The Tiger Print — December 2019

design by charlie trent

photos by 2019 newspaper staff

OFF RADAR the

Blue Valley Bond

According to the Bond2020 page on the Blue Valley District website, registered voters of the Blue Valley School District will be asked to complete a mail-ballot that authorizes the sale of bonds to reinvest in the district’s facilities and technology, reinforce school safety initiatives and reimagine facilities and educational programs. Voting will begin on Jan. 8 and end on Jan. 28.

For Blue Valley High, the bond vote passing will include changes to the school that would alter the landscape drastically. For example, the Mobiles may be removed in favor of building extensions. Additionally, the Junior pod would be renovated into another classroom. For more information, visit bluevalleyk12.org/bond.

Bolivian Coup

On Nov. 10, the first indigenous Bolivian President Evo Morales was forced to resign in a military coup.

This and other protests were in response to the contested election results in October.

Jeanine Añez, a former senator, has since declared herself the interim president stating, “The Bible has returned to the government palace” — an attack on the former president’s constitutional reform which declared Indigenous traditions legally equal to those of Christianity.

Morales has since fled the country and is now in exile in Mexico. Additionally, the Christian interim president has drawn criticism for anti-indigenous statements she made in 2013. Furthermore, according to the Guardian, “the transitional cabinet initially sworn into office on [Nov. 13] did not include a single indigenous person, in a country where at least 40% of the population belongs to one of 36 indigenous groups.”

THE TIGER PRINT

editors-in-chief

Maddy Kang

Shay Lawson

managing editor

Vince Orozco

design editor

Charlie Trent

adviser

Michelle Huss

staff members

Megan Bridges

Chloe Browning

Emily Cummings

Isabelle Fletcher

Aubrey Herrin

Erika Kolseth

Stephanie Kontopanos

Ani Kreegar

Frannie Lamberti

Harrison Melton

Claire Middleton

Tymber Moody

Spencer Norman

Lizzy Parkerson

Liya Patel

Jaidyn Phillips

Claire Powell

Mia Rice

Gabriela Ruiz

Olivia Sherlock

“The Tiger Print” is an official publication of Blue Valley High School, an open forum distributed to all students eight 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@gmail.com or mailed to: The Tiger Print Blue Valley High School 6001 W. 159th St. Overland Park, KS 66085

PHOTOS COURTESY OF TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE | WORDS BY VINCE OROZCO

A Shorter Second Chance

Time Breakdown

gabriela ruiz staff writer

In October, it was announced that a change in the ACT exam will allow students to retake individual sections if they want to improve their score. This is good news for Blue Valley underclassmen who will be able to take advantage of this new policy starting in September 2020.

The ACT, which is broken up into four sections of English, math, reading and science, takes 2 hours and 55 minutes to complete. With the addition of the optional essay portion, the test totals at three and a half hours.

Under the new changes, test takers who have already completed one full-length exam will be able to significantly reduce the time they spend retesting by selecting specific portions to attempt again.

Students who take the altered exam will receive an official superscore, which combines their best scores from each portion from all the times they’ve taken it. Colleges, however, will not be required to

accept the superscore and may instead ask for applicants to provide their highest composite score.

Next September is also the first time students around the country will be given the option to take the ACT either on paper or online.

In an attempt to appeal to what ACT officials call the “digitalnative generation,” test venues will provide environments for those who wish to take the exam on a computer. Students who do so will receive scores in as little as two days as opposed to the two to eight weeks it takes for standard exam scores to be released.

The aim of the amendments is to save students and their families time and money. However, many professionals in the education community fear the new exam structure will favor wealthy students.

Concerns with testing fees are not new, but the opportunity to keep retaking individual portions, each time with an additional fee, threatens to give wealthy students an even greater advantage over those who can only afford to take the test once.

New changes announced for the ACT ACT Facts

English

Time Limit: 45 minutes

Questions: 75

Math

Time Limit: 60 minutes

Questions: 60

Reading

Time Limit: 35 minutes

Questions: 40 Science

Time Limit: 35 minutes

Questions: 40

Cheating on the ACT can get you into legal trouble.

The ACT is taken by more students than the SAT.

Only 0.195% of all test takers earn a perfect ACT score.

score.

TOP DOG

shay lawson, maddy kandy & chloe browning co editors & staff writer

On and off the wrestling mat, senior Evan Taylor has dominated not only athletically but as a strong leader as well.

Although many students are aware of the athleticism in Taylor, many do not know the sport of wrestling and how it works.

“It’s very technical,” Taylor said. “If you watched it uninformed, you would see it as barbaric, a little bit undisciplined or cutthroat, but there’s actually a lot that goes into it.”

Taylor said wrestling includes thinking and being able to read and react very quickly along with understanding what the person you’re wrestling is trying to do and then being able to counter that.

“There’s a lot of brainpower that goes into it, surprisingly,” Taylor said.

He said barring any stoppages, matches should be three two-minute periods. Matches can end early with an injury, or, the most common way to end early is someone getting pinned.

“Those things can happen, and then if it’s tied at the end we’ll do over time,” Taylor said. “It’s, pretty straightforward. Taking someone down is worth points. Getting away from someone is worth points. Putting someone on their back is worth points. Things you would expect to be scored are scored, but there’s a lot of little nuances and things in there that are hard to understand if you’re not actually doing it.”

As Taylor grew up, he was a basketball player, so he tried out for the school team his freshman year and didn’t make it, causing him to not do a winter sport freshman year.

“Sophomore year, coach [Kale] Mann talked to me in the fall, he was like, ‘Hi, I know you don’t have any winter sports lined up, do you want to come wrestle?’ I’ll be really honest — I said absolutely not,” Taylor said. “That does not sound like it’s for me. [Mann] said ‘That’s totally cool. I just want you to consider it.’ I looked into it, and I realized that it has the potential to benefit you positively in other sports you play and teach you a lot of life lessons.

“It’s a tough sport,” Taylor said. “It’s difficult. There are some skills you need to develop for later in life, so I gave it a shot. I lost a lot of weight and was in the best shape of my life. In turn, it helped me become a better football player and made me a better track and field

Wrestling captain focuses on final season

athlete. Things that I didn’t necessarily expect to be a result, ended up being a result. It was a really positive experience.”

Taylor said that wrestling is an individual sport but there are team aspects that come into play as well.

“Every time you wrestle, you’re only wrestling one other person and it’s just you,” Taylor said. “At every meet, there’s team scores, and you can contribute to your team by winning matches. We’re always encouraging each other at meets to go for those extra points and try and help us out in the team rankings. The same goes in the practice room as well.”

Even though it’s individual the wrestling team spends a lot of time together, especially on traveling tournaments, Taylor said.

“When we spend the night at hotels, it makes it much more team-oriented which isn’t the same in other wrestling programs like you’ll see when you go to tournaments there, the smaller teams don’t have the bond that we do,” Taylor said.

Taylor said his team has very unique relationships.

“Last year was kind of funny because we would always joke around with Coach Mann,” Taylor said. “He told us that we were the weirdest group of kids he had ever met.”

Taylor said that it’s one of the only sports where the coaches are actively participating with the players.

“[Senior] Trevor [Lister’s] practice partner is Coach Mann,” Taylor said. “They get to spend hours with each other after school and mess around and it’s kind of like someone your age, but it’s a grown man, so it’s kind of a funny vibe.”

Taylor shares his intentions for being an essential team member.

“Often times with wrestling, it’s a sport that a lot of people haven’t tried until they get into high school [and] that was the same way for me,” Taylor said. “A lot of kids start out are really timid and nervous. Your goal as a captain should be to ease that anxiety and make sure that people realize that it’s really difficult to pick up a new sport, but it’s alright. I’m here for [them] — we’re struggling through this together.”

Living with Seasonal Depression

liya patel staff writer

Everyone is familiar with depression and the general associations that correlate with them, but what most don’t know is that depression can go much deeper than what others may perceive. Junior Leah Schmalz gave an insight into seasonal depression and all that goes along with it.

Schmalz described seasonal depression as a “mental disorder where you get sad just because there isn’t a lot of sunlight.”

Symptoms of seasonal depression are different for everyone. Many people suffering from this disorder have different experiences based on their background with general depression. The same fact went for Schmalz when she described her own experiences.

She elaborated on this when mentioning how her “normal depression [got] worse” whereas others, who don’t have diagnosed depression, “just get depression during times when it gets darker or colder.”

Schmalz has juggled seasonal depression since she was in the seventh grade. She believes her disorder was formally introduced through her diagnosis with severe anxiety at age 7.

As time progressed, Schmalz realized

her symptoms were rapidly getting worse. Starting middle school is when Schmalz, as well as her doctors, began to notice different symptoms that went along with her depression.

These symptoms included a variety of different topics, but the main one that caught the majority of attention was the change of mood and lifestyle around the time of seasonal shifts.

When diagnosing someone with seasonal depression, it is important to get a professional opinion to help analyze and digest all the information that comes along with it. Social worker Moe Edmonds gave an insight into the mental aspect of seasonal depression, who said it can take significant physical toll on students when juggling finals the upcoming holiday season.

The most common physical symptoms of stress are an upset stomach, lightheadedness and even a full-blown anxiety attack.

Trying to cope with the changes involved with seasonal shifts can be difficult, but discovering

self-oriented coping tactics can make a dramatic effect. As the stresses involved with each seasonal shift continue to grow, making sure to make time for self-reflection and care can assist in relaxing both the mind and body.

“Even though I am not able to diagnose a student, I always try and give them ways to take a break and focus on themselves” Edmonds said.

Taking time out of each and every day to have a personal check-in is one of the most important ways to self-assess and re-evaluate.

Seasonal depression cannot be professionally diagnosed by anyone other than a doctor, so recognizing the symptoms and being able to ask for help are vital steps in managing the disorder. Although it is something that cannot go away, finding ways to overcome the downfalls has been shown to be key in maintaining a healthy lifestyle no matter the situation.

erika kolseth staff writer

Students at Blue Valley express themselves through drawing, photography and painting. Art is important to our school because the students personally create something that no one else has done.

“Headrush” is a literary magazine that students can submit their art work or poetry to be featured.

Students have found their passion in art and descibe how art inspires them.

Visual Be

Students show off hidden talents

DESIGN BY ERIKA KOLSETH

Ben McAlister, 11

“I’m capturing the world in one still frame and making people look at my image and have their own unique thought process.”

“Being an artist, you can look at something and see the beauty.”

Grace Billman, 10

Emma Gulledge, 10

“People inspire me to do art, like Mr. Moiser. I started seriously painting in early 2017.”

Ashton Melton, 12

“I’m inspired by photography in urban cityscapes because it’s not something in this area that I see all the time.”

Liam Dale, 11

“I’m inspired by other artists and things that already exist.”

Scan this to see more art from these featured artists

Did Someone Say Donuts?

Volleyball team, cross country runner take first place at State

2 9 1 0

KSHSAA STATE CHAMPIONS

claire middleton staff writer

Recently, history has been made here at Blue Valley. For the first time ever, volleyball earned a State Championship.

Senior captain Lindsay Lahr and junior Emma Williams share their experience and thoughts regarding this monumental event that took place on Nov. 2, 2019.

After defeating Washburn Rural in the final game, Williams described how all the hard work, sweat and tears paid off.

“It was so amazing,” Williams said. “The whole team felt relieved and so happy.”

On behalf of the underclassmen on the volleyball team, they felt the seniors stepped up this year and made it a priority to create a family feel to the team’s atmosphere.

“They all pushed us to be our

best,” Williams said. “That’s one of the main reasons why we were so successful.”

Although the team has impacted our students and school history, Lahr said the student section had a large impact on them as a team.

“We feed off of their energy as much as they do ours,” Lahr said. “They create an awesome environment and it helps knowing we have our friends there to support us.”

Despite the stress that State brought upon the teams shoulders, Lahr said “it was all worth it.”

Coach Dave Johnson has brought up numerous excelling athletes throughout his coaching career at BV.

Among these athletes is senior Evelyn Diederich who recently received from Children’s Mercy Sports Medicine the Performance of the Week Award and the KSHSAA 6A Player of the Year. Johnson was

named KSHSAA Coach of the Year.

In addition to the success volleyball has achieved this fall season, sophomore Tori Wingrove has surpassed all expectations the cross country team had in mind. Only as a sophomore, Wingrove set a new school record of 18:24, remained undefeated after running seven 5Ks and won the 6A State cross country title.

“It feels weird because last year I didn’t win at all — I never thought I would win State,” Wingrove said.

Although she makes this sport seem simple, it was by no means an easy goal to obtain.

“Staying motivated was very difficult,” Wingrove said. After a season full of success and hard work, Wingrove looks forward to next year as she defends her title as a State champ.

“I have to remember that it is all going to pay off,” she said.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL & CROSS COUNTRY CLASS 6A

Nathan Ismert, 10

“[A Jesse tree is] a mini Christmas tree, and you hang a certain amount of ornaments that are pre-designed. One of them’s a wooden rocking horse.”

Darya Moiny, 10

“We go all out. We have a gingerbread village on our fireplace.”

Sarah Moore, 10

“There’s an angel that we put on top [of the tree]. My dad used to lift me up, and have me put it on top. It had a halo. It was golden.”

THE MOST WONDERFUL ITEMS OF THE YEAR

THE MOST WONDERFUL ITEMS OF THE YEAR

Students describe favorite holiday decorations

Molly Levinson,

“We use [our menorahs] to light the candles. You put a candle for each day, and then we light it. We have one that I think was my mom’s Grandma’s. It’s thin metal and it has two people hanging from the bottom of it.”

Sarah

Gordon, 10

“I’m part of an interfaith family, so we do a lot of different traditions. I have a tiny light up Christmas tree that I got for $7 that sits in my room yearround. I also really like candles of all kinds.”

- Justin Bieber released “Baby”

- Rainbow Loom

- Niki Minaj released “Super Bass”

a look back at what happened in the last decade

rewin

20102019

- “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen came out

- Blue Ivy was born

- iCarly ended

- Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber break up #1

- Wizards of Waverly place ended

- Vine came out

- World was supposed to end according to the Mayan calendar

- William & Kate’s Royal Wedding

- Beyonce’s baby announcement

- Kim Kardashian got a divorce after 72 days

- Baseball necklace craze (Titanium Ionic Sports Necklace)

- Victorious ended

- “Frozen” came out

- Nike Elite socks craze

- “How I Met Your Mother” Ended

- ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

- The whip

- Royals won the world series

- Musical.ly craze

2014 2015 2016

- Mannequin challenge

- Clown panic

- Beyonce came out with “Lemonade”

- Donald Trump won the presidential election

- Beyonce gives birth to twins Rumi and Sir Carter

- Kendall Jenner controversial Pepsi Ad

- When Josh of “Drake and Josh” didn’t invite Drake of “Drake and Josh” to his wedding

- Club penguin ended

- Fidget spinners

- Kylie Jenner gives birth to Stormi

- Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber’s final break up

- Tide Pod challenge

2017 2018 2019

- Justin Bieber married Hailey Baldwin

- Cameron Boyce died

- Tik Tok craze

- Air Force Ones

- Hydro flasks

Like Tears In Rain Art should break from the past

vince orozco managing editor

The idea of the past has a profound effect on art.

The destruction of things past allows for new things to be built in their stead. However, the internet has allowed for the preservation of many cultural artifacts that would otherwise be deceased.

This situation has led to revivalism, with an example being ‘80s pop culture. This is not to say that the projects of revival are without merit; but rather, the cultural force of revival has prevented any widespread speculation about the future.

In the ‘50s, the movie “Forbidden Planet” revolutionized science fiction filmmaking and cinema in general. It was the first film to feature an all-electronic score, which is abrasive, alien and mysterious — reflecting its extraterrestrial setting.

This movie and others like it represent the Googie and now understood as

retrofuturist art style. In the spirit of postWW2 America, many were excited and speculative about the future, giving birth to media such as “Star Trek” and works of the atompunk style.

Contrastly, in the present, there is a lack of widespread speculation of the future. This is not to say that futuristic sci-fi doesn’t exist anymore; but rather, the futuristic sci-fi that exists still emulates the tropes and framework established by the work of the ‘50s with an updated look to match the technological growth that has taken place in the past few decades.

There hasn’t been a new “Forbidden Planet” that has revolutionized how we view the future, rather there is “Ready Player One” and “Blade Runner 2049” both of which find themselves squarely within the trend of revivalism.

I believe it is time to change our framework.

So, destroy that Lego set you worked hours to build, and from its plastic ashes, create something new. Do not be beholden to past specters.

stephanie kontopanos staff writer

It’s that time of the year again. I’ll be walking through a store and then I’ll see them — Christmas decorations. It doesn’t stop at that.

Girls start to blast Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You”, holiday recipes are posted on Instagram and Christmas trees appear in houses.

In the excitement of the holiday season, it’s easy for people to get ahead of themselves and make a mad dash for the end, but there’s a holiday that’s overlooked way too often: Thanksgiving.

I’ll admit it. I really like food and maybe that’s why Thanksgiving holds a special place in my heart. It’s a great excuse to overeat and not be judged for it. Not to mention, it’s the perfect middleground between autumn and winter.

It’s also important to remember the true meaning of Christmas. It was a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ before it was about gift-giving and spending time with those you love.

Celebrating it so early undermines the Christian values of the holiday. You don’t celebrate your birthday all year long. That would just make your true birthday less special — so why would you do the same with Christmas?

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy opening gifts and singing Christmas music just as must as anyone else does. For that reason, I think it’s important to celebrate Christmas after Thanksgiving.

We need to celebrate the holiday without also having to juggle Thanksgiving or Halloween preparation, literally, for Christ’s sake.

aubrey herrin staff writer

When the clock hits midnight on Halloween, that means it’s time for the word “spooky” to take its seat on the bench for another year.

And with the end of spooky season, it’s never too early to start celebrating everyone’s favorite holiday, Christmas.

That’s right, I’m talking trading in the candy corn and jack-o-lanterns for some hot cocoa and Christmas trees. And who can forget the painfully cheesy, yet addicting Hallmark Christmas movies?

Getting in the holiday spirit is easier than ever nowadays, especially with the surprise snowfall we received in OCTOBER —thanks, Kansas. With the picturesque white powder covering the grass and trees, how can you not think “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…”?

Christmas spirit is more than just enjoying classic tunes and bingeeating decorated cookies, though. It’s the idea of generosity and kindness — people are just nicer to each other. Why not start celebrating earlier and prolong this period of tranquility?

Also, Christmas comes only one day a year. Those who get into the festivities earlier are just trying to enjoy the season as much as possible.

Andy Williams said it best — “It’s the most wonderful time of the year,” so fire up the Christmas lights, grab a cozy blanket, cue Justin Bieber’s “Mistletoe” and enjoy your holiday season while it lasts!

| DESIGN BY STEPHANIE KONTOPANOS

You Don’t Have to Go

athletes shouldn’t need fan section to motivate themselves

olivia sherlock staff writer

No offense to the track team, but I am definitely not a track connoisseur. This may be a little shocking to hear, but my summers are not spent going to club track meets for fun.

I do not spend my free time keeping up with the teams, nor do I understand the sport completely.

All that said, I have been to a few high school track meets, whether it’s to watch my cousin run her last mile or to watch my best friend crush her 100-meter dash.

I have never been just to support my school.

I don’t think that means I have no school spirit — it just means there are some events that just don’t make sense for me to go to simply to support our school.

I’m not against supporting your school and having spirit, but I am against the unrealistic expectation that people should care about your sport just because you happen to go to the same school.

Maybe it’s the individual-sport athlete in me, but I am a strong believer that athletes should be able to perform without needing the validation of the whole school behind them cheering.

There are way too many athletes competing in their high school sport, who believe they are entitled to an excessive amount of praise.

These athletes make me wonder what’s going to happen to them when they go to college and have an away game.

Will they be able to perform well without the validation of their schoolmates, or will they crack under the pressure of a stadium of people cheering against them?

A prime example of being able to perform without a crowd of hundreds of people cheering is band, who won State this year without the school in the stands watching.

It makes the players seem narcissistic and insecure when people talk about how imperative it is that the whole school shows up to their sporting events to cheer them on.

Yes, it is impressive that athletes on football, soccer, basketball and many other teams drown out the sound of cheers and focus on the game.

It is equally impressive that people in golf, tennis and cross country can find the motivation within themselves to push through any pain and compete with out exterior motivations.

So next time you can’t make a football game or the soccer tournament, don’t feel too badly — the athletes at our school are capable of holding their own and motivating themselves.

only 25% of students feel obliged to attend BV sports events

53% of students think athletes should be motivated without a student section

CARTOON BY EMMA GULLEDGE

Juvenoia will lead to our detriment

“Kids these days…”

“Back in my day…”

“This new generation…”

Juvenoia is the rationale behind all these lamentations. It is the fear of the new generation being incapable of performing the same tasks as your own. This fear is perhaps based on an evolutionary instinct.

You know the things you did and experienced were adequate in seeing you to adulthood; therefore, anything outside of that process is unknown and thus, could possibly lead to failure.

However, despite any possible evolutionary advantage, Juvenoia is an attitude that is damaging and should be actively combatted.

Juvenoia is nothing new.

The beliefs held by the older generations were, in their youth, just as frightening and morally corrupt as they believe the current youth to be.

Just look at the Civil Rights Movement. The generation that was the driving force behind the movement were people born at the end or after World

War II, much to the firm condemnation from the older generations.

Or even earlier during the Roaring Twenties. The relatively healthy economy and growth of the middle class allowed for the flourishing of city culture. The springing up of flappers, jazz music and clubs was seen as morally detestable to the older Traditionalists at the time.

The point is, with every new generation, the one before it is there to criticize and complain. However, despite the seemingly inevitable outrage of older generations, the phenomenon of Juvenoia should still be combatted.

It is damaging to progress.

The phrase (and possibly dead meme) “OK Boomer” was created to combat the dismissal of issues threatening vast amounts of people, particularly climate change, with the very same dismissive attitude. This is because the groups of people that are most skeptical — older generations — are also the ones that have amassed the greatest political power, both through voting and holding office.

According to a Pew Research Center survey, 60 percent of Americans aged 18-29 acknowledge climate change is caused by human activity, compared to the 31 percent aged 65 and older.

Any attempts to engage with the older generations about the issue are usually met with derision and dismissal. Family dinners where your uncle believes that climate change is merely a hoax and that the real problem is kids these days being too sensitive is a very commonplace experience.

In a word, the generations with power are doing the most damage due to their dismissal and willful ignorance.

None of this should be taken to mean that all old people are the harbingers of our planet’s doom. There are plenty of young people who deny climate change and plenty of old people who are ardent supporters of action to combat it.

Rather, greater cooperation and dialogue needs to be established between generations if we are to solve the problems of our age — OK Boomer?

TIGER LEGACY

Two generations of Tigers

Blue Valley has been around for 50 years, and there is no doubt that multiple generations of families have gone through the school system. As the students grow up and move on with their lives, they send their kids to BV because of the experiences they had there. See the legacy of Sarah Holmes and Gabriel Graham below.

“We moved back into the Blue Valley District specifically so our two girls would attend BV. We had such a great experience here and wanted them to have the same opportunities it provided for us and more.” — Sarah Holmes

“My dad was a basketball kid and my mom did track. I think it’s really cool to know that [I’m] walking the same halls that [my] parents did when they were in high school.” — Ellie Graham, 10

Sarah Holmes, 1990

Ellie Graham, 2018

Gabriel Graham, 1990

BY HARRISON MELTON & LIZZY PARKERSON

Sarah Holmes and Gabriel Graham graduated BVHS in 1994

Sarah Holmes and Gabriel Graham get married in May 1999

Their daughter, Ellie Graham, was born March 13, 2004

Ellie Graham started at BVHS in 2018

passing time

Local hangouts, change through the years

Incred-A-Bowl was a local favorite.

Opened by former Kansas City Royals pitcher, Danny Jackson and his wife in 1997, thus the building held many memories before closing from bankruptcy in 2015.

The hangout had more to it than just bowling — Mini golf, laser tag and arcade games filled the property until its final days.

BOWLING SHOPPING

Oak Park opened in 1974. The original stores included JCPenney, Macy’s, Montgomery Ward and Stix, Baer & Fuller.

Having these foundations supported the mall until their renovations done in 2011 where they altered the food court and made new entrances.

More modern stores filled with technology, such as Microsoft, opened in 2012. The mall reached high popularity when teens would head there to hang out; now it seems as if the area is filled with a more dangerous reputation.

While Oak Park mall used to be a hot spot for shopping and hanging out with friends, it is now a shell of what it once was.

After multiple store closings, people have finally started to realize how much it has gone downhill.

At one point a few years ago, shoppers would be flooding out of stores, but now

WORDS BY MIA RICE & HARRISON MELTON

DESIGN BY CLAIRE POWELL

With the closing of Incred-A-Bowl, Pinstripes, a more modern restaurant, bocce and bowling alley opened in 2014.

Pinstripes is located in Prairie Fire and provides fun activities for groups of friends and families. Pinstripes is fun for many people, but it lacks the nostalgic feel of a classic bowling alley.

there’s barely anyone filling them.

Clothing trends in the 2000s involved the rise of fast fashion and celebrity ’ influences. All of this rising media over fashion presented issues for the environment and financial standing of daily lives.

Teens began depending on thrifting to provide functional clothes without wasting as much for themselves. In 2013, thrifting even got its own anthem by Macklemore, which added to the popularity.

In recent years, thrifting, unsurprisingly, has seen a sudden resurgence of popularity among teens and young adults.

This method of shopping is a fun, eco-friendly, and cheap way of getting fashionable second-hand clothes.

YouTube and other social media services are flooded with videos and articles about thrift store hauls and tips, which promotes the hobby in a quick and effective matter.

TRENDSTHROUGH

HAIRSTYLES

Throughout history, hairstyles are always changing. From the feathered look of 50 years ago to the wavy mermaid hair in today’s fashion, women’s hairstyles have drastically changed. However, for men, some of these hairstyle trends can be seen in our own classmates, like the mullet.

MAKEUP

When we look at how makeup has changed throughout the last 50 years, we can see some drastic changes — first off, the classic blue eyeshadow women wore along with mascara on the top and bottom lashes. They also managed to leave their eyebrows natural or simply brush them out, whereas nowadays eyebrows are shaped and filled in so they are perfect.

SHIRTS

Fashion from the ‘70s to now has changed considerably. From groovy disco in the 1970s to frills in the 1980s, and track suits in the 2000s. Many teens looked to Ashley Tisdale for fashion advice including the time she wore a dress over jeans. Today’s fashion trends are leaning more towards cropped styles.

ACCESORIES

Silly Bandz made the move to America in 2006 and shook the playground in 2009, becoming a popular trend with kids. Likewise, scrunchies were very popular in the ’80s and ’90s but fell out of fashion until recently when they made a comeback. Silly Bandz were all the rage in the 2000s, just like scrunchies are coming back into fashion now.

JEANS

The style of jeans has changed so much since the ‘90s when kids wore loose baggy jeans that tied in with skater dude vibes. With more and more people playing with fashion, straight leg, wide leg, flare and many more have come in- and out-of-style. Skinny jeans have become more popular with celebrities sporting them like Shawn Mendes.

WORDS BY TYMBER MOODY & LIZZY PARKERSON

THELAST 50YEARS

PHONES

Fifty years ago when Blue Valley first opened its doors, there was no such thing as a flip phone or the famous iPhones that we use today. At the beginning of the 1960s, they introduced what’s called a compact touch-tone which was the first electric pushbutton telephone system. Later in the 1970s, they introduced the first-ever handheld phone called the Motorola dynaTAC.

MUSIC

The 1970s were an influential time for music. Some of the famous music artists that are still played came out of the 1970s, like Elton John, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and more. Although their songs are still played, the style of music played in today’s society has changed. In the 1970s, rock, disco, and funk were popular, whereas, in 2019, the most popular genres are rap and hip-hop.

TV SHOWS

The way shows portray high school has changed to be more modern. TV shows like “Drake and Josh” and “Zoey 101” shaped the lives of many kids today, and the kids nowadays without these shows wouldn’t be the same. However, most of the kids who watched these shows saw them on cable TV. With today’s streaming platforms, teens are watching shows like “Euphoria” and “Stranger Things.”

FOOD

In 1969 it was common to see kids eating frozen dinners plastered in front of the television watching Scooby-doo. Frozen dinners were a popular food trend in the ‘60s, but it wasn’t until the ‘90s when Kid Cuisine was created and marketed towards kids. As more and more people are making the switch from cable TV to streaming platforms, TV dinners are no longer as popular.

SHOES

When BV was just starting out, the most popular shoes were the Adidas Campus, which was originally a basketball shoe that became more of a street shoe. After that, the clear jelly shoe rose into popularity until the ‘90s, when Adidas came back into the light with their Superstars and now their Ultra Boosts.

Overcoming Tragedy

The loss of Blue Valley student Reat Underwood in 2014 affected the community as a whole. Underwood was a freshman when he lost his life along with his grandfather, William Corporon and fellow bystander Terri LaManno in the hate-motivated shooting at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City and Village Shalom, a Jewish retirement community.

Choir teacher Marsha Moeller advised Underwood as a choir student and said events that occurred prior to the shooting such as 9/11, the Columbine school shooting and previous student deaths all contributed to the solemn atmosphere at BV during that time.

“There was a year-and-a-half period where we lost three or four kids to car accidents,” Moeller said. “Three girls were on their way to softball

Impact on the student body Coming together

On

eral hours from him in Colorado. The doctors thought he only had a bad concussion but were airlifting him to a different hospital to do extra testing.

A few hours later, Brown got a phone call from a nurse at the new hospital — he was told that his son was rushed into emergency brain surgery.

“You re-prioritize the really important things that are deeply rooted in you after something like that happens,” Brown said.

Brown has learned to be more empathic and learn other people’s story. He points

practice. They were in a convertible trying to change clothes, and they crashed on Metcalf when it was a two-lane road. Those deaths [really impacted the community].”

After Underwood’s death, grief immediately devastated many people throughout the area, but it also brought them together for a common cause. The musical society in particular was deeply incited because of Underwood’s passion for singing.

“At contest that year, I said it did not matter if we stopped in the middle of a song — the rating meant nothing because we had just lost a life,” Moeller said. “The competition judges [understood, and] wrote little things like ‘So sorry for your loss.’ Schools from everywhere were sending us stuff — music departments — and those were just the standouts.”

Despite tragically losing his life at such a young age, Underwood’s legacy is carried on through community support of the SevenDays foundation, which was created by his mother, Mindy Corporon, in his honor. A theater award at BV is also named after him. Underwood shows one can leave an impact on the world despite their time being cut short.

out that people are pretty insensitive to what’s going on or they don’t understand the situation. He emphasizes the importance of kindness and love in a world of selfishness.

“Sometimes you need a clergy member [and] sometimes you need a close friend just to be there not even to say things but just to know that they’re there to help you,” Brown said. “People need to reach out when they get in those moments.”

Like Brown, you never know when tragedy might strike, so while you have the chance, enjoy all you have.

WORDS BY SHAY LAWSON, AUBREY HERRIN & ERIKA KOLSETH

Personal recovery

Imagine your first year of high school, the period of time that you figure yourself out and explore new experiences, being the year you hit your head on the bottom of a pool and break your neck causing you to drown. This happened to senior Nigel Charlson and shaped him as a person and how he views things.

“It was Dec. 18 2015, and somebody who’s now graduated Harley Thursby, and I were swimming and we were practicing race starts,” Charlson said. “I don’t know if it was a bad dive or if I slipped or what, but I hit my head on the bottom of the pool and broke my neck and drowned to death. My heart stopped, entire left lung was full of pool water and was resuscitated. I stayed in the ICU for Christmas for two weeks and then moved to Denver for physical rehab ambition.”

Although the accident was hard, it also taught Charlson a lot about how everything works.

“It would be very naive to think that BVHS alone is better at coping with things,” he said. “If you meet and relate with other people, even if you can’t understand or personally relate to what they’re going through, but wrap your head around the messed up concepts and process it for yourself. I think it kind of shows you how other people deal with pain and tragedy in a different way.”

Charlson said he was in a different wheelchair for the first year and a half, a power wheelchair.

“I started working out two summers ago,” he said. “So I’ve been in this one to keep up during the year because I don’t have a lot of time.”

Charlson said many people at this school don’t understand his condition.

“I can feel and move my legs to an extent, but I can feel it everywhere,” Charlson said.

“I can move my legs to an extent and my hands and stuff.

Charlson said he’s often asked sensitive questions because they are misinformed.

“I get the question, ‘Well, why can’t you walk?” Charlson said. “I understand that not everybody knows how spinal cord injury works. I’m not upset about that, but it’s more [of the] stupid things that people say [that are frustrating.]”

Charlson although every student doesn’t understand his situation, he is glad they try their best to be helpful.

“My friends are more than willing and most people here are more than willing to open a door if you need help,” Charlson said. “I think that goes for literally anybody. I mean, they’re accommodating is what I’m saying — not necessarily understanding but accommodating.”

Having motivation to finish high school can be difficult to manage, and senior Colin Wood not only has to deal with the normal pressures of high school but he also is experiencing the loss of his mother, Melissa Wood, who was battling ovarian cancer.

Colin’s mother passed away on Sept. 3, 2019, the first week of the football season.

“It affected my life because now, my dad has to play both roles, Mom and Dad — and she wasn’t just a mom, she was a really, really successful business woman,” he said. “So I lost that figure to look up to because I want to go into business. Losing all of the knowledge she had really, really sucks.”

Colin has dealt with the tragedy by surrounding himself with supportive friends and family, and football.

“It’s way bigger than football to me — that’s how I’ve been able to get through,” he said. “I hope the guys know that, but I think the reason why I’m as mentally healthy and OK as I am was because of football.”

How do I cope?

Talk about it

By talking with others about the event, you can relieve stress and realize that others share your experience and feelings.

Take one thing at a time

Pick one urgent task and work on it. Completing each task will give you a sense of accomplishment and make things feel less overwhelming.

For more information

teachers, students share how they’ve moved beyond hardships within community

John,&JakeNumber 8

It may seem like junior Jake Wolff and Blue Valley alum and elementary John McCormick wouldn’t have much in common, yet they do––playing quarterback of the school’s football team, sharing the number eight on the back of their jersey.

McCormick played on varsity for three years, then went to play in college.

“I started out at the Air Force Academy — I tried to play football there but ended up getting hurt,” McCormick said. “I finished my undergraduate degree at Northeastern University [in Boston].”

In 1998, McCormick won the all-state player award as a sophomore.

“It’s a nice honor — I think it speaks more to the people you have around you as a player than you as an individual,” McCormick said. “I would not have been as good as I was without really good players around me.”

Wolff started playing football during kindergarten as running back.

“My dad supported me [playing football] at a young age and kept me going and pushing me,” Wolff said. “I just fell in love with it.”

Besides going from playing running back to quarterback, Wolff noticed changes throughout his years of playing football.

“As you get older, things get more complicated, people start moving a lot faster,” Wolff said. “The play style seems to be more open in terms of offense and schemes.”

McCormick picked the number eight because it was his brother’s. Wolff picked the number for different reasons.

WORDS BY CLAIRE POWELL & FRANNIE LAMBERTI

“I used to always be number seven — that was my lucky number, but I joined a team and seven was already taken,” Wolff said. “I went with eight and rolled with it.”

Wolff said the number on the back of a player’s jersey is part of their name.

“I think everybody has an identity, and that’s definitely mine,” Wolff said. “It’s like the eight-ball.”

Wolff said the past few seasons have fallen short of previous expectations, but he hopes for that to change.

“[The pressure] is fun, but sometimes it can be overwhelming — I have older people and the rest of the school leaning on me,” Wolff said. “Our motto this year is ‘Restore the

DESIGN BY CLAIRE POWELL

“Play for the name on the front of your jersey — not the back.”

-McCormick

Student, alumni share experiences on football field

8

Order’ and that’s the goal.”McCormick’s favorite part about playing high school football was the family.

“We were a pretty tight-knit group,” McCormick said. “Many of [us] still keep in touch today.”

Wolff said he has noticed the change in his own football family.

“To me, it seems like the team is a lot closer — everybody just loves being around each other,” Wolff said. “When you come to school, everybody’s always patting you on the back, telling you good luck. I’m thankful for all the support”

Looking back, McCormick realizes benefits from playing football.

“Playing and being on a team is a great foundational

stepping stone in life,” McCormick said. “Lots of skills a person gets in the game can be transferred into areas off the field and into your daily practices.”

As for any advice for Wolff, McCormick said to be humble.

“Play for the name on the front of your jersey –– not the back,” he said. “Playing that position comes with a lot of responsibility. Never get too high or too low about your play or yourself.”

“Our motto this year is ‘Restore the Order’ and that’s the goal.”

-Wolff

“I would have not been as good as I was without really good players around me.”

-McCormick

“To me, it seems like the team is a lot closer — everybody just loves being around each other.”

-Wolff

Years of 50

1977 — girls golf

T I G E R T R I U M P H S

Blue Valley has seen a lot of success throughout its history. Here are the first State titles won as a team or group in each activity.

1991 — football

1991- forensics

1992 — debate

1997 — wrestling

1986 — boys swim and dive

1991 - speech

1992 — baseball

1994 — softball

2005 — boys golf

2009 — job olypmics

2011— girls swim and dive

2012— journalism

2014 — boys cross country

2014— scholars bowl

2017 — cheerleading

2019 — band

2019 — volleyball

BY OLIVIA SHERLOCK

WORDS BY CLAIRE MIDDLETON AND OLIVIA SHERLOCK

Former Blue Valley choir student, Podschun has gone on to perform in 9 Broadway musicals including classics such as “The Sound of Music” and “Hairspray.” She has also appeared on television shows such as NBC’s “The Blacklist.”

Tremendous Tigers Tremendous Tigers

Haley Podschun Class of 2004

Michael Stevens

Class of 2004

Internet personality whose YouTube channel, Vsauce, has 14.9 million subscribers. His educational videos include the explanation of topics like science, philosophy, culture and illusion.

Class of 2015

Class of 1990

Competed in the 2000 and 2004 Olympics, winning a gold medal in Weightlifting during the 2000 Summer Olympics. She was the first U.S. woman to win a gold medal in weightlifting and is a member of the weightlifting hall of fame.

OTHER ALUMNI OTHER ALUMNI

Brian Schottenheimer Class of 1992

Offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, son of former NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer

Jason Holsman Class of 1994

A member of the Missouri Senate and former chairman of the committee on Renewable Energy for the Missouri House of Representatives.

Justin Swift Class of 1994

Former NFL player for the Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions

DESIGN BY JAIDYN PHILLIPS

Popular on the social media app, Vine, with their comedy videos before moving to Youtube, where they have 3.66 million subscribers.

Sam Golbach and Colby Brock’s videos now include ghost-hunting and other paranormal activities.

Renee Klapmeyer Mandcina Class of 1995

Broadway shows, “The Producers” movie

Dianna Kander Class of 1999

Motivational Speaker and best-selling author

Chad Boeger Class of 1991

Owns 810 Radio

Eric Driskell Class of 1992

Teacher/coach

Meggie Cansler Class of 2002

Broadway shows

Cassiday Proctor Capello Class of 2002 Radio personality

Robert Chase Heishman Class of 2002 Artist

Kaitlyn Davidson Class of 2005

Broadway shows

Tosin Morohunfola Class of 2006

Actor, director, and producer

Dr. Eric Min Class of 2006

Social media star and professor at UCLA

Alex Matteo Class of 2007

Broadway shows

Mindy Moeller Class of 2007

New York Radio City Rockette

Ryne Stanek class of 2010

MLB baseball player

Sam and Colby

Tara Nott

A Tiger Family Legacy

Freshman follows in grandparents’ footsteps at Blue Valley

Though it started off small, BV was characterized by “school pride that I hadn’t experienced the likes of before,” Vicki said.

Vince and Vicki certainly contributed to the burgeoning culture. Both were extensively involved in extracurriculars, which, combined with their academic achievement, earned them the titles of Tiger and Tigress.

gabriela ruiz staff writer

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Blue Valley gives today’s students a chance to look back at the legacy of their school. For freshman Mikayla Welker, this retrospection is especially meaningful.

Her grandparents, Vince and Vicki Staudenmyer, were among the first students at BV when it opened.

Fifty years ago, the students of two rival high schools, Stilwell and Stanley, were brought together to form the student body of the brand-new Blue Valley. Their intense rivalry didn’t dissipate with the merge.

Vince and Vicki, who spent their freshman year at Stilwell High School before attending BV, experienced this tension first hand.

“[The conflict] got worked out on the football field where we gained each other’s respect the man’s way,” Vince said. “[Students] beat the crap out of each other until they decided it was pointless and played football together.”

Once the dust settled on the new school, a unique culture began to emerge. In its early days, Blue Valley was a “dynamic with a mix of sophistication from Stanley and a bit of redneck mentality from Stilwell,” from which a tradition “of educational and artistic excellence,” arose, Vince said.

According to the 1972 yearbook, “the tiger and tigress are chosen each year by their fellow students as the best all-around examples of what a student can be. They are mature, responsible individuals who participate eagerly in school activities. Whether in athletic, musical, or dramatic competition, they give their best each time. They prove by their honesty, leadership, and sportsmanship that being chosen as tiger or tigress is the greatest single honor a senior can receive.”

Vicki was a varsity cheerleader and participated extensively in theater and vocal music. Vince, who was also involved in choir and theater, played football, basketball and was on the track team. Partaking in school activities at that time was a very different experience than it is now.

BY GABRIELA RUIZ

“Because the school was so small, it took almost everyone to put on a play or make a sports team,” Vicki said. “Stilwell was a very small and rural town. My freshman year, there were nine graduating seniors.”

Looking back at her overall experience at BV, Vicki is grateful for the lasting impact.

“I feel that I was well prepared for life,” she said. Vince, likewise, appreciated the school’s influence.

“It provided a good foundation for a successful marriage and work life,” Vince said.

Now, things have come full circle, and Vince and Vicki’s granddaughter Mikayla Welker is rounding out her first semester at BV. Because of her family’s recent move, she was given the option to attend a different high school. However, she ultimately decided to follow in her grandparents’ footsteps.

When asked about his granddaughter’s decision, Vince said, “I’m glad — the school is a top-rate educational experience.”

To Mikayla, BV holds familial ties as much as educational importance.

“My grandma said she’s the person who likes to hide and not be noticed,” Mikayla said. “On the first day of school, she came in and was like ‘well there’s not very many people here, so I can’t really hide.’ Then, she remembers sitting down in her first hour and looking around, and she looked at my papa and was like, ‘Well he’s definitely the cutest boy so far.’ Then they ended up getting married.”

Through their immeasurable school spirit and involvement, Vince and Vicki helped set a precedent for the level of excellence that has become an expectation at BV.

Most importantly, they demonstrated what it truly means to be a tiger.

Today, students and staff strive to cultivate a close-knit community like the one established by Vince and Vicki’s generation.

“I have an actual Tiger family — then I have my Tiger family that is at school,” Mikayla said. “I hope to expand it and make some really good friends that I keep throughout my life.”

DIVERSITY

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50 traditions for 50 years

bv celebrates long-standing rituals

maddy kang & shay lawson editor-in-chiefs

50years of traditions is what sets Blue Valley High school apart from any other school. From awarding students with gift cards for perfect attendance and no late assignments to donuts for State championships, this is the only place in the district where 50 years of traditions are alive in the present day.

• All-School Picnic

• Freshman Frenzy

• Pep Assemblies

• Homecoming Week

• Donuts

• 36 Jersey

• Sweetheart Assembly

• Prom

• First-Day T-shirts

• Performing Arts Showcase

• Mr. Bacon Dressing Up for State Winners

• Senior Service Day

• Senior Class Day

• Seniors giving kindergarteners keys on Class Day

• Senior-Faculty Challenge

• Red Carpet Welcome for Freshmen

• Signing Class Murals

• Class competitions

• Spirit week and hallway decor

• Teacher of the Month

• Themed Games

• GRR Award

• $10 Tuesdays

• Tiger Tokens

• Friday Night Live

• Senior Class Gift

• Relay For Life

• Senior Celebrations

• Assassins

• Newspaper/Yearbook Distribution

• World Language Day

• Musical

• Choir Parent Preview and Spring Show

• Della Lamb Toy Drive

• Academic Breakfast

• Dinner for National Merit Scholars

• Choir Plaza Lighting Ceremony

• Spirit Tunnel State Send-off

• Pink Out Game

• Royalty Nominations

• Debate House Cup

• Theater Keaton Awards

• Tiny Tigerettes/Little Girls Cheer Clinic

• Superfans

• Freshman Mixer

• Run Throughs

• Activities Fair

• Scholastic Awards

• Signing Day

• Enrollment Fair

DESIGN BY MADDY KANG & SHAW LAWSON