the
p r i n t TIGER Vol. 39 Issue 1
Special Edition
B LU E VA L L E Y H I G H S C H O O L
August 2008
Stilwell, KS
inthenews
May August
Supplies were laid out last May as construction workers prepared to add five new classrooms to the northeast side of the building. Photo by Amanda Blue.
n i k r Wo
s s e r prog
nathanlindshield news editor
By September, Blue Valley High will be taking on a whole new look. Students will be able to experience fully-updated athletic facilities as well as several new additions to improve the academic and dining experience at BVHS. “We are excited to have five new classrooms which are much needed,” Principal Scott Bacon said. “In addition, our weight room, fitness center, and locker rooms will be first class. You will notice significant upgrades in the gym. The new bleachers are also very attractive.” The school’s athletic facilities have been updated to accommodate new lights and bleachers in the gymnasium, a repainted gym floor, and a new weight room, locker rooms, and fitness center. “We hope to have the varsity locker rooms done by the beginning of school; however, the physical education rooms will not be done until September,”
0 2 AUGUST 2008
Construction crews work to add a new classroom being built on the northeast side of the building. The rooms were scheduled to be completed Aug. 1, but it is now unclear when they will be finished. Photo by Amanda Blue.
Building construction continues as students return to classes
Athletic Director Bob Whitehead said. “All of the athletic facilities will be very nice. People will take more pride in the school’s athletic facilities and our weight training room will be more accessible. These improvements build on the tradition that our school already has. While we still have tradition, we need to stay current and I believe the community will like what they see.” Due to the construction in the main locker rooms, the pool and stadium locker rooms will have to be used while the larger ones inside the school undergo construction. Along with the new additions to the athletic facilities, the vocal and instrumental music area has been remodeled with new carpet and lockers. The backups during lunch should not be an issue in the future as new additions have been made to expand the size of the kitchen in the cafeteria. “The kitchen facility should be first-class and reduce the chaos of lunch,” Bacon said.
The overflow of drivers the school saw last semester trying to park on school grounds should also be greatly reduced as the parking lots behind the school and at the east end of the school are finished. New parking areas are also being added behind the baseball fields for sophomores and in front of the school for visitors. “The expansion of the school parking lot will allow the entire student body to park and reduce the congestion in the parking lot,” Campus Police Officer Dennis Randall said. “It will also help us out during football games and the other times we tend to have an overflow of traffic.”
“While we still have tradition, we need to stay current and I believe the community will like what they see.” -Athletic Director Bob Whitehead
Shown here in early August, the outside walls of the new classrooms were standing but the windows were not yet installed and major construction was still taking place. Photo by Amanda Blue.
August
tigerturf
Baseball is
BEST
New coach, pitching gem help lead young BV team to first state championship in 16 years ajbarbosa sports editor
For the first time in 16 years, the Blue Valley baseball team brought home a state title after overpowering Goddard 4-0 in the 6A state championship game. The Tigers started their season off on a sour note losing 4-8 to Wichita Northwest in their first game and then falling 3-7 to Gardner-Edgerton in their third outing. The Tigers soon found their groove and recorded an eight-game winning streak before dropping three straight. After that, a loss to St. Thomas Aquinas was their only blemish en route to the state tournament. Under new coach Matt Ortman, the BV team composed of six seniors entered the state finals riding a six-game winning streak. “They seemed pretty excited before the game,” Ortman said. “There were a little bit of nerves but for the most part everyone was excited.” An RBI walk in the bottom of the first gave the Tigers their first run. Junior Matt Higginbotham and senior Conner Combes both made key defensive
plays early in the game to help preserve the Tigers’ lead. The Tigers added two runs in the top of the fifth with a two-run single from 2008 graduate and Nebraska signee Nate Kerkhoff. In the top of the sixth, junior Cory Segui hit a solo home run to put the Tigers four runs ahead of Goddard with two innings to play. “At that point, I realized that the game is never over,” Ortman said. “We all stayed focused for the rest of the game.” Combes caught an easy foul ball with two outs in the bottom of the seventh and final inning to start the celebration for the team. “I didn’t even get to play and I was real psyched about it,” junior Tyler Disney said. “I can’t even imagine what everyone else was going through.” “It was pretty amazing,” junior Corey Chesley said. “I was pumped for all the seniors and coach [Ortman]. He’s my boy.” Ortman also seemed ecstatic about the win. “He had this grin on his face that showed he was really excited,” Chesley said. “He gave us hugs after the game, too.”
“I was just thinking, ‘I can’t believe this actually happened,’” Ortman said. “It was definitely a pretty good feeling and a pretty good high.” A one-hit complete game by 2008 graduate JP LaMunyon prevented Goddard from getting their offense going. “I only expected him to get through three or four innings,” Ortman said. “He just kept throwing strikes and staying low. Every time I asked him how he felt, he told me he felt good and wanted to keep going.” LaMunyon’s efforts also impressed his teammates. “He had done well all season in the bullpen,” Chesley said. “It wasn’t too surprising but we all expected him to step up like he did.” With the team being so young, expectations are already set for the Tigers to repeat similar success. “I think we’ll go far again,” Disney said. “We’re losing some pitching but we have a lot of kids coming back as well.”
Top: The new state champions celebrate a
4-0 victory over Goddard with their new trophy. Bottom: 2008 graduate pitcher JP LaMunyon embraces junior catcher Matt Higginbotham after the game. LaMunyon’s one-hitter helped lead the Tigers to the win.
Photos by Bo Rader/ The Wichita Eagle.
BV sports provide chance to create lifelong memories BUZZER beater
There’s something state. about Blue Valley sports It’s that final homestretch to qualify for the KU that never lets go of relays and it’s sweating out half your body weight at you. football two-a-days. It’s packing the It’s the blood rushing through your veins when the Aquinas stadium with coach reads the final teams and it’s signing the papers black-clad fans in the to the college of your dreams. pouring rain and it’s It’s running after school beneath the nature park’s scoring a goal against trees and it’s taking your team effort to 212 degrees. West with minutes left It’s match point and it’s your turn to serve, and it’s in the game. working through the day with your pre-game nerves. It’s loading the spirit It’s reading the green before you putt for birdie bus to leave in the and it’s some poor school’s mascot left in the bonfire sports editor • AJ Barbosa middle of fifth hour burning. and it’s returning to It’s taking the initiative and showing team town after victory in the leadership, and it’s being at the bottom of the dog-pile early morning hours. after the baseball state championship. It’s handing Aquinas its first soccer loss in years and it’s It’s every pep assembly before a big game and it’s every Tiger thats traveled to Emporia leaving in tears. putting that school across the highway to shame. It’s waking up at 5:30 in the morning to lift weights It’s the slap of the referee’s hand on the mat after a pin and it’s storming the field in Topeka to celebrate winning and it’s the feeling you get in your bones driving home
from a win. It’s the bark of the coach in front of your face and it’s finding the willpower to fix your mistakes. It’s the burn in your arms as you pull through the pool and it’s your first chance on varsity to represent your school. As freshmen at BV, you now have the opportunity to make your own memories as both athletes and fans at this school. Whether or not you decide to get involved is completely up to you. Unless you plan to be playing sports in college and beyond, high school athletics can be the final frontier for tasting glory firsthand. You have the opportunity to cheer on athletes who spend 7 hours a day in the exact same place you do. Chances are that once your academic career is over, you won’t be able to boast that anymore. This is the first day of your high school career, and you have four years ahead of you to make the most out of. There truly is something about BV sports that grabs a hold of us and never lets go, and it differs for each one of us. This is the chance to find out for yourself.
AUGUST 2008 0 3
Dear Class of 2012, Welcome to the oblong-shaped, stuffedto-the-brim building that we lovingly refer to as Blue Valley High. Today, hundreds of you walked through these halls for the first time. And, while the terms “500 Hallway” and “Fixed Forum” might not mean much to you now, don’t worry. Before too long, you’ll have gotten the hang of this whole high school thing and really come to understand just what a special place this building really is. More than likely, some of you were terrified when you entered this building today. You were unsure of what cruel pranks or mean teachers might be waiting behind each turn. Others of you were more confident. Having been successful in middle school, you’re now ready to finally get started with your high school career. However, many of you probably found yourselves between those two extremes— having qualms about a certain class or activity but still looking forward to some new challenges. Whichever of those three categories
0 4 AUGUST 2008
you find yourself in today, realize you’re not alone. Every upperclassman was a freshman at one point and most are more than willing to point you in the right direction. Help is available: all you have to do is ask. The key to success in high school, however, is to find your own niche. Frankly, with a student body of nearly 1,500, it’s not hard to get overwhelmed and overlooked. The way to prevent this is by immersing yourself in something, be it volleyball, orchestra, math club or cheerleading. If you are to truly fulfill the potential of your high school career, you need to get involved. Now. Sure, you could coast through high school, taking no honors courses, playing no sports and joining no clubs. Nobody’s going to stop you. And hey, guess what, you’ll still walk across that stage in four years to accept your diploma. But is that really what you want? To go home every day, finish your homework and sit in front of your computer playing video games while watching your youth rot away? Didn’t think so. Instead, find something that interests you. Go ahead, try out for wrestling on a whim. Take a chance and join the choir. Audition for the play. March in the band. Sign up for debate. Petition for student council. Write for the newspaper. Run cross country. Do whatever you want, but do something. Your freshman year is the best time to get involved. Just look at the senior class right now. The most successful upperclassmen are involved in at least one activity, be it softball, Spanish club, yearbook or all of the above. These students have found something they enjoyed and got involved early on in
high school. When you do this, you’ll have the opportunity to meet friends, discover talents and eventually take on leadership roles that can make editor-in-chief • Mitch Smith your time at BV more meaningful and fulfilling. Anyway, welcome to your home for the next four years. No matter what horror stories you might have heard, we actually are glad you’re here. While you’re here, you can either spend your time really exploring all BV has to offer or you can fly a four-year holding pattern on your way to a 2.7 GPA and a blank resume when applying to college. The choice of what to do is up to you. I can, however, promise you that you’ll regret it a few years down the line if you realize you passed up on the chance to get involved and really make the most of your time here. The possibilities are out there, you just have to take the initiative. This building is full of opportunities that can really add meaning to your four years here. Trust me, you don’t want to miss out.
MITCH’S pitches
Sincerely, Mitch Smith
Name: Marlee Rogers Title: Student Body President Why should we know you?: “Because I can help [freshmen] get involved. I’m just a good person to know.”
Name: Dennis Randall Title: Campus Police Officer Why should we know you?: “I can help out with any situation they may come up with”
Name: Pam Arnott Title: Main Office Secretary Why should we know you?: “Because I’m like the mom [of the school].”
Name: Mark Mosier Title: Student Council Advisor Why should we know you?: “To learn how to walk really fast in the hall.”
Name: Scott Bacon Title: Principal Why should we know you?: “Because I will get them fired up.”
Pages designed by Stephanie Roche. People to meet information collected by Amanda Blue. Unwritten laws of the land compiled by staff.
AUGUST 2008 0 5
payin’thebills
Expires 9/30/08
Expires 9/30/08
Robeks accepts the other places’ coupons
0
6 AUGUST 2008
outloud
the
TIGERprint
B LU E VA L L E Y H I G H S C H O O L
editor-in-chief mitch smith managing editor emily strickland in-depth editor stephanie roche news editor nathan lindshield opinion editor allison kohn sports editor aj barbosa photo editor amanda blue entertainment editor tori freisner features editor katie louis online editor matt may copy editor kyra storm staff writers kimberly dacus andrew fiori caitlin holland brock humphrey jakob maase rachel mccullough ryan o’toole steven reno shannon valverde photographers conner combes tom roudebush advertising manager noopur goel circulation manager tyler duke 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 Matt Higginbotham and 2008 graduate JP LaMunyon celebrate after clinching the 6A baseball state championship. Photo by Bo Rader/The Wichita Eagle.
Staff encourages reader input elcome back to another year of school. That means welcome back to state championships, national recognition and individual achievements that may very well be in our future. That also means welcome back to challenges, controversy and problems over these next nine months. Here at The Tiger Print, it’s our job to report on these events or any others that might affect you in an objective and professional manner. To do this, we need to interview many students and teachers for the newspaper. It is important to understand that everything you tell a reporter during an
W
interview is subject to inclusion in the paper. When you read our paper, it’s important to know that more than 25 staff members have spent nearly a month preparing the content for you, our readership. We all want this paper to become your source for school news and also a medium for you to express your personal opinions and ideas. It’s important to know that The Tiger Print is an open forum for student expression, meaning that the views published here might not necessarily reflect those of the administration, teachers or school district. This means that, even in difficult or controversial situations, you can be assured that our coverage is unbiased, objective
staff
editorial
and free from outside influences or censorship. We’ve been busy since last May planning new ways to make The Tiger Print even more relevant to you this year. After gathering reader feedback, we decided to publish a first day of school newspaper and, in the coming months, we plan to launch an online version of The Tiger Print that can provide up-to-date news throughout the month. However, in order for us to be able to do this, we need your input. It’s also important to understand that, in order to call attention to issues that are affecting the student body, the paper will run several opinion pieces each month.
Chances are there will be opinion pieces that you agree with and some that you don’t. Or maybe you’ll see something in the school that bothers or excites you and that you’d like the newspaper to cover. Whatever it is, be sure to let us know. Writing a letter to the editor is a great way to express your opinions and ideas and to facilitate a dialogue within the school community. Just bring your singed letter by Room 450 or email it to thetigerprint@ yahoo.com. We can assure you that we will consider your letter for publication. Thanks so much for taking the time to read our paper. This year promises to be an exciting one and we are glad to be a part of it.
The Tiger Print Editorial Policy The Tiger Print is published nine (9) times a year for the students, faculty and 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 those of the administration or of Blue Valley Unified School District #229. The goals of this newspaper are as follows: 1. Inform readers in an accurate, objective and complete manner. 2. Entertain readers. 3. Provide leadership. Editorial comment will be frequent, but only within opinion pieces. 4. Adhere to journalistic standards and ethics. 5. Provide a forum within BVHS for the free exchange of ideas. 6. Validate and report on the concerns of students and the community. 7. Acknowledge any mistakes that may be made and correct them in a timely matter. Letters to the editor and other reader contributions are accepted and encouraged. In accordance with communications law, the standards of libel and obscenity will be upheld and free speech may not be used to disrupt the educational process and must not attack anyone in a personal manner. Generally, letters should be limited to 350 words and any letter, regardless of length, may be edited for space or content concerns. All letters must be signed unless the opinion editor and editor-in-chief agree that individual circumstances warrant withholding the name. Advertisements are published in the newspaper and advertising rates are available upon request. Special consideration for advertisements are as follows: 1. No advertising for illegal products or substances will be accepted (i.e. tobacco, alcohol, gambling, illegal drugs) nor will ads of a sexually
suggestive nature. 2. The Tiger Print reserves the right to decline or edit any advertisement that conflicts with the editorial board philosophy. 3. The staff reserves the right to assign rates for its ad space, which will be in line with those of other high school newspapers in the area. 4. The Tiger Print will not make exclusive contracts with advertisers. 5. The Tiger Print staff, its adviser and editors and the administration of Blue Valley High School are not liable beyond the cost of the ad for mistakes made within its design, editing or production. Regarding the coverage of tragedy: Should a student, faculty member, school official or prominent community member die during the coverage period, the staff will treat the death journalistically and in a tasteful manner. All individuals will be treated in the same factual way. Depending on the circumstances, the death may be treated as a major news event. In every situation an obituary will be written in the news section that will include the individual’s name, date of birth, date and manner of death (if appropriate), a school photograph and any other pertinent information. The individual’s school activities, his or her contributions and the reactions of those who will miss the deceased may be included. In the case of a suicide or other sensitive situation, the words “died unexpectedly” may be used as a cause of death. Poetry or cliché visuals will be avoided. As always, letters to the editor regarding the deceased are welcome, although they may or may not be published depending on the quantity of letters received and nature of the death. All situations will be handled on a case-bycase basis. In summary, The Tiger Print will strive for journalistic excellence and will aim to be a vital part of the Blue Valley High School community.
AUGUST 2008 0
7
Left: Freshman Meera Chakravarthy marches to a different beat Aug. 6, at marching band practice. Right: Junior Brianne Fitzpatrick (center) performed at Theatre in the Park in July in the musical 42nd Street. Photos by Amanda Blue and Stephanie Roche.