The Patriot | Issue 5, Vol. 53

THE PATRIOT VOLUME 53 / ISSUE 5 / FEB. 14, 2019 Shawnee Mission South High School 5800 W 107th St, Overland Park, KS 66207 913.993.7500

MUTED IN THE MEDIA

LGBT+ individuals are not accurately represented on television and in other facets of the entertainment industry.

02 / CONTENTS

HOMOSEXUALITY is often misrepresented or underrepresented in the media. Only 6.4% of all primetime television characters during the 2017-2018 broadcast season were LGBT+, according to the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

COVER BY NAOMI MITCHELL

THE PATRIOT

ON THE COVER

STAFF

AVERY WOODS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MIAH CLARK ASST. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, A&E EDITOR ANSLEY CHAMBERS COPY EDITOR ABBY COX PHOTO EDITOR EMMA HARDING ASST. PHOTO EDITOR ALI HARRISON NEWS EDITOR MEGAN SMITH SPORTS EDITOR NICHOLE THOMAS FEATURES & INFOGRAPHICS EDITOR LILY WAGNER OPINION EDITOR GINI HORTON WEB EDITOR EVAN SHIBEL ADS EDITOR ADDIE SOYSKI CIRCULATION MANAGER

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGERS MCKENNA PICKERING ANNALIE POLEN BRYNN TAYLOR REPORTERS CATHERINE GUNNIGLE KATIE HIEBL MILAD JAHANI PHOTOGRAPHERS NICOLAS CAMBORAKO TRINITY CLARK HALEY HILL KYLA HUNTER QUINN KASPAR JILLIAN MCCLELLAND REESE WOODS ABBY YORK

CLAIRE BRISSETT EDITORIAL CARTOONIST

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 Staff Editorial, which represents the views of the editors. Each section editor designs their own section’s pages, unless otherwise specified. 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; 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.

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Find the hidden Rocky in the issue and win a gift card!

CONTENTS / 03

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

TABLE OF CONTENTS

04.05 The Calendar 06 Government Shutdown 08 Parkland: One Year Later

07

Cupid Cash The Economic Effects of Valentine’s Day.

Sheriff Israel Suspended

9 Behind the Stand 10 Voice of Basketball City’s Mahomie Sub-par So Far 11 Kansas with 13 Q&A Logan Kilts 16.17

Than 12 More Basketball

Basketball players reflect on their connections on and off the court.

PHOTO BY TRINITY CLARK

18 Muted Media 21 Staff Editorial Debate: 22 The Building The Wall No Direction 24 Having In Life 25 On Airpods

The McFall family welcomes sixth daughter.

PHOTO BY BRETT McFALL

FEATURES

23

Hovering Over

Helicopter parents prevent children from flying on their own.

GRAPHIC BY LILY WAGNER

of The Brands: 26 Battle Apple Music vs. Spotify

OPINION

29

27 Whatcha Watchin’?

28 Backstage Superstar

SPORTS

14.15 McFall’s McFamily

Muted Media

with 19 Q&A Colin Wilkinson

NEWS

GRAPHIC BY ALI HARRISON

ASMR Explained

An inside look at one of the internet’s strangest trends.

PHOTO BY EMMA HARDING

A&E

04 / NEWS

THE PATRIOT

SPORTS CLUBS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OTHER

the CALENDAR

S Feb. 17

M Feb. 18

• No School • Girls Basketball Game

T

• • • •

Feb. 19

No School Bowling Regionals Boys Basketball Game Girls Basketball Game

Feb. 24

Feb. 25

Feb. 26

March 3

March 4

March 5

March 10

March 17

March 11

• Spring Break

March 18

• Spring Break

March 12

• Spring Break

March 19

• Spring Break

W Feb. 20

• Boys Basketball Game

Feb. 27

• Boys Basketball Sub-State

March 6

March 13

• Spring Break

March 20

• Track and Field JV Dual

DESIGN BY NICHOLE THOMAS

JUNIOR Grace Birkel does her homework during a boys swim practice. Birkel has managed boys swim for the past three years.

PHOTO BY NICOLAS COMBORAKO

SENIOR Luke Vohs and sophomore Matthew Eagleman play “Freakish” with the Southland Brass Band during the Sweetheart Assembly.

PHOTO BY TRINITY CLARK

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

TH

• • • •

Feb. 14

Boys Swim Meet Bowling Match Boys Basketball Game Jesus Christ Superstar

Feb. 21

• Band State • Orchestra State • Girls Basketball Game

Feb. 28

• Boys Basketball Sub-State

March 7

• Arabic Festival • Boys Varsity Basketball Tournament

March 14

• Spring Break

March 21

• Girls Swim Meet • Baseball Game • Girls Soccer Game

F • • • •

S

Feb. 15

Wrestling Regionals Boys Basketball Game Girls Basketball Game Jesus Christ Superstar

• • • •

Feb. 16

Boys Swim State Finals Wrestling Varsity Regional Boys Basketball Game Jesus Christ Superstar

Feb. 23

Feb. 22

• Wrestling Meet • Band State • Orchestra State

• Band State • Orchestra State

March 1

• Bowling State • Boys Basketball Sub-State

March 2

March 9

March 8

• Early Dismissal

March 15

March 16

• Spring Break

Athletic events in bold= home game

Athletics: www.sunflowerleague.org Band: www.smsraiderband.org Theatre: www.smstheatre.com

WHAT’S UP WITH THE WEB

.

smsouthnews.com

Top 5 5-hour Energy Flavors

BY MILAD JAHANI REPORTER

14 Days of Valentines

BY ANNALIE POLEN REPORTER AND REESE WOODS PHOTOGRAPHER

Principal Todd Dain Makes National News Over Viral Video

KEY

For more information visit:

NEWS / 05

Choir: www.smschoirs.com General: www.smsouth.smsd.org

BY ALI HARRISON NEWS EDITOR

PODCAST OUT NOW

smsouthnews.com

06 / NEWS

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

THE PATRIOT

The 35 day shutdown of the federal government ended but not without lasting effects.

C

BY ADDIE SOYSKI CIRCULATION MANAGER hristmas morning the news didn’t tell tales of fun-loving holiday coverage, but rather the updates to the current political firestorm.

From mid Dec. into Jan., the nation was bombarded with news of the partial government shutdown, an incident in which some departments and agencies of the United States government were not in operation. Among these were national parks, farm service centers, some food inspection services, some public housing services, some home finance services and provisions for victims of crimes.

Additionally, the shutdown meant The Funding for Violence Against Women Act ended, which expired Dec. 21 at midnight.

Both the House and Senate had passed bills that would have funded it until Feb. 8. Its expiration means future request for aid for survivors of violence by various programs will be stalled until the bill is reauthorized.

Many federal employees like air traffic control, TSA agents and border patrol agents continued to go to work, but with no pay - some with no pay compensation and some whose checks will be furloughed.

According to NPR, the shutdown affected 800,000 federal employees.

The shutdown came as a result of Trump’s requested $5.7 billion for the border wall not being fulfilled by Congress.

Democrats in the Senate offered a counter proposition of $1.6 billion for a fence in only one specific area of the border.

Trump was expected to concede to the lower amount, but he continued to say he would only accept his previous proposal.

By Jan. 12, the shutdown became the longest in US history when it reached 21 days. Democrats then gained control of the House when newly elected members were sworn in on Jan. 3, and the president had several unsuccessful meetings with them.

On Jan. 25, after a total of 35 days of partial shutdown, the government reopened when Trump signed a bill opening the government for three weeks, during which the president wants his demands met to avoid another period of shutdown after that time expires. Trump denies that this was a democratic win, saying, “This was in no way a concession. It was taking care of millions of people who were getting badly hurt by the shutdown with the understanding that in 21 days, if no deal is done, it’s off to the races!”

According the The New York Times, the shutdown ultimately cost the

DEC. 26, 2018 Beginning of shutdown.

SHUTDOWN TIMELINE

government $6 billion (more than Trump had requested in order to build to border wall) and affected federal workers all over the country, including ones in the South. Junior Della Beckstrom’s mom is a government worker who does computer security. The shutdown caused her family to not receive their paychecks on time.

“My mom’s a single parent, so that’s our only income and we weren’t getting paid. We had to try and work with our creditors to see if they can wait until the government reopens or if they can hold off on billing us. And we had to find money any way we could from savings and stuff because we didn’t have another income to support us,” Beckstrom said.

Despite the shutdown having ended, the Beckstrom household still has not received the entirety of their paychecks and have had to resort to other means.

“My mom’s filing for a loan from the bank now that the government reopened.

But she hasn’t even gotten back pay yet.

She’s gotten one of two paychecks and they’ve emailed us saying ‘Thank you for your patience; we’ll get you paid as soon as possible’,” Beckstrom said.

JAN. 12, 2019 Became the longest shutdown in US history at 21 days.

2019 JAN. 3, 2019 Democrats take control of the House.

JAN. 25, 2019 End of shutdown at 35 days.

NEWS / 07

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

CUPID CA$H

The economic effects of Valentine’s Day.

V

BY BRYNN TAYLOR SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

alentine’s Day is reported to boomers are a distant third at only 39% be the second largest grossing who plan to buy a gift. Those who are in holiday in the U.S. Following a domestic partnership are more likely Dec., January’s economic low has to spend on their partner with 66% seemed to turn around this holiday planning to participate in the traditional of love. Many fail to realize the vast holiday. Those who were separated or impact this holiday has on retailers, divorced are the next group most likely restaurants and the economy as a to spend on Feb. 14 at 52%. Single people whole. In the U.S. alone, spending is wrap up the top three at 39%. Roughly expected to exceed $18 billion.

43 million Americans, about 17% of the Many people celebrate Valentine’s population, will get a Valentine’s Day Day; according to time.com, about 55% gift in 2019 which rounds off to about of the population celebrates Valentine’s $9.5 billion in spent on gifts nobody Day. There are 58 million pounds of really needs. chocolate that will be purchased during When going out to dinner on this the week of day, people Valentine’s Day, tend to spend 36 million heartmore money shaped boxes of because of chocolate and Valentine’s eight billion Day deals.

Sweetheart When they candies are think they are p r o d u c e d spending less annually where by buying the majority of more, they them are to be couldn’t be sold between more wrong.

Jan. 1 and With all of FROM Feb. 14. While the discounts, US NEWS people are out some assume paying for expensive dinners, gifts and that they can buy more because it is flowers, they aren’t really thinking of a cheaper price. Many companies what economic effects come from the have decided to capitalize on this overspending. money making situation too. Pizza “According to NRF data, men places, grocery stores and many spend nearly twice as much as women, other enterprises have hopped on the shelling out around $175.61 compared to bandwagon of making “Special Singles” $88.78 for women,” usnews.com said. offers.

In the U.S., 65% of men do the To finish off the true economic shopping, tending to lean toward gifts effects of Valentine’s Day is the sheer for their wives, spending on average overspending that is done by Americans $85 on their significant other. That is specifically. The volumes in which 73.5% higher than the $206.23 spent by things are bought causes dramatic wives on their husbands. But at what fluctuation in the US economical funds. age are people buying these gifts? For The high spike of holiday purchases the second straight year, Generation Y and the lows of non-holidays can takes the win for Valentine’s Day gifts, change the way our economic system 63% have or are planning to buy a gift. runs and could change the way we look Generation X follows at 57% and baby at the economy in the future.

55 %

OF THE POPULATION CELEBRATES

“

According to NRF data, men spend nearly twice as much as women, shelling out around $175.61 compared to $88.78 for women.

58

MILLION POUNDS

OF CHOCOLATE WILL BE PURCHASED THAT WEEK

”

EXPECTED

18 BILLION IN SPENDING OR MORE

08 / NEWS

SHERIFF ISRAEL SUSPENDED

THE PATRIOT

Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel suspended by Ron DeSantis for his “failures”.

F

BY MILAD JAHANI REPORTER

riday, Jan. 11, the new Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, suspended six-year Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel over his “failures, misfeasance and neglect of duty” during the Fort Lauderdale International Airport shooting and the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.

In a statement, DeSantis referenced Israel’s “failure to contain and maintain security” during the Fort Lauderdale Airport shooting in 2017, which resulted in the breach of airport security.

Israel’s failure to replace the airport’s 30 year old radio system which became “overwhelmed” during the shooting, resulting in SWAT teams not knowing where to land their helicopters. During the Parkland shooting, a draft report by the public safety commision found that there

were several failures and missteps among Israel’s deputies.

“The families of the victims deserve accountability,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis plans to hire Greg Tony, a former Coral Springs Police sergeant, to replace Israel. Tony will be the first African American sheriff in Broward County history according to DeSantis.

“It is my intention to embark on this enormous task to restore the confidence of families and residents of Broward County toward the Broward Sheriff’s Office, which also requires that I fix the problems that exist,” Tony said in a statement.

As DeSantis cannot directly terminate Israel, he has been forced to issue a suspension. The Florida Senate will ultimately make the decision whether Israel is suspended after the governor has

given the Senate a notice of suspension.

After being notified, the Senate then asks the suspended official whether they plan to resign or want to request a hearing. Israel has stated he does not plan to resign and that he will challenge the decision. “[I] whole-heartedly reject the statements in the governor’s executive order as lacking both legal merit and a valid, factual basis. There was no wrongdoing on my part,” Israel said. “I served the county honorably…Today, [DeSantis] merely fulfilled a campaign promise,” Israel said in a press conference in Fort Lauderdale.

President of the Broward Sheriff’s Office Deputies Association Jeff Bell said his organization applauds DeSantis’ decision.

PARKLAND: ONE YEAR LATER

The high school shooting in Florida affected local and nationwide policies.

S

BY ALI HARRISON NEWS EDITOR ince the devastating shooting on Feb. 14, 2018, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Broward County, Florida, significant changes have been made in protocols across the country from journalism etiquette to school safety protocol as well as within the county.

Due to the psychological satisfaction of having their face and name plastered all over the media, as well as the potential to provoke other potential shootings, it was advised that the name of the shooter and his face not be blasted. News outlets like rightwing The Daily Wire issued a statement following the Parkland shooting saying they will no longer publish names nor faces of mass killers.

New Florida governor Republican Ron DeSantis campaigned on removing Scott Israel, the sheriff of Broward County at the time of the shooting, for the avoidable mishaps that occured in the tragedy.

This tragedy even impacted South.

Shortly after, South reevaluated the intruder procedure to be more applicable in the event

of a shooting. The “run, hide, fight” protocol suggests three options: “run” away from the danger and out of the school, “hide” in a classroom or nearby room or “fight” with whatever is available to protect yourself.

Students at Stoneman Douglas rose out of the tragedy into activism either for or against guns. Cameron Kasky, Emma Gonzalez and siblings David and Lauren Hogg- along with others- formed March for Our Lives, a pro-gun control group, and held a nationwide march to protest gun violence and school shootings. They held town hall meetings across the country, including in Kansas City. In the opposition, Kyle Kashuv started in activism for gun rights and the Second Amendment. He earned a job with Turning Point USA, a right-wing organization, as their director of high school outreach and began giving speeches.

Though it has been nearly a year since the incident, school safety measures are still being discussed in local and federal governments as well as within communities.

NEW PROTOCOL “Run, Hide, Fight” is the new school protocol for intruder situations.

RUN OUT OF THE SCHOOL

HIDE IN THE CLASSROOM

FIGHT WITH ANYTHING

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

WHAT’S

THE SCORE?

SPORTS / 09

BEHIND THE STAND

Your update on sports stats.

BY KATIE HIEBL REPORTER

GIRLS BASKETBALL WINS

LOSSES

WINS

LOSSES

4 11 BOYS BASKETBALL 13

3

WRESTLING

PHOTO BY NICOLAS CAMBURAKO

What goes into being the concessions connoisseur.

J

BY LILY WAGNER OPINION EDITOR

ust like athletes spend hours each week preparing for their games, social studies teacher Joseph Laurenzo puts hours into readying the concession stand for school events. Laurenzo first took over as concessions manager several years ago after his predecessor retired.

“I took over the basketball season concessions first and then fall a few years after that… I cannot tell you the exact number of years,” Laurenzo said.

Laurenzo spends hours each DIVE - Sam Aldeguer, Jacob Held, Payton Janner week shopping and preparing the SWIM - Joe Turk, Owen Krussow, stands for events.

Nathan Snyder, Ryan Owens “During football season AS OF FEB. 6, 2019 especially. Basketball season has more gaps in it,” Laurenzo said.

“We may host two games one week and then have a week off where we don’t host so I go less frequently and I buy less stuff during basketball season because the amount of product that sells for basketball is far less. Football season is a big enterprise.”

Food for the stand is bought at Sam’s Club with the district account and as of this year, beverages come from Allied Refreshments, with

SAM MACKLIN 3-9

BOWLING BOYS 2-6 GIRLS 2-6

BOYS SWIM

STATE QUALIFIERS

whom the district has a contract.

“For game day I need to make sure I have product on site. I can’t wait until the night of a game to know that I’m out of something so I have an inventory list. I consult the list to make sure I have enough of everything that I think will sell for a night but not so much that it goes to waste,” Laurenzo said.

During events, the stand is run by student volunteer groups who are assigned by athletic director John Johnson. Groups in need of funds are typically assigned, as the profits from the night are kept by the group running the stand.

“Many of the volunteer groups are very nice to work with. Often times parents of students I have had in class, sometimes students themselves. Some nice people I work with year after year because their child is in an activity and that activity is assigned every year for four years so I may know some of the same people over a long period of time which is nice,” Laurenzo said. “It’s nice to make people happy in a small way on a game night.”

10 / SPORTS

THE PATRIOT

VOICE OF BASKETBALL Insight into the life of South’s basketball announcer and how he got started.

BY MCKENNA PICKERING SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER QUOTES GATHERED BY MEGAN SMITH SPORTS EDITOR

Y

ou’re at the Varsity basketball game. Both sides of the crowd are cheering. You hear buzzers and high pitched squeaks from the basketball players’ shoes. But the only sound that really matters is the one voice announcing the score, plays and everything else about the game. That voice is none other than science teacher Kurt Hodge.

“I think the actual game is the most fun to announce. A lot of people think… the starting lineup is the best part, but for me, it’s getting to announce things that are happening in the actual game,” Hodge said. “My favorite part is probably just doing something to stay involved in the game.

Going from being really involved, coaching on the sidelines to just sitting on the sidelines was going to be really hard for me. So I don’t really think there’s one individual thing that’s attractive enough that it outshines everything else. It’s kind of just being there at the game, being a part of it.”

Hodge is known as the voice of basketball. He announces the lineup, scores and other important parts of the games. But being the voice isn’t just about announcing updates on the game; Hodge has a different outlook on it, aside from other perspectives.

“When I decided to give up coaching basketball, I told Dr. Johnson I’d be interested in working at games, whether that was keeping score or running the clock. He said people from the community [were] asking him why we didn’t announce,” Hodge said.

Before Hodge, there wasn’t an announcer for the basketball games. Occasionally, someone would say what the starting line up was and announce a few plays. If Hodge hadn’t been interested in being the announcer, we would be the only school in the district to not have one.

“I do find myself at the away games listening to what their announcers are saying more than I have in the past; I’ll think, ‘maybe I should add that,’ or, ‘I’m a lot better than that guy,’” Hodge said.

Going to away games not only gives him opportunities to see other announcers and get more information on what to do but also shows major support for the basketball teams.

“I’ve been to a lot of basketball games through my life; my dad was a college coach,” Hodge said. “I try to use a couple things I’ve heard in the past and bring those in. I really just try to get all the people and the students excited. The best thing I read before I announced was, ‘when you announce, talk with a smile’. When you talk with a smile, you’re going to come out with a more exciting, projected voice.”

Hodge has two different tones of voice: his teaching voice and his announcing voice. They differentiate in that his announcing voice is slower and clearer than his teaching voice.

Talking slowly and clearly helps everyone understand what he’s saying during the games.

It really makes a difference in how someone announces anything when they like what they’re doing and enjoy putting in the work to be the voice of basketball. It’s not all about just announcing the game. The main goal and most important part is standing as a supporter, as well as an announcer to the team. Thanks to Hodge, our basketball games have another factor that we didn’t have before.

SPORTS / 11

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

Patrick Mahomes has become the face not only of a team, but a city.

P

BY CATHERINE GUNNIGLE REPORTER

PHOTO BY REESE WOODS

atrick Mahomes: a name known so well throughout the KC Metro area, a name that is now known nationally and after this season, a name known all over the world. Number 15, Kansas City’s heartthrob and starting quarterback has not always been a football icon.

“I feel like I am one of the few people that knew who he was before this season,” senior Jack Roberts said. “I followed him all throughout his career at Texas Tech and I always knew he was a really good player. And then when he got drafted I was pretty excited because I already knew who he was.”

It wasn’t until Mahomes attended a public high school in Whitehouse, Texas, that he began to experience high level athletic competition and take his raw talent more seriously. In Texas football is a religion; it was there that Mahomes played at a higher level than the recreational teams he had previously known. It was also there that he was nationally recognized for his athletic capabilities and prized arm. Though Patrick Mahomes is an undeniable athlete, there are still other qualities he is well

recognized for.

“I think he’s a lot different than any other football player or quarterback has ever been before and he does a lot of different stuff than other people can do,” Roberts said. “It’s not just his no look passes, but it’s also his leadership. I really look up to that and how he holds himself differently than anyone else I’ve watched before.”

Patrick Mahomes is a nationally recognized name, often associated with “MVP” or “City Savior”, the man who has changed the NFL team of Kansas City and the man who might change the NFL. “For me, it’s all about winning. I want to win the Super Bowl.

I want to win the championship and that’s it,” Mahomes said in an interview with KC Sports Reporter Pete Sweeny last year.

Mahomes’ regular season statistics prove that goal was possible. In his first season, he successfully revitalized a team, if not a city.

282 Rushing Yards

5,381 Passing Yards

10th Overall Draft Pick

50 Passing Touchdowns

65.9% Completion

SUB-PAR SO FAR

Can the Jayhawks turn around a slow start this season?

C

BY EVAN SHIBEL ADS EDITOR

oming into the season, Jayhawk fans knew this year would be different. With only one senior to lead the team, the Jayhawks were under-manned and less talented than usual. Despite these doubts, they had some tricks up their sleeves. Ranked number one, the Hawks kicked off the season with a victory against the Michigan State Spartans.

The next big test came for the Jayhawks at a tournament in Brooklyn. The Jayhawks made it to the championship round against the Tennessee Volunteers. The game was back and forth all night with 12 lead changes and seven ties. The Jayhawks pulled out a hard fought victory, and came out of Brooklyn with two wins against two top tier programs.

After a test at home against Villanova, the undefeated Jayhawks went on the road against Arizona State, whose aggressiveness led the Hawks to their first loss of the season.

After a win at home against Oklahoma, the Jayhawks traveled to take on the Iowa State Cyclones. The Jayhawks suffered their worst loss of the season, losing by 17.

The Jayhawks then headed to the WVU Coliseum for an always tough game. The West Virginia Mountaineers outplayed the Jayhawks and handed them their third loss of the season.

The Jayhawks then hosted Iowa State on Big Monday and

secured a well deserved victory at home. After a loss against Kentucky on the road that weekend, the Jayhawks then traveled to an unassuming challenger, the Texas Longhorns. Texas secured the game from the beginning. Freshman Ochai Agbaji, playing for the injured Udoka Azubuike, kept the Jayhawks close, but even his best efforts weren’t enough, the game ending in a ten point win for the Longhorns.

However, after a win against Texas Tech later that week, the Jayhawks headed into rivalry week feeling good. Several low blows later, K-State opened up a 10 point lead against the Jayhawks and it became too much to overcome. A tough loss for the Jayhawks, 74-67, will leave them hungry for revenge when the Wildcats travel to Lawrence in a few weeks. The game also left the Jayhawks at 1-6 on the road.

Another thing to note for the struggling Jayhawks is that, as of Feb. 7, senior Lagerald Vick is taking a leave of absence from the team to deal with personal matters, according to ESPN. With the schedule getting no easier, fans wonder if the Big Twelve championship title streak would finally be broken this year. This team may be less talented and more inexperienced, but they will still do what is needed to win.

Check out the full versions of these stories at smsouthnews.com.

12 / SPORTS

THE PATRIOT

MORE THAN BASKETBALL Basketball players reflect on their connections on and off the court.

BY EVAN SHIBEL ADS EDITOR

Y

ou often hear of teams They have also played playing well because of together on club teams and even their chemistry, but the played against each other.

Shawnee Mission South boys “Well [Potthoff] was always basketball team has something too Hollywood for us, so different. These five men have [Caldwell, Rhoads, Hickman, and been playing basketball together Rater] actually played him a few for six seasons and they are best times,” Rater said. friends off After the court jokingly as well. arguing Five of the for a few seniors minutes, it on our was finally basketball decided that team this each team year, had won Kennedy a game, Rater, Jake leaving the SENIOR Potthoff, series tied KENNEDY RATER Sam 1-1. After Caldwell, Evan Hickman and resolving that disagreement, they Skyler Rhoads, have been playing found something they could agree basketball together since middle on: how much they enjoyed their school. Through those six years, time over the summer together. they have created something “The coolest thing is... special. meeting all these guys and “It’s cool when you play creating this great chemistry and with the same guys from middle friendship with each of them. school on because not only do More than anything, it is just cool you have great chemistry on the to see how these five guys I met court, but you also become best in middle school have become friends spending that much time more than basketball,” Rater said. together,” Rhoads said.

“

It’s cool to see how these five guys I met in middle school have become more than basketball.

”

S

imilar to the boys, the girls team has a power duo that has been playing together for quite some time.

Seniors Meredith Bunker and Abby Gerber have been playing together since the fifth grade on GABL recreational league teams, club teams and school teams.

The pair originally met in first grade and were not super good friends until they met again on the basketball court in fifth grade. It was then that the two girls really started to hang out more.

Going back to their middle school days, they recounted memories of their “braceface days” and “when Abby got hit in the face with a marker.”

The girls reflected back on their friendship and how they went from just teammates to best friends who go on family trips together. This is just another example showing us how sports can bring all of us together.

PHOTOS BY TRINITY CLARK

Check out a video of the boys’ interview at smsouthnews.com.

Q&A

SPORTS / 13

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

LOGAN KILTS

with Junior Logan Kilts gets a new role on the bowling team

PHOTO BY EMMA HARDING

F

BY NICHOLE THOMAS FEATURES EDITOR

or the first time in years, the bowling team has a manager. Junior Logan Kilts tried out for the team and coach Kent Thompson assigned him the role of score keeping. At the beginning of the season, every bowler spent time introducing themselves to Kilts. During practice he sits in the concourse and types the scores of all the bowlers into the computer. Before Kilts, Thompson and assistant coach Nick Dinnebier were responsible for entering all scores which took away valuable coaching time. With the help of Kilts, the process goes very quickly.

At meets Kilts sits with the bowlers, cheering them on. Many team members think Kilts brings a positive light to the team. He is always asking around to see how his friends are doing and makes sure to encourage those who are upset with their games.

Q:

What made you decide to try out for the

bowling team?

A:

I really like bowling. It’s a really fun sport.

And I wanted to see how all the kids are doing on the bowling team.

Q:

Where you excited when coach asked you to

be the first bowling manager?

A: Yes, I was.

Q: How do you get along with all the teammates?

A: Good. I like them. I like all the teammates.

They’re really nice.

Q:

entail?

What does your job as the team manager

A: Being the computer guy.

Q: Are you going to try out for the bowling team

next year?

A:

Yes, I really want to try out for the bowling

team next year. [I want to be the manager] because bowling is harder for me.

14 / FEATURES

McFALL’S McFAMILY

THE PATRIOT

The McFall family welcome sixth daughter.

J

BY MILAD JAHANI REPORTER

an. 10, history teacher Brett McFall and his wife, Lori McFall, welcomed a new member to their already full family, Matalie Riann McFall, their sixth girl. The name has a special meaning to Brett.

“When I was nine, I had a cousin named Matthew Ryan and he was nine and he was killed in a three-wheeler accident so we were always going to name our first born boy Matthew Ryan after him, but we never had a boy,” Brett said.

For Brett, one of the reasons he has always wanted a boy was to carry on his basketball legacy, but beyond athletics, Brett and Lori both wanted a son for a different reason.

“I think as a parent, you want to have at least one of each sex because I’ve always wanted to see what it’s like, just to see if I’d be the same as I am with my girls or if I would be different with the boy or how that would be,” Brett said.

Brett was also interested to see if their son would get their genetics, as both him and Lori were athletes.

“I always said if we had a boy, he doesn’t have to be an athlete if he didn’t want to, but I would have been curious just to see. You know we got our six girls and they’re all involved in activities, but I think my wife and I both would have wanted to see what a boy would be like,” Brett said.

One unfamiliar with the family may wonder how someone can keep up with

so many kids, but the McFalls seem to have the hang of it. Two years ago, they purchased a 12 passenger van, which Brett said was “probably the best purchase we ever made.”

“It’s actually the same size as a 15 passenger, the only difference is that a 15 passenger has no trunk, so our trunk is about 4-5 feet deep. The girls can just spread out, they almost all have a their own row, so it’s very nice,” Brett said.

While Brett is at work, Lori goes “day by day” and makes sure to plan ahead with the help of Brett’s parents who live in town.

“Obviously basketball season is always a little crazier because he’s gone a lot more, but I do love that he is a teacher. Having the teacher schedule with the breaks and the days off helps a lot because when the kids are out of school on breaks, he usually is too...

I can’t imagine it being anything different,” Lori said.

Neither of the McFalls were superstitious about how to get a son, but they both were shocked after their third child was a girl.

“There’s all these books out saying you can do this or that for a boy, but nothing is really 100% proven or true.

I never did anything in particular, but I have friends who said, ‘Oh, read this book or try this this or this’,” Brett said.

“The first one, my wife and I and everyone really thought we were going to have a boy. After the third one, that’s when I got a little freaked out because I was like ‘Woah, we have three girls. Oh man, I have three girls’,” Brett said, “She got pregnant with the fourth and I just thought ‘There’s no way; there’s no way this can be a girl,’ and when

the fourth and fifth babies came out, we just laughed.”

Neither Brett nor Lori knew the sex of the baby until they were born, except for Matalie.

The statistical chances of someone having all six of their kids be the same sex is just 1.56%, but as Brett likes to view it, “98.5% of the population can’t do what we have”.

Brett has a friendly rivalry with chemistry teacher and former assistant coach Kurt Hodge whose three kids are all boys.

“He always likes to rub it in my face…

We have a lot of fun and he holds that over my head, but we definitely have two different lives. Three boys compared to six girls, it’s a totally different animal,” Brett said.

Both Brett and Lori grew up with four siblings and loved having a larger family.

“I was actually the youngest and I loved it when everyone came home after they had grown up and left and I always thought if it was just one or two people coming home, it wouldn’t be as exciting, so that was part of it too,” Lori said.

Brett’s favorite aspect of living in a larger family were the holidays.

“I had two brothers and two sisters and we were super close with my brothers. Christmas was always a blast, family vacations, hanging out with my sister, going to their sporting events,” Brett said, “Of course you have your ups and downs, your fights and this and that.

My best friend only had one sister and he came to our house all the time because there was always ‘something going on’ and I wanted that… Although I was raised Catholic, faith didn’t come into it… it was definitely from our childhood and what we experienced.”

FEATURES / 15

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

Blakely 12

Addelyn 10

Novelle 3

Left: Jillian 8 Right: Emerson 5

Cosmic Bowling

$10

Bowling with shoes Cut out coupon and redeem at front desk.

Saturday 10pm-12:30 am Matalie 2 weeks pictured above with her family.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BRETT MCFALL

www.missionbowl.com

16 / COVER STORY

THE PATRIOT

COVER STORY / 17

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

LGBT+ individuals are not accurately represented on television and in other facets of the entertainment industry.

O

BY MEGAN SMITH SPORTS EDITOR

ver the years, the growing acceptance of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, etc. (LGBT+) community has led to an increase in its representation in the media. However, recently, LGBT+ activists have called for more characters who identify as LGBT+.

“LGBT+ individuals could definitely be seen more in the media,” senior Valentina Mercado said, “[The media] also preys pretty heavily on stereotypes.”

Many people also believe that LGBT+ individuals are not fairly or accurately represented in the media. LGBT+ characters, primarily bisexuals and lesbians, are often killed off to aid the plotline of a straight, cisgender character— a trope that has been dubbed “Bury Your Gays” by the LGBT+ community. These tropes and stereotypes surrounding LGBT+ individuals in the media often target bisexual individuals, portraying them as unfaithful or unable to have emotional connections with people.

“For gay characters, this type of representation has gotten a lot better, but for bisexual, pansexual and trans characters, we still have a ways to go,” senior Mason Hoyt said, “There’s still so much stigma around bisexuality; that we sleep around and that we just can’t choose, that we can’t have emotional connections with people, which is bullshit.”

Only 6.4% of all of the 901 regular season characters on primetime television

identified as LGBT+ in the 2017-2018 broadcast season, according to the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). While this was an increase from 4.8% in the 2016-2017 season, the proportion of LGBT+ individuals on television is still less than that of the actual United States population. As of 2016, 10.1 million Americans said that they openly identified as LGBT+, according to Pew Research Center.

“This representation is showing people something that they wouldn’t have been exposed to and discovered about themselves otherwise,” senior Anna Davenport said, “It’s not turning them; it’s that they already were LGBT+ and they’re now realizing what it is.”

Many believe that media portrayal can directly impact how LGBT+ individuals view themselves. A study conducted in 1996 by Jan Ochman found that exposure to non- gender -role stereotyped, same sex role models in storybooks enhanced the self-concepts of third graders. This finding demonstrated that positive portrayals of media characters who share similarities with an individual can influence an individual’s self-concept, or the way that one sees themselves. According to the Human Rights Campaign, 40% of LGBT+ youth say that they don’t feel accepted in their community and 92% of LGBT+ youth say they hear or see negative messages about their sexuality online. These stigmas

40%

LGBT+ youth say they aren’t accepted in their community

can also be reinforced by policy and governmental action, as 68% of LGBT+ youth say that they hear negative messages about their sexuality from elected leaders.

“The lack of representation when I needed to see people like me definitely was a detriment to my personal growth,” Spanish teacher Leigh Rysko said, “I remember when Ellen came out when I was in college and that was huge, but it also had backlash and she was not offered jobs for a while after that.”

In recent years, representation has been on the rise. In the 2016-2017 season, there were 65 total LGBT+ characters seen on streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu and this number rose to 70 in the 2017-2018 season. While LGBT+ individuals are portrayed at almost the same proportion that people in the U.S. identify, activists and LGBT+ people alike believe that there is a long way to go.

“I think the stigma can be lessened by getting LGBT+ actors to play LGBT+ characters,” Hoyt said, “I’m so sick of cisgender people playing transgender characters, especially because there is no shortage of [transgender] actors and actresses.”

Audiences often see the stereotypes depicted on television and assume this is true for the general population. These stereotypes are often inaccurate and lead to misjudgement about LGBT+ people overall.

One common media trope surrounds the

92%

LGBT+ youth say they hear negative messages about their sexualities from peers, online, and in school

perceived flaws in bisexuality. Characters who identify as bisexual are often depicted in only homosexual or heterosexual relationships, as opposed to their reality, which is both. Many shows, however, satirize these stereotypes to show that bisexuals do not always have to identify as gay or straight.

“I really like ‘Orange is the New Black’.

It’s crazy heavy on stereotypes, but I think it points out the flaws that a lot of people think bisexuals have,” Mercado said, “The main character, everyone asks her if she’s lesbian or straight, as if those are the only two options.”

Many conservatively-minded television watchers believe that the inclusion of LGBT+ individuals in the media encourages people to become LGBT+, because they believe it to be a choice.

These stigmas and biases are a push against this increased representation and many account this to the influence of Christianity in modern society. In the United States, however, there are over 5,000 churches that intentionally embrace the full inclusion of LGBT+ people, according to Christian outreach organization Believe Out Loud. While this is only about one in every nine churches, it is an increase in acceptance that many attribute to the destigmatization of LGBT+ individuals in the media.

“There’s a lot of religious reasons that give people an easy excuse to exclude

10.1

[LGBT+ individuals],” Rysko said, “Increased representation makes it much safer and more normalized to identify as something other than straight.”

LGBT+ individuals also are underrepresented in the music industry as well. 92% of LGBT+ consumers describe themselves as avid music fans, according to GLAAD, but the vast majority of music

“

There’s a lot of religious reasons that give people an easy excuse to exclude [LGBT+ individuals].

Increased representation makes it much safer and more normalized to identify as something other than straight.

million Americans identify as LGBT+

”

Spanish Teacher LEIGH RYSKO on the radio is heteronormative. Member of Queen, Freddie Mercury, helped lead the way for LGBT+ acceptance in the music industry when he came out as HIV positive before his death. According to Billboard, the broadcast of the 1992 Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for AIDS reached an estimated one billion people, destigmatizing

LGBT+ activity within the music industry.

This stigma is further ingrained in the hip-hop industry, where the negative stigmas around LGBT+ artists propelled the release of songs like Grandmaster Flash’s 1982 track ‘The Message’ and Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff’s song ‘He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper’. Today, this stigma still exists, as Tyler, the Creator, received backlash for using a homophobic slur over 200 times on his album ‘Goblin’. However, artists have also spoken out against homophobia within the hip-hop and rap industries.

“IF YOU ARE AN INSECURE HOMOPHOBE AND HAVE A ISSUE WITH GAYS AND EQUALITY, UNFOLLOW ME NOW. THANK YOU,” Kid Cudi tweeted out in 2016 after the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando.

Due to increased representation and the destigmatization of LGBT+ individuals in the media, many people who identify as LGBT+ feel safer and more accepted in their communities. In the 1996 study conducted

by Ochman, media representation of LGBT+ individuals had a positive impact on people’s self-concepts. The influences of celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres and Frank Ocean were also seen to be crucial in development of the self-concepts of young people. The findings of this study suggest that increased LGBT+ representation in the media in order to better meet the needs of LGBT+ individuals.

93.7%

of TV characters identify as straight

INFOGRAPHIC BY GINI HORTON WEB EDITOR

18 / COVER STORY

THE PATRIOT

“

[Girls Like Girls] is a bop...the message is pretty simple, but I think it’s a really good message for people who are questioning their sexuality. It’s saying it’s okay to like who you want, it’s normal.

”

SENIOR VALENTINA MERCADO

“

I didn’t love, ‘Call me by Your Name’, but I do really appreciate the fact that they’re gay isn’t a plot point, it’s just how it happens. This relationship just happened to be gay. I don’t like the fact that there’s a significantly older man and a significantly younger boy, because that just perpetuates more stereotypes, but it’s progress, I guess.

”

SENIOR MASON HOYT

“

I really like ‘Orange is the New Black’. It’s crazy heavy on lesbian stereotypes but I think it points out the flaws that a lot of people think bisexuals have. The main character, everyone asks her if she’s lesbian or straight, as if those are the only two options.

”

SENIOR VALENTINA MERCADO

Q&A

THE PATRIOT / 19

WIT H

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

Colin Wilkinson

Senior plans on pursuing his interest in stand-up comedy.

S

BY AVERY WOODS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF enior Colin Wilkinson has used his experience at South to cultivate his dream of becoming a comedian. By making jokes constantly, conversing with people he finds humorous and watching other comedians, Wilkinson has created his own brand of humor.

He wanted to do something that would make both him and other people happy.

Q: What made you decide to pursue comedy?

A: I was born into this world with not that many gifts... But one of them is that I can make people laugh. And I believe that you need to follow your dreams and I don’t have very many dreams. But I do want to make people laugh. I was like, ‘Well, I might as well do something with my life, so I think I’m going to do comedy.

Q: Are there any other careers you would pursue as a backup?

A: Yeah, maybe becoming the president. Half of it is me kidding, but… going into law would be fine, you know, selling stuff, being on a sales team would probably be fine. But I don’t think that I’m going to like any of my jobs ever and so I think being a comedian will be the closest thing to me being happy… not just me being happy, but being happy as a profession, if that makes sense.

Q: How are you going to pursue comedy?

A: Well, I’m going to college and we will see for how long. I don’t know. After that, it’s kind of up in the air, but there is a plan to go to New York and start going to open mics and of course get a regular job and kind of do it as a hobby, but then to eventually switch over, you know, quit the job and do it full-time.

Q: What kind of jokes do you write?

A: Most of my jokes are very angry… you know, a lot of it’s making fun of myself and like other people I’d say. That’s why I’d say it’s very angry.

But you know, there’s a bunch of really funny stuff, I think.

PHOTOS BY JILLIAN MCCLELLAND

Q: How often do you practice?

A: I’ll get a good joke like once a week, probably.

But a comedian is a nonstop job... I tell jokes all day long. I just kind of shoot ‘em out there and see what I get. Usually I get into these phases where I’ll think of things that are really funny to me, like topics, I’d say and I’ll just keep talking about those topics. I’m trying to think of some really funny ones… You probably can’t put this, but ex-wife jokes, obviously, because as a teenager, they’re hilarious. The fact that I could have an exwife at 17 is funny to me. I say that a lot...”

What’s your favorite part of comedy?

Q: What’s your favorite part of comedy?

A: When you’re not sure if a joke is going to be funny, and then you say it, and it ends up being really funny, is one of the most relieving things ever. Because it’s like you’re tiptoeing on a tightrope and you almost trip, but you make it to the other side. But, you look at that other side and there’s another tightrope, so you gotta go get on that one. It’s nonstop, but I don’t know. Hearing other people laugh is one of the most beautiful things ever, I think.

Q: How has South helped you with your comedy?

A: It definitely has, because I’ve met some of my favorite people here who I think are just the funniest people. Whether they’re telling jokes or doing funny things… I mean, freshman year, the Senior class would do so many stupid things that were so funny just cause it’s dumb humor and then as I got older I started meeting people… Joe McAtee has been one of the funniest people I’ve ever met and so is Jeff Nasse and joining KSMS has brought me together with all these people who are like so funny and they don’t even try to be funny. That’s how you know somebody is so great at comedy, when they make people laugh just by talking. That’s the greatest thing anybody can have, you know? Somebody who can tell a story and just captivate a room just from telling a story.

20 / PHOTO ESSAY

TRIPLE WIN WEEK

2

THE PATRIOT

PHOTO BY TRINITY CLARK

PHOTO BY NAOMI MITCHELL

PHOTO BY TRINITY CLARK

1

3 1. Senior Ontario Bingley flexes after he makes his shot to get called an and one. This is Bingley’s first year on Varsity for South.

2. South students get loud as the Raiders force a turnover against Olathe Northwest. The Raiders beat the Ravens 53-51 on Jan. 29.

3. Senior Kennedy Rater does his handshake with sophomore Blake Potthoff before the game against the Lansing Lions. The Raiders beat the Lions 59-54 on Jan. 31.

4. Senior Jake Potthoff goes up for a layup against a Shawnee Mission Northwest Cougar to get a call for an extra point. The Raiders beat the Cougars 59-46 on Feb. 1.

PHOTO BY TRINITY CLARK

4

THE PATRIOT / 21

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

CARTOON BY LUCY HARRISON GUEST CARTOONIST

I

STAFF EDITORIAL

It is time for better LGBT+ representation in media.

n the spring of 2016, Lexa, a character on the show “The 100” was killed just moments after becoming romantically involved with another female character. This came in the middle of a television season in which, according to the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and Vox, LGBT+ characters made up 13% of character deaths while only making up 4% of total characters. Her death in particular sparked fan outrage and many took to the internet to share their upset, proclaiming that “LGBT fans deserve better” and demanding better representation.

That begs the question- what is good representation? Is it about how many LGBT+ characters are on a show? Is it about how their storylines are written?

Can it still be good representation if the character is played by an actor who doesn’t identify similarly?

Take Netflix’s “Orange Is the New Black” for example. The show has several queer characters who come from diverse backgrounds. A good portion

of them are played by actors who are in the LGBT+ community themselves, including Sophia Burset, a transgender woman who is played by Laverne Cox. The show is set in a women’s prison. It is full of violence and discrimination. And the happy endings it does provide are still tarnished by overlying hardships.

It can be argued that the show, which is based on a true story, portrays a reality that most people don’t think or hear about, but all too often, the realities of LGBT+ individuals on screen are dark, depressing and much of the time have a sad ending.

Good representation is important because public perception of minorities and how they are portrayed in media play off each other. For example, beginning in the early 19th century, minstrel shows featuring white actors in blackface were a popular form of entertainment. These shows continued through the early 20th century and the practice of blackface, in which black people were mocked and portrayed as lazy and stupid, even occasionally

continues today though frowned upon.

Often times, LGBT+ characters will be based off of stereotypes, like Damien from “Mean Girls”. In the song Fool by Perfume Genius, Mike Hadreas sings about being “like a cartoon” and acting in a flamboyant way, like Damien, that fits many people’s idea of what a gay person is like. Common misconceptions can also be promoted, like when Eddie Redmayne plays Lili Elbe, a transgender woman, in “The Danish Girl”. His portrayal of her perpetuates the idea that transgender women are just men dressed up as women.

Good representation is about showing that LGBT+ individuals are just that: individual. It is about recognizing that while the LGBT+ community is strong and tight knit, every member of the community has their own story that is not necessarily sad or filled with unaccepting people or that ends in tragedy. It is about not portraying LGBT+ people as stereotypical or cartoonish or using them as a plot device.

11/11 EDITORS AGREE WITH THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS EDITORIAL.

22 / OPINION

THE DEBATE

THE PATRIOT

Building the Wall

PRO

BY ANSLEY CHAMBERS COPY EDITOR

W

e put barriers everywhere: fences around yards, walls on houses to protect and give privacy, locks on car doors, extreme security around schools, stadiums, hospitals, jails, airports, etc. So why not around the country? In our homes we trust that the people we live with

12%

D

uring Donald Trump’s campaign one of the focal points of his platform was the giant wall built along the southern border to keep illegal immigrants and drugs out the United States. While the wall seemingly started as an almost ridiculous statement that was used to get his audience fired up, it soon became one of the biggest issues on the docket for Congress. Refusal to allow $5.7 billion to build the wall led to the longest government shutdown in history.

Logically, the wall isn’t going to be as functional as Trump hopes. There are roadblocks every step of the way. One of the first roadblocks (besides the political roadblocks) is going to be the fact that, according to the CATO Institute, twothirds of the border in Texas is owned by private individuals. The government will have to try and use eminent domain, but will still have worry about the time frame of possible lawsuits causing delays. There

PHOTOS BY NAOMI MITCHELL

probably won’t be snooping, stealing or sneaking around in our rooms. We also tend to be friendly with our neighbors; trusting they aren’t going to attempt to break into our homes, yet we still put up walls, doors with locks and fences to keep them out. We don’t personally know our border neighbors, so why do we trust them so much? If we came home one day and our neighbors were just chilling in our house, most reasonable people would freak out. If you invite them over or there’s a crisis in their own home and they ask to crash at your place, that’s a different story; they aren’t intruding.

Putting a physical barrier along the border to prevent people from illegally entering the country is reasonable. It would make it easier for people to legally enter by making the immigration process more organized. Instead of immigrants crossing in dangerous areas, putting themselves at risk, they’d be more likely to enter through checkpoints where they can be helped instead of having nobody know where, who or in what condition

TWITTER POLL* also Native American tribes with sacred land along the border who will refuse to give up the land. Trump will have to pass a separate bill in Congress to allow the use of that land.

Say Trump is able to pass all of these roadblocks. The wall still wouldn’t be great at stopping cartels from transporting illegal items across the border. Professor Michael Dear from Berkeley makes the point that cartels often use checkpoints to their advantage.

Most illegal items are brought in through the checkpoints rather than just across the vast, open spaces at the border.

When it gets down to it, I really don’t care if we have a wall. I do care if the US spends billions of dollars on something that will logically be a failure. If Trump stuck to his promise to get Mexico to pay for the wall, then, by all means, build the stupid wall. But wasting money that could be used to on some other aspect

they are. According to the US Customs and Border Protection, 7,216 died crossing the southern border between 1998 and 2017 and according to The Guardian, there were 232 migrant fatalities in 2017.

Crossing is dangerous. Having assistance and being accounted for could be a safer option for immigrants.

Many people say those who immigrate cause less crime than citizens because they’re afraid of deportation. They shouldn’t have to worry about that, which they wouldn’t if they legally immigrated.

Saying they don’t commit crimes isn’t true. Unlawfully entering the US is illegal.

They’ve intruded into our country. In any other circumstance of intrusion, it would be a serious issue, but out of fear of being racist or xenophobic, it’s politically incorrect to call a crime that.

It’s unfair to those who legally enter the country when others come in without going through the immigration process like they should.

88%

*of 66 votes

of the budget like education or even pouring more money into border security by hiring more checkpoint workers is ridiculous.

BY LEXINGTON LINK CONTRIBUTING WRITER

CON

OPINION / 23

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

HOVERING OVER

Helicopter parents world prevent children from flying of adulthood. Our parents need to give us space to learn things on their own.

BY ANSLEY CHAMBERS COPY EDITOR

O

ur teenage years are our time to learn and grow. We have to make mistakes now, while we have the protection of innocence, as opposed to when we have to face the real

for ourselves, instead of hovering over us and not letting us find out what happens when we do certain things. However, they do need to help us when we do mess up. We can’t be expected to be perfect, but we do need some space to grow.

There can’t be one standard of what teenagers should and should not be allowed to do. Everyone is different. Some people can handle more freedom than others. No parent should allow their child to run around doing whatever they want without ever checking in, especially if the child is already less trustworthy.

Parents cannot monitor every minute of their children’s lives. To quote the movie “Footloose”, “If we don’t start trusting our children, how will they ever learn to be trustworthy?”

If we are never given a chance to prove ourselves trustworthy, how can we ever be trusted? We have to learn how to properly handle ourselves in situations involving substances, money, other people, etc.

We shouldn’t be allowed to ruin our own lives; we need some protection in that sense.

However, we need to gain experience because in just a few short years, we will be put into serious situations in which we need to make

decisions and we won’t have our mothers to stop us or tell us what to do. We should be given the freedom to make our decisions, but our parents should be there to advise us and then tell us how to deal with the outcome if need be.

Many of us are responsible and know not to be too stupid. It’s not unreasonable to be given a little bit of privacy. Dating, going to parties and simply being trusted in general is not the end of the world. We will learn from any mistakes we make. But we need to be given the dignity and respect of assuming we will be ok in the end.

We need some privacy. While it is good for parents to know where their children are and who they are with (for safety purposes), knowing exactly what they are doing and what they’re talking about is a bit extra. Different families have different expectations and that is very fair. Some parents demand a check in every few hours and there are different rules that are expected to be followed, all very reasonable and parents have every right to do so. But at some point it becomes too much and children need room to relax and learn.

PHOTO BY NAOMI MITCHELL

24 / OPINION

THE PATRIOT

LOST IN LIFE Sometimes there is no GPS for the future and that’s OK.

BY BRYNN TAYLOR SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

H

aving no direction is tough. My whole life I have always wanted to do certain things and be a certain person, but recently all of those dreams have faded away. I know I’m not alone; we all have dreams to be a movie star, doctor, veterinarian or even just to be successful in a reasonable sense.

Becoming a senior next year, I have to make some really tough choices about my life. There are too many things to write down: starting ACT and SAT prep courses, online classes, transit hours, college applications.

I take different classes to try and trigger something in my brain so I can say, “This is what I want to do; this is what I’m passionate about.” I like a lot of things, but I’m not very good at them and the things I am good at, I don’t feel that spark with. Writing this, I’m not feeling a spark.

I love to do things, but second guessing myself is a force of habit. That’s probably the reason I and many others feel they have no path.

Why bother? Why bother thinking you can’t do s o m e t h i n g because someone else can too?

My brain needs a break.

Sometimes it feels like I don’t have a left and right side. The creative and literary aspects of my life crash together and create a big pile of nothing.

I try to have a positive

aura in life, but being denied something you are excited and passionate about by your own brain is awful and heart wrenching.

Think back to kindergarten.

You’re sitting there, coloring.

You pick up your favorite crayon, the thing you care about most, the most beautiful melon Crayola crayon. Then the teacher comes up to you, takes the crayon and breaks it. Just like that, you feel as if your life is over. But it’s not. After about ten minutes of crying, you look over and see that you have a whole box of crayons next to you. There are 19 other choices in that little 20 color box. Now you can draw a grassy meadow or a sun, even the ocean. So many new colors, new opportunities, new paths.

I know I’ll figure out. For now I c a n only wait and hope. I have hope for all students who feel as if they aren’t good enough; you are, even if you don’t feel like it. I know I don’t right now, but I’m getting there. And so will you.

SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

ON AIRPODS

OPINION / 25

I can’t hear you over my swag.

BY MIAH CLARK ASST. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & A&E EDITOR

A

pple’s AirPods were first released in Sep. 2016. On this day, God died. The AirPods destroyed Her with their power. In all seriousness though, Apple birthed their greatest product of all time that beautiful month. They were Oct. 2018’s best selling product at Best Buy, but have come back into recent spotlight through the power of social media memes and all with good reason.

AirPods have actually, through customer reviews, been revealed as superior to regular Apple earbuds, though that was known well before any feedback was provided. Apple review website MacintoshHowTo.com mentioned in their list of AirPod pros that the overall sound quality was better, making corded headphones sound thin and harsh i n comparison. It was also mentioned that corded headphones emit high frequency sounds that after long periods of use can irritate your ears and that there are no such frequencies with AirPods.

AirPods are also the most intuitive headphones yet created. They connect to your iPhone with the simple flip of a lid and do not disconnect until placed back in their holder or if too far away from your phone. Through Siri, they are able to be controlled through verbal commands, including “turn up the volume” or “pause this song”. AirPods also detect when the p o d

in or out of your ear, pausing if one is removed and resuming when placed back. If someone stops you on the street to tell you how fly you look, you’re able to have your music paused, allowing you to accept the compliment from a fellow AirPod owner or to advise a corded headphone owning peasant to get their grubby, broke hands away from you and your pods.

Likely the most important benefit of having AirPods is your heightened appearance once they are in your possession. It has been scientifically proven that the sight of AirPods makes all genders swoon or immediately self conscious because they are not as attractive, being owners of corded headphones.

Their simple, white color easily matches any aesthetic, immediately elevating any look and clarifying the owner’s obvious wealth.

Earphones you bought at Walgreens? Broke.

Apple earbuds? Broke.

Bluetooth earphones that hang around your neck? Broke.

Louis Vuitton cordless earbuds? Broke. But AirPods? Mad rich.

Speaking as an AirPod co-owner, I feel comfortable in my claim that these are the best headphones of all time. The AirPod revolution has established a clear, superior race that if you are not yet apart of, you should join before it is too late and you are eliminated. Beloved AP Government teacher Tony Budetti has GOLD AirPods and can also vouch the power of the AirPod. GOLD. What’s your excuse?

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BATTLE

of the

THE PATRIOT

BRANDS

BY AVERY WOODS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & GINI HORTON WEB EDITOR

SPOTIFY

W

W

Though both Apple Music and Spotify cost the same per month, and you can have an account on both without paying (with significantly less benefits), Spotify is still better. Apple Music makes you pay for every song you want to listen to if you don’t have a membership, whereas Spotify without Premium lets you listen to whatever song you want, as long as you listen to some ads.

As someone who has used both Apple Music and Spotify, I’ve had a much more positive experience with Spotify.

It’s easier to open my music on multiple devices and I feel like a more valued customer. For the same price per month, Spotify is the better choice.

VS Music subscription is a tap away with your iPhone, which is a nice perk if you are taking advantage of Apple Music’s three month free trial- Spotify only offers 30 days- which is enough to last all summer. When using the app, Spotify may have an easy to navigate home screen, but Apple Music will allow you to view all your music that is downloaded, a feature Spotify does not offer that makes finding music much faster. Apple Music is also connected to your Apple account, which for iPhone users means you can listen to all the music purchased on iTunes before streaming services Although Apple has more music, Spotify does offer good promotions for Premium and they do make awesome daily playlists. Spotify and Apple Music both provide amazing services that have changed how audio entertainment is received. But, when it comes down to it, Apple Music is clearly superior.

RESULTS FROM A @SMSPATRIOT TWITTER POLL OF 76

78%

APPLE MUSIC

hile both Apple and Spotify provide amazing music streaming experiences, when it comes down to it, Apple Music is the better streaming service. Apple boasts a selection of around 45 million songs compared to Spotify’s 35 million; Apple Music provides a wider selection of music.

When comparing both, they are remarkably similar; both have an insane amount of music as well as many podcasts. Both are relatively the same price and both are easy to use. Yet Apple Music seems to pull slightly ahead of Spotify in all these areas. On top of having almost 10 million more songs than Spotify, they also have music videos as well as podcasts. The price for a year’s subscription for Apple Music is only $99, making the monthly rate around $8.95.

Spotify has this opportunity, but it is only a promotional deal. Canceling an Apple

hen it comes to a music streaming service, Spotify is by far the best. Sure, you can access music through any service and yes, Apple Music may be more aesthetically pleasing, but Spotify is an overall better service. Spotify makes you personalized playlists based on what you’ve been listening to and makes recommendations for you. Does Apple Music do that? Additionally, you can follow people and see what they’re listening to, which makes it more interactive. It’s a fun feature that makes you feel more connected. Your friends can make you playlists that you can listen to on your own account. Listening to music on any device is the easiest thing in the world with Spotify. Where Apple Music is only available on Apple devices, Spotify is simply an app that can be downloaded to any device.

PHOTOS BY KYLA HUNTER

22%

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WATCHA W WATCHIN’?

Best Rom-Coms for the Valentine’s season.

BY MCKENNA PICKERING SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

hether it’s just a regular day or Valentine’s Day and you’re at home, alone, longing for something to do, just grab a blanket, pop some popcorn and find a couch or a bed to lay on because here are the perfect rom-coms to watch. These movies aren’t limited to only the hopelessly romantic or single people. If you have a boyfriend or girlfriend and you aren’t going out, watch these together. I hope you aren’t afraid to cry in front of your significant other because these particular movies range from total tear jerkers to heartwarming dramedies. Overall are perfect for a chill Valentine’s Day.

While You Were Sleeping

The Notebook

7.1/10 on IMDb

7.8/10 on IMDb

86% on Rotten Tomatoes

53% on Rotten Tomatoes

13 Going on 30

Titanic

6.1/10 on IMDb 64% on Rotten Tomatoes

7.8/10 on IMDb 89% on Rotten Tomatoes

PHOTOS COURTESTY OF IMDb

MCKENNA’S TOP PICK Sixteen Candles This movie revolves around Samantha, a 16 year old girl who faces many obstacles such as boys, creeps vs crushes, her sister’s wedding, her family forgetting her birthday and more.

It’s a wild ride in Samantha’s high school life and really represents high school emotions.

7.1/10 on IMDb 89% on Rotten Tomatoes 84% of South students love it

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THE PATRIOT

SENIOR Broc Pashia plays guitar at a rehearsal of the upcoming production of Jesus Christ Superstar. The pit orchestra rehearsed for the first time as a full ensemble on Jan. 12th.

BACKSTAGE SUPERSTAR A look at seniors’ onstage roles in upcoming musical.

T

BY ADDIE SOYSKI CIRCULATION MANAGER

he theatre department puts on many performances, but and master their characters. none may be as unique as “Jesus Christ Superstar”, which “I’ve watched a lot of documentaries about his last days and follows the story of Jesus during his final week. The show his resurrection and I’ve even read a little bit of the Bible, even has been performed once before at South in the early 90s. though I, myself, am not religious, so it was difficult to pick up “We’re very excited about it. It’s very different for us. It’s on tendencies and to portray myself as a big icon,” Cross said. been done before here at South, but we’re coming at it a whole While other normal preparations like scenery, props, different direction this time. It should be exciting for students as costumes and marketing have been in the works, senior Broc well as adults,” theatre director Pashia has also been busy Mark Sweyze said. preparing his guitar performance Although it involves for the show. While this isn’t characters from religious stories, Pashia’s first time playing guitar the performance doesn’t center for the theatre, as he played around religion and instead views in the pit for the production the story through a historical and Footloose as second guitar, it is story motivated lense. his first time as lead.

“It looks at the story of Jesus “[I’m] playing lead guitar and his last days through Judas’ and all that that entails, which perspective and it’s basically apparently is on stage, which is SENIOR following him around as he interesting... Some of my music spreads joy and happiness to friends wanted to do it so this ALEX CROSS his followers and it’s about was gonna be our last hoorah their journey basically through playing together,” Pashia said. friendship and love,” senior Alex Cross, who plays Jesus, said.

While Pashia has been playing the guitar since eighth grade and It has quite a few dramatic and emotional elements that will all comes from a music oriented family, the performance comes be sung; the show is an opera. with mild challenges.

“I think you really see the raw emotion through Jesus’ “Some of the music has acoustic, classic parts, which I am perspective and his followers when the crucifiction, everyone’s not particularly used to, so trying to figure some of those out just watching his bleed out and die. It’s really a powerful has been kind of difficult,” Pashia said. Much has been put into message to anyone, even if you’re not religious,” Cross said. the production of Jesus Christ Superstar including running Since Dec., the cast and crew have been working hard to two cuttings, or teasers, before the show which will be Feb. 13 prepare for the show. Actors are working to perfect their roles through Feb. 16.

“

It’s basically following [Jesus] around as he spreads joy and happiness to his followers and it’s about their journey basically through friendship and love.

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SMSOUTHNEWS.COM

PHOTOS BY EMMA HARDING

Visit smsouthnews.com to watch The Patriot staff members attempt ASMR.

ASMR:

explained

A

BY LEXINGTON LINK CONTRIBUTING WRITER

utonomous sensory meridian response, more commonly known as ASMR, has recently become popular on social media platforms like YouTube and Snapchat. But what is ASMR? The term ASMR itself is defined on Wikipedia as “a term used for an experience characterized by a static-like or tingling sensation on the skin that typically begins on the scalp and moves down the back of the neck and upper spine.” The term ASMR was actually coined in a Facebook group created by a woman trying to see if anyone else has similar reactions to specific stimuli.

There is not much science or research done on what exactly ASMR is. Some scientists have coined the possibility of the reaction being a type of small, pleasurable seizure. There have been a few publications from researchers about it, but the general consensus is that the reactions vary from person to person.

A deeper look into one of the internet’s strangest trends.

ASMR videos have become pretty much anything that people find oddly satisfying, but is mostly centered around sounds. It can range from cutting soap in a satisfying pattern and slime to whispering and tapping on things with long fingernails. There are many YouTube channels and videos dedicated to ASMR; some videos have over 15 million views.

Among the more popular channels with 1.3 million subscribers is “Life with Mak”, a channel created by 13 year old Makenna.

Makenna’s channel focuses on the audio aspect of ASMR. She whispers, taps and drinks things close to a microphone.

ASMR has also become popular for helping people relax and sometimes even help those with insomnia fall asleep. Many YouTubers dedicate videos to try to help watchers fall asleep. YouTube channel “ASMR Darling” has over 2.2 million subscribers. “ASMR Darling” creates videos ranging from 20 minutes to an hour

and a half long videos dedicated to helping people fall asleep.

You can also find many ASMR stories on Snapchat. Many videos on Snapchat include playing with slime, cutting soap and there are even celebrity interviews focused on ASMR. During interviews, celebrities will whisper into a microphone and bring in items that make sounds to use as props and talking points.

Although ASMR is becoming very popular, some people don’t have the tingling response that many feel. It is not really understood why some people don’t experience it, but some of those who don’t react to the stimuli find the concept of ASMR to be discomforting and sometimes even creepy.

Overall, there is not a lot of science or research behind ASMR, but it is certainly becoming more popular by the day.

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THE SWEETEST WEEK 4

PHOTOS BY TRINITY CLARK

1. In between the girls and boys Varsity basketball games, Sweetheart royalty was crowned.

Second attendants went to Sam Caldwell and Miah Clark, first attendants went to Tanner Thurlow and Leah Lissauer, and King and Queen went to Faith Danaher and Jake Potthoff.

2. Varsity cheer and pace performed at the home game against Shawnee Mission Northwest on Feb. 1.

3. At the Sweetheart Assembly, the spirit week winners were announced. Freshman Jackson Underwood won for JoCo parent day.

4. Senior cheerleader Bergen Cooper performs during the Sweetheart Assembly.

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14 DAYS

FEATURES / 32

F VALENTINES

Couples of South share their love stories.

BY ANNALIE POLEN REPORTER AND REESE WOODS PHOTOGRAPHER

V

alentine’s Day is here and love is in the air. As you see some of South’s sweethearts holding hands in the hallways, you might wonder about their relationships.

Patriot staff interviewed some of our favorite couples here at South. From freshmen to seniors and even your favorite staff couple, here is an inside look on these couples. The first question asked was how long each couple had been dating.

Some newer couples were interviewed such as juniors Parish Mock and Griffin Brassel who had been dating for two months.

Likewise, senior Mia Neaderhiser and junior Zach Neher have also been dating for about two months. Couples such as juniors

Austin Conner and Ellery Vaughn

Ben Curtis and Sofia Lanan

Ben Curtis and Sofia Lanan, on the other hand, have been dating for 14 months.. The couples have lots of things they love about each other.

“I like how he’s really respectful and cute and hes smart and cares about me and makes me laugh sometimes too,” Senior Meredith Bunker said about her boyfriend senior Major Close.

Less affectionate, but still as meaningful when asked their favorite thing about the other person Mia Neaderhiser said, “his dog,” while Zach Neher said, “dog”. For more insight on these couples, check out the Patriot online and see a new couple video each day of Feb. leading up to Valentine’s Day.

Eli Thurston and Maryn Sifrit

Cas Beiriger and Kelli Pavlu

Check out www.smsouthnews.com to see the video interviews of these couples and 9 more!

Will Huggins and Maci Gunter