Issue 4

Pride The nhs works to help end teen dating abuse pg. 5 Harrisonville High School | hhsnews.com| Wednesday, March 11, 2015 | Volume XVII, Issue iv

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Attendance impacts school accrediation, students Story by Cheyenne Valencia cheyenne.valencia@hhsnews.com

Over the years, it has become more acceptable to miss school, but as the fourth quarter approaches, many students may not realize the slippery slope they are riding as their credits are at risk of termination.

Per semester, students are allotted eight days of absence, after which their credits will be taken away and they are left to face either the Appeals committee, summer school or credit recovery.

“I feel like [the eight days] are okay but also, life does happen outside of school, and they should be more considerate of that,” said senior Tayrn Huskey.

Some students feel that as long as they are getting good grades, then their attendance should not be a big deal.

“I’ve always gotten As and Bs despite how much school I miss, so I don’t see why they should

take my credits away based on my attendance when I am still making up the work,” said Huskey.

Other students, as well as administrators, think the attendance policy is a way to encourage students to come to school and is necessary to a student’s success.

“I think it is a good idea because it emphasizes the importance of being in school,” said junior Darian Bailey. “It shows there is a consequence to not showing up and motivates students to be here.”

Principal Andy Campbell agrees that you cannot miss school without facing consequences.

“I think [eight days] is plenty, especially when you consider school related things and medical issues do not count towards that total; it is really personal days,” said Campbell. “There are very few jobs as an adult where you can miss 16 days without repercussions.”

Despite how students feel, there

is rhyme and reason behind the attendance policy. The school has certain requirements to keep their accreditation, and even though attendance is only one factor, it still has an impact. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MSIP5) states that the school is required to keep 90 percent of students at a 90 percent attendance rate for the whole year, which is where the school’s attendance policy originated.

Currently, our school attendance stands at 728 students having 90 percent attendance, which puts the school at 83 percent of students with 90 percent. There are 73 students who will be at 90 percent if they do not miss another day this year, and 65 students who will not make 90 percent this year. Should the school not hit the MSIP attendance goal, points toward accreditation will be lost.

Missing more than the allotted 16

days can be scary, but there is hope.

Students may go before the Appeals committee or attend summer school to regain these lost credits.

“Going through the Appeals committee you can either be given back your credits and be put on probation, have no credits awarded or you can be awarded all credits without probation,” said Campbell.

Despite what the school offers as a way to make up credits lost due to attendance, it has become clear that attendance just has to become a priority.

“It’s got to first be important to parents; we need to educate parents of the potential risk of not attending school,” said Campbell. “[Poor attendance] has a direct correlation to not being successful later in life and puts them at a risk for dropping out. Second, we have to educate students and create an environment that makes kids want to be here.”

Students have right to safe environment Story by Jacob Filer jacobfiler@hhsnews.com

In light of the recent drug searches at the school, many students are wondering what are their rights concerning their property and the school’s ability to search their personal possessions.

According to Assistant Principal Mark Rorvig, the drug problem in Harrisonville is definitely an issue that needs further addressing.

“Every student deserves to be in a drug-free learning zone,” said Rorvig. “It is our responsibility as teachers and administrators to provide that environment for our students.”

If a student is found with drugs, there is a variety of different outcomes, but they all end with suspension.

“If we find a student in possession or under the influence of illegal substances, we will typically suspend the student 10 days out of school (as per the student handbook) and refer them for a long-term suspension,” said Rorvig. “A long term suspension could lead to a suspension of up to 180 school days.”

According the Supreme Court case, New Jersey v. T.L.O, school districts have a responsibility “to provide a safe school environment.”

The court also decided that it

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Photo by Luke Brines The student handbook outlines the actions administrators can take when students are suspected of having or have been found with illegal drugs.

was reasonable for a school district to search a student's property if illegal contraband was “in plain view.”

Along those same lines, the school district has a variety of options for students who are under the influence of illegal substances.

“If we are under a reasonable suspicion that a student is under the influence of an illegal substance, we can require a student to be drug tested before they are allowed to attend classes,” said Rorvig. “It can also be added as a stipulation for re-entry in lieu of a longer suspension.”

Rorvig does admit that sometimes the measures taken by the district may seem extreme,

but they are also necessary.

“No matter what we decide, our main concern is to find a solution to correct the behavior and assure that it will not happen again,” said Rorvig. “We take what may seem like drastic measures because we do not want drugs in our school, and our students deserve to be educated in a drug free environment.”

Because the district strives to provide a safe learning environment for students, it also reserves the right to require students who have been suspended to pass a drug test before re-entering school.

“If we have a reasonable suspicion that a student is in pos-

session, has distributed or is under the influence of drugs, then we are legally justified in having a student provide a clean drug test before they are allowed to re-enter school,” said Rorvig.

Along with drug tests, the school district is also justified in searching cars on its property. According to School Board Policy JFCH, the school district is allowed to search property if it hassuspicion of “possession of alcohol, drugs, drug paraphernalia or any illegal contraband that is prohibited on school property.”

The majority of teachers are in favor of these rights, and think that they are practical and useful.

“I think it is totally okay that we have that right,” said Rhoney. “The children are too young to own illegal substances, so it makes sense that we should be able to search the kids.”

Junior Dakota Mathew agrees with the teachers on this issue.

“I think it is good for our safety,” said Mathew. “Because the stuff they are searching for is illegal, I think it’s okay that they can search us.”

About the Pride Editor-in-Chief: Madi Dahn

Managing Editor: Brently Probasco Copy Editor: Ali Schmidt Online Editor: Kayley Brock Feature Editor: Elizabeth Thayer News Editor: Emily Priesendorf Sports Editor: Joe Cramer Opinion Editor: Bethany Travis Photo Editor: Jessie Poisal Video Editor: Casey Ambrozi Adviser: Virginia DeVenney Staff Members: Dylan Flanner Luke Brines Delaynie Getty Austin Limback Dalton Hayden Jacob Filer Coressa Ervin Cheyenne Valencia

Harrisonville High School 1504 E. Elm Harrisonville, MO 64701 Phone: (816)380-3273

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.3

Preparation is necessary for success on EOC, AP tests

Because of how much these tests cover, they take more preparation. Most teachers are completely willing to give students as much help as they need for the tests. Although their help can be limited by the rules that they are required to follow, they can assist with preparations.

Murray claims that it is not just about the day of the test, but also about the day before.

“I always stay hydrated on the day before, and I am sure to get a good night’s sleep,” said Murray. “When I wake up on the day of the test I eat a big breakfast.”

There are a lot of things about these tests that separate them from your normal end-of-unit tests. They are longer, more difficult and even have time limits “The most difficult thing is probably finishing with-

in the time constraints,” said Murray. “If you get bogged down on one question, it can affect the rest of the test.”

There are several reasons that these tests are such a big deal among school districts.

Not only do students have to do everything they can to prepare, but teachers also have to make sure that all of their students are getting the information that they need.

“The most stressful part of EOC and AP tests for me is making sure that my kids have everything they need,” said math teacher Josh Bebout.

Bebout teaches AP statistics. AP stats takes a lot of work and information to get ready for the AP test, making it among the most stressful classes available to students.

“Students need to ensure that they are doing all of the class work that is asked leading up to the test,” said Bebout. “Use every study guide that is available to you.”

“That is just for this semester, and it is based on funding available for this year only.”

As to whether or not the same scenario will play out next year, that is still unknown.

“Funding for the next school year for the A-Plus program will depend on the budget that is appropriated by the general assembly during this session,” said Coleman. “They will establish the budget in May, so we will know more when the budget is finalized.”

This has brought about a lot of uncertainty for seniors still deciding on where to go to college. Senior Sarah Cass is now reluctant to attend community college.

“Knowing that [community college] might not be free, I’d rather go ahead and spend money and go to a university with a better rep,” said Cass.

Senior Keeli Morgan plans to attend Longview Community College this fall. She is not as concerned about the possibility of paying for some of her tuition.

“Every little bit helps,” said Morgan. “I mean, even if they can’t pay for all of it, at least they are paying as much as they can.”

Senior Laura Hamilton partook in the A-Plus program her senior year; however, she is not planning to attend a community college to receive two free years of her education. Instead, she participated for different reasons. “[I took A-Plus to] share my knowledge and guide young students and see if being a teacher is in my future plans,” said Hamilton.

Over the past few years, the A-Plus program requirements have changed. Starting with the class of 2015, stu-

dents are now required to have a proficient or advanced on the Algebra I EOC or get a 17 on the ACT to be eligible for the program. Another change was that students no longer had to complete a required number of hours of community service.

“When they took out the community service requirement I was upset about it,” said A-Plus coordinator Rhonda Hendrickson. “Farnsworth informed me that it was a local decision.”

With that, the state of Missouri has also seen an increase in the number of students who are taking advantage of the scholarship the A-Plus program offers. Because of this, the requirements all over have been changing and the among the state can put into the program has been reduced.

Despite the possibility of students not receiving all of their

Story by Dylan Flanner dylan.flanner@hhsnews.com

Long nights of cramming, unhealthy intakes of caffeine and wearing sweats to school are all things that students can relate to this time of the year, which is full of tests and exams.

Senior Jacob Murray has taken several EOCs and AP exams during his high school career. He offers advice to students who are bracing for this season of tests.

“Preparation is key,” said Murray. “Do everything you can to prepare during the week of a test.”

According to Murray, he always brings everything that he needs for the test so that he does not have to borrow anything, making for less worry.

“I have a bag of pencils, and I make sure they are all sharpened,” said Murray. “I also have black pens for AP tests. I always make sure to have erasers for errors and to have my calculator charged.”

Photo by Luke Brines Advance Placement tests and End of Course exams will occur in April and May; it is suggested that students take the time to prepare.

Bebout is a firm believer that these tests can really help a student’s future when college nears.

“Try hard in school so you can succeed in your future,” said Bebout.

Not only is it important to prepare for these tests, but it also is important to manage the stress that comes with them.

“The most stressful thing is having an outside source making the test,” said senior Annie DevVenney. “You do not know what to expect style wise. you know how your teacher writes a test but not a stranger.”

Not only is the unknown style of the test stressful, but the actual taking of the test can be the most stressful thing.

“During the testing just stay calm,” said DeVenney. “Do not freak yourself out. Relax.”

Just a little more preparation can reduce enough stress to help a student out on a test tremendously. Relaxing and taking your time can be beneficial. Slow and steady can win the race.

A-Plus funds and the changes in requirements, Hendrickson still has faith in the program.

“I think it’s a very good program that everyone should take full advantage of,” said Hendrickson.

More so, there are universities and state colleges throughout Missouri that offer their own private scholarships for participating in the A-Plus program during high school. Colleges such as Truman State University offer scholarships to students who have completed the 50 hours of tutoring and participated in their school’s program.

Other schools with similar scholarships include Northwest Missouri State University, Avila University, Missouri State Univeristy and Culver Stockton University.

A-Plus program experiences cut

Story by Emily Priesendorf emily.priesendorf@hhsnews.com

After engaging in 50 hours of unpaid tutoring and expecting two years of free community college in return, students participating in the A-Plus program during high school are now realizing this “free college” may not actually be free.

Last fall, current community college students received a letter from the state of Missouri stating they would have to come up with the funds to pay for some of the tuition for this year’s spring term.

“For this current semester, because of a funding shortfall, [college] students who use the A-Plus program will have to cover the cost of 1 credit hour,” said Liz Coleman, spokesperson for the Missouri Department of Higher Education.

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The Pride

4.news

Students should be reluctant to drop out

more in his life than a dropout.

On the contrary, a college graduate makes almost $1,000,000 more than a high school drop out.

So we can agree that graduating high school is probably a good idea? Going to college or a techStory by Jacob Filer nical school is an even better idea. jacob.filer@hhsnews.com Unrelated to academics, dropouts usually have more problems later in life. According to DoSomething, 75 percent of all crimes committed in the United States are committed by high school dropouts. An incentive that could drive them to crime is the inability find a job or the below average income that leads to poverty. The only way that dropouts are able to survive, is to become involved in crime, There is a certain stigma which slowly escalates over time. about a 35-year-old man work- College and the real world are ing at McDonalds. The awkward- less structured than high school. If ness surrounding this encoun- you work hard in high school, you ter mostly stems from the fact already have already developed efthat one does not simply end up fective study habits and self disciin a fast food joint with a high pline. In high school, you can rely school degree. How did he man- on teachers for help to remind you age to get to that place in life? when homework or tests are due.

Well, dropping out of high school In college, you are completely self was most likely the first step. reliant and responsible for your Hard work in high school af- own grades, studying and conferfects more in your life than you encing with your teacher. There would think. It is much harder are no blue passes, platinum cards to get a job with a poor GPA or or fourth hours. It is all on you. being a dropout, you are more Over the past few years, collikely to make more money if lege tuition prices have been you graduate high school or col- steadily increasing. It is getting lege, and you are more likely to significantly harder to pay for colgo to jail if you are a dropout. lege out of pocket or using loans Jobs these days are becoming with steep interest. The impormore and more competitive and tance of academic scholarships require further education than in has increased mainly because of years past. Today, it is often re- tuition increases. If a student does quested, if not demanded, that not do well in high school, the students get at least a bachelor’s, odds of them getting an academif not a master’s degree in their de- ic scholarship are slim to none. sired field, whereas in the 80s or All in all, academic success 90s, it was acceptable to get an as- in high school affects the rest of sociate’s degree to be successful. your life. It affects the ability to The job market is a very competi- get a job, the ability to be successtive market, so to be a competitive ful in college and, in some cases, member of the job market, it is your ability to stay out of jail. As a good idea to go to college and students, we feel that high school get at least a bachelor’s degree. does not really matter. But the mis Academic success in high takes we make in high school can school is very important because follow us for the rest of our lives the standard for college-bound stu- and diminish our future potential. dents is much higher. In fact, the average college freshman’s GPA is 3.81, compared to the average high school GPA of 2.91. And if you really are contemplating dropping out, think of this: A high school graduate earns $200,000

The Pride

Bright Futures funds snack pantry

Story by Kayley Brock

kayley.brock@hhsnews.com

There are many children in the school district that are dealing with hunger on a day-today basis. Thirty-six percent of HHS students are on free- or reduced-lunch plans because their families cannot afford the financial burden of buying their kids lunch.

Bright Futures has started the snack pantry initiative to give high school students who are hungry access to food when they need it. Currently there are 25 staff members in the building who already keep food for students.

Having the snack pantry will keep those individuals from having to purchase food with their own money.

“We currently have teachers, counselors and Mr. Campbell who recognize the issue with student hunger,” said Bright Futures chair member Christie Mangan. “These staff members have already identified students who may need snacks during the day. They have been providing snacks and paying for them. We wanted to keeping the current system in place so students would still know where snacks would be available.

But, Bright Futures wanted to relieve the staff members and administration of personal financial burden. We surveyed the participants to see which snack items were most popular.”

According to Director of Communications Jill Filer, Bright Futures will provide snacks for those 25 staff members to keep in their rooms. There will be a Bright Futures sign near the teacher’s door so that students know the teacher has snacks.

“I have three kids of my own,” said Mangan. “The thought of them or any other students in the district being hungry is upsetting.

I can’t imagine the difficulty in being able to be a successful and functional student while worrying about being hungry. And how to go about asking for and receiving food.”

According to Mangan, they received a financial donation from the Harrisonville Rotary Club of $250 and approximately $70 from a coin drive at HHS, which was planned and organized by Bright Futures student members, Katy Eddleman and Holly Hartzler. Bright Futures has also reached out to their faithbased connections to receive donations from them to keep the program running for years to come.

They would be recieving already prepackaged items from the churches.

“We are hoping to meet the need of hungry students and remove the reluctance of asking,” said Mangan.

“The pantry is there to meet a need.”

According to District Social Worker Jennifer Beavers, research shows that if our bodies are hungry we will not be able to do many things as well as when our bodies are not hungry. By having snacks available to students in need during the school day, kids should be able to stay more focused, be more alert and increase their overall academic comprehension and performance.

If you are student in need of a snack or food in general, staff members who have food on their classrooms are: Andy Campbell, Ryan Schinstock, Marilyn Charlton, Kari Bliss, Michael Culpepper, Roseann Hoffman, Sarah Cummings, Charles Peters, Jenny Wickstrom, Brain Bliss, Jake Kohl, Gina Eberle, Virginia DeVenney, Tim Phelan, Carol Millin, Dennis Kocher, Kip Mathew, Rachael Lindsay, Kelly Lewis, AnnettaMarie Snowden, Jennifer Vellenga, Susan Michon, Jonathan Benson, Kim Wilhelmson and Logan Kelim.

Stop complaining about school food Story by Madi Dahn

madi.dahn@hhsnews.com

“Thanks, Obama.” Seriously, people? If you want to complain about ISIS or something and use this phrase, I suppose that makes a little more sense, but to yell it because you are unsatisfied with the quality of your chicken sandwich at lunch . . . I promise there are better things to worry about.

Here is the thing, school lunches are not there for everyone to enjoy a gourmet meal; they exist for people to eat.

Nationally, there is the Free and Reduced Price Lunch program, so that students whose

families do not have sufficient income do not have to drop $54 per kid per month for them to eat lunch. That does not include any other drinks or a cookie for a bad day, if you feel like it.

So, $54 a month for nine months, adds up to about $486 a year. Maybe that does not seem like much for a while’s worth of food, but there are more important things that money could be spent on to a lot of people: rent, groceries, a coat.

Thirty-six percent of students here are on free/reduced lunch.

When these students go home, some of them are a part of the backpack program so they are provided food at home. If the need for food is present for students at home, it is here at school too.

For some students, a school lunch will be the only meal they get all day. If that was you getting one meal a day, you would not be complaining about it.

No, we do not have the best quality food in the world. A five star chef does not cook up the

food that goes home in backpacks either, but that does not matter as long as there is something to eat.

I am not your mom, so I will not pull the “a child in Africa would be so grateful to have that food, so shut up and eat it,” and I do not need to. There is a child probably right next to you that would be so grateful to have that food that you complain about because it is not fine dining.

I am not saying there could not be some improvement, I would be perfectly up for that.

But, it is not like we are eating dog food or road kill, and yes, I have heard people say that.

Ultimately, no one is forcing you to eat school food. If you are content with it, all the better. If not, bring your lunch. It really is that simple of an answer. I am just thankful that if I do not have time or resources to make my lunch, I know that I can get one at school.

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news.5

NHS brings awareness on dating violence

Story by Delaynie Getty delaynie.getty@hhsnews.com

Abuse could be happening to anyone around you. That perfect couple you see in the hallway might not actually be so perfect behind closed doors. Abuse is more common than most would think. According to the website Love is Respect, one in three adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner.

As teenage abuse is becoming more and more common, it is important to stay informed about the risks and safety precautions to take when dealing with abusive relationships. Abuse can come in many different forms.

Whether it be physical, emotional or sexual, all forms of abuse are equally detrimental.

A student within the high school who prefers to remain anonymous has shared her story about a relationship that took a turn for the worse. Abusive relationships do not always start out abusive; they s can progress to this level. s “I dated a man who seemed . sweet at first; he was extremel ly obsessed with me,” said an a anonymous source. “Not gete ting any attention from anyone ” else and being depressed, I liked e how much he liked me. But then, o o n .

Story by Jessica Posial d I jessica.posial@hhsnews.com . g , . g e f s t e I .

You always wear long sleeves so no one can see the bruises on your wrists or your arms. You plaster on makeup to hide your

he started to yell at me over the smallest things, tell me what to do and completely control me like a puppet and a puppeteer. Soon after he was not just yelling and controlling, he was full on beating the crap out of me, leaving bruises, welts and just wanting to hurt me. He would get overly angry at me for stupid, small things.”

If your relationship turns abusive, it is important to know how to handle it. Whether it is taking care of it yourself, telling someone you trust who can help your situation or calling an abuse hotline, your safety should be the top priority. That may also mean ending the relationship.

“I had to just break up with him over text; for most people they frown on that but it was for the better that way,” said anonymous. “I had stood up for myself and told him I didn’t like the way he was treating me, and that I didn’t like him anymore.

He blew up all my messages for a week or so after I had sent that, and I just ignored him. He told me he was going to find me. Yes, I was scared but all I had to do was tell him that if he ever came near me the cops were going to be involved. Then he stopped.”

Because national statistics indicate that situations like this are far too common, the members of National Honor Society

felt they should spread abuse awareness within our school.

Consequently, they decided to educate students throughout February, which was Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month.

“It was brought to our attention that there was dating vio-

lence in our school, so we knew that something needed to happen,” said senior NHS president Sydney Hoffman. “We [had] help from outside of NHS and the school to make it a success. People do not know that dating violence is prevalent, especially in Harrisonville. I think that raising awareness for this will prevent it from happening or help someone to stand up for themselves in a similar situation.”

Although teenage abuse is not a new issue, it has become so common that Congress ad-

NHS did activities around the school for students to understand and acknowledge the fact that abusive relationships are not acceptable and that there is always help for anyone in need of guidance.

“We tied orange ribbons on car antennas, started a Hope Haven drive, put valentines on lockers,” said Hoffman.

Hoffman says that student response to NHS efforts have been positive.

“I think students are reacting well,” said Hoffman.

“Some cars still have the rib-

black eyes, but it is even harder to disguise the way you flinch at any quick movement. Your smile is always the first to fade.

You make sure to avoid mirrors so that you do not have to look at yourself in disgust. You are afraid to go hang out with your friends because your significant other will get upset and pick a fight. Every time someone jokes about abuse you force yourself to laugh the loudest and the longest so no one will suspect your secret.

According to the website Love is Respect, these difficulties are the realities to one out of three teenagers; however, it has become an all too common joke between

couples. Girls and guys alike suffer from the harassment from their significant other time and time again, yet my boyfriend tends to crack jokes about me being the “abusive one” in our relationship.

When students joke about being abused it is usually the physical sense, but there other forms of the violence. An abusive relationship is where “One partner exerts power and control over the other.” This is more than the physical abuse. Abuse can be making verbal threats or comments to the victim. It could also be isolation from friends and family. When students make a joke the fail to take into consideration

the harm the hurtful words and controlling attitude could entail.

They allow abuse to be passed off as someone’s “personality” or blame it on the victim.

Teenage youth are at a higher risk of being in an abusive relationship. Violent behaviors begin around the ages of 12 to 18 years old. Because 72 percent of eighth and ninth graders say they are dating, this increases the chance of abusive relationships.

With the probability of abusive relationships so high, why would we joke about this issue when there is a chance that the person sitting next to us is in an abusive relationship

dressed the issue in an act.

Abuse has become so extensive over the years that Congress dedicated the first week of February to bring awareness to teen dating abuse in 2005, and in 2010, the whole month of February was dedicated to the cause.

Photo by Jessie Poisal

The week of Valentine’s Day, NHS posted hearts of encouragement on all the lockers and in various spots within the school.

bons on them, valentines are still up and we have some items for Hope Haven. So I would say that awareness is being brought and our efforts are paying off.”

One in ten high school students have been purposely abused by a significant other and only 33 percent of teens who have been in abusive relationships have ever informed someone about the abuse, according to the website of Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month.

“I stayed in the abusive relationship because I was depressed; I didn’t have anyone to really talk to and show any kind of compassion towards me,” said anonymous.

Given her painful experience, the student does not recommend taking that same approach.

“If you do not like how the person you are in a relationship with is treating you (If you don’t like them hitting you or what they are calling you) tell them goodbye,” said anonymous. “Nobody deserves to be treated like that nor do they deserve you, or anyone at that matter. It might be hard, but leave and tell someone your situation. You will find someone who deserves you and treats you right and shows you respect. Do not be with someone who abuses you.”

Abuse is not something to joke about

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but is afraid to speak up?

Abusive relationships have a long-term effect on the victim.

These people are at a higher risk of substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual behavior and further domestic violence.

Though a victim may not realize that they are, or will not admit to others that they are in an abusive relationship, it is not okay to make fun of it. It is a sensitive situation that may not allow them get the help they need.

The Pride

6.Features

“The Jellybean Conspiracy” brings students together “It was my first time, [and I] really enjoyed it,” said Britt, who played Tammy. “I made a lot of new friends.”

One of these friends happened to be freshman Audrey Welhoff. Welhoff explained that this production was able to bring her much closer to the cast, especially Britt.

“It was awesome,” said Welhoff.

“Krista and I are besties now, and she made me laugh all the time. They were actually more on task [than] most of us most days.”

Along with these new friendships, the production allowed the cast to have new experiences.

“I had a lot of people pat my back and tell me that I did awesome in the play,” said junior Zane Myers.

Seniors Jonathan Ward and Sarah Doubledee and juniors Kyndel VanderEcken, Myers and Britt played the roles of the “jellybeans” and recited their lines in the first half of the play. Seniors Hannah Gibler, Mark Tanner and Cait Hahn also

Story by Ali Schmidt alison.schmidt@hhsnews.com

Standing under the spotlight in center stage, with many faces staring up at you is what many students from the drama department are used to. This year, the department decided to work with another unit within the school.

In order to include more students, the drama department teamed up with the Special Education department to put on the production “The Jellybean Conspiracy.” The theme of the play was to show that we are all like jellybeans in a jellybean world, meaning that we are all different but there is no reason to discriminate. This play used students from both departments to tell the story of children with disabilities.

“I [wanted] this performance to spread the word that people with disabilities are just like everyone else and want to feel like a part of the school,” said Director of Special Ser-

Photo by Bethany Travis

The cast of “The Jellybean Conspiracy” poses at the end of Act I. vices Leigh Gruber. “People with Through this experience, Jones disabilities are often capable of doing found a new outlook on how to inmore than society expects of them.” clude special needs students and That is exactly what this perfor- show them love. mance did Through the time put into “It was really life-changing; I the production, many students got an would do it over if I could,” said insight to what it is like to live with a Jones. “Everyday we do things withdisability. out realizing we can. This was like a “It was really fun, but at the same look in the mirror.” time, it shows that you need to be “The Jellybean Conspiracy” fearesponsible,” said freshman Cody tured seven students from the 900 Jones. “I feel like people overlook hallway that were cast as “jellythem all the time, even me, but that beans”, with Krista Britt playing a changed.” main role.

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held key roles in the play, as they were starring as Lena (Gibler), Cricket (Hahn) and Reese (Tanner).

Senior Todd Fischer also acted as the Tech Lead.

Although they all had different reasons for joining the play, each one had a great time.

“I chose to act to help my friends and make them and my family happy,” said Ward. “My favorite part was when I got to look into the audience to say my line and watching my friends say theirs.”

Overall, this production turned out to be a learning experience for both departments. Students from both sides were able to take something special away from this event. “[I learned that] no matter what our differences are, we all have talents,” said Welhoff. “I like how they look at people without judgements and differences.”

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Stress causes health, academic problems

Juggling multiple AP classes along with extra curriculars affects students in every way.

There seems to be no room for all of their needs and responsibilities.

“Last semester, I felt as if I had to play catch-up,” said junior Henry Frees. “I got behind in a few classes that had due dates for all assignments at the end of the semester.”

On August 25, 2014 the American Academy of Pediatrics came out with a press release that recommends delaying start times of middle and high schools to 8:30 a.m. to combat

teen sleep deprivation.

This press release states that adolescents who do not get enough sleep often suffer physical and mental health problems.

It also states that there are studies showing that teens who get little sleep are much more likely to have an automobile accident and suffer a decline in academic performance.

Lack of sleep, along with the lack of time in a day, does not only affect students; it can also affect teachers.

Social studies teacher Andrew Rives has worked more than one job before. For Rives,

he would get off of work when school let out, then leave for his second job, not getting home until 11 p.m. some nights.

“My workload could sometimes affect the next day at school,” said Rives. “It would not affect the lesson that I was teaching, but sometimes it could affect the energy that I put into that lesson. Some nights I still had assignments to grade.”

Aside from lack of sleep affecting school work, it is also likely to affect an individual’s relationships with others.

“If I am tired, I can get grouchy or very robotish,” said senior Aaron Laughlin. “I do not engage myself, and even then it is a matter of what is the minimum I can do. Usually, I end up upsetting others in some way, or it affects their mood and then everyone is unhappy.”

Students look for solutions to being sleep deprived, or to just being tired during school. Different coping mechanisms and daily rituals can be used.

Caffeine is a popular coping

vorite celestial body. The candles were added to mimic the light reflected by the moon and, well, every sacrifice needs a little dramatic effect. To complete the sacrifice, the candles would be blown out, allowing their smoke to carry the prayers up to the gods.

Holidays also are fraught with foreign-born traditions. One of the most prominent traditions around Christmas time is the appearance of bundles of leaves and berries suspiciously hidden in the corners of rooms or over the thresholds of doors. Nothing says romance like surprise sexual harassment in the name of a plant. Though Christmas is a widely known as a Christian holiday, the tradition of the mistletoe is imbedded in a polytheistic Norse myth. According to the History Channel website, the Norse goddess Frigg, whose son was prophesied to die, made all the plants and animals of the world promise not to harm her son

in the hopes that he could escape death. Though I would assume she was very thorough, she forgot to extract an oath from the mistletoe. Another god ended up killing her son with mistletoe. However, the gods ended up bringing him back to life. Frigg was so happy about the rebirth of her son that she deemed mistletoe a symbol of love, ironically, and vowed to kiss anyone who walked beneath it.

The new year ushers in its own traditions. Annually, we make superficial promises to ourselves to be better people or to diet more or to finish homework on time and so on. While one might think this is just part of the “new year spirit,” this tradition has its roots in Roman mythology. According to the History Channel website, the Romans took the liberty of naming some of our months for us. August is brought to you by Augustus Caesar, and July is sponsored

by Julius. January, however, is

not named for an arrogant dictator, but for Janus: the two-headed god of beginnings and transitions.

Being two-headed, Janus had the advantage of looking into the past and using its wisdom in the future, which is the concept behind New Year’s resolutions.

Weddings, too, are filled with its own unique customs. Practices originally established by family members with monetary interest in a union between two people have been incorporated into modern weddings. According to CNN, the position of a best man was originally given to the groom’s best swordsman in his repertoire.

The best man’s swordsmanship came in handy if any dashing hero interrupted the ceremony to save his fair maiden or if the fair maiden herself had thoughts of deserting.

Concluding most weddings is the traditional bouquet toss. According to Mentalfloss, the bride

Story by Dylan Flanner dylan.flanner@hhsnews.com

The overwhelming feeling of drowning in homework can be experienced by all students.

With bags on their backs and under their eyes, there is hardly any place to turn for refuge.

Even seeking sanctuary in a bed is a long shot for many. With the massive amount of homework students undertake, it has the potential to keep them up at night. The later they stay up, the more tired they can be the next day, which can cause them to do worse in the classroom.

“My homework can definitely keep me up at night,” said junior Leann Farren. “It sometimes makes me fall behind in the classroom. If I have to stay up late, it makes me tired the next day, which makes it hard to pay attention in class.”

A lot of students just like Farren can relate. They can fall into a vicious cycle of late nights and early mornings, causing their stress levels to rise.

Photo by Luke Brines

Junior Tricia Chastain takes a nap every fourth hour because of the lack of sleep at home due to homework.

mechanism among students and teachers for staying awake. It is also known that drinking water can help keep an individual up throughout the day.

Instead of stressing out and staying up all night, some students opt to be calm and just get it done. This not only helps their sleeping issues, but it also cures almost all of their problems that arise from stress.

“As a personal rule, I try not to stress out about it,” said Laughlin. “I know that the work is going to get done, so I can either worry about it and get it done, or relax and get it done. It is easier to just not stress about it.”

and groom were considered to be incredibly lucky on their wedding day. Apparently luck was in short supply back in the 1500s, because the wedding-goers would desperately grab at the bride’s dress and veil, hoping to acquire a new lucky charm. In order to make a dashing and romantic getaway, the bride would throw her bouquet over her head while leaving the church. This diverted the crowd and allowed her to obtain some well-earned privacy with her new hubby.

While the traditions we invoke with each unique celebration throughout the year are looked upon as customarily American, their history has richer roots that stretch far beyond the creation of our own country’s modern customs.

American traditions have hidden meaning

Story by Bethany Travis bethany.travis@hhsnews.com

Birthday cakes, New Year’s resolutions, mistletoe . . . each seems to be a distinctly American tradition. However, these cornerstones of American life are not American at all. Rather, they have evolved over time from ancient religions and customs.

One great example is the celebratory birthday cake. If you think about it, sticking recently lit candles on a cake and then asking someone to immediately blow them out while hoping their wish will come true, is a little odd. According to Mentalfloss, this custom can be traced back to Greek and Roman religion. When offering sacrifices to Artemis and Diana, the respective Grecian and Latin goddesses of the moon, these ancient worshippers would bake a cake-like food in the shape of a circle to resemble their fa-

hhsnews.com

The Pride

8.features

Story by Luke Brines luke.brines@hhsnews.com As the new year gets well underway, Harrisonville is attempting to grow, which includes new places and an array of roadwork to come. With these changes, community members are likely to experience difficulties getting around town.

Economic Development

Manager Jim Clarke discussed the future plans of Harrisonville.A potential boom of business is anticipated on the other side of Interstate 49, across from Sutherlands, where the Love’s Truck Stop will be located. With plans to redo the road near Love’s, the city hopes to have more businesses show up in the area because of the increase of traffic.

With the addition of Love’s,

Clarke plans for the business to bring more people off of the interstate, which could possibly bring in hotels and possibly new restaurants. All of this is in the works but none of the plans are finalized.

Images courtesy of Google maps, photos by Jessie Poisal

New restaurant to open soon in Harrisonville Market Place

A new restaurat that is coming to Harrisonville is the Red Zone Bar and Grill. The bar and grill will feature a pool bar and TVs all around the room playing the many sports networks.

The restaurant will be located in the Harrisonville Marketplace, where Price Chopper is located, with the menu containing lots of great foods, including chicken wings.

Junior Olivia Ratcliff describes how she believes these new businesses coming will affect the town and cause change.

“I feel like the new businesses coming to town will attract custom-

The Pride

Current highway construction to improve traffic flow Another major project in town is the construction site on Highway 291. This will expand the highway to five lanes and create a diverging diamond interchange. The project has been making great progress in the last couple of months.

Travis Jones from the Missouri Department of Transportation spoke about the current and upcoming road work for the city, and the reason behind a lack of construction.

“On 291, we are widening the road, building a new bridge and a diverging diamond interchange, which was originally from overseas, but the first one in the states was in Springfield,” said Jones. “The project is $13.6 million dollars, with $1 million from the city, and once the project is

ers, which will bring in money being spent here in town rather than other towns, and I think the new truck stop will bring in more travelers from the highway,” said Ratcliff. “I will probably try the new restaurant, if I hear good reviews.”

Ratcliff hopes to see more new, popular restaurants come to town.

“I think if it’s good enough and is comparable to Buffalo Wild Wings, then it might fill the want for Buffalo Wild Wings, and it would be more cost efficient than driving to Belton or Lee’s Summit,” said Ratcliff. “I would really like to see a Buf-

done it will expand the road back the Wal-Mart stoplights.”

Jones expects the project to done around spring 2016, and then, hopes to be working on n projects for the city.

“The Mechanic Street Proj was supposed to be this year, but pushed back to 2016,” said Jon “The project will be from the fo way at Independence and Mecha street and will end at the stopligh Mechanic and Commercial street. will be ripping out the road, putt down a new concrete road, wid ing the sidewalks and installing c lights.”

The project is expected to be million dollars, with $2 million that coming from the city of Ha

falo Wild Wings or a Yogurtini come into town, just somewhere that high school kids could hang that’s not a fast food place.”

The problem with getting a Yogurtini or a Buffalo Wild Wings is that Harrisonville has a small population and is simply not growing.

For example, a sub sandwich shop that would be about 2,000 square feet would require at least a 20,000 of people within a three mile radius.

That is double the current population of Harrisonville.

@hhswildcatnews

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sonville. After the Mechanic Street project, MoDOT plans to widen the road after the stoplights at Walmart, but plans are not final yet because of the lack funds from the state of Missouri.

“We have a limited state budget, which hasn’t changed much since 1996, so most things that do get done are the ones that need to get done,” said Jones. “A ton of salt in 1996 was $10, now it’s $67 a ton, which usually adds up to $100,000 on salt, leaving little room for construction.”

With a number of new places coming to town, a new wider road and bridge and plans already made for the future, we can only expect Harrisonville to prosper through the years.

HHS Graduation

Memorial Stadium 503 South Lexington Street Harrisonville, MO 64701 United States

May 15 7 p.m.

Before this event!

Graduation will be here soon! Don’t forget to: • • • •

Order senior pictures and wallets to pass out Plan a grad party and send out invitations Apply for any last minute scholarships Practice writing notes on the back of pictures (this is your last chance to say somethingStadium to someone) Memorial • Study a little bit. Then reward yourself (not too much) for beating senioritis • Apply for housing and make sure you’ve sent your enrollment fee to the college you’ll be attending • Make a list of things you like about Harrisonville for you to remember once you leave

School board elections to be held April 7

Story by Dalton Hayden dalton.hayden@hhsnews.com

No matter their stance on recent Harrisonville School Board actions, voters will soon have an opportunity to express their opinions tangibly at the polls. On April 7, residents of Harrisonville will select who will fill the two open seats for the Board of Education.

Five people have filed for candidacy for the Harrisonville Board of Education. They are Dallas Register, Kathy Dains, Chad Reynolds, Tiffany Klassen and RJ Knox.

In order to run for the board, candidates have a set of requirements to meet. These include being a Missouri resident for at least a year, a taxpayer hhsnews.com

in the district, be at least 24 years old, must not be a convicted felon and must not be a registered sex offender.

According to the district website, the school board members should have a knowledge of and interest in welfare and educational opportunities. The duty of the school board is to develop policies and procedures for the district, as well as manage tax dollars. When elected, board members are elected to a three-year term.

Reasons for running vary among the candidates.

“For sure [running for school board] is definitely not for the money nor the glory,” said Register. “The real answer is ‘It just seemed like the thing

to do.’”

Because his family has been has been a part of the Harrisonville community for a while, Knox wants to become involved with the Board of Education.

“I am running because I have a vested interest in the long term success in this district,” said Knox. “I graduated from the district in 2002. My wife and mother work for the district, and my children will be going to school here.”

Dains worked in the school district for more than 20 years; she wants to continue her service by running.

“After sending my own children through the Harrisonville school sys-

tem and retiring from HHS with 20 plus years of service, our school district holds a special place in my heart,” said Dains. “During a time when our education system is going through so many changes, I want to put my experience to use and continue to assist students, parents, educators and community members strive for excellence.”

Reynolds was first elected on the school board in 2003. He is going to run for another term in hopes of seeing students continue to grow physically and mentally.

“I want the youth of our community to grow in knowledge and be better prepared for whatever their future holds,” said Reynolds. “Be it in Harri-

sonville or another community, it is imperative they make good choices, and I still would like to be a part of that.”

After 12 years of service on the board, Reynolds has indicated this will probably be his final term to compete for a position.

“At present, this will be my last time running,” said Reynolds.“I have always given my all. I will still continue to volunteer, but not in the same way that I am now. I plan to continue my education as it expands my mind and knowledge base.”

The Pride has not been able to reach Tiffany Klassen for her thoughts on running.

The Pride

10.features

Netflix, Disney: the spring break dream Story by Elizabeth Thayer elizabeth.thayer@hhsnews.com

with the fam looks just as swell.

I mean, really, that is what most girls want anyway, right?

Frolicking along the castle sidewalk with my new boytoy I have literally just met sounds like “once upon a dream”. Meeting all the Disney princesses, pretending I am six instead of 16, could totally make all the springbreakers wish they were me.

With my frappuccino in hand (it is the beginning of warm weather, got to make with the times), I will take pictures of the beach and post them on Instagram with some irrelevant quote, showing everyone just how #Blessed I am.

While other girls get tasteful tattoos on their lower backs to commemorate their wild times, I can totes take this time to spend with the fam and watch Netflix.

Like, even in Disney World a girl has to watch “Gossip Girl” and

“Pretty Little Liars” daily. And, of course, when outside of the hotel room, we cannot forget to take awkward family pictures along

the beach while I am in my bikini.

Knowing that school has only 10 more weeks to control our lives after the lovely date

theme, “The Crying Game” features an amazing new artist, Jes From her iconic hit “Anacon- sie Ware. Minaj and Ware blend da,” to the more subtle track “Pills perfectly on the chorus, almost to N Potions,” Nicki Minaj has the point where you cannot tell shown us she is still on top of the which one is which. The beat is game with her third studio album one of the best on the album with a “The Pinkprint.” The album is guitar strum guiding you through Minaj’s most personal album and the track. It compares the pain of shows fans another layer of the an ending relationship to that of a superstar. The songs range from game you cannot quite get out of. hard raps to raw vocals that shock. The mood goes from heart Minaj opens up the album with break to fun and sexy on the one of her most personal songs track “Get On Your Knees.” The to date entitled “All Things Go.” song features Ariana Grande, The rapper discusses topics from who joined Minaj and Jessie an abortion she had to her cous- J on their summer hit “Bang in’s death and relationships with Bang.” The two go together perher family. The song is the open- fectly on the song, with Grande ing stage for the album and really singing her guts out in the chosets the mood for what is to come. rus and Minaj being very pro After the very personal open- vocative with her verses. The ing track, “I Lied” shocks fans song describes female domiwith Minaj’s raw vocals from nance, which these two know the get-go. The song is an emo- very well being some of the bigtional breakup song with Minaj gest females musicians out there. explaining how she fought with Minaj’s latest single, “Feelherself and lied to her lover to ing Myself,” which features keep from getting hurt in the the one and only Beyoncé, has end. This heartbreaking song everyone bowing down to the showcases how people who have Queens. With a unique Hit-Boy been hurt one too many times beat and killer verses, this track feel when they begin a new re- is destined to be one of the best lationship. The track is that of a hip-hop songs of the year. It disdifferent world, something you plays their dominance in music would not expect from Minaj. and lets the industry know that Going along with the breakup both will be around for a while.

The Young Money crew join up together to make the smash hit “Only,” which features Lil Wayne, Drake and Chris Brown. With each getting their own verses and Brown singing on the chorus, the song has spread through the radios. The song has been criticized for its simple beat, but sometimes simplicity is a great thing. The four proved the critics wrong when the track flew to the number one spot.

The heartfelt track “Buy a Heart,” which features her now boyfriend Meek Mill, is a beautiful love song where the two mix wonderfully together. They seem to have a lot of chemistry and sort of flirt with one another on the song, making it a little more personal for the two of them. It shows a different side of Mill, a more emotional and personal side of the rapper. The song is another fan favorite and with good reason.

The next track is a pure party hit, with “Trini Dem Girls” being influenced heavily by island music and is sure to get everyone up and moving. This track is like a sister to “Anaconda,” filled with provocative, catchy verses such as “He tryin’ to kick it like a ninja.” This is a song for the beach, and will sure to be on my #springbreak2k15 playlist.

The GRAMMY nominated hit “Anaconda” samples Sir Mix-a-Lots’ “Baby Got Back” and is one of her most iconic tracks from the album. The song dominated the summer months and helped fuel last year’s booty filled year. The provocative video went viral instantly and received over 19.6 million views in 24 hours, beating Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” record.

The very pop-influenced track “The Night is Still Young” is one of her best pop songs to date. This song can easily bring Nicki another hit with her easy going raps and simple chorus.

The track is for a night on the town with your friends and you have the aux cord. It is not the best song on the album, but it is definitely public friendly and will bring her another number one.

The first single released from the album, “Pills N Potions” is a beautifully put together pop ballad. The song is catchy and was our first glimpse on the album and told that this album was going to be totally different from Minaj’s past two. Minaj’s raps hit deep, and she manages to sing a beautiful chorus as well. “People will love you and support you when its beneficial” Minaj raps, referring to her life after fame.

The wicked witch, Winter, is dead, and with that comes the joys of spring ahead. Marking this incredible defeat of desolate, sad Winter is the sweet start of spring break.

For college girls and boys, there is a sense of freedom in their long break, letting them run off to tropical paradises and have the “time of their lives.” With the help of PINK brand everything, girls can be basic in style while lounging on the beach (with perhaps a Starbucks frap in hand).

Envisioning hot boys in their “Sun’s out guns out” shirts makes me long for the days I, too, can partake in spring break festivities. Seeing that I am in high school and the fun is just around the corner, Disney World

Photo by Jessica Poisal The common white girl anticipates the warm weather that is predicted for spring break.

of March 17 makes senioritis more intense. Therefore, I suggest an early graduation, perhaps even a short, rehearsed performance from the seniors from High School Musical 2, “What Time Is It?” Of course, instead of “summer” they would all sing and chant “spring” at 2:50.

But, really, let’s be honest. In light of all of the spring break daydreams a girl can have, there is really only one thing to do over this glorified three-day weekend: watch Netflix, sleep and celebrate the fact that school is almost over. This less-than-wild break still shows the wondrous life of a common white girl.

Nicki Minaj wins again with “The Pinkprint” Story by Luke Brines luke.brines@hhsnews.com

The Pride

“Bed of Lies” features artist Skylar Grey who originally wrote the song. Minaj took the track and added her own verses to make her own personal break up song that describes a relationship after fame. The song takes you through a rollercoaster of a ride describing how fame had taken a toll over her relationship.

Minaj’s first ever ballad to date, “Grand Piano,” is a beautiful track to end the standard edition of the album. Before experiencing her voice bare, without her signature gruff, I thought she was a one trick pony; this song defies her limits with her outstanding vocals. The song is one of the biggest shocks on the album and shows us that Minaj can do almost anything in music. The track is definitely a standout and makes Minaj a multi-talented artist.

To read the full review, visit the newspaper’s website hhsnews.com under Art’s and Entertainment.

@hhswildcatnews

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features.11

Which Disney Princess should you Annual prom closet set for channel for prom?

Do you March 21

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Never

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Do you often find yourself wearing seashells?

I want to be a part I want to see a of your whole new world world Who cares? No big deal? I want more!

You are . . .

Cinderella A ball gown would make you feel like a prom princess

You are . . .

Elsa

An A-Line dress would make you look hot enough You are . . . to melt a frozen Jasmine heart A two-piece prom dress would make you like shining, shimmering, splendid. hhsnews.com

You are . . .

Ariel

A mermaid style dress would suit you best for prom to go swimingly

Story by Cheyenne Valencia cheyenne.valencia@hhsnews.com

Prom is a night where students dress up and dance the night away. Many girls sport dresses of varying lengths and the guys clean up in sleek tuxedos.

So much can go into preparing for prom: makeup, hair, outfits and accessorizing. Many prom dresses have been known to break the bank, as with many tuxedos.

Prom can seem like an impossible feat for students with financial burden. To ensure that all students can enjoy prom, no matter their financial state, Bright Futures of Harrisonville will be hosting their third annual Prom Closet. All dresses and suits are no more than $25 each. Prom Closet also offers shoes and accessories for both genders and is open for everyone.

“All students can benefit, because they can get really beautiful dresses at a greatly reduced price and save some money,” said counselor Kari Bliss.

Even if you are not planning on taking advantage of Prom Closet, you can still participate by donating any prom apparel you do not need. Starting March 2, the high school will be accepting donations. Bright Futures will then be hosting Prom Closet on March 21; it is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m and will be located in the United Methodist Church at 2600 E. Mechanic.

“We hope to provide students with a shopping experience that allows them to get many of the items they need to attend Prom very inexpensively,” said Director of Communications Jill Filer. “Also, for those who donate to the event, it gives them a way to do something beneficial with those prom items that are just taking up room in a closet.”

Prom will start at 8 p.m. on April 25 and will be held in The Bordner Event Center in Raytown.

The Pride

12.sports

Spring sports prepare for first games of season Story by Joe Cramer joe.cramer@hhsnews.com

As the winter sports season ends and the weather slowly becomes warmer, spring sports prepare to kick off their season. Spring sports, which include baseball, women’s soccer, golf and track, will begin to get ready for their quickly approaching first competitions.

For the golf team, this means beginning the process of tryouts.

“We will have a one-to-two week tryout process where we will get as many 9-hole scores as possible to determine the teams,” said Head Golf Coach Chad Morehead.

Head Women’s Soccer Coach Dan Coleman hopes to build a solid base for the upcoming season in the few short weeks before their first game.

“In preparing for the first game, we’ll focus on three F’s; fitness, fundamentals and family,” said Coleman. “With that foundation, from there, it will be our focus to continue to grow through each contest.”

Head Baseball Coach Joe Rohlfing plans to prepare for the upcoming season in a way similar to Coleman.

“We are going to work hard on fundamentals and have some fun doing it all at the same time,” said Rohlfing.

“The boys know that I am all about conditioning and preparing your body as well so we will get some training in as well.”

Track Coach Brian Bliss feels that the weather can be an influential factor but should not hinder their preparation.

“Spring sports are always difficult to prepare for because of the weather,” said Bliss.

“There will be days where we are not able to be outside and that is difficult to do with track and field. Many of our stu-

The Pride

Photo by Jessie Poisal

Freshman Shawn Schrock practices his throwing in preparation of baseball tryouts.

dent athletes participate in other sports prior to the track season, so much of our training will be fine tuning and mechanics. For the student athletes who have not been in a sport before track, we will work with them and push them to make sure they are in the best shape possible for our first meet.”

As with any sport, key players can arise from an early point in the season. For Morehead, these players are a select few who have been a part of the sport all throughout their high school career.

“We have a group of seniors with Varsity experience led by Cole Welhoff, Ronny Baker and Nick Johnson,” said Morehead.

Bliss has a few returning members of the team that he expects to perform at a high level this season as well.

“We have several studentathletes returning to the team this year that we are hoping to do very well this year,” said Bliss. “On the boys side, we have seniors Tucker Schlesener (shot and discus), Andy Laughlin (sprints), Sherman Hartzler (hurdles), Brendan Rynard (pole vault), juniors Tanner Gulick (shot and discus), Wyatt Schenker (sprints), Chance Chamberlain (jumps), Scylar

Polk (sprints) and sophomore Isack Jordan (sprints). On the girls side, we have seniors Madi Kittilstad (sprints/hurdles), Melissa Watson (mid-distance), Mikaila Stackhouse (shot/discus), Alli Lemka (shot/discus), juniors Kristen Koch (sprints), Katelynn McKinnis (sprints), Leeann Farren (shot/discus), Maggie Shea (pole vault) and sophomore Vivian Hartzler (sprints/hurdles).”

For baseball, Rohlfing feels that the elder members of the incoming team will be influential in how they do this year.

“We will have a very large senior class,” said Rohlfing.

“Everyone has their role on the team, and we will need each player to contribute to have a successful season.”

Being able to look forward into the season, Coleman is excited to see how the team progresses throughout the year.

“I’m looking forward to the season as a whole, in it’s entirety,” said Coleman. “The relationships, the team building, the preparation, seeing the progress over time and of course the games. It’s all a process I really enjoy.”

Bliss stated that he is looking forward to watching the students work hard during their various meets.

“We are excited to see the students compete,” said Bliss.

“We usually have several student athletes come out for track and it is always good to see the growth that happens as the season progresses.”

Morehead is ready to see how the team will act on the course throughout this season.

“I’m excited to work with the young men who will compete and represent HHS in a positive manner,” said Morehead.

Rohlfing expressed how ready he is to be a part of his players day-to-day events.

“I’m very excited to be around all the student-athletes again,” said Rohlfing. “We have a great group of players who will combine to make the C, JV and Varsity baseball teams.”

As the season goes on, Bliss hopes to see the track athletes progress and perform their best towards the end of the season.

“We expect to be competitive on both the girls and boys sides this year and to make continued improvement through the season,” said Bliss. “We would like to see our student-athletes peak in May and run their best races at Districts and Sectionals, while working to win a Conference and District championship for both teams. We would also like to qualify as many student-

athletes as possible for the State meet toward the end of May.” Morehead’s goals for the golf team are similar to Bliss’s as far as their shared goals for the end of the season.

“I would like us to compete every day and continue to improve throughout the season,” said Morehead. “Our goals are to win Conference and get our team to advance past Districts and Sectionals.”

Rohlfing shares both Bliss’s and Coleman’s goals as far as what they expect for the end of the season.

“I hope to see us play the game with effort and class,” said Rohlfing. “When teams do this correctly, positive outcomes naturally occur. A District Championship is a major goal. Once you can make the State playoffs, anything can happen.”

Coleman hopes that the previous season for the women’s soccer team will help influence them to be successful this year.

“We hope to build on the experiences of last season,” said Coleman. “We have a great core of girls returning and expect to compete very well. But ultimately, our goals are to come together as a team, have a lot of fun and work hard to get better each and every day. From there, success will take care of itself.”

Baseball’s first game will be on March 31, where they will play the Pleasant Hill Roosters.

The golf team will also face the Roosters for their first meet only a few days before the baseball team, on March 24. The women’s soccer team will take on the Belton Pirates on March 12, and track will have its first meet on March 27 against Adrian. Men’s tennis will have their first match against St. Pius on March 30.

@hhswildcatnews

Sports.13

Royals’ spring training shows promise Story by Austin Limback austin.limback@hhsnews.com

s Picture sitting in the crowd of

Kauffman Stadium on September 23, watching the American League Wild Card game against -Oakland. You are listening to ”the roar of the crowd cheering eon catcher Salvador Perez, who rwas up to bat with Christian sColón on second in the bottom of the 12th inning. As Perez hits sthe laser down the third baseline sand Colón came in to score the winning run, the crowd erupts in f a sea of roars.

Coming off the remarkable ewin, the Royals powered through danother three victories against sthe Los Angeles Angels. After -a clean sweep, the Royals went -on to continue on to a historical eight-game winning streak against the Baltimore Orioles, claiming the American League -Championship Series pennant. s This carried them into the World Series, where they faced the San Francisco Giants. Al-though the Royals had a solid season, it came to screeching halt due to power-driven Madison Bumgarner who allowed the Giants to claim the most prestigious prize in the MLB. Walking into off-season play, the Royals did something rare, signing multiple acquisitions.

“I’m looking forward to what the new guys show up,” said Head Baseball Coach Joe Rohlfing “[I’m excited to see] if Mike Moustakas can last the whole season and if he can get the job done.”

These new players are not new to the major league; they have been a part of the league previously and on the rosters of other major league teams.

“I think that all their signing will pan out well for them,” said history teacher Jade Samborski.

“I can see a bounce back season for [Kendrys] Morales and [Alex] Rios. [Edinson] Volquez should build off his season last year and be a solid starting pitcher. I like that we got role players that didn’t break the bank. [They are] low risk guys with high rewards, if they work out.”

Although Samborski has a positive outlook on these players, HCATS teacher Chad Morehead is slightly more hesitant to the idea.

“I’m not sold on the signing of Kendrys Morales or Alex Rios,” said Morehead. “Neither had productive seasons last year.

Hopefully both can put up numbers like they did a few years ago. I like the signings of Edinson Volquez and Kris Medlen. I think both pitchers will help with the loss of James Shields.”

Morehead hopes to see the team start out on the right foot at spring training.

“I would like to see the new acquisitions we picked up blend in with the current players,” said Morehead. “Also, I would like

to come out of spring training healthy and ready to go for Opening Day.” Along with these new players, the Royals lost some key athletes, Outfielder Nori Aoki, Designated Hitter Billy Butler and Pitcher James Shields.

“Shields was very valuable the past two years for us,” said Morehead. “He changed the culture and really helped the younger pitchers. However, he would have been too expensive for us to keep since he wanted a 4-year deal. He has thrown over 200+ innings the last eight years, and at the age of 33 that will eventually catch up to him. The loss of Aoki and Butler versus the gain of Morales and Rios is a wash to me. I don’t see

that as a huge gain for the Royals, unless Morales and Rios have seasons like they did a few years ago.”

Samborski feels that the offseason roster changes are not as big of a deal as they are made out to be.

“That’s just part of today’s game,” said Samborski. “The guys here, and the one’s we have brought in, have to step up and take the reigns that those guys had. Our core of players is good and I expect them to be up to the challenge.”

With the signing of new players finalized, the team can now look ahead into spring training.

Some of the teachers around HHS feel like it will be a good test.

Samborski’s expectations include the team continuing with the momentum that they left off on at the end of last season.

“My expectations for the Royals this season is to build off the end of last season and win a lot of games,” said Samborski. “I think they should win 90 or 91 games and make the playoffs.”

When Samborski looks at the new season, he feels like the momentum will carry over into the 2015 season as Morehead feels like that its a wash and starting fresh.

“Baseball is a marathon of 162 games,” said Morehead. “The main thing is to stay mentally focused and try to do the little things that allow you to win each pitch, inning and game.”

Whether the momentum fades or stays the same, the Royals fans sit and await the season that is to come.

“I look forward to what I look forward to every year, win or lose, to see the boys in blue playing the best game in the world every day,” said Samborski.

last year. Though, many feel that this is because two of their star players, Matt Besler and Graham Zusi, were gone for a good chunk of the season due to playing in the FIFA World Cup for the United States team.

At the end of last season, one of the teams main defenders, Aurelien Collin, was traded to the new Orlando City SC for defender Jalil Anibaba and allocation money.

The team also traded forward C.J. Sapong to the Philadelphia Union.

These are just two of the major trades the team has made. The team acquired four new players

in the MLS SuperDraft: Connor Hallisey from Cal, Saad AbdulSalaam from Akron, Amadou Dia from Clemson and James Ansu Rogers from New Mexico.

Sporting has since signed seven more players to the team.

Another major addition to the team this season is the re-signing of Midfielder Roger Espinoza, who played for the team from 2008 to 2012. After 2012, he went to play for Wigan Athletic in the English Premier League but is now back to Kansas City. When Espinoza played for Sporting before, he played in 113 matches and

helped the team to victory in the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. With the change of players, comes a change of conference.

Sporting has always been in the Eastern Conference, but this year, after the addition of New York City FC and Orlando City FC, they have been moved to the west along with the Houston Dynamo.

This will mean a tough season for Sporting, as the west is a very strong Conference, and home of 2014 MLS Cup Champions: the Los Angeles Galaxy.

The addition of these two new teams is all part of an MLS expan-

sion, in which the league is planning to get to 24 teams by the year 2020. The league is now at 20, 10 in each conference.

Sporting is in the midst of the 2015 preseason right now. The team ended up tying 1-1 with Seattle Sounders FC in the finals of the 2015 Desert Diamond Cup in Tucson, Arizona on February 28. Sporting started this season off at home, on March 8, against the team they were knocked out of the playoffs by last year, The New York Red Bulls. Their next match will be against FC Dallas on March 14.

Photo by

Royals pitchers prepare for the upcoming season during spring training.

Sporting KC fan looks forward to new season

. Story by Tyler Cardinal

ty.cardinal@hhsnews.com

y l Sporting Kansas City has -gone through many changes as a team in preparation for this 2015 season, in hopes that these will lead to more success. s Last season was a middle of the road one, compared to the MLS Cup winning season the year before. The 2014 season ended in the first round of the playoffs with a disappointing loss to the New York Red Bulls.

All in all, the team just did not seem to be at their full potential

hhsnews.com

The Pride

14.opinion

Children should be vaccinated Story by Brently Probasco brently.probasco@hhsnews.com

If a child was diagnosed with cancer and the parent was informed that there was a cure in the form of a vaccine, most parents would jump at the chance to save their child. However, when parents are faced with the choice to vaccinate their child against the measles or other potentially deadly illnesses, they choose otherwise.

This year, according to the Centers for Disease Control,

there have been 141 cases of the measles in 17 different states, continuing the 644 cases that occurred in 2014, which is alarming compared to only 159 cases in 2013. The problem here is that many of these cases could have been avoided had the child (or adult) been previously vaccinated. Less than 10 percent of the individuals who contracted the disease were previously vaccinated.

So, again, I ask, if the decision to vaccinate one’s child were a life or death situation, would you receive the vaccination? I personally think it is highly ignorant to refuse a vaccination. This is not pointed towards those who cannot receive vaccines due the medical complications, but rather to those who simply choose to reject the help. I am talking about those who look at the doctor and say “I just do not believe in that.”

You do not believe in the scientifically proven method that in-

creases your immune system’s ability to fight off the disease?

Perhaps you do not trust modern day medicines, but these methods have been used in the United States alone since 1812. Furthermore, you may feel as though you are strong enough to fight off these things without taking “additional measures”; however, the newborn baby that you have that will grow into a child who likes to touch germ-infested objects tends to not be as strong.

You can make the decisions you feel are necessary for you; however, when it is another human being you are caring for, you should want to do anything and everything to protect them, which I feel includes getting them the correct vaccinations.

When you fail to do so, you are putting your child in harm’s way and you are increasing his or her chances of getting sick.

Not only are you endangering

yourself and any of your offspring, you are endangering those around you. If you fail to get vaccinated and contract the live virus, those around you have greater chances of getting it. I will agree that immunizations may not be 100 percent effective and many will still catch the illness; however, vaccines decrease the chances. By failing to take these preventative steps, you are increasing everyone else’s chances due to the fact that your live virus is far more vicious than that coming from the vaccination.

Yet again, your refusal to vaccinate your children hinders them and their social lives, now and throughout their entire lifetime. All 50 states have certain requirements when it comes to getting vaccinated and entering into the public or private school setting. When you choose to not vaccinate your children, you are making a lifelong commit-

ment to homeschooling them.

Even colleges and universities have standards set when it comes to receiving the appropriate immunizations; in 37 states (including Missouri), students living on campus are required to have certain vaccinations. So, unless you have the ability and desire to stay home with your child for the next 18 years, as well as the means for them to live off campus during their college career, your child needs those vaccinations.

So, I beg you to get vaccinated as well as your children. Frankly, I do not want your sickness and neither do those sitting around you. If you do choose to reject the vaccinations offered to you, wash your hands, keep your kids at home and enjoy life in a bubble.

Men should be respectful, not blame women Story by Kayley Brock kayley.brock@hhsnews.com

In Elliot Rodger’s manifesto he says, “You girls have never been attracted to me. I don’t know why you girls aren’t attracted to me, but I will punish you all for it. It’s an injustice, a crime, because . . . I don’t know what you don’t see in me. I’m the perfect guy and yet you throw yourselves at these obnoxious men instead of me, the supreme gentleman.”

After Rodger, a 22-year-old man, killed six people and injured 13 in an effort to get inside

The Pride

a sorority, women across the nation joined together on Twitter to talk about their experiences of sexual harassment. #YesAllWomen criticizes the way society teaches men to feel entitled to women at the expense of their health and safety. One tweet reads “Because when a girl is harassed or even groped by a stranger in public, we’re told to ‘take it as a compliment.’”

As a 17-year-old girl I knew this level of sexism existed, but I also thought that in a small town like Harrisonville, we would not have overtly sexist people. I was proven wrong. The number of sexist comments I hear in the hallways of HHS is ridiculous.

Last time I checked, sexual comments or harassment was not a joke. But yet, on a day-today basis, inappropriate comments are thrown around like a frisbee. Because thoughts become words and those words

become actions, men who start talking about women like they are a piece of meat will start treating women like are nothing. “#YesAllWomen because the odds of being attacked by a shark are 1 in 3,748,057 while a woman's odds of being raped are 1 in 6.” As a woman, that statistic is extremely terrifying.

“Because when a girl is harassed or even groped by a stranger in public, we’re told to ‘take it as a compliment.’”

Another tweet reads “#YesAllWomen because girls grow up knowing that it’s safer to give a fake phone number than turning a guy down.” Instead of teaching guys to respect women, this society has taught women

to be polite instead of saying no.

Women are taught to dress modestly and to watch their drinks at a bar or a party because if they do not, they have a chance of being drugged and raped. “#YesAllWomen because we’re taught don’t leave your drink alone. Instead of don’t drug someone.

In my English class, we are reading “The Canterbury Tales”, which was written in 1475. We just got done reading “The Wife of Bath’s Tale”, and one of the main themes of the story is that all women want to be treated equally. Now, 540 years later, women are still fighting to be treated as equals.

During the 2015 Oscars, actress Patricia Arquette said, “To every women who gave birth and to every taxpayer and citizen of this nation, we have fought for everyone else’s equal rights; it’s our time to have

wage equality once and for all.

And equal rights for women in the United States of America.”

Even our president, Barack Obama, has said, “That’s why this Congress still needs to pass a law that makes sure a woman is paid the same as a man for doing the same work.

Really. It’s 2015. It’s time.”

Well Obama, I agree. It is 2015, and it is time. Rodgers’ manifesto and subsequent shooting spree reminded us that men still think that they are entitled to women. Well, fellow HHS students, I am going to make it known that no one is entitled to me or the women I care about.

So let’s, as responsible young adults, stop being sexist and start treating everyone with respect.

@hhswildcatnews

From the eyes of a Wildcat...

. s s g e s e r e s r . d , d d e h t .

news.15

. n ” k y o a a . ” s ’ n d S t o . g t .

Aaron Laughlin, Senior

Madi Parker, Junior

My fellow Seniors, My goodness, or what little I have left anyway, how this year seems to have flown past. In about two months, we will be donning our caps and gowns. Soon we will go our separate ways.

As this year draws to an end, I think of the beginning. We came in as one of the largest freshman classes. Where we were once only the members of clubs and activities, we have become the leaders: class presidents, team captains, and community volunteers. I have proudly witnessed many of us grow into strong individuals.

My only advice to underclassmen is this: Be courageous. It is alright to be afraid, to be stressed. When you have that huge assignment due and don’t know what to do, you have two options: 1) stress out and cram the work in and finish the job, or 2) calmly approach the assignment and complete it without the stress. Either way, the work gets done; however, the calm approach will relieve you of tons of stress and, quite possibly, add years to your life. Be confident and attack your hurdles with vigour and ferocity.

Get involved. Go do something inspiring. Understand the value in living is not in where or when, but in how and why.

For now my friends,

Aaron Laughlin

As I write this there are 81 days of school left of my junior year. This year has been a very exciting and stressful year. It has been exciting because I have made new friends and many more memories. I’ve learned many things, both for my academic career and lifelong.

I’m excited that soccer season is finally here and that means school is almost out for the summer! During soccer, I can’t really focus on school because I get too excited about the games to come that could make us go far in the season. It’s going to be different without my sister on the field with me, but I’m excited to see what we can do this year.

It’s also time for me to start thinking about college and figuring out what I want to do once I leave this school, which scares me very much! I feel pretty prepared for college because of the classes I have taken throughout high school and plan to continue to push myself throughout my senior year.

I am looking forward to senior year because it means I’m about to be out on my own and figuring out my whole life. That also makes me very nervous. I’m pretty excited for college and making new friends outside of this town. I am looking forward to being the oldest in the school again and knowing it’s my last year to do all of this stuff all over, but overall my junior year was good and I can’t wait to see what next year brings.

My life this year has been a glorious improvement from the fiery chaos of my dark and distant past. I have learned from my mistakes and I have become enlightened in the ways I live. Hope has emerged from the shadows. My days are bright. My future is bright. My life is bright.

My experience in band has been fulfilled to the maximum, coming far above my previous times. I may lack the true vision to see the rest of my destiny with the Royal Regiment, but I can guarantee that I live the rest of my year with band in glory. My theater experience has made all of my words and actions alive. Every movement I make, every phrase I say, must be judged and therefore perfected. My days with the Student Council have been made excellent with the more efficient system.

With the days of my life beginning to rise in power, freedom, and prosperity, my success academically and with my diplomacy standards, my ideology has become refined and made pure with the reasoning of the great minds of history, and of the men who made the world the grand place it seems to be. I have learned to have respect, yet think for myself. I now fully understand my place in the world. I see the desperate urge for peace and unity, that we may all come together as one. I see the light amongst the darkness. I see the bonding of young men and women in a place that offers shelter to the ones who seek it and a broad field of knowledge for the citizens of the town, ready to be mowed down and revealed. I have the truth. May the one who brings understanding guide us.

My name is Emily Walquist and I’m a Freshman.

My first day at HHS was REALLY scary. I got lost so many times and went to the wrong classroom or the wrong hallway. Once everything settled down and it was easier to get around. I made new friends and lost some. Everyday was like a new adventure. As Einstein once said “Strive not to be successful, but rather to be of value.”

I play alto saxophone in marching band and concert band. Band is a big part of what I love and who I am. This year was my first year marching. We all made mistakes but even through our mistakes we learned and fixed them so we could get better. My brother Brett started my love for music when I was little. He would pull out his saxophone and start playing. Every day I strive to be as good as he was.

Beyond that, I’m a Disney fanatic; he is definitely who I admire. When I was little I fell in love with Disney movies. I have memorized quotes like “All dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them.” When people tell me to grow up I just turn around and say like Peter Pan once said “Never grow up”. Anything can happen; you just have to set a goal and go to it. Life is about living; no one can change your mind or tell who you’re going to be or what you’re going to be. Make your own path and choose your own road. “The past can hurt. But the way I see it you can either run from it or learn from it.”

Hope deferred makes the heart sick,

but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

-Proverbs 13 : 12

Mathias Carder. Sophomore hhsnews.com

Emily Walquist, Freshman

The Pride

16.profile

20 Questions with Jason Farnsworth

Q: How long were you a teacher before you were an administrator?

A: Seven years

Q: Tell me one way to use a pencil other than writing.

A: A backscratcher, or my son uses them to make those rubber band bracelets.

Q: If you could choose one superhero power, what would it be?

A: To fly like Superman

Q: If you could get rid of any one of the U.S. states, which one would it be?

A: Delaware

Q: What is your favorite color?

A: Blue

Q: Tell me one word that sums up the 90s.

A: F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

Q: What is the weirdest thing you have eaten?

A: Escargot

Q: Do you miss being in a classroom?

A: Some days, yes Q: How many kids do you have?

A: I have two.

Q: How long have you been married?

A: It will be 18 years this August.

Q: What is the biggest bass you have caught?

A: It would pale in comparison to Mr. Kay’s bass, but it was just a 5-pounder.

Q: Are you jealous of Mr. Kay’s fisherman skills?

A: Yes, because he has caught an 8-pounder.

Q: What is the craziest thing you have had to reprimand a student for?

A: I had to give consequences when a student pulled a lever in a science room and water came out.

Q: Are you good at math?

A: Algebra I enjoy, I could F.O.I.L. method all day long; past that though, I am not a stellar math student, which is why I was an English teacher.

Q: Who is your favorite author?

Q: What is your dream hairstyle?

Q: What do you do over the summer?

Q: How long has it been since you have been in high school?

Q: What is the weirdest thing you have seen this week?

Q: Did you play any sports in high school?

A: Hemingway

A: We try to go on some sort of a vacation, and other than that, I just spend time with my family.

A: A student chugging maple syrup

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A: Late 80s Jon Bon Jovi A: 22 years this May

A: No, I was very involved in band though. @hhswildcatnews