The Tiger Print — December 2017

I

PA W TI S ME ON OU T

students, faculty express thoughts on the suspension of tiger paws

| photo by Melanie White

//THE TIGER PRINT

Blue Valley High School | Vol. 48 | Issue 4 | December 2017 | bvtigernews.com | Overland Park, Kansas

2 //december 2017 // contents

6

in this issue... | DESIGN BY KAITLIN YU | PHOTOS BY STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS

WHAT IS SCHOLARS’ BOWL?

Learn about the trivia and academicbased club.

7 10

22 24

UNFAIR PARKING TICKETS

Staff writer Maddy Kang argues students should be warned before being fined.

14

FROM AREA 51 TO TUPAC

Spice up your cospiracy theory knowledge by reading this article.

TIPS ON SAVING MONEY DURING THE HOLIDAYS

DRIVING MANUAL ENSURES SAFETY

27 31

A NEGLECTED POLICY

The Blue Valley District considers altering its athletic-based transfer guidelines.

CALL HIM CHEF ISRAELI

While some students are stuck at school, this senior is cooking meals at the Bistro.

SENIOR DISCUSSES RECRUITING AND SIGNING PROCESS

//TIGER PRINT THE

co-editors Julie Freijat Alli Williams Kaitlin Yu photo editor Melanie White

staff writers Allie Ament Courtney Brown Cassidy Carpenter McKenna Cole Kyle Elmendorf Lily Goodwin

Molly Holmes Maddy Kang Noma Kreegar Nick Lamberti Shay Lawson Grace Lutz Sadie Myer

Carley Sherer Lizzie Skidmore Claire Stein Victoria Wilson adviser Michelle Huss

“The Tiger Print” is an official publication of Blue Valley High School, an open forum distributed to all students eight times a year. This publication may contain controversial material. Kansas law prohibits the suppression of a student publication solely because it may contain controversial matter. Blue Valley Unified School District No. 229 and its board members, officers and employees may disclaim any responsibility for the content of this publication; it is not an expression of school policy.

Student authors and editors are solely responsible for the content of this publication.

Letters to the editor are encouraged for publication. “The Tiger Print” reserves the right to edit all submissions for both language and content.

Letters should be submitted to Room 450, emailed to thetigerprint@gmail.com or mailed to: The Tiger Print Blue Valley High School 6001 W. 159th St. Overland Park, KS 66085

news // december 2017 //

IN THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT: | WORDS BY JULIE FREIJAT | PHOTOS COURTESTY OF TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

NET NEUTRALITY What is it?

Net neutrality is the idea that internet service providers (ISP) such as Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint or AT&T should allow access to all websites or data and avoid blocking or charging consumers for access to certain internet media.

Why do I care?

Without net neutrality, internet service providers would be able to charge consumers — you — for access to different kinds of internet data, similar to how we are charged for channels on TV. This limits access to social media and other types of internet platforms to only those willing to pay.

What can I do?

The congressional vote regarding net neutrality is set to take place Dec. 14.

In the meantime, whether you’re for or against net neutrality, you can contact your state representatives and give them your voice on the issue.

Who’s involved?

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is a large opponent to net neutrality, as are ISPs. Among those advocating for it are internet application companies like Tumblr and Twitter and other human rights groups.

3

4 //december 2017 // news | PHOTO BY MELANIE WHITE Dancing with a member of the audience, sophomore Nick Mohammadi acts in the beginning rep theater fall play. This show contained 30 short plays that were to be completed in 60 minutes. | PHOTO BY CLAIRE STEIN During an assembly, the BV cheerleaders prepare to perform in front of the school. This year, the cheer team won the first 6A Kansas State Cheerleading Championship ever.

NEWS IN PHOTOS PHOTOS

| PHOTO BY LILY GOODWIN Giving blood, junior Bailey Sibenaller donates in the auxillary gym. “[Giving blood] is very important to the people who need it,” she said. “[I wanted] to give back to the community.” | PHOTO BY MELANIE WHITE Speaking to the junior and senior class, motivational speaker Davey Muise tells his life story. “We are connected through our struggle and our desire to find purpose in our lives,” he said.

| PHOTO BY CLAIRE STEIN Sipping from a glass of wine, junior Adam Pribyl acts in the fall play, ‘Arsenic and Old Lace.’ “I loved it,” he said, “It [was] a great cast of people and it [was] a great time for everyone.”

| DESIGN BYMELANIE WHITE

news // december 2017 //

who runs the world?

TEENS!

Chandler Jones Age: 17 Party: Republican Career goals: Department of State analyst

5

| WORDS & DESIGN BY KAITLIN YU | PHOTO BY KAITLIN YU

BV senior dabbles in running for governor, starting a new political party You’ve heard about cats and dogs becoming mayor and a brain surgeon running for presidential candidate, but in Kansas, a new trend is rising — teenagers have begun to run for governor since there is no age requirement.

It all started with 16-year old Jack Bergeson from Wichita, who announced his campaign for the Democratic nomination in August. Four other teenagers have stepped forward since then. Blue Valley senior Chandler Jones took a stab at the race, but now, he plans to start a new political party.

Q. How long have you been interested in politics?

A. “This started in 2016 in [social studies teacher Tony] Scardino’s class because he would play CNN Student News every day. I just found it more and more interesting until I decided this is what I want to do in my life.”

Q. Why did you suspend your campaign?

A. “There was no way I would have gotten enough signatures to secure my candidacy.”

Q. How do you feel about other teenagers running for governor even though they can’t vote?

A. “I think it’s fine, as long as the state’s not against it. People will vote for what they think is right, and if those teenagers can prove that they’re better for the general populus, then I absolutely think they should be able to run.”

Q. Why did you start the new party, and what can someone who is interested in the party do to join?

A. “I want to start a new party because the Republican Party has done nothing but fail conservatives for the past 16 years.

It refuses to modernize. I like [Ronald] Reagan, too, but we need a party for 2018, not 1980. The name of my party is the Red Fox Republican party. If anyone is interested in joining, I’d like them to come talk to me.”

Q. How do you become a declared candidate?

A. “You can pay $2,700 upfront, or you can pay $670 and bring them 5,090 signatures from the party you’re running with. I [tried] to go that route because if I’m going to pay any amount of money, I at least want to have some momentum.”

Q. What is the purpose of the party?

A. “The point of the party is to modernize the Republican Platform, and set the party back on the right track. It’s also an attempt to rebrand the party, as the stigma that currently surrounds it is damaging to our electoral base.”

6 // december 2017 // news

Buzzer Beaters

What is Scholars’ Bowl?

Activity sponser and social studeies teacher Catherine Whitten answers questions about Scholar’s Bowl

| Whitten

“An academic competition that is part of Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA).

Tournaments start mid-October and include 16 questions that teams of five must answer in a head-to-head scholastic competition. Students are questioned over language, science, math, social studies, literature, current events and religion.”

When does it meet?

What is your role in Scholars’ Bowl?

“Various schools hold tournaments. Most are Monday or Thursday afternoons due to the busy schedules students participating have. This year, we’re playing St. Thomas Aquinas and traveling to Gardner for a tournament.”

“I’m the facilitator because I let the kids do the recruiting, but since I teach all sophomores, when I see potential, I invite them to join.”

How is the team predicted to do this year?

How do you prepare for Scholars’ Bowl?

“Pretty good. We have our first tournament the beginning of November, and I’ve got one returning varsity, plus some with tournament experience. We lost key players, so there’s a toss up, but there’s always that one kid that comes in and they run over everyone because they know their stuff.”

“I use my room for hour practices on Mondays for JV. That practice is open to everyone, I have people from every grade who come participate. However, the Varsity team is for specific members who compete in tournaments.”

What are the qualities of someone on the team?

“Knowledge. I want team members who know general knowledge, but it also helps to have experts in certain categories.

Also, team members must be confident when answering and have self-control by balancing the element of working together and learning the balance between being overly confident and not confident enough.”

What is your favorite part of Scholars’ Bowl?

“There’s a lot of fun parts. I like going to the tournaments because trivia is my thing, although they aren’t really trivia questions. They’re scholastic-based, but that’s the trivia I’m good at. But, as weird as it sounds, the van rides have to be my favorite part.

Since it’s a small team, we just bond and talk about everything that’s going on in their lives. I like forming a closer relationship with a small hand of students.”

| DESIGN BY SHAY LAWSON

opinion // december 2017 //

7

Not the Golden Ticket You Want BV students should receive warning before being fined

up at me.

Don’t get me wrong, I take full responsibility for parking in the wrong spot, but I would have appreciated a friendly warning before being forced to pay or have my parking permit

also. It’s just like getting a regular ticket — it leaves an unhappy mark on your maddy kang day and adds to the list of things you staff writer have to get done. Something as small as this gets added into the large pile of the more important things you have to stress over.

Ever since Blue Valley adopted I understand the school’s parking G its new “free parking” policy, policy even better now. Thankfully, IN N K much of the parking chaos the parking ticket stated O P R ARKI PA LATI N has subsided for the that very clearly. I comG VIOL O early-birds and pletely understand why A T VI ION O. LICE particularly for the these policies are in place EN N T SE P A LAT PL seniors, who have for us and how rules need E E NO. NS E M CE assigned spots just for to be followed.

TI LI DATE themselves.

However, I wish BV TIME TE A D For others, though, it could understand that we has been quite the opposite, are all human and make INFR especially with the threat of the mistakes, whether it be in ACT ION dreaded golden parking ticket. school, sports or life. We Recently, I arrived late to school could all use some grace once on a Thursday. I parked in a staff spot in a while because life moves by mistake that was conveniently one too fast to be perfect all of the of the few in a row of student spots in taken away for next year. time. the “free parking” lot. I didn’t think I know I am not the only one who We all make mistakes, but you anything of it until I walked out to my this has happened to — many others shouldn’t have to pay for them — car to find the $25 ticket staring back have experienced the troubles of this literally.

| DESIGN BY MADDY KANG

8w // december 2017 // opinion

it’s time to learn the real definition mckenna cole staff writer

Are you a feminist? I could answer this question with a firm “yes.”

However, it seems a vast majority are not only hesitant with an answer, but lack the understanding of what being a feminist means.

Webster’s dictionary defines feminism as a political, social and ideological movement that has a goal: to achieve and establish political, economic and social equality of sexes. But even with such a detailed definition, there are still many misconceptions.

A lot of people are reluctant to call themselves a feminist because they believe feminism is “female supremacy,” but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Feminist agenda isn’t to judge all men as sexist and chauvinist just on the basis of their gender. What they refute is the idea that man is superior to woman. Any “feminist” who hates men solely because they belong to the other gender is no feminist.

| Downey

What many people are unaware of is that although feminism’s main goal is fighting for equal rights for women, it benefits men equally.

Feminism makes a large impact in the fight to end gender roles for all. It supports the idea of men not having to give way to the societal pressures of being the protector and the breadwinner, just as much as it advocates that women be allowed to break out of inferior stereotypes.

On that note, many misinterpret that feminism says a woman who stays at home and raises a family is “oppressed.” Feminism respects a woman who has chosen to become a homemaker as much as it respects a woman who steps out into the corporate world.

Feminists are also equally accepting of men who choose to stay at home.

The most common and detrimental misconception is that men can not be feminists. If patriarchal men have been the main perpetrators of the very oppression, then it’s crucial for men to change the standard and start leading by example.

Real feminists respect every woman’s choice of who she wants to be, whether she wears a bikini or a burqa. Feminism is built on a foundation of freedom of choice and the belief to respect that person’s choice, whatever it may be.

“I believe in the equality of everyone. Men need to be respectful toward women.”

— Nick Downey, 11

| Novicoff

| DESIGN BY MCKENNA COLE

“Recently people have lost site of what feminism means.

It’s about equality; there isn’t a reason men and women shouldn’t be equal.”

— Mallory Novicoff, 12

| Kreegar

“Feminism is important in the workplace. Right now, women are making less than males.”

— Anika Kreegar, 9

staff ed // december 2017 //

9

| CARTOON BY KASSIDY WAGNER

Blue Valley should work together to create environmentally friendly campus to improve health, community Climate change is a global issue that can seem impossible to take on — often times, casual supporters of the fight against climate change are quick to drop a few words on social media or some money to an impersonal organization.

However, if we want to make any type of change we directly benefit from, we need to act locally, and the best place for action is right here at Blue Valley.

There are many options BV could pursue to become greener, but administrators, teachers and students must join together in the effort.

On the administration side, there should be a bigger push to eliminate waste during lunch and classes.

The styrofoam trays nearly every student uses during lunch time take centuries to decompose and are the main pollutants of U.S. water sources, according to Washington University.

There are reusable trays, but students aren’t willing to use them because they have to travel back to the cafeteria to return them. If the school sets up

more drop-off areas, we could decrease our styrofoam use.

Additionally, our school should attempt to waste less food. Blue Valley West puts out boxes for students to put uneaten fruit in — this doesn’t completely eliminate waste, but it’s easy to execute and helps in the long run.

Another great way to decrease waste is setting up a compost. Composting would decrease our carbon footprint, since food waste is 7 percent of all global emissions, according to the Washington Post.

And as we inch closer to winter break, our binders begin reaching maximum capacity with excessive papers — people should think carefully about how much they print.

Students shouldn’t be excluded from these changes, either. Consider: when you’re getting your lunch, are you really going to finish that apple or the mountain of ice cream on that cone?

If you want to help fight climate change and create a cleaner school,

there are plenty of opportunities to do so in this school. Environmental Club, which meets every Wednesday during Tiger Paws outside science teacher Larry Hare’s classroom, needs help recycling the growing piles of plastic bottles across the school.

On a bigger level, if students research and communicate with the district about executing green alternatives, then lasting impacts could be created.

For example, when BV was about to receive new parking lots, there was the opportunity to implement green parking lots, which would directly impact the land around us.

Essentially, there are no excuses regarding becoming more environmentally friendly — there are many simple solutions.

If students, faculty and administrators team up, not only could we make our school greener, we could influence the communities around us to follow in our steps, creating a cleaner Kansas and a cleaner world.

This staff editorial is the representation of the opinion of The Tiger Print staff.

10 // december 2017 // opinion

IT’S AS EASY AS A-B-C

Driving manual cars should become a normality to teen drivers victoria wilson staff writer It seems harmless to text a cute video of you signing to your favorite song on the radio in the car to your friend. Your eyes are only off the road for a few seconds, at most, right?

Well, once you master those first few seconds, then it becomes a few more seconds and few more until your car’s flipped over on the side of the road.

According to SaferMotoring.com, driver inattention is a factor in approximately 25 percent of accidents. How can accidents like those be avoided when so many

A-Accelerator B-Brakes C-Clutch

are unwilling to put their phones down while driving?

The answer isn’t restricting phone access, but rather decreasing the simplicity it takes to drive a car.

Manual transmission cars require the driver to maneuver three pedals as well as a gear shift in order to work the car. Drivers in a manual transmission car must have one hand on the steering wheel and one hand on the gear shift at all times, which leaves no possibility for phone usage when driving.

Automatic cars allow drivers too wide a margin to doze-off and create a false sense of security when trying to drive and multitask.

Therefore, accidents caused by phonerelated distractions are 100 percent avoidable simply by driving manual transmission cars.

KEY

The clutch must be held down in order to shift gears because it disengages the engine from the wheels.

C

B

A

| DESIGN BY VICTORIA WILSON

opinion // december 2017 //

11

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Take dollar democracy seriously; use purchases as means of speaking out

alli williams co-editor in chief

Not all nations enjoy the freedoms that come with democracy — in fact, only 55 percent of the world reside in a democratic country. As Blue Valley students, we live in the U.S. — the poster-child for democratic pride and ideals.

This year, “The Economist” reported for the first time ever, the United States has fallen below “full democracy” and has sunken into “f lawed democracy.” These labels are based on a 10-point ranking system which considers five factors, including the function of government and levels of political participation. The U.S. boasts a 7.98.

When applied correctly, democracy has the power to create policies and uphold standards in favor of the citizens.

However, in order for democracy to stand most effective, the citizens must exercise these rights.

The main issue at hand can be traced to Americans not letting their government serve them as well as it could. And as teenagers, it’s not always as easy to get your voice heard.

Many of us are not yet at the legal voting age of 18, and without being able to participate in the cornerstone principle of representative democracy, it can seem hard to take full advantage of our governing system.

Dollar democracy, or, ethical consumerism, is the idea that we can influence matters we care about by consciously giving money to businesses we support and avoiding places we don’t.

This isn’t some radical form of socialjustice-warrior activism that pushes a specific agenda.

It’s an everyday way of living that can be applied to nearly any purchase you make.

If you don’t wholly support an establishment, find an alternative place to give your money.

51%

| SURVEY OF 140 STUDENTS

of students spend money at businesses they consider ethical

30%

of students have boycotted a business

RAISE YOUR VOICE

Based on poll of 130 BV students

ANTHONY SOBOLEVSKY, 12 • pets “I think it’s important to support pet shops because every pet needs a home and many pets have come from worse situation. In reality, many dogs who are not ever purchased from shelters or breeders will inevitably have the same fate.

Not all dogs are able to find a family and that is something people need to work on doing. People need to be helping out the dogs that need to be taken care of and loved.”

JESSI KIRWIN, 12 • diet “It’s important to be concerned about where you spend your money because you need to be responsible with it [and] spend your money on the things you are passionate about. I am vegetarian, so I do not buy meat products. I do not know if I have made an impact globally or locally, but I have made an impact in my own life and that means something to me.”

WILL HANSEN, 12 • politics “I really don’t like spending money at Chick-fil-A based off of their past stances against LGBTQ rights. I feel that if you spend money on something, [then] you support that, [and] I don’t want to support something I believe is wrong. It’s a small way to raise your voice — me not going to Chick-fil-A doesn’t really make a huge difference with their ideals — but it makes me feel like a better person.” | DESIGN BY ALLI WILLIAMS

12 // december 2017 // feature

GO GHOST AGAIN | STORY & DESIGN BY ALLI WILLIAMS

D

anny Fenton is 14 years old when he accidentally activates his ghost-hunting parents’ portal to the spirit world, and gains supernatural powers that turn him half-ghost. With his two best friends by his side, Danny uses his new abilities to fight off evil spirits from his hometown.

This is the premise of the 2004 Nickelodeon series “Danny Phantom,” which aired its series finale in 2007.

For sophomore Cassie Coleman, the show’s end was disheartening.

“When I was younger, I used to watch it a whole lot,” Coleman said.

“When I heard it got canceled, it was really a big bummer. It was my favorite show.”

Unlike most casual viewers, to Coleman, Danny Phantom was more than just a show.

“When I was younger, he was my hero,” Coleman said. “He’s brave, he doesn’t get scared, he knows all these cool things. I’m just thinking, ‘I’m brave, I’m confident, just like him.’

He’s my favorite character.”

Instead of letting an important part of her life die as the cartoon went off-air, Coleman said she found ways to stay involved in the show and its fanbase.

“I started this thing called the Danny Phantom chain,” she said. “I drew a picture of myself in Danny Phantom-form standing in front of Danny and put it on DeviantArt. Then a few months later, I saw that picture again but with another person, holding that girl’s hand behind a few more Danny Phantom characters. Month after month, I checked and I saw more people joining the chain. I came upon this YouTube video [someone made] about the chain. At the end of the video, it said ‘Join the Chain. Help Bring Back Danny Phantom.’”

However, she said the chain wasn’t enough.

“I was thinking ‘I need a petition.

How about I make a petition, and the more signatures I get, possibly it could be animated again,’” she said.

Coleman said she knew in order

to make an impact, she would need a lot of signatures. After creating the petition in October, she asked as many classmates as she could to support her cause.

More than 200 people have signed her petition already — but for this to work, Coleman said she’ll need the whole school to sign it.

She said if anyone is interested in signing her petition, they should find her in the cafeteria during Tiger Paws.

“For now, I prefer for it to stay on paper,” she said. “Once I get a lot more signatures, I’m going to put it online so I can get more signatures of other people who want the show back.”

Show creator Butch Hartman produced a “Danny Phantom 10 Years Later” video in August and has said he wouldn’t rule out creating a movie in the far-away future.

“If they did a show about him, I would be satisfied,” Coleman said.

“If they also did a movie, I would be totally fine with that.”

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14 //december 2017 // feature

CHEF ISRAELI bv s e n i o r t a ke s h i s h o b by t o t h e n ex t l eve l

kaitlin yu co-editor in chief

T

he clanging of pans, the roaring of fire and the scraping of wooden spoons against metal to furiously mix together the ingredients for a dish — this is what one may experience within moments of stepping into the Broadmoor Bistro kitchen, which is one of the most expensive throughout the nation.

In the center of it all is senior Amit Israeli, the only Blue Valley student taking the prestigious and rigorous culinary program, Broadmoor Bistro, at Shawnee Mission School District’s Center of Academic Achievement. Israeli said he joined the program after his friend had attended it the year earlier.

“I spent a lot of time with him, so he used to tell me stories about what happened there and [about] the chefs,” Israeli said. “I came back around May, and I talked to my counselor.

She told me not a lot of people do it, but it’s still possible.”

Israeli said nearly every culinary college in the world knows about the Bistro, and most people in the program plan to go into the culinary industry.

“Cooking professionally was never really in my mind,” he said. “Even now, I want to go into psychology — I’m just doing this as a hobby because cooking is a good skill for the future.”

Israeli has been passionate about cooking since his childhood. He cooks for the non-profit organization NCSY, and while at home, he often cooks for himself.

“I was 8 or 9, and [my family] went on vacation,” Israeli said. “We had no food, so my mom bought a bunch of eggs and told me to go make everyone food or we’re starving. I spent a lot of time on YouTube that night learning how to make an omelette professionally.”

That pressure reflects at Broadmoor — Israeli said he is usually stressed when cooking at the Bistro because the food is often made to sell, whether at the shop or in the restaurant.

feature // december 2017 // “Making it the way that other people would enjoy is hard sometimes,” he said. “Especially for restaurant nights — you’re making the food for people who are paying $30 to eat a dinner. Plus, you’re getting graded on everything, so if you make it bad, you’re going to get a bad grade.”

Despite the program’s intensity, there are three chefs at the Bistro to help out, Israeli said.

“You go there, and you learn something new about your life,” he said. “When we have an assignment, [the chefs] tell us what ingredients are in it but [do] not tell us how to make it. They’re like, ‘Go figure it out! Use Google.’ As you do it, you do it wrong, they help you out, and then you learn from your mistakes which is their goal. They want you to learn from [your blunders] rather than memorize some recipe that is not going to help you in the future.”

Of the three chefs, Israeli said restaurant and catering chef Jon Dallen is his biggest supporter.

“Whenever I make any mistake, he would come right next

15

to me and help me,” Israeli said. “[He would] explain how you blend all the different ingredients together to make your own ‘masterpiece,’ he calls it. He helps me a lot with pursuing the passion.”

Dallen likes teaching because he can pass on techniques and tricks of the trade to the future culinarians.

“We enjoy the students that give a great effort — Amit is one of those people,” he said. “Amit is very inquisitive and excited about what we do, which is nice. Not all students want to excel or go above and beyond.”

Out of everything, Israeli said his favorite part of cooking is the freedom he has. “[Recently,] we made a butternut squash soup, and everybody put random things into there to make it taste like autumn,” he said. “I put in maple syrup and cinnamon — some people put in weird peppers. It’s cool to make up your own, and then, when the chefs taste it, every single person’s soup is different. It’s cool to get creative.”

right: Israeli and Dallen embrace

BROADMOOR BISTRO 8 2 0 0 w. 7 1 s t s t r e e t shawnee mission, ks 66204

| P H O TO S & D E S I G N B Y K A I T L I N Y U

Pausing Paws During the week of Nov. 13, Tiger Paws was suspended. It was attributed to the repetition of intolerable activities taking place during the allotted time. Students were said to have been found drinking alcohol, vaping and neglecting their responsibilities as members of the Blue Valley community. Many students were upset and confused by the decision reached by the administration to suspend Tiger Paws. The Tiger Print spoke to students and faculty regarding their thoughts about the events that occurred.

THIS BOOK WAS WRITTEN BY MCKENNA COLE & NOMA KREEGAR

feature // december 2017 //

17

Bacon's Input The recent controversy surrounding the suspension of Tiger Paws prompted discussion not only among the Blue Valley students but the Blue Valley staff as well.

Principal Scott Bacon shared his insight on the issue.

“Staff and students are in control of whether we have Tiger Paws or not,” Bacon said. “If we are not managing our business well, that decision-making power will not rest with us. [There’s] two things we [needed] to do — pick up our trash and use it as an academic support.

Not everyone upheld the deal.”

Bacon said there were multiple problems that arose during the hour break, and the suspension was not decided on because of one isolated incident.

“An alarming number of students were vaping during that time in the restrooms,” Bacon said.

“Then, I learned there were many people skipping Tiger Paws using the names of people on the pass list.

A lot of people knew and nobody said anything. But then I had some students come to me and say, ‘Mr. Bacon, things are getting out of hand.’ That’s when I knew we had to do something drastic.”

In a recent informative assembly, Bacon called students to action, inspiring them to protect Tiger Paws by reporting issues to an adult or staff member.

d example an to make an d e h te n s a y a w s n e o when h “Mr. Bac g in d id k t o he’s n is unfair prove that y. I think it a w a s w a P er ads to the will take Tig e person le n o f o s n o ken away.” that the acti iger Paws ta T g in v a h l o h, 9 whole scho nyah smit

“If someone sees something during Tiger Paws and comes to me, I’m not going to take it away,” Bacon said. “I am going to be thankful that somebody said something so we can solve the problem and save Tiger Paws for everybody.”

At the time of the suspension, many students were left wondering why the staff had decided to punish the school rather than punishing the people who were causing the problems.

Bacon said he felt collective punishment would incite more change within the community, and would be more efficient in terms of curbing inappropriate behavior.

“We can’t [continue] punishing the individuals because there are too many — it would take too long,” Bacon said. “We’re going to feel the pinch together, and hopefully we can all come back together.”

Bacon said in other schools, the first few years of the Tiger Paws concept proved to be rough, but they were ultimately able to use the time productively and appropriately after a few periods of suspension. Bacon hopes the same will happen for BV. “I saw a school twice our size with 2,700 students in Florida, and at the end of their power hour, I went through their whole building and only saw four pieces of trash,” Bacon said. “Their principal was embarrassed by that. I thought, ‘You know what? We can do this.’ And I think that we can do it better than them.”

s unfair that “I don’t think it wa ken away. ta s Tiger Paws wa ving their lea be People can’t alcohol at ing ink dr trash out or a build-up of school. It was just s, and the a lot of smaller thing ed it over sh alcohol was what pu .” the edge joe gliesman, 12

“It wasn’t just because of the one person. Mr. Bacon has probably been thinking of taking it away for a while now. Tiger Paws was supposed to improve grades and behavior, but that isn’t happening.” jaron cole, 9

| DESIGN BY NICK LAMBERTI

18 //december 2017 // feature that ldn’t do u o h s “People hool, and it’s e sc stuff in tful to all of th c e .” p V s B disre ere at eople h other p in, 11 n redd laure “Drinking here at school is inappropriate. It’s illegal, so if you are going to drink you should do it off campus. When you are in school, you should be learning and trying to better yourself.” emma andersen, 12

Thompson's Input The reactions to the suspension were varied among the faculty and staff. Social studies teacher Kimberly Thompson said she was surprised with the decision, and felt that there would have been other ways to take care of the issues that arose during Tiger Paws.

“I was initially frustrated because we’ve been told Tiger Paws is so important and integral to student development socially, academically and emotionally,” Thompson said.

“If it’s that important and relevant, then it shouldn’t be so dispensable.”

Although Thompson was frustrated with the situation, she said she felt the choice made by the administration was understandable.

“I realize these decisions don’t happen overnight, so my concerns are tempered with respect that I don’t know all the rules,” Thompson said. “I can only react how I think it will affect me and my students. It’s totally anecdotal. It is not a condemnation of the administration of this school.”

Due to an incident in the junior pod regarding alcohol consumption a few days before the suspension, many students blamed the temporary removal of Tiger Paws on those involved in that event.

“It’s possible that student outrage will be directed toward

a small group of students — I think that’s almost the point,” Thompson said. “They want to create a culture of mutual responsibility. A common interpretation of it is peer bullying — I don’t know how accurate that is. I think in a human society, there will always be factions that press the boundaries and violate rules.”

Thompson agreed a small percentage of students seemed to be using Tiger Paws inappropriately, but said a majority of students were productive during that time.

“I feel like the students who most benefit from Tiger Paws probably knew very little about this intolerable behavior and were [most likely not] participating in it,” she said. “[However,] they are the ones who, of course, won’t benefit from [the removal of] Tiger Paws.”

Thompson said she recognized positive changes in her classroom following the implementation of Tiger Paws since its establishment last year.

“I notice my afternoon classes tend to be a little more lively and energetic than they used to be when we didn’t have Tiger Paws,” Thompson said.

Despite the mixed feelings among the staff regarding the suspension of Tiger Paws, much of the administration hopes for better behavior moving forward.

feature // december 2017 //

19

Students' Input The suspension of Tiger Paws was something that many students didn’t take lightly. Whether they roamed the halls, relaxed in the Fixed Forum or worked on homework in a teacher’s classroom, many students were inconvenienced by the removal of the hour-long break. Many felt that the decision was reached after an isolated incident in the junior pod a few days beforehand, which caused mixed feelings among each grade level. The Tiger Print reached out to several students to hear their input on the situation.

t d it’s no fair, an st one t o n ’s “It s ju lt. It wa up so it our fau d e s s t me ay kid tha ken aw a t e b ’t n ld shou f us.” e rest o from th en ward, 9 co

“

No one is going to report anything in the future if everyone is being punished. They need to figure out a way to only punish the people who are causing the problems. allie bratton, 11

”

Some people have the situ ation so wrong an d way worse in their head, [but] th e phixing an d th juuling has b een happenin e g for a while now. I feel there ar e people that would re port stuff ju st to be on the good side of the sc hool. haley sty czykows ki, 11

| DESIGN BY NICK LAMBERTI

20 // december 2017 // feature

BUILDING A BRIGHTER FUTURE

BV senior creates equipment for people in need carley sherer staff writer At the Blue Valley Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS), students have the opportunity to explore careers they are considering pursuing in the future. Senior Annie Overman is a part of the engineering strand at CAPS and proves just how impactful her passion can be.

“I got involved in CAPS because I like that I’m able to get [real-world] experience [revolving around] what I’m interested in,” she said. “In the engineering strand, you are [assigned] clients.

They tell you want they need built, and you design and create for them on your own or with a group.”

As an engineering student, Overman has been able to build projects for people in need. “[In October,] my group built a Halloween costume for a 10-year-old boy, Shane, who is wheelchair-[bound],” she said.

The class connected with the boy through an organization called Walkin’ and Rollin,’ which provides a custom costume to children with special needs equipment free of charge.

“With the [average] Halloween costume, Shane’s wheelchair table would cover up most of his costume,” she said. “In our CAPS class, we designed and created a Power Ranger costume for him, like he wanted, that went over his wheelchair. [The costume] even has its own control panel with functioning but-

| DESIGN BY CARLEY SHERER

tons, like one that turns on lights in the front of the [ensemble].”

Overman said she was proud of their final product, and seeing Shane’s reaction was a truly special experience.

“Shane was so happy — at one point he pressed all of the buttons we included on his costume and he said, ‘I’m in heaven,’” she said. “It’s really great to see the work you put in make a difference in someone else’s life.”

Shane’s Halloween costume isn’t the only way CAPS engineering students are making a positive impact. The students are able to reach out to a variety of people in need, especially with the program’s 3D-printing capabilities.

“Last semester, my project was to create a prosthetic arm for a little boy who was born without one,” she said. “Since the boy is still growing, his family didn’t have the financial means to buy him a fancy electronic arm, just to purchase a new one [in a few years] when he grows. We were able to make an arm for him for free.”

In the future, Overman plans to continue to use her talents to reach out to more people across the globe.

“I’m hoping to get involved as a Civil Engineer with Engineers without Borders, which is an organization that [travels] to third-world countries to [assist] in rebuilding infrastructure, such as transportation and water-filtration systems,” she said. “Any type of engineering can impact [others] in a pretty big way.”

| ORIGINAL SKETCH BY COLE RILEY

a&e // december 2017 //

21

POWER POWER TO TO THE THE PEOPLE PEOPLE BV students share stories about times they felt empowered

ashley pinkham, 11: “At the end of a [softball] tryout, the coach gathered a group of girls and told us we could never play at the highest level of competitive softball and that we should find new positions to play.

I left that tryout crying and feeling so down on myself. I later tried out for a different team at the same level of play. After leaving that day, my dad received a phone call immediately asking if I would like a spot on that team. That call forever changed my life.”

alan karst, 12: “I feel most empowered when I’m in a huddle with my team before a cross country race.

One or two guys will give a speech reminding us of all the hard work we’ve put in so we can be successful in that moment. I feel invincible on the starting line waiting for the race to begin.”

ryan jacobs, 10: “I’ve told my story of fighting leukemia at lots of events growing up, but Relay [For Life] was really special because I got to share my story with my peers and write and perform a song for everyone.

Music is such a huge part of my life, and being able to share such a meaningful message through something I love made it unforgettable. The song I wrote inspired me to write a musical about childhood cancer that I’m currently working on. So I guess I haven’t lost that sense of empowerment yet, and I owe it all to everyone at Relay who made it so special.”

olivia toles, 12: “It was really hard to find motivation to do school work when my mom died last year, and the only way I could force myself to do all of my make-up work was thinking, ‘I have to do this for college. I have to get into college.’ I actually hung her diploma from Brown University on my wall and used that as a reminder of what I was trying to do. Getting into the [University of Minnesota] took a huge load off my shoulders, and it’s the first time I've felt like I could breathe a little bit from the insane stress and pressure I was under last year to make it through.”

| DESIGN BY

LIZZIE SKIDM ORE

rachel ma, 10: “In middle school, I was having trouble performing a jump in [figure] skating. I was inconsistently completing the jump the week of the competition, which made me really nervous, but I ended up landing the jump when I was competing and beating my personal best. It made me feel as if I could do anything with enough practice.”

jenna mccarty, 10: “When I went into auditions [for ‘Grease’] I was terrified but also knew that if I just went in and had fun, I would do my best. That night I got a callback and went in to read for my dream role. When the cast list came out and I had gotten the role, I felt like I could do anything because I overcame my nerves and stress.”

katrina doherty, 12: “I felt empowered when I brought the program Delete Blood Cancer to BV. I was able to get as many people registered in our first year of the drive as the other schools in our district got after several years. It was really cool to see how many people were willing to help out.”

22 //december 2017 // a&e CRISIS ACTORS

C

risis actors are supposedly actors paid by the government to act in tragedies such as school shootings and bombings to portray suffering. They pretend to be victims or witnesses of the tragedy. The same actor appeared in the Aurora movie theater shooting, the Boston Marathon bombing and the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

These actors have inconsistent stories and appear to be reading from scripts. Believers in this theory judge people in times of grief and use them as evidence to support their theories.

FAKED MOON LANDING

T

hat’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind — sike. Conspiracists say the U.S. government faked the moon landings in a desperate effort to beat the Russians in the Space Race. They claim astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin acted out their mission on a secret film set, located either high in the Hollywood Hills or in Area 51. Stanley Kubrick was said to direct said moon landing. With the few videos and photos of the Apollo missions only available through NASA, there is no outside verification that the moon landing was anything but a hoax.

a&e // december 2017 //

23

CIA CREATED AIDS

I

n 1981, when the HIV/AIDS epidemic was first reported by the government, there’s been talk about the disease being created by the CIA in order to wipe out black and gay people. Political figures on multiple occasions have used their platforms to criticize the U.S. government on creating these diseases in labs. South African president Thabo Mbeki accused the U.S. government of creating the disease in military labs.

Kenyan ecologist Wangari Maathai, when winning the Nobel Peace Prize, used her platform to support the theory. Others blame Richard Nixon when he combined the U.S. biowarfare department and the National Cancer Institute. However, while some believe it was created by the federal government, most scientists agree HIV jumped from chimpanzees to humans as an immunodeficiency disorder.

W

hile it is evident that Tupac Shakur was killed, his killer has still not been caught. Many people believe in various theories, ranging from his competitor Biggie Smalls being involved to even believing Shakur is still alive. On the night of Sept. 7, 1996, after attending a boxing match, Shakur and manager Shug Knight were involved in a fight in the lobby of the MGM Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Orlando Anderson, a member of the Compton-based Southside Crips Gang, was suspected to be the main attacker on Shakur that night. After suffering from four bullet wounds, Shakur died six days later. A theory about Tupac’s killer is that Anderson, with the involvement of the Southside Crips Gang and rapper Biggie Smalls, shot Shakur. Biggie’s motive for Shakur’s death was based on the rivalry between the two.

A more far-fetched theory states that a retired cop named David Meyers, along with Knight, helped Tupac fake his death. This has led to many speculators believing that DEATH OF Shakur is alive and well.

TUPAC SHAKUR

| DESIGN BY NICK LAMBERTI

24 // december 2017 // a&e

SPEND A LITTLE SAVE A LOT This time of year is filled with holiday cheer and celebration, but with all the fun comes lots of gift-giving, new winter clothes, decorations and more food than anyone knows what to do with. The need for all of these items during the holidays is essential. Whether you haven’t given one thought about the upcoming holiday expenses or you’re barely making an ends to everyday demands, saving money can make everyone’s lives a little easier. As Wal-Mart says, “Save Money.Live Better.”

FREE FUN

There’s plenty of activities to do around the winter that are free. At your house, bake some cookies, play board games, watch holiday movies, make paper snowflakes, go caroling and put up decorations.

HOMEMADE GIFTS

Holidays are about showing love for the people you care about the most. So don’t stress yourself out too much about finding the perfect, most expensive gift — instead try giving that special someone a gift made by you.

SECRET SANTA

HOLIDAY DECORATIONS

Making your own decorations is easy and cheaper than buying a bunch of overpriced decor you’ll only put up once a year. YouTube is full of DIY decoration videos that are super creative and affordable.

| DESIGN BY ALLIE AMENT & NICK LAMBERTI

Secret Santa is a great way to save money. Everyone gives and receives a gift. The game requires you to only buy a gift for one person, and usually a low dollar amount is decided. It’s a super fun game to participate with big groups of people.

THRIFT SHOPPING

Save some money on your own shopping splurges by going to the nearest thrift shop.

Why spend $80 on a sweater, when you can purchase any article of clothing for just $5?

a&e // december 2017 //

SNOW FLICKS

25

HOLIDAY MOVIE REVIEWS For most people, the countdown to winter break is agonizing but also motivating. As we shave off the final weeks of first semester, the excitement for freedom only grows. But it can feel like you have more leisure time than you know what to do with. When the boredom sinks in, check out one of these unappreciated holiday movies. |WORDS BY SHAY LAWSON & SADIE MYER

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE Genre: Classic On the Christmas Eve of Bedford Falls, the guardian angel Clarence gets assigned to George to ensure he does not commit suicide. Throughout the movie, we see George’s lasting impact on the people in his life even though he thinks he is worthless.

SHAY This movie was adorable. There were so many different elements like family, loss and revelation that made the plot unique. It is a must-see this holiday season.

SADIE I’m usually not a fan of black-and-white movies, but I really enjoyed the plot line, so it didn’t bother me this time. The story was inspiring and the whole cast was genuine with their roles.

THE NIGHT BEFORE Genre: Comedy On Christmas Eve, life-long friends spend the night in New York City in search of the greatest party ever.

SHAY This movie offers diversity this holiday season.

It follows the festivities of a Jewish man. The movie is hilarious, but is also warm by showing that friendships can remain strong throughout adulthood.

SADIE Although it is rated R, I loved this movie. Along with the laughs, I teared up a couple times, too. This movie shows the real side of life. It subtly reminds viewers what true friends look like. They’re always there to support you, but for the fun, too, of course.

CHRISTMAS WITH THE KRANKS Genre: Comedy A couple decides to skip Christmas after their only daughter goes out of town. It ends up being far more difficult than they expected when even the community seems affected by their new definition of a holiday break.

HOLIDAY BREAKUP Genre: Romance A young couple break up just before the holiday season.

Instead of facing the season-long pity party, they decide to pretend to be together.

SHAY Although the actors in this movie are unfamiliar, this movie kept me entertained from beginning to end. The soundtrack was strong within the film. The plot was somewhat confusing, but the warm tone is definitely worth the watch.

SADIE The plot seemed really cheesy to me, but the movie was done well. I enjoyed that it wasn’t the typical love story.

While parts of it seem predictable, it was the unexpected things that kept me so entertained.

HOLIDAYS Genre: Horror “Holidays” features eight short films — each one relating to a different holiday.

SHAY I know what you’re thinking — horror holiday film? This movie is for the people who enjoy being scared.

There aren’t many Halloween-Christmas movies, but this film keeps the audience on the edge of their seats, which I find captivating.

SADIE I am not a fan of scary movies at all, so I didn’t really enjoy this one. But if you’re into the creepy or terrifying type of movies, check it out.

SHAY This movie is full of so many positive themes. In the film, the Krank family tries to boycott Christmas. This movie is a great example of the true meaning of the holiday spirit.

SADIE I really enjoyed not only the plotline but I was familiar with all three of the lead actors, which made me love it even more. This movie was very unpredictable, which is what made it so funny. I never once got bored or thought about turning it off. |DESIGN BY SADIE MYER & ALLI WILLIAMS

26 //december 2017 // ads

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sports // december 2017 //

27

TRANFERRING TALENT Is it justifiable for student-athletes to pick their high school based on their athletic career, and is our district doing anything to prevent these incidents?

T

he Blue Valley School District is considering revising its transfer policy to prevent students from transferring from middle school to a high school out of their home’s boundary which caters the best to their athletic interests.

The need for such changes were conceived from recent incidents regarding transfers — such as with a recent group of freshmen at BV who switched high schools and now play for the BV football program. Parents expressed their dissatisfaction with the current guidelines to the district, who said they are complying fully with KSHSAA guidelines but want to do more to prevent future incidents. The district said this situation is not unique to BV — every high school has their own athletic programs which attract student-athletes from all over. | WORDS BY KYLE ELMENDORF | DESIGN & PHOTO BY MOLLY HOLMES

28 //december 2017 // sports

FROM DISTRICT OFFICE

B

lue Valley School District’s Director of School Administration and District Athletic Director Lane Green went to each high school in the district to talk to many discontent parents who were upset because they believe the district policy allows for kids to transfer to whichever school has the best sports program for their student.

In the meeting at BV North on Oct. 18, parents discussed a specific example with the BV freshman football program, in which they believe students are leaving other high schools in the district to go to BV and play for a superior program.

Green said problems like this occur when a particular program is especially successful.

He said all districts in the state subscribe to the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) rules. He said the rule governing transfer kids for athletically motivated reasons — Rule 18 — is the longest and most complex rule in the handbook by far.

“Once you go to class for the first day of your freshman year, you establish that school as your high school,” Green said. “If you transfer after that, you [can’t play sports] for 18 weeks.”

Green said it is difficult to regulate kids transferring from eighth grade to ninth grade because it is impossible to prove a student’s intent for transferring.

“They really don’t have any rules about selecting your initial high school based on athletic-motivated reasons,” Green said. “They discourage it.”

Green said all eighth graders get a “free pass” because many students go to different high schools — public or private — for an array of reasons. He said the allegations at BV are not serious and no hard evidence of any rule breaking has been presented.

“Whenever you have a successful program, people are going to find things to point their finger at,” Green said. “It’s just what comes with being successful.”

With accusations regarding the transferring of the freshman football situation, he said there has been nothing more than informal accusations, and the situation is nothing more than students who transferred high schools who happened to play football.

“We’ve seen it before and it happens in all districts,” Green said. “I’ve been at [the] Shawnee Mission [School District], I’ve been in this job in Olathe, and it happened there, too.

Whenever you get certain athletes, maybe more than usual, transferring to a school and that school happens to be highly successful in that sport, you’re going to get some finger pointing in that situation.”

Green said if a student ever requests to transfer, and said it is for athletic or activity-related reasons the application will be rejected, but if there is ever a student who wants to move for reasons that aren’t allowed, the parents usually give a pretext to get approved. He said scenarios like this are part of the reason they are reviewing the transfer rules.

“For the last couple years, we have been starting to talk about our transfer guidelines in our district,” Green said. “We have found, over the years we’ve gotten maybe a little away from that policy. We’re looking to see if we need to button things up a little bit, not just for the athletic reason, but for many reasons — staffing, school sizes, making sure a school doesn’t get too full.”

He said the meetings were scheduled long before the freshman football team at BV was an issue — it just happened to surface at the same time as the meetings.

Green said the freshman football situation doesn’t need resolving because of the frequency of events like this all over the district.

He said the transfer process is extremely easy and they are looking into how to tighten up some of the transfer restrictions. Green said although there are a few problems that come from lax transfer policies, there are many benefits from transfer students — who make up 10 percent of the school district.

“We recognize sometimes transfers are a really good thing, and we’ve seen a lot of examples where it’s really helped somebody out to get a fresh start,” Green said. “What we don’t want to do is be violating KSHSAA rules in having students transfer for athletic-motivated reasons or activitymotivated reasons. It’s just one of those things we’re trying to coin up and make sure it’s not happening, but this falls in the category of easier said than done.”

“Whenever you have a successful program, people are going to find things to point their finger at. It’s just what comes with being successful.”

51%

of students think athleticmotivated transfers should be allowed

48% of students think there shouldn’t be restrictions on athlete transfers BASED ON A SURVEY OF 140 STUDENTS

sports // december 2017 //

29

| PHOTO BY MOLLY HOLMES

FROM THE FIELD

C

hase Jans is a freshman at BV who plays for the football team. Although he goes to BV, he attended a middle school in the BV Northwest feeder system.

He plays running back and cornerback for the Freshman-A football team as well as the Sophomore team.

Jans said changing high schools after middle school was an easy process, and he hasn’t had a difficult time fitting in at BV and he has no regrets about his decision to transfer.

“I just had to fill out a little bit of paperwork about why I wanted to come,” Jans said. “I knew people before I came, but not a lot of people. It’s just a lot better here [at BV].”

Jans said he never intended to attend BV Northwest, and his final decision came down to either BV, St. Thomas

Aquinas or Bishop Miege. He said he chose BV despite being offered scholarships from the private schools.

“I was always not going to go to Northwest,” Jans said. “[Private schools were] talking [to me] like, ‘We’ll pay you to come here scholarship-wise.’ We were still going to have to pay a little bit [of tuition].”

Jans said he is aware some people are upset he, along with some other freshmen, transferred to BV, but he said it doesn’t affect him.

“I’ve been hearing about that,” Jans said. “I’ve been hearing about it a lot from my old teammates and coaches from other schools, they’re upset, but it made me want to beat them worse. We beat them 50-0.”

WHAT IS RECRUITING?

“Recruiting is basically any agent of a school trying to get a kid to go to that school for athletic motivated reasons,” Green said. “An agent of the school can be the coach, the principal, the athletic director, a parent in the program [or] it can even be one of the athletes in the program. KSHSAA basically says [recruiting happens] anytime you try to coerce a kid to go to another school other than their feeder pattern.”

Green said he is aware on only one documented incident of a school trying to recruit a student-athlete. He said it

occurred in 1981 in another school district, and the school was put on probation. He said there has never been anyone making any accusations toward the BV football program of doing anything remotely close to recruiting.

“The integrity of the BV football program is beyond reproach,” Green said. “I have never once had one other coach, one other employee, one other anybody in this district ever even hint of any of our athletic programs doing anything in the area for recruiting.”

30 // december 2017 // sports

TIGER TURF | PHOTO BY LILY GOODWIN Practicing a shot, senior Michael Jones prepares for the upcoming basketball games.

“I’m sad that it’s my last year to play as a tiger,” he said, “[but] I’m excited and hope we do well this year.” | PHOTO BY LILY GOODWIN Shooting a basket, junior Jacey Eastham practices during the basketball preseason. “We have a good group of girls this year that are ready to make the season fun,” she said.

| PHOTO BY KAITLIN YU Wrestling a teammate, senior Ben Mullinix resists being pinned by junior Ethan Meuret. “[I have the] responsibility as an upperclassmen to encourage the others and keep them motivated throughout the season,” he said.

| PHOTO BY KAITLIN YU Running the ball, junior Eric Olson attempts a to gain a first down for the football team during the Sub-state game. “We started off pretty slow,” he said. “I think we picked it up toward the end.”

| DESIGN BY MELANIE WHITE

sports // december 2017 //

31

| PHOTO BY KAITLIN YU

BV students sign Letter of Intent to play at the next level cassidy carpenter staff writer Every year on Nov. 8, thousands of athletes from all over the country sign their letters of intent to play their sport at the collegiate level.

This year, four athletes from Blue Valley participated in signing day.

Senior Jake Faust signed his commitment to play baseball at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. Faust said he received his first offers in high school but initially realized he wanted to play in college when he was in eighth grade.

“I was first approached by Kansas City Kansas Community College freshman year,” Faust said.

“They couldn’t even talk to me because I wasn’t old enough, so they

Fall 2017 Signees

talked to my coach.”

Although he started to get offers when he was an underclassman, he didn’t officially start the recruiting process until the summer before his junior year. Faust said the process interfered with his playing ability.

“Sometimes, the recruiting process was hard because I just wanted to play baseball,” Faust said. “At one point, I just didn’t want to play anymore because it’s frustrating and stressful.”

According to NCAA rules, a college is not allowed to reach out to a recruit until Sept. 1 of their junior year in high school; however, the player is allowed to reach out before then.

Faust said in addition to Benedictine, he received interest from

seven other schools, including KU, Nebraska and Georgia.

In the spring of his sophomore year, Faust found out he had a torn labrum and would have to take a break from baseball to let it heal.

One thing Faust said he liked about Benedictine was how the coach stuck with him through his injury.

Additionally, Faust said he enjoyed the Benedictine campus and its proximity to home.

“I didn’t want to go too far,” Faust said, “I still wanted to go visit my family, but it’s also far enough where I still get the experience of living on my own. It’s 2,000 students, which is small, but I feel like that’s perfect for my personality.

It’s such a beautiful campus. That’s what really made it feel like home.”

Jake Faust

Grace Garcia

Mia Garton

Alex Stanek

Benedictine Baseball Evangel Softball

South Dakota Softball Drury Softball

| DESIGN BY CASSIDY CARPENTER

32 //december 2017 // news

CAPS-TURING CAPS CREATIVITY VETERINARY MEDICINE

VETERINARY MEDICINE

| PHOTO BY JULIE FRIEJAT Holding a turtle, senior Natalie Walters examines its shell.

Walters joined the veterinary strand of the BV CAPS program this year. “[ Joining CAPS] has always been a big goal of mine,” she said “I always just really wanted to be a vet. I love the whole program in general,” she said.

FOUNDATIONS OF MEDICINE 2

| PHOTO

BY MELANIE WHITE Senior Jessica Justmann participates in the course’s weekly exercise. Foundations of Medicine 2 students pursue their Certified Nursing Assistant certification by completing education is the classroom and lab, then finishing 25 hours of clinical rotations. | PHOTO BY KAITLIN YU Working on a project, senior Michael Dowling edits his project for Multimedia Journalism in the CAPS program.

In this class, students learn about journalistic media production, public relations and advertising. “It has been a fun experience to do something different within the school system and to explore the different areas of journalism,” he said.

MULTIMEDIA MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISM JOURNALISM

| PHOTO BY MELANIE WHITE Roleplaying a concussed player, senior Madi Mohar, allows her fellow students to examine her symptoms. Students in the sports medicine strand of CAPS learn about preventing, managing and rehabilitating injuries in athletes and active citizens. Sports medicine students practice skills in the lab and work with healthcare professionals and BV’s athletic trainers.

SPORTS MEDICINE MEDICINE SPORTS

| DESIGN BY MELANIE WHITE