Pride
The
Friday, F e br uary 1 2 013 volume XV, issue III
Harrisonville High School
www.hhsnews.com
Sophomore uses Instagram to fight depression than someone who is pushing her views on them. “Well with a lot of them I don’t talk about God a lot because a lot of them do not want to hear about it, they just get angry,” said Lewis. “But some of them are more open about it so I will just be like ‘well I am praying for you’ and they will be like ‘oh wow’ and then they will ask me questions about it.” Lewis plans on continuing to help her followers in the only way she can. “I mean, I know it’s not my fault it’s their choice on whether or not they do that stuff , I just have to be there,” said Lewis.
Story by CJ Semler - Staff Writer cj.semler@hhsnews.com Since its launch in 2010, Instagram has acquired over 30 million registered members. One of those members is sophomore Caitlin Lewis. Lewis started an account on Instagram with the hope of helping people who are struggling with depression. Instagram is an app created by co founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger to make mobile pictures professional looking and easy to share. “I saw a status that this guy made that I follow about these tags about kids hurting themselves, so I looked them up and I contacted a few of them and I just started talking to them every day, and I sent them goodnight and goodmorning texts and stuff like that,” said Lewis. The account currently has 123 followers and that Lewis tries to keep in contact with them. “Well when I was depressed I didn’t have anyone else to talk to, and so I feel like they should have someone,” said Lewis.
A sampling of photos from sophomore Caitlin Lewis’s Instagram feed.
Lewis does what she can to help her followers get through rough times. “I just talk to them, thats about it,” said Lewis. “I can’t do much through text.” Even with positive feedback, Lewis still questions if her efforts are making a difference. “A few of the girls have actually killed themselves and so that’s hard, and when they’re constantly wanting to kill
“I’ll start talking to them and I feel like a motherly figure.” - Caitlin Lewis themselves, that kinda gets you down,” said Lewis. Seeing the hurt of these people, along with past experi-
ences, causes Lewis to act as a leader and role model. “I’ll message them and then I’ll start talking to them and I feel like I’m a motherly figure,” said Lewis. “You know my mom got sick and I was taking care of my brother all the time and so I feel like I have to take care of them.” Lewis tries not to share too much about her personal religious views because she wants to be more of a support system
Average daily visitors 7.3 mill
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Twitter Instagram source: www.allthingsd.com
Reviews
Working Students Social Media
Staff Editorial
PG. 6 &7
PG. 8
PG. 15
PG. 9
staff
Editor-in-Chief: Maria Sanchez Managing Editor of Copy: Crystal Warden Features Editor: Lexi Eghbali News & Opinion Editor: Audrey Marshall Sports Editor: Lauren Aman Photo Editor: Alison Krenzer Columnist: Nick Campbell Adviser: Brad Lewis Staff Writers: Mackenzie Eisel, Brently Probasco, C.J. Semler, Madi Dahn, Madi Phillips, Tyler Cardinal, Austin Royal, Kayley Brock, Lara Floyd & Joe Cramer
Table of Contents Pages 3 & 5
Where is our Spring Break? Sex offenders in our area.
Kayley Brock
Gay rights missing in action. Pages 4 & 15
Page 8
Students’ hard work does not stop at school.
High school students share relationship views. Court Warming Candidates and their dream dates.
Joe Cramer
Tyler Cardinal
Pages 9 & 16 Pages 8 & 13
Superbowl teams make an impact on students’ opinions. Page 14
New Year’s resolutions and why they sometimes do not get accomplished.
Madi Phillips
Nick Campbell
Page 10
Our school’s security tips and how we are being kept safe.
Brently Probasco
the pride
Madi Dahn
Lara Floyd
Staff Photographers: Alison Krenzer, Jamie Hasenyager, Lara Floyd & Cassie Long
Harrisonville High School 1504 E. Elm Harrisonville, MO 64701 (816)380-3273 Follow us on Twitter @ HHSwildcatnews
The Fiscal what?
The solution: Arm the teachers. Page 15
The Pride is written, edited and published by the newspaper production class at HHS. The paper is an open forum, distributed to the students, faculty, parents, alumni, and other members of HHS. All decisions concerning grammar, layout, content, and photography are made solely by the editors themselves. Our mission is to report news truthfully and accurately and to act as an open forum for student expression. Opinions in editorials do not reflect the views of the Cass R-IX school district, its staff or the adviser. All comments, concerns, and complaints should be forwarded directly to the Editor-in-Chief. If readers would like to submit letters to the Editor, they can do so in room 304.
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news
Students not given a traditional spring break Story by Kayley Brock Staff Writer kayley.brock@hhsnews.com Students who were looking forward to a week long spring break are in for a disappointment. The Calendar Committee Staff made the decision to split up spring break based on how students learn, activity schedules, how snow days are factored in and the required number of days needed in the school year. “There were a lot of things that went into consideration about spring break. There is a spring break it just looks different than it has in the past,”
said Calendar Committee representative Emily Terwilliger. Spring break is broken up into two miniature breaks; one in February and another in March. In February, students have the 14 through the 18 off, while in March, there will be a half day on the 13 and no school from the 14 through the 18. The Calendar Committee makes a list of priorities made from surveying staff, students, and district employees to figure out what days are missed. The Calendar Committee Staff uses previous calendars as guides when making a calendar. The district has had a spring break since the school year 2006-07 therefore principal
Andy Campbell is not certain how students will respond to not having one. “I don’t know what to expect because we’ve always had a spring break since I’ve been here. I think it’ll be positive, anytime you take an initiative week off you forget everything,” said Campbell. When students started finding out that they do not have a spring break it brought up a lot of mixed feelings and questions. “I’m disappointed, I understand why they would do it but it causes an inconvenience to families who want to take a trip,” said sophomore Sarah Francisco. Sophomore Jason
Tharp understands along with Francisco that not having a spring break could cause difficulties for families who were counting on having a spring break. “I don’t see why wouldn’t have a spring break we’ve always had one. Spring break is a good time to see family if they don’t have a chance to see them over summer break,” said Tharp. Secretary to Activities Director Cynthia Livingston disagrees with Tharp, she dislikes the idea of having a traditional week long spring break. “I like not having a spring break, I would eliminate spring break. I’d rather have three day weekends per month during
second semester and get out early,” said Livingston. Biology teacher Dennis Kocher argues that the district does not have a breather in second semester. “I personally enjoy it and I need it. We don’t have a lot of breaks in second semester,” said Kocher. According to Terwilliger the Calendar Committee tries to make the best decisions they can when they plan the calendar. “We have to do what's best for students, teachers and the community. Sometimes individuals feel like their overlooked and that is not our intention,” said Terwilliger.
New drivers are subject to changes in license design Story by Mackenzie Eisel -Staff Writer mackenzie.eisel@hhsnews.com Older student drivers may not have paid much attention to their driver’s license, but new student drivers will definitely notice this big change in the way their license looks on their big driving day. A new law already implemented in states such as Michigan and California, is going to make minors under the age of 18 have a vertical license layout instead of horizontal. The new program, ”We Check to Protect,” is aimed at teens, parents and business owners in an effort to further restrict underage purchasing of alcohol and tobacco products. Although the new program has not been implemented at the license bureau located in Harrisonville, select Department
of Motor Vehicles around the state of Missouri have already begun administering the vertical licenses. According to the Missouri Department of Revenue Communications Director, the new license should be in full effect in all 182 license bureaus in Missouri by April 2013. School Resource Officer Doug Rose believes that this program seems to be moving extremely quickly. “Most government changes seem like they take years and not months to get moving, so this seem extremely fast,” said Rose. Some students feel that these measures will have a significant impact on minors and will cut down on underage purchases. “It would make obtaining alcohol and tobacco harder for students that are underage,”
Photo courtesy of the Missouri Department of Revenue.
said senior Manda Hopper. “It would also make it much easier to create fake IDs.” Junior Rayanne Holman agrees that making these changes would be a huge measure against underage using. “It would make it so
much more obvious if you have a vertical license instead of a horizontal one,” said Holman. Rose agrees with the students that this new program eliminates minor mistakes and flaws that are currently happening with the present system. “The excuse I hear most often when doing undercover work for selling to minors is, ‘I read the date of birth wrong,”’ said Rose. “This program would eliminate that excuse.” While some think these changes would make a difference, others think that a new layout is not enough to get the problem under control. “Personally, I think it wouldn’t change anything because kids would just have someone else buy for them,” said sophomore Nick Kreimeyer. Aside from other people buying alcohol and tobacco prod-
ucts for a minor, fake IDs also have some students questioning whether or not a new license layout would make much of a difference. “A new layout would probably be more of a speed bump and a nuisance to the people who make fake IDs, but they would always find a way around it,” said junior Alec Sloan. Kreimeyer agrees that there would have to be something done to cut down on fake IDs if this new program was going to have an impact. “If kids already had fake IDs that said they were over 21, then they could just continue to use them,” said Kreimeyer. “The layout of licenses for legal adults would have to be changed often enough for the makers of fake IDs to not be able to keep up.”
Will vertical licenses decrease underage purchases of alcohol and tobacco?
Agree Disagree 3
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News
Fiscal Cliff shows importance to students in future Breakdown of the tax increase; how it happened, who it will impact
3.4 million estimated layoffs to come due to the Fiscal Cliff
Story by Madi Dahn- Staff Writer madi.dahn@hhsnews.com Fiscal Cliff is a term that has been used often in the news, since before the beginning of the new year. Even though it may sound familiar to students, they may not know what it is. “A lot of students don’t really care what’s happening,” said sophomore Christia Stein. Junior Sabrina Tinsley believes students do not care because it can be confusing. “We talked about it in Government [class] ; not really anyone knew about it,” said Tinsley. “I think it’s too complicated for us to understand.” However, even if it is difficult to understand, Certified Public Accountant Mel Lottie believes students do need to pay attention.
“The reason [high school kids] should care is the solutions are not permanent, so they may change by the time high school kids graduate,” said Lottie. “It also will affect the U.S. debt so when high school students start working; there will have to be solutions in place to bring down national debt.” The Fiscal Cliff is a result of many things; congressional overspending, expiring tax breaks, increasing national debt, the changing Budget Control Act, and other miscellaneous reasons brought on by ideas from varying political news sources. One of the reasons that is most believed to be at fault for the fiscal cliff almost going over is the expiring tax breaks. President Obama and former President George W. Bush had created tax cut plans that had been in effect until now. Bush’s plan benefitted
Biggest tax increase in
60 years the upper class whereas Obama’s was more beneficial towards the middle class. Both plans expired this past year, forcing Congress to decide which to renew and creating a debate amongst the government. However, according to Forbes writer, Howard Gleckman, had Congress gone over
the cliff, much of the resulting economical issues, would have nothing to do with the Bush tax cuts; the highest-income one percent average tax rate would have gone up by more than 7 percentage points. Congress did not go over however. A few hours after the deadline of midnight on January 1, 2013, Congress reached a decision and signed a bill to extend tax cuts and avoid the cliff. The lowest earning 20 percent of America will face an average increase in their 2013 tax rates of about 1.1 percentage points, while middle-income households will pay rates that are about 1.3 points higher. The top 20 percent will see their average rate rise by about 2.5 points and while the top 1 percent pay 4.5 percentage points more, according to Gleckman.
Though a deal was made to avoid a Fiscal Cliff disaster, the fix may only be temporary as another Fiscal Cliff is possible to happen soon in the future. “It could prompt a fiscal cliff again because if we reach the debt ceiling and nothing is done, Federal spending will stop,” said Lottie. “That means no social security payments can be made, a lot of government services will be stopped because there’s no money to pay workers or bills. Also, if [government] would shut down I don't know that we would even be able to file taxes because IRS would be shut down.”
The tax increases would cost someone making
$20 a week in taxes the pride
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News
School, state aware of sexual predators in area Story by Kayley BrockStaff Writer kayley.brock@hhsnews.com Harrisonville has 15 of them. Cass County, 143. Missouri has 12,985 and the country as a whole has 736,717. According to missingkids.com, these numbers represent registered sex offenders. The Cass County Sheriff Office website states U.S. Department of Justice statistics show that one in four women and one in six men will experience some kind of sexual assault in their lifetime. Almost two-thirds of all sexual assaults are committed by someone known to the victim. Statistics also show that 67 percent of sexual assaults have victims under the age of 18. “When Missouri laws are revised, it’s mostly about age.
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REPORT A SEX OFFENDER Cass County Sherriff ’s Office www. cassmosherriff.org Phone: (816) 380-5200
People need to be aware that they are sexual with an adult of age with them,” said school resource officer Doug Rose. When Rose finds out about a student being violated sexually, he has a certain procedure he follows to help the victim. “When I find out about a situation, I will take an initial statement, contact an investigation detective and the victim would be taken to the hospital,” said Rose. Rose explains that sex offenders are the thing he dislikes the most, because of his role as a police officer and a father.
“I’m not a big fan of sex offenders. My first week on the job I punched in the Missouri State Highway Patrol website to locate sex offenders and see
Dictionary statutory rape is defined as having sexual intercorse with a person who is under the statutory age of consent. Statutory rape has two degrees. The first is when two persons have sexual intercourse while one party is less than fourteen years old. In this degree, the older person will go to jail for five or more years. Second-degree statutory rape is when someone, at least the age 21, has sexual intercourse with someone who is less than 17. The older party will go to jail for ten or more years. If a 18 year old male has
“As the student resource officer I am brought aware of students who are related to a sex offender” - Officer Doug Rose where they live and their place of work. As the student resource officer I am brought aware of students who are related to a sex offender,” said Rose. According to Websters
Within three days of conviction, release from incarceration, or placed on probation the offender must register.
19 percent are re-convicted for rape.
Missouri State Highway Patrol
www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov
60 percent of sexually molested boys are molested by someone they know. One in four women will experience some kind of sexual assual in her lifetime.
Phone: 1-888-767-6747
United States Department of Justice www.nsopw.org Phone: (816) 426-3122
80 percent of sexually molested girls are molested by someone they know.
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60 percent of second offenses occur in a supervised community.
117 children is the average number of children molested by one predator before they are caught.
70 percent of all men in prison for a sex crime were men whose victim was a child.
In Missouri, sex offenders are required to register with their chief law enforcement officer. 20 percent are re-convicted for molesting a child. 22,000 dollars is the annual cost to incarcerate a sex offender.
sex with a 15 year old female it is considered statutory rape, even if it is consensual. If turned in, the 18 year old will have to register as a sex offender. This will stay on his record for the rest of his/her life. “The majority of the time when police officers find out about statutory rape it’s because the girl is mad at the boy or a girl is unfaithful to her boyfriend, usually drunk cheats and says it is rape to cover her tracks so her boyfriend doesn’t get mad,” said Rose. According to Rose, he feels students should be informed of their environment. “Situation awareness, be aware of your surroundings. If you are put in a situation, fight for your life. Knees where it hurts, finger in eyes. Fight for your life,” said Rose.
30 percent of children who are sexually abused will become sexually abusive later in life. 70 percent of sex offenders will commit another sex crime after being released in jail. Law enforcement officials estimate that more than 50,000 sexual predators are online at any given moment. 40 percent of released sex offenders committed another sex crime within a year
or less from their prison discharge.
One in six men will experience some kind of sexual assualt in his lifetime.
the pride
Reviews
Movies, apps, and ‘Wanelo’
Waleno, seemingly the online shopper’s dream app, turned out to cause a lot of disappointment for its users.Though very convenient with endless scrolling of popular items, a product search bar, and an option to save items in multiple “wish lists,” some problems arose when trying to purchase the items. Wanelo takes their users directly to the selected product’s website. There, s/he can purchase the item with the tap of a thumb. Unfortunately, Wanelo does not track when company’s products are no longer in stock or available for sale, and it is oftentimes frustrating for users attempting to make a purchase when this happens.
‘Gangster Squad’ (R)
the pride
‘The Fault in Our Stars’ For Hazel, she has always known what her demise would be. The terminal cancer diagnosis has controlled her life in every way possible but when the uncontrolled variable, Augustus Waters, shows up she begins to see things in color opposed to her cynical black and white analysis of the world. Told from Hazel’s perspective, she
paints a picture of what it’s like to experience a deadly disease, and her rare insight as a young 16 year old trying to figure her brief place on Earth. Death although playing a large role, does not dictate the mood of this novel, but rather becomes more of a logical sequence of life’s curveballs. Hazel takes her audience on a journey that shows nothing
‘Les Miserables’ (PG-13)
Set during the nineteenth century French June Rebellion, former prisoner Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) is on the run from the antagonistic policeman Javert (Russell Crowe). Jean is determined to turn away from sin after a hefty load of kindness delivered from a church priest. Some time later after Jean Valjean, a changed man, encounters a working girl, Fantine (Anne Hathaway), in need of help
but pure honesty and raw emotion as she experiences her anything but normal life. The Fault In Our Stars eats at the core of humanity as Hazel searches for the answers so many of us ask in our own lives and leaves you wanting more even as the last pages have been turned.
with the care taking of her daughter Cosette (Amanda Seyfried) to which he readily obliges. As the rebellion rages on, the people sing of their hopes and their struggles during this time of optimal French history. With it’s numerous Golden Globe nominations, and famous musical numbers Les Miserables was widely regarded as one of the best films of 2012, but even amongst all the hype I could not quite get into it. A nearly three
hour movie sitting just on the cusp at two hours and fourty-five minutes, I prepared in advance by using the restroom beforehand but often found myself wishing I hadn’t. I welcomed the need of a bathroom break near the last painful time drudging hour that seemed to tick by, not even in tune. In essence, I found Les Miserables to be just that: miserable.
Gangster Squad includes everything you could want and expect from a good gangster movie. It is an action packed, thriller, containing a few gory scenes, but all placed appropriately in the film. Unlike most thrillers, screenwriters combined drama with romance, along with a dash of comedy. With lead roles being played flawlessly by Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, even with very little historical context given, the movie was both easy to follow and entertaining for viewers.
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books,oh my! ‘Fun Run’
others did. Upon opening the app for the first time, I immediately became very disappointed, and lost interest quickly. I was confused on the rules of play, too impatient to read the instructions thoroughly. Despite this confusion, I won the gold medal on my first game. Playing was only semi-fun when connected to WiFi, with enabled a run
with friends, but even then, I only completed three short games before deleting the app.
ago and had me dreaming in dots and colored lines for weeks. The object of the game is to connect all the dots with their partner dot meanwhile leaving no spaces open. As the first initial levels, playing on only a five by five grid, are seemingly easy. As the player progresses in levels and the This widely popular grid grows (up to 14 by 14 puzzle game, Flow, captured on the “Free Play”) larger my attention some months all the while adding in new
dots, the skill level required becomes much more demanding. If you haven’t given Flow a try, it is a must have App for 2013. I not only myself became quickly addicted to the game, but got my family and friends also hooked onto Flow and found myself using the word Flow itself as a verb when referencing the game and myself playing it. Go get your Flow on!
The Fun Run rage was short, but intense. For about a week, students could not tear their eyes or their thumbs from their cell phones and iPods. Hearing nothing else but these two words for a day, I decided to break down and download the game, expecting to become addicted just as the
‘Flow’
‘Silver Linings Playbook’ (R)
Amidst all the chaos, two people can still find love. Upon a recent discharge from a Maryland psychiatric institution, Pat Solatano Jr. (Bradley Cooper) has found himself jobless,
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estranged with the love of his life and wife Nikki (Brea Bee) and back living with his parents in their Philadelphia home. Pat is determined to rebuild his life by finding the silver linings in everything. After meeting Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a widow who is also sorting through struggles of her own, the two make a deal that inevitably leads them both in directions they never saw coming. While addressing realistic problems and a relatable man who is down on his luck, this heartwarming tale reminds the audience to see the silver linings even in the darkest moments.
Reviews Reviews by Audrey Marshall - News & Opinion Editor audrey.marshall@hhsnews.com Lexi Eghbali - Features Editor lexi.eghbali@hhsnews.com
‘Ruzzle’
Ruzzle is a fun game similar to Scrabble, in which two opponents face off to see who can earn the highest number of points by creating the most words. Unlike the traditional board game, Ruzzle has a time restraint, and limits each game to three rounds of endless word-searching. Hearing many positive
comments about the app, I downloaded it and was equally as impressed as my peers. The game is very addictive, and easy to learn and improve upon. Multiple games can conveniently be played at once against either a random opponent or a friend. Being challenged more and more often, I was extremely disappointed when my app continually force closed during my turns, ending the rounds unfairly. I love the idea of this game, there are just a few bugs that need to be worked out before the Ruzzle phase fizzles out.
‘Snapchat’
‘Django Unchained’ (R)
In this Tarantino hit, a former slave a few years before the Civil war, Django (Jamie Foxx) is granted his freedom by a sharp witted German bounty hunter, Dr. Shultz (Christoph Waltz). Dr. Shultz who is on a mission to gather up his newest bounty, the Brittle brothers, is in need of Django and the information he could provide about the Brittles. The two hook up and continue to acquire various bounty-dead or alive- across the country in hopes for Django to save enough of his earnings to rescue his
wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) from the evil clutches of Calvin Candie (Leonardo Dicaprio), a slave trader that takes the cruel pleasures of training and fighting his unlucky subjects to their death. From the opening scene to the last moments of this action-packed, nail biting, fist-clenching, heart wrenching, roller coaster of a film, I could hardly contain the inner turmoil it arose in me. Django is a must see, chock full of an award winning cast, leaving a mark on me I hope never heals.
Though Snapchat is, ultimately, pointless compared to regular picture messaging, it can become quite addicting. Because any picture being “Snapchatted” can be screenshotted, the time-limit aspect of the snap is defeated. It’s “privacy” is deceptive to users, as snaps received can be retrieved again by using a computer. Snapchat is most enjoyable by using it for the app’s intended purpose opposed to inappropriately, but the same function is available with regular text messaging.
the pride
Issues
School shootings; what are we doing wrong? Students share opinions on gun control, mental health care
The Pride Staff created a poll to give the students, and others, the opportunity to share their opinions on the importance of gun control and mental health awareness via www.hhsnews.com.
On December 14, 2012, an armed, 20-year-old male forced his way into Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CT. This man was Adam Lanza. The results were devastating to Newton and the nation. 20 children and 6 adults had their lives taken from them. Unfortunately, a tragic event like this is what launched the nation into an argument: why does this keep happening; gun control or mental illness awareness? Although many have their opinions, there has yet to be a pinpointed cause for these violent acts. In the mean time, schools improve school security and Americans stand by their opinions.
Security within school becomes more thoughtful due to tragedy Story by Brently Probasco Staff Writer brently.probasco@hhsnews.com On Friday, December 14, 2012 tragedy struck at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT where more than 30 lives were lost. This has startled many students from young ages to 18-year-old seniors that will soon be on their own. It has brought up the question of safety within school buildings. One factor in the build-
the pride
ing’s safety is having a School Resource Officer in the building. “Security elements include myself as the SRO, and the experiences I have I bring to the school as a police officer,” said School Resource Officer Doug Rose. “Some resources given to me by the school district are twoway radios and a camera system provided at each school district building.” Assistant Principal Jason Farnsworth thinks the SRO is an important part of how to
keep the building safe, but feels that keeping all doors locked is a huge precaution as well. “We have one point of entry; the front door is open,” said Farnsworth. “The other doors, to the modulars and Cass Career Center, are on timers so we try to restrict access as much as we can and filter people through the front door. Visitors within the building are to check in with the office and wear a visitor’s badge.” Farnsworth advises
students to keep the doors closed and not let visitors or students in through any doors and always point them to the front door. Another safety call is that the school is provided with specific training for the staff and students of the school. “We have a crisis handbook in place and ALICE: the active shooter training that gives teachers and students options,” said Farnsworth. ALICE was made to give students and members of
the staff options in the case of an active shooter. ALICE stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate and each part has instructions on what to do. “I can tell you that there is a district crisis team that is in place,” said Farnsworth. “We continue to have conversations with officers and the SRO on how to improve safety in the schools, not just HHS, and I think that you’re going to see more ALICE, and you might see more detailed drills that we do in the future.”
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Issues
If constitutional rights are taken away, gray areas will arise Commentary by Mackenzie Eisel - Staff Writer mackenzie.eisel@hhsnews.com When the topic of politics comes up in conversation, it seems that everyone thinks they know the best way to solve the war against guns the United States is currently fighting. What most people do not understand is that their solutions are all very simple, however they are trying to solve a very complicated problem. With a complex political platform, such as gun control, it is hard to say rather or not you totally support or negate the issue. One of the points liberals make when trying to pass this legislation is that background checks must be done in order for a citizen to obtain a weapon, which is perfectly logical. They also press the idea
that thirty round clips need to be made totally illegal. A thirty round clip is a mechanism that gives a rifle the ability to fire thirty rounds of bullets one after another. However, we must address the shades of gray that tend to be tiptoed around when discussing this issue. Although I believe that handguns and automatic rifles are not really necessary for everyday citizens to carry, we must look at the bigger picture. According to surveys done by gun manufacturers, as of 2009, only 17 to 19 percent of households in America obtained a handgun of any sort. But in the same survey, manufacturers also found that 40 to 45 percent of households had rifles, or shotguns. The guns these households held were guns used for recreation.
The idea that banning guns is a classic case of, “a few bad apples ruining it for everyone else.” Banning guns would deny a large percentage of American hunters their right to bear arms and hunt for food to feed their families, or simply for their own enjoyment. Furthermore, the impression that banning guns is going to cut down on shootings is sadly a very unrealistic irrelevant line of action to solving a greater problem. According to dictionary. com, the definition of crime is “an action or an instance of negligence that is deemed injurious to the public welfare or morals or to the interests of the state and that is legally prohibited.” I know the phrase, “guns don’t kill people, people kill people,” may sound cliche, but the truth to this phrase is what is most important.
A gun cannot pull a trigger on itself, and cannot cause harm to anyone. It is the operator of the weapon that we should be more concerned about. A criminal with the intent of killing another person is not going to be deferred by the fact that carrying a gun is illegal. Sure, it may be more difficult to obtain one, but just like citizens illegal purchase drugs and drug paraphernalia, it is unrealistic to suggest that making it illegal will put an end to it. Enforcing gun control would only make life more difficult for the “good apples” attempting to use guns as a means of recreation and innocent enjoyment. Most importantly, pursuing and strengthening gun control contradicts our United States Constitution. We must determine which is the less of two evils in this specific scenar-
io. If we create legislation that denies people their inalienable right to “bear arms,” we are in a much simpler form saying, “even though the Constitution says so, we are going to take it away from you.” In doing so, we are taking away the significance of the Constitution that we have instilled in the people for so long. Ultimately, this suggests that there will be many contradictions between rights that Americans actually possess, and rights that are always on the brink of being taking away. Taking away the rights of the people is not the way to get them to act and behave in a way that is considered socially acceptable. Gun control being imposed upon American citizens is only an illegitimate answer to a much larger problem.
AGAINST GUN CONTROL FOR GUN CONTROL Removing the weapon will remove the threat of shootings Commentary by Alison Krenzer- Photo Editor alison.krenzer@hhsnews.com “There have been 130 school shootings since the Columbine High School massacre shooting in 1999.” (factcheck.org) The shocking statistics of gun violence in our country has left many people wondering “How can we fix the shooting epidemic in our country?” Some say that the answer is simple, but it is far from that. There is no solution that will completely stop violence in our society, but there is a place that we could start. Guns should be taken out of homes that clearly do not need them, and firearms should be far more difficult to obtain. While some people say that “guns don’t kill people, people kill people,” it is not that simplistic. If you take a gun away from someone, it is going to be a
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lot more difficult for that person to kill another human being if they do not have the weapon to do it with. While there is the possibility of a killer getting ahold of a different readily available weapon, it can be argued that this would eliminate the possibility of mass murders happening in a more populated setting. You do not hear about someone going into a school killing 30 people with a bow and arrow. One of the largest dangers of firearms is their presence in most homes and what their presence does; making guns more easily obtainable to all residents in the home. If our society could somehow regulate who can obtain a weapon in their home then that would be a good start to getting guns out of mentally unstable hands. There is absolutely no reason that guns should be in homes especially. If we can take firearms away from the ma-
jority of citizens, then there will be almost no need for the extra protection in homes. This will also eliminate children acquiring their parent’s firearms, and shooting themselves or someone else. When a school shooting happens, it is often a current or former student going in and killing innocent people. More often than not, that young adult obtained a gun from their own home. “For every 100 people in the United States, 89 of them own or have a gun in their home" (factcheck.org). This proves that one of the easiest places for a child to obtain a firearm is from their own residence. For their own content, parents may conclude that keeping their personal gun in a safe makes it more acceptable to have in their home. I disagree with this. Shooters, including teens, are smart and if there is a gun close and readily
available they are going to get ahold of it. After severe shootings happen, many common households feel the need to be protected, and people’s minds automatically go to guns for that security. I think that a household security system would eliminate violent protection, and would suffice in keeping residents safe. This is why even hunting weapons should not be in people’s homes. There are other ways to regulate animal population that do not involve having a dangerous weapon in the same place as a child. Specific shooting ranges could be easily set up for sport and people’s enjoyment, this would also help to regulate animal population. However, if the range was carefully watched and guarded then the guns would actually stay in the range and not leave in dangerous hands. Guns and the process of buying a gun is not regulated
enough in America. In Missouri alone, there is no required license or registration system on guns being sold. How can we as citizens be angry when violent gun related crimes take place when the gun used to commit the crime was legally and easily obtained? We are handing guns out to people left and right for “protection,” when really the people we are giving guns to are the same people that we might need protecting from. These numerous options relating to gun control will not automatically fix the violence epidemic in our country, but it could be the start to a safer nation. If you personally think that gun control is not an important issue to be dealt with after Sandy Hook Elementary being gunned down; I advise you to ask yourself, would 27 people be dead if that man were unable to get a gun?
the pride
Features
Working in high school takes a toll on time management Students look for balance between school, work, extracurricular activies Story by Joe Cramer - Staff Writer joe.cramer@hhsnews.com As Junior Mathew Bartlett awaits the bell to release him from school at the end of the day, he does not get to go home and relax like some students do. Bartlett reports to Town and Country Disposal to start his regular after school shift from 3 p.m until 5:30 p.m. Bartlett follows this schedule every day after school, and sometimes he is brought in on Saturdays throughout the month. Although he has a regular job, Bartlett does not see it interfering with his school work, but his social life is not the same as it was when he did not have a job. “I don’t get to hang out with my friends sometimes because I have to work or I’m so tired from work,” said Bartlett. Senior Cameron Ferguson sees having a job as a student is more of an issue with grades
and school work. “Having a job as a student can leave you tired because usually you end up working during nights which can lead to grades slipping,” said Ferguson. Ferguson realizes how much time work can take out of the day, so she puts her school work ahead of her social time with friends and doing extra activities. For senior Kassy Conner, having a job directly affects her social life and grades in school. “I have a lot less time with friends since I work until eleven at night, and that also leaves me with a lot less time for homework,” said Conner. “It does affect my grades, especially in college math.” However, Conner does not have to have her regular late nights every day of the week. “I do get Fridays and Saturdays off, so I spend my
Senior Kassy Conner takes an order at her place of work after school. Photo by Alison Krenzer.
Friday nights with friends, and Saturdays are usually taken up by show choir,” said Conner. Going to work regularly as a high schooler is something that would help high schoolers more than it would hurt them in Bartlett’s eyes. “I think it’s definitely an advantage,” said Bartlett. “I
get paid money that I can put towards whatever I need to and it’s not like having a job takes up all of your time.” Ferguson agrees with Bartlett, about having a job being a good learning experience for high schoolers. “You get job experience which can help you in the real world,” said Ferguson. Conner does not believe the situation is the same for everyone and that there are factors that attribute to having a job being an advantage or a disadvantage. “I personally feel it depends on how much the parents help,” said Conner. “Without them I wouldn’t really have anything. They help me out on paying for some things that I need.” Professionals at Middle Earth, a company that helps youth transition into adulthood, state that being an employed high
school student can reap benefits. Some of these reasons include that students get the opportunity to see firsthand what it is like to have a job, learn time management skills, and form good work habits. Middle Earth does also have some disadvantages to holding a job at this adolescent age. Their points include possibly having less time to do homework which can lead to grades dropping or increased stress. The Center for Statistics and Social Sciences claim that there are too many variables to know for sure what effect having a job can have on a student. These three students do have their opportunities to do whatever homework they have accumulated, and time to be with friends no matter how few or far between. Once they finished all that they need to do, they can rest throughout the night, and start the whole routine again the next day.
New Year’s resolutions tend to end up ignored Story by Madi Phillips Staff Writer madi.phillips@hhsnews.com According to junior Carter Neill, his resolution for 2013 is to actually pay attention in school. Although he has not been able to carry the same resolution he has had in the past much farther than February, he is putting more effort into his resolution this year. “I think the generic resolutions, like losing weight or stop biting their nails, are something uncreative people think of on the fly just to have a resolution or something to work towards in the new year making it harder to carry out,” said Neill. Every year on January 1, about half of the world’s population make resolutions trying to improve the year to come, according to researcher John Norcross of University of Scranton. Discovered by a 2007 poll of over 3,000 people conducted by researcher Richard Wiseman of University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom, about 88 percent of resolutions fail to make it to the next year. Resolutions fail partly
the pride
Lose weight
1
Getting organized
2
Spend less, save more
3
Enjoy life to the fullest
Top Eight
New Year’s 4 Resolutions
5
Staying fit and healthy
6
Learn something excited
7
Quit smoking
8
Help others in their dreams
Source: statisticbrain.com
because of “cultural procrastination” as professor of psychology at Carleton University in Canada, Timothy Pychyl, calls it. It is a form of reinventing oneself for the year to come. “People make resolutions as a way of motivating themselves. People aren’t ready to change their habits, particularly bad habits, and that accounts for the high failure rate,” said Pychyl. Sophomore Ashley Smith finds truth in this statistic. “One year I tried to quit
cussing but that didn’t work out very well. It’s a bad habit to have and a hard habit to drop just like that,” said Smith. According to Dr. Avya Sharma of the Canadian Obesity Network, people set unrealistic goals and expectations in their resolutions. Author Ray Williams agrees with Sharma and also believes there is a “cause and effect relationship” that ties into unrealistic goals. “You may think that if you lose weight, or reduce your
debts, or exercise more, your entire life will change, and when it doesn’t, you may get discouraged and then you revert back to old behaviors,” said Williams. If you are having trouble keeping your resolution, a simple quick fix could be to download the app called Astrid Tasks on an Android or Apple device or visit the website Astrid.com. The app description reads, “Astrid helps you get your life get organized so you will never miss a deadline with fun
reminders, subtasks, lists, and widgets. Then access your tasks anywhere with automatic syncing across your phone, tablet, and Astrid.com.” With this you could type in your resolution using the app, such as going to the gym every evening, and Astrid will send a reminder to your phone. Wiseman suggests other tips to stick to your resolution such as making only one. According to Wiseman, keeping to one resolution makes it easier to focus on changing that one aspect of your behavior. Other pieces of advice include whether or not to use resolutions from past years. According to Wiseman, you are setting yourself up for failure and disappointment. Think of your resolution ahead of time. “Don’t wait until New Year’s Eve to think about your resolution and instead take some time out a few days before and reflect upon what you really want to achieve,” said Wiseman. “Expect to revert to your old habits from time to time. Treat any failure as a temporary set-back rather than a reason to give up altogether.”
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Features
Social media threatens students’ social skills Story by Jamie Hasenyager - Photographer jamie.hasenyager@hhsnews.com When walking through the halls, students are rarely seen without their phone in hand, texting or tweeting. These days, there seems to be an App out there for everything and a way to connect with everyone. We share feelings, pictures, jokes; we share our lives. But, with so many ways to stay in touch with people around us, are we really more distant than ever? “I talk to my friends more on my phone than I do in person,” said senior Sabrina Young . “It’s just easier and quicker.” According to a recent survey, six out of 10 students agreed that social media takes up too much of their time. They admit to spending most of their day going back and forth between sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr, updating all day. “I usually check for new updates every hour, especially if I’m not doing anything in class,” said senior Haley Cogan.
According to a Case Western Reserve School of Medicine study, teens who spend excessive amounts of time texting and networking are associated with greater risk for unhealthy behaviors or mental health problems. Updating a status or creating a tweet gives one the ability to share what is on their mind or how they are feeling. Many sites allow someone to create a profile that describes their personality through certain styles and posts. These sites have made it simple to find friends and they even suggest similar people someone may or may not know to add. “I have over 1,000 friends on Facebook, but I am only friends with a quarter of them. The rest are just classmates and acquaintances,” said senior Kendra Murray. Studies show that teens who spend more time on their phones tend to have less to say to their parents which causes conflict in the home. They also show that 11.5 percent of students hyper-network, or spend more
than three hours per school day on social networking sites. This causes more homework at night which also keeps a student from conversing with their family. Teenagers these days have the ability to get ahold of any of their friends at any time, day or night. However, senior Jon Poole feels that the constant use of social web sites will have a long term impact.
“Our group social skills will be terrible in the future because we will be dependant on social media sites to interact with others.” - Jon Poole
66% send private messages via social networking
73% of teens are on a social network
86% of social networking teens directly comment to friends
27% of teens use their phone to go online
93% of teens 58% send IM or texts using ages 12-17 their social go online site
69% of teens have their own computer
63% of teen internet users go online everyday
Students in relationships have differing motives Story by Lara Floyd - Staff Writer & Photographer lara.floyd@hhsnews.com In a study conducted in 2009, approximately one in 23 people suffer from a single to a variety of phobias in the United States. “The best thing to do when a phobia maneuvers it’s way into your life is to seek professional help, such as a therapist. There are healthy ways to cope,” said Psychologist Scott Maid. Isolophobia, or better known as autophobia or monophobia, is defined as the fear of being alone. This phobia is not very common among adolescents, but it appears in junior Aaron Schrock’s life. “I have a deep seated fear of being alone for the rest of my life,” said Schrock. Though Schrock displays a common reason for relationships that occur in high school, senior Elizabeth Sand-
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A young couples holds hands in the hallway as they travel to their next class. Photo by Lara Floyd.
ers has emotional reasonings for her relationship with senior Zach Oryall. “I would rather be in a relationship because my boyfriend will always be there for me and he won’t let me down. Even when we are angry at each other, I know he will still be there,” said senior Elizabeth Sanders. Despite the fact that the
building is filled with affectionate young couples, lone students are scattered throughout the hallways and classrooms. More often than not, being unattached is a preference for some high school students. “I don’t mind being single because there is no worrying about anyone except for you and there is more time for myself,” said senior Kelsey Vandervort.
Though you can not always recognize a relationship status by looking at a person, characteristics displayed can be an indicator of who is single and who is not. Yet there are alternatives to both a relationship and being forever alone. A “flirtationship” is described as regularly flirting with an acquaintance or friend but do no more. It is common for these
situations to lead to more, but it often sets someone down the path of heartbreak. Some students, like junior Lauren Baumhoff support the idea of a flirtationship and participate in the acts of it. “I would much rather have a flirtationship. It’s so much easier because you don’t have any rules and you can talk to anyone you want,” said Baumhoff. Every student has their own opinion or no preference to relationships that they are in or around. This does not exclude teachers and staff members in the school. Communication Arts teacher Brian Bliss does not mind a mild showing of PDA such as holding hands, but prefers that to be the only display. “I’m alright with holding hands, but if your love is not strong enough to last 45 minutes while in class, then you should end it,” said Bliss.
the pride
Features
Organizations create event to help students out Bright Futures, Senior Mania aim to decrease prom expenses for juniors, seniors Story by Maria Sanchez Editor-in-Chief maria.sanchez@hhsnews.com According to denverpost.com, the average cost of prom for students is $1,078. To help greatly decrease the large amount of money that would be spent on prom, student organizations are preparing an affordable one for juniors and seniors. Bright Futures and Senior Mania are coming together to create The Prom Closet on Saturday, March 9 for students interested in having an affordable prom this year.
The Prom Closet will be full of items ranging from dresses and suits to accessories like shoes and clutches. Students who are juniors and seniors that are in possession of a valid I.D. are allowed to shop at this event. According to the Representative of Educators on Bright Futures Sarah Cummings, the event was created in hopes of giving students assistance. “Bright Futures wanted to provide support for kids who might not be able to afford the expenses associated with prom,” said Cummings. “To make sure all juniors and seniors have the opportunity to go to prom.”
A Facebook page was started to promote The Prom Closet and invite students to donate prom attire.
To accomplish this goal, many items are needed not only for the women but also for the men. “I think what will be the hardest to find will be for the men,” said Cummings. Suit jackets and ties are items Bright Futures and Senior Mania hope to receive in donations. Students and community members are being encouraged to donate any prom or wedding apparel for the event. A Facebook event page and flyers are helping to publicize the event. Several schools are being asked to become involved but it is unsure who will be helping
out just yet. With each donation a student makes, their name will be placed into a drawing. The winner of this drawing will win a free prom ticket. According to Cummings, the prom ticket is meant to encourage students to help out their fellow peers. “It provides incentive for people to donate something,” said Cummings. Donations can be given to the Harrisonville United Methodist Church, the Administration Office or at the high school up until Friday, March 8.
Harrisonville’s Rae’s Boutique donated jewelry for The Prom Closet event. Photo by Maria Sanchez.
Flyers were created to get the word out about the event.
Senior Mania representative Kathy Sanchez and Bright Futures Educator Sarah Cummings met and brainstormed ideas for The Prom Closet. Photo by Maria Sanchez.
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Sports
Year-round athletes struggle to multitask
Story by Madi Phillips Staff Writer madi.phillips@hhsnews.com Sophomore Logan Teal faces challenges year long with his schedule being consumed with baseball throughout the year, as well as football in the fall and basketball in the winter. “The only time that it really is hard is basketball season because we have two to six games a week,” said Teal. “And although baseball season never stops for me, I put my best effort to be there and work hard everyday whatever sport or season it is.” The 2012 season for football went into the playoffs which led to overlap the beginning of the following basketball season, causing problems for Teal. “When football goes into playoffs, basketball has already started,” said Teal. “I always find myself falling asleep early on weekends just trying to catch up on it.” Senior Brook Riley has the same troubles as Teal, finding
herself drained of energy and her time being crowded. “Although it keeps me in shape, I have less time for my home life as well as not much time for school,” said Riley. Riley participates in volleyball during the fall, basketball in the winter and track and field in the spring. The only breaks between sports Riley has is during the school year for about a week when sports seasons are transitioning and during summer. Even then, she participates in sports camps, as does Teal who plays on a showcase baseball team. Riley thinks there should be more of a gap between the seasons for those who are in sports throughout the year. She has troubles with acquiring shin splints and other various injuries without having time to tend to them or let them heal before having to go into another sport, one after another. “There should be a break between sports for the athletes who condition and train all year long because I know from
Brook Riley not only played volleyball in the fall, but now plays basketball. If she takes the same route as last year, she will start track this spring. Photo by Jamie Hasenyager
experience how stressful it can be on someone’s body. I always get shin splints,” said Riley.
break in between his sports. “I don’t feel like I should get much of a break because it keeps me busy. But I do think when you’re playing a sport or in the season, the coaches from your other sports shouldn’t be trying to make you go to things for their sport. I will be all in when it comes to that sport [I am playing currently],” said Teal. One thing Teal and Riley have in common is the short amount of time to do homework outside of school. “The only times I have for homework is when I fit it into my schedule or completing it on the bus ride to my games,” said Teal. As for Riley, she finishes as much of her homework she is capable of doing without having sports interfere after school when she would normally complete it. Riley and Teal agree with each other- year round sports are difficult to keep up with, tiring and time consuming.
Yet, Teal has a his own point of view when it comes to whether or not he deserves a
Common Sports Injuries: treatment, prevention Concussion
Rotator Cuff Injury Dislocated Shoulder Shoulder Impingement
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Back: Scoliosis Sciatica
Hip Flexor Strain Thighs: Hamstring Strain Groin Strain Thigh Strain
Calf Strain
Shin Splints
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Prevention:
Bruised Heel Plantar Fasciitis Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
Knees: Iliotibial Band Syndrome Jumper’s Knee Medial Ligament Sprain
Ankle Sprain
Information from Injury Sports Clinic.net
-Stretching daily and after exercising -Establish a warm-up routine prior to strenuous exercise, such as gently running in place for a couple of minutes. -Start an exercise program in consultation with your doctor.
Symptoms:
-Swelling, bruising or redness -Pain at rest -Pain when the specific muscle or the joint in relation to that muscle is used -Weakness of the muscle or tendons -Inability to use the muscle at all
Treatments: -Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs -Other medicines can be used to relieve the pain -Physical therapy -Protection, rest, ice, compression, and elevation -Go to a doctor for further treatment Information from WebMD.com
the pride
Sports
Superbowl XLVII
Brothers face-off for first time in the NFL’s biggest game Story by Tyler Cardinal- Staff Writer tyler.cardinal@hhsnews.com
Two brothers, two different teams both wanting their victory at Super Bowl XLVII. Jim Harbaugh and John Harbaugh will face off at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. Both the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers have both had successful seasons this year The 49ers season record is 11-4-1. The Ravens have gone 10-6-0. During the divisional round of the playoffs the 49ers beat the Packers 45-31, and then moved on to play the Falcons for the NFC championship and won 28-24. The Ravens beat the Patriots for the AFC championship with a score of 28-13.
“Well, I don’t think you ever put your family aside. But yeah, we have a job to do. All of us have a job to do.” Ravens’ Head Coach John Harbaugh
“The opponent we’re playing is the opponent. We have to prepare. It doesn’t matter who the coach is, or what relationship you have with somebody on the opposite side.” 49ers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh
42%
58% Students were asked who they beleived would win on Sunday. Most favored San Fransisco 58 percent to 42 percent.
Baltimore Ravens, AFC Super Bowl XLVII Site: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans. When: Sunday, February 3. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 EST/5:30 CST. On TV: CBS On the web: Superbowl.com the pride
San Fransisco 49ers, NFC
Fun Super Bowl Facts A Super Bowl can bring $150 Fans consume 1.23 billion Million dollars to an area. chicken wings on Super Bowl Sunday.
Last year’s Super Bowl had the most viewers in history, a total of 111.3 million
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Budget uses for new walls confuse us This staff editorial refelcts the opinions of the majority of The Pride staff. After returning from the nearly two week winter break, HHS students filed in promptly before 7:30 on that on Tuesday, January 3, morning looking around them agast. Whispers and mixed emotions traveled fast amongst the HHS crowd. With the new grey paint job, the Pride staff couldn’t help but think to ourselves: Are they trying make this place more like a dark ominous prison? The next thing we thought was: Why are they using school funding to aid a pointless and most definitely unneeded paint job? We couldn’t help but conclude that the Mayan had obivoiusly come and captured
The decision was recently made to paint the main halls and halls outside the Library Media Center gray. Photo by Alison Krenzer.
their common sense. But as much as we would enjoy turning this column into a school funding mishap rant, we will leave those chips at the table and resolve that not only does the new paint job make our school darker in this already sparsely-windowed establishment, but in all essence from
a very opinionated standpoint- it doesn’t really improve the look of our school. More so than anything else we cannot help but ask why they were painted in the first place? Even more concerning: Why does the upper grey stripe trail off before ever even reaching the 100 wing and 300 wing
hallways? We have grown accustomed to the grey wall lifestyle since its grand opening, that January 3 morning but we leave you with this: Why should we have had to grow accustomed to its hideousness in the first place?
Human rights rise above homosexual, herterosexual
Column by Madi Dahn Staff Writer madi.dahn@hhsnews.com I love hearing everyone’s opinions on gay rights, mostly because I look forward to hearing my favorite excuse; “It goes against the Bible.” Well how
nice for you; so do most things that people do. Anyone can look around the school and find an example of those things at any time of the day too. In the Bible, it says to “love your neighbors.” Last time I checked, that means all of them, rather you like them or not. Whether they are gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual, black, white, or whatever they could be. It amazes me how people, even Christians, seem to find that to be a pretty pick-and-choose rule. In Washington, the Episcopalian church has made a decision allowing Bishops to decide whether or not their churches will perform same-
sex marriages. I promise if the churches themselves can quit using the Bible excuse, get over it, and accept it, so can you. However, I still do not understand why people think that it is any of their business in the first place. Until gay people start going around and trying to take away your rights, back off. Same-sex couples are currently denied the rights to marry or divorce in 41 states. The right to adopt or win custody of children, be “next of kin” for hospital visits and inheritance, and various legal protection, all of which are rights given to heterosexual couples, are also withheld from gay couples. It seems that we do restrict the
rights to same-sex couples just as we would restrict the rights of animals or minors. I have never been able to succumb to that belief that straight members of society are superior or should have any domination over gay members. Maybe it is the way I was raised or the people I spent my time around, but I do not get it, and believe I never will no matter the countless arguments I am exposed to. The same goes for any other class, race, or sexual orientation of a person; if you would not take away rights of your best friend, you should not be taking any away from any other person.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Guidelines
Have an opinion on something in this issue?
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-Letters should not exceed 300 words. -Letters will not be printed if content is obscene, inva- Letters must be signed by the author sive, encouraging description of school and/or implies and verified. libel. - Letters are submitted to room 304 or -Letters may be edited for length, grammar, spelling, Mr. Lewis’ mailbox. and content. -Letter must include the author’s phone -Authors will be notified if any changes are made to the number and e-mail for verification. letter by the editorial staff.
Submit a letter, and tell us about it!
Opinion
School shooting calls for solutions
Column by Nick Campbell Columnist nick.campbell@hhsnews.com School shootings are an increasing problem in our society. Although precautions are taken to keep the school secure, it is obviously not enough if these acts of violence are still happening. Throughout history there have been numerous school shootings. it is on the other most inhuman and cowardly actions that anyone can take. In the recent months there was a shooting in Connecticut at Sandy Hook Elementary school on December 14, 2012 that left 20 first grade students and six faculty members dead. Upon research from February 12, 2010 to January 15, 2013 there were 25 school shootings, nine of which occurred in a university. Even with the tragedy that happened at Virginia Tech, I was bothered by the fact it took an elementary school shooting for the government to take action. One of my solutions is to arm the teachers. If the teachers would have extensive background checks, undergo mental stability tests and be given training for the firearm then maybe there would be better protection against the threat of an intruder. Another solution is to ban the class three weapons. Class three weapons require special licenses in order to obtain them. These weapons include automatic weapons and firearms. By simply taking away a select few weapons from the arsenal of a deranged person this will greatly increase the safety and decrease the amount of firepower they can get ahold of. Both of these solutions would greatly increase the safety of schools nationwide.
the pride
r e t n i W
Features
Homecoming
More often than not, students that attend school dances bring their significant others, best friends, or a crush as their date. For the 2013 Winter Homecoming, senior candidates have released who their dream dates would be if they could have any person in the world to accompany them to the dance and why they would enjoy their presence.
Tay
lor Spenc “Zachary er Levi- the v oice of Fly Tangled. H nn Rider o e has an a n ttractive v ny charac oice, funters, a sens e of humor overly attr . He’s not active, he’s cute.”
r ris Hannah Haa big Har-
- I’m “Hans Solo g . He’s youn n fa d r o F n riso weet ride.” and has a s
Cheyene
“Paul Walk
Atkinson
er because
he’s hot.”
Lexi Eghbali
ng- H
“Joe Cramer- He’s gorgeous and a baller. I could go on and on.”
ell
d Jackson Ru
Josh Hawley
o- because c u o C y le a “K the Big she plays on ry.” Bang Theo
“My girlfriend, Alyssa Hopkinsbecause I don’t need anyone else.”
Walter Eastwood
autiful.”
“Jessica Alba- She’s be the pride
emmer Cour tney L e’s so attractive.”
“Ryan Gosli
Le
“Baile vi Ande e Sand r y- We son going ’re to love he get married r.” and I
Casey Hofer
“Emma Stone- She’s perfe She’s the most attractiv ct. on the face of the planet.e person ”
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