The Patriot April 2017

THE

Patriot

Steminists: The Women of the Future

Shawnee mission south 5800 W 107th St, Overland Park, KS 66207 (913) 993-7500

April issue 8 VOL. 51

2017

On the Cover

While continuing a deconstruction project, engineering teacher Greg Thiel helps a student model their hot glue gun.

The students use Autodesk Inventor to design their chosen objects.

Photos by Savannah Morgan Photo Editor

Contents News Sports

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News to Know

5

KS Supreme 10 Court 11 Innovative 12 Schools

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9

Lacrosse Royals Quiz

Features 13

Q&A with Chloe Hubbard

15

STEM Opportunities

18

Diane Johnson

Extravaganza Baseball

Walk a Mile North Mascot

Staff Amelia Holcomb Editor-In-Chief Features Editor Sophia Belshe Assistant Editor-In-Chief Opinion Editor Savannah Morgan Photo Editor Mark Holland News Editor Tara Phillips A&E Editor

Mission

Avery Woods Sports Editor

Mara Baine Writer

Lily Wagner Web Editor Infographics Editor Madison Holloway Ads Editor Miah Clark Copy Editor Editorial Cartoonist Blake Atkinson Writer

Opinion

A&E

19

Staff Editorial

25

Spring Cleaning

20

Media

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Spring Play

21

Veganism

27

22

The Debate: Innovative Schools

Energizing Review

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Student Musicians

24

History Class

29

Who, What, Wear

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Twitter Contest

Hannah Carter Photographer

Mitch Brock Writer

Angela Machado Writer Addie Soyski Writer

Tess Conley Writer

Nichole Thomas Writer

Kice Mansi Photographer

Faith Danaher Writer Anastasia Jackson Writer Muriel Lund Writer

Hannah Underwood Writer

Jillian McClelland Photographer

Cassandra Awad Photographer

Julie Fales Adviser

Maxie Crimm Photographer

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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Table of Contents

For more stories and photo galleries go to smsouthnews.com

Photo By Jillian McClelland or the first time in school history, there will be an assembly to recognize the post-high plans of graduating students. “We want to recognize all kids and highlight to the rest of our student body the tons of pathways available for students,� Counselor Beau Gothier said. The ceremony is from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 25.

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News

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News to Know

By Anastasia Jackson Writer

US involvement in Syria

The U.S. military launched a missile attack Friday, April 7 in response to the chemical weapon attack on Syrian civilians which killed 87 people. This marks the first time the U.S. fought against the Syrian regime. As a result, Russia called off the deal they made with the United States to exchange military information about flights to avoid incidents in the crowded Syrian airspace.

“Trump just wanted to do what was right. It could have saved lots of people in the long run,” freshman Photo Courtesy of Trisha Olson Drew Hansen said.

Many people support Trump’s Park in the last 42 years. Three decision on the air strike in Syria, firefighters were admitted to the including Israeli Prime Minister hospital for minor injuries. Many Benjamin Netanyahu. people were displaced due to fire “It’s perfectly justified after the damage to their houses, including chemical gas attacks that used sarin, senior Katie Mack. Mack was on which is outlawed in the Geneva her way to the Plaza when she conventions,” senior Dakota Heaton heard about the fire and drove back said. home. She is living in a rental house Overland Park Fire at the moment, and is happy that The Overland Park eight-alarm her cats are safe. fire Monday, March 20 had all “I ran in while my house was on available units rushing to the fire fire and got one of my cats out. And from as far away as Lawrence. It then we found the other one two started at a construction site at days later in the basement. She was College Boulevard and Nieman still alive,” Mack said.

Road, and spread to over 20 houses Most athletes who were in a nearby neighborhood. practicing sports after school could The fire was started accidentally see the smoke from where they by a welder, and because of the were standing, including track winds and drought conditions, it athlete and freshman Bradley became the biggest fire in Overland

Schluben.

“We weren’t sure what it was.

We were trying to figure out how far away it was to see if we could run there during practice,” Schluben said.

Tardy Round Up

On March 27, administration sent out an email to parents and staff members about the new tardy round up that was to be enforced beginning March 29. At exactly 7:40 a.m. the doors were locked and the students had to go through security. Their IDs were scanned and they received a red admit-toclass slip. ”I think we should have been doing this the whole time,” English teacher Natalie King said.

Other teachers agree with the tardy slips, including science teacher Aaron Dean.

“I think the tardy slips are a really good thing,” Dean said.

“Kids might see them as an inconvenience, but when you’re a first hour teacher it can be really disrupting...I hope that students realize that if they keep being tardy on Thursdays that there’s a decent chance that the late start won’t be a thing anymore.”

Many students, however, see it as an inconvenience.

“Well, it’s a bad idea because some people are always late and some people sleep in and don’t want to go to school,” freshman Thien-An Pham said.

Shout Out To Academic Awards

Educator Award

Shooting Star

Seniors Lauren Anderson and Elizabeth Holmes were selected to the GKCBCA All-Academic Team.

They are also both finalists for the Barrett Wepler Award and Scholarship.

Social Studies teacher Tony Budetti was selected as the 2016 Kansas Economic Educator of the year, and as South’s National Honor Society teacher of the year.

Senior Anton Caruso was one of the seven literature finalists for the Shooting Star Award who received scholarship money.

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News

School Funding Unconstitutional Kansas Supreme Court rules current funding for education unconstitutional.

By Avery Woods Sports Editor n March 2 the Kansas Supreme Court ruled the current funding for education unconstitutional.

The court said that Hispanic, black and poor students were especially affected by the low funding for education, according to low grades and high dropout rates.

“I don’t think it’s adequate, and I don’t think there’s equity among different districts,” Principal Todd Dain said.

“We have several small school districts that are going to four days of school a week because they can’t pay their utilities to be open five days a week.”

Dain said that several larger school districts aren’t receiving extra funding, but because of businesses around them, it’s easier for them to gain funds. Other schools who don’t have access to resources that can help them out are suffering, according to Dain. That doesn’t mean that South doesn’t have its own funding problems.

“It has restricted our ability to get the amount of staff that can effectively teach a good amount of students,” junior Ben Smith said.

Also, according to Dain, field trips and other academic expenditures will have to be cut back because the funding isn’t there. Funding for sports and clubs, thanks to booster clubs, is as strong as ever, and are just as much a priority as academics.

“With AcaDec, we have not gotten very much money to go to State and Nationals so we’ve had to raise money to do that, and we haven’t had too much help from the school,” senior Ben Hanson said.

When school groups travel, many times they use a combination of money from school, district and fundraising. These funds fluctuate depending on the amount of money allocated by the state government.

Dain said that the new Department of Education is pushing for a privatization of schools, which could greatly hinder students who don’t have the money to attend, but would allow the government to spend money elsewhere.

“The movement, nationwide, and strongly from the state of Kansas, is that we privatize education and we don’t fund schools,” Dain said.

Any funding that has helped the school district recently has come from a block grant issued in 2015 as a cushion for legislators while the Brownback administration tried to redesign the Kansas education funding formula. Dain said that though the block grant has kept the funding at an even rate, it hasn’t helped schools’ funding long-term.

“The block grant kind of keeps us afloat,” Dain said.

“You know, I hope the block grant doesn’t go away, but

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Photo Illustration By Savannah Morgan

School Funding Options 1. Restore old formula, boost funding

The old formula relied on a system in which districts received money based on their student demographics, including the number of at-risk or bilingual students. A new plan would follow the same process and boost aid per pupil.

2. Tweak the old formula

Proposals include changing the way at-risk funds are allocated. Under the old plan, at-risk funding was determined by students on free or reduced lunch. Some want to change it to be tied to academic achievement, others advocate for the rates to be tied to census data.

2. Craft something new, with policy change

Some of the bills already considered include ideas like tying classroom funding increases to the Consumer Price Index and shifting the responsibility to determine each district’s state funding to the Board of Education.

Lawmakers also may look to attach changes to the funding system with school choice measures.

Brownback supports school choice measures but faces resistance in the House.

Info from the Kansas city star, published 3/3

the block grant doesn’t help us.”

Smith opposes the Supreme Court ruling, saying that according to the 10th Amendment, states are allowed to do whatever they want with the money they have, and it can’t be ruled unconstitutional. But to Dain, the Kansas Supreme Court ruling was a long time coming.

“When it comes down to it, we want to make sure there’s enough funding for our students,” Dain said.

The Supreme Court has given legislators until June 30 to draw up a new plan for education funding.

News

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The library at Apache IS is set up with flexible seating such as couches, different types of chairs, and tables that fit together in multiple arrangements. Apache IS also has a 3-D printer located in their library for students to use.

Photos By Cassandra Awad

SMSD’s Innovative Schools SMSD implements modern changes to Apache Elementary School.

By Tess Conley Writer nnovative, creative, exciting and collaborative are all words that have been used to describe Shawnee Mission School District’s most recent modernization of elementary school, Apache IS (Innovative School). The 2016 school year for Apache students and teachers kicked off with new ideas and a new schooling model. “[The innovative school model] is designed to enrich the social and emotional experience for all students and create a fully functioning lab school for current and future Shawnee Mission School District teachers and leaders and to be a living model for best practice leadership, organization and processes,” future principal Britt Pumphrey said.

Pumphrey is currently an administrator intern at Apache, but has been selected to become principal for 2017 through 2018 school year. SMSD selected Apache to test run the innovative school model. This model focuses on engaging students with what they are learning, and having more of a personal preference and individuality of what they learn during parts of the school day. Students participate in a “Genius Hour”, where students can choose a topic of their choice, and then present it to their class.

“Genius Hour is a time set aside for students to learn about something of interest to them...By participating in Genius Hour students are learning research processes, reading, writing, collaboration, and communication skills,” Pumphrey said.

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Students this year are studying a range of topics from Black Lives Matter to creating original lipstick. One sixth grader, Dani, is studying what it is like to be in a movie and act, and what happens during them. “[Genius Hour], it’s pretty cool, I am excited to do the part where we make the presentation for it,” Dani said.

Sixth graders at Apache not only participate in Genius Hour, just like other grades, but also participate in a resume and employment activity.

“I think it gives them a good idea of what it will be like for job interviews in the future, as well as helping them to take pride in their school,” sixth grade teacher Joe Keegan said.

Keegan’s students participate in employment and interview scenarios and the Genius Hour. Students are also given opportunities to work with some of today’s best technologies in their Makerspace. The Makerspace is located in a portion of the library. It combines modern design and technology with the learning the students are doing. “...the Makerspace is a lot of fun, it’s really cool. There’s really cool seating you can have, there’s sewing machines, 3D printer, and there is things like a magnet board, they’ve got a LEGO wall and the other part is the library,” fifth grader Elena said.

When SMSD decided that Apache would be the first innovative school, they explained all the details to the current teachers, but had them all reapply for their jobs.

There were changes happening, so current teachers that did not want to go through the training would be reassigned to another elementary school in Shawnee Mission. SMSD has recently decided that Rising Star will be the next innovative elementary school, and their teachers will be reapplying, if they choose to, as well.

The teacher in this classroom helps her student with her Genius Hour project. This student in particular is doing her project on the Black Lives Matter movement.

“I taught in another school district, but was drawn to Apache IS because it was going to be an Innovative School and I love working with diverse learners. I believe that all children can learn and that there is more than one way to learn. Apache IS has a wonderful climate focused on meeting the needs of students and staff supporting one another,” new kindergarten teacher Susan Dennis said.

With all the changes SMSD has been implementing in elementary schools, some high school and middle school administrators are pushing for more innovative changes as well.

“Most of what we do takes the form of professional development of teachers whether it’s observing a classroom where things are not in your standard five rows of six chairs.

There is more interaction, that is something that is sometimes more difficult for teachers because it is no longer the teacher up in front with the kids going along with whatever’s happening, it’s kids talking,” associate principal Ryan Flurry said.

There aren’t innovative changes happening at all high schools as extreme as Apache experiences, but at South some teachers are pursuing more creative approaches to teaching.

“I think I’m just trying to be realistic about the access that people have to information that it’s no longer my job to just relay information,” English teacher Drew Baranowski said.

“It’s much more about helping people finding it themselves and then establishing a point of view that is relevant to the world that we live in rather than the world that I grew up in or that other people came up in.”

Baranowski has been one of the teachers at South who has been implementing modern changes in his classroom for a while now. He encourages free seating, does not ask that students ask before using the restroom, and allows phones in class.

From innovative classroom changes to total innovative schools, the student’s learning is at preference, and educators are doing what they can to try and expand and increase it.

“I think when we’ve got kids engaging with each other and with the curriculum and with the material, that is going to increase their learning by working with the material instead of just absorbing it,” Flurry said.

Sixth graders work on their Genius Hour projects.

Students at Apace IS have different projects they work on focused around want they want to learn.

Apache IS Features Genius Hour:

Genius Hour is a time where students are to pick a subject that they want to expand on and research it. The students write a driving question, and then find information online. In the end they make a presentation to share with the rest of their class.

Makerspace:

The Makerspace is a part of the library where students can use modern day technology to develop projects further or meet for special clubs. There is a LEGO wall, 3D printer, sewing machines, magnet board and more thought provoking technologies.

Employment and Resume Scenario:

In the sixth grade, student participate in an employment scenario. They must create a resume and interview for positions in the classroom. The goal is for the students to understand all the work and effort that goes into running the school, and get experiences that will help them develop their skills for the real world.

News

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Walk the Extra Mile Fundraiser to raise awareness for domestic violence.

By Lily Wagner Web editor tuCo is putting its best foot forward as they prepare to host Walk A Mile later this month. Walk A Mile raises money for Safehome, a non-profit organization that provides shelter and other services to victims of domestic violence.

“I think it’s important for all of us to be aware of our relationships not only in this instance...but anybody that’s in a relationship and isn’t treated fairly or is treated poorly to whatever level,” associate principal Niko Platko said.

Platko has participated in Walk A Mile in previous years.

“I think it’s kinda interesting to have to walk around the track in high

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heels and try that,” Platko said.

Platko realizes the importance of raising awareness for the cause, beyond the symbolic experience.

“It’s just something that’s really present in our lives whether we know it or not, like everyone around us probably knows someone, directly or indirectly knows someone that has been affected by it and it’s something we can change,” StuCo parliamentarian Emma Ross said. “We have the power to change it...this is one thing I think we can really make a huge impact if we really go at it.”

According to Safehome, one in three women and one in four men have been victims of domestic violence by a domestic partner. “...They’re constantly in need of help and they have more people than they have room for,” StuCo president Cinthia Romo said.

StuCo has been promoting their event in hopes of higher attendance

A large high heel has been placed in the front hall in order to promote Walk a Mile.

Photo by Kice Mansi than in previous years, they even placed a large high heel in front hall of the school.

“We were approached by student council and they asked if we could make some kind of shoe to help with Walk A Mile, and I said ‘Well heck, yeah, we’ll make a shoe,’” art teacher Cortney Dougherty said.

Walk A Mile is April 27 at 5:30 p.m.

Registration costs $5 and will take place during lunch April 24 through April 27.

Controversy Over North’s Mascot SMN mascot considered offensive to Native American culture.

By Nichole Thomas Writer hawnee Mission North’s mascot, the Indian, has gained attention recently. Many students feel the mascot is disrespectful and offensive.

The issue arose when a basketball player from Lawrence High School posted her concerns about the mascot on Facebook. Madison McKinney thought the students dressed up as Indians were being disrespectful to the Native American culture. Lawrence High School removed SMN’s banner from its display out of respect to their students’ feelings.

Many Native Americans from across the district also don’t approve of the mascot. Shawnee Mission South sophomore Nya Smith, a Navajo and Osage Native American, thinks the Indian mascot is disrespectful to her culture.

“North’s mascot is extremely disrespectful. It is especially hurtful

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The Indian mascot is painted along South’s auxiliary gym wall. It sits with all the other schools in the Sunflower League.

Photo by Maxie Crimm to know that they see nothing wrong with appropriating Native American culture and that they completely refuse to take into consideration that it is offensive,” Smith said.

In 1992, the Shawnee Nation tribe gave the district written permission to use their name. The tribe even emphasized the use of costumes to educate students about their culture.

The Shawnee Chief recently stated that the Indian did not correctly depict their culture. The Indian depicted as the school’s mascot is of a Plains Indian, when it should resemble a Woodland Indian.

The tribe was notified about these actions when the Lawrence High

newspaper, The Budget, informed them about the concerns of the students. They also told the tribe what North did during the basketball games, such as doing a tomahawk chop cheer while rooting for their team. The tribe found this especially disrespectful.

The Shawnee Mission School District has put together a committee of 10 students, each school in the district having a few representatives.

They discuss controversial topics, including the issue with North’s mascot.

The Indian has been the school’s mascot for 92 years. Students like senior Jazmine Burch enjoy the mascot’s historical value, but also respect the decision of the tribe to revoke permission.

“From what is seems, there’s a larger amount of students fighting to keep the mascot compared to those who show a dislike to it,” Burch said. “Yet, those who show a dislike to it tend to be Native American or close friends of. Which we can’t or shouldn’t argue against because it’s a representation of their culture.”

The Fastest Game on Two Feet Raiders lacrosse is now the Patriots lacrosse.

By Mitch Brock Writer

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lthough lacrosse is not a school sport, there is a team formed between schools in the area. The team had previously been under the name of the South Raiders, but will now be known as the Shawnee Mission Patriots. Players, like senior Kavan Cooper who have been on the team since junior high are disappointed about the recent changes in the program.

“I think it kind of sucks because we’ve been the Shawnee Mission South Raiders for the longest time... it’s just different not having

something like that to play for,” Cooper said.

Cooper explained why the team made name changes.

“We’re combined with six other schools around the area in the district and outside of the district,” Cooper said. “Parents complained about the team being called the Shawnee Mission South Raiders when their kids didn’t go to this school.”

As to why lacrosse isn’t a school sport, athletic director John Johnson has some answers.

“Kansas State High School Activities Association isn’t on board with it. So when they decide to make it a school sport, we’ll be all in. Now there are some schools in Wichita and Topeka that want to make it a school sport, all KSHSAA needs is a little more interest from schools,” Johnson said.

LaCROSSe Word Puzzle

Sophomore Parker Goyer, who has also played since junior high, thinks that lacrosse isn’t ready to be a school sport.

“I just don’t think it’s big enough to be a school sport because we don’t have enough players or schools on board with it, like we have a lot of people from other schools and we’ve formed a team but not enough for one school,” Goyer said.

Goyer also looks at the positives of making changes throughout the team.

“It’s kind of like a fresh start for our team to be something different.

Last year we didn’t win any varsity games and this season I can already see improvement in the team,” Goyer said.

The Patriots play in Wichita tomorrow, April 22 and play Shawnee Mission East, Monday April 24.

Photo by Hannah carter

Playing against Blue Valley North, senior Kavan Cooper and sophomore Parker Goyer walk onto the field.

ACROSS

1. Ojibwe word for lacrosse 2. using one’s stick to “scoop” up a ball 3. the net part of the stick that holds the ball

DOWN WORD BANK lacrosse slapcheck pocket

scooping crease baggataway

cradling goose

ACROSS: 1. baggataway 2. scooping 3. pocket DOWN: 1. cradling 2. crease 3. slapcheck 4. goose 5. lacrosse

KEY

1. rocking the stick back and forth in the hands to keep the ball in the pocket 2. the circle surrounding the goal 3. hitting another’s stick with your stick 4. when a player uses his stick to hit a ground ball to a teammate rather than picking it up 5. a Native American game in which the ball is thrown, caught and carried with a stick

Sports

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What Type of Royals Fan Are You? Did you attend the Royals parade in 2015?

By Nichole Thomas Writer

Yes

No

With preseason games over, and the opening day loss against Oakland behind them, Royals fans everywhere are getting ready for the new season.

How many games do you go to in a season?

A couple

Every game I can attend

Have you ever gone to a tailgate party?

No Yes How many Royals games do you watch on TV?

Only the important ones

Every game How many players can you name?

Perez is the only All of them one who matters

Hometown Hater

Photos by maxie crimm

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Basic Baseball Fan

Loyal Royal

Dancing Pretty in the City The Pacesetters will put on their annual Extravaganza May 4 and 5.

Sophomore Mia Neaderhiser teaches JV Pace the moves to one of their dances. They practiced with the formation they will use in their performance.

By mara Baine Writer

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he daily 7 a.m. practices, weekly games and countless hours spent in the gym dancing will culminate with the Pacesetters taking the stage for Extravaganza May 4 and 5. In addition to the varsity and JV drill teams, faculty, senior boys and Interpersonal Skills class will perform dance routines. The show is free for South students with their student ID. All other tickets are $10.

“I highly encourage anyone who knows a Pacesetter to come out and support them,” head coach Allie Stankewsky said. “I always look forward to the creative choreography our members come up with. We divide up the routines so everyone is able to choreograph and showcase their choreography. I love to see the styles of dance they get excited about and trying new ways to incorporate movement through dance.”

The team has been working on the show since mid-February. An important aspect of Extravaganza is honoring the seniors.

Photo by Maxie Crimm “We are always hard at work every 7 a.m. in the morning and this is the last moment the team gets to dance together as one,” Stankewsky said.

Along with Stankewsky, the dancers are also looking forward to the show. A couple of songs they are going to dance to include “New York, New York” and “Birds Set Free.”

The opening acts will also match the theme, “Dancing Pretty in the City.”

“I’m looking forward to everyone dancing our new dances after all the work we put into them and the show,” sophomore Mia Neaderhiser said.

Every year students and families come to see Extravaganza. Many especially come to honor the seniors. “...this is the last moment the team gets to dance together as one. They will never have another experience like this so cherishing our time together and the goals we reached is important,” Stankewsky said. “Also, paying recognition to our amazing seniors and everything they have given to our team. I sure will miss all of them.”

Flipping her hair to the beat, junior Abby Tennant and the team perform their hip hop routine for Extravaganza. Tennant has been a varsity dancer for two years.

Photo by Savannah Morgan

Leading her teammates in the front line, junior Danielle Mitchell performs the dance she choreographed during the spring assembly. The Pacesetters will perform this dance at Extravaganza.

Photo by Savannah Morgan

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D-Team or Dream Team?

Baseball introduces a D-team this year.

By faith Danaher Writer

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aseball is as easy as A, B, C and now D. The baseball program has added a D-team this season in order to allow more people to be a part of the program. The D-team is coached by math teacher Chris Bervert.

“My hopes are that my kids get better and that they learn how to play the game the right way,” Bervert said.

The players on the D-team are excited to be in the program and to improve their skills through Bervert’s coaching.

“We all work really well together and the coaches are really good. It all goes really smooth at practices,” freshman Joseph Greet said.

The team dynamic is fun, according to Greet. He says that the coaching helps the players improve their skills and work as a team.

In order to get more playing time and have enough substitutes on the team, some players on C-team will also be playing on the D-team and vice versa. These double-rostered players will be playing quite a few games per week, leaving less time for homework.

Quotes gathered and Photos by Kice Mansi

senior Caroline Weaver How does this year’s soccer team compare to previous teams?

“I think we mesh really well with each other because we know how each other plays.”

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Sports

The new D-team baseball team practices indoors during the rain. They played a scrimmage game against the C-team using tennis balls. Photo by Hannah Carter

“I’m not looking forward to the double-header part because you have to do double-headers almost every time you play, and if you do C- and D-team that’s so many games in a week. I have homework,” freshman Enrique Lopez said.

Not all schools have as many boys interested in their baseball programs.

Many schools do not have D-teams, because they either do not have enough coaches or players.

“On the schedule, it’s kind of a mix-match because not all schools have D-teams. Dr. Johnson has done a

great job of going around and finding schools that have D-teams and then scheduling it for us,” varsity baseball head coach Mitch Wiles said. “We will play some Blue Valley schools, and some Shawnee Mission schools that have D-teams. We’ll play like East and Northwest.”

The next D-team game is Monday, April 24 against Olathe South at Olathe District Activity Center.

They will play a double header. The first game starts at 4:15 p.m. and the second game starts at 6:15 p.m.

Athlete Snapshots

sophomore Marquez Briscoe What do you expect out of this track season?

“Just that everybody works hard and tries their best and do what they can do.”

freshman Taylor Burns How do you think the softball team will do this year?

“I think we’ll have our ups and downs. Against the Shawnee Mission teams, we’ll probably do fine.”

Hubbard is most inspired by lifestyle videos. She wishes to show her fun and high-spirited personality, as well as her interests and views through her videos and her Instagram feed, @chlloedanielle. photos courtesy of Chloe hubbard

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with sophomore

Chloe Hubbard Inspired by the courage and content of other YouTubers, Hubbard decided in the summer of 2016 to start her YouTube channel, ChloeDanielle. Since then, she has gained a following of close to 400 subscribers and over a thousand views through her fun, lighthearted lifestyle videos.

PHOTO BY hannah carter BY miah clark copy editor, editoral cartoonist

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When did you make your YouTube channel? When did you post your first video?

Do you have any major influences from the YouTube community?

What type of content do you post or plan to post in the future?

What was it like making your first video?

Last summer, so the summer of 2016. And sometime in the middle of June.

I like posting lifestyle videos, like vlogs and … I want to do more hair and makeup videos. So like beauty guru stuff.

What inspired you to start a YouTube channel?

MyLifeasEva, I watch her videos, and CloeCouture. My favorite YouTube channel is OKBaby, it’s like a family that vlogs and they’re really cute.

It was really awkward, and it took me like five hours just to do the intro because I was so out of my comfort zone.

I was really shy, and it was really uncomfortable talking to a camera because it’s not a person. It was just really awkward.

I was really bored, and I watched a bunch of YouTube videos. A bunch of YouTubers inspired me, so I was like, “Maybe I can do this.”

What all do you use to film and edit?

What do your friends and family think about you having a YouTube channel? Are they at all bothered by how publicly you’re putting yourself out there?

Walk me through the process of making and posting a video.

They watch my videos all the time. And I mean yes, if I say something crazy or post personal stuff, but if it’s not too personal and everything then they don’t really mind.

What does making your videos do for you?

It’s a good way to talk about stuff and express how I feel about stuff, and to get out of my comfort zone by sitting in front of a camera, because it’s really awkward to sit there and just talk to a camera.

Have you ever received hate from strangers as a result of being on YouTube?

Yes. A kid told me to kill myself, and then some mean other words. Bad words.

How do you handle hate comments?

I just try to focus on the positive and more on the really nice comments I get on my videos.

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Features

For vlogs I use my Canon GX7, and for my sit-down videos I use my Canon Rebel T31. To edit I use iMovie.

First I get ready — I have to look good — then I pick a place in my room to sit down so there’s a good background. Then I get my camera out, and I make sure it’s charged — it’s the worst when you’re in the middle of a video and your camera dies — then I put it on my tripod.

I get a chair, then I sit down, get whatever I need to talk about, then I film the video. After that I upload it to my Mac laptop, then I just start editing.

Do you think if you were to gain a large following on YouTube, would the attention change who you are?

No. I would still be who I am, because I wouldn’t act any differently.

Do you hope to become an inspiration to others through making your videos?

I hope to be. I know to my little sister I am. She sits in her room and makes little videos on her iPad and tries to be like me; it’s so cute. And to the people who watch my videos, yeah I hope so. I’m not popular or famous, so if I can do this then anybody can. It’s fun, and people think just because they aren’t famous or whatever that they can’t make videos, but anybody can. It’s just for fun.

Steminists: The Women of the Future Now with increased funding and opportunities, women make their mark on the STEM field.

Working on a Hackathon contest, senior Olivia Mark tries to solve her challenge. Mark has programmed several websites as part of her business.

photos by savannah morgan

Coding in Kansas City

The Kansas City Women in Technology group hosts several events to further their cause. Add these dates to your calendar if you want to learn more about the STEM field, and visit kcwomenintech.org/events for more information.

TechTalk (monthly): Like a Ted Talk,

this event features a new speaker and topic each month. The next TechTalk will be hosted May 24 from 6 to 8 p.m., and is free for admission.

Coding and Cupcakes (bimonthly): Fueled by Smallcakes cupcakes, mother and daughter duos can explore coding and building websites together.

CoderDojoKC: New to Kansas City,

CoderDojo provides free lessons in programming technology to boys and girls aged 7 to 17.

by hannah underwood writer It is undeniable that the most prevalent gender in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Field (STEM) are men. According to National Public Radio, ever since the boom of personal computers in the average American family home in 1984, the computer science field was dominated by men, having had more experience playing on computers than women growing up.

Currently, men outnumber women four to one in engineering, and five to one in computer science.

“In my experiences, I have definitely seen lower numbers of girls involved with engineering and STEM than boys,” math and engineering teacher Jody Conley said. “...but I think that is starting to change and we’re seeing more diversity in those classes, which is good for everyone.”

Since 2010, the amount of women becoming involved in STEM is increasing, gradually in some areas and rapidly in others.

“I was introduced to my first Hackathon, which is a 24 hour computer science competition, when I was in eighth grade (2013), and I actually won that,” senior Olivia Mark said. “One thing turned into another and I started mentoring young women as I grew older, and in July 2015 I started my own web development company, and since then have developed over ten websites myself for companies all around the nation.” men outnumber It is not uncommon for girls like Mark to be introduced to the STEM field women in through an event like Hackathon. In fact, engineering and The Kansas City Women in Technology group, of which Mark is a member of, in computer hosts several events each year to promote science careers coding and computer science to women. statistic from One of these events is Coding and The Washington Post Cupcakes, which was launched in 2014 to teach mother and daughter duos about coding while enjoying cupcakes from local bakery, Babycakes. Mark has served as a mentor for this event.

“It’s really inspiring to see women who have had hardships in this field overcome obstacles and make a real difference,” Mark said.

Furthermore, in March, SmartAsset ranked Kansas City as the second best city for women in technology in the United States. This is due to the facts that approximately one-third of tech jobs are filled by women, and that women face no gender pay gap in Kansas City.

“There are tons of well-paying internships and jobs here in Kansas City with companies like Cerner and Garmin, for men and women alike,” Mark said.

Another way that Kansas City is an ideal place for women in technology is the recent boom of Girls Who Code programs and clubs, one of which is located at Johnson County Community College. Senior Emma Kate Stapp has been a part of that program for the past year.

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Designing a commercial building using software instead of physically constructing it, juniors Alexandra Ledbetter and Rachel Miller work together in class. Ledbetter and Miller were in the process of completing their design on Autodesk Inventor.

Smoothing out the sides, junior Margo Hunter cuts out foam board pieces for her civil engineering project. Hunter used an exacto knife to cut out pieces to design a commercial building.

“I originally joined Girls Who Code and started exploring coding because it was a big component of the university I wanted to go to,” Stapp said, “but once I started it, I really fell in love with it.”

Next year, Stapp plans to attend either the University of Nebraska-Lincoln or Drake University and study actuarial science to become an actuary, one who analyzes statistics to calculate insurance risks and premiums.

“As the field grows, I believe actuarial science will have to change with technology, and coding will be a big part of that,” Stapp said. “Just overall, computers can do things so much quicker and more efficiently than we can, so if I can code in my work, it will make things a lot easier for me. I will be much more valuable in the workforce.”

Stapp, along with Mark, who plans to study computer science next year at Park University, are part of a large trend of a major increase of students pursuing majors in the STEM field. In fact, at Princeton University, computer science has become the most popular undergraduate major with 130 freshmen in the program. Likewise, at Northwestern University, the number of computer science majors has tripled over the past five years, and even noncomputer science majors are taking advanced computer science classes. Moreover, women compose over half of

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the engineering majors at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dartmouth and Carnegie Mellon. Mark kept statistics like these in mind when making her college choice.

“When I was looking at colleges, something that a lot of them bragged about was their gender ratio in their computer science field, so it’s something that I definitely looked into and it definitely influenced my decision,” Mark said.

Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in funding for STEM programs, including here in the Shawnee Mission School District. Set to open during the 2017 through 2018 school year, the Center for Academic Achievement will feature collaborative spaces for the Shawnee Mission Signature Programs, including Medical Health Sciences, Biotechnology and Project Lead the Way. “I think the Center for Academic Achievement is going to make a big difference in how our engineering students get to learn,” engineering teacher Greg Thiel said.

Thiel will relocate to teach at the Center for Academic Achievement next year.

The goal of the building is to continue to provide a space to continue to expose students to STEM fields. “[It’s been said that] in the future, something like 99 percent of all jobs are going to be integrated with STEM. So therefore, I think it’s important for students to have an interest in that area, whether they be female or male,” Conley said. “If they happen to like it, then they should pursue it.

Outside local realms, the STEM field continues to be discussed and regarded as the field of the future. On Equal Pay Day, April 4, first daughter Ivanka Trump and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVoss spoke to middle school students at the National Air and Space Museum, encouraging girls to challenge the gender gap in STEM and boys to get involved and support their female classmates.

“Computer science is such a broad field and it opens so many doors for you. There’s so many different paths you can take and it allows you to be creative and express yourself, and I think that’s something that people typically don’t associate with computer science,” Mark said.

Nuts (and Bolts) About Robotics Robotics Club hosts elementary workshop.

by hannah underwood writer s a way to connect with younger, elementary age students, the Robotics Club has been going to Math and Science Nights at SMSD elementary schools. Most recently, students from elementary schools all over the district came for an event here.

“What we do is we show off the robot a little bit and we try to have it interact with the kids,” junior and Robotics team member Bennett Vavak said.

In this particular event, the Robotics Club members designed a robot that could shoot wiffle balls so they could play catch with the kids.

Then, they let the kids explore a little bit with what they could program the robot to do.

The Robotics Club started going to elementary schools’ Math and Science Nights last year. So far, they have only done two events with the kids, but they intend to do more as the Math and Science Nights start picking up.

“We like getting to interact with the kids, and we like to get our name out there, especially because not a lot of people know that there even is a Robotics Club at South,” Vavak said.

“But we also want to get kids interested in doing something with creative engineering.”

The Math and Science Nights are a way to spark kids’ interest in the STEM field at an early age. “[The STEM field] really is the field of the future,” junior Aidan Smith said. “It’s a sprawling field where there’s endless possibilities.” photos by Savannah Morgan

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Who Run School?

Secretaries.

Veteran of all things SMS, Secretary Diane Johnson keeps things running smoothly.

by angela machado & muriel lund writers ecretary Diane Johnson is no stranger to the ins and outs of South. She started her involvement as an active parent.

Prior to becoming secretary, Johnson was the Parent Teacher Association president, was active in booster clubs and helped with fundraisers. After her daughter went to college, Johnson decided to continue her involvement at the school and became secretary at the end of the 2015 school year.

“I love this school and I wanted to keep working here even though my daughter graduated, so it was more wanting to give back to the school than anything else,” Johnson said. “I like the challenge of keeping several things going...”

Over the years, Johnson’s hard work and dedication to ensuring everything runs smoothly at school has not gone unnoticed.

“It’s such a tough job to learn because you have to know really everything that’s going on in the building. She really didn’t miss a beat,” associate principal Nicholas Platko said.

Office secretary was not the career path Johnson had envisioned when she attended Kansas State University and majored in mechanical engineering. Although she had a passion for music, Johnson accepted a scholarship and entered a male dominated profession, rising to the position of manager in her company.

“I had a professor once say, ‘Oh, women shouldn’t be in engineering’, so that made me want to do it even more,” Johnson said.

Outside of the office, Johnson likes to read, work in her yard, watch “The Walking Dead” and play video games. She also enjoys incorporating her interests, such as music and the movie “Grease,” into the job. After being gifted a xylophone kit, she decided it was perfect to use for the afternoon announcements bell.

“I can be that crazy person in the office that’s playing the bells,” Johnson said.

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Front office secretary Diane Johnson answers questions, fixes problems and addresses concerns throughout the school day. She greets students, parents and faculty with a smile.

photos by jillian mcclelland

Staff Editorial

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he rivalry between South and East is a long standing tradition of good natured fun and school spirit from both sides. But when lines are crossed, the actions of a few threaten to spoil the fun for the masses, and expose a culture of disrespect within our community.

The vandalism that occurred Feb. 23 at Shawnee Mission East ahead of the rivalry basketball game is disgraceful not only for those responsible, but for the South community as a whole. Teachers have been telling us our whole lives that we represent our school when we go out into the world, and it’s about time we start taking that advice seriously.

School rivalries should be a dumbbut-fun, harmless part of school spirit, not something to get arrested over.

When people cross the line of what’s appropriate for a school competition, it ruins the fun of it for everyone else.

When real, tangible harm is done, the entire tradition of the South-East rivalry is tainted.

We’re in high school, not kindergarten. We should know by now where the line between rivalry and crime lies. We need to reevaluate the boundaries we are and aren’t willing to cross when it

comes to school spirit. We can all joke about hating the Lancers. Even the occasional mocking chant at a football game is part of the fun of high school rivalries, but at the end of the day, East is part of our larger community, and we need to treat them with respect.

Additionally, vandalizing another school is no way for the South community to garner the respect we hope to earn. If behavior like this continues, we will irrevocably ruin our reputation as a respectable institution.

At the end of the day, respect is what this boils down to. And it’s not just about the vandalism, the aftermath, or even the rivalry. Too often there are incidents of basic disrespect for our peers, teachers and building. We need to have respect for all members of our community, whether that be a classmate, teacher, administrator or someone from another school. It’s normal to disagree with someone, but it shows glaring immaturity when we can’t even show those we disagree with a basic level of human decency and respect.

It doesn’t cost us anything to be respectful of our environment and those in it, so why don’t we all start

acting a little more like adults and offer the same respect we expect to receive. Put your phone away in class.

Don’t talk back to teachers. Pick up trash you see in the hallway. If you see someone getting bullied, say something.

Even if you aren’t responsible for disrespectful behavior, being a bystander is nearly as bad as being a perpetrator. We can’t just complain and roll our eyes at things like this when they happen within our community. We should be actively working to fix any issues, not just accepting them. We need to take some responsibility for our school, and make it a place we can all be proud of, because no one else is going to do it for us.

There’s nothing greater than a Raider. Let’s keep it that way.

9/9 editors agree with the views expressed in this editorial Opinion

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Get the Facts The accuracy of the internet comes into question as unfounded accusations arise.

By Mark Holland News Editor Photo by Cassandra Awad s the Republican and Democratic parties wage a war of accusations against both the former and current presidents, for anyone who pays attention there can be no point denying that America is a dark place.

With all these different views and corrupt media outlets pointing fingers, it almost seems as if this country is more divided now than it has ever been.

The main party responsible for this increasingly violent division is the media. Media has changed the country like nothing before. It allows the spread of rumors to go across the globe within minutes. It goes like this: one person says something they shouldn’t, whether it’s true or not, it goes on the internet through Facebook or Twitter, or even popular news outlets and lives are destroyed.

Most Americans rely on the media to tell them what goes on in the world, and when the media is not providing them with correct information, trust in the media can only go downhill from there.

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It sometimes seems as if people consider the media law.

Look at the common news sites of the day: CNN, FOX and the many others. These sites all have an agenda, whether liberal or conservative, or any other in-between, and some people seem to think that whatever is published on these sites is the only truth. This is a flawed view. While a certain site may cater to your interest, that does not mean that it is the hundred percent most reliable source. This is the power the media has, and this is the type of occurrence that needs to be prevented in the future.

Today this can be applied in many ways, most recently with the blame battle going on between current President of the United States Donald Trump and former President Barrack Obama. Trump has been accused by many of corroborating with Russia to rig the 2016 election. At the same time, Trump has accused Obama’s administration of tapping his phones. Without sufficient evidence, neither party could officially be found guilty of these actions. In fact, Trump’s accusation has proven false. But, whether or not these accusations were true doesn’t matter. What matters is how quickly people believed them. Because of the power of the media, Americans were willing to believe whatever accusations were thrown out there. Just because a source supports your opinion, that does not mean that you should believe everything it says. There are always at least two sides to every story. Get the facts.

Even if the source is right, get the facts. These kinds of misunderstandings and blatant judgmentalism are what cause much of the controversy in society today.

Is Your News Genuine?

The Author

Research the author of a story to find out more about them: who they are, what their opinions are, what people think of them. Read some of their other articles to find out more about their writing style.

The Site

Make sure you check and see how genuine the site you’re using is. Check the URL and domain and make sure it’s an official news site. Do some research to see if the site has any bias, and factor that into how you view its content.

The Story

The Quotes and Sources

Check the quotes and sources. Make sure that the sources used are helpful to the story and are reliable.

Consider whether the information is consistent with other accounts.

Make sure the story is accurate. Examine the facts and opinions related in the story. Also look and see how others responded to the story, they may provide some insight into how you interpret it.

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Opinion

No Meat, No Problem Veganism is a solution to many environmental problems.

by Tara Phillips A&E Editor Photo by hannah Carter Graphics by Madison Holloway he food you consume is the leading cause of world destruction, rainforest deforestation, ocean depletion and greenhouse gas emissions and the leading factor in the downfall of our planet.

With the rising rate of meat and dairy consumption we see a rising rate of carbon emissions and methane emissions.

We’ve been taught all our lives to decrease our carbon footprint by taking shorter showers, riding our bikes instead of driving and turning off lights when we aren’t using them. But no one ever mentioned that the biggest way to reduce our carbon footprint was by halting our consumption of meat and dairy.

While many people think that the main cause of greenhouse gas issues is transportation, studies from the documentary “Cowspiracy” shows that transportation only makes up 13 percent of these gas emissions, while animal agriculture leads with 51 percent.

To put this into further perspective, animals and their byproducts account for at least 32 million tons of carbon dioxide per year. Cows specifically release methane gas during their digestive time, which on a 20 year time frame, is 25 times more destructive than carbon dioxide is to climate change. This proves that methane has a global warming potential of 86 times that of carbon dioxide.

Livestock is also responsible for 65 percent of all human related emissions of nitrous oxide, a gas with 296 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide, which stays in the atmosphere for up to 150 years.

Furthermore, livestock is also one of the factors responsible for the drought that has struck many areas

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including California. This is largely due to the fact that animal agriculture accounts for 80 to 90 percent of the water consumption.

For example, in order to make one hamburger, 2,500 gallons of water will be consumed by the animal. It doesn’t stop at just meat though; it takes 477 gallons of water to produce one pound of eggs.

Consider that when there are children all over the world going without water for days, we are feeding animals gallons upon gallons of water just to make one Big Mac that you get in the drive-thru of McDonald’s.

Animal agriculture is responsible for 91 percent of the Amazon rainforest destruction. Each cow is given two to five acres of land, with a going rate of one to two acres being demolished in the rainforest every second. Up to 137 plant, animal and insect species are lost everyday due to rainforest destruction.

With all this happening, why hasn’t anyone spoken up about it? Why aren’t leading environmental organizations speaking out about this?

In Brazil, 1,100 activists have been killed over the past decade for speaking out about the destruction and negative effects of animal agriculture and many similar situations are happening all over the world.

Brutality doesn’t stop at activists though. The pain and suffering animals experience is unimaginable. More than 6 million animals are killed for food each hour. We are currently growing enough food to feed 10 billion people, but instead of fighting world hunger with this power, we feed it to animals that will be slaughtered and sold to the upper class population.

If we continue on this path of destruction and inhumane practice, we’ll lose our planet and the beautiful creatures that inhabit it. When the planet is finally worn down enough, we will fall with her.

There are easy steps to take towards a greener future such as eating meat once a day or once a week or consuming less dairy or local dairy that is humane. Even small steps such as these can make a world of difference to our planet.

Opinion

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Debate I

Yes:

By Mitch Brock Writer Photos By Kice Mansi

nnovative schools and classrooms are making their presence known in many school districts throughout the nation, and for good reason.

In short, innovative schools have a lot of collaboration-based concepts about classroom layouts, seating made for discussion or easier group work.

However, these are not the only reasons why innovative schools should be made a constant in school districts.

One reason is comfort. Some teachers believe that students who are more comfortable when in a classroom can focus easier and are more productive learners. There’s a fine line between comfort and too much comfort though. Students shouldn’t be falling asleep in class, and that’s not what the idea of classroom comfort is meant for. The idea is to get being comfortable out of the way so you can focus easier, not so you can take a quick nap. Instead of sitting in a hard chair all day long, you sit in a padded seat with a desk attached to it that has a swivel so you can turn any way you’d like for easy interaction. It is similar to an office chair, but with a desk that moves wherever you need it to be.

“Innovative schools give students incentives to come to class.”

Innovative schools also create a better learning environment. Alongside comfort, having things like open concept seating or walls that are made out of whiteboards makes it easier for teachers to engage their students. It also gives teachers easy tools to use for lessons, projects or presentations for either themselves or their students. These are the same types of things students are not only going to see at college, but in the workplace. At the new high school, Olathe West, opening in the fall of 2017, there will be an area that is a large staircase where students can sit comfortably on steps and the teacher can lecture to them and use it as a classroom. It will strongly resemble a college lecture hall.

Innovative schools are a positive for the future. They prepare students for the future, closely resembling what college and workplaces are like with open concept seating and more collaboration. With universities always renovating and improving, they are adapting to the world around us. A lot of workplaces have conference rooms with a table surrounded by people for discussion, white boards for brainstorming and rooms that are easy to present in. Workplaces, like universities, are also becoming more innovative. Innovative schools give students incentives to come to class. I don’t know about other students, but when there are cool things in a classroom, I get excited about coming to class, which is what we all need. We need students to be able to talk and converse with one another.

We need students to be able to think for themselves. We need them to be focused and productive in the classroom. We need them to be ready when they go off into the real world, and with all the assets and tools of innovative schools, it is easier for them to do this.

Poll results: Should celebrities comment on politics?

Yes

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Opinion

No

33%

Poll via @SMSPatriot on Twitter

Are innovative schools a good idea?

No:

by Faith Danaher Writer

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ho remembers elementary school? Tiny chairs, cubbies and consistent class schedules written on the whiteboard were major parts of most high schoolers’ childhoods. Now, things are changing, and although change is an inevitable and necessary part of life, these changes are not improving the education of elementary school students.

The Shawnee Mission School District began implementing innovative schools in the 2015 and 2016 school year. The first innovative Shawnee Mission school was Apache Elementary School. The changes that come with an innovative school include “genius hour,” specialization at a younger age, a change in staff and a more personalized education.

Students focus on regular subjects, such as math, science, language arts and reading in the morning, followed by team projects in the afternoon based on what they learned earlier in the day. “Genius hour” is a time when students can expand their knowledge on a specific subject, such as music or biology, that they are interested in.

Although these various changes sound helpful in theory, the actual implementation of these schools will create problems. For starters, the young students may become distracted by the changes. The freedom allowed may cause students to get distracted and use their research time unwisely.

“These schools are creating more distractions for students, a more challenging job for teachers and are trying to work with less money in the budget.”

Additionally, allowing students to choose certain subjects to study more often may cause them to close themselves off to other subjects. Choosing a subject to focus on at an elementary age could result in students having less options and knowledge if they decided to switch subject focus when they get older.

Another problem created by the innovative schools is that teachers become unhappy. Overall, adults are less adept to deal with change. Therefore, the teachers will be upset if they have to change their teaching styles. They have to do more work while budgets continue to be cut and they continue to receive the same pay.

Overall, the question of whether innovative schools are a positive change or a negative change is a simple one. These schools are creating more distractions for students, a more challenging job for teachers and are trying to make changes that require funding with less money.

Although I concede that there are some positive changes to be made in the district, the changes being made are not positive and they are happening at the wrong time. For these innovative schools to work, teachers need to be properly trained and paid and students need to begin school this way as kindergartners, so they become more adapted and less distracted. By implementing innovative schools at this time, with a low budget and most of the same teachers, the district is turning what could have been a great improvement into a negative one.

Opinion

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In Defense of History Class Despite what some think, history class is a valuable component of school curriculum.

by Addie Soyski Writer Photo By Jillian McClelland any a time we have sat in class wondering why we’re taught history. On the surface, it seems irrelevant and consists of throw away facts and tidbits that are useful only on exams. Many students across the country dread history for these very reasons, and dream of an existence without history class. However, history isn’t just about facts. It’s about concepts. When we fully understand these concepts, we can expand our knowledge and better ourselves.

Firstly, we can better understand our culture and others. This is especially important in a day and age with so much racial tension and fear of religious minorities.

But it goes beyond that into elevating our understanding of our environment. Historical events shaped modern societies, and having knowledge of those events helps us to be in tune with the practices and/or flaws of our society.

For example, we can better understand differences in gender roles by examining what places were once occupied by the Spanish and Portuguese empires whose occupancy brought devout religion.

Additionally, students who study history learn about influences on the world. History gives an explanation as to why the world is the way it is. It can explain why a certain economic or political system is in place, or even why a relationship between countries exists, like with the case of the alliance between America and Japan following the

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bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Knowledge like this can also play a role in political understanding. It’s only logical that the more one knows about how the world works, the more one is capable of being an informed voter.

Currently, many Americans are questioning the validity of the electoral college because the past presidential election resulted in a president that lost the popular vote.

Knowing that the reason behind the electoral college is that voters of the 19th century were thought to not be informed enough to vote has sparked outrage after last year’s election.

Although it may be cliché, history may be most known for its repetitive nature. The theory that suggests events happen over and over again throughout history is called historic recurrence. Factors in human nature and circumstance that caused something to happen in the past are likely to be seen again and cause similar results. Entire scenarios can be similar, only with different names and faces. This means that by looking at history, people in the present can avoid historic mistakes, but can learn from historical successes. For example, humanity now knows that the best way to deal with an outbreak of disease is to contain it, because of the Great Plague of Marseille. Not to mention, history teaches the public how to deal with a social battle, especially when it concerns equal rights.

Currently, there’s a debate about transgender people and their use of public restrooms. Many other minorities were also barred from using a certain restroom and succeeded in defending their rights with sustained, non-violent protests in addition to more representation of that group.

History is an important part of a student’s education and should be taken seriously. It provides students with valuable material offered by no other course. No, history may not been essential for all career paths, but it’s necessary for an educated and informed public.

Photos by Maxie Crimm What has History Taught You? Quotes gathered

by Addie soyski

“Everything that’s happened on Earth of note has some sort of moral dilemma or scientific dilemma. History covers all the subjects of learning and all the subjects of thought.”

- junior Ben Smith

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“I remember when I was in high school, and something happens and you just go, ‘I wonder if that’s going to repeat itself...’. That knowledge of history can often be used as a predictor of what’s going to happen in the future.”

- social studies teacher Doug Weaver

“It teaches me about the progress that all sorts of groups have made over time...

And even living in a historic period of time is incredible because there is so much progress being made now and so many things that still need a significant amount of change.”

- junior Joy Knowles

Spring into Fourth Quarter Coming back from Spring Break can be made easier by following these organizational tips. by madison holloway ads editor

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t’s easy to feel conflicted between the stress of finals and AP tests and the strong desire to do absolutely nothing for the next month.

But, fourth quarter is one of the most important quarters for many students. So, here are some simple and straightforward tips to get you through to the end while staying motivated and productive.

1. Clean it up.

Clearing out old junk will set your brain free, letting you focus on what matters most this quarter.

Start by going through all of your old papers and pulling out the things you need currently, as well as anything that might be helpful when studying for finals. If you have any papers you are unsure about, put them in an empty folder and leave them at home. Anything you are absolutely positive you won’t need, throw away.

Next, tackle your workspace. Whether it be your bed, your desk, the kitchen table or whatever space you normally do homework in, spend 15 minutes sprucing it up. Throw away any trash, clean up those dishes from your late-night study snacks and make your space clean and comfortable. An uncluttered surface, good lighting, the right balance of comfort and structure are crucial to an effective study area.

2. Organize and Plan.

Now it’s time to write everything down. Seriously, everything. Every thought swirling around in your brain, write it down. All the end-ofyear events: due-dates, finals, grad parties, etc. Write them all down on a sheet of paper, without worrying yet about their organization or importance. This activity serves as a kind of reset button, allowing you to start planning and organizing with a fresh mind.

Next, go through your list and put everything in your planner. If you still don’t have a planner, get one. You need it more than you think you do, even in the last quarter.

3. Get to work.

Finally it’s time to put on your Nikes, because the only way to get your work done is to Just Do It. Take each thing that you need to get done and break it up into smaller tasks. Then give yourself a short time period, perhaps 20 minutes, and just focus on getting one or two of those tasks done. The hardest part is always convincing yourself to get started.

photo illustrations by cassandra awad

Lastly, give yourself a break. In fact, give yourself frequent breaks.

Sectioning off time will keep you focused for many more hours than just “pushing through” will. But don’t make excuses for yourself. You know when a break has turned into procrastination. You will thank yourself later if you just stay busy and knock it out.

A&E

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Senior Tucker Barry, playing the character of Boy/Peter, falls out of an imaginary crate and lays eyes on Molly Aster, played by senior Gracie Williams. The two characters spoke in the third person to narrate the scene, which happens often in the show.

photos by Cassandra Awad

A Final Voyage on Stage The theatrical production of ‘Peter and the Starcatcher’ is flying to stage.

by addie soyski writer theatrical interpretation of Peter Pan is flying to South’s stage. The spring play, “Peter and the Starcatcher” is based off the best selling children’s novel of a similar name, “Peter and the Starcatchers” by Dave Barry and Ridley Peterson. The play recounts the tale of the orphan Peter encountering pirates, a giant alligator and mermaids on his way to becoming the Peter Pan we all know and love.

“Throughout this journey he takes...he comes across all these cool, amazing things that he’s never experienced and you get to name Peter Pan,” senior Christine Pascoe, who plays a Mollusk, said.

The spring play is unique in that it incorporates song into the mix.

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Boy/Peter, played by senior Tucker Barry, flashes back to his time spent in an orphanage when a man named Grempkin, played by sophomore Logan Stevens, tormented him.

“This play has music in it and usually our plays are strictly talking and our musicals have songs in them.

This combines both,” senior Tucker Barry, who plays Peter Pan, said.

However, the most noteworthy aspect of “Peter and the Starcatcher” is its distinctive and peculiar storyline that even requires some cast members to speak foreign languages including Norwegian, Italian and Spanish.

“It really makes contemporary jokes that aren’t tacky. They’re kinda relevant and funny. With just the most creative storyline imaginable.

The stuff that happens is so amazing.

It’s beautiful. I love it,” Barry said.

And for every unusual story, there are unusual characters, like the group of islanders known as the Mollusks, that require different mentalities to be able to act the part.

“My character seems to be wild, so I think I’m going to try to get into that aspect and get out of my comfort zone and see what I can do to really make the character believable,” freshmen Ruth Hasenleder. who plays a Mollusk said.

“Peter and the Starcatcher” is especially significant for seniors, as their second show freshman year was the original “Peter Pan.” They’re now ending with its prequel.

“We were doing a read-through of it and during the entire last scene,” Barry said. “I was on the verge of tears the entire time reading it. It’s such a great payoff at the end, it’s such a beautiful ending to the show. It’s like we’re leaving the right way. We’re going out with a bang. We’re not going out quietly.”

The senior’s final act runs from April 25 to 28. Tickets are $10 or free with a student ID.

Mission for Nutrition If you enjoy happy environments, being surrounded by friendly people and yummy, yet healthy shakes, you should definitely stop by by muriel lund writer

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nergizing Mission supplies meal replacement shakes with a Herbalife base. They offer shakes with a wide range of targets spanning from weightloss to postworkout recovery blends. For $6 you receive a three course meal replacement. The first part is an aloe shot designed to support digestive health. Next, you choose a tea to stimulate your metabolism, and then you receive your shake of choice.

I was a bit skeptical of the aloe shot at first but once I tried it, I realized it was actually really refreshing. I tried the raspberry green tea and was very pleased. It wasn’t too strong, but still flavorful.

I picked the Mocha flavored shake.

The shake was blended well and didn’t have any of those annoying ice chunks that some homemade protein shakes have. The overall flavor was a great mix of chocolate with a hint of coffee. I also tasted the brownie batter shake, that had a much richer

Students from all over come to get their Thursday morning boost. They order their aloe shot and choice of tea and shake, and wait for it to be made.

Photos by maxie crimm chocolate flavor and even little brownie bites.

My favorite flavor was the white chocolate raspberry shake, that was a blend of white chocolate chips and frozen raspberries. This shake was so fresh tasting, yet not overpowering.

Overall, all the shakes I tasted were great flavors, had the perfect consistency and lived up to the expectation.

The awesome quality of the products aren’t the only thing drawing consumers in. The shop is set up in a way that is comfy and inviting with couches, chairs and pillows.

There is also a huge calendar in the back that you can write your birthday on for a complimentary shake.

Energizing is located in the shopping district of downtown Mission, next to Lamar Doughnuts on Johnson Drive. The inviting vibe, friendly staff and great quality products are a recipe for success.

An employee prepares a shake for a customer. The shake is the third drink in the package deal at Energizing.

Address: 5813 Johnson Dr, Mission, KS 66202 Hours: 7a.m.-1:30p.m.

Monday - Saturday

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Musically Talented Teens

Musically talented teens at South are a part of bands or work individually to make it big. by mara baine writer ith music an important factor in everyday life, people are not only trying to make it big in Hollywood or New York, but also here at South.

Whether it’s in singing, rapping, or playing an instrument in a band, South is full of students with talent that could give them a potential future in the music industry or just fulfill a favorite hobby Junior Dan Baker is currently a rapper who posted his songs via Soundcloud and now has a record deal.

“Well, right now I just want it to be for the experience, because I don’t know if I want to do it for my whole life,” Baker said. “But it’s a good experience in other business like how to work with people and I feel like if I do it longer than expected, then I think it’s kinda cool to start early, because normally people start when they’re in their twenties. It’s good to get a lot of experience under your belt.”

Baker recently got a record deal after spending a lot of time editing and putting together his music. The deal was offered to him by Bentley Records in February. “...usually I would do everything myself, like editing all of it, and putting it out and marketing it and all,” Baker said. “Now what they do is the mixing, the mastering, the editing, all of that stuff, and market it. It just takes a huge load off of me. I don’t get to do as much now, so it’s kinda like, a little more boring, but it’s worth it.”

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photo illustrations by kice mansi Baker has always enjoyed music, but just recently got into creating his own.

“I quit basketball, and I was trying to find something else to keep my mind off of things and that was just what I started doing,” Baker said.

Along with rappers, bands, are a part of South’s music scene. The band Frates Forum recently had a concert over Spring Break. Lead singer Cameron Morse sees his band turning into his future. Morse is a Deathcore screamer, which is a genre of rock music.

“I hope to make this as a profession, and something I can do for the rest of my life,” Morse said.

Along with singers, musicians have to juggle school along with their music.

“I mean, I’m in choir at school, so I’m very involved in music around here… For me, I just try and do my very best for my core classes, and all the other classes really don’t matter.” Morse said. “I just try to focus on my band and school and work.”

Who, What, Wear Junior Lauren Bass

Junior Brennan Lumpkin

What influences your style?

“I think a lot of it kinda comes from my sister.

I’ve always been inspired by her style and different things that I’m into at that time.” - Bass

“My love of nature and natural things in a combination with a bit of my choices of vintage street style.” - Lumpkin

photos by Hannah carter

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Students tweeted/Snapchatted @SMSPatriot what they did over Spring Break @ashley__lauver: I played with babies in Jamaica for Spring Break :)

1st

@TonyBudetti: Over Spring Break, I took 50 kids to Kentucky hills-4th poorest county in US for a week long mission trip. #NoSleep

2nd

Social Media Contest 3rd

@margohunter_: I mommed these munchkins #springbreak #therealbirthcontrol

4th

@jjeong284: Big brother is always watching. BEWARE! Oooooo ooooo (scary ghost voice)

First Place in the Social Media Contest wins a $10 Giftcard.

Next month’s contest is “finals got me like...”

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OH LAND OF

Opportunity JOIN OUR TEAM STOP IN AND ASK FOR A MANAGER OR APPLY ONLINE!

FREDDYSUSA.COM/CAREERS

Shawnee Mission South Now Hiring Ad 7x4_75.indd 1

9/6/2016 1:34:31 PM

Dunking on Donkeys 3

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2 1. Reaching for the rebound, senior Olivia Love tries to keep the ball away

from the other team. With 10 donkeys to choose from, Love chose a smaller, calm donkey. photo by Hannah Carter

2. South’s Donkey ball team won the championship at Shawnee Mission

North. The nine students who participated were sophomore Stephen Luancing, senior Anton Caruso, senior Michael Carter, senior Amelia Holcomb, senior Rakeya Martin, junior Phillip Chubick, senior Olivia Love, sophomore Hannah Carter and senior Kenny Chan. photo by caelan lovell

3. Pulling on the reins, senior Rakeya Martin tries to turn her donkey

around. The donkeys ranged in size and their actions were unpredictable. photo by Hannah Carter

4. As senior Michael Carter’s donkey runs to the basketball goal, he throws the ball into the basket. Carter scored three points during the semi-final game. photo by Hannah Carter

5. Struggling to get his donkey to cooperate, senior Anton Caruso sits

backwards on his donkey to see behind him. Caruso rotated around the donkey to stay facing the ball. photo by Hannah Carter

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