The Tiger Print — March 2017 by The Tiger Print

THE TIGER PRINT Blue Valley High School — Vol. 47 — Issue 6— March 2017 — Overland Park, Kansas

EXPOSING THE CONSEQUENCES Students, staff evaluate repercussions of drug use

Photo illustration by Melanie White.

2 news March 2017

inside this issue

Going Global International news explained

NEWS

3 8

BV NEWS BRIEFS

For years, Boko Haram, a terror group with a large presence in Africa, has plagued citizens with suicide bombings, kidnappings and other forms of violence. Nigeria, one of Africa’s most heavily populated countries, faces political instability and corruption amongst the battle with insurgent groups. Recently, the Nigerian military pushed the terror group out of numerous areas in the country, though Boko Haram continues to instigate violence and instability.

NIGERIA

OPINION

TEACH VS. PREACH

Myanmar has been experiencing waves of religious discrimination and sectarian violence. The Rohingya, a Muslim group residing in the country has undergone years of persecution and are not recognized as citizens by Myanmar’s government. Buddhist nationalist groups are at fault for inciting attacks and discrimination against the Rohingya. The U.N. estimates that nearly 120,000 Rohingya have been internally displaced, while thousands more have fled the country.

MYANMAR

FEATURES MEDICAL MIRACLE

The Trump Administration faces its first major foreign policy issue this spring as North Korea begins to fire ballistic missiles towards Japan. According to the state media, North Korea was practicing to hit United States Military bases in Japan. While North Korea has tested and threatened numerous times in the past, this is the first major test with President Donald Trump in office and their strikes are beginning to gain accuracy.

NORTH KOREA

A&E

FUTURE TIGERS

Within Mexico resides one of the largest and most sophisticated drug networks in the world. Due to corrupt government institutions, the country has had difficulty escaping the criminal violence that has created a lethal presence in the lives of civilians. According to the Congressional Research Service, in nearly a decade, it is estimated that around 80,000 government employed Mexicans — and civilians — have been killed.

MEXICO

SPORTS

THE COLLEGE COMMIT

Teaser photos by staff photographers. Stories and page design by Julie Freijat. Photos courtesy of Tribune News Service.

In 2015, Germany received over 400,000 asylum applicants. The country is one of the hardest hit by the refugee crisis in Europe. However, despite the influx of refugees from 2014 to 2015, according to a study by Markus Gehrsitz of the University of Strathclyde and Martin Ungerer of the Centre for European Economic Research, the country was not hit by a crime epidemic. The study also concluded that the refugee crisis had little impact on the labor market.

GERMANY

NEWS BRIEFS

March 2017 news 3

AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE GEARS UP TO PLANT MONARCH GARDEN The AP Environmental Science class at Blue Valley has been given a grant through the University of Kansas Monarch Watch for the Monarch Butterfly Restoration Project. This project is aimed to increase the monarch butterfly population while creating new, safe habitats for them. “They are supplying monarch plants to places around the nation to help to restore the monarch population,” science teacher Karen Koch said. “Many people have taken out those plants thinking they were weeds and accidentally ruined their habitat. We hope to be able to fix

the monarch habitat at Blue Valley.” The students will place the plants by the cross country course in late March and early April as part of their study of habitats, biodiversity and habitat loss. The plants will create a monarch flyway so there is a place for monarchs to land. This will help to keep them alive and to restore the population. “I’m excited to see the butterflies migrate through here again,” Koch said. “That would be awesome. It’s pretty exciting to catch them.”

MATH TEACHER WINS “TEACHERS WH O

Math teacher Jonathan Jost won the “Teachers Who Inspire” Award given by KMBC 9 Can Help and Avila Universit y. Students turned in videos to the KMBC 9 website in order to nominat e teachers. The award was given to nine teachers throughout the KC Metro area who were nominated by their students for being an inspirational teacher. Jost was nominated by junior Sadie Myer in 2016 . The videos were graded in three sections — 40 percent specific exam ples

BAND INSTRUCTOR GAINS RECOGNITIO

After 42 years of being a music instructor, and 27 years of involvement in Kansas Music Educators Association (KMEA), Blue Valley’s band director Avian Bear was awarded for her success and hard work. While serving her last year as District Vice President of KMEA, Bear was selected by the state to be awarded the 2017 KMEA Outstanding Music Educator award. Bear said she was honored and is excited to see what her final teaching year will bring in 2017-18.

“Next year will be nice,” she said. “I won’t have any KMEA responsibilities. It will be nice just to be a plain old band director again. I’m really looking forward to doing the absolute best that I can do for the kids in this program.” Bear said this award motivates her to be a better teacher, and said it is gratifying to be recognized. “It’s nice to have the people in your profession that you think a lot of and work with every day to just say ‘Good job’ and ‘Thank you,’” she said.

INSPIRE” AWARD

of how the teacher is inspirational, 40 percent how the teacher impacted that student’s life and 20 percent of providin g a required summary of information at the beginning of the video. After the nomination, KMBC 9 selec ted nine winners from all of the entries. The winners received a check for $900 and a commemorative plaque. “It was a huge honor to be nominated for the award and to be picked from many deserving candidates,” Jost said . Page designed by Courtney Carpenter. Stories by Emilee Holscher and Sarah Day.

4 news March 2017

1. 1. Clapping for Sweetheart royalty, senior Ashkon Saravi congratulates senior Morgan Hoffman. Sweetheart royalty was crowned at the dance on Feb. 11. “I was really excited because one of my good friends, Kyle Mabe, was up for it and I was hoping he would win but he didn’t,” Saravi said. Photo by Melanie White. 2. Standing in front of the student body, junior Kaysha Foil speaks about ridicule he has faced because of being different. Foil is a member of Gay-Straight Alliance and performed a speech with his fellow members of GSA. “My freshman year I came out as gay, and I felt like I needed more of a support group other than my friends,” Foil said. “I decided to go to one of the [GSA] meetings, and I’ve been there ever since.” Photo by Lindsay Barash. 3. Senior Grace Hunter acts in “The Bad Seed.” Advanced Rep Theatre performed the play in black and white, which required actors to wear face paint. “It was definitely one of the most intense plays I’ve ever done,” Hunter said. “We all had to have a southern accent. There was a lot of intense makeup.” Photo by Isabelle Allen. 4. In the PAC, sophomore Tyler Gerry plays at a concert with the orchestra. The BV orchestra is conducted by Amy Fear. “My favorite part is the people,” Gerry

S O T O H IN P said. “[I have played] the base since elementary school.” Photo by Isabelle Allen. 5. Cutting the ribbon, senior Juliann Phillips stands with her fellow Tigers Inc. staff members. Tigers Inc. is BV’s school store, and it opened for business on Feb. 23. “We started right at the beginning of the school year planning,” Phillips said. “Everyone got to see what we have been working on for months for the first time, and it was definitely the greatest thing about this experience.” Photo by Marianna Montgomery. 6. In the splits, senior Jack Jones competes in the “Mr. Relay” Competition at Relay For Life. This year, the BV schools raised their millionth dollar. “I relay because my mom passed away from cancer four years ago,” Jones said. “The best part was Mr. Relay because I raised $230 extra for cancer research.” Photo by Melanie White. 7. Wrapped in a phone cord, junior Justin Schoenfeld sings and acts in the musical. “Bye, Bye Birdie” was performed Feb. 2-4 and was Schoenfeld’s third BV musical. “I was a specialty dancer in teen chorus,” Schoenfeld said. “The rehearsal process is really awesome — I get to be with my friends. Putting on a production that is enjoyable to a lot of people is really fun.” Photo by Melanie White. Pages designed by Isabelle Allen.

March 2017 news 5

3. choir concert!!!

6 opinion March 2017

Immigration Creation America will not benefit from restricting immigration

kaitlinyu staff writer As this election cycle came and went, it became apparent to politicians on all sides of the matter that immigration reform is a point that needs to be acknowledged. Fear has arisen that immigrants are taking U.S. jobs and that specifically Middle-Eastern immigrants are bringing the threat of terrorism close to America’s heart. However, we need to continue accepting immigrants because they have been and will continue to be beneficial for America. People are wrong to believe that increased immigration will negatively impact the U.S. economy. According to The Bipartisan Policy Center, immigration reform would boost domestic product by 4.8 Page designed by Kaitlin Yu.

percent and productivity by 1 percent over the course of 20 years. Immigration reform doesn’t hurt employment either — rather, it would increase employment and raise wages in 20 years. And most evidence points to the conclusion that immigration’s impact on the native wage is either none or trivial. Not only would it create jobs in the U.S. economy, it would bring extremely skilled workers to America, which is significant in the global market for talent. In fact, many tech firms have opposed President Donald Trump’s travel ban, claiming it’s bad for business since it threatens the companies’ abilities to attract talent to the United States. Travel ban supporters defend it, saying it’s a step toward stopping terrorism — but it’s not. The Islamic State immediately took advantage of the travel ban in order to fuel their propaganda to gain more supporters. This ban alienated key allies and created more divisions in the world

— Iraqi lawmakers have already begun voting to outlaw Americans, and their soldiers are feeling insulted, according to The New York Times. And finally, immigrants give up nearly everything to create better lives for themselves and their children. I am a child of immigrants. My parents left their home country and lived poor while also studying diligently in order to get good jobs to provide a valuable life for my siblings and me. There are so many stories like my family’s, and reducing immigration would be cutting off opportunities to so many hard-working people. If we stop accepting immigrants, we will see negative impacts on our economy. We will see negative impacts on culture. And anyway, it just runs against the American Way to block people from coming into our country. These people are coming to America for better work and for a better life — and isn’t that what everyone is trying to work for?

March 2017 opinion 7

staffeditorial TIGER the

PRINT newspaper

Cartoon by Alli Williams.

Students should not romanticize drug use, need to take new efforts seriously “This weekend I got so lit,” is a sentence frequently heard in Blue Valley’s hallways. The obsession with the next weekend’s plans is palpable, and they’re almost certainly going to involve drugs or alcohol. At this point, you’d think students would have surpassed the thought that drinking and smoking is cool. It’s not cool to get trashed, and it’s not cool to not be able to remember your night. It’s not cool to be incoherent and have your parents see you drunk. It’s also not cool to bring water bottles into school that smell like vodka or to show off your vape at the back of class while the teacher is turned around. Having the police search your car isn’t cool and neither is drunk driving. Giving other people drugs you can’t even name puts them in danger and gets you in trouble if you’re caught. So cool. As young adults it’s concerning that we’re so interested in using substances that can be dangerous. It’s concerning that the use is so widespread and a staple of popularity is to get drunk every weekend and experiment with different illegal drugs. In 2016, 28 people were killed in drunk driving accidents each day, according to cbsnews.com. A DUI always

stays on your record, and it can keep you from being able to get a job in sales or drive a company car. The third DUI is a felony offense. A Minor in Possession or Minor in Consumption charge will stay on your record unless you complete diversion — which you can only do once. Having those kinds of charges on your record affects your options for college and jobs. Being caught by your parents doesn’t seem like a big deal, but getting arrested can lead to major consequences. Drinking or doing drugs may not seem significant, but when or if you’re a parent, seeing how dangerous it can really be will be much more clear. A sobriety group brought to BV by Crossroads is a way for students to talk to counselor David Roberts about drug usage without teachers or administrators being present. The sobriety group is available on Wednesday during Tiger Paws. A teacher response team is also being added to be available to students if they want to talk to a teacher about drug use. BV has implemented two long overdue efforts to help students who use or abuse drugs. These options prove the administration is serious about changing the culture of drug use among students, and we should be, too.

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 opinion March 2017

CON TRO VER SY

PRO

teacher perspectives welcome in school setting

alliwilliams features editor Do you know who your teachers voted for in the last presidential election? Can you guess how your math teacher feels about Black Lives Matter or what your social studies teacher’s position on the travel ban is? Most of us have teachers who, if not directly, have indirectly stated their political leaning in one way or another during a lesson. As educators, teachers have a unique position of power. Although it should not be abused, teachers should be able to use this platform to open discussion surrounding

current events. When teachers inject their personal opinions and seemingly-off-track life lessons, they foster a necessary learning opportunity in the classroom. For some students, teachers are the most influential adult figures in their lives. When teachers share their thoughts on real-world issues and allow for students to respond, students have the opportunity to either grow in or reconsider their beliefs while learning the lifelong important skills necessary for having civil discussions. Teachers can also bring relevance to lessons to help us better understand them. Perhaps you learn about the importance of immigration control in history class or how the media utilizes leading questions to skew poll results in a psychology class. In a world flooded with fake news, further perpetuated by our use of social media, it can be refreshing to hear

Pages designed by Charlotte Rooney and Alli Williams.

perspectives from educated and honest teachers who have our best interest in mind. This discussion can help us figure out where we stand on different subjects — even when we don’t agree with their viewpoints. Being informed on diverse perspectives concerning modern-day issues can help to curb the number of future straight-ticket voters in America. And as students, we also have a job — we need to try to learn from their thoughts, think critically about what they say and question things that don’t make sense. Teachers are people who students look up to as their role models, and it is important that, as long as they don’t abuse their privilege, they are free to speak out on their personal and political ideas. In the real world, we will all face people we agree with and people we don’t. It’s important we learn now how to handle those situations properly.

March 2017 opinion 9

IN CURRICU LUM

C ON

teacher opinions don’t have a place in the classroom

charlotterooney opinion editor Teachers have the ability to shape minds. They have the ability to influence students and help them make choices. That influence should not extend to political or moral grounds. Especially surrounding the election, many teachers have shared their opinions despite having a duty to stay neutral when speaking to students. Some teachers do a great job of staying nonpartisan and indifferent while in the classroom — others do not. There is a difference between providing facts in order for students to make their own conclusions and pressuring students to agree with personal agendas. Usually, I agree with teacher’s views. I have a liberal mindset — that doesn’t mean I think it’s OK for teachers to contribute their personal views in lectures. It’s typical to see students become tense when politics is brought up in the classroom, and for good reason. Teachers are in a unique position where they are able to share their views with the class, but most students feel uncomfortable refuting those beliefs because the instructor

is their superior. A teacher’s job is to administer factual information with explanations of what it is — that does not include whether they like it, why they think it’s happening or how it affects them, their children or any aspect of their life. Presenting information in the classroom has become a way for some teachers to sway students’ opinions. As far as I know, students being persuaded isn’t the point of school. It’s frankly inappropriate for teachers to participate in opinionated discussions among students within the classroom. Encouraging intelligent conversations between students on politics, social issues and morals is a good thing — teachers injecting themselves into the conversation is not. Encouraging decision-making based on facts is good — implementing bias in a place of learning is not. Finding time outside of the normal classroom setting — before school, Tiger Paws, after school, even an email — is a more appropriate way for students who want to engage in biased discussions to do so. Class time is meant for actual curriculum, it’s not a place where teachers should voice their opinion on politics or morals. If a student wants to talk with a teacher about his or her personal beliefs, it shouldn’t happen during class. Not everyone wants to be a part of that discussion, and some students don’t care for controversial topics.

RAISE YOUR VOICE

based on a poll of 159 students

Should teachers be allowed to share their opinions with the class?

28%

yes

24%

depends

48%

average number of teachers per student schedule who share their political views

89%

of students say they’ve had a teacher either

impiicitly or explicitly share their political affiliation with the class

10 features March 2017

‘FORENSICS IS LIKE A TRACK MEET FOR THE MOUTH’

Humorous Interpretation

Dramatic Interpretation

Using a play, short story or other published work, students perform a 10-minute selection of one or more portions of a piece that tests student’s comedic skills through script analysis, delivery, timing and character development. No props or costumes may be used.

Using a play, short story or other published work, students perform a selection up to 10 minutes in length. With a spotlight on character development and depth, this event focuses on the student’s ability to convey emotion through the use of a dramatic text. No props or costumes may be used.

“I get to learn to properly juggle all of the characters because usually they’re very extreme which means that I get to choose what voices and physicality to use.” — Senior Maria Gnoza

“Something that is very cool to me is that everything that goes into my DI is my work. Every time you see an audience’s reaction, that is something that you personally made them feel.” — Senior Maili Cotter-Brown

-Debate and Forensics coach Chris Riffer

Students in forensics discuss events, favorite parts Domestic and International Extemp Speaking Competitors have a choice of three questions related to international or domestic events and, in 30 minutes, prepare a seven-minute speech answering the question. Students may consult articles and evidence they gather prior to the contest but may not use the Internet during preparation. The speech is delivered from memory.

“I enjoy being able to wing it because all of the other events require you to memorize a speech and work down the little intricacies of it, but I prefer to just inform myself and use that on the fly whenever I can. It’s not as nerdy as people make it out to be — it’s kind of fun.” — Senior Arslan Ali

Informative

Original Oratory

A self-written, 7-minute or 10-minute speech on a topic of their choosing. Competitors create the speech to educate the audience on a particular topic. All topics must be informative in nature; the goal is to educate, not to advocate. The speech is delivered from memory.

Self-written, 10-minute speech on a topic of their choosing. Limited in their ability to quote words directly, competitors craft an argument using evidence, logic and emotional appeals. Topics range widely and can be informative or persuasive in nature. The speech is delivered from memory.

“It’s great when you have somebody listening to your speech and you can tell they just learned something for the first time and their eyes are open to something they previously didn’t know about.” — Junior George Cochran

“I like that it gives me an outlet to express my sense for social justice. It takes a lot of skill to write a persuasive speech — and it takes more talent than people assume.” — Senior Caitlin Riffer

March 2017 features 11 Duo Interpretation

Two competitors team up to deliver a 10-minute performance of a published play or story. Using off-stage focus, competitors convey emotion and environment through a variety of performance techniques focusing on the relationships and interactions between the characters. No props or costumes are used.

“It’s really fun to become your character for a short seven or eight minutes, to deliver that monologue or whatever you’re saying. You get to read from another perspective.” — Junior Seth Hughes

Typically a single piece of literature, prose can be drawn from works of fiction or nonfiction. Students may not use poetry or drama (plays) in this category. This event is seven minutes.

“It’s so much fun performing with another person. You can make big movements and create different sequences and make it feel like something else is happening.” — Senior Kailey Meacham

Prose

Impromptu

Students have seven minutes to select a topic, brainstorm their ideas and deliver a speech. It is given without notes and uses an introduction, body and conclusion. The speech can be light-hearted or serious. It can be based upon prompts that range from nursery rhymes, current events, celebrities and more.

“I really enjoy the plurality of it. It’s always a new speech every time, and it’s exciting. I wish people knew how fun it was. Speaking off the top of your head, while nerve-racking, is also somewhat exhilarating.” — Senior Micah Slagle

Students may choose traditional poetry, often characterized by rhyme or rhythm, or nontraditional poetry, which often has a rhythmic flow but is not necessarily structured by formal meter. This event is seven minutes.

Poetry

Public Forum Debate

Opposing teams of two each debate a topic concerning a current event. Students present cases, engage in rebuttal and refutation and also participate in a “crossfire” with the opportunity to question the opposing team.

“My favorite parts are the rounds are short — it’s not as much evidence-based as it is analytics, and it’s easy to medal in. It really helps you learn how to be concise and get your point across as fast as possible.” — Senior Belal Jamil

Lincoln-Douglas Debate

Topics range from individual freedom versus the collective good to economic development versus environmental protection. Students may consult evidence gathered prior to the debate but may not use the Internet in the round. A debate is roughly 45 minutes and consists of constructive speeches, rebuttals and cross-examination.

“I like that it puts a large emphasis on the values that we as a society hold. The resolution is usually a question of the fundamentals that we as privileged Americans take for granted.” — Junior Christian Hansen

Congressional Debate

A simulation of the U.S. legislative process, students generate a series of bills and resolutions for debate. Debaters alternate delivering speeches for and against the topic in a group setting. Students are assessed on their research, argumentation and delivery skills, as well as their knowledge and use of parliamentary procedure.

“I like how laid-back but competitive it is compared to other events like policy debate. It’s way more easy going, and it’s way more individualized.” — Senior Waseem Ahmad

Page designed by Julie Freijat. Descriptions courtesy of National Speech and Debate Association.

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March 2017 features 13

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S E V I L R U WITH O

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Pages designed by Kaitlin Yu and Alli Williams.

14 features March 2017

) . t n o (c IVES

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March 2017 features 15

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16 features March 2017

W A L R U O WITH E S U B A G U DR

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March 2017 features 17

acclaimed nally o ti a n d Jodi Recently, ob Stutman an , n o ti u B inform trib speakers use, dis ki came to ls r a e it d n w u S t s the h g] Debbrec ances. or [bein on of n school BV on illegal subst te a safe system o ] s g u r [d to crea cht uence of chool activities,” “We need ug abuse,” Debbre r s t a lt r d su d n re at ou ting ty a e] would school of repor aid. “Being mad s e [Th “ ofid. sn’t help ki s f of out- ally be Switals or children doe o t r o s ti We get me oten students hatsoever. ren fall d could p w n a n o n ti io a s n child the situ hen our ch, National ointed w pulsion.” p e ns so mu p e a th p is p d a h to h , 5 ic 1 h g 0 2 b is to th, w ccordin Abuse, in off the pa n. Our jo o g s u a r in re D d d n o tute o ople die e. for very go e path.” 0,000 pe a s ack on th b m e stituted e than 5 lt of drug overdo th pull V has in udents l, su B o re h id a o a s lc s a a r st U.S. like Bacon ailable fo of or in bstances ong group av ce ty n hough su arijuana are am e ie r u b fl o m in s er the in s d d g n n u a u r nesday ’t d e n n d oti ly use very Wed who are e n s o g e m u r m m d o o f s no p works e most c tes, Randall said possessio This grou . s g w a in ta P S m r o ige b ec ds, and e United during T Crossroa rugs are . d h it n w w o n from BV ves ively sser k members teenage li D [and] exclus ff in a t st n e o n id v ere are ine, LS more e ow, coca ck,” he said. th nt at meetings. are “Right n a se b ployees] re g p m e in m o th s c e d a ents re] ng m “[Crossro orking with stud e heroin [a s are hitti meth. id k e w m o S is nals om us “It’s sad. professio et away fr “Our y believe g e . th s to y t a g a d h in a y w w . tr now or thetic no ey’re who are ,” he said here of drugs g is syn th w e in y t s n a u th a h b y a r w o e g v d E an ave to ’t know h n o ’t d n o briety s d o s id ’t.” dents [the The k really don V did more stu ey can access y e n opt a Th c . t g takin studen — th ishes B A w . e g re n sh e li h g id rug trouble, right Kayla sa she was st hopes group] tting into e n g e t h u o w h r e wit whole lot to help h ddiction, and she into that g to ask a g in u o r g d t a t o g n n reve with dru and we’re .” more to p find would do ppens. estions y udents e th t e of qu ha id if st ario, they th it a s re h c fo ll a e a b d ro e n app Ran h abus tough sce f people g ‘Don’t do lves in a e s help. “A lot o r in m y e fo a s s th O do e SR on by th to ti a t to u a at’s not e it h s m w o g c g ituation th et out s a m,” dru ead of describin emotional can in e g inst “If you’r ental, u need to gal it,’ having m s,” she said. “I u, then yo dall said. “It’s o e y ’r u r o fo y fe n em if ard sa l problem tion,” Ra kids ] physica l would move tow that situa son. I know that f o w s if [or o e a o re than people kn , illegal for a re h the sch ore matu m t s lo igh, wis irection because if e a lv up, but s are emse at d nowaday s growing s are one or th a e w f m I o our th o s n t e h lo lp e ie w a how to h prevent they were kid. And your bod e.” probably a l il ld st u o e c ’r ou the it safer y .” to foster a ts. still growing eaths.” d s p e st ll n fa e n k se e ta d s u a st h for BV mmunity leaner co c d n a y that

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iate e immed f h t , e r e v se es o Although nsequenc o c m r at the g-te and lon use does not end rug ab y. D substance n the human bod ical, hys es o toll it tak affects p ly e iv t a eg h. abuse n ntal healt e m d n a family l h it w emotiona risk. hips Relations friends are put at m fro and members equences range hool ons . Sc Legal c jail time nsion o t s r o n a lt in suspe u misdeme s e r n a c nces conseque . er this ion or expuls aken concern ov d by t onde BV has and resp ic m e id dents ep up to stu o growing r g y t ie sobr se. offering a ith substance abu t’s take gw strugglin ut The Tiger Prin lture Read abo ubstance abuse cu licit s . on BV’s il ditorial on Page 7 e ff in the sta

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March 2017 features 19

Mi ss Kan s a s Juni or Q u e e n

Te e n

Senior describes her experience competing in pageants oliviagurley staffwriter Not every day do you see a pageant winner who is also a varsity basketball star. However, senior Azia Lynch, a three year varsity starter for the Lady Tigers, holds the 2013 title of Miss Kansas Junior Queen Teen. “I got a letter in the mail that said, ‘There’s a local pageant near you,’” Lynch said. “My mom had told me about it. I was 4 or 5 at the time, and I was like, ‘Why not try something new?’ So I tried it.” Contestants may enter a pageant to display their talent, learn life skills, overcome shyness or for personal enjoyment. For Lynch, being on stage is a driving force, she said. “[My favorite part is] probably dressing up and being on stage,” Lynch said. “I love being the [center of] attention. That was one thing that I loved doing.” In addition to her multiple victories, there are cash prizes for all the winners of the

pageants. “When I was younger, I won [awards], but the biggest pageant that I won probably was freshman year,” she said. “I won this prize package with $1,000, money to buy dresses and a modeling scholarship,” she said. “They also flew [my mom and I] out to California to compete for Nationals against all of the other states. That was cool. We were in California for about a week and a half, and there were different competitions. We got a lot of money for them.” Getting ready for a pageant, just like playing basketball, is an important part of the competition. “You start off practicing — if you’re going to do it, you might as well [put the time in],” she said. While pageants can often conjure up ideas of crazy makeup and fake hair, Lynch said she favored a natural look when she competed. “I wasn’t big on the fake makeup and the fake hair and everything,” she said. “I do the [events] that are more about you and more about yourself — just about who you are.” Lynch said pageants have many aspects. “There are different competitions,” she said. “Interview, which is a meeting with a panel of judges and them just going over your resume and just basically what you do in your day-today life. There’s Introduction, where you give a minute speech about yourself, your ambition in life and where you’re

from. There’s Formal Wear, where you wear a full-length formal gown, and you go on stage and present your beauty. It’s basically you bringing your confidence out and showing the people how you work it.” For the talent portion of the pageant, Lynch did tap dancing as her skill. “I started dancing when I was 5 years old,” she said. “[I] did ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, everything and then slowly as I continued to play basketball, I cut my [dance] classes.” While Lynch is not currently competing in pageants because of the time demands of basketball, she said she stays involved with them in other ways. “I’m coaching in my free time [for] my siblings and other girls to compete so I can still do pageant stuff,” she said. Lynch said there are many benefits associated with competing in pageants. For her, pageant competitions helped her confidence in talking in front of large crowds and her communication skills. “I plan to be a broadcast journalist,” she said. “It’s public speaking, so that’s something that’s helped. When I have kids, I want to put them in pageants and see how they’ll like it.”

Titles and Awards

2007 National American Miss (NMA) Kansas Princess 2009 NAM 1st Runner Up 2009 Miss Personality 2011 NAM Photogenic Winner 2012 NAM1st Runner Up 2012 NAM Miss Personality 2012 NAM National 2nd Runner Up 2013 NAM Jr-Teen 2013 Miss American Coed Jr-Teen 2013 Miss American Sunflower Jr-Teen 2014 NAM National Actress Winner Page designed by Tali Amjadi.

20 features March 2017

Caden + Braden = Dream Team Teacher, student teacher work together

regankassing staff writer The start of a new semester always brings about changes. For math teacher Kyle Braden, that meant making room for one more educator in his classroom, student teacher Caden Laptad. “I have not had [a student teacher] before,” Braden said. “When they asked if I wanted one, I told the district to send me Mr. Laptad’s information. I looked at it and saw that he went to K-State and had a lot of the same experiences I did, so I knew we would be a good fit personality-wise.” Braden said his assessment of Laptad has turned out to be accurate. “Part of the reason I wanted a student teacher was [to have] somebody to bounce ideas off of,” Braden said. “When you teach for a long time, you can get pretty set in your ways. It’s always good to have somebody else’s thoughts on things to see if there’s a better way to grade or a better way to teach a lesson.” Laptad said he became inspired to become a teacher his sophomore year of college through the tutoring he did for people who lived in the same dorm.

“One day I walked out of a tutoring session with a friend of mine and was thinking, ‘What am I going to do with my life?’ All of a sudden, I was like ‘I was teaching,’” Laptad said. “I realized that a huge part of me is helping other people grow. Teaching was the place for me to [do] mathematics but also to help people grow as individuals and as learners.” Laptad and Braden work together on lessons, curriculum and grading. “He’s done a lot to help me with my work,” Braden said. “He’s been coming up with creative activities that help the students review the material that we’ve taught. He’s helped me by grading some of the tests and quizzes, and he’s been teaching a ton of classes as well.” Laptad said he enjoys the way their duties are split. “Even in days where I am not teaching a lesson, there will be places where I’ll jump in and teach a part of the lesson,” Laptad said. “It lets us really work off of one another and see what things are effective and what things aren’t. I love being able to take the extra time that I have in some places to create new activities and new ideas.” One of the things Laptad enjoys

Photo by Meredith Halliburton. Page designed by Regan Kassing

most about student teaching is the hands-on experience, he said. “I’ve been studying for the last two and a half years, specifically in education, and I’m finally getting to do it,” Laptad said. “You can talk about how people learn, but until you’re actually there doing it, it doesn’t fully click.” Although he has only been teaching a couple of months, Laptad said this experience has been a great learning opportunity. “I’ve learned that you really have to tailor your instruction to the needs of your students,” Laptad said. “Learning to balance the needs of your students and the interests that they have and the ways they engage are the most important pieces.” Braden said their partnership has been good for both of them, and Laptad will be a great teacher one day. “I feel very blessed that Mr. Laptad, coming into student teaching, already knew what he was doing,” Braden said. “He’s going to be a very successful teacher. Everybody, when they start, has a few things they need to learn, but the great thing about him is he didn’t have a ton he needed to get better at. He’s doing a great job already.”

March 2017 features 21

class spotlight

BV offers various, lesser-known classes aware tions, many students are un Because of the countless op s available. of the unique classes BV ha . se three uncommon courses Check out this spotlight on the

Philosophy Taught by: Chris Riffer Credit: .5 Elective Grade levels: 9-12 Prerequisite: None

Patel

Honors Java Programming II Taught by: Tanner Crow Credit: .5 Technology Grade levels: 10-12 Prerequisite: Java Programming I

Kaster

Textile Design and Fibers Taught by: Kristen Pickell Credit: .5 Fine Arts Grade levels: 9-12 Prerequisite: Design Fundamentals or 3 years of middle school art

Prickett

Philosophy offers indepth conversations centered around how we know what we know, ethics and ideas of philosophers from around the world. Students engage with other classmates to learn about the nature of thought. Sophomore Neel Patel

is enrolled in Philosophy and said he enjoys the group discussion aspect of the class and more specifically, talking about existential questions. “I would recommend this class to others,” Patel said. “Everyone should get into discussions about things they have questions about.”

Java Programming is a class aimed toward programming, problem solving skills, programming style, data abstraction, testing and debugging. Honors Java Programming II goes more in depth working with the Java program. Senior Cole Kaster is enrolled in Honors Java

Programming II and said he took the course because he wants to pursue computer programming as a future career. “I would recommend it to anyone that wants to work in that career area,” Kaster said. “It helped me be sure that I want to go into computer programming.”

Textile Design and Fibers combines both creation of woven and meshed materials and the surface decoration of art and principles of design. Students taking the class work on various projects involving silk painting, paper etching, book making, altered books, screen painting, wrapped pots and textile

construction. Sophomore Sarah Prickett enrolled after being recommended by a friend. “It’s a really fun class to take,” Prickett said. “Especially if you want to take an art class but you’re not good at something like drawing, it’s a good class for everyone.”

Page designed and story by Courtney Brown and Molly Holmes.

22 features March 2017

The Actual Academy Student shares how Blue Valley Academy has helped her mariebiernacki staff writer Most students don’t know the Blue Valley Academy (BVA) exists and, if they do, chances are they think of it as a place where only troubled students go. This story shines light on what the BVA does and how it has helped senior Megan O’Connor, a transfer from Blue Valley.

“The BVA is dedicated to re-engaging each student in the learning process, empowering them to maximize their social and academic achievements.” — BVA Mission Statement

classes begin

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9 a.m.

2:50 p.m.

class size is

Megan started going to the BVA in August of 2016 — she said she was worried in the beginning. “I was pretty nervous,” Megan said. “But I was able to settle in right away.” Megan said she enrolled in the BVA because she had difficulty while attending BV. “My social anxiety and my depression were bad,” she said, “[When I could go to school,] I felt like I couldn’t focus in class. I felt really isolated.” Megan said the BVA has different groups to help people combat difficulties — the two main ones are for depression and addiction. “The groups meet for a class period one day a week,” she said. “They offer a lot of O’Connor support and help you get to know people who are struggling. You’re not forced to share anything.” BV counselor Kirsta Meacham said the BVA is for students who have a hard time in a traditional school environment. “We know there are students that do struggle, whether it’s socially or academically,” Meacham said. “It provides a different setting so they can succeed.” Megan said the smaller classes have helped her greatly. “The teachers give you a lot more individual attention,” Megan said. “It’s really useful — you get to know everyone in the class.” Megan’s mother, Lori O’Connor, said the BVA is great

4courses = .5credit for 9weeks per course students can be in the and

BVA CAPS

because the teachers are experienced in other fields. “Teachers have backgrounds in psychology or special education in addition to their teaching degrees,” Lori said. “They understand why students might be struggling and how to help them.” The BVA has plenty of different activities for students, Megan said. “We have a music room,” she said. “There’s a gaming group that plays pool and foosball. There’s a basketball game in the gym every day.” She said the BVA also has animals, such as chinchillas, rabbits, guinea pigs and many others, in their science rooms they can take out. “People like to hold the animals during lunch,” Megan said. “We just let the rabbit run free in the library.” She said the BVA has affected her life in a positive way. “I used to have low grades, and I have all A’s right now,” she said. “It’s kind of a life-changer.” Lori said the BVA has impacted Megan’s feelings about education. “Once she was in a smaller environment, she really thrived,” Lori said. “She suddenly had a love of learning again — I don’t think you can ask for more than that.” Megan said she isn’t bothered by how others think the BVA is a place for bad students. “It just gives us more character,” Megan said. “We’re all the same as people at the normal schools — it’s just one big family. We’re all in it together.”

Information from the Blue Valley Academy website. Page designed by Marie Biernacki.

March 2017 features 23

CAPTURING THE MOMENT BV students share how they express their personality through photography laurenhuck staff writer Some may associate the word “photography” with taking a picture of the sunset on their iPhone, but to others, it means catching the winning goal of a soccer game on a Canon 70D. Despite their differences, they both share one thing in common — capturing a second frozen in time through the click of a button. The ability to pause and create a beautiful moment, in a thousandth of a second, is what inspired senior JP O’Donnell to start his photography career, he said. “I wouldn’t be anything without a camera,” O’Donnell said. “[I hope to] create a moment that people can have forever, and O’Donnell inspire people to follow their dreams.” O’Donnell said he hopes to pursue a career revolving around photography. “[As a photographer,] I see myself living in Los Angeles and hopefully working for a dance magazine or a photography company,” he said. “Maybe [I’ll] even open my own studio eventually.” O’Donnell said he prefers taking pictures surrounding dance. “Photographing dance [is] special to me because I’m pas-

sionate about both photography and dance,” he said. Junior Megan Folmsbee said she favors taking portraits and pictures of people. “It’s so fun to have a friend model for me and see their excitement when I’m done editing,” Folmsbee said. “People themselves are pretty interesting creatures, and being able to capture the differences between them is an incredibly beautiful thing.” Similar to O’Donnell, Folmsbee said she loves expressing herself through her art, which can be represented through her photography. “When I was a freshman, I had a ton of older friends that I met through a couple of events and church,” Folmsbee said. “All them were really into photography and Folmsbee of had me model for them a lot. Then, after that, I began to love being behind the camera more than I loved being in front of it.” When starting her photography career, Folmsbee said she compared her artwork with other talented artists and constantly doubted whether or not she knew what she was doing. “Being confident in your work, because it is your work, is extremely important,” she said. “Every day you can learn something new about absolutely anything, but never doubt what you already know You are smart, so be confident.”

“Always be happy with every picture you take, and realize the beauty that lies in a photo.” — O’Donnell

“I believe my art work shows my curiosity toward humans themselves and the way in which they act.” — Folmsbee

Page designed by Lauren Huck.

24 features March 2017

Overcoming

the Odds

Science teacher shares experience with health complications nicklamberti & caitlinhoy staff writers Every year, 14.5 million people discover they are diagnosed with cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. Science teacher Dr. Neerav Shah said he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in January of 2004. “For a little while, I was having pain in my groin area, so I went to go see a urologist,” Shah said. “The urologist ran some tests and came to the conclusion I had testicular cancer — that was it, no follow-up appointments.” The first appointment left him with unanswered questions, so he said he looked for a urological oncologist. “When I went to [the second] office, there was about a two-hour appointment of him explaining what he thought I should do chemo-wise,” Shah said. Shah said he maintained a positive attitude through perseverance. “My mindset the whole time was, ‘I can get through this,’” he said. “Out of all the cancers to have, testicular is [an easy] one — it’s 99 percent curable.

It’s not one of those things that can [easily] come back. As long as you go through what [doctors] tell you to go through, you’re going to be fine.” One of the few things Shah said he was concerned about was his ability to have children. “One of my wife and I’s goals was to start a family,” Shah said. “When I found out that I had cancer, I was really worried that I’d never be able to have the family that I’ve always wanted to have. Luckily, the doctor told me that after the cancer was cured and the cancerous testicle was removed, the other one upregulates, and you’re usually able to have kids. The plan [for me] was to go through the chemo regiment, wait two years for the chemo to be out of my system and then have kids.” Shah said he was soon cured of his cancer. However, in July of 2004, he suffered a stroke. “On my final week of chemo, I came back [to the ER,]” he said. “I was throwing up a lot, which is pretty normal after chemo. [I was thinking it couldn’t be] worse than that, but apparently the chemo had worn thin my carotid artery in my brain. Throwing up so many times

Page designed by Caitlin Hoy and Nick Lamberti.

ruptured it and caused a clot in my artery. While in the restroom of the waiting room in the ER, I had my stroke.” After his stroke, Shah said he had to go to various speech and physical therapy sessions to learn how to walk and talk again. “It’s a really, really long process,” Shah said. “There would be a lot of passive-type therapy, like massaging my left side to wake up my nerves. They told me from the beginning that my left arm probably would not [be of use], but I should be able to [eventually] use my left leg to walk. I was in a wheelchair for about six months to a year when learning how to walk again.” Shah said he went on to have two kids, Jordan and Micah, who are 9 and 6 years old, respectively. “Quote” He said despite the setbacks, it’s still easy to maintain a positive attitude. “I definitely have a zest for life,” Shah said. “I understand how important life is. A lot of people cared about me, and I want to give that [caring] back to anybody. I want people to realize how important life is and other people out there care about you.”

“[Dr. Shah] is always positive. He never has anything negative to say, and he always tells you how good you’re doing and always makes you feel special.” —Junior Isaiah Euler

Bachelor Breakdown

March 2017 a&e 25

a social, societal critique of the primetime dating competition Reality TV is present on nearly every channel. Most people see these programs as purely entertainment and don’t think about the implications they have on society. But, for shows like The Bachelor, it is necessary to criticize and not normalize the actions of the contestants. After all, the show is heavily scripted and edited — not at all ‘reality.’

The Quest for Fame

Alcohol Consumption Every season, one contestant gets so drunk that they are either eliminated or completely humiliated on national television. But, these occurrences are not hard to understand. Producers of the show are providing constant access to alcohol during shoots that sometimes last up to 12 hours. This massive amount of attention on alcohol reflects the large presence of the drink in media and society as a whole. People need to realize it is not normal to drink several glasses of wine every night — and while it may provide short term amusement, being drunk can lead to making decisions that you regret.

Social media personality, actress, singer — these are just a few of the most popular career titles contestants use. Because of the large audience of the reality show, it is common that one motivation of going on the show is to become famous. Although it may seem that this is just a byproduct of being on TV, this desire exists in broader society. The focus on the number of social media followers has greatly affected the way one decides to display themselves. People have fake relationships focused solely on their appearances and concede to comparing themselves to someone else just because of the prevalence of social media.

Meet Alexis!

an “aspiring dolphin trainer”

Unhealthy Relationships

Portrayal of Women “The Bachelor” isn’t known for casting the most awe-inspiring individuals. Most of the women’s careers are less than stellar, often they don’t have college degrees and it’s hard to determine if they actually think much at all. But, as we all know, the majority of women are not comparable to the contestants. The show could benefit from choosing women with a wider range of jobs and who wish to be more than a trophy wife. For all those young girls watching, it is necessary to emphasize that this lifestyle is not the only goal and that they have more worth than their appearance.

Most of us are repulsed by “Sister Wives,” so I wonder why this doesn’t extend to “The Bachelor.” Maybe I’m missing something, but I am pretty sure no one dates 25 people at the same time. We need to be aware while we are watching that the entire show displays exactly what you shouldn’t look for in a relationship. You should look for someone who cherishes you and is faithful regardless of the situation. You should be able to see your significant other more than once a week and definitely not on “group dates.” Lastly, it is important that everyone realizes that the speed of “The Bachelor” is not healthy. Do not feel rushed into dating or marrying someone. It’s better to be slow and steady than win the race.

Story and page designed by Anna Gyori.

26 a&e March 2017

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp QqRr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz

“[I’m most scared about] drugs — and my sister.” — Maggie McCrea, 5th

“[High school is] crazy. People are running around trying to get their class on time.” — Mackenzie McKinley, 2nd

AC RO S S TH E A G E S Stanley Elementary and Blue Valley Middle School students share high school expectations, fears

“More homework. I like homework, it flexes our brains. — Alex Coffelt, 3rd

“[I’m most scared for] bullies and boys — the two Bs.” — Maggie Taylor, 3rd

“Skipping class and going to Dairy Queen.” — Brayden Erickson, 4th

“I’ll finally get to be in my dad’s science class” — Joeseph Mann, 2nd

E L E M E N T A RY S C H OO L

“I think it will be fun, but hard.” — Mia Sayers, 8th

“[High school] seems more fun and people are more excited for it.” — Grant Henderson, 8th

“I think it will be fun but weird seeing people I don’t know.” — Chloe Wood, 8th

“There is going to be a lot of people I don’t know and a lot classes I’ve never heard of.” — Ben Englas, 8th

M I D D L E S CH OO L Story by Grace Lutz, Cassidy Carptender, Tori Donnici and McKenna Cole. Page designed by Courtney Carpenter, McKennna Cole, Megan Hegarty and Alli Williams.

Coming to See

March 2017 a&e 27

Movie genre captures audiences, conveys relevant messages

MOONLIGHT GARDEN STATE 2004 Directed by: Zach Braff Rotten Tomatoes: 86%

After consuming mind-numbing medicine for nearly his entire existence, Andrew Largeman begins to experience life in a new way after his mother’s funeral. He meets Sam, who is the direct opposite of Andrew — she is bursting with animated emotions and quirks. While the movie is heartwarming, it’s slightly predictable and boring. However, Natalie Portman delivered an amazing performance as Sam, and the indie and alternative music soundtrack was a nice touch to the movie.

2016 Directed by: Barry Jenkins Rotten Tomatoes: 98%

Equal parts drama and coming-of-age, the 2017 Best Picture of the Year, “Moonlight” chronicles three periods of Chiron’s life as a child, teenager and adult. Chiron attempts to understand who he is while living in a Miami neighborhood riddled with crime and dealing with his drug-addicted mother. Although the three-section construction allowed for development over time, the movie felt like it was too broken up and took the viewer out of the experience. Altogether however, the beautiful film score and cinematography completely captivated me.

BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOUR 2013 Directed by: Abdellatif Kechiche Rotten Tomatoes: 91%

“Blue is the Warmest Colour” is a critically-acclaimed French film that explores the budding sexuality of a high school teenager, Adèle, with a blue-haired woman, Emma. Although the movie’s long running time allows the audience to witness the growth and destruction of the two’s relationship and how Adèle develops as a person, it felt a bit dragged out. However, the acting by Adèle Exarchopoulos and Léa Seydoux was completely enrapturing and at times heartbreaking.

JUNO

2007 Directed by: Jason Reitman Rotten Tomatoes: 94%

Actress Ellen Page performs as Juno MacGuff, a quick and witty independent teenager who unexpectedly becomes pregnant after having sex with her best friend Paulie Bleeker, played by Michael Cera. Although the movie is funny and quirky, it reveals deep wisdom and insight into people’s character. Juno is an extremely likeable character, and I was rooting for her and Paulie’s relationship the entire movie. “Juno” just gave me hope for humanity. Page written and designed by Kaitlin Yu. Photos courtesy of IMDB.com.

s s e n d a rch M

28 sports March 2017

all about

who gets in?

rnament

tball tou AA baske

the NC

S E I M M DU F R

Of the roughly 1,300 colleges and universities that are members of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), only the 347 Division-I teams are eligible to make the Men’s NCAA tournament. The winners of the 32 major conference tournaments are

guaranteed a spot in the tournament. The next teams chosen are the Top-25 teams in the AP poll, if they didn’t win their conference tournament. That said, those two categories often overlap because the top 25 teams tend to show very well in their conference tournaments. After that, it’s up to the Selection Committee to pick the remaining teams

sample regional bracket setup ROUND OF 64 1.

16.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

ROUND OF 32

based on strength of schedule, win percentage and other criteria. A total of 68 teams make the men’s tournament each year. The nickname “March Madness” originated in Indiana in 1908 as the name for their high school basketball State tournament, and was brought to the NCAA tournament by sports broadcaster Brent Musburger in 1982, according to slate.com. Villanova celebrates their 2016 National Championship.

SWEET 16

3. 14.

ELITE 8

5. 12.

these two rounds take place in KC

7. 10.

FINAL 4

8. 9.

only one team from each region is left at this point

11. 6.

13. 4.

higher seeds play lower seeds in this round

15. 2.

Photo courtesy of Tribune News Agency. Page designed and story by Megan Hegarty.

about the bracket

The bracket is split up into four main regions with 16 teams in each region. Two of the regions also have a play-in game in a round called the “First Four” to even make it into the main bracket of 16 teams per region. In each region, the teams are seeded best to worst from 1-16. The first two rounds took place March 16-19 across the country. The Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight began March 23. One of the sites for the 3rd and 4th rounds is the Sprint Center, and it was the first of any region or the Final Four to sell all of its tickets. The Final Four begins April 1 in Phoenix. The winners of each Final Four game proceed to the National Championship game on April 3.

The D-I Dream

March 2017 sports 29

Junior verbally commits to play Division-I softball kyleelmendorf staff writer The bell rings, signaling the end of seventh hour. While most students rush to their cars to beat the traffic and get home, junior Grace Garcia is just beginning the second part of her day — she is focused on getting to her trainer at Boost Physical Therapy & Sports Performance. Most days after school, Garcia attends softball workouts and training at Boost. Garcia typically trains six days a week, every week, all year. Additionally, she competes with a club softball team which travels all around the country for both tournaments and college camps. As well as competing with a club team, she also plays for BV in the spring, where she has been a starting pitcher since freshman year. Garcia has received a Division-I offer to play at the University of South Dakota, where she has verbally committed. Garcia said she first started thinking about college softball in middle school. “About seventh grade is when we started talking about colleges and recruiting, and then we started going to [college] camps in eighth grade,” Garcia said. “Every weekend we would have a tournament, and then we do league during the week and practice.” Garcia said she first loved the game at a very young age. “I have been playing softball since kindergarten; I started out with T-ball,” Garcia said. “I have always loved the game. I spent every weekend at the ball field because of my brothers and sisters.” Varsity softball coach Amy Berberich said it didn’t take long before she noticed Garcia was a special player. “I first saw her play in high school, and she became our starting pitcher as a freshman about four games into the season,”

Berberich said. “She definitely took command of the pitching, took command of the field and [helped] lead her teammates even though she was a freshman.” Berberich said although she was ready to compete at the varsity level as a freshman, Garcia continues to work hard and wants to keep getting better regardless of how talented she already is. “She’s a very hard worker,” Berberich said. “She works a lot on the field, as well as off the field, and she works a lot outside of what we do here in school. She’ll continue to improve, and she’ll continue to work hard in the off-season. At the D-I level they’re going to expect a lot out of her. There’s a very high quality of competition, so she’s going to have to keep working hard, and she will.” Because she is only a junior, she can not officially sign until next year, but she said she intends to stay committed to the University of South Dakota. “I was supposed to go on a couple more visits after South Dakota to get offers, but I decided not to because I loved South Dakota. I was just walking around the campus, and I was getting chills — I loved it so much. I love the campus, the coaches, the players [and] everything about it,” Garcia said. “The coach is amazing — he really knows what he is doing. I’m really excited because the program is getting better every year.” Berberich said she expects Garcia to also have success playing in college. “She will do great things,” Berberich said. “If you follow South Dakota softball, she will probably be one of the main highlights all of the time. She’ll definitely be one of the leaders on the field as a freshman and all the way to senior year.”

#GoYotes

Pitching the ball, Garcia practices for BV. “High school softball is really fun because it is a little more relaxed than competitive [softball],” Garcia said. Photo by Maggy Crawford. Page designed by Kyle Elmendorf.

OPENING DAY

at the

30 sports March 2017

Royals to start season without star pitcher sadiemyer staff writer

Home runs, base hits, hot dogs and sweaty fans. The traditions you’ve been waiting for are right around the corner for the Kansas City Royals. While the excitement for the upcoming season is at an all-time high, there is one thing the fans must keep in mind — things will be different this year. You will notice the roster has some slight changes that were not planned. On Jan. 22, we were forced to say our heart-wrenching goodbyes to someone that changed Royals baseball forever. Pitcher Yordano Ventura was only 25 when his life and baseball career sadly came to an end. The news came as a surprise to everyone. To those following the world of Kansas City baseball, the shocking story couldn’t have come at a more difficult time. Spring training for the 2017 team started Feb. 25, and no doubt this loss is still a sensitive topic for Ventura’s teammates. At this year’s Royals FanFest, it became very clear that the fans are struggling too. Many shed CROSS OFF THE DAYS! tears as they walked through the separate 2 1 3 room dedicated to Ventura and the legacy he left behind. FanFest was the 4 5 6 first time everyone had to come together after the accident. 9 8 7 Many of the current players were there to sign autographs for fans, but there was 12 10 11 someone missing at the table. In an interview 13 14 15 with the Kansas City Star, Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas couldn’t hold 16 17 18 back tears when he was asked questions

COUNTDOWN

Page designed by Emilee Holscher and Sadie Myer.

about Ventura and his passing. “I just really couldn’t believe that he’s not here anymore,” Moustakas said. “I got a text and I didn’t think it was real.” In another interview with first baseman Eric Hosmer, he said the loss is hitting the players at different times. “I know there’s at least 20-25 guys I can call to talk me through it,” Hosmer said. “It’s something you don’t really get over.” The new season for the Royals officially begins Monday, April 3, but they will play out of town for the first three games against the Minnesota Twins. Opening Day at the K isn’t until April 10 against the Oakland Athletics. As the new season approaches, the weeks leading up to Game-1 are agonizing. But as April 3 draws closer, fans should listen to the voices inside their heads telling them that something isn’t right. There will be a sense of unsettling air here in Kansas City, as the loss of a true team player sinks in. Nothing is going to be the same without his presence on that field, but the team must move forward. Rest in peace, Yordano Ventura. Forever missed, Forever Royal.

March 2017 sports 31

Hitting warm-up shots, sophomore August Liberty competes in a tennis match. This is his first year on the BV tennis team. “[I joined] to be with friends and to learn how to play tennis.” Photo by Melanie White.

TIGER

Juggling the ball, sophomore Anna Todd practices her soccer skills. Todd said she comes from a family of soccer players. “I was just around it so much I started playing,” she said. Photo by Isabelle Allen.

TURF

Preparing to hit the ball, senior Sam Anderson lines up his shot. BV’s golf team is preparing for the EKL tournament beginning in March. “[Golf] is just a really fun game to play with my friends,” he said. Photo by Courtney Carpenter.

Sprinting down the track, junior Abby Quigley trains during practice. Quigley has been competing at the varsity level since her freshman year. “I am looking forward to all that we can accomplish this season,” she said. Photo by Isabelle Allen.

Preparing to pitch, junior Luke Bernard practices his throw. Bernard has played baseball for BV for 2 years. “I’m excited for our first home game on the home fields,“ he said. Photo by Megan Hegarty.

Competing in the freestyle stroke, sophomore Evelyn Hughes swims. She has competitively competed in swim for four years. “It’s fun to be a part of a high school team,” she said. “Meets are a lot of fun.” Photo by Meredith Halliburton. Page designed by Melanie White.

LIVE LIKE 32 photo essay March 2017

CHAMPIONS “Coach impacted my life in a lot of ways. Most importantly, though, he was a mentor to me. After getting cut from the baseball team sophomore year, he took me under his wing and brought me onto the track team. There wasn’t a day that went by that he didn’t push me to be my best and was constantly rooting for me.” — Dominic Legato, 12. Photo by Alex Roberts.

“I’m so lucky to have him as my coach and friend. Last year, I hurt my back, so he took me to his brother’s house, because he’s a chiropractor. Coach D and I were headed back from his house, and he looks at me and said, ‘I can’t wait for this year and the next. I cherish the memories we make and wars we fight. You’re a Driskell now, and nothing will take that away from you. I love you.’” — William Evans, 12. Photo by Alex Roberts.

Tiger football players, past and present, play in honorary pick-up game.

“To me, Coach Driskell was not just a coach. A lot of coaches are present in [their] players’ lives only on the field, but that wasn’t who Coach D was. He was a man that genuinely cared about who you were as a person and where you stood in life. I was in his morning weights class first semester during the season, and it almost seemed like weekly he would be pouring some sort of wisdom into my life. Whether it was how to relate with students, how to lead a team or what it means to be a family man, he was a constant source of wisdom.” — Zack Willis, 12. Photo by Linda Olson.

“He was just a role model to anyone who had the joy of knowing him. He was a guy you could come to under any circumstance just to talk to and be there for you. Way more than a coach.” — Harry Van Dyne, 12. Photo by Alex Roberts. Page designed by Meredith Halliburton

“To say Coach Driskell touched many lives, was an inspiration and will be missed feels so grossly inadequate. He was all heart, all soul. Love. Compassion. Family. BV. We will try our best to teach others in the way he taught us.”— Spanish teacher Kathryn Sanflé. Photo by Kathryn Sanflé.

“I coach to assist athletes in becoming more than they thought they could be physically, mentally, and emotionally while instilling in them the synergy of Family and Team so they can live life as Men of Honor.”— Eric Driskell’s coaching mission statement. Photo by Molly Franko.

“He was a light that constantly touched people’s lives. He was the kind of man who was always smiling and his happiness radiated everywhere he went. I will never forget the impact he had on me and so many others.” — Kelsey Kinkade, 12. Photo by Kelsey Kinkade.