The Pow Wow|Vol. 77|Issue 3 by The Pow Wow

thepowwow

Vol. 77 Issue 3 | Dec. 17, 2014

Senior Mikaela Bennett drives to the basket in the home opener against BasehorLinwood. The Braves beat the Bobcats to earn their first league win. Photo/Lauren Murphy

Bonner Springs High School | 100 McDanield, Bonner Springs KS, 66012

The bonner braves briefs Athletic Department taylorvandenhull | newseditor The USD 204 school board met with an architect last month to discuss advancements in updating the athletic facilities. “The number one thing we need to fix is the parking,” superintendent Dan Brungardt said. Some of the things that are in the tentative plans include putting all of the tennis courts together, turning the direction of the baseball and softball fields and creating a local entrance for those fields as well as adding a new soccer field. However, these updates will happen as money is available. Some of the updates may happen over the next five to 10 years, and some may never happen. “If you don’t have a plan, nothing will get done. If you have a plan you know what your goal is,” Brungardt said. All of the things that the district would like to get done will be paied for by using capital outlay funds.

Cowtown Cheesecakes coming to Bonner

taylorvandenhull | newseditor Chef Terry W. Mille is opening a new cheesecake bakery cafe in downtown Bonner Springs. His shop will offer lots of unique flavors such as Crème Brulee, Sweet Potato, Meyer Lemon Curd/ Blueberry, and Green Tea/ Blackberry. Mille, who lives in Bonner Springs, is the chef/ owner of Cowtown Cheesecake Company in Kansas City and has lots of experience in the industry. Prior to owning Cowtown Cheesecakes, he was a catering chef for the Sprint Center and had the chance to serve celebrities such as Garth Brooks, Elton John, Kid Rock, Michael Buble and First Lady Michelle Obama. Mille plans to have the shop opened by the end of December. “You’ll be able to come in, have a slice, and drink some coffee,” Mille said.

Key Club taylorvandenhull | newseditor Key Club is an extension of the Edwardsville Kiwanis Club and gives students the chance to extend leadership and character traits. The initial members of the new club are the Stuco students who are in Adrianne DeLeon’s fifth hour leadership class. The club is only available to them this year, but the plan is to open it to all students next year. “The Key Club is an organization where students will get together and do mostly community service activities,” DeLeon said. So far, the new members have enjoyed their opportunities.

Coding Club

Project profile | JT Johnson ericvalenzuela | staffwriter What is your senior project? For my senior project I built a custom computer. How long did it take? It took me a long time. I saved up money all summer, but once the money was saved up, I built it relatively quick. What will you do with your computer? I’m using it pretty much during all my free time. I play games on it and use it to do some of my school work. What were your expenses? All together everything cost about $750. I have to buy another monitor, and I can always invest more money into it which I plan on doing in the future.

going clubbin’

What was your favorite thing? Putting it together. After I bought all the parts and took it back to my mentor’s place, we sat down like it was Christmas morning and opened all the boxes and put it together. It was really fun. What did you not like about the project? I didn’t like how expensive it was. I wish I could have gotten it a bit cheaper. What would you tell others who are considering doing this same senior project? You’ve got to really make sure that you are going to be able to pay for it because I had to save up all summer and someone who doesn’t have a job is going to have to find out how to get $600 or $700.

ericvalenzuela | staffwriter Coding Club is a place where students can learn to write codes for websites, games, and phone apps. English teacher Jacob Wike is the sponsor for the Coding Club. Coding Club started the week before Thanksgiving break, but anyone is still available to join. “I was surprised when 18 students showed up to the first meeting. It’s something the students need,” Wike said. Two freshman students approached Wike on sponsoring the Coding Club. The club meets every other Thursday after school for 30 minutes.

Stuco hosts ping pong tournament

A Cappella to perform on NBC news

ericvalenzuela | staffwriter Reviving an old tradition, staff and Student Council members participated in a ping pong tournament from Nov. 14 until the week before Christmas Break. Math teacher Jacob Johnson was set to meet the winner of a semi-final match between Clay Oakes and Jacob Wike. That champion would then play senior Sam Nelson to capture the win. 20 Stuco members and 20 staff members competed in the competition, with the winner getting a $30 Legends gift card. The runner-up received $20 with the semifinalists taking home a $10 prize.

taylorvandenhull | newseditor Make sure to click that record button so you can catch the A Cappella choir perform on the NBC “Sounds of the Holiday” Christmas special. You can catch them on Channel 41 News (KSHS-TV) on Dec. 25 from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. and on sister station 38 The Spot (KMCI-TV) on Dec. 25 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and then again on Dec. 27 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. A Cappella traveled to the Kauffman Center to prerecord the four pieces that will be shown in the holiday special. “We worked really hard because we practiced for two weeks before we performed,” junior Payton Sechrist said. “Not many choirs can pull that off.”

news | thepowwow | december2014

The ultimate multitasker Nurse Kim Bolewski is calm, cool, and collected while she juggles multiple responsibilities marissasaterfield | staffwriter A familiar face, a helping hand, a woman made of patience. That’s Kim Bolewski, affectionately known to students and staff as Nurse Kim. Nurse Kim is the ultimate multitasker. Her phone rings off the hook, several students fill up what little space is left in her tiny office and emails pour in all at once. With no physician and scarce equipment; she somehow manages to calmly answer all calls, respond to emails, and tend to the needs of students in a very short period of time. This is Nurse Kim’s fourth year working at BSHS and needless to say she has helped a lot of students over the years. “I love Bonner because there is such a diverse group here,” she said. “Every group brings something positive and I love being part of so much positivity.” On a daily basis, Nurse Kim estimates that she sees anywhere from 60 to 65 students. She said the most frequent reason for students to take a trip to the nurse’s office is for headaches. Nurse Kim grew up in Defiance, Ohio, and went to college at Rogers State in Claremore, Okla. She later finished her education at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, earning a bachelor’s degree. Originally, she went to school with the desire of becoming a psychologist but after her first year she decided nursing was a better fit. “Nursing is my calling, I like to help people,” Kim said. “I try to do whatever I can to give people a healthy life.” Kim has dealt with children, adults and teenagers. She began her career as a nurse working at St. John’s hospital, located in Tulsa, Okla., and has worked in various other hospitals in disease surveillance, emergency preparedness, WIC (Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition Program) and as a pediatric nurse. In her 23 years, she has seen about everything there really is to see in the health industry and more, including her shocking experience of aiding a man who had just fallen out of the ceiling above right in front of her. “I had recently just gotten out of college and was thinking just how easy my job had been. Then a maintenance man working on electrical wires fell out of the ceiling into the hospital.” Kim said. “It suddenly hit me that I was the one who had to aid this man.” Her strangest moments with students came when a student ran in to her office holding her

december2014 | thepowwow | news

With a smile, Nurse Kim Bolewski is ready to take on the day.

Photo/marissasatterfield

numbers |

5,858 the number of students who went to the nurse’s office last year

2,293 the number of times Nurse Kim took a student’s temperature last year.

head, saying that she had just been hit with a leg. A few minutes later, another kid ran in holding a prosthetic leg. Though there are many nerve-wracking experiences Nurse Kim has encountered on the job, there are also many fond moments. “There are so many good memories I’ve had as a nurse. There’s really no way I could pick just one,” Kim said. “Every day something good happens, I’ve met so many good people.” Nurse Kim happens to be one of those good people who never ceases to amaze the students and staff of BSHS. “The thing that is special about Kim is that she is able to deliver with kindness on a consistent basis,” Dr. Joe Hornback said.“I think that goes for not just the students but also the staff, and families; she’s definitely one of the most generous people I’ve met.”

112 the number of bandaids that Nurse Kim gave to students last year.

2,421 the number of ibuprofen tablets distributed to students last year

fast facts | Nurse Kim Hometown: Defiance, Ohio Family: Married with 3 daughters Pets: Two cats and a dog Favorite movie: 16 Candles Hobbies: Refinishing houses and furniture and obstacle runs. Stress buster: Eating. Three words that describe her best: Kind, funny, and complicated. Holiday wish: I wish I could see my whole family over the holiday. Favorite book: Learn the Bible in 30 Days Nurse Kim’s three biggest health tips: Drink plenty of water, eat three times a day and get rest.

Celebrating a different season Sophomore Sabria Zilitni and her family observe Ramadan juliannejackson | co-editor When others students wake up Christmas morning to rush down and open presents, sophomore Sabria Zlitni and her family will be taking their time, in no rush at all. “My cousins always talk about being up at 7 a.m., but I never had that,” said Zlitni. Even though her younger brother and sister will get presents, the celebration of Christmas is not a big thing for the Zlitni family because they are Muslim and celebrate Ramadan. Ramadan is monthlong observance where Muslims must fast and pray often in a period of self-restraint and selfreflection. Because it is marked with the lunar calendar, the month for Ramadan gets pushed back 10 days each year. “This year Ramadan was during the month of July and August, so it was still summer, which sometimes made it hard for me to hang out with people,” Zlitni said. During this month, Zlitni and her family would wake up before the sun was up to eat breakfast and then they would not eat again until after the sun had gone down. The end of Ramadan is marked with a threeday long celebration called Eid-al-Fitr, Eid. During the first day of Eid, Muslims go to the mosque or to a big park, if it’s nice outside, to celebrate the end of Ramadan with others. During this time of celebration, they will eat food such as basboosa, a cake with an almond in the center with honey drizzled on top, and Burik, egg roll type shells fried with meat and eggs inside. Along with the food, they will put

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up decorations and get henna tattoos. The second and third days are spent with her immediate family and typically consist of fun family activities such as going to Worlds of Fun. Zlitni has celebrated this holiday since she was born. Her father is from Libya while her American-born mother converted to a Muslim religion. Zlitni said that Muslim religious beliefs are similar to the Bible, with a few changes such as the names of the disciples. Cleanliness is an important part of this religion. For this reason, they do not eat pork and they take off their shoes before they go into the Mosque. While at the Mosque, women and men are separated. The children will go with the women and listen to a different service than the men. In traditional fashion, females would be asked to wear clothing to their ankles and to their wrists along with a hijab, a traditional head covering. Men would be required to wear pants to at least their knees and cover their shoulders. “People always ask why I don’t wear the hijab to school,” Zlitni said. “It’s a choice.” Another important belief is prayer. Zlitni prays up to five times a day and must go through a series of cleansing rituals before praying. Prayer, Zlitni said, is a way to connect with Allah (Arabic word for God) and ask for forgiveness. “My whole family follows this religion,” Sabria said. “It’s how I identify myself.”

“My whole family follows this religion and it’s how I identify myself.”

Ramadan

Above: Sabria and her sister, Zaynab before the celebration.

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Right: A picture of the traditional cake basboosa. Bottom: Henna Tattoos on Sabria and her little brother Zubayr.

Cleansing rituals Muslims initiate every action intentionaly. To prepare themselves for prayer to Allah, they must complete a cleansing ritual. This means they must wash their hands three times and then bring a handful of water to the mouth and rinse it three times. After that, they must wash their entire face three times and then wash arms up to the elbows, beginning with the right hand. The head and ears are then rinsed with the wet hands. The feet are then washed up to the ankles three times.

in-depth | thepowwow | december2014

Fast Facts: With Different Religions Hanukkah Among the most popular Chanukah dishes are potato latkes (pancakes) and sufganiot (doughnuts).

Because of the great significance of oil in the story of the Chanukah miracle, it is traditional to serve foods cooked in oil.

It is customary to increase oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daily giving to charity.

The Chanukah lights should consist of lamps or candles with a flammable fuel that feeds a visible flame via a wick. No gas lights or electric lights should be used. The Jewish people found only a single cruse of olive oil that had escaped contamination by the Greeks; miraculously, the one-day supply burned for eight days.

Kwanzaa

Source: http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/hanukkah

Each family celebrates Kwanzaa in its own way, but celebrations often include songs and dances, African drums, storytelling, poetry reading, and a large traditional meal.

On each of the seven nights, the family gathers and a child lights one of the candles on the Kinara (candleholder), then one of the seven principles is discussed.

nia

nia (purpose) umoja (unity) umoja (purpose

Unity, Selfdetermination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity, and Faith.

One candle is lit each evening and the appropriate principle is discussed.

(Unity) Each family celebrates Kwanzaa in its own way, but celebrations often include songs and dances, African drums, storytelling, poetry reading, and a large traditional meal days.

Bodhi Day

imani (faith)

Source: http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/kwanzaa-history

Bodhi Day is the Buddhist celebration of the Budhhaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s awakening or enlightenment.

It is common to decorate houses with pictures or little statues of the Buddha under a fig tree to remember the day of his awakening.

Candles and lights are lightened on this day and kept burning, or turned on, for the next 30 days to symbolize enlightenment.

Buddhists homes have a small fiscus tree that is decorated with colored lights and beads united with a string, this is to symbolize that all things are united.

It is traditional to eat one There are three hanging ornaments that are meal of rice and milk, to represent the Three Jewels of Buddhism: this was the same meal that the Buddha ate after Buddha, Dharma and Shanga. his awakening.

The most common activity is for Buddhists to gather and stay in prayer during the night.

Source: http://aglobalworld.com/holidays-around-the-world/bodhi-day-buddhist/

laurenmurphy | designer

december2014 | thepowwow | in-depth

No one is asking for it Rape. A four-letter word that creates chaos in the lives of those who have experienced it. Although it can be argued rape is not gender specific, we have to agree that most victms are females and that rape prevention in the 21st century tends all too often to focus on the things that the female must do. Instead of educating both genders on what the true definition of consent is, we continue to use the belief that to lower rape incidents we must stop the female from provoking the rape, instead of educating men not to rape. In today’s time we teach females not to “ask for it.” Step 1: Don’t dress provocatively or you’re asking for it. Females should be allowed to go out wearing whatever they please and not have to worry about being sexually assaulted. If she is wearing a skimpy dress or a turtleneck, “no” still means “no.” Step 2: Don’t drink too much or you’re asking for it. Of course it would appear to be common sense to know

thepowwow

your limits, but some people choose to deny said limits and put themselves in a state of intoxication. Just because someone is intoxicated and has been hanging around you all night, that is not consent. Not being responsive enough to consent is still “no.” In all cases of intoxication, when she says “no” it still means “no.” Step 3: Don’t go out alone or you’re asking for it. We tell females to always go out in groups because boys will be boys and you can’t be put in that situation. How about the fact that girls should be allowed to be girls and shouldn’t have to worry about going out at night alone just because men might not be able to handle themselves and you could be taken advantage of. In a better world, girls should be allowed to be girls. When a girl is alone, “no” still means “no.” I do understand that there are exceptions to all rules, but not all females who are sexually assaulted are assaulted from what they wear, how intoxicated they are, or if they’re alone. Too often rape prevention focuses on these common situations, while overlooking the roles females and males both play in the situation. How often do we educate males on their role in rape prevention? When the statistic is that 1 in 5 females in the U.S. have experience sexual assault, something more must be done.

numbers | sexual assault

32,000

pregnancies occur as a result of sexual violence each year

1 in 5

females in the U.S. have reported they have experienced sexual violence

1 in 71

men in the U.S. have reported they have experienced sexual violence

97%

of rapists will never spend a day in jail

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Life skills being overlooked My senior year is halfway over and I am so excited to graduate, but I’m also very scared. You see, I’m grateful that I can find the second derivative of a polynomial, but for the life of me, I don’t know how to do laundry, balance a budget, sew on a button, get my own insurance, or operate a power saw. As you go from being a freshman to a senior, you attempt to learn some of these things, but there’s never enough room in your schedule—or at least that’s been my experience. I’ve been so focused on the college prep track that I didn’t take elective classes that might have taught me needed life skills like learning about a deductible, doing my taxes, or building the perfect resume. Whether we like it or not, these are all skills that will affect us for the rest of our lives. Even our administrative staff notices the need to learn basic skills for life and the difference a few helpful classes can make. “Financial literacy is a problem we have in the country

and in our school as well. If you are going to buy anything, you should understand what the expenses may be, like interest,” Dr. Joe Hornback, principal, said. “I think all people should take additional math skills classes. Some people can’t figure their interest on what they just bought.” I barely understand how to calculate interest, and I have taken calculus. As much as I love math and all the other hard classes I have taken over the years, I really wish I could sleep comfortably at night knowing I can survive independently. We are required to take classes that increase our knowledge of sciences, math, and history. However, there are definitely classes in business, FACS, and Wood Technology that would have left me feeling a little bit more prepared for the world of college and beyond. I am not saying that every student should be involved in a class like one of these, but some of these classes could really benefit you in the long run. When we return in January, underclassmen will be asked to pick their courses for the next year. Keep this column in mind when choosing. It’s so easy to overlook the electives that might help you later on in life. College credit courses are fine and dandy, but life skills get you through the day and they keep you going in life.

Editors-In-Chief Julianne Jackson Jacob Kraus Arts & Entertainment Editor Kynnedy Shepherd Features Editor Taner Shipman News Editor Taylor Vanden Hull Copy Editors Brenna Holt Taylor Vanden Hull Kynnedy Shepherd Sports Editor Darryl Terrell Photo Editor Hanna Wenzel Page Designer Lauren Murphy Staff Writers Alayna Dooley Lucy Florez Brenna Holt Paige Krone Alyissa Mendoza Marissa Satterfield Alexis Sechrist Payton Sechrist Eric Valenzuela Kayla Willis Adviser Jill Holder Contact us

Bonner Springs High School Pow Wow 100 McDanield Bonner Springs, KS 66012 913-422-5121, ext. 4330 www.bshsnews.com Follow us on twitter @BSHS_News Have a question or suggestion? Would you like your voice to be heard?

Contact:

Co-Editor Julianne Jackson at juliannejackson@usd204.net Co-Editor Jacob Kraus at jacobkraus@usd204.net Adviser Jill Holder at holderj@usd204.net

Editorial policy

The Pow Wow is published monthly by the fourth-hour publications staff at Bonner Springs High School. Editorials reflect the consensus of the staff; the comentaries reflect the individual writer’s opinion.

Letters

The Pow Wow is a public forum designed to serve as the voice of BSHS. Letters-to-the-editor are accepted, but the Pow Wow will not print letters that are libelous, irresponsible, or advocate illegal acts. All letters should be submitted to Room 101 and are subject to editing.

opinions | thepowwow | december2014

Dear Santa:

talking points | stress relievers

The assembly behavior at our school is unbelievable. It has been disrespectful and it is upsetting to wear Braves across our backs when such unacceptable behavior is being displayed. Please, Santa, bring all of the kids that were disrespectful in the MOCSA and winter sports assemblies a lump of coal. Or, if you aren’t wanting to ruin their Christmas cheer, please give us a new sound system to help control this unwanted behavior. And last on our list is the women’s bathroom in the basement. We all unanimously agree that this is an issues that needs to be fixed quickly. The constant smell and the two-stall availability is incredibly annoying. As a newspaper staff, we are all on the nice list and we know you’ve been watching. Please bring us our much-earned wishes with the delivery of these gifts. —the pow wow staff

grinding my gears | lauren murphy “Playing basketball and working out helps me get my mind off things going on outside of practice.” kaleigh taylor | senior “Wrestling, because I can just go in there, let it all out, and hurt someone.” andrew brundick | junior

“Drinking fruit punch Spark and napping; it gets everything I am worried about outside of school off my mind.” thomas fehlhafer | sophomore “Listening to music and playing soccer is always my stress reliever.” lauren gallagher | freshman

december2014 | thepowwow | editoreal

Get involved. Play a sport. Join clubs. Make sure you volunteer places. Get good grades. Get a job. Apply for scholarships and colleges early. Do well on the ACT. Do all of your homework and school projects with 100 percent effort. Spend time with friends. Get enough rest. Know what you want to do for the rest of your life. We’ve all heard these things more than once in our lives. And as the years go on and the stress builds up, we tend to hear these things more often. This just makes things that much more stressful. A psychologist named Robert Leahy stated that the average teenager has the same level of anxiety as a psychiatric patient in the 1950s. Don’t get me wrong, being involved is a wonderful thing. We get to meet new people and try new things. It’s sometimes worth the stress, but we really can’t enjoy our lives because there just isn’t enough time in the day. We spend the majority of our day at school, taking notes and learning new things, but then we’re expected to study every night and do homework every night for almost every class. Wait, we still need to pencil in time for writing scholarship essays, research papers, volunteering, working a job, spending time with friends, sleeping... I even had to pencil in a time to write this opinion column, and if that doesn’t tell you how busy high school is, then I don’t know what will.

Jose Pepper’s at Legends Say hello to easy access of Jose Pepper’s famous espinanca dip. Gas Prices Tumbling gas prices are a relief. Marketwatch.com says these lower prices could save U.S. households $1,100 a year. Lunchroom Additions We are excited to see some new options in the lunch room. It still can’t compare to crispito Fridays, but we acknowledge the efforts and thank the staff for trying.

We would first like to thank you, Santa, for bringing us a great season for the Royals this year, which was our Christmas wish in the December issue of the Pow Wow in 2012. Please don’t make us wait another 29 years for another display of great baseball. With the holidays approaching fast, we are hoping to make a few more requests and we are crossing our fingers you can deliver. In the recent news, our country has been deeply divided when it comes to race. The deaths of Micheal Brown and Eric Gardner have sparked great conflicts between people everywhere. We need to find a way to come together, to accept each other. Bring us some tolerance. Let us be the generation to end the division between races. Next, our hometown wish list. BSHS is in need of some major attitude changes.

love it | hate it

No Snow Days This first semester has granted us zero snow days; we can only hope to be blessed with a few in the second semester. Wi-Fi Connection We signed an agreement to only use the school’s Wi-Fi, but when you can’t quickly load your email or Skyward to check your grades, using the Wi-Fi is more of a headache than a helper.

just for fun | Christmas Jokes How much did Santa pay for his sleigh? Nothing, it was on the house. What do you call an elf who sings. A wrapper

Behind the Brave Bonner Springs has many traditions and sayings associated with Native Americans. When using these terms, are we being disrespectful of the past? tanershipman | features editor Controversy over whether schools and sports teams should be able to use Native American mascots to represent their school seems like a neverending issue. Native American names are used everywhere in America from Bonner Springs’ own Braves, to the NFL Washington Redskins. But the question is always there. Should sports teams do this if it may offend people? “I think it’s time to start listening to those people who are offended,” said Sean Daley, director of Native American Studies at Johnson County Community College. Modern dictionaries now define the term “Redskins” as a racial slur, yet no one can quite agree on the origin of the word. According to Daley, it grew in usage during the 1800s when the United States government paid cash for Indian scalps. That’s one of the accepted beliefs as to where the term “redskins” comes from. “Redskins has a lot of negativity associated with it. It’s a dark and disturbing word,” Daley said.“Braves has some negativity associated with it, but is not nearly as offensive as the name Redskins.” There are 2,129 secondary schools in the United States that use mascots referencing Native Americans and their culture. For towns like Bonner Springs, who have ties to Native Americans, the change would not be easy. “There are students who walk in those hallways who are Native Americans, and they see these racist images and it’s not appropriate for an academic setting,” Daley said. To really comprehend how our actions might be offensive, students need to realize that doing a tomahawk chop or wearing a headdress at a football game may not represent the same things to all people. “People need to understand why something is offensive, so we can find some middle ground for both sides. But the average American does

not understand why these things are offensive and that is a part of the problem,” Daley explained. Daley isn’t the only one who is troubled by Native American team mascots. “Using the word ‘Braves’ to represent your school is taking away from Native American culture and is offensive,” said Patricia Schurkamp, director of the Wyandotte County Museum. No name of a sports team has ever been challenged more than the Washington Redskin. Their owner, Daniel Snyder, says he will never change the name of his team despite losing six trademarks associated with the team in June. There are only four professional sports teams with Native American names: the Washington Redskins, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Cleveland Indians, and the Chicago Blackhawks. In the college sports world, the NCAA banned the use of Native American team names in post-season play in 2005. Some schools changed their names while others refused to do so with no action taken against them. “Those teams should have been punished for not following NCAA rules,” Daley said. Many believe that using Native American respected lifestyles as slang is not offensive, and that nothing needs to be changed. Others, like Daley and Shurkamp think there is much to be done. Daley believes social media is a major player in getting the word out. This is one reason we are hearing more about the topic. “There are a lot of things that people just don’t understand about the Native American culture.” said Schurkamp. “But we can educate people and hope they understand what they are doing.” These problems are not going away any time soon and many have strong feelings on one side or the other. The fact that theses sports mascots do offend some people suggests that we took a closer look at their viewpoints. Do we follow tradition or change the names because it’s not correct? The choice is ours.

Shelbey Taylor

paigekrone | staffwriter What are your Native American roots? Cherokee Do you think it’s offensive to use Native American sayings for schools or sports teams? It doesn’t bother me. I could see how it would be offensive, but I don’t find it offensive. Does our mascot offend you in any way? No. I think it gives us some cool stuff to go off of. “Brave,”“warrior,” and “fighters” are really cool with sports; it adds more to the meaning. Should the Washington Redskins be forced to change their mascot? I don’t think they should be forced to change their mascot. But I do find Redskins different than “Braves” or “Chieftain.” Redskins is more of a controversial name because we don’t have teams called the Whiteskins or Blackskins. What is something you wish more people knew about your heritage? The history and all the endeavors that Native Americans had to go through such as the Trail of Tears. We learn about slavery all throughout middle school and high school, but we don’t learn anything about the people who possessed the land before all the immigrants came over. We’re a country of immigrants, but I don’t feel like we’re really told that story. Has anyone ever made fun of or joked about your race? I’ve heard a couple of things but I don’t take offense from it.

Mikayla Young

brennaholt | staffwriter What are your Native American roots? Muskogee Where are they originally from? Georgia Are you offended by our school name and mascot? It’s not really offensive unless you take offense to it or look at it in too much detail. Are you offended by professional sport team’s mascot such as Redskins Chiefs,or Indians? I don’t really think that it’s offensive, but I know some of the chiefs and elders in my tribe do. I know my grandma doesn’t like when the fans wear the headdress because it’s for the chief and his sacred rituals. Should these teams change their names? They can use it just as long as they understand it. I think they should just know it a little bit more instead of just blindly saying, “Oh, look ,it’s an Indian; let’s have that as our mascot.” How do you feel about things around the school being named after aspects of the Native American culture? It’s stereotypical. I just don’t think people know that there are different sections.

From Potato Men to Braves: the origin of our mascot

brennaholt | staffwriter Former mayor and long-time Bonner Springs resident Clausie Smith knows just about everything there is to know about this town. That includes the history of Bonner Springs High School. When asked about the origin of the “Braves” mascot, Smith said there was nothing official early on. “At one time in the early 1920s the teams were called the ‘Kaws’ and one or two articles in the Chieftain called the team the 'Potato Men,' which was a huge crop in the area,” Smith said. But how did we go from Potato Men to Braves? According to Smith, Bonner Springs High School became the Braves in 1936 when Vernie Slawgle Mills won a school wide contest. In her essay explaining why she thought Braves would be a good mascot for Bonner High school she wrote, “Why not bring a bit of history down to present day and name our boys the Bonner Braves?” Mills received a candy bar for her winning submission. Ironically, she didn’t get that prize until her 50th class reunion. Smith said the mascot reflects a strong tie to the community’s Native American roots. “Bonner Springs was originally a Delaware Indian town. In fact the entire area was once a reservation for the Delawares,” Smith said. In his 21 years as publisher of “The Bonner Springs Chieftain,” Smith said he never heard one complaint about the school’s Native American mascot. As he sees it, the use of Braves “signifies a person of courage and honor.” In fact, Smith says that when he was working with the Delaware tribe in an attempt to locate a casino in Bonner Springs in the mid-1990s, the Chief had no problem with the mascot name and was happy that the Delawares were remembered. However, Smith doesn’t like the derogatory term “Redskins” as a team mascot. “I think there are other historic names associated with Washington, D.C. which would be more suitable,” Smith said. “My first thought would be something like the ‘Potomacs’ after the river.”

Pow Wow Poll | Changing the Brave

371 students surveyed

Think our Braves mascot is offensive.

12%

Think the Washington Redskins should change their mascot.

93%

Think our Braves mascot is not offensive.

88% The Washington Redskins do not need to change their mascot. jordanthaxton | illustration

Shelbey Taylor

Mikayla Young

From Potato Men to Braves: the origin of our mascot

Pow Wow Poll | Changing the Brave

371 students surveyed

Think our Braves mascot is offensive.

12%

Think the Washington Redskins should change their mascot.

93%

Think our Braves mascot is not offensive.

88% The Washington Redskins do not need to change their mascot. jordanthaxton | illustration

Takedown of the season Many wrestlers start their season undefeated on Dec. 4. The team lost to Basehor, 52-28 but darrylterrell l staffwriter defeated Piper 78-3. As the Braves’ wrestling team starts the The team is very talented but still has room season, the group comes into the 2014 year for improvement and some obstacles to get ranked fourth in the 4-A classification state through. preseason “We have a rankings as a long ways to go. team. We have to get The group some of our guys comes in after in their weight a exceptional class,” head coach performance at Brandon Jobe the Riley County said. tournament on Sophomore Dec 8, placing Tanner Hitchcock, third as an is currently overall team. ranked second The team in the state in the presents the top113-pound weight ranked senior In a high-intensity practice, senior D.J. Ballard (top) goes class. He is also D.J. Ballard of through a drill of taking down a fellow teammate. undefeated along the 132-pound with senior Bryan Lanning, who competes in weight class, who started his season off strong the 160-pound class. with a perfect 7-0 record. Ballard received the The final wrestler with a perfect mark is junior “Most Outstanding Wrestler” award at the Riley Kolbe Seaton. County tournament. As winter break approaches, the squad won’t “I thought it was awesome to be awarded compete in another match until the Dick Burns that,” Ballard said. Mat Classic that will be hosted at the district PE Earlier this month, the team had a 1-1 split at Center on Jan. 10. the season opener against Piper and Basehor

The Fued of the Fans Aaron Ashford How long have you been a K-State fan? Since I was in the womb Favorite K-State basketball player? Thomas Gibson What K-State basketball opponent irritates you the most? Iowa State Why do you like K-State basketball? Because they are good and have a lot of talent and returning players Why is K-State better than KU? K-State is better because we are a family, and we stick behind our team no matter what. We are always humble and we support each other. On a scale of 1-10 (1 being the best and 10 being the worst), how much do you hate KU? 9.9999999 Hate

Riley Ballou-Lyngstad How long have you been a KU fan? Since 2009 Favorite KU basketball player? Devonte’ Graham What KU basketball opponent irritates you the most? Iowa State, because their fans are obnoxious. Why do you like KU basketball? Because they are close to where I live and they have good basketball players. Why is KU better than K-State? Because we tell the truth On a scale of 1-10 (1 being the best and 10 being the worst), how much do you hate K-State? 3, because I’m not a hater —payton sechrist

braves | briefs girls basketball

The girls kicked off their season with a big game against Basehor. The first quarter started with a slow start but the girls pushed through the second quarter to take the lead. They walked off the court with a win of 54-39. They then began tournament play with a 47-17 win against Eudora where juniors Julianne Jackson and Miyah Hightower combined for 28 points. —alyissa mendoza

boys basketball

The basketball team started their season with high hopes to beat Basehor to possibily take the #1 spot in the KVL. The boys played very hard but fell short from the win with a score of 46-67. They then made a trip to Paola where Aaron McGee had a big night while scoring 20 points. Come support the boys Dec. 16 against Tonganoxie. —alyissa mendoza

boys swimming

The boys had their first home swim meet on Dec.10 where freshman Ryan Downing qualified for state in both the 200 IM and the 500 freestyle, breaking school records in both events. “The boys are starting out the season great; they’re practicing hard every day in the pool and giving it their all,” coach Preston Williams said. “We’re going to state; it’s not a question,” senior captain Jacob Kraus said. —payton sechrist

braves | profiles Sophomore transfer Tanner Hitchcock has taken on his first year as part of the Braves wrestling team in stride, while making an impact with a perfect 7-0 record. What do you do before you take the mat? I like to listen to rap music, like Drake. Who are some Olympic wrestlers you idiolize? Coleman Scott and Jordan Burroughs. What was one of your best moments so far this season? Winning my first match in a Braves singlet. What has been your impression of the Bonner Springs wrestling program so far? I was surprised about about how big it was here. Everyone enjoys watching it. Favorite foods that you will have to give up during the season: Ice cream and fast food —darryl terrell Photos/Hanna Wenzel

sports | thepowwow | december2014

Double-trouble Junior twins looking for a breakout season alyissamendoza | staffwriter While we all sit back and watch the Braves prepare to take on their opponent and the announcer lists the starters for the night, juniors Aaron and Devante McGee are finishing their stretching and getting their heads in the game. The McGee twins step slightly nervous onto the court where they are expected to be a huge presence to their team when the clock counts down and the action starts. Some may notice that the 6-foot-2 Aaron is flashier while attacking the rim when Devante, who is an inch taller at 6-3, is a silent force around the perimeter. This creates the balance between the twins with two different game strategies. “They both shoot the ball extremely well, both rebound the ball, both play good defense. The difference in their games from my perspective is this: Aaron has become more of a slasher trying to get to the rim while DeVante has become more of a sharpshooter,” head coach Dan Streit said. The McGee twins are key returners from last year’s squad where they racked up a combined total of 279 points. After adjusting to the varsity level as sophomore

starters, they are primed for a breakout season. Not surprisingly, their priorities for this season are identical: “going to state,” a goal that can be accomplished with the help of teammates Brenden Dotson, Jonah Freese, Connor Byers and Antonio Roark. Basketball may seem like a piece of cake for the twins, but it was a long journey to become the players they are today from the time of picking up a basketball in second grade. One player who has been on this journey with them is teammate Josh Adams, also a junior. “They have an all-around game now,” Adams said. “At first they were primarily three-point shooters and ball handlers and now they can take you inside and out and lock you up on defense.” As the twins become more mature players, their talent is starting to shine. Aaron had 20 points in the opening round of the Paola tournament while Devante had 19 against Harrisonville. They’re often compared to the talented Murphy twins who played for Basehor. “I can’t care what people say,” Devante said. “I just need to play hard.”

In the home opener, Devante, left, prepares to shoot while Aaron calls a play. “Their effort was great. They both played hard and got key rebounds and did everything the coaching staff asked them to do,” head coach Dan Striet said. Aaron McGee

DeVante’ McGee

Favorite NBA team: Golden State Warriors

Favorite NBA player: Stephan Curry

Favorite NBA player: Klay Thompson

Athlete he follows on Twitter: @StephanCurry

Athlete he follows on Twitter: @KlayThompson

Kobe vs. LeBron?: Kobe

New Year’s resolution

Favorite Christmas Song

Hope the Jayhawks...

Not to snack as much

I don’t like Christmas music

Win

Billy Butler

Different

Kolbe Seaton

Don’t drink pop

“Jingle Bells”

Lose

Peyton Manning

Stressful

Allie Ledbetter

Be on top of things

“Santa Claus is Coming to Town”

Will make the Final Four

Billy Butler

Stressful

“Christmas in Kansas City”

Win the national championship

Michael Phelps

Bittersweet

Athlete

Michael Amayo

Madison Make better use of my Stumbough planner

december2014 | thepowwow | sports

Athletes who need The end of my first to retire semester was...

Christmas crazy A closer look at junior Zoe Lofton and her festive family alexissechrist | staffwriter than we have out now because we have been When it comes to holidays, junior Zoe Lofton super busy with other obligations,” Lofton said. really knows how to go all out. The Christmas When it comes to decorations, the Lofton spirit seems to run through her veins, and she family really knows how to show everyone that has a variety of outfits that reflects this spirit. Christmas is swiftly approaching. Some of these include an elf costume, a “I love it when the holidays are approaching. snowman costume and a peppermint hot It’s fun to see everyone with chocolate costume. Her holiday cheer,” Lofton said. favorite piece to wear besides Having Christmas spirit costumes is her reindeer brings joy to a lot of people antlers. and the Lofton family really Lofton has had holiday knows how to celebrate it. spirit running through her She said that her entire since birth. family has taught her a lot “My mom mostly gave the about holiday spirit. Christmas spirit to me, so Every Christmas her entire now I get to share it with my family gets together, and they nieces and nephews,” Lofton haven’t missed one Christmas said. without everyone being there. Usually it takes about a Christmas movies, songs, week and a half of hard work and pie circualte through the to set up all the decorations in Lofton’s house this time of and out of Lofton’s house, but year. this year the decorations came Lofton’s favorite holiday out early. movie is “Elf.” Her favorite “My mom started setting up Christmas songs are “Jingle holiday decorations before Bells” and “I Saw Mommy Halloween,” Lofton said. Kissing Santa Claus.” She Lofton’s mom usually sets doesn’t have a favorite holiday up holiday decorations while Junior Zoe Lofton shows off her pie because she doesn’t like she is at school. The Lofton family has eight new Christmas outfit, which her mother pie. made out of a Christmas blanket. “I There can be lots of lessons blow-ups in the front yard. absolutely love this outfit. It’s really learned from Lofton and her Lofton has decorations all comfortable, Zoe said. family: the holiday season is over her house, not only in about spending time with your the front yard, but in the inside of her house as well. In Lofton’s bedroom family, spreading holiday cheer, and giving to others. she has a mini Christmas tree and she also Most kids in high school are just concerned makes snowflakes to hang from her ceiling. with getting gifts and having a break from Although all of the 13 Christmas trees in the Loftons’s house are artificial, the Christmas vibe school when it comes to Christmas and Christmas break. Lofton likes getting gifts but is very much alive. says that family time and sharing lots of love “We used to get real trees but my mom didn’t during the holiday season is what it’s all about. like it. Last year we had a lot more decorations

A look inside the Lofton house

YOU SAID

75 students surveyed

Real Tree vs Artificial Tree Artificial Tree 69%

Real Tree 31%

Favorite Holiday Song “Jingle Bells” 15%

“It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” 22%

“All I Want for Christmas Is You” 38%

“Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” 25%

Favorite Holiday Movie Polar Express 31%

Frosty the Snowman 6%

Elf 34% How the Grinch Stole Christmas 29%

Favorite Pie Pumpkin Pie 40%

Cherry Pie 6%

powwow | poll

Apple Pie 33%

Pecan Pie 21%

arts&entertainment | thepowwow | december2014

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Books

All the reviews you’ll ever need Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Books

Blood of Olympus is the last greek mythology book Rick Riordan may ever write. Blood of Olympus is a great conclusion to not just the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, but also the heroes of the Olympus series. This book wraps up all of the little cliffhangers that Rick Riordan is known for in his books. It has a great amount of action, suspense, and romance that all mixes perfectly to make a book that is definitely worth the read. I recommend this book to anyone who is fan of the series and anyone who is a fan of Rick Riordan himself. I give this book four stars.

While reading Gone Girl, I was constantly turning pages faster than I could read. The author did a great job at giving you glimpses of what was bound to happen but still left enough out to create a thriller. Once I finished the book, though, it left a bad taste in my mouth. After later analysis, I realized that I hated the ending because it seemed to reap no justice. Then, I watched the movie and analyzed the book even more and decided to appreciate that bad taste in my mouth because books are created to make you feel something, both good and bad. And this book most certainly makes you feel something. Overall, I would give this book three and a half stars. juliannejackson | coeditor

Both of Me by Jonathan Friesen

Movies

jacobkraus | coeditor

Mockingjay

Horrible Bosses

The newest installment of the Hunger Games series, Mockingjay Part I, is probably the best one yet as Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) becomes a symbol of hope for the revolution against the Capitol while trying to free Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) from them simultaneously. I know for me there were times when I didn’t want the movie to end and I enjoyed seeing the war efforts from both sides. The movie portrayed the book fairly well; however, there are still those little differences that make each book and movie distinct. I would give the movie a three and a half out of five stars. lucyflorez | staffwriter

Being such a fan of the first movie, I was definitely excited for Horrible Bosses 2, and the movie definitely lived up to the high expectations I had set in my head for it. The three main characters Nick, Dale, and Kurt (Jason Bateman, Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis) are in the process of starting their own company but because of a sneaky businessman, things take an unexpected turn. Overall, Horrible Bosses 2 is witty, fun to watch and will have you laughing the whole time. With more than one unexpected turn, you will be on the edge of your seat, trying to figure out how exactly the trio will get out of this new mess. I give this movie four stars. kynnedyshepherd | a&eeditor

Music

1989 by Taylor Swift

The album 1989 by Taylor Swift is a big step up from her last album. She completely surprised me with this album because before this album I didn’t like her music. Swift usually has bad songs and they’re all about breakups while this new album has great songs and lots of variety. All of her songs came from inspiration in 1989. I love the songs “Welcome to New York,” “Style,” “All You Had To Do Was Stay,” “This Love,” and “Wildest Dreams.” There are 13 songs on the album and two big hits. The two big hits on the radio from this album are “Blank Space,” and “Shake It Off.” I give this album a full five stars. alexissechrist | staffwriter

Coming Soon

Four by One Direction One Direction’s much anticipated fourth album has finally been released and lived up to my expectations. All of their songs are catchy and fun to sing along with. However, their songs sound quite different from ones in previous albums. I still enjoy Four just as much as any of the other albums. Four differs from all of the others because the members of the band (Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Harry Styles) have written more songs for it than they have any other albums. I would suggest you give Four a try, fan or not. It’s well written and has me waiting for more. I give this album four and a half stars. taylorvandehull | newseditor

Dec. 23

Dec. 23 We Should Hang Out Sometime: Embarrassingly, a True Story by Josh Sundquist Dec. 30 Hidden by Donna Jo Napoli Dec. 30

The Dress Shop of Dreams by Menna Van Praaq

Movies Dec. 17 The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Dec. 19 Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb Dec. 19 Annie Dec. 25 Into the Woods Dec. 25 Big Eyes

Albums Dec. 14 The Pinkprint by Nicki Manaj Dec. 15 Music and Words by Malcolm Middleton and David Shrigley Dec. 16 Sucker by Charlie XCX Dec. 19 Third by The Grand Gestures

arts&entertainment | thepowwow | december2014

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bonnerwishes

Holiday YOU SAID Wishlist

“For Mick Jagger to tweet me back for once.” “I want to go to the International Space Station, I have always had a great fascination with space.”

georgia thaxton | senior

jake merinoe | freshman

“My Christmas wish is for McDonald’s to offer gluten-free nuggets, that are also free.” gabby bennett | senior

“For it to be snowing on Christmas, because a white Christmas is a good Christmas.” robyn lewis | junior

“To get a 1950’s Chevy pickup, they are so awesome.” adam burduski | senior

“A safer world.”

brett mcpherson | sophomore Truly, I wish that every day, several times a day, we all could mentally pause, look around, list a few things we so very much appreciate, and then add in our minds a few things we could do to make someone’s life a bit better and thus change the world millimeter by millimeter to be the Planet of Peace. chris wood | staff

“For all of my family to be together.”

megan willmon | sophomore

anne holt | staff

“My wish is to get my grades up.”

“To go to Scotland and eat exotic cheese.”

“My holiday wish would be for all my family to come back in town. Currently they are all in Tennessee.” peter klingele | junior

“I wish Santa would bring my husband a Gillette Razor!” jennifer stricherz | staff

keianan lumley | freshman

jacobkraus | designer

bshsnews.com | thepowwow | december2014