The AP examinations will take place the first two weeks of May.
Monday, May 3
U.S. Government and Politics, 8 a.m.
French, 12 p.m.
Tuesday, May 4
Spanish Language, 8 a.m. Statistics, 12 p.m.
Wednesday, May 5
Calculus AB/BC, 8 a.m.
Thursday, May 6
English Literature (12), 8 a.m.
Friday, May 7
U.S. History, 8 a.m.
European History, 12 p.m.
Monday, May 10
Biology, 8 a.m.
Music Theory, 8 a.m. Physics B, 12 p.m.
Tuesday, May 11
Chemistry, 8 a.m.
Psychology, 12 p.m.
Wednesday, May 12
English Language (11), 8 a.m.
Art History, 12 p.m.
Friday, May 14
Latin Vergil, 12 p.m.
By Rachel McCullough.
Tiger TV won several awards in the state contest sponsored by the Kansas Association of Broadcasters, including Best High School Newscast.
“We entered two shows, we got first place in one and honorable mention in the other,” Broadcast teacher Denny Brand said. “We also received honorable mention for our ‘Four Dice’ feature back in January.”
Tiger TV will receive the first place plaque in April at the awards ceremony in Wichita.
Juniors Matt Hamblin and Josh Montague anchored the winning newscast and junior Cooper Page and senior Nicole Berry received honorable mention for their newscast.
The staff also received honorable mention in the entertainment category for their “Doo Wop” short feature.
By MatthewGruber.
Graduation and Class Day speech tryouts were at 3 p.m. March 30 in the PAC.
Twenty seniors tried out for the four speaker positions. Debate coach Chris Riffer, senior class sponsor Azadeh Taghizadeh, Communication Arts teacher Linda Eagleton and Class Day and Graduation coordinators Mark Mosier and Christyn Haberly judged the tryouts.
Hannah Ebling and Allison Kohn were chosen to speak at Class Day on May 21. Tyler Kalmus and Samy Mousa were selected to speak at Graduation on May 23.
By Rachel McCullough.Kansas becomes the first state in the country to ban the use and sale of K2 because of unknown health effects. For more information see pages 8-9.
annieburress staff writerFor the 2010-2011 school year, Blue Valley Southwest will completely shut down one of its academic hallways in an attempt to conserve energy. Southwest principal Scott Roberts said it was an easy decision.
“Literally, it was just a way to save energy,” he said. “A way to save some resources up front.”
For the staff of the building, there are benefits other than saving energy.
“It’s easier for supervision, easier than having the staff spread out,” Roberts said.
Sophomore Gabby Burriss, who is transferring to Southwest, doesn’t mind the closing.
“If they don’t need the space, I think it’s fine to close it,” she said. “It will make the school feel less empty.”
The hallway will be in “Unoccupied Mode. “
“You can’t completely shut off all of the energy in an area,
because the finishings will rust,” Roberts said. “We have to keep a basic temperature, but to keep that temperature doesn’t take very much energy. We will save a lot on our utility costs.”
Closing the hallway will also ease the cost of furniture for the building.
“We don’t have to buy all of the furniture up front,” Roberts said. “We can wait until we need it. We also don’t have to put all of the projectors in — we can wait. The second you buy a projector, the warranty on it starts. If those projectors sat around, by the time we actually turned them on, the warranty may have run out. So we’ll wait, order them when it’s necessary.”
Even though there are lockers in the hallway that will be shut down, there will still be more than enough lockers for students.
“I’d have to count them to be sure, but I think we have about 400 lockers in each of our hallways,” Roberts said. “There are about 400 per wing and about 200 kind of
spaced out throughout the building. We don’t have a class that has 400 students, so we’re fine. It won’t impact lockers at all.”
For Burriss, the smaller area for students will ease the strain of adjusting to a bigger school.
“I’ve driven by the school a few times and it’s pretty big,” Burriss said. “That will make it a lot harder to find my classes on time, especially since I’ve never been to a multi-leveled school before.”
The hallway will definitely be reopened for the school’s third year, but opening it for the second year is, at this point, questionable.
“It just depends,” he said. “We’ll see what happens. If we have a spike in numbers that we are not foreseeing now, we may have to open it in the second year. It just depends on the numbers.”
Roberts doesn’t see any disadvantages to closing the hallway.
“Every teacher will still have their own room,” he said. “Even with the wing closed, there are still going to be some unoccupied rooms.”
With their eyelids drooping, the participants of Relay for Life gathered together in the gym. It was 6:30 a.m. and time for the announcement that would declare the amount of money raised by participants.
Around the room one could see evidence of the last 12 hours of not only fun and excitement, but also a night of honoring and remembering those who faced a battle with cancer.
The numbers were announced with tired enthusiasm. The participants raised $15,252.
Sophomore Evelyn Davis, committee chair of publicity, said everyone seemed happy with the money made.
“I think it was really successful and everyone was pumped to be there,” she said. “I think everyone was impressed with the amount of money made. It’s a pretty substantial amount.”
Supervisor Manal Siam believes the students involved in Relay for Life seem to raise the bar each year.
“It’s awesome,” she said. “I think the goal keeps getting higher and every year we make the goal if not exceed it.”
Siam describes the night as being full of excitement and energy, but she realizes the gravity of the cause as well.
“I think it’s a very important cause that touches families and people,” she said. “It is very important to support because unfortunately it hits close to home for all of us in one way or another.”
The Board of Education announced more than $6 million in budget cuts for next year in their meeting at Blue Valley Northwest on Monday, April 5. Middle school sports as well as elementary school band and strings programs were not cut, but activity fees will be doubled to $120 per high school student for the 2010-2011 year.
The board was faced with making cuts to keep pace with the dropping Base Student Aid Per Pupil (BSAPP) number, which left a $6.25 million deficit for next year.
Along with the doubled activity fee, class sizes will increase on the elementary, middle and high school levels.
Board member Pam Robinson expressed concerns at the meeting Monday about some of the cuts, especially one that will take away four certified curriculum and instruction specialists.
“The elimination of this program is very shortsighted,” she said. “It causes me concern for the future of our district.”
Board member Sue Matson spoke at the meeting about the increase in average class size. Board members justified the augmentation of class size because of its high-dollar savings and minimal effect on students.
“We cannot get to our $6.25 million amount without raising class size,” Matson said. “This means the guideline will be changed and it will affect 15 percent of elementary school students. We need to look at the impact across the district.”
The board members took parent and student suggestions into account when making their decisions, and said they read more than 1,200 e-mails and letters throughout the reduction process. Many parents and students stressed the importance of keeping sports and music programs available.
However, the board warned that the programs will still be at risk for being cut in the future, if the Kansas legislature does not allocate more money to schools.
Board President Steve Klika anticipates the budget shortfall for the 2011-2012 school year to be around $3 million.
“We will depend on the legislature and may expect future cuts down the line,” he said at the budget meeting on Monday.
Elementary band and strings teacher Daniel Kirk, who also assists the high school band, argued that music
programs are vital because students can’t get the same performing experience outside of school.
“There is no BV Rec for band,” Kirk said. “Our kids don’t have any other options.”
BV band director Avian Bear added she believed cutting elementary school band and strings programs would result in fewer student musicians moving up to the high school band and orchestra, which reflects poorly on the program.
“Kids perceive numbers as quality,” she said. “When numbers go down, kids perceive the quality is going down.”
Bear also said since kids wouldn’t receive band instruction until middle school, they would not be prepared to play the same difficulty level of music as most 6A high schools.
“As a 6A school we’re expected to play a certain level of literature,” she said. “We’ll have to come down on that level.”
Blue Valley Middle School head boys’ track coach Kyle Kunard said middle school sports are important because they offer all kids the opportunity to participate and gain team-building skills.
“I hate to think of the way it would be without middle school sports,” Kunard said.
Kunard also said without sporting events to attend, students won’t have the same enthusiasm for their school that they do now — and that affects kids inside the classroom as well.
“It knocks down school spirit big time,” Kunard said. “They [sporting events] become a place where the 6th, 7th and 8th graders can all cheer for their team. It becomes a school identity.”
At the community meeting at Blue Valley North on March 25, board members considered establishing a scholarship fund for students who won’t be able to pay the doubled activity fees. The district also established a $250 activity fee cap for families with multiple students.
The official list of cuts from the Board of Education’s meeting are on www.bvtigernews.com.
Expires 5/15/10
Expires 5/15/10
katielouis features editor
Blue Valley Library Media Center is planning ways to include social networking sites and other online tools that students can utilize for school purposes. They surveyed the senior class to find the most used social networking tools and whether the students believe they have any use at school.
“We’re looking at what the library can do to help students use 21st century researching tools,” library-media specialist Ken Stewart said. “We need to address that and see how you can use it and give you a more dynamic learning process.”
Stewart and library-media specialist Pat McRoberts began talking with Principal Scott Bacon last year about ways to bring the progress in technology and communication to the student body.
“You all multitask so much now and we need to address that,” Stewart said. “The way that students are learning is changing. By the time our current elementary students get to high school, I’d be surprised if we have textbooks.”
Faculty sees some of the educational advancements technology will be bringing in the next few
years at conferences.
“It’s really an exciting time for learning,” Stewart said. “Some of the textbooks I have seen online are just unbelievable.”
The staff strives to prepare students for college. And Stewart realized that today, the Internet is a huge part of a college education.
“Colleges and universities are getting so advanced, too,” he said. “The library’s not the ‘old warehouse of knowledge’ anymore. It’s everywhere, into your home, or wherever you can get online. We need to prepare you all for this in college.”
The librarians also see that social networking sites are becoming significant research tools in that people use to do various projects and work in the ‘real world.’
When they think of the possibilities some of these online sites would bring to the school, they think of students using Skype to be able to interview an author or watch a surgery at University of Kansas Medical Center and then be able to participate in face-to-face questioning with the doctors.
They think of YouTube videos that teachers could use for lessons rather than spending $100 to order one.
“In the next three or four years
we want to get everyone prepared for that,” Stewart said. “This is the first step. He [Bacon] is really pushing us to look at what’s ahead and next year.”
The survey is a very important part of Stewart’s and McRoberts’ project. Although Stewart said they had to take the results “with a grain of salt,” they will be using the data in coming meetings with district office and administration.
Stewart said filtering won’t really be an issue but rather the biggest impediment to their plans will be teaching the teachers about these resources.
“Teachers have to know what’s involved with the software in order to control the project,” Stewart said. “There’s a learning curve for everyone involved here — students and teachers. And it will take time.”
View online textbooks, watch lectures from college professors, create your own video presentation and chat with students from across the country all in one visit to the LMC.
We’ve shown we’re a very tech-savvy generation. We’ve got the Blackberrys, the Mac computers and the iPods to prove it.
How could social networking sites help our educational experience?
Education, the way we know it, is changing.
True, our district, as well as the state of Kansas, is suffering major educational budget cuts. Middle school sports, teaching positions and after-school activities are on the line.
Although cuts are changing the way we look at our entire schooling experience, we are also entering other unchartered waters for Blue Valley.
The Library-Media Center could begin allowing student access to networking sites, such as Facebook, Skype and other online tools, for educational purposes.
Imagine the possibilities that will be at our fingertips.
co-editors-inchief
Allison Kohn
Stephanie Roche
multimedia editor
Sara Naatz
news editor
Caitlin Holland
opinions editor
AJ Barbosa
features editor
Katie Louis
entertainment editor
Rachel McCullough
sports editor
Ryan O’Toole
photo editor
Jackie Lippert
ads manager
Jacob Pruitt
But moving our techy-knowledge to the classroom could provide some serious benefits.
As more and more career fields become increasingly technology-based, learning experiences at this caliber can only enhance students’ preparation for life after high school.
College students are already watching medical procedures online. Many universities rely solely on online discussions or online exams for classes.
Now BV is given the chance to be on the forefront of an entirely new way of learning.
But can we handle it?
Will students be able to use Skype or Twitter for more than “social” reasons?
circulation manager
Chris Roche
staff writers
Sam Brennan
Emily Brown
Annie Burress
Brice Goldenberg
Matthew Gruber
Matthew Holloway
Jordan Huesers
Jordan McEntee
Haley Schroer
James Statham
photographers
Haley Hickman
Christian Huesers
Maegan Kabel
Emma Mosier
Callie Ronan adviser
Jill Chittum
We think so.
Free-range of Facebook or Myspace may be overwhelming at first, and it may provide the distraction you desire instead of working on your history project.
But we believe we’ll be able to use our technological powers for good, not evil.
Students won’t be the only ones reaping these new educational benefits. Teachers will have the opportunity to participate as well. They’ll be able to upload videos for research or create online classroom projects — the possibilities are endless.
Learning in the classroom will take on an entirely new meaning within the next few years.
With our level of maturity and responsibility, there’s no doubt these privileges will be taken seriously. Technology is already an important part of our lives and will continue to be.
We’ll gain readiness for the future while experiencing more than we thought possible within our school.
The Tiger Print is published nine times a year for the students, faculty and the surrounding community of Blue Valley High School. It is an open forum for student expression. Therefore, the opinions expressed within this paper do not necessarily reflect the views of the administrations of Blue Valley Unified School District #229.
Letters to the editor and reader responses are encouraged for publication. The Tiger Print reserves the right to edit all submissions for both language and content and encourages
homework assignments, more people have Facebook.”
they are more accessible.”
Sophomore Alex Haines “If they relate to what you’re doing in class, it might develop ideas you wouldn’t have.”
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 phone: 913-239-4800
The Tiger Print also encourages guest photography. Photos should be submitted to room 450 with information pertaining to the photo.
You don’t look a day older than 29. It may be hard to imagine you’re turning the big five-oh (sorry I’m publicly printing your age), but to me, you’ll always be the caring and courageous woman who raised me, no matter what age.
Your witty (and sometimes inappropriate) sense of humor continues to have the ability to bring a smile to my face, even on my most tear-filled days. You’re the one I know I will always be able to count on for unconditional love, support and a shoulder to lean on.
In many ways, we’re one in the same. Like the old saying goes, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Our similar personalities can probably account for our occasional motherdaughter disagreements. We both like to be right, and as much as this pains me to admit, we’re both pretty stubborn.
However, some of my best qualities I can only attribute to you. We both surround ourselves with friends, have a knack for the written word and like to indulge in a large fountain Diet Coke when the occasion arises. Your compassion for others and your commitment to making the world a better place are two things you’ve taught me that I know I will pass on to my children.
As I’ve grown older, I’ve realized the role model I needed most wasn’t someone featured in a fashion magazine or starring in the latest chick flick. She was right there in my own home, making sure I was taking my vitamins and eating enough protein.
She was the one driving me to sports
practice, endlessly nagging me to clean my room and still calling me “Peanut” when I got home from school.
So I guess what I’m trying to say is thanks. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me these past 18 years. Your selflessness for our family often goes unappreciated or even unnoticed.
You spend more money from your own paycheck on the new shoes I need or the hair product I have to have than you do on yourself. Rarely do you have a spare minute to relax, and when you do, it will almost always be interrupted with a “Mom!”
Many teenagers fight with their parents, rebel against household rules and do all they can to get away from home as soon as they receive their diploma. But I guess I’ve been lucky. I’ve never had a reason to rebel against you and we’ve never had any seriously intense fights. You’ve always treated
me with the respect of someone my age and entrusted me with the responsibility of an adult.
I believe because of this, I’ve been able to develop into the person I am today. I’ve never been pressured into a sport I didn’t want to play or forced to enroll in a class I didn’t want to take.
You gave me the freedom to decide what I wanted and the independence to formulate my own thoughts and feelings.
Now, as the beginning of my college years draw closer, I know the next couple months will be difficult. You’ll have to come to terms with the fact that although I may still be your baby girl, I’m moving on. My messy bedroom won’t be where I sleep every night and you won’t be able to make sure I’m eating enough protein or taking my vitamins.
But don’t worry. I may be away from
home, but there’s a part of you that I will always carry with me. Of course, I will always have my witty, yet sometimes inappropriate, sense of humor. And I know that every time I drink a huge fountain Diet Coke between classes, I’ll think of you.
More importantly, I’ll carry with me the perseverance you’ve taught me throughout every challenge I’ve reached in my life. I’ll carry with me the consideration and compassion for others I’ve always known you to possess.
And I’ll never forget that when I just need some thoughtful advice or someone to vent to, you’re only a phone call away.
It’s easy to forget that parents are more than a bank account handing out money. They’re more than the people who cook your meals, do your laundry and keep your home picked up. Parents, both moms and dads, only want the best for their children. They’ll do everything they can to keep us protected and comfortable.
And when parents watch their kids grow up, it can be hard. Hard because we don’t need them as much as we used to and hard because we’re beginning to go off on our own path.
Mom, I know you’ll probably get the water works going during graduation. And, just like my first day of kindergarten, I know before you send me off for college, you’ll overwhelm me with hugs, kisses and tears.
But it will be OK. Like I said, I may be sleeping in a different bed and eating different food, but there’s a piece of you that will always be a part of me.
So happy birthday. Enjoy every slice of your delicious white cake with vanilla frosting and try not to party too hard. Thanks again for everything and remember that age is just a number and you’re only as old as you feel.
Love, Allison
rampant egos are just their “swagger.” Swagger can be explained as an overly-confident strut, or an open demonstration of serious confidence.
they’re trying to pick up West girls.
turn the favor to some of our guys.
The paradigm for being a man has changed drastically in the past few years.
When Superbad came out a few years ago, the guys who kept quiet or were obnoxiously nerdy were seen as the way to be. Dudes felt comfortable easing back on the ego, and almost channeled energy towards being timid and humble.
It’s 2010 now. When Jwoww from Jersey Shore proudly proclaimed, “It’s Gorilla season,” she coined the most accurate generalization of today’s men. Dudes all over the country are now acting like pompous jerks, claiming their
I’m no expert on swagger, and I don’t have Jay-Z’s phone number so I don’t feel like I can fully evaluate these fools’ actions. However, I was raised in a middle class Mexican-American family. You’ll never see any man in my family donning lip gloss or baking away in a tanning booth. I have been inherently taught how to properly embrace being a man and the actions that accompany it.
There’s a fine line between having necessary man-swagger and being a massive tool. You don’t have to be Kanye West or Jay-Z to be able to define it, but before you consider hitting up Tan World or Solarium, think about what you’re doing.
No man with swagger should ever enter a tanning salon unless
Okay, yeah. It was really funny watching Jersey Shore. I fistpumped like a champ at Sweetheart, I’ve joked around about the GTL (Gym, Tan, Laundry) lifestyle and I even tried to change my Facebook name to AJ ‘The Situation’ Barbosa. However, you will never, ever, see me getting a tan or getting my Ed Hardy shirts drycleaned before I go out at night.
The reason the show was such a hit was mostly because America thought these people were a bunch of idiots. They were so obnoxious and tool-ish that it was hilarious.
Luckily, here in the Midwest not many people have transformed into full-blown, self-proclaimed “Guidos” like Pauly D and Ronnie Yet, they’ve taken up tanning. It doesn’t look too good when the very girls from West that we rip on for being orange are starting to re -
I always have something to say in return when people talk trash on BV, but when I heard them start to call some of our guys orange, I couldn’t really say anything because it’s starting to become true. It’s embarrassing. Come on, dudes. Unless you’re tanning so you don’t get burned as bad on vacation, you might as well hand over your man card too when you pay.
You shake it once that’s fine.
You shake it twice, that’s OK. You shake it three times, you’re a tool.
I take protein and creatine supplements, too. They really do help you get bigger and stronger, and the most effective way to make a drink without clumps of powder is with one of those blender cups. I have one, too.
Drinking your protein with breakfast in class is fine, drinking a pre-workout shake before weights class is all right too, but walking
around the hall obnoxiously rattling the cup when you aren’t even going to work out soon is stupid.
I get the impression when I see these kids that they just carry the cup to let everyone in the halls know that they work out. Cool man, no one cares.
Drink what you gotta drink when you have to drink it and put the cup away when you’re done. It isn’t cool and you just look like a choch.
As a human, we have the ability to do whatever we choose, whether wrong or right. That freedom and liberty is empowering, but when you use it for purposes of evil and tool-ness, you are not a man.
So stop acting like an idiot, throw that pop into your step and embrace the difference swagger can make in a man.
If you don’t want to do that, consider moving to New Jersey. At least then you won’t be alone.
Yoga has become a popular form of fitness among many types of people, but very few know where it began. Yoga originated in India thousands of years ago, centering around the idea of Hindu chakras. Chakras are locations of different spiritual energies along the spine and the practice of yoga is said to balance these energy centers. As different poses work different muscles in the body, different chakras are strengthened. Take the following quiz to see which of the first four chakras you need strengthened the most. Mark next to the statements with which you agree, and tally them up at the end.
Section 1
____ You feel secure most of the time.
____ You feel comfortable in your body.
____ You consider yourself a fairly instinctive person.
____ You are often focused and alert.
Section 2
____ You consider yourself a creative person.
____ You are often referred to as outgoing and passionate.
____ You express yourself easily.
____ You are comfortable with intimacy.
If section 1 one was your lowest...
Section 3
____ Change is something you can easily adapt to.
____ You find it easy to reassure yourself.
____ You are confident in your beliefs.
____ You find it easy to suppress your anger.
Section 4
____ You can say no to people without feeling guilty.
____ You are selfless and giving most of the time.
____ You feel very connected to others.
____ You see the beauty in everyday things.
You are out of balance with the Muladhara or root chakra. This chakra, located at the base of the spine, is associated with the lower limbs and adrenal glands. When this chakra is imbalanced, one often feels insecure, lost or uncomfortable in his or her body. In order to stimulate this chakra, try the bridge pose (1).
If section 2 was your lowest...
You are out of balance with the Svadisthana or sacral chakra. This chakra, located between the navel and pubic pone, is associated with the reproductive organs. When this chakra is imbalanced, one often feels primal emotion, lack of sensuality or uninspired. In order to stimulate this chakra, try the pigeon pose (2).
If section 3 was your lowest...
You are out of balance with the Manipura or navel chakra. This chakra, located between the sternum and navel, is associated with the pancreas and blood sugar. When this chakra is imbalanced, one often feels helpless, fearful of change or angry. In order to stimulate this chakra, try the warrior pose (3).
If section 4 was your lowest...
You are out of balance with the Anahata or heart chakra. This chakra, located by the heart and the middle of the sternum, is associated with the cardiac and glandular systems. When this chakra is imbalanced, one often feels closed off from others, hardhearted or sorrowful. In order to stimulate this chakra, try the camel pose (4).
Editor’s note: Information gathered from EzineArticles and other yoga Web sites. The quiz is not scientific in nature and intended for entertainment purposes.
Teresa VanGerpen, mother of junior Morgan VanGerpen, is a former college athlete with 20 years of experience as a personal trainer and certified nurse’s assistant. We sat down with her to find out how to maintain a healthy lifestyle for the rest of your life.
“No fried foods, lots of fruits and vegetables. High protein food. There’s a difference between good fat and bad fat and you should eat the good fat. Eat every two or three hours in small, high-protein meals.
“A healthy diet makes you feel better, your body is not full of nasty stuff. There’s no easy way to put it, if you put grease into your system it isn’t going to be good. I try very hard to make food with no preservatives in it, even when I cook around here. That means fresh vegetables instead of vegetables out of a can.
“As an athlete a proper diet helps your performance. Your body performs better with better nutrition. A proper diet helps your body tone up, you don’t carry excess fat and your skin looks better.”
“You need a balance of cardio and weight training to tone the muscles, at least one hour each day. You want your muscles to be flexible, strong and to have endurance. For weights, you can do low weight, high reps. Every set should be 11 or 12 reps. If you’re doing six or seven reps you aren’t doing enough. This is just to maintain muscle tone.
“The best thing to do is find something that works for you and to always challenge your body. Weight lifting isn’t about speed. The way I taught people was two breaths up, two breaths down. Nice, slow movement.”
“Ninety percent of Americans talk a lot about a healthy lifestyle to look good. If you’re eating good and feeling good, it shouldn’t only be about getting a sexy body for the summer. It’s about feeling good about yourself all the time. It’s not about what I do for the summer. It’s about making a commitment to yourself.
“Everyone should choose a healthy lifestyle, but not only to be ‘ripped’ or just to look good for the summer. The most important thing is to feel good.”
You see them on ankles, wrists, between the shoulder blades, up and down the arms and even behind the ears.
Tattoos are becoming more and more commonplace and some students and faculty are walking around with a few.
Communication Arts teacher Laura Wilcoxon got her first tattoo at 19 and has since gotten several more. Her parents are now used to new tattoos.
“The first time was just for fun,” Wilcoxon said. “But in comparison to choices I had made and my brother had made, it was pretty benign. Now six tattoos later they’re just kind of used to it. Each new tattoo that I get, they’re like, ‘Are you done yet?’”
Most of Wilcoxon’s tattoos have sentimental reasons behind them.
“My most meaningful one is when I got a koi on my foot after my divorce,” she said. “There’s a Chinese myth of a koi swimming up a river to get to a fountain and then turning into a dragon at the end. It symbolizes struggle.”
To complete the Chinese myth, Wilcoxon got a dragon tattooed on her shoulder blade in February.
“The dragon has a couple of scales so it still looks like a koi and it’s wrapped around a lotus because they grow out of muck,” Wilcoxon said. “And then I have a Shakespeare quote because I’m an English teacher.”
Contrary to Wilcoxon, science teacher John Holloway did not get his Superman insignia tattoo in remembrance.
“I’d wanted one for a long time and once I decided to get one I waited for two years just to make sure,” Holloway said. “I grew up with comic books and I really liked the insignia and what it stands for.”
When Holloway got his tattoo at 22, his parents did not strongly disapprove.
“It wasn’t that it was a secret,” Holloway said. “I just didn’t
tell them for a while. My brother already had one so it wasn’t a big deal. Plus my first week home for college, I put a huge fake tattoo on my back and they freaked out, so I think they were just relieved it wasn’t like the fake one.”
However, like Wilcoxon, junior Kayla Mann decided to get a tattoo for special reasons.
“My great grandpa died and I wanted to get something that reflected my family,” she said.
Mann chose a specific design to make sure her great grandfather was remembered.
“I got angel wings because he passed away and I got the quote ‘Live Free’ because that’s basically what he said before he died,” she said.
Looking back, she does not think the pain was a big issue.
“The pain wasn’t so bad, it’s tolerable,” Mann said.
With tattoos is several places, Wilcoxon believes the pain involved is different depending on the body part.
“If the place is where there’s not a lot of fat, it hurts really bad,” Wilcoxon said. “Like to get shading in one of my shoulder tattoos hurt a lot. At one point there were seven needles in my skin at the same time.”
While pain is a major part of her tattoo experiences, Wilcoxon said the worst part is the healing process.
“It itches and peels and the skin rolls off,” Wilcoxon said. “Also, the ink bleeds onto whatever you’re wearing during the process of healing if you’re not wearing the bandage. My friend came up to stay the night one time and she had just gotten the Tree of Life on her shoulder. The next morning I ended up with the Tree of Life on my pillow.”
School nurse Kayce Powers said there are many possible risks to getting tattoos.
“There are risks for infection and hepatitis and those are just two right off the bat,” Powers said.
At this point in their lives, neither Wilcoxon, Holloway nor Mann regret getting their tattoos.
“I still like them,” Wilcoxon said. “Everyone says, ‘What about when you’re 80?’ Well everyone is gross when they’re
or boyfriend in high school or a band you really like,” he said. “Superman certainly has a universal approval.”
Wilcoxon agrees and advises students to wait until college to get a tattoo.
“I really recommend waiting until college because people change so much in high school,” she said. “You should get something that means so much or have an idea for many years. Don’t shop around for the cheapest price. Pay it because it’s going to be on your body forever.”
Tigers, Tigers how do you feel?
We feel good, oh we feel so good, uh!
This is the class cheer yelled emphatically by students across the gym after assemblies.
It is one of many competitions that adds points to the scoreboard in the lunchroom throughout the course of the year.
The winner gets a bowling party at the end of the year. There is tedious work though, in judging each class competition, as the faculty judges take many details into consideration.
Judges are chosen randomly and asked to carefully score each grade level based on their performance.
After each competition, some students can be heard complaining about the validity of the outcome.
Assistant Principal Christyn Haberly said the competitions are fair game in her mind.
“It is definitely not rigged,” Haberly said. “It never has been either.”
Haberly said any student can submit an idea for a class competition to Student Council, but it has to be approved by its members and the administrators.
“There is a preset list of things
that can be approved,” she said. “Like they had to get it approved when Mr. Bacon got taped to the wall.”
The higher the category of competition, the more points are awarded to the winners.
“The class cheers are worth 40 [points] for the winners, then 30, 20 and 10,” Haberly said. “A group of four teachers are chosen randomly to judge the competition.”
Not all competitions are judged by the teachers. For example, the Homecoming float parade is judged by employees of district office and the score is sent to BV.
The hall decorations for spirit weeks are judged by the custodial staff, since it’s later at night.
Haberly said last year’s seniors were very close to losing for the first time and she’s never witnessed a race so tight since she’s been at BV.
“Last year it was the closest I’ve ever seen,” she said. “The seniors made it up in the penny wars. They blew that one out of the water.”
Haberly said if the seniors ever do lose, the winning class would get the bowling party and the seniors would have to go to school as normal.
The main thing Haberly wants the student body to understand is that the class competitions are completely fair and open for any class to win.
Senior Shawn Pieschl disagrees with class cheer part, however.
“I believe that they [class cheers] are rigged because in the past years I think we’ve won competitions but we’ve been denied,” he said. “Last year when we did the chants, we were considerably louder than anybody else.”
Pieschl said the competitions are fun and the intensity is high, but the goal is to encourage friendly rivalry and in some cases, make more money for a good cause.
“We do the competitions so the lower grades can up the competition and raise more money,” he said.
Overall, Pieschl feels it’s important for the seniors to win the competition.
“It’s always good for the seniors to celebrate and relax at the end of year by having a party,” he said. “It’s like a ‘we made it through high school’ kind of thing.”
Junior Ryan Basov also believes the competitions are mostly rigged.
“Somehow the seniors always come up on top,” he said. “I know that always seems to happen.”
Along with Pieschl, Basov thinks it’s a good thing for the seniors to win each year.
“It should be more fair than it is, but it is their last year and they should win,” Basov said. “I know I want to win in my senior year.”
Off the boat and away from the lake, the popular boating shoes, Sperrys, are taking over the halls of BV.
Like Ugg boots, North Face jackets and Abercrombie & Fitch, Sperrys started as an outer-wear company. Made for sailors in the 20th century, they were the first boat shoe.
“I got Sperrys because I thought they were cute and comfortable and my friends had them,” sophomore Becca Bond said.
Senior Alex Doolittle got his over the summer so he didn’t have to wear socks with his shoes.
“My older brother had them for four years,” Doolittle said. “He was the initial, then everyone got them after that.”
Antonio Morrison, a manager for Designer Shoe Warehouse in Overland Park, said people have been asking for Sperrys for three years now.
“It is one of those trends that is never going away,” Morrison said. “It should, but it won’t.”
According to sperrytopsider. com, Sperrys have been around since 1935. Originally patented by Paul Sperry, the shoe was just for traction on boats.
Throughout the years, TopSiders swept through the hearts of
east and west coasters and those who have a “Passion For the Sea.”
Parents are seeing the Sperrys trend for the second time.
“My mom said nerds in her high school used to wear them,” Doolittle said.
Bond finds the trend refreshing from the same old flip-flops.
“They are a new trend and a new thing,” Bond said. “And it is a change from what we have been wearing the past two years.”
Doolittle likes Sperrys for the comfort.
“They are easy access, they last forever,” he said. “And you don’t have to tie them.”
This app for iPod touches and iPhones has become extremely popular in the halls and classrooms of BV.
Words with Friends is a crossword game, similar to scrabble, that can be played with friends, family or a random opponent. Players try to create words from the given letters that each have different point values.
The person to score the most points when all the letters have been used wins. Ask anybody — this game is very addicting.
In this app, players tilt their
iPod or iPhone to send the strange-looking creature up the never-ending screen while picking up jet packs, bouncing on trampolines and avoiding black holes and UFOs. This game is definitely worth the 99 cents.
Flood-It! 2
This game is an updated version of Flood-It! The new version adds playing against the clock, moving around obstacles and finishing the board with a defined color to all its previous features.
With Flood-It! 2, players attempt to “flood” the game board by changing the color of the
board to connect the touching squares of the same color. This free app requires quite a bit of strategy.
textPlus
With textPlus, users have unlimited texting to send and receive messages from their iPhone or iPod touch. This app also allows users to text with more than one person in groups.
You can also text using textPlus on your iPod touch with WiFi connection. The app is free to download and free to use so there are no monthly fees or data plans.
With their own clothes, their own accessories and even their own lingo, Blue Valley skaters have been tearing up the Overland Park Skatepark.
Sophomore Mike Fero his leisure time.
“I simply thought it would be fun,” Fero said. “It’s like my stress relief.”
Fero says you must be ready for injuries in order to skate.
“I broke my wrist and had a concussion, twice,” he said. “If you feel like you are up for it and ready to take a fall, then go for it.”
Fero has no intention of pursuing a career in skating, despite skating in local competitions.
“I’ve been in a few local competitions and once won sec ond place in Mandeville Skateboard Competition,” Fero said. “I won a free board from the local shop [Go Big Skateshop].”
Fero has faced discrimination from others and has often been branded with a bad reputation because of his skating.
“We are looked upon as thugs or drug users and are associated with law breakers,” he said. “I feel it’s not fair that people assume skaters deserve a bad label.”
Senior Tommy Southerland skaters have been labeled.
“People think that skaters are punk rockers, when really they are down-to-earth, cool people who have something in common,” Southerland said.
Southerland has been skating for two years and is actively working on a career in skateboarding.
“I’m actually about to get sponsored by Studio Skate Shop,” he said. “It’s a good way to show people how I’m the boss.”
Southerland had to put in a lot of time and work on the video he entered to get sponsored, but he says it was well worth the effort.
“You get free shop boards, a job at the shop and get to start filming with the other sponsored skaters,” Southerland said.
Fero’s mood affects his time spent skating.
“Sometimes I’m just skating around, enjoying my time,” Fero said. “Sometimes I’m pumped up and going as hard as I can and as fast as I can.”
Southerland believes skating can help the rest of your life.
“Skating builds confidence,” he said. “It keeps kids out of trouble and it gives them something to work at.”
Fero believes he wants to keep skateboarding a part of
Track and Field
Above: Senior Tommy Southerland heelflips over the bar at the Overland Park Skatepark. Southerland is close to being sponsored by a local skate shop and hopes it is the next step to going pro. Right: Sophomore Mike Fero focuses on his boardslide at the Overland Park Skatepark. Photos by Christian Huesers.
his life for a long time.
“Since day one skating has been my passion and I was addicted from the day I started,” he said. “You can find me skating until the day I die.”
Previous Action: 3/30 BVHS Quad 2nd place out of 4 teams
Key Athletes: Seniors Margaux Kent, Alexandra Snyder; juniors Colby Snyder, Sam Brennan, Felicia Walker, Lexi Dienstbier and sophomore Beth Houghton
Upcoming Action: 4/10 @ Olathe Invitational
Softball
Previous Action: 4/2 Pembroke Hill W(1-0)
Record: 3-1
Key Athletes: Seniors Evan Palmer, Jay Palm and Brooke Lickteig, junior Sarah Todd
Upcoming Action: 4/10 @ Maize South
Boys golf
Previous Action: 4/3 @ Shawnee Mission South Relays
Key Athletes: seniors Melissa Illies and Mike Metcalfe and junior Mizani Hobson
Upcoming Action: 4/9 BV Relays 4/14 @ Lawrence High
Baseball
Previous Action: 4/2 Sumner Academy W (15-0)
Record: 3-1
Key Athletes: Junior Steph Goodwin, sophomores Maddie Garton, Becca McDonald and Kylie Tanner
Upcoming Action: 4/12 @ Bishop Miege
Boys Tennis
Previous Action: 3/29 Blue Valley West @ Lionsgate
Key Athletes: Senior Michael Fischer, junior Michael Kreamer, sophomore Austin Johnson
Upcoming Action: 4/12 Shawnee Mission NW @ Lake Quivira 4/22 Washburn Rural @ Shawnee CC
Previous Action: 4/3 Shawnee Mission East W (12-2)
Record: 3-0
Key Athletes: Seniors Anthony Abenoja, Kyle Brady, Michael Byars, Corey Chesley, Connor Rusnak and Ryne Stanek.
Upcoming Action: 4/13 Bishop Miege
Previous Action: 4/1 @ Emporia
Key Athletes: Seniors Jack Rieck and Johnathon Davis
Upcoming Action: 4/12 @ Lee’s Summit North 4/15 @ Olathe East
Sunday
AC/DC Concert
8 p.m. at Sprint Center. Tickets start at $90. If you missed this group last year, here’s another opportunity to see these rockers.
Angels and Airwaves concert
Check out this alternative rock band led by Blink-182’s Tom Delonge. The concert starts at 8 p.m. at the Uptown Theater. Tickets are $28.50.
Friday
Community Service Day
Juniors and seniors spend the day making the world a better place.
Sunday
Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert
The group will be performing a non-holiday concert at the Music Hall. Tickets start at $27.50.
MAY
Saturday
Journalism State
Wish your BV journalists good luck!
Dinosaurs Unearthed
Opens at Union Station today. Admission is $13.50. There are several animated models and five life-size reproductions of dino skeletons.
Monday
Pearl Jam concert
Break out your grungy flannel for this concert. PJ will be at the Sprint Center with tickets starting at $49.
Wednesday
Cinco de Mayo
Senior Countdown: 44 days
17
Saturday Prom
9 p.m.-12 a.m. at the Ritz Charles and After-prom at the school until 4 a.m. Don’t forget the tux.
Citizen Cope concert
9 p.m. at The Midland. Tickets start at $20. If prom isn’t for you, maybe Citizen Cope’s soulful beat will be.
Tuesday
A Chorus Line musical
Showing today through April 25 at the Music Hall. Tickets start at $30. This Broadway musical won’t be here for long so make sure to get your tickets soon.
Thursday
Senior/Faculty Challenge
I’m putting my money on the seniors. It’s $2 to watch.
¡Ay Caramba! Load up on chips and salsa today.
APRIL