Pride
The
Thursday, March 28 2 013 volume XV, issue IV
Harrisonville High School
www.hhsnews.com
Salaries of district staff lower than surrounding districts Story by Mackenzie Eisel Staff Writer mackenzie.eisel@hhsnews.com Students are raising eyebrows at the discovery that the teachers’ salaries in our school district are significantly lower than that of teachers in comparable districts surrounding us. “When I first found out about the differences, I was surprised because I didn’t think that Harrisonville would be the type of district to let something like that go,” said senior Matthew Baer. According to records released by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in 2012, the Missouri average salary for teachers was $45, 792. The average salary of a Harrisonville teacher is $42,281. Neighboring school districts relatively the same size as us pay their teachers anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000 above Harrisonville’s district salaries. Belton teachers are paid, on average, $46,400. Pleasant Hill, our closest neighbor, pays their teachers $43,220. These numbers reveal a $1,000 gap. Superintendent Bryan McDonald clarified the reasoning behind Harrisonville’s teacher salaries compared to other districts.
District Averages
Cass County
228 certified staff Teachers Salary: $42,218 Exp. (years): 8 State rank: 103 Administration Salary: $76,399 Exp. (years): 10 State rank: 119
Belton $46,400
Pleasant Hill $43,220
Harrisonville $42,281
Superintendents Salary: $128,500 Exp. (years): 1 State rank: 95 Illistration http://www.weichert.com/ “At one time, some schools had what was called a ‘career ladder,’ or a state level incentive for the schools, but Harrisonville never had one, so we didn’t get the money from the state to put back into our salaries,” said McDonald. According to McDonald, there are other factors that could also slightly shift the average salary.
“The teacher salary schedule is based on experience and amount of college credit that the teacher has,” said McDonald. “If we have a younger staff, we have to expect to see those differences.” Spanish teacher Jennifer Wickstrom has her own understanding of the possible causes of a lower salary in our district.
“In some cases, and in some other districts, more money usually equals more responsibilities in varied areas,” said Wickstrom. Even though there are justified reasons for the difference in salaries, the possibility of changes coming is definitely on McDonald’s agenda. “One of my concerns is making sure that we main-
tain high quality teachers that will provide the best education possible for our students,” said McDonald. “If our salaries aren’t competitive, we could have teachers looking elsewhere.” McDonald may be concerned about keeping high quality teachers, but for students like Baer, teachers here at Harrisonville are not in it for the money. “I don’t think the salary gap affects me directly really because you can tell that the teachers here aren’t in it for the money,” said Baer. “We definitely still have high quality teachers.” One such teacher who did not go into teaching for a salary is Wickstrom. “I thoroughly enjoy working here. A larger paycheck would always be nice, but the money is not the reason why I love working at Harrisonville High School,” said Wickstrom. Although teachers in the district may be content, McDonald is also focusing on the larger scale of the issue. “If we keep and attract high quality teachers in our district, then our student performance will become higher,” said McDonald. “We will become a more competitive district and that directly impacts our town and raises the value of our community.”
Gas leak safety
Dishonest testing Tech takeover
Senior athletes
PG. 3
PG. 5
PG. 14
PG. 15
staff
Editor-in-Chief: Maria Sanchez Managing Editor of Copy: Crystal Warden Features Editor: Lexi Eghbali News & Opinion Editor: Audrey Marshall Sports Editor: Lauren Aman Photo Editor: Alison Krenzer Columnist: Nick Campbell Adviser: Brad Lewis Staff Writers: Mackenzie Eisel, Brently Probasco, C.J. Semler, Madi Dahn, Madi Phillips, Tyler Cardinal, Austin Royal, Kayley Brock, Lara Floyd & Joe Cramer
Table of Contents Pages 5 & 10
Cheating has consequences; are you doing your work? Students and teachers sacrifice vices for Lent.
Kayley Brock
Joe Cramer
Tyler Cardinal
With the NFL draft coming up, teams look for upcoming players. Page 11
Page 8
Why is it that some teachers cannot keep up with my grades?
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Pages 3 & 6
Catholic leadership change. The Olmpics without wrestling.
Brently Probasco
Madi Dahn
Get to know fellow students. Lara Floyd
Page 10 & 11
Staff Photographers: Alison Krenzer, Jamie Hasenyager, Lara Floyd & Cassie Long
Harrisonville High School 1504 E. Elm Harrisonville, MO 64701 (816)380-3273 Follow us on Twitter @ HHSwildcatnews
The dangers of gas leaks.
Internet usage consequencs; What are they and what should we do? Page 15
Page 5
Sports and activities create crammed schedules for students.
Madi Phillips
Austin Royal Seniors face last season to play and reminisce. Page 14
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
Plaza explosion raises awareness about gas leaks Story by Madi Dahn- Staff Writer madi.dahn@hhsnews.com Since the explosion at JJ’s restaurant on the Plaza on February 19, the dangers of a gas leak have been brought to attention. According to Missouri Gas Energy, since the explosion, the company has become more cautious and is working on spreading awareness of the dangers of gas leaks. Natural gas comes from underground, but is piped into most buildings to fuel appliances. The gas consists mostly of methane and other carbon-based gases, it is also highly flammable. Because the gas includes carbon-based gases, another
Over 500 people in the U.S. die every year from unknown natural gas poisoning. Source: American Gas Association possible danger from natural gas leaks is a carbon monoxide leak, which can be just as dangerous as a natural gas leak, and not as easy to detect. According to MGE, the best way to be cautious of gas leaks is to purchase detectors. A carbon monoxide and
also a smoke detector if the leak was to turn into a fire. The school district also takes precautions to try to prevent a gas leak from happening. “Every piece of equipment in the district that uses natural gas is on a preventive
maintenance schedule,” said Director of Environmental Services Toney Guilliams. “The type of equipment determines how often the item is inspected. Boilers, when in use, are inspected daily, Monday through Friday. Other pieces of equipment are inspected weekly and some are inspected monthly.” Though preventative measures are taken, if one occurs, gas leaks can usually be detected by the smell, which is similar to rotten eggs or a skunk. Leaks can also be detected by the sound of hissing, whistling, or blowing near the site of a leak. The school takes any possible threat of a gas leak serious. “Any reported smell of gas gets an immediate maintenance response,” said Guil-
liams. “We have a tool that ‘sniffs’ the air and determines if there is in fact a gas leak. If a leak is detected, the gas would be shut off and MGE called immediately. If student safety is at issue, School Administration would evacuate a building.” According to MGE, if a customer reports anything, the company has to check; even if it is unsure as to whether it is a gas leak or not. It is checked to make sure the customer is safe, and to be proactive. If a gas leak is suspected, act immediately. Call 911, and/or MGE’s emergency line, 1-800-582-0000. Also, the area should be evacuated and no electricity should be used, as it could create a fire or explosion.
Over 65 million homes in America use natural gas for power.
Trillions of cubic feet of natural gas passes through millions of miles of pipes.
Explosions can occur with as little as four percent gas in the air. 3
Natural gas can disrupt the climate more than oil or
coal.
Sources: Living on Earth, Trolexx, American Gas Association
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News
February storms cancel school, planned activities
Deciding canceled events falls upon Superintendent when inclimate weather occurs Story by Brently Probasco Staff Writer brently.probasco@hhsnews.com The possibility of a winter storm can bring thoughts of a potential snow day; this can lead students of all ages to wait by the television and phones anxiously, to see if school has called off classes for the day. This brings into question how these snow days are determined. Superintendent Dr. Bryan McDonald has a procedure he goes through in order to make the right decision concerning school. “Internally, I will be in contact with the director at our bus barn to see what he thinks about the roads,” said McDonald. “I may also contact our Director of Buildings and Grounds to hear his thoughts if snow removal could be an issue for district facilities. I am also in contact with area superintendents to see what they are planning to do.” McDonald also has a plan in place in case snow falls
overnight. “I will get up around 4 a.m. and begin to drive some county roads,” said McDonald. “Our director at the bus barn will also be out driving roads. I will drive some roads and then go into the office and watch some weather to see what they are predicting.” According to McDonald, there is a difference between scheduling school versus scheduling activities. Due to other schools, which may have better weather conditions, Harrisonville is not always able to cancel events. There is no policy in place that says an activity must be canceled because of school being canceled. With that being said, the safety of students are the main priority. McDonald says that after a few days off, students
may be able to drive; the conflict comes when the buses are unable to get around. He is also in contact with Activities Director H.T. Adams, who holds a large
contact with other schools to decide whether or not the event or activity will take place in the future. According to Adams, they always try to reschedule events to the best of their abilities, and if roads permit it, that could be on a day off of school. If it is a big game, they work with the Missouri State High School Activity Association to reschedule it. “The district can cancel or postpone the event,” said McDonald. “I know that we hosted the 1A Basketball regional when we had the big snow. H.T. Adams was contacting the schools participating to determine when we would be hosting. We canceled one night, but the schools involved could not make it the next night so it was postponed one more night.” Though events are can-
“Our overall goal in determining if we have school is the safety of our students and staff.” - Dr. Bryan McDonald part in the decision. “When school is canceled due to weather, if we host games, they are canceled,” said Adams. “Then practices are also canceled, and if we are on the road for the game, we cancel. If we play on a weekend we (myself, principal, superintendent, etc.) collaborate with the Highway Patrol before making the decision, in conjunction with talking to other schools.” If the activity is to be held at home, Adams keeps in
celed, sometimes teams, or even clubs, need that time to prepare. “No school usually means no practice,” said Adams. “If we are out several days due to rural roads being impassable, but town streets are okay, like we had this winter, we do permit ‘non-mandatory’ activity practices.” Despite the fact that canceling school causes students to make it up and go longer in the year, the top priority is always the same: keep teachers and students safe. “Our overall goal in determining if we have school is the safety of our students and staff,” said McDonald. “Sometimes the decision to go or not to go is easy, while other times it is hard. Streets in some places look really good while there are some county roads that have only been hit with one pass or possibly have not been hit yet. I believe the city and county road crews did a great job on both of the past two snows.”
Snow Fall: February 2013 Winter Storm Q Totals
Winter Storm Rocky Totals
Harrisonville, MO
11.0
Harrisonville, MO
13.0
Kansas City, MO
12.0
Kansas City, MO
9.0
Drexel, MO
9.0
Drexel, MO
10.0
Lenexa, KS
12.5
Lenexa, KS
10.0
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Features
Cheating can cause major consequences for students Story by Kayley Brock Staff Writer kayley.brock@hhsnews.com The wondering eyes, extended necks, sliding papers back and forth, and secret cheat sheets - all could be signs of academic dishonesty. According to ets.org, academic cheating is defined as representing someone else’s work as your own. It can take many forms, including sharing another’s work, purchasing a term paper or test questions in advance, or paying another to do the work for you. High school students are less likely than younger test takers to report cheaters. Many students feel that their individual honesty in academic endeavors will not affect anyone else. “It’s easier for me because I’m an old man now, not in high school, my encouragement to kids is to encourage their classmates to do their own work and keep their teacher in on the loop, ‘co cheaters’ should encourage kids to not hand it to others and do their own work,” said Assistant Principal Jason Farnsworth. Assistant Principal Jason Beavers agrees with Farnsworth. Not only should the students who cheat get in trouble, but the students who help others
Students sometimes like to look over at their neighboors work not knowing what they are doing is considered cheating. Photo Illustration by Jamie Hasenyager.
cheat or give them the answers should be open to the disciplinary system as well. “I don’t think it’s good. I think students should do their own work and gain the knowledge that doing the assignment gives them. Students who allow people to cheat off of them should be a subject to the discipline as well,” said Beavers. According to Farnsworth and Beavers they do not get referred academic dishonesty very often, an estimate of once a month. “It kind of depends on
the offense. It also depends on how you define cheating. Specifically, did you do the work and let someone copy it, or are you the cheater? Both are wrong, but typically one gets hurt academically more than the other,” said English teacher Virginia DeVenney. The consequences increase in severity starting with a parent conference all the way through the most severe, out of school suspension, after the eighth offense. “I think the punishment is appropriate, my stance is ‘What
Davis. “Marching band is a team Story by Madi Phillips event; if someone is missing, Staff Writer madi.phillips@hhsnews.com the whole thing could fall apart
make decisions through asking them to weigh their options through what they might find more important or fun. “Quite often students ask for an opinion. I’ve helped with college decisions such as whether a student should go to one college for academics or another for athletics,” said Sharp. “I also have helped students figure out which activity to choose with Robotics. If they are starting in a sport and the team needs them or if they are starting for Robotics is usually the deciding factor.” Although Sharp does his best to counsel his students on activities, even he sees the difficulty in juggling multiple activities. “Each [activities and sports] has its strengths and weaknesses. The challenge is coaches always need to keep in mind their activity or sport is not the only option,” said Sharp.
are you going to gain?’ Students think they are only here for a grade but they are here to learn,” said Farnsworth. According to Farnsworth, teachers should be able to depend on students to do their own work and students who see cheating or are being cheated off of should speak up. “Ideally the student should tell the student to stop, ask the teacher, then go to student services or to administration. From there keep bringing it up to the teacher, the punishments gets progressive and a little harsher every time. You have to remember you’re dealing with students who make mistakes and you hope they don’t make the same mistake, but it may not make a difference at all. May not cure the problem at all and others it may stop. High school is about growing and learning,” said Farnsworth. Senior Jacob Davis advises to resist all temptations of cheating. “Well I believe that it is obviously wrong to do. I also know every student has done it. Even as small as asking for help when you’re not supposed to. My advice is don’t fall for that kind of peer pressure. If they pretend to be your friend or act embar-
rassed around you, they are using you. If they are cheating off of you, you are obviously smart. Put your intelligence above giving them answers,” said Davis. Sophomore Ambur Robertson agreed with Davis that students need to realize that they are being taken advantage of. “Tell them it’s not cool. It’s wrong and it won’t get you through life if you’re dishonest. If you’re cheating in school then you won’t succeed in life,” said Robertson. DeVenney brings up that cheating exposes a student’s true character but also their integrity is in jeopardy. “I suspect part of it is ignorance on the teacher’s part. Also, we can end up in the hot seat if we accuse someone who is innocent. You have to catch them red handed. It tells you a lot about their character. These people are going to pay for their academic dishonesty someday. It’s going to catch up to them, and they are going to realize they frittered away their opportunity to learn. I’d remind them it’s not cool; they are being used in a real way. Teachers look at sharing answers as a character issue, so the student’s credibility is on the line,” said DeVenney.
Students struggle to juggle various activities all at once As his schedule is cramped with Band, Debate, Cross Country, Youth in Government and Student Council, senior Jacob Davis lives by his own words; sleep when you can. Making it only to fall homecoming late or not at all each year due to a band competition conflict is just one example. “At least once every weekend during October I have to make a decision,” said Davis. “Nearly every weekend of October has a band competition, making it tough to make it to other things.” Davis prioritizes his activities by the grade it carries and importance of the event. “Band is something I can’t just miss. It’s a graded event which means it will come before anything else,” said
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easily. It’s not acceptable to miss a band competition for an individual sport where a team does not rely on you.” Senior Matthew Baer faces the same situation as Davis with also having a cramped schedule. “I have too many conflicting schedules. My mom made me quit one sport because my schedule was too full,” said Baer. Baer’s spring activities now consist of soccer and Robotics, dropping tennis just recently. “Soccer, Robotics and tennis were all on the same nights, leaving no time for homework. My grades plummeted so I quit tennis,” said Baer. “I haven’t slept in six months. Or at least, that’s how I feel.” Supervisor of Robotics Justin Sharp often helps students
Junior Katlyn Patterson and senior Chris Roth are two students who juggle busy schedules between classwork, activities and/or athletics. “When I go home I study as much as I can, stay up later than I should; when I ride the bus I usually do homework then too,” said Patterson. “It’s difficult. I don’t have a lot of time for other stuff. I do not have a lot of free time because I’m either at practice or doing homework,” said Roth. Photo by Jamie Hasenyager.
the pride
Features
Theater student explains the appeal of performing Profile by Madi Dahn Staff Writer madi.dahn@hhsnews.com Hannah Welhoff, junior Q: What activities are you involved in? Welhoff: Music Makers, drama, NFL, and NHS Q: How long have you been involved? Welhoff: Since I was a little kid. Q: How many school drama productions have you been in? Welhoff: Six. Q: What’s your favorite activity that you do? Welhoff: I would have to say probably drama club; I’ve liked having a part in all the plays I’ve been in, and working, performing and singing, but in Music Makers there’s a lot of the same dancing and singing and performing for people. Q: What is your favorite part of being involved in fine arts? Welhoff: It’s the actual performance, when everything’s actually done and you step on stage and perform for people.
Welhoff casually practices a piece of music with junior Kaitlin Patterson. Photo by Alison Krenzer.
Junior Hannah Welhoff is involved in Music Makers, drama, NFL, NHS, and has participated in many school plays. Photo Alison Krenzer.
Q: What would you say you do best? Welhoff: I think I’m good at acting; taking on the role of someone else. I still crack and can’t hit certain notes, and my singing is not the most wonderful, but I can usually cover that up with acting. Q: Most embarrassing moment? Welhoff: When I started losing my voice in Footloose.
I started singing my solo and I was doing fine, then I got to the chorus and my voice gave out. It was depressing and the next day I had to do my lines with the voice of a 50 year-old chain smoker. Q: Have you ever played sports? Welhoff: I used to play volleyball in middle school. Q: To you, how does that compare to fine arts?
Welhoff: I like theater and fine arts so much better than sports because I’m an anti-fitness person and I like to be lazy. Q: How has your high school experience been impacted because of being in fine arts? Welhoff: My group of friends has expanded and become more specific because of what I’ve been involved in. Q: What is it like to be associ-
ated with the “drama” crowd? Welhoff: I think we get a lot of flack; I think people don’t really know what it’s like, they think we’re just geeky and weird. It can be good and bad. Q: Do you plan on continuing with fine arts in the future? Welhoff: Totally. I plan on majoring in musical theater and working with this as my profession.
Sophomore athlete shares insight on his lifestyle Delmont has participated in baseball and football for seven years and looks forward to continuing in college. Photo by Cassie Long.
Profile by Madi Dahn Staff Writer madi.dahn@hhsnews.com Devin Delmont, sophomore Q: What activities are you involved in? Delmont: Football and baseball. Q: How long have you been involved? Delmont: About seven years. Q: What is your favorite activity that you do? Delmont: I like the sport that I’m playing that season; I like football during football season, and baseball during baseball season. Q: What is your favorite part of being involved in sports? Delmont: I like hitting in baseball and running the ball in football.
the pride
Sophomore Devin Delmont claims that being involved in sports improves his academic performance. Photo by Alison Krenzer.
Q: What would you say you do best? Delmont: Probably baseball. I’m not the biggest kid out there; in football you have to be big, in baseball you don’t. Q: Most embarrassing moment? Delmont: I was going around
first base and I could have a double, but I kind of fell and didn’t get it. Q: Have you ever done anything in fine arts? Delmont: I’ve done ceramics, that’s about as close as it’s got. Q: To you, how does that compare to sports?
Delmont: I like sports a lot better; I’d rather do sports. Q: How has your high school experience been impacted because of being in sports? Delmont: My grades go up, I usually do better in school when I’m playing sports. Q: What is it like to be associ-
ated with the “athlete” crowd? Delmont: It seems like teachers make it harder to maintain your grades and play sports. Q: Do you plan on continuing with sports in the future? Delmont: I plan on going on in college, and maybe after.
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FEATURES
iPhone vs. Android: Which do you prefer? Information compiled by C.J. Semler - Staff Writer cj.semler@hhsnews.com
“Android, because iPhones break easily, and they are changing constantly.” -Junior Kelly Warden “iPhone because iMessage you can see if people have texted you back or not and it’s way faster.” -Senior Trevor Rew 7
“iPhone because it is nice. Siri likes to comfort me when I’m down.” -Freshman Cole Fischer “Even though I have an android, I would rather have an iPhone because I really love the cases.” -Sophomore Caitlin Hahn the pride
Issues
Why is it so hard to enter grades?
Column by Brently Probasco - Staff Writer brently.probasco@hhsnews.com It frustrates me immensely when I take the time to go online and check my grades and see a B, C, or any grade that is not an A. It bothers me even more when that grade does not change for weeks on end. Not because I have not done my work, but because teachers have not taken the time to input the work I have done. I find it difficult to keep on top of my grades and continually improve when teachers do not update their gradebook. I check my grades multiple times a week, and it becomes an inconvenience when teachers do not update them. A teacher not updating their gradebook for weeks at a time cannot only cause people like me to doubt their own success, but also make it difficult for us to receive help. When students are not receiving papers back, and their grades are not recent, there is a high chance for stress and worry to set in, at least in my world where perfection is the only way. It annoys me even more when teachers invent excuses for not updating grades. Such as, when a teacher announces to the class that they were unable to do so because they were “busy”. If a teacher expects me to do my homework, they should do
theirs. It is not only their excuses which bother me, but the fact that they put little consideration as to how it may affect a student’s well being. I am a straight A student who looks at the gradebook often in an attempt to stay up to date. When it is not updated, I do not know the grade which I have and that, at times, worries me. My parents set a high standard when it comes to grades, and any grade that is below an A has its toll on me. It becomes a conflict when I know that my grade should be back up to its normally perfect status, yet the teacher has felt no need to put those grades in. I find that teachers do not think that a student being grounded or constantly lectured is their problem, but in some ways, it could be. Though I understand there are plausible reasons, such as coaching, kids, family, days off school, etc., I do not see why a grade should be left the same for more than a week. If work has been done, that work should be in the gradebook. If I went a week without doing homework due to my personal life, there would be extreme consequences, therefore the same should be said for teachers. The thing is, sometimes we cannot always blame it on the teacher. Yes, it is their fault for not making the time, but perhaps it leans upon the students to stand up and remind the teacher that a grade needs to be updated. If students do their part in reminding their teachers when grades are wrong, and teachers do their part as for making time to do a key part of their job, I feel like students like me would not become as frustrated.
40% of students nationwide said their teachers let their parents know when they do well. Source: www.teaching.monster.com
the pride
1 in 4 teens drop
In Missouri, 16 pe drop out of high s Source: www.boostup.org
Lack of gradebook upd Story by Madi Dahn - Staff Writer madi.dahn@hhsnews.com Privileges, moving on in classes, and most importantly, graduating. For some students, keeping their grades up to par can be vital to these things. However, when teachers do not enter grades, it becomes more difficult for students. “I update it as soon as possible,” said History teacher Andrew Rives. “[It’s hard to keep it updated] if there’s a lot of late work, and sometimes a teacher can be very busy. When moving on in a lesson, it’s hard to go back and put in late work; they should’ve just done it the first time.” Though things get in the way of keeping grades up to date,
students become affected when grades are not completely taken account of. “I get that they can’t update it every day, but a week or two before grade checks would be nice so I can know if i need to make up a test or something,” said sophomore Trish Price. “Most teachers will put in their grades like two days before grades are due, so I’m stuck with what I got and there’s no way I can find out if I need to retake something so I can fix my grade before quarter.” Junior Kyle Hix also feels that he needs to know whether they are up to date in order to know if he needs to make up work. “If they are up to date, I can see what other steps I need to take to improve that grade, or if
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Issues
out of high school. Source: www.nydailynews.com
School system like an assembly line
Column by Alison Krenzer Photo Editor alison.krenzer@hhsnews.com
ercent of students school every year.
dates causes confusion I can relax and focus on another subject; it allows me to make a plan,” said Hix. However, Hix feels that it is not the teachers’ fault if grades get behind. “I think teachers are similar to students actually,” said Hix. “They get behind in stuff just like we do and at the end of the quarter or semester, it’s worse; knowing that makes it easier to be patient.” Price checks her grades online about once a week, and so do her parents. “When I have all the points, it makes my grades look better, but if I don’t, I can easily get in trouble for not having a high grade in a class,” said Price. Rives believes that students who are facing consequences due to grades are the
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ones most concerned. “It’s only kids who are missing work because they’re in trouble at home who will complain, once again, they should’ve done it the first time,” said Rives. Unlike Rives, Spanish teacher Jana Coffman keeps her grades updated often. “I update it on average every other day,” said Coffman. “It stresses me out to get behind and have work piling up.” Coffman also feels the students and parents motivate her to keep her grades updated. “If a student and parents think the student has an A and I don’t put in grades for three weeks and it shows up as a C, students and parents both get angry,” said Coffman. “It would cause a lot more work later.”
A school is a place where children and young adults should be introduced to new ideas and ways of learning and I think the American school system is failing tremendously to do this for students. I believe that teachers should teach kids multiple techniques to learn the same subject, not the same exact technique to learn multiple subjects. I know that personally, I have often felt that I am not getting the learning experience that I should. For me, this has been caused by teachers stifling my creativity, ideas, and my thought process. Kids need a better, innovative system for things to change. Too often teenagers are taught in a uniform way, which would only be effective if every person learned things at the same pace and style. There is no way that teaching every student in the same way could work for all of them. Students are going through classrooms being taught as if a school is a factory and they are supposed to be the same exact product, getting pumped out at a shocking pace. Instead of students being encouraged to think for themselves, they are often brushed off when their answer is not exactly what the teacher is looking for. Their creativity and individuality is being muffled in
order to produce ‘’intelligence’’ and better test scores that will make the school look like they are really offering a complete learning experience. I think that if schools would focus more on the learning experience and less on a good grade then students would naturally want to do well in classes and on tests. Teachers are wondering why students cannot focus in the classroom, merely blaming it on a “teenager’s attention span.” Instead of trying to change the way a student thinks, maybe the teacher should change the environment that their students are “learning” in. It is no wonder that kids can only find disruptive ways to keep their minds entertained while in the classroom. If you had to sit in the same chair for eight hours a day you might become a bit disruptive as well. The change must start with the classroom environment in order for it to effectively change the way students feel about school. From the age of five up to 18, kids are constantly being told to “be quiet” and “sit still.” If youth were encouraged to share their ideas out loud and in class without judgment from an authority figure, starting at an early age; they would enjoy school much more overall. Getting children more actively involved in the classroom and letting them think for themselves could give them something to look forward to when walking into class five days a week. Teachers and students need to start working together for anything to change. Maybe teachers could give students more freedom of thought and embrace every child’s unique way of learning. Students could also give teachers time to learn a new way of thinking when it comes to teaching. It takes both sides to make a change for the better.
31% of students nationwide think that their teachers create an exciting place to learn a school. Source: www.teaching.monster.com
the pride
Features
Catholic students, teachers give up items for Lent Story by Kayley Brock Staff Writer kayley.brock@hhsnews.com
Lent is the one time in the year 1.57 billion Catholics give up something they desire or make better decisions to prove and test their faith. Sophomore Aaron Laughlin determined he was not going to give something up for lent; instead he went a different route and chose to be commendable to his siblings. “I decided I was going to not raise my voice to my brothers and be kinder to them; it’s going pretty well,” said Laughlin. “It has strengthened my bond with my brothers and we are all working to be nicer to each other.”
Library Media Specialist Vickie Hamilton has the same goal as Laughlin. Although in past years
Although Laughlin and Hamilton did not give up something tangible, sophomore Melissa Watson
“It humbles me because I feel like God is using me to help others.” - Vickie Hamilton she has given something up, Hamilton decided to switch it up this year. “I have a different philosophy, I’m choosing to do something more than normal. To take this as a time to do more something helpful. It humbles me because I feel like God is using me to help others,” said Hamilton.
did. “I gave up pop because it’s something that I’ve gotten addicted to and I told myself to give up something better so I told myself to pray more,” said Watson. History teacher Andrea Eagle made a meaningful sacrifice similar to Watson.
“I gave up fast food because it was going to force me to be healthier and I knew that it was going to be difficult to give up because I’m lazy and don’t know how to cook. I have stuck with it but I haven’t done anything specifically other than plan stuff ahead so I have stuff at home and remind myself I don’t need it,” said Eagle. According to catholicculture.org, the penitential season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 17, and runs until Easter. The season is traditionally viewed as a time of personal spiritual reflection for Catholics. Although Lent is considered a Catholic time of sacrifice, anyone can
participate in it. Laughlin agreed that by not being alone helped them stick with it. “Most of my friends participate in some sort of lenten fast that can help stick through our promises because we know we are all giving up something,” said Laughlin. Hamilton agrees that having someone you care about helping you through it makes it easier. “I’ve written myself post it notes and I have a partner in crime, my husband. I have a partner who has the same goals as I do. I think all of us can become better versions of ourselves; it enables us to become better versions of ourselves,” said Hamilton.
New pope in place after Benedict XVI resigned Story by Joe Cramer Staff Writer joe.cramer@hhsnews.com On February 28, Pope Benedict XVI resigned from his position as head of the Catholic church - an act that has not been done in over 600 years. As many rumors circle around why the pope has chosen to step down, local Catholic students seemed unaffected by this recent change in leadership. “I don’t know what to think honestly,” said junior Kenny Baker. “It doesn’t really bother me though.” Sophomore Kali Meisson is not troubled with his choice in leaving either. “If he wants to, it’s his decision I guess,” said Meisson. The Catholic church only had to wait a few weeks before finding a new leader to guide them in their faith. On March 13, white smoke billowing out of the Sistine Chapel signaled that a new pope had been elected. Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergo-
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glio will take the place as head of the Catholic church. He will be the first Jesuit pope and the first non-European in the modern era, being from South America. The decision that was made by the cardinals was known to the public when a certain color of smoke blew through the chimney from the church. Black smoke meant that the overall vote failed and that a new ballot needed to take place. White smoke however meant that a new pope had been elected and the meeting was a success. It took only until the second day of voting for Bergoglio to be chosen as the leader of the church. On March 12, the 115 cardinals that were eligible to vote started the process of deciding who will lead the approximately 1.1 billion Catholics throughout the world. The vote took place in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City and cardinals had to be under the age of 80 to participate. To be
elected pope, the nominee must receive a two-thirds majority vote, which means that he must receive a minimum of 77 votes to be appointed the position. Local Catholic students hope that the newly elected pope will be able to have an impact and do right by the church, which has been under fire in recent years for numerous scandals linked to Catholic priests. “Hopefully he will be a strong leader, and a strong face for the Catholic church,” said Baker. Meisson hopes for the same in the new physical leader of her faith. “I hope we get someone that will represent the church well,” said Meisson. Sophomore Colleen Coday hopes that he will be able to reach all aspects of the church and not just the older members of the faith. “I feel that having a new younger pope will have more of an effect on the younger Catholics,” said Coday.
Name: Jorge Mario Bergoglio Age: 76 From: Buenos Aires, Argentina Denomination: Jesuit
• • •
Facts About New Pope:
Was the archibishop from 1998-2001 Became Cardinal in 2001 Taught literature, philosophy, theology, and psychology before becoming archbishop
•
He is the first non-European pope in more than 1000 years • He has only one lung due to an infection as a teenager causing one to be removed
•
Facts About Papacy:
There have been 69 popes since the last pope resigned.
•
Pope Benedict XVI resigned this past February • Pope Francis was elected new pope this past March
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Sports
Removal of Olympic sport causes frustration Olympic Committee begins omitting wrestling from games Story by Joe Cramer Staff Writer
joe.cramer@hhsnews.com
On February 12, the International Olympics Committee made the decision to start the process of removing the sport of wrestling from the Olympic games. The first year to potentially have wrestling removed is in 2020. Wildcat coaches and wrestlers have not taken kindly to this news, junior Kyle Hix being one of them. “Honestly, it shocked me when I heard,” said Hix. “It’s one of the oldest sports in Olympic history. The level of dedication that those athletes put in is incredible. But now they won’t be able to live out their dream of competing in the Olympics. That’s tough.” Senior Aaron Rampani feels similar to Hix about the situation. “It irritates me,” said Rampani. “It was one of the first Olympic sports, it doesn’t make sense to me why they would
remove it.” Head Coach Eric DeVenney, however, does not believe that wrestling will be gone from the Olympics. “I don’t believe the fight is over yet,” said DeVenney. “I don’t think it will happen. It does irritate me though. The IOC are the ones trying to eliminate it. Why I think it won’t happen for one is because the World Cup of wrestling was held recently in Iran. It finally united Iran, Russia, and the United States together on the common interest in wrestling and the goal of keeping it.” DeVenney had more explanation on why he thinks that this decision was made to try to remove wrestling. “The IOC is made up of wealthy people, which means they enjoy wealthy sports,” said DeVenney. “They are trying to replace wrestling with golf and sports of that nature. It’s not like they are discussing getting rid of sailing or tennis which can be considered wealthy sports. It’s all about market value and TV ratings now. But there will be
According to nytimes.com, wrestling has been an Olympic sport since 708 B.C. and USA has won more than 100 medals in this sport. Photo by www.olympicimages2012.com
one more vote about the issue, and it will be held in Russia. The Russians love wrestling.” Hix agrees with his coach about how wrestling is not what it was when the Olympics first began. “People don’t watch it anymore,” said Hix. “They keep the international sports that everybody loves because they’re popular.” Wildcat wrestlers feel that the sport should have stayed because of the history it has had
with the Olympics as a whole. “It is one of the first Olympic sports; it should have stayed,” said Rampani. Just because the sport will possibly no longer be in the Olympics does not mean that wrestlers everywhere will abandon their sport. It has given Rampani an increased desire to compete in the near future, wherever he is taken. “It increases my drive to wrestle,” said Rampani. “Since I can’t go to the Olympics, it makes
me want to compete that much harder in college or the military.” For some, the news does not affect the athlete, and does not change how they feel about doing what they love. “It doesn’t change anything about my desire to compete,” said Hix. The final decision will be made in May of this year to either keep wrestling or let it be replaced by a different sport.
This is the Cheif’s first time they have had the first overall draft pick in franchise history. Photo by www.sportslogos.net
Notre Dame. The Chiefs traded two of their draft picks for former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Alex Smith. After suffering a concussion he attained in a game against the St. Louis Rams during week nine, Colin Kaepernick took over and brought them all the way to the Superbowl. Due to the fact the 49ers had an extra quarterback, the Chiefs were interested. Sophomore Tucker Schlesner also feels that drafting an offensive lineman would be good for the Chiefs. “I would like to see them trade down to about five or six and then take Chance Warmack from Alabama. He will lay out a good platform for Alex Smith to develop the Chiefs offense,” said Schlesner. Along with getting Alex Smith; backup quarterback for the Saints, Chase Daniel agreed to a three-year deal with the Chiefs. Daniel played for the Missouri Tigers in college and
was a two time Heisman Trophy nominee in 2007 and 2008. Initially, the Jets were looking into adding Daniel to their team, which would give them five quarterbacks on their roster. Daniel then decided to sign with the Chiefs for a threeyear contract. The first round of the draft will be held on Thursday, April 25 at 7 p.m. The second and third rounds will follow on Friday, April 26 starting at 5:30 p.m. and rounds four through seven will proceed on Saturday, April 27 at 11 a.m.
NFL draft provides options for the Chiefs Story By Tyler Cardinal Staff Writer
tyler.cardinal@hhsnews.com
The National Football League draft. It is one of the biggest events in all of professional football. It is where college athletes progress into the NFL, and professional teams acquire new players. One of the big questions this year, especially around here, is who will the Kansas City Chiefs choose with their first round pick? Assistant Football Coach and Literature and Composition teacher Ryan Peters believes that getting an offensive lineman would benefit the Chiefs greatly. “I think that Luke Joeckel would be a good pick because now that we have Alex Smith as quarterback, we need to ensure we can protect him,” said Peters. According to NFL.com Joeckel is an offensive tackle from Texas A&M who received
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first team All-American and All-SEC honors. He is believed to be the best offensive tackle in the class and possibly the best prospect overall. Joeckel is one of many players being looked at by teams in the NFL coming out of the NCAA and into the draft. Another big name is Tavon Austin, a wide receiver from West Virginia. He finished eighth in Heisman voting, he also won the Paul
Hornung award (most versatile player), and received first team All-American for an All-Purpose player. Some more skilled players coming up are Jarvis Jones who is an Offensive Linebacker for Georgia, and Matt Barkley a Quarterback for the University of Southern California. Probably the biggest name in the draft, due to his girlfriend hoax scandal from earlier this year, is Manti Te’o; an inside linebacker for
Top 5 projected draft picks 1. Luke Joeckel OT to KC Chiefs 2. Dion Jordan DE/OLB to Jacksonville Jaguars 3.Sharrif Floyd DT to Oakland Raiders 4.Geno Smith QB to Philladelphia Eagles 5.Eric Fisher OT to Detroit Lions
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Sports
Wildcat spring sports begin Baseball Var/J.V. Excelsior Springs HOME Var/J.V. Odessa HOME C Team Odessa AWAY Var. Sedalia Tournament AWAY C Team Warrensburg AWAY Var/J.V. O’Hara HOME Var/J.V. Oak Grove AWAY C Team Oak Grove HOME Var/J.V. Clinton AWAY C Team Fort Osage AWAY Var/J.V. Grain Valley HOME C Team Holden AWAY Var/J.V. Oak Grove HOME C Team Grain Valley AWAY Var. Lebanon/Camdenton AWAY Var/J.V. Grain Valley C Team Grain Valley Var/J.V. Pleasant Hill C Team Oak Grove Var/J.V. Warrensburg C Team Oak Grove Var/J.V. Odessa C Team Odessa J.V. Grain Valley
AWAY HOME HOME AWAY HOME AWAY AWAY HOME AWAY
C Team Excelsior Springs HOME Var/J.V. Excelsior Springs AWAY Var. Districts AWAY Var. Sectionals TBA Var. Quarter Finals TBA Var. State Championships AWAY
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4:30p.m. 04/01/13 4:30p.m. 04/02/13 4:30p.m. 04/02/13 TBA 04/03/13 04/06/13 4:30p.m. 04/08/13 4:30p.m. 04/09/13 4:30p.m. 04/11/13 4:30p.m. 04/11/13 4:30p.m. 04/12/13 9:00a.m. 04/13/13 4:30p.m. 04/15/13 4:30p.m. 04/15/13 4:30p.m. 04/18/13 4:30p.m. 04/18/13 TBA 04/19/13 04/20/13 4:30p.m. 04/23/13 4:30p.m. 04/23/13 4:30p.m. 04/26/13 9:00a.m. 04/27/13 4:30p.m. 04/29/13 4:30p.m. 04/30/13 4:30p.m. 05/02/13 4:30p.m. 05/02/13 TBA 05/03/13 05/04/13 4:30p.m. 05/06/13 4:30p.m. 05/07/13 TBA 05/08/13 05/18/13 TBA 05/21/13 TBA 05/23/13 TBA 05/31/13 06/01/13
Track
J.V. Ray-Pec Var. Karney Classic J.V. Raytown Invite Var Ray-Pec Invite J.V. Wildcat Invite Var. Excelsior Springs Var. Belton Invite Var/J.V. Conference Meet Var. Districts Var. Sectional Var. State
AWAY AWAY AWAY AWAY HOME AWAY AWAY AWAY TBA TBA AWAY
4:00p.m. 04/02/13 4:00p.m 04/04/13 4:00p.m. 04/10/13 4:00p.m. 04/12/13 4:00p.m. 04/15/13 3:00p.m. 04/19/13 4:00p.m. 04/26/13 3:00p.m. 05/03/13 TBA 05/11/13 10:00a.m. 05/18/13 TBA 05/24/13 05/25/13
Women’s soccer Var/J.V. Oak Grove Var/J.V. Notre Dame De Sion Var/J.V. Excelsior Springs Var/J.V. Marshall Var. Smithville Invite
AWAY AWAY HOME AWAY AWAY
Var/J.V. Grain Valley Var/J.V. Pembroke Var. Smith Cotton Invite
AWAY HOME AWAY
Var/J.V. Oak Grove Var/J.V. O’Hara Var/J.V. Pleasant Hill Var/J.V. Excelsior Springs Var/J.V. Kearney Var/J.V. Pleasant Hill Var/J.V. Grain Valley Var. Districts
HOME HOME HOME AWAY AWAY AWAY HOME TBA
Var. Sectionals Var. Quarterfinals Var. State
TBA TBA TBA
5:00p.m. 04/02/13 5.00p.m. 04/04/13 5:00p.m. 04/08/13 5:00p.m. 04/09/13 TBA 04/12/13 04/13/13 5:00p.m. 04/16/13 5:00p.m. 04/17/13 TBA 04/19/13 04/20/13 5:00p.m. 04/23/13 5:00p.m. 04/25/13 5:00p.m. 04/26/13 5:00p.m. 04/30/13 5:00p.m. 05/03/13 5:00p.m. 05/06/13 5:00p.m. 05/07/13 TBA 05/11/13 05/18/13 TBA 05/21/13 TBA 05/25/13 TBA 05/31/13 06/01/13
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Sports
new season of competition Men’s tennis
Var/J.V. Excelsior Springs Var/J.V. Odessa J.V. North Town Var/J.V Grain Valley Var/J.V. Clinton Var. H’ville Invite Var/J.V. Warrensburg Var/J.V. O’Hara Var/J.V. Excelsior Springs Var/J.V Odessa Var/J.V. Grain Valley Var/J.V. MRVC Tournament Varsity Distrcts
AWAY HOME AWAY HOME AWAY HOME HOME HOME HOME AWAY AWAY AWAY AWAY
Golf
4:30p.m. 04/02/13 4:30p.m. 04/04/13 8:30a.m. 04/08/13 4:30p.m. 04/09/13 4:00p.m. 04/11/13 9:00a.m. 04/13/13 4:30p.m. 04/16/13 4:30p.m. 04/18/13 4:30p.m. 04/23/13 4:30p.m. 04/25/13 4:30p.m. 04/30/13 7:30a.m. 05/02/13 8:30a.m. 05/11/13
Var. Oak Grove Tourney AWAY 8:30a.m. 03/21/13 Var/J.V. Smith Cotton AWAY 4:00p.m. 03/25/13 Var/J.V. Tri AWAY 4:30p.m. 03/26/13 Var/J.V. Tri AWAY 4:00p.m. 03/27/13 Var/J.V. Grain Valley Invite AWAY 8:00a.m. 04/01/13 Var/J.V. Tri AWAY 4:30p.m. 04/02/13 Var/J.V. Tri AWAY 4:30p.m. 04/04/13 Var/J.V. Tri AWAY 4:30p.m. 04/09/13 Var. Richmond Invite (Shirkey’s) AWAY 8:30a.m. 04/12/13 Var/J.V. MRVC Tourney (Country Creek) HOME 7:30a.m. 04/15/03 Var/J.V. Tri AWAY 4:30p.m. 04/16/13 J.V. William Jewell Classic AWAY 1:00p.m. 04/19/13 Var/J.V. Pleasant Hill HOME 4:30p.m. 04/23/13 Var. Districts AWAY 8:30a.m. 04/29/13 Var. Sectionals AWAY 8:30a.m. 05/02/13 05/04/13 Var. State HOME TBA 05/13/13 05/14/13
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Athlete Profiles Senior Tanner Foerschler Sport: Baseball Position: Short stop Jersey Number: 3
“I have played baseball for about 11 years. I like to play because it challenges me. I am looking forward to competing in district championships for my senior year. I also plan on playing in college at KCK,” said Foerschler.
Senior Sarah Keck Sport: Girls Soccer Position: Goalie Jersey Number: 0
“I have played soccer for three years. I played my freshman, junior and senior year. I play soccer because it is always fun and never a dull moment. I am looking forward to winning our conference and district game like we did last year. I have not decided where I am going to college yet, but I plan on trying out for the team where ever I go,” said Keck. the pride
Sports
Senior athletes reflect on last season to compete After four years of high school sports, seniors look back on favorite memories, give advice Story by Austin Royal Staff Writer
Some however were convinced into playing their sport, rather than choosing it. Eastwood was convinced by a coach to compete in track to better himself as an athlete. “Coach Lliteras convinced me to run track. He said that I needed to work on my speed and I agreed with him,” said Eastwood. Other seniors are being convinced by parents and relatives. Senior Manda Hopper started track because of her dad.
austin.royal@hhsnews.com While competing against Center last year in football, senior Walter Eastwood read the receivers route and knew at that moment that it was his time to shine. He stepped in front of the pass and picked it off. This is just one of the memories that senior athletes reflect on as their last chance to play high school sports arrives. Seniors like PJ Patton are taking advantage of their last opportunity to play and changing the sport they participate in this spring. Patton was an All-State thrower in track however he chose to play baseball this season to challenge himself. “No one convinced me to play baseball. I am an athlete and I wanted to compete at a higher level but track did not do that for me. I always liked the baseball atmosphere and I have a little experience since I played in little league,” said Patton. Along with Patton, senior Jameson Knox has decided to compete with the baseball team. For Knox, deciding to play was not solely based on finding a new challenge.
While at soccer practice, senior Anisa Alexander is gets ready to pass the ball. Photo by Cassie Long.
“The reason I played this year is because I did not play basketball this year and I missed
the last football game and I did not want to go out like that,” said Knox.
“During my eighth grade year, me and my brother were racing and my dad saw me and he said that I should run track,” said Hopper. Despite the fact that not all athletes are involved in the same sports, most all have their special memories. Knox reminisces on his final game of football with the Wildcats due to a head injury. “The game against Platte County. It was probably my best game I’ve played and it was the last game that I played,” said Knox. Patton’s favorite memory is also on the football field and during the playoffs. Senior Mackenzie Hocker’s favorite memory happens to be on the basketball
5.5 percent of high school athletes who play men’s soccer will go to NCAA.
3.3 percent of high school athletes who play women’s basketball will go to NCAA.
The percentage of high school athletes that go pro is 1 to 3 percent.
court. “My favorite memory is when we beat Grain Valley on a buzzer beating shot,” said Hocker. On the track, Hopper’s favorite memory involves personal records. “My favorite memory is when I ran at Platte County and ran a personal best then we went to Dairy Queen which was right next to the school and ate,” said Hopper. With years of experience under their belts, senior athletes have pointers and advice for those behind them. “Always be coachable and do your job and always trust your teammates,” said Patton. Knox believes that with hard work and practice will do well. “Get better every day in practice, also in the weight room as well,” said Knox. As Hopper looks back, she advises athletes to not take any season for granted. “Make the most out of every sport every season because before you know it will be over,” said Hopper. With around two months left before graduation, the players have time to leave an impression on underclassmen they compete with if they have not already.
6.1 percent of high school athletes who play baseball will go to NCAA.
There is an average of 8.7 percent women’s teams per college.
Sources: www.chronicle.com, www.collegesportsscholarships.com, www.ncaa.org
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Opinion
Internet usage, dependency can lead to addiction
Column by Lara Floyd Staff Writer lara.floyd@hhsnews.com In society today, tech nology seems like it is always a first choice, if not just an alternate to our everyday activities. We have developed a huge dependency on the internet. It is an impulse addiction. Not only for students, but for a vast group of adults as well. I do not feel that we should stand by and let happen because it is worsening every day. A study conducted in the summer of 2010, The World Unplugged, concluded that students do not realize how little time management they allow themselves. Only 21 percent of the test subjects even agreed to giving up technology all together
for the allotted 24-hour period. This study also began to question whether the internet was safe for anyone anymore. Not just in the sense of it not being fully secure or that it allows anyone to search for and find where you are located at. Internet is questionable to our safety because during the observation period in the study, it was found that our internet cravings are in fact related closely to drug addictions. It was said that giving up technology for any period of time was compared to smokers or addicts going “cold turkey.” Internet addiction is not a light subject to be brushed off. It has severe consequences that are often overlooked. The most common outcome is mild to severe damage and disruption of the white matter fibers that connect your emotional processing, attention, and decision making sections in your brain. These fibers are located deep in the muscle and at the tip of the spinal cord that send messages on when, how and if you should do something. Internet consumes people to say the least, even though I am just one single person of the
excessive amount of users constantly plugging into the world wide web. We choose to mess around on our smart phones, laptops and game consoles over needed daily tasks, including but not limited to chores, homework or even our jobs. What is in store for our culture if technology and internet consumes every aspect of our lives? It is true that technology is necessary for many situations to properly socialize your child. But it is also true that we need to step up and admit that our utilization of internet is getting too over the top and will eventually take over every aspect of our future. Now I am not one to say what the best route to take is, but it is a thought. I understand that it is a parents job to keep track of their children at all times, but as we grow up, those leashes bound by our parents slowly diminish. But just as we were once children monitored on the playground, is it not the teachers and parents job to not avoid monitoring their students in the classroom and home all together? Internet sites are not
With smart phones, social media sites are easily manageable and used just as often as any other internet webpage. Photo by Lara Floyd.
easily monitored anymore. Students are finding ways around blocked sites on the server located on school’s computers and wifi. In any search engine, you can easily type in that you would like to bypass a blocked site. Literally thousands of results pop up in hopes that you use their program. The once undecipherable firewalls are now being shot down with ease and are no longer obstacles for students that
know what they are doing, staying a step ahead of the administration. Even though you delete your history, authorized personnel can pull up anything ever posted or viewed by you. I believe that not only do parents need to boost their awareness of what their children are doing, but students need to also become acquainted with the fact that the internet is not as safe as they think it is.
Why are young couples jumping the gun on commitment?
Column by Audrey Marshall News & Opinion Editor audrey.marshall@hhsnews. com Every time I log onto Facebook it seems like a new notification appears showcasing so and so is now engaged to so and so. Often times people make this very public relationship status as a comedic prank. However, there is nothing that makes me cringe more than when the status turns out true, hosting the names of two very young people fresh out of high school and in worse cases: current high school students.
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In today’s society, people are more willing to make the jump but less willing to take the fall. This rings clear in various aspects of life but most of all in marriage. Men and especially women romanticize the ideas of marriage when in reality they actually have rarely experienced any reality at all, and most prominent of these harsh realities are the ones presented in a marriage. Realities such as bills, a steady, livable income, and the endless amount of responsibilities that most high schoolers rarely have to deal with on a day to day basis and often leave up to their parents. To me, the most shock-
In the United States research suggests
40 to 50 percent of
all first marriages
end in divorce.
ing concept of all is the idea that people who are still not yet old enough to financially support themselves, and in many instances are still being supported by their parents, are tying the
knot. The logic in that is just not evident to me. Quite frequently, my perception of very young couples is concluded in one word alone: divorce.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Guidelines Have an opinon on something in this issue?
- Letters must be signed by the author and verified. -Letters are submitted to room 304 or Mr. Lewis’ mailbox. -Letter must include the Auhtor’s phone number for verification.
-Letters should not exceed 300 words. -Letters will not be printed if content is obscene, invasive, encouraging description of school and/or implies libel. -Letters may be edited for length, grammar, spelling, and content. -Authors will be notified if any changes are made to the letter by the editorial staff.
Submit a letter, and tell us about it!
According to divorce. usa, couples who marry at a younger age are at a higher risk for divorce. In the United States alone, research suggests that 40 to 50 percent of all first marriages will end in divorce. And 60 percent of all second marriages will follow suit. That seems like a good enough reason to me to rethink any relationship on the fast track towards the isle no matter the age. In essence, how can two young people, who have rarely had to have any responsibilities that scratch the surface of the real world and all of it’s weighty matters even begin to expect successful perseverance in a marriage which addresses all of those things, even with the deepest of love? Perhaps in a matter of opinion, I am a pessimist, but I would like to think I am and first a foremost a realist. It all comes down to one final question: Why not just wait?
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Features
s m e o at r P id d n a C
20 13 Tanner Foerschler: “Looking fly to death.”
Emily Hix: “A very classical and regal style.”
isonville r r a H High School
Bryant Kanies: “Expect the unexpected.”
2013 Vegas Escape
Audrey Marshall: “I want to emulate Audrey Hepburn.”
Describe your prom style... McKinnon Blalock: “Very flashy.”
Tyler Bundt: “I’m wearing whatever matches what Ashley Davis is wearing.” Jameson Knox: “My colors are white and light blue.”
Taylor Spencer: “Simple but elegant.” Maria Sanchez: “I am going to be comfortable but classy.”
Collin Allen: “Mid-90’s swag.”
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