March 2009

Hi.Life

Volume 91. Issue 6. March 12, 2009

What you need to know now

There’s a New + Sheriff In Town... pg. 18

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This Issue: Mr. Tiger

Photos

Sports

Opinion

Entertainment

Fashion

Features

News

THIS WAY IN HI.LIFE

·U

©!

Features

ISSUE 06 Mar. 12, 2009

On the Cover Who will be the new 2008-2009 Mr. Tiger? Find out on Friday Mar. 13, 2009.

L o n g practices, tiring rehearsals, and a lot of thinking have gone into this yearís Mr. Tiger performance.

Mr. Tiger is a student senate sponsored talent show for a select few senior guys.

F r o m maniacal and whacky dances, to strategic and creative talents.

The show, taking place on Mar. 13, 2009 in the LSHS performing arts center, should be one for the books.

26 Opinions

6 ºÃºIJÉ ÄøºÇÉ

After hard work and long hours, the LSHS symphony and ÄǸ½ºÈÉǶ źǻÄǺ¹ ¶ ·ºÃºIJÉ ¸ÄøºÇÉ »ÄÇ ½ºÁȺ¶ ¢¸ ÄÎ and Ana Gallardo on Feb. 26, 2009.

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Schedule Change

On Jan. 13, 2009 two Texas high school girlsí basketball teams played a friendly game of b-ball. Find out what the controversy surrounding this game is.

The late start Wednesday proposal has been shot down and obliterated for the class of 2010 and beyond. §º¶¹ Äà ÉÄ IJù ÄÊÉ ÂÄǺ Äà ̽Î

11

A Person and Their Things

15

Get to Know Skippy

Some people wake up in the mornings and have a select few things that they just have to have with them.

Find out who carries what on a daily basis.

We see him every day, yet a small porion of us know his real name. Take a look inside Rick Simpsonís day.

18 & 19 Mr. Tiger

24 male senior students compete for the title of Mr. Tiger on Mar. 13, 2009. See just how the contestants ¶Çº ÅǺŶǾü ɽºÂȺÁËºÈ »ÄÇ É½º IJöÁ ȽÄ̹ÄÌÃ

23 Music Review

Find out whatís hot and whatís not in the music industry from 2008 to now.

5 things exclusively found on www.jlabmag.com

3 Slideshows

4 Past issues

31 Athlete of the Month It takes a lot of practice to be a great athlete, and even more to be athlete of the month. Find out just what it takes to be on top.

1 Podcasting 5 Updated weekly

2 Video

Connection & Tradition Our school has an awesome comfortable feel to it. I believe it is our amazing principal, fun dances, great sports, entertaining music programs, outstanding academics, personable teachers or all of these combined.

The student body at our school has an amazing opportunity to participate in the wide range of activities our school offers. It is evident that the students take advantage of these opportunities to the fullest. The students at

our school clearly show that they have pride for our school and how they are a part of what makes our school what it is.

A huge advantage that we have on the other 2 high schools is our traditions. We have years of traditions that give the students something to connect to and become a part of. Having the opportunity to be a part of these long lasting traditions helps give the boost of pride students are looking for to be involved. The feeling of being a part of something that is widely recognized and has been for years past makes you feel as if you are part of something much bigger.

This is volume 91 of the Hi.Life. This is my 6th

HL

[Staff] EDitor-in-chief Josiah Jones

EDitor-at-large Stephanie Russell

EDitor-at-small Chris Kinman Photo EDitor Taylor Rice

News EDitors Amanda Brown Mallory Brown

Features EDitors Melanie McIlroy Tyler Fromson Abigail Jones Fashion EDitor Lindsey Bales

Entertainment EDitor Rachael Lynn

Opinions EDitors Ariel Andrew Rachel Harness Sports EDitors Josh Kennedy Brian Williams ADvertising Hannah Morris Lacy Knipp

Website EDITOR Patrick Stoddart MULTI-MEDIA Meighan Walsh

PAGE DESIGNERS Aaron Hanshaw Tony Botts Brett Stoddard Alyssa Scheirhoff Tyler Sherman Writers Mary Armes Drew Barnhart Max Belanger Derek Brooks

Jake Mobley Ravin Mozee Sia Nero Brittney Norton Jordan Pence Kayla Peters Burkett Powell Morgan Ramsey Clay Reynolds Summer Richards Kristen Sands Nikki Schmidt Patricia Sjuts Kennita Wallace Alex Watts Brooke Welsh Tyler Wilmore Josh Zans

Photographers Sami Dowd Michael Bushur Alisha Gillespie Nicole Kelleher Janna Lamaster Ariel Shy Karlie Swan Anna Taylor Colin Taylor Meighan Walsh

>>

MaíRyah Cooper Kathryn Cowan Nate Day Taylor Dyer Julia Duckworth Eric Fabi Mikayla Frommer Taryn Hall Robin Harvey Nelson Hill Michael Holcomb Brittni Keyhill Sarah Kensinger Kara Klein Desirae Kudra Miquelle Leonard Presley Lewis Alexis Puthoff Sierra Lewis Hayley Merriott Hayley Mershon

issue of the Hi.Life as Editor-inChief. Continuing the Hi.Life a total of 8 times by the end of my senior year gives me a sense of great accomplishment and makes me feel like a part of this schools history and tradition. For others in our school it may be winning championships on one of our sports teams or winning a music contest.

Either way, being involved gives us a chance to meet amazing people and make a massive amount of memories. I encourage ɽÄȺ Ì½Ä ¶Çº ÃÄÉ ¾ÃËÄÁ˺¹ ÉÄ IJù something that works for them and do it. This year I have been privileged to work with an amazing staff who I will remember and continue to connect with for the rest of my life.

News ©

NHS Blood Drive

jlabmag.com

Donating Blood To Help Community Most students know about the National Honor Societyís annual Blood Drive, but many do not know about the hard work that goes into it, and the good results that come out of it. It means the world to the people that the blood drive helps.

On Friday, Feb. 27, ɽº ¼ÎÂ Ì¶È IJÁÁº¹ with 265 people ready to donate blood to the Community Blood Center. The blood drive does more than just excuse students from a couple of classes. The

whole point of the blood ¹Ç¾Ëº ¾È ÉÄ ·ºÃºIJÉ É½º community and people whose lives depend on the blood donated. ìRed Cross does the major part of the drive, but the Community Blood

Center keeps it local to our community,î senior Megan Dowdle said Dowdle was one of the 265 people who donated blood.

The NHS Blood Drive was very successful at exceeding their goal of

160 pints of blood by donating 206 pints. But the health of the blood is just as important as the amount.

There were just a few requirements that the students and staff had to meet in order to donate blood. They had to be at least 16 years old, and needed to weigh at least 115 lbs. They also were not able to have taken antibiotics 24 hours before the drive, or be sick 48 hours before donating. It was also a requirement that the people donating eat something so that their stomachs were full, and drink lots of water so that they did not experience dehydration.

Even though the blood drive has been going on for over 16 years, there is still the unfortunate event of students or staff passing out due to dehydration or the sight of the blood. Thatís why it is so important to eat a big meal and drink lots of water before you donate.

As the blood drive wraps up for another year, the community can rest easy because people in need of blood will get what they need with the help of the LSHS students and {Sami Dowd} staff. ©{Haley Merriott}

By the Numbers

265 People signed up

580

Number of pints needed a day to service need

160 Pints was the goal this year

206 Pints were donated this year

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News ©

Orchestral Organization Symphony members come together to help fellow classmates After nearly two months of work, the ·ºÃºIJÉ ¸ÄøºÇÉ »ÄÇ ½ºÁȺ¶ ¢¸ ÄÎ ¶Ã¹ Ana Gallardo took place. The concert was an effort made by members of the symphony and concert orchestras of our school.

Hard work paid off for the group of students who wanted to help out their fellow classmates that had been in a car accident in

January. On Thurs. Feb. 26, an estimated $1,200 was raised to help Gallardo and McCoy further their recovery. The conductor of the group, Kevin Hartnett, was very pleased with the amount of money raised. ìIím happy, that is more than I ever expected to get,î Hartnett said.

Just being in the concert made several students feel helpful. ìBeing part of the ·ºÃºIJÉ ¸ÄøºÇÉ Â¶¹º me feel good because for one, it put what we do in orchestra to a good cause, also instead of just saying the usual ëOh my gosh! Iím so sorry!í a bit of practicing was actually doing something to show you care,î Chelsea Wendlandt said.

To make the concert work, a group of about 40

people attended after school rehearsals that took place on random dates from 3:00-4:00 pm. This concert was unique because it was set up completely by the students. ìThis was a student led event. The responsibilities were split up between about 10 people who wanted to do more than play,î Hartnett said.

The students picked the music that was played, they located and held down a place to play at, and were able to transport all of the music stands and chairs needed.

On the night of the concert the group had one last rehearsal at 5:00pm and every thing went well for the rest of the night. Holy Spirit Catholic Church was IJÁÁº¹ ̾ɽ ɽº ÈÄÊÃ¹È Ä» ÄÊÇ ÄǸ½ºÈÉǶ students. This event was an excellent example of how the student body can pull together to raise a large amount of money to help other fellow students. ©{Mikayla Frommer}

Music for a Cause. Senior Kevin Hartnett conducted the orchestra at Chelsea and Ana’s concert. The orchestra created beautiful music to support and raise money for Chelsea and Ana.

{Taylor Rice} Washington D.C. is one of the most famous cities in the United States. Taxis rushing by left and right, horns blaring, people walking around everywhere trying to get to where they need to go, and all of the famous museums and monuments spread across the city. These are just a few of the experiences that students have to endure on their music vacation.

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Some of our music students will also get the chance to perform in Washington D.C. About 100 students are leaving during spring break on Sat. Mar. 14 and Wed. Mar. 18. ìWe are going to visit everything, museums, and the memorials. We also get to sing at the George Washington church in Virginia,î sophomore Rebecca Wadle said.

Robert E. Abernathy, D.D.S. 4801 Cliff Ave., Ste. 210 Independence, MO 64055 (816) 795-0999 6

head to capitol.

The music students have been practicing ɽº IJ˺ ÈÄÃ¼È that they will be performing at the George Washington church for about threeweeksevery Wednesday for an hour. Two of the songs are Show Me Thy Ways and

O Nata Lux. ©Ä ½ºÁÅ IJöøº ɽº¾Ç ÉǾŠÉÄ students had to sell trash bags and poinsettias to raise money for the trip but some just asked their parents for the money. Washington D.C. was not the original destination. Our schoolís music department had a change of plans half way through the year from Austria to Washington D.C. The cost to Austria was already expensive and then they charged them double for the trip. ìMany students dropped from the trip, but few joined,î music teacher Carla Oliver said.

But the teachers did not want to cancel the trip. So they chose to go to D.C. ìI was most interested when I found out that we had the opportunity to go to Austria and visit a place that I have always wanted to go to,î Wadle said. ìW hen they cancelled the trip, I was disappointed, but I knew I was still going to a place that I have never been before and I still get to do my favorite thing while I am there, which is to sing.î ©{Summer Richards}

jlabmag.com

D.C. Dreams Musicians

News ©

Who’s Patrick?

History behind St. Patrick’s Day

jlabmag.com

To truly understand the origin of St. Patrickís Day, one must know the history behind the Irish holiday.

According to history.com, St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. He is believed to have been born in Britain at the end of the fourth century.

It is presumed that he died around 460 A.D. on March 17, hence explaining why St. Patrickís Day is celebrated on March 17. St. Patrick is also presumed to have been taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders at the age of 16, while they attacked his familyís estate. For six years he was

held captive and worked alone as a shepherd turning to his religion for guidance.

History.com states that after more than six years as a captive, Patrick claimed to have had a vision in which an angel told him that it was his time to leave. After escaping, Patrick walked more than 200 miles to the Irish coast.

After he returned to Britain, months later he again claimed to have another vision. In this vision, an angel told him that is was time to return to Ireland as a missionary and to convert people to Catholicism. This mission was

Mustang Raffle Details on New Mustang

successful.

In 1845, the Irish migrated to America to avoid starvation after the tremendous potato famine.

They faced discrimination as America painted them in cartoons as drunk and violent monkeys. To maintain their pride, the Irish wore shamrocks on their clothes, which is the sacred plant in Ireland. They ate corned beef every March 17. Their religion remained Catholic, and they continued to play their music.

The instruments consisted of IJ¹¹ÁºÈ ʾÁº¶ÃÃ Å¾ÅºÈ É½º ɾà whistle, and the bodhran (a type of drum). This signaled to the United States that they would keep their beliefs and still took pride in their Irish nationalism.

Among many Irish ÉǶ¹¾É¾ÄÃÈ ¾È ɽº IJÇÈÉ Å¶Ç¶¹º which was held in New York City on March 17, 1762, as the Irish and the English soldiers marched side-byside, bonding in the process.

©{Nicole Schmidt}

Project Grad is auctioning off the new Mustang GT 09 on Saturday May second at Pop & Jazz, it’s $25 for one ticket and $100 dollars for five.

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Performance-Driven Chassis This chassis has been designed to meet the high torque demands of performance applications a those in the Mustang GT.

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To date, not only the Irish, but nations celebrate along. People join in the parades, whether watching on television, participating, or attending. Most people even wear green and party.

The adults drink beer, the Chicago River is dyed green, and everyone decorates in mostly green to celebrate St. Patrick. ©{Kara Klein}

The Mustang Grille: Forward-leaning. Jeweled-round headlamps.

Optional Premier Trim with Color Accent Package:

Includes sport leather-trimmed buckets, bright- and satinaluminum accents, and a leatherstitched instrument panel brow for starters.

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MyColor Instrument Lighting: An industry first, the MyColor instrument panel lighting offers you a choice 125 color combinations.

Available DVD-Based Navigation System: This Navigation System combines DVD mapping with Global Positioning System (GPS) 0

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News ©

©{Brooke Welsh}

>> Tonsil diving is not your only fear...

The Kissing Disease

A single cough or exhalation on the water-spotted metal of a water fountain may not leave any visible effect, but hidden deeper than that lays a vicious infection that ravages within the youthful population.

Mononucleosis (Mono) only occurs in the younger generation, meaning people from the ages of 10 to 24.

Mono affects nearly one in two thousand people each year. It is also a reoccurring viral infection, so no one can ever completely be rid of its

even from chewing on the same pencil,” says registered nurse Jill Dusing. {Nicole Kelleher}

A Price to Pay

(and it is not on the tag)

The majority of US clothing and all other products sold here are made through the sweat of slaves in other countries and right here in America.

What started as a research project quickly escalated into terrorism and slavery. Leeís Summiy West Junior Sally Rymer decided to do something about this abomination to the Constitution. Sally now combats modern day slavery and sweatshop labor from right here in Lees Summit.

Clapham Section 2 is a group that aims to equip ɺºÃ¶¼ºÇÈ Ì¾É½ ɽº ÉÄÄÁÈ Ãº¸ºÈȶÇÎ ÉÄ IJ¼½É ÂĹºÇà day slavery in their own communities and around the world. The founder of CSP2 is Sally Rymer.

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Old Navy (Red & Friendly Labor)

American Fair trade

H&M (supports Stop the Traffic) TOMS shoes

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Gap Jeans (Red & Friendly Labor)

{Sami Dowd}

ì Sweatshop labor is work in abusive and unjust conditions.

It includes, but is not limited to, slave labor, harsh child labor, and forced overtime. Workers are typically either not paid or paid very little. It occurs everywhere, even in the United States. Cases vary widely, and types of abuse change based on the country,î Rymer said.

Some other circumstances include unsafe working conditions, unfair and exploitative practices, such as locking the workers in the factory and not allowing use of the restroom. Discrimination of race and or sex and abuse in every form possible are common.

Sweatshop labor conditions are all around the world, but some main locations are China, India, and Bangladesh. Most of the companies that use sweatshop labor practice this form of labor so that they can buy the products cheaper and make more money. ì All of the typical teenage clothing companies have been found to use sweatshops and have not put in substantial effort to stop the usage of these

abusive practices,î Rymer said.

According to Coop America.com, a few of these organizations include Nike, Abercrombie and Fitch, Hollister, Aeropostale, Adidas, Kohlís, Starbucks, Victoriaís Secret, and Wal-mart. ì Old Navy, Gap, and Banana Republic are some of the stores that do not use sweatshop labor. These are all owned by Gap,î Rymer said.

Some other major business stores that do not use sweatshop labor are Hersheyís Chocolate, Avon, Eddie Bauer, BIC Pens, and Colgate (toothpaste).

It is our responsibility to buy products that are made in responsible ways.

There are many ways to buy products that are not made by sweatshop labor. The most common is Co-op Unions. These products are made in factories, but they treat the workers fairly there. ì Another good alternative to buying from unjust companies is shopping at thrift stores.

When you buy from these stores, money does not go directly to the companies. It is also cheaper and better for the environment because no new fabric is used,î Rymer said.

Teenagers have the power to change these unjust practices. If people boycotted these products, the companies would be forced to change, or go out of business. This is what úº¹È ÉÄ Ä¸¸ÊÇ »ÄÇ È̺¶ÉȽÄÅ Á¶·ÄÇ ÉÄ IJöÁÁÎ come to an end. Teenagers have the power to make a a huge impact that can change the

©{Alexis Putthoff}

jlabmag.com

clutching grasp.

The virus itself stems from the EpsteinBarr virus and resides in saliva, mucus, and occasionally, tears. Needless to say, casual touching does not transfer the virus directly, but any object that a person with mono may have coughed on, sneezed on, or contaminated is a possible breeding ground for the virus. It is even more likely for anyone with a weakened immune system to pick it up. ìMono can be spread just like anything else through sharing drinks and shaking hands when they havenít been washed.

Even from chewing on the same pencil as someone else,î said registered nurse Jill Dusing.

While the direct symptoms of mono are not dangerous, neglecting to take the time to recuperate can have serious consequences. Though not everyone may show symptoms, the most common are fever and chills, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, swollen tonsils, headache or body aches, lethargic or fatigue, loss of appetite, and The kiss of death; Mononucleosis is a very serious virus. It is hard to get rid of and easily spread. “It can be spread through sharing pain in the upper left part of drinks, and shaking hands when they haven’t been washed, the abdomen, which may

indicate that the spleen is swollen and enlarged. Athletes must be wary if this becomes apparent because if the spleen were to be hit during sports or other activities it could potentially burst and have deadly consequences if not seen to by a doctor immediately. ìThe only real way of checking if you have mono is through either a blood test or throat swab,î Dusing said.

Mono can work its way out on its own, without the help of a doctor and prescriptions. The viral infection does not leave, but it reverts to a dormant stage, otherwise meaning that it will not appear because it is sleeping and has not been activated. The best way to speed along the recovery process is to get a lot of rest, gargle with salt water, and take mild symptom relief pills, such as Tylenol and Ibuprofen. In severe cases, mono may last for several months, but since it is a virus, antibiotics have no effect. ìMono is contagious for about two months. You can usually be suspicious about it if you have a sore throat and swollen tonsils,î Dusing said.

The easiest way of avoiding the entire hassle of mono, besides giving up tonsil¹¾Ë¾Ã¼ ̾ɽ ¶ Ⱦ¼Ã¾IJ¸¶ÃÉ ÄɽºÇ ÌÄÊÁ¹ ·º ÉÄ carry a personal water supply, wash hands consistently, and not use cups or utensils after others.

Features !

Adopted Kids

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{

Finally a family...

Alisismolor ipisiscilis ad do od min henim incilis cipsum dit lortionsed dolorerci bla facidui psusciduis dit eugiatio eliqui et vendre corperci ea cor susto cor in el ut lums. {Sierra Lewis}

}

At a young age, Welch was told of his adoption. ì My adoptive parents told me that my birth parents gave me up because at [their] young age, they could not support a child. I donít blame them for that decision,î said Welch.

The fact that Welchís adoption was left open has also helped him cope. ì My birth parents send me pictures once in a while, and I always send a recent picture back.î Welch would not mind knowing more about his birth parents.

Welch is happy with his adoptive parents, and is just focused on graduation. He plans to attend college in the fall.

However, some adoptions are not as easy as Welchís was.

Sometimes the birth parents may request a closed adoption. This means the child being adopted may not have their birth parentís information until the age of 18.

This, among other factors, could make the adoption harder for the child being adopted.

For some kids, being adopted is embarrassing. However, if they know why their birth parents put them up for adoption, it is easier ÉÄ IJù ÄÊÉ Ì½Ä É½ºÎ ¶Çº ¶Ã¹ ·º okay with themselves.

Senior, Austin Welch is adopted.

Welch has known this for as long as he could understand it. Welch knows why he was adopted and that helps him to feel better about !{Kara Klein} it.

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News Briefs !{Sia Nerro}

OLYMPIAD p SCIENCE On Feb. 14 the Science

p

Olympiad team took fourth place after competing against twelve other schools in our region. They are now on their way to state on March 14.

PARENT VOTE It’s official there will be no late start to the school day next year. Over 60 percent of parents voted against it for the reason that it would cause for their families and work schedules to change and the cost of paying for childcare could go up.

CLUB p MATH The Math

Club competed in their biggest tournament of the year and finished in First Place for the highest division available. Their home tournament will be held at LSN on Mar. 28, 2009.

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Features !

Perfect playlist !{Jordan Pence}

For spring break...

{Janna Lamaster}

Here are some essential songs that will improve anyone’s playlist and make spring break more enjoyable.

Born For ThisParamore

All Again for YouWe the Kings

Hot and ColdKaty Perry

HeartlessKanye West

Leavin’Jesse McCartney

Love Bug- The Jonas Brothers

What’s My Age Again- Blink 182

Do You KnowEnrique Iglesias

Live Your LifeT.I.

Another Travelin’ Song- Bright Eyes jlabmag.com

Schedule Change Attempt of a schedule change fails...

The Missouri House of Representatives approved a bill on Tues., Feb. 24, that gives school districts the option of having four-day weeks. The districts that choose to accept this option can lengthen their school days by an hour and also have 32 fewer days in the school year. The bill still needs another House vote to move onto the Senate.

Of course, there are pros, as well as cons, for this option.

Supporters of this option say that this would be a good opportunity for rural school districts because it would save money on transportation and utilities. Those who are not in favor of this proposal are

concerned about a possible decrease in the studentsí education and a rise in the cost for daycare for parents with children.

Ann Starlin-Horner, Assistant Superintendent of the Leeís Summit R-7 school district, is aware of

this option, but knows that this is not something that the district will be considering in the near future. ì It would take a tremendous amount of collaboration between the school district and the community to resolve the issues to implement this

Stop The Clock: Don’t change the clocks just yet; the late start for next year was not approved. Although this proposal was rejected, there is still a possibility for changes in years to come. {Sami Dowd}

option,î Starlin-Horner said.

So for the time being, the Leeís Summit R-7 school ¹¾ÈÉǾ¸É ̾ÁÁ Ǻ¶¾Ã ½¶Ë¾Ã¼ IJ˺ day school weeks and no late !{Sia Nerro} start.

A-list Salon 1

400 SW Nichols St Lees Summit, MO (816)-554-3907

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Features !

5 minutes with Dr. Faulkenberry

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jlabmag.com

Sia Nero ¬½ºÃ ¹¾¹ ÎÄÊ IJÇÈÉ ÀÃÄÌ É½¶É ÎÄÊ Ì¶Ãɺ¹ ÉÄ ·º ¶ principal?

Dr. John Faulkenberry: When I started teaching in 1987, I thought it might be something that I wanted to do. After 10 years of teaching, I knew that it would be a good path to take.

SN: What is the best part about your job?

JF: Getting to work with students. Getting to know and help students. Getting to put them in touch with what their dreams are. The second best part is the teachers and getting to help them interact with students.

SN: What is the worst part about your job?

JF: The pace. There are so many things that happen at one time and very fast. Sometimes I donít get to give enough time to each decision and person.

SN: What one thing do you wish you could do over?

JF: I wish I could re-shoot those free throws at the Courtwarming assembly.

SN: Are there any rules that you wish you could change?

JF: I wish that teachers could teach less, meaning teachers

½¶Ëº ÉÄ Éº¶¸½ ÈÄ Â¶ÃÎ ÈÉʹºÃÉÈ É½¶É ¾ÉĩÈ ¹¾»IJ¸ÊÁÉ ÉÄ personalize. I wish students only had to take six classes. We put an awful lot of stuff on the plate of our students. There are only six minute passing periods. Students have to live their lives at a fast pace in high school. I think there should be one hour a day where half of the period could be lunch and the other half could be privileges and interventions.

SN: Do you have a motto that you live by? If so, what is it?

JF: ìOnward and Upwardî ñ no matter where you start, you have to keep moving forward in life.

SN: What is one thing that you would like LSHS students to know about you?

JF: I would like the students to know how much we truly care for them and want the very best no matter how many rules we have to make. Even when we enforce rules, itís only done with their best interest in mind.

SN: What legacy would you like to leave at LSHS? JF: I would like for LSHS to be recognized as the strongest academic high school in the state of Missouri.

This is Raechel... !{Kristin Sands}

o

{Sami Dowd}

The Essentials For a Day at School Raechel Lukowski keeps many things in her purse that are useful for a day at school. Lukowski claims these items as the things that she cannot live without.

These items include her cell phone, Orbit chewing gum, ¸½¶ÅÈɾ¸À ÁÄɾÄà ¶Ã¹ ¶ IJ·ºÇ ·¶Ç

and these are her things...

GUM: ìI carry gum with me so I can chew it, it gives me something to do,î Lukowski said.

CELL PHONE: ì I keep my cell phone with me so I can check the time, and text when Iím bored,î Senior Raechel Lukowski said. § § Ħ ¸¶ÇÇÎ ¶ IJ·ºÇ ·¶Ç around with me in case I get hungry, and because theyíre good,î Lukowski said.

{Janna Lamaster}

Dr. Faulkenberry Just as he has promised more than six years ago, Dr. John Faulkenberry continues to remain focused and is still a strong force. As the principal of LSHS, this hard-working gentleman is having the time of his life and he still continues to grow as a principal and a leader. !{Sia Nero}

LOTION: Lukowski says she likes to have lotion with her during the day because she likes to have soft hands.

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CHAPSTICK: Lukowski carries around chapstick because she says she is a chapstick fanatic, and cannot stand chapped lips.

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Features !

Name That Teacher

!{MaRyah Cooper}

{Sierra Lewis}

Go to jlabmag.com to reveal the answers.

I coach for the >> Tigerettes.

I run to and from school I am a grammar ìNaziî.

I coach the boysí >> >> >> every day. basketball team.

I can walk on the knuckles of my toes.

I like Mexican food.

I am a graduate of LSHS, class of 1993.

I can do animal impressions.

I play guitar.

I can barefoot waterski...backwards.

I am old.

The Traveling Pants>>

She was having a normal day. The morning had gone well and it looked as if the rest of the school day would be the same. It was about ½¶Á»Ì¶Î ɽÇÄʼ½ IJÇÈÉ ÈºÂºÈÉºÇ ¨ºÃ¾ÄÇ ºÃ¹Ç¶ Stuart was heading to class and walking up the stairs in the C building with her friend º ¶ ©½ºÎ ½¶¹ ·ººÃ IJ¼½É¾Ã¼ Ä輂 Èĺɽ¾Ã¼ random, but they were just messing around.

As the two girls were nearing the top of the stairs, Stuart felt the presence of somebody right behind her, but she ignored it, since there were so many people cruising through the hall.

Little did she know that something awful was about to happen. All of a sudden Stuart felt a breeze behind her and quickly realized that her pants were gone. She glanced down at her feet, fear rushing into her body. They were lying around her ankles. Her friend had ìdepantsedî her in front of every student in the hall. It was a single moment that she will never forget. Stuart now never wears sweatpants to 1 school anymore, with fear of this embarrassing incident occurring again. She and her menacing friend walked, laughing, back to their classes.

That’s Not My Name>>

It was going to be a perfect show and every person in the cast of last yearís production of Beauty and the Beast was anxious. Senior Matt Sweeten, who played Cogsworth, was especially nervous. He had many lines to 2

I cry whenever I hear the school song.

!{Summer Richards}

{Presley Lewis}

memorize, but sometimes, he says, he just forgets what he is saying. During the show, there is a line in which he says the name ìJean Claude.î When it came time to say Jean Claude, it came out as ìSean Paul.î Sweeten knew it was wrong and that he had said the name of a reggae singer. He couldnít believe that he said it during an actual show in front of a huge audience. He wondered if anyone else had noticed and went on with the show.

Just Dance... >>

Sophomore Jordan Shawhan loves to dance.

When she was four years old, she attended Monicaís School of Dance. The group she danced with was performing at Oktoberfest in downtown Leeís Summit. Spirits were high as the girls were about to go on stage. Shawhan had needed to go to the bathroom badly, but decided to hold it. Suddenly, she couldnít take it any longer. She started heading towards the port-o-potty with her mom, but the train was passing so she couldnít get to it in time.

They rushed back to the stage because it was time to dance. Shawhan and her group went on and began their performance. There was a part in the dance where she had to go down ÉÄ É½º ijÄÄÇ ¨½º Ǻ¶Á¾Ïº¹ ɽ¶É Ƚº ¸ÄÊÁ¹ÃĩÉ ¼ºÉ up because she had to go so bad, so she sat there. She knew that she couldnít hold it any longer and had no control, so she went to the bathroom right on stage in front of the entire audience. Her face red, she ran off crying.

I have a motorcycle.

I donít own a cell phone.

jlabmag.com

Um...Awkward

I have a fear of meat.

I play the drums in a band.

Features !

A New Generation

> Glow Stick

!{Taylor Dyer}

{Colin Taylor}

Use a large container to combine hydrogen peroxide and one liter of distilled water. Choose a ceramic or plastic bowl, NOT a metal bowl.

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’S RE

MUN

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HOW TO MAKE A

W HE

USA

As students may know, a new America is on the rise. With an African- American president, Americans now have a fresh look at things. They are involved in more politics because, as Obama says, he is here with change. ìI think everybody is waiting to see what happens and what heís going to do,î junior Nick Wilson said. Äú ¶Çº ɽº ¸ÄÊÃÉÁºÈÈ ijĸÀÈ ÉÄ É½º ɺÁºË¾È¾Äà ÉÄ Ì¶É¸½ cartoons; people now turn to the presidentís speeches during prime time. Americans in all diversities look up to him as being an inspiration; it gives them the hope that they too can make a change.

Most Americans are paying attention to the news and daily events going on around them. In previous years, few Americans even glanced at the news channel. Now they glue their eyes to the screen, with new details of the dying economy everyday.

Americans want to know what is in store for them and their families in the coming months, and that is where Obama steps in. His decisions are looked up to because they are based on our lives. Many Americans in the U.S. are losing their jobs and houses; most would say we are in a recession because our economy is so bad. From lost jobs to high priced foods, many Americans are not able to afford the things they used to. ¬½¾Áº ¾Ã Ä»IJ¸º ¥ÇºÈ¾¹ºÃÉ ¤·¶Â¶ ½¶È ¶ÁǺ¶¹Î ¶¹º ¶ÃÎ changes. He encourages that older people try going back to school. He wants to make sure the graduation rates are going back up and kids are staying in school. Another issue is the money being spent, which has some Americans worrying. ÈÉʹºÃÉ »ººÁÈ ÄɽºÇ̾Ⱥ Ħ®ÄÊ ½¶Ëº ÉÄ Èźù ¾É ÉÄ IJÍ ¾É ħ Wilson said.

President Obama even mentioned the banks getting involved, and he is also on the verge of bringing our troops back home.

With all these changes going on around us, it shows the shifting of the economyÖand the minds of young Americans all over the country.

C E?

of

!{MaRyah Cooper}

omewhere amidst the crowds of students at the Feb. 13 Courtwarming assembly lurks music teacher Chris Munce.

In true Whereís Waldo style, try and spot him in the shot below. Hint: heís facing the camera!

2

In a second, equal-sized bowl, mix luminal, sodium carbonate, copper sulfate, ammonium carbonate and one liter of distilled water.

Pour equal amounts of the solution in step 1 and the solution in step 2 into a plastic tube.

Immediately place a lid on top and watch as the mixture takes on a colorful glow.

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< 1

Features !

March Sunday

The Hi.Life’s guide to around town events.

9

Monday

Tuesday

17

!{Alisha Gillespie}

Wednesday

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Madness One of the Julie Turner & Concert @7pm ijÄ̺ÇÈ ÂÄÈÉ Tommy Ruskin -Midland associated Trio@6:30Theater March is 10:30 Shamrock + Admision: >> with the narcissus &Shenanigans *$35 (Wild daffodil). @ 6am - Majestic - Downtown/ Steakhouse, Convention KC Area KC Spring Open house -Downtown WWE LS @6:30

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25 25 25 31 25

American Traditions>>>

St. Patrickís day: Is celebrated Friday Saturday annually on March 17 to Shinedown honor Irelandís Concert @8pm Emerald Islepatron saint.

St. Patrickís - Midland Day parade @ This Holiday is Theater, KC celebrated in 1:00 pm - Downtown LS Ireland as day is a religious day.

12 2 Thursday

The NCAA menís basketball tournament rounds 1 & 2 -The Sprint Center

I3

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Phantom of the Opera @ 8pm - Downtown (aross from Bartle Hall) KC

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Spring Open House - Downtown LS

Purim: This Jewish holiday takes place the fourteenth and IJ»ÉººÃɽ ¹¶ÎÈ of Adar. This day celebrates Spring the salvation of Open Jews.

House -Downtown LS Mardi gras: Mardi Gras means fat Tuesday. As for Catholics this is the last day The Eagles to indulge and @8pm overindulge - The Sprint before the Center coming of Ash Wednesday.

I

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- Sprint Center

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{AP Photos}

Out To Lunch

Features !

Simpson the supervisor catches the sneaky skippers...

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People who cut class and get caught blame the techniques. ëguyin the parking lotí for catching them. These ìMy methods for catching skippers is to be class-cutters try to act like the victims in this in different places, and I use binoculars to see situation. Others are able to weasel their way from a ways away,î Simpson said. around the system. It is time to meet ëthe man Simpson said the best excuse that he has behind the maskí. Rick Simpson is the person ever gotten from someone trying to skip was who is in charge of catching skippers. He is our that their mom was having her appendix out.

The parking lot parking lot attendant and has supervisorís job is quite an interesting occupation. very important. ¨¾ÂÅÈÄÃĩÈ Ä»IJ¸¾¶Á ¿Ä· ɾÉÁº ¾È ìParents send the parking lot supervisor. their kids to school ìMy job is to check for parking for a reason, and stickers, and catch kids skipping their kids should class,î Simpson said. stay at school,î Simpson likes this job because Simpson said. it is interesting, and he gets to Simpson stated interact with kids. He claims the that his job is all most interesting part of his job about keeping is trying to out wit the skippers. students safe.

The toughest part of his job is Skippin’ Our parking lot supervisor, Rick Simpson, Simpson has an has an important job. “Parents send their kids dealing with boredom. interesting job.

Simpson acquired his job to school for a reason, and they should stay at school,” says Simpson.

Although people because of his past occupation. ìI applied for this job because I am a retired may not always be happy to see him, he is doing ÅÄÁ¾¸º Ä»IJ¸ºÇ ¶Ã¹ ɽ¾È ¿Ä· ǺÆÊ¾ÇºÈ ¹ºÉº¸É¾Ëº his job. Next time people think about skipping, they might want to think again. work,î Simpson said.

When asked what his methods for catching {Nicole Kelleher} !{Kristin Sands} skippers were, Simpson shared some of his

Spring Breaking the Bank

Students fund exotic spring break excursions

©¶ÁÁ ¼Ç¶Ã¹ º¹¾IJ¸ºÈ ¶¿ºÈɾ¸ ÈÉǺ¶Â¾Ã¼ Ǿ˺ÇÈ dramatic coasts, and the idyllic countryside perfectly embodies the beautiful country of Italy. Students in journalism classes will be going on a trip to Italy and Greece. Not only journalism and senate, but also any interested students are permitted to participate. Many other clubs are also making their way to their spring break destinations. However, not all club members are as fortunate.

Spanish club, for example, is no longer able to go to Costa Rica due to the recent budget cuts.

French clubís trip to Paris was also an unfortunate victim of the receding economy. The Italian exchange was cancelled not only because of the lack of student interest but because of budget ¹ºIJ¸¾É ¶È ̺ÁÁ On a more positive note, along with journalism and senate, choir and band also get to venture out of Leeís Summit. The choir, band, and orchestra students are going on a journey to Washington D.C. It will be a great musical experience for students, as they will be performing. These are a few fun and exciting spring break trips taking place this year. !{Burkett Powell}

Spring Concerts Katy Perry March 23 at the Beaumont Club $18 Britney Spears April 2 at the Sprint Center $38.50-$125 The Ting Tings on April 7 at The Record Bar $16 Nickelback April 8 at the Sprint Center $40-$65 All-American Rejects April 8 at the Beaumont Club $29.50 3Oh!3, Family Force 5, Hit the Lights, and The Maine April 13 at the Beaumont Club (Tickets and more information available at ticketmaster.com)

G E T T I N G T O G E T H E R

Get to know Rick Simpson Q:What is your favorite music style?

A: Bluegrass Q:Where did

you attend high school?

A:Lee’s Summit Q:What’s your favorite hobby?

A:fishing Q:What is your favorite sports team?

A: Green Bay Packers

STUDENTS EXPLORE DIFFERENT LIFESTYLES At least once a month close to 20 students get together after school to learn about different lifestyles and traditions from around the world. ìWe promote tolerance of different cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds at our school,î Harmony Council President Heba Qureini said.

Through special activities and power points members can learn about how other people live and function across the world without leaving the classroom. They can get the full experience of visiting another part of the world through traditional activities and food, as well as through group discussions. The conversations that go on inside of the Harmony Council encourage those interested to try new things and to broaden oneís mind. ìMost discussions we have are about being more diverse and people take turn presenting cultures,î member Hugo Burriaga said.

The Harmony Council is all about expanding oneís self, tolerating differences between people and and reaching out to others. !{Patricia Sjuts}

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Features !

Girls bond over the love of art.

New Age Artists as decor. Acrylic paint and print making happen to be her favorite to work with. Ashley has even made her very own paper and has worked with just about any material

<<

I Heart Art. Seniors Kellie Taylor and Ashley Graham both possess a passion for expressing themselves through art. As they follow their interests they cross paths and have been brought closer together.

possible. She currently is making a wallpaper book for sketches.

Kellie Taylor is a welcoming young lady who creates expressive pieces of art that can capture just about anybody. ìI did not realize I was good until last year and thought ëWow!í.I have

always had the want, though,î Taylor said.

Taylor likes to sculpt and feels that she express herself more when she is able to manipulate her own composition. She would like to teach art, at either high school or elementary level. She too has worked with just about anything, even spoons. Taylor is currently working on a narrative chalk drawing of a little girl being taken away, and she would like to create a tea set before she goes off to college.

They have shared a backyard their entire lives and if it had not been for art these two would not be as close as they are today. Taylor and Graham are amazing creators and together have worked with over 20 types of mixed media including chalk, pastels, terra cotta, plastic, and styrofoam. ìArt brought us together,î said Graham, and Kellie nodded in agreement. !{Patricia Sjuts} {Mary Armes}

Free of Charge Businesses give customers items for no cost.

There is no need to pay for thing if you can get them for free.

The economy is suffering, it is becoming harder and harder to get a job, and workers are being laid off. Items that could be considered a luxury expense such as eating out. have become too expensive or cut from the budget simply to save money.

It is a good idea to start looking for good deals and free things that are available, like IHOPís free pancake day; they served a short stack of pancakes free of charge in February.

IHOP does this every year on Fat Tuesday for a very good cause. They only ask

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for consideration to donate to the Childrenís Miracle Network.

Although it is a long wait, Chipotle will be giving away a free burrito yet again to costumers who arrive dressed like a burrito in aluminum foil.

If it is not worth it to you to pay 99 cents for a song on iTunes, there is a free song every week. iTunes chooses the song that will be free that week, and it can be downloaded right from the iTunes store.

Houlihans is also in on giving things away for free. Every time the stock market goes up, Houlihans will serve donuts with the purchase of a meal.

These options and many more are available for the public to get a great free deal. Keep an eye out for local businesses giving wallets a break. !{Kayla Peters}

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A well-known artist named Andy Warhol once said, ëArtis what you can get away with.í Seniors Kellie Taylor and Ashley Graham can truly understand this quote from experience.

Together, they know their way around paints, pastels, clay and just about anything that can be sculpted, or made into a work of art. Kellie and Ashley have made over 50 pieces, with their collection still on the rise, and ranging anywhere from small casts to massive canvases. Full of creativity, enthusiasm, and an eye for the arts, both ladies see a future in the art business.

Ashley Graham is a bubbly girl that knows a thing or two about creating masterpieces. ìEver since I was little I have wanted to be an artist. My sister is an artist and my mom is pretty good,î Graham said.

Graham is very passionate about art and would either like to be a pottery teacher or open up her own cafÈ with her own artwork

[Easy Money] Essential tips that a get-rich-quick scheme needs.

Students want free money. Sadly, dollars do not grow on trees, and coins do not sprout from the ground. A quick buck earned from a business is the next best thing. ìI would start a business that I thought there was a niche market for. I would want any business that I was passionate about,î business and marketing teacher

Susie Needles said. ìI wouldnít sell anything that I wouldnít buy myself.î Kyle Smitka of Betrayal Fightwear talks about how he, Justin Doyel, and Brandon Gaffey got their inspiration. ì Weíd look at other T-shirts modern ¾ÃijʺøºÈ ÈÉÊ»» ̺ ɽÄʼ½É Ì¶È ¾Ã ÈÉÎÁº because we knew the modern stuff would sell,î Smitka said.

Products and services cannot be sold willy-nilly though. ìFirst there has to be a need for your product or service,î Needles said.

Before starting, research is important. ìFind a niche. A niche is an opportunity,

jlabmag.com

What would _____ do What would a student do if something happened to one of their bones, got arrested, got rich from a lottery ticket, or couldnít even graduate on time. A few students are answering questions about what they would do if any of things happened to them.

What would sophomore Ronnie Thomas do if he broke a bone and could not play basketball anymore?

Q

Thomas would drink a lot of milk so that he can build up the strength in his bone, and hopefully his bone would get better and he could play basketball again.

A

Q A

What would senior Anthony May do if he could not graduate on time?

May would just go to a prep school

Q

Features !

¶ úº¹ ɽ¶É úº¹È ÉÄ ·º IJÁÁº¹ ħ ·ÊȾúÈÈ education teacher Vicki Crisafulli said.

This, however, is not the number one rule to remember when owning a business.

When questioned what she thought was the most important rule of owning a business, Needles said ìDo not promise your customers anything you canít deliver.î When asked the same, Crisafulli said ìTo plan for emergencies and have insurance,î Whatever the reason, whether it is to spend it, save it, or spend it later, a quick and easy buck or two is nice. !{Tyler Wilmore}

What would junior Krysten Maddox do if she broke a bone and could not play basketball?

ìI have already broke something before when I was doing track, but I would exercise and try to build up my strength in what I broke and hopefully be able to play againî Maddox said.

A

Q

What would junior Bryan Nelson ¹Ä ¾» ½º ¼ÄÉ IJÁɽΠǾ¸½ »ÇÄ ¶ lottery ticket?

Nelson would invest, start his own business and give money to the poor. He would also buy a new car, a house on the hill, and he would not tell anybody that he was rich.

A

Q

What would senior Anthony May do if he broke a bone and could not play basketball?

A

ìI would live in a box by myselfî May said.

Earth Hour

On March 28, millions of people across america will be turning of their lights from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. to make a statement about climate change. Hundreds of cities have made plans to take part in Earth Hour 2009, and lights will go out at the Empire State Building, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Coliseum in rome, and the Sydney Opera House. Last year, over 50 million people participated all across the world. Students at Leeís Summit High School can participate in this effort by simply shutting of their lights from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. on March 28.

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Mr. Tiger 2009 There’s a new Sheriff in town

“It’s like getting named Mr. LSHS,~ it 4~ represents 44 the school and I like that” As students may know, Mr. Tiger is like a group of guys throughout the school that have earned a popular title. With a group of 24 guys it seems like practices would be very stressful, but with the help from members of Student Senate they are able to put on a great show.

As it may seem they are only a dance team, they do so much more. From showing their talent to being named Mr. Tiger, these boys have fun doing it too. ì I like Mr. Tiger because it shows the whole student body what youíre like individually,î senior Darryl Slaughter said.

Some people may not know exactly what Mr. Tiger is or its purpose, but it is a male spirit competition for senior guys. The guys are picked by members

{

of Student Senate, they ij¾Å ɽÇÄʼ½ ɽº κ¶Ç·ÄÄÀ and choose who they think would be dedicated.

Choosing the themes can be complicated but once all the debating is done, it becomes exciting. ì We have all the senators get in groups and present their theme ideas, and then everyone votes on it,î senior Tanja Petrovic said.

The theme this year is the Wild Wild West; the guys even took pictures for it. ì It was a lot of fun actually; I got to take pictures with goats and horses.î Senior Drew Coffman said.

The guys practice for an hour three times a week, two in the morning and one after school.

When asked which part of Mr. Tiger is looked forward to the most, senior Kurt

Wilkerson said, ì The talent portion, because we have some pretty good talents this year.î As for senior Drew Coffman, he too said, ì I look forward to the actual performance and doing my talent.î When we asked what their talents were they simply said, ì You have to come to the show and see.î Mr. Tiger debuts March 13 at 7 p.m. tickets are six dollars in advance and seven at the door. Mr. Tiger ¾È ¶ »Êà IJÁÁº¹ ºÍźǾºÃ¸º »ÄÇ everyone.

Senior Anthony May said, ì Itís something they can enjoy and remember for the rest of their years at the school.î Be sure to support our very own Tigers as they put on the show of the year.

l

Q&A

h a

l

A

e Shining Sheriffs

h

aWho sponsors Mr. Tiger?

aHow much do you practice?

Lauren Munsell: Lauren Munsell and Paige Olson: Student senate, Karla Thompson and Marc Russell are Monday and Friday before school from 7:00 to 7:30 Student Senate Sponsors. Also, Buffalo Wild Wings, Kellogs, a calendar company, hair cutting businesses, and Wednesday evenings form 5:50 to 6:50 Gatorade and sponser as well as some more..

aWhoĂ­s dropped out of Mr. Tiger?

aHow many calories are burned in one practice?

Lauren Munsell: Lauren Munsell: A few people due to scholarship days, personal They dance the entire time so they burn a lot of reasons, etc. calories.

aHow many hours do you practice?

Lauren Munsell: 2 hours per week.

aHow many years has Mr. Tiger been around?

Mrs. Thompson: 5-6 years consistently and on and off before then.

}

Fashion

Walk into the Sun

Jump into this spring break with 09’s best trends for guys

>>For Guys The weather outside may be frightful right now, but this yearís spring fashion so delightful. Every spring brings new looks and styles for menís and womenís fashion. Although revamping your wardrobe might not be on the schedule this season, these looks are essential for this spring. It is still chilly outside, but do not get left behind because spring is right around the corner. {Lindsey Bales & Robin Harvey}

Time to Go Military

Get rid of your hoodies, itís time for spring jackets.

These incude military jackets. Military has always been a style trend thoughout the years; this is just another way that the old style is coming back.Old Navy $44.50

Slip in to Spring

Forever 21

$15.90

2

Bring back the 1940’s Fedoras are the way to go when it comes to hats this spring. They come in almost any color and they are popping up all over stores. Tilt it back or push it forward, either way the fedora is the hat to get for spring. Kohls $12.90

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V-necks have always been around, but now they are making a huge comeback this {Photog Name} spring. Show off this style by wearing ij¶È½Î ¸ÄÁÄÇ ©½º {Writer Name} V-neck is this yearís version of the tank top for guys.

Color up the V-neck

Be comfortable this spring. We all need something that is simple and easy, but still looks good. Slip-ons are great for a walk, and they go with any kind of clothes. Sanuk $48.00

Entertainment ·

e Th y Sk

Spring Awakening

is e th it Lim

Make the transformation from winter to spring with these must-haves for this season

>>For Ladies With the trend of skyscraper high heels back in, the platform heel was bound to be back also.

Platforms are not only stylish, but are also a very comfortable heel. They can be worn with anything from a simple pair of skinnies or a cocktail dress. Coach $228.00

The white dress itself is very feminine and classy, but it will also look fashionable ̾ɽ ÇÊ»ijºÈ ÄÇ embroidery.

jlabmag.com

Walk like an Egyptian

Make a statement this spring with chunky, tribal necklaces. When wearing this style one should match it with gladiator sandals, a full-length dress, or a solid color blouse. The bigger the better!

Faded Glory Move over leather jackets, denim jackets are here for spring. Denim jackets have been around for decades and have gone in and out of style through the years.

They can be worn with a simple dress or a different color of denim jeans.

Banana Republic $125.00

Forever 21 $26.90

Jump On It

H81 $24.90

First there was the ìboyfriend cardi ganî and now the jeans to go along with that style. This style of jeans are meant to be worn and distressed.

They are usually rolled up at the hem and can be worn with a pair of pumps (for a more feminine look) or slip-on Vans (for causal).

Little White Dress

I Stole Them From My Boyfriend

Jumpsuits come in a variety of styles this season. A strapless jumpsuit is great for an evening out. Pair this with strappy heels and gold bangles.

Dahlias $49.00

La Garconne $144.20

Crystal Clear Sheer fabrics have been seen on the runways a lot lately. These simple and soft fabrics make fashion ìcomfyî again. This is a very risk-free trend for spring. James Perse $85.00

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Entertainment ·

DVD vs.

Blu-ray ·{Max Belanger}

(

{Taylor Wilmore}

(

What you need to know about the future of home entertainment

2

Students reveal films that mirror their everyday lives {Sierra Lewis} ·{Haley Merriot} People have a movie that describes their life. Whether itís a comedy, horror, or drama, movies can represent amazing stories about an individualís experiences. Take a look at what three members of our school described as the one movie that represents their life.

Ellen Spaar : Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen ìThis movie represents my life because I want to be famous, just like Lindsay Lohanís character. I also like to act and sing just like her character. She also has a crush on a famous person. Her mom is weird and her best friend is kind of lame, and so is mine. But most of all, I am over dramatic about everything, and I am truly a teenage drama queen.î

Ryan Goodwin : I Am Legend ìThis movie represents my life because I can be courageous and intellectual. I go out of my way for my friends a lot. Also, I love Shrek and Iím agnostic, just like Will Smith. In the movie, he put his life before others, and that is something Iíve done before, and he like science, which is my favorite subject in school.î

Christine Peachee : Madagascar ìThis movie represents my life because I think of my husband as Marty. Although he did not choose to leave the ëzooí, our St. Louis home, his job made him. Still we, my sons Ethan, Owen, and I, all followed him to this new placed called Kansas City. We had to go with him, he just would not be okay without our help (we could have Èɶκ¹ ¾Ã ¨É ¡ÄÊ¾È Ì¾É½ ½¾Â ijξü ½Äº ºËºÇÎ ÄɽºÇ weekend). We have had bumps along the way settling into our new place as did all the characters in Madagascar.

We have all four stuck together and have learned to call this place home. Of course this task was made easier with the friendships we have developed, like King Julian and his gang. Although at times I am tempted to get on that cruiser with the penguins and head to St. Louis, I honestly and sincerely love LSHS and feel Godís plan was way better than I ever imagined. P.S. Both boys are my penguins, they are constantly cracking me up!î

jlabmag.com

With new technology being researched, discovered, and invented every day, improvements to current technology were bound to be made.

One of those upgrades is the Blu-ray Disc, and it has many people curious.

To understand this, think back to when VCRs and VHSs were used to watch movies at home and record shows. Then along came the DVD, which allowed clearer video and more data was put on small and convenient discs. Not so long ago, people began using DVR to record shows directly from their televisions. And now, there is Blu-ray.

The Blu-ray disc (or BD) is basically an upgrade to the DVD and is used for games, music, recording media, and computers as well as movies. The BD relies on a blu-violet laser (whereas DVDs use red lasers) that is shorter in wavelength than red lasers. This shorter wavelength focuses more, making video more precise. Along with clear video, BD can also hold a lot more 2 data than DVD. With these changes, Blu-ray will enable recording and playback of high¹ºIJþɾÄà ˾¹ºÄ ÄÌºËºÇ ¹È ¸¶ÃÃÄÉ be played in DVD players and are more expensive. DVDs, though, may be played in BD players.

For more information on Blu-ray, visit www.blu-ray.com.

The Hollywood Lifestyle

Entertainment ·

Father of the · Bride

{Brittni Keyhill} {Ariel Shy}

jlabmag.com

Get the back story on the winter play

Girl falls in love with boy. Boy asks for her hand in marriage. Girl tells mom and dad that she is getting married. Mom is overjoyed and dad freaks out--or so goes the story in Father of the Bride.

Father of the Bride tells the classic story of a fatherís inability to let his little girl go. Mr. Banks has some serious issues with his only daughter getting married to a man he doesnít completely trust. His feelings for his soon to be son-in-law are also paired with his stress of paying for the wedding.

In the midst of all this, his wife Mrs. Banks manages to keep her cool and helps mediate the tension between her husband and her daughterís IJ¶Ã¸â The Banks daughter, Kay, is quick to point out ÉÄ ½ºÇ »¶É½ºÇ ɽ¶É ½ºÇ IJ¶Ã¸â ʸÀÁºÎ ¾È ÃÄÉ É½º ·¶¹ guy that he is thought to be. Mrs. Banks points out to her husband that she was younger than Kay when they got married. The squabbles and chaos that continues throughout the show depicts the sides of a true family.

Father of the Bride does not just bring a new story to the stage. This show came with some new challenges. ìFor this show we decided to sit the audience on three sides of the stage,î director Micah Hensley

Secondhand Serenade ‘A Twist in My Story’ still holds a place on the charts and shows no sign of descending Starting out on MySpace to selling albums over Paypal, Secondhand Serenade is not doing too bad. After their debut album Awake in 2007, they gained support from thousands of people and began to circulate around on the web, radio, and the MTV show TRL. Now they are on their second album in less than a yearís time.

Secondhand Serenade made it big after the success of their hit single ëFall For Youí that has been played on local radio stations hundreds of times.

The album A Twist in My Story is one giant love song. The lyrics alone tell a story of passion

Matt Sweeten

Character: Mr. Banks Mr. Banks is both loveable and charismatic as the father of the bride. Like most fathers Mr. Banks is finding it hard to let his little girl go. The added stress of paying for the wedding makes this devoted dad go even further off the deep end.

Anna Hacker Character: Mrs. Banks,

Mrs. Banks is the sweet and loveable wife and mother. Her calmness towards her daughters w e d d i n g balances well with her husbands outrageous antics. Mrs. Banks helps soften her husband’s feelings towards their daughters soon to be husband, showing how much she cares for both of them.

Lauren Shipman

Tyler Fromson

Character: Kay Banks Kay is the beautiful, young daughter of Mr. And Mrs. Banks. This daring young woman falls in love and decides to marry her sweetheart Buckley. With her daddy wrapped around her finger, Kay talks him into accepting her growing up and becoming a woman.

Character: Buckley Dunstan Buckley is Kay’s soon to be husband.

This young man is often the source of Mr. Banks distress and frustration. To Mr. Banks, Buckley is an evil and horrible influence on Kay, who is set on stealing daddy’s little girl, when truly, all Buckley wants to do is marry his true love.

ȶ¾¹ ©½¾È Ì¶È É½º IJÇÈÉ É¾Âº ɽ¶É ºÃÈÁºÎ ÅÊÉ É½º ¶Ê¹¾ºÃ¸º ¾Ã Èʸ½ ¶ ÅÄȾɾÄà and it was quite an interesting change. ìWe did this to give a new experience to the actors and for the audience ÉÄ ¼ºÉ ¶ ¹¾»»ºÇºÃÉ ÅºÇÈź¸É¾Ëº ħ ºÃÈÁºÎ ȶ¾¹ ©½¾È ¶¹º ¾É ºÈź¸¾¶ÁÁÎ ¹¾»IJ¸ÊÁÉ when staging actors and setting props.

Father of the Bride is a lighthearted and easily relatable show to people of all ages and no matter the test of time, the classic story of boy falls in love with girl will always be true.

MySpace Music John Vesley is front man for the up and coming band Secondhand Serenade, which originated on MySpace.

and heartbreak, and the orchestral and piano accompaniment in the background; listeners get the full effect of what the lyrics truly mean, lyrics such as, ìYour beauty seems so far away I would have to write a thousand songs to make you comprehend how beautiful you are.î Front man John Vesleyís alluring voice has the spotlight as emotion is carried through the microphone. This alone is enough to make a girl melt.

This album is a mixture of remedying vocals that are the antidote to anything that life throws you, and bold, yet subtle, orchestra and piano accompaniments that make the heart yearn for more. Even the story behind the bandís name is a love story. Many of the songs on the album were at one time songs that Vesley would serenade his wife with, and now that he is sharing them with the world they have become secondhand.

Many compare the band to Dashboard Confessional, but that hardly seems so, for they have a unique sound that stands for itself.

For more on Secondhand Serenade, go and check them out on MySpace or on itunes.

·{Taryn Hall}

{Jenna Nicholson} 2

3

Entertainment ·

Booking Popularity A penchant for pages remains steadfast The American culture is enormously focused on what is popular. Whether it is celebrities with dashing faces or music with rhythmic notes, societies everywhere absorb what is in and out.

Even technology items like cell phones and music players are prisoners to the masses. However, one unlikely item has continued to make an everlasting mark in culture for the past thousands of years.

This item is a book. ìStudents are more engaged in reading now than ever, proven by certain studies from majors. Theyíre reading text messages, blogs, and other written pieces. This also includes books that have been gracing stores, and spreading crazily across the nation,î library media specialist Michael Russell said.

Books did not explode into popularity over one day, but spread like a small IJǺ ·Î º¾É½ºÇ ÌÄǹ Ä» ÂÄÊɽ ÄÇ Çº¼ÊÁ¶Ç advertising that helps make books cross ·ÄÊù¶Ç¾ºÈ Á¾Àº Ƕž¹ ̾Á¹IJǺÈ

ì

Students are more engaged in reading now than ever

ì

Ħ IJù ÌÄǹ Ä» ÂÄÊɽ ÉÄ ·º ˺ÇÎ º»IJ¸¾ºÃÉ »ÄÇ ¶ÃÎÄú ¸¶Ã Ǻ¸Äºù ¶ book to someone in the highest degree.

One person shares a book, and if the receiver likes it, that person will share it with others until over time, people have begun to read more of that recommended story,î Russell said.

Popularity for literature can also spread with the help of famous hands, which helps expand the word of mouth to a national level. ìPresident Barack Obama spoke of a certain Lincoln biography, and it soon went to become a bestseller. Itís like in the 60ís when no one knew who Ian 2 Fleming was. When John F. Kennedy released a list of his favorite books, one of Flemingís books was on there. Thatís how Americans came to know James Bond,î Russell said.

However, like stars being chased by paparazzi, books can carry a curse of being popular as well, especially when it comes to critics.

4

Rock at Guitar Hero Six easy tips to help any gamer improve his rockin’ abilities The notes are streaking by. Your IJüºÇÈ ¶Çº ¼Á¾¹¾Ã¼ ÄËºÇ É½º »ÇºÉ ÀºÎÈ ®ÄÊĩǺ Äà ¶ ÇÄÁÁ ·ÊÉ Ì¶¾É ÎÄÊÇ IJüºÇÈ slip, you canít get back on track, and you fail. If this is easy, then thereís no way you can beat medium unless you have something to help you along the way.

Read Up: Twilight, Angela’s Ashes, and The Rangers Apprentice are just a few of some of the most common books among teenagers.

ìThe Twilight series, as read by many, carries many problems. While popular, it still possesses grammatical errors pointed out by critics, and sometimes, as a series, its stride for something ¾ÃɺǺÈɾü ¹ÄºÈÃĩÉ ÉºÃ¹ ÉÄ ijÄÊǾȽ ɾÁÁ the last few books,î Russell said.

Despite brawling against tough obstacles, many succeed, including many foreign authors who can gain ground and enter American culture. ìJ.K. Rowling made the Harry Potter series, and sheís British. The Rangerís Apprentice series has been getting popular, and itís by Australian author John Flanagan. However, itís easier for authors who originate in English speaking countries to gain that mark, while some beautiful literature for other nations, such as Peru author Isabella Allende, never seem to make the Timesí bestseller list,î Russell said.

Over the course of thousands of years, books have retained their mark in culture around the world. Books are still at equal with other modes of entertainment, despite how the world has modernized into an era of Hollywood and electronic gaming. Books will always stand out as long there are people to generate ideas for others to read. The course of disappearance from society altogether, however, is simply not the booksí future anytime soon.

·{Michael Holcomb} {Nicole Kelleher}

Step 1- Do the tutorials. You might think that you know everything about Guitar Hero, but the tutorials give good tips that can really help.

Step 2- Practice A LOT. First start on easy, and once you have mastered that, work your way up to medium and eventually to hard and expert. The more you play, the better you get.

Step 3- Download and buy all the

songs you are able to. That way you have a wide variety to choose from.

Step 4- Find which songs are your favorite and practice them. You will see your strengths and your weaknesses and be able to work on both.

Step 5- Once you have begun to succeed at the game, try a guitar battle.

They really help and give you good experience.

Step 6- Enjoy the game! ©½ºÎ ¸ÄÃɾÃʺ ÈÉǺ¶Â¾Ã¼ ®ÄÊÇ IJüºÇÈ glide faster and faster over the fret keys. Youíre on a roll, but wait-- your IJüºÇÈ ÈÁ¾Å ÎÄÊ ÁÄÄÀ ÉÄ ÎÄÊÇ É¾ÅÈ IJ¼ÊǺ out what to do, and beat the game. You win.

·{Taylor Dyer} {Colin Taylor}

Opinions U

A student, her mother, and her biology teacher walk into a coffee shop and begin discussing every... ...aspect of the studentís personal life. The topics range from relationships to status updates to emotional notes apologizing to friends en masse. This is all done on Facebook.

Students get to know their teachers pretty well throughout the year through daily interaction.

What students do not learn about their teachers this way can be found in a note called ì25 Things Most People Do Not Know About Me!î Students ¶Π½¶Ëº ¹¾»IJ¸ÊÁÉÎ »Ä¸ÊȾü in class when all they can think about in class is number nine on their list of 25 things you NEVER wanted to know ¶·ÄÊÉ É½ºÂ ¾Ã ɽº IJÇÈÉ ÅÁ¶¸º Students also need to watch

out for the notes or statuses they write regarding ÊÃIJþȽº¹ ȸ½ÄÄÁÌÄÇÀ ÄÇ projects.

The two people that students strive to avoid on the Internet more than their teachers would be Mom or Dad. It is bad enough when ÄúĩÈ ÂÄ IJ¼ÊÇºÈ ÄÊÉ ½ÄÌ to text, but a wall post telling one to make the bed is even worse.

Being Facebook friends with a parent is just asking for an argument over aspects of life that teenagers would rather keep private.

Not to mention the possibility of being tagged in an album of naked baby pictures.

Another annoying aspect of having unintentional family reunions on Facebook rather

than in p e r s o n is all the application requests.

Parents and teachers may feel like Facebook is a new environment for them to connect to teenagers. In spite of this argument, the problem of miscommunication between generations is clearly apparent when a parent does not understand what ëlolí means, or mistake lighthearted sarcasm for IJ¼½É¾Ã¼ ÌÄÇ¹È ¶¸º·ÄÄÀ was originally created as a haven for college students to connect with each other; not ¶ÊɽÄǾÉÎ IJ¼ÊǺÈ

THAT’S WHAT

SHE SAID

THE INBOX

jlabmag.com

dear editors,

U{Rachel Harness} U{Ariel Andrew} {Michael Bushur}

This is to the underclassmen on behalf of disappointed seniors. We are so tired of hearing other students complain about how ìcr appyî or ìbadî our school is. They complain about our teaching staff, our athletic programs, and our old facilities. What they forget is that weíve received national recognition for several years for academics, our athletic programs bring home conference and district wins and championships, and our facillities are some of the best in the district. Why are you complaining? We spend time here for eight hours on school days and many students involved in other activities are here longer. It doesnít matter if we have the most technology or buildings. Leeís Summit High School prepares students for life outside of school. If only theyíll stop complaining long enough to see it. Get involved, support your school, and have some pride, because your school is one of the best. - senior Ciara Coleman

dear editors,

A problem I see in our school is the unhealthiness of the lunches the school provides for us. While they may have made some things healthier, overall it is still very gross and makes me feel very sick after I eat. I also feel very forced to eat these lunches because the ìhealthyî food the school provides most likely would not meet any freshness standards, and certainly does not meet any taste standards amongst the students. The salads taste very old, and the vegetables do not seem fresh at all. They also lack variety. If the school is not going to let us go off campus for lunch, they should at least provide us with the option of a nutritious meal. - sophomore Andrew Batson

questions? comments? concerns?

bring your letter to room A225 and publish your own opinion in the Hi.Life.

2

5

Opinions U

Octo- Mom Media should make children priority in controversy The fourteen Suleman children will never know a normal life, at least not until they are adults.

Because of the situation that they have been placed in because of their motherís actions, they will experience discrimination, loss of opportunity, and an unfair childhood. It is very unfortunate that such innocent children must undergo these obstacles.

Having only six kids could not satisfy Nadya Suleman. She needed more. She has admitted in several interviews that she loves being a mother and only wanted children. This seems very sincere and innocent, but considering ½ºÇ IJöø¾¶Á ȾÉʶɾÄà ɽ¾È innocence shows itself as

Role Reversal Should there be a “mercy rule” in high school sports?

2

{Sami Dowd} 6

obviously did not take into consideration how her decision would affect so many other people.

There is nothing that can be done about it now.

The octuplets cannot disappear. They are here to stay. It is time to get over it.

Suleman can be criticized for months, but it will do no good. The fact that death threats have been ¶¹º ÉÄ ½ºÇ ÄÃÁΠǺijº¸ÉÈ this immaturity. Instead of dwelling in the past, it is time to think about how to help the children. The children are innocent; they have done nothing wrong.

They cannot be treated poorly for their motherís actions.

Whenever there is a case like this, the children úº¹ ÉÄ ¸Äº IJÇÈÉ ©½ºÎ need to be what matters most. It is the prerogative of human beings to help one another when in need.

Fortunately, there are many social programs that can aid Suleman in her long and hard journey through raising all fourteen

Winners are winners and losers are sore losers, but these losers end up on Good Morning America, at a Dallas Mavericks game (thanks to good ole Mark Cuban), and appearances on the Today show.

On Jan. 13, two Texas high school girlsí basketball teams, one from Dallas Academy and the other from Covenant, played against each other. The Covenant team defeated Dallas Academy with the end score being 100-0. Outrage ensued afterwards due to the attitude and behavior of the Covenant teamís coach, Micah Grimes. º Ì¶È IJǺ¹ ¶ »ºÌ ¹¶ÎÈ later. Grimes refuses to apologize while the school sent out an apology statement. Grimes stated

children. These programs will come with quite the cost to taxpayers, though.

Hopefully, Suleman is not planning on using this situation as a sick advantage to get money.

She is getting help from friends to move into a cleaner, home for the kids. Also, she is working on getting her masterís degree in counseling. All that can be done now is to wish her the best of luck, step back, and hope for the best. Not for her, but for the children that were ·ÇÄʼ½É ¾ÃÉÄ É½º IJºÇÎ IJºÁ¹ of controversy before they were even born.

U{Max Belanger} {Sami Dowd}

that he ìwill not apologize for a wide-margin victory when my girls played with honor and integrity.îDallas Academy has students with learning disabilities, and only has 20 girls. Did I mention that the team has not won a single game in four years?

These girls are getting penalized in the public eye for winning a basketball game. That is not fair for these girls to have this amazing achievement in ruins. Of course sympathy can go out to the losing team. The coachís job is to improve on how well the team is playing. The blame is on the other team when it is the coachís responsibility to implement winning strategies.

At half-time the score was 59-0. The coaches

gave the teams the choice of continuing the game or not. ¤Ã ɽº ij¾Å Ⱦ¹º ɽ¾È ¼¶Âº has brought the Covenant team a lot of criticism for their performance on the court. The team has since forfeited the game, leaving one to wonder what is going through their minds and how they feel about having a game taken away from them. Will this change their mindset on playing the game in the future?

I feel sorry for this team.

We are in the era of sports drug allegations, doping, and using human growth hormones.

These are tarnishing the reputations of athletes, teams, and the sport itself. It is surprising that when a game is won we treat the winners like they are losers.

U{Nelson Hill}

jlabmag.com

selfishness.

There is a complication.

S u l e m a n has told her interviewers that she never planned to have eight children when she had the embryos implanted (in vitro fertilization). The truth of this statement is to be determined by the public.

The single fact that only six embryos were ¾ÂÅÁ¶Ãɺ¹ ¸ÄÃIJÇÂÈ É½¾È though. Even with the in vitro fertilization, the possibility that all would have developed was very small. The percentage that they split into two more was small, but it happened.

The eighth child was even a surprise that the doctors discovered when Suleman gave birth.

Sulemanís decision was ȺÁIJȽ ¶Ã¹ ¾Ã¸ÄÃȾ¹ºÇ¶Éº regardless of the number of children she was expecting, whether it was one or eight children. She

etch-a-sketch In light of recent m e n u changes in the cafeteria, students IJù ̶ÎÈ to deal with the lack of food choices.

{Julia Duckworth}

Opinions U

What do you think about the changes in the cafeteria?

Freshman Charlie Cox

jlabmag.com

Menu changes leave students unsatisfied with lunch choices hh

Staff Editorial

the problem: The problem is that the cafeteria took away

numerous entrees from the lunch menu. Now students have less variety in main course foods to choose from at lunch. The main entrees that students can choose from include chicken sandwiches, slices of pizza, or cheeseburgers. The prices for the a la carte, plate lunches, and premier lunches have risen. Now students that want to buy food from the lunch line have to pay more for what they would want to eat, plus a drink, plus anything they want from the snack bar. the other side: The other side of the problem is that when there are less items to choose from, students could be more enticed to try a new and healthier option. Also, students do not need to walk as far because both sides have the same menu choices, which is convenient for those caught in the 23-minute rush to get food. Students that are waiting in one line do not need to worry about leaving for the other side, something that annoyed other students waiting behind them. The most positive result from the menu change is the reduced availability of unhealthy foods for students, like fried chicken, shrimp poppers, and the all-time favorite side: french fries. the solution: The solution is right in front of all the students.

There are plenty of healthier choices that can be made.

An array of yogurt and fresh fruit is available. Bringing a lunch to school will also allow students to be open to a variety of different lunch options. What he or she would like to have instead of being given a couple options to choose from. Not to mention that students will save money by bringing lunch from home. The cafeteria is always changing its menu. Just keep in mind that the students’ best interest always comes first in making changes.

Sophomore Madeline Erich

Junior Evan Croteau

Senior Janelle Zahniser

man on the street

ìI think it is good they have food on both sides.

I think itís bad they took pizzas away. Now itís hamburgers and they arenít very good. I think itís better on the same side, but it is a negative thing they took entrees away.î ìThe only thing I like about the new menu is that the same food is on both sides. It is easier to not have to worry about which side I will go to to get food.

The main problem is there is no variety in the food. I bring my lunch now.î ìNow I donít have to decide which side of the lunch room I want to go on. I donít think variety in food really matters too much to me. It will help other students and me to make healthier decisions, and it will help people save some money.î ìI do not like it because there is not enough variety; it is too much of the same thing. I started bringing lunch because I do not like the food.

It is really bland and I do not care for it. After four years, I am getting bored of the food.î

policy

The Hi.Life is an open forum to provide up to date and pertinent information compiled by high school journalists. We will be a bold and trusted publication that raises the bar of high school journalism. The Hi.Life newsmagazine is a student-led publication.

Our obligation to readers is to provide credible, reliable, and unbiased information to the student body. None of the opinions in our publication reflect the views of the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District. We strive to create a professional newsmagazine that provides accurate insights and entertainment.

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7

Sports

{Nate Day}

What a Dope!

One more athlete with one more problem on his hands

2

8

though, Phelps is an American hero. He made a mistake, he owned up to it. He did not use steroids to win the Olympics. He Ì¶È ÃÄÉ Ìº¶Ç¾Ã¼ ij¾ÅźÇÈ ¾Ã ¶ÁÁ ½¾È Ƕ¸ºÈ Michael Phelps is a guy who gave up years of his life for swimming so he could win the gold (a record amount of them) for his country. He has been shamed in front of the world. He may even have to start swimming while wearing a scarlet letter.

I think there is only one way to comeback from this, he must do a couple of things: One, he needs to become the face of an anti drug organization, and two, he needs to go to the next Olympics and win some more gold for the USA.

jlabmag.com

How many times have we heard from three months. Considering this was more Michael Phelps, ëIím sorry.í To me it is of a cool off period after the Olympics for Phelps, I think he will get over it. clear he is ashamed of what he has done. ëI engaged in behavior which was For those who do not know why Phelps regrettable and demonstrated bad is apologizing, it is because of a picture judgment. Iím 23 years old and despite of him at a party. In this picture Phelps is the successes Iíve had in the pool, I acted holding a bong to his lips. The picture was in a youthful and inappropriate way, not sold to a British Tabloid for $100,000. in a manner people have come to expect Phelps was on the University of South Carolina from me.í ‘For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and c a m p u s .

This is The owner just one the public it will not happen again.’ of the bong of many tried to sell apologies Michael Phelps has issued to his fans and the world. He also apologized it on eBay. The owner was then arrested for some reason to China as a whole. ¶Ã¹ ɽº ·Äü ½¶È ·ººÃ ¸ÄÃIJȸ¶Éº¹ He did not use performance-enhancing The fact that the bong was attempted drugs, so I am not sure why he felt the to sell on eBay is disappointing. Phelps need to apologize to his fans there and made a mistake, was criticized many not in England, or France, or some other times for it, and has apologized many part of the world. This American hero times. Now his mistakes are being sold needs to stop apologizing, we know you on the Internet? mean it, we, or at least I, forgive you. The With all the steroid talk among baseball apology to China seems more like a plea ¶Ã¹ Èź¸¾IJ¸¶ÁÁÎ ÁºÍ §Ä¹Ç¾¼ÊºÏ ̽¾¸½ to sponsors. It is like he is saying, ëPlease do you think is a worse crime, trying to still give me my money,í and it sounds cheat in your sport, or, using an illegal desperate. Speaking of sponsors, let substance at a party? On one hand us take a look at what Phelps has lost there is the guy who is cheating to look good and maybe make more money, on because of this indiscretion. ëPhelpsís behavior is not consistent the other hand there is a guy who is only with the image of Kellogg,í a Kellogg cheating himself. A Rod ruins the record books and Phelps ruins the size of his spokesperson reported.

Phelps was receiving $1,750 a month bank account.

Shame, apologizing, pleading to from the company. Many companies have chosen to forgive Phelps and accept sponsors. This is just the path taken his apologies.

After apologizing to when a celebrity or athlete gets caught Èź¸¾IJ¸¶ÁÁÎ ½¾Ã¶ ¢¶Ï¹¶ ¹º¸¾¹º¹ ÉÄ ÀººÅ doing something wrong. Maybe other Phelps on their payroll. Only Phelpsís deal steroid or drug-using athletes will learn with Kellogg has been due to the photo. from these mistakes. Maybe they will take Also because of this photo, Phelps has the path of not doing it in public or simply been suspended from swimming for not getting caught. One thing is for sure,

Stand Alone- Kelloggs is

>>

Sports

{Derek Brooks} {Karlie Swan}

New Conference...

jlabmag.com

...Same tigers, same team, same expectations.

The 2009 baseball season is about to begin, and there are going to be a lot of differences from last season. With more seniors on the team this year than in the past there will be experienced players to lead the team. ìThis season should be different than last season because we have a lot more seniors than we did last year. I think we had only three seniors last year, and we hope to have around 12 this season,î head coach Jim Mellody said.

Senior, Allan Salavitch, has been a starting catcher for four years now and is one of the seniors that will bring experience to the team. ì It is nice to have a catcher that has started for four years on varsity. I take pride in our catchers, they are like the quarterbacks of a football team.î Mellody said.

Having a four year starter will help the team this year.

Along with having more seniors on the as it is every year. Mellody hopes to win team this year, the Tigers will move up a the state championship. conference and will be playing different This season should be a good season, teams with a tougher schedule. Mellody and different from last years, for the Tigers with the change in conference, isnít worried. ì We played some of the schools that and the senior leadership that the team we will be playing this year, and we were will have this year. always competitive when we played them, so there shouldnít be any surprises in the new conference,î Mellody said.

Two teams that Mellody looks forward to playing are Liberty and Olathe East.

With the change in conference, Mellody is hoping to improve on the season they had last year. ì This year, improvement may not be measured with our wins and losses but mostly by Varsity Senior Baseball players- (Row 1) Brett Budd, Allen how far we make it in the state Salavitch, Austin Welch. (Row 2) Tyler Sawyer, Jarrett Eiskina, David Gerke, Jake Friedmeyer, Matt Norris.(Row 3) Nick Martin, championship.î Mellody said.

Tony Botts, Josh Kennedy.

The goal this year is the same

Cost to be an Athlete The average cost to be a high school athlete

$$

The spring sport athletes have one cost in common; they have to give up a lot of their time. Athletes spend a lot of time after school, and in the off-season, to improve their ability. They work hard to get better, but they all have different expenses in order to play their sport. {Sarah Kensinger} Boys Tennis Equipment: Tennis racket- $ 40-80 Tennis balls- wide range depending on the quality, and quantity, start around $4 per pack Best place to get equipment: Dickís Sporting Goods and other sporting goods stores.

Can also get at store like Wal-Mart, but not always the best.

Boys Golf Equipment: Golf clubs: vary, start around $200 Shoes: start at about $80 Golf balls: about $20 for 3 Nice clothes: vary Best place to get equipment: Dickís Sporting Goods Golf Pro Shops

Baseball Equipment: Aluminum Bats: $100-350, normally about $250 Wood Bats: $50-75 Cleats: $25-125, normally about $75 Glove: $50-100 Bag: about $25 Batting glove: about $10 Best place to get equipment: Dickís Sporting Goods and other sporting goods stores

Girls Soccer: Equipment: Cleats: $50-200 Shin guards: $10-40 Soccer balls: $20100 Best place to buy equipment; Soccer Master Dickís Sporting Goods Euro Sports magazine Club team cost: Uniforms: $50-100

Track and Field Equipment: Training shoes: varies Shoes: (spikes, thrower shoes, ect.) Starting at $60 Clothes: Under Armour shirts/pants.

Best place to get equipment: Dickís Sporting Goods and online stores.

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9

Sports

Servin’ It Up

The tennis team hopes to improve from last season.

A

new season of spring sports has begun, and with the school in a new conference many teams are unsure on how they will fair against new competition. However, this is not the only thing on the boyís tennis teamís mind.

Not only will they be competing in a new conference, but also a new assistant coach, Jamie Voelker, joins the team.∂Head Coach Luke McKenny and assistant coach Voelker feel the same way about the conference switch and feel that Blue Springs South is one of the toughest opponents. ∂McKenny and Voelker both agree that the bigger conference is always tough. ∂ì[The] level of play is intense. Itís going to be tough,î McKenny said. ∂Both coaches have goals for the season and plan to obtain them. They also hope the team has been preparing for the season by running and hitting. ∂ì[We] want it to be successful and fun and will do it with hard work, dedication, and motivation,î McKenny said. ì[We] like to have a few conference wins and will do it through a lot of hard work,î Voelker said.

3

0

Fresh Start. Ewigman and the rest of the tennis team prepare for the move up to a bigger conference.

“The big conference is always tough,” Voelker ssid.

With a new conference, a new assistant coach, and some past senior players gone Hansen and Cerra are still thinking positive about the upcoming season.

Hansen hopes that people will rise up to the occasion and get a few wins this year. Even though they are in a transition year Cerra hopes they improve from last season. ìWe are going back up into a tougher conference so it will be challenging,î Cerra said.

With all these new factors lets hope the team can pull threw and improve on last seasonís success. {Josh Zanz}

jlabmag.com

There are many returning letterman that will provide leadership: senior Andrew Cerra, senior Matt Brown, senior Aaron Hanshaw, senior Alex Carter, senior Logan Ewigman, senior Corbin Stretch, and junior Mark Hansen.

Hansen and Cerra want a lot out of this season. ìImprove as far as teamwork thatís going on between all the players on the team. Do our best and have a lot of fun, I think thatís the main idea of tennis,î Hansen said.

Cerra hopes to enjoy the season and learn some new skills, while helping out younger players.

Tennis takes a lot of skill and physical abilities but it also takes mental abilities as well. But one thing that people may be surprised by is that tennis is somewhat of a relaxed sport compared others. Ħ¨¶Î ÎÄÊÇ ¹ÄÌà ¾Ã ¶ ¼¶Âº ÄÇ ¶ 鼃 ½¶Ëº ÉÄ IJ¼ÊǺ ̽¶É am going to do to get back in this and possibly win. I think they said they are going to up the ante as far as the amount of conditioning we so this year,î Hansen said. ºÇǶ ¶¼ÇººÈ ̾ɽ ¶ÃȺà ¶È »¶Ç ¶È ɽº IJÉúÈÈ ¶Èź¸É ìI drive to get better and to play a lot. It requires a lot of IJÉúÈÈ ¶Ã¹ ¶¸É¾Ë¾ÉÎ ¨Ä ¾ÉÈ ÃÄÉ ¸ÄÂÅÁºÉºÁΠǺÁ¶Íº¹ ħ ºÇǶ said.

Boom, Roasted

Sports

{Drew Barnhart}

jlabmag.com

Steroids have ruined baseball; things have to change.

Baseball--Americaís past time. The best game on the planet, which is now being ruined by steroids and other illegal performance enhancing drugs. Steroids and Human Growth Hormone (HGH) have plunged the game into the ëSteroids Eraí, an era where fans cannot trust any stats or players. ëBaseballis 90% physical, the other half is mental.í ~ Yogi Berra. This was certainly true in Yogiís day but it is not true in todayís game, a more accurate quote would be ëbaseball is 90% physical; the other half is performance enhancement drugs.í Steroids and Human Growth Hormone (HGH) have destroyed a once beautiful game. A game where a player ¸ÄÊÁ¹ žɸ½ ÅÁ¶Î ɽº ÄÊÉIJºÁ¹ ÅÁ¶Î ɽº ¾ÃIJºÁ¹ ¶Ã¹ ½¾É homeruns (Babe Ruth). A game where kids looked up to heroes on baseball cards. Now the game is a joke compared to what it used to be; now it is a game full of cheaters. Now I know that not every player cheats, only a small handful actually do, but the ones who do cheat are shattering records once held by clean players. ©½º ÉÄÅ IJ˺ ¼Çº¶ÉºÈÉ ½ÄºÇÊà ½¾ÉɺÇÈ Ì¾É½ÄÊÉ ¶Ã ¶ÈɺǾÈÀ next to their name are Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Ken Griffey Jr., and Frank Robinson. Yes, I know I left out Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa, but thatís because they probably both took steroids, though neither will admit it.

Letís look at some of the games best players who do have an asterisk next to their name, starting with Mr. Sosa. Slamminí Sammy Sosa (as he was once called for his power hitting) should be called that for not denying slamming steroids into himself. Sosa lit up the record books from 1998-2001, crushing an astounding 244 homeruns during that span. In 2003 Sosa was called to testify in front of a grand jury about steroids use, he claimed he did not know enough English to deny the fact, he had played in America for over ten years

Fast Lane

{Haley Mershon}

at that point. He cheated. Boom, roasted.

Barry Bonds is the homerun king for now. Bonds began his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, having a nice career as a contact hitter with nice defense ability. Then Bonds moved to San Francisco, where it appeared he had eaten his old self as his body suddenly got much bigger. Bondsís career picked up as a power hitter. In 2001, Bonds set the single season homerun record. In 2007, Bonds broke the all time homerun record breaking, Hank Aarons mark of 756. Bonds cheated. He will go to jail for lying about steroids. Justice will be served. Boom, roasted.

Now Alex Rodriguez is involved in all this. Rodriguez was my favorite player for almost eight years. A-Rod cheated. I am going to take a leaf out of Joe Torresís book and call him A-Fraud. A-Fraud admitted to using steroids while playing for the Texas Rangers from 2001-2003. He claimed he did, not think he was doing any thing wrong at the time; he did however send his cousin on covert missions to the Dominican Republic to get him steroids and sneak back and inject him without telling anyone. If he was not doing anything wrong, why act in such secrecy? A-Fraud will get the worst of all the fans no matter where he goes because he was supposed to be the savior of baseball through the ësteroidseraí. He was supposed to rescue the homerun record from Bonds grasp and return it to a clean man. Now I admit, A-Fraud claims to be clean now, but I do not agree. His numbers picked up AFTER he said he used the steroids, I am no expert but I think there is supposed to be a drop off after you stop cheating. Boom, roasted.

Hopefully, after all this mess is gone, baseball will return to its old days instead of the joke it is now.

Swimmer determined to make state.

Resilience. Strength. Skill. Determination. These are all words that come to mind when the name of sophomore Rachel Reynolds is heard.

Waking up at 4:30 in the morning to go to competitive swim practice from 5:15 to 6:45 a.m., trekking to school, then high school swim practice from 3 to 5 p.m. This sounds like an impossible schedule for a student to manage, but this is life during swim season for Rachel Reynolds. ìWhen I was younger, my mom taught a water class, so I was always at the pool. I went through all the levels and then was told I should join a swim team,î Reynolds said.

Reynolds enjoys swimming because of all the people she has met. However, with the joy of making new friends comes challenges she has had to overcome as well. ìI have struggled with not liking swimming, becoming frustrated with not improving my times as much as I want, and having people get mad at me when I am leading the lane and pass them,î Reynolds said.

Instead of quitting when she ran into these challenges, Reynolds kept pushing on and did not give up. ìWhen I come across a challenge, it makes me work harder because at the end of the season when you make state itís all

{Karlie Swan}

worth it,î Reynolds said. ìDuring the season, I try to get all my homework done during school. I use any free time I get in classes to work on IJþȽ¾Ã¼ ºËºÇÎɽ¾Ã¼ ħ §ºÎÃÄÁ¹È said.

As for her future plans, Reynolds does not plan on swimming in college. Yet, she still ̶ÃÉÈ ÉÄ Â¶Àº ÂÄǺ ºËºÃÉÈ ¾Ã Èɶɺ ¶Ã¹ ¶Àº IJöÁÈ ¾Ã Èɶɺ ¶É least one year before she graduates. ìRachel works very hard to get where she is; she doesnít cut 1 corners. Itís hard to get her to slow down sometimes because she doesnít know slow. Some sets are meant to be done slow and others fast; I have to tell her to slow down and even then sheís not slow,î head swimming coach Bruce Holder said.

Swimming is not just merely a sport for Reynolds; itís a lifestyle. ìSwimming means a lot to me; it has been a part of my life for so long. Sometimes I want to quit, but I canít imagine life without it,î Reynolds said.

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Sports

This is MADNESS

{Tyler Sherman}

{Brett Stoddard}

Division one teams travel the country in search for National Championship glory -Portland, Oregon -Arena: Rose Garden -First and Second Rounds -Thurs. and Sat., March 19 & 21 -Host: University of Oregon -Possible: Xavier vs. Miami (FL)

UCLA vs. Penn State

-Minneapolis, Minnesota -Arena: HHH Metrodome -First and Second Rounds -Fri. and Sun., March 20 & 22 -Host: University of Minnesota -Possible: Missouri vs. Weber St.

Michigan St. vs. Cornell

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-Boise, Idaho -Arena: Taco Bell Arena -First and Second Rounds -Fri. and Sun., March 20 & 22 -Host: Boise State University -Possible: Kansas vs. Jacksonville

Illinois vs. Creighton -Glendale, Arizona -Arena: University of Pheonix Stadium -West Regional -Thurs. and Sat., March 26 & 28 -Host: Arizona State University

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Kansas Jayhawks 2008 National Champions Final opponent: Memphis Tigers Score: 75-68 OT Star Player: Mario Chalmers Season Record: 37-3 2

-Kansas City, Missouri -Arena: Sprint Center -First and Second Rounds -Thurs. and Sat., March 19 & 21 -Host: Big 12 Conference -Possible: Oklahoma vs. Long Beach

Texas vs. Kentucky

Florida Gators 2006-2007 National Champions Final opponent: ‘06-UCLA, ‘07- Ohio State Score: ‘06: 73-57, ‘07: 84-75 Star Player: ‘06-Joakim Noah, ‘07- Corey Brewer Season Record: ‘06: 33-6, ‘07: 35-5

Sports

W

¾É½ ÃÄ ¸Áº¶Ç »¶ËÄǾɺ ¾Ã Ⱦ¼½É ¼Ä¾Ã¼ ¾ÃÉÄ É½º IJöÁ ̺ºÀÈ Ä» ɽº £ Division-I Menís basketball season, building this yearís March ¢¶¹ÃºÈÈ ·Ç¶¸ÀºÉÈ ÁÄÄÀÈ ÉÄ ·º ˺ÇÎ ¹¾»IJ¸ÊÁÉ ¶Ë¾Ã¼ Ⱥ˺à ¹¾»»ºÇºÃÉ changes at the number one spot in the AP rankings, it could be anyones year to reach Final Four glory. A repeat of last yearís rare occurrence of all four number one seeds reaching the Final Four looks to be slim to none. This nation wide adventure looks to be a wild ride with lots of upsets and triumphs.

-Indianapolis, Indiana -Arena: Lucas Oil Stadium -Midwest Regional -Fri. and Sun., March 27 & 29 -Host: Butler University

-Detroit Michigan -Arena: Ford Field -Final Four and National Championship -Sat. and Mon., April 4 & 6 -Host: University of Detroit-Mercy

-Dayton, Ohio -Arena: UD Arena -Opening, First, and Second Rounds -Tues., Fri., Sun., March 17, 20, & 22 -Host: University of Dayton -Possible: Louisville vs. Binghampton

Pittsburgh vs. Play in Game

jlabmag.com

-Boston, Massachusetts -Arena: TD Banknorth Garden -East Regional -Thurs. and Sat., march 26 & 28 -Host: Boston College -Philadelphia, Pennsylvania -Arena: Wachovia Center -First and Second Rounds -Thurs. and Sat., March 19 & 21 -Host: Saint Joseph’s University -Possible: Villanova vs. Akron Connecticut vs. Morgan St.

-Greensboro, North Carolina -Arena: Greensboro Coliseum -First and Second Rounds -Thurs. and Sat., March 19 & 21 -Host: Atlantic Coast Conference -Possible: North Carolina vs. Radford

Duke vs. Western Kentucky

-Memphis, Tennessee -Arena: FedEx Forum -South Regional -Fri. and Sat., March 27 & 29 -Host: University of Memphis

North Carolina Tarheels 2005 National Champions Final opponent: Illinois Fighting Illini Score: 75-70 Star Player: Sean May Season Record: 33-4

-Miami, Florida -Arena: American Airlines Arena -First and Second Rounds -Fri. and Sun., March 20 & 22 -Host: Florida International University -Possible: Purdue vs. Davidson

Clemson vs. VCU

Connecticut Huskies

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2004 National Champions Final opponent: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Score: 82-73 Star Player: Emeka Okafor Season Record: 33-6 3

Sports

Class or Trash >>

S

ports minded men look forward to this time of the year for three main reasons: March Madness, Spring Training, and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. Planting oneís self in front of a TV for hours upon hours, taking in every minute of the heart breaking upsets and the odds defying Cinderella stories, may be a slight annoyance to moms, girlfriends, and spouses, but are the clad clothed models adorning the pages of the swim suit edition the last straw?

A group of viewers believe Sports

Girls and guys weigh in on the popular Swimsuit Edition

ÁÁÊÈÉǶɺ¹ }¨ ~ ½¶È IJöÁÁÎ ·º¼Êà ÉÄ cross the line. Mandi Bierly, a writer for EW.com, made numerous sarcastic comments in a review of the issue such as ìI love the ëI went to the market and ·Äʼ½É ÂÎ ijÄ̺ÇÈ ¶Ã¹ »ÇºÈ½ ÅÇĹʸº while wearing a bikini and heelsî, ìOhmygod, a one piece!î and ìAnd another one! They really are a let down after all that earlier skin, I must admit.î SI attempts to publish a classy and respectable magazine every winter, but with each issue swimsuits seem to shrink if not disappear completely.

Senior Skyler Hupp pointed to photos in the magazine that could pose as inappropriate material. Overall, she felt SI puts together a classy production but she admitted that the suggestive poses where the models did not appear to be fully covered by a bathing suit did bother her. However, are women the only ones who share this view, or are the male viewers becoming more conscious of what should or should not adorn the pages?

Junior McKinnley Duke admits that he is a fan of the magazine but also feels

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{Tony Botts}

{Taylor Rice} 4

jlabmag.com

there is controversial content. ìI think the body painting could be over the edge,î Duke said .

This may be just one of many reasons why his mom does not approve of the magazine and tries to get to the mailbox before Duke has the ¸½¶Ã¸º ÉÄ ij¾Å ɽÇÄʼ½ ɽº ¸ÄÁÄÇ»ÊÁ Ŷ¼ºÈ IJÁÁº¹ ̾ɽ ɽº ·º¶Êɾ»ÊÁ ÂĹºÁÈ and the occasional truck or alcoholic advertisement. However, mom is not the only one who does not to like to see the magazine in his hands. ìThe girl Iím dating said she got jealous because of how prett y the girls are and I was looking at them,î Duke admitted. ¬½¾Áº ɽºÇº ¶Çº ¼ÇÄÊÅÈ Ä» źÄÅÁº Ì½Ä IJù ɽº ¶ɺǾ¶Á Ä»»ºÃȾ˺ senior Brooke Powell and math teacher Teresa Chapman view the magazine overall as an un-offensive publication. Ħ ¹ÄÃĩÉ IJù ¾É Ä»»ºÃȾ˺ » ɽ¶ÉĩÈ Ì½¶É ¼¾ÇÁÈ Ì¶ÃÉ ÉÄ ¹Ä ɽ¶ÉĩÈ É½º¾Ç body. Its not like they donít know people are looking,î Powell s aid.

Chapman, a recent mom and with another on itís way, sheds a similar, but slightly different view. ìI donít think its offensive, but I donít feel it falls along the sa me lines of sports. I think itís the same lines as having a Victoriaís Secret catalogue,î Chapman said.

To girls cross country coach and boys tennis coach Luke McKenney, the material is not what offends him, but the issue of how easily available this magazine is to young eyes. He feels the overall debate is that people sign up for SI to read about the sports, but this particular issue has little or nothing to do with sports. ìItís designed to be a tasteful process but theyíre always te etering on the edge of classy and risquÈ,î McKenney said.

For senior Drew Coffman, the magazine is a classy collection of photos of women in their swimsuits. However, Coffman feels that young women should not be threatend or feel self-concious of themselves because of how the models in the issue look. ìIt might because they feel intimidated by the beautiful wom en, but they shouldnt because each girl is beautiful the way she is,î Coffm an said. ¬½¾Áº ɽº ¸ÄÃɺÃÉ ¾Ã ¨ ĩÈ È̾ÂÈÊ¾É º¹¾É¾Äà ¶Π̶ÁÀ ¶ IJú Á¾Ãº ·ºÉ̺ºÃ classy or trashy, it will always be up to the reader to decide.

Sports

S

The Fundamentals {my sports ramblings}

{Meighan Walsh}

Signing Day

jlabmag.com

S

{Aaron Hanshaw}

You think training campís hard? Try boot camp.

Thatís what three former athletes are doing.

Itís signing day for seniors LaRon Harley, Casey Cole, and Gene Ross. As they put pen to paper, they are slowly signing away the next several years of their lives. They will spill blood, sweat, and tears in the following months, training to be part of a team.

But at this signing day, the seniors arenít picking a school to attend and putting on a hat. There are no cameras to pose for, and there is no fanfare surrounding this event. Thatís because LaRon, Casey, and Gene are not signing up to be college athletes. They are joining the Marines.

But make no mistake about it; they know exactly what theyíre doing. They know theyíre risking their lives. They ÀÃÄÌ É½¶É Ì¶Ç ¾È ÃÄ ¼¶Âº ¶Ã¹ ɽ¶É ɽº¾Ç ÅÁ¶Î¾Ã¼ IJºÁ¹ ¹ÄºÈÃĩÉ have goalposts at each end. They know that they may lose their lives in defense of the red, white, and blue.

And itís not like they had no other options. They could have gone to college. LaRon, an all-conference sprinter, could have run track at a number of places. So, why exactly would he choose to put his life on the line? Itís simple. ìI decided to [join the Marines] because I realized that going to college to be an athlete wouldnít have been good for me,î Harley said.

For LaRon, the Marines presented the opportunity to improve his physique and become a better man. He knows that boot camp is nothing like the summer football practices he went through eight months ago, however. He knows that all ɽº ·ºÃºIJÉÈ ¸Äº ̾ɽ ¶ ½¾¼½ ÅǾ¸º ɶ¼ ìThe Marines boot camp is the hardest boot camp in the world,î LaRon said wide-eyed. ìThe intensity is so much harder than two-a-days. You canít even compare ëem. Itís so much harder, but itís so much more rewarding.î The reason Iím concerned is that people havenít taken notice. Here are three former high-school football players ready to take a bullet for their country, and no one bats an eye.

But if a senior were on his way to a college football powerhouse, he would get a signing-day ceremony and his picture in the local paper.

That seems backwards to me. A big-time football player is looked up to because of his talent and athletic ability. On the other hand, a Marine is made from hard work and bravery.

Theyíre all guts, no glory; but maybe itís about time we give them some.

And Iím not minimizing the abilities of college athletes or looking down on their route. They put in hours of hard work, too. They have the right to put their John Hancock on a letter of intent and get a free or discounted education.

Thereís absolutely nothing wrong with that. But there is

something wrong with treating our athletes like gods while we treat the future protectors of our freedom like bondservants.

I realize that not every 18-year-old kid should be signing up to join the military. Itís not for everybody, and Iím not saying that everyone should enlist. But shouldnít we at least acknowledge the brave young men that do?

Not that LaRon cares. He understands why people clamor after athletes; and to him, it doesnít matter that they get more attention. Heís proud of his path. ìRespectwise, the military is on a completely different level [sic],î he told me. ìIn war time, if a college athlete and a Marine are walking down the street, whose hand are you going to shake? Who are you going to say thanks to?î ìPeople might ask the athlete for his autograph, but theyíre going to shake the Marineís hand and say, ëThank you.íî So when LaRon goes to boot camp, along with Gene and Casey, heís not going to look back on what he could have had. Heís not going to wish he were going through conditioning instead of hell on earth.

He doesnít care that you donít care. He doesnít need the ij¶È½·ÊÁ·È ɺÂÅÄǶÇÎ »¶Âº ¶Ã¹ ¶ÅÅÇÄ˶Á ìYou can have your hats and take your pictures; but without us [the military], you wouldnít have any of that,î LaRon says.

Then he backpedals because he doesnít mean to sound too harsh. ìI mean, what [athletes] do is great, but the Marines are just different.î Not a bad different, either. So, why exactly is it that we treat their choice that way? »ÉºÇ ĩ IJþȽº¹ ¶ÈÀ¾Ã¼ ÆʺÈɾÄÃÈ ¡¶§Äà Ⱦ¼ÃÈ ½¾È öº on my notepad and puts a little something next to his signature.

5 Heís proud to be a Marine, despite those who see it as a second option.

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Photo Essay

{Photos by Sami Dowd Design by Taylor Rice }

NHS Blood Drive

Students and teachers give back in Community Blood Drive

jlabmag.com

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1) 206 students and teachers helped save lives by participating in the annual blood drive in the A gym Fri. Feb. 27.

2) Senior Kyle Gerke practices a squeezing exercise to keep his blood flowing during the process.

3) Junior Lauren Alley waits patiently while her blood is being drawn.

4) Nearly unconcious junior Cassie Sigman reclines with a compress. It took her nearly 3 hours to recover from the loss of blood.

5) Senior Steve Vaca watches as the nurse prepares to insert the needle into his arm.

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