spotlight
volume 17 issue 2
sept. 26, 2017
{blue valley west}
16200 antioch rd., overland park, Kan.
INSIDE | Bonemma pg 4 | BlueHawk pg 12 | substance abuse policy pg 16 |
LETTER
from the editors
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vehicula. Suspendisse hendrerit velit vitae urna ultricies, ut tempus diam ullamcorper. Phasellus iaculis condimentum magna vitae tristique. Cras ornare laoreet varius. Morbi et maximus odio. Vivamus a commodo nisl. Proin viverra, mauris vel maximus cursus, lectus odio semper purus, non semper dolor tellus id velit. Vivamus enim leo, condimentum id velit id, iaculis tincidunt velit. Donec sed hendrerit turpis. Nam ac fermentum lorem. Vestibulum eu orci vitae lacus luctus pretium ut in ex. Quisque velit justo, scelerisque in mi quis, hendrerit sollicitudin est. Mauris vel tortor nisi.
Rachel Pickett
Mikaela Schmitt
POLICIES Spotlight is printed at least six times per school year for the BV West students and community. Its goals are to inform, entertain and interpret through editorials and bylined articles while providing an open forum of communication for the diverse student population and faculty members. Spotlight aims to be fair, accurate and impartial. The content of the print publication, online news
site and social media accounts is determined by its student editors as determined by the Kansas Scholastic Press Act and may contain controversial subject matters as the staff exercises their First Amendment rights. Spotlight does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the faculty adviser, the administration of BV West or USD 229.
SPOTLIGHT
17-18 staff
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Rachel Pickett Mikaela Schmitt
WEB EDITOR
Hannah Holladay
MANAGING EDITOR Jonah Park
ILLUSTRATOR Jaden Dudrey
REPORTERS
Jacob Braun Jillian Dunlay Natalie Fiorella Bianca Garcia Shelby Hoelting Stephen Kinder Behr Kitts Dana Nasr Chelsea Park Lauren Prehn Lanie Render Jaden Webster Rachel Zimmerli
in this
ISSUE
photo by Rye Studios
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14
20
NEWS
SPORTS
OPINION
A&E
04 Bonnema 06 Jiourneying Jiags 08 beyond the bubble 09 religious scheduling 10 attention to news
FEATURE
12 BlueHawk 14 humans of BV West 16 substance abuse
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19 sports inJiuries 20 fall sports overview 22 Emmé Tremaine 24 chicken strip review 26 Jiewelry class 27 choir
PHOTO ESSAY
28 assemblies
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4 NEWS
BVWNews.com
BONNEMA JOINS ADMINISTRATION TEAM
Assistant Principal Katie Bonnema spends time with her family. Bonnema, who was appointed as the Assistant Principal of Curriculum & Insturction has two boys, Caleb and Connor. Photo courtesy of Katie Bonnema
Katie Bonnema enters first year as BV West Assistant Principal
RACHEL PICKETT editor-in-chief spotlight.rachelpickett@gmail.com
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he administration team is the core of a school. They facilitate conversation between staff, parents and students; work on the ground level to solve both minor and major problems; and make big picture decisions that affect the day-to-day workings of the building. In May, it was announced that BV West Assistant Principal Derek Adams would be accepting an Assistant Principal job at Blue Valley Middle. Replacing him would be former BV Northwest administrator Katie Bonnema. “When we found out [Bonnema] was interested in coming to
West, it was a no-brainer,” said BV West Principal Dr. Brett Potts. “She brings a wonderful skill-set to our school and will no doubt help us get better.” Bonnema, who took over the position of Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Instruction, has deep ties to the Blue Valley community. “The summer before my eighth grade year, we moved to Overland Park,” Bonnema said. “I attended Oxford Middle School and then went to BV Northwest and played basketball and soccer.” Following her high school years, Bonnema decided to pursue a degree based on her passion for history. “I went to Central College which is in Pella, Iowa and played soccer there,” Bonnema said. “Social studies was my favorite sub-
ject, so I kind of knew I wanted to teach. History was my favorite so I started out as a history major for secondary education.” However, during her college education, Bonnema found that something was missing from her career path. “When I was in high school, I peer tutored multiple times and just absolutely loved it,” Bonnema said. “I got a year or so into college and realized I really missed working with people with disabilities, so I got involved in some community things and was allowed to add a special education emphasis to my degree at the secondary level that they didn’t have as a formal program at that time.” Following her graduation from Central College, Bonnema decided to pursue a career in the community in which she loved
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@BVWSpotlight
growing up in. that I really loved more than any- to grow,” Bonnema said. “I think “I graduated and interviewed thing else.” there is a lot of good that can come for some jobs down here, I knew I Following five years of teach- from change.” wanted to come back down to the ing at BV West, Bonnema helped Along with having previous Kansas City area,” Bonnema said. open up BV Southwest and served teaching experience in BV West’s “I knew I had had the blessing of as the Department Chair of Spe- building, Bonnema also found having a really awesome high cial Education. Following teaching familiarity with the people she school experience in Blue Valley there for a year, an opportunity would be working with. and thought where else would I came up for her to be the admin“I had worked a little bit with try to get a job? I interviewed and istrative intern at BV Northwest, Dr. Potts just at the district-level was hired here at BV West. I was bringing her full circle to her alma things, same with Mr. Brutto and in our learning center depart- mater. I knew Ms. Roach from when I ment.” worked here,” Bonnema Although she loved said. “I knew that as far as teaching, Bonnema wantan administrative team, ed the ability to change her they were a group of peocareer path down the road. ple that I could learn from Her passion for administraand would enjoy working tion began with a common with, so it felt like the stars desire. aligned.” “Primarily I was just The transition for looking at how to make Bonnema has been a more money,” Bonnema smooth one. Since she is said. “Teachers get paid only changing schools and by their experience and not job titles, much of her the number of continuing work has stayed the same. graduate hours that they When Bonnema is not have and so I knew that helping run the day to day I wanted to keep going to operations of BV West, she school. I looked into counis spending time with her seling and someone recfamily. ommended administration, “My husband works and at that time I had no in the banking industry ambition whatsoever but I and we have two boys,” knew it would be another Bonnema said. “Caleb is a avenue down the road.” six-year-old first grader Although administraat Blue River Elementary Katie Bonnema poses with her husband and two children. tion was never her dream Bonnema spends her free time with her family, and goes to and Connor is an almost career path, Bonnema her boys’ sports games. four-year-old who is in eventually became fasci- Photo courtesy of Katie Bonnema preschool.” nated with the ins and outs Bonnema’s experience of the unique job. After a year of being the ad- and passion prove that she will be “I became really interested in ministrative intern, Bonnema be- a valuable addition to BV West’s the nuances of administration,” came BV Northwest’s Assistant administration team. Bonnema said. “I think there is a Principal of Curriculum and In“I have no agenda to change lot of subtle tie-ins between a spe- struction. She held that position anything at BV West,” Bonnema cial education teacher and admin- for five years but saw an opportu- said. “I want to learn. Mr. Adams istrator. You work with kids in a nity when there was an opening was wonderful at his job so I don’t smaller scale, you are pretty in- at BV West. feel like there’s anything I need volved with parents, you are help“BV Northwest is wonderful to come in and do, I just need to ing problem solve situations and and I obviously have a history come in and maintain and learn I was really growing to the point there and the people are great, and then be able to offer a fresh where that was the piece of things but I think there was opportunity perspective when asked.”
BVWNews.com
BV West
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6 NEWS
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JOURNEYINGJ A G S Activities, sports and clubs plan varied travel
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earning takes place both inside and outside the classroom. Classes, sports programs and clubs offer a wide variety of travel opportunities throughout the year. These experiences, while beneficial for enrichment, also improve aspects such as teamwork and provide memorable bonding experiences.
V West’s own Red and Silver Brigade Marching Balmost Band trains months in advance to compete every weekend in October. “The competitive marching band is traveling to Blue Springs, Springfield, Topeka and St. Louis this year for competitions,” junior Kelly Bushouse said.
CHELSEA PARK
reporter spotlight.chelseapark@gmail.com
JILLIAN DUNLAY reporter spotlight.jilliandunlay@gmail.com
Bushouse explains that concert ensembles also get the chance to travel. “In the spring, concert ensembles are traveling to Washington, D.C. to perform in the Kennedy Center,” Bushhouse said. Everyone in the program works really hard, and that effort deserves to be showcased to people outside of just our community.”
Photo by Katherine Lucas eo Club, a community service organization, traveled to New York Ltions. and Chicago, Ill. over the summer for community service convenSponsor Cheryl Kerns noted that the club had a defined travel routine. “During the school year we go to Mid-Winter Rally in January, which typically takes place in cities like Junction City or Salina,” Kerns said. “Over the summer we take students to International conventions.” The event in New York last summer offered unique opportunities for students to serve the community. “This summer, we went to New York for a new event that just started this summer called the USA-Canada Leo Leadership Forum,” Kerns said. She lauded the benefits of traveling for the students in the club. “The travel itself benefits the students from the time they get to spend with other Leos,” Kerns said. “It’s very enlightening to see what is going on in other parts of the world and we always try to incorporate a service project that gives them a new perspective on ways to serve the community.”
Photo courtesy Cheryl Kerns
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Country is one of many sports that travels throughCmostross out their fall season. Sophomore Josh Dunlay along with of the team traveled to Grand Lake, Colo. in July. “Over summer we traveled to train for upcoming competitions,” Dunlay said. “What I enjoyed most was staying in a hotel with my friends, but you also get to know everyone a lot better.” Dunlay added that the team is going to compete in Wichita, Kan., and Ames, Iowa later in the season. “I think other sports and clubs should travel because it gives you the opportunity to have fun experiences with your friends,” Dunlay said. “In cross country, everyone became closer as a team.”
Photo courtesy @bvwestXCTF debate program travels around to regional Thesummer camps and national tournaments. “Over the summer we go to camp at KU, UMKC, or the Blue Valley Camp, but most of our farther traveling is to compete at bigger tournaments,” junior Annie Gordon said. Traveling in debate offers new experiences to the students. “We get to compete against kids who are from different areas of the country so we experience different styles, arguments, and judges,” Gordan said. “We get to experience new judges with great feedback so we can improve based on their comments.” Debate benefits from their journeys with teammate interaction throughout their trips. “Our trip is unique to us because debaters never stop debating, even in the hotel,” Gordan said. Unlike a sport where once you are off the court/field, you are done, debaters will discuss and exchange ideas after the tournament ends.”
Photo courtesy @BVWestDebate
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8 NEWS
BVWNews.com
KENYA The drama surrounding Kenya’s presidential election has continued. Kenya’s election, which was originally held in Aug., was deemed fraudulent by the country’s highest judiciary system. Uhuru Kenyatta, the incumbent candidate, allegedly received 54 percent of the votes. However, Nasa, one of the opposition parties, challenged the legitimacy of the results. On Sept. 1, the Kenyan Supreme Court ruled the election as fraudulent and ordered a new election to occur within 60 days. Members of the Supreme Court have received threats but have remained firm in their ruling. The new election is set to occur on Oct. 17.
BEY
THE
ND
BUBBLE
Events outside the borders of Johnson County
RACHEL PICKETT editor-in-chief spotlight.rachelpickett@gmail.com
NORTH SEA Off the coast of Belgium, 23 bodies were found in a sunken German submarine. It is suspected that the submarine, which was last active in World War I, was struck by a mine. The discovery is unique considering how much time has passed since the sinking of the submarine.
BANGLADESH Hospitals and shelters have become full after thousands of people have fled Myanmar due to outbreaks of violence. Since Aug., an average of 20,000 Rohingya have fled the country every single day. BRAZIL A federal judge in Brazil has received backlash after ruling in favor of a doctor who had her license revoked due to suppprting conversion thereapy as a way to “cure” homosexuality. Brazil’s Federal Council of Psychology banned the practice of conversion therapy in 1999.
CONSIDERATION FOR ALL Schedule conflicts with religious holidays present unique problems for students
HANNAH COLE
reporter spotlight.hannahcole@gmail.com
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iving in the Johnson County bubble can be a cookie cutter experience. At BV West however, there is a very diverse student body. This can make scheduling around holidays for different religions, a difficult task. Christianity is the most prominent religion in Johnson County, with a 50% adherence, according to City-Data.com. Due to this majority, students have a break from school and school related activities during any major Christian holiday. Local public schools have a large break surrounding the holiday of Christmas, and Easter is always on a Sunday, automatically preventing any school conflicts. “I would say that when you have a prevalent religion and it’s as large as Christianity, it’s going to be built into the calendar almost by default,” senior Yasmin Jarik, said. Religions such as Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism remain widely practiced around the nation, yet none of those religions’ more important observances are built into holiday breaks in our community. The majority of the time, students practicing other religions do not get even the convenience of scheduling extracurricular events around important holidays. Schools in our area are often given calendars explaining holidays in hopes of avoiding scheduling conflicts. However, some teachers don’t actually receive the calendar and are left uninformed about these significant days. There is a significant Muslim student population at our school. At the beginning of September, the threeday Muslim holiday, Eid al-Adha, one of the most important observances of the year, occurred. Many
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Muslim students reported they missed multiple tests and quizzes to participate in their celebration. “There is no policy that states ‘you will do this’ to teachers, but [there are] guidelines and directives that we’re asking our teachers to honor,” assistant principal Bryan Brutto said. Although a guideline is a step forward, it’s still difficult for students to balance school and religion without an actual policy defending them. The lack of a recognition of varied religions holidays relays a message of ignorance within the school and becomes a burden to students who follow minority religions. As long as there is still room for improvement, such as implementing a written policy, BV West’s efforts are simply not enough. “You have to also consider that there are some students that don’t want to put it in the extra time, especially on a day of faith; you want to worry about worshiping or doing whatever is good for you to satisfy your spiritual needs as opposed to getting your chemistry homework done.” Jarik said. Jarik isn’t necessarily angered at the administration but does feel there should be policies that the teachers need to follow in order to protect students of other religions. Marvin Szneler, the Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Bureau/American Jewish Committee, works to find solutions to scheduling conflicts and address the lack of awareness among administration about Jewish holidays. Szneler provides a calendar of all Jewish holidays to every school in the Kansas City metro area. “Teachers and administrators are
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reporter spotlight.dananasr@gmail.com
committed to not only providing a positive experience for each and every student, but also avoiding conflicts, where a student is asked to choose between a school event and their religious obligations.” Szneler said. “I think providing information about holidays to schedulers is critical to helping them avoid conflicts, as it is difficult to know every holiday of every faith.” The lack of discussion between administrators and teachers and the lack of enforcement of the verbal policy regarding communication with students creates discrimination against students of minority religions. District administrators should seek out calendars for all religions when creating the school calendars. “We can bring awareness to other religious holidays by contacting churches, temples, mosques, or other religious buildings, as well as asking students about that too,” said Ilexa Axelrod, president of the Jewish Student Union. Our school appears committed to helping these students but a set policy is needed to protect these students and their religious beliefs. The school isn’t directly trying to oppress minority religions but because of the unintentional ignorance and the lack of an enforced policy, this issue becomes a hardship for many students. “I think at the end of the day personally it’s not a feeling of oppression or resentment it’s just a feeling of - you know you’re not being actively oppressed and you know nobody wants you to have a hard time but at the same time you still feel the sense of burden.” Jarik said.
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10 OPINION
BVWNews.com
WHY BOTHER
NEWS
Students’s avoidance of “real” news is bad news for the future
NATALIE FIORELLA
P
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reporter spotlight.nataliefiorella@gmail.com
eople often say that teens are the future of America, but what if the future of America is not even keeping up with the present? Despite easy access to the news because of technology, teens often do not stay informed about what is happening today. A study from 2015 shows that 28 percent of teens pay little to no attention to the news. Adolescents who do pay attention to the news get it from social media. According to a Twitter poll taken by BV West students, 64 percent of the student body get their news from Twitter. Only 13 percent get news from television sources and even less from news websites (10 percent). “I feel that social media is a good way for teens to get news and develop their ideas and how they
feel about current events,” sophomore Manasa Rajendiran said. “It helps people get involved.” When getting news from social media is convenient, anyone with a keyboard is able to contribute on social media platforms. People will not be able to tell what is legitimate information and what is not. Unbiased articles are hard to find, especially on the platforms where anyone can contribute. It is common to find only one side of the story due to disproportionate coverage. “I think it’s essential to be informed because politics have a big platform in societal values and education,” junior Abby Abrams said. “So, when people are uneducated, people don’t seem to respect you as much. Learning things on your own is important. Having your own opinion is even more import-
ant.” One of the reasons that staying up to date with the news is important is because of how the world is always changing. Take Hurricane Irma for example; 78 people have died from the storm alone, 36 in the Caribbean and 42 in Florida. However, the effects of Irma are not done taking lives. Because of the power outages that were caused by the hurricane, the ninth resident in a Floridian nursing home has died. Staying informed helps people form their own opinions and not be influenced by the media. Several stories and reported events are titled “fake news.” Fake news is what people call stories that put themselves under a bad light, typically.
The problem with the fake news title is that people just will not listen or pay attention to anything that is considered fake news by whatever politician they believe in most. The teens who do not stay informed about stories are too young and impressionable to realize why it is important. However, staying informed does not mean one has to be an expert on everything, having a general idea is all that is needed to make educational adults. What is most important is that everyone is preparing for adulthood. One of the reasons that teens aren’t paying attention to the news is because of President Donald Trump. They don’t like what he’s doing with America, whether if it’s what he didn’t say or what executive actions he tries to pass. Disagreeing with what’s happening doesn’t mean that anyone should not find out what’s happening. Deleting Facebook accounts and shying away from discussing contrasting political views doesn’t move people to make an actual impact.
As teens get older the closer they get to being able to contribute to the future. Any person who’s eligible to vote makes their decisions based on what they hear and what they believe is accurate about whoever they are interested in voting for. Not everyone who’s able to vote votes though. According to a study by the United States Election Project, 59.7 percent of eligible voters participated in the 2016 Presidential Election. Of the eligible 18-29 year olds only 50 percent of them casted their vote. The millennial age category have always had low voting turnouts. The people who didn’t vote for the recent election used the reasoning that they didn’t like either Trump or Clinton, so they didn’t. Some of the voters chose to vote for one of the candidates because they simply didn’t want the other one in office. Not paying attention to the news, whether it’s because people don’t believe it’s as convenient as it is or they’re annoyed with how the country is being run politically, is setting up
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HOW DO ADULTS 30-49 GET THEIR NEWS?
Television
45%
Online
49%
Radio
27%
Print Newspaper 10% Source: Pew Research Center Survey 2/8/16
HOW DO BV WEST STUDENTS GET THEIR NEWS?
Snapchat
13%
64%
News Website
10%
Television
13%
Out of 130 votes. Poll Conducted on @BVWSpotlight Twitter on Aug. 30
BV WEST TWITTER ACCOUNTS to follow for important school-related news
General School-Related News: @BVWSPOTLIGHT Sports News: @BVW_SPORTS Administration: @BVWEST1
JPCo: @BVW_JPCO BV West Counciling: @BVWCOUNSELING BV West LMC: @BVWLIBRARY Jaguar Athletics: @BVWESTJAGS
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12 FEATURE
CULTIVATING a New COMMUNITY BVWNews.com
BluHawk development brings change and opportunities to Johnson County
HANNAH HOLLADAY
web editor spotlight.hannahholladay@gmail.com
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hree short years ago, the intersection of 159th St. and Antioch Road had little significance. A stretch of grassy land was all that marked the area across the street from BV West. Now, the view is much different. Shopping, dining and other facilities are scattered throughout the landscape. Change is in the air, and it is only the beginning. The Price Brothers Development Team is in the process of creating a 300 acre master-planned mixed-use development, known as BluHawk. Their goal is to establish a space where Johnson County residents can gather, socialize and make use of unique services. Students are beginning to see the plan take shape in the form of the BluHawk Marketplace. “Several retailers are already open in the BluHawk Marketplace including Cosentino’s, Three Dog Bakery and BluHawk Dental,” said Tracy Mandel-McHugh, Vice President of Administration/ Marketing and Acquisitions and Development. “Primrose School of Blue Valley broke ground in May and several other retailers, that will be great additions to the neighborhood, are on track to be open yet this year.” The goal is to build BluHawk
Welcome home. The entrance sign to the BluHawk neighborhood lies just east of BV West. The new neighborhood is part of the larger BluHawk development and has already become home to several families with students in the Blue Valley district. Photo by Hannah Holladay
in three phases. The Marketplace development is already underway, with plans for the Shoppes and Galleria to follow. These phases will consist of various shops, restaurants and other tenants. Cosentino’s Market, an anchor tenant in the Marketplace, opened to the public on July 11 and is already a popular spot for residents. Not only is it a place students can shop, but a workplace for some as well. Its location near BV West makes it convenient for student
employees to get from school to work. “A lot of times [Cosentino’s would] have me working at four, so I could stay for a [school] meeting and then go home, change and come right back,” senior and former employee George Leondedis said. “I did this before where I’d bring my uniform and change at school. It was great because I could get there on time.”
Undoubtedly, practicality is one of the biggest advantages of the BluHawk development for BV West students. This easy accessibility is no accident. Overland Park, Kan. has the largest population of all Johnson County cities and was named to Niche’s 2017 lists of safest cities and best cities to live in America. Awards like these, along with many local opportunities, made the city stand out to the Price Brothers. “We’re very excited to be bringing this multi-faceted, community-enhancing destination to Overland Park,” Mandel-McHugh said. “From being intimately involved in seeing the 159th and 69 highway interchange through to fruition, to creating strong partnerships with local groups such as Shawnee Mission Health Blue Valley and the Overland Park Fire Department, we’re developing deep connections with the neighborhood.” Strategically located, mixeduse developments like BluHawk are becoming more commonplace in the Johnson County area and nationwide. According to the National Association of Realtors, millennials made up 66% percent
of first-time homebuyers in 2017, and one of the primary characteristics these buyers sought was walkability. Developers take these preferences into account when building communities designed to suit the needs of potential buyers. Sophomore Rachel Darling moved into the BluHawk neighborhood last year and lives near the project’s construction. The convenient location played a big role in her family’s decision to move there. Darling regularly bikes to school and has experienced both benefits and setbacks from living in the area. “[BluHawk] is a newer development so it has a lot of new families that are starting up,” Darling said. “It’s great for me because I babysit and I’ve made a lot of money from it. The construction [in the area] is frustrating though.” While some benefit from the amenities and growth, others find fault with the creation of such large projects in their area. BluHawk has sparked some resistance among residents, including traffic and amenity concerns that the development team is working to address.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR BV WEST
ith BV West located closest W to BluHawk out of all schools in the district, it is certain that as the area continues to grow, it will open up new opportunities for students. The project is still in its early phases of development, but as time goes on and amenities are built, more students will likely be drawn to the area. “I think it will be the new hangout spot,” Leondedis said. “I see a lot of West kids and even teachers that go to Cosentino’s. I think once they actually start opening things that kids are going to want to go to, then people from West are going to be there all the time.” In addition to becoming a place to visit with friends outside of
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Fine foods available now. The entrance to Cosentino’s Market stands as a central feature of the BluHawk Marketplace. The store opened in July and serves as a convenient grocery stop for many residents. Photo by Hannah Holladay
Issues with travel and busyness will likely only increase as more people are drawn to the BluHawk area, but new opportunities to add to the community will arise as well. Supporters and opponents alike can agree that BluHawk will cause significant change. The project will not be finished in the immediate future, but its effects within the community are already seen and progress is being made each day. While BluHawk represents a small addition to a rapidly developing world, for Johnson County, its impact is anything but.
school, the creation of the Cosmosphere Innovation Space will allow for new educational experiences. BluHawk is working with Cosmosphere International SciEd Center and Space New opportunities to learn underway. The concept for the Museum in Hutchison, proposed Cosmosphere Innovation Space is in the works. Kan. to make this particBluHawk partnered with the existing Cosmosphere in ular development a realHutchinson, Kan. to help make the new idea a reality. ity. Once built, the goal is Photo courtesy of www.bluhawkkc.com to provide opportunities for students in the district to visit and surrounding areas,” Manand learn from the educational re- del-McHugh said. “We’re looking sources found there. forward to facilitating further “Our vision for a regional des- connection between the Cosmostination focused on education and phere Innovation Space and Blue entertainment fits in perfectly Valley School District.” with the growing neighborhood
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BVWNews.com
The truth
ABOUT TREAUX
Senior Treaux Jackson shares his passion for East Asian culture
LANIE RENDER
“I
reporter spotlight.lanierender@gmail.com
decided to go by my middle name because I love its uniqueness in both pronunciation and spelling,” senior Treaux Jackson said. Jackson–his first named pronounced as “true”–embodies the traits of sincerity and intellectual curiosity. Jackson has fully immersed himself in the language and culture of East Asia. Whether it be starting a club at school, taking a college level course or traveling to China, Jackson expresses his passion for the region in more ways than one. The truth is, Jackson is the definition of involved. Because of his unique appreciation of the world’s multiplicity, Jackson is a part of clubs that promote diversity throughout BV West. As a member of BV West’s Diversity Leadership council, Jackson dedicates a large portion of his time ensuring that the school promotes acceptance. “I joined Diversity Leadership Council last year to get a feel for what it was all about and to
branch out in my extracurricular activities,” Jackson said. “I have served as a member in the council and I presented at the DLC-led school assembly in January on the importance of studying secondary languages, specifically Chinese.” In addition to the DLC, Jackson started a chapter for a Chinese culture club in an effort to expand student world-views, specifically that of Asian cultures. “Last year is when it [Chinese club] really got going,” Jackson said. “We work to promote Chinese culture in Blue Valley West.” Additionally, Jackson is currently enrolled in a course over East Asian Studies and the Japanese language through Stanford University. The Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education or SPICE allows for Jackson to engage in a rigorous course that challenges his strengths. Jackson’s passion for the Chinese culture has filled the time in his life. It all began as he sat in his sixth grade social studies class with Pleasant Ridge teacher Marc
Modelski. “[The] first time I fell in love with it was sixth grade social studies class with Mr. Modelski,” Jackson said. “He made it seem like China was this country that invented everything. I thought how cool it would be to learn about a different culture.” It just seemed natural to Jackson to share his love of China with his peers, yet his dedication extends beyond enlightening the school. He makes a valiant effort to support local associations that promote cultural mindfulness. Jackson works with the local groups include: Kansas City Chinese Association, Society for Friendship with China and Heart of Japan. His goal in spending time with these groups is to increase diversity. “Treaux is an amazing student that seeks out ways to improve himself and those around him,” Gifted Teacher Danna Ahnemann said. “He is genuinely concerned with the welfare of others and works to consistently try to improve things and situations.”
“Reliable, trustworthy, honest and dependable.” When asked to describe senior Treaux Jackson, Gifted teacher Danna Ahnemann could not choose just one adjective, so she decided to find a versatile sign.
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Jackson’s passion took him beyond attending meetings and visiting with his peers when he created a non-profit called Fortune Cookie Kid. He co-founded the 501c3 with his parents, who inherited their interest from their son, to educate the community on a different culture. “Through my studies, my parents and my sister have picked up on my passion for East Asian culture,” Jackson said. With the help of his family, the nonprofit has become a major organization promoting cultural awareness. Jackson’s organization has been represented at the Multicultural Festival, the local Dragon Festival, and even the Kansas City Chinese Association’s own New Year’s Gala. Students interested in involvement with Fortune Cookie Kid are able to volunteer at these events. “We raise awareness for East Asian cultures throughout the area,” Jackson said. “We are also working to get a fundraiser event set up for this school year to raise funds for Fortune Cookie Kid’s partial-scholarships for students who are deeply longing to study an East Asian language in its country of origin. To give back to an organization that give so much to the community, students have the opportunity to donate or volunteer with Fortune Cookie Kid by visiting fortunecookiekid.com. “Students can most certainly donate and help with this nonprofit,”Jackson said. “[We] would be more than happy to involve other interested students in community service activities for our organization and partnering organizations.” Jackson was able to exercise his love for East Asian culture by
traveling to Beijing, China and Tokyo, Japan in past summers with the Education First Tours organization. “It was an amazing experience to say the least,” Jackson said. “I was ecstatic about meeting people from countries like Switzerland and the Czech Republic to countries like Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.” While in China, Jackson spent his time inside the classroom. He was in school, discovering the intricacies of the Chinese language. Once excused from class, the EF tour students were allowed to participate in local activities organized by EF tours. The most memorable of these experiences for Jackson was his trip to Mutianyu, a popular section of the Great Wall. An EF tour guide and Jackson spent the majority of the day traveling and traversing the wall. “The memories and experiences that I have gained from my time with EF, the Great Wall trip especially, will hold a special place with me for the rest of my life,” Jackson said. Jackson immersed himself in
both the language and culture. He saw the beauty of Asia and enjoyed traditional foods while exploring the country’s charming markets. Being able to experience the culture allowed for Treaux to recognize that Eastern Asian is where he hopes to be in the future. Sixth grade social studies sparked Jackson’s interest. That interest led to a passion that he hopes will blossom into a future career. Jackson hopes to continue his studies at Stanford University and major in either Mechanical Engineering or East Asian Studies. He is hopeful for a job that will take him back to the place he loves. “I would like to be employed in a company based overseas or a company completely overseas,” Jackson said. Jackson’s love for the Asian culture has opened doors that he could not have imagined in sixth grade social studies. Whether Stanford is in his future or a life overseas, Jackson’s passion will allow him a bright and diverse future.
Jackson explores the magnificent scenry atop the Great Wall of China with EF tours. It was something that will “stick with him forever” Photo Courtesy of Treaux Jackson
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16 FEATURE
MAKING POLICY A PRIORITY BVWNews.com
A closer look at the Blue Valley Substance Agreement and its origins
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inors in possession. Breathalyzers. Marijuana. Cigarettes. Alcohol. Vaping. The Blue Valley Substance Abuse agreement serves as one method to encourage kids to say no to these illegal activities. Adopted for all Blue Valley Schools in 2001, this policy outlines the requirements of students involved in athletics and activities to abstain from participating in illegal behaviors involving alcohol, tobacco, e-cigarettes, inhalants or any illegal drugs. Students involved in sports and activities are held to this higher standard at all times during their high school career and are subject to appropriate punishment as outlined if the contract is broken. “Participation in activities as defined by Blue Valley Unified School District No. 229 is a privilege,” states the Athletics and Activities Substance Abuse Guidelines. “This privilege is available to a student for as long as the student complies with District policies and guidelines, Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) policies (where applicable) and coach/sponsor rules.” An offense, defined as the use, possession, disbursement or being under the influence of any substance, will result in numerous consequences including suspension from participation in activities for not more than 50% of one full season for an initial offence. A second offense includes suspension for not more than one full season, and a third results in suspension for a minimum of 365 consecutive days. Offenses are cumulative throughout a student’s entire high school activity career.
MIKAELA SCHMITT
JACOB BRAUN
editor-in-chief spotlight.mikaelaschmitt@gmail.com
reporter spotlight.jacobbraun@gmail.com
Coaches and/or sponsors may also implement stricter policies or requirements, given that students and parents are made aware of the policies before joining the activity. However, according to assistant principal and activities director Bryan Brutto, the purpose of the policy is not to simply punish students.
“
The students that were involved with this committee said they needed something else to help them say no.
ADMINISTRATOR BRYAN BRUTTO “I look at what is meaningful and what will have an impact on the student… not just simply having the consequence part, but thinking about how is it you are going to rehabilitate the student as well,” Brutto said. “Enough time to let some of those consequences take place, but to know that a student has learned and is able to grow from there.” Students are required to sign the form at the beginning of their freshman year when first joining a sport or activity. Certain activities or sports may have students sign it at the beginning season or school year as a reminder of their commitment.
Students are held accountable for that signature for the rest of their time at BV West. “The thought behind that [24/7, 365 policy]... is that there’s never really a time that it’s okay to do the things that this punishes you for doing,” assistant principal and athletic director Cindy Roach said. “So if you don’t have a 24/7 365 [policy], you’re kind of covertly saying it’s okay to do these things in June, July and August, just not during school.” Despite common perceptions, the policy did not begin as a method to regulate and punish student behavior. The policy was suggested by a student on the Student’s District Activities Committee as a way to avoid peer pressure. “The students that were involved with this committee said they needed something else to help them say no,” Brutto said. “To help them get out of that sticky situation with their buddies that are pressuring them to go to a party. This was not the BV administration going we gotta have some way to bust these kids. Students said we want this.” Every student participating in an activity or sport in the Blue Valley district are held to the same standards. One unified policy allows administration to communicate and determine consistent punishment for similar situations, with the input of BV West sponsors and administration, and other Blue Valley District sponsors and administration. “A lot of collaboration goes into that, with the sponsors and other activities directors within the district,” Brutto said. “That’s really helpful to me that it’s not just a decision made
on an island without any input at all.” Due to varied length of different seasons, the athletic department at BV West has determined a solution to ensure fairly equal punishment for each situation. If a player’s first offense is “typical”, as determined by Roach, then they will sit out 30% of their season. “That way if I have a soccer player and cheerleader get caught at the same time or the same situation it’s not something for one and something else for the other,” Roach said. This solution ensures no possibility of favoritism by coaches. “Unfair treatment based on who’s a ‘star athlete’ seems to be too prevalent in the world we live in,” junior Robert Viazzoli said. “Just because somebody is a good athlete doesn’t mean they should be able to avoid consequences that anybody else receives.” For those involved in multiple sports, if caught committing an offense, the consequences will apply to the sport that is next on the calendar. For example, if a student, who participates in basketball and track, is caught breaking the contract in the fall, the repercussions would be put into effect during their basketball season. Yet, the Substance Abuse agreement is not just for athletics. The same rules apply to all of the numerous activities at BV West. Activities pose numerous unique issues regarding the policy, due to the definition of a “season” for activities and co-curricular grade impacts. An activity is defined as a KSHSAA activity or an extracurricular event with extra pay for sponsors. While the policy states that activity sponsors will determine and communicate the meaning of a “season,” the line is still quite difficult to determine. Administration and sponsors may agree upon a period of time similar to that of a sports season to suspend involvement, or they may consider rescinding a leadership position. In co-curricular activities, they will remain in the class, howev-
er they may be graded differently or given alternative assignments due to suspension from specific activities. “I think sometimes at the end of the day to totally cut a student off and tell them to go away is one of the worst things you can do,” Brutto said. According to the Blue Valley Parent Handbook, receiving an offense on school grounds or at a district or school sponsored activity may result in additional punishment, including up to a 10 day suspension. School Resource Officers (SROs) or security guards may breathalyze a student under reasonable suspicion at a school event. All Blue Valley employees are mandated reporters, so if an issue arises, they must contact the authorities.
So that’s what we warn them about: what they have to lose. ADMINISTRATOR CINDY ROACH “I can act differently than what a police officer can,” Brutto said. “I can act on reasonable suspicion, which might be a tip, I watch you stumble down the hall, I smell alcohol. Police officers act on reasonable cause. So if there’s a search, I’m worried/ concerned about a student I can do an investigation and work with our school nurse, who’s also trained to do an evaluation. The second I know there’s alcohol or drugs involved, it becomes a legal investigation.” While directly being caught with an offense is one way, there are other ways for administration to learn about a student and how they handled a situation. Deemed as one of the most important parts of the contract, self-reporting is strongly encouraged by administration. “I personally think that the punishments are reasonable,” Viazzoli said. “In all honesty, the punishments can be seen as an ‘easy way out’ and doesn’t address the real problem of
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students making dumb decisions.” The recognition of a mistake and honesty are highly valued, and punishment will be reduced for the individual. “That’s really what I’m after,” Brutto said. “I want you to own the mistake. I could give you consequences till next year, but... you [need to] own it and say ‘I messed up.’” There is a fine line between committing an offense and simply being present where illegal behaviors are taking place, but not participating. If the clear directive is that a student should not be present, then administration encourages students to self report. “No, it’s not against the law to be at a party and not drink, but the police, if they bust a party where there’s alcohol, everybody there is getting an MIP,” Roach said. “They’re not going to pick and choose who gets an MIP.” The risk of a getting a misdemeanor is enough to encourage many to abstain from illegal activities. However, the policy is another reasons students can say “no” to peer pressure. “I think what they should do is throw administration, throw this policy under the bus,” Brutto said. “This is one of the huge reasons we adopted this.” At the end of the day, the student has the ultimate choice of whether or not to get involved with illegal substances. They are the ones solely responsible for their actions and are left to determine how a simple choice today can significantly affect their future and opportunities. “We talk about what you have to lose if you get in trouble... what does that mean for you down the road,” Roach said. “I can give kids a myriad of examples where college coaches have withdrawn their interest in a high school athlete because of their involvement with drugs or alcohol. So that’s what we warn them about: what they have to lose.”
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an OFFENSE is
18 FEATURE
BVWNews.com
SIGNED FOR ALL ACTIVITIES & ATHLETICS
FIRST OFFENSE suspension for no more than
50% of one full season*
SECOND OFFENSE
suspension for not more than 1 full season* completion of a professional treatment program before eligible to participate in activity in a subsequent season
THIRD OFFENSE suspension for a minimum of
365 consecutive days
BEFORE REINSTATEMENT
conference with participant, school administrator, coach/sponsor and parents fulfillment of any additional responsibilities required by coach/sponsors
use possession disbursement being under the influence
OF
e-cigarettes tobacco alcohol inhalants any illegal drugs
held to these standards
365 days a year
*activity sponsors will define the meaning of a “season”
9
contract signed in
th grade
SUBSTANCE ABUSE AGREEMENT
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THE COST OF BEING AN ATHLETE SPORTS 19
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he opportunity to play sports is always a fun time with friends and coaches. Playing sports teaches teamwork, hard work, discipline and a desire to win. Popular sports like soccer, football, baseball and basketball are relatively safe sports where anyone with the will to compete can participate. Some common injuries include ankle sprains, groin pulls, hamstring strains, shin splints and knee injuries which are easy to identify. An injury that is not easily identified however is a concussion. The reason a concussion can be overlooked is because it is an internal injury with the brain where it can not be visibly seen. According to Merriam Webster’s Dictionary a concussion is temporary unconsciousness caused by a blow to the head or violent shaking. Senior Christian Miller, a soccer player, has never suffered from a concussion but has had multiple injuries to his ankles. “I’ve broken both of my feet playing soccer which has resulted in ankle problems,” Miller said. Unfortunately, sports injuries occur that can negatively affect the athlete participating in the activity. These kind of injuries are visible and easy to identify and diagnose. Miller had to be diligent while treating his injury. “I iced, compressed and elevated all the injuries that I had and stayed off of it for weeks or months at a time,” Miller said. When getting an injury it is important to take the necessary time off in order to heal the injury. If the injury is not fully healed and physical activity is resumed, it is very possible that the injury will become worse or even permanent. Luckily, Miller’s injury only sidelined him for a little bit of time.
How injuries and concussions impact student athletes
BIANCA GARCIA
BEHR KITTS
reporter spotlight.biancagarcia@gmail.com
reporter spotlight.behrkitts@gmail.com
“For my feet [I was sidelined] a month or two if I can remember right. For my ankles maybe shortest was a day longest was two or three weeks,” Miller said.
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Immediately as my hands slipped, I knew that it wasn’t going to end well. At first I didn’t even know I could move, but luckily I did. SENIOR MCKENNA MESTAS
Miller explained that playing soccer was different after his ankle was healed and that he had to adjust. Since his injury, Miller has made sure to prevent any further injuries by stretching, wearing an ankle brace and icing more after physical activities. Coach Koerkenmeier, the head football coach at BV West is confident that the safety of football players is getting increasingly better. “Our practices do not look like the practices there were ten years ago, we teach a rugby style tackling,” Koerkenmeir said. This method has significantly lowered the number of concussions. In fact there were only a few last year. Helments are also used to limit the amount of concussions.
“We buy the best helmets on the market to help the process,” Koerkenmeir said. When and if a player gets a concussion, Koerkenmeier sends them to the athletic trainer, Tyler Sleeper to get evaluated. From there he lets the player know if they need to go to the doctors to get a diagnosis. Senior Mckenna Mestas has experienced an injury that is going to affect the rest of her life as a result to competing in gymnastics for twelve years. Mestas’s gymnastic days came to an end when she did a flip off the bars and landed on her neck and back. “Immediately as my hands slipped, I knew that it wasn’t going to end well” Mestas said. “At first I didn’t even know I could move, but luckily I did.” She could no longer be involved in gymnastics, the thing she loved, but instead had to do physical therapy. She suffers from Spondylosis, age related wear and tear on the spinal disks. In addition she has a fracture in between her vertebrae where it is supposed to fuse. “Unfortunately my injury is not able to be healed but I do amplified nerve therapy to help my pain,” Mestas said. Some injuries might be minor but others can be very serious and affect people in the long run. Sometimes injuries can be avoided, while other times they cannot. It depends on the situation but what students can do to help is to keep safe and always wear the appropriate gear and clothes to help dangerous situations.
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20 SPORTS
BVWNews.com
FALLING INTO THE SEASON
A look into the fall sports at BV West
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hat side? West side! Fall sports are in full throttle, giving students plenty of opportunities to come out and cheer on their fellow Jaguars. Whether it is a Friday night spent at the Blue Valley District Athletic Complex (DAC) rooting on the football team, a midweek visit to the golf course to support girls golf or a weekend event for any of the four other fall sports, there is never a shortage of entertainment for sports fans.
LAUREN PREHN reporter spotlight.laurenprehn@gmail.com
JADEN WEBSTER reporter spotlight.jadenwebster@gmail.com
Photo by Bill Wolff he start of a new tennis season means the Tditions return of familiar faces as well as new adto the team. With experience ranging from athletes playing their first matches of their tennis careers and athletes who have played for many years, the girls tennis team has a large variety of talent for the 2017 season. “Even though the team has players at many different levels, we all strive to do our best and support each other,” tennis captain and junior Andrea Wolff said. Join the tennis team and coach Traci Rhodes for their next game as they play at Topeka West on Sept. 26.
Photo by Lydia Berutti ready to see the girls golf team’s drive this Getseason. “Our team’s goal for this year [is] to improve our consistency,” senior Molly Saporito said. “[We] seem to perform well at higher pressure tournaments, especially the EKL championship and our regional tournament.” Coached by Aaron Anderson, the golf team has already won first place at the Blue Valley Cup. Their next chance to win is Sept. 27 at the Eagle Bend Golf Course.
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are many things that set the volleyball There team apart from other schools. “We all have respect for each other and get
Photo by Hannah Smith
along really well,” volleyball captain and senior Jana Owens said. “It’s rare to have such easy chemistry with a team.” The team is playing on Sept. 26 at St Thomas Aquinas. They are coached by Jessica Horstick.
Country shows us what family is all Cross about. “We want to make a family and get everyone to know each other,” junior Connor Sullivan said. The team has worked hard to improve their skills, ut also their bond with one another. “The family aspect of the team is my favorite part of being in cross country,” sophomore Benjamin Sussman said. This tight-knit family is coached by Mallory Huseman and is ready for another win on Sept. 30 at Raymore-Peculiar East Middle School.
Photo by Nathan Foxworthy ith the objective of always improving upon W previous years, the football team has a set of goals they would like to achieve this season.
Photo by Natalie Canon
“Our goals for the season are improvement in teamwork, communication, and knowledge of the game,” senior Henry Broussard said. The team is coached by Josh Koerkenmeier. Come out and see the team play their next game on Sept. 28 against East Kansas League rival Bishop Miege at the DAC, and do notforget about the Homecoming game on Oct. 13 where the homecoming queen will be crowned.
Alex Aiman feels that the soccer team Coach is stronger when they work as one. “I’ve got a lot of star players,” Aiman said. “They’re better if they actually do less. Less is more. You don’t have to do it all, but your teammates help. If we play individually the other team can shut us down, but if we play as a team we’re tough to shut down.” Come see their unbreakable teamwork at the DAC on Oct. 3.
Photo by Isa Elwell
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22 SPORTS
BVWNews.com
TREMAINE GIVES TRIATHLONS A TRY
Photo courtesy of Emmè Tremaine
Icons by FreePik from www.flaticon.com
JONAH PARK managing editor spotlight.jonahpark@gmail.com
Senior Emmè Tremaine is a national level triathlete, despite having less than a year of experience under her belt
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wim, bike, run. Triathlons are a true test of athletic endurance and versatility. Senior Emmè Tremaine has been competing in triathlons for only seven months, but she has climbed the national rankings rapidly. Tremaine was introduced to triathlons in February. She has always been a runner, competing for BV West’s cross country and track teams, but a broken cuboid bone
during her sophomore cross country season changed that. “I didn’t take any breaks when I was supposed to and I ended up breaking my cuboid which put me in a boot,” Tremaine said. “I couldn’t compete my junior year cross country or my sophomore year of track. I was out for almost a year. It was terrible. I’m a really active person too. Not being able to train or do anything for a long time was really, really bad.” Recovery was a long and difficult process for Tremaine, but she soon found a new passion through her physical therapist, who also happened to be a triathlon coach. Swimming offered a low-risk, non-impact alternative to running, while still retaining its health benefits.
“My physical therapist had found out I was looking at swimming my junior year for West. It’s non-impact,” Tremaine said. “He is actually a coach for a triathlon team down in Dallas and they were looking for another female athlete for their junior elite national team. So he had me try out and that’s what started it all. I wasn’t really looking for triathlons necessarily, but I really love running and swimming. I knew it was a perfect fit right when he told me.” Tremaine’s therapist, BJ Leeper, knew she had the athleticism to compete in triathlons, but was not sure if she would approach it eagerly. “At the time, I don’t think triathlons had even been on her radar,” Leeper said.
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“I knew that a strong swimming background coupled with a running background was a great recipe for potential to be a good triathlete. So, I planted the seed and asked Emmè if she had ever considered triathlon. She didn’t take me up on it at the time and maybe thought I was slightly crazy, but I guess it stuck in her head because the next year she reached out to me and asked if I would coach her.” Soon after her full recovery, Tremaine began training. Although the rest of her new team resided in Dallas, she was still expected to do the workouts provided to her by a program called TriDot, which is also an app. TriDot tracks and records heart rate and workouts done by its user; after the workout, this data is sent to Tremaine’s coaches. “My workouts are given to me through TriDot which is an intensified training program,” Tremaine said. “Some days I’ll have what are called ‘brick workouts.’ Some days I’ll have a bike and run, or a swim and a run, or a bike and a swim. And some days it will alternate between a hard swim workout or a hard bike or a hard run.” In her second triathlon, Tremaine qualified for nationals. To qualify, an athlete must be ranked as one of the top 75 competitors in the nation for their age
group. She qualified in a sprint triathlon that consists of a 750 meter swim, a 20 kilometer bike and a five kilometer run. “I didn’t think I was going to do it but I ended up doing it which was really exciting,” Tremaine said. “In my second race ever I was able to do it, and I think it was because I had my coach, who is really smart. He was really dedicated to getting me to nationals if I was wanting to go.” Tremaine competes for a team called Tri4Him in Dallas. The team’s coach, Jeff Booher, only gets to see her once or twice a month, but she made a positive impression on him through her racing and training. “[Tremaine] is very competitive,” Booher said. “For her being able to qualify nationally in her second race ever is a really big deal. Triathlons are extremely competitive, but Emmè was able to overcome the odds.” Tremaine hopes to take this competitiveness in triathlons with her for as long as she can. Even though she is relatively new to triathlons, she has committed herself, hoping it will help her to college and beyond. “Triathlons are not a very big thing in the college world,” Tremaine said. “Arizona State [University] right now is the only
D1 school giving full rides for triathletes, so they’re at the top of my list. I think by January there’s supposed to be 40 new colleges that are adding triathlons to their programs. By the time I should be picking my school there should be a lot more options.” After college, Tremaine hopes to continue doing triathlons. Eventually, she wants to complete an Ironman: a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike, and a marathon 26.2 mile run. “I want to do an Ironman when I turn 21,” Tremaine said. “That’s my goal... I plan on this being a lifelong sport. I’d say I have a good 30 or 40 years left in me, hopefully.” Tremaine is currently training six and sometimes seven days a week. She has her sights set on reaching an even higher national ranking. “We put in a lot of hard work and I ended up making it this past year,” Tremaine said. “So I’m hoping to get an even higher placement next year to go to nationals again.” Whether she is competing in the junior national triathlon or recovering from an injury, Tremaine is always open to new challenges, running (and swimming and biking) at them head on.
LEFT: Tremaine finishes the 750 meter swim in the Junior National Triathlon that took place in Westchester, Ohio.
RIGHT: In the last portion of the race, a five kilometer run, Tremaine strides toward the finish line. Photos courtesy of Emmè Tremaine
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24 A & E
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BVWNews.com
Chicken, chicken, chicken, which restaurant are you pickin’?
round the nation, there are plenty of chicken based restaurants that claim to have the best food in the country. In response to these tacky sales catchphrases, there are people who dedicate their time to reviewing and rating these food chains.
PRICE: $6.38
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From YouTubers to websites like Buzzfeed critiquing restaurants, food critics certainly change how people decide on what they want out of a restaurant. Now, BV West sent out two students to review chicken strip joints around town.
RAISING CANE’S CHICKEN FINGERS
pon entering Cane’s drive through, people are greeted with a silly rhyme; “Chicken, chicken, chicken, which combo are you pickin’?” With that little interaction at the drive through, one can hold the customer service at Cane’s in a higher regard. For this chicken run, the batter used on the chicken was surprisingly crispy than usual for Cane’s.
The taste of the sauce is simply impeccable; it goes hand in hand with the chicken in addition to the fries. The fries were just fries, nothing too special but in an effort to redeem them, Cane’s “Texas Toast” has a simple yet elegant taste. The bread itself has a hint of garlic, while slightly fried to perfection.
OVERALL RATING:
CHICK-FIL-A
Photo by Mikaela Schmitt
PRICE: $5.95
the classic chicken Cplehick-Fil-A, place that is closed when peoneed them most; Sundays.
For ratings on customer service, there was nothing unique to be said, other than the fact that it was an average drive through experience; no negative feelings whatsoever. When eating a Chick-Fil-A nugget alone, it has a very unique taste that no other chicken strip company can achieve. In the end, the best word to describe these chicken nuggets
OVERALL RATING: Photo by Mikaela Schmitt
would be “piney,” as it has a sweet and tangy flavor. In addition to taste, the texture was crispy and served no issue. Together with the Chick-Fil-A sauce and these nuggets, the form one strong flavor. The “piney” flavor in the nuggets bands just right with the honey mustard sauce. Unfortunately, the fries ultimately brought down the rating of the review; not for their unique shape, but because they came slightly cold and were not very edible.
JAGS, WHICH CHICKEN RESTAURANT IS YOUR FAVORITE?
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@BVWSpotlight
23% Raising Cane’s 4% Popeyes 9% Slim Chickens 64% Chick-fil-A Out of 140 votes Poll conducted on @BVWSpotlight Twitter on Sept. 14
POPEYES LOUISIANA KITCHEN
PRICE: $7.29
The Meal itself was simply superb: it almost made up for the unpleasant drive-through experience. At Popeyes, bigger is certainly better as the chicken strips were much bigger than the ones at other chains. In addition to the bigger and better chicken strips, the chicken batter was flavorful and surpassed others on the crispiness scale. Unfortunately, Popeyes gave no complimentary sauce to go with the strips, but the
chicken had an excellent savory flavor itself. The fires were better but did not seem to fit. The fries were seasoned with a variety of different flavors, but seemed out of place because the taste was similar to fish. To make up for the out of place fries, the biscuits were incredible; buttered and baked to perfection. With a hint of garlic, biting into a Popeye’s biscuit gives it the southern vibes the restaurant has been playing at.
OVERALL RATING: Photo by Mikaela Schmitt
PRICE: $6.99
SLIM CHICKENS
Slim’s Chicken was incredibly overhyped and dissapointing. After reading many near perfect reviews of the place on various websites, Slim’s was definitely not memorable. The sauce had a definite taste, but it was more similar to ketchup than anything else. Surprisingly, the sauce did not pair up well with the chicken
or fries. Along this disappointing meal, the bread was surprisingly bland and had flavors that could rival regular store-bought bread. Finally, this disaster of a meal was brought to a conclusion with the chicken strips, which had almost no batter and no real defining flavor.
OVERALL RATING:
VERDICT:
Photo by Mikaela Schmitt
Overall Best Meal: Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers Most Delicous Chicken: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Best Dipping Sauce: Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers Flavorful Side Dishes: Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers Unique Flavors and Concepts: Chik-fil-A
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26 A & E
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THE HIDDEN GEM
BVWNews.com
LANIE RENDER reporter spotlight.lanierender@gmail.com
Teacher Brian Kroeker explains the Jewelry class and the atmosphere it creates
n the furthest end of the school lies the Jewelry classroom, a hidden gem unknown to many. Few students are aware of the impressive machinery and resources that are unique to the BV School District. A typical day in Room 611 constitutes a fairly lenient structure. Jewelry Teacher, Brian Kroeker explains that the class is very student-driven. Once a direction is given, students can transform their unique ideas into their own project. “Every project is based on a new technique, and then I have them
Junior Tanner Rupp works diligently in Jewelry 1 to create his artwork. Students begin with simpler machinery and work their way up. Photo courtesy Anna Parry
tie in their project to some sort of concept,” Kroeker said. “It is something beyond here is a circle and here is a square. Beyond that, they have a lot of freedom in terms of taking a direction that they are interested in.” The flow of the classroom is a constant movement of students. Torches line the walls and metals and coppers fill the shelves. All of the resources are open for students use. One of the more impressive projects in the curriculum includes enameling. During this process, students fuse glass to create a variety of colors similar to stained glass. “We worked with some chemicals to change the color of the metal which is called a patina,” Kroeker said. If they continue to follow their passion for the class, Jewelry 2 students have the opportunity to work with twenty-four carat gold in the first semester, something that is unique to BV West. Unlike other classes, students are able to start on the same page in Jewelry. Very few students have any prior experience in this field, so all are able to improve as a class rather than a few exceptional individuals. “I think the cool thing about the class is that nobody has any expe-
rience at all. So when you walk in, [it is] unlike other classes where people may have experience,” Kroeker said. “[With jewelry] everyone starts on the first page so we can grow and learn together. It isn’t like you walk in and feel like you are behind anybody else in the beginning.” Ironically, Kroeker found his passion for Jewelry through a mandatory class in college and began to fall in love with it. Eventually, he began putting artwork up in the gallery of the University of Kansas. Seeing his artwork on display inspired him to take his Art major and specialize in Jewelry. “I made a piece that looked like it would be found in a store and I was hooked,” he said. He encourages students to continue as he did and explore different art fields that they hadn’t previously consider taking. Kroeker exercises his passion for jewelry through more than simply teaching. He has his own Etsy shop called Chalet Jewelry Designs. On this site, anyone can view the intricate designs he creates in his spare time. “Even if you are not interested in jewelry, the sequential planning and problem solving and working from concept to a completed product is cool,” Kroeker said.
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STARTING ON THE RIGHT NOTE Choir prepares for an action-packed year full of performances and new songs RACHEL ZIMMERLI
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reporter spotlight.raezimmerli@gmail.com
V West Choir is singing in the nineties, or really, they are singing in the eighties as well. They performed songs like “Patience” by Guns and Roses and “I’m Going to be 500 Miles” by the Proclaimers at their Performing Arts Showcase on Sept. 19. “We pick a theme for Performing Arts Showcase; last year we did an Elvis theme, and this year we’re picking music that the parents might listen to when they were kids... we thought that would be a lot of fun,” BV West Choir Director Kimberly Modelski said. Modelski personally arranged the pieces performed at the showcase, though not all of the students found the theme to be their particular style. “I think that it’s an interesting deviation from usual choral arrangements, even if some individual songs are not the group’s favorites,” Sophomore Tess McChesney said, “Mrs. Modelski manages to
make the performance entertaining for all parties.” McChesney has been in school choirs since she was in fourth grade and is currently in Choraliers. On the other hand, Chambers Choir is working on several projects currently. “Our upper level groups, like our chamber seniors, are working on a bunch of Renaissance festival music because they perform out at the Renaissance festival that’s coming up at the beginning of October,” Modelski said. BV West choir has been performing annually at the Renaissance Festival since 2011, and this year will be Chambers Senior Natalie Xu’s second year attending the festival. “In addition to [the Renaissance Festival] we have our first big, formal concert the week of Homecoming also in October,” Modelski said. “So right now, we’re very busy. We’re always probably
working on maybe two different types of performances at the same time.” One of choir’s performances will be at Kansas Music Educator’s Association, or KMEA, in February. KMEA is where the top 12 vocal groups in Kansas are selected to perform in Wichita, along with the top 12 band and orchestra groups. “Our competition pieces [this year] all have a deeper meaning which I think is intrinsic to a good performance,” Senior Natalie Xu said regarding her future Chambers Choir performances. “All our songs have an emotional connection to allow the audience to relate to the music.” This emotional connection may have been the key to BV West Choir being selected for KMEA. If you are thinking of joining choir, know that the door is always open. “We’re always taking new kids in choir, there’s a lot of kids in choir this year that couldn’t fit it in their schedule last year that came to some of our performances and realized that it was a lot of fun, and there’s zero outside of school rehearsals,” Modelski said. “Last year was a very strong year for BV West Choir and this year is setting up to be a promising one as well.”
Senior Natalie Xu performs with BV West Choir at last year’s diversity assembly on Jan. 23. Photo by Samantha Louis
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DID YOU READ
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What sea was a sunken submarine found in? What club travels to New York? The last name of the soccer player at BV West that never suffered a concussion. What university does Treaux Jackson take classes with? Which kind of chicken got the highest review? Which part of Triathlons are 750 meters? What is the prominent religion in Johnson County?
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Which BluHawk development is already in the works? What high school did Katie Bonnema attend? Name of the Guns and Roses song choir performed at their showcase. How many dollars is the David’s Bridal dress from Goodwill? What material in the jewelry room is unique to BV West? In which grade do students sign the Substance Abuse Agreement? What sports team is playing on Oct. 3? What percent of 18-29 year-olds voted in the 2016 presidential election?
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