The Tiger Print — September 2016

THE TIGER PRINT Blue Valley High School — Vol. 47 — Issue 2 —September 2016 — Overland Park, Kansas

Infection Protection: Kansas must increase HPV vaccination rates to fight off cancer

Photo illustration by Meredith Halliburton.

2 inthenews September 2016

inside this issue

NEWS

2

NEWS IN PHOTOS Snapshots capture various BV happenings as school year begins

page 4

OPINION 7 I DO, I DON’T Conflicting viewpoints explain future role of marriage in society

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FEATURES 12 LIVING THE LIMELIGHT Senior boy appears in MTV murder mystery show

page 18

ENTERTAINMENT 21 AT FIRST SIGHT Teachers, students reflect on initial impressions of BV page 24

SPORTS 27 FRISBEE FANATICS Students launch sports club during Tiger Paws

page 27 Stories by Julie Freijat.

Page designed by Julie Freijat.

Photos courtesy of Tribune Content Agency.

local • national • international

news explained

Kansas City Royals retire “Rally Mantis”

The Kansas City Royals have decided to retire their good-luck charm, a small brown mantis found during a game in Detroit. The mantis, more commonly known by Royals fans as “Rally Mantis” stayed with the team as they won 18 of 24 games during August. Though it’s become fairly popular amongst fans and the players, the team decided to donate it to a nature center to allow it to live the rest of its natural life.

Why is this a big deal? After snagging a World Series Title last year,

North Dakota pipeline sparks protest

Recently, the construction of a 1,170 mile-long oil pipeline in North Dakota sparked protests by the Native American tribe currently residing in the area. The reservation, belonging to the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, is just south of the planned route for the pipeline to cover. The tribe is concerned that a spill from the pipeline could cause environmental

North Korea disregards sanctions, tests nuclear warhead Recently, North Korea defied UN sanctions and tested a nuclear warhead. While this isn’t the first time North Korea has ignored warning from the global community, it is creating a growing concern amongst numerous countries. South Korea’s Defense Ministry said they are “preparing for the worst,” after the revelation of the country’s nuclear capabilities. Shortly after world leaders had condemned the tests, North Korea appealed for aid after deadly floods swept the country. This comes as South Korea said North Korea is

the Royals raised the bar for themselves.

While they played well with the mantis by their side, there’s no telling what’s in store now that it’s gone. Without their beloved good-luck charm, the team would need a miracle to make it to the playoffs this fall. damage to the area and asked that construction could be halted. The issue brought thousands of protesters from areas across the country to stand against the pipeline. The case was soon brought to federal court.

On Sept. 9, it was ruled that the pipeline could continue being built.

Minutes later the Federal Government stepped in and halted the construction against court orders.

Why is this a big deal? Among the vast amount of national election coverage, Native Americans are finding it difficult to make their presence known. This victory is a good sign for the tribe and the environment they protect. ready to launch their sixth test on nuclear weapons.

Why is this a big deal? North Korea continues to grow as a threat not only to surrounding countries and the world but its own people as well.

Testing nuclear weapons can lead to disaster but also an advancement in their technology. The possibility they could combine the warheads with their missiles is cause for concern.

September 2016 inthenews 3

under the sea

BV homecoming spirit days explained

america day

tie dye/ hippie day

country (club)

black and gold

freshmen: french sophomores: caesar juniors: ranch seniors: thousand island

underclassmen: country upperclassmen: country club

homecoming tradition 1.

Blue Valley is home to many traditions, a few of which are happening this time of year. The Homecoming Parade and bonfire are two of BV’s best chances to show our school spirit. Every year we burn the mascot of the team we’re playing — this year a thunderstorm for the St. James Thunder — during the bonfire.

The Parade is a time to celebrate our clubs and get out of school early. Make sure you go to these events to support the Tigers.

salad dressing

2.

1. The Tiger mascot rides in the 2015 Homecoming parade.

Photo by Hanna Bradford.

2. Senior Rachel Nienstedt creates the mascot to burn at the bonfire. BV plays St. James in the Homecoming football game on Sept. 30. “We put a bunch of balloons together, and we papier-mâchéd the top [to make a cloud shape],” she said. Photo by Amy Reglin.

Page designed by Alli Williams and Courtney Carpenter.

4 inthenews September 2016

august and september

news in photos 1.

2.

4.

Pages designed by Courtney Carpenter and Isabelle Allen.

3.

September 2016 inthenews 5

6.

5.

8.

7.

1. Speaking at the Activities Fair, senior Jeremy Jacobs talks to the crowd. Jacobs has been part of the theatre department since freshman year. “Choir’s a lot of fun because it isn’t a normal school activity,” Jacobs said. “It’s an hour full of a big group of people who sing and learn a variety of different kinds of music.” Photo

by Isabelle Allen.

2. Sitting on a balloon, freshman AjaiLene Joseph participates in a relay race.

All freshmen competed in the Freshman Frenzy hosted by Tiger Mentors. “It was really fun, and everyone was cheering for each other,” Joseph said. Photo by Meredith Halliburton.

3. Smiling on the golf course, sophomore Lauren Wood celebrates her hole in one during practice. This was the team’s first hole in one since 2014. “This was my first hole in one, and I knew my hard work had paid off,” Wood said. “I was shaking of excitement and never thought I could do it.” Photo by Olivia Gurley.

4. Senior Super Fans cheer during the football game against Blue Valley West.

The Tigers defeated the Jaguars 49-7.

“My favorite part of being a Super Fan is bringing stuff for the guys and getting to see them light up when we’re all up in the stands yelling as loud as we can,” senior Dominic Legato said. Photo by Meredith Halliburton.

5. During the school picnic, principal

Scott Bacon presents senior Colin Floyd with a 36 jersey. Floyd earned the perfect score on the June ACT. “I was so happy when I found out [I got a 36],” he said.

“I was at boy scout camp, so I got to tell all of them. I was really happy — it was really cool.” Photo by Isabelle Allen.

6. During the Rep Theatre show on Sept. 9, junior Asa Abrahamson performs on stage. This is Abrahamson’s first year to be a part of Rep Theatre, although he does have previous experience in public speaking. “My favorite part [of being in Rep Theatre] is being able to perform publically in front of everyone,” Abrahamson said. Photo by Isabelle Allen.

7. Parents and staff set up for Tiger Tailgate. BV hosts a tailgate before the first home football game each season. “The purpose of Tiger Tailgate is simply to provide an opportunity for our parents and students to socialize and get fired up about this great school community,” PTO President Jill Andersen said. Photo

by Olivia Gurley.

8. Catching the ball, senior Harry Van Dyne lands in the endzone. Van Dyne plays wide receiver on the varsity football team. “It felt awesome [to win our first game] because the other team really wanted to beat us after we beat them last year,” Van Dyne said. “They wanted revenge, but we didn’t let them have it.”

Photo by Isabelle Allen.

6 inthenews September 2016

Informed

Class challenges, offers BV students knowledge of national election mariebiernacki staff writer In the 2016 fall semester, Blue Valley sophomores, juniors and seniors had the opportunity to enroll in America Decides the National Election, taught by social studies teachers Adam Bien and Kristoffer Barikmo.

“Our main goal is to make informed voters,” Bien said. “[High schoolers] are impressionable, and we want you to be able to know why you believe what you do and be able to back it up with evidence.”

The class is offered in the years coinciding with the presidential election.

“Every four years, things can change in American society,” Bien said. “[As a teacher,] you have your

general resources that you’re going to use, but you are going to have to modify them to make it specific to the election.”

The class is also heavily student-driven, Bien said. “[Barikmo and I] always say that our role is not necessarily the teacher in this class,” he said. “We are more of the facilitator and let the class explore the topics.”

Bien said students will run a mock election for the school. “[Students] also have opportunities to go to the elementary and middle schools and teach about the election process,” he said.

America Decides was offered during the last election cycle in 2012, and Bien said the class influenced former students in different ways.

“We see a lot more political

science majors going into colleges as a result of this class,” Bien said. “We have a lot more students going out and being a global citizen — whether it’s working on exit polls, being an election day worker or helping teach younger kids about the election process.”

This is the first year that freshmen were not allowed to enroll.

“Freshmen will have an opportunity their senior year, second semester to take America Decides and cover the primaries,” Bien said.

Students will be challenged to keep an open mind, he said.

“We hear a lot of ignorant comments out there,” Bien said. “This class helps break down those barriers and helps students express their opinions intelligently and back it up with evidence.”

Senior Abby Bantham Junior Zack Ford Why did you enroll in America Decides?

“Since I’m coming of the age where I can vote, I decided that I should probably become informed and know what I actually want to vote for.”

“It is a very important discussion we need to have as this generation, since, for the rest of our lives, we will live with the repercussions and will have to decide [on electing] more presidents.”

How do you think this class will help you later on in life?

“It will definitely help me. I’m taking government next semester, so I think knowing the election process will help in that class. And when the next election comes I’ll actually be able to follow it and know what everyone is talking about.”

Bantham Photos by Melanie White.

Page designed by Marie Biernacki.

“Being in a class with people of different opinions will help me see what they see and what they feel — I’d like to say I’m very liberal, [and] I don’t see why people are following Donald Trump. Talking to people who do will [help] me make more sense of it.”

Ford

September 2016 outloud 7

staffeditorial TIGER the

PRINT newspaper

Cartoon by Alli Williams.

Privileges in school, lifestyle important for students to recognize, appreciate You wake up in the morning and there’s food in the refrigerator to eat.

You drive your car — maybe new, maybe used — to school with your own parking spot.

You walk into school where the teachers are educated, a lot of classes have their own laptops, there’s semi-functioning Wi-Fi and it’s safe.

Then you go to your nice home in Johnson County and go on with your day.

In many other parts of the world, people have never gone or aren’t allowed to attend school. If they do, it’s completely different from Blue Valley.

They aren’t provided lunch, and most don’t have books or other basic school supplies. In Middle Eastern countries, girls can be gunned down for going to school. Students in Iraq, Iran and Saudi Arabia live in houses without electricity or air conditioning.

Some people’s homes and towns have been bombed, and now they’re refugees living in tents in makeshift villages.

As Americans and as BV students, we’re given rights and opportunities that some people wouldn’t even dream of.

The option of going to college, playing a sport or even having a job is something

that needs to be appreciated more.

Growing up in America and living in Overland Park makes it easy to forget that the ability to go to school and have basic humans rights isn’t something everyone has.

When you’ve been given these things for your entire life, you don’t realize some people have to fight for an education, food or a place to live.

We’re fortunate to have the right of freedom and equality — and live in a democratic republic — but thousands of people all over the world have never experienced any of that.

It’s hard to see people within our own school, district and town are living differently, too. Some people don’t have enough food to eat or can’t afford to pay the mortgage. The Kansas City, Missouri school district isn’t in the safest area, the schools are underfunded and the students who go there have a lower socio-economic status than students at BV. Just a 30-minute drive can make a big difference in the way people live.

BV students can show appreciation by tweeting #tigersgivethanks, a hashtag started by coach Eric Driskell.

It’s an easy way to remember all we have to be grateful for.

co-editors photographers Courtney Carpenter Olivia Gurley Megan Hegarty Meredith Halliburton photo editor Melanie White Isabelle Allen staff writers news editor Allie Ament Julie Freijat Talia Amjadi Marie Biernacki opinion editor Courtney Brown Charlotte Rooney McKenna Cole Sarah Day features editor Kyle Elmendorf Alli Williams Anna Gyori Caitlin Hoy web editor Regan Kassing Emilee Holscher Noma Kreegar Nick Lamberti adviser Loren Reed Michelle Huss Ifrah Sayyada Kaitlin Yu “The Tiger Print” is an official publication of Blue Valley High School, an open forum distributed to all students at least seven times a year. This publication may contain controversial material. Kansas law prohibits the suppression of a student publication solely because it may contain controversial matter. Blue Valley Unified School District No. 229 and its board members, officers and employees may disclaim any responsibility for the content of this publication; it is not an expression of school policy. Student authors and editors are solely responsible for the content of this publication.

Letters to the editor are encouraged for publication. “The Tiger Print” reserves the right to edit all submissions for both language and content. Letters should be submitted to Room 450, emailed to thetigerprint@yahoo.com or mailed to: The Tiger Print Blue Valley High School 6001 W. 159th St. Overland Park, KS 66085

8 outloud September 2016

Sacredness of marriage should be coveted, respected by society

courtneycarpenter co-editor Marriage, since the beginning of human history, has always been the law of the land.

Woman was created out of the likes of man — man and woman were bonded to complement one another.

Marriage — a union between a man and woman — is one of the purest symbols of love, grace, kindness and commitment we can experience.

A wedding day is a joyful celebration of two lives coming together — it is a public declaration of the commitment to love and care for one another until the day the other dies.

In the U.S. right now, fewer Americans are getting married than ever before.

Looking at the current marriage statistics in the United States — including a disheartening 50 percent divorce rate — it is easy to see a downward trend.

Americans should not settle for the idea that marriage is useless or outdated.

Marriage is faithfulness.

Agreeing to spending the rest of your life with someone is binding. As a society, the idea has been instilled in

us the idea that marriage is just like a normal relationship — you go for it, but if it doesn’t work out as planned, you can easily move on.

We have to shift our view.

Marriage is sacrifice.

Life is hard, and in marriage, people are called to love the opposite person more than himself or herself. Marriage is not an easy walk in the park — it is daily commitment to the other. Part of the beauty of marriage is the joy and love found in trusting someone else so completely.

Marriage is freeing.

Cynics claim marriage ties young adults down to a life of boredom, stress and monotony — with the main concern being your work and your children — but this could not be further from the truth.

Marriage is going through life with a best friend, a closest friend — someone who knows you better than anyone and everyone, someone who wouldn’t trade you for the world.

Marriage is holy.

It was originally created as a covenant between man, woman and God. Not only were you making a commitment to your partner, but you were committing to God that you would love your spouse unconditionally — we were literally created to have one lasting partner for the rest of our lives, no matter if we live to be 25 or 85.

I’ve grown up around broken families — relatives having multiple divorces, cousins fleeing from abusive marriages. I have seen the horrible ef-

Page designed by Courtney Carpenter and Charlotte Rooney.

Photo by Courtney Carpenter and courtesy of Tribune News Agency.

fects of divorce, and they are absolutely heartbreaking.

Despite this, we as a society absolutely cannot give up on marriage. No matter the topic at hand, there is always evil.

Just as I’ve grown up around broken marriages, I’ve grown up around some of the purest forms of love in a marriage.

You cannot replace the giddiness, the happiness on wedding days as a couple begins their journey together.

You cannot replace the joy on a mother’s face when she and her husband celebrate the birth of their child.

You cannot replace the tenderness of a husband holding his wife or vice-versa.

A couple does not need a formal, written document to proclaim their love for one another, of course. But marriage is so much more than a fragile document.

I understand marriage doesn’t work out — I know how much divorce rules society.

But, this is not a flaw in marriage’s design — it is a flaw in society’s view of it.

I challenge you to relook at how you view marriage — not as a confining, bland check mark off a list, something that may or may not work out — but as a love you would fight for, something worth the rest of your life.

You cannot tell me we aren’t designed for marriage.

We were created for this type of intimacy — if we weren’t, why does everyone try so hard to find love?

September 2016 outloud 9

Change in society causes shift away from marriage’s necessity

of third marriages end in divorce

100 80 60 40 20 0 1930

married men are twice as likely to be obese compared to unmarried i’m men

190210

0 240 260

60% 73%

of second marriages end in divorce

children born out of wedlock has increased by 40.8%

22

41%

of first marriages end in divorce

0 140 170 12

Until recently, women were expected to get a gender-specific job and then get married and stay home with children.

Men were the breadwinners — they were in charge, and as long as the house was clean, everything would work out.

Creating a nuclear family was the only way to women’s success.

In the 21st Century, we’re living longer, waiting to get married, and more people are deciding not to have children.

Things are changing but even with all the other successes women will have in their lives, they still act like marriage will be the greatest thing they’ll ever do.

While the thought of marriage is romantic, is it even practical?

My belief in love isn’t dead, but I don’t understand marriage.

Jobs, families, money, hobbies and thousands of other things get in the way of marriage, and the easy way out is divorce.

The question is, what is the point of marriage when you can be with someone for the rest of your life anyway?

And another question: when people are living 75, 80-plus years, is it practical to stay with someone for the rest of your life?

Sometimes, you will outgrow people, or you were wrong about them or you’ve learned all you can from them. Sometimes, it’s time to move on to someone else.

It’s 100 percent possible to create a long term and meaningful relationship with another person, and not do it by terms of marriage.

While marriage can be a great thing, it shouldn’t be the only thing you’re looking forward to in life. It’s a romantic thought, but marriage is work — it’s not a walk in the park and shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Times are changing, specifically for relationships. A certificate is starting to sound unnecessary and even ridiculous to some who are in relationships — long- and short-term.

280 100

charlotterooney opinion editor

If you know you love someone, and you know you want to be with them, why is a ceremony and certificate necessary? What does it stand for?

With the number of divorces in this country, it’s clear that a lot of people don’t know what marriage stands for.

But can you blame them?

Staying together forever is a tough promise to keep. How you feel about someone when you’re 30 could be completely different in 5 or 10 years — and that shouldn’t be surprising because as humans, we’re constantly changing.

Marriage is more than romance.

It’s a commitment, something that is supposed to be forever — till death do us part — but at least 50 percent of the time, it’s not.

Some people don’t want to try and force themselves into a mold. For some people, marriage is a way to organize child-rearing and define commitment, but people have different ideals when it comes to a relationship.

Wanting to stay financially and emotionally independent is also important to many people. Relying too much on a single person and trying to create this cultural fantasy of a perfect marriage isn’t feasible, and isn’t healthy.

lovin’ it

2010

Information collected from abc.com and thewashingtonpost.com

10 outloud September 2016

JUDGMENT DAY

Personal opinion should be trusted, not looked down upon

juliefreijat news editor From a young age, I’ve been quite open about my thoughts on other people, situations or events.

If I liked something, I made it known.

If I didn’t like to be around certain people, I made it known.

Trusting my judgment was a way for me to surround myself with good people and participate in activities I enjoyed. However, as I grew older, I realized not everyone shares the same positive outlook on this form of thinking.

In the world we live in now, judging people is an act many advocate against. We are taught

11.3% always

65.3% y es

54.8% s om

How often do you act on your judgments on a daily basis?

never .9% 33

es etim

ti

37.9% all the 34.7% n o

Do you believe judging people is something our society should move away from?

55%

How often do you internally judge someone on a daily basis?

7.1 ne % ver

etimes som

me

s % ye 9.3

Have you ever suppressed your feelings for another person to avoid hurting them?

Based on a poll of 170 students.

Page designed by Julie Freijat.

We shouldn’t have the need to apologize for our feelings — ever.

They are the reason we have the relationships we do and the reason we are who we are today. If we look at it in the grand scheme of things, we are all products of emotions, and the effects those emotions can have range anywhere from our love life to our politics.

It’s human nature to judge.

We shouldn’t suppress our feelings to satisfy other people. And we shouldn’t always take offense because someone doesn’t like us for whatever reason.

Everyone we meet will judge us, and we will judge everyone we meet — even if we try not to.

It’s time we realize we don’t need to like someone’s opinions, the way they dress or who they are in general to be considered a “good person.”

In the end, it’s not a matter of what we think of people, it’s a matter of how we treat them that determines who we are.

7% no 10.

8 Have you ever remained in contact with someone despite disliking them in order to be polite?

yes .8% 88

2% no 11.

to shy away from our personal opinions and to keep our mouths shut when someone makes us uncomfortable.

The truth is — we shouldn’t be obligated to act this way.

The majority of the time, the person we are is a result of the choices we made. We should not have to excuse someone for the choices they made because it’s considered polite. We don’t have to love everyone — and we definitely shouldn’t have to pretend we do.

It’s not healthy to constantly force yourself to feel good about everything in the world. Often times, bad feelings are necessary for keeping yourself safe and happy.

I can’t count how many times my judgment has kicked in when it came to figuring out whether I wanted to be around someone or not — and looking back, I’m more than happy that I chose to distance myself from certain people and stay close with others.

September 2016 outloud 11

‘World’ History

BV social studies curriculum is too Eurocentric, needs additional information about other continents

annagyori staff writer Currently, students are required to take at least three years of social studies classes at Blue Valley. As the district mandates, each grade offers an AP and non-AP version of the same class.

Seniors take AP U.S. Government or U.S. Government. Juniors take APUSH or U.S. History. Sophomores choose between AP European History and World History.

Wait, what?

Clearly it must be a mistake that the non-AP sophomore option is labeled with the term “world” instead of European — as it is impossible for the class to stray too far from AP Euro’s curriculum because they are supposed to be equivalent courses.

If we follow this assumption, there is not one required social studies class at BV focused on non-white, non-English speaking countries.

This can and eventually will lead to a poorly informed, small-minded student population.

The decline began with the elimination of the area studies classes.

BV’s intense dedication to climbing the ranks of school districts lead

AP European History The AP European History course focuses on developing students’ understanding of European history from approximately 1450 to the present. The course has students investigate the content of European history for significant events, individuals, developments and processes. Students explore throughout the course in order to make connections among historical developments in different times and places.

to quality classes being cut in favor of higher level classes.

At the end of the day, life isn’t all about AP credit. And if they are really in desperate need of an AP class, why not AP World History?

Global citizens are created when students take the time to expand their knowledge of the world and make their own conclusions.

Regardless of what classes are offered each year at BV, students should strive to be well informed on a variety of global issues.

Students should aim to listen to the news or read articles. With phones around 24/7, students should be more than able to keep updated with current events.

There is no excuse for millennials to be globally uninformed.

AP World History VS .

The AP World History course focuses on developing students’ understanding of the world history from approximately 8000 B.C. to the present. The course also provides that students explore historical developments in different times and places encompassing the five major geographical regions of the globe: Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania.

Page designed by Anna Gyori.

Descriptions taken from Course Overview.

12 upclose September 2016

Randall’s Retirement

States Randall has visited

School resource officer plans departure after more than a decade of work at BV sarahday staff writer Officer Dennis Randall has been the student resource officer (SRO) at Blue Valley for 14 years. Randall is retiring after 42 years of service as a police officer.

SROs are responsible for a multitude of tasks around the school.

“Directing traffic takes up most of my day [as does] interacting with the kids throughout the day and walking through the hallway,” Randall said. “The thing that makes it good as an SRO is when I can reach out and touch a young life to help them out. It makes me happy when I can help somebody.”

However, Randall is more than just an SRO. “I was a Missouri State Water Patrol Officer for 25 years,” he said. “Prior to that I was a police officer in a small town in southwest Missouri. After I got out of the army in ‘75, I got a job on the east side of St. Louis as a police officer.”

Randall said his most rewarding experience as a water patrol officer Page designed by Sarah Day.

was catching a murderer in 1990 and having the opportunity to prosecute the criminal, so he spent the rest of his life in prison.

“That was sad — but rewarding — because of the chance for the family to have closure,” Randall said.

A&E reenacted this story for an episode of “Cold Case Files” a few years later.

Officer Trevor Burgess, who started working at BV last year, will take Randall’s place after his retirement. “[Officer Burgess is] a great guy,” Randall said. “The kids should embrace him. They can come talk to him anytime. Officer [Ken] Braden taught me, and he was probably the best SRO ever.

I’m sharing that experience with Officer Burgess.”

Once Randall leaves BV, he said he and his wife plan to continue exploring the United States and eventually travel internationally. Randall said these plans stemmed from their vacation to the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park and the Great Lakes in the summer of 2016.

“It amazed us how much area there is and how much there is to see,” he said.

“The vastness of our country is incredible.”

Randall said of his many wonderful experiences at BV, he will miss the relationships he’s made with students the most.

“I get to see the kids every day for four years,” he said.

“It’s like I have 1,500 kids of my own here.”

Randall Randall said seeing students graduate and become successful in their lives is his favorite part of being an SRO. Students have greatly appreciated his caring personality throughout their time at BV. “He was checking up on me about colleges and stuff like that,” senior Kelsey Kinkade said. “I feel like he knows the people in the school really well. He even put a smiley face on my parking permit.”

September 2016 upclose 13

FOLLOWING IN THE

FOOTSTEPS meganhegarty co-editor Most people interested in sports play them. A few others manage sports they don’t play. Senior Molly Franko, however, does more to stay a part of the Tiger sports family.

She started managing the football team her freshman year and the wrestling team when she was a sophomore.

“I’ve had multiple concussions, so I’m not allowed to play sports anymore,” she said. “I love sports in general, so I’ve tried to get involved as much as possible.”

After managing both football and wrestling, Franko began to assist the Blue Valley athletic trainer, Caitlin Truhe.

“I was always intrigued by what she was doing,” Franko said. “I asked if I could follow her around just to watch — and then the hours kept getting longer every time I shadowed her. I’ve enjoyed it a lot.”

Although Franko isn’t allowed to do complex tasks like taping ankles and assessing for injuries, Truhe said Franko’s been a major asset in the training room.

“She helps a lot with the

organization and coordination of athletes coming in,” Truhe said. “She’s able to [do] first aid like covering a turf burn or blisters. If I have someone that needs tape, or if I need to evaluate an injury, she’s available to cycle through the kids that are pretty fast as far as treatment goes. It definitely helps to speed things up.”

Franko said she enjoys seeing the players progress in their healing.

“We’ve had multiple ACL tears, and I like watching the rehab process,” she said.

“They go from not being able to put any weight on the leg to running and sprinting like they used to before they got hurt.”

Once she started working with Truhe, Franko said she discovered what she wanted to pursue as a career.

“I want to be an athletic trainer, a nurse or a physical therapist — something in the health field,” she said. “I’m looking more into athletic training as my first career choice because I like all the things I could do with it, whether it’s working with a school or working with a hospital or private practice.

I’m really excited for where it can lead.”

BV student learns from trainer, discovers passion for sports medicine

Wrapping an athlete’s leg, Franko practices techniques.

Franko said she enjoys going through the rehab process with everyone. “My favorite part [about shadowing] is the hands-on interaction I can have with all of the athletes, being able to see them improve from their injury and seeing how far they’ve come,” she said. Photo by Meredith Halliburton.

Page designed by Ifrah Sayyada.

14 payin’thebills September 2016

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key t HPV

September 2016 upclose 15

the

80 million Americans

are currently . infected with

10%

of Americans have

oral HPV which can cause throat, tonsil and tongue cancers

HPV

HPV rates are

rising

5% annually

percent of adolescent girls who get HPV vaccinated each year

nationwide

in the U.S.

150 types of HPV viruses

HPV

is spread through

skin-to-skin contact

KS

60%

has the

kansas

38%

lowest vaccination

rate in the U.S. Johnson County has the

Currently in the United States, roughly 60 percent of girls ages 11 through 13 are vaccinated with Gardasil — the three-stage human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination that protects against 90 percent of cervical cancers.

Originally introduced in 2006, this vaccination is still being tested to study long-term side effects and long-term cancer protection.

Despite the vast amount of evidence for the effectiveness of the immunization and the

lowest rate in KS

the HPV vaccination has cut infection up to

90%

since its introduction

June 2006

(over 10 years ago)

1

American gets an HPV-associated cancer every

20

minutes

nationwide effort to vaccinate children, Kansas continues to have the lowest HPV vaccination rate — 38.3 percent — among girls in the entire nation, with Johnson County marked as the lowest region in Kansas.

Sources discuss what HPV is, what the Gardasil vaccination prevents and what the community can do to spread awareness and education to get vaccinated.

Continues on page 16

Infographic by Alli Williams.

Page designed by Courtney Carpenter.

Photos by Isabelle Allen and courtesy of Tribune News Service.

16 upclose September 2016

the

virus crisis How does HPV cause cancer?

“Because HPV is typically asymptomatic, the HPV infection can persist and develop into harmful cancers. This includes cervical cancer and cancer of the genitals, mouth and throat.”

How does the HPV vaccination work?

“There are 150 or more strains of HPV. The HPV vaccination protects against the strains that most commonly cause anal, cervical, oral, vaginal or vulval cancers. The vaccine is FDA-approved to be given at age 9 and recommended for preteen boys and girls at age 11 or 12. At this age, children have a higher immune response to the vaccine than older teens. This three-vaccine series offers lifetime protection and is a very effective means to prevent HPV infection.”

Pages designed by Courtney Carpenter.

Information courtesy of the University of Kansas Cancer Center.

Do you know what the HPV vaccination is/what it prevents? courtneycarpenter co-editor The ongoing controversy about the HPV vaccination has remained consistent within the past years, with medical professionals arguing if the treatment truly does prevent certain types of cancers.

Kansas has the lowest vaccination rate of any state in the United States. Even worse, the cities of Leawood and Overland Park boast the lowest vaccination rate in the state — our area has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the entire country.

Blue Valley nurse Jen Runyan spoke about why she believes the vaccination rate for this area is so low compared to the rest of

yes

56.6% yes

3%

ybe

35.7% ma

47.

“Human papillomavirus is a viral infection transferred by intimate skin-to-skin contact and is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. Most sexually active adults will get HPV at some point in their lives, with 90 percent of cases clearing without medical intervention.”

no

What is HPV?

7.7%

Q&A with The University of Kansas Cancer Center Physician-in-Chief Terry Tsue

Kansas boasts lowest HPV vaccination rates in the na

22.8% no

29.9% mayb

Have you received HPV vaccination?

the nation.

“I was just reading am not sure,” Runyan of the Bible-belt, so t I think some parents child is going to be se their child vaccinated that.”

Runyan said anoth vaccination rates are knowledge about the “Sometimes [peop with HIV,” she said. “ education about wha cine could do for you and coming out. The tion as far as I’ve seen Runyan said the ty

September 2016 upclose 17

cervical cancer is

million 11-12 years 20 new cases of is the prime age to vaccinate

is

HPV e nation

22.8% no

29.9% maybe

eceived the nation?

If 80% of girls ages 12-13 received the vaccine, more than

160,000 lives would be saved

caused by HPV and is the

HPV

second deadliest

each year globally

cancer behind breast cancer

less than

0.1 percent 35 million doses of the HPV of people given the vaccine Gardasil given each year in the U.S.

Gardasil vaccination experience harmful side effects

risk of developing vaccinated vsunvaccinated cervical cancer: 1 in 400 1 in 147

the vaccination at Blue Valley es

%y 27.6

35.9% no

36.5% maybe Did you learn about the HPV vaccination in health class?

st reading about that and honestly, I ” Runyan said. “We are in the heart belt, so that might play a part into it. e parents believe they’re saying their g to be sexually active [if they get accinated,] and they don’t believe in

aid another reason why this area’s rates are low is because of the lack of about the vaccination. mes [people can] get [HPV] confused he said. “There hadn’t been a lot of bout what HPV is and what this vaco for you prior to it being developed out. There is more a lack of educas I’ve seen.” aid the types of cancer this vaccina-

25.5% other

74.5% parents chose Why did you receive the Gardasil vaccination?

Based on a poll of 170 students.

tion prevents is well worth receiving the threestep shots.

“It is supposed to help prevent ovarian cancer in women, face and neck cancer in men and other types of cancer,” she said. “It has been said that it is one of the few vaccines you can get that can actually prevent cancer.”

Sophomore Maddie Burns believes vaccines, however, are unnecessary — she only has the required vaccinations to come to school.

“I don’t think you should waste your money on vaccinations if you can’t afford them,” Burns said. “My mom has something against vaccines and shots, and she doesn’t see the point of them.

My family doesn’t really get sick, so we’ve never needed them.”

Burns said for the HPV vaccination in particular, she doesn’t believe it should be a required

vaccination for students.

“The [HPV vaccination] is [not] something that should be required of people,” Burns said. “I still think parents should have a choice with this vaccine.”

Runyan, however, said she believes the choice is up to the parents, but said she thinks more students should take this vaccine.

“I would recommend students to take it because HPV is so widespread, and it can be sexually transmitted,” she said. “They are recommending 11 to 12 year olds have the vaccine. The reality is that as they get a little older, the numbers of people that are sexually active are large, even if their parents don’t believe they’re sexually active. Because it can be transmitted sexually, boys and girls should both have the series.”

18 upclose September 2016

UNLOCKING

FAME

Senior casted to feature in MTV television series

nicklamberti staff writer MTV has cast a Blue Valley student for an upcoming show, “Unlocking the Truth.”

The show is a murder reenactmentinvestigation, trying to solve cases of teens and adults who were falsely accused and put in prison.

Senior Luke Dillavou was featured on the show playing alleged murderer Byron Case.

Dillavou said he didn’t think he would get the part.

“I was sent to some casting agent downtown,” Dillavou said. “A lot of people who looked just like me were there [auditioning] for the same role.”

A few weeks later, Dillavou received a callback from MTV saying he was casted.

“It’s really interesting — there were all these young people from L.A.,” Dillavou said. “They were all super tight, they all work really hard, they’re all really good at their job. It was an interesting time.”

Dillavou said this was the first time he’d be on TV, and he’d take any opportunity he’ll get in the future.

Page designed by Nick Lamberti.

“Unlocking the Truth” is a documentary-type show, Dillavou said, and the character he plays is a real person.

“The show’s all about investigating these alleged murders and these people who were put in jail for life,” he said. “There’s no evidence against him — just one confession that came three years later. The murder happened in 1997, and he was convicted around 2002. He’s still in jail today. [MTV] had us reenact what they thought Dillavou would have happened to them.”

The show airs every Wednesday at 10 p.m.

Dillavou’s first episode premiered Sept. 7 on MTV. It can be viewed at mtv.com/shows/unlockingthe-truth.

“I was nervous when auditioning, but it was really fun,” Dillavou said. “It’s fulfilling knowing how long I worked on it. There’s still episodes left, so I’m excited to see what [will be used] in the rest of the season.”

September 2016 upclose 19

The Warehouse:

a new type of canvas

abandoned factory attracts students for various purposes allieament & mckennacole staff writers For years, high school students have been visiting “the warehouse” — an abandoned factory which has become a popular hangout spot for teenagers in the area. Covered with graffiti and scattered with debris, it is also a common place for artists to leave their mark.

This notorious building hidden in the woods behind Blue Valley Middle School was once a Kuhlman die casting factory.

In 2010, a crime investigation took place at the warehouse.

According to KCTV News, there had been a report of a missing girl by the name of Kara Kopetsky who lived near the warehouse. The Johnson County Sheriff ’s Department never found her body.

There are many rumors surrounding the warehouse. In fifth grade, sophomore Adler Boten said he first heard

1.

about the warehouse because there were bb gun wars there.

“I’ve never witnessed anything myself,” Boten said. “I have heard three people died there.”

The warehouse has served various purposes to its visitors. Sophomore Catherine Farrell visited the warehouse to film a music video for BV’s upcoming Film Festival, she said.

“Looking for a place in the warehouse to film was scary at first,” Farrell said.

Farrell said she was searching for a school-like setting that looked run down to film a bullying scene. She then heard about the factory.

“Once I saw the graffitied lockers, I knew it was the perfect setting for our video,” she said.

BV Southwest senior Grant Gruenhaupt uses the warehouse for creative purposes. His junior year, he said he wanted to experiment with spray paint and thought the warehouse was the perfect place to start.

“The first time I went to the warehouse, I was freaked out,” Gruenhaupt said. “But then I realized it’s really not like that.”

Grant has numerous pieces throughout the warehouse, including a graffiti prom-posal. The warehouse has become a frequently visited canvas for him, he said.

“I don't know if I have a favorite part,” Gruenhaupt said. “With all of the spray paint, I feel like the whole place has transformed over the years into this unique piece of artwork.”

2.

1. BV Southwest senior Grant Gruenhaupt stands next to one of his recent art pieces in the warehouse. This mural was created using spray paint in August. “I used my eyes for reference,” he said. “I made the skin colorful instead of using regular skin tones to represent every emotion. My inspiration comes from interactions with people around me.”

2. The Warehouse is located behind Blue Valley Middle School.

Photos by Meredith Halliburton.

Page designed by McKenna Cole and Allie Ament.

20 upclose September 2016

SUITING UP Cosplaying provides students with creative outlet, unique experiences

juliefreijat news editor For some, dressing up on any given day and attending an event that revolves around comics, TV shows, books and movies would be considered an unusual experience.

But for others, it’s an average occurrence that leads to new friends and good memories.

Juniors Carter Newport, Janie Nugent and Emily Mullins and sophomore Sabrina Lin all take part in the international entertainment phenomenon also known as cosplay.

Cosplay is essentially the practice of dressing up as a character from any form of entertainment source. Nugent said cosplaying is like putting on a mask.

“It’s a persona — a Halloween costume whenever you want,” she said. “It’s really fun.”

Cosplay and events like ComicCon don’t discriminate. People of all ages, races and genders participate — all of them are there for a different reason. Lin said she

Page designed by Julie Freijat.

began cosplaying after her first experience at a convention.

“I remember seeing my first convention, taking pictures of everyone and saying, ‘This is so cool,’ — so I decided [to start cosplaying on] my own,” she said.

Despite stereotypes attached to cosplaying, Newport said they have received positive reactions to it.

“Most people we run into are really supportive.” he said. “They’re like, ‘Oh can we take a picture or get a selfie?’ It’s a lot of fun.”

Comic-Con is an all-day event, often times spanning multiple days. Lin said the convention organizers do a great job at keeping the atmosphere safe and happy.

“They have repair centers and places where you can sit down and relax,” she said. “They encourage you to drink and eat food — it’s great.”

Cosplay requires creative thinking and artistic skill and often times can lead to hours of dedication to a single aspect of a costume. Sometimes, cosplayers find themselves fixing up their costume as the day goes by. It’s not

uncommon for a cosplayer to be faced with challenges in creating their character. Nugent said the cosmetics were difficult to master.

“The makeup was really hard,” she said. “I’d never used fake eyelashes before, and I had to. I was like, ‘What is this?’”

The reason behind the choice to cosplay differs from person to person. For Mullins, it was the opportunity to share a fun experience with her friends.

“I probably wouldn’t go if I was by myself,” she said. “I’m way too insecure to go in full cosplay alone.

But when you cosplay with all your other friends, it’s fun.”

All in all, cosplaying allows people a creative outlet and a different kind of bonding experience with their friends. Nugent said it is a way for her to escape her quiet self and live a different life for a day.

“Cosplaying gives me a sense of confidence,” she said. “I’m normally not very outgoing, but when I’m in cosplay, I can act in a different role. It’s really neat, and I’m glad I got my friends into it.”

September 2016 centerstage 21

g Around BV n i Pok New augmented reality game encourages students, teachers to join virtual hunt

regankassing staff writer Driving through Overland Park, chances are you’ll see something a little out of the ordinary — large droves of kids and teenagers walking slowly through the streets, glued to their phones. But they aren’t texting, and they aren’t on social media — they’re playing the popular new game that has seized the nation: Pokémon Go. Pokémon Go is a free, location-based augmented reality game where users can catch virtual critters at real life places of interest, like statues or fountains.

It was downloaded by 130 million users within the first month of launch, setting a Guinness World Record.

Students at Blue Valley are no exception to this Pokémania. Some actively go out and hunt for Pokémon, while others just play if they happen upon a Pokéstop as they go about their day.

Senior Kyle Hobbs, who has advanced to level 23, has played the game ever since it came out.

“I used to play four hours a day,” he said. “Now [because of school] I only play around 10 to 30 minutes a day.”

Students aren’t the only ones at BV on the hunt for Pokémon, however. Teachers,

like science teacher Karen Koch, have also become interested in the game.

“I got started playing Pokémon Go because a friend of mine was playing with her son,” Koch said. “They downloaded the app for me, and I just started playing.”

Despite the popularity among all ages, not everyone chooses to take part in the Pokémon Go phenomenon.

Senior Kelsie McFadden, for instance, said she is interested in the game but has not downloaded it because she is busy with school.

“I personally don’t want to play [Pokémon Go] because it’s a time-waster,” McFadden said.

“I feel like I could spend my time doing better things.”

McFadden said although she doesn’t have the time to play Pokémon Go, she still thinks positively about the game itself.

“It’s a cool idea,” she said. “I like that it gets people outside and walking.”

Koch agrees with McFadden about the game’s positive effects — though she does have a couple of concerns.

“It’s fun,” she said. “It gets people out going around. I just worry about the kids in my neighborhood. They’re just jumping in front of cars and stuff — but most of the time people are safe.”

Pokémon Terms Pokémon — imaginary animals that can be captured in the game by exploring the real world Pokéballs — small globes that can be used to capture Pokémon Pokéstops — places where players can restock on Pokéballs and other miscellaneous power ups, usually located at places of interest, like landmarks or parks Combat Points (CP) — measure of how strong a given Pokémon is Gyms­ — places where players can train Pokémon and improve their CP through battle with other players’ Pokémon Page designed by Regan Kassing.

22 centerstage September 2016

color me CRAZY Dyed hair gains popularity in BV halls taliamjadi staff writer Here at Blue Valley, most students have the typical blonde, brown, red or black hair — though occasionally someone you walk by in the halls has their hair colored pink, blue or purple.

Dozens of students at BV have dyed hair, and in recent years, getting your hair colored has become more and more popular.

Senior Alli Carrigan said she has always been interested in dying her hair a different color, starting from when she was young.

“I’ve wanted to do it since I was little because what little girl doesn’t want purple or pink hair?” Carrigan said. “My desire got stronger and Carrigan stronger — then one night I was like I [have to] do this.”

Carrigan said her natural hair color is a dirty blonde, and it gets bleached blonde in the summer which she loves, though she likes to change things up.

“I have dyed it brown and ombre’d it

raise your voice:

why did you dye your hair?

a couple of times — dying it purple was the last time I changed it,” Carrigan said.

“It really is just because I get bored. I’m always cutting and changing my hairstyle. I like to keep things fresh.”

Sophomore Peyton Mott also dyes her hair different colors, and she said she is slowly trying to make her hair each color of the rainbow at some point.

“I have changed my hair nine times,” Mott said. “I’ve dyed it blue, red, pink, turquoise with purple highlights, red, lilac and blue, black and silver.”

Mott said she went to a salon for the first time getting it colored, and now her mom does all her hair dying for her.

“I don’t regret any of the colors I have done,” she said. “My least favorite, though, was probably the turquoise and purple highlights because I looked a lot like Sully from ‘Monsters Inc.’” Regarding how she achieves her new color, Carrigan said she has done a couple different things to get the color she is going for.

“The only time I went to a salon was to get my ombre,” she said. “When I dyed it purple, my step-sister used Splat hair dye on my back porch.”

While dying hair unique colors may be risky for some people, Carrigan said “It’s a way that I can wear dark colors and still stand out.”

— sophomore Mallori Kabel

“I just get bored and it’s something to do. I change it a lot.” — senior Spencer Kawaguchi

Kabel Page designed by Courtney Carpenter.

she has not thought twice about her decisions to dye it.

“I haven’t ever regretted it because I would have never known if I liked it or not if I didn’t try it,” Carrigan said. “You have to try everything once to see if it is for you or not.”

Carrigan said dying hair shows confidence and the willingness to try something new. “[Coloring your hair] shows individuality and that you are not really afraid to take a risk and make a statement,” Carrigan said. “I Mott am in choir, and I had to wear a wig for performances because Mrs. Moeller didn’t want me to stand out. You just have to be willing to take chances.”

Mott said she wanted to dye her hair by looking at strong powerful women in the music industry who inspired her with their hair dyed.

“Dying my hair really allows me to express myself,” Mott said. “It proves how creative I am and shows my true colors — literally.”

Kawaguchi

September 2016 centerstage 23

into

FALLING STYLE STUDENTS PREPARE AUTUMN WARDROBES SUEDE SKIRT BAGGY Bring back the ‘70s with this versatile TROUSERS trend. This traditional thigh-length skirt can be dressed up or dressed down, but you could also go with ankle-length or fringed skirts. You can style corduroy skirts in the same way.

Baggy trousers are a good way to feel comfortable while also looking proper.

Contrast dark trousers with light tops or vice versa. This trend can look casual or formal, depending on how you dress it.

Pair with: a sweater, a blouse, a long-sleeved crop top, a denim Pair with: any T-shirt, jacket with a light skirt, com- long-sleeved shirt, sneakers bat boots or ankle boots. or loafers.

kaitlinyu staff writer The days are slowly — ever so slowly — getting colder, so here are some new fashion trends to inspire you to dress well and comfortably for the weather.

OVERALLS BOMBER JACKET

Combat the winter temperatures inside the school by wearing a comfortable bomber jacket. Go old-school with a vintage jacket, and add some personality to it by sewing on patches of your choice.

If you need any more convincing that this trend is in right now, then look to Kanye and his Adidas line bomber jacket which only costs $1,490.

Shorter overalls — or shortalls — can be worn for hotter days, while longer overalls — or overall pants — can be worn for more chilly days. If you’re feeling confident and bold, go with some leather ones.

Pair with: a crop top, mock neck/ turtleneck, a T-shirt or a longsleeved shirt.

Pair with: any T-shirt, skinny jeans, joggers, sneakers or combat boots.

Drawings and page designed by Kaitlin Yu.

24 centerstage September 2016

FRESH @ FACES A le

x Pe ña

“I had heard a lot of good things about this school, but on my first day, I was very nervous about all the upperclassmen.”

Av e dy

an

“When I first came here, my first impression was that everybody was really nice.”

M

an

“When I first walked into BV, I was scared. Not because of upperclassmen, but because I didn’t know anyone. But, when I got to meet some people, I knew I’m here for a reason. I’m glad I have another family to go to for help.

Not everyone has a high school that’s so loving and caring as this one.”

w

o

r

ha

Mo

Freshmen, new teachers share first impressions of Blue Valley High School

yS

C y re n

BV

n

Bri

“I felt very welcomed when I first got here.”

O l dr oy d

Page designed by Emilee Holscher and Courtney Brown.

Jo hn

“[I look forward to] joining some clubs and making some new friends.”

September 2016 centerstage 25

nn

R

Bria

aJ o rd

b

ks o

n

Jac o

Jac

an

“I felt loved and welcomed with open arms. My favorite part about BV is the people.”

Ju s t i n

H

“[My first impression] was that everyone is friends with each other here. There aren’t a bunch of cliques that separate us all.”

ayne Fun

k

s

St e p h a n i e

Bra

EL A de

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c

“My favorite part about this school is the students. I love that I have kids that come into class and tell me about their day. I love that there’s this community and that everybody is close. [BV has] a tradition that people are proud of — and now I get to join that tradition.”

ac K

e n z i e Fu l l e r

“BV is the place to be. I love the feeling of community, and I feel like it’s one giant family. It struck me as a place anybody would want to work. I absolutely love my colleagues.

Every teacher I’ve met works ridiculously hard to make sure our students are given opportunities for real, high-level learning.”

tea

rM

LA

ch er L

Bu

“I thought this school was very glamorous.”

t

“I’ve always loved it here and always knew this is where I wanted to be. I just kind of jumped into everything, and I’ve loved everything I’ve seen so far.”

“It’s fun to be at a in school with many great traditions. Having opened up three new BV schools since 1993, I forgot how valuable it is to be able to rely on and build upon set traditions established in prior years.

I like the excitement it generates, whether those are constants year-in-and-year-out or new things like Tiger Paws. The energy of the student body is contagious.”

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26 payin’thebills September 2016

Kansas Dental Center 8625 College Blvd Suite 104 Overland Park, KS 66210 913-353-4802 www.ksdentalcenter.com

New patients receive free custom whitening trays

September 2016 tigerturf 27

new disc, who dis?

senior boys create new frisbee athletic club caitlinhoy staff writer The school year is a chance for newness. The front of our building got a face lift. Our gym now has a brand new floor and has that “new car smell.”

Among these additions, Tiger Paws is perhaps the biggest change of the year. Blue Valley changed its schedule to give every student an hour every day to get lunch and get involved in a club, or see a teacher if necessary — essentially giving students the opportunity to be treated like adults.

A group of boys took this time to establish a fun way to get active during the school day.

Seniors Ben Bass, Will Evans, Daniel Hegarty, Chance Holland, Dominic

Legato, John Pikus and Zach Willis founded this club with the intention of drawing different social groups together.

“Joining this team promotes very intense team building,” Evans said. “It is a great opportunity to meet new people and play some frisbee.”

In order for the boys to make this an official school activity, they secured a faculty member to sign on as the sponsor.

Despite the fact sponsor Tierney Weed said she doesn’t know a whole lot about the sport, she said she is enthusiastic toward the idea of the new school activity and supports a group of students that took control of the idea. The

boys said they envision the game to be every Friday during Tiger Paws on the football field — students of any grade and gender are welcome to play.

“Guys and girls get to play,” Willis said. “It is going to be teams of four with at least one girl per team.”

In addition to getting to meet new people, Holland said it’s a good midday exercise break.

Pikus said ultimate frisbee means more than a social and physical outlet — the sport has become a loved hobby of his, and he encourages anyone interested to join.

“None of us have played before but we went out and fell in love with the game,” he said. “It’s a bond of ultimate frisbee that cannot be broken.”

Photos taken by Olivia Gurley.

Page designed by Caitlin Hoy.

28 tigerturf September 2016

FALL SPORTS football

Senior Will Evans is one of the captains of the varsity football team this season. Evans said one of the team’s goals is evening out the pass-to-run ratio on offense.

“Last year we passed a lot,” he said. “This year it seems to be more of a balance.”

The football team benefits from bonds forged between teammates, Evans said.

“I like that we’re all together, and we’re different grades, but we’re still one really big family,” he said.

Evans said all of his teammates make an impact in some way.

“Everyone on the team is a leader,” he said. “There’s different kinds of leaders — leaders who lead by example, vocal leaders and leaders who do better in small groups or drills.”

girls golf

The golf team misses more school than any other sport, senior Sydney van Ophem said. “[Varsity] usually leaves around 11 [a.m.] on meet days and we don’t get back until 8 or 9 [p.m.],” she said. “If we have tournaments coming up we have to tell our teachers. We usually ask if there’s anything we can do beforehand so we don’t get too far behind. Our coach knows that we have to go in and make up stuff eventually, so we can miss a practice to go and [do that].”

The golf team hopes to place higher in State than in the past and also do well in EKL and Regionals, she said.

“The past few years [at State], we’ve gotten 8th or 9th or somewhere in that range,” van Ophem said. “We have a lot of room for improvement.”

boys soccer

The 2016 boys soccer team has come into this season with new hopes of improving even more than last season, and senior varsity captain Ryan Schmidt said he remains optimistic.

“We were a young team last year and focused more on rebuilding and didn’t have our best season,” he said. “We were definitely disappointed [with our result], but it gives us more motivation for this year.”

Schmidt said the team trained during the summer to prepare for this season.

“We had summer weights three times a week,” he said. “Aside from that formal preparation, a few guys often came up to the high school to pass, shoot and scrimmage.”

In addition to improving as a player, Schmidt said he has also evolved as a leader.

“I’ve gone from more of a helping hand and follower to a leader,” Schmidt said. “I have to lead by example every day now as opposed to following others’ actions. It’s a lot more fun as a leader. [I hope to] impact every game in a positive way.”

Page designed by Megan Hegarty.

Stories by Megan Hegarty, Kyle Elmendorf and Tali Amjadi.

UPDATE

September 2016 tigerturf 29

volleyball

The volleyball season is underway, and junior Katie Upton said she expects success.

“Over the summer, the whole volleyball program had camp,” Upton said.

“We lifted weights and worked on ball control for the season.”

Upton said leadership is an essential key to victory.

“We need good leaders,” she said. “We have to encourage new freshmen to expand their horizons to the team and get pumped for the games. Being a leader can be shown in practices and games through being a good teammate and helping your team grow and thrive through positivity.”

Upton said the team is working hard to make changes.

“Having better team chemistry is going to be helpful because you play better together,” she said. “We also want to improve our record.”

Upton said she is looking forward to a fun season.

“Hopefully this team will do well and win a lot of games,” Upton said. “I am looking forward to every moment and having a blast out on the court.”

cross country

The Blue Valley cross country team hopes to improve upon their 7th place finish at State last season and come into 2016 with new goals as both as a team and as individuals.

“We were satisfied [with our result last season], but we could have done better,” sophomore varsity runner Hunter Wilcox said. “Overall, we were happy [with last year’s results after] we lost a lot of the good runners [from 2014].”

Wilcox said his goals go beyond just performing better than last year.

“I hope to go a sub-17 [minute 5k],” Wilcox said, “[I also want to] go to State and Nike nationals this season.”

The cross country team also has goals not involving running, he said.

“We also hope to grow as a family,” Wilcox said.

girls tennis

A leader of the girls tennis team is junior Mallory Novicoff, and she said she expects a fun and rewarding season from all the hard work and effort put forth to make this season great.

“For training there are high school practices after school from 3:15 to 5, and personally, I have lessons on Sundays and hit with other girls on other teams on Saturdays and Fridays,” Novicoff said. “Other than that, we do some team bonding and preseason hitting sessions to prepare for matches.”

Leading the varsity team this year, Novicoff said it is important to have a positive attitude and to be a role model to new members of the team.

“The most important leadership qualities are good sportsmanship, being verbal and friendly and making everyone feel welcome,” she said.

Novicoff said she loves the game of tennis and believes having a sport you are passionate about makes life better.

“I love both the mental and physical challenges the individual sport provides,” Novicoff said. “It stretches your physical fitness while also testing your mental strength and confidence.”

30 tigerturf September 2016

Weight Room Improvement Student athletes, Blue Valley community, coaches raise money for new weight room

kyleelmendorf & oliviagurley staff writer & photographer

The weight room at Blue Valley is a key part to many sports teams’ off-season training. However, much of the equipment available to the studentathletes is falling apart or broken. Now, student-athletes, coaches and the BV community have come together to give the 10-year-old weight room a new look. “[We want to] update some of the equipment to current industry standards and spread some things out, create more space [and] create more flexibility for various activities,” said Eric Driskell, head football coach and weights teacher.

Over the years, student athletes who have used the weight room have not left the equipment in good condition. Plans

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to make the weight room bigger and more technologically advanced are at the top of the list of improvements.

“It’s been almost 10 years since the weight room was renovated, and the equipment is worn out,” said Susie Gurley, the parent in charge of renovations and fundraising. “Mirrors have been cracked, benches have been ripped and dumbbells have started to rust.”

The organizers in charge of planning the weight room renovations hope to raise $80,000 in two separate phases.

Fundraising includes private donations from parents and the BV community and events such as Fall Sports Night, where athletes generated $10,000 for the cause by selling tickets for dinner from Two Guys and a Grill. There is

also a private donor matching the total amount raised to help reach the goal.

Renovations are planned to begin December 2016 and should only take a few weeks to complete.

The new motto for athletics at BV is “bigger, faster and stronger.” Studentathletes view the weight room as a place for becoming better athletes and also as a place where they can grow as a family.

“The best part about the weight room is working hard with a lot of your friends and teammates, knowing that you are improving yourself for the upcoming season,” said senior Zack Willis, varsity center for the football team. “New changes will really help anyone who is using the weight room to become a better athlete, which is always the goal our coaches have in mind.”

FUTURE SETUP

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1. Double-Sided Rack 2.

1.Combo DoubleBench Sided Rack 2. Combo Bench 3.3.Dumbbells Dumbbells 4. PLT86 Bumper Dish Rack 4.5.PLT86 6. Glute Ham Prone Leg 5.7.

Bumper DishCurl Rack 8. Standing Leg Curl 4-WayHam Neck 6.9.Glute 7. Prone Leg Curl Drawing: 7

Head Football Coach

8. Standing Leg Curl

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9. 4-Way Neck Vertimax Lat Pulldown Plyo Boxes 10. Vertimax Dip/Rack Attachments Multi Safety11.

Rack Lat Pulldown

12. Plyo Boxes 13. Dip/Rack Attachments 14. Multi Safety Rack

Project Title:

Date: 2/8/2016 Photos by Olivia Gurley.

Prepared by: Future weight room drawing designed

by Eric Driskell.

SAMSON EQUIPMENT 1-800-4-SAMSON Page designed by Kyle Elmendorf and Olivia Gurley.

SAMSONEQUIPMENT.COM Designed by: Eric Driskell

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BLUE VALLEY H.S. Stilwell, Kansas

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September 2016 tigerturf 31

TIGER

TURF BV SPORTS

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1. Taking a goal kick, junior Brady Petersohn kicks the ball. Petersohn is the goal keeper for the varsity soccer team. “[I like being a goal keeper because] it’s the only thing I’m good at,” Petersohn said. “I also like playing soccer, and it’s the only position I could really have made the team on.” Photo

by Isabelle Allen.

2. Crossing the finish line, senior Victoria Roggy completes her race. Roggy has run cross country for four years. “The biggest shift between freshman and senior year is I have to set an example,” Roggy said. “I’m a line leader, so I have to do more than just the minimum.” Photo by Meredith Halliburton.

3. Running after kickoff, sophomore Eric Olsen starts the game playing with the varsity team. “My favorite part about

being on the [varsity] football team is the relationships I’ve made with all of the other players that I would have never made without football, especially as a sophomore,” he said. Photo by Olivia Gurley.

4. Serving, senior Abby Blackburn looks at the ball. Blackburn plays on the girls varsity volleyball team. “Our season is going well,” she said. “We have a bunch of injuries right now, so in our last tournament we had three people out, but we still made it to gold.”

Photo by Meredith Halliburton.

5. Returning a serve, senior Abby Loudenback reaches for the volley. She plays on the girls tennis team. “My favorite thing [about tennis] is playing with my friends and [taking the bus] to away matches,” she said.

Photo by Melanie White.

Page designed by Isabelle Allen.

32 snapshot September 2016

TIGER PAWS

Students partake in various activities during hour long break

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Page designed and photos by Isabelle Allen.

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1. Talking to her friends, senior Maili Cotter-Brown spends Tiger Paws in the Blackbox. Cotter-Brown said she spends most of her time at school in the theatre room. “I mostly hang out in the Black Box because it’s an area of the school where I spend a lot of time,” Cotter-Brown said. “It’s like a big group of friends and a second family.”

2. Playing the piano, senior Parker Moore is fed salad. Moore said he believes Tiger Paws is effective for all students. “It gives students an opportunity to decompress and catch up on work they’ve missed, study and to get things done,” Moore said.

3. Collecting dues for Students Assist Schools (SAS), junior Elaine Zhu sorts money. Zhu is this year’s treasurer of SAS. “[As treasurer] I work with the other board members to organize the events and meetings we are planning to do,” Zhu said. “I’m working with Mrs. McNally and the bookkeeper to set up a bank account.”

4. Playing in a volleyball game, senior Kale Samber hits the ball.

Samber is a member of Tiger Pride, which organized the game.

“This year, the main purpose [to host events during Tiger PAWS] is to promote events we will be attending,” Samber said. “Last year, we were able to do skits at lunch, so we’ve just had to work around that for announcements.”