The Paw Print Volume IV, Issue 3

Kansas City Christian School Prairie Village, Kan.

PAW

PRINT

The staff’s picks for a Netflix binge-watching session

How to make your childhood dreams a reality

Volume 4 Issue 3 March 12, 2015

Clubbed to death: the story behind overcommited sudents

A look into what athletic director Josh Poteet does all day

10

Sports

Figure out what you need to look for in stores this spring

4

Feature

Staff writer Jake Fields delves into the underground world of Japanese bug fighting

3

Opinion

Discover the true story behind St. Patrick’s Day

Feature WHAT’S INSIDE...

Paw Print Staff

Olivia Madderom

Editor-in-chief

Alyssa Elliott

Copy Editor

Turner Jones

Photo Editor

Caroline Nichols

Staff Writer

14 Hannah Peterson

Staff Writer

Derrick Cook

Staff Writer

Jake Fields

Staff Writer

Kylie Briggs

Adviser

table of contents | 2

THE TRUE MEANING } s ' k c i r t a T.p S { S OF CHRISTMA } y {da

Hannah Peterson Staff Writer

St. Patrick’s Day is known for partying, drinking, and a sea of green. However, this supposedly superficial holiday has depth and is rooted in history.

“It’s just following the trend of wearing green. Nobody thinks about its religious roots anymore, but I think it’s important for us to go back to them,” sophomore Scout Barratt said.

St. Patrick was born in Roman Britain, but at the age of 16 was kidnapped and sold as a slave in Ireland. Later on, he escaped to a monastery in a France where he converted to become Protestant. However, the only denomination at that time was Catholicism.

St. Patrick later returned to Ireland as a missionary and is credited with the spread of Christianity in Ireland. St. Patrick became a symbol of Irish religion and was highly honored because of his missionary work. Tradition says that it was St. Patrick who explained the trinity with the three leaf clover, which led to the three leaf clover becoming Ireland’s national symbol.

A feast was held in remembrance of St. Patrick on March 17, beginning around the ninth century. Larger celebrations of St. Patrick’s Day didn’t originate from Ireland. In fact, the first St. Patrick’s Day parade took place in the United States.

Before the potato famine of 1845, there was a relatively small number of Irish living in the U.S. and most were middle-class Protestants. However, after the potato famine, nearly 1 million Irish immigrants came to the United States extremely poor and uneducated, and their foreign Catholic beliefs added to their unpopularity. At first, the St. Patrick’s Day parade was looked down upon by Protestant Americans. Cartoons portrayed the Irish Americans as “drunk, violent monkeys.” As time progressed, political leaders realized the large Irish population created an important swing vote and, seeking to win the Irish over, began supporting the St. Patrick’s Day parade.

Even in modern Ireland St. Patrick’s Day was held as a traditional holiday and it was illegal for pubs to be open on that day until the 1970’s. It wasn’t until 1995 that the Irish government saw St. Patrick’s Day as an opportunity for tourism and since then, many have traveled to Ireland for events like the St. Patrick’s Day Festival in Dublin.

The meaning behind this traditionally religious holiday has been corrupted. Ideally the holiday displays “Irish pride,” but in reality it gives the Irish a negative connotation. St. Patrick’s Day is now only considered “an opportunity to party and get drunk” as sophomore Nora Dooley said. For children, they wear green and go to parades, but the holiday holds little meaning.

“To me, it seems like all you do is drink. As an adult, it’s an excuse to drink a lot and spend time with friends. It has become a holiday more centered around friends than family,” Spanish teacher Paige Patton said.

Culture has transformed this holiday into an excuse to party and get drunk. It is totally acceptable to have fun on St. Patrick’s Day, but perhaps take some time to step back and remember where it came from.

fri

-S

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Make your inner child proud

S

an opinion

by Alyssa Elliott Copy Editor

ometimes we are afraid to pursue our dreams.

We second guess ourselves, taking the safe path rather than the risky.

It’s like we lack the guts to follow our dreams and live doing what we love. Our passions are sacrificed in order to feel secure.

As we continue on in monotony, feeling safe deep within our comfort zone, we’ve forgotten what it even feels like to follow our dreams. Nestled beneath the covers of our contentment, we let that which makes our heart beat in excitement scamper away. Our sense of adventure has been lost and replaced with the mundane lethargy of habit.

How did we get here? What caused us to lose the elation that we felt as children?

Well that’s simple, we’ve just been told ‘no’ too many times. “You can’t be an astronaut, archaeologist, or explorer.” “Why?” “Everyone wants to be an astronaut, you’ll never make any money as an archaeologist, and all of the world has already been explored.”

We’ve accepted these answers and learned to lower the standards of our dreams. We no longer need to climb mountains to reach our dreams because a step stool will suffice.

But what would happen if you followed your dreams? Where would you be? What would you learn? What kind of person would you become?

These are the questions that ought to drive us to follow those far-fetched dreams of our childhood. It is easy to see what you will become

when you sit at a desk day after day, dreaming of coffee breaks and bonus checks, but it is near impossible to envision the kind of person you will turn into when you spend every waking minute immersed in what you love.

Your dream doesn’t even have to be original.

Other people may want to become astronauts, but there is room for more than one on a space station. It takes a team to excavate an ancient city and explorers can’t get far on their own.

Being original isn’t the point, but pursuing your dream is, and it doesn’t matter if you share it with someone else, that can even make it better.

My great-grandmother become a pilot when she was 50. It is the stories of her and her determined spirit that inspire me to follow my dreams. When I’m at a turning point in my life, making big decisions about college and my future, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I am relinquishing any chance to make a huge salary to pursue my dreams. I’ll even go into debt to chase them because I don’t want to spend the rest of my life wondering “what if.” Maybe I’ll have to forgo a life filled with monetary wealth and first world problems, but I’ll never have to wonder.

Go out and chase down your dream, no matter what it may be, and remember these words from C.S. Lewis: “Make your choice, adventurous Stranger, Strike the bell and bide the danger, Or wonder, till it drives you mad, What would have followed if you had.”

Bug fighting : Darwinism at its finest restling, boxing and other forms of martial arts have been around and shaped different cultures since 12 or 13 B.C. But take that down to size and imagine it tiny.

The Chinese Tang Dynasty brought something more creative, a new kind of bloodsport, to the table: insect fighting.

Today, countries around the world participate in insect fighting of many different kinds. The most popular endorsement is Japan’s excitement and display of insect fights. Japanesebugfights.com is the golden example. Japanese Bug Fights is a 58-part video series of many different species of insects, arachnids, and even crustaceans battling to the death in a small arena that is sometimes filled with water, sand or wood chips.

It is epic!

Japanese Bug Fights has posted the “official” rules which humorously seem to resemble a poorly translated version of Tyler Durden’s rules of “Fight Club.” The rules are: 1. Two bugs fight to the death 2. Bug fights go on as long as they have to 3. Outside weapons are prohibited Draws can occur if either both or neither bugs die. Japanese Bug Fights also has commentaries

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an opinion

by Jake Fields Staff Writer

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(in Japanese) of what is happening in the fight so unless you speak Japanese, it’s hilarious and alien. It is possible to upload your own videos of bug fights to JapaneseBugFights. com or email them comments or questions or recommendations.

It is not for the faint of heart, arachnophobes, or those strongly against bug violence. Some of the most popular champions of the ring are the armored and strong Manticora Tiger beetle, the horned and tough Caucasus Beetle, and the fast, and deadly poisonous Japanese Giant Hornet.

Personally, I see no ethical problem with this.

Insects and arachnids are some of the most populous creatures on this Earth, and the fights are extremely exciting. Say what you will behind the “ethics” on it, but I see no wrong in having creepy crawlies fight each other in the ring. Bug fights are fast and exotic.

The main reason they seem to draw me, along with most fans, is the fact different bugs from around the world are pitted against each other.

I personally believe at some point every child has thought about hypothetical fights between different creatures that this simply brings it to life with insects. Darwinism at it’s finest.

Black history swept under the rug in schools

an opinion

by Derrick Cook Staff Writer

B

lack history month is supposed to be a month where we look back upon the past and honor those who were before us. However, what is the point of having a specific month designated when we do not celebrate it like it is meant to be celebrated? Is it just a thing for show?

In school systems today, black history is something that is, perhaps not altogether neglected, but definitely not deeply taught in school systems.

Anytime black history is mentioned, it’s just that, mentioned, and then we are soon studying something different.

The fact is, there’s more than just slavery or Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights movement to black history. Yes, George Washington Carver is the “Peanut Man” and Jackie Robinson was the first African-American to ever play in the MLB. We do not look 10 years down the road after segregation was outlawed. To me, there is more to the history.

My grandfather recently sat down with me and told me what he went through growing up just to obtain a

job so he could provide for his wife and children. Because of his skin color, graduating from mechanic school was not enough. Continually rejected day in and day out by local mechanic shops in Kansas, he could not find a job because he was black. After many years of working hard and looking for a good job, he finally went into the army. Even though he was a part of the U.S. military, discrimination was still in full force. He consistently saw whites get better treatment than him and his other black friends.

His story surprised me. I did not think the military would not worry about the skin color of the men as long as they fought hard for the country.

That is something schools should focus on more.

Maybe not specifically the race relations in the military, but definitely the hardships blacks encountered looking to find a place in a country that they were brought to, without a say, because of the slave trade.

Racism was prevalent even after the Civil Rights movement, and it still is.

School systems need to be more involved in the education of black history.

Black History Month should not be a segregated month just for black people. Instead we should investigate black history as much as possible.

“Anytime black history is mentioned, it’s just that, mentioned, and then we are soon studying something different.”

staff editorial Stop excuses, stop explicit media “It doesn’t bother me,” “I block out the bad stuff,” “Well, a lot of people watch worse,” “I’m just having fun, I’m not saying I agree with the content,” And so, the excuses and the justification to consume media with inappropriate material continues. We say movies with explicit scenes or inappropriate humor don’t affect us, but what are we quoting for the next couple months? We say we block out scandalous lyrics in music, but what tune do we hum while we’re distracted? We aren’t the ones tweeting links to graphic content, but how many of us can recall seeing a similar tweet and clicking on the link in the past week?

The amount of media consumed by teenagers in a week adds up to be over 53 hours on average, according to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Not filtering media can desensitize teens and negatively affect a person’s view on things like sex, violence, and drugs. Will Bakke, one of the four college students to film the documentary, “Beware of Christians,” said, “Does the media you engage in lineup with the gospel you believe in?” and later in the film, “My humor gets shaped by the movies I watch. They affect the way we speak.”

Even quick social media apps, video games, or a song or two on the radio can mold teens to bend a certain direction. Everyone has different limits, everyone’s parents have different rules, so how do teens decide where to draw the line?

The media that is readily available morphs and changes almost daily, and most of it at least flirts with whatever standard a person has. Parents tend to give advice like, “Would you watch/listen to that if I was right beside you?”

Youth pastors say things along these lines: “How much would you change if Jesus followed you throughout the day?” It’s tricky and sometimes it feels like a minefield, but deciding what is O.K. vs. not O.K. is extremely important.

“The first step [to changing our habits] is if we are willing to call sin, sin,” Alex Carroll, also a part of the making of “Beware of Christians,” said. “When we are willing to say that ‘following God is the most important thing there is and it’s stupid to make excuses and do what you want to do,’ your life really changes.”

You have to decide what you’re going to support, what you’re going to pay for, what you’re going to spend your time doing. You have to live with how you shape yourself, and if you’re not careful, mainstream media will do it for you.

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Top 10 Shows to Binge Watch on

COMEDY The Bernie Mac Show: “The Bernie Mac Show” could be compared to a 21st century version of “The Cosby Show.” In it, Bernie Mac is raising his sister’s three kids after his sister became a drug addict. He takes care of teenage girl, Vanessa, asthmatic boy, Jordan, and “baby-girl,” Bryanna. Mac quickly realizes that raising kids is not a walk in the park. As the show goes on, you see Mac and his wife go through normal situations that developing families encounter. If you like a fun family show to entertain all ages, this is the show for you.

-Derrick Cook Watch if you like: “The Cosby Show,” “My Wife and Kids,” family comedies, tidy story lines That 70’s Show: Going back in time, “That 70’s Show” is a comedy centered around a group of teens. The cast put together for the show is excellent, including the dynamic duo of Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis. All of the characters fit into their role and bring equal amounts of laughter. Eric Forman (Topher Grace), the leader of the group, lives with his parents and most of the show centers around their household. You get a good idea of teen life in the 70s with this show. The show is not shallow in its approach, revealing things that possibly would happen in a teens life during that time.

-Derrick Cook Watch if you like: “Friends,” “Scrubs,” classic rock culture, a wide range of characters Arrested Development: Witty, clever, and hilarious, “Arrested Development” will have you laughing for hours. The script is excellently written, filling twenty minutes with quality material. The show is centered around Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman), who attempts to keep his family in order after his wealthy father is arrested. Together with his teenage son, materialistic mother, two brothers, spoiled sister and her strange husband, they make a large, extremely dysfunctional family. And if nothing else, it will teach that there is always money in the banana stand. -Hannah Peterson Watch if you like: recurring jokes, extremely awkward situations, “Parks and Recreation”

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SCI-FI Fringe: Having five seasons and as many mind-blowing situations as possible, “Fringe” is a sci-fi show that usually gets trampled underfoot. Fringe follows the Fringe Division, which is a Joint Federal Task Force primarily funded and headed by the FBI. The Fringe Division handles cases that any other division couldn’t even begin to imagine, prime examples being: parallel universes colliding, mad scientists, or pale bald men silently watching them.

The team is headed by Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble), Agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv), and Dr. Bishop’s estranged son, Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson). Despite lower ratings, the show has gained a small cult following and has spawned a video game and two six-part comic book series. -Jake Fields Watch if you like: “X-Files,” J.J. Abrams, freaky sci-fi, “The Twilight Zone” Firefly: Space Cowboys. Seriously, if that’s not enough to drag you instantly into this show, I’m not sure what else to tell you. The show is directed by the man, the myth, the legend himself, Joss Whedon. Firefly is about the adventures of the rag-tag crew of the “Serenity,” a firefly-class spaceship, owned and led by the cunning and smuggling Malcolm “Mal” Reynolds (Nathan Fillion).

The crew is compiled of: the second in command Zoe Alleyne Washburne (Gina Torres), her husband, the pilot, Hoban “Wash” Washburne (Alan Tudyk), as well as a pastor, a mercenary, a mechanic, and a few other passengers. Sadly, only given one season, Firefly has a cult following as well. Post show, there has been a film, video game, and comics. Please check this show out and give it a chance. It is fantastic and exciting, regardless of what your tastes are. -Jake Fields Watch if you like: “Battlestar Galactica,” heartbreak from cancellation, gun-toting, witty lead characters.

Lost: “Lost” is full of plot twists, mysteries, and incredible character development. The end of each episode will leave you with a thousand questions. When you watch “Lost,” you can’t simply watch one episode at a time; each episode will drag you in and capture your attention. The story begins with a crashed airliner leaving its passengers helpless on an eerie, foreign island. From

DRAMA

MYSTERY

there, the passengers are left to fend for themselves and unravel the mysteries of their new home, including weird codes, secret hatches, and smoke monsters. “Lost” has multiple time lines in order to develop characters and help the viewers understand the big picture of the plot, including flashbacks of each of the characters’ lives before the plane crash. -Hannah Peterson Watch if you like: suspense, getting addicted to a show, ambiguous endings

would face. Episodes are divided by following Lindsay and her friends, the Freaks, or Sam and his small group of underclassman buddies, the Geeks. If you like teen comedies, “Freaks and Geeks” is for you. -Jake Fields Watch if you like: the 80s, teen dramas, high school settings, relatable characters, seeing stars before they hit it big

Friday Night Lights: TV dramas, especially centering around football, usually do not keep my attention. However, “Friday Night Lights,” a show about the ups and downs of the small, football-focused town of Dillon, TX changed that for me. Not only did the show make me fall in love with the characters, it made me fall in love with football and with Texas. Each episode is a trial and a triumph in and of itself.

Each season mirrors a season of football, and when watching, you feel a part of the town. Your heart will be torn between the town’s bad boy, Tim Riggins (Taylor Kitsch), and the town’s sweetheart, Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford). Coach Taylor’s wife, Tami (Connie Britton), strikes a balance between grit and grace and will become your own improvised mother, saying things like, “There’s no weakness in forgiveness,” and “It’s part of my job to make sure that you don’t grow up stupid. It’s bad for the world.”

The five seasons will be over too soon, and by the end you will be saying, “Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can’t lose.” Texas, forever.

-Olivia Madderom Watch if you like: sports, touching moments, investing your time in a show, coming-of-age stories, teenage dramas Freaks and Geeks: When it comes to cult shows that didn’t enough airtime, “Freaks and Geeks” is usually towards the top of the list. Having only one season, NBC’s teen comedy lived a short reign. With a dynamite cast (including James Franco, Seth Rogan, and Jason Segel) and witty writers, “Freaks and Geek’s” lack of multiple seasons came as a tragedy to fans. The show follows Lindsay Weir (Linda Cardellini) and her younger brother Sam (John Francis Daley), who both attend William McKinley High School during the early 80s in the town of Chippewa, Mich. Within 18 episodes, the show goes through all types of struggles or situations any normal teen

Broadchurch: Telling the cliché story of a small-town murder in a new and refreshing way, “Broadchurch” takes place in a sleepy English beach town known for its rustic charm and low crime rates. It not only focuses on the difficulty of solving the murder but also the mysterious past of Detective Inspector Alec Hardy (David Tennant). The cast is riddled with popular British actors and is critically acclaimed, winning eight awards from various outlets.

Everyone is a suspect in the show and the final episode carries the viewers through a whirlwind of emotion as the murderer is revealed. While the murder mystery is wrapped up in the final episode, the aftermath that such a horrific event leaves in a town like Broadchurch led to a second season for the show, which aired on BBC America on March 4. -Alyssa Elliott Watch if you like: crime dramas, season-long mysteries, David Tennant, “The Killing” Sherlock: Sass, cheekbones and psychologically disturbed antagonists characterize this modern-day interpretation of Sherlock Holmes. Follow the escapades of Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) and his flatmate John Watson (Martin Freeman) as they traverse modern day London, stopping criminals with wit and genius. The show is filled with intricate plots that draw in the audience, and Cumberbatch brings another dimension to England’s most popular consulting detective. What truly sets “Sherlock” apart is the length of the episodes. While there is only a total of nine episodes in three seasons, each is an hour and half in length. It’s like watching a bunch of Sherlock Holmes movies back-to-back that all tie back into each other, even across seasons. -Alyssa Elliott Watch if you like: mysteries, Benedict Cumberbatch, dry humor, short seasons, “The Great Mouse Detective”

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e b b u l C a e D

Caroline Nichols Staff Writer

It isn’t uncommon for students to have a meltdown every once in a while for feeling like they are overextending themselves. It can be invigorating to be a part of as much as possible and feel the community around you grow closer through the activities you share. Since KCC is so compact, students feel the pressure to do as many extracurriculars as they can.

This can also be a dangerous path leading to burnout. Pressure is put on individuals to do everything to keep the programs running, because without them, there will not be enough to have a whole team, or club.

Sophomore Luke Rovenstine has spent his time participating in Stuco, track, and baseball, quickly learning the balancing act is hard to perfect.

“I remember long nights, little sleep, and practicing hard all of the time. It got exhausting after a while,” Rovenstine said.

Paige Hardt, also a sophomore, decided this year to dual sport with cheerleading and basketball.

“Almost every weekday night I’m at school until after 9:30 p.m. because of either games or practices, so getting my homework done is difficult and especially for weeks with several tests.

It’s hard to find time to study and actually feel like I know the material,” Hardt said. “And on the weekends I sleep a lot, and I sometimes miss out on social things because of it, since I’m just too tired to go out and be with friends, but it is nice to use the weekend to just cool down and restart for the next week.”

Being a part of too much can create unnecessary stress for some people. Junior Kaitlyn Burns felt the stress when she tried to be in the play and be on the volleyball team at the time.

“I was somehow trying to strive at 100 percent for both volleyball and the play. I knew in the end it wasn’t going to work out for one of them though, and when I sprained my ankle, I took that as a sign that I can’t do it all at once, so I dropped volleyball and ended doing really well in the play,” Burns said.

However, not everyone dislikes this system. As STUCO president, senior class vice president, chapel co-worship leader, and an

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY TURNER JONES

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o t bed ath

ehind b y r o t s The mited m o c r e v o students

athlete, senior Savannah Ko knows what it’s like to have a lot going on.

“I for sure feel overwhelmed at times, but I love KCC and I love investing as much time and energy as I can into the community.

I don’t regret any of it,” Ko said.

Students can get a sort of high from being involved. They thrive on helping out the people around them and feeling like they are making a difference.

“I love the satisfaction of seeing everyone hyped up and stoked for the school and everything it has to offer,” Ko said.

Sure, there are ups and downs to being a part of so much, but it seems to pay off in the end. Junior Bryce Johnston is a goalie for the soccer team, STUCO vice president, an SLi member, a Scholar’s Bowl participant, and track athlete.

“I would say that being a part of so much is rewarding maybe because of its difficulties. If it were easy, there would be no sense of accomplishment attached to it,” Johnston said.

The “overachievers” thrive on the satisfaction of a job well done. While certain people have this drive, not all feel called to do the same. As sophomore Maya Mastin invests in STUCO, track, soccer, yearbook, and cross country, she realizes the struggle with the balancing act.

“It’s difficult to keep everything up when you’re involved in a lot. It’s tough to keep grades up and study when you’re doing lots because it takes up so much time,” Mastin said. “You also aren’t fully focused on one sport or activity, so you can’t perform your best for anything.”

At the end of the day it all depends on the person, whether you can take the stress or if you’d rather not test it. High school is the place to try a little bit of everything and to learn your limits.

It’s up to you to decide if piling it on is a good way to go through the four years, or breeze by without the added worries.

“I would say that being a part of so much is rewarding, maybe because of its difficulties.”

-junior Bryce Johnston

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Spring Trends Right Off the

Runway Caroline Nichols Staff Writer

Callie Eldred

Maya Mastin

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Alexis Termini

WOMENS

There are two dominant color palettes for women this spring: one palette features tones that are bright and rich, the other tones are subtle and soft. The selection of bright colors include the following: Scuba Blue, Lucite Green, Classic Blue, Strawberry Ice, Tangerine, and Lavender Herb. The softer colors are more reflective of nature and include the following: Aquamarine, Toasted Almond, Custard, Glacier Gray, Dusk Blue, Treetop, Woodbine, Sandstone and Titanium.

Many designers have used these nature-inspired colors to form a retro 70s palette for their spring lines. Colors like Treetop, Woodbine, Lavender Herb, and Tangerine can be incorporated into your spring wardrobe to add a Nixon-era vibe. Other designers have focused on subtle, soft tones reminiscent of the ballet world. Tones like Glacier Gray, Strawberry Ice, and Toasted Almond fall in this category.

Along with new colors, new trends come in with the season.

Shirtdresses are expected to continue rising in popularity because of their casual to dressy flexibility. Also on the rise, are the ever-fashionable gingham prints and one shoulder tops and dresses. Culottes, which are loose-legged capris, are making a comeback and promote a flowy, easy going feeling for the season. Additionally, obi belts, a wrapped karate-esque belt, have hit the scene in hopes of becoming a favored addition.

Boho is back with its 70s style, and sandals and sneakers are leading the footwear scene.

Even with these designer-prescribed looks, everyone still marches to the beat of their own drum with style.

“I think I’m kind of preppy,” freshman Abby Swafford said. “I love to look polished and somewhat professional, but I like to have my comfy days too!”

Comfortable clothing is on trend this season. Many items on the racks are spacious and light, leaning further away from the tight, tight clothing that has dominated the scene for the last several years.

“The kind of clothes I like to wear are the boho loose and flowy items. I’m also really excited to start wearing brighter colors again and get away from the dull colors of winter,” junior Makeilee Allen said.

Not everyone goes for one specific look though, they are just excited for warm weather clothes and brighter colors.

“I’m looking forward to the wide-legged pants and skater skirts that button down the front this spring. Also, I heard the color of the year is supposed to be burgundy and big geometrics are supposed to be popular, so I’m really looking forward to those trends,” sophomore Maya Mastin said.

All in all, the trends are what you make them, so don’t be afraid to go out and rock your own personal style.

Spring is on its way, and with it comes warm air and the clothing to complement. Trends will be popping up and taking over, giving a fresh breath to the drawn out lull of the winter months.

Each season the leading fashion color reporter, Pantone, puts out the list of the hot new colors for the season. Those colors in turn are the ones that seem to be everywhere and end up dominating a fashion-forward wardrobe. The spring 2015 colors are leaning more toward a nature feel than previously, or en plein air, as Pantone has described it, meaning French for “in the open air”.

MENS

Derrick Cook Staff Writer

Men’s fashion this spring is focused on color trends and statements that attract the common viewers eye. The fashion website, Fashion Beans, dives into the top five trends that you need this spring including the following: stripes, denim on denim, red, florals, and green and blue.

The first trend, stripes, is already a common look that is continuing to rise in popularity. There will be plenty of options for a striped spring look, whether it’s thin or thick stripes. The direction of stripes can affect the shape and look of your body. Horizontal stripes often give off a wider look while vertical stripes draw the eyes’ attention up and down, giving a person length and height. For shorter and wider men, they may want to wear stripes that are vertical, but taller men may want something more horizontal.

Denim on denim constitues any two denim pieces in one outfit and is a versatile style for this spring. Designer Tom Ford featured many double denim looks in his spring line. One popular Tom Ford outfit includes light-washed blue jeans, a white shirt, and suede desert boots, complemented with a denim jacket.

Vibrant, poppy red, has popped up for the spring. A touch of red can show up in any piece of an outfit, but there are two things to keep in mind while wearing red. Make sure to pair it with a complementary color and be sure that it works well with your skin tone. Normally, red is best kept as an element for casual, smart looks. Try pairing a red crew neck with tan or blue chino shorts and a casual shoe.

Florals for men have become a statement in fashion. You could have a full shirt, shorts, shoes, or even a hat covered in floral print. More brands are producing floral products such as Pacsun, American Eagle, and Polo Ralph Lauren.

Although green and blue have always been go-to colors, the pairing of the two has become the new “Match Made in Heaven.”

Baartmans & Siegel, Pringle of Scotland, Gieves & Hawkes, and Hackett have all made green and blue a part of the new clothing selections coming out this spring. To make this interesting combo work, you have to be careful in your color choices. Choose a lighter color to pair with the blue and green, such as white or a slate grey, to pull the look all together.

James Amabile

Rumeil Gray

Nate Streeter

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Get a bachelor’s degree in physical science, life science, math, or engineering.

An Astronaut

Research, research, research. Learn about history, cultures, and archaeological discoveries.

Earn experience through additional academic study or piloting jet aircraft.

Take a well-balanced course load in high school.

An Archaeologist Move to a galaxy far, far away.

Get killed by Anakin Skywalker.

A Jedi Knight

How to become...

Designed by Alyssa Elliott

Leave your family and friends to join the Jedi Academy.

A Dete ctive

Hold at least a high school diploma.

Graduate from the police academy.

When we were children, we always had big dreams for our future, seemingly impossible ideas for our career. Here are some serious, and not so serious, ways to accomplish these dreams.

Get CPR certified.

A Firefighter

Do volunteer work in the community for the fire department.

Get accepted to a national ballet school.

A Ballerina

Begin ballet classes between ages 5 and 8.

Receive an invitation to a masquerade ball and dance with a mysterious stranger.

A Princess 12 | feature

Travel to a country of your choice and tour the palace.

Catch the eye of an attractive, single prince.

Be in top physical condition. You must be between 62 and 75 inches tall, have 20/20 vision and a sitting blood pressure of 140/90.

During the two years of basic astronaut training you’ll go through classes for things like water survival and Russian language.

Once assigned to a flight, two more years of simulations with your crew mates are scheduled.

Earn a degree in archaeology or anthropology.

Start out as a police officer and apply for promotions to detective.

Space missions usually last from six months to a year, the longest used for scientific studies of the human body.

Do simulated space walks and log a certain number of flight hours per month.

Archaeologists typically work for universities when not doing field research.

Think Indiana Jones.

Go to field school to get hands-on experience.

Earn a fire science degree.

Be in top physical condition. Some states require firefighters to have 20/20 vision.

Pass the written exam that covers topics ranging from math and problem solving to judgment and reasoning.

After obtaining certification, work as an EMT while doing volunteer work.

Be in peak physical condition. Classes are usually 14 to 36 hours a week.

Ballerinas need to be coordinated and flexible which means a certain body type is necessary.

Emotional stability is key to dealing with criticism, rejection, and intense classes.

Sources: www.space.com www.education-portal.com www.firescience.org www.digonsite.come www.work.chron.com

Get married and never return to your home country.

Remove his mask and reveal that it is the prince.

Send a postcard home once a month.

feature | 13

PEOPLE

What does Josh Poteet really do all day?

14 | sports

Behind the title of athletic director The buzzer sounds and the starters head out onto the court, aligning themselves around the tip off. As the referee blows his whistle, athletic director Josh Poteet stands nearby, watching the start of the game unfold. Poteet has just completed numerous pre-game tasks: taping paper over the windows of classrooms to make locker rooms, signing checks for referees, and directing the other coaches to the gym, just to name a few. To him, the start of the game was the start of the second half of his long night, which will end with him leaving the school just before 10 p.m.

Along with his athletic director duties, Poteet assists head boys basketball coach Allan Chugg, and takes care of all school transportation, facility rental requests, extra-curricular activities, and athletics.

“The big thing [for my job] is game management. During basketball season, I basically work six days a week because on Saturdays because we always have home middle school basketball games,” Poteet said. “I’m also in charge of all transportation; I make sure that it’s provided. Also, if anyone needs to use the rooms for any reason, or if a room needs to be set up a certain way, they contact me.”

School spirit, according to some, has dipped dramatically.

Poteet, in his second year as athletic director, wants to see more school spirit.

“Our school spirit last year was low, and according to [Allan] Chugg, it was at an all-time low,” Poteet said. “I think it’s low with our staff too. If you go to public schools, there’s a school community, and we don’t really have that, partially because we’re a private school, but sometimes you go to games and you only see the parents of kids that are playing.”

Implementing pep rallies and theme nights for home games will hopefully turn around the low level of spirit.

Olivia Madderom Editor-in-Chief

Poteet also has a long-term plan for raising school spirit.

Having a better sports record by hosting summer workouts and building the programs will lead to a higher level of interest in the sports programs even outside of KCC. “What I want is to up our commitment level to our sports, because I think it’s really low right now. I’m going to be running Panther Iron [in the summer] where we do strength training and conditioning,” Poteet said. “I think the commitment level has gotten low. I think people are really busy. I think sometimes kids think that they’re better than they are, and they don’t work hard and try to get better.”

Poteet wants more student and parent involvement too, and he has a plan. A plan is for a Student Board, similar to the Athletic Board, where boys and girls, of all grades and sports, meet on a semi-regular basis to offer opinions, help build the athletics program, and promote school spirit along the way.

“I would love to have a group of students, girls and boys, mix of sports, that would meet with me and have input,” Poteet said. “That makes the sports programs become more [of the students’] own.”

Poteet plans to have all coaches be teachers at the school, and his reasoning is simple. The scheduling works well, it raises teacher involvement in school spirit, and it promotes better and deeper teacher/student relationships.

“It’s ideal to have a teacher because their hours fit in perfectly [with scheduling], plus I think teachers and students get more out of it,” Poteet said. “The teachers can have impact both in and out of the classroom and can speak more into their lives than when they’re just seeing their coaches at practice. And the students know them more.”

Poteet does a lot, on and off the court, hours before and after the game, which only encompasses a small portion of his job. Poteet is involved in every major event in the school somehow, via transportation, facility use, or equipment use. His job isn’t just one job. It’s several small, yet extremely important jobs, that play toward a common goal.

Middle School Lunch Duties Game Managing 30%

Admin. Duties 40% Coaching 20% Transportation 2%

Breaking down Poteet’s time

6%

Room Setup 2%

sports | 15

Crossword

Across 4. What sophomore plays basketball and cheers?

6. Japanese Bug fighting has commentary in what foreign language?

7. What plant, used by St. Patrick to describe the Trinity, is a national symbol in Ireland?

8. How long does the average space mission take?

13. What website has a 58-part series of bug fighting?

14. Where did the first St. Patrick’s Day parade take place?

17. What print is in style for men’s spring fashion?

18. According to Alyssa Elliott’s opinion, her great-grandmother became what at 50?

19. What senior is class Vice President and Stuco President?

Down 1. The ‘Match made in heaven’ two-part color scheme includes blue and what color?

2. What did athletic director Josh Poteet say was the ‘big thing’ for his job?

3. What British mystery TV show casts Benedict Cumberbatch?

4. What childhood dream job requires cotillion and manners classes?

5. What summer program run by athletic director Josh Poteet includes strength training and conditioning?

9. What comedy TV show repeats the phrase, ‘There’s always money in the banana stand.’

10. This junior is goalie for the varsity soccer team and is Vice President of Stuco.

11. What TV show’s motto is ‘Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can’t lose.’?

12. What holiday has become about wearing green and getting drunk?

15. What job will have you digging in the dirt or working at a University?

16. What is rising in women’s fashion that is both causal and dressy?

16 | crossword