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THE
TIGER PRINT
BLUE VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL Vol. 43 Issue 8 March 2013 Stilwell, Kan.
GOING WITH THE FLOW Coping with fear of change, staffer recognizes inevitability of new beginnings page 5 FUTURE FILMS Despite multiple upcoming March movies, staffer predicts dismal ratings page 13 FRACTURED FEMUR State wrestling hopeful breaks femur during pre-State match page 14
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inthenews
March 2013
/PNO ZJOVVS Z[\KLU[Z Z\ɈLY KHUNLYV\Z consequences from synthetic drug use kellycordingley editor-in-chief The use of synthetic marijuana is on the rise again, and there are instances of teenagers dying from heart failure after using the synthetic substances. This substance is made, not grown. “I’ve read some articles, and [police officers] read about it,” school security officer Dennis Randall said. “We see circumstances of kids doing it because they don’t know. It’s not natural stuff to get the high, it’s chemicals. And some chemicals are very dangerous.” The possession and sale of synthetic pot is illegal in Kansas. However, just like marijuana, teens are still getting their hands on the potentially harmful drug. Although it is illegal here, in other states, according to medicalnewstoday.com, these drugs are sold as legal alterna-
tives to weed. The problem may lie in the unknown effects of the drug. According to the “New York Times,” a teenage girl suffered a series of strokes leaving her brain paralyzed after smoking synthetic weed she purchased at a gas station. Randall said while both weed and synthetic pot, referred to as potpourri, are dangerous, synthetic pot is much more dangerous in regards to health. According to drugabuse.com, labels on these drugs claim to contain “natural” psychoactive material from plants. While they do contain plant material, that material is soaked in chemicals which induces a high. Randall said although the drug is illegal, he is sure students still manage to smoke it and are drawn to it for the high. In fact, one in nine high school seniors has admitted to smoking fake weed, according to CNN. “It’s not much different from smoking [marijuana],” Randall said. “It’s a similar high, but it’s quicker.”
Choir students earn position on State ensemble, look forward to competing gennifergeer Z[HɈ ^YP[LY Three Blue Valley choir students, seniors Bri Woods, Ali Hibschle and junior Ryan Casey, earned a place on the State Choir ensemble. The concert is put on by winners of District choir competitions. District choir competitions resemble an audition, with the top ten singers of each range (soprano, alto, bass, tenor) from each district continuing to perform at State. “It’s something you have to work for,” Woods said. “Each year, you try to work your way up.” Hibschle said she enjoys the opportunity to go to State. “We all worked really hard to get there, so it’s like our reward,” she said. Hibschle said because the participants were seasoned singers, the experience added value. “We all work together,” she said. “Everyone’s on the same level.”
Sharon Stanley
Woods said it wasn’t easy getting to this point. Exercises included drilling the notes, learning dynamics and rehearsing music. “It’s a lot more technical work than people think,” Woods said. She said she’s grateful for the invitation to State, and it was a good end to her senior year. “It was really fun while we were doing it,” she said. “It’s a lot of work, and it’s nice to have a break.” As for Hibschle, she said she plans to sing in college and has plenty to look forward to for the remainder of her BV choir career. The Chambers Choir class will travel to New York City to perform at LaGuardia High School and to partake in usual NYC activities during Spring Break. “We get to go see Broadway shows and do other fun stuff,” Woods said. “It’s going to be awesome. We’re going to spend five days there, just chilling with our friends and singing and dancing.”
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Events Calendar March 14 — No School: End of Second Semester March 15 - March 24 — No School: Spring Break March 25 — School resumes, end of Spring Break March 27 — National Honor Society Induction, 7 p.m. in the PAC March 28 — Senior Graduation Announcement Delivery, 7:30 - 9 a.m. Spring Recognition Assembly April 1 — Pizza Hut fundraiser April 3 — Senior Speech tryouts, 3 p.m. in the music room April 4 — Spring Academic Breakfast, 7 a.m. in the PAC April 11 — Tiger TV April 12 — It’s Paper Day: April Tiger Print distributed April 13 — ACT, 8 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. April 15 — No School: Professional Development Day April 17 — National Signing Day April 20 — Prom, 9 p.m. - 12 a.m. at the Ritz Charles April 21 — After Prom April 24 — Signing Day, 3 p.m. in the Commons April 25 — Senior/Faculty Challenge
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:[HɈLY KPZJ\ZZLZ PUL]P[HIPSP[` Students need to accept [OLTZLS]LZ YLZPZ[ JYP[PJPaPUN acceptance of change
maddiejewett features editor We’ve all heard it before: “When one door closes, another opens.” I personally have an extremely difficult time accepting change. Whether it be in a friend, an event or any other aspect of life, I honestly hate change. I once read a quote by Carlos Banks that said, “I think part of the reason why we hold on to something so tightly is because we fear something so great won’t happen twice.” This basically sums up my vast array of feelings about change into one 24-word quote. I am afraid to let go of things because I love them and am grateful for them. I don’t want something else to come along and take their place. You see, this leaves room for disappointment. Change. So now we ask, why do things need to change? Can’t our lives just stay the same forever? Well, maybe in a fairytale they can. You know, the whole ‘marry a prince and live happily ever after’ spiel. No matter how hard we try, people will come in and out of our lives.
In reality, change is inevitable, along with endings. In fact, the two typically go hand-in-hand. Someone you’ve been close friends with since freshman year changes, and you slowly drift apart. The boyfriend or girlfriend you’ve dated for over a year breaks up with you, and you are devastated. A close family member passes away unexpectedly, and you know your life will never be the same without them. In all of these cases, something loved is lost. But looking at it in a different way, aren’t new things beginning? After each one of these things, life goes on. “...another door opens.” Everything happens for a reason, right? Whether we consider change to be positive or negative in our lives, there’s a reason behind it. Rather than dwelling on the past and dreading endings and change, we should all take a step back for a second and realize that something new will come. “If I told you that in 10 years your life would be exactly the same as it is now, you most likely would not be happy. In that case, why are you afraid of change?” If nothing ever changed in our lives, we would never be able to experience and learn new things. “This too shall pass.” It’s often hard to see, but after every single ending is a new beginning. And, if we’re lucky enough, we may end up with something greater than we ever could have imagined.
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sallycochran Z[HɈ ^YP[LY All day long, I hear people, mostly girls, talking themselves down. “My hair looks like crap.” “I’m so ugly.” “Ugh, I’m so fat.” The fact is: I’m tired of hearing these things. Everyone is beautiful. I understand — we all have physical features that we aren’t crazy about. Let me tell you a story: I have crazy curly hair. Sometimes it looks half-decent. But most of the time, it just looks like a giant mass of frizzy, blonde fluff. I spent all of last year trying to tame my curls into the sleek, long locks I see on models, TV stars and on a large number of girls at Blue Valley. But guess what? It all failed. I tried everything, believe me — straightening products, a special brush meant to straighten my hair, blow-drying it straight. After many trials — and many errors
— I finally just had to accept the fact that I have curly hair. It’s how my genes are wired, and there is no beauty product that will change that. Now, even when I occasionally attempt to flat-iron my hair, I have to accept that the ends will be curly again within half an hour. I’m OK with that. Whatever it is for you, you have to accept yourself as you. You have to face the facts — some things can’t be changed. I’m not incredibly religious, but I have strong belief in the Serenity Prayer. “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference.” This applies to many parts of your life, especially to yourself and your body. Know that no matter how much you hate that one physical feature, it’s just the way you are. Focus on things you can change. For one, you can change your attitude about your body. Instead of hating on ourselves, what if we focused on more positive goals? Smile more. Hold your head up. Live every day with confidence. Because you are special. Because you are unique. Because you are beautiful.
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kellycordingley editor-in-chief They say study. They say strive for the best. They say get a job for the experience. They say be sociable and have a life. They say get involved. They say get enough sleep. They say eat right. They say relax. They say take some time for yourself. And it is absolutely impossible to follow both sets of suggestions. I’d love to get eight hours of sleep a night, and I’d really
enjoy relaxing. Too bad good grades, scholarships and job responsibilities don’t take care of themselves. It would rock to both attend parties and get 300 hours of community service. I’m thrilled our teachers and parents think so highly of us to assume we can carry it all. And we can because we’ve been trained to be strong and persevere and manage time. But sometimes, we need a break. Every now and then it would be wonderful to not have someone breathing down our neck. Sometimes it’d be great to not have hours of homework — and I’m taking a fairly easy course load. I cannot imagine what a student taking seven Advanced Placement classes feels like. Do they even know what sleep is anymore? But we, as students, put ourselves through the stresses because we need to stay competitive for colleges and jobs. We know that. But where does it stop?
Our parents didn’t have all the stresses we do, and our children will probably have more stresses as jobs become more competitive. And yet, as we run ourselves ragged, we are still falling behind other countries. So what is Japan doing that we cannot seem to grasp? Is it that we need to spend more time in school listening and more time outside school teaching ourselves instead of doing worksheets? Whatever it may be, we need to figure it out because I’d hate to be this stressed and still fail in comparison. So, while we continue to strive for our best, it’s crucial to have realistic expectations. Hard work is worth it as long as we’re not working for perfection because that is just setting ourselves up for disappointment. Set priorities and realize what can fall by the wayside because no one person can do everything forever.
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outloud
March 2013
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jansenhess sports editor My grandpa never was one to say much. For as long as I can remember, he’s always been the quiet type but always part of my life. He and my grandma would be at every sporting event — rain or shine. We’d have the occasional sleepover at their little threebedroom, one-floor house in Kansas City, Mo. It would always consist of the same thing — “The Sound of Music,” my two younger sisters and I playing in our homemade cardboard houses and cars, ghost stories before bed and a cookies and cream ice cream cone from 7-Eleven. We’d laugh our heads off as my grandma would tell us stories of her childhood on the farm in Eldon, Mo. She reminded us of simpler times when she would buy a candy bar for 5 cents and how she and her friends would run around for hours during the summer. My grandpa would sit in his chair and laugh with us, still never saying much. Years later, my grandpa still doesn’t say much. But it’s not because he doesn’t have anything to say, it’s because he doesn’t remember.
My grandpa has Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of Dementia and causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Although he can remember stories from back when he was in the army, he has trouble with his short-term memory. He can’t remember how to do habitual activities, nor can he remember what he had for breakfast. He can’t remember his birthday. He can’t remember his family members’ names. He’s starting to become too much for my grandma to handle, so she has to send him to a daycare a few times a week. Whenever the family gets together, we ask him basic questions just to see if he has a vague remembrance of the answer. He doesn’t. He’s wandered off a couple of times — left the house and gotten lost. He sometimes falls and hurts himself. They try to hide it from my sisters and me, but we all know the inevitable truth. Despite everything he’s gone through, though, my grandpa always has a smile on his face. And on the rare occasion that he does speak, it usually makes me laugh until I cry. He’s taught me so many things both directly and indirectly. He taught me how to find the only four-leaf clover in a cluster of hundreds of three-leaf clovers. He taught me how to draw a dog using the outline of my thumb. He taught me
how to see the good side of everything and how to laugh at myself. My grandpa still doesn’t say much. Whenever he and my grandma come over, he pulls out his newest collectable he found in an old drawer or on the side of the road. He then retreats to the kitchen table and picks up whatever has words on it and begins to read it. It can be the newspaper, instructions or a food label. Doesn’t matter to him. Observing him intrigues me. You can tell he’s still in good shape. Just looking at him, you’d think he was the picture of health. Then you try to have a conversation with him. Usually, what you say just slips in one ear and out the other. Physically, he’s there. Mentally, he’s not. It’s hard. It’s hard to see someone you love change so drastically and know there’s nothing that can be done. However hard it may be, though, I’m going to make the most of the time I have left with him. I want so much for him to be able to see me graduate and to see me get married one day, but I know that’s a big wish. For now, I’m going to appreciate him while I have him. The same goes for everyone else in my life. No one knows what’s going to happen tomorrow. I’m not going to waste any more time worrying or stressing about frivolous things. I’m going to appreciate the life I’ve been given, and I’m going to appreciate the people I’ve been blessed with even more.
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colingregory Z[HɈ ^YP[LY “Ezekiel 25:17.” Five minutes later it’s dropping f-bombs left and right while complaining about how horrible life is. One minute it’s, “God is good,” and the next it’s, “My parents should rot int Hell.” Seen separately, these tweets barely register to me. But seen posted by the same person, and I can't help but be baffled. I’m baffled at the massive contradiction taking place. I’m baffled that someone would put their faith on display for the world — or their few hundred followers — to see and then defile it a few moments later. When I see these tweets, it opens the door for me to examine my own judgemental qualities and those same qualities held by everyone. This is not me making a statement on religion, those
who are religious or those who lack religion. This is not an assault on profanity or coarse language of any kind. I use it more than I care to admit. Profanity does not, in any sense, make you a “bad” person, nor should it. It’s just hard for me to see a person claim one thing and then do or say another. But at the same time, we all do that. Religion calls it sin, and everyone else calls it a mistake. We all “fall short,” whether that comes from a religious standpoint or a simple moral one. No, this is an assault on hypocrisy, an assault that might just be inherently hypocritical in itself. This is also, perhaps, an embrace of my own hypocrisy. When I judge the previously mentioned user on Twitter, I am being a hypocrite. But is that wrong? Well, me writing these words is probably wrong. I know I don’t deserve to judge others, but I do it anyway. We are predisposed to judge. Since that’s true, then we should embrace it, to a degree. We lie every time we condemn those who judge. OK, we don’t lie, but we subject ourselves to a massive state of blissful hypocrisy. We all judge. As soon as man could think, he judged. I judge, and you judge. We tell ourselves to accept others, fearing that if we don’t we’ll be lumped with the racists, homophobes and bigots.
We want to be with the seemingly progressive America, where lifestyles of all kinds are accepted, for the most part. In short, we don’t want to miss the boat. But deep down, we are all looking at others, and thinking things we would never say to their face. We all do it. Some hide it, or make it less apparent to their peers. Some actually do it less, and might be nearly perfect when it comes to avoiding passing judgement. But since we all do it, that has to bring every one of us to a conclusion, a realization of sorts. We have to realize that, no matter what we do, our words and actions will, in some way, be perceived in a way that is negative. And as much we can tell ourselves that it doesn’t affect us, it will irk us somehow. The sooner we realize this, the sooner we can minimize how the judgment of other people bothers us. In the end, we need to embrace that judgment is part of life. There is a time to share our opinions on other people, and there is a time to suppress them, forgetting they exist. So I believe I’m allowed to judge the hypocrite on Twitter, and that hypocrite is allowed to not care. I also believe that, in this case, I’m allowed to share my somewhat brutally honest opinion about that person. Here goes. Quote scripture. Profanely tell us about your horrendous day. But don’t do both. It’s confusing.
March 2013
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staffeditorial TIGER THE
editor-in-chief Kelly Cordingley website editor Odi Opole photo editor Bailey Outlaw
design and news editor Hailey McEntee features editor Maddie Jewett
business manager, managing editor Anna Wonderlich staff writers Raine Andrews Sally Cochran Gennifer Geer Colin Gregory Meghan Kennedy Riley Miller Mitch Sundquist Danielle Williams
photographers Megan Ball entertainment editor Molly Johnson Abby Bamburg Alex Kontopanos Cartoon by Becky Winegarner.
Class competitions taken too ZLYPV\ZS` JH\ZL JVUÅPJ[ staff editorial
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Class competitions are not something that should be taken as seriously as they are. It isn’t the end of the world if your grade doesn’t have the most people dressed up on a spirit day. You can almost guarantee the seniors are going to win anyway, but that doesn’t mean you should completely give up. It is still fun to plan out your
costumes everyday and surprise your friends with your creations. Plus, it’s ten times more exciting going to school dressed in 80s gear than your normal jeans and a t-shirt. The one competition that does have a tendency to change is the class chants at assemblies. Numerous times, the junior class has stepped it up and defeated the seniors. This year, the juniors even won the class dance with “Waka Waka” by Shakira. There have been some close calls, but in the end, the seniors will be the ones going on the bowling trip while the rest of the students are at school. It has never been different, and it never will be.
The senior class — despite rumors — does not cheat, so don’t even try that argument. By the time you get to be a senior, you will have so much school spirit, you won’t even need to cheat to win. Enough students participate, so it will be easy to win. When you’re a senior, you will understand. This is all done in good fun. It’s not meant to start World War III between those few students who take these things way too seriously. Just enjoy the spirit competitions. Sing along to the songs played during passing periods, join in on your class’ dance, help decorate doorways — just do whatever you can to contribute because even though you may not win, it will still be fun to do all these things.
What’s your opinion on class competitions? ;^LL[ `V\Y [OV\NO[Z [V 'I][PNLYUL^Z ^P[O [PNLYZV\UKVɈ
opinion editor Caroline Meinzenbach sports editor Jansen Hess
cartoonist Becky Winegarner adviser Michelle Wilmes
The Tiger Print is published 10 times a year for students, faculty, and the surrounding community of Blue Valley High School. It is an open forum for student expression. Therefore, the opinions expressed within this paper do not necessarily reflect the views of the administrations of Blue Valley Unified School District #229. Letters to the editor and reader responses are encouraged for publication. The Tiger Print reserves the right to edit all submissions for both language and content and encourages letters to be no more than 350 words. Letters should be submitted to room 450, emailed to thetigerprint@yahoo.com or mailed to: The Tiger Print c/o Blue Valley High School 6001 W. 159th St. Stilwell, KS 66085 phone: 913-239-4800 Pacemaker winner, 2012. Pacemaker finalist, 2009, 2010, 2012. Member, Kansas Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association and Columbia Scholastic Press Association.
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March 2013
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Time for a trip to Mexico mitchsundquist staff writer Laying on a beach of white sand, toes in the ocean, the hot sun shining down. That’s how a group of Blue Valley seniors will be spending their spring break this year. The group includes approximately 60 BV seniors who, along with some parents, will be vacationing on the beaches of Mexico at the Sandos Resort in Playa del Carmen. Senior Connor Hurst said his trip was decided earlier this year. “A bunch of parents started an email group and talked about everything,” Hurst said. “I made my reservations after I convinced my parents to let me go.” Senior Sara Hanna said although her parents were OK with the trip for the most part, she had to spend some time convincing her parents to let her go.
“I’d say it was half and half because we have all planned it for a while,” she said. “It took more to convince them to pay for it and [about] the safety of Mexico.” Senior Armin Tarakemeh will also be headed to Sandos over break, although he is not a part of the larger group. “I’m going at the same time as everyone, but I wouldn’t say I’m ‘in’ their group,” Tarakemeh said. “[Senior] Jake [Sloan] and I will want to be with them at times, of course.” Tarakemeh said he made his plans about a month ago and is looking forward to doing a number of things. “[I’ll be] relaxing and having fun with my BFF Jake Sloan, getting girls, showing off my hot bod, eating unlimited food, doing various activities that the resort has available and getting swoll,” he said. Hanna said some big factors made Sandos stand out more than the other resorts the group looked at.
“They are all-inclusive, they had the best reputation and there are [students from] other schools going there,” she said. Students from Rockhurst High School, St. Theresa’s Academy and Notre Dame de Sion High School are also going to Sandos over break. Hurst also plans on spending his time doing a multitude of activities. “[I’m going to] tan, windsurf and just relax,” he said. “[And] enjoy my time away from school.” The parents of most of the students in the group are paying for the trip, although there are a few students who have to help pay their way to Mexico. Hanna said she is looking forward to the beautiful view and spending quality time with her and other student’s parents. “Sand between our toes and the ocean air beneath our nose,” she said.
Time for fourth quarter odiopole web editor Before you start reading this, play the “Jaws” theme song in your head. Got it? OK. Third quarter’s ending — a harmless fact, right? Two months until summer, two months until freedom and two months until the carefree, sleep-till-2 p.m. attitude we’ve all missed over these long winter months. However, (cue the “Jaws” theme song) this also means there are only two months left. Two months until finals. Two months until Advanced Placement exams. Two months to get that low grade you weren’t really worried about back up to something your parents will be OK with. Two months. Second semester is always difficult because we go from a winter slump to spring fever in 0.5 seconds, and, somehow, grades and clubs end up slipping by the wayside. If you’re still feeling that “blah, who cares”
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feeling from the cold or if you’re already in a “sweet summertime” mood, these tips will get you re-energized and back on track for the rest of the semester.
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Or hang up a new poster in your room, or change up your bedspread or do something to break the monotony. Sometimes, a little change is all it takes to get us pumped up and ready to go again, whether it’s the little smile you get from having a vase full of your favorite flowers on your desk or coming home to see that new poster on your wall.
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That change-is-good mantra can apply to your wardrobe, too. Even if you’re a fashionista who mixes it up all the time, sometimes trying new combinations of clothes you already have can make you see them in a whole new light. Or, you can try to start a new fad day. Maybe “Tank Top Tuesday” can give way to “Wedges Wednesday” or “Flannel Friday.” Just don’t judge the day by its name
— alliteration is harder than it looks.
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One that doesn’t include Mumford and Sons, or any other folksy genius. There are lots of great artists and bands whose music is just too slow to ever energize you — I don’t care how incredible the lyrics are. Get on Pandora, Spotify, Grooveshark or whatever you use to find new music and look up songs with a strong beat, uplifting lyrics and a melody you would love to hear on repeat. For starters, try “Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore, “Donald Trump” by Mac Miller and “Tightrope” by Walk the Moon.
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Sometimes, we just need to do some good ol’ fashioned zombie-slaying to get that extra energy out. No matter what your game of choice turns out to be, if you enjoy it you’ll be able to relieve some of that excess tension and focus on your work afterwards. Just don’t over do it and end up not doing any work at all, OK?
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And better yet, exercise outside. When was the last time you rode a bicycle or roller-skated or even just got some fresh air? Unless you’re a dedicated track or cross country runner, my guess is that most of your exercise happens inside — inside a gym, your basement or the weight room. Even if you don’t exercise regularly, getting outside can be a pick-me-up, a study break or another opportunity to mix things up. Plus, when it’s sunny outside and not super-hot, walking is really nice.
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Spring Fever, rather than being an illness caused by spring, is really just the need to get up, get out and do something. So do it. Get a group of friends together and go out to dinner — and make it fancy. Or, organize an all-day tournament of some sort — basketball, Quidditch and Halo are all fair game for competition. Go see a bad movie. Go to the aquarium at Crown Center. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you enjoy yourself and stay safe.
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March 2013
STAGE MOMS
4V[OLYZ KLKPJH[L [PTL [V OLSWPUN T\ZPJHS KLWHY[TLU[ LUQV` ZLLPUN ÄUHS WYVK\J[ maddiejewett features editor With everything from renting and fitting costumes to spell-checking names on programs to emailing parents about upcoming events, Blue Valley mothers Laura Bergeson and Laura Wadley have done it all. They spend countless hours both at school and outside of school working to help improve the music department at BV. Not only are the cast and crew of the musical working every day for months to perfect everything, but many mothers are also putting in an exuberant amount of time to make everything a success. Although her older daughter, who was involved in the theater department at the school, graduated a couple years ago, Bergeson still remains as a key role behind the scenes of all the musicals. “I am still involved because [choir director] Marsha [Moeller] asked me to be, and because I love doing the costuming,” she said. “Also, I love being around the kids, and I absolutely love musical theater. It’s a great way to stay involved with the program. To me, it’s basically a hobby. I just love doing it.”
Bergeson
Wadley
Bergeson said the time commitment differs with every show. “Depending on the show, we have to do more or less regarding costumes,” she said. “However, I’m pretty much
at every rehearsal.” Wadley not only works in the office at BV, but also is a main source of communication throughout the choir department. She keeps in contact with all of the parents, letting them know about upcoming dates, costumes and other various information. “I used to be the office manager for [Christian Youth Theater],” she said. “I’ve been volunteering for years with that, so I just thought this would be a good fit for me and a good way to help out the program.” Bergeson said her jobs vary depending on what is needed each day.
¡VIVA
“For this show, I have not only done costuming, but I’ve also helped with props and programs,” she said. “I have done various things. In general, [Moeller] will just call me and say, ‘Hey, can you do this?’ or, “Hey, can you go buy this?’ — I’m basically her gopher.” Wadley said watching all of the students perform on stage is her favorite part. “I love watching the kids’ progress and getting to know the kids,” she said. “It was fun seeing how talented they all are. I met them all backstage, and then I got to see them shine on stage. Instead of just watching my daughter [sophomore] Madeline [Wadley], I wanted to watch them all perform.” Bergeson said she enjoys being a part of the production and seeing the end result. “I like being around the kids,” she said. “I love working on the production — it’s kind of like a puzzle. You have to see what all they need and make sure everyone has everything they need. Then, when you see it on stage, it all kind of comes together, just like a puzzle, and hopefully you aren’t missing a piece. It really is such a collaborative process. All the pieces have to come together just right to make it happen, and somehow, they always do.”
MALAGUAS!
Spanish classes create political campaigns, provide hands-on learning experience haileymcentee design & news editor Spanish 3.5 classes participated in a political campaign for a fictional country called Malaguas. They worked in groups to create a newscast that supported their campaign. "I liked working with others for this project,” sophomore Gabby Gunnerson said. “We got to work in small groups, and it made it a lot easier and more enjoyable." Gunnerson said her group had good communication with each other about the project. "My group had a group text going so we could talk about everything for the project,” she said. “We divided the work and made plans over the text, and then we compiled everything we had all done. It worked out really well." Gunnerson said she liked seeing people’s viewpoints on certain issues. “You get a lot of different ideas when you work in a group,” she said. “People were coming up with things I would have never thought of if I wasn’t with them. When I was coming up with ideas I didn’t really think of what could go wrong with it, but the people in my group did, so that
really helped.” Spanish teacher Jill Gouger said she liked hearing the ideas students had. "It's important because since students run the whole unit, they have to speak to convince us," she said. "They try to express their own Gunnerson views and opinions. They got to learn about more than just Spanish. They have to think about problems and positions, and they have to come up with possible solutions to things like poverty and unemployment. Then, these choices they make in their party affect the other factors." Gunnerson said she has made many memories throughout this unit. “One of my favorite memories was when we decided that we were going to do a Chipotle commercial in our newscast,” she said. “So, obviously, that meant we had to go on a Chipotle run — it was my genius idea.” Gouger said she likes that the students get to create campaign posters.
"I always keep the posters up until the following year," she said. "I like keeping them up so students get excited for that unit and can see how our class was sort of like its own little country." Gunnerson said the Malaguas unit is very beneficial to learning. “The whole unit was centered around speaking and listening and comprehending things in Spanish,” she said. “It forced us to think quickly in Spanish which we haven’t had very much experience doing before, so it has really helped us all improve.” Gunnerson said the political aspect of the unit was constructive. “Obviously, I don’t ever plan on being a politician, but this was actually a good way to see how politicians have to think about issues,” she said. “You have to see the problems and try to solve them, but then there are a bunch of other factors. It was really interesting.” Gouger said she likes how the political aspect of Malagauas makes students think. "They can choose whatever position they want," she said. "There's no right or wrong answer."
4HYJO
secret science buddies sallycochran Z[HɈ ^YP[LY
It’s a normal Monday morning. Science teacher Sarah Jennings walks into her classroom and sees a six-pack of Dr. Pepper on her desk. The Blue Valley science department bonds by having Secret Science Buddies (SSB). Each teacher draws names for their SSB and gives them four to five little presents over the course of the semester. Jennings said the Dr. Pepper was her favorite gift from her SSB from last semester, Physics teacher John Holloway. “I had been having a stressful week the week before, and one Monday morning I walked in and there was a 6-pack of Dr. Pepper sitting on my desk,” Jennings said. “It was just a nice way to start off the week because that’s kind of my caffeine. I don’t drink coffee. It was a Monday morning — so, bad day to start the week — and I had actually meant to bring one from home and completely forgot. I was frustrated about that, but there was some waiting for me when I got here. It was a nice treat.” Holloway said he bought her Dr. Pepper because he knew they both liked it. “I was actually going to the store to get myself some, so it was an easy thing to get,” he said. “It was getting close to the end of the semester, so sometimes as finals approach, you just need a little extra pick-me-up. I thought the caffeine
daniellewilliams Z[HɈ ^YP[LY Running his bow across the strings, creating harmonious sounds, keeping time with the melody, flipping his sheet music — the only State qualifier for orchestra. Sophomore Jonathan Jarrell is one of the many students at Blue Valley. He has played the cello since fourth grade, when he joined the Jarrell Prairie Star Elementary orchestra. Jonathan said he first joined orchestra because it sounded like a fun activity, and he discovered his gift for the cello soon after. “You can play a large range of notes on the cello, and the instrument’s pitch is usually never too high or too low,” Jarrell said. Jarrell said playing the cello can at times be strenuous because of all the practicing. Jarrell practices around 25-30 minutes a day — sometimes even more when he’s preparing for competitions. “It’s not like riding a bike,” he said. “Once you learn how to play, you have to keep practicing just to keep up basic skills. To improve you have to practice even more.” BV orchestra director Amy Fear said she met Jonathan
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Science department teachers bond over gift-giving, improve relationships
and everything might help her perk up a little bit.” Jennings said the SSB’s have helped the science teachers get to know one another better. “We get to spend lunches together pretty much every day,” she said. “It just helps us to get to know each other better since we do get to spend Jennings as much time together as we do and really support each other and help each other out with whatever we need.” Holloway said the most of the teachers did not correctly guess who their SSB was. “At the end of the semester, when we tried to guess who our person was, we were really bad at it,” he said. “Almost no one guessed correctly who their person was. You’ve got like 11 people to try to guess out of, your chance of randomly getting it are 1/11 — not very good odds.” Jennings said she didn’t know who her SSB from last semester was until the day the teachers revealed it. “It dawned on me because I think Mr. Holloway was wearing a Dr. Pepper shirt or he was drinking a Dr. Pepper — one of the two,” she said. “It dawned on me, ‘That’s right. He’s the only other person who likes regular Dr. Pepper.’ So, at the very last minute, I was like, ‘It’s got to be him,’ and, sure enough, it was Mr. Holloway.” She said the SSB’s also have an impact on performance
Champion Cellist
upclose
within the classroom. “You spend so much time during the day with the kids that your mood is going to show and kind of rub off on them,” she said. “You have to be completely happy with everything about the place that you’re working in, and that includes the people you’re working with, not just the kids, but the adults as well. So, just being able to do something like this is — it’s something fun. It’s something different that maybe a lot of other schools and staff don’t do. It’s a good way to get to know people, and it just definitely makes you a happy person that one day when you walk in and get a little gift.” Holloway said the SSB’s help the science department improve camaraderie. “Sometimes, as teachers, you kind of get locked, in a sense, in your own room,” he said. “You don’t really always get a chance to connect with other people in the faculty or the other people in your department.” Jennings said the SSB’s were helpful to her because she is new to BV this year. “It’s been something that’s been really nice for me to have — some of the team building — to get to know people a little better,” she said. “It’s made me a lot happier, a lot more confident of a person, to know that I have people who are very supportive of each other, that we all get to work together every day. It makes me a lot happier when I come here knowing I work with awesome people.”
Student inducted into All-State Orchestra as sophomore, works hard to achieve success
four years ago and realized his potential right away. “He is a very quick study, and it doesn’t take as much effort to get where he’s at as it does for others,” she said. Jonathan uses BV graduate Jenny Shyver as a private teacher. Jarrell said she is his inspiration to improve each and every day. “She is one of the nicest people I know, and an outstanding cellist,” Jarrell said. “She teaches with a positive attitude and loves every minute of it, which is really important when you're trying to develop good musicians.” Jarell went to the KMEA District and State Solo and Ensemble last year. “I managed to do well,” he said. “I got a 1 [rating] for my solo.” All-State Orchestra is comprised of the most talented sophomore, junior and senior musicians throughout Kansas. Each musician has to audition at the district level, and then at the state level to make All-State. Jarrell first auditioned for a chair in the Northeast KMEA District Orchestra where there were around 60 cellists. He was one of twenty who made the cut and went to the All-State auditions. Fear said there were 16 band students and two choir students accepted into All-State, along with Jarrel and junior Grant Dickerson from orchestra. “It puts him in the top 20 cellists in the state,” Fear said. Jarrell was the only cellist from BV accepted into AllState Orchestra.
“Sometimes a musician has a bad day or a bad audition, so just because someone doesn't make All-State, doesn’t mean that person isn’t a good musician,” Jarrell said. Jarrell and Fear said they were both pleasantly surprised to hear Jarrell had made All-State. “I was surprised because his reaction to his audition was neither nay or yay, so I didn’t know how he felt,” Fear said. Jarrell said he found out the news at lunch when Fear came up to his table. “I was pretty surprised because I’m a sophomore, and I thought I probably wouldn’t make All-State until my junior or senior year,” he said. Jarrell said everyone has been very congratulatory, and he has gotten a lot of nice comments from friends and teachers. “My parents were happy, obviously,” he said. “My teachers went out of their way to congratulate me, which I appreciated.” Fear said she thinks Jarrell has a bright future and has the potential to be an amazing player. “I hope he applies himself, works hard and sees where he can go with this,” she said. Jarrell said he’s not sure what's in store for his future, but plans on continuing to grow and improve as a cellist each day. “I just plan to keep playing, and whatever happens is fine,” he said. “I’d like to play in college, but I don't have any firm plans beyond that.”
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March 2013
centerstage
wanelo Stories by Abby Bamburg.
want
need
love
what wanelo is: A website with everything on it. A place where you can buy different, interesting and fashionable things from stores all over the web. Created by a team of developers in San Francisco in 2012, Wanelo (pronounced “wah-nee-lo,” from the first two letters of “want, need, love”) is basically an online catalog that allows you to connect with people all over the world through products. Creating a Wanelo account is free and allows you buy, sell, collect and post products.
thoughts on wanelo: Wanelo is a great way to share products you think are cute or interesting with other people. Although you can spend a lot of money on the website, most of it is fairly cheap. You can even make wish lists for your birthday or the holidays. The only problem with this website is some of the links you click on to buy the products are expired, or the product is no longer available, which can be very disappointing. It is definitely an upgrade from Pinterest, which you can see the products, but not necessarily know how or where to buy them. You also don’t have to be invited to join Wanelo, unlike Pinterest. The website allows for creativity, marketing, buying and definitely a lot of procrastination.
raise your voice:
Sayegh
how wanelo is used: Selling: You can link to products you want to sell to a website such as Etsy or eBay.
Posting: You can share products you think are interesting or want to buy yourself by posting the link to it.
Collecting: Each member has boards in which you can buy products or also make a wish list, just like Pinterest.
Marr
“I love the website and go on Wanelo at least once every day because if I see something I like I can just buy it right at that moment,” junior Kristen Sayegh said. “If I like what something looks like, I can just buy it right away,” junior Emily Marr said. “If I get an iPhone, I’m definitely going to look for a phone case on there.”
Woodworth
Holland
“I like Wanelo because it gives you an opportunity to find different clothes that you wouldn’t be able to find in retail clothing stores,” senior Courtney Woodworth said. “I’ve been trying to save up my money so I can go on a buying-spree on the website soon.” “I like it because it’s online shopping without having to buy anything,” sophomore Lauren Holland said. “You can just put all the things you like in a big category and save it. I’ve bought shoes on the website, and they were way cheaper.”
March 2013
h c r maovies m
Colin ries by
Sto
y.
Gregor
Olympus Has Fallen: March 22
centerstage
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The Call: March 15 This thriller, starring Oscar-winner Halle Berry, looks promising on paper. Berry plays a 911 operator who takes on the kidnapper of a teenage girl. However, I have a feeling this will be just another forgettable, lame knock-off of hundreds of movies before it. I might be wrong, but a decent movie in March is usually harder to find than Waldo.
The Place Beyond the Pines: March 20 What do you know, a movie I’m actually looking forward to. This crime drama stars Ryan Gosling as a motorcycle stunt driver who resorts to robbing banks in order to provide for his newborn child. This puts him on a collision course with an idealistic cop played by Bradley Cooper. Gosling is an actor who, aside from “The Notebook,” doesn’t do bad movies. The early reviews on this one have been very positive, and I think it’ll be terrific.
This movie will likely be more painful to watch than seeing your grandma get carried off by a flock of rabid geese.
G.I. Joe: Retaliation: March 28
THE
TIGER PRINT
The first G.I. Joe was an insult to my intelligence, and this one should be no different. Want proof? This one stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. As much as I love killing brain cells, I’m skipping it, and you should, too.
The Host: March 29 Maybe this will be an adaptation of a Stephenie Meyer novel that won’t completely suck. To be fair, the only other movies based off of her books were those god-awful “Twilight” movies. “The Host” thankfully doesn’t involve Kristen Stewart or vaguely homoerotic relationships between vampires and werewolves. It does involve something about alien parasites and mind control. Whatever the case, I’m mildly intrigued. Mildly.
Exp. 4/30/13
ONLINE
Check out our website for updated news coverage, exclusive stories, photos and digital issues of the paper.
www.bvtigernews.com
Exp. 4/30/13
tigerturf
14
March 2013
Quite
Catch the
Four-year varsity catcher featured on cover of athletic magazine; leadership plays vital role in upcoming season
meghankennedy Z[HɈ ^YP[LY One day after school, she’s called down to the office. As she enters the office, a huge stack of magazines laying on the counter catches her eye. She heads over to the counter and immediately knows what’s going on. Picking up the magazine, a huge smile spreads across her face, similar to the one on the cover. Blue Valley staff surrounds her, asking for her autograph. Four-year varsity softball catcher senior Anna Varriano was recently recognized in “Advanced Athlete” magazine. Varriano said the whole article was about her receiving an almost full-ride scholarship to play softball at the University of Northern Iowa next season. “I was pretty surprised that I was chosen to be on the cover, on top of being in the magazine,” Varriano said. “I felt extremely honored that they asked me to be a part of it. It was a great feeling knowing that I would be recognized for my hard work and my commitment to play at a Division I school.” Varriano said the distance between Northern Iowa and Kansas freaks her out. “I’m going to be so far away from home and out of my comfort zone,” she said. “I’m not really nervous, but I guess the only thing I was nervous for would be the workout and Swinging the bat, senior Anna Varriano having to wake practices for the first up early. I’m not game. The team will play exactly the fastest Basehor-Linwood in the girl, but I’m mostly season-opener on March excited just to play.” 26. “She leads our afterVarriano led school workout,” coach the spring softball Stephanie Chomicki said. workouts. Mondays Photo by Bailey Outlaw.
and Fridays were focused on improving agility and strength enhancement through weight lifting and running. Wednesdays were more dedicated towards improving softball skills, with a little agility added in. Varsity softball coach Stephanie Chomicki said, even if she doesn’t want to, Varriano will stay after practice to help other athletes. “As a catcher, she has to stay to help the pitchers, and she is always willing to catch for them,” Chomicki said. “She is always the first person at practice and the last one to leave. She feels better when she leads — I can tell that by her attitude. She has been one of our leaders on the team since last year. Even though she wasn’t a senior, I still considered her a strong part of our team and a strong leader.” Varriano said being a catcher comes with a large time commitment. “Catching and pitching are two of the main important jobs in softball,” she said. “A lot of people forget that we have to do a lot of extra practicing. Even if it’s not scheduled, we still work together and practice. If you enjoy what you’re doing, it doesn’t feel like extra work.” Varsity softball pitcher Ashley May said Varriano’s willingness to always help athletes improve themselves makes her an important aspect of the team. “She is always making time for me to improve my pitching,” she said. “Pitching is one of those things you can’t improve on without doing it every single day. It’s very hard to be a pitcher without a catcher — you can’t pitch against a wall. It’s just really hard to find someone so willing to work with others like [Varriano].” Chomicki said Varriano not only leads by example, but she is the vocal leader on the field. “The catcher is pretty much the captain of the infield, so she always guides [the other players] in the right direction,” she said. “She always has been like that, but now, since she is a captain, that is her main responsibility, and she gets that.” Chomicki said Varriano’s attitude reflects on and off the field. “Confidence is a huge part of her,” she said. “She is very hardworking, probably one of the most hardworking players I have coached. [Varriano] is very dedicated and passionate. That’s something you can’t coach — she just has it.” May said Varriano’s motivation, dedication and love for the sport is immense. “[Varriano] is like a diamond in the rough,” she said. “It’s really hard to find someone who is so motivated at such a young age and willing to step up and take the role of a catcher. You will not see anybody else practice more than she does. There is no one who shows more dedication than she does with the practice she does and the work she puts in. She deserves everything she works for because she works so hard all the time. Northern Iowa is so lucky to have her.” Varriano said one of her main goals for the season is to build team camaraderie. “I know we had five girls graduate last year, so my first goal is to kind of get a good team together,” she said. “This year is going to be a lot better than last year. The seniors this year are more focused on the team-building aspect rather
than just the skill part. We’re doing things a lot differently this year.” Chomicki said Varriano impacts the program every day. “Her attitude is contagious out there,” she said. “She wants to win. That reflects on every girl on the field. She won’t accept anything except the best.” May said Varriano has always been the hardest worker on the field. “Obviously, everybody works hard, but she just shows so much dedication through all the effort she puts in,” she said. “She genuinely cares about every single point and every single play. There is just another level above and beyond how people care about the sport, and she’s on that level. She truly has a love for the game.” Varriano said her family fuels her drive to succeed. “My parents have supported me through everything,” she said. “When I was little, I would watch my sister play, and I would go to all her games and practices.” Chomicki said Varriano’s confidence and determination have changed now that she is a captain. “I’ve definitely seen a huge difference in her attitude when she became an upperclassman,” she said. “As a freshman and sophomore, she was more like a ‘let the upperclassmen lead the way’ type of person, but now she has stepped into those shoes. She has always been a very tough and fearless player and more so now that she is a captain.” Chomicki said Varriano is similar to previous captains in leadership styles. “Our captains last year were very strong and were on varsity all four years, just like [Varriano],” she said. “The one thing I know about [Varriano] is that she is more passionate and hardworking than anybody I have ever coached. She is not going to accept second place. She always strives to be the best.” Varriano said all three captains share a good-cop, badcop relationship. Varriano said she is the bad-cop because she isn’t afraid to get on the other players. “When I’m on the field, I take it very seriously,” she said. “I’ve talked to other girls, and they all think I’m intimidating. They know when I go out to play, I mean business. They know that if someone makes a mistake, I’m not afraid to go out and say, ‘Hey, what was that?’ I think they respect the fact that I want to win. I go out and do my part, so I expect them to go out and do their part.” Chomicki said having Varriano’s varsity experience will be a key component in their season. “She is very vocal as our catcher,” she said. “We are going to have quite a few new girls this year since five seniors graduated, so having someone who has been through the level of play is going to be very clutch for us.” Chomicki said she is concerned for the upcoming years without Varriano. “I started coaching at BV three years ago, so she was the catcher when I started here,” she said. “I don’t know anyone else, except for [Varriano], as a catcher. I am confident the girls below her are looking up to her as a role model, and they’ll kind of step into her shoes. She is basically irreplaceable for us.”
tigerturf
March 2013
Broken Leg, Broken Dreams Career-ending injury during EKL wrestling match ends State hopes meghankennedy Z[HɈ ^YP[LY In a crowded gym, chatter fills the air as wrestlers compete for the Eastern Kansas League Tournament title. With mats spread throughout Blue Valley West’s gym, it’s hard to chose which duo to watch. Your eye scans the gym when one pair catches your attention. Blue Valley varsity wrestler senior Grant Robbins battles against a Gardner-Edgerton athlete. Robbins leads the match 8-3 by the end of the third period. You stop watching, already predicting the outcome. As the match progresses, Robbins stays dominant. In a panic and fear of losing, his opponent attempts to flip Robbins over and gain the advantage position, by clenching Robbins’ legs between his. As Robbins desperately tried to break free of his opponent’s grasp, his legs got caught, and he was unable to move. As the Gardner wrestler twisted Robbins’ legs with his in one direction, his hands were forcing it the opposite movement. Snap. The chatter suddenly comes to a halt, and all eyes are focused on one mat. Despite the alarming noise, the match continues. Robbins broke his femur Saturday, Feb. 9, ending his wrestling career forever. “It didn’t really hurt,” he said. “It was just like when your ears pop on an airplane. I was just in total shock.” Robbins said he could immediately tell he broke a bone after he heard the snap. “The kid kept pulling on it, and then it suddenly hit me,” he said. “It was very painful.” Screams from coaches, teammates, and Robbins were all directed at the ref to end the match. “When he finally stopped the match, my leg was completely messed up,” he said. Head wrestling coach Kale Mann was watching a different BV match when he heard about the injury from a manager. Mann said everyone in the vicinity knew it was bad.
“They heard the snap,” Mann said. “Usually that injury comes from a car wreck or something like that. It just doesn’t happen Robbins in our sport.” Initially, the injury was mistaken for a dislocation of the knee. “I was in a lot of pain,” Robbins said. “They didn’t know why because they thought it was my knee, but then everyone was completely startled when they found out it was my femur.” Varsity wrestler senior Jacob Sims said it was weird to see this happen firsthand. “People break femurs — it happens,” he said. “That’s probably one of the worst things that can happen in a wrestling match. We knew stuff like that can happen, just not as often, but it just sucks that it happened to him.” Robbins broke his femur in a spiral fracture. “If you look at the x-ray right away, it looks like it is in half,” he said. “If you zoom in on it, it’s jagged in the middle.” They performed surgery on the femur and, in place of the bone marrow, the doctors inserted a metal rod. Mann has seen more serious injuries during his 14 years as a wrestling coach. “I had a young man break his neck and become paralyzed,” he said. “It’s upsetting, and you worry about it because you don’t know how serious it is. His injury could have had a lot of blood loss, but it was kind of a relief that it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.” Mann said the severity of the injury is not as detrimental as it could have been. “His prognosis and recovery are going to be quicker than had he torn his ACL,” he said. “The end results are actually going to be, hate to say it, better for him than if it was a less severe injury.” Visiting Robbins in the hospital brought the team closer together. “We are lucky to have each other, knowing this can happen at any moment,” Sims said. “We just hope every day it doesn’t happen again.”
Mann said he was disappointed the match wasn’t stopped prior to the snap. “I’ve actually seen a video of the match, and it’s pretty disturbing,” he said. “The official was out of position and that happens. I think [Robbins] thought it seemed like a lot longer with the shock that sets in. I think it should have been stopped before it broke, because there are rules to keep the wrestlers safe. The match wasn’t stopped for, like, 3-4 seconds, and that’s a pretty long time for a broken leg. Then it took a long time to get the wrestlers untangled.” Robbins played a big part in the team, not just through his athletic capabilities. “He probably would have been a State-qualifier,” Sims said. “We’re going to miss him a ton. [Robbins] and I are both captains, so he will also be missed in the leadership aspect. We’re going to have to come closer as a team that way. It will be pretty weird not having him there by my side.” Robbins said if he didn’t break his femur, he would have won the match and advanced on to the next round. He had to forfeit by injury default. Despite the Gardner athlete apologizing to Robbins, Robbins said he thinks the Gardner wrestler was happy. “He was losing badly, and he would have been kicked out of the tournament — he would have been done,” he said. “But since he won, he got another match, and he won it.” Robbins said he couldn’t think of a worse way to end the season. “My wrestling career is over,” he said. “I’m supposed to have a full recovery though. It’s the worst thing ever. That was EKL and then there was Regionals and State. I had pretty good expectations, and that’s not how I wanted to go out.” Sims said Robbins’ injury is going to impact the team in the future. “It’s scary knowing that it happened to him,” he said. “Just knowing anything can happen at any time is scary. You feel blessed that it isn’t you and blessed that your season isn’t over and that you’re still going. We definitely missed him at State. We all got more focused as a team knowing it’s that much harder to accomplish our goals.”
15
TIGER
TURF
BV SPORTS
sports in brief GIRLS BASKETBALL
Previous Action: 3/2 @ SMNW (58-48 W) 3/7 @ Wichita South (36-31 L) Record: (13-10)
TRACK AND FIELD
Previous Action: 3/12 BV Intersquad Meet Upcoming Action: 3/15 JCCC Indoor Meet 3/27 BV-BVW Dual
GIRLS SOCCER
Upcoming Action: 3/26 @ Topeka Seaman 3/29 vs. Pembroke Hill
GIRLS SWIMMING
Upcoming Action: 3/28 @ BVW 3/30 Greg House Invitational @ BVW
SOFTBALL
Upcoming Action: 3/26 vs Basehor Linwood @ BV Rec 3/26 vs Lansing @ BV Rec
BASEBALL
Upcoming Action: 3/26 vs Gardner-Edgerton 3/29 @ Gardner-Edgerton
BOYS TENNIS
Upcoming Action: 3/27 @ Lee’s Summit North 3/28 @ Emporia Invitational
BOYS GOLF
Upcoming Action: 3/25 @ Lionsgate 3/27@ Eagle Bend
Results current as of March 7.
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incolor
March 2013
Baby, it’s cold outside
Blue Valley students take advantage of second round of snowdays in two weeks, submit photos 1.
2.
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4. (1) Posing by their snowman, seniors Jordan West, Jessie Peterson and Sarah Cauffield make funny faces. The girls spent their day playing in the snow. “We made a snowman and drank hot chocolate,” West said. Photo submitted by Jordan West. (2) While taking a measurement of the most recent snowfall, senior Jordan West captures the 12 inches of snow on the ground. Between the two snowfalls, more than 18 inches accumulated in the Overland Park area. “I just wanted to see how deep it was,” West said. Photo submitted by Jordan West. (3) Relaxing in the snow, seniors Chris Hess and Dominick DeWolf bask in the frigid temperatures. In total, the Blue Valley School District cancelled four days of school due to the two snowstorms in two weeks. “We were lifeguarding at Life Time Fitness,” Hess said. “No one was there, so we thought it would be fun.” Photo submitted by Chris Hess.
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(4) Sitting in a tie dye igloo, seniors Vaughn Ericson and Katie Shull and sophomore Ricky Shull enjoy their creation. Ricky said they worked the entire day to complete the massive ice fort. “We used buckets to make bricks, and then we stacked them,” Shull said. “For the tie dye, we used food coloring and a spray bottle.” Photo submitted by Ricky Shull. (5) While in Wichita, sophomore Ajay Subramanian and senior Caleb Trieu help push a stranded car through the snow. Some Blue Valley students were in Wichita for State band. “We were one our way to Chipotle when we saw them,” Subramanian said. “We helped push them out to safety.” Photo submitted by Ajay Subramanian.
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(6) Mimicking the scene in “A Christmas Story,” seniors Bingjie Li and Sammy Gibbs stick their tongues to a frozen pole. Li said they spent the majority of their day shoveling Li’s driveway. “We were going to make snow angels, but the snow was really thick,” Li said. “But there was a metal pole nearby and we wanted to try it.” Photo submitted by Sammy Gibbs. (7) Wrestlers at the State wrestling tournament work on homework during their time off the mats. The team left a day early for the State tournament in Wichita to beat the snowstorm. “Our wrestling coach made us do a study hall,” senior Jacob Sims said. “We were stuck inside our hotel.” Photo submitted by Jacob Sims.