The Tiger Print — February 2009

the

print TIGER

B LU E VA L L E Y H I G H S C H O O L

Vol. 39 Issue 7

February 2009

Debate dynasty Team becomes first to win both 6A state championships (pgs. 12-13)

District cuts budget (pg. 3) Squeeze forces $4.8 million in district cuts

Euphonious sounds (pg. 9)

Senior garners national acclaim on euphonium

Doing it all (pg. 11 )

Junior finds time for 9 activities, 5 AP classes

Stilwell, Kan.

inthenews

Hot topics from Blue Valley...

Assigned parking poses enforcement issues

1. Principal taped to wall for robotics fundraiser On Feb. 10, the Robotics Club taped Principal Scott Bacon to the wall. The tape-up took place in the lunchroom throughout all lunch periods. Each student could purchase a two-foot piece of tape for $1.

The tape-up was also a class competition. The sophomores came in first with 38 pieces of tape, juniors second with 29, seniors third with 16 and freshmen brought up the rear with four.

“It made me happy that Mr. Bacon agreed to do this,” Robotics Club sponsor Trevor Sutcliffe said. “It really shows how much he cares for the students and how willing he is to help in any way.”

Along with a few other donations, the tape-up netted the club $101. By Andrew Fiori.

2. Knowledge bowl team misses out on trip to DC Blue Valley’s four teams in the Science Knowledge Bowl all finished in the top 20 out of 60 teams. The team of juniors Grant Meyer, Yanjie Yu and Johnathon Davis, sophomore Gautham Prakash and freshman Allen Zhu finished second overall.

Had they won their final match, they would’ve qualified to compete in the national competition in Washington, D.C. The entire team will be returning next season, when they hope to clinch a spot in nationals. By Spencer Goldenberg.

3. Categories wins first match, sees season end

The Categories team lost to Shawnee Mission East 26-23, ending their hopes of making the playoffs, which were on Feb. 2.

“I wasn’t disappointed,” coach Adam Wade said. “We should be headed towards a really good season next year.”

One week earlier, Wade and his team won their first match of the season, beating Shawnee Mission North 22-18.

Wade said the team finally got to experience the sweet taste of victory.

The team’s top performers, Kevin Hansen and Yanjie Yu contributed 15 of the team’s points in the win.

“It felt really good because we hadn’t won yet,” Yu said. By Stephanie Roche.

4. Journalism students place at regionals

Twelve newspaper and yearbook students placed in regionals at Emporia State University Feb. 20. They qualified to compete at State May 2 in Lawrence.

Junior Allison Kohn received first place in news writing and junior AJ Barbosa took third in newspaper sports writing. Senior Conner Combes placed second in sports photography and senior Tyler Duke finished first in yearbook sports writing.

Sophomore Gretchen Hess (yearbook sports writing), junior Stephanie Roche (newspaper design), junior Sarah Clancey (yearbook copy writing) and seniors Mitchell Smith (news writing and headline writing), Tom Roudebush (sports photography), Keegan Shepard (cutline writing), Kyra Storm (editing) and Robert Kelly (editorial cartoon) all received honorable mentions and will also compete at state. By Nathan Lindshield.

5. Students able to enroll in online summer classes Sign-ups for online classes this summer are now underway.

Classes offered are American Government, Computer Applications and Health.

Other courses will be available in the fall.

Counselors stress that these classes aren’t for everyone.

“Candidates for the new online courses are typically wellorganized and punctual,” counselor Tom Hult said. “I would not recommend these courses to students who juggle a lot of other activities.”

Interested students should stop by the counseling office before March 6 to sign up. It costs $250 for a semester of an online class.

By Shannon Valverde.

0 2 FEBRUARY 2009

Every day, students look for places to park in the midst of the cramped parking lot. Seniors complain that underclassmen are parking in reserved spaces, causing those seniors to occupy another spot and creating a domino effect.

Students also complain of problems finding spots to park in the sophomore and junior lots. Freshmen are occupying spaces in the sophomore and junior lot, contributing to the parking problem. Photo by Conner Combes.

caitlinholland staff writer

Students arrive at school every morning looking for that one parking spot, which sometimes seems impossible to find.

Seniors’ designated parking spots are being taken by underclassmen and juniors’ spots are being taken by sophomores.

School employees and substitute teachers are taking spots that belong to and were paid for by students.

Campus Police Officer Dennis Randall is forced to sort out the confusion every day, a process that can be considered tedious for everyone involved.

“People become lazy and don’t want to walk 10 steps,” Randall said. “It causes problems for us.”

When another student takes a senior’s designated parking space, Randall has to identify the license plate number of the car in the spot and find the student based on the parking pass in the car.

Students usually face a $25 fine for parking in the wrong section of the parking lot. If a ticket goes unpaid for three months, ISS and OSS become options for punishment.

Seniors who graduate without paying tickets could be turned over to a collection agency. The $25 fine could then be turned into debt.

Junior Josh Harmon was forced to pay a $25

ticket when he parked in a senior parking space.

He said that he only did this because all the junior spots were taken, and the senior the spot belonged to graduated at semester.

“Why should I have to park in a place I had to as a sophomore, again?” Harmon said.

Harmon said that if the parking lot set up returned to the way it was last year, without assigned spaces, most of the problems would be solved.

Because assigned parking spaces aren’t about to be abolished, Harmon suggests that Randall should check the lot every day in order to keep problems to a minimum.

“I know he’s doing his job, but if he’s going to do it, he should be consistent and check every single day,” Harmon said.

Sophomore Nik Franklin has noticed problems not only in the junior and senior parking lot, but in the sophomore one as well.

“Sometimes, there are freshman who park in the sophomore lot who aren’t supposed to,” Franklin said. “It’s annoying.”

Along with noticing that students are taking spots that don’t belong to them, Franklin noted that the size of the spots aren’t large enough for all the students’ cars.

Franklin drives a 2006 Hummer H3.

“The spots are kind of small,” he said. “Its hard to fit my car in some of those spaces.”

inthenews

School budgets slashed, most cuts at District Office mitchsmith editor-in-chief

The school district announced $4.8 million in budget cuts this month as the state prepared to slash school funding for the current year.

“I think it’s a time when we need to analyze what we’ve done, distinguish between needs and wants and plan accordingly,” Principal Scott Bacon said.

About 90 percent of the cuts will be contained to District Office, where two currently vacant assistant superintendent jobs are just some of the positions being eliminated.

According to Deputy Superintendent Al Hanna, the district aimed to limit classroom impact in this first round of cuts.

“We’ve tried very hard to minimize impact in the classrooms,” Hanna said.

The district also raised student technology fees and facility rental fees, increases they project will bring $650,000 in additional revenue.

Bacon echoes Hanna’s hopes

that students don’t see many immediate changes after these cuts.

“I’d like to do it in such a way that students and staff hardly know it’s happening, but it’s being done,” Bacon said.

The cuts for this year became necessary as state legislators scrambled this month to make up a more than $300 million budget shortfall.

Concerns abound as to how the state will deal with the much greater deficit projected for next year.

The state expects a deficit of about $1 billion and Hanna said that some of that will be made up through decreases in school funding.

“It’s inevitable that we’re going to have some kind of significant budget cut next year,” Hanna said.

The state cut the district’s budget for this year by about $1 million.

Hanna hopes that, by trimming more than what was required, the district will insulate itself from future budget cuts.

Expires March 31, 2009.

Public education makes up 52 percent of the state budget, meaning the upcoming deficit will likely require more district cutbacks.

Hanna will be heading a committee that will suggest future cuts to the Board of Education.

That committee has also set up a spot on the district web site for community members to suggest possible cuts.

The committee will present its findings in March before giving patrons a chance to voice their thoughts in public forums.

If all goes well, the Board could vote on the cuts at its April 13 meeting.

At the building level, Bacon is concerned that the problem might get worse. He still hopes to avoid any direct impact on students.

“Well, yeah, if it got really bad that concerns me,” he said. “I’d like to think the last place we’d have to dip is into the classroom or into our staff.”

According to the district’s budget reduction summary, three math paras are the only

positions being eliminated in schools. AVID will also see some staffing cuts and the administrative intern position will become half-time.

Bacon is already planning to scale back several programs at the school level.

He said that corporate sponsorships will be explored while teacher compensation for extra duty and supervision may be reduced.

He also plans to reevaluate student transportation to activities and reduce Friday and Saturday School to just one day a week.

“I’ll just have to scrutinize the budget line item by line item,” Bacon said.

He added that District Office also asked him to save five percent of the school’s budget for this year to be placed in a contingency fund.

The fund could be used to counter drastic funding cuts in coming years.

In order to do this, Bacon trimmed each department’s budget by 10 percent.

“Ten percent is a lot of money,” science department chair John Holloway said. “The science department budget is a little higher than some of the other departments because of the equipment we buy.”

With more cuts looming, Hanna said his office frequently hears from patrons who don’t understand the construction of three new schools.

Hanna said that the money for these new schools comes from separate funds that are not being cut by the state.

The state is only cutting the operating budget. The funds to build the new schools come from money in the capital outlay and bonds budgets that will not be affected.

Hanna said the district will also receive bonus funds for opening the new buildings.

But for this year, Bacon hopes the school is able to unite to get through this process.

“It’s a tough time for everybody,” Bacon said. “I think it’s a time where we all have to pull together.”

Expires March 31, 2009.

FEBRUARY 2009 0 3

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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 kim dacus andrew fiori spencer goldenberg caitlin holland brock humphrey rachel mccullough ryan o’toole steven reno shannon valverde photographers conner combes tom roudebush advertising manager noopur goel circulation manager tyler duke contributing cartoonist robert kelly adviser jill chittum The Tiger Print is published nine times a year for the students, faculty and the surrounding community of Blue Valley High School. It is an open forum for student expression. Therefore, the opinions expressed within this newspaper do not necessarily reflect the views of the administration of Blue Valley Unified School District #229.

Letters to the editor and reader responses are encouraged. Letters must be signed in order to be considered for publication. The Tiger Print reserves the right to edit all submissions for both language and content and encourages letters to be no more than 350 words. Letters should be submitted to room 450, e-mailed to thetigerprint@yahoo.com or mailed to: The Tiger Print c/o Blue Valley High School 6001 W. 159th St. Stilwell, KS 66085 email: thetigerprint@yahoo.com 913-239-4800 The Tiger Print also encourages guest photography.

Photos should be submitted to room 450 with information pertaining to the photo.

Front cover: Principal Scott Bacon recognizes seniors Josh Dean and Taylor Nichols at the debate pep assembly this month. The team became Kansas’ first to win the 6A two- and four-speaker state titles in the same year.

Photo by Amanda Blue.

Illustration by Robert Kelly.

Students should appreciate 1st Amendment rights

staff

editorial

More than 200 years ago, our founding fathers ratified the Bill of Rights. However, our freedoms of religion, press, assembly, speech and petition, guaranteed in the Bill, are taken for granted.

This is National Scholastic Journalism Week.

It’s a week dedicated to the recognition and education of the First Amendment and its impact on the world of journalism, particularly with students. It commemorates the fact that students are allowed to have a school newspaper as an open forum for student opinion without the fear of censorship.

Surprisingly enough, many of the most prominent court cases con-

cerning the First Amendment have involved high school students.

In Tinker v. Des Moines, three teenagers were suspended from school after sporting black armbands to peacefully protest the Vietnam War. Despite a school rule prohibiting the use of armbands, the students wore them anyway. When brought in front of the Supreme Court, the students argued that their freedom of speech had been violated. The Court ruled that the students held the same rights in school as an adult would in a different surrounding.

In 1988, 19 years later, The Hazelwood Decision passed. The principal of Hazelwood East High School in St. Louis decided to censor an issue of the paper without the consent of the newspaper staff. The controversial stories about teen pregnancy and divorce were edited out. The angered

staff brought the argument to court, stating that their freedom of the press had been undermined. Unfortunately for the students, the court ruled in favor of the school, agreeing that the principal had the right to censor the student publication.

Thankfully, the Kansas Student Publication Act was passed in 1992.

This new law prohibited the censorship of student publications by school officials. When it comes to the significance of this week, maybe The Tiger Print is a little biased. But that doesn’t mean that the rest of the student body shouldn’t understand its importance as well.

The First Amendment gives citizens the right to speak their mind on anything from the bad parking lot to the rate of minimum wage. It allows student media to become a vehicle for change, education and honesty.

raise

your voice How do you use your First Amendment rights?

sophomore Courtney Ramirez

senior Jim Keegan

“I speak my mind and I say what I feel.”

“I like to say what I want when I say it.”

junior Grant Meyer

“I don’t have to worry about what I say. I can talk about a variety of topics without being censored.”

freshman Mackie Louis

“We get to speak our minds and we can protest and be part of things we believe in.”

FEBRUARY 2009 0 5

outloud

Sexting can lead to legal trouble Students must take responsibility for actions, learn from mistakes of others

It seems pretty harmless at first.

You press a button, you hear a clicking noise, you send it to your friend.

Unfortunately, what starts as a casual romantic engagement can quickly snowball into a serious crime.

It’s called “sexting.” And, editor-in-chief • Mitch Smith for those of you who haven’t heard, it consists of sending nude photos through picture messaging on cell phones or other wireless devices.

Thing is, sending naked pictures is considered pornography. Sending naked pictures of minors is child pornography.

What does all of this mean? Well, in short, it means that both the person in the picture and the people who receive it are committing a sex crime. If charges were pressed, they could both face jail time and be required to register as sex offenders.

Until recently, sexting had largely been a closet issue at Blue Valley. While the topic had received national attention from 60 Minutes and other media outlets, no problems had ever been reported at BV. But, according to School Resource Officer Ken Braden, several students were questioned this month in connec-

MITCH’s pitches

tion with an e-mail containing sexually explicit photos of students.

According to a Kansas City Star report, similar incidents occurred recently at both Blue Valley Northwest and Shawnee Mission South.

Since all involved are minors, names and specifics of the cases are confidential.

But the gory details aren’t what’s important here.

What’s important is that students must recognize the potential risks of their actions.

Braden said that most of the students he spoke to hadn’t considered the consequences of sexting.

“Part of the problem you have is the legality of this,” he said. “Young people don’t think, ‘I’m 14 years old and you’re 14 years old and you’re sending nude pictures of yourself over wireless, that’s pornography. And, if you’re under 18, that’s child pornography.’”

On many levels, Braden is right. Students didn’t think.

But I refuse to believe that teenage students didn’t know that sending or looking at nude images of their underage bodies was illegal.

The problem here isn’t that we’re digging up some obscure law that nobody’s ever heard of or wasting resources on a crime that doesn’t affect anyone.

Child pornography is not an abstract concept. In fact, it’s pretty cut and dried: it’s illegal to look at or send sexually explicit images of a minor.

And don’t think that this was just some innocent act.

Granted, the students involved here made themselves

victims. But, in their naivety, they thought that their pictures were going to just one other person — a person they thought they could trust. They had no idea that their most private images would be eventually forwarded to what Braden calls a “large number” of their peers.

This problem came from a sort of hormone-infused impulsiveness that could have landed normally good kids in jail and on the sex offender registry. Luckily, it didn’t.

The important thing now is that students learn from the pitfalls of this dangerous practice.

Braden has now stepped up efforts to teach students about the risks of sexting.

“What I want to do is educate our young people,” he said. “That’s the focus of what my investigation was — educating people.”

Hopefully, these efforts will pay off. Perhaps some good can come out of this situation if it helps another student avoid legal trouble.

Frankly, it’s sad that it takes this much. Self-respect should be enough to stop this from ever happening in the first place.

You see, what starts as a private picture between two friends can balloon quickly. And next time, it might end in handcuffs.

Technology gives us the ability to do many things that once seemed impossible.

But, before you press that button, hear that click and send that picture to a friend, consider the consequences.

Because now you can’t say you didn’t know.

Smoke

Blowing Substance is illegal for many, harmful for all

I am a firm believer in don’t knock it 'til you try it. That being said, I am also a firm believer in not dying from lung cancer. stephanieroche I don't have a problem with other people smoking, it is their life and they should do what makes them happy. But I start to have an opinion once you bring it around me.

One of the many privileges I enjoy as a human being is breathing. I prefer my air to be clean.

The smoking ban passed by the intelligent Overland Park residents was a breath of fresh air. Literally.

I never thought I would be able to eat in a restaurant without smoke entering my system.

Second-hand smoke kills.

And I’m not just talking about people here. Due to my grandpa smoking two packs a day, this world was shorted two parakeets.

myvoice

Photo by Tom Roudebush.

0 6 FEBRUARY 2009

I am going to be cliché here. In no way does smoking make you look cool. If you are doing it just to be able to say, “Can I bum a cigarette?” drop it now.

Let’s think about it. Most of the people at this school are underage. Therefore, it is illegal for most of you to be smoking. However, that is not the most idiotic part of it. You bring it to school.

Really? This is the place you choose to smoke? Because there is no way you could get caught here...

My solution: don’t smoke. But if you see no way around it, do it at home. Your parents won’t allow it? I guess you’re screwed.

It is not something to take lightly. I never got to meet my grandma because of this disease and she never got to meet me.

The next time you consider lighting up, ask yourself, “Who else am I hurting by doing this?”

So go ahead, call me a dweeb or judgmental. But don’t call me stupid.

I’m not the one stuffing my lungs full of poison. And I don’t need you to stuff them for me.

outloud

OMG (-: IM TXTN IN CLASS Students use conspicuous ways to hide phones during school

Photos by Amanda Blue.

I hear the clicks and taps, and I know our teachers do as myvoice well. Every day in class I see my classmates texting away in the middle of a lecture. Take a look around next hour, and you will also see hands slip into pockets to retrieve cell phones caitlinholland and Blackberries. This happens every day, every hour and practically every second of our lives.

Everyone knows everyone texts in class, so let’s stop pretending like we're in the Secret Service when we try to get away with it. Honestly, we’re not involved in secretive government organizations for a reason — and it shows when we text in class.

I’ve examined the field and, quite frankly, I’ve seen some of the sorriest attempts to hide a phone in class that have ever been drummed up in the history of high school. And, I admit, I'm guilty of putting them into action as well.

These are the worst ways to hide your phone in class, so save yourself from looking ridiculous and don’t try them again.

Behind the bag: Purses and backpacks are meant for one thing, and one thing only — to hold stuff. Some of us, however, think that our favorite Vera Bradley bag turns into a shield when we want to text in class. News flash, it doesn't. It doesn't take that long to dig a book out of your bag and, let’s face it, there’s no way an assignment deserves that much attention.

The wall of books: While some of us pretend our bags are impenetrable shields, others choose to actually build a real wall. Books, binders, notebooks, and who knows what else all magically transform themselves into the massive structure comparable only to the Great Wall of China.

In the end, no matter how many hours you've spent sketching out your desk-sized wall, it does look a little bit suspicious. It’s not worth the effort of carrying all that stuff around just to send a text in class. Oh, and have fun picking all that stuff up when your classmate accidently knocks it all down on the way to turn in her test.

Oops, I dropped my pencil. Not. Somewhere across the room a pencil hits the floor. Hurried, repetitive ticks follow quickly afterward. Another classic, and ultra-obvious texting attempt just took place. It goes a little something like this: first I'll casually nudge my pencil off the desk with my elbow. Then, I'll turn away and find the perfect angle to pick up my pencil and send a speedy text all in one swift movement. It’s foolproof. At least we seem to think it is.

In the end…

Let’s face it. We aren’t CIA agents., we are high school students. So, don’t try to fake out your teachers anymore. Put the phone away and save that text for later.

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‘the best in the country’ Senior chosen to play euphonium in national honor band

Senior Danny Wood practices his euphonium in a symphonic band brass sectional. Wood was one of only four euphonium players selected to participate in the Bands of America National Honor Band in March. Photo by Amanda Blue.

nathanlindshield news editor

The skill required to play any instrument, let alone be good at playing that instrument, is difficult to acquire. The daily practice time demands the discipline and desire characterized by that of only a motivated musician.

For senior Danny Wood, there is no question that his hard work has qualified him as one of these musicians. While most people would find the task of having to master one instrument difficult enough, Wood has gained acclaim on both the euphonium and trombone.

Every year, a group of the nation’s top high school band musicians are carefully selected to participate in the Bands of America National Honor Band in Indianapolis.

This year, Wood was one of the few chosen to participate.

“As a freshman, he was a good player,” band director Avian Bear said. “He has always been driven and has worked a tremendous amount over the next four years to get this award.”

His peers in band also feel his accomplishment is warranted.

“He deserves it because he’s the best in the country on trombone and euphonium,” senior Pete Marten said.

To be considered for the band, students must submit a recorded excerpt of music to the committee.

The committee then sifts through thousands of auditions from around the country to determine the best ones. The students who made the band were notified in December.

“It’s the highest honor that can be given to a

high school band student,” Bear said.

The band will rehearse March 18-20.

“Everyone who makes it will have a chance to meet one another and they have a guest conductor who works with you,” Wood said.

Wood is one of only four students chosen by the committee to play the euphonium. There are a total of 100 students who are selected to perform in the band.

This is far from the first major distinction Wood has been awarded with since participating in band.

“I was first chair All-State euphonium player last year in All-State and this year I was all-state trombone player in All-State band,” he said. “The trombone is a little harder to play than the euphonium because it is harder to operate.”

Being that the amount of work it takes to become eligible to be in the Honor Band of America is so intensive, Wood feels a great sense of accomplishment from this achievement.

“At first I was surprised because I knew it was a tough band to make,” he said. “After I made it I was very happy and excited. I am curious to know what it’s going to be like.”

Wood does not plan to stop participating in band after high school. He hopes to continue performing at Truman State University, where he plans to play in the marching band and other ensembles.

In addition to college band, Wood hopes to make the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps, a select group of marching band students who compete in world-class competition against other drum corps.

Aside from continuing in band, Wood plans to study actuarial science, which applies mathematical and statistical methods to assess risk in the insurance and finance industries.

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upclose

The Legendary Mr. Caldwell Building substitute Pollard Caldwell poses with juniors Emily Swenson and Sarah Cromer and senior Christophe Gallet and his “regular black decaf” coffee. Photo by Conner Combes.

Caldwell’s kicks Coffee: Just regular black decaf.

Newspaper section: Anything about the students. I don’t care about the other stuff.

BV sport: All of them, because that’s part of the job.

Television show: How about some KU basketball?

Music: Old folks’ stuff...like ‘40s and ‘50s. I wouldn’t listen to the stuff you guys listen to. That’s yucky.

Pollard Caldwell, aka Mr. Legs 2008, is as wellknown to students at Blue Valley as pick-up trucks and Vera Bradley bags. He’s been here for 10 years with a newspaper and a mug of coffee as his most well-known trademarks.

Caldwell is, in fact, the building substitute for Blue Valley High.

“I get to come here every day and teach something different,” he said. “I am also stadium and gymnasium manager so I get to see most of the games that the kids play, which is fun.”

Caldwell said he usually has someone to substitute for every day.

“I get to ‘be’ the first person who calls in saying they’re not going to be here,” he said.

Caldwell graduated from college in Wisconsin and taught there for five years before selling stocks and bonds and even some panty hose along the road. He chose to work at Blue Valley as a retirement job and fell in love with the atmosphere here.

“I like the students and everybody that works here,” Caldwell said, “It’s a nice, pleasant place to be.”

Outside of school, Caldwell fills his time with numerous activities.

“I watch my grandkids’ games and activities, play golf, work out,” he said. “I do gardening and yard work and I go to musical shows.”

by katielouis features editor

Caldwell works out on the elliptical in the Fitness Center after school. Photo by Conner Combes.

Graduation requirements: the method behind the madness ryano’toole staff writer

The graduation requirements actually mean something. They match up almost perfectly with admissions standards at the Kansas Regents schools and fall just short of those for the University of Missouri system.

Although colleges have several either/or qualifications, all students have to pass an accredited high school curriculum and have all necessary classes.

For graduation, BV requires four units of communication arts, three units of math, social studies and science, one unit of computers, one unit of fine arts and a semester of health.

Kansas Regents schools require all the classes needed for

1 0 FEBRUARY 2009

graduation except health.

The course requirements were decided to give high school students the best preparation for college level classes.

“We follow the Kansas Board of Regents guidelines,” Emporia State University director of Admissions Laura Eddy said. “We’re one of six Regent universities who all follow the guidelines.”

The other Kansas Regents schools are Fort Hays State University, the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, Pittsburg State University and Wichita State University.

“There’s a lot of history,” Vanessa Lamoreaux, Associate Director of Communications for the Kansas Regents, said.

“The short answer is that the requirements were decided through the legislative process.”

The requirements were last changed by the Kansas Legislature in 1998. A change in the requirements is passed like any other bill in the State Congress.

Accredited high school classes for each discipline must meet criteria set by a task force for the same discipline in the mid ‘90s.

Blue Valley has been accredited every year since the 2002-2003 school year and is accredited through July 2010.

Missouri state schools have different requirements from Kansas schools but also have one set of standards for all schools in the state system.

“The requirements are the same for all four UM schools,” University of Missouri Admissions Representative Jess Soete said. “They’re decided by the Board of Curators.”

University of Missouri requires all the classes needed to graduate, in addition to a fourth year of math and two years of the same foreign language.

Kansas Regents schools don’t require any foreign language.

“We found that students who had taken the curriculum had a higher success rate,” Soete said. “The foreign language has just proven to make students more successful.”

The requirements for Missouri schools haven’t changed since the mid ’90s, when the board changed to make the requirements more rigorous.

“I can’t really say specifically why, because I wasn’t around then,” Soete said. “They wanted them to get more out of high school.”

upclose

r e t p n e su d u st

Junior Monica Roy Chowdhury (center) performs a lab in the Science Outreach Program.

Electricity from a Tesla coil went through the stool caused Roy Chowdhury to jump up. Photo by Amanda Blue.

Junior Monica Roy Chowdhury finds time to be involved in nine activities and take five Advanced Placement classes.

emilystrickland managing editor

Indian dance is one of junior Monica Roy Chowdhury’s many passions. She dances about three-four hours a week at her studio, Nritya. Photo submitted by Roy Chowdhury.

It is 12:30 a.m. Everything is quiet and dark, except for junior Monica Roy Chowdhury who is up, yet again, finishing her homework. With her load of coursework and activities, 12:30 is almost an early bedtime for her.

“I normally go to bed around 12 to one every night,” she said. “I don’t really sleep much, but I’ve found I don’t need much sleep. But that’ll probably be bad in the long run.”

It’s not uncommon for a high schooler to get between five and six hours of sleep every night, but for Roy Chowdhury, that is a good night’s sleep.

There’s a lot of work to be done for her nine cocurricular and extra-curricular activities. She also takes five Advanced Placement classes.

“I’m taking the AP tests for all of them,” she said. “I’m kind of nervous and I want to do well, but I won’t kill myself over studying.”

Roy Chowdhury takes these challenging classes because she’s interested in them. Her schedule is science and math heavy because she wants to major in medicine and minor in psychology.

“That’s the tentative plan,” she said.

“I have a lot of college choices for next year. I’m looking around everywhere. I

basically want to get out of Kansas for a new setting.”

With the increasing pressure on teenagers to succeed in everything, Roy Chowdhury says sometimes she feels the pressure of all her responsibilities.

“My parents have a lot of expectations for me to get all A’s,” she said.

“It’s hard to get all A’s but it’s definitely possible. It’s hard sometimes and I get stressed. And to de-stress I listen to music or take a quick power nap.”

Her teachers know she, like all high school students, feels pressure to succeed. But they feel that she handles it very well. Her calculus teacher, Adam Wade, said she successfully balances all her activities with her academics.

“She handles stress very well and always maintains a sunny disposition,” Wade said. “Monica is exceptional because she is so well-rounded. It’s very difficult to balance everything she does and the fact that she achieves this balance at such a young age is remarkable.”

Despite her hectic school schedule, Roy Chowdhury still finds time to be involved in activities she’s more passionate about, one of which is Indian dance.

“Indian dance is really fun,” she said. “From about three to four hours a week at Nritya, I teach little kids how to dance.”

Also, last summer Roy Chowdhury traveled to downtown Kansas City, Mo., to teach Indian dance to underprivileged children. She said it was a preventative measure so they would not get involved in dangerous activities.

“I taught three classes to them and I got to know them very well,” she said. “I love kids a lot. I love working with them.”

This is how she got involved with Operation Breakthrough, where she volunteers whenever she can. It’s a type of safe home for kids to go to almost all day, every day while their parents are working.

“Sometimes I don’t get to volunteer as much as I’d like,” she said. “But it’s very rewarding when I get to.”

Between everything she does, Roy Chowdhury still manages to find time to research in the research lab at the University Missouri-Kansas City. Last year she spent eight months researching new methods to treat retinoblastoma. This was on her own time.

“I only performed one experiment,” she said. “So many others will need to take place before my treatment can actually be performed on humans.”

Roy Chowdhury then entered a local science fair and received first place, as well as five other awards.

At the state level, she finished third.

She has not started work on a new project, but is researching general science topics.

“Basically, I put myself through all of Com mu this because for St nity Servi I’d rather be Relay udent Co ce Repres u entat f challenged ive Blood or Life Ch ncil a i D r than be KAY C rive Com l mitte bored,” she Scien ub e c e O said. “I’d utrea Scien ch c rather fill BV Te e Knowle d n my time Foren nis Team ge Bowl sics than be Tiger M sleepNatio entors n al Sp ing.” a

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FEBRUARY 2009 1 1

indepth

indepth

Riffer, squad bring home two more state championships

L

mitchsmith editor-in-chief

ast month, Blue Valley became the state’s first 6A school to snatch both the two- and four-speaker debate state championships in the same year.

“It was huge,” coach Chris Riffer said. “Because I honestly didn’t think it could ever be done.”

The team’s list of accolades could stretch several pages: regional champs, national qualifiers, tournament titles, you name it.

But it wasn’t always that way.

And, without Riffer, many debaters don’t think it would have ever happened at all.

Twelve years ago, Riffer inherited a depleted program with only a dozen advanced debaters. The team had won a state title the year before but had lost most of its members to graduation.

Riffer was challenged with rebuilding Blue Valley into a perennial debate power.

It would be three long seasons before the team would win another state title.

“It was rough,” Riffer said. “The few kids that were left had big expectations and I had big expectations.”

Riffer attributes much of the program’s long-term success to the hard, although sometimes overlooked, work of those early teams.

“I’ve told them that I don’t think we’d have any of the success we’re having now if it wasn’t for them,” he said.

But in January 2000, the team finally captured that elusive state championship.

“Once you win a state title, future ones are easier,” Riffer said. “It’s like it kind of goes into autopilot.”

And go into autopilot it did.

Including that first title, his students have won a total of 10 debate championships (winning two in one year in both 2005 and 2009). And that doesn’t even include his four state forensics titles.

In 2005, Blue Valley became the state’s first 5A school to win both the two- and four-speaker championships in the same year. They accomplished that same feat at the 6A level this season.

But Riffer said he doesn’t measure the team’s performance in Kansas-shaped trophies.

“I don’t count the success of the squad in state titles,” he said. “I just hope we continue to produce good debaters and good critical thinkers.”

Senior Robert Fitzpatrick, a member of this year’s four-speaker championship team, said that debate, and more specifically Riffer, has been crucial to his success in high school.

“He’s meant everything,” Fitzpatrick said. “He’s the only teacher I’ve had every year. He lets you be comfortable and be yourself.”

While Fitzpatrick doesn’t plan to debate in college, he thinks the skills he acquired through debate will help him as a chemical engineering major at the University of Kansas.

“It obviously helps you be a great note-taker,” Fitzpatrick said. “Critical thinking is a big thing and being confident in yourself.”

Senior April Levins, who competed but did not place at state, has also been impacted by Riffer’s teaching.

“He’s a great coach and just a great guy,” she said.

Riffer’s graduates have gone on to many different walks of life.

Not surprisingly, he’s taught his share of future lawyers, with one writing for the Harvard Law Review and another serving as editor-in-chief of the Washington University Political Review.

But he’s also taught future police officers, actors, a radio executive, a TV sports personality and an MTV producer.

“It’s an elective, so they all pretty much shared a common interest,” Riffer said.

Eric Min, a 2006 graduate and current international relations major at New York University, said that Riffer was crucial in making his high school experience what it was.

“Probably the biggest impact of any teacher I’ve ever had,” Min said. “I think he taught me a lot more in his classes and just being with him than any other teacher that I’ve had.”

Brian Israel, a 2008 graduate and psychology major at Creighton University, also said that Riffer had a profound impact on his life.

“The guy’s a hero of mine,” Israel said. “There’s an old quote that said something about how the best teachers inspire you, and by all means that is what he did.”

While Riffer likens picking a most memorable championship to picking a favorite child, he does say this year’s ranks among the most special.

“Any time you win a state championship, you have to have good kids,” he said. “We always have good kids that work very hard. This year it was the perfect mix. The perfect storm, if you will.”

Much of this year’s success can be attributed to the two-speaker team of seniors Taylor Nichols and Josh Dean.

Ranked first and second in the nation respectively based off their speaker rankings at last year’s nationals, the pair entered the year as a clear favorite to win state.

The tandem did not disappoint, winning more than 90 percent of their rounds and taking first at six of their eight tournaments en route to the two-speaker state title.

This title marked their second in as many years, as both were members of the 2008 four-speaker championship team.

“They work as a perfect team,” Riffer said. “Their strengths complement each other and their weaknesses complement each other.”

Riffer was also pleased with how the two mentored younger members of the program.

“They were invaluable,” Riffer said. “They not only taught the other kids how to win, but how to handle themselves. They had perfect poise, perfect work ethic and they set a great example.”

Dean believes that all the year’s work paid off.

“I think we achieved everything we wanted to,” he

said. “It was a good way to go out.”

Nichols agrees and credits Riffer with sparking his success in debate.

“Riffer made the class fun and interesting and made me realize that I wanted this to be more than just a side activity, but rather my main passion,” Nichols said.

This summer, Nichols and Dean will round out their careers at nationals in Birmingham, Ala. They will be joined by the two-speaker team of Fitzpatrick and Taylor’s sister, sophomore Samantha Nichols.

Riffer hopes that the team can again place among the nation’s elite. The squad’s best national finish came in 2005 when they placed in the top 10.

“We could definitely be one of the 10 best teams in the nation,” Riffer said.

Last month, Riffer was honored as Kansas Debate Coach of the Year, becoming the first person to receive that distinction in consecutive years and only the second coach to win three in a career. He also was named Blue Valley High School Teacher of the Year.

Many debaters believe he is the foundation for the team’s success.

“Mr. Riffer’s obviously a really talented coach,” Dean said. “He’s won like 10 titles over the last 10 years, which is pretty impressive.”

Samantha Nichols agrees.

“He’s the best teacher I’ve ever had,” she said. “You know you’re learning and seeing greatness personified, as far as debate.”

But Riffer said the root of this success might also lie in Blue Valley’s commitment to recognize all high-achieving students.

“One of the things that makes it easy to motivate kids is that it will be celebrated in the school,” he said. “What kid probably doesn’t dream of being cheered in front of an auditorium full of their peers?”

As far as the future, Riffer hopes to replicate the success of this year’s team.

“We can maintain,” Riffer said. “But we couldn’t get much higher.”

D D

ebate

for

Becoming a skilled debater is no easy feat. It takes preparation and dedication to succeed in a tournament.

ummies

What makes a first-class debater?

• A good public speaker with a clear, loud voice.

• A persuasive manner that can sway the judge to either the affirmative or negative side.

• An array of knowledge on hundreds of different topics.

• The ability to think on your feet.

The prep-time before a tournament entails:

Evidence: gathered background information on different topics.

Constructive speech: speeches in which debaters introduce their position and advocacy.

Rebuttal: shorter speeches in which debaters argue over issues that were built during the constructive speeches.

Cross-examination: questioning the opposing team’s information or stance on the topic.

Competing:

• Your debate box is organized with all of the evidence you plan to use.

Your box is also organized by topic: global warming, oil dependency, etc.

• You and your partner need to familiarize yourselves with the evidence so you can prepare your constructive speech.

terms 2 know

• You will enter your first round of debate with a prepared constructive speech if you are the affirmative side.

If you are the negative side, be ready to cross-examine the opposing team’s position.

• At the end of the round, the judge will give each team speaker points then determine the winner of the round.

Difference between two-speaker and four-speaker: • Two-speaker is like a normal tournament. You argue both negative and affirmative throughout the tourney.

• Four-speaker is a group of two teams where one is negative for the entire tournament and other team is affirmative

for the entire tournament. At the end of the tournament, both teams combine rounds won.

Affirmative: the side that supports the resolution. The affirmative case explains why the resolution is correct and is presented during the affirmative constructive.

Negative: team opposing the affirmative’s argument.

Resolution: the topic of the debate. The resolution sets forth the issues to be discussed in the debate.

Speaker points: point value one through four (one is best), that a judge gives based on speaking ability in the round.

Break: after five rounds, a team can break if it has a good enough score. Teams that break advance to the next level and have a chance to medal in the tournament.

Courtesy of http://pages.cms.k12.nc.us/gems/amylondon/BasicDebateVocabulary.doc. Compiled by Allison Kohn.

Meet the champions Senior Josh Dean

Senior Taylor Nichols

Senior Robert Fitzpatrick

Junior Zach Garber

Junior Tyler Kalmus

Sophomore Samantha Nichols

What made this year’s debate squad special?

What made this year’s debate squad special?

What impact has Mr. Riffer had on your high school career?

What impact has debate had on your high school career?

What impact has debate had on your high school career?

What made this year’s debate squad special?

“People worked well together and enjoyed working together.”

“A lot of the people have been debating together since freshman year and it’s nice to end our careers with a state championship.”

“The debate program has been like a home. Mr. Riffer gets the best out of his students and gets us prepared for what we have to come.”

“Debate makes you a better student, makes you think critically and read higher level material.”

“A pretty big impact because it helps me with school and helps me make a lot of friends.”

“It was the last year that my brother was on it and we won a lot.”

Information compiled by Tom Roudebush.

Trophy photo by Conner Combes.

1 2 FEBRUARY 2009

FEBRUARY 2009 1 3

indepth

indepth

Riffer, squad bring home two more state championships

L

mitchsmith editor-in-chief

ast month, Blue Valley became the state’s first 6A school to snatch both the two- and four-speaker debate state championships in the same year.

“It was huge,” coach Chris Riffer said. “Because I honestly didn’t think it could ever be done.”

The team’s list of accolades could stretch several pages: regional champs, national qualifiers, tournament titles, you name it.

But it wasn’t always that way.

And, without Riffer, many debaters don’t think it would have ever happened at all.

Twelve years ago, Riffer inherited a depleted program with only a dozen advanced debaters. The team had won a state title the year before but had lost most of its members to graduation.

Riffer was challenged with rebuilding Blue Valley into a perennial debate power.

It would be three long seasons before the team would win another state title.

“It was rough,” Riffer said. “The few kids that were left had big expectations and I had big expectations.”

Riffer attributes much of the program’s long-term success to the hard, although sometimes overlooked, work of those early teams.

“I’ve told them that I don’t think we’d have any of the success we’re having now if it wasn’t for them,” he said.

But in January 2000, the team finally captured that elusive state championship.

“Once you win a state title, future ones are easier,” Riffer said. “It’s like it kind of goes into autopilot.”

And go into autopilot it did.

Including that first title, his students have won a total of 10 debate championships (winning two in one year in both 2005 and 2009). And that doesn’t even include his four state forensics titles.

In 2005, Blue Valley became the state’s first 5A school to win both the two- and four-speaker championships in the same year. They accomplished that same feat at the 6A level this season.

But Riffer said he doesn’t measure the team’s performance in Kansas-shaped trophies.

“I don’t count the success of the squad in state titles,” he said. “I just hope we continue to produce good debaters and good critical thinkers.”

Senior Robert Fitzpatrick, a member of this year’s four-speaker championship team, said that debate, and more specifically Riffer, has been crucial to his success in high school.

“He’s meant everything,” Fitzpatrick said. “He’s the only teacher I’ve had every year. He lets you be comfortable and be yourself.”

While Fitzpatrick doesn’t plan to debate in college, he thinks the skills he acquired through debate will help him as a chemical engineering major at the University of Kansas.

“It obviously helps you be a great note-taker,” Fitzpatrick said. “Critical thinking is a big thing and being confident in yourself.”

Senior April Levins, who competed but did not place at state, has also been impacted by Riffer’s teaching.

“He’s a great coach and just a great guy,” she said.

Riffer’s graduates have gone on to many different walks of life.

Not surprisingly, he’s taught his share of future lawyers, with one writing for the Harvard Law Review and another serving as editor-in-chief of the Washington University Political Review.

But he’s also taught future police officers, actors, a radio executive, a TV sports personality and an MTV producer.

“It’s an elective, so they all pretty much shared a common interest,” Riffer said.

Eric Min, a 2006 graduate and current international relations major at New York University, said that Riffer was crucial in making his high school experience what it was.

“Probably the biggest impact of any teacher I’ve ever had,” Min said. “I think he taught me a lot more in his classes and just being with him than any other teacher that I’ve had.”

Brian Israel, a 2008 graduate and psychology major at Creighton University, also said that Riffer had a profound impact on his life.

“The guy’s a hero of mine,” Israel said. “There’s an old quote that said something about how the best teachers inspire you, and by all means that is what he did.”

While Riffer likens picking a most memorable championship to picking a favorite child, he does say this year’s ranks among the most special.

“Any time you win a state championship, you have to have good kids,” he said. “We always have good kids that work very hard. This year it was the perfect mix. The perfect storm, if you will.”

Much of this year’s success can be attributed to the two-speaker team of seniors Taylor Nichols and Josh Dean.

Ranked first and second in the nation respectively based off their speaker rankings at last year’s nationals, the pair entered the year as a clear favorite to win state.

The tandem did not disappoint, winning more than 90 percent of their rounds and taking first at six of their eight tournaments en route to the two-speaker state title.

This title marked their second in as many years, as both were members of the 2008 four-speaker championship team.

“They work as a perfect team,” Riffer said. “Their strengths complement each other and their weaknesses complement each other.”

Riffer was also pleased with how the two mentored younger members of the program.

“They were invaluable,” Riffer said. “They not only taught the other kids how to win, but how to handle themselves. They had perfect poise, perfect work ethic and they set a great example.”

Dean believes that all the year’s work paid off.

“I think we achieved everything we wanted to,” he

said. “It was a good way to go out.”

Nichols agrees and credits Riffer with sparking his success in debate.

“Riffer made the class fun and interesting and made me realize that I wanted this to be more than just a side activity, but rather my main passion,” Nichols said.

This summer, Nichols and Dean will round out their careers at nationals in Birmingham, Ala. They will be joined by the two-speaker team of Fitzpatrick and Taylor’s sister, sophomore Samantha Nichols.

Riffer hopes that the team can again place among the nation’s elite. The squad’s best national finish came in 2005 when they placed in the top 10.

“We could definitely be one of the 10 best teams in the nation,” Riffer said.

Last month, Riffer was honored as Kansas Debate Coach of the Year, becoming the first person to receive that distinction in consecutive years and only the second coach to win three in a career. He also was named Blue Valley High School Teacher of the Year.

Many debaters believe he is the foundation for the team’s success.

“Mr. Riffer’s obviously a really talented coach,” Dean said. “He’s won like 10 titles over the last 10 years, which is pretty impressive.”

Samantha Nichols agrees.

“He’s the best teacher I’ve ever had,” she said. “You know you’re learning and seeing greatness personified, as far as debate.”

But Riffer said the root of this success might also lie in Blue Valley’s commitment to recognize all high-achieving students.

“One of the things that makes it easy to motivate kids is that it will be celebrated in the school,” he said. “What kid probably doesn’t dream of being cheered in front of an auditorium full of their peers?”

As far as the future, Riffer hopes to replicate the success of this year’s team.

“We can maintain,” Riffer said. “But we couldn’t get much higher.”

D D

ebate

for

Becoming a skilled debater is no easy feat. It takes preparation and dedication to succeed in a tournament.

ummies

What makes a first-class debater?

• A good public speaker with a clear, loud voice.

• A persuasive manner that can sway the judge to either the affirmative or negative side.

• An array of knowledge on hundreds of different topics.

• The ability to think on your feet.

The prep-time before a tournament entails:

Evidence: gathered background information on different topics.

Constructive speech: speeches in which debaters introduce their position and advocacy.

Rebuttal: shorter speeches in which debaters argue over issues that were built during the constructive speeches.

Cross-examination: questioning the opposing team’s information or stance on the topic.

Competing:

• Your debate box is organized with all of the evidence you plan to use.

Your box is also organized by topic: global warming, oil dependency, etc.

• You and your partner need to familiarize yourselves with the evidence so you can prepare your constructive speech.

terms 2 know

• You will enter your first round of debate with a prepared constructive speech if you are the affirmative side.

If you are the negative side, be ready to cross-examine the opposing team’s position.

• At the end of the round, the judge will give each team speaker points then determine the winner of the round.

Difference between two-speaker and four-speaker: • Two-speaker is like a normal tournament. You argue both negative and affirmative throughout the tourney.

• Four-speaker is a group of two teams where one is negative for the entire tournament and other team is affirmative

for the entire tournament. At the end of the tournament, both teams combine rounds won.

Affirmative: the side that supports the resolution. The affirmative case explains why the resolution is correct and is presented during the affirmative constructive.

Negative: team opposing the affirmative’s argument.

Resolution: the topic of the debate. The resolution sets forth the issues to be discussed in the debate.

Speaker points: point value one through four (one is best), that a judge gives based on speaking ability in the round.

Break: after five rounds, a team can break if it has a good enough score. Teams that break advance to the next level and have a chance to medal in the tournament.

Courtesy of http://pages.cms.k12.nc.us/gems/amylondon/BasicDebateVocabulary.doc. Compiled by Allison Kohn.

Meet the champions Senior Josh Dean

Senior Taylor Nichols

Senior Robert Fitzpatrick

Junior Zach Garber

Junior Tyler Kalmus

Sophomore Samantha Nichols

What made this year’s debate squad special?

What made this year’s debate squad special?

What impact has Mr. Riffer had on your high school career?

What impact has debate had on your high school career?

What impact has debate had on your high school career?

What made this year’s debate squad special?

“People worked well together and enjoyed working together.”

“A lot of the people have been debating together since freshman year and it’s nice to end our careers with a state championship.”

“The debate program has been like a home. Mr. Riffer gets the best out of his students and gets us prepared for what we have to come.”

“Debate makes you a better student, makes you think critically and read higher level material.”

“A pretty big impact because it helps me with school and helps me make a lot of friends.”

“It was the last year that my brother was on it and we won a lot.”

Information compiled by Tom Roudebush.

Trophy photo by Conner Combes.

1 2 FEBRUARY 2009

FEBRUARY 2009 1 3

preview

This one time, at

Exploring Health Professions...

Seniors in Blue Valley’s hands-on class for students interested in medical careers share stories from memorable shadow sites.

I

went in to see a [caesarean section] in labor and delivery. They began cutting and soon pulled out a really cute baby boy.

The woman was also going to have her tubes tied, so the procedure was lasting a while and her already strong cough began to pick up.

The doctor began to sew up the tubes when the woman coughed really hard and her intestines fell out over her uterus and into her lower abdomen.

The doctor casually picked up the intestines and pushed them back into her abdomen. This went on about four or five times.

Julia Hansen

Keegan Shepard

Michelle Hall Crystal Peterson

I

was shadowing at a hospital when, right as I was getting on the elevator to leave, the elevator door came back open and I saw a cafeteria worker pushing about seven trays of food on a cart.

When he pushed the cart into the elevator the door to the cart swung open getting lodged in the door crack.

As the cart got stuck, the trays flew right toward me and I was covered in food from head to toe.

F

or one of my shadow sites, I was in the PACU department.

I got to see a guy get a colonoscopy, which was amazing.

They cut a hole on his side and used little instruments with a camera at the end so that we could see everything on the TV screen.

They had to burn away all the bad tissue and then reattach the good ends of the colon together.

Lindsey Petrick

O

ne of the doctors I was shadowing thought that I was Hispanic and started talking to me in Spanish.

Then when I was shadowing a nurse, we were taking care of an older lady, and she was quite the grump.

Well, I tried to talk to her and be friendly, and we had a really good conversation. I found out that she was actually my best friend’s grandma.

W

hen I was on an ambulance we went on two calls.The first call was a 19-year-old who got hit by a mini-van while walking to work.

He had a concussion and cuts all over his body.

He had a huge gash on his head that I helped put gauze on.

When I got in the ambulance, I had to hold his hand and keep him talking. He kept asking for his girlfriend and thought that I was her.

When he got to the hospital, he got more aware of what happened and we laughed about him thinking I was his girlfriend.

As told to Noopur Goel.

1 4 FEBRUARY 2009

upclose

Up In Arms Senior accepted to US Naval Academy, takes swimming lessons in preparation tylerduke circulation manager

Senior Travis Hyde practices swimming at Lifetime Fitness in preparation for the US Naval Academy next year. Hyde swims five times a week to ready himself for Basic Training this summer. Photo by Tyler Duke.

Honor, courage and commitment: three words that explain the United States Naval Academy. This school will put you through vigorous tests and will push you to the limit.

Senior Travis Hyde will join this tradition next year when he attends the Academy, located in Annapolis, Md. “I’m very excited for this,” Hyde said. “It’s a change of life, I worked really hard for this.”

Hyde started the application process in winter of his junior year. He was interviewed by Kansas Republican Sens. Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts, Kansas Democratic Congressman Rep. Dennis Moore and a Naval Academy graduate.

All of them had to give the OK before he was admitted.

“At first I was skeptical but then became more proud that I got in,” Hyde said.

Hyde has also agreed to serve five years of active duty after col-

lege. He also must be able to do 40 push-ups in two minutes, 65 sit-ups in two minutes and a 1.5 mile run in 10.5 minutes.

His biggest task is learning how to swim. Hyde has been training and making progress over the past few months.

“My friends make fun of me because I can’t swim,” Hyde said.

Before he starts school in the fall, he has to go through basic training, what midshipmen call “The Beast.”

“I’m going to be afraid of it,” Hyde said. “But I shouldn’t be too worried, I’m ready.”

Hyde choose the Academy because of the great education, the brotherhood, the excitement, the majors and the service.

He will also be following in the footsteps of his father, who served in the Air Force for 20 years.

“I’ll make some of my best friends in life there,” Hyde said.

“It’s because we will all be going through the same rigorous challenges and hardships.”

He will be placed in a Brigade

where he and his unit will compete against other Brigades for the coveted “Color Company.”

The “Color Company” is an award given to the Brigade who have the most points at the end of the year. The winners will have special privileges the following year. They earn points based on academic, professional and intramural excellence. He will eat, sleep, work and study with his Brigade and be expected to meet a certain code of conduct.

“I know it’ll be very regimented,” Hyde said. “I’ll be told where to go and what time to be there and expected to be early.”

He plans to major in either weapon system engineering or nuclear engineering.

Hyde hopes to benefit from the unique qualities of the Academy.

“I have a few things I want to get out of this school,” Hyde said.

“Serving in the military, being able to see the world as another, life-long friends, and accomplishing something greater than myself.”

Future Marine begins training regimen, to attend boot camp in San Diego this summer torifreisner entertainment editor

While most seniors are spending their last year in high school taking as few classes as possible, senior Raul Diaz is completing extensive training to prepare for the United States Marine Corps.

Every week, Diaz joins fellow Marine recruits for a three-mile plus run, along with intense cardio training.

“The first time I went, I wasn’t really used to it, so I vomited all the water I drank,” Diaz said. “I passed out for a little while.”

In addition to his weekly physical training sessions, Diaz is taking Team Sports and participating in track to stay active.

He plans to join the Marine Corps upon graduating in May. “After I graduate, I pretty much hang out for a month,” Diaz said. “I ship out on June 8 [to] San Diego.”

Diaz decided to join the armed forces for money, since he would likely be unable to attend college otherwise.

After considering his options, Diaz decided to join the Marines when a friend enlisted.

“Originally, it was between them and the Army,” Diaz said. “A friend of mine was going into the Marines, and I met his recruiter.”

Diaz will stay at basic training more than three months. After a 10-day leave, he will go to Pensacola, Fla., for a year.

“I’m going to be trained to hard wire bombs, loading them onto planes [and] fixing munitions,” he said.

After a year in Florida, Diaz will go to either Virginia or one of the Carolinas for four years to work on aircraft ordinance.

During this time, he hopes to work towards his degree in psychology, and to later pursue his doctorate while in the Reserves.

Though Diaz had a plan, his family originally resented his decision to join the Marine Corps.

His mother was unaware of his decision until his recruiters contacted her.

“He didn’t tell me,” his mother, Leonor Buendia said. “His recruiter called me and asked me if that was okay — my reaction was that he’s not going. That’s what I told him.”

Regardless, Diaz was determined to join the Marines.

“He said that if I don’t let him, he’s going to be 18 and he’ll go,” his mother said with a laugh.

His sister, sophomore Kristen Buendia, had a similar reaction “I was really mad at him, actually,” she said. “I just sat there and listened to Sgt. Garay [Raul’s sergeant] talk. I’ve learned to accept it.”

Kristen and Leonor admit that although they have accepted Diaz’s decision to become a Ma-

Senior Raul Diaz does sit-ups in preparation for Marines Basic Training. Diaz will train in San Diego this summer before going to Florida for further instruction in bomb wiring and munitions. Photo by Conner Combes.

rine, they still worry about him.

“It’s probably not going to hit me until he’s gone,” his sister said.

“He’s someone who, where he knows it or not, he’s a huge influence on me. He’s my rock. What if something happens?”

Although his family is worried

about the possibility of his deployment, Diaz isn’t, due to the extensive training he will receive.

“I knew the risks when I signed up,” Diaz said. “If it’s going to happen, I can’t really stop it, so there’s no point in worrying about it.”

FEBRUARY 2009 1 5

upclose

Will you...

Be my chaperone?

Social studies teacher Jessica Spinks works the Sweetheart dance, learns more about students

before

Sweetheart of a deal

caitlinholland staff writer

It takes a certain kind of person to be a chaperone.

Jessica Spinks, a BV social studies teacher who also chaperoned Sweetheart last year, is ready for her second go-around.

Ultimately, Spinks looks forward to the $12 an hour pay that is offered for working at the dance. But she also finds it a good chance to learn more about her students.

“I would say that it educates me on the culture of teenagers now,” Spinks said. “It’s kind of an opportunity to get to know the students outside of the classroom.”

She also attributes her decision to chaperone to the chance it offers to keep kids out of trouble on a night when trouble seems easier to get into.

“I don’t want to see kids make mistakes that will ruin their futures, or their opportunities,” Spinks said.

Spinks doesn’t anticipate any awkward situations, but she does worry about the morality of some students.

“My only fear is that I’ll see kids doing things that I don’t think are appropriate,” she said.

the dance Arriving at 7:30, Spinks took a quick look around the gym, discussing the decorations with Student Council sponsor Mark Mosier.

“When I was in high school it never looked this good,” she noted.

Spinks moved up to the front entrance of the school, where she would give out tickets that served as receipts for all students who paid.

Spinks worked with PE teacher Christyn Haberly, who collected students’ money and checked for IDs and outside date forms.

The pair noticed that many students forgot their school ID cards, forcing them to look up names to verify their attendence at BV. When one student anounced that he forgot his ID card, Spinks’ joking response was, “It’s $50 extra.”

Conversation ranged from dresses to king and queen nominees to last year’s dance.

Spinks saw everything. Students who came to the dance shoeless, the awkward “Who pays?” situations and encounters with many familiar students.

after After her Sweetheart experience, Spinks looks back on the night $42 richer, and full of respect for BV students.

“I think it was a successful night and I was very proud that the students were respectful and had a good time,” she said.

Spinks also commented on the changing trends of girls’ dresses, and was happy to see very few duplicate ones.

“I think it was interesting to see the dresses this year,” she said.

“There were more short dressses and last year there were a lot more long ones.”

Spinks did wonder why so many girls chose to ignore the frigid temperatures, chosing not to wear warm clothes.

“I did want to say, ‘Girls, where are your coats and shoes,’” she said.

1 6 FEBRUARY 2009

Senior AJ Farris dances with friends at Sweetheart. The event was held in the gym this year, rather than the commons, giving students more room to dance. Photo by Matt May.

royal treatment king Evan Iliff

queen

Rachel Burton

King Candidates:

Queen Candidates:

Will Kerdolff

Shelley Sparling

Travis Hyde

Emma Smith

Collin Kessler

Ashley Rager

Connor Francis

Kara McLain

Junior Attendants: Anthony Abenoja Katie Louis

centerstage

Friday 13th (2009) the

iew

Rev

brockhumphrey staff writer

What I expected from the new Friday the 13th movie was not what I got.

The 12th installment in the series that began in 1980 tended to look like any other average horror movie, without much story line.

The movie begins with Jason’s mom, Mrs. Voorhees, getting beheaded by the last survivor who was supposed to be watching Jason before he drowned.

It then goes back to present day, beginning with a group of innocent teenagers heading to Crystal Lake where Jason happens to be located.

What’s strange about the movie is that it begins as if it were going to end. Sure, there are a bunch of murders in every Friday the 13th movie, but I didn’t expect to see so many gruesome deaths so early on.

Jason begins to seem unconquerable, moving around the area like a rapid cheetah and killing anything he sees.

At one point, Jason is busy murdering a couple by their tents and after what seems

like only a couple of seconds, he’s across the lake ready to take down his next pair of victims.

Although a bit predictable and unrealistic at times, these brutal killings keep the viewer interested despite the almost useless characters that are all stereotypically obsessed with sex, drugs and alcohol.

Besides all the partying and Jason’s rampage, the film’s plot is pretty thin.

Even through some bad acting, predictable events, and a lot of nudity, Jason still delivers.

Doing what he does best, and with a lot of targets for him, there is bound to be many interesting deaths, whether it’s a bow and arrow to the head or a dagger into someone’s eye.

So if you’re looking for a top-notch horror film to see sometime soon, Friday the 13th won’t satisfy.

But if you just want another bloody slasher movie, then this mediocre movie is right for you.

Photo by Tom Roudebush.

The International Agent Louis Salinger (Clive Owen) is trying to expose a high-profile bank that’s involved with an international weapons dealing ring.

This movie had you thinking from start to finish, but it wasn’t always in a good way. With many twists and turns throughout, Owen and his supporting cast put on an entertaining show at most parts.

There wasn’t as much action as you would think, but when there was some high-flying action, it was pretty entertaining to watch.

There were parts of The International that were completely genius and clever.

But the problem with this movie was that it was extremely hard to follow.

Seventeen magazine is usually thought of as a magazine full of cosmetics, clothing, and “boy” tips. While all this is true, there is still some substance in this publication.

I think we all know about the sexting mishap and the pictures that were e-mailed to students. Well, this has happened in another school in our district and across the country.

It was interesting to read the point of view of someone who this happened to and how it affected the people around them. It also served as a warning for other girls in the country.

Seventeen publishes their “real life dramas” section every month with some story of substance.

And while there are fun appeals to the magazine like horoscopes and humiliating stories, there is not much else besides excessive clothing ideas for each type of person.

I would recommend this magazine to someone who wanted to update their wardrobe or if they were looking for a good laugh.

By Rachel McCullough.

Clive Owen and Naomi Watts

★★★

At times there were parts where I didn’t know why one thing led to another, leaving me scratching my head in confusion.

The ending made me a little uneasy. It just abruptly ended when you thought he finally was going to get to the bottom of the case.

I’m not really sure if the movie ended with good guys winning or losing. You were just left with Owen standing on top of a building in dismay.

All in all, this is not a movie I would recommend for the average high school student. The International was pretty much all about the high-finance economy and political issues going on in the world today.

By Spencer Goldenberg.

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Publicity.

FEBRUARY 2009 1 7

centerstage

blink isback!

My body instantly froze when my cousin told me about the crash.

Travis ajbarbosa Barker, former Blink-182 and (+44) drummer was on his way to a concert in Virginia when his private jet went down, killing his assistant and burning his fellow performer DJ AM. According to reports, Barker and AM had the presence of mind to get out of the plane as soon as it crashed.

On fire, they rolled on the ground in an attempt to extinguish the flames before being airlifted to a nearby hospital. It was a miracle that they survived, but they didn’t get off too easy. Barker was burned severely and AM was released with minor burns soon after the crash.

I had been talking with my friends in the months before about how great a Blink-182 reunion would be. The hostile relationships between the trio seemingly prevented any chance of it happening, but I continued to dream. Blink-182 wasn’t just

myvoice

a band to me, they were a release. I could directly relate to nearly every song they had written over the years, and their music had been by my side through some of the best and worst times of my teenage years.

Once sources began to guarantee that Barker would live through the experience and that he would heal fully, I began to think selfishly of the incident. Bassist Mark Hoppus was still friends with Barker after the breakup and they even started a side project together, (+44).

I knew he would be at Barker’s side through his stay in the hospital, and I knew guitarist Tom Delonge would put the grudge aside to support one of his former best friends. I imagined that they’d all be in the same room together thinking, “Well, Travis almost died. It’s a miracle he’s still alive, and there’s no sense in us fighting anymore. Let’s write music again and make the most of what we have.”

Turns out, that’s what happened.

After previously shooting down any hopes of a reunion, Hoppus, Barker and Delonge all took to the stage at the Grammy Awards as presenters. It was the first time they had shared a stage together in years, and they made it worthwhile.

“We used to play music together,”

he’s just not that into you ★★★★

allisonkohn

Now that Valentine’s day has come and gone, a stereotypical romantic comedy with a cliche story line is the last thing you want to spend $10 on. Thankfully, He’s Just Not That Into You has the perfect mix of relationship problems, paradoxical truths and a good-looking cast to break away from that genre.

Based on the best selling book, He’s Just Not that Into You by Liz Tucillo and Greg Behrendt, this movie follows the interconnected lives of twenty- and thirtysomethings through their trials and tribulations in the chaotic world of dating and marriage. Complication and misread signs create some pretty awkward moments.

Take, for example, the girl who can’t seem to find the right guy, no matter how many torturous dates she submits herself to. Or the quirky guy who won’t open up to the idea of commitment. Even the couple that just won’t marry.

Featuring a cast of some of Hollywood’s finest, including Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore and Ben Affleck, the movie reveals some of dating’s biggest faux paus.

Audiences are able to come away with some insightful answers to life’s most burning questions. As Justin Long’s character, Alex, so eloquently put it, “If a guy wants to date you, he will make it happen.”

This is not the typical romantic comedy, however it was well worth the time and money to see it. It centers on truths that can be applied to any relationship, even high school ones.

1 8 FEBRUARY 2009

Barker said at the Grammys. “And we’ve decided we’re going to play music together again.”

So many bands have reunited lately, but none of them have had as big of an impact on the nation’s youth like Blink-182 has. They are our generation’s Led Zeppelin, minus the guitar solos. My friends usually aren’t too keen on my CD collection, but we can all share common ground when I pop in a CD like Enema of the State or Dude Ranch.

If you think about it, Blink-182 might just be one of the most immature bands in the world. In their early years, each album contained at least three songs about sex, poop and other controversial matters.

However, the other songs on each record are applicable to almost every high and low point in teenage life. There have been times where I’ve popped in The Party Song and sang along with a car full of friends, and I played Dysentary Gary on repeat for about a week after a breakup.

No matter the situation, there’s a Blink-182 song for it.

I’m a little bit skeptical as to how the band’s new album will sound. Before the reunion, Delonge had said numerous times that he would feel like a hypocrite

if he reunited with the band, because he had grown older and wouldn’t be able to sing the old songs from his heart.

Both Angels and Airwaves and (+44) were such a departure from Blink’s past, it’s hard to tell if the new album will sound anything like the old days at all. Even the band’s last album took on a different sound, with only one song about partying and being a lustful kid.

“I think it’s going to sound a lot like (+44), and not so much like Angels and Airwaves,” a life-long fan, junior Cole Owen said. “I have a feeling Tom [Delonge] will do the majority of the vocals, but Mark [Hoppus] will still have some good ones.”

No matter how the new album sounds, die-hard fans can look ahead to the promised summer reunion tour, which will likely come to Kansas City. Even if the band writes completely different music, I hope they will still feel obligated to treat the old fans and play songs from the older albums.

I get goose bumps every time I think about being in that crowd, singing the words to the songs that define my youth.

I won’t be alone, because there will be thousands of other people across the country who feel the same way.

confessions of a shopaholic★★★★

stephanieroche

Shopping, yes.

Beyond-decent-looking male lead, yes, please.

An extreme amount of cheese (not the dairy product) — what could be more satisfying in a movie?

Walking into the theater to see Confessions of a Shopaholic, I was anything but excited. In a way it was what I expected, complete fluff. However, the movie was also surprisingly funny and had not been ruined by the trailers.

I was not the only one in the theater to find myself cracking up at inappropriate moments. Like at the pivotal scene when Hugh Dancy’s (Evening) character professes his love for Isla Fisher’s (Wedding Crashers) character.

Fisher brought her unique sense of comedic timing to this chick-flick. Dancy is every woman’s fantasy. He knows how to shop and is quite the gentleman.

It started out like any other blockbuster romantic comedy — a girl in distress who ultimately ends up with the guy and with no problems to speak of.

She is deep in debt and doing everything she can to avoid the debt collector. All while trying to get her dream job at a fashion magazine.

This may not sound enticing, but I enjoy a movie every now and then where no thinking, and I mean absolutely no thinking, is required.

centerstage

Fall play revival performance canceled

Seniors Samantha Steinmetz and Kaitlin Gould, along with juniors Harrison Drake and Amy Hall practice lines during rehearsal last November for the fall play Dead Man Walking. The revival, scheduled for next month, was canceled due to scheduling conflicts. Photo by Matt May.

rachelmccullough staff writer

The cast and crew of the fall play Dead Man Walking suffered an upset when they did not make it to the state convention for the third consecutive year.

Two out of the three judges attended the performance opening night to view for state. The third judge was unable to attend after a death in the family.

The play received exemplary scores of 92 and 98 out of 100, but did not make the final cut for state.

“It upset us all,” junior Erin Pham said, “But we were there for each other.

That’s one of those things that make you more of a group.”

Theater director Dan Schmidt believes it is difficult to compare the scores they received with those around the State because they had one less judge, and every show had different judges view their shows.

“One of the judges said it was the best show he has ever seen,” Schmidt said. “And the other said everyone in the audience

was moved, except her.”

Nevertheless, the cast and crew packed into a charter bus and shuttled to the state convention in Wichita last month.

There they watched the four qualifying shows performed by Salina South, Blue Valley North, Blue Valley West and Manhattan.

“It gave us something [state upset] to bond together against,” Pham said.

Schmidt, along with the cast and crew did not give up their hopes for Internationals.

They organized to have International judges come

view their show in a revival performance scheduled to be held on March 7.

Senior Samantha Steinmetz had already started her first day of rehearsing with Schmidt before the full-cast practices.

But last Thursday, the cast and crew were informed that the revival would not be possible due to a scheduling conflict with Schmidt.

“I waited til the last minute, thinking maybe there was a chance that we could still do it,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt says he feels terrible that the students will not get the opportunity to go to Internationals.

“I feel for the seniors, because they have been to State and Internationals for the past two years and this would be their third year,” Schmidt said. “That just doesn’t happen.”

Being on the main stage in that kind of limelight is very difficult, according to Schmidt.

“We worked really hard to try and get there, but we got jipped with State,” Schmidt said.

He feels the revival would have gone up the same way and would have turned out great.

“We were only going to do it if we could do it the right way,” Schmidt said.

Bride Wars

dson Anne Hathaway and Kate Hu

★★★

Movies about women getting married are as numerous as ants in an ant farm. On the surface, Bride Wars is not any different from the run-of-the-mill bride films.

But look a little deeper, and you’ll see that this movie does have something that sets it apart form your average wedding movie.

The two brides featured in this movie both want the same venue for their wedding, and the agent accidentally books them on the same date.

Now that is something that you would hope not to see in real life.

I have not actually seen a movie that has this element in it, which helps distinguish this movie from the average marriage film.

Academy Award Nominee Anne Hathaway is a respected and well-known actress, and she does a great job as Emma in this film.

Emma is more easy going and not as obsessive as Liv, played by Kate Hudson. Liv is more of a fashionista than Emma.

Even after this minor glitch in their friendship, Liv and Emma manage to mend their relationship. Hudson comes across as the sentimental one near the end of the film.

The high moment of this movie is when Hudson’s character is sent chocolate cookies from Emma.

At the time, though, she believes that her fiance sent them.

Liv embraces her inner Bridezilla, and decides to get Emma back by switching the color of her tanning lotion spray.

The PG rating on this movie makes it great for younger viewers.

The movie’s humor will keep even the male gender interested, at least for a portion of the time.

By Kim Dacus.

Student expands musical taste by branching out into different genres I had an epiphany this past month.

You see, when I started this column, I was totally ready andrewfiori to preach my philosophy of how rap and hip-hop music is terrible. But then I started to research it.

It started one day while I was at work.

My co-workers and I decided to turn on some music, not expecting the vicious oncoming assault.

When we turned the radio on, the song “Disturbia” by Rihanna blared through the speakers. We changed the station as fast as possible, but it was too late.

The song’s opening lyrics mercilessly

myvoice

beat within our skulls, refusing to leave.

So I arranged a series of tests to determine why it was people enjoyed this music.

The tests consisted of: 1) Seeing if people who listened to rap/ hip-hop enjoyed other bands out of that genre.

I was surprised to find that many people whose iPods contained hip-hop and rap music also had Bob Dylan, the Eagles, Led Zeppelin and other artists I enjoy.

2) See what reasons people had for enjoying rap/hip-hop music.

Out of the various reasons I got as to why people enjoyed rap/hip-hop music, the top two were: It’s catchy or it has great lyrical depth.

Now rap/hip-hop has always been a bit too catchy for my taste. What I mean by

this is that it will get stuck in your head if even a hint of the song is played.

This is more of an annoyance in my opinion, so I dismissed this reasoning with little care.

But I refused to believe that the lyrical depth would be greater than that of rock music. I was wrong.

Analyzing and comparing a few rap and rock songs, I found that they were pretty similar. While rock music mostly used symbolism, rap music just flat out said it.

3) Ask for suggestions of “good” rap/ hip-hop songs and see if I enjoyed them.

Going to various students who enjoy this type of music, I was able to write up a list of suggested songs by the various rap/ hip-hop artists of today.

Surprisingly, I found that the songs

they suggested were either played on the radio very little or not at all.

I actually enjoyed them all. It’s weird — I never thought that I would ever have a rap or hip-hop song on my iPod. I can now say I am an avid listener of rap and hip-hop.

Don’t get me wrong, the mainstream dirt on the radio is still terrible, but that can be fixed by a simple adjustment of the station.

So, though I know I am probably about to be shunned, I am addressing my fellow rockers, metal heads, punks and mullets out there.

Give other people’s music tastes a chance, unless they listen to Disney bands, of course. You’d be surprised as to how similar the lyrics of rap and rock songs are, and you will enjoy it. I promise.

FEBRUARY 2009 1 9

tigerturf

BV SPORTS IN BRIEF Boys Basketball 2/13 BV Northwest 2/20 BV West 2/23 Bishop Miege

L (44-53) L (33-65) L(79-58)

After losing two games to Bishop Miege and Blue Valley West, the basketball team looks ahead to one last EKL matchup before the state playoffs.

The Tigers fell 60-64 to Blue Valley North earlier this month and will attempt to avenge that loss tonight.

By AJ Barbosa.

Catch boys basketball in action: 2/27 BV North

Girls Basketball 2/10 BV Northwest 2/16 Bishop Miege 2/20 BV West

W(53-38) L(44-47) W(52-28)

The girls basketball team improved their record Feb. 20 with a convincing win over rival Blue Valley West, 52-28.

Coach Andy Unrein is impressed with the teams success.

“We’ve been playing way better than we were about three or four weeks ago,” Unrein said.

“We’ve been playing with a renewed focus.”

Ahead of the playoffs, Unrein remains optimistic.

“Even though we have tough

games left to play, we can beat them if we keep playing like we have been.” Unrein said.

By Shannon Valverde.

Wrestling

Freshmen Kellen Rios and Logan Bjorgo, sophomore Hunter Like, juniors Nick Pearch and Parker Madl and senior Brett Newell have all qualified for state.

Regional Champion Madl looks to win his first state title.

“We have a lot of young guys and they have a chance to get really good,” Newell said. “I’ve been trying to push into the younger guys minds that wrestling is about hard work, you have to want it.”

By Tyler Duke.

Boys Swimming

The swim team finished their season by placing 12th at the state meet last weekend. Senior Austin Wright took second place in the 50 Freestyle and the 100 Freestyle and made first team All-State. Senior Sean Coleman took 12th in a field of 36 divers.

The medley relay team of Wright, senior Kyle Petersen, junior Jake Marlatt and sophomore Cameron Gallet took 11th overall.

By Ryan O ‘Toole.

Baseball

Tryouts begin: March 2 Returning seniors: Conner Combes, Tyler VanGerpen, Joey Goodwin Catch baseball in action: 3/28 Maize @ CBAC 3/28 Wichita NW @ CBAC 3/31 Gardner-Edgerton

Girls Soccer

Tryouts begin: March 2 Returning seniors: Rachel Burton, Emily Campbell Catch girls soccer in action: 3/23 @ St. Thomas Aquinas 3/24 Sumner 3/27 @Manhattan

Track and Field

First practice: March 2 Returning seniors: Mike Anderson, Treveor Cornley, Martin Craig, Lance Culver, Raul Diaz, Scott Dickson, Christian Ensz, Jake Griggs, Andrew Leathers, Travis Loyd, Michael Luchen, Kirk McPhail, Ryan Miller, Alex Pope, Mohammad Ramahi, Luke Rampy, Blane Siebert, Max VanKirk, Luke Wiggins, Devin Freeman, Rachel McDonald, Crystal Moore, Courtney Rhodes, Marlee Rogers, Shelley Sparling Catch track and field in action: 3/26 BV North 4/3 @Ottawa

Senior Tom Roudebush tips off against BV West senior Brandon Ubell on Feb. 20. Roudebush and the Tigers were overwhelmed by the Jaguars’ offense and fell 33-65. Photo by Conner Combes

4/11 BV Relays

Boys Tennis

Tryouts begin: March 2 Returning senior: Alex Robinson Catch boys tennis in action: 3/25 @Mill Valley 3/26 @ SM West 3/30 BV Northwest

Softball

Tryouts begin: March 2 Returning seniors: Lindsay Muller, Leslee Kinnison, Heather Gruber, Rachel Tate Catch softball in action: 3/31 Lansing @ BVDAC 3/31 Basehor @ BVDAC 4/7 @Washburn Rural

Global sports pique interest, can satisfy fans until spring BUZZER beater

sports editor • AJ Barbosa

Well, to my personal dismay, the Pittsburgh Steelers won the Super Bowl and the Florida Gators won the BCS National Championship. Unless you jumped on either bandwagon early in the football season, there isn’t too much to be happy about now.

I’ve always considered myself the kind of person who can’t focus on one single sport throughout the year. My television is tuned to ESPN every spare minute during the fall and winter. But, like Robert Frost so

2 0 FEBRUARY 2009

eloquently put it, “nothing gold can stay.”

Sure, we got our thrills from both college and pro football, but now that both seasons are over, we’re stuck with one big sport: Basketball.

Normally, I’d be satisfied with this, but my Midwest heart is close to flatlining because of the East Coast’s domination of the college game and I can’t steadily follow the NBA because I can’t quite pick a team to support.

Unfortunately, Kansas City won’t miraculously acquire an NBA team anytime soon and there’s little hope of big things happening in Big XII country.

So in this hoops-dominated time of year, I’ve started looking past our country’s borders for sports to whet my appetite. All those seemingly useless channels my parents got with our satellite package have started to come in handy. Thanks to them,

I’ve discovered a few sports in season throughout the world that can hold me over until the NCAA tournament and the MLB season.

I’d always seen commercials for a sport called Australian Rules Football on the Fox Sports channels, and I’d always dismissed it as too complicated for my liking.

With nothing else to watch, I gave it a shot and realized how awesome it is.

The game is played on an oval-shaped pitch with three large goal posts placed at each end.

Two teams of 18 crazy Australians proceed to punch a small football around the field, laying each other out in the process.

Each team scores when players punt the ball between the goal posts, which lack a crossbar. It sounds easy, but these guys can kick amazingly accurate goals from ridiculous distances. If the

NFL could only woo more of these players into the states, they would make great punters like Jeff Feagles and Mike Scifres look like amateurs.

I first saw Handball during the 2008 Summer Olympics and became interested almost immediately. I originally thought that the sport was only played at the national level, but it is religiously watched and played in much of Europe, South America and Africa.

The sport mixes basketball and soccer into a high-intensity hour of athletes launching a small ball past a goalkeeper into a hockey-sized net.

The game is chock-full of physical action and speed and uses the strategies of both games equally.

Most European leagues are in the peak of their season now and can intrigue American fans.

In Europe, the general popu-

lace views professional darts as one of the most boring sports to watch on TV, but I beg to differ.

It can be difficult at times to sit through an entire three hours of large British men throwing needles into small spaces, but the entertainment comes from the extremely dedicated fan base and color commentary.

When a player scores 180 points by throwing all three darts into a small slot, the crowd goes bananas. The stars of the sports are in dismal shape, but their passion for one of the hardest sports in the world is amazing to watch.

As intense as college hoops and the NBA are this time of year, it is still overwhelming to watch basketball every single day.

These sports aren’t too hard to find, they’re usually broadcast abroad on all of those extra channels, and they’ll keep you thoroughly entertained until things pick up again.

tigerturf

Basketball player prepares for next level of competition caitlinholland staff writer

Few high school athletes have the extensive list of accomplishments he does. Few players come to coach Chris Hansen’s mind who have the athleticism, strength and work ethic he does. Senior Ryan Magdziarz, a two-year varsity guard, has proven to his coach this year that he is the leader the Tigers need.

“We had high expectations, but he went beyond what we expected,” Hansen said.

Hansen and Magdziarz agree that hard work and motivation were key to this season’s success. Over the summer, Magdziarz spent hours conditioning.

However, Magdziarz even surprised himself, making drastic improvements from his play his junior year to senior year.

“I had no idea it would be to this extent,” Magdziarz said. “But I knew it would be from weights in the summer.”

His hard work is clearly shown in statistics. Magdziarz averages nearly 21 points per game.

Being a good role model for younger team members is also important to Magdziarz. He works to influence younger players and make them better.

“I work with them as much as I can,”

Magdziarz said. “I want them to not take a day off.”

Magdziarz has been named Metro Sports Athlete of the Week, Athlete of the Week in the Sun newspaper, Player of the Week in the Kansas City Star and the University of Kansas Hoop Mountain Central Tournament Most Outstanding Player this season.

Hansen attributes some of the team’s success to Magdziarz’s ability to focus on the group, rather than himself.

“He has all these awards,” Hansen said.

“He’s been on Tiger TV, he has a newspaper article about him, but what makes the team successful is what is important to him.”

Next year, Magdziarz hopes to continue playing in college, and is beginning to narrow down his options for schools.

“I think I want to stay close,” Magdziarz said. “In Kansas, for sure.”

Hansen remembered a college scout who came to watch Magdziarz earlier this season. The scout “couldn’t believe” Magdziarz was the same player he had seen one year earlier, because of his extensive improvement.

Hard work has been the driving force behind Magdziarz and the Tigers this year.

“He’s a walking example of what you can become when you work hard,” Hansen said.

Magdziarz Stats

20.8

points per game

3.4

rebounds per game

1.9

61.2

assists per game

two-point FG %

Stats courtesy of James Geary and accurate as of Feb. 24.

4

female athletes to watch this spring

compiled by shannon valverde

Coach’s opinion Teammate’s opinion Loves the sport because...

Individual accolades

Look for male athletes to watch in the next issue of Tiger Print.

Rachel Burton Soccer

Senior Ryan Magdziarz holds the ball at the top of the key against Blue Valley West. Magdziarz leads the team in points and has improved his play considerably since last season. His play has been recognized by Metro Sports and the Kansas City Star. His best performance thus far this season came against Sumner Academy, where he scored 33 points. Photo by Keegan Shepard.

Lindsay Muller Softball

Lauren Wismer Diving

Shelley Sparling Track

“She’s makes a great athlete because of her willingness to improve and unselfishness.”

- K. Dean Snell

“She is the perfect balance between being fun and being competitive.”

- Jim Laughlin

“She’s a very determined worker, she won’t give up until she gets her dive perfect.” - Bridget Allen

“She’s a great worker, she’s just someone who really just likes to be there.”

- Paul Brown

“She’s always up for a challenge and contributes to the team not only on the field but off the field.”

- sophomore Presley Chrisco

“She leads by example more than anything else. Just watching her play makes me want to play harder.”

- junior Jessica Scarlett

“She always has a positive attitude, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her in a bad mood.”

- sophomore Felicia Walker

“She’s very competitive and makes you want to work harder.”

- junior Nicole Berry

“I like it because there is a lot of running involved but it is also a team sport.”

“It’s basically my life, I spend six days a week practicing to get better. I love pitching because you’re in control of the game.”

“There aren’t very many people that compete in it, and it is both mentally and physically challenging.”

“Sprinting as fast as you can is a great adrenaline rush and the team is very fun and welcoming.”

Team captain

Adidas Top 100 recruits in the country, first team AllEKL, first team all-Sun, first team All-State.

State champion in 2007

EKL scholar athlete, varsity letterman

FEBRUARY 2009 2 1

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Senior Signings 6 senior football players sign with local colleges on National Signing Day Seniors Conner Combes, Treveor Cornley, Andrew Leathers, Lance Culver, Ryan Miller, and Luke Rampy sign with their respective schools.

Photo by Amanda Blue.

Benedictine College

Southern Illinois University

Butler County Community College

Andrew Leathers

Ryan Miller

Conner Combes

What are you looking forward to most besides football?

“The small community at Benedictine.

It can help me concentrate more on my academics. ”

Why did you sign with SIU?

“I fell in love with it when I visited it and I’m going to get into the athletic training program, too.”

What are you going to miss most about BV?

“I’m going to miss my friends and the great community within Blue Valley.”

Benedictine College

Emporia State University

Butler County Community College

Lance Culver

Luke Rampy

Treveor Cornley

What are you doing to prepare for the college season?

“I go to Lifetime Fitness like five days a week and I plan on working out a lot during the summer.”

2 2 FEBRUARY 2009

Why did you sign with Emporia State?

“The main reason was because my brother is there, and I wanted to play with him so I wanted to take that opportunity.”

What are you looking forward to most besides football?

“I finally get to get out on my own. It’s a good feeling getting my education, also.”

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Softball

Cross Country

Basketball

Heather Gruber

Courtney Rhodes

Liz Stinson

Why did you sign with Baker?

Why did you sign with Drury?

Other than basketball, what do you look forward to at Benedictine?

“I’m looking forward to going to nursing school and continuing my education. It’s a really good school and it’s close to home.”

“I fell in love with the team and they have an amazing religion department.”

Baker University

Drury University

Benedictine College

“Getting out on my own, growing up and experiencing things without my parents.”

Photos by Amanda Blue and Shannon Valverde.

Fans state cases for local collegiate supremacy brockhumphrey staff writer

The University of Kansas, Kansas State University and the University of Missouri fight for bragging rights every year in basketball and football.

Whether the competition is a blow-out or a nail-biter, fans of these nearby schools will always share a bitter rivalry with one another.

Senior Bobby Specht has been a Kansas State sports fan since birth, learning the fight song when he could first talk.

“I like the passion everyone at the university has,” Specht said. “The fans don’t quit following the team if they’re having a rough season unlike a couple of universities to the east. The athletic department does its best to make teams competitive.”

Specht says he followed KSU basketball, but not as in-depth until the arrival of Bob Huggins.

Of the two sports, football interests him most.

“I’ve always followed the basketball team, just not as much as I did for football,” he said. “Our football team was in its prime when I was growing up, reaching heights KU never has, so obvi-

ously I’d be a huge fan.”

Specht has now been following both teams at K-State pretty evenly for the past two years.

“For basketball, most of the best were before my time,” Specht said. “I’ve seen tape of Bob Boozer and the guy was amazing. He was the No. 1 overall pick of the 1959 draft. In my time, though, it’s obviously Michael [Beasley]. He lost out on Player of the Year and the No. 1 draft pick because he choose to go to a school that hadn’t been known recently as a basketball school.”

For football, Specht could only say good things about the players who went there.

“On the football side of things, I’ve seen most of the best,” he said. “Michael Bishop, Darren Sproles and Jordy Nelson, I put in a class of their own, though. If people are real with themselves, Michael Bishop should have won the Heisman and taken K-State to the national championship.”

Sophomore Nick Snow says he has been a Kansas fan forever.

“I like KU because of the tradition they have, plus they’re my hometown team,” Snow said.

Snow said the team’s tradition is one of the reasons he is a huge Jayhawk fan.

“They go back a long ways,” he said. “They are a contender for the basketball national title every year and are starting to develop a decent football program.”

For KU basketball, there were many reasons why he is a huge fan, including the 2008 national championship.

He also said he likes how they always have a strong program and that their style of play excites people.

When talking about the football program, Snow is proud of the team’s improvement over the past few years.

“Since [coach Mark] Mangino has gotten there, they have been competing in the Big XII,” he said.

“The Orange Bowl win was big, and if they keep succeeding then recruiting could pick up and they’d be a decent program for a while.”

Snow said he thought there was one player who was the best Jayhawk football player, Gale Sayers.

Sayers was an All-American at KU and went on to have a successful professional career with the Chicago Bears.

In the end, he thinks KU is the overall better program in both basketball and football.

“KU has success,” Snow said. “If

you look at everyone’s team history and success, KU clearly has been more successful.”

Senior Kyle Disney was born a Missouri fan.

“I love the tradition, the atmosphere at both games is incredible and Columbia, Mo., is a great place,” Disney said. “They haven’t been the best in either sport but they do compete and they are fun to watch.”

Being such a big Mizzou fan, there are countless things that Disney likes about the athletic department.

“In the past with basketball when Norm Stewart coached, the teams were always scrappy and won games,” he said. “They have good teams nowadays, they are athletic and make unbelievable plays. With football, they bring in guys that want to win and mostly the local guys are fun to watch like Chase Coffman, Derrick Washington and Trey Hobson. But them competing and almost going to the national championship last year, I will never forget.”

Disney thinks that Mizzou will build upon its recent success.

“By how they are playing recently I think everyone will see great things from both programs, there is no reason for the pro-

grams to slip after accomplishing so much the past three years,” Disney said.

Disney said Kareem Rush was the most gifted basketball player he has seen at Missouri and was really fun to watch.

Rush led the team in scoring for three years and later went on to be the 20th overall pick in the 2002 NBA draft.

With football, Disney said Brad Smith was one of the best.

“I actually got the chance to watch him all four years at Mizzou,” Disney said. “He broke so many records for Mizzou. He was a good guy and he gave it his all and I think made the program what it is today.”

When it comes to the best moment for Missouri, there was one that really stood out for him.

“The best moment was beating KU [in 2007] in football to win the Big XII North and being ranked No. 1 in the polls,” Disney said. “That was awesome.”

Whether or not these teams are successful in football and basketball, the rivalry will always remain.

With the legacies of players like Beasley, Sayers and Smith, there is bound to be good competition.

FEBRUARY 2009 2 3

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March Tues. 17

St. Patrick’s Day Don’t forget your green. Irish eyes are smiling...and watching.

Fri., Feb. 27-28 Robotics Competition Today and tomorrow.

Wed. 4

Benjamin Harrison Day I can use my APUSH knowledge to impress my friends today.

Fri. 6

Forensics Tournament BV is hosting today and tomorrow.

Tues. 10

South Area Band Concert Our concert band performs with the feeder school bands.

Thurs. 12

Spring Break begins Hallelujah, Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

Mon. 23

Classes resume All that comes to mind is that song used in scary movies when you know something bad is going to happen.

Tues. 24

National Chocolate Covered Raisins Day The best way to ruin chocolate.

Wed. 25

National Honor Society Induction 7 p.m. in the PAC.

Thurs. 26

Spring Sports Assembly during Tiger Time.

Principal Scott Bacon gets taped to the wall by sophomore Ryan Jaspal in support of the robotics team Feb. 10. Each piece of tape cost $1 at lunch and photos could be purchased of the event. The event raised $101. Photo by Amanda Blue.

Tues. 31

April

Senior Graduation Speech Tryouts 3 p.m. in the PAC.

[Around Town] March 2

Modest Mouse concert 8 p.m. at the Uptown Theater.

Tickets start at $35. Speaking from experience, this band is amazing live.

March 14

The Elders concert 7 p.m. at the Midland Theatre.

Tickets start at $10. Leave it to a local Irish group to start the St. Patty’s Day party a little early.

2 4 FEBRUARY 2009

Sat. 4

Wed. 1

ACT Testing Visit act.org to get registered and for more information.

April Fool’s Day Just kidding.

March 25

Phantom of the Opera Showing at the Music Hall until April 19. Tickets start at $25.

April 2

Britney Spears concert 7 p.m. at Sprint Center. Tickets start at $40. I am sure there are still tickets left for this one.

April 8

Nickelback concert 7 p.m. at Sprint Center. Tickets start at $40. No offense, but their music makes my ears bleed.

Parent Teacher Conferences Today and tomorrow.

Thurs. 9 Fri. 3

No School Once again, I’m not sure why, but I don’t question it.

Academic Breakfast To honor our academic accomplishments.

Senior Faculty Challenge during Tiger Time.

Senior Countdown

79 days before graduation