The Paw Print: Vol. 5 Issue 2

the

Kansas City Christian School 4801 W. 79th St. Prairie Village, Kan.

paw print

Volume 4

Issue 1

Dec. 17, 2015

POLITICS Meet the candidates and read what students think about the upcoming presidential election

INSIDE:

Finals

p. 3

Birth Order p. 10

Ping Pong

p. 16

Table of contents

feature

p. 6-7

Read how Chugg and Miller met and how their friendship has grown over the years

Feature

p. 12-13

Get ready for the Star Wars premiere with a brief history leading up to the new film

Sports

p. 14-15

Winter sports start their seasons with new coaches

staff Hannah Peterson Print Editor Bryce Johnston Web Editor Maddie Cates Staff Writer Michael Holst Staff Writer Ryan Jantsch Staff Writer Peter Loganbill Staff Writer Mallory Mong Staff Writer Allie Owens Staff Writer Mitchell Paul Staff Writer Olivia Price Staff Writer Jessica Steggerda Staff Writer Kylie Briggs Adviser

I WON THE JEEP! Follow our adventures on Instagram @rockythejeep #opjeep Clifton Alexander

Grace and Owen’s Dad Owner, REACTOR Design Studio Special thanks to OP Jeep for the year of fun!

Students adapt to new system

by Michael Holst staff writer This year, the school implemented a new policy for finals. The designated week for finals was eliminated, and instead finals were held during normal class time over the course of a few weeks. Also, students were no longer allowed to opt out of finals based on their class attendance and grade in the class. The changes allowed many classes to use cumulative projects rather than cumulative tests for their finals.

This new policy was created by the high school teachers, math teacher Brian Miller being the spokesman. It has been received with conflicting views by students.

“The old [policy] was a terrible waste of everybody’s time,” Miller said.

“It may have started out as a good

idea, but over time, it has become ineffective. Now, without everyone opting out, you can get a clear gauge of what everyone has learned that semester. Students would come in and do 30 percent and then leave because they knew that it affected [their grades] very little.”

Miller went on to explain why the new finals format was necessary.

“Different disciplines need other forms of finals,” Miller said, “not just tests.”

He pointed to an example of Spanish teacher Paige Patton giving an oral exam and English teacher Micah Conkling having students create a writing portfolio in order to better assess their classes’ learning.

What do you think about the new finals policy?

Finals week:

“I think it is great. It’s a great way to assess whether learning is actually happening.

It’s a great way too for us teachers to find out if we actually taught anything.”

-Bible teacher Allan Chugg

“For my class, it works out because it lets my students speak, which is kind of the point. The way it’s scheduled for my class, it’s less stressful than taking a huge final.” -Spanish teacher Paige Patton

“I like it. For me and Mr. Conkling, it’s hard to gauge how much you’ve learned without you writing anything, which is a big part of the class.”

-English teacher Travis Vandenoord

“It is a much needed change for both teachers and students. It gives students a chance to show off what they have learned.”

-English teacher Micah Conkling

“The finals thing is kind of messed up. It mixes up regular tests with finals, which is kind of confusing for the students to lock down their semester grade and also do well on their final.” -junior Luke Rovenstine

“You have to do final projects alongside tests. [There is] no time to celebrate Christmas because we’re so busy with finals.”

-freshman Sky Barratt

“ I like the old systems better because this schedule is much more stressful. You could work hard to exempt from finals, but now there’s not a reason to work as hard.” -sophomore AJ Adhiambo

“It’s like being attacked with work by the teachers. I feel like I’m getting paper cuts on my brain all day.”

-senior Nathan Beach

page 3 | news

Staff Editorial

Rethinking finals I

n light of the new finals policy, The Paw Print staff regrets the loss of an open campus, the ability to opt out of finals, and the simplicity of a single week of tests. However, the staff acknowledges that there is little chance the school will revert back to the old policy. Thus, it is important to make adjustments to the new policy for the future.

First, it’s important to acknowledge the downfalls of the old policy and how the new policy addresses those issues. The chaotic atmosphere of an open campus made it difficult for teachers to create a serious testing environment and did not allow for a true end to the semester. The old policy only allowed for tests, which could be impractical for classes such as Spanish or English. And, finally, with some students opting out, teachers could not accurately gauge what their students had learned over the semester.

All these issues are resolved with the new policy, but that doesn’t mean the new policy is perfect.

The Paw Print staff suggests revisions to the policy regarding how to spend the final day of the semester, the workload, and final projects.

While some suggest the old policy didn’t help the community of the school, the staff believes that extra free time was valuable

to relationship building. In the downtime, groups would go out to lunch or hang out at Panera, often bringing together people who don’t typically interact. With the new policy, that non-classroom time is eliminated. The solution should be a high-school-wide end of the semester celebration on the last half day.

Regarding the workload, the staff suggests cutting down on the regular classwork and tests during the two weeks of finals. Teachers tried to minimize students being overworked, but the workload was intense with finals piled on top of the normal work. Cutting down on classwork and homework and having no regular tests during this time period would help students focus on finals.

And although the staff appreciates the idea of final projects, the stress could be reduced by assigning any final project at the beginning of the two finals weeks and setting the deadline to the end of the two weeks. Class time should then be dedicated to working on the projects. Also, students could be given a master schedule of final projects and tests to assist in organization and time management.

So, as the administration reviews the new policy, the staff hopes they will consider these revisions.

10/11 staff members agree with the views expressed in this editorial.

Just stop walking “H

Olivia Price Staff Writer Christians are called to help those who are struggling or in need.

page 4 | opinion

ave a nice day,” “Have a wonderful day now,” They say.

“Lost everything,” “My wife and son died,” their signs read.

People who lost everything, the people we lightly refer to as “homeless,” stand on the street corners of every city in America. Their worn-out cardboard signs tell the heart-wrenching tales of their lives. But when they ask for a mere nickel, we just keep walking. These men and women, who have nothing, give us a kind word and a well-wish as we stroll by, but we choose to give them nothing in return.

I experienced this recently when I was in Chicago for a few days. On each block there was someone sitting or standing, begging for their living. Some were wrapped in threadbare blankets while others clung to a worn coat to try and keep warm. Yet, they were still looking up. Many times as I walked by, they would wish me a good day. But I just kept walking. Why didn’t I stop and give them one of the dollars in my pocket so that they would be able to eat that night?

I think people just keep walking for two reasons: selfishness or the assumption someone else will help them out. The first reason relates to the classic you-need-to-give-more saying. As humans, the most appealing option is usually to keep what we have for ourselves, and ignore the little voice in our head telling us to give it away. It seems that I usually choose the former, even when I know I shouldn’t.

However, I think the most prevalent reason why we just keep walking is that we assume someone else will take care of it. In our society, we are constantly tempted to choose the easiest route that will have the best end result for us. We tell ourselves, “I can’t stop walking because I’ll be late.” Or, “I need that five for my new shoes.” Then we assume it’s fine because thousands of people who walk past that

begging person will put a dollar in his jar and make up for the one we kept to ourselves.

But that’s not the case. The truth is that thousands of people walk by that man and think the exact same thing we thought: someone else will stop, and we don’t have the time or means to help that person.

As I was walking down the street the other day and once again passed a man asking for anything, the parable of the Good Samaritan popped into my head. In the parable there are four men.

One of them is on the side of the road in critical condition. The other three men walk by him. The first, a priest, walks by and doesn’t help. The second, a Levite, walks by and doesn’t help. But the third man, a Samaritan, stops to help. The fact that the Priest and Levite kept walking is significant because they were considered to be very close to God and were always in the temple.

The Samaritans on the other hand were hated by the Jews and considered very low in society because they supposedly worshiped God the wrong way. The moral of this story is that we should stop to help, and that status doesn’t automatically excuse you from helping. The priest and Levite, who could be paralleled to a Christian today, just kept walking. They assume the business they’re rushing off to attend to is righteous enough; therefore, they’re not obligated to help. But that’s not the truth. As Christians we are called to take care of the poor in their distress.

So next time you walk past a person on the street asking if you’ll give them just a nickel, will you do it? I know I will. I don’t have to believe the lies that I don’t have enough time or that I need new shoes more than that person needs dinner.

I mean, how hard is it to reach into your wallet and give a nickel anyway?

Separation in the lunchroom E

veryone sees it. High school movies make fun of the ridiculousness of it. Still, people just don’t acknowledge it. The topic of separation is often overlooked, yet it stunts the community in the high school. Separation is most evident in the way students are divided into several small groups throughout the lunchroom. The soccer players sit with the soccer players. The robotics team sits with the robotics team. The freshmen sit with the freshmen. The boys sit with the boys, and the girls with the girls. But why? As high school students, shouldn’t we be mature enough to expand our friend groups so that we don’t solely have friends who think and act like us? Are we not mature enough to sit with someone of the opposite gender? I think that it’s time we grow up, stand up, and sit next to someone new at lunch.

When I was in middle school, I remember sitting with the same people every day and that’s just the way it was. Nobody ever thought about how there were other people in the same lunchroom who could be your potential best friends. It wasn’t until freshman year that I looked around and saw the senselessness of the segregation we have within the walls of our tiny lunchroom. I never realized how I always sat with the exact same five people in the same seat every day. Then I broadened my view and realized I was only one of many who participated in this. Most people sit as if we have a seating chart.

Even today, I sit in nearly the same seat with the same people around me each day while other people that I should be getting to know sit with their friends.

So why do we feel that we have to sit with the same people every day at lunch? Why don’t we ever sit with someone new and get to know them better?

Perhaps it’s because we feel safe with the people we know. We sit by people who think and act like us so that we have sense of security. Those people are familiar, and therefore safe.

That may be true, but what about that girl who is sitting all by herself? What about that group at lunch who won’t include everyone in their conversation?

I’m not saying most of us separate ourselves purposefully; but, most of us are guilty of this separation whether we know it or not. I think it’s time that we try to make a change in our daily routine. If we simply sit by someone different every day, we can work together and make our community stronger.

I want to challenge all of us, as a school, to try to sit with someone new in the lunchroom. It may be awkward at first, but I believe if we all put in a generous effort, we can have a community of high school students that is accepting and strong. Together, as one big group of friends, we can make a big impact on those who are struggling with self esteem and social status.

Maddie Cates Staff Writer The separation in the lunchroom can be overcome and replaced with unity.

On Hashtag Activism T

his last month the media was dominated by coverage of the tragic attack on Paris that left at least 130 people dead and many more wounded. During tragedies such as this one, it seems the world (or at least our world as Americans) stands still as we hold our breath and stand as witness to the events that unfold before us.

I use the word witness intentionally. Today everyone is connected through television, the Internet, and social media. This connection makes tragedies such as Paris a global event. As I watched the coverage of the attacks from my TV at home, I felt the same hurt and confusion that millions around the world felt. Checking my phone, I could see outrage and support flowing from almost every corner. The hashtag “prayforParis” began trending, and it suddenly seemed like everyone had a personal stake in France’s hurt. On one level, this outpouring of support was amazing, but on another level, it only served to highlight how shallow our involvement in these tragedies really is.

While I don’t condemn hashtag activism, I believe that its use is often limited. After all, tweeting a few well meaning words can only go so far. This sort of activism is great for raising awareness and engaging the populace; however, a problem arises when no one takes this awareness a step further into understanding. Social media has connected us, but it has also changed us. It has transformed us into a people who knows more and under-

stands less.

Because of social media, the general population has evolved from bystander to witness, and this entails a responsibility far greater than to which we have been accustomed.

Generally, when we think of a witness, we think of someone who merely stands by and watches passively as an event unfolds. This is an incomplete view. When a crime is committed, witnesses are called up to testify and offer their perspective on the case before them. They can be grilled for hours and must be knowledgeable and ready to give an account of what happened. While witnesses themselves do not prevent crimes, they still perform an active role in administering justice through their own understanding of the case.

In the same way during these tragedies, we become the world’s witness and must play our part to help bring justice to the situation. Even if you are a continent away, your perspective matters.

The world will not be the same because of Paris, and it is our job to help make sure that this change makes us better not worse. Standing by Paris needs to be much deeper and heartfelt than just a tweet or a Facebook status. To stand by Paris, we must be good witnesses and be ready to offer our own informed perspective to the world in hopes that we can interact with these tragedies in a deeper and more meaningful way.

Bryce Johnston Staff Writer Attacks on Paris and other countries should mean more than a hashtag or Instagram post.

page 5 | opinion

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COACH AND STUDENT COME TOGETHER AGAIN WORKING AT KCC

by Peter Loganbill staff writer

Squirrelly, awkward, insecure, arrogant 13-year-old Brian Miller walks onto the soccer field at Berean Academy. The year is 1980, two weeks before the start of his freshman year of high school.

Here, he would meet the man who has had more influence on him than anyone outside his father, the man that would watch him change. That man is Allan Chugg.

Bible teacher, Allan Chugg, and math teacher, Brian Miller, have known each other for 35 years. They knew each other as teacher and student back then and now as co-workers. Over the decades, Chugg has seen Miller grow from an immature student to a caring man, and Miller has witnessed how Chugg is the same leader today as he was back when he knew him as a teacher, coach, play director, and mentor.

As a high school student, Miller began to gain confidence from Chugg.

“When I was a freshman I made the [soccer] team,” Miller said. “There were 32 guys that went out for the team and only 18 [made] it, and I was number 18 because of him. The other coach didn’t want me, [Chugg] did... I always ended up starting by the end of the year.”

On the field, Miller improved. “[He] got better and better as time went on. [It] took him awhile to develop,” Chugg said. “I used to get on him in practice quite often.”

Miller remembers Chugg very fondly.

“I remember we were playing Oklahoma Baptist… our huge

page 6 | feature

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rival back in high school. The referees were not what I would call good,” Miller said.

“We kept getting hurt as players. He had our back so much that he got kicked out of the game. He got a red card. He was trying to protect us, which was awesome.”

The game did not look good for the Berean Warriors. Not only were they losing players due to injury, but they were also losing players because of Chugg’s protests.

However, the team came together and knew that they had to win for their coach.

“This guy [had] our back so much,” Miller said. “We ended up winning the game in overtime with only 10 guys against their 11.”

In the classroom, Miller had Chugg as a Bible teacher throughout high school. Miller’s highlight of the class was Chugg’s stories.

“He was not a great Bible teacher because he made us memorize verses or things like that, but he made it real. He made the Bible real through his great stories. I didn’t really realize what he was doing, I thought he wasn’t even really paying attention to the subject, but he truly was. He was doing it a different way, kind of subversively, but he knew what he was doing.”

Chugg describes a young Miller as “almost always bored. He was incredibly smart. He was a bit full of himself. In fact, really, literally bored.”

When Miller started acting in high school, Chugg was his director.

“He was a great actor even in high school,” Chugg said. “We spent probably as much time doing drama as we did in the classroom and [in] sports.”

Chugg even directed a musical that Miller was in, and this

ible ith B ool w s sch and 5, st is high 1 e h g h on er, a Mill e coac n a i Br , th her ugg teac llan Ch h t Ma her A . teac er team c c o s

made Miller begin to consider acting.

At a time when no one really expected anything of him, Chugg described a concert where Miller “brought the house down” after singing a solo.

Chugg came to KCC shortly after Miller’s graduation from Berean Academy. Meanwhile, Miller was spending time all across the country. This included Broadway performances, waiting on a cruise ship in the Bahamas, and being a ski instructor in Colorado.

“I’ve done everything I wanted to do,” Miller said.

At one point, Chugg and Miller did not see each other for over a decade.

Then, Miller saw his chance to reconnect. Right across the street from his parent’s house, at Bethel College, the KCC boys soccer team was playing in State. Miller sat with his fiancée, Leah, in the stands. Miller understood that Chugg had to prepare his team for State, and thus planned on not approaching him until after the game. However, Chugg had another idea.

Chugg looked up toward his wife, Betty, and close to her, he saw his old student. “[Chugg] saw me in the stands, and he’s like ‘Miller!’” Miller said.

“He [came] across the field in the middle of warm-ups, [he] didn’t give a crud about anybody… motioned me to come down, and we had the best hug in the middle of the field… so I start kind of

weeping and he starts weeping. It was awesome, best moment ever.”

Miller moved back to Kansas City and Chugg would often see Miller at a theater downtown.

“My wife and I would go watch him perform, then spend time afterwards talking with him, going out to eat with him and those kind of things,” Chugg said.

Chugg has seen great change in Miller since his school days.

“Obviously his focus has vastly changed because now he’s a teacher and serving in a Christian school,” Chugg said. “He was single, he was very much involved in the area of acting, which by its nature is a bit self-centered and self-promoting. As time went on, he just grew up and realized that the focus of life had to be far different than just performing, though that’s legitimate in itself.

What he’s doing now is really amazing.”

If it wasn’t for Chugg, Miller would not be where he is today.

“He always put his faith in me,” Miller said. “He gave me my confidence, because he believed in me before I believed in me.

He told me that life is worth living in terms of ‘go for it, there’s nothing you can’t do if you really, really want it, and you really try and you believe in God.’ All that faith and encouragement.”

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Meet the C a n d i d at e s

by Bryce Johnston Web Editor BEN CARSON Famous neurosurgeon Ben Carson is an outsider candidate who, with his soft spoken manner, provides a contrast to Trump. Carson represents many traditional ideals held closely by conservatives. He looks to keep faith in American society and is pro-life, among many other things. Carson says he would get rid of the Affordable Care Act as he sees it as a looming disaster.

Carson is weak on foreign policy, a fault that he openly admits to. While Carson has no major political experience, he has gained a great following from those who are tired of Washington politics.

JEB BUSH Former governor of Florida, son of President George H.W. Bush, and brother of President George W. Bush, Jeb Bush was predicted to lead the Republican race for the nomination. However, he has failed to connect with voters and has appeared weak in debates. Bush states that he wants to reform Washington by supporting an amendment that would force Congress to pass a balanced budget.

Marco Rubio Marco Rubio is a junior senator from Florida who has recently been gaining ground in the polls due to his standout performances in the last two debates.

Rubio offers a young, fresh outlook for the Republican party although he does lack experience. He looks to support small businesses by reforming the tax code and wants to promote family values.

TED CRUZ An upstart junior senator from Texas, Cruz has made a name for himself through his ambition and criticism of Republican leaders. Cruz relies heavily on his record as a senator and points often to his fight against the Affordable Care Act and the Iran deal. Cruz is not big on compromise, as his promotional bumper sticker proudly declares “this vehicle makes right turns only.”

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Donald trump Real estate mogul and Republican frontrunner according to many polls, Donald Trump has offered little regarding concrete details on his position; maintaining an ambiguous stance regarding issues such as the economy and foreign policy. Trump’s self- funded campaign has drawn many voters who are looking to rally behind an outsider candidate.

Trump’s popularity has been surprising thus far; however, he has recently stirred outrage for his call to ban Muslims from entering the country.

Bernie Sanders Bernie Sanders, socialist junior senator from Vermont, has posed the only potent threat to Hillary Clinton. Sanders represents the anyone-but-Hillary vote and aims to raise taxes on the rich in order to pay for many of his programs, such as free tuition for public college. Sanders represents a grassroots movement for liberals who are fed up with dishonest politicians and is considered a more ethical alternative to Hillary Clinton.

Hilary Clinton As former First Lady, New York Senator, and Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton was the clear favorite to take the democratic nomination. Clinton will look to continue some of the policies of President Barack Obama, such as the Affordable Care Act. She has, however, publicly broken with Obama several times, including his finalization of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which she had helped broker during her time as Secretary of State. Her campaign has been marred by a scandal surrounding her use of a private email server as Secretary of State, but the initial firestorm has died down significantly.

*107 students polled

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Birth Order Whether you’re a controlling first born or a rebellious middle child, your position in the family can affect your personality and anything from your career choice, where you go to college, or even who you are going to marry.

by Mallory Mong & Mitchell Paul staff writers

First borns are typically responsible, reliable, and well-behaved because of the extreme attention and dedication that the parents give them. Oldest children also tend to be over-achievers, looking to seek approval. They are often found pursuing a leadership position in whatever career field they choose, although some common ones are law, medicine, business, or engineering.

The eldest child often displays the following characteristics:

-reliable -conscientious -structured -controlling -cautious -achieving 17-year-old junior and firstborn Luke Rovenstine sees a lot of the typical firstborn characteristics in himself.

“I’m very opinionated and like to be the only person in charge. I’m headstrong, structured, and a major overachiever,” Luke said. “I feel like a classic firstborn child.”

His love for structure shows in his daily life.

“If you’ve seen my locker, it is very organized. It is very structured and makes sense, allowing me to be in control of everything,” Luke said. “If people come in and mess with my stuff, I get very agitated because everything isn’t where it’s supposed to be. Some people even call it the ‘Pottery Barn Locker’ because it looks so good. I just pride myself on having an extremely clean locker.”

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The middle child is commonly cooperative and flexible because they are constantly navigating sibling relationships with their older and younger sibling. The negotiation skills of the middle child can even lead them to power careers where they can optimize their talents. The defining personality trait of the middle child often is the opposite of the oldest child, because they want to carve their own path. Middle children most commonly have these personality traits:

-people pleaser

-somewhat rebellious

-thrives on friendships -fair

-has a large social circle -peacemaker 14-year-old freshman and middle child Cooper Rovenstine said he fits with some of the middle child tendencies but does not play a peacemaker role in his family.

“I’m probably more energetic and rebellious. I am definitely not a peacemaker. I am much more of a troublemaker,” Cooper said. “One time in seventh grade when Mrs. Wilderson was talking she was like, ‘Guys, I know it was really hard for me in middle school when I was in study hall. It was really hard for me not to talk to my friends.’ And I said, ‘Wait you have friends!?’ And then she got really mad, and I got a yellow sheet, and it was funny.”

Cooper did see himself as a people pleaser though.

He said he loves to entertain and make others laugh.

“Hudson Young, Carter Schuchardt, and I did a middle school talent show and that was really fun,” Cooper said. “We did interpretive dancing, and I was good.”

The youngest child is considered the “life of the party.” Typically, after already going through each life stage with the first and second born, parents become more lenient with the last. The youngest child often has more freedom, causing them to often be most outgoing of the three. They often gravitate toward more creative or people-oriented fields like acting, comedy, design, or sales. The youngest child often displays these characteristics:

-fun-loving -outgoing -charming -empathetic

-attention seeking -manipulative Alanna is the third and last born child of the Rovenstine family.

She is a 12-year-old seventh grader this year. She felt strongly about being empathetic.

“Me and my friends were the last ones and all the lights were shut off because we were playing lights out sardines and we couldn’t find them [everyone else] ,” Alanna said. “But then I felt bad because we were searching and searching for them, and everyone was there except for us, but then I found them, so I left the door open for her to find us.”

Overall, Alanna enjoys the role as the youngest but sees the advantages of being a middle child too.

“I wish I could be the middle child, because Cooper gets all the attention and I feel like I don’t get enough,” Alanna said.

“I like youngest, I like having older brothers, I just think that’s fun because they are older and help me with stuff I need.”

The only child grows up surrounded by adults, causing them to mature earlier. Only children have the privilege and the burden of having all their parents support and expectations on their shoulders as they grow up. They also spend more time alone, usually making them creative and resourceful.

15-year-old sophomore and only child, Ella Ochs, feels like she identifies with some of the traits that are common among only children. Only children tend to posses these qualities:

-Mature -Perfectionist -Diligent -Leader

-Confident Only children tend to have a lot of influence over their parents. “[I don’t have influence] all the time, but most of the time, I usually get what I want. That’s not a bad thing though,” Ochs said. “I just know when my parents are in a bad mood, they are most likely not going to let me go anywhere.”

Often, those with siblings proclaim how lucky onlys are to be free of siblings, but Ochs doesn’t agree.

“It’s pretty boring being an only child actually, I like not having to fight with siblings, but I wish I had siblings. When we go on vacations, there’s no one besides my parents to be with. There’s no one fun or my age that want to do the same things. I miss [out on] having siblings in the morning and not opening gifts on Christmas with anyone,” Ochs said. “I have cousins that are my age, and so that’s really fun. They’re kind of like my siblings.”

Ochs wishes she had siblings, but still acknowledges the perks of being an only child. She likes having the house to herself sometimes and not having to worry about the chaos of siblings.

“You don’t have to argue with anyone, it’s peaceful and you get your own room. You don’t have to share,” Ochs said. “You get all new clothes,you don’t get handme-downs, and you don’t have to share things.”

Ochs does resonate with being a perfectionist, particularly when it comes to her living space and how she takes care of her room with everything always in the right place. “[It’s]where I spend a lot of my time, and so I like for it to be in order because it kind of makes me go crazy if it’s not in order, and my mind kind of goes crazy because my house really isn’t organized, so it’s kind of like my little peaceful palace.”

Although Ochs agrees with most of the only child traits, she doesn’t think of herself as diligent.

“I kind of get sidetracked and distracted really easily page 11 | feature when I do my homework!”

“American Graffiti,” George Lucas’ first hit movie.

Forms a relationship with actor Harrison Ford, who plays Han Solo in “Star Wars.”

Aug. 1, 1973.

“Flash Gordon” TV show. Early attempt at the science fiction genre.

Inspiration for George Lucas. **J.J. 1936 Abrams** is born.

June 26, 1966

Star Wars Are You Ready for The force AwaKens?

**A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON DIRECTOR J.J. ABRAMS** Once Disney bought Lucasfilm, they placed the first film of the franchise in J.J. Abrams’ hands. Abrams had previously worked on several TV series, such as “Lost”, “Fringe”, and “Once Upon a Time.” He is well known for directing the successful reboots of “Star Trek.” His previous history with these films angered many die hard “Star Wars” fans who believed it presented a conflict of interest. Abrams however has professed his love for the “Star Wars” franchise and is handling the new film with the utmost care. Abrams is a very experienced director and fans have good reason to be assured that he will deliver a great seventh installment on Dec. 18.

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“Jaws,” the first blockbuster.

Made Steven Spielberg and John Williams, the composer of the “Star Wars” score, into household names.

June 20, 1975

Jan. 20, 1977 Jimmy Carter is elected President.

“Star Wars.”

Not titled “A New Hope” by Lucasfilm, simply “Star Wars.” Won six Academy Awards including Best Writing, Best Music, Best Effects, and Best Sound, and three Grammys, including Best Album of Original Score written for a Motion Picture or Television Special.

Very few believed that the movie would do well.

One of the few was veteran actor Alec Guinness, who played ObiWan Kenobi, as well as famed director Steven Spielberg.

May 25, 1977

“Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.” Often regarded as a perfectly functioning sequel.

The film features what was thought of as the greatest, most shocking movie reveal of all time as Vader tells Luke, “No, I am your father.”

“Star Wars: May 21, 1980 Return of the Jedi.” Although the ewoks are not very well liked, the film concludes the series very well and resolves the relationship between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader.

May 25, 1983

Jan. 20, 1981 Ronald Reagan is elected President.

June 8, 1977 Kanye West is born.

Nov. 2, 1978 “The Beatles Collection,” a compilation of Beatles songs is released.

Mark Hamill, who plays Luke Skywalker, begins to voice the Joker in “Batman: The Animated Series.”

1992 George Lucas

Jan. 20, 1989 George H.W. Bush is elected President.

Nov. 30, 1982 Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” the best-selling album of all time.

begins to write the prequel trilogy.

Nov. 1, 1994 “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.”

And thus begins the dark age of “Star Wars.”

May 19, 1999

Jan. 20, 1993 Bill Clinton is elected President.

Dec. 13, 1989 Taylor Swift is born.

Aug. 16, 1977 Elvis Presley dies.

“Star Wars: Attack of the “Star Wars: Clones.” The Revenge CGI-fueled film of the introduces the Sith.” Often face of the regarded hated prequel as the best trilogy. Many of prequel say Hayden trilogy, the Christensen’s film shows the acting ruined transformation the character of Anakin that became Skywalker to Darth Vader.

Darth Vader.

May 20, 2002 May 19, 2005

Disney purchases Lucasfilm from George Lucas for $4.05 billion. The controversy over whether the company will make or break “Star Wars” with their new trilogy begins.

Oct. 30, 2012

Jan. 20, 2001 George W. Bush is elected President.

Sept. 11, 2001 The World Trade Center is attacked by radical Islamic terrorists.

Students and teachers Reveal how star wars has impacted them

Age when first seen:

Impact:

Junior Joel Connealy:

5

“I’m a big fan of the Force. ‘Star Wars’ is such a great topic of conversation.”

Math teacher Brian Miller:

11 (Movie Premiere)

“It helped me realize that there is good and evil in every person.”

Freshman Sam Swiastyn:

4

“Kids be like, ‘What’s your favorite movie?’ I be like, ‘Bro, “Star Wars.”’”

Science teacher Scott Mais:

5

“It has helped shape the inner nerd within me. I say that with pride.”

Principal Ben Williams:

13

“[It has given me] a deeper appreciation of cinema and storytelling.”

page 13 | feature

New coach brings fresh perspective

by Michael Holst staff writer Cheerleading will look differently as the squad has a new head coach for the upcoming season, Kristi High. She has experience both cheering and coaching, and she has history with the school.

“I’m very proud to be a KCC alumni and cheered at KCC starting in the seventh grade all the way through my senior year of high school in 1997,” High said.

After her time at KCC she was a part of the first national champion All-Star Team in Kansas City. She also cheered for the University of Missouri, the St. Louis Rams, and later the University of Kansas. She is now heading an all-star cheer gym and performing arts studio. She has coached at different high schools in the past 12 years before coming to KCC. High has set some clear expectations for the cheerleaders this year.

“My expectation for this first year is to make sure the girls understand their role as leaders in the school and train accordingly at both the physical and spiritual level,” High said. “It’s important to me that this initial team understands my cheer coaching philosophy.”

She then went on to explain what her philosophy is.

“Few sports require as much teamwork and communication as cheerleading,” High said. “Athletes who learn the rules, practice at every opportunity, and take extra steps to further what they’ve learned in practice find their skill level benefits the entire team’s skill level… This helps build an entire support system between cheerleaders and fans thus building school spirit and encouraging our athletes while in competition.”

High has brought change to practices.

“The girls have a stronger training regimen than what they’ve been accustomed to. We’re also teaming up with the Fellowship of Christian Cheerleaders later in the season.”

page 14 | sports

PHOTO BY ALLIE OWENS

Speaking to her squad members, new coach Kristi High leads a cheerleading meeting.

Junior Paige Hardt explained that High has brought a new attitude to the cheerleading squad.

“We’re working out a lot more and getting in better shape,” Hardt said. “We’re looking like more of a unit and becoming more of a team.”

High has the squad focusing on the basics.

“She works a lot on building up our strength and updating our jumps and stunts to the newest form of them,” Kieffer said.

Sophomore Annelise Madderom feels that High has made cheerleading a more enjoyable experience.

“I think it’s a lot more fun,” Madderom said. “I feel like it’s actually cheerleading, not just a side sport.”

Basketball

Girls basketball head coach J.T. Horstick and assistant coach Bailey Spencer look on as junior Callie Eldred passes senior Sarah Gromer the ball during practice.

PHOTO BY ALLIE OWENS

Q&A with Coach Runyan and Coach Horstick

by Michael Holst staff writer

The basketball program is going to have a couple of new faces in pretty significant places this year. Both the boys and the girls teams are going to have new head coaches this season. Adam Runyan, last year’s girls coach, will be the head coach of the boys and J.T. Horstick will be the head coach of the girls. I talked with them about their plans for the program.

Q: What are you going to do differently this year than last year?

Runyan: I’m coaching a completely different team this year. I coached the girls team last year.

During the summer we had to evaluate the team and then reevaluate the team during tryouts.

We’re going to put together the best plan for us to have success this year.

Horstick: I don’t know if we’ll even try to do anything different this year. It started going good toward the end of last year, so we’ll keep building on that this year.

Q: What are your expectations for this year?

R: They need to show heart on the court 100 percent of the time and let that translate into success.

H: I expect the girls to work hard all of the time. I want them to have fun and compete, but not be too hard on themselves. I’d love to win every game, of course, but I’ll be happy if they go out and compete and have fun.

Q: What do you like about coaching basketball in general?

R: I love teaching the X’s and O’s of basketball. I like trying to get the best out of people while outplaying the other team through our game plan.

H: I just love being around the sport. It’s the best sport to me. I grew up playing it, watching it, and thinking of the best strategies of how to do it better.

Q: What do you like about coaching this team?

R: I like their love for the game.

H: They are a fun group of girls. They like to have fun. Having fun while still working hard. Running is not always fun, but they still enjoy playing basketball and being on the team. They’ve all been working hard, listening to the coaches, learning, and getting better every day.

Q: What would you like to see in this year’s season?

R: Well, I’d like to see us win the State championship, but you have to take the season one game at a time. We have to expect to win each game so that we can put ourselves in a position to play for a championship.

H: I want them to have fun, work hard, always keep improving, don’t be satisfied where they are, and want to get better. I love seeing the progression from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.

Q: Do you have any plans for the future of the program/where do you see the program heading?

R: My plan for KCC basketball is to see guys grow first in their walk with Christ and become guys that are always putting forth their best effort on and off the court. That’s what will translate into success on and off the court. We’re only going to do it if we do it together.

H: We’re trying to develop the program and keep growing. We’re trying to get more girls to play so we can develop them and start something new.

No Bowling?

Students who were on the bowling team last year or were looking forward to it this year shared their thoughts on the fact that it is no longer an option.

“I feel that it excludes a lot of people from winter sports,” sophomore Ian Ko, one year on the bowling team, said. “We should include it for people who don’t do basketball, Scholar’s bowl, or ping pong.”

“It was fun last year, but it wasn’t amazing,” Senior Lucas Ford, top bowler last year, said.

“It’s so wrong because we were going to have more people play this year and now they can’t,” Brianna Bodine, one year on the bowling team, said. “It’s unfair. How can they have a ping pong club but no bowling team? I really miss it.”

“I think it should come back because it’s a really fun pastime and a really fun sport,” freshman Day Newman said. “Please bring it back!”

page 15 | sports

from the web www.kccsnews.com

Students create ping pong club

by Maddie Cates staff writer This winter students will get the opportunity to join the school’s brand new ping pong club thanks to the ideas of junior Samuel Peterson and senior Connor Christians.

“I guess the idea came about freshman year,” Peterson said. “[Junior] Nate Streeter and I thought it would be cool to have a ping pong club, but we never really got it going until now.”

Students, both experienced and inexperienced, are eager to start the new club and learn more about the game.

“I’m really excited to just get better at ping pong,” junior Damara Beck said. “[I am excited to] play with people who are as serious about it as me.”

Peterson agrees with Beck, as he is excited about this unique experience as well.

“I’m probably most excited about getting the opportunity to play with great people and learn how to be a better player at the same time,” Peterson said.

As of now the club is still trying to figure out how everything is going to play out.

“We haven’t exactly figured out how to play other schools, so for now we are just playing for fun in Mr. Conkling’s room after school,” Peterson said. “Hopefully we can set some matches against other schools.”

Ping pong club sponsor, Micah Conkling, has high hopes for the emerging club.

“All of the details are still getting worked out,” Conkling said. “There will be weekly practices and games where students can play ping pong. Hopefully there will be times when we can have larger tournaments.”

Conkling stressed the dedication of becoming a member of the ping pong club.

“It [the ping pong club] is more of a society or lifestyle than a club,” Conkling said. “A club is something you join because you have an interest in a subject. Students interested in the ping pong club should have a deep desire to play ping pong, like their life wouldn’t be the same without the sport.”

Humans

KCC

of

Hannah Coleman Senior 17 “Whenever I try to find inspiration for a book it’s kind of hard, but writers write what they know, and for me I like to write about music just because it’s a hobby and if you’re really passionate about something it comes out better in your writing and it shows.

So you write what you know, you don’t want to try to impress people by writing what you think they’ll like or a genre that you think is popular, if you just write what you know then that’s what people will like to read about.”

Brief News Kansas Honors Scholars named Seniors Bryce Johnston, Eden Pierce, Blase Pivovar, and Peter Loganbill received recognition as Kansas Honors Scholars Nov. 9.

The University of Kansas Honors Program gives this award out each year to students who were ranked in the top 10 percent of their class.

Johnson County Shooting Stars Finalist Named Senior Josh Swiastyn was named a finalist in the Shooting Stars TwoDimensional Art category by the Art Council of Johnson County. The award recipient will be announced April 3. See kccsnews.com for more details.

Senior receives Nomination Senior Bryce Johnston received a nomination to the United States Military Academy from Rep. Kevin Yoder.

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