Spotlight-Blue Valley West High School

spotlight

volume 17 issue 3

oct. 31, 2017

{blue valley west}

16200 antioch rd., overland park, Kan.

INSIDE | lockers pg 4 | JPCo pg 12 | traffic pg 16 | social media pg 20 |

LETTER A

from the editors

t BV West, the word of the year has been, ‘change.’ The schedule looks drastically different from last year’s, the introduction of Canvas has shifted what homework and classroom learning looks like and building renovations are changing the outlook students and staff have towards innovation and the use of space.

It can be hard to cope with change. Disapproval gives way to complaining which can spiral into a cycle of negative thinking.

While this cycle can be easy to fall into, and appealing to some, it can also brutally affect the morale of the school.

One of the four pillars of BV West, as Dr. Potts reminds us constantly, is grit. Sometimes we forget that grit goes beyond working late into the night to finish a homework assignment or managing sports, clubs and a heavy class load. Grit means hunkering down and sticking with something even when we do not necessarily love what we are doing.

When you get frustrated because you are trying to work during JAG but there are people being noisy in the halls, or Canvas is not working quite like you

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

wanted it to or you hate seeing the lockers torn away because they are a landmark of BV West, show grit. Do not complain about the changes or express your disapproval, give them time.

That is not to say that every person can not have their own opinion about these changes. BV West is a school that places value on student opinion and allows students to express their voices freely.

However, we should keep in mind that these changes are brand new, and for changes to work effectively, they need time.

Change takes flexibility, and above all else, trust. Trust in administration’s plans for the future; trust in your teachers’s abilities to figure out Canvas; trust in your peers to help make the changes work. We cannot always refute change, so we should embrace it.

It is the only way to make it bearable.

Be patient. Change takes time.

Your E.I.C.’s,

Rachel Pickett Mikaela Schmitt

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

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 Hannah Cole Jillian Dunlay Natalie Fiorella Bianca Garcia Shelby Hoelting Stephen Kinder Behr Kitts Dana Nasr Chelsea Park Lauren Prehn Lanie Render Jaden Webster Rachel Zimmerli 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.

in this

ISSUE

o o o o o 06

08

NEWS

04 lockers 06 dia de los muertos

SPORTS

08 cheer 10 college commitment

FEATURE

12 JPCo 14 BV Academy 16 traffic 18 Natalie Lindmark

12

18

28

OPINIONS

19 language SBL 20 social media 22 victim shaming 23 senior traditions

A&E

24 hipster food review 26 horror movie review

PHOTO ESSAY

28 JCCC Nerman

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4 NEWS

BVWNews.com

LOCKED IN LOCKER RENOVATIONS

As most of the school’s lockers are being torn out, administration and senior class representatives plan renovations

JONAH PARK managing editor spotlight.jonahpark@gmail.com JADEN WEBSTER reporter spotlight.jadenwebster@gmail.com

I

t is time to say goodbye to most of the beloved school lockers. As the usage of lockers at BV West declines, so does their necessity.

Upcoming renovations will replace portions of the locker bays with flexible learning spaces, allowing students to better utilize their time during JAG and normal class alike.

If all goes well, more renovations will follow.

The 2017 school year was the first time every student did not receive a locker assignment. They were only available to students who requested them, and only a very small percentage of them did.

“At one point this fall, when all the students were back, we asked the question how many lockers were being used, and approximately 40 lockers were being used,” Assistant Principal Bryan Brutto said.

“Right then and there we saw an opportunity to look at how those spaces are being used and maybe re-purpose these spaces.”

With hundreds of unused lockers occupying unnecessary space, the administration, as well as the senior class officers, saw the opportunity.

The new JAG was introduced this school year, and many students needed a new place to study and socialize.

“At the same time, the senior class was thinking about a gift, and they were thinking the same thing,” Brutto said. “Lockers aren’t being used, we’re going to have JAG time;

what if the senior locker bay did not have some lockers in it?”

Every year, the seniors donate a gift using the leftover money the class has from fundraisers and dances. This year, the senior class intends to contribute to these renovations by donating furniture for the new learning spaces.

“Our idea came from some of the seniors from last year actually,” senior class officer Sara Wallace said.

“They thought it would be really

Having a little more self-directed voice in choice in how you utilize your time -- I think that these spaces will be instrumental in that.”

BRYAN BRUTTO cool that -- especially with Power Hour starting -- we’ll get some extra space like some of the other schools have for learning and a nice, comfy area. We made a whole proposal, we put in the plans, the estimated cost of things, what would be required, [and] ideas we had for it.”

The senior class and administration had a very similar vision of what they wanted to see come out of these renovations.

“Anytime you look at change,

there has to be a vision of what that will look like,” Brutto said. “We want to provide a flexible space that has multiple uses. We might create a space that will be utilized by students during JAG time but also a space that could be used by teachers and classrooms in the same way pods are being used.”

Currently, there is not a concrete plan for the renovations. BV West has pods, which resemble the flexible learning spaces that will replace some of the lockers, and will likely determine the direction of the reconstruction.

“The pods are the closest things to our plans,” Brutto said. “We see students using them so we know that the new spaces will probably be utilized. It is still very much for us in a state of flux and is very gray, but like everything else, it has been very fast. We’re hoping to have something done by the end of October. Our initial plan is to remove some of the current lockers and have them replaced.”

For now, the plan is simple. Administration is currently focusing on removing the lockers, then they will be able to figure out how to furnish each area.

“Plans for senior locker bay: Lockers on the window side of the senior locker bay will be removed,” Principal Brett Potts said. “The lockers along the wall will be placed in the PE hallway so that athletes can store bags and equipment in them.

The rest will be hauled away. Carpet will be installed in this area.”

The sophomore locker bay will be completely removed, making room for a separate project.

“Plans for the sophomore locker bay: All lockers will be removed,” Potts said. “This space will serve as a “learning lab” or “design lab” and will be considered part of the library.

Eventually, we’d like to change the windows in the library into sliding glass doors so that space can actually function as an extension of the library. Teachers will be able to bring students into this space to work on projects and activities. Library personnel would be available to assist teachers.”

Brutto sees that jobs today are changing, and the layout of schools should follow suit. He sees a correlation between the current workforce and the way classrooms should operate.

“It used to be that the normal classroom had desks in rows and a podium at the front. In the industrial revolution you had the assembly line,” Brutto said. “We needed a workforce that would work well with the assembly line: how to use that machine, how to be able to produce this product. Now fast forward to 2017, what kind of workforce do

POLL:

we need now? Someone who is good at communicating, collaborating, those things that you’re doing in the classroom right now, I’m hoping that not all of them have desks in straight rows and a podium at the front.”

To foster a learning environment that will develop these skills, Brutto hopes the coming changes to BV West will play a part in encourage student collaboration. The new setup will become useful to students during JAG, and also for normal classrooms.

“Having a little more self-directed voice in choice in how you utilize your time - I think that these spaces will be instrumental in that,” Brutto said. “How often have you wanted to do a group project and have to huddle around one tiny laptop?”

In group projects or study groups, students will have the ability to work together in a whole new way.

According to Brutto, changes like these will determine how effectively time is used.

“What if we had a collaboration station where we had a fifty-inch plasma and someone is able to plug in their computer and say, ‘Hey we’re going to work on our project for world history,’” Brutto said.

When you’re able to do something like that, it could

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change the way you collaborate.

There are certain setups in a classroom that dictate what will happen.”

Ultimately, the result of these renovations will depend on the input of the students. Furniture donated this year will be used by many more generations of BV West students, so their input is important.

“I’m glad they’re doing renovations for people to hang out,” junior Lucy Sun said. “I think it’s good that we’re finally getting use out of the locker bays since almost no one uses their lockers. For furniture, desks with a corner would allow people to do multiple things at once.”

Students want a comfortable work place, where they can be productive and also relax.

“Some couches would be nice,” sophomore Adit Agarwal said.

“Maybe make it so that you have a reservation to sit with your friends so people aren’t fighting over them.”

The administration and senior class are researching what furniture has worked best, but in the end, the new learning spaces will be modeled on the input of the students.

58%

What would you like to see replace the school lockers?

The remnants of the sophomore locker bay foreshadow the construction and productivity that will replace these areas.

Photo by Jonah Park

25% 14% 3% Portable Whiteboards

TVs

Charging Stations

Couches

The remnants of the senior locker bay are removed, making way for the construction and productivity that will replace these areas.

Photo by Jonah Park

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6 NEWS

BVWNews.com

BRINGING LIFE TO

DAY OF THE DEAD

Staff and students collaborate to bring awareness to a cultural celebration

HANNAH HOLLADAY

D

web editor spotlight.hannahholladay@gmail.com

ifferent cultures play an integral role in making up the fabric of society. Traditions and celebrations of unique groups are rooted in history, but these important aspects of many people’s lives often go unshared with others. With diversity comes the opportunity to develop broader world views, an idea that can be realized through shared celebration and collaboration.

Day of the Dead, known as Dia de los Muertos in Spanish, is a distinctive Mexican holiday characterized by celebrations and remembrance of loved ones who have passed away. The holiday is traditionally celebrated from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2. in central and southern Mexico, but this year it is making its way to the hallways of BV West from Nov. 1 to Nov. 2.

“I have had this idea since I got here of putting something together on Day of the Dead, Dia de los Muertos, because for us it is something very special in Hispanic culture in Mexico, Central America and South America,” Spanish teacher Juan Patiño said. “We’re going to present art, English, literature and history backgrounds. It is going to be a fun day where students will have a chance to visit the art department and check it out.”

Patiño was inspired to bring Day of the Dead to BV West in part be-

cause of his personal experiences celebrating the holiday in Mexico. He grew up in Mexico and took part in the tradition with his family yearly before immigrating to the U.S. 22 years ago. Although he has not celebrated in Mexico since then, the memories he made there are ones of remembrance and joy that speak to the meaningful purpose of the holiday.

“Even though you think of cemeteries as being sad, actually [there is] happiness,” Patiño said. “There are mariachi bands playing, people listen to music and people are bringing food and eating. It’s a lot like going to a picnic. You just talk about the old times. I remember that being neat, and something I’m not going to experience in the U.S.” Although Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico are unique to the country and its culture, Patiño has worked to replicate the holiday so that students and staff are able to experience the traditions and meaning behind it. With a desire to include many different disciplines and make the celebration a memorable learning experience, the event has grown to include contributions from the art, English, Spanish and Special Education departments that will be on display in the art hallway for two days.

“At the end of last year Señor Patiño told me he had an idea for a project with cross-collaboration and I go, ‘I’m in,’’ art teacher Debra Waldorf said. “He started having this conversation with me about making an actual altar and having it be a school-wide learning thing for students… [since then] we have been

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collaborating and working.”

The original idea for collaboration sparked an interest from multiple departments. Classes have participated in the celebration preparations in a variety of ways.

Art students completed multimedia projects, paintings, collages and other forms of artwork; English students wrote original sonnets related to death; and Spanish students researched the history of the holiday. The cross-collaboration among different departments has provided ample opportunities for students to learn about a culture and apply their findings to a class project.

“I hope [my students will] get exposure to a culture that they may not be familiar with,” English teacher Paige Waldorf said. “I’m hoping this is something they’ll enjoy and [that] we can celebrate each other.

Also, death is a very common motif in all of literature. Hemingway says ‘every great book ends in death.’

This [project] fits in with that well.”

One of Patiño’s goals in bringing Day of the Dead to BV West was to raise awareness of the holiday and prompt educational opportunities for students who may not know much about the purpose of the celebration. Both Patiño and Debra Waldorf stress the importance of learning about the distinctive cultural aspects of Day of the Dead, but also see a common tie to a traditionally celebrated holiday in the U.S. “I sort of relate it to Memorial Day,” Debra Waldorf said. “What we do is we commemorate our lost soldiers in all of the past conflicts and it’s a big deal. We decorate graves,

we have 21-gun salutes and some rituals that go along with all that and Day of the Dead is the same. It’s a happy remembrance, it’s a celebration of [and] it’s a thank you to being on this earth with me.”

The idea of Day of the Dead being a joyful celebration is a foreign concept to many, who often associate

I certainly think that the more you learn about other cultures, the more whole of a person you are. We’re only part of the puzzle.

DEBRA WALDORF the thought of skeletons and death with ideas of Halloween and darkness. Researching Day of the Dead in preparation for the event at BV West has allowed students to learn more about the culture and reshape their perceptions of what the holiday stands for.

“I certainly think that the more you learn about other cultures, the more whole of a person you are,” Debra Waldorf said. “We’re only

part of the puzzle. The more you insert those other puzzle pieces into your life, you think you’re all finished but you really aren’t. There are other places to put those pieces of learning.”

Those involved in the project hope the celebration will spark a deeper understanding of cultures and traditions. Many students have already become more educated about Day of the Dead and have taken away new outlooks from their research. “[Day of the Dead is] actually a lot more happy than I originally thought it was, so it’s really cool,” senior and art student Nathan Kolman said.

By working together to achieve a common goal and bring awareness to Day of the Dead, students and staff alike have banded together and worked diligently to prepare for BV West’s adaptation of the holiday. Nov. 1-2 will allow for a unique experience where students can see the traditions of another culture in action and learn more about the world around them. The event was made possible by the collaboration of different individuals committed to helping shed light on a unique celebration.

“It’s good to see other departments getting involved and being excited about a celebration that involves a different culture,” said.

“When I asked, I was overwhelmed and humbled about the support and people who joined. I think it’s going to go well, because when you collaborate with other amazing teachers, that’s going to happen.”

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BVWNews.com

Photo by Lydia Burutti

Photo by Morgan Caviar

BOW DOWN TO THE BOW Photo by Liliana Jones

Cheer does more than solely cheering from the sidelines

JACOB BRAUN reporter spotlight.jacobbraun@gmail.com

U

nder the bright stadium lights on a Friday night, the atmosphere of a football game is almost electric with a cheering crowd, enthusiastic cheerleaders, and a committed team working hard to secure a win. There is something very unique about the atmosphere of spirit and pride created at each game. The commitment and preparation by the cheerleaders to ensure that each game is filled with an energized atmosphere, that makes students feel so proud to be a part of, often goes often unnoticed.

The cheerleading program at BV West has a deeper level of involvement than just the typical sideline supporters. From boosting all-around school spirit, to competitions, the cheer squads are busy all year long helping to make the Jaguar family as strong as it can be.

Photo by Morgan Caviar

There are many traditions at BV West that have lasted throughout the years, some of them originating with the cheerleaders. From the fight song dance to the class competition, the cheerleaders have the ability to instill a strong sense of school spirit.

Cheerleading coach and 2008 alum Mallory Baird helped create the choreography that the cheerleaders perform during the fight song.

“I know not everyone at the school does it,” senior captain Lauren Michelson said. “But when you are at assemblies, and you see people doing it, those are motions that the cheerleaders made up. And we’ve just continued that tradition from then on.”

Likewise, cheerleading coach and alum Kara David helped establish the class competition.

“It’s really cool that we have coaches that implemented those traditions because they’re the ones coaching and helping us make our own traditions,” Michelson said.

Sign painting is another tradition at BV West. Every Wednesday the cheerleaders can be found in the commons for three to five hours working on signs. Unlike the other schools, the cheerleaders handdraw and paint every sign rather than trace a projection.

Cheerleading season spans across most of the year, making it the longest sport season at BV West.

“Cheer season pretty much ends in the beginning of March with our banquet,” senior captain Sophie Kolkhorst said. “We then have tryouts the week after spring break, making the offseason only a couple of weeks between.”

Despite being at the mercy of other sports, cheerleading has its own schedule as well. From the month of August to November, the girls are kept busy by not only cheering at sporting events, but having their own practices and preparing for their two competitions during the year In years past, the team has only performed at one competition at BV

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Southwest, but this year, the team is also competing at one in Topeka on November 18th.

“We have the showcase that is at Blue Valley Southwest on Nov. 11 with all of the other high schools, where we do a competitive routine that’s around two-and-a-half minutes long,” senior captain Katie Walesh said. “And then the one after that is in Topeka. It’s varsity cheerleading state.”

Similar to the way other sports compete at a state level, the cheerleaders will now have the opportunity to place based upon their performed “gameday components” in Topeka.

“As captains, that is one of our main goals this year is to place high at the state competition because it has never been done before for a West cheer team, or any cheer team in Kansas,” Michelson said. “So if we can succeed and do really well at this competition, it’s going to be awesome.”

Due to the fact that there are now two competitions, the cheer-

The varsity cheer squad cheers on the BV West boys’ soccer team.

Photo by Lexi Dechant

leaders are asking that students come out and support them, just as they do for the other athletes.

“We love cheering on our players and being there to support them, but no one really understands the hard work that goes into being a cheerleader,” Michelson said. “Although we’re standing on the sidelines cheering on our teams, we need people to cheer us on at our competitions. Our freshman year we had an entire student section come out and support us, and to see that happen again this year with our student body would be really awesome.”

While the school year is packed full of events for the cheerleaders, they are also kept busy during the summer with cheer camp, the car wash fundraiser and a choreography camp.

During cheer camp, the team learns cheers that they will perform during the season, adding to the long list of cheers that have already become a tradition at BV West.

Also, the captains will design additional cheers to be used throughout the year.

With strong traditions and active involvement, the cheer program only seems to be growing.

To keep these ideals in place, new cheerleaders who exhibit these values are welcomed to the squad each year through the tryout process.

Cheer tryouts are at the end of March, and consists of a week full of learning, practicing, and performing different cheers.

“The week consists of clinics Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday,” Kolkhorst said. “Monday you learn the actual routine and then on Tuesday and Wednesday you’ll work to perfect it. And then on Thursday you’ll tryout.”

Trying out for cheerleading involves a lot of work and practice for a single routine, which can make the week stressful. The judges will

look at so many different factors that each potential cheerleader must give their all in that moment.

Spirit is one of the biggest components that the judges look at, making it crucial that each cheerleader has energy and passion in the tryout.

“It’s not only material that they

We need fans to come to our competition at Southwest on November 11th.

SENIOR KATIE WALESH look at, they take teacher and coach recommendations into account,” Walesh said. “So you could be the best cheerleader in the world, but if you don’t have a good attitude or good character, you’re done.”

Yet every year cuts are made and new people are added to each team.

“It’s really hard to have one of your friends, who you’ve been cheering alongside for so long, get cut,” Lauren Michelson said.

Walesh does not want the process to intimidate people from trying out.

“Give it a shot,” Walesh said. “As long as you give it your all and you want to do this for yourself and for the school, then definitely try out. Because, although it may seem stressful, it’s been some of the best years of my life.”

Unlike any other sport, cheerleading season goes almost year round and requires a deep level of commitment. Their support and encouragement for the students and athletes at BV West is an important part of Jaguar pride and tradition.

The upcoming cheerleading competitions are an opportunity for the BV West community to show their support for the cheerleaders.

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Student-athletes consider commiting to colleges through sports.

CHELSEA PARK

reporter spotlight.chelseapark@gmail.com

N

ear the end of their high school career, most seniors face the difficult decision of deciding which college to attend for the next four years of their lives. However, there are a select few who make this decision earlier than the rest. These students are athletes who commit to play in college.

When a student is “committed” to a college, they have accepted an offer to participate in college sports.

But this process is usually split up

into two parts: verbal commitment and the National Letter of Intent.

Verbal commitment is a non-official agreement shared between a student-athlete and the coach of a college sports team. As this agreement does not bind the student to the college, the offer is not secure, and miscommunication is possible.

On the other hand, when a student signs the National Letter of Intent, a conclusive agreement is made between the school and the student. An NLI will ensure the student financial aid, and a spot on the roster to play for the college.

At BV West there are plenty of talented student-athletes. Among these individuals are several who commit to play a sport in college, or consider this decision. While

college commitment may be an ultimate goal for some athletes, others turn down offers. Each athlete holds a different perspective on college commitment, shaped by their experiences and future aspirations.

Senior Molly Saporito is one of those athletes who has made the early decision to commit to a college the following year.

“I committed to play college golf at the University of Central Missouri right before this school golf season started,” Saporito said.

The process for Saporito to commit was complicated and lengthy.

“Well, I started by recruiting myself as a sophomore. Then I emailed coaches, sent them swing videos for golf, and uploaded my stats on websites,” Saporito said.

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“More and more, I got myself known to coaches, and eventually that turned into college visits. At the college visit, I sat down with the coach and accepted his offer“.

Saporito is excited for the new experiences and opportunities that have been offered to her through golf, and she’s ready for a new chapter of her athletic career.

Upperclassmen are more likely to be committed to a college, however, several underclassmen are familiar with this concept as well. Ramsey Witterstaetter is a sophomore at BV West with several coaches already reaching out to her with interest in recruiting her to play volleyball for them.

“I learned that colleges were interested in me playing for them when they contacted my coaches and asked about me wanting to visit their college” Witterstaetter said Although Witterstaetter has not committed to a college yet, she is keeping in touch with coaches from a couple of schools.

“I haven’t committed to a college yet because I am too young to fully commit and accept the offer, [however], I probably will in a few years,” Witterstaetter said.

All athletes view their future with their sport differently. While

some plan to continue on in college, and even pursue professional levels, others consider ending their athletic streak in high school for various reasons. Senior soccer player Noah Mabry is one of those athletes who is unsure of their athletic careers in the future.

“I’m still deciding if I want to play or not, because I’m not sure where I’m going to go in the end,” Mabry said.

Several schools have reached out to Mabry, however he is still keeping his options open.

“Four or five different schools have approached me after club or school games,” Mabry said. “[But] I don’t want to go anywhere smaller than any school I could go to.

I want to get the full college experience. Go somewhere with a bigger school, with more people.”

Mabry has found much success playing soccer in high school for both his club and school teams. Recently, he beat the BV West boys soccer record for the most goals scored, surpassing records previously set by professional players such as Matt Besler and Nick Besler. “[This achievement] makes me want to play more. It makes me want to keep playing,” Mabry said. “I think I’d regret not playing in college.”

Katherine Krishna is a junior

soccer player at BV West who is also still deciding on whether she will play in college or not.

“Several colleges have been interested, but I haven’t followed up with them because I didn’t feel like these universities were academically matched to me,” Krishna said. “Although I really enjoy soccer, I also want to focus on my academics.”

To officially bind to a school, each athlete has to follow up with the coaches and show interest in committing.

“The only coach I really followed up with was from St. Louis University, although I ended up not committing,” Krishna said. “If I was more athletically driven, I probably would have accepted this offer.”

Krishna is not rejecting all offers however, and she sees herself committing to a college when she finds one that is right for her.

Several student-atheletes at BV West face the decision of choosing whether or not to play for a college. Although college commitment seems like an agreement that’s impossible to turn down, all athletes view their futures differently. While college sports is included in the future plans of some, others reject offers for various reasons.

How Many High School Athletes Commit to Play in College?

SOCCER

FOOTBALL

BASKETBALL

BASEBALL GOLF VOLLEYBALL Men: 7.1%

Men: 3.4%

Women: 7.2% Men: 5.6%

Photos courtesy of: http://freepngimages.com, http:// www.freeiconspng.com, http://www.oakdaleleader. com, http://www.allwhitebackground.com,

Statistics courtesy of NCAA.org

Women: 7.1% Men: 5.9%

Men: 6.8%

Men: 3.4% Women: 3.9%

Women: 3.9%

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BVWNews.com

SHOWING JAGUAR PRIDE Leadership class has positive impact on school pride and morale

JPCo huddles up before the Homecoming assembly on Oct. 12, 2017.

Photo by Keely Woods

RACHEL PICKETT editor-in-chief spotlight.rachelpickett@gmail.com

F

orever family. Acceptance & open minds. Courage & fearlessness. Positive pride. Unwavering inteGRITy. Enthusiasm & Excellence.

These words form the pledge taken by the members of BV West’s leadership class, Jaguar Pride Coalition (JPCo). The class, which meets seventh hour, is led by English teacher Dr. Laura Restivo, or ‘Doc’ as many of her students affectionately call her.

Restivo taught her first leadership class at Olathe NW, where she saw a void of school pride and spirit. She then moved to BV West in 2008. In 2010, many students felt the school’s atmosphere changing when large amounts of students left for BV Southwest when it opened.

Restivo felt that BV West could also benefit from a leadership organization that could promote school unity.

From there, the organization grew. This year’s group, which is the eighth JPCo group, is composed of 27 juniors and seniors that promote school spirit and learn about

positive leadership techniques.

JPCo is perhaps most widely known for planning and running assemblies. Whether it is performing skits, recognizing the accomplishments of clubs and sports or pumping everyone up for the class competition, all eyes of the school are on the members of JPCo. For this reason, JPCo is a selective class with a tryout process.

Potential JPCo members fill out an application, and those who are asked to continue on to the interview part, are interviewed by senior JPCo members, faculty and administration. According to Restivo,

there is no mold for a future JPCo member.

“We want to create a diverse team,” said Restivo. “Diversity can look like a lot of things but mostly I am looking for a variety of students that are involved in a whole bunch of things, so I am getting a cross section of the student body. We want students who are passionate about West and passionate about school culture, and that’s going to include school tradition and school spirit but it also includes just creating an atmosphere of positivity and family.”

JPCo bonding begins every summer before school even starts. JPCo 8.0 attended a Royals game over the summer, went to Breakout KC, and more, in order to work towards becoming a more cohesive unit.

“You can’t lead the school if you can’t lead with each other and you have to have each other’s backs,” said senior JPCo member Katie Walesh.

When the school year starts, the class is instantly in full swing.

When they are not planning various school spirit activities, the group receives comprehensive leadership instruction from Restivo.

“We do leadership book studies,” Walesh said. “This year we are reading ‘The Fred Factor’ and ‘Start With Why,’ two leadership books.

We read them, and we do a lot of journaling and open discussion. It’s really constructive and I find that in a lot of other leadership roles I use the skills that I learned in JPCo.” The leadership lessons that the group learns allow them to create a positive impact, which in the end, is what the class is designed to do.

“Day in and day out we are just trying to make a positive difference on our classmates,” said senior JPCo member Matthew Burgess. “If you can affect one or two people a week that’s sort of the thing we are going for.”

The impact that JPCo wants to make at the school is aided by the strong leadership and compassion

that Restivo provides for the group.

“I have had [Restivo] as both an AP Lang teacher and in JPCo and I honestly think she’s the same in both,” Walesh said. “She’s a mentor no matter what and to the core she’s a genuine leader that is very selfless and wants to make sure that you are successful and confident and comfortable with the scenario that you are in.”

Since JPCo began, similar organizations have started in all five Blue Valley schools, Mill Valley High School and Parkville High School.

“I really like that it’s expanding to other schools,” Restivo said. “That’s been a really cool thing to be a part of, so I’d like to continue to mentor those schools and have them come visit.”

JPCo has a tremendously positive impact on BV West, and it will continue to do so under the watch of Restivo and the passing down of traditions of leadership from past members.

“If it’s done well, it has the potential to transform a culture, and I hope that it’s something we can continue to do,” Restivo said.

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FEATURE 13

@BVWSpotlight

What’s your favorite thing about JPCo? “The relationships that you build. All our differences go away when we come into this classroom.

It’s awesome the bonds that we build and what we can do for the school.”

-Junior Maggie Gormley

“Meeting new people and the family aspect that has come from meeting new people in JPCo.”

-Junior Jack Tenbrink

“The group support that everyone brings to everything we do.

The group mentality is so incredibly positive and so incredibly uplifting. It’s just a great environment to be in and to work in and have fun in.”

-Senior Alex Leondedis

Junior Tommy Sulentic dances during the Homecoming assembly on Oct. 12, 2017.

Photo by Lydia Berutti

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LTERNATIVE

14 FEATURE

TMOSPHERES

BVWNews.com

BV Academy offers unique learning opportunities for struggling students

MIKAELA SCHMITT

Pride and creativity.

Students’s artwork cover the walls of BV Academy, including Haleigh Coburn painting of the school mascot.

The phoenix represents a new beginning.

I

n a school of 1,400, every individual’s unique needs cannot always be met. Students may struggle in the traditional classroom setting, yet have their struggles written off to lack of motivation or effort. BV Academy aims to help these students through high school by providing the attention and circumstances they need to succeed.

BV Academy, founded in 1998, is an alternative education high school, focused on personalizing students’s school experience to help them prosper during, and after, high school.

“For whatever reason the student has not or is not having success in a large traditional high school setting,” said BV Academy principal Valerie Jennings. “They need something more small and relational.”

Serving approximately 116 students, including 16 current BV West students, the small atmosphere is one of the most appealing factors to many. The school is one hallway long, allowing teachers and students to create closer bonds.

“It’s very relational, it’s an enjoy-

editor-in-chief spotlight.mikaelaschmitt@gmail.com

able place to be, we call ourselves a Blue Valley family,” Jennings said.

“It’s the Blue Valley Academy family. Once you’re a part of our family, you’ll always be a part of the family, because we are really small.”

Class sizes average between nine to 12 students, but may go up to approximately 15 students for core subjects. The intimate teacher-to-student ratio is what allows individualized learning and guarantees success for each student.

“You know when at West there’s a teacher that everyone loves and is a great teacher who really cares about their students?” BV Academy junior Dray Ridley said. “That’s every teacher at the Academy. They’re all great teachers and amazing people.”

“

The Academy isn’t a place for druggies and dropouts. It’s a place for students just trying to make it through high school.

JUNIOR DRAY RIDLEY

In addition to the smaller class sizes, BV Academy operates quite differently from traditional BV high schools. The school begins at 9 a.m., allowing students to take morning classes at their home high school

in addition to BV Academy classes.

Students take the same four classes every day for full 75 minute blocks, with no additional homework assigned unless they are unfocused during class or absent for an extended period of time.

“Rather than being on semesters, we’re on terms,” Jennings said. “At the end of each quarter they actually have completed a semester [of work]. So they can move forward more quickly if they want to get through, let’s say, senior English.”

Many students transfer to BV Academy because they are behind on credits and struggling to be on track to graduation. This nine-week term structure allows students to make up credits quicker.

“It’s fairly typical that kids will make that switch because they need to make up credits and they’ve fallen a little behind so there might be some gaps in their transcript,” Jennings said. “But not always, we get kids who have made very good grades at their home high school but it was too big, they just needed something smaller.”

Students transfer for a variety of reasons beyond issues with substance abuse or attendance, despite common misconceptions. BV Academy provides an opportunity to service students with unique learning styles and needs that cannot be replicated at traditional high schools.

“The Academy isn’t a place for druggies and dropouts,” Ridley said.

“It’s a place for students just trying to make it through high school, and every adult here will tell you the same thing.”

The variety of reasons for transferring creates a unique atmosphere unlike any other home high school.

BV Academy allows vastly different

students to unite.

“I am friends with a girl who wears the same Thrasher hoodie everyday and cried over how much she loved a cockroach,” Ridley said. “I have a friend who goes around the school drawing little robots with smiley faces and I’m not sure he even goes to class. My favorite teacher lets me and a bunch of other students play Super Smash Bros while he watches K-Pop music videos during lunch break. The Academy is chock full of weird and interesting people.”

BV Academy encompasses individuals with every personality, contributing to the unique high school experience. The authenticity of communication between students creates a place where students feel comfortable in their own skin.

“My favorite part is that the Academy has no hierarchy,” Ridley said. “There are no ‘cliques’ like in a normal high school, everyone is just purely themselves. And if you are trying to be something you’re not, you will most likely feel like an idiot.”

Another thing that makes BV Academy unique from traditional high schools is their methods in rewarding and punishing behavior.

“We’re built on incentives,” Jennings said. “For example, if you made all A’s and B’s and you had no more than 5 days of absence per term-that would include both excused and unexcused absences--then you could actually be exempted from your finals.”

The small student population allows for personalized approaches to issues that may arise. Focusing on relationships allows the issue to be addressed in a positive manner and is proven to have more successful results.

“We use restorative discipline,” Jennings said. “If something is a problem or if kids are having an issue with each other… we talk through the problem and talk about why we care about them and help them try to make that positive shift.

And with that approach we very rarely have the same issue come up

because we have a chance to work through it.”

Students, parents, counselors, teachers or administrators may initiate the process of a student transferring to BV Academy. They will discuss it as an option, and determine if it is the correct atmosphere for the student to prosper.

“That’s the main thing,” Stone said. “We want it to be a good fit for our students and our families and for a lot of times it is. If it’s not a good fit we would want them to stay [at BV West] and find ways to be more successful here.”

Each school is allotted a specific number of students to preserve the educational benefits and relationships of a small school. Counselors and administration will then meet and rank interested students based off of importance, with students such as seniors requiring credits to graduate at the top of the list. Students and families will then interview and tour at BV Academy, and, if agreed upon by all parties involved, transfer at the next semester.

While students make take a full day of classes at BV Academy, they are still considered students of their original high school of attendance, also known as their home school.

They may still take classes and participate in extracurriculars, among other things, at their home school.

“They have the option of participating in our graduation, but they also have a graduation ceremony of their own, so they could participate in either one or both,” BV West counselor John Stone said. “They can come over here and participate in sports and our dances and things like that too. So they are considered Blue Valley West students. Their school of attendance is the Academy.”

BV West Jaguars or BV Academy Family, all that matters is the success of the students.

“I [am principal] because I think that the Academy, we make a difference in somebody’s life everyday,” Jennings said. “That’s truly what we do.”

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FEATURE 15

@BVWSpotlight

It really is like a completely other world.

JUNIOR DRAY RIDLEY

A look at the unique components of BV Academy

4

classes

EVERY day

75

minutes a day

for one

9

week term

1 semester credit NO BELLS.

Music indicates the 3-minute warning.

NO DESKS.

Primarily tables in a U-configuration in classrooms.

9-12 little to no

student average class size.

HOMEWORK.

Sunshine and relaxation. The courtyard outside BV Academy where students and classes go to enjoy the outdoors. Photos by Diane Kershaw

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16 FEATURE

Handicap

READY SET GO!

Spaces

135

A breakdown of traffic and parking

RACHEL PICKETT

Senior Spaces

editor-in-chief spotlight.rachelpickett@gmail.com

@BVWSpotlight

TRAFFIC AT THE FIRST ENTRANCE...

220

CARS EXITED THE SCHOOL

1012 Parking Spaces

65%

of pollers believe a light should be put in at the first entrance Twitter poll taken on Oct. 21, 187 votes

Staff Spaces

72%

of pollers enter and leave the school through the second entrance Twitter poll taken on Oct. 20, 122 votes

166

Twitter poll taken on Oct. 22, 165 votes

70%

of pollers believe traffic has improved since the remodeling last year

15+ CARS INVOLVED IN PILEUP AT FIRST ENTRANCE ON DEC. 1, 2016

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FEATURE 17

28

BVWNews.com

402

TURNED RIGHT INTO THE ENTRANCE

585

CONTINUED STRAIGHT DOWN ANTIOCH DATA TAKEN ON OCT. 9, 7:10 A.M. TO 7:50 A.M.

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18 FEATURE

BVWNews.com

Natalie Lindmark learns to balance horse back riding with academics

NATALIE FIORELLA

S

TAKING THE REINS

reporter spotlight.nataliefiorella@gmail.com

tarting high school is scary for everyone, even if they are going to go to school with the same people they have been with for years.

Freshman Natalie Lindmark was home schooled during the seventh and eighth grade due to how often she travels for her out of state horseback riding competitions. Her family initially got her interested in horses, specifically her mom. Although her mom did not compete, Lindmark has her mom to thank for first getting her introduced to riding.

“She rode but never competed,” Lindmark said. “So, I was the first one in my family to start competing.

My entire family loves horses but I’m the only one who competes. I fell in love with it.”

Lindmark knows that finding a way to plan out time for school and riding is an essential.

“Trying to balance horses with school has always been a struggle.

This [riding horses] is my livelihood and something I will be pursuing after high school so it does take advantage over school at times,” Lindmark said. “Although I try to balance the two as best as I can.”

Photos courtesy Natalie Lindmark

Lindmark went to Lakewood Middle School in sixth grade but then was home schooled for the rest of middle school. Now she has come back to public school for something that she could not get from online school.

“I came back to have a normal high school experience for at least one or two years, before either continuing with a public or private school or going back to online so I can continue to travel around and really take advantage of my last years as an amateur before pursuing a career as a professional,” Lindmark said.

Lindmark travels across the country year-round for the competitions.

“Nationals are in Oklahoma,” Lindmark said. “I have horse shows in Ohio, Kentucky, and a lot of other places. My favorite one is in Scottsdale, Arizona in February.”

Lindmark rides English, a form of riding that is based on elegance and balance. She rides saddle seat with Arabian horses that essentially trot high and walk in circles. With Arabian horses, equestrians have to be sure to find a barn that has what they are looking for.

“With Arabian horses, a big thing is traveling to different places and different barns just to find one that’s the best fit for you,”Lindmark said.

Finding the right barn is done by deciding whether one wants to ride competitively. When Lindmark first started riding she started at a small barn in Kansas City. When she decided that she was ready to start competing her and her parents found a barn in Knoxville, Tennessee that is highly competitive.

She has friends who have barns all around the country who have to travel far too.

“My friends that are also at these types of barns (highly competitive competition barns) have barns in places such as Ohio and Indiana. It’s kind of your only option when you want to be competing very highly.”

Lindmark said.

During Lindmark’s visits in Knoxville she rides significantly more than when she is in Kansas.

“When I go down to my barn I’m practicing 8 A.M. to 6 P.M.,” Lindmark said. “When I’m here I ride about seven hours a week.”

Competitive horseback riding has given Lindmark the opportunity to meet and make new friends that have turned into best friends all around the country.

“I’ve made some great friends here at West but honestly my best friends are definitely all around the country,” Lindmark said. “I meet them through competitions when I get introduced to a bunch of people.”

While Lindmark loves that she has friends across the country and how many different opportunities she has to meet people, it can still be difficult to be separated from them.

“Having friends all over the country is amazing but it can be sad because you don’t get to see them a lot,” Lindmark said. “It’s cool to go and visit them but it’s hard too.”

STANDARDS-BASED LEARNING Spanish teacher Karen Tritt argues the pros and reporter Hannah Holladay argues the cons of standards-based learning

PROS

Can you ride a bike? Yes or no? That simple question will help explain why standards-based learning (SBL) is so effective.

In previous years, student grades were influenced by behaviors that had no connection to student learning. That is no longer the case. Now, we focus on only one question: Can the student “ride the bike?” Has the student learned the concept? Turning work in late, sloppiness and returning a signed syllabus are behaviors. None of these activities give any indication of whether a student has learned. As a result, we revised our instruction so that every inclass practice and every homework assignment builds on the next to prepare students for the final unit

CAN YOU RI D E A BIKE?

CONS

assessment.

We also know that most students can not master a concept on the first try. They need practice and opportunities to fall off the bike without the scrapes and bruises affecting their grades. Learning happens in the mistakes. For that reason, with SBL, only final assessments count towards the student’s final grade.

These assessments, affectionately known as IPAs (or integrated performance assessments), provide feedback to both teachers and students.

So how does SBL affect grading? The focus is: Has the student learned the concept? If yes, how well has he learned it? And, if no, how much help does the student need in order to accomplish the task? To answer these questions, student performance is scored as follows:

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OPINION 19

@BVWSpotlight

4-Exceeds, 3-Proficient, 2-Developing, 1-Not yet.

This is an adjustment for students who are accustomed to traditional grades. However, this style of learning and assessment has so many positives for students. They can redo any assessment to show a greater level of mastery, which gives students complete control of their grades. They are not penalized for behaviors but instead are rewarded for grit and evidence of learning.

SBL requires both teachers and students to change how they think about grades. It asks all of us to think about what a grade really represents. With SBL, student scores are a true reflection of student learning or, shall we say, how well they can ride the bike.

YES - 4: I can ride the bike on rough terrain.

YES - 3: I can ride down the street and not fall off.

NO - 2: I need more time with Dad behind me.

NO - 1: I still need the training wheels.

The standards-based learning (SBL) system was implemented by the Spanish department as a way to provide an organic representation of a student’s learning. Unfortunately, it often ends up exemplifying students’ minor failures that accumulate over time. This leads to a common frustration with the system and fosters discontent with grades that would likely be higher had assignments been graded more traditionally.

One of this system’s biggest flaws is that it favors individuals who have long excelled in the classroom, but leaves those who generally receive mid-range test scores in the dust. The one to four grading scale creates a small margin for success, where missing one or two questions

on an exam places a student in the exemplary four category, but slightly lower scores cause them to drop to the three range or below. Students who easily retain information and have always received near-perfect marks on exams thrive, whereas those making a few small errors fall victim to the large margin of failure the system enables.

Furthermore, not all grades are created equal. Unlike a traditional weighted grading system, SBL places the most emphasis on the most recent grade. A student who has worked hard and received good scores on a majority of work runs the risk of having their grade drop significantly due to one assignment they may not have performed as strongly on.

This issue is amplified by how difficult the system makes it for stu-

dents to gauge how well they need to be doing on exams to maintain the grade they want. It can be argued that students use this as a way to do the bare minimum in order to receive the grade they want, but it is an important method for many to help ensure continued success.

Learning to budget time is a critically important skill to learn in high school, but SBL leaves students in the dark as they are unable to fully interpret what their grades mean and how much they need to study to succeed on upcoming exams.

Even though these flaws are largely inadvertent, they continue to cause negative ramifications for average students in the classroom, perpetuating a system where the strongest students succeed and the rest struggle to meet the standards.

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20 OPINION

BVWNews.com

@ANONYMOUS FOLLOWING The effects of social media coupled with the creative outlet it provides

T

LANIE RENDER

reporter spotlight.lanierender@gmail.com

JILLIAN DUNLAY

reporter spotlight.jilliandunlay@gmail.com

he impact that social media has had on our generation is almost too difficult to comprehend. We spend hours, sometimes days, editing pictures and videos to receive validation from followers. The mask that media allows us to hide behind has gradually grown and become more popular than ever. It seems we care more about the perception we create for ourselves than the reality behind the camera.

In portraying this fake sense of confidence, social media users achieve the opposite of the effect they originally intended. Media was created to connect and strengthen our relationships, not for comparing one another. While immediate satisfaction is evident after posting a picture, can the simple “like” of another provide enough validation?

The work that is needed to form relationships has exponentially fell.

Instead of actually meeting and connecting with a person, a simple double tap on a picture constitutes friendship.

Face-to-face interaction means significantly less than a like or comment on a photo. It is this technological downside that has digressed the ability we have to communicate with our peers; we’re so caught up with the normality of send-

ing ‘streaks’ over Snapchat, that it doesn’t cross our minds that we do not even talk to most of these people in everyday life. At the end of the day, what matters most is that you increased your Snap Score; not the conversations you had, or the people you met.

Our generation’s lack of genuine converse has lead to increased isolation. There has even been links between depression and activity on social networking sites.

This startling fact is illuminated in a study examining the effect of the media. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh recently survey 1,787 adults ranging from the ages of 19-32. With this study, they found that those who were active on sites like Facebook, Twitter and Reddit had three times more instances of depression than those who were least active on them.

A link to depression makes the reality of our addiction to media real. Without a real interaction and relationships, it appears that users are left with a void. There comes a time where it is necessary to ask ourselves if what we are doing gives us authentic joy.

W

hile media like Instagram can serve as a detriment, it can also serve as an outlet for creativi-

ty. Some Instagram users choose to illustrate their pictures in a uniform way that is pleasing to the eye. The phrase “aesthetically pleasing” has became a popular adjective to describe said social media page. These Instagram users, like senior Mia Hodges, put an extensive amount of time and effort to keep up the aesthetic of their page.

Photo courtesy of Mia Hodges (@miaehodges) “Editing and arranging pictures for my Instagram is something that I really enjoy, so I don’t consider it a chore/a way to ‘keep up my image,’” Hodges said. “I try not to overthink it too much and post the photos that flow with my ‘theme’ and make me feel confident.”

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OPINION 21

@BVWSpotlight

Like Hodges, many utilize outlets to show their artwork or develop a piece of art with their page. This expression has engendered a sense of confidence as an artist. Additionally, Hodges sees media as a way to promote acceptance and friendships.

Choosing to concentrate on the brighter aspects of social media, Hodges’ way of thinking promotes a positive mindset and utilization that is encouraged in other media use Social media has forever revolutionized the concept of human interaction. Talking on the phone is now the equivalent of sending someone a selfie over Snapchat, or a

direct message through Instagram.

It’s ironic how although we’ve developed new ways to communicate with one another, we have somehow eliminated the depth and sincerity in how we communicate; thus revealing whether or not these technological advancements really count as advancements at all.

It is in these advancements that people seem to lose their identity the most, for being constantly obsessed with the facade social media lures us into. Social media is an incredible value to our generation, but what’s important is not always the focus in the photo; it is the life outside the lens.

“FAKE” INSTAGRAMS

T

he elusive trend of “finstas”, also known as fake Instagrams, has yet to see a decline in its popularity. The purpose of a finsta is having a place to post media one may view as more ‘private’, content that they may not want others who are not close friends to be able to see.

While this content can consist of more casual and humor-related images, it can also lead to the posting of photos that would otherwise be deemed as inappropriate on a user’s real Instagram account.

What began as a typical social media fad evolved into a plethora of unabashed photos and videos taking media by storm. Sophomore Riley England was one of many who joined in on this movement.

“I created my finsta just so I could share my life with the people I’m friends with,” said England. “I post things on my spam that I think are funny or things that I don’t want to put on my main.”

1

“

“Ultimately social media is what we make of it.

We just need to choose spreading love instead of spreading hate.”

SENIOR MIA HODGES

Follow Requests Approve or ignore requests

The finsta phenomenon can be traced to the fact that parents and other relatives connect with their teens through social media. While this interest is understandable, through the eyes of an adolescent, this can be seen as an obstacle in front of what used to be an open channel of creativity and entertainment. The allure of owning a regular Instagram account decreased, thus increasing the desire for a release from the eyes of parents; from this, the finsta was born.

England has also witnessed the spike of popularity among finsta.

“I think it’s popular because kids now have more friends, it’s easier to share things on finsta than send it to everyone (of your followers),” England said.

Though being an owner of a finsta account comes with a new perspective into the lives of peers, England sees both the good and bad in this thriving trend.

“I think it’s balanced out, because I can see what some people do that is not very good that they post on their spam,” England said.

However, England chooses to embrace the creative freedom and spread of positivity that comes along with finsta.

“It’s also a place to post birthday shout-outs and such, whatever makes you feel happy,” England said.

Still a seemingly undying craze, the finsta is a concept that ultimately negates the original facade of social media; rather than focusing on the perfection of one’s photos, finsta is meant to reveal the actuality of life minus the filters and Photoshop. It’s ironic how through social media, we have a side of ourselves that we allow friends and family to see for the purpose of upholding a reputation. But we also have a side we prefer to keep to ourselves.

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22 OPINION

BVWNews.com

THE

OF VICTIM SHAMING

Questioning the role society takes when addressing subjects such as sexual assault and rape

DANA NASR

O

reporter spotlight.dananasr@gmail.com

ne in three women. This is not a statistic for a disease or an illness, nor is it a statistic for some great achievement committed by women. This is the statistic that is found when googling “female sexual harassment”. One in three women. That means there is a high chance that a friend, a sister, a mother, a teacher or a coworker has been subject to this type of harassment.

The more concerning statistic is the one that states one in six women have been sexually assaulted or raped. These statistics give vital insight to the point that there is a problem. For a long time there has been a problem that has been quieted, shameful to discuss and therefore not spoken about. Recently, there has been a hashtag started on social media of people internationally posting ‘me too’ for the purpose of showing a more realistic count of everyone who has been subject to sexual harassment, sexual assault and rape, giving more magnitude to the issue. The result of this viral hashtag is 4.7 million responses which incorporate mass exposure to personal stories.

The hashtag trend began when news broke that Harvey Weinstein, an acclaimed film producer, had been accused of over 60 counts of alleged sexual harassment, sexu-

al assault and rape. What sets him apart from any other sexual predator is the fact that many in the film industry turned a blind eye to his behavior and distasteful actions because of the intimidation set by his position in power.

After the story broke in the New York Times, many in Hollywood started to speak out about having speculations of Weinstein’s behavior, but never doing anything about it or feeling they had the power to do anything about it. Because Weinstein’s sexual assault was never reported or talked about, it never stopped. What contributed most to Weinstein’s open secret was his powerful position, making him seem untouchable and therefore unstoppable. Even when allegations had been reported against Weinstein, he was known to make settlements to clear himself out of the wrong. In his case, being successful and rich is what excused him from these acts of sexual assault and rape.

This is the perfect example toward the ingrained rape culture that is established from the moment a woman is faced with these disgusting experiences. Girls are raised to watch what they wear, where they go, and what time they go out to avoid triggering this type of behavior in a predator. If a woman is then to be sexually assaulted there is an

immediate assessment of her faults and what she may have done to influence her attack, attaching blame to the victim rather than the attacker. That is why many fear to speak out if they have been attacked for the fear of being accused of something they could not control.

On the other hand, it is also ingrained in society to look up to people who are successful and attain a higher status and place these people in an ‘untouchable’ state of being even when they are in the wrong.

These societal factors are what caused this Weinstein case to have gone on for so long and be hushed.

By not reporting Weinstein’s behavior it was almost as if it were encouraged.

This hushed behavior by society needs to be altered from dismissing the perpetrator to giving full blame to the perpetrator. The acts of sexual assault and rape should not be actions a person can get away with.

By altering the societal norms and ideologies, society can put this traditional thought processes to rest.

#METOO

SENIOR PRIVILEGES

Differences in opinions arise after a change in the privileges that seniors are granted

SHELBY HOELTING

F

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OPINION 23

@BVWSpotlight

reporter spotlight.shelbyhoelting@gmail.com

rom the day students walk into BV West as a freshman, they are looking forward to being a senior and being at the top of the food chain. They look up to the senior class and think about when they will be in the senior’s shoes and having the privileges of dropping JAG, shortening their schedule second semester, senior skip days and tailgating together as a family. Some of this year’s seniors feel as though they have had many of those privileges taken away.

A week prior, seniors started planning a senior skip day for Sept.

29, 2017. There was a lot of talk about it through the halls and on social media, and administration and staff soon found out about the day. BV West’s principal, Dr. Brett Potts, then sent an email out to the parents of seniors which read that he had “instructed teachers to carry on” with lesson plans and when “your student tells you, “Nobody’s going to be there” or “we won’t be doing anything... please don’t buy it.” Other things such as “please don’t cave,” and “please don’t lie for your kid,” were also shared in the email.

Dr. Potts felt he had numerous reasons to send the email.

“It takes a long time to recover from mass absences as a school,” Potts said. “I think students and parents are thinking about just themselves and just how nice it would be for them to have that day but I am not able to do that; I have to think about the whole school, so I’m not in favor of mass absence days.”

Senior privileges are a right of passage and it is frustrating to have them taken away.

Although Potts, as an administrator, is not in favor of senior skip days, he had a different opinion when he was in high school and participated

in his own senior skip day.

“There was a senior skip day in my senior year in high school,” Potts said. “So I did [skip], and there were consequences for that and it wasn’t fun.”

An in-school suspension was the price Potts paid for participating in his senior skip day.

Changes have occurred with sports tailgating. Some of the senior class does not agree with the changes because it is their last year and it is very distressing. Last year a tailgate took place at a girls soccer game during the spring. At this tailgate, administration was made aware that there were non-school sponsored activities taking place.

“We [administration] were made aware that perhaps we had some kids that had been drinking or were drinking in conjunction with that game,” Roach said.

Rumors started to spread that students were no longer allowed to tailgate anymore due to what happened at last year’s event and some seniors felt like it was something being taken away. Because of the activities that were going on, administration decided to make a designated area at the DAC where tailgating can take place.

According to Roach, the designated tailgating areas are not a punishment. “[It is] more for safety and security so that no matter which school is playing there, the security officers who are working those games will know these are the areas that tailgating can take place,” Roach said.

In short, the misconception that tailgating has been taken away is incorrect.

The right to tailgate in each class’s unique way is being tarnished with these changes and designated areas.

One of the most discussed chang-

es in privileges is JAG time. Seniors in previous years have been able to drop JAG at the end of first quarter.

BV West started a new schedule this year and there has been some confusion as to if seniors would still be able to do so.

According to Potts, the inability to drop JAG is a matter of education laws rather than punishing the senior class.

“When you start looking at what the state requirements are in terms of time and how you classify in-class time versus time in JAG, where there’s academic support being offered, versus lunch where there is not academic support being offered, I am fearful that the state would not allow us to continue that practice because we are already, particularly in the senior class, too close to the limit for my comfort level,” Potts said.

The ability to drop JAG has always been something to look forward to and this class has been cheated of that privilege.

Many seniors have expressed a wish for BV West to be an open campus, allowing seniors to leave during JAG. However, due to Blue Valley policy, no high schools can be open campuses.

Although the ability to drop JAG is no longer available for the senior class, administration is open to dialogue about different senior privileges.

“In that schedule there’s opportunities for seniors to come to me with some ideas about how we might be able to structure in some reward time or some privileges for seniors,” Potts said.

There are different ideas in the works for scheduling, as far as shortening JAG on Tuesday and then potentially having a late arrival on Tuesday in addition to Thursday’s.

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24 A & E

STEPHEN KINDER reporter spotlight.stephenkinder@gmail.com

BVWNews.com

REVIEWING F D BEFORE IT WAS COOL

BIANCA GARCIA reporter spotlight.biancagarcia@gmail.com

A Review of Trendy and Hip Foods around Town

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alking around Kansas City; or any large city, one might be lured by scents of food coming from restaurants, food trucks, and urban stores. Upon walking into or near one of these places, consumers will be shocked by how rustic the interior and food themes are in comparison to the cityscape surrounding them. Along with odd

COTTON CANDY SHATTO MILK:

food combinations and hefty price tags on food, one might wonder how they can describe such a place in the city. What was just described above can be classified as “hipster” food. Hipster food is food that is notorious for being very expensive, yet worth it to some. Food is considered “hipster” when the ingredients used are new and in style, or food that is

ilk at its finest”. Not exactly.

“M The cotton candy Shatto Milk was a big disappointment because of its weak flavoring. The milk tasted sweet but not exactly like the flavor of cotton candy; the taste was very similar to that of the leftover

served in a unique way. For people that frequently go to cities for hipster food, they do not go there for just the food, but to socialize in the community an also enjoy the rustic environment at the restaurant or store itself. In fact, “hipster” food is so popular in some areas, that many people see it as a lifestyle and identify as “hipsters.”

milk of Lucky Charms. The first sip was much like the consistency of 2% milk. The packaging is sleek, bottled in glass with a simple logo on the front. The downside to this purchase was the price, costing almost $5 for only 16 ounces.

Overall Rating:

SMOOTHIE BOWL:

Overall Rating:

hen entering Robeks, the first W noticeable decoration was the fresh produce hanging on the walls.

The wide variety of smoothies and juices makes Robeks a place for everyone. Often times, people see smoothie bowls on social media. The smoothie bowl, “Acai Strawnana Berry” had a very appealing look

to it with different kinds of berries lined up in patterns. Surprisingly it tasted like a treat with the sweetness of the honey and granola added. Additionally, the granola added texture that brought the whole smoothie together. It was a bit pricey costing around $7.

Emojis by FHM Philippines Leaves by PNG Mart Glasses by OpenClipArt Mustache by Clipartion Beanie by Clker

THE MIXX:

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rom the eye catching white tables Fture, and chairs to the modern sculpThe Mixx is a hipster restaurant, having all gluten-free dressings, filtered drinking water and fresh ingredients. Their menu contains almost everything: salads, soups, sandwiches, wraps, pasta and more. The Quinoa bowl definitely had a healthy taste and was a bit bland, due to the lack of seasoning, however the quinoa was nicely cooked and the vegetables and grilled chicken were a nice touch. The street tacos had

a similar bland flavor, but salt and pepper were easy to add. The steak was perfectly cooked and the sour cream, cabbage and cilantro tied everything together. The corn tortillas tasted authentic but were quite thin, making them very messy. Finally, the pretzel chicken sando.

This sandwich was very different from the other items because it had an explosion of flavors, from the garlic aioli to the melted pepper jack cheese. The pretzel bun was nicely toasted and this sandwich would be great alternative to fast food.

Overall Rating:

AVOCADO TOAST:

Overall Rating:

If a

hipster is too lazy to leave their home to buy some hip new foods, you might see them munching on an odd combination of avocado on toast.

Garnished with pepper and sometimes cilantro, this food item has become a staple of the hipster and millennial diet. Upon biting into this open faced sandwich, one will notice a savory taste that gives a perfect combination of breakfast and Mexican food flavors.

Despite the great taste of the avocado toast, the texture is not very good. The crunchy texture of the toast does not

go hand-in-hand with the creamy and soft texture of the avocado itself. One other problem that comes up when eating avocado toast is messy, and the ratio of avocado to toast is out of place.

One might find themselves losing avocado, as a lot of avocado will fall off the toast. One other factor that brings down the rating of this do-it-yourself meal is the fact that avocados are expensive, and for such a simple meal, a hipster foodie might as well go out to eat.

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Horror Movie Review

Beware of Spoilers

HANNAH COLE

LAUREN PREHN

reporter spotlight.hannahcole@gmail.com

reporter spotlight.laurenprehn@gmail.com

A look into new and classic horror movies

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It

e all float down here. The movie “It” is a perfect combination of terror, friendship, and surprising comedy. The movie focuses on a group of seven kids who call themselves “The Losers Club” and Pennywise, the shapeshifting monster, who terrorizes them. There are plenty of jump-scares within the movie to keep the audience on the edge of their seat. However the movie was lacking in the chilling and suspenseful scenes that would typically make up a stirring hor-

o o o o o o o o o o ror movie. The blood and gore also certainly make this movie to some degree vile, but it didn’t overstep the “gross” boundaries. Other fantastic scenes incorporate a sense of friendship, which was extremely prominent in the final scenes when the children come together to defeat Pennywise. The child actors really helped these important scenes shine through. All of the actors were amazing and their performances were extremely realistic.

Overall, the highlights of the mov-

ie reside in the vulgar yet hilarious comments between the boys. By far the funniest scene was when Loser, Richie Tozier openly said some very inappropriate things to Pennywise in the midst of a dangerous situation. From the quick remarks and banter to the horror and gore and finally the sweet moments between the whole Loser’s Club, this movie perfectly tied every aspect of horror, gore and comedy. All of which what makes a great horror movie.

NightMare On Elm Street o o o o o o o o o o

ne, Two, Freddy’s coming for you.

Oa revolutionary “Nightmare on Elm Street” was horror movie for

its time. It is a classic that brought new effects and ideas to the horror genre. The movie centers around four teenagers who all magically have the same dream featuring the same man, Freddie Kruger. In this “dream world”, Freddie has the ability to kill his victims, which then kills them in real life. There were plenty of aspects that were attention-grabbing and scary. The

movie was intense and suspenseful, helping to keep the audience interested in the plot. There was also a decent amount of blood and gore but because of the limited resources and knowledge during that time, it wasn’t too realistic. However, one of the most terrifying and bloody scenes is when Glen, one of the teens, dramatically and very mysteriously dies. As Glen falls asleep and enters the dream world he gets dragged through his bed as blood explodes through it. There were

jump-scares but the few present were predictable. Finally the young stars dominated the movie with now famous actors such as Johnny Depp. With the exception of a few cringey screams and running, the actors portrayed their characters very realistically. Overall, while there were some now outdated effects, the supernatural aspects and attention-grabbing deaths kept the movie interesting.

Top types of horror movies at bv west Suspenseful Comical Gory Spooky

41% 33% 23% 3%

Poll taken on Oct. 18, 97 votes

Babadook

critically acclaimed movie Tliahis follows widowed mother Ameand her young, troubled son Samuel as they deal with a mysterious and threatening force living in their house. Samuel is obsessed with killing monsters from the stories he reads in order to protect his mom. One day, Amelia reads Samuel, “Mister Babadook”, a pop-up children’s book. Though it starts off like any other children’s story, Mister Babadook quickly turns violent,

Children of the Corn

hildren of the Corn” is yet an“C other classic horror movie. The 1984 film was also considered revolutionary, bringing new ideas to the big screen. The plot centers around a young couple who stumble into a town of kids who have killed all of the adults. The kids claim that they murdered everyone because “He Who Walks Behind the Rows”, an evil and mysterious force, told them to. Throughout the movie,

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o o o o o o o o o o sending Samuel into hysterics. Later, the Babadook materializes and begins to mess with Amelia’s head, making her say and do things completely out of character. Although “The Babadook” had its creepy and suspenseful moments, it was not nearly as scary as anticipated. There were multiple disappointing moments throughout the movie when a jump-scare was to be anticipated, but the scenes would repeatedly end abruptly when the built up ten-

sion was resolved in an unexciting way. An outstanding aspect of the movie was the performance child actor Noah Wiseman gave. His realistic and attention-grabbing performance was especially impressive due to the fact that he was only 6 years old when they began filming.

Overall, “The Babadook” had a good plot line, however, it was not scary or creepy enough to be considered a staple horror movie.

o o o o o o o o o o the couple runs around the town, set corn on fire and then leave. This movie could have used more terror and better effects. The effects were very unrealistic, even for 1984. The plot was slow, not incorporating the man behind the corn until later in the movie and the children actors were sub-par, yelling out their lines with no emotion. Rather than a horror movie with a scary yet cool supernatural force, it just seemed like

a group of really weird kids with monotone voices. However, there were some positive aspects. The beginning scene depicts the murder of the adults. The scene was very detailed and creepy, especially when they showed the children’s bloody yet seemingly happy faces. This movie nicely incorporated a few chilling aspects but overall needed a faster-paced plot to keep the audience’s attention.

Top-Grossing Horror Movies In The United States I Am Legend (2007) The Exorcist (1973) World War Z (2013) Get Out (2017) What Lies Beneath (2000)

0000000000000000 $256.39M ssssssssssssssss $232.91M 00000000000 $202.36M ssssssssss $175.48M 0000000 $155.46M *Data according to IMDb

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28 PHOTO ESSAY BVWNews.com

Beverly Fishman, Unititled (Kandyland #9)

THE NERMAN 10 Years In The Making, JCCC’s Modern Art Mueseum Is A Collection To Behold

Fred Tomaselli, A Cyclone of Paradise

RACHEL ZIMMERLI reporter spotlight.rachelzimmerli@gmail.com

Allison Schulnik, Skipping Skeletons

John Sonsini, Miguel

Nick Cave, Soundsuits

Waylande Gregory, Eve

Ebony G. Patterson, Untitled Lightz II

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Joey Watson, Ceremonial Drinking Cup

Anoton Henning, Interireur

Brad Kahlhammer, Eagle Fest USA

Do Ho Suh, Some-one

Kehinde Wiley, Alexander the Great

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30 COMIC

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JADEN DUDREY illustrator spotlight.jadendudrey@gmail.com

Photo courtesy of Pinterest.com

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INTERACTIVE 31 @BVWSpotlight

SPOOK-LIBS

First fill out the blank spaces below then insert them into the paragraph to create a personalized story.

BEHR KITTS

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Adjective: Adjective: Number: Adjective: Verb(ing): Noun:

reporter spotlight.behrkitts@gmail.com

7.

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Verb: Noun: Verb(ing): Location: Fast Food: Verb:

The ghost in the living room was and very . It took a total of souls that night. The ghost’s name was Frank. As the ghost was exploring an abandoned building it started throughout the entire staircase! Then out of nowhere a popped up and scared the ghost so badly that it began to so fast and hard to get away from this scary sight. The ghost had never experienced anything like this before and it reminded him of a time when he was playing with a and that’s where his habit of came to be. This incident happened at where the ghost ate a load of . This brought back bad memories to the ghost and it made him .

Bring completed interactive to Room 233 for a prize!

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