Volume 11, Issue 1 by JagWire newspaper

the

JagW ire

JW Vol. 11, Issue 1 Sept. 24, 2010

Coping with grief Life can seem unbearable after the loss of someone close to you. Learn how to cope with it on Page 8-9

Mill Valley High School 5900 Monticello Road, Shawnee, KS 66226

Sept. 24, 2010

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In this issue: News:

Feature: www.mvnews.org

{feature}

New school, new friends, new family, new country, and a new lifestyle. Seniors Susi Donati and Jozze Cevallos are both living

thousands of miles from home jill applegate {features editor} josh duden {reporter}

Along with a new cafeteria, new classrooms and new teachers, the school can add another new thing to its list: exchange students. Having been over capacity the last year, the school has been unable to host students from other countries. However, this year is different. Susanna Donati from Italy and Jozze Cevallos from Ecuador are two fresh additions to the student body. Both girls traveled thousands of miles from home, leaving their families and friends and taking on a new culture, so The JagWire took a look inside the girl’s new lives here in America.

Susi Donati jill applegate {features editor}

Sitting at a desk, with math papers sprawled out in front of her, senior Susi Donati jokes with a friend after being asked what teenagers in Italy do for fun. “Oh, we go to the bars usually,” she said. Junior Olivia Beashore laughs and points out that bars aren’t a normal place for students to be. “Well, in Italy they are just a place to go and buy a coke,” Donati said. After travelling from her home in Vercelli, Italy, Donati is experiencing what it’s like to be a teenager in Shawnee through the program Cultural Home State International. “It’s good. Very different but really exciting,” Donati said. Even though she grew up speaking Italian, the language change has not been a problem for Donati who has studied English for five years. Shawnee resident Vesta Morgan, Donati’s host mother, does however see the effects of the language difference on her host daughter. “Sometimes when she’s really tired, she’ll slip into Italian,” Morgan said. Though the language has not been difficult for Donati, she has realized the differences between America and Italy are very drastic. Some of the variations include more fast food here, the way the school day works (their teachers change classrooms, not the students), and that in Vercelli, driving places is not as much of a necessity because everything is closer. However, not all of the changes lie in the culture. “It’s strange to live with little kids,” Donati said of her host siblings, all under the age of 12. “They are really funny and kind of crazy. They try to teach me stuff sometimes.” Donati grew up being the youngest of two siblings. Her 19-year-old brother Uvo has also been an exchange student before, which is one of the reasons Donati decided engage in the program. This trip, however, is not Donati’s first experience as an exchange student. Two years ago, she spent 10 days with a family in West Virginia and, before coming to Kansas, she spent five days in New York with a group of exchange students. Although this is Donati’s first time coming to America for such a long period of time, Morgan believes her host daughter has had a positive experience thus far and thinks that being an exchange student is a valuable thing for a teenager to do. “She gets to see the world and travel,” Morgan said. “She knows that it’s an experience, so she takes it all in stride.”

TOP: SeniOr JOzze CevallOS and host mom Shelly Fabac talked on Thursday, Sept. 9, about what Cevallos expected when she arrived in her new home. ” i thought i was going to be living on a farm,” Cevallos said. leFT: Taking a break from homework in history teacher Dustin Stinnett’s seminar, senior Susi Donati talks with her classmates about why she decided to become an exchange student. “ My brother did the exchange two years ago and i’m really proud of my brother,“ Donati said. “ i wanted to follow in his footsteps.” Photos by Kristina Milewski

Jozze Cevallos

What’s the difference?

josh duden {reporter}

Dating:

Coming to America, senior Jozze Cevallos left her home in Ecuador behind, including her friends, a boyfriend, and her family. “It was so hard,” Cevallos said. “When I came here my brother cried because we are very close, but we Skype almost every night.” But once she got to the states, Jozze had to adapt quickly. She described her initial reaction when she heard she was coming to Kansas. “I thought I was going to live on a farm,” Cevallos said with a laugh. Originally from Ibatta, Ecuador she described many differences between her home and here in the United States including the school, the weather, and, of course, the food. “My favorite restaurant here is Tanners,” Celvallos said. “But we have McDonalds, Burger King, and Taco Bell in Ecuador too.” Coming from Ecuador, where the national language is Spanish, learning English was a struggle. “I didn’t speak English before I came here, maybe five percent,” Cevallos said. But the language was not only a barrier for Jozze; host mom Shelly Fabac has also had some trouble. “I couldn’t understand [her], but the first time I saw her I thought that she had a beautiful smile,” Fabac said. However, the language was not the only difference. In Ecuador the culture is very different from here in the US. Cevallos shared some information about her favorite holiday called Carnival, which takes place throughout February. “We party a lot. ” Cevallos said. “There is no school for a week. We celebrate by throwing water balloons at each other and then throwing flour. After, your hair looks like a cake.” Although this is Jozze’s first time in the United States, she is loving the experience while she is here. “All the people I know from here now will make it so hard to go back,” Jozze said.

>“I think it’s the same. Maybe we go to a dance, and

do the salsa. We have a lot of dances to choose from,” Cevallos said.

>“Here you have to meet the parents? Yeah, we don’t.

No one’s parents meet the boyfriend. That’s crazy you have to meet the parents,” Donati said.

School:

> “In my high school, they give you a schedule. You don’t get to choose your classes, you only get to choose what you want to be, science or math,” Cevallos said.

> “The teachers change classes every hour and we go to school from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.,” Donati said.

Weekends:

> “My city is a very small city so we travel to other cit-

ies and go shopping or to movies. Sometimes we have house parties,” Cevallos said. > “We go out and stay in the center of the city. We have places where a bunch of people meet like the squares. Nothing exciting,” Donati said.

Opinion:

ON SATURDAY, SEPT. 11, Dr. Joe Novak campaigns door to door. “I was encouraged by the governor to run again, he actually said he won’t take no for an answer.” Photo by Taylor Young

Dr. Joe fights Donohoe for 39th Kansas House seat once again alyne roemerman {reporter}

Former principal Dr. Joe Novak is busy campaigning for State Representative in the 39th District, the election for which takes place on Tuesday, Nov. 2. It’s the same House seat he ran for in 2008 and against the same opponent, Owen Donohoe. He lost by 2.3% in that campaign. Every week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, Novak picks a small area and walks door to door. He visits the voters who are willing to listen to his story and the ones he might be able to persuade. Helping him out are some seniors, including senior Devak Patel, who decided to volunteer after being asked by social studies teacher Jeff Strickland.

“I think it’s a fun experience, everyone should do this,” Patel said. “He has a good chance of winning.” Novak agreed and is enthusiastic about this campaign. “[The campaign is] progressing really well, we are about three quarters of the way to our goal,” Novak said. Novak decided to run again after being asked by Gov. Mark Parkinson. “I have always loved public service,” Novak said. “I still have a burning desire to serve.”

StuCo activities

Sports: 12

Sept. 24, 2010

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Future of the football team

joel hodgdon {reporter/ads}

From run to pass, the spread offense gives options and deserves attention The football team ran the ball for 10 years. The program used and overused the run game for so long, it was time to see a little variety. Under the guidance of a new coach, it seems appropriate that a new offense would be used, and the spread does not disappoint. The spread offense is the way football is supposed to be played. Not only does it speed up the pace of the game by emphasizing the passing game, but the spread also adds an element of surprise and excitement to every new down, and the ability to score from anywhere on the field. The no huddle offense just adds more fun. Used for years by several successful high schools, colleges, and professional programs. Such as, the Texas Tech Red Raiders, or the 2007 New England Patriots, the spread offense is not new. But now it’s the Jaguars’ turn to cash in on our new offensive scheme. The team has the speed, talent, and strength necessary to utilize both aspects of the spread. To run the spread, a team needs offensive backs capable of both the blocking and the rushing strength it takes to open up and utilize holes in the defense. With capable backs, and a sizeable offensive line, the run option is there. And more importantly to the spread, the Jags have the receiving talent and quarterback to make Bishop Ward live in fear of the passing game. With the ball hiked out in the shotgun or under the center, the defense either has to be immensely talented or just plain lucky to get to the ball before it is whizzing over their heads or senior running back Kyle Brunson carries it past them. The team lines up in a natural looking formation with the halfback directly behind the quarterback and a four receiver set with two receivers on each side, or a more typical single wing formation. In short yardage situations, the team can use the old school style single wing formation to bulldoze a couple yards and gain a first down. This change in formation “spreads” or moves out the defenders so they have to respect both the pass and run and gives this formation its name. It is hard to defend against a team who has many offensive schemes and plays to use against you. The new offense also will go no-huddle which adds an element of panic to the defense. This ideally leaves them with little time to react to an offensive change in formation leading to missed assignments and six more points on the scoreboard. But the best thing about the spread is that there are so many ways to line up, place receivers, utilize tight ends, and in general keep the defense guessing that there is no limit to the damage a team can cause. The beauty is that the defense has no idea what is coming at them. Football is supposed to be exciting and fast-paced. No fan wants to see a game drag on or end up as a muddy two yard gain per carry slugfest. With the spread offense, the program can come into its own as a productive offensive team by using the many, many options the spread provides. It is time to show the rest of the Kaw Valley League and even the rest of the Kansas City area what it means to be an innovative and exciting football team.

LEFT: COACH JOEL APPLEBEE walks back to the sideline after instructing the offense of their next play at the Friday, Sept. 3 game against Lansing. MIDDLE: COACHES ALEX HOULTON and Applebee celebrate a successful play. RIGHT: APPLEBEE SCANS THE playbook to choose the next offensive play. Photos by Emily Johnson

New coaches, new perspective lisa joerling {reporter}

With seven new football coaches, the football staff has put a lot of effort and time into this season New head football coach Joel Applebee has one main goal for his football team: to improve everyday. The seven assistant football coaches are also new and have specific goals for the season. “My goal for this season is to be a better coach everyday. I would love for the team to be able to make the playoffs this year,” assistant coach Justin Pickens said. Applebee agrees and sees coaching as an opportunity. “I’m excited to coach in a very nice school district. I’ve heard great things and the administration is so supportive,” Applebee said. Applebee’s seven assistant coaches all have different positions to help the team from coaching offensive lines, running backs, and wide receivers. Each coach has a different goal, but they all agree on one. “Our main goal for the team is to see our student athletes improve everyday from the classroom, to the weight room and the field,” Applebee said. The players are also noticing a difference in how practices work. “Since I’m a linebacker I do a lot of tackling drills and we scrimmage at practice a lot,” senior linebacker Michael Hardy said. New offensive and defensive schemes have been put into place; they now have a spread offense which is a pass- heavy style of football. The team also has a 4-3 defense which utilizes four down linemen and three linebackers, however the team will switch up defensive fronts when necessary. “I’m not sure exactly how they did things last year, and honestly

I’m not very worried about it,” Applebee said. According to the coaches they are focusing on things they can change right now. “I believe if we focus on the small things, the bigger picture such as wins and championships will take care of itself,” assistant coach T.J. O’Neill said. Focusing on changes for this season the coaches have put months of time into the team and explain what a huge time commitment coaching has been. “So much work gets put into this; I work roughly 12 hour days,” Applebee said. “Coaching takes so much time out of your family life, but having the support of family helps.” Even with the time commitment, Applebee has seen the time as worth-while with his players. “It’s a lot better than last year, they work us harder this year and I just feel stronger,” Hardy said. The coaches spent their summer planning and preparing for the upcoming season by forming plays for the team. “Summer is extremely busy, we are preparing for the season and trying to get everything ready,” Applebee said. Even with the time commitment, Applebee and his coaching staff enjoy watching the team succeed. Among their successes is the team’s current winning record of 2-1. “I love seeing our players enjoy working hard and winning together,” assistant coach Michael Kline said. Applebee agrees. “My favorite thing is working with the young men, seeing improvements, and having an impact on their daily lives,” Applebee said. “I also love watching the joy they get out of playing.”

Assistant Coaches Coach Geoff White White works with the linebackers on the team and is an assistant freshman coach. He assists coach Applebee by helping with training the linebackers on defense and helping coach the freshman. Coach Dwight Stoppel Stoppel works with the defensive ends part of the team. He helps coach Applebee by coaching the defensive ends throughout practice and helping plan games in hopes of success.

Photo by Emily Johnson

Coach T.J. O’Neil O’Neill works with every aspect of the team but mostly he is the defensive line coach. He helps coach Applebee by also being the defensive coordinator and any other related duties.

Coach Jamie Resseguie Resseguie works with the defensive backs special team. He helps coach Applebee with anything from setting up before a game, to helping plan games and running practices.

Coach Alex Houlton Houlton works with the offensive line team working with how they should respond to the defense. He helps Applebee by updating the website and helping plan offensive plays.

Coach Michael Kline Kline works with the runningbacks and is the head JV coach. He helps coach Applebee by signaling offensive plays along with coach Houlton. In addition, he takes care of most of the paperwork for the season. Coach Justin Pickens Pickens works and develops the wide recievers. He helps coach Applebee by relaying the other team’s defensive moves from the pressbox during a game to the field.

A & E: 14

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Sept. 24, 2010

ee: What’s not to love? austin gillespie {reporter}

Sophomore Jillian Mullin

Whether or not you’re a fan of this award-winning musical telelvision program, you can’t deny the fact that the obsession with Glee is growing. With season two just beginning, squeals of “Gleeks” can be heard from across the nation.

English teacher Kristen Crosbie

What is your favorite moment so far? Why? When Jesse and Rachel sang “Hello” by Lionel Richie in the library because if that happened in real life it would be really awkward but when it happened on screen it was just perfect. Who is your favorite character? Why? Rachel because she delivers every single week no matter what. She does what she wants and doesn’t let anyone get in her way. What is your favorite “Glee” song? Why? My favorite is “Poker Face” because, in my opinion, if you combine Idina Menzel and Lea Michelle, both brilliant Broadway stars, and you put them in one song together singing a duet, it is automatically better than any other song. They made it into a new version, I love it. What do you think about “Glee’s” renditions of each song? They’re so much better than the original. I don’t understand how, but since all of these people are from Broadway, their voices are so much better than the original singer to begin with. All of my friends pretty much have gotten obsessed too.

What is your favorite moment(s) so far? Why? “Vogue” is coming to my mind- I don’t know if it’s my favorite. I love when the football [team] danced to [“Single Ladies”]. That was funny. What do you do to honor Glee or new episodes of Glee? [My daughter and I] definitely look forward to sitting down and watching it together. We don’t miss any [episodes]. We have Wednesday night Glee parties, just my daughter and I. It’s our bonding time. What do your friends think of Glee? The ones who haven’t seen it and I introduce them to it love it. Everybody I know who watches it loves it. What would you do if you were given the opportunity to meet the entire Glee cast? I would be thrilled. I would get lots of treatment done so I look young and have a chance with Mr. Schu. Or Finn. No, not Finn. What is your favorite quote from Glee? Why? Something from Sue. When she puts down Mr. Schu cracks me up.

Junior Paige Hillebert

Sophomore Alex Maupin

What is your favorite moment so far? Why? I think it would have to be when they tell Quinn’s parents that she’s pregnant, because it’s such an awkward moment and it’s a really funny song. What is your least favorite “Glee” song? Why? “Imagine.” It’s really cute because they sing it with the deaf kids, but that song just gets kinda boring. That and “True Colors.” What do you think about Glee’s renditions of each song? I like their renditions a lot. They’re really cool. I wish high school students could sing like that. [But] we’re kind of still in that awkward voice changing stage. So it doesn’t really work. What do you think about the upcoming Britney Spears episode? Why That should be crazy! I’m thinking they’re probably going to put on little school girl outfits and pigtails and dance down the school hallways just because it was in a school- they can’t not! I’m hoping they do some of her old songs which I loved when I was in like 4th grade. Because it would just make my little younger girl dreams come true.

What do you love about Glee? The music and all the drama that happens within the show. What was your favorite part about season one? The Madonna episode, when Sue opens up about her childhood, because it gives insight to why she doesn’t like Mr. Schu so much. What do you do to honor Glee or new episodes of Glee? I keep a shrine. I’m just playing. I just watch Glee with a bunch of my friends. How has Glee affected your life? For better or worse? It makes me pay attention to high school life a lot more. What do your friends think of your obsession with Glee? Or just of Glee in general? Pretty much all of my friends love Glee, but I know some of them pretend not to like the show because they’re closested fans. What would you do if you were given the opportunity to meet the entire Glee cast? I’d probably attach myself to one of their legs and make them take me with them back to the studio with them.

How big of a Gleek are you? Test your Glee knowledge and find out if you’re a true fan or merely a sad poser. 1.How often do you watch Glee? a.EVERY WEEK! I never miss a new episode. I even watch re-runs on my TiVo. b.I try to watch all of the new episodes each week… c.Umm I’ve seen it once or twice. 2.How many Glee CD’s do you own? a.Every single one, even all of the singles. I just can’t get enough! b.I have a couple. c.I’ve heard the music, but don’t own any of the CDs. 3.Which Glee character is not a Cheerio? a.Mercedes. You really think she wants to be controlled under the wrath of Sue Sylvestor? b.Santana. Well wait, maybe she is a cheerio? IDK. c.Britney. 4.Which two characters are meant to be? a.Rachel and Finn- it was love at first sight. b.Sue Sylvester and Will. Maybe they secretly have feelings for each other? c.Terry and Will, even though they are getting divorced. 6.What is the name of the William McKinley High School glee club? a.New Directions. b.Lou’s Corrections. c.The Gleekers.

hanna torline {reporter}

Changes happening Homecoming seem to be the talk of the school. The assembly and parade were moved from Wednesday to Friday, to boost school spirit for the game. The bonfire was Wednesday. Candidates were voted on Thursday. There wasn’t a carnival this year. The issue with the carnival was that the student body has gotten too large to maintain. “When students first heard there wasn’t going to be carnival they were upset,” Crist said. “Now they are starting to realize that if you’re building a float you can still participate.” Not everyone is enthusiastic about not having the carnival. “I think it’s ridiculous. I don’t think it’s fair that they took away all the traditions in one year,” senior Alexis Williams. Some think that canceling the carnival isn’t a bad thing. “Kids that want to be involved are involved so they still get to participate,” English teacher Lindsey Prewitt said.

Health teacher Amy McClure was recently named the 2010 National Health Educator of the Year. When she heard that she had been chosen for the award, she was both surprised and honored. “I feel like my job impacts other’s lives,” McClure said. She has been teaching health education for 15 years and says that getting teenagers to understand that the decisions they make impact the rest of their lives is one of the hardest parts of her job, as well as one of the most important. Even after giving many presentations about health education and receiving this national award, McClure stays humble in her attitude. “I don’t feel that I’m really that special,” McClure said. “It just feels natural to help people. I would rather see kids healthy and happy than anything else.” Teaching health education requires setting an example for her students, which is what McClure strives to do. “I try to walk the walk and not just talk the talk,” McClure said.

SOCIAL WORKER DEBBIE Gudenkauf and principal Tobie Waldeck discuss Gudenkauf’s award in her oﬃce on Wednesday, Sept. 15. Photo by Taylor Young

Social worker wins state title hanna torline {reporter}

Sitting at her desk towards the end of the school year in May, social worker Debbie Gudenkauf received a phone call telling her she had been selected as the Kansas State School Social Worker of the Year. “I got tears in my eyes. It means so much to know that people really value what you do day in and day out,” Gudenkauf said. Even after seeing about 170 different students last year, Gudenkauf’s favorite part of her 33 years of social work remains working with teenagers. “Seeing the growth in students [is one of the most rewarding parts of my job],” Gudenkauf said. “At one point in their life they may struggle with issues such as relationships or substance abuse, but I try to help them discover the strengths that they have within themselves that help them be successful.”

OBSESSED GLEEK! This show was meant for you, and you were meant for it.

Mostly B’s...

You’re pretty gleeky. Brush up on your Glee knowledge, though, my young gleek.

Mostly C’s...

Why are you taking this quiz? You obviously don’t know what you’re talking about.

j. Joseph Hannah, D.D.S. & Jay M. Oltjen, D.D.S., M.S. Board Certified Orthodontist 6200 W. 135th Lamar Overland Park, KS 66223 (913) 649-2055

maya sudduth {reporter}

Mostly A’s...

Photos by Emily Johnson

1441 E. 151st Street Olathe, KS 66062 (913) 829-8299

Health award

7505 Quivira Lenexa, KS 66216 (913) 268-5559

www. HannahOltjen.com

Cover photo illustration by Ali Judy

Upcoming events:

College night is Monday, Oct. 11, at Olathe East High School from 6-8 p.m. A financial aid information forum is from 6-6:45 p.m.

The annual Renaissance Festival ends Sunday, Oct. 17. The festival is open every weekend through the season from 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

The Usher “OMG” tour comes to the Sprint Center Wednesday, Oct. 27. Buy tickets at http://www. ticketmaster.com.

www.mvnews.org

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Sept. 24, 2010

{news}

Transition brings positives and negatives

kaitlin rounds {reporter}

Building changes force school to make adjustments With every new school year, there are always new aspects, whether it be new teachers, classes, or students. But students and staff alike were forced to deal with almost an overwhelming amount of changes, from the new space to technology issues, to two new administrators.

Easing into the changes from new construction Courtesy of the work of the construction crew this past year and summer, the addition has given the school over 30 new classrooms and extra hall space in order to allow for the growing student population. With construction and the addition of new space does come frustrations, such as the absence of intercom and projector systems in the C-wing for the first month of school. “At the beginning of the year we had a lot of issues with changing classrooms and not having everything ready,” principal Tobie Waldeck said. “It wasn’t anyone’s fault. We just had to work around the changes.” Even though there are frustrations, the remodel has been ultimately successful. “We have released pressure in the hallways to allow for growth,” Waldeck said. “The changes overall basically improve an already quality facility.”

New administration add new faces and ideas Besides adjusting to a refurbished facility, staff and students also have to adjust to Waldeck himself. “Teachers have had to adjust to me and all my questions and not knowing everything,” Waldek said. “They’ve gone through a lot.” Waldeck has had the challenge of taking on a new system of running a school and molding it to fit his own standards. Running the school is a learning process. “My goals for myself are to learn and to earn trust and respect,” Waldeck said. “There’s a lot I need to learn and a lot I don’t know. I need to learn about it and respect it. This is the same thing I told staff at the beginning of the year. Student safety and student growth are my main priorities for the school. This will be the same as every single year to come that I work here.” In addition to a new principal, there is a new assistant principal, Matt Fedde. Fedde worked last year at Monticello Trails alongside Waldeck and is now the director of athletics and activities. Before working at the middle school, Fedde was a technology teacher here. “Working at the high school is not much different than the middle school, but it is a bigger scope, and definitely busier,” Fedde said. “I am more adjusted to high school kids though. It’s a more comfortable situation.” Just like Waldek, Fedde has had to not only deal with having a new job, but also trying to help the entire school adjust to the changes.

SPANISH TEACHER NITI Rattan uses her overhead projector on Wednesday, Sept. 8, to go over a quiz in class because her projector has yet to be installed. Photo by Courtney Cooke

“We just need to have patience,” Fedde said. “The changes are very frustrating for everyone but we need to keep in mind that we should just focus on controlling the things we can.” Fedde says he is definitely thankful for all the work that has been done for the school despite some minor problems in the beginning of the year. “I appreciate the effort of the technology group getting everything set up,” Fedde said. “I’m also looking forward to the new [security] cameras. They don’t stop people from doing things, but they let us identify people who do and help us try to keep the building in good condition.” Both of the new administrators are happy with the transition they have had to make this year “I’ve been pleased that the kids have been very nice to me,” Waldeck said. “Everybody’s made me feel welcome.”

Technology set-up slows beginning transition Many teachers have had to deal with the changing of classrooms because of the renovations, including technology teacher Mark Chipman.

“The issue with the technology for the first few weeks was just the slowness. It took so long to get everything up and running,” Chipman said. The computers and monitors in the technology rooms, including Chipman’s, were not hooked up for the first couple weeks of school. For the first few classes Chipman had to be creative in how to teach his class, since his classes are all computer based. “We honestly didn’t do too much, a lot of creative thinking exercises,” Chipman said. Now that all the computers are hooked up and working properly though, Chipman is thankful for the changes. “The technology team is now very efficient that they’ve gotten everything set up,” Chipman said. Students have also had to face many issues with the delay in technology set up, especially the Broadcast I and II classes. Broadcast students were given all new equipment to work with this year, including new cameras, microphones, lights, and even a new green screen to help create a more professional news show. Despite all the new equipment, broadcast students have had difficulty setting all the new systems, programs, and software

Principal Tobie Waldeck takes our questions The JagWire talked to principal Tobie Waldeck to discuss his transition, his goals and new issues within the school. Who has helped you the most in your transition? > I would say Mr. Fedde, Miss Smith, Miss Crystler, and Dr. Joe. I

have three very good assistant principals, and I admire Dr. Novak tremendously. Without them, it would have been a messier experience than it was because of both the transition for me and the changes in the building.

How is being a high school principal different from being a middle school principal? > There are about 140 adults in the building, and if half of them send me an email, that’s 70 emails in one day. Just sheer numbers, the physical aspect of the building, and that you are all more mature. What differences are there between you and Dr. Joe? > We both care about kids, and we both care about teachers. The way

that we get there may be a little bit different, but the end result will be the same.

www.mvnews.org

{news}

Construction affects students and staff sarah darby {news editor}

Shorthanded custodial staff gain help from the addition of two janitors After being shorthanded at the beginning of the year, two new night custodians have been hired to start work at the beginning of October. Despite the addition of 92,000 square feet of space to the building, only one additional part time custodian was initially hired to join the staff of four full time workers and one part time worker. Lead custodian Carlos Espinoza said the situation was grim. “We were not able to finish everything,” Espinoza said. “We were basically doing carpet one night and floors the next.” Although necessary new supplies, such as three new upright vacuums and a KY vacuum, were provided for use, the staff lacked the man power to use them and struggled to complete work each night. Changes to Espinoza’s work schedule included moving his shift a half an hour earlier, from 6 a.m.-5:30 a.m. to accommodate the need for help in the morning. “It’s going to make it a lot easier with these two people,” Espinoza said. “We can break up the school a lot easier.” Espinoza said he applauds principal Tobie Waldeck’s efforts and that students and staff could help will ease his staff’s work load. “Any help you students can give us, small things like putting your trash in the trash can, that would make our lives much easier,” Espinoza said.

Practice gym allows volleyball teams to target strengths and weaknesses For sophomore passer Ashley Howell, the addition of an auxiliary gym has had a drastic impact on her team’s practice routine as it has added two new volleyball courts. Last year, her freshman team would occasionally walk to the gym at Prairie Ridge Elementary in order to practice in their own gym. “It sucked walking there and the gym was tiny,” Howell said. “We didn’t have as much practice time either because we spent time walking there.” In past years, the four volleyball teams would share two courts between the teams, but now individual teams can target their specific strengths and weaknesses, each on its own court. “The coaches call it their gym now,” Howell said. “The first day they were jumping up and down and freaking out.” The auxiliary gym has one electronically powered net that is lowered from the ceiling and another net that is set up manually each day. Howell said the new gym is quieter and easier to communicate in among other benefits. “It’s a lot better because we play with girls at our own skill level, instead of freshman who we would [have to normally play with] this year,” Howell said. “I would still play but it is definitely a plus.”

FAR ABOVE: NEW PRINCIPAL TOBIE Waldeck leads an administration meeting on Thursday, Sept. 16 in the Senior Cafe. ABOVE: THE ACTIVITY ENTRANCE has been remodeled to allow better access for after school activities. Photos by Courtney Cooke

up, in addition to learning how to use all the new gear. “All the pieces are there,” broadcast senior Aaron Harrington said. “It’s just not put together.” The other major frustration the broadcast class has had to deal with that Harrington pointed out is the fact that one of the central vents is located right above the filming area in the broadcast room. “Every time we broadcast live this year we will have to turn off the air conditioning in the building, which is kind of a hassle,” Harrington said. Regardless of the various hassles, Harrington and the other broadcast students try to keep the complaining to a minimum. The broadcast team appreciates the new equipment. “We’re really thankful for all the support from the board,” Harrington said. “It’s so awesome to have all this new equipment to work with.” Despite numerous complaints throughout the first month of school, students and staff alike have been able to successfully adjust to the changes made from the new administration to the addition of the C-wing to the additional changes in technology.

Technology malfunctions slow broadcast team at the beginning of year New equipment, including a real green screen, tri-caster, teleprompter, control room and sound check equipment are among $217,810 worth of new equipment that has been added to the broadcast room. The problem is that the majority of new equipment cannot yet be utilized. In their new control room, plug-ins and outlets are without power. The tri-caster, which will allow them to air live, cannot be utilized, as projectors in the C-wing are still not working. “Even if we burned an episode to a DVD, it wouldn’t be seen by half of the school,” news director Hayley Lollar said. Although broadcast expected they would need time to learn the new equipment, they did not project the delays in technology. “We thought we would start training on new stuff and put out new episodes,” Lollar said. “We knew it would take a while to get started compared to last year but we didn’t know it would take this long.” In the meantime, the broadcast team has posted four web exclusive segments to http://schooltube.com, accessible through the school’s website under the MVTV link. “It’s kind of annoying when you keep hearing things are coming and they’re not here, but there’s nothing you can do about it,” Lollar said. Until all technology allows them to air MVTV to every classroom, broadcast will seek temporary solutions such as having students view MVTV in the little theater to view episodes. Many dates have been thrown around but none have been specifically given. “We have everything, nothing is complete though,” Lolllar said. Photos by Nichole Kennelly.

What are some goals you have for yourself, students and staff? > My goals for myself are to LEARN and to earn trust and respect. There’s a lot I need to learn and a lot I don’t know. I need to learn about it and respect it.

What is a difficulty you might have this year? > Dr. Novak and I are different people. Naturally, people who love

and respect Dr. Novak as much as I do may have a difficult time adjusting to me. It’s natural.

What does Mill Valley have to offer that other schools do not? > I think there’s a great sense of community here. I think watching

athletic events, everyone’s involved.

What effect do you hope to have on students here? > I want to encourage effort, endurance and class. To work through

adversity, not around it. Basically that just means that if you are faced with a class that’s difficult, rather than getting out of it, I want you to fight through it.

Sept. 24, 2010

{news}

JIMMY SHELTON (with microphone), a De Soto High School sophomore, accepts one of the first donations from the Ron Wimmer Student Care Fund at the district convocation on Wednesday, Aug. 11. Shelton has suffered from the effects of cancer and was given $500 to help cover costs of bills. Photo by Kathy Habiger

Fund to help students in need maya sudduth {reporter}

Superintendent Ron Wimmer starts fund to help district students in need of assistance Superintendent Ron Wimmer is the Ty Pennington of the De Soto district. Though he’s not giving home makeovers, he’s making a change in district by starting a fund that provides financial assistance for students in need. Founded by privately donated money, the fund is now called the Ron Wimmer Student Care Fund. Wimmer was humbled by the fund being named after him. “I’m honored but I’m more focused on helping,” Wimmer said. “I didn’t create the fund for the purpose of it being named after me.” The fund has helped three families so far, including a De Soto family, the Sheltons. After receiving a $500 check at the district’s convocation Monday, Aug. 11, the Sheltons were able to get school supplies for the kids and pay off a few bills. “It gave our family hope,” Abigail Shelton said. The Sheltons have been through a lot with their son, De Soto High School sophomore Jimmy Shelton. Jimmy lost his eye at a young age then later discovered he had a form of leg cancer. Due to leg cancer he started school in a wheel chair, but because his

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treatments were unsuccessful, he asked his doctors to amputate the leg. The money they received from the fund came as a much needed boost to the Sheltons. “I was just kind of blindsided,” Jimmy said. “I didn’t see it coming at all it was just like, boom, $500 to help your family. It was kind of generous.” The Shelton had become discouraged with the school system in the district they were in prior to De Soto. “Jimmy was going through chemo and they said he they would just fail him because he missed too much school,” Abigail said. “Coming out here the school district was a complete turnaround. We had started to lose faith in the school district.” There are no requirements to receive help but there is a process. A teacher or official will make a referral to Wimmer about a student in need. Wimmer will then try to verify that the money will be spent appropriately. For example, if a student was provided with money for clothes the fund would ask to see the receipt to confirm the spending. Wimmer encourages students who have a need to go talk to a teacher or a counselor. Also, students looking for a community service or just want to give back, this would be a good fund to support. “A dollar from each student from the school would help

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SUPERINTENDENT RON WIMMER smiles at the thought of not only business owners contributing to the fund, but students too. “I think that’s catchy, students help students. A dollar from each student from the school would help,” Wimmer said on Thursday, Sept. 9. Photo by Kat Rainey

How does the fund work? >

A teacher or oﬃcial will make a referral for a student in need.

There are no speciﬁc requirements to receive help from the fund; almost any situation can qualify.

Eﬀort will be made to make sure donations are spent appropriately.

Students are encouraged to go to a counselor or teacher if they believe their family qualiﬁes for help from the fund.

Send donations to: Dr. Wimmer 35200 W. 91st St De Soto, KS 66018

a child with special needs,” Wimmer said. “Just even 50 cents could help raise $500.” So far the fund has about $12,000 which includes actual contributions and pledges. All the money will go to the students. “When we handed out checks these people were in tears,” Wimmer said. “It makes you feel really good about what you’re doing.”

www.mvnews.org

{feature}

New school, new friends, new family, new country, and a new lifestyle. Seniors Susi Donati and Jozze Cevallos are both living

thousands of miles from home jill applegate {features editor} josh duden {reporter}

Susi Donati jill applegate {features editor}

What’s the difference? Dating:

>“I think it’s the same. Maybe we go to a dance, and

do the salsa. We have a lot of dances to choose from,” Cevallos said. >“Here you have to meet the parents? Yeah, we don’t. No one’s parents meet the boyfriend. That’s crazy you have to meet the parents,” Donati said.

School:

> “In my high school, they give you a schedule. You don’t get to choose your classes, you only get to choose what you want to be, science or math,” Cevallos said. > “The teachers change classes every hour and we go to school from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.,” Donati said.

Weekends:

> “My city is a very small city so we travel to other cities and go shopping or to movies. Sometimes we have house parties,” Cevallos said. > “We go out and stay in the center of the city. We have places where a bunch of people meet like the squares. Nothing exciting,” Donati said.

TOP: SENIOR JOZZE CEVALLOS and host mom Shelly Fabac talked on Thursday, Sept. 9, about what Cevallos expected when she arrived in her new home. ”I thought I was going to be living on a farm,” Cevallos said. LEFT: TAKING A BREAK from homework in history teacher Dustin Stinnett’s seminar, senior Susi Donati talks with her classmates about why she decided to become an exchange student. “My brother did the exchange two years ago and I’m really proud of my brother,“ Donati said. “I wanted to follow in his footsteps.” Photos by Kristina Milewski

Jozze Cevallos josh duden {reporter}

Sept. 24, 2010

{feature}

The hardest thing to do is

move on

mackenzie hampton {managing editor}

Those who have experienced death first hand give insight into the reality of grief Try imagining life without a mom, dad, sibling, or best friend. It’s hard, isn’t it? Within moments a loved one could unexpectedly depart from a person’s life forever. Having to deal with this can be one of the hardest things for a person to do. For sophomore Annie Deaver, the loss of her sister, Hannah Deaver, on July 31 was more than unexpected. “I really couldn’t believe it,” Annie said. “It just wasn’t real. Within the week that it happened, all of those days were a blur.” Annie took the news especially hard because she was out of town when the accident occurred, and she never had to deal with death before. “Even after a month it still doesn’t seem real. It still seems like I’m waiting for her to come home from work or vacation and walk through the door,” Annie said. Senior Taylor Cooke, one of Hannah’s best friends, shares the same shock as Annie, but manages to find a deeper meaning in a time of loss. “[I’ve learned to] just cherish every moment I have with people and live life to the fullest because that’s how Hannah did it,” Cooke said. “It made me realize that I need to be careful.” Annie offers advice to people in similar situations. “Don’t bottle up your emotions, let it out when you need to and surround yourself with people who make you happy,” Annie said. In a time of loss and grief, Annie turns to family, friends and even Hannah’s friends for support. Annie notes that when a loved one is lost, it’s better to not mention it and only focus on the positives.

“I want to talk about homework, the dance, or who is going to the game,” Annie said.

Tips from the expert Licensed Social Worker Kelly Gillespie offers advice to teens who are coping with the loss of a loved one. “When you are grieving you have to be patient. Definitely do not ignore it and allow yourself to feel whatever you are feeling,” Gillespie said. “Also, not everyone will go through all of the stages of grief. Most importantly, seek help if you feel you are getting “stuck” in your grief and not coping well.” Gillespie notes that the most important thing to do is get support from other people. “If you don’t usually like to talk about your feelings it is especially important for you to do so after a loss. Connecting to other people will help,” Gillespie said. Gillespie shares that for kids, social networking outlets can be used for getting and giving support. School counselors and social workers are always available during times of crisis for a student. She said kids need to take care of themselves when they are grieving because major loss can also have a physical toll. According to Gillespie there are many ways to help a friend during a loss. “By just validating their feelings, not trying to “fix” the situation because that cannot be done. Many times they just need to be heard and have someone know what they are going through,” Gillespie said. “Just spending time with them will help them. Take your friend’s cues for talking about the loss and don’t be afraid to gently suggest they seek professional help if needed.” LSW Therese McKechie offers advice that is similar to Gillespie’s but with what not to say.

Freshman Reid Langston

Sophomore Brian Ben

mackenzie hampton {managing editor}

alyne roemerman {reporter}

On the way from his house to the hospice, freshman Reid Langston was in disbelief. Those last few moments would be the end of his mom’s battle with breast cancer and Langston’s last time being with her. After being cancer free for six years, Langston was stunned that the cancer came back and won the fight against his mom last March. “At first I was in shock for a really long time but I got over it within some time,” Langston said. Langston and his family had been emotionally preparing themselves for their loss but at the same time Langston’s mom’s death was still sudden. “During last spring break she was fine. After, she was in bed all the time and couldn’t get up without help,” Langston said. “We put her in a hospice and they told us she would be fine, able to eat and talk but I really wasn’t expecting her to pass.” He got back into his normal routine within three months but found it difficult to focus on school work with everything that was going on at home. Langston realized how different it was with just one parent. Although everything was vastly different and a definite struggle, Langston says his mom’s death made him stronger. “[They say what ever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger] and this definitely did,” Langston said. Another lesson Langston has learned from his loss is to live life to the fullest. Langston didn’t really ask for help from anyone but his friends. “I just talked to my friends and tried to keep occupied with school,” Langston said. “I kept my focus as busy as I possibly could.” After going through such a terrible process, Langston does offer advice for people who are going through the same situation. “Definitely stick with your friends and family,” Langston said. “They are the ones that will help you the most in any situation.”

Nobody ever expects anythin getting their wallet stolen, or ha didn’t either. He never expected to lose a f gery from complications involvi Brian faced a second, and unex Suffering from a sinus infection Brian was shocked by the de “I was really hurt by it,”__ Br To cope with both losses, he spent a lot of time talki class Reconnecting Youth, a high school program meant handling his grief. Brian’s advice for others who have lost a loved one is “Talk to your friends, talk to your family members. E Brian was close with both his dad and brother. He s cycles. He often talked with and hung out with his broth “I didn’t really have anyone to talk to after [Tim] died Brian said. He also remembered learning a lot from both of them by the unexpected deaths of his dad and brother. “[Life is] really short,” Brian said. “You never know w

www.mvnews.org

{feature} Advice from our expert

Social worker Debbie Gudenkauf shares insight on recovering from loss Q: What is the best way, in your opinion, for handling grief?

> To acknowledge the grief and that those are painful emotions, and to talk to people, especially people who know that person and can share their memories of that person.

Q: What is a good way to handle any guilt left behind after a death? “Don’t ask if someone is over it- there’s no closure with death,” McKechie said. “Grief comes in waves and doses. Like an ocean, a wave will come and overwhelm you, but it’ll go back out again but you could have grief waves for your life span.” With family members being the closest people to the one who has passed away, it’s a challenge knowing what to say to them. “Share stories, they’ll be touched, not angry that you brought it up. You didn’t remind them, they’re already sad,” McKechie said. “Help them memorialize their death, a tribute, a symbol of their memory. This can be simple.” With this being said, tears aren’t the only way a person has to grieve. “It is a common response but not the only response to sadness,” Gillespie said. “Even if someone does not cry they still feel the pain just as deeply. They might just be showing it another way.” Gillespie stated other effects of grieving which include fatigue, weigh loss or gain, or sleep problems. “We usually think of grief as strictly an emotional response but physical problems can develop. Some people grieve so strongly they end up turning to alcohol or drugs to mask or numb the pain,” Gillespie said. People can also suffer intrusive thoughts or denial and end up with actual depression, according to Gillespie. “If your friend (or loved one) is not feeling better over time or experiencing any of these things, it is time to encourage them to seek professional help,” Gillespie said. While grieving the loss of loved ones is a constant battle, those coping with death may find comfort in knowing their loved one touched the hearts of many.

to get through that. There’s a therapy technique called the empty chair where you would sit and talk to that empty chair that is the person who is lost and I could just guide you through what would you want to say to this person. Often times there are unresolved issues when you lose somebody.

Q: What would you tell a friend of someone who has lost a loved one when it comes to helping them cope? > A: Just be there for them. Identify for that person how you can help, but be genuine. Don’t make promises you aren’t really willing to keep.

Q: How should someone cope with the first holidays or birthdays shared without the person they lost? > A: It’s unique to what everyone feels comfortable with. You could always go to the grave site. You could, again,

journal to that person just how much you miss them and you wish they were there, what’s happened in the last year. Just that process of doing that will help get you through it. Spend time with other people who knew that person and maybe go out to a favorite restaurant that person loved, kind of have a celebration in memory of your loved one.

Q: What are some suggestions for preserving memories of the loved one who was lost? > A: You can do all kinds of things. That’s something that’s really important to do. You can do scrapbooks, even

if it’s just a shoebox of some special things. It can be anything from something really simple, a shoebox you’ve got some notes in, or cards in, or pictures, just some favorite little mementos. So you can do things like that, which just kind of warm your heart and make you think of those special memories of somebody.

Q: What are some activities families can do together to cope and/or remember a lost loved one? > A: Talk about that person, tell stories about them, celebrate some birthdays, whether you go to the cemetery, whether you have a special meal, that person’s favorite meal, whether you do some volunteer work for that person. You can do things like that just to keep that person’s memory alive.

Photo illustration by Ali Judy

nzing

ng bad to happen to them. Nobody plans on being in a car accident, or aving a family member die. Nobody does, and sophomore Brian Benzing

family member, let alone two. His father, Eugene Benzing, died in suring blood clots when Brian was in seventh grade. Almost two years later, xpected, death, that of his older brother, former student Tim Benzing. n, Tim died after the infection spread to his brain. eaths, especially his father’s. rian said. “I’m still recovering from it.” ing with his mom and a lot of time thinking. The lessons learned in the t to help those students at risk for dropping out, also assisted Brian in

s to avoid drugs and alcohol and to rely on those you trust. Especially talk to the ones you have,” Brian said. spent time with his dad in Boy Scouts and admired his love for motorher. d because talking with a brother is way different than talking to a mom,”

m, but he’s still learning even now. His perspective on life was changed

when you could go.”

> You could write that person a letter, even though they’re gone, you could just write out those feelings just

Senior Ryanne Burke lauren proctor {a&e editor}

Losing someone close is hard, and usually a rare occurrence; but over the summer senior Ryanne Burke lost not one, but two people, close to her. One of these people was her close friend, senior Hannah Deaver. “I didn’t even believe it at first,” Burke said. “The way I found out didn’t help either, a friend who didn’t even know who she was told me.” Burke, shocked, struggled to come to terms with her loss and tried to find ways to ease the hurt she felt. “I kept really busy planning the candle light vigil and surrounding myself with friends. I didn’t want to be alone,” Burke said. “I figured it’d be easier to get over things if I followed my regular routine, but you don’t realize how many things remind you of a person until they’re gone.” About a week after Deaver’s funeral, a work friend of Burke’s committed suicide, further adding to her grief. Despite the tragedy she was faced with, Burke managed to learn an important lesson. “Never take anything for granted. I worked at a summer camp from the beginning of June until [the end of summer], and I hadn’t really talked to anyone because I thought my friends would be there later,” Burke said. Burke also struggled with people’s attempts to offer comfort, often hearing things that worsened matters rather than improving them. “People don’t know what to say, so they say ‘I’m sorry,’ but it’s not going to make anything better so don’t bring it up,” Burke said. “I didn’t want to talk about it unless I had to.” Burke is continuing to heal from her grief, and finds comfort in surrounding herself with other people experiencing the same pain. She also remains realistic about the healing process. “It takes time, everyone heals differently. You just have to take it day by day,”Burke said.

10 {opinion}

Sept. 24, 2010

StaffEditorial

Goals for newspaper include on-line presence Converged website will bring together news from the JagWire, MVTV and the JAG yearbook

games, photo galleries and a calendar with the dates of all sporting events. You can even subscribe to receive emails when there is a new post uploaded, so you can stay knowledgeable It’s a new year, with a new school and new about what is going on around you. leadership. It is a time of new beginnings and In our attempts to make this site as helpful fresh starts, and here at The JagWire, we are and informative as we can, we have joined branching out to a new medium- the web. forces with the JAG yearbook staff and the As a staff, we strive to find ways to conbroadcast team to create multimedia options stantly improve and work and a more user-friendly to provide relevant and site. To supplement our “We took this to interesting articles to the stories featuring foreign student body. a completely new exchange students and the At the end of last year, level by buying web new Ron Wimmer fund, we took this to a comboth featured in this issue space.” pletely new level by buying and also online, there are web space. Several staff videos online created by members attended a camp the MVTV crew. over the summer to learn With a larger newspahow to incorporate multimedia in their stories per staff this year, we are and also how to create designs that are more able to devote more time to have longer and aesthetically pleasing. more in-depth articles, while still transitionEver since then, staff members have been ing to include the web. We will only have eight learning the concepts of working with news issues this year, rather than nine as we have in online in order to present information quicker the past, just because we are moving time and to the community. Our goal is to be the go-to efforts towards the web. site for any information regarding Mill Valley. However, we will have the same quality, if The website, www.mvnews.org, will feature not even better, than in the past. up-to-date news stories, interesting features, For the next seven issues, we will include opinion columns (we welcome all guest columa mouse pointer icon by certain photos and nists), sports stories on recent and upcoming stories that are covered further online. There

will be more sources and galleries with more photos that we were not able to fit on the print page. There will also be stories that are covered solely online as well. Because print issues come out once a month, the website will be able to cover stories that happen between those times. As a journalism department, we have earned the 5A state journalism title for two consecutive years and five years overall. We

don’t want to take anything for granted and stay strong to defend our title for another year. In order to do this, we want to be the newspaper that you want. We want your ideas, your feedback and your guest columns, though we reserve the right to edit for length. We welcome letters to the editor, just bring a signed copy in to the journalism room or email it to khabiger@usd232.org. This is your school newspaper, our job is to be here for you, and that’s what we want to represent this year.

A glimpse of www.mvnews.org Diﬀerent tabs include MVTV, news, features, a&e, sports and opinions.

Vote on the different surveys throughout the year.

Top stories are featured in a scrolling bar. Most recent stories appear at the top of each section heading, with a short introduction.

The calendar includes ACT dates. sporting events and important upcoming news.

Photo illustration by Kaitlyn Butko

“Ground Zero Mosque” project strikes controversy and fear Despite popular opinion, Park51 project designed to bring people of all faiths together, not divide them Is America Islamophobic? The recent uproar over the Park51 project, commonly known as the “Ground Zero Mosque,” located two blocks from Ground Zero, has made Darby me wonder this question. In its most positive light, Park51 is a modest proposal. To call the project a mosque is not entirely accurate. The actual mosque makes up a small percentage of a greater cultural center welcome to people of all religions. The project’s founders, Imam Faisal Abdul Rauf and wife Daisy Kahn, are trying to do a good thing. Located in the vicinity of liquor stores and down the street from a strip club,

arguments that Park51 intrudes on sacred ground seem insignificant. “We hope, through Park51, to accommodate the long-standing needs of the Muslims of lower Manhattan, and also contribute to the revitalization of these neighborhoods,” the project’s website http://blog.park51 said. “We are committed to working to improve New York City, to grow together, and to benefit America.” More negative points of the debate however, come out a midst a string of terms like Ground Zero, terrorism and “Islamophobic.” A TIME poll revealed the effect terms like these have had. It showed 61% of Americans oppose the project, leaving only 26% in favor and 13% indifferent. If the project wins favor and is built, some believe the project will disrepect the families of those lost in 9/11. I understand that this issue is sensitive, and it should be. However, we must understand that the pain

is felt by everyone. People of all races and religions were lost on 9/11, including Muslim Americans. Further, to deny Muslim Americans religious freedom in this issue, breaks crucial bridges with the Muslim faith and deepens the wound that 9/11 created in this country. If Park51 is not built, it will be a smack in the face for American values of freedom and will halt progress that has been made with Muslims, overseas and at home. This issue is not the result of “Islamophobia”. There is no such thing. Instead, America is allowing our fear of a minority of bad people, to rule how we treat the majority of good people.

2010JagWire

sarah darby {news editor}

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{opinion} 11

www.mvnews.org ProCon

There is nothing wrong All my friends have SillyBandz, so I need one, right? with colored rubber bands Be an individual; just because all your friends are wearing them, doesn’t mean you have to joel hodgdon {reporter/ads}

If you feel like you’ve seen this trend before, it is because you have. This month, the stupid sensation sweeping the nation are SillyBandz. In middle school, everyone wore Lance Armstrong’s much hyped Hodgdon “Livestrong” bands, and now everyone wants SillyBandz. Ironically distributed by the same company as Livestrong, but without any of the Livestrong campaign’s redeeming social value, SillyBandz are just plain dumb. These colored rubber bands are supposed to assume unique shapes when you take them off your wrist/ankle, but unless the SillyBand is supposed to be a spilled can of soup, or the “Blob,” it really doesn’t look like anything. Maybe the appeal of these things is that you can show your interests to your friends or maybe the appeal is that you didn’t want to spend $10 on a original looking bracelet. No object should have to remind you of what you like in life, or your so called “friends.” The SillyBandz are made of plastic and colored dye, not your

hopes and dreams. Not only are these things principally flawed, but most of the middle-school minded people walking around with them have whole armfuls of bands. Granted the walls in our high school are a bit spiky, but you don’t need an arm protector made of rubber bands. Some of these rubber bands are just wrong. It is good to express your religious faith and start a conversation, but if the best way you can let people know about your faith is to wear around a SillyBand in the shape of the Star of David, you have bigger spiritual problems. Jesus probably wouldn’t want his crucifixion to be immortalized through a piece of plastic either. Fads change, and some of them help define our childhood, but please don’t let these little colored office supplies from Japan be one of them.

These colored bands are here to stay, so relax and pick your favorite shape, just not too many austin gillespie {reporter}

What do rubber bands, animals and fashion accessories have to do with each other? Normally, nothing. SillyBandz have come up with a way to bridge the gap and I like it. It seems as if almost Gillespie everywhere you look, at least a few of these things, intended for kids, can be found on just anyone’s wrist, girls, boys,

Cartoon by Asia Yates

women, men. SillyBandz have slipped their way right onto every pre-k to 12th grader in America. If you haven’t caught on, or had mistaken these SillyBandz as plain old rubber bands (shame on you), SillyBandz are rubber bands that come in fun colors and are shaped, well, silly. Despite imitator brands, the company has managed to produce zoo animals, Marvel comic book characters, Disney princesses, and even Justin Bieber-themed packs. The first time SillyBandz caught my attention, I spotted a hunk of a colorful mess on a little boy’s wrist; he had at least 10 SillyBandz. I had thought to myself, “That’s a pretty cool idea.” It wasn’t until a few weeks later when I saw teenagers trading them when I realized a fad was flourishing. It took me numerous “Ooooh what is that one?” or “Oh my gosh, take them off your wrist I want to see which ones you have!” before I figured that these things were going to be huge. I have to agree with the SillyBandz creators that this invention isn’t half bad. SillyBandz are affordable, easy to wear, provide a cheap way for little kids to have fun and could actually be considered fashionable. If you’re above 8th grade though, I would recommend only wearing a few unless you are hoping to join a SillyBandz trading club with your second grade neighbors. I’d say SillyBandz are here to stay for a while. Just think, Pokemon’s still here.

Death of our classmate should bring us together Take the lessons we’ve learned from this tragedy and put them into use today and every day lauren proctor {a&e editor}

Two months ago our school was more united than I can ever remember. The effect of senior Hannah Deaver’s death spread like the ripples of water created by a disturbance in a lake. Words Proctor passed via many mediums, bringing everyone together in both their shock and sadness. Then came the realization that it could have happened to any of us.

That’s when people began making efforts for granted. Being teenagers, we tend to feel as to right previously made wrongs, mend broken if we’re immortal, and therefore have nothing friendships, and move their lives forward in to worry about. But, cliché or not, we really do a positive direction. Old drama was forgotten, need to live life to the fullest; taking every opportunity given to us, and new friends were made, letting our ambitions run and everyone seemed to “We don’t have to agree with ev- wild. We could learn a lot share a new sense of acceperyone, or even like everyone, but we from the saying: “live as if tance and understanding. But now, a mere eight should at least work to maintain an you’ll die tomorrow, dream weeks later, the lessons atmosphere of civility and tolerance.” as if you’ll live forever.” Be yourself, and don’t we learned seem to be fadchange who you are to ing away. For those close conform to what you think to Hannah, the pain is still your classmates consider fresh, and the lesson recool. We should all be able mains relevant; but those who simply found themselves surrounded by to be ourselves, and respect others for being themselves. We don’t have to agree with evthis tragedy seem to need a reminder. Life is precious, and we should never take it eryone, or even like everyone, but we should at

least work to maintain an atmosphere of civility and tolerance. Life’s too short to be rude or cruel to others, because the hurtful things you say could be the last words that person ever hears from you. It’s easy to be catty, but it’s harder to think about what effect that cattiness will have on those around us. We should make it a goal to stop and think about what we’re saying before we say it; filter your words before you just blurt them out. If we should take away anything from Hannah’s death, it is the lesson that one person can unknowingly touch the lives of hundreds of other people. We all create our own ripples; the impact those ripples create, positive or negative, is solely up to you.

YouSaidIt What do you think of SillyBandz? “I wear them because they are my friendship bracelets.” {freshman Brian Schath}

“I think SillyBandz are pretty cool.” {sophomore Molly Kelly}

“SillyBandz are childish; high school kids shouldn’t wear them.” {Junior David Murphy}

“I like them, but I’m a closet SillyBandz lover.” {senior Sean McDuﬃe}

Sept. 24, 2010

{sports}

Future of the football team

joel hodgdon {reporter/ads}

From run to pass, the spread oﬀense gives options and deserves attention The football team ran the ball for 10 years. The program used and overused the run game for so long, it was time to see a little variety. Under the guidance of a new coach, it seems appropriate that a new offense would be used, and the spread does not disappoint. The spread offense is the way football is supposed to be played. Not only does it speed up the pace of the game by emphasizing the passing game, but the spread also adds an element of surprise and excitement to every new down, and the ability to score from anywhere on the field. The no huddle offense just adds more fun. Used for years by several successful high schools, colleges, and professional programs. Such as, the Texas Tech Red Raiders, or the 2007 New England Patriots, the spread offense is not new. But now it’s the Jaguars’ turn to cash in on our new offensive scheme. The team has the speed, talent, and strength necessary to utilize both aspects of the spread. To run the spread, a team needs offensive backs capable of both the blocking and the rushing strength it takes to open up and utilize holes in the defense. With capable backs, and a sizeable offensive line, the run option is there. And more importantly to the spread, the Jags have the receiving talent and quarterback to make Bishop Ward live in fear of the passing game. With the ball hiked out in the shotgun or under the center, the defense either has to be immensely talented or just plain lucky to get to the ball before it is whizzing over their heads or senior running back Kyle Brunson carries it past them. The team lines up in a natural looking formation with the halfback directly behind the quarterback and a four receiver set with two receivers on each side, or a more typical single wing formation. In short yardage situations, the team can use the old school style single wing formation to bulldoze a couple yards and gain a first down. This change in formation “spreads” or moves out the defenders so they have to respect both the pass and run and gives this formation its name. It is hard to defend against a team who has many offensive schemes and plays to use against you. The new offense also will go no-huddle which adds an element of panic to the defense. This ideally leaves them with little time to react to an offensive change in formation leading to missed assignments and six more points on the scoreboard. But the best thing about the spread is that there are so many ways to line up, place receivers, utilize tight ends, and in general keep the defense guessing that there is no limit to the damage a team can cause. The beauty is that the defense has no idea what is coming at them. Football is supposed to be exciting and fast-paced. No fan wants to see a game drag on or end up as a muddy two yard gain per carry slugfest. With the spread offense, the program can come into its own as a productive offensive team by using the many, many options the spread provides. It is time to show the rest of the Kaw Valley League and even the rest of the Kansas City area what it means to be an innovative and exciting football team.

LEFT: COACH JOEL APPLEBEE walks back to the sideline after instructing the oﬀense of their next play at the Friday, Sept. 3 game against Lansing. MIDDLE: COACHES ALEX HOULTON and Applebee celebrate a successful play. RIGHT: APPLEBEE SCANS THE playbook to choose the next oﬀensive play. Photos by Emily Johnson

New coaches, new perspective lisa joerling {reporter}

With seven new football coaches, the football staﬀ has put a lot of eﬀort and time into this season New head football coach Joel Applebee has one main goal for his football team: to improve everyday. The seven assistant football coaches are also new and have specific goals for the season. “My goal for this season is to be a better coach everyday. I would love for the team to be able to make the playoffs this year,” assistant coach Justin Pickens said. Applebee agrees and sees coaching as an opportunity. “I’m excited to coach in a very nice school district. I’ve heard great things and the administration is so supportive,” Applebee said. Applebee’s seven assistant coaches all have different positions to help the team from coaching offensive lines, running backs, and wide receivers. Each coach has a different goal, but they all agree on one. “Our main goal for the team is to see our student athletes improve everyday from the classroom, to the weight room and the field,” Applebee said. The players are also noticing a difference in how practices work. “Since I’m a linebacker I do a lot of tackling drills and we scrimmage at practice a lot,” senior linebacker Michael Hardy said. New offensive and defensive schemes have been put into place; they now have a spread offense which is a pass- heavy style of football. The team also has a 4-3 defense which utilizes four down linemen and three linebackers, however the team will switch up defensive fronts when necessary. “I’m not sure exactly how they did things last year, and honestly

Photo by Emily Johnson

Coach Jamie Resseguie Resseguie works with the defensive backs special team. He helps coach Applebee with anything from setting up before a game, to helping plan games and running practices.

Coach Alex Houlton Houlton works with the offensive line team working with how they should respond to the defense. He helps Applebee by updating the website and helping plan offensive plays.

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{sports}

Preview

Football According to head coach Joel Applebee, the team has been

Time to joel hodgdon {reporter/ads}

working extremely harden route to a 2-1 record. They will host Bishop Ward for at 7 p.m. “The team needs to go 100 percent every rep they do,” Applebee said.

Soccer

FIGHT

Photos by Austin Gude

From basements to arenas, MMA ﬁghters are in high demand, and senior Trey Johnson is ready Tall, intimidating, and athletic, senior Trey Johnson is a modern day gladiator. Johnson practices three sports; kickboxing, wrestling, and an Asian form of martial arts called Muay Thai, all to perfect his chosen sport. This being MMA or mixed martial arts. “In boxing or wresting, you have to be good at that; boxing or wrestling. But in MMA you have to bring both of them together, you got to be good at both,” Johnson said. But being good at these sports is only the beginning of an arduous training regimen. Johnson’s coach, Ryan Larson, outlined a basic MMA training program. “You have to be determined, hard working and motivated.” Larson said in an email. Johnson was not put off from this high impact sport by all the work and he says the work makes him visualize his goals all the better. “I want to go pro basically,” Johnson said. After practicing MMA for four years, Johnson may have the drive to have that opportunity. Larson said that Johnson could go as far he put his mind to go. “Trey has tremendous potential and a very good work ethic… he is always motivated,” Larson said. Larson trains athletes for MMA combat as well as self-defense with boxing and kick boxing techniques. “It’s a very demanding sport that requires a lot of mental and physical preparation,” Larson said. “Prepare, prepare, prepare. Always be ready to fight.” An MMA match works depending on if the match is a normal fight, or a title shot, when a challenger fights the recognized champion of any certain weight class. A normal match is three rounds of five minutes each, or five, five minute rounds when a title is at stake. “The endurance is huge, Johnson said. “You can’t just want to give up.” MMA, and its most successful and popular league, UFC, or

MMA Lingo: > > > > >

MMA: mixed martial arts, it is a combination of many hitting, grappling and submission moves into one sport. Includes techniques from boxing, wrestling, judo, jiu-jitsu, and mauy thai. K.O.: knock out, this is when a fighter takes a strong hit and loses consciousness. Takedown: putting an opponent on the ground by using a combination of moves or a single strong move, like a tackle. Tap-Out: last resort in a fight, before a fighter blacks out or otherwise canot win, he “taps-out” and surrenders. UFC: ultimate fighting championship, this is the biggest and most succsessful MMA organization. Source: http://www.proelite.com

On Monday, Sept. 27, they will host Blue Valley Southwest at 6 p.m. Head coach Arlan Vomhof says the team needs experience, which may be the reason for the team’s 2-7 record. “We haven’t gelled as a team yet,” Vomhof said. “We need more practice in the game.”

Girls Golf

The girls will compete at the Shawnee Mission North Scramble at Tomahawk Hills at 3 p.m. on Wednesday Sept. 29. Head coach Adam Wessel shared how they can improve. “They need to continue to work hard,” said Wessel. “They have a great work ethic.”

Girls Tennis

Despite a large number of new members, the team has gone 2-2. They will compete next at the Olathe Northwest dual at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 27. “Half our team is new,” head coach Casey Kuhn said. “We need more experience in game situations.”

Volleyball

The team will be competing at Tonganoxie on Tuesday, Sept. 28, at 5 p.m. According to head coach Kim Service, the girls show great chemistry, earning a 10-5 record. “These teams are tough,” Service said. “This will be like a preview of the league bracket.”

Cross Country

TREY JOHNSON TRAINS by holding ﬁghts with friends and other wrestlers for MMA, which he hopes to make his career. Photo by Ali Judy

Ultimate Fight Club, was originally an “anything goes” type of fight with no rules. The more modern leagues do enforce rules and many of them, although the sport of MMA is not regulated as closely as other professional boxing or wrestling competitions are. “The rules are no eye-gouging, no low blows, no hair pulling, scratching, or dropping someone on their head, but a referee or manager tells you all the things you can’t do before a match,” Johnson said. With the recent rise of popularity in the sport of MMA, Johnson is not the only athlete to participate in this physical sport. Senior David Irvin has also been doing mixed martial arts for about a year to supplement his wresting and boxing athletics. “It’s a way to release tension, do whatever, go crazy…it’s a good outlet,” Irvin said. “I like the adrenaline rush, just knowing you could get knocked out at anytime, it’s a freaky feeling.” But that feeling does not come often for professional or amateur fighters, because most compete in a real match a max of two to four times per year depending on age. “In the total four years I’ve been fighting, I’ve had about 13 matches. I do a lot of sparring but I don’t count that…I’ve won at least nine of them, maybe 10,” Johnson said. With so few opportunities to compete in compared to other sports, both Irvin and Johnson agree that every fight counts, and that an impression is made with every match. After a sparring match, Johnson offered some final words about his sport. “It’s physical, but you have to have the mental ability to just move forward, that mental strength to keep going…just stick to your plan. It’s a lot like life,” Johnson said.

Tomorrow, both boys and girls will be competing in the KU-Rim Rock Meet at the KU Rim Rock Farm. Head coach Mark Chipman says the team needs to focus in order to improve. “The team should work on running like a pack,” Chipman said. “They’ll accomplish this by concentrating in practice.”

Player Spotlight

Junior Lauren Shurley: Tennis How many years have you played tennis? I joined the team freshman year, but I have had informal experience since the third grade. Why did you choose to play tennis? Both sides of my family play tennis. My dad’s dad was a coach, he got me started. It is more of a relaxed sport, I don’t feel as pressured. It comes more naturally. What are your goals for this season? I want to make it to state. First I needed to make it into a varsity spot. I did that. Next, I need to get a consistent serve and continue to work hard in practices. What is your favorite aspect of tenis? It is definitely intense but it is more laid back. How do you think the rest of the season will go? We definitely have a chance to go to state as a team.

{a&e}

Sept. 24, 2010

ee: What’s not to love? austin gillespie {reporter}

Sophomore Jillian Mullin

English teacher Kristen Crosbie

Junior Paige Hillebert

Sophomore Alex Maupin

Photos by Emily Johnson

j. Joseph Hannah, D.D.S. & Jay M. Oltjen, D.D.S., M.S. Board Certified Orthodontist

1441 E. 151st Street Olathe, KS 66062 (913) 829-8299

6200 W. 135th Lamar Overland Park, KS 66223 (913) 649-2055

www. HannahOltjen.com

7505 Quivira Lenexa, KS 66216 (913) 268-5559

Mostly A’s...

OBSESSED GLEEK! This show was meant for you, and you were meant for it.

Mostly B’s...

You’re pretty gleeky. Brush up on your Glee knowledge, though, my young gleek.

Mostly C’s...

Why are you taking this quiz? You obviously don’t know what you’re talking about.

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Got Apps?

{a&e}

As the iPhone and iTouch become more popular among students, The JagWire reviews some different applications

josh duden {reporter} austin gillespie {reporter}

Catpaint: Do you have an infatuation with cats? This app can satisfy your kitty-cravings. Cleverly place cats in any pictures to produce humorous (and awkward) adorableness. After being tweeted about by Taylor Swift, this strange app became widely popular in the cat-loving community. Odd, yet entertaining, this app is only worth the dollar if you’re a true cat lover.

Talking Tom: Sure your cat can

play with a ball of yarn, but Tom the cat can talk to you. Impressive, eh? Talking Tom repeats whatever you say, making you laugh as you go. Interesting and entertaining, Talking Tom can keep anyone occupied. Just talk, watch, and be entertained. But when he gets annoying, feel free to tap him a couple times and knock him out. Don’t worry, we won’t call PETA on you.

Dictionary.com: Has a homework assignment ever introduced you to a word that you didn’t know? This marvelous app lets you look it up with a quick swipe of your finger. It’s easy as pie to use and well worth the price of free. This app is good for school or whenever you want to widen your vocabulary horizons.

Fake-A-Call: Ever wanted to escape an awkward encounter with a stranger or friend? What about that ex-girlfriend of yours? Now you can fake a call and get out of any situation. One press of a button and your phone begins to ring, appearing to look like you are receiving a real phone call, creating the perfect diversion. If uncomfortable situations occur frequently for you, this app is useful to have on hand for any close encounter.

Feedback: You know the loud annoying sound you hear when something electronic gets too close to the speakers? You’ll hear it over and over with this app. If your hand gets too close to your iPhone it triggers that loud screech. This app is not only annoying, it’s painful to hear - all together not worth it.

iFitness: Need to work out? This revolutionary app creates the perfect fitness plan for you. With a wide selection of exercises, it’ll be hard for working out to ever get old. This app is fantastic for anyone wanting to get physical but just didn’t know how. One click, a little motivation and you’re on your way to your dream bod.

Massager: This inventive app actually gives you a massage- just apply pressure. This app is creative and relaxing all in one. It’s nothing quite like anything a spa may have to offer but by continuously using the vibrate of your iPhone, this app serves as a decent alternative. If you suffer from a stressed life this one’s for you.

What’s your favorite application and why?

Tap Tap Revenge: Are you a fan of Guitar Hero? Or maybe Rockband? This app creates the love of these two games at the touch of your finger. With a tap of the screen, keep up with the music and play the night away. Addicting and affordable, this game is perfect for any car ride (except when driving, obviously) to ease a boring situation.

{senior Emily Eaton}

{sophomore Emily Brigham}

{junior Robbie Weber}

“The fake call app, because it’s funny if you’re just sitting somewhere, you can set it up to have a famous person call you. Or if you’re trying to get out of an awkward situation you can set it up for your mom to call you.”

“[Sophomores] Nathan Stacy and Zach Stinnett got me addicted to Doodle Jump like big time; I play it all the time now.”

“Bubble spinner, because it’s the greatest game in the world. I could play it for hours on end.” Photos by Courtney Cooke Photo Illustration by Jill Applegate

Sept. 24, 2010

{photo essay}

Art patrons from around Kansas City gather for

kaitlin rounds {reporter}

From the open galleries filled with paintings and photographs of everything imaginable to impromptu drumline and other off beat musicals acts, First Fridays, a once monthly event in the Crossroads District of Kansas City, is truly a unique experience. First Friday takes place on the first Friday of every month and is an opportunity for artists, photographers and craftsmen to open up their own galleries or show their pieces at other galleries. Shops and galleries throughout the district are open from 7-9 p.m. generally, but some galleries open as early as 6 p.m. and stay open as late as 11 p.m. The art featured in each gallery varies, and there are pieces and exhibits available from every creative walk of life. Some of the most stand out works were done by Tiffany Sappenfield, a young artist from Kansas City, who just started her art career eight months ago and now primarily does pop art portraits. “I love First Friday, because I live here and I can just open up once a month and turn my apartment into a gallery,” Sappenfield said. “The

community here is incredible nothing but artists live here.” A new addition to the First Friday experience was the add-on of craft type tables. The products these vendors sell range from handbags made from cat litter bags to handmade earrings to ceramic cat masks. The crowds surrounding their stands indicated the craft vendors were successful. First Friday is also a time to enjoy music and food. Street performers are located at almost every corner, mostly guitar players but some more exotic instruments too, such as the bongo line. Many patrons visit Grinders, the coffee and sandwich shop located in between two galleries, to get their dinner and drinks. There are also many vendors that offer custom services, such as the Gypsy Knife, a high end catering company, and Hands All Over, a business run by Thom Richart that specializes in custom finger painted portraits of family pets. The next First Friday is Oct. 1. Students should consider visiting as it’s a very youth oriented event allowing for participants to explore their inner creativity. BELOW: TIFFANY SAPPENFIELD, AN artist in the Crossroads District used her apartment as her art gallery and displayed several of her smaller art pieces on the wall. FAR BELOW: MANY BUSINESS OWNERS sell items like clothing and accessories and display their merchandise on the street. Photos by Nichole Kennelly

TOP: AN ARTIST SKETCHES the face of a customer during First Fridays in the Crossroads District. Photo by Emily Johnson MIDDLE: A DRUMMER ENTERTAINS a crowd at First Friday on 4 Sept. Photo by Ali Judy BOTTOM: A CROWD OF patrons gather around several galleries to browse artwork and merchandise. Photo by Nichole Kennelly