The Tiger Print — November 2021 by The Tiger Print

THE TIGER PRINT

the impact of injuries Student.athletes, trainer discuss setbacks in sports

| DESIGN BY AYESHA KHAN | PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT

ON THE

news

november 2021

design by charlie trent

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WEB NEWS

Students & staff condemn the destructive Tik Tok trend, “Devious Licks”.

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Devious Damage

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NEWS

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Contents

FEATURE

Get Hyped Cole Dickey & Sarah Gravitt talk their Instagram account @BVHypeFilms.

ENTERTAINMENT

Zodiac Killer Identity Revealed

Tigers take Halloween See how students dressed up for spooky season.

FEATURE

OPINION

Celebrities aren’t your friends Staff writer Isaac Hudson discusses problematic idolization of celebrities.

THE TIGER PRINT editor-in-chief Charlie Trent assistant editor Stephania Kontopanos design editor Ayesha Khan adviser Michelle Huss

publication editors Kaitlin Green Frannie Lamberti Charley Thomas

staff writers Regan Byrnes Amy Collins Allie Crawford

“The Tiger Print” is an official publication of Blue Valley High School, an open forum distributed to all students six times a year. This publication may contain controversial material. Kansas law prohibits the suppression of a student publication solely because it may contain controversial matter. Blue Valley Unified School District No. 229 and its board members, officers and employees may disclaim any responsibility for the content of this publication; it is not an expression of school policy. Student authors and editors are solely responsible for the content of this publication.

@bvtigernews

Emily Fortin Brynn Friesen Isaac Hudson Harris Jones Sofia Hughes Ava McGuire Harrison Melton Elle Moulder Chanie Rankin Rhylan Stern Mena Walker

Senior Tori Wingrove competes at Cross Country State.

A&E

Letters to the editor are encouraged for publication. “The Tiger Print” reserves the right to edit all submissions for both language and content. Letters should be submitted to Room 518, emailed to thetigerprint@gmail.com or mailed to: The Tiger Print Blue Valley High School 6001 W. 159th St. Overland Park, KS 66085

bvtigernews.com

Staff writer Sofia Hughes reviews the Plaza Art Fair.

rief iews

around

3 lue alley

DECA COMPETITION

| PHOTO SUBMITTED BY SARAH WALSH

BV hosted a regional DECA competition for newcomers Oct. 25 in which the participants had the opportunity to choose from 59 different role plays and complete a 100-question multiple choice test. Experienced members, such as senior Tori Hamilton, scored the beginners and provided feedback as judges. “You learn a lot from watching other kids role play,” Hamilton said. “When you teach something to someone else, you learn it better yourself. I like judging so I can see what areas I could improve in as well.”

BAND TRIP & STATE CHAMPIONS

| PHOTO SUBMITTED BY EMILY CLAUSEN

The BV Band spent Oct. 22-24 in St. Louis, MO, where they competed inside a professional football stadium known as “The Dome.” In addition to placing 5th in their class, BV Band members, including junior Emily Clausen, learned much from the fun experience. “Our hours of training prepared us to do our best, and that’s exactly what we did in St. Louis,” Clausen said. “I absolutely hope the band does more like this in the future.” The band was also named the Kansas Bandmasters Marching Band State Champions Oct. 30.

TEST TO STAY AND LEARN

| PHOTO COURTESY OF TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

As of Nov. 1, students and staff identified as “close contacts” with an individual testing positive for COVID-19 are able to return to school immediately by providing a negative test result for the first eight days following their exposure. During the “test to stay and learn period,” it is required that both students and staff continue to mask up in school and at school events — mask exemptions cannot be honored during this time frame. Additionally, those exposed must eat lunch at an assigned location 6 feet from others. | WORDS BY CHARLEY THOMAS

news

november 2021

design by kaitlin green

Substitute Shortages Sub discusses difficulties with lack of help kaitlin green |publication editor

|PHOTO BY KAITLIN GREEN

ith an eventful beginning to the school year, it is likely many students have not noticed the lack of substitutes in the building. Like many businesses in the area that are shortstaffed, the Blue Valley school district is currently suffering from a shortage of substitutes. This shortage was made notable at the beginning of the fall semester during the 2020-2021 school year due to COVID-19. An article published by KSHB 41 News in November of 2020 wrote that on one day, the Blue Valley school district had, “77 substitute requests, with 12 unable to be filled due to a lack of availability.” Currently, the situation has hardly improved. For example, during the months of September and October, both the math and ELA labs were forced to close on multiple occasions due to unfilled positions. This unavailability has caused Blue Valley to rely on several substitutes, such as Niki Neal, to provide students with teachers. Legally, each classroom must have an adult with 60 college credit hours in the room, which means office staff can do little to help alleviate this stress. “There are some crazy days where you’re all over the place covering different classrooms,” Neal said. “There’s definitely been a lot of scrambling.” Neal, like many others, intended for substitute teaching to be a parttime job. However, the current situation has caused her to spend most days filling various positions. “I’m here more than I’m not,” Neal said. “There are some days that I’m three different teachers because of the shortage.” Despite spending most days in the building and often covering multiple positions per day, Neal does not place blame on the administration. She recognizes everyone is working toward the common goal of keeping each classroom functioning. “You have to be a team player,” Neal said. “The office staff are just doing the best they can to win.” Despite this difficulty, Neal is still proud to call herself a substitute teacher and loves doing what she does. She encourages other substitute teachers to find the same joy in the job that she does, no matter the challenges. “You’re in the same building for most or all of the time, so enjoy it,” Neal said. “Get to know the kids and staff, and have that rapport with them — it’ll make your job a whole lot easier.”

join the club

sophomores describe clubs they started Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) On Sept. 17, sophomore Noor Haideri led the first Students Against Destructive Decisions club meeting. “SADD, or Students Against Destructive Decisions, [is] a national organization,” Haideri said. “I’m happy to say our chapter [is] the first in Kansas.” SADD encourages students to make better life choices and participate in communiwwty service. “I wanted to start this club to foster a better community at Blue Valley High and help people stay on the right track as they move through life and high school,” Haideri said. “As a side benefit, people can get their community service awards like the Presidential Gold, Silver and Bronze.” Haideri said the process of starting a club was fairly basic. “I had to reach out to different teachers and see if I could find a sponsor,” Haideri said.

“After finding Mrs. Whitten, I reached out to Mrs. McNally and filled out a form. Then I had to register Blue Valley High as a chapter on SADD’s portal.” Haideri is tentatively planning a wide variety of activities for SADD. “We’re hoping to do [the] 100 Days of Action Virtual Race, which is where you count your steps on your phone, your smartwatch or manually — the more steps you take equals more money,” Haideri said. “We’re gonna do collaborations with other community service clubs like the Kay Club. We’re planning in November to do a free library at the feeder middle schools.” Haideri has long-term ideas for the BV SADD chapter. “My end goal is to create a club that will last for years after I leave BV,” Haideri said. “I want people to realize that this club truly helps people make better life decisions.”

news

november 2021

words & design by stephania kontopanos

Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) Meeting Day: 1st Friday of every month Meeting Time: Tiger Paws A Sponsor: Mrs. Whitten Student Leader: Noor Haideri Room Number: 512

Art and Design Club Sophomores Jay Jarvis, Sara Bowden and Kate Mahoney collectively decided to start The Art and Design House. “One of my friends had come up with the idea,” Mahoney said. “We all thought it was a really good idea.” Before the first meeting Sept. 23, the club managers distributed forms to students who wanted to get involved. “We gave out application forms to join that had some information we needed to know and then some [information] that was like ‘Why did you join? What do you want to do?’” Mahoney said. For the club, they decided to use a unique way to store and present the information. “I made a Notion, which is like a website for [the club],” Mahoney said. So far, the club leaders have brainstormed several activity ideas. “We have ideas planned for November, including sculpting,nature, photography, and lyric writing,” Mahoney said.

The club is created with a structure that creates a mellow atmosphere. “Sometimes, we will play music in the background because we made a playlist everyone can add to or watch movies,” Mahoney said. “Most of it is relaxing work time.” The club will implement a voting system to decide on activities. “The club partly depends on what everyone wants to do — that’s why we have people vote on activities,” Mahoney said. So far, the club has faced a few challenges. “There’s a little bit [of difficulty] with trying to figure out ideas and [manage] money and materials,” Mahoney said. “We were supposed to be in the [Homecoming] parade, but for some reason we didn’t get in.” Mahoney wants the club to be a space that’s nonchalant. “I hope people just have a good time, enjoy it [and] have fun,” Mahoney said. “I hope over time it can be a [better] environment and comfortable space for everyone.”

Art and Design Club Meeting Day: Tuesdays and Thursdays Meeting Time: After school (3-4 pm) Sponsor: Mrs. Cowan Student Leader: Kate Mahoney, Jay Jarvis, Sara Bowden Room Number: 506

news

may 2021

design by allie crawford

DEVIOUS DEVIOUS allie crawford & regan byrnes |staff writers

Recently, a trend on TikTok emerged called “Devious Licks,” in which students post videos of themselves vandalizing and stealing school property. Some students may find this trend humorous and enjoyable to watch, but the innocence fades when it happens at your own school. Blue Valley has witnessed this trend taking place with property being stolen and damaged. Both staff and students have strong opinions on the matter.

parker neal |senior class president Senior class president Parker Neal said she is astounded by the Devious Licks trend and the childish behavior coming from it. “I think the trend, in general, is just very immature and pointless,” Neal said. “It honestly kind of disappoints me because I was super excited to finally come back to school and get [some sense of] normalcy.” Even though Neal has an idea of what caused this trend to gain popularity, it doesn’t change the fact that she feels disappointed in her fellow peers and her school. “A lot of trends on TikTok start because one person does something dumb and then it goes viral,” Neal said. “A lot of people’s goals on the app is to try to portray [to be] funny [or] look like they’re funny, or they want to get famous or go viral. I have a feeling it was just a domino effect.” While Neal is bewildered by this trend, she believes most of the students are taking this issue seriously and are ashamed that it is happening within their school. “I can’t speak for everyone, but I know [the] people I’ve talked to about it, and the [majority of] people in my grade are taking it seriously,” Neal said. “Obviously, no one wants to get in trouble with the school.” Neal is concerned for the future of the school regarding how rules might change and how it will run in the future. “It’s affecting me because I’m worried that our bathrooms are going to start to close down,” Neal said. “I know the one in the new addition has already been locked a few times, and that’s just an inconvenience to students that they have to travel all across the entire school and wait [in] a long line for one single bathroom that’s open.” Neal said she is mainly worried about the possibility of losing the privileges not being able to have as much freedom in the future. “My main and biggest concern is Tiger Paws, because that was already on thin ice,” Neal said. “Before this trend even started, because people have been leaving trash, and have been walking around with no masks on after they’re done eating, and I know that has caused lots of concern and Mr. Bacon already had to fight for us to even have it on one day a week in the first place.” Neal is irritated by the trend and hopes that it will die out soon because she doesn’t want the privileges and freedom in BV to be revoked. “People need to step up as leaders, like upperclassmen,” she said. “Seniors [and] juniors [need] to step up and can’t be doing stuff like that, we have a lot of privileges this year. Finally, coming back in person and I don’t want to get things like Tiger Paws and Academic Support Time taken away. I feel like we just need to recognize the privileges we have and come together as a school and step up above that.”

eiaad nomaan |senior class vice president Senior class vice president Eiaad Nomaan is extremely surprised by the Devious Licks trend taking place at BV. “I remember hearing [Mr. Bacon] on the intercom and I just started laughing — I was like ‘This is not real, this is a joke,’” Nomaan said. “It really shocked me that students took it that far because I’m a senior now, and in all my years being here, nothing like that has ever happened.” Not only is Nomaan surprised by these acts of vandalism, but he is also disappointed in fellow classmates. “I don’t think a lot of seniors or upperclassmen are prone to do that stuff,” he said. “I love it here and I would never do that to my own school. I think people who haven’t really gotten fully comfortable here think it’s a joke.” Nomaan believes underclassmen may be continuing these acts of vandalism because they haven’t gotten used to the atmosphere at BV and haven’t realized their seemingly harmless actions create problems for everyone. “I know when I was an underclassmen, I thought a lot differently than I do now,” he said. “I think people think that they’re being funny, but it’s really not funny because it’s gotten to the point where it’s affecting everyone else.” The school is taking measures to stop this disrespectful behavior and to monitor parts prone to more vandalism. Unfortunately, this means lost privileges for the students. “[The boy’s] bathroom in our new addition is already closed for who knows how long,” he said. “The more we [damage] our school, the more we’re going to have taken away from us.” Nomaan hopes students can realize how important it is to take care of our school and respect property. ”I don’t think [students] realize what a privilege it is to have [advantages] until they’re taken away,” he said. “We shouldn’t have to wait until we get them taken away, we should start taking care of them first because not having them sucks.”

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LICKS LICKS

scott bacon |principal

kimberly thompson |social studies teacher Social Studies teacher Kimberly Thompson believes the Devious Licks trend and vandalism around the school is disrespectful and completely uncalled for. “I don’t think any pranks that cause damage or more work for anybody are very funny,” Thompson said. “It just seems to be a disregard for people’s comfort and safety.” Why students are damaging the school and stealing items is a mystery for the most part, but Thompson has her own theories. “Honestly, [school] can be boring sometimes. I think that’s what [students] were trying to do — maybe make school less boring,” she said. “Now it sucks because you have to walk forever to find a bathroom.” With wearing masks, dress codes, getting to class on time, and staying on schedule, Thompson thinks students don’t feel like they have any control and need a way to be seen. “There’s all these rules and this, to me, seems like a way for young people to act out against that feeling of oppression — that’s my guess,” she said. “Eventually stuff is gonna catch up with folks, I don’t know if anyone finds it funny, so much as they want to see what they can get away with.” Unfortunately, students’ goals of being seen will not turn out well for them. Many are continuing the trend because it’s difficult to have consequences, unless everyone suffers them, such as bathrooms being closed. Not only are these actions affecting students, but they are also affecting the staff. “It has definitely frustrated custodial staff and administration, which sucks because our custodial staff is pretty amazing to clean up after all these students without complaint,” she said. “They’re here to keep this place safe and tidy. To throw that back in their face? I find that to be pretty heinous.” The staff is doing everything they can to get this issue under control and create a safe and happy atmosphere. “I think [the staff is] trying to limit access to areas that can’t be supervised as well,” she said. “Really we’re trying to build a culture here more than anything. You’re here for approximately four years — be a part of the team.”

Principal Scott Bacon said he is completely against the Devious Licks trend and what it has done to the school. “I’ve seen soap dispensers [and] paper towel dispensers removed from the wall, paper towel bundles [and] soap containers stuffed in a toilet that plugs up the toilet,” Bacon said. “I’m thankful and grateful I haven’t seen more than that, but I’m very disappointed I’ve seen that.” Bacon is at odds for what has caused this trend to occur and spread throughout the district. “I think somebody is competing for attention and trying to come up with what they think is a novel idea that quickly runs rampant,” he said. Though Bacon believes most students are taking this property damage seriously, he thinks a select few find this trend funny somehow and draw humor from it. “A lot of our students are embarrassed and aggravated by it,” Bacon said. “There are a few students who think it’s funny. But I would argue that they’re not thinking very far outside themselves.” Bacon has a few theories of what caused these careless actions from students returning back in person. “The argument could be made that we have some students who don’t know how to act or behave in school,” he said. “I don’t know [if] that’s the case, but certainly behavior like that would indicate that that might be the case. I think our whole country [is] a little bit on edge right now, and I think it’s probably attention-seeking behavior [and] ill advised, for sure.” As the situation continues Bacon said it will affect how the school will run in the future and how guidelines within the school become more strict. “Unfortunately because of the behavior of a few, that could impact the behavior of many. It could take that freedom of choice away,” Bacon said. Bacon went as far to say that Tiger Paws privileges could potentially be taken away due reckless behavior of students. “I know a couple of our sister schools have already suspended Tiger Paws because of some of the unfortunate incidents that have been occurring — I busted my tail to get it and to keep it,” Bacon said. “I hope our students join me in that because I want us to keep it. I don’t want us to lose it. If we have many more incidents, we’re at risk of losing it.” At the moment, Bacon is discussing with other principals at our sister schools and the district itself of how to solve this problem. “I tried to go directly to our students [and] say, ‘Hey this is an issue, [I] don’t want it to get any worse,’” Bacon said. Bacon said if this horrible trend continues, the district will be forced to go to drastic measures. “Some school districts have filed charges against students who have vandalized [the school],” Bacon said. “[This] can be a legal issue. It’s certainly a school consequences issue, and we’ve had to do some of that already.”

news

november 2021

design by rhylan stern

traveling teachers

world language teachers discuss what it is like to teach at two different blue valley schools Spanish teacher Kylie Thompson made the transition from teaching elementary school to teaching high school. Thompson is a traveling teacher here in the Blue Valley disCarol Bar is a French teacher here at Blue Valley High. trict. She teaches Spanish at BV High and BV North. This year brought on new challenges and excitements for her, “I wanted to see what high school was all about,” she said. as this year she started working at a second Blue Valley school “So far, I’ve loved being a teacher at Blue Valley. All the kids — BV Northwest. are really awesome. The school culture here is really cool.” “I was a little concerned in the beginning with regard to Thompson teaches three classes of Spanish 2 at BV and the logistics of being a traveling teacher. I’d two hours of Spanish 1 at North. Being at two schools definever done that before,” she said. “I was worried nitely comes with its challenges. — will I get there on time without having to “Keeping up with the different cultures at each school rush? What happens when the weather gets bad? and what one school expects versus what another Will I find a parking space? What’s it going to be like sharing a classroom and having two different My students in school expects has been a little bit challenging,” said. “Honestly, there are so many principals and school cultures?” both buildings Thompson emails that come in from both sets of schools. So far she has enjoyed the change. Bar is at Keeping track of who teaches where, and what BV in the morning for first through fourth hour have been schedule is going on at each school is a little bit and at Northwest for seventh hour. extremely challenging.” At BV she teaches French 1, French 3, French respectful and She also pointed out the many positives 4 and AP French. At Northwest she teaches an about working at two schools. additional French 4 class. wonderful. “It’s fun to work at two schools,” Thompson In between teaching at BV and Northwest, said. “I get two sets of co-workers and two sets she has a break where she is able to go outside, carol bar of students. I get to see different sides of everyfrench eat her lunch and plan lessons. thing, so it’s fun.” Bar said the students and staff have been very teacher Thompson feels proud to be able to call two welcoming, which has made her transition easier. BV schools home and to be both a Tiger and a Mustang. “My students in both buildings have been extremely re“I feel really lucky,” Thompson said. “Blue Valley is such a spectful and wonderful,” she said. “I really feel like I have two great district, and Blue Valley High and Blue Valley North are homes now.” both really highly renowned schools. There’s a lot of really Bar is grateful for the opportunity to teach at two schools. “I’ll be a Tiger till I die — that’s just who I am and [I] love good things happening in both, so I feel lucky that I get to be a part of both of them and see what it is all about.” being a Tiger,” she said. “I’m [also] very happy to be a part of the Husky family this year.” amy collins |staff writer

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|PHOTO SUBMITTED BY CAROL BAR

|PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT

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TIGER

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| PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT | PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT

| PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT

With multiple sports coming to an end and new ones starting, cheerleaders such as sophomore Kallyn Torgler have been reflecting on the season. “My favorite part is probably either the run through where we hold up the sign or when it’s really close to the end and we figure out if they’re going to win or not in [those] last few seconds,” Torgler said. According to Torgler, having cheerleaders at the various games is important. “We engage the crowd,” Torgler said. “We help motivate them to be better for a team, just to give them more support.”

| PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT

| PHOTO BY AVA MCGUIRE

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Even though last year was difficult because of COVID, senior Alayna Wilburn is grateful for her opportunity to play flute this year. “It felt like I didn’t know many other band members that well,” Wilburn said. “But the upperclassmen have been trying really hard to make up for that during the past several months.” Wilburn enjoys spending time with returners and new people. “My favorite part is being able to reconnect with so many people through an activity we all enjoy,” Wilburn said. Getting back to doing the competitive show and performing at football games has been something Wilburn has enjoyed. “Compared to last year, this year has been so much more fun and rewarding,” she said. “Our friends and family have been able to see all of the hard work we’ve put in.”

| PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT | PHOTO BY RHYLAN STERN

| PHOTO BY RHYLAN STERN

During the Pop Show, senior Hadley Way combined her love of singing with her love of Taylor Swift to make her solo memorable. “I performed ‘The Story of Us’, and I’m obsessed with Taylor Swift,” Way said. “Ask anyone and they’ll say the same thing.” Along with performing a song by her favorite artist, she did it with an instrument. “I’ve never gotten to perform any song with a guitar before — and it was just something new,” she said. “It was super fun, and it felt really special.”

| PHOTO BY SOFIA HUGHES

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As BV girls tennis wrapped up, seniors like Helenna Shcherbinin look back and reminisce on their season. “It’s been so fun to be back to normal,” Shcherbinin said. “For the past few years, it hasn’t been like full [out], so [it’s nice] being back into the business of it.” While Shcherbinin enjoyed her last season, she is sad to see it go. “[Leaving is] bittersweet,” she said. “It can be a little tiring when you are playing three matches a week, but I’m leaving with good memories. It’s a good thing to look back on.”

| PHOTO BY SOFIA HUGHES

| PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT

| PHOTO BY SOFIA HUGHES

School spirit is crucial for senior Sam McAleer. “It is important for the crowd to be engaged and fired up,” McAleer said. “It creates a better atmosphere,” he said. “Three words to describe it is Lit. Crazy. Movie.”

| PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT

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| PHOTO BY KAITLIN GREEN | PHOTO BY ELLE MOULDER

After finishing the lyrics to Taylor Swift’s “Wildest Dreams”at a Tiger Pride event, sophomore Ava Poland knows how valuable school spirit is. “It’s important to be involved because BV is a family,” Poland said. “Showing you care about your family and school is important.” Poland believes school pride will uphold the school’s reputation. “It shows a good representation of what the school is about to people in other schools,” she said. Poland encourages other students to participate in Tiger Pride activities. “They can be fun,” she said. “It’s a good way to meet other people.” | PHOTO BY CHANIE RANKIN

| PHOTO BY AYESHA KHAN | PHOTO BY HARRIS JONES

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PINK OUT

| PHOTO BY BRYNN FRIESEN

| PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT

See Page 14 to read about Señora Sanflé and her journey. | PHOTO BY REGAN BYRNES

| PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT | PHOTO BY BRYNN FRIESEN

feature

november 2021

design by elle moulder

ive Deliberately teacher shares her battle with cancer. BV BV teacher shares her battle with cancer

elle moulder|staff writer In 2018, BV Spanish teacher Kathryn Sanflé experienced symptoms of what was later identified as early-stage cancer. “I found it in the lymph nodes under my armpit, went to my doctor, did all of the test imaging and started treatment one month later,” Sanflé said. Her breast cancer has now spread to other “I would hope parts of her body. that would “In be the mark I 2020 right when leave — that COVID hit I found they know out I had a that they were fracture in spine valued by me.” my because kathryn cancer was sanflé, growing in spanish the bone of teacher my back,” she said. “It has since moved on to my liver, lungs and now it is in the lining of my brain. When I found out it was in my brain, I was having neurological symptoms, I was having stroke-like symptoms because [my brain] was inflamed.” She is working with her doctors to slow the growth of the cancer. “I have been in treatment since

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Treatment Timeline

spring break of 2020 — we have tried basically every oral treatment that there is,” she said. “I [have started] chemo again, and it will basically be once a month for the rest of my life.” For Sanflé cancer treatment has brought many hardships into her life. “Things that are hard about cancer is the only way to treat it is to essentially poison your entire body,” she said. “When I was initially diagnosed, I did eight rounds of chemo. You kind of get a countdown, you know how far you’ve gone. [Now] I’m on a ride until the end.” Sanflé’s breast cancer has progressed immensely. “Once people are diagnosed as metastatic, which is stage 4, it means that the cancer has moved to places beyond the original site,” she said. “It will usually get you about three years, and I’m already a year and a half into it. It has progressed to all of the major organs that breast cancer tends to go [to, but] there are still other places it can go.” Sanflé is now forced to think through various situations in the future that cancer will inevitably impact. “I am adapting to the fear of my children spending the bulk of their lives without me — which is probably the hardest part — because there are so many things I’m not going to get to see them do,” she said. “I would pay all the money that I have in my bank account to get to fight with them in high school because I feel like most high schoolers just fight with their parents. God, what I wouldn’t give to get the chance to do all

of that.” Although Sanflé is dealing with arguably the most difficult situation a person could be in, she is still trying to make the best of every moment. “My college roommates and I had planned a trip to Sedona this summer because we’re all turning 40,” she said. “The most memorable part of the last month is being able to be in the right place at the right time with the right people. They were that place [and] those people I needed.” Sanflé spends as much time with her family as possible. “I’m trying to do things every day with my kids,” she said. “I’m writing them letters, or I’m writing down what we did, how [they felt] about their first day of school, what my 9-year-old’s birthday [was] like, trying to [take] a million pictures, so that they remember me being there for it.” Her and her family have made some lasting memories and still have more on the way. “We got to meet a few of the pitchers from the Royals and got great seats to the game — [we] had a super fabulous time,” she said. “I think there’s little things to do every day, and then there’s some of those bigger things to do.” Sanflé wants to leave a positive impact on Blue Valley students and faculty. “I care about [my students] as people — more than Spanish students — but I know that [Spanish] isn’t everyone’s path,” she said. “I hope that would be the mark I leave — that they know that they were valued by me.”

Summer-Fall 2018

Winter 2019

May 2020

September 2021

IV Chemo

IV Hormone Therapy

Recurrence, Radiation

Radiation

Summer 2018

January 2019

March-May 2019

May 2020 - September 2021

October 2021

Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Surgery

Radiation

Various oral chemotherapies

IV Chemo

feature

november 2021

design by charley thomas

Holding Down the Fort Junior discusses experiences within military family charley thomas |publication editor

eing in the military brings about dedication enough from enlistees and officers themselves, let alone the families supporting them. Junior Abby Taylor, a member of one of these families, provides a glimpse into the unique experiences she has amassed through having a father in the Army. “Every two to three years, they relocate you based on what they need,” Taylor said. “I’ve lived in California, Texas, Virginia twice, Tennessee and now Kansas.” Similarly to how Taylor has seen variety in where she’s lived, her father has encountered a variety of different assignments while on the job. “He was deployed twice to Iraq and Afghanistan,” she said. “When we lived in DC, he worked in the budgeting office at the Pentagon, and he also led a brigade in Tennessee.” As one might expect, living in five different states has brought its challenges, and Taylor acknowledged a few. “It’s hard to be the new person at school, get used to a new area, and find all your new favorite places, but I’d say it’s definitely rewarding in the end,” she said. Furthermore, Taylor pointed out specific ways in which she believes her frequent moving around has given her the upper hand. “It’s definitely taught me how to adapt, how to move spaces easily, how to be resilient and how to make friends quickly,” she said.

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It’s definitely taught me how to adapt, how to move spaces easily, how to be resilient, and how to make friends quickly.

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abby taylor, 11

Though relocating to new places has created an obstacle to sustaining relationships, Taylor and her family have managed to stay in touch with their diverse array of friends across the country through social media and other methods. “We’re actually going down to Texas in November for a meetup of some of [my dad’s] old brigade members, so that’s pretty fun,” she said. Along with providing a distinctly varied network of friends, Taylor notes that having a parent in the Army has also given her a unique perspective on both past and current events. “I have a newfound appreciation for DC and all its history,” she said. “Whenever there’s something on the news like a military event, I can relate to it a little bit more than most because I’ve heard about it, my parents have talked about it and I’ve grown up with that aspect.” In addition to affecting her viewpoint on historical and present happenings, Taylor’s experiences have partially shaped her plans for the future. “I want to go into interior design, but I’ve always been interested in moving back to DC and working there,” she said. “I just love the atmosphere and the ambiance of Washington.” On the whole, Taylor expressed that her father’s involvement in the military, despite its ups and downs, has served to create deeper bonds within her home. “We’re a pretty close family,” she said. “We’ve been through a lot — when my dad had to be deployed, it was just me, my mom and my sisters, so obviously the three or four of us became close, and when [my dad’s] here, it’s even better. We share everything with each other.”

|PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY BY ABBY TAYLOR

on the cover november 2021

design by ayesha khan

SIDE LINED

written by: regan byrnes, emily fortin, sofia hughes, frannie lamberti, harrison melton & charley thomas

njury — something every athlete hopes to never witness, let alone experience firsthand. The human body, though capable of many athletic feats, can only handle so much stress, strain, and impact, and when its threshold is exceeded, the consequences and potential injuries that result can be severe. Whether from overuse or acute trauma, injuries in high school and competitive sports have risen recently, with ACL tears increasing 148% among 14 to 18-year-olds in the last 10 years according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Statistics like this don’t encompass the frequently long recovery processes through which injured athletes must go, which are only made more difficult through the less often discussed mental challenges that come with sitting out. In these stories, we take a look at both the physical and mental impacts athletic injuries and other ailments have had on BV athletes while they were and/or are sidelined.

complications in athletics prove challenging in the lives of competitors

the strain of stress E xercise is known for its health benefits, both mental and physical — but can all that pressure to push one’s body actually be doing more harm than good? The strain created from repeated athletic activities can lead to adverse health effects, and not all of this harm is visible. Athletes participating in high-intensity sports are at a greater risk for mental health issues, including burn-out, stress and low-self esteem. Stress is one of the greatest factors affecting student athletes’ performances. Academic challenges, lack of time and home-life all contribute to increased stress levels. Trying to excel in both the classroom and field increases the mental demand of students, taking a toll on their well-being. Students exercising under chronic stress are more likely to succumb to injury. All these external pressures and expectations increase among injured athletes, creating an endless cycle. A study by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association found that student athletes report higher levels of negative emotional states than non-athletic adolescents. Built up pressure to refine skills leads to increased practice, adding strain to the body and allowing less time for recovery. The escalating intensity in youth sports creates the perfect environment for overuse, burnout, and career-ending injuries. Studies have shown a linear relationship between the amount of time

students spend practicing and incidences of extreme injuries. 62% of injuries in youth sports occur during practice, not games. The risk of career-ending injuries is only growing. Early specialization, or the year-round focus on one activity from a young age, leads to the overuse of muscles. The risk of injury caused by overuse is especially high in this type of training. When a particular action or movement is repeated over and over, the area of the body used to complete that motion is not permitted the necessary recovery time for healing. Studies suggest athletes who were forced to specialize in a specific sport at an early age are more likely to quit due to injury or burnout in their later years. One study conducted on groups of swimmers found those who specialized sooner than their teammates spent less time on national teams and retired far earlier. Youth specialization also correlates with reports of decreased general and psychological well-being. Student athletes are told from a young age to push through physical obstacles and not show signs of weakness in order to improve, but when students apply this philosophy to their mental health struggles, the outcome is often damaging. Students and coaches need to understand that physical clearance to return to the field does not correlate to the psychological readiness needed to perform.

TIME TO Recover B

eing in peak physical condition is one of the most important things for any athlete. They’re required to be constantly moving in order to make a play or score some points, but sports can also bring along a variety of injuries that hinder these athletes from playing in the next game. During senior Zak Svendsen’s first football game of the season, he had an unfortunate collision with one of his teammates, leaving his middle and ring finger metacarpals broken. Due to the severity of the injury, he had to take a break from football. While he is now fully recovered, daily life was made difficult throughout the return process. “When it first happened, I couldn’t do schoolwork — I couldn’t write [and] I had to type everything,” Svendsen said. “With football, I couldn’t practice. I had to stand on the sideline and watch all my teammates practice.” While Svendsen’s injury is in the past, junior Connelly Kilgore is still dealing with her torn ACL and meniscus. “I am going to be out of playing volleyball for 9 to 12 months,” Kilgore said. “[Recovery is] kind of gradual. I’ll get back to walking and then running again. Then down the road is actually playing volleyball.” After Svendsen’s hand was mostly healed, he was able to play football once again. To protect his hand while playing, he wore a club until the injury fully healed, making tackling and other parts of football difficult.

connelly kilgore, 11 PHOTO BY charlie trent

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on the cover november 2021

design by ayesha khan

I had to wear the cast the doctor’s office gave me, and then [[TRainer] Caitlin [truhe] cut a piece of foam that would wrap around and then she used bandages to wrap it around my fingers and all the way up my forearm.

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SVEDSEN, 12

PHOTO BY charlie trent

“I had to wear the cast the doctor’s office gave me, and then [trainer] Caitlin [Truhe] cut a piece of foam that would wrap around and then she used bandages to wrap it around my fingers and all the way up my forearm,” Svendsen said. “It’s protecting [my hand,] so I can’t hurt it and it looks like a nub.” During the healing process, both players were required to attend practices despite not being able to play. While on the bench, Kilgore kept stats for her team and encouraged them during games. “It’s hard to go from playing to just watching, but it’s good to watch my team and support them,” Kilgore said. “I’ve realized you shouldn’t take things for granted. I think I kind of took for granted volleyball and the small things like working out or walking normally.” Without one person, the team can seem unbalanced or incomplete. For Svendsen, sitting on the sidelines was difficult since he watched his team continue playing without him. “Every day during practice sucks, but then not being able to do it anymore, definitely sucks,” Svendsen said. “Don’t take practice and the bond you share with your teammates for granted.”

OUT FOR THE SEASON S

enior AJ Diederich is an inside linebacker on the varsity football team. He was playing the season-opener against Blue Valley Northwest when he suffered the injury of a torn ACL and a medial meniscus. “I was running up to tackle the quarterback and when I pivoted, my whole knee just blew out,” Diederich said. “I fell to the ground.” That play prevented Diederich from participating for the rest of the game and forced him to head to the doctor where he received the news that he wouldn’t be able to play football for the rest of the season. “It felt really messed up [because] nothing like that ever happened, so I didn’t know how bad it was going to be,” he said. “When they told me it was my ACL, [I] pretty much knew I wasn’t going to be able to play anymore.” Even though Diederich isn’t able to play the rest of the year, he was still happy to know that he made the varsity team but continues to be disappointed that he can’t compete. “It was nice, at least being able to know that I would have been starting since I did the first game,” he said. “It obviously sucks knowing that you worked really hard for something and then it got taken away in one half of a play.” After his incident, Diederich’s next course of action was to start recovering physically and mentally, which first involved an operation. “After surgery, the first week was rough because they opened up my whole knee and put screws in there,” Diederich said. “It was pretty painful, [and] it still lingers now, but it’s a lot better than it was.” Before this, Diederich was even planning on continuing his career as an inside linebacker in college but is now questioning this decision. “I was thinking about it while I was playing, but now this happened and [playing in college is] probably not going to [happen],” he said. “It’s

63 %

statistics according to a poll of 211 stUdents

of students have been injured while playing a sport

47% AJ DIEDERICH, 12 PHOTO submitted by aj diederich pretty hard to get recruited when you don’t have anything to show.” Even though Diederich can’t actively be on the field helping run successful plays, he will be on the sidelines cheering on his friends, supporting them throughout the rest of the season. “I wasn’t able to go to the past few games because of my surgery, but I’ll be at the rest of the games the rest of the season supporting,” he said.

of athletes find their mental health to be impacted as a result of their injury Though recovering has been hard for Diederich so far, mentally recovering seems to be the biggest challenge he faces right now. “I’d say it’s probably been more tough mentally — [it’s] pretty much all you can think about because you’re on crutches all the time,” he said. “When you see everyone playing games [and think] you should be playing because you envisioned it. It’s definitely been harder mentally, but it’s something that I can get through.”

EXPERT's OPINION A s sports-related injuries continue to grow in prevalence, Blue Valley Athletic Trainer Caitlin Truhe witnesses firsthand the daily activities and trials of affected athletes. “Depending on the day, I see anywhere between 20 to 50 kids,” she said. “It depends on if there were a lot of activities over the weekend [or] just how injury-prevalent a game was.” According to Truhe, one reason for the jump in the volume of sports injuries of teenage athletes in recent years can be traced back further than some may assume. “Younger kids are spending a lot more time inside on video games or anything electronic — and spending more time inside decreases all of the vitamins and minerals you can get from being outside, like vitamin D,” she said. “The lower you are in your nutrients and vitamins, [the more you] increase your risk of injury.” Along with working closely at hand with the front office staff and treating students during and after school, Truhe is responsible for ensuring athletes injured while competing receive proper care from the moment they indicate they’ve been hurt. “When someone gets injured in a game, first thing,

obviously we’re running out onto the scene,” she said. “If I see an athlete down, I’m assessing, ‘Are they moving? Are they walking? Are they sitting? Are they laying down? What is their reaction? Are they crying? Are they yelling in pain?’ and all those kinds of things.” After gathering an initial impression of the extent of an athlete’s injury, Truhe conducts an “on-field assessment” to determine whether or not the player in question can return. If the injury is moderate or even severe, treatment such as ice, tape or crutches may be used, but Truhe said this process can be avoided for some by following a couple simple prevention steps. “Making sure your hydration and your nutrition statuses are good [is important to helping you avoid injuries],” she said. “I always promote performance training, whether that’s doing a weightlifting class here at the school or doing something outside of school, and making sure you’re lifting and training to be an athlete in general, not just a volleyball player [for example].” In the event that an athlete does suffer an injury, though, Truhe stressed the importance of personal accountability throughout the return process. “Taking ownership and doing all of the exercises

you’re told [to do] from me, a physical therapist or your doctor [helps your recovery go faster and be more effective],” she said. “Every exercise is important — no matter how weird you feel doing it or if you really don’t like it. The one you dislike the most is probably the one that helps you the most.” Truhe pointed out that although trainers, coaches and other professionals can be helpful guides, much of injury rehab is intuitive. “Listening to your body [is essential during recovery],” she said. “If you’ve been icing your injury and you feel really stiff, or it feels like the ice isn’t helping anymore, then you don’t need to do something that isn’t helping you. [Don’t be] afraid to change what you’re doing based on how you’re feeling and how you’re reacting to those exercises.” For injured athletes struggling with the mental aspect of being out of the game, Truhe spoke against trying to get through the process alone. “Talk about it,” she said. “Whether it’s with your coach, your athletic trainer or whoever, talk about CAITLIN TRUHE, struggles you’re having — letting them out and acknowlATHLETIC TRAINER edging them helps you to move forward.” Isolating yourself during recovery, Truhe reiterated, can PHOTO BY MACey FRANKO rob you of an abundance of support. “Remaining close to your rounded by your friends bit, your community is so importteam is so important,” she said. matters because even though ant. Your friends are still there — “Coming back to practice, even you’re not on the field or court or they’re going to support you. We though it’s hard, and being surwherever, and that will sting a little want to see you there.”

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Every exercise is important — no matter how weird you feel doing it, or if you really don’t like it. The one you dislike the most is probably the one that helps you the most.

RECOVERING ATHLETES T he year 2020 changed the lives of many people, but the lives of two student athletes were changed in a different way. Seniors Kenzie Hammontree and Anna Borcherding both tore their ACLs playing soccer. “I was dribbling the ball and this girl came at my knee from the side and

completely went for my body instead of going for the ball,” Hammontree said. “I immediately dropped to the ground and grabbed my knee. It was not painful, but it was a really weird feeling. I felt like my knee was completely twisted 360 [degrees] and then went back.” Both soccer players endured about six months of following recovery guidelines and pep talks from their physical therapists. “[The recovery process] was definitely challenging at times, but I was pushed and motivated,” Borcherding said. “I went to physical therapy three times a week and also had exercises to do on my own. I would check back in with PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNA BORCHERDING my surgeon

ANNA BORCHERDING, 12

every few weeks. They would give me updates on when I can start running, when I can start with contact [and when] I could be cleared for going back onto the field.” Even though the injury was hard on both of them, there were memorable moments throughout the experience. “Right after my surgery, all my friends came over to my house and surprised me and brought gifts,” Hammontree said. “I was basically in bed for a week

PHOTO COURTESY OF KENZIE HAMMONTREE

KENZIE HAMMONTREE, 12

straight icing my leg, and I wasn’t mobile at all. It was really nice of them to visit.” After the injury, the girls were ready to go back to their sport. With the support of others, Borcherding said coming back was easy and exciting. “I was welcomed by so many people out on the field because it was during high school season and a lot of people were cheering me on to get back as soon as possible,” Borcherding said. “I realized how much I miss playing the sport and how much I enjoy running around on the field.” Every now and then, the athletes will ice their injuries or take precautions, but they are both fully recovered. Hammontree wants others with this

injury to follow the rules provided by doctors to have a safe and fast recovery. “Really appreciate the sport you’re playing because you never know when something like that could happen,” Hammontree said. “It takes a long time, and it’s a lot of work to overcome this injury, so enjoy and take advantage of the things you have.” Borcherding said she came back stronger than ever after the injury and is thankful for the experience. “I thought I would never be 100% the same player as I used to be. But playing now, I’ve realized that I was able to overcome that challenge,” Borcherding said. “It definitely made me realize I can overcome any struggle that is thrown at me.”

on the cover

november 2021

66% OF STUDENTS HAVE HAD TO ATTEND PHYSICAL THERAPY DUE TO A SPORTS A INJURY

COVID CANCELLATIONS

hough the peak of the pandemic has arguably passed, COVID-19 still affects our day-to-day lives. This rings especially true for sophomore Grace Wagers, who tested positive for the coronavirus not long before the girls’ volleyball season officially started. “It was definitely an emotional and physical challenge,” Wagers said. “I had head congestion, fever, sore throat [and] body aches. I was really tired.” Wagers had to stay home due to her illness, but it also led to other cancellations. “I was supposed to be in a wedding that weekend after I tested positive,” Wagers said. “When I tested positive, I ended up exposing the whole wedding party, and they ended up having to cancel the wedding.” Wagers’ volleyball team had to isolate themselves as well due to exposure. “They were only quarantined about a week, I believe,” Wagers said. “We ended up missing a triangular game, and I ended up missing a dual versus Northwest and Aquinas,” Even though Wagers couldn’t attend practices, her teammates made sure to let her know that they missed her too. “I had girls on the team texting me every day just checking in with me, seeing how I was feeling, asking me if they could bring me anything from the school or if there [was] anything I needed in general,” Wagers said. “Everybody was super helpful and super patient.” As the team continued practicing, Wagers began working on getting back on the court. “I had a couple meetings with our athletic trainer, and I ended up seeing a doctor to get cleared,” she said. “She went in and did a couple of basic routine things and told me I was good to go.” A doctor’s note wouldn’t make Wagers ready to play again, however. She also had to readjust after her time off. “When I was back in school, I started each day with a

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little bit of time attending our practice,” she said. “First it was 15 minutes, and then it went to 30, 45 and then 60 minutes, and then the day after that, [I] was fully cleared. [COVID] took a toll on my body, and it was just a safety precaution when coming back in.” After such an ordeal, Wagers was glad to be able to finish the season. “I [have] very much learned to appreciate the time I have on the court with my team and the things I’m able to do in life,” she said. “It’s a blessing — my time with my team and on the court. I’ve become very appreciative of all of it.”

55% of BV'S STUDENT ATHLETES TOOK MONTHS TO RECOVER

GRACE WAGERS, 10 PHOTO BY charlie trent

feature

november 2021

design by harrison melton

Not Over

Students participate in annual drawing challenge

s October began, artists nationwide grabbed their best pens and began Inktober’s first prompt: Crystal. Inktober is an annual art challenge where a set of 31 prompts are released, encouraging participants to complete a piece of art each day using only ink. The prompts range anywhere from Halloween-esque words like “Spirit” or “Moon” to random ones like “Fuzzy” or “Open.” Sophomore Jay Jarvis participated in Inktober. “It’s really hard to keep up with because you have to do prompts every single day and it’s really frustrating not being able to erase, especially if you’re not really confident in art,” Jarvis said. “This year I feel like I’ve gotten a lot better at art, [so I was] really excited to complete Inktober.”

The task of finishing 31 pieces of art consecutively is a daunting task for many participants. This is helped by the prompts given, but artists still experience fatigue. While it’s difficult, it still provides artists with a variety of benefits. “It really gets you out of your comfort zone — you have to use ink and you can’t erase anything. It’s really difficult,” Jarvis said. “You have to be really mindful about where your lines are going.” Jarvis practiced throughout the month of September by drawing every day to get used to it. Besides practice, drawing frequently also helped improve their artistic abilities. “I love it — I love Inktober because it helps me get to my goal of being a better artist,” Jarvis said. “I want to do [art either as] a career or a hobby when I’m an adult, and I think it will get me to my goal of being really good.”

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harrison melton |staff writer

I love it. I love Inktober because it helps me get to my goal of being a better artist. jay jarvis 10

| DESIGN BY HARRISON MELTON

feature

november 2021

design by harrison melton

Channing Anderson, 10n, 10

Channing Anderson, 10

Avery Harris, 12

Channing Anderson, 10

Day 23: Leak

Day 22: Open

Channing Anderson, 10

Palak Panchal, 12

Day 11: Sour

Day 10: Pick

Channing Anderson, 10

Day 12: Stuck Day 9: Pressure

Day 8: Watch

Day 6: Spirit

Day 5: Raven

Student Submissions

Jay Jarvis, 10

Jay Jarvis, 10 | PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY ARTISTS

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november 2021

design by elle moulder & ava mcguire

Computer science teacher participates in online food challenges

At the onset of COVID-19, BV computer science teacher TJ Slade started exhibiting his love of gaming on the popular streaming service, Twitch. Almost a year later, he introduced food challenges to his channel. “[When] you are a good streamer, you’re either really funny, really good at a video game or you have something unique,” Slade said. “I would say I’m alright at video games, and I’m alright at being funny — the food challenges are something unique.” Slade streams as a way to provide entertainment and interact with his students, friends and family. For Slade, also known as his Twitch handle, mrSladerade, streaming also provides the opportunity to meet new people. “If students want to come watch or they want to enjoy being a part of the community, then [they should] feel free to — it’s completely separate from my school environment,” Slade said. “It’s just what I do in my free time that I enjoy a lot.” Slade participates in various food challenges such as The Power Hour Challenge, the Blazing Challenge, eating six bags of popcorn in an hour and competing against his dad in the Taco Bell Challenge. “The Power Hour Challenge required a Big Mac, large fry and 20-piece chicken nugget from McDonald’s; a 20-piece chicken nugget from Chick-Fil-A, a Chick-Fil-A sandwich, [and a large fry]; a Wendy’s, frosty; and Crunchwrap Supreme from Taco Bell; all in an hour,” Slade said. After Slade streamed The Power Hour Challenge, he |PHOTO SUBMITTED BY TJ SLADE

realized that food challenge streaming was his way to differentiate himself and that food challenges were something he genuinely enjoyed doing and wanted to continue in the future. For future streams, Slade hopes to brave the World’s Hottest Chip Challenge, the Cinnamon Challenge and the Gallon Challenge. Slade would like to find a way to incorporate his love of shrimp into his food challenge I think I streaming as well. “I do a shrimp boil with my counted about in-laws every Labor Day, and usu80 shrimp ally I eat a ton of shrimp there,” Slade said. “I think I counted that I ate in about 80 shrimp that I ate in one one sitting. sitting. Moving that to a stream [is] something that could easily be tj slade done.” computer Slade hopes to start a YouTube science channel for his food challenges. teacher “Individuals can go and watch just the highlights [on YouTube] because I don’t know if anybody wants to sit there for an hour to [watch] the Power Hour challenge [on Twitch],” Slade said. “That is something that will be up in the future.” The overall goal of mrSladerade is to create a positive space where people can find amusement and connect to Slade in a way that isn’t “Mr. Slade and students.” “Anybody can join — it’s not like, ‘Oh, if you’re a student, you can’t watch’, because again, I want to build a community of people who enjoy having fun and enjoy, I guess, me being in pain — depending on the challenge,” Slade said. “[It is] something that is open to all.”

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ava mcguire |staff writer

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november 2021

design by brynn friesen

Student discusses work experience at Starbucks during the fall brynn friesen|staff writer

ith the fall season in swing, various workplaces are applying seasonal changes to their own establishments. The Starbucks location senior Jessica Alexander works at is setting their customers up for the true feeling of fall. “We’ve brought out the pumpkin scones, the fox cake pop, caramel apple or the apple crisp macchiato — and then we’ve got our pumpkin spice latte, of course,” Alexander said. “Basically, you can get the syrups for the apple crisp and pumpkin spice in any drink that you really want, so we offer it in frappuccinos, which most people don’t really know.” One of Alexander’s personal favorites was just released recently, and she is more than happy. “We also have our pumpkin muffin — it’s a pumpkin, cream cheese muffin,” Alexander said. “I think that is fantastic.” Along with the multiple new food and drink items, Starbucks is beginning to promote and decorate based on the fall aesthetic. “We haven’t done a whole lot personally at our location because we have been a little bit understaffed, and it’s regrettable,” Alexander said. “As soon

as all of our new people get finished with their training, they plan on decorating the store for Halloween, and we’re even going to be allowed to dress up on Halloween night. That’ll help promote, and I’m excited for it.” Despite the enjoyment the seasonal experience at Starbucks can bring its workers, it can get very stressful. “It definitely gets busier in the fall, especially when we put out stuff immediately,” Alexander said. “The very first three weeks, we had orders out the wazoo. Our mobile order machine went down for an entire week as a result of how many orders we got.” While Starbucks is known for its coffee, especially during this season, customers are also able to enjoy a more interactive experience with the company. “We do a joke of the day inside of our stores — we have it right up front and at the drive thru,” Alexander said. “We always find that people tip more and leave the store a lot happier when they actually read the joke of the day. Whenever we slack, we kind of feel bad about it, because that’s the one thing that some people come through the drive thru for. They don’t even care about the drinks anymore — they

just want to read the jokes to tell it to their children when they get home at the end of the day.” Alexander values the relationship between consumers and employees at her workplace. “Honestly, the interactions that we have with customers during the season makes or breaks their day,” Alexander said. “Since we have such a connection with some of our customers, the experience is so important.”

feature

BVis

november 2021

design by ayesha khan

FIRED

Seniors create videography account to excite BV community, promote involvements ayesha khan |design editor

B cole dickey, 12 | PHOTOS COURTESY OF COLE DICKEY & SARAH GRAVITT

sarah gra

vitt, 12

lue Valley is known by many for its unmatched school spirit. Seniors Cole Dickey and Sarah Gravitt have found a way to capture this excitement and share it through their social media account, BV Hype Films. “Hype films are kind of trailer-like videos that get the student body excited for the upcoming game,” Dickey said. “Whether it’s volleyball or football, it’s just something to get excited and to look forward to.” What started as a way to expand their skills eventually developed into a way of spreading school spirit, and it doubles as a portfolio for their work. “I loved creating highlight videos, and I wanted to do more projects with them,” Dickey said. “[Videography is] a passion of mine and I wanted it to grow, so I decided to start making this a natural thing.” There are several steps and procedures that go into making each hype film. “The first thing we do is just brainstorm different sports or activities or things that we want to film and find days we could film them,” Gravitt said. “Then we go film and start the editing process — we find music, we start going through our clips and just see what creatively we can come up with.”

91%

of students think BV Hype Films helps spread school spirit

79%

of students find that BV Hype Films excite them for upcoming events based on a survey of 210 students

Their current feed is mainly centered around sports, but they hope to expand their content to include more of a variety of activities. “Fall has been very football-focused, which is great and everything — we love making football videos — but especially when football season comes to a close, we’ll branch out a lot more,” Gravitt said. Although their career plans are still open ended, Dickey and Gravitt both agree videography is something they can potentially see themselves pursuing later on. “I definitely want to grow and create a website — I want other big this a influencers to see [our videos] and maybe natural thing. invite us to do bigger cole dickey opportunities,” Dickey 12 said. “[For now,] we’re not sure what the future holds.”

“

[Videography is] a passion of mine and I wanted it to grow, so I decided to start making

@ bvhypefilms

“

The entire process is fairly time-consuming and is much more complex than it may appear. “It takes a really long time, especially depending on how good, let’s say, we’re doing at a football game,” Gravitt said. “How good of a football game it was depends on how many clips we have to go through, all that stuff. It depends on what we film, but it does end up taking quite a long time.” Once they obtain the necessary components to start making the film, they find the creative aspect and attentiongrabber to be the most difficult part. “People don’t understand you need a hook for people to watch the video, and we’re probably going through at least 300 clips,” Dickey said. Despite the difficulties that go into making a video, it all becomes worth it when they see the final product. “[When] we finish the video and we watch it fully for the first time — that’s probably one of my favorite parts,” Gravitt said. “I get so excited watching what we put together.” The two also find the feedback they receive from students and the community — good and bad — to be very rewarding and helpful. “I like seeing the audience’s point of view,” Dickey said. “People reposting, commenting, just enjoying them seeing our hard work going out into the community and making people smile — that’s definitely my favorite thing to do.”

feature

november 2021

design by isaac hudson

Improv comedy group kicks off its season isaac hudson |staff writer

or the uninitiated, Fifth Wall is Blue Valley’s improvisational comedy group. Every year, theater students go through a day of auditions in hopes of being selected to join the troupe. Ultimately, the auditioners are whittled down to a team of 15 people. Students have to be in the Repertory Theatre class in order to audition. Senior Joey Compton is now in his third year as a part of Fifth Wall; he joined as a member his sophomore year. “Fifth Wall consists of two ‘improvadors’ [who are team leaders], one senior and one junior,” Compton said. “The improvadors this year are me and [junior] Cannon Simpson. We have 10 players who perform in games, and three emcees who run the games for a total of 15 people.” The membership Compton, Kozisek & Samuelson of the group is very volatile, Compton said. Because of the amount of people who try out every year, it is not always guaranteed someone will be in the group two years in a row. “I had no idea what the team would look like this year — we had 12 seniors last year so we had a huge gap to fill,” he said. “The school has always delivered, and this year we have an incredibly strong team that I want to show off as much as possible.” Among those new members are sophomore Grant Kozisek and junior Ben Samuelson. Both of them have quickly adjusted to the environment of Fifth Wall. “It is a really fun place,” Kozisek said. “You get to have fun cracking jokes and making others laugh while you make up everything as you go.” Fifth Wall has been a very welcoming environment every year, and this time around was no exception. The group has learned to work together and bring their best to every practice

th Ka

FIFtH WALL

& ek ozis Grant K

er in eS ch lag el

or performance. “The people I get to work with are fun because none of us are butting heads with each other — we know how to have a good time,” Samuelson said. “I knew I wanted to be on the team [because] I had gone to their shows before and I enjoyed them.” In a normal year, it is a challenge for each Fifth Wall group to get used to performing together and being in sync with each other. But for the last two years, the coronavirus has made that even more challenging. “COVID has been incredibly difficult on how we perform — your mouth is such a big part of comedic acting, and we lose all of that with masks,” Compton said. “We’ve got to make sure our players, and especially our audience, are comfortable.” Fifth Wall’s first show was on Sept. 24 in the PAC during Tiger Paws. “I thought the first show went great,” Samuelson said. “I wasn’t expecting to see so many people show up — it was exciting. Obviously, the games were a little short due to our short time frame. It was an awesome feeling, and I’m looking forward to more shows this year.” The team is excited for the season ahead and looks forward to the next show in December. “My favorite part is getting to perform for others,” Kozisek said. “I enjoy being on stage, and Fifth Wall allows for us to do that often without having the stress of months of prep.” Despite the differences between this year and a normal year, the team is adamant to bring their A-game to every performance and be as funny and entertaining as possible. “We won’t be competing at State this year due to COVID complications, which is a big disappointment,” Compton said. “I’m [still] determined to give the team a good year and a good time.”

| PHOTOS BY HARRIS JONES

feature

november 2021

design by sofia hughes

Student shares experiences working at Renaissance Festival emily fortin & sofia hughes |staff writers As the fall season began, students around BV made plans to return to a favorite local event. The Kansas City Renaissance Festival, a seven-week long fair themed around the Renaissance era, made its annual return in early September. For senior Ashton Barlow, the festival is more than a fun weekend plan — it’s his job. “I am the head drummer for the fairy troupe at the Renaissance Festival,” Barlow said. “I’m also the understudy for Puck in a ‘Midsummer Night’s Scheme’, an improv show.” Barlow is already involved in theater at school, but he had to learn to play an instrument for the fair. “I had no drumming experience,” he said. “You’ll see me at school drumming on my lap or chest all the time. I’m going over the beats every single second.” In “A Midsummer Night’s Scheme,” Barlow plays Puck, a mischievous fairy, accompanied by the fairies Cobweb, Pea Blossom and Mustardseed. “‘A Midsummer Night’s Scheme’ is kind of like ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ — it’s not the show, it’s a little tricksy improv game,” he said. “[We] interact with the audience.” Each cast member of the festival’s fairy troupe is assigned to a specific character themed around a brightly-colored gemstone. Barlow is no different. “I play Howlite,” Barlow said. “It’s a stone that’s black and white, so I wear a lot of black and white fairy clothing. Then I also play Puck.” Before an actor makes it into the fairy troupe, they have to try out. Though auditioning to work at such a big event sounds intimidating, Barlow was able to relax and show off his talents as a performer. “The audition process was very chill,” he said. “They [started us] off with yoga. Then we played a few improv games, lyrical and whatnot, and learned a few dances.” After a successful showing, Barlow was offered a role. He is one of the youngest there. “There’s only three people who are under 18 there, and [they’re] all people from [BV],” he said. “Me, [senior] Eliot O’Bryan and [senior] Christina Stone.” Performing at the Festival every weekend isn’t Barlow’s only job. He keeps busy by spending his time working elsewhere. “I work three jobs right now — I know it sounds like a lot,” he said. “I [also] work at Price Chopper [and] Jersey Boyz.” Barlow doesn’t mind his work at the festival. He enjoys the ability to interact with guests. “It’s not all work — we play a lot. Even when we’re working, we play,” he said. “I’ll walk up to a kid and I’ll be like, ‘May I have your name?’ and then the kid will give me their name, and I’ll be like, ‘Thank you. Farewell!’ and then I’ll run away because fairies steal names.” Barlow’s favorite aspect of working during the Festival is

|PHOTOS BY EMILY FORTIN the guests. “In our fairy forest, we get a lot of interesting people,” he said. “I’ve had hour-long conversations with them about things from politics to the deepest, darkest religion things.” Having the opportunity to create lasting memories for others pushes Barlow to keep performing. He hopes to have an impact on those he performs for. “Sometimes you can see [a] kid doesn’t have a good family life,” Barlow said. “We try to make that kid’s day.” Though the 2021 Renaissance season has come to an end, Barlow is thankful that he worked it this year. “Being able to act all day is fun in and of itself,” he said. “But in addition to that, you get to meet so many people and experience all kinds of new things.”

feature

november 2021

design by harris jones

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice Senior talks baking, her love behind it harris jones |staff writer

ith the holiday season readily approaching, people are preparing by cooking and baking their favorite fall dishes. Senior Ella Mills is one of these people. Mills was so excited to start baking for the fall season. Now that it’s here, she is eager to begin. Baking has been a tradition in Mills’ family for a long time, with her childhood being filled with what she called “Mimi Mondays,” where she baked with her grandmother. “We’d go over to her house and we’d bake,” she said. “She used to work for Three Women and an Oven. I grew up going there and watching her, so I

| PHOTO SUBMITTED BY ELLA MILLS

made a lot with her and then my mom used to bake a lot too — so both of them got me into baking.” Her Mimi isn’t the only one she baked with, though; her favorite fall recipe actually comes from a dessert her mom has made throughout her life. “My favorite has to be pumpkin bars — my mom has made them forever,” Mills said. “I grew up with them, and they’re pumpkin [with] this really sweet icing on top. You put it in a sheet pan and cut them up — they’re so good.” Even though Mills has baked with her family most of her life, she prefers to bake on her own. “It makes it harder when there’s a bunch of people trying to bake together,” she said. The treats she makes are typically for other people. “I usually bake for anyone; normally I just bake for my family,” she said. “My brother really likes when I bake so he’s always begging me to bake something so he can eat it.” For Mills, baking is a tradition running in the family that’s just as much about the people she’s baking for as it is the treat itself. “Baking is a huge stress reliever for me,” she said. “I always love being creative and trying new things. It’s so special to me because I have grown up baking with my mimi and mom and learning the best tips from them.”

Pumpkin Bars - 2 cups all-purpose flour

- 2 cups sugar

- 2 tsp. salt - 1 tsp. baking soda - 1/2 tsp. salt

- 1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice - 2. tsp. cinnamon - 16 oz. pumpkin - 3/4 cup oil - 4 eggs Stir together dry ingredients. Mix in pumpkin, oil and eggs till smooth.

Spread batter evenly in jelly roll Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 min.

For cream cheese frosting!

Beat 3 oz. of softened cream cheese.

Add 6 tbsp. of softened butter, 1 tsp. milk and 1 tsp vanilla. Blend in 1.5 - 2 cups of powdered sugar

Beat until smooth. (P.S. Always double frosting!)

feature

november 2021

design by mena walker

VOLUNTEERING IS WHERE THE HEART IS

BV seniors discuss NHS community service mena walker |staff writer Volunteering is a way to enable individuals to help others to gain self-reliance by giving individuals a chance to try something new and rebuild their sense of self-achievement and independence. Seniors Caroline Hanson and Lance Philgreen both joined National Honor Society (NHS) to elevate their academics, leadership and community service engagements. For Hanson, she was glad to take this opportunity to learn numerous volunteering perspectives. “[NHS] gives you a lot of things to do, like Community for Kids and packaging food,” she said. “I like to volunteer at the Botanical Garden and John Ox Village, which is a retirement home.” Philgreen agrees there are a lot of occasions for social services. “We’ll have different opportunities like doing food drives and [helping] volunteer at other events outside [of] NHS,” he said. “You can do a lot of other volunteering.” Knowing your strengths allows you to choose the role you will be most effective in as well as to find enjoyment. Hanson uses her influences to help understand where she is to help others. “My empathy and sincerity help me volunteer because a lot of people will go in and want to get it over with — they’re like, I’m here |PHOTO SUBMITTED to help you do bingo BY LANCE PHILGREEN and leave,” Hanson said. “You need to be there in the moment, and I think that’s what makes the best volunteers.” Unlike Hanson’s stability, Philgreen wants to help by serving others. “My greatest strength is a genuine understanding of the other person saying, ‘I don’t always like to fit right in their shoes,’ but [instead], ‘Hey, I understand what you’re going through,’” Philgreen said.

Hanson believes having volunteer work helps prepare her work experience. “I’ve been working since [I was] 15 — I think [having a] definite drive and experience, especially in customer service, gives you the ability to understand and have patience with people,” she said. “[Volunteer-wise] my family has had something called the Hanson Harvest. We collect food and then we go bag it, and we send it out to people at Harvesters. It’s been one of my favorite things every year. I look forward to it.” Volunteering brings people together from different industries and backgrounds to a habitual goal. “I’m learning a lot about engineering and infrastructure [in industries],” Philgreen said. “It enables me to have a sort of background knowledge on a bunch of stuff STEM-related, in terms of |PHOTO SUBMITTED past volunteering opportuBY CAROLINE HANSON nities.” There are so many ways to feel appreciated from volunteering, Hanson said. “[Whenever] helping the people in person, in real-time, it’s a feeling you get,” she said. “Assising the old people play bingo, who can’t see and they are like, ‘You’re so sweet. Thank you for helping me.’ It’s just that satisfaction you’re not going to get anywhere else.” On the other hand, Philgreen enjoys his time working and helping others. “It’s the people I work with,” he said. “Like with food and stuff like that. I also help kids understand certain STEM topics. [It’s the] kids’ faces that light up that make me feel appreciated.” Hanson and Philgreen both think the NHS volunteer aspect is a good fit for them and how it impacts them to have a fearless approach, be proactive and take initiative. “I love NHS because it gives me so many more opportunities,” Hanson said. “[I personally consider] NHS [a substantial] opportunity for kids who want to give back to that community.”

a&e

november 2021

TRICK or TREAT

SCARY or SWEET? olivia bock, skeleton

Though getting older usually means the annual tradition of trick-or-treating comes to an end, one Halloween practice never fades — dressing up. See how some senior Tigers celebrated the holiday with their scarily good costumes.

kenzie hammontree & frannie lamberti, skeleton

hadley way, carrie

will creamer, tate langdon

a&e

november 2021

design by charlie trent

sophie deveney post malone reagan nowak, chiefs cheerleader

rachel rast, sleeping beauty

olivia bock, olivia king & ava quigley, tinkerbell, cinderella, & belle

| DESIGN BY YOUR NAME

opinion

november 2021

design by isaac hudson

idol influences We should not be encouraged to obsess over people isaac hudson |staff writer

You wake up with plenty of time to get to school. You turn on your phone and check social media. Your favorite influencer saw your story about them and commented: “Love this!” This interaction makes you feel great — your emotional investment in this influencer’s life has paid off, they finally “noticed” you. This is what is known as a parasocial relationship. The term, first used by sociologists Donald Horton and Richard Wohl in 1956 basically refers to when someone, usually a fan of a famous person, puts time and emotional investment into the life of said famous person. They are, by definition, one-sided — and they are harmful. The worst part is that we as a society have not only normalized this kind of relationship, but we actively encourage it. The original Horton and Wohl essay focused mainly on the bonds people at the time felt with TV personalities and politicians. Today, the concept of a parasocial relationship revolves more around people trying to garner the attention of their favorite celebrities. It’s an easy trap to fall into, too. This August, I made my first Instagram account. Immediately after setting it up, I was bombarded with various recommended profiles to follow: Kim Kardashian, Olivia Rodrigo, Kylie Jenner, Lil Nas X, Justin Bieber and so on. All of them are celebrities who are at the center of the public eye.

Instagram, rather than promoting their own official account, recommended these famous people. They actively encouraged me to follow these people and engage in their “personal” lives. I have already fallen into this trap several times. I follow someone who I like or admire who has a significant amount of followers. I watch all their stories for several days, and I feel like I really know them — as if I am their closest friend. It makes me feel happy to see them post something. If we’re not careful, this is a very unhealthy situation to be in. We shouldn’t be getting so emotionally attached to aspects of people who we don’t really know. It’s not that we shouldn’t be allowed to see a little behind the curtain of a celebrity’s life — it’s just that we shouldn’t be allowing ourselves and encouraging each other to feel like we really know these public figures, like they are our friends. For the most part, these famous people aren’t even aware that we, as individuals, exist. What we should be doing instead is learning from the people we follow on social media. It is more important we gain some empathy by seeing the experiences of others rather than obsessing over their lives. The next time we click on someone’s Instagram story we should be thinking about what we can learn from their perspective instead of trying to glean as much information about someone’s life as possible. This isn’t to say that celebrities shouldn’t be allowed to interact with their fans at all or that they shouldn’t read the things their audience says about them. Celebrities should still be friendly and personable toward their fans, but we shouldn’t expect them to reciprocate the intimate relationships we wish we had with them.

opinion

november 2021

design by kaitlin green

Follower First

Students must respect before they are respected kaitlin green |publication editor

When I entered high school, I got to experience something fairly universal: I was a part of a team. Coming onto the Tigerette dance team as a rookie, I was acutely aware my role was to do my job and respect the older girls who had previous experience and worked extremely hard. I knew our captains were chosen because of the qualities they possessed, which they continued to prove to us each day. Because of the leaders I had my freshman year, I learned each person in a group plays an important role in success. Despite having little influence on the team, I found joy in working with others and striving toward a common goal. This experience greatly shaped my current views on leadership and the hierarchy that comes with it. It is imperative for students to learn how to be cooperative followers before they can become great leaders. According to a poll of 211 students, only 38% reported occupying a leadership position. With more than half of all students at BV holding the title “follower,” it is even more essential for students to recognize the importance of listening to, and learning from, those in charge. When someone gets experience as a follower first, they are able to learn essential skills that define great leaders. Working

with others allows a person to experience teamwork and compromise, all of which are qualities necessary for effective leadership. Another crucial development that occurs during this time is respect. If someone is able to demonstrate the ability to be kind and courteous to others, once they receive a title or position, they will have already earned the respect of the people they now guide. Time as a follower should be a learning opportunity for those who plan on seeking leadership positions in the future. Skipping this step creates people who are not equipped to lead. When someone doesn’t learn how to gauge the opinions of others or observe situations without playing a role in decision making, it is more likely for that person to be removed from issues or make decisions based on their own thoughts rather than the team’s majority. This in no way helps to unite groups of people, but rather divides, and in the process causes the leader to lose the respect and trust of their peers. I firmly believe a leader should never ask something of someone else if they are not willing to do the same, and from my experience as both a follower and leader, every instance of this has rung true. While leaders hold a title, they must also remain cooperative to positively influence their teammates. If students hope to one day become and be remembered as a great role model, there is no skipping steps. Only when a person has experienced what it is to be a follower can they truly comprehend what it means to be a leader.

opinion may 2021

design by harris jones

Caffeine harris jones |staff writer

Everybody including myself indulges in energy drinks when we need an extra push, but is anyone actually addicted to caffeinated beverages? I say no. Most adults and teens in today’s time drink beverages containing caffeine — that’s just a fact. But, that doesn’t make it an addiction. Even though many people experience the side effects of drinking less caffeine, such as tiredness and headaches, and people often joke about being addicted to their caffeine, according to the NIDA or the National Institute on Drug Abuse, it is not an addiction. Addiction is all about dopamine. Dopamine is the chemical in the brain that controls motivation, movement and, of course, what it’s more commonly known for — emotions. So right off the bat, we know that by definition enhanced dopamine levels do cause people to feel more observant and awake. With caffeine-enhancing dopamine it should qualify as an addiction, so the case is closed right? Well believe it or not, it’s actually not that simple. While caffeine is considered a stimulant like many drugs, caffeine does not create near the rise in dopamine that drugs like methamphetamine, prescriptions or even tobacco would have on the brain. A much larger change would have to happen to unbalance the dopamine chemicals in your brain. Now you may be wondering why people still have withdrawal-like symptoms if caffeine isn’t a drug — and if it’s not, then what is it? According to the NIDA caffeine is what is referred to as a dependence, which despite its similarities to an addiction is not one. So what is the difference between the two? A dependence is typically referred to as more of a physical attachment to a substance. It will usually have the symptoms of tolerance and withdrawal, much like an addiction. However addiction is different in the sense that the substance actually takes root in your brain, changing the chemical balance to become hooked on the feeling the substance gives you. A dependence is simply when your body becomes used to the effects of your substance of choice, in this case caffeine, which is why your body goes through withdrawal-like

symptoms if you suddenly stop ingesting it. So, no, caffeine is not actually addictive, regardless of how commonly the word is thrown around — the difference being that someone who drinks caffeine and stops, will go through withdrawal-like symptoms but will not engage in the self destructive behavior someone with a drug addiction would as a result. Of course like the saying goes, too much of anything is bad for you, but caffeine does so little compared to what an actual drug would do to alter your brain chemistry. So if you need an extra push, don’t be afraid to pick up that cup of coffee or Monster energy.

53%

of students drink caffeine regularly

Craze stephania kontopanos |assistant editor

I have a confession. I am terrified of energy drinks. But then again, what is there not to be afraid of ? They’re loaded with caffeine, and caffeine is an addictive drug. According to the Better Health Channel government website, caffeine is a drug “that stimulates your brain and nervous system.” Like any drug, consuming caffeine comes with side effects. MedlinePlus lists several of these: headaches, insomnia, restlessness, shaking, rapid heartbeat, heart palpitations, dehydration and anxiety are among the most common ones. Coffee is also mildly addictive, just like other drugs. So many people say “I can’t function without my coffee” or “I need coffee to start my day.” They start their day off, typi-

87%

of students think caffeine is addictive | 211 STUDENTS SUR VEYE

opinion may 2021

design by harris jones

Students debate whether caffeine is a drug, addictive

cally on an empty stomach, with a few cups of coffee before starting anything. Like other drugs, people need to drink more and more of it in order for it to help them feel awake, making a caffeine overdose more likely. Additionally, people who try to go decaf after consuming a lot of caffeine typically feel the symptoms of withdrawal, such as headaches, tiredness, irritability, nausea and difficulty concentrating, according to MedlinePlus. There are also issues I have with specific caffeinated products: pre-workouts and Monster Energy drinks. Despite negative side effects of caffeine, many use it as a performance-enhancing drug, including avid gym-goers who pump pre-workout and energy drinks into their routines before intense physical exercise. Lots of regular gym-goers like to use pre-workout powders for an extra energy boost. Besides the typical side-effects that come with caffeine, these powders have potential to do much more damage. Some of them are poorly regulated, containing dangerous supplements like yohimbe. Many people who use pre-workout don’t know that it’s supposed to be used before weightlifting and not aerobic exercise. Doing so can cause severe stress on the heart, sending several people to the hospital with a heart attack or newly-discovered heart condition. The new fitness trend of “dry-scooping” powder is also extremely harmful, sending a load of caffeine straight to the bloodstream. Monster Energy drinks have high levels of caffeine, and come in pretty big cans. They’re marketed toward teens, with their edgy logo and fun flavors and colors. Teens especially, who are more prone to addiction and high anxiety, should not be having so much caffeine. Not to mention, they contain caffeine and guarana, which is also caffeinated. That’s double the caffeine — those two ingredients shouldn’t be mixed together. So, is caffeine an addictive drug? Let’s look at the evidence. Alters your nervous system, causing physical side effects? Check. People become codependent on it? Check. People develop an intolerance to it? Check. Withdrawal symptoms? Check. Check. Check. Next time you go to make your third cup of coffee, maybe think of scheduling a power-nap into your day instead.

opinion

november 2021

design by charlie trent

BASIC?

what’s so bad about being Fall season exposes greater issues of criticizing teen girls charlie trent |editor-in-chief

n August 24, Starbucks launched their fall drinks and bakery items for the season. Across the country, stores were flooded with teenage girls grabbing their celebratory Pumpkin Spice latte or other fall beverage — I was one of them. While the mediocre, known-for-burnt-coffee, notoriously over-crowded coffee chain supplied thirsty teens with pumpkin-flavored treats, critical people shrouded in the protection of a username and screen were quick to pick apart these girls for their “basic” behavior. In fact, virtually every fall themed festivity, and therefore the entirety of the season itself, have been enveloped into the societal interpretation of the “just like every other girl” trope. Why should the consumption of a PSL, a trip to the Louisburg Cider Mill to grab some pumpkin donuts or the appreciation of a good maple scented candle make a teenage girl vulnerable to the criticism of those who view these values as basic? The answer has less to do with the nature of these fall activities as it does the overall treatment of teenage girls as a whole. This became evident when my sister, who has worked at Starbucks for four years, told me about the demographic of consumers of drinks which are traditionally perceived as feminine. She told me that in any given fall season, the majority of the people who order a Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino are actually men between the ages of 14 and 30. For drinks that have become almost synonymous with the idea of being a basic teenage girl, the consumption of these drinks are far from isolated to this group. According to data supplied to MarketWatch by The NPD Group, a market research firm, nearly half of pumpkin spice latte buyers are men, but just one-third of plain latte buyers are men. This means that while men may consume fewer lattes year-round, there is a huge surge in men drinking lattes

— specifically pumpkin spice lattes — in the season of fall. This hyper-feminization of autumn, along with the seasonal festivities, has allowed for the ridicule of young women to be accepted — at least when it comes to fall. While now most people would be considered too politically correct to make fun of a girl for year-round traditionally feminine behaviors such as wearing makeup, being well-dressed, or having fake nails, the phenomenon of the PSL has only been around since 2003. While the pumpkin-spice craze and its accompanying features has existed for almost two decades, that seems hardly as impactful as the centuries it took generations of women and men alike to change the structure of gender roles to what they are today. Though it may take society as a whole a few more centuries to achieve freedom of gender expression, individually there is potential for immediate change. Next time you see a teenage girl laughing with her friends as she enjoys a pumpkin-spiced drink with a side of pumpkin bread in her oversized sweatshirt and Air Forces, you may be tempted to internally — or externally — criticize her for seeming like every other basic girl in Overland Park. Instead, I challenge you to consider why you are criticizing this of students say their favorite Starbucks drink is behavior at all. After all, I don’t hear a pumpkin spice latte you making the same com*based on a poll of 211 ments about your 15-yearstudent responses old brother’s Fantasy Football League.

37%

opinion

november 2021

| CARTOON BY EMMA GULLEDGE

Athletes deserve respect when dealing with injury — mental or physical Due to mental and physical health complications, as well as overall pressure to perform at such a high level, U.S. Olympic gymnast Simone Biles withdrew from individual all-around competition at the Summer Olympic games on July 27, 2021,. Surrounded by hoards of press at her withdrawal announcement, Biles told reporters, “I do not trust myself anymore. I have to focus on my mental health.” Critics were quick to rip apart the athlete across all social media platforms. “We are raising a generation of weak people like Simone Biles.” “Sorry, Simone Biles, but there’s nothing heroic or brave about quitting because you’re not having ‘fun’.” “Contrast this with our selfish, childish national embarrassment, Simone Biles,” Texas Deputy Attorney General Aaron Reitz commented on a retweeted video of injured 1996 American Olympic gymnast Kerri Strug competing. Biles took the onslaught of criticism with grace and determination to raise awareness of mental well-being of athletes, and the issue faded away as news outlets began to ignore the event and instead focus on the next big story. What cannot be ignored is the general reaction from the masses who have not experienced the “twisties” while completing difficult skills on the international stage during a pandemic.

Athletes experiencing injuries, whether physical or mental, face the challenge of having to grieve a version of themselves in which their entire identity, schedule and lifestyle revolved around their respective sport. According to Allison & Meyer, Mihovilovic, and Werthner & Orlick, previous research indicated 14% to 32% of competitive athletes are forced to retire because of a career-ending injury. This staggering number represents only competitive athletes who are forced to retire from injury and does not include those who push through injury regardless of any repercussions. Undergoing serious injury as an athlete can fundamentally, “imperil one’s belief system, self-concept, values, commitments, emotional stability, and the ability to function socially, occupationally, or both,” according to Ford & Gordon. If the effects of physical injury are so harrowing and taken so seriously, why were so many so quick to denounce the legitimacy of Biles as the “Greatest of all Time” because of her prioritization of her own health? According to Athletes for Hope, up to 35% of elite athletes suffer from a mental health crisis which may manifest as stress, eating disorders, burnout or depression and anxiety. This hardly accounts for the individual difficulties Biles has faced as not only arguably

the most talented gymnast in history, who has had to deal with being scored unfairly due to her skill’s difficulty and the sexual assault trauma from her time under the coaching of Larry Nassar. Bile’s bravery has clearly exposed the lack of seriousness toward athletes’ well-being. While athletes constantly push their bodies and minds to their absolute limits, they are somehow expected to ignore the very real — and very common — mental battles that come alongside physical injury or taking part in the sport in general. Elite athletes are constantly faced with the difficulty of maintaining peak mental and physical health to perform at high levels, and while social media critics may be fighting off other Twitter users, these internet battles hold little weight when compared to the battle an athlete must undergo in their own mind when faced with an injury that could potentially strip them of their entire identity. Although commenting on the “grit” of an athlete struggling mentally may seem only natural when the ability to project your opinion to millions on Twitter is so easy, it’s time that the seriousness of athletic injury — both physical and mental — is considered, and that the athletes themselves are treated with the respect and compassion needed while grappling with life-altering realities.

This staff editorial is the representation of the opinion of The Tiger Print staff.

drunk goggle olympics

photos & design by charlie trent

charlie trent |editor-in-chief

ach year in AP Psychology, teacher Courtney Buffington has made “perception alterting goggle Olympics” a part of her lesson plan. This activity allows students to simulate the experience of lack of motor control to understand the affect of alcohol consumption on the brain. According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the cerebellum, the part of your brain responsible for coordinating movement and perhaps even some forms of learning, is affected by alcohol. This interruption of function in motor skills in the cerebellum is simulated by having students compete in games which test their motor skills while wearing goggles, disrupting their vision. Some of the events include a hula hoop obstacle course, playing catch with a football, limbo, hitting a balloon in the air, walking hand in hand with a partner and jumping to avoid a pool noodle. Seen competing in limbo, senior Ella Quigley said this event was her favorite. “I got to do the different levels,” Quigley said. “I made it to the last level — and like I’ve always been good at limbo.” Quigley believes that while the activity is fun, it is also an important educational experience. “You get to test your visual sense and see which physical activities you can and can’t do,” Quigley said. “I think it’s important to be able to learn stuff while also having fun.”