Griffin Rites Vol. 47 Issue 7 by Griffin Rites

April 13, 2017

Drawing the

Vol. 47 Issue 7

Line A look into the new straight feeder patterns pages 7-9

GRIFFIN RITES Winnetonka High School | Kansas City, Missouri

griffin

rites

ISSUE 07 TABLE OF CONTENTS

BUILT FOR ROBOTICS Students return from competition with new experiences

DRAWING THE LINE A look into what the new straight feeder patterns will do for Winnetonka

ACTING TO IMPACT Four spring plays allow for social messages and school appreciation

POETSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; PROJECTIONS PORTRAY PASSION Louder Than a Bomb placed third in semifinals poetry competition

THE LONGEST LINE Students share their struggles for warm food

GUESS THAT TRAINER Trainer ensures the safety of student-athletes

SWEET SUCCESS Winnetonka acknowledges studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; academic achievement

STAFF Editor-in-Chief Copy Editor News Editor Features Editor A&E Editor

Rachel Adamson Alyssa Magrone Kaitlyn Minet Katie Bullock Alyssa Magrone

Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Adviser

Clayre Barkema Jessica Glaszczak Shelby Hilburn Ana-Le Lund Laura Williams

On the cover: A picture of Winnetonka to emphasize effects the new straight feeder patterns will have. Read more on page 7-9. Photo by KatieBullock.

The Griffin Rites staff strongly supports the First Amendment and opposes censorship. Freedom of expression and press are fundamental values in a democratic society. The mission 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 grammar and length, but we will not change ideas. Letters may attack policies but not people. They must be signed and submitted to F6 or mailed to Mrs. Laura Williams attention at 5815 NE 48th St., Kansas City, Mo. 64119. Advertising space is also available. Please e-mail 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 and the National Scholastic Press Association.

Feeding into the stigma

The new straight feeder patterns create disadvantages

| cartoon by AlyssaMagrone

| editorial voice of the Griffin Rites staff

ith the new straight feeder patterns, the North Kansas City School District’s disregard for the importance of balanced socioeconomic class will reduce Winnetonka to a stereotypical low-income, low-performing school unless the district takes action to treat Winnetonka equitably. The new boundary lines will hurt Winnetonka by lowering its overall student achievement. Students from Antioch made up nearly half of the 2016 graduating class’s top 10 percent based on GPA. The straight feeder pattern removes these students from Winnetonka’s attendance area. This has potential to showcase Winnetonka’s students as having less opportunities and a more difficult learning environment. Studies show that due to a lack of parental support, students of lower socioeconomic class are less likely to learn leadership skill and more likely to feel as if they do not belong in the education system. This leads students to have behavioral problems. Many Antioch students serve as peer models that demonstrate these leadership and behavioral skills to the other students. By removing them from Winnetonka’s attendance area, students will be less likely to learn these life skills. Winnetonka will also lose valuable parent support through booster clubs and other volunteer activities. Once the feeder pattern is implemented, Antioch parents will no longer help Winnetonka and its community will shrink. Winnetonka families and clubs are already stretched thin financially. By further removing

higher socioeconomic class there, will be even less money to go around and thus less opportunities for Winnetonka students. Even though North Kansas City High School (NKCHS) will have a higher rate of free and reduced lunch, they still have many small, high income neighborhoods such as Briarcliff, that will provide parent support. They will also have peer model students in the IB program. Oak Park will not need much more support from the district since they will be receiving many high achieving students from Antioch that Winnetonka is losing. Staley will not need as much support as Winnetonka since their boundary lines do not change and since they already have a very low rate of free and reduced lunch. The district claims that the new straight feeder pattern will build a stronger community. While it is true straight feeder patterns foster a sense of community, that community must be balanced. The district should have created boundary lines that better balanced Winnetonka’s socioeconomic class, that way the new feeder pattern would have been beneficial instead of detrimental. Since Winnetonka will have such a low socioeconomic majority, the district must fund it in a way that shows their willingness to treat us equitably and not equally to the other four high schools. Once the straight feeder patterns are in place, the district must evaluate and observe the communities surrounding Winnetonka to help students receive the academic resources needed to succeed.

EDITORIAL | TONKANEWS.COM | PAGE BY RACHEL ADAMSON

Built for robotics Students return from competition with new experiences

By Shelby Hilburn

obotics competed in an annual threeday tournament against 60 teams. Winnetonka took 47th place with their bot, which they named, “Bubbles.” The competition took place at MCC BTC [Metropolitan Community College Business and Technology Campus] on March 15-17. There are three parts to robotics: building, business and programming.

The three were combined in the Greater Kansas City Regional FRC [First Robotics Competition] Tournament, where teams compete with a robot they build. “Every year, the game rules are changed so a new robot with different functionality must be built,” robotics cocoach Jeffery Janzen said. “Most years, the robot needs to be able to drive around, pick up some kind of projectile, and fire it.” According to building captain sophomore Brandon Burt, the robotics team changed their design several times before the competition took place. “It’s a long process thinking of designs,” Burt said. “We probably changed it so many times. I remember the day they announced the competition we had this set design ready to go so we were going to start building and then here we are three months later and it’s completely different.” According to junior Essence Jewel, as soon as the team receives the rules they have a time limit to finish the robot. “We had a 6-week period to design and build the robot where we spend six to seven

1. Freshman Andrew Willis operates machinery at the robotics competition on March 17. Photo courtesy sophomore CoraHipple. 2. The robotics team’s robot, Bubbles, competes against another school’s robot in the arena. Photo courtesy sophomore CoraHipple. 3. Bubbles participates in the robotics competition. Photo courtesy sophomore CoraHipple.

NEWS | TONKANEWS.COM | PAGE BY KAITLYN MINET

days a week at school,” Jewel said. “It was a trying time where tensions are high but we always pull through as a team.” Programming captain junior Thomas Mitchell had barely any worries during the competition. “It’s just fine,” Mitchell said. “It’s kind of stressful when you’re on the field because there’s a lot of pressure and there are a lot of people watching you.” Robotics co-coach Brice Jensen believes the result of the competition went according to plan. “The bot performed all its functions perfectly,” Jensen said. “We were highly successful at scoring the more difficult bonus points. Also, we added vision to the bot for the first time so we could `see’ even in the blind spots. We designed it to climb, it climbed. We were pleased with the craftsmanship of the robot. Our bot never broke down once.” Jensen said he wants the robot to be able to do new and different things in future competitions. “Our next major hurdle is to add smart vision to our bot,” Jensen said. “This will allow it to auto aim and autonomously [independently] analyze its surroundings to perform even more advanced challenges.” According to Janzen, overall, they had a good season along with a good tournament. “Throughout the tournament, our bot performed well, our field team performed well and everyone’s pleased with the outcome of the season,” Janzen said.

Phone Number: 816-421-1818

LA B E L L A NAIL AND SPA 2336 Armour Road North Kansas City, MO 64116

10% off all students and teachers 20% off on your birthday, with ID $5.00 off every fifth visit with our loyalty punch card

ADS | TONKANEWS.COM

MCC-Maple Woods Your Smart Choice #BeMoreAtMCC

• Large Variety of Programs • Small classes • Best Tuition Value in the Northland • Easy to Transfer Credits • Enrollment Begins April 10 • Financial Aid Priority by May 30 • Summer Classes Begin June 5 • Fall Classes Begin August 23

MORE THAN A GREAT START.

816.604.3587 | mcckc.edu/visitmw

MAPLE WOODS

DRAWING

27% of teachers are in favor of the district’s straight feeder pattern

THE LINE

A look into what the new straight feeder patterns will do for Winnetonka

30.2% of teachers may be in favor of the district’s straight feeder pattern

By Rachel Adamson

42.9% of teachers do not favor the district’s straight feeder pattern

“

It [straight feeder patterns] will help to better understand what the elementary and middle schools are doing as a building. That way when they come to high school, we will better be able to support them.

I love the idea of straight feeder patterns but the way that the lines are currently drawn disproportionately pigeonhole WHS as a low SES school.

* Results are responses from an anonymous survey sent to Winnetonka staff members.

tudents next fall may feel a closer sense of community as the North Kansas City School District moves to a straight feeder pattern. But the changes leave Winnetonka with a lower number of students and the potential for a lower socioeconomic class. Currently, Winnetonka has three different middle schools that make up its population: Antioch, Eastgate and Maple Park. With the new straight feeder pattern, only Maple Park students will attend Winnetonka. Oak Park will be populated with only Antioch students and Eastgate will feed into North Kansas City High School [NKCHS]. This model is already in place at Staley with New Mark feeding directly into it. “We wanted an opportunity for students entering kindergarten to know without a doubt where they’re headed for high school,” Executive Director of Organizational Development Rochel Daniels said. “In the Staley feeder pattern, that’s already a possibility. When you go into those elementary schools, it’s a straight feeder pattern where kids are not split from their friends at any point in middle school and beyond. And we thought, ‘You know what, if it’s good enough for up north, why not create it for the rest of the district?’” See “Drawing the line,” cont. on page 8

FEATURE | TONKANEWS.COM | PAGE BY RACHEL ADAMSON

"Drawing the line," cont. from page

Next year, Winnetonka will have the smallest population of students in attendance of all the district high schools. With this attendance drop, some are concerned that the school will not be able to fill elective program classes, leadership positions and athletics. Since sports team divisions are decided by enrollment, the school could drop down into a lower division. ”Winnetonka will be in the same class for all athletic events next year,” Assistant Principal and Athletic Director David Garrison said. “MSHSAA looks at all member enrollment numbers every two years, and they make adjustments for school classifications based on those numbers. Next year is year two of the cycle, so Winnetonka will be in the same classes next year. After next year, we could move up or down depending on where Winnetonka fits with the rest of the schools in Missouri.” The decrease in students attending Winnetonka next fall will likely result in a smaller number of students going out for sports and after school activities. To try to increase student involvement at a younger age, the district is implementing additional after school activities using funds anonymously donated to the district. Every middle school will

be adding an additional basketball team and volleyball team, cheerleading, football and wrestling for athletics. Middle schools will also be adding academic tutoring for all subjects, PLTW (Project Lead the Way), Robotics, Scholar Bowl, TSA (Technology Student Association), Science Olympiad and Theatre club.

“There’s just not going to be enough to keep us afloat.” - Joseph Wendt “We know that there are some families who do have more opportunities to play club sports or to try out a variety of athletics or performance activities too,” Daniels said. “We really wanted to be sure to add more access to that earlier on.” Whether it’s sports, activities, or academics, there is fear that the lower number of students will negatively impact Winnetonka. According to Joseph Wendt who has worked in Winnetonka for more than 30 years, the straight feeder pattern is going to take away many high achieving and leadership students, leaving the remaining students in a sinking ship of low test scores and

behavior challenges. “Those 200 kids [leadership students] have done a great job keeping us afloat and they have pulled hundreds of other kids up to be approximately like them. But there’s a tipping point and we have fought that tipping point for the last 25 years of this school’s existence,” Wendt said.“By cutting out that group of kids, what we’re doing is those 100 good kids that are left are going to be overwhelmed and there’s just not going to be enough to keep us afloat.” In the 2016 graduating class, 16% of students were from Antioch Middle School. Despite the small number of Antioch students that attended Winnetonka, 44% of students in the top 10% of the 2016 graduating class would have attended Oak Park under the new attendance boundaries. “It’s hard to say why, but students from Antioch have been more involved in academics, sports, theater, vocal and instrumental music than their small percentage of the student body would suggest,” science teacher Marcia Holwick said. “For the kids that stay here and remain Griffins in the future, there are going to be more opportunities for those kids to be involved, so that’s a really good thing for them. I’m looking forward to what these kids will do.” This boundary change will cause

Current free and reduced lunch rates compared to future free and reduced lunch rates 70 60

current free and reduced lunch rates

50 40

estimated future free and reduced lunch rates from elementary schools that will feed into high schools

30 20 10 0

North Kansas City

Oak Park

Staley

Winnetonka

FEATURE | TONKANEWS.COM | PAGE BY RACHEL ADAMSON

Winnetonka to lose students to Oak Park that come from Antioch who live in Northhaven Gardens, Carriage Hills, Brooktree or Brookhilll housing subdivisions. “I don’t understand. I don’t understand why they are doing it,” Wendt said. “If they wanted to have the middle schools be straight feeders into those four high schools, I get that. But then I don’t understand why that boundary.” Using this year’s data from the elementary schools that will soon feed into Winnetonka, the school’s free and reduced lunch rates would grow - possibly as much as 14%. At this rate, Winnetonka would be left with 66% of students on free and reduced lunch. Using this same data for the other high schools, Winnetonka would have the second highest number of students on free reduced lunch in the district following NKCHS with 69%. Oak Park would have 52% of students on free and reduced lunch and Staley would have 23% of students on free and reduced lunch. High free and reduced lunch numbers are often used by schools as a direct indicator of low socioeconomic status, which is defined by the income, education, and occupation of members of the household. According to the IRIS Center at Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, students from low socioeconomic families typically achieve at lower levels than students from middle to high socioeconomic families. These low socioeconomic students enter kindergarten with lower language skills and tend to score at least 10 percent lower than the national average in mathematics and reading. “All educational research will tell you that students from lower socioeconomic levels can achieve academically,” Holwick said. “However, they need more support from teachers and schools in order to do that. I’m hopeful that we

will keep the same staffing levels and increase the funding levels despite the fact that we are going to have fewer kids in our building.” As the head football coach, Jared Barge says he understands the new challenges that may await him in the coming years. “It means we’re going to have kids that need a lot more help,” Barge said. “It just makes being a coach here even more important to make sure that we’re taking care of the kids that need to get taken care of in the right way and making sure that their needs are met. But the key is to help them get graduated and off to college so they can change the cycle of being in a low socioeconomic status.” Superintendent Dan Clemens said that the district is prepared to provide the resources necessary to not allow Winnetonka to fail. “We are going to do everything we can to make all students successful at Winnetonka. If that requires a specialized teacher to support students that aren’t doing well or additional courses, additional classes, whatever it takes,” Clemens said. “We have a full commitment to making Winnetonka as successful as it can possibly be.” Despite the seemingly negative impacts the new straight feeder pattern will have on Winnetonka, Clemens and Daniels believe that the straight feeder patterns will allow for communities to grow together by opening up communication amongst elementary, middle and high schools to promote equitable education. “If you get to start with someone and build a relationship and carry it throughout time, I think those could be lifelong friends for students. I think you also get to know the kids’ abilities better,” Clemens said. “If our middle school teachers can talk to the same consistent group of elementary teachers and our high school teachers can talk to the

same consistent group of middle school teachers, I think we get to know our kids better. We get to know their strengths, their weaknesses and how we can best help them.”

Straight feeder pattern for Winnetonka:

Winnetonka

Maple Park

Eastgate 6th grade center

Winnwood Maplewood Ravenwood Lakewood Topping Gracemor

FEATURE | TONKANEWS.COM | PAGE BY RACHEL ADAMSON

Acting to impact

Four spring plays allow for social messages and school appreciation By Alyssa Magrone

rom “Rent” to “In the Heights” to the annual Shorts, the theater department continues to up the game by adding four main productions to the spring lineup. According to theater students, this creates opportunities for students and appreciation for the arts department. The plays include two senior exhibitions, “The Boys Next Door” and “Little Women,” along with “Steel Magnolias” and “Dearly Departed.” Senior Keegan Colter, who plays Barry in “The Boys Next Door,” thinks that there is something for everyone when dealing with the content and genre of the shows and believes that a viewer can take away life lessons from each show. “They have more choices to choose what show they want to see. We have a great variety of shows,” Colter said. “We have comedies and dramas and it should be good for you because as we’re acting there are life influences on characters that can help with other people in real life.” Junior Anna Braman, who plays

Nadine in “Dearly Departed,” describes it as a humorous play paired with a serious plotline, creating a dynamic that will appeal to both teens and adults. “It’s a family funeral gone wrong, everything that you can imagine happens,” Braman said. “It’s humor that parents will laugh at because of the stress, but there’s a lot of teen humor in there too.” Sophomore Trenton Kauzlarich, who plays Norval in “Dearly Departed,” believes the message audience members should leave with a positive outlook on hard situations. “I want them to take away the message that family is important and that things like death bring a family together,” Kauzlarich said. “Steel Magnolias” is a play with a vastly different plotline. Junior Kennedi Walker, who plays Truvy, explains the play is set in a hair salon. “All the girls are middle aged, they’re all really close, it’s a small town, very country, very southern,” Walker said. Walker uses one of the character’s lines to sum up what she thinks captures

FOCUS | TONKANEWS.COM | PAGE BY RACHEL ADAMSON

the theme of the show and adds a call to action. “One of the characters [Shelby] has diabetes and it’s really bad, there are lots of heart wrenching monologues,” Walker said. “‘I’d rather have 30 minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing.’ says Shelby, talking about how she wants to have a kid but she can’t because she has diabetes. Live your life like it’s your last day living.” Senior Maegan Foster is a student in the theater four class and has an inside view of both senior exhibitions, which rehearse during the Theater four block. Foster describes the “Boys Next Door” as a heartfelt show about people with differences. “[The] Boys Next Door is an adorable show,” Foster said. “It’s [about] these men that live and work together and are struggling with mental and physical disabilities.” Colter wants viewers to step awaywith feelings of tolerance and acceptance for those with disabilities.

5. 4.

“For ‘[The] Boys Next Door’, no matter who you are, if you have a disability or not, don’t judge,” Colter said. “We should not judge people because they’re different.” Foster plays Jo in “Little Women,” adapted from the literary classic by Louisa May Alcott. “Little Women is about the March sisters and their family and just how they go through some really hard times but they focus on their relationships and supporting each other,” Foster said. “It’s about family and being there. It’s a really beautiful classic that we don’t see very often in high school.” Not only do students think the individual productions will impact the community, they believe the increased collection of plays will create change by allowing a chance for everyone interested to participate. “I think it’s great for the department as a whole because there’s a lot of opportunities to get out there and do stuff,” Foster said. “Some seniors can’t do

1. Senior Kali Holman applies stage makeup to sophomore Cari Foster before a “Dearly Departed” run through rehearsal on April 3. 2. Junior Cameron Daniel in character as Clyde, talking on phone with his religious mother during dress rehearsal of “Dearly Departed” on April 4. 3. Junior Ryan Hill and sophomore Trenton Kauzlarich in a friendly embrace before “Dearly Departed” run through rehearsal on April 3. 4. Sophomore Cari Foster in character, in the middle of her conversation with her son as she beats the telephone with a spoon to create comedy during a dress rehearsal of “Dearly Departed” on April 4. 5. Junior Jackson Mattingly in character as Raybud and junior Riley Neighbors in character as Lucile, in the middle of arguing during a dress rehearsal of “Dearly Departed” on April 4. Photos by AlyssaMagrone.

a show because you’re busy at that time. This year, you can at least be a part of something in at least some way.” Senior Taylor Smith, student director of “[The]Boys Next Door” and “Steel Magnolias,” agrees with Foster, and has taken advantage of the multiple opportunities for her last year. “This year, we’ve had a lot more shows than we usually do,” Smith said. “I definitely get more experience with acting and as student director. I haven’t student directed before, so I get both sides of the spectrum. So I get to see the student directing side and the acting side and being in a musical. And in ‘ In The Heights’ I was a dancer so I got to be in the chorus in that, in ‘Rent,’ I got to be a lead, so I really got all sides of the spectrum.” The increase of productions is not the only element that plays into to the morale of theater students. According to Foster, the senior exhibitions allows seniors a unique experience of community and chance to leave a legacy.

“The senior exhibition, is for a lot of people, their last hurrah, their last moment, what they want to be known for,” Foster said. “It’s different because it’s our last hurrah together.” Foster believes that the increase of productions creates an appreciation for the theater department as a whole. “It’s good to show the student body that we are capable of more than just what you would normally think of as a high school show,” Foster said. “I’m hoping it will encourage them to be more interested in the different departments we have. Every department in this school is very important and does really great things you should just take the time acknowledge it.” “Dearly Departed” was performed on April 6-8. Following is: “The Boy’s Next Door” on April 11 and 13, “Little Women” on April 12 and 14 and “Steel Magnolias” closing the Spring Season on April 27 and 28. All shows will take place in the Little Theater at 7:00 with a five dollar admission fee.

FOCUS | TONKANEWS.COM | PAGE BY RACHEL ADAMSON

Poets’ projections portray passion

Louder Than a Bomb places third in semifinals poetry competition By Jessica Glaszczak

he Louder Than a Bomb [LTAB] competitive poetry team continues to display Tonka pride, from preliminaries to semifinals and inside the school. At semifinals on March 29, junior Danielle Dodd and seniors Lilian Juma, Alyssa Magrone and Charity Smith presented their poems. “Winnetonka should be incredibly proud to be the sole representative north of the river. No other school in our district does that,” English teacher and LTAB coach Melissa Camarda said. “I think we have a really strong poetry tradition and I think that’s super cool that we have a lot of poets at our school.” Before making it to semifinals, the poets first competed in the preliminaries on March 9, where they placed second. At preliminaries, Smith started the night with her poem as the sacrificial poet, in which she presented her poem prior to the competition in order to warm-up the judges for scoring. Sophomore Katie Bullock, Dodd, Juma and Magrone also performed. “It’s pretty amazing,” Camarda said. “I tend to talk about the poetry lounge as the first, second, third, fourth and fifth greatest nights of my life, maybe after, you know, the birth of my children, but I would say that what happened on March 9 would jump in front of all of those.” Although the team did not make it to finals, Winnetonka was still rep-

resented. Smith was asked back as the sacrificial poet and Dodd received Spirit of the Slam award which embodies the LTAB social justice spirit. “I’m not mad that we came in third at semis since the two teams that beat us got second and third at finals,” Dodd said. “That’s nothing to sniff about and that’s nothing to be ashamed of especially with Charity Smith. I was honored to be presented the award. We got our own special moment.” The environment at the LTAB competitions is connective between the schools participating according to Magrone. “When it comes to LTAB, what I love about the environment is you hear people snapping [for] schools that aren’t their own school,” Magrone said. “There’s this phrase that happens a lot at poetry slams where the judges give scores. If you think a poem got a low score you yell, ‘listen to the poem.’ I’ve done that because I’ve gotten mad at so many scores when it’s not even Tonka performing.” According to Dodd, the people in the environment allow for poets to be expressive and vulnerable. “Performance poetry is very purposefully a space where every facet of life is welcomed because it’s all of these people that want to have their minds open and it’s people that want to have their views changed,” Dodd said. A common phrase at the poetry competitions is, “The points are not the point, the point is the poetry.” “I think poetry means a lot to

people because it does a lot to people,” Bullock said. “It makes you feel and it makes you think and it bridges that gap between thinking and feeling and when that gap is bridged, it is one of the most incredible things.” According to Smith, poetry is important in portraying a message. “[Poetry] is more artistic, and people are more willing to listen to that,” Smith said. “It draws attention to issues that may not normally get attention. It’s just a different way. Nobody wants to listen to rants.” Juma agrees that poetry is a platform to share a message. She said poetry is a good outlet for feelings and thoughts. “You get such a limited time so you want to make a speech about what’s important and what you really want to say and get off your chest,” Juma said. Poetry gives a voice to people that originally did not think that they had a voice or had anything to say, according to Juma. “I’m the type of person that tries to do everything at least once. I never thought of myself as a poet before I became a part of poetry club,” Juma said. “[Poetry] just gave me a feeling like ‘I got a voice now’ and ‘what can I speak of now that I have this platform?’ I know that it’s a small thing, it’s a small stage, but at the same time, it can inspire other people so you have to do it more than for yourself sometimes.” *Visit TonkaNews.com to see their performed poems.

Photos by AshlynBunch Photo illustrations by JessicaGlaszczak

Katie Bullock

Lilian Juma

Alyssa Magrone

ARTS | TONKANEWS.COM | PAGE BY JESSICA GLASZCZAK

Charity Smith

Danielle Dodd

The longest line

Students share their struggles for warm food By Kaitlyn Minet

hicken fingers. Pasta. Pepperoni Pizza. Sound delicious? Not if they are stone cold. Four times a day, every day, students are pinned against each other in a 22 minute brawl for the last microwave standing. “You feel bad because you know how it feels to wait but you also know you need food too,” sophomore Angela Sluder said. “It’s first come, first serve.” There was once two microwaves in the cafeteria, until one day one was taken away to be fixed. All students can do now is dream of its return. Due to the lack of a microwave, junior Nia Clevenger usually feels hopeless as she waits in line, but she miraculously made it to the microwave first on March 16. “I basically have to run to the lunchroom [to get in line first],” Clevenger said. “I usually have to wait 10 minutes and I get about 10 minutes, sometimes five, out of 22 to eat.” Junior Dinedye Denis is one of the unfortunate souls who has had to chow down on cold food because the line was too long to bear. “I usually sit down and wait for the line to get shorter,” Denis said. “But I still don’t have long to eat after waiting, only about 10 minutes. Some days, I have eaten lunch cold.” For freshman Mehrab Jabara, being last in the microwave line is a familiar taste in her mouth while fast, warm lunch is not. “The closest I’ve been is the second,” Jabara said. “From experience I know the last person is going to be angry. On a good day it’s a five minute wait, but it can also be a 15 minute wait.” Sluder is prepared for the day when she has to throw her food in the microwave and go straight

to class. “I make sure I bring my food in a Tupperware so if I don’t finish it during lunch I can take it to my next class if it was rushed,” Sluder said. However, according to family and consumer science teacher Ashley Lee, some students may not be allowed to take the same actions as Sluder. “I think it is very unfair to the students who finally get their lunch warmed up and then have to wait until class time to eat it because it needs to cool off,” Lee said. “Some of them cannot even eat in their next class, so it is really unfair.” School security Denny Anderson walks around the cafeteria each day, witnessing students standing in this inevitable line, but he can do nothing about it. “Kids are wasting their lunchtime waiting in that line,” Anderson said. “I think we need a new microwave so kids don’t spend the whole lunch period waiting to heat up their food.” Lee recently visited the cafeteria and is dumbfounded at the conditions for the microwave. “I cannot believe that we would allow the cafeteria to dwindle down to only one microwave,” Lee said. “I also thought about bringing in an extra one that I have at |Cartoon by AlyssaMagrone home.”

ENTERTAINMENT | TONKANEWS.COM | PAGE BY KAITLYN MINET

GUESS THAT

AI N

TR 1.

Tonka trainer ensures the safety of student-athletes By Ana-Le Lund

1. Trainer Amanda Guess helps junior Vincent Tinoco with a sprained foot injury during football game against Park Hill South on August 19. Photo by RachelAdamson 2. Trainer Amanda Guess helps senior Darrian Harral with swollen ankle injury on March 3. Photo by Ana-LeLund

14 8

rom driving the Gator to running on the field, sports fans recognize athletic trainer Amanda Guess as a constant reassurance that help is near. Student-athletes know Guess as a medical professional that provides emergency and ongoing care for any injury. “I injure myself during soccer all the time,” junior Rana Ekilah said, who is involved with girls soccer. “Whenever I injure myself, or have questions about something that might be a problem, she takes the time to check it out for me and offer treatment for them.” Now in her second year, Guess’s job as the athletic trainer focuses around the physical wellness of student athletes, along with being someone to rely on when a student wants to talk about personal situations. She is employed through Mosaic Life Care and contracted by the North Kansas City School District. “I help with the evaluations and diagnosis of injuries,” Guess said. “Whether the injury can be helped here at school or whether the athlete needs to seek med-

SPORTS | TONKANEWS.COM | PAGE BY ANA-LE LUND

ical attention outside of my abilities as the school trainer. I have also had many student athletes come by just to talk with me, whether it is about their athletic life or not.” Guess enjoys her job because of her interest in the field as well as her background in sports. “I like the science side of it, the anatomy. And I have always loved sports,” Guess said. “This is really my first big job and I have enjoyed working with the staff here at Winnetonka. I seem to get along with the students pretty well.” On an average day, Guess arrives around two in the afternoon and begins preparing water jugs for the oncoming practices and games. When the bell rings at the end of the school day, Guess waits in her room for incoming student-athletes that need guidance or help with an injury. “I usually do tape-jobs first,” Guess said. “Then I begin with evaluations or other problems different students have. I prioritize based on someone’s need, whether they need help quickly to get to a game or if they just need to be helped before practice.”

R E After every student leaves Guess’s room, she makes her way down to where practices are taking place. “I typically will go outside for the outdoor sports,” Guess said. “And then I just hang out on the field. Generally, I am with the highest impact sport, so right now I am mainly observing soccer. In the fall, I am mainly observing football.”

amounts of bandages you’ve given me,” Allen said as a personal message to Guess. “And thank you for always wrapping me and giving me ice!”

“Thank you for the ridiculous amounts of bandages you’ve given me.” - Jake Allen Besides soccer and football, Guess sees several track athletes with injuries or medical concerns. Sophomore mid-distance runner Ashley Johnson had the arch of her foot collapse and with the help of the trainer, she was able to seek additional care and continue running track. “When my foot started to hurt I went over to her and asked what I should do,” Johnson said. “She told me that I should most likely ice it and drink more water. She also gave me some stretches to do and told me what the pain I was experiencing could have been.” Another track athlete and wrestler, senior Jake Allen, said he thinks Guess could probably name every single athlete in the school due to her involvement and help with student athletes. “Thank you for the ridiculous

3. Junior Rana Ekilah clears the goal during a game at Staley High School on May 18. Photo by RachelAdamson 4. Sophomore Ashley Johnson warms up for a hard workout on March 31 preparing for an upcoming track meet. Photo by Ana-LeLund

SPORTS | TONKANEWS.COM | PAGE BY ANA-LE LUND

15 9

Sweet success Winnetonka acknowledges students’ academic achievement By Clayre Barkema

Sophomores Patreice Coccia, Carli Crum, Ayan Farah and Kaye Vandendaele, seniors Madelynn Caster, Eldridge Villegas, Qiuyu (Agnes) Zhao with advisor Carolyn Knapp competed as HOSA State Finalists at Missouri S&T on March 27 and 28. Farah and Zhao are moving on to nationals.

Freshman Kelsey Sophomore Katie Cowden, sophomores Bullock, junior Savannah Brown, Katie Danielle Dodd and Bullock, Jessica Glaszczak, seniors Lilian Juma, Alyssa Mattie Peter and senior Riley Magrone and Charity Smith Davison earn a 1 rating at orchestra competed at Louder than a Sophomores Winnetonka contest for their solos or Bomb preliminaries on Kathryn Marshall Symphonic ensembles and are moving March 9 and moved and Lana Moerer, juniors on to state on April 28. Orchestra received on to semifinals. Cameron Daniel, Jackson straight 1 ratings on Mattingly and senior Maddie Fields stage March 29 at earned a 1 rating at choir contest Sophomores Nick contest and received Editor-in-Chief for their solos and ensembles Alumbaugh, Isabella of the Griffin Rites a 2 in the sight and are moving on to Middaugh, juniors Dillon newspaper, senior Rachel reading room. state on April 28. Adamson won Missouri Osborne and Harper Ross Interscholastic Press Association TonkaNews. earn a 1 rating at band contest for Student Journalist of the Year, com is a their solos or ensembles and the first for the North Winnetonka National are moving on to state on Kansas City School received certification Scholastic Press April 28. District. Association as an AVID Schoolwide Pacemaker finalist Site of Distinction on announced on March 9. Feb. 15. There are 6,200 Go to TonkaNews.com The Winnetonka AVID Schools across the At Regionals for to see the work done journalism country and only the top Science Olympiad, by the Griffin Rites department earns a total 10 percent of schools Junior Nate Blanton placed newspaper staff to 48 awards, 11 of which were receive this award. third in Rocks and Minerals. achieve this.

All-Missouri at Missouri

Junior Harper Ross and senior

FBLA Journalism Day at Agnes Zhao placed second in Entrepreneurship Mizzou on March 29. Anatomy and Physiology. Eric Johnson Team consisting Ross also placed fourth accepted the of seniors Ben Giebler Cardinal and in Disease Detectives. and Nathan Huffman and principal position Gold Singers, Phuong Luu placed eigth at Winnetonka for the Women’s Choir and at their state competi2017-18 school year. Spectrum of Sound tion on April 4. Junior Bailey See TonkaNews.com

for full story.

recieved a 1 and Men’s Kleindienst made it Choir recieve 2 at contest past finals in Debate and on April 1. is a National Qualifier in Student Congress.

NEWS | TONKANEWS.COM | PAGE BY CLAYRE BARKEMA

FROM: WHS 4815 NE 48 St. KC MO 64119

TO: Griffin Rites subscriber