THE
PATRIOT September 2014
No Justice No Peace
Ferguson’s spotlight on America’s great racial divide. Page 15
Vol.49 Issue 1 Shawnee Mission South 5800 W. 107 St, OP, KS 66207 (913) - 993 -7500
CONTENTS Theater Previews Page 7
New Staff M e mbe rs Pa g e 5
Workplaces and Teenagers Page 12
Q&A Page 18
Social Media The Debate and Crime Page 14 Art Teacher Page 10 Individualism of the Year at Work Page 8 Page 13
Tech Rollout Page 6
Staff Editorial Page 11
Getting Published Page 20
Cover Story Page 15
ON THE COVER From left: Junior Remy Gordon and senior Corida Cooperwood stand in solidarity with Michael Brown, holding signs in protest of his death. “Police officers need to be held accountable just like how anyone else would be held accountable. They’re serving us. We’re not serving them. They are public servants to the citizens of the United States, “ Gordon said.
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.
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Sept. 2014 table of contents
Twitter Photo Contest Page 21
Vacation with the Staff Page 22
Pacesetters Page 30
Dressed to Impress Page 26
Overland Park Landmarks Page 24
Concussion Tests Page 28 Basketball Page 27
The Final Say Page 25
Angles Page 32
European Sports Page 29
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
Jenna Fackrell Photo Editor
Autumn Mock Features Editor
Amelia Holcomb Ads Editor
Corida Cooperwood Writer
Andrea Smith Writer
Avery Dorsey Writer
Kendall Barker Writer
Rachel Larberg Writer
Katie Imes Photographer
Arturo Sanchez-Vera Photographer
Julie Fales Adviser
table of contents
Sept. 2014
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HAIRSTYLIST HAIRSTYLIS IT’S COOL TO BE A
Tap into your talent, refine your skills, and create
the life you really want! You belong in a Paul Tap Mitchell into your talent, refine your skills, and create
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the life you really want! You belong in a Paul Mitchell School.
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For more information about our graduation rates, the median loan debt, who completed the program, and other important information, please visit paulmitchell.edu/ge. Financial Aid is ava
Tap into your talent, refine your skills, and create the life you reallyabout want! You belong in a loan Paul For more information our graduation rates, the median debt,Mitchell who completed the program, and other important information, please visit paulmitchell.edu/ge. Financial Aid is available for those who qualify. School.
8731 W 95th Street Overland Park For more information about our graduation rates, the median loan debt, who completed the program, and other important information, please visit paulmitchell.edu/ge. Financial Aid is available for those who qualify.
2015 Senior Year Heritage Yearbook Attention: clubs, sports, seniors!
Get your ad in by 3 p.m. Oct. 10 for a 20% discount! Final deadline is Dec. 5th For more information, contact smsyearbookads@gmail.com or 913-993-7664
WELCOME TO THE TEAM A look at the new staff members at South.
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ith Jayhawk roots, Amy Read, a math teacher, has been teaching in the Kansas City and Wyandotte area for 15 years. Read taught at Washington High, Shawnee Mission North, East and Blue Valley Southwest. The biggest change for her is the new technology. “The biggest difference between the other schools I taught at and Shawnee Mission South is the technology and all the changes that come along with that,” Read said.
Meet the rest of the staff online at smsouthnews.com
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t being her 23rd year of teaching, Cathy Geisel is a teacher in the science department. Geisel has taught at many different schools like Shawnee Mission North, Rockhurst, Miege and Blue Valley, but Shawnee Mission South does have some differences to her. “The school is slightly smaller and I like that and the science department has a natural area and all the new technology. The technology puts a lot more learning on the student because they can look up more of the stuff on their own,” Geisel said.
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ourtney Dougherty is a new art teacher. This will be her 14th year of teaching, having previously taught at Shawnee Mission East and Shawnee Mission North. “South is a really good mix between East and North. The students here are friendly and knowledgeable and it’s a true mix between the two schools,” Dougherty said. Along with teaching art, Dougherty is planning on bringing the National Art Society to South starting second semester.
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Rachel Larberg PHOTOS by Arturo Sanchez-Vera
Sept. 2014 news
Apple Core student, Noah Meyer assists a student experiencing technical difficulties. Each hour, Apple Core students were in the library helping students and faculty with their laptops.
Photo by arturo sanchez-Vera
Pulling into the gym lobby, the delivery truck stops in front of the door. The truck not only contained laptops for South but also the laptops for other Shawnee Mission Schools.
PHOTO BY KATIE IMES
Senior Sidney Holler recieves her laptop from adminstrators along with a laptop charger and extension chord. Her senior English class lined up behind waiting for their turn.
Photo by Jenna fackrell
MACS ROLLING INTO SOUTH
Teachers, students acclimate to new technology.
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ith Shawnee Mission School District rolling out $18.3 million for technology, the district is equipped with the latest Apple technology. Purchasing 8,300 MacBook Air 11” laptops for just high school students, the district increased the amount of technology students are using in their everyday lives. Each student has approached all the new changes in a different light. Some are enjoying the opportunities and some are disagreeing with the decision the district has made. “I think society spends enough time staring at screens, and they are taking away the one place where we are not staring at a computer all day,” sophomore Steffen Seamon said. Some students like Seamon have found that they preferred text to a screen but that there are some pros to having the computers. “The Google Classrooms are so much better than the old web backpack because it makes it so much easier than turning something in. It provides less worry and is easy just to turn it in at home,” Seamon said. Google Classrooms provide students instant access to assignments and due dates, and for some teachers, students can even submit the
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assignment at home. Some students fully support the district’s choice to carry out the rollout of new technology. For some, life is much easier with a laptop and every textbook at their fingertips. “When you have a computer, you don’t have to carry around textbooks, which is really nice,” sophomore Olivia Mark said. One of the bigger concerns for students is how extensive the security system is. Blue Coat is a built-in security system, put in place by the district, which allows the district to pick and choose which websites are blocked and which ones students will be able to access. “While hacking is concerning behavior, it is not unexpected. The district will plug the holes as they find them and students who continually hack the system multiple times will have some type of procedure taken,” associate principal Ryan Flurry said. The district has set up guidelines and consequences for the students who frequently hack into sites that are blocked. The Apple Core team, consisting of students and teachers in the library during each hour of the day, helps students and teachers with any questions and problems they may have. Each Apple Core student and teacher were on board with all the new technology before the school year ended last year. They have received special training on the MacBooks to
better understand the programs, security and set-up. As students and teachers work out all the kinks, another aspect of the technology is booming. The ability to communicate from one end of the school to the other becomes simple. Students take hold of iMessage, a messaging app that allows students to instantly message each other not only for personal purposes, but also to communicate for group projects. “Students will be able to collaborate and interact with each other better. It gives them a chance to work as a team and the computer also provides access to a wealth of knowledge,” Flurry said. To add to the communication they have available, students are flooded with the amount of new information. The process of taking in all the new information is a breeze for some and a struggle for others. “One of the biggest struggles is everyone is excited and there are a number of things teachers and students want to do that the Information Services Department is still working on getting set up,” Flurry said. As the school year moves on, all the rough edges will be smoothed over. “A key part to all of this is collaboration, working as a team and communicating to individualize learning for students,” Flurry said. Rachel Larberg
Using new technology, juniors Teah Nguyen, Tara Anderson and sophomore Zach Greer plan for the upcoming year in theater. PHOTO BY KATIE IMES
ADVANCED LOOK AT THEATER
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he theater department for Shawnee Mission South is blowing up this year. Many new students have enrolled in the theater department. Theater veterans are excited about the younger talent. “I just know we have a great bunch of new kids coming in the theater, and so the bunch of freshmen are coming in and you’re going to see a lot of new singers and dancers. So it’s going to be exciting,” junior Mimi DeLuca said. Musicals and plays aren’t easy to put together. Just ask theater director Mark Swezey or any of his students. “There’s a lot of things that go into
Rose pollina
theater. The main challenges are always time and money and making sure everything is done, ready and prepared,” DeLuca said. The theater department usually performs four shows a year. This year the theater department will be presenting Pippin, Miracle on 34th Street, Our Town and Mary Poppins. Pippin, the first musical, will be performed Oct. 22 -25. “It’s a very creative, very different show than most of the others,” Swezey said. Students who show their school ID receive a free ticket to the school’s
shows. “I’m mostly looking forward to Pippin because I’m the stage manager. But that’s not the only reason why, also because it’s our opening show and it’s going to be really fun, kind of new, not the usual version of Pippin. It’s a musical,” DeLuca said. Pippin auditions were Aug. 25. Sophomore Zach Greer won the lead role and will play Pippin. Other cast members include junior Laura Kariuki as Leading Player, sophomore Megan Berning as Fastrada and junior Victoria Smith as Berthe. ricardo figueroa
Info provided by cafeteria managerKaren Bond
Students must take a full portion of three of the five meal components with one of the three being a ½ cup serving of fruit/4 oz juice and/or a vegetable.
News Sept. 2014
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HONORING JENNIFER HUDSON Teacher receives secondary art teacher of the year award
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rt teacher Jennifer Hudson was recognized as Secondary Art Educator of the year on Aug. 14. She has been teaching at Shawnee Mission South for seven years. Hudson has loved art since she was a little girl. She tried to take English classes in college, because she thought they were more academically challenging, but later, around her junior year, she decided to take a semester of art. “After taking a semester of art courses, I knew that was really where my interest was, “ Hudson said. Hudson became an art teacher because she likes spending time with children and helping them learn what their skills are. If students take an interest in art she wants to help them improve. She says that she wouldn’t have been this skilled or made it this
far without her teachers helping her. Her motivation when learning art is “if you find something that makes you happy, you should do that for your job because you’ll be doing it the rest of your life.” When she is not at school teaching, Hudson likes being at home with her baby girl, Everly, and spending time with her family. Winning the award made Hudson feel excited, and appreciated. For the most part she feels loved and thankful that her colleagues noticed her work. She’s excited for the Organization Conference this October. “I’m mostly ready to explore and meet new people, Hudson said. The conference is being held in Russell, Kan. and it will be a new experience for her. Her next step after winning the award is to continue doing what she loves. And she jokingly added, “If I get a piece of paper, I’ll put it on my wall.” CORIDA cooperwood
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Cheerl ead Autum ers, seniors n Mock an Alyssa Klein a d n junior d Thornt s Tamera on and Cain, r Alora ece Ameri ived an Allca cheerl n award in eading camp.
ANDREA SMITH graphics by Rose Pollina
Sept. 2014
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PHOTOS BY KATIE IMES
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Crime In the Information Age
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hirty years ago, iPads, texting, tweeting, and the like would have been nothing more than ludicrous science fiction fantasies. Today, it’s difficult to find a place in America lacking these items. In this day and age, a whole world of information is accessible at the push of a button; emails and texts can be sent across the globe instantly, and we hear of crime the second it happens. The monumental extent of the knowledge and communication unleashed by technological momentum is extraordinary. The benefits of cars, social media, portable electronics, etc. are innumerable. But, as sage Uncle Ben once told Spiderman, with great power comes great responsibility. As advances in technology make information more easily accessible to the general public, it becomes evident just how many people are unable to handle the responsibility of this new power. Shocking events in recent years such as school shootings as well as the live tweeting of the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO have sparked debate about how this new age of information is shaping crime. The Sandy Hook elementary school shooting provides a clear example of not only how news travels quickly in this technological age, but also how technology can lead to antisocial personality disorder, which in turn commonly leads to crime. Antisocial personality disorder is a mental health condition characterized by a long-standing pattern of disregard for and violating, manipulating or exploiting the rights of others. Sandy Hook gunman Adam Lanza became increasingly antisocial in the years leading up to the massacre. He let no one into his room, did not celebrate birthdays or holidays and physical touch was abhorrent. Lanza’s antisocial behavior reached
Sept. 2014 opinion
an all-time high when he began to communicate with his mother only through email despite living together. Lanza’s story is not the only one in which technology allows people to fuel their antisocial personality disorder. According to Donald W. Black, M.D., professor of psychiatry at the University of Iowa, numerous crimes, ranging anywhere from domestic violence to murder, can be traced to antisocial personality disorder. The use of social media to report the recent Ferguson shooting displays not only the speed at which technology allows information to travel, but also how multiple accounts of an event can confuse the details. On Aug. 9, a Twitter account belonging to @TheePharaoh tweeted about having just witnessed the shooting of Michael Brown not minutes after the killing took place. Twitter user @TheePharaoh posted a number of consecutive tweets describing the shooting, as well as a few photographs documenting the event. However, this unofficial report, as well as those of other witnesses, have been questioned in terms of authenticity, and may be providing nothing other than further complications and distress to the affair. The development of technology in the age of information in which we live has no doubt shaped and changed every aspect of our lives, especially crime. The rapid communication and greater access to bounteous information that this age grants can lead to crime as well as prevent it. We must adapt and find a balance between the need to use technology for utilitarian purposes and the need to use real-life social interaction to better our own well-being and avoid falling into the declining antisocial cycle that so often leads to crime. Kendall barker
STAFF EDITORIAL
Let’s Talk About Race PHOTO illustrations by jenna fackrell
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e don’t all realize what it’s like to be mistreated. We don’t all understand what some people have to deal with. We aren’t all able to empathize with people when they are wronged for reasons such as their race. And why is that? Is it because some of us are so oblivious that we think racism doesn’t exist? Or is it because the idea of talking about race makes us so uncomfortable that we just choose not to? Society’s problem is that we avoid talking about race until it’s unavoidable. After recent events in Ferguson, MO, regarding the shooting of unarmed African-American Michael Brown, we’ve been forced to acknowledge the fact that racism is real and happening right in front us. Being more open to discussion about race may not eliminate racism entirely, but it’s the first step to a more diversityembracing society. Whether we want to admit it or not, many people are inherently a little bit racist. Many people can’t deny that they’d be more afraid of walking past a group of black men at night than a group of white men. Or that they’re more likely to lock their car doors driving through a bad neighborhood when they see an African-
American versus a Caucasian. And that’s not necessarily their fault. These people can’t help the way they feel, and they wouldn’t necessarily treat someone worse because of the color of their skin. The thing is, no matter how much we all want to be or how much we say we are, we are not colorblind. Through stereotypes and American culture, these subconscious, racist tendencies have been ingrained in us since childhood, whether we acknowledge it or not. And in our attempt at trying to pretend that we don’t see race, we have become so afraid of offending people that we have become colormute. We simply just refuse to talk about it. People should come to understand from a young age that although people may look different, we are all the same, and should be treated that way. That the color of our skin doesn’t affect who we are as a person. We shouldn’t be afraid to ask or answer questions. Society is supposed to learn from its mistakes, but how are we supposed to learn anything if we keep putting issues as serious as racism on the backburner? How many times do we have to make the same mistake before we are finally going to understand that this is a problem?
8/8 EDITORS AGREE WITH THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS EDITORIAL
Opinion Sept. 2014
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PHOTO illustration by lauren rosenstock
Working Hard or Hardly Working Work places bend corporate policies for benefit of business.
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n a business, managers are in charge of controlling the funds, the employees, and the satisfaction of the customer. When teenagers are hired because they feel as though they can benefit the business even though they are not able to handle certain responsibilities, what is going through the manager’s mind? As school came to a close, more thoughts came up about whether or not I should get a job for the summertime, but the idea of work made me really sad. Although having a job and becoming an adult wasn’t exactly what I wanted, the idea of being able to have money to spend on things that made me happy really pushed me into my summer job. When my mom worked at this restaurant, many visits consisted of my mom bringing my sister and I along. A few of the managers who had been around for a long time remembered me, and having those connections and using them to my advantage when finding work, was the best decision I made. At the same time, we have a shortage of servers, lacking four or five. Instead of encouraging the current servers to talk to their friends, the managers decided to hire
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Sept. 2014 Opinion
extra people. These five gentlemen are not servers, but “server assistants” or “shift assistants.” A server assistant is a person who helps empty dish tubs in the pub and Hobart, or dishwasher, put simply. They also have to help run food, or carry food behind the server and take it to the designated table. The jobs listed above are the servers responsibilities. The excuse for having these shift assistants was, “The servers don’t have time to carry a tub of dirty dishes and wash their hands, because by the time they need to take the food to the table, it’ll be cold.” This idea does not make sense. When the managers said that all I heard was, “The servers won’t stop complaining unless we give you more work because they don’t want to do it anymore.” This business’s Corporation Code of Business Conduct and Ethics states: As a business comprised of talented and diverse team members, the Company is committed to the fair and effective utilization of all employees without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, covered veteran status, disability or any other category protected by federal, state or local laws.” This statement generally describes the “restrictions” set to those who apply to become employees. To be more specific, hostesses can be a minimum
of 16 years old, without a maximum. Servers must be a minimum of 18 years, without a maximum. How do managers have the power to change this company’s policy especially when this is a chain of restaurants! The memory of when Corporate came in is still very fresh in my mind. That night I do not recall seeing any of our shift assistants, now why would that be? Most likely because it is against corporate policies in some way. Personally, it’s upsetting to hear a server complain about how hard their job is when half of their job is now mine. I will not deny that the servers work very hard and coming from an employee who doesn’t have that training, I am impressed and appreciative of their hard work. With their work being pushed among the rest of the staff, everyone’s job becomes harder. So, the managers have bent the rules a little bit and reduced the amount of responsibilities to running food and doing their opening and closing shift duties. How is that fair? As a hostess we are thought of to just seat guests, but at my work we have to seat, help run food, clear and clean tables, and we have been given responsibilities to share with the shift assistants, bending our job descriptions even more. lauren rosenstock
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Appearance In The Workplace A re you sporting a dragon on your arm, a tiger on your neck, or wearing a ring on your nostril? Those tattoos and piercings are two ways to express ourselves. Sadly, having either can negatively affect your chances of getting a job. For generations, it has been considered taboo to have a visible tattoo or piercing (besides earrings) in the workplace. Times are changing though. More people with tattoos and body piercings are being hired. A 2012 study from the Pew Research Center found nearly 40 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 29 have at least one tattoo. Age plays a huge role in how tattoos and piercings are perceived at work. The older the age group the smaller the percentage of people who have tattoos and piercings. In a nutshell, older people tolerate less than younger ones. It is a lot harder to get a job if you have a visible tattoo or body piercing than if you don’t. That’s because oftentimes people feel uncomfortable with them because of negative
stereotypes. The number one stereotype tied to tattoos is gang involvement. Some things to consider before getting a piercing or tattoo are what industries are more likely to hire you. In a survey conducted by SFGate.com, agriculture/ranching has the most tattooed workers at 22 percent. Following closely is the Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation industry at 20 percent. Many places like law firms won’t hire those with tattoos because they believe it hurts their professional image. As cool as tattoos and body piercings might seem for expressing yourself, they are not the greatest idea. While they seem like a bright idea when you get them, they have repercussions when you are trying to find work. You’ll find most employers are not gung-ho about hiring someone with a visible tattoo. While having a tattoo or body piercing is not as much a kiss of death as it used to be, there is still a stigma about having them. ROSE POLLINA
photos by katie imes
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Opinion Sept. 2014
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Pro: Rola Alasmar
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’ll admit, when I first heard our school was going paperless this year, I had my doubts. I had concerns about how it would work out just like everyone else did. About what would happen when people had computer troubles, or didn’t have internet at their houses, or when programs didn’t work. But with a well put together tech team at South and free wifi on every corner, going paperless has been a step forward for the school. Not only has it made our school “greener” because we no longer have a need to print as much, but it has made things significantly more convenient. Students can get easy access to teachers’ notes, PowerPoints, assignments, etc. straight on their computers within seconds. We are able to take notes on our laptops and share assignments with teachers with just the click of a button. The use of Skyward allows students, as well as parents, to easily stay updated with their grades. It provides a way for students to view all of their upcoming assignments all in one place. Teachers are now able to give online quizzes and assignments, many of which can be graded immediately. The new technology allows all classes to work online without having to worry about reserving computer carts or the library or a computer lab. Whenever computers are needed, they’re there. All students having their own laptop will significantly make us more productive. Students can easily work on assignments on their computers during classes they have extra time in, or in seminar, or study halls. It makes it easier for students to quickly get online for things even when they only have a few minutes of time to work. A concern that some people have had with going paperless is that everything we do will be revolving around the technology. But teacher’s still give certain assignments on paper. We still make time for class discussions. We still do group projects and interact. Just because the computers are there doesn’t mean we are going to make them our only method of learning. So maybe we’ll have the occasional technology issue. But when it comes down to it, going paperless will go well for us. We just have to give it a chance.
Go online to smsouthnews.com to vote for your opinion.
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Sept. 2014 opinion
THE DEBATE
Was going paperless the right choice?
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Con: Amelia Holcomb
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lthough the decision to give laptops to all students was met with excitement, the challenges of getting accustomed to the new technology and the limits on printing have left teachers and students frustrated and confused. It’s great that we are trying to save paper and reduce our carbon footprint, but school is not a place where cutting out paper is an easy option. In elementary schools students still need to learn to write. The limits on printing will just make it harder for teachers to get the resources to make sure students can write legibly. Some teachers have had to turn to printing school papers at home. One teacher I talked to said she had to buy a new home printer because her old one couldn’t connect to her MacBook. If they don’t print at home, they use one of the 11 central printers/ scanner/copier hybrids available at school. Lab classes have normal printers and a district print shop is available for teachers, but it can still be hard to reach the printers, especially during class. Teachers scan a card before they use the printer at school and the system keeps track of how many copies the teachers make. Right now there are no printing limitations for teachers, but that could change if the school is using too much paper. The central printers can also be inconvenient for teachers to use, now that they don’t have classroom printers. Finding a place for students to print assignments off is even harder. Even though most papers will be sent in electronically through Google Classrooms or other online resources, some teachers want hard copies. If students don’t have a home printer or if it is broken, it will be much harder for students to find a place to print their paper because there aren’t any available printers for students. I think we should all try to print less and I appreciate the district’s efforts to become more eco-friendly and save money on paper and printing supplies, but there should be better access for both teachers and students to printers.
Malice Green 36 1992
Amandou Patrick Diallo Dorismond 23 26 2000 1999
Oscar Grant 22 2009
Shem Walker 49 2009
Ervin Jefferson 18 2012
Malissa Williams 30 2012
Prince Jones 25 2000
Kenneth Ramarley Chamberlain Graham 68 18 2011 2012
Timothy Russell 43 2012
Yvette Smith 48 2014
Orlando Barlow 28 2003
Henry Glover 31 2005
Ronald Madison 40 2005
Trayvon Martin 17 2012
Rekia Boyd 22 2012
Kendrec James McDade Bartholomew 19 17 2012 2012
Eric Garner 43 2014
No Justice No Peace S
John Crawford 22 2014
Mike Brown 18 2014
Sean Bell 23 2006
Ezell Ford 25 2014
The above graphic showcases high-profile killings, since 1992, of unarmed, black men and women shot down by police. GRAPHIC BY ROSE POLLINA
THE INCIDENT
Ferguson’s Spotlight on America’s Great Racial Divide
ix shots were heard round the world Aug. 9 as 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot down on a street in Ferguson, MO. The man who pulled the trigger: Darren Wilson, a white, six-year veteran of St. Louis Police Department. The incident occurred in the midst of a disturbing chain of police shootings since the Civil Rights Movement that some have called racial profiling and others have called tragedies unrelated to race. The civil unrest in Ferguson echoed allegations of unfair racial targeting by law enforcement across America, many noting that the headline, “Black, Unarmed Teenager Gunned Down By Police,” has become
Features Sept. 2014
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an eerily familiar sight online and in newsstands across the country. “We already had something like this with Trayvon Martin, but it’s different when it’s a police officer doing it. Police officers are supposed to save people, you know?” junior Jada Smith said. “Darren Wilson should be in jail. Like, six shots, two in the head? And apparently, the police say Michael was running. That takes aim. He was aiming… They’re going to try to spin it as much as possible to make Darren look as innocent as possible when, truth is, he’s not so innocent. The six shots tell ’em right there. He’s not innocent.” As Ferguson was hurled into the spotlight as the consequence of America’s polarizing racial divide, outraged citizens of Ferguson kicked protests into high gear the next morning. The calm only lasted so long, however, and by Sunday evening, the same streets that held peaceful protests just hours prior were in chaos with reports of assaults, opportunistic looting, and the arson of a local QuikTrip. Police reacted swiftly and with enough force that Amnesty International was forced to send advisers to the Midwest to investigate. “At first, the police had to use a lot of force because there were riots, but as the protests have gotten more peaceful, the police are still using excessive force. In that area, as far as I’ve heard, it’s a mostly black community, but almost all of the police are white, so I feel like the tension [between Ferguson and its police force] has
Divided We Stand 16
been going on for a while,” junior Remy Gordon said. “Sometimes I feel like racial profiling has been made out to be more than it is, but there are definitely instances where the police seem to target AfricanAmericans more than other races. Sometimes it’s not always true. Sometimes it just seems like that. I mean, I don’t hate white people. I don’t hate white cops. I understand, but sometimes I feel like they target African American people.” And public opinion of police officers by the black community closely reflects Gordon’s opinion. A poll by Pew Research Center, conducted Aug. 20-24, indicates that, when rating the performance of police officers, 70 percent of black pollers rated “poor” in the category of how well the police treat racial and ethnic groups equally, compared to 29 percent of white pollers who rated that police do a “good job”. When asked how well police are at holding officers accountable when misconduct occurs, 27 percent of white pollers and 70 percent of black pollers rated “poor.” This disparity, Gordon says, is at least partially the product of both sides’ discomfort and unwillingness to talk about the deep issues surrounding race. “People feel like they’re being racist if they talk about it. Some black people don’t like talking about it because of things that have happened,” Gordon said. “But honestly the only way it’s going to get better is if we talk about it as much as we can and make sure i
According to a Key poll from Pew Research Center, Black opinions on the Poller civil unrest in Ferguson. differ White greatly depending Poller on race.
Sept. 2014 features
“[Racial profiling] is very pronounced. Even after the Civil Rights Movement, there are just people, especially down in the South, that don’t like the fact that there are people different from them. It’s the same thing with the gay community. People don’t like what’s different, so they act violently.”
The Ferguson Project
-junior Victoria Smith
t’s a big issue and that it’s always being scrutinized and enforced. Whether it’s the whole nation at one time or just making sure that every parent talks about it and makes their children understand that nobody’s better than anyone else.”
IN THE CLASSROOM
Some students have kept up with the civil unrest in Ferguson through a project led by 11th grade English teacher Kendrick Blackwood. The objective: to write about the events of Ferguson through the perspective of different people in the city. “This incident has sparked a wide range of reactions, and the way we see what happened is shaped by where we come from, our background and how we view the world,” Blackwood said. “The family of Michael Brown: the language they use and how they respond to their baby being killed is a lot different than Chief Jackson, who is the chief of police, who employed the
Percentage of people who believe this case raises important issues about race.
80%
37%
officer who had the gun that killed Michael Brown... The students seem to be connecting to it.” Blackwood says that many of his students already had some knowledge of the events in Ferguson, but felt the need to cover it in class to help them understand and process while staying within the junior English curriculum of studying different points of view and the attainability of the American Dream. “American literature is junior level content,” Blackwood said. “Everything seems to tie back to this American Dream as it has changed over time. Is the American dream fair for everyone? Is it the same as what Michael Brown’s dream is growing up in a more impoverished neighborhood? I think we’re at a point where there’s real inequities. It’s hard. I have experience in urban Kansas City. The schools, for one, are different. They are not as functional as the schools here, and that’s not fair,” Blackwood said. “I think
Jackson Ozburn presenting his project. During English teacher Kenrick Blackwood’s class, juniors Merrick Foster, Teah Nguyen and Tanaija Buchanan present their Ferguson project.
situations like Ferguson do provide a touch point for us, hopefully, to have a healthy conversation. Change is very hard, and I don’t know what to hope for, frankly.” Gordon believes that change can be wrought and Ferguson can begin to heal once the police department indicts Darren Wilson and keeps the rest of their officers on tight watch. “If Officer Darren Wilson was brought forward, it would discourage officers from doing the same thing in the future, because they don’t want the same kind of recognition,” Gordon said. “As it is right now, I feel like the police officers are always held with this godlike mentality, like they could never do anything wrong. The investigations are never as in-depth as
Percentage of people who have little to no faith in the police investigation into Brown’s death.
76%
33%
RESULT
they would be if a normal person did this. In that way, I’d say the investigation is not completely just. Police officers shouldn’t get special privileges. They’re serving us. We’re not serving them. They are public servants to the citizens of the United States, and need to be held accountable just like how anyone else would be held accountable.” And Gordon has an opinion on the appropriate punishment for Wilson. “I think execution is honestly the easy way out, so I’d have to say life in prison.” Yet in the face of what often seems like insurmountable odds, residents in Ferguson are beginning to bounce back with more resilience than ever seen before. Despite a 70 percent drop in revenue, small businesses keep their
Percentage of people who believe the police response has gone too far.
65%
33%
doors open and ready for anything, including around 100 stores that experienced vandalism in the last month. Citizens pick up trash, tear gas cannisters, and other remnants of past violence laying in the street. A group sprouting from the heart of the community, “Ferguson Proud,” organizes food drives, distributes “I Heart Ferg” T-shirts, and strives to bring a sense dignity back to the small town. For now, peace has returned to an area that has needed it for a long time. But questions still lurk behind a veneer content on both sides, whether America learned its lesson this time, if we’ll see change soon or not at all, and how many more black, unarmed teenagers will have to pay for our discomfort regarding race. EMILY WILKINSON Photos by Katie Imes
Percentage of people who have little confidence in the ability of police to treat blacks and whites equally.
46%
English teacher Kendrick Blackwood’s clippings on the Ferguson case.
Tanaija Buchanan and Merrick Foster presenting their projects.
12% features Sept. 2014
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Q&A with
LATICIA MENDOZA 18
Sept. 2014 Features
M
i x e d martial a r t s (MMA) is a full contact sport that incorporates boxing, wrestling, Brazilian JiuJitsu and other types of combat sports and martial arts. If you’ve ever watched a Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fight you know that the people sparring in the octagon are the toughest men and women you’ll ever see. It takes a lot of patience, guts and will power to begin the training process of an MMA fighter, as well as entering the octagon. What a lot of people don’t know is that right here, senior Laticia Mendoza, undefeated for two years, competes in MMA.
How did you get into mixed martial arts? My step dad owns his own gym called U.N.I.Verse.All so I live and train with him. My dad has been in MMA for 10 years and he’s owned Universal, Grind House and House of Pain.
What background do you have to MMA? Two years of tai kwon do when I was eight. I started doing MMA at the age of 15 so it has been two years and running.
Who is your biggest inspiration? Why? My biggest inspiration would have to be Muhammad Ali. His quotes and his drive to get to t h e top
is very inspiring. His quotes are so true and when you hear them they motivate you.
What separates you from other fighters? I don’t try to be intimidating. A lot of other fighters try to be intimidating and they give me the death stare. I don’t need to be intimidating.
What makes MMA different from other sports? Why do you enjoy mixed martial arts? Mixed martial arts is way more intense than other sports. It’s just you and the person across from yourself, not a team sport. Whether you win or lose it’s on the team but in MMA it’s solely on yourself.
If you could have one dream fight, who would it be against? Ronda Rousey. She’s the top female MMA fighter right now.
Tell me about one of your most memorable fights. At the end of the first round before we went our separate corners my opponent grabbed my hair and ripped it out
of my head. At the start of the second round I gave it my all and I won.
How do you stay in shape for mixed martial arts? I do crucial conditioning which is also known as power 1000’s; 10 different workouts 100 times. I’m constantly rolling and boxing and I also run with weights strapped onto my back to stay in shape.
What is your go to strike/ submission in a fight? The flying triangle. It’s my go to move in a lot of fights that I’ve won. You grab their arm and head and shove them down and wrap your legs around there neck with one arm inside so it cuts off their source of oxygen.
What do you want to accomplish next? My goal is to make it into UFC. Avery Dorsey Photos by Katie Imes
Features Sept. 2014
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Getting it Published Senior Nicholas Franson self-publishes first book of trilogy.
W
riting and publishing a book can be a long and daunting task, but it’s one senior Nicholas Franson has completed. He wrote, edited and published the book Secret Heart’s Redemption in about 15 months, starting in March of 2013 and putting his book up for sale in early June of 2014. Franson self-published the book through a website called CreateSpace. It allowed him to upload the book through the internet, and after choosing other details like the cover, formatting and font, it was made available for purchase on Amazon and Kindle. Broken Heart’s Redemption should be available at Barnes and Noble by the beginning of 2015. “On CreateSpace you can do broad distribution. The book gets put on different lists for libraries and schools and things like that and bookstores where they can order the book, I get the profit and they sell it in their stores,” Franson said. “CreateSpace and broad distribution are free. They help you all along the way, and I was really shocked. Usually you pay like $25 to $50 to get it on the broad distribution.” Even though CreateSpace made the actual publishing simple, Franson said editing was the hardest part of the whole process. Franson’s grandmother, a former secretary, helped him. “She’s really good at editing, it came back bleeding red and I wanted to cry. I really did. My mom also edited. She’s really good at catching my mistakes because she’s read all my previous material that I wrote so she knows my style and so does my grandmother. They made for perfect editors because they know what mistakes I make,” Franson said. Franson, who is a transgender male, decided to write the book after finding a lack of LGBT friendly fiction. “I have a hard time finding books so I was like, ‘I want to write something that I want to read.’ I really didn’t care that it was going to get published. At that point I didn’t know that it was going to get published but I wanted to write a story that I myself could sit down and read and just enjoy,” Franson said. “Finding books for me to read is hard because like I like gay fiction and this is a LGBT novel, the two main characters, they’re gay. And there’s really not a lot of gay vampire novels out there, so I was like ‘I gotta do something about that.’” Broken Heart’s Redemption is the first book of The Northcaster Trilogy, which will serve as a prequel to another saga Franson is working on. Broken Heart’s Redemption takes place in 2007 but with modern technology. It tells the story of the first vampire, who later turns into a vampire hunter. Franson hopes to finish The Northcaster Trilogy by 2016, and then he can revamp the following saga which will probably include four to six books. The saga takes place 5200 years into the future and in another world filled with mythical creatures. Franson encourages other authors to just write. “...Writing a novel seems like a daunting task for anybody, but I guess the best advice I can give to anybody who’s an aspiring writer is just write. The more you write, the more your style develops, the more your voice develops and the more you write the more you find a style of writing that is completely yours,” Franson said. All his writing paid off in the end. “The day that I actually published it I was basically running around the house and hollering ‘I did it, I did it, I did it!,’” Franson said. “It is like the best feeling in the world, it’s like you’re proud of something. It’s like getting an A on the test but amplified by like 100.” Amelia Holcomb Photos by Arturo Sanchez
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Sept. 2014 Features
TWITTER PHOTO CONTEST
Students tweeted @smspatriot pictures of their summer and The Patriot staff picked the top four photos. The next contest theme will be to send in your best childhood Halloween costume photo. Tweet to @smspatriot.
1
3
2
1. Senior Abbey Loewen Grand Teton National Park @abbeylo12
2. Junior Trevor Ahrens Breckenridge, Colorado @trevahrens
3. Junior Lizz Rogers Hawaii @lizz_rogers
4. Senior Kevin Escobar Brazil @KevinEsco56
4 A&E Sept. 2014
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VACATION WITH THE STAFF 1
1 | Cologne, Germany 2 | Budapest, Hungary 3 | Rome, Italy
2 ROLA ALASMAR | EUROPE
O
ne month, three girls and a plane ticket was how it all started. Two of my closest friends (Regina Yan and Caitlin Duffy) and I packed and prepared to backpack around Europe for a month. Twelve cities in 30 days. Our first two stops, London and Venice, were incredible. But our trip started going downhill once we got to the next city on our list: Rome. Our hotel in Rome was about five minutes away from the train station. But the convenience of that does not make up for the horrifying experience we had at that hotel (or the city in general). Using Google maps to get to our hotel we soon found ourselves in Chinatown. We probably should’ve left when we realized that our “hotel” was a warehouse-looking door with a piece of paper taped to the wall reading it’s name. But we didn’t. After going inside to the reception area we found that the workers didn’t speak English nor Italian. They only spoke Chinese. Luckily for us one of my friends happened to be Chinese (what would we do without Regina Yan). They gave us a room where the beds were just mattresses on the floor. There weren’t real blankets, but it didn’t matter because the A/C didn’t work so it was unbelievably hot in there. And to make matters worse we couldn’t open the windows without being blasted by the smell of street urination. The lamp in our room had no light bulb, the toilets didn’t work, and it was soon discovered that the beds had bed bugs. After deciding
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Sept. 2014 A&E
we needed to get out of there and yelling at the hotel manager we got a refund and relocated. As for the rest of Rome, it rained the entire time we were there, there were people every two feet trying to sell us the same unnecessary items, and frankly there was nothing we saw that was really that great. Excited to leave Rome we headed for our next city, Florence. Just our luck though, the ticket machine at the subway station didn’t accept credit cards so we weren’t able to get on. With no choice but to run 30 minutes with all of our luggage we just barely made our train. Nice, France was probably the most relaxing city we visited. After a day of feeling the sun on our skin at the beaches and the wind in our hair while parasailing we sat at an outdoor restaurant with hundreds of people to watch France beat Switzerland in the World Cup. After their win France went crazy. The constant honking of horns and cars driving by with French flags. The city came together to enjoy their victory. Geneva, Lausanne, and Paris were the next three stops. All amazing and all beautiful. As soon as we walked into our hotel in Geneva, the hotel manager took one look at Caitlin, Regina and I (being the ethnically diverse group that we are) and said, “Looks like the United Nations is checking in.” Germany was next and definitely a favorite, even though we each received a 40 Euro subway fine (that we didn’t actually end up paying.
3 Don’t tell). Our train from Berlin to Vienna was 10 hours long. And of course the air conditioning would break. It was quite a train ride. A man on the train took one look at Regina and me and says to his wife, “Looks like we’re on the refugee train.” Another man points to a family of Asians and tells Regina, “Your father is over there.” Who knew Europeans could be so racist. Vienna, however, was amazing. Our hostel was full of incredible people. While touring the city a man tried to sell us tickets to a classical concert. We knew it was probably kind of a scam and wasn’t going to be nearly as good as he said it would, but for some reason we decided to buy the tickets anyway. After getting lost on our way to the concert we ended up at the wrong building where a semicreepy man who worked there told us we needed to take a taxi to the concert. Showing up late and dressed in athletic clothing, we finally made it. Regina soon realized that she left her phone in the taxi and had to chase it down to get it, and the concert was so bad that the money we paid for it was worth it because it was so funny. It was definitely unforgettable. From hotels with bed bugs to hotels nicer than some apartments, from disgusting seafood to the best Parisian cuisine you could imagine, from the most ghetto cities to the most beautiful ones, I would definitely say that I experienced the best and worst of Europe this summer.
LAUREN ROSENSTOCK | EUROPE
A
fter years of planning around the kitchen table, and waiting for the right moment, my family was off to Europe for the summer. Where should we go? For how long? What would we do? There were too many questions to answer. Although we visited countless monuments, museums and shops, my favorite sight was the performance of Julius Caesar at The Globe Theatre in London. Our last evening in London, we walked up to The Globe and saw the banner labeled Lupercalia, the ancient festival that the play takes place in. The next morning we went to train station to head to Bruges. There were two wrecks, which slowed our travels by a couple of hours as we made our way from Brussels, Belgium, to Bruges, Belgium. We did make it safely, and on time, in the end. Our goal in Bruges was to take in as much of their culture in two days as possible. Going to the town square after dinner to watch the Fifa World Cup was one of the best ideas of the whole trip as of that point. The whole night was crazy. The people around us were so friendly and said they’d protect us if someone went a little too crazy. Even though the U.S. lost, our new friends were explaining what soccer means to the city. Once in our Paris flat, we visited
Graduate Rachel Rosenstock, junior Lauren Rosenstock and their soon-to-be aunt Sonia. Maria.
my Uncle Nick and his fiancée, Sonia Maria. They showed us around their new neighborhood and also their old neighborhood, but the best activity we did with them was the fashion show. Sonia works in the fashion industry in Paris and one of her closest friends was featured in an Haute Couture Fashion Show during Fashion Week. It was our last afternoon in Paris and they wanted to surprise Rachel and me so they kept this activity a secret. When they picked us up, Nick quickly mentioned the words “fashion show” casually in a sentence. A minute later Sonia told us the dress she was wearing was a part of the line her friend designed for this show. “My friend told me to pick a dress I liked and this was the simplest one,” Sonia said. She introduced us to her friends
NANAE URANO | ASIA
A
s student ambassadors for the Japan-American Society, three students from other schools and I had the chance to visit Japan for three weeks. After sending in an essay and being interviewed I received a call saying I was accepted. This organization gave me the chance to go to their sister city, Kurashiki, Japan. Going from living the Japanese culture in America to actually experiencing it in Japan was a whole new experience. Having Japanese as my only option of communication was difficult since I have always been able to reply back in English. Going fromeating Ramen noodles that were prepared in a microwave to visiting a noodle shop giving my taste buds a whole new standard. The last time I visited Japan was spring break last year. Even though The ocean near Kurashiki, Japan.
it was recent, I felt as though this trip really opened my eyes. That is because instead of going with my family I stayed with two different host families. With my first host family, we rode bikes through the city, ate the most delicious shaved ice and I tried not to embarrass myself when they took me to karaoke. My second host family planned many new adventures. I went shopping with my host sister, saw wild animals at the circus, and wore traditional Japanese clothing at the summer festival. Along with this trip came many day trips that were organized for the student ambassadors. We went to Hiroshima and to the Peace Memorial Museum where we learned about the consequences of the atomic bombs. We rode on a yacht, viewed the beautiful scenery of the ocean and cooled down
who were working on this show. Rachel and I were able to stand in front of the rope, but behind the benches. For a rogue operation, it went extremely well. After the show Nick and Sonia took us to get coffee and relax at a cafe. This was the perfect chance for Rachel and me to ask Sonia questions we had about the fashion show. She told us that the show we just saw, “On Aura Tout Vu,” You will have seen all, was composed by one of her closest friends from university. That would explain why photographers were asking for her photo and reporters were approaching her for an interview, or even the couple of young ladies who asked for a photo with her. That vacation felt like an eternity, one I wish really never ended. I did love coming home and sleeping in my own bed and seeing my pets, but I missed how different the atmosphere was. It was slower in Europe; we saw people who were running off to work, sitting down just watching the people walking on the sidewalk while drinking their coffee. Differences like how they took the time to savor their food or take in the mood of the area they were in, yet the speed of those cities are a 100 times faster than our own, make me desperate to return someday.
with ice cream. We also had the chance to stay in Kyoto for a night where we saw city life, toured many shrines. and fed peanuts to monkeys. If you ever get a chance to travel by yourself I would recommend you take it. Not relying on anyone to decide where to go or to translate something for you changes you as a person. After this trip I decided I want to travel to many more places and create more adventures while experiencing different cultures. I have met many people through this, including people from different countries like the Philippines and Switzerland. Staying with a host family forced me to speak more Japanese and I enjoyed this challenge. My conversational speech has improved and I am excited to go back soon to learn more, meet new people and eat real ramen again.
A&E Sept. 2014
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Emily wilkinson and rola alasmar
photos by Emily wilkinson
LANDMARKS OF OVERLAND PARK
Glenwood Arts
9575 Metcalf Ave
Taken from the classic Glenwood Theater (which has since become a Whole Foods located on 7401 W 91st St.), the Glenwood Arts sign has been a beacon of cinema magic since the mid 1960’s.
E.C. Chase House 8541 W. 72nd St As the oldest inhabited residence in the city, the E.C. Chase House was built in 1869 by Elijah Cornell Chase, whose family would go down in history by founding Cornell University and
Korean War Memorial
11900 Lowell Ave.
Clock Tower 7315 W 79th St. Dedicated in the mid 1990’s, the clock tower is the defining feature of downtown and all of Overland Park.
The memorial’s curved wall and brilliant architecture pay tribute to the missing and dead soldiers of the Korean War. On Nov. 11, 2008, the dedication ceremony was attended by the thousands.
9/11 Memorial
12401 Hemlock St.
This 14-foot steel beam from the World Trade Center is located beside the Overland Park Fire Training Center, and is said to be one of the largest remains from the tower, weighing approximately 5,600 pounds. The memorial is open to visitors 24/7.
ALBUM REVIEW the griswolds’ newest album is unimpressive
The Griswolds’ first and newest album Be Impressive, released Aug. 25, is full of songs with an upbeat, somewhat positive vibe. The genre that Spotify puts them under is “indie rock,” but when I heard it for the first time, it felt like indie pop. Compared to their EP, this album has much more of an electronic feel. The entire album was recorded with Tony Hoffer, who has worked with artists like MGMT, Phoenix and Beck, so with my expectations high, I was a bit disappointed. This album is a good album to jam out to at a party, or to pump you up, but it wasn’t something that I could get into. The songs were not as catchy or had any good elements in it for me to keep any of them on repeat. With that said, the song “Beware of the Dog,” and “If You Want to Stay” are a couple of the songs I could get into on the album. “Beware of the Dog” is about losing someone special to drug use, but it has this zeal that makes you want to dance. It’s almost a paradox. Katie imes
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Sept. 2014 A&E
THE
FINAL SAY
If you’re going to the movies you can count on a labrynth of crowds, annoying seating arrangements and pricey tickets. With these factors in mind, features editor Autumn Mock scoured Kansas City’s top-rated cinemas to find the final say.
Cinetopia 5725 W. 135th St., Overland Park, KS 66223
PHOTO BY AUTUMN MOCK
Dickinson Palazzo 16 Theatre
Cinetopia, located in south OP, is renowned for its homey couch seating. Three types of theaters are offered: GXL, living room and the movie parlor. Their website is not helpful when trying to figure out which theatre you want. I bought tickets for the living room which cost $13.50, assuming from the description that it would be the couch seating. When I arrived at the theater I received pretty bad service. We were asked to wait because the ‘theater wasn’t open yet’, but the ticket taker forgot about me and made me wait until 10 minutes before the movie started. To my surprise it was simply small leather, reclining seats (worse than AMC 20’s). Since the ticket holder held me back, I was forced to sit in the front row, having to tilt my head up the entire movie. I saw Into the Storm, and while the movie was decent, it is unlikely that I will return due to the experience I had.
8601 W 135th St., Overland Park, KS 66223
Dickinson is a traditional movie theater located a little farther away than AMC 20. When I went there it ended up being extremely empty and quiet for a weekend; I’m honestly surprised it’s still in business. It’s not like it’s a trashy theatre that no one would want to go to though, it’s actually super pretty, nice and clean looking on the inside. It was $10 per person and I saw Dawn of The Planet of The Apes. The theaters themselves are also pretty small, but the theatre hosts a nice family friendly environment. I was overall pleased with the experience.
The Boulevard Drive-In
1051 Merriam Ln, Kansas City, KS 66103
The Boulevard Drive-In is located out in KCK. It is a rather long drive to get there, especially if you don’t take the highway. It is also located around a pretty sketchy area. Once you’re in the theater area though it is an extremely family friendly environment, more so than I thought it would be. Also, before the movie starts, the speakers play old music which I thought was really cute. It was $10 to get in to see two movies, which I think is a great deal. I ended up only staying for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles since the second movie didn’t even start till midnight. Also, you get to stay in the comfort of your car or bring lawn chairs, along with being able to bring your own food. Overall I had a wonderful experience there. PHOTO BY AUTUMN MOCK
THE FINAL SAY
The Boulevard Drive In: The Boulevard Drive In was by far the most enjoyable experience. It not only offered recent films, it also offered a new, comfortable and unique environment. Autumn mock
A&E Sept. 2014
25
DRESSED TO IMPRESS JUNIOR
ADRIC TENUTA
{
{
“Clothes; they’re just clothes great to enhance your personality, but don’t become too reliable on them.” SHIRT | AMERICAN EAGLE
PANTS | AMERICAN EAGLE SHOES | H&M
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Sept. 2014 A&E
photo by Katie Imes
I Believe that We CAN Win D
espite football, soccer, cross country and other fall sports dominating the scene right now, students can’t help but think about what the basketball season will be like. With the varsity basketball team being one of the most successful sports teams at South the past few years, including winning state in 2013, there is no wonder people are concerned when two of the “star players” decided to transfer schools their senior year. With a large number of students having supported and followed the team in the past though, there is no wonder why students are confused and looking for an explanation. Senior D’Angelo Bruster (De-Lo), who now attends Quality Education Academy in Winston-Salem, NC, shares his story as to why he left. “I switched schools to better my opportunity for the next level which is college. The competition I’m about to be playing in North Carolina is outstanding. I’ll be playing against the top ranked schools in the nation and will be traveling all around the country,” Bruster said. Bruster found out about the school from an AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) coach that he worked out with. He was also given the phenomenal opportunity to play on varsity at Quality Education. Suddenly leaving close friends and a
was the other returning player who had left; he now attends Sunrise Christian Academy. Students started to get upset once they heard the news that two of the “star” players were leaving. But students and teachers have been going as far as to say the basketball team is not going to be nearly as good or “there goes the varsity basketball team”. Varsity basketball coach Brett McFall, does not condone all of the comments though.
students/players in elite colleges. Although, leaving friends is one things, leaving family is a different story. “My family had a hard time letting me come down by myself, but they also wanted the best for me. They know the school will prepare me for the next step of life. And the neat thing about this school is that they go by a college schedule so I’ll be able to go home a lot,” Bruster said. Bruster’s new school is not just all basketball though, they value education just as much as any other school. They help prepare for the ACT/SAT, since there’s not as many students at the school, there are more opportunities to get a lot of individual help in class. Senior Dainan Swoope
“They don’t know what they’re talking about then. Dainan and De-Lo made family decisions that they thought was best for them, it doesn’t matter if you agree or disagree with them. They’ve made their decisions, it’s over and done. We will move on with who we have and have a great year,” McFall said. The guys who have played with them though, while they have been upset, they have also been more understanding of the situation. “Dainan and De-Lo are great players, and we as a team are very sad to see them leave. But they think leaving is what was best for themselves and there is nothing wrong with that. I just hope they both have very successful careers,” junior Connor Hill said.
{
“I don’t think it will change how many people come because the basketball games are starting to become a tradition at South. Win or lose the crowd always has a fun time.” -Senior Brendan Brooks
{
A look at players’ and coach’s opinions on the changes made to the boys basketball roster.
great team, would be hard on anyone though, and leave them thinking whether or not moving away would be the right decision. “I knew I would have to sacrifice a lot by moving out here. Attending this school will only get me better on and off the court with less distractions,” Bruster said, “At Quality Education Academy everyone has one goal and that is to play at a high level in college.” Quality Education has a record of putting their
Both Dainan and De-Lo had been known as huge contributors to the team, with being the top two returning scorers. The basketball program still has many guys who are ready to take the responsibility to lead the team to victory. “The students had every right to react the way they did for the first couple of days. But, they need to start realizing that we have an extremely good basketball team that will compete against every team we play and their expectations should be the same as the coaches and players on the team and that is a state title,” Hill said. Number of wins isn’t the only factor worrying fans, there are also worries that there won’t be as big of a turnout at the games this year without Dainan and De-Lo. “I don’t think it will change how many people come because the basketball games are starting to become a tradition at South. Win or lose the crowd always has a fun time,” Crowd Control member Brendan Brooks said. To help keep up the spirit at the games Crowd Control is also going to try a new way of picking themes. When basketball season comes, students will have the opportunity to help vote on themes. The school spirit and pride at games shouldn’t diminish with the loss of two players. “The goal for us this year is the same as our goal every single year and that is winning a state title, and I don’t see anything preventing us from doing so,” Hill said. Autumn Mock
sports Sept. 2014
27
[
Do Results of Concussion Tests Leave You Dizzy?
“It’s [the baseline test] one of the many tools we use in diagnosing New athletic a concussion trainer shares and it helps purpose and us measure thoughts of the cognitive ability Baseline Impact and reaction Test. time.” etween 1.8 and 3.6 million sports-related -Athletic Trainer, concussions occur Brett Gliem in the United States each
B
]
year. The baseline test was created as an attempt to diagnose such concussions and measure the extent of brain damage. Despite being widely used by student and professional athletes throughout America, how well the baseline test is able to measure potential concussion damage is a subject that has recently undergone considerable scrutiny. The baseline test is conducted in order to record initial cognitive ability in students so that in the event that a student sustains a blow to the head, the test may be re-taken and the before-and-after composite scores compared to measure the extent of neurological damage and calculate the possibility of a concussion. The baseline test takes about one half hour to complete. Athletes who take the test must be over ten years old as the test does not record results for those under 10. “The last [baseline test] I took was last year and it’s fine, it’s stressful because you have to remember a lot and it’s just a lot of button
National averages show risks in high school sports: Football
29.1%
Soccer Volleyball Gymnastics
16.5% 4.1% 0.16%
Tennis Less Than 0.1% Golf Less Than 0.1%
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Sept. 2014 Sports
clicking and if you don’t hit it at the right time it’s awful,” said Taylor Cossairt, a student athlete at South. Baseline testing at South is traditionally monitored by the school’s athletic trainer. This year, the trainer position is occupied by Brett Gliem, who has arrived this year as a part of the new contracts between the Shawnee Mission School District and the University of Kansas Hospital. “I was here briefly with Shawnee Mission Medical Center last year and applied to keep the job because I enjoyed it,” Gliem said. “I usually work from about 11 a.m. until the end of practices, but that will change with event coverage, typically we work all varsity home events and we are contracted to away varsity football games.” As a trainer, Gliem will be present at school and at sporting events in order to provide physical therapy, emergency care, clinical diagnosis and care for injuries and sports-related medical conditions. “The purpose of baseline testing is to provide a tool for further concussion evaluation when we have an athlete sustain a concussion. It’s one of the many tools we use in diagnosing a concussion and it helps us measure cognitive ability and reaction time,” Gliem said. The baseline test certainly has its merits. The test can predict how soon an athlete can safely return to the field with
far more exactness than a doctor could. However there are those who believe coaches and parents place a great deal more trust on the baseline test than they should. Gliem acknowledged both sides of the controversy surrounding concussion tests. “I think they are very accurate, but again I think they are just a tool to use and you have to take into account your physical examination and other evaluation techniques,” he said. Few parents or coaches understand that the baseline test is merely one step in a long recovery process. Several studies have shown lingering neurological trauma and concussion symptoms even after passing the baseline test the second time. Adversaries of baseline testing interpret this as a major fault in the test and many argue that the test is insufficient to determine the extent of brain damage. Returning to a sport too soon after being concussed could result in life-threatening problems. While there are many people who think the baseline test is too heavily relied upon, the test continues to grow to be more commonly used. The decision of whether or not the baseline test is worth the time and money it requires ultimately must be made by individual schools and athletic institutions. Kendall Barker
It’s Fútbol Not Soccer
Editor discusses changes to the Major Soccer League.
F
útbol or Soccer? Which is it to you? Out of habit I call it soccer, but I know it’s really fútbol. Fútbol, or called Association Football, also commonly known as football or soccer. All these names and spellings that describe the same game, might confuse people, but what I wonder, is how we came up with that name?
Soccer, Why change it? While on vacation in Europe this summer, the World Cup was finishing up. In a stroke of luck, we found ourselves in Belgium during the USA vs. Belgium game. Seeing the chaos and pandemonium in the pubs and just in the streets over a game was incredible. The game was finished by midnight, most people either went to the bars or went home. Even though about half of the mass of people were probably home the streets did not become relatively quiet until about 5:30 in the morning. It was estimated that there were 30,000 people from a city that only had 50,000 in the square alone. In some places the word “soccer” has a negative connotation. The football leagues in Europe have such a different intensity,
their fans assume that Americans can’t handle the craziness that comes with a serious football league. When in reality we can already see changes in our football league. Many cities in the U.S. already have football teams, but we only have one league, the MLS, or Major League Soccer. MLS represents professional teams in the U.S. and Canada. Football leagues in Europe have history dating back to the 1850s. While in the U.S., the MLS has only been around since 1995. In the states, we are seeing more and more cities forming MLS teams and making plans to build stadiums in cities like New York City, Orlando City, Atlanta and Miami. Although these expansions are serious, the biggest discussion in MLS currently
[Sports Space]
Matt Hollingsworth
Leading seniors of fall sports share thoughts on the upcoming season.
Abbey Loewen
What’s one thing you hope to accomplish this year?
football
gymnastics What’s a fun team bonding activity you plan to do?
“
What are some changes you’re making to the team this year?
[Going to State] was a really great experience my sophomore year and I think my main goal is to get back to
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State.
“We are running a new offense and.... defense, I’m excited to see how it turns
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out.
Matthew Logan soccer
Have you been nominated to the ice bucket challenge, if so who did you nominate?
“I was nominated
Chloe Matthews tennis
is about David Beckham. Beckham is one of Britain’s most iconic athletes. He was captain of the English national team from 1998 to 2009, scored in three different FIFA World Cups, and played midfield for clubs in Manchester, England, Madrid, Spain, and Milan, Italy. European players that come to the states really shines a light on the MLS’s plans to broaden their program. After the success of US in the World Cup the world caught a glimpse of how America is trying. We are trying to become a serious competitor in football leagues. We are trying to broaden the scope of American football. Lauren Rosenstock Photo by Jenna Fackrell
by my cousin and a friend, and I nominated my best
photos by arturo Sanchez-Vera Quotes gathered by Andrea Smith
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We are going to have a team sleepover and glitter our hoodies.
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friend.
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DANCE LIKE NO ONE IS WATCHING
“We’ve started all sorts of new traditions and the entire team has become so close and the Pacesetters are as fabulous as ever. ”
hard work the girls have put in over the last couple months. “I think it’s been a lot better than I ever would’ve expected it to be,” said Coach Allie Stankewsky, “I think the girls have blended really well together and have helped each other out and have shown what teamwork is all about.” But with any achievement, there were obstacles along the way. While many students referred to both the Pacesetters and Southettes as dance teams, they both had majorly different specialties. The Pacesetters were known for their technical and traditional dancing, while the Southettes were known for
-Senior officer Madi Smolich Senior Madi Smolich waves and flashes the crowd her biggest smile during the Pacesetter 's introduction just before their performance at the fall assembly. PHOTO BY Jenna fackrell
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-Coach Allie Stankewsky
their flag and rifle work. Therefore, a transition to either side would not be easy. “Some of these girls have been dancing since they were like five or younger, and we just had to start learning all these major dance skills literally only like five or six months ago. Learning like a couple years of dance in just so little time is hard, but none of us have given up,” senior Jess Jurzak said. It wouldn’t be fair to keep one teams traditions and trash the others ones though, so Stankewsky has decided to virtually start all over. She has enabled many more bonding activities and charity work for the girls. “We’ve started all sorts
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ast spring, the Pacesetters and the Southettes received news that the two teams were combining for the 2014-15 year, and would keep the name Pacesetters. Now that the team has had the whole summer to work together and has showed the entire school their home routine at the fall assembly it’s time to hear how this transition has turned out in the end and if it was really as awful as everyone expected it to be. “It’s been a whirlwind,” junior Kara Byrd said. The coach was extremely proud of all the
“I think the girls have blended really well together and have helped each other out and have shown what teamwork is all about.”
of new traditions and the entire team has become so close and the Pacesetters are as fabulous as ever,” officer Madi Smolich said. Some are not fond of the removal or altering of the past traditions. Like any team, it would be hard to accept the fact that some of best memories they made with the team the previous year would not happen again. “That’s probably the biggest hurdle and probably the biggest thing they might see as a negative because I come in and I kind of change everything,” said Stankewsky.
Pacesetter drill team gives positive feedback about this dynamic team and its newly made changes. One thing that was changed was the addition of more practices. Stankewsky arranged a three week intensive for the girls to raise their skills up to par at the beginning of the summer before their summer dance camp. “With the three week intensive, it was really difficult, and then we went to dance camp and it was even harder, like I was so sick of dance honestly,” said Jurzak. The phrase ‘the more the merrier’ has proven true with the team now having 22 girls compared to 13 last year. Also, since the teams have combined, they have been able to offer more of a wow factor with the combination of technical dance and color guard. “We are a stronger team when it comes to color guard and we have so many talented dancers that make choreographing easy,” said officer Gillian O’Brien. Now, everyone seems pretty pleased with the combination of the two teams. There has been little drama and more girls have been able to become friends and bond over something they love. “ I think branding them as one team instead of two different is a positive, because they were doing the same exact thing the whole entire year,” said Stankewsky, “now we just get to work with one vision for the year instead of two separate visions.” While there will no longer be the two forms of “dance” at assemblies and Extravaganza now, the students will be able to enjoy an even better combination of both of the past team’s strengths. “Even though the name is Pacesetters, it’s not the Pacesetter dance team, it’s the Pacesetter drill team, so for all the girls to understand that it is a brand new team and not just what the old Pacesetters did,” Stankewsky said. Autumn Mock
Senior Megan Stollsteimer and junior Colson Sargent lead the new Pacesetter Drill Team as they begin their marching routine just before the football game against Shawnee Mission North.
FALL SCHEDULE 2nd Football Game Sept. 26 Overland Park Parade Sept. 27 Downtown Overland Park Shawnee Mission Marching Festival Sept. 30 South District Football Stadium 7p.m. Football Game Oct. 2 Homecoming Assembly Main Gym Oct. 9 Homecoming Football Game Oct. 9
Photo by Arturo Sanchez-vera
ABC, Easy as RG3
N
ow that my fantasy football team name caught your attention I would like to declare the return of fantasy football. Even if you come from all spectrums of the fantasy
football world; a returning champion fanatic, the no win ‘I never even checked it’ failure, or a new member to the ever exciting draft, anything can happen. It’s easy to go with consistency leading
you to make the cut into the playoffs of your league but it’s how you manage your team. Look deep into the NFL where, the sleepers lie, and it’ll go easy as RG3. Avery Dorsey
To read the full story about how fantasy football is reaching students of all ages go to http://smsouthnews.com
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Seniors huddle behind pep club exec Sam Stueve’s phone to take a selfie at the Fall Assembly Sept. 4. This trend was started last year when the class of 2014 took a selfie at the Spring Assembly. “I think it was quality, I just failed to get my full head in the picture,” Stueve said.
Sept. 2014 Photo Essay
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