Griffin Rites Vol 49, Issue 6 by Griffin Rites

Winnetonka High School | Kansas city MO, 64119 | Vol. 49, Issue 5 | March 30, 2018

The Griffin Rites

Ending the

Empty chairs

Students speak up in the wake of school shootings Page 4

FEATURE

From sky-diving to scuba-diving, teachers talk about their talents

Teachers undergo training to help students

Pages 8 & 9

Pages 10 & 11

CONTENTS

On the cover:

Junior Makayla Cambiano tapes off a row of the nearly 170 chairs set up during the March 14 walkout to represent lives lost to school shootings since 1999. Photo by JessicaGlaszczak

Snapshot: The entire student and staﬀ body raise their cell phone flashlights during the March 16 Gift of Life assembly at the request of history teacher David Flynn, who lost his wife Heather Flynn shortly before the start of the 2015 school year. Flynn now works as an ambassador for the Gift of Life program to raise awareness for organ donation. “Look at the eight students to your left,” Flynn said. “Now look at the eight to your right. That’s how many lives you could save as an organ donor.” Photo by KatieBullock.

Editorial

Features

05 - Voices were made to speak Missouri legislature should pass “New Voices” bill to end censorship of secondary education publications

News 06 - A new course to college Everything students need to know about the AP capstone diploma

Entertainment 07 - Gardening for the not-so green thumb Why gardening is good for students, and easier than it looks

STAFF

Editor-in-chief Print Editor Multimedia Editor Staff Writer Staff Writer Adviser

Katie Bullock Jessica Glaszczak Elizabeth Payton Jason Hopkins Gage Rabideaux Laura Williams

Sports

08 - Weekend warriors 14 - Thinking outside the box From sky-diving to scuba-diving, teach- Boys’ baseball team tries new straters talk about their outside of school pas- egies with a fresh team sions 16 - Standing together 10 - Trauma training Girls’ basketball team works toTeachers undergo trauma sensitive train- gether to bring season to a close ing in order to help students

Arts

The Griffin Rites Purpose The Griﬃn Rites strongly supports the First

Amendment and opposes censorship. Free12 - Loud and clear Louder than a bomb team find their voic- dom of expression and press are fundamental values in a democratic society. The mission es through slam poetry

13 - Practice makes perfect Musicians preparing for contest practice consistently to give their best performance

Special coverage 04 - Walking out Students speak up in the wake of school shootings | View full coverage by scanning the code above

of any institution committed to preparing productive citizens must include teaching students these values, both by example and lesson. We welcome letters to the editor and reserve the right to edit them for length and clarity, but we will not change ideas. Letters may attack policies but not people. They must be signed an submitted to F6 or mailed to Laura Williams at 5818 NE 48th St., Kansas City, Mo. Advertising space is available. Please contact laura.williams@nkcschools. org or call 816-321-6527 for information. Our organization is a member of the Journalism Educators of Metropolitan Kansas City, Journalism Educators Association, the Missouri Interscholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association.

EDITORIAL | PAGE DESIGN BY KATIE BULLOCK

Have your own opinion? Take our poll at tonkanews.com or by scanning the QR code below.

News Voices were made to speak Missouri legislature should pass “New Voices” bill to end censorship

Griffin Rites staff opinions: 5 agree 0 disagree

| Art by GageRabideaux

The Editorial voice of the Griffin Rites staff,

Katie Bullock

he Walter Cronkite New Voices bill, which is set to guarantee freedom of the press in school-sponsored media for public high schools and colleges, needs to be passed if Missouri wishes to remain a training ground for future student journalists. Perspective is everything, and in many on-campus situations students are the only people with access and understanding of the news and issues that occur on school grounds. Some of the most honest, poignant and relevant reporting about the historic civil rights protests at the University of Missouri in 2015 came out of the student publication The Maneater. These young journalists were at the scene of the protests for weeks before the national media, and had a heightened knowledge of the inner workings of the college and its students. They had the imperative context that was required to report honestly. To censor this coverage would have been to deny the full story that national media outlets failed to provide. Additionally, student journalists are just that: students. High schools and colleges are a training ground for the next age of journalists. In a world where media coverage is already sensationalized and there is much criticism of the way mainstream media operates, it is important to allow students to practice covering hard-to-contextualize events before they enter the professional field. To censor their education or to shuttle them away from relevant issues that are deemed “too political” is to completely strip away their foundational education. To say students should not cover

a race issue, a school walkout, a school-district’s decision or other event would be failing to serve the student’s education. Plus, choosing not to cover important and relevant events - even those that may reflect poorly on the school or district - is essentially a form of historical revisionism created by erasing the visibility of possible injustices. Although schools that pay for student-publications may feel it is their right to censor stories, if they are teaching their student journalists correctly then there should be no need for censorship. While it is true that students may make mistakes in reporting, advisors are there to help guide students towards the truth, and hopefully those mistakes will become lessons learned. Additionally, if a publication’s content is unfactual it will not be protected by the New Voices act, which exempts illegal, libelous, threatful, unfactual or violent reporting from its protection. This means censorship can still occur in cases of neglectful reporting. The only stories schools would be unable to censor would be factually correct and well-reported ones. If the school has nothing to hide, it should not need to censor any of these types of stories. Competent journalists are one of the foundations of society. In order to fully prepare students to report news comprehensively, both high schools and colleges must provide them a platform to practice reporting real world issues without the fear of threat of censorship. In order to ensure this, the New Voices bill needs to be passed and enacted throughout Missouri, and also throughout the nation as a whole.

PAGE DESIGN BY KATIE BULLOCK | NEWS

WALKING OUT 1.

Students walk out of school to speak out for their safety

1. Senior Danielle Dodd and junior Katie Bullock discuss plans for the walkout on the stage set up on the football field. Photo by JessicaGlaszczak 3. Nearly 170 chairs were taped oﬀ with orange duct tape to represent the lives lost in school shootings since Columbine. Photo by CarsonSmith 4. Senior Kennedi Walker and juniors Rosie Rodriguez and Makayla Cambiano link arms during the protest against gun violence. Photo by AllisonSchoonbeck

2. 2. Pictured second from the left, junior Lana Moerer, along with other students, walks out of the school at 10 a.m. to protest gun violence in schools. Photo by JessicaGlaszczak.

Scan the code to see the news story, drone footage, photo gallery, letter from an organizer and more.

4. 5. An estimated 500 to 600 students march on the track after walking out of their second block classes in order to advocate for school safety and fight against gun violence. Photo by CarsonSmith 8. Senior Kennedi Walker rips orange tape that she later used to attach an orange slip of paper that states her opinion on school safety and gun violence to the pillars in the school entryway. Photo by JessicaGlaszczak

5. 6. Sophomore James Long holds up a poster while walking around the track that says ‘Enough is enough.’ Photo by Jessica Glaszczak 7. Senior Danielle Dodd speaks to demonstrating students about the actions suggested to make schools safer for students. Photo by AllisonSchoonbeck

NEWS | PAGE DESIGN BY JASON HOPKINS

A NEW COURSE TO COLLEGE Everything students need to know about the AP capstone diploma By Jason Hopkins

ompetitive, determined, driven, focused. These are some of the words principal Eric Johnson used to describe the students joining the new diploma program of the 2018-19 school year. Next school year, Winnetonka will add the AP (Advanced Placement) Capstone diploma to its list of programs used to drive students to work their hardest to pursue their dream jobs research methods teacher Carrie Marcantonio said. The new program would require a qualifying score in six AP classes, including two specific new courses. “The junior class [AP Seminar] is one year long, and it teaches kids all about how to research, much like our current Research Methods class,” Marcantonio said. “The second class is called AP Research and it is a class that teaches kids to

really use their research skills.” As a College Board program, AP Capstone is nationally recognized by most colleges and can provide students with the skills needed for independent research, collaborative teamwork and communication, according to the College Board website. “AP Capstone is listed as a rigorous diploma option on the Common Application that many students use when applying to college, so this will provide them the recognition students need when competing for college admissions,” said Kyle Anderson, advanced studies and academic excellence director for the North Kansas City School District. “Additionally, more colleges are now awarding college credit depending on how students perform in the course.” This diploma program was specifically designed to help students be suc-

AP Capstone

cessful in whatever career they pursue Marcantonio said, much like the program the school already oﬀers called Gold Medallion. With the introduction of theAP Capstone program, the Gold Medallion program will be phased out. Principal Eric Johnson recommends that students speak to their counselors about the diploma program that is best for their individual needs. “It’s really about their own personal plan of study,” Johnson said. “If you know you’re college-bound and you are willing to take those challenging courses and see the process through, you just decide. No one else has to recommend you for it, you don’t have to wait for somebody to invite you. You can say that this is something that I want for myself and choose to do it.”

Vs. Gold Medallion

Extra class requirements

AP Seminar and AP Research, plus four other AP classes

Research Methods and Exhibition, plus eight honors or AP classes

Grade requirement

No Grade requirement

Grade point average [GPA] requirement

No GPA requirement

Must have a minimum 3.2 GPA

Internship hours

Must have a minimum 40 hours

Community service hours

Must have a minimum 100 hours

Level of recognition

Nationally recognized

Locally known, honors diploma

Total credits needed

PAGE DESIGN BY KATIE BULLOCK | ENTERTAINMENT

digging up the problem Pest problem:

GARDENING FOR THE NOT-SO GREEN THUMB Plant projects that you won’t kill and why you should garden

- visible insects, holes in leaves

By Katie Bullock

SOLUTION: Spray with palm oil

Not enough light: - Faded, droopy leaves

SOLUTION: Relocate to sunny spot

Too much water:

- Yellow, wilted leaves

ith spring finally here, warmer weather means many people are starting to think about beginning summertime gardens. But besides just outdoor flowers and vegetables, students should consider adding more plants to their indoor oasis. Houseplants have been proven to have many positive eﬀects on people. Not only do they improve attendance, attentiveness, reaction times and spatial awareness, but they have also been shown to lower anxiety and blood pressure while simultaneously raising satisfaction with jobs and school.

Although plants do come at a cost, pots can be made from anything that will hold soil, making creating an indoor garden an aﬀordable, easy way to live happier, healthier and greener. Online resources detailing the care of plants are invaluable to the inexpereinced gardener, since they give some insight into proper plant care. And while some people may find that they struggle with their “green thumb,”, by chosing a hardy plant that requires little care such as a snake plant, or any of the plants shown below, anyone can find themselves succesfully raising their own little piece of paradise.

SOLUTION: Increase soil drainage, water less

gardening myth

Not enough water:

Gravel in a pot only makes root rot more likely to occur, since it simply displaces water further up the pot instead of absorbing it like normal soil. Instead, use a fast-draining soil and a pot with a hole in the bottom.

- Dry crunchy leaves SOLUTION: Water more often

Nitrogen deficiency:

“Gravel in the bottom of a pot helps drainage”

The 7 best hard-to-kill non-toxic plants

- edges and veins become yellow SOLUTION: Add organic compost

Potassium deficiency:

African violets*

Bamboo

Jade plant

Spider plant*

- edges become yellow

SOLUTION: Add citrus rinds or compost rich in vegetable waste

Areca palm

Boston fern*

Snake plant*

- one of NASA’s top 10 air purifying houseplants

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PAGE DESIGN BY KATIE BULLOCK | FEATURES

learning from the open water History teacher David Flynn: Scuba diver By Elizabeth Payton

cuba instructor and history teacher David Flynn’s journey began in 2000 when he was oﬀered a scuba diving course while on vacation. Although it was just a basic dive, only going about 25 feet below the surface, Flynn realized his passion. “I loved to go to the river or to the lake and put my face under the water with goggles on and be able to see the fish. That always really fascinated me,” Flynn said. “Strapping a tank on and being able to go down to a shallow reef and just hang out for an hour was amazing. [Other people] will never experience wildlife quite like that.” Accumulating more than 150 dives over the years, Flynn has had the opportunity to experience exotic places such as Cancun, the Carribean, Curaçao, and Grand Cayman island. The scenery is not the only part of diving that leaves an impression on him though. Flynn learns new skills with each dive. “Scuba diving helped me gain a bit more confidence,” Flynn said. “I could al-

ways swim, but it’s a whole diﬀerent story when I’m 115 feet down. You gain a better appreciation and awareness of yourself and what your capabilities are.” Flynn learned even more after becoming an instructor when he was faced with the responsibility of teaching other people to cope with diﬃcult situations. “Trying to teach people that you have to learn to stay calm in multiple situations, you have to learn to cope with it yourself,” Flynn said. “Trying to maintain calm and work to kind of see what my path is and how I can work through it scuba diving probably helped with that.” When sharing his experiences as a scuba diver, Flynn never fails to surprise his students. “They’re always surprised because they never think of teachers outside of the context of school,” Flynn said. “We don’t see them as having these lives beyond and being engaged in all these things.” Flynn also enjoys other unique activities such as crocheting, cycling and playing electric guitar.

1. David Flynn teachers in his classroom. Photo by ElizabethPayton.

|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| 2. Patrick Hupp walks forward after a jump. Photo submitted by PartickHupp

The freeest feeling Industrial tech teacher Patrick Hupp: Skydiver By Katie Bullock

merica may be called the ‘Land of the free,’ but for industrial tech teacher Patrick Hupp, land takes a back seat to the sky when it come to freedom. “There’s honestly not a freer moment that you’ll ever experience,” Hupp said. “It’s the only time in your life where you’re literally not touching anything. You’re just out there, in the air, experiencing only what’s going on at that moment.”

Although he’s now an instructor, Hupp remembers the moment he stepped outside of the plane during his first jump. “I remember thinking ‘What did you just do?’ and then ‘Oh hey, there’s the parachute,” Hupp said. “There’s so much going on. It’s windy and it’s loud and then under the parachute it’s just quiet.” While many attribute their love of skydiving to the thrill it gives them, Hupp enjoys the focus that he has while

FEATURES | PAGE DESIGN BY KATIE BULLOCK

in the air in addition to the relationships that he has been able to make in the sky. “You’re really focused. It’s one of those few moments in your life where you’re focused on one goal and it’s that jump,” Hupp said. “It’s diﬀerent than anything else I do. And you know, people always talk about they have family at work and family at school and my sky family are probably the closest people I know.” “Skydiving may not be for everyone, but Hupp still believes it’s an experi-

ence that everyone should try at least once in their lives. “Whether you continue on after that first jump is up to you,” Hupp said. “But there is nothing more free than that first step out the door and there’s also nothing more terrifying. But once you get past it, it’s amazing. It’s not the rollercoaster stomach-in-your-throat feeling, it’s weightless.” Hupp also enjoys a variety of other hobbies such as long-distance cycling and running.

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Comedy forms community English teacher Andrea Caspari: Comedian By Jessica Glaszczak

hobbyist comedian since 2001 and a professional one since 2006, English teacher and poet Andrea Caspari is recognized as one of the top female comedians in Kansas City. “When they are ready to do showcases like at the Improv, they’ll call me and say, ‘Who do you want on the show? Can you headline or close out the show?’,” Caspari said. “A lot of times, I’ll host, even though I’m beyond host-level, [but] I like hosting, and they know that I can take a cold crowd.” Caspari’s brand of comedy correlates to the struggles of her own life. “What I pride myself on is not having to lean on dirt to make people laugh and I also really love that I don’t do victims comedy,” Caspari said. “My humor is self-deprecating - the best way to deal with things is to laugh about it. I love to make fun of things that other people are experiencing and create a community with a universal premise.” Caspari describes comedy as a way to look back and celebrate overcoming obstacles. “H.G. Wells once said, ‘The crisis

of today is the joke of tomorrow.’ I believe that,” Caspari said. “I think that all of the stuﬀ we deal with, later you can totally laugh at it. When you look back, you’re just like ‘Oh my gosh, I made it through.’ You can celebrate that. Comedy is about celebrating humanity and celebrating making it through.” In a similar way, Caspari’s comedy inspires her to look back at her past and create poetry about her struggles. She has two poems published in books, one being ‘Lovely’ in the book “Prompt,”. “It’s [‘Lovely’] about growing up where my mom was just wanting me to always wear lipstick and be a ‘pretty little girl,’” Caspari said. “The ‘Lovely’ poem about my mom has pieces from a poem that I had incorporated into a comedy show. A lot of my laughter comes through pain and a lot of pain comes through laughter, and so [in] the poem ‘Lovely’ I’m talking about eating my feelings. I talk about two-timing Ben and Jerry. I’m dating both Ben and Jerry. And that came from comedy as well. But that poem’s not funny. So people titter through and they go ‘Woah, that is really deep. She’s dealing with some stuﬀ.’ But like I said, if you can laugh at it, you can live with it.”

PAGE DESIGN BY JESSICA GLASZCZAK | FEATURES

Trauma training Teachers undergo trauma sensitive training in order to further help students By Jessica Glaszczak

“I

am talking about threats that are so severe or pervasive that they literally get under our skin and change our physiology,” pediatrician Nadine Burke said on her Ted Talk titled ‘How childhood trauma affects health across a lifetime.’ Burke spoke in reference to the dangerous impacts of trauma on the brain. According to traumasensitiveschools.org, many students have been through traumatic experiences, which can affect their behavior, learning and relationships at school. Starting this semester, staff members are going through training that will help them better help students in the classroom who have experienced trauma. Co-chairs of the Professional Development committee (PDC), visual art teacher Kerri Cassity and teaching and learning coach Suzanne Forman with collaboration from Northgate Middle School’s teaching and learning coach Rene Cooper, science teacher Marcia Holwick and other teachers on the PDC introduced presentations to teachers starting on Feb. 16. “The district is starting to recognize that not all of our schools are the same and some of us have different needs,” Forman said. “Trauma-sensitive training is one of those needs that can help make our school better for our staff and our students.” According to District Coordinator of Student Services Janelle Porter - who

is in charge of all mental health interventions for the district - all district schools will eventually receive trauma-sensitive training. “What we would like to see is that the entire district is, over the course of the next couple of years, receiving training on trauma-informed or trauma-sensitive schools,” Porter said. “Winnetonka’s really out-thought a lot of other buildings in terms of getting their feet into this, getting their feet wet, getting to this training.” The training will help teachers and staﬀ members understand what trauma is and also how to help students academical-

What is trauma?

Trauma is a result of something experienced by a person that causes lasting adverse eﬀects on their emotional, mental, physical, social or spiritual well-being - according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Trauma can take a wide-variety of forms, and the causes of trauma are just as distinct as every person, Forman said. “We could both experience the same event, and you could walk away and think ‘that was nothing’ and for me, I could be a basketcase,” Forman said. In her Ted Talk, Burke describes what happens to the body in high-stress situations. “Imagine you’re walking in a forest and you see a bear,” Burke said. “Immediately, your hypothalamus sends a signal to your pituitary, which sends a signal to your adrenal gland that says ‘release stress hormones, adrenaline, cortisol!’ And so your heart starts to pound, your pupils dilate, your airways open up and you are ready to either fight that bear or run from the bear. “ Burke also explains how destructive continuous trauma is for children. “That is wonderful when you’re in a forest and there’s a bear. But the problem is what happens when the bear comes home every night, and this system is activated over and over and over again,”

“we care about what happens to kids outside of the classroom... And it’s okay to come to us and ask us for help or tell us that things are not okay in life right now.” -Janelle Porter ly that have experienced trauma, according to Porter. “We begin with basic training on the neurology of the brain, how the brain functions and how trauma affects the brain, especially if the brain is developing, like in children,” Porter said. “Then we will go a little further and really talk about how you approach students who may be suffering from the effects of trauma. How do you approach them differently, what kinds of things do you do and say, and how do we keep expectations high for students, but also be sensitive to their needs.”

FEATURES | PAGE DESIGN BY JESSICA GLASZCZAK

Burke said. “It goes from being adaptive or life-saving to maladaptive or health-damaging. Children are especially sensitive to this repeated stress-activation because their brains and bodies are just developing. High doses of adversity not only aﬀect brain structure and function, they aﬀect the developing immune system, developing impulse systems and even the way our DNA is read and transcribed.”

Trauma training in the classroom Recently, Porter received a phone call from a school regarding a student who would continually fall asleep in class. Instead of disciplining the child for what she did, Porter looked into how to better help that student. “She would get in trouble and get sent to the oﬃce, sent home. As we talked through it, I asked the school, ‘Have you talked to the child about why they’re so tired?’ And they really couldn’t tell me they had done that,” Porter said. “So once we started to get to the root of what was causing that child

to be so tired [we found out that] … the child was homeless, living in diﬀerent places, sometimes sleeping in a shelter, but was staying up in the night because they couldn’t sleep because the shelter was loud, and so they would come to school and be tired.” According to Porter, instead of just reacting to a certain behavior, being trauma-sensitive is about recognizing why a certain behavior is occurring and addressing that problem. “I think what I want kids to know is that we care about kids not only when they are in the classroom, but that we care about what happens to kids outside of

the classroom... And that also it’s okay to come to us and ask us for help or to tell us that things are not okay in life right now,” Porter said. “We need to be more responsive when kids say that kind of thing, not just tell them to sit down and be quiet and do their math. That, I think, is what I want kids to hear above all - we care about that, not just grades.”

60%

of adults report experiencing abuse or other difficult family circumstances during childhood.

4 out of 10 American children said they were physically assaulted during the previous year, with one in 10 receiving an assault-related injury.

What students can do

26% Sources: promoteprevent.org, recognizetrauma.org, unh.edu

Students should not be afraid to voice their problems and tell the teacher what they need for that day, according to Forman. “They’re [teachers] not asking what’s wrong with you,” Forman said.

| Graphic by KatieBullock

“They want to know ‘how can I help you be a learner today and be successful and maybe work through what that is?’” Forman believes that by getting students to communicate their needs to teachers, it will make the classroom that much more successful.

of children in the U.S. will witness or experience a traumatic event before they turn four.

“Once we can get students to actually hone in on what they need, really to be able to learn,” Foreman said. “Once we can get the kids to recognize their needs and what they need to be learners, my gosh, the possibilities are endless.”

PAGE DESIGN BY JESSICA GLASZCZAK | ARTS

loud and clear Pieces of the

poetry “house of plenty” - kyle hayden

This is why I wear socks inside; because every footstep on the hardwood floor, every creak of the picturesque stairwell in the foyer, echoes in my ears to emphasize, there is no other sound in the air.

“in the bonds” - danielle dodd, kennedi walker I reach out to you now, stretching, stretching out my hand. We must hold each other tight now, a huddled mass of voices to speak, gaining, rolling momentum, our tide at last, rising

“Poet_Artist” - harper ross If I can’t amputate your name, I’ll amputate my tongue, excise this sore pain and mask it with a new one.

“Moment of silence” - Katie Bullock Maybe, it is naive to believe that we could ever become sculptures of sound, instead of steel. But if music has taught me anything, it is that miracles exist in the moments we remember to speak, instead of shoot

Louder Than a Bomb team finds their voices through slam poetry By Jessica Glaszczak

enior Danielle Dodd walks out of the bright light of the stage after receiving a low score on her poem. Over her shoulder, she sees a fellow competitor throwing his hands into the air and yelling “Listen to the poem!”to the judges sitting nearby. Although this was four years ago, at Dodd’s first Louder Than a Bomb (LTAB) competition, seeing a competitor cheer her on has been a defining moment in Dodd’s poetry career. “It’s just a really incredible experience, even if you’re not performing,” Dodd said. “It’s supportive - even when you’re in one of those most competitive days, where it’s all-or-nothing.” This year, LTAB competitors seniors Danielle Dodd, Kyle Hayden, Harper Ross, Kennedi Walker and junior Katie Bullock finished second at preliminaries on Feb. 27 at the Black Archives. It is now their second year advancing to semi-finals. To get there, the competitors have prepared their poems since Jan. 22, when poetry club hosted auditions for a spot on the competitive team. “We rehearse every Monday after school. There’s a lot of writing lines and scratching that line out, rewriting,” Walker said. “Getting with Danny [Danielle Dodd] and sitting for hours just in silence, thinking about what we need to say and how we need to say it.” The most difficult part of preparing for competition for Ross was cutting her poem, “Poet_Artist,” so that it is under the cut-off time of 3 minutes and 30 seconds. “[I’ve been] cutting down on a weekly basis. It’s been really difficult to choose which part should go and which part should stay,” Ross said. Slam poetry is not just about writing though; performance is an integral part of each piece. “We’ll get feedback on things like time and dynamics, and then we go off and edit it,

rehearse by ourselves. Then we come back and workshop it again,” Hayden said. For Ross, LTAB provides an environment of acceptance and originality and also a platform for her to expression. “Poetry, for me, has always been a way to express anything I’m feeling, whether it’s intense joy, sadness, anything in-between,” Ross said. “[Poetry is] being able to share those emotions with people and have them relate, being able to put even the ugly things into beautiful words.” Another major event for LTAB is the seventh annual Poetry Lounge, where any student that has already auditioned can perform their original poetry in the Little Theater. This will occur on April 20 from 7 p.m. to 10. “I do the poetry lounge because it’s a really good opportunity to get a good sense of what the other students here at school are going through,” Ross said. “Participating in LTAB [competition] is a really cool experience because you get to see poets from other places, but the poetry that our own students produce [at the poetry lounge] just gives you a greater sense of who everybody is here. It unites us in a lot of the struggles we face. It’s a really eye-opening night and it’s cool that there is no competitive atmosphere. It’s just very laid back and everyone can be very open.”

Senior Kennedi Walker reads her duet poem titled ‘In the bonds’ during a rehearsal on Feb. 12. Photo by JessicaGlaszczak

ARTS | PAGE DESIGN BY ELIZABETH PAYTON

ractice

makes

erfect

Musicans preparing for contest practice consistently in order give their best performance By Jason Hopkins

and, choir and orchestra students prepared for months prior to March 2 solo and ensemble district contest, where musicians skill was rated by proﬀesional judges. Now, all musicians earning an exemplary I rating are moving forward to state contest which will be held at the Univeristy of Missouri in Columbia on April 28. For junior Mattie Peter, a violinist, this contest season has been seven years in the making. “Violin is basically my life,” Peter said. “I think anyone who just loves making music can join orchestra. It’s a really fun class to be in.” Although the orchestra is like a family according to Peter, musicians must put in time and eﬀort to be able to be a member of the symphonic group. “We [Peter’s ensemble group] usually had to have rehearsals after school because the snow days took our time, but we also have intervention,” Peter said. Although rehearsing takes time and competition can create stress, the support of her friends and fellow orchestra members makes contest worthwhile. “Working on contest has been a little stressful sometimes because we’re all busy, but we just try to work as hard as we can and keep our heads up,” Peter said. Despite the determination that orchestra requires, students still pursue what they love: music. “I’ve been considering going into music as a career because it’s one of the things I really love doing,” Peter said.

Junior Isabella Middaugh, who has played clarinet for five years, believes that band has been one of the best experiences she has had in life. “Everyone in it [band] is like a family because that’s where we spend most of our time,” Middaugh said. In order to score a high rating at contest, Middaugh practiced for hours every week. “Our score is based on our sound, how diverse it is,” Middaugh said. “We practice a lot. We practice every class and we have to practice individually at home.” Extra practice has been needed this year since contest was five weeks earlier than in previous years. Since Middaugh received an Exemplary I rating at districts, she is now advancing to the state level. To prepare for her performance there, Middaugh attends three private lessons a week in addition to her normal practice. “I’ve been taking lessons from a UMKC clarinet professor, lessons from a retired professor from William Jewell, and then my lesson teacher,” Middaugh said. “I know that I can play my piece but I’m just nervous because in the moment, will I be able to play it?” But despite the preparation it takes to learn one instrument, Middaugh would like to learn more, and continue her pursuit of music as a profession instead of a hobby. “I have been really wanting to learn the oboe and I’m trying to learn to play the saxophone,” Middaugh said. “I do definitely think of band as a career. It’s something I want to do in life.”

Exemplary (I) ratings: Students will advance to state competition

BAND Solos Bella Middaugh

CHOIR Solos Anna Braman, Ella Finck, Ryann Hill, William Hill, Katie Marshall, Jackson Mattingly, Lana Moerer, Jordon Prince, Harper Ross Ensembles 1. Derrian Davis, Kyle Hayden Vinny Lipari, Jackson Mattingly 2. Debanie Alvarez, Ella Finck, Katie Marshall 3. Derrian Davis, Kyle Hayden, Ryann Hill, Vinny Lipari, Katie Marshall, Jackson Mattingly, Lana Moerer, Harper Ross

ORCHESTRA Solos Katie Bullock, Kelsey Cowden, Eric Duong, Rayaan Ekilah, Dante Nguyen, Mattie Peter Ensembles 1. Katie Bullock, Kelsey Cowden, Jessica Glaszczak, Mattie Peter

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SPORTS | PAGE DESIGN BY KATIE BULLOCK

Boys’ Tennis

Girls’ Soccer

Track and Field

Meet to watch: Friday, April 18 at Home at 8 a.m. vs. ten schools

Meet to watch: Tuesday, April 10 at Home at 6:30 p.m. vs. Raytown South

Meet to watch: Friday, April 6 at DAC at 4 p.m. vs. ten schools

*TOURNAMENT*

*HOME MEET*

*tonka invitational*

Thinking outside the box Boys’ baseball tries new strategies with young team By Katie Bullock

ith the start of the spring, a new baseball team is emerging with younger faces than in years past. Although the majority of varsity starters graduated last year, the team is moving forward with the help of underclassman. “This is going to be diﬀerent because a lot of the seniors from last year are gone so we have a lot of the younger guys coming up to the varsity level to play with us,” senior Paul Kerns said. “That’s going to be a good experience to see what they can prove this year.” To account for the younger level of the new athletes, varsity baseball coach Heath Lay has been reworking the team’s strategy to play to a new set of strengths and weaknesses. “The big deal is trying to get our pitchers to throw strikes,” Lay said. “We don’t have anyone who’s throwing 90 miles-an-hour but we’ve got guys who are good fundamental pitchers. Mostly we’re making our defense do a lot of the work instead of expecting our pitchers to strike everybody out. We want our defense to get the outs for us.” Although the team overall has less powerful hitters this year, their consistency allows them to run multiple batters in one inning.

“As far as the oﬀensive side, we’re just trying to get the ball put in play. It’s what they call ‘small ball’,” Lay said. “Move the guys over, get the ball out there, get the guys hitting and hitting until we score. Last year we didn’t have to do it as much. With the older guys we could be a bit more free-swinging and let them try to drive the home runs in. Whenever you have newer guys to the varsity level they’ve got to get used to the tempo of varsity speed. It’s something new from last year definitely.” For Kerns, baseball is no longer just a game, it is also a family that he is partially responsible for building as a senior. “We’re [seniors] trying to make it fun for everyone. I don’t want to be too intense since there’s a lot of young guys. I don’t want them to be intimidated,” Kerns said. “We’re talking them up, talking to them in the dugout and giving them advice instead of being too hard on them. These guys become close friends as you play with them. I’m ready to see what they’ve got.” Although the team may be young, according to Lay the field is open to this new class of players. “We’re learning to play at the varsity pace, the varsity speed. But everyday we’re getting better and I’m excited to get these games going,” Lay said. “I’m really excited to see what all of these guys can do this year. They performed really well at the JV level and I have a lot of expectations for them, especially the sophomores. There are going to be a lot of opportunities for them but also some growing pains. I’m

BOys’ Baseball Meet to watch: Monday, May 7 at Home at 4 p.m. vs. Belton *Last Home meet*

looking forward to seeing how they adjust.”

1. Junior Daniel Angelo keeps his eyes on the ball as he hits at tennis practice over spring break on March 20. 2. Freshman Megan Schuler kicks a soccer ball following a spring break practice on March 20. 3. Senior Vincent Tinoko finishes his heat of the 100-meter dash at a district Track meet on March 13. 4. Freshman Brody Burnette practices hitting during baseball practice on March 16. Photos by KatieBullock

SPORTS | PAGE DESIGN BY GAGE RABIDEAUX

Standing Together Girls’ basketball team works together to close season

1. 1. Members of the girls’ basketball team look to one another as they link arms before the start of their game.

By Gage Rabideaux

or the girl’s basketball team, the start of the 2018 season was a series of close games nearly won. Though the team intially struggled, coach Brock Tieffenbrunn said that he has seen a vast improvement from the team in their season ending games, stemming from their companionship, communication and teamwork both on and off the court. Girls’ basketball has since won two games, winning against Grandview and Raytown South. Varsity player, senior Amber Orr, has been playing since her sophomore year. On top of being in the next class to graduate, she has to deal with the pressure of being a varsity basketball player. “Being a senior and trying to get everybody to stay positive is a challenge,” Orr said. “I just try to be nice, make sure everyone is happy and we’re together.” Other players on the team also feel the pressure. Senior Jadeci Thomas is also a varsity player for girls’ basketball and has been on the team for four years. “We faced many losses, many games we should have won but didn’t. We just brush it off and try better at the next game,” Thomas said. “At the beginning of

the year, we were very judgmental of each other but as the season kept going, we were making wins. Now it doesn’t matter if we win or lose because we all like each other. We all made friendships, so we just do it for fun.” Although they have struggled, that

“Everybody’s been stepping up, they’re starting to see their potential.” -Brock Tiefenbrunn doesn’t stop the team from showing their Tonka pride by staying positive and giving their all during their games. “It [playing] gets me more involved,” Orr said. “It makes me feel like more people know me, and I feel more healthy.” The team has been working hard, but they credit their coach in helping them rise up and teaching them lessons

From: Winnetonka High School, 4815 NE 48 St, KC, Mo 64119 To: Griﬃn Rites Subscriber

for later in life. For Thomas, playing basketball means making friends and learning life lessons. “Our coach teaches us things, he teaches us respect both on and oﬀ the court. Both being a good leader and a good friend,” Thomas said. “If you want something, just go for it.” Tiefenbrunn has been seeing the team improve and he continues to give them the confidence and support they need before going to a game. “Everybody has been stepping up,” Tiefenbrunn said. “They’re starting to see their potential.”

Final record: 7-18 All-District: Joelle Egeland

First team all conference: joelle egeland honorable mentions: jadeci thomas victora williams