The Tiger Print — May 2011

Alcohol acceptance

Study shows teens do not find peers drinking daily problematic

Destination: Israel

Senior twins plan volunteer, military work in home country page 8

Down, but not out

Girls track team maintains high competition despite low numbers

1. Senior events calendar

The following are senior events leading up to graduation:

Tuesday, May 10 at 7 p.m. — Senior Awards Evening in the PAC

Thursday, May 12 during Tiger Time — Jostens cap and gown delivery in the commons

Friday, May 13 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. — Senior class picnic and yearbook distribution at Tomahawk Ridge Community Center

Tuesday, May 17 — Finals hours 5, 6 and 7

Wednesday, May 18 — Finals hours 3 and 4

Thursday, May 19 — Finals hours 1 and 2. Class Day rehearsal after finals.

Friday, May 20 from 9-11 a.m. — Class Day in the main gym. Seniors should arrive in the auxiliary gym at 8:15 a.m. in caps and gowns.

Sunday, May 22 at 12:30 p.m. — Graduation ceremony at Kemper Arena. Seniors should arrive at 11:15 a.m. by Caitlin Holland.

2. StuCo donates to charities

Student Council recently donated a total of $1,500 to two organizations. Braden’s Hope for Childhood Cancer received $1,000. Heifer International received $500 to purchase one heifer.

Student body president, senior Matt Hamblin said the money was raised from school dances and community donations.

“These donations were made as gestures of goodwill on the part of BV students,” he said. “We have to give back to the community when we can.”

He said StuCo chose to donate to Braden’s Hope for Childhood Cancer not only for its message, but because it created a national movement.

He said StuCo chose Heifer International because the organization gives a community tools for a sustainable food source.

“It’s the gift that keeps on giving,” he said. “It’s a cool way for BV students to help people internationally as well as locally.” by Odi Opole.

Recent study illustrates increase in underage drinking

emilybrown copy editor

A new study sponsored by MetLife Foundation indicated an increase in acceptance of underage drinking by teenagers.

According to the 22nd Annual Partnership Attitude Tracking Study, 45 percent of teens do not see drinking five or more alcoholic drinks a day as a problem.

BIONIC Club sponsor Tina Martinat said after working so closely with the anti-drug and alcohol group, she did not find the statistics surprising.

“These are kids,” she said. “They really haven’t lived long enough to know the devastation that can be caused from the use and abuse of alcohol by a minor.”

The study showed 31 percent of teens strongly disapproved of underage drinking.

Martinat said some teenagers do not find underage drinking a problem

ing straight. When you have these young kids as teenagers, who really don’t have enough maturity anyway, and you start coupling alcohol and getting behind the wheel — I mean, it is a disaster.”

She said the greater acceptance of consuming large amounts of alcohol could also be due to problems with today’s culture.

“As a society, we have so many evils,” she said. “We’ve got drugs. We’ve got gangs. People maybe view [alcohol abuse] as not as bad. Also, you can go to liquor store and buy alcohol. It’s not like you can just go to a store and buy drugs.”

According to the study, 73 percent of teenagers report having friends who drink alcohol at least once a week.

BIONIC president senior Maria Cobb said she did not find the statistics surprising. Cobb said the acceptance comes from the stories told at school and the belief that drinking is a social activity.

“Once one person starts, they get

What do Blue Valley students

In the study, the top reasons for drinking were for fun and the desire to feel included. Cobb said it is essential to create alcohol-free activities at school and in the community to provide a safe atmosphere for students.

“This is a perfect opportunity to continue and to show how devastating this can be,” she said. “We need to show them it is not OK; it is not right. It can hurt you; it can hurt your friends. It can kill people. You can have a great time without alcohol.”

Though the study showed a higher level of acceptance, the percentage of teens reporting actually consuming alcohol declined. It was down to 35 percent from a high of 50 percent in 1998.

However, there was a 67 percent increase in the past year in students who reported using Ecstasy. Marijuana use among teens increased by 22 percent in 2011 compared to the 39 percent usage in 2010.

“There are so many different kinds of things kids will try,” Martinat said. “My question is what is wrong with life that makes them do that? There are just so

think about underage drinking?

82% of students have noticed a greater underage drinking

83% of students think drinking 5 or more alcoholic drinks a day is a problem

55% of students disapprove of their peers getting drunk

45% of students don’t care about their peers getting drunk

The senior class of 2011 prepares to leave BV. Seniors will graduate on May 22 at Kemper Arena

Photo illustration by Maegan Kabel and Juliana Himmel. 122 students polled.

Local restaurant closes, inconveniences student workers

saranaatz managing editor

At 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 3, Blue Moose restaurant managers called senior Anna Kebe and the rest of her co-workers in for a morning meeting.

They provided breakfast for the employees and checked to make sure everyone was in attendance.

Kebe had just gotten a job at the restaurant. She was still in training.

The employees all gathered around as the managers prepared to make an announcement.

“We’re closing.”

Everyone looked around in disbelief.

“I didn’t believe them at first because I had just started there,” Kebe said. “Everyone was just kind of quiet. They kind of just have to take it and figure out what to do.”

Kebe said though rumors had been going around, none had been confirmed.

“It was definitely out of the blue,” she said. “A couple people had heard, but no one was really sure. We were busy almost every night on weekends.”

Employees began cleaning things out immediately after the meeting. As Kebe drove by the building later that day, she saw men removing the letters from the walls.

“This other kid that was training with me missed the meeting, and he literally was calling asking ‘Where is Blue Moose?’ because it was gone that same day,” she said.

Blue Moose employee junior Sloane Sandmoen said Blue Moose shut down mostly because of its small size and inability to bring in sufficient revenue.

“It was in a really bad location, and it was pretty small,” Sandmoen said. “We didn’t make enough money because we just couldn’t fill it up.”

Managers relocated many of the employees to Los Cabos, a Mexican restaurant in Mission Hills.

“A lot of the waitresses live on tips and by the paycheck, so it was good that we got started [at Los Cabos] in the next day or two,” Kebe said. “They’ve been really flexible with getting us started again because some people have worked at Blue Moose for years.”

Kebe said many of the former Blue Moose employees are upset about the longer drive to get to Los Cabos, located on 119th Street and Mission Road.

“For me, now, it’s almost a 20-minute drive,” she said. “There a few high school girls that said they don’t get paid enough to afford this gas. One girl went to the Blue Moose on 135th and she doesn’t like it at all. It was like a 30 minute drive for her, and it’s just not worth it.”

Closings and openings

Setting up a table, senior Anna Kebe works as a hostess at Los Cabos. Along with other BV students, Kebe was transferred to the new restaurant after Blue Moose closed suddenly. “[The transition] from Blue Moose to here has been pretty smooth because they moved all of us together,” Kebe said. Photo by Maria Fournier.

The scene is reminiscent of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

A name is called. Silence. No one responds.

The process repeats again and again until one lone student walks across the stage.

The Academic Breakfast took place on Thursday, April 7.

Out of a total of 461 awards that were supposed to be given out that day, only 139 students showed up to accept.

Barely 30 percent showed up at a breakfast meant to recognize and honor their achievements.

Granted, some students who were supposed to be recognized were away on a band field trip. Assuming they would have shown

The Tiger Print

editor-in-chief

Caitlin Holland

managing editor

Sara Naatz news/web editor

Annie Matheis

opinion editor

Jacob Pruitt

features editor

Jordan Huesers

sports editor

Clay Cosby

copy editor

Emily Brown

design editor

Jordan McEntee

photo editor

Maegan Kabel

web photo editor

Conor Storm ads manager

Sam Brennan circulations

Courtney Woodworth

staff writers

Kelly Cordingley

Odi Opole

photographers

Maria Fournier

Juliana Himmel

Olivia Roudebush

cartoonist

Evelyn Davis

adviser

Jill Chittum

up, that only slightly bumps up the percentage of attendance.

Around one out of every three students invited went to the awards ceremony, got a free meal and received an award.

While this is not unexpected or unusual in any way — students have been skipping this breakfast for years — it is still wrong.

However, the students who don’t attend seem to have a point.

Blue Valley gives out too many awards for exhibiting expected behavior. Tiger Tokens, $10 Tuesday, locker magnets, honor roll...

The list goes on.

It has gotten to the point where doing a good job isn’t special anymore.

When more than one-third of the school is asked to attend a breakfast to be rewarded for their hard work, that recognition means less.

Because everyone is doing well and being rewarded has become the norm, it is not appreciated as it should be.

Students have become over-rewarded.

That isn’t to say rewards for doing a good

raise voice your

job are a bad thing — it just means that the requirements should be raised.

Showing up to class on time and doing your work should never qualify as something to be rewarded.

It should be expected.

Doing out-of-class work and applying yourself to your subjects, doing extra credit and all of the assignments is what should be recognized.

Studying for hours on end until you can understand the subject, not just being able to pass a test, is what should be rewarded.

At the same time, students need to begin appreciating these rewards.

Some of them actually put in the extra hours and dedication necessary to warrant walking across that stage.

We understand that at the moment, the awards are easy to come by.

But you still need to appreciate them. Today, they may not mean much, but outside of BV others will view it as an actual accomplishment.

The Tiger Print is published nine times a year for the students, faculty and the surrounding community of Blue Valley High School. It is an open forum for student expression. Therefore, the opinions expressed within this paper do not necessarily reflect the views of the administrations of Blue Valley Unified School District #229. Letters to the editor and reader responses are encouraged for publication. The Tiger Print reserves the right to edit all submissions for both language and content and encourages 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 finalist, 2009 and 2010 Member, Kansas Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association and Columbia Scholastic Press Association

How do you feel about student recognition at BV?

Cartoon by Evelyn Davis.

freshman

CJ Ruiz

If people are going to do stuff outside of school they should at least be recognized for it.

sophomore Kacey

Miller

It feels kind of over the top. They praise people for what they are supposed to do.

junior Jenna Wiggins

I think it’s good. I guess it’s a good incentive, but yet it doesn’t do anything for me personally.

senior Austin Collier

I feel like it’s very successful, as a school we show off a lot of students gifts and talents.

Students over-recognized, show lack of appreciation

That’s Cliqueyso

Cliques motivated by search for happiness

Everyone has a different goal in life.

To be a Broadway star.

To be an NFL football player.

To be a mother or a father.

However, everyone has the same motivation for reaching their goals.

A desire to be happy.

This is a huge generalization and very stereotypical, but it’s true.

The search for happiness is what drives (at least partially) all the decisions that we make.

Which brings me to the Blue Valley High School experience — 2011 edition.

When you walk down the halls of our illustrious school, you’re bound see lots of people. As you look at these people, your mind will most likely break them down into “cliques.”

The football players, thespians, band kids, artists, partiers,

Seniors are like celebrities. They can drive; they can wear whatever they want and still look cool (because they’re seniors); they can schedule a day to skip school with few repercussions.

But senior year is not necessarily all it’s cracked up to be. It’s full of stress, some fun stuff and then a little more stress. Although they might not be worrying about school as much as we underlings are, they are worrying about graduation, prom, senior assassins, work, life after high school and The Future in general. Maybe they can take that mid-morning nap some underclassmen crave, but that’s only because they are beginning the adult tradition of staying up at night, worrying about The Future.

Not too fun, huh?

Now, underclassmen have it great — or at least better.

Freshmen have the easier classes, and at least more free time than they will later on. For at least a short while, they can afford to

intellectuals and so on.

You might think to yourself, “Our school is so cliquey.”

Like it’s a bad thing.

And I guess, in some ways, it’s not ideal.

But in reality, it’s proof that everyone is just trying to be happy. There is a common misconception that in high school no one acts like themselves. However, cliques are living proof that most people do.

A “friend group” is people who have things in common and spend time together because they make each other happy.

These people are being themselves and having fun — at least by their own definition of the word.

So who are we to judge what makes other people happy?

We don’t have any right to tell anyone their way of being happy is wrong.

Just because the goths, intellectuals and thespians find happiness differently than the football players does not mean they are superior or inferior.

Don’t hate on the theater kids because they role play in

be late because they can still use the “I got lost” card. They appreciate the hugeness of the building and how incredibly cool the Avenue of the Arts is. Come on, be honest. When was the last time you looked at the windows and said, “That is so cool”?

Sophomores are arrogant because they can be — and because they suffered through the same thing a year ago. Sophomores are relieved because there’s no longer any chance of stumbling around school, dazed and confused, on the first day. They

“own” the school — in their heads, anyway.

Juniors are seniors without college woes. Jobs, cars, tough classes and prom are their property. But at the same time, The Future isn’t breathing down their necks yet.

Nipping at their heels, maybe.

But leering behind them like the ominous bogeyman in the dark, scary closet of life?

Not so much.

Juniors also have the real authority in the school. If sophomores talk the talk and walk the walk, it’s only because they’re practicing to be like the juniors next year.

Underclassmen also have the perk of making up three-fourths of the school’s student body — we would totally beat seniors if the class competitions allowed alliances. Being an underclassman sounds pretty

good right now.

the hallways. Clearly, they don’t care what you think. Don’t make fun of the intellectuals just because they think calculus is fun. There is something magical about finding an integral.

Don’t roll your eyes at the athletes because you think they get more glory than they deserve. They spend hours each day perfecting their game.

Most of these people are happy with who they are and who they are friends with.

Everyone else’s road to happiness might seem a little different than yours, but the root of all the high school cliques and drama is that innate desire to be happy.

So show some respect to your fellow classmates. Get over the stigma placed on the word “clique” and realize it for what it really is — an expression of each student’s interests and goals and the people who share them. And as you find your way throughout high school, as your interests change and you develop as an individual, don’t forget what you’re searching for.

Happiness.

So, why do we race toward senior year? Why do we pine away for our 18th birthdays like we’re going to receive all of life’s secrets? Why are we so ready to not be 15, 16 or 17 anymore?

Why don’t we enjoy what we have?

There are so many parts of high school that you can miss out on if you don’t look for them. There are so many potential memories, waiting to be made, and you have to have memories before you get nostalgic.

Even though I’m just a sophomore, there are already tons of things I wish I’d made the best of freshman year — seven-plus hours of guaranteed sleep every night being one of them.

We all have things to capitalize on during our years as underclassmen.

Freshmen — just enjoy not being in middle school anymore. You have so many more fun clubs, activities and extracurriculars at your fingertips, and you’re not entirely swamped with homework yet. Figure out what you’re really interested in now so that when you’re a sophomore you can keep improving.

Sophomores — keep “owning” the school, and next time you’re on your way to the Fixed Forum or the PAC, remember how

not rush ahead

incredibly cool you thought those places were back when you were breaking them in as a freshman. And don’t forget to enjoy life, because it will get even tougher next year.

Juniors — these are your halls. You’re surviving the toughest year of high school while beginning to dominate the clubs and activities, waiting in the wings to take total control once those pesky seniors are gone. Enjoy being second-in-fictional-command. Life on the top won’t be easy.

Oh, and seniors — enjoy the nostalgia. You don’t need a 20-year reunion to remember all the laugh attacks and stress-inducedmeltdowns you experienced in these hallowed halls. You don’t need senior skip day to know there have been lots of days you wanted to stay home. You don’t have to visit the basketball court to remember that game you won or the library to remember you and your friends’ communal APUSH freak-outs. We all need to cherish the time we’ve spent or are currently spending at BV.

Instead of racing past grades 9 through 11 and waiting for grade 12, we should be enjoying each year as it races past us.

Instead of looking ahead, we should be looking around at what is happening right now.

Maybe even looking back.

Underclassmen should value time spent in high school,

SENIOR SECTION

63% stood in the front row at varsity football games

43% skipped a class more than once

16% applied to an

Ivy League school

98% took the ACT 30% took the a varsity sport

SAT fender bender

27% were involved in a in the parking lot

2perfect ACT scores

64% participated in a

short shorts

85% were on the

30% of males wore Honor Roll

5National Merit Finalists senior skip day

8commended scholars

55% attended school on

Traveling back: Twins return to serve home country, Israel

anniematheis news editor

enior Mai Bonomo plans to volunteer for one year in an underdeveloped community in Israel. Her trip starts at the end of July, through the program Shnat Sherute, which translates to “A Year of Service.” Her volunteering will include in-school and after-school activities for kids and projects for the community.

“I knew that I wanted to take a gap year,” Mai said. “My whole [extended] family is in Israel, and once I found this program I just knew that it was right because I am doing something good.”

Mai’s mother Anat Bonomo said she believes it was a good decision for Mai to take a gap year.

“I think at this age you don’t really know what you want to be when you are going to be old,” she said. “I don’t think you need to decide; I think it’s good that you take the time to see what life is, to work a little, to travel a little. I think at 18 you are not mature yet.”

Mai was born in Israel and moved to America when she was 4 years old. She can fluently speak Hebrew, the national language.

Mai said she struggled at first with the decision of going to college or volunteering in Israel.

“I got way more excited for my program,” she said. “It hit me when I started applying for one college, and I was writing essays. I was like, ‘I don’t want to do this.’ So I stopped.”

While in Israel, Mai will live in a commune, similar to an apartment. She will live with six or seven young volunteers.

“I feel like I am getting something so much better [than a dorm] because I am living in an apartment with these people,” she said. “I get way closer with them, so I am really excited for that.”

Mai said she is excited to be working in a very diverse area.

“You get all the kids from different

backgrounds,” she said.

“I could be in an Ethiopian neighborhood. I could be in an Arabic neighborhood.”

SMai is currently working one job and plans to work two jobs during the summer to save money for the trip. While there, she will receive a monthly budget for food and living.

“It’s kind of like us getting paid, but we are only getting paid for our bare necessities,” she said. “We are not really getting extra.”

To prepare for her journey to Israel, Mai has been reading Hebrew children’s books. She also has been watching Israeli TV with her mom and trying to speak in Hebrew more often.

Mai said she is considering joining the Israeli army after her year spent with Shnat Sherute

“In my eyes, it is helping people because it is a defense force,” she said. “College is in the future for me, but not the immediate future, which I like because I am kind of sick of school at this point.”

Bonomo said the risk of danger is not going to prevent her from going to Israel.

“There’s always a chance of danger because you never know what is going to happen — crazy things happen,” she said. “The danger is more concentrated in one part of Israel, which I could be in. It doesn’t really scare me, but I know if I was in that situation, it would be scary because I know people who live in that area, and it’s scary for them. But it’s not going to stop me from going.”

Bonomo said the danger aspect will not affect the way she lives there.

“People don’t really take any extra precautions,” she said. “The only difference is instead of tornado warnings, there are bomb warnings, which is kind of different. It’ll be natural for me because I have already been to Israel and know what it is like. There will be things to get used to but not anything related to turmoil because the media kind of exaggerates it a little bit. I think it’ll be fine.”

Anat said she encouraged Mai to take her gap year in Israel.

“We really wanted her to make her connection to Israel and Judaism stronger,” Anat said. “We are extremely proud of her.”

“Most of the danger is coming from terrorists from within Israel, from Arab and villages — settlements — and especially from the Gaza Strip. They are shooting rockets, daily, into our cities and towns. They send terrorist groups to murder families in Israel.” Anat Bonomo

Senior Aviv Bonomo will join the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) through the program

Garin Tzabar in August after graduating high school this May. Aviv doesn’t know where he will be stationed or what he will do until he arrives in Israel and takes tests to determine what jobs suit him best.

Aviv said he always wanted to move back to his birthplace.

“I have more of a natural pride toward Israel,” he said. “I know it is a draft, so you have to go to the army anyway. I would rather do it with people my age, so I will have the same experiences as everyone and will fit in well when I go there.”

IDF is a program that takes Jewish teens from the U.S. who want to join the Israeli army.

He learned about the program through a close family friend who did it last year.

Aviv will be in the IDF for at least three years. After that he will attend college in Israel for free.

Aviv said there is a lot of mental and physical preparation to do before be goes to Israel.

“I don’t think I am ready yet,” he said. “I think I am ready mentally, just not physically. I know it is going to be a challenge, but I think I am ready for the challenge.”

Aviv’s mother Anat Bonomo said she believes Aviv is brave to join the army.

“It is very much in the spirit of our family,” she said. “We think by all means we have to protect Israel and make sure because of anti-Semitism around in the world going on every day, we should keep Israel because we have no other place to go.”

Anat said she knows her son may be in danger depending on where he is stationed.

“If you will be in the active army service, and you will go outside into enemy territory, or you are going to be at the border of Israel with our enemies — because Israel is surrounded by all countries that are not so interested in peace — then, there is a chance that if there is a battle, something may happen,” she said.

Aviv said the Israeli army is different than the typical college experience because of all the choices students have at a university.

“In college, there is studying, but you still get a lot of free time,” he said. “You can do basically what you want. You just have to make sure you go to your classes and do your work. In the army, you are there 24/7. You don’t really have many options.”

Aviv said he will miss the freedom he has as a high school student once he begins training in Israel.

“I know I am going to be bussed around a lot,” he said. “I have free weekends sometimes, but not always. Doing everything I want to do versus doing everything I am told to do will be a change. But, it is something that I can get used to.”

Aviv said he knows he will change after going through IDF.

“I think I will be more physically attributed,” he said. “I will be mentally more mature. I think I will be more Israeli; I will be there for a while and more culturally adapted to Israel.”

Anat said she was happy Aviv chose to join IDF on his own.

“It came from him — it was his idea and decision — to go and volunteer with the army, to give what he can to help Jewish people and Israel to be there and exist,” she said. “There are many countries that do not believe Israel has the right to exist, and they say so all the time.”

Aviv said it was a difficult decision to join the IDF, but he knew he wanted to do it because his family has a history of being in the defense forces.

“A lot of people asked me why I am doing it; they thought I was crazy,” he said. “They don’t really understand what I am doing. But I know I have my reasons, and sometimes they are hard to explain. It is something I want to do, so it makes it a lot easier knowing that I want to do this.”

Aviv

Fulfilling her

duty patriotic

Senior prepares to serve country in National Guard

anniematheis news editor

One weekend a month, senior Michelle Stratman practices marching.

She executes commands.

She runs, does push-ups and sit-ups and learns how to assemble an M-16 rifle.

Michelle joined the Kansas Army Reserve National Guard on Feb. 12.

She said she wanted to serve in the military since researching the Coast Guard in 2nd grade.

“Originally, I wanted to be in it because there were cool uniforms,” she said. “Now, I feel the patriotic duty, especially since it’s sort-of a time of war.”

Michelle’s monthly training weekends are geared towards physical preparation for this sum-

mer’s basic training.

“It’s also a little bit of preparation for marching and basic commands, so that when you show up, you are at the top of the class, and the drill sergeants aren’t all up in your face about everything — like they are for everybody else,” Michelle said. “It helps you get promoted faster.”

After doing basic training, which includes more physical training, marksmanship and basic army drills, Michelle will be in advanced training from August to November.

Michelle’s unit is being stationed at a base in Kuwait, where they will complete missions in Iraq. However, since she won’t have completed all of her training, she will not be deployed with the rest of her unit.

Michelle will, instead, attend Kansas State University next spring while continuing drill weekends.

“Since it is only a drill weekend once a month, you can go to college the whole time, plus you get the Montgomery GI Bill, which pays $4,500 a semester for college,” she said. “So, at K-State, pretty much your whole college tuition is paid for.”

In the National Guard, a unit gets deployed every five years, so Michelle will be able to finish college without deployment.

Michelle’s mother Colleen Stratman said she was initially nervous about Michelle wanting to join the military.

“Military equals guns and shooting,” she said. “It is kind of a scary thing to think about your daughter going into that ‘harm’s-way’ sort of career. But

I am at peace with it; it is a good choice for her. She will do well.”

Michelle said her favorite part of the National Guard is the camaraderie in her unit.

“In high school, you could just spend your whole life just doing ‘group projects,’” she said. “But, in the National Guard, everything you do has to be done as a team. You have to learn to work with people in a way that you actually accomplish something.”

Michelle said she hopes to gain leadership experience in the National Guard.

“As much as you wouldn’t believe it, I am not actually a courageous person,” she said. “I am actually very shy.”

Colleen said she can see the way Michelle has benefited from training in the National Guard.

“She has already gained such an incredible amount of confidence, just in the few months she has been in it,” she said. “Her confidence has just blossomed. I am really proud of her.”

Colleen said she thinks her daughter was nervous about the end of high school before she made her final decision to join the National Guard.

“She doesn’t like not knowing what she is doing,” she said. “Now that she knows what she is doing, she is looking forward to the end of high school. Not to get out of high school — it’s not like she is tired of high school — but she knows what her future is now.”

Collision leaves senior shaken, wary of driving after being hit by drunk driver

kellycordingley

staff writer

Sitting at the intersection of 151st Street and Nall Avenue. Waiting for the light to turn green.

Wham.

A drunk driver slams into her car from behind. Her head smacks the steering wheel, and her knees crash against the dashboard.

A drunk driver hit senior Breanna Dowling on March 31.

“He hit me once from behind, but he was so drunk that when he tried to get away he hit the side of my car again,” Breanna said.

The drunk driver that hit her had struck her car so hard his steering clamp broke and he ended up in a ditch less than a mile from the collision.

Breanna’s parents have contacted an attorney about the case. Unlike Breanna, the other driver was unharmed.

“That upset me even more,” she said. “That nothing was wrong with him.”

She was knocked unconscious for a few seconds after hitting her

head on the steering wheel, experienced whiplash, dislocated several vertebrae in her lower back, nearly fractured her kneecaps and still has trouble remembering specifics of the accident.

“I called my parents after the accident, and a guy in the other lane called 911 for me,” she said.

As she was on the phone with her dad before the ambulance arrived, an off-duty firefighter who happened to be nearby checked her neck. Her parents met the ambulance at the hospital.

“It was a very intense call,” Breanna’s father Terry Dowling said.

Breanna’s friend, junior Zack Jenkins, heard about the accident and immediately drove to the scene.

“Seeing her put on the gurney was just so overwhelming,” Jenkins said.

The doctors examined Breanna at the hospital, paying special attention to her neck because of a possibility for brain trauma.

She stayed in the hospital until 1 a.m. for observation, and doctors confirmed there were no signs of brain trauma.

“Even if she hadn’t been OK, I

Dowling

would have had to rely on the Lord regardless,” Terry said.

Jenkins went to the hospital, along with other friends and stayed in the waiting room until about 11 p.m.

Breanna said her accident brought back tragic memories of her uncle.

“My dad’s brother was a victim of a hit-and-run that killed him,” Breanna said. “My parents were so afraid they’d have to go through another loss.”

Breanna’s uncle was riding a motorcycle on a Los Angeles highway in 1991 when he was hit from behind. The driver fled the scene and was never identified.

When her uncle didn’t show up for work the next day, his boss called Terry. He didn’t know where

his brother was, so he began calling hospitals, morgues and state troopers.

When he learned what happened to his brother, he had to make the call to his parents to tell them their 31-year-old son had been killed.

“One day [the hit-and-run driver] will face the Lord,” Terry said. “I hope his life gets changed before he faces the Lord.”

While Terry says he can forgive the driver who killed his brother and hit his daughter, that doesn’t mean the drivers shouldn’t admit their errors.

“I used to drink too much and I did things that weren’t correct,” Terry said. “I could not have changed without Jesus in my life; I am not alone in this.”

Breanna came back to school March 5. Terry said his daughter has been out of sorts since the accident, and that he isn’t sure she’s completely wrapped her mind around everything that has happened.

“My body is just physically and emotionally worn out,” Breanna said.

She said her teachers and peers

Drunk driving facts

From

have been supportive, but she has also heard absurd rumors about her accident.

“There was one that I was in a coma, and that they were monitoring my brain,” she said.

Breanna’s totalled car was a 2006 model, and even though she got a new car with advanced safety features after the accident, she said she is still wary of driving.

““I’m sort of a wuss in the car now,” Breanna said.

She said she is more aware how quickly anything can happen.

“When you’re young you think nothing could happen to you, but it can,” she said. “I realize your life can change in an instant.”

Senior Michelle Stratman.

Photo by Juliana Himmel.

OTHER

Military

Andrew Malave (U.S. Army)

Monique Lehnherr-Quire (U.S. Navy)

Michelle Stratman (National Guard)

Workforce

Brandon Miller

Undecided

Matthew David

Tyler Dickson

Jamie Florack

Jon Hayward

Tyler Hendrickson

Nely Hernandez

Alissa Johnson

Christian Patterson

Cody Shrum

Harjot Singh

Kelly Urso

Adreina Thoma

Israel

Aviv Bonomo

Mai Bonomo

HAWAII

University of Hawaii

Seth Elliott

NORTH CAROLINA

University of North Carolina

Joey Heider

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Georgetown University

Matt Hamblin

George Washington University

Ryan Jaspal

Rachael Mendez

NEW MEXICO

Eastern New Mexico University

Zoey Sharp

ILLINOIS

Roosevelt University

Lauren Worley

Columbia College Chicago

Ali Hadley

Garrett Woods

Loyola University Chicago

Anna Kebe

North Park University

Evan Woods

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Kellie Karney

Northwestern University

Sarah Bergeson

Jenny Yu

PENNSYLVANIA

University of Pennsylvania

Holden Rolfs

University of Pittsburgh

Raven Brower

ARKANSAS

University of Arkansas

Emily Ball

Lindsay Hale

Rylie Hanson

Nicole Hayworth

Annie Humphrey

Zach Ritchie

Hannah Shapiro

Conor Storm

Margaret Watermann

INDIANA

Indiana State University

Ian Allen

Indiana University

Colby Snyder

University of Notre Dame

Rachel Supple

CALIFORNIA

Pace University

Lauren Flack

University of Rochester

Will Retz

TEXAS

Loyola Marymount University

Hannah Stone

California Polytechnic State University

Lisa Vance

Stanford University

Allen Xu

Calvary Chapel Murrieta Bible College

Breanna Dowling

Abilene Christian University

Austin Collier

Texas Christian University

Matt Donnell

Emily Provost

West Texas A&M University

Autumn Johnson

OREGON

University of Oregon

Joseph Davies

OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma State University

Taylor Johnson

Patrick Lewis

JT Nichols

Cooper Page

Bryant Reber

Eric Skaggs

ARIZONA

University of Arizona

Jodi Whited

Scottsdale Community College

Clarice Salzmann

ALABAMA

University of Alabama

Jennifer Lester

Niko Vanderman

NEBRASKA

Oral Roberts University

Tom Adams

Josh Montague

University of Tulsa

Payton Epps

Tulsa Welding School

Clayton Murray

Creighton University

Alex Dean

Danny Willis

COLORADO

Colorado State University

Mariah Davis

Cassidy Kruger

Colorado College

Skyler Trieu

University of Denver

Lexi Dienstbier

University of Colorado

Ashley Tiefel

IOWA

KANSAS

University of Kansas

Chris Abshire

Jaida Anderlik

Ryan Baskins

Ryan Basov

Mick Bowden

Kendall Brewer

Isabella Brooks

Connor Childs

Kevin Chung

Amory Consley

Clay Cosby

Madeline Dorr

Sherry Farrahi

Connor Fitzgerald

Kevin Foote

Nik Franklin

Ben Gaede

Jackie Gibbs

Greg Graves

Makila Hennig

Gretchen Hess

David Holthaus

Lauren Kats

Alan Kidd

Sarah Leslie

Austin Martin

Megan Kliethermes

Sarah Leslie

Austin Martin

Penny McCowen

Thomas McKean

University of Iowa

Haley Brady

John Osmundson

University of Northern Iowa

Kirk Harris

WYOMING

Wyoming Technical Institute

Klayton Braathen

MARYLAND

Johns Hopkins University

Parth Patel

U.S. Naval Academy

Samantha Brennan

Josh McLaughlin

Taylor McMurphy

Brittany Mickelson

Sarah Moore

Matthew Olsen

Anthony Orwick

Cody Prochaska

Pat Reding

Tarryn Schantell

Riley Siemers

Nick Snow

Brittany Spandle

Daniel Tabakh

Erica Thomas

Carly Thompson

Kristi Thompson

Subha Upadhyayula

Brooke Williams

Kansas State University

Kyle Alford

Katie Azeltine

Garrett Brockmeyer

Jacob Castanon

Samone Chavez

Adam Chinery

Chris Daschke

Molly DeBusk

Paige DuBay

Alex Eaton

Jonathon Entgelmeier

Lexi Farris

FLORIDA

Caleb Fehr

Katelyn Gardner

Brian Grant

Tanner Grier

Jake Hajek

Ben Herbel

Aaron House

Dylan Hugunin

Stephen Karst

David Maas

Elizabeth McDonald

Alexa Mealy

Darren Monchusie

Alex Moore

T.J. Nee

Tyler Neuendorf

Alex Newell

Blake Peterson

Laura Pilney

Taylor Popp

Demetri Praderio

Courtney Ramirez

Ross Riley

Madison Sha

Nick Sobczynski

Felicia Walker

Shelby Wallace

Pittsburg State University

Heather Fox

Chris Martinat

Aubrey Schlitzer

Florida Gulf Coast University

Chris Eckman

Florida State University

Laura Carey

Johnson and Wales University

Dakota Clark

SOUTH CAROLINA

Bob Jones University

Michael Alvarez

Wofford College

Audrey Coventry

MISSOURI

Shelby Wilson

Brittany Zimmerman

Wichita State University

Mackenzie Carpenter

Kenneth Tysick

Fort Scott Community College

Brent Mason

Sterling College

Scott Hayworth

Johnson County

Community College

Zoe Allen

Matt Andrasik

Rebecca Art

Alex Aubuchon

Bailey Bode

Kagina Brown

Hayley Cleveland

Tony Davidson

Ryan Devine

Josh Edwards

Chris Ellison

Louis Fehlig

Cayleigh Feller

Mitchell Garcia

Parker Gill

Kendra Girard

William Jewell College

Hayden Murray

Aerial Smith

Khadija Sirhindi

Avila University

Jacob Bortniker

Ryan O’Toole

University of Central Missouri

Mizani Hobson

Amber Magee

Lindenwood University

Paul DeBey

Jacob McDermott

VIRGINIA

Liberty University

Ethan Wolfe

University of Virginia

Michael Kreamer

TENNESSEE

Belmont University

Maddy Fowler

Karalyne Winegarner

MASSACHUSETTS

Babson College

Maria Cobb

Helena Gray

Cerik Hurd

Clayton Kelly

Brad Luchen

Connor McPhail

Nicholas Mead

Samantha Menghini

Clinton Mulligan

Joseph Murphey

Emily Murphy

Brittanie Nowell

Justin Pemberton

Karena Ponce

Rebecca Richardson

William Scheer

Julia Sickle

Kaytie Smith

Jon Stabenow

Austin Svancara

Jesse Vacca

Savonna Ward

Kansas City Kansas

Community College

Trent Sullivan

Butler Community College

Chris Brettell

Emporia State University

Stephanie Goodwin

MIGHIGAN

Bryan Romero

Garrett Rowland

University of Missouri

Bo Ament

Erik Anderson

Lindsey Benefield

Mariah Curtis

Cole Foss

Caitlin Holland

Landon Lucansky

Truman State University

Kaitlyn Lotz

University of Missouri-Kansas City

Amanda Albert

Danielle Bohde

Presley Chrisco

Kelsey Muir

Sarah Todd

Missouri State University

Luke Dickerson

Samantha Nichols

Hope College

Steven Stinson

Southwest Baptist University

Alex Cox

Northwest Missouri State University

Megan Dunn

Brandon Spicer

Washington University in St. Louis

Gautham Prakash

House of Heavilin Beauty College

Paige Sparks

‘Everyone in the deservesworlda best friend.’

Ifeel like I’m leaving high school much smarter than I entered it. I learned so much in my classes (most of which is probably irrelevant in the real world) during my eight semesters.

Outside of all of that wonderful knowledge, I learned a few things on my own. Because I can (almost) officially say I graduated from high school, I’m going to give a mini-lesson right here on page 14 of the Tiger Print.

The subject of this lesson: friendship.

I can tell you right now the most valued part of my high school experience was finding and having a real best friend.

My best friend and I talk about everything. From useless banter to deep tell-all discussions that last hours, she’s always the first one to know what’s going on in my life, and I know I’m the same way for her.

I know things about her life that no one else does, and she knows some of those things about me.

Having a friend so close is powerful. Knowing that you can trust someone with intimate details is extremely important, and it took a long time for me to open up.

For me, it’s always been a challenge to actually talk with others about what’s going on inside. I’ve never felt comfortable sharing the most turbulent aspects of my life with another person.

But, with a best friend, that all changed.

I know she won’t judge or, worse, start gossip or tell other people what I said.

That, to me, is so important.

To know that I have someone I can trust, confide in. Someone who can take some of the weight off my shoulders when I feel stressed or worried.

Someone to just listen to what I’m struggling with and actually try to understand. To really care.

Someone who really does have my best interest at heart.

Everyone in the world deserves a best friend.

Most teenagers think they have a best friend, or group of best friends. There are always people around to hang out on with on weekends. There’s always someone there to share a good laugh or to study with for the next big test.

But that’s not all of what a true friend should be. There’s something deeper, more personal; you’ll know it when you have it.

I feel so lucky to say I do.

My best friend and I are going to college six hours away from each other. Six hours. I haven’t thought a whole lot about what that means, but I know I don’t have to worry about it.

I know whenever something important comes up, my best friend will just be a Skype or phone call away.

It’s not quite the same as rushing over to her house to enjoy a Dr Pepper while talking through it all, but it’s close enough.

Even separated by states and hundreds of miles, I’ll still have my best friend.

And that’s the way it should be.

It’s 4:12 a.m. The stillness of the early morning is interrupted by the buzzing of an alarm. It shrieks and buzzes three times before I can leap up from by warm bed and turn it off.

After mumbling about how horrible life is, I spring into action. I brush my teeth and grab the three bags I packed last night. My equipment bag, a bag of clothes and my

I make a protein shake and grab

I leave my house by 4:26 a.m. I pick up sophomore Chris . We begin our 30-minute drive to the Roeland Park Sports

It is silent, besides the blaring radio. I’m not a morning person — talking is strictly prohibited.

At 5 a.m., practice has started. The water is beyond freezing. We swim 5,000-6,000 yards.

At 6:50 a.m., I begin my journey from Roeland Park to the Blue Valley CAPS building. It is a race to get

usually struggle to stay awake. It is a fierce battle, one that I usually lose.

At 2:50 p.m., I leave school to go home only to grab my swim bags and pick up Chris for another drive to Roeland Park.

I get home around 8 p.m., completely exhausted, only to look at the intimidating pile of homework that awaits me.

By 11:30 p.m., I’m done and passed out in bed.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday: Double practice.

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday: Single practice.

Every day I tear my body down, working to get to the next level.

Because of my commitment I’ve missed the normal high school activities.

Friday night football games? Fat chance I’ll make it back from practice before the second half.

Clubs after school? Yeah right, walking in late to practice because of a club is not an acceptable excuse.

several because of out-of-town swim meets.

But I wouldn’t change a thing. Swimming means more to me than almost anything. The schedule that has consumed my life for four years has molded me into the person I am now.

I know I’m dedicated to what I do. I know if there is a hurdle, I can get over it. From all the mental breakdowns, swimming taught me strength.

Strength I could never learn watching a football game. Strength I could never learn tottering around on high heels during a school dance.

It helped me look beyond the Homecoming Bonfire I couldn’t go to because of practice.

Now I get to compete at the Division I level of college athletics.

My dreams are coming true because of swimming.

I learned that high school won’t be the best four years of my life. Hopefully, it is far from it.

sambrennan ads manager

caitlinholland editor-in-chief

‘I know I’m dedicated to what I do. I know if there is a hurdle, I can get over it.’

s a departing senior, I should have some sort of wisdom to give.

However, having had an exceedingly mediocre high school career, I find it difficult to find successes to speak of and even more so to believe that I was somehow able to figure it all out in the past four years.

In fact, just about any teacher I’ve had could probably say I hadn’t.

I find it much more appropriate to speak about failure. It’s much less alluring, I know, to listen to someone give advice based on their mistakes as opposed to a long list of accomplishments.

But I hear people say that you learn more from failing, and I believe it.

Maybe I would’ve learned more if I had a 4.0 GPA instead of a sub-3.0, maybe not.

Maybe having better grades would’ve prepared me more for college than the failures I’ve experienced. I know it would’ve put me in a better position to receive scholarships, but would it have put me in a better position to be successful?

I look at the shortcomings that have defined my academic career and choose to see what they will bring to my future. I consider my failures to be invaluable to my potential.

Do I wish I had applied myself more in school to meet a higher standard of expectations?

Yes, of course I do.

However, at this moment, I would not exchange my experiences for anything.

Some people might not understand this logic. But these failures have left me with an understanding of what it means to fall short. I will not easily be overwhelmed when something goes awry. I will be able to recognize failure and look it in the face. Because there will be times that all of us will fail.

No matter how many A’s you get, eventually, you’ll screw up. That’s not supposed to sound ominous or pessimistic — just honest.

What I mean is, any situation can be used to your advantage if you put yourself in the right mindset. Whether it’s a success or a failure, it can be a positive thing if you let it.

Before high school began, I told myself I would end the pattern of irresponsibility that established itself in my middle school days. Four years later, I find myself saying the same thing before college. This time, mistakes will be much more expensive, but I’m not worried.

Maybe I’m wrong not to be. But I think I have learned from my failures. Perhaps, most importantly, my performance has left me with a desire to prove myself.

That’s what BV has provided me with. Maybe I didn’t always help our case when Mr. Bacon was attempting to purge the school of D’s and F’s.

BV has prepared me well. Not, I guess, down the most common path, but I feel prepared all the same.

nderclassmen, pay attention.

If you haven’t learned to read yet in those jokes you call ‘hard classes,’ have a senior read this to you. We’ve had nothing but free time in our classes since spring break, while I’m sure you’ve been working hard on that coloring book or whatever it is you

I’ve written a lot of articles, essays, DBQs and papers over my

This has been the hardest one, Not because I’m sitting here, teary-eyed over leaving high Quite the opposite.

I struggled writing this because I wanted to give something back to my faithful fan base, the readers who follow me up and down the hallways, waiting to hear a sage

The only advice I could think of No matter how terrible my

grades are, I will get the same diploma as a student with a 4.0 GPA.

Yeah, sure, they get to wear some ropes at graduation that signify something or other.

Sweet, bro.

You know what they get from high school? A bunch of memories about staying up late, hunched over books and papers. Possibly so stressed out that they are on the verge of tears.

You know what I’ll get? A bunch of amazing memories of staying out late with friends, doing crazy stuff on weeknights just for the thrill.

So stop caring.

Do you ever think that when you’ve graduated, have a degree, are living in a suburban area with a spouse and 2.3 kids that anyone will ever ask you to draw a sine graph?

No.

I’m going to graduate. I’m going to college. I’m going to get a job.

Social skills will get you far in this world. Being able to strike up a normal, adult conversation is far

more beneficial to your future than being able to regurgitate material on a test.

Sure, sitting at home furiously reading textbooks will give you the tools necessary to do well in a class.

But how will you react when you’re surrounded by strangers and are expected to speak on a normal topic?

Maybe I’m just being a teenager.

Or maybe I’m looking out for my future self.

Far down the road, I don’t want to remember study groups.

I want to remember the good times, the sad times, the close calls, the awkward moments and the memories I already look back on as one of the best parts of my life.

So go on.

You can quietly chuckle, smile and shake your head on how silly you think I sound.

You’ll see me laughing it up at the reunion at all the stupid things I did with my friends.

What will you remember?

jacobpruitt opinion editor

‘Maybe I’m just being a teenager. Or maybe I’m looking out for my future self.’

‘I consider my failures to be invaluable to my potential.’ U

Flashback

Senior photographer selects favorite shots from entire year

Right: Juniors Lauren O’Toole and Jane Webb sprint to the finish line during the cross country Innersquad Race.

Top left: Junior Alex Hoskovec cuts through the water during an afternoon practice.

Bottom left: Senior Trent Sullivan surfs the crowd during the bonfire on the soccer field on Sept. 29.

Oct. 9 — The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes at an all-time high of 14,164.53. Very few suspect the financial crisis awaiting them in 2008.

Oct. 21-28 — Wildfires move across 516,000 acres of southern California. More than 2,000 homes are destroyed, and more than 500,000 people are forced to evacuate their homes.

Aug. 7 — Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants breaks Hank Aaron’s record by hitting his 756th home run.

Jan. 20 — Barack Obama is inaugurated as the United States' first African-American president.

June 25— Michael Jackson dies from cardiac arrest at 50 years old.

April 22 — Flood day. After an overnight storm, administrators call off school because of water damage. The water flooded 15 rooms.

Dec. 14 — An Iraqi journalist threw his shoe at President George W. Bush during a farewell conference in Baghdad. Bush managed to dodge the shoe with surprising skill for a 64-year-old man.

April 7 - The University of Kansas wins the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament.

Jan. 14 — After a month of violent protests, the Tunisian government collapses. Protests and revolts continue in Egypt, Syria, and Libya.

Dec. 18 — Football coach Steve Rampy announces he will leave Blue Valley at the end of first semester. Under his guidance, the BV Tigers won the Kansas State Championship in 1991, 1998, 2003 and 2006. Rampy now works as the offensive coordinator at Pittsburg State University.

Jan. 12 — Earthquake in Haiti kills 230,000.

August — Blue Valley Southwest opens. About 220 students leave BV.

Nov. 12 — Beloved substitute teacher Pollard Caldwell passes away after a twoyear battle with cancer.

March 7 — Math teacher Adam Wade unveils his new blond hair. He promised to dye his hair if BVHS raised more money than BV West during Relay For Life. BV raised around $33,000 while BVW raised $26,000.

time flies

a look back at seniors’ time in high school

Theirofdayrecognition

Reflections staff works year-round to produce memorable yearbook for BV students, community

jordanmcentee design editor

They’ve worked day in and day out all school year for that one day.

That day when all their work is physically handed over to almost every student in BV. That day is yearbook distribution day — May 13.

“Yearbook day is one of the best days of the year,” yearbook editor, senior Gretchen Hess said. “We’re recognized for the hard work we’ve put in. People can finally hold the thing we’ve been working on all year.”

The 20 members of the yearbook staff put in hundreds of hours behind the scenes from August to April to fill the 288-page book.

Assistant editor, junior Megan Kuharich said she spends at least an hour after school working on yearbook about every day.

“Personally, the yearbook room is like my second home,” she said. “I feel like it’s where I belong when I’m at school.”

Along with spending time before and after school and class time, staff members come in on some Saturdays to work.

“This year, we started doing Saturday workdays,” Kuharich said. “We’d all come in at 9 or 10 [a.m.], eat breakfast together in the room and stay all day. It was nice to go in and be focused on yearbook the whole day because it’s harder when you come in to work after like six hours of other classes.”

Hess said putting out the yearbook, especially being editor, is much more work than can be completed in a single hour of the school day.

“Being editor is definitely a lot of work,” Hess said. “I’ve been really lucky that I have study hall hours to spend in the yearbook room because it requires a lot of time outside of just 7th hour.”

Kuharich said a lot goes into the making of the pages, including photos, stories, focus spreads and senior advertisements.

The yearbook staff designs all the senior ads that go in the book. It is a long process of designing the ads, allowing parents to check them and giving staff members the opportunity to make changes.

“Senior ads are a very big deal at our school, and we take them very seriously,” Kuharich said. “We really want to perfect them or else it’s like we’re letting down the people who paid for them — and senior ads are definitely expensive. We want the seniors to feel special because they’ve given so much back to the school.”

Kuharich said deadline nights were the most stressful part of the process this year.

“Sometimes me, Gretchen, [Jill] Chittum, and Mary Ster would be there until 5 or some nights until like 8. Me and Gretchen are perfectionists, so we’d have to make sure everything was on the pages right — focusing on the little things to make it great.”

Hess said those not in yearbook don’t see

the importance of meeting deadlines.

“I think people don’t understand our deadlines,” she said. “When we miss a deadline it’s a lot of money that we have to pay, and the book costs a ton of money to make. So when I’m freaking out on certain Fridays, there’s a reason for that.”

In early April, the final pages were sent to Walsworth Publishing Company to be printed. However, yearbook staff members still had to complete the supplement for spring sports.

“Once we’ve sent it off to print, we still do a lot of brainstorming for ideas for next year,” photographer, junior Erin Browne said. “We do tutorials in Photoshop and InDesign, and we all have individual projects we can be working on, like interviewing for the spring supplement for the back of the book.”

Hess said it was sometimes difficult throughout the year for the staff to continue working enthusiastically.

“It’s really an appreciation thing,” Hess said. “Like for newspaper, there’s instant recognition — for a photo you took, a story you wrote, or a design you did. But for yearbook, it’s a lot of work and you feel like it’s never going to be seen. In December, you’re working and you think ‘No one is going to actually see this.’ But when you know that someone noticed it, it’s the most fantastic feeling.”

Despite the stress the staff experienced, Hess said they still found time for fun.

“On staff, we’re all really close because a lot of us are friends outside of yearbook,” she said. “So we definitely have fun a lot — probably a little more than we should.”

Browne said being a part of the yearbook staff has taught her many lessons and skills.

“In yearbook, you get a lot of real-world experiences,” she said. “You learn to work under pressure and work well with a team, so you can have a final product that everyone likes.”

Kuharich said the staff members have grown closer through their work, while also acquiring many real-world skills.

“It’s definitely a team environment,” she said. “Communication and meeting deadlines are both a big deal. Working together has made us really close; it’s been a great bonding experience. We’re like a yearbook family.”

Kuharich said nothing compares to the emotions when distributing the yearbook after a long year of hard work.

“It is the most amazing feeling,” she said. “It’s awesome when your friends come up to you and they’re like, ‘I love this picture you took!’ or ‘Great story!’ I guess you have to be a yearbookie to understand it, but for us it’s kind of like winning State in a way. There’s just no better feeling in the world.”

Students who pre-ordered yearbooks will receive them on May 13. Extra yearbooks will be sold for $60 first-come, first-serve after pre-order distribution.

(Left) Junior Sara Specht and senior Christian Patterson look over a page in the yearbook. Yearbook staff members work throughout the year covering everything from sports to clubs. “It feels good to work on something that people will want to keep for the rest of their lives,” Patterson said. Junior Megan Kuharich organizes distribution cards for each student. Photos by Conor Storm.

4 months of freedom

Add these dates to your summer calendar now

By Sam Brennan.

price guide:

$ — don’t think twice ($12 or less)

$$ — save up for this ($30 or less)

$$$ — star t planning now (more than $30)

14

May

Diddy-Dirty Money

June

3 Mumford and Sons

If you managed to get tickets to this sold out show, enjoy.

18 Royals vs. Texas Rangers @ Kauffman Stadium.

Sean “Diddy” Combes my not call KC home but, it is one stop on his Coming Home tour. Tickets are $43 at the Midland $$$ 7:10 p.m. start. Ticket cost varies. $$

20 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides opens. $10-$12. $

26 The Hangover II

Phil, Stu and Alan now travel to Bangkok only to blackout and find themselves in a similar situation to the last movie. $10-$12. $

6 Sleigh Bells @ The Midland. Show starts at 8 p.m. $30. $$

10 Super 8 opens. $10.25-$12. $

17 The Green Lantern opens. Maybe we will catch a glimpse at Ryan Reynold’s washboard abs. $10.25-$12. $

19 Chelsea Handler @ Starlight. Show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $83. $$$

21 Mötley Crüe

Missing the 80s? Don’t worry, Motley Crue will be in town with big hair and crazy outfits. Tickets start at $49.50. Poison also performs at the Sprint Center. $$

24 Cars 2 and Bad Teacher open. $10.25-$12. $

25 Royals vs. Chicago Cubs @ Kauffman Stadium.

6:10 p.m. start. Ticket cost varies. $$

July 1 Transformers: Dark Side of The Moon

opens. Finally, another Transformers movie. What could be better? Sorry guys, Shia Lebouf’s girlfriend Megan Fox was replaced by Victoria’s Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whitley.$10.25-$12. $

6 Warped Tour @ Sandstone. $40.78. $$

15 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows:

Part 2 opens. A moment our generation has been waiting for. A final confrontation of Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter. The movie leaves us wondering what will we do with out Harry, Ron and Hermione? $10.25-$12. $

22 Captain America opens. Looks like a lot of Avenger movies are coming out this summer. Is it possible they will try to combine the Thor, and Ironman franchises with Captain America? $10.25-$12. $

29 Cowboys and Aliens and The Smurfs open. $10.25-$12. $

August

16 Royals vs. New York Yankees @ Kauffman Stadium. (T shirt Tuesday)

7:10 p.m. start. Ticket cost varies. $$

17 Katy Perry @ Sprint Center. $45. $$

19 Keith Urban @ Sprint Center. $39. $$

Spy Kids 4: All the time in the world opens $10.25-$12 $

26 Final Destination 5 opens.

Clearly, they won’t stop making these movies, no matter how silly they get. $10.25-$12. $

KC shopping scene could benefit from brands popular across U.S.

odiopole staff writer

We can all think of at least one thing we want that we can’t have.

For some, it’s a new video game; for some, it’s a new car; and for others, it’s that dream store that sells everything you could possibly want or need (from its location in L.A., New York, or Chicago).

However, Kansas City’s shopping future is starting to look bright; stores are opening, and it’s never too late to send a request to your favorite shop asking for a new location in our area.

Here are some local stores to check out, a chain that’s coming to the area soon and a couple stores consumers should think about bringing to KC.

Trader Joe’s:

Coming to: Two separate locations on Ward Parkway and 119th Street

Originated in: Los Angeles, Calif.

Famous for: Trader Joe’s is famous for selling quality organic food for low prices, and for having innovative and interesting foods of its own creation. The store, started in 1958 as Pronto Markets, is also well known for being a “neighborhood grocery store.” It is privately owned and does not franchise - which means anyone who wants a store in their area must request one.

Price range: Pricing starts as low as $1.99

New/coming soon Wish list

Arizona Trading Company: Location: 209 Westport Road, Kansas City, Mo.

Famous for: Arizona Trading Company is a consignment and vintage clothing shop, where customers can sell clothes for cash or store credit

Price range: Arizona Trading Company offers low prices, and if customers sell items on credit, they can usually walk out with items of similar value of those they sold Fits-your-style if: Because it’s a consignment shop, Arizona Trading Company will generally carry the styles of whoever shops there most. Shoppers should not expect things to be on-trend or ahead of the trend -- however, they can expect to find items of quality, and unique gems that may not even be in stores anymore.

H&M

Location: Legends

Famous for: Cheap, designer clothing

Price range: Anywhere from $15 to $60

Fits-your-style if: H&M is like Forever 21; there’s something for everyone, and anyone can find a piece of clothing that works for their individual style. Because H&M products are created by a team of designers, there’s always something new in the works; if you like to mix it up, H&M is the store for you.

Cotton On:

Originated in: Australia

Famous for: Globally-relevant fashion at cheap prices

Price range: $10 to $14

Fits-your-style if: you like H&M.

KC alternatives: Charlotte Russe: Although not as highly stylized as H&M, or as wellknown for its fashionable pieces like Forever 21, Charlotte Russe is home to cheap, good-quality clothing that is on-trend and very cute.

Will they ever make it here?

Cotton On does not franchise, which means unlike major chains, it is not focused on expanding to new locations. However, according to the store’s website, people are welcome to request stores in their area.

Signing away

Athletes commit to colleges in variety of sports

Butler Community College

Chris Brettell — football

Indiana State University

*Ian Allen — football

Lindenwood University

Paul DeBey — football

Jacob McDermott — football

U.S. Naval Academy

*Sam Brennan — swim

Oral Roberts University

*Tom Adams — soccer

University of Colorado

*Ashley Tiefel — tennis

By Clay Cosby.

University of Missouri*

Landon Lucansky — baseball

University of Minnesota at Crookston

Morgan VanGerpen — volleyball

University of Missouri-Kansas City

*Presley Chrisco — soccer

*Sarah Todd — soccer

University of Northern Iowa

*Kirk Harris —football

William Jewell College

Hayden Murray — football

Aerial Smith — basketball

Wofford College

*Audrey Coventry — tennis

*denotes Division I and I-AA signees

Up Close

Q&A with 2 Division I athletes

Tom Adams

Oral Roberts University

Tulsa, Oklahoma

“I went down there and really liked the team; they played really well as a team. I also like their coach a lot — he is really good. They got second in their conference last year and are returning a lot of players, so they will be good for the next few years.”

Landon Lucansky

University of Missouri

Columbia, Missouri

“I chose Missouri because I grew up liking Missouri, and of the schools I was looking at, that was the place I’d face the best competition at. They have one of the best student athletic facilities, and I’ll get a lot of extra help for school that way.”

Running in a tight pack

Despite being small in numbers, girls track team retains competitive ability

jordanmcentee design editor

The girls track team is experiencing a shortage in numbers this season.

Thirteen senior girls graduated last year along with many transferring to Blue Valley Southwest.

One specific group facing troubles with the low numbers is the varsity distance team.

“For distance, we have a total of five girls,” junior Bailey Swimmer said. “It’s really not enough for all the events and relays, so we have to work with who we have and the talent we have.”

Junior Miranda Loats said the team has had to make a few adjustments before meets to accommodate to the low numbers.

“There are instances when someone who runs sprints has to run distance, or when a distance runner has to run sprints,” Loats said. “It’s kind of iffy, but for the most part, all the events get covered and everyone is

happy.”

When runners have to participate in multiple events, Swimmer said they can’t be fully prepared for the races they actually want to compete in.

“I know for me in the two-mile, and in all the other events, you want to be fresh for your race,” she said. “But because we have low numbers, you have to step in and help in another relay, so you don’t get to start fresh in the event you want to do. But I guess it’s a sacrifice for the team.”

Loats said having to run in various events has helped the team grow closer and allowed them to see different points of view.

“Sometimes we just have to run races that we would never really want to do,” she said. “It’s really just everyone taking one for the team. For the most part, everyone has a positive outlook. Running in different races helps us understand each other better.”

Loats said the team is a little disappointed about the small numbers, but understands the choices made by those who didn’t participate.

“Track is a huge time commitment,” she said. “It takes a lot of time and we miss a lot of school. Some people have really important classes that they can’t miss. So, yes, we wish we had more people, but we all respect their choices.”

Injuries throughout the season have also contributed to the shortage of track athletes.

“We’re already a small team, and injuries just put us down even more,” Loats said. “It’s a bad situation, but we’re all being careful — we always do extensive, tedious warm ups to make sure to be careful.”

Loats said the track members have gotten so much closer than previous years because of the smallness of the team.

“Personally, I like having a small team,” she said. “Before, everyone stayed with their different events — now we all do stuff together. There’s definitely more bonding.”

Loats said the small team has also allowed athletes the opportunity to learn more about their coaches.

“We make the best out of the situation,” she said. “The smaller numbers have let us

get to know Coach [Paul] Brown better as a coach and let him know us better. It’s been fun.”

Despite the low number of participants, Loats said everyone still focuses on progressing as the season goes on.

“Individually, everyone is improving and we’re on the way to achieving our goals,” she said. “It’s a work in progress — we’re going to get there.”

Loats said some of the team’s goals include going to State and continuing the success BV has had this year.

“We want to get our relays to State and also some other individual events,” she said. “We’re hoping to place and bring back some medals for the school.”

Loats said the team came up with a slogan that shows their positive views on the smaller team.

“Our quote for the season has been ‘The few, the proud,’” Loats said. “Our team doesn’t have a lot of depth, but we’ve got a lot of talent. Of course we could be better, but what we have is great.”

Photo Illustration by Evelyn Davis.

Hard work, competition prepare swim team for State meet

jordanhuesers feature editor

They wake up at 5 a.m., put on their suits and arrive at the pool a half hour later.

For 4,000 meters, each swimmer masters her technique and prepares for the next meet.

The girl’s swim team has placed first in four meets so far this 2011 season.

“We take a lot of pride in swimming,” senior Sam Brennan said. “We work hard. A lot of people don’t see that. They think we just float around, but really we swim 8,000 to 12,000 meters a day.”

The team practices in the mornings and after school on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

On Fridays, Wednesdays and Saturdays the team practices once.

“It really hurts my academic life, only because when I get home from practice I am really, really tired, and I don’t want to do anything,” senior Colby Snyder said. “It hurts my social life because Friday nights I can’t go out and do anything because we have Saturday morning practice.”

Brennan said last year, the team worked toward being in the top ten at the State competition and placed ninth.

This year, she said, the team has high hopes to bring home the State title.

“We are really strong this year,”

Sports In Brief

Boys Track and Field

Previous Action: 4/29 Saint Thomas

Aquinas Invitational

Key Athletes: seniors Jacob McDermott, Cody Shrum, Ben Gaede and Steven Stinson

Upcoming Action: 5/6 Shawnee Mission

North Relays

Girls Track and Field

Previous Action: 4/29 Saint Thomas

Aquinas Invitational

Key Athletes: seniors Mizani Hobson and Sarah Leslie

Upcoming Action: 5/6 Shawnee Mission

North Relays

junior Helena Bertels said. “We want to push ourselves and get in good condition because we think we can do big things. We already have a lot of State qualifiers this year, and we are doing really well. We deserve recognition.”

The team qualified for State in the 200-yard medley, 400-yard free and 200-yard free relays.

Bertels said the team continues to strive to cut down time on the medley relay because the time has not improved yet this season.

“All the spots [for relay teams] are up for grabs,” Brennan said. “The fastest person is on the relay, so it makes people competitive in practice because they want to be the best. Everyone wants to be in a State relay.”

Synder said competition is high during practice, and the swimmers do not know who is going to be on the relay team until right before the State competition.

“It makes it really intense, and there sometimes is drama, but we make the most of it,” Synder said. “If someone beats you, it is only fair that they get the spot.”

Bertels personally aspires to win the 100-yard breastroke at State.

“[Swimming] gives you a great work ethic,” Bertels said. “You think ‘I can do this, I’ve already worked and done so much today.’ It’s not just in swim either, it relates to school and everything. You just become a better worker.”

Baseball

Record: 10-6

Previous Action: 5/3 @ Bishop Miege

Key Athletes: senior Brent Mason and junior Hayden Edwards

Upcoming Action: 5/10 vs. BV Southwest

Softball

Record: 13-1

Previous Action: 4/19 vs. BVN (W 13-9, W 20-17), 4/28 vs. BVNW (W 22-3, W 16-7)

Key Athletes: senior Stephanie Goodwin, junior Becca McDonald and freshman

Chloe Rogers

Upcoming Action: 5/9 @ BVW

Boys Golf

Previous Action: 5/3 @ BV West

Key Athletes: seniors Michael Kreamer and Greg Graves and junior Austin Johnson

Upcoming Action: 5/6 5A Regionals @ Gardner Edgerton, 5/13 and 5/14 5A State @ McPherson

Girls Soccer

Record: (8-3)

Previous Action: 4/29 vs. Bonner Springs (W 9-0)

Key Athletes: seniors Presley Chrisco, Katelyn Gardner, Annie Humphrey, Sarah Todd

Upcoming Action: 5/10 @ St. Thomas Aquinas

Boys Tennis

Previous Action: 5/3 @ Shadow Glen

Key Athletes: seniors Gautham Prakash and Parth Patel and freshman Kyle Nunnally

Upcoming Action: 5/9 @ Leavenworth, 5/11 @ Alvamar

Girls Swim and Dive

Previous Action: 4/28 @ BV West

Key Athletes: seniors Lexi Dientsbier, Felicia Walker, and Colby Snyder

Upcoming Action: 5/6-5/7 EKL @ BV Southwest State @ Hummer Sports Complex Topeka

Sitting with her feet in the water, swim team member, senior Karalyne Winegarner waits for the start of the swim meet. Under the direction of coach Greg House, the girl’s swim team has won four meets so far in the 2011 season. Photo by Maegan Kabel.

Running across the gym floor, senior Shelby Wallace sports a football uniform to do her part for her relay team. The relay event, added just this year, put senior teams against faculty teams in a bat spin, balloon pop, uniform change, swim flipper walk, basketball dribble and jump rope. "We all said what we wanted to do, and I got stuck with the uniform," Wallace said. "It was a little big. We came in last, but it was really fun.”

StuCo advisor

Mark Mosier and assistant principal Megan Allam hold the rope before the first round of tugof-war. This leg of the senior-faculty challege ended the competition and decided the winning team.

Taking his turn to serve, social studies teacher Matt Beat competes against the seniors during the volleyball segment of the annual senior-faculty challenge. “We got killed," senior Presley Chrisco said. "It’s not fair though.

[Coach Jessica] Palmer’s a volleyball player."

would win the 2011 challenge.

ulty, including principal Scott Bacon, went head-to-head against the seniors to decide who incolor

Class of 2011 The Faculty vs.

With the final tug-of-war match deciding whether faculty or seniors won the challenge, seniors come down from the stands to cheer on competing classmates. Despite loud cheering and plenty of support, the senior class fell to the faculty. Photos by Maegan Kabel.