Spotlight - Blue Valley West High School by Spotlight

Volume 18 Issue 2

Blue Valley West

INSIDE

TRAFFIC..................PG. 4 A. COUSE..............PG. 7 NEW STAFF.......PG. 10 JPCO........................PG. 12 OPINION...............PG. 16

MASTHEAD LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

s we head into the new school A year, change seems to be the only constant. Whether it is the addition

of the mysterious phone signs on the sidewalks or our talented new teachers, new things are refreshing. Spotlight is enjoying the energy of a mostly new staff. Journalism is not easy, but they have willingly accepted the responsibility of delivering insightful and eyeopening stories. This is their first edition, and officially our first

edition as editors. We are optimistic for what 2018-199 will bring. A new school year provides a fresh start, and we have been working this summer to give the newspaper a new design that will define our time as editors. Hopefully you like it.

Your E.I.C’s,

Chelsea Park Jonah Park Lauren Prehn

Spotlight is printed at least six times per school year for BV West students and the community. Its goals are to inform, entertain and interpret through bylined articles, opinions and editorials, while providing an open forum of communication for the diverse student population. 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 matter 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.

ON THE COVER

ome students feel that their S learning styles are not accomodated by teachers. Students find it difficult to understand material, especially those who endure block-long lectures each day. The cover’s illustration features Sophomore Brenna Morrison studying a textbook, trying to understand multiple concepts at once. While some teachers rely heavily on lectures, others also incorporate more hands-on activities to get students more involved in the learning process. Turn to page 16 to read managing editor, junior Hannah Cole’s article about students’ and teachers’ opinions of the time spent together learning.

lue Valley West High School B 16200 Antioch Road Overland Park, Kan. 66085 913-239-3700 email: bvwspotlight@gmail.com Web: www.bvwnews.com Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram: @bvwspotlight

18-19 STAFF EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Chelsea Park Jonah Park Lauren Prehn MANAGING EDITOR Hannah Cole PHOTO EDITOR Rae Zimmerli ILLUSTRATOR Jaden Dudrey REPORTERS Kolbie Christensen Darrelyn Dollar Natalie Fiorella Kevin Glenn Kennedy Kramer Natalie Lindmark Ally Madden Brenna Morrison Kyler Murphy Kylie Peterson Nick Sisler Jaden Webster

IN THIS ISSUE NEWS

4...................Traffic Issue 6...................Technology

SPORTS

7...................Andrew Couse 8...................Managers

FEATURES

10...................New Teachers 12...................Assemblies 14...................April Ma

SATIRE

15...................Phone Signs

OPINION

16...................Education

A&E

18...................Meme Review 20..................Artists

PHOTO ESSAY

21...................State Fair

NEWS

DEAD END AT 2:50

DARRELYN DOLLAR

reporter

LOCKED.Staff and students alike expressed frustration at the installation of a new gate in the parking lot that blocks access to the north entrance. Historically, anyone could make a complete circle behind the building and leave through either exit. The gate allows only parents and busses the option of using the north exit during dismissal. For some students and staff this raises an inconvenience. It takes longer for some to use the south entrance with the traffic light at dismissal. Teachers who parked by the Performing Arts classrooms were inconvenienced the most “I had to retrain myself to go the other direction, but not a big issue for me,” teacher Brad Banning said. “It maybe adds a minute or two.” Whether the gate influenced their routine or not many asked the same question: Why? “I don’t understand why the gate’s there,” teacher Laurie VanderPol said.

Gate installation creates controversy and congestion

KYLER MURPHY

reporter

“Is it to prevent students from speeding down that way?” Principal Dr. Brett Potts cleared up the confusion and answered the commonly held question. “We put the gate out there for safety purposes,” Potts said. “We started having a problem, as you know, we’ve had to adjust traffic flow over the years to try to create a safe environment.” Since Potts began his tenure as principal, he has implemented several traffic flow changes in attempts to solve several issues. “Right now we have a parent loop that comes in the north entrance/ exit and there’s not a light there,” said Potts. “So it’s kind of a dangerous intersection. As the year went on last year, we starting having increasing numbers of issues with students that were coming around behind the school and mingling with that parent traffic and also interfering with bus dismissal, so the number one problem was we had students coming around behind and really driving fast.”

NEWS

Another problem that Potts sought to solve involved the busses and their ability to exit safely. “The problem that we had with busses is if they use that north entrance/exit, particularly at dismissal,” said Potts. “They bog everything down because it’s really hard for them to make a left-hand turn coming out of there and so when that big bus is stopped there wanting to make a turn with all that traffic, it blocks the vision of the other cars that are trying to get in and out of that spot because they’re so big.” Preventing accidents was Potts’ number one priority but he also understood the importance of respecting people’s time. “We’ve directed the busses around behind the building so you’ll notice that after school, they’ll always use the main entrance,” Potts said. “That’s also because it’s a safety factor for them so they don’t have to cross out of traffic.” Dealing with traffic problems since he started at BV West, Potts was running out of creative options. “We decided on the gate because, and this is with consulting with civil engineers, people that are very skilled at looking at traffic flow, we had too much volume at this most dangerous intersection and we needed to decrease the volume,” said Potts.

The most dangerous traffic concerns only occurred during dismissal. Drivers trickle in during arrival but the majority of students leave at 2:50 p.m. Avoiding the afternoon rush is why the gate is open during arrival. Shortly after school has started, a custodian or security officer closes the gate. There is no set time for when the gate reopens. “By putting this gate here we’re trading a little bit of time and convenience for some people because they might be able to get in and out a little bit quicker if that gate wasn’t there, for safety,” Potts said. “It’s an easy decision for me.”

NEWS

SOLVING CENSORSHIP

NATALIE LINDMARK reporter

Frustrated feedback from teachers solves Internet bans at school

JADEN WEBSTER reporter

hroughout most of the summer and into the beginning of the school year, students and staff members with MacIntosh computers were frustrated to find stern restrictions on fundamental websites. The Blue Valley School District was trying out a new filter, Securly, in preparation for the Power Up initiative that gives all secondary students their own computers. As all of the teachers

came online with Securly, bans were placed on YouTube and other videobased websites. The blocks stymied teachers until early September, when the district technical personnel finally understood the impact the ban was having on teaching. The bans had a larger effect on teachers because of how often videos were used as a teaching method. For weeks, in order for teachers to be allowed to use the videos they wanted, the address had to be sent to the district to be approved ahead of time. “The district blocked YouTube, Crash Course, and other major videos sources used throughout departments,” social studies teacher Ryan Copp said. “That caused quite the uproar and quite the frustration amongst many teachers district-wide.” The bans placed on various video sites forced secondary teachers throughout the district to rethink their class plans. “We felt, as teachers, we could use the videos to help us prove greater depth to our instruction,” Copp said. “When they were taken away it was quite the shock to the system considering many hours of planning had gone into providing good quality things for our students to grow with.”

Frustrated with the situation, teachers decided something needed to be done. “Our administration were great listeners and as multiple teams we were able to get it addressed,” Copp said. However, fixing the problem took concerted effort from teachers and administrators. Social studies teacher, Nick MacDonnell, wrote an email to the district expressing the concerns of many teachers regarding the bans. His big concerns included time, changes, flexibility and censorship. “Sometimes I get a video ten minutes before class and that will be enough time for me to watch it and say ‘this is perfect,’ I’m going to use this in class but I have to send it in have someone approve it and then come back. It takes away the opportunity to change things,” said MacDonnell. “There’s a general question of censorship too that I think arises when anything comes up with the idea of teachers being professionals yet not being allowed to show what they think is appropriate in the classroom. There were some videos that had been shown for years by teachers that were actually submitted and denied by the viewing group,” Thanks to the efforts of passionate teachers and understanding administrators, the ban was reevaluated, allowing teachers to again freely utilize the Internet to teach.

AN UNEXPECTED RETURN

SPORTS

Senior Andrew Couse makes the varsity team after a 4 year break from soccer

CHELSEA PARK editor-in-chief

t’s not uncommon for athletes to take short breaks from their sport throughout their athletic careers. Injuries and busy schedules get in the way, off seasons occur, and rest is needed. But it is unusual for athletes to return to a sport at a high level after 4 years of stepping away from it. For senior Andrew Couse, this anomaly is his reality. Couse last played soccer competitively when he was in eighth grade. Although, he enjoyed the game, he gave it up to more thoroughly pursue baseball. "In 8th grade I felt like soccer was a really fun gamew," Couse said. "But baseball got competitive, so I had to drop [soccer]." Going into his senior year of high school, he wanted to find a new activity to join alongside baseball. “I was thinking about something extra I could do [as a] senior” Couse said. “Originally I was thinking about joining cross country, but then Tommy Sulentic reached out to me and asked me if I wanted to join soccer because [one] goalie tore his ACL and their other goalie decided to transfer to another school.” After tryouts, Couse received the news that he made the varsity soccer team as the goalie. While rewarding, making the varsity team after 4 years away from soccer has also come with its challenges. “I am a little frustrated with where I am at right now [in soccer], so I’m just working to get better”

Couse said. Couse works to find a balance between the two sports, scheduling

“

Anything’s worth a shot and if you give it all you got, then you know you’ll be happy at the end

SENIOR ANDREW COUSE off season baseball workouts around his soccer practices and games Though Couse favors baseball over soccer after being committed to it for 14 years vs his 10 years of experience in soccer, he recognizes the importance of both sports. “I have always prefered baseball over soccer, but now that I’m

getting back into it, my perspective has changed in a way that I value friendships outside of the sport” Couse said. “And having this [friendship] brings a lot into the sport (soccer) having that kind of chemistry between each other.” Making this decision may intimidate some. However, Couse encourage others to pursue their interests. “If you ever want to do something, go for it, or else later in life you might look back on it and regret it,” Couse said.

SPORTS

SPORTS MANA G ERS:

The humble helpers of high school sports

JONAH PARK editor-in-chief

BRENNA MORRISON reporter

very touchdown, three-pointer, and assist is recorded by student managers. Junior David Brown had 260 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the first football game against Mill Valley. Reporting statistics like these would be impossible without the careful recording by team managers. They fill water bottles and assist coaches so the players can focus on their game or practice. “I’ve been coaching for a long time and there’s no way I could run the program as well as I do at BV West,” physics teacher and girls basketball coach Rick Strecker said. “They take care of a lot of details from doing video for games to taking statistics, also managing our website. They’re very valuable in our program.” Senior Jack Tenbrink takes pride in his managing job, helping both the girls basketball and softball teams. He has been managing the girls basketball team since he was a freshman, and the softball team since he was a sophomore. “I feel like my job for the team is that they can focus on the game

and I take care of everything else,” Tenbrink said. “They don’t have to worry about bringing their water every day, they don’t have to worry about getting the equipment out because I’ll do that for them.” Senior Marissa Popoola and sophomore Emma Montgomery are managers for the boys soccer team. Both girls play soccer for Coach Alex Aiman as well, creating a relationship for them to become managers. “My connection with the team has gotten a lot better,” Papoola said. “They’re so dedicated to soccer and they have a really great relationship and it’s like a family. Boys and girls soccer have been together for four years so it becomes a family and becomes almost like a tradition. It’s really nice.” Even though the managers are required to perform the small tasks, and some may be counting their time on the sidelines as community service hours, they have fun doing it. “Yeah, I do enjoy it,” Montgomery said. “I don’t have to go everyday,

about four times a week including games, but I try to go as much as I can because it’s fun.” Popoola’s position as both a player during her spring season and a manager during the boys season in the fall gives her a unique perspective. “The one thing I’ve learned from other soccer managers is taking time to appreciate things more and be more dedicated,” Popoola said. “The boys really appreciate every minute they have on the field and every minute we are spending getting water and stuff like that. I’ve just learned to be more thankful.” Tenbrink has also learned from his experience as a manager. He has taken skills from his managerial jobs and applied them to everyday life. “I’d say I learned how to manage my time,” Tenbrink said. “Even though I’m not playing the sport, I have to manage my time just as much as those playing the sport. I’ve learned time management from it. I’ve learned how to talk to people too.”

Managers are imperative for the team’s success, and the athletes and coaches recognize their contributions. “I really appreciate the managers and everything they do for us,” senior soccer player Evan Stout said. “They are always out with us everyday at practice helping our coaches set up and perform drills, they help to get us water and other necessary equipment at both games and practices, and they are super friendly. I doubt we could function very well without them.” For Strecker, Tenbrink has a similar value for his team. Tenbrink has spent the past three years managing the girls basketball team, and plans to continue in his fourth, making him a valuable asset to girls basketball. “In many ways, Jack’s

irreplaceable from his personality and his role on the team,” Strecker said. “But Jack also realizes that he can be very valuable to us in the future if he helps to train somebody and get people used to things he takes care of in a game while he’s still here this year.” Because Tenbrink is a senior, this will be his last year as a manager. “We would all like Jack to come back for a fifth year but we haven’t figured out how to fail him in all his classes yet,” Strecker said. Whether they know it or not, managers are a crucial part to the teams that have them at BV West. Although they are not recognized with the rest of the team in assemblies or announcements, athletes and coaches know they would not be able to do their job without them. As the boys varsity soccer team walks off the field after a 4-3 win against Blue Valley on Aug. 24, the managers record passes, assists and scores while also providing encouragement. Photo by Anna Parry As alum Brooke Landsford stares down a Blue Valley player on Jan. 25, then junior, manager Jack Tenbrink looks on waiting to record a play. The Jags went on to beat BV for the first time. Photo by Safa Anjum

SPORTS

Q&A with

JACK TENBRINK

Q: How did you get into managing?

“For girls basketball, it really started when they needed someone. I wanted to try something new because I was a freshman. I tried it out and ended up loving it.”

Q: What

have you learned about others through managing?

A: “I learned a lot about people

in their different personalities out of school. When you hit a different sport they change a little bit.”

Do you think managers receive recognition for what they do?

“I feel I have [received adequate recognition]. I mean, the focus should be on the team. I don’t really feel that I need much recognition for what I’m doing. The team does say thank you and recognize what I am doing for them.”

FEATURE

In With the New Staff additions offer new perspectives and talents

DEREK HOWARD HEALTH AND PE

What is your favorite thing about BV West?

“The traffic flow system of the parking lot.” What is a fun fact about you?

“Dr. Potts introduced me to my wife. She is the best person I know. I am forever grateful.”

PAIGE LANKFORD

US AND WORLD HISTORY What is your favorite part about BV West? “The whole community. All the teachers said it truly is a family, and I’ve already seen that.” What is a fun fact about you? “I am living with my parents.”

LAUREN PREHN editor-in-chief

NATASHA JANOUSEK

ALGEBRA What is your favorite part about BV West? “I like everybody’s work ethic. Everybody is willing to work on whatever I ask them to work on.” What is a fun fact about you? “I am married but I haven’t had my wedding yet. My name has changed, but the wedding is not until October.”

CHRIS OREL

MARKETING AND SOFTWARE What is your favorite part about BV West? “The diversity in the student population and in the faculty and staff. It brings a greater appreciation to what we do everyday.” What is a fun fact about you? “I dream that I’m going to build a log cabin in Colorado someday.”

FEATURE

JOE ALLISON

PE AND TEAM SPORTS What is your favorite part about BV West? “My favorite part about BV West is the students and their passion to succeed. I am impressed by the work ethic, self-motivation and determination that students put forth.” What is a fun fact about you? “I collect bobbleheads. I currently own 68 bobbleheads and have several new ones lined up to purchase.”

SANDY ESPITIA

SPANISH

What is your favorite part about BV West? “I get to see my former students and I see how much they have grown academically and language-wise.” What is a fun fact about you? “I am Colombian, I love teach, and that nobody is going to stop me.”

TUCKER BURTON CHEMISTRY

What is your favorite part about BV West? “I appreciate how caring [faculty, staff and students] are about the work that they are doing.” What is a fun fact about you? “I hiked the entire Appalachian Trail back in 2001. It took 5 months.”

MARIE HOEVEN

US AND WORLD HISTORY What is your favorite part about BV West? “The people. I was told it is a family and it is very much a welcoming, sincerely supportive environment.” What is a fun fact about you? “I make a good pie with a homemade crust.”

Read more about new staff here:

FEATURE

E D I PR

P UTTING IN JPCO

Photo by Maria Kershaw

Assembly preparation and other roles of the group explained do KOLBIE CHRISTIENSEN ALLY MADDEN reporter

reporter

he energy is high, the lights are low and the music is loud as students file into their class section. Each of the year’s eight assemblies have their own mood. The Kick-off Assembly is all about energy, Homecoming and Sweetheart are more about tradition, and the recognition assemblies have Jaguars in awe of athletic and academic achievement. The one thing that stays consistent is the anticipation for what might happen. That is where the Jaguar Pride Coalition comes in. JPCo is made up of a select group of juniors and seniors who are passionate about promoting Jaguar activities, sports and leadership. They put together the spirit assemblies and help organize the themes for Spirit Weeks and dances with Student Council. JPCo started in 2010 when teacher Dr. Laura Restivo proposed an idea to former principal Tony Lake. The West family was splitting with the opening of BV Southwest that fall. Students had the opportunity to select which school they wanted to

attend and several staff members left BV West for new opportunities. “When a school splits, it’s an opportunity for the school that is left to redefine itself, to reinvigorate, to get pumped up about the choice to stay at West,” Restivo said. “So we developed JPCo with the idea that it would be a group of student leaders [that] would promote school spirit, establish and maintain tradition, and build a positive school culture.” That first group of JPCo members attended games and performances collectively, started planning contests at assemblies, and helped create a vision for what kind of school BV West would be. “I think for me it’s less than a group of student leaders doing goofy things in assemblies and more [of] just a group of people who are there to lift you up and propel you further into your leadership experience,” senior Jacob Stenslie said. “And so we go through hardships but we always come back at the end of the day to resolve it and that’s my favorite thing.” The effort and preparation that

is done by JPCo members to plan assemblies is significant. Between coming up with ideas that students will enjoy, to actually talking in front of your teachers and peers or performing a skit during an assembly, hours of script writing and rehearsal have occurred. “At the beginning, it’s just all of us kind of shoot out ideas, it’s kind of a like a really big socratic seminar,” Stenslie said. After the initial brainstorm, the group is divided into smaller committees where they discuss different skits and ideas. JPCo also considers the purpose of the assembly when deciding on what and how things will be done. “The first thing is to get an outline of what you want to do,” senior Madi Messenger said. “If it’s a pep assembly, what kind of game do you want to play, or do you want to do a skit, or if it’s State recognition you have to talk to the coaches [to] see what they want and you have to make it interactive.”

After an outline of the script is formed, the group continues to make corrections and edits until the script is done. One of the hardest things is making sure that all of the jokes and skits are enjoyable for everyone and not offensive. Assistant principal Bryan Brutto is consulted as well. The group’s goal is to have the final assembly script finished a month in advanced, however, that is not always the case. The homecoming assembly was created in only two weeks, others take months. “For the first assembly of this year they started to plan it in June to get it approved and ready to go,” Restivo said. The final rehearsal is performed one to two days before the day of an assembly. Members work through the script as though it is an actual assembly with an audience. “Normally we run through it twice and during JAG if we have a game or skit,” junior Will Hudler

said. “The people in said skit would come in and we would make some final touches.” While everyone in JPCo has leadership skills and capabilities, some students have more experience. Second year JPCo members are called “Prowlers.” They help guide juniors and first year seniors. JPCo members can attest that the group is about more than just setting up assemblies. They are very close and embrace the community created in Room 152. “The whole family aspect, that’s the number one thing that we push [for] at West [in] JPCo,” Messenger said. “But it really is true, when you come into a class and have it three times a week, seventh block with everyone and go to two plus events a week and have bonding and do all of this stuff, you’re with that group more than I am with my family most of the time.“ JPCo is an important part of the school dynamic.

FEATURE

JPCo 9.0 Abby Barrick David Brown Morgan Caviar Ben Coates AJ Elleman Maggie Gormley Will Hudler Libby Johnson Greta Jorgenson Cap Kelly Peyton Kennedy Elle Kopishke Jack Mahony Will Martin Madi Messenger Kennedy Rowe Will Rymer Jackson Schaffer Ellie Scram Peyton Schram Cora Sorensen Omar Stanley Jacob Stenslie Tommy Sulentic Jack Tenbrink Robert Viazzoli Izzy Watkins

Photo by Lydia Berutti

Top: Performing the drum chant, seniors Tommy Sulentic and Jack Mahony open the Homecoming assembly on Sept. 14.

Bottom left: Introducing a group at the Homecoming assembly on Sept. 14, senior Madi Messenger addresses the crowd.

Bottom right: One of the highlights of

the Homecoming assembly was the “dance skit.” Juniors David Brown and Kennedy Rowe demonstrate how upperclassmen dance.

Photo by Emma Wallace

Photo by Leely Woods

FEATURE

TAKING ACTION: Senior April Ma speaks out against gun violence NATALIE FIORELLA reporter

he shooting at Parkland High School in February last school year drove students around the country to take action against gun violence, including Blue Valley West Senior April Ma. This August, Ma wrote an oped for Teen Vogue, sharing that she’s always known the deadly consequences of hatred and guns. However, it wasn’t until she saw the students from the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Doughlas High School in Parkland, Florida that made her take action to promote gun reform and safety that she felt she had to contribute to the cause as well. “They’re doing the same things as me, they’re just like me but they’ve actually done something, like starting March for Our Lives and talking to politicians,” Ma said. “Which makes me feel powerful, it makes people, especially students, feel like they’re able to do something.” Inspired by all of the action around her, Ma started a Johnson County, Kansas, chapter of Students Demand Action. “Students Demand Action is kind of an offshoot off of the March For Our Lives movement,” Ma said. “It’s specifically a subset under Everytown for Gun Safety, which is an organization dedicated to gun violence prevention.” Finding people to join Students Demand Action was a little difficult at first. “It’s mostly getting people who are interested that want to get involved, not just someone who tweets out a hashtag or retweets something,” Ma said. “But there are a lot of people who do want to get involved.”

The Johnson County and Kansas City chapter is currently planning to assemble debates with candidates running for different positions in the upcoming midterms this November. “We’re working on organizing a mayoral candidate debate in the winter time,” Ma said. “Possibly organizing a debate with Sharice Davids, Chris Clemmens, and Kevin Yoder, who are the candidates for the Third Congressional District of Kansas.” Ma explains how Everytown, the group that Students Demand Action is organized under, offers various opportunities for students to get involved. “You don’t have to join our chapter or anything but if you go to their

Ma speaking at the walkout in March last year. Photo by Safa Anjum

website, it’s really easy to register to get things like text alerts from them. On the site, you can sign up to work on voter registration drives through it,” Ma said. “You can volunteer for a candidate you like too.” Ma’s involvement in Students Demand Action has made her feel more optimistic for the future. “I feel more hopeful because nowadays you see everyone telling people to vote and you feel almost left out when you’re not apart of things like this,” Ma said. Despite Ma feeling hopeful for the future, she knows the reality is that change takes time and until then gun violence will continue to be a problem. “In terms of other things I’m fearful of the future,” Ma said. “Right as school started we saw some It’s like a cycle and we keep yelling about it but nothing’s happening.” Ma believes that change can happen with gun reform if more people go out and vote for candidates that support gun safety legislation.

of the day, rt a p s u ro e g n a t is the most d

it h g u o r h t t e g o t w o h w o n k o t t n its importa

The parking lo

SATIRE

E V I L A L O O H C S F O T U O T I E K A

S E I M M U D l

FOR

HOW TO M

KEVIN GLENN

reporter

RACHEL ZIMMERLI photo editor

A REFERENCE FOR THE REST OF US!

OPINION

AN EDUCATION ISSUE

The effects and issues of an increasingly uniform education system HANNAH COLE managing editor

tep by step, my feet bring me closer to class as my mind longs to be elsewhere. Breathing in and out, I mentally prepare for the exhaustion I will face today. I take my seat. Tapping my pencil up and down, a test is placed in front of me. Staring down at the clean sheet, I’m frozen with indecision trying to decide where to begin, meanwhile other students appear to work through the questions with ease. Accepting defeat, my mind wanders. How does everyone else know so much? I hear the timer’s slow tick just as the ringer echoes throughout the silent room. Maybe, I’m just not smart. American education is prescribed within a strict set of rules. Teachers follow a required teaching method and students are expected to understand each concept. If only that actually worked. The majority of students, learn in diverse and unique ways. We do not all understand a concept after a single lecture. Yet, when we don’t we question our own ability. Teachers and administrators cannot expect students to thrive in an education system that does not coincide with how they learn. This issue only gets worse as students move through grade levels and begin to enroll in increasingly difficult courses. Ironically, teachers of advanced courses are often the

most rigid in their teaching having two expectations for their students: listen to the lecture and take notes. While that methodology may work for some students, most feel bored, confused and unsure of themselves. Suddenly, a “successful” students finds it difficult to understand the material. Some teachers are unwilling to adjust their methods, often arguing that they are preparing us for colleges professors that operate solely on lecturing and note-taking. “I don’t like teachers that spout facts at us,” junior Lindsay Meyer said. “I lose interest easily and can’t understand what the teachers are saying.” Students are often forced to deal with being talked at for seven hours a day, five days a week. Anyone can reach a breaking point where it becomes difficult to pay attention to content and stay interested. “School feels boring, when it’s just lectures,” Meyer said. “It’s really easy for me to lose interest in class or in a subject when a teacher is just reading bullets off of a Powerpoint. I wish there was more of a variety in what we did every day at school so that I could feel interested and in turn understand the subjects being taught better.” Adding to the overwhelming stress of learning volumes of information in a tired delivery

format, our work of solving math problems or writing English essays must be completed in particular formats. Students are required to do assignments, not in a way that suits or benefits them, but by teacher standards that are personality driven. Some students don’t understand, or don’t feel comfortable adopting this “standard method” and are docked points for attempting to navigate their own way. “Since I started middle school, I have had a problem where my learning cannot be recognized,” Meyer said. “For example in math, I’d find shortcuts around problems and teachers would say ‘oh that’s so smart, but you just can’t do it that way.’” Intelligent, insightful students are being penalized for being creative. Instead of denouncing a student’s unique process, teachers should recognize the student’s effort and try to understand the level of their analysis. “I would love to see some change in education, so that more learning methods can be acknowledged” Meyers said. “I would like to see schools encourage creativity in learning, and make strict grading more personalized and adaptable for each person.”

Do you feel your learning style is being recognized and accommodated by teachers?

OPINION

Yes: 24% No: 35%

“

Teachers rarely seem to grasp that a student’s input on an issue is often just as important as an adults. Certainly, not all teachers are set in their methods to the detriment of their students. Teacher Karen Tritt works actively working to improve the delivery of education. Instead of attempting to make her job easier by following one plan, she frequently changes and adapts curriculum to lead students to success. “In Spanish, we look at students and what they can do with language, rather than how well they play the game of school.” Tritt said. “It is about how proficient they are with language, it isn’t about how well you can fill in the blanks of a worksheet anymore.” The goal of education should be to expand the window of success instead of closing it. This expansion can be accomplished by providing formative practice to students, improving their learning before they are assessed on an exam. Tritt further explained that formative exercises and homework assignments leave room for mistakes and errors without it affecting a students grade. Stress levels are reduced, and students can navigate their way through the class, discovering the best methods for them without fear of being penalized. Practicing a concept in a

Somewhat: 41%

We are going to go out at the end of the unit and we are going to measure where you are proficiency wise. TEACHER KAREN TRITT

method that helps the student means that end of unit exams are less stressful and easier on the student. Moreover, Tritt strives to make each class interesting and beneficial for each of her students. She often includes various activities, games and interactive ways of learning to capture the students’ attention by minimizing the amount of time spent lecturing. “I have to tell you I’m embarrassed by how I used to teach. The kids who had good grades were the ones who could play the game of school, they were not the ones who could speak Spanish the best.” Tritt said. “I have

Poll conducted on Twitter, Sep. 20th

come a full 180 from where I was, even from just 10 years ago. It’s now so focused on building people who can communicate.” Tritt has championed StandardBased Grading Systems and interactive teaching methods. She believes these new methods have shown significant positive change in her students over the years, supporting the claim that different methods of teaching or grading can impact students. School can and should be taught in diverse ways to increase success. The Blue Valley School District and Principal Dr. Brett Potts acknowledge these issues and provide teachers, experienced and new, with empirical research and professional development showing teachers the positive impact new methods have on student learning, engagement and academic confidence. The district is offering a Design Camp on Oct. 6 where teachers can “re-envision learning.” That’s wonderful. Until every teacher and administrator accepts that the time for change is now, students will continue to suffer through boring lectures and frustrating results.

A&E

MEME REVIEW A review of the most recent and popular memes NICK BARTLEY reporter KENNEDY KRAMER

reporter

emes are the forefront of today’s teen generation. From “Pepe the Frog” to

“Somebody toucha my spaghet,” memes are a common conversation starter for adolescents. Looking

for some quality spicy memes? This is the right page.

GRUMPY CAT classic. This grumpy kitty was Aname too good to be ignored. Her real being Tardar Sauce, the cat’s mean expression is caused by an under bite and feline dwarfism. Her fame started the year she was born in 2012. In the cat’s wise words,

“May your tears give us strength.” Ah, so many reasons to be grumpy, so little time. It’s hard to hate this little creature no matter how much it supposedly hates you, he’s just so adorable. students’ 11% of favorite meme

Grumpy Cat: knowyourmeme.com

Overall Rating:

MARK ZUCKERBERG sn’t it sad that the majority of Iname FaceBook users don’t know the of Mark Zuckerberg? Or even that he may or may not be a human being that invented the platform? The man’s incredible, from his speeches to the beautiful way he drinks water. Mark truly deserves his spot in this meme rundown. Mark Zuckerberg x Water: reddit.com

Overall Rating:

The exact origin of his memes are unknown, but believed to be around the year of 2004 when FB made its debut. This is memorable because of his most popular one indicating that not only was he possibly mishandling data, but also mishandling how to drink water like a normal human. students’ 15% of favorite meme

JOHNY JOHNY YES PAPA he story of a creepy little boy Tstarted being scolded for eating sugar up on YouTube in 2009, but only recently became a popular meme. The equally creepy father goes through everyday life chastising his son for hiding the

A&E

sweet substance. That’s it. That’s all it’s about. The nursery rhyme itself isn’t that funny, but the memes people make for it make hiding sugar eating hysterical. Open your mouth! Ha ha ha! students’ 19% of favorite meme

Johny Johny Yes Papa Meme: www.thisisinsider.com

Overall Rating:

SKYRIM 100

n the video game Skyrim, a leveling Iproficiency system demonstrates a character’s in a skill. In the meme world, however, it is paired with hilarious pictures to depict the irony of daily occurrences. Some of these skills include destruction,onehanded, speech, restoration, and

sneak, as seen to the left. This is a universal meme that is applicable to almost all situations and can make practically any event humorous.

students’ 26% of favorite meme

Sneak 100: knowyourmeme.com

Overall Rating:

FLEX TAPE

eed to repair the hole in N your soul? Flex Tape! Broken relationships? Flex Tape! Did you happen to maniacally saw a boat in half? Phil Swift here with Flex Tape. That’s a lot of damage. Since 2017 when the original commercial first aired, there’s been several products

Flex Tape:spoonfeedz.com

Overall Rating:

like seal, paint, and glue released. To show everyone the power of flex tape, it just fixed yo ur grades! Just kidding, it doesn’t work like that unfortunately. The most popular meme in the conducted poll, it will continue to be a classic, always there to fix your problems. of students’ favorite meme

29%

A&E

SHOW OF HANDS

Hand by Lily Madden

KILEY PETERSON reporter

Faces by Lily Madden Instagram: @liliangailua

Artists sell works for profit and exposure

ore than half a million people attended the Plaza Art Fair in Kansas City last weekend. The least expensive pieces cost less than $50, the most expensive more than $5000. While there are many talented artists, very few are able to sell their work. Being a young artist can be hard, but in the end, it pays off for those with talent and perseverance. Senior Lily Madden and junior Kate Lewis seem to have both. “Artists have almost a duty to make beautiful things that people can enjoy,” art teacher Debra Waldorf said. “It helps us all feel better and if your work is something that pleases someone else, by all means, you should get after it.” There are many factors that play into artists selling their work. Madden and Lewis have unique stories about their paths to financial gain from their works. “I started painting like a month or two ago, but I have been drawing and doing a lot of artistic things since I was younger.” Madden said. Actively involved in the art program, Madden got the inspiration to sell her work from her mom, who is a freelance artist. Madden specializes in drawing and painting faces. “I draw faces because I think it portrays emotion really well, and it’s hard for me to get a point across when I draw something like a field,” Madden said. Because of the emotion she pours into her pieces, Madden says that sometimes it can be hard to give away something you have worked very hard on, even if someone is paying you. “The idea of me creating something from my head and then it being in

someone else’s home, I think is really cool.” Madden said. Like Madden, Lewis found encouragement to sell her work from her mom. “I actually just recently started to sell my own work,” Lewis said. “My mom encouraged me to do it this summer, because she wanted me to make like a gift for her friend, it’s kind of just kicking off now.” Artists sell their work for a number of reasons. Often they’ll give up a piece to please someone else, or to make a profit off. Selling artwork is a job and takes time, however, Madden and Lewis agreed that the main focus is the way that it makes other people feel. “It’s really encouraging,” Lewis said. “You get to send your art away and see that other people like it as much as you do.” Neither Madden or Lewis, grew up thinking they were talented artists. Both took the time to find their passions. “I started with Drawing One and I thought I would really like drawing the most throughout high school, but then I did painting over my sophomore year summer and then I really liked that more,” Lewis said. According to Waldorf, deciding to put your work up for sale depends on when the artist feels comfortable and confident enough in themselves. “There is no age, there is no age limit on either end,” Waldorf said. Madden and Lewis are pursuing their passion while making a profit and gaining notoriety. Both artists use their work to express their emotions while creating beauty that other people can enjoy.

Animals by Kate Lewis

Kansas

STATE FAIR

PHOTO ESSAY

RACHEL ZIMMERLI photo editor

Spotlight reporters attended the fair to report on happenings in our state

Taking the reigns. Karen Kapp-Vance, number 287, stands with her paint horse, Felicia, while preparing for the competition. Other competitors stand nearby, waiting for their turn to compete Sept. 12..

Posing with monarch butterflies they met at the Butterfly Experience, two friends feed the insects with paint sponges on Sept. 12. Volunteer Laicey Damiano and others soak in the brushes in sugar water.

Carving out a career, Glen Keenan sculpts a bear out of a log of wood with a chain saw for an audience of fair patrons.

COMIC

JADEN DUDREY illustrator

QUOTE THE Complete the puzzle then come to room 233 for a prize!

Across

INTERACTIVE

INE

Down

2. Road work ahead?

1. Go to Del Taco for some

3. I almost dropped my ______

4. The distance between two bros chilling in a hot tub

6. I wanna be a cowboy ______ 7. Something that flew around my room 8. A place in Orlando that you couldn't last a day in

5. Where did you get all these bumps, you got _____

Blue Valley West Spotlight 16200 Antioch Road Overland Park, Kan. 66085

US Postage Stamp Here

bvwspotlight@gmail.com Web: www.bvwnews.com Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram: @bvwspotlight

Photog Favs

Photojournalists have taken almost 50,000 photos already this year. Thanks for making it fun. Room 233

Photos by Gabi Alexander, Zoey Greenberg, Maria Kershaw, Chloe Spencer, Macy Saulsbury