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HI.LIFE
MAY 2011 : ISSUE 8 : JLABMAG.COM : $1.00
Problems of America p.10
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Gotta Get Some.
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STUDIO ART THEATRE
PHILOSOPHY
ELECTRICAL COMPUTING ENGINEERING
MUSIC COMPOSITION
COMPUTER SCIENCE GEOLOGY
MUSIC PERFORMANCE
A UNIVERSE OF KNOWLEDGE IN A CITY OF OPPORTUNITY.
DECIDING
HISTORY
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
SOCIOLOGY
MUSIC EDUCATION
UMKC has hundreds of ways to get a life. Find yours at
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GET A LI FE
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MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS
CONTENTS:
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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HI.LIFE : THE STUDENT MAGAZINE OF LEE’S SUMMIT HIGH SCHOOL MAY : VOL. 92 : NO. 7 : JLABMAG.COM
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Page 6| Road Trip
Page 9|Hollywood’s Ink
Driving through the states can be a trip unlike any other. Many adventures can be found just by looking out of the car onto the road ahead. Exploring the states can show many unforseen treasures.
New in town, this hip tattoo shop works to bring their finest work to their customers. With over 25 years of experience, Thad and Holly are spreading tattoos like wild-fire.
Page 12|Making Movies
Page18| Long Boarding
Makin Movies is a band that started off locally. They are starting to gain a lot of attention and are working hard to advance in the music industry.
A new sport is making it’s debut and sweeping through the city. More and more people are transitioning from skate boarding to long boarding.
CENTER SPREAD
Page 10 | American Issues Events across the globe have clogged American news. Natural disasters and country rebellions litter the headlines and leave little room for problems at home. The problems at home are just as real as the ones aboroad. It is time for Americans to focus on what is going on withing our own streets.
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LETTER
LETTER FROM THE EDITORS
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Stepping Up
Mikayla Frommer
Every school year the seniors take their last steps through the high school as students. Those seniors are leaving behind classes, teachers, friends and many lectures. The seniors are also leaving big shoes to fill and someone has to step into them. So, who will step into those big shoes? Who will be our new quarterback or head cheer leader? Who will be in charge of the clubs now? There are many positions that are going to need to be filled, one of which is being the Editor-in Chief of the Hi-Life. Julia Duckworth, Abigail Jones, and Max Belanger have improved the publications that our high school prints for the student body and have been great mentors for the underclassmen. With their help I and many other staff members have gained a lot of knowledge and support. They are not all the seniors that have helped the underclassmen though, there are people like Rebecca Waddle, Nate Day, Nick Cappo, and Brittany Webster who have helped our staff grow as a whole and next year is going to be a daunting task without them. Even though there is a lot of work that needs to be done, I feel confident that the publication is getting passed down into good hands. My name is Mikayla Frommer and I have been with the school’s journlism program since my freshman year in highschool. I have been to many workshops and camps and have a lot of ideas in store for the publication. I want my peers to never miss buying an issue that comes out. The 2011-2012 school year holds in store a publication that is focused completely around the student body, the way it should be. My goal is to get more of our school members mentioned in each issue. Every person has a story to tell and it is a journalist’s job to get those stories out to the public. I promise that the Hi-Life will cover what the student body is interested in and will provide pertinent information. All that I ask from our readers is that you give us your feedback and let us know what you want to see in the publications. I am excited for next school year, let’s make it the best year that our highschool has ever seen.
PEOPLE who make it happen
MANAGING EDITOR : Mikayla Frommer PHOTO EDITOR : Zac Harris NEWS EDITOR : Elaine Fouchia FEATURES EDITOR : Kevin Adams, Tyler Robertson & Paige Seymour ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS: Mary Rocarro & Haley Gillilan FASHION EDITOR : Tori Carlile OPINION EDITOR : Jacob Valentine & Tre Harvey SPORTS EDITORS : Nick Rellihan & Timmy Snook ONLINE EDITORS : Kevin Adams ADVERTISING MANAGERS : Summer Richards & Sierra Lewis PAGE DESIGNER : Mikayla Frommer & Kevin Adams COPY EDITOR : Mikayla Frommer ADVISOR : Marc Russell 4
HI.LIFE 2011
WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS: Jacob DePeralta, Jordan Julian, Nick Rellihan, Mary Roccaro, Najee Sears, Haley Gillilan, Kim Tabe, Jacob Valentine, Tyler Wilmore, Aaron Wood, Derek Brooks, Ashley Burrison, MaRyah Cooper, Victoria Fangrow, Ashley Hagan, Michelle Hurley, Shelby McNealy, Hayley Mershon, Jennifer Rhoades, Stephanie Rowden, Roman Kohut, Paige Seymour, Audrey Stetzler, Miranda Vaughn, Jesse Butler, Tori Carlile, Elaine Fouchia, Jonah Graves, Tre Harvey, Wendy Hayworth, Benjamin Nazworthy, Morgan Pena, Marissa Raukar, Tyler Robertson, Timmy Snook, Ronnie Thomas, Zac Harris & John Wood
NEWS
Police Dogs
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All OF THE DUTIES THAT A POLICE DOG HANDLES AND THE LIVES THEY LEAD. The Lee’s Summit Police Department currently has two different dogs for the K-9 unit, Griff and Jax. Griff is a two year old German Shepherd. He is trained in searches, drug investigation and handler protection. Griff is one of the dogs that comes to the schools within Lee’s Summit and do drug searches for the lockers and cars. The dogs training enables them to be able to preform all the duties that make officers jobs safer and easier. The dogs are trained in Kingsville, and usually work for five to seven years depending on how healthy they are. When the dogs are finished and have retired, they go on living a normal dog life with the officers’ family. The dogs have to have specialized cars with cages and temperature control in them so that they are comfortable. “It lets me monitor the temperature inside,” Grubb, Griff’s partner stated, “If it ever gets too hot, the AC will turn on and the windows will roll down. Or if something electrical fails, the siren will turn on and the doors will pop open so Griff can get out., The K-9 dogs work seven p.m. to three a.m., and when they are finished for the night they get to go home with one of the officers to their family and are just regular dogs for the time being. The officers and their K-9 dogs usually switch off shifts.
“7 to 3 is the busiest time for us,” Grubb said. “We cover the entire Lee’s Summit area, so whenever an officer might need us, we help out. Or, if we know there are problem areas – drug houses or helping with party patrols – we’ll do that as well,” Some of the things that Griff is trained to do is tracking, open area and building searches, handler protection and drug odor detection. Griff and Jax go to schools and do demonstrations about drug searches every once in a while when asked to demonstrate. The dogs main job is to do what the police officer could do in a shorter time, PAY ATTENTION- Police dogs are always on gaurd and to make it easier and have to pay close attention to all of their surroundings in faster and to cover more order to protect the people. area. by Cassiti Williams photos from Associated Press
Season Pass Prices Season prices can be worth it when boredom strikes There are several ways to beat the heat this summer. There are some occasions, however, when the heat needs to be beaten more than once. Here are some season pass prices that are available this summer. Worlds of Fun A Gold Season Pass includes unlimited access to Worlds of Fun as well as Oceans of Fun. If a season pass was purchased last year, simply go online and renew it for the 2011 season. New passes cost $118.22. The shuttlecocks aren’t the only attration at the Nelson- Atkins Museum of Art. The gallery boasts a large collection of antiquities as well.
Oceans of Fun -
A Regular Season pass includes unlimited access to the water park. The Regular Season passes are $75.23. Schlitterbahn This water park has a spring discount that continues until May 31. If General Admission Season Passes are purchased before then, the cost of purchase is $119.99. Starlight Summer season includes King and I, Xanadu, Mamma Mia, Guys and Dolls, Cinderella, and 9 to 5. A six show season ticket pass ranges in the ball park of $54
to$342 and a five show season ticket pass ranges in $45 to $170. Summit Waves Lee’s Summit resisdents get a discounted season pass of $75. The regular rate is $90. Nelson Atkins Museum- Admission is free for all visitors! Some special exphibitions may have extra charge, including Monet’s Water Lilies, but most are able to be viewed with no charge. by. Haley Gillilan photo from Associated Press
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.All Across The USA FEATURES
1) There are always attractions that catch the attention, especially when driving through Grand Island, Nebraska to see a sight that just leads to the city like that of the Witch’s Bridge. “ When on a trip stopping to see things like big sights in the city would be one thing I would do. It would be horrible to not stop the whole time,” Thomas said.
2) Going to places with higher attraction rates can help get the experience and thrill of wide open areas such as the Grand Canyon in Arizona, a big enough attraction to bring many tourists. “ When picking out the car to take, I would take my Cadillac because it holds more passengers,” Thomas said.
Twisting and turning throughout roads everywhere is a dream of many travelers. A drive through each state could give you many hidden sites.
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3) While riding across these multiple attractions the natural beauty of the Cool Springs Galleria in Tennessee would be just right for a road trip stop after seeing Arizona. “ If I did stop for a night after driving I would go shopping while staying at a friends house so that it would be less expensive,” Thomas said.
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4) Out of 25 tourist destinations, you may find that seven of those are amusement parks such as Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in Florida. Not to mention the many other attractions in Florida. “ Once there I would go to beaches, Disney World, and out to see some alligators,” Thomas said.
by Audry Stetzler photo by Victoria Fangrow
Travels of a Lifetime ALL OF THE PLACES TO GO
So many beautiful places to visit, so little time to visit them. A tour of the world with five little places to visit. Up first on the list is the amazon rainforest. Here anyone can take a tour of the beautiful landscape and the species that live there. This is the largest rain forest in the world, so the beauty is Amazing. Next is the Mamanuca islands that are located in Fiji. These are a set of 20 islands that are in the middle of the ocean. Most of these islands vary in size. Some can be explored in a few days, and some in a few minutes. The Mamanuca islands are covered in beautiful lilly snow that corresponds with the light turquoise water and the white beach sand. The Taj Mahal in India is an architectural beauty. This mausoleum was built by an emperor, in memory of his favorite wife that died. It suddenly became very popular and a major tourist attraction. This took thousands of men to build it and over 20 years to do so. Old Peak, or more commonly known as Machu Picchu, is a city in which the Incan people built and transformed. It once was just high land on a mountain, until they rebuilt it into a city of world wonder. Back when the Incan’s built this, it was considered to be a sacred place. Machu Picchu is in Peru and is such a perplexing, yet beautiful city made of stone. A fountain view that will shock anyone would be the Iguazu Waterfalls on the border of Argentina and Brazil. The Argentina side allows tourists to walk around the waterfall, and to explore the national park that is linked with it. A marvelous view of this site goes along with the fun of swimming and rock climbing. With all of these beautiful sites to see around the world, people will want to see the all, but few will be able to. there are so many breath taking places in the world, it is hard to know which ones to go by Ashley Hagan see. 6
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Profile: RODEO QUEEN ANNA EVERSON
FEATURES
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the rodeos and lead the way for it. I carry the American flag during the grand entry while the national anthen is being sang. Becoming Rodeo Queen was not an easy task. I had to give a two minute speech, perform horseman ship pattern which is like a horse show, modeling, an impromptu speech, hold a personal interview, and be in photogenics. I was also judged on rodeo knowledge and appearance. Q: Had you ever been rodeo royalty before becoming the Rodeo Queen? *In 2008 I was crowned as the Mo-Kan Youth Rodeo Association Princess. This was all because I was the 2008- 2009 champion pole bender in Mo-Kan. Also, I am a two time qualifier and competitor National Wrangler Junior High Finals Rodeo in Gallup, New Mexico. In order to qualify, I had to be in the top four in my state on a point basis. After that, I went to the National High School Finals Rodeo in July to represent Missouri in the queen contest which was all held in Gillette, Wyoming. Q: How does rodeo impact your life? *My parents own Sunset Trails Horse Stable right here in Lee’s Summit. Our family has owned it for a good nine years now. We offer riding lessons for kids ages four and up along with private lessons, group lessons, and all day summer camps once school is out. My job is here at our own barn. I teach horseback riding lessons to first time riders who are typically children. Q: Why do you think everyone should give rodeo a try? * I would recommend that everyone give rodeo a shot. It is something completely different and unique that a lot of people miss out on. It’s fun to ride, compete, and train. Also, it is a great way to meet several new people. I have gained many new friends from being involved in rodeo. In the wild world of rodeo, Anna Everson has proven herself a force to be reckoned with .
RODEO QUEEN ANNA EVERSON RIDES HER WAY TO VICTORY The typical high school teen is quite active in extracurricular athletics. This can range anywhere from soccer to football and from swimming to track. Sophomore Anna Everson on the other hand, participates in a much more involved and quite possibly a more dangerous sport called rodeo. Q: How old were you when you started on rodeo? *I have had horses my whole life and started riding them when I was about six and began rodeo when I was seven. I do not think I was ever afraid of riding. Q: What events do you compete in when you go to a rodeo? I compete in barrel racing in Missouri High School Rodeo Association. I used to compete in pole bending, break away roping, and goat tying. Pole roping is when you and your horse must weave in and out of standing poles as fast as you can. You have to go down and back. Break away tying is when you must rope a calf that is set to run. Barrel racing is the event in which you and your horse have to speed around barrels as quick as possibel. Barrel racing is the event I chose to stick with and practice at the most. The horse I compete with is probably my favorite horse. His name is Cash and he is a 16 year old Quarterhorse. He is a dun which is the color of the horse. Q: What honors have you gained from competing in rodeos? *I am the 2010- 2011 Missouri High School Rodeo Queen. I coordinate the grand entries at
by Tyler Robertson
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FEATURES
Security Cameras THE NEW CAMERAS HAVE IMPROVED THE SECURITY AT THE SCHOOL Most students have probably noticed that around the high school a series of new and improved security cameras have been installed. Last year, the brand new system has already received an enormous amount of attention from several of the students and staff while still in the installation process. With the cameras having been up for a year now, the effects are already beginning to be noticed by all who walk under their watchful gaze. “The cameras were put in for security purposes, and also for vandalism,” principal John Faulkenberry said. Some students believe that several of these cameras are not being put to any actual use and are simply a clear waste of our school’s limited money supply. However, that is not proving to be the case for more than one reason. Due to the strategic placement and positioning of the cameras around the school, the best possible angles on pictures have been attained in order to improve the school’s overall citizenship. Not to mention that they also help administrators in keeping the students more honest of wrongdoings that partake on school grounds. “The new cameras have helped out in a few instances,” Faulkenberry said. “Our central office actually took care of the cameras’ costs, so the money did not actually come out of the school’s budget,” Dr. Faulkenberry said. It just so happens that this school is not the only one that was
fortunate enough to have security cameras, integrated into their school’s security systems. “The other two high schools I know have them.” Faulkenberry said. “Some of the middle schools may have them as well, and maybe even all the elementary schools,” Faulkenberry said. With the installation of these cameras, they have already proven to be a positive addition to the school and can even make the reduce the occurrences of even the most simplistic safety and common vandalism problems that are routine events take take place throughout a school’s normal day. “The kids that attend go to school here have not had a lot of problems with vandalism and I think it’s because they appreciate everything that they have been given here at Lee’s Summit High School,” Faulkenberry said. Contrary to what some other students may currently think, the addition of the new cameras to our school’s security system has proven to be an extremely beneficial decision and has the capability to produce nothing other than good changes to the learning environment. by Shelby McNeally photo by Elaine Fouchia
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Fears vs. Privilages of Senior Year DURING SENIOR YEAR MANY STUDENTS REALIZE THAT IT IS NOT ALL IT IS CRACKED UP TO BE by Tyler Wilmore
May 12th is the day that juniors become seniors. It is also the day that many of them realize that with several of the perks associated with senior year are also accompanied by several negatives that make senior year less sweet.
Privileges:
1. Graduating in May 2. Sense of Maturity 3. Getting ready for College 4. Last year in high school 5. Beginning your Future
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Fears:
1. Harder coursework 2. Having to live on your own 3. Being independent 4. Taking the ACT 5. Planning for college
BY THE NUMBERS What would a world without music be like? Well, iTunes would go out of business and Justin Beiber would be as popular as any other teenager. Since music does exist though, people do not have to worry about the what ifs, but everyone needs to count up the gifts and wonders that music has brought into this world.
64,989 year when the first B.C. The instrument was made.
107
The number of albums that were sold more than 10 million times.
524
The average number of songs a radio station plays per day.
26.04%
Percent of people ages 5-17 that start learning how to play an instrument in the US.
Hollywood Ink
FEATURES
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LEE’S SUMMIT’S NEW TATTOO PARLOR.
The smell of freshly opened ink, the sound of fast moving needles, and the anticipation of every customer is brewing . Lee’s Summit just recently opening their doors, our town welcomes in a new artist and his studio. “Business is truly a blessing; Lee’s Summit is treating us all with respect. We’ve been open now for a little over two weeks, and I’ve barely gotten a chance to get out of my chair so we’ve been really busy and really steady,” Thad Gumpenberger, owner and tattoo artist at Hollywood’s House of Ink, said. Opening their doors on April 8, 2011, the Hollywood’s House of Ink began taking in customers. Surprisingly enough, Lee’s Summit has welcomed Hollywood’s House with open arms. With most tattoo parlors, one might worry about blood born disease and other types of pathogens. However, with Hollywood’s House’s hospital sterilization, one can kiss that worry good bye. “The shop is completely and totally sterile. From top to bottom it’s sterilized everyday. It’s not something we do once a week or whenever we feel like it. The shop is, from nose to toes, wiped down, scrubbed down and sterilized. Everything we use here is brand new, sterilized out of the package every time. We don’t reuse needles, make our own needles, save our ink or any of that other crap, it’s all 100 percent new every single time. That’s the only way to be completely sterile,” Gumpenberger said. With Thad’s and his wife Holly’s experience, they know what customers want and how to bring it to them. Instead of the customer picking their tattoo out of a book, they design their own with the help of an artist. “Here at Hollywood’s we don’t have a lot of tattoo flash, which are designs of tattoos plastered all over our walls. Being that we have over 25 years of experience we do a lot of custom work. People usually bring in a
Pink Room- Hollywood House of Ink is loving their new parlor. The Pink Room is Holly’s favorite room of the shop.
picture or an idea that they have and then we draw it up for them. That’s where the process begins. We have to make sure that we get it 100 percent right with them on paper first before we move on any farther. So when we get through that process, and the person says ‘that’s what I’m looking for’ we go from there and put the stencil on the body so they know exactly what they’re getting into before they get started; the size, the placement, and all the good stuff before we touch them with any ink. Once the stencil dries we begin the tattoo process and go over the after care process with them and let them heal it up,” Gumpenberger said. Straight from the drawing board, Hollywood’s House of Ink follows a process that gets each customer the most for their money. “When people bring the simplest ideas we try take them to a whole different level. Every tattoo we do is outlandish in a sense. When people get tattooed here they say ‘Wow, this is exactly what I wanted’ or ‘It’s exactly what I wanted and so much more’. We do what we can to go out of our way for our customers. It won’t change the price for them, we just try to give them the best of what we have,” Gumpenberger said. This tattoo parlor really has a grasp of what customers want, and years of experience that allows them to give it to them. With a strong kick off to their new location, Hollywood’s House of Ink plans on staying for a long time, bringing their best work to their customers for the best satisfaction possible. by Jonah Graves photos by Mikayla Frommer
8 MILLION
The approximate number of songs iTunes has.
168
The maximum amount of private music lessons most teachers can usually teach per week. byJesse Butler photos by Elaine Fouchia
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CENTER SPREAD
My Country Tis of Thee Words by Wendy Hayworth
WITH SO MUCH HAPPENING ACROSS THE GLOBE, IT IS EASY FOR AMERICANS TO FORGET PROBLEMS ON THE HOME FRONT.
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ost of the time, it is surprisingly easy to tune out problems occurring every day. Some things, such as poverty, are becoming hard to ignore. Others, such as hate crimes and domestic abuse, take a major event to bring the problem to light.
POVERTY
Poverty affects Americans across the country. “I believe one of the biggest reasons many more Americans face poverty is because of the high rates in the cost of living with a decrease in cost of living raises provided by employers. Also, the tax rate on all goods and services continues to increase,” Bachelor of Science and Medical Social Worker, Brenda Davis said. A large portion of America is now faced with poverty. With so many people without work and no new jobs being created, it can only get worse. “More is being asked of the middle and lower class working population to fund a lot of the services the government is implementing. What is left from a pay check barely pays living expenses and leaves very little for any emergency,” Davis said. This constant strain on the American household has lead to a rise in divorce rates. “More and more families are single parent women who have little to no marketable skills working two and three jobs to make ends meet,” Davis said. With parents spending more and more hours of the day at work to make a basic living, children are having to provide for themselves more and more. “This, in turn leads to children heading to the street to get their needs met. Which, more than often, leads to more violence and gang activity,” Davis said. The strain of the economy is more than noticeable in hospitals. “I am already seeing people pay for private insurance who cannot afford to pay copays or medication costs. As a result, they continue to influx ERs where goods and services will be expected despite not having a typical emergency,” Davis said. It is up to the government to make these decisions; but it is up to the people to tell the government what they want. “We as members of our society, need to take a more active role in educating ourselves to what our federal government is doing and hold them accountable. We cannot sit back and let them destroy our nation,” Davis said. There are many things the American public can do to help. Harvesters and Goodwill have made it their mission to care for the poverty stricken. By donating food, clothing, and basic supplies, often taken for granted, lives may be saved.
CENTER SPREAD
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DOMESTIC ABUSE
It is universally known that violence increases as unemplyment decreases. As a result of increased stress and the emotional and physical demands of adults in the household, incidents of domestic violence have increased,” Davis said. Domestic abuse is an epidemic and has been for many years. Some 1000 accidents happen in Lee’s Summit alone every year. “All of us probably know somebody who’s been affected by it somehow,” Detective Dan Wood said. There are a lot of reasons for domestic violence. Sometimes, in a relationship, one sets out to dominate the other. This aggression can grow and develop into violent actions. Lack of communication can be a factor. Some people do not know how else to make their spouse understand. Consumption of drugs and alcohol often makes the situation worse. “There’s a lot of different stresses that result in things getting heated and escalating to violence,” Wood said. There are two main aspects of abuse; Putting hands on another or physically harming them in any way can be charged criminally is one of them. “In Lee’s Summit, the fear of being assaulted can be charged,” Wood said. The second aspect, that may not necissarily be charged, is isolation. “If you isolate somebody by taking their phone away when they try to call for help, you will be arrested. You’re isolating them from trying to get help,” Wood said. There are often red flags that can warn someone about an abusive relationship. An abuser is likely to be really controlling, going as far as forbidding the other from seeing friends and family. The abuser works to destroy the other’s self esteem and self worth. “Red flags can’t get you arrested but if a girl is in a relationship and sees the signs, she needs to take notice. These can escalate over time,” Wood said. While there are many programs out there to aid the victims of abuse, it is up to the abused to take the first step. Hate crime is an issue the United States has been dealing with throughout all of its history. “What makes us Americans is this issue that people should be treated equally. Hate crimes go against that,” Dr. Gordana Rabrenovic, Associate professor and director at Brudnick Center on Violence and Conflict, said. It is difficult to say exactly how many hate crimes occur in the United States. Often these crimes are prosecuted as assault or other crimes instead of hate. “The issue is, we don’t prosecute people for it,” Rabrenovic said. Anybody can be a subject of hate crime. The most common of causes are race and recently sexual orientation. In order to bring an end to hate crime, the American government needs to make and enforce laws against hate crimes. “It’s not something we should have more people in prison because of. We need to provide an intervention of sorts,” Rabrenovic said. An intervention would work to find out why the individual committed the crime. By finding the root of the cause, the individual can be educated. “We need to create cultural tolerance as we live in a multiethnic society,” Rabrenovic said. Of course the system could be taken advantage of in some situations. However, successful intervention will keep the problem from escalating. “If we imprison people because of hate crime, we’ll make the situation worse. People will come out of prison with more reason to hate,” Rabrenovic said. Another way to prevent hate crimes is to start in the schools; educating children about acceptance and tolerance, they will be less likely to resort to violence as an answer. “If we do not check the hate among us it will have horrible consequences. If we leave hate unaddressed, it will tear our nation apart,” Rabrenovic warned. America has an advantage when it comes to hate crimes, however. The United States has more experience dealing with such crimes than other nations. The United States also tends to address these crimes sooner than other nations. “We have the opportunity to end this. Think of what our values are,” Rabrenovic said. Even faced with these challenges, Americans can find a way to fight back. Through the help of its citizens, America can move forward.
HATE CRIMES
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ENTERTAINMENT
A LOCAL BAND’S JOURNEY TO THE TOP
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ike the road to success, the musicians’ road is paved with trials. Once the members were all together and the band name was finalized, Making Movies made their debut. The band went from being in the garage to being big. Making Movies is a Latin rock band that started out in Kansas City. They have four members: Enrique Chi, the lead vocalist/ guitarist; Nic Kolar, the bassist; Brendan Culp, the drummer; and Juan-Carlos Chaurand, the percussionist/ keyboard. The band got together about two years ago. Culp went to high school with Chi’s younger brother and later on was introduced to Chi himself. Culp and Kolar were neighbors for over 17 years and that is how they got to know each other. Chi met Chaurand’s mother who told him about her son. Later on Chaurand met Chi in person. The band practiced together and found an instant connection. Making Movies has been inspired by a band called Cursive and has opened for a few of their shows. The band has also been inspired by other bands that are farther along on the music career path and bands that have made a living off of what they do best. “Our genre is kind of our own thing; it is a blend of Afro-Cuban rhythms and Indie-rock songs, so we play very modern tones. We’re influenced by bands like Local Natives and other Indie-rock stuff, we mix these sounds with very old Latino rhythms to get our sound. Our sound is one that has been in my head, I have never heard it from anyone else before. There is power in African rhythms that Latin America uses for their music. There is power in their music and a power in rock n’ roll music. I have never heard them combined the way I want it to be. So it is a quest for us to try and find the unique sound,” Chi said. The latino side of their music comes from Chi’s heritage, and his motive is to please both of his parents types of music.
Nic Kolar
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Enrique Chi
Becoming Famous “Both of my parents live in Panama. My dad loves rock and roll and my mom hates it and only really likes dance folk music. My motive is to create a band that both my mom and my dad both like,” Chi said. The band’s goal is pretty common among musicians, but admirable none the less. “As far as goals, we’re all musicians and so we just want to play for as many people as we can and do what we want on a life scale,” Culp said. Making Movies practices their music in downtown Kansas City in Chaurand’s family’s restaurant called La Fonda. The band practices there whenever the restaurant is closed. “When we practice, we play a good solid three to four hours,” Kolar said. Practicing for three or four hours seems like a long time, but they do not normally practice together. Plus there is not a lot of time for just practicing when on the road. “We do not practice that much because we play so much. We have been on a streak where we played about thirty shows in the last fifty days. When you play that many shows, you don’t practice as much because you are playing everyday,” Chi said. Making Movies performs a lot of concerts some local, some out of state. The band performs an estimated one-hundred shows per year. They have been to Texas, Florida, and many other places. The band has even played at the House of Blues in Chicago. Making Movies has worked hard to get where they are and they continue to work hard to produce their new sound as their name and music spreads across the country.
Brendan Culp
By Ashley Burrison photos by Mikayla Frommer
Juan-Carlos Chaurand
ENTERTAINMENT
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THREE TALENTED SENIORS FORM KDA, A SMALL BAND WITH BIG DREAMS. or the longest time, bands have been popping up all over in high schools across the country. But what happens when the members graduate? What happens if the group wants to keep making music together?
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“I know sometimes it’s not going to work out as we plan. We’re starting off little right now,” said Wilson. ”What group hasn’t started off little?” said senior Dylan George. Hearing a name like KDA, one might think automatically of a “wannabe” sort of group. So the question was asked, “Are you going to be professional?” It only took Wilson and George one second to say yes. Wilson continued with a self-declared “cocky” comment,“We’re gonna do some stuff with it.” Right now it certainly seems like they will be doing big things with their group. At the same time, George entertains the idea of being in Billboard Magazine and how he hopes that one day KDA might be in the Top 50, or even Top 10 on the music charts. Senior Anthony Clayton was asked what exactly he thought the group needed in order to succeed. The answer came back with a single word that could not have made more sense. Publicity. Any small music group that wants to make it big has to have publicity. Which, initially, came in the form of an advertisement and eventually, a news magazine article. Clayton said the group also needed money almost as much as publicity. In the music industry today, investors are not uncommon. “Yeah, having an investor is really important.” George said, “We need money,” In this case, KDA needs around $2,000. While selling CDs for only $5 in the small market of one high school, it would be necessary to find an investor. It wouldn’t hurt, however, to sell some extra CDs. After all, there is not much of a reason to make great music if you do not share it with the people around you. KDA does not seem like one of the millions that will fall apart after high school. “We have the passion for the music,” Clayton said. Passion is the
very foundation of music today. That is the same passion that will be getting KDA where they want to be. On September 16, that will be at the Black Expo mobile recording booth. When asked if there were any chances of KDA splitting up, they replied with a solid, “No.” No matter how many of the music groups that do not make it to college, one thing is for sure, KDA will not be gone with the class of 2011.
The members of KDA are headed to different places, but their music will keep them together. by John Wood photos by John Wood
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OPINIONS
Staff Editorial
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CHANGING THE COLOR SCHEME Many LSHS students feel that they are coming into an institution in the morning when they wake up for school. The classrooms here at school can be very bland and institutionalized in color. Besides from those lucky enough to get into the classrooms of teachers like Mr. Jansen, and Mr. Martin who have design aspects like a paw print design or even a huge dolphin mural. As a staff we are not trying to criticize the individuals that help design our building we are just giving constructive criticism in hopes of getting a small change to help the school’s overall feel. The tiling in the hallways could also be seen as a color scheme flaw. As everyone knows, the hallways are white with a design of yellow, green, blue and purple. In the new amped up weight room, it features a black, gold, and grey color scheme that many students are pleased with. If we used floors with the same color scheme as the new weight room throughout the building, it would give it a more spirited atmosphere. Another aspect of our school’s color scheme’s stupidity would have to be the craziness of the colors of the lockers. We have lockers ranging from blue, tan, green, and even purple. It would help pull our school together if we had a specific design for the lockers such as each building has different colors or all the same color. Just the addition of a small painting, or maybe a boarder of paw prints leading around the room could help our off white classrooms get a tad bit more colorful. Many studies have been taken on the affect of your environment on your learning. LSHS should take notice of these tests and help apply it to the building to even heighten the scores of the LSHS students. Hopefully we could see a change in our color scheme when we come back this August.
by Jacob Valentine illustration by Madeline Moore-Porter
Man on the Street Do you think the school’s color scheme needs to be changed?
Tess Herder freshman
“No, I would like to see it stay the way it is, it is very original to our school.”
Darby Cronin sophomore
“Yes, I think it should be changed and more uniform throughout the whole school.”
Bryan Stansil junior
“Yes, it is weird, how are you going to be a school with the colors black and gold with a strange building.”
Breanna Long senior
“Yes, I think it is time for our school to get a little change.”
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Editorials Fake-ality TV
Allegiance Controversy
THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON REALITY TV.
WHY PEOPLE DISAGREE WITH THE PLEDGE g
Every morning, schools around the United States are asked to rise from their seats, place their right hand over their heart, and say: “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands one Nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.” Students and teachers are expected to say the Pledge because it shows the patriotism and respect that one has for their country. According to state requirements, Missouri schools are required to cite the Pledge of Allegiance at least once a week. Debate continues on whether students should be pressured and/or required to say the Pledge, but the debate mainly comes from saying the phrase ‘under God.’ Once students enter the high school level of education, there are not many students who will say the Pledge of Allegiance. Either students would say it under their breaths really low or they do not say it at all. Some have rejected to saying the Pledge because they are undecided about the existence of such a higher power, and saying that phrase brings controversial attitudes towards reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. People with different religious beliefs finds this patriotic citation to be a violation of the First Amendment, but what one must understand is that saying the Pledge not only represents freedom, liberty, and the love for one’s country, but it also shows gratitude to the men and women fighting for our country. Disagreeing with not saying the Pledge of Allegiance for whatever reasons should not hinder on from opening up their mouths and showing respect. For it is not the flag itself that we are honoring,but what the flag represents and stand for. Not saying the phrase ‘under God’ should not effect the feelings and patriotism that he/she should feel when reciting the Pledge. Whether students agree with it or not, the Pledge of Allegiance is a requirement across America. If he/she is not happy with saying the Pledge of Allegiance, or the phrase ‘under God,’ in their schools, then the least that can be done by those persons is that they rise from their seats, place their right hand over their hearts, and remain silent while others who are appreciable for the Pledge continue to say it.
POL ICY 16
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Kim Tabe
For some reason, people today have an odd fascination with reality TV. It just seems pointless to waste time watching other people’s lives go by. Ever since the 1950’s, people have been watching reality TV. We like to see people sing, get pranked, and look really stupid. The reality shows on television today serve almost no purpose, and you can usually count on them being ridiculously over-dramatized. Most of the time, reality shows aren’t even reality. The people in charge of editing can work magic with just a few minutes of filming. A couple of innocent conversations can be turned into a frenzy of insults and yelling. They take whatever footage they are given and turn it into something the public will find entertaining. There’s nothing very entertaining about watching a house full of tanorexic, fist-pumping, out-of-control “young adults” spending their summer drinking and fighting. Watching people duke it out in front of an audience does not exactly qualify as entertainment, either. Young people that are on reality TV almost always misrepresent themselves. They tend to look selfish, bratty, immature, and slightly alcoholic. They are representing the young people of today, and they are going about it in the worst possible way. Reality shows have been known to tear apart families, or at least put a lot of strain on them. Watch Keeping Up With the Kardashians and John and Kate Plus 8 (Kate Plus 8 now) to get the idea. Once the competition is over and the winner is chosen, the relationship will most likely fall apart. The winner will have gotten so used to competing for their significant other’s attention that once the show is over, they will both get bored with the lack of excitement. Admittedly, there are some reality shows that aren’t too bad. The Biggest Loser, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Secret Millionaire, and Undercover Boss could be considered helpful. Helping people lose weight or donating money to deserving people and charities is a good thing that reality TV has been able to accomplish. Even with the few good and helpful reality shows out there, they do not compare to the number of utterly pointless and completely stupid shows that already exist. It seems like everything is turning into a reality show, which cannot be good. One day, there will be a show that goes too far. With shows like Jersey Shore, Jerry Springer, and The Bachelor being shown, it is scary to think what will come with the next generation in the world of reality television.
The Hi.Life is an open forum to provide up to date and pertinent information compiled by high trusted publication that raises the bar of high school journalism. The Hi.Life newsmagazine is a readers is to provide credible, reliable, and unbiased information to the student body. None of the of the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District. We strive to create a professional newsmagazine that
HI.LIFE 2011
Mary Roccaro
school journalists. We will be a bold and student led publication. Our obligation to opinions in our publication reflect the views provides accurate insights and entertainment.
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SPORTS
Longboarding Longboarding is a new style of sport taking root not only in Lee’s Summit, but nationally as well.
A NEW TREND HITS LSHS
It is not just the sound of the wheels, when the board hits the pavement but the way the rider flies down the hill with a carefree spirit. “I first learned about longboarding when I went to Los Angeles to visit family, I have only been longboarding for 11 months and the exhilerating feelings get addicting.” sophmore Michael Murdock from Liberty High School says. Many people think the only difference between longboarding and skateboarding is simply the board “If I could have anyone know one thing about longboarding, I would want people to know that skateboarding and longboarding are two completely opposite sports.” Murdock said. Cool, sunny days are ideal to grab a board and get lost in time when bombing hills are their main objective. Bombing hills consist of hitting high speed normally around 40 to 50 miles per hour.
Skateboarding and longboarding are normally classified as the same sport but when compared, important details set them apart. Insane tricks and short distances follow with skateboarding and typically skating can be done both out or at indoor parks, but with longboarding, riding outside only on big hills and trying to beat personal records. “The most important things I would say that you would want to have is slide gloves, I would much rather protect my hands with gloves then wear a helmet because when you fall your hands are always there to take the first blow.” Murdock said. When hitting high speeds it is needed to come to a stop, but regardless of how bad the stopping is, it is always a good thing to invest in slide gloves. They protect your hands from the smallest scraps to the big road burns that comes with longboarding. story by Michelle Hurley photos by Jake Deparalta
Tennis Revamped TENNIS MAKES A COMEBACK AT LSHS A lot of people have the conventional conceptions of tennis. People think of tennis as an easy sport to play, there isn’t any skill involved, after all your just hitting a tiny florescent green ball over a net. Seems awful difficult, but go ahead and tell that to this guys. With today’s generation, everybody wants a sports that’s non-stop action and violent. Football, baseball, basketball, and soccer are some of the most popular sports in the world today, because of the speed and ferocity of the game. The sports that require more technical skills, like golf and tennis, has gotten a bad rep in society. However, LSHS tennis player Philipp Dahm noticed the trend that tennis is starting to become popular again. “Most people think of tennis as a sport for old people, its not as ‘cool’ as football. But in the younger generation, more teens and kids are start ing to play tennis, especially in Germany”. This steady rise in tennis popularity among younger teens may explain the LSHS tennis squad assembled this year. Built mostly of sophomore students, there are only two seniors on the entire team. Yet, even with the young squad, LSHS has maintained a good record during the season, winning a majority of their matches. With the new found success, the tennis squad has become more and more popular, to the point to where students demanded a story about them. That’s just a testament to how hard the tennis team has worked to make tennis become a mainstream sport here at LSHS 18 HI.LIFE 2011
All That Racket- As the ball approaches Senior Garret Wiley he hones in on his target. Varsity tennis is wrapping to a close along with the school year.
So, after some thought and insight on tennis, everyone who thought tennis was such an easy sport to play should take the time to reconsider. Tennis isn’t a sport where the average person can pick up a racket and be instantly good at it. The quickness a player must have, along with the ability to put perfect spin on the ball, while all at the same time, having one of the youngest teams at LSHS, and still being successful is absolutely remarkable.The next time you see a tennis player, go ahead, serve them compliment. I’m sure they will return the appreciation. story by Nick Rellihan photos by Jake Deparalta
SPORTS
INDOOR TRAINING
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With all the rain we have had this April, practice even for the Freshmen, has been inside. LSHS varsity baseball’s 2011 season has been filled with both ups and downs, going as high as beating Sedalia 16-0 and as low as losing to Blue Springs South 21-4. Through it all, they have been able to work their way back to a winning record. After the end of the Metro Leadoff tournament, the Tigers won against Blue Springs on a walk-off before losing four straight games. The team’s first loss, against Liberty, was when the Tigers lost 18-1. Obviously, there were no real highlights in that game or the one right after when the team was beat by Blue Springs South, 7-1. The Tigers then moved on to Kansas City, Kansas, where they played Ray-Pec at the semi-pro T-Bones’ Community America Ballpark. However, the team continued it’s skid. During the six game losing steak, the Tigers dropped five of six games and in those five losses, they were outscored 6 to 49. Almost no one was hitting well at that point in the season. A good pitcher, such as Ray-Pec’s Jeremy Mansur, was the last thing they needed to see. The Tigers knew that it would be difficult competing against another great
pitcher on the mound. Sure enough, Mansur demolished the Tigers’ offense before reaching the mercy rule in five innings, getting nine of his 15 outs via the strikeout. After the loss, Lee’s Summit’s regular season record, excluding Metro Leadoff games, was 2-4. But after a loss in the North game, players finally got the spark they needed to revive their season, pounding Sedalia in a 16-0 blowout. Jared Simmons lead the team in RBI’s with three in the day, combined with Jacob Fromson’s four inning two-hitter, Lee’s Summit had control of the game. Winning half of their next four games, the Tigers dipped into a minor slump before gaining momentum and winning four straight games righting the ship and bring their win-lose record to an even 11-11. Unfortunately, the Tigers could not pull off a close game with Raymore Peculiar and lost 8-9. The team’s record fell to 11-12, leaving a crucial game against Lee’s Summit North in order to keep the possibility of a .500 record possible and the potential to finish their season on a positive note. Sure enough, the Tigers played with a sense of urgency against the Broncos. Three
Indoor Training- With all the rain we have had this April, practice even for the Freshmen, has been inside.
RBI’s from Simmons were able to support the pitching of Jordan Knutson and a great closing effort from Justin Givens in an 8-2 win against North. The Tigers got exactly what they needed, a big win against an old opponent. After that game, their record stood at an even 12-12 with two games to go. by Aaron Wood photo by Zac Harris
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A parent/guardian is required as a joint owner for students under 18 years.A $25 primary shared account is required to open a Watevr Account Offer good thru 5-31-11
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PHOTO ESSAY
April 30 LSHS was rocked by LOUD, an annual concert percussion puts on.
LE T‘ GS E LOT UD
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1.Tyler Grounds’ drumsticks fly by his face, creating an abstract blur as he plays his solo. 2. The drumline lined the stage from end to end with various instruments. 3. Cody Horky turned to the audeince when just the instruments weren’t enough. 4 Alex Cusinamo’s timpani drum solo drove the crowd wild. 5. In an unexpected twist, when the crowd thought it couldn’t get any cooler then it already was, the lights dropped and the neon paint was lit with black light.
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Photos by: Zac Harris
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HI.LIFE 2011
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