The Tiger Print — April 2009

the

TIGERprint

Fun in the scrum

Students form district’s 1st club rugby team (pg. 23)

Bring on soy cheese (pg. 9)

Vegan lifestyle more than just tofu and celery

Lifelong learner (pg. 10)

Para, 71, finds joy in mentoring students

Spring Break tales (pgs. 11-13)

Trips range from service to road trips to paradise

Hot topics from Blue Valley...

1. NAHS prepares for Raku party, inductions

The National Art Honor Society is preparing to host a Raku party tonight from 4-8. Activities offered will range from face painting to pottery glazing and jewelry making.

The party will be outside the front of the school and in the Avenue of the Arts.

“It will be a great time for people to hang around to express their creativity,” NAHS president Alex Katsorelos said.

The main event of the party will allow people to glaze their own pottery. The pottery that is to be glazed is being prepared by the Ceramics II class and art teacher Robert Putnam

“We did it the year before last year and it was incredible,” Katsorelos said.

Tickets cost $10. NAHS inductions will be April 16. By Nathan Lindshield.

2. Second chance to purchase yearbooks in May

Students who did not pre-order yearbooks still have a chance to purchase them on distribution day, May 8. They will be available in the commons shortly after the pre-ordered books are released, on a first-come, first-serve basis.

They will cost $60, payable by cash or check.

"There will be extra books on that day," yearbook adviser Jill Chittum said. "But when we run out, we run out." By Katie Louis.

3. Club plans magazine drive to assist veterans

The Young Democrats/Progressives Club is currently collecting magazines for the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Kansas City, Mo. The club was inspired to start this collection after watching a documentary about war veterans.

“We want to give back in any way that we can to the vets,” club leader Tori Freisner said.

The club is looking for popular magazines. However, any magazine is acceptable.

“We are not only helping the veterans but also the family members who sit in the waiting room and need something to read,” club sponsor Jill Gouger said.

The magazine drive will last until April 30.

All magazines can be brought to Room 312. By Allison Kohn.

4. Record number of students inducted into NHS

This year’s junior class has the highest number of National Honor Society inductees in school history. On March 25, 134 juniors and four seniors were inducted.

The requirements include a 3.5 GPA, 20 hours of community service completed before induction and a total of nine recommendations from current and past teachers and activity sponsors.

NHS sponsor Charlena Sieve hasn’t considered changing requirements to make it harder for students to get in.

“I don’t want to do any disservice to students to be at our school and not have it on their transcript,” Sieve said.

However, in Sieve’s opinion, the current standards in the BV district still uphold the four virtues of NHS. By Caitlin Holland.

5. BV Southwest announces mascot, school colors

Blue Valley Southwest will be known as the Timberwolves, according to a district press release published April 1.

The mascot was chosen by a panel of students who will attend the school.

The school colors of forest green, black and silver were also announced.

This marks the latest development in the planning for the new high school, which announced its principal earlier this school year.

Current projections say that the school will open in August 2010 as either a large 4A or small 5A classification.

The school will take students from both Blue Valley High and Blue Valley West.

Freshmen, sophomores and juniors living in the BV Southwest attendance area will be required to attend while seniors can choose to stay at their previous school. By Mitch Smith.

School mourns loss of ‘08 graduate

editor-in-chief

2008 graduate Lynsey Fitzgerald loved Blue Valley High School.

She loved her science classes with Chris Hansen, hated math but loved her teacher Megan Allam and always signed up for Andy Unrein’s history classes.

She loved her friends, the office staff, school nurse Barb Cecil and her special services teachers.

But on March 30, after a three-year battle with leukemia, Fitzgerald passed away.

And as much as Lynsey Fitzgerald loved Blue Valley High School, the school loved her back.

Blue Valley cheered her on as she came to school despite IVs and feeding tubes.

Blue Valley celebrated with her when she beat her cancer into remission three times.

And Blue Valley cried with her each time the cancer came back.

Special services teacher Debbie Gray, who visited Fitzgerald often in the hospital and helped her keep up with schoolwork, calls her a “second daughter.”

Gray thinks that a great way to sum up Fitzgerald’s attitude is by the Perseverance Award she won last year. The award honors her commitment to Blue Valley and persistence in the face of treatment.

“She pulled herself up and came to school even though she was throwing up and even though she had IVs in,” Gray said.

obituary

“Even through all that, she still wanted to come to school every day.”

Junior Emily Swenson, Fitzgerald’s long-time friend, recalls her caring personality.

“She’s very nice, thoughtful,” Swenson said. “She’s kind to other people.”

Special services teacher Susan Fisher remembers Fitzgerald’s generosity.

“I remember Lynsey as being a loyal friend to others,” Fisher said. “She was a gift giver. She was always bringing gifts to share with others. Not only tangible gifts but her gift of friendship.”

Fitzgerald planned to attend the ACCESS House at District Office this year. She then hoped to take classes at Johnson County Community College and put her love of animals — she owned six dachshunds — to work in a veterinary hospital.

Hansen, who had Fitzgerald in both his zoology and biology classes, witnessed her fondness for animals firsthand.

He recalls a day when Fitzgerald hid her puppy in a backpack in hopes of taking it to school.

“I think that was a natural thing for her because she loved animals,” Hansen said.

Gray said graduation last May was a proud event for Fitzgerald.

“This was the thing where she wanted to make sure she

and wasn’t getting a chemo treatment,” Gray said. “She had gone to the beauty parlor and shaved her head, she thought she looked better. She had a new dress. It was like a new beginning.”

After her cancer returned this February, her doctors said that all treatments had been exhausted.

According to Fisher, Fitzgerald understood that her treatment was ending and said she was ready to go.

“She knew that she was going to heaven,” Fisher said. “And she was at peace with that.”

Gray hopes that Fitzgerald’s legacy lives on as one of selflessness and dedication to Blue Valley.

“I just think that Blue Valley High School needs to know that Lynsey Fitzgerald thought of everyone here as part of her family,” she said.

Hansen also sees Fitzgerald’s impact on Blue Valley as a lasting one.

“Another thing is how tough she was then even though how incredibly difficult the health situations were for her,” he said. “I think it takes a real inner toughness to handle everything she had to handle and still remain a positive person.”

Services were held at D.W. Newcomer’s Sons Funeral Home. on April 5.

Cards and donations can be sent to Beth McGuire at Mission Trail Elementary School.

2008 graduate Lynsey counselor Chris Hansen’s daughter, Hannah Hansen, while in the hospital. Friends remember Fitzgerald for her perseverance in the face of the disease and her love of animals.

A stroll for strength

Snow-shortened Relay For Life aims to bring hope to cancer survivors, victims

katielouis features editor

Friday, March 27 was a big day for junior Monica Roy Chowdhury and senior Taylor Nichols

It was the night of Relay For Life and as the event’s chairs, Roy Chowdhury and Nichols had been planning the event since August.

Everything had gone smoothly so far, they had 207 participants and had raised about $15,400 for cancer research. However, a snow storm forced last-minute changes.

“We met right after school and changed the schedule because we were going to have to be out of the school by midnight because of the weather,” Roy Chowdhury said. “We had to cut out some games and cancel the donated breakfast we had coming.”

Math teacher Adam Wade was the school sponsor of the event and, with Roy Chowdhury and Nichols’ help, organized a committee of students to help plan and publicize the event throughout the school year.

“Last year’s Relay was a lot bigger and we ran into lots of scheduling conflicts this year,” Wade said. “The bad economy played into the donating thing and the weather issues came up last minute, but fortunately

the people involved did a really good job of keeping the event successful.”

Despite their situation, the event’s planners still aimed to make it a fun and organized night.

Students signed up before winter break to join teams so they could attend the Relay. Each team member had to raise $120 to stay past midnight.

All of the donations go to the American Cancer Society.

“There’s so many activities,” junior Brooke Lickteig said. “It is just so much fun. I liked the foodeating contest.”

Besides the food-eating contest, a moonbounce, free smoothies and coffee, Scattergories and two ceremonies kept students busy.

The Luminaria ceremony was especially powerful.

“The ceremony is to honor survivors and remember people that have died from cancer,” Luminaria chair junior Yanjie Yu said. “It was really emotional because so many people have been affected by cancer.”

Junior Jessica McCrary, who has participated in Relay since freshman year, lost her mother to breast cancer.

“My only memories of her are when she was sick,” McCrary said. “It was just how life was growing up. I just remember how she was

State trims school funding, District hopes no more budget cuts needed

mitchsmith editor-in-chief

The Blue Valley School District stands to lose at least $6.4 million in funding for the 2009-2010 school year, according to an e-mail sent March 27 by Superintendent Tom Trigg to all district employees.

This comes after the district announced massive budget cuts in February in response to state funding reductions for the current school year.

The e-mail said that $2.4 million of the cuts can be attributed to state cuts from this year and next year, while the remaining $4 million are from an expiring county sales tax.

More cuts may be on the way, said Deputy Superintendent Al Hanna, but they won’t be certain until the state receives its annual revenue estimates.

“Right now we’re in kind of a wait-andsee mode with Topeka and the governor,” Hanna said.

The state plans to cut funding for next year by $33 per student and also reduce the special education budget by one percent. This is in addition to the $33 per student cut for the current year.

But if state revenue estimates aren’t on target, more cuts could be necessary for next year.

The revenue estimates will likely be available at some point next week.

Hanna is not optimistic.

“All indications are that the state of Kansas is not going to meet the revenue estimates,” he said.

Shortfalls could prompt the state legislature to further slash the education budget when it reconvenes April 29, in turn making more district cuts for next

year a distinct possibility. Hanna expects to have a good idea if future cuts might be needed by mid May.

“If we get further reductions from our budget in Topeka, then we may have to make additional cuts,” Hanna said.

The district announced what it called its Phase One budget cuts in February.

The district had originally feared more drastic budget cuts for 2009-2010 and began planning Phase Two cuts. Community meetings were scheduled to discuss the situation and the district Web site had a spot to suggest possible cuts.

But the economic stimulus package passed by Congress helped pad the state’s education budget and, at least for the time being, stop the Phase Two cuts.

“The stimulus package has been a help and helped the state of Kansas shore up funding,” Hanna said.

Hanna worries that any future reductions might have a more direct impact on classrooms. More than 90 percent of Phase One cuts were contained to District Office.

“I think the cuts would be spread not only at District Office but also the buildings,” he said.

While it’s too early to know specifics, Hanna said he is worried that even more cuts might be necessary in the 2010-2011 school year and beyond.

“It’s too early to tell, but we’re very concerned about future budgets,” he said. “Basically until the economy turns around, we’re worried the state of Kansas is not going to have as much tax revenue coming in.”

Hanna said any teaching positions that become open because of resignation will be filled.

Cancer survivors are recognized during a ceremony at Relay For Life March 27. The event was shortened due to snow, although most of the evening’s activities went on as scheduled. From left, BV Middle School seventh grader Jake Louis and BV parents Mary Foote and Tracy Cook are congratulated by Relay participants. More than 200 students participated, raising $15,400 for the American Cancer Society. Photo by Amanda Blue.

TIGERprint

editor-in-chief

mitch smith

managing editor

emily strickland

in-depth editor

stephanie roche

news editor

opinion editor

allison kohn

sports editor

aj barbosa

photo editor

nathan lindshield amanda blue

entertainment editor

tori freisner

features editor

katie louis

online editor

matt may

copy editor

kyra storm

staff writers

kim dacus

andrew fiori

spencer goldenberg

caitlin holland

brock humphrey

rachel mccullough

ryan o’toole

steven reno

shannon valverde

photographers

conner combes

tom roudebush

advertising manager

noopur goel

circulation manager

tyler duke

contributing cartoonist

robert kelly

adviser

jill chittum

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

Letters to the editor and reader responses are encouraged. Letters must be signed in order to be considered for publication. The Tiger Print reserves the right to edit all submissions for both language and content and encourages letters to be no more than 350 words. Letters should be submitted to room 450, e-mailed to thetigerprint@yahoo.com or mailed to:

The Tiger Print c/o Blue Valley High School

6001 W. 159th St. Stilwell, KS 66085

email: thetigerprint@yahoo.com

913-239-4800

The Tiger Print also encourages guest photography Photos should be submitted to room 450 with information pertaining to the photo.

Front cover: Junior Anthony Viviano attempts to catch the ball during the BV Rugby Club’s first game. The club was founded by district students this year. Photo by Tom Roudebush.

editorialstaff

Rugby may be known as strictly a British or prep school pastime. However, with the help of some dedicated Blue Valley students, the sport has quickly evolved to be a game of learning and team building in our community.

Not convinced?

If you were to watch a BV rugby match from the sidelines, it wouldn’t take long before noticing the communication going on between teammates.

Rugby is still a relatively new sport to them and each match brings new opportunities to understand the game a little better.

As the coach shouts directions, the team does its best to learn while playing.

Many students are involved with

sports, whether it’s for the school, clubs or recreational teams. Why would another team be any different?

For starters, the rugby team was made with almost no former knowledge of the sport or practice.

They took the time to start a team that gives every player the same chance to learn, play and be included.

No one was turned away and no cuts were made. Every teammate started at the same point.

To raise the funds to pay for the use of the field, the team hosted pancake breakfasts.

The team members took the initiative to make the money themselves.

They didn’t rely only on their parents to open up their wallets.

We have all heard and experienced stereotypes about so-called average teens: they are lazy, self-

initiative

centered and ignorant.

But the rugby team could not have done a better job of proving these notions wrong.

Through the new sport, the team is not only able to enhance their skills on the field but also develop a sense of initiative and leadership.

Working together as a team builds self-confidence and courage.

This group of athletes had the guts to go out on the field and try something new.

They took a serious amount of energy to do something positive and unique.

It serves as an example of just exactly what hard work and commitment can accomplish, even if it’s doing something different.

The BV rugby team has taken the time to create something that is truly bigger than itself.

For that, we should all show our support.

sophomore Sylvester Noble

“Everyone’s

“We set goals for ourselves and have Mr. Bacon there to make sure they happen.”

“Work out everyday for baseball. Lifting weights and running on the weekends, working towards getting better.”

“We have a lot of responsible kids who get their work done and go after school to TCB and Academics First.”

freshman Logan Wiehn

raise voice your

What things do BV students do to disprove stereotypes about “average” teens?

included and goes out of their way to make sure no one is left out.”

senior Emma Smith

New team should be lauded for showing

Illustration by Robert Kelly.

facebook Frenzy

STATUS UPDATE:

Ryan is friends with your mom.

and I think it's great that older people are trying to get involved.

STATUS UPDATE: Kyra is SICK

Like many teens, I regularly use Facebook. I would estimate I spend around 25 percent of my free time messing around on Facebook or using it as a tool for my classes.

It's a fantastic way to stay in contact with other people.

It seems like everybody and their grandmother has a Facebook. Including my grandmother, who recently asked me to make her a Facebook page so she could keep in touch with her grandchildren.

I agreed to do it for her, because I don't see a huge problem with it. I personally have nothing to hide on my Facebook profile

They can reconnect with old high school friends, keep track of social events and experience the thrill of having 700 friends you never talk to or even meet.

I know I hear some teens complaining about their parents being on Facebook, mainly because they think they're trying to spy on them.

Listen. Just because they're family doesn't mean they have to be your Facebook friend.

You can search my entire friends list and never find my freshman sister's name. That's because she isn't there.

But if your parents insist that you accept their friend requests, just do it.

You shouldn't need to hide anyway. If you have anything you don't want

your parents to see, just take it off. It shouldn't be on the Internet in that case anyway. College admissions reps and employers can look at it, too.

It may be only me, but my parents and grandparents are smart enough not to put stupid or embarrassing baby pictures or even leave their mark on my profile. They keep among their own generation.

It's a good thing that our parents' generation is getting into Facebook. Especially for when we head off to college. I mean, who has time to actually call their parents between morning classes and evening activities?

We'll be able to just shoot off a quick Facebook message and they'll never have to hear us try to cram 18 months worth of our life into a phone call.

That way, everybody wins.

Though I love my adult friends and family dearly, they are driving me to do the Facebook equivalent of a slap in the face: defriending them.

One woman in particular is the main culprit. She is a very close family friend who recently moved out of state. To stay in touch, she got a Facebook and friended me right away.

Now, I was open to the idea at first. I’m a good girl. I don’t have any crazy party pictures with infamous red Dixie cups in hand. So her addition didn’t seem like an issue.

I have never been so mistaken.

The first thing she did

ADULTS ON FACEBOOK!!

was tag me in 46 pictures. My age range in all of these was about eight to 13. Every girl knows these pictures must be shunned and/or burned.

This was my extremely awkward phase. I was a little, Limited Too-clad chub. I wish to forget this unfortunate time period and certainly keep it far away from Facebook.

Next, she commented on my status. I quoted a song by my all-time favorite musician, John Mayer.

I found my quote profound and thought-provoking. She assumed it was a call for help and offered her motherly advice in the form of a “much-needed heart-to heart.”

Really? I just like that song. I’m not a lost soul.

I realize that her intentions are good, but she doesn’t understand that she is prying into my life and embarrassing me every

time she logs on.

For instance, she commented on a picture of my sister and I on vacation. She said, and I quote, “Awww your sister is as dark as you are fair. So grown up and precious! You’re like Snow White and Cinderella, stunning!”

I, of course, deleted that in a frenzy and prayed that none of my friends had caught sight of that statement. I knew I’d get crap about it for weeks.

After many more annoying and over-reaching comments, I came to my ultimate conclusion.

Adults should not be friends with teenagers on Facebook, period.

Facebook is a networking site, meant to link you with your peers. When I put something on my Facebook page, I shouldn’t have to worry about editing it so it’s grandma-, dentist-, auntand godmother-friendly.

As college approaches, don’t forget to savor end of high school

of mowing season or the beginning of April that has me writing this column.

No, it’s the fact that, for me and the 351 other members of the class of 2009, it’s the beginning of the end.

“Wait,” you’re saying.

“Shouldn’t you save this for your final column?” Perhaps. But by then it might be too late.

flipping your tassel and walking out the door right then will sound quite appealing.

But before too long there will be no more miserable essays or impossible physics tests.

Frankly, I won’t miss either.

But I know there are things that I will miss, things that I wish I would’ve soaked in a little more before it was too late.

High School.

As cliché as it sounds, I genuinely feel at home here.

I know the teachers, the administrators, the students and the atmosphere (although I am still known to occasionally confuse the 300 and 400 halls).

in turn, less tasty).

I’ll never get another doording in our oh-so-spacious parking lot.

I’ll never write another story for the newspaper or play another song in the band.

It’s that time of year again. Snow shovels are put in storage, parkas are hung in the closet and the ice on the windshield melts for the last time.

Yes, after an anticlimactic winter that brought a grand total of zero snow days, spring has sprung again.

Spring is a time of new beginnings.

But it’s not the beginning of baseball season, the beginning

You see, one of the regrets I hear over and over again from past graduates is that they didn’t appreciate high school until it was gone. They were so excited to leave that they forgot to enjoy the time they had left.

So I hope you’ll join me in resolving to savor our last month or so at Blue Valley.

Sure, at times we’ll all wish May 17 would hurry the heck up.

When you’re writing that miserable essay or studying for that impossible physics test,

For some, it might be walking down the hallway just before school starts.

For others, it might be having a class every day with a truly great teacher.

And for some it might just be talking with your friends.

For me, it will be a combination of those three.

But it will also be more.

As I prepare to attend a 20,000-student university, I fear that I will miss the tight-knit community feel of Blue Valley

I know which vending machine has the coldest drinks (senior hallway), which bathrooms are the least crowded during passing period (freshman hallway) and exactly what time I have to leave school to get to Sonic before Happy Hour ends (3:54, in case you’re wondering).

But I also know that, in just 37 short days, these nuances I have grown to love will all be past tense.

I’ll never eat another cookie in the cafeteria (which is slightly less heartwrenching since they changed the recipe last summer to make them less fattening and,

And perhaps the strangest thing of all, I’ll never again see many of my classmates, some of whom I’ve gone to school with for 13 years.

Yes, spring is a time of new beginnings.

The crack of the baseball bat, the hum of the lawnmower and the chirping of the birds tell us that.

But for us seniors, it’s also the beginning of the end of this chapter of our lives.

After four long years, the clock is running out on our time in high school.

Let’s at least try to appreciate it before it’s gone.

OF

Rise of adults with Facebook pages brings mixed reactions from its younger members

Perfect

A visit to San Diego leaves junior wishing for college years outside of Kansas

Junior year, second semester. My biggest worry should be finding a prom dress, right?

Wrong.

I (also known as my parents and I) am starting to look at colleges and set a plan for the rest of my life.

OK, that may be a bit dramatic, but it is a big decision and I don’t want to get it wrong.

Over spring break, my family and I visited San Diego.

That’s right, when I am supposed to be relaxing and catching some rays on the beach, I find myself at a college visit.

San Diego State University. My future (I wish).

In reality, the out-of-state tuition is not much different from the very respectable (and close to home) University of Kansas. That is, until you add in living costs.

As my dad likes to remind me, if my crystal ball sees me at SDSU, it must also see a ton of scholarships.

Earlier in the semester, I visited my mother’s alma mater, Pittsburg State University. Let’s just say SDSU looks like it is in a totally different world when you compare the two.

On one hand, you’ve got palm trees. On the other, a dead tree.

I asked our tour guide at SDSU what the weather was like in the winter; he said the coldest it gets is around 55 degrees.

Can you believe that? And he acted like that was freezing. I would wear shorts in that weather.

Well, maybe not shorts, but I wouldn’t need a winter coat.

But there is more to a school than just the weather and greenery. There are also extracurricular activities.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my Gorillas, but according to my collegeboard.com stats (I find myself looking up this site in my sleep) Pitt State has 160 clubs and organizations available to join. That sounds like a lot, until you compare it to the more than 300 at SDSU.

And as a bonus, when you live on campus at SDSU, you gain free admission to their gym. Only, this gym is like Lifetime Fitness. Just walking through it, I can see myself on the rock wall (I’m afraid of heights) or lounging at their pool (considering my parents will be reading this article, I'll throw in a “I won’t have time for that!”).

As I mentioned earlier, the cost is one of the most important factors to consider. SDSU has the cheapest in-state tuition. That may not help me my first year, but once I establish residency, I’ll be saving some cash that I can spend on books or travel.

Sorry you had to read through my plea to my parents to allow me to spend my college years in California. I’ll leave you with a little advice on how to convince your parents that a school is right for you.

Find a way to justify the out-of-state cost. Compare the atmosphere (unless you are going somewhere the weather is undesirable, in which case I would have to ask, why?). And finally, only look at the positives; there is no need to mention how small the dorm rooms are or which academic program is better.

1. A building in the middle of the SDSU campus.

2. The ocean can be found just minutes away from the college.

3. A sand-dollar found on the beach.

4. Coronado Beach, just a stone’s throw away from SDSU.

myvoice

that’s SOY not true

It happens all the time.

First, the awkward explanation of why I don’t eat meat, immediately followed by the age-old question.

“But where do you get your protein?”

I launch into a diatribe about beans, legumes and fortified soy products, dreading what comes next.

A slight pause, and then the standard response.

“Oh…I could never give up meat. I LOVE bacon.”

Forget death and taxes; these are the only two things that

Almost three years ago, I stopped eating meat, and almost one year ago, I stopped eating animal products altogether, including eggs and dairy.

Stilwell is not the ideal place to be vegan, but the transition hasn’t been hard — vegan cupcakes have filled the void that McDonald’s has left behind.

I can rattle off my reasons for deciding to go vegan; but mainly, I was influenced by the environmental impact. The whole reason I went vegan

David Pimentel

at Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: “If all the grain currently fed to livestock in the United States were consumed directly by people, the number of people who could be fed would

After a while, I just couldn’t justify getting a chicken burrito instead of a vegetarian one at Chipotle.

People assume that I cry when I step on ants and that I care more about animal rights than human . But that doesn’t mean I’m going to become an animal

By far, the biggest misconception people have about teenage vegans is that they’re either idealists who have been indoctrinated by PETA videos and subsist on plain tofu

I still enjoy late-night Taco Bell runs (bean tostadas — minus the cheese — have saved my life on more than one family vacation), and, gasp, I eat food that does not resemble

People aren’t used to seeing a chubby vegan, and I like to believe I’m breaking down stereotypes, one vegan cupcake at a time, although that’s probably just all in my head. And PETA, the punchline of every vegan joke, seems to exist only to make college girls with low self-esteem do ridiculous things, including painting themselves to look like animals and sitting in cages. The only reason they receive so much attention is because of their ridiculous antics. They don’t fix anything, they just grab headlines and give vegans a bad name. There are much better vegan organizations that don’t objectify women.

One of these programs, Food Not Bombs, is a nationwide initiative that makes vegan meals for the homeless. In some cities, more than 250 people have been fed spending only $10 and using donated food.

FNB proves time and again that actions speak louder than words —

Becoming vegetarian and, later, vegan, at a young age has taught me independence. Aside from the occasional eye-rolling and questions about calcium, my parents trust me to make my own choices.

I’ve also learned to speak up. The people at Papa John’s will not, in fact, spit in your pizza if you ask if there’s dairy in the crust and if you can have your pizza minus the queso, although this is apparently a travesty in eastern Kansas (“You want your pizza...without cheese?” Sacrilegious.)

So whether you’re thinking about veganism, or have never even heard of it up until now, I have one word of advice: quit bringing up PETA when you hear about veganism. There’s much more to it than that.

vegans and vegetarians can be assured of.

voice

Lifelong earner

kyra

storm copy editor

His eyes are focused on his notebook paper, squinting behind his thin-rimmed glasses. He’s scribbling down notes as the teacher speaks, only stopping to ask an intermittent, insightful question.

Math and science are his favorite subjects, and he’s completely lost in Spanish class.

This scenario could describe any dedicated student, but actually, it’s a typical class period for Bill Solomon, a 71-yearold paraprofessional here at BV.

Solomon is currently assigned to assist junior James Geary. His basic task is to help Geary in class by taking notes for him.

Solomon admits that dictating Geary’s words onto paper took some getting used to.

“I had a tendency to edit on the fly,” Solomon said. “But I realized I needed to

be his scribe and not pass any judgment on it.”

Though Solomon is only required to write for Geary, his enthusiasm for learning causes him to go above and beyond.

“He actively tries to learn with me and the other students,” Geary said. “He has an eagerness to help in any way he can.”

Solomon says he enjoys participating in class, and wouldn’t want it any other way.

“If the class is having a discussion, I want to discuss too,” Solomon said. “I’m fortunate that the teachers here allow that, and almost let me co-teach with them.”

It’s not surprising teachers are willing to accept help from Solomon, who was an industrial chemist for Colgate and even worked for the federal government.

Physics teacher John Holloway appreciates the science knowledge Solomon brings to the classroom.

“It’s nice to have someone who has such a wide range of experiences in the class,” Holloway said. “He’s someone I can

chooses

trust to listen and analyze what I’m saying. I can bounce my answers off of him.”

Chemistry teacher Manal Siam agrees, saying that Solomon’s passion for science enriches the classroom experience.

“I loved hearing Bill’s stories,” Siam said. “He knows all this history and fun wisdom. He also encourages students to get involved and take science outside of the classroom.”

Solomon retired from his career as an industrial chemist, but found himself bored and began volunteering at the Wilderness Science Center and eventually landed a job here at BV.

“Being here puts structure in your life,”

Solomon said. “This whole thing is exciting to me. I love being here with the kids and helping in any way I can.”

Another way Solomon helps is by exercising Geary’s dog, Schwan.

“He does a lot of things just because he wants to,” Geary said. “He takes Schwan out to walk and play ball to keep her from getting restless.”

Geary says all of the paras he’s had at BV have been exceptional, but Solomon is even more special.

“He embodies what a para should be,” Geary said. “He’s always been very supportive of me, and whenever I’m struggling he’s the first person I talk to.”

Paraprofessional

to be in the classroom instead of taking it easy in retirement

“Being here puts structure in your life. This whole thing is excciting to me. I love being here with the kids and helping in any way I can.”

Paraprofessional Bill Solomon

the typical spring break

7 students turned down vacations, instead spent their Break working on an Indian reservation in the Southwest

opinions editor

The hot sun beat down on junior Hannah Ebling’s arms as she finished the last coat of yellow paint. As the Navajo woman, Lula, saw her freshly painted house, her face lit up with sheer joy.

“I’m so excited I get to live in a yellow cupcake,” Lula said.

Ebling, along with juniors Emily Mosburg, Evan Palmer and Kelly Lembke, sophomore Maddy Fowler and freshman Weston Mosburg, spent Spring Break on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Window Rock, Ariz.

As part of a mission trip from the Church of the Resurrection, the group worked with the Four Corners Native American Ministry.

To prepare for the trip, the group organized a shoe drive. They collected almost 90 pairs and were able to bring half on this trip. The other shoes will be brought on the summer mission trip to the reservation.

“The kids especially were so excited to pick out shoes,” Emily Mosburg said. “They were so grateful and it was another way we could help.”

From the moment the volunteers got off the van, it was evident to the group that the Navajo people needed help.

“The Navajo Nation receives checks from the government so I thought they would be pretty well off,” Ebling said. “But that is actually hurting them more than anything.”

Because the government has been sending money, Ebling said, some Navajo

have been left with out any hope or motivation for a better life.

”They don’t plan for the future and only live in the here and now,” Ebling said. “There would be shacks without any electricity or running water, but a nice TV or a nice car sitting out front.”

The group’s main goal for the trip was to create relationships and to offer support and encouragement.

By interacting with the families and children on the reservation, the volunteers were able to form friendships with the people in the community.

“A big part of the trip was breaking the barrier,” Emily Mosburg said.

Life on the reservation served to be a truly eye-opening experience. Ebling said many families are affected by alcoholism and child abuse and that some homes did not have access to clean running water or electricity.

“One of the most shocking moments was when I asked a little girl how many siblings she had and she couldn’t even keep track,” Ebling said. “She had at least 15 or 16 from different fathers.”

Their family situations have led to a lack of motivation among the people, Ebling said.

Some children are passed from family member to family member without maintaining a consistent home life, Emily Mosburg said.

Despite these disadvantages, the reservation does have schools and other educational opportunities available.

But among the Navajo, leaving the tribe for higher education is uncommon. Going off to college could lead to banish-

ment from the reservation by the group, team leader Russ Mosburg said.

“Most of the people have no motivation to continue in school or have any support from their families,” Ebling said.

Emily Mosburg, who had visited the reservation twice before, felt a strong need to go back for a third trip, not only to help the community but also because of the relationships she had formed.

“There were five little girls who were all sisters that remembered me from my other trips,” she said. “They made me a poster for when I got there to the reservation. It showed they hadn’t forgotten me.”

Although Emily Mosburg was greeted with open arms by those she befriended, many of the Navajo she met before had disappeared.

“Life is so different there and many of the people from before had just left,” she said. “They were just gone.”

Russ Mosburg, Emily and Weston’s father, was a team leader for the trip and the main coordinator between the Navajo and the volunteers.

Russ had also been to the reservation twice before, but says each trip brings new experiences.

“From this trip, I was able to take away the fact that I alone or my family is not enough,” Russ said. “The people there have almost become a forgotten need. No one understands how beautiful the people and the land are on the reservation.”

All of the work done by the group did not go unappreciated. In fact, the group said Navajo community could not have been more grateful.

cleaned up yards, the people said thank you in the ways they could.

“One man was so appreciative for what we had done, he invited us over for horseback riding,” Ebling said.

To understand more of the religious beliefs and ancient culture of the Navajo, the volunteers had a “culture day.”

They learned about the traditional home, a hooghan, that is used for praying. Although the hooghan is commonly found within the reservation, the elders of the community feel many of the Navajo traditions are being forgotten.

“The Navajo are very spiritually founded and beliefs are very important,” Ebling said. “Certain rituals have to be done everyday.”

As the trip came to a close, the group members said they realized how incredibly fortunate their lives were.

“Everything I worry about in my life is not important on the big scale,” Emily Mosburg said. “Families there all suffer from alcoholism, have no running water or electricity. I’m thankful for my family and my home. I also am really thankful for school.”

To continue the friendships formed with the people, a committee is planning for some of the Navajo teens to visit Kansas City.

This would be a chance for them to experience life outside of the reservation and to allow the bonds made with the volunteers to grow.

“It’s important to reassure them that the friendships and relationships made were real,” Ebling said. “We aren’t going to

Mosburg poses with Shanti in a game of piggy-back tag during a break from painting a house. Center: Shown here is Window Rock, a sacred area for the Navajo. Right: The missionary group met Miss Navajo Nation. She sang them a Navajo Birthday Song and taught them about Navajo culture and traditions. Photos courtesy of Evan Palmer and Emily Mosburg.

Palmer poses with Tamara on her back in front of a dog house the girls painted during their trip.

Center: BV students pose with the Navajo kids after two hours of piggy-back rides.

Right: Freshman Weston Mosburg scrapes off 12-year-old paint from a house on the reservation. Photos courtesy of Evan Palmer and Emily Mosburg.

Breaker Back

...or not. Students share varied Spring Break experiences.

advantage of my spare productive.

Juniors Kirsten Mellenbruch

and to visit the Show-Me

The Home is a of abuse, neglect, circumstances can

During our visit couple who did everything home, including letting ment games every

It may sound crazy, busy, we still enjoyed

Mission trip to Mexico

Some people consider mission trips a sacrifice and wonder why someone would want to spend a week in a foreign country working instead of on vacation or relaxing at home.

I spent the majority of my last two spring breaks in Mexico with some members of my church youth group, working and spending time with the people of Chablekal, an impoverished village in the Yucatan. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Chablekal is a place where the important things in life, family and friends, are cherished and where material doesn’t mean as much. That mindset is one reason why I went back after my first trip and why I plan on returning next year.

People there are conscious of their situation but they don’t let it interfere with their lives. They don’t sit around and consider what could have been or worry about material objects.

They enjoy what they do have, which is one another.

I seem to get in a rut during the school year.

I become desensitized by my routine and lifestyle because I am always worried about

the future and not focused on what’s right in front of me.

These trips to Mexico knock me out of that rut because I’m stripped of all of that outside pressure and I’m able to immerse myself in a different culture and lifestyle, all the while helping other people.

Every night, the community would get together and play volleyball.

Our group has a general idea of what we will do on the trip before we go, we plan crafts for a Vacation Bible School for the village children and have some idea of the physical labor that we will be doing.

But the best thing about the experience is its flexibility.

We are not constrained by a schedule or expectations, so we can enjoy all aspects of the trip without feeling rushed, a luxury not always enjoyed in the States.

Regardless of your religious beliefs, trips like these can change your life.

They’re something different: they create life experiences, they make you think, they take you out into the world.

Junior Jason Wood visited the village of Chablekal, Mexico, with his youth group from the Presbyterian Church of Stanley. The group played games with the children and helped them make crafts. Junior Steven Reno said he enjoys these trips because he has the opportunity to learn about a different culture and lifestyle. Photo courtesy of Harlan Harper.

Breaker Back

...or not. Students share varied Spring Break experiences.

Volunteering in Missouri

Usually when I come back to school from Spring Break, am one of those people whose best break stories consist of jumping on my friend’s trampoline or the fact that finally caught up on my sleep. But this year I took advantage of my spare days to do something more productive.

Juniors Kirsten Krull, Anneliese Krull Rachel Mellenbruch and took a road trip to La Monte, Mo., to visit the Show-Me Christian Youth Home.

The Home is a place where kids with backgrounds of abuse, neglect, abandonment or other unfortunate circumstances can have a stable home environment.

During our visit we stayed with the Smiths, a lovely couple who did everything possible to make us feel at home, including letting us watch the NCAA Tournament games every night.

It may sound crazy, but even though we were kept busy, we still enjoyed every single moment.

Our first day there, we

must have peeled a hundred pounds of potatoes. Sound grueling?

It is, but it’s also pretty entertaining with three of your best friends by your side. The majority of the work we did was in preparation for a thank you luncheon that Show-Me was hosting our final day.

We ironed tablecloths, swept, dusted, folded brochures and washed dishes, but the best story comes from our failed attempt at making pizzas for some of the teens one night.

The pizzas were cooked and ready to eat with only one burnt finger between the four of us.

But after an hour-long volleyball game, the pizzas cooled to room temperature. So we took them back to the kitchen to reheat.

Unfortunately, we had transferred the pizzas to larger trays and they only fit half way into the oven.

One of us came up with the idea to put one end of the pan in the oven, warm up that pizza, rotate the pan, and therefore warm up both pizzas. This sounded like a brilliant idea, at least until we all realized that while one pizza was cooking, the other was cooling.

So eventually the kids came looking for their

pizza and we had to give up the useless struggle and eat the lukewarm pizza. After that experience, we were all a little surprised that they let us back into the kitchen.

We were working in Tim’s Heaven Kitchen (named after watching an intense Hell’s Kitchen episode) where we took part in our daily routine of feeding the guests and cleaning dishes.

Unfortunately, that happened to be when our ride came to drive us home.

It was so hard to leave.

The four of us decided that we have to make a return trip this summer, hopefully for a longer visit.

Mission trip to Mexico

Road trip to Florida

myvoice

Some people consider mission trips a sacrifice and wonder why someone would want to spend a week in a foreign country working instead of on vacation or relaxing at home.

I spent the majority of my last two spring breaks in Mexico with some members of my church youth group, working and spending time with the people of Chablekal, an impoverished village in the Yucatan. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Chablekal is a place where the important things in life, family and friends, are cherished and where material doesn’t mean as much. That mindset is one reason why went back after my first trip and why plan on returning next year.

People there are conscious of their situation but they don’t let it interfere with their lives. They don’t sit around and consider what could have been or worry about material objects.

They enjoy what they do have, which is one another.

I seem to get in a rut during the school year.

become desensitized by my routine and lifestyle because am always worried about

the future and not focused on what’s right in front of me.

These trips to Mexico knock me out of that rut because I’m stripped of all of that outside pressure and I’m able to immerse myself in a different culture and lifestyle, all the while helping other people.

Every night, the community would get together and play volleyball.

Our group has a general idea of what we will do on the trip before we go, we plan crafts for a Vacation Bible School for the village children and have some idea of the physical labor that we will be doing.

But the best thing about the experience is its flexibility.

We are not constrained by a schedule or expectations, so we can enjoy all aspects of the trip without feeling rushed, a luxury not always enjoyed in the States.

Regardless of your religious beliefs, trips like these can change your life.

They’re something different: they create life experiences, they make you think, they take you out into the world.

Day 1

7:00

We just picked up the last guy, loaded his stuff and we are now officially on our way to Orlando. It’s very quiet, probably because the sun has not risen yet, and none of us are used to being awake this early.

7:08 So much for the peace and quiet. Sam is YELLING. He’s very excited about the trip. It’s way too early for this kind of enthusiasm.

7:43 The sun is coming up. It’s very pretty. But now it’s going behind plenty of cloud cover, which is good, because if it didn’t, seeing as we’re driving directly east, we’d be blinded for several hours.

8:18 Road Trip Game suggestions and responses are as follows:

The Alphabet Game — No.

The License Plate Game — No.

The “Count the Number of Adult Superstores You See” Game — …?!?

2:28 We just stopped in Metropolis, Ill., to see the Superman

statue, which happens to be one of the lamest tourist traps I’ve ever been to. There is a bronze book embossed with the prayer that was said at the statue’s dedication, which stressed that this statue is a “symbol to be celebrated, not an idol to be worshipped.” I, for one, am glad they cleared that up. Along the way, The current car conversation is entitled “Women Who Smoke Cigars Are Gross.” Do not ask me how we got on this topic — don’t know.

10:00 The ride is very long. When we stop in a while, we will have spent between 13 and 14 hours traveling today. It’s raining. Connor’s driving very slowly. We’re staying at a Super 8 just south of Atlanta. Day One is nearly over.

Day 2

10:00 We’re watching The Goonies as we finish our Super 8 continental breakfast, which was really prepackaged bagels, cereal, tiny muffins and a juice dispenser. We’re about to get in the car to start Day Two.

12:15 Everyone is asleep but Connor and me. Connor inexplicably has the radio on a “Better Life” chan-

nel, which is informing him about how to lose weight by eating slower and new strategies on how to get out of debt.

1:53 We just ate lunch at Arby’s. We’re finally in Florida. It’s sunny, warm and beautiful. For me, Spring Break just started.

8:19 We made it. The resort is beautiful, and our parental supervision just told us that we have the week all to ourselves. They are not going to bother us and asked us to do the same. Excellent. We’re on the deck of our condo, looking out at the lake on the golf course. Tomorrow, we’ll probably hit up one of the resort’s four pools. I’m voting for the one with the lazy river and water slides. The next day, we’ll probably start using our weeklong passes to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure theme parks. This week is going to be great. It’s just amazing that we got here.

Junior Sarah Ekis irons a tablecloth during her Spring Break, where she volunteered with friends at the Show-Me Christian Youth Home. Photo courtesy of Kirsten Krull.

Junior Jason Wood visited the village of Chablekal, Mexico, with his youth group from the Presbyterian Church of Stanley. The group played games with the children and helped them make crafts. Junior Steven Reno said he enjoys these trips because he has the opportunity to learn about a different culture and lifestyle. Photo courtesy of Harlan Harper.

Seniors Connor Francis (far right), Collin Kessler (second from right) and Sam Lutz (center), along with their friends, prepare to pile in their car and drive to Florida. Photo courtesy of Connor Francis.

collinkessler

guestcolumn

Student to spend gap year in India

emilystrickland managing editor

Waking up at 4 a.m., doing an hour of yoga, making your own breakfast and completing seven or more hours of service work, and all for college credit: this is not KU.

This is LeapNow, a gap year program for recent high school graduates.

Senior Mat Ladegaard recently decided this would be the most likely option for him next year.

“I’d wanted to do this because you can become a whole human being, in a sense,” Ladegaard said. “I can figure out what I want to do before college back in the States.”

Ladegaard will spend his fall semester in India studying, traveling around the country, attending meditation retreats and doing service work.

He will also receive 24-36 hours of college credit.

He first heard about LeapNow through a college counselor.

“It was just like a brief comment,” he said. “But I was interested, went to the Web site and was hooked.”

Ladegaard was drawn to the program because of the learning experiences he would benefit from.

“It’s not being talked to like in high school, but learning yourself,” he said. “Being in a different country helps you experience learning differently.”

His parents are supportive of his choice of a non-traditional college and think that

he will learn more from LeapNow than he would during his first year in a traditional American university.

“It’s a great program because it gives an opportunity for students to see other parts of the world and come away knowing how to have a better commitment to public service,” Mat’s dad, Ed Ladegaard, said. “They’ll get a better idea of what life’s fine goals are.”

During the spring semester, Mat will participate in a solo internship in a country of his choice.

This is set up through LeapNow, and he has his pick of 126 countries.

He said you take general classes the first semester in order to pick something more specific that you’re interested in for the internship.

“It’s really cool,” he said. “If you’re interested in health science or the environment you can work on an organic farm in New Zealand, or if you’re interested in working with children you can help out at an orphanage in Latin America.”

Students in the past have studied marine science in Madagascar, had apprenticeships at recording studios in England, cared for animals on savannahs in Africa or taught children with Autism in Vietnam.

“I have a lot of interests but I don’t know

what I’ll spend a whole semester doing,” he said. “It’s OK because I’ll figure it out first semester.”

He also has his plans figured out after his year abroad. He will more than likely attend an out-of-state university.

“It won’t be a problem getting into a college back home because high school credits won’t even matter anymore,” he said. “They’ll just see what I did in India and be like, ‘Whoa, looks good.’”

He said that almost all of his credits

earned abroad will transfer to a university transcript.

“Working in an orphanage will probably count as a social science credit or something, not a math credit,” he said. “It’s pretty straightforward about how they transfer and they’ll be pretty good about it.”

Mat said he’s almost positive he is going next year.

He is very hopeful that he has all the resources he needs to go, but said that he’ll still be happy if he doesn’t get to go.

year at a glance...

10 days — Retreat 1: Orientation

10 weeks — Travel abroad in India or Latin America

10 days — Retreat 2: Inner Journey

5 weeks — Mid-term holiday break

21 days — Retreat 3: Inner Journey and Rite of Passage

12 weeks — Solo Internship in one of 126 countries

12 days — Retreat 4: Inner Journey

From leapnow.org.

Senior strives to make band household name

tylerduke circulation manager

Kingsville, Mo., is an extremely small town with nothing to see and nothing to do.

From this nothingness next to a gutter and a railroad track came the band Kingsville Manor.

Senior Bobby Wheeler plays bass for Kingsville Manor. Other members include three brothers with Blue Valley ties. Former BV student Zack Brown, 2008 graduate Willie Brown and Matt Brown founded the group two years ago.

Kingsville Manor is named after the house that Matt owned in Kingsville and was the site of their first shows.

“I had this old barn and we cleared it out, put a stage in it, some lights and we had our venue,” Matt said.

The band has been together since 2007 and have played several shows since then. They have played at the 400 Bar, The Pig, The Refuge, Mission Theatre and The Beaumont Beach Club.

They are working on playing a three-day music festival in Kansas City this summer.

“My first show we all met up and I learned three songs right before we went to play the show,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler has provided the group with a steady place to practice, a basement to record in and a full drum set.

“Bob has helped with the writing a lot,” Willie said. “Working with him has made everything a lot more structured.”

Willie said that Wheeler is able to help fine-tune ideas to improve the band.

“With Bob, we can throw out

an idea and put it together in one sitting,” Willie said.

The band members say they have a lot of goals for the future and have a lot to accomplish before they can make it.

“My main goal for this band is to have the name ‘Kingsville Manor’ incased in gold and remembered throughout time,” Wheeler said.

Their band hopes their music brings back the ‘60s and ‘70s.

Their influences include Led Zeppelin, The Doors and The Who.

“I want our music to be that music you listen to while driving through the country,” Willie said. “I want us to be that perfect band at the perfect time.”

Their journey to a household name is long but they love what they do and will continue to get better.

Ladegaard

Senior Bobby Wheeler practices with his band, Kingsville Manor. The band has been together since 2007. Photo by Tyler Duke.

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a fairy tale ending

allisonkohn opinions editor

First there is the date. Then the perfect dress. The perfect shoes. The perfect hair. And, of course, the right make-up and accessories. Prom is a chance for the seniors to be together one last time before graduation and for the juniors to get a taste of what they have to look forward to.

However, for some girls, the preparations for such a special night have become very difficult. Prom isn't cheap, and being unable to afford what the evening entails can prevent some girls from attending their school prom.

This is where the Prom Boutique comes in.

"We wanted the girls to know they are not in this alone," program coordinator Fern Truschke said. "They need to know that there are people out there that care about them."

What started with a few dresses in a cramped office has now expanded to fill the missions building of the Woods Chapel Church in Lee's Summit. With more than 700 different dresses and sizes ranging from zero to 28, the boutique gives underprivileged girls a chance to experience prom.

Any girl is able to come in to the boutique and pick out a dress, no questions asked.

The program was started 12 years ago by Sonia Clogston, a case worker for the state of Missouri who dealt primarily with girls in foster care or other care organizations.

Clogston saw a major need for girls who could not afford to go to their school dance and began collecting dresses in her office. Before long, the dresses were exploding out of the office doors.

"Every girl that comes in is able to pick out a dress for free without feeling pressured about the cost," Truschke said. "We are also giving away Payless Shoe Store gift cards to every girl so they are able to buy matching shoes for the big night."

The dresses are donated by girls in the Kansas City area as well as some faraway sources.

"A woman in California heard about our efforts to collect dresses for these girls and sent us her daughter's prom dresses that wouldn't be worn anymore," Truschke said.

To make sure the dresses are up to par, the Prom Boutique keeps strict criteria on the dresses they accept. No frills, poofy sleeves or anything that might suggest it came from grandma's drapes or the school dance from Napoleon Dynamite.

"We don't want any 'mother of the bride' dresses," Truschke said. "Everything is in style and almost brand new."

In fact, most dresses have only been worn once or still have a tag on them.

The boutique officially opened for business March 27

Prom Boutique in Lee’s Summit

senior prom

and 28.

dress, seamstresses stood by to ensure each dress fit its new owner just right.

reason: her wedding.

ding that was the following weekend," Truschke said. "It was such a great thing for her to pick out a dress."

By the end of the weekend, more than $25,000 worth of prom dresses were given away. The remaining dresses from the event were donated to local organizations that keep the dresses and give them to girls in need throughout the year for other school dances and special events.

As for next year, the Prom Boutique only hopes to get bigger and better.

"We are trying to assist the ladies who really need it," she said. "Everyone deserves to go to their senior prom." Dresses are collected all year and any size is accepted. Girls wishing to donate their Prom, Homecoming or Sweetheart dresses are welcome to bring them by the Woods Chapel Church Missions Building.

"The community has been so generous," Truschke said. "It has really made a difference in these young womens' lives."

provides free dresses to ensure that every girl can go to her

With the help of flyers, local newspapers and other publicity, girls from all over the metro area came to the Prom Boutique in search of their perfect dress. Photos courtesy of Anne Cannon.

Passion for sports leads to athletic director’s state recognition Whitehead’s Win

shannonvalverde staff writer

It’s 5 o’ clock and most students and staff have gone home, but not athletic director Bob Whitehead He sits in his office preparing game schedules and coordinating senior signings. Then he goes and cheers on the team playing that night.

In March, Whitehead was recognized as the state athletic director of the year.

“It really is a big honor to be named the best athletic director in the state of Kansas,” Whitehead said.

Track coach Eric Driskell said that with all the effort Whitehead puts into his job, he was bound to get an award.

“He is always here at the school supporting our teams,” Driskell said. “He is here probably every night so he really deserved that award.”

Whitehead had an interest in sports at a young age. He was introduced to baseball in the second grade.

“I wanted to be a part of the team so bad,” Whitehead said. “But I wasn’t old enough. I was seven and you had to be eight so I lied about my age and there was no better feeling than being on the team.”

Whitehead’s love of sports led him to his career as a high school athletic director. While attending Emporia State University, he got the chance to work in athletics while earning his teaching degree.

hot gym watching us take on Blue Valley West.”

Before coming to BV, Whitehead coached the Blue Valley Northwest cross country and track teams and was also an intern in the athletics department.

When the position of BV athletic director was offered to Whitehead, he was forced to choose between strong relationships made with his teams and his dream job.

“It was very hard to leave the kids that I had become so close to,” he said. “It was a very hard conversation to have but I knew I wanted to come to Blue Valley.”

“In high school I got cut from the basketball team,” he said. “I knew I really wasn’t that good but it still stung. The thing about Blue Valley is that there are so many more opportunities to make a team.”

Whitehead enjoys spending a lot of time with his grandchildren, the youngest of which is Tanyon Bergiglia. “Tanyon loves his papa,” Whitehead’s wife, Joyce, said. Photo courtesy of Joyce Whitehead.

Facilitating sports is not the only part of Whitehead’s duty as athletic director. Part of his job as an administrator is to discipline students and motivate them to succeed in school.

But according to Whitehead, the best part of the job is witnessing the students’ success.

“The best part of my job is watching our kids play,” Whitehead said. “There is nothing better than sitting under the lights every Friday to watch football and no better feeling than being packed into a

After leaving behind his old teams, he built new relationships with teams at BV.

“He is the most conscientious person I’ve ever met,” former BV baseball coach Larry Hare said. “He cares about everybody.”

After joining the BV community, Whitehead also coached football and track. During his first year of coaching football in 1980, Whitehead led the Tigers to the playoffs.

Whitehead feels that it is his personal experiences that make him well-suited to be an athletic director.

Outside of school, Whitehead enjoys gardening with his John Deere tractor and taking trips out to the lake with his fishing buddy, Hare.

“I like to fish and Bob likes to fish,” Hare said. “It’s a great combination. So we go fishing.”

But Whitehead doesn’t just have a close bond with teachers. He puts in hard work and dedication to make the athletic program what it is.

“He has a big heart for our students,” Principal Scott Bacon said. “We have great facilities and great coaches because of the work he does.”

Whitehead vacationed last July with his family to go horseback riding in the mountains. Left to right: grandchildren Ashton and Riley Brady and daughter Lisa Bergligia. Photo courtesy of Joyce Whitehead.

Athletic director Bob Whitehead talks to softball coaches Ashley Miller and Gary Lindsey at a softball practice by Millers Woods on Antioch. “He cares a lot about all the teams,” Joyce said. Photo courtesy of Joyce Whitehead.

americans

the british are coming

2 seniors accepted to prestigious performing arts school in Liverpool, England

noopurgoel ads manager

Seniors Samantha Steinmetz and Collin Kessler share an uncommon bond. One filled with secret whispers, sarcastic facial expressions, and knowing smiles. They have formed a close friendship after working 11 shows together at Blue Valley, a friendship they hope to continue.

“We really want to go to school together next year,” Steinmetz said.

They may have the opportunity to do just that. Both were recently accepted into the prestigious Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts in Liverpool, England.

“Only a handful of Americans that audition get in because it’s really competitive,” senior theater student Carmen Burchett said. “The fact that our school had two people who were accepted is awesome.”

Senior Anna Speer recalls the day Steinmetz informed her, along with others, of her acceptance.

“We all started going crazy,” Speer said. “Mr. Wade had to come out and tell us to be quiet.”

The path to acceptance was not a simple one. At the Unified College Auditions this year in Chicago, both Steinmetz and Kessler tried out for more than 10 different performing arts programs. The process was rigorous to say the least.

“There’s a lot of crazy people there, with crazy stage moms,” Steinmetz said.

Want to see more of Collin?

The spring play Boys Next Door explores the lives of four mentally disabled men living together in a home under the watchful eye of Jack, played by senior Collin Kessler

This comedy explores the meanings of friendship and everyday life with mentally disabled people. This bittersweet comedy will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on April 23-25, with an additional showing on the 25th at 2 p.m. It will be shown in the PAC for $7.

The cast also includes seniors Brice Barnard, Tyler Duke, Kaitlin Gould, Carmen Burchett, Alex Katsorelos, juniors Daniel Reardon, Scott Bolton, Harrison Drake, Jacquelyn Lippert, Amy Hall, Hannah Scott, Dalton Homolka, sophomores Joseph Davies, Ali Hadley, Lauren Flack and freshmen Rebecca Jenkins and Jacob Miller

By Rachel McCullough.

After the initial audition for Liverpool, both were asked to return for callbacks. There they performed monologues along with song and dance numbers. The students were also asked to participate in some “weird British improv games.”

“It’s intimidating, but also exciting,” Kessler said. “If you make one mistake you can kiss your chances of getting in goodbye.”

Liverpool offers their program to not only American students, but also those from Norway, South Africa, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, China, Spain and the Philippines.

Because of this commitment to the international community, only a few spots are open for American students. Only four study at the institute. This knowledge makes auditioning for the school incredibly intimidating.

“It’s a total emotional rollercoaster that keeps building,” Kessler said. “Afterwards, you’re relieved, but then the anxiety sets in about whether or not you’ll get in.”

After callbacks, both learned that they had been accepted, but it is not certain whether they will be able to attend.

“It’s all very expensive,” Kessler said. “If you get in, you have to find some way to pay for it. There are

plenty of other kids that can pay who will replace you. It’s like the Ivy Leagues of theater schools.”

The two don’t believe that the tuition is necessarily unreasonable, but the distance plays a large role in cost.

“It’s about $25,000 per year, which is how much most schools in the US are, the expenses come into play when you factor in the travel, and the fact that the British government gives out very little financial aid,” Kessler said.

Liverpool may give the pair student loan debt, but the experience could prove to be worth the price.

“I liked their philosophy on acting and performing: ‘You can’t be anyone but yourself on stage,’” Steinmetz said.

Attending the school may offer another perk: the chance to meet the school’s co-founder, Beatle Paul McCartney

“When you graduate he throws a concert and you get to meet him,” Kessler said.

If Liverpool becomes an unlikely option, Steinmetz and Kessler have plenty of fall-back schools.

Steinmetz has been accepted into performing arts programs at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Texas Christian University and the University of Miami, while Kessler has his pick of the Cincinnati Conservatory and Pennsylvania State University.

“I can’t honestly remember making the decision to be an actor,” Steinmetz said. “It was always something I just had to do. I can’t imagine myself being happy doing anything else.”

Senior Collin Kessler stars as Paul Sheldon in the winter production of Misery. Kessler, who is unsure of which college he wants to attend, was accepted to the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. Photo by Alex Milbourn.

Senior Samantha Steinmetz portrays Sister Helen Prejean in the fall production of Dead Man Walking. Steinmetz, along with senior Collin Kessler, was accepted to the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts in Liverpool, England.

Photo by Brianna DeGraeve.

I’m so...

Intricate plots in ABC series Lost leave viewers scratching their heads

It’s common knowledge that the best way to draw people in to a story is to end it on a cliffhanger.

That’s what originally got me into Lost. We didn’t get one cliffhanger every week, we got six. It was mysterious, it was fun, it was fresh and it was new. But that was in the beginning. Now we’re five seasons in and the formula is getting a little old.

We all watched as a seemingly simple story with a twist turned into a complex web of complications and character interactions. It churned out mystery after mystery, pausing only to show a flashback which answered nothing.

I calculate that I’ve spent at least 94 hours watching Lost. Now for most things, if you spent 94 hours doing it, you would know it backwards and forwards.

If I spent 94 hours learning to make cake, I’d make a

darn good cake.

If I spent 94 hours working clay into little pots, I would be freaking Michelangelo.

But after 94 hours of Lost, I routinely forget the characters’ names. But that’s forgivable when five new personalities are added every single week.

And these characters can belong to one of four groups: Oceanic 815 survivors, the Others, the Dharma Initiative and people who are looking for the island.

Sometimes they fit in multiple groups simultaneously, such as John Locke, who is currently leader of the Others, arrived on Oceanic and is looking to go back to the island.

It sometimes gets hard to track who’s with whom and who’s trying to kill whom. I used to bother trying to figure it out. I had all my little theories for why things were happening. They always seemed probable for like half an episode, until a new twist made the first twist defunct.

Now the mother of the scientist who went back in time to tell the boat-wrecked Brit to go to the island with the Oceanic Six who he met when they blew up the

quarantine hatch to get to the button and didn’t push the button, and then...

This is a part of one episode synopsis that confused me just to write it on paper. I had to stop my description early because it wasn’t making any more sense in my head.

So now I don’t even try to guess what’s going on. People are losing interest in the show.

I know a lot of people who used to be completely addicted to Lost and now don’t even follow the new season. This is a lesson for TV executives, all people really, everywhere.

People have short attention spans. If you focus too much on questions, then people stop caring about the answers.

The problem is they spent too much time with the intricate back story, and forgot that people wanted to have some knowledge of what was going on.

This might lead to people not tuning in, then the cancellation of Lost before they give us the answers we want.

Watchmen andrewfiori knowing rachelmccullough

Finally, after years of attempts, the movie dubbed “unfilmable” by Warner Brothers has been released.

Based on the 1986-1987 comic book series by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, Watchmen had been a favorite among many readers, including myself. So I gladly volunteered to write about its movie adaptation.

Overall, I enjoyed the movie. Director Zack Snyder stuck to the storyline in the novel really well. The incredible acting, along with music played within the movie, made me think it was better than Batman.

The thing is though, to someone who hasn’t read the novel, this movie will be hard to follow.

The storyline is pretty complicated; many things go left unexplained. The main characters in the movie are able to perform incredible feats of combat, but it doesn’t really explain how they are able to do such things.

Another problem I see is that Watchmen looked like an action film in ads. But you don’t really get much action.

Also, you get a face-full of Dr. Manhattan’s man-parts throughout the entire movie.

But the good news is that I’ve seen more people start to read the actual Watchmen graphic novel. I request that you do read this before or after seeing this movie. It will make the overall experience so much better for you.

John Koestler (Nicolas Cage) plays an MIT professor whose son, Caleb Koestler (Chandler Canterbury), comes across a sheet of numbers from a disturbed girl, Lucinda Embry (Lara Robinson), in a time capsule from 50 years ago.

Cage notices the numbers 09-11-01 in the sequence, followed by the number of deaths from that day.

After a long night deciphering this sheet of random numbers, Cage realizes all the numbers correspond to dates of past major accidents, as well as the number of deaths in each accident. After further deciphering, he realizes the latitudes and longitudes of where these events have happened are also included.

The thing is, there are three sets of tragedy dates that haven’t occurred yet. Cage is forced to figure out how to stop these events by finding Lucinda Embry’s daughter and granddaughter, Diana (Rose Byrne) and Abby Wayland (Robinson).

Despite an unusual plot idea, the way it played out was predictable. My interest was minimally kept with high action and special effects. One of the things that irked me about the film was the girl who played the child-version Lucinda was the same girl who played her granddaughter.

The ending was so predictable, it was exhausting. This mediocre film left me feeling like I wasted 10 bucks on something I could Redbox in a couple weeks for a dollar.

DVD photo by Amanda Blue.

The Haunting in Connecticut

Kyle Gallner,Virginia Madsen

I don’t get scared in horror movies that often, but I will give it to The Haunting in Connecticut

There were a few parts that were pretty messed up. I don’t know if it was when the corpses’ eyelids were cut off, or if it was the incinerated boy who repeatedly appeared behind the main character.

The movie, allegedly based on a true story, begins by showing the main character Matt Campbell (Kyle Gallner) and his family moving to a new home closer to the hospital because of his cancer.

Little did they know when buying it that the house was a funeral home in the 1920s where bodies were taken apart and seances were routinely conducted.

As they began to settle in and get used to their new house, Matt begins to see things. Some scenes get a little cliché with moments like opening a door slowly with scary music, or playing hide-and-go-seek in a house they know nothing about.

What keeps you interested is the great performance by Gallner and his evolution into a freakish child while fighting cancer and seeing the dead.

Not only that, but the parts that were just plain weird made you want to keep watching. I would have to say that seeing words engraved on an entire human body, both dead and alive, is pretty strange.

With the notable exception of Matt, the human characters tend to be a little dull and not leave much of an impression.

All the demons, dead people and ghosts, on the other hand, are what make the movie compelling.

One unforgettable part is the scene when the reverend tries to rid the house of evil spirits. Then it shows Matt sitting in his bed, as the burnt boy’s face is glaring at him outside the basement window.

The only thing you can’t really tell, is whether all of his visions are from a dream, his cancer or reality.

The reverend in the movie claims that Matt being so close to death is the reason why he alone sees the dead. But at times in the movie, the entire family experiences their share of encounters with the various spirits.

Aside from that confusion, I also wonder why the family did not just leave the house in the first place.

But other than that, the movie is pretty solid. The gruesome corpses and remains keep you watching, while both Matt’s cancer and the haunting throughout the house keeps you engaged.

The fact that it is supposedly based off a true story makes you wonder whether this could actually happen to a normal house just like yours.

This movie may not be one of the scariest movies you will ever see, but it is definitely worth going to if you’re a horror movie fan.

By Brock Humphrey.

BV SPORTS IN BRIEF

Baseball

3/31 Gardner Edgerton W(2-0)

The baseball team started its season off with a strong doubleheader victory against Gardner Edgerton. Senior Tyler VanGerpen and junior Corey Chesley pitched the first game, and juniors Ryne Stanek and Anthony Abenoja recorded a one-hit shutout in the second game.

The team’s two scheduled openers have been rescheduled for May 9.

By AJ Barbosa.

Catch baseball in action:

4/10 @BV Northwest

4/14 @Bishop Miege

4/16 River City Tourn. @ KU

Softball

3/31 Lansing W(1-0)

3/31 Basehor-Linwood W(10-0)

The Tigers beat BasehorLinwood 10-0 in a six-inning shutout at its season opener on March 31, with sophomore Stephanie Goodwin and junior Jessica Scarlett leading the team’s offense.

The Tigers also beat Lansing 1-0 with back-to-back doubles.

Getting back to the state tournament is a chief goal for coach Jim Laughlin

“I hope we can return to the state tournament and put our-

selves into a position to win it all,” Laughlin said.

By Shannon Valverde.

Catch softball in action:

4/10 @ Topeka High

4/13 Bishop Miege

4/20 @ BV Northwest

Girls Swimming

4/04 BV meet 1st

The girls swim team is heading to the Olathe Invitational at California Trail Junior High today after winning the BV meet last weekend.

They placed first out of six teams and qualified for state in three relays. Freshman Becca Bond qualified in the 100-meter fly and 100-meter backstroke and junior Margaux Kent qualified in the 200-meter IM.

By Tyler Duke.

Catch girls swimming in action:

4/10 @ Olathe Invitational

Track and Field

4/3 Ottawa (Girls 2nd)

The track team won three relay events at the Ottawa Invitational last weekend. The girls placed second as a team.

By Spencer Goldenberg.

Catch track in action:

4/11 BV Relays

4/15 @ BV West

Boys Tennis

3/25 Mill Valley Tourn. 4th

3/26 Shawnee Mission West (W)

3/30 BV Northwest (L)

The tennis team is building this season on the talent of returning senior Alex Robinson and new standouts including senior Victor Cassone and sophomore James Hickok.

Assistant coach Brian Mowry speaks highly of the team’s new recruits.

“We have two new guys who haven’t come out before that are tremendous,” Mowry said. “Both of them bring a lot of talent and a lot of competitive fire.”

By Ryan O’Toole.

Catch boys tennis in action:

4/13 @ Lee’s Summit North

4/16 Olathe East

4/20 @ Bishop Miege

Girls Soccer

3/31 Topeka Seaman W(2-1)

4/03 Pembroke Hill W(5-1)

4/06 BV West L(0-4)

The girls soccer team lost 2-1 to St. Thomas Aquinas on March 23, with the lone goal coming from sophomore Brittany Zimmerman

The team defeated Topeka Seaman, 2-1, on March 31 with a game-tying goal in the 74th minute coming from Zimmerman

Soccer

and a game-winning goal in the 76th minute coming from junior Evan Palmer.

By Steven Reno.

Catch girls soccer in action:

4/14 Bishop Miege

4/17 DeSoto High

4/20 BV West

Boys Golf

The golf team is looking to improve their scores with an

increased focus on cutting down on double bogeys, according to coach Laura Kelley.

“We actually have a ton of talent this year,” Kelley said. “Our freshmen through seniors are very good.”

There are 15 golfers on the team, including returning state qualifiers sophomore Michael Kreamer and junior Michael Fischer

By Ryan O’Toole.

Soccer

Mohammad Ramahi William Jewell University

Why did you sign with William Jewell?

“The coaches are awesome guys, the campus is great and the people are really cool.”

Brian Foote University of St. Mary

Why did you sign with St. Mary?

“They had a really good coaching staff, and all of the students there were really cool.”

Junior Brooke Lickteig eludes two defenders in the team’s first game against St. Thomas Aquinas on March 23. After a close second half, a late Aquinas goal gave the Tigers their first loss of the season.

Photo by Tom Roudebush.

Photo courtesy of LeeAnn Ramahi.

Photo by Amanda Blue.

Student gains new lease on life after battle with cancer

BUZZERbeater

It’s hard to find someone who loves sports more than junior Andy Gormly

He lives for his Missouri Tigers and boasted all around the building after his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers clinched the Super Bowl title.

He rattles off statistics on nearly any game, collegiate or professional, and is pretty hard to beat in sports debate.

He wrestles for the school and plays golf recreationally with the pride and dedication that coaches dream about.

It’s pretty shocking that five years ago he could barely get out of bed.

Gormly was losing energy in nearly everything he did. His stamina had significantly decreased during normal tasks. He started noticing unexplainable bruises all over his body.

When a pat on the back from his coach left a purple hand-print, his parents figured something was seriously wrong. He had leukemia.

It didn’t settle in at first. Still relatively young, he couldn’t quite grasp the fact that he had been diagnosed with such a brutal and malicious disease.

The next few days were spent in the hospital, much to his chagrin. The chemotherapy sapped his energy to the point where it was difficult to walk more than 100 feet without exhaustion.

Unfortunately, this was just the beginning.

“After those days, I thought it was over,” Gormly said. “But then I realized that I had no energy left, and I knew that something was wrong. This was going to be a lifelong battle.”

The physical effects of the chemotherapy began to set in shortly before Christmas that year. For him, the adjustment to the traumatic life of a cancer patient was almost too much to handle.

male athletes to watch this spring

Coach’s opinion 4

Teammate’s opinion

“The first year was about the roughest year I’ve ever had in my whole life,” Gormly said. “I almost had to spend that Christmas in the hospital. It was rough, I was always used to running around and being high energy and I was just shut down. I spent a lot of time in bed and I was losing my hair. I had no idea why it was all happening.”

He was finally given permission by his doctor to play his first basketball game since his therapy began two years earlier.

On the court, he struggled to grasp the harsh reality that his battle with cancer was ongoing.

“Getting to play that game was weird for me,” he said. “My body wanted to go fast but I had no energy so I’d fall every time up and down the court. I have scars all over my knees from it.”

He continued with his treatment for another 18 months until he was told that his struggles were over, and he could return to normal life.

“It was a really big relief because I go to a camp and I’ve known a lot of kids that have passed away from cancer and I know a couple of people who have gotten as close as I did and got it again,” he said. “It was a big relief knowing that I could start exercising and get back into sports. I’d never had a day in my life without sports so it was great.”

His recovery wasn’t sudden, he still had to regain his strength, both physically and mentally.

“I had to take it a couple steps at a time,” he said. “But it was a big relief that I could do these activities after three years ago, I couldn’t walk.”

Not only has his battle with cancer given him a new attitude about sports, but it’s also taught him to value his life as well.

“I cherish everything that I do more than I used to,” he said. “I realize now that anything can happen at anytime.”

Loves the sport because...

Individual accolades

“Alex is a strong competitor, gives his best all the time and that’s what makes him such a great athlete.” - Nelson Elliot

“He is friendly to all of the team and is a very good leader.”

- junior Johnathon Davis

“It’s a life sport and I’ve been playing ever since I could pick up a racket.”

“He hit a .319 for an average last season, and brings great leadership.”

- Matt Ortman

“He is a great leader for the team and is just a great guy to be around.”

- junior Brian Peck

“You get to bond with your team and you know that they’re always going to be there to make the play for you.”

First team all-EKL

“He brings great senior leadership to the team.”

- Laura Kelley

“He’s a good golfer but he makes a great leader for our team.”

- sophomore Michael Kreamer

“It’s a very relaxing sport, I first got into it because my uncle is a golf instructor.”

Second team all-EKL

“Travis is a great combination of athleticism and determination.”

- Eric Driskell

“He always has a positive attitude and is there to cheer you on.”

- junior Alex Hiesberger

“It gets really competitive. That’s the main reason I like it, plus Coach D makes it awesome.”

Connor Hickey Golf Travis Loyd Track

Alex Robinson Tennis Conner Combes Baseball

2007 Mill Valley tournament champions in doubles

4x4 team anchor Competed in long and triple jump

Compiled by Shannon Valverde.

Junior Andy Gormly hits the driving range to work on his long drives to stay at the top of his game. Gormly golfed for the Tigers his freshman and sophomore year.

Photo by Tom Roudebush.

For the love of Students start 1st team in district history, enjoy action of unconventional foreign sport

RUGBY terms 2 know rugby

Knock-on — Losing, dropping or knocking the ball forward from a player’s hand resulting in the ball being awarded to the other team in a scrum.

Lineout — The set play restarting action after the ball has been taken out or kicked to touch.

Maul — Occurs when the player with the ball is wrapped up, but not taken to the ground and players from both sides bind together to push the ball forward (or backwards in the defense’s case).

Try — The rugby equivalent of a touchdown in American football. To do it, a player must touch the ball in the try zone. A try is worth five points.

caitlinholland staff writer

Blue Valley’s football team has been around since the school opened in 1972. A major influence on football, rugby, took a little longer to reach BV’s stadium — about four decades.

Relatively unknown to most BV students, the popular European sport has developed attention from a group of athletes.

The team, composed mainly of students from BV, has learned the rules and techniques of the game from coach Matt Tanner, a former professional player for the Kansas City Blues.

“I retired from rugby at 35 but now I have the opportunity to teach what I know to others interested in rugby,” he said.

During games, Tanner teaches the game from the sidelines while coaching at the same time.

He tries to help his players as much as possible, understanding the difficulty of the sport himself.

“It takes a great deal of dedication, attitude and teamwork,” he said. “It’s a

60-minute game with a lot of running and tackling — it isn’t easy.”

The challenge the game presents has attracted a group of students willing to learn more about the sport, including senior Mike Lodes

“It is a really fun game to get into,” Lodes said. “Since I’m a senior there is no more football, so I got into rugby, which is like football without the pads.”

Hundreds of rules and regulations dictate the game.

“It is the perfect mix between soccer and football,” sophomore Max McCrabb said. “I kind of like to think of it as prison rules football.”

Tanner said that a big part of what makes the game so enjoyable for players is the feeling of team unity.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a freshman or senior,” he said. “We’re out as one team, and we call it the brotherhood.”

Each player has a position that suits him best, usually based on speed, body type or a particular strength in an area of the game.

The stockiest players who aren’t particularly fast are usually known as forwards, while the backs run the ball and

take tackles.

Each player has an aspect of the game they like best, all contributing to an overall dedication to the sport.

“My favorite part is tackling,” junior Kyle Poje said. “I get to beat people down, which is what rugby’s all about.”

The team has benefited from the experience of junior Samy Mousa and team captain, sophomore Josh McLaughlin, who grew up playing rugby in England.

“When someone is off and doesn’t know where they are, they walk up to us and ask ‘Am I supposed to be here right now?’” Mousa said. “It’s good because it shows they want to learn.”

Mousa, who played in Canada, said he was amazed by the way that his teammates were able to pick up the game so quickly, and admires the new-found passion they have for the sport.

“People come to practice, pick up the rules and become more adept to it the next day,” he said. “It’s amazing how you can learn a sport you’ve never even heard of before.”

Tanner agreed, saying that players like junior Anthony Viviano and semester graduate Trey Moravek have become

Scrum — Occurs when the ball is put back into play after an infraction such as a knock-on. Each team’s forwards lock together in a set manner. Players try to position the scrum so that each team’s hooker can kick or “hook” the ball back to the number eight man and gain possession for the team.

Drop goal — A drop goal is worth three points and can be scored at any time during a game by simply kicking the ball through the uprights after it has been dropped and touched the ground.

Scissors — Passing to a player who cuts back in the opposite direction.

From rugbyrugby.com

strong players during the short time they’ve been playing rugby.

“Anthony and Trey have picked up for lack of experience with athleticism and effort,” he said.

McLaughlin added that players have been putting in a great amount of effort to make the team better.

“The guys are really hard workers,” he said. “They are quick learners who all have one thing in common. They all just want to hit people.”

Freshman Hank Kellerman and junior Josh Harmon fight to keep the ball from two Shawnee Mission East backs at Minor Park. Harmon and Kellerman are both original members of the team, both switching between the scrum half and fullback positions. Photo by Tom Roudebush.

Sun. 12

Easter

Good luck finding your chocolate eggs.

Wed. 15

MAP Testing begins

Math for freshmen and sophomores.

Thurs. 16

Prom Assembly

For juniors and seniors during Tiger Time.

Fri. 17

Blah! Blah! Blah! Day

Need I say more?

Sat. 18

Prom

Please, no Soulja Boy.

Record Store Day

You don’t know what a record is?

A long time ago, in a place far, far away...

Around Town

Today

Wed. 22

Earth Day

Save the polar bears.

Thurs. 23

Senior Faculty Challenge During Tiger Time.

Spring play

Today, tomorrow and Saturday at 7:30. Saturday matinee at 2 p.m.

Fri. 24

Community Service Day

Juniors and seniors will spend the day around town volunteering at various locations.

Tues. 28

Blood Drive Donate for a bloody good cause.

Wed. 29

National Dance Day Time to show off your moves.

Royal’s Home Opener vs. New York Yankees. The first (and quite possibly last) sold-out game of the year.

Sat. 18

Kansas City Pet Expo

At the American Royal Complex at 10 a.m.

Admission is $8.50.

Wed. 22

Kansas City FilmFest

At the downtown AMC Theater from todaySun. 26. This annual event will show both short films and features.

Sat. 25

Larry the Cable Guy Midland Theatre at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets start at $46.50. Is there such a thing as new material with this guy?

Mon. 27

Franz Ferdinand concert

Beaumont Club at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $25.

Wed. 29

The Color Purple play

At the Music Hall. Tickets start at $25. Showing until May 3.

Sophomore Jenny Yu stuffs lemons and broccoli in her mouth as part of the Relay For Life eating contest March 27. The event was shortened by snow, but still raised more than $15,000 for cancer research. Photo by Amanda Blue.