BLHS Express April 2013 by BLHS Express

NEWS

Government Class Visits Capitol

The Basehor-Linwood High School American Government class of Anthony Dice and Tim Johnson recently completed a legislative field project that included a one-day visit to the Kansas Legislature in Topeka. While studying the Kansas government system, the students contacted local state representative Willie Dove who arranged for the

group to attend actual sessions of the legislature.

governor’s office during the morning. “This was a great learning experience for us,” commented Dice, one of the two instructors for the class, “you can read about government in books, but seeing it in action is so much more effective in understanding it.”

In Topeka the group toured the capitol building, attended a session of the Senate, and met with Rep. Dove in a conference room to discuss pending education bills. The - Contributed by government teacher students also had an opportunity to meet Governor Brownback for a Tim Johnson question and answer session in the - Photo provided by Gov. Brownback’s Office

Twitter: @btownexpress Gmail:

expressblhs@gmail.com Express staff from left to right: Maddy Mikinski, Brittni Wilhelm, Tori Powell, Ali Patterson, Mitchell Mikinski, Lindsey Schubert, Abi Batesel, Alexis Nichols, Sarah Ford, Elissa Freemire, Julia Stevens, Rachael Bell, Susette Garcia, Allison Crist. Not pictured: Liz Morris.

OPINION

Music To Their Ears By: Mitchell Mikinski

Upcoming Events APRIL 4/18 - 21 Band Trip to Washington D.C. 4/18, 19, 20 Spring Play, 7:00 4/22 Commencement Speaker announced 4/24 Academic Awards Program, 7:00 4/25 Academic Awards Assembly, 10:30 a.m. 4/26 No school for students 4/27 Forensics Showcase, 7:00 MAY 5/3 Senior Trip to Silver Dollar City 5/6-10 Late Start 5/10, 13 Senior Finals 5/14 Senior Checkout 5/16 2013 Commencement 5/17, 20-22 Finals 5/22 End of fourth quarter, Last day of school !

Music. It defines us, but what about teachers? I think often it is forgotten that they are an integral part of BLHS. But a lot of them seem like all they do is educate, or make us miserable depending on your interpretation of their jobs. It is often forgotten that these dedicated people do, in fact, have souls outside of teaching. But isn’t music’s point to help and soothe the soul? I think examining some teachers’ tastes in music is key to understanding their classroom attitudes. Some teachers, especially those who grew up around the ‘60s, feel a love for classic rock. Teacher Tim Johnson, who has experienced many decades of music, still finds this genre to be his favorite. It is understandable the level of love he has for classic rock though. He played bass in a cover band called “The Dezerters” who covered popular songs of the day. However, his favorite song isn’t a classic rock song. In fact, it isn’t even in English, it’s a Swedish hymn that translates roughly into “Children of The Heavenly Father.” His taste in music paints a very accurate picture of him and his personality. The Dezerter in Johnson is the loud one with the colorful ties and loud impersonations of historical figures. The “Child of The Heavenly Father” Johnson is the quieter one who often reminisces and tells stories of his Swedish family and heritage during lectures in class. Another part of the ’60s was folk music. One of our counselors, Nancy Silverforb, shares a special connection

Tim Johnson poses with his guitar as a member of “The Dezerters.”

with that genre. Her love stems from an experience at summer camp with someone who played ukulele. She instantly loved it. She eventually ended up starting a musical group whose name was “The 9th Grade Uke Group,” with some friends. They weren’t very talented according to Silverforb. But the fact that music was a catalyst in young Silverforb’s life is very impressive. Now the ‘60s were revolutionary, but what about the’80s? Stephanie Harris, one of the math and engineering teachers, enjoys that era of music. Her favorite artists include Bon Jovi and Journey. “Don’t Stop Believing” is her favorite song. She also played piano and wishes she had stuck with it. I believe by looking at their interests you can find the soul of teachers. They aren’t cold, heartless creatures, despite some students’ personal beliefs. They really do have personalities, and that isn’t seen enough.

FEATURE

FOUR PEOPLE - ONE SEAT By Elissa Freemire

Have you ever stopped to think about who you share your desk with? There are 600 students at BLHS, and odds are, you probably don’t know everyone by name, but what if you got to know the three other students that sit in the same desk you sit in during your Gold Day class everyday? Below are the stories of all of the students that share a desk in Mrs. Neil’s Gold Day classes. Shay Albrecht is in English I. Shay is a freshman, and like most other freshmen she’s still trying to learn the ropes of high school. Shay is a member of the band, and plays both the saxophone and the clarinet. She’s been playing the clarinet since the fifth grade, and just recently started playing the saxophone so she could join jazz band. “Shay may come off as being

quiet and shy, but once you get to know her, you’ll soon find out that she is a loud and very nice girl,” freshman MacKenzie Duncan said. Tabor York fills the desk next. Tabor is in Mrs. Neil’s English II class. If you know Tabor, you know that he is always telling a joke or looking to put a smile on your face. Tabor is also a member of the band and jazz band. Tabor also has a YouTube channel, although he asked that we keep his username private. The student that fills the desk during Gold 3 is Tanner Brown. Tanner is a sophomore and has been attending school in this district since the first grade. Tanner is a very friendly person, and always seems to be smiling. He also loves to play soccer. “I’ve

played it since I was little,” Brown said. Tanner is a girls soccer manager and participates in cross country. Between those activities and his three other siblings, he seems to always be on the move. Ally Nahrebeski is in Mrs Neil’s Gold 4 class. Ally always seems to be surrounded by friends, and she is always laughing. Ally is currently playing softball, and is also active in National Honors Society. Ally stands at five feet tall and is one fourth Asian. As you may know, Ally’s mom works at the school as the building tech and bears a very strong resemblance to Ally. Next time you take a seat in class, think about the stories of those who sit there before and after you...there may be a great story yet to be told!

feature

THREE STORIES OF FAITH By: Brittni Wilhelm

Britnee Ketcham. Justin Oberndorfer. Alyssa Bailey. What do they have in common? These three individuals live their daily lives differently because their beliefs as Christians influence their daily decisions.

Justin Oberndorfer had been going to church as a young kid. When Oberndorfer was 8 years old he gave his life to Christ then renewed his commitment at the age of 18. He felt like God wanted him to become a pastor. Thirteen years later, Oberndorfer has stuck to his plan and has been a pastor and church planter. Oberndorfer is now in his second year of teaching at BLHS.

Britnee Ketcham has been

going to church as long as she’s been alive and she’s never really known anything else. Britnee had seen how happy others where when they asked God to be a part of their lives that it made her want that happiness so she decided to become a Christian. Britnee said, “My life now since I have accepted Christ in my life is just indescribable! God really opened my eyes,” she said. “I have my ups and downs, but knowing God is always there for me is so comforting.” Being a teen she faces the fear and discomfort of what her friends might think of her if she tells them about Christ and how strong of a love she has for Him because she wants them to feel the love she does. In the end

she’s grateful for a wonderful life she lives knowing He’s there for her no matter what happens.

Alyssa Bailey has been

going to church since day one. Alyssa decided she wanted to be saved when she realized God would always love her. When Alyssa was saved she said, “It felt like everything got lifted off my shoulders.” Now she’s living her life through Christ. Alyssa said, “It’s overall great, but just because I am a Christian doesn’t mean I don’t have problems. I just have to pray and ask God for help.” Alyssa gets excited about the fact she might be able to plant the seed of God in someone’s life and change it forever.

FEATURE

The Buzz On The Fuzz

By: Maddy Mikinski

Teenagers and the police department have a traditionally rocky relationship. It seems like every teen movie features an overbearing police officer victimizing a poor, helpless teenager. While some think this stereotype is confined to movies and TV shows, many students at BLHS think that the targeting of high school students by police officers is a real life occurrence. Here at BLHS, the most prominent law enforcement body is the Basehor Police Department. Keeping with the stereotype, BLHS students feel like they’re singled out from the hundreds of commuters who drive Basehor streets every day. “[My relationship with the Basehor PD] has not been good,” said senior Lauren Leiker, who has had her own run-ins with the police department. “I feel like they have too much time on their hands.” Leiker believes that the Basehor Police Department picks students out of the crowds for “simple things.” Why? Because of their perceived lower maturity levels. “I think they treat us like children.” This is a common sentiment throughout the high school population, but is it true? Basehor Police Chief Lloyd Martley, Jr., begs to differ. “Students don’t understand that we’re trying to help them,” Martley said. He believes that, by interacting with law enforcement officers, students are being prepared for adult life. “Our goal is not to pick on, but educate.”

The police department’s efforts to get involved in high school activities are very apparent. In 2010, they partnered with other local law enforcement agencies to stage a fake accident for the education of the student body. They also collaborated on a Click It or Ticket Campaign with the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) and will begin another one in May. “Anything we feel is beneficial to the students, we get involved in.” By educating students in this way, the police department is showing their appreciation for the high school and its students. “We really like having the high school, or any school in town,” Martley said. “It’s really important for me to have a good relationship with the schools and high schools.” Social studies teacher and former police officer Tim Johnson applauds the work Martley and the Basehor police force are doing to cultivate a good, lasting relationship with the school. In his 31 years in the criminal justice field, Johnson worked with Piper and Smokey Valley High Schools to name a few. In short, he knows how important a good relationship between high schools and local police departments are. “It’s critical for all schools, not just high schools,” Johnson said. “Your schools are an area in which young students are adopting values and ideas about adult life that are greatly impacted by the criminal justice system.” In essence, Johnson takes the

same stand that Martley does: local police departments help students learn how to be good, law-abiding citizens. “If you have a positive relationship [between local police departments and high schools], it makes life a lot easier for both sides.” During his time at BLHS, Johnson has seen a drastic change in the way high school students are viewed by local law enforcement. Before Mr. Martley’s administration began in the department, Johnson said the attitude between the police department and high school students was “adversarial.” The state of police-student relations today, he believes, is greatly improved. “I think possibly [the image] has been repaired a little bit. The current administration has worked [hard]. We see some of their people at our events.” Leiker, though, believes her personal relations with law enforcement and the way high school students view local law enforcement will “probably not change” as time goes on. Whether the students at BLHS see it or not, the police chief Lloyd Martley and the rest of the Basehor Police Department are working strenuously to maintain good relations with BLHS and its students.

news

S R O lBy:i vToriePowell r One new thing that has happened to the school in the past two years is getting an SRO, which is a School Resource Officer. He is here to help with things that have been big problems in the past, like theft. Officer Rob Oliver said, “I see less stealing now than with the previous SRO’s because there are new gym lockers and they are harder to get in to. That doesn’t help out the students that still think it’s okay to leave their belongings laying around. Especially keeping cars locked has improved.” It is his job to protect the students here and provide

safety and security. as Basehor-Linwood’s. He said Some students feel otherwise. it’s good to see that they all had Other students feel like he the same goal and that was to is doing his job and making see the students grow into adults school an easier place to be than and improve themselves as previous years. One student said, individuals. “He knows how to help us in case something were to medically go wrong. The only other person that would be able to help is the nurse, so it’s nice to have someone else that knows what they are doing in Flat tires that sense.” Jefferson High School (New Jersey): "a high school prankster deflated the One highlight, Officer Oliver front tires of 24 school buses parked at a Weldon Road compound Tuesday, but district officials weren't laughing as they were forced to cancel classes for more than said, is having great staff 3,600 students... In addition to the tire damage, the vandals left behind another clue: The numbers "06" spray-painted on one of the busses." members. Some schools don’t have teachers that care as much Senioritis Makes Kids Go Bananas

Seni r ranks G ne W ong 1. 2.

A school outside of Chicago suspended 11 students for taking part in a senior prank wherein a kid dressed like a gorilla chased 10 classmates dressed like bananas through the halls.

3.Car Wrapped around a Flagpole ... Literally

Seni r ranks G ne W ong 1. Flat tires

In 2009, enterprising seniors cut a car in half and then welded it back together around the bottom of the flagpole. Amazingly, the pranksters said the whole process took about an hour. Officials, of course, were not pleased — and the boys were threatened with suspension. But hey: We bet the school’s shop teacher was proud!

4.Hay Is for Horses ... and Seniors For their senior prank, five students from a Kansas high school brought bales of hay inside their school building. Seemed innocent enough … until one of the students doused the hay with copious amounts of skunk spray. All five students were arrested.

5. Playground in the Sky

Jefferson High School (New Jersey): "a high school prankster deflated the front tires of 24 school buses parked at a Weldon Road compound Tuesday, but district officials weren't laughing as they were forced to cancel classes for more than 3,600 students... In addition to the tire damage, the vandals left behind another clue: The numbers "06" spray-painted on one of the busses."

Last year, six seniors erected a swing set on the roof of Milwaukee’s Brookfield East High School and left brownies and soda and a note for the administration, thanking them for their hard work over the past four years. Were school officials moved by the students’ tribute? Hardly: The boys were almost banned from graduation.

Senioritis Makes Kids Go Bananas

A school outside of Chicago suspended 11 students for taking part in a senior prank wherein a kid dressed like a gorilla chased 10 classmates dressed like bananas through the halls.

3.Car Wrapped around a Flagpole ... Literally

Hay Is for ... and Seniors And4. speaking ofHorses seniors... For their senior prank, five students from a Kansas high school brought bales hay inside their school building. Seemed innocent enough … until one of the ofstudents Watch out foramounts ourof skunk brand new Senior Edition coming May 10! Interested doused the hay with copious spray. All five students were arrested. in advertising? Email Mrs. Loney at kloney@usd458.org for a quote! Playground in the Sky Last year, six seniors erected a swing set on the roof of Milwaukee’s Brookfield

East High School and left brownies and soda and a note for the administration, thanking them for their hard work over the past four years. Were school officials moved by the students’ tribute? Hardly: The boys were almost banned from graduation.

PROM 2013 LEFT PAGE: Some student-submitted photos from Prom 2013, held on April 13, 2013 at Sporting Park. RIGHT PAGE: Try out...The Top 9 Dance Moves At Prom: If you attended prom, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no doubt you saw many of these dance moves displayed on the dance floor. Whether they are totally awkward or require some skill, these are surefire favorites to get a dance party going. BOTTOM OF PAGE: Prom 2013?: A set of stories about some of the most unique, creative, and cutest ways that people at our school asked their special someone to prom.

PROM 2013

FEATURE

Senior Spotlight: Devan Belt By: Allison Crist

“High school sucks. Whoever said that these years are the best of your life, lied. I mean, it doesn’t suck completely. There are definitely good parts; homecoming, prom, football games, basketball games, and partying with your friends. It’s just one big roller coaster. I’ve enjoyed the ride... for the most part,” senior Devan Belt said.

gone through a single transformation. Devan made note that without her friends, she probably wouldn’t have been able to reach her senior year. “Each and every one of my best friends has helped me in a certain way. They’re always ready to cheer me up when I need it or give me advice,” Devan explained.

Devan is the definition of unique. Everyone who has ever spoken to her knows she’s hilarious. “My greatest skill? Making people laugh,” Devan exclaimed. Although she can have her shy moments, it doesn’t take much for her to break out of her shell.

She may be unsure of a college major, but she has plenty of goals she plans on reaching. “I want to graduate from college, get a job that I love, and have a family. Some long term things on my bucket list include traveling to different places, Even though her friends swimming with dolphins have been there through and helping the poor,” the bad, they’ve also helped Devan said. her cause some trouble. “I’ve gotten away with a lot, “Devan Belt. Where do but it’s high school. You’re I start with her? She is supposed to mess up,” she my best friend. It’s weird said. saying that because as a freshman, I didn’t even There’s definitely been know who she was. I’ve more good than bad for grown to truly know who Devan though. “My whole she is as a person and I junior year was a great wouldn’t change a thing. memory, but the most She’s beautiful inside and memorable moment was out and has the ability taking a road trip with my to make me laugh harder best friends to Salina for than anyone else can. I our boys state basketball,” already know I’m going to Devan said. need a box of Kleenex for when she graduates. I’m As far as classes go, Devan’s not ready for her to move favorite was sociology. on with her life while I’m That class was taught by still stuck in high school Mr. Simpson. Her favorite but I wish the best for teacher was Ms. Harris. “I her!” junior Susette Garcia have had the opportunity said. to have Devan in class her freshman and senior year. I Students pass each other know that math is not her in the hallways every favorite subject, but she day. People make small tries hard and always has a talk in class. Everybody

As she said, high school has been one big roller coaster. Devan thinks she is a completely different person as a senior than she was as a freshmen. However, is that a good or bad thing? “If I could go back and tell myself something as a freshmen, I would say to never change for anybody. High school is about finding yourself. Don’t get caught up in what everyone else is doing. You may lose friends along the way. When you’re young, everything seems like the end of the world but it’s not. In fact, it’s just the beginning. Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Devan said. She is willing to admit that she’s changed. Doesn’t everyone though? Four years is a long time. In those four years, students seldom find they haven’t

Although she thinks it’s silly, the best advice she’s ever been given is that your grades do not reflect your worth as a human being. That can be hard for high schoolers to realize sometimes because of the constant homework, quizzes, tests, and projects.

smile on her face,” Harris said. Devan knows that May is approaching and that it means time for graduation. “I don’t like to admit it, but I’m so scared for my future.” Her ideal career is working with children in someway. She’s not too sure on what exactly she will do, but she’s set on helping kids.

knows everybody for the most part, but that doesn’t mean they really know them. Every single person at BLHS has a different story. Devan Belt’s future is approaching fast, just as every other senior’s is. It’s always nice to find more out about a person that you never really got the opportunity to know. Take advantage of these last couple of weeks and do exactly that.

Devan’s favorite... Movie- Titanic Singer/band- Ed Sheeran Restaurant- Longhorn Fast food place- Wendy’s Color- Purple Book-Thirteen Reasons Why Scent- True Religion perfume Season- Summer TV show- Awkward

PHOTOS

Best of...

BLHS Photos Want to CONTRIBUTE PHOTOS to the BLHS yearbook and newspaper? Our publications are more interactive now than ever before! Go to www.replayit.com and register for an account with BLHS. The password is bobcats1. You can upload your photos directly on to this site.

Photo by: Taylor Sherley Photo by: Maddy Mikinski

Photo by: Allison Crist

Photo by: Liz Morris

Photo by: Mrs. Loneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Green 1 Photo Imaging Class

Photo by: Alexis Nichols

Photo by: Liz Morris