The Tiger Print — December 2016 by The Tiger Print

THE TIGER PRINT Blue Valley High School — Vol. 47 — Issue 4 — December 2016 — Overland Park, Kansas

Connecting the dots: Shawnee Mission East sexual assault case prompts inquiry at BV Photo illustration by Melanie White.

2 news December 2016

inside this issue NEWS

BV SCHOOL STORE

OPINION

local • national • international

news explained

Shawnee Mission district bans safety pins for staff members In response to hate crimes that have erupted in correlation to the election of Donald Trump, the safety pin movement was born. Those in the movement wears safety pins on their clothing to signify support for groups who have been targeted in the aftermath of the election. Recently, the Shawnee Mission School District

banned their employees from wearing safety pins. The district said they are a political statement that could disrupt classrooms and incite political debates. The parents of the students in the district took to the school board to display their support for the movement and anger at its suppression. Why is this a big deal? The safety pin movement was created not to represent a political party, but to offer support to marginalized groups in the United States. This action can make students a part of these minority groups feel unsafe and unrepresented in school.

Flint water crisis continues In 2014, Flint, Michigan, issued a boil water advisory after the city switched its water supply source to the Flint River. In 2015, lead had been found contaminating the tap water of residential homes. Now, the people of Flint are still living with unclean water. In early October of this year, Flint

experienced another disease outbreak. The disease at hand, Shigellosis, is an infectious bacterial disease. Last year, due to lead contamination, the city also experienced an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease. Why is this a big deal? After two years, the city has not been able to receive clean, safe water. Part of the reason can be traced back to neglectful political leaders, who insisted the water was safe or that it would cost too much to switch to another source. Because of the mainstream media, the water crisis has faded to the background, escaping the minds of people who have the power to change the situation.

Ex-Cuban president Fidel Castro dies Former Cuban president and political influence Fidel Castro died Nov. 25 at the age of 90. The cause of death was not immediately revealed, although there was speculation that it was the result of his long-term poor

health conditions. Cuba witnessed 9 days of mourning and held a public Mass in Havana on Nov. 29. Why is this a big deal? The reactions to this event were very divided amongst the world. The streets of Cuba were quiet and mournful while the streets of Miami, Florida — filled with Cuban-Americans — sang in celebration at the dawn of possible government reforms in their home country. Because of his prominence in history and politics, some speculate Castro’s death could spark a change in US-Cuban relations.

THE ONLINE FIGHT

FEATURES

A MUSICAL PAST

A&E

WINTER FASHION

SPORTS

CHEER NATIONALS

Teaser photos by staff photographers. News photos courtesy of Tribune Content Agency. Stories by Julie Freijat. Page designed by Courtney Carpenter.

Tigers Inc. December 2016 news 3

BV set to open new school stor e

Raise your Voice:

How do you feel about Tigers Inc. opening soon?

Smith “I’m happy that we have the opportunity to buy spirit wear whenever we want to.” — Junior Alex Smith

Botts “I’m [excited for] the opportunity we have to buy things for our school and things that are useful.” —Senior Tanner Botts

sarahday staff writer The school store staff plans to open for business near the beginning of second semester. The opening date is dependent upon completion of construction of the store, which will be located in the commons where the spirit box is currently located. The staff of the store has worked toward the store’s opening during the school day in the class Marketing: Promotion and Advertising, taught by Kathy Peres. “Class is interesting because we have different lines doing different things,” senior Kale Samber said. “We have food and [beverage] who has worked on getting coffee into our store. We have apparel who works on fashion. We have

novelty items — they’re working on getting cups and lanyards. I’m in financial, so I’m in charge of keeping track of sales and coming up with promotions. The final one is business operations. They’re in charge of set-up and our managers.” The store will be called Tigers Inc., which was decided from a collaboration during the store’s class time. There are plans to build walls and make a room for the store in the corner of the commons where the spirit box is currently located. The staff recently visited several schools, including BV Northwest, Olathe East and Lee’s Summit to see how they wanted to model Tigers Inc. “It helped because we were able to see what to do and what not to do,” Samber said. “At Lee’s Summit, we saw that they had more than one door,

Page designed by Noma Kreegar and Courtney Carpenter.

which promoted the flow of traffic. We want to incorporate that into our store.” The store plans to be open before school and during Tiger Paws. “We are excited to open and to provide merchandise to all of BV,” Samber said. “We will sell T-shirts, sweatshirts, shorts, lanyards, gum, food, cups and Parisi coffee — we’re talking about a discount for people who buy a reusable coffee cup. We’ve also talked about renting out lawn chairs or folding chairs so kids aren’t sitting on the floor during Tiger Paws.” In addition, the school store will also provide shirts for sale throughout the year for different events. “I’m excited for my students to finally get to open and to be able to run a real business while providing BV with some awesome items,” Peres said.

4 news December 2016

AVID-ites Unite Students participate in class to help prepare for their futures oliviagurley staff writer and photographer

A total of 124 students at Blue Valley are enrolled in Advancement Via Individual Determination (Avid), taught by Kelsey Bakalar and Dianne O’Bryan. The class participates in tutorials twice a week and focuses on the Avid curriculum the other two days. “A lot of the curriculum relates to reading, writing, research and things of that nature,” Bakalar said. “We also do a lot of college- and career-prep and go on college visits.” To be able to take the class, there are a couple of assessments made by teachers and the student themself. “Middle school teachers recommend kids for Avid,” Bakalar said. “Students then have to apply and be interviewed, so it’s a mutually selective process.” A key aspect to the Avid curriculum is college planning and preparation. “They will gain skills that help them be more prepared for college,” said O’Bryan, the freshman and senior Avid teacher. Avid student junior Isaiah Euler said the most beneficial part of Avid is planning for his studies down the road. “Preparing for my future and college is definitely a big [benefit] because I wouldn’t have been looking into a lot of that now if I wasn’t in Avid,” he said. Students can also take the class if they already earn good grades but have a hard time studying or organizing their work effectively. Tutorials as well as binder and notes checks help students stay organized and create study groups for the students to lean on each other for support. “I like the tutorials,” Avid student sophomore Emma Blackwood said. “If you don’t get something in a subject, your classmates can help you.” Bakalar said students learn organization, study skills and selfPhotos and page designed by Olivia Gurley.

advocacy. “One of the most important things I can offer them is teaching them how to advocate for themselves and boosting their confidence,” Bakalar said. “The students would say the most beneficial thing they receive is what Mrs. O’Bryan and I have described as the hidden curriculum that Monday teachers don’t Tutorials have time to Divide into teach, such as several groups communicating with supervised by teachers tutors Tuesday and how to study Curriculum for difCollege and careers, ferent public speaking, notekinds taking and test preparation of tests.” StuBlock dents in this Tutorials/Curriculum class Tutorials and binder/ get a notes check first half; chance Friday to conCurriculum lesson nect and Team second half create a Bonding long-term Activities relationship Games, scavenger with a teacher. O’Bryan hunts, challenges to said the relationhelp connect with ships she makes each other with her students is her favorite part about Avid. “It has allowed me the opportunity to really connect with the students in my class since I have them for four years,” O’Bryan said. “I love getting to know the kids and helping them to navigate high school.”

December 2016 news 5

behindthescenes Members of Student Council share details behind school events

courtneybrown & nicklamberti staff writers From Homecoming activities to the Blood Drive, Student Council is in charge of some of the largest schoolwide activities. Executive vice president senior Ryan Schmidt said Student Council spends a lot of time organizing events. “Around the dances, there’s a lot of planning that needs to be done,” Schmidt said. “This year I had to organize the HomecomSchmidt ing parade. That was a lot of work, but it’s really cool to see it all come together.” Much of the planning that goes into school events requires approval from

different sources, executive president senior Alex Wang said. “We normally talk to our sponsors about our event ideas that we have, then present it to Wang our Student Council,” he said. “We take a vote on whether or not we can do it. Right now we’re planning a volunteer project.” Sophomore representative Lauren Winter said one of the most challenging aspects of the group is collaborating with other members. “Everybody has ideas, and it’s hard to put everyone’s ideas together,” Winter said. “It’s a big time commitment, so you need to be able to put forth the time and effort. If you are thinking about

Junior and senior representatives check students into the blood drive from the table outside the gym. The drive took place on Nov. 9. “I really like seeing how many people choose to donate because it’s sort of a scary thing but it makes a huge impact on someone else’s life,” senior Gracie Salts said. “Being a part of that is an amazing feeling.” Photo by Abby Hullinger.

joining [Student Council], you just need to be committed and really want to join.” Schmidt and Winter said they like being a part of Student Council because it’s an easy to way to contribute ideas to make the school better. “[People should join] if they want to have a say in things, help out and give back to the school,” Schmidt said. All students can join Student Council, even if they don’t have an office position. “They can contact anyone in Student Council, find out when meetings are and show up,” Schmidt said. “We’re welcoming and don’t turn [peoWinter ple away].”

Sophomore Student Council representative Angie Yu waves to the crowd. “Whenever we had to work together [on the float,] I was there and it was a lot of work especially since it was a small float,” Yu said. “I liked figuring everything out and seeing it all come together.” Photo by Isabelle Allen. Page designed by Courtney Brown and Nick Lamberti.

6 news December 2016

1. 4.

Pages designed by Isabelle Allen.

December 2016 news 7

6. 1. Standing in front of a painting, junior Kelly Zhang takes a photo. National History Honor Society went on a field trip to the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. “I really enjoyed the tour we were given through the Renaissance art,” she said. “It was really fun to learn background information on the pieces and have things pointed out that I wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.” Photo by Melanie White. 2. Dressed as Sporty Spice, senior Mallory Norris dances in front of a crowd during the lip-sync battle. Teams dressed up in costumes at Hoops for Hope to take part in the fight against childhood cancer. “Me and my friends dressed up as the Spice Girls, and all of our costumes were spot-on,” Norris said. “It was fun performing for all the other schools and we ended up winning [the competition].” Photo by Meredith Halliburton. 3. Junior Anna Quigley speaks to a veteran during Tiger Paws. BV’s National History Honor Society planned and hosted a Veterans panel to celebrate Veterans Day. “I learned how their day-to-day life is different than ours and the training they go through as well as the risks they take to protect our country,” Quigley said. “It was really cool.” Photo by Ifrah Sayyada. 4. Signing her contract, senior Azia Lynch formally commits to play basketball at Drury University. National Signing Day took place

S O T O H IN P on Wednesday, Nov. 9, and five BV seniors took part in the signing. “I felt excited and happy to know I am able to continue playing basketball in college,” Lynch said. Photo by Melanie White. 5. Examining ballots at a debate tournament, senior Micah Slagle and junior Atish Barua organize the records. The tournament on Nov. 4-5 was directed by senior Arslan Ali and Waseem Ahmad. “The hardest part [of debating] is not knowing who you’re going up against,” Barua said. “Different teams have different styles, and you have to know their strengths and weaknesses.” Photo by Isabelle Allen. 6. Fist-bumping, seniors Sid Hegde and Alex Wang celebrate a correct answer during a Scholars’ Bowl tournament at St. Thomas Aquinas. Scholars’ Bowl takes place from November to February, and BV has won State each of the past six years. “It’s been a good team every year,” Hegde said. “Every year we think we are going to get worse, but we never do.” Photo by Meredith Halliburton. 7. In the black box theatre, sophomore Morgan Skinner performs in a repertory theatre show. This is Skinner’s first year in rep theatre. “I enjoy doing performances for a test grade,” she said. “When you all come together and perform the same show, it’s really fun.” Photo by Meredith Halliburton.

8 opinion December 2016

An Ode to BV Football True champions are not dictated by one game

courtneycarpenter co-editor In November 2015, Blue Valley lost to Derby in the Kansas 6A football State championship game, finishing with a season record of 10-3. Now, a year later, with their motto “Unfinished Business” ringing in their ears, our Tigers fell yet again in another heartbreaking loss to Derby, 17-14. This loss hurts so much. The seniors poured all they had into leading the team and leading well. Every player on the roster worked incredibly hard day-in and day-out, continuously pushing toward that State championship, a shot at revenge. They persevered through seemingly endless hours of film sessions, weights, months of off-season training, two-adays, three-a-days, countless gassers and those horrible, exhausting practices when they felt as if they had nothing left in them but kept fighting. They will remember the locker room pep talks, the pre-game pumpup sessions, team meals, inside jokes, early mornings and the hot, humid days together on the field. They will remember the pulsing adrenaline and the shaky nerves before running out on the turf,

sprinting through huge paper banners toward their crowd roaring for them. Everything that made this season special is over. This State championship loss hurt, and for the thousands of students and fans staring with blank faces as we watched Derby take the lead by a field goal with 27 seconds left in the game, we were heartbroken. Sitting down as we watched the clock hit 0:00, many were stunned, and some cried. We could not believe that after a perfect season, the single flaw would be in the championship game. As devastated as we felt, we have no idea and cannot even imagine what a loss like that felt like from the players’ perspective. To our BV football team: Thank you for this season. Going into the State championship with an undefeated regular season record — which has only happened four times in BV school history — is an incredible feat. 12-1 is an amazing run. You fought so hard this entire year, won some incredible games and created a truly one-of-a-kind atmosphere for the fans and for the school. You gave us something worth cheering so loudly for. Led by our awesome senior superfans, our school followed you wherever you played, whether it was at Mill Valley, BV Northwest, our own home stadium or in Emporia, Kansas. Yelling, screaming, roaring with pride for our

Photo by Alex Roberts. Page designed by Courtney Carpenter.

school and our football team — it was because of you that we experienced such Friday-night excitement. We, as your fans, are so proud of every person on the team. Because although one singular game dictates a State title, the way you held yourselves to a high standard, the way you played with integrity and class and the fiery passion you all fought so hard which makes this team a group of champions. We will always cheer for BV. You have continued a football powerhouse legacy, and this season, you made it your own. Although we have no idea what that State loss felt like to you, we are proud. Any other opponent you beat this year — Aquinas, BV North or Shawnee Mission East — would love to be able to say they made it to the State championship two years in a row. Just as coach Eric Driskell said, “Hats off to our kids. They played tremendously hard. They have nothing to hang their heads about, and I’m proud of them.” We are too. Your leadership, class and passion was continually represented. You are champions and will continue to be in whatever you pursue in life. Thank you again, BV football, for everything you did. You have so much to be proud of. Our school and our senior class will never forget this incredible team and incredible season.

December 2016 opinion 9

staffeditorial TIGER the

PRINT newspaper

Cartoon by Kaitlin Yu.

BV community needs to acknowledge, discuss sexual assaults; changes necessary to avoid future incidents According to NSVRC.org, 1 in 4 females and 1 in 6 males under the age of 18 are sexually assaulted. The prevalence of these events in high schools are increasing. Many people who are victims of sexual assault or rape feel ashamed about what happened to them. Especially in a school setting, victims often feel they should stay silent. 2017 is almost here, and it’s time for schools to step up to create an environment where these issues can be discussed. Victims shouldn’t feel like they can’t speak to their counselors or peers if they want to. They shouldn’t be afraid of being judged or talked about. Principals and administrators tend to shy away from these topics because they can be seen as inflammatory, but instead of being silent, schools should have an open, honest conversation about sexual assault and rape in schools. Students know that it happens. Staying silent about sexual assault just furthers the notion that it should be a secret or that it’s the victim’s fault, which also perpetuates the thought that sexual assault is OK or isn’t a big deal. By talking about how and why sexual violence happens, we could prevent sex-

ual assault in the high school years and throughout the rest of our lives. Students should learn more than just the typical subject matter — they should also discuss consent and respecting other people’s boundaries. For many, growing older and becoming an adult involves different types of relationships, including sexual ones. Being a part of a sexual relationship requires respect and consideration for other’s feelings and limits, as well as knowledge about sex education. Having a forum where sexual assault can be talked about could create groups where people can share their feelings and experiences without fear. Under Title IX, victims are able to report instances of sexual assault or rape to their school if it happened on campus or involved another student at that school, and the school is required to investigate the case. Instead of being tight-lipped about sexual violence, administrators, teachers, students and parents should work together to lead the charge for school-wide discussions about sexual assault and rape in order to provide more information and possibly prevent these events from happening in the future.

co-editors photographers Courtney Carpenter Olivia Gurley Megan Hegarty Meredith Halliburton photo editor Melanie White Isabelle Allen staff writers news editor Allie Ament Julie Freijat Talia Amjadi Marie Biernacki opinion editor Courtney Brown Charlotte Rooney McKenna Cole Sarah Day features editor Kyle Elmendorf Alli Williams Anna Gyori Caitlin Hoy web editor Regan Kassing Emilee Holscher Noma Kreegar Nick Lamberti adviser Loren Reed Michelle Huss Ifrah Sayyada Kaitlin Yu “The Tiger Print” is an official publication of Blue Valley High School, an open forum distributed to all students at least seven 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. 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 450, emailed to thetigerprint@yahoo.com or mailed to: The Tiger Print Blue Valley High School 6001 W. 159th St. Overland Park, KS 66085

10 opinion December 2016

Winter Worries or Winter Wonderland?

Cold months are what you make of them

lorenreed staff writer The winter months are stocked with cloudy skies, stressful times and pecan pies. The days become shorter, and the nights become longer. Seconds seem like minutes — minutes seem like hours. Motivation lowers, and stress levels heighten. Seasonal depression may be a factor for winter blues. Irritability and desire to avoid social contact, motivational loss, overeating, anxiety and mood dips are all common signs of the condition. It’s easier said than done to be happy, but even the slightest bit of hope or faith may be enough to get through the ongoing season. Perspective seems to be key when moving from November to February. We can either stay involved and busy, or we can sit back and reflect on all the

things we don’t do and won’t bother to fix. Year after year, day after day, I have come to realize that the outcome is in the hands of the beholder. Looking to the brighter side of any situation will result in peace, regardless of any conflict or dilemma. Focusing on wants rather than needs may very well put you in a tough situation. The most important thing to keep in mind in an issue that may go either way will be to remember that you have your family or someone who cares about you. Emotion is merely how a situation is perceived. For example, in class, if you tell yourself that you’ll fail a test, chances are you will. On the other hand, if you have confidence and remind yourself that you’ve got this, you’ll most likely do well. Things may be great, but something in the subconscious may be stopping a person from doing what they do best. In these winter months,

Tips and Reminders Go to bed early. You are loved. Make cookies. You are appreciated. Nap by the fire. You are worth it. Focus on the positive.

Page designed by Loren Reed.

it will be best to have faith in yourself and to keep trucking, as though nothing can possibly get in your way. Finances may be tough — it happens. Stay strong and remember to thank yourself and parents for all that they do. Find something to look forward to, whether it be a long nap or a ski trip with the family. Keep moving forward, as only today can affect tomorrow. Temperatures will start to drop — bundle up with your cat. Put on a favorite sweatshirt. Keep in mind that the school year is halfway over. You’re a step closer to graduation. Winter sports are happening — find one to play. Be part of the crowd. Join theatre or a club. Do something different. We all have rough patches in life, and how they are handled makes a world of difference. It will be hard, it will be difficult, but it will be worth it. Find something to benefit others. Build a fire, be you, be happy, do you, make your own decisions and never forget to remember that the best is yet to come.

December 2016 opinion 11

@$^&-$*##@ !$*#$*#$@*#$ ?@!~#$-%&#

HIDING BEHIND

THE KEYBOARD

Subtweets, social media fights reveal a cowardly culture

kaitlinyu staff writer “Not everything is about you.” “I dumped my ex-boyfriend months ago, and he’s still texting me. LMAO.” “Why do I even bother?” “You know I can tell when you’re lying to my face, right?” Look familiar? We’ve all been victims of this and — let’s be honest — guilty of it, too. Subtweeting — the act of indirectly talking about a specific person or multiple people on social media without actually mentioning their username. It can be so tempting to do it — it’s specific enough that the person who is targeted knows it’s about them but general enough that you can still get

away with slinging insults. It’s also easy to be guilty of starting direct fights on social media, especially if you’re fighting over something you’re passionate about like politics or personal issues. A large amount of people engage in subtweeting or squabbling on social media, so what’s the big deal? It’s cowardly and petty. This generation of the Internet has created a culture of hiding behind technology to start conflicts or to put down others, and it’s not helping anyone. We should be confronting subjects of dispute directly instead of projecting our problems onto Twitter or Facebook with indirect messages full of animosity. That can look like talking to your friend about why she seems to be lying to you lately. It can also look like having an actual, civilized conversation about what your discord is over instead of saying things on social media which you would never say to the opposing person’s face.

Or it can just be refraining from posting rude statuses or tweets which only make you look bad and, frankly, pitiful. Your personal issues will still be there after you’ve posted — if the targeted person finds the posts, the problems might actually be worse. You’re also not going to win the battle over politics or private matters on social media. If you address these disagreements face-to-face, you will be more likely to have a civilized discussion that actually can arrive at a point of understanding or some kind of compromise between differing opinions. Also, consider this — if you treat the person on the other side of the screen like an actual human, then you both will be more likely to be respectful and have a well-mannered discussion. So the next time you’re getting really fired up about something and want to go to social media to talk about it, think carefully about what you’re saying and what it will actually accomplish. Page designed by Kaitlin Yu.

12 opinion December 2016

flipping traditions:

Flipped teaching provides better understanding of learning, offers chance to ask clarifying questions

Flipped teaching has become more and more popular at Blue Valley and other schools nationwide. This year I have two classes that involve flipped teaching, and it has dramatically helped my grades in those subjects as well as bettered my understanding of the class material. After watching a video, in my classes we come back and discuss new information with friends in class, work on projects, do labs or ask the teacher questions. Flipped teaching allows me to play back the video as many times as I need in order to understand the information. While in a lecture-style class, if I’m confused while the instructor is teaching, I typically don’t have time to ask a question, or I feel uncomfortable asking him or her to slow down. With a flipped classroom, you can go at your own pace and take as long as you need to learn new information, and you are provided with a 45-minute class period the next day to clarify any questions and get busy working on the material learned the day before. Most students feel nervous stopping

Photos by Meredith Halliburton and Tali Amjadi. Pages designed by Charlotte Rooney and Courtney Carpenter.

how it works

What is flipped teaching? A pedagogical model in which the typical lecture and homework elements of a course are reversed

67%

of teachers using flipped teaching reported higher test scores

9 10 out of

taliamjadi staff writer

the teacher to ask questions during a lesson — especially in a fast-paced, advanced-level class. If the video doesn’t cover something you may be confused about, it is easy to pause it and Google other resources or links to help you. Flipped teaching has also helped me when preparing for tests because I can go back to early videos to revisit earlier information I may have forgotten from weeks prior. The whole system allows you to watch and take notes at your own pace — instead of rushing to write things down while the teacher is going too fast. I know flipped teaching isn’t always helpful and well-liked by everyone — it can be tough when your WiFi crashes or the video has technical difficulties and you can’t watch it in time before class. Teachers who utilize flipped teaching need to have some sort of backup option for students who don’t benefit from this learning style. For example, one of my teachers teaches the information in class but records herself while doing it to post online. Students can either go back and watch it if they don’t understand, or if they were absent from class, it’s an easy way to get caught up. I hope this nontraditional learning style expands and continues throughout BV and finds new ways to help all students — not just those who currently benefit.

of flipped classroom teachers noticed a positive change in student engagement

Information gathered from vanderbilt.edu

December 2016 opinion 13

Staff members argue in favor, in opposition of the methods of flipped teaching Alternative teaching methods such as flipped teaching are appreciated, not always helpful

charlotterooney opinion editor In the last few years, flipped teaching has been implemented at BV by several teachers. Though the concept of watching videos at home and doing worksheets in class seems helpful, it sometimes leads toward confused students, technical problems and lower test scores. Not all videos have these issues — some classes implement flipped teaching better than others. I will admit, I typically do better in a traditional classroom setting where a teacher lectures or the class has discussions about topics we’re learning. That’s not to say I love being lectured to every day — the point is that

conventional teaching works, and my grades turn out better. The main issues with flipped teaching started in the first week of my experience with it and continued throughout the year. The videos not working and therefore not being able to watch them in order to do the worksheets the next day wasn’t helpful. One of the core reasons teachers use the flipped classroom method is to allow students to ask questions during class. In my experience, only a few students had the opportunity to get help during class because the questions asked were complicated and needed essentially another lecture on how to do the problem. Many of the videos were so vague and skin-deep that when given worksheets, it was difficult to complete them because I could only work through exactly what the video showed me. If I had a question, it was likely I wouldn’t get to ask mine. Flipped teaching didn’t prepare me well for tests because the tests were much more complex than anything in

the videos. Even strong, detailed notes weren’t in-depth enough to be very helpful. The one thing I did like about flipped teaching is that I had little or no homework in the class which freed up my time to do other work or go to social events. Flipped teaching could be a great thing for BV — but only if it’s used efficiently. Videos need to be specific and indepth so that it’s actually helpful for students to watch, as well as having a quick but useful way to answer questions. Flipped teaching can work really well for some classes, like math. In other classes, like science or English, students usually prefer to have hands-on help in order to understand the topics better. The effort that is being put in to reform the education system is realized and appreciated, because it does give students a new and unique way to learn, but if test scores don’t improve then the alternative form of teaching isn’t worth continuing.

Raise your Voice:

Do you learn better with flipped teaching or with traditional methods?

LaBelle

“I think it depends on the class. Chemistry was too content-heavy, but for an easier subject I’m sure I’d like it.” —Senior Emily LaBelle

DeVeney

“I liked flipped teaching because you can’t ask questions at home, so it helps that you can ask questions in class throughout.” —Junior Jack DeVeney

14 opinion December 2016

Taking

ACT ion

Students should be required to enroll in ACT/SAT Test Preparation

mariebiernacki staff writer Millions of students across the United States take two of the most dreaded standardized tests each year — the ACT and the SAT. Those specific assessments have become the bane of my existence. I am constantly looking up the minimum scores colleges require so I have a chance to be accepted. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a resource available to help students like me? Wouldn’t it be great if there was something — no, some class — that could help me become more prepared to ace these exams? Oh wait — Blue Valley already offers exactly that. I can’t believe I nearly forgot it existed — I was in it my sophomore year. This class was such an incredible experience and did wonders for my test scores. My ACT score shot up from a 22 to a 28 from learning testtaking strategies alone. I am living proof that this class is beneficial. I am living proof that this class works. Page designed by Marie Biernacki.

ACT/SAT Test Preparation should be a required course for students to take to graduate. Hold on — don’t come at me with pitchforks and torches yet. There would have to be a way for students to test out of the class. Some students don’t need a classroom environment to learn this material — perhaps they already know the content or have mastered the different strategies. Maybe they are naturally good at taking these types of tests. I completely understand that. The fact is I don’t want students to be cheated out of a better score simply because they didn’t get the chance to use this valuable resource. Yes, the class can be redundant — even boring — at times. But it is filled with awesome tips and tricks to better your score — plus it is built-in practice for those who barely have time to — or know they won’t — study outside of school for the ACT and SAT. And sometimes there are treats — teachers Dianne O’Bryan and Laura Volz are well aware this is not the most exciting class to be in. It is not a required course currently, but enrollment for next year is right around the corner. If you are looking to fill a half-credit, give the class a chance. You will gain more than what you expect.

Information provided by Mr. Bacon and Mrs. O’Bryan.

December 2016 features 15

BEATING THE

STANDARD

Students, teacher discuss high scores on the ACT

juliefreijat news editor As the school year progresses, we begin to hear more about standardized testing. A common test for Kansas students is the ACT, which is administered nationwide five times a year. Senior Sarah Weinand took her ACT last year and earned a 35, just one point shy of a perfect score. “I was really happy because it was the first time I took it,” she said. “I didn’t think I had done that well on it.” Senior Jacob Howey also scored a 35 on the test and said he was slightly upset he narrowly missed achieving a perfect score. “I was actually kind of disappointed because I was so close to a 36,” he said. “The second [time I took] the ACT, I was one question away from getting [a perfect score].” The ACT can be taken as many times as one choses. The best score received is typically used for college application. There are different ways one can prepare for the ACT. Howey said he prepared himself with practice tests. “The night before I took the first one, I looked in a [practice] book with a friend of mine,” he said. “We

looked at what the writing section years.” and the science section would be Wienand said she studied both and practiced both of those. The sec- through the class and on her own. ond time, for the week beforehand, “I took ACT Prep, and beside I did the same thing but a couple that, I did a little bit of studying,” times over.” she said. “ACT Prep was the entire Blue Valley offers a course semester before I took the December created to ready students for the one. Aside from that, I studied outACT and give tips on how to be a side [of the class] for about a week.” better test taker. ACT Prep teacher Wienand said studying for the Dianne O’Bryan said the class helps test benefited her. students improve their score. “The more practice you do “We analyzed our data from helps,” she said. “All the pracwhere the kids started on the tice we did in ACT Prep practice test and where they ended helped me prepare for on the practice test,” she said. “The the questions. If S average increase for students was you study and NT E four points.” work hard, D T : O’Bryan said there are certain you can LY STU AC L E traits associated with students who do it.” NA 436 TH do well on the ACT. O , TI 24 OK “A lot of the kids who do well are A 9 , TO readers,” she said. “A lot of the test 5N 1 1 involves you being able to quickly 20 F process information and TE SO quickly read information. S SI A I also think [successful] PO OF S CL M kids are those who E CO 1 1% KER OR performed well TH E 2 P A 33 G A in school over T O OF A T T [numerER AS ST ED A ER E OU AV E W ous] T R H E

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. Information from PrepScholar. Page designed by Julie Freijat.

Connected in 16 features December 2016

Connections teachers explain purpose, impact of class meganhegarty co-editor

Senior Sam Hornsby and Freshman Luke Kornfeind

Sophomore Ella Palmer and Freshman Cassie Coleman

Sophomore Jake Doebbeling and Freshman Johnnie Kitchin

Pages designed by Caitlin Hoy and Megan Hegarty.

After starting the Connections program in 1995 at Shawnee Mission South High School, Laurie Rue came to Blue Valley to start a social skills class here with colleague Susan Fisher. Fisher said the class teaches students important life skills. “There really aren’t guidelines out there that students learn on how to navigate the social world,” Fisher said. “We saw the need for a class to help teach kids how to read nonverbal communication and what social guidelines people don’t tell you. Basically you’re telling them the answer to the social test.” In the class, various units translate to real-world social skills. “[We cover] topics such as what makes up a healthy and unhealthy friendship, how to navigate social media, respect connected to dating and community service,” Fisher said. Every year, the class changes to adapt to what the students would benefit most from. “We started with just 6 kids, and now we have two classes of 25 or more,” Rue said. “We’ve become more flexible with what we teach because the needs change. We have to look at the individual students and adjust to make sure [the class] works for them.” Fisher and Rue both said the main theme of the class is “Eyes off ourselves, eyes onto others,” so

that students can become servant leaders — people who lead by example and walk alongside their peers. “We have great examples of that through our administration,” Fisher said. “Scott Bacon and the other associate principals are perfect examples of servant leaders.” Rue said she sees the impact Connections has on the students every day. “Our focus isn’t really for the kids to make friends, but sometimes that happens,” Rue said. “We see [the change] in confidence and know when they walk down the hall, they feel like they belong.” Fisher said although she’s happy for what’s to come, she misses the students once they leave BV. “After having them for four years, you see them on a regular basis, and then they graduate and move on,” Fisher said. “The relationships are still there, but you just don’t see them. We do get emails and visitors, so that’s rewarding, but every year around this time, I start grieving the seniors knowing that they’re graduating.” Rue said their influence makes teaching Connections worth it. “My favorite part of the class, and the reason why we keep doing this, is that I definitely see a positive impact on each student,” Rue said. “As they grow as a person, they can apply the skills that they learned here well into adulthood. [It] is very satisfying for me when kids come back to visit and talk about their successes.”

Connections

December 2016 features 17

Seniors give inside scoop about the fun, character-building BV connections class caitlinhoy staff writer In 2005, the Connections class was brought to the Blue Valley schools with the goal of students learning to focus on others and not themselves. Senior Liam Panther has been in the Connections class since he was a freshman back in 2013. “Connections has really changed me as a person through high school,” he said. “From my freshman year to my senior year, I have really grown up from my immaturity.” The class’s main goal for the students is to watch them succeed inside and outside of school and get them productive in activities with peers. Another senior, Katie Miller, said, “My favorite part of the Connections class is getting to know new friends and get to be involved in fun class activities.” This class is specifically geared toward meeting new friends and learning life lessons. Every single person in that classroom shares the same desire to learn from one an-

other and grow personally. Because students get to work with each other, individuals get to connect with one another differently based on their likes and dislikes. “I have become more compassionate toward people and learned good social skills that I wouldn’t have learned in any other class,” Miller said. Susan Fisher and Laurie Rue teach the Connections class. “Mrs. Rue and Mrs. Fisher have put a great impact on my life by teaching me good social skills with friends and peers,” Panther said. “I will miss them the most next year.” As Panther finishes his last few months at BV, he said he wants to live every possible moment he can with all his friends in the class. “What I will miss most about Connections is meeting new friends and seeing everyone’s smiling faces every day,” Panther said. “I will also miss my friends who are present at the school after I graduate because I won’t get to see them as much as I would in high school.”

“ Smith

The best part of Connections [is] the smile on everyone’s faces when you walk through the door. It’s a special feeling to see how excited you can make someone just by walking in. — Junior Ryan Smith

”

“ Ainsworth

My favorite part about Connections is meeting new friends and getting to know one another and having solid relationships for a lifetime. — Sophomore Brian Ainsworth

”

“ Freshman Luke Kornfeind, Junior Colin Green and Senior Jack Dryer

Hernandez

What I will miss most about Connections is everyone’s smiley and friendly faces. — Senior Paulina Hernandez

”

18 features December 2016

pursuing

LIGHT

Siblings celebrate Hindu festival Diwali, articulate the eventâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cultural, personal significance Photos submitted by Meghana Ammula. Story and pages designed by Courtney Carpenter.

December 2016 features 19 Across differing religions and cultures, the idea of light is an emblem for truth — a symbol of hope and goodness. Light, the illuminating adversary of darkness and of evil, shines brighter every passing autumn during Diwali, the biggest Hindu celebration. Diwali, literally translating to mean “Festival of Lights,” is a bright, colorful five-day holiday highlighting themes such as the triumph of good over evil and the presence of hope in the world. It marks the start of the Hindu calendar. This year, Diwali was Oct. 28 through Nov. 1. Senior Meghana Ammula and sophomore Ani Ammula have observed this holiday since birth, and Meghana said during the festival every year, she celebrates with many different traditions and customs. “Diwali is spending a lot of time with family and performing rituals to god,” Meghana said. “We all gather outside to light fireworks and sparklers since it is the Festival of Lights. The light symbolizes the positivity. After we have fun with lighting firecrackers, we all go inside to share positive things occurring in our lives and sing and dance to Indian music to celebrate god. We light lamps called diyas and hang up lights to bring light and energy into the house.” Ani said every family can celebrate differently, but the Ammula family has a general plan they follow annually. “Our major celebration is on one day, the last day,” he said. “The other days, we do prayers. We pray to the gods and thank them for everything. Each day, we cook food that we bring to the temple as a gift to the gods.” Meghana said the festival’s best part is the community aspect. “For Diwali, all of my family and family friends gather on the night of Diwali or the night before to light firecrackers, and everybody who comes to the party brings foods —

Diwali means “Festival of Lights” Diwali originated in India

How the Ammula Family Celebrates Diwali Dhanteras: Day One “We do a pooja, which is you inviting the god Brahma, the one who killed the demon, the one who invites positivity.”

Naraka Chaturdashi: Day Two “My family starts preparing food on this day. This week, we are not supposed to eat meat. Hindus do not eat meat all year, but my family will eat it occasionally. This week, we eat only vegetarian foods. We make a lot of treats and sweets — that’s a specialty of Diwali.”

Lakshmi Pooja: Day Three “We put lights up — each person lights a candle per day. We light it every day in the morning, then blow it out at night.”

Kartika Shudda Padyami: Day Four “We have one party we go to — one of my mom’s friends hosts it every year. We eat, and another pooja takes place where we do more rituals.”

Bhai Dooj: Day Five “We go out and use fireworks and sparklers. This day, you are lighting up everything, and everyone gets together to eat and celebrate with each other.”

mostly sweets,” she said. “My family makes a lot of food for the holiday. On Diwali, we dress up in very elegant traditional Indian attire and meet together to eat the food our families made.” Ani also commented on the community aspect. “Diwali really means celebration — being with family and friends, while being thankful for everything you have,” he said. Another important aspect, Meghana said, is the powerful symbolism of the Hindu holiday. “The significance of Diwali is bringing positivity into your life and letting go of the negativity, and the message is very powerful for me,” Meghana said. “It is a time to let go of the struggles of life and reflect on all the good in the world. It is important to never take your loved ones for granted, so during Diwali, I am able to appreciate each and every individual around me in celebrating happiness with others.” Meghana said she sometimes wishes the holiday was acknowledged more in the United States and in the Kansas City community. “I really appreciate Diwali — it is the Christmas of Hinduism, as our biggest holiday — so at times it does bother me that it is so little-known,” she said. “This year, Monday was the finale, and I couldn’t participate in all of it because of school. I don’t know if we’ll ever have school off, but it’s not a holiday that is recognized. A lot of people don’t know about Diwali — or Hinduism in general — but I hope that in the future, we get more recognition.” Diwali, Meghana said, is something she will cherish for the rest of her life, something she believes is relevant to everyone. “It’s such a fun time, just a celebration of god and of positivity,” she said. “The festival is just a good message — negative things are going to happen to you in life, but they can be washed away. You bring light into your life, and celebrating that surrounded with my friends and family is amazing.” 

20 features December 2016

CountryCrimeCatcher

School Resource Officer discusses his attempt at becoming a country singer Strumming his guitar, Burgess shared his inspiration for a song on the album. His album is entitled, “A Trucker’s Dream.” “One night, I got really tired and could barely stay awake on the road,” he said. “It was 2 or 3 in the morning, so I was like gosh ‘this must be what a truck driver feels like.’” Photo by Emilee Holscher.

lorenreed & emileeholscher staff writer & web editor Late nights and long drives — alone. School Resource Officer Trevor Burgess spent his early years in and out of college pursuing the difficult dream to produce and play a one-man show of country music. Starting by singing in his church choir during elementary school, Burgess followed after his father and high school friend to take up the guitar. “I didn’t start playing the guitar until I was in high school,” Burgess said. “I never wanted to learn guitar though, and I never had any interest in it. [Then] I found out I was OK at it and started to enjoy it. I had a buddy in high school that learned how to play the guitar — and actually, I learned from him.” He said he got his inspiration to pursue a music career from being away from his family during

his college years, and he decided to focus his music around them. “Everybody writes sappy songs about women — I didn’t want to do that,” Burgess said. “Instead I wrote a lot about life on the road. A lot of it’s about not being able to be at home with my wife [and] about different towns that I got to visit.” Only pursuing his dream for three years, Burgess said he was grateful for the experience but wouldn’t go back if he had the opportunity. At the young age of 22, when he first recorded “A Trucker’s Dream,” his first and only album, he was starting to realize finances would soon fall through. “I tried to make a living at it for three years after college,” he said. “While I was in college, I found out that I could make a decent amount of money. I played about three to four nights a week and continued doing that after college. The writing was on the wall that I wasn’t going to make it financially continuing down that path.”

Page designed by Emilee Holscher and Courtney Carpenter.

Burgess said his interests changed over the years — family and future deemed his music career unfeasible. “This is a totally different job than that is, and it’s a conflict of interest as to what I’m doing right now,” he said. “I was young then, 22 when I graduated [and I] pursued it for three years. Looking back on it, honestly, it was cool that I tried it, but it was a waste of time. [That’s] three years that I could have been pursuing a job or that I could have been figuring out what I wanted to do with my life.”

“I wrote a lot about life on the road. A lot of it’s about not being able to be at home with my wife [and] about different towns that I got to visit.”

December 2016 features 21

MEET THE STAFF

Julie Brooks

food service manager

Julie Prinds

assistant food service manager

Gary Mountain

assistant custodian lead

Joshua Reese lead custodian

Custodial, cafeteria staff explain their jobs, lives

What are your job responsibilities?

How does the cafeteria staff work together?

What are your hobbies?

“I take inventory, order the groceries, plan out what each person is going to do [and] make sure things get done on time. I have to test the food — if there’s a questionable thing, I have to make sure it’s edible. I make sure everyone’s charging right.”

“Everybody does a little of every job. We rotate in the back of the kitchen once a week, and out in the registers, we rotate every day. If anybody’s missing, then [anybody] can do it.”

“I used to be a florist for 25 years. Now I garden, watch my grandson and do a lot of cooking.”

What are your job responsibilities?

Tell me a little bit about yourself outside this job.

Why do you like your job?

“[I] prep the food and do what the manager tells [me] to do. We cook [and] clean — a little bit of everything.”

“I have two grandkids that I just love. I like to go to the casino and gamble every once in a while — every once in a while! I like cooking, sewing, camping [and] reading books.”

“I enjoy the work — [it] isn’t too hard, and I only work four hours a day. Mainly, it’s because I like the people I work [with]. We’re really a good team.”

What are your job responsibilities?

Tell me a little bit about yourself outside this job.

Why do you like your job?

“I open the building at 6 a.m., check all the restrooms [and make sure that the] lights are on in the right areas. A great part of our day is setting up for lunch, breaking down and [cleaning] up after lunch as well as anything special that goes on during the day.”

“I have three grown children. I’m very active in the men’s group in my church. I used to be a musician [and] an artist — I used to be a lot of things over the years — but at this point, this is where I’m at. I’ve been here for about 14 years now.”

“I like to support people, do good work and be of service. Our function is to support the staff and the students and try to do that the best we can.”

What are your job responsibilities?

Tell me a little bit about yourself outside this job.

How did the skillset transfer over?

“My duties [are] to oversee all cleaning operations [and] sanitary operations of the high school and the athletic facilities.”

“I am a very family-oriented guy — I have two little girls. Both me and my wife are very big proponents of public school systems. I enjoy outdoor activities. I used to be a chef for 12 years, so some of that skillset does transfer over here.”

“Basically, work ethic [was carried over] and keeping an area sanitized so the students don’t get sick. If they get sick, their attendance will drop, and that doesn’t bode well for our academic process.”

Story and design by Kaitlin Yu. Photos by Melanie White.

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December 2016 features 23

INVESTIGATING

ASSAULT

Story by julie freijat, alli williams & kaitlin yu In September, a sexual assault case at Shawnee Mission East attracted the attention of students in the metropolitan area. Rumors were spread among students claiming SME was not properly handling the case â&#x20AC;&#x201D; however, the principal later emailed SME students explaining they were protecting the privacy of the victim. The perpetrator was charged with four sex crimes and pleaded guilty, according to The Kansas City Star. This event motivated the question â&#x20AC;&#x201D; how

OVE R

HOW DOES BLUE VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL HANDLE CASES OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE?

The Tiger Print staff acknowledges there is sensitive information in this article about sexual violence. The content in this article may elicit unwanted reactions from those affected by similar matters. There are no graphic images or descriptions, but please read at your own discretion. To protect the privacy of the victim interviewed, parties involved in the incident mentioned have been kept anonymous.

D PARK N LA LICE PO

does Blue Valley High School investigate F reports of sexual violence among students O Fin the school? A student came forward and told of her experience of sexual assault allegedly perpetrated by a fellow student, as well as her experiences with reporting it. The BV district has policies for investigating sexual abuse cases. Based on what she reported, the investigation at BV allegedly followed procedures.

E IC

Pages designed by Kaitlin Yu and Alli Williams. Photo by Isabelle Allen.

26 features December 2016

UNDER THE LAW Title IX, a federal law passed in 1972, protects both men and women involved in educational programs given federal funds — including public schools. As it states, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from

participation in, be denied the benefits of or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.” This law has since been used in cases involving sexual harassment and assault, as well as rape.

According to the United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR), under Title IX: YOU HAVEYOU THEHAVE RIGHT REPORT THE INCIDENT TO YOUR HAVE THETORIGHT TO REPORT THE INCIDENT TOSCHOOL, YOUR SCHOOL, YOUR SCHOOL INVESTIGATE WHAT HAPPENED AND HAVE YOUR COMPLAINT HAVE YOUR SCHOOL INVESTIGATE WHAT HAPPENED AND HAVE PROMPTLY AND EQUITABLY. YOURRESOLVED COMPLAINT RESOLVED PROMPTLY AND EQUITABLY. YOUR SCHOOL SHOULD ENSURE THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF YOUR TITLE IX RIGHTS AND ANY AVAILABLE RESOURCES, SUCH AS VICTIM ADVOCACY, HOUSING ASSISTANCE, ACADEMIC SUPPORT, COUNSELING, DISABILITY SERVICES, HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND LEGAL ASSISTANCE. THE POLICY MUST STATE THAT INQUIRIES CONCERNING TITLE IX MAY BE REFERRED TO THE SCHOOL’S TITLE IX COORDINATOR OR TO OCR. EVEN IF A STUDENT OR HIS OR HER PARENT DOES NOT WANT TO FILE A COMPLAINT OR DOES NOT REQUEST THAT THE SCHOOL TAKE ANY ACTION ON THE STUDENT’S BEHALF, IF A SCHOOL KNOWS OR REASONABLY SHOULD KNOW ABOUT POSSIBLE SEXUAL HARASSMENT OR SEXUAL VIOLENCE, IT MUST PROMPTLY INVESTIGATE TO DETERMINE WHAT OCCURRED AND THEN TAKE APPROPRIATE STEPS TO RESOLVE THE SITUATION.

EVERY COMPLAINANT HAS THE RIGHT TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE TIME FRAME WITHIN WHICH: (A) THE SCHOOL WILL CONDUCT A FULL INVESTIGATION OF THE COMPLAINT; (B) THE PARTIES WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE OUTCOME OF THE COMPLAINT; AND (C) THE PARTIES MAY FILE AN APPEAL, IF APPLICABLE.

The victim said she was not aware of her rights under Title IX, and she had never heard of the law. BV does not designate a Title IX coordinator in their handbook, but it is the school princi-

pal. The coordinator for the BV district is Sue Dole. The Tiger Print called several times and emailed her, but she did not respond to interview requests.

December 2016 features 27

SUMMARY

REPORTING THE STATS

20%retaliation 13%BELIEVED DO ANYTHING TO HELP 2 OUT OF 3 13% PERSONALIT WASISSUEA SEXUAL ASSAULTS 8% DId nOt want to get the GO UNREPORTED 7% perpetrator in trouble OUT OF EVERY 1,000 RAPES: REPORTED without 567 are UNREPORTED 344 further action REFERRED to to 13 are 63 lead ARRESTS prosecuters be to a 6 will 7 lead INCARCERATED FELONY CONVICTION said they feareD

So, how does BV investigate reports of sexual violence among students in the school? Burgess and Randall cooperated with the student to investigate the reported incident, and they filed a report with the OPPD. The school also made sure to protect her safety by separating her and the alleged abuser. However, she was unaware that she had the choice of reporting it in the first place. She also said she was not notified of the time frame within which her investigation took place or the outcome.

HOW TO REPORT REPORT ANONYMOUSLY AT:

BELIEVED POLICE WOULDN"T

DId nOt THINK THE ISSUE WAS IMPORTANT ENOUGH

43%

OF RAPES ARE COMMITTED BY A FRIEND OR ACQUINTANCE

27% of rapes ARE committed BY AN INTIMATE PARTNER

21% of rapes ARE committed BY A STRANGER

Hotlines:

Sunflower House hotline: (913) 631-5800 National Sexual Assault hotline: 1-800-656-4673 National Suicide Prevention hotline: 1-800-273-8255

tinyurl.com/sprigeo

TALK TO: Q: How can someone report rape/sexual assault/ sexual harassment/sexual misconduct? A: “They can come in and see me or Officer Burgess. They can go to their counselor if they’re more comfortable talking to them, but eventually, they [will have] to talk to us. We are very sympathetic, and we’re not judgmental. As uncomfortable as it may be — we need to get details and facts in order for us to pursue

“

LEARN:

RAINN.org, MOCSA.org

criminal charges.” Q: What if the incident occurs outside of school? A: “They can still report it to us, or they can dial 911. The advantage that you would have by reporting it to us is that a street police officer has a different mentality than Officer Burgess or myself. We want for you guys to be able to come to us for anything.”

The most important thing is to not keep it a secret. It'’ s important to report what happens to you, even if it is really scary. -anonymous BV junior

“

Q&A WITH OFFICER RANDALL

BV psychologist Julie Seitter

Infographic information from RAINN.org.

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December 2016 features 29

Music To Our Ears

Band members transition to concert season emileeholscher web editor During the fall season, the Blue Valley marching band leads the student body in the fight song during assemblies, performs their competitive show

during half-time and helps keep the BV spirit alive during the football games. However, starting second semester, the marching band takes a step off the turf and enters a different atmosphere. At the end of marching season, students audition for the concert season. No matter what skill level, each

Symphonic Band Symphonic Band consists of 45 students and is led by director Avian Bear. Senior Nathan Schuler, a fourth-chair trumpet player, said Symphonic Band is not all that different from Concert Band, but Symphonic Band performs more pieces that are of a higher difficulty than Concert Band. “It’s a higher skill level, so it’s harder music,” Schuler said. Schuler said this is his second time making Symphonic Band, but the audition process was still nerve-wracking. “Once I found out I made it, it was a relief, but I was also pretty excited because we have a really good group this year,” Schuler said. “We have such a good group of players that I wasn’t sure I’d make it.” Although both bands are given different opportunities to display their talents, the Symphonic Band was asked to play for the board of KMEA, Kansas Music Educators Association. Only a few of the top bands in Kansas get the privilege to perform the pieces they’ve been working on at KMEA. “We want to show other directors in our state that we can play our instruments well and to put on a really good performance for everyone that will be there,” Schuler said.

student received the same packet to practice for auditions. At the audition, students play an excerpt, perform chromatic scales and complete sight reading. The musicians are then divided into two different bands depending on their skill level — Symphonic Band and Concert Band.

Concert Band In Concert Band, the students practice new music for each upcoming concert, as well as scales that they play individually to their director, Carol Lowman, for a part of their grade. This year, 63 students are in Concert Band. Senior Becca King, a second-chair clarinet player in Concert Band, said she was extremely nervous for auditions. “I got in there, and my hands were shaking,” she said. “It was hard for me to play.” During the spring, they go to BV Southwest to play for judges and get a rating on their [performances] one through three — one being the best and three needing improvement. “We work on the music a while before contest, and then we go to Southwest and get ratings,” King said. “You’re not really rated against the other schools. It’s you as a school that gets rated.” Lowman has been the assistant band director for seven years at BV, and this will be her final one. “I love having her as a teacher. I’m actually excited to be in Concert Band so I can be with her for her last year,” King said. “She has a really kind aura.” For King’s senior year, she said she looks forward to see the Concert Band improve. “I’m excited to see how the band progresses throughout the year and how everybody works together to make entertaining music.” Page designed by Emilee Holscher.

30 a&e December 2016

Travel Survival Guide

how to vacation with ease this winter break

Basic Travel Hacks:

US C U

MON AM OR

•

On the last day of a trip in a foreign country, gather all loose change and give it to the homeless. Keep extra copies of essentials — such as a passport and travel documents — with you, both hard copies and electronic. Mark bags as fragile for good handling — this will also ensure your bags will be the first to come out.

•

All Types of Trips

Pack lightly

Have earplugs or noise-canceling headphones

IS PAR

•

L VE

•

Place a dryer sheet with your clothes for freshness and preventing static. Book hotels and flights on incognito mode because agencies raise their prices higher when someone visits their site more than once. Roll clothes when packing to prevent wrinkles and make room for more space.

OMS US T R A

•

Roadtrips

Bring a small pillow and blanket Keep emergency items handy first aid, food, water, blankets, radio, flashlight, antifreeze

Bring small essentials

headphones, chargers, batteries, important documents (if needed)

Talk with your family

a great time to bond

Pages designed by Ifrah Sayyada and Courtney Carpenter.

Keep yourself entertained

books, games, music, downloaded movies

Bring food

chips, juice boxes, pretzels, trail mix, fruit (if you’re feeling healthy)

December 2016 a&e 31

Expert:

Leave the house

Air Travel Take an empty water bottle

Take an empty bottle and fill it after security instead of paying for the ridiculously overpriced water bottles.

Jill Goug er Visited: Over 20 countrie s

hours before boarding time

Hopes to vis

PASSPORT

Gouger’s

• • max 100 mL

max 50 lbs

Make sure to check all liquid and baggage restrictions to avoid hold up

PAR

little desk. On a road trip, it’s much easier to make your own boundaries and adjust accordingly. Climb into the car and claim your territory first so you don’t have to negotiate. Comfort is key, right? Talk. This seems like the simplest of all, but the best way to deal with rude passengers is to talk to them. Either joke around or directly tell them why they are bothering you. There’s always that one person on a plane who decides it’s a good idea to take off their shoes, so ask politely if they would put their shoes back on again. Keep your cool as most people will respond to positivity and humor, not anger and frustration.

ONA

Pretend to be asleep. It’s perfect for air travel when that pestering air host continuously asks if you want something from the cart — no means no. On the other hand, if you have a polite family (unlike mine), they will likely tone it down if they see you are sleeping or trying to sleep. It’s a perfect escape and helps you catch up on some sleep as an added bonus. Maintain seat boundaries. This is crucial, if not the most essential, thing a traveler can do. When on a plane, politely ask others to maintain a boundary for everyone’s comfort, especially when the person in front of you completely reclines their seat while you’re trying to use the

IS M

We’ve all been there. Whether it’s our obnoxious siblings or even parents during road trips to that bratty child who won’t stop kicking the back of your seat on the plane, events like this make you want to pull you hair out. To prevent unnecessary bald spots or possible murders that may occur on these supposedly fun trips, here are some things you can do to cope with these awful co-travelers. Earplugs and noisecanceling headphones are your best friends when traveling. When your family or fellow air passenger gets too rowdy, pop these in and block excessive noise. It’s not rude to purposely not listen to others, right?

MOR

Dealing with annoying people when traveling:

• •

Tips

it: Iceland, Per Vietnam u and

: Eat local food Learn basi c phrases of native (especiall language y polite p hrases of “thank yo “please,” u” and “g ood aftern Respect a oon”) nd Most imp follow cultural/soc ortantly, k ietal rules eep an op en mind

32 a&e December 2016

kansas city

CAFFEINE

Local shops, cafés attract avid coffee fans when you want to catch up with a friend...

The Roasterie Black Coffee ($2.17)

not very bitter, slightly thicker, strong espresso

when you want to relax...

Parisi

Black Coffee ($2.19) sweet, slightly bitter, thin

Popular drink — Vanilla Bean Latte ($3.80)

silky, smooth like satin, light espresso, perfect sweetness, light foam

Ambiance:

crammed, mostly outdoor seating (for warmer days)

when you want to meet new people...

Homers

Black Coffee ($2.49)

foamy, watery, weakest flavor (not very bitter)

Popular drink — Mexican Mocha ($4.29) unique taste, chocolate and spice, not overpowering

Ambiance:

very artsy — lots of paintings, loud music, many artists

Page designed by Ifrah Sayyada and Courtney Carpenter.

Popular drink — Brookside Bob ($4.38)

strong mint and chocolate, minimal espresso, thick

Ambiance:

tight but spread out, mostly indoor, quiet area

when you want to study/ be alone...

Scooter’s Black Coffee ($2.04) strong taste, bitter

Popular drink — Carmelicious ($4.42)

sweet, caramel, espresso flavors

Ambiance:

secluded areas, comfy seats, quiet area

when you want to travel a little farther... •Quay (Kansas City River Market) •Blackdog (Lenexa) •Filling Station Coffee (Old Westport) •Thou Mayest (Crossroads District) •Oddly Correct (Midtown Westport) •Second Best Coffee (Leawood) •A Cup on the Hill (Riverview)

LAST-DITCH

December 2016 a&e 33

STUDY TIPS It’s the day before your AP Nuclear Physics final, and you haven’t even glanced at your notes since the last unit test. You might have plans to hunker down and study all night — or maybe not — but either way, here are some tips that will help you ace your final.

Get Started Getting started is truly the worst part of studying. Whether the thought of studying stresses you out, or Netflix just released the newest season of “Fuller House” — just doing one question of your review or even reading a bullet point will get you started and encourage you to study more.

Put your phone away

Make Word Associations Make word associations to help you K H D Us Dr C M remember – and the funnier, the bet- i e o h i n n e u l ter. Gay-Lussac’s Law sounds a lot like g r s a in o c k n’ y l o Gary Lezak, and if that helps you recall t l k l the information, more power to you. y a

t e

Watch Videos

From “Crash Course” to “Khan Academy” there are hundreds of videos out there, made specifically to help you master a topic — use them. Listening to another person teach the material will help you create more connections to the lesson and understand it more thoroughly.

Yep, put it away. Slide it under your bed, give it to a parent — whatever you do make it hard to get to. If being without your phone for a few hours horrifies you, download an app like “SelfControl,” which will block certain apps for a period of time you decide.

Study out of order

By studying out of order you pull the information out of the context you originally learned it in and add more associations to it. That way you’ll be able to recall it easier in a stressful testing environment. (Not recommended for history.)

vs.

Rewrite your not Not wor es — d for wo r d , but really pa re them d ow to the ba re bones n of what yo u’re tryin g to say.

Story by Melanie White. Page designed by Megan Hegarty.

34 a&e December 2016

BACK LOOKING

Moments in 2016 offer positive impacts to remember

For the first time in a hundred years, the number of wild tigers on earth stopped declining and started growing. According to the World Wildlife Foundation, this is a pivotal step in the recovery of the population. Ginette Hemley, vice president of the WWF, attributes these rising numbers to the efforts put forth since the World

Astronaut Tim Peake completed his six months aboard the International Space Station, during which he ran a marathon in space, remotely drove a

Mars rover, conducted a spacewalk and subjected himself to various biological studies of the effects of long-term space visits on humans. Info from esa.int

Manatees, which have been listed under the Endangered Species Act for the last fifty years, have finally been declared no longer endangered. Even

It was discovered that child mortality has plummeted to less than half of what it was in 1990, from 12.7 million deaths per year to 5.9 million per year. According to the World Health Organization, the period that offers the most challenges is the 28 days after birth; if a child makes

Tiger Conference, which met in 2010. 13 countries pledged to double their tiger populations by 2020, and those with the highest committments â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Russia, India, Nepal, and Bhutan â&#x20AC;&#x201D; are those who have seen the most improvement. Info from blogs.scientificamerican.com and worldwildlife.org

it through the first month, they have a much higher chance of living past age 5. Rates can be reduced even more with baby care awareness campaigns in the two population centers with the highest child mortality rates, Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia. Info from who.int

Photos courtesy of Tribune News Agency and Isabelle Allen. Pages designed by Regan Kassing, Marie Biernacki and Courtney Carpenter.

so, they will still be protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which requires a permit for hunting. Info from natureworldnews.com

December 2016 a&e 35 The Juno space probe, which launched in 2011, reached Jupiter, providing the closest and most detailed view of Jupiter yet. It will continue taking

measurements until 2018, when it will launch itself into Jupiter’s atmosphere and self-destruct, taking measurements all the while. Info from space.com

The money from the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge funded a study which found a new ALS gene that now ranks as one of the most common genes to

Portugal ran its entire country on renewable energy for four days, setting a new clean energy milestone. From 6:45 a.m. on May 7 to 5:45 a.m. on May 11, all electricity used was produced by

contribute to the disease. This gives scientists another potential target for gene therapy preventing the disease. Info from alsa.org

solar, wind and water power. The surge in efforts to use renewable energy is part of an effort to meet the European Union’s clean energy targets for 2020. Info from theguardian.com

HARRIET TUBMAN (ca. 1822-1913) of Hamilton’s surge of popularity due to the Treasury secretary Jacob J. Lew made the decision replace President Andrew JackBroadway musical based on his life, Tubman • Born a toslave in Maryland son with Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill. was moved to the $20 bill. Tubman will be • Escaped tooriginally Northto beon second try,the1849 The change was made on both first woman and the first African the $10 bill, with Tubman replacing treasury American to have her face on paper money. • Became conductor on Underground Railroad secretary Alexander Hamilton, but as a result Info from nytimes.com • Returned to South to help family members and other slaves ﬂee • Also supported women’s suffrage

Pop Culture Moments

Source: Pittsburg Post-Gazette Reporting Graphic: Len Barcousky, James Hilston - Pittsburg Post-Gazette, Tribune News Service

• Pokémon Go got everyone outside • Leonardo DiCaprio won an for roughly two weeks. Oscar. • Netflix released its popular series • Beyoncé released “Lemonade” “Stranger Things” and “The Get and performed at the Super Down.” Bowl halftime show. • “Moana” beat “Frozen’s” Thanksgiv• The Final Five girls gymnastic ing box office record. team performed well at the Rio • “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Olympics, taking home gold. Them,” a new “Harry Potter” spinoff, was released in November.

Recognizing and Driving on Black Ice:

WE LLBE ING

36 a&e December 2016

Black ice forms most often in the early morning or the nighttime — usually the temperature outside is right at the freezing point. Watch for glossy roads or cars suddenly swerving — this means there is black ice present. If you do hit black Staying ice, let the car travel over the ice on its own — trying to brake or steer can cause the car to spin out. In any car, shift into the lowest gear — your car will have more traction.

Winter Driving:

Preventing slips on ice and snow:

Walk slowly. Wear snow boots — they promote traction and are water resistant. Be careful getting in and out of vehicles. Avoid carrying heavy objects when walking on ice. Carefully entering buildings — watch for slippery floors near the doorway.

safe during the

Accelerate and decelerate slowly — this prevents skidding and loss of traction. Drive slowly to avoid collisions — plan to leave your house earlier in order to reach your destination on time. When driving up hills, try to gain speed on a flat road in order to have enough speed to continue up the hill. Stay home — if the weathwinter er is bad enough, and you don’t have to go out. Stay indoors and make

some hot chocolate. Have an ice scraper with you at all times — Kansas is unpredictable. A blizzard could hit at any moment. Don’t be like some students last year who were left trying to scrape ice off their windshield without a scraper. Never drive on cruise control.

Skidding:

Get your foot off the accelerator and the brake. Steer gently in the direction you want the car to go. As you begin to regain control of the car, gently apply the brakes in order to gain some traction.

Treating frostbite: Recognizing and Preventing frostbite:

Dress in multiple layers — the first layer should be moisture-wicking, the second layer should be insulating and the top layer should be wind and waterproof. Be sure snow cannot get into your clothing. Wear two pairs of socks — the first should be light, the second should be insulating and made of thick material. Wear ear warmers or a hat. Wear insulated gloves or mittens — if you will be touching snow or ice, be sure these are wind and waterproof. Watch for painful red spots on your skin. The area will turn gray or white and numb. Do not ignore uncomfortable or itchy sensations.

See a doctor or go to the emergency room as soon as possible. Until a doctor can be seen, keep the area warm. Remove wet clothing. Avoid walking on or touching frostbitten areas. Do not break blisters. Re-warm the area with warm, wet washcloths. Bandage the area, place cotton balls between toes to keep them separated. Take pain medication in order to reduce pain and inflammation. Skin will turn red and become tingly as blood-flow returns.

Story by Sarah Day. Page designed by Alli Williams and Sarah Day. Information from WebMD. Photo courtesy of Tribune News Agency.

December 2016 a&e 37

photo

vans

These alternative shoes offer comfort and durability while remaining fashion-forward. Featuring a twist on the classic sneaker silhouette, these shoes are stylish, off-the-wall and easy to wear and piece with your outfit.

thrifted pieces

Vans Checkerboard slip-on, $50

Thrifted pieces are a cheap way to stay stylish this winter. These clothes are cute and contain lots of personality. Thrifted jackets usually cost around $5, depending on where you go. This jacket is a bomber-style navy, green and red fit with patches on the sleeves. Goodwill, Savers or Salvation Army are good places to thrift.

winter fashion

what you should be wearing this winter

NAUTICA Vintage Bomber Jacket

sweaters

This winter, stay warm and stylish with a cute sweater, a casual, everyday outfit choice that will keep you warm in the cold weather. They can be worn with dark leggings, light jeans or over your favorite button-down for maximum comfort.

American Apparel Fishermanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pullover, $78

slip dress

The slip dress is a versatile, easyto-wear piece. Consisting of two spaghetti straps and a V-neckline, this dress is usually worn over a T-shirt â&#x20AC;&#x201D; however, it can be paired with your favorite ankle boots, worn with a long sleeve shirt or worn under a fuzzy coat or jacket to stay warm and stylish this season.

Forever 21 Contemporary Satin Slip Dress, $22.90

Photos and page designed by Nick Lamberti. Stories by Noma Kreegar and Nick Lamberti.

38 a&e December 2016

Raise your Voice:

What are some of your “must-do” winter activities for break?

Hurt

“Making hot chocolate and snuggling under lots of blankets to watch the ‘Polar Express’ is the best.” —Senior Lorna Hurt

“Winter break is all about sleeping in and maybe going outside to build a fort or make snow angels.”

Wolf

—Sophomore Carson Wolf

“Going ice skating and Christmas caroling is a mustdo over break. Also baking and decorating cookies is super fun.”

Hoy

—Sophomore Sheriden Hoy

Page designed by Allie Ament and Courtney Carpenter.

December 2016 a&e 39

Home for the Holidays

“We celebrate New Year’s Eve, which is also the Christmas Eve for us Russians, with lots of family and close friends to give thanks and to spend quality time together.

Students share family traditions

— Junior Anthony Sobolevsky

“My family will get together [for] Christmas to have a big dinner. It’s important to me, I get to be with the people I love.

“We take this pickle ornament, and we hide it on the tree. Whoever finds it first gets a Christmas present.”

—Sophomore Maddi Sanchez

— Senior JD Jones “My family always opens one present the night of Christmas Eve, and it’s always pajamas that we then wear to bed. We’ve been doing it for as long as I can remember.”

— Freshman Tori Ward

“My family makes chocolatedipped pretzels [for] all of our neighbors. I love doing it because it makes me feel good to bring joy in the form of food.”

— Freshman John Oldroyd

Page designed by McKenna Cole.

40 sports December 2016

Cheerleaders train for upcoming nationwide competition taliaamjadi staff writer

This year, the Blue Valley cheer squad will attend the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA), a competition where high school cheer teams compete from around the United States, for the second year in a row. Cheer coach Michelle Wirt and senior captain Alex Vasa said they anticipate a strong and successful NCA competition for the team. “It takes about a year of preparation,” Wirt said. “We started working on a routine and stunts right after tryouts in May. Then, we got our choreography in August and then we’ll leave to compete on Jan. 21.” Vasa said a lot of work goes into NCA by all the cheerleaders and the coaches. “It’s a lot of training,” Vasa said. “We have the class every day which is the hour-long period — then we have pracPage designed by Talia Amjadi.

tices on certain days of the week as well as Saturdays. We started creating the routine in August, and the competition isn’t until January, so we still have a lot of work and preparation to do.” Last year was the team’s first year ever attending NCA. “I think the team will be a lot stronger this year,” Wirt said. “For us only having a two-week preparation time and placing fourth [last year], I think we really have a good shot of winning this year. We have a good chance of being national champions.” High schools from all around the United States compete at NCA, and Vasa said there are many difficult things about the competition. “The hardest part is that it’s only around a three-minute cheer,” Vasa said. “So it’s such a short period of time to perform and show everything you’ve worked really hard on and are capable of doing as a team.” Traveling with the team and enjoying

each other’s company outside of BV makes the experience fun, Vasa said. “My favorite thing is that it’s a big team bonding thing, and we all get to have a lot of fun together,” she said. “It’s so amazing to show everyone what we have been working so hard for as a team.” Being a captain, Vasa said the position comes with a lot of responsibility. “I have to be a leader on the team,” she said. “I have to not only help with Varsity but with JV and freshmen too, so it involves getting everyone ready for games, being a leader at practices and making sure everyone is on task at all times.” Wirt said she is excited to see her team there competing against hundreds of other high school cheer teams. “I like seeing all the different high schools from all over the United States,” Wirt said. “Knowing that we are just as good as anybody else is pretty exciting for us and myself as a coach.”

December 2016 sports 41

Going the D i s t a n c e BV students participate in marathon, half-marathon kyleelmendorf staff writer

BV Students who completed the marathon Marie Young, 12 Sydney Rogers, 11 BV Students who completed the half-marathon Chris An, 12 Owen Andersen, 12 Grace Anderson, 9 Grant Boehringer, 11 Katie Boehringer, 9 Andrew Carter, 9 Cali Coffman, 10 Eleanor Dobbles, 9 Isaiah Euler, 11 Dawson Gardner, 12 Garrett Gunnerson, 11 Megan Hatfield, 11 Allyson Imhoff, 9 Alan Karst, 11 Jordan Lyerla, 9 Anna Katherine Massey, 11 Hunter Myers, 9 Ethan Oleen, 11 Victoria Roggy, 12 Alli Williams, 11 Rachel Wise, 11 Page designed by Kyle Elmendorf.

Running, to most, is seen as an activity that many people wish not to participate in. However, a few Blue Valley students wanted to challenge themselves and attempted to complete a marathon or half-marathon. “I [ran] the Gobbler Grind [marathon] on Nov. 13,” junior Sydney Rogers said. “I don’t know why, actually. I was going to do the half, so I might as well do the full.” Rogers said she was persuaded to run the race by one of her friends. “[Senior] Marie Young really got me into it,” Rogers said. “She was like, ‘Just do it with me, just do it with me,’ so I was like, ‘OK, might as well.’” Senior Dawson Gardner participated in the Gobbler Grind half-marathon. He finished his race in 1 hour and 56 minutes. “I [ran] with [senior] Chris An and [freshman] Andrew Carter,” Gardner said. “My race was fun and not as painful as expected.” Gardner’s motivation, however, differed from Rogers’ motivation. “I told someone last year I was going to run it,” he said. “I had to keep my promise.” Rogers said being in cross country helped her train for the race. Although she ran a full 26.2 miles, she did not train more than 16 miles because she was also playing soccer while training. “I do pretty much what we’ve been doing all [cross country] season, except speed workouts. I did six to seven [miles] a day, then on the weekends, I did 10 [miles],” she said. “On Mondays I [had] to do 16 [miles]. Usually I didn’t run on Sundays.”

Because Gardner only went 13.1 miles in his race, he was able to run the distance of his race while training. He said cross country helped him get into shape for the half-marathon. “I [ran] close to 13 miles by the time [of] the race,” he said. “[Cross country] helped me get in good shape and pushed me to run longer and faster.” Rogers completed her marathon in a time of 4 hours and 57 minutes. “It shows me I can do anything as long as I can get past it mentally,” she said. “Half the race was me telling myself I can do it. If you set your mind to something, you can accomplish anything.”

After finishing the race, Rogers and Young pose for a picture. They ran the marathon on Nov. 13. “Running with Marie was a lot more fun than it would have been running alone,” she said. Photo submitted by Sydney Rogers.

42 sports December 2016

Wrestling seeks to continue success from last year, avenge shortcomings

Sophomore Alex Totta competes at State last season. Totta was one of two freshman to wrestle at State last year. “It was exciting but also a little intimidating because these guys are 18 and more developed,” Totta said. Photo by Molly Franko.

Sophomore wrestler Alex Totta said he began training for the wrestling season in the summer. “I’m looking forward to State and going back,” Totta said. “I wasn’t happy with how I ended up [at State] last year.” Totta said the team exceeded their expectations. “At the State tournament, we placed higher [as a team] than we thought we were going to,” he said. “We had a lot of guys place [individually], so we were happy about that.” BV had three seniors place at the State tournament, including a State champion and runner-up. Totta said the team lacks upperclassmen this year, which may require younger wrestlers to assume leadership roles. “I’m only a sophomore, but we don’t have many upperclassmen this year,” he said. “I might have to step up [and be a leader].” He said his favorite part isn’t the competition, but the family atmosphere. “[I like] sitting at the tournaments waiting to wrestle, and getting to bond with all of your teammates,” Totta said.

Girls bowling gives students an opportunity to have fun, get involved The girls bowling team at Blue Valley was created by teacher Mark Mosier after the success of a bowling club at BV. Senior Marissa Herzog said she joined the team as a junior for a fun way to get involved. “I love [bowling],” she said. “It’s something that everyone enjoys, and you don’t have to be super good at it to do it.” Herzog said spending time with the girls makes the bowling season enjoyable. “I’m just going to have fun and enjoy my senior year,” she said. “Practice is always fun because we just get to hang out. I hope I do well, but I really just want to enjoy it.” Even though she was a first-year bowler, Herzog said she immediately became someone to look up to because of her age and the lack of other upperclassmen. “I’ve only been on [the team] for two years, so I’ve always been an upperclassmen,” she said. “Right from the start, I was one of the leaders of the team.” Because of the lack of older girls, Herzog said the team was not as successful as they hoped last season. “[Last year] was a rebuilding time,” she said. “We have a lot of younger kids — Kennedy [Miner] and I were the only upperclassmen on the team. [This year] we are trying to do a little bit better. We’re one of the lower-[ranked] high schools so we’re going to try to keep [improving].”

Getting ready to bowl, senior Marissa Herzog picks up the ball. This is Herzog’s second year on the bowling team. “[I’m looking forward to] having fun with my friends who are also trying out,” Herzog said. Photo by Alex Roberts.

December 2016 sports 43

Boys basketball seniors look to make State for first time in high school careers

Senior Cade Green dribbles the ball. Green is one of five seniors on the team this season. “We’re all kind of quiet leaders, except Harry,” Green said. “Me, Tyler, Gus, and Will really don’t yell loudly. We’re just quiet and lead by [example].” Photo by Hanna Bradford.

Last season, the boys basketball team went 14-6 but fell short of qualifying for State. Senior Cade Green said they met their goals for the season but still were disappointed when they missed State. “We had a good regular season,” Green said. “We got a home Substate and that was our goal for the year [and] then lost that. It hurt us and motivates us for this year.” Green said his expectations for this season are higher than last year. “We can be better than 14-6 and hopefully have a shot at the EKL title,” he said. “We’ve always lost the first game of Substate since I’ve been on the team, and it would be really cool to get to State.” As Green has gotten older, he has also taken up more of a leadership role on the team, he said. “I remember my sophomore year playing varsity — I was kind of scared to step up and say stuff to the other players,” Green said. “Last year was fun playing with Tyler [Geiman] and Gus [Gomez] as guards. This year we’re all seniors now so it’s our turn [to be leaders].” Green said he’s excited to finally get to compete. “I can’t wait to play [more] games again,” he said. “Playing in front of the band and our student section is always great.”

POST-SEASON AWARDS

FOOTBALL

Spectrum Sports Kansas Coach of the Year: Eric Driskell Thomas A. Simone Award Finalist: QB Matthew Dercher, 12 Buck Buchanan Award Finalist: LB Michael Maffrey, 12

Buck Buchanan Award Semifinalist: LT Kirrian Kirby, 12 Otis Taylor Award Finalist: WR Harry Van Dyne, 12 EKL Offensive Player of the Year: QB Matthew Dercher, 12 EKL Defensive Player of the Year: LB Michael Maffrey, 12

First Team All EKL: QB Matthew Dercher, 12; RB Will Evans, 12; WR Harrison Van Dyne, 12; LT Kirrian Kirby, 12; LB Michael Maffrey, 12 Second Team All EKL: OL Wil Watkins, 12; DL Dawson Krug, 12; LB Ashkon Saravi, 12; DB Zach Gill, 12; Punter Matthew Dercher, 12

EKL Honorable Mention: DL Sutton Williams, 10; DB Owen Olson, 11; DB Eric Olson, 10; WR Cade Green, 12; OL Jacob O’Leary, 12; OL Zack Willis, 12; WR/DB Gus Gomez, 12; OL Grant Lahr, 12; DL Baker Lister, 12; WR Blake Brown, 11; DB Trent Schroeder, 12; RB Alex Totta, 10; DB Brody Jacobsen, 12

VOLLEYBALL

BOYS SOCCER

CROSS COUNTRY

GIRLS GOLF

Second Team All State: Lauren Stubbs, 12 Kansas All Star: Lauren Stubbs, 12 First Team All EKL: Lauren Stubbs, 12 Courtney Carpenter, 12 Second Team All EKL: Whitney Hinmon, 12 EKL Honorable Mention: Katie Upton, 11; Evelyn Diederich, 10

First team All EKL: Kyle Ruder, 11 Second Team All EKL: Jack Berg, 11 EKL Honorable Mention: Mark Rofail, 12; Alec Wilson, 12

All State Honorable Mention: Adam Owens, 12; Kelsey Kinkade, 12 All Metro: Adam Owens, 12; Kelsey Kinkade, 12 All EKL: Adam Owens, 12; Kelsey Kinkade, 12

All EKL: Lauren Wood, 10

TENNIS

Not available

Pages designed by Megan Hegarty. Stories by Megan Hegarty and Kyle Elmendorf.

44 sports December 2016

SHREDDING THE

GNAR

Senior hopes to go pro in snowboarding

allieament staff writer Many students at Blue Valley participate in sports in and outside of school. Whether it’s in Kansas or on vacation — students find a way to be active and have fun. Some people are more competitive than others when they participate in a sport. A sport can be just a way to get active or something they want to pursue as a career. In the end it’s the passion that determines how far a person goes in that specific field. Senior Caleb Nelson said he has had a passion for snowboarding since the day he started. “The first time I picked up a board I was 9,” Nelson said. “Now I’m 18, and I still love everything about it.” Nelson tries to make at least 5 trips a year to Minnesota or Colorado to maintain his snowboarding abilities. He said this season he is planning on making eight trips and attending snowboarding camps to improve his skills. His passion for snowboarding is something he wants to pursue and he said he is not letting anything

get in the way of his dreams — not even a couple of injuries. “One time, I slipped on some ice while airing off a cat track and fell back and hit my head on the lip of the drop,” he said. “I only got a concussion, but apparently I was pretty loopy that night.” Aside from the injuries Nelson has had to overcome, his dream of going pro has not changed. These setbacks have shown him the amount of work and dedication that is needed Nelson if he wants to continue pursuing snowboarding. “Going pro would be amazing,” Nelson said. “Snowboarding has become such a competitive sport and is hard to be a pro if you’re not constantly competing. I’m not quite at that point yet but I know it’s possible. After snowboard camps

SNOWBOARD

LINGO Information from skipeak.net

and moving to Colorado, I’ll hopefully be able to pick up a sponsor or two.” Whether he goes pro or not, Nelson said he will continue snowboarding because it has become something bigger than just a competition to him. “I love the way the board rips through the powder,” he said. “It feels like I am riding a cloud. Even just hoping on the chairlift is such a rush knowing what is in store once you get a sharp turn off.”

cut

on toes or heels

pow

short for powder, or newly fallen snow

stomp

landing a trick

chatter

when the board shakes from rough terrain

tearin’ riding it up well

shreddin’ the gnar snowboarding Page designed by Alli Williams and Noma Kreegar.

December 2016 sports 45

Fighting for his Future annagyori staff writer

BV student takes on MMA, boxing

There is one Blue Valley student you most definitely don’t want to mess with. His name is Will Becker, and he is a mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter and boxer. Last year, it was Pacquiao vs. Mayweather. In a few years though, it just might be Becker’s name in the bright lights. Most people would not guess, but Becker, who is a junior, has been in martial arts since before he even started school. Beginning with karate, he eventually made his way to MMA. “I’ve been doing karate since I was 3, but for me, that wasn’t as competitive,” he said. “I wasn’t really finding a lot of good competition in karate. Then I found a couple MMA coaches and started doing that. I really enjoyed [MMA] a lot more than karate or other sports.” Becker finds the direct nature of the sport especially appealing to him as an athlete. He adds that the aggressive energy of boxing and MMA is part of their immense and growing success. “I like how it’s just you and your opponent in there and that’s it,” he said. “It’s becoming more popular because it’s the most pure version of combat and everyone loves combat, especially in America.” Becker said he has taken complete advantage of his two martial arts coaches and his gym, Brass Boxing. Visiting almost every day, Becker has become one of the gym’s most frequent fighters. Although he cannot compete in a legal MMA fight until he turns 18, Becker said he has not let that stop him from competing altogether. “I’ve done jiu jitsu competitions,” he said. “I’ve had two boxing matches. I’ll have one Thai fight, and then one more boxing fight before I go full MMA.” Becker said he takes MMA and boxing seriously and even earns money from his coaching jobs. In the future, he said he hopes to go professional in either sport but is focusing his attentions primarily on boxing. “I want to try MMA, but if I were to go pro in anything, it would be in boxing because it’s more financially secure. I want to try out for at least one of the Olympics in boxing. I want to do a professional boxing fight.” Becker’s hopes to go professional are aided by his ever-growing love for both sports. He said the importance of boxing and MMA for him goes beyond just the thrill of the fight. “I’ve been doing martial arts almost my entire life,” he said. “So, I really do love it. It means a lot to me.”

Junior Will Becker

What is MMA?

A full-contact combat sport that allows both striking and grappling, both standing and on the ground, using techniques from other combat sports and martial arts.

Page designed by Anna Gyori, Courtney Carpenter Alli Williams.

46 sports December 2016

Winter Break: What’s That? Student athletes practice during their time off from school oliviagurley staff writer & photographer Over the Winter Break, while everyone else is at home with family and friends or on vacation, some Blue Valley athletes involved in winter sports come back to the school to practice. Girls basketball and the boys swim and dive team are some of those that are hard at work to make their teams better. The girls basketball team practices in the mornings during their time off on Winter Break. Senior Ari Cecil said the varsity girls basketball team practices at 8 a.m. “[The worst part is] having to come back to school when I just want to be at home with my family,” Cecil said. The team practices for at least two hours a day, and they

focus on conditioning. “[We do] lots of running and drills,” Cecil said. “We only have one fun practice over Winter Break.” Girls basketball varsity coach Ryan Mahoney said this time over the break is his favorite time of the year and for the team. “[Before the break] we will have only played three or four games, so it’s a good assessment of where we stand,” Mahoney said. “We have a giant block of time to work on everything we didn’t do well in the first games of the year. Now we can go clean it up and make it awesome.” Mahoney said the players are more attentive during practices over the break than during the school year. “We can put our entire focus on basketball for a little while,” he said. “It lets us clear our minds of other things like school, tests and finals.” Another team that practices over the break is boys swim and dive. They also practice in the mornings.

Photos by Mariam Habib and Melanie White. Page designed by Olivia Gurley.

The members of the swim and dive team refer to this week as “hell week” because it is the hardest of the season. “It’s a time where the team really pushes themselves,” swimmer senior Cooper May said. “Each person tries their best on each set, pushing themselves to the max to try to improve their overall times for State.” Their practices include more vigorous training than what the team endures between meets. “[The sets are] longer [with] a lot more intensity in them, and just in general more difficult,” May said. Overall, May said that the practices aren’t as bad for those who are committed to getting better. “For the people with the right mentality, it’s only an advantage for you to use for State,” May said. “But, people who don’t put that much effort into it are going to think it’s awful because they don’t want to be there in the first place.”

December 2016 sports 47

Facing his opponent, junior Grant Boehringer assumes neutral power position. You can score points in wrestling with a take-down or escape. “I love the competition and grit necessary to wrestle,” he said. Photo by Meredith Halliburton.

TIGER TURF

Dribbling the ball, junior Katie Beth Jones runs down the court. Jones has played on varsity since her freshman year. “We had a lot of senior leaders last year, so the juniors are going to need to take it upon ourselves to lead the team more,” she said. Photo by Melanie White.

Left

Right

Freshman Brooke Erdley cheers on the football team during the Substate game against Shawnee Mission East on Nov. 18, which went into overtime. The dance team performed on the sideline at home football games. “I like the experience of performing at school events because it’s more fun and laid back,” Erdley said. Photo by Meredith Halliburton

Reaching for the ball, junior Drew Howard jumps off the ground. The basketball team went 14-6 last season. “I am looking forward to being an upperclassman and playing at higher levels,” Howard said. “I like teaching and showing the lowerclassmen how to work hard every day because it will be over faster than you know it.” Photo by Melanie White.

Taking a breath, junior Ryan Richards sprints at practice. Richards competed on the State team for BV in 2016. “I’m looking forward to hanging out with the team and seeing how well I do at State,” he said. Photo by Meredith Halliburton. Page designed by Meredith Halliburton.

48 photo essay December 2016

completely HOLLYWOOD 1.

1. Dressed as Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz,” senior Tate Clemen gazes into the audience. Clemen prepared for this show for four months. “I had a great time working on this show,” he said. “Dressing up like a girl will always get a laugh. It’s a simple comedic concept, but it has a very nice reward.” 2. Engaged in a standoff, senior Skyler Jones prepares for a gun fight. Jones has been involved in BV theater for four years. “[My favorite part of the show was] bringing an audience member on stage — Mr. Bacon on one of the nights — to play Tony [my character],” he said. 3. Being wrangled by a cowboy, senior Kailey Meacham is stopped from falling. Meacham played multiple roles in the play. “My favorite part was just being with the cast and everything,” she said. “All of us were really good friends and then there was Matthew, who is the new freshman in the show, and we just got to know him so well and got to show him everything. It was just a lot of fun.” 4. Transforming into the Hulk, freshman Matthew Grigoratos roars. This was his first year participating in BV theater. “It was a very uplifting experience,” he said. “Most freshmen don’t get to experience that. It was really awesome being in a show with a lot of upperclassmen. I learned a lot about theater and would love to be in another production.” Photos by Melanie White. Page designed by Isabelle Allen.