2015 Febuary Patriot by SMS Patriot

THE

PATRIOT FEBRUARY 2015

family portrait

Students in the foster care system face unique challenges and life experiences, Page 17

Vol. 49 Issue 6 Shawnee Mission South 5800 W. 107 St, OP, KS 66207 (913) 993-7500

CONTENTS Raider Researchers Page 6

Blue Coat Pa g e 4

Staff Editorial Page 11

Stats Page 8 Blackout Dance Page 7

Mary Poppins Page 5

Couples After Graduation Page 16

LGBT Dating Page 13 The Debate Page 12

Teenage Dream Page 10

Cover Story Page 17

WPA Crowning Page 15

ON THE COVER Some students in the foster care system do not see their past as a burden, but as a way to potentially help others going through the same circumstances. “Honestly, if someone is in the same situation that I used to be in, I’d want them to know that I’ve been in the same situation and that I’m there for them,” freshman Camii Dowels said. PHOTO BY JENNA FACKRELL

MISSION STATEMENT The Patriot is a news magazine that aims to objectively present topics affecting Shawnee Mission South High School, as well as connect with readers on issues concerning the student body. Staff members reserve the right to express their views in the Opinions section. These pieces are labeled and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the staff as a whole, except the Lead Editorial, which represents the views of the editors. Under the First Amendment and Kansas Law, The Patriot staff is entitled to freedom of the press and neither the school nor district is responsible for any content or coverage. The staff encourages letters to the editor, but they will only be published if signed. The editor-in-chief reserves the right to refuse or edit any letters for reasons of grammar, length and good taste. Letters can be sent to Room 195 or e-mailed to patrioteditors@gmail.com.

Feb. 2015 table of contents

Date Night Page 25

Q&A Page 20

Sports Space Page 29

Oscar Nominations Page 27

The Final Say Page 23 Twiter Photo Contest Page 22

Reviews Page 26

Dressed to Impress Page 24

Raider Renovation Page 30

Basketball Season Summary Page 28

MEET THE STAFF Rola Alasmar Editor-in-Chief Opinion Editor

Emily Wilkinson Asst. Editor-in-Chief Web Editor

Rose Pollina News Editor Infographics Editor

Lauren Rosenstock Sports Editor Social Media Manager

Nanae Urano A&E Editor

Amelia Holcomb Ads Editor

Autumn Mock Features Editor

Regina Yan Copy Editor

Jenna Fackrell Photo Editor

Arturo Sanchez-Vera Photographer

Katie Imes Photographer

Savannah Morgan Photographer

Rachel Larberg Writer

Kate Anderson Writer

Andrea Smith Writer

Sophia Belshe Writer

Avery Dorsey Writer

Kendall Barker Writer

Julie Fales Adviser

table of contents

Feb. 2015

“WHAT THE TECH?!” Photo ILLUSTRATIONS by JENNA FACKRELL

Laptops frustrate students.

he Blue Coat Web Security Service that each of South’s students can find on their MacBooks provides web security as well as protection against web-borne threats. Blue Coat was installed to protect students’ computers, but in recent months, a number of Blue Coat-related complications have plagued the district laptops. So far this semester, students have flocked to the library seeking help from Apple Core, a group of students trained to help with the new technology this year. “We’ve had about 13 people in one day,” said sophomore Apple Core member Gabreyele Green. While Apple Core members have helped countless students so far this year, they are not the responsible party for handling the source of the Blue Coat problems. “Most of it we can’t actually fix ourselves. We just tell people what signs they have to look out for when they don’t know if their internet’s connecting or not because if it is an actual internet connection issue, we can’t always fix that, but we can help students figure out why it may not be running,” said senior Apple Core member Michelle Chan. Students and teachers who have questions regarding Blue Coat and internet connectivity might usually ask Garrett Schmidt, the building analyst, but Schmidt, as well as the building analysts from all the other schools, have been asked to direct all such questions to Drew Lane, the Executive Director of Information and Communication Technologies for the Shawnee Mission School District. “Blue Coat is actually a vendor

Feb. 2015

news

that produces products for network security and Internet content filtering among other things,” Lane said. “We use a couple of different products from Blue Coat. It’s their cloud based content filtering solution that has been the most prominent in recent weeks. The school district is required by federal and state law to apply content filtering to Internet connections accessed by our students.” Throughout the first semester of the school year, there were relatively few issues with internet connectivity. After winter break, however, the problem took its full form. “We’re not precisely sure exactly what changed over break. That’s proprietary knowledge that belongs to Blue Coat. However, we were able to have a team from Blue Coat come to our district and help us troubleshoot the problems we were having. They worked with us and their own engineers to identify the problems we were having and fix them,” Lane said. Fortunately, Lane and the team from Blue Coat seem to have been successful as fewer students and staff are experiencing difficulties with connecting to the internet. “While we are confident that we have the issues from winter break cleared up at this time, we’re always watching for additional problems that might crop up,” Lane said. “The best thing students can do is help keep us informed. Students can do this by reporting issues to teachers, building administrators, or members of the student tech crew. Additionally, my department has a Twitter account, @SMSDTechTeam, that I use to Tweet out breaking news about tech issues we’re having as well as other Tweets about technology topics in general.” KENDALL BARKER

MARY POPPINS T POPS IN h e t h e a t e r department will be the first high school in the Midwest to perform the Broadway Musical Mary Poppins. Tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium is the third performance. Students get in for free with a South student ID. Tickets are $10 for non-students. Junior Rose Smithson plays Mary Poppins. “It’s an amazing experience. I didn’t expect to get the part and having the first Mary Poppins role in the Midwest as a high schooler is pretty awesome,” Smithson said. Theater teacher Mark Swezey has directed shows like this before, but everything is magnified in this production: the dancing, costumes and special effects. “On the scales of musicals, it’s right up there. I think there’s just something about knowing you’re the first school to do it [Mary Poppins] is exciting,” Swezey said. Just like last year’s play, “Peter Pan,” some people will be flying, mainly Mary Poppins. “She has the power to fly. It’s all very magical, and a lot more spiritual than any other show we’ve done. I feel like it’s more spiritual in that you learn life lessons and empathy. ‘Feed the Birds’ and ‘Spoonful of Sugar’ is about finding the good in everything in life,” Smithson said. Not all the roles are played by high school students. The

Freshman Erin Viets, juniors Teah Nguyen, Rose Smithson, seniors Zach Russel and Gavin Carter in dress roles rehearsal for Mary Poppins. of the two photo by Katie Imes kids who Mary Poppins comes to nanny are middle schoolers David Porkorny as Michael Banks and Riley Donnelly as Jane Banks. “The kids are great. David worked with us as Theo in Pippin and he is just a bundle of energy. I love him to death and Riley is really sweet. They’ve developed as great actors. I see big things in their future,” sophomore Zach Greer, who plays Bert, said. Because it’s a Disney show, Mary Poppins is receiving more publicity. “Mary Poppins is a show that everybody knows. You can go to any country in the world and ask them, and chances are they will know who Mary Poppins is,” Greer said. ANDREA SMITH

ACADEMIC QUESTS AND TESTS Academic World Quest juniors and seniors prepare for the state competition.

our students huddle around a set of questions, deliberating amongst themselves about the global economy and Eurasia. Discussions about foreign policy and global employment trends spread throughout the room, and arguments about millennium goals and transnational issues dominate the dialogue. No, this is not a conference between the United Nations, this is Academic WorldQuest. Academic WorldQuest is a nationwide competition sponsored by the International Relations Council. Each year, over 4,000 students read materials covering a broad range of topics such as “The Future of Energy” or “Human Trafficking.” The competition is a 10-round event that includes tests with questions from news articles, web pages and a “Great Decision” book. “I really like reading the news, and Academic WorldQuest incorporates that into their competition,” junior Leah Thomas said. “It’s interesting to learn more in-depth about current events that are going on and the history behind certain issues.”

Thomas, along with her teammates junior Remy Gordon and seniors Elizabeth Weesner and Isaac Lanan, enjoy the fusion between current and historical information that the curriculum provides. While the competition is relatively new to the school, the team still has a history of success. “We have done well in the past,” sponsor Stanley Stern said. “South has won twice in the last 10 years, and our goal is to be recognized in the top four again.” With various topics to cover, the team splits the materials and assigns a section to each teammate. “We have each person doing four categories and reading the magazine,” Weesner said, “We also have the website split up equally, so there should be two people specializing in each topic.” The team hopes to succeed at the state competition Feb. 21 at the Indian Creek Technology Center. There, they will face other schools around the state, including the reigning champion Rockhurst High School, in hopes of winning an all-expense paid trip to nationals in Washington D.C. “Ideally we’d like to make it to nationals,” Thomas said. “But either way, the competition is actually really fun when you do it with people you like. It’s a great experience, and you get to spend time with your friends.” REGINA YAN

news Feb. 2015

Junior Antonio Phan teaches an elementary schooler about science at Trailwood’s Science Night Jan. 22. photo by ROSE POLLINA

Science teacher Jan Alderson informs elementary students about the biology of owls by having them search through owl pellets to find out about what they eat. photo by ROSE POLLINA

SCIENCE IN ACTION

Research club prepares for competitions and sponsor’s retirement.

aider Researches, a club that’s been active at South for 10 years, expands the minds and opens doors for young scientists while simultaneously providing them with experience for future jobs and careers. The team conducts science research, presents at elementary schools and shadows professionals in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. The 13 member team gives demonstrations at Trailwood, Brookwood, Brookridge and John Diemer Elementary schools as well as the SMSD Research and Development forum. Raider Researchers is open to everyone, but the group is focused in the honors science program. Ambassadors are sent from the group to the Honors Biology 1 classes to inform the freshmen about the group and get them interested. Some students are also invited to an informational meeting after they complete a research project for the class. The members have the option of researching a science project that they can enter in the Greater Kansas City Science Fair. The president of Raider Researchers, senior Matt Logan, has been working on an extensive research project for two years now that has to do with the acceleration of cell growth. The group has the opportunity to connect with the professional and pre-professional science world.

Feb. 2015

news

Sophomores Jack and Helen Swann shadow scientists and conduct research through Kansas University, while sophomore Caelan Lovell studies science at Rockhurst University. Other than presenting to younger kids, the team will split up to work on projects for the R and D forum, in which students can submit their projects for the possibility of winning awards and scholarships. Recently, the club presented at Trailwood and gave nine different demos that included live animals from environmental education teacher PJ Born. In their demonstrations, they found bones in owl pellets, various viscera and center of gravity. “[Elementary school presentations] give us a chance to show the kids what science is all about,” co-president Antonio Phan said. The club takes a hands-on approach when presenting to younger kids. “Usually we bring in organs so I can point out the anatomy,” senior Miah Gray said. “The kids freak out and love it.” Vice-president Kris Sturm has a way of really capturing the elementary school students’ interest, according to Jan Alderson, the club’s sponsor. “Kris, he’s our showman...he does all these liquid nitrogen demos; the kids sure love it,” Alderson said. Alderson also helps with demonstrations and the students’ science research. After 15 years at South, Alderson is retiring. Her past teaching experience is extensive, but her road doesn’t stop here. In the past she taught at Penn Valley Community College, Rockhurst, served as director and originator of the UMKC High School Science and Technology program, and

Raider Researcher sponsor Jan Alderson PHOTO BY ROSE POLLINA

Who to talk to: Science teacher Jan Alderson or Catherine Geisel (next year’s sponsor) When do they meet Listen for announcements What they do: Science research projects, elementary school presentations and STEM field shadowing Raider Researchers is open to everyone, but the group is focused in the honors science program. taught for Avila University. This won’t be the end of doing what she loves. Next year she will be teaching a new program she helped design at a local private school and continue her teaching at Avila University. “[Alderson] really does care about what she’s doing,” Sturm said. “I definitely enjoy spending time with her.” Alderson will miss the students, staff, parents and administrators. “[Everyone] has made such a difference in my teaching experience,” Alderson said. “I will really miss everyone.” KATE ANDERSON

BLACKOUT IS BACK

Popular dance returns despite scheduling conflicts.

he Blackout dance is one of South basketball season’s most anticipated traditions, and disappointment arose earlier when it looked like Blackout wouldn’t happen. Normally, Blackout is after the first home varsity boys basketball game, but Student Council sponsor Cynthia Hartwell credited scheduling issues as the cause of confusion concerning when, or if, Blackout would take place. “Usually it happens after a home basketball game, but there were no convenient times on the calendar that were after a home game that weren’t super close to one of the other dances or times when the facilities weren’t already reserved for something else,” Hartwell said. Even though the first game has passed, StuCo decided to have the dance after the game tonight against Shawnee Mission North. The girls game will start at 5:30 p.m., the boys will play at 7 and the dance will be immediately following the boys game. “It’s a good way for StuCo to raise money. Its also something fun that South does every year so it’s just good to keep the tradition going,” senior student body vice president Morganne Veal said. Junior Anna Audley had been looking forward to Blackout and was disappointed when it was initially cancelled. “...It’s a chance for all the kids to get together after the game and just have fun and stuff, so I was pretty sad,” Audley said. Admission will be free to anyone who bought one of the 100 glow in the dark T-shirts StuCo sold for $10 during lunch this week. For anyone who missed out

Takee... Not ANDREA SMITH &

The Blackout shirt design was a group effort among the STUCO executives and sponsor Cynthia Hartwell. photo by JennA FACKRELL

on the opportunity to buy a T-shirt, tickets will be sold right after the game for $5. “It’s different from Homecoming and Sweetheart because it’s not a formal dance, in that regard it’s more similar to the Green and Gold dance that’s at the beginning of the school year,” Hartwell said. “It’s just kind of an informal, more laid back dance, and obviously to be ‘Blackout’ there are more things like black lights and glow sticks.” The dance will be held in the Auxiliary Gym and only South students who attend the game and show their ID will be allowed into the dance. “It’s fun because it kind of feeds off that hype that’s the competition of the sport,” Hartwell said. “So you go to the dance and it’s not a formal dance, it’s not super expensive, it’s just lighthearted and fun, and you can either dance out your woes if you lose or continue the party if you win.” AMELIA HOLCOMB

Congra tul Ellie Ba ations to juni or selecte rtlett for bei ng d as an honora mentio bl n Missou winner in t e he ri Wri tin of the S cholas g Region tic Wr iting Award s.

enior ns to s o i t a l u er at Congr elle Chan. H Girl Mich ry Big rt ent flections a l a u s vi S Re he SM won t contest.

graphics by Rose Pollina

news Feb. 2015

FAMILY ANALYSIS STATS COMPILED BY ROSE POLLINA

21%

of students have a “stay at home” parent.

Of the parents who stay at home, 85% of them are mothers and 15% are fathers.

32% 19%

Of the students living in a single parent family, 87% live with their mother and 13% live with their father.

of students have one or more step sibling. of students have been in the Foster Care system. of students have couch surfed at a friend’s house.

14%

of students live in a single-parent family.

Of the students with divorced parents 44% have remarried.

20.1%

of students’ parents are divorced.

A statistical breakdown of Shawnee Mission South students regarding their family dynamics.

of students are adopted.

BREADWINNER IN THE FAMILY:

41%

Mother

Feb. 2015

news

Father

59%

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Teenage Dream

High expectations for romance don’t carry out in reality.

ormones, awkwardness and maybe a few dollars summarize most high school students. Dating and relationships are no different. The Notebook and the Titanic are two of the most famous romance movies. They make viewers feel good and put a picture in their minds of what dating should be. The sweep-you-off-your-feet, tongue-tied, lickingice-cream-off-each-other’s-faces-summerlove type of thing. This feeling of love and inspiration to be the most romantic person you can be only lasts until the credits roll. Unlike this fantasy, reality has a student working a minimum wage job 20 hours a week to make a little under $145. If we spoil a boyfriend or girlfriend with lavish gifts and experiences similar to Noah and Allie’s or Jack and Rose’s romance, then high schoolers would be broke the moment they got their paycheck. Even when overlooking the financial aspect of this romantic dream land, one must consider the painful experience that is teenage awkwardness. High school isn’t a warm summer in Alabama. It’s right here in Overland Park, and it’s gawky limbs and acne with a touch of not knowing how to hold a conversation. In the Titanic, Jack and Rose, the main characters, fall deeply in love in a matter of a

few days. This trope is in almost every romance movie. The characters somehow start talking and it’s just a walk in the park from there. Yes, there are always conflicts that pop up. Yes, there are arguments. But they always end up being solved with a yelling match and a good makeout session. The biggest part that movies forget to mention and teenagers overlook is the awkwardness, self-consciousness and the uncomfortable butterflies that accompanies meeting someone new in a romantic way. As developing adults, high school students have a special way of making any situation awkward. Realistically, as charming as it sounds, most high school relationships start on social media, through a friend or during a school event. As the awkward relationship blossoms, we constantly go back to the movies and are reminded how these fictional characters seem to know everything about each other in a matter of minutes. Unsure first kisses seem to be effortless without out any ounce of awkward. The process of creating a relationship with comfort and affection is left out in favor of what happens after that. Omitting this awkward process gives romance fanatics an unrealistic expectation of how relationships actually work, when in fact a happy working relationship takes time and awkwardness and isn’t all about expensive things. Rachel larberg

Photo illustration by jenna fackrell

Feb. 2015 opinion

STAFF EDITORIAL

No More Foul Play

e are taught so often that just because something bad happens, doesn’t mean we should talk about it. So many of us convince ourselves that problems we don’t see with our own eyes or experience ourselves are nonexistent, that they aren’t things that actually happen. But it’s about time that this changes. Domestic violence is and has always been a substantial problem, and it thrives in our silence. Bringing domestic violence to the public’s attention is the first step in starting to eliminate it. Recently the nation has been progressing with this. The Super Bowl commercials included a domestic violence PSA where a woman called the

police pretending to be ordering a pizza while her attacker was still in the house. The Grammys also featured the story of a victim who experienced domestic violence first-hand, as well as a video of Barack Obama discussing the need for something to be done about the problem. Another recent PSA was the powerful series of “No More” videos featuring NFL players. People need to hear about domestic violence. They need to understand that it happens, that just because it may not be a problem for you, doesn’t mean it’s not a problem for someone in the same room. According to CNN, 35 percent of women worldwide have experienced either physical or sexual violence. And those are just the ones who report

Cartoon by regina yan it. In the United States, each minute 24 people are victims of intimate partner violence. Each day, three or more women are murdered by their boyfriends or husbands. Each month, the National Domestic Violence Hotline receives about 22,000 calls. Each year, over 12 million women and men are victims of partner violence. So don’t convince yourself that domestic violence isn’t a problem, that it only happens in rare occasions, that they did it because the victim deserved it or because they were asking for it. Stop making excuses and start paying attention. We need to eliminate the ignorance. The domestic violence PSAs need to continue until there is no material left.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

The staff encourages letters to the editor, but they will only be published if signed. The editor-in-chief reserves the right to refuse or edit any letters for reasons of grammar, length and good taste. Read full letter at smsouthnews.com. Letters can be sent to Room 195 or e-mailed to patrioteditors@gmail.com.

Patriot Editors and Staff, was pleased to see your current edition on the Arts; however, it painted a shallow picture for students who may have been interested in taking classes within my department. I found it unfortunate that expert sources were not consulted, data was presented in confusing or inaccurate fashions for the fields, and any advocacy present was weakly supported. First, not a single visual or performing arts educator (within or outside of South), professional in arts administration (museum, arts councils, or other advocacy work), or professional artist was consulted. When advocating for the arts, consult those who are in the field. Second, the graphics and statistics were mislabeled or misleading.... Lastly, the staff editorial lacks depth and understanding of why the arts are important. “Creativity” is a fluff answer

9/9 EDITORS AGREE WITH THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS EDITORIAL

without definition to back it up. Visual Arts are important because they foster more than creativity. Visual arts train your hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills in addition to boosting your achievement in other subjects... both Performing and Visual Arts teach student perseverance, focus, and creative problem solving. Any class that can teach students that, there is not one right answer, but a multitude of possibilities can only lead to innovation. Innovation and problem solving are one of the top skills current employers are seeking in college graduates... In art you learn to innovate, create, and make judgment calls; these skills translate into marketable qualities in any field, anywhere. I hope that any future editions or articles related to the arts are looked at more precisely. I would not write an article on the importance or unimportance of a field without consulting experts in that area, research on the subject, and using the appropriate jargon for the subject, especially when this may influence a student’s choice in class or career. Mrs. Jennifer Hudson Shawnee Mission South Art

opinion Feb. 2015

THE DEBATE S

No: Avery Dorsey

Are mega block weeks beneficial to students’ education?

Photos by katie imes

Yes: Kendall Barker

ega Block week: four days of four classes or less a day, each class 90 minutes long. I won't deny that these lengthened classes can sometimes feel backbreaking, but the fact is, when it comes to education, block scheduling is far more effective than a regular seven-hours-a-day week. The fact that block week is the better of the two options doesn't mean that block scheduling doesn't have its drawbacks. The aforementioned backbreaking feeling that accompanies the length of each class can put many students to sleep. Meeting every other day can break up the feeling of continuity that comes with consecutive classes, and if a student is out sick for a day, s/he misses double the material. Even with these drawbacks, however, block scheduling proves itself to be far more beneficial than regular scheduling. Having 90 minutes per class allows teachers to discuss certain topics with increased depth, allowing students to better understand certain subjects. Students in science classes can conduct full labs without interruption, students in math classes have time to ensure that they fully understand each concept, etc. For most students though, the best aspect of block week is having a greater amount of time to complete assignments. After a day of odd block classes, students have two days to complete their homework. Not to mention, teachers have more time in between classes for planning. Seminar, too, is a highly regarded perk of block scheduling. Few students or faculty members dislike 90 free minutes during the school day. Students who are busy after school are provided with much-needed time to make up tests or receive help from teachers in difficult subjects. Teachers can grade tests and assignments or prepare for future classes. In addition, seminar allows South to hold pep rallies and assemblies without disrupting important classes. The benefits that derive from a week full of block scheduling outweigh the detriments. Simply put, longer classes mean more intensive learning and less boring homework, and 90 minutes of seminar provide essential yet not excessive free time. Mega block week is ultimately better.

Feb. 2015 opinion

tudents cringe with terror at the words “super block week.” The mental and physical preparations that are required to last through such a grueling week of hourand-a-half classes suck every last bit of energy out of our exhausted bodies. The rare occasion of a super block only occurs a few times a year, but when it does, it strikes fear in students’ hearts. Teachers frantically panic on what to cover in such a lengthy class period. Do I have time to cram in another lesson or should just give them free time and give myself a much needed breather? Already withstanding a dragged lesson, students have to endure a quickly prepared lesson given by a stressed teacher in the last 20 minutes. Fighting sleep and mustering energy to keep bloodshot eyes open, students are spent and completely out of it. The teacher announces, “All right let’s move on,” teasing students with hope. Hope of a break or some sort of movement to escape their uncomfortable desks. But more often than not, their prayers of an end to the insanity of an hour-and-a-half class are declined with another worksheet, encouraging students heads to bob down and perk back up every minute to try to pay attention. According to The Washington Post, a 15-year teaching veteran Alexis Wiggins discovered while shadowing a student for a two-year study that “students move almost never. And never is exhausting. In every class for four long blocks, the expectation was for us to come in, take our seats, and sit down for the duration of the time. By the end of the day, I could not stop yawning and I was desperate to move or stretch.” With the allotted time on hand, students and teachers don’t take advantage of the extra time, and slowly they learn the art of procrastination. Teachers slow down the lesson to try and stretch time, but more often than not, students are left valuable time in which they don’t take advantage of. Only seeing classes every other day, students lose what they had just learned and often forget about assignments. Knowing that they don’t have that class tomorrow, students will postpone assignments which means the routine practice of core classes will drop overall memorization and retention. Super block week encourages an unproductive classroom. Students need regular movement to be attentive and involved. The replacement of more breaks and action outside of our desks would crush the tired, procrastinating, and unproductive classrooms super block week produces. Super block week is bad for everyone in school.

The Results are in...

YES 42%

NO 58%

South students voted on if the new security measures were necessary. Go online to smsouthnews.com to vote in this month’s debate!

Not Enough Fish in the Sea

Photo illustration by katie imes

LGBT students have fewer dating opportunities over the school year.

am by no means the bisexual Casanova of Shawnee Mission South. Nor do I claim to know all the facts when it comes to dating (or any facts really), but I can tell you one thing: the vast majority of South students are straight, not to mention comfortable in their straightness. LGBT students, on the other hand, make up a rather insignificant handful. That said, the exact population of queer students is hard to decipher, considering there are still those who are in the process of coming out, those who cannot out themselves for safety reasons, and those who are still questioning their sexuality. So, to put it plainly, while anyone could potentially be attracted to someone of his or her own gender, there’s a considerable chance that they aren’t. This leaves few dating options for kids on the LGBT spectrum. I mean, love

in high school is fleeting anyway, so when relationships come and go, how do we all date within the same circle without becoming eskimo brothers and sisters? Truth is, we can’t. Not attracted to any of the girls that even have the ability to potentially like you back? Well, better luck next year, you sad sap. Have fun being single. We’re given these slim pickings and we’re forced to make do every year until there’s a new crew to choose from, in the form of incoming freshmen, new students, or those who choose to come out over the summer. But even the method of waiting every year loses its appeal as one progresses through high school, because once you’re an upperclassmen, I can tell you from experience that crossing your fingers for hot, queer, incoming freshmen girls isn’t exactly your proudest moment. And with such a small pool of dating options, we queer kids never come up short as far as drama is concerned. It’s intense and inescapable. Once you find

yourself commiserating with a small group of acquaintances who have almost all dated each other, you can count the seconds on one hand before things start getting weird. As I mentioned earlier, I am a bisexual girl. So yeah, wise guy, I have more opportunities in the relationship department than my brothers and sisters who are exclusively attracted to the same gender. But that doesn’t diminish the pressure placed on my shoulders that says if I want any kind of relationship in high school, I need to present myself as straight. It doesn’t blot out the sting of falling for a straight girl or the feeling that dating someone of the opposite gender is my only option. I’ll be the first to admit that dating in high school is only a footnote in the big book of love and attachment to other human beings. But the fact that LGBT kids often have to wait years longer than straight people for that book to even begin is a fact of life that people often forget when thinking about queer youth. Emily wilkinson

opinion Feb. 2015

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ANGLES

1 Sweetheart King Ethan Stone and Queen Carlie Johnson pose for photos at the basketball game after winning. photo by jesse york

3 All the candidates sit for photos at the Sweetheart Assembly. From left to right (boys first): Trenton Flagler, Hannah Bonifield, Brian Harness, Nikki Haffner, Benedict Luancing, Carlie Johnson, Pete McAtee, Autumn Mock, Anei Anei-Yor, Elizabeth 2 Immediately after hearing her name called for Sweetheart Queen, Weesner, Ethan Stone, Nikki Norton, Thomas Lundine, senior Carlie Johnson accepts roses Alyssa Klein, Daniel Keller, Deborah Hass, Zachary Gerber, Taylor Cossairt, Alejandro Diaz and Alexis and the crown from Principal Joe Almloff photo by Katie Imes Gilhaus. photo by jesse york

photo essay Feb. 2015

College Turns Sweethearts Sour

Senior Sweethearts Senior couples who have kept the spark alive throughout high school Photo by Savannah Morgan

Nikki Haffner & Trent Flagler

2 years and 4 months

Melissa Kelley & Brandon Maxey

2 years and 3 months

Autumn Mock & Matthew Schwabauer 2 years

Hayden Coens & Raz Loback 2 years

Photos courtesy of the couples

Sarah Harvey & Austin Prauser

1 year and 11 months

Senior couples face the realities of college’s reputation of ruining high school relationships.

s the final stretch for seniors has begun, senior couples are now having to face tough decisions regarding how their relationship will fare in the fall. It’s an emotionally exhausting decision that many couples dread, whether to call it quits, go on a “break,” or keep going strong once high school ends. There is no more seeing each other at least five days a week at school; instead, couples are potentially faced with busier schedules and miles separating them. Many are advised to have the “full college experience,” such as being free from parents, joining Greek life, and making the most of being single, but these senior couples are hoping to make it work together. Seniors Nikki Haffner and Trent Flagler started dating in the fall of their sophomore year and are now both planning on going to K-State. In that case, this situation seems to be ideal for a couple wanting to stay together in college, but couples are still advised not to remain together because it is believed that the “full college experience” will be lost. “In my opinion the college experience is getting an education, but at the same time making new friends and expanding your social connections. If anything, being in a relationship will enhance the college experience,” Flagler said. Not all couples have it so simple. Seniors Melissa Kelley and Brandon Maxey, who also have been together since sophomore year, will be going to different colleges. Kelley will be going to Johnson County Community College, while Maxey will be going to Iowa State University. It will be a drastic change for them, as they will no longer live simply five minutes down the street from each other, but that doesn’t equal the end of their relationship. “We know what we have, and we’re both willing to make a big effort to make it work. Whatever is meant to be will be,” Kelley said. While they won’t be as far from each other as Kelley and Maxey, seniors Alyssa

Feb. 2015 features

Klein and Beckett McQuitty will also be going to different schools. Klein plans to attend K-State as McQuitty plans to attend Cloud County Community College, in Concordia, Kan., approximately an hour and a half away from each other. Although they will typically only be able to see each other on weekends, they are both still looking at the positives of their relationship carrying over to college. “We won’t have to ask our parents to hang out so we’ll have a lot more freedom, but it’ll also be different because we won’t see each other every day,” Klein said. Even with the positives of freedom and, in certain situations, more time for one another, college still has a reputation of failing high school sweethearts. But no couple wants to hear that their relationship is destined to end once high school does, and couples rarely plan on breaking up. The lingering assumption that “typical” couples break up once high school ends can be unnerving and annoying to some. “I feel like it’s an unfair assumption. Who are they to say that we are the ‘typical’ couple? I mean after all, they’re not in the relationship,” Maxey said. College itself does not doom relationships. Rather, the couple’s experiences get closer to that of the real world, which can shake up a relationship. “There are so many new things that happen in college, and I think some people get overwhelmed and start putting too much emphasis on the wrong things,” Flagler said. “I also think that because people are now on their own that, unfortunately, they lose a lot of their morals and because of the choices they make, that eventually causes the couple to split.” While the couple makes the decision whether to break it off or make it work after high school, college should not necessarily be blamed. The strength and dedication to the relationship is what makes or breaks it once students are hit with a taste of reality. Autumn Mock Graphics by Rose pOllina

Family Portrait Statistics by “The Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) Report #21”

MEDIAN AGE OF A CHILD IN FOSTER CARE

GENDER RATIO

MEDIAN TIME SPENT IN FOSTER CARE

Number of kids in foster care in 2013

NUMBER OF KIDS WHO ENTERED FOSTER CARE IN 2013

Children adopted in 2013 through the foster care system

NUMBER OF KIDS WHO EXITED FOSTER CARE IN 2013

Find out more about the foster care system on pages 18 and 19.

Graphics by Rose pollina

cover story Feb. 2015

College Turns Sweethearts Sour

Senior Sweethearts Senior couples who have kept the spark alive throughout high school Photo by Savannah Morgan

Nikki Haffner & Trent Flagler

2 years and 4 months

Melissa Kelley & Brandon Maxey

2 years and 3 months

Autumn Mock & Matthew Schwabauer 2 years

Hayden Coens & Raz Loback 2 years

Photos courtesy of the couples

Sarah Harvey & Austin Prauser

1 year and 11 months

Senior couples face the realities of college’s reputation of ruining high school relationships.

Feb. 2015 features

Family Portrait Statistics by “The Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) Report #21”

MEDIAN AGE OF A CHILD IN FOSTER CARE

GENDER RATIO

MEDIAN TIME SPENT IN FOSTER CARE

Number of kids in foster care in 2013

NUMBER OF KIDS WHO ENTERED FOSTER CARE IN 2013

Children adopted in 2013 through the foster care system

NUMBER OF KIDS WHO EXITED FOSTER CARE IN 2013

Find out more about the foster care system on pages 18 and 19.

Graphics by Rose pollina

cover story Feb. 2015

rowing up, most students have felt like a fish out of water at some point in their lives. For instance, being driven up to high school on the first day, they worry about how they could possibly assimilate to this new life and fear the possibility that they may never fit in. This is a familiar feeling on the homefront for students residing in the foster care system. Whether they’re moving out for the first time or are possibly on their fifth or sixth, this “fish out of water” feeling is legitimate and often lurking. “After I left my home and I was living in the inbetween house in Topeka, it felt like purgatory. I had no one,” senior Max Oellien said. Oellien has been in the foster care system since last year, and says that it has exponentially improved their quality of life. “Things aren’t perfect here, but it’s better,” Oellien said. “I don’t have my family anymore, but I don’t really think of them as my family. I mean we’re related by blood, but in the end, they’re just people I used to know... I haven’t had any contact with them since last July.” The foremost goal for children in foster care is to be reunited with their parents. Every child has a plan written specifically for them by a social worker assigned by the courts, which determines the amount of contact the child may have with their biological parent or guardian. Depending on the situation, this can mean anything from daily phone calls to occasional overnight visits. “The goal of foster care is always to reconcile with

their parents, so just because they’re removed from the home, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll never go back,” social worker Johanna Fredenberg said. “However, it doesn’t always work out that way, and sometimes that’s for the best.” Children can go into foster care for reasons ranging from neglect or abuse to other factors like incarceration, homelessness, mental illness and substance abuse. “There are times when it’s just about people falling on hard times and needing support,” Fredenberg said. “It’s hard when outside influences are so quick to pass judgment on parents and on what they did or didn’t do [to put their child in foster care].” Stigma about the foster care system has lowered over the years, Fredenberg says, which allows students to feel more comfortable talking about their situation with their peers than perhaps in past decades. “Students in foster care blend very easily into a population. Depending on the personality of the student, some may be open to talking about their situation, while others may want to keep things private,” Fredenberg said. “They want to be normal and treated like any other student. You wouldn’t be able to look at a room full of kids and be able to determine who’s in foster care and who’s not.” Freshman Camii Dowels doesn’t feel her past is a burden on her social life today and is candid about her experiences in foster care if it means helping someone else.

“The goal of foster care is always to reconcile with their parents, so just because they’re removed from the home, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll never go back.” -- social worker Johanna Fredenberg

Fostering Hope

Organizations that aid foster families and children

feb. 2015 cover story

KVC Kansas Behavioral Healthcare (913) 499-8100

Adopt US Kids

(888)-200-4005

“Honestly, if someone is in the same situation that I used to be in, I would flat out tell them I was in the system, and I’d want them to know that I’ve been in the same situation and that I’m there for them. I’m very open about it,” Dowels said. As students rotate between foster families, they are often forced to switch schools as well, which can disrupt a child’s education and negatively impact grades. Some courses that are offered in Shawnee Mission schools may not be offered at the school they transfer to, thus the student doesn’t receive credit. There is also a chance that, at their new schools, other students may be farther ahead in their curriculum, and the student in foster care will have to catch up. As a social worker for the counseling office, Fredenberg uses her position to keep these students from slipping through the cracks. “As kids move around from family to family, there’s a lot of interruption academically,” Fredenberg said. “Kids will be taking algebra here, and then move to a different school in a whole different chapter. They always end up feeling either substantially ahead or behind in their studies.” There are several scholarships in place for students in the foster care system, and government programs help students who have aged out of the system to afford two-year colleges. “There are government programs that help with funding and finances at a junior college level,” Fredenberg said. “Junior colleges don’t have housing, but the funds are available to provide housing as well as tuition.” At the age of 18, children in the foster care system “age out,” meaning they are now considered legal adults and are given the responsibility of finding their own place of residence and source of income. Without an adequate support system, Fredenberg says that this transition to adulthood is anything but smooth-sailing. “Usually, your family is the basic support system for any student graduating from high school going on to college, so immediately they’re forced into a

Salvation Army

(913) 491-0775

Church of the Resurrection (913) 897-0120

“Usually, your family is the basic support system for any student graduating from high school going on to college, so immediately they’re forced into a role of taking care of themselves, so that creates challenges all the way around.” -- social worker Johanna Fredenberg

role of taking care of themselves, so that creates challenges all the way around.” To alleviate some of these challenges for young adults aging out of foster care, reStart Inc., a nonprofit organization to combat homelessness in Kansas City, is building a state-of-the-art apartment complex to house some of these young adults with nowhere else to turn. The complex will be built in Waldo, Kansas, with the intention of making the transition from foster care to adulthood as easy as possible. Aging out of the system in no way erases the trauma of the past however, and many children and young adults in the foster care system feel alone in their pain. Children enter foster care through no fault of their own and are often searching for other people to understand and treat them like anyone else. “We need to be, as a South community, sensitive to anyone that’s coming in with any type of different background or experience, foster care or not,” Fredenberg said. “Everyone has a story. It’s up to us to be good listeners.” Emily Wilkinson

Saint Francis Community Services (785)-825-0541

American Red Cross (816)-931-8400

cover story Feb.

Q&A WITH JORDAN WINTER & JONATHON WITTBRODT 20

Jan. Feb. 2015 2015 features features

Senior friends turned couple have been together for nearly two years. Photo by katie imes

o u p l e Jonathon Wittbrodt and Jordan Winter have been together for almost two years now, and they have found a connection so many people wish to find. Jordan Jonathan

Describe the time you met.

first

We originally had chemistry class together, and there was a little pocket in the room... and we would just talk and make jokes. And then we had actors’ studio together which was when we started hanging out and doing stuff. We had to memorize a scene together, and Swezey said, “Man, you guys have chemistry together,” which was weird because we had the class.

What is your favorite thing about Jordan?

Eyebrows. Her eyebrow game is on point.

What is your favorite thing about Jonathan? I like his ability to question

authority, and he r e a l l y t h i n k s outside the box. He has really great philosophical ideas and ideas about the world. His values are really compatible with mine, and he’s really good at picking out clothes for me.

Do you fight/disagree a lot?

Like she eats cookies in the bed, that’s not a real thing. I think the reason we don’t fight or disagree a lot is because it’s really pointless and most of these couples in high school don’t care about each other and just date just to fight and get drawn into drama a lot. That’s what’s cool about us - we actually care about each other and we started as really good friends.

Biggest disagreement you’ve had?

He has a really unique music taste and he’s gotten me into a lot of bands I’d never even heard of. But at the same time, there’s a lot of it I don’t like that much, and he listens to it in the car all the time.

F a v o r i t e thing to do together?

Usually we start off our date with sacrificing a goat into a volcano and then go see a movie or go to Chipotle.

What makes your relationship work so well?

The fact that we are together based on the fact that we just care about one another, and we can just talk for days, and whenever we’re not together we text each other. And it’s not like an obsessive thing like we have to do it. We just want to be talking to each other, and a lot of people in relationships don’t get to have that. It’s like having a best friend; Jordan’s my best friend. It’s that connection on more than just a romantic level. Having a strong friendship is the most important thing. Rola Alasmar Photos by Katie Imes

features feb. 2015

TWITTER PHOTO CONTEST Students tweeted pictures of their recreation of #AlexFromTarget, and The Patriot staff picked the top four photos. The next contest theme will be to send in a photo capturing your hobby to @smspatriot.

junior Emma Conaghan #EmmaFromParkMeadows

junior Steve Erbacher #SteveFromPapaJohns

4 3

seniors Jake Anthony and Jimmy Briggs #JakeAndJimmyFromPrairieLife

senior Tyler Booth #TylerFromGardenVillas

Feb. 2015 A&E

1. Sent in by juniors Andrew Duffy and Steve Erbacher @PizzaSorcerers 3. Sent in by senior Logan Pendergraft @L_pendergraft

2. Sent in by junior Abby Conaghan @abby_Con 4. Sent in by senior Gillian Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien @PBandGilly26

THE

FINAL SAY

No matter what flavor, topping or occasion, it’s hard to make a bad doughnut. What’s even harder is figuring out where to find the perfect doughnut. Against all odds, Emily Wilkinson traveled across town, wrangled with inconvenient hours and ate a sickening amount of doughnuts to find the final say.

Oz’s Maq Donut House 3615 W 95th St, Shawnee Mission, KS 66206

First on my journey was Oz’s Maq Donut House. Conveniently located in the Ranch Mart strip mall in Shawnee Mission, Oz’s looked unchanged over the past 30 years that it’s resided there. The interior of the store was a bit run down with faded posters and old newspaper clippings curling at the edges on the wall. The elderly owner of Oz’s (who appeared to be working completely alone) served at the front and back of the store and was actually pretty rude. Thankfully, things only got better from there. With light, fluffy doughnuts starting at just 75 cents each, I knew Oz’s would be tough to beat.

PHOTOs BY Emily Wilkinson

Mr. D’s Donut Shop 11222 West 75th Street, Shawnee Mission, KS 66214

The quest continued to Mr. D’s Donut Shop in Shawnee in, lo and behold, another strip mall. To my surprise and utter bewilderment, the inside of this establishment was even sketchier than the last place. The first thing that caught my eye was a rather large rack of random objects on the right side of the store with signs like “Sale!” On this crusty wire shelf was everything from individually packed kitchen knives to extension cords to cheap knock-off Barbie dolls. I mean, what is the whole business model here? Are your doughnuts just not good enough, so you have to sell paint and buckets for under three dollars as some kind of fallback plan? Frankly, that might just be the case, considering how average Mr. D’s doughnuts turned out to be.

John’s Space Age Donuts 8124 Floyd Street, Shawnee Mission, KS 66204

On my last stop, I prayed to all that was hole-ly (Get it? Doughnut pun.) that John’s Space Age Donuts would be far and above than its rivals. I mean, it’s not like there was much competition... right? Well, I was going to have to wait to find out, because as soon as I pulled up to the building, I noticed a “sold out for the day” sign that almost produced real, man tears. Actually, I think the tears were more related to the parking lot, which was a tiny patch of asphalt hell that took a little bit of outside help and enthusiasm to back out of. The next day, I returned to Space Age at six in the morning to get a doughnut before school. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, after all. The walk into the store was promising. The place wasn’t run down. The service was inviting. They weren’t selling half price knives on the side. Things were looking up. I ordered my doughnut and sat down thinking, “By Jove, this… this could be the one!” I took a bite and...meh. Well, so much for that.

THE FINAL SAY

Although John’s Space Age Donuts doesn’t exactly have any fatal flaws to speak of, its doughnuts are the most expensive and cannot compete with the glory of an Oz’s Maq Donut house doughnut. EMILY WILKINSON

A&E Feb. 2015

DRESSED TO

IMPRESS

“dressing up is greater than dressing down.”

SHIRT | THRIFTED BLAZER | H&M JEANS | KOHL’S

JUNIOR BRENDEN CASTILE PHOTOS BY JENNA FACKRELL

CLOSER LOOK

WATCH | CALVIN KLEIN

SWEATER | THRIFTED

SHOES | MEN’S WAREHOUSE

Feb. 2015 A&E

SWEATER | H&M JEANS | KOHL’S SHOES | MEN’S WAREHOUSE HAT | MEN’S WAREHOUSE

DATE NIGHT

The winter season has many couples stuck inside watching Netflix or bickering over what to do, but none of that is necessary with original date night ideas. Here are a few ways to woo your sweetheart this winter season. rachel larberg

SKY ZONE

Jumping into the heart of your sweetheart, this is not only a great way to get some exercise but also to get some of your built-up energy out. Sky Zone is basically a room of trampolines, so what more do you need? They require you to buy socks for $1.50 along with a jump pass which can range from $9-$20 depending on how long you want to jump.

INDOOR PICNIC

ICE SKATING

PHOTO BY JENNA FACKRELL Crown Center, Park Place and Kansas City Ice Center are perfect places to go ice skating. It is an entertaining way to spend a few hours off balance and falling right into the arms of your date. Crown Center is photo by jenna the cheapest at fackrell $6 for admission and a $3 skate rental fee that also has a beautiful winter decorations for a romantic backdrop.

STARRY NIGHT

BOARD GAMES

PHOTO BY JENNA FACKRELL Replacing a movie marathon, a board game marathon is a great way to do something different. A long game of Monopoly, Clue or various card games is a free way to spend hours inside and is even a good way to get to know your date. Nothing says “I like you” like taking over your date’s Monopoly properties.

ROCK CLIMBING

PHOTO BY JENNA FACKRELL A bright room with a collection of lights contributes a warm feeling which is perfect for an indoor picnic. Add a blanket, homemade food and some romantic music to create a cheap yet romantic date.

Blankets and a car in Shawnee Mission Park provide a perfect and free romantic date. Even if it’s a cold night, being covered in some blankets and pillows on the car hood serves as an ideal front row seat under the stars.

Want to get out of the house? Head over to Emerald City’s Monster Mountain and put yourself up to the challenge of making it to the top. Whether you’re racing to the top or just taking your time, rock climbing is a good workout and is also an adventurous activity that is outside of the box.

A&E Feb. 2015

REVIEWS Album Review

Father John Misty’s sophomore release hooks fans old and new

fter his debut under a new name in 2012, Father John Misty, a former drummer for the band Fleet Foxes, has created a new masterpiece. Released Feb. 20, I Love You, Honeybear is the second album in singer/songwriter Josh Tillman’s discography, and it does not disappoint. Tillman’s music is definitely an acquired taste. With an indie folk and psychedelic rock vibe, his music might not be for everyone. But after a few listens to the album’s namesake, “I Love You, Honeybear,” you’ll be hooked. The album as a whole has radiant and lyrical melodies that stick with you throughout the day. In “Chateau Lobby #4,” the blend of string arrangements and mariachi horns initially creates a conflicting feeling, but the melody later turns harmonious. This song is also the most listened to on the album according to Spotify. Tillman’s voice has the ability to sooth and relax while keeping a gruff undertone. He could be considered a

stereotypical indie folk singer in this way, but he brings something special to the table. “True Affection” definitely stands out in the collection of songs. It blends electronic sounds with an acoustic guitar, forming an “old meets new” vibe. This same clash happens in “Strange Encounter,” my personal favorite. It is a powerful song musically and lyrically. The mix of instruments seems like it shouldn’t work audibly, but it most definitely does. “Ideal Husband” demonstrates that Tillman has a rougher side. This song fits more into the psychedelic rock category. “Bored in the USA” follows that song and brings it down a few notches. Tillman comments on the “cookie-cutter” nature of America with soft piano and soulful lyrics. I Love You, Honeybear is an album about falling in love but also about the cliches attached to making an album about falling in love. Tillman points out and makes fun of pet names such a “honeybear” while also making it

Movie Review

seems like he is sincere. His lyricism is well thought out and artful, making the songs generally more interesting to listen to. Overall, Father John Misty’s I Love You, Honeybear is a gorgeous album and worth a listen. Kate Anderson

Jupiter Ascending’s dialogue descends movie into forgotten realm

upiter definitely won’t be ascending the charts as a major blockbuster, but it wasn’t too bad either. Jupiter Ascending is about an immigrant named Jupiter Jones (Mila Kunis) who finds out she is the reincarnation of space royalty and stumbles into the center of a conspiracy between siblings of the Abraxas family - one of the most powerful dynasties in the universe - over the ownership of Earth. Jupiter travels with Caine (Channing Tatum) - a wolf and human hybrid referred to as a “splice” - on a journey to protect Earth. When I go to the movies, I don’t expect Shakespeare, but the dialogue in Jupiter Ascending was stale and at times cringe worthy. The biggest faults in this movie were its dialogue and constant damsel in distress moments. With strong female leads who can save themselves from

Feb. 2015 A&E

perilous situations being a trend in movies at the moment, it was disappointing to see a female so reliant upon a male to save her. The only saving graces in this movie that prevent it from being completely terrible was the quality of the CGI and the fight scenes. For science fiction movies, CGI is important in integrating moviegoers into the new worlds and technology and making them seem realistic instead of cheesy. The fight scenes in Jupiter Ascending were great and plentiful. There is even a fight scene between Caine and a flying dinosaur. It sounds cheesy, but it was pretty good in reality. In the end, Jupiter Ascending wasn’t a great movie, but it was bearable. It would’ve been a lot better as TV series or if its dialogue was cut out. rose pollina

it’s gonna be a white oscars 2015 nominees lack representation.

t the 2014 Academy Awards, 12 Years a Slave took home the golden man in the Best Picture category. It became the first film directed and produced by a black filmmaker, Steve McQueen, to win the prestigious award. This year, for the first time since 1998, all 20 of the actors nominated for both leading and supporting roles are white. According to The Washington Post, fewer than seven percent of Academy Awards have been given to actors of color. That means that there have been just 24 non-white winners in acting categories since 1927. Females are also wildly underrepresented in this year’s awards. All of the films nominated in the Best Picture category are male driven, and female nominees in other categories, excluding

Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, are few and far between. Selma director Ava DuVernay was notably skipped in the Best Directors category for her work on the historical drama about the civil rights movement in the ‘60s. Had she been nominated, she would’ve been the first African American woman in Oscar history to be nominated in the category. Selma star David Oyelowo was also excluded from the Best Actor category. Wild, the biopic about a woman finding herself after the loss of her mother by walking the Pacific Crest Trail, was also overlooked in the Best Picture category, despite star Reese Witherspoon’s nomination for Best Actress. The Academy has long been criticized for consisting of mostly white men above the age of 60, but this issue reaches far beyond these awards. The nominations reflect an uniform Hollywood in a very diverse nation.

“I think [the nominations] show that race and gender play a big role in the amount of job opportunities that you receive,” freshman and Mary Poppins cast member Tara Phillips said. According to The Washington Post, minorities make up more than 36 percent of the U.S. population, but represented only 10 percent of lead characters in movies and made up only 12 percent of directors in 2011, the latest year for which data is available. Women made up only 17 percent of film directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors and cinematographers on the top 250 films of 2014, according to nywift. org. There were also fewer femaledirected films in 2014 than in 1988. “America still has a lot of stuff to fix,” Phillips said. The Academy Awards will air Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. on ABC. sophia belshe

nominees BEST PICTURE

AMERICAN SNIPER BIRDMAN BOYHOOD THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL THE IMITATION GAME SELMA THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING WHIPLASH

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM BIG HERO 6 THE BOXTROLLS HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 SONG OF THE SEA THE TALE OF PRINCESS KAGUYA

A&E Feb. 2015

Basketball Standing Tall

The boys basketball team was 7-7 as of Feb. 12, with Olathe East and Leavenworth next on the schedule. “The next game is the key game,” Coach Brett McFall said. “With the season about halfway done, the Raiders have as good of a shot as anyone to make a run. There’s no one star on the team, every player contributes at key points in the game and season. Once the team starts putting things together, they will have a shot at State.” Raiders face off against Shawnee Mission Northwest Jan. 16. At halftime, previous South athletes were inducted into the Raider Hall of Fame.

Photo by Arturo Sanchez Vera

NETIAN NAILS & LASHES 10639 ROE AVENUE 913.642.2828

All year around discount. 15% off for teachers/faculty and 20% off for students. Must bring ID.

Feb. 2015 sports

[Sports Space] BASEBALL H AC CO

WILES

What game should fans go to?

SOFTBALL

Spring sports coaches give us a look inside what to expect from the teams this season. Quotes gathered by Andrea Smith PHOTOS by Savannah morgan, livi abney and jenna fackrell

open up with East so that’s “ We always a good game...Any of the Shawnee Missions really. ”

H AC CO

What athletes should we look out for?

ABNEY BOYS TENNIS

H AC CO

GRAHAM

What matches should fans go to? BOYS GOLF

H AC CO

CLINE GIRLS SWIM

H AC CO

List your goals for the season. BOYS AND GIRLS TRACK

BOVE

five of our seniors: Elizabeth “All Obeidat, Sidney Holler, Christina Mountain, Katlyn Schiefen, and Sam Sudac. They... have been essential to building the program... at South.

”

first match...is Tuesday, March 31 “ Our against SME. Varsity will be at the 103rd and Marty Courts and JV will be at SME. ”

What tournament should fans go to?

“One of the big ones that kids

come out to...is [on] April 1... and is held.... at Deer Creek.

”

as many people for State meet “ Toas qualify we can. The big goal is that everybody

improves and gets better as the season goes on.

”

H AC CO

What athletes should we look out for?

[have] three great “ We throwers: Ned Bingaman,

Trent Flagler and Dalton Lewallen; they are all State medalists.

”

WANNAMAKER GIRLS SOCCER H AC CO

List your goals for the season.

it past our first Regional game and beat “Make some of the teams that have a really good

history, and then continue our momentum. We want to compete every game.

”

EWING

Sports

Feb. 2015

Renovations to Raider Nation Shawnee Mission School District proposes stadium renovations in addition to building district aquatic center.

he stadium will be receiving a facelift in light of the recent $223 million bond issue that passed at the end of January. It won’t be torn down, as discussed earlier, but the district will be doing renovations in the same time frame as the building of the new aquatic center. One major change is going to be a laminate covering the helps preserve the stadium. This technique is a type of new technology that will help to improve the stadium without having to tear it down and start over. “Envision them pouring plastic over it and it running down and creating a seal,” athletic director John Johnson said. Additionally, the district is going to put in a new press box, an unknown number of chairback seats, a seal for the back of the storage, and a wheelchair-accessible elevator “Everything will look the same with different color, and then at the south end… they’ll have a swimming pool,” Johnson said. Construction will happen in tandem with the building of the new aquatic and wellness center on the south end of the stadium, where the tennis courts are now. This site was decided upon after over 1,200 students signed a petition to save the prairie habitat of the SMESL, one of the early options for the aquatic center site. The aquatic and wellness center will feature a 50-meter competition pool and diving wells. The pools at each of the high

Photo by Jenna Fackrell

Feb. 2015 sports

schools are not big enough to safely host meets that exceed two teams, so the addition of these bigger pools will allow them to host larger meets. The district hopes that they will be able to combine some common spaces such as concession stands, champions plaza and locker room areas so that they can be utilized by both the stadium and the aquatic center. The final plans for the renovations and aquatic center have yet to be finalized, so construction dates have not yet been set. The cost has also not been determined since the plans are not final. “They’re having to finalize some of the architecture plans and bid it out for building, so they are not going to do anything to the stadium this year,” Johnson said. The effect of these renovations on students should be minimal. They may have to reroute traffic or have both teams’ fans sit on one side of the stadium, but other than that, the renovations should not affect students or student athletes negatively. “The plan is not to lose any games or activities,” Johnson said. The original plan for the stadium was that it would be torn down and started from scratch, but after further review from engineers, the stadium was found structurally sound. Renovating instead of rebuilding will minimize disruption and save time and money. “It keeps a unique look. Not too many stadiums look like that. I think that’s important to our community to maintain the look of the South stadium because it is unique,” Johnson said. Plans for the renovations and building of the aquatic center should be finalized soon, but construction will not begin until next year at the earliest. Sophia Belshe

IT’S COOL TO BE A

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At the ceremony celebrating athletes signing to play in colleges, senior Sierra Lyons signs to participate in cheer at Neosho County. “It’s exciting to be the first SM South cheerleader to sign. And I’m excited to see what college cheer is like,” Lyons said. photo by katie imes

ANGLES

Spanish teacher John Green gets hit by a dodgeball during a game at the assembly. World language teachers competed against math teachers, and the math department was victorious photo by Jenna Fackrell

photo by jenna fackrell Junior Antonio Phan demonstrates a center of gravity invention at the Raider Researcher’s table for Come Look at South Night.

Feb. 2015

photo essay