Hi Life ✳
Volume 96 ✳ Issue 05 ✳ 12.16.14 ✳ Lee’s Summit, Missouri
Contents NEWS
5 Tips to assist in finals 8 Learn the benefits of being single
READERS 10 Kirsten Myers preforms, sings, and plays the violin
FEATURES 12 The wall of fame displays former LSHS students 16 Throwback with teachers to their high school years
12
10
TOP STORY 20 Kansas City, a place we call home
OPINIONS 28 What your handwriting says about you
SPORTS 35 Students shoot paint balls POLICY: The Hi✳Life is an open forum to provide up to date and pertinent information compiled by high school journalists. The Hi✳Life is a student led publication. None of the opinions in our publication reflect the views of the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District
16
24
From the
Editor
“Y
ou only regret the chances you didn’t take.” I think about this quote quite a bit. I mean, if you really think about it, it is pretty accurate. We are presented with many chances in our lifetime. However, I would like to focus on the chances we have with the people around us. We have many people coming in and out of our lives as we grow up: friends, boyfriends/girlfriends, and even family members. We take chances with all these people. When you decide to date someone, you take a chance. When you start a new friendship, you take a chance. I am a big believer in taking chances with people. I think “well, I will never know if I do not try.” Obviously this gets me in trouble sometimes, but I would not have it any other way. If it goes bad, I know that I should not have that person in my life. Then there are the times when you take a chance with a new person and it turns out to be one of the best things you have ever done. I have the latter experience. Sophomore year I just decided to ask a girl in my gym class to come to my house and go trickor-treating with me. I walked up to her after class one day and just asked her, and she ended up coming over. Now she is my best friend. That was the best thing I have ever done. My point in all this is that we should not be afraid to let people in. We should take a shot in the dark and see what becomes of it. If it turns out bad, well, lesson learned. If it turns out good, then your life is that much more enhanced.
Hi✳Life Editors in Chief Megan Terry
Page Designers
Carter Moore Eden Fitzgibbons Annelise Hanshaw Breona Porter
Writers
Morgan Jenkins Haley Townley Summer Given Angela Lendhardt Dia Sims Sage Young-Streich Gabe Spaulding Jared Shepherd Madie Wylie Alexzandria Fielder Cydney Harris Cristina Herdiz Miranda French Ian Nickens Maddy Antey Amanda Coney
Photographers
Zach Boyle Nick Gardner Amber Gates Aaron Hagan Aaron LaPaz Abby Ault Rylan Gregg Cori Matney Miles Ward Aaron LaPaz Julia Ngega Makenna Nickens Tristan White Zion Marischler Avery Kloth Jaymes Dickinson Kennedy Spaulding Victoria Morrow Alexis Williams Hannah Foster
Sydnee Pointer Matt Rellihan Trevor Martin Mariah Walkenhorst
KayLee Roumas Anna Myers Mack Cooney Aspen DePeralta Johanna Holmberg Elizabeth Marszalek Da’Quon McGee Sydney Roberts Sierra Terry Gabe Thursby Brent Weber Preston Anthony Alicia Wurtz Ava Worthy Molly Goetz BJ Gaunt
Copy Editor
Chance Copeland Grace Rogers Garrett Stroginis
Ads Manager
Payton Seymour
Cartoonist
Sarah Spencer
Web Editor
Jude Spaulding
Advisor
Marc Russell
3
NEWS FEATURES
OPINIONS
The 411
TOP✳STORY
READERS FASHION SPORTS
Written by Miles Ward Photographed by Abby Ault
P
roject Grad is a drug-free party that takes place after graduation. Any seniors that graduated that year are invited to go to University of Central Missouri May 20. Graduation takes place at 7pm, and the buses for Project Grad load at 10pm and leave at 10:30.
C
andlelighting is a ceremony that helps people reflect on values of others. Candlelighting is a tradition that our school has been participating in for 58 years. This event also connects the people as a whole. When Candlelighting started there were two ceremonies going at the same time. One ceremony would take place in the B Gym and the other in the Field House. Then the size of the school changed and everybody could fit into the Field House. Plus, with only having one ceremony going at the same time, Candlelighting is easier to put on. There are two scripts that the school uses. Each year about 1,000-1,500 students stay for this event, but there are about 800 people that leave after finals. There are two scripts that the school uses, so will not see the same thing two times in a row. Everybody should go to this event because it is a good way to reflect on the views of others and connects students. Not only that, but showing up helps the school tradition going.
This Month Check this out
Song of the Month All About That Bass Meghan Trainor- Title Meghan Trainor is a fairly new song writer. One of the songs that made her recognized is her hit All About That Bass. Critics say this song has a catchy beat and good lyrics. Android app of the Month Katatak Cost: $1.99 Description: In the game the player will take the role of heroes to guard a can of tuna. While they are guarding this can of tuna, hungry alien cats will attack from all sides. In order to fight off the cats, players will use a variety of different weapons. Apple app of the Month Card Wars Cost: $4.00 Description: The creators of the cartoon Adventure Time brings a new game called Card Wars. It is a game of strategy. Players will defeat others’ bases by using the cards that they own. On the cards there are lots of different heroes through the streets of London. While walking vicious alien cats will be charging types of creatures such as Knights, Dogs and Maize Runners. Quotes of the month “When leading, be generous with the community, honorable in action, sincere in your words.” Jack Kornfield “There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving and that is your own self.” Aldous Huxley
Hi Life ✳
Volume 96 ✳ Issue 05 ✳ 12.16.14 ✳ Lee’s Summit, Missouri
Upcoming Events Dec. 19 Early Release- Christmas Break Jan. 6 Classes resume Jan. 9 Last day to buy yearbook online Jan. 17 District Choir Concer Jan. 19 No School- Martin Luther King Jr. Day Feb. 7 ACT Testing (Building B 8:00 am) 4
On the Cover Cover photo by Julia Ngega “During Christmas the plaza becomes a magical place,” Ngega said.
Interact with us
Questions, Comments, or Suggestions? We would love to hear them.
Twitter: @jlabmag Facebook: LSHS HiLife Instagram: @jlabmag On the web: jlabmag.com
Hi✳Life
Study tips for Finals
Easy methods to combat stress Finals can cause the holiday season to become a very hectic time of year. At the end of every semester, students attempt to prepare for finals Psychology teacher Debbie Baanders talk about preparing for finals and dealing with the stress that accompanies it. “There are many good ways to study. A student needs to be aware of how they learn best and what type of setting they are trying to learn in in order to know the best way of studying for a specific final,” Baanders said. When studying for a final, a student needs to be as alert and focused as possible. A good way for a student to assure that they can put all of their attention to the task at hand is to avoid all distractions. These distractions include noises or electronics. “Depending on the subject and learning style of the individual, these study methods may be effective. Making and studying notecards, organizing study groups with friends, or
Written by Sydney Roberts Photographed by Zach Boyle Designed by Mariah Walkenhorst
even having a friend or parent quiz you over the material,” Baanders said. Other effective study methods can be making note cards and studying them. Notecards can help with remembering specific words that may be on the test. Study groups are also an effective way of studying. Friends can by quizzing you on study guides. “Getting tutoring help or asking a teacher for some individual help is important if a student needs serious help,” Baanders said. If a student often receives low test scores, they should seek the help of a tutor. If a student is in need of individual help, they should seek the help of a teacher. Teachers and tutors can be a great help before or after school. “Some finals are worth 10 percent of a students grade. They can bump a student up to the next grade or cause a grade drop,” Baanders said. Finals may feel like a stressful way to end a semester, but the key to scoring higher test scores is to study without distractions and to get enough sleep. As stressful as this time of year may be, it is always important for students to know that they have done their best. www.kantoreikc.org/concerts
Dec 20th & 21st
Kantorei: Christmas Around the World Imagining the Christmas season through music from six continents. Featuring compositions and arrangements by: Angtognini, Runestad, Howells, Carrillo, and many more. December 20th, 7:00 pm at Country Club United Methodist
December 21st, 3:00 pm at Visitation Catholic Church ! Advance tickets at www.kantoreikc.org/concerts or at the door. $15 adults, $10 seniors, students under 21 are FREE. Sponsored by
KISSICK CONSTRUCTION SUPPORTS THE
LEE’S SUMMIT HIGH SCHOOL
Gotta Get Some.
!T¬+ISSICK¬#ONSTRUCTION¬WE RE¬ PROUD¬TO¬SUPPORT¬,EE S¬3UMMIT¬ (IGH¬3CHOOL ¬)T¬GOES¬ALONG¬WITH¬ OUR¬STRONG¬BELIEF¬THAT¬BEING¬ INVOLVED¬AND¬SUPPORTING¬THE¬ COMMUNITY¬IS¬AS¬HANDS ON¬AND¬ IMPORTANT¬AS¬OUR¬CONSTRUCTION¬ PROJECTS ¬!ND¬WHAT¬BETTER¬WAY¬ THAN¬HELPING¬THE¬KIDS¬AT¬ONE¬OF¬ THE¬+ANSAS¬#ITY¬AREA S¬GREAT¬ SCHOOLS¬ACHIEVE¬NEW¬HEIGHTS WWW KISSICKCO COM¬ Earthwork
Structural Concrete
Utilities
Bridges
Piling Systems
Industrial
Engineered Shoring
Facilities Maintenance
*Anticipated open late September 2011 291 & 3rd St next to Westlake Ace & Orange Leaf
BUY one GET one
FREE!
Equal or lesser value with qualifying purchase. Roxberry: with purchase of 2 rolls. Orange Leaf: equal or lesser value. Costa Vida: with purchase of 2 drinks.
The Doll Test How young was the difference between white and black known?
W
Hi✳Life Written/Designed by Bre Porter Photos by Makenna Nickens
These are examples of the dolls they used to analyze how children know racial differences.
hich one
is the pretty doll?” a lady asks. The four year old girl points to her obvious choice, the white doll. “Which one is the ugly one?” the lady continues. The little girl pints to the black doll. “Now, which doll looks most like you?” The little girl slowly points to the black doll again, this time with embarrassment.
The first doll test was conducted by Kenneth and Mamie Clark in the 1940’s. Their goal was to study the psychological effects on segregation in schools by asking kids to choose their preferred doll, out of a black or white choice. The Clarks found a majority of black kids chose white dolls over black dolls. In 2010, Soledad O’Brien and a team of CNN-hired psychologists conducted a similar study on 130+ kids, ages 4 and up, in eight different schools, half of which were in the north, and half of them were in the south. Their goal was to understand and analyze how little kids can tell the differences in races without blatant segregation. The children were asked a series of questions, including the following: “Which doll is the smart child?”, “Which doll is the mean child?”, “Which doll is the nice child?”, and “Which doll is the dumb child?”. Most of their answers were short and sweet, but a few elaborated on their choice. When asked “Which one do you like best?” a young Hispanic boy pointed to the white doll and said “ this one because I am not scared of whiter people because I trust them more, but others, like this one[the black doll], I don’t trust them as much”. A lot of other kids chose the
the two darkest skin tones for the 'color most don’t like” question, and another 66 percent of white kids chose the two darkest skin tones as the “show me the mean child question”. Out of all the young black girls and boys, we were shown one black girl that looked
“When you’re born, you don’t know what color you’re born with, the only people that remind you of that are the people that raise
you.” Sims said to be about 7 or 8 years old, who had a very powerfully different response to the questions she was asked. They began to ask her what color she would prefer to be, if she had the choice, and she replied with “I like myself; I’d stay the same”, and pointed to the skin tone that looked closest to hers. She was then asked what color she thought teachers liked best, and replied with “I don’t think it matters what you look like on the outside, just what you look like on the outside”. Her
dad later watched all this, and said “that’s my girl”.“When you’re born, you don’t know what color you’re born with. The only people that remind you of that are the people that raise you.” Officer Darnell Sims said. Regarding the doll test, this is more than true. If little kids who are just learning to read and write can tell the superiority and inferiorities of their own race, solely on 4-8 years of conversations they have overheard or may have even been a part of, imagine how much negativity about various races us, as teenagers have absorbed in 14-18 years of life. Race is defined as a social concept used to categorize people into large, and distinct populations or groups by ethnic, genetic, historical, and/or social affiliation. Basically races are like high school. Choose to be a member of a clique with the mindset of “anyone not like me is dirt under my shoes”, or join the cliques for a more influential group of people. Teenagers, have way more power to change the world’s views on race, but it has to start somewhere.
7
NEWS READERS FEATURES
TOP✳STORY
OPINIONS
SPORTS
The
Written by Morgan Jenkins Photographed by Amber Gates and Annelise Hanshaw Designed by Annelise Hanshaw
Single Benefits
Remembering these truths helps when a relationship hits the fan or just never takes flight
N
o awkward dinner dates: no one to see. No need to impress: no one to see. No sick, over-the-top, disgustingly sweet text messages: no one to not see. The benefits have piled up already, but somehow the words ‘alone’ and ‘for life’ just sound so depressing. Metaphorically, one is only truly single if one is Tom Hanks: stranded on an island, conversing with a volleyball, constantly aware of one’s previous life and previous wife. So students should not wallow. Recent studies support that single life is, in fact, not a solitude stint but a time to have fun! Develop friendships! Discover… something! Tom Hanks would love this. Journalist Alyson Krueger stated singles are more likely to become involved within their community through volunteering and other friendly ventures. This, of course, pays tribute to their bustling social lives and wonderful lack of romantic company. Singletons head out into the world because they have time to form other relationships. Whether those connections are forged with friends and family, colleagues or classmates, the love machine does not zap their energy. Since single eyes are not all consumed with one person, they meet the most people. Plus, there are a crap ton of them.
8
According to author of Going Solo Eric Klinenberg, 32 million Americans are unattached, and they consist of 28 percent of all households on a national scale. So, alone is not alone. As soloists, singletons can freely focus on themselves: study what they want, develop the career they want, and all in all, do what they want. Single life is boss life. Additionally, single people are usually less stressed because they can allot more time towards homework loads and potential job strains. They are independent; they have no need for reinforcements from someone else, who is probably lying. This leads to the most important factor of single life: no one should settle. Recent studies have revealed certain individuals—couples— are more likely to plod along in an unsatisfactory relationship due to their fear of being single. These people ignore integral elements of their connection, like satisfaction and quality because they feel a sucky relationship is better than no relationship at all. All in all, if a student is single, they should be proud. Not only are they braver than the average couple, they do not base their life around a Facebook status, making them twice as bright all on their own.
Source http://individual.utoronto.ca/sspielmann/ Spielmann_et_al_inpress_JPSP.pdf Spielmann, Stephanie S., Geoff MacDonald, Jessica A. Maxwell, Samantha Joel, Diana Peragine, Amy Muise, and Emily A. Impett. “Settling for Less out of Fear of Being Single.” American Psychological Association 105.6 (2013): 1049-073. MEDLINE. Web. 6 Dec. 2014.
Code Red
Hi✳Life Written by Christina Herdiz Photographed by Zach Boyle Designed by Annelise Hanshaw
School shootings spread awareness to the importance of safety
Insight into Officer Sims
» » » »
» » »
The 911 call should be made without hesitation. Officers build relationships with the students to give them an extra set of eyes to warn them if As officers, we don’t focus on the mass cause something is going on. we mostly focus on identifying the threat and The 911 call should be on speaker to give taking care of it. officers the most information. Officers will tune out the mass cause. Every detail should be given to the officer. Officers are allowed to use weapons.
Resource Officer, Darnell Sims: He is responsible for the safety of the school during emergency situations “As the school resource officer we are in the school strictly for reasons like that, to be visible to be close support to the police department being already in the school. It acts as a deterrent because if somebody would to shoot the school we already have an officer in the school it kind of aids into the police departments efforts to stop the threat before we have a serious amount of injuries or even deaths,” Resource Officer Darnell Sims said. “The campus dynamics would be a problem. With the 3 schools we have here, in Lee’s summit, north is one building, west is one building, this school is probably 5 buildings and they are separate so just the sheer size some of the buildings don’t connect getting from one building to another it may take a little bit of time so I would say just the dynamics of the school and the size of the school,” Officer Sims said. “As a staff we have practice coming up with solutions with that certainty we can’t predict when those types of events will occur but we all have radios and communicate well with each other if that were to happen first thing that would go out would be our lock down procedures and who ever has accesses to cellphones which is everybody in the school to make that 911 call whoever is in the building the staff and myself will help assist students to get out of the building then our lock down procedures and that will help me determine where the threat is and wait till the police comes,”
Orchestra Teacher, Carolyn Turner: Expensive instruments and a complicated classroom create conflict. “[Instruments] are no where near as important to me as my students, but the outer doors to the practice room hallways are locked so they would be as safe as can be,” orchestra director Carolyn Turner said. “As for students, we have sets of locked doors with a hallway inbetween them so the students will be hard to see from the PAC lobby. We can also fit into some storage areas that are even further into the rehearsal room for added safety,” Turner said.
9
NEWS READERS FEATURES
TOP✳STORY
OPINIONS
SPORTS
KIRSTEN MYERS
Written by Sierra Terry Photos by Zion Marischler and Chance Gates Climbing to the top Junior Kirsten Myers belts the tune of “Climb Every Mountain” during the Sound of Music. She has been involved in theater throughout her whole high school career. “Kirsten’s preformace was flawless. She hit every note perfectly, in fact, I felt I was watching the original movie again,” senior Brooke Vandevelde said.
She rocks the stage.
B
alancing school with homework, a social life, job, sports, and clubs, can all be overwhelming to a high school student. Although many students balance all, imagine adding dance rehearsals, choir rehearsals, theatre rehearsals, and music rehearsals. Junior, Kirsten Myers has been singing since the first grade as well as acting and dancing. Woodland Elementary was where Myers first started singing with the push of Paul and Rebecca Morales. “To be able to isolate parts of your voice and make sure they go together, really takes a lot of lessons and
10
work,” Myers said. Singing is something a lot of people spend a lot of time and work trying to master. While a junior Myers’ hard work has shown while taking the lead in The Sound of Music. Taking classes in ballet was the start to acting. Myers combined her talent with singing and dancing with acting. Being on stage, sharing your talents and portraying a character is another talent many people wish to conquer. Many people react to being out on stage in different ways. “Its like no other feeling in the world, calming in a way, you
can’t always see the audience and just hearing the audience, is very humbling and an awarding feeling of adrenaline,” Myers said. Acting as well as dancing and singing can all be awarding in leading to a bright career. Music is another talent Myers has added on. She made symphony orchestra as a sophomore with the violin. Another instrument that Myers plays in the hammered dulcimer, a stringed musical instrument with the strings stretched over a trapezoidal sounding board. This instrument was popular in the renaissance era. With playing the violin,
hammered dulcimer, taking on roles in plays, dancing, and singing, there is barely any free for Myers. “It can be stressful because my schedule can get nuts, but in the end it’s all worth it to make something beautiful to watch is all I can give back,” Myers said. With all these talents and hard work, the dream would be a job in a London Theatre Company. But the yellow brick road could certainly make its way to Broadway. Matthew Broderick, a two-time Tony Award winner, on and off Broadway is who Myers looks up to in the world of acting. With leading the Sound of Music to state, performing on and off stage, choir groups like Sounds of Summit, private voice lessons and dancing could all get Myers to the bright road ahead to a success in all talents. Singing, acting, dancing, and music are all talents worth balancing, along with school and homework and a social life. Taking on all of that is certainly a skill worth having.
Hi✳Life Written by Victoria Morrow Photographed by Kennedy Spalding Designed by Annelise Hanshaw
The Birth of G-Money Records A brief timeline of how they came to be
» »
Junior Grant Klene wore an browraising shirt to a football game and was banned from all fall sports. Klene went to another game wearing an orange jumpsuit while senior TJ Kuckelman wore a shirt with the words ‘Free Klene’.
» » » » » » »
Klene spent time in I.S.S.
“I.S.S.” is written. Senior Matt Rouse and junior Conner Gibson join the cause.
Klene ing Up Rap comedy group sets a trend
T
here is a new trend arising within the halls. That trend is rapping. The students who set this trend are junior Grant Klene, senior Matt Rouse, senior TJ Kuckelman, and junior Conner Gibson, also known as the rappers from G-Money Records. The team also consists of junior Nick Little, Photography Manager; and senior Dawson Becerrn, Hydration Manager. They have worked together to make their first rap album Free Klene. “There is definitely some vulgarity to it. There is a fair amount of profanity. When we rap, we show our emotions. Although, to be clear, we are a comedy rap group. We have a similar style to The Lonely Island,” Klene said. The events that led up to the formation of their group began when Grant Klene got banned from all fall sports. He got banned for wearing a shirt that contained inappropriate language. “Later TJ and I went to the next football game, and TJ wore a shirt with my face on it saying ‘Free Klene.’ And I was wearing an orange jumpsuit with handcuffs on. We got caught when Andrew Roth took a picture of us and
Recording sessions begin inside Kuckelman’s truck, and their first album, Free Klene, is released. 19 albums are sold, and Hitman Records imitates their group. Future plans are to release a Christmas parody album and an album called Spring Klene Goal: Get a record deal.
tweeted it to @lsr7,” Klene said. When that happened, Grant was assigned to I.S.S. While serving his time, he wrote his first song ‘I.S.S.’ “After that we wanted to let more of our emotions out, so we recruited our best pals Matt Rouse and Conner Gibson,” Kuckelman said. This all began to grow when they started selling their first album, Free Klene. They have sold 19 copies of the album for $6 a piece. They are currently working on a short Christmas parody album and the album Spring Klene that is set to be released in the spring. Profits from the Christmas album will be going to charity. With the release of their album Free Klene, they received a decent amount of attention. That attention from intrigued listeners not only motivated their group, but also inspired other students to take part in the fun. Since G-Money Records’ introduction into the rapping industry, Jake Pycior and Clint Jennings then created their rap group, Hitman Records. It seems as though G-Money Records has started a new trend.
11
TOP✳STORY
NEWS READERS FEATURES
OPINIONS
SPORTS
Written by Ian Nickens Photographed by Zach Boyle Designed by Eden Fitzgibbons
Wall of Fame Former students leave marks
T
he LSHS Hall of Fame is both a monument and a tradition that is used to recognize alumni who have made special accomplishments. The Hall holds several plaques, all etched with a portrait of a recipient of this honor and a short biography of their accomplishments. “1996 was the first year that alumni were recognized in the Hall. The teacher who first suggested the idea was English teacher Mildred Mitchell. She also brought the IB program to LSHS,” Guidance counselor Kristin Little said. Little was on the committee that decides which applicants get a place on the wall from about 2004 to 2010. The committee has certain standards that they look for in a nominee. “We look at professional accomplishments made since graduating high school. We pay special attention to community service. We want to know how they have returned to their community. We want the recipients to be a model of integrity for young people.” Little said. One of the recipients is Dr. Joe Stockard, class of 1942. Stockard attended the pre-medical program
12
at Yale University and finished in 1945. Afterwards, he enlisted in the US Army and was deployed to Korea, and later Vietnam, to be a field doctor. When he was not working in the Army, he was striving to find ways to reduce tropical fevers. Another winner was Patrick John Gaffney, class of 1965. Gaffney served in the Marines during the Vietnam War. His tour of duty ended and he finished earning his journalism degree at the University of Missouri. A few years later, he was recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency to work on classified missions that still are not available to the public. He is currently deceased; his grave marker reads, “No one would ever be aware of how much he sacrificed for his country.” The Hall is also home to Matt Lewis, class of 1991. Lewis is a world famous “Elvis Presley impersonator.” He even has his own fan club. Among the other inducted are two special honorary inductees: Dr. Bernard Campbell and Mr. James Brockman, which the PAC and the Lecture Hall are named after respectively. Although parts of LSHS
are named after them, neither actually attended LSHS. Therefore, they cannot be full inductees. Nominations for new Hall of Fame inductees are taken all throughout the year and the winners are decided the second week of December. At the time of this publication, the winners will already have received their congratulations; however, this year’s winners are currently unknown. The winners will be invited to attend a banquet in April where they will be recognized for their accomplishments. “Students can attend, but usually will not because the ceremony is always the same night as prom.” athletics director Chad Hertzog, who is currently a part of the Hall’s committee, said. Students will always come and go out of LSHS. The chance to be remembered does not lie solely in what one does during their high school career. The Hall of Fame exists to honor those who continue be outstanding after graduation. The sort of immortality that the Hall of Fame offers is something that cannot be given; it must be earned.
Hi✳Life
Super Heroes are real and all around, but not all wear capes
M
generation. I’d like to think that in this class we help a number of students for the future,” Milligan said. Milligan works to assist students in AFJROTC outside of school by aiding them into finding government jobs, joining the military with a higher rank, getting into college, and additionally, coping with their living situations. “We’ve had several students with less than fortunate home lives, with either financial or parental issues,” Milligan said. Milligan states that his goal is to teach kids life skills to help them to be developed and successful individuals through leadership and education. “Personally, as a football coach, I try to teach discipline, confidence, and mental toughness, all in contribution to success in life,” Milligan said. Faulkenberry does not think of himself as necessarily being a hero,
Teachers make a big impact on many students’ lives. Tweet about your favorite, and we may just retweet it to spread the appreciation.
but rather is grateful for the chance to work with kids daily. “I like kids a lot and like helping them make positive decisions and how to show true respect to themselves and feel good about themselves,” Faulkenberry said. Faulkenberry often has one-onone conversations with kids, both talking them into doing things in their best interest and talking them out of making decisions that are not the best. “We see students for everything, from picking the right college, talking to them about how to get their utilities turned back on, making sure they have food, and talking about study skills to make sure they do well in school. We like to share in their successes,” Sabata said. Though Sabata does not consider herself to be a hero, she admits that the school as a whole, including the teachers and staff, play a huge part in helping kids do better, feel better, and be better. “We’re just a part of the process, the teachers are the real heroes. We try to help people make their own decisions, we don’t make decisions for them. We don’t have the answers, but we try to get them to see all points of view. Sometimes people come into our office only seeing one option, and we work to get them to see many. I feel lucky to have the chance to work with kids one-onone,” Sabata said. Overall, students may be surprised about the contributions teachers make in the lives of students.
@jlabmag
any students see their educators simply as what they know them to be on the surface- teachers, and nothing more. However, teachers commonly make heroic contributions to the lives of high school students outside of the classroom. Colonel Rick Milligan, English teacher Linda Pribyl, Principal John Faulkenberry, and counselor Sally Sabata talk about what it is like to be a modern day hero. “Almost every teacher in this building can be considered a hero at one point or another. From talking students down from the ledge, or prying suckers out of their mouth when they’re having a seizure, to finding them outside lying on the ground,” Pribyl said. Teachers such as Pribyl who have taught students dealing with diverse situations in their personal or academic lives realize they must not only play the role of a teacher, but occasionally, a mentor as well. “Any teacher of youth is considered a hero,” Milligan said. As a teacher of AFJROTC, Milligan instructs students in a different manner than most teachers at Lee’s Summit High School do. “We’re molding the future of our
Written by Amanda Coney Photographed by Zach Boyle Designed by Annelise Hanshaw
13
NEWS READERS FEATURES
TOP✳STORY
OPINIONS
SPORTS
Christmas Recipes SNICKERDOODLE DROP COOKIES 2 bars of white chocolate baking squares, chopped. 1 can (14 oz) of sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated) 1 cup of chopped walnuts 2 ½ cups of Chex Mix Muddy Buddies Snickerdoodle snack mix, slightly crushed. ¾ cup shredded coconut. 4 squares of bittersweet baking chocolate or semisweet baking chocolate, chopped 2 teaspoons shortening Place mini paper baking cup in each of 50 mini muffin cups or place wax paper on cookie sheet. In large microwavable bowl, microwave white chocolate uncovered on high for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted. Stir in the condensed milk. Stir in the walnuts, snack mix and coconut. Cover with plastic wrap. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes. Scoop by tablespoonfuls into the muffin cups or cookie sheet. Refrigerate for 2 hours. In medium microwavable bowl, microwave bittersweet baking chocolate and shortening uncovered on High in 30-second increments until mixture can be stirred smooth. Drizzle over the top of each candy drop cookie. Refrigerate until set. Store refrigerated in an airtight container. SUGAR COOKIE CHOCOLATE CRUNCH FUDGE 2 tablespoons of light corn syrup 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine ¼ teaspoon of salt 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated) 1 roll of refrigerated sugar cookies, cut into small chunks 2 bags (12 oz each) semisweet chocolate chips (4 cups) 5 teaspoons of vanilla 6 pecan crunchy granola bars. coarsely crushed. In a 3 quart heavy saucepan or deep 10 inch nonstick skillet, cook corn syrup, butter, salt and milk over medium. Heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly with a spoon, until well blended. Reduce heat to medium-low; stir in cookie dough chunks. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and thermometer reads 160°F. Remove from the heat. Stir in the chocolate chips and vanilla until they are melted and mixture is smooth. Add crushed granola bars; stir until well blended. Cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture is shiny. Spread in ungreased 12x8 inch or 13x9 inch pan. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours until firm. For serving pieces, cut into 8 rows by 6 rows.
14
HOLIDAY CANDY BARK 16 oz of vanilla flavored candy coating, chopped. 2 cups of small pretzel twists. ½ cup of red and green chocolate pieces. ½ cup of crushed peppermint. (optional) Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. In medium saucepan, melt candy coating over low heat, stirring constantly. Add the remaining ingredients. Spread the mixture thinly on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Cool for 30 minutes or until set. Break into pieces.
Written by Summer Given Photographed by Tristin White Designed by Mariah Walkenhorst
Hi✳Life
3
Holiday Movie Favorites Blast into the past just what readers need Written by Kaylee Roumas Photographed by Rene Ybarra Deisgned by Mariah Walkenhorst
3 1
Elf 2003 This movie has become a much loved classic. It is about an elf named Will Ferrel, only he is not actually an elf, He is a human that just happened to make it to the North Pole via Santa’s bag when he was a baby. Buddy was raised as an elf but decided he wanted to know who his real father was, so he set out to America. His Father Walter Hobbs is not how he thought he be which is a grumpy, selfish workaholic. Throughout this movie Buddy tries to win over his father as well as the beautiful Jovie and acting like a total idiot while doing it but in true comedic fashion.
A Christmas Story 1983 “You’ll shoot your eye out!” That was the answer little Ralphie Parker got from his mother when he asked her for the Red Rider BB gun. This witty classic is narrated by a grown Ralph as he tells the story of his ninth Christmas when he got a bunny costume, his father got a sexy leg lamp and their Christmas dinner was from the Chinese restaurant down the street. This movie is filled with quotable lines and inside jokes. It’s a classic that will last throughout the years.
2
Nightmare Before Christmas 1993
Watchers do not know whether to watch this flick during Halloween or Christmas. In this Tim Burton movie, people are introduced to a world of all things scary, a land that is most disturbing to the average person;Halloween Town. All the people of Halloween town adore one Jack Skeleton who is the most frightening of all the citizens, they have crowned him the pumpkin king. One day Jack finds a door that leads into another land, this one is called Christmas town, and there Jack sees all the wonders of Christmas that he tries to make it his own then it all goes awry. One thing is for sure; people do not know wether to watch this movie during christmas or Halloween, but it works for both.
15
NEWS READERS FEATURES
TOP✳STORY
OPINIONS
SPORTS
Exploring Teacher Experiences T Teachers confess to embarrassing high school experiences
eachers can be great or a nightmare. They hold each grade in their hands while lecturing about the laziness of our generation. If they get to look at student’s mistakes, why can students not take a peek into their teachers’ high school experiences?
“I was an outcast, and everyone no one else wanted to hang out with hung out with me,” Spanish teacher Susan McKee said. McKee attended Raytown High. Being an outcast in high school is just a social status in regards to the students, but because of McKee’s pranks, even teachers did not like her. “I remember my teachers telling me they didn’t want me in their class. That’s not very nice, so I try not to say that to my students,” McKee said. McKee said that the funniest moment in high school was when she messed with a substitute teacher. “He wasn’t old, but we wanted to mess with him, so when he asked how many dimes it took to get to the moon, I asked how many dimes it took to get to his age,” McKee said. She didn’t stop there. “We asked him how he felt when Methuosis, the oldest guy in the Bible, died,” McKee said. McKee went through high school being witty and outspoken, but she is not the only one who went against the fray. “It was the first and last party I was ever invited to,” sociology teacher Stacy Moore said. Moore attended Ft. Osage and was known as the daughter of a softball coach. She describes herself as a tomboy when she was in high school. She hung out with boys and played softball. Moore was a daddy’s girl, and they bonded over softball. She and her mother, however, bonded over their great talent for embarrassing Moore. “I was invited to my first high school party, and I was so excited. We got there and of course there were alcoholic beverages, but I didn’t drink anything. I just had fun and went home. Well, my mom always had this talent to know when I did something wrong; to this day I have no idea how she found out I was at the party. The next day she went to the party thrower’s house and told him to never serve her daughter any alcoholic beverages again. So that was my first and last party I was ever invited to,” Moore said. Moore did not have the best partying experience, but her prom was one of her best high school moments. “We got a limo with Derrick Thomas, who played for the KC Chiefs, and it was my first time going to the plaza. We took pictures in front of the fountain and I just felt so happy,” Moore said.
16
The lesson Moore learned in high school was you put out what you put in. Mckee states that it is okay to be different. Moore, and McKee had very different high school experiences. While McKee was the outcast, Moore was friends with every clique. These two teachers are now well known throughout the school and loved by their students for their funny stories about the good old days.
Mrs. Moore, Fort Osage graduate.
The Moore the Merrier Moore liked playing softball in high school. She won many times in softball tournaments. The trophy is a sign of her accomplishment, and the cookie cake pictured was a wonderful celebration she remembers to this day.
Written by Cydney Harris Photographed by Jaymes Dickinson Designed by Eden Fitzgibbons
Hi✳Life
1. 3. 2. 4. Why Did They Come Back? LSHS Alumni Many people have graced the halls of Lee’s Summit High School in the past 61 years. This school was home to many people before it was home to the students that go here now, some of which are members of the LSHS staff. Q: Why did you come back to teach at the high school you attended as a student?
1.
2.
“I fell in love with the 100-yearold choral program and wanted to be a part of its future,” choir teacher Chris Munce said.
“I liked it when I was a student and thought it was a good high school to teach at,” science teacher Amy Middaugh said.
Written by Maddy Antey Photos courtesy of LSHS Staff Designed by Carter Moore
3. “I loved it as a student, I have a passion for what I do here and I wanted to give back to the school that helped me figure out who I was and help the students attending now figure out who they are,” art teacher Melissa Woody said.
4. “My high school teachers at LSHS were awesome, and I was very involved in dance and music. I wanted to come back here and try to give other students the same positive experiences I had in high school,” counselor Kristen Little said
910 C NW Blue Parkway Lee’s Summit, MO 64086 816-54-3354 MON-THURS 10:30AM - 10:00PM FRI & SAT 10:30AM - 10:30PM
NEWS READERS FEATURES
TOP✳STORY
OPINIONS
SPORTS
2014 The year is not over yet.
B
efore the ball drops at midnight in Time Square to signify the end of the 2014 year and the start of 2015, it is only fitting to look back on a great year in pop culture and eventful year.
Music
D
uring 2014 artists such as Nicki Minaj, Drake, Colbie Caillat, MAGIC!, Sam Smith, and Iggy Azalea have made their presence known. These artists and others have worked this year to bring hot new music and tracks to their fans. Taylor Swift’s album 1989 is the number one album of 2014, Beyonce’s album BEYONCE is number two, and That’s Christmas To Me by Pentatonix is number three on the billboard top 100 albums list.
18
S
ports have also been a big impact this year. The Royals were in the World Series. Around 89,000 people attended the World Series games. The school has broken records and won state not once but twice. Many soccer, softball and football players this year have worked hard to accomplish the win. That hard work and great display of teamwork payed off to win state twice for soccer and softball. The boys varsity soccer won state for the first time ever. “My favorite 2014 moment was winning state. I’ve been playing soccer since I was 5 years old,” senior Miguel Sarrtud said. In order to obtain that goal, training was intense, hard, and worth it. The soccer team was honored at a ceremony that was broadcasted on national television. Another sport that won state was the girls softball team. At the beginning of the year another big event occurred. The varsity boys football team won for the first time against Lee’s Summit West. “My favorite moment in 2014 is the time we beat West,” sophomore Kayden Maloney said.
Written by Da’Quon McGee Photos courtesy of AP Images Designed by Carter Moore
S P O R T S
Hi✳Life
Resolutions
“
My favorite moment in 2014 is the time we beat West,” sophomore Kayden Maloney said. Students and teachers are starting to make a New Year’s resolution. But, some resolutions for this year have not been met. If given the chance, some would go back in time to try and get rid of some regret, stress, and anxiety. “If I could go back in time to any time this year it would be at the beginning of the year, so I could gain some confidence,” sophomore Sydney Dodson said. “If I could go back in time I would go back in time and change something it would be when you wore that outfit,” Maloney said.
G A S
Gas Prices have gone down in price this year very much. QuikTrip, Shell, Phillips 66, Hyvee, Costco and Conoco’s gas price is currently holding at 2.25. BP and Diamond Shamrock’s is $2.28. Casey’s General Store is at $2.19.
Apps of the Year
M
any new different games and apps have been popular this year like Trivia Crack, Candy Crush Soda Saga, Flappy Birds, and Clash of Clans. Trivia Crack is a fast paced international trivia game. Spin Willy Wheel for a subject like Science, Entertainment, Art, Geography, Sports and History then the fun begins. Candy Crush Soda Saga is from the creators of Candy Crush Saga. It is the harder, sweeter, and more delicious than the original. Flappy Bird is a game that was
published in May of 2013 but did not become popular until 2014. The game became instantly popular, the game was deleted from the Play Store and iTunes because of some complaints from players saying the game was impossible and to hard. Clash of Clans is a game that was questioned and was complained about being too violent and after being tested it turned out to be a safe game for kids. Build a clan and battle against other clans in a battle to make your clan better.
Tech
Technology has made leaps and bound in the past year. Apple has released the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus, both of which making records, bothe for sales and size These compete with Samsung’s tough as nails Galaxy s5, which with gorilla glass, and a host of features, including eye sensetivity might just take the cake.
19
NEWS READERS FEATURES
TOP✳STORY
OPINIONS
SPORTS
There’s No Place Like
20
HOME HiâœłLife
Photo by Annelise Hanshaw
21
NEWS READERS FEATURES
TOP✳STORY
OPINIONS
SPORTS Written by Angela Lendhardt Photos provided by Koman Foundation Designed by Sydnee Pointer
Helping Hand
The community comes together to help each other Harvesters
H
arvesters is an organization that helps feed the hungry people of Kansas City. This charity partners with farmers, restaurants and other organizations and encourage them to not throw food away, but give it to people who need it. Harvesters supplies food and household items to food pantries, community kitchens, homeless shelters, children’s homes and much more. Last year, Harvesters was able to give out about 37 million meals. “This year we have provided 10 million pounds of meat to the community, our goal is increase the amount of fresh
produce that goes out,” Laura Marshall said. Thirty-nine percent of the hungry population does not qualify for federal nutrition programs. Children are often among those most in need of food. In Harvesters’ service area, 123,220 children are food insecure. 20 percent of children under age 18 in our region are food insecure. There are many ways to help feed the homeless. Grocery store clerks can ask a customer if they want to add $1, $5, $10 or $20 to a grocery bill by scanning one of the Check-Out Hunger coupons
Susan G. Koman
Home for the Holidays
H
ome for the Holidays is a program that Community LINC, a social services organization, does to help the homeless during the holidays. Since 1988, Community LINC has served 3,791 families with 11,320 individuals. .The estimated wait time for subsidized housing in Kansas City is an average of 1-3 years. “We are a housing agency we are really into increasing self sufficiency and giving a hand up instead of hand out, we accept clubs that want to volunteer, we have bedding drives and accept donations, We have served 90 high school students so far this year,” grants manager Carla Bolliger said. Things that can cause homelessness are loss of employment, lack of affordable
22
housing, single income households, extreme poverty,decreasing government support,domestic violence. Nationally, a full-time worker must earn 18.25 an hour afford a twobedroom unit. That’s more than twice the federal minimum wage. Since homelessness is a big deal in Kansas City, it takes a big approach to defeat this crisis. “Community LINC’s programs are very successful, and I believe in the service delivery model we provide, so it is nice to work for a cause I believe in. It brings me joy to see Kansas City also believing in our programs, supporting our cause, and local families. This is a very philanthropic community and I am just glad to be a part of it,” Bolliger said.
I
t takes one person with a heart for a worthy cause to make a big difference in the world. The Susan G. Koman society was start because breast cancer was a cause near to the founders heart. “It was over 30 years ago Susan Koman died of breast cancer her sister Nancy and vowed to do everything she could to help women with breast cancer,” the community health manager Theresa Osenbaugh said. “We work with capital to watch legislation, we do lunch and learns , webinars, we go to different business and churches, we work with high schools with fundraising, last year we gave out locally seven hundred thousand dollars. Seventy-five percent of the the profits stays in the local community and pays for mammograms , wigs, medical supplies, breast biopsies, advocacy works,” Osenbaugh said. A charity event that this organization that helps the community of Kansas City is The Race for the Cure. “The first Race for the Cure was 94, this is our main fundraising event and a chance to celebrate survivorship, you can register as an individual or as a team, brings the funds in its a chance for the community to come together for one cause and support survivorship and research, We raise a little over a million mark at this event” Osenbaugh said.
Hi✳Life
Around the City
Written by Sydnee Pointer Photos by Annelise Hanshaw Designed by Sydnee Pointer
KC houses many historic buildings and monuments
The Western Auto Building was designed by Arthur Tufts, an architect for Coca-Cola, and built during 1914-1915. It was originally built to house the regional headquarters of the Coca-Cola company. The building was bought by Western Auto in 1951 who then put up a neon sign that stands 58 feet tall on top of the building. Today the Western Auto building contains 93 lofts. Source: archkc
Liberty Memorial was dedicated Nov. 11, 1926 by President Calvin Cooliage. The Liberty Memorial Association wanted to create a monuent for the men and women who served in World War I. In order to build this monument, citizens of Kansas City raised more than $2.5 milion in 10 days. The memorial closed in 1994 due to deterioration of the building. Then the city of Kansas City, the State of Missouri, the United States Government, and private donors raised more than $102 million for restoration and expansion. In 2004, Congress designated the Memorial as the nation’s official WWI museum. As a result, an 8,000 square foot museum began construction under the memorial.
In the center of the Grand Hall of Union Station there stands a 40 foot tree 25,000 new Christmas lights on it. The tree took two weeks to decorate. There are many more attractions inside Union Station at Christmastime. One of these is the Kansas City Southern Holiday Express train which brings Santa and his elves to Union Station. There is also the Holiday Model Train Display in Sprint Festival Plaza. This exhibit features over 800 feet of track with 18 running trains. One display is made completely out of Lego’s. Source: Union Station
Source: National WWI Museum at Liberty Memorial
23
NEWS READERS FEATURES
TOP✳STORY
OPINIONS
SPORTS
Back to the Past with
Union Station celebrates its 100 years of history
1903 1914 1933 1945 1972 Started from Scratch Missouri’s second great flood destroys the original train tracks and station in West Bottoms. Rather than rebuilding the station, officials choose to construct a new station in downtown Kansas City, due to its higher ground and higher population.
24
A New Beginning The new station opens up the general public after spending nearly $6 million of $50 million Kansas City Terminal Railway investment in the station. Nov. 1, shortly after midnight, the Missouri-KansasTexas Flyer arrived, becoming the first train in the new
Road Blocks June 17 marks one of biggest moments in union station history with a massacre ending the life of a convicted mobster, Frank Nash, and four law enforcement officials. The massacre was an attempt by mobsters to free Frank Nash from custody. While it is known that multiple mob members played a part in the massacre, the only person to ever do time for it was Adam Richetti. Richetti was sentenced to death by gas chamber.
Record Breaker The station’s passenger traffic breaks the previous record with 678,363 people passing through the station, a large number of these people on the way home from World War II.
Protected Forever Union station is put on National Register of Historic Places after federal designation as a protected structure. This is due to the station’s beautiful architecture and rich history.
Union Station
HiâœłLife Written by Maddy Wylie Photo provided by kc visitors convention & buisness bureau Designed by Sydnee Pointer
1983 1996 1999 2013 2014 Business Goes Down Amtrak’s Inflatable Bubble and the Lobster Pot restaurant are the only two open places remaining in the station as it closes in 1983 due to low business.
Working for a Better Union Station Jackson, Clay, and Platte county votes agree to a oneeighth of a cent bi-state sales tax that will go toward the restoration and redevelopment of the station and the addition of a science museum.
Welcome, Science City Union Station is reopened to the public. Now returned to its original beauty, the station contains many shops, restaurants, theaters, exhibits, and a science center known as Science City.
Renewed March the Regnier Extreme Screen Theater is re-opened after being fully renovated and begins to play nature and firstrun movies. The theater is also wired with a 1-gigabyte connectivity to allow it to broadcast live streams and special presentations and conferences.
Happy Century Union Station turns 100 years old. Different activities such as free tours, performances about the history of Union Station, and family events such as face painting are open to the public for celebration.
25
NEWS READERS FEATURES
TOP✳STORY
OPINIONS
SPORTS
Word on the
street
What are the prospectives from students about school cliques?
Stick to the Status Quo
A clique is a group of people with shared interests or other features in common, who spend time together and do not readily allow others to join them. There are the typical jocks, cheerleaders, hipsters, and geeks. In the lunchroom, you see everyone divided into these cliques at the tables.
Cliques are expressed in movies like Mean Girls, High School Musical, Grease, and The Breakfast Club. They show groups of people that interact with each other more than they do with other peers. In Mean Girls, they show how people get put into cliques in high school and the bullying between them. The Breakfast Club has different people classified into cliques and how they interact amongst each other and learn to get along. “Cliques cause a problem because it gives people the mindset that they can only hang out within their group,” freshman Abigail Ervin said. Ervin also states that people are naturally drawn to others like them. “When I first started in the district in 4th grade everyone stereotyped me as someone I wasn’t and it sucked,” Ervin said. Cliques are not always harmful, but in certain occasions cliques fight and argue. “I think there are cliques because once you are friends with people, you feel like you don’t need to
26
socialize as much and you just stick with the clique you have,” freshman Mackenzie Gettel said. Last year, Gettel saw a girl at lunch being left out that wanted to sit at a certain table. The people sitting at the table made fun of her because she did not fit the right stereotype for them. “TV shows and movies do not show all the negative outcomes that come from judging and cliques,” Gettel said. Many movies draw attention to how there are certain cliques and they show how that is normal for a high school to have students confined to different stereotypical groups. “Cliques can be negative because some people will get too caught up in acceptance than they do about having good grades,” freshman Izzy Shackelford said. When people have the mindset that other cliques are not normal or okay, it will cause a conflict between people. Categorizing people because of their beliefs, how they dress, or how they go about something is not right, but it is somehow a part of our every day life. It is okay to talk to other people that you normally would not converse with. Branch away from the stereotypical teenage image we are given.
Lizzi Jones Senior “There are not any cliques if you do not pay attention to anyone.
Scott Mooney junior I do not think they happen a lot.
Olivia McGee sophmore I think they are everywhere. I also think they intermingle a lot.
Joe Licata freshman “I think there is a lot. Even though people do not think they are in one, everyone has their own group.
Written by Mack Cooney, Angela Lenhardt Photographed by Tristan White Cartoon by Sarah Spencer Design by Mariah Walkenhorst
Variations of Handwriting
Hi✳Life Written By Ava Worthy Photographed By Ava Worthy Designed By Eden Fitzgibbons
The study of handwriting [graphology] shows the person’s personality traits and medical problems among other things by the way that person writes. From the way a person writes with its dominant hand to the way they write their t, represents a person personality. Letter Size
The size of letters determines whether the person is outgoing or shy. If the letters are short, then the person may be shy and timid. If the letters are large, a person may be outgoing, confident, or even just seeking attention.
Word Spacing
Those who have large spacing between their words tend to be independent. Little space between letters normally indicates loneliness.
Dotting the I
The dot on the I says a lot about the person’s personality. If the dot is high above the I, it normally indicates a imaginative personality. If the dot is open then it indicates a child like personality. If the dot is a dash then it indicates an over critical person.
Crossing the T
Crossing the T also shows a lot more personality traits. If the crossing is longer than on the T , it normally signifies that the person is enthusiastic and happy. If the cross is shorter on the T, it normally signifies that the person is lazy. If the cross on the T is in the middle, then it normally signifies that the person is confident.
Photos starting at $7.50 Tristan White (816) 612-2577
LEE’S SUMMIT 194 NW Oldham Parkway | 816.525.2277
NEWS READERS FEATURES
TOP✳STORY
OPINIONS
SPORTS
Google Classroom
Stream Classmates About Share with your class...
T
ANNOUNCEMENT
he bell rings earlier than you expected, and you look at the pile of papers sitting in front of you on your desk. The rest of the class is already filing out of the room, and considering your next class is in a separate building, you grab your papers and run for it. Somewhere in the middle of the hallway, your papers fly out of your hands and scatter all over the hallway. You try to pick up as many as you can, but you have still potentially left the night’s homework under other students’ feet. Luckily, your homework is online, and safe from any danger of getting lost. “I use Google Classroom because it’s super easy, for both me and my students,” English and broadcasting teacher Elaine McDonald said. “All I have to do is post it once online instead of printing off over one hundred copies, and my
28
Dec 16
students no longer have the excuse of losing their homework. The fact that it saves the environment by using less paper makes me love it even more.” Google Classroom is a Google app that allows teachers to post homework and assignments online without any difficulty. The app is available to any school enrolled in Google Apps for Education, and over 100,000 educators have seized the chance. According to McDonald, Google Classroom is a miracle - but it has its flaws. “The only issue I have had with Google Classroom so far is that it will not send if it is not on the correct browser. If my students are on Internet Explorer, for example, then it will not send because it is not on the Google Chrome browser. I believe that it is something they need to fix,” McDonald said. “Otherwise I’ve had no problems.”
The teachers may be the only ones loving the application, despite the claims to be quick and easy for all parties. Some students prefer to write it all out physically before typing it, and with Google Classroom that isn’t an option. Teachers may or may not find a good alternative for both sides. “I think, for the most part, my students like Google Classroom. Technology is big with teens these days, and Google Classroom incorporates that into their learning experience, which I think makes it easier for them to use. They haven’t complained about it to me -- at least, not to my face,” McDonald said.
Written by Elizabeth Marzalek Photo by Kennedy Spaulding Design by Carter Moore
The Science of Dreams
Hi✳Life Written By Molly Goetz Photographed By Hannah Foster Designed By Eden Fitzgibbons
Dreams are defined by Websters Dictionary as a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occuring in a person’s mind during sleep. Some students have theories about their dreams.
F
or some, the memory plays over and over on the back of their minds, the vivid images appearing before their eyes. They try to forget it, but the scene is burned into their heads, haunting them when their eyes close. There are others who grasp desperately at the thoughts. They attempt to recreate the dream, and while they sometimes succeed, they may often not. The science of dreams have intrigued many, and confused all. Luckily, Haley Cohn has had some experience with myths, tricks, and repeating dreams. “I’ve heard that drinking a tall glass of apple juice before bed gives you really good dreams. Also, just eating in general before you sleep is supposed to enhance good dreams,” freshman Haley Cohn said. There have been multiple myths and rumors about how to supposedly make your dreams better, yet many of those myths are just that. There are people who wish to recreate good dreams and turn to these rumors to end their problem of trying to reenacting the scene, yet they try in vain. Yet, sitting in a favored position, inherited genes, Earth’s magnetic field, and even what you hear or smell can influence your dreams in positive ways. However, dreams can be influenced to an extent. “A few things actually can creep and find their way into my dreams. If I read or watch something before bed, typically a character pertaining to what I was reading or watching will be in my dreams. Also, I find that if I draw a character or two and then go to sleep, that character will intrude my mind and appear in my dreams,” Cohn said.
On occasion, if one finds himself/herself immersed in their favorite show or a fantastic book they cannot put down before bed, a fictional being from that respective show or novel may be found wandering through their subconscious at night. In some instances, it may not be a specific character, but maybe a location from that storyline or a similar situation. Whether this is a dream come true or a nightmare, that is for that person’s imagination to decide. “I have one dream that repeats. It happened more frequently when I was younger, but occasionally I’ll have it. I’m in my grandparent’s house, alone with my grandma in her kitchen, and suddenly she would pick up a huge butcher knife and start chasing me around with it.I thought she was going to murder me, it was horrifying,” Cohn said. Sometimes a dream will repeat, this repetition may span over multiple years, or just a few weeks.Maybe the person will only have it twice, and maybe they could have it numerous times. These dreams could be random, influenced, sweet, terrifying, good, or bad. “Dreams will replay themselves because usually you have a strong emotion towards them. More often than not, it will have something to do with a family member, or something that you feel passionately about. It could be something that you are afraid of, or maybe something that you love,” Cohn said. A lot of the time, when people dream, they share a bond with the situation or people in the subconscious hallucination. Their subconscious may be trying to tell them something, a repressed feeling or desire, or something that you are unaware of. They may dream of an aspiration of theirs or a life long dream perhaps. So dreams may still confuse some but a person’s dreams are what they make of it. People may want to let the memories slip away and forget about them, while others want to grasp the image and live it. Even if they eventually forget the dream, the memory is still stored in their subconscious, living in their imaginations. 21
NEWS READERS FEATURES
TOP✳STORY
Burger Fi
OPINIONS
SPORTS Written by Aspen DepPeralta Photographed by Johanna Holmberg Design by Mariah Walkenhorst
Breakfast All Day Burger 730 Cal >Natural Angus burger American cheese Hickory bacon Drizzled with maple syrup Fried Egg Hash browns Grllied diced onions Ketchup
“All natural and never frozen meat. No hormones, steroids or antibiotics. Our fries are made fresh every day, and our onion rings are hand battered, and some pretty amazing veggie burgers that are scratch made.” Arguelles said. Now, the food is pretty tasteful, but nothing will beat the decor, which is an earth friendly environment and green friendly. “Our decor is earth friendly and green, the tables and chairs are made from recycled aluminum, our high-top tables are made of compressed wood, our walls are all natural and our plastic tables are recycled milk jugs.” Mario said. As you walk in, you would notice that there are many sports that are played all around the walls and on different tv’s. “We have sponsor with sporting, and they are a big She walks into town and smiles as she window shops. fan base. We advertise with stadiums and they are great She suddenly feels her stomach growling, as if it were partners, they also help bring in many customers.” Arguelles practically screaming for food, she forgot breakfast. She said. suddenly smells an aroma that fills the air, and quickly brings her joy. She walks in and was greeted with great big There are some personal favorites on the menu and they also change the way that burgers are looked at, and smiles and happy workers. She knows that this is the right if someone were to walk in and try their original Burger Fi place to be. “John Rosatti founded the first Burger Fi in Delray Beach cheeseburger, there would be a big blast of flavor and being able to taste the real taste of a good all-american Fl about three years ago, Josh and Michelle Kurzban are burger. Weather there is a craving for breakfast or lunch. the owners of the franchise group that opened up the Burger Fi has all of the options already decided for Leawood and Lawrence Locations and we also partner whatever the need is. “My personal favorite would be with MI1 Burgers.” Manager Mario Arguelles said. the Breakfast all-day Burger or the Build your best Burger, Burger Fi is not your everyday burger place to be, and it all depends on what mood I am in” Mario said. There what makes it unique is not only the service that will be may be a craving for a good, juicy burger after this, but the received when first walking in, but the welcome that best part is, Burger Fi is looking to make another location in is given and the smiles that are served as well as the satisfying food. But there is also more the mouthwatering Lees Summit, so look out for any mouthwatering sensational burgers that is not seen in everyday eating. aromas wandering through the air.
30
NEWS READERS FEATURES
TOP✳STORY
Written by Trevor Martin Photos by Aaron Lapaz and AP Images Designed by Matt Rellihan
OPINIONS
SPORTS
NBA Preview and Predictions
T
Homecourt.
he new NBA season is underway and so is the yearly disappointment. The Philadelphia 76ers got off to a hot start, meaning that they were one loss away from tying the worst start in NBA history. They started 0-17 before managing to squeeze out a win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. LeBron James’ long awaited return to Cleveland has also not started off too well. The new Big 3 is really a Big 2, because Kevin Love is simply getting no love. Kobe Bryant came back from a year hiatus to The Big 3 gears up to take home multiple championships to break multiple, long held NBA records. Bryant Cleveland in the following years. became the first player to reach 30,000 points Trevor Martin Matt Rellihan BJ Gaunt Aaron Lapaz and 6,000 assists in a career. He also passed Celtic legend John Havlicek for a mark that is nothing to be proud of. Kobe now holds the record for most missed field goals with 13,418 and counting. With the way the season is going for Anthony Kyrie Anthony Kobe Most the Lakers, I wouldn’t be surprised if he doubled Davis Irving Davis Bryant Valuable that total by April. Andrew Jabari Nerlens Jabari Rookie of Contrary to the rest of the NBA, the Golden Wiggins Parker Noel Parker the Year State Warriors are actually off to a great start. Kawhi Jimmy Kobe The Splash Brothers, Stephen Curry and Klay Klay Most Leonard Butler Bryant Thompson are doing a ton of splashing and Thompson Improved more. They definitely seem to be the early Defensive Anderson Roy Shane Serge favorite. It’s debatable as to whether or not Varejao Hibbert Battier Ibaka Player Derrick Rose has really returned this season. He Isaiah Jamal 6th Jamal Jamal plays about every other game due to some form Thomas Crawford Crawford Crawford Man of injury. It will be no surprise if he is playing with a cane next season. For those who don’t look Finals forward to this NBA season, it is understandable. Winner The season drags along at a snail’s pace every time it comes around. There is something to look forward to, though. Anthony Davis is a young star with a bright future. BOYS The Pelicans’ center is the very early favorite GIRLS for the MVP award, and he shows no signs of Q:Mrs.Crawford what is Q: Coach Little what is slowing down. If there is one guy that is a human your prediction for the your prediction for the highlight reel, it is Anthony Davis. People should year? year? be ready for all that comes with the return of the A: We try not to think A:Beat Blue Springs and NBA. LSN. Lose 8 or fewer about wins and losses. As to the question of who will win the NBA games realistically. As long as we focus on Finals, it is anyone’s guess. As a bold prediction, Q: Who are the competing, the rest will I believe the Clippers will come out on top at outstanding players? take care of itself. the end of June. Their quick pace on offense A: Claire Lock is a starter Q: Who are the outstandand refusal to play defense seems to be the as a Freshman, also ing leaders of th team? key to success in the NBA. They also have a A: We have great senior senior leadership from great 6th man in Jamal Crawford, who is part leadership in Drew Lock, Micah Wilson and Lauren of a very deep bench that the Clippers have. Eric Graves and Phil Roberts. The horrible disappointments and the amazing Propst. buzzer beating shots await the fans this season.
26
Hi✳Life College Basketball
A
s this new college basketball season starts, so does the instant fame and glory for this fortified freshman class. Before the season, it would be foolish to say that the 2015 recruiting class could compare to the stacked freshman class of last year which consisted of the first three picks of the NBA draft. Looking at this years class people may be starting to rethink that thought. After seeing Jahlil Okafor play, there is no doubt he is the best freshman on the court. Not far behind, however is Kansas’ talented big man Cliff Alexander, who is already a projected lottery pick, and Arizonas Stanley Johnson a projected mid-to-late first round pick. For the Kentucky Wildcats graduating freshman is nothing new. The Wildcats, are notorious for being a one-year, stop for the NBA. With current one-anddone superstars such as Anthony Davis, John Wall, and Demarcus Cousins in the league. That was not the case last year because Kentucky coach John Calipari found a way to keep most of his core of star freshman including the Harrison twins. Combinding that with the best recruiting class of this year and there is a team filled with nine McDonald’s All-Americans that are cleary that favorite to take the title. All that being said, there still are the common title contenders such as Kansas who can play ten deep this year.Lousiville who returned several players and is looking extremely good. Arizona, is one of the most productive teams shooting the rock this season. According to ESPN they rank 12 in the nation shooting a little under 51 percent from the field. Wisconsin who returns star Frank Kaminsky, an early leader for the Naismith award, and Duke, who could possibly have the best player in Jahlil Okafor on their team. All these schools hope to continue their legacies and hold up that trophy once again.
Winner: Kentucky
1 . Kentucky Kentucky has been a favorite ever since the 72-40 blowout win over Kansas. Their “Platune” of having two five-man squads is working to a tee. It will be hard to stop them this season, let alone in the Final Four.
J-LAB FINAL FOUR PREDICTION APR. 4-6
4.
Written and designed by Matt Rellihan Photos by Aaron Lapaz and AP Images
2 . Duke Duke certainly surprised a few people this year. Jahlil Okafor has played extremely well and is already up for player of the year award. Along with several more great players and a excellent staff, Duke is a force to be reckoned with.
With one of the most talented college basketball fields in years, this tournament is shaping up to
be epic.
Texas
Texas is looking to end Kansas’ streak of Big 12 conference titles. With Kansas having a lack of senior leadership, this could be Texas’ year. Jonathan Holmes is a good leader and the Longhorns’ best player. Holmes will leadf them far in the tournament.
3 . Arizona Arizona does not get as much attention as they deserve. They simply win their games and head home. Stanley Johnson is a terrific player and will help the Wildcats take home another Pac-12 Title. If someone can defeat Duke, it is the Wildcats.
Winner: Arizona
21 27
Choose RED. of all Lee’s Summit teachers have a degree from UCM.
ucmo.edu/ced
Hi✳Life
Splat Goes the Paintball Paintball interests many
H
peered around the tree. No sign of life. He saw a large rock about 10 feet away. He peeked around again, and charged for the rock and slid behind it. He sat still for a few seconds, and peeked around the rock. This time he saw a man peeking behind a tree and a woman guarding the flag. He seemed to be unseen. He turned back around, crouched, and looked at my teammates. One was behind a hut, and the other was lying down with his custom camo equipment. He looked down at my own custom gun, checked my ammo, and nodded at my teammates. That was the signal. One charged from behind his hut shooting, and the other got up too. He stayed behind cover, pulled the trigger, and watched the paint fly. “I usually go about 2 times a month,” freshman Cameron Kuwata said. Paintball is a fun game where you shoot small paint filled balls against teams. Usually teams consist of 7 or 8 people and the most common game is just team elimination where if you get shot, you’re out. Around 10 million people play paintball yearly, but that number is rapidly growing. “I would change how much [paintball] costs,” Kuwata said. The average player spends about $44 on the field whenever they play. The price of paintball could be expensive. If you don’t own your own equipment, you have to pay for a paintball gun rental, paintballs, use of the facility you use, and head protection. “I own my own equipment,” Kuwata said. Many people that play paintball regularly tend to buy their own equipment. The price of paintball gets cheaper when you buy your own equipment, but only if you go regularly. When you buy your own gun, head protection, and sometimes paintballs, it cuts the price. You still have to pay to use the place you go to, and paintballs might be more expensive at the place you go to, but the overall cost is a lot better in the long run.
“My favorite place to go is 280 Paintball,” Kuwata said. There are only a couple places to go locally, but the number of places is growing. There is Jaegers Paintball, 280 Paintball, and High Performance Paintball. Everyone has their own opinions on which is their favorite, but each place is worth checking out. Jaegers and 280 paintball have both inside and outside courts, but High Performance only has outside fields. With no one in our way, we walked towards the flag. It waved at us in the wind. We high-fived and laughed at our victory. I reached out and grabbed the flag, and the buzzer went off, officially declaring our victory. We walked back to the “safe zone” as employees called it, and began to pack our things. We got congratulated a couple times, but we didn’t really care about winning. We wanted to have a fun time with our friends, and that’s exactly what we did. Written by Preston Anthony Photographed by Avery Wald
35
Scrapbook Boutique
Where you can shop, crop, and learn. Graduating Senior Classes beginning in January. Where Moms, Grandmothers, etc. make scrapbook layouts for a Senior Album.
100 SE 3rd St, Lees Summit, MO. Tina’s Hair & Nails
Services:
Acryllic Nails
Manicure Hair Cut Waxing
$10 Off shellac nails
$15
men’s haircut
FREE haircut with a highlight
Contact Tina Lawrence (816) 678-5500
LEE’S SUMMIT 300 S.E. 3rd St. 1901 E. Langsford 1135 N.E. Douglas