turner and Schlagle. The girls played Ottawa and went 0-5. Other upcoming m atches include Bishop Miege at Turner High School next Tuesday.

Senior Kaley Miller spikes the ball against Schlagle at the Blue Valley Quad on Sept. 27. Photo by Andy Fine

Cover Story:

BV goes global Students from U.S., abroad experience foreign cultures

Tiger travels to Iran learns about American perspectives page Homecoming re cap in pictures page

TIGER

the blue valley high

[PORTRAITS]

T I G E R

Tiger ambassador Christine Wang travels to Europe as People to People Ambassador

P O R T R A I T S

Senior Christine Wang poses with two castle employees in Scotland. The castle has displays and artifacts like a museum where tourists can learn about people who lived and worked in the castle in previous ages. On the tour, Wang saw a torture chamber.

O C T. 8

maneeza iqbal

R T I G E R T R A V E L 2

epelling off castles, meeting members of Parliament, shopping in London — it has to be a dream, but for senior Christine Wang it was a reality. During the summer, Wang was part of the People to People Student Ambassador Program. From June 16 - 29, she toured the United Kingdom — England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland — and learned about the history and culture. “I really wanted to go because I love to travel and learn about other cultures,” Wang said. “My parents wanted me to go because I would be more cultured and a well rounded person.” Wang got an invitation in the mail to go to an informational meeting. At the meeting, Wang and her family learned more about the program; if she went, Wang would be traveling with a group of students from middle school to high school. Eventually they decided that Wang

should go. Wang was going to go during the summer of ’03, but the war happened and Wang and her family felt that it was too dangerous to fly overseas. Wang landed in an airport outside of London. However, she wasn’t prepared for this shock. “The culture shock was when we were driving,” Wang said. “It was not just that we were driving on the other side of the road, but the road signs were different and the people are crazy drivers. We went through these tunnels when we weren’t even an inch from the wall. We’d clap every time we made it through. The whole time I was there, I didn’t see any accidents.” One of the aspects of the trip was a home stay. The students lived in a home of a native for a week and experience their life. Wang stayed with a family that had four children, the oldest was her age. When she was at the home, the oldest daughter, Natalie was preparing for her driver’s test (driving age is 18). Wang said that they took the test more se-

riously than in America. “When we were at dinner, the dad would talk with me about politics and policies,” Wang said. “I realized that we are essentially the same but different.” Wang also had the unique opportunity to meet two members of Parliament. The members told the group about the political parties and some of the issues they talk about like the war. Also in England, Wang visited England’s theater district and watched the play Blood Brothers. As the group traveled north, they saw many castles. In Wales, Wang got to repel off a castle wall. However, Wang missed home when she ate. “We couldn’t pick the food we wanted to eat,” Wang said. “I’m sure there was good food out there, but we didn’t try it. I really missed my Chipotle.” Excluding the food, Wang had a once-in-a lifetime experience. However, she had one complaint. “I was bitter when I left,” Wang said, “because I did not meet Prince William.”

Senior Shabbir discovers Iranian sentiments adil shabbir

was off on a journey across the world. With an open mind and a nervous heart, I packed my bags and left the country. My feelings of anxiety outweighed my feelings of excitement, for my destination was not a typical summer vacation. No, I was not heading for the coast to enjoy the beautiful beaches or visiting family to catch up on the passing year. I was heading for a part of the world that is considered to be a hostile war zone. I was heading for a part of the world that many people believe is the heart of terrorism. I was heading for the Middle East. I left my family behind, and alone I set out on a monthlong journey to the desert country of Iran. I met up with Al-Asr, the London-based organization that annually takes students from across the world to Iran for the cultural experience and religious benefits. Many ancient Islamic shrines exist in Iran, and being a Muslim, I felt honored to have the oppor-

tunity to be able to pay my respects to these holy places. Throughout my trip, I met several locals and was curious about their feelings for the United States. Although many had different opinions on different issues, none seemed to hold President George W. Bush in high regards. This universal hate is generated from the Israel-Palestine conflict. The Iranian locals abhor Israel because of its ongoing violence with the Muslims of Palestine. Since President Bush supports Israel, the locals have developed a strong sense of hate toward our president as well. If politics were avoided in the conversation, most of the locals had nothing but nice things to say about the U.S. They worship the freedom that so many Americans take for granted. Many hope that one day they can migrate to the States and become independent and successful. One of the major differences between Iranians and Americans is in personality. The Iranian people are always very humble and easy going. They don’t stress over the little things like so many of us

Americans do all the time. concerned about. The vioThey also don’t maintain that lence in the Middle East that “I’m right; you’re wrong;” we see everyday on T.V. and mentality like many Ameri- in the newspaper represents cans do. When they have a a finite percent of the Middle difference of opinion, they do East. In reality, the people of not have that strong desire to the Middle East have the prove themselves that many character that many AmeriAmericans have. cans should admire. When I returned from this so-called “hostile environment” I realized t h a t throughout the entire month, I n e v e r once felt that my personal safety was at jeopardy. I left concerned, and I returned re- Standing outside a mosque in Tehran, Iran, Shabbir a l i z i n g poses for a picture. “Tehran is like any major city in that there the United States,” Shabbir said. Photo courtesy of was noth- Adil Shabbir. ing to be

T I G E R P O R T R A I T S O C T. 8

Brothers return to Overland Park after growing up mostly in China kyle rogers

any students move during el ementary school, but few leave the country. Two Blue Valley brothers Nathan and Joel Rofkahr got that opportunity eight years ago. “My parents told me we were moving to China,” Nathan said. “I was pretty excited.” “I thought I’d be living in a mud hut,” Joel said, “but it wasn’t that bad.” Moving to China isn’t an everyday occurrence, so others were surprised as well. “I told all my friends,” Nathan said,

“but they didn’t believe me.” The Rofkahrs, whose dad works for a company helping to alleviate poverty in China, moved from Leawood, Kan. to Kung Ming, a medium-sized Chinese city, for four years. During that time, the family gained a member when six-yearold Rachel was born. She was born in still another country. “We were visiting Thailand for her birth,” Joel said. “There is bad health care in China.” Now, the whole family is back in Johnson County, but they won’t be staying long. Only here one semester, Nathan is taking advantage of his time here by playing football this fall.

“They don’t have many sports [in China],” Nathan said. “[Football] is not too hard. It’s fun.” School in the states is similar according to the brothers, who attended an international school while in China. “It’s sort of the same,” Nathan said. “There are a lot less people there but more homework.” “School is fine,” Joel said. “It’s not too different.” After spending eight years in China, the time here is more vacation than anything else. “I miss my friends there,” Joel said. “We keep in contact using emails and AIM.”

T I G E R T R A V E L 3

T I G E R P O R T R A I T S O C T. 8

C O V E R S T O R Y 4

From Mexico South Korea Belgium they come to BV Blue Valley is home temporarily to 3 foreign exchange students. kyle rogers and maneeza iqbal work on Wall Street.” Those who know her know it isn’t often that she stumbles when speaking English. “It’s not hard to speak to her in English at all,” senior Mandie Payton said. “If I don’t think she knows the “Aye, senora, que es esto?” word, I’ll say it in Spanish, but she If you understand that, good for always knows it.” you. If not, you are like most of Blue Coming to the United States is like Valley’s students. The speaker, Rocio a long vacation for Contreras who Contreras understands quite well. graduated from high school in For her, Spanish class is a breeze - Hermosillo last year and plans to go she has spoken the language for the back next year for two years of collast 18 years. lege before finishing her major in Contreras comes to BV hoping to Monterrey. Some students don’t make her goal more attainable. even realize she is from another “I want to learn English because I country. want to study business,” Contreras “Some tell me, ‘you don’t look said. “I want to be a... how do you Mexican at all,’” Contreras said. say it? “They think of shorter people with “Stock broker,” she replies in darker skin. People from the South Spanish, then remembers how to say and North are very different.” the word in English. Some students have been sur“Yeah! Stock broker. I want to prised by her looks, but overall, Contreras says the adjustment hasn’t been hard. “I like the p e o p l e h e r e , ” Contreras said. “It’s friendly like where I live.” Contreras b e g a n school here Maria Rocio Contreras Anaya poses with friends on her senior trip. The high not knowschools in Mexico focus on students’ careers. By her sophomore year Anaya ing what the Spanish decided her major and was taking classes.

Name: Maria Rocio Contreras Anaya From: Hermosillo Senora Mexico Arrived: August

classes here would be like. “I didn’t think they would understand,” Contreras said, “but they understand. They know.”

Name: Sohee Son From: Daejon South Korea Arrived: Aug Twenty grueling hours spent on a plane — 15 hours to Chicago, fourhour stay over there, and then back on the plane for an hour flight to Kansas City - Sohee Son’s journey was finally over. As Son waited for her host family at the airport, she got her first glimpse of American hospitality. “When I was in the airport, I didn’t know anyone,” Son said. “I was looking toward a man and when he looked at me he smiled. I was so surprised. In Korea, no one smiles at strangers.” Son is going to spend this school year at Blue Valley. However, Son will have to repeat her senior year because the credits she gets here do not count in Korea. The school schedule in Korea is different from BV’s. Son would start her day at 8:30 a.m. and end at 11p.m. The Korean students have 12 classes everyday, but instead of the students going to the teacher, the teacher goes to the

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Left: Rocio Anaya, Sohee Son and Lydie Leveque sit in front of their new school for this year. Right: Sohee Son poses with her family for a family picture. She usually talks to her friends and family through email. Lower Right: Lydie Leveque’s friends hang out at a local pub. In Belgium, this is a common site because the drinking age is 16 there.

family, Son eats out a lot. “I enjoy American food, but I miss Korean food,” Son said. “My mom sent me Korean noodles and pepper tuna, which I ate on the weekend. I was surprised to learn that Americans liked Mexican food.” students. At BV, Son enjoys the classes that she has friends in; however, she still has trouble with the language barrier. “I couldn’t understand what the teachers were saying,” Son said. “I can’t understand what friends are saying because they talk fast. Americans have so many slangs; it’s difficult. I’m adjusting, but still hard.” Another change from Korea is the political atmosphere. In South Korea, the teenagers do not care much about the North and South Korean conflict, said Son, but the adults in Korea hope for the North and South to join. The U.S.’s international affairs also affect Korea. When the minister of Korea, Sunil Kim was beheaded in Iraq, many blamed Bush for his death because they felt that he died for no reason. “Koreans don’t hate Americans,” Son said, “but hate Bush.” Son said that there are almost no similarities between South Korea and America. At her home in Korea, her mother does all the cooking and cleaning, but within her host family, the husband does the cooking and cleaning. In addition, Son did not eat out a lot; typically, her mother cooked dinner for the family at night; yet, with her host

Name:Lydie Leveque From: Namur Belgium Arrived: Aug “I love football,” senior Lydie Leveque said. “In Belgium, people don’t play football; they play soccer. When I watch a football team, I can see that there is a lot of teamwork and I like that. Also, it’s fun to watch.” Leveque knew that when she came to America, she would learn something new almost every day. Leveque decided to participate in the foreign exchange program because she wanted to learn better English and discover a different culture. However, she said that the two cultures are very similar. “[America and Belgium] are not very different,” Leveque said. “Except, I think the people here are nicer. If I went to the capital [in Belgium] and said hello to someone, they won’t answer back. Here, people answer back.” Unlike the United States, a typical Belgium high school lasts six years instead of four years. Leveque said that BV provided more class options - students can choose to take physics or chemistry during a certain year - while at her school students are re-

quired to take set classes and have the option to take another language or a different elective. In Belgium, Leveque has already graduated high school; the year she spends in the U.S. does not go toward any universities but will help her decide what she wants to do next. Leveque isn’t having problems blending in with BV students. Leveque discusses politics and different cultures. “If people ask about Belgium, I’m happy,” Leveque said. “It shows that they are interested in me and Belgium. But, in a way I don’t like it because it reminds me of Belgium.” Fortunately for Leveque, her host parents are European. Leveque said that their European heritage helps her from feeling a huge culture shock. But, she wasn’t ready for fast food. In Belgium, the only fast food they have is McDonald’s; the other restaurants are usually places for people to sit down and eat from plates, said Leveque. “[The people in Belgium] think that all Americans are fat,” Leveque said.

P O R T R A I T S O C T. 8

C O V E R S T O R Y 5

T I G E R P O R T R A I T S O C T.

Counselor Keith Elmore works with students (alphabet E-K) during senior enrollment. Elmore came to Blue Valley from Liberty High School. Before working at Liberty, he was a counselor at BV North. Photo by Brandon Lutz

S T A F F P R O F I L E 6

Counseling Department Acquires New Look McGraw Elmore jump into job Andrew Robinson

ith retirement and resignation plaguing the Blue Valley High School counseling office, vacancies opened for new faces to fill. One of these new faces is Jane McGraw. Hired in March of 2004, McGraw brings almost 16 years of experience between stints at Mill and Bonner Springs high schools. McGraw feels she is prepared for the challenge. The draw to Blue Valley was an easy one, according to McGraw. She was interested because it was a full time opening, as well as knowing the head of the counseling department, Sandy Fryer. “I knew the reputation was very good,” McGraw said And so far that reputation is holding true after just eight weeks McGraw is already seeing that BV is a special place to be. “It’s a very cooperative student body,” McGraw said. “They have been very polite and motivated so far.” Besides taking care of students (alphabet L-Q), she is the career counselor, coordinates the VO-Tech programs and assists with the military programs. She will also lead the four-year planning workshop later this fall. And it’s not just McGraw that is new in the counseling office; Keith Elmore is also a new face in the counseling office. “We’ve worked closely together since we’re both new, and he has a wealth of experience,” McGraw said of her co-worker, Elmore. Even though McGraw is new to the Tiger system, she can contact former counselors Rosemary Moody and Andy Tylicki when she comes across questions and students she needs more information about. She has already gotten to know many of her 61 students, mostly through their senior brag sheets and their senior credit checks. “I have had numerous good conversations with students so far,” McGraw said. Through the year McGraw hopes to familiarize herself with the procedures at Blue Valley as well as continuing to get to know the staff and students. “Having a good working relationship with the staff and students is the most important thing,” McGraw said. McGraw came from Mill Valley High School in the DeSoto school district but says that there are many similarities in the schools that she has noticed so far. “Both student bodies are very motivated and have good involvement,” McGraw said. When McGraw isn’t working on college recommendations, and other counseling duties, she is a freshmen mentor adviser with a group of freshmen in her section of the alphabet. “I really like the idea, and it’s a neat program,” McGraw added. Even though BV is a new place and new time for McGraw, she plans to be here for a while. “I very much see myself here for several years,” McGraw said with a smile. Counselor Jane McGraw

T I G E R

A WAIL-en Good Time Whalen uses McDonald’s advice to teach, learn in every class

P O R T R A I T S

Matt Galloway

f practice really does make per fect, first year teacher Joe Whalen’s studies as a student teacher under retired teacher and Blue Valley High School legend Harry McDonald should make him a flawless educator. Whalen, who credits his love for science and good people skills for his teaching position, assisted McDonald in his final year at BV. Although there were obstacles and difficulties while learning the ropes, Whalen has adjusted and applied his own style to his classes. “The early days were a lot harder than I thought they would be,” Whalen said.

“Having gone through the University of Kansas, I learned about the theoretical aspect of teaching, but the reality of being a teacher was something I struggled with until I began my student teaching period under McDonald.” McDonald and Whalen developed a friendship and a mutual respect for each other right off the bat. Whalen credits McDonald’s lessons for many of the teaching tools he uses now. “Mr. McDonald taught me that as a teacher, you don’t always have to know all the answers,” Whalen said. “But you must be willing to seek them out if you want to be a

Tellin’ It All...

good one.” Whalen teaches biology, earth space science and astronomy this semester. He has a bachelors degree in psychology, environmental science and biology along with a masters degree in biology education, all at the University of Kansas. He keeps his door open to teaching other subjects, but it’s no secret that science is his true passion. “I’ve always been interested in other subjects,” Whalen said. “But because I love science, I wouldn’t anticipate having that opportunity.” One of Whalen’s hopes is always to maintain a good respect level with his stu-

Joe Whalen interacts with his students in his fifth hour astronomy class. Photo by Emily Kuykendall

dents. Whalen has excelled in this and carries good interaction with students during discussions. “(The students) have been great; I’ve enjoyed teaching all of my classes,” Whalen said. “I think we cultivate great discussions. It’s a group effort that they’ve participated very well in.” Having a good rela-

Annie says what’s it like being a new student

Annie Littlewoood came from a place most everyone has heard of; an “almost legendary” place to the people who have not been there. People familiar with Truman High School may feel either enjoyment or disgust. I lived there for about 10 years, and I can’t tell you which reaction I have when I go back. I say “back” because I don’t consider it home. They say home is where the heart is and my heart is in a sort of, except not-so-hell-

tionship with fellow teachers is also necessary in a good teacher. Of all the lessons McDonald taught Whalen, this was perhaps the most important, he said. “We got along extremely well. He and I actually went to Wichita just this past weekend,” Whalen said.

O C T.

ish, purgatory, stuck between friends and family, two slightly unfurnished houses, and two school systems, one where the biggest accomplishment is having less than five kids drop out and another where S.A.T scores are a cause for celebration. It’s different here. Some differences are appreciated, some not so much. One difference is my reputation. I walked into Overland Park with no friends. You could have called me “popular”

where I’m from, but I prefer “well-known.” I’m good at making friends, but it’s hard when everyone mistakes you for a freshman and the freshmen don’t look at you in the eyes. I’m not good with names so it’s hard to make lots of

friends. The names I do remember, the hands I do shake, they forget to smile back in the halls. This is not a sob story. I don’t want pity friends or someone to tell me to toughen up. It’s just something I have to adjust to, adjust to the fact that there I was Annie Littlewood. Here, I’m just another face you don’t know. I’m perfectly content with the way things are, the friends I’ve made, the new house I live in. I guess I’m just the new kid, but it’s only October.

N E W T I G E R S 7

Sara Erickson, Ali Pollock aim to please on the senior float, whose theme was “Shrek.” the paprad was Oct. 1.

Juniors Patrick Cocherl, and Ryan Robertson show off their spirit on Black ‘n’ Gold day. Both are known for their spirit.

Homecoming King Tyler “T-Wiz” Wisdom stands at the Homecoming assembly awaiting his biography.

Homecoming Queen Hillary Freeman receives a bouquet of roses from last year’s Queen, Kate Dunleavy at the Homecoming game.

Photos by Brandon Lutz, Angela Solomon and Mark Mosier

Blue Valley spends Homecoming weekend in Hollywood without leaving Kansas

Students look in awe as the annual bonfire consumes another victim. It is school tradition to toss a dummy of a rival school in the flames.

Dance with me. Juniors Matt Davis and his date Kathy Stockton dance the night away at the Homecoming dance last Saturday. The theme of the dance was Oscar Night.

OUT THE RED CARPET ...LITERALLY